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Hougang residents, a beacon of hope and inspiration. Huat Ah!
May. 24 | By Jen - Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who's obviously a veteran in political tactics, has created a distraction by questioning Workers Party if it has been "honest and upfront" over its reply on Hougang candidate...
Why Hougang by-election is not a local election
May. 13 | ~ By Jackson Tan ~ This article is a response to DPM Tharman’s statement that Hougang by-election is a ‘local election’ and it’s more about choosing an MP on a constituency level rather than national level. I wish to highlight...
Politics not your cup of Starbucks?
May. 11 | By Victoria - I wrote this article for the purposes of putting my thoughts about Singapore’s future (and in turn mine) into words. I’m not writing to tell you to vote for one party or another, but to hopefully make one or two youths...
90% of unemployed residents are Singaporeans?
May. 11 | ~ By Leong Sze Hian ~ I refer to the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Employment Situation First Quarter report. (here) It states that “An estimated 59,100 residents, including 52,800 Singapore citizens were unemployed in March 2012. The...
Media freedom – a bid for trust in policy making
May. 3 | ~ By Howard Lee ~ As Singaporeans – or perhaps only those who go online – we would be familiar with the usual lines of “the government restricts media freedom”, or “the press is controlled in Singapore”, or “the...
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”....
James Gomez: PAP is in policy inertia
May. 1 | ~ By Kumaran Pillai ~ 1st May 2012 – The Singapore Democratic Party was in general elections mode today. For the 1st time in the history of SDP and possibly a first for an opposition party, the SDP has organized an elaborate May Day Rally for Singaporean...
Facebook and The Prime Minister
Apr. 29 | ~ By Dr Wong Wee Nam ~ Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong appears to be loosening up. He has just launched his official Facebook page and Twitter account. In launching the Facebook he wrote “The social media have changed the way we live, work and play,...
Royal Elephant Shoots Part II
Apr. 28 | ~ By Kenneth Jeyaretnam ~ Yesterday I wrote about the PAP government’s willingness to bail out the Eurozone with generous contributions to the IMF’s lending facility (here). Yet a US$4 billion loan (which represents more than US$1200...
Another Government Investment Goes Belly Up!
Apr. 26 | ~ By Kumaran Pillai ~ Ireland's former state telecom operator eircom applied for court protection to allow it to restructure its 3.75 billion euro (US$5 billion) debt mountain. A move eircoms officials said was "necessary and unavoidable"...
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...
Chiam See Tong clarifies article on Potong Pasir Lift Upgrading Programme
Apr. 24 | ~ By: Chiam See Tong ~ I refer to the article “MP wants more time to pay for Potong Pasir lift upgrading” published in The Straits Times on 21 April 2012, and to other newspapers running the same story. Some residents of Potong Pasir and...
$500 fee to import a $10 medical device?
Apr. 23 | ~ By Leong Sze Hian ~ I refer to the article “Has HSA bitten off more than it can chew?” (Sunday Times, Apr 15). The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) recently also introduced a $500 fee for the import of medical devices. The $500 fee applies...
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...
Disassembling GRC system benefits PAP (Part 3 of 3)
Apr. 11 | ~ By Shiwen Yap ~ In Part 1 of this series published yesterday, I argued on the deficit of the GRC System and how the model weakens the voting power of constituents, weakens the relationship between the voter and their MP, entrenches and encourages and...
Disassembling GRC system benefits PAP (Part 1 of 3)
Apr. 9 | ~ By Shiwen Yap ~ The term GRC (Group Representation Constituency) denotes a constituency and an electoral division within Singapore, where MPs are voted in as a group, with the voters choosing on a party rather than an individual basis. The primary reasoning...
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."...
“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...
Hong Kong government smarter than million-dollar PAP
Apr. 5 | ~ By David L K See ~ (1) How the Hong Kong government protected the interests of its own citizens 1.1 "HK overturns landmark ruling on foreign maids" (My Paper, 29 Mar 2012, page A2) A landmark lower-court ruling that would...
AGC appeals against decision in by-election case
Apr. 4 | ~ By Gangasudhan ~ The Attorney-General has just filed a Notice of Appeal against "whole of the Honourable Justice Phillip Pillai’s decision on 3 April 2012" and is also additionally seeking for the "appeal to be heard on an expedited...
Not Many Native Singaporeans Left?
Apr. 3 | ~ By Jen ~ At a dinner party recently, we were conversing about how Singaporeans are different from other Asians when a young Malaysian who works here made a totally unexpected remark: “Well, there are not that many native Singaporeans left here...
Credit card debt seems to be ‘ever-growing’
Apr. 2 | ~ By Leong Sze Hian ~ I refer to the article “More paid credit card bills on time last year, says credit bureau” (Today, Mar 30) which states that “The number of consumers who missed their credit card payments hit a record low last year,...
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...
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...
Median income growth: MOM says +1%, PSD says -0.6%?
Mar. 29 | ~ By Leong Sze Hian ~ I refer to the article "1.618 months pro-rated National Bonus for political office-holders" (TODAY, March 27) which states that, "For 2011, there was no payout under the real median income growth rate indicator, as...
Government replies = ‘sure fail’ exam answers
Mar. 29 | ~ By John Chan ~ I often wonder if one were to answer an exam question in the manner that our government replies to queries, would he fail. As I have observed, government replies typically reframe the question until there is no semblance of its original...
