Home » Archive for September, 2011
Archive for September, 2011
High living costs, low wages & purchasing power?
Sep. 30 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ I refer to the latest issue of the UBS Price and Earnings report, which is a study of purchasing power around the world (see HERE). Out of 73 cities ranked, Singapore comes in at 10, 42 and 47, for Price Level, Wage Levels and Domestic...
Understanding meritocracy
Sep. 30 | ~by Elvin Ong~ Meritocracy has often been viewed as one of the key tenets of Singaporean culture and local identity. We strive to reward people who are best for the job regardless of their economic or family background, race, or religion, as compared...
MHA says no to Commission of Inquiry
Sep. 29 | ~from: Ministry of Home Affairs~ The 16 ex-detainees call for a Commission of Inquiry (see HERE) to investigate their detentions. The subversion and violence of the Communist insurgency from the 1940s to the 1970s are a historical reality. The Government’s...
The launch of Caregivers Connect – Reach Out, Engage, Learn and Share (updated with comments from AWWA Centre for Caregivers)
Sep. 29 | ~by: Candy Leow~ Update: The AWWA Centre for Caregivers welcomes the interest among netizens on caregiving issues in Singapore. We thank The Online Citizen for carrying the story on the launch of our Caregivers Connect initiative which seeks to connect...
“IN REMEMBRANCE OF JBJ”
Sep. 29 | ~from: The organising committee of ’In remembrance of JBJ’~ The late JBJ worked tirelessly and selflessly to represent the people of Singapore, in Parliament and outside it. He had great hopes and aspirations for Singapore and Singaporeans....
Mental illness – there is no taboo, there is no shame
Sep. 29 | ~by: Ghui~ On paper, Singapore is an astonishing success. From a fishing outpost to a world class city. From an island with nothing to a vibrant economy. Singapore has hosted many international events such as the F1, which showcases all the riches and...
Population: Foreigners rate of growth up 36 per cent year-on-year?
Sep. 29 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ I refer to the Department of Statistics’ Population Trends 2011, released on 28 September 2011 (see HERE). In 2011, the number of non-residents increased by 89,400 or 6.9 per cent, compared to 51,300 or 4.1 per cent in 2010. The...
Lee Kuan Yew: Goh Chok Tong was responsible for the arrest of the ‘Marxist Conspirators’
Sep. 28 | excerpts from then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s speech at NUS Political Association forum on 23rd July 1990: Mr Lee Kuan Yew says that Mr Goh Chok Tong and team were responsible for the arrest of the ‘Marxist Conspirators’ and for restricting...
Why continuing F1 in Singapore is not a clear-cut case
Sep. 28 | ~by: Kien M Lee~ Before I begin my thoughts on why continuing Formula 1 in Singapore isn’t such a straightforward argument, let me admit that I am a BIG F1 fan -’BIG‘, as in I can tell you who races in the top teams, who’s leading...
Four Fallacies about the Singapore Welfare State
Sep. 28 | excerpted from Social Dimension Online: – The last and possibly most damaging case against Western-style social welfare is that it is financially unsustainable and will eventually bankrupt the state. At a seminar on Singapore’s Central Provident...
Singapore’s 2011 population in brief
Sep. 28 | ~from: National Population and Talent Division~ – Population Size & Growth Singapore’s total population was 5.18 million as at end June 2011. There were 3.79 million Singapore residents, comprising 3.26 million Singapore citizens and 0.53...
Calling for Commission of Inquiry
Sep. 28 | The Ministry of Home Affairs’ statement of 23 September 2011 (see HERE) contains the usual rhetoric, inundated with Cold War parlance such as “Communist United Front activities” and “Marxist plot”. Its intent is clearly to justify the act of...
Bedok Reservoir deaths, did we fail them?
Sep. 27 | ~by: Tommy Tong~ How difficult must life have been for this family that 4 or 5 of them lived together in a 1 room rented flat? What sort of society do we live in where such poverty exists in a country that can now boast 2 world class casinos amongst countless...
Secret society groups canvassed votes for Lee Kuan Yew
Sep. 27 | ~from: The Straits Times dated April 16, 1958~ “At five meetings which Mr Lee Kuan Yew held in different parts of Tanjong Pagar detectives observed members of secret societies controlling the crowd and generally acting as stewards”, the report...
When Tan Meets Tan – Cooling off Day has never been this hot
Sep. 27 | UPDATE: THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED. Please contact the organisers for more information. ~by: Jewel Philemon~ Sight Lines Entertainment presents its debut production, ‘When Tan Meets Tan’, a political parody musical revue, hot on the heels of the...
