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It’s ideas and people that count
Feb. 8 | ~by: Raymond Anthony Fernando~ How much difference can one person make? Imagine the impact of the entire nation working together to improve the community. If you have been to IMH for meetings or attended talks there, you will find the word "KAIZEN"...
Thaipusam 2012: A photostory
Feb. 8 | ~by: Cheong Yaoming and Ng Yi Shu~ Thousands of Hindu devotees attended the annual Thaipusam festival at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple yesterday to honour and give thanks to the Hindu god Lord Murugan by carrying kavadi. It is a form of tribute in terms...
SOS Bukit Brown – sorry to hear Tan Chuan-Jin’s priorities
Feb. 6 | The following is a media release by SOS Bukit Brown in response to Minister of State Tan Chuan-Jin’s note 'Bukit Brown…work in progress': In response to Minister of State, Mr Tan Chuan-Jin’s note posted on Friday,...
In defense of young Singaporean adults
Feb. 4 | ~by: Eugene Lim~ I write in response to “The young Singaporean adult” by Ng Kai Ling & Stacey Chia (The Straits Times, Home Section, Page B4, 2 Feb 2012). The accusations about Singapore youth lacking drive and being unwilling to...
Conversations on mandatory death penalty must be based on facts
Feb. 2 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ On 1 February 2012, I wrote an article for TOC titled, 'Death penalty has contributed to low rates of drug use? Where's the proof?'. In that article I had said: I refer to the Law Ministry's media release refuting...
Urbanisation contributes the most to worsening flood conditions
Feb. 2 | ~by: C L Cheong~ In the article posted on TOC on January 19, I have attempted to provide, and to share, a perspective of flood problems. To recap, there are several fundamental aspects to it. First, floods are caused by two types of heavy...
Death penalty has contributed to low rates of drug use? Where’s the proof?
Feb. 1 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ I refer to the Law Ministry's media release refuting Human Rights Watch's (HRW) country report for Singapore. In its media release the Law Ministry said, " HRW also made false assertions. For example, contrary...
Unfair discrimination of Malays in National Service
Jan. 30 | ~by: Shiwen Yap~ It is past time to seriously reconsider the treatment of Malays in the SAF and National Service in general. While potential enemies in the form of Malaysia and Indonesia are both Islamic, I would like to state a simple truth: bullets...
Selective prosecution? Re-open the decision upholding the Vui Kong’s conviction
Jan. 27 | ~by: Damien Chng~ A Criminal Motion has been filed in the Court of Appeal today on behalf of Yong Vui Kong. The motion challenges the constitutionality of the prosecution’s decision to charge Vui Kong with a crime that attracts the mandatory death...
Ethnic based self-help system – broken?
Jan. 27 | ~by: Muhammad Fadli~ The recent news that a man was caught stealing $32 from a mosque for food for himself and his wheelchair bound mother has raised many sentiments. The most pressing is of course the fate of the mother. With her son behind bars, it...
More than 150 overseas appeals to spare Yong Vui Kong
Jan. 24 | ~by: Joshua Chiang~ Following an event at Speakers’ Corner last Sunday to mark Yong Vui Kong’s 24th birthday, TOC has received more than 150 overseas letters – mainly from Germany, the United Kingdom, France as well as Spain –...
Atiqah’s death sentence set aside!
Jan. 21 | ~by: Kirsten Han~ Today (20 January 2012) we’ve received wonderful news: the Malaysian Court of Appeal has set aside Atiqah’s death sentence, replacing it with 12 years imprisonment. Following reductions and the time that Atiqah has already served,...
Some Fundamental Aspects about Floods
Jan. 19 | ~by: C L Cheong~ From time to time a spate of flash floods would trigger off public concern and debate for a while. While newspaper reports and commentaries on floods tend to be fragmentary in nature, a perspective of the flood problems can be gained...
Child Prostitution, Human Trafficking and Poverty
Jan. 19 | ~by: Ellery Aruldoss~ It was in a packed seminar room in Singapore Management University (SMU) that ONE (SINGAPORE) held its forum on ‘Child Prostitution, Human Trafficking and Poverty’. The atmosphere was one of excitement and anticipation...
