All Things Singapore

Of the tactless speech by Education Minister of State Lawrence Wong

2012-02-08T06:48:00.000-08:00

Here is another instance of how our ministers are so out of touch with the ground as they look down on us from their ivory towers.

In a dialogue on further education at ITE College East, Education Minister of State Lawrence Wong said, "That's what happens when you have a sort of heedless desire to get a degree or diploma without understanding the broader issues," he noted.

Obviously, Lawrence Wong does not understand that Singapore has been shaped to be a city where paper qualifications matter so much more over skills. Whenever possible, who would not follow the progression from a junior college or polytechnic education to a degree? Is it wrong for people to want to better themselves with skills and knowledge? If there are insufficient places, why are there so many foreign students in the local universities? Why do so many locals have to study abroad when their grades allow them to enroll in a local university?

What Lawrence Wong seem to be saying is that if you are in the lowest rung of the social ladder, just stay there and do not dream of climbing up that elitist ladder. That ivory tower is not for us, peasants.

Further education hot topic at ITE dialogue

The move to increase the intake of Institute of Technical Education (ITE) graduates at polytechnics is underway, but the topic of further education still weighed on the minds of about 100 ITE students at a dialogue with Education Minister of State Lawrence Wong yesterday.

Several students from the three ITE campuses at REACH's Kopi Talk dialogue held at ITE College East asked if opportunities for them to upgrade after graduating could be expanded.

Mr Wong said he understood their aspirations but not everyone would be able to pursue a diploma at a polytechnic immediately after obtaining their Higher NITEC.

This was due to limited places at local polytechnics and employers' demand for ITE graduates. "If everyone can move up, we will not have enough ITE graduates out there in the workforce," he said.

"At the end, it's the number of places we can provide … I don't think we'll be able to satisfy everyone, frankly," he said.

By 2015, one in four ITE graduates will be able to make it to polytechnic, up from one in five currently.

Mr Wong also cautioned against a scenario where the industry is unable to cope with the number of degree or diploma holders seeking jobs. He recounted how on a previous trip to Paris, all applicants for a receptionist job at the Singapore embassy were degree holders.

"That's what happens when you have a sort of heedless desire to get a degree or diploma without understanding the broader issues," he noted.

On why ITE graduates could not opt for polytechnic courses unrelated to their area of study, Mr Wong said the ITE is meant to be a foundation for polytechnic education.

Other questions raised were about the upcoming schools catering only to Normal (Technical) students and on keeping school fees affordable.

Mr Wong said the Government recently enhanced bursary programmes and would enhance them again if necessary.

Specialised Normal (Technical) schools, which open in 2013 and 2014, would have the same programme as other schools but its teachers and a curriculum would be better catered to the needs of students, he explained.

ITE College West Higher NITEC business administration student Seri Nur Haziqah found the dialogue "engaging" as it touched on the importance of character, and felt Mr Wong's replies were "lengthy" but "relevant".

Separately yesterday, the North East Community Development Council announced its North East Education Awards - which awards two students from each eligible school with S$400 to S$900 - would be extended to all ITE campuses here.

Of Yaw Shin Leong's resignation as WP's treasurer

2012-02-07T20:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, the Workers' Party announced that Yaw Shin Leong, MP for Hougang has resigned from his position as the Treasurer of the Party. This comes after Yaw was embroiled in an online scandal which suggested that Yaw, a married man, was having an affair with a member of the WP cadre, Angela Oon, who is also married.

Yaw has chosen to keep slient about his alleged affair. However, this resignation speaks louder than words. Yaw and WP should step forward to explain this incident. After all, in the 2011 General Elections, the residents of Hougang who had vested their trust in Low Thia Kiang, showed their unyielding support for the WP by voting for Yaw. Whether the affair did or did not happen (this resignation is clearly an admission of guilt), WP owes the residents of Hougang an explanation. The residents have given him their vote of confidence for a 5 year term and months into his tenure, this happens. Indeed, this is a private matter; a domestic affair. However, as a MP, he should be prepared for public scrutiny into this allegation. As an opposition MP, many of his political rivals from both the opposition camps and PAP alike would enjoy watching him fall from grace. Sure, we could all give him the benefit of doubt but obviously, this does not look rosy at all for Yaw. Even without any statements from Yaw, WP has to work on their public relations to counter this alleged scandal. Personally, I am not sure if a MP can be removed from his position due to personal misconduct and the procedures after.

Yaw's ex-wife, Ng Mei Sze has decided to step forth and say that their marriage did not fail because of infidelity. Instead of relying on people in association to Yaw to speak up to attest to his "good character (that all MPs and human beings should have)", Yaw should really face the public and offer a good enough explanation. To have one more person speak on the current scandal is creating more room for gossip. One could easily speculate that Ng feels guilty for not having informed Yaw's current wife, Wang Lin about Yaw's tendencies. The probable gossips could go on and on.

This scandal has without a doubt, sullied the good work that WP and the efforts of all opposition parties in Singapore alike. Even the Singapore People's Party (SPP) is having it's fair share of woes with the resignation of 6 of its Central Executive Community (CEC).

More importantly, it brings to mind that one should vote for the party and it's ideals and not for one person, because the actions of an individual could easily cause a party to fall apart.

Other references:
Straits Times: Yaw Shin Leong was a star who rose and rose
Straits Times: 'Workers' Party ought to be more transparent'
Straits Times: Yaw Shin Leong's ex-wife sheds some light on break-up

Changes In Workers’ Party Leadership

The Workers’ Party wishes to inform the public that at the monthly meeting of the Executive Council on Tuesday, 7 February 2012, the Council accepted the resignation of Yaw Shin Leong from the party leadership. Yaw Shin Leong will cease to be Treasurer of the Party with immediate effect.

