Category: Politik

Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss Leads Resignations In NSP, Plans To Join SPP

SINGAPORE – Former National Solidarity Party (NSP) secretary general Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss has quit the party and applied to join the Singapore People’s Party (SPP), helmed by veteran politician Chiam See Tong.

The 51-year-old lawyer, who lost a bid to become NSP president in party polls held in January, left along with former council members Ravi Philemon, 46, and Bryan Long, 37, and party member Osman Sulaiman, 39.

Speaking before she joined Mr Chiam and his wife, Non-Constituency MP Lina Chiam, for a walkabout at Bishan Street 24 on Sunday, she acknowledged that their decision to leave came in the wake of the central executive committee (CEC) election results.

But she said that she and the others harboured no acrimony towards the NSP.

Mrs Chong-Aruldoss, who joined the party in 2011 and became its secretary-general in October 2013, tendered her resignation last week

So too did Mr Philemon, a community worker, and Mr Long, an entrepreneur. Both joined the NSP in July 2012 and were co-opted into the party’s previous CEC.

Mr Osman, a human resources executive, joined the NSP in April last year. He contested in Ang Mo Kio GRC in the 2011 general election as part of the Reform Party’s team.

All except Mr Osman have submitted their applications to join SPP. These are pending the approval of the party’s central executive, which is expected to meet this month.

At the NSP’s CEC election in January, Mrs Chong-Aruldoss challenged party stalwart Sebastian Teo, 66, for presidency, while Mr Philemon stood against lawyer Tan Lam Siong, 53, for the secretary-general position. Mr Teo and Mr Tan won by a landslide.

On Sunday, Mrs Chiam, who is the SPP chairman, said of the four: “They have good potential and they will help spearhead our party even more to greater heights.”

While she did not want to say when asked whether the SPP will contest in Potong Pasir at the next general election – which must be held by January 2017 – Mrs Chiam said that it will put together a “very strong team” to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

March 2, 2015
Elections Department Setting Up Hotlines To Handle Expected Surge In Public Queries

It looks like preparations for the next Election are really gearing up as the Election’s Department is also looking to set up a dedicated elections hotline.

Calling for a tender earlier this month, the Elections Department said that they were looking for the set up of hotline to address what they expect to be a surge in public inquiries. According to the elections department, the hotline can cost up to $1 million.

Earlier, the Elections Department also put out the list of revised constituency boundaries and electoral lists.

While the Elections Department has continually emphasised that these measures are just part of ongoing preparations which are conducted routinely, there is a lot of speculation in cyberspace that elections will be called very soon.

Many are expecting an early election sometime this year as it is SG50 and people are expected to be in generally high spirits after a year-long celebration for Singapore’s Golden Jubilee.

Source:www.therealsingapore.com

February 27, 2015
Grand Imam Of Al Azhar University Ahmed Al Tayeb Urges Reform In Islamic Religious Teachings

The head of Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam’s most prestigious seat of learning, has called for education reform in Muslim countries in an effort to contain the spread of religious extremism.

Speaking at counter-terrorism forum in the Saudi holy city of Mecca, Al-Azhar grand imam Ahmed al-Tayeb linked extremism to “bad interpretations of the Koran and the sunna”, the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed.

“There has been a historical accumulation of excessive trends” that have led some people to embrace a misguided form of Islam, he told the gathering.

“The only hope for the Muslim nation to recover unity is to tackle in our schools and universities this tendency to accuse Muslims of being unbelievers,” he said.

Tayeb’s comments come days after he expressed outrage at the Islamic State group (Isis) for burning to death a captured Jordanian pilot who took part in US-led air strikes against the jihadists in Syria.

On 4 February, after Isis released a video showing Maaz al-Kassasbeh dying in a cage engulfed in flames, Tayeb said the jihadists deserved to be killed or crucified.

On Sunday in Mecca, home to Islam’s holiest sites, he made no mention of Isis but denounced “terrorist groups… who have opted for savage and barbaric practices”.

He blamed unrest in the region on a conspiracy by what he called “new global colonialism allied to world Zionism”.

Tayib said that this plot has exploited “confessional tension” in conflict-hit Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya.

The opening day of the conference also heard a speech from Saudi King Salman who called for “an efficient strategy to combat terrorism”.

“Terrorism is a scourge which is the product of extremist ideology,” the monarch’s speech, read by the governor of Mecca, said.

“It is a threat to our Muslim nation and to the entire world.”

The three-day conference, organised by the Muslim World League group of non-government organisations, is being attended by senior clerics from across the Muslim world to discuss how Islam can combat extremism.

Source: www.theguardian.com

February 27, 2015
5 Common Defects In New HDB Flats That You Should Be Aware Of
No matter how well-built a property is, there will invariably be some small defects. Some are pretty serious and require immediate attention, but other defects like hairline wall cracks will not be easy to catch and may only surface a few months later. You might be anxious to get on with your renovation, but our recommendation is to look over your home carefully with a few simple tools. It might be tiring now, but imagine the inconveniences you have to go through in order to rectify the defects a few months down the road! HDB also stipulated on their website that all new HDB flats are provided with a 1-year defects liability period (DLP), which is effective from the date of sale. This means that HDB will rectify defects in the flat as reported by the flat owner, but any defects resulting from the flat owner’s renovation works or usage are not covered by the DLP. In other words, inspect your flat carefully and report any defects found within 7 days of receiving your keys or before starting your renovation.

