Commentary – Where did this news go?

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The following 2 articles were posted around 6th June, slightly more than one week ago.


Article on Zaobao
Article on OMY.sg

A translation of the Zaobao article is as follow (courtesty of Fiefie):

About midnight of 6th June 2009, the police sent 8 anti-riot vehicles to a foreign workers dormitory in Choa Chu Kang as about 100 foreign workers were involved in a riot.

According to Lianhe Wanbao, they were informed of the riot at the Choa Chu Kang Foreign Workers Dormitory near midnight when about 100 foreign workers were suspected of fighting after getting drunk and the situation quickly went out of control. The police then dispatched 8 anti-riot vehicles to the scene. 6 were wounded and 8 arrested in this incident.

This shocking and bloody incident happened at about 1205am on the 6th of June 2009 and ended only around 2am. The place was Foreign Workers Dormitory No. 2 along Choa Chu Kang Murai Farmway.

An eyewitness said, “I heard that a few foreign workers were drinking at the canteen stalls and creating a scene after getting drunk. After being confronted by other workers, a fight broke out after disagreement. The situation then rapidly went out of control and the place was a total mess. After that, more joined in the fight and there were about 100 people involved in the fight chasing around, pandemonium ensued.”

The dormitory houses about 5000 foreign workers, facilities included a barber shop and various shops, plus a canteen of which there was a stall selling only alcohol.

I first noticed this piece of news on Zaobao’s Twitter. But what made these two old news pieces interesting was that I was unable to find their English equivalent, be it on any other SPH English papers (The Strike Stooge Times, The NewPaper LewdPaper and Today) or even CNA. Much less, foreign news agencies like AFP or Reuters.

I have waited a week to put this up because I wanted to give more time for the English articles to get onto the search engines. Perhaps my skills with search engines is getting rusty, or my RSS feeds are not intensive enough, this piece of news seems to be sucked into an information black hole. Many people I asked, who didn’t read the Chinese evening tabloid – Lianhe Wanbao [联合晚报], are completely unaware of this incident.

Was this piece of news deliberately kept off our national daily for some unknown agenda? Was it done to prevent an outburst of negative sentiments against foreign workers or the setting up of dormitories? Or is this yet another example on just how hopeless the Stooge Times is? Do note I have talked about the possibility of this happening before.

If any of you has read anything like this on the Stooge Times (or any other SPH papers), or CNA, please direct me to them just so I can convince myself that I need to do something about my techniques with search engines.

Commentary – Hopeless SPH

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The caption in Chinese reads: Helicopter hovering at low altitude caused public to suspect it to be part of ongoing anti-vice operations (Taken from Lianhe Wanbao [联合晚报])

The pathetic level of journalism in our Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) newspapers just never seem to get out of the cesspool it is in. From biased reporting on the Opposition Parties and their members, to the one-sided and seditious articles written during the AWARE issue, to the kind of idiotic readers’ letters published on the short-lived STREATS free-sheet and some times even the Straits Stooge Times Forum page, the SPH has not only successfully positioned itself as a stooge for the government gahmen but also succeeded in presenting to the world that Singaporeans are ignorant and idiotic. Thank you very much, especially to the Stooge Times because foreigners reading our so-called national daily puts us all to collective shame when some of the more idiotic comments are published for all to see. It amazes me that it never occurred to the Editors allowing those letters to be published make us wonder about their general intelligence level as by allowing those articles to be published would mean a certain level of endorsement.

Thus, I had generally avoid criticising the tabloid like reporting in the evening Chinese tabloids like Shin Ming [新明] and Lianhe Wanbao [联合晚报] even when I know a lot of those articles published – especially those on the Entertainment column – we should all read with a pinch of salt. After all, my friends and I do find those articles hilarious and entertaining and there is nothing wrong about it. We all needed something to laugh about. However, I had not expect it to go the same way as our English papers – making us all look like idiots. Thanks to this particular caption, now even PRC Nationals or any foreigner who can read Chinese will be laughing at Singaporeans’ ‘collective ignorance’.

