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Doomed Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 pilot ran simulations ending with Indian Ocean plunge, suggesting crash horror was intentional
By Rich Schapiro
Jul 22, 2016 | 3:51 PM
Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah sits in front of his home flight simulator in a video he posted on YouTube in 2013. (Zaharie Shah via YouTube)
Less than a month before Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished, its pilot conducted a simulated flight that mirrored the path taken by the doomed airliner, according to confidential police documents revealed Friday.
The police files, obtained by New York magazine, provided the strongest evidence yet that Capt. Zaharie Ahmad Shah downed the plane in a premeditated act of mass murder-suicide.
The sinister details were inexplicably withheld from Malaysia's 584-page public report on the investigation.
The unreleased police documents show that Malaysia turned over to the FBI hard drives that contained recordings of Zaharie's sessions on his in-home flight simulator, according to the documents.
The FBI was able to recover six deleted data points — plotting a path deep into the Indian Ocean — that had been stored by the flight simulator in the weeks before MH370 disappeared, the documents show.
Remembering the missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370
"Based on the Forensics Analysis conducted on the 5 (hard disk drives) obtained from the Flight Simulator from MH370 Pilot's house, we found a flight path, that lead to the Southern Indian Ocean, among the numerous other flight paths charted on the Flight Simulator, that could be of interest," the document reads, according to New York magazine.
The flight path on Zaharie's simulator wasn't identical to that taken by MH Flight 370. The simulated end point is roughly 900 miles from the remote stretch of the southern Indian Ocean where investigators believe the plane went down.
But it does chart a course that bears an uncanny similarity to that taken by the doomed flight: leaving Kuala Lumpur, heading northwest over the Malacca Strait, then turning left and crusing south over the Indian Ocean until running out of fuel.
The passenger plane, carrying 239 people from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur, disappeared from radar on March 8, 2014.
The details of Zaharie's simulated horror were not included in Malaysia's report on the incident. (Joshua Paul/AP)
The March 2015 report released by the Malaysian government said investigators found no evidence that Zaharie, 52, or his co-pilot were responsible for the plane's disappearance.
"The captain's ability to handle stress at work and home was good," the report said. "There was no known history of apathy, anxiety or irritability. There were no significant changes in his lifestyle, interpersonal conflict, or family stresses."
Officials announced Friday that if no fresh leads emerge, the search for the missing plane will be suspended by the end of the year.
The cost of the search operation has exceeded $130 million, making it the most expensive in aviation history.


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Best Local Eats in Michigan: At Jackson's South Side Super Deli, you'll find high-quality food
by Elizabeth Pascka Latim | Sat, 15 Jan 2022 09:48:49 Society
JACKSON, MI You can get your liquor, lotto, and lunch all in the same place at Jackson's South Side Super Deli.
Dave Baxter has owned South Side Super Deli, 2000 Brooklyn Road for around 17 years, but he has stated that the business has been in Jackson for as long as he remembers.
There are a lot of people in the community who say they have been coming here since they were young, Baxter said.
Most people dont expect to see a full deli in the back of a party store, but the food is more popular than anything else there, Baxter said.
The deli's breakfast burrito, which includes eggs, cheese, and a breakfast meat, is among the most popular items.
Baxter believes the deli is a place where people can enjoy a relaxing, relaxed meal during their lunch time.
Sometimes you go to McDonald's, and they take longer than the South Side," said Rodriguez.
The South Side Super Deli does not have a Facebook page or a website, but Baxter encourages people to actually visit the store or call to place an order.
The personal way is the better way, he said.
The South Side Super Deli is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, while the deli part of the store is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Questions can be answered and orders can be placed in the store by phone at 517-787-3531.
MORE JACKSON-AREA LOCAL EATS:
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Apple AirTags are being used to intimidate people and steal automobiles, according to Michigan police
Following his latest defeat, Memphis' Penny Hardaway rips media: Stop posing me stupid ----ing questions
Pick 2 will be the NFL's mock draft roundup, but QBs and WRs are still the hotst choice with a second first-rounder
A Michigan judge apologizes for allegedly hamming a man with cancer for running through his yard
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According to Flint's fire chief, vacant school buildings aren't protected, and may charge the district for calls
The airport in Grand Rapids will be used as a test facility for new technology products, such as autonomous wheelchairs

