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Singaporeans First Party’s Chance Encounter With DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam In Taman Jurong
When Mature People Meet….. Collaboration Becomes Possible

The walkabout at Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre on Sunday saw SingFirst achieving several “firsts”. This is what we mean:

1. First walkabout when we met a minister making his round at the same location

2. First attempt in getting the members and supporters to take public transport to the walkabout location

3. First largest turn out by our members and supporters

4. First ever longest walkabout route

5. First ever most photo requests by members of the public with our chairman and secretary general

Taking the public transport to the location was our first attempt in building the bond and rapport between the members and supporters. This arrangement also allowed us to gain exposure and to publicise our party name. Everyone was enthusiastic and admitted that it was indeed a refreshing idea.

This walkabout was by far the largest turn out by our member and supporters. A total of 25 of us gathered at Lakeside MRT before making our way to Taman Jurong Market and Food Centre. SingFirst is encouraged by the great support by our members! It goes to show that we are growing in terms of membership.

As the market and food centre occupies 3 storeys with several units on each floor, it made its way into our record book for the longest walkabout route. Apart from the market and food centre, we also seized the opportunity to visit the nearby flea market. We were pleasantly surprised that many patrons at the market and food centre immediately recognized our chairman, Dr Ang Yong Guan and secretary general, Mr Tan Jee Say. We were even more surprised when several of them came up to the duo and asked for their pictures to be taken together.

The most pleasant encounter during this walkabout was the chance meeting with the finance minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He too was at the food centre greeting the residents. He was pleasant and greeted us with warm smiles and handshakes. We suggested having a photo together and he agreed without any hesitation. That wasn’t the end of our encounter with him. While taking a break from the walkabout at a nearby coffee shop, he came to us and said that the coffee shop has the cheapest food in the area.

From this walkabout, we would like to highlight some interesting points from the residents and our brief meeting with Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam:
- The residents recognized that there is a need for a political change in Singapore. They are also curious who will be the candidates for SingFirst and whether we are up to the mark to take on the ruling party in the next election. Many still bear the scars from the memory of the 1960s and 1970s during the tussle between Barisan Socialis and the PAP.
- They are sincere in their response when approached. The residents either stand up to greet or putting away their utensils to have a brief word with us. They also hope that SingFirst is able to do more to help the citizens.
- They hope to see in the coming election younger candidates with a credible party running for the public office and who can take on the PAP.
- MPs need to speak their language from the ground to represent them in parliament. They hope the MPs truly understand their plight.
- There is no need for scholars to stand for elections or be MPs. They just need someone who is able to understand their concerns and have a heart to feel and fill their needs. The Punggol East by-election is a good example where a caring candidate won despite a four-corner fight.
- The SingFirst logo is being etched into the minds of the Singaporeans. One elderly man said he recognized the logo because it resembles an ice cream brand.
Mr Tharman’s encounter was an encouraging one as he is so open. SingFirst hopes to see more of such PAP politicians to engage alternative parties. Only with such openness can we then build a better Singapore and move Singapore forward.

Taman Jurong walkabout was a new milestone set for SingFirst. We hope we will set a higher benchmark and be fortunate enough to meet more ministers or MPs in our future visits to the various GRCs.

Source: http://singfirst.org
March 2, 2015
Things Are Not Looking Good For Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak

Criticism against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak appears to be gaining steam outside of the country, with The Myanmar Times now jumping onto the bandwagon.

In its opinion page dated February 23, the writer Roger Mitton, presented a bleak picture on the issue, describing it as a “gluey black sea of venality the likes of which has not been seen in this region since the days of President Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines.”

He said things are so bad that Umno-owned newspaper, Utusan Malaysia, had to carry an editorial to try to exonerate Najib and shift the blame elsewhere.

“It failed, of course,” he said, adding it was because the newspaper was arguing against facts that indicate “Najib is steadily sinking into the treacly pit of corruption and maladministration.”

Mitton said the controversy surrounding debt-ridden 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and Najib’s stepson, Riza Aziz, as reported by the New York Times, recently also were not helping in lifting his image for the better.

“It is hard to truly comprehend the full magnitude of this gigantic, nepotistic malfeasance, and even the illustrious New York Times took three pages to try to do it,” he wrote.

The Myanmar Times’ article also alleged that Riza, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s son, was responsible for most of the woes brought about by the 1MDB debacle, due to his association with Penang businessmen Jho Low.

“Why and how? There is no clear answer, except to recall that Najib is under the sway of Rosmah, a shopaholic wrecking ball, who shrugs off ridicule and ignores how her actions thwart her husband’s premiership,” he wrote.

Mitton went on to say that the personal damage to Najib “is piffling compared to the disastrous effect the huge 1MDB losses are having on the already fragile Malaysian economy.”

Adding on, the article said that political support for the ruling party in Malaysia was also diminishing, taking note the results in the last general elections that saw the voting pattern swaying towards opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said that since the failure to reverse the drop in votes experienced by his predecessor, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Najib has clung onto the Umno leadership by appeasing his key support base, the Malays, “and marginalising the Chinese and Indian communities.”

Followed by the move to keep the Sedition Act and Anwar’s jailing, Mittton said “these actions signal a premier running scared.”

He said that in any case, Najib’s survival may depend more on Umno elders the likes of former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, and former finance ministers Tun Daim Zainuddin and Tunku Razaleigh Hamzah.

“Since they have all turned against him, though, the omens are not good.” he said.

Source: www.themalaysianinsider.com

March 2, 2015
Terengganu To Implement Dress Code Targetted At Female Tourists

PETALING JAYA: Tourists who intend to visit Terengganu must now abide by a dress code, as outlined by the state government.

