TR EMERITUS

Singapore People Party (SPP) CEC member Mr Desmond Lim Bak Chuan has lashed out at his mentor Mr Chiam See Tong for being under the "control" of his wife Lina Loh: [Source: Lianhe Wanbao, 30 July 2010] In an interview with Lianhe Wanbao yesterday, Mr Lim, who was unceremoniously barred from SPP's weekly Meet-the-People session at Potong Pasir via a SMS claimed that Mr Chiam has been listening to his wife in all matters after his second stroke. The long-lasting feud between Mr Lim and Ms Loh boiled over during SPP's party conference last Sunday when supporters from both camps almost came to blows with one another. The fiasco was widely published by the state media, especially Chinese paper Lianhe Zaobao and has dealt irreversible damage to the credibility of SPP. Ms Loh had earlier accused Mr Lim of refusing to opposing the Reform Party joining the Singapore Democratic Alliance of which the latter is the Secretary-General. She also claimed that Mr Lim refused to cast a vote for Mr Chiam in the elections into the CEC during the party conference. Mr Lim replied that he did not vote for Mr Chiam as he has lost his ability to think independently and is completely dependent on his wife. "Chiam See Tong's current health does not permit him to continue serving the residents. He shouldn't be the Secretary-General anymore and should take up a consultancy role instead. As for who to take over him, the decision should lie with the party members," he was quoted as saying in Lianhe Wanbao. Mr Chiam has indicated his desire to lead a team to contest in a GRC in the next general election. His wife is widely expected to take his place at Potong Pasir.     Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →

OPINION The PAP's controversial "foreign talent" sports policy to import established sportsmen and women from other countries to represent Singapore in international competitions has drawn flak not only from Singaporeans, but from other countries as well. During a Malaysian parliamentary session on 26 July 2010, Senator Datuk Nor Hayati Onn mooted the idea of recruiting “imports” from other countries like the PAP to represent Malaysia in sports. Her suggestion was shot down by the Malaysian Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Senator Gan Ping Sieu who said doing so may create a “negative perception” on Malaysia. “I’m not trying to accuse other countries of anything here, but take Singapore’s national table tennis squad for instance. All of the athletes are imported from China. If we follow the practice, it may give a negative perception towards our country,” Mr Gan said. His remarks, which were not reported by the Singapore media, nevertheless caused a stir among Singapore netizens, many of whom agreed with him that the PAP is disgracing Singapore by "buying" medals using foreign imports instead of nurturing local talents. What do you think of Mr Gan's statement? Do you agree with him? Share your views here   TR Policy Forum, 27 July 2010 Stan Tan: Actually Importing is'nt a problem.. It's all about loyalty that counts. Sadly the FT are not here to stay but here to work to feed their family back in their homeland - thus > money earn leaks out to foreign country.   Madison Chua: And that's what we have been telling the authorities and officials all along: it casts a bad light on us as a nation that we have to import talents to win trophies and medals to satisfy our own narcissistic and egoistical cravings. There will be foolish individuals who don't care about what others think.   Phillip Lee: Am kinda the aggree on wht the Malaysian minister said... its is true that we import China ppl to play for Singapore, but can we call them Singapore national table tennis squad or China national table tennis squad?   Mark Chee: Can someone please advise what did Singapore benefit from the win by our "Singapore" ping pong team, both in terms of international recognition in the sporting faculty and attracting foreign investment or commitment to invest in the future (trying to go long-term here)? What's our ROI? Did our ministers achieve their KPIs, if any? Did the win inspire our residents to improve their productivity?   Albert Lin: There _IS_ a sporting culture here, unfortunately, the authorities make it such that making a living as a sportsmen in Singapore as a BORN AND BRED SINGAPOREAN is almost impossible. The government seems to have gotten it backwards in all way, not just with regards to sports. You do not cultivate a culture by first being the best. We have not suddenly become the Arts Hub of the world by splurging $600mil on the esplanade. We did not suddenly become the medical capital of Asia with the multi-million dollar tie-up with Johns Hopkins (which failed miserably) The goal of sports isn't to win gold medals or world championships. Even the country with the most self-proclaimed world champions understands this fact. The MLB (baseball) league may have the best players in the world, but they do not go around issuing green cards to players from Cuba, dominican republic, etc, just so they can win at the Olympics or the World Tournament. In fact, they even scorn at the idea of professional players taking part in these competitions. They send their home-grown players. I remember when the "Dream Team" basketball team took part in the Olympics in the 90's, the americans didn't even celebrate the Gold Medal because they naturalized Hakeem Olajuwon so he could play for them.   Mohamad Kasim: Where have all the Zainal Abidins, Peter Hill, Ang Peng Siong, David Lim, Junie Sng gone to? I hope these sportmen and women will let their children take up the sports they excel in so we can hv once again a true blue Singaporean champion, regardless whether its silver or bronze as long as they are born in Singapore.   An Nur: The Malaysians achieved so much without so-called FTs. Many of their athletes are not Malay too! Indians and Chinese are among their best athletes! They put a man in space and even got onto Mount Everest earlier than Singapore did. We can criticise them all we like but they take care of their citizens. In fact after Malaysia sent their team on Mount Everest, Singapore sent a team too but guess what? The leader of the Singaporean team was a Malaysian!!! He was a Singaporean PR and was still a Malayusian at the time he "represented" Singapore. Thiis is a shameful not so well kept secret! I am ashamed of Singapore today and I have stupid PAP policy of favouring China Chinese over Singaporeans regardless of race and religion!   Kevin Teo: It is ok to have 20% foreigners in any sport teams, but to have the entire team from foreign countries, it does not truly represent S'pore. And to think that our govt spent so much on them to promote sports, is showing the world we can be 1st without true blue citizens so important ???   Join TR Facebook discussion on the topic here.  Read More →

