URBANRANT

Questions I would ask the Prime Minister

2011-04-20T07:04:00.000+08:00

Over the course of 2 weeks and in 2 different languages, the PM engaged two dozens of Singaporeans across all walks of life and asked him the pressing questions that they have.

I was wondering what would be the questions I would have asked him. Not discounting that these may not be within the confines of the topics which ChannelNewsAsia has culled from its survey, I think these are important questions for Singaporeans to get answers for:

My questions are:
1) When would the electorate not need the GRC system to support a minority candidate? And what are the steps the government has taken to instil colour-blindedness into the populace to ensure real total defence?

2) When are you going to press charges against Mas Selamat? Afterall, the people who helped him have all been charged and sentenced? To date, Mas Selamat is just a terror suspect. When do you expect to charge him in a court of law?

3) What were the criterias you have put in place to curtail the influx of foreigners? And how will these be tightened moving forward?

4) Can you provide statistics on how many jobs were created for each foreigner we have taken in? And also what is the empirical study which supports that foreigners help to create jobs for locals?

5) How many people are living below the poverty line in Singapore? What is considered by the government a poverty line in Singapore in terms of wages?

6) Given the close relationship between the PAP and the PA and NTUC, what would become of these organisations should the government fall into the hands of an opposition party? Would these national institutions cease to exist? Or would there be a need to co-opt opposition MPs into these organisations.

I think the answers to the above would be telling for the populace to understand.

Of course, no one would allow these questions, but I for one, would like to know his thoughts.

His body language and tone tells us more of him than his words.

2011-04-18T10:05:00.000+08:00

RazorTV's clip

Go watch the clip from 4:00mins onwards where MG Chan Chun Sing explains why calls for a reduction in defence spending is a dangeous thing.

MG Chan (in this video) appears to talk down to the reporters and the Singaporeans at large. Take a close look at his mannerisms and the tone of his reply. He is telling you what he knows to be the truth. He understands history and you don't tell him that defence is not important.

Let us analyse a person who speaks like this. He was an ex-general. He has not fought a war or a conflict. He is the chief of army in his early 40s. He is used to be saluted and called Sir. He tells others what to do as a profession. He orders, and his men do the deed. No questions asked.

But now he is a politician. He is not even a parliamentarian yet. He has not won a single vote. He may not need to if his assigned GRC gets a walk over again.

But he comes in here and TELLS Singaporeans what is the truth and what is important.

Let's take a look at the 2011 Budget expenditure on defence.

A total of S$12.075bn is estimated on defence.

Some facts on this amount:
1. This is the single biggest item on the government expenses list.
2. It represents 20% of the government's spending.
3. Every $1 that the government gets from you, it spends $0.20 on defence.
4. It is an increase of $580 million increase from 2010's expenditures.
5. In one year, we have increased our defence 5.2% on what is already a very large base.
6. We have(going to have) in Parliament/Cabinet a large representation of military personnel. Given that this is a large representation in a Cabinet of 12 members, these represents a rather uneven proportion of military representation in the core political office. Are we run by a benign military apparatus?

- PM Lee
- Teo Chee Hean
- George Yeo
- Lim Hng Kiang
- Lui Tuck Yew
- Lim Swee Say

Newbies
- MG Chan Chun Sing
- Col Tan Chuan Jin

7. Not to mention we have many government linked defence organisations in Singapore.
8. The next biggest item on the Budget is education at S$10.9bn. In recent years, the proportion spent on education based on % of GDP has increased, whilst % spent on defence has decreased. However, the amount spent on education is $1.165bn less than defence.
9. We spend 10.6% more on defence than teaching our young and preparing them to be contributors to society. Is that the right priority?

I do not particular disagree with the message that he brings, in that we live in a small country and that for our own security we should really take care of the security of our nation in a careful, considered and holistic manner. That said military defence is only part and parcel of an overall defence strategy.

What I disagree with is the over-reliance on the current regime to call upon the military men who very brilliant in their academic studies and their leadership abilities. These men work for 1 employer their whole life. They rely on a chain of command to execute their duties and they obey orders. They get promoted based on their superiors' assessment, not a P&L. Their achievement as militarymen (and fortunately) is to organise the National Day Parade.

They follow their superiors. They must because in war, men live and die by that.

But do we want so many of them running the country? Do we get empathy from them? Do they understand the private sector and the need for profits and innovation? Do they know when they need to step out of bounds? Do they think there is an alternate voice? Will they listen to their men?

And if you take a look at this video and how MG Chan (brilliant as he must be) answers the reporters' questions... I am not sure he is the right leader for us...

I am going to revive this blog and start updating again.

2011-04-17T07:14:00.000+08:00

At least that is what I will try to do.

To Minister Khaw: We need more information and updates on H1N1

2009-11-25T09:10:00.000+08:00

The following report appears in the ChannelNewsAsia website November 24, 2009

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1020303/1/.html

27 cases of adverse reaction to H1N1 vaccine reported so far

SINGAPORE: The Health Sciences Authority said on Tuesday that 27 cases of adverse reactions suspected to be associated with the use of the H1N1 vaccine have been reported so far.
But "these reactions are non-serious anticipated side effects such as fever, rashes, flu-like symptoms, headaches, nausea and vomiting", said an HSA spokesperson. "These reactions are commonly expected from all flu vaccines and most of these reactions are resolved within a few days."

…..

HSA said it is closely monitoring the safety of the H1N1 vaccines that are available in Singapore, and doctors are "strongly encouraged" to report all cases where patients have suffered serious side effects due to the jabs. - TODAY/vm

When H1N1 first struck, the health ministry and the populace were shaken to action. We took active preventative measures to curb the rise of cases in the country. We were not entirely successful and we were one of the countries with the highest incidence rate on a per capita basis. We reported cases daily and were concerned about the death rates, new cases and recovered cases.

However, when the cases reached a significant high level, we stopped reporting. Of course, we followed WHO guidelines and it is now at a community level infection. But should we be given more information on at least a monthly basis.

I would like to know the number of new cases each month. This is important information so that we can be constantly reminded on this disease among us. And we continue to take good preventative measures like hand-washing and going out when we are not feeling well.

Are we still coping well in the fight against H1N1? How many deaths are there in Singapore as a result of H1N1? Give us a scorecard, because it is good to know.

I need to go to the toilet now so as to avoid going to the toilet for a bigger one later

2009-11-23T06:00:00.000+08:00

I like Singapore leaders' logic.

Applying the same logic to a person's life, i can imagine the thought process if the person wants to eat a dinner buffet. Sensing that he is going to have a large bowel to move after the buffet, he starts to take a laxative now, just so to avoid having to move a bigger bowel later (if he indeed have a larger bowel later).

Sorry for my shit logic. But I hope you at least appreciate the possible parallels here.

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20091122-181541.html

Reason for property tax hike

By Sue-Ann Chia SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
THE property tax of HDB flats is being raised next year partly to avoid having to introduce a bigger increase later should home prices continue to rise, said Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts Lui Tuck Yew.

He gave the reason on Sunday when he was asked, at a dialogue with Aljunied-Hougang residents, whether the Government could have delayed it since the recession has just started to ease.

Noting that the adjustment had been delayed once, in 2008, Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui said: 'The problem is the longer you defer it, the larger the increase will be in the property taxes if HDB prices continues to go up.'

Why I think MM Lee is wrong about the learning of the Chinese language

2009-11-18T14:57:00.000+08:00

I would like to disagree with some of the comments and conclusions that MM Lee Kuan Yew has drawn over the issue of learning two languages.

From Straits Times, 18th November 2009, “MM Lee wants MM Lee wants learning of Chinese to be fun”

'I wasn't helped by Ministry of Education (MOE) officials. They were basically two groups of people, one English-speaking, the other Chinese-teaching,' he quipped.

Chinese teachers in the 1960s and 1970s were Chinese-educated purists who emphasised character-writing and dictation in the teaching of Chinese as a second language, which 'turned the students off completely', he recalled.

According to MM, the reason for the difficulties in teaching Chinese was because of the boring teachers in the 1960s and 1970s. But from what I can recall the same can be said of English teachers back then. This was the way languages were thought; be it English or Chinese. Back in 1960s and 1970s, did MM recall a big difference between the exciting multimedia and sensory enjoyment of teaching English grammar, spelling and vocabulary and the dull and dreary world of Chinese writing, reading and memorizing.

For me I cannot recall ever thinking to myself; Chinese was taught by boring Chinese teachers and English were taught by hip and cool English teachers. To me, both the languages consisted of memorizing words, how to spell or write them and also trying to recall how to enunciate them. Both were just as difficult to learn.

So why did MM think that the problem with Chinese language education lies with the Chinese educators? Because, it is an easy buck to shift.

For me, I think the reasons that lie behind the apparent perception that learning Chinese language is difficult are as follows:

1. The lack of a context of Chinese language in our daily lives. We come across multiple races in Singapore, and the use of Mandarin is limited. We speak to our Malay and Indian neighbours in English so that all of us can understand each other. Our road signs are in English. The signs on the buses are in English. Supermarket labels are in English. The lack of Chinese context in the Singaporean lifestyle, I believe, is a severe limitation as our exposure to Chinese language is within the confines of a textbook & classroom situation.

2. English is ‘taught’ not only during English class, but also during Physical Education, Arts, Mathematics, Science and other classes. Not Chinese. Chinese is only taught in Chinese classes. We just simply have more chances to use, learn and improve our English in comparison to Chinese. The same simple logic can also be used to explain why our adults have a hard time remembering all the rich details of our history classes in Secondary schools or the finer points of geographical studies. If we do not use it, we lose it. The more we use it, the better we get.

3. During the period of 1960s and 1970s, English use was in its ascendancy. If we look at the entire socio-political context and the cultural background of these two decades, we will understand the ‘emphases of speaking and writing in English. In politics, America and (less so) the UK was seen to be the world power. The US has its arsenal of nuclear and long range missiles. China on the other hand, was a backwater of communism. Shunned by the world and having closed its doors. In the local context, one can even be looked upon suspiciously as a Chinese chauvinist. Or worse one who harbours secret Communist links and of carrying inclinations to overthrow the democratic government in order to install a socialist government. Few wants to be perceived as a communist and many preferred to be ‘Westernised’.

4. In economics, English was the dominant language for commerce. I believe MM himself proclaimed the importance of the understanding the West. Of understanding and mastering the language of business, of science and of the future. English was widely seen to be progressive and outward looking. And rightly or wrongly, Chinese was perceived to be regressive. Do you want to learn the language to understand the growth markets which is booming at above 8% or do you want to learn an ancient language which is hardly the one which seems to represent economic regression? Do you noticed how many Japanese schools and Japanese language students there were during the years when the Japan economy was booming?

Against these cultural, economic, and social/political backdrop, the ‘boring’ Chinese teachers reason seem so small. The odds were stacked against the ‘boring’ Chinese teachers. They made the students memorise words and paragraphs. Their stories were of ancient teachings. And their lessons hardly made sense outside the classroom. The language of Chinese has no chance to succeed.

The English teachers also made the students memorise spelling, grammar rules and also vocabulary. But the English teachers had it good. It was hip then. Beatles, Bee Gees and Deep Purple all sang and rocked in English. It was fun, at least outside the class room. It was useful, because you can get work in the government, Western companies like IBM and General Electric.

It may have been just as boring as the learning of Chinese, but the learning of English was set in a context which helped its absorption and transfer. Poor old Chinese did not get a helping hand.

Back to the MM’s explanation and his push to get Chinese teachers to make Chinese more interesting. This is a wrong conclusion. The same things that made Chinese dated and regressive are making learning Chinese more interesting now. China has lots of economic growth, wonderful opportunities for employment and jobs. The proliferation of Chinese-culture in Hollywood movies, Canto/Taiwanese pop music is widespread.

We have lots of native speakers in the country now as well. These days, if you buy food from a food court or get service in shops, chances are you will come across Mandarin speaking Chinese nationals who worked here. By having more of them here, we have now created a backdrop where speaking Chinese is more common. We use it more in our work (when we communicate with China and Taiwan). We use it when we shop and dine. And we now think of it as a progressive language.

All these are much more important factors than the over-simplification of MM Lee.

Just like we did not plan for the deterioration of our Chinese language capability, we also cannot plan for the inevitable improvement in our Chinese and Mandarin skills in the next two decades.

We, Singapore, can do more for the climate change effort. Here are 8 things I like to put forward

2009-11-17T10:46:00.000+08:00

I am a bit disheartened by the Singapore government’s decision not to sign the Copenhagen treaty on climate change. I have not read the treaty in detail nor have I read the official reply from the government in any great detail either.

However, the non-signing of the treaty seems like a bad gesture on the part of Singapore.

Firstly, Singapore is itself not a large nation which has huge industrial and manufacturing facilities which add a lot to the pollution and harm. In fact the signing of the treaty may provide needed impetus to move the economy towards even more service and knowledge intensive sectors.

Secondly, the fact that we have given the thumbs down to the treaty for the reason (‘growth’) given is also very myopic. Many people can see that green technology is in fact a budding sector which will grow exponentially in the coming years. Many large conglomerates are now focusing efforts in this area (General Electric and Philips are just some examples). In fact, a small nation like ours can be a hotbed of ideas and prototyping for all of such activities. We have the agility and the appropriate small size for testing all types of new green ideas and products. And we can be in an unique position to blend the innovation and production. But no, we are not keen at this stage.

I believe that we can still do a lot for the environment. So here below is a short list of things Singaporeans can easily do to minimize the harmful effects of global warming.

1) Reject the use of disposable cutleries. No more wooden chopsticks and plastic forks and spoons.

2) Minimize the use of plastic bags. Where possible avoid taking plastic bags from the supermarkets and stores. Don’t do a double bag.

3) Do not give out serviettes and wet tissues in restaurants. Use the liquid disinfectants which do not require washing. Learn to use a cotton handkerchief again. Our mothers were right, handkerchief is better.

4) Take a shower. Levy a high water tax on developers who install bath tubs and Jacuzzis. Those things use up a lot of water, and take up a lot of space.

5) Start a campaign to keep shopping malls and office buildings at 25/6 degrees Celsius. If you need to wear a sweater indoors in Singapore, something is wrong. Levy an electricity tax on additional cooling units needed for buildings to be cooled lower than 25 degrees Celsius.

6) Give a tax credit for intelligent building construction. Give double tax credits for buildings installed with motion sensors who will shut off the lights when no one is in room, elevators who will pause if no one is on it, and lifts that will ‘shut down’ based on traffic volumes. Encourage further greening of the office and shopping malls by giving further tax breaks for each additional trees and plants on their premises. Let malls and offices take an extra deduction for LED and other lower energy light source (including sunlight).

7) Give town councils the KPI on their carbon footprint. Make sure that they track the carbon footprint and hold them accountable. They should encourage alternative energy sources. For every solar panels installed in their precinct, HDB flat or government building, they get an offset against this carbon footprint. Every HDB flat roof top can be used to position solar panels to at least generate some electricity to power the water pumps or to light the corridor lights.

8) Tax the use of fresh-pulp printing paper and use the credit to ‘fund’ the lower prices for recycled printing paper. The amount of paper in use in office is atrocious.

It is about time we move away from focusing on the Clean in Clean and Green, and focus on the Green.

We should be concerned with skyrocketing HDB prices

2009-11-13T13:30:00.002+08:00

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_453762.html

$653k for 4-room HDB flat (works out to $674 psf)

This report of the record breaking sum exchanged for what amounts to public housing is indeed alarming.

Why this is an important issue to take note?

The principle of affordable public housing for everyone

The notion that the government (via HDB) ensures that every Singaporean has a home to call her own is a noble and commendable one. From the onset with HDB's creation, the Ministry of National Development did a wonderful job in developing areas like Kallang, Toa Payoh and Bendemeer in satellite towns. HDB provided affordable homes which are clean and accessible.

Besides this, the wonderful planning that goes into it also ensured transportation (public buses), sanitation (URA and ENV), financial (CPF) and other macro aspects were also similarly dealt with. With the initial years of HDB, we see a transformation of Singapore from a kampong to a modern metropolis of clean and admirable public housing.

Fast forward to 2009, we see HDB venturing into building 'private' housing. We see HDB doing waterfront living. We see HDB selling its houses at market subsidies (which translates to cost plus 'margins that government wants'). We also see HDB operating at huge deficits. Of course, HDB is still supposed to ensure affordable public housing. The government says so. But why does the HDB put its nose all these pots which do not seem to serve its fundamental mission of affordable public housing.

Mis-pricing or Mis-management

What happens to Singaporeans' ability to afford public housing when we witness costs of public housing going 2.5 times after the initial sale of the home to the first set of owners? In the short span of four years (eh, I thought we must hold the HDB flat for at least five years??), the price has risen 2.5 times to over S$600,000.

This fact alone highlights that we have either mis-price the HDB home when it was first sold to the first owners.

Or, that there is a bubble building up in the market. When there is a 250% gain to be had for holding your property for just four years, it is plain that there is something wrong here. The fact that the price for the property was more than S$60,000 than bank valuation means that the buyers are paying in cash S$60,000 over what they must loan/draw from CPF. This sort of money may indicate a loop hole where the buyers are buying into an asset which is clearly not intended for them.

According to the article, the new buyers were an Indonesian PR and his wife. To put down S$60,000 cash, means that the buyers are unlikely to be within the S$8,000 monthly income ceiling.

The S$8,000 family income ceiling was set for first time buyers. This cap was to ensure that only 'eligibly' less well-off families are given the opportunity to buy 'subsidised housing from the government. But when the secondary market is not similarly 'capped', there is an inflationary effect because choice units can then be bought be wealthier families who cannot qualify for the first round. Valuations made by banks/property agents are pegged to ongoing resale market prices, and this price gap between the first round and second round purchase creates an inflationary momentum for the price to get even higher.

When HDB measures the 'market subsidy' for pricing its public housing, it will then review the prevailing market prices of the units sold and bought in the secondary market. This creates a second wave of inflationary pressure which HDB will then equate as increase value of its property. To the government, this is a form of asset enhancement. Some economists call it inflation, or worse a bubble.

So why do we allow ourselves to have moved so far from the core mission of HDB.

The fallacy of 'upgrading'

Singaporeans are by our nature, very competitive and we struggle to swim upstream all the time.

We like the fact that our house is worth more. We like the fact that our CPF has more money than before. We like to know that our HDB homes are better than our father's HDB home. But is it?

Sure, the value of the property is higher. It probably has a bigger zero at the back.

But think about it, the old four room HDB flat probably has more than 110 square metres. Now, it is probably 10 square metres less (a room no less). In the past, the HDB blocks are build further apart. Look at Sengkang and Punggol, new fangled apartments called Punggol Vista means having four blocks of HDB flats forming a square overlooking a tiny patch of grass, blocking air circulation and view. The older flats were equipped with convenience. If you have garbage, you just walked into your kitchen and you can dump your refuse. Now, you have to take a walk (outside your home).

So what is upgrading actually? Have we improved? The numbers stacked up higher but the quality is so much lower now.

Singaporeans should be mindful. We have a generation of early leaders who were visionary, bold and meticulous. We should be thankful for that.

The new generation in charge of housing and city planning has different objectives. And they probably do not include 'affordable housing' in the same context as before.

Loan sharks harrass neighbours into becoming runners

2009-11-12T09:26:00.000+08:00

I wrote about the high rates of arrest for the runners earlier (see urbanrant blog post), but we seem to hear very little about the actual mastermind being arrested or sentenced.

From Straits Times forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_453192.html

Neighbour told to act as loan-shark runner

EARLY this week, my front door and gate were splashed with red paint when no one was at home. The unit number of a flat below my level and two telephone numbers were scrawled on the wall of the staircase landing.

I called one of the numbers and a loan shark told me he committed the acts because the debtor had provoked him when he threatened to harass the neighbouring units. He then asked me to get the debtor to pay up or else the harassment would continue. In other words, he expected me to be his runner!

I made a police report and the officers also took a statement from the debtor in the other unit.

According to her, her husband's friend had borrowed from the loan shark, using her husband's identity card. She told the loan shark to 'do what you like' as her husband's friend was the one who had borrowed the money.

She had also made several police reports when red paint was splashed on her immediate neighbours' front doors and gates.

If the police had been informed of such harassment in our block, I wonder why patrols have not been stepped up to nab the culprits.

Sightings of policemen making their rounds are rare in this vicinity, despite the numerous police reports. We should not be surprised that the thugs are getting bolder and more blatant as they now target flats above the debtor's unit.

Furthermore, who is liable for the cost of cleaning up this vandalism?

Josephine Tay (Mdm)

This forum letter highlights to severity of this loan-sharking epidemic. From the letter, I can gather the following:

Innocent neighbours were harassed in order to ensure the ‘actual’ borrower pay money. This means that totally innocent Singaporeans and PRs are now ‘recruited’ by this very brave loan sharks to do their bad deed.

In this particular case, the motive of the harassment was made clear to the victim. There is an audacity to get the victim to call a mobile phone number left behind by the perpetrators. This is an outright inducement to commit crime.

Reports were made to the police by both the innocent victim as well as by the family of the person whose IC was used to obtain the loan. What have the police done?

It is clear that there is a string of leads for the police to follow up?

I can count the following:

The phone number left behind by the loan sharks. This number works and the victim actually spoke to the loan shark.

There is the identity of the ‘borrower’. There is a fair assumption that the borrower knows the friend who borrowed the money. This friend must have known how to contact the loan sharks.

The crime scene. The crime of vandalism at both homes will give some evidence of the tactics, materials used.

This is a target for the loan sharks to come back for future harassment. A stake-out is necessary but has it been carried out. In the forum letter, apparently, there were already several attacks and several police reports made.

Can we count on you to save us from the clutches of the ever-more menacing loan sharks? Will the audacity of the loan sharks grow as they deploy more ways to get innocent victims to do their dirty work? Should we start a citizen vigilante who will band together at every block, armed with brooms, pans, woks and cleavers, to chase down anyone with a pail of paint.

So the obvious is to ask the OBVIOUS question again: what now, police? Please act, before it gets out of hand.

Status quo gives us 3% growth. The need for new thinking.

2009-11-11T10:08:00.002+08:00

http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_451975.html

From the article in Straits Times:
SINGAPORE'S economy could grow at 3per cent next year, after what currently looks like a 'healthy' fourth quarter, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said yesterday.
This is the first time a Government official has put a number to 2010 growth. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) is expected to release its official forecast for next year's growth later this month.
Ahead of that, MM Lee's comment - made in a speech last night at a community event - puts next year's growth slightly lower than private-sector economists' forecasts.
But slower-than-usual growth is exactly what Singaporeans must expect in the next several years, which is how long it will take Singapore's major trading partners to climb their way back to a full recovery, Mr Lee said.
…

After convincing the population of the sound PAP team that they have in place which will ensure a high rate of economic growth and also a Swiss standard of living, we are now at a place which languish at a rate of 3% growth (moderate is a understatement) and also a country which has the widest disparity in income levels. Whilst the government will no doubt point to the fact that the big countries are plodding along at 0 to 1% growth in Japan, US and Europe, they have forgotten to look closer to home.
Nearer to home, we have Malaysia which has recently predicted a 6% growth despite recent years of political uncertainty, upheavals and losses for the ruling party. In Indonesia, which the PAP government likes to scoff for its poor corruption index, is doing just fine. In fact, Indonesia is expected to grow at 4.5% or more.
I do not want to suggest that the opposition will do any better. But the ruling party has for so long likes to boast of its accomplishment in managing the economy well. It seems like Singapore, whether with an able captain at the wheel, still cannot rise/fall without the tide of the sea. Is our economic miracle a factor of the rising tide or the able captain in steering us to the Promised Land?
What kind of tradeoffs have we made in this pursuit of 'economic growth'?
The point I put forward is that Singapore no longer needs One-ruling party to have economic growth and prosperity.
Our people are cosmopolitan, internationally travelled and very well educated. We are no longer the same as four decades ago. The way forward for us as a nation is to be a knowledge intensive, creative thinking and original innovators. We must become a hotbed of new and bold ideas. We must be willing to learn fast and fail faster. Only by experimenting and constant developing, can we survive the changing economic landscape.
We can no longer wear the tight corset that makes us attractive to the MNCs. We must be a nimble, agile and quick thinking population of independent thinkers, able and willing to challenge the status quo.
Forget 3%, let's dream of 8% growth. And the only way to do it is to be different and daring.
And 'different and daring' are rarely the adjectives used to describe people who remain in power for over 40 years.

