Lee Bee Wah to meet Liu Guodong; ex-President Yeo urged STTA to account to the public

Translated from Lianhe Wanbao

According to reliable sources, Lee Bee Wah will be meeting Liu Guodong at a later date. Both parties are willing to resolve the matter amicably as soon as possible.

As Liu Guodong is very busy of late, it may need a bit more time to arrange for a suitable date to meet. Liu’s wife will be delivering on 29 June. He is likely to remain in Beijing.

 

In the meantime, ex-STTA President Yeo Guat Kwang expressed concerns that the Liu Guodong saga has dragged on for too long and urged STTA to settle the matter and give a proper account to the people as soon as possible.

Yeo said that STTA should handle the matter proactively as it arose out of its decision not to nominate Liu for the “Coach of the year” award.

He said that STTA had its own transparent system of settling disputes between the players and coaches and an independent committee can be appointed if necessary to bring the matter to a close.

“Though there is nothing wrong to remain silent at times, STTA should account to the public soon. This matter has dragged on for too long”, Yeo said.

Yeo praised Dr Vivian’s suggestion to seek a third party’s help in mediating to resolve the differences between them. He felt that since matters have come to such a stage, it is no longer a personal matter between the coach and STTA alone. It is time for STTA to come out and account itself to the public.

EDITORS’ NOTE:

We support Mr Yeo’s call for STTA to explain its recent actions to Singaporeans which appeared to lack “professionalism and integrity”.

STTA should call a press interview immediately to answer the following questions:

1. What are the criteria for a coach to qualified for nomination as “Coach of the year”?

2. What are the reasons behind STTA not nominating Liu Guodong for the award?

3. Is it an unanimous decision made by all members of STTA’s exco?

4. Does STTA support its President’s explanation that Liu was not nominated for the award because he lacked professionalism and integrity and if so, can it please substantiante its allegations?

5. Who ordered the two STTA officials to pass the English document to Liu Guodong to sign?

6. Who had been giving Shin Min Daily “insider information” to smear the character of Liu Guodong?

 

Regardless of the outcome, Lee Bee Wah has lost all moral authority to remain as President of STTA.

Please sign on the two online petitions if you haven’t done so:

1. Petition to DPM Teo Chee Hean to give special award to Liu Guodong

2. Petition to remove Lee Bee Wah as STTA President

Turn up at Hong Lim Park on 6 June 2009 between 5pm to 6.30pm to sign the petition calling for her removal as STTA President.

Girl films rape of friend

A 14-YEAR-OLD girl acted as a “movie director” when she filmed her boyfriend raping her friend using a camera phone.

The Form Two student even gave words of encouragement to her boyfriend while “directing” him, according to Harian Metro.

Police sources said the sadistic incident took place recently when the victim was asked to join the couple at a quiet area in Bukit Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

The victim was told to keep an eye on the surroundings while the girl had sex with her boyfriend.

“After they were done, the girl told the victim to have sex with her boyfriend. The victim declined. They later adjourned to another picnic area near Sungai Tekali, Hulu Langat,” said a source.

The victim was then raped while being watched by her schoolmate who appeared to enjoy the ordeal. The girl contacted two other male friends who proceeded to take turns raping the victim.

The victim lodged a police report at the Batu 14 police station in Hulu Langat with her mother.

Source: The Star

Made-to-order playmaids

By Seah Chiang Nee from The Straits Times

No contract, no marriage, no legal complications. The woman just moves in as part-time mistress and home minder.

Big Brother Chen, can you help me find a boyfriend as soon as possible?

This appeal was made to an old acquaintance of mine one recent night by a Chinese immigrant, who was working as a beer promoter.

For those unfamiliar with the latest social changes brought about by the influx of mainland Chinese here, the request might sound baffling, but not to my friend. He had heard it several times before.

What the middle-age lady wanted was to be introduced to a Singaporean man who was a widower or a divorcee of any age, who could do with a live-in companion.

For S$300 a month, she would move in with him as a part-time mistress and home minder.

In return she would earn extra money to add to her salary selling beer, as well as free board and lodging that she would otherwise have to spend on herself.

It’s mutually beneficial, since the man could have a companion-cum-domestic help at half the cost of a full-time maid (plus levy).

