Mahathir Humiliates Singapore Malays

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Umno president Dr Mahathir Mohamad has issued a dire warning to the Malays about their future and urged them to reflect on their fate.

In his latest blog posting, titled 'Melayu Kemana' (Whither Malays), Mahathir, who also served as prime minister for 22 years, said he was willing to face the consequences of voicing his views on this matter.

After a lengthy history lesson ranging from the Malayan Union to the sacking of Anwar Ibrahim in 1998, the 84-year-old statesman lamented that the Malays were now separated along three political boundaries, Umno, PAS and PKR.

“With these three parties, the Malays, who were once the majority making up 60% of the population, are now broken up and divided.

“None of these parties command the support of the majority, each receiving not more than 30%. So in other words, the Malays have become the minority in this country,” he said.

Furthermore, Mahathir warned that being the minority group, the Malays would cease to be the major force if they joined mixed parties.

“They might be placed as the top leaders in the federal and state governments, but they would have to follow the directions of their friends,” he added.

The Perak and Singapore examples

Citing the collapse of the Pakatan state government in Perak, Mahathir said: “A particular race had felt as if it was a government which belonged to that race which was ousted.”

This was an obvious reference to the Chinese community as detractors had accused the state's former Pakatan menteri besar, PAS' Mohd Nizar Jamaluddin of being a DAP stooge.

Painting a bleak picture for the Malays under Pakatan's rule, Mahathir said even those holding top federal posts would have to operate under the guidance of others.

“There is a big possibility that the Malays have become a minority group and no longer possess power in their own country.

“If they feel they would be treated well even without power, they should look at the fate of the Malays who are the minority in a neigbhouring country,” he added in reference to Singapore.

Mahathir also reminded the Malays of the proverb, “united we stand, divided we fall”. “The choice is yours,” he said.

The former premier also made it clear that he was not concerned about the criticisms which his comments would court.

“I would be accused as a chauvinist and racist for this. But I am willing to be labelled anything. My intention is to remind you (the Malays) before it is too late,” he said.

Pastor Mark Ng (New Creation) Insulting Other Religions

Speaking in broken English, very much in the mould of Ris Low's Singlish, Mark Ng mock and make fun of Chinese festival of 7th Month Ghost Festival and Chinese Deity Idol Kuan Kong....

happyman4072 — 11 June 2010 — Here we have Pastor Mark Ng of New Creation Church making fun and insulting the Chinese beliefs and tradition. I don't have any problem with people preaching. But I find that preaching and making fun of people's beliefs are two different things. I don't think that the preaching the word of god includes insults and degrading others. Pastor Mark Ng is a good example why there is an divide growing between groups of different beliefs and religions.

pigcanfly007
The whole sermon sounds like Jack Neo's "Gao Siao Xin Dong" talking show..
Christian policemen pray to Jesus, some robbers also pray to Jesus, so how?
#
MrTheholydead
Clearly, its saddens me to see such leaders in the christian community wanting to set people 'free' with jokes about other people's beliefs and religion. There is no truth in anything if you dont have faith in it. Every religion teaches us values and the right morals.Be it Buddhist,hinduism or christianity. Truly,Making fun of other people religions and beliefs is an action from supposedly a leader in the church community. I am taken aback...
#
pookeelahh
seriously, tell him to improve his english before criticizing or even preaching. bad bad bad speech mark. we know, we know so stop you know you knowing already. and amazing how the chinese gods are regarded as 'idols'? you mean Jesus isnt one too? no offence, but im a Christian believer too.
#
FrostWurm
Aiyah...this is a free society what. He can say whatever he wants. It's just like a hypothetical example of an atheist telling a group of christians that god does not exist. Then what? Prosecute him?

@FrostWurm Not really. As mentioned countless of times, this is Singapore where we have peoples of different religions and customs. He can of course say what he wants, but there will be consequences. And there are laws in Singapore which ensures that people respect each others religion and customs.

