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Jeanette Chong-Aruldoss Sets Eyes Again On Mountbatten

Mrs Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, 51, a lawyer, sets her eyes again on the Mountbatten Single Member Constituency (SMC) for the upcoming General Election with the blessing of her new political party.

A former secretary general of the National Solidarity Party (NSP), Mrs Chong-Aruldoss lost a bid to become NSP president in party polls held in January this year.

She subsequently left the party along with a several other members and applied to join the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) in March, helmed by veteran politician Chiam See Tong.

Mrs Chong-Aruldoss confirms that she will be contesting in the SMC in the upcoming polls which must be held by January 2017.

She said, “Yes, I am keen to make another bid to be elected as MP for Mountbatten. In the course of campaigning during the last GE, I established friendships with residents and got to know some local issues of concern to the residents there. I believe that I will be of more help to residents – and be a better candidate – if I were to have a deeper understanding of issues and closer ties with residents.

“For this reason, even after GE 2011, I have continued to and have been regularly walking the ground at Mountbatten. It has been my aim to build on the relationships which I have already established and to deepen my understanding of the issues of concern.”

Her personal campaign team has also been formed for the purpose of the upcoming election, which does not tax on the limited manpower and resources of SPP. It is said that the team has been visiting the SMC every Wednesday.

In General Elections 2011, Mrs Chong-Aruldoss contested against People’s Action Party candidate, Mr Lim Biow Chuan, under the NSP’s banner for the first time in the newly formed Mountbatten ward.

She received 41.38 per cent of the vote, which is slightly above the national average for opposition candidates.

However, Mrs Chong-Aruldoss is uncertain if the efforts of her campaigning team would bear fruit in the coming election due to Singapore’s constant changing electoral boundaries.

“Of course, all potential opposition candidates including myself, are under the heel of boundary changes. History has seen boundaries change significantly from one general election to another. What if Mountbatten is no longer a single member constituency? I don’t know.”

Despite the uncertainity she faces in the upcoming election, Mrs Chong-Aruldoss said, “For now, I will continue to walk the grounds of Mountbatten to see how best I may be able to serve its constituents, if elected.”

Apart from Singapore People’s Party which is set to contest the SMC if it is not subsumed into other constituencies or removed altogether at the next boundary changes, the NSP itself seems to have also set its eyes on contesting the ward.

This would set up a possible three-corner fight in the SMC.

Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

July 3, 2015
Writ Of Possession Of HDB Flat Issued Against Dying Man

Lim Teck Choon (59 years old, unemployed), sold his 3-room flat at Blk 18 Bedok South Rd for $310,000 in December 2010.

The buyer, Ms Hani, was unable to meet the deadline and the sales and purchase transaction was cancelled at one point in time. Subsequently, she managed to get a loan, and was allowed an extension to complete the transaction.

After the delay, Mr Lim was unwilling to proceed with the sale on the original terms and wanted compensation or an increase in the sales price.

However, the sales transaction was completed and since then Mr Lim and his wife have refused to move out of the flat. They have been fined $2,500 for failing to comply with a court order to do so.

Last Friday (26 Jun), Mr Lim told the Chinese media that he has received a letter asking him to move out of the flat on the same day by 2.30pm. But he was firm about staying put and said, “They will take my flat over my dead body.”

When a reporter from the Chinese press arrived at the flat, he found that the items inside were not packed and there was no indication of Mr and Mrs Lim moving out.

Later, at about 3 pm, a group of 5 persons consisting of the bailiff, lawyers and locksmiths, armed with a Writ of Possession, arrived at the flat to take possession of it. A commotion ensued and the police had to intervene.

Seeing the group of people coming to take possession of his flat, Mr Lim opened the iron grille gate and started shouting at them.

He told them that he was suffering from cancer in its final stage. He had sold his flat to get some cash to buy Chinese herbs for his illness. But after selling the flat, all the proceeds were locked up in his CPF account and he couldn’t touch a single cent. As a result, he refused to move out of his flat.

He shouted, “You want me to let you have the flat, but I didn’t get the money! I have appealed to the minister.”

When the police arrived, Mr Lim didn’t calm down but continued scolding. In the course of the commotion, Mr Lim dashed towards lawyer Mohd Ibrahim and tried to push him. As the lawyer dodged Mr Lim, Mr Lim lost his balance and fell. The policemen then quickly stepped in to block Mr Lim.

A minute or two later, after making sure that Mr Lim posed no harm to the lawyer, the policemen helped him to his feet.

As Mr Lim refused to budge, the group went away leaving the court documents behind.

Mr Lim said that he is suffering from end stage cancer and is not afraid to go to jail. He repeatedly said that he has nose cancer and the cancerous cells have spread to the lymph nodes. He is a person waiting to die, he said. The doctor told him that it is a miracle he is still alive.

He said that the last time the lawyer came to his flat, his wife was so agitated that she had an epilepsy attack. Subsequently, the lady buyer got a court order for Singapore Power to cut off his electricity and water supply. Also, the police have entered his flat to remove his belongings. All these things made him angrier.

One may not “see the money” after selling one’s HDB flat

An HDB flat has been touted as an asset which can help one’s retirement. Many Singaporeans like Mr Lim think so too. Many people think that selling their HDB flat will help them get out of financial trouble.

On the contrary, Mr Lim’s case proves that selling one’s HDB flat does not necessarily give one cash.

Mr Lim, a man with a terminal illness, needs cash to seek treatment for a chance to live the last chapter of his life with dignity. He thinks he can do so by cashing in on his sole asset: his HDB flat. Imagine his horror when he finds out that the proceeds of sale which he so desperately needs, are locked away out of his reach because of the CPF Minimum Sum requirement.