Is the penalty too light for such a crime?

2009-11-06T13:15:00.001+08:00

Is the penalty too light for such a crime?

7 employers charged for breaching Employment Act (CNA website, 6 Nov 2009)

Posted: 06 November 2009 1041 hrs

SINGAPORE: Seven employers were charged in the Subordinate Courts this week for offences under the Employment Act.

The Ministry of Manpower said five were charged for failing to provide their workers with the statutory benefits under the Act.

These included failing to or under-providing their employees with annual leave, rest day, and other infringements.

Two other employers were charged for not paying salaries to their workers.

One employer was also convicted this week for infringements under the Act.

A cleaning company, Lian Cheng Contracting and its Director Cher Peng Ho, failed to provide annual leave for four employees over a period of two to four years.

There were also unauthorised deductions from the salaries of three employees between January and April 2008.

Each pleaded guilty to 15 charges.

The company was fined S$8,500.

Cher was fined S$9,500.

MOM said since January, 20 companies had been prosecuted for Employment Act infringements.

I must say that the news report from ChannelNewsAsia website is sketchy at best. In this article, the reporter mentioned that a total of 7 employers were charged in court. Although there was a brief summary of the type of offences, the article switched to a particular case of Lian Cheng Contracting and Cher Peng Ho (its director).

A total of thirty charges were levied to both the director and the company and the plaintiffs have pleaded guilty. In all, a sum of S$18,000 was the total penalty for both parties. This worked out to a meager S$600 per charge.

It was not reported on how the Ministry of Manpower was alerted to this offence. And whether there was a whistleblower among the employees.

Given the nature of the business of Lian Cheng, it is likely that the employees 'cheated' by the company, in terms of denying annual leave benefits and making various illegal deductions, were older and less-educated cleaning workers. Consider this: the company does this to the most vulnerable. Surely, the penalty to the employer who thinks that they can get away with this is too small. Only S$600 penalty for each offence.

The employees of the company are the victims here. In all likelihood, either the cleaning company will fold up or find a reason to dismiss these employees who have given them 'trouble'.

In a country, where the labour law does not give sufficient protection to aggrieved employees, the workers are the ones who will be squeezed. In a country which does not set a minimum wage policy, employees are always on the lookout to cut corners employing cheaper labour. Without a minimum wage law, the 'smallest' worker will be paid as much as the next cheaper worker will accept.

No wonder we have such a wide wage gap. But our government is pragmatically pro-business.

More youths caught for loan sharking, what about the masterminds behind these operations?

2009-10-22T13:38:00.002+08:00

In today's Straits Times, it was reported that another young offender was caught and sentenced for loansharking activities.

MORE YOUTHS CAUGHT FOR LOANSHARKING

* OF THE 505 persons arrested last year, one in eight, or 63, were youths aged 19 and below. Two-thirds of them or 42 were arrested in the second half of last year.

* For the first half of this year, 81 youths were nabbed for illegal moneylending-related activities - a 1,350 per cent increase compared to 2006 when there were only 12.

I would imagine that young people who caused mischief and harass the debtors are not the mastermind or the 'banker' of the money lending operations. These youths are probably the lowest rung of the organization; paid on a piece meal basis for each 'job' or based on commissions on the amount collected. I have no knowledge of the actual loan sharking operations but these are my 'trying-to-be' guesses.

Although the police should be applauded for arresting so many youths, we should question the progress made towards getting to the root of the problem.

1) Have we managed to get to the chiefs of the operations and whether arrests have been made?

2) Who are these masterminds behind the loan sharking business?

3) Are these loan shark masterminds linked to other types of criminal activities?

4) What is the ratio of the loan shark mastermind arrests as compared to the runners caught?

5) What can we do to further deter youths from becoming a runner?

As usual, I have more questions than answers. But it is at least reassuring that something is being done to curb the harassment.

The rare treat : Straits Times siding with the opposition MPs' position against the ruling politico

2009-10-22T08:43:00.002+08:00

I could not have said it better, so let's keep this 'verbatim'.

http://www.straitstimes.com/Prime%2BNews/Story/STIStory_444994.html

THE official reply from the Ministry of National Development (MND) to justify why opposition MPs should not manage the Government's lift upgrading programme (LUP) in their wards raises many questions.

The MND's argument is as follows: The LUP is a national scheme that ought to be managed by government representatives, as elected opposition MPs are not answerable to the Government.

So the task falls to government-appointed grassroots advisers in Hougang and Potong Pasir. In this case, both are People's Action Party (PAP) candidates who lost at the polls.

To press home the point that opposition MPs have no right to manage the LUP, the National Development Minister's press secretary Lim Yuin Chien said in a reply to Workers' Party MP for Hougang Low Thia Khiang:

'Mr Low is mistaken when he cites the 'will of the people' expressed in general elections to justify why he should play a leading role in the LUP in Hougang.

'The will of the people expressed in general elections is to elect a government for the country as a whole; and not to elect separate local governments for each constituency.'

Mr Lim added in his letter to The Straits Times Forum Page: 'Singapore has a one-level system of government. MPs, whether People's Action Party or opposition, do not constitute a local government in their constituency.'

These arguments deserve a closer look. Let us first consider 'the will of the people', as expressed by the votes they cast in elections.
The general purpose of general elections here is undoubtedly to elect a national government, as Mr Lim points out. But voters also choose their local representatives: Members of Parliament.

The individual who commands the support of a majority of MPs becomes the prime minister and he forms the government. In most democracies, the prime minister is usually also the leader of the party with the most number of MPs in Parliament.

The Singapore system is quite different from, say, Israel's, where voters vote directly for political parties - not individual candidates - and parliamentary seats are divvied up according to the proportion of votes each party garners.

Here, we elect MPs directly; and the majority among them choose a prime minister. In our system, MPs do have the mandate of voters. We vest in our elected representatives the power to speak on our behalf and act in our interest. They are our particular, local MPs - not the representatives of the amorphous 65 per cent or 35 per cent or whatever who voted for particular parties.

Yet Mr Lim said Mr Low is wrong to assume that this gives him the authority to lead the LUP in Hougang. 'MPs - PAP or opposition - do not constitute a local government in their constituency,' wrote Mr Lim.

If that is so, it is a principle that should apply to all 84 MPs, equally. But only the two opposition MPs are denied the right to manage the LUP.
The MND's justification appears to be that the Government works through grassroots advisers on national schemes. PAP MPs are appointed as advisers to the grassroots organisations in their wards by the People's Association (PA). In the two opposition wards, the PA picked the PAP candidates who contested but lost in the wards in the last two polls as the grassroots advisers. Therefore, the Government should work with them, not the elected MPs, in those two constituencies.

This would imply that the Government accords more recognition to grassroots advisers than MPs. If this is the case, Singaporeans may ask: So what happened to their elected representatives?

To Mr Lim, the MP's role seems to be confined to that of running the town council: Collect service and conservancy fees from residents and maintain the estate. And yet town councils, he emphasised, should not be considered local government - for Singapore has only 'one level of government'.

This statement, however, contradicts statements that senior government leaders have made previously.

In the 1997 polls, for instance, then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong upped the stakes by getting PAP candidates to come up with detailed plans for their constituencies. The aim was to get voters to decide not just whether a candidate could make speeches in Parliament, but whether he also had concrete plans to improve people's lives, Mr Goh said.

'With town councils and community development councils, and my intention to give more power and responsibility to them (MPs), every election in a constituency is indeed a local government election,' Mr Goh explained at the annual PAP conference held before the polls.

At another event, he elaborated: 'In every constituency, there will be a local government with a local programme, and how you vote will affect immediately your own interest.'

His point was reiterated by then Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew when Mr Lee commented on the PAP's 'local government' strategy. 'We know that if there is no direct stake, everything is the same, then the voter does not take his vote seriously. He would if he knows that he has a stake,' he said.

Then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong added: 'They know that the way they vote will influence their own personal well-being - their town, their neighbourhood, their property values.'

In the two elections that followed the 1997 polls, PAP leaders continued to invoke the 'local government' argument.

Singapore is not a federal state - so yes, there is really only one centre of power. But that does not mean that there is no local government - in practice and by policy.

When the Government announced in July that the LUP would be applied to ageing HDB flats in Potong Pasir and Hougang earlier than expected, many Singaporeans saw it as an act of political goodwill, recognising that all citizens - regardless of who they voted for - should benefit from national schemes.

Unfortunately, that act of goodwill was marred in its execution: In this case, MND's insistence on working only with the appointed grassroots representatives instead of the elected opposition MPs.
sueann@sph.com.sg

Is it really a 'fine' or a chunk of change when bus operators do not meet PTC standards?

2009-10-16T18:18:00.002+08:00

http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_442838.html?sunwMethod=GET

SBS Transit, which runs about 75 per cent of the services in Singapore, was fined $500 for failing to meet standards, down from $4,500 in the review released in April.

Four of its buses were found to be overcrowded on five occasions in the latest review. In the previous assessment, 16 services did not meet the standard.

SMRT was fined $200, up from a $100 fine previously, because one service did not leave the terminal on time while another was overcrowded. Previously, one service was overcrowded.

The fines are a result of the review conducted from December last year to May this year.

Both operators met the other standards of bus availability, bus operating hours and up-to-date bus information, among other things.

Mr Gerard Ee, chairman of the Public Transport Council (PTC) which conducts these assessments and sets the standards, said: 'We are encouraged to see the improvements of the operators' performance.'

It is quite funny when you read that the Public Transport Council fined the two public bus operators S$500 and S$200 respectively. Both penalties are of such meager amounts.

I can imagine that if we have not implemented the cash card payment system on the buses, we could have easily emptied out the coin box in one shift to collect more than S$200 to pay off the penalty. Even now, with the cashless payment facility, I would imagine that it will not be difficult to cough up enough in coins from less than 10 buses in one shift to pay the fines imposed by the Public Transport Council.

To have a truly meaningful penalty, the fines must be of sufficient amounts so as to cause the bus operator to pause and consider making an improvement.

If I am the CEO of the bus operators, I would have chosen to pay the fine each and every time, rather than have a lower bottom line from increasing capacity (to minimize overcrowding) and ensuring a consistency in bus departing schedules. The costs of implementing these two findings, would have outweighed the fines. So I will choose to ignore the problem and simply pay up.

It is so ironical isn't it?

When you drive your car in the bus lane, you get a S$80 fine. If you have three cars driving on the bus lane, you would have already paid more than a bus company paying its penalty for overcrowding its buses (at the possible 'risk' of its passengers).

Did we misplace our priority here?

Thumbs up for abolishing this age-discrimination practice

2009-10-16T12:31:00.002+08:00

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1011710/1/.html

According to a Straits Time article on 16^th October 2009, the Labour Minister were quoted to be giving notice to companies that he intend to push through changes to prevent pay cuts of employees once they reach age 60.

Under current legislation, employers are allowed to reduce the senior workers' salaries by up to 10%. This means that a sixty year old will in all likelihood suffer a paycut because of his age and not because of his abilities or his contribution to the company.

I applaud the Minister's comments on this issue, as I find this labour legislation discriminatory in nature.

Given the Singapore government's pro-business stance, and its willingness to use a blunt tool to 'protect' jobs, this indeed a welcome reprieve.

Whenever, the economy takes a turn for the worse, the Government will swing its big cleaver (i.e. CPF rates) to chop and trim the wage costs burden of employers to ensure that the companies can a reprieve. However, this elasticity applies only in a single direction. The cuts and chops to the employers' CPF rate has not been reinstated. Together with the lowering of the maximum monthly salary attracting CPF deductions, this has resulted in a permanent reduction in salaries, across the board, no matter whether the person or her company is doing well or not.

I am glad that another blunt tool to moderate wages are going to be abolish. There is a lot of flexibility accorded to companies to reduce its headcount or let its people go, the government should occasionally take a pro-worker stand too.

I am just happy that it is going to stand with the workers this time.

Ways to improve the transparency of housing agents in Singapore

2009-10-15T12:44:00.002+08:00

I was rather intrigued by the calls to regulate the property agents in Singapore. This industry, very much like the life insurance industry in the past, ‘suffer’ from a low barrier of entry.

This means that it is easy for a person who wishes to ‘sell’ properties to be able to get in on it.

One has to be familiar with HDB rules (assuming the agent wanted to operate in this segment), standard contract law, basic property and estate tax, and also bank and property financing operations. Only until recently, it is also not required for one to have certification or formal training to become a housing agent. This low barrier means that either a lawyer or a clerk can become an agent.

So what are the ways we can make the industry more transparent and ‘fairer’ to the people for use their services. These are my suggestions.

1) Have agents disclosed their conflicts of interests and include a penalty for errant agents who do not comply. Agents must disclose their own and their families’ interest in the properties that they sell. Under this category, they must also disclose whether they are also representing the other party (the agent need to disclose the fact that he is in fact acting on behalf of both buyer and seller).
2) They must disclose whether they have represented anyone else (during the last six months) for the same property that they are selling or buying. This will disclose to the buyer the situation where the agent has been flipping the property from one speculative investor to the next buyer.
3) Agents must also disclose the source of other income besides the agents’ commission. This should extend to agents who receive incentives from banks to entice borrowers. The housing agents act like a financial adviser in certain situations when arranging for the buyers to take up a loan, and they have a duty to disclose this fact to the buyer themselves.

Who should HDB work with for Lift Upgrading Program

2009-10-13T09:34:00.002+08:00

Having release a joint-letter by HDB and PA, the MND now claims that this letter should be read in conjunction with the Minister's explanation to the media.

Well and good. So let's do it:

HDB programmes are carried out and funded by the Government. This is no different from other government programmes such as building of roads and schools. In the case of HDB upgrading, this channel is the advisers to grassroots organisations, who are appointed by the Government.

The above statements got me really worried. If the Government can appoint whoever they want to build roads and schools, as they do with HDB upgrading. What can they not do? Well, they can appoint the PAP youth wing (maybe with a re-named moniker, Youth Builders) who are advisers to road building advisers to the Government. And then they award the control and administration to the Youth Builders. Is there any conflict of interest? Of course not. This is silly. The money belongs to the government who generates the surplus and they can jolly do what they want with it. The Government earns it so it decides, but did the government really earned it?

The Government pays up to 90 per cent of the cost of the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP), with the rest shared between the residents (5 per cent) and the town councils (5 per cent). Funding for LUP is possible only because of the Government and the Budget surpluses it has generated through prudent policies.

According to the Press Secretary of MND, the cash coughed out for the lift upgrading came from surpluses attributable through prudent policies. Surely the Secretary must have done his sums and concluded that the government surpluses each year are coming from the careful and thrifty habits of the Government. As I have learnt in school, surpluses came from the excess of income over the expenditure for a given period. Of course, it is not likely that the high income of the government came from excessive tax burden on individuals and companies, market-subsidy pricing of government housing and HDB maintenance fees levied at higher than required. But no, the Government is congratulated for stretching each dollar it receives by making sure that everything it spends on is value for money and it has done well. Never mind that occasionally a thorny Auditor-General has the decency to publish its scathing reports across Ministries.

Opposition MPs are not responsible for generating budget surpluses. There is therefore no basis for opposition MPs to lead the LUP - a national programme funded mainly by the Government. Mr Low is mistaken when he cites the 'will of the people' expressed in general elections to justify why he should play a leading role in the LUP in Hougang.

Surely only the Government is the only reason for Singapore having a surplus. It does not count much that there are almost 3+ million Singaporeans paying taxes. Yes, some do not pay income tax. But surely, you can consider that even the baby wearing diapers are paying taxes each and every time it poops. But no, the Government should get the credit. And generates surpluses, it does.

Singapore has a one-level system of government. MPs, whether People's Action Party or opposition, do not constitute a local government in their constituency. In the case of HDB upgrading, this channel is the advisers to grassroots organisations, who are appointed by the Government. Opposition MPs are not answerable to the Government, nor are they obliged to carry out and explain the Government's policies.

Yes, we can all agree that opposition MPs are not answerable to the Government, but are the grassroots organizations more answerable than them? They are not even answerable to the people whom they court once every 4 years. If the grassroots organization in the opposition wards are more answerable to the Government than the elected MPs, I would like to know how the Government made them more answerable. Is this responsibility spelt out in the Country's constitution, statutes, laws or by-laws. And how are the Government ensuring that what is essentially a not-for-profit organization answers to it?

The will of the people expressed in general elections is to elect a government for the country as a whole; and not to elect separate local governments for each constituency.

The Secretary is right to point out that in a general election the idea is to elect a government for the country. However, when there is a general election walk-over, the government is 'elected' automatically regardless of individual wards being contested. In this situation, is there still a presumption that people are expressing their 'election' of the government? Or is this more of an election of the individuals whom they want as their MP or those they would like to reject (even if they are part of the ruling party)? What kind of will is being shown in this situation?

The letter is a clear indication to the extent for which the civil service believes it is an instrument of the ruling party. The lack of a regular 'check' of the systems causes the system to be rigid and non-responsive. It is like a transmission system of the car. When the car is only driven using the 1st gear forward for 40 years, it is likely the reverse gear is faulty. It cannot engage, even if it should.

Home Affairs Minister says the police not doing its job is just a matter of perspective

2008-08-08T08:05:00.000+08:00

This is an interesting take on law and policing in Singapore.

Apparently, in policing Singapore, there can be a bit of give and take. I guess that the minister intended for the statement to meant for normal citizens and surely not opposition political characters.

So now, if some one commits a crime, are you sure you want to complain if the act is not caught or responded to by the police. Surely, the police is just giving the person a chance to do nice things the next time around.

If someone gets into a fight with another person, and the police does nothing, surely that is the same as a person parking wrongly and ignored by the police.

By trying to spin such incidents (minor ones about parking and ambulance speeding) where the police practice leniency (otherwise known as not having caught the criminal), the minister seems to be explaining a slew of police fiascos in the past one year (Selamat, court escapes, Tok getting out of SIngapore via walking, etc)

Lest you try to think that I am trying to simplifying the issue, I think I am entitled to that.

Afterall, the minister just equated public order and crime to ambulance speeding and parking offences.

Straits Times, August 8, 2008
Maintaining order a balancing act for Home Team: minister
By Bertha Henson

THE Traffic Policeman decides not to give you a parking ticket - and you're relieved.

But somebody else has witnessed what you consider an act of kindness, and complains that the officer is not policing the law.

That's the conundrum the men in uniform face - when to enforce order strictly and when to loosen up to create more space for individuals.

The public expects to be 'immunised from the less convenient realities' of modern city living, such as crime, drugs and traffic congestion, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng noted on Wednesday.

'Even as such expectations rise, there is in some quarters a contradictory shift in attitudes,' he said at the Ministry of Home Affairs National Day observance ceremony.

'As much as there is a desire for order, there is a desire for a loosening of that order.'

A balancing act is needed, he said, to satisfy those who argue that Singaporeans can be trusted to manage themselves, and those who demand protection from disruptions in their lives.

What this means: Officers on the ground have to make judgments each day, rather than 'follow the rule book blindly'.

Not that it is easy.

A Civil Defence ambulance driver might well be risking life and limb - and others - if he speeds to the rescue, said Mr Wong giving another example.

But if he does not step on the gas, he could be too late to save a life.

His speech came after a series of setbacks to the Home team, starting with the escape of terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari from Internal Security detention in February.

He acknowledged the anxieties officers now face: that rules and regulations will be tightened even further, leaving little room for judgment calls.

Another worry: That penalties for mistakes will be so harsh that officers focus on avoiding errors, rather than do the job of arresting and detecting.

Standard operating procedures will always have to be reviewed, but in light of real-life operations - not 'in abstraction'.

And while mistakes must be accounted for, he promised that judgments will always be fair and just.

We now know that a pair of breasts is worth $710 for 6 months

2008-08-08T08:00:00.000+08:00

Thanks to CASE and Straits Times reporting it, we have now come to know the worth of a pair of breasts for 6 months.

Apparently, this value is ascribed to a lactacting set of boobs by CASE, when it compares the value of various forms of powdered infant formula across the island.

I wonder why the newspaper choose to value the mothers' milk on a six month basis. Perhaps there is some study that this is the average period breastfeeding mothers do so for an average of 6 months' period.

I prefer a simpler metric.

If the value over 6 months is $710, it will be equivalent to $118 per month.
Or $3.94 per day.

That means, each time i catch a glance (which is 2 seconds, assuming i do not gawk) of a pair, it is worth a measly sum $0.0009.

Thanks to the Straits Times, i know the value of a pair of breasts. :)

Straits Times, Aug 7, 2008

Save $710 by breastfeeding for six monthsMOTHERS who feed their babies breast milk exclusively for the first six months stand to save $710.

The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) came up with this figure by comparing the costs of breastfeeding - breast pumps, cooler bags and ice packs - with the cost of six months' worth of formula milk powder.

The price survey done last month covered nine brands of infant milk formula at 11 major supermarket chains in Singapore.

Karihome Goat Milk Infant Formula was the most expensive, at $1,219.38 for 20kg; the cheapest was Nestle Lactogen 1 Infant Formula, which cost $244 for the same amount.

Case executive director Seah Seng Choon, noting that this is World Breastfeeding Week, said consumer feedback on rising dairy prices spurred the survey.

He said: 'We have received calls from mothers who say it is now more expensive to feed their children. We want to provide them with cheaper alternatives, and breastfeeding is one of them.'

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation's index of dairy product prices for April confirmed that prices are 25 per cent higher than in the same month last year.

Mrs Lena Leong, 30, who is still breastfeeding her 21-month-old son, reckons she has saved at least $2,000, aside from giving her child health benefits.

She said: 'We mothers are all talking about how it has become much more expensive to have children now. Cutting out the cost of milk powder helped me a lot.'
She is a member of the Singapore chapter of the Breastfeeding Mothers' Support Group.
JESSICA LIM

Interesting tussle between the AG and the judiciary

2008-07-29T09:28:00.000+08:00

Do you (like me) get a sense that the current AG is edging towards more confrontation with the judiciary here?

Or is this impression created by the media?

Walter Woon is a highly respected law thinker and it is interesting when we see like-minded brilliant minds in law debate publicly things of interest to the public, like crime, punishment, rights (of the individual and state).

I hope the tussle between the executive branch and the judiciary continues to the betterment of our system here.

Interesting....

From Straits Times: July 29th 2008
Sentencing guideline: Point of contention

ATTORNEY-GENERAL Walter Woon made a radical call for a long-established sentencing guideline known as the Hodgson criteria to be 'buried' in Singapore's courts.

Since 1991, High Court judges here have applied these criteria in determining when a term of life imprisonment should be imposed.

These arose out of an English court's judgment, known as Hodgson's case, in 1967.

The judge in that case set three broad conditions which justify the imposition of a life term:

Where the offence is grave enough to require a very long sentence; when the offender is a person of unstable character who is likely to re-offend; and where the offence is 'specially injurious'.

In Singapore, these criteria were accepted by the Court of Appeal, first in a 1991 case and later, a 2005 case.

But Prof Woon yesterday argued that Hodgson has been 'wrongly accepted' here.

He argued that by 1967, the death penalty had been abolished in the United Kingdom, and life imprisonment was the highest punishment an English court could hand down.

But in Singapore, life imprisonment is not the most serious punishment as there is the death penalty, he said, arguing that the threshold for a life term cannot be set so high. 'There is nothing special about the life sentence that requires a special criteria,' said Prof Woon.

He likened the conditions to 'a series of hurdles for the prosecution to jump over to justify life sentence'.

But Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong pointed out that this case was of manslaughter which is not a capital charge.

Judge of Appeal V. K. Rajah also noted that former CJ Yong Pung How had said the criteria were only guidelines.

'The key thing is that we don't think we can bury Hodgson because the ghost will continue to haunt us,' he said.

If Prof Woon wanted it dropped, then he had to come up with a suitable substitute, the judge added.

ST headline paints totally different picture of the going-ons between the AG and the Court of Appeal

2008-07-29T06:11:00.007+08:00

I read with interest the tos and fros between the current Attorney General and the judiciary.

Much has been said in the public domain between the AG and members of the judiciary and there is nothing to add from me on that front.

However, today's news paper article on the case of Aniza Essa headlined as " Prof Woon: Trial judge relied too much on mitigation plea" again led me to question either the editorial compentency of the ST's news editors or that they have an embedded tendency to favour the executive branch of the government in Singapore.

Whilst Prof Woon claims that the lower court gave too much credence to the defence mitigation plea of being abused and suicidal, the courts and the judges here already responded (as stated clearly in the article) that the onus lies in the prosecution to prove otherwise. In fact, the defence has also shown the prosecution in the lower court that the defence in advance and no objections were raised as to those defences. Now the AG steps in to make reference to those items and states that the Court over-rely on those items. I am not arguing the merits of either Prof Woon's point or the case for the judges opinion.

What I am perturbed is the utter dis-connect between the headline and the body of the article's text. The text (if the editor reads carefully) suggests that the court has merit in relying on the defence's plea. Afterall i would like to believe that the onus is on the prosecution to prosecute and to show proof. Otherwise, all of us might as well be presumed guilty at the pleasure of the public prosecutor.

Come on, i think the ST can do better than this.

From the Straits Times: July 29, 2008

Prof Woon: Trial judge relied too much on mitigation plea THE judge who sentenced Aniza Essa relied too heavily on her mitigation that she was a battered wife and suicidal, said the Attorney-General.

Professor Walter Woon argued it was the defence's job to prove the claims they used to plead for a lighter sentence.

But all three judges of the Court of Appeal disagreed, saying the onus should be on the prosecution to challenge information put forth which it was not prepared to accept.

Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong said that if the defence had to prove its mitigation, it would create a huge problem for the court as 'the whole family will have to go into the witness box' to testify.

'When the prosecution keeps quiet on everything, it will be very difficult for the court to take it upon itself to say I don't accept this or that,' said CJ Chan.

Judge of Appeal V.K. Rajah said the prosecution at the trial had not raised issues with the veracity of these claims which Prof Woon now raised.

When the A-G asked for a structure to be put in place so that it is clear whose duty it is to question such claims, CJ Chan said: 'We already have a structure for a long time.'

Mr Noor Marican, Aniza's lawyer, said he had shown his mitigation to the prosecution before presenting it to the court. The prosecutor asked for several changes and he had made them. The prosecutor had not disputed the parts about the abuse and the suicide attempts.

'They cannot now come and question it,' Mr Marican said.

SELINA LUM

Straits Times' spin on ERP gantry leaves me in stitches

2008-07-24T08:00:00.001+08:00

I am continuously amazed by the level of reporting and headline reporting of our beloved Straits Times.

Although I no longer subscribe to the print edition of the paper, I do not really miss out on the comic strips found in Life, because sometimes the news reports are even more hilarious.

Take the following report which gives the reader the exciting new information that the snazzier ERP gantry information panel.

The headline will give the reader the impression that the reader that motorists have just been given the utility of a rear view mirror or when motor-cyclists were given brake pedals.

Come on... this is just a glorified sign board to tell you how much to pay for driving pass.

For goodness sake, this article is almost telling us how delighted a death-row convict looks when he sees the LED indicator telling him his weight as he steps onto the new and improved fast-action guillotine.

From Straits Times (July 20, 2008)
http://www.straitstimes.com/News/Home/Story/STIStory_259508.html

Snazzy displays get the nod from motorists
By Aw Cheng Wei

Motorists are giving the thumbs up to Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) charges - at least the way the amount payable is displayed on gantries.

Snazzy, colourful icons of vehicles and the amount motorists have to pay at various times are now revealed brightly on a panel at the top of the gantry.

First unveiled on July 7 when five gantries downtown became operational, the new-style display has since been set up on 40 of 65 gantries in use.

By Nov 3, the panels, each costing about $65,000, will be on 70 gantries. This is when six more gantries will come onstream in places like Commonwealth Avenue, Jalan Bukit Merah and Alexandra Road.

Previously, the gantries flashed only one message - ERP in operation - with the fee displayed on a panel at the roadside, and only for some gantries at that.

A spokesman for the Land Transport Authority said the fee payable can now be read 100m from the gantry. This means motorists will have an idea of what they will have to pay the next time they travel that way during that time.

The move got the thumbs up from 15 drivers whom The Sunday Times spoke to. 'The pictures of the vehicles next to the ERP charges are quite interesting. When I first saw them, I actually slowed down to take a look,' said Mr Lim Yong Han, 30, a sales manager.

Some said the information helped them keep better track of their CashCard usage. Said Mr Thomas Sze, 37, a human resource executive: 'Sometimes, you forget how much money is left in the card. The display reminds you of the amount to pay and you can check beforehand if you have enough.'

But still, there is no getting away from paying the ERP charges. As taxi driver Tan Keng Lee, 54, said: 'Useful or not, still must pay, right?'

Primary One School Registration - Citizens vs Permanent Residents

2008-07-23T08:00:00.000+08:00

The following post is an article written by a close friend who goes by the pseudonym, Panadol.

Under the current primary one school registration system, the child of a citizen is assigned equal ranking as the child of a permanent resident (PR) in getting enrolled into the primary school of choice. This means that the child of a PR, be it from China, India, Malaysia who may have only recently settled in Singapore, will get the same chance of entering into primary school of his/her choice compared to the child of a citizen, who has spent most of his life, borne, grew up and live in Singapore.

I wonder if factors such as national service performed by a male citizen (2.5 years of active service and 13 years of reserve services) were ever considered by the government before deciding on such an arrangement.

It would be extremely difficult for me as a male citizen of Singapore who has served national service to accept that my child may lose out to a child of a PR in getting enrolled in a school of choice (with better resources and facilities) as we are assigned the same ranking.

Some may argue that the PRs also contribute to our economy so they should be allotted equal rankings, but even if we were to disregard or ignore the national services served by our citizens, the question we should still ask ourselves is in times of a national crisis, whose children are more likely to stay behind to defend Singapore.

Lately, high profile, ultra rich PRs have been enrolling their children into premier primary schools through participation in parental volunteer programme (PV). PV normally requires 40 to 80 hours of volunteer work and the children of the volunteers will in return get priority during the registration exercise. As PV is opened to both citizens and PRs, it means that the child of a PR who participated in the PV will have priority over the child of a citizen who has not.

40 to 80 hours of volunteer service takes precedence over 2.5 years of active service plus 13 years of reserved services, does it make sense?

The legalization of organ trading - Government going down a slippery path

2008-07-21T09:37:00.003+08:00

The recent comment by Minister of Health on the issue of legalizing organ trading sends a shiver down my spine.

It seems that no vice is too big for the PAP government.

We have already legitimized gambling when we poured time and investments into building a giant infrastructure for Singapore's visitors to gamble. And of course we allow Singaporean with means to do likewise if they were to cough up a miniscule fee (*by these people's standards).

But right now, we are now seeming to explore the option of allowing people to 'trade' organs.

On the one hand, this practice of life-saving must be applauded because it does allow people to continue to live for a prolonged period if kidney patients can find suitable organs for a transplant. Otherwise, these patients will have a sustained period of dialysis followed by death.

However, by allowing organ trading, the Singaporean government seems to be saying that wealthy but otherwise unhealthy people can simply buy a replaceable part from a poorer person.

This notion reeks of a form of means-testing to the extreme. Only a mercenary government can allow such idea to be even considered.

Any form of organ trading would involve a payment of sorts where a poor sod can sell his organs for a healthy return.

By allowing and encouraging this, this government is suggesting a price tag for each of your body part.

A very cynical part of me is wondering whether the 'measures to prevent abuse' fathomed by Khaw would be such that a poor Singaporean man may be allowed to 'gift' an organ to a richer foreigner.

Is this an early form of extreme' medical tourism or a way to get rich individuals to migrate here with all their wealth.

After all, soon we will have the best infrastructure to attract the wealthiest in the world. Security, prosperity, a government that is open to immigrants and pro-business....and with organs available, what's not to like in this island paradise in the tropics.

We did not learn because the punishment was not severe enough

2008-06-16T08:30:00.000+08:00

We now have another incident where the competence of our security officials are now called to question.

Do you wonder why we bother to praise the competence of our men in blue? As a country, we are often lauded for our excellent civil service and top-notch brain power in organising an effective administration.

But is such confidence misplaced? Are we, as a nation, tad complacent?

So what ills us as a nation, that we have deteriorated to such an extent that we now have official media and PAP members of parliament question whether we have learn any lessons from the escape of Mas Selamat.

From: http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Courts%2Band%2BCrime/STIStory_247024.html?vgnmr=1

Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Law Teo Ho Pin said on Thursday: 'When Mas Selamat escaped, that was a wake-up call. But I'm not very sure how many people have woken up.

'There must be checks and balances that the message is conveyed down effectively to the last man in the force. Things mentioned at the management level or in the media may not go down to the last man.'

My hypothesis of why this is happening is that the punishment that has been meted so far, has not gone far enough to cause a dent in the psyche of the organisation and shake it out of its complacency.

If you look at the punishment for hiring of illegal foreign workers in the construction worksite, the ultimate penalty (for repeat offenders) is the caning of the perpetrators. CEOs of construction company stands to have their bottoms opened up if they decide to hire illegal workers and get caught.

As far as I can tell, the practice of the hiring of illegal workers have subsided significantly. Despite the boom in local construction sector, there is little indication that the problem has returned.

So, the penalty for the 'illegal act' does deter offenders from even thinking of doing such an act. The government has oftentimes acted (even to the extent of appearing unnecessarily harsh) to meet its ultimate objective to do good.

So why does the men in blue appear not to have learnt this lesson?

We have not learned the lesson when Tan Chor Jin (one-eyed dragon) fled the country to Malaysia.

We did not learn the lesson when Took Leng How (ala Huang Na's case) walk across to Malaysia without even attracting any sort of alert or attention from the border control officers.

We also had a known terrorist leader walk out of detention from a Singapore prison and remain at large for more than 3 months.

We now have 2 convicted robbers attempt escape from a court of law. One even managed to get out of the building and raced more than 100 metres from his original point of lockup.

So why have we not learnt the lessons?

I think this is because we have not handed out the punishments where it matter most. At the very top.

When CEOs are held accountable for corporate malfeasance during their watch, it does not diminish the guilt we place on the lowly perpetrators. But it does shine a light on the matter s strong that everyone in the organisation sits up and pay attention to internal controls.

When the Minister of Home Affairs escapes any sort of punishment and the Director of Internal Security Department walk unscathed after the regional terrorist organisation's leader escape from a facility intended to hold terrorists, people in the organisation will also believe in the words of the leaders.

If the Minister and the Director believe that the lapses lie at the foot of the 'little people' who failed to perform their duties and who had lapses of concentration, maybe the rest of the policemen, customs officials, immigration officers and other home team officers will also believe the same.

They will think that only the person charged with monitoring the convicts are responsible and not themselves. In the court escape case, the person who buzz open the gates holding the convicts did not bother to check. Why? Because he believes the role is the officer who is monitoring them. He does not believe that that officer could have been hurt and the convicts are ready to escape.

If we compartmentalise responsibility and punish each individual act of security lapse, we will not have a systemic approach to ensuring our security. We will assume each compartment works perfectly and that our individual role is only limited to what is in our individual box.

Therein lies the problem.

No one assumes that overall responsibility. If the leaders continue to believe that they are not responsible for tying up the compartments, we cannot assume that the system will work.

So far, the system barely suggests to me it can work.

All the individual lapses (bar Mas Selamat) are insignificant on their own. But seen as a whole, I am not so sure whether these incidents should be looked at in isolation.

This Lee allows protests.

2008-06-12T07:49:00.004+08:00

These days, there are lots of Lees in the news.

In Korea, thousands of people throng the streets to protest the beef deal inked with US farmers.

In South Korea, there is wide spread dissatisfaction with the ruling government and some of the indignation lands squarely on the President himself.

So much so, that the cabinet has volunteered to resign to placate the rising tide of uproar against a government whose only 'fault' in this entire episode was to allow much-maligned US beef to be imported into cow-meat living Koreans.

Koreans are big time beef eaters and the fact that US beef has in the past been tainted with scares of mad cow diseases has not helped.

According to an Economist report (http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11527004), 100,000 took to the street to protest the government's stance to allow US beef imports into the country under a free trade agreement.

This is an interesting angle. The government in Korea is acting on the 'allegedly' good faith when negotiating a US-Korea free trade deal would benefit Korean companies (and the country in general) boosting the exports of Samsungs and LGs. This is a justifiable cause for a tradeoff in allowing US beef into the local market and if you believe some medical reports, US beef is safe to consume. After all, Americans are also eating the same beef.

So what gives the Koreans the right to assembly and protests?

Do they not know that their government cares about their financial well-being and the country's economic prosperity?

Or they risks spilling blood on the streets over the locale of the item on their daily menu?

The Koreans seem to think so as people from all walks of life (even mothers pushing prams) participated in the call to end the beef deal.

So what can Mr. Lee do? This Mr. Lee is obviously protecting the economic well-being of the populace and yet is faced with a disenfranchised population.

Meanwhile, another one quotes the often mentioned economic performance statistics as a ends-justify-means approach to suppress dissenters, opposing voices and near-pyschopaths.

I wonder what is the equivalent analogy is applied to Singapore. Does it simply mean that Singaporeans are willing to take some diseased-beef as long as our wallets are properly lined.

I think, some Lees have it good.

Singapore courts grants arrest warrant without bail for insulting a judge

2008-06-02T08:00:00.001+08:00

Insult can be a serious crime.

Especially if a public servant is concerned.

The reputation of the servant is at stake and no one should question the Singapore justices' inalienable right to their prestige, reputation and good name.

The nature of such a crime is so severe and its consequences so dire that it warrants an immediate arrest to the perpetrator.

From the newspaper article, one can infer the lengths which has gone into nabbing this alleged perpetrator.

1) Arrest is not adequate; arrest without bail is more appropriate for this heinous crime.

2) If you send an email promulgating half-truths, deceit and useless lies, you will be hunted down and arrested.

3) Laws of insult extent to everyone, even a tourist. If you have a foreign friend visiting us, you will be well advised to warn him from talking too much to a local taxi driver. Better still, keep topics to safe topic like the hot weather and how Singapore is such a nice and well developed country.

Well paid public servants are entitled to their reputation. We cannot risk putting them at risk.

The perpetrator of this alleged crime also posted his email to his blog (http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/2008/05/singapore-judge-belinda-angs-kangaroo.html ).

Of course, Gopalan Nair is no ordinary tourist. He is an ex-Singaporean, ex-Workers' Party and ex-politician who has a history of going head to head in contesting local elections.

Seems like the authorities took up the challenge that he threw in his email and blog entry; and arrested him as a result.

But he did leave an interesting thought; did the course of natural justice prevail? Will the international opinion sit in the corner of the Lees and the esteemed wisdom of Belinda Ang? What will PERC think? What will Amnesty International think about this case?

From Channel News Asia: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/351129/1/.html

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested a former Singaporean for the offence of "threatening, abusing or insulting a public servant".

In response to media queries, police confirmed that Gopalan Pallichadath Nair, who is now a US citizen, was arrested at Broadway Hotel along Serangoon Road on Saturday.

A warrant of arrest without bail was granted by the courts for the arrest.

Nair is alleged to have sent an email to the Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General which contained statements amounting to the offence of insulting a public servant.

The statements were directed against Justice Belinda Ang, a Supreme Court judge. The statements were also posted on Nair's blog.

Nair is presently in police custody. He will be charged in court on Monday.

No sign of Mas Selamat, but at least we found a new home for Ge Ge

2008-06-01T08:02:00.001+08:00

After 3 months of looking for the elusive (and now renowned) terrorist, we are still not able to catch up with him. But I am sure the man in blue is still trying their very best. I hope the police constables and station inspectors are working hard and will soon get lucky in tracing Mr. Limp.

After all, I would hate to see that after 120 days, the Minister announce a sacking of another 9 officers who has been tasked to look for the MAN and failed. I hate it when responsible men of uniform tried but failed in their mission.

But at least I take comfort in the fact that the abandoned puppy of a once beloved chairman of Singapore's most prominent charity is now taken care of. And our local daily found it necessary to report this important piece of news.

It is a nice warm fuzzy feeling knowing that our canines are taken care of in this beautiful tropical paradise of ours.

(See Asiaone: http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20080531-68168.html)

New home for ex-NKF chairman Richard Yong's dog

IT has been a year since Richard Yong's dog, Ge Ge, was put in the care of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The 13-year-old shih-tzu now has a new, doting, mistress who calls her Moby.

Last month, Yong, 66, a bankrupt who fled Singapore and was jailed for 15 months last year but is on the Home Detention Scheme since Jan 10 this year, had inquired about Ge Ge's well-being through this newspaper.

When the former chairman of the National Kidney Foundation fled in May last year for Hong Kong after failing to pay nearly $1 million to the NKF arising from a civil suit, he left Ge Ge behind in the care of his Filipino maid.

She has since left Singapore, which led to Ge Ge's subsequent adoption by its first owner, nurse Zheng Dexin, 25, in September last year.

Aware that the pooch belonged to Yong, Ms Zheng kept the name Ge Ge (which means Princess in mandarin).

But Ge Ge wandered out of the house six months later and was found by housewife Madam Ivy Quek, 60 - two blocks away from Ms Zheng's home in Stirling Road.

Doc sex on spy cam case: gaps in Straits Times reporting

2008-05-22T06:40:00.002+08:00

Very often, I will read an article on the Straits Times and be left with a list of questions which pop into my mind.

The ST reports often do not address the gaping holes they leave the readers with.

The news article on the doctor who claims that he was blackmailed because his partners had video of him having sexual trysts with the assistant in the clinic is an example.

He made a police report saying he was being blackmailed. The police took the pictures and video recording, but dropped their investigations last August.

- Why did the police investigated but drop the case? Was it because there was a lack of evidence? Nothing was even addressed in the report.

- Why did the reporter not speak to the Police about this? If the police cannot comment on the matter because it is now a court case, then the reporter should reflect this.

- By stating the fact and yet not address it adequately, the reporter either insinuates that the police dropped the ball during investigation or that this is not a material fact of the case.

- The crux of the report is not about the stains on the mattress or about the Dr. Khairul allegedly showing Dr Tam's wife the photos. These are sordid details of a news tabloid. Yet Straits times did not focus on the criminal or civil implications of a police investigation which was dropped.

Sadly, i have grown very used to poor reporting from Straits Times. Without a viable alternative, complacence seeps in and coupled with a 'nation building, self-censorship' mentality Straits Times has once again shot a bullet in its already filmsy armour of credibility.

Article found in Straits Times:
http://www.straitstimes.com/Prime%2BNews/Story/STIStory_239702.html

Doctor caught having sex in clinic
He claims partner who installed spy camera blackmailed him into selling his share in their business
By Khushwant Singh
A MARRIED doctor who had an affair with his clinic assistant was shocked when his partner installed a spy camera and caught him having sex with the woman.
Now, Dr Tam Tak Chuen, 39, is claiming in a civil suit that he was blackmailed into selling his share of the business for $50,000.
He says he gave in to pressure to sell, fearing that the affair would be exposed and the film of his tryst would land on the YouTube video-sharing website.
He wants the High Court to declare the deal null and void, and wants to get back his share.
He was in business with two doctors, Dr Khairul Abdul Rahman and Dr Ashraff Shamsuddin Eilyaas.
Dr Ashraff settled with Dr Tam when the hearing began before Justice Judith Prakash on Monday. But Dr Khairul is denying that there was any pressure on Dr Tam to sell his stake.
Dr Tam and Dr Khairul were equal partners of the Eden Family Clinic in Jurong West and one-third partners of Eden Medical Aesthetics in Kembangan together with Dr Ashraff.
The businesses were worth more than $2 million, and Dr Tam was earning about $250,000 a year.
Dr Tam said the woman started working at the clinic in 1999 and their affair started sometime in 2004.
It was at a partners' meeting on March 4 last year that everything changed.
Dr Tam said that Dr Khairul, who had had the spy camera installed in the clinic, whipped out photographs showing him having sex with the woman.
He said that he was given a choice of either selling his share in the Eden Family Clinic, or buying out Dr Khairul.
He offered to buy Dr Khairul's share for $50,000 but, he said, he was told he was in no position to negotiate.
Dr Khairul did not want them both to sell to a third party, and threatened to apply to wind up the companies and expose the photographs of Dr Tam with the clinic assistant, Dr Tam said on Monday.
'I was very afraid as I wanted to save my marriage and reputation by not having the pictures and video out there in public or on YouTube,' he said.
Another shock awaited him when he got home that day.
He discovered that Dr Khairul's wife had gone to his home, told his wife about his affair and shown her the photographs.
He said he felt completely betrayed as his partners had promised to keep the matter under wraps.
Fortunately, he said, his wife forgave him.
He made a police report saying he was being blackmailed. The police took the pictures and video recording, but dropped their investigations last August.
Dr Tam denied that the clinic assistant had been his patient. He said she would consult him about minor ailments and he treated her without charge, like all other staff members.
When it was his turn on the stand yesterday, Dr Khairul said that he installed the spy camera when he got tired of Dr Tam denying the affair and wanted to get to the truth.
Once he had the proof, he wanted Dr Tam out of the partnership.
He believed that the affair began as early as 2000, and added that some staff members said they had seen Dr Tam and the woman heading to the clinic's second floor near closing time, when it had no patients.
Dr Khairul said he had found stains on a mattress he kept on the second floor for naps during his breaks.
He said that he had confronted Dr Tam with his suspicions, but the latter denied it every time.
It was only after the spy camera caught him in the act that he finally came clean, Dr Khairul said.
Dr Tam is being represented by Mr Ang Cheng Hock of Allen & Gledhill, while Mr Harish Kumar of Rajah & Tann is acting for Dr Khairul.
The hearing continues.
khush@sph.com.sg

iMacs spotted in the Singapore Airlines Krisflyer lounge in Terminal 2

2008-05-20T07:39:00.004+08:00

In the business class section of the Singapore Airlines lounge in Changi Airport's Terminal 2, brand new 20inch iMacs now replaces the older PCs that used to be provided to lounge users to surf the net or check their emails.

