Home » Archive for June, 2009
Archive for June, 2009
Journalist’s “duck” ringtone interrupts Obama’s speech
Jun. 30 | From the Daily Mail: We’ve all been there – deeply embarrassed after our mobile phone has gone off unexpectedly during meetings, conferences, films, and so on. So this poor journalist’s mortification is understandable – though...
Performance-related pay doesn’t encourage performance
Jun. 30 | From the website, Management Issues: The clue ought to be in the name. Performance-related pay is pay for performance, and the better performance you turn in and the harder you work the more you will get to take home. Except, academics are now suggesting,...
Tun Dr M is a saint when compared to the Evil Emperor LKY, says blogger
Jun. 30 | To all Malaysians who love LKY, you have to be ruled by him, not as a PR turned citizen, but as a born and bred Singaporean, to understand that he is not what you think. Blogger San Oo Aung
Migrating Singaporeans – help improve employment opportunities first
Jun. 30 | The following is a letter to the Straits Times forum page by Gilbert Goh. I refer to the article “Migrating Singaporeans” (ST 27 June). I am currently residing in Sydney Australia and felt that SM Goh Chok Tong’s speech needed a response...
Faces of the dead and detained
Jun. 30 | We want to put a face to each of those hundreds – possibly thousands – killed or arrested since the Iranian election. The Guardian
Should the use of dialects be encouraged once more?
Jun. 30 | Cerelia Lim Should the use of dialects be encouraged once more? This question was the focus of the Dialect Forum: The Forgotten Tongue hosted by the People’s Youth Association Movement at Toa Payoh Central Community Club on 27th June. “I will say...
Celebrate National Day – but is this necessary?
Jun. 29 | Breaking News: Bernard Madoff, who was charged with defrauding thousands of investors in the US of some US$65 billion, has been handed a 150-year jail term. (BBC) Billboards and banners at various parts of S’pore last year Andrew Loh It is that...
Children using violence on their parents
Jun. 29 | The following is from the Straits Times. Have you come across similar instances? What are your views on children using violence on their parents? Is this a new phenomena? What do you think can be done? Share your views here or, if you have specific instances...
Taxis perform disappearing act – again
Jun. 29 | Some taxis are holding back from joining the queues at Changi Airport just before 5pm on weekends so that they can collect the higher surcharges which kick in after that time. Said a coordinator at Terminal 3 who did not want to be named: ‘We wave...
Singapore’s first Malay general – a star of things to come?
Jun. 29 | Khairulanwar Zaini / Current Affairs Department From 1st July, Colonel Ishak bin Ismail caps his 28 years with the Singapore Armed Forces by being the first Malay to attain the rank of brigadier-general. The first Malay one-star general is clearly one...
20 years of town councils – yet no stake in governance for residents
Jun. 27 | It has been 20 years since town councils were instituted to take charge of the running of HDB estates. Previously, estates were run by the Housing and Development Board. Town councils were, it was initially hoped, suppose to “function as a form of...
Comparing apples with oranges – “Temasek outdid key benchmarks”?
Jun. 27 | Leong Sze Hian I refer to the article “Temasek outdid key benchmarks” (ST, Jun 19). In comparing Temasek’s returns with other benchmarks from March 1999 to March 2009, there was a footnote that for Temasek, “Assume March ’09...
Why should being responsible cost $214?
Jun. 27 | The next day, my test results were found to be negative and I was allowed to return home, but not before I was slapped with a bill for $214.05. Daphne K. Teo, who was charged the amount for her H1N1 test. Straits Times forum page.
Higher fuel prices, so electricity will go up next month
Jun. 27 | Electricity prices here will go up by about 7 per cent from Wednesday, on the back of increasing fuel oil prices, said utilities services provider SP Services on Friday. Straits Times
The Khaw Strategy – myth or fact?
Jun. 26 | Vicki Yang Vicki Yang gives a first-person account of her experience in getting tested for the H1N1 virus at Tan Tock Seng hospital. I was at Butter Factory with some friends on June 17. None of us suspected anything amiss until the 22nd where, thanks...
Operation Spectrum – A public forum
Jun. 26 | Please note that the forum is on Sunday, 28th June. REVISITING HISTORY Operation Spectrum – Breaking The Ice After 22 Years An open forum. No designated speakers. Admission is free. All are welcome to speak. Date: 28 June 2009 (Sunday) Time:...
