Romanian Ambassador Aurelian Neagu must have been trying hard not to laugh when the Singapore MFA officials asked, not once, but three times, "whether the Romanian government would consider attending the private party of a karaoke lounge hostess in a karaoke lounge part of the official diplomatic functions of the head of a diplomatic mission". What better place to find out what really goes on in a country, where hair is let down and lips are loosened by the generous flow of alcohol! Does one really expect to read about the woes of a philandering telecoms CEO in the Straits Times? Mr Neagu probably had to maintain a straight face when he told the clowns that his government could not decide if Ionescu retained diplomatic immunity pending investigations in Romania.
Even Interpol has suspended its Red Notice of arrest for former Romanian Charges D'Affaires Silviu Ionescu because of disagreements between Singapore and Romania over his diplomatic immunity. Foreign Minister George Yeo had to eat humble pie and told parliament this is "part of Interpol's procedure that if there are differing views, they will pursue the matter further before reactivating the Red Arrest Notice".
And what's so nefarious about karaoke and karaoke lounges? Haven't we seen enough of PAP MPs hoarding the karaoke mikes at various clan dinners? Is the building of two gambling dens of inquity any better contribution to a wholesome society? If Ionescu had taken a ride on the world's highest train in Tibet, would he also have been asked if that was part of his official duty?
And while George Yeo goes on about underestimating the outrage of Singaporeans, he should not forget that the life support system for 30-year-old victim Tong Kok Wai was prematurely disconnected over the objection of his grieving kin so that the hospital can harvest his organs. Madam Yenni Young found herself having to make the most heart rending decision of her life on Christmas Day 2009; doctors at the National University Hospital had given her 48 hours to pull out the plug of her husband. Because he did not sign the Singapore Human Organ Transplants Act (HOTA) opt-out form. A clause in HOTA specifically allows the state to harvest human organs without the need of direct consent from the dead or his immediate family members. Outrageous!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Focus On The Family In Singapore
The Ministry of Education selected 6 out of 17 applicants to run sexuality educcation programmes in schools. One of them is Focus on The Family Singapore.
Focus on the Family (FOTF) was founded by James Clayton "Jim" Dobson, Jr. an American evangelical Christian author and psychologist. Although he has never drawn a salary from the nonprofit organization, he has used it to promote his related books and publications, yielding him royalties for sales through other venues.
Focus on the Family is unabashed about its anti-homosexuality agenda, and was the weapon of choice when self-style Feminist Mentor Thio Su-Mien took on AWARE in 2009.
Dobson is reputedly America's most influential evangelical leader, with a following reportedly greater than that of either Falwell or Robertson at their peak. It has been said Dobson may have delivered Bush his victories in Ohio and Florida, the man who sent young men to war in the fictitious hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
In the winter of 2004-2005, the We Are Family Foundation sent American elementary schools approximately 60,000 copies of a free DVD using popular cartoon characters (most notably Sponge Bob Squarepants) to "promote tolerance and diversity." Dobson contended that "tolerance" and "diversity" are "buzzwords" that the We Are Family Foundation misused as part of a "hidden agenda" to promote homosexuality.
Critics, such as People for the American Way, allege that Focus on the Family encourages Christian teachers to establish prayer groups in public schools.
In his book The Strong-Willed Child, Dobson advocates strong disciplinary action in bringing up children:
“By learning to yield to the loving authority... of his parents, a child learns to submit to other forms of authority which will confront him later in his life — his teachers, school principal, police, neighbors and employers".
Michael Fay should be so grateful for the Singapore lesson.
Dobson declined to vote for Senator John McCain, "as a matter of conscience," echoing other conservative commentators' concerns about the Senator's conservatism. Yet, after McCain selected a pro-life candidate, Sarah Palin, as his running mate, Dobson said that he was more enthusiastic in his support for the Republican ticket. When Palin's 17-year old daughter's fatherless pregnancy was revealed, Dobson issued a press release commending Palin's stance, saying,
“ We have always encouraged the parents to love and support their children and always advised the girls to see their pregnancies through, even though there will of course be challenges along the way. That is what the Palins are doing, and they should be commended once again for not just talking about their pro-life and pro-family values, but living them out even in the midst of trying circumstances."