This is the first time i see iMacs being deployed in Singapore Airlines' airport lounges.

I wonder whether there is some underlying shift in corporate attitudes towards using Macs for their computing needs. Read Business Week's article on a shift in the Corporate work place where consumers used to their Macs, iPods and iPhones are now demanding mac machines at work. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_19/b4083036428429.htm?chan=search

I have a MacbookPro at home as well as a Sim Lim Square assemble Windows-Vista machine, I am actually OS-agnostic. That said, I am happier with OS X than Vista. Still happy to see more businesses deploy macs. It just works better.

Sydney campus finds potential conflict of interest in the UNSW campus project in Singapore

2008-05-16T08:02:00.005+08:00

The University of New South Wales wasted a total of A$47m in a botched project to start an Asian campus in Singapore.

After the saga unfolded, it was revealed that the Singapore government provided A$26 million in various loans and grants to the University in luring the project to Singapore.

When the project was later canned by the University, the Singapore Government asked for the amounts back from the University.

The following news article from an Australian news paper (coincidentally, no Singapore media has picked up on this story yet).

It tells of an audit report conducted by the New South Wales Auditor-General which reported that the UNSW's Asia president, Greg Whittred was also an EDB board member (which also apapproves and disburses the grant and loan to the campus).

As the audit in Australia pointed out, there is a potential conflict of interest for a UNSW official to also sit on the board which it borrowed money and accepted grants. In the words of the vice-chancellor of the University, closing the project was in the "best long term interests of the university". He also commented that the project represented a "unacceptably high level of financial risk".

This means that the project was both detrimental to UNSW and also carried significant financial risks. Something which the EDB never recognises before the project being canned. In fact Lim Hng Kiang went so far as to say that the onus lies with the investing party. I am not too sure if he considered the grants and loans as investments, but maybe those were just chump-change to a person familiar with millions.

Also ironically, the NSW Auditors-General report also revealed that the document which declared the Fred Wittred's conflict of interests also went missing.

I believe as with all cases of potential conflict of interests, the conflict cuts both ways.

For the New South Wales government and the university to now call into question the issue of the conflict of interests arising from a person straddling both sides of the fence, we (Singaporeans, but more importantly the EDB and its master) must get answers for our own set of questions.

My questions are:

1) Was the EDB board aware of Greg's conflict of interests? Was there an obligation imposed on directors of EDB to declare conflicts of interest?
It would be difficult for the EDB not to be aware of the conflict, since the party they probably have to negotiate with sits on their own board as well.

2) How did the EDB board resolve the issue of conflict of interests? Did the board declare this to the government and possibly to the Singapore Auditor General or the Attorney General? Should this matter of a potential conflict of interest be pre-approved by the Minister of Finance?

3) When extending the grants and loans to the UNSW Asia campus, what was the due diligence done? If you recall an earlier blog and also other similar news reports, you will remember that Lim Hng Kiang went on record to say that no due diligence was performed. (See http://urbanrant.blogspot.com/2007/08/cannot-collect-s173m-from-unsw-asia-who.html

If you do not perform a financial review, would the EDB have done a conflict of interest review?

4) In normal business operations, where a potential of conflict situation arises, the party affected by the conflict should abstain from speaking, influencing or deciding on the matter at hand. I am curious as to whether in the discussions at the UNSW meetings for the Asian campus project whether Greg has excused himself from the discussions and decision making of this matter.

5) Also equally important to Singapore is: whether Greg was asked by the EDB board to abstain from attending, speaking, influencing or deciding on the matter of the grant and loans.

I am not surprised that there is hardly any news reported in the local papers.
But the public deserves to know more.

I would like the Singapore Auditor-General office to look into this matter.

If the EDB is found to be lacking in its process when reviewing investments and granting incentives to foreigners, Singaporeans would want the EDB to tighten its process.

We deserve to know. And Singapore should not wait for Australia to tell us what is truth is.

From Sydney Morning Herald:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/failed-asia-campus-cost-47m/2008/05/14/1210444530198.html

Failed Asia campus cost $47m

Harriet Alexander and Brian Robins

May 15, 2008

THE University of NSW lost $47.6 million through the closure of its Singapore campus, the first official figures to disclose the extent of the financial fallout over the controversial enterprise show.

Its Asia campus was the most expensive offshore venture so far by an Australian university.

The NSW Auditor-General's annual report on the state's 10 public universities reveals that the University of NSW was forced to repay about $29 million in loans, $13.8 million in grants and $3.5 million in staff payouts when it decided to pull the plug on the campus and its 148 students just 10 weeks after it opened early last year. The Singaporean Government had contributed nearly $26 million in loans and grants towards its establishment, resulting in an ugly dispute over liability of costs when the university pulled out. The audit showed the university was forced to reimburse Singapore the $26 million.

The audit raised concerns about a possible conflict of interest when the campus was terminated.

The university's Asia president, Greg Whittred, was also a member of Singapore's Economic Development Board, the main creditor when the campus collapsed.

The documents declaring the conflict of interest went missing. "We were concerned how the university could satisfactorily conduct a review of its operations in Singapore while the president remained an EDB member," the report said.

The auditors were satisfied the matter had been resolved satisfactorily after discussing it with management, but recommended that the university closely monitor other potential conflicts of interest.

Richard Henry, the university's acting vice-chancellor, said: "We remain convinced that the decision to close the campus in Singapore was in the best long-term interests of the university.

"As we indicated at the time, to continue the operation in Singapore would have involved an unacceptably high level of financial risk to the institution."

The report also found that Charles Sturt University had a large exposure to the credit crisis that shook world financial markets in recent months, with the value of its $114 million investment portfolio falling to $100.4 million by February.

The report said $35.6 million of the total was held in collateralised debt obligations, risky financial instruments that have caused losses running to at least $400 million for local councils, a recent State Government report found.

The report argued that the university needed to "re-evaluate its risk management strategy for its investment portfolio".

Sydney University and the University of NSW have also suffered large losses on their extensive investment portfolios.

Seat belts in school bus: LTA deems it necessary to spend more time to study issue

2008-05-11T10:14:00.004+08:00

Despite a case of a child's death arising from a lack of safety belt, LTA is still insisting that more time to study the issue is necessary.

And what makes it even more irresponsible, is that our well-paid and highly efficient has been studying the same matter since 2006.

Is the issue of child safety aboard school buses so complex that our government scholars got stumped?

Why then the delay?

Why is the matter so difficult?

If this is such a complex matter, i wonder how long they took to mull over the even more surprising ruling that taxis should not stop in places other than taxi stands within the CBD.

Until the laws are passed, i would like to see the senior echelons of the LTA put their children in school buses without safety belts, instead of chauffeuring them to schools in their BMWs.

From Straits Times: May 11, 2008

Seat-belt rule for school buses will take time

By Nur Dianah Suhaimi & Tan Dawn Wei

MPs may be clamouring for seat belts to be installed in school buses, but this won't be happening any time soon, say the various parties involved.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA), which has been studying the issue since 2006, told The Sunday Times that it needs three to six months to consult safety experts and carry out studies before passing a new regulation on seat belts on buses.

With 100,000 dead and many more in dire condition, Myanmar can no longer be concerned about politics

2008-05-09T16:50:00.004+08:00

Myanmar is in a sorry state.

Devastating cyclones have ravaged much of the country and have taken more than 100,000 lives to date.

Yet whilst aid have been pledged and promised, so far that actual benefits arriving within Myanmar has only begun to trickle in.

The military ever so wary of outside interferences and political intervention has once again shut out the world. Visa applications delay and non approvals now result in food and aid immediately earmarked for helping the Burmese now languish in nearby Thailand, Nepal and India.

So why the impasse, Junta generals?

Is the threat of losing power so great and so fearsome, that you can bear to see thousands if not hundreds of thousands of innocent countrymen perish because available aid cannot reach them?

The Haves often cannot fathom what the HaveNots do not have. Sadly this is the case here again.

From http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20080509-64271.html 9th May 2008
Myanmar 'not ready' for foreign rescue teams

YANGON - MYANMAR said on Friday it was not ready to let in foreign aid workers, rejecting international pressure to allow experts into the isolated nation where disease and starvation are stalking cyclone survivors.

Why Lionel Messi is worth 80m pounds to Chelsea? And the implications for ministerial salaries in Singapore.

2008-05-05T22:09:00.004+08:00

According to a recent soccer news rumour, Chelsea Football Club is reportedly tabling a record busting bid for Barcelona's Lionel Messi. With a plethora of expensive soccer stars already at the club, Roman Abramovich (chairman of CFC and part-time Russian oil oligarch) is asking coach Avram Grant to up the ante on the team's entertainment value by capturing the dazzling midfield wizard.

According to the Bloomberg report
Russian billionaire Abramovich told coach Avram Grant that he wants the team's style of play to be more exciting next season and believes Messi, 20, would help Chelsea achieve that, the newspaper said.

By all accounts, Chelsea Football Club has done well this year. It is done to the last game of the season to decide the league title and they are already in their first final for the European Champions League (something which the publicity-mad Mourinho never did). They are a very good team already. But yet, Roman still wants to pay over the top dollars just to make it entertaining. We are talking about sums which is 70% more than the previous record for Zinedine Zidane of 47m pounds.

Why are they doing it? Simply, Because they can afford to.

If you ask the other big clubs in Europe, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juventus, AC, Inter.... none of these other big clubs can pony up 80m pounds to buy a player. For some of this club, 80m pounds may already buy you a majority stake in the club itself. This is the reality of the game now.

To these other clubs, Messi is surely a great player, and i am sure they will only pay up to 20-25m pounds to grab him (no questions there). But at 80m pounds? No one else would. Only Chelsea can do that.

So, if we take that analogy to Singapore, and we ask ourselves?
Is Lee Hsien Loong worth 2m Singapore dollars a year? Is Wong Kan Seng worth 2m a year? Is Nathan worth more than 2m a year?

Abosulutely, we say.

Because when it comes to paying for superstars, we have the world's bigget wallet, the tax paying population of Singapore and the CPF contributors of the labour force. Why should we settle for an effective Lampard and dynamic Essien, when we can also add the dazzling wizardry of Lionel Messi.

Why should we be contented with standard politicans who are paid more along the lines of public service civil servants when we can have chart topping glamourous superstars who are up there with the likes of investment bankers, top lawyers and architects.

We, the population of Singapore, deserve the stars. We demand the very best. The cream. That's why we are willing to pay for them through the skin of our back.

Forget that we are not the richest nation in the world (by a long mile). Forget that we have the bottom 10% of our population having its income lowered since the last decade. Forget that we have residents living in Pasir Ris whose whole family copes with a loaf of bread a day. Forget all that, because to have a Switzerland standard of living, we have to pay for it first.

So why do we pay so much? Like Chelsea.... Because we can.

Read news link:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=aknDGrjZiOaA&refer=uk

Funny gaffe in the UK with the new HM Treasury Office logo

2008-05-04T17:50:00.005+08:00

This is a true story. Sometimes, the true stories are indeed the funniest.

A week ago, there was a story circulating in the UK regarding a major boo-boo for the Office of Government Commerce. This is a department of the HM Treasury and is commonly known as OGC in short.

In its effort to spruce up its image, freshen its look and commit itself to "improving value for money by driving up standards", they commissioned some designers at a cost of 14,000 pounds sterling to come up with a new logo.

This is the logo that they come up with.

The logo does exactly look like what the department asked for. It is crisp, modern and very professional looking.

However, seen from another perspective, the logo when rotated at 90 degrees clockwise, looks like this:

I am not sure whether your mind is as pornographic as mine. But all I can in this logo is a man doing an one-arm salute.

Aren't we all glad that our major renaming exercise for Marina Centre or the redesign NTUC logo (earlier blog entry: The "Union" in the new NTUC logo appears to fade into the background) have less exciting news worthiness.

Also read: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=561977&in_page_id=1770

Why are Straits Times reporters better at finding criminals than the Singapore Police?

2008-05-04T06:28:00.004+08:00

It is an amazing feeling when the Straits Times article on illegal cigarette peddlers come complete with photos, interviews and details about the criminal modus operandi.

Straits Times, give them credit this time round, has done an incredible job in finding the various locations where the contraband cigarette sellers are. I remember seeing earlier articles where they took photos in Woodlands, Geylang and other places where motorists can stop by and buy duty-free cigarettes.

To me, I am totally bewildered that the news reporter can consistently find these crimes taking place, take photos and even interview the crime perpetrators.

But alas, where are the cops in Singapore?

Somehow, the men in blue do not know where to find these criminals. They do not know how they operate. And perhaps they do not even read the news articles on Straits Times. Because if they had read ST, they may know where to find the criminals.

So what do I expect from our police? Not much, but they are pretty good at showing up whenever Chee Soon Juan turns up.

Extracted from http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_233782.html, Straits Times

Cigarette peddlers show up in Geylang
Working in teams, they do their illegal trade in back alleys, side lanes
By Aw Cheng Wei

Peddlers from China and Vietnam are hawking bootleg cigarettes openly in the Geylang area, sometimes in broad daylight, and even stopping cars to sell their stash.

The cigarettes are smuggled in on board cargo ships which dock at Jurong Port, the peddlers claimed.

One seller, who said he was Vietnamese and spoke in halting English, said his shipborne supply comes from Indonesia. His teammate added in Mandarin: 'The ships come in daily and we pay on collection.'

The "Union" in the new NTUC logo appears to fade into the background

2008-04-27T19:37:00.008+08:00

The new NTUC logo

The old NTUC logo :

You can read all about the dynamic new logo and how it is about YOU (Yes, the big U, small U and even an invisible U). I am surprised by the way they described a big and small YOU.

Here is how they described it:

The small U that stands for working people of all collars, ages and nationalities in Singapore, and their families.

- Strangely, the largest labour union (staffed by PAP's MPs) deem it important to represent all nationalities. Remember it is not about Singaporean workers, NTUC is about workers in Singapore.

The big U that stands for the Labour Movement, made up of our affiliated unions and associations, social enterprises, staff, members and partners .

- See, the labour movement is more important than the workers. The labour union's priorities rank higher (i.e. bigger) than that of the working people (smaller U).

The invisible U that stands beside working people and their families at work, live and play, to help them earn a better living and live a better life.

- Like the holy trinity, the invisible U is besides you helping you earn a better living and live a better life. Question: Does the invisible U's name start with P?

The old logo (to me) is more reminiscent of the traditional blue collar workers in Singapore. There are tools of trade shown in the old logo; the spanner and the bolt in the logo depicts a time where the bulk of our workers are more of the traditional blue collar variety.

I am not against the change of the logo per se, but I find it interesting how the new logo is designed and conceptualised.

Also, I find it strangely ironical that the new logo seems to show a U that is sort of faded into the background. Seen in this light, the YOU fades in to the background whilst the more important "N-ational", "T-rade" and "C-ongress" now comes to the fore. I think this may be the intention afterall.

NTUC has always maintained that the national interests supercedes that of the workers' rights. I am not surprised but I thought a workers' union should put its workers' priorities as its core.

Anyway, who needs to go on strikes and protests when we can get discount coupons for cheaper diapers, sanitary pads and toilet rolls.

Easier to cock the pistol than to pull the trigger

2008-04-27T08:40:00.003+08:00

The recent parliamentary intercourse between PM Lee and MP Low Thia Khiang reflects a sorry state of our politics.

Extracted from Today, 26 April 2008. http://www.todayonline.com/articles/250454.asp

Mr Low, in particular, found it hard to reconcile the view that ministers should be paid high salaries pegged to the best of the private sector with the one that, when an honest mistake is made, ministers, unlike the best of the private sector, should not be held as accountable.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sought to defend the position by saying that the practice was no different than that in the private sector. He then pointedly asked Mr Low: "Let me ask the member whether he thinks (Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng) ought to resign because of this.".

Remarkably, Mr Low chose to respond but with pin-drop silence — leading the Prime Minister to remark: "No answer. So I think that settles the point."

Low was astute to observe that the PAP government, much like a corporate body, behaves like one. It hires people like a top company, choosing to cast its headhunting net vast and wide, pays its people top dollars and likes to trumpet its achievements comes annual general meeting time (*once every five years in PAP's case).

When the Mas Selamet saga appears on the scene, and Lee chose to keep Wong Kan Seng in his cabinet instead of asking for an honourable political harakiri, this became a golden opportunity for Low to ask the toughest question of the PM regarding his deputy.

Low cocked the pistol.

But the harder part is the pulling of the trigger. When challenged by Lee on whether Low thinks that Wong should resign, Low remained reticent.

This is the bewildering part. When Low asked that difficult question, more than half the work is done. Obviously he felt it important enough to raise the issue. He must have felt that Wong should have done the honourable thing. Otherwise, he would not have asked the question in the first place.

But he did not answer Lee. Why not? Only he knows it himself. Anyway, I have been terribly dissapointed with Low yet again.

It takes balls to answer back the PM in his own courtyard. I would have imagined him to have grown a pair by now given the time he has already spent in it.

Alas, sadly for Singapore our opposition lacks what it takes.

Smoking in casino: Our laws should not stand in the way of making money

2008-04-27T08:26:00.002+08:00

If you have any doubts that the laws prohibiting smoking in public and air-conditioned spaces were enacted to prevent tax-paying citizens from dying prematurely, the new casino smoking laws will put that to rest.

Apparently, smoking in casinos is going to be allowed.

I am not sure how you can defined casinos as non public spaces, but I am sure our government has a way to label it accordingly to justify this decision.

From the few casinos i have visited (i can hardly be deemed a customer or patron), the entire casino or sections of the casinos are often covered in smoke. Vices do often come together, and I am sure the relevant government agencies must have thought it necessary to let our casinos side step our own laws so as not to stand in the way of money making.

How else can you set different rules for different venues?

Maybe non-smokers should be given oxygen tanks by the integrated resorts.

Extracted from Straits Times, 27 April 2008
Smoking To Be Allowed At Singapore's Casino Gaming Halls
by Jermyn Chow, Straits Times

The government has decided to leae gaming halls out of a nationwide ban on smoking in indoor public spaces, which is being rolled out in the next few years. But the two integrated resorts will be required to draw up 'house rules' to protect non-smokers.

Is JBJ a serial opposer or a die-hard romantic?

2008-04-21T06:28:00.004+08:00

Many of us who are unfortunate enough to be declared a bankrupt would have loved every minute to be finally unencumbered by the legal knots of financial cripple. Many of us mere Singaporeans would have.

But not JB Jeyaratnam. He does not just celebrate his financial freedom, he did not just uncork a bottle or two... He had to do what he does best... find an alternative voice. He starts a new political party.

One may not like his fire-brand politics or his views of the domestic political agenda. But one cannot help but be fascinated and also kind of respect his passion for his political vocation.

Soldier on JB....Thanks for showing us what passion....

Extracted from Straits Times, April 19, 2008.

"VETERAN politician J.B. Jeyaretnam announced his return to politics yesterday by launching a blistering attack on the Government.

Out of the political arena from 2001 to last year, his press conference yesterday was a pent-up list of grievances covering everything from brain drain and taxes, to the income gap and ministerial salaries, to injustices he perceived in the judiciary."

Intel gets cute with its MTV style advertisement

2008-01-01T10:09:00.000+08:00

This is cute. Interesting twist to an I.T. advert.

Mr. Bean does iTunes.

2007-12-25T07:57:00.001+08:00

Funny video of Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) doing an iTunes-ad type commercial featuring his facial gymnastics.

The Technology Bubble 2.0

2007-12-15T04:43:00.000+08:00

The creativity of geeks cannot be underestimated. This video is hilarious.

Very funny literal translation of an Hindi MTV

2007-11-25T08:16:00.001+08:00

This video got me cracking. Very funny MTV clip. Benny Lava

Bic-sexual : Scotsman had sex with his bicycle

2007-11-18T08:09:00.000+08:00

This piece of news which I read off the BBC website is damn funny.

How the hell can anyone have sex with a bicycle? If you know, please provide a guide by commenting to this post.

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7095134.stm
Bike sex man placed on probation

A man caught trying to have sex with his bicycle has been sentenced to three years on probation.

Robert Stewart, 51, admitted a sexually aggravated breach of the peace by conducting himself in a disorderly manner and simulating sex.

Sheriff Colin Miller also placed Stewart on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.

Mr Stewart was caught in the act with his bicycle by cleaners in his bedroom at the Aberley House Hostel in Ayr.

Gail Davidson, prosecuting, told Ayr Sheriff Court: "They knocked on the door several times and there was no reply.

"They used a master key to unlock the door and they then observed the accused wearing only a white t-shirt, naked from the waist down.

"The accused was holding the bike and moving his hips back and forth as if to simulate sex."
Both cleaners, who were "extremely shocked", told the hostel manager who called police.

Sheriff Colin Miller told Stewart: "In almost four decades in the law I thought I had come across every perversion known to mankind, but this is a new one on me. I have never heard of a 'cycle-sexualist'."

Stewart had denied the offence, claiming it was caused by a misunderstanding after he had too much to drink.

The bachelor had been living in the hostel since October 2006 after moving from his council house in Girvan.

He now lives in Ayr.

Divide and conquer: 9 ageing HDB blocks in Hougang to be cleared

2007-11-16T07:12:00.000+08:00

This is a cunning step.

The cynic in me seems to think that this is a 'blatant' attempt to uproot opposition voters and disperse them in places where there is more PAP support.

Does it not make you wonder why the government think it necessary to 'destroy' fairly new flats and disrupt the lives of so many families? These flats have reached 1/3 of its valid lives. They are on 99 year leases, but you know in Singapore old is bad (see warrant officer story http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Story/STIStory_174031.html).

It is also strange that the plan for the vacated land will be used to make way for 'private properties'. This government wants to uproot people they call heartlanders from their home to make way for more affluent Singaporeans. Make sense? I think not.

The other odd thing about this is that the government is sending all these 9 blocks of families scuttling around looking for new homes to replace their existing homes. All at a time when the prices of HDB flats and private housing are at an all time high. And at the back of a property bubble which is about to be pricked by concerns of the sub prime situation in the US and possible a US economic slowdown.

So what is the real reason for doing all this at such a strange time?

Maybe it it because the electoral boundaries are about to be redrawn and defined for the next General Election.

Let's now see what the hound dog (oops sorry watch dog) (see http://urbanrant.blogspot.com/2007/11/is-workers-party-failure-wp-chief-says.html) Low Thia Khiang has to say.

(From http://www.asiaone.com/Business/My+Money/Property/Story/A1Story20071115-37090.html)
9 ageing HDB blocks in Hougang to be cleared

THE Housing Board is clearing nine blocks comprising rental flats, a food centre and a market in Hougang Avenue 3 and 7 - most of which are located in the opposition ward of Hougang.

In a statement on Thursday, the HDB said that this is 'part of ongoing plans to rejuvenate older estates and to facilitate better land use.'

The affected properties in blocks 3,4, 8 to 11, 11A to 14 in Hougang Avenue 3 and 7 are about 33 years old.The cluster comprises includes 854 rental flats, 42 rental shops and eating houses, and 199 hawker and market stalls.

The HDB said that eligible tenants and stallholders will receive the standard clearance benefits and will be given appropriate assistance when necessary.

