Singaporean Gilbert Louis released by Malaysian Authorities... By way of a Facebook post on 14 November, international human rights lawyer M Ravi announced that Gilbert Louis would be released at 6pm on the same day. TOC understands that M Ravi is assisting Gilbert's counsel, Mr Arun Kasi, in this matter. Gilbert was first detained on 9 October in relation to allegedly harboring 3...
Why has PAP gotten so out of touch with its citizen's aspiration? During Singapore early years, many citizens voted firmly for our First Cabinet despite their many imperfections because the people can see their sincerity & dedication.
Collectively with our Merdeka & Pioneer generations, and support from international agencies, SG transits from Third World to First World. SG...
With the price difference between older and younger HDB flats... I refer to the article “Commentary: Mind the varied impact of HDB schemes on different groups of home owners” (Channel NewsAsia, Sep 22).
It states that “The impact of expiring leases can be expected to hit first- and second-generation satellite towns first and foremost, including Bukit Merah, Queenstown, Geylang...
Hawkers’ issues addressed, except 2.5x increase in costs? I refer to the article “New rules for social enterprise hawker centres from Jan 1, including standard termination notice: NEA” (Straits Times, Nov 9).
It states that “Stallholders at social enterprise hawker centres (SEHCs) may operate five days a week and terminate their tenancies with no more than two months’...
Are we setting aside too much reserves for MediShield Life? The MediShield Life Fund is said to be designed in a way that it is self-sustaining and based on actuarial principles, with each age group paying premiums, under the compulsory MediSheld Life which all citizens in Singapore have to subscribe to, to broadly support its own current and future claims.
"This means that...
Criminal Defamation and STR Though the case against STR concerns criminal defamation, this article that appeared in ST last year contains some relevant discussions on the common law principle that government cannot sue on defamation.If this principle were to be true, it is certainly arguable that it should apply to s499 of the Penal Code (criminal...
Is our healthcare spending as a percentage of GDP about 8%? I refer to the article “Singapore Budget 2018: Spending needs to grow in healthcare, infrastructure, security and education” (Business Times, Feb 18).
It states that “All in all, we expect our average annual healthcare spending to rise from 2.2 per cent of GDP today to almost 3 per cent of GDP over the next decade....
Police Report filed by SCDF
I am quite concerned over the high handed way that the authorities are handling the "unauthorised" release of photographs, relating to the undue incident which killed CPC Liu in the line of duty.
I personally feel that besides photographing the corpse which is highly disrespectful to the deceased like the MRT trainees...
SLF: $2.4b reserves? I refer to the article “Why Temasek bond got strong retail response” (Sunday Times, Nov 4).
It states that “Singapore Labour Foundation (bond) 3.203% (maturing) Sept 25, 2023 ($70 million)”
The Singapore Labour Foundation (SLF) was formed on 12 December 1977 as a statutory board to promote the welfare of...
Self-employed below 45: Workfare maximum $8 cash monthly? I refer to Josephine Teo’s article “Workfare and the Singapore approach to tackling wage inequality” (Straits Times, Nov 6).
It states that “Over the past decade, about 830,000 Singaporeans have benefited from the $5.5 billion disbursed. It is a permanent feature of our social security system, topping up salaries...
Hawkers: ST not worth the paper its printed on? I refer to the article “Hawker debate: Figuring out a way forward” (Sunday Times, Nov 4).
It states that “But such low rents also mean that some hawkers can operate for just a few hours a day, or not at all. Some centres have stalls that close in the evening, with some hawkers citing a shortage of workers. The...
Elite give back to society, but Govt never give back?
I refer to the article “Chan Chun Sing urges Singaporean ‘elite’ to give back to society” (the independent, Oct 30).
It states that “Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing addressed this issue recently, urging people not to make all-encompassing generalizations about each other and to make a clear...
The focus of our policies to help disadvantaged children... I refer to the article “Look beyond education to give disadvantaged kids a leg-up” (Straits Times, Nov 2).
It states that “When I expressed my frustration to the friend who had asked me to help the girls in the first place, she suggested that I investigate S.L.’s family circumstances.”
As to “I visited...
Breakfast with Lee Hsien Yang at West Coast Hawker Centre This morning I had breakfast with Lee Hsien Yang. We wanted to catch up with each other as we have not met for quite a while. Instead of some fancy restaurant, I suggested we go to West Coast Food Centre at Block 726 Clementi West. Hsien Yang was all for it. He missed our local hawker fare in the heartlands. We had porridge...
MRT reliability: Disappearing statistics? I refer to the article “Rail network has achieved new level of reliability: Khaw” (Straits Times, Nov 3).
It states that “Singapore’s rail network has reached a new level of reliability, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan.
At the seventh Joint Forum on Infrastructure Maintenance yesterday, he disclosed...