Will the Ministry of Education programme also support illegitimate pregnancies?
Dobson published a "Letter from 2012 in Obama's America" that proposed that an Obama presidency would lead to: mandated homosexual teachings across all schools; the banning of firearms in entire states; the end of the Boy Scouts, home schooling, Christian school groups, Christian adoption agencies, and talk radio; pornography on prime-time and daytime television; mandatory bonuses for gay soldiers; terrorist attacks across America; the nuclear bombing of Tel Aviv; the conquering of most of Eastern Europe by Russia; the end of health care for Americans over 80; out-of-control gasoline prices; and complete economic disaster in the United States, among other catastrophes. Sounds very similar to the Thio Su-Mien who maintained that SARS virus hit Singapore because of the nation’s involvement in abortion as the contraceptive of choice.
Focus on the Family (FOTF) was founded by James Clayton "Jim" Dobson, Jr. an American evangelical Christian author and psychologist. Although he has never drawn a salary from the nonprofit organization, he has used it to promote his related books and publications, yielding him royalties for sales through other venues.
Focus on the Family is unabashed about its anti-homosexuality agenda, and was the weapon of choice when self-style Feminist Mentor Thio Su-Mien took on AWARE in 2009.
Dobson is reputedly America's most influential evangelical leader, with a following reportedly greater than that of either Falwell or Robertson at their peak. It has been said Dobson may have delivered Bush his victories in Ohio and Florida, the man who sent young men to war in the fictitious hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
In the winter of 2004-2005, the We Are Family Foundation sent American elementary schools approximately 60,000 copies of a free DVD using popular cartoon characters (most notably Sponge Bob Squarepants) to "promote tolerance and diversity." Dobson contended that "tolerance" and "diversity" are "buzzwords" that the We Are Family Foundation misused as part of a "hidden agenda" to promote homosexuality.
Critics, such as People for the American Way, allege that Focus on the Family encourages Christian teachers to establish prayer groups in public schools.
In his book The Strong-Willed Child, Dobson advocates strong disciplinary action in bringing up children:
“By learning to yield to the loving authority... of his parents, a child learns to submit to other forms of authority which will confront him later in his life — his teachers, school principal, police, neighbors and employers".
Michael Fay should be so grateful for the Singapore lesson.
Dobson declined to vote for Senator John McCain, "as a matter of conscience," echoing other conservative commentators' concerns about the Senator's conservatism. Yet, after McCain selected a pro-life candidate, Sarah Palin, as his running mate, Dobson said that he was more enthusiastic in his support for the Republican ticket. When Palin's 17-year old daughter's fatherless pregnancy was revealed, Dobson issued a press release commending Palin's stance, saying,
“ We have always encouraged the parents to love and support their children and always advised the girls to see their pregnancies through, even though there will of course be challenges along the way. That is what the Palins are doing, and they should be commended once again for not just talking about their pro-life and pro-family values, but living them out even in the midst of trying circumstances."
Will the Ministry of Education programme also support illegitimate pregnancies?
Dobson published a "Letter from 2012 in Obama's America" that proposed that an Obama presidency would lead to: mandated homosexual teachings across all schools; the banning of firearms in entire states; the end of the Boy Scouts, home schooling, Christian school groups, Christian adoption agencies, and talk radio; pornography on prime-time and daytime television; mandatory bonuses for gay soldiers; terrorist attacks across America; the nuclear bombing of Tel Aviv; the conquering of most of Eastern Europe by Russia; the end of health care for Americans over 80; out-of-control gasoline prices; and complete economic disaster in the United States, among other catastrophes. Sounds very similar to the Thio Su-Mien who maintained that SARS virus hit Singapore because of the nation’s involvement in abortion as the contraceptive of choice.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
More School Boy Debates
Always dwelling on how to "fix the opposition", his own words uttered during the 2006 elections, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong proposed an extra day of non-campaigning as a cooling-off period just before Polling Day, after wrapping up his attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad and Tobago on December 2009.
