What’s good for the goose ...

What’s good for the goose ...

Isn’t for the gander? DBS has other multi-taskers too, besides Aware’s president

Friday • April 17, 2009

Conrad Raj

editor-at-large | conrad@mediacorp.com.sg



ONE might wonder if there is more than meets the eye, in DBS Bank’s disapproval of Ms Josie Lau Meng Lee’s appointment as president of Aware.

The bank said on Wednesday that although it supported her involvement in Aware as a council member in her own personal capacity, it was “not supportive” of her running for presidency of the women’s advocacy group.

“We believe that as a VP (vice-president) in DBS, she already has a challenging job with many responsibilities and the role of president would demand too much of her time and energy,” the bank said in a media statement.

If it is the case that Ms Lau’s new post at Aware would take up too much of her time, then what about the various external groups that the bank’s senior management are involved in?

Mr Koh Boon Hwee already has a full time job as executive director of MediaRing. Yet he chairs DBS Holdings, since the late chief executive Richard Stanley became ill with cancer, where he has been involved in the daily running of Singapore’s largest commercial bank.

Furthermore, Mr Koh is a director of Sunningdale Tech, chairman of the Board of Trustees at Nanyang Technological University, a director at Temasek Holdings, and on the boards of Agilent Technologies and the Hewlett Foundation. Is that not more onerous than being a VP of DBS’ credit card division and president of Aware?

Mr Koh is not the only one multi-tasking at the bank; most of its other directors sit on other boards besides having full-time jobs.

Take Dr Bart Broadman, 47, for example. He is not only managing director of Singapore-based Alphadyne Asset Management which he founded, but is also a board member of the Central Provident Fund Board, serving on its Investment Committee; as well as vice-chairman of the Board of Governors at the Singapore American School.

Board member Kwa Chong Seng, 62, is not only chairman and managing director of oil giant ExxonMobil Asia Pacific and the lead manager of the company’s subsidiaries in Singapore, but also deputy chairman of Temasek Holdings, a director of Sinopec SenMei (Fujian) Petroleum Company and a member of the Public Service and Legal Service commissions.

Mr Wong Ngit Liong, 67, is not only a member of DBS’ Board and its Audit committee, the Nominating and Compensation committee and the Management Development committee — but also runs one of the biggest contract manufacturing plants in Singapore, the Venture Group of companies. He is also chairman of the NUS Board of Trustees and a member of the Research Innovation and Enterprise Council.

All this aside, several of Singapore’s Ministers and top civil servants hold more than one portfolio. In fact, many permanent secretaries sit on various boards of statutory boards and private companies, besides running their respective ministries.

Yet, Ms Lau is considered not capable of handling the presidency of Aware and her job at DBS. Is the bank that demanding an employer? Also, she was given approval to be a council member but not take on the higher-profile appointment at Aware: One would have thought, it would be a feather in DBS’ cap to have a staff member gaining the presidency of a prominent organisation.

In any case, DBS should be judgingMs Lau on her performance at the bank. If she is not able to perform adequately as a VP, there are various measures the bank can take to improve her performance, including cutting her bonus or stagnating her pay.

Unless there are other factors at play here?

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DBS rebukes Aware president

April 17, 2009

DBS rebukes Aware president

Disregarded code twice

DBS holding an internal review over Josie Lau's conduct

By Wong Kim Hoh

A DAY after becoming president of Singapore's leading women's group, Ms Josie Lau found herself in hot water at work.

OCBC backs DBS stand OCBC Bank backs the position taken by DBS Bank on the need for staff to seek approval before holding office in other organisations. A key concern for financial institutions is possible conflict of interest, especially when someone senior takes on a role in an outside organisation, said OCBC spokesman Koh Ching Ching. ... more 'She breached staff code of conduct' DBS Bank yesterday elaborated on the reasons it was unhappy that Ms Josie Lau (above) disregarded the advice not to take on the role of Aware president. Its spokesman issued this statement: 'THE bank takes pride in the fact that many DBS employees pursue their interests and passion outside work, and are involved with various community/ charity/volunteer organisations in their personal capacity. ... more

DBS Bank, where she is a vice-president, is conducting an internal review over how she disregarded its advice against taking on the top post at the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware).