I have a high regard for my fellow Singaporeans and certainly, even while some might have misconception about what these helicopter overflights are about, most of us would have known they are a part of our National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsals. While there is an ongoing and persistent operation against the street walkers in Geylang recently, most Singaporeans are also aware that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF), which are under the Ministry of Defense (MID) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) respectively, have a separate chain of command and very different roles in the security of this country.

Thank you very much, SPH, for your relentless effort in making Singaporeans looked like they couldn’t even tie their own shoelaces or feed themselves without someone helping them.


Recommended Reads:
StraitsBlogs.com: 六四断想

毋忘六四

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一九八九年六月三日，当时的我再过两个多星期就十八岁。

而在六月三日的晚上到六月四日清晨在北京发生了骇人听闻的惨剧 – 开往北京天安门广场的中国人民解放军向手无寸铁的学生和人民开枪。天安门那晚发生的事，我是到了第二天晚间新闻才知道的。

一直以来，我个人是非常亲中的，但是我一直无法认可和赞同中国政府当年的做法。不只我个人不赞同，就连当年三十八军的军长 徐勤先，也抗命并且拒绝执行所谓的 “戒严任务”。在军事法庭审讯期间，这位军长非但没有认罪，还说了: 人民军队从来没有镇压人民的历史，我绝对不能玷污这个历史。 这一个铁铮铮的汉子，就因为如此被关押了五年！

中国政府称这为一场暴乱。这二十年来仍然不承认那天所犯的罪行，连死亡数字都含糊其词，甚至还曾称天安门广场上没死一个人。但是如果真的如此，为何有群可怜的母亲建立了 天安门母亲 这样一个网站，苦苦追索大屠杀的真相？难道说死难者门都是城外被杀的暴徒吗？

二十年了过去了，虽然中国的经济发展有目共睹。但是，在新中国成立一个甲子的今年，中国政府这时更加应该放下这个历史包袱，不要再继续以文革式的手法或者以这二十年来的经济成果来掩埋当年真相。应当平反六四，为六四的死难者和给中国人民和全世界一个合理的说法来。不要再让这一事件继续撕裂世界的华族社群！不要谈到南京大屠杀就理直气壮，讲到六四就成了缩头乌龟！

让真相大白！大家毋忘六四！

AWARE Aftermath

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TODAY‘s interview with DPM Wong Kan Seng KannaSai published on May 14 appears to be the final chapter in the AWARE Saga, and personally I wondered why the interview wasn’t done any earlier. Some of us have mused that had that been so, the results of the AWARE EGM may have been different.

The Conservatives have certainly lost the AWARE battle and perhaps even the battle for Internet opinion. In fact, had Internet opinion been the yardstick, it would appear that the Conservatives were ‘completely routed’ by the HBT (Homosexual, Bisexual and Transgendered) activists militants, and their cheerleaders. On the other hand, recent events indicates otherwise. It seems like the Conservatives may have actually ‘won’ this round instead as the government gahmen appeared to have put its feet down somewhat, as seen from the DPM’s answers in his interview with TODAY.

Following that, MOE (Ministry of Education), which has already suspended CSE, will now no longer allow its use in school. It has also dropped AWARE as a trusted external vendor for sex education as it ‘takes a serious view of the Sexuality Education Programme and is standing by the attitudes of mainstream values and emphasis on conventional family values’. To the ‘HBT militancy’, this is perhaps a return to the Dark Ages. It is almost as if Singapore schools will soon begin teaching our kids that ‘homosexuals should be stoned to death, or that having premarital sex will cause blindness’.

This matter has to some extent caused a rift among Singaporeans. And thanks to the selective and seditious articles by a particular Senior Senile Writer and Deputy Editor of the Stooge Times, this has turned into an exclusive HBT vs Christians fight, mirroring what goes on in America and providing oxygen and oil to an anti-Christian fire while causing some religious-disharmony in Singapore. As a result of their actions, Singapore will probably not hear the last from the ‘HBT militancy’ and it is certain many Christians will not relent from their belief that homosexuality is a sin as to do so is the equivalent of renouncing a part of their Scriptures.

