Blog Response 6

Article

Participant of Singapore Bay Run dies at end of 21km run
By Susheel Kaur, Foo Siew Shyan and Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 26 August 2007 1622 hrs

SINGAPORE: A participant of the Singapore Bay Run, also known as the SAFRA Sheares Bridge Run & Army Half Marathon, collapsed and died on Sunday morning.

25-year-old Captain Ho Si Qiu, a platoon commander at the Singapore Armed Forces Officer Cadet School, collapsed at 7am at the end of his 21-kilometre run.

Medics attended to him within 30 seconds.

At the medical post, an intubation was performed and when no heart rhythm was shown, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was immediately carried out.

Captain Ho failed to respond and was sent to the hospital some 20 minutes later.

The cause of his death is being investigated.

Organisers of the run have extended their deepest condolences to the family of Captain Ho.

Organisers said proper safety measures were in place, with 13 medic points set up and over 100 medical personnel deployed.

Sixteen ambulances, each equipped with defibrillators, were also present.

Captain Ho's death is the second sudden death from a marathon this year – the first athlete who died was 17-year-old Thaddeus Cheong in June.

As sports participation among Singaporeans is on an up trend, the Singapore Sports Council has already stepped up safety training among its staff.

Oon Jin Teik, CEO of the Singapore Sports Council, said: "We have to expand this safety awareness to all parties – the public, the organisers and everyone concerned with organising mass events and understanding the risks involved.

"Sports is still very safe and sports is still important to prevent health issues. But at the same time, we are trying to ensure that all aspects are covered."

The latest casualty comes at a time when the National Sports Safety Committee is due to release its report to the Sports Council.

The committee is fine-tuning the report to ensure all areas of safety are covered and best measures are implemented.

The Community Development, Youth and Sports Ministry (MCYS) is also studying a preliminary report that has been submitted by the National Sports Safety Committee and is discussing the findings with relevant sports associations.

Some 70,000 people took part in the run this year – 5,000 more than last year – including Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Dr Balakrishnan said he was saddened by the death of Captain Ho, but he believed organisers had taken all possible safety measures.

He said: "As I was running, I noticed there were many ambulances, medical teams and medical equipment. This was one event in which the SAF, I believe, took every effort to make sure the medical cover was present, was available and was able to move into action immediately.

"At the finish line, he (Captain Ho) was treated by a full medical team, including a doctor. So at this time, it appears that what measures could be taken, were taken."

Response

25-year-old Captain Ho Si Qiu, a platoon commander at the Singapore Armed Forces Officer Cadet School, collapsed at 7am, after finishing the 21 kilometre long SAFRA Sheares Bridge Run & Army Half Marathon. Although medics attended to him within 30 seconds upon his collapse and an intubation and CPR was performed, Captain Ho did not survive.

Coming across this piece of news on Sunday evening was not pleasant. This was not the first death from a marathon this year, as we as Rafflesians should all be clear about. 17 year old Thaddeus Cheong had died from a marathon earlier in June. Within a short span of three months, we say goodbye to another able-bodied man, this time a captain. Although the death of Thaddeus could be blamed on the poor medical facilities present on the day of his marathon, this was not the same in Captain Ho’s case. There were 13 medic points set up and over 100 medical personnel were deployed for the run. There were also sixteen ambulances on the go, each equipped with defibrillators and life saving equipment. Also, medics attended to Captain Ho within a mere 30 seconds, and he was treated with by a full medical team, complete with a doctor.

If medical facilities cannot be blamed, then what was the reason for the death?

For me, I believed that fault lies on the victim himself. When I say this, I am not exactly blaming Captain Ho for dying. In fact nobody and nothing should be blame. A death is serious, and what I am trying to put across here is that if there was a chance for time to revert, for choices to be made again, I feel that Captain Ho should not have pushed himself so hard. 21 kilometres, it is not just a stroll in the park. It is a test of the human endurance and strength. Although the autopsy results are not out yet, it should be safe to postulate that Captain Ho passed on, because his body could not take and withstand that immense pressure. Similar with Thaddeus, he finished third, but his body did not make it. Would we want to risk something like that?

