Home » Archive for December, 2011
Archive for December, 2011
Bidding Adieu to 2011
Dec. 31 | ~by: Ghui~ The last few days of a year about to pass away into history are always reflective ones. As the world sits at the cusp of 2012, it is time to take a long, hard look at the events that have reverberated the globe. In many ways, 2011 has been...
PM Lee: It is not possible to please everyone
Dec. 31 | the following is Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s 2012 New Year message: 2011 was a significant year for Singapore. Singaporeans went to the polls twice, and elected a new government and President. Having made a significant political transition,...
Look Back at 2011: Animal Welfare
Dec. 31 | ~ By Gangasudhan ~ The animal welfare scene in Singapore has been burgeoning in the last few years, and there is little argument that 2011 especially has been a year of milestones for animal welfare – and advocacy as a whole. Hopping Mad about...
Look Back at 2011: Human Rights – No more divisions
Dec. 31 | ~by: Braema Mathi~ Watching the destruction on Christmas Day and seeing the bodies strewn onto the road was just so utterly sad that you become just devoid of words for any form of self-expression. As the images of the bomb blast on the Church in...
Look Back at 2011: Media
Dec. 31 | ~by: Howard Lee~ It would be too much to claim that 2011 was the year of the media, as much as it would be crazy to claim that it was the year of the Internet elections. The reason is not because it is untrue. We did not have an Arab Spring equivalent...
Look Back at 2011: Conservation – Rooting for Singapore
Dec. 30 | ~by: Liew Kai Khiun~ My involvement with heritage advocacy can be traced to growing up around the former Bidardari Cemetery along Upper Serangoon Road. A 45 acre burial ground, with Christian and Muslim graves decorated with statues of angels and saints...
Look Back at 2011: Politics
Dec. 30 | ~by: Eric Tan~ Many years from now when we look back on 2011, we might view it to be a defining year in the development of Singapore politics; as the General Election 2011 changed the political landscape for us all, hopefully, forever. The election’s...
Hindus protest the possible ban of Bhagavad Gita in Russia
Dec. 29 | ~by: Jewel Philemon~ In June 2011 a Russian public prosecutor from Tomsk City of Siberia, on the request of Russian Orthodox Church leaders, requested the Russian court to include the translated version of the book considered holy by Hindus, Bhagavad...
分水岭选举后的六个月，尘埃落定了吗？
Dec. 29 | ~林宝音 殷素素译~ 2011年5月大选的独特现象是新加坡选举史上前所未见的。一个备受惩罚的行动党政府和锐不可 挡的激烈选举，在政治评论员一声声：惊叹、转型、奇迹、洪水、地震、分水岭、大转变的形...
Letter to PTC Chairman – help us live more useful, active and engaged lives
Dec. 29 | the following is a letter from CAN! to the Chairman of Public Transport Council, Gerard Ee: – Mr Gerard Ee Chairman Public Transport Council Dear Mr Ee I refer to this report here (https://www.facebook.com/notes/lim-kun-yun-edison/reflection-on-meeting-with-ptc-chairman-mr-gerard-on-the-issue-of-polytechnic-tr/10150496848434074)...
Subsidising transport for people with disabilities will not turn Singapore into a welfare state
Dec. 29 | we publish here a letter sent to Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and Ministry of Transport by a parent of a person with disability (PWD): – I am writing to appeal to the government to be more considerate in subsidizing transport...
MOE’s revision of sexuality education
Dec. 28 | ~by: Rev Dr Yap Kim Hao~ I am alarmed that contraception may have to give some way to abstinence in a revised version of a Sexuality Education Programme (SEP) of the Ministry of Education and that Catholic schools should find fewer issues with it. Abstinence...
The fiasco that distracted us from the bigger SMRT fiasco
Dec. 28 | ~by: Siew Kum Hong~ I was away for most of December, so I missed the two big recent news stories, namely the SMRT fiasco and Seng Han Thong’s appearance on BlogTV. I’ve been in two minds about writing on the latter incident, but finally decided to...
The boy behind the glass panel
Dec. 27 | by Joshua Chiang/ The following entry was first published on 3rd Dec 2009 on the writer’s Facebook note. It was the day he came face to face with Yong Vui Kong for the first time. Yong is a Malaysian citizen who has been sentenced to death by hanging...
1 in 3 PRs quit NS: How many still in S’pore?
Dec. 27 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ I refer to the article “8,800 PRs served NS in last five years” (Straits Times dated Nov 23). It states that “About 8,800 male foreigners, who became permanent residents (PRs) under the sponsorship of their parents, enlisted...