The Council has also decided to appoint the Deputy Treasurer, Yee Jenn Jong, as the Party’s Treasurer.

Yaw Shin Leong will focus on his responsibilities as Member of Parliament for Hougang.

The Workers’ Party assures residents of Hougang of the Party’s commitment to the constituency and to supporting the work of their Member of Parliament.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
WORKERS’ PARTY

7 February 2012

Of the passing of Dr Toh Chin Chai

2012-02-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

The funeral of the late former Deputy Prime Minister Dr Toh Chin Chye was held on Tuesday at 11am at Mandai Crematorium.

Of late, the internet has been a-buzzed with stories on how Dr Toh was like. This striked a chord.

He retired from Parliament at the 1988 general election and spent his last years generally away from the public eye. In a rare public radio interview in 1997, Dr Toh passionately bemoaned the lack of idealism and creativity among the young and its implications for the future of Singapore. He said:
“I would say the generation of the ‘50s and ‘60s took the plunge into politics without ever calculating the costs of the risk and the benefits to be gained. They were driven by ideology. Today’s generation has no culture and averse to taking political risk. Really, an interest in politics is very necessary for the future.

But I cannot blame the present generations, because they see the heavy-handed response by the government to dissenting views, even though they know that these matters involve their daily lives.

So the result is that we have produced a younger generation who are meek and therefore very calculating. They are less independent-thinking and lack in initiative. It does not bode well for the emergence of future leaders in politics and business. Robots and computers can be programmed or if you like, can be trained. But the trouble, of course, is that computers lack soul and what we need in Singapore is soul. Because it is soul that makes society.”

Rest in peace, Dr Toh.

Of the real Cecilia Sue

2012-02-06T19:40:00.000-08:00

They mysterious woman in the corruption scandal has been unveiled! The real Cecilia Sue has been mosaiced??

According to inSing.com, this is how the lady looks like. This does fit the description of a "36-year-old, tall, slim, vivacious, and with shoulder length hair" woman.

Strange how the people who leaked the photo chose to mosaic her face and not her expensive looking bag. Cecilia 1 - Tin Pei Ling 0.

While there has not been any confirmation if the photo shows the real Cecilia, I would not be surprised if more photos are leaked over the next few days.

Of high ranking horny people

2012-01-26T20:11:00.000-08:00

Clearly, the year of the fire dragon has done some serious kicking of high-profile asses in the civil service early into its tenure.

[Left: Peter Lim Sin Pang, ex SCDF, age 51, Right: Ng Boon Gay, ex CNB, age 45,]

In case you have been caught up with the festivities and holidays and are lagging in what's happening in the local political scene, former Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) commissioner Peter Lim and former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) director Ng Boon Gay are currently investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) for "serious personal misconduct". Allegedly, a hot woman in her 40s from an American multinational firm is embroiled in this saga. "While Mr Lim and Mr Ng were both unaware of each other's dealings with the woman, they have both confirmed their relationship with the woman". She is assisting CPIB in their investigations. To make matters even more interesting, the investigations are being held separately.

Corruption through sex. Death by sex. Hmm...

Obviously, this indicates that even persons with good track records [1] [2] and high pay aside, one can never expect the ~~dick~~ other head to stay limp and contented. It seems logical to think that you cannot corrupt one who already draws a fat pay, but it doesn't mean you can withstand (for the lack of a better word) a pussy. One may laugh all the way to the bank, but who holds the other head? Oh by the way, a squeaky clean looking opposition MP Yaw was also alleged to be in an extramarital affair. Yaw, on the other hand has chosen to keep silent. In all honestly, mums hardly the word if one is truly innocent. The former SCDF and CNB officers have been advised to have a quiet, low-key CNY.

So what's with these horny people in high ranking positions? That money is not enough? That high pay and high rank do not suffice? That the other head prevails? Jokes aside, this issue must be really serious to warrant headlines on the second day of Chinese New Year. It does seem like no effort is spared in shaming these two former civil servants. On this note, at least CPIB or the Ministry of Home Affairs have taken the appropriate step in highlighting this matter to the public over a festive period. Hey, this is a good topic for CNY banter no? Did you hear about the commissioner.. Did you hear about the director....

What I do not understand is why the identity of the woman in the case hasn't been made known to the public yet. Even Jakarta Globe has reported that the woman is 36 years old. How is it that the local media do not have this information? Shouldn't all the parties get shamed?

Earlier this week, the Noose reported that the Army was considering to have a maid platoon to help its NS men cope with the daily stress of being a soldier. Perhaps, the civil service should consider a harem apart from the remuneration package to help them cope with the daily stress of heading a department. Well, everybody needs sex and Singapore doesn't need corruption since we might as well, compromise and score another world's first.

For the want of a pussy, respect was lost. My advice for all civil servants, and it comes free...
LOOK BEFORE YOU POKE!

It's going to be an interesting year of the dragon!

- ST Electronics steps forward to say that none of its staff has been called up by the CPIB.

Of the SMRT disruptions. If you can't help, at least shut the f*ck up.

2011-12-21T21:25:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: MP Seng Han Thong has since apologised.

On the SMRT issue, one wonders why an MP would say on air that some staffs are “Malay(s), they are Indians, they cannot converse in English good, well enough”.