So, we are at an impasse as both groups will not back down from their respective stand, and Singapore society will definitely be drawn again and again into this conflict. Personally, I have heard some of arguments of those who support HBT activism, and in spite of that I remained non-supportive of it. I’ll state my stand and some of the things I am going to say next will probably offend a lot of pro-HBT people.

First of all, from my perspective, the gahmen has taken an acceptable approach in their dealing with the homosexuals in our midst. As a result of this approach, homosexuals do already enjoy a lot of liberty in Singapore and they can do much without hindrance from either society or the authorities. Some of which I have written in an earlier post. My stand on this is, there is no reason to take away what is already there, and if there is any real social / official discrimination in this country it is best to address the department or ministry specifically since it is not a social issue that affects all Singaporeans. For e.g. if the HBT people have any issues with the 302 medical status in the SAF (Singapore Armed Forces), they should open a dialogue with the Ministry of Defense. In fact, some homosexuals have already done this. On Wikipedia there is an article about the HBT history in Singapore and in it was an incident in the 1990s whereby a lawyer wrote to the Chief of Police and gotten an apology for rude treatment during a police raid on a homosexual bar. In fact, since then all discriminative raids on homosexual night spots have ceased.

There was an acquaintance with homosexual relative(s?) who had confronted me previously on my stand on homosexuality, citing that the relative’s sexual orientation is not a crime and there should be no reason for my support for not repealing Section 377A. In her point of view, there is also no reason for objection to a ‘monogamous homosexual relationship’. I doubt this acquaintance know the difference between a homosexual relationship and an exclusive non-sexual relationship with another member of the same sex. A brother-in-Christ pointed out to me that the latter is called being best buddies while a monogamous relationship would mean being in a sexual relationship with a single partner.

If one asked me what is my problem of a monogamous homosexual relationship, I can only say Christianity objects to homosexual sex. This usually draws a wave of denunciation, as many argued that people shouldn’t be condemned for their ‘sexual preferences’. In fact, I tried to deflect that by pointing out that Christianity hasn’t in particular single outs homosexual sex for condemnation, but rather promiscuity. Even that drew opposition, since I had made it sound like all homosexuals are promiscuous, or that homosexual promiscuity is worse than heterosexual promiscuity. (On thinking back, I should perhaps have simply said accepting one’s ‘sexual preferences’ is a slippery slope since bestiality, pedophilia and necrophilia can be considered ‘sexual preferences’ too. After all I’ll get whacked no matter what I say anyway. So much for tolerance.)

With regard to the matter that not all homosexuals are promiscuous, I do not contest that assertion. Yet I have to point out that my personal experience, and that of a few friends have made us doubtful. A friend and I have been hit on by homosexuals on a double decker bus before – one 3 separate occasions – while another almost for some odd reasons always attract the attention of homosexuals with their ‘gay-dar’ up. No prizes for guessing why there remain some ‘narrow-mindedness’ within society. It would be better for the ‘HBT militancy’ to do something about the misfits causing this image problem instead of fighting for things that cannot be achieved, or calling those who oppose religious hypocrites or sanctimonious bastards.

As for the accusation of double standards pertaining to homosexual promiscuity, that has some merit because Christians seem to have long given up the fight against public sexual immorality. However, the lack of protest from Christians against those who had one-night stands, or those who openly encourage whore-mongering and sex trade license, doesn’t mean Christians find them more acceptable. In short, failure in duty to object to one does not lessen the duty to object to the other.

Anyway, in spite of our personal convictions to our faith, most Christians like myself have always been tolerant of homosexuals. Most Christians simply stop short of endorsing homosexuality and that’s as tolerant as we will be, and no further. Pastors may preach against homosexuality but at the very least those were kept within the 4 walls of their churches. If for this Christians are called bigots, conservatives, fundamentalists and all sorts of names while Christians are up against a specific homosexual agenda which seeks legitimacy and approval of homosexual promiscuity, then so be it. Christians have long since come to accept things we cannot change. But be assured, if anyone seeks to interfere with what the Church can preach within its walls, or to decide for Christians which part of God’s message they can only deliver, then the Christians will certainly react.

