TR EMERITUS

From The Newsroom Team A counter-petition was set up by a wayangparty.com reader in response by to the latest two petitions started by a self-proclaimed representative of the "conservative majority" of Singaporeans for Aware President Dana Lam to apologize for the "lapses" in its CSE and for MOE to remove Aware as a sex education provider (read article here) Calling themselves  a "group of concerned Ah Bengs and Ah Lians who strongly believe that those self declared "conservative majority of Singaporeans" should not be allowed to mislead other using this fraud identity.", the petition called for a public apology from the astrosurfers for misrepresenting them. The petition is a hilarious parody of the initial ones: Brothers and Sisters! Sign this petition by 31 MAY 2009 if you agree that those KNN conservative people (sign the petition here) (1) owes us Ah Bengs and Ah Lians the real majority of Singaporeans a public apology for any how call themselves majority; and (2) KNN don't be smart alex and better take full responsibility for misleading other people in the world that they are the majority of Singaporeans; (3) don't talk cock and if so smart go fully disclose all relevant materials to prove they really majority of Singaporeans. An open letter was also addressed to the Minister of Home Affairs Mr Wong Kan Seng and CC to the Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong: To: The Minister for Home Affairs Dear Sir OPEN LETTER TO REQUEST THE MINISTRY TO TELL THOSE PEOPLE DON'T ANY HOW SAY THEY MAJORITY HOR We saw this petition these siao kias put on the internet har, KNN say they simi conservative majority of Singaporeans! KNNBCCB! If they majority of Singaporeans then what are we? What are my brothers and sisters? Majority my LJ! We are all over Singapore, with brothers and sisters in every HDB flat, every factory, every kopitiam, every bus and every MRT train! If they got balls, come down to Geylang, Chinatown, Toa Payoh, Jurong and Sin Ming and see how many people we have lah! Calling themselves majority we already damn du lan liao, somemore conservative majority! Wah lao eh! They think now Qing dynasty ah? KNN! They think they still got pigtails ah? Anyhow use the words conservative majority, scali other people thought all Singaporans ku ku one how? They bird brain is it? KNN their English so powderful, cannot find better words, must use conservative! Even my LJ knows conservative means going backwards, not catching up with time, old-fashion, unrealistic and stupid thinking! Singapore is democratic ok, not KNN conservative! They want to fight with homos go one side and fight lah! Don't any how say they represent the majority of Singaporeans! KNN! We got give them LJ permission to represent us meh? If they so reasonable, people will follow them and sign their CB petition one. No need to talk cock and claim they represent the majority then make people believe they also must join the majority and sign that CB petition blindly! Minister, I tell you, they bloody talk cock about being the majority of Singaporeans one! If not, ask them to prove lah! Prove that these LJs and CCBs are really majority of Singaporeans! I can bet with you har, scali most of them cannot even speak Singlish! They only know how to kiss ang moh asses and act and slang like them! Majority of Singaporeans their heads! Only people like us who speak Singlish are the majority of Singaporeans! Go stand one side lah! Thank you for your kind attention to this matter. Yours faithfully cc. The Prime Minister’s Office Though the petition appears to be comical and ludicrous, it does reflect the sentiment on the ground to a certain extent. The majority of Singaporeans live in the HDB heartlands. Many are pre-occupied with making ends meet rather than to bother themselves with what 2 men do in the privacy of their bedrooms. Do you think the aunties and uncles sitting in the neighborhood kopitiams ever heard of "Aware", "CSE" or "sex education programme"? Simi LJ? Come on, give us a break! There is no such crap in the past and people are still poking one another like rabbits, straight or gays. Only bo liao rich yellow bananas with nothing better to do in their lives will bother starting petition after petition to the government to impose their values on the silent majority who are struggling to feed themselves in the midst of a recession. The petition has so far garnered over 20 signatures. Wrote Gareth: Gareth Lai You represent one race, one religion, one social class and one belief. How dare you assume you speak for the majority. I belong to the majority and I definitely do not identify with you BIGOTS. Another peeved netizen said: Daniel Lee nabei, mai siao siao say majority! singapore 5 million ppl, u si lang group got 3mil or more then say! If ordinary Bengs and Lians are able to see through the lame astroturfing tactics sued by these people to masquerade themselves as the "conservative majority" of Singaporeans to exert public pressure on the authorities to act on their behalf, surely our world-class civil servants and ministers should be smart enough not be fall into the trap? MOE has been caught out once rather embarrassingly by a group of "concerned parents" protesting against Aware's CSE 2 years after the programme was implemented and coincidentally, 3 days after MOE had issued an open call for Dr Thio Su Mien to clarify her statements on its sex education programme. Surely it will not allow itself to be made a fool by the same old dirty trick again? The way to deal with these trouble-makers is actually very simple: expose them in the public like the previous Aware exco and we will know whether they truly represent the "majority" or they belong to a vocal minority within a particular religion.  Read More →

