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Podcasts didn't decide GE2025Podcasts didn't decide GE2025 I refer to the CNA’s Commentary: Podcasts didn't decide GE2025, but they changed how Singaporeans engage with politics (May 9). The 2025 General Election has several features/characteristics that deserve our attention, discussion and reflection: In today era, technological revolution, innovation and advancement...

GE2025: Stunning victory for PAPGE2025: Stunning victory for PAP I refer to the CNA’s report, “GE2025: Stunning victory for PAP, winning 87 of 97 seats with higher national vote share in PM Wong's first electoral test” (May 4). GE2025 has clearly delivered the following key messages/notes from the vast majority of voters: The Workers’ Party (WP) has done a fantastic good...

This is not a game of cardsThis is not a game of cards I can appreciate parties wanting to hold their cards close to their chest, but the smoke and mirrors games on nominations day, the shuffling of the DPM from a seat he had openly been declared to be defending, and other ministers shuffling constituencies leaves one feeling the PAP thinks it is playing a game of cards. Constituency...

Is a Parliament full of PAP MPs really better for Singaporeans?Is a Parliament full of PAP MPs really better for Singaporeans? I refer to The Online Citizen GE2025 news report, “Lee Hsien Yang: Is a Parliament full of PAP MPs really better for Singaporeans?” - (April 14), and “The Straits Times’ report, “GE2025: Singaporeans will go to the polls on May 3, Nomination Day on April 23” (April 15), and The Online Citizen GE2025 report,...

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝... Is the PAP of today exceptional, with unmatched competence and delivery? Afterall, that is their justification for the highest salaries in the world. Let’s look at its more recent track record. Large numbers of NRIC numbers were recently unmasked, leaving Singaporeans exposed to identity theft, fraud, abuse and scams....

GE2025: Red Dot United to contest in Holland-Bukit TimahGE2025: Red Dot United to contest in Holland-Bukit Timah I refer to the CNA news, “GE2025: Red Dot United to contest in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC but may make way for Singapore Democratic Party” (April 10), “More opposition 'star catches' are emerging. Is Singapore's political scene maturing?” (April 10) and “PSP says government response to Trump tariffs 'overblown',...

GE2025: Why Singapore's high-flying bureaucrats are recruited into politicsGE2025: Why Singapore's high-flying bureaucrats are recruited... I refer to CNA’s news, “GE2025: Why Singapore's high-flying bureaucrats are recruited into politics” (Mar 28). It is not surprised to notice that in recent weeks, two NMPs and top ministry officials have resigned, fuelling speculation they could be fielded as potential candidates for the ruling People's Action...

More than 2.75 million Singaporeans eligible to vote in GE2025More than 2.75 million Singaporeans eligible to vote in GE2025 I refer to The CNA’s News, “GE2025: More than 2.75 million Singaporeans eligible to vote” (Mar 25). As Singapore’s General Election is due to be held within this year, the following factors will more or less influence the election situation this year: A)The general mentality of voters Voters are generally...

How the end of Ukraine war could be secured, even with waning US supportHow the end of Ukraine war could be secured, even with waning... I refer to the CNA’s commentaries, “How the end of Ukraine war could be secured, even with waning US support” (Mar 4), “Lessons from the Trump-Zelenskyy meltdown- for friends and foes” (Mar 1) and “Will Trump tariffs push China to change economic tack?” (Mar 3). Foremost, we need to recognise the reality...

Singapore Army Recruits Deserve a Minimum WageSingapore Army Recruits Deserve a Minimum Wage Singapore Army Recruits Deserve a Minimum Wage: National Service Should Not Come at the Expense of Opportunity Costs Singapore’s National Service (NS) has long been a cornerstone of the nation’s defense, requiring young men to dedicate two years of their lives to military, civil defense, or police service. While...

Trump-Putin deal on Ukraine will be Europe’s moment of reckoningTrump-Putin deal on Ukraine will be Europe’s moment of... I refer to the CNA’s Commentaries, “Trump-Putin deal on Ukraine will be Europe’s moment of reckoning” (Feb 20) and “Ukraine can survive with the ‘least worst’ peace” (Feb 22). Now, In the eyes of European Union, they have lost trust and confidence in the United States, it is solely due to the flip flop...

