TR EMERITUS

By Regina Leung from South China Morning Post The main political parties in Hong Kong said on Wednesday the latest budget measures proposed by Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah would not help ordinary people - particularly low-income earners.Democratic Party Chairman said the budget was too fiscally conservative. “The government has a huge budget surplus, but the difficulties faced by underprivileged people will still remain,” he said. He said the party was disappointed with the budget and urged the government to introduce more measures to help the poor. Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) chairman Tam Yiu-chung said his party welcomed the new relief measures. However, he said the pace in which some measures had been introduced had been too slow. An example of this was providing transport allowances to encourage people to find jobs, he said. Hong Kong Liberal Party vice chairwoman Miriam Lau Kin-yee praised the major focus of the budget. She said measures to reduce salaries tax, increase supply of land and residential flats would help young people to purchase property. However, she said some of the new measures would not be effective in “cooling down” the property market. Audrey Eu Yuet-mee, leader of the Civic Party, said the government should build more public housing flats, resume construction of Home Ownership Scheme flats and crackdown on unscrupulous sales practices by developers. “By merely revitalising the secondary market of HOS flats and liaising with the MTR Corporation and Urban Renewal Authority will not be sufficient to stabilise the property market in the long-term,” she said. DAB lawmaker Chan Kam-lam also said the government should resume sales of HOS flats. In other comments, Sze Wing-ching, chairman of Centaline Properties suggested the government should increase the supply of residential land use over the next few years. Sze also suggested new residential flats should only sold to locals, instead of people from overseas. “Property prices have surged because they are being pushed up by overseas buyers,” he explained. The Certified Public Accountants (CPA) of Australia Hong Kong said the budget had good and bad aspects. “We applaud the government’s decision to increase stamp duty on transactions of properties valued at more than HK$20million from 3.75 per cent to 4.25 per cent. “However, we had hoped there would be an extension of the current home loan interest deduction period from 10 to 20 years and an increase of the cap from HK$100,000 to HK$250,000,” the spokesman said. - South China Morning Post  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent Contrary to what was said by the PAP MPs and reported in the state media, the majority of Singaporeans are disappointed and unhappy with the 2010 Singapore Budget unveiled lately by Finance Minister Tharman. The PAP MPs have been singing praises of it in unison while the Singapore media has been focusing on the hike in foreign worker levy to placate Singaporeans angry with the ruling party's pro-foreigner policy. In an open forum conducted by Yahoo which has attracted more than 200 comments so far, many Singaporeans posted their frank views on the Budget. Don wrote: "Kind of disappointed. Was looking for more incentives to promote Singaporeans to have more babies given the recent talk about the need to increase the birthrate.. benefits provided to families will hardly scratch the cost of bringing up a child.. Also, hope the foreign worker levy will not apply to maids... if not that is another hit to potential parents who is considering getting some help around the house after childbirth.." Nat added: "Why am I not surprised that there is a deficit in the budget report? Because it was for 2009! If I did not remember incorrectly, that was also the year of the economic crisis, and the poor investment decisions of many in Senior Management of Government and Quasi Government who lost much of our monies....It seems those who are running government nowadays has nothing better to do than tweeking things whenvever they feel bored - just to make it look like these officials are doing something useful.I can only say that Singapore instead of getting better, Singapore is deteriorating...what a sad state of affairs it is for those of our generation who have worked so hard to make Singapore what it was today, and then to be slowly but gradually destroyed..." cskp felt the foreigner issue was not dealt with adequately: "From my understanding of the budget speech , the problem of foreign workers are not fully dealt with and is too general . In my opinion , it should address the foreign worker situation into two broad categories . One group being the construction and service industries and the second group are the professionals, managerial and executives . I belong to the second group . I returned to Singapore after 8 years working in China and after one year with the same company , I was retrenched . There are 3 other foreigners in the same team and the company chose to retrench the local , given all of us have the same set of skills to perform the job. There are several factors , one being office politics , too many foreigners within the same team , protecting their own interests . Having a boss who is also a foreigner didn't help. What I'm trying to relate here is we have too many foreigners across all sectors and there is no level-playing field when your bosses and your other team members are all foreigners , discriminating Singaporeans in their own backyard." Maddie L is now afraid of taking "incentives" from the ruling party: "I m disappointed. Nothing much was addressed on the higher and ever increasing costs of living, I m afraid of taking incentives from gov, because in the past it shows how they give you one dollar and take back 10dollars from you. LIke the SP services increasing constantly despite it uses natural gas and transport, ERP and housing keep getting more costly. Plus this increasing productivity to me is like asking you to work hard and longer and we all know that it takes forever for our pay to be increased by bosses." The chorus of discontent expressed by Singaporeans is an indication that the ruling party is fast losing the support and confidence of the people to run the country. Despite its frequent trumpeting of its "achievements", many Singaporeans can attest to the fact that life has not improved for them. In fact, it has become more stressful to live in Singapore due to a combination of stagnant wages, rising cost of living and increased competition with foreigners. The ruling party has screwed up its immigration policies big time by importing too many (unsuitable) foreigners into Singapore within too short a period of time without putting up a comprehensive social safety net for Singaporeans. As Wacko puts it succinctly: "Let's sum up all. I bet the govt vote% will be lower than the last election 66%. You get what it mean??" The ruling party is likely to win less votes in the next election and if the opposition is able to work together and field credible candidates, it may even lose its traditional two-thirds majority in Parliament.  Read More →

By Richard Lu There is an interesting, intense on-going discussion in the Temasek Review pages on Pastor Rony Tan’s views and comments on lesbians and homosexuals in a video posted on the Lighthouse Evangelism website (since removed).  I choose not to delve into religion. Many of us so called liberals deem we are all created equal and must not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, creed and color of the skin and we should all fight for human liberation as a whole.  Neither should sexual orientation, gender, creed and color govern our meritocratic system of government or other organizations wherein appointments are made and responsibilities assigned to individuals based on proven talents and abilities.  Discrimination should also not dictate our ability to lead for otherwise it must surely divide us.  It is unproductive at best and counterproductive at worst. Homosexual acts were decriminalized in some parts of the Western world (e.g. Poland - 1932, Denmark - 1933, Sweden – 1944, United Kingdom – 1967).  It was not until the mid-1970s that the gay community first began to achieve limited civil rights in some developed countries.  The turning point was in 1973 when the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, thus negating its previous definition of homosexuality as a clinical mental disorder.  In 1977, Quebec became the first country in the world to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.  Most developed countries have enacted laws decriminalizing homosexuality. Homophobia is a term that represents negative attitudes or actions toward homosexuals. Homophobia is prejudices toward homosexuals, fears and negative beliefs or attitudes that accompany this prejudice.  Rigid sex role stereotypes are barriers to accepting homosexuality in both homosexuals and heterosexuals.  Lesbian and gay people are often discriminated in employment, housing, and services.  In some liberal societies e.g. America, many unsophisticated minds would rather tolerate Mormon polygamists and abortionists than gays. Homosexuality in history and religions Homosexuality (defined as sexual interest in and attraction to members of one's own sex) had been variously approved, tolerated, punished or prohibited during different eras, cultures, and religions.  Homosexuality was not uncommon in ancient cultures.  In most of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, both the subject and the behavior are considered taboo, with some slight exceptions made in urban areas. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans generally accepted homosexual behavior within certain contexts. ·        Hinduism and Buddhism view homosexuality from the standpoint of its karmic effects. ·        Jewish, Christian, Sikh and Muslim cultures have generally perceived homosexual behavior as sinful. ·        Many Jewish and Christian leaders, however, have gone to great lengths to stress that it is the homosexual acts and not the homosexual individuals or their "orientation" that is condemned. ·        In recent developments, some liberal Protestant Christianity and Reform Judaism advocate the full acceptance of homosexuals and their relationships. Liberal Singaporeans’ views In six countries, homosexual behaviors are punishable by life imprisonment; in ten others, it carries the death penalty. In Singapore Section 377A of the Penal Code of Singapore is the main remaining piece of legislation which criminalizes sex between mutually consenting adult men.  