Sports are on an upward trend with Singapore youths nowadays, as more and more people adapt to the “sports for life” lifestyle. And indeed, doing sports does has a multitude of advantages and benefits for the human body and soul, but like everything else, doing something in excess can only bring harm to us. From the incidents, I feel that it is time that we warn our youths and perhaps the population in general that although sports hold so many benefits, it still kills. Similar to perfectionists who try so hard to be the best, only to end up suffering from depression or an array of mental illnesses, when we over push ourselves in a certain sport, it is our body which suffers.

Yes, I do encourage competitive sports. I feel that it instills in the human body a form of discipline, and it teaches the mind many, many things which are otherwise, difficult to attain. However, we should not gamble with our lives. We should always know our limit and never cross that line. To always challenge our best, that is what we have been taught, but when life and death is in the picture, would it then be wise? For a gold medal, are we ready to forsake our lives? And what about the families and friends who would weep in your place if you had lost the title but savaged your life? “Their deepest condolences”, that is all one can give. But really, would it be enough to make up for the death?

I know that in this society, perhaps it is because of this society, that we are always trying to outdo ourselves and everyone around us. We will never settle for anything less than first or gold, and this had bred an overwhelmingly competitive spirit. To win, to win, and to win. It seems to be the only thing we know nowadays. We are always comparing and comparing. Our grades, our achievements, our height, our pencils. For someone who is caught right up in it, I can tell you that it is indeed scary. It is always doing your best and sometimes, it is just so hard to breathe. So hard to lift your head above the pressure and expectations to take one long, very deserved, breath. And it is this kind of societal expectations which caused the deaths, I believe. Pushing oneself to the limits, beyond life.

In conclusion, as I end this reflection, I would like to say that I do not blame the victims. In fact, I too feel sad and pity for them. Each of them had a very bright future but they lost it to death. And I understand the boundaries and limitations of my view. I am not saying that everyone should feel the way I penned down here, but believe me, I had my own experiences. We must learn to treat sports as an enjoyable game, not as a tool to kill.

From this incident, we see that life is really unpredictable. When would it be our turn to die?

Blog Response 5

Article

$280m Coffee Bean boss queues for his cuppa

A humble, easygoing man, Victor Sassoon makes his debut on Forbes' top 40 richest S'porean list at No. 32 By Nur Dianah Suhaimi WHEN Victor Sassoon drops into the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf outlet in Fifth Avenue near his home to get his caffe macchiato, he queues like everyone else. But unlike everyone, he owns the joint.

In fact he owns 500 or so Coffee Bean outlets worldwide, a business that has elevated the 49-year-old to Forbes magazine's list of Singapore's Richest 40 - ranked 32 with an estimated US$185 million (S$280 million).

And for that, he has his buddy, American Idol judge Paula Abdul, to thank. They have been friends since Mr Sassoon staged her Singapore show in 1992 in his promoting days.

In 1995, he bumped into Ms Abdul at a Coffee Bean outlet in Beverly Hills and the star suggested he buy the company as 'it has the best coffee in the world'.

He took her advice and seven months later bought the franchise from the elderly couple Herbert and Mona Hyman, who founded it.

Forbes said Mr Sassoon and brother Sunny grew the business so fast that within two years they had opened 29 outlets in Singapore and Malaysia - almost as many as the Hymans opened in 35 years.

In 1998, Mr Sassoon bought the entire firm, which by then had 28 outlets here. Starbucks had only 21.

Its latest profit figures are not known but Forbes said in 2003 that Coffee Bean had US$110 million in revenue and an estimated US$9 million in net profit.

Mr Sassoon was born into a wealthy family of Iraqi Jewish descent and his father owned Rubina, a company selling luxury timepieces in Indonesia.

After completing his studies at St Michael's School and St Joseph's Institution, Mr Sassoon left for Indonesia to join the family business.

At 22, he met 13-year-old Michelle Elias who became his wife five years later.

When his father died, Mr Sassoon, then 29, took over the family's watch business.

Today, he is a business partner with Rolex in Indonesia where he runs the Time Place.