The site occupied by blocks 12 to 14 in Hougang Avenue 7 will be put up for sale for private homes in the second half of 2009. The remaining land freed up will be developed for residential or commercial use after 2010, depending on prevailing market conditions.

Rental flat tenants who are eligible will be given priority allocation of new flats under balloting, or new Build-to-Order flats when launched, studio apartments or two and three-room units if they are available.

SMRT's public relations get pawned!

2007-11-12T22:18:00.000+08:00

I found this piece of Straits Times Forum letter very interesting.

It highlights the emergence of an intelligentsia in Singapore who are increasingly more cynical of the canned public relations dross the government and institutional PR departments roll out each time a letter is printed on the ST Forum pages.

The matter of the hot MRT cabins is a clear problem for anyone who takes the train. Occasionally when I actually rode on the train, this problem bugged me as well.

I am not sure what the SMRT PR department is trying to pull. But definitely Singaporeans are no longer going to stand still when wool is pulled right in front of their eyes.

Kudos.

From http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_175767.html
Have more sensitive thermostats on trains

I WOULD like to register my disappointment with SMRT's reply, 'External factors can affect temperature in train cars' (ST, Nov 8).

SMRT's Ms Kuek Chor Ling placed all blame for the breakdown of the air-con system during peak hours on minor factors such as heavy passenger load and train doors remaining open for a longer time at stations. Were these factors not taken into account during procurement and approval of design of the train cars?

If two air-con units are sufficient to power the air-conditioning system in a train car at full capacity, would it not make sense to have a more sensitive thermostat rather than rely on a proven failed one that cannot register the correct reading and so causes discomfort to passengers?

I would like to engage SMRT's engineering team and help find ways to work on the current air-con system. This is crucial not just for SMRT, but also for the good name of Singapore as our train system is well used by tourists and is an icon of our progress.

Dr Holden Li King Ho
Adjunct Assistant Professor
School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Nanyang Technological University

Is Workers' Party a failure? WP Chief says he is merely a watchdog

2007-11-02T06:44:00.000+08:00

I am often critical of the government's policies and also its attitudes towards stifling opposing views and alternative perspectives.

Of course the government is not the only thing that needs to be critically examined. The opposition needs it too.

Today, Low Thia Khiang, a veteran opposition MP, shares his lack of ambition and vision with the rest of Singapore.

For so long, Low and Chiam See Tong was held up as bastions of the alternate Singaporean voice. People in Hougang and Pasir Ris voted repeatedly for both men. And people in Aljunied almost voted Low's team into Parliament. The folks in Hougang place their trust in the man to run their town.

He has done some good things with Hougang. Contrary to what the mainstream media would have you believe, there are no slums in Hougang.

To hear Low's lack of ambition loud and clear is a blow to his supporters.

To even suggest that it will take another 20 years for his party to be credible enough to stand on its own is either a case of being pragmatic or hopelessly despondent.

The next time you hear Low mention his rhetoric against the ruling party in an election rally, you may be well advised to note this article and remember that this guy may lack the gumption or the vision necessary to steer the Workers' Party to anything more than a watchdog.

In his mind, Workers' Party will need another 20 years to challenge. This means another 4 elections. By which time, he (by his own admission) would have passed on the baton to another crop of Workers' Party leaders. That would mean that in his entire period as a leader of the main opposition party in Singapore, he would have not even created a dent in history. He has ruffled even fewer feathers.

If that is the case, why then did the Hougang voters vote Low in into Parliament?

Did they vote in merely a town administrator (and thereby subjecting themselves to the end of a PAP queue to upgrade their homes)?

Did they vote Low into the Parliament to sit as a watchdog, and occassionally raising a whimper against the hounds that surround you.

In doing so, he is a mere badge on the PAP's lapel, whom the likes of Lee Hsien Loong can point critics of Singaporean authoritarian meritocracy to as evidence of mutli-party democracy in Singapore.

Low has a choice to be a lap dog or a hound dog. Sadly his choice is so different from his predecessor.

(From: http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Singapore/Story/STIStory_172479.html)

Nov 1, 2007
Greater openness here now, says WP chief

Low Thia Khiang points to debate on Section 377A as an example of a more relaxed political atmosphere WORKERS' Party (WP) leader Low Thia Khiang sees the Government's handling of the recent debate on the law against male homosexuality as a sign of greater openness here.

He cited the Section 377A debate as an example of a more relaxed political atmosphere, as he gave the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) a 'passing grade' for its governance.

'You don't see very strong reactions from the Government towards criticisms and citizen initiatives,' he told The Straits Times last night.

'The environment has changed compared to when I just joined politics in the early 80s...People are more vocal and people are more comfortable to air their views in public. So I think it is an improvement.'

The highly charged debate over Section 377A took place both in and outside Parliament.
It was sparked by a citizens' petition to the House to repeal it from the Penal Code and over two days last week, 16 MPs spoke on the controversial issue.

The WP is holding its 50th anniversary celebrations on Saturday.

In an interview with Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao ahead of the celebrations, Mr Low was asked how he would grade the PAP government. He said it was 'definitely a pass'.

But at the same time, he criticised some of the Government's policies, arguing that the recent Central Provident Fund (CPF) changes are unfair to the elderly.

He said that by delaying the draw-down age of the CPF Minimum Sum, the Government is essentially leaving older Singaporeans with no choice but to continue working.

While supporting the Government's anti-terrorism moves, he expressed concern that they may increase the authorities' power.

Still, the WP secretary-general - who said he hoped that he will not be the party leader when it celebrates its 60th anniversary - insists it is not right for a political party to oppose for the sake of opposing.

'The term opposition is a legacy of the Western parliamentary system, and I have never believed that an opposition party should oppose for the sake of opposing or to shoot one's mouth off.

'Politics should be about responsible politics. The opposition should be a watchdog, not a mad dog. That should be the path for a political party.'

It is also not the job of the opposition here to offer alternatives to all government policies, he argued.

While the ruling party has specialists to study and research various issues, the opposition lacks the resources to come up with alternatives.

He pointed out that the WP is unlike the opposition parties in the West, which come up with alternative policies for everything.

The WP's role is to revise and improve on government policies. Moreover, the opposition should not shoot its mouth off, and offer alternative policies on a whim.

'A political party needs to reach a certain stage before it can offer alternative policies, that is, at a stage where it is capable of replacing that government. And WP still has a very long way to go before reaching this stage.'

In fact, he did not think his party is ready to challenge the PAP for government in the 'near future'.

Said the 51-year-old: 'To become ready to take over the government is a very long-term goal. Every political party wishes to be ready to form the government and eventually become the ruling party. But to me, this is still very far, we need to take one step at a time.'

Link to a set of awesome set of pumpkin carving photos

2007-11-01T21:29:00.001+08:00

For photos like this one, please following this link. http://ourstereo.com/wackolantern/

Awesome !! Especially for the halloween.

SIA says no to Sex In the Air

2007-11-01T06:26:00.000+08:00

I earlier wrote about the beyond first class suites on their A380 flights. (http://urbanrant.blogspot.com/2007/10/sia-finally-reclaim-its-rightful-name.html)

However it is now known that you are NOT supposed to have sex in these suites.

Yes, despite getting paid a lot, feeding you lots of champagne, and providing nice privacy to, SIA now says no to you getting hot and heavy in the air.

Apparently, the reason for this prohibition is the concern that 12 bumping suites will lead to increased turbulence for the flight. I wonder whether using the seat belts whilst having sex will lead to a less turbulent flight.

Maybe SIA should start a pilot program to test this out.

Until that happens, it looks like it is going to be Sex Inhibition Airline. Maybe Virgin Airlines can take up the mantle.

(Excerpt from: http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_172480.html)
Romance is in but sex is out on A380's double bed

'NO SEX please, we're Singapore Airlines.'

SIA's new Airbus 380 superjumbo offers 12 'beyond first-class' suites with private cabins that give two couples the option of taking a double bed each screened off by sliding doors and roller blinds.

But thrill-seekers with ideas of joining the Mile-High Club in style should banish any ideas of hanky-panky.

The airline's spokesman said: 'We ask all customers, wherever they are on our aircraft, to observe standards that do not cause offence to other customers and crew. Nothing different applies for our SIA suites customers.'

Charging more for ERP is not going to solve the road congestion problem.

2007-10-31T06:18:00.000+08:00

We now have more lanes on the ECP and also the new spanking longest underground expressway in South East Asia (KPE) coming up.

We have thrown resources at the road congestion problem and we have taxed road users to the hilt with more ERP charges.

And yet, the problem still persists.

Perhaps the answer in solving the problem lies not in putting more into the system. Not in trying to let more cars onto the road.

Perhaps the answer lies in taking out from the system and not adding to it.

I know the government claims that they are not intending to make money from ERP charges and the money that is earned from ERP is offset by the reduction in road tax and cheaper CoEs.

Therein lies the problem; the government has, some time back, chosen to loosen the grip on the control of vehicles by releasing so many CoEs each quarter.

The relaxation on the number of vehicles has put more cars into the hands of Singaporeans. The experience of paying more than $90k for a Toyota Corolla now seems like such a distant memory. I bet very few people can remember that a Honda Accord used to costs as much as a BMW now.

By putting so many 'now-affordable' vehicles in homes who previously cannot afford cars, we now have a burgeoning class of car owners. Most middle income families now have cars. And some middle income families with both parents working now have 2 cars between themselves.

Cars have gotten cheaper and the catch is that using them now costs more.

So why does the problem not gotten away since it is so expensive to drive in Singapore.

Because who wants to spend more than S$50,000 on a vehicle just to park it at home. And to periodically wash it during the weekends.

If you already spend S$50,000 on your car, you would want to use your car...even if you have to pay $5 bucks to get into CTE, and another $2.50 to get into the CBD. To the person who just spent $50,000 you will think that spending S$5.50 each morning is cheap. Even if you have to pay the evening ERP later.

It may not be logical to make that conclusion but it is psychologically difficult for most people to accept leaving their cars at home.

Imaging that you give large bottles of sweets to 7 children, but tell each child that they can each only eat 1 sweet each week and each one of them on different days. Do not be too surprised if you see each child not keeping their end of the bargain. It is hard to resist the temptation when you give them the sweets upfront. If you want to control their sweets intake, you only give them 1 sweet when it is their turn to eat the sweet.

Reducing the number of CoEs being released each month is the answer, not increasing the ERP charges.

People who do their sums and include the daily ERP charges may not even buy a car. And people who don't include the hefty usage charges when budgeting for their cars will be hit with the realisation that they are wasting their money when leaving their car at home. They might as well drive and pay the charges.

Therein lies the problem and the difficulty of solving the problem using usage charges. UNLESS the LTA start charging a really painful amount for the ERP. If they start charging $10 each time you pass a gantry...then people will really sit up and listen. Until that happens, we will see congestion and people would want to drive the 'cheaper' cars they bought.

Lesser CoEs will immediately curb the congestion issue and the need to spend billions on building more roads will be eased.

Do we really want each family in Singapore to own a polluting vehicle? More expensive cars are the answer to this problem. Not ERP.

(Excerpt from http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Singapore/Story/STIStory_171798.html)
Oct 30, 2007

ERP rates on CTE hit a high of $5
By Christopher Tan

THE costliest road to drive on in Singapore - the Central Expressway (CTE) - is about to get more expensive.

From Nov 5, motorists will pay 50 cents more each time they pass under an Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) gantry there.

The move, the third wide-scale ERP increase this year, will mean those driving cars onto the CTE from the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) between 8.30am and 9am will have to pay a record $5.

Goods vehicles and buses will have to pay $10.

Another Singapore First: PM LEE first to congratulate new Myanmar PM Lieutenant-General Thein Sein

2007-10-27T19:35:00.000+08:00

If you read Google News under Myanmar, your will find a series of news report which talks about the latest re-shuffle amongst the Cabinet ministers in the Myanmar military junta government.

In this latest reshuffle following the death of the previous PM Soe Win, a Lieutanant-General by the name of Thein Sein was appointed PM.

Look at the screen shots of Google News for searches under Myanmar new PM.

You will note that there are no congratulatory notes from anywhere else in the world, except for Singapore. ChannelnewsAsia is so eager to report the first note to be received by Thein Sein.

Why would Singapore be so embracing of another military ruler in Myanmar?

Perhaps this is because of our close association with that government. Afterall, we are widely reported to be the #1 investor in this closed regime.

Maybe also, PM Lee finds it quietly comforting another Lieutenant General make it to the PM position. There must be some mutual respect when a man of uniform, much like himself, makes it to the highest office in the land. (What is even more respectable is thatl Thein Sein does not appear to have an ex-premier for a father.)

Another feather in the cap of our illustrious foreign service corps. Well done.

Apple to Air Student-Made iPod Touch Ad

2007-10-27T07:03:00.000+08:00

This is one of the reasons why there are many so called Mac fan boys around I guess.

For a company of Apple's size, it remains a company with a impeccable record of being able to connect with its users.

Apparently, a student created an iPod touch advertisement which was spotted by Apple employees who later alerted their ad agency to this YouTube clip.

The ad agency then approached Nick Haley (the student) to sort out a deal where they made another advertisement now of course with better editing and HD video in exactly the same vein. The new advertisement is set to air this weekend in the United States.

Well done, Apple.

See story from http://www.macrumors.com/2007/10/26/apple-to-air-student-made-ipod-touch-ad/

SIA finally reclaim its rightful name

2007-10-26T06:31:00.000+08:00

Yesterday Singapore Airlines celebrate its A380 inaugural flight from Singapore to Sydney.

Amongst the many new innovative features, is the stunning double bed configuration. See photo below.

At the back of my mind, I am thinking whether this mean that people can finally have Sex In the Air (SIA) without being a nuisance to other passengers and risks being arrested.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/10/25/a380.firstflight/

Singapore Airlines' CEO, Chew Choon Seng named the jetliner the "queen of the skies". Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus said he would like to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary on one of its double beds. And CNN's Richard Quest, who was on board the maiden flight, said there was "nothing quite like it". The luxury on board, he said, sets a new standard for air travel.

How to tell if someone is Singaporean?

2007-10-26T05:53:00.000+08:00

How to tell if someone is a Singaporean?
Answer: You can't.

When reading this article, I recall a recent incident which happen on a Cathay Pacific flight which I took from Hong Kong to Singapore.

As the plane started its descent to land in Singapore, a stewardess started her round to distribute the Singapore immigration forms. The couple sitting in front of me were a Chinese lady and a silver-haired Caucasian man.

As she approached the couple, the Caucasian man stretched out his hands whilst asking for a copy. The stewardess then asked if the man is Singaporean, and then proceeded to explained that the form is not required for Singaporeans. He confirmed that he needed it. And she reiterated that Singaporeans do not need the form and politely asked if he is a Singaporean.

I find this incident interesting in that it suggests that we are no longer able to tell a Singaporean from the way he looks, his ethinicity or even his accent.

Go look around.

In globalised Singapore, you will hear Beijing-accented Mandarin, Hindi-accentuated Inglish, and even the occasional Scottish accent in the wet market. And all from Singaporeans.

Whilst we celebrate this diversity, I wonder what it now means to be Singaporean anymore.

Perhaps it is just like getting a membership card. You get 10% off your purchases, you only need to pay for your purchases the next month and you get an occassional gift to celebrate your loyalty.

Excerpted from Straits Times: http://www.straitstimes.com/print/Singapore/Story/STIStory_170258.html

Oct 25, 2007
REPUBLIC TOPS LIST AGAIN
S'pore most globalised nationBy K.C. Vijayan NUMBER one last year, and again this year - Singapore is the world's most globalised country, says US-based magazine Foreign Policy.

Last year's top billing for global connectedness had been cited as a key reason - at last week's International Bar Association conference - Singapore was ideal as a venue to discuss cross-border and international legal issues. Senior IBA official David Rivkin made this point about the meeting.

Now, Singapore has again topped a list of 72 countries, in the magazine's latest issue, out at newsstands next week.

The magazine's annual Globalisation Index is done together with management consultancy A T Kearney.

An idea of the stiff competition Singapore faces is the emergence of Hong Kong, for the first time, as the Republic's closest rival. It edged Singapore in the economic integration category.

Microsoft ponies up cash for 'exclusive rights' for advertising platform on Facebook

2007-10-25T06:11:00.000+08:00

Microsoft today announced their purchase of a minority stake in Facebook for US$240 million.

In this deal, Facebook is apparently valued at US$15 billion. And with 47 million users right now, the deal values each Facebook user at US$319.

In the announcement, Microsoft mentioned that deal also ensured exclusive third party advertising platform for Facebook. This means that Microsoft is also ponying up cash to compete in Google's arena.

Part of the reason for paying (what I believe is way too much) for the Facebook stake at that kind of valuation must be that Google (with its stacks of cash) are also looking at the deal.

In trying to compete with Google, i think Microsoft is barking up the wrong tree. Yes, Google is 'seen as' competing with Microsoft with its Gmail and Google Documents especially. But these are stripped down versions of software which Microsoft excels in. Instead of producing better software (ala Microsoft Vista), Microsoft should not be sucked into competing in an arena where Google and much less so, Yahoo! are more entrenched than them.

Microsoft's strength lies in how their software is embeded in most if not all major corporations. Think Microsoft Windows and notice how few IT professionals are schooled in anything else except supporting Windows. Think Microsoft Excel and the number of macros already created for use in organisations. Think Microsoft Exchange and the number of email servers it run. Think of the Windows Mobile PDAs and PDA phone which are in use by businesses today.

There are strong challengers in each of these market. But these competitors are isolated and only compete in 1 single segment where Microsoft dominates in all of them.

Microsoft should instead be focusing its efforts on being a better corporate software solutions provider, instead of trying to emulate Google in a game where Google's position is ubiquitous.

Read the news http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSWNAS802420071024?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology

It is not a gay thing. It is about equality.

2007-10-12T20:50:00.000+08:00

Singapore celebrities come together to make a for-Youtube video in support to petition the government to repeal section 377a.

One people, one nation, one Singapore.

For more information, please refer to www.repeal377a.com

We should support the Repeal377a.com petition!

2007-10-11T10:31:00.000+08:00

I read Yawning Bread's blog post (http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2007/yax-794.htm) and decided to submit my name to the website and joined in the petition as well.

I am not gay and i do not profess to know many of them or understand them. But there are plenty of good reasons to submit the petition.

Among the reasons which I can think of are:

1) I do not stand for discrimination. I do not want a law which criminalises an act which is apparently acceptable if it takes place between a man and a woman.

2) Gay people are Singaporeans too. They pay good taxes and GST. They have a right to vote. And thus they have a right to their choice.

3) There are gay women too but we do not hear them being persecuted. The same right should be extended to gay men.

4) Society as it is, is already very discriminatory against gay people. We do not need to make them criminals as well.

For more information, i would suggest that you read http://www.repeal377a.com/.

Go ahead, sign up. I did.

Do it for yourself and fellow Singaporeans.

Five Singaporeans are more dangerous than a group of Myanmar nationals meddling in Singapore politics?

2007-10-09T22:38:00.000+08:00

Today, a group of unnamed Myanmar nationals, led by an unnamed person presented a petition to PM Lee at the Istana.

No one was arrested. The police did not even arrived. Apparently, it seems to be okay for Myanmar nationals to interfere in Singapore domestic police, by asking our Singaporean government to take a tougher stand against the Myanmar military junta.

But when a group of Singaporeans (including those who served national service) calls upon the government to do the same, they were rounded and arrested.

Strangely, it now appears that it is easier and acceptable for foreigners to play a part in Singapore politics rather than the Singaporean political opposition memeber.

One analogy I can paint is in a large family with lots of kids. One naughty kid decides to challenge the father of the family and asked him to go the neighbour's house to asked the noisy neighbour to turn down the volume on the stereo. The father (now enraged) is totally unhappy with this kid, and roundly gave him a spanking before locking the kid up in the store room.

At this moment, the naughty kid's cousin who lived in the block at the opposite end of the road now came into the house and asked his uncle to go next door and gave a dressing down on that pesky neighbour. Sensing that this kid is really sensible and well behaved, the uncle then offered a glass of Milo to this kid.

From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/304697/1/.html
Myanmar nationals send petition to Prime Minister Lee

SINGAPORE: A group of Myanmar nationals in Singapore has sent a petition to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

A man, who wants to remain unidentified, went to the Istana on Tuesday morning to hand in the petition letter. He has collected close to 600 signatures from Myanmar nationals here.

Channel NewsAsia got a copy of the letter which urged Mr Lee to take a stern action against the crackdown in Myanmar.

The petitioners also called on the international community to get involved.

The letter stated that the people of Myanmar are depending on external support to help stop the violence in their country.

The Myanmar nationals here also called for all political prisoners to be released. - CNA/so

*****

From http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/304554/1/.html
Police arrest SDP chief Chee, four supporters for unlawful protest

SINGAPORE: Police on Monday arrested SDP chief Chee Soon Juan and four Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) supporters for staging an unlawful demonstration at the Istana Park facing the main entrance of the Istana.

The four are his sister Chee Siok Chin, John Tan, Ghandi Ambalam and Jeffery George.

Chee and his supporters were holding placards at the demonstration. As the place is a gazetted area and the gathering contravened the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) (Prohibition of Assemblies and Processions - Istana) Order, police issued repeated warnings, asking the group to leave.

But they persisted with the demonstration. So the police seized the placards and arrested Chee and the others.

The police noted that this latest incident is linked to another incident involving Chee.

He had staged an unlawful assembly at the Myanmar embassy on 30 September.

Police said that unlike Chee, Singaporeans and Myanmar nationals here have organised themselves to express their sentiments and concern for Myanmar unrest in a lawful manner.

Chee and the four are out on bail and investigations are ongoing.

Authorities have reiterated the call to the public not to participate in any illegal gathering. - CNA/ir

Is it time to be honest with ourselves and open the books to Singaporeans?

2007-10-09T07:27:00.000+08:00

I read with great interest the events that are unfolding in Myanmar and the many parallels I see happening in Singapore.

These events serve to remind us the kind of society we have created in Singapore.

One in which secrecy is the accepted and information is constrained in the few, and knowledge is wrapped within the elite and the privileged.

A place where economic performance and GDP growth are placed at the very top; paramount to all other human pursuits.

A place where perhaps bottom line profits is driving the blood that course through our socialogical veins.

A place where the calculator punches out the digits from the ventricles where our Singaporean heart once was.

I would like to know just like Chee Soon Juan (www.singaporedemocrat.org) would like to know.

1) How much have our GIC and Temasek invested in the regime that is the military junta of Myanmar?

2) What are the sectors which these 'public' companies have invested in? And in what form are these investments made?

3) Who are our investment partners in these ventures? Are any of these related to the military juntas or their relations?

4) Have we sold Singapore-made/assembled weapons to Myanmar? If we have, I would like to know the extent of the value, the types of weaponry and for how long we have done this?

5) How many people belonging to the ruling military juntas are there in Singapore? Either as tourists, or Singapore residents (ala permanent residents, ala non-Singaporeans).

6) What is the length of the visa granted to these 'diplomatic' subjects?

I know Chee's actions may seem confrontational and at times irrational (e.g. hunger strike). But to think that the state media chooses to publish a letter from a Myanmar national criticising his intentions and yet refuse to publish his reply is indeed atrocious. (http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/articleburmaprotest12.html)

Why is the media so one-sided? Is this the reason that compels a driven man to continue to puruse a seemingly hopeless objective of greater political freedom in Singapore? Or is he simply an irritant which we need to swat from the table of the clean.