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Arkansas Cancer Coalition
Register for the Arkansas Cancer Summit and Clearing the Air Conference
ACC Quarterly Meeting
Date(s) - Dec 08, 2020
Register for the ACC Quarterly Meeting on December 8th
Please join us for the ACC Quarterly Meeting on Tuesday, December 8, at 10:00AM! This meeting will be held online via Zoom. The agenda is below.
Meet our speaker:
Dr. Risé Jones – Evaluation Solutions
Risé D. Jones, Ph.D. is dedicated to providing public health and educational organizations with the tools necessary for facilitating access, building communities and improving lives, through the use of rigorous program evaluation and social science research. She sees the processes and products associated with evaluation as representing important opportunities for informed and context-responsible decision-making, interventions and services.
She holds a doctorate in public policy analysis and her past evaluation work has included serving on the Evaluation Team for the National Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer, the CARES Project (Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago), the Care Improvement Collaborative (Stroger/Cook County Hospital's Ambulatory Care Network), and the Evaluation Resource Institute (Illinois Center for Violence Prevention). Dr. Jones has nearly thirty years of experience in designing and moderating focus groups for a variety of grounded research projects. She is committed to empowering underserved individuals and communities through information use and qualitative methods to understand and reduce social inequities.
Risé is co-founder and Executive Director of Hamilton Wings, a non-profit organization that uses the arts as a vehicle for promoting leadership, self-development, and achievement – and designed to specially address the needs of socially and/or academically challenged youth and their families. Dr. Jones has been honored to serve as the Evaluator for the Arkansas Cancer Coalition since 2016.
9:00 AM - BTI Training - Spring Session - February 6-8, 2023
10:00 AM - ACC Quarterly Meeting and Arkansas Cancer Plan Roundtable - February 14, 2023
BTI Training - Spring Session - February 6-8, 2023
Brief Tobacco Intervention Training ACC presents a free, virtual opportunity for healthcare providers who want to receive training on tobacco cessation. While counseling and medication are [...]
ACC Quarterly Meeting and Arkansas Cancer Plan Roundtable - February 14, 2023
The ACC Quarterly Meeting will be Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 10:00 AM-11:00 AM. The Arkansas Cancer Plan Roundtables will be from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM. [...]
Events on Feb 06, 2023
See Event List
Cancer is difficult. Getting help shouldn't be.
Imagine helping someone gain access to resources that reduce the struggle during a time of their life when so much is lost. Your donations connect people battling cancer with others ready and able to provide crucial assistance.
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Our high-quality Luxaire heat pumps provide 4 seasons of comfort in one durable unit. Whether in heating or cooling mode, you can count on these products to provide unwavering comfort and high-efficiency savings. Find out why we put our trust in Luxaire by schedule a free estimate today!


Virtualizing your servers with VMware vSphere was a smart move, helping you reduce IT costs and increase the agility of your business. Now you can leverage your vSphere environment with the help of VMware Virtual SAN to create a software-defined, hyper-converged storage solution that is radically simple to manage and delivers high-performance at a lower TCO. The VMware Virtual SAN Assessment helps you plan and accelerate this next step with a free, comprehensive analysis of how Virtual SAN can fit into your vSphere environment, adding breakthrough capabilities and dramatic new value.


What's the story: A couple who front a bizarre traveling circus become murderous when their relationship collapses.
What's the verdict: "A CELLULOID ATROCITY!" pants the original, hand drawn promotional material for John Waters' sophomore feature. And it ain't lying.


