Home » Archive for July, 2009
Archive for July, 2009
Reconsider CCTVs at Hong Lim Park
Jul. 31 | The following is a letter to the Today newspaper and was published in its online version on 31 July. See here. Leong Sze Hian I refer to media reports that the police have installed closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) at Hong Lim Park. I have spoken...
Want to appeal? Deposit $20,000 first
Jul. 31 | LITIGANTS thinking of taking their civil suits all the way to the Court of Appeal will now have to stump up a bigger sum of money before they can do so… The Supreme Court said … the fee, known as security for costs, will be doubled to $20,000 from...
Canadian tells S’poreans to “be grateful”
Jul. 31 | Andrew Loh / Contribution from Leong Sze Hian Click to enlarge / Straits Times, 31 July 2009 Mr Eric J Brooks is a happy man – happy with how Singapore is. In his letter to the Straits Times Forum Page on 31July, his effusive praise for the Singapore...
Driver skips stop but is unapologetic
Jul. 31 | The following letter has been sent to SBS Transit. We are awaiting its reply. Kimmy Tan I have never seen anything like that in all my 20 years of taking public bus. On 28th July 2009, at about 7.15pm, my mum and I were waiting for bus service number...
“Sulphur fuel oil” up, so home gas prices also up
Jul. 31 | MONTHLY home gas prices will increase by about $1 from tomorrow. This is because of the rise in the cost of high sulphur fuel oil, to which the cost of gas production is pegged, said gas producer City Gas on Thursday. Straits Times
Why Yasmin Ahmad was so important to me
Jul. 31 | Yasmin Ahmad is the late Malaysian film director. She died of a brain haemorrhage on July 25 after collapsing with a stroke. She was 51. Alfian Sa’at Yasmin Ahmad had many Singaporean fans. During one of our meetings, she confided how she had found...
Who holds the sovereign wealth of this nation and why?
Jul. 30 | Sydney Morning Herald: SINGAPOREANS aren’t usually given to open criticism of the Lee family that has ruled them for half a century. Rightly or wrongly, some presume that in their tightly controlled island state, walls have ears, and one never knows...
Some speculation but no bubble, says Mah
Jul. 30 | I wouldn’t say there’s excessive speculation at the moment, but there is some element of speculation involved. I think some of the practices that you saw in the last property boom are starting to come back. So I think we’ll have to...
Chee Soon Juan addresses party members
Jul. 29 | The SDP’s Sec-Gen, Dr Chee Soon Juan, addressing party cadres at the 2009 Party Conference.
Temasek – Murky figures and unanswered questions
Jul. 29 | Latest: “We look at this speculation sometimes with irritation and sometimes with amusement because all of it is very far away from the truth, including those sources who claimed to be familiar with the situation.” – Temasek CEO Ho...
Aung San Suu Kyi given Ambassador of Conscience Award for 2009
Jul. 29 | Rock band U2 announces Amnesty Int’l award to Aung San Suu Kyi
Breaking News: $40 billion loss by Temasek Holdings
Jul. 29 | “We are certainly not happy with the negative wealth added in March last year, as well as March this year,” says Ho Ching. (See Bloomberg report below.) Read the transcripts of Ho Ching’s speech here. SINGAPORE, July 29 – Singapore state...
Why are public sector appointments shrouded in secrecy?
Jul. 29 | Rajiv Chaudhry When democratic governments make public appointments, it is expected that the candidates will be selected on merit through processes that are fair, open and transparent. Care must be taken not to discriminate on any grounds. It is extraordinary...
CCTVs in Hong Lim – Police replies to TOC’s queries
Jul. 29 | The Singapore Police has replied to The Online Citizen’s queries about the presence of closed-circuit cameras (CCTVs) at Speakers Corner (Hong Lim Park). (See our article here and here.) The following were the questions we posed to the police: - ...
CPF Life – How can fund become insolvent and thus stop payouts?
Jul. 29 | The following is a letter to the Today newspaper by Mr Leong Sze Hian. I refer to “MPs: Is it really secure?” (July 21). Since Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong has given his assurance in Parliament that the monthly payouts will be paid for...
Mis-informed demonisation of LGBTs?
Jul. 29 | Donaldson Tan There have been acts of mis-information over Thio Li-Ann’s decision to cancel her visit to New York University (NYU). Particularly, Thio Li-Ann’s supporters attempted to demonise the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT)...
