Thursday, May 24, 2007
Sportsmanship
Just thought I'd share a poem...
Race of life
Contestant
One two three four
Run their hearts out
Struggle pain turmoil;
Eventual relief, satisfaction
You would think it’s all going well…
Contestant
One two three four
Run their hearts out
Struggle pain turmoil;
Eventual relief, satisfaction
You would think it’s all going well…
Until the bend.
Peripetia? I think not
But the strongest will survive
Peripetia? I think not
But the strongest will survive
Struggle pain turmoil;
It all makes sense-
Catch-up game it is!
Struggle pain turmoil;
Nevertheless we pull away
Inch by inch
Till sweet vic’try
Bask in triumph,
Acknowledge defeat;
And you
are a
winner
in
any
circumstance
It all makes sense-
Catch-up game it is!
Struggle pain turmoil;
Nevertheless we pull away
Inch by inch
Till sweet vic’try
Bask in triumph,
Acknowledge defeat;
And you
are a
winner
in
any
circumstance
END
This isn't the actual graphology of my poem, but nonetheless I try to make do with whatever ounce of blogging skill I may possess. Do enjoy, all ye athletes (:
This isn't the actual graphology of my poem, but nonetheless I try to make do with whatever ounce of blogging skill I may possess. Do enjoy, all ye athletes (:
Monday, May 21, 2007
Personal response 4
Personal response
Newspaper article 3
She Shames Daughter in Public
The New Paper on Sunday
20 May 2007 (page 6)
-issues regarding teenagers
“I Engaged in Bullying Behaviour. I Got Suspended From School… Don’t Be Like Me. Stop Bullying.” – strong words coming from a soon-to-be teenager, and perhaps a harsher punishment from that of her mother.
Bullying rears its ugly head ever so often here in Singapore, as in various parts of the world. It is important to understand that bullying is usually brought about through inferiority, or cowardice, where the bully often picks on the more helpless victim who would not stand a chance. However, in this case, such bullying was brought about due to instigation. Therefore, our main focus we ought to take away from this article is not the concept of bullying as a problem very much apparent amongst teenagers, but rather the implications and severity of bullying.
A 12 year old girl was suspended from school after she bullies a fellow student over racist comments, but her mother was not satisfied, to say the least. She was made to spend 4 days in front of various California schools to shed some light on her experience on bullying. In her perspective, this might be perceived as a rather cruel or overly-harsh form of punishment, given the fact that she was not even a teenager. However, I would have to agree and in fact commend her mother for taking this extra step in curbing the development of bullying across California, and the world.
In Singapore specifically, forms of bullying can exist in 2 main forms: verbal and physical - both as emotionally painful for the victim subjected to the bullying. Armed with the tendency to pick on the weaker and more-composed targets, bullying is never fair game. Tragically, bullying has often been overlooked. In the view point of the victim, bullying can greatly diminish one’s self-esteem, not to mention confidence. Hence, there is an urgent need to prevent such bullying cases from happening.
There is a need to empathize with the bully, since we have already discussed on the implications of the victim. It seems that though bullying is rather offensive in nature, the bully is actually on a defensive stance as the act of bullying, as mentioned earlier, is due to inferiority, and can be seen as a cry for attention. The writer intended to put across the idea that bullying can take up all forms, and it should never be condoned.
Ultimately, bullying is a subtle yet damaging form of aggression in the societal construct of our nation. I would suggest more open discussions on the topic in schools and institutions to better address the problem of bullying. On the individual level, if we were to witness the act of bullying, we should take a firm stance on the situation and not brush it aside, but instead resolve the issue before it develops into something more serious. I would also encourage all parents to learn from Miasha’s mother, should their kid be involved in bullying. Only then, can we stop bullying altogether.
Newspaper article 3
She Shames Daughter in Public
The New Paper on Sunday
20 May 2007 (page 6)
-issues regarding teenagers
“I Engaged in Bullying Behaviour. I Got Suspended From School… Don’t Be Like Me. Stop Bullying.” – strong words coming from a soon-to-be teenager, and perhaps a harsher punishment from that of her mother.