Section 377A ("Outrages on decency") states that: “Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years.” How should Lesbians Gays Bisexuals Transgender (LGBT) persons be treated It is no surprise that major conflicts exists over equal rights and protections for gays and lesbians, including whether to alter the definition of marriage to include same-sex marriage. Within even a single religion e.g. Christianity, we see active, un-resolvable debates over how persons with a homosexual or bisexual orientation should be treated.  Amongst the more vocals, the arguments are diametrically opposite. The Christians in Singapore are by nature conservative and many are vocal and regard same-sex behavior as profoundly immoral and hated by God regardless of the nature of their relationships.   Most advocate continuing the current denials and restrictions. However, most LGBTs, their friends and families, including some religious liberals (Christians included) and progressives, secularists, mental health professionals and their associations, civil libertarians, human sexuality researchers, etc. favor equal rights and protections for persons of all sexual orientations, including the right to marry. You see, these are the more enlightened with the “live and let live spirit”. Religious moderates tend to be split between the conservative and liberal viewpoints.  Supporters for same-sex marriage remain in a minority, but may be increasing in numbers.   Many favor the hate-crime laws to include violent crimes motivated by hatred of the victim's sexual orientation. Most regard homophobia - any denial of human rights based on sexual orientation - to be as profoundly immoral as is sexism and racism.  Most believe that homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual orientation and behavior are not intrinsically sinful and would like to see persons of all sexual orientations protected from abuse, firing, discrimination in accommodation, violence in hate crimes, etc. Section 377A of the Penal Code Quilting Wikipedia:  “What is clear from the rejuvenated debate on whether homosexual acts under should be decriminalized is that passions run high over this issue. And where passions run high, reason often runs dry.  Much ink has been spilt arguing whether homosexuality is about nature or nurture, choice or instinct, whether it is sinful or simply an alternative choice of lifestyle. It is unlikely that a consensus is going to be reached anytime soon……. Indeed, for over 10 years, there has been no prosecution under section 377A for gay sex between consenting adults.” Here is a paradox and a contradiction, for we are a global and vibrant city with an archaic law.  Does it mean that there are gay activities in Singapore?  By the way, Section 377A criminalizes only male homosexual activities but not lesbian acts. What is the purpose of retaining Section 337A? Ms. Indranee Rajah, a PAP MP and former chairperson of the GPC for Law and Home Affairs, reiterated the MHA's "assurance" that it would not actively prosecute people under that section. PM Lee Hsien Loong: “However, as recognition that homosexuals do and are contributing to the country, 377A would also not be actively enforced. Homosexuals would be left to lead their lives in privacy.” I see no purpose in its retention but Pastor and the Lighthouse Evangelism should be mindful of what PM Lee said i.e. "Homosexuals would be left to lead their lives in privacy." How should Singaporeans treat LGBTs? As Singaporeans fight for human liberation as a whole, we cannot exclude the rights of the gay people. This fight is part of our democratization process.  Whilst we do not encourage LGBT activities nor condone them, we DO NOT promote nor discriminate.  It is morally wrong as our actions will come back to haunt us later.  This is how Singaporeans should view and react to gay people in our community. In the West, politicians looking for votes have even joined gay parades and approved civil unions for gays. LBGTs  have gained ground over several years and now they celebrate how far they have come in their gay parades.  I am hopeful the day will not come when our politicians have to elicit the votes of the LGBTs in exchange for standing up for their rights. Finally, I quote Jesus Christ and the Bible: “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s.”  Christians, do not deny the LGBTs their rights! *Notes: The terms "LGBT" and "GLBT" are acronyms for: "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual, and "Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender/Transsexual.”  Sometimes, additional letters "Q" for Queer, "I" for Intersexual.  Persons with all three sexual orientations - (heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual) and various sexual identities (cisgendered, transsexual, transgendered) are sometimes included.  Read More →