On Wednesday night, shortly after Ms Lau, 48, announced that she was the new president, the bank issued a statement making clear that it had told her not to take that position.

The public rebuke shocked not only Aware members who have been dealing with a string of dramatic events recently, but also others who thought it unfair for the bank to say Ms Lau had too much on her plate at work to take on a voluntary position.

Yesterday, DBS Bank revealed that Ms Lau - its vice-president for consumer banking group cards and unsecured loans - had breached its staff code of conduct twice in recent weeks.

She did not tell the bank before running for a spot on the Aware executive committee, revealing that only two weeks after the March 28 annual general meeting (AGM). Yet, the bank decided to support her carrying on as an Aware exco member.

That AGM saw Aware's leadership change unexpectedly when a group of new members showed up and defeated veterans. Then new president Claire Nazar quit suddenly.

Ms Lau did not tell DBS that she was keen to assume the post. DBS said it was only on Wednesday afternoon - just hours before the exco was due to pick the new president - that she made known her intentions.

'We reviewed her request and subsequently informed her that while the bank continued to support her involvement in Aware, we could not support her intention to run for president, given the demands associated with the top post of a leading advocacy group in Singapore,' a spokesman said.

'We are disappointed that Josie knowingly disregarded DBS' staff code of conduct twice. Such an attitude is not one that DBS, or any other organisation, can condone in a leader,' the spokesman said.

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DBS "reviewing" employee's appointment as AWARE president

DBS "reviewing" employee's appointment as AWARE president
Posted: 17 April 2009 1048 hrs

	Photos 1 of 1 > " onclick="Next();" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_next.gif" type="image" width="18" height="15"> Josie Lau (seated, front) helms AWARE's new executive committee, partly seen here
	Related News • Women's advocacy group AWARE picks new president • 160 AWARE members call for meeting to question new ExCo • 150 AWARE members seek vote of no confidence in new executive committee

SINGAPORE: As observers reacted with surprise to DBS Bank’s declaration that it did not support employee Josie Lau’s appointment as president of a local women’s advocacy group, the bank on Thursday further revealed that it was “reviewing the matter internally” - after she had "knowingly disregarded" its staff code of conduct twice.

Said a bank spokesperson: “Such attitude is not one that DBS, or any other organisation, can condone in a leader.”

Ms Lau, who is the bank’s vice-president of consumer banking group cards and unsecured loans, was on Wednesday night named the new Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) chief.

Shortly after, DBS issued a statement implying that Ms Lau had gone against its wishes in taking up the post.

Shedding more light on this on Thursday, DBS revealed that Ms Lau had informed the bank on April 13 that she had been appointed to the AWARE executive committee - more than two weeks after the deed was done on March 28.

“She had not sought prior approval for this appointment and thereby breached the staff code of conduct. Nevertheless, DBS made a concession and agreed to support her involvement as exco member,” said the bank spokesperson.

Then, early this week, she told the bank she was aiming for the top post.

The bank reviewed this request and informed her that while it continued to support her involvement in AWARE, “we could not support her intent to run for president, given the demands associated with the top post of a leading advocacy group in Singapore”.

“Banks worldwide are facing very challenging times and her role as VP in the credit card space today is even more challenging, given the environment we are in,” added the spokesperson. “We are disappointed that Josie knowingly disregarded DBS’ staff code of conduct twice.”

Ms Lau declined to comment, with an AWARE spokesperson saying she would speak to the media once things settled down.

The bank’s public rebuke has puzzled some. It was one thing for firms to express concern in private over employees’ involvement in external activities, and quite another to do so publicly, particularly for a senior staff, they felt.

“At the very senior management level, there should be adequate communication about such involvements... In this case, there may be some other issues of which we may be unaware,” said Singapore Human Resource Institute executive director David Ang.

“For DBS to issue such a statement, (the situation) must be of some gravity.”

TODAY understands that under the Banking Act, all bank employees must declare their involvement with external organisations, such as NGOs, to avoid a potential clash of interest.

Banks contacted confirmed the industry practice. Said OCBC spokesperson Koh Ching Ching: “Financial institutions also need to know of potential conflicts for any possible supplier-buyer situations, even for accounts held by non-profit organisations or charities with us.”