Bullying rears its ugly head ever so often here in Singapore, as in various parts of the world. It is important to understand that bullying is usually brought about through inferiority, or cowardice, where the bully often picks on the more helpless victim who would not stand a chance. However, in this case, such bullying was brought about due to instigation. Therefore, our main focus we ought to take away from this article is not the concept of bullying as a problem very much apparent amongst teenagers, but rather the implications and severity of bullying.
A 12 year old girl was suspended from school after she bullies a fellow student over racist comments, but her mother was not satisfied, to say the least. She was made to spend 4 days in front of various California schools to shed some light on her experience on bullying. In her perspective, this might be perceived as a rather cruel or overly-harsh form of punishment, given the fact that she was not even a teenager. However, I would have to agree and in fact commend her mother for taking this extra step in curbing the development of bullying across California, and the world.
In Singapore specifically, forms of bullying can exist in 2 main forms: verbal and physical - both as emotionally painful for the victim subjected to the bullying. Armed with the tendency to pick on the weaker and more-composed targets, bullying is never fair game. Tragically, bullying has often been overlooked. In the view point of the victim, bullying can greatly diminish one’s self-esteem, not to mention confidence. Hence, there is an urgent need to prevent such bullying cases from happening.
There is a need to empathize with the bully, since we have already discussed on the implications of the victim. It seems that though bullying is rather offensive in nature, the bully is actually on a defensive stance as the act of bullying, as mentioned earlier, is due to inferiority, and can be seen as a cry for attention. The writer intended to put across the idea that bullying can take up all forms, and it should never be condoned.
Ultimately, bullying is a subtle yet damaging form of aggression in the societal construct of our nation. I would suggest more open discussions on the topic in schools and institutions to better address the problem of bullying. On the individual level, if we were to witness the act of bullying, we should take a firm stance on the situation and not brush it aside, but instead resolve the issue before it develops into something more serious. I would also encourage all parents to learn from Miasha’s mother, should their kid be involved in bullying. Only then, can we stop bullying altogether.
Current affairs article #4
SHE SHAMES DAUGHTER IN PUBLICGirl,12, bullies student over racist comment, so US school suspends her. But her mother is not satisfied
May 21, 2007
SHE is one tough mum.
Mum's making me: Miasha Williams, 12, looking downcast as she stands with her handmade sign of remorse outside her school. -- picture:
Not satisfied with the punishment meted out to her daughter by her school, she decided to go one step further.
Call it tough love, but Mrs Ivory Spann felt her daughter needed a new form of punishment: Public humiliation.
The California woman first checked to see if what she planned to do was legal. Then she forced her 12-year-old daughter, Miasha Williams, to spend four days in front of several California schools carrying a big sign saying, 'I Engaged in Bullying Behaviour. I Got Suspended From School... Don't Be Like Me. Stop Bullying.'
'I felt I needed to do something that would make an impression,' MsSpann, 34, told the Los Angeles Times.
It may have done the trick.
Miasha displayed the placard in the mornings when kids arrived at school and in the afternoons when they left. At each stop she was surrounded by baffled students. Sometimes she looked sheepish and embarrassed, other times as if she was enjoying the spectacle.
'This is my fault,' she said, holding her sign in front of Gardner Middle School in Temecula, where she is in Secondary 1.
'I agree what I did was wrong. Bullying is not a nice thing to have happen to you. The person who is bullying feels tough, but you have to understand what the other person must feel like.'
What's her crime?
Miasha and a group of friends heard they had been insulted by a fellow student and aggressively confronted the girl on 10 May.
No violence occurred, she said, but the girl felt intimidated enough to complain. Miasha and another student were suspended for a week.
'At first she was boo-hooing and saying, 'But Mom, I didn't do anything.' Well, let me tell you, you did do something,' MrsSpann told the Associated Press.
She said she doesn't feel the punishment was too harsh.
'I don't want that kind of environment at the school my child attends, or the school any child attends,' MrsSpann said, adding she plans to organise anti-bullying rallies at high schools.
'Time will tell if this is effective,' MsPatricia Mathis, assistant principal at Gardner told the Los Angeles Times.
'I'm not a psychologist. I'm not sure what effect this will have on Miasha. We do know this parent. She is a loving, supportive parent and very active on campus.'
MsMathis said the school takes bullying seriously and has a bullying-prevention programme.