In the 1990s, Mr Sassoon was more well known as a promoter and his SunVic firm brought in big names such as Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and Metallica.

Things went downhill during the Asian financial crisis in 1997 but by then Coffee Bean outlets were spreading fast across the island.

But for all his success, it is Mr Sassoon's humble, friendly nature that strikes those around him most.

His pals from primary school recall him as an easygoing boy who was teased about his weight.

He is still listed in the Singapore phonebook, serves on the board of a Hebrew school and is friends with many of his business rivals.

Hour Glass vice-chairman Jannie Tay, who has known Mr Sassoon for 30 years, is a close family friend. 'We get along very well which is special because not many business competitors can be good friends. He's a fun-loving person,' said Dr Tay.

Long-time family friend, lawyer Harry Elias, added: 'Victor is a humble person who gives generously, yet prefers to remain private.'

Mr Sassoon declined a request for an interview last week but did once tell a Straits Times reporter that diva Whitney Houston was his 'worst experience' because she wanted the Singapore Indoor Stadium's air-conditioning off when she sang.

Mr Sassoon lives in a three-storey bungalow in Bukit Timah with wife Michelle and their five children.

The Fifth Avenue Coffee Bean outlet's manager, Mr Jason Fernandez, said of his boss: 'He comes for coffee just like any other customer. He dresses normally and he doesn't check on the staff or fuss around. The staff here never feel pressured that the big boss is constantly around.'

Response

WHEN Victor Sassoon drops into the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf outlet in Fifth Avenue near his home to get his caffe macchiato, he queues like everyone else. But unlike everyone, he owns the joint.

Victor Sassoon is the owner of the million dollar franchise, Coffee Bean, which holds over 500 outlets worldwide. He was recently featured in the Forbes magazine’s list of Singapore’s Richest 40, placed at 32, with an estimated 280 million Singapore dollars. Sassoon bought over the entire Coffee Bean firm from former owners, the Hymans, and opened 29 outlets in Singapore and Malaysia In a short span of 2 years. The business continued to boom and by 2003, Coffee Bean had US$110 million in revenue and an estimated US$9 million in net profit.

In a span of 5 short years, Coffee Bean had struck a name for itself both locally and abroad. This is indeed a very incredible feat. Other than the Coffee Bean franchise, Mr. Sassoon is also a business partner with Rolex in Indonesia where he runs the Time Place. In the 1990s, he was also a well known promoter and his SunVic firm brought in great names of celebrities like Michael Jackson, Tina Turner and Metallica. A single of these achievements would be considered a feat for any ordinary man, but Mr. Sassoon had three of them. And we’ve checked that he is human. So how did Victor Sassoon accomplish all these?

From the article, we can see that it is attributed to his humble, friendly nature. Indeed, a person’s character plays a pivotal role in his life, and to a large extend, the business he or she runs. This is what many of the businessmen in our society today fail to understand. They are too often caught up with the importance of wealth and blinded by the glare of gold and they fail to realise that it is the human character, which labels a business ultimately. So what if you earn hundreds of millions? The amount would only mean something if there is heart in it, otherwise, it would only be mere slips of paper which were garnered by unscrupulous means. And this is where Mr. Sassoon comes in. He should be the beacon for other businessmen in this competitive world.

Quoting his long-time friends, “Victor is a humble person who gives generously, yet prefers to remain private”. Modesty, it is another one of the main virtues in life which we seek. They say that the higher we climb, the harder it is to be modest, but this is untrue for Mr. Sassoon. Even as the owner of Coffee Bean, he queues up for his coffee when he patronizes the business he owns. How many of us can safely say that we would do something like this? We are forever too engrossed in ourselves, too focused on our personal achievements. We always try to make a distinction between ourselves and the weaker ones. We see this happening in schools too, in classrooms. We always want the recognition, we somehow have the need to feel the power granted as superiors. But think about it, what good would it do? Why can’t we be like Mr. Sassoon, and live life, embracing modesty? It is high time we realise that it is only the humble that learns; it is only the modest that succeeds. When we think of ourselves to be so high up, the only way we can go is down. It is only by treating the world as our equal, then can we advance up.