Thank you to our readers who spoke up for our credibility
Dec. 27 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ Yesterday we linked this The New Paper (TNP) article on our Facebook (see HERE) with the following comment: 1. Quote one person saying, “I find TOC a dependable source of news, which is why I found the report disturbing.” 2....
What has gone wrong with SMRT, LTA, and the entire system
Dec. 25 | ~by: Ng E-Jay~ The defects in our train systems are systemic in nature, and it would take a great deal of effort, resources and political will to get them fixed. Our engineering designs, the hardware, and the emergency procedures have all gone haywire. What...
Sim Ann : Tackling Inequality: Charting our own path.
Dec. 25 | the following is an excerpt from ‘Diary of a Singaporean Mind‘: – Sim Ann, a former top civil servant who joined the PAP in the 2011 GE, wrote an article entitled “Tackling Inequality : Charting our own path”. The article...
The Misconceptions and myths about Malays in Singapore
Dec. 25 | ~by: Emy Lomazzo~ Everyone starts life at different starting points – some, through sheer luck, are born into wealthy families and have everything at their feet. Others start out life less fortunately and are born into families who are barely able to...
Looking at SMRT breakdowns from a Macro View
Dec. 25 | ~by: Jimmy Ho~ Recent spate of breakdowns of the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) system is a concern for most Singaporeans. There were people blaming the system’s maintenance, with some pointing their finger at Ms Saw Phaik Hwa, its CEO, for...
Tharenii’s Christmas special for TOC readers
Dec. 25 | Tharenii’s debut video on TOC, especially for TOC readers for Christmas. TOC wishes all our readers a very Merry Christmas!
Inflation: 5.7% – How much more can Singaporeans take?
Dec. 25 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ I refer to the article “Singapore’s inflation figures still higher than expected” (ST, Dec 24).Inflation in November has hit a three-year high of 5.7 per cent. Real earnings down Against this, real average monthly earnings...
Sorry Dr George, we disagree
Dec. 23 | ~Editorial~ “It is not right to pin the blame on workers and, what is worse, Malay and Indian workers for the purported lack of English proficiency”. “Inappropriate and Unfair”. These aren’t the words of a “sensational” news article....
LTA investigation into North-South Line disruptions begun
Dec. 22 | the following is a media release by the Land Transport Authority: – The Prime Minister has announced that a Committee of Inquiry (COI) will be set up to determine the causes behind the recent disruptions to train services on the North-South Line...
Ong Ye Kung to head SMRT’s investigation team
Dec. 22 | the following is a media release by SMRT’s Board: – The Board of SMRT apologises to the travelling public for service disruptions in the past week. We acknowledge the disruptions to our train service last week were of an unprecedented scale...
MP Seng Han Thong: SMRT’s unpreparedness also due to Malay and Indian staffs English language inefficiency
Dec. 21 | Update 2: the following is SMRT’s email to TOC. Their statement is in response to Mr Seng Han Thong’s remark about comments made by their PR team. “Regarding Mr Seng Han Thong’s Facebook post which contains the transcript from his comments...
SMRT & SBS Delays Cost Economy 31 Million Dollars?
Dec. 21 | The following is a rough estimate of the costs to Singapore’s economy due to the delays from 14 Dec to 20 Dec, sent by a TOC reader: – Calculations are done based on statistics and data from relevant authorities. Calculations as estimated...
What has gone wrong with SMRT, LTA, and the entire system
Dec. 20 | ~by: Ng E-Jay~ The defects in our train systems are systemic in nature, and it would take a great deal of effort, resources and political will to get them fixed. Our engineering designs, the hardware, and the emergency procedures have all gone haywire. What...
The irony of racism
Dec. 20 | By: He Ruiming “Fucking Asian!” The words, filled with disgust, spat from his mouth as he walked past. Who? Me? I looked around to see who the poor sod that was the victim of verbal abuse. The only soul in sight was a single sprightly old lady,...
How many Singaporeans have $131,000 in CPF at 55?
Dec. 20 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ I refer to the report “CPF keeps 4% Special and Medisave Account interest rate” (Channel NewsAsia, Dec 19). It states that “from January 1 next year, the Medisave Required Amount (MRA) will be raised from the current S$27,500...
A Question of Necessity
Dec. 20 | Photo: Todayonline by Amanda Yun/ Mr Lui (Tuck Yew) noted that the increased train frequencies over the years – to cater to a growing population – has resulted in less time for the transport operators to carry out inspections and maintenance....
Grassroots gripped by Stockholm syndrome over SMRT fiasco while shareholders lose confidence
Dec. 20 | ~by: Kumaran Pillai~ – My neighbour Muz reckons that breakdowns are a commonplace just like how his motorbike breaks down from time to time. To stress his point further, he said that even aeroplanes breakdown and air-crashes are quite common. I...