From Deepseek to Huawei, US tech restrictions on China are backfiringFrom Deepseek to Huawei, US tech restrictions on China are... I refer to the CNA’s Commentary, “From Deepseek to Huawei, US tech restrictions on China are backfiring” (Jan 31). Would it be practical, useful and effective for the United States to continually pursue an aggressive containment strategy to hobble China’s tech push? Undoubtedly, the answer is obviously not. There...

Don't get distracted by Trump's outlandish Cabinet picksDon't get distracted by Trump's outlandish Cabinet picks I refer to the CNA’s Commentary: “Don't get distracted by Trump's outlandish Cabinet picks” (Nov 25), and “'No one will win a trade war’, China says after Trump tariff threat” (Nov 26). As everyone knows, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will return to power on January 20, 2025. Trump has dismissed...

Putin escalates Ukraine warPutin escalates Ukraine war I refer to The CNA’s Commentary: “Putin escalates Ukraine war by a step, not a leap, with missile experiment” (Nov 23). Foremost, Zelenskyi’s intention to join Nato has greatly threatened the security and survival of Russia. Hence, Zelenskyy has offended Putin and Putin has no choice but to launch a war with...

Will PM Wong address the astronomical ministerial salaries?Will PM Wong address the astronomical ministerial salaries? I refer to The TR-Emeritus opinion article, “Will PM Wong address the astronomical ministerial salaries” (June 14) by Mr Yoong Siew Wah. It has always been a controversial topic which concerns about our top political leaders who receive their salaries that are many times higher than those foreign political leaders. Our...

Due to the nature of the news and contents appearing on TR Emeritus, we are rating the website for 'above 18' only.
Editorials
Strong hailstorm strikes China's Xi'an causing airport...

Strong hailstorm strikes China's Xi'an causing airport...

On the evening of May 8, Xi’an, the capital city of China’s Shaanxi Province, was struck by a powerful...
Four parties lost their election deposits in GE2025

Four parties lost their election deposits in GE2025

A total of four opposition parties, the Singapore United Party (SUP), People's Power Party (PPP), People’s...
Level 16 super typhoon devastates multiple cities in...

Level 16 super typhoon devastates multiple cities in...

Northern China was hit by an extreme weather event on Thursday as a massive cold front swept south, colliding...
Level 15 winds destroy buildings rooftops and cause...

Level 15 winds destroy buildings rooftops and cause...

On April 30, northern China was struck by an extreme weather event as a massive cold vortex surged southward,...
TR Emeritus to 'shut-up' on 2nd May 2025

TR Emeritus to 'shut-up' on 2nd May 2025

Please be informed that TR Emeritus (TRE) will shut down its comment function site-wide at 0000 hours...
Chaos in China as extreme storm destroys homes and...

Chaos in China as extreme storm destroys homes and...

Beijing’s 22 million residents were asked to stay indoors on Saturday, as powerful winds swept across...
China, Thailand, and Myanmar in ruins after devastating...

China, Thailand, and Myanmar in ruins after devastating...

On March 28, 2025, a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar near Mandalay, causing...
Myanmar 7.7 earthquake collapses buildings in Thailand,...

Myanmar 7.7 earthquake collapses buildings in Thailand,...

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28, 2025, causing widespread panic...
Beijing shocked by earthquake and mega sandstorm

Beijing shocked by earthquake and mega sandstorm

Since March 24, 2025, northern China has been battling extreme weather as a massive sandstorm swept through...
Mega hail causes mass destruction in Fujian and Guangdong

Mega hail causes mass destruction in Fujian and Guangdong

An unexpected and severe hailstorm struck multiple cities in Guangdong and Fujian between March 3 and...
Extreme weather struck multiple regions in China

Extreme weather struck multiple regions in China

On March 2, 2025, extreme weather struck multiple regions in China, with parts of Henan province experiencing...
Happy Chinese New Year 2025

Happy Chinese New Year 2025

Wishing all our Chinese readers:     Team@TR Emeritus  
Huge snow caused numerous disruptions on China's major...