According to the the state government news portal Teganukita, a circular with guidelines on attire will soon be released to all Malaysian travel agents and Malaysian tourism headquarters in neighbouring countries, including Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

The website states that the guidelines are targeted at tourists, especially female tourists.

State Tourism and Cultural Affairs chairman Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee said that he was certain the new ruling, along with the implementation of the syariah criminal enactment (Takzir) 2001, would not deter tourists from visiting the state.

Mohd Jidin, who is also Permaisuri assemblyman, however, clarified that action will only be taken once the circular is released.

“Before legal action is imposed on women who wear revealing attire in public, to the point that the dressing causes fervency (kegairahan), a letter with guidelines will be issued,” he was reported as saying.

Mohd Jidin explained that a meeting was held with the Terengganu Islamic and Malay Heritage Council (Maidam) to prepare guidelines, which specify the dress code acceptable according to Islamic rulings.

He explained that ever since the ruling on attire was announced by Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman two weeks ago, both local and international tourists have abided by the specific guidelines.

Terengganu is a major tourist destination due to its pristine beaches and world famous islands like Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian, which attract thousands of visitors each year.

According to a source, the ruling does not require men and women to comply 100% with the Islamic dress code. However, visitors and locals must dress decently.

Those who fail to do so will be called for counselling. In the case of underage perpetrators, parents will also be called in to attend counselling sessions, the source said.

It is understood that a meeting will be held Monday to further clarify the guidelines.

Source: www.thestar.com.my

March 2, 2015
Is There A Gutter Oil Collector Roaming In Chua Chu Kang?

Stomper Michael saw this man who appeared to be pumping out sewer contents from a drain near Choa Chu Kang Block 687 yesterday (Feb 28).

Michael is concerned that the man might be draining grease traps and collecting ‘gutter oil’.

This sighting comes after a spate of similar incidents last year, in which people were seen pumping out content from grease traps at various locations in Singapore. Some were eventually arrested and charged for doing so without a permit.

The tools used by this man look similar to those that had been used by other people who were caught pumping out sewer contents in earlier cases.

Said the Stomper:

“Saw this yesterday (Feb 28) at about 9.30am to 10am, at Choa Chu Kang Block 687 coffee shop.

“Why are there people still doing this nowadays?”

Source: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg

March 2, 2015
Children In Singapore Start Consuming Alcohol At Increasingly Younger Age

Ben had his first drink of whiskey and cola when he was 13 and in Secondary One. It was with a group of friends, after school at a staircase near his Redhill home.

It was not a big deal, insists Ben (not his real name), now 18. “My older brother was already drinking and my father drank at home all the time,” he said.

He is part of a new generation of teenagers who are beginning to drink younger, say social workers concerned about a trend they started noticing about four years ago.

“In the past, most teenagers would start drinking at 15 or 16, but now we are seeing 12- or 13-year-olds,” said Dr Carol Balhetchet, senior director for youth services at the Singapore Children’s Society.

One of the main reasons is a growing tolerance for social drinking. “Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for adults to drink socially in front of children,” said Dr Balhetchet.

That was how a seven-year-old girl had her first drink.

“The mother was drinking wine and left it unfinished on the table, the girl just went up and took a sip,” she said.

Figures for alcohol abuse among youth are mostly anecdotal, with VWOs saying they deal with between five and 10 cases each year.

The National Addictions Management Service (NAMS) deals with 10 to 15 cases of problem drinking among youth aged 19 or below each year.

Dr Gomathinayagam Kandasami, a NAMS consultant and head of addiction medicine at the Institute of Mental Health, said that while some teenagers might miss classes because of a drinking binge or argue with their parents, they are unlikely to experience the serious loss in functioning long-time alcoholics grapple with.

“Younger people may not experience the full range of alcohol-related problems,” he said.

Many of them only get help for their drinking habits when the law catches up to them for other offences.

For Ben, that was in 2012 when he stole a bottle of blackcurrant-flavoured vodka from a convenience store.

“I hadn’t had a drink in two weeks and I couldn’t afford alcohol. I couldn’t control myself,” said Ben, who is from a single-parent family and currently serving national service. He was caught on the store’s CCTV cameras and arrested.

The legal age for buying alcohol is 18, but younger people do not have difficulty getting their drinks, social workers said.

“They can easily get older friends to buy drinks for them,” said Ms Lena Teo, assistant director of counselling at the Children-at-Risk Empowerment Association (Care Singapore). “Some buy rice wine from supermarkets, and easily say it is for their mothers to use in cooking.”

Ms Sheena Jebal, principal counselling psychologist at NuLife Care and Counselling Services, said teenagers may pour the liquor into soft drink cans so they can drink undetected in public – under void decks and in parks. “I can say now every youth-at-risk would have experienced drinking at least once,” she said.

The problem is worrying because many go on to more serious vices, she noted. “It’s thrill-seeking behaviour. One starts with smoking first, then drinking – and if they can smoke and drink and not get caught, they will move on to the next level,” she said, adding that some move on to drugs such as Ice and Ecstasy.

This appears to corroborate Central Narcotics Bureau data which shows that drug addicts under 30 now make up two-thirds of new abusers.

Mr Moses Huang, counselling therapist at Ain Society, said the common thread that unites young alcohol abusers tends to be parental neglect. “They can come from low-income families or the super rich. If parents don’t spend time with them to educate them about drinking, they can be easily influenced,” he added.

The VWOs said a concerted effort is needed to address the problem – with education both in schools and in the home.

The Liquor Control Bill – which bans public consumption of alcohol after 10.30pm, and is expected to come into force in April – will also help, said Ms Sheena.

She said the ban is coming at the right time, and added: “If not, you would see more and more young people wasting their lives away drinking.”

Source: www.straitstimes.com

March 2, 2015