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Upgrading Hougang

May. 24 | ~ By Wee Nam Kee ~ Much of the hustings surrounding the Hougang by-election have recently been focused around the issue of Png Eng Huat’s NCMP seat. Indeed, this question raised by DPM Teo warrants a satisfactory answer from the WP, especially...

SPP Career Fair for Singaporeans 16th June 2012

May. 17 | PRESS RELEASE The Singapore People’s Party (SPP) will be organizing a Career Fair for firms wanting to hire Singaporean PMET (Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians). With our Ministry of Manpower reducing the Dependency Ratio Ceilings...

OPEN LETTER: CLEMENCY FOR YONG VUI KONG

May. 17 | By Amnesty International - AI Index: ASA 36/2012.002 Mr. K. Shanmugam Law Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs The Treasury, 100 High Street, #08-02 Singapore 179434 Dear Minister OPEN LETTER: CLEMENCY FOR YONG VUI KONG URGENTLY REQUESTED Amnesty...

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)

May. 17 | By Maruah - The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) is celebrated every May 17. It is coordinated by the Paris-based "IDAHO Committee," founded and presided by French academic Louis-Georges Tin. The day...

Asia-Europe connections through the eyes of young filmmakers**

May. 17 | PRESS RELEASE Asia-Europe connections through the eyes of young filmmakers** *Singapore – Over 100 young filmmakers from about 30 countries took part in an international short films contest organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation and NYU Tisch School...

Medical Tourism In Singapore Needs A Careful Rethink

May. 15 | ~ By David L K See~ The timely article "India's medical tourism could cause superbug to spread globally" ( TODAY May 9) referred to a new superbug that has emerged from India — in part because of medical tourism — with scientists...

Support and recreation crucial for our seniors to lead meaningful lives

May. 12 | ~ By Raymond Anthony Fernando ~ The National University Health System experts who carried out a study on the elderly in Singapore (see the Sunday Times report “Lonely and depressed elderly cause for worry”- ST 6th May 2012) came out with...

Are Singaporeans too easily offended?

May. 12 | ~ By Tim Smith ~ Singaporeans have begun a crusade. Not against tyranny, or oppression, or privilege. In fact, this crusade, as far as anyone can tell, is against ever having to feel offended. And this crusade is leading more and more Singaporeans...

Human Rights Watch: Singapore should commute death sentence in drug case

May. 6 | President Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam of Singapore should commute the death sentence in the heroin possession case of Yong Vui Kong, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to President Tan Keng Yam. Should he deny what could be a final request for clemency,...

Making life insurance products transparent and affordable

May. 6 | ~ By Felix Ling ~ After reading the reported argument by Manulife CEO’s analogy “The Lesson about putting a car on the moon”, in relation to whether to import fee-based system for insurance sector here, I would like to share my...

Twitter Action on Singapore by Amnesty International

May. 5 | MEDIA RELEASE Amnesty International is emphasizing that time may be running out for the young Malaysian, Yong Vui Kong, who, despite sustained global campaigning, remains on Singapore's death row. We now await the outcome of his...

TB Resurgence and Screening of Foreign Workers In Singapore

May. 4 | ~ By Dr Vincent Chia Wei Meng ~ With reference to the Straits Times on 28th April 2012, "tuberculosis (TB) is making a resurgence after some years in decline [in Singapore]." (1) I am increasingly concerned with the way foreign workers are screened...

Amnesty International: Singapore should join global trend and establish a moratorium on executions

May. 3 | The following is a public statement (AI Index: ASA 36/004/2012 ) issued by Amnesty International on 2 May 2012. ______________________ Singapore’s announcement that it carried out four executions in 2011, after no executions the previous year, flouts...

“Love Singapore, Our Home”?

May. 2 | ~ By Jen ~ I read a comment in the news by the Chief Guards Officer in charge of Singapore’s National Day Parade 2012. Colonel Desmond Tan commented on the theme for this year’s National Day which is “Love Singapore, Our Home”....

Think Centre’s Labour Day Message

May. 1 | ~ By Think Centre ~ This Labour Day, Think Centre salutes all workers and asks the tripartite movement for Fairer opportunities, Safer work and Minimum wage. Workers all over the world are celebrating the achievements of trade unions, and expressing...

Administering Fairness

Apr. 27 | ~ By Wong Wee Nam ~ Recently 44 (and more) people were charged in court with having sex with an under-aged girl. One was allowed to go overseas to do his business and another was allowed to leave the country to get married. Indeed this show of sympathy...