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Alan Jackson, a veteran attorney based in Los Angeles, has a track record of winning his cases, as a prosecutor and as a criminal defense lawyer.
Jackson's courtroom skills were on display Monday in a Nantucket hearing, where he aggressively defended Hollywood star Kevin Spacey, who has been accused of sexual assault. The bearded, sharply dressed lawyer could soon notch another victory — the case against Spacey appears to be in jeopardy.
For 18 years, Jackson worked as a deputy district attorney at the Los Angeles district attorney's office.
During his time in the office's major crimes division, Jackson prosecuted high-profile cases, most notably winning the conviction of the famed music producer Phil Spector in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson.
He also won a guilty verdict in the cold-case murders of racing legend Mickey Thompson and his wife.
After an unsuccessful election bid for district attorney in 2012, Jackson left the office in 2013 to work as a civil litigator at Palmer, Lombardi and Donohue, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Now a partner at Werksman, Jackson, Hathaway & Quinn, Jackson has represented clients such as a nurse specializing in administering Botox who was accused of causing bodily injury and battery and an NBA player who was accused of domestic violence.
In 2015, when a Venice Beach hotel owner was accused of ordering the shooting of a homeless poet, he called Jackson. The case against Jackson's client was dismissed, while the shooter was recently sentenced to 93 years, according to the Times.
In the same year, Jackson also cleared a Saudi prince who was accused of sexually assaulting and attacking multiple women inside his mansion just outside of Beverly Hills, the Times reported.
Outside the courts, Jackson has worked as a consulting producer for the television show "Ray Donovan." The crime drama follows a "fixer," who uses his wits and sometimes a baseball bat, to fix problems for rich and powerful clients. The protagonist worked in Los Angeles until the most recent season, when he moved to New York City.
Jackson is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin and the Pepperdine University School of Law. His early career included a stint as a jet engine mechanic in the US Air Force, according to his website.


This morning we were led by the year 2 liturgy team, the theme was all about signs and symbols. We heard and saw all about the signs and symbols on the display and what they mean. We heard about Jesus getting baptised in the river Jordan and the Holy Spirit coming down like a dove! We offered out the sign of peace to the people around us, shaking their hands!
Our mission was to be kind, help everyone and show peace! We had a really fun time!
Previous ArticleGetting ready to Launch Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Multi-Academy Trust!
Next ArticleGetting ready to put our faith into action!


Health Organization (news - web sites).
level allowed in HOW MUCH drinking water???
What is Acrylamide and how is it used?
exposure, are called Maximum Contaminant Level Goals.
OK, I'll risk 500 times zero.
nervous system, weakness and incoordination in the legs.
That explains why WAYNE DOES NOT DANCE.


Actors these days have to go extra mile to portray their character. Actor Tarun Khanna, who is playing Shiv in Siddharth Kumar Tewary's hit show Karamphaldata Dhani, is being seen in a double role.
His scary look as Veerbhadra, who is also Ansh of Shiva is gaining attention. Seeing the look we can guess Tarun takes a long time to get into the avatar.


We might be living in an age of advanced electrical equipment and digital communication, but there's nothing like a poster and banners when you have to make an appearance at a trade show. The top Creative graphic design services of Capital Exhibits are your solution forcorporate design inspiration, a relevant idea and even letterhead stationery.
Capital Exhibits is known as a preferred graphic print design company because we take the time to really understand your vision. From the moment you call us until your corporate display is up and ready, we work tirelessly to reflect you brand in the manner you desire. Clients might be asking for something as small as a cool brochure, practical banner stands or a huge photo – and we'll always deliver on time, on target and on budget for clients in VA, MD, DC and all over the US.
Concerned about what all of this is going to cost? Understand that our Creative graphic design services are wholesale but not cheap. We are an agencydedicated to staying competitive, and we are upfront at every point. From the price quote to the final invoice, you will have a clear sense of what you are paying for every step of the way.


Welcome to the Hob Nob Farm. We are delighted you are visiting us and our website.
Hob Nob Farm was started 30 years ago by Elna Davis Gambill to serve the equestrian needs of both the local and surrounding areas. Elna has an extensive background in training and caring of horses, started riding herself when she was two years old. Yes, she finally made it to a long way passed 2 yrs. old, and got herself a degree from Morrisville College in Saddlehorse Management 1989.
Hob Nob Farm is a full service lesson, boarding and leasing facility. Leasing of horses is available on a monthly and yearly basis. Hob Nob offers lesson programs from beginner to advanced. Elna will take a student out on the trail and teach them how to handle the different experiences that occur. Such as: correctly riding a horse up and down hills safely, crossing a creek, riding through bramble bushes, so both horse and rider are safe and enjoying themselves.
Happy Horses at Hob Nob Farm. They are our reason for existing! Although horses come first at our barn, we also like to make the rider happy too. Call or come by anytime for a tour and see for yourself why Hob Nob Farm is leading in its industry.


