Home » Archive for November, 2010
Archive for November, 2010
Over 30% earn less than $1,200?
Nov. 30 | by Leong Sze Hian I refer to the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Singapore Workforce 2010 Report ,released on 30 November. The real nominal median income for all employed residents rose by only 1.1% to $2,500 in 2010. After two consecutive...
Toys for adults
Nov. 30 | Dr Martha Lee Have you heard of the expression, “Men don’t grow up; their toys just get bigger and more expensive.”? True, since adult men don’t talk of Matchbox cars, but full-sized motorized ones. What of their electronic devices and gadgets...
Compulsory Education Act excludes children with disabilities, says NGOs for disabled people
Nov. 30 | The following is a joint UPR submission of CAN! (Challenged People’s Alliance and Network) and DHHF (Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Federation) to the United Nations UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW – SINGAPORE JOINT SUBMISSION OF CAN! (CHALLENGED PEOPLE’S...
MSK Saga: Reform Party calls for ISA to be replaced
Nov. 29 | PRESS RELEASE 26/11/2010 www.thereformparty.net Mas Selamat: The Reform Party Raises Questions and Calls for the Replacement of the ISA by Modern Anti-Terrorism Legislation The Reform Party refers to the statement made by Minister Shanmugam in Parliament...
Vignes Mourthi – seven years on
Nov. 29 | Andrew Loh - When the tears fell from her eyes, it broke my heart – and that of those who had come to pay her and her family a visit. Everyone was silent. Even I, who was interviewing her, could not bear to ask her the next question. In all four years...
TOC Focus Week: Heart of hearing
Nov. 29 | This is our fifth article in our Focus Week on people who, despite their disabilities and special needs, have overcome obstacles and challenges they faced. Deborah Choo – A friar with the Church of the St Mary of the Angels in Singapore, Rowland...
Pre-school: Poorer children not disadvantaged?
Nov. 29 | Photo credit: Mysingapore Blog by Leong Sze Hian I refer to the articles “1 in 5 from poorer homes” (ST, Nov 25) and “Parliament turns down NMPs’ calls to legislate pre-school education” (Channel News Asia, Nov 25). According...
Widening gap between the better and weaker performers in school – NMP Viswa Sadasivan
Nov. 29 | photo credit: Yahoo News The following is an excerpt of the speech delivered by NMP Viswa Sadasivan in Parliament on 24th November, urges the Government to conduct a comprehensive review of pre-school education in Singapore. Mr Speaker, Sir, I thank you...
Singaporean youths at United Nations Climate Change Conference
Nov. 29 | The 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference begins today in Cancún, Mexico, and ends in 10 December 2010. Environmental Challenge Organisation (Singapore), or ECO Singapore has sent a 8-member team to be engaged in the Conference of Youths. Below...
MND vs NMP: Round 3
Nov. 28 | by Leong Sze Hian I refer to the report “Property measures have taken effect: Mah Bow Tan” (Channel News Asia, Nov 27). It states that “National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said there are signs that measures to cool the property...
The Satirist Says: New excuse to ‘hit & run’ born
Nov. 27 | 25th November 2010, Singapore – Owners of Chery QQ cars across the country were seen celebrating the ruling by the Court of Appeal in the recent case of hit-and-run, reckless driving, inconsiderate driving dubbed by some reporters (well, it’s...
TOC Focus Week: Chords of a silent melody
Nov. 27 | This is our fourth article in our Focus Week on people who, despite their disabilities and special needs, have overcome obstacles and challenges they faced. Deborah Choo - Lighting flashed like an angry beast across the rumbling sky. The wind blew and...
Ong vs Nathan
Nov. 27 | “I had a job to do.” Ong Teng Cheong, 5th President of Singapore 1993 – 1999 “Why am I here?” Title of an autobiography by S R Nathan, 6th President of Singapore 1999 – present
A case crying out for transparency and justice
Nov. 27 | From the website of the Singapore Democratic Party: Three years ago when Mr Mas Selamat Kastari escaped from the Whitley Detention Centre, Singaporeans could hardly believe their ears when they were told that the suspect terrorist had walked out from...
Singapore’s human rights subject to international peer review
Nov. 26 | From Yawning Bread The Singapore government clings to the outdated doctrine of absolute national sovereignty. Under this principle, states have absolute freedom to decide their own internal affairs and foreign parties have no right to interfere. Casting...
TOC Focus Week: “Singapore needs a Helen Keller”
Nov. 26 | Deborah Choo Indonesian born Geraldine Kong lost her hearing to a high fever as a child because the local doctor there had prescribed her the wrong medicine. She also has a brother who became deaf after a high fever. “When we were young, we would make...