There are many, many lessons we can learn from Mr. Sassoon, and this article highlights perhaps just some of the few qualities which enabled his success. Many of us leaf through the morning papers, and often overlook these stories of successful people, perhaps because we are afraid to harm our own ego, perhaps because we feel that little tinge of jealousy for them, perhaps because we think that they are only merely showing off. But this is not the case. We should instead, open our eyes, heart and mind to these stories for in every single one of them, it brings about a lifelong lesson that teaches and guide us on our own road of success. When these articles are written, the subjects in questions are not using them as means to further establish their fame, but rather, they hope that their stories would inspire and touch.

As a conclusion, I understand my own limitations as a teen blogging on this issue. True, there are indeed too many things in the business world which I do not understand now, but I still hold firm to my view that at the end of the day, whatever we end up doing, we should never ever forget the values and virtues which had been instilled within us through education. And perhaps in the future, one of my classmates will make the list of Singapore’s Richest 40 too.

"Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value."
- Albert Einstein

Blog Response 4

Article: 联合早报 2007年5月14日— 男生拳打把士司机，父跪地代儿求原谅

Many would be shocked by this piece of news. The beating up of a bus driver who was only doing his duty as an employee of the company he works for, not by a gangster, not by a convict, but by a student from the top junior college in Singapore. What does this show about the education in Singapore? What does this show about the teenagers in Singapore?

After reading this news, several issues surfaced in my mind. Firstly, there was education, then there was family love, and finally, there was the question, whether it was right or wrong.
This article reflects a lot about the education system in Singapore. Is the educational system merely just a degenerating process, eating away at the moral fibers which parents had tried so hard to instill in their children when they are young? Is the educational system merely a reproductive machine for producing future barbarians? Or is the educational system too focused on achievement in areas of academic, the arts and sports to totally neglect the important emphasis on morality? What use is a good mind without a good heart?

Perhaps, the problem really lies in Singapore’s educational system. Students nowadays placed too big and emphasis on school work, such that at times, they forget the true meaning of living. Getting good grades seem to be the only golden goal in our society as the years go by, but I heed all of you to take a step back and look at the situation again. The superficiality of it all. Knowledge is renewing, it is ever changing and fickle. What lasts at the end of the day is our set of values which we hold dear to; it is that same set of values which make us who we are.

We must understand that when we move on into the world outside, away from the cuddles of our parents, away from the teachings of our teachers, we stand alone. It is not the same when you make mistakes. In school, you can beat up any tom, dick of harry and get away with it, but in face of laws, in face of order, that is impossible. In this article, the rashness of the boy’s action resulted in the humiliation of his parents. What made his father kneel down and beg for forgiveness? One simple word, love. Now if that word had even crossed the head of the boy before he committed such folly, these would never have happened. When we get into trouble outside, it is our parents who bear the full blame. They are willing to sacrifice their pride, their dignity to protect us. So why is it so hard for us teenagers to swallow that moment, to keep our cool, to make everything all right?

In my opinion, I feel that the Hwachong boy had done a great wrong to himself, to his school, to his parents. The incident had reflected his character as one of rash, one that is incapable of rational thinking. It had too tarnished the school’s reputation. He had let down the tradition of his school when he donned that uniform and committed that foolish act. The disappointment his parents faced, the humiliation.

Ask yourself when you decide to do something in the future. Is it worth it?

Blog Response 3

Article: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/070413/5/singapore270071.html

There has been a lot of debate over the rise in parliamentary salary ever since the news erupted a month back. Were they right in doing this? It is hard to debate over this question without any grounds to argue upon, and this article serves just that purpose.

Compare the two, assistance for the needy and the parliamentary salary. Now which is worth pumping money into it more? For me, I would say the former. To summarize the entire article, on the view point of the government, the main argument of defense was that there is no apparent linkage between the two. There is not even a need for comparison since you cannot compare oranges with apples. However, I feel different about the entire issue.

I am not putting any side down, but I feel that the two events cannot be seen as two completely isolated events. If the parliamentary salary cannot be compared to the funds for assistance programs, then why should it, in the first place, be compared to the income of international organizations such as Hewlett-Packard?