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...
Singapore, the ‘miracle’ economy?
Mar. 28 | ~ By Gordon Lee ~ Lee Kuan Yew. He is a great visionary and the pioneering architect of Singapore’s economic miracle – or so we are told. Just last week, The Economist published an article titled Dangerous Delusions, which amongst other things...
Petain Road name change would open floodgates
Mar. 28 | ~ By Narayana Narayana ~ Prof Tommy Koh' posted a commentary "Should Petain Road be renamed":in the Straits Times of March 20 2012. It must seem rather ironic that the learned Prof Koh is Honorary Chairman of the National Heritage...
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...
Bukit Brown crossroad – a viable alternative
Mar. 27 | ~ By Goh Si Gium ~ With the increased population in Singapore, we envision more land will be taken up by necessary infrastructure. Areas occupied by roads will also have to grow in order to accommodate the concomitant growth of the car population –...
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...
Hougang is not WP’s own little fiefdom
Mar. 24 | ~by: Ravi Philemon~ Should Hougang be reserved exclusively for Workers' Party (WP) to contest People's Action Party (PAP)? Are any other political parties intent to contest in Hougang anathema? This view is expressed very strongly in the blogosphere,...
Five Myths About Bukit Brown
Mar. 23 | ~ By SOS Bukit Brown ~ Wondering what's the fuss about the 8-lane highway that the Government is planning to build through the historic Bukit Brown Cemetery? Well here are 5 of the most frequently asked questions and their answers. 1....
Court reveals two more charges against alleged druglord in Yong Vui Kong case
Mar. 20 | ~by: We Believe in Second Chances~ In a letter responding to Mr M Ravi, counsel for Mr Yong Vui Kong, the Court of Appeal has revealed two further charges made against Chia Choon Leng, the alleged drug syndicate mastermind in Yong’s...
Bukit Brown – what we’ve really lost
Mar. 20 | ~by: Joshua Chiang~ Towards the end of our hour-long tour at Bukit Brown cemetery (which culminated with a visit to the biggest tomb of the cemetery, that of businessman Ong Sam Leong) one of the participants, suddenly declared, “I have learnt...
MOS Tan Chuan-Jin: We failed to conduct a session in line with what campaigners wanted
Mar. 20 | the following are Minister of State for National Development, Tan Chuan-Jin's notes on Bukit Brown from his Facebook: We just had a briefing and discussion on Bukit Brown. This was an opportunity to share our considerations behind the issue of...
Let’s donate to taxi hijack victim’s family
Mar. 19 | In their Facebook post, Changi Airport has indicated how members of the public may help the family of the late Mr Chandra Mogan. Mr Chandra Mogan was killed when a taxi hijacked by a PRC national (after an argument with the taxi driver) was rammed...
The Consistently Missing Employment Statistics
Mar. 19 | ~ By Chua Suntong ~ Throughout the time Goh Chok Tong was Prime Minister (now Emeritus Senior Minister) from 1990 to 2004, government statistics generally did not categorize the Singapore workforce into Singapore Citizens (SCs) and non-citizens. As a...
Urgent need to remodel the economy and reduce dependence on cheap labour
Mar. 19 | ~By: Ng E-Jay~ The PAP government has been steering Singapore’s economy on the wrong course for the past two decades. As a result of their economic mismanagement, we now have a looming crisis in productivity, and wages at the lower end of...
A Rethink of CPF Life
Mar. 16 | ~By: Tan Kin Lian~ From 2013, the Government will be offering only two plans under CPF Life, instead of the four plans that are available now. There are still a lot of doubts about the two plans, i.e. the diminishing amount...
Statistics of CPF members meeting minimum sum requirement at age 55 – a roller-coaster ride?
Mar. 15 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ I refer to the report “Percentage of CPF members meeting Minimum Sum on the rise: Tharman” (Channel NewsAsia, Mar 5). It states that “The percentage of active CPF members who meet their Minimum Sum at age 55 has...
5 Safeguards under the ISA
Mar. 14 | ~By: Teo Soh Lung ~ My last response to Minister Teo Chee Hean’s speech in parliament that was reported in The Straits Times of 20 October 2011 was made on 9 November 2011. The sub-title to that reply was Making use of the Church and it...
Petition by parents of children with autism- MP Denise Phua on the defensive
Mar. 12 | ~by: Jewel Philemon~ A petition making its round among parents of children with autism, seems to have caused Member of Parliament for Moulmein-Kallang GRC and President of Autism Resource Centre, Denise Phua to go on the defensive. On her Facebook Ms...
TNP accused of racism – just words or intentions?
Mar. 11 | ~by: Howard Lee~ When The New Paper published an article on 7 March with a front-page title “Bangla boys show their appeal”, it attracted one reader letter that was never published. The reader took issue with the use of the word “Bangla”,...
Income Disparity and its Perilous Inequality
Mar. 10 | ~By: Ghui~ In the latest string of debates on the Budget, much focus has been placed on the war of words between Mr Chen Show Mao and Mr Vikram Nair. In his speech on Tuesday, 6 March 2012, Mr Chen said that the government “should not see...
Casinos: Gamblers lost $5.7b?
Mar. 9 | ~by: Leong Sze Hian~ I refer to the Government's review on the two integrated resorts. With a total of 273,693 local gamblers visiting the two casinos last year, what may perhaps be a more important statistic to know is how much of the two integrated...