Public transportation breakdowns – who is in charge?

Apr. 26 | The letter below from Mr Phillip Ang was sent to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, and the Land Transport Authority. We thank Mr Ang for allowing us to publish it in full. Dear PM Lee, I refer to the high...

Ageing at 25

Apr. 25 | ~ By Gordon Lee ~ After two crippling train disruptions in December which affected a quarter of a million passengers, a Committee of Inquiry was announced to look into these two disruptions. So far, we have learnt worrying details such as how train operators...

SMRT’s whopping S$900M plan to prevent future breakdowns

Apr. 25 | ~ By Kumaran Pillai ~ SMRT will be spending to the tune of S$900M to rectify faults on their North-South and East-West lines which will be co-funded by the Land Transport Authority. This amount exceeds more than what SMRT has spent on repairs and maintenance...

Stop killing our Singapore sons

Apr. 25 | ~ By Melvin Low ~ I read with sadness the passing of Private Lee Rui Feng Dominique. I am also an NSF having seven months left to complete my national service. My view is that such deaths can definitely be prevented. I feel that the medical board in the...

The Bukit Brown issue: Not enough land? Let’s do the math

Apr. 21 | ~ By SOS Bukit Brown| ~ Let's be clear, Singapore's total floor area, if we add up the floor space of every kind of building in Singapore, is approximately 250,000,000 square metres. If we divide this by the island's total land area of...

SMRT breakdowns causes mayhem to commuters

Apr. 20 | ~ By Aberdyn ~ It appears that Singapore’s public transport services are becoming unreliable in the recent months. Breakdowns have occurred to the MRT system quite frequently. When these happen, it will affect a large proportion of people commuting...

Dirty Little Tactics by SMRT

Apr. 19 | ~ By Ethan Wong ~ The following is Ethan's letter to Minister of Transport Lui Tuck Yew ____________________ I am writing to you with regards to the Circle Line breakdown yesterday. My brother was at Telok Blangah MRT when the breakdown occurs. As...

Exploitation of migrant workers = exploitation of low-wage local workers

Apr. 19 | ~ By Jolovan Wham ~ The Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME) is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that is concerned about the rights and welfare of migrant workers in Singapore. We believe that migrant workers should be treated...

Behind the scenes of TRAINSTOPPING

Apr. 17 | ~ By Chow Zhi Ying ~ TOC caught up with Derrick Chew, the director of 'TRAINSTOPPING: The Year in Revue 2011', to learn about his inspiration to put up this production for the community. TRAINSTOPPING: The year in Revue 2011 is your professional...

Does the objective of Singapore Day justify its costs?

Apr. 17 | ~ By Ghui ~ On Saturday, 14 April 2012 – Singapore Day, New York was greeted with great fanfare. Singaporeans travelled across America to sample much missed delicacies such as Char Kuey Teow and Laksa ('Singapore Day in New York', Channel...

Speaking up is not anti-Singapore

Apr. 16 | ~ By Jen ~ At a recent gathering with some Singaporean friends, the discussion inadvertently turned to local politics. But when I mentioned Mr Brown, our famous Singapore blogger, one of my friends asked, “Who?” and the punchline came when...

Need for new immigrants to be integrated into our multi-racial society

Apr. 14 | ~ By Terry Xu ~ The recent spate of incidents involving Chinese immigrants has cast a pretty bad impression in the eyes of many Singaporeans. Some Singaporeans may have already fallen into an emotional trap to bunch all new Chinese immigrants into a stereotyped...

போதைப்பொருள் கடத்தல் மன்னன் மீது மேலும் இரண்டு குற்றச்சாட்டு

Apr. 14 | ~ Translation in Tamil by Shankar Selvam based on original story published on 20 March 2012 ~ யோங் உய் கோங்கின் வழக்கறிஞரான திரு ரவிக்கு வரையப்பட்ட பதில்...

A question of fairness

Apr. 13 | ~ By Ghui ~ The mantra that we are not producing enough babies is one that the government is consistently repeating. This incessant rhetoric has been used to justify the need for more foreigners. Indeed one poor girl was even publicly shamed by former...

Preventable Deaths at Traffic Junctions

Apr. 13 | ~ By David L K See ~ I refer to Straits Times article "Right of way dilemma at road crossing" (Straits Times, 06 Apr) and the LTA's long-winded reply "Safety measures at junctions" (Straits Times Forum,...

Bukit Brown: Will we really remember our cultural identity?

