Source: The Online Citizen

Recommended Reads:

Singapore: A Model of Judgment for the United States? by Harvard Business Publishing.

Leong Sze Hian was invited by BlogTV to pen an article for them. We publish it below.

Before we talk about whether Singaporeans deserve to have more privileges than PRs and foreigners, perhaps we could first ask whether there may be any areas whereby foreigners or PRs have “more privileges” than Singaporeans?

Employers which employ foreigners, do not have to contribute CPF.  So, the employer saves up to 14.5 per cent of the salary.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Parental Abuse the most SHAMEFUL domestic crime of all!

Source: Straits Times, 30 June 2009

THERE has been a growing number of cases where children have abused their parents physically. Some have involved perpetrators still in their teens. The assault of parents – the very people who gave life, love and sustenance to their children – ranks among the lowest of the low. All religions condemn it. One only has to recall the biblical proverb – He who mocketh his father, the ravens shall pick out his eye – to get a sense of the heinousness of the crime.

Alas, there remains much ingrained inertia against the reporting of such crimes. A poll done in 2007 notes that many Singaporeans still regard family violence as a private matter. Society in general remains fairly apathetic to family violence. Understandably, parents who report cases of abuse not only shame their own offspring, but also place their own parenting skills – and reputation – at stake.

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Source: National Solidarity Party, 29 May 2009

The National Solidarity Party welcomes the proposals, albeit half-hearted ones, to change the electoral system, as announced by MP Lee in Parliament on Wednesday. Improvements to the system have in fact been long overdue, ever since his predecessor promised the electorate some form of political pluralism and a “kinder and gentler” nation way back in 1990.

The recent attempt to “open up” the electoral system is not unexpected. The tide of change has found favour with the new, younger generation of voters. Coupled with the wave of discontent over the Authorities’ apparent haplessness in tackling the current economic tsunami, the next General Election may spring several surprises. At least one GRC is expected to fall. Thus, being fearful of losing a 6-seat GRC, the Government could have decided to lighten its impact by reducing its size.

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TOC editorial

By Khairulanwar Zaini with contributions by Ravi Philemon and Andrew Loh

Sylvia Lim has welcomed the Trojan horse to enter Troy, and whatever good that can come out of this, it will be a Pyrrhic victory for the Workers’ Party.

Her speech was awkward and painful, not least for the inconsistencies of argument, but also the fact that the Workers’ Party – undeniably the best prospect among the multitude of opposition parties – sacrifices principles to swallow hook, line and sinker the PAP’s tactical masterstroke.

The NCMP scheme fulfills the exigent need of more opposition presence, but retards the overall growth of political liberalization and the concept of an elected representative legislature.

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By Chua Mui Hoong, for the Straits Times
01 May 2009

ST link

WITH sex in the news, I asked my 13-year-old niece: ‘Do you have sexuality education in school?’

‘Yes, my teacher says it’s okay to watch porn!’ she announced cheerfully.

I blinked. ‘What was the context? Did she say, only for adults or something?’

‘Um, she said it’s okay to watch but don’t watch every day otherwise you can get hooked,’ she said, nose wrinkling in recall.

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(Source)

The government’s arguments for the Public Order Bill are unconvincing

Over the objections of the opposition and not a few concerned queries from ruling party MPs, Parliament passed the Public Order Act on Monday to rationalise the existing Public Entertainments and Meetings Act and the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

In presenting the government’s case, Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam tried to square two contradictory motives. On one hand, he presented the Act as a step forward in liberalisation, part of the government’s efforts to adjust its policies to balance the individual’s political space with the need for security and order. To this end Mr Shanmugam cited the Act’s liberal aspects, such as a rationalisation of the permits regime that would do away with the need for permits for “50 per cent” of public activities.

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By Lee Wei Ling, for the Sunday Times
05 April 2009

ST link

My father became prime minister in 1959, when I was just four years old. Inevitably, most people know me as Lee Kuan Yew’s daughter.

My every move, every word, is scrutinised and sometimes subject to criticism. One friend said I lived in a glass house. After my father’s recent comment on my lack of culinary skills, another observed: ‘You live in a house without any walls.’ Fortunately, I am not easily embarrassed.