First of all, a church is supposed to be an open place where everyone can freely enter. Secondly this is a sermon. This is supposed to be spread among the masses, no? Thirdly, no matter which own "christian grounds" you are in, you are still in SG. You have to follow SG laws. And finally, I didn't record it, I merely posted it for awareness that there are such dangerous pastors out there. If you think that it is "ME" causing divisions in SG, then by all means, pls report me.
#
nusld
He devoted his sermon to poking fun,demonising and putting down the Chinese religious beliefs as much as he could to laughter from his congregation.
Frankly, i shudder when i think of my fellow Singaporeans friends among the congregation. Wonder these people who recite the Pledge everyday really believed in it or otherwise. In times of difficulties can we depend on them as fellow s'poreans to assist those who didn't share their beliefs.
This is a urgent social problem in S'pore now.
Sad!
#
mattscout
6 hours ago
Firstly, No one knows how Jesus looks like nor God. And, even though we may be a democratic nation, Pastor Mark should not use his pulpit as a stage to provoke other religion, when you are on the pulpit, people believe that whatever you're saying, is from God, but when you misuse the pulpit and people would believe that whatever he's saying is true and from God. Which is not. Therefore, I guess he should apologize and not misuse the authority that has been given to him.
#
haohao93
The whole sermon is held within our own christian grounds where do you get the right to record and post online on youtube and STOMP. anyway your faith toward your beliefs is weak that's why you drift away giving yourself a chance to step into church grounds. Pastor did not insult or degrade others he is only evaluating common superstition neither did he judge those chinese customs. Pastor is not the reason for the division between religion it's people like happyman4072 creating unease amongst.
#
sorryalsomustexplain
5 hours ago
I wanted to hear the full sermon but realized I could not get it anywhere, either from the the online bookstore or the actual retail bookstore in Suntec. I checked and found out that this sermon was actually preached about 2 years ago. The church must have taken action to remove it after the Rony Tan fiasco that happened earlier this year. Won't be surprised the if ISA had already warned the church to be more cautious, considerate and sensitive about what and how they preach in church.
---------------------------------------------
By Yen Feng

THE internal Security Department (ISD) has looked into an incident involving the New Creation Church over a 2008 sermon being circulated online that mocks Taoist beliefs.

The 10-minute audio clip was posted on YouTube last Friday. In it, a church pastor, Mr Mark Ng, can be heard joking with the congregation about Chinese rituals; in one instance, he compared praying to Taoist deities to ’seeking protection from secret society gangsters’.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said yesterday in a response to queries from The Straits Times that the church had, on its own accord, contacted YouTube to remove the clip. It has also apologised.

‘We are aware of the case. ISD has looked into it and taken up the matter with the New Creation Church.’

In a six-paragraph letter posted on its website on Sunday, New Creation said that Mr Ng, who heads the church’s Chinese ministry, did not intend for his comments to be disrespectful to other faiths.

It added that earlier this year, the church had reviewed its archive of sermons and had stopped reproducing that particular sermon and other insensitive content that had been previously sold in the church bookstore.

‘We recognise our responsibility in this major oversight in allowing this sermon not only to be preached, but also, as a usual practice, to be made available as a resource for sale,’ the 20,000-strong independent church said.

‘It is unfortunate that while we have endeavoured in every way to stop the circulation of this sermon, its recent appearance on the Internet continues to possibly cause offence.

‘We would like to express our deepest apologies to any person who may have been offended by the remarks made by Pastor Mark Ng.’

The user who uploaded the New Creation clip declined to identify himself, but told The Straits Times in an e-mail interview that he hoped to raise public awareness on preaching styles that were disrespectful to other faiths.

‘If such preaching continues unabated, it would definitely be trouble for multiracial and multi-religious Singapore,’ said the 37-year-old Singaporean man, who uses the nickname ‘happyman4072′ on YouTube.

The clip has since been re-posted on more than a dozen websites, including Stomp!, tech forum hardwarezone.com and social networking site Facebook.