Apr. 12 | ~ By Ng Yi Shu ~ The debate with regards to Bukit Brown had raged for close to a year. With LTA’s and MND’s go-ahead on the eight-lane highway and the call for moratorium on the highway gone unheeded, there is nothing the NGOs can do today...

Conflict At the Heart of Yale-NUS

Apr. 9 | ~ By Gordon Lee ~ In 2005, it was reported that Singapore’s authorities “have learned a hard lesson after Britain's prestigious Warwick University snubbed the city-state with its decision not to accept an invitation to establish a campus."...

Calling AICHR to Release ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

Apr. 8 | The following is a joint press statement from Think Centre and 137 civic orgnisations in ASEAN. We, the undersigned civil society organizations and networks from Southeast Asia, express our grave concern and disappointment over the continuing secrecy...

Calls to Stop the Execution of Yong Vui Kong

Apr. 8 | ~ By Kumaran Pillai ~ TOC has received more than 100 emails since 4th of April 2012, mainly from the USA, Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Spain, appealing to President Dr. Tony Tan to stop the execution of Yong Vui Kong. The...

A day in court with Yong Vui Kong

Apr. 8 | ~ By Sarah D ~ It is a typical April day, as far as most April days go. The sun is out after a short outburst of pregnant skies and many Singaporeans are out going about their business. As befitting the time of the day, most are heading for lunch whilst...

Use alternate sentence in place of death sentence

Apr. 7 | For Immediate Release The following is a joint Statement from the Think Centre, Singapore Anti-Death Penalty Campaign, We Believe In Second Chances & Humanitarian Organization For Migration Economics (HOME) Migrant workers facing...

Amnesty International calls for urgent action on Yong Vui Kong

Apr. 6 | Yong Vui Kong’s third appeal application against his death sentence was rejected on 4 April. Only an act of clemency from the President of Singapore can stop his execution from going ahead. Yong Vui Kong has already spent over four years on death...

“I just stay at home, waiting for my days to end.”

Apr. 6 | ~ By Jewel Philemon, with additional reporting by Ng Yi Shu ~ A man is rushing along the pathway across an open field in Choa Chu Kang in a hurry to reach his next appointment. He is making good time and all is going normally when suddenly he feels as...

April Fool’s Day Fake Article: Government ‘seriously considering’ alternative to Bukit Brown Highway

Apr. 1 | TOC APRIL FOOL'S DAY FAKE ARTICLE The following article is fictitious and was published as an amiable prank on our readers on 1st April 2012. The story, concept and text are the brainchild of the following authors: Joshua Chiang, Remy Choo and Gangasudhan...

TOC’s under new leadership

Mar. 31 | ~ By Ravi Philemon ~ I joined TOC in September 2008 and now, I have been associated with TOC for about three and a half years. Over these years I have played various roles of leadership in TOC, the last being that of the interim chief editor. It's...

PUB: Throwing money down the drain

Mar. 30 | ~ By Phillip Ang ~ I understand PUB's predicament as a result of inclement weather but totally disagree with the planned usage of $750 million for upgrading. After having submitted numerous feedback reports on the state of our drainage system,...

Saving Bukit Brown just makes sense

Mar. 30 | ~ By C C Y ~ Central to the discussion surrounding the maintenance of Bukit Brown in its unspoilt state is the question of how to best use space in Singapore, particularly one that is not high-rise steel and concrete. Skeptics of maintaining Bukit Brown...

Advantage of growing up a minority in Singapore is that you adapt

Mar. 28 | ~ By Seker Sb ~ The advantage of growing up a minority in Singapore is that you adapt. We adapt to the name calling that begins in nurseries and kindergarten and we continue to adapt when we realize that those names could only have been passed on...

What are MOH’s measures to fight tuberculosis?

Mar. 27 | ~ by: David L K See ~ I refer to the article "Rise in cases of drug-resistant Tuberculosis" (TODAY, Mar 24). Once thought eradicated, Tuberculosis (TB) has made a comeback worldwide, including Singapore. Our densely-populated, tiny island...

Racially insensitive comment by poly student

Mar. 26 | ~by: Jewel Philemon~ Shimun Lai, a 19-year-old student allegedly pursuing the Diploma in Diagnostic Radiography at Nanyang Polytechnic, supposedly tweeted a racially insensitive comment about a minority race in Singapore, which has now gone...

Slavery…Totally Abolished?

Mar. 25 | ~by: Jolovan Wham~ Today is the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Most of the individuals sold into slavery by European and Arab slave traders between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries...