The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Drop in number of dengue cases
Fewer maids running away after changes in salary rules
Man jailed for trying to take upskirt photo

Posted:

THE number of new dengue infections may have fallen for the fourth week in a row, but Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu has warned against complacency.

Fu, who is also Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, and Foreign Affairs, said that with the number of cases still ranging beyond 500 just two weeks ago, the battle is far from over.

"It is not time to declare victory. There is still a lot of work to be done.

"There are still clusters that are growing, so we still have to watch against the spreading of the disease in other parts where immunity has not been built up yet," she said.

There were 306 dengue cases reported last week ending Friday, down from 542 in the period of July 7 to 13. But some 88 dengue clusters remain active, the biggest of which is in Tampines with 227 infections.

Asked about efforts to control the Tampines clusters, Fu said the various parties were working very hard to keep their environment free of Aedes mosquitoes.

"Everyone is focused, everyone is concerned. It is really to get all stakeholders, not just the residents... but also the schools, town councils, public areas, the parks, industrial buildings... to keep their own areas clean so we can once and for all stop the spread of dengue there," she said.

Fu was speaking on the sidelines of a community engagement programme to increase awareness on environmental sustainability held in Jurong East. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Fewer maids running away after changes in salary rules

Posted:

INDONESIAN Embassy counsellor Sukmo Yuwono cannot help but grin when he sees the rows of empty beds in the embassy's shelter for runaway maids.

For the first time in years, the shelter, which has space for about 150 women, is not full. The reason, said Sukmo, is pay.

In the past, maids got as little S$10 (RM) a month during the first year of work – their salaries cut to repay employers who had to shell out over S$3,000 (RM7,500) to cover fees that the maids owed agents in Indonesian and Singapore.

The Indonesian Government made changes to this practice last year, and maids now get at least S$170 (RM425) a month while paying off their loans.

They take bank loans instead of getting employers to make an upfront payment, and can clear their debt within eight months.

The new rules also ensure that maids from the country are paid at least S$450 (RM1,125) a month.

Agents' fees have also been cut to about S$2,200 (RM5,500), after reducing commissions charged by recruiters.

However, there have been hiccups. The Straits Times reported last year that some Indonesian middlemen ask for "under the table" money.

This cost is passed on to maids, leading to higher debt. The changes have also seen higher agency fees for employers, who are now paying about S$1,600 (RM4,000), up from about S$600 (RM1,500) before.

Sukmo said Jakarta will blacklist Singapore and Indonesian maid agencies which flout the rules.

But he believes that the maids are happier because of the changes. He said: "I think more maids are now motivated to work out their problems with their employers instead of running away."

As recently as last year, most of the maids in the shelter claimed they ran away because they could not get along with the employer.

But when probed by Sukmo, the women revealed that they had felt unmotivated, because they had to wait for over a year before saving enough money to send home to their family.

Today, most of the maids in the shelter are there not so much by choice but because they are owed salaries by their employers, or are involved in police cases involving matters such as abuse.

Since January this year, the embassy, which runs the biggest shelter for Indonesian maids here, has sheltered an average of 100 to 120 maids each month.

The number has dropped to around 50 this month, partly because of the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

Agents and Indonesian maids agree that the policy changes have gone a long way in increasing motivation.

Fatmahiroh, 25, who came to Singapore in May to work as a maid said: "I am happy I will be able to save about S$1,000 (RM2,500) after working for about six months, and I can send the money home." — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Man jailed for trying to take upskirt photo

Posted:

A TECHNICIAN, who held a cellphone under a woman's skirt, was jailed for one week for attempting to insult the modesty of the woman.

Gwee Kim Tee, 59, admitted to the offence at the void deck of Block 953 Jurong West Street 91 at about 11pm on April 12 last year.

A magistrate's court heard that the 49-year-old woman was using a public phone at the void deck when she felt something touching her leg. She turned around and saw Gwee standing behind her and holding onto his mobile phone. She also noticed a flash of light under her skirt.

Gwee ran away after the woman shouted for help. She went after him but lost sight of him on the fourth floor of Block 950.

She called the police who then made house-to-house checks on the fourth floor. They interviewed Gwee who admitted to the act. He could have been jailed for up to six months and/or fined. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Selasa, 23 Julai 2013