On YouTube, it has been viewed about 4,000 times.

In February, the founder and senior pastor of another independent church, Lighthouse Evangelism, was censured for making comments that were insensitive to Buddhist and Taoist believers.

Mr Rony Tan, 64, mocked the religious precepts, such as reincarnation and nirvana. His remarks were recorded on video and uploaded on the church’s website.

In days, the video clips were re-posted on YouTube and online forums.

Mr Tan was interviewed by the ISD and has since recanted and apologised for his remarks.

Mr Ng, who is 48 and married, could not be reached for comment.

The church, however, said on his behalf: ‘Pastor Mark offers his unreserved and unmitigated apology to the public for his insensitive comments… He humbly appeals to those whom he has offended to forgive him for this serious indiscretion.’

The user who uploaded the clip said he had received CDs containing the sermon last month from a church-goer, presumably from New Creation.

‘I am pretty sure that he didn’t realise that these kind of recordings could give offence to others. Perhaps that could be the problem in our society right now?’

He added that he was not religious and did not subscribe to any faith.

Taoist Federation chairman Tan Thiam Lye yesterday called on religious leaders to start paying more attention to what they say during services.

He said: ‘Such comments do not promote religious harmony -- that is obvious. There is just no need to criticise other religions when promoting your own faith.’
---------------------------------------------
Pastor Mark Ng issued a public apology for his comments about Chinese Taoist diety. Though, it is an old incident of two years but the statement was made public only last Friday when someone posted an audio clip on YouTube. It is an audio clip in which Mark Ng can be clearly heard making racy comments about the superstitions. There is also a picture of Pastor Ng on the clip. New Creation Church peeped through the matter and after finding pastor guilty they forced him to issue apology. Church also banned the sale and circulation of this sermon and told its Pastors that sermons of that nature were not acceptable. Church then issued a statement and mentioned that Pastor Mark was ashamed on whatever he said about a religion and he wanted to make clear that he would not do it again.

Pastor Ng is the second pastor who issued apology for his comments, the first such person was Pastor Rony Tan of Lighthouse Evangelism Church, who also issued apologies after being heavily criticized. It was in February when Pastor Tan was called by the Internal Security Department for the matter because there were lots of complaints against him. He too made comments about Buddhist and Taoist.

Ministry of Home Affairs has also released a statement regarding this matter in which they have said that they are aware of the case. Ministry also revealed that church had made a request to YouTube to remove that clip from their site.

Indonesian Celebrity Sex Scandal Caused Internet Traffic Jam

Actor Ariel Peterpan and Luna Maya in Lux Ads in Jakarta

Actress Cut Tari

Messages of Support Flood in for ‘Peterporn’

Hundreds of messages of support have flooded in for Peterpan frontman Ariel in the wake of the developing sex tapes scandal involving at least two celebrity starlets.

The messages come as the term Peterporn, used to describe Ariel, is the most popular for word on Twitter, an International social networking site.

Though Ariel does not have a listed Facebook profile and his twitter account is inactive, hundreds of fans — and a sprinkling of critics — have posted messages on Facebook’s Official Peterpan Band site.

One fan, identified as Mahesa Wonk, advised Ariel — who has not commented publicly on the videos that also allegedly feature model Cut Tari and his current girlfriend, Maya Luna, — to “keep going.”

“Nobody’s perfect, don’t worry about the video and keep on making music,” he wrote.

Linda Wardani said the videos were possibly leaked by people who were jealous of Ariel and his friends’ careers.

Rini Riyadi asked Ariel to clear the air by holding a news conference.

“Ariel, please hold a news conference. If you’re right, please talk to the media. Don’t run or hide, don’t let it develop into something uglier. I am so sad because there’s a new video and the man looks so much like you, Riel,” Rini wrote.

Not all comments were supportive and others were angry.