Huge snow caused numerous disruptions on China's major...

As the Chinese New Year approaches, millions of people across the country are making their annual journey...
The rapidly spreading HMPV virus you haven’t heard...

The rapidly spreading HMPV virus you haven’t heard...

Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) is making headlines as cases surge, especially among children and vulnerable...
4.1 magnitude earthquake shakes Shanxi's Linfeng city

4.1 magnitude earthquake shakes Shanxi's Linfeng city

On the evening of January 10, 2025, Linfen City in Shanxi Province was struck by an earthquake. The tremor,...
7.8 magnitude earthquake devastates Tibet

7.8 magnitude earthquake devastates Tibet

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake has hit Tibet, in the region of Shigatse, which is near the border with Nepal. According...
Outbreak of mystery virus in China

Outbreak of mystery virus in China

China is r eportedly facing a new health crisis as the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreak rapidly...
Unknown Virus Rampages in China; Hospitals Utterly...

Unknown Virus Rampages in China; Hospitals Utterly...

A blogger in China has shared a video, claiming that this isn’t China’s Spring Festival travel rush;...
Opinions
The three of threes about DPM Heng Swee Kiat

The three of threes about DPM Heng Swee Kiat

The first part of the threes is about the when, the how and the why? And it is about his retirement...
我们是否该重新思考国防开支的优先顺序?

我们是否该重新思考国防开支的优先顺序?

新加坡政府近日宣布将采购两艘额外的“无畏级”潜艇,引发了一个重要问题:我们的国防力量,到底需要多强? 毫无疑问,一个强大且可信的军队对于保障国家主权与威慑潜在威胁是不可或缺的。新加坡地处战略要冲,国土面积有限,因此需要一支现代化的武装部队。然而,当我们对比邻国——马来西亚拥有两艘潜艇、印尼正逐步扩展至十二艘——新加坡在水下战力上已处于领先地位。这不禁让人质疑,我们是否正引领着一场无声的区域军备竞赛? 问题在于:当威慑的需求被满足后,继续扩军是否已经超出必要? 一艘“无畏级”潜艇的估价超过十亿新元,还不包括长期的运营与维护成本。这两艘新潜艇的资金,若能转用于迫切的民生需求,例如医疗保健、老龄化支援、教育及弱势群体扶助,或许对社会的整体韧性更具意义。 政府一再强调国防开支是经过审慎规划的,但当生活成本日益上升,政府却仍需将消费税(Gst)提高至9%甚至更多,这种矛盾不禁令人困惑。如果某些战略性国防项目能够延后或循序推进,节省下来的资源是否可以用于社会发展呢? “全面防卫”不仅仅是硬件实力,更是要赢得人民的心与信任。让人民感到安心、有保障、受到重视,这种安全感无法靠潜艇来衡量,而是通过每一位国人的生活实感体现出来。 这并非是在呼吁削弱我们的国防,而是呼吁我们重新思考国家的优先事项。当我们继续推进军事现代化的同时,也不要忽视同样重要的任务——巩固社会契约、增强国民凝聚力。   Cwc-Ai  
Cutting down reliance on US military equipment

Cutting down reliance on US military equipment

There is a rampant rumor going around that claims Egypt has ordered 48 J10C with a price tag of USD$25B...
2025大选—明确授权,变化中的政治格局

