Are the PAP actively gathering feedback to determine whether “Madam President” Halimah could win?
If the feedback is not good, will they make the other two potential candidates be disqualified to create an uncontested election where it is a walkover instead?
What are the consequences in the event that she were to contest, and she win or lose with a just tiny edge and a large percentage of spoilt votes?
Disaster is the outcome and it’s nearing.
Pray for our Singapore politics.
Rilek1Corner
Singapore was “specifically targeted” by terrorists in the past year, with jihadist publications and videos naming two sites as potential targets last October.
This has resulted in the terrorism threat remaining the highest in recent years, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in its first Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report yesterday.
It is understood that the targets mentioned were the SGX Centre and a port.
A spokesman for the Stock Exchange did not confirm that its building was being targeted, but told The New Paper: “SGX takes physical security very seriously and constantly reminds our employees to remain alert and vigilant.
“Over the years, we have stepped up our security measures and are in close contact with our regulator and relevant government agencies.”
MHA also said security agencies had worked with the two sites to tighten security measures.
While there has been no credible intelligence of an imminent attack, MHA said security agencies remain on “high vigilance” because of the “heightened” regional threat.
“The public should continue to stay alert and be prepared,” it added.
MHA said the most serious threat comes from Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its affiliates.
With at least two known ISIS plots to attack Singapore,MHA said: “ISIS has demonstrated that Singapore is very much on its radar.”
There is also the risk of attacks by those influenced by ISIS propaganda, with the authorities dealing with radicalised Singaporeans and foreigners in recent years.
The report called radicalised individuals “a grave security concern” as attacks using vehicles and knives can happen anywhere.
Nanyang Technological University Associate Professor Kumar Ramakrishna, coordinator of the National Security Studies Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said: “The lone-wolf vehicle attacks in London, Nice and Berlin showed that individuals can carry out operations wherever they are.
“If you can drive a truck or a car, lives can be lost.
“These are relatively low tech methods that authorities must pay attention to.”
Another concern for MHA is the release of about 200 terrorist prisoners in the region over the next two years. “They may return to terrorism if they have not been de-radicalised,” it said.
An MHA spokesman said: “Through this report, we hope Singaporeans will better appreciate the seriousness of the terrorism threat, and to be alert and prepared in the event of an attack.”
The ministry will issue further reports when necessary.
Dr Rohan Gunaratna, head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at RSIS, said: “Dynamic security measures, which involve constant changes, are the best form of security because terrorists are constantly surveying and can predict routine security measures.”
Mr Gregory Tan, 57, a consultant at BSG Communications, said: “While the Government has prepared us well mentally with practices and rehearsals, nothing can prepare us for the loss of lives, the trauma and the damage caused when it does happen.”
Source: http://www.tnp.sg/
We got in touch with Janice Lim, identified via her Facebook comments on the viral video to be a credible first person witness when the pushing incident happened at Toa Payoh Lor 8 Market and Food Centre last night.
In the video, a well-dressed lady is seen arguing with an old man over the seats at a round table in the hawker centre. She called someone for help and an equally well-dressed young man came to her rescue, shoving the old man from behind, causing him to fall forward:
Janice recounted the whole incident to us from the beginning. She said the incident happened at around 8.45pm. The hawker centre was very crowded and the table which caused the incident was the only available table where no one was seated.
When the old man approached the table with his tray of food, there was no one seated at the table. However, there was a folded purple umbrella placed on the table, presumably to chope the seat.
The young woman then confronted the old man and shouted at him rudely and loudly, spewing a slew of vulgarities which was what caught Janice’s attention.
Janice said that the old man was polite throughout his verbal exchange with the lady. He had said that he only needed one seat and politely asked if all the seats were taken, questioning how many seats did the lady need exactly. The lady did not reply directly. Instead, she insisted that the table was reserved and the old man has no right to occupy a seat. She kept cursing the old man before calling her friend on her mobile to get help.
The young man then came from behind, pushing the old man, causing him to fall forward. What happened from this point is captured on video.
Janice said that after the pushing, another kind gentleman came over and offered for the old man to sit with him at his table (don’t say Singaporeans are all selfish). Someone should identify this good guy and buy him a beer or something!