Why did he just stop there? Did he listen to himself speak? He could have added on and said that his English was atrocious too. This is quite obvious the moment he opened his mouth to speak. Clearly, you don't have to speak well to be an MP and draw an obscene salary.

Back to the issue at hand... Why couldn't he have said that the ground staff were largely Malays and Indians and this led to mis-communications between staffs and non-English speaking commuters?

If he as an MP is so insensitive, how can he possibly help residents at the meet-the-people sessions without condescending? As a MP for Ang Mo Kio where train service was affected, he could at least empathise with commuters or say that he was looking to the review as well. MPs have to know that they are public figures, paid by their public and that they cannot simply say one thing today and retract it by means of an apology the next day.

This is what Halimah Yacob, MP for Jurong GRC has to say:
Several friends have raised their concerns over MP Seng Han Thong's remarks. I am also disturbed by the remarks which are inappropriate and unfair even though he may be repeating what someone else said. Having worked in the labour movement for 33 years before taking up my present post, I am reminded of how employers in the past sometimes try to pin the blame on the lowest elvel workers as a way of deflecting responsibilty from the management whenever a major problem occurs. Effective communication as we all know requires a properly thought out strategy and plan, putting a system in place, training of employees and testing whether the plan works, among others. It is not right to pin the blame on workers and, what is worse, Malay and Indian workers for the purported lack of English proficiency. So, I can understand your anger and frustration at such a simplistic and insensitive articulation of the probable cause for the communication failure that had occurred. But friends, lets also try to stay cool as we need SMRT to focus on the big, big issue of fixing the defects so that the trains can run smoothly and passengers are not further inconvenienced.

Perhaps Seng Han Thong, together with the SMRT management team should attend PR and public speaking lessons.

Oh, and if only would Straits Times quit making us angry, SMRT tops in corporate governance study.

Of disrupted train service & income opportunity

2011-12-15T19:32:00.001-08:00

Of the mature rivalry between PAP and WP

2011-12-05T19:25:00.000-08:00

Perhaps things are beginning to look up for the local political scene now that PM Lee has acknowledged that there are no longer any "sure-win constituencies". WP's Chen Show Mao has succinctly spelt out what it means for Singaporeans to have a voice for the good of the nation. We live in interesting times.

A mature rivalry between PAP and WP?

Singapore's ruling party for 46 years has sounded a warning to its followers that its era of easy election victories is over.

Future contests would be tougher, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who added that he no longer expected "clean sweeps" or "safe wards anywhere".

Lee appealed to 1,500 party activists to help him build a new People's Action Party (PAP) for a new phase.

This was its first convention since the poor election showing six months ago.

Last week, as PAP prepared for its crucial meeting, rival Workers' Party (WP) launched the biggest offensive in the East Coast constituency since May.

It lost narrowly to the government (45-55 per cent) and appears determined to win it in 2016.

While Lee was exhorting his party to work hard to regain lost ground, WP members — wearing blue — were out in force at hawker centres and markets to sell the party organ The Hammer to families.

The two events show the extent of Singapore's political intensity although the next election is still five years away.

Both sides have appealed to Singaporeans not to let the political divide create rifts in society.

After years of acquiescence to former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who governed Singapore with an iron hand, a new generation of Singaporeans is beginning to assert itself.

As a result, politics is steadily becoming a passionate subject and quite unpredictable, with more people who stayed away before taking sides now.

Friendly match

Several opposition parties are emerging as challengers, but as of now only PAP and WP, the two oldest parties here, figure strongly in the contest.

Both are committed to pursue their politics with a sense of maturity and responsibility so far.

Lee had earlier surprised Singaporeans when he invited six Workers Party MPs to join parliamentary committees to play a recommendation role in policy- making.

With Kuan Yew no longer in the Cabinet, although still an MP, the younger set of MPs from both sides is trying to find a practical way to work together.

The political landscape is changing, but what the present House will do will leave its mark — good or bad - in history.

There has been video coverage of opposing MPs organising joint community functions for residents, their differences temporarily laid aside.

Last month, the MPs formed a football team, complete with red jerseys, to play a friendly match against a team made up of media representatives.

The politicians, among them two opposition MPs, lost the match 2-1.

The general reaction, especially among younger Singaporeans, was one of excitement and people want to see more of such matches.

"It was good to see them put aside their political differences and fight a common battle on the same side," said a Malaysia Cup fan.

He suggested the Singapore MPs team take on Malaysian politicians in a similar match as a prelude to the Malaysia Cup kick-off.

The younger generation is watching with interest to see how the two parties treat each other.

'Not the enemy of the government'

Unlike other Asian countries, Singapore has rarely had any real experience of intense Parliament debate since the left-wing Socialist Front quit Parliament and took to the streets.

A few sharp exchanges had taken place between Lee Senior and the late J.B. Jeyaretnam, but that was prior to the emergence of the Internet and mainstream coverage was minimal.

The newly-appointed Speaker Michael Palmer has urged MPs not to get lost in "the quagmire of party politics".

Writing in an editorial for PAP magazine The Petir, Palmer said worthwhile suggestions should not be attacked just because they were made by the opposition.

From the other side came utterances like the following from Workers' Party MP Chen Show Mao:

"Let me state quite clearly how I see myself as an opposition member of this parliament. I may challenge government policy in Parliament, but I do not by definition oppose government policy.

"It does not mean that I do not support the government in its work. I am an opposition MP and will perform my role to voice alternative and opposing views in the law- making process.

"As an opposition MP, I am not the enemy of the government; I am a Singaporean and a patriot."