The bank respects staff’s “own assessment of their own abilities to balance work, family and community service activities”; still, they are encouraged to discuss their external commitments “if they need advice”.

Within the NGO sector, Ms Lau – who joined DBS in 2004 after 15 years of developing and marketing events with the Singapore Tourism Board – is not alone in incurring employers’ dissatisfaction.

One NGO veteran who declined to be named told TODAY, his employers have from time to time “pressured” him to give up his commitments.

Dr Geh Min, who stepped down last year as Nature Society president, said it ultimately boils down to the trust between employer and staff.

“It’s right for a company to expect commitment and loyalty... it’s up to the employee to convince the company he can juggle (the demands),” said the ophthalmologist who runs her own clinic.

Mr Ang said that even among companies with a policy against staff holding external appointments, most are flexible on the matter.

Citing his own experience as president of the Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation, Singapore Cable Manufacturer chairman Renny Yeo feels such involvement would further hone a person’s leadership and organisational skills, which would in turn benefit the company.

But the bottomline, said Mr Yeo, is whether the company feels the staff is up to the balancing act.

The mantra at DBS, it seems, is no different.

Stressing that the bank “takes pride in” the many DBS employees who are involved in community, charity or volunteer groups in their personal capacity, the spokesperson reiterated that these staff “had sought and obtained prior approval to do so”.

Approval is granted on a case-by-case basis, “depending on the demands of the proposed external appointment and the job responsibilities the individual holds in the bank”.
- TODAY/yb

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DBS tells why it rebuked Josie Lau

DBS tells why it rebuked Josie Lau
Fri, Apr 17, 2009
The Straits Times
By Wong Kim Hoh

A DAY after becoming president of Singapore's leading women's group, Ms Josie Lau found herself in hot water at work.

DBS Bank, where she is a vice-president, is conducting an internal review over how she disregarded its advice against taking on the top post at the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware).

On Wednesday night, shortly after Ms Lau, 48, announced that she was the new president, the bank issued a statement making clear that it had told her not to take that position.

'She breached staff code of conduct'

'THE bank takes pride in the fact that many DBS employees pursue their interests and passion outside work, and are involved with various community/ charity/volunteer organisations in their personal capacity.

These employees had sought and obtained prior approval to do so, in accordance with the bank's staff code of conduct. Approval is granted on a case-by-case basis, depending on the demands of the proposed external appointment as well as the job responsibilities that the individual holds in the bank.

Josie informed the bank of her appointment as Aware Exco member on April 13, over two weeks after she was appointed on March 28. She had not sought prior approval for this appointment and thereby breached the staff code of conduct.

OCBC backs DBS stand

OCBC Bank backs the position taken by DBS Bank on the need for staff to seek approval before holding office in other organisations.

A key concern for financial institutions is possible conflict of interest, especially when someone senior takes on a role in an outside organisation, said OCBC spokesman Koh Ching Ching.

'It is important that financial institutions know of potential conflict of interest for their bank employees as we are required to regularly report to the regulators and our respective boards on any credit facilities to entities where our employees are directors, executive officers, guarantors or sureties,' she said. 'Financial institutions also need to know of potential conflicts for any possible supplier-buyer situations, even for accounts held by non-profit organisations or charities with us.'


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The Myth of the Violent Singaporean Protestor

The Myth of the Violent Singaporean Protestor

In the ISD Intelligence Service Promotion Ceremony on 15 April 2009, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, Mr. Wong Kan Seng said that they would implement the recently passed Public Order Act "firmly" to deal with those "intent on disrupting public order".

But what does he mean by disruption of "public order"? Prior to asserting that they will deal firmly, Mr. Wong paints a picture of public disruption when he said, "We have just seen the G20 protests in London. Thousands of protestors had taken to the streets, with the more violent among them damaging public property and business premises. In Thailand over the last one year, thousands of protestors have caused grave damage not just to physical property, but to livelihoods and the economy of the country as tourists are staying away. We have also seen on television street battles between protestors and authorities, causing injuries to many people and some have died as a result. I do not believe that Singaporeans would want such violence to happen here, and with what we have seen time and again in other countries, it would be naive of us to believe that nothing untoward will happen during street demonstrations".

