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Tired of the government’s libel suits
Apr. 17 | When Charlie Rose asked Prime Minister (PM) Lee Hsien Loong what he would do if some journalists made mention of nepotism and alluded that that was how the Prime Minister of Singapore came to power, PM Lee said “Well, then we’ll sue him”. PM Lee...
Celebrity scandal – transgression, media circus, spectacle
Mar. 20 | By Howard Lee, Guest Contributor By now, Jack Neo’s fall from grace would stand a good chance at winning News Story of the Year. The highly-acclaimed filmmaker and actor’s multiple infidelity has been well-documented in every major newspaper...
Gagged by the church – Foyce Le Xuan
Mar. 16 | By Sonia Suka The New Paper reported yesterday that Foyce Le Xuan was advised by her pastor from City Harvest Church (CHC) not to speak to the media about revealing all the details of Jack Neo’s advances towards her, six years ago. It would have been...
Electric Scooter now available in Singapore!
Feb. 25 | By Bhavani Prakash, founder of Eco Walk The Talk Zeco Systems Pte Ltd, a Singapore born and bred clean technology company, is paving the way for a quiet revolution in the way we move around. The firm launched a global rollout of its EV charging solutions...
Economic Strategies Committee: Real change or just words?
Feb. 15 | By Dr Wong Wee Nam, Guest Contributor “Entrepreneurial culture is about challenging the authorities, questioning the existing ways of doing business, moving away from the routines and norms. It’s about the unconventional, rebellious and diverse.”...
Punish Pastor Tan
Feb. 13 | By Shawn Lim, Guest Writer By now, most of us would have watched the videos in which Pastor Rony Tan of Lighthouse Evangelism, an independent church, made some nasty comments on Taoism and Buddhism. He was called up by the Internal Security Department...
The Sedition Act needs revision
Feb. 8 | By Edwin S Anthony “Under the Sedition Act, anyone found guilty of promoting feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore can be fined up to $5,000 or jailed up to three years, or both, if...
Needy waits 2 years under HDB’s Public Rental Scheme
Jan. 20 | Lisa Li I refer to Ms Kee Lay Cheng’s letter ‘Priority given to truly needy’ in the TODAY paper (13 Jan 2010) in reply to Mr Leong Sze Hian. According to Ms Kee, who is the Deputy Director (Land Administration) Housing and Development Board, “HDB...
Cooling-off to remember PAP’s success
Jan. 15 | The following letter is by Mr Andy Lim. It is in reply to Dr Yik Keng Yong’s letter (see below, “It’s a sound policy”) in the Straits Times forum page to Dr Catherine Lim’s interpretation of People’s Action Party’s announcement...
Malaysia’s regime crisis, race politics and the kalimah Allah issue
Jan. 11 | Razaleigh Hamzah is a former Finance Minsiter of Malaysia and also the founder of Petronas. Razaleigh Hamzah The centre of gravity of global economic activity has been moving eastwards towards Asia for quite some time now. The present global financial...
Is multiracialism also just an aspiration?
Jan. 4 | Breaking News: HDB resale flat prices rose 3.8 per cent over the third quarter which saw prices going up by 3.6 per cent. (Straits Times) Singapore’s economy shrank 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter to December from the previous three months…...
High HDB prices driven by speculators, hurting genuine home seekers
Jan. 4 | The following is a letter to the Today newspaper by Mr See Leong Kit which was “rejected for publication.” Your report “Asset that keeps growing” (TODAY Dec 30) highlighted Minister Mah Bow Tan’s simplistic and optimistic view...
Three cheers for Act 3!!!
Dec. 29 | Ng Yi-Sheng Now that 2009’s drawing to a close, I’d like to take a moment to honour three unsung heroes of the Singapore theatre scene. You see, this year marked the 25th anniversary of the founding of our country’s very first professional theatre...
DNA suggests China Chinese originated from Southeast Asia
Dec. 15 | Farhan Ali Recent study shows DNA evidence pointing to an original migration pattern of humans from Southeast Asia to China believed to have happened about 20,000 years ago Photo courtesy of Salon The Chinese are the dominant group in Singapore and recently,...
Reforming the NMP Scheme
Dec. 11 | Kelvin Teo A Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) is technically an unelected member of the Parliament who does not represent any political party or electoral district in the Singapore Parliament. The scheme was first introduced in the 1990s in order...
The process of the UNFCCC
Dec. 11 | Zhang Yi Tao Yi Tao is a member of ECO Singapore, hoping to bring forward the gravity of the climate change issue in Copenhagen this December. The group is part of the International Youth Climate Movement (IYCM) at the United Nations Framework Convention...