Living in a society, it is true that at the top of the hierarchy, there is the government. However, the lower rungs are all made up people, groups of people. Some of these are better off than the others, and in a society, this community where we co-exist in, there will always be a group of people, who needs the assistance, who needs all the help that we can give. It does not matter how great or how strong your government is, prosperity is not gauged this way. It is instead, a measure of how your people live; it is a measure of how you take care of the needy. Now to say that government pay and assistance funds are completely separated in a society, how feasible is that idea actually?

On the other hand though, the government pay rise might not be all that a bad idea or move. If this little amount we are paying can guarantee us a corruption free and compassionate government for the future years to come, I do not see the reason as to why there would be a debate about this. But then, promises are still merely words. There is no way we can actually prove them till they happen. Let us hope that we will never have to prove it.

Whatever the case might be, the die is cast and the salaries had been raised. These debates that we hold are in fact kind of pointless. The government must have their reasons for doing what they did, and only almighty time will be able to tell if this decision is a good or a bad one. For now, what we can do is to continue helping those people who need our help, either by donating money or doing voluntary work. they constitute our society and as people living under that one single roof, we could and we should, render our fullest help to them in every way we can.

Blog Response 2

Article

Feb 26, 2007 Getting ready for rising sea levels Measures are in place to deal with the effects of climate change By Arti Mulchand
THE little red dot has no wish to be red-hot or submerged.
The good news is that measures, including those long in place like minimum heights for reclaimed land, are helping to protect Singapore from some of the effects of climate change like rising sea levels.
In 1991, the Public Utilities Board had set the minimum platform levels for new reclamation projects at 125cm above the highest recorded tide, to 'ensure proper drainage of the reclaimed land', said a PUB spokesman.
This means that areas such as Changi East and the Tuas View Extension will be able to cope with even the highest sea level rise of 59cm, as projected by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier this month.
Other measures have also been put into place to deal with some of the anticipated consequences at five key points of vulnerability.
These range from land loss and flooding, to the impact on Singapore's water resources (see other story), said the National Climate Change Strategy, developed by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the National Environment Agency (NEA).
The strategy paper points out that for Singapore - a tropical island city-state - issues like warming temperatures and rising sea levels are real concerns requiring anticipatory measures.
It was launched last April, along with Singapore's signing of the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to curb pollution by reducing gas emissions from various sources, including air-conditioners, cars and large coal-fired power plants.
Thus, in anticipation of seawater being able to get into reservoirs here, there are plans for more steel plates in tidal gates.
An ongoing two-year study by the NEA - the first of its kind here - is looking at the possible impact of climate change, including changes in rainfall patterns, sea levels and possible extreme weather conditions, and to identify strategies to help deal with the problems, said the NEA.
The world's vulnerability to potential climate change made headlines in the weeks following the release of the report summary of the IPCC report, which said that signs of global warming are 'unequivocal' and that human activity is the main cause.
The report is a 'screaming siren' compared to just a wake-up call from the last report, released in 2001, Greenpeace's spokesman said.
Among other findings, the report states that global average temperatures could rise between 1.1 and 6.4 deg C, and that sea levels are likely to rise by 18cm to 59cm.
Heatwaves and heavy rains are 'very likely' to become more frequent.
Authorities here are awaiting the full IPCC report, expected to be released in May. It is expected to make regional projections of climate change effects that can feed into Singapore's study.
NEA's spokesman has also said that inter-agency task forces, like those previously formed in response to dengue and the haze, will be formed to deal with 'likely scenarios arising out of climate change'.
Also watching matters closely are environmentalists and agencies like the Climate Change Organisation, Singapore, and the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA).
Last month, SIIA and oil company Shell Singapore released a special report outlining the key environmental challenges for Singapore and the region, with information culled from an experts' roundtable discussion in September last year, one of which was to build awareness along different avenues and target specific stakeholders.
Another major challenge: translating climate change findings for the layman, so he understands how such issues are directly relevant to his life.
Roundtable participants also pointed to the need for more Asia-centric research on climate change, since most current research is being done in the West.
They also highlighted the need for 'regional political will to effect change in Asia', such as through Asean.