PAP's behaviour towards its rivals has taken a sharp turn for the better.

Possible motive

Some observers see a possible long-term motive in why the two parties — whose ideological differences are not very wide apart — wish to compete without personal attacks or animosity.

Firstly, Singaporeans are by and large moderately inclined and dislike to see politicians at each other's throats.

The second reason is that both parties are pragmatic enough to realise that politics is entering an unpredictable phase.

Few can be sure whether one day one may need the other in a realignment of interests.

The ruling PAP is facing an uphill task trying to attract quality candidates from the private sector to stand in elections.

According to WikiLeaks, the leaked US diplomatic cables, PAP MP Charles Chong admitted that the party had to field "second and third-tier candidates" since the 2006 election.

Unless PM Lee succeeds in reversing his recruitment fortune, the next election could spell greater trouble.

No one really believes PAP will be overthrown but if it fares badly, having a workable relationship with the rival will be a very useful thing.

Of freedom of speech & freedom to post

2011-11-21T17:52:00.000-08:00

In a span of 5 days, the police have been called to investigate 3 cases of racist posts in a public domain. It first started with Jason Neo, a then YPAP member and Christian Eliab Ratnam, a NSF. In an earlier Facebook posting, Christian was reported to have agreed with a statement attributed to LKY. The most recent person to be investigated is Donaldson Tan, former member of The Online Citizen, founder of New Asia Republic.

Given that Singaporeans spend the most time on Facebook at an international level, it probably comes as no surprise that all three postings took place over Facebook. While the internet has been widely attributed as a tool to empower freedom of speech, people or in this case, Singaporeans need to know that they cannot simply tap on the phone or click on a computer to post something sensitive without repercussions. Yes, the internet empowers. It is also a public domain. Even without policing, what is sent out easily goes viral and you, yes you become a victim of your own posting.

I sincerely believe that Singaporeans are not racist by nature. Yet despite the government's attempt at schooling racial harmony, Singaporeans incline toward racial nonchalance. We are not tolerant but largely indifferent to the requirements of other races and religions. It is due to this lack of awareness that people fall prey to their own fastest fingers. All the same, regardless of my theories, I do not condone any such act.

Freedom of speech does not equate freedom to post. People have rights to freedom of speech and rights to live free from racial vilification.

Of risque ads

2011-11-16T19:26:00.000-08:00

Hi Singapore, if you think the Abercrombie ad was bad, look at this...

Sure pales in comparison doesn't it?

Of the ISA. True abolishment or a facade of skull-duggery?

2011-09-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

This post is a response to a very lengthy article posted on Channel News Asia here.

Since Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak declared that they (Malaysia) will abolish the ISA, local NGOs and political figures have also begin to adovcate / renew these calls.

It is unlikely that Malaysia will abolish the ISA. More likely, PM Najib is "doing the groundwork" before the 13th Malaysia general elections. Look at the recent Bersih protest in July this year. After talks with the King, the organisers of the rally agreed to change the street protest to the Merdeka Stadium, an indoor venue. Subsequently, the organisers were refused usage of the stadium and a permit to conduct the protest. On the evening of the protest on 9 July 2011, the police had confirmed 1,667 arrests, including 167 females and minors. Most of the arrested protesters were freed by the end of the day.

Of course the above factual information has little to do with Singapore. Yet it is precisely because of PM Najib's claim that has set off a chain reaction in Singapore. All calls to abolish the ISA from local NGOs and political figures have cited examples from the 1950s-1970s. Then, the ISA was used to detain persons suspected of agitating racial and religious discord, and persons engaged in espionage. The ISA was also controversially used in 1987 against alleged Marxist anti-state conspirators involved in several Catholic church and civil society organisations.

In recent times, the ISA has been used primarily to deter terrorism. This is where Mas Selamat and the suspected Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorists come in. Here, it is ~~unfortunately~~ hard to disagree with pre-president Tony Tan when he said that the "ISA is a blunt instrument". If there were no ISA, do the authorities only arrest the terrorists after Yishun MRT station had been bombed? After all, a terrorist is only a terrorist when an act of terror has been committed no? Like a suicide bomber can only be labelled as such after a successful act of self-immolation. I take it that the officers at the Home Affairs and Internal Security Department have done all the necessary security checks in confirming the terrorist links before detaining those suspects.

More importantly, could 911 have been averted if the Americans had the ISA?

Singapore has come a long way since the 1950s threats of communism. In present times, the authorities cannot simply arrest anyone under the ISA for "agitating racial and religious discord, and persons engaged in espionage". While Singapore doesn't score much on human rights, it is unlikely that they will do an "Aung San Suu Kyi". Even the outspoken Dr Chee Soon Juan has never been convicted under the ISA.

So what other laws can Singapore apply to deter terrorism? I suggest that the ISA be refined instead of totally abolished. Refined so that it cannot be used to benefit one political party and for all other petty reasons. After all, I would rather the authorities come clean and say "We are keeping the ISA" instead of saying that they will abolish it (and rebrand it as another law) for the sake of gaining populist points.

As for Malaysia, let's see how much more PM Najib has to offer. Elections in Malaysia are not due till 2013. Would the ISA be repackaged as XXX version 2.0? Only time will tell.

Of August, and the road to a new president.

2011-08-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

Would there be drama on 17 August, Nomination Day? Would one of the Tans enter the nomination center and be the elected president just like how an unknown became an MP in 24 hours only 4 months ago? Andrew Kuan has until 1pm this Saturday to submit his application for a Certificate of Eligibility.