Lee had said: “I think 24 hours after the last excitement of the election campaign period, the rallies, the door-to-door campaigning, the adrenaline flowing, the clash in the mass media as well as in person, perambulating vans blaring away loud speakers, it’s good to have 24 hours to just calm down, think about it – tomorrow we vote.”
Under laws passed yesterday, mainstream media outlets would still be allowed to carry election news on cooling-off day. Potong Pasir MP Chiam SeeTong described the introduction of a cooling-off day as a move designed to disadvantage the opposition, "if the PAP really wants a cooling-off day, it should also ban newspaper reports on Polling Day."
Ms Sylvia Lim illustrated how civil servants could be used to circumvent the ban on election advertising:
"For instance, if affordability of housing becomes an election issue, the Ministry of National Development or HDB could announce a change during the cooling-off period, thus taking some heat off the ruling party. By contrast, opposition parties will not be allowed to put out new responses as these will be deemed election advertising as defined under the Act."
Even NMP Viswa Sadavisan, speaking from his experience working in Singapore broadcast media, tactfully told Parliament that the opinions of editors sometimes influence programmes.
Law Minister K Shanmugam refused to admit what Singaporeans already know: the Straits Times being the Pravda of Singapore. Shanmugam cited US based PR firm Edelman that 64 percent of respondents here found newspapers to be the most trusted source of information, but conveniently omitted that Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Singapore 144th out of 173 countries in its annual World Press Freedom Ranking in 2008, in line with previous assessments. He should pay heed to his own words:
"If the media are no more than a mouthpiece for one or the other party, Singaporeans will see through that and the credibility of the media will suffer. Then it will not matter much what the media reports." Ditto whatever the minister utters.
When Ms Lim questioned the need of a cooling-off day now, when Singapore had done without one for decades, Shanmugam resorted to "school boy debate" (his own words):
"She says why now, so I ask her, why not now."
Lee had said: “I think 24 hours after the last excitement of the election campaign period, the rallies, the door-to-door campaigning, the adrenaline flowing, the clash in the mass media as well as in person, perambulating vans blaring away loud speakers, it’s good to have 24 hours to just calm down, think about it – tomorrow we vote.”
Under laws passed yesterday, mainstream media outlets would still be allowed to carry election news on cooling-off day. Potong Pasir MP Chiam SeeTong described the introduction of a cooling-off day as a move designed to disadvantage the opposition, "if the PAP really wants a cooling-off day, it should also ban newspaper reports on Polling Day."
Ms Sylvia Lim illustrated how civil servants could be used to circumvent the ban on election advertising:
"For instance, if affordability of housing becomes an election issue, the Ministry of National Development or HDB could announce a change during the cooling-off period, thus taking some heat off the ruling party. By contrast, opposition parties will not be allowed to put out new responses as these will be deemed election advertising as defined under the Act."
Even NMP Viswa Sadavisan, speaking from his experience working in Singapore broadcast media, tactfully told Parliament that the opinions of editors sometimes influence programmes.
Law Minister K Shanmugam refused to admit what Singaporeans already know: the Straits Times being the Pravda of Singapore. Shanmugam cited US based PR firm Edelman that 64 percent of respondents here found newspapers to be the most trusted source of information, but conveniently omitted that Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Singapore 144th out of 173 countries in its annual World Press Freedom Ranking in 2008, in line with previous assessments. He should pay heed to his own words:
"If the media are no more than a mouthpiece for one or the other party, Singaporeans will see through that and the credibility of the media will suffer. Then it will not matter much what the media reports." Ditto whatever the minister utters.