Defiant 75 year old British author Mr Alan Shadrake, who was charged in the Singapore High Court yesterday for "contempt of court" for his criticisms of the Singapore judiciary in his book "Once a Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock", has thrown down the gauntlet to the Singapore government: Come and get me if you can! Mr Shadrake was arrested by the Singapore police and interrogated continuously for 39 hours when he arrived in Singapore last week to launch his book. Though it is not banned officially by the Media Development Authority in Singapore, local bookstores are "advised" not to keep stock of it. Singaporeans can only buy Mr Shadrake's book in Johor Bahru across the Causeway. It is not known which paragraphs of the book has offended the Signapore government. Senior Counsel David Chong, acting for the Attorney General's Chambers, warned the journalists covering the case today that they too would be liable for contempt if the paragraphs at the centre of the case are repeated by them in the news reports. * The case will be adjourned for two weeks for Mr Shadrake to file his affidavit and a further week for the AGC to respond. Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Mr Shadrake said he wants to have his day in court: "Whatever they do to me, it will prove whatever I say in my book. I'm not a wimp, I'm not a coward. I want to have my day in court. I'm not running away. If I run away, it means I'm guilty." He also told the media that he will not apologize though he was offered another avenue by the AGC  - which is to tender an unreserved apology to the court. "You must be joking. I will never apologise, I will never say sorry. If I say sorry, what would you think of me? What would everybody think of me? I didn't do this to chicken out, say sorry and grovel to them like Singaporeans mostly have to do to lead a normal life," he was quoted as saying in Channel News Asia. The case attracted worldwide attention and was given extensive coverage by the international media. When the trial commences two weeks later, the international spotlight will be on the Singapore judiciary instead of the Youth Olympic Games which Singapore is hosting.   * Read this review for the offending paragraphs: https://www.tremeritus.net/2010/07/23/new-book-puts-death-penalty-on-trial/    Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans. Please use our online web form to contact us.  Read More →