What avenues does Chee has to voice his concerns and his views?

The door to greater visbility has been temporarily opened as a result of the world's focus on the Myanmar protests and crackdown.

This is a time for us Singaporeans to do some self-reflection and asked whether profits should be pursued at all costs. Are we willing to trade ten dead monks for a few million dollars in foreign exchange?

I hope the opposition MPs in Parliament ask these questions. Chiam and Low must ask these questions. Sylvia Lim must raise them. We have voted these people in to speak our mind.

Now come on, and open your mouth!

From http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/articleburmaprotest18.html

SDP leaders arrested for protesting outside Istana

8 Oct 07

At around 1:50 pm. the SDP's four-person representation was arrested by Singapore's plain-clothed police once they began their protest in front of the Istana. [Free Burma flyer]

Each holding one placard with the words: "No Deals", "No Arms", "with the Junta" and "Free Burma", they are consisted of SDP's chairman, Mr Gandhi Ambalam, Secretary-General, Dr Chee Soon Juan, Asst Secretary-General, Mr John Tan, and its CEC member, Ms Chee Siok Chin.

They have been taken to the police vans waiting nearby.

At 11:00 am this morning, the SDP team was at the Myanmar Embassy to hand its petition to the Ambassador, U Win Myint.

About 1,107 signatures have been gathered for the petition during the one week period starting from 30 Sept, Sunday, until yesterday evening.

The Ambassador refused to come out and accept the petition himself. After a long wait, one of the embassy staff finally showed up at the gate.

SDP's chairman, Mr Gandhi Ambalam, began to read out the letter of petition, "Dear Sir, It is with disgust that we learn about the murderous assault on the Burmese people..." Before he could finished reading the first sentence, the staff abruptly interrupted him and said, "No. We cannot accept this petition." He then turned his back and walked straight back to the embassy.

Singapore's plain-clothed policemen were also present with their video cameras to film the event.

.

A little bus fare increase won't hurt you! Just like a little open politics won't hurt Singapore either

2007-10-08T21:36:00.000+08:00

By setting up an independent body to make decisions on bus fare MRT fare matters, the government has delegated away (to PTC) what is essentially a task which the people has entrusted to it.

And now Minister Lim tries to explain why he needs to stand up and protect this independent body for making decisions for him.

It is also ironic that the Transport Minister further encouraged Singaporeans not to politicize the matters, when a constituent suggested that the bus fare decision be made once every four years before a general election.

After all, the trick of giving a bit of sweetener before every election is the hallmark of a very ‘transactional’ government.

The issues with HDB upgrading priority for non-PAP wards were also a municipal matter taken to political realms. Perhaps Minister Lim should consult Senior Minister Goh who has in the past so eloquently defended his politicization of HDB upgrading by saying that it happens every where too.

But bus fare increases is a small matter after all. My friend, the bus fare is a small issue compared to the tsunami that is the misnomer longevity insurance.

The few cents increase already caused so much grief with constituents. The holding back of people's retirement money may cause a bigger uproar.

The only reasons why the proposed drastic changes to CPF have not invoked the same passionate feelings as transport costs increase are:

1) The pain of not getting access to your CPF funds is not immediate. You will only feel this pain when it is retirement time and you cannot draw upon your own money.

2) The issues are so complex and the jargon so mind boggling that the average man in the street does not understand or care to understand the issues.

3) Our one-sided media has not weighed in on both sides of the arguments, instead choosing to merely put nicer graphics and larger fonts to what are essentially government press releases.

The lack of adequate debate on the matter in the press, will now mean that this issue will likely pass without much of a whimper in Parliament.

But the uproar will be just around the corner when people start to approach their retirement age, and yet is unable to access what they have earlier is theirs.

From: http://www.straitstimes.com/Prime%2BNews/Story/STIStory_164987.html
Minister explains why bus fares cannot remain unchanged

By Yeo Ghim Lay

Excerpt
'But the people say: 'How can you raise the fare if the buses are so crowded, so lousy the service?'

'It goes one full circle,' said the minister.

So while, politically, the freezing of fares would be a popular move, that would not be a responsible thing to do, he added.

The resident had also asked why public transport companies like SBS and SMRT are publicly listed, resulting in them looking out for the interests of their shareholders, not commuters.

'They are doing a very difficult job, (it is) very easy to say these things but they're already trying to take into account the public interest to ensure that at the end of the day, you have a public transport service that is good,' he said.

Hippocratic Oath of doctors or Hypocrite's Oath of politicians?

2007-10-07T19:42:00.000+08:00

PM LEE defends Singapore's position in allowing the Myanmar junta leader General Tan Shwe to seek medical treatment by invoking doctors' Hippocratic Oath.

From Reuters:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKSIN20915220071006

Extract
Lee said denying Burmese leaders medical treatment in Singapore would go "against human
nature".

"I mean, somebody is sick, he wants to come to Singapore, he needs treatment and you're
telling me that I shouldn't treat him because he's not a good man? It goes against the
Hippocratic Oath of doctors," he said.

Myanmar junta leader Tan Shwe, 74, stayed in a Singapore hospital in January amid
tight security for an undisclosed ailment. Myanmar Prime Minister Soe Win, 55, was in
Singapore at least twice this year to treat an illness reported to be leukaemia.

Whilst it sounds fine and dandy in a CNN interview, what is left out is more interesting. Giving medical treatment to a sick dictator sounds like a compassionate thing to do, but surely that does not include visas for their families to stay in our nice Orchard road hotels and shop in our shoppers' paradise as well.

According to Eric Ellis, Singapore's businesses especially government linked ones are the major suppliers to the military regime Myanmar. A widely held notion (but not officially disclosed matter) is that Singapore Technoloies and other Temasek companies have invested heavily in that military state.

From http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/singapore-a-friend-indeed-to-burma/2007/09/30/1191090945019.html

Singapore, a friend indeed to Burma

Extract
But by providing Burma's pariah junta with crucial material and equipment mostly denied
by Western sanctions Singapore has helped keep the military government and its cronies
afloat for 20 years, indeed since the last time the generals killed the citizens they are
supposed to protect with industrial efficiency and brutality, as now.

Without the support from Singapore, Burma's junta would be greatly weakened
and perhaps even fail. But after two decades of profitable business with the generals and
their cronies, that is about the last thing Singapore Inc is likely to do. There's too much
money to be made.

From hotels, airlines, military equipment and training, crowd control equipment and
sophisticated telecommunications monitoring devices, Singapore is a crucial manager
and supplier to the junta, and Burma's economy.

Given our heavy investment in Myanmar. Singapore is of course against imposing sanctions on Myanmar (See http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=288647). Why would Singapore hold back in taking a moralistic stand against an aggresive regime that murders protesting monks? Maybe it is because Singapore is Myanmar's largest investor. And the largest investor in that country happens to be its government related group of companies.

Singapore Technologies also appear to be supplying lots of modern weaponry to Myanmar. I would not be too surprised if these are used on suppresing the monks and other protestors. I have this nauseous feeling when I stop to ponder the question of whether our Singapore-made Singapore Technologies' bullets are lodged into many bodies of monks in Myanmar.

Of course the truth behind the curtain that shields the Myanmar regime and the Singapore government has not been lifted. Perhaps it never will.

If the UN does in fact impose sanctions, i would like to know whether the Singapore government is willing to disclose how much Singapore funds would be 'trapped' inside Myanmar. And how much impairment charge major Singapore companies would have to disclose as attributable to this fiasco. But given the sensitive nature of this information, I would presume it would be unlikely that we will ever know.

Meanwhile on October 4th news report, our Minister Mentor (the one who mentored 2 capable leaders but still feels the responsibility to sit in Parliament years after stepping down) spoke of the need for Singapore to distinguish itself by setting even higher standards of governance. See http://www.channelnewsasia.com/cna/cgi-bin/search/search_7days.pl?status=&search=MM%20Lee&id=303871

It is interesting to see whether the open and transparent Singapore government will share with the world at large how much Singapore's stake in Myanmar is right now and what was exported to Myanmar from Singapore.

For a leader whose impeccable governance record includes having produced sons and daughter in law who dedicated themselves to the serving the nation, we owe an eternal gratitude. These wonderful leaders have shown the world what it meant to have real governance when there is great clarity and transparency.

There are no governance issues even though the country's Prime Minister and Minister of Finance is Hsien Loong, whose wife was appointed by a person who reports to Hsieng Loong to run the largest company in Singapore. And in turn she appointed her brother-in-law to run the largest telecommunication company in Singapore (a subsidiary company).

Our leaders have shown us that governance is more about substance than form. Even though the form may attract the pesky attraction of foreign critics, true blooded Singaporeans will see the beauty of getting the best person for the jobs.

Singapore governance, Singapore style. As Borat would say, "I like!".

Other interesting links
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7018285.stm

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Global_Secrets_Lies/BurmaSingapore_Drugs.html

http://www.burmalibrary.org/reg.burma/archives/199701/msg00218.html

Ebay's massive writedown of Skype's valuation serves as timely reminder

2007-10-03T09:15:00.001+08:00

Ebay's massive writedown of Skype's valuation serves to remind the hawks surrounding Facebook that it is easy to overpay.

And it is also a timely reminder for Facebook founders to take the money. The US$1 billion offered by Yahoo! a while ago is a large amount for a networking site (no matter how popular it can be).

And the US$15 billion supposedly dangled by Microsoft now seemed now too gigantic that it is unlikely to be true. Especially after this round of Ebay revelations.

It is good to have a large community, but for an internet play to really survive in the long run, it must make money. And to recoup US$15 billion is a moon shot to be the best. It is paying US$15 billion for just 39 million users. It is paying US$385 for each user. These users are not all active and to earn US$385 ad revenues off each of them seems like a business model headed for disaster.

And in cyberspace, anything that becomes too popular will become passe. The hip will drop off and jump onto the next thing. It has happened before and it will happen again. Remember ICQ,

If I am Mark Zuckerberg, I would take the money off the table now.

From BusinessWeek, October 4 2007
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2007/tc2007101_499889.htm?campaign_id=rss_tech

EBay's Skype Bubble Bursts

The shakeup and $1.43 billion charge confirm eBay's irrational exuberance as well as Skype's struggling Web-calling business model
by Olga Kharif

When eBay (EBAY) bought Skype Technologies for $2.6 billion in late 2005, few could fathom why the online auction company saw so much in a money-losing Internet phone service. Two years later, eBay is admitting it made a mistake.

On Oct. 1, eBay confirmed that it overpaid for Skype—by nearly $1 billion—and that the popular Web-calling business has not performed up to the rosy forecasts set back in 2005. In announcing a $1.43 billion charge against profits, eBay also revealed a broad management reshuffle in which Skype co-founders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis will be leaving their posts.

About a half-billion dollars of the charge is for a payment to Zennström, Friis, and other early Skype investors. Although it might sound like a plump farewell present, that payout is well short of the $1.7 billion those shareholders stood to receive from eBay if Skype had met the targets for users, revenue, and profits set in the 2005 buyout agreement.

Whose leg is it anyway?

2007-10-03T06:01:00.000+08:00

Again, this story can speak for itself.

The best quote is this:
"It's a strange incident and Halloween's just around the corner. The price will go up if I get the leg."

I think whoever finally wins custoday of the amputated leg can say that he has one leg up on the other.

From BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7024124.stm

October 3, 2007
North Carolina pair feud over leg

A US man who stored his amputated leg in a barbecue smoker that was later auctioned off is locked in a custody dispute with the man who bought it.

John Wood's smoker was sold to Shannon Whisnant last week after he fell behind on payments at the storage facility in North Carolina where it was kept.

He wants his leg back but Mr Whisnant says he has a receipt for the smoker's contents and wants to share ownership.

Mr Wood's leg was amputated above the knee after a plane crash in 2004.

He asked to keep the leg so he could be buried as a whole man when he died, and stored it at the facility in Maiden after losing his home.

But when Mr Wood failed to pay the necessary rental fees, the storage company auctioned the smoker and all its contents.

'Strange incident'
After buying the smoker last Tuesday, Mr Whisnant looked inside and found a man's leg wrapped in a wire screen.

Halloween's just around the corner - the price will go up if I get the leg Shannon Whisnant
He initially gave the leg to the police, who concluded it had not been removed as a result of a crime and sent it to a funeral home until Mr Wood could pick it up.

But after making money by charging adults $3 (£1.47) and children $1 (49p) to look inside the empty smoker, Mr Whisnant asked for it back.

His request was refused by the funeral home, so he decided to try to persuade Mr Wood to share custody and profits.

"I told him I'd share custody of it..." Mr Whisnant said.

"It's a strange incident and Halloween's just around the corner. The price will go up if I get the leg."

'Despicable'
Mr Wood, who now lives in Greenville, South Carolina, has insisted he is not interested in using the leg to make money and plans to travel to Maiden as soon as possible to reclaim it.

"I just think it's despicable," he said.

"I don't mind having the 15 minutes of fame, but I'm not looking to really profit off this thing.

"He's making a freak show out of it."

Having had his offer rejected, Mr Whisnant has threatened to begin legal action if the leg is not returned to him by next week.

He says he has a receipt showing he bought both the smoker and its contents at the auction.

"Everybody knows it's mine, period," he said. "And if anyone tries to take it, I want everything they got."

How to stay in power when the constitution expressly says otherwise?

2007-10-02T13:56:00.000+08:00

Russia provides an interesting counter-point to the democracy we enjoy in Singapore.

In our sunny state of urban democracy, we allow our leaders to continue to lead as long his party retains their stronghold in the polls.

In Russia (an ex-communist regime no less), there is a constutitional rule that the President cannot preside for more than 2 terms.

Therefore Putin (a wildly popular leader and often misunderstood (because of him giving little access to Westerm media) thought of the ingenious way to maintain his grip in power.

He intends to move himself to a partly leader position and then contest the general elections as a person capable to lead as a Prime Minister of Russia. In announcing his intention, he lays the way for the party to announce him as their leader and also to galvanise support early for that party.

At the same time, his experience as the President and the popularity he enjoys will now mean that the next President will be a lame duck which will appear as a puppet he is going to install in the Kremlin.

In Singapore, we have found a more elegant solution to this problem.

They are called the Senior Minister and Minister Mentor positions in the cabinet.

These positions do not have fixed portfolio of responsibilities; which ensured that an economic meltdown cannot be traced to the senior ministers since there is a Finance Minister. If there is a terrorism issue, that belongs to the Home Affairs Ministry. If there is a international relations issue, there is a foreign minister to take care of that.

These positions are ideal. They carry sufficient prestige, adequate salary and a market driven bonus award system. And most importantly, it is totally absolved of the daily responsibility of a regular fix-portfolio minister.

All the benefits and none of the drawbacks. Of course this is wonderful, which is why we have 2 of such positions in our talent laden cabinet.

Putin's clunky arrangement is tricky and unnecessary cumbersome.

Our efficient government machinery demonstrates its superior forward thinking by not having the constitution stop a good man or men from continuing to contribute. This also allowed the talented family members of these men to contribute to the nation.

And it is always good to be able to watch your son grow up a strong leader in the office you created.

Thank goodness, we have a good set of leaders. Russia should learn from us.

From Reuters: http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2007-10-01T220549Z_01_L01737785_RTRIDST_0_RUSSIA-PUTIN-TV.XML

Putin solves Kremlin riddle of how to stay on in power
Tue Oct 2, 2007 5:22am BST
By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin appears to have solved a riddle that has puzzled Kremlin watchers and investors alike: how will Putin keep power without office?

Putin's answer seems to be: stay in office -- but this time as the most influential member of parliament's biggest party, and even as prime minister.

He told a congress of the United Russia party on Monday that he could be a future prime minister and that he would head the party's list in December parliamentary elections.

Kremlin officials, ministers, deputies and members of United Russia roared with applause and gave a Putin a standing ovation.

Investors and politicians said Putin has unveiled a plan that suggested he would be the real power behind the Kremlin after 2008 while a new president would take a secondary role.

"Putin will be in effect the head of state, it will be just as prime minister," said Ian Hague, partner at New York-based Firebird Management, which has $3.5 billion (1.7 billion pounds) invested in emerging markets, including $1 billion in Russia.

"The presidency would then be a lot less meaningful," Hague said. "The market will like it -- the market likes whatever Putin does."

Putin has brought political stability and presided over nearly eight years of economic growth, a contrast to the chaos which accompanied the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

But some investors cautioned that concentrating power outside the Kremlin would be a major innovation -- and possible risk -- in a country accustomed to rule from inside the stronghold of tsars, communists and presidents.

Are Myanmar protestors breaking Singapore laws?

2007-10-01T06:31:00.000+08:00

The events in Myanmar calls to mind the harsh truth about dictactorships and lack of transparency and democracy.

In a widely criticised move, the military junta cracked down (hard) on monks and other civilian protestors.

In Singapore SDP and Chee Soon Juan organised a petition letter of sorts which aimed to protest against the Myanmese government's actions and also another petition critical of Singapore's PAP government.

I have an interesting point to make. If the Singapore police breaks up Myanmese protestors outside Peninsula Plaza, Myanmar embassy because the Singapore law expressly prohibits assembly of four or more without a police permit, how would Singapore be seen in the world stage. Especially since George Yeo (Singapore's Foreign Minister and current chair of ASEAN) so eloquently and loudly declared his indignation at the events happening in Myanmar.

Is the gentle suppression of the citizenry protest any more desirable than a bloody violent one (like that happening in Myanmar)?

Afterall, one must remember, the monks were allowed to march long before they were cracked down. Would a similar event in Singapore be already crushed before the flickering flames can gather momentum to start a fire? Would the Singapore riot police have rounded up everyone when four protestors gather, instead of waiting for thousands to form?

Read the following links for more details:

From SingaporeDemocrat.org (a SDP website, quoting a letter from Myanmese nationals in Singapore)
http://singaporedemocrat.org/articleburmaprotest4.html
Singapore government adds to Myanmar oppression

From ChannelNewsAsia
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/303087/1/.html
Police urge public not to take part in assembly without a permit

From ChannelNewsAsia
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/303065/1/.html
Crowd holds candlelight vigil outside Myanmar Embassy in Singapore

Potatoes, noodles and tomatoes: ingredients for making a 7.75 kg baby

2007-09-27T19:37:00.000+08:00

I am speechless, read on.

From BBC 27 Sep 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7015841.stm

Russian mother has 'giant' baby

A Russian woman has given birth to a baby weighing 7.75kg (17.5lbs), more than twice the average newborn weight.

The "little" girl, Nadia, was delivered by Caesarean section at a hospital in the Altai region of Siberia, joining eight sisters and three brothers.

"We were all simply in shock," reports quoted Nadia's mother, Tatyana Barabanova, 43, as saying.

"What did the father say? He couldn't say a thing - he just stood there blinking," she said.

Record weights
All her previous babies had weighed more than 5kg (11lb), a local reporter was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying.

"I ate everything, we don't have the money for special foods so I just ate potatoes, noodles and tomatoes," added Mrs Barabanova, who had the child on 17 September.

In January 2005, a woman in Brazil gave birth to a baby weighing 17lb (7.73kg), the heaviest boy yet born in Brazil, according to the Brazilian Gynaecological Association.

Among the heaviest babies recorded are a 10.2kg (22.5lb) boy born in Italy in 1955, and a 10.8kg (23.8lb) boy born in the US in 1879 but who died 11 hours later.

Malaysian lawyers protest the "apppointment of judges"

2007-09-26T20:38:00.000+08:00

I am not sure if anyone else read this shocking development in Malaysia.

First off, an opposition politician releases a video clip of a prominent lawyer speaking to (apparently) a judge on how he has helped him get appointed and how this prominent lawyer can help him further his career in the judiciary.

Then this sparked off a furore when a 1,000 lawyers marched towards to Badawi's office, and presented a letter calling for a top level investigation into this alleged instance of corruption and cronyism.

I find this development interesting in terms of how it reflects upon Singapore, our judiciary and our lawyers.

We often hear of higher levels of corruption across the Causeway. We listened to stories where we need to pay for the coffee of traffic police who stopped your vehicle for a chat. We heard rumours of purported requirement to pay for the local police to investigate the crimes you report to them. All these stories and hearsay have been etched into our collective Singaporean psyche that we perhaps have taken these to be the truth (myself included).

Here comes the story of the lawyers (well respected parts of any community, for most parts anyway), who in all likelihood come across what they believed to be a credible lead for them to call upon the government to do something. And furthermore, this is not just a couple of them. A thousand joined in the March. Instead of billing for their time, they did what they believed to be necessary.

And I wonder what would happen if something like this were to happen in Singapore. I mean, hypothetically... of course, Singapore is the cleanest country in the world in terms of corruption (especially if you ask our 66% government and its media).

First off, if a Singaporean opposition has a video clip which is similar to what Anwar has, I think his phone account and phone records may be investigated upon. Given that there is no Privacy of Information Act in Singapore, I am quite sure that our ever efficient, upright and impartial ISD would like to get to the bottom of the video by asking Singtel, Starhub or M1 to hand over records and log of that opposition's phone.

Of course, our responsible corporate citizens (loyal as they are to Singapore) telcos would hand over this video clips. In fact the Odex saga demonstrated their willingness to lift their skirts to possible anyone who asked nicely.

Next step, anyone who received or post or transmit that same video who be called into ISD's office for a discussion. A nice Milo drink would be served and you spend a nice couple of hours answering to a long list of repeated questions.

The press will then print stories of this subservient video being circulated and it will warn Singaporeans not to circulate evidence which is now under investigation.

The Singaporean lawyers, if they develop a spine, will then decide that they need to do a march (just like their Malaysian counterpart). Perhaps a few lawyers will show up... JB Jeyaratnam (being a new lawyer)...Chiam See Tong.... and perhaps a few other non-lawyer opposition party cadres will show up. The usual suspects may be the Chee siblings, Sylvia Lim and others may also show up.

Guess what the media will be there; to take photos of the only few people who turned up. The photographers will be briefed on how to select interesting closeup angles where only a section of the onlookers will be shown.

Next up, you will probably see twenty riot buses and thousands of police officers. If the earlier CPF demonstration, Chee's walk to Hong Lim and the ODEX-anime lovers' action heroes' protest give any indication, it would be that there is a Standard Operating Procedure in the SPF that 1 protestor must be met with 20 riot police officer. Never mind the stringent training and the top class equipment they have purchased, 20 police officers to 1 protestor is the best way to maintain law and order. (In Poland, i believed this was called a police state phenomenon).

They will round up the protesting lawyers for tea.

And the riot police officers will give themselves a pat on the back for capturing dangerous elements and then quickly returning their pristine equipment to the armoury after a round of cleaning and polishing. To their credit police riot equipment is depreciated over a long time.

Of course we do not have corruption in Singapore and cronyism is something which stops at the Second Link and the Causeway.

Of course all our judges are appointed fairly and squarely.

Of course none of their judicial decisions awkwardly disfavour the opposition.

Of course their decisions were never swayed by the people who appointed them and whoever happens to be sitting in Parliament.

We are Singaporeans and our house is clean.

We know this. How we know?

Because our press says so.

From International Herald Tribune
(http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/09/26/asia/AS-GEN-Malaysia-Judicial-Crisis.php)

Malaysian lawyers hold rare protest in capital

The Associated Press
Wednesday, September 26, 2007

PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: About 1,000 lawyers and social activists rallied in Malaysia's administrative capital Wednesday in a rare public demonstration, calling for a top-level inquiry into allegations of corruption and cronyism in the judiciary.