A study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in 2001 found that bullying was a serious problem in US schools, with 16 per cent of students saying they had been victims of it.
But MsMathis said bullying was not a major problem at the school. Of the five schools she has worked at, she said, Gardner has the lowest incidence of bullying.
As for Miasha, MsMathis said the girl works with severely disabled students and is rarely a problem.
'I would not put the label 'bully' on this kid,' she said. Miasha's mother aims to keep it that way.
The tough-minded mum has two other children and was raised in a family of 10. She said her mother never tried to be her friend and didn't believe in such things as 'timeouts' for misbehaviour.
After the suspension, MrsSpann took her daughter to an office supply store to buy some poster board. She told her to think of something to write that would adequately express her sorrow. MsSpann had her own ideas but decided they wouldn't fit on the sign.
'My daughter didn't think I was really going to do it,' she said. 'I have had people ask me, 'Aren't you embarrassed?' And I say, 'Why would I be embarrassed? It's not my behaviour. It's not a reflection on me or my parenting.' ' As she spoke near Gardner Middle School, the bell rang, and hundreds of kids poured out. Miasha stiffened a bit, bracing for the onslaught.
The students were drawn to the tall, thin girl with the sign. They read it closely. Some snickered; others frowned.
'I think it's kind of good,' said classmate India Bowers, 14.
'I think its very effective to use humiliation as a tool. It will teach them a lesson not to be bullies.'
A boy walked past muttering, 'This is messed up.' A few students debated the incident that led to the suspension.
'If she is guilty, then okay,' said Malen Blackmon, 13. 'But it's a little harsh.'
A parent said her son had been bullied at the school.
'Given the seriousness of bullying,' said 32-year-old Christina Banzer, 'I think the punishment fits the crime.'
What does Miasha have to say after the experience?
'It's humiliating at times,' she said. 'And it's also embarrassing.'
The punishment has drawn comments from all over the US.
One reader named Kelly wrote to the Daily Breeze.com: 'Bravo to this mother for making her child accountable for her actions. If more parents made their children accountable instead of making excuses, we would have a lot less problems.'
Call it tough love, but Mrs Ivory Spann felt her daughter needed a new form of punishment: Public humiliation.
The California woman first checked to see if what she planned to do was legal. Then she forced her 12-year-old daughter, Miasha Williams, to spend four days in front of several California schools carrying a big sign saying, 'I Engaged in Bullying Behaviour. I Got Suspended From School... Don't Be Like Me. Stop Bullying.'
'I felt I needed to do something that would make an impression,' MsSpann, 34, told the Los Angeles Times.
It may have done the trick.
Miasha displayed the placard in the mornings when kids arrived at school and in the afternoons when they left. At each stop she was surrounded by baffled students. Sometimes she looked sheepish and embarrassed, other times as if she was enjoying the spectacle.
'This is my fault,' she said, holding her sign in front of Gardner Middle School in Temecula, where she is in Secondary 1.
'I agree what I did was wrong. Bullying is not a nice thing to have happen to you. The person who is bullying feels tough, but you have to understand what the other person must feel like.'
What's her crime?
Miasha and a group of friends heard they had been insulted by a fellow student and aggressively confronted the girl on 10 May.
No violence occurred, she said, but the girl felt intimidated enough to complain. Miasha and another student were suspended for a week.
'At first she was boo-hooing and saying, 'But Mom, I didn't do anything.' Well, let me tell you, you did do something,' MrsSpann told the Associated Press.
She said she doesn't feel the punishment was too harsh.
'I don't want that kind of environment at the school my child attends, or the school any child attends,' MrsSpann said, adding she plans to organise anti-bullying rallies at high schools.
'Time will tell if this is effective,' MsPatricia Mathis, assistant principal at Gardner told the Los Angeles Times.
'I'm not a psychologist. I'm not sure what effect this will have on Miasha. We do know this parent. She is a loving, supportive parent and very active on campus.'
MsMathis said the school takes bullying seriously and has a bullying-prevention programme.
A study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in 2001 found that bullying was a serious problem in US schools, with 16 per cent of students saying they had been victims of it.
But MsMathis said bullying was not a major problem at the school. Of the five schools she has worked at, she said, Gardner has the lowest incidence of bullying.