“Anyone who still supports Ariel means he or she also supports adultery, you’re all pro-adulterers, aren’t you? Luna, I thought your love [for Ariel] would end up in a marriage but it only ended up in an adultery in a seedy motel room. F**k for Ariel,” wrote Syech Puji, who has a poor grasp of the definition of adultery.

Sex between two consenting adults, including between men, is not illegal in Indonesia.

One commentator on the Jakarta Globe Facebook Web site was left wondering if Ariel’s private video collection had been stolen, while another said he’d heard that 34 other videos were in existence.

“Ariel is the successor of Edison Chen, I guess hahahaha... Rock on, dude!” wrote Globe Facebook fan Nino Chandra, in reference to the Hong Kong actor whose career folded after pornographic photographs and videos with himself and a Chinese celebrities Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan and Cecilia Cheung were leaked to the Internet in 2008.

Jakarta Police, meanwhile, say they are focusing their investigations on finding the people who published the graphic sex tapes on the Web and charging them under the Electronic Information and Transaction Law.

“We will investigate whether the video was leaked by other people or the people in the video themselves,” Jakarta Police Spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar told Detik.com, adding that the police would not summon Ariel and Luna until they had finished investigating how the tape was leaked publicly.
--------------------------------------------
WATCH VIDEO HERE
--------------------------------------------
Indonesian celebrities in online sex video scandal
By Channel NewsAsia's Indonesia bureau chief Sujadi Siswo
Indonesian celebrities in online sex video scandal

JAKARTA : Indonesia is in the grips of a sex video scandal involving some of the country's top celebrities.

The clips allegedly involve Ariel - the vocalist from popular band Peterpan - and Luna Maya - a top actress and presenter.

The two videos - which are about eight minutes long - were posted online on Facebook.

Another clip allegedly features Ariel and another television presenter Cut Tari.

All the videos have been removed from the social networking website but not before they were downloaded and spread through the Internet.

All three celebrities deny the videos are of them.

But several media experts say the people in the clips do resemble the celebrities.

Unilever Indonesia has stopped airing a television soap commercial featuring Ariel and Luna Maya.

Indonesian police are investigating.

This is not the first time sex videos of prominent Indonesian personalities have been posted on the Internet.

But so far no arrests have been made. - CNA/jy

Goh Chok Tong's World Cup 2010 Empty Promise

From: Superbee
Subject: Re: Singapore to play in World Cup in 2010

During the 1998 National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Goh Chok
Tong after watching the French victory in 1998 World Cup said he was
inspired by a group of players led by Zinedine Zidane who is of
Algerian extraction. He further commented:

"Look at the French World Cup football team. In the final against
Brazil, I picked Zidane as the most outstanding French player. He is
of Algerian descent. Of the 22-players, more than half did not look
"French". They looked Argentinian, Armenian, Basque, Caribbean,
Ghanaian, New Caledonian. Some were born in France, but of immigrant
parents. Others are first generation French citizens. When they went
up to receive their medals, President Chirac embraced all of them as
Frenchmen. He sent a strong political signal for multi-racialism and
against xenophobia: that in France, so long as you contribute to the
French cause, it does not matter what colour your skin is or where you
were born.

Last year I told you Singapore would never have a chance in the World
Cup, because the rules require all players to be citizens. But after
watching the French victory, I have changed my mind. Maybe if we
change our immigration criteria to bring in top football talent and
make them citizens, then one day we too can get into the finals. In
fact we intend to do just this, to bring in sports talent."

By 2006, even with the Foreign Talent Scheme in place, the World Cup
goal had been abandoned.

By 2010, Singapore is nowhere near that goal after spending a lot of
money. However, the Table Tennis foreign talent scheme had worked to
secured a World Championship for Singapore.

For Singapore, perhaps better to start with small ball better than big
ball. Ladies' hand better than men's foot. Maybe the next goal is
2020, Singapore will bring the World Cup home ... by the ladies
again, .... men just dream on!

On Jun 9, 8:26 pm, "Grandprix" wrote:

> Does anybody remember our ex-PM declaring that Singapore would play in the
> 2010 World Cup?