The demonstration, the first in nearly two decades by the 12,000-member Bar Council of Malaysia, was prompted by the disclosure last week of a video clip that allegedly shows a prominent lawyer brokering the appointment of top judges in 2002.

"What do we want? Justice!" shouted the lawyers dressed in court attire — black jackets and pants or skirts. Some held banners reading "Stop the patronage, stop the rot" and "Clean up the judiciary" as riot police with rifles and batons looked on.

They assembled outside the Palace of Justice, a magnificent building housing the country's top courts, before marching toward the prime minister's office, about 2 kilometers (1 mile) away, to hand over a statement.

Police stopped the marchers some distance away but allowed Bar Council President Ambiga Sreenevasan and a few others deliver their statement.

The statement calls for a royal commission of inquiry to be formed to look "into the present state of the judiciary as a whole," including changing the procedure for appointing judges, Sreenevasan said.

At present, judges are appointed by the king on the prime minister's recommendation. The council wants an impartial commission to make the appointments, she said.

"We are walking for justice. We want judicial reforms. We believe we can have a First World judiciary and we deserve a First World judiciary," Sreenevasan said.

"Lawyers don't walk everyday. When lawyers walk something's wrong," she said, adding that the credibility of the judiciary has suffered since 1988, when constitutional changes reduced judicial powers, giving the government the upper hand in making decisions.

The judiciary was dealt another blow in 1998 when former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim — sacked earlier by then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad — was charged with corruption and sodomy. Anwar says the charges, for which he was convicted and jailed in 1999, were politically motivated. The sodomy conviction was later overturned.

Anwar set off a storm last week when he released the video clip, which shows the well-known lawyer, whose face is clearly visible, talking on his mobile phone and identifying the person on the other end as a senior judge. The voice at the other end is not heard.

The lawyer speaks about how he helped get the judge appointed to his current post, and discusses plans to elevate him further with the help of a tycoon and a senior politician. A number of prominent judges are also named during the conversation.

The government appointed an independent panel on Tuesday to investigate the authenticity of the video.

Sreenevasan welcomed the setting up of the panel, but said it should go beyond investigating the authenticity of the video and look into the conduct of judges.

Quote of the Day - Halo 3

2007-09-26T20:01:00.001+08:00

"I don’t know how I’m going to feed myself."
R. J. BOLLARD, a freshman at the University of Washington, who said he had 73 cents left after buying the video game Halo 3.

I can only say.... Steady lor...Win Already.

DBS' Jackson Tai steps down: another foreign talent to leave Singapore after some good years

2007-09-25T08:51:00.000+08:00

I read with interest the news that Jackson Tai is stepping down at the end of the year (and perhaps sooner, if they can find his successor fast enough).

When asked for his retirement plans, he talked of dying his hair brown and cutting his hair spiky. This of course, would not be out of place for a soon to be retired drummer. He also spoke of his need to "catch up with his family in the US".

Which makes me wonder why do we find foreign talents who did well here, made a decent living, but who often goes back home to the States, to Canada to Australia but seldom settle down here in Singapore after their retirement.

I am also familiar with Singaporean who worked overseas for a long time (a reverse foreign talent if you like), who decide to settle down and retire in the foreign land. Although they were once foreigners in a foreign land, they now opt to stay back as a resident and even upon retiree. They see their adopted home country as both a place to work and to retire.

Rarely do I see the reverse happening in Singapore.

Foreign talents remain 'foreign' to Singapore. They worked here for foreign companies, they earn Singapore dollars, remit them overseas and when they retire, they pack up and leave.

What makes Singapore a great place to work but a sad place to retire?

Perhaps we can look to our leaders for some indication.

If you notice the PAP leadership in the Parliament now, the two brightest leaders we had for a long time were Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong.

And it is interesting to note that they are still in Singapore and they have not retired too.

These people surely must know something.

From ChannelnewsAsia, 25 Sep 2007
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporebusinessnews/view/301702/1/.html

DBS's CEO Jackson Tai to step down

SINGAPORE : DBS is on a global search for a new chief executive. The lender surprised the markets on Monday by announcing that the bank's current CEO, Jackson Tai, has resigned.

Mr Tai said he wants to spend more time with his family in the US, but the resignation follows a string of bad news.

There have been concerns over the bank's exposure to the US sub-prime housing market. DBS also announced recently that it was not increasing its stake in Thailand's TMB.

There has been no earlier indication at all that Mr Tai was about to resign.

And at the news briefing on Monday, reporters were quick to ask if it had anything to do with the US housing credit crisis.

Last month, DBS surprised the markets when it said its total exposure to collateralised debt obligations was S$2.4 billion, or S$1.1 billion more than was previously revealed.

But the lender was firm in standing behind the man at its helm, stressing that there was no link between the two.

Chairman Koh Boon Hwee was keen to focus instead on the key role Mr Tai had played in helping the bank to grow its presence in the region.

It was well wishes all round for Mr Tai, who joined DBS eight years ago, just after the Asian financial crisis.

He was the bank's CEO for the last five years.

He announced his resignation Monday, but said he will continue his service till the end of the year.

While there were concerns about succession, no one questioned his record as CEO for the last five years.

Mr Tai said: "There's never a really good time to leave, but I believe DBS bank is poised for growth and continued market leadership in Asia. DBS had a record year in 2006 and continued to deliver record fee income and record net interest income in the second quarter of 2007.

"I'm confident that Chairman and the rest of the DBS management team will continue the progress that we're making in establishing DBS as a respected and admired bank in Asia.

"I do have mixed feelings about leaving my colleagues, but I hope that they understand that it's time for me, after eight years in Singapore, to catch up with my family in the States."

A key milestone for the bank under his watch was when DBS obtained its retail licence in China.

Mr Koh said Mr Tai was instrumental in growing DBS's geographical reach. Mr Koh will take on active management oversight until a new CEO is found who can extend the bank's regional footprint.

Mr Koh said: "As Jack indicated, there's never a perfect time to leave. We happen to be going into a period where we're just embark on issues that has implications beyond Jack's departure date, for example our budget for 2008. And therefore my focus in this transition period is on the issues that will actually extend beyond the end of this year."

Analysts say the person taking over must have banking experience in Asia.

David Lum, Senior Analyst, Daiwa Institute of Research, said: "I think the CEO has to have Asian experience, I think that's a certainty.

It probably requires someone who could drive all parts of DBS's business, continue to acquisition momentum, so I think it's fairly big shoes to fill." DBS has not ruled out an internal promotion, but it says since it already knows the strengths of its key management, it will be focusing its search outside DBS. - CNA/ch

Halo 3 descents: Mayhem on Earth

2007-09-25T06:58:00.000+08:00

The Halo 3 phenomenon is about to descent soon. Much like the Potter-mania of the video-gaming kind, expect a lot of kids and adults to stay awake well past their usual bed time.

I found this clip recently which talks about the past, present and future of the Halo franchise. It is reallly quite funny.

Malaysian airport carpark turns into temporary camp in

2007-09-18T09:31:00.000+08:00

The predicament with the Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia seem to be worsening with the passing of each day.

This current debacle started when Malaysia suddenly realised last year that there were many illegal Indonesian workers working in the country's factories and shops. In one fell swoop, the local Malaysian police decided to raid shops and factories to round up these illegal migrants in their midst.

All those illegal workers caught were quickly deported.

But in a country short of cheap labour, Malaysian companies suddenly find itself short of low wage workers.

What i understand was a scheme was quickly put together where foreign imports (the legal kind) was approved to work in Malaysia. This was part of the Malaysia - Bangladeshi 's government to provide labour to the country.

However, as with all quick schemes, the devil is in the details.

As it now turns out, a lot of irresponsible labour agents in Bangladesh and Malaysia are now collecting lots of "introductory fees" from these migrant workers and not delivering on the promise of good pay.

This is apparently not the first time Bangladeshi workers ran into problems like these. They were also apparently getting the short end of a very tough stick, when working in the Middle East as well. (http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=28055b4d-382f-4f52-a7b9-7144aa495451&&Headline=Cheated+Gulf+workers+get+%e2%80%98amnesty%e2%80%99

Hope things turn out well for them in the end.

(From: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i74B4olUfjMJIqLLuZZKKQ8qCZZg)
Malaysia sets up camp at airport car park: report
2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysian immigration authorities have established a makeshift camp in the car park of Kuala Lumpur's airport for foreign workers waiting to be collected by their agents, a report said Sunday.

Immigration Department chief Wahid Don said that corralling the workers in the car park prevented them loitering in the main airport buildings and creating an "unpleasant" situation for other travellers.

"We can't have them running around the airport and congesting the premises," he told the Sunday Star newspaper.

The Star reported earlier that thousands of foreign workers, mostly Bangladeshis, have been forced to camp in the car park while waiting for their employers -- who sometimes took days to collect them.

Wahid said that a permanent facility was being built at the car park, to house foreign workers and handle their visas and paperwork.

One worker, Bangladeshi Kho Kan, told the newspaper that he had arrived two days ago with 24 other men who had been told they would be working in Malaysian factories.

"We have to use our own money to buy food while waiting for our agent to pick us up," he said.

An agent who came to the airport to collect 50 workers said that delays were often caused by miscommunication between agents in Malaysia and Bangladesh.

"Some agents had no idea that their workers had arrived, so they were not here to pick up the workers. If agents fail to show up within seven days after the arrival of the workers, the workers would be deported," he said.

Taking photos in a toilet is as strange as senators looking for gax sex in them

2007-09-18T06:26:00.000+08:00

Please do not be surprised if you see tourists taking photos in a public toilet in a Minneapolis airport. Afterall, this is the alleged crime scene where a anti gay Republican senator was arrested for soliciting gay sex from a police officer whilst in the toilet.

From the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6998619.stm
Larry Craig toilet 'tourist site'

Larry Craig now says his guilty plea was a mistake The Minneapolis airport toilet where US senator Larry Craig was arrested for allegedly soliciting gay sex is now attracting tourists, say airport staff.

"People are taking pictures," Karen Evans, an information officer at Minneapolis-St Paul international airport, told Associated Press.

Mr Craig, a Republican from Idaho, pleaded guilty in August to disorderly conduct over the toilet incident.

He now says the plea was a mistake and is trying to have it withdrawn.

Depending on the outcome of the case, Mr Craig may reverse his earlier decision to resign by the end of September.

'Actions misconstrued'

Mr Craig was arrested on 11 June by an undercover airport police officer.

Now it seems that tourists passing through the airport cannot resist the temptation to have a look at the scene.

"We had to just stop and check out the bathroom," said Sally Westby of Minneapolis, on her way to Guatemala with her husband Jon.

"In fact, it's Jon's second time - he was here last week already."

Royal Zino, who works at the shoeshine shop next to the public lavatory, said "it's been crazy".

"People have been going inside, taking pictures of the stall, taking pictures outside the bathroom door."

The politician, who has a record of hostility to gay rights and is a married father-of-three, insists he is not homosexual.

He says police misconstrued his actions at the airport.

No food, no drinks and no sex; Ramadan starts

2007-09-17T18:02:00.000+08:00

Kelantan has set up an elite unit to target people who break religious rules in the month of Ramadan. Read the report from Reuters here: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSKLR27379020070917

No food, no drinks, no sex during daylight hours. Which is like giving a holiday to the thousands of Muslim wives in the state.

Australian Navy pays for breast augmentation for some of its servicewomen

2007-09-17T06:52:00.000+08:00

Do you wonder why the Navy deemed it a psychological need for its Navy women to have larger breasts?

Are they augmented with more self-esteem because their male colleagues now bow their heads (avoiding eye contact whilst staring at their boobs) slightly when talking to them?

Do they sleep more soundly knowing that they have larger floatation devices?

There must be a serious downside to this story. Won't having so much liquid on you cause you to have sea-sick chest?

Hmm. I wonder if the Navy has done enough tests to support (pun intended) its practices.

From BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6997316.stm
Australia navy in breast op row

The navy said breast implants were not to make sailors "look sexy"Australia's opposition Labor Party has questioned the need for female sailors to be given breast enlargements paid for with public money.

An armed forces spokesman defended the operations, saying they were carried out for psychological reasons, not to make sailors "look sexy".

Brigadier Andrew Nikolic said the "holistic needs" of service personnel were considered under defence policy.

But he said breast augmentations were not routinely funded by the military.

"We do consider the broader needs of our people, both physical and psychological," Brig Nikolic said.

"But that is a long way from saying that if someone doesn't like their appearance, Defence will fund things like breast augmentation as a matter of routine - that is just not correct."

He was speaking after one plastic surgeon said he had carried out breast enlargements on two sailors, aged 25 and 32, for A$10,000 (£4,200) each.

Brig Nikolic said such operations were only recommended after a medical evaluation.

But the opposition Labor Party said it wanted details on the cases.

"On the face of it, taxpayer-funded breast enhancement is a questionable practice," said Labor defence spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon.

"I have to say [it] smacks of a government out of touch."

.

Understanding pay differences: armed forces vs civil service

2007-09-13T07:14:00.000+08:00

Read this Straits Times reported this in their article on Sep 13, 2007 (link: http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_157377.html).

From the Straits Times article, I come to know the following.

"While a fresh graduate with a good honours degree can draw a starting salary of $2,600 in the civil service, an SAF lieutenant with a similar degree will start at $3,860. The catch, though, is that the SAF retires its officers young - typically before they hit 45 years old. "

It seems like the reason for paying the soldier more is now attributed to the fact that SAF retires its personnel young.

All along, I imagined (now admitedly wrongly) that the reasons for paying the SAF regulars more was because their job is one fraught with danger (explosives, live rounds and dealing with national servicemen who brings his weapon from the army out to Orchard Road). I thought they were compensated more because of the 'hardship factor' and for going under the sun ever so often.

It seems that the reason for the gap in pay boils down to the fact that SAP personnel retires at 45.

Wow.. didn't the Singapore army rotate the highly talented armed forces personnel to important positions in the government (see the Rear Admiral story)? Or they get hired in important positions in the private sector (see the Chief of Army appointment in Temasek Holdings story)?

Maybe the Straits Times article refers to the common soldier, not the uber soldier who makes it as Chief of something.

Let's look at a hypothetical case of 2 young graduates (one signing on for the army and the other working for the civil service).

The starting pay of each of them is S$3,860 and S$2,600 respectively. I worked out a simple assumption that each of them gets a 5% increment each year with a 15 months bonus for each year they work. I want to find out how much is the early retirement worth when comparing these 2 young graduates. And I use a present value factor of 4%, which is the Special Account interest rate used by CPF (which I used as proxy for a risk free rate, we can change the rate and the conclusion would still be similar).

(please note that I am neither an economist or a financial consultant, so we are starting with a very layperson base here. if you have any comments or corrections regarding my workings, please leave a comment to enlighten me *thanks*).

I compared the present values of the accumulated salaries earned by these two individuals until the soldier retires at 45. Based on the net present value of these future cash flows, the soldier will earn in today's money S$1.56 million, while the civil servant earns S$1.05 million at age 45. This is a difference of S$511,000 (in today's value).

So we assume the soldier retires at age 45 and goes fishing all day. He has no income from then on. Our civil servant continues to serve the nation. He needs to work until age 55 (an additional 10 years and 3 months) in order to match the accumulated salaries of the soldier friend. In these last 10 years, the soldier friend must have caught a lot of fish.

That is not all. If the soldier friend finds himself bored and decides to do a private sector job (and there are many avenues to do so, if he has been a good soldier), he can. He can go work for such private companies such as Temasek, Capitaland, Keppel, NOL, PSA and even the PAP (although PAP may seem like one, it is not really a private company).

And does this now mean that the civil servant is never going to be on par with his fellow soldier friend? However, I cannot conclude that this is so. My assumptions and workings are superficial and were based on limited information and buckets of assumption.

But I hope you get the gist of my point. Now I await the next newspaper report which tells me that the civil servant needs a raise because they are lagging the salaries in the armed forces.

Detailed workings below for reference only.

Chris Soh has been sniped by Championship Gaming Series

2007-09-12T18:01:00.000+08:00

Earlier I blogged about the story of the acting GM of the Singapore chapter of the Championship Gaming Series who wants teams to sign off 50% of their earnings to his association before being picked to represent Singapore. Many people were flabbergasted at this very odd 'rule'.

Even more people were pissed that Chris Soh (the acting GM) even go so far as to select the losing team because the winning team refuse to sign up to pay this 50%

There is an update to the story now.
Apparently, this Soh fella has been axed from his position.

Kudos must be given to the swift decision taken by the Championship Gaming Series before the saga blows up and hurt the gaming community in Singapore.

Looks like Chris Soh got a head shot.

See Announcement
http://www.thecgs.com/index.php?s=content&d=details&id=3233
New Singapore General Manager
September 11, 2007
Following the controversy surrounding last week’s CGS Singapore Qualifier and Draft, and after conducting a detailed investigation with all parties concerned, CGS and Chris Soh have mutually agreed that he will no longer serve as acting General Manager of the Singapore team. Effective immediately, Steven Yong will act as the League’s interim GM of the Singapore team. Steven is a seasoned veteran in competitive gaming and will manage the team until a permanent replacement is announced.

Mr. Yong will be making final draft selections for the Singapore team in the immediate future and CGS looks forward to announcing the members of the Singapore team soon. The league regrets any inconvenience which may have been caused.

The best interests of the gaming community remain the league’s top priority.

Computer gaming in Singapore: Trouble brewing as improper side deals are now alleged

2007-09-12T06:52:00.000+08:00

Apparently, the team which wins the tournament is not automatically signed on to the bigger tournaments because they refused to sign 50% of their potential earnings away to the GM's private organisation.

This is a serious blow to the local gaming community and the aspirations of many here in Singapore.

Many questions are now in the air and it would be interesting to see how the Championship Gaming Series (http://www.thecgs.com) would look at this matter. As far as I know, the local chapter is a mere franchise of the worldwide series.

Perhaps it is time for this Soh-dier needs to be fragged.

All Games: Trouble in Singapore
From: http://www.gotfrag.com/portal/story/39717/?cpage=1

A huge controversy is brewing in Singapore over the Championship Gaming Series combine, draft and the newly chosen General Manager for the CGS' Singapore franchise. According to sources, it would appear that the newly appointed general manager requested that players sign a "behind the scenes" contract that gives the general manager's association 50 of all players winnings and earnings before he would agree to draft them. This contract is totally separate from the CGS contract. To boil it down; this guy wants 50 percent of all the players and teams earnings on top of the money allocated to him by the CGS.

Reuben Conceicao, long time leader and now consultant of the Singapore Counter Strike team Titans, has given his side of the story to GotFrag and has supplied GotFrag with the actual contract that was allegedly forced upon the players. Titans finished first in the Singapore combine but were not selected in the draft because they refused to sign the contract, Conceicao tells GotFrag. Conceicao says the team was told the official reason they were not chosen was for "unsportsmanlike" conduct. The Titans dominated the field at the Singapore combine, winning their finals matches in convincing fashion.

Official statement from Reuben Conceicao:
Before the event, several players from various games were approached by Chris Soh, the current GM. He informed them that he was going to pick players who signed a contract with him which would require them to give 50% of their total earnings in Asia (CGS Asia region included) to his private organization called the Singapore Gamers Association (SGGA).

Our organization refused to sign this contract as we cannot see what the CGS has to do with the SGGA, and we felt it would not be condusive to the players who need the money to get by. After winning the finals so convincingly, we were appalled to discover our players were not selected, and instead his CSS team, XTC would be selected.

Upon further investigation, other players from other games such as Tetra from DOA, Phenic from PGR and Extreme from FIFA, FLYSHOW- from WC3 all corroborated with similar accounts of his extortion attempts.

GotFrag has also received confirmation from other players involved that they were pressured to sign this contract before the draft by Singapore General Manager Chris Soh. GotFrag has contacted the CGS and they have declined to comment at this time.GotFrag has obtained a copy of the contract that was alledgedly forced upon potential draftees.

The contract can be downloaded in PDF format at the link below:
http://www.gotfrag.com/files/upload/gamer_sponsorship.zip

Clinton campaign to return funds (US$850,000) raised by convicted felon

2007-09-12T06:05:00.000+08:00

I just find it odd that a felon who has been on the run, and hiding in parts of Asia would return to the US after 15 years.

And even stranger he then gave US$250,000 to various Democratic presidential candidates (including Senator Hilary Clinton).

But wait, that is not all. He then went on (apparently) to round up another 260 donors to donate US$600,000 (i am guessing his US$250,00 will be returned to him as well) to the Hilary for President campaign.

This guy sure loves the Democratic party.

From Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN1037238720070911

Clinton campaign returning $850,000 in donations
Tue Sep 11, 2007 1:42PM EDT
By JoAnne Allen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Clinton is returning about $850,000 in campaign contributions from a fundraiser who was arrested last week after trying to escape sentencing on a decade-old criminal charge, the campaign said on Monday.

"In light of recent events and allegations that Mr. Norman Hsu engaged in an illegal investment scheme, we have decided out of an abundance of caution to return the money he raised for our campaign," spokesman Howard Wolfson said in a statement.

The campaign is refunding about $850,000 to some 260 donors this week, Wolfson said.
The Washington Post characterized the refund as one of the largest in political history.

Hsu was convicted of fraud in 1992. He had evaded authorities for years, spending time in Asia before emerging in recent years in the United States as a generous donor to Democrats, including Clinton presidential rival Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

FBI agents arrested Hsu on federal charges of unlawful flight on Thursday evening at a Grand Junction, Colorado, hospital. He had failed to appear at a hearing in California on Wednesday.

"Hsu donated to numerous charities and more than two dozen candidates and committees. Despite conducting a thorough review of public records, our campaign, like these others, were unaware of Mr. Hsu's decade-plus-old warrant," Wolfson said.

Wolfson said the campaign was tightening its vetting procedures for fundraisers who solicit donations, including criminal background checks, to guard "against this type of situation in the future."

California Attorney General Jerry Brown's office said last week that Hsu would be returned to the state to face sentencing for his conviction arising from a business scheme that bilked about 20 investors of approximately $1 million.

From: http://origin.mercurynews.com/comics/ci_6814690
The case against Norman Hsu
Mercury News research

1989: Norman Hsu begins raising more than $1 million from about 20
investors, including some in the Bay Area, purportedly to buy latex gloves
that would be resold to a major U.S. business.

1991: Hsu is charged with grand theft for defrauding investors. He pleads no contest in San Mateo County Superior Court and agrees to pay a fine and restitution to his
investors and serve up to three years in state prison.

1992: The court issues a bench warrant for Hsu's arrest after he fails to show up for his sentencing date. Law enforcement cannot find him for the next 15 years.
2004: Hsu, living in New York, emerges as a major donor to the Democratic Party. By various estimates, Hsu donates about $250,000 over the next three years to various candidates, including Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Aug. 31, 2007: Hsu turns himself in to the San Mateo County Superior Court. Judge James Ellis sets Hsu's bail at $2 million. Hsu posts bail and is ordered to surrender his passport. He is released until another hearing Wednesday.
Wednesday: Hsu fails to turn up at his hearing. The judge issues another warrant for his arrest.

Has Apple touched you yet? Goodies for the holidays

2007-09-07T09:00:00.000+08:00

Of course, people in Singapore are not bombarded by the iPhone yet. Although we are not 'suffering' from the iPhone frenzy, i bet some people in Singapore are already ready to open their wallets when the iPhone hits town. I would probably not be getting an iPhone when it hits town because it is safer to drive and make calls with a phone with buttons, than one where you would need to stare at the screen and poke at it to make a call.
In the mean time, potential iPhone buyers can choose (if they want to) to get an iPodtouch which mimics the interface and form factor of the iPhone but without the phone features.