PAP should not view dissenting views with fear
Sep. 27 | ~by: Ghui~ Many have remarked over the last few months that Singaporean society was becoming more divisive (see HERE). Indeed Mr Lee Kuan Yew has recently said that Singaporeans needed to “prevent the current political divide from becoming a national...
Time to free up Singapore’s media
Sep. 27 | ~by: Ng E-Jay The Prime Minister of Malaysia has announced that the annual renewal of press and publication permits would be abolished, and all press licenses will now remain valid indefinitely unless they are revoked. The obvious question now is why...
Absurd inconsistencies in SHRI’s administrative processes
Sep. 26 | ~by: Jewel Philemon~ “Mr See had not stated the subject matter of the forum in his application form. The Institute’s constitution states that it is not allowed to hold events of a political nature.” – David Ang, Executive Director, Singapore...
Ravi – A short documentary
Sep. 26 | Kirsten Han / In March this year, The Online Citizen published a story on the case of death row inmate Cheong Chun Yin, who was convicted with carrying in 2.8kg of heroin in to Singapore. All of Chun Yin’s appeals have been exhausted, and his only...
Abolish the ISA immediately
Sep. 25 | ~Editorial~ After all this time, the Internal Security Act continues to be controversial. We saw that at TOC’s Face To Face 2 forum [i], where the question of the 1987 detentions of the so-called Marxist conspirators sparked a sharp exchange between...
Tan Jee Say: Prepare for a broad-based non-PAP Government
Sep. 25 | Latest: The Singapore People’s Party in its media release said that it supports opposition unity as suggested by Mr Tan Jee Say and is not averse to being part of a coalition government. “We are committed to doing our best for Singapore whether...
Is GIC experiencing a computer glitch like CNB?
Sep. 25 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ I refer to the article “CNB miscalculated statistics since 2008, releases correct figures” (see HERE). Following this revelation, the blogs have been abuzz as to whether other statistics may have problems too. According to the...
Forum-ASIA and Think Centre: Revisit positions on capital punishment and preventive detention
Sep. 24 | the following is a media release by Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) and Think Centre at the 18th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council Item 6: Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Plenary on Singapore: – Thank you,...
NSP Malay Bureau’s 1st Anniversary celebration
Sep. 24 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ The National Solidarity Party’s (NSP) Malay Bureau today celebrated its first anniversary. Speaking at the celebration Mr Syafarin Sarif the Secretary of the Bureau said: The Malay Bureau did not come from the Malays it came...
MHA: ISA a tool against terrorist. Really?
Sep. 24 | ~by: Ghui~ The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a statement in response to calls for the abolition of the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Singapore by ex- ISA detainees (see HERE). Pointing to the evolution of the ISA as Singapore’s circumstances,...
MHA: ‘Marxist Conspirators’ had plotted to subvert and destabilise Singapore
Sep. 23 | the following is a media release of the Ministry of Home Affairs: – Sixteen ex-ISA detainees issued a joint statement on 19 Sep 2011 taking issue with the length of detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and also the ISA Advisory Board...
An open letter to London Weight Management
Sep. 23 | ~by: Anita Kapoor~ You have insulted all women, everywhere. Never in my life, have I had such a deep, almost physical response to anything as I did last night, watching your latest commercial on television. The TVC sought to portray the story of an overweight...
Future media: Revolving door of the Centre
Sep. 23 | ~by: Howard Lee~ Pole positions of the media When I spoke to Viswa Sadasivan about his views from the Singapore Press Club’s forum on media coverage during the elections, he spoke at length about the historical establishment of the right and the re-emergence...
Despite Singapore Government’s assurance of change, much will be status-quo
Sep. 23 | the following is a statement delivered by Ms Braema Mathi, President of MARUAH, at the 18th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Plenary on Singapore. – Thank you, Madam President. I am making this statement...
DJ Glenn Ong’s deeply hurtful comments
Sep. 22 | Update: Glenn Ong in commenting on his Facebook to this article requested that judgement on him be reserved until this matter is settled. “I assure you I DID NOT say the things the tabloid mentioned ok? I DID NOT say put these mad dogs to sleep....
The newsroom challenge
Sep. 22 | “As I walked to the door of his office, the Prime Minister (LKY) called me back. I remember his words: ‘Nathan – I am giving you The Straits Times. It has 150 years of history. It has been a good paper. It is like a bowl of china. If...
Lily Neo: It was a typo disaster
Sep. 21 | ~by: Jewel Philemon~ Dr Lily Neo, MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, has lunched the community project ‘Stop Pest’ which aims to improve the living conditions of the low income families living in one-room rental flats at Kreta-Ayer Kim Seng constituency...