Don’t give up on Singapore’s Special Olympics
Jan. 16 | ~by: Ellery Aruldoss~ Hanako sits comfortably at one end of the sofa, her arms clasped gently in front of her. She answers my questions with sincere enthusiasm, her eyes at times glistening as she recounts her experiences. It isn’t every day I talk...
No logic in death – Happy 24th Birthday Vui Kong
Jan. 15 | The friends of Yong Vui Kong celebrated his 24th birthday at the Speakers’ Corner today. TOC wishes Vui Kong happy birthday as well and request Singapore’s Cabinet to consider granting him his one birthday wish – a second chance at life. The...
Jolovan Wham: We do this for social justice
Jan. 15 | ~by: Ellery Aruldoss~ ~picture: AH~ Social work has always taken a backseat in an economically competitive nation like Singapore. But there are certain individuals who make the effort to right social wrongs and seek justice for the marginalized in society....
TOC turns 5 – Congratulatory notes from well-wishers
Jan. 13 | President Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam “wishes you and members of your organising team the best and success in organising the event.” “TOC has come a long way from its humble beginning with a simple mission in mind. The ‘gazette’...
The boy’s mother
Jan. 12 | This article was first published on August 1, 2010. TOC republishes this article to support the call to Singapore’s Cabinet to grant him his one birthday wish – a second chance at life. You are also invited to the Speakers’ Corner this...
The birthday that might not have been
Jan. 11 | ~by: Kirsten Han~ When you’re involved in a death penalty case, you’re always aware of the ticking clock. Time is running out. There might be no tomorrow, no next week, no next year. Life events like birthdays are no longer just one more landmark...
Potong Pasir – A town that is losing its soul?
Jan. 10 | the following is a letter from a TOC reader: – It has been 7 months since the General Elections 2011, when Potong Pasir fell to PAP. There were many blogs and heartfelt tributes to Mr Chiam in the immediate aftermath. As I was driving home this...
We’re Five! – TOC Awards Night
Jan. 10 | TOC recently turned five years old. It has been an interesting and tumultuous journey since we penned our first article in 2006, but at the heart of it all is you, our readers, who form the Community of Singaporeans that we have written for. As such,...
In Response to Mr Tan Chuan Jin’s note: ‘Managing Stray Dogs.. Yet Again’
Jan. 6 | ~by: Dr Siew Tuck Wah~ In response to Mr Tan Chuan Jin’s post: ‘Managing Stray Dogs.. Yet Again’ (see HERE). Indeed, the saga over the stray dogs in Punggol has been very revealing. If anything, it has revealed that Singaporeans have a heart. When...
ICA: Citizenship a privilege not to be given arbitrarily
Jan. 5 | Update: Berita Harian reports today that Ms Rosnah Ahmad finally gets her Singapore Citizenship (Link: http://cyberita.asia1.com.sg/msingapura/story/0,6879,204916,00.html). – the following is a non-verbatim translation of Berita Harian’s...
Singaporeans overseas promote Singapore through food
Jan. 5 | ~by: Ghui~ A wise man once said: “There is no love sincerer than the love for food”. No one celebrates that ethos better than Singaporeans who are all too often, already planning dinner before breakfast has even begun! We, Singaporeans...
Transport subsidy for people with disabilities on Transport Minister’s radar
Jan. 5 | the following is an excerpt of he email TOC reader Jo received from the Transport Ministry in response to our reader’s letter to him on 29 December 2011 (see HERE): “Transport Minister Lui would like to express that he is sympathetic to the...
Vui Kong: Think about your own mothers, make her proud
Jan. 3 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ Filmmaker Lynn Lee who is legally trained (and volunteers with M Ravi) and lawyer M Ravi recently visited Yong Vui Kong in prison and told him about their plans for his birthday. They asked him if there was anything he wanted them...
Place more restrictions on pet ownership
Jan. 3 | ~by: Russel Low~ I refer to the Follow-up Survey on Pet Shops and Pet Farms which was published a few days ago. It appears to me that the crux of the problem is still not being addressed. Currently, everyone is fixated with the culling of dogs in Punggol....