President holds veto power over Temasek CEO appointment
Jul. 29 | Now Singaporeans have a better idea of the constitutional powers of the President. Singaporeans should keep that in mind when electing their next President. Blogger Furry Brown Dog
Mavericks in the civil service?
Jul. 28 | We need civil servants with backbone, who can form their own opinion and say it… People who can challenge not only assumptions but decisions. Blogger One Dimensional Man
Ho Ching’s Temasek appointment is not decided by the Prime Minister, says High Commissioner
Jul. 28 | The following is from Times Online website: Sir, Your article (“Singapore’s Temasek scraps plan to bring in Goodyear ”, July 22) claimed that Ms Ho Ching’s “status as both head of one of Singapore’s two sovereign wealth funds and wife of the...
“Even in the cyberage, some things don’t change”
Jul. 27 | Announcement: Look out for TOC’s National Day special from August 1st. Our writers share their personal take on each sentence of the National Pledge. Andrew Loh “We will manage it [Speakers’ Corner] with a light touch. So I think there’s...
Anthony Yeo – bashed for speaking up
Jul. 27 | Jonathan Koh Over 50 people attended Anthony Yeo’s memorial service held at the Free Community Church (FCC) last Friday. It was a simple and heartwarming tribute to this late veteran counselor in Singapore, who, for the past 3 years, regularly preached...
“No need for the police to get involved,” said PM Lee
Jul. 27 | Political changes introduced recently but what did our ministers say in the past?
If HK can pressure banks to pay Lehman victims, why can’t MAS?
Jul. 27 | I am surprised that our industry watchdog, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), is not as efficient and influential as Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission and Hong Kong Monetary Authority… David Goh, letter to the Straits Times...
More graduates = higher HDB prices?
Jul. 27 | Leong Sze Hian What has record HDB prices got to do with falling private property prices and the number of students graduating from tertiary institutions? According to the article, “HDB prices hit record high” (Today, Jul 24), prices of HDB...
All talk, no traction
Jul. 25 | Report from The Irrawaddy: International gatherings like the ones held on the Thai resort island of Phuket last week are seldom much more than talk shops. The ministers who attended the Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and the Asean Regional Forum (ARF)...
One man, two hats, no conflict
Jul. 25 | There is the big question of how Singapore can continue to advance when the decision-making process is circulated among the same insiders. It’s the same people playing musical chairs. TheatreWorks artistic director Ong Keng Sen on the conflict...
NTU student protests against school’s censorship in graduation speech
Jul. 25 | Loo Zihan’s valedictorian speech at NTU “The original draft of my speech was composed of words like “integrity” and “breaking new boundaries” , said Mr Loo Zihan in his valedictorian speech at the Nanyang Technological University graduation...
What it means to be critical and skeptical
Jul. 25 | Being critical means you care about our nation and want to improve things and correct what you think is wrong. Being sceptical means you are not naive and do not accept everything you read or hear. Eddie Teo, Public Service Commission chairman
HDB prices hit record high
Jul. 24 | Excerpts from the Straits Times: PRICES of Housing Board flats have reached a historical record, rising 1.4 per cent in the second quarter this year, reversing a first-quarter dip of 0.8 per cent. Fresh data released from the HDB on Friday shows the resale...
Big Brother descends on Speakers’ Corner
Jul. 24 | Five cctvs in total have been mounted at Speakers’ Corner at Hong Lim Park. The Singapore Democratic Party first reported on this on its website here. TOC will have a report on it soon. Pictures by Andrew Loh. More pictures on TOC Facebook. Workers...
SGX incoming CEO gets perks
Jul. 24 | Singapore Exchange, Asia’s second largest listed bourse, will pay incoming CEO Magnus Bocker a guaranteed base salary of S$750,000 ($520,800) a year and a minimum variable bonus of S$933,000 for his first seven months… Bocker… will also get...
The future of interactivity
Jul. 23 | Pattie Maes is an associate professor in MIT’s Program in Media Arts and Sciences. Her newly founded Fluid Interfaces Group, also part of the MIT Media Lab, aims to rethink the ways in which humans and computers interact, partially by redefining...
Are you angry yet?
Jul. 23 | Andrew Loh Temasek Holdings seems to be caught in a cycle of bad and inept decision making. In a country which brooks no failure, it is a wonder that despite the failings of the past few years, no one – at all – in the sovereign wealth fund has been...