Janice said that the well-dressed couple did not eat anything, but they ordered many takeouts and continued to occupy the table. There were no other people who came to join them at the table either.
Janice also shared that another guy went over to the young man and told him that he should not have pushed the old man. In agitation, the young man pushed and shoved all the used plates and utensils on the floor in a fit of rage.
Janice concluded the interview saying that she was shocked by the behaviour of the well-dressed couple and that this is the one of the worst manifestation of the ‘chope’ culture that we have in Singapore.
Hopefully, this interview with Janice cleared the air on what actually transpired, providing the context to the video.
Rilek1Corner
Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com
The Malay Reserved President is a done deal no matter how much Dr Tan Cheng Bock try to argue for an Open Election. He will be admired for his tenacity and resolve to truly serve the people he love. So what can Singaporean hope for after Dr Tan Cheng Bock?
Looking at the rank and file in Government, they are still mostly dominated by career civil servants from the uniformed or non-uniformed services. This reality undermines the Government’s claim that pegging Ministers salary to that of top private sector senior management will lead to more coming forward to join politics and becoming Ministers.
In fact since the Government calibrated the salary of Ministers to be on par to that of private sector senior management, we have not seen any ground-breaking move that is worth mentioning. The truth is, if one has attained senior management position in business it is most unlikely that a political career is anywhere in his or her radar. Instead it is those who don’t see financial prospect in the private sector that will grab a chance of making big bucks as politician. It is definitely rare and extremely far between to expect anyone who is earning a handsome annual pay comfortably in the private sector to be so driven by a calling to serve the people.
Singaporean yearns for that truly fresh face to rejuvenate their hopes and dreams amidst the gloom of a Machiavellian driven politically sterile landscape dominated by the powerful elite and their avarice. For now, such a one is imperceptible in both the near and far vista of our political horizon.
Rilek1Corner
Source: Damanhuri Bin Abas
Bagaimana rakyat Singapura memberi respons apabila berlaku serangan pengganas akan menguji pembangunan Singapura selama 50 tahun, menurut Menteri Pertahanan Ng Eng Hen.
Beliau berkata demikian pada Ahad (9 Apr) di siri pertama majlis pengiktirafan bagi meraikan 50 tahun Perkhidmatan Negara (NS).
Bercakap di majlis yang diadakan di Safra Toa Payoh, Dr Ng merujuk kepada insiden-insiden yang berlaku di beberapa bandar Eropah dan menegaskan bahawa apa yang harus terlintas dalam fikiran rakyat Singapura apabila mereka mendapat tahu tentang serangan sedemikian ialah “apa yang kita ada di sini adalah sangat berharga”.
Beliau menarik perhatian bahawa menteri pertahanan pertama Singapura Goh Keng Swee juga membayangkan bahawa Perkhidmatan Negara (NS) bukan sahaja sebagai cara untuk mempertahankan Singapura tetapi juga bagi membangunkan negara dan mengeratkan rakyat.
Sekarang ini, di tengah-tengah “serangan yang jelas dan nyata”, termasuk serangan pengganasan dan siber, keluarga juga memainkan “peranan penting” dalam menyokong anggota Perkhidmatan Negara dan Pertahanan Mutlak menjadi bertambah relevan lagi, kata Dr Ng.
Sejumlah 52 majlis pengiktirafan bakal diadakan oleh Persatuan Rakyat (PA) sehingga bulan depan.
Pada Ahad, Dr Ng juga menyampaikan Pakej Pengiktirafan NS50 yang pertama, termasuk baucar S$100, kepada hampir 100 pasangan ayah dan anak lelaki yang menetap di Toa Payoh.
Bagi menekankan tumpuan kempen NS50 sepanjang tahun, yang bertemakan From My Generation to Yours – sebuah naratif yang dipetik bagi menunjukkan evolusi NS – Dr Ng menyamakan penyerahan tanggungjawab NS, dari bapa kepada anak lelaki, seperti menghulurkan baton dalam satu perlumbaan.
Rilek1Corner
Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg