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文：吴妮臻 2010年4月10日   每年的4月中旬就是东南亚各国庆祝新年；也称为“泼水节”的时候。这个节日对旅居新加坡的东南亚外劳和华侨来说是一个重要的月份。前些日子，新加坡网友因为其政府资助并主办傣历新年“泼水节”庆祝活动掀起了一场不小的口水仗。   其实泼水节 (Water Festival) 的庆祝方式丰富多彩；有堆沙、浴佛、赛龙舟、放高升、民族文化表演、泼水等活动内容。由此可见泼水只是整个泼水节的一小部分，只不过由于现在旅游现象把“泼水”无限放大了。其实在傣族人民心中：泼水本身就是一种祝福；“遇水而发”，泼湿全身，幸福终生。而泼水节也是一种祈求来年风调雨顺的仪式。   从这个角度来讲，新加坡庆祝泼水节是不应该被批评的。举办一场盛大的泼水节活动应该说是喜事，除了希望让在新加坡的泰国人、缅甸人、辽国人还有柬埔寨人一解思乡之苦，弥补不少无法回乡过年的遗憾；主办单位其实也邀请新加坡民众共襄盛举，一同感受异国文化的魅力，不出国也能感受泼水节盛况。当然我们要强调的是参加泼水活动并不是号召大家浪费水源；我们要尊重民俗，当然也会采取一切积极措施，引导大家尽量象征性地泼水就好，以节约用水。   在这场口水战中，我并不特别支持哪方，也没有什么过人的想法。只是觉得大家还是要尊重彼此。 真正的尊重就是己所不欲，勿施于人。其实，政府也只是单纯希望透过泼水节，让同样生活在一个城市的人们，不管你是在地人还是新移民，都能够以微笑的肢体语言，打破彼此之间的隔阂，分享不同的文化。如此新加坡才能更进步，更呈现出丰富多元的样貌。   当我们也和他们一样与家人分开，在海外工作甚至落地生根，如果海外地区的当地政府和居民能将心比心地尊重我们，举办属于我们新加坡的节日，我们也会倍感温馨。对于解思乡情怀及工作压力，也有相当助益。所以，我们不应该因为不满执政党，就只有看到“泼水”两个字。   另一方面，太多新加坡民众认为执政党不应该拿纳税人的钱来资助“外来人”举办其节日的庆祝活动。这些民众不断地把“新移民”说成是与“新加坡人”对立的“外人”，甚至“敌人”。他们却没有认清，这些跨海来新的新移民，是新加坡岛的住民。他们不是短期来新的观光客或留学生，而是我们“新加坡人”的一份子。新移民与我们休戚与共，共向荣辱；同样要纳税、要守法。歧视排挤他们等于鄙视与他们居住在同一个岛上的新加坡人 – 我们！   同样的，我们也得尊重反对者。尊重反对者有一层更重要的意义；那就是反对者的出发点。如果大家是因为关怀世界某些角落的旱灾，出于人性化的考虑反对政府资助并举办泼水节的庆祝活动，那么我们是应该尊重反对者理性的思考。不过，如果不能非常负责的提出具有说服力的理由，那么这些人就无法摆脱被指是一个为反对而反对的无理反对者。   网路上的争论，很多时候是表达个人的意愿，而且每个人都有表达的权利。然而，当两人必然有不同观点的时候，别动不动就牵扯到“在地人”和“外地人”之间的对立。人就是要接受他人为一个完整而独立的个体，人人都是站在同样的高度互动，没有所谓的尊卑之分。少用一些偏激语言，多一些理性的思维，真理是不会因人多或人少而改变的。  Read More →

Reuters, 13 April 2010 The chronicle of decisions by doctors caring for patients stranded by the flood, written by Sheri Fink of ProPublica in collaboration with The New York Times Magazine, marked the first time an online service won a top journalism award given annually by the Pulitzer Prize Board at Columbia University. The nonprofit ProPublica is considered by some to be a new model for journalism as struggling for-profit outlets have fewer resources to put toward investigative reporting. The Times magazine published the Hurricane Katrina piece. "This is something we're going to see more of in the years ahead as there's more and more collaboration of news entities when it comes to enterprise journalism," Sig Gissler, administrator of the prizes, said in announcing the winners. In another online first, www.sfgate.com, the website of the San Francisco Chronicle, won for editorial cartooning. The award for the animated cartoons by Mark Fiore marked the first time an Internet-based entry won in that category. A second Pulitzer for investigative reporting went to Barbara Laker and Wendy Ruderman of the Philadelphia Daily News for their expose of a rogue police narcotics squad. "WATCHDOG JOURNALISM" Reporter Michael Moss and New York Times staff won in the explanatory reporting category for writing about contaminated hamburger and food safety issues. Reporter Matt Richtel and Times staff won the national reporting award for writing about the hazards of using cell phones and computers while driving. "The watchdog function of journalism is heavily underscored," Gissler said. "Watchdog journalism is still a vibrant force. "It's been a tough time for newspapers the last few years," he added. "But amid the gloomy talk, the winners and the finalists are encouraging examples of the high quality of journalism across the nation." In the public service category, the Bristol, Virginia Herald Courier won for writing about the "murky mismanagement" of natural gas royalties owed to landowners, the board said. The Washington Post won four prizes. The newspaper's Anthony Shadid, now with The New York Times, won for international reporting for his articles from Iraq, and Gene Weingarten won in feature writing for a story about parents who accidentally kill their children by forgetting them in cars. The Post's columnist Kathleen Parker won in the commentary category and dance writer Sarah Kaufman won for criticism. Tod Robberson, Colleen McCain Nelson and William McKenzie of The Dallas Morning News won in editorial writing for their work exploring social and economic disparities in the city. The prize for breaking news photography went to Mary Chind of The Des Moines Register for a picture of a rescuer trying to save a woman trapped in water. The prize for feature photography went to Craig Walker of The Denver Post for his portrait of a teenager joining the U.S. Army. Among the prizes for letters, drama and music, "Tinkers," a debut novel by Paul Harding, won for fiction. In drama, the winner was "Next to Normal," music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, a rock musical about mental illness in a suburban family. Country music's Hank Williams won a posthumous special citation. The board said his "poignant and simple songs ... played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major force." Williams died on January 1, 1953. Source: Reuters  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent The Lorong 8 wet market cum hawker centre, which is fast becoming a relic, has finally been selected for upgrading by the government. According to a TODAY report, the hawker center will be closed for 11 months from November and the upgrading workers include the replacing of plumbing and sanitary system. The hawker center was built in the 1970s as part of the new Toa Payoh estate and is already more than 30 years old. It is located in Potong Pasir ward which was won by the opposition MP Mr Chiam See Tong in 1984. The PAP has denied essential upgrading to the flats and amenities of opposition wards to "punish" the residents for supporting the opposition though they pay income taxes like the rest of Singapore. Former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong once threatened to turn Potong Pasir and Hougang, another opposition ward into "slums" if the opposition were to win again. The ruling PAP controls 82 out of 84 seats in the Singapore Parliament and has engineered the electoral system to its benefit which enables it to win elections after elections. The use of estate upgrading to threaten voters to vote for the PAP has become increasingly unpopular and is likely to backfire if the same hard-ball tactics are employed in the next general election. With public sentiments against the PAP at an all-time high, the opposition is expected to add on its current two seats in Parliament including winning a GRC for the first time in history. While the Lorong 8 hawker center is now scheduled for upgrading, there are no updates on the upgrading of lifts in Potong Pasir which was promised earlier by the PAP last year, prompting one concerned resident to write in to the Straits Times Forum. The PAP should stop using taxpayers' monies to further its own partisan interests. Upgrading of estates and amenities is funded by public funds and not from the PAP's coffers. It should be based solely on need and not on the political allegiance of the constituents. Such rampant pork-barrel politics has no place in a modern civilized society like Singapore.  Read More →