So, Christians will not stop in helping homosexuals who wants it, or to have family focused programs meant to inculcate a traditional view on what marriage and a core family unit should be like. Christians will continue to provided programs, such as the Choices Ministry by Church of Our Savior, to help homosexuals back to a normal life. Singapore is not a theocracy and no one in their right mind will insist that all homosexuals go under any of these Christian programs. If there are homosexuals who doesn’t want to change, that is really fine by me, but don’t attempt to shout the Christians down and deny other homosexuals an avenue to change. For a homosexual who already made up his mind not to change to force or decide that all homosexuals ‘can’t be changed’ and thus Christianity should not do anything is nothing more than pure evil.

Thus, it is my considered opinion that when ‘HBT militants’ continue to pressure society into endorsing them, then they must be prepared to face reprisals from some quarters of society. If they are all for a more civil society and yet resort to intimidating the opposition into silence by labeling them, or even resort to death threats, that will only serve to polarise and divide our nation. All of this may result in some reaction from society but don’t bet on it that it will always be positive to the HBT community. Blame no one if some liberties already available now to the HBT is taken away as a result of ‘HBT militants’ pushing matters too far.

For example, if the ‘taking back’ of AWARE is a victory for the homosexual community against the Christian conservatives, then consider what this push has really gained them now that AWARE is no longer a trusted vendor of the MOE. That is of course not mentioning just how even more Christians are now alerted to the tactics used by ‘HBT militants’ and learning how to counter them, while the gahmen grows increasingly wary.

Recommended Reads:
The Path Less Trodden – The Jalan Kayu Trail Blog
The Online Citizen: Change You Can Believe In Part (I)

Movie – Angels & Demons

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WARNING: SPOILERS INCLUDED!!

‘Angels and Demons’ is movie based on a Dan Brown novel of the same name, made in the wake of the success of the ‘Da Vinci Code’ – also a Dan Brown novel.

With perhaps the exception of Tom Hanks as Professor Robert Langdon, there is no connection at all between this movie and the ‘Da Vinci Code’. The story begins with the death of a Pope, the theft of anti-matter taken from CERN’s Large Hadron Collider [LHC], the invitation of Professor Langdon to assist in the investigation of a terror threat against the Vatican, the kidnap of the Il preferiti’ (the 4 cardinals who are most likely to succeed as Pope), and return of a secret society known as the Illuminati which appears to be pursuing a age old vendetta against the Catholic Church.

For those who had already read the book, the movie was far less exciting even though I must say it has more suspense than its predecessor. However, other than the general storyline being similar to the book, the details in the movie were markedly different. I will not go into the details of those differences, as it would contain even more spoilers.

Unlike the ‘Da Vinci Code’, where it led Professor Langdon to several places in Paris and later to England, the story of ‘Angels and Demons’ happens solely in Rome and Vatican city, and take the audience across the city is a race against time to save the 4 ‘preferiti’ and to recover the anti-matter, failure of which would have dire consequences for Catholic Church and the total destruction of Vatican City.

In some ways it has showcased Rome to the world – the many churches, its long history from the ancient times, the beauty that many Renaissance artists have bequeath upon it. I am quite sure many people will want to visit Rome and see some Rome for themselves after this.

I find the movie’s pace much faster and in fact, even more thrilling than ‘Da Vinci Code’ itself. Ewan McGregor did well in his role as the Camerlengo even though the movie has modified and even omitted many parts of the book to fit into a film of slightly more than 2 hours. If you like the movie, I personally suggest you should also read the book to find out the differences. The book has a lot more depth and suspense, and is far more intriguing, than the movie.

Funny Pic of the Day: Sex with a colleague at work

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