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Chee Soon Juan: Policy Alternatives in Parliament Only Possible With The Presence of Opposition Parties

Minister Lawrence Wong has called on Singaporeans to be active in seeking solutions to improve Singapore. This seems a curious statement given that many have been suggesting ways only to be met by a deaf ear.

The SDP, for example, has been coming up with alternative policies. And whenever we launch them, we invite the relevant ministers and their officials to attend (for example, see here, here and here).

They have consistently declined to attend. And now the Government pretends that there has not been alternative voices coming up with concrete proposals on how we can better manage Singapore’s affairs.

In addition, following the launch of the papers we sent the documents to the ministers. We even sent our healthcare paper to the Medishield Life Review Committee, saying that the SDP “look[ed] forward to contributing to the review of our healthcare system.”

In fact, the SDP has drawn up comprehensive policies in key areas:

Healthcare. The SDP National Healthcare Plan: Caring For All Singaporeans

Housing. Housing A Nation: Holistic Policies For Affordable Homes

Population. Building A People: Sound Policies For A Secure Future

Education. Educating For Creativity and Equality: An Agenda For Transformation

Ministerial salaries. Ethical Salaries For A Public-Centred Government

Malay community. A Singapore For All Singaporeans: Addressing The Concerns Of The Malay Community.

(We will be launching our policy on the economy in the near future.)

In fact, the Government has been adopting some of the measures that the SDP has proposed. (Read PAP should acknowledge SDP’s contribution)

Singaporeans should note that even though the Government knew that the SDP had drawn up our policies, it refused to invite us to attend the National Conversation even as it extended the invitation to other opposition parties.

In the past, the Government accused the opposition of not coming with better ideas to run the country. Now that the SDP has drawn up our alternative policies, it tries to hush them up and continue to paint the opposition as not being constructive.

This is why Singaporeans despair at the type of politics that the PAP plays.

In a recent Parliamentary sitting on the debate on constructive politics, PM Lee Hsien Loong said: “In a serious parliament, the Government presents its policies. The Opposition presents its alternatives.”

Let’s give PM Lee what he wants and get the SDP into Parliament.

Source: http://yoursdp.org

November 5, 2014
The Islamic State Ultimatum

You get three choices, pay the Islamic State tax, convert or die.

Then the first choice is taken off the table. That makes it quite simple. Convert or die.

On my first day here in Jordan I came face to face with Iraqi Christians who had less than an hour to flee the advancing Islamic State. Standing in the bustling refugee processing centre in Amman, an Iraqi family tell me their story.

It was June in Mosul and many thought the Peshmerga forces would stop the murderous militants from swamping their city. They were wrong.

Time was short, hundreds of Christian families grabbed a few belongings and jumped in their cars heading East towards Irbil. But swathes of people with the same idea meant a 1.5 hour drive turned into a 20 hour journey from hell.

They made it, and thanks to Peshmerga forces Irbil provided a safe haven for a few months. But the escalating violence has destroyed any hope these Iraqis had of a future in their home country.

In the last two weeks over 800 Iraqis have arrived in Jordan seeking resettlement, according the UNHCR. They are now living on church floors amongst the Amman and Zarqa Christian communities.

While the Iraqi families consider their resettlement options, Jordan is being faced with it’s own Islamic State ultimatum. The rise of the brutal jihadis has forced countries like Jordan to choose between security and humanity.

As we walk through hundreds of refugees at the UNHCR’s Amman processing centre, the organisation’s head Andrew Harper tells me that fear of Islamic State militants crossing the border has been a game changer here in Jordan and other neighbouring countries.

“The humanitarian focus has now been surpassed by the security focus,” Andrew Harper goes on to explain that in the last month very few refugees have been allowed to cross the Syrian border in Jordan. October was the lowest intake in two years.

That’s created a nightmare situation where vulnerable Syrian refugees fleeing the Islamic State are starting to pile up at the border.

Andrew Harper tells me there are 5000 asylum seekers piled up at Jordan’s eastern border crossing with Syria.

“Anyone who is stuck at a border and is not allowed in is a massive concern because it’s my job to make sure that people fleeing violence have access to safety.”

It’s obviously a tricky balance. While Jordan has been incredibly generous in accepting over 600,000 refugees they are now part of the US led coalition at war with the Islamic State.

If security concerns means thousands of refugees stuck at the border become sitting ducks for Islamic State militants it will take this three year long catastrophe to another level.

Source: www.abc.net.au/triplej/hack

November 5, 2014
MND Targets Aljunied Town Council Again

SINGAPORE: The Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council’s (AHPETC) “persistent poor performance” in several areas is of “grave public concern”, the Ministry of National Development (MND) said.

The comments were made in the annual Town Council Management Report, released on Tuesday (Nov 4), which assesses the 16 town councils on five indicators – estate cleanliness, estate maintenance, lift performance, service and conservancy charges (S&CC) arrears management and corporate governance. The town councils’ performance is rated in three bands – green, amber or red.

In the latest report, the MND said most town councils performed well last year, although some “could do better” in certain areas.

Estate maintenance remains an area for improvement, with 11 town councils scoring “amber” in this category. The obstruction of common areas was the topmost observation, accounting for 32 per cent of total estate maintenance observations, the report said.

AHPETC BANDED “RED” IN TWO CATEGORIES

On AHPETC’s performance, MND said this is the second successive report that the Workers’ Party-led town council has been banded “red” for corporate governance, and the third successive report it has been banded “red” for S&CC arrears management.

Under corporate governance, the town council’s independent auditors for Financial Year (FY) 2011 and 2012 have reported various legal and regulatory contraventions, MND said.

“Unfortunately, the town council has not shown that it has rectified them. In fact, it has not submitted its FY13 financial statements and its self-declared corporate governance checklist,” MND said in the report.

Additionally, the sharp decline in AHPETC’s S&CC arrears management is of “grave public concern”, MND said. Aljunied’s S&CC arrears rose from 2.6 per cent in FY2010 to 8.4 per cent in FY2011 and FY 2012 – after Aljunied merged with Hougang – significantly above the national norm of about 3 per cent, the report said.

In December 2012, the town council committed to improve its arrears situation. However, its S&CC arrears rate had further increased to 29.4 per cent as at end-April 2013, the report said. It added that the town council stopped submitting its monthly S&CC arrears report from May 2013, despite repeated reminders.

Source: channelnewsasia.com

November 5, 2014
Shisha To Be Banned

SINGAPORE: Shisha is no less hamful than other forms of tobacco use, so the Ministry of Health (MOH) intends to prohibit the import, distribution and sale of shisha from later this month, said Parlimentary Secretary for MOH Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim in Parliament on Tuesday (Nov 4).

According to the National Health Survey 2010, 7.8 per cent of young adults aged 18-29 years smoke shisha at least occasionally, compared to 1 per cent among older adults. The Student Health Survey found that the proportion of students who used alternative tobacco products, including shisha, had increased from 2 per cent in 20009 to 9 per cent in 2012.

Dr Faishal said that in view of the health risks associated with shisha smoking, and to prevent the proliferation and entrenchment of shisha smoking in Singapore, the ban will be effected later this month.

“However, as a transitional measure, existing licensed tobacco importers and retailers who import or sell shisha tobacco will be allowed to continue importing and retailing shisha tobacco until Jul 31, 2016,” he said.

“This allows such importers and retailers ample time to deplete their stock and restructure their businesses away from the shisha business.”

Source: channelnewsasia.com

November 4, 2014
Reshuffling in the Civil Service

SINGAPORE – The Public Service Division has announced several changes in permanent secretary appointments, which will take effect from Dec 1.

Mr Leo Yip, chairman of the Economic Development Board (EDB), will be Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs.

He will take over from Mr Tan Tee How, who will be appointed Commissioner of Inland Revenue and chief executive officer of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.

Mr Tan replaces Dr Tan Kim Siew, who will be stepping down on the completion of his term of appointment.

Permanent Secretary for Law Dr Beh Swan Gin will take over as chairman of the EDB when Mr Yip assumes his new role.

Mr Ng How Yue will give up his position as Second Permanent Secretary for Trade and Industry to be the new Permanent Secretary for Law.

Filling Mr Ng’s shoes is Mr Chee Hong Tat, currently the chief executive of statutory board Energy Market Authority.

Source: http://news.asiaone.com

November 4, 2014