TR EMERITUS

Written by Our Correspondent An obviously peeved Singaporean by the name of Kong Chong Min has written in to the Straits Times Forum today complaining about the "Water Festival" event organized by Bukit Batok grassroots organizations on 18 April 2010 to welcome the New Year for the Thai, Burmese, Laotian and Cambodians living in Singapore: The Temasek Review was the first news site to break the story two weeks ago following a tip-off by a reader who complained about the grassroots organizations "wasting" water to "please" the foreigners. Mr Kong began his letter by referring to an article last Monday on a speech made by Environment and Water Resources Minister Ibrahim Yaccob reminding Singaporeans of the need to use water wisely. “Singaporeans’ response to the dry spell last month was to use even more water. This is certainly not desirable should Singapore experience a prolonged dry spell. It is therefore timely to remind ourselves of the need to use water wisely,” he added. [Source: Channel News Asia, 21 March 2010] He questioned the need for Bukit Batok grassroots organizations to organize such an event when there are less "environmentally taxing" ways to promote "integration": "I understand the need for a community club to integrate our fellow residents into the community and I would not want to dampen the spirits of the participants looking forward to this event but I believe there are less environmentally taxing ways to do so such as a gathering to share ethnic food or maybe even cultural performances." Mr Kong ended his letter by pointing out the obvious discrepancies in the messages sent out separately by the Bukit Batok grassroots organizations and Minister of Environment: "It is important that different government agencies or organisations work together to disseminate a similar message to the public. If not, the actions of one will simply contradict the words of another." According to an unverified rumor circulating in cyberspace, a similar “Water Festival” held in the 1980s by a group of Thai workers in the Boon Lay area was stopped by the police for wasting water under the Public Utilities Act. Under the Public Utilities Act (CAP 261) 50(b), any person who wastes water “shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $1,000 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.” The above event has the blessings of senior PAP leaders such as Senior Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu who wrote in a reply to a netizen that it is a way of Singaporeans showing their "respect" to foreigners. It appears that there are two sets of laws in Singapore - one for foreigners and another one for Singaporeans.   EDITORS’ NOTE: Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so and help us exceed the number of fans on the official YPAP Facebook page.   Related articles: >> Netizen's queries on "Water Festival" stone-walled by Singapore Police >> PAP MP Grace Fu: organizing “Water Festival” is a way of telling foreigners we respect them >> Netizens protest against “Water Festival” organized by Bukit Batok grassroots organizations >> Singaporean unhappy at grassroots organizations hosting Water Festival for foreigners  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent The Singapore media has imposed  a complete news blackout on the economic forum hosted by the Singapore Democratic Party yesterday. Instead, the Straits Times ran an article on the spat between SDP's Secretary-General Dr Chee Soon Juan and opposition leader Mr Chiam See Tong which purportedly happened 17 years ago. Mr Chiam was the former Secretary-General of SDP and left the party under acrimonious circumstances in 1993. During the public forum held yesterday, SDP leaders took turns to address the economic concerns of Singaporeans such as the issue of foreign workers, income inequality and falling productivity. SDP's Assistant Secretary John Tan also spoke at length of the problem of the "non-transparency and the non-accountability of the GIC and Temasek." He proposed prohibiting government leaders and their from assuming positions of control at the two corporations and presented the Norwegian model of managing a sovereign wealth fund which is well-managed, transparent and democratic. GIC and Temasek have under intense public scrutiny of late for losing billions of dollars of the nation's reserves in failed overseas investments. There is no opposition in Parliament to hold the ruling party accountable. Neither are there any Singaporeans who dare to criticize their leaders publicly out of fear of be sued for defamation. Dr Chee ended the forum by reminding the audience that the "SDP's plan was not a populist one where everything is provided for free by the state and that citizens had to shoulder their share of financial responsibility in order that the system is not unduly burdened by debt." Read more about the forum here.   EDITORS’ NOTE: Please join our Facebook page here and invite your friends to do so to create awareness of the current affairs affecting Singaporeans.  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent The pro-foreigner PAP government will be allocating more space "for up to three more foreign schools to meet the schooling needs of the growing expatriate community," the Straits Times reported today. They will be occupying site of former schools as well as empty sites in Bukit Batok, Punggol and Yishun. There are nearly 100,000 foreign students enrolled in government and private schools in Singapore. The popular international schools are almost always full and have long waiting lists. Foreigners (PRs) are also allowed to compete directly with Singaporeans in ballotting for primary school places though the rules are "tweaked" lately to give children of citizens an extra ballot. When interviewed, PAP MP Josephine Teo who is one of the staunchest advocate for foreigners in Parliament told the Straits Times: "It will be a matter of time before the additional places may not be enough and we will need to review the situation." Due to the PAP's liberal immigration and pro-foreigner policies, foreigners now make up 36 percent of Singapore's population, up from 14 percent in 1990. Of the remaining 64 percent who are citizens, an increasing number are born overseas. With more and more foreigners in Singapore, the demand for places in government schools, especially the reputable ones will surely increase which will nullify the slight advantage Singaporeans will enjoy with the additional ballot. More safeguards should be put in place to ensure that the interests of Singaporeans are protected first. For example, foreigners should not be allowed to compete with locals for places in popular primary schools such as Raffles Primary, Roseyth and Henry Park secondary schools. Only after Singaporeans have taken their pick that leftover slots can be given to foreign students. The elected government of the day owes a duty to the citizens who voted for it first and not to foreigners. While Singapore should continue to keep its doors open to foreigners, extra measures must be taken to ensure that locals do not lose out in the process. Even as the PAP builds more international schools for foreigners, resouces, efforts and time should be invested to ensure that every Singapore student enjoys a quality education here.  Read More →