No contract, no marriage, no legal complications! It is temporary and no notice of termination is needed. “Just say goodbye and pack your bags’” she said.

How widespread such arrangements are is anyone’s guess, but it is believed to be on the rise, particularly in view of the severe downturn when jobs for the ladies are scarce.

According to agents importing Chinese workers, the practice has become popular among elderly Singaporeans who are living alone.

“These are lonely men whose wife has died or who are divorced, and their married children long gone, so the companionship is as important as the sex,” said one agent.

It is useful to eliminate the risk of lonely, vulnerable men being cheated by a foreign spouse.

Such cheating cases have been on the rise where the Chinese “wife” disappeared after she had emptied the man’s savings.

“Live-in” companionship is the latest practice to emerge from a society that is fast changing under the weight of an influx of foreign immigrants. While it is deemed harmful to the institution of marriage and family, there is, however, a growing acceptance that it does meet a pressing need of lonely old men.

“Since no marriage is involved, it doesn’t change Singapore’s family unit because these men live alone,” a retiree rationalised. “At least no one has to be cheated.”

The conservatives, however, disagree. “It just panders to the lecherous demands of the men,” said a housewife.

This issue of temporary mistresses and marriage scams in Singapore mostly involve Chinese mainlanders because of ethnic familiarity.

The tidal wave of arrivals in recent years – especially the women – has brought about tremendous social changes to this small island that are both good and bad.

It has added to a vibrancy never experienced before, but it has also created social friction among the locals, including family break-ups.

Their number is unknown. According to Tian Fu Club, a clan association formed by the mainlanders here, 300,000-400,000 Chinese have become citizens or permanent residents here.

Many are young women who have left families behind in rural China to come for that pot of gold after investing a small fortune in fees to agents to fix them a job or a “student” pass (there are 90,000 of the latter).

“These women are tough, determined and they believe that Singapore is rich,” said my friend, who once witnessed an angry exchange between two mainland factory workers.

One was furious with her friend for dating a China mainland man. “You are silly. You remember why we left our village to come here; it’s to earn money,” she rebuked her.

“How can you waste time with a penny-less ‘Ah Tong’ (slant for Chinese man)?” she wanted to know. “Get a Singaporean.”

The vast majority lives a decent, hard-working life and returns home when the time comes, but a minority falls prey to the temptation of easy money.

The best pickings can be found among lonely retirees who live alone on their Central Provident Fund retirement savings.

The CPF amount, however uninspiring to the locals – is a fortune in most parts of China. For that, a number of women will readily break hearts and families.

Worse still, the victim often gets no sympathy among fellow Singaporeans for his “lustful behaviour” chasing after young skirts.

One private investigator told the press that his company was getting more requests for help by wives here to investigate husbands who they suspect were keeping a China mistress.

On the average of 50 extramarital cases that his firm handled a month in the last two years, 20 would involve a “China student” as the third party.

In a recent reported case, one student-mistress lived off a stockbroker like a rich tai-tai for months, before leaving behind large credit card bills, a tearful wife and a broken marriage.

I can go on and on with such tales.

“They are giving a poor – I must say undeserved — image that Chinese women are home wreckers,” said the agent.

“The vast majority works hard to earn an honest living.”

Like all capitalistic pursuits here, this practice also stems from balancing supply and demand, which means the men must share the blame.

Professor Fu Tan-ming, a social behavioural analyst who is based in Beijing, noted that Chinese women with a history of suffering are more resilient than the men.

“They have a stubborn streak in them that propels them forward,” he said.

“They would not think twice about packing up their bags to begin life anew thousands of miles away from home. Why? It’s because they know they can survive.”

No contract, no marriage, no legal complications. The woman just moves in as part-time mistress and home minder.

Big Brother Chen, can you help me find a boyfriend as soon as possible?

This appeal was made to an old acquaintance of mine one recent night by a Chinese immigrant, who was working as a beer promoter.

For those unfamiliar with the latest social changes brought about by the influx of mainland Chinese here, the request might sound baffling, but not to my friend. He had heard it several times before.

What the middle-age lady wanted was to be introduced to a Singaporean man who was a widower or a divorcee of any age, who could do with a live-in companion.

