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Budget 2012: Pragmatic in the face of a downturn
Feb. 21 | ~by: Simeon Ang~ Pragmatism, an attribute that our government is known to propagate in all of its policies, is clearly evident in this year’s budget. Analysts were right to tone down expectations about the possibilities that Budget 2012 would pump...
The ‘Big Media’ of Singapore
Feb. 21 | ~by: Hong Weilun~ Appearing in the news unabatedly since allegations relating to the Yaw affair broke out, pressure within the WP ranks has been pushed up by several notches. Calls for accountability and transparency rolled out as quickly as newspapers...
Only awareness of issues makes us responsible voters
Feb. 17 | ~by: Ng Yi Shu~ We have all heard it – a new political awakening, an enlightened electorate – the lot. But has anyone wondered what would make us great? I would like to suggest that good decisions – decisions which we are responsible...
Yaw, the unwitting scapegoat for accountability
Feb. 16 | ~by: Ghui ~ Yaw Shin Leong has been expelled from the Workers’ Party with immediate effect. In one foul swoop, he has lost both his place in a party he helped propel into victory and his role as an MP. For the foreseeable future,...
Speak up for people who are down
Feb. 14 | ~by: Tan Kin Lian~ I wrote a letter to the Straits Times Forum, published on 10 February 2012, giving my views about the alleged extra marital affair of Yaw Shin Leong. (See http://tankinlian.blogspot.com/2012/02/workers-party-and-yaw-shin-leong.html) Ms...
Liberalise entrance from ITEs to Polytechnics
Feb. 10 | ~by: Gerald Tan~ I read with interest the article ‘Further education hot topic at ITE dialogue’ (Today Newspaper, 8 Feb 2012, Neo Chai Chin), where Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong defended the stand of the ministry with...
Why are public sector appointments shrouded in secrecy?
Feb. 7 | 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...
Lee’s vision may be different from what Singaporeans want
Feb. 7 | ~by: Ghui Former Minister Lee Kuan Yew has asserted that Singapore needs more immigrants to boost its population. He has justified this by pointing out that Singaporeans are not reproducing at a rate which can sustain our population. He further...
Unfounded claims from LTAs train purchases for SMRT
Feb. 3 | ~by: Ng Yi Shu~ A recent report detailing the purchase of trains for the North-East Line and Circle Line has got netizens abuzz around allegations of LTA using taxpayer costs to benefit SMRT and SBS Transit, the private train operators. Under the Land...
Effective ethical standards in Singapore
Feb. 1 | ~by: Walter Jayandran~ Some readers may recall my last article on this subject in TOC a little more than a year ago (http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/12/ethics-and-morality-in-public-service/) where I stated that there was the possibility of a systemic...
How was the $2 ERP rate arrived at?
Jan. 31 | ~by: Ghui~ I note the changes on the ERP rates on the CTE and the PIE with concern (http://sg.news.yahoo.com/erp-rates-on-cte–pie-to-change-from-6-feb.html). For two gantries along the PIE (Adam Road and Mount Pleasant Road), the revised...
This is not the way – how not to hold a conversation
Jan. 31 | ~by: Joseph Teo~ Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was interviewed by CNN's Fareed Zakaria on 26 January. In response to questions on the election results and the need for political openness, he said, “We are in a new situation, and we must govern...
No private sector job would give you five years to prove yourself
Jan. 30 | ~by: Ghui~ There is ongoing debate with regards to the revised salary package for ministers. While salaries have been reduced, contention in relation to the bonus scheme still remains. Proponents of the revised salary package have argued that politicians...
Competence, messy PR, and a conspiracy theory
Jan. 30 | ~by: Howard Lee~ For all the blunders and perceived partisanship often attributed to it, I continue to have faith in our public service. I don't necessarily mean the top dogs in the service, but the rank and file who continue to soldier on each day...
Don’t sensationalise Yaw’s alleged marital woes
Jan. 28 | ~by: Ghui~ Workers' Party MP, Yaw Shin Leong has come under fire for an alleged extra marital affair. From a moral standpoint and in a black and white world, Yaw’s actions, if true are reprehensible. However, does this have any bearing on his...
Can only the top 1000 earners in the private sector take up political office?
Jan. 28 | ~by: Adrian Ng~ I read with interest the PM’s speech in parliament with regard to the recent ministerial pay issue. There were some things he mentioned that jumped out at me and stirred an uneasiness within. “If you have the wrong system...