EDITORS' NOTE: On 19 May 2009, we sent a representative to meet up with STTA Hon Sec Mr Soon Min Sin to convey the views of netizens on the ongoing tussle between Lee Bee Wah and Liu Guodong to him in person. However he was not available and a letter, together with a printed copy of the first 1,000 signatures/comments on the online petition was passed to one of the staff, Kenneth, who promised to help us pass it to Mr Soon. If Lee Bee Wah still refuse to step down as STTA President, we will consider escalating the matter up to her immediate superiors and deliver the same letter and petition to their doorsteps.   [imagebrowser id=34]   Mr Soon Min Sin Honorary Secretary Singapore Table Tennis Association   Dear Mr Soon, RE:  ONLINE PETITION TO REQUEST LEE BEE WAH TO STEP DOWN AS STTA PRESIDENT   I am Eugene Yeo, Chief Editor of socio-political blog wayangparty.com. A week ago, I started an online petition calling for the removal of Lee Bee Wah as president of the Singapore Table Tennis Association (STTA). The reasons for me doing so are as follows: 1. This is the second time Lee has brought STTA into disrepute with her careless and senseless remarks which has demonstrated clearly her ineptitude for the job. 2. Lee has shown utter lack of leadership in her handling of the fiasco. Till now, she has still refused to clarify the statements she made about Coach Liu Guodong in public. 3. In its long illustrious history, STTA was never embroiled in such a protracted controversy. Since she took over as President last year, STTA had made the headlines for all the wrong reasons and is becoming a laughing stock in the world. 4. The public has lost faith and trust in Lee's abilities to bring STTA and the sports forward. 5. Her name has become synonymous with disgust, cowardice and anger following her two major screw-ups. Unless she is removed, public support for table-tennis is likely to dwindle with her in charge of the association. You mentioned to the press that it is up to "STTA to do its job." You also asked about the role of STTA. May I ask you if STTA is funded by taxpayers' monies or Lee Bee Wah herself? First and foremost, STTA has to account to the public to continue to bring the sports to a higher level to justify the annual funding it receives from the Singapore Sports Council. While outsiders may have little say in the nomination of Liu Guodong for the 'Coach of the year' award, STTA has to be transparent and explain its decision not to nominate him clearly and concisely. It is impossible for STTA to placate public fury and disappointment without answering the questions below: 1. What are the criteria to determine the coach's eligibility to be nominated for the  'Coach of the year' award? 2. Who are the assesors/judges and what is the process involved? 3. What was Liu's performance in the last 3 years under ex-STTA President Zhu Weiqiang before Lee Bee Wah took over? 4. If Liu lacks "professionalism and integrity", why did STTA offer him an improved contract last year? 5. Do all STTA officials share the same sentiment as Lee Bee Wah about Liu? Singaporeans have a right to know what is going on and STTA has an obligation to its supporters to reveal as much as possible. As of 18 May 2009, more than 3,500 Singaporeans have penned their signatures down on the petition requesting for Lee Bee Wah's removal. I have attached here a printed copy of the first 1,000 signatures. Please read the comments posted by Singaporeans thoroughly. You can read the full petition here: http://www.petitiononline.com/lbh/petition.html Public opinion is clearly on the side of coach Liu Guodong. Many Singaporeans are perturbed that Liu was not even nominated for the award after winning an Olympic Silver medal for us, a remarkable feat which is unlikely to be repeated any time sooner. We were incensed at the treatment Liu received at the hands of Lee Bee Wah. Even if STTA felt it is not worthy of the award, it should show some respect and appreciation for the coach who had worked hard during his tenure as Singapore's coach to bring the sports to where it is today. STTA did not make the offensive statements. It was Lee Bee Wah who made the allegations about Liu's professionalism and integrity and she alone have to answer for her words. If Lee Bee Wah is unable to substantiate her claims, she should retrace her statements and apologize to Liu in the papers. STTA should not be dragged into the mudslinging in what is an essentially personal conflict between Lee and Liu. President S R Nathan said in his Presidential speech today Singapore should have people who are courteous to one another and welcoming to visitors and new citizens. What will the international community think of the shabby treatment STTA is dishing out to its ex-coach who have contributed tremendously to the sporting fraternity in Singapore? On behalf of my fellow citizens, I implore you and the STTA committee to seriously consider asking Lee Bee Wah to resign as President of STTA to take responsibility for this unfortunate episode. The onus should be on her to resolve the current impasse. STTA should issue a public statement distancing itself from her comments to protect its image from being further tarnished.   Yours sincerely,   Eugene Yeo  Read More →

On May 21st 1987, 22 young social workers, lawyers, businessmen, theatre practitioners and other professionals were detained without trial under the internal security law and accused of "being members of a dangerous Marxist conspiracy bent on subverting the PAP ruled government by force, and replacing it with a Marxist state." A second wave of arrests took place on June 20th the same year. The detainees were forced to make false confessions by the way of mental and physical torture. They were subjected to harsh and intensive interrogations, deprived of sleep and rest, some for as long as 70 hours in freezing cold rooms. All of them were stripped of their personal clothings, including spectacles, footwear and underwear and were made to change into prisoners' uniforms. Most of them were made to stand during interrogation for over 20 hours and under full blasts of air conditioning turned to the lowest temperature. Under those conditions, one of them was repeatedly doused with cold water. Most were hit in the face while others were assaulted on other parts of the body. Threats of indefinite detention without trial were also made to them should they continue to deny the intentions that they have been accused to harbour. They were then compelled to appear on TV with their confessions and were told that their release would be dependent on their performance on TV. On 21st May 2009, which marks the 22nd anniversary of 'Operation Spectrum', a group of concerned Singaporeans will be demonstrating against the treatment of the detainees who were detained without trial under the ISA. You are invited to come to Speakers Corner and remember this day with us. 6.30pm, 21st May 2009 Speakers Corner, Hong Lim Park For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Spectrum  Read More →