For S$300 a month, she would move in with him as a part-time mistress and home minder.

In return she would earn extra money to add to her salary selling beer, as well as free board and lodging that she would otherwise have to spend on herself.

It’s mutually beneficial, since the man could have a companion-cum-domestic help at half the cost of a full-time maid (plus levy).

No contract, no marriage, no legal complications! It is temporary and no notice of termination is needed. “Just say goodbye and pack your bags’” she said.

How widespread such arrangements are is anyone’s guess, but it is believed to be on the rise, particularly in view of the severe downturn when jobs for the ladies are scarce.

According to agents importing Chinese workers, the practice has become popular among elderly Singaporeans who are living alone.

“These are lonely men whose wife has died or who are divorced, and their married children long gone, so the companionship is as important as the sex,” said one agent.

It is useful to eliminate the risk of lonely, vulnerable men being cheated by a foreign spouse.

Such cheating cases have been on the rise where the Chinese “wife” disappeared after she had emptied the man’s savings.

“Live-in” companionship is the latest practice to emerge from a society that is fast changing under the weight of an influx of foreign immigrants. While it is deemed harmful to the institution of marriage and family, there is, however, a growing acceptance that it does meet a pressing need of lonely old men.

“Since no marriage is involved, it doesn’t change Singapore’s family unit because these men live alone,” a retiree rationalised. “At least no one has to be cheated.”

The conservatives, however, disagree. “It just panders to the lecherous demands of the men,” said a housewife.

This issue of temporary mistresses and marriage scams in Singapore mostly involve Chinese mainlanders because of ethnic familiarity.

The tidal wave of arrivals in recent years – especially the women – has brought about tremendous social changes to this small island that are both good and bad.

It has added to a vibrancy never experienced before, but it has also created social friction among the locals, including family break-ups.

Their number is unknown. According to Tian Fu Club, a clan association formed by the mainlanders here, 300,000-400,000 Chinese have become citizens or permanent residents here.

Many are young women who have left families behind in rural China to come for that pot of gold after investing a small fortune in fees to agents to fix them a job or a “student” pass (there are 90,000 of the latter).

“These women are tough, determined and they believe that Singapore is rich,” said my friend, who once witnessed an angry exchange between two mainland factory workers.

One was furious with her friend for dating a China mainland man. “You are silly. You remember why we left our village to come here; it’s to earn money,” she rebuked her.

“How can you waste time with a penny-less ‘Ah Tong’ (slant for Chinese man)?” she wanted to know. “Get a Singaporean.”

The vast majority lives a decent, hard-working life and returns home when the time comes, but a minority falls prey to the temptation of easy money.

The best pickings can be found among lonely retirees who live alone on their Central Provident Fund retirement savings.

The CPF amount, however uninspiring to the locals – is a fortune in most parts of China. For that, a number of women will readily break hearts and families.

Worse still, the victim often gets no sympathy among fellow Singaporeans for his “lustful behaviour” chasing after young skirts.

One private investigator told the press that his company was getting more requests for help by wives here to investigate husbands who they suspect were keeping a China mistress.

On the average of 50 extramarital cases that his firm handled a month in the last two years, 20 would involve a “China student” as the third party.

In a recent reported case, one student-mistress lived off a stockbroker like a rich tai-tai for months, before leaving behind large credit card bills, a tearful wife and a broken marriage.

I can go on and on with such tales.

“They are giving a poor – I must say undeserved — image that Chinese women are home wreckers,” said the agent.

“The vast majority works hard to earn an honest living.”

Like all capitalistic pursuits here, this practice also stems from balancing supply and demand, which means the men must share the blame.

Professor Fu Tan-ming, a social behavioural analyst who is based in Beijing, noted that Chinese women with a history of suffering are more resilient than the men.

“They have a stubborn streak in them that propels them forward,” he said.

“They would not think twice about packing up their bags to begin life anew thousands of miles away from home. Why? It’s because they know they can survive.”