Why was Dahlberg’s passport not impounded?
Jan. 3 | ~by: Ghui~ It comes as no surprise that many Singaporeans are outraged by the news that Kiwi, Robert Dahlberg has jumped bail (http://forum.channelnewsasia.com/showthread.php?36942-Kiwi-bail-jumper-won%92t-return-to-S%92pore-to-face-charges). Dahlberg...
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....
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...
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...
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle. What does that have to do with dolphins?
Dec. 15 | ~by: Elisabelle Aruldoss and Jewel Philemon~ Resorts World Sentosa’s (RWS) recent acquisition of wild dolphins has led to much uproar among Singaporeans. However, in all the commotion, we may have forgotten about other wild dolphins which have been...
NMP Applicant Martin Gabriel: Government should step-up vigilance and enforcement
Dec. 14 | ~by: Martin Gabriel~ Statistics on foreign workers should be more transparent. While the statistics show the number of work permit and employment pass holders, there are also scores of illegal workers that are unaccounted for. These illegal workers intensify...
From Global Citizens to Planetary Stewards
Dec. 13 | by Ezra Ho/ Sand being dredged in the Peam Krasop Wildlife Sanctuary, recognised as an internationally significant wetland and home to endangered species. We are living in unprecedented times, standing at the crossroads of planetary survival. After decades...
Minimal near term impact on property prices
Dec. 12 | ~by: Roy Chung Yee Ling~ The operating environment appears to be extremely challenging for the coming 12 months with an unprecedented combination of market uncertainty, sustained global economic weakness and regulatory changes. In my conversations with...
双语教育的迷思
Dec. 12 | TOC is proud to unveil its new Chinese section to be headed by Mr Goh Meng Seng. The following is Mr Goh’s first contribution for the section. 吴明盛/ 失败的双语政策 最近报业控股为李光耀先生出的书，《我一生的挑战——新加坡双语之路》引起了广泛的讨论。 ...
An Independent Mind: Examining the Limits of Free Speech
Dec. 10 | ~by: Sharon Chen~ In honour of Human Rights Day, the British High Commission held a private screening of Rex Bloomstein’s 2008 documentary An Independent Mind last night. The film tackles difficult questions regarding the right to free speech through...
PAP to reclaim Aljunied: ‘A’ for effort, ‘D’ for effectiveness
Dec. 10 | by Howard Lee/ This much is obvious: The ruling People’s Action Party is hell-bent on re-claiming Aljunied Group Representative Constituency, which it lost during Singapore’s last general election in May 2011, at the bitter price of two ministers. In...
Increase capacity, not fares – NCMP Lina Chiam
Dec. 10 | The following is a statement from the Singapore People’s Party on the recent taxi fare hike by Lina Chiam/ As expected, we are facing another round of public transport fee hike right after the General Elections. There are many implications to this...
What it feels like to be living in a culture of slut-shaming
Dec. 8 | The following is a letter in response to the article “SlutWalk: Manufacturing Myths about ‘Myths’”. The writer wishes to remain anonymous. I’ve never been raped, or been subjected to any sexual assault. Some might say it was because...
SlutWalk: Manufacturing Myths about ‘Myths’
Dec. 7 | by Benjamin Cheah/Picture by Terry Xu I grew up in a middle class family, like the majority of most Singaporeans. Most of the people I have met are ordinary citizens walking the straight and narrow. Whenever the people I know hear about a sexual assault,...
Does NTA’s urging of taxi companies to adjust fares constitute price-fixing? (updated)
Dec. 6 | by Joshua Chiang/ When it was announced that ComfortDelgro would be raising taxi fares, the head of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, Mr Cedric Foo essentially hinted that there was very little the PCT could do as the taxi industry...
ComfortDelGro wants to help taxi drivers? Just remove all surcharges
Dec. 6 | The following is a letter from a TOC reader. by John Chan/ It was indeed shocking to read the news on plans by ComfortDelgro to increase taxi fares. The slew of ‘adjustments’ are justified as being designed to better meet increased demand...
Yasmin Ziqin Mohamed – a beautiful name which transcends race
Dec. 4 | ~by: Ghui~ It is that time of the year again. The 2011 PSLE results have been released and a new crop of top students unveiled. Amid the congratulations and inevitable disappointments, an issue caught my eye. This has troubled me for some time but as...
