Tag: Singapore

Cherian George: Mainstream Media Cannot Be Trusted With Delivering National News

Just wasted an hour of my life watching CNA’s Primetime Asia for news of #HouseOfLee.

Not a word. Granted this is an outward-focused programme. Still, they found time for a Singapore-angled segments about a healthcare-related survey and training dogs. The crawler had a few Singapore items, leading with “SCIENCE PARK ONE VISITORS CAN RENT E-SCOOTERS”. But nothing about the story of the year.

This is reminiscent of the national media’s tongue-tied reaction to Lee Hsien Loong’s health scare during last year’s National Day Rally speech.

This won’t do. If we can’t count on our national media during periods of controversy and confusion, what are they there for? Our mainstream editors go through years of socialisation to understand where the OB markers are. In spite of that, if they are not trusted (or don’t trust themselves) to exercise initiative and provide timely news and analysis at a time like this, what’s the point?

We have heard a lot of warnings about fake news lately. The government and mainstream media should realise that if it doesn’t care to allow real news to circulate, their complaints about fake news will ring hollow.

Source: Cherian George

June 15, 2017
Netizen: Lee Hsien Loong Needs To Be Answerable To Public On Accusations By Siblings

No, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, we need answers/ specific clarifications (if possible, independent inquiry) into these allegations:

1) that you used your position as prime minister to obtain documents (Deed of Gift) given to the ministry via Lawrence Wong. (abuse of powers)

2) that your wife, Ho Ching, has ‘pervasive influence’ that ‘extends well beyond her job purview’ despite not being an elected official or govt official. (conflict of interest and overreach of power)

3) that you made your personal lawyer, Lucien Wong, the Attorney-General in Jan 2017. (favouritism/ nepotism)

4) that you monitored your two siblings so much that Lee Hsien Yang, your own brother, wants to leave the country. (threatening/ police state)

re: https://goo.gl/G71SrX

Source: Albert Tay

June 15, 2017
Lee Wei Ling: This Is About Singaporeans, Not About Our Home

I am out of Singapore, with erratic and slow internet connection. The article that appeared in the Singapore press gave PM’s version of the story. Our letter was carefully vetted by our lawyers and obviously not in my own voice.

My American friend who is the tour leader of my Scottish island holiday thought it a family quarrel. If it were merely a family affair, we would not have taken it public. The main message is not Hsien Yang & I fearing what PM will do to us. The most important point I want to put across is if PM can misuse his official power to abuse his siblings who can fight back, what else can he do to ordinary citizens. But our lawyer edited that main message out, and as Hsien Yang got most of the bullying, he could not help but allow his emotion to be expressed in the press statement. That is what led my American friend to conclude that it is a family quarrel.

38 Oxley Road was bought by my parents, it is for them to decide what its fate is. My Father had told us, his children, repeatedly, that being family property, there is no need to donate to charity if Oxley were sold. Hsien Loong, as a condition for selling the house to Hsien Yang, and in his attempt to punish Hsien Yang for blocking what he wants to do with the house, stipulated that in addition to paying Hsien Loong the market value of the house, he must also donate 50% of that value to charity.

Hsien Loong and Ho Ching are finally showing their true colours. I think these Colours show them unsuitable as PM and most certainly as PM’s wife of Singapore.

Source: Lee Wei Ling

June 15, 2017
Yayasan Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan Anjur Iftar Bagi 200 Keluarga Memerlukan

Sebanyak 200 keluarga memerlukan dari Kelompok Masjid Barat Laut menerima habuan Ramadan dan Hari Raya oleh wakil Yayasan Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.

Timbalan Ketua Misi di Kedutaan Amiriah Arab Bersatu (UAE) di Singapura, Mohamed Salim Al -Falahi turut menaja majlis iftar yang diadakan di Majid Yusof Ishak semalam (13 Jun).

Setiap keluarga menerima hamper bernilai $200, mengandungi barangan makanan untuk bulan Ramadan dan Hari Raya dari yayasan tersebut.

Iftar istimewa ini adalah salah satu inisiatif yang disokong oleh yayasan itu untuk memperluas rangkaian hubungannya dengan institusi-institusi lain yang juga berkongsi matlamat yang sama, iaitu membantu dan membawa keceriaan kepada yang memerlukan serta memperkaya kehidupan mereka baik tempatan mahupun di luar negara.

Menerusi satu kenyataan media yang dikeluarkan oleh Kedutaan UAE, Encik Mohamed Salim berkata: “Majlis iftar ini membuka peluang bagi diri saya dan juga rakan-rakan sekerja saya untuk mengenali dengan lebih dekat lagi bagaimana masyakarat Muslim di Singapura meraikan Ramadan dan bagaimana masjid-masjid memainkan pelbagai peranan untuk berkhidmat dan memenuhi keperluan masyarakat dari segi sosial dan agama.”

Turut hadir di majlis tersebut adalah Pengerusi Yayasan Rahmatan Lil Alamin (RLAF), Po’ad Mattar, Ketua Eksekutif MUIS Abdul Razak Maricar serta para pegawai dan wakil kelompok masjid dan RLAF.

Yayasan Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan ditubuhkan pada bulan Julai 2007 oleh Presiden UAE, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Visi yayasan itu adalah untuk “Merintis Inisiatif Kebajikan” dan strategi-strateginya ditumpukan kepada kesihatan dan pendidikan di peringkat domestik, serantau dan global.

Pelbagai bantuan yang dihulurkan oleh yayasan itu di seluruh dunia sejauh ini, melebihi 87 negara sejak ditubuhkan.

Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan mengisytiharkan tahun 2017 sebagai Tahun Pemberian didorong oleh nilai-nilai memberikan layanan yang baik dan sifat bermurah hati.

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

June 14, 2017
Lucky The Golden Rule Barber Co, Barbers Gave Hair Cuts To Argentina’s Football Stars

It was a dream come true for a group of barbers in Singapore when they were contacted by the Argentina football team for haircuts on Monday (Jun 12).

“One of the players, (Paulo) Dybala, messaged us on our Instagram page, and the management didn’t see the message. We never replied the message,” Muhammad Fauzee, a barber with The Golden Rule Barber Co, told Channel NewsAsia.

“Then, the Argentina team called us yesterday at 5pm and said: ‘Where are you guys, you have to be at the hotel at 4.30pm. We said: ‘What 4.30pm, what hotel?’ Suddenly they paused, they talked, and they said it’s a misunderstanding … At 10.30pm, (we) start cutting their hair.”

The barbers were told that the team had found their shop randomly through a Google search. They proceeded to the Fullerton Hotel,where the players are staying ahead of their friendly match against Singapore, to “chill with” stars such as Angel Di Maria and Dybala. They then cut the hair of their team-mates Manuel Lanzini and Joaquin Correa, the barbers later clarified.

“It was a crazy experience. I feel very proud of my company to do this,” added a star-struck Fauzee.

The barber shop also posted on Facebook: “So we did one of the craziest VIP House Call ever!!”

The friendly to commemorate the Football Association of Singapore’s 125th anniversary will take place at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/

June 14, 2017