The president, the cabinet, Ho Ching, Temasek’s Board of Directors – all got it wrong?
Jul. 23 | Andrew Loh Anyone expecting Temasek Holdings to shed further light on the departure of Mr Charles Goodyear will be disappointed. Don’t hold your breath. Despite calls for more transparency and openness in its dealings, the state sovereign wealth fund...
Stop the wayang, just return our CPF!
Jul. 23 | Excerpts from Sgpolitics: More twist and turns have appeared in the CPF Life scheme, an annuity scheme to be administered by the CPF Board that promises to give lifelong payouts to CPF members. On Monday in Parliament, Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong found...
Singapore’s system has “an outstanding quality of leadership and government”, says PM Lee
Jul. 23 | How do you keep a system which delivers an outstanding quality of leadership and government, and yet at the same time, have free play and the opportunity for people to say, ‘I want this government, but I do not like this policy or the other’?…...
Tighten labour laws to protect older, vulnerable workers
Jul. 23 | Gilbert Goh I refer to the article “CDC sets up new taskforce” (Today 20 July). I applaud the Central Singapore CDC on setting up a taskforce to tackle the growing unemployment situation targeting those belonging to the 40s age group. We must...
What the Little Pink Camera saw
Jul. 22 | Lynn Lee You’ve probably never heard of Sutha’s. Why would you? It’s just a little restaurant in Little India that serves, well, Indian food. The offerings are run-of-the-mill, the service, so-so. But for thousands of desperate migrant...
Sticking to the letter of the law
Jul. 22 | A woman was caught with a sweet in her mouth while riding on the MRT. She explained to the station master, Mr Roger Foo, that she felt giddy and thirsty but since drinking was disallowed, she took a sweet instead. Mr Foo was insistent that it was against...
Breaking News: Ho Ching to remain CEO and Executive Director of Temasek
Jul. 21 | Update: Read the press release on 10 March 2009 from Minister Mentor’s press secretary about the change of CEO in Temasek below. The following is Temasek Holdings’ news release announcing that Charles Goodyear, who was appointed in February 2009...
Are you a lawyer? Only if the minister says so
Jul. 21 | The Law Ministry is proposing that the Minister now be the one with the power to approve a person as legally qualified. Today
New NMP “has discredited YP publicly”, says exco member
Jul. 21 | Breaking News: Chip Goodyear, who was to succeed Temasek Holdings CEO Ho Ching, has decided not to take up the appointment. Temasek says Ho Ching will continue as CEO and Executive Director. (See Reuters report.) The following is a letter published in...
Minibonds fiasco settled “without political pressure”, says Lim Hng Kiang
Jul. 21 | The process has not been overly legalistic and is not subject to political pressure. This way we serve the interests of all parties, and also serve the wider public interest of growing Singapore’s reputation as a credible and reliable international...
Singapore: Multiculturalism or the melting pot?
Jul. 20 | Announcement: Chief Editor of TOC, Choo Zheng Xi, will be leaving for New York University on the 27th of July. He’ll be in NYU to pursue his masters degree in law. As such, he’ll be stepping down as Chief Editor and he’ll also be leaving...
11 Vietnamese students awarded scholarships worth US$1.24 million
Jul. 19 | From Thanh Nien News: Eleven Vietnamese students have been awarded with the Singaporean government’s full undergraduate scholarship totaling US$1.24 million, or about $113,000 each. The students will leave for Singapore later this month to attend...
S’pore not a nation yet, says MM Lee
Jul. 19 | Please remember this is an ideal which we may not completely reach, but because we have this ideal, we’ll continue to make progress. MM Lee, on Singapore not being a nation yet
Censors refuse to classify One Nation Under Lee
Jul. 17 | Breaking News: 49-year old patient becomes Singapore’s first fatality from the H1N1 virus. From Martyn See’s blog, Singapore Rebel: The Board of Film Censors (BFC) has refused to classify One Nation Under Lee (ONUL). The video documentary,...
An Uneven Economic Recovery
Jul. 17 | In the latest installment of the STRATFOR Insights video series, Vice-President of Strategic Intelligence Peter Zeihan provides a preview of the third-quarter economic forecast, focusing on growth in the United States, Asia and Europe.
