Friday, May 31, 2013

More Cracks In The System

Does it look like this guy is trying to crack you up?
Call it another crack in the system. No, we don't mean the latest crack that caused another delay in the south-bound train service between Yio Chu Kang and Ang Mo Kio. And this crack was not at the welded joints, for which a contractor was prematurely named in a preliminary assessment as the party involved in all cracks that appeared at welded joints.

This time the crackheads wear blue uniforms. Sergeant Muhammad Kaldun Sarif had testified in open court he decided not to dust for finger prints or take DNA swaps at a crime scene because he "made a preliminary assessment" of suicide. It must be the kind of stirring Singapore police initiative that Kishore  Mahbubani lauded as "at least as competent, if not more competent, than the FBI".

Ambassador to the United States Ashok Kumari Mirpuri proved just as competent, buttressing Sgt Khaldun's tenuous presentation by explaining that police protocol were operational guidelines, and were not prescriptive.  In other words, SOPs (standard operating procedure) are for wimps. The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) training officer who used one smoke grenade too many and killed Private Dominique Sarron Lee must have been operating on the same guiding principles. Now you appreciate why Singaporeans are weary of rushing in to help someone lying on the street. A giddy sergeant may "make a preliminary assessment" of assault, and taser you first, ask questions later.

The good ambassador was objecting to the ABC and Fox News coverage of the Shane Todd coroner's inquiry. For reporting on Singapore news, these two could potentially face the wrath of Media Development Authority (MDA), when latter gets their Yaacob Ibrahim inspired licensing act in place. Which means MDA will demand the story to be removed within 24 hours, or forfeit their S$50,000 performance bond. Ambassador Ashok sent his letter to Associated Press, which was copied to Washington Post and CBS, meaning ABC and Fox News are not the only news agencies updated of the cracks in our system. The Americans must be wondering what kind of crack is smoked in our little red dot.

On a tragic note, dengue claimed its first life when a youth was prematurely discharged from Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) inspite of their doctor's assessment that his platelets were still low. The prescription given was to go see a General Practioner to monitor his blood count.

38 comments:

  1. Old Fart Hairy had a farm, EE-I-EE-I-O,
    And on that farm he had a pig, EE-I-EE-I-O,
    With a oink oink here and a oink oink there
    Here CRACK, there CRACK, everywhere CRACK CRACK
    Old Fart Hairy had a farm, EE-I-EE-I-O.

    ReplyDelete
  2. He was discharged prematurely?
    Wow, we must have run out of beds..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why didn't they take his blood test when he first visited the ED of TTSH? Another deviation from SOP? Very unfortunate, wonder if it could have been prevented.

      Delete
    2. http://yourhealth.asiaone.com/content/we-did-our-best-save-first-dengue-death-victim-ttsh

      This is such a scandal. He returned the 2nd time and waited 2 hrs and didn't get to see ANY doctor, so he left!! If that is the best they can do (not seeing the patient) then we are all dead.

      Delete
  3. Dengue epidemic - where civil servants are too busy with permits and licenses.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Or too busy buying S$10m coral apt in Keppel Bay. But she clearly has the license to splurge. We shouldn't begrudge our civil servants who are paid at private sector salary the highest standard of living as long as they produce the quality of work, and show us the thinking paper behind all that MDA's decisions. Afterall, is the generous taxpayers' money spent on quango right?

      Delete
    2. Or too busy with CPIB probe for corruption?
      Whatever happens to that crack head?

      http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20130211-401488.html

      Delete
  4. As if Fox News or any other US news company (or any international news agency for that matter) will pay attention to the mad barking of MDA from a little speck of an island.

    There's not need to mention $50k, they will not even fork out 50 cents for any license to distribute news in a country with a Press Freedom almost equivalent to Uganda.

    PAP can continue to construct their own path to international disgrace and self-destruction.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. isn't there more than $50Billion in planes involved?.

      Delete
  5. Performance bond should be $50K or $500K??? Could it be typo error???? please verify.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Typo, definitely typo - not crack! Thanks!

      Delete
  6. Come, come and track all the cracks and delays of our SMRT over here.
    Very impressive track records..

    http://failrailsg.appspot.com/major-disruptions.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201305302216-0022797

    I enjoy the North Korea picture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah loong in Kim Jong Un's suit from the http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201305302216-0022797 .

      How fitting and matching that suit is, and he is better qualified than the real Kim in wearing that suit.

      Who say Singapore has no creative talent ?

      Delete
  8. NOW the crack might be in PAP's Minister head and MDA for having to issue license on online news.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The deaf frogs strategy by MDA & Yaacob continues.

    As one person said " ...and who pays the salaries of the "media development authority" workers? it sounds like they need to get a new job and a new life. instead of tightening a grip, the government needs to get a grip."

    Yeah..that grip, is slipping away. Some General ought to get a grip of his panty hose.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Astonishing tongue twisting, how low can the system stoop? The most shocking is that Obummer and the war mongers in Washington are willing to bury even a wee bit of justice for the family for a few billions of weapons orders. Who is worse? The Chicago mafia drone killers or the tongue twisting papigs?

    - 王法? 王法、统统在我家, 我说了算!

    ReplyDelete
  11. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22725863

    Mr Yaacob said to BBC that the Government wants to protect ordinary Singaporeans by making such that when they go online, they read the "right thing" in terms of accurate reporting.

    I too have an issue with online media sites that spread lies, they need to be rebutted. But the solution is still not to licence citizen-run website online, however incorrect they may sometimes be. In fact, even MSM can be accused of reporting half-truths or biased truths, depending on how you see it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. so yaacob wants us to stop worrying and let him fix the whole world.

      wow. my family and especially children, are eternally indebted and grateful to him from protecting us. my neighbors also want to invite he and his team to come over to our house and wash our rice. seems like he can do a very good job of helping us sort our wheat from those bad chaffs. kum xia, kum xia

      Delete
    2. Are We There Yet, 179th?5/31/2013 4:32 PM

      http://en.rsf.org/singapore-government-subjects-news-websites-30-05-2013,44689.html

      Even Reporters without Border is asking this dumbwit to rescind it.
      Meantime, the people are still waiting to hear from the bunch of decision-makers on what they have to say. Why the total silence from the chief of MDA? You are paid very highly to be accountable to the public you know?

      Delete
    3. YB: “Takedown requests are not common. In the past two years, MDA has only issued one take-down notice for the “Innocence of Muslims” video”

      Does he know how to count?
      1) That JC student who offended Teo Chee Hean with fuck words was asked to remove not just content, but the entire blog!!!

      2) Alex Au has been asked to remove the content that was deemed defaming. Why can't the right of reply be good enough? People can read what is right and wrong from comments, no?!!

      And all these can be "executed" even without MDA pretext here.
      If the rules are to be very targeted, then make a more targeted regulations instead of such a broad-based catch-all phrase. What's holding them back from taking the 'light touch"?

      Delete
  12. //The Americans must be wondering what kind of crack is smoked in our little red dot.//

    The American Embassy in SG, on its facebook knows what they think about our crackheads which anyone with a "right head" will endorse

    From the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948): Article 19, "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers."

    In other words "Buzz off"!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I saw the following, does it qualify as the "right thing" in terms of accurate reporting and what sorts of protection do the ordinary Singaporeans expect to get,Mr Yaacob.
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22725863


    Quote,

    "But Ministers get pensions

    Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong: Clarification from the Minister. Does any
    serving minister who turns 55 actually receive both salary and pension
    at the same time? If yes, should he be serving?

    Mr Lee Hsien Loong: I believe the answer is yes. That is the rule for
    the civil service, and the ministers follow the civil service rules." unquote.
    (Source: Parliamentary Debates, 2004)
    http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2007/yax-728.htm




    Constitution of the Republic of Singapore
    PART VI The Legislature
    Disqualifications for membership of Parliament

    45.—(1) Subject to this Article, a person shall not be qualified to be a Member of Parliament who —
    (a)is and has been found or declared to be of unsound mind;
    (b)is an undischarged bankrupt;
    (c)holds an office of profit;
    (Source)
    http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;ident=29fec0e0-2974-4c5f-9f42-1c99c7fc2c63;page=0;query=CompId%3Afadfb638-9566-417c-ae6b-b68384ce5834;rec=0;resUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fstatutes.agc.gov.sg%2Faol%2Fsearch%2Fsummary%2Fresults.w3p%3Bpage%3D0%3Bquery%3DCompId%253Afadfb638-9566-417c-ae6b-b68384ce5834#pr45-he-.



    Singapore Statutes Online - 219 - Parliamentary Pensions Act

    PART II PENSIONS AND GRATUITIES FOR MEMBERS, MINISTERS AND OTHER OFFICE-HOLDERS

    Section 3 Pensions in respect of service as Members

    —(3) Subject to sections 13 and 15, a pension under this section shall continue for the life of the person to whom it is payable but shall not be payable in respect of any period during which he is again a Member or is a candidate for election to Parliament; at the end of that period the pension shall again be payable and shall be re-computed under subsection (2) with the addition of any further period of reckonable service to the period of his former reckonable service as a Member.