Source: The Star

致新明日报就其污蔑大戏党网站的诽谤文章要求该报公开道歉

[编者按：我们已就此事征询律师的意见，并已将以下信函发予新明日报，要求 该报就其刊于2009年5月26日的报道中的错误公开道歉。]

 

致新明日报编者：

 

新明日报2009年5月26日于第6页刊登一篇文章，文中宣称有个本地博客借“刘国栋风波”在网上大肆炒作，以增加读者群：

 

 

 

尽管文中并未明确提及有关博客名称，但该文明显针对本博客“大戏党”，原因是：

 

1．我们是唯一声称与刘国栋保持联系的博客，并曾于2009年5月23日发表与刘 国栋进行的电话访谈报道。(http://wayangparty.com/?p=9702)

 

2．我们针对刘国栋风波的报道在主流媒体获得广泛的宣传。海峡时报、亚洲新闻台和联合晚报在其报道中都曾转述大戏党博客的内容。

 

3．鉴于本博客读者群的规模，阅读过新明日报该文的大戏党读者即刻会看出该文中的组织即大戏党博客。

 

新明日报该文引述刘的话，说他根本没有接到我们的电话，间接表明我们未曾联系刘国栋。

 

我们未曾接获新明日报记者就大戏党文章与刘国栋答复有出入而提出查询的任何电邮，否则我们会很乐意对此提供详尽的解释。

 

我们的记者并未将自身来自“大戏党”的身份告知刘国栋。该记者向刘介绍自己为在线新闻网的自由记者。因此，刘国栋不知道我们一直在网站上为他辩护。刘国栋也不知道我们将于下星期六在芳林公园展开支持他的请愿活动。

 

新明日报这篇不负责任、缺乏职业道德和违反职业准则的报道含有无事实根据的主观臆测，文中暗指我们为轻易取得宣传效应，编造谎言以误导并欺骗读者，因此已对我们构成恶意中伤。

 

不疑有他的读者阅读该文后，将被误导而认为我们是不诚实、不可信赖、无原则、腐化且不道德的博客。

 

我们有5份文件可证明我们曾联系刘国栋，而我们和他的访谈亦属事实，我们很乐意将之呈堂以维护我们的名誉：

 

1．1张大戏党记者在刘国栋2009年5月22日晚上离开新加坡前于文华大酒店大厅与他合影的相片。

2．2张新加坡乒总草拟文件的相片，乒总要刘国栋签署该文件。

 

3．刘国栋在新加坡的手机号码。

 

4．刘国栋在中国的手机号码。

 

5．我们的记者于2009年5月23日与刘国栋进行的15分钟访谈，这可轻易从电话局档案中取得。

 

6．如有必要，我们将传召刘国栋出庭作证，以证实他曾于2009年5月22日与我们的记者会面，并于2009年5月23日与我们的记者通过电话交谈。

 

大戏党是新加坡两个顶尖的社会政治博客之一，每天有1万名以上的读者群。

 

新明日报该文间接表明我们编造谎言和杜撰报道以欺骗、误导和蒙蔽读者，如此作为经已严重打击我们的诚信和正直声誉。

 

有鉴于此，我们专此要求你们即刻就该报道中的错误作出更正和道歉。

 

你们也必须向我们提供以下资料：

 

1．撰写该文的一或多名记者的姓名。(该文由3名记者联合报道)

 

2．该记者(一或多名)的个人资料、联系号码和地址，以便我们送达法定通知。

我们将给予你们自2009年5月28日算起的二周宽限期，你们必须于此期限内在新明日报上公开道歉，承认该报道在事实上出错，并如上所述据实报道，同时为你们的疏失承担责任，否则我们将严正考虑对你们的记者和报章展开法律程序。

 

大戏党管理人

Singapore journalists should be at the forefront of the new media revolution

By Fang Zhi Yuan and Lim Siow Kuan

Though Singapore is the most wired nation in the world with 99% of households having broadband access, the new media revolution has not quite taken off here.

The traditional media still dominates the local media industry and remains influential in shaping public perception and opinion in the realm of local politics which is kept out of bounds to foreign players.

The government-controlled Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) whose Chairman is an ex-Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Dr Tony Tan owns, runs and prints all the news dailies in Singapore.

Not surprisingly, most graduates from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) school of Mass Communications end up being employees of SPH with few plying their trade in reputable foreign news agencies.

