Tag: Singapore

No By-Elections; Strong Indication Of PAP’s Inability To Honour Championing Of Minority Representation

Halimah Yacob resigned today from her seat of Marsiling (red) and as the 7th Speaker of Parliament.

Thanks to a question raised by WP MP Pritam Singh in Parliament, we now know that the Prime Minister will not call for a by-election in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC (shaded below).

This is very worrying on two fronts.

Firstly, this 4-member GRC is, by law, one of the GRCs reserved for Malay minority candidates presumably because of its higher Malay population. With Halimah’s departure, the GRC will have no minority MPs at all. Many of us may not agree with the mechanics or even the basis of the GRC system and may wish to see it reformed. Nonetheless, not calling for a by-election to reinstate a minority Member would speak volumes about the PAP’s commitment to playing by its own rules in its own game that is the much-vaunted GRC system.

Secondly, the PM’s intention to appoint a Grassroots Advisor in Marsiling ward, instead of calling for a by-election, raises very unsettling questions about how the Government recognises the legitimacy and authority of elected MPs. Does this mean that Government agencies will now accord Grassroots Advisors with as much recognition as elected MPs when residents attend Meet-the-People Sessions seeking help? Does this mean that these unelected Grassroots Advisors can take on other roles that presumably only MPs can undertake? If the answer to these questions is no, then without a by-election, Marsiling-Yew Tee residents are being short-changed. If the answer is yes, it would be even worse, for this would be an admission that the Government can appoint a PAP member to be the Grassroots Advisor for Marsiling with inordinate power and authority, without a single vote having been cast for that person by Singaporeans living there. This would be unsurprising given that PAP candidates who lose in Opposition wards are immediately appointed as the Grassroots Advisors for these wards after each General Election.

Unsurprising, but inherently unfair to voters.

Given that we are less than half-way through the term of the present Parliament, not calling for a by-election in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC would be an affront to parliamentary democracy in Singapore, and would be a strong indication of the PAP’s inability to honour its own supposed status of being a champion of minority representation.

Instead, we are faced with a reserved Presidential Election which harms our social fabric more than it purports to help it, because it may just entrench the idea in people’s minds that minorities are unelectable by way of their own merits alone. How does this advance our progress as a nation?

(To find out more about how the ward-level layer was made, visit my blog at: https://mappedmusings.wordpress.com/…/mapping-our-home-mapp…. Designed with Map Box.)

Source: Yudhishthra Nathan

August 8, 2017
Makcik Homeless After Fire Gutted Home, Kind Neighbour Took Her In

A kind resident took in her neighbour after a fire in the latter’s flat, allowing the family of three to lodge in her home temporarily.

The fire had broken out in the second-storey flat at Block 372, Jurong East Street 32 on Friday morning (Aug 4).

Stomp earlier reported on the incident in which seven people were conveyed to hospitals for treatment after inhaling smoke.

A 62-year-old woman and her two daughters were the occupants of the affected flat.

After the incident, one of her daughters revealed that she had been using a hair curler, and had placed it on a mattress, after turning off the electricity.

Later on, there was smoke and the smell of something burning, before the mattress finally caught fire.

Said the 62-year-old mother: “I was at the market that morning when I received a call from my daughter telling me that there was a strong burning smell.

“I immediately rushed home, and my daughters wanted to move the mattress out of the unit. However, it suddenly caught fire.”

The fire spread fast and a neighbour, living in the unit beside theirs, was trapped in her home.

The 58-year-old neighbour recalled: “I was on medical leave that day. I smelt something burning in the morning, but I was groggy from my fever.

“Later I heard my husband shouting that something was burning. We opened our door and found a fire in the corridor.

“There was nowhere we could run to. We were trapped. I started crying and screaming for help. Then I recalled that my neighbour could not move well, and I called her.”

She said that fortunately, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived in time, and the couple climbed down to safety using a ladder.

According to her, this was not the first time a fire had broken out in the block.

She told Shin Min Daily News: “Two years ago, a unit on the left had caught fire at around 3a, in the morning, so this is the second time already.”

Although the affected flat’s owner has since received keys to a rental flat, her neighbour still insisted that the family stay with her for the time being.

The neighbour added: “We’re neighbours, so it’s only right that we help each other out.”

Source: http://stomp.straitstimes.com

August 8, 2017
Childcare Overcharged For Kids Meals, Then Claims It’s International Buffet

Dear A.S.S. Editors,

Parents staying in or near Sengkang/Buankok area will be familiar with this childcare. As a parent, I am here to express my dismay towards the school.

Every year during Singapore National’s day and Children’s day, the childcare will hold a party in the school which requires parents to fork out $22 per child. the amount are being used to cater for Buffet lunch for each child.