PKMS’ Charity Bowl 2012
Dec. 19 | the following is an event announcement by PKMS: – Singapore Malay National Organisation’s (SMNO) or Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura (PKMS) invites Singaporeans to participate in its Charity Bowl 2012. Organised on Sunday, 15 January,...
NSP: Breakdowns demonstrate vulnerabilities of relying on a monopoly for essential services
Dec. 19 | the following is National Solidarity Party’s statement regarding the recent SMRT service disruptions: – The recent spate of breakdowns in Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) services has clearly demonstrated the vulnerabilities of relying...
Restore the public’s trust in SMRT
Dec. 19 | The Online Citizen sent the following petition to the Minister for Transport, Chairman of LTA, Chairman of PTC and Chairman of SMRT: – Singapore has an international reputation for being efficient. While Singapore might not be the most exciting...
Transport woes re-amplified
Dec. 19 | by Howard Lee/ I’m not going to give a summary of what happened at Speakers’ Corner when TOC held “Give up your seat”. At its close, 80-odd people, including a hurrying Mr Chiam See Tong, braved the light drizzle to hear why TOC wanted...
Does SMRT value its property over the well-being of commuters?
Dec. 18 | ~by: Ng E-Jay~ Does SMRT value its property over the well-being of its commuters? That is the impression I got when reading media reports about Thursday’s major breakdown along the North-South MRT line. Firstly, SMRT has stated that emergency ventilation...
WP’s Statement on MRT service disruptions
Dec. 18 | The following is a media release by the Workers’ Party: – The Workers’ Party is deeply concerned about the frequency of MRT train service disruptions along the North-South and East-West (NS-EW) lines and the Circle Line, which are managed...
The story of SMRT is the story of Singapore
Dec. 18 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ ~pictures: Terry Xu~ I still remember as a young boy, in the 70s, waiting for more than an hour for the bus to arrive. I also remember that if you wanted to go to Sembawang (where some of my father’s friends lived), there were...
SMRT should be surrendered to a new Statutory Board
Dec. 17 | by Aloysius Foo/ In light of the worst train breakdown in Singapore history, and the poor crisis management by SMRT, it is time to look at the ownership and management structure of the MRT system. I call for the ownership and operation of the entire MRT...
SMRT needs a technocrat to head its operations
Dec. 17 | the following is Kumaran Pillai’s speech delivered at TOC’s ‘Give up your seat‘ by Chong Ai Ling: – Who would have ever thought that the public transport would be the Achilles Heel of our present meritocratic government?...
That smashed train door window…
Dec. 17 | by Joshua Chiang/ In an article published in the Wall Street Journal about the MRT breakdown on Thursday, former civil servant Donald Low was quoted as saying, “The disruptions are not just isolated events; they constitute a pattern of behavior or...
MRT breakdown emergency contingency measures ‘appalling’ – Lina Chiam
Dec. 17 | The following is a press release from NCMP Lina Chiam of the Singapore People’s Party Together let us call for a comprehensive review of transport system Statement on the massive MRT breakdown on 15 Dec Public transport has been the hallmark of...
Lui Tuck Yew unaware if MRT breakdown is isolated or systemic
Dec. 16 | the following is a media release by the Singapore Democratic Party: – Following the train breakdown on the North-South Line last night, Transport Minister, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, who is in Cambodia, posted the following statement on his Facebook page: “There...
SMRT apologises for the inconvenience caused
Dec. 16 | the following is a media release by SMRT: – 2nd UPDATE – SMRT STATEMENT: SERVICE DISRUPTION ON NORTH-SOUTH LINE (NORTHBOUND): MARINA BAY STATION TO BISHAN STATION Train service resumed at 11.40pm. The disruption is caused by a damaged third rail...
A Political Price Must Be Paid
Dec. 16 | The following is a letter from a TOC reader: – Enough is enough!! The politicians must pay a price for the sorry state of public transportation in Singapore. This includes the current Minister of Transportation, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, because even though...
Same Old Story (The Sad Story of SMRT）
Dec. 16 | By: Andy Soon As if the increase in commuting fares had not raised the ire of Singaporeans earlier this year, SMRT had once again set themselves up for the target board with two major breakdowns in a matter of just two days. What’s more, the system...
Give up your seat – TOC takes to Speakers’ Corner
Dec. 16 | the following is a media release by TOC: – There have been many mishaps on the trains. Has SMRT learnt from these experiences? Was there any business recovery plan which all staffs of the public transport operators are trained in, to know what...
SMRT’s penalty for failure
Dec. 15 | Latest update on breakdown of trains in North-South Line: Update 3: “I have been following the incident of the MRT breakdown from Cambodia. I am especially concerned over the well-being of the people who were reported to be trapped in the trains...