As for Miasha, MsMathis said the girl works with severely disabled students and is rarely a problem.
'I would not put the label 'bully' on this kid,' she said. Miasha's mother aims to keep it that way.
The tough-minded mum has two other children and was raised in a family of 10. She said her mother never tried to be her friend and didn't believe in such things as 'timeouts' for misbehaviour.
After the suspension, MrsSpann took her daughter to an office supply store to buy some poster board. She told her to think of something to write that would adequately express her sorrow. MsSpann had her own ideas but decided they wouldn't fit on the sign.
'My daughter didn't think I was really going to do it,' she said. 'I have had people ask me, 'Aren't you embarrassed?' And I say, 'Why would I be embarrassed? It's not my behaviour. It's not a reflection on me or my parenting.' ' As she spoke near Gardner Middle School, the bell rang, and hundreds of kids poured out. Miasha stiffened a bit, bracing for the onslaught.
The students were drawn to the tall, thin girl with the sign. They read it closely. Some snickered; others frowned.
'I think it's kind of good,' said classmate India Bowers, 14.
'I think its very effective to use humiliation as a tool. It will teach them a lesson not to be bullies.'
A boy walked past muttering, 'This is messed up.' A few students debated the incident that led to the suspension.
'If she is guilty, then okay,' said Malen Blackmon, 13. 'But it's a little harsh.'
A parent said her son had been bullied at the school.
'Given the seriousness of bullying,' said 32-year-old Christina Banzer, 'I think the punishment fits the crime.'
What does Miasha have to say after the experience?
'It's humiliating at times,' she said. 'And it's also embarrassing.'
The punishment has drawn comments from all over the US.
One reader named Kelly wrote to the Daily Breeze.com: 'Bravo to this mother for making her child accountable for her actions. If more parents made their children accountable instead of making excuses, we would have a lot less problems.'
Personal response 3
Personal response
Newspaper article 3
What made mom do this?
The New Paper on Sunday
20 May 2007 (page 4)
-Societal issues
Integrity and moral values – these are the two main principles instilled and enforced in our young of today. However, when such conduct is not exemplified by adults, what message are we sending to our youth?
According to the article, Chua, like any other Singaporean housewife was out with her kids and maid, shopping at Giant hypermarket in Jurong. However, she took the opportunity and went on a shoplifting spree. This small act bares severe implications, of which perhaps Chua did not pre-consider. One of which is the dire consequences should she get caught, in which she did. The act of breaking the law is not only morally wrong, but is also a reflection of her capabilities as a good parent and role model. This transcribes that she is teaching her children how to break the law, a terrible mistake in the field of parenthood, and personally, failure as a parent.
What disturbs me however is the fact that she would use her own child’s trolley as a mode of shoplifting, and “dragging” her kids into the situation along with herself. Apparently, her children are still of tender age where they learn and grasp life skills, character and behavioral patterns, from that of their parent. Should Chua’s children not learn from her error in judgment, not only have their concept of morality in the near future been dampened, but also possibly the inability to differentiate right from wrong.
If we were to look at the situation from Chua’s perspective, we would perhaps be able to empathize with her circumstance. Having to care for three children, afterall, is no mean feat. Let’s not be judgmental here – Chua might have had a strain on her income, and hence out of love and concern for her kids, was forced into using underhanded means to attain what she deemed necessary for the survival of her family. However, this is still no excuse for a responsible adult, possessed with the power of reasoning and intelligence, to commit such an act. Yet, the article further discussed that she claimed that her reason for shoplifting was that “her children had a habit of throwing things out of the trolley” and that the reason why she did not pay despite being aware of the unpaid goods was that her children required a diaper-change. Soon after however, she was not pardoned as her allegations had contradicted with her previous statements. Evidently, her lying not only did not absolve her from her previous crime, but also made matters all the more out of her favour.
This incident is a valuable life lesson on that of values, those of which our parents have taught us, and those of which we are expected to uphold. Personally, I do not think what she did was wise, nor mature of that expected from any adult. In spite of this incident, let us reflect on our conscience, and perhaps then can we make a better choice for ourselves and the people around us.
Newspaper article 3
What made mom do this?