2025大选—明确授权,变化中的政治格局

2025年大选结果无可争议,政府再次赢得了强有力的授权,稳固了其在新加坡政治格局中的主导地位。尽管选举结果并不令人意外,但胜利的过程却并非没有争议和复杂性。 值得注意的是,选区划分的变化在本次选战中发挥了重要作用。陈清木医生与徐顺全医生等资深反对派人物,因选区重划而受到显著影响——传统支持基础被分割或并入他区,无疑左右了某些关键选区的最终结果。虽然选区调整在新加坡选举历史上并不罕见,但其公平性与透明度仍持续引发讨论。 工人党虽稳守东北区的传统堡垒,但未能在本届大选中攻下新的选区。不过,该党仍获得两个非选区议员(Ncmp)席位,虽属安慰性质,却在象征意义上维持了国会内多元声音的存在。 更值得关注的是,本届大选所处的人口背景正经历剧烈变化。新加坡人口从2000年的约300万增长至2025年的超过500万。考虑到多年来出生率持续偏低,这一增长几乎可以肯定主要归因于移民流入,尤其可能在华人群体中增长显著。这一趋势对国家的社会结构和政治生态产生了深远影响。 展望2030年大选,各政党不仅要面对一如既往的选区调整与突发的全球事件,更需正视一个不断演变的社会结构。随着越来越多新移民成为国民,选民构成日益多元,政党在政策制定与信息传递上必须更具包容性与前瞻性。他们必须同时争取老一代公民与新加坡新公民的认同,回应共同关切,并跨越代际与文化差异的鸿沟。 在新加坡持续向前迈进的过程中,其政治也必须与时俱进——反映日益多元的人口现实,同时坚守国家的核心价值观:团结、韧性与务实。 Cwc-Ai
A jaw-dropping election

A jaw-dropping election

This is a jaw-dropping election. For the opposition. SDP’s Dr Chee and PSP’s Leong were deeply disappointed....
The Nation has rejected multi-party Parliamentary representation

The Nation has rejected multi-party Parliamentary representation

Our party suffered great losses and I personally have suffered the greatest hit. But these personal losses...
A False Analogy That Insults the Intelligence of Singaporeans

A False Analogy That Insults the Intelligence of Singaporeans

Minister Ong Ye Kung’s recent assertion that a “co-driver” bears no responsibility if a car crashes...
There is a cost to losing

There is a cost to losing

There is a cost to losing. At least in PAP’s books. And one of the costs is a policy of priority. That...
Hougang Belongs to the People

Hougang Belongs to the People

Thank You for the Reminder, Mr Marshall Lim. It is with no small measure of amusement that one reads...
Its all about trust

Its all about trust

Dr Ng Eng Hen from PAP has pointed out the most important key point about this General Elections, it...
Misunderstanding What Singaporeans Truly Expect from...

Misunderstanding What Singaporeans Truly Expect from...

The government's repeated assertion that it is "easy for the opposition to ask the government to give...
Punggol GRC

Punggol GRC

Punggol GRC is without question one of the most hotly watched, followed and contested constituency in...
Should Singapore Be Concerned About David Neo’s “Action-Takers,...

Should Singapore Be Concerned About David Neo’s “Action-Takers,...

Singaporeans should pause and reflect on the recent remark by PAP candidate David Neo, who said that...
Why Singaporeans Must Reconsider the Dismissal of SDP’s...

Why Singaporeans Must Reconsider the Dismissal of SDP’s...

The Singapore government’s blunt assertion that the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP)’s proposals...
Expect the exchange of barbs in politics

Expect the exchange of barbs in politics

In a political contest, expect the exchange of barbs. And we do not lack any of it in the rallies held...
Don't Be Swayed by the Noise—Think Critically Before...

Don't Be Swayed by the Noise—Think Critically Before...

In recent weeks, the political buzz in Singapore has reached a new high. Massive crowds at opposition...
We vote whoever is deserving of our vote

We vote whoever is deserving of our vote

I am surprised that Lee Hsien Loong chose to remind us of the 1997 shameful episode when he, his father...
The Case for a Diverse and Balanced Parliament

The Case for a Diverse and Balanced Parliament

The Singapore government has recently stated that "Good government needs good people" and cautioned against...
Letters
Podcasts didn't decide GE2025

Podcasts didn't decide GE2025

I refer to the CNA’s Commentary: Podcasts didn't decide GE2025, but they changed how Singaporeans engage...
GE2025: Stunning victory for PAP

GE2025: Stunning victory for PAP

I refer to the CNA’s report, “GE2025: Stunning victory for PAP, winning 87 of 97 seats with higher...
Is a Parliament full of PAP MPs really better for Singaporeans?

Is a Parliament full of PAP MPs really better for Singaporeans?