In spite of a vibrant new media scene, no credible news blog in the mould of Malaysiakini has emerged so far to provide a formidable challenge to the mainstream media.

The low level of political awareness and interest in the general populace may explain the dearth of socio-political bloggers in Singapore’s new media landscape.

For the last few years, the top blog in Singapore with the most hits is a lifestyle cum entertainment blog run by Xiaxue aka Wendy Cheng.

In a recent seminar organized by the Institute of Policy Studies (read article here) on the two leading socio-political blogs in Singapore – The Wayang Party and The Online Citizen, researcher Tan Tarn How opined that while blogs commenting on current affairs have seen a growth in their readership lately, their reach is still limited compared to the mainstream media.

The result is not surprising given that both blogs are run on a shoestring budget by part-time amateurs which leaves the quality of their writing and reporting much to be desired.

Are Singaporeans averse to the new media?

This is unlikely given that there is a ready market for bloggers to leverage on which results from the state media’s continued reluctance to report on sensitive and controversial issues. The absence of professionally trained journalists in the new media may be the cause of this anomaly.

In Malaysia, the two most popular and influential online media - Malaysiakini and The Malaysian Insider are both helmed by journalists.

The Editor-in-Chief of Malaysiakini Steven Gan is an ex-editor of The Sun while the founder of The Malaysian Insider, Sreedhar Subramaniam is the former Chief Operating Officer of ntv7.  

The Malaysian Insider was set up only a year ago and it achieved a remarkable traffic ranking of 61 in Malaysia in the span of months.

Singapore is ready for a similar new media revolution to take the media industry by storm. What it lacks are journalists who are willing to brave the risks to lead the online community.

An online daily offering news from a different perspective and run by a team of professionals will surely become a hit in Singapore immediately.

Unfortunately, it appears that respected journalists like Cherian George and P N Balji are unwilling to start a new venture in the prime of their careers while fresh journalism graduates out of school are too preoccupied with earning their keep.

It is high time that Singapore have its own “Malaysiakini” to provide a credible alternative to the mainstream media. We need journalists to take the lead and not stay in the background.

没有同情和共鸣的领导人

Original Blog by Lucky Tan HERE

有时我真想知道PAP政府怎么搞的…他们怎么挑选那么多与普通人似乎没有任何共鸣 (empathy) 的议员。一位议员叫我们为平凡的人(lesser mortals)，另一位议员说我们是娇生惯养的 (mollycoddled)，还有一位议员喜欢向请求她帮忙的人发问尖锐的问题。我们的领导阶层发生了什么事情呢？俗语有云：在危机期间将可看见人的真正本色。在微型债券 (minibonds) 事件期间我们略见一二：他们首先否认责任，然后他们忽略需要帮助的人民，并且，最后他们设法推捨责任给受害者。

这是我国自独立以来面对的最恶劣的世界经济危机，而PAP领导人问人民能为政府做什么而不是政府可以为人民做什么。普通人就是被指定要捱苦和呑吃苦药的人民。从这事可以认识到更多关于我们的领导人，并且可见他们怎么首先照料他们自己的利益多过人民的利益。 PAP管理的经济体将是现今亚洲表现最恶劣的经济体，而这困境所引来的责备则落在普通人的身上。人民被指责为花费太多，没有足够储蓄，并且拒绝改变他们的生活方式，因此人民要对他们自己所有的痛苦负责。

无论如何，许多人不可能调整他们的生活方式，因为他们已经生活在最低下的水平，他们己经无法支付基本的日常需用品，并且由于PAP从人民征收不断上升的生活费用，使到许多人很难积蓄金钱。这些是人民的错误致使他们自己受痛苦。人民应该要调整，但政府不需要调整：不需减GST，不需减交通运输费。人民需要更加坚强，吃苦药和承担经济过失的责任。PAP创造了一个世界，精英(elites)可以走去丢失亿万金钱而不受影响，但普通的老人家则可能失去生计，因为他们需要请多天病假，而年老的雇员并没有受到保障。

我有时想知道他们采取什么样的挑选标准来选得领导人，而这些人展示出他们深信精英统治论(elitism)和非常傲慢，并且藐视普通人和心甘情愿地去服务既成权力机构(the establishment)的利益而超越普通市民？我们正在身处一个黑暗的时刻：普通人民已经遭受失业率上升和工资低降之苦，并且恐惧他们无能力供养他们的家庭… 但我们仍然必须从我们领导人的口中听见这些无用和令人伤痛的评论。在这困难时期的言词与行为真实地反影了我们领导人的品格。

Support Mr Chiam See Tong’s call to abolish the GRC system and reform the media

By Fang Zhi Yuan

Veteran opposition MP Chiam See Tong on Wednesday called for the current Group Representation Constituency (GRC) system to be abolished.