MND vs NMP: Round 2 TKO
Nov. 26 | by Leong Sze Hian I refer to the article “Rental flat scheme has helped over 1,300 families” (ST, Nov 24) and the report “1,318 families benefit from Interim Rental Housing scheme” (Channel News Asia, Nov 24). The former states that “Of this,...
TOC Focus Week: “Show your inner courage. Show your worth.”
Nov. 26 | This is our third article in our Focus Week on people who, despite their disabilities and special needs, have overcome obstacles and challenges they faced. Deborah Choo – “That is just life for you.” That was what Hairiani Ali said when her...
MSK saga: S’pore security force “vindicated”, says Straits Times
Nov. 25 | First escape: Mas Selamat Kastari escaped capture first in 2001. He escaped from Singapore in 2001 before authorities conducted a massive operation to arrest 13 suspected JI members in December 2001. (Wikipedia) Mas Selamat had earlier been arrested in...
BREAKING NEWS: Transitlink clarifies that commuters only need to go to top-up machines for refund
Nov. 25 | The Online Citizen has just learnt from regular columnist Mr Leong Sze Hian that Transitlink has called him to clarify that from Dec 18th, commuters who had been overcharged on their bus fares could get their refund by placing their EZ-link cards...
Blaming Malay-Muslim community? Who?
Nov. 25 | It seems that the President, the Government and the mainstream media are all urging Singaporeans not to lay blame at the Malay-Muslim community for the escape of suspected terrorist, Mas Selamat Kastari. An article in the TODAY newspaper yesterday (24...
“Match Made” with the Reform Party this Saturday
Nov. 25 | Press release from The Reform Party: The Women’s Wing of the Reform Party takes great pleasure in announcing that it will be holding a Gala Film Screening Evening on the 27th November 2010. The event will be held at the Sinema Old School (www.sinema.sg/about/gettingthere),...
Mas Selamat’s escape – It is about Govt incompetency, not race or religion
Nov. 24 | Andrew Loh It is shocking – the way the entire Mas Selamat Kastari escape is being painted as a racial-religious issue by the Government and Members of Parliament. While trying to assure Singaporeans of our peace and harmony between the races, the...
The Dunno Cartoons (Updated 24/11)
Nov. 24 | This thread is called “The Dunno Cartoons” because sometimes we don’t know what the government is doing. All cartoons by Joshua Chiang ————— ————— ————- -...
TOC Focus Week : A special note
Nov. 24 | This is an introductory article to our focus week on people (including children) with special needs. In the next one week, we will feature their stories, written by Deborah Choo and Jonathan Koh. Here’s Deborah’s personal reflection on her experience...
BREAKING NEWS: Shadrake applies to High Court to leave Singapore
Nov. 23 | By The Online Citizen The Attorney General’s Office today made an extraordinary application for the court to remind Mr Alan Shadrake of his right to seek leave of court if he wants to exit the jurisdiction. The implication is that if the defense...
Lipstick Jungle: Why we might have helped Mas Selamat escape
Nov. 23 | Muhammad Hydar - On the 22nd of November, our Minister for Home Affairs, Mr K Shanmugan, revealed that Mas Selamat Kastari’s (MSK) relatives aided MSK in his escape. Long story short, MSK went to his brother, Asmom, for shelter and aid. Asmom’s family...
Bus overcharging, profits, ERP: A triple whammy?
Nov. 23 | By Leong Sze Hian I refer to the report “Bus commuters overcharged S$300,000“, (Channel News Asia, Nov 22). According to the report, commuters can visit bus interchanges, most rail stations and selected bus stops to obtain refunds. They can...
Sexual anxiety
Nov. 22 | Dr Martha Lee Anxiety is a normal part of life. We all have experienced anxiety at some point of our lives. In fact, anxiety is one mechanism that evolved to keep us alert and help us cope in stressful events or situations. More specifically, performance...
Ministerial statement on Mas Selamat’s escape
Nov. 22 | Click here to join in the discussion at our Facebook page: TOC Facebook. 22 November 2010 Ministerial Statement By The Minister For Home Affairs, Mr K Shanmugam, on 22 November 2010 in Parliament. On 18 Oct 2010, DPM Wong informed this House of what...
Not-so-ordinary ordinary Singaporean – Leong Sze Hian
Nov. 22 | The Online Citizen catches up with regular contributor Leong Sze Hian to uncover the man behind the statistician. By Joshua Chiang Leong Sze Hian is a walking contradiction. Ask him what he does for a living, and he’ll reply ‘not very much’. But...
Parties discuss election issues at political dialogue
Nov. 21 | Below is an excerpt of an article published on SDP’s website, the Singapore Democrats on the recent political dialogue organized by National University of Singapore Society (NUSS). The Singapore Democrats spent an engaging Friday evening at a...