PROBLEM 1

Hollow & Uneven Floor Tiles
If you’ve opted for a flat where the cost of the floor tiles are factored into your total buying price, then you should make sure that they are in an acceptable condition before you start your renovations. We list out the likely problems and the tools to detect them:
- Coins or marbles: used to detect hollow floor tiles by tapping on them; a hollow sound usually indicates that the floor tile has hollow spots, a condition which may lead to tiles popping up in future
- Ruler: make sure your floor tiles are even by placing a ruler on them; if the edge of one tile appears to be higher than its neighbour’s, then do take note. At the same time, check for any hairline cracks on the tiles.
PROBLEM 2

Electrical Sockets
Check that all electrical sockets are working with a simple plug-in LED light and make sure that none of the sockets are rusty, otherwise a report to HDB is warranted. This is only possible after you activate the utilities so don’t forget to do so after you’ve collected your keys! The same goes for TV points i.e. the provided TV cable must be able to fit.

PROBLEM 3

Cracked or Slanted Walls
An insidious problem that may not surface in your initial checks, cracks in the wall can be an absolute eyesore. The good news is you can approach HDB to fill and paint over the cracks even after your renovation. One of our bloggers, PandaGirl, encountered this very problem and it was swiftly corrected by a representative from her estate’s Building Service Centre (BSC). But if you spot the hairline cracks before your renovation, then make sure to indicate them clearly with masking tape and marker pens. In addition, have a Spirit Level handy to ensure that your walls and ceilings are not slanted. Oh, and watch out for leaking walls during wet weather.

PROBLEM 4

Clogged Toilets & Leaks
Sometimes rubbish or cement may be carelessly thrown into the toilets or down the drains. To make sure your pipes are not clogged or leaking, activate your utilities and run the water. This will also let you see if your taps and basins are functioning. Toilet bowls shouldn’t come with cracks and must be able to flush as well.

PROBLEM 5

Windows & Doors
Next on the list are the windows and the doors in your home. Make sure they can open and close without any difficulty, have no rusty parts and are properly aligned within their respective frames. Among the keys that you received from HDB should also be a set of keys to your various bedroom doors (except the bomb shelter and bathrooms). Try these out to make sure the mechanisms are working as they should. Last but not least, check your windows on rainy days to ensure they do not leak.

Once you’ve found the defects, do remember to document them with a digital camera and highlight them with masking tape and markers. Having your own record is far more efficient than relying on your memory, especially when there are more than 10 defects in the flat. Another vital thing to remember is this: DO NOT give your house keys to the BSC personnel and buy a bicycle lock/padlock to lock your front gate instead.

Source: www.renonation.sg
February 27, 2015
Police Report Lodged Against Dr Lam Pin Min

Local film-maker and activist, Martyn See has filed a police report against Minister of State for Health and Member of Parliament of Seng Kang West SMC, Lam Pin Min over his facebook posting on the Thaipusam incident in February.

Mr See in his police report, filed a complaint against Dr Lam for offences committed under the Sedition Act (Chapter 290) and sub judice contempt of court.

Dr Lam in his facebook posting wrote, “An example of how alcohol intoxication can cause rowdiness and public nuisance.”

The incident which Dr lam commented on, took place during the Thaipusam festival on 3 February, Tuesday.

It was said that police officers had pulled urumi drumers for a kavadi carrier into an alley after playing musical instruments despite being disallowed. This subsequently erupted into a scuffle between the police and the men who hired the drummers.

3 men are now accused of using vulgarities and injuring one police officer.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) had initially issued a statement saying, “All three men were believed to have been drinking earlier as they smelt strongly of alcohol.” but has since stopped referring to this allegation.

The article, “What really happened at the Thaipusam scuffle?” by Lovely Singapore which Dr Lam had linked to, has also since been deleted.

However, Dr Lam’s comment on his public facebook fanpage still remains.

Mr See claims that Dr Lam’s comment has distorted an allegation by the SPF into a statement of fact. By doing so, he has :

1. Incited enmity towards the Hindu community by stating as fact that devotees were intoxicated while participating in the holy festival of Thaipusam.

2. Caused ill-will and hostility between different races and communities. The responses on his facebook page show overwhelming hostility to his remark. Yet, he has allowed his offending words to remain online.

3. Committed sub judice contempt of court by risking prejudice which may affect the final determination of the ongoing case against Ramachandra Chandramohan, Jaya Kumar Krishnasamy and Gunasegaran Rajendran, who are due to undergo trial for alleged disorderly behaviour. The three men were charged in court on 7 February.

TOC has sought the comments of Dr Lam and will include them when he replies.

Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

February 26, 2015