Analysing Obama
Dec. 10 | Eleina Eleina is a member of ECO Singapore, hoping to bring forward the gravity of the climate change issue in Copenhagen this December. The group is part of the International Youth Climate Movement (IYCM) at the United Nations Framework Convention...
How old will you be in 2050?
Dec. 9 | Eleina Eleina is a member of ECO Singapore, hoping to bring forward the gravity of the climate change issue in Copenhagen this December. The group is part of the International Youth Climate Movement (IYCM) at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) of...
ECO’s Adaptation Policy Focus
Dec. 9 | Amira Amira is a member of ECO Singapore, hoping to bring forward the gravity of the climate change issue in Copenhagen this December. The group is part of the International Youth Climate Movement (IYCM) at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) of...
Asian Youth and Climate Change
Dec. 9 | Amira Amira is a member of ECO Singapore, hoping to bring forward the gravity of the climate change issue in Copenhagen this December. The group is part of the International Youth Climate Movement (ICYM) at the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) of...
Will PAP send a Minister to contest Potong Pasir & Hougang?
Dec. 4 | Kelvin Teo During General Election 2006, Goh Chok Tong was given a special assignment to assist the PAP candidates in the Opposition wards Hougang and Potong Pasir in electioneering. Despite dangling HDB upgrading carrots at Hougang and Potong Pasir...
Why I prefer Canada’s education system – world-ranking or not
Nov. 29 | Wing Lee Cheong / Canada “Singapore’s ranked 1st in quality education system in the world” – Global Competitiveness Report 2007–2008 “Singapore ranked one of the world’s best-performing school systems” – McKinsey...
Reducing the cost of living – the Lean way
Nov. 27 | Jeisilan Sivalingam How can we become more efficient and effective while at the same time reduce costs? In these incredibly tough budget times, you would think government agencies would be trying to emulate private enterprises and be working extra hard...
Is Singapore a better place without foreigners?
Nov. 21 | The following is a comment posted on TOC by “AAA”, under the article, “How Singapore appreciates a PRC who tried to integrate”. The author of the comment describes himself as a “PRC scholar”. TOC tried to get in touch with him but our email...
Deconstructing the Singaporean – foreigner and local alike
Nov. 20 | Note on posting comments: Please do not post your comments entirely in capital letters. There is no need to “shout” so loud. Everyone can read you fine. And also, please keep comments to 500-words or less. Thank you. Molly Meek “Singapore,...
New immigrants’ loyalty to S’pore – SM Goh’s amazing conclusion
Nov. 16 | Dr Wong Wee Nam At a grassroots event recently, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong confidently declared that “new immigrants to Singapore can become Singaporeans in outlook and loyalty within a generation.” He apparently reached this amazing conclusion...
Do we really need another Bono?
Nov. 11 | Low Hansiong >> TOC International We have all seen a scene like this: global ‘star’ fights through the paparazzi throng to get into his uber-luxurious limousine, flies decadent class in a private jet, descends down the rickety dust-ridden airstairs...
Anime Festival Asia comes to Singapore
Nov. 11 | Jeremy Assous >> TOC Lifestyle Last thursday, industry leaders in the promotion of Japanese pop culture gathered to express the reasons behind their support of Anime Festival Asia 2009 (AFA09) as well as the prospects for the future of the Japanese...
Hitting a nerve in Singapore
Nov. 7 | The following is an excerpt from the Econlog Bryan Caplan responds to the TOC Community. (Top: Thousands of Supporters turned up at WP’s Rally for Aljunied GRC during GE2006, Photo Credit: Calvin Teo) After Singapore’s Law Minister...
Two Paradoxes of Singaporean Political Economy
Nov. 5 | Bryan Caplan >> Guest Author The Online Citizen thanks Professor Bryan Caplan of George Mason University and the Civil Service College for permission to reproduce this essay. This essay was quoted by Law Minister K.Shanmugam at a recent dialogue with...
Why RSF’s Press Freedom Index is flawed – and why it works
Nov. 2 | Cherian George Originally published in journalism.sg. Reproduced with permission. The Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is once again making the news in Singapore, with law minister K Shanmugam dismissing the Republic’s low ranking...
The Temasek Charter 2009 – a Post Mortem
Oct. 7 | Imran Ahmed Temasek Holdings Charter 2009 has generated considerable debate within Singapore. Given the size and importance of Temasek, one can understand why. In 2008, Singapore’s GDP was measured at S$257 billion, while at the last count, Temasek’s...
Prices of HDB flats – press censorship?
Oct. 2 | Mr See Leong Kit had sent a letter to the Today newspaper on the pricing of HDB flats (16 Sept). The HDB responded to his letter on 25th Sept. (See links to both letters below). The Today newspaper, however, has declined to publish the follow-up letter...