If you haven't been in touch with the happenings of the presidential elections, the Tans i.e. Tony Tan, Tan Kin Lian, Tan Cheng Bock and Tan Jee Say have submitted their eligibility application forms. With the outcome of the recent general elections fresh in the candidates' minds, it seems that the way to popularity is to appear populist by claiming their independence from the government. To prevent the further eroding of the moral authority i.e. 4 million annual salary ceremonial figure, may the best Tan who has claimed to do what he would, win.

Today Online:Presidential Election on Aug 27

Writ of Elections issued yesterday; Nomination Day is Aug 17

SINGAPORE - In 13 days, Singapore will know if there will be a contest for the job of President of Singapore.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong issued the Writ of Election yesterday announcing Aug 17 as Nomination Day.

If more than one candidate qualifies to run, Singaporeans will go to the polls 10 days later, on Aug 27, to pick the Republic's third Elected President in what will be only the second contested election since 1993.

Candidates have until 1pm this Saturday to submit their applications for a Certificate of Eligibility.

Five people have declared their intention to contest in the Presidential Election. Their candidacies are subject to the approval from the Presidential Elections Committee, which will issue the certificate to successful applicants not later than the eve of Nomination Day.

On Nomination Day, candidates are required to present the necessary documents - including the Political Donation Certificate - to the Returning Officer, as well as pay the S$48,000 election deposit to the Accountant-General.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan, former People's Action Party (PAP) Ayer Rajah MP Tan Cheng Bock, ex-NTUC Income chief Tan Kin Lian and former civil servant Tan Jee Say - who contested in the recent General Election under the Singapore Democratic Party banner - have already submitted their forms. The fifth, former JTC Corporation group chief financial officer Andrew Kuan, who was disqualified in the 2005 Presidential Election, has said he will submit his forms tomorrow.

In the statement yesterday, the Prime Minister's Office also named the People's Association (PA) as the Nomination Centre, and PA chief executive director Yam Ah Mee as the Returning Officer.

READYING THEIR CAMPAIGNS

With nine days for campaigning - with Aug 26 designated as Cooling Off Day - Mr Tan Jee Say noted that it is "not easy to cover the whole country" within the timeframe. "But it's something we have to live with and do the best we can," he added.

Dr Tan Cheng Bock told Today that his campaign team has drawn up different plans for straight fights as well as multi-candidate contests.

"We are quite prepared for the campaign, and we will carry out all our plans, such as going around malls and hawker centres to be visible. We will also tap on other means, such as through the media and online," he said.

Political commentators, however, felt that nine days are adequate for the Presidential Election campaign.

Said Institute of Policy Studies senior research fellow Gillian Koh: "The rules are clear on this. They've had the full liberty to speak to people and create their own audiences all this while and, in fact, the first-mover started building his profile in March and declared his interest in the post soon after the General Election."

The presidential aspirants also took the opportunity to reiterate their independence from the ruling People's Action Party.

Mr Tan Jee Say said his "absolute independence" from the PAP accords him the "moral authority to fulfill the mission of the Elected President".

Mr Tan Kin Lian noted that, while almost every presidential hopeful is claiming to be independent of the Government, "the people of Singapore ... can see who is truly independent and who simply cannot be".

He added: "I intend to work in full cooperation with the Government to find common ground on issues that the people feel strongly about. I believe that a good government will be able to recognise a genuine call from the people and that the moral authority of the President will be sufficient weight for fair consideration."

Mr Tan also urged companies and civic organisations to donate to charitable organisations instead of spending on "wasteful political advertising for their preferred candidate".

In response to media queries, Dr Tony Tan said he looked forward to a "vigorous exchange of views during the campaign, carried out with decorum and in a manner befitting the office at stake".

He reiterated his belief that the next President "will be involved in decisions about the economic future of Singapore, perhaps needing to invoke the formal powers of the President on whether to draw down past reserves".

Dr Tony Tan, who resigned as executive director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and chairman of Singapore Press Holdings, added: "This is why I resigned from jobs that I loved to step forward and offer my candidacy."

Timeline for the 2011 Presidential Election

Aug 3 Writ for Presidential Election issued

Aug 6 Deadline for submission of application forms for Certificate of Eligibility

Aug 13 Deadline for submission of application forms for Political Donation Certificate

Aug 17 Nomination Day (if there is only one qualified candidate, he will be awarded a walkover)

Aug 27 Polling Day (in the event that there is more than one qualified candidate)

Of August, candidates and f*cking doing it

2011-08-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

It's August.

Singapore soon turns 46 and Singaporeans would get to cast their vote for a a president who plays a ceremonial role for 4 million dollars.

Else where in the world, a president who has handled at least 2 wars on his resume is now trying to steer his country out of recession. He earns S$507,400 (US$400,000).

Here on the little red dot, a presidential hopeful visits Batam to extend campaign efforts. Oh yes. Visit the little island where locals go for a weekend get away to wakeboard, massage, play golf and have... liaisons.

Another candidate, openly endorsed by the PAP is fending accusations on how he had perhaps allow his son to receive preferential treatment while serving national service.

Then NTUC steps forth to say that they have no decision yet to back any presidential candidate. The only met one candidate because "it had never invited him before, and its members were curious to know more about the man."

Let's see which other candidates would woo NTUC over. Today, another Tan has submitted his forms for presidential eligibility candidate.

After a general election high, this presidential election seems like a snooze fest. Turning 46 and non the wiser?