When Ms Lim questioned the need of a cooling-off day now, when Singapore had done without one for decades, Shanmugam resorted to "school boy debate" (his own words):
"She says why now, so I ask her, why not now."
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Level Of Debate In Singapore Parliament
Minister of Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng asked of opposition NCMP Sylvia Lim, "if the Workers' Party is so fundamentally against the NCMP scheme, would Ms Sylvia Lim now say that she will no longer come back to Parliament?"
Ms Sylvia Lim, the WP chairman and only NCMP in Parliament, had earlier spoken against the scheme and the proposal for its expansion. She said it was merely making the "bad situation" of an undemocratic landscape better. She argued that increasing oppositon numbers through the NCMP scheme did not address what she saw as the skewed nature of the Singapore electoral system. This was manipulated by the system of Group Representation Constituencies as well as practices like gerrymandering by the ruling People's Action Party.
Wong's antics are not too different from the time when he challenged J B Jeyaratnam to take a cut in in MP allowance if Wong were to do so. Jeyaratnam had objected to the astronomical hike in the allowance, which Members of Parliament, and Ministers, get to collect on top of their regular pay. For many new MPs who sneaked into Parliament via the GRC perversion, the obscene sum, currently estimated at $14,000 a month, is substantially higher than what they earn in their day jobs, such as a deputy public prosecutor or middle manager of a software company. Wong's sparring with Jeyaratnam endeared him to Lee Kuan Yew, who once called Jeyaratnam a "mangy dog" in Parliament.
Sylvia Lim dimissed his childish logic by explaining that the decision to take up the NCMP offer after the 2006 election was made because a sizeable number of voters in Aljunied GRC wanted to see her team elected. The WP team she led secured 44 percent of the valid votes there, an overwhelming confirmation of the people's sentiments.
True to form, as personified in the persistent mee pok hawker in MrBrown's famous podcast, Wong went on like a broken record, this time borrowing from Lee Kuan Yew's lame big pie/small pie logic used in defending the skewed immigrant policy:
WONG KAN SENG: What the PAP is trying to do in this situation is not to have its cake and eat it. We're trying to make the cake bigger and give you a piece of it.
LOW THIA KHIANG: But don't forget your cake remains the same, because the elected members remain the same number. What you're trying to do is probably add some dressing, but the Workers' Party (WP) doesn't need that.
WONG KAN SENG: No, we don't need the WP here to be the wallflower. The question is very simple: Is the WP going to take up the (NCMP) seats if we don't have enough (elected) Opposition members?
LOW THIA KHIANG: That's not a system which we will entrench as a political system, but in reality, this is the situation we have to face. It's the same as us opposing the GRC system; it doesn't mean that we don't campaign in the GRC.
WONG KAN SENG: Mr Low can easily refuse to take up the seat, if unfortunately he happens to be - and we welcome his presence here - one of the best losing candidates.
LOW THIA KHIANG: I won't take up an NCMP seat ... That's the difference between the party and myself as a person ... And if my party insists I take it up, I probably will have to resign, that's all.
WONG KAN SENG: Now we can understand Mr Low better. He's trying to open a back door.(?????)
That sums up the difference between Low and Wong, one of them has honour.
Ms Sylvia Lim, the WP chairman and only NCMP in Parliament, had earlier spoken against the scheme and the proposal for its expansion. She said it was merely making the "bad situation" of an undemocratic landscape better. She argued that increasing oppositon numbers through the NCMP scheme did not address what she saw as the skewed nature of the Singapore electoral system. This was manipulated by the system of Group Representation Constituencies as well as practices like gerrymandering by the ruling People's Action Party.
Wong's antics are not too different from the time when he challenged J B Jeyaratnam to take a cut in in MP allowance if Wong were to do so. Jeyaratnam had objected to the astronomical hike in the allowance, which Members of Parliament, and Ministers, get to collect on top of their regular pay. For many new MPs who sneaked into Parliament via the GRC perversion, the obscene sum, currently estimated at $14,000 a month, is substantially higher than what they earn in their day jobs, such as a deputy public prosecutor or middle manager of a software company. Wong's sparring with Jeyaratnam endeared him to Lee Kuan Yew, who once called Jeyaratnam a "mangy dog" in Parliament.