I refer to The Online Citizen GE2025 news report, “Lee Hsien Yang: Is a Parliament full of PAP MPs...
GE2025: Red Dot United to contest in Holland-Bukit...

GE2025: Red Dot United to contest in Holland-Bukit...

I refer to the CNA news, “GE2025: Red Dot United to contest in Holland-Bukit Timah GRC but may make...
GE2025: Why Singapore's high-flying bureaucrats are...

GE2025: Why Singapore's high-flying bureaucrats are...

I refer to CNA’s news, “GE2025: Why Singapore's high-flying bureaucrats are recruited into politics”...
More than 2.75 million Singaporeans eligible to vote...

More than 2.75 million Singaporeans eligible to vote...

I refer to The CNA’s News, “GE2025: More than 2.75 million Singaporeans eligible to vote” (Mar...
How the end of Ukraine war could be secured, even with...

How the end of Ukraine war could be secured, even with...

I refer to the CNA’s commentaries, “How the end of Ukraine war could be secured, even with waning...
Singapore Army Recruits Deserve a Minimum Wage

Singapore Army Recruits Deserve a Minimum Wage

Singapore Army Recruits Deserve a Minimum Wage: National Service Should Not Come at the Expense of Opportunity...
Snippets
Singapore’s Sports Industry: A Rising Powerhouse...

Singapore’s Sports Industry: A Rising Powerhouse...

Singapore’s sports industry is on the cusp of greatness, leveraging cutting-edge infrastructure and...
What are the most popular hobbies in Singapore in 2025?

What are the most popular hobbies in Singapore in 2025?

As work-life balance remains a constant talking point in the fast-paced city-state of Singapore, residents...
10 Most Popular Mobile Games in Singapore

10 Most Popular Mobile Games in Singapore

Singaporeans can't get enough of their phones these days, spending tons of time battling opponents, building...
Langkawi to Koh Lipe Ferry: Complete Travel Guide

Langkawi to Koh Lipe Ferry: Complete Travel Guide

Planning a tropical escape from Malaysia to Thailand? The journey from Langkawi to Koh Lipe offers a...
This is not a game of cards

This is not a game of cards

I can appreciate parties wanting to hold their cards close to their chest, but the smoke and mirrors...
𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝...

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝...

Is the PAP of today exceptional, with unmatched competence and delivery? Afterall, that is their justification...
The sleep science revolution in elite sports

The sleep science revolution in elite sports

Professional sports have entered a new era where recovery science directly impacts performance outcomes....
Sports Betting in Online Casinos as a Way to Improve...

Sports Betting in Online Casinos as a Way to Improve...

In today's world, online sports betting has become not only a popular form of entertainment but also...
Sticky & Recent Articles