Thankfully, we've got a cool valedictorian who summarized astutely on she and her coursemates' academic path to bring some cheer into our local news coverage. Watch it here.

The day we achieve true political openess, we should all gather at Hong Lim Park to say, "We fucking did it!"

Of the countries that snoops, Google tells all

2011-06-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

Google has released its Transparency Report. According to the report, Times of India reported that ‎"When population sizes are taken into account, the figure puts Britain second in a table of 26 developed countries. Singapore, which has been condemned by human rights groups for its authoritarian regime, topped the table while Australia came third with 345 requests and France came fourth with 1,021 requests."

Given that we were colonised by the English, it sure looks like we have topped our colonial masters in some ways.

In its FAQs, Google explained that compliance depends in part on the nature and specificity of the request. “Some requests may not specific enough for us to know what the government wanted us to remove (for example, no URL is listed in the request),” said the search engine. “Others involve allegations of defamation through informal letters from government agencies rather than court orders. We generally rely on courts to decide if a statement is defamatory according to local law.”

While Singapore had less than 10 Content Removal requests from Jan to Dec 2010 (the requests appear to be made from Jul to Dec 2010), Singapore made 106 User Data Requests from Jan to June 2010 of which none were complied by Google.

Interestingly, the report seems to indicate that the Google complied with none of the requests made in the first half of 2010. From Jul to Dec 2010, Singapore made 118 User Data Requests of which 88% were complied with. Looking at the percentages of data requests that were complied to partially or fully by Google, the United States of America tops the lists with 94% partial or full compliance with Japan coming in second with 90% out of 72 requests. Singapore is third on this list. Australia comes in fourth with 81% out of 345 requests.

It does leaves one to wonder if the compliance percentages were an immediate reflection of free speech or a reflection of how hard the governments pushed their cases.

Related articles:
- Google: Transparency Report
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Of the introductory dramas

2011-04-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

Now that the government has dissolved, what we had known to be the incumbent are showing their ugliest side.

Dr Ng Eng Hen (PAP) said it was "a reasonable question from any voter" to question Mr Chen Show Mao's intentions for standing this election.

Mr Chen Show Mao was named the "Dealmaker of the Year". This month's American Lawyer magazine had announced its picks for Dealmakers of the Year i.e. lawyers who worked on the biggest and most significant deals of 2010. Chen has the caliber that the PAP would seek to woo and eventually deign to win over with obese paychecks that would likely relegate a Kate Spade handbag to the repository and bring forth that Birkin bag to the light. On top of it, Chen had served national service even though he wasn't a naturalized citizen yet unlike a certain candidate that the PAP had been trying to get the people to accept. Click on that link to view The Online Citizen's excellent writeup on why Chen is more than qualified to stand for the election.

The PAP's theme this year had been solely focused on "leadership renewal". There have been strings of reports on how the PAP has scoured Singapore over in search of talented people to join the party, how the retired MPs had in their tenure been the most conscientious workers, etc. My concern is, when a party seeks renewal, does it look to better its current policies or merely shoot down suggestions from the opposition parties just because they are on the other side of the play field?

What I don't hear is leaders acknowledging that there is room for improvement.

I agree with the analysts labeling the coming elections as a "Social Media Election". Political parties have used the internet to build their internet presence and also to use it as a medium to interact with voters. So far, imho, SDP has been most savvy in using its website and Facebook page to publish their updates. In this aspect, it seems like PAP has drawn considerable flak. It began with photographs of a candidate that were found online which were exacerbated by her mentor over what seems to be a poor April Fool's Joke, disabling comments on the video of their manifesto and a certain GRC up north had put up an iPad as a mean to encourage residents to get to know their MPs better. That contest has been halted.

Perhaps in an effort not to be outdone, we have Nicole Seah of NSP, caught swearing in her Twitter account. It does portray her as an ordinary human / peasant like you and I. It does mean that political parties can use this against her. Maybe, it's a ploy to demonstrate that ERP has done zilch to ease peak hour congestion.

At the end of the day or the elections for that matter, it is only Singapore because the they would reign beyond their 46 years of power.

But, please don't get too dirty and personal. We are no longer that bunch of "forgetful Singaporeans". Social media can be very unforgiving.

Of the responses to Singapore Budget 2011

2011-02-20T19:49:00.000-08:00

This really isn't my cup of tea. So I'll shut up (I know when to unlike thepersonwhosebooksweresoldoutandrecentlyreplendishedontheshelves) and let the people from the Big 4 analyze it. Caveat: The comments come from companies based locally hence they tend to be *ahem favorable.

PwC: Numerous Responses to Singapore Budget 2011

The Singapore Budget 2011 was delivered Feb 18 by Finance Minister, Tharman Shanmugaratnam and it drew several responses from PwC experts. Gautam Banerjee, Executive Chairman, PwC LLP (Singapore)said it was a budget with something for everyone, and lots more for the low income. He noted that it aimed to share the largesse of government surplus with people at the bottom while at the same time, helping to raise productivity across the board and sharpen the competitiveness of several priority sectors. On the whole, Shanmugaratnam saw it as a smart and strategic move to help Singapore stay relevant and compete on an advantageous footing against other economies.

Koh Soo How, Tax Partner, PwC Services LLP (Singapore) commented on the rebates that were included.

“Rather than reduce taxes such as the GST or the higher personal tax rates, the use of a comprehensive package of rebates and subsidies in this year's Budget is consistent with the government’s traditional approach to direct its assistance to the lower income groups that need the most help," How said.