If this cannot be done away with, then it should be modified from the present five to six members to two, comprising an ethnic and a Chinese members, he said. He also suggested that the the two-member GRC be limited to 20.

Nowhere in the world including countries with significant ethnic minorities such as Malaysia, Indonesia, United Kingdom and France do we find a similiar electoral system to entrench the incumbents in power under the guise of ensuring minority representation.

Since the introduction of the GRC system in 1988, the size of the GRC have ballooned from the initial three to six. During the last general elections, there were only 9 single constituency seats. The smallest GRC is in Aljunied with five members.

In spite of the PAP and the state media’s insistence that GRC is necessary to ensure that minority voices are heard in Parliament, few Singaporeans believe that the set up has little to do with curbing the growth of the opposition in Singapore.

How do we get Rajaratnam, E W Barker, Othman Wok and Jeyaretnam into Parliament before the GRC system was introduced? These ethnic minority candidates fought and won in single wards against Chinese candidates. Jeyeretnam, in particular won two elections in Anson which is predominantly Chinese.

The electoral boundary review committee which is under the purview of the Prime Minister’s Office reserves the right to redraw the electoral boundaries here and there at any time without the need to provide any explanations for doing so thereby leading to rampant gerrymandering to serve the political interests of the PAP.

Enclaves with a high level of opposition support were taken out and merge with another constituency to dilute the opposition vote.

We have seen this in Eunos and Cheng San GRC which was nearly won by the Workers’ Party in 1991 and 1997 respectively.

Eunos GRC is now cut and divided amongst East Coast and Marine Parade GRCs while Cheng San GRC has been absorbed into Ang Mo Kio GRC under the Prime Minister.

The PAP has no qualms shifting the goalposts to bolster their chances of winning in every elections even in GRCs which have been an impenetrable fortress for them so far.

Though I support Mr Chiam’s call to abolish the GRC system, it is highly unlikely that the PAP will have the political will and courage to do away with a system which has served them so well over the past two decades.

In addition to reducing the size and number of GRCs and increase the number of single constituency wards, may I suggest that we include a clause for all first time PAP MPs such as Indranee Rajah and Lee Bee Wah to fight one on one in single member constituencies (SMCs) instead of hitching a free ride into Parliament on the coat-tails of ministers.

Mr Chiam also called for a freer media ‘where more news of the opposition is allowed’, including the activities of the two incumbent opposition MPs.

With the PAP firmly in control of SPH and enjoying a virtual monopoly over the media industry in Singapore, it is almost impossible to expect the media to liberalize itself to go against its political master.

Singaporeans have no more time to lose. We are lagging far away behind our neighbors Malaysia where a new media revolution is gradually changing their political landscape.

The 2008 political tsunami which hit the shores of Malaysia leading to the loss of the customary two-thirds majority enjoyed by the Barisan Nasional (the Malaysian version of PAP) in Parliament is not a freak result.

It began 10 years ago from the reformasi movement to free Anwar Ibrahim who was detained for 6 years under the Internal Security Act by Mahathir and the setting up of an independent online media – Malaysiakini to provide Malaysians a real alternative to the state controlled media.

Malaysiakini has an online readership larger than all the mainstream papers today. There is a proliferation of socio-political news blog of late with new players such as The Malaysian Insider, The Nut Graph and the Chinese Merdeka Review adding to the chorus of independent voices to counter the state propaganda.

Barisan Nasional, despite dominating the civil service, police and print media, is expected to lose the next general elections due to be held in 2012 if current trends persist. This is unimaginable almost a decade ago.