KK hospital in PR overdrive to limit fallout from medication error

KK hospital in PR overdrive to limit fallout from medication error

Written by our Correspondent Kandang Kerbau Children and Women Hospital (KKCWH) has gone on a PR overdrive to limit the damage from the a medication mistake which could have dire circumstances for the two patients who receive a massive chemotherapy drug overdose. Two patients - Ms Yip Poh Hung and Mrs Ng L K, received chemotherapy drugs from an infusion pump in just a few hours instead of a few days. The mistake was discovered by Mrs Ng who informed the hospital. Frantic calls made to the only other cancer patient to have been fitted with an infusion pump that day - Mrs Yip, who was recalled back to the hospital at once. Mrs Yip received a potentially lethal dose of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in just five hours instead of over 5 days. Mrs Ng was more fortunate - though she was given the drug in 3 hours, the drug she is on can actually be given in just 15 minutes. KKCWH called a press conference the next day to explained what happened. There was full disclosure of the case and there appeared to be no cover-up. The state media, for its part, had been trying desperately hard to ameliorate the severity of the error. The Sunday Times even wrote that two things worked in the "favor" of Mrs Ng: "But two things worked in her favour - the mistake had been discovered just 10 minutes after she had received the dose, and an antidote to reverse the wrong dosage was available, although it is still in the experimental stage." According to a senior medical oncologist Dr Soh Lay Tin, Mrs Ng is not out of the danger yet and her condition needs to be monitored closely over the next few weeks. KK Women's and Children's Hospital used two types of infusion pumps - one which is calibrated in hours and the other in days. The pharmacists who programmed the women's pumps that day got the calibration mixed up, so instead of three and five days, they became three and five hours. It is not revealed if the pharmacists are fresh graduates or if they are trained adequately to handle the infusion pumps. KKCWH claimed that following the error, it  immediately changed the way its chemotherapy infusion pumps are used to prevent another similar mistake from repeating itself. Meanwhile, the two pharmacists who were responsible for the error have been given "light duties". They are helping with investigations. It is not known if they will be sacked from the hospital. Medication errors like this are not uncommon in Singapore's public hospitals where the junior doctors and nurses are often overworked and stretched to their physical and mental limits. Such cases are usually not reported in the press and are resolved quietly "internally" without much of a hooha. House officers on night calls can sometimes work 36 hours continuously without sleep. Singapore faces a perennial shortage of doctors especially in the public sector where low pay and long working hours have led to an exodus of senior medical officers upon expiration of their mandatory 5-year bond with the Singapore government if they are local graduates. To deal with the manpower shortage, the Ministry of Health has turned to recruiting foreign doctors from overseas especially from India and the Phillipines.  Read More →

Temasek Review debunks baseless and malicious allegations of plagiarism posted on Geoffrey Pereira’s blog

Temasek Review debunks baseless and malicious allegations of plagiarism posted on Geoffrey Pereira’s blog

Written by our Correspondent The Temasek Review has debunked the allegations of plagiarism in a comment posted on SPH Geoffrey Pereira's blog as completely baseless and malicious. Mr Pereira published a second article on his blog titled "SPH reiterates 'We didn't do it" on 13 November 2009 at 9.47am in response to our earlier articles catching an IP address "grabbing" our site's content a week ago. Strangely enough, the comment surfaced soon after it was posted on Mr Pereira's blog: The wordpress blog was registered only on 6 November 2009, the day when Mr Pereira published his first article denying that SPH has launched an attack on our server. (we have never made the accusation in the first place): The blog pasted a few clipped copies of articles posted under our "World" section and accused us of plagiarizing them: Our regular readers will know that all our world articles are reproduced from elsewhere with the source cited clearly at the bottom of each article. This is a usual practice adopted by many online newspapers including The Malaysian Insider and our own Straits Times which republishes articles daily from Reuters, AFP and AP. As you can see from the above, we have put a "SCMP" at the end of the article to indicate that the article was originally published on "South China Morning Post" - a Hong Kong Daily. For example, the Straits Times republishes articles from AFP on its site using the same mode of acknowledgment as us: The source of the original article is simply listed as "AFP" at the end of it. Going by the blogger's "standard", then Straits Times must have plagiarized its articles from AFP too. In all the other examples given on the site, the blogger cropped the article incompletely to omit the source to give the impression that we have plagiarized the articles. Being a seasoned and professional journalist himself, Mr Pereira should have vetted the comments posted on his blog carefully before allowing such defamatory and untrue remarks about our site to be posted. We have already written to wordpress to lodge a complaint and the offending blog will be removed soon. Separately, our IT administrator has also sent a separate official email requesting for the IP address of the culprit. It will be interesting to find out where he/she is posting these defamatory articles from.  Read More →

APEC and political repression in Singapore: A slap on the face of Singapore’s ruling party

APEC and political repression in Singapore: A slap on the face of Singapore’s ruling party

