The Online Citizen raised Social Justice and Fairness issues at its 2nd anniversary event at Speakers’ Corner. Here are the videos of the speeches.

Opening Speech by Choo Zheng Xi:

• TOC guiding principle: Transparency, Accountability, Active Citizenry.
• TOC – a platform for Singaporeans to tell their stories and shape the nation’s development.
• Human Rights – HDB residents’ views deserve as much respect as the ministers’.
• Town Councils reply on investment prime example of lacking in transparency.

• Make elected representative accountable with creditable candidates contesting coming election.
• Active Citizenry – our duty to build the nation as written in our National Pledge:

to build a democratic society
based on justice and equality
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.

• How we treat the poorest and weakest, the minorities reflect our true values.

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HDB policies and how they are affecting the poor by Leong Sze Hian:

• 33,000 HDB households (8% of HDB concessionary loans) can’t pay HDB housing loan.
• Total figure of households with payment problem unknown – missing figures on compulsory acquired homes, foreclosures, selling flats because of payment problems.
• Are HDB flats still affordable when 33,000 HDB households can’t pay housing loan.
• HDB policies make low income families hard to afford a flat.
• Rising HDB flat price and stagnant low income wage make situation worse.

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“Distributive Justice” and our education policy by Ravi Philemon:

• Human Rights is about prosperity and progress of “ME and MY FAMILY”.
• DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE – fair share of the society’s benefits and burdens for everyone.
• Growing income gap is tearing the social fabric of Singapore.
• Our education system disadvantaged lower-income families is root cause of deep divide between the haves and the have-nots.
• America has a culture of learning that challenges conventional wisdom; even if it means challenging authority. These are the areas Singapore must learn from America.
• Poverty inflicts permanent scars on the psychology of a person.

• Government’s policies of excessively streaming educational system, cheap foreign labour need to be addressed.
• A living wage provides disadvantaged segment of population with minimally satisfactory living conditions.
• Living wage is responsibility of the government as foreigner worker policy artificially suppressed wages.
• “We the citizens of Singapore!” should be the guiding ideology of the society.

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Egalitarianism and why our elected leaders should represent the people by Tan Kin Lian:

• Singapore was a very different society then.
• A little rain will not hurt.
• Raised questions on these structured products 1 year ago.
• Petitions aim at seeking fair treatment for misled people who lost life savings.
• Surprised and shocked by attitudes of government leaders. Their remarks made Mr Tan more angry.
• Social justice – continue to fight until there is fair treatments.

• Social justice means we help each others even when we are not affected just because it is not fair.
• Do we want Singapore to carry on like this.
• Want to encourage others to come forward with 100,000 signatures.
• Need elected representatives that really represent the people, make them act for people.
• We must fight for a Living Wage policy.

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Mr Tan Kin Lian updates audience on Minibond issue:

• Three groups considering legal action.
• Best solution is negotiated settlement.
• Call on public to petition good people to come forward.

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The Online Citizen team thanks readers and friends for their support.

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