> Two more days and why are players still in Singapore and drinking teh tarik
> at kopi-tiam????

> Singapore can do; see our women's paddlers!! Singapore can. Still got time
> to go to South Africa. We can beat Brazil or the best of Europe! Let's go!

Why the Singapore Media are rude

Below is an article posted at the online version of the The Straits Times. It talks about why foreigners perceive Singaporeans as getting ruder.

Ironically, the rudest statement in the whole article is not the article itself, or the comments that follow, but the warning message given by the ST website which reads, "Any user who posts offensive or irrelevant comments will be banned from this Discussion Board."

I have never seen such a rude warning in any discussion board, not even in the notorious newsgroups like Soc.Culture.Singapore.

Jun 11, 2010
Are Singaporeans rude?

IT WAS an article that sparked a war of words online and on the streets. Since appearing on the Internet on May 31, Australian journalist Tamara Thiessen's article, 'Singaporeans asked to chew on their manners' for the Sydney Morning Herald has started a wave of controversy in Singapore.

With criticisms like 'no good manners', lack of initiative to care', 'no civic awareness' and 'behaviour-regulating campaigns', many netizens have lashed out with angry comments, saying that the 'reporter was too harsh 'and that it was a 'hypocritical piece' with 'sweeping statements'. Is there any truth to her remarks? -- RACHEL SCULLY & AMANDA WONG

Latest comments
How do you define a Singaporean? Are all the foreigners living here Singaporeans?

From my personal observation, less than half of the people working or living here are born in this country.

Even in the block where I live, it seems that half the families living there are foreigners.

Posted by: WorldCup2010 at Sat Jun 12 23:04:06 SGT 2010
I find that I receive far better service, when I make it a point to thank the waiter/waitress, or salesperson who brings me my food/drink or shirt/shoes, that I requested for. It's a no brainer - kindness begets kindness. Show appreciation towards the one serving you, & he/she will be willing to go teh extra mile for you.
Posted by: Eagle_2OO4 at Sat Jun 12 22:55:05 SGT 2010
contd

They behave differently to strangers, service people etc cos there's no reason to be polite and civic. I believe it boils down to upbringing and personal values. For a start, if parents have no manners, monkey see, monkey do.
Posted by: JoJo2008 at Sat Jun 12 21:18:54 SGT 2010
honorine

[ I have found over the past few years that people here have become ruder. Would this be due to our obsession with material wealth? ]

I doubt it's about obsession with material wealth. We have lots of "nice people" who are only nice to other cos they want others to believe they're nice. .

Warning: Any user who posts offensive or irrelevant comments will be banned from this Discussion Board.

Starhub to Scamble World Cup Signals from RTM

Stifling technology in the name of monopoly and money, while screwing up all Singaporeans. That is what Starhub and Singtel are good at.

If you had been able to receive RTM TV1 or TV2 channels via Starhub Channel 118 and planned to watch World Cup 2010 via this channel, be in for a disappointment.

Nothing surprising and similar to the previous World Cup, Starhub had confirmed yesterday that they will be scrambling the signal from Channel 118 for all World Cup matches.

This means that all you will see is Gaussian white noise on Channel 118 during World Cup matches.

Time to go back to the good’o technology days when people buy long or fishbone antenna and extend it beyond their windows to get over-the-air signal.

RTM World Cup Schedule
For those of you who have not subscribed to the Singtel-Starhub World Cup 2010 package and do not intend to, we have listed down the RTM World Cup Schedule for your reference.

Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) is slated to broadcast most of the World Cup matches and presents an alternative (and free) option if you are able to receive RTM network within your vicinity in Singapore. World Cup 2010 schedule is listed against local time in Singapore and Malaysia.
MATCH
NO. DATE KICK OFF TIME TRANSMISSION TIME ROUND MATCH Station
1 11 JUN 22:00 21:00 GROUP A SOUTH AFRICA vs MEXICO RTM TV1
3 12 JUN 22:00 21:30 GROUP B ARGENTINA vs NIGERIA RTM TV1
5 13 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP C ENGLAND vs USA RTM TV1
7 14 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP D GERMANY vs AUSTRALIA RTM TV1
14 16 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP G BRAZIL vs KOREA DPR RTM TV1
15 16 JUN 19:30 19:00 GROUP H HONDURAS vs CHILE RTM TV2
18 18 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP A FRANCE vs MEXICO RTM TV1
23 19 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP C ENGLAND vs ALGERIA RTM TV1
25 19 JUN 19:30 19:00(Std IBC) GROUP E NERTHERLANDS vs JAPAN RTM TV1
24 19 JUN 22:00 21:30 GROUP D GHANA vs AUSTRALIA RTM TV1
27 20 JUN 19:30 19:00(Std IBC) GROUP F SLOVAKIA vs PARAGUAY RTM TV2
28 20 JUN 22:00 21:30 GROUP F ITALY vs NEW ZEALAND RTM TV1
29 21 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP G BRAZIL vs IVORY COAST RTM TV1
30 21 JUN 19:30 19:00 GROUP G PORTUGAL vs KOREA DPR RTM TV2
35 23 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP B NIGERIA vs REPUBLIC KOREA RTM TV1
38 23 JUN 22:00 21:30 GROUP C USA vs ALGERIA RTM TV1
39 24 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP D GHANA vs GERMANY RTM TV1
44 25 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP E CAMEROON vs NERTHERLANDS RTM TV1
47 26 JUN 02:30 02:00 GROUP H CHILE vs SPAIN RTM TV1
49 26 JUN 22:00 21:30 2nd ROUND 1st GROUP A vs 2nd GROUP B RTM TV1
50 27 JUN 02:30 02:00 2nd ROUND 1st GROUP C vs 2nd GROUP D RTM TV1
51 27 JUN 22:00 21:30 2nd ROUND 1st GROUP D vs 2nd GROUP C RTM TV1
52 28 JUN 02:30 02:00 2nd ROUND 1st GROUP B vs 2nd GROUP A RTM TV1
53 28 JUN 22:00 21:30 2nd ROUND 1st GROUP E vs 2nd GROUP F RTM TV1
54 29 JUN 02:30 02:00 2nd ROUND 1st GROUP G vs 2nd GROUP H RTM TV1
55 29 JUN 22:00 21:30 2nd ROUND 1st GROUP F vs 2nd GROUP E RTM TV1
56 30 JUN 02:30 02:00 2nd ROUND 1st GROUP H vs 2nd GROUP G RTM TV1
57 02JULAI 22:00 21:30 OUATERFINAL 1 WINNER MATCH 53 vs WINNER MATCH 54 RTM TV1
58 03JULAI 02:30 02:00 QUATERFINAL 2 WINNER MATCH 49 vs WINNER MATCH 50 RTM TV1
59 03JULAI 22:00 21:30 QUATERFINAL 3 WINNER MATCH 52 vs WINNER MATCH 51 RTM TV2
60 04JULAI 02:30 02:00 QUATERFINAL 4 WINNER MATCH 55 vs WINNER MATCH 56 RTM TV1
61 07JULAI 02:30 02:00 SEMIFINAL1 WINNER MATCH 58 vs WINNER MATCH 57 RTM TV1
62 08JULAI 02:30 02:00 SEMIFINAL2 WINNER MATCH 59 vs WINNER MATCH 60 RTM TV1
63 11JULAI 02:30 02:00 3rd PLACE LOSER MATCH 61 vs LOSER MATCH 62 RTM TV1
64 12JULAI 02:30 01:30 FINAL WINNER MATCH 61 vs WINNER MATCH 62 RTM TV1

Marina Bay Sands sued by Lawyers

SINGAPORE — SINGAPORE (AP) - An Asian lawyers' association sued Las Vegas Sands Corp.'s Singapore casino resort for allegedly misrepresenting the quality of its facilities for the legal group's annual conference.

