Now For The Real News

Thanks to an app from RecordTV , anyone with internet access can follow the live coverage of the AirAsia developments direct from Indonesian television stations such as Kompas TV. Instead of being misled by the crap from our own mainstream media. Channel NewsAsia (CNA) actually had a Facebook post stating that Flight QZ8501 landed safely at Singapore’s Changi Airport.

Lee Hsien Loong may jabber on about the need to be a "smart nation", using the latest technology to benefit the country and keep abreast of leading cities such as Shanghai, San Francisco and Sydney. Look no further than Malaysia, where the humblest of dwellings, the attap hut built on stilts, has an ubiquitous satellite dish from Astro.

When Singtel had its fire at the Bukit Panjang Exchange on 9 October 2013, damaged optical fibre cables severed telecommunication services in the northern and western parts of Singapore. The residential users, government agencies, businesses and financial institutions cut off from internet access could have had a fallback option from the satellite option, if satellite dishes for private use are not banned.

The jackass who made that dumb decision was probably trying to make sure Singaporeans hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil. And stay daft and shielded from the truth out there. Looks like Rip van Winkle is still sleeping, not realizing that blocking news access is no longer viable. The talking heads going on about the "clash of views" attribute growing dissident voices to the "maturing of society"; the reality is that opposing views were always there, it's the floodgate of communication lines that have been opened. And the strident voices will be louder in the coming year.

Finger Pointing

While our hearts go out to those whose loved ones were onboard the ill fated AirAsia QZ8501, those capitalising on the media frenzy to promote themselves deserve utter scorn. Keechiu, if you concur.

In Indonesia, someone is holding the country's Transport Ministry accountable for the disaster. Perhaps it has to do with the refusal for the plane to ascend to a higher altitude - pilot had asked permission to climb to 38,000ft (11,000m) to avoid thick storm clouds. Whatever, opposition politician Syafullah Tamliha put the blame squarely on Transport Minister Ignasius Jonan, "The Ministry of Transport is responsible." If President Joko Widodo weren't still in his honeymoon phase, he'd probably get a tight slap from the co-driver too.

Here at home, Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan is not held responsible for the rat infestation at Bukit Batok. Not a squeak from him, the loquacious debater with a propensity for pointing fingers at the ceiling.

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew is not held responsible for the latest incident at the Circle Line. Affected commuter fumed : "We were distressed, trapped in a smoke-filled train and had no knowledge of what had happened or what to do."

National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan is not held responsible for maintaining inflated public housing prices, writing in his blog, "The shift is not yet complete and 2015 should see greater stability."

Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean is not held responsible for the PR gaffe of policemen cuffing a subdued child. Not a single individual was handcuffed during the night of the Little India riot.

That's the difference between Indonesia and Singapore.

Dangerous Criminals In Singapore

What a pic to round the year off.

Ms Ang, a volunteer for children's development needs, commented on her photo of 3 boys, aged 9 to 12 years old, being arrested for theft on a Saturday morning (Dec 27): “Pains my heart that the police (would) handcuff young kids.”

Amolat Singh, a criminal lawyer, had this to add: “We don't see such things happening very often in Singapore, so when I heard and saw this photo, naturally it was quite shocking.”

What really takes the cake is this dumb statement from the highly esteemed Singapore Police Force (SPF): “The subjects were handcuffed for the safety of them and others as they had attempted to escape before police’s arrival.”

By safety, they must mean the danger of being shot by a trigger happy cop, or pinned to the ground with a positional asphyxiation inducing choke hold like Dinesh Raman was. Any CCTV camera within range would naturally be under maintenance or conveniently out of order, as in the Mas Selamat episode.

This is surely a fitting going away present from departing Police Commissioner Ng Joo Hee, 48, who will be replaced by current Deputy Commissioner of Investigations and Intelligence, Hoong Wee Teck, 51, on January 6 next year. Ng, if you recall, said he signed on as a police officer 29 years ago mainly to get a freebie scholarship to study at Oxford University. Who gives a damn if a 9 year old kid will be traumatised for the rest of his life by the cold steel of a SPF handcuff?

Indelible Images of 2014

Public Health Concerns Unaddressed

South West District problem migrated to Bukit Batok

Call it the Christmas Eve discount. Yesterday, the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) was fined $800 for allegedly holding a festive trade fair without a permit, instead of the maximum $1,000.

District Judge Victor Yeo ruled that Section 35 of the Environmental Public Health Act created a strict liability offence, and therefore Section 18 of the Town Councils Act did not obviate the need for the town council to obtain a permit. Sounds remarkably like cherry picking the laws of the land to suit the flow of the tide. Second guessing the sentiments of the dominant political party in force, he speculated that it could not have been Parliament's intention for town councils to be exempted from the licensing laws of the land. Why not put the question to Parliament?

Gloating on the Pyrrhic victory the National Environment Agency (NEA) quickly made the statement: "NEA requires temporary fair operators to have a licence to ensure that public health concerns and disamenities arising from temporary fairs such as food hygiene, waste management and noise nuisance are addressed."

The same NEA seems to be oblivious to the "public health concerns" and "food hygiene, waste management and noise nuisance" at Bukit Batok, where rats squeak and stray dogs bark. And they ain't exactly singing "Silent Night, Holy Night". Apparently Channel NewsAsia did telephone them for a comment, and was told the area concerned was state land under the jurisdiction of the Housing and Development Board (HDB). HDB said to wait for their statement on the ratfinks.

Recall how Lee Hsien Loong narrated the story of the fishball stick problem faced by Mayor of South West District Low Yen Ying. Ms Low found that a slope on the left of the walkway is overseen by the National Environment Agency (NEA). In the middle, is a park connector under supervision of NParks, while the pavement close to the road is the responsibility of LTA. In his infinite wisdom, Lee assigned Grace Fu the pao-ka-liao role of intermediary for the various government agencies practising tai-chi. After announcing her new Municipal Services Office (MSO) was open for business on 1 October, the disgraceful Minister in the Prime Minister's Office has gone the way of Desmond Lee, quiet as a mouse.

No wonder the district judge didn't bother to take it all the way to Parliament House. Nobody seems to listen to the prime minister these days.