PM personally focused on Malay leadership renewal
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
SINGAPORE has a good slate of Malay office-holders and MPs and those who perform and measure up will be promoted.
In making this comment yesterday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also disclosed that he is personally focused on efforts to renew leadership in the Malay community and to attract Malay professionals into politics.
He was responding to a question at the press conference about changes to Cabinet and other office-holders and concerns that the Malay community had about leadership renewal.
How will the PAP fare in a long recession?
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
SINGAPORE may have six bad years ahead. So says Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.
How will the ruling People’s Action Party fare in such a scenario?
Mr Lee did not go into the political implications, but a look at Singapore’s recent history throws up interesting thoughts on how Singaporean voters may respond to the PAP in a long recession.
Mr Lee said last week that in a worst-case scenario, Singapore may see four to six years of recession, as the global financial crisis slows the world economy.
TOC Report: Workers’ Party hit by latest spate of resignations
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
(Source)
Monday, 30 March 2009, 5:30 pm
Andrew Loh with contribution by Choo Zheng Xi
Four party cadres, including two candidates from GE 2006, resigned in the past one week but renewal process is on track, says Organizing Secretary
“Salim has the idealism and passion to pursue what he feels strongly about,” said Mr Yaw Shin Leong, the Workers’ Party Organising Secretary and Mr Salim’s team leader in Ang Mo Kio GRC in the last elections. “I wish him well.”
27 year old Mr Abdul Salim Harun’s resignation from the Workers’ Party is not totally unexpected. Rumours had been going around about his wish to leave the party since last year. His presence at the Singapore Democratic Party’s Hong Lim Park protest, during the IMF/World Bank meeting in September 2006, was believed to have raised some eyebrows within the party.
Cabinet changes: A transition team balancing young and old
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Next election crucial for future well-being of Singapore, says PM Lee
By Sue-Ann Chia
THE Cabinet changes announced last week bring in a ‘transition team’ that signals that a younger team is in charge, but with old hands still on deck to steer Singapore forward.
The mid-term reshuffle is based on current office-holders and MPs, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who indicated that the core of Singapore’s fourth generation leadership has yet to be fully assembled.
Explaining Singapore’s style of incremental rather than big bang changes, he told reporters at the Istana yesterday: ‘This reshuffle is another step forward in the long process of self-renewal. It’s a continuing exercise.
Father of David Hartanto Widjaja Asks Indonesian Police for Help
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Source: The Jakarta Globe, 31 March 2009
The father of a student who reportedly jumped to his death after stabbing his lecturer at the Nanyang Technological University, or NTU, in Singapore has lodged a complaint with the National Police, claiming the circumstances surrounding the death were “peculiar.”
Hartono Widjaja said he had heard nothing from Singaporean authorities since the death of his son, David Hartanto Widjaja, on March 2.
The response to his request to the police was hardly satisfactory, Hartono said. “What the police did is unclear,” he said. “They didn’t refuse my report but they didn’t really accept it either. The officer said he wanted to talk with his commander first.”
The new Public Order Act — more arbitrary powers, more tyranny
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
SEE ALSO: Changes proposed to Films Act and enhanced police powers by Ng E-Jay and Shameful piece of legislation by the Singapore Democrats.
Written by Ng E-Jay
24 March 2009
Article 14(1) of the Singapore Constitution states that every Singapore citizen has the right to freedom of speech and expression, the right to assemble peaceably and without arms, and the right to form associations. Even though Article 14(2) states that those rights may be restricted by Parliament as it deems necessary in the interest of security or public order, it is understood that the spirit and meaning of this article is to enshrine in our Constitution a recognition that human beings have certain rights, and that these right should be respected.
Monday 23 March 2009 was a another sad day in our nation’s political history, as the ruling party took steps to further curtail the rights of Singapore citizens to freedom of peaceful assembly in the name of preserving national security.
Doc shortage: Why didn’t we see it early?
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
ST letter by Mr Joey Teo
I REFER to yesterday’s article, ‘1,000 foreign-trained docs still not enough’.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan commented on the need to think about increasing the number of locally trained doctors due to the growing population. Within a short period of three years, 1,000 foreign-trained doctors have been recruited, but it is not enough.
A simple calculation reveals that our medical school will need at least four years to train that number, based on the current picture of 250 to 300 medical students trained each year. Moreover, this is an underestimate of the time required as I believe Duke-NUS Medical School focuses on training clinical researchers rather than doctors to cater to the ill.
This means that, in the next four to five years before the new medical school produces its first batch of trained doctors, there will be a need to employ even more foreign-trained doctors. Pardon the overly simple extrapolation, but the message that there is an imbalance of supply and demand is clear.
Reforming sex offenders
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Prison programme prevents repeat crimes by those likely to re-offend
By Teh Joo Lin & Kimberly Spykerman
BALA Kuppusamy, now 48, was first jailed in 1987 for rape and other offences. He was out five years later, but within 45 days, he was back at it.
During his second, much-longer jail term, he was put through a treatment programme designed for sex convicts likely to re-offend.
But he committed sexual assault after his second release in March last year – and this time, he held out for just 41 days.
Medical cover for foreign workers may be raised
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
HEALTH Minister Khaw Boon Wan is considering raising the amount of insurance that employers must buy for foreign workers who are on work permits.
He said the $5,000 minimum, set at the beginning of last year, might no longer be adequate.
He made this point at a dialogue yesterday when presented with a scenario involving a maid who had incurred $10,000 in medical expenses while she was covered for only half that amount.