I'm trying to calculate natural convection in a small slot surrounded by a solid with temperature from 110 K and 173 K. I'm using chtMultiRegionFaom to solve it.
When I'm using constant properties for the fluid everything is doing good, but as soon as try to implement polynomial transport properties, my case run few iterations and then crash with the following message (see picture attached below).
I try to run the simulation with deltaT equals to 5e-04 but it still crash. I'm trying with delta T equals to 5e-08 but it takes a very long time. My checkMesh is OK. There is my fvScheme and fvSolution for the fluid attached below.
Thanks for everyone that can help !
Your settings are no good. A final pressure residual of 1e-3 does not suffice for heat transfer. And you are using linearUpwind on every scheme which is no good for complex heat transfer simulations. In addition you are relaxing the final iteration even though this is an unsteady simulation.


Food deserts: just locate a grocery store there; offer more fresh produce; have cooking classes; grow community gardens; etc. The solutions sound so simple, but your essay shows that the root causes are so much more complicated than lack of access to good food. The persons interviewed seem to be begging for a fair chance to a good life; simply asking to be able to follow the same rules set up for everyone else, something that has been denied them for centuries.


CeX Berkeley got the ball rolling with their first instalment of their Monthly Gaming Tournaments. Kicking off their dynamic new gaming area upstairs, an open invite went out to all in the name of Mortal Kombat. The atmosphere was electric. Oh's and ah's, pizza, shouting were all part of the ambience as the intense tourney went on for the better part of two intense hours culminating in an epic best-of-five match to determine the first CeX Gaming champion.
The two good friends, who arrived at the tournament together, would face one another in the end of the Double Elimination tournament. Battling on through the fifth match, and ultimately tournament point, the two went blow for blow, knowing the other's strategies. It was fight pad versus fight stick, the sound of plastic slapping plastic was intense. Block, advancing guard, attack, the final matches went on for the better part of twenty minutes as excitement continued to build amongst the spectators. Finally, with one last "Fatality", the Winner Evan H. would claim his prize of $50 store credit.
CeX couldn't have hoped for a better start to their monthly gaming tournament series.
Next tournament - Street Fighter X Tekken - April 14th - CeX Berkeley Will you be there?


"Sweet Dreams," is a colorful, mixed media collage that emerged from the darkness of a sleepy, black gesso canvas. It was an exhilarating process throwing colors into the void, finding forms from what started as loose lines and textures. I first spotted a vase and as I worked, fun flowers and leaves sprouted their way into the art via collage. Paper petals were created using rice and tissue papers, a gel medium skin left over from my paint palette filled the center of the vase. The swirl of sweet colors inside the vase illustrate the essence of our dreams. The varying stems or paths represent the possibilities and full blooms are fulfilled dreams. "Sweet Dreams," pays homage to our awakened soul; lightness from darkness, hope and joy.


These are the card details for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG card, "Knightmare Goblin."
Please refer to this page for the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG official rules for "Knightmare Goblin."
If you have any questions regarding how to use "Knightmare Goblin," go to "FAQs Related To This Card" for clarification on its usage.
Please go to "Search For Decks Containing This Card," if you would like to search for Decks that contain "Knightmare Goblin."
1 "Knightmare" monster, except "Knightmare Mermaid"
If this card is Link Summoned: You can discard 1 card; Special Summon 1 "Knightmare" monster from your Deck, then, if this card was co-linked when this effect was activated, you can draw 1 card. You can only use this effect of "Knightmare Mermaid" once per turn. Monsters on the field lose 1000 ATK/DEF, unless they are co-linked.
If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: They can hand you 1 card from their hand to negate this effect, otherwise you add 1 "Goblin" card from your Deck to your hand, except "Goblin Fan".
●Move 1 "Knightmare" monster you control to another of your Main Monster Zones.
●Switch the locations of 2 "Knightmare" monsters in your Main Monster Zones.