MARUAH supports call to suspend executions; ACLS calls for MDP to be abolished
Nov. 21 | Dear Editor, On 11 November 2010, the United Nations Human Rights Committee adopted a resolution calling for a moratorium on executions. The resolution was adopted by 107 votes in favour, 38 against with 36 abstentions at the UN General Assembly’s...
Anti-gay laws continue to be used selectively, despite assurances – M Ravi
Nov. 19 | Amended release: by M Ravi Laws criminalising sexual intercourse between consenting gay men have been recently struck down by the Indian Courts where our Penal Code originated from. Singapore is also the only country where same sex is defined as “male”...
Latest MTI statistics – Heading towards growth or recession?
Nov. 19 | by Leong Sze Hian I refer to the latest press release published by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). It announced that Singapore economy is expected to grow by around 15.0 per cent in 2010 and by 4.0 to 6.0 per cent in 2011. It claimed that the...
GPI a more holistic indicator of economic well being: SDP
Nov. 19 | Andrew Loh / Leong Sze Hian The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), helmed by secretary-general Dr Chee Soon Juan, unveiled its alternative economic programme for Singapore at a pre-election rally last Saturday. (See reports here and here.) The party’s...
PAP has utterly lost its way: Dr Vincent Wijeysingha
Nov. 19 | Transcript of the pre-election rally speech by Dr Vincent Wijeysingha of the Singapore Democratic Party on 13 November. We thank Dr Vincent for providing us with this transcript at our request. My friends, It is an honour to have the opportunity to...
Defamation action – shield, not sword
Nov. 18 | - By Crystal - The F-word, also known as ‘freedom’ in some circles, becomes rather dangerous when it precedes two other words to form The Phrase of Death – FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Nobody talks about it and even though I am merely typing these...
Want things to change? Send strong signal to PAP
Nov. 18 | Diary of a Singapore Mind: The above article from our very own “fair and objective” Straits Times quoted MP Teo Ho Pin [picture, right] saying that his ward Bukit Panjang is safe, he has not seen a gang fight in 14 yrs and wants residents...
YPAP – Hearing only the good stuff?
Nov. 17 | On 17 November, Young PAP posted the Straits Times article on Alan Shadrake’s sentencing on its Facebook wall. The posting sparked off a debate regarding the credibility of Alan Shadrake’s book, Once A Jolly Hangman. Two of The Online Citizen’s...
Detention without trial – abolish or improve?
Nov. 17 | The following is an excerpt of an article from Yawning Bread. For some of us who believe in civil liberties, the latest spate of gang-related violence has called for some soul-searching. The police, signalling their determination to stamp it out,...
UN votes once again to end executions
Nov. 17 | Amnesty International: The UN General Assembly’s human rights committee today [11 November] adopted a resolution on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, the third since 2007. The resolution was adopted by 107 votes in favour, 38 against with...
Time to go beyond Compulsory Education
Nov. 17 | by Lisa Li photo credit: Ministry of Education Half a year ago, I met two boys aged seven and eight. They had just moved into temporary flats, because their families were homeless and previously living in public parks. The seven year-old told me he attended...
Shadrake trial: Judge dimisses apology, sentences Shadrake to jail and fine
Nov. 16 | Photo credit: Reuters Justice Quentin Loh sentenced British author Alan Shadrake to six weeks jail and a fine of $20,000 this morning for scandalizing the judiciary. Calling the allegations in Shadrake’s book Once a Jolly Hangman: Singapore’s Justice...
You’re invited – AWARE’s 25th anniversary celebrations
Nov. 16 | Press release from AWARE. A flea, fun and food fair honouring 25 years of AWARE. It’s our 25th birthday bash and all are invited to AWARE Centre for some family-friendly revelry at Celebrate! AWARE’s 25th Birthday Party on Saturday 27th November,...
Redefining media quality
Nov. 15 | Howard Lee – Let’s not mince it. Our politicians are protecting the local traditional media. You can see it simply by counting the number of public statements made in attempts to increase public value of traditional media. In the past year...
Local funding for politics a self-serving PAP rule
Nov. 15 | On 12 Nov, both Straits Times and Today reported that human rights advocacy group MARUAH had been gazetted as a Political Association. Below is an excerpt from Alex Au’s blog Yawning Bread on the Government’s latest move. Out of the blue,...
The importance of touch
Nov. 15 | Dr Martha Lee Touch is the medium through which we first become acquainted with the world. It is the first means of communication between the newborn baby and the mother. Research has shown that many babies who are raised in an orphanage and are not handled...