The Productivity and Innovation Credit scheme brought some favorable reviews as well. Elaine Ng, Tax Partner, PwC Services LLP (Singapore) noted that the Government has reacted quickly and positively to feedback given to enhance the Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme, and not just to increase the amounts but also the burden of administration.
“This should please the SMEs which were the target of the scheme,” she said.

There were other notable areas including the fact that the Offshore Specialised Risks Incentive Scheme, which is due to expire on 31 Aug 2011 was extended and expanded by the Finance Minister. This scheme is targeted at expanding Singapore as a hub for the writing of certain specialised lines of business, such as terrorism risks, political risks, energy risks, aviation and aerospace risks, and now, agriculture risks. It grants a total exemption to approved insurers on specified income earned from accepting offshore risks of the particular approved specialised line of business.

The overall reaction to the budget was favorable. Alan Ross, Tax Partner, PwC Services LLP (Singapore) even went so far as to say it was “Obama’s envy' – A proliferation of goodies for Singaporeans.”

Of the gazetting

2011-01-24T18:24:00.000-08:00

Are the general elections drawing closer?

I don't know. You tell me?

After all, the authorities i.e. the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Media Development Authority have called for the socio-political blog, The Online Citizen to be gazetted as a political association. TOC has been gazetted.

On 11 January,

In my opinion, in its 4 years of operation, TOC has been a very transparent outfit. They have a Facebook account where they upload photographs of events which they have organized. In the photographs, members of TOC are tagged. Even if you haven’t met them in the flesh, you would be able to recognize the members if you were to past them on the streets. This is the level of transparency that TOC has proactively offered without being requested to.

At the same time, gazetting means to "officialize" the transparency with the authorities. According to the authorities, this gazetting would "give rise to greater accountability". With reference to The Economist, there is "a chill in the blogosphere". This gazetting is a diplomatic way of saying "be careful of what you write about, we are watching you". Then again, it's been 4 years since TOC's inception. Surely PMO and MDA have placed TOC under scrutiny already. I find it highly unlikely that the conscientious civil servants of Singapore have only recently discovered TOC. After all, "Singapore's civil service is world's best", isn't it?

Why gazette now? What is this "funded by foreign elements or sources” business? The authorities seem to insinuate that foreign elements may have an interest in the politics of this tiny red dot. The closest would be skirmish was a purported attempt at "character assassination". Do the authorities think that it is unlikely for Singaporeans to contribute funds to support sites like TOC?

This could also be a facade to justify the demand for gazetting. Journalists in mainstream media are very much constraint by what they can and cannot write about. Yet, the citizen-journalists in alternative media appear to have a freehand in reporting sensitive issues. Gazetting shows who's boss.

So, are the general elections drawing closer? Various ministers have ante up the buzz.

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.

Oh Mas Selamat! U lucky devil

2010-11-24T18:39:00.000-08:00

The Minister of Law has decided to come (pseudo) clean on how Mas Selamat was harboured and managed to getaway from watchful eyes.

Without a doubt, it paints a picture of lapses on many levels. We can call it intelligence failure or national security failure. It's like watching an ant crawl through a piece of kueh lapis effortlessly. At the same time, I cannot help but to marvel at how lucky Mas Selamat had been. From breaking out, commuting around Singapore to his arrival in JB. It's like watching Bruce Willis come out with only a few scraps with each installment of Die Hard (though MSK is very much at the other side of the law).

Now we Singaporeans cannot stomach the fact that the authorities had actually let slip that he would go to his immediate family for help. To us commoners, we would think that it is a no-brainer, watch his brother's place damnnit. On MSK's part, it was a huge gamble and it certainly paid off. What's not so fortunate now is that his brother's family is implicated. Kinship? Blood is thicker than water? This presents a moral dilemma. Citizen first, family second, religion third? How many of us have actually called the police so that they can arrest a family member? Many armchair critics have commented online that perhaps the Asmoms could have at least ratted on him after sending him away in the religious headdress. Honestly, what would the rest of the 100+ family members think of the Asmoms if they know that MSK had been betrayed out by his closest kin? Maybe this demonstrates the fact that MSK is the hardened terrorist that the authorities have painted him to be. His obvious priority is to escape and disregard the implications that he would bring upon his closest kins.

At the same time, it is clear that we Singaporeans are more upset with the authorities then the family for allowing the harbouring to happen. Singaporeans are divided on the punishment meted out to the Asmoms. Some say it's too light. Some say it's too harsh. My take is just let Nur Aini (his niece) serve her 18 months. Already, her future looks bleak. Besides, a sentence any longer only means that the taxpayers are paying for her imprisonment and her uncle's detention.

On hindsight, we've got MSK back without having to kill anyone. A certain country I know had gone to war on Iraq for years and still have not the chief yet.

I hate to think of how many of how many people would use the headdress to avoid scrutiny.

Of the word that Malaysian non-Muslims cannot say

2010-01-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

"Allah", meaning God or Supreme Being, applied largely in Islam is now a word reserved for Muslims in Malaysia only. While the most immediate reaction is to attack the religion and the Malaysian government, let's not forget that in other parts of the world, where majority of the people subscribe to one religion, the minorities are affected too. The BBC article below provides an interesting read.

However, the spate of violence that has been taking place in Malaysia proves detrimental to the world's view on Islam. Since the 911 attacks, Muslims leaders worldwide have emphasised that Islam is a religion of love and peace. Yet the attacks against the churches and temples in Malaysia have indicated that Muslims (at least those in Malaysia) are quick to resort to violence to make a stand. Regrettably, the belligerent ones have yet to end their attacks.