The New Paper on Sunday
20 May 2007 (page 4)
-Societal issues
Integrity and moral values – these are the two main principles instilled and enforced in our young of today. However, when such conduct is not exemplified by adults, what message are we sending to our youth?
According to the article, Chua, like any other Singaporean housewife was out with her kids and maid, shopping at Giant hypermarket in Jurong. However, she took the opportunity and went on a shoplifting spree. This small act bares severe implications, of which perhaps Chua did not pre-consider. One of which is the dire consequences should she get caught, in which she did. The act of breaking the law is not only morally wrong, but is also a reflection of her capabilities as a good parent and role model. This transcribes that she is teaching her children how to break the law, a terrible mistake in the field of parenthood, and personally, failure as a parent.
What disturbs me however is the fact that she would use her own child’s trolley as a mode of shoplifting, and “dragging” her kids into the situation along with herself. Apparently, her children are still of tender age where they learn and grasp life skills, character and behavioral patterns, from that of their parent. Should Chua’s children not learn from her error in judgment, not only have their concept of morality in the near future been dampened, but also possibly the inability to differentiate right from wrong.
If we were to look at the situation from Chua’s perspective, we would perhaps be able to empathize with her circumstance. Having to care for three children, afterall, is no mean feat. Let’s not be judgmental here – Chua might have had a strain on her income, and hence out of love and concern for her kids, was forced into using underhanded means to attain what she deemed necessary for the survival of her family. However, this is still no excuse for a responsible adult, possessed with the power of reasoning and intelligence, to commit such an act. Yet, the article further discussed that she claimed that her reason for shoplifting was that “her children had a habit of throwing things out of the trolley” and that the reason why she did not pay despite being aware of the unpaid goods was that her children required a diaper-change. Soon after however, she was not pardoned as her allegations had contradicted with her previous statements. Evidently, her lying not only did not absolve her from her previous crime, but also made matters all the more out of her favour.
This incident is a valuable life lesson on that of values, those of which our parents have taught us, and those of which we are expected to uphold. Personally, I do not think what she did was wise, nor mature of that expected from any adult. In spite of this incident, let us reflect on our conscience, and perhaps then can we make a better choice for ourselves and the people around us.
Current affairs article #3
SHE TAKES HER 3 KIDS & MAID TO GO SHOPLIFTING
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,130942,00.html
THIS Singaporean housewife went on a shoplifting spree with her three young children and even the maid in tow.
Using her 14-month-old child's stroller to stash the loot, she tried to make a getaway with about $900 worth of items while shopping at the Giant hypermarket in Jurong.
The items included a variety of slimming products (20 boxes in all), cosmetics, toys and women's clothing. The total value of the items she attempted to steal, with the help of her maid, amounted to $885.50.
At the checkout counter, she just paid for some fruit and meat.
Her ploy was discovered only after a loss prevention officer from Giant, who had been observing her, stopped the group as they walked towards the building's main lobby.
Jacqueline Chua Ai Lin, 32, was convicted of stealing and sentenced to three weeks' jail in March. She has since filed an appeal and is currently out on bail.
During her trial, the court heard that on 19 Jun last year, Chua took her three children and maid to the hypermarket at the IMM building.
She used a trolley, while her Filipino maid, May Gaon Macusi, pushed a baby stroller.
About 3.30pm, Chua, her maid and children stopped at the cosmetics section.
But unknown to her, Mr Nadarajan Rethinam, a loss prevention officer, was watching her.
At that time, Mr Nadarajan had ended his shift and was on his way back to his office when he spotted Chua behaving suspiciously. He had been asked to keep a lookout in the section as the items there were expensive.
Mr Nadarajan saw Chua, who was carrying her youngest child, taking cosmetics from the shelf and handing them to the maid who put them inside a green plastic bag in the stroller.
They then moved to the women's clothes section where they took some clothes and covered the plastic bag.
Chua then went to the fresh food section where she picked up some fruit and meat before proceeding to the cashier with the maid and kids.
While she waited in the queue, she instructed the maid to push the pram containing the unpaid items past the cashier and go into the baby nappy changing room.
After she paid for the few items she was carrying, Chua went into the nappy changing room. They then walked towards the building's main lobby before Mr Nadarajan stopped them.