The Inter-Pacific Bar Association asked Singapore's High Court earlier this week to award damages for misrepresentation and breach of agreement by Marina Bay Sands Pte., said Yap Wai Ming, chairman of the organizing committee for the IPBA conference.

Marina Bay Sands had filed a lawsuit against the IPBA on May 14, arguing the bar association owed 300,000 Singapore dollars ($212,000) for the conference held May 2 to May 5.

The IPBA said it stopped payment on two checks it had given Marina Bay Sands because the payments were made under duress, force and fear.

After big cost overruns and delays, the $5.7 billion Marina Bay Sands opened more than a third of its 2,500 hotel rooms and parts of a shopping mall and convention center in April. A 1.2-hectare (3-acre) SkyPark connecting the tops of three 55-story hotel towers should open this month, while a theater opens in October and a museum in December.

The Tokyo-based IPBA said Marina Bay Sands promised world-class facilities but the conference, the resort's first, was beset with problems including a leaky roof, power failures and unfinished hotel rooms.

Dignitaries such as former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew attended the conference.

"Marina Bay Sands worked diligently to solve issues during IPBA's conference," the resort said in a statement Thursday. "We made a series of concessions and tried on a number of occasions to come to an amicable business settlement but met with no success."

Marina Bay Sands has 14 days from the IPBA filing to formally respond in court to the countersuit.

PAP Launched Election Campaign in Facebook

With the kind of resources and machinery they have, the PAP now want to take control of Facebook and other internet social networking sites in their campaign against the oppositions.

Above is a sponsored advertisement appearing in almost every main Facebook webpages this morning, firmly anchored on the right hand column.

It will be interesting to see how the opposition take on the PAP in the Facebook war. This is turning into a real Mafia Wars in Facebook.

Retirement Age : Shifting The Goal Posts

Majority of establishments keep workers beyond the age of 62
AsiaOne

A majority of employees surveyed by the Ministry of Manpower have allowed their local employees to work beyond 62 - and most of these employees have stayed on.

The survey, which was conducted on a sample of 3,200 private establishments (each with at least 25 employees) employing over 800,000 employees, showed that nearly two thirds of private companies have implemented measures to allow employees to work beyond the statutory retirement age.

This includes allowing them to continue with their existing contract, or by offering re-employment. Due to this, nearly eight in 10 employees worked in these establishments.

Of those companies that have not implemented any such measures, only 22 per cent employ locals. Majority of these companies said they have not done anything because none of their employees have approached retirement age, while a quarter admitted that they have simply not thought of doing so.

A small percentage of this group (12 per cent) said they do not see the need to do anything. An even smaller percentage (8 per cent) will devise a plan in the next one to three years.

Seven out of 10 employers who offered re-employment indicated that the workers could be redeployed to another job. While most contracts offered are on a one-year basis, these employers also said the contracts were renewable, with no maximum age limit for the extension of employment.

Companies with re-employment policies who did not offer re-employment to qualified employees beyond 62 cited lack of suitable jobs as well as employees indicating that they did not want to work beyond this age, as the reasons for doing so.
--------------------------------------------
AleXX wrote:
> Now it is 62 years old, next year would be 65, then graduating to 67, 72,
> 80, 85 and 90 years old. So those who are born in 1962 will be 55 years old
> in year 2017. These unlucky Singaporeans will only start to see their
> retirement money (if any) trickling in when they are 90 years old in year
> 2052. Most of these people will be either dead or seriously ill and been bed
> ridden or in a state of comatose.
> Papist government will then rubber stamp a law in pariahment and "Chong-Kon"
> all the monies left behind :)
--------------------------------------------
From: Pubic Hair
Subject: Re: Good reasons for CPF to push further back the retirement withdrawal age

It's not only in Singapore, in the US is no difference. The reason why
is because many Singaporeans live longer, not shorter. And these older
Singaporeans who are still alive when they should have been dead long
time ago are expensive to take care of for another 20 or 30 years.