OPINION The APEC Summit held in Singapore from 8 to 15 November 2009, which was supposed to showcase Singapore as a modern, cosmopolitan and affluent nation was dramatically hijacked by Dr Chee Soon Juan who gave a series of interviews on U.S. Talk shows in the same period condemning the Singapore government for its political "repression. At the same time, Canadian lawyer Robert Amsterdam who incidentally also blogs on U.S. Number One Internet newspaper The Huffington Post, released a White Paper calling on President Obama to to meet opposition leader Dr Chee Soon Juan during his visit to Singapore to attend the APEC summit this week “to leaven the president’s praise of Singapore’s autocracy with an acknowledgment that destroying political opposition should not be acceptable in any culture.” The press release by his law firm Amsterdam & Peroff was given extensive publicity by major news organisations like MSN, AOL, National Examiner and Reuters as well as global investment and trade organisations like Forbes, Breitbart, EuroInvestor and Bizjournals. The Singapore government has put up a weak, if not predictable rebuttal on its official website recycling old arguments that Singapore has "prospered" due to its harsh laws curtailing the civil liberties of its citizens: "Singapore has grown and prospered because of its adherence to the rule of law and its robust legal framework. In a world of competing interests and priorities, Singaporeans must choose for themselves the kind of government they want, and the appropriate balance to be struck between societal interests and the individual. Singapore does not seek to prescribe or impose its values on others, but simply for an open dialogue on these issues untainted by misrepresentation. This response clarifies facts which the Paper chose to ignore." Singapore's response is sounding like an old broken tape recorder. There are many other Asian countries who have prospered without resorting to such repressive measures - examples being Hong Kong and Taiwan, both being predominantly Chinese society with a high degree of tolerance for political dissent. As a global city, Singapore can no longer expect to insulate itself from the criticisms of the global community which will put its political and judicial systems under intense scrutiny. Whether one likes it or not, we have to accept the fact that international NGOs and human rights groups such as Amnesty International, Freedom House, International Bar Association and Reporters without Borders will continue to exist and attack Singapore so long as there are no changes in its archaic and oppressive political system. Singapore Law Minister Shanmugam can spend everyday of his political career trying to convince the free world that Singapore is not a repressive state, but he will have little influence or leverage compared to the reports carried by the western media. While the Singapore media is focusing on APEC meetings, the western media is having a field day demonizing the Singapore government as an autocracy whose people live constantly in fear under its grip. It is a great pity and shame that the APEC Summit is fast becoming a farce as international attention is diverted to the Singapore government's "human rights record" which was exacerbated by its equally feeble response. The world doesn't revolve around Singapore. Whether Singapore chooses to impose its values on others will never change the reality that human rights groups and NGOs are a force to be reckon with. There is no balance stuck at between societal interests and the individual with the scale tip grossly in the favor of the former and even that notion is a suspect because such harsh laws are meant precisely to keep the ruling party in power. Singapore has made great leaps and progress in the last fifty years economically, but it is still a closed society politically. The laws used to maintain public order in the 1950s and 1960s are no longer applicable or relevant in today's context. No Singaporean will march in the streets to incite racial or religious hatred today. Neither will bloody riots break out which will tear our social fabric apart. The ruling party's scare-mongering tactics are losing their intended effect on the citizenry which is becoming more assertive, vocal and demanding. Being a respected member of the international community, the Singapore government should pay attention to current trends and liberalize the political landscape to allow a fair and level playing field for all parties. Repealing the repressive laws suppressing political dissent will not cause it to be overthrown overnight. It can easily win a fair and free election at any time. The fears, insecurities and paranoia of the ruling party are utterly unfounded. Singapore has moved beyond the "survival" stage. We should have evolved to become more mature and confident politically rather than to be stuck in the infantile stage in the 1960s. At the end of the day, the Singapore government must decide whether it wants to be known as an enlightened or pariah state worldwide. Self-praise in the state-controlled media is no praise really. It seriously need to have a "dose of reality" injected in its ossified brain to realize the incredible damage this bout of negative publicity has caused to Singapore's international image and standing. It is no mean feat not to bat an eyelid after being slapped in the face on both cheeks repeatedly by the international media and NGOs. Amid all the pomp, grandeur and splendor of APEC, the "repressiveness" of the Singapore government continues to stand out like a sore thumb. Related articles: >> Robert Amsterdam continues to attack Singapore government on Huffington Post >> Singapore govt rebukes white paper’s claims on repression in Singapore >> Singapore’s ruling party embarrassed by white paper on its repression >> White paper condemns repression of political freedoms in Singapore  Read More →

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