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The Big Read: From rude residents to 'unfair fines', condo security guards have a lot to put up with
Beyond the day-to-day challenges which condo security guards face, there are underlying problems that often leave security guards getting the short end of the stick.
Eight Riversuites condominium now has a whole new team of guards. (Photo: TODAY/Raj Nadarajan)
11 Nov 2019 06:37AM (Updated: 11 Nov 2019 06:40AM)
SINGAPORE: Eric (not his real name), 44, works as a security officer at a condominium in Marine Parade.
He needs to have his mobile phone with him at all times and make sure that he responds, within five minutes, to messages from the condo management in a WhatsApp group chat.
He also has to make sure that cars in the condo are parked within the designated line markings, and "not on or over the lines".
Otherwise, his security firm might end up paying "liquidated damages", or fines, as those in the industry calls them.
In August, Eric's firm was fined twice. Once, when technicians came to the condo to service its lifts and he did not respond in time to a WhatsApp group chat message about the servicing.
"With only four of us working that shift, we were also busy with our own duties," he said.
On the other occasion, the condo management saw a car that was not parked properly.
"We did not clamp the car and the management spotted it before us," said Eric.
He added: "Once management spots any cars on the lines, or blocking the cars beside them, they will take pictures and send to the group chat. We will try to find out (who is) the car owner, which would take some time because there are over 500 cars registered. If we can't find their phone numbers, we would have to (locate) the unit (where the owners are living) to inform them."
READ: Police investigate condo resident for 'intentionally causing harassment to a security officer'
He told us that on average, his security firm has to pay liquidated damages at least once a month. Each fine is either S$50 or S$100.
Last month, his firm was penalised six times and made to pay S$300 to the condo management.
At the condo where he works at, the fines are also meted out if the security officers are late for their shifts or if the lifts are not barricaded properly when they are being serviced, for example.
The practice of liquidated damages is meant to protect a property from damages but union and industry leaders said it has been misused as fines to police the behaviour of security guards, or make them carry out tasks which they are not supposed to do.
Beyond the day-to-day challenges which condo security guards face, there are underlying issues that often leave them getting the short end of the stick. (Photo: TODAY/Raj Nadarajan)
On Oct 31, the Union of Security Employees (USE) spoke out against the "peculiar practice".
"Very often, the liquidated damages in the security industry are more like fines than actual reimbursements for damages suffered," the union said in a Facebook post.
It added: "In many instances, security agencies often have to contend with liquidated damages should their officers not carry out actions against illegal parking or other rules like screening of visitors or even where visitors dropped off. Putting out a contract at a certain fee, and then imposing liquidated damages to claw back some of the contract sums do not seem fair."
Such fines range from tens of dollars to a few hundred dollars for each incident, the union noted.
USE general secretary Raymond Chin reiterated that such a practice is a "misuse" of liquidated damages to "govern behaviours of the agencies".
"Liquidated damages should be imposed if there are actual losses suffered. It should not be used as a form of financial punishment or worse, to get 'discounts' off the security agency in a roundabout way," he said.
USE executive secretary Steve Tan said he has seen cases where security firms lose money since the liquidated damages imposed on them are higher than the sum of the contract. For example, there was a case where a firm had to pay more than S$27,500 in liquidated damages in a month, he said.
Adding that the practice has even seen some security agencies penalised for "poor handwriting", Security Association Singapore executive director Ikhsan Suri described the use of liquidated damages as a means of control over security officers, and making them work beyond their job scope.
"A typical unfair clause is one which gives managing agents absolute discretion to dictate officer's actions or tasks, and which has been used to get security officers to do all sorts of non security-related tasks like electrical work, putting up signage and notices - which is typically in fact the managing agent's job - or checking water meter readings," he said.
The plight of security officers - who often work long hours for relatively low pay and receive little recognition from the very people they serve - is back in the spotlight after a video, showing a resident of Eight Riversuites condominium in Whampoa verbally abusing a security guard, went viral late last month.
The incident has prompted Members of Parliaments to renew their calls for harassment laws to be extended to cover private security officers.
READ: Security officers 'well-equipped' to handle abusive situations: Industry associations
Our interviews with condo security guards found that they are often treated with little respect all round - not just in their day-to-day interaction with residents but also in terms of how they are expected to carry out their work, with the condo management policing their behaviours with fines.
And sometimes, the rules that they have to follow are as questionable as the by-laws which they are made to enforce on residents, said industry players.