When confronted, Chua admitted she had not paid for the items. She later apologised and asked for another chance to pay.
But the police were called in and Chua and her maid were arrested.
In defence, Chua claimed she placed items in the stroller even though her trolley was empty because her children had a habit of throwing things out of the trolley.
When she had finished shopping, the family went to the cashier but there was a long queue.
At that time, Chua claimed two of her children needed a diaper change and that was why she instructed the maid to take the children to the diaper changing room.
The maid did so, taking the stroller with all the unpaid items.
Chua claimed she realised that the maid had pushed out the unpaid items only when it was her turn to pay at the cashier.
But she didn't inform the cashier about this oversight, and proceeded to pay for a tote bag, a newspaper and some packet drinks that she had been carrying, she said in her testimony.
She then went to the changing room. But they did not leave immediately as Chua was breastfeeding her youngest daughter.
After that, she claimed, they were walking towards the customer service counter to pay for the items but she was stopped.
District Judge Toh Yung Cheong did not find her a credible witness.
The judge took note of her confession to the police, where she admitted to committing the crime. (See report above.)
The judge said: 'I find that the accused lied... She knew that the value and items involved was extremely large... Therefore, she claimed that she had taken fewer items than reflected in the photographs as it would be hard to explain such a large purchase.'
He also did not buy her excuse that she merely 'forgot' to pay.
The judge said that since there was a long queue at the counter, she should have realised the items were not with her as the queue moved forward.
Furthermore, since it was routine for her to shop with kids in tow and use the stroller to place unpaid items, it made it less likely for her to forget the pram was not with her while she stood in line.
Judge Toh also rejected a claim by Chua that she had been framed. He did not find any reason anyone would want to frame her.
He said: '(Mr Nadarajan) waited patiently for
10 minutes for the accused to come out of the diaper changing room and watched her walk past several cashier's counters... before stopping her.
'In other words, he was giving her numerous opportunities to go to a counter and admit that she had not paid for the items.'
In passing sentence, the judge said: 'I noted that the accused had three young children and on the day of the incident, she claimed that her three children were causing a commotion and that this may have caused her some stress.'
However, he added, unless there was reliable scientific evidence to show that stress could have affected Chua's behaviour, that mitigating factor would not be significant.
She denies confession, gives breastfeeding excuse
AT the trial, Jacqueline Chua Ai Lin sought to use her 'engorged breasts' as the reason why she had not given her statement voluntarily while in custody.
Chua claimed in court that when she narrated her account, it included her assertion that she had no intention to steal.
She also claimed that while she was in detention, she was in pain because of her 'engorged breasts', and when she asked to breastfeed her child, she was told to wait.
A mother who is breastfeeding will have engorged breasts when there is too much milk produced.
Blood flows to the breasts and some of the surrounding tissue swells, causing them to feel tender and painful.
Chua claimed she was in pain when she wrote a second statement.
But police officers denied her allegations.
The officer who recorded Chua's statement also denied the allegation that she was not allowed to breastfeed her baby.
After listening to the accounts, District Judge Toh was inclined to believe that Chua had given her confession voluntarily.
He said: 'The accused confirmed that she was able to give (the officer) exact details of what happened that day.
'Since she was able to do this, I was of the view that the pain, if any, did not sap her will.'
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,130942,00.html
THIS Singaporean housewife went on a shoplifting spree with her three young children and even the maid in tow.
Using her 14-month-old child's stroller to stash the loot, she tried to make a getaway with about $900 worth of items while shopping at the Giant hypermarket in Jurong.
The items included a variety of slimming products (20 boxes in all), cosmetics, toys and women's clothing. The total value of the items she attempted to steal, with the help of her maid, amounted to $885.50.
At the checkout counter, she just paid for some fruit and meat.
Her ploy was discovered only after a loss prevention officer from Giant, who had been observing her, stopped the group as they walked towards the building's main lobby.
Jacqueline Chua Ai Lin, 32, was convicted of stealing and sentenced to three weeks' jail in March. She has since filed an appeal and is currently out on bail.
During her trial, the court heard that on 19 Jun last year, Chua took her three children and maid to the hypermarket at the IMM building.
She used a trolley, while her Filipino maid, May Gaon Macusi, pushed a baby stroller.