Response

Singapore is setting up measures to deal with the effects of climate change. Finally?

Global warming is one of the major problems the world faced currently, and although this problem had surfaced decades ago, humans have yet to decisively place a foot down upon this matter.

For a small little red dot like Singapore, global warming can have drastic impact on the island. Should the sea level rise drastically, we face the problem of total annihilation as Singapore will easily be submerged beneath the waters with the highest peak only a little above 163m tall. The question now is, will raising the minimum platform levels for new reclamation projects prevent flooding? Will proper drainage system reduce the impact global warming will have on Singapore?

I would say no.

There can never be a foolproof and never fail way to guard ourselves against the powers of nature. I believe that the methods placed forward in the article will not be able to help eradicate the problem of flooding if global warming decides to strike. It is a good sign to see us Singaporeans paying attention to what is happening to our surrounding and environment; it is in fact great that we are carrying out precautions and measures to minimize the impact global warming would have on Singapore. But would this effort be enough? Instead of focusing our resources on heightening the platform levels after land reclamation, wouldn’t a more effective way be to remove the land reclamation projects completely and plant perhaps more trees? Tree roots hold the soil together and if under the attack of floods or waves, trees would definitely fare better against the elements than slabs of concrete would. So why not revive the greener Singapore instead of building great walls of Singapore around our borders?

Another point I want to bring up is the rapid deterioration of the environment. From the article, we see that sea levels are likely to rise from 18 cm to 59cm, that’s an increase by over three times. Also, heat waves and heavy rains would also be more frequent. Now the question is this, do we not know that our earth is in this current plight? And many of us would reply yes if asked that question. Yes, we do know, ad we do understand that if we continue using earth harming products and machineries, we are securing ourselves a one way ticket to complete annihilation of not just the human race, but every single life form on earth. Macdonald’s know that their cows are contributing a significantly to the amount of green house gases in the air. Drivers who drive SUVs know how much harm it can do to the ozone layer and the earth’s atmosphere. They know, but they do not do anything to change it. And that is why through all these years, the same unsolved problem remains.

I know my words would not carry much weight in the world out there, but for those who happen to drop by and read this reflection, I want to show you how much I care about our world, I want to tell you that it is not too late to do something about it. We may merely be individuals in this society but many individuals make the majority. This is our home, it is only right that we play a part and lend those who care a hand in saving the earth.