In Singapore, security firms are typically hired by managing agents of condos to take care of security arrangements. The managing agent, in turn, answers to the management council - a body elected among residents to administer the day-to-day running of the estate.
Under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act, management corporations - which comprise all unit owners within the development - are given the powers to manage their own estates. A management corporation is also known as Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST).
READ: Industry associations launch helpline for abused security officers to seek recourse
ALL IN A (ROUGH) DAY'S WORK
On his job scope, Eric said that his tasks range from registering visitors to the condo, ensuring that residents wear proper swimming attire in the pool to keeping the premises safe.
This is usually the situation in most condominiums, where security officers have to multi-task, on top of protecting the premises and residents, as well as upholding the estate's by-laws.
And wearing many hats while carrying out their duties often put the security officers in the direct line of fire on a daily basis, as they have a tough time enforcing the estate's by-laws in the face of resistance by difficult residents.
READ: Man in viral video apologises 'many times' to condo security supervisor in private meeting
Another security officer, Leonard (not his real name), 54, who is stationed at a condominium in Tanglin area, said he has had visitors pick fights with him when he tries to enforce the condo's by-laws.
Both Leonard and Eric agreed to speak to us on condition of anonymity, as they were not authorised to speak to the press and could get in trouble for doing so.
Recounting the incident, Leonard said: "We stopped a visitor from entering the condo because she did not register her details. But on her next three visits, she did not register as well so we had to inform the tenant whom she visited … She came with her husband the next day and he scolded us.
"He shouted at us: 'Don't disturb my wife and ask her so many questions.' We tried to explain to him that this was our duty but he got out of his car and said to me: 'This is your last warning.' So I just apologised."
Security guards, along with other low-wage workers such as cleaners, gardeners and petrol station attendants, were once described by veteran diplomat Tommy Koh as "invisible people" who are not shown respect by the elite.
The Big Read: The 'invisible' people in a class-conscious society
A small-scale survey of 52 security guards conducted by the USE in April found that about two-thirds had experienced verbal abuse, while less than a handful were physically abused.
Several of the security officers we spoke to also said they have been verbally abused while on duty, but they felt that it was part and parcel of the job.
SMS Investigation and Security director John Sng noted that security officers are "sandwiched" and are made messengers of bad news.
His agency currently works with 24 condos. On average each month, he sees about four cases of abuse.
"Most of the cases revolve around disagreement about the rules. For example, MCST clamps their cars so the residents go after officers," he said.
He cited an incident where a resident who was upset with the going-ons at a condo parked his car in front of the car park gantry and refused to move.
"When security officers tried to ask him to move, the resident said: 'I don't have to talk to you, you are just a security guard.' When the police came in, the police said it was a private matter. So there was no support from the police and MCST side," Mr Sng said.
Mr Ikhsan said that without the force of law, security officers get "bullied" while trying to enforce a condo's rules.
He said: "These members of the public believe they can get away with it because security officers do not have the special protections despite being in a vulnerable front-facing position. Often incidents of abuse or harassment of security officers do not go punished as they do not get support from the building owners or MCSTs or managing agents."
Mr Robert Wiener, president of the Association of Certified Security Agencies (ACSA) and director of Prosegur Security, said he sees an average of almost 30 cases of abuse per day. He noted that some of the security officers involved may even get sacked for trying to enforce the rules.
"The MCST doesn't want to pick a fight with the owners of the condo. So these security officers are not supported even though the condo owners or MCST said that they have to ... make sure that these rules are abided by," he said.
"But when they clamp a car and the owner asks, who did this, the security either gets praised or pulled off."
Mr Ikhsan stressed the need to "empower security officers by ensuring they have sufficient support to do their jobs and (seek) recourse in incidents of abuse".
"Since the managing agents and MCSTs are generally not supportive of security officers, the union and security associations are now stepping up our support of security officers and security agencies," he said.
STEMMING ABUSE
To reduce the likelihood of a confrontation between angry residents and security guards, USE's Mr Chin suggested better-designed security procedures, clearer rules and the use of technology.
In a bid to reduce the number of abuse cases, the security officers in Mr Sng's firm now wear body cameras.
"I did it about three years ago and got the idea from an Australian security association. They said that this was used as a deterrence. I tell my officers, if they are (facing) a conflict situation, to tell the parties involved that they are being recorded," he said.