As a keen observer of the political developments across the causeway, I notice a similiar awakening of political consciousness amongst Singaporeans though the pace is still pretty slow at the moment.

Singaporeans are more willing to express differing views contrary to the establishment openly compared to 10 years ago and to mobilize fellow citizens for a cause.

The recent Aware saga and the ongoing petition drive to ask Lee Bee Wah to relinquish her position as STTA President are ample proof that Singaporeans are becoming more politically active, mature, and assertive. We are no longer contented with a nanny state telling us what to do. We want to have our voices heard by the government and we want to have a say in how the country is run.

There is also rising interest in socio-political blogs which are usually less popular compared to celebrity and entertainment blogs.

In the last six months, the two leading socio-political blogs of Singapore have seen a 100% leap in readership. A Straits Times article by Jeremy Au Yong last year reported The Online Citizen as having an alexa.com ranking of 1745 in October 2008. Wayang Party’s ranking is only 5,945 in the same period.

Today, both blogs are not ranked in the top 600 of the most visited sites in Singapore. Established blogs like Yawning Bread and newcomers like The Kent Ridge Common have also seen an increase in their readership.

We must seize the moment now to set up an independent online news daily run by professional journalists in the mould of Malaysiakini to give the mainstream media a run for its money.

I call on opposition politicians, journalists, activists and all Singaporeans interested to lead Singapore to the next stage of political development to pool their funds and resources together to register a company to run this “Singaporekini”.

I believe such a news blog run by full time profesional journalists will be a hit in Singapore and it will take no longer than 6 months for it to establish itself as a credible alternative to the mainstream media.

The next generation of voters will be spending more time on the alternative news media than the print media which is fast losing its appeal for its lacklustre, biased and toothless reporting.

Once we break through the PAP’s monopoly on the control and dissemination of news, it will take no more than two elections for Singaporeans to regain their rights as proud citizens of their land by booting the despotic PAP out of power forever.

Is the Workers’ Party an effective elected “opposition”?

By Fang Zhi Yuan

During the Parliament sitting on Monday, Mr Low Thia Kiang of the Workers’ Party declared that “only an elected opposition can provide effective checks and balances”. (read article here)

This is because the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) currently dominates the House, can amend the Constitution freely, and controls key levers of power in the country.

There is much wisdom behind Mr Low’s words. The PAP has amended the Constitution more than a dozen of times during its 50 year rule to “facilitate” its governance without the people being consulted.

Recent events have shown that the PAP is unable or unwilling to check on itself when there is a conflict of interest between the state and the party.

The massive losses in our reserves incurred by the reckless investments of GIC and Temasek should have led to executives in both organizations being investigated an independent panel of inquiry.

The two unnecessary deaths from the Geylang Serai food poisoning were also not investigated though there were suggestions of negligence and dereliction of duties on the part of both NEA and the temporary market committee.

Both the Home Ministry and the media remained silent on the latest stunning relevations from the Malaysian police on how Mas Selamat made his escape – by hiding in the drains while making his way to Woodlands from where he swam across to Johor.

We need a more responsive, accountable and transparent form of government and only an elected opposition is able to check on the PAP.

However, an elected opposition does not necessarily mean an effective opposition.

With due respect to Mr Low Thia Kiang and Ms Sylvia Lim, their performances in Parliament so far is lacklustre at best and they failed to bring up many important issues close to the heart of the people out of fear of offending the PAP.

I was appalled when of all MPs, it was Low Thia Kiang who stepped forward to defend the PAP’s export-oriented economic growth model which has led to the widening income gap between the poor and the rich.

Mr Low defended the long-held growth model, saying in Mandarin: ‘I believe it is correct to attract foreign investments to encourage competition in a free market, to open up our market and to go global and…integrate with the global economy.’ (read article here)

Is Mr Low not aware of the rising disgruntlement on the ground at the PAP’s policies which has led to an influx of cheap foreign labor depressing the wages of our citizens?

It was a PAP MP who sounded more like an opposition MP instead. Mr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade GRC), questioned if the growth-at-all-cost model was realistic.

Singapore should aim for ‘modest, sustainable economic growth’, he said, adding: ‘We need to feel proud of Singapore for what it is, and to take care of it, to protect overexploitation, overcrowding and unsustainable growth.’