Changes to help patients cope with health-care bills
March 31, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
CHANGES to help patients cope with medical bills are on the way, including a radical one to allow them to dip into their Medisave to care for the terminally ill at home.
Singaporeans prefer to live out their last days in the company of loved ones, but most do not do so, ending their lives in a hospital or a hospice, noted Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday.
‘So what is missing is home palliative care,’ he told reporters at the sidelines of his visit to Paya Lebar constituency.
New growth model beyond Jack-of-all-hubs needed
March 30, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
GLOBAL developments make it unlikely that Singapore’s past growth model can be continued, let alone be successful, going forward, says Dr Linda Lim.
It is becoming increasingly risky and expensive for the state to try to pick winners, target particular industries with tax breaks and subsidies and woo MNCs here to drive key sectors.
‘You can’t have everything, even if you’re not small and resource-constrained. Comparative advantage in one sector means comparative disadvantage in another. Trying to do everything will only push up resource costs and make you uncompetitive overall.’
Why it can’t be more of the same
March 30, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
By Susan Long
THERE is no better time than the worst recession in history to ‘re-examine old business models and beat new paths to the future’, says eminent economist Linda Lim.
The last time the economy faltered in 2001, Singapore looked under the hood and started cranking out a slew of Economic Review Committee (ERC) proposals to overhaul society. But the tinkering ground to a halt when good times returned.
‘As soon as Singapore went back to cruising on the financial sector growth bubble, we thought we didn’t have to make the changes after all.’
Medisave will be allowed for hospitalisation overseas, palliative home care
March 30, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) is further relaxing the use of Medisave, this time to allow Singaporeans to cover non-urgent hospitalisation in approved hospitals overseas, and for palliative care at home.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan added that with an ageing population, he is also looking at allowing the use of Medisave for nursing homes.
But for this to happen, he will have to consider raising the CPF contribution rate when the economy recovers.
Astronomical public service pay and CDC staff bonuses: hallmarks of a self-serving Government
March 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Written by Ng E-Jay
21 March 2009
On US President Barack Obama’s first day in office, he signed an executive order instituting a pay freeze on White House staff earning over US$100,000 (S$150,000) per year.
Relating the pay freeze of his officers and public servants to the prevailing economic crisis, he said: “During this period of economic emergency, families are tightening their belts, and so should Washington.”
President Obama also spoke of the privilege of public service, saying: “… we should never forget that we are here as public servants and public service is a privilege … … some of the people in this room will be affected by the pay freeze, and I want you to know that I appreciate your willingness to agree to it, recognizing that it’s what’s required of you at this moment. It’s a mark of your commitment to public service.”
SM Goh says newspaper report on MP Fatimah Lateef inaccurate
March 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
SINGAPORE : Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said a March 21 newspaper report suggesting that Dr Fatimah Lateef, an MP of Marine Parade GRC, had some trouble connecting with management members of Chinese temples in her ward was inaccurate.
The report in The Straits Times had quoted an anonymous People’s Action Party (PAP) cadre as saying this had arisen over issues such as the granting of permits for the holding of events like deities’ birthday celebrations.
The anonymous quote went on to say that “this could be to the detriment of her standing with residents who are Buddhists or Taoists.”
Mentally ill’s insurance quandary
March 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Coverage is poor and often, they are rejected for other illnesses as well
By Radha Basu
DORIS TEO, 40, has plenty to fret about as she contemplates the future from the cramped Tiong Bahru flat she occupies with her elderly parents and two adult siblings.
Both her siblings are mentally ill and have no insurance cover, forcing Ms Teo to spend about $300 a month on medicines and injections for them.
DPM Teo outlines his focus
March 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Help Govt stay connected to the ground; secondly, strengthen foreign ties
By Goh Chin Lian
SINGAPORE’S newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean hopes to help the Prime Minister in two areas that deserve attention in these tough economic crisis.
The first will be to make sure that the Government remains connected to the ground, so that it ‘understands what the concerns of the people are, and addresses their needs’.
This also means ensuring that ‘policies and programmes that we put in place are properly and well-executed, to help mitigate the effects of the economic crisis on our people’.
Sentencing can’t be led by public opinion: CJ
March 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
He also stresses need to explain sentencing policies to the public
By K. C. Vijayan
WHILE courts here have to heed public opinion, they cannot be led by it, says Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong.
He wants judges, given their experience and understanding of the core values of society, to guide public opinion where there is none or when public opinion is divided over sentences meted out.
CJ Chan was discussing the link between public opinion and sentencing in his foreword to a new book he launched yesterday at the Supreme Court.
Teo Chee Hean named Deputy Prime Minister
March 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Jayakumar gives up the DPM job and becomes a Senior Minister
By Sue-Ann Chia
FROM next month, Singapore will have a new deputy prime minister, and for the first time, a woman as full minister.
The new DPM is Mr Teo Chee Hean, who will continue as Defence Minister. He will also be Acting Prime Minister in the absence of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
With Mr Teo moving up, Professor S. Jayakumar will relinquish his DPM portfolio. His new appointment is Senior Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Reaching across mists of history? Rubbish: MHA
March 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
AN ARTICLE on the regional news website Asia Sentinel and republished in a Jakarta newspaper has drawn a stinging rebuttal from the Singapore Government.
Mr John Berthelsen’s Another Day In The Lion City, Almost – an essay about how he was denied entry into Singapore last week – has been slammed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Mr Toh Yong Chuan, MHA’s director of corporate relations, told The Straits Times: ‘Mr John Berthelsen wrote as if he was surprised over being denied entry into Singapore on March 17. He should not be.