I thought it is ridiculous to pay that amount since children eat very little and they need not order adult portion for the kids. I questioned what kind of food did they ordered for the children but no one could tell me. I asked the teacher what kind of buffet are they catering for the children that cost $22 per child because for a parent with 3 children to pay 60+ just to go to school and eat buffet is absurd. I was told that its an international buffet. Seriously, pay 60 over dollar? I my as well take leave and stay at home to take care of the children myself.

Today i happened to pass by the childcare while on my way to work and just so happen, i saw the caterer outside the school. Out of curiosity, i went over to take a look at the food that they send. All the food were packed in see through plastic containers. There were chicken nuggets, fish balls, chicken wings, french fries and beehoon. Not much variety, all the side dishes are finger food and definitely not worth more than $10. I felt unjust and went to the caterer website to check and the highest possible price it could cost after giving the benefit of doubt is only $9.42 after GST. INTERNATIONAL buffet? you mean the caterer’s company name is it?

According to my child, there were no other external party activities that are held in the school. So where did the remaining amount went? Why try to profit from our hard earned money secretly? let us pay whats right or have a potluck party if you want to save cost. I am sure we will be able to contribute the same type of food for a quarter of the price! We parents wouldn’t mind contributing as long as you don’t take us for a fool and chop us like carrots!

I know people will say i can just leave the school if i am unhappy with the way they do things. I will. But now, I just want parents to know the truth and consider thrice before enrolling to this school. below are the list of day light robberies:

school outting/field trips always to free public places: $50+ inc return
school bus and lunch which is a pathetic hot dog bun. Double of what other school charges.

year end concert: costume $64.2 + ticket price per pax $64.2.
total cost for your child to perform with 2 attending parent will be 192+.
you think we going jay chou concert? rip us off to watch our own children perform.

reg fee: $250 non refundable. please think before you enroll as there are parents who withdraw after a few days and were unable to get the whooping sum of $250 back. other school charges around $35 for reg fees.

PVC mattress: the price is enough for you to buy a queen bed. marked up more than 5 x of market rate.

school uniform: around $50 per set

last year, there were parents complaining in the childcare’s Facebook page and so they came up with a package price for the school outing. they also deleted their Facebook page immediately so that parents can never unite and make complains again.

I hope that the director will see this and will come to her sense. Pleasebe transparent with the break down of what your are charging. i can’t believe you call yourself FAITH and quote verses. please restore the faith and don’t ever hold buffet party ever again.

Angry Mom
A.S.S. Contributor

Source: www.allsingaporestuff.com

August 8, 2017
Biker Killed In PIE Accident, Second Fatal Motorcycle Accident In 2 Days

Another motorcyclist was killed in an accident on Tuesday (Aug 8) morning, a day after an accident claimed the life of a 30-year-old motorcyclist.

The accident on Tuesday happened along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) after the Dunearn exit, the police said in a Facebook post on Tuesday morning.

The police told The Straits Times that they were alerted to an accident involving a car and a motorcycle along PIE towards Changi Airport at 7.21am. The 31-year-old male motorcyclist was found lying motionless and was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

The Straits Times understands that the motorcyclist was riding along the PIE when he hit a wooden plank on the road and flew to the opposite side of the road from the impact. A car coming from the other direction ran over him.

Videos posted on social media show a blue tent at the scene, along with emergency vehicles.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force told ST that it was alerted at 7.25am and dispatched an ambulance to the scene. A male motorcyclist in his 30s was pronounced dead at the scene.

The police advised motorists to avoid using the road, as both directions of the PIE towards Changi Airport and towards Tuas are congested. The Land Transport Authority in a series of tweets told motorists to avoid various lanes on the PIE due to an accident.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/

August 8, 2017
Halimah Yacob’s Decision To Contest EP Dilutes Representation Of Malays

And so the non-newsy news gets announced, with Mdm Halimah Yacob announcing her candidacy for the reserved presidency.

The reserved presidency was ostensibly done in a bit to protect multiculturalism, to give the Malay community a chance to have representation in the presidency, after a hiatus, post Yusof Ishak.

Putting aside the skepticism and critique (and there are many) of the reserved presidency for the moment, is the Community better off in terms of representation, especially in light of the fact that there will be no by-election in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC to find a replacement for Mdm Halimah?

Well, the Community lost a Speaker of Parliament (the first woman Speaker too), and Malay MP in Parliament.

And the Malay residents in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC have lost their representative voice in Parliament.

After all, the very purport of the GRC is to apparently ensure a certain level of minority representation in Parliament.

And it is a considerable period of time till the next GE (which must be held by Jan 2021).

The argument is that other MPs can stand in for Mdm Halimah.

But (again putting aside critique of the GRC system for the moment) the raison d’être of the GRC system is precisely that the minority MP is there to represent minority aspirations and concerns.

Why deprive the minority of Marsiling-Yew Tee of their rights?

Also, the other MPs (whether of majority or minority ethnicity) would have had their full load of responsibilities too. It won’t be fair on them either.

Source: Nizam Ismail in Suara Melayu Singapura

August 8, 2017