    (Source)
    http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/aol/search/display/view.w3p;ident=bfb6c928-8598-47ad-87d1-5cf73da8892c;page=0;query=CompId%3A480e8f86-5d4e-422d-9704-72894e59ebf1;rec=0;resUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fstatutes.agc.gov.sg%2Faol%2Fbrowse%2FtitleResults.w3p%3Bletter%3DP%3Btype%3DactsAll#pr2A-he-.

    Joshua Chiang

    ReplyDelete
  14. It's a crack down on online media under the guise of regulation. Soon they will start cracking heads.


    ReplyDelete
  15. MDA : Views on Blogs do not amount to News Reporting

    http://www.singapolitics.sg/news/mda-views-blogs-do-not-amount-news-reporting

    ReplyDelete
  16. It looks like nowadays PAP has gone from bad to worse. Everything they try to do is seen as harming the basic fundamental right of each Singaporean.

    And now they can't even keep dengue fever under their control and yet they want to talk big about increasing the population to 6.9m. Yet these PAP leaders are demanding so much pay for themselves ?

    WTF

    ReplyDelete
  17. O goodie! a confirmation of dumb money chasing the final parabolic rise of a ginormous housing bubbles. kojak and cow are "co-guaranteeing a house price correction of no more than a few percent", so cannot lose money right? Huat arrrgh...

    ReplyDelete
  18. The Right Thing to Listen5/31/2013 8:13 PM

    Listen to this interview by Monocle globalist asia, episode 44 @07:00 mins.

    Peter Noorlander of Media Legal Defence Initiative (MLDI).

    "..is also a case of the regulator who just doesn't get the internet..they see all media very traditional...that's what they get, they simply do not understand...the regulator doesn't get that..and they think they are successful in that".

    http://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-globalist-asia/
    http://monocle.dl.groovygecko.com/m24/12200044.mp3

    ReplyDelete
  19. That guy sure looks like he needs some mental adjustments at Institute of Mental Health the way he appears in that photo. Most MIWs are not normal people anyway. Eerily out of this world type.

    ReplyDelete
  20. https://www.facebook.com/thecartoonpress

    Nothing but the Truth Ministry aka "The Right Thing to Read"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This reminds me that if everyone needs a license before they can write/blog/think/read/comment on current affairs or any news about Singapore, then we are already there on 179th list. This one was alot more subtle but better than the Goh Chok Tong's version "if you want to comment on politics, join a party".

      http://therealsingapore.com/content/article-was-not-mda-approved

      Delete
  21. This is what happens when we don't have enough Opposition MPs in parliament to regulate PAP.

    PAP government becomes too free.
    Got too much free time.
    So spend their free time imposing more and more regulations on Singaporeans.

    Start regulating PAP in parliament.
    Before it's too late.
    Vote Opposition in GE 2016.

    An idle PAP government in parliament is the Devil's workshop.

    ReplyDelete
  22. By the time we have enough opposition MPs in Parliament, they will probably do away with debating issues before changing the laws. They will do what they want first, then stage a wayang debate. Parliament is just a sideshow.

    Blame it on the 60% daft blokes.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Or many may not stand for election and migrate or plan to migrate to live a good life of plenty elsewhere, if they are not hopeful of victory.

    patriot

    ReplyDelete
  24. Better vote in more Opposition MPs to regulate PAP in parliament.

    Before PAP impose even more regulations on Singaporeans.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Yaacob under PAP's LHL continues the worst sort of right wing "nanny knows best" politicians we are unfortunate enough to be saddled with. He wants the state to interfere even more in our lives and dictate to us what we are allowed to read. All in the name of saving the children of course. 

    "The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation." Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

    http://www.kaisquare.com/#!crowd/czzh

    ReplyDelete
  26. “Freedom for the wolves has often meant death to the sheep.” ― Isaiah Berlin

    Turkey PM, Erdogan is now facing widespread riots in 48 cities. His people put up with his authoritarian interferences to have 3 children, ban drinking from 11pm and finally the last straw, his insistence to build a shopping mall in the last patch of the green which they have strongly resisted. The kiasi police decided to use gas bombs on the peaceful protestors and all hell broke loose. We will be seeing another Egypt unfolding before us, what a tragedy.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Obviously they try to do a hat trick bypassing Parliament to get the Act Amended ? And yet not a single PAP MP objected to this ?

    Talk about PAP MPs protecting the interests of their contituents ? What the fuck are they doing ?

    ReplyDelete