Still, despite the effort, he estimated that fewer than half of the residents would heed the instructions given by security officers.
Following the Eight Riversuites incident, the Security Industry Council (SIC) earlier this week launched an email helpline (stopabuse [at] hormatsecurity.com) for private security officers to report cases of verbal and physical abuse which they encounter while performing their duties. Assistance provided could range from legal advice to medical claims or requests to change deployment site.
Mr Wiener believes that on top of public education, legislation is also needed to protect security guards.
Many in the industry have been calling for private security guards to be accorded the same legal protection as public service workers such as nurses.
In response to queries, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that the harassment of anyone, including security officers, is "unacceptable" and an offence under the Protection of Harassment Act. Where there is violence or disorderly behaviour involved, victims are also protected under other legislation such as the Penal Code or the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act, the ministry said.
AN UNDERLYING PROBLEM
Beyond the day-to-day challenges which condo security guards face, there are underlying problems that often leave them getting the short end of the stick.
These include the issue of liquidated damages, which refer to a fixed or determined sum of money agreed by the parties to a contract to be payable should there be a breach by any party.
USE's Mr Tan said the imposition of liquidated damages became a standard industry practice likely as a result of the manpower crunch. As the security services are often bought on the basis of headcount, buyers use liquidated damages to ensure that that there is no shortfall of manpower for example, he said.
Mr Francis Chng, the director of security firm Horus I, said that these days, some contracts stipulate that if a security guard misses a checkpoint during their patrol, the security agency would be made to pay liquidated damages.
But he noted that a security guard could miss a checkpoint due to carelessness, and it does not necessarily mean that the guard did not do his rounds.
"Missing a (checkpoint) does not actually cause damage to the estate," he pointed out.
The number of security officers with valid licences has increased slightly since 2015. (Photo: TODAY/Raj Nadarajan)
SAS' Mr Ikhsan cited a case of a condo in Bukit Panjang, which required its security guards to conduct patrol of its premises with more than 20 checkpoints - over half of which were outdoors. Liquidated damages of S$50 were imposed for each checkpoint missed, even on the occasions when it was raining, he said.
Reachfield Security and Safety Management general manager Grace Lim said that security firms also are penalised under the liquidated damages when guards are caught resting on the job.
"Some clients want a S$200 levy per (instance of a security officer caught resting on the job) instead of having a warning system, where there is a verbal warning first, followed by a written warning, before finally resorting to liquidated damages," said Ms Lim.
Mr Ikhsan reiterated that managing agents are not well versed in contracting practices and do not have a strong grasp of how liquidated damages work.
"Managing agents and MCSTs often include liquidated damages clauses that are unfair and almost definitely unenforceable if challenged in court," he said. "They are almost always based on how 'serious' the managing agent or MCST thinks each alleged breach is, without any regard for the actual damage suffered by the client, which is the basis of liquidated damages."
THE PERENNIAL MANPOWER CRUNCH
Faced with an array of issues, it is no surprise that the industry is facing a manpower crunch. Nevertheless, following various initiatives to increase the appeal of the job, the situation has improved slightly in recent years.
In 2017, the Government accepted recommendations by the Security Tripartite Cluster which called for the basic pay of security guards to increase by around S$300 between 2019 and 2021. After that, they will receive an annual basic pay increment of at least 3 per cent.
All security guards will also be allowed to put in a maximum of only 72 overtime hours a month. The current practice - where security companies apply for overtime exemptions so that their employees can work past this limit - will be discontinued from 2021.
The higher basic pay and subsequent annual increments were aimed at offsetting the cap on overtime hours. Security agencies had to adopt the recommendations from the start of this year.
At some condominiums, security guards and their agencies are punished for things as trivial as failing to ensure that cars are parked within the designated line markings, and not responding quickly enough to WhatsApp messages from the condo management, for example. (Photo: TODAY/Raj Nadarajan)
Between 2015 and last year, the number of security officers with valid licences has increased from 73,700 to 79,800. As of September this year, the figure was 79,200.
Despite the overall uptick, the industry still needs more bodies. Mr Wiener estimates that the industry may be facing a shortfall of about 12,000 workers. The use of technology will help to reduce the reliance on manpower and alleviate the manpower crunch over the next five years, he said.
During the Security Industry Conference last month, Ms Sun Xueling, Senior Parliamentary Secretary of Home Affairs and National Development, noted that security agencies "find it difficult to fill vacancies amidst slowing workforce growth and competition for workers from other industries".
She said: "We have a rapidly ageing workforce. More than half of our current pool of security officers are above the age of 55."