There were many issues which Mr Low could have brought up in Parliament such as Temasek’s recent sale of its stake in BOA, the second ping pong controversy and the Aware saga.

It is mind-bogging that he chose to use his precious few minutes in Parliament to lend support to the PAP when there are 82 other PAP MPs around to do so. Is Mr Low Thia Kiang representing the PAP or the Workers’ Party?

While it is critical to have an elected opposition in Parliament to add diversity to the views being espoused and to ensure the ruling party is held accountable to the people, an opposition which does not dare to push the boundaries and provide a stiff challenge to the incumbent will be more of a hindrance than an asset to the progress of democracy in Singapore.

The Workers’ Party under the leadership of Mr Low Thia Kiang has not only lost its mettle and bite, it has been unwittingly made used of by the shrewd PAP promoting it as an acceptable “moderate” political party to marginalize other parties which has the courage to confront it such as the SDP.

An “opposition” party which does not oppose cannot claim to represent the voice of the people.

During the 2006 election, Mr Low Thia Kiang called on Singaporeans to vote for WP to check on the PAP in Parliament. What has WP done so far to justify continued support from the people?

NMPs such as Siew Kum Hong and Eunice Olsen and even PAP backbenchers like Inderjit Singh, Dr Lily Neo, Sam Tan and Michael Palmer have brought rattled the ministers with more difficult and sensitive questions close to the hearts of the people.

Being the strongest opposition party in Singapore, the Workers’ Party should explore other opportunities other than the usual Parliamentary sittings and meet-the-people sessions to engage Singaporeans, especially the youth and to advocate and expound its views on current affairs and national issues.

Civil activism goes hand in hand with politics and they are not mutually exclusive with each other.

On 6 June 2009, WP will be organizing a petition drive at Hong Lim Park to garner signatures calling for Lee Bee Wah to step down from STTA as President.

It is a shame that the event is not organized by the “Workers’ Party”, but by its parody in cyberspace  – the “Wayang Party”.

Mas Selamat detained under ISA for two years

An Islamic militant described as Singapore’s most wanted man has been detained under Internal Securty Act for a two-year term.

Mas Selamat Kastari, the alleged head of the Singapore cell of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) which has links to al-Qaeda, was captured in Johor in April after being on the run for more than a year.

Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed reports that the 48-year-old Islamic militant had been detained under the ISA, which allows for indefinite detention without trial.

“This is Malaysia’s decision. He is a threat to Malaysia’s security, that is why he has been detained. Obviously he’s a threat to Singapore and Malaysia,” he told a press conference.

Najib said Malaysian authorities needed to extract “more information” from Mas Selamat and downplayed suggestions that Singaporean authorities would be anxious to have him in their custody.

“Singapore expected us to detain him,” he said.

Quoting an unnamed source familiar with the case, it said that any extradition proceedings with Singapore would be discussed only after the two-year term had been completed.

“While under detention, Mas Selamat will be undergoing a rehabilitation programme which will include debating with religious experts on Islam,” it quoted the source as saying.

Read full article on Malaysiakini

Liu Guodong thanked netizens for support; 400 netizens want Lee Bee Wah to step down

Translated from 联合晚报:

Liu Guodong said he will accept the award if Singapore National Olympic Council gave him a special award. Liu Guodong thanked netizens for starting a petition to SNOC on this matter.

He said he is very happy regardless of whether he gets any honor in the end because he did not waste his 3 years stay in Singapore.

He claimed many Singaporeans have expressed their support for him and which means that they recognized his contributions in the Beijing Olympics: “This matter to me more than the recognition I received in China.”

Due to his hectic schedule, he will be unable to attend the petition drive next Saturday.

400 netizens will be attending the event held next Saturday at Hong Lim Park. The petition to SNOC to give a special award to Liu Guodong was started by socio-political blog Wayang Party.

According to an online poll done by the blog, over 70% of 600 netizens who voted indicated that they will turn up at next Saturday’s petition drive to ask Lee Bee Wah to step down as STTA President.

In reality, Wayang Party has already collected more than 4,000 signatures in an online petition calling for the resignation of Lee Bee Wah. The petition has been submitted to her in person.

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