Just One Life – how a boy from Sabah kept TOC going
Jan. 2 | ~by: Joshua Chiang~ About a month after the General Elections, playwright Alfian Sa’at asked to meet up with me. He was putting together a new play – Cooling Off Day – which will be featuring snippets of interviews with people of different...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Book Launch: A Nation Awakes
Dec. 14 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ Tan Jee Say and his friends have put together a book of insider views of the GE and PE 2011, which will be launched this Friday. The following is TOC’s exclusive email interview with Tan Jee Say on the book launch: – TOC:...
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...
Human Rights = Cultivating Humanity?
Dec. 12 | ~by: Jewel Philemon~ “Talking about human rights in a rights-based perspective is not wrong, but it is insufficient.” Instead, Mr Richard Magnus, Singapore’s representative to the ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), said...
What constitutes a family unit?
Dec. 9 | by Ghui/ Societal norms are often interesting topics for discussion. They change and develop over time and are often subjective. It is therefore never acceptable to judge or impose your will upon others for what may be right for one may not translate...
Welfare for taxi drivers, no welfare for needy Singaporeans
Dec. 8 | By: Raymond Anthony Fernando ComfortDelGRo- a government linked company has announced that it will revise taxi fares effective 12 December 2011. The changes involve: Basic fares: Flagdown fares will go up by 20 cents for most taxis. Meter fares will...
“If you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys for ministers.” Really?
Dec. 6 | ~by: Jewel Philemon~ “If we underpay men of quality as ministers, we cannot expect them to stay long in office earning a fraction of what they would earn outside.” “If you pay peanuts, you will get monkeys for ministers.” These are some of...
The word “Slut” is an act of violence – SlutWalk Singapore organiser
Dec. 6 | The following is a speech delivered by Cher Tan, one of SlutWalk Singapore 2011′s organiser at the event on Dec 4th. Photos by Terry Xu/ As I was walking up the stage, I was thinking of saying, “We f**king did it!” and then I realized...
What has AIDS got to do with business?
Dec. 6 | The following article is the first in a series of articles focusing on AIDS in Singapore to mark World Aids Day which falls on Dec 1st. by Chong Ai Ling/ The main commitment of businesses is to their bottomline, and most businesses stay away from...
Prioritise lift upgrading in Tampines GRC
Dec. 3 | the following is a letter sent to us by one of our readers: – I refer to the comment on your facebook that reads: “MP for Tampines GRC Baey Yam Keng: I had a session this evening with some residents to explain why their units would not be...
‘Light on the Lotus Hill’ – The story of a Buddhist monk and martyr
Dec. 1 | ~by: Jewel Philemon~ It was the year 1939. The Shuang Lin Monastery in Toa Payoh was getting ready for the “Shuang Lin Monastery Vesak Day Vegetarian Meal Fund Raising Event”, an event that grabbed significant eyeballs for being the first major fundraiser...
S-League 2011: Tampines Rovers Win Last Title Before S-League Revamp
Nov. 28 | By: Damon Yeo A 5-0 win over the visiting BalestierKhalsa FC has helped Tampines Rovers seal their third ever S-League title and their first since 2005. From the kick-off, pressure was on TampinesRovers as the visiting side had nothing more than pride...
Moving past that perennial unfairness: Student Activism and the Student Concession Fare Issue
Nov. 26 | ~by: Bernard Chen~ There is a fundamental unfairness and this inherent unfairness has two facets to it. Polytechnic students labeled as “tertiary” students have to accept a higher concession fare arrangement vis-à-vis their peers in a junior...
YPAP – Remember us as you take to Speakers’ Corner
Nov. 25 | the following letter was sent to the Chairman of YPAP, Teo Ser Luck and copied to us: – Mr Teo Ser Luck Chairman Young PAP Dear Mr Teo We read in The Straits Times dated 24 November 2011, that the Young PAP is taking to the Speakers’ Corner...
Even an imprisoned racist’s thoughts are free
Nov. 24 | ~Editorial~ Sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never harm you. Really?! One commenter on a Facebook re-post which was deemed offensive to Muslims by some, did not seem to think so. Commenting on the thread of the re-post she said,...
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...