As long as my conscience is clear, what other people say of me does not bother me. Indeed, I am open about my life since the more I try to conceal from the public, the wilder the speculation becomes.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a letter sent to the Straits Times forum page on 13 March 2009 by Mr Dennis Chua Soon Chai. The letter was not published. I would like to thank Mr Dennis Chua for allowing me to reproduce the letter on this blog.

Growth For the People Desired
By Mr Dennis Chua Soon Chai, 13 March 2009

I refer to the ST Interview on 11 March 2009 headlined “ Why it can’t be more of the same” and “New growth model beyond Jack-of-all-hubs needed”.

Eminent economist, Dr. Linda Lim’s call to Singapore to relook at our growth model should be given due consideration and detailed study by our policy makers and politicians.

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By Lee Wei Ling, for the Sunday Times, 01 Mar 2009
ST link

The Straits Times carried last week a story about a group of Singaporeans whose rented minibus had careened off the highway and plunged down an embankment near Milford Sound in New Zealand.

Two passengers had to be airlifted to hospital. The most seriously injured was a 59-year-old woman who fractured her spine, arm and collarbone and required surgery.

Police believe that the driver was driving too fast and may also ‘have been distracted by the spectacular view’. Those injured had not worn their seat belts.

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Chia Ti Lik, 01 March 2009

I read on Saturday yesterday’s Weekend Today that Singapore People’s Party SPP’s Chiam See Tong has indicated his intention to fight for a GRC in this coming election and one of GRCs he might contest is Bishan Toa Payoh GRC. Chiam did name a few other GRCs to be fair. SPP enjoys proximity and the spillover effect from its seat held in Bishan Toa Payoh. Bishan-Toa Payoh sits just on the fringe of Potong Pasir. In fact if Potong Pasir were to be absorbed into a GRC, it would most likely be Bishan-Toa Payoh. It seems like a natural choice.

This was reason enough for WP to respond. I was directed to a blogpost by Workers’ Party WP’s Yaw Shin Leong on the WP’s CAC (Central Area Committee) which was formed to cover Ang Mo Kio GRC, Bishan Toa-Payoh GRC and Yio Chu Kang SMC. Therein i detect clearly interest by WP’s CAC in Bishan Toa Payoh. To be fair, WP’s CAC was set up shortly after GE2006 which did express interest in Bishan Toa Payoh amongst others.

But that’s not all.

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Chia Ti Lik, 26 Feb 2009

Still reeling from the effects of the subprime meltdown, I view the news of job losses in the developed world and also on the local scene are no less depressing.

In both Singapore and abroad, talks of people needing help during this downturn, has been nothing short of depressing. I however must say that this was expected. In fact i have been waiting for this correction to come.

As you guys are aware, upon witnessing what went on in the insurance industry, i took steps to liquidate most of my hard kept policies which took up quite a bit of my income to upkeep. The amounts lost were substantial but nonetheless it was a comforting thing to keep your money close at hand. It is during such downturns that more people are forced to come to terms which what is truly important and what is truly real. Materialism and greed has overtaken the world. This malaise has caused almost all of the problems the world faces today. A small number of people have been waiting for the change to come. These people are not people whom are in some far flung places like Africa or Alaska but souls who have recognised that there is more to life than just that extra possession or that extra paycheck. Though being wealthy is good and makes life comfortable, life is more than the figure in your bank account nd the thickness of your wallet or the number of properties owned.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Jaslyn’s letter to the Town Council first appeared on her blog here. Her letter was also published by the Singapore Democrats here.

Blogger and activist Ms Jaslyn Go came across an incident in which a Tanjong Pagar Town Council staff member was loudly and publicly berating a cleaner for not doing his work properly. Even if the worker was not up to scratch, Ms Go pointed out that there was no necessity for such behaviour from the council staff. She wrote to the town council to register her concern and to ask that all workers be treated with respect.

20 Feb 09

Mr Wang Yam Peng
Senior Property Manager
Tanjong Pagar Town Council

Dear Mr Wang Yam Peng,

As per our tele-conversation on 19 Feb 09, I would like to make an official complaint against one of your staff for his unbecoming behavior at the lift lobby of my block (Bukit Merah).

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