Who pays for them? Who else, the Singaporean government, right? And
where does the government get the money from to pay? Must be from you
and your children :)

Somebody old whom I know was admitted to the hospital for about one week
for tests and observation. Her hospital bill was about US$70,000.00
Medicare and Medicaid paid, and she paid not a nickel.

And do you know how many sick old people go and leave the hospital
daily? Thousands if not more, and they paid nothing. Their payroll
contribution (Medicare) is worthless (very minimal), but when they get
old and sick the government has to pay whatever the hospital charges
them.

I suggest that when you wake up in the morning or before going to bed at
night post the good things about your government, and not about what you
perceive as bad only...because your government is a good government...

Foreign Talents Committing Heinous Crimes all over Singapore

Michael Garing

There are of course numerous petty crimes gone unreported. The once peaceful and safe haven called Singapore is going, going and gone. Less people will be walking on the streets alone from now on.

A Malaysian man from Sarawak was charged Tuesday with the murder of a construction worker in Singapore while two others were accused of gang robbery.

No plea was taken from Michael Garing, 22, a general worker who allegedly committed the murder of Indian national Shanmuganathan Dillidurai, 41, with three others at an open field along Kallang Road on Sunday.

In the same court, Sylvester Barogok, 26, and Shahman Milak, 21, both also from Sarawak, were charged with committing gang robbery of a mobile phone, cash of $32, a work permit card and an ez-link card from Raja Kana Kazi under an overhead bridge Friday evening.

The duo were allegedly with Micheal, Hairee Landak, 19, Tony Imba, 31, and Donny Meluda, 19, one or more of whom were armed with a parang.

All three were remanded at Singapore's central police division lock-up for further investigation.

If convicted of murder, Micheal faces the death penalty. The maximum punishment for gang robbery is a jail term of five to 20 years and not less than 12 strokes of the cane.
---------------------------------------------
Beware! More foreign criminal elements are coming to Singapore!
Newsgroups: soc.culture.singapore
From: Zanzibar
Subject: Re: Foreigners making Singapore unsafe ?

> This is strange...

> When the PAP govt are telling Singaporean to accept more foreigners for
> "the good of Singapore", foreigners seems to be committing more crime
> lately.

> Several months ago, I laughed when an article written by one ST writer
> claiming the perception of foreigners making Singapore "unsafe" is not
> true. So, how can one explain the recent spate of crime committed by
> foreigners lately ?

That writer seems out of experience with the reality of life. when
Singapore was viewed by foreigners as a safe city, it creates the
opportunity for them to produce unsafe activities from businesses to
robbing, and violence attacks. (as seen lately in the news)

THe spate of these kinds of crime by them became the cornerstones for
the foreigners to move to Singapore.

A few years, a visitor from India wrote in the forum page saying that
during his few visits to Singapore, he was curious when he was walking
in Singapore that he saw no policemen around in sight.

Although this was no exactly what he said, he was referring that no
police patrol was in sight on most times he moved and saw around of
Singapore.

I believe this might have seemed obvious to him that our policemen is
only available "on-a-on-call-basis" only when crimes had already been
commited.

He said this was far in contrast and comparison with India, which he
came from, that there are lots of policemen around looking at you,
manning street corners - all in the name of preventing crimes.

It seemed to me he was referring that in India there are lots of
"loitering" policemen around, who were to get up each morning and then
walk these street corners to "see and be seen" and to "watch and be
watched" in order to impress or create a safe environment.

His revelation of Singapore in the forum page may have been well
published and may even repeatedly recirculated by other foreign
newspapers and Tv media in India and other third world countries.

That probably had manifested many foreigners, mainly from third world
countries, to come to Singapore for their thrist of crimes and for
their sprees of crimes. This was indeed the fault of our beloved
leaders for their crimes of it.