There has been no such incidences of violence in the acts of civil disobedience in Singapore. In fact, it is the authorities who had upped their notch of violence in countering the these acts of civil disobedience in recent days.

When the Minister said, "In Singapore, it is only a tiny group of irresponsible and selfish individuals who have been pushing this line of civil disobedience. They do not care for the interests and safety of other Singaporeans; they are only interested in themselves", he tried to draw a parallel between the violent protestors of the United Kingdom and Thailand, to the peaceful protestors in Singapore like Seelan Palay, Shafiie Syahmi and the likes. This is highly misleading and regrettable.

Would the Singapore Police Force now acquire (or have they already acquired) 'non-lethal' devices like the stun shield to counter such protestors of civil disobedience? At the Trussco's exhibition of 'restraining devices' held on the same day as the ISD Intelligence Service Promotion Ceremony, Trussco's CEO, Mrs. Tina Wong said that the Singapore Police Force were "a major end user" of the Taser technology.

Amnesty International in providing a sample of manufacturers of exporters of 'non-lethal' devices, which could be used for torture as well, notes that Defenders Network a company based in Alabama, USA, had sold restraining devices such as Electrified High-Voltage Anti-Riot Shields which could emit up to up to 150,000 volts, to Singapore (among other coutries), because as Defenders Network claims, it can "maintain peace and order without drawing blood or endangering lives".

But are such devices really 'non-lethal' and do they not 'endanger lives'? The use of stun shield has resulted in at least one "unnecessary use of force" death in the USA prison systems. And also, there is the tragedy of Harry Landis, the Texas Corrections Officer. On December 1 1995, as part of the training to use such an electric shield, Landis was required to endure two 45,000-volt shocks. Shortly after the second shock, Landis collapsed and died. An inquiry later revealed that "the electric shock threw his heart into a different rhythmic beat, causing him to pass away".

The ability to burst the trigger and send at least 50,000 volts of electricity, which stuns or causes the death of a protestor, even in the pretext of maintaining "public order", is too much of a responsibility to be given to the police; especially based on a mere hypothesis, when there is no recent history of violent protestors in Singapore.

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“Zahari 17 Years” continues to be banned in S’pore - BFC

“Zahari 17 Years” continues to be banned in S’pore - BFC

Friday, 17 April 2009

Film maker, Mr Martyn See, submitted six films to the Board of Film Censors on 31 March 2009. The following is the BFC’s letter which was received by Mr See on April 17.

Dear Mr See,

1. I refer to your letter dated 31 March 2009 regarding your submission of six films to the Board of Film Censors (BFC) for classification.

2. Please note that the 2009 amendments to the Films Act are not yet in force. As such, if you would like the BFC to consider the film based on the criteria in the amended Films Act, we would suggest that you collect the films and re-submit them after the amendments come into force.

3. We note that two of the films, “Speakers Cornered” and “Success Stories: Lee Kuan Yew”, were previously submitted and approved by the BFC. “Speakers Cornered” was approved and rated NC16 in April 2008 and “Success Stories: Lee Kuan Yew” was approved and rated PG in May 2007. If the content of the forestate two films has not changed since they were rated, the same ratings will continue to apply. “Riding The Tiger” is a documentary series commissioned by Mica (then Ministry of Information and the Arts) and subsequently aired over Channel NewsAsia in 2000. You may wish to note that Section 40 of the Films Act exempts any film sponsored by the Government from the requirements of the Act. As for the films “Singapore Rebel” and “One Nation Under Lee” we reiterate our suggestion that you collect the films and re-submit them after the 2009 amendments come into force. Should you need more details regarding the films (Amendment Bill), please refer to Second Reading speech on the Films Amendment Bill on Mica’s website.

4. Please be informed that the film “Zahari 17 Years” was previously gazetted by the Minister as a prohibited film under Section 35 (1) of the Films Act as the Minister was of the view that it’s possession or distribution would be contrary to the public interest. As the upcoming amendments to the Films Act do not relate to Section 35 (1), and the Minister has not changed his opinion, “Zahari 17 Years” continues to be a prohibited film. Please note that we will not be releasing this film for your collection as it is an offence for any person to be in possession of a prohibited film under Section 35 (2).