“Deeply puzzled” by police’s rejection of Anti-racism rally
Dec. 4 | by Ghui/ I note that the police have rejected an application made by Singaporeans For Democracy (SFD) to conduct an anti-racism rally at Speakers’ Corner on International Human Rights Day. Perhaps the police are afraid that tensions could rise high...
Repatriation Companies – Manpower Minister’s response belittles the efforts of migrant workers
Nov. 30 | ~by: Jolovan Wham~ First call for help In 2005, barely one year after I started my job as a social worker, I received a call from an Indian shipyard worker who complained that he and his colleagues were trapped inside a room and were unable to leave,...
Discrimination online and the MICA verdict
Nov. 29 | by Howard Lee/ The saga of the recent spate of three incidents of perceived racism online, of which two were made into police reports, seems to have drawn to a close. As reported in Today, the Sunday Times and Yahoo! News, Minister for Information, Communication...
The Global Economy is a 2-Lane Highway
Nov. 28 | ~by: Kumaran Pillai~ While the Euro zone is going through its own challenges, which poses as the greatest threat to the global economic outlook, there are some signs of hope for the developing nations. The best way to describe this is to imagine that...
Stop PRs from gaming the system
Nov. 25 | The following is a letter from a TOC reader by Erica Lim/ I am disappointed that one in three permanent residents liable for national service choose not to serve, by renouncing their PR status prior to serving NS (“8,800 PRs served NS in last five years”,...
Premium Buses – A disguised mechanism to squeeze locals?
Nov. 23 | by Alex Lew/ Premium buses were introduced as early as 2007 to cater to smaller groups of commuters who were willing to pay more for a comfortable ride. The intention was to ensure that commuters had a more direct and faster journey between congested...
Bukit Brown and Rochor: Development for Who?
Nov. 21 | by Tim Mou Hui/ Debate concerning the clearance of Bukit Brown Cemetery to make way for a new four-lane dual carriageway and new housing developments will likely be revived with the recently announced plans to evict and relocate residents of Rochor Centre...
The Politics of Race
Nov. 21 | by Ghui/ The issue of race seems to be at the forefront of news of late. With the the dust of the Jason Neo saga barely settling, the nation is rocked by yet another indiscreet and inappropriate internet user in the form of Christian Eliab Ratnam, a self-appointed...
SEA Games: Victory over Thailand not enough
Nov. 18 | ~by: Damon Yeo~ Singapore 2 Thailand 0 Indonesia 0 Malaysia 1 Singapore has bounced back strongly after losing to Indonesia four days ago with a solid performance against perennial powerhouse Thailand in the final match of the 26th SEA Games group stage....
From population replacement to property valuation – how the FT policy lost its way
Nov. 18 | by Chua Suntong/ In September 2011, the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) released a report on estimating future population trends based on different immigration scenarios. The focus was net migrants. This term was undefined. However, it was likely to...
Unruly internet? Avoid panic reactions!
Nov. 15 | ~By: Ghui~ There has been talk of late by the government on the need to regulate the contents of the internet (http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/10/tocs-commitment-to-our-readers/). From the President’s speech to the speeches of new MPs, everyone...
What is Happiness?
Nov. 14 | by Dr Wong Wee Nam/ What is happiness? To a Buddhist monk, the cause of suffering is ignorant craving. To Aristotle, it is something more tangible. According to him, “The masses take it to be something plain and tangible, like pleasure or money...
For Teo Chee Hean (4) – Making use of the Church?
Nov. 11 | ~by:Teo Soh Lung~ Referring to the arrest of the alleged Marxists on 21 May 1987, Minister Teo Chee Hean said in parliament: “When the Government did move against this group in the mid-1980s, it made clear that it was not acting against genuine social...
GE2011 – Balancing Liberalization and Control
Nov. 10 | The following is an excerpt from an article ‘Singapore: Authoritarian but newly competitive’, first published in the October edition of Journal of Democracy. by Stephan Ortmann/ The 2011 general elections were the most competitive to date...
Imparting “values” through students?
Nov. 9 | by Howard Lee/ As a parent of two, I get fairly irritated when I hear comments about schools trying to teach students any thing remotely related to character and values. I have always believed that the values of my children, for better or worse, are...
SEA Games Update (Football): Singapore Labours to Goalless Draw
Nov. 8 | ~by: Damon Yeo~ The Singapore U23 football team laboured to a nil-nil draw against fierce rivals Malaysia in the opening match of the 26th SEA Games football competition. The team representing Singapore had been drawn almost exclusively from the Courts...