Pop icon Michael Jackson dies
Jun. 26 | From The Guardian: Michael Jackson, the American pop legend, died of a heart attack in a Los Angeles hospital last night, just weeks before he hoped to resurrect his four-decade long career with a series of sold-out shows in London. Jackson was taken...
The Widjaja family tells their side of the story
Jun. 26 | Xue Jianyue / Reporter Family insists that David Widjaja could not have committed suicide, as he appeared “talkative” and cheerful”. This contrasts with evidence found on his laptop, which portrayed him as suicidal. 24, 25 JULY 2009...
Police investigates filmmaker over screening
Jun. 25 | The uninvited guests should be investigated for barging in to and disrupting a private event. Seelan Palay, answering a question at a police interview about a private screening of “One Nation Under Lee”.
Instances of wasteful spending at stat boards?
Jun. 25 | From Straits Times: Oversights include failure to seek bids for contract and letting six chalets go to waste. A $26 MILLION decision by the National Heritage Board (NHB) has been called into question by a parliamentary committee. The Public Accounts Committee...
Let the Games continue!
Jun. 25 | Ravi Philemon / Head, Current Affairs Desk While we should be concerned with the spread of the H1N1 virus, we should not overreact. Cancelling or delaying the Asian Youth Games is a knee-jerk reaction that is uncalled for. WITH ONE Filipino footballer...
MDA replies to Lionel De Souza
Jun. 24 | On 15 June 2009, a complaint letter was written to TODAYonline alleging that certain comments on The Online Citizen violated the Penal Code. The letter also implored the Media Development Authority to “look into the conduct of TOC’s moderators”. We...
Remembering Anthony Yeo
Jun. 23 | Terence Lee / Deputy Editor Anthony Yeo was more than a veteran counselor; he was a social critic and an activist. (Join the Facebook tribute to Anthony Yeo here.) HE MAY be a leading counselor in Singapore, but he made his mark not just within the profession,...
Changes tactics to battle community transmission
Jun. 22 | News report: Singapore changes tactics to battle H1N1 influenza Source: Channel NewsAsia 22 June 2009 —– —– Read also: SPEECH BY MINISTER FOR HEALTH AT PRESS CONFERENCE —– Previous video: Twitter Revolution
PM Lee urges citizens to do their best to get through downturn together
Jun. 22 | The government has done what it needs to do through the GST offsets, the Resilience Package and the many schemes which Singapore has in the Budget and off the Budget, in order to help people in the ways which would help them to help themselves –...
A nation of foreigners in 11 years
Jun. 22 | Ng E-Jay / Current Affairs Desk Half of Singapore’s population could consists of foreigners in 11 years time, if the government continues its current plan of attracting foreigners to feed its “growth-at-all-cost” economic model. This,...
Seek help when necessary
Jun. 21 | Gilbert Goh / Writer Professional counseling is a viable option for those who are unemployed. FOR those feeling hopeless or depressed as they are without a job, it is time to consider professional counseling support. They are many family service centres...
Report: Mooting a social assistance scheme search engine
Jun. 20 | Cerelia Lim / Reporter This idea, along with a new mentoring programme for kids, were some of the things discussed at a workshop on urban poverty. 11 JUNE 2009 — A SEARCH engine to plug gaps in the current social assistance schemes was proposed...
World Refugee Day – Wan’s Story
Jun. 20 | Rocky Lim / Sydney Today is World Refugee Day – the 58th Anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. In his 2009 World Refugee Day message, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres reminded us that refugees...
Report: Close friend of Widjaja takes the witness stand
Jun. 19 | Xue Juanyue / Reporter David’s friend testified that the deceased had trouble with final-year project and had become irregular for church service prior to his death. MR Edwin Lesmana, a close friend of David Widjaja, the Nanyang Technological University...
No to Sex Offender Registry
Jun. 19 | Tng Ying Hui/Current Affairs Desk The recent news of recalcitrant sex offender Muhammad Sufian Hussain, who outraged the modesty of three children, raises the question of whether a sex offender registry should be set up. SEX offenders are often perceived...
Twitter Revolution
Jun. 18 | Twitter revolution: How Iran is tweeting @ the world —– —– Iran’s Twitter Revolution —– —– The Twitter Global Mind —– —– Clay Shirky: How cellphones, Twitter, Facebook can...
Letter of complaint against TOC on Today
Jun. 18 | Our reply (view original letter here): I refer to the letter of Mr Lionel De Souza on 15 June. The Online Citizen (TOC) consistently practices a policy of community moderation, which relies on a process of reader feedback and moderator responsibility....
