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周殊钦 from Lianhe Zaobao 如果不是议员英兰妮（丹戎巴葛集选区）借一张新加坡武装部队月刊《国锋报》上刊登的她坐在坦克上（on top of a tank）的照片，让友人笑言她竟以tank-top（即吊带衫）的姿态出现在“男性杂志”上，向国会开了个玩笑，国会昨天针对国防部及外交部开支预算的辩论，真可说是平淡得可以。 对多数人而言，国防 (national defence) 与外交相关的课题既严肃又遥远。由于无法轻易理解这些宏观课题的深层意义，人们自然容易觉得这些无关民生的国家大事仿佛事不关己。 从国会昨天超过七小时的辩论中，可发现好几处鲜明的对比，其中辩论气氛的对比，令人莞尔；政策方面的对比，令人感慨；议员对同一事物的判断的对比，则令人深思。 先形容一些读者大概从新闻报道中看不到的几个有趣画面。国会辩论总的来说无疑是严肃的，不过议员偶尔无伤大雅的幽默言谈，总能起到提振精神的作用。 除了英兰妮借双关语的诙谐言谈令人捧腹之外，国会昨天也出现一个极为难得的惹笑场面。按照议事条规，在辩论结束后提出撤消对某个部门开支预算的削减动议者，必须是提出动议的同一名议员，否则国会拨款委员会就必须另行表决，才可通过有关部门的开支预算。 内政部的开支预算辩论昨天结束，但是前天对它提出削减动议的议员杨康海（丰加集选区）当时偏偏不在席上，使得拨款委员会主席、议长阿都拉必须要求议员们表决是否同意削减动议。换言之，如果议员要完整地通过内政部的预算，就必须喊“NO”来反对削减动议，可是执政党议员多年来似乎已习惯了喊“AYE”，所以当议长提出表决时，他们都自然地喊出“AYE”，促使他猛抬起头来，示意议员们听清楚表决。结果，内政部预算才“有惊无险”地在议员掺杂着笑声和更大声喊出的“NO”声中，获得通过。 Read rest of article on Lianhe Zaobao  Read More →

Written by Our Correspondent Jack Neo's wife has forgiven him for his 2 year- extramarital affair with a 22 year old model, Ms Zhong Jiayan, Lianhe Wanbao reports. The famous Singapore comedian turned movie director has made the headlines lately after it was spilled to the media that the model had leaked the affair to Jack Neo's wife, Mdm Kang Meifeng. According to Ms Zhong, she first knew Jack Neo while filming "Money Not Enough 2" 2 years ago after which Jack Neo started courting her. They started dating a week later. Jack Neo admitted that he had thought of ending the relationship, but Ms Zhong always threatened suicide to keep him by her side. Ms Zhong had gone to Jack Neo's place at Pasir Ris yesterday to expose their 2-year affair to his wife. To her surprise, Jack invited her into his house and asked his wife to meet her. Mdm Kang asked her what she wants and told her calmly that she already knew about their affair a year ago. She suggested they have a talk outside so as not to disturb her children. The three proceeded to talk at a Crowne Plaza restaurant together with Ms Zhong's father and sister as well as Jack's pastor and family friend who joined them later. Ms Zhong revealed that she had gone overseas with Jack on four occasions during their relationship. Jack has since apologized to his wife who had forgiven him. News source: Lianhe Wanbao  Read More →

By Yoong Siew Wah Can you believe your ears when the honourable Mr. Lim Swee Say, minister and secretary-general of the NTUC, said that he was like the little frog in the unheard of fable "kingdom of frogs" that he was deaf to all the criticisms of MP Mr. Low Thia Kiang on his so-called doctrine of ameiloration of lower wage workers. Mr. Lim could have been piqued and embarrassed by the incisive demolition of his painfully-created but not flawless doctrine by an ingenious Mr. Low in Parliament. Credit must be given to Mr. Lim for his ingenuity in thinking up such an unseemly parable to defend his wounded pride. Is not Mr. Lim acting like a little emperor? Is that the proper attitude for a minister and NTUC secretary-general drawing a fat obscene pay of over $2 million a year out of taxpayers' money to adopt in reply to crticisms. Is he not a law unto himself with the kind of brazen attitude he adopts? If Mr. Lim represents the overbearing attitude of ministers, that is the reason we should vote in more opposition candidates. The PAP leadership is aware of such a possibility and it is now trying to sweeten the ground to make sure that it does not lose too many GRC's at the next General Election. This is where the opposition parties should close ranks to capture at least one or two GRC's. The opposition can do it if they can avoid disunity and put up some credible candidates. The ground is ripe for them to make inroads especially with young voters who are disillusioned with the PAP government. The PAP leadership is especially worried about the loyalty of the young voters and will be making strenuous efforts to win them over. Probably the die is cast and whatever strenuous efforts the PAP leadership makes may have little effect. The tsunami that hit the Barisan National in the last general election in Malaysia is a wake-up call to the PAP leadership. But it may not be a similarly hefty tsunami that will hit the PAP in the next General Election. So they are scrambling madly to try to assuage any disastrous side-effect that the Malaysian tsunami may bring. As a result the people are given the spectacle of the much-hyped Economic Security Committee's report and the recent so-called bountiful budget whichthe PAP leadership hopes will revive its flagging election prospects. The opposition should not be seen to be idle. This is a chance not to be missed to bring the PAP down from its pedestal and its arrogance. They should attract more credible candidates, especially scholars like the ones the Reform Party attracted, to represent them in a united stand in the next General Election. Already considerable netizens have called on voters, especially young voters, not to vote for PAP which is a good sign for the opposition.   About the Author: Mr Yoong is the former director of Singapore’s Internal Security Department from 1971 – 1974. He blogs here  Read More →