Blog Response 1

Article

March 1, 2007 Why kids need sex education? Girl, 9, pregnant Case of Primary 3 pupil cited by counsellor at youth forum amid concerns about teen pregnancy By Yap Su-Yin
THE Primary 3 pupil was just nine years old, but she was already six months pregnant with a 14-year-old schoolmate's child.
The memory of the distraught parents and child sitting in her NuLife Care and Counselling Services office in Little India three years ago still sticks in counsellor Sheena Jebal's mind.
The girl could well be the youngest pregnancy case in Singapore, judging by a Straits Times check with local hospitals, youth social workers, teen shelters and pregnancy helplines.
But though her case is extremely rare, it highlights ongoing concerns about youth pregnancy.
Figures on the ground indicate that thousands of teens are experimenting sexually, say youth social workers and counsellors.
Last year, Ms Jebal's centre alone came across at least 30 cases of teens having sex. The youngest male was about 12 and the youngest female about 13.
A Straits Times check with restructured hospitals here revealed that between 2000 and this year, the youngest female to give birth at KK Women's and Children's Hospital was 12 years old. The youngest at Singapore General Hospital was 14. The National University Hospital declined comment.
As required by law, they were reported to the police as cases of underage sex.
Ministry of Health figures for 2001 to 2005 show an average of around 1,500 teen abortions every year. In 2005, the exact figure was 1,279 and in 2004, the number was 1,341.
Nearly all the teens who aborted their babies in 2005 were between 15 and 19 years old and unmarried. Slightly more than half were Chinese and a third were Malay.
The figures go to the heart of a controversy over the issue of how early children should be exposed to sex education in schools.
Ms Jebal cited the example of the pregnant nine-year-old during a youth forum to counter the complaints of one participant, who felt her sister in Primary 4 was too young to start learning about sex.
Called 'Yes/No' Youth In Relationships, it was organised by Republic Polytechnic's Indian Cultural Group and Narpani Pearavai Youth Executive Committee last Saturday.
Ms Jebal said the nine-year-old had begun to experiment with sex with a schoolmate at home when her parents, both professionals, were at work.
Recounting the tense one-hour discussion she had with the family to The Straits Times, Ms Jebal said: 'Her parents taught her how to use a sanitary napkin, but didn't educate her about menstruation or sex.
'They felt she was too young to know at her age. There is no such thing as being too young to know,' said Ms Jebal.
Ms Tan Bee Joo of the Singapore Children's Society cited several areas of concern, including lack of adult supervision over the use of the Internet, where teens can easily access pornographic sites and 'meet' strangers online.
'It creates opportunities for children to chat with strangers, go on blind dates, sell their bodies for money to satisfy material wants,' she warned.
Also, many parents are not giving their children the right sexual knowledge or instilling proper moral values in them at a young age, she said.
Ms Tan, who is head of the society's Students Service Hub in Bukit Merah, said: 'We have many students asking many sexuality-related questions, which many adults would never have thought children at this age know.
'Children need to be taught to take responsibility for their own actions, but this should be accompanied by providing them with the right information.'
yapsuyin@sph.com.sg
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JUDITH TAN
NEVER TOO YOUNG TO KNOW
'Her parents taught her how to use a sanitary napkin but didn't educate her about menstruation or sex. They felt she was too young to know at her age. There is no such thing as being too young to know.'
COUNSELLOR SHEENA JEBAL, on the nine-year-old girl who became pregnant after experimenting with sex with a schoolmate at home

Response

Pregnancy at nine? Many of us would have thought that something like this would never happen, that something like this was impossible. But now how can anyone ignore the cold hard facts?

For many of us I believe, this news was shocking. As a secondary school student and a teen in Singapore, I felt that it correctly portrayed the kind of situation or problems the society in Singapore would fall prey to in the near future. Teenage pregnancy had always been one of the social problems societies faced, and for Singapore, although the situation is not as serious as it is compared to that in the US, is still significant enough to turn too many a head. Statistics showed that in 2005, 1279 cases of teen abortions were made, and this figure does not include those individuals who actually conceived and gave birth to their child. These figures are a warning to us, telling us, cautioning us that it is high time we do something about this situation, and fast.

Now the crucial question here is how early our children should be educated about sex. Is nine years old too young? If the primary three pupil who was pregnant had been educated about sex, would things have changed? Every one of us have our different view points but for me, I feel that yes, things would have been different. If the primary three student was fore warned of the dire consequences of practicing unsafe sex, fear might be a strong deterrence for her. There is no such thing as being too young to learn about it. The only way we can stop this plague from invading into the stems and roots of our society is to be open about it. Coming from a boys’ school, I do not deny that we, a collective pronoun for the general RI guys, do talk and joke openly about sex. Sex should never be a taboo. It should never be classified as one of the “unspeakable”. Bringing in the perspective of a teenager, which is what I am, although we are open about the three letters, we are fully aware of the consequences and the impact it would have on ours lives and the lives of those around us if we were to practice it. Talking about something and doing it are two totally different things. Openness in the society, I feel that it would be the best way to counter the onslaught of corruption by the tabooed three lettered word, sex. Parents, teachers, and even peers should all play a part in preventing and eradicating underage sex.

On another point, I feel that the sexual education in Singapore still has room for improvement. In a sense, the sexual education here is not deep enough; it is not strong enough in terms of its foundations. I believe that many of us would choose curiosity or peer pressure over the current system of education. Thus, the crucial point here is for the Singapore officers to choose and develop a best method to eliminate as best as it can, teenage sex in Singapore. This is the challenge. Responsibility do not lie solely in the hands of the primary three girl, it lies in the hands of all of us.