Low-wage workers better off, now everybody worse off?
Jun. 18 | Leong Sze Hian / Columnist With the Labour market still weak, it is time to question the effectiveness of th Jobs Credit Scheme. WHILE the Ministry of Manpower may claim that low wage workers are better off, it seems like the economy is still in the doldrums...
Report: Private educational provider threatens online forum with defamation
Jun. 18 | Choo Zheng Xi / Editor-in-chief Despite claiming to provide accreditation to the UK Institute of Linguists, the private education provider does not seem to know how to spell. This article will be progressively updated. Check back at a later time for more...
Singapore — the modern middle kingdom?
Jun. 17 | From Mahathir’s blog: 1. Ancient China considered itself the centre of the world and called itself the Middle Kingdom. And well it should. It was far more advanced in every way than Europe of the Dark Ages. Maybe China is thinking of making a...
Report: Unpaid internships — exploitation of free labour?
Jun. 17 | Darren Boon / Reporting Head A win-win situation in this worsening economic climate: companies reduce labour costs by hiring unsalaried interns while these intern hopefuls seeking industry experience learn the trade and may actually get their big break. MAX...
Create “Economic Recovery” jobs
Jun. 17 | Tan Kin Lian / Columnist Just pumping funds into the economy will not do. It is also important to curb unemployment, and Singapore can do this by creating new “Economic Recovery” jobs. Being an open economy, Singapore has been badly affected...
Learn from Singapore
Jun. 16 | There is, of course, no need to ape everything Singapore does. After all, according to a former president of Indonesia, it is no more than a red dot on the map! Besides, there is no way Malaysians or Penangites can pay the chief executives of the government...
Legal recourse for foreign workers
Jun. 16 | Jonathan Koh / Reporter Wallace Woon/Photographer Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME’s) opening of its new resource center and legal helpdesk promises to give the pursuit of justice for migrant workers a more forceful legal bite. 13...
Sending Ah Gong back to the children
Jun. 15 | Ng E-Jay / Current Affairs Desk With contributions from Gerald Giam and Ravi Philemon Recent proposals to amend the Maintenance of Parents Act suggests an act by the government to pass the buck of caring for the elderly to their children, but this puts...
Another day, another accusation
Jun. 14 | At the ST, we value constructive criticism. It drives us to keep getting better. Sometimes, though, all we ask for is fair shake. Carl Skadian, in response to accusations against the Straits Times about unbalanced coverage.
How the lack of common sense can destroy a faith
Jun. 14 | By Terence Lee / Deputy Editor Muslims as hateful bigots? The Pope as the antichrist? Dungeon & Dragon games as a tool of Satan? Read about a litany of horrifying accusations and more on Chick Publication’s tracts. A LACK of knowledge should...
The cost of Singapore’s heavy export reliance
Jun. 13 | From AP: This speck on the map leapt from poverty to First World riches in a generation. Now its halcyon years of breakneck growth may be over. Ask none other than Lee Kuan Yew, the authoritarian statesman who oversaw Singapore’s transformation...
Singapore Technology blacklisted by India in corruption probe
Jun. 13 | Source: Businessworld India Singapore firms Singapore Technologies and Media Architects are two of seven companies banned in a corruption probe against India’s former Ordnance Factories Board Director General Sudipto Gosh. CRACKING DOWN on...
Old friend of Myanmar give inputs
Jun. 13 | News Report: SM Goh urges Myanmar to continue with national reconciliation process Source: Channel NewsAsia 12 June 2009 —– —– —– Previous video: SM Goh meet Myanmar top leadership
Family suspects interference in David’s case
Jun. 12 | From the Jakarta Post: The family of David Hartanto Widjaja, an Indonesian student who died at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on March 2, and a local verification team doubt the Singaporean court process of his death. The coroner...
Perdition and sedition
Jun. 12 | News Alert: Operation Spectrum forum cancelled due to venue problems. Current Affairs Desk The invoking of the Sedition Act in the prosecution of the Christian couple for distributing offensive tracts may seem overly harsh – setting a dangerous precedent...
‘Need for perspective’ on H1N1 influenza
Jun. 11 | From BBC: To put the scares in perspective, about half-a-million people die from common flus in an average year. More than a million die on the roads. But governments are often more easily moved to tackle a short-term crisis than a long-term crisis, and...