5. Please get in touch with the Customer Services and Operations Division with regards to collecting the rest of the films.

Yours sincerely,

Wang Chee Yann

Head (Films Standards, English)

Board of Film Censors

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Former Ren Ci CEO Ming Yi approved several loans to staff (2nd version)

Former Ren Ci CEO Ming Yi approved several loans to staff (2nd version)
By Liang Kaixin, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 17 April 2009 0826 hrs

	Photos 1 of 1 > " onclick="Next();" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_next.gif" type="image" width="18" height="15"> Ming Yi

SINGAPORE: The sixth day of the trial against former Ren Ci CEO, Shi Ming Yi, threw light on the way staff loans were granted, even though the hospital did not have a formal policy on them in place.

The court on Thursday heard that Ming Yi had approved several loans to various staff.

Among them was Dr Ong Seh Hong who is currently the community hospital's chief operating officer and clinical director of Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre. Dr Ong is also a Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC.

When contacted by Channel NewsAsia, the MP said in a letter dated Friday: "I was an employee of GIC in 1999. I was offered by Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre to be Director, Medical & Paramedical Services in January 2000.

"However to leave GIC, I had to pay S$560,000 to settle my outstanding staff housing loan. I agreed to join Ren Ci on condition that I received a loan of S$60,000, to pay off in part the amount of S$560,000 and I paid the remaining S$500,000 from bank loan.

“When I borrowed the sum of S$60,000 from Ren Ci, I was not an MP. It was lent to me as staff, and was part of the terms on which I agreed to join Ren Ci. I have since repaid the sum fully."

The court also learnt that Ming Yi's former aide, Raymond Yeung, was offered an employment contract in 2001, despite his unsuccessful application for an employment pass.

Ming Yi subsequently granted Yeung a S$50,000 loan, even though the latter remained without an employment pass until 2004. This was recorded on Ren Ci's books as a loan made to Mandala Buddhist Cultural Centre.

At issue now is whether Yeung, who is an Australian citizen and only became a Singapore Permanent Resident in 2006, had received the loan as a legitimate Ren Ci employee.

The trial continues.

- CNA/yb

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The dissenting civil servant and the online media

The dissenting civil servant and the online media

SINGAPORE - It is not uncommon for the citizenry to express dissenting views of the establishment. Even those within the establishment may harbor such views. The question is - are they able to express such views without fear of backlash from the establishment?

Readers may recall that some time before the General Elections of 2006, the authorities had to come out and reassure the public that their votes are secret despite the presence of a serial number on the voting slip. According to the authorities, the serial number is present as a measure to ensure that the voting slip is authentic. However, the fact remains that not all Singaporeans are convinced of the authority’s reassurance. One would not be surprised to find civil servants among such a group of unconvinced Singaporeans. Thus, there is this niggling fear for their job prospects that go through their heads should they decide to vote for the opposition. Serious attention should be paid to this group of voters in reassuring them the secrecy of their votes. It would be a pity if this fear factor interferes with the actual voting decisions because it is not a sin for a civil servant to express his dissenting opinion at the ballot box.

Casting votes aside, civil servants working in certain government ministries are not allowed to publicly express dissenting opinions on the establishment. Doing so will result in serious repercussions such as dismissal. Chua Beng Huat, currently Professor of Sociology at the National University of Singapore is one such example. Taking up a Director of Research post at the Housing and Development Board, he wrote critical pieces on Singapore politics which subsequently earned him the sack.

And even if the civil servant wishes to express dissenting views in the mainstream media, for instance by writing letters to forums, would their writings ever see the daylight? Our mainstream media is known for its pro-establishment stance, and it doesn’t come as a surprise that many articles critical of the establishment are locked away in the cold storage.

Thus, it is imperative that the online media must step up to fill the void. Of course, those responsible for the running of the online publications should exercise discretion, and advise dissenting civil servants to abstain from revealing their true identities in a bid to protect them from repercussions.