The rogue trader and his impact on GIC
Sep. 21 | ~by: Ghui~ In 2007, THE Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) made its then single largest investment ever – a massive 11 billion Swiss francs (S$14 billion) – to buy a major stake in UBS. The announcement of GIC’s investment...
Future media: Evolution of a discerning public
Sep. 20 | ~by: Howard Lee~ When the Singapore Press Club closed its forum discussion on media coverage of the 2011 general and Presidential elections, there was still one unanswered question on my mind – the way forward for Singapore’s media environment. Two...
Our growing population – the need for deforestation
Sep. 20 | ~by: Jewel Philemon~ The 2010-2011 flash floods, which hit Singapore by surprise and took the lives of four, were, as everyone knows, caused by higher than average rainfall. But were these torrential downpours and chokes in drainage the only cause of...
Cheap entertainment for the “seniors”?
Sep. 20 | ~by: Ghui~ The article: “You call this bonding?” appears to highlight two issues: 1. The concept of bonding seems to have been misunderstood; and 2. The dynamics of successful matchmaking seems to have been misconstrued. University is often an exciting...
Abolish Singapore’s Internal Security Act
Sep. 19 | We welcome Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s announcement that his government would repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA) and the Emergency Ordinance. He said the changes are aimed at “having a modern, mature and functioning democracy which...
Abolish the ISA and set up a Commission on Inquiry to foster national unity
Sep. 19 | ~by: Tan Jee Say~ The Ministry of Home Affairs said on Friday it wants to keep the Internal Security Act even though Malaysia has announced the day before that it will repeal it. This seems to contradict then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s...
That ‘ghettoising’ comment
Sep. 19 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ The speakers at the recent IPS seminar highlighted that of the 1092 Singaporeans polled in 2010 (before the last General Election), 87.4 per cent of Singaporeans, being older, less educated and hence not as savvy, find themselves relying...
80% increase in HDB price between sale launches?
Sep. 18 | Ho HW - Why has there been an 80% rise in HDB flat pricing between two sale launches (direct from HDB) of Havelock View? The construction costs are the same, and the flats get handed over at the same time. At the first sale launch during SERS (2006/07),...
WikiLeaks: Singapore’s Nuclear Energy Ambition
Sep. 18 | ~by: Donaldson Tan~ Nuclear energy first gained public attention in Singapore when the Economic Strategy Committee (ESC) rallied the government to consider nuclear energy in February 2010. The ESC recommended that Singapore should begin studying the...
Using Generic Drugs to Fight HIV?
Sep. 18 | ~by: Yaw Shin Leong/MP for Hougang SMC~ About a week after the lunch I had with an ex-inmate Mr. E, who is also HIV+ (see HERE), I met up over coffee with Mr. Shawn Lee, an advisory group member with the Global Network Of People Living with HIV (GNP+). Shawn...
RP repeats call for abolition of ISA and NPPA
Sep. 17 | ~by: Kenneth Jeyaretnam/Secretary-General of Reform Party~ The Reform Party welcomes the Prime Minister of Malaysia’s announcement yesterday that Malaysia would be abolishing the ISA and replacing it with new legislation aimed specifically at terrorism....
Harder to be re-employed if you’re more educated?
Sep. 17 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ I refer to the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Labour Market Second Quarter 2011 report, released on 16 September (see HERE). It states that “Total employment grew by 24,800 in the second quarter of 2011. Although the growth...
MARUAH calls for abolishment of ISA
Sep. 17 | MARUAH applauds the decision by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (‘Malaysian PM to scrap ISA’ – ST, September 16, 2011) to repeal the Malaysian Internal Security Act, remove the need for annual press and publication permits,...
Think Centre renews call for Singapore to abolish ISA
Sep. 17 | ~Kong Soon Tan/President of Think Centre~ Think Centre (TC), one of Singapore’s oldest political NGO, welcomes and applauds the announcement by the Malaysian government to repeal the controversial 51-year-old law allowing detention without trial...
Three things you must know about ISA
Sep. 17 | ~from Martyn See’s blog~ There are three things you need to know about Singapore. 1. The only political violence that has happened in the last 45 years in Singapore are the ones inflicted on political prisoners behind the walls of the Internal Security...
Workers’ Party position on the Internal Security Act
Sep. 16 | ~The Workers’ Party~ The Workers’ Party notes the Malaysian government’s proposal to repeal the Internal Security Act (ISA). The Workers’ Party manifestos, including the 2011 election manifesto, proposed the abolition of the ISA in Singapore....
MHA statement on Singapore’s Internal Security Act
Sep. 16 | The Government notes the announcement by Malaysia that it will be replacing its Internal Security Act (ISA) with new legislation aimed at preventing “subversive action, organised violence and criminal acts”. The ISA in Singapore and Malaysia may have...