The unsustainable Singapore model: a rejoinder
Sep. 25 | CY A reader responds to Ian Choo’s article “The unsustainable Singapore model’. The “Singapore Model” is a remarkable one in many aspects, that it is now a textbook case of development. There are concerns however, regarding...
Where is MSM’s thorough investigation?
Sep. 17 | Breaking News: - Temasek Holdings’ portfolio value for financial year to March 2009 fell 30% on-year to S$130 billion. - Terror mastermind Noordin Mohammed killed in raid on millitant hideout, says Indonesian police chief after meeting with President...
Foreign worker buffer is not working
Sep. 16 | Joseph Teo / Guest Writer In an article in the Straits Times on Saturday, 12 September 2009, Professor Ivan Png makes an argument that data produced by the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) confirms that the foreign worker buffer is working as intended (“Foreign...
Circumventing the mainstream media bias: A call for oppositional introspection
Sep. 6 | Pritam Singh / Founder of OpinionAsia.com The kerfuffle last week within the Singapore Malay National Organisation (PKMS), an opposition political party in Singapore must have been music to the ears of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP). After all,...
Why the need to be “proud” of being a Malay Singaporean?
Sep. 5 | Alfian Sa’at On 3rd September 2009, both the Straits Times and the Malaysian Insider carried the article ‘Proud To Be Malay Singaporean’. Written by Khartini Khalid, the article addresses among many things a statement made by former Malaysian Information...
Should Article 152 be scrapped from the Singapore Constitution?
Sep. 3 | Alfian Sa’at The event was a screening of Singapore short films. During the Question & Answer session at the end, a member of the audience, a Korean man, offered an observation: “Despite the fact that Singapore is a multiracial country, why...
Goodbye, Abu Sama
Aug. 30 | The Online Citizen reported the case of Bangladeshi worker, Abu Sama, in May this year. We gave him the name of “Asmad Kadir” in that report. See here for the story. Abu Sama left for his home in Bangladesh last Friday. The following is an update...
Stop nannying Malay-Muslims and discard old suspicions
Aug. 21 | Abdul Gafoor I read with pleasure that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in his National Day Rally speech, has come to acknowledge that Singapore Malay Muslims have developed an unique identity for themselves, and instead of withdrawing the community...
Make mandarin compulsory for all
Aug. 21 | Imran Ahmed Immigration into Singapore has become a hot button issue among ‘born and bred’ Singaporeans. As typically happens during recessions, there is a sense that ‘foreign talent’ is taking away jobs from indigenous Singaporeans....
TOC Special Feature: Foreign Talent policy remains contentious, and for reason too
Aug. 18 | Pritam Singh / Founder of OpinionAsia.com The overall perception is of a poorly articulated, poorly communicated and poorly understood FT policy that incites questions of loyalty, nationhood and national unity for native Singaporeans. The Straits Times’...
Patriotism and gratitude require reciprocity
Aug. 17 | The following is by Mr Cheong Wing Lee in response to Canadian, Mr Eric J Brooks’s second letter to the Straits Times. Mr Cheong emigrated to Canada from Singapore and is now a Canadian citizen. Dear Editor, Mr. Brooks’ second letter published in...
The race to racial harmony
Aug. 16 | Subana Hall Racial unity is often one of the highlights of ministerial speeches here in Singapore. Singapore is after all a manufactured society of different races. No one racial or religious community can claim to be the natives of this land because...
British PM calls for world-wide ban on arms sale to Burma
Aug. 13 | The following article is written by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. TOC thanks Mr Brown for allowing us to publish it here. (Picture from Magnum Photos.) (Read also: Shame on you, ASEAN by the Jakarta Post). Aung San Suu Kyi at her home where she’s...
Rise of loan sharks sparks wave of violent crime in Singapore
Aug. 12 | By Ben Bland from The Telegraph: The number of people arrested for loan shark activities and harassment doubled to more than 417 in the first half of 2009, with more than 9,000 reported cases of loan shark lending or intimidation reported to the Singapore...
Death the great leveller
Aug. 5 | Joseph Teo In an article in the Sunday Times on 2 Nov 2008, the Minister for Health, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, announced that he planned to amend the Human Organ Transplant Act to allow people who donate their kidneys to get monetary compensation from the...
George Yeo is mistaken about Burma’s history
Aug. 4 | John Moe I refer to the article published by The Online Citizen (TOC) on Sunday, 2 August 2009, reported by Ravi Philemon under the title, “George Yeo’s Meet the People Session at McDonald’s”. According to the TOC report, Mr Yeo made some ...