Sylvia Lim dimissed his childish logic by explaining that the decision to take up the NCMP offer after the 2006 election was made because a sizeable number of voters in Aljunied GRC wanted to see her team elected. The WP team she led secured 44 percent of the valid votes there, an overwhelming confirmation of the people's sentiments.
True to form, as personified in the persistent mee pok hawker in MrBrown's famous podcast, Wong went on like a broken record, this time borrowing from Lee Kuan Yew's lame big pie/small pie logic used in defending the skewed immigrant policy:
WONG KAN SENG: What the PAP is trying to do in this situation is not to have its cake and eat it. We're trying to make the cake bigger and give you a piece of it.
LOW THIA KHIANG: But don't forget your cake remains the same, because the elected members remain the same number. What you're trying to do is probably add some dressing, but the Workers' Party (WP) doesn't need that.
WONG KAN SENG: No, we don't need the WP here to be the wallflower. The question is very simple: Is the WP going to take up the (NCMP) seats if we don't have enough (elected) Opposition members?
LOW THIA KHIANG: That's not a system which we will entrench as a political system, but in reality, this is the situation we have to face. It's the same as us opposing the GRC system; it doesn't mean that we don't campaign in the GRC.
WONG KAN SENG: Mr Low can easily refuse to take up the seat, if unfortunately he happens to be - and we welcome his presence here - one of the best losing candidates.
LOW THIA KHIANG: I won't take up an NCMP seat ... That's the difference between the party and myself as a person ... And if my party insists I take it up, I probably will have to resign, that's all.
WONG KAN SENG: Now we can understand Mr Low better. He's trying to open a back door.(?????)
That sums up the difference between Low and Wong, one of them has honour.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Stupid As Stupid Gets
Dismissing talk that his call for a partial Central Provident Fund restoration was linked to a general election ploy, which must be held by February 2012, Minister without portfolio and Labour Chief Lim Swee Say had this to say:
"When we help...workers, it must not be because an election is coming. If we do that, we lose credibility - (that) before an election we push for something, then after the election our workplan changes.
People are not stupid, workers are not stupid, union leaders are not stupid."
In August 2003, then DPM Dr Tony Tan, addressing Sembawang Shipyard workers, cautioned them about the need to cut CPF and wages to make Singapore competitive. He quoted the independent research unit PERC in its report that claimed Singapore workers are more highly paid than those in USA and Australia. When challenged about the veracity of his findings, PERC's CEO Robert Broadfoot said it was based on the perception of business leaders, not hard statistics. Perc's methodology in the survey was to ask expatriates what they thought of labour costs in different countries, which resulted in the more laughable finding that labour costs in Vietnam are higher than in Thailand. Minister Tony Tan went ahead to slash the CPF contribution anyway, either because he was too stupid to discern the truth, or that he assumed the people would be too stupid to understand it.
"When we help...workers, it must not be because an election is coming. If we do that, we lose credibility - (that) before an election we push for something, then after the election our workplan changes.
People are not stupid, workers are not stupid, union leaders are not stupid."
In August 2003, then DPM Dr Tony Tan, addressing Sembawang Shipyard workers, cautioned them about the need to cut CPF and wages to make Singapore competitive. He quoted the independent research unit PERC in its report that claimed Singapore workers are more highly paid than those in USA and Australia. When challenged about the veracity of his findings, PERC's CEO Robert Broadfoot said it was based on the perception of business leaders, not hard statistics. Perc's methodology in the survey was to ask expatriates what they thought of labour costs in different countries, which resulted in the more laughable finding that labour costs in Vietnam are higher than in Thailand. Minister Tony Tan went ahead to slash the CPF contribution anyway, either because he was too stupid to discern the truth, or that he assumed the people would be too stupid to understand it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