So what's stopping me from getting an iPodtouch?

It has too small a storage space to really enjoy lots of video using a nice sharp 3.5 inch screen.

As it is, I already have a 5th Generation 30GB iPod. The screen is small but I still catch the occassional video podcast on it. I love this iPod; it stores practically all i need loads of music, photos, videos podcasts and audio podcasts, It is small and easy to use. It survives drops (even though I should be more careful). It connects nicely to the hotel room's TV when I travel. I have all my the stimulations I need from a multimedia 'swiss-army-knife'.

I would go out and order an iPodtouch if it comes in the same 3.5 inch screen but is equipped with a 80GB hard disk. Hell, I may even get a 160GB one. Why not?

I also wished that the v2.0 has a build in PDA functions like calendar (where u can key in, instead of just syncing from your computer), to-dos, notes, iWork mobile versions and maybe even GPS functionality (this is getting very common even in normal Nokia flip phones). Since i do not see myself buying the iPhone (when it eventually comes to town), I would absolutely love an iPodtouch with PDA functionality.

For those who wants a small 'video' iPod which you can bring for your gym workouts, try the new nano:

And if you really need to have lots of songs and videos on the go, try the 80GB or even 160GB iPod classic.

So go on, drool......Anyone wants a Zune instead?

For those who wants recommendations on what podcasts to listen and watch : i recommend these: Standup Comedy from Comedy Central, MacBreak weekly, commandN, TWiT, iLifezone, HBO's Bill Maher, mrBrown, National Geographic's Wild Chronicles, BusinessWeek's This Week's Cover Stories, mrExcel's daily tip....... the list goes on).

Malaysia culls pigs because they stink

2007-09-05T05:36:00.000+08:00

It is sad when the pigs are culled simply because they stink.

I wonder why no one has suggested giving the pigs a quick shower, before deciding it is easier to kill them.

Dove, anyone?

(From http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/Asia/STIStory_154653.html)
M'sia culls smelly pigs after complaints KUALA LUMPUR

MALAYSIA began culling about 50,000 pigs in southern Malacca state following complaints about the stench and pollution the animals had caused, officials said, but denied there had been a disease outbreak.

Ethnic Chinese in multiracial Malaysia relish pork, but the country's majority Muslim population frowns on consumption of the meat.

'The operation has started and within 12 hours they have to slaughter close to 50,000 pigs,' said a veterinary department official in the administrative capital of Putrajaya on Tuesday.

'I think many farms were operating without proper licences and local people were complaining about the smell and water pollution.'

Malacca does not want to emerge as Malaysia's biggest pig producer, with a swine population estimated at 160,000, state chief minister Mohamad Ali Rustam said last month, according to media reports.

Farmers said the pigs were perfectly healthy and did not cause any pollution.

'We don't know if they are going to shoot the pigs or just bury them alive,' said an official of the Federation of Livestock Farmers' Associations of Malaysia.

'It is not fair, these pigs are healthy and they are not really a source of pollution because many farms do practise good waste disposal habits,' said the official, who declined to be named. -- REUTERS

US$100,380 for a pair of 1st class A380 tickets

2007-09-04T06:34:00.000+08:00

I am amazed by the willingness of this Australian businessman to plonk down more than US$100k for a pair of tickets on the first commercial flight of this behemoth of a plane.

In some ways, this reminds me of the Titanic where the rich and famous choose to cruise on the largest ship at that time.

I am not sure whether it is such a good idea to take the first flight of the largest plane ever flown and to pay so much money for this experience.

Good luck to all.

From http://www.straitstimes.com/Singapore/Story/STIStory_154534.html
Straits Times, Sep 4 2007

US$100,380 for A380 VVIP seats

A BUSINESSMAN in Sydney has paid US$100,380 (S$152,898) for a pair of one-way ultra first-class tickets offering once-in-a-lifetime VVIP treatment on the world's first Airbus 380 flight.

Singapore Airlines (SIA), which is operating the maiden flight to Sydney on Oct 25, will fly Mr Julian Hayward and a partner first-class to Singapore for the inaugural service. They will also be flown to the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France, for the aircraft delivery ceremony on Oct 15.

Seats on the inaugural flight are being auctioned in several cycles of bidding on global online marketplace eBay. All proceeds go to charity. So far, more than US$400,000 has been raised. Bidding started on Aug 27.

One-way tickets for SIA's ultra first-class suites are attracting bids of over US$10,000 each, while bids for business-class seats have reached about US$8,000 each. The average bid for economy-class seats is about US$1,000.

Bidding ends next Monday.

Singapore navy deployed to Gulf for 3 months

2007-09-03T19:01:00.000+08:00

Interestingly, we have continued to send vessels to the Gulf to assist the "War Against Terror".

I wonder what our government's position would be if any Singaporeans (*touch wood) are captured by the Taliban.

Would the government negotiate with terrorists like Al Qaeda? Will they cough up the ransom money? And whether we would have to pay 7.5% GST to pay for the "Price of Freedom".

Singapore navy ship to Gulf

SINGAPORE (AFP) — A Singapore Navy transport ship has left for the Gulf to support coalition forces, the defence ministry said in a statement.

The RSS Persistence and 180 personnel left Saturday for a three-month deployment.

The vessel will provide logistic support, protect the waters around key oil terminals and conduct patrol and boarding operations, the ministry said.

Since 2003, Singapore has deployed Landing Ship Tank vessels, a Hercules C-130 aircraft and refuelling tankers to the Gulf.

The tiny city-state, which US President George W. Bush visited last November, has been an unwavering US ally and its leaders have urged the United States to "stay the course" in Iraq.

PM Lee: Singapore Muslims doing better than 25 years ago

2007-09-03T07:03:00.000+08:00

Wow. Did you hear that? PM Lee announces that Singapore Muslims have done better since 25 years ago.

I am sure his statistic is correct. What is worth pointing out is that PAP politicians (including the Muslim ones) have done even better than 25 years ago. They own their own homes, give their spouse better jobs and also award their children overseas scholarships which could have benefitted someone else (whose lesser fortune came from the fact he came out from a less glorious chute).

(http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/297524/1/.html)

SINGAPORE: The Malay/Muslim community in Singapore is much better off today compared to 25 years ago, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

A comprehensive report detailing the Malay/Muslim community's progress over the last 25 years was given out on Sunday at the Mendaki's 25th anniversary celebrations.

More Malay students are pursuing post-secondary education and more in the community are also holding better-paying jobs.

Mr Lee gave an example - more than 80 per cent of Malay students now make it to post-secondary education such as ITEs and polytechnics.

From just 1.3 per cent 25 years ago, now 34 per cent of Malay students make it to tertiary institutions.

Singapore Police Force breaks up 23 Myanmar protesters in Singapore

2007-09-03T06:34:00.000+08:00

I wonder whether they brought in the riot police vehicles this time.

Check out this link (http://textfiend.net/zerohero/?p=454) and the photos they took of the riot police vehicles deployed to 'handle' the youths who decide to make figurines protest on their behalf for the ODEX debacle.

I wish someone can point me to the photos of the Myanmar protest in Singapore. I would like to see the difference in treatment and tactics deployed by the SPF against locals and foreigners.

(From http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=121302)
Singapore bans Burma protests

Singapore (dpa) - Singapore police have issued a stern warning against any more demonstrations by Burmese nationals protesting fuel prices in their homeland, officials said on Sunday.

A similar assembly held without a permit on August 25 resulted in investigations into the 23 participants, including three who are believed to have initiated the event via text messages.

"Police would like to remind the public that they should not participate in an assembly or procession that does not have a permit as it is an offence," a spokesman told The Sunday Times.

The earlier protest involved Burmese nationals in Singapore voicing their support for their compatriots.

A series of protests against fuel price hikes have taken place in Rangoon in recent weeks, leading to several arrests.

The group in Singapore gathered at a mass transit station and headed for another at City Hall.

Singapore has tough laws against outdoor gatherings of four or more people without a permit.

PM Lee and Ho Ching to attend Malaysia Merdeka Day Parade. Temasek Holdings has the most progressive human resource policies

2007-08-30T05:51:00.000+08:00

A typical Singaporean woman will need to apply for annual leave if she decides to join a 'working' overseas trip.

CEOs' wives/husbands are often part and parcel of the entourage who visits foreign countries to sign major contracts, oversee opening ceremonies and to grace elegant black tie events.

The travel costs of the spouse may even be written into their contracts signed with the company. Companies benefit when CEOs travel with their spouse (especially CEOs who spend a great deal of time outside their home country).

In these cases, I would assume that the spouse will not be able to hold down a major full time job, more so a job which is a demanding and highly stressed out role as a CEO.

I do not know of any CEO whose spouse is another CEO at another company. Often, the spouse is in a 'smaller' role at another company or runs a series of charitable causes.

However, we know we must have quite a talent in the most important position of our government investment vehicle, Temasek. Managing a US$100 billion in assets is no joke. Many of these investments are also individually significant and attracts a lot of media attention and intrigue. Running such an investment fund is a gigantic task.

To be able to all that, setting strategic direction for Temasek, overseeing the daily operations, and chairing investment review sessions is not a problem for a highly competent executive.

However, you have to tip your hat off to one that can even to the obligations of being a 'first lady' in attending to a spouse's foreign travel obligations.

In my eyes, Ho Ching is probably the most effective time manager i have ever heard of.

And also Temasek must be heralded as the most enlightened of companies. In allowing its CEO to attend to other matters out of the office, working from out of office and in setting a very good example for promoting pro work-life balance.

Temasek appears not to have won the SPRING Singapore People Excellence Award yet.

I sure think Temasek is most deserving of a nomination and winning 2007's People Excellence award.

(From Bernama, http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v3/news.php?id=282018)

Singapore PM To Attend Malaysia's 50th Merdeka Day Celebrations
SINGAPORE, Aug 29 (Bernama) --

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife will visit Kuala Lumpur from Thursday until Friday to attend Malaysia's 50th Merdeka Day celebrations.

A statement from the Singapore Foreign Ministry said that the visit was at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Lee and his wife, Ho Ching, will attend the Merdeka Day Parade at Merdeka Square on Friday morning.

They will also join other invited guests for afternoon tea at Istana Negara, hosted by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah.-- BERNAMA

LKY on free press, recognition of gays and a dyslexic grandson

2007-08-30T05:19:00.000+08:00

Some interesting replies from Lee Kuan Yew to the questions asked during an interview with International Herald Tribune.

Excerpted from IHT, August 29, 2007
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/29/asia/lee-excerpts.php

On free press

IHT: But won't that require a greater opening up of society here? A loosening of the press, of free speech, of political competition?

Lee Kuan Yew: You're giving me the classical . . .

IHT: I am, I want to . . .

Lee Kuan Yew: No, the classical, Western, liberal approach.

IHT: It's not my practice . . .

Lee Kuan Yew: No, no. It's the Western, classical, liberal approach.

IHT: Right.

Lee Kuan Yew: I'm giving you the answer of a pragmatist. (Pragmatist as a Singaporean or pragmatist as a politician?)

IHT: That's what I want to hear.

Lee Kuan Yew: For the top 20 percent of the population, there are no constraints there. I would say . . . top 20 percent, the educated population. They're educated abroad, at university.

So, they know the wide world and they are on the Internet and they've got friends, they e-mail them. They travel. Every year, about 50 percent of Singaporeans travel by air.

So, this is not a closed society. But at the same time, we try to maintain a certain balance with the people who are not finding it so comfortable to suddenly find the world changed, their world, their sense of place, their sense of position in society. (He is quite happy for the bland majority to remain cocooned and sheltered from the challenges from a rapidly changing world. However, he believes in importing cheaper foreigners to challenge the same group economically in order to maintain Singapore's competitiveness.)

We call them the heartlanders in the HDB estates [government housing developments], the people who live in three- and four-room flats. Three and four rooms are the lowest end. Five rooms and the executives are the upper end.

And so we have this dichotomy. You can read the analysis by our academics who wrote that we are using the heartlanders to keep progress in check.

On recognition of gays

But they have not governed the place. (laughs) The academics, they write these things from abstract analysis. Like gays, we take an ambiguous position. We say, O.K., leave them alone but let's leave the law as it is for the time being and let's have no gay parades.

IHT: Don't ask, don't tell?

Lee Kuan Yew: Yes, we've got to go the way the world is going. China has already allowed and recognized gays, so have Hong Kong and Taiwan. (Interesting! A Western educated political leader who is even more conservative than a 'traditional, conservative' Chinese communist).

It's a matter of time. But we have a part Muslim population, another part conservative older Chinese and Indians. So, let's go slowly. It's a pragmatic approach to maintain social cohesion.

On his grandchildren

I've got one grandson gone to MIT. Another grandson had been in the American school here. Because he was dyslexic and we then didn't have the teachers to teach him how to overcome or cope with his dyslexia, so he was given exemption to go to the American school. (Hmm...how many dyslexic children in Singapore are given opportunity to go to American school). He speaks like an American. He's going to Wharton.

On political opponents

IHT: Well, what about your opponents? Do you ever feel that, looking back now, maybe I didn't have to go that far?

Lee Kuan Yew: My political opponents, you mean?

IHT: Uhm-hmm.

Lee Kuan Yew: No, I don't think so. I never killed them. I never destroyed them. Politically, they destroyed themselves. (So this is LKY's way of saying that he did not go that far.)

DBS discloses more sub-prime mortgages exposure: Singapore Exchange to probe the reasons for numbers not adding up

2007-08-28T04:43:00.000+08:00

The largest bank in Singapore doubles its reported sub-prime mortgages exposure in a space of weeks.

Singapore Exchange decides to investigate the reason for the bizarre arithmetic.

For me, I wonder why DBS was so eager to announce their small exposure a few weeks go.

Hmm.

From: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118795776551107807.html
Exchange to Probe DBS's Added Debt Exposure
By COSTAS PARIS and PATRICIA KOWSMANN August 27, 2007; Page A9

SINGAPORE -- The Singapore Exchange said Friday it will look into DBS Group Holdings Ltd.'s additional 1.1 billion Singapore dollars, or US$723.6 million, of exposure to collateralized debt obligations, which is more than it previously reported.

A DBS spokeswoman confirmed that the bank has S$2.4 billion of exposure to CDOs, which is above the S$1.3 billion exposure it had initially disclosed on Aug. 7 in the wake of the subprime-mortgage meltdown in the U.S. She was confirming figures published in a research note Wednesday by brokerage firm CLSA.

"As a matter of principle we will look into anything particularly unusual. We will look into anything not consistent with disclosure regulations," an SGX official said.

Shares of DBS fell after confirmation of the additional CDO exposure, to close at S$20.30, down 1.5%.

The CLSA note said DBS may have more CDO exposure through a special-purpose vehicle, or conduit.

DBS said previously that it sold S$2.6 billion in structured products involving CDOs to institutional, private banking and retail investors. In its note, CLSA said that of the S$2.6 billion, "S$1.1 billion is parked in a DBS conduit."

To fund these CDOs, the conduit sells commercial paper that is renewable every three months to third parties. CLSA said that in the event the paper isn't renewed, "DBS is obligated to provide liquidity and as a result brings these onto their books."

The DBS spokeswoman said none of its CDO exposure, including the additional CDOs reported Friday, is linked to U.S. subprime mortgages. "We are comfortable with our exposure to the conduit," she said.

Police cannot ensure safety and order in Opposition's outdoor event, so reject application

2007-08-28T04:23:00.000+08:00

It is interesting to read the explanation given by Ho Peng Kee in rejecting Workers' Party application to hold an outdoor cycling event.

The government lauds its elite police force in handling terrorists, ensure safety over IMF meetings and holding back pesky anti-globalisation NGOs. But when it comes to a group (in their own belief) who are arguably keen to ensure that the welfare of the state is improved, the police seem unable to cope with the safety of a public cycling event.

According to Ho Peng Kee (a seasoned PAP parliamentarian and a leading figure in legal education in Singapore), this rule applies to all political parties; and that their events have to be held indoors instead of out in the open.

This is indeed a strange rule.

It implies that Singapore (and Singaporeans by implication) are still politically immature. It suggests that we are easily roused to turn into rioting and showing public disorder by our politicians.

I think in reality the reverse is true. Singaporeans are apathetic. We are a docile group.

We allow the government to govern the way we run our lives. We believe longer working lives are acceptable. We think GST is good for the poor. And more ERP gantries actually improve traffic conditions on the roads.

Outdoor political parties' events are not allowed. Strangely, Residents' Committee's (RC) events take place out in the open all the time.

Oh yeah, I forgot. But of course, these events are not political. They just happen to involve PAP MPs and their supporters.

Singapore Police Reject Permit For Opposition Party's Cycling Event

By Jackson SawatanSINGAPORE, Aug 27 (Bernama) -- Plans by Singapore's main opposition
party, the Workers' Party, to hold a cycling event in conjunction with its 50th anniversary, hit a dead end after its application for a police permit was rejected.

The mass cycling event was to be held on Sept 9 at the East Coast Park, a popular beachside park located along the east coast highway here.

Party chairman Sylvia Lim raised a question over the issue in Parliament today and was told that such activities "have the potential for public disorder and mischief, and may disrupt community life."

"Police requirement is that such party activities be held indoors or within stadiums, so that any law and order problems will be contained. This policy applies to all political parties," Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee said in reply to Lim's question.

Ho said the East Coast Park was a recreational park for Singaporeans and their families and not meant to be used by a political party to promote its cause.

The Workers' Party was set up in 1957 by David Marshall, the first chief minister of Singapore.

It has two representatives in the Singapore parliament, namely its secretary-general, Low Thia Khiang who is MP for Hougang and Lim as the non-constituency member of parliament (NCMP).

NCMPs are appointed from among the best performing opposition losers in a general election.

The rights of copyright holders vs the rights to privacy

2007-08-24T22:23:00.000+08:00

The court did not release details for its decision to block ODEX's claims to access to PacNet accounts.

Surely, there are merits for the court decision to be made public. Especially in a situation where 1 out of the 3 instances actually supported a decision, which prima facie, seems to support the rights to privacy ahead of the need to protect the economic rights.

All so often, the 'lean' of the local judiciary system seems to suggest to favour the collective as opposed to the individual. This odd case, being the 3rd and last being heard, seemingly goes against the grain of the 2 earlier cases.

The judge may have based his ruling on arguments which are peculiar to the Pacnet case. And so may have no impact whatsoever on the merits (or lack of) in the other cases.

In any case, it is interesting to observe that the privacy rights of individuals safeguarded for now (at least for some). *Note that illegal downloading of copyrighted materials is never a good idea.

PacNet need not reveal anime downloaders' names In a surprise ruling, distributor Odex is denied access to the details of the ISP's subscribers
By Chua Hian Hou

ANIME distributer Odex has lost a court bid to force Pacific Internet to reveal names of subscribers who allegedly downloaded pirated versions of the Japanese cartoons.

The Subordinate Court handed down its decision in chambers yesterday and no details were made public.

Pacific Internet (PacNet), which opposed the Odex action, would only say that it 'respects the rights of intellectual property owners and at the same time, also believes in protecting the privacy of all our subscribers'.

The Straits Times understands one reason for District Judge Ernest Lau's decision is that he believes Odex was not the right party to make the application, despite having the go-ahead to prosecute on behalf of the Japanese anime studios.

Odex is demanding the names of up to 1,000 PacNet downloaders. A company spokesman said it will consult the rights owners before making its next move but it was likely to appeal. It has 14 days to do so.

The ruling yesterday came as a surprise given that Odex had successfully obtained court orders to get SingNet and StarHub to reveal names of their downloaders.

Different judges ruled on those cases, and both Internet service providers declined to say what arguments they presented in court.

In light of the PacNet decision, a StarHub spokesman said yesterday that it was 'assessing our options...given the different decisions rendered by the court'.

But the deadline for lodging an appeal has expired for SingNet.

Internet industry observer James Seng cautioned that it would be 'dangerously presumptuous' to assume the ruling meant Odex's case against downloaders was weak, or that PacNet's argument was applicable in other cases.

Judge Lau, even as he denied Odex the court order, is understood to have warned that the right to privacy was no defence for copyright infringement.

Odex distributes popular anime like Gundam and Inuyasha here.

In May, it launched what would become Singapore's largest reported crackdown on illegal downloads.

Its first move was to send letters to 17 SingNet users accusing them of illegally downloading anime and demanding a settlement of between $3,000 and $5,000.

Downloaders using other Internet service providers had initially thought that only SingNet users were targeted.

But earlier this month it was disclosed that Odex had also obtained a court order to force StarHub to reveal the names of hundreds more alleged downloaders.

A trickle of online complaints about the firm soon escalated into death threats and an avalanche of vitriolic forum posts criticising Odex.

The mood was not helped when Odex director Stephen Sing was found to have made disparaging remarks about the alleged illegal downloaders who had received legal letters from the firm.
chuahh@sph.com.sg

Anti-competition: when the regulator is also a market player?

2007-08-23T13:30:00.000+08:00

It is high time someone challenge the status quo with respect to the SGX behemoth.

Playing God and the Devil at the same time has its priviliges, especially when in the Devil mode.

As a regulator, SGX has an impeccable reputation in governing the local bourses.

That said, being a for-profit listed company providing information services to stock broking companies as well playing a regulatory role, seems smack of leveraging its 'uniquely-Singaporean' position.

It can be likened to the Rob Styles situation in the Liverpool v Chelsea game on August 18th. It does seem like the referee was playing for the team in blue as well (*Rob the Builder was revealed to be the director of the company which helped to paved the driveway for Chelsea billionaire owner, Roman Abramovich, see link). Well, some people do connect the dots and start questioning his judgement and impartiality.

Coming back to SGX, it is high time people start questioning the near monopolistic position it enjoys. And to my mind, this position of potential conflict of interests in the many roles that SGX plays simply makes it difficult and untenable for the government to continue to vest in SGX the regulatory role. High time MAS takes it back.

From Straits Times, August 23, 2007
Law firm lodges complaint against SGX

A LOCAL law firm has filed an anti-competition complaint against the Singapore Exchange (SGX), aimed at loosening the bourse's grip on the provision of information technology (IT) services to brokers, Reuters reported yesterday.

Alban Tay Mahtani & de Silva has claimed that SGX has abused its dominant position to restrict competition in the market for trading and back-room settlement systems, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The law firm has apparently laid a complaint with the Competition Commission.

The commission and the law firm's senior partner, Ms Susan de Silva, declined to comment. SGX said it was not aware of the complaint.

Besides earning commissions on trades in stocks and futures, SGX also sells terminals and software that stockbroking firms use to connect to the exchange's computers.

According to one of the Reuters sources, SGX has been slow in providing potential competitors with technical information that will allow third-party IT providers to develop systems compatible with SGX computers.

Stockbrokers are in the midst of replacing their software as SGX prepares to drop its 17-year-old Sesops system.

Most brokers use a trading system provided by SGX.

SGX earned $52.9 million from access and terminal fees in the year to June 30 and sold $10.1 million worth of software and IT services. (in just 6 months)

Once the Competition Commission receives a complaint, it carries out an informal assessment into the merits of the allegation.

It launches a formal investigation 'only when it has reasonable grounds to suspect that the Competition Act has been infringed'.
REUTERS