Presently, those who are 55 years old on or after 1 July 2015 must set aside a Full Retirement Sum (i.e. Minimum Sum for those with no property pledges) in one’s CPF account of $161,000.

It’s sad that Mr Lim who is suffering from terminal illness isn’t allowed to use his own CPF money for medical treatment. What is the reason for this?

It’s no wonder he is prepared to go to jail because in jail, he would at least enjoy free medical treatment as an inmate.

Will the Minister of National Development Khaw Boon Wan make an exception for Mr Lim?

What do you think?

Source: www.tremeritus.com

July 3, 2015
It’s ‘Cover Up Your Arms’ At Ipoh City Council

IPOH: While the debates had centred on dresses that should cover the legs, a woman was not allowed to enter the City Council building here unless she cover her arms.

Eunice Chai, 32, a logistician, was stopped by security guards for wearing a sleeveless high-collar blouse and jeans.

She said she went to the council to apply for a business licence when one of the guards on duty commented on the “lack of sleeves” of her blouse.

“I was with a friend at the time, and thankfully he had a jacket in his car so he passed it to me at the entrance.

“I thought what I was wearing is considered decent since my legs are all covered up, but I didn’t expect this treatment here as well,” she said.

A poster showing the dress code at the council’s entrance

Chai said it did not make sense to turn people away for not covering up if they were appropriately dressed.

“The local authorities should also respect other cultures,” she added.

Chai said based on the dress code poster placed at the door, the appropriate dressing for non-Muslims is a long dress with elbow-length sleeves.

“The weather is very hot right now, and I don’t think many Chinese would wear like that when they go out,” she said.

The poster for dress code of both sexes at the entrance of the council’s building showed men in a formal shirt with sleeves, or blazer and tie, while the women in a long formal dress.

Those with sleeveless tank tops, shorts, short skirts, and slippers will not be allowed in.

Source: www.thestar.com.my

July 3, 2015
Amnesty International: Free Prisoner Of Conscience Amos Yee

The Singapore authorities must immediately and unconditionally release teenager Amos Yee, who is facing a minimum of 18 months of reformative training after criticising the late Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew online. Amnesty International considers him to be a prisoner of conscience, held solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression. As he is a minor, authorities must also ensure that his treatment is consistent with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to which Singapore is a State party.

Amos Yee was found guilty on 12 May by a Singapore court for “transmitting obscene materials”, under penal code section 292(1)(a) which is punishable by a fine, and for violating penal code section 298, “uttering words with deliberate intent to wound the religious or racial feelings of any person”, punishable by three years in prison and a fine. He is currently in remand at Block 7 of the Institute of Mental Health in Buangkok, Singapore. He was first arrested on 29 March after he uploaded a YouTube video entitled “Lee Kuan Yew is dead”, referring to the late Singapore Prime Minister, and for posting an image featuring the superimposed photos of Lee Kuan Yew and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on the heads of two cartoon figures having sex.

The next hearing in Amos Yee’s case is on 6 July 2015, when a court is expected to decide whether he will be sentenced to a minimum of 18 months reformative training or up to two years’ mandatory treatment for people with psychiatric conditions.

Amos Yee has been remanded several times as the courts explore his sentencing options. His defence rejected the prosecution’s proposal for a punishment of probation and reformative training. According to the Office of the UN Commissioner on Human Rights, reformative training is “akin to detention and usually applied to juvenile offenders involved in serious crimes” and was referred to in a recent Singapore district court decision as “incarcerative in nature and should be imposed cautiously.”

Amnesty International calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Amos Yee. The right to freedom of expression is enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). It includes the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers. Under international human rights law and standards, restrictions on the right to freedom of expression must be the exception rather than the rule. What Amos Yee said was peacefully expressed and was clearly not grounds for criminalization. He has been held for nothing but exercising his right to freedom of expression, and Amnesty International considers him to be a prisoner of conscience.

Pending his release, authorities in Singapore must also ensure that Amos Yee is safe from any security threats and is not tortured or otherwise ill-treated. Singapore has a duty to ensure that Amos Yee’s best interests under the Convention on the Rights of the Child are given priority, including ensuring that he has unconditional access to his parents. As stated in the Convention, Singapore also must ensure that his specific needs as a juvenile are taken into account.

The case of Amos Yee highlights the wider, restrictive environment for freedom of expression in Singapore. Opposition activists, former prisoners of conscience and human rights defenders continue to express their concerns about the restricted space for public discussion in the country, and the government’s tight control of critical debate. The government persists in using defamation suits against critics, and the media continues to be tightly controlled through restrictive laws on censorship.

Amnesty International urges the Singapore authorities to repeal or review and amend all laws which impose unlawful restrictions on the right to freedom of expression, to ensure that they comply with international human rights law and standards.

Source: www.amnesty.org

July 3, 2015
I Saw Amos Yee On Wanted List At Woodlands Checkpoint

Hi, I would like to raise an awareness. I was using Woodlands Checkpoint few days back. When I was the Car’s queue at the Immigration counter, I saw the Immigration Officers PC serving the opposite of my counter.

In their PC Monitor, Left Side states HOT LIST and all wanted person picture will be moving upwards. Then I saw Amos Yee(in Yellow T-shirt) picture in it.

It was a shock of my life. A young teenage boy picture in the Hot List while he is IMH. How can pass thru Immigration while under custody. And lastly just for speaking the truth and what a normal born Singaporean feel in his heart got him in to Politically Intimidated/Bullied. I am now really terrified of the Ruling Party/Government/PAP/LHL. I am shocked that nobody reported it.

From a very concern, Born Singaporean.

Md Yas

Source: http://statestimesreview.com

July 3, 2015