About 3.30pm, Chua, her maid and children stopped at the cosmetics section.
But unknown to her, Mr Nadarajan Rethinam, a loss prevention officer, was watching her.
At that time, Mr Nadarajan had ended his shift and was on his way back to his office when he spotted Chua behaving suspiciously. He had been asked to keep a lookout in the section as the items there were expensive.
Mr Nadarajan saw Chua, who was carrying her youngest child, taking cosmetics from the shelf and handing them to the maid who put them inside a green plastic bag in the stroller.
They then moved to the women's clothes section where they took some clothes and covered the plastic bag.
Chua then went to the fresh food section where she picked up some fruit and meat before proceeding to the cashier with the maid and kids.
While she waited in the queue, she instructed the maid to push the pram containing the unpaid items past the cashier and go into the baby nappy changing room.
After she paid for the few items she was carrying, Chua went into the nappy changing room. They then walked towards the building's main lobby before Mr Nadarajan stopped them.
When confronted, Chua admitted she had not paid for the items. She later apologised and asked for another chance to pay.
But the police were called in and Chua and her maid were arrested.
In defence, Chua claimed she placed items in the stroller even though her trolley was empty because her children had a habit of throwing things out of the trolley.
When she had finished shopping, the family went to the cashier but there was a long queue.
At that time, Chua claimed two of her children needed a diaper change and that was why she instructed the maid to take the children to the diaper changing room.
The maid did so, taking the stroller with all the unpaid items.
Chua claimed she realised that the maid had pushed out the unpaid items only when it was her turn to pay at the cashier.
But she didn't inform the cashier about this oversight, and proceeded to pay for a tote bag, a newspaper and some packet drinks that she had been carrying, she said in her testimony.
She then went to the changing room. But they did not leave immediately as Chua was breastfeeding her youngest daughter.
After that, she claimed, they were walking towards the customer service counter to pay for the items but she was stopped.
District Judge Toh Yung Cheong did not find her a credible witness.
The judge took note of her confession to the police, where she admitted to committing the crime. (See report above.)
The judge said: 'I find that the accused lied... She knew that the value and items involved was extremely large... Therefore, she claimed that she had taken fewer items than reflected in the photographs as it would be hard to explain such a large purchase.'
He also did not buy her excuse that she merely 'forgot' to pay.
The judge said that since there was a long queue at the counter, she should have realised the items were not with her as the queue moved forward.
Furthermore, since it was routine for her to shop with kids in tow and use the stroller to place unpaid items, it made it less likely for her to forget the pram was not with her while she stood in line.
Judge Toh also rejected a claim by Chua that she had been framed. He did not find any reason anyone would want to frame her.
He said: '(Mr Nadarajan) waited patiently for
10 minutes for the accused to come out of the diaper changing room and watched her walk past several cashier's counters... before stopping her.
'In other words, he was giving her numerous opportunities to go to a counter and admit that she had not paid for the items.'
In passing sentence, the judge said: 'I noted that the accused had three young children and on the day of the incident, she claimed that her three children were causing a commotion and that this may have caused her some stress.'
However, he added, unless there was reliable scientific evidence to show that stress could have affected Chua's behaviour, that mitigating factor would not be significant.
She denies confession, gives breastfeeding excuse
AT the trial, Jacqueline Chua Ai Lin sought to use her 'engorged breasts' as the reason why she had not given her statement voluntarily while in custody.
Chua claimed in court that when she narrated her account, it included her assertion that she had no intention to steal.
She also claimed that while she was in detention, she was in pain because of her 'engorged breasts', and when she asked to breastfeed her child, she was told to wait.
A mother who is breastfeeding will have engorged breasts when there is too much milk produced.
Blood flows to the breasts and some of the surrounding tissue swells, causing them to feel tender and painful.
Chua claimed she was in pain when she wrote a second statement.
But police officers denied her allegations.
The officer who recorded Chua's statement also denied the allegation that she was not allowed to breastfeed her baby.
After listening to the accounts, District Judge Toh was inclined to believe that Chua had given her confession voluntarily.
He said: 'The accused confirmed that she was able to give (the officer) exact details of what happened that day.
'Since she was able to do this, I was of the view that the pain, if any, did not sap her will.'