It is a tough call. Upon a delicate weighing scale, the Ministers in Malaysia cannot speak out against the ban for it will deem them as "lesser Muslims".

I can only hope that the violence will end soon.

Faith Diary: Whose God is Allah?

By Robert Pigott
Religious Affairs correspondent

Religion can be a tense affair in Malaysia.

Roughly two thirds of the population is Muslim, and religious minorities have repeatedly accused the government of undermining their rights.

The interception by Malaysian authorities of thousands of Bibles bound for Christians in the country has produced the latest flashpoint.

The reason - the Bibles use the word Allah to describe God, and that's been banned by the government.

It says the risk of causing upset to Muslims is too great.

Muslim groups claim that Christian use of a word so closely associated with Islam in Bibles and children's books could be aimed at winning converts.

Religion is closely associated with ethnicity in Malaysia, with ethnic Malays obliged to be Muslim.

Ethnic Indians and Chinese who practise Hinduism and Buddhism are welcome to convert to Islam, but Muslims are not allowed to adopt another faith.

The Malaysian government confiscated 5,000 Bibles earlier this year as they were imported from Indonesia, and it has now intercepted another 10,000.

But Christian leaders - representing a little under 10% of the population - say Malays have been using the word Allah to refer generally to God for hundreds of years.

Christians are now fighting back.

An Evangelical church launched a legal action in an attempt to win the right to refer to God as Allah in children's books.

The Roman Catholic Church has also gone to court after its newspaper in Malaysia was threatened with the loss of its licence if it continued to use the word.

Christians are turning the issue into one about how minorities are treated in Malaysia.

The Christian Federation of Malaysia says the country's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and it's asking whether that can still be meaningful if Christians are denied Bibles which use their own language.

SWISS DECIDE ON MINARETS

When the treatment of Christian minorities in Muslim-majority countries becomes an issue, Christian-majority countries are apt to compare it unfavourably with the equality they give to Muslims.

But strict equality - at least in the architectural arena - is up for debate in one Christian-majority country: Switzerland.

Later this month the Swiss will vote in a referendum on whether to ban the construction of minarets in the country.

The proposal came from right-of-centre groups and is backed by Switzerland's biggest political party, the far-right Swiss People's Party.

There are about 100 mosques serving some 300,000 Swiss Muslims and small minarets are not unknown - although they're not used for calls to prayer.

Muslims have found allies among Switzerland's Jewish population, who have claimed that the plan would threaten religious harmony and hold up the integration of Muslims.

As in Malaysia, the constitution is being invoked by opponents of the proposal.

The two largest Jewish groups said the referendum infringed religious freedom, a concept enshrined in the Swiss constitution. ITALIANS CROSS ABOUT CRUCIFIXES

Part of the Swiss People's Party's argument against minarets is that they are a symbol of political power - more than they are about religion.

Now with a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights against the use of crucifixes in Italian schools, the same claim is being made for this symbol of Christianity.

Soile Lautsi wants to give her children a secular education and objected to the presence of a crucifix in every classroom at their school in northern Italy.

A law dating back to the 1920s requires crucifixes to be hung in Italian schools.

The European Court said the compulsory display of a symbol of a given religion in public buildings violated the rights of parents to educate their children as they wished.

The ruling has produced an angry response from politicians and church leaders who say the crucifix is much more than a religious symbol in Italy.

Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini said the crucifix was a "symbol of our tradition", not a mark of Catholicism.

The Reverend Frederico Lombardi said the European court should not interfere in what was a profoundly Italian issue, and said it was wrong to imply that the crucifix could be a sign of division or exclusion.

Soile Lautsi's case is similar to one brought in 1995 by a parent in the German state of Bavaria.

A German constitutional court decided it was against religious freedom for crucifixes to be imposed in classrooms.

The Bavarian parliament came up with a new law, requiring the removal of crucifixes - but only if a parent insisted.

The US Supreme Court has also had to decide whether religious symbols break the constitution, and its separation of church and state.

It recently ruled against the positioning of framed copies of the 10 Commandments in two courtrooms in Kentucky, because they had a "predominantly religious purpose".

However, the court did acknowledge that even the 10 Commandments - taken from the Book of Exodus in the Bible - could be displayed, if it was done to illustrate the country's legal history.

It said a monument outside a government building in Texas could continue to display the Commandments, which the Bible describes being given to Moses by God.

But even without court rulings some Italian Christians suspect that long-established traditions are under threat by the changing atmosphere.

Among the casualties, they complain that schools are abandoning nativity plays for fear of offending people from other faiths.

Of the romainian who got away

2010-01-10T20:06:00.000-08:00

everyone, and i mean everybody hates hit-and-run drivers

it could be the fault of the driver. it could be the fault of the pedestrian. however, the scenario's abit different. the driver is in a vehicle and relatively unharmed while the one who got hit out there is possibly battling the death gods while lying there on the asphalt

and Silviu Ionescu, Dr Silviu Ionescu, Charge d'Affaires with the Romainian embassy has cooked up a cock and bull story and hiding back home.

his testimony of his stolen Audi not only insults the intelligence of the people, he obviously doesn't give two hoots about the casualties.

could the local government not have prevented Ionescu from leaving the airport 3 days after the accident? so what if the local government have urged the Romanian government to cooperate fully with the investigations? isn't it just saying the diplomatic obvious?

though Ionescu enjoys diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which Singapore is a signatory of, it covers only his official and administrative duties in Singapore.