Referring to the removal of the overtime exemption, she said that this would create "even greater pressures on the supply of manpower".
Mr Chin, the union leader, stressed the need to transform the industry from its present manpower-intensive, low productivity state to attract younger people.
"We need to transform the job into one which is based on strong security outcomes and using the right 'tech-man' mix to make this an attractive career choice," said Mr Chin, referring to the use of technology to supplement manpower.
At the same time, security we spoke to highlighted the value of older and more experienced security guards.
USE will be rolling out a digital adaptation course for officers who are not tech savvy. It hopes to "transform the security occupation into a career of choice, and anyone who is able to do the job and is willing to, cannot and shouldn't be prevented from taking up the job", said Mr Chin.
Under the Industry Transformation Map for the sector, which was launched in February last year, the Government is also looking to enable the security industry to leverage technology and raise the skills of its workers. The blueprint aims to enhance regulatory standards, promote greater use of technology and improve career progression.
OUTCOME-BASED CONTRACTS - THE WAY FORWARD?
To tackle the root cause of the perennial issues plaguing the industry, many have called for the use of outcome-based contracts.
Ms Sun, for example, stressed the importance of such contracts in her speech at the Security Industry Conference.
"When contracts start by stipulating the outcome and not merely specifying a certain number of security officers, security agencies are free to think of how technology can be used to augment manpower, and start providing integrated security solutions," she said.
Currently, buyers put up a tender for services based on a fixed number of headcount under manpower-based contracts. Outcome-based contracts would not be as manpower-reliant, as security firms are assessed on expected performance levels and technological solutions can be used to offset a lower headcount.
The Government has announced that from May next year, all of its agencies will be adopting outcome-based contracts for all new security contracts.
Mr Chin said that security service buyers will need time to get onboard but the Government's move will send a strong signal.
"(Manpower-based contracts) have been the default manner of calling contracts and are also simple to understand and execute," he noted.
He added: "It's a very big change in the industry - cutting the manpower and using performance as an indication."
Outcome-based contracts may also see buyers incurring "more costs in the short term for security consultation and also upfront capital expenditure on buying the tech equipment and solutions", he added.
Tripartite partners - consisting of the union, employers and the government - have agreed to train more consultants at the Security Industry Institute to help buyers draft outcome-based contracts.
Mr Chin noted that currently, buyers are apprehensive about substituting technology for manpower.
"If they want five security guards, they mean five. Even though we may propose that we are giving you three but some tech (solutions) to cover other grounds, they are a bit hesitant - they would rather have five guards than three," he said.
The MCSTs and managing agents we spoke to cited several reasons for the resistance to outcome-based contracts, such as longer contractual commitments.
Mr Chan Kok Hong, managing director of Savills Property Management which manages over 100 condos in Singapore, said that he knows of five which have taken up outcome-based contracts over the past year.
Mr Chan is also president of the Association of Strata Managers, which seeks to represent managing agents for condos in Singapore. He said that outcome-based contracts have not caught on because of the long period of commitment required from the buyers, due to the installation of equipment and technology.
"When you are trying something new and you can't just terminate (the security services) unless you are ready to bear the costs, there is a risk. If you are on the (condo management) council and you sign a three-year contract, and in six months time you realise the hardware is not working properly or the guards are not good, then you are stuck," he said.
A spokesperson from the Association of Property and Facility Managers said that there may also be different interpretations of the optimum outcomes by the parties involved.
"It is not uncommon for the outcomes in an outcome-based contract, however well articulated, to be interpreted differently by different persons. As such, problems can arise from the measurement of outcomes and/or 'fair' administration of the contract," said the spokesperson.
Mr Andrew Lioe, director of property, strata and facility management company A4 International, which oversees about 60 estates and commercial buildings, said that some of his clients still prefer the physical presence of security officers.
This is so because they "act as a better deterrence" compared to having closed circuit television cameras or supervision from a remote security centre. A security officer can physically check visitors and interact with them, Mr Lioe said.
He added that security agencies have to adequately prepare and train their officers, in order to push buyers to make the switch.
"If a buyer is considering outcome-based contracts, the question is (whether) the security firm and officers … can provide reasonable service so that the reduced headcount will not be felt as much," Mr Lioe said.
Source: Today/jt
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