Until the General Elections of 2006, citizenship journalism wasn’t in vogue. Singapore Review was perhaps the only prominent entity that came closest to citizenship journalism. Until then, online forums was the common source for Singaporeans to vent their anger and pent up frustrations. The General Elections of 2006 could be seen as a fire of baptism for citizenship journalism in Singapore. Independent citizen reporters recorded the proceedings of various political rallies, and posted the videos on their websites, and appended their own reports.

The growth of citizenship journalism continued its momentum with the establishment of alternative media sites like The Online Citizen and others. Singapore’s high Internet penetration rate will only play to the advantage of such online media entities.

Whistle-blowing by civil servants alleging wrongdoings or irregular practices within government bodies is virtually unheard of. However, that could change with the proliferation of online media. The mainstream media with its pro-establishment stance is least likely to feature whistle-blowing reports that reflect badly on the establishment. It is likely that online alternative media entities will pick up the baton and cast the spotlight on the alleged government bodies. Of course, the onus is on these online media entities to protect the whistle-blowers.

Thus, it becomes increasingly likely that dissenting civil servants may resort to the online media as a platform to air their views.

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$60,000 loan from Ren Ci to PAP MP Ong Seh Hong sparked furore in cyberspace

$60,000 loan from Ren Ci to PAP MP Ong Seh Hong sparked furore in cyberspace

The Ren Ci fiasco took an unexpected twist today when it was revealed in the court by Ming Yi that he approved loans to several of its staff including is Chief Operating Officer Dr Ong Seh Hong who borrowed a stunning sum of $60,000. (read article here)

Dr Ong Seh Hong is the PAP MP for Kampong Ubi ward under Marine Parade GRC. He was in the spotlight lately over the Geylang Serai market food poisoning outbreak which took away the lives of two residents living in his constituency.

He has declined to comment on the matter on the grounds of the ongoing trial.

Within minutes of the news release on the Channelnewsasia online portal, the major internet chatrooms are abuzzed with the loan Dr Ong had taken from Ren Ci.

In less than a hour since the post first appeared on CNA forum, it has attracted over 2,000 views.

Many cannot understand why a doctor and a MP has to borrow money from a monk. Some questioned if the loan is interest-free.

Wrote “18″ on CNA forum:

“It is a public fund & not Ah Gong or your $$ cannot any how loan la… If it is a listed company, sure close shop one…..”

Another forumer remarked sarcastically:

“That some talent he has to borrow money from Monk - first world talent.”

ilfishing was more interested to know if the loan is interest-free:

“Is this interest-free loan? Good to know this fact, if yes, on what basis the loan is given to the MP?”

Scandals about PAP leaders are far and few because the mainstream media which is largely controlled by the government is not allowed to pry into their personal lives.

The scandal only came to light because of a trial hearing involving Ren Ci’s ex CEO Ming Yi who was falsifying the charity’s accounts and lying to the investigators.

As the second largest charity in Singapore after the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), Ren Ci runs a hospital and medical centers for the chronic sick.

It is funded almost entirely by public donations with occasional contributions from the Ministry of Health. Before his fall from grace, Ming Yi was a highly respected Buddhist monk in Singapore who risked his life in dangerous stunts including walking from a tightrope down from Suntec City a few years ago to raise funds for Ren Ci.

In the aftermath of the NKF saga, many Singaporeans will undoubtably feel hurt and betrayed by the dirt which has been dredged up in the Ren Ci case so far.

While there may be no criminal wrongdoings in Dr Ong taking a loan from Ren Ci, it is morally wrong for him to knowingly accept the money which is meant to help the needy patients. Neither is it good corporate practice for a staff to borrow money from the charity.

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has always praised the PAP MPs as the best talents Singapore can ever produce and therefore deserving of their exorbitant salaries which are fueling widespread resentment in the face of the current economic downturn.

Dr Ong will be hard pressed to a satisfactory explanation to the public about the loan which will probably sound the death knell for his unremarkable political career. It may also be his last term as a MP for Kampong Ubi given the impeccable record MM Lee demands from his MPs.

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Jealousy drove her to kill

April 17, 2009

Jealousy drove her to kill

By Khushwant Singh, Court Reporter
		It was jealousy that drove Wu Yun Yun (left) - opposition party member Tan Lead Shake's China-born wife - to stab her 34-year-old brother-in-law to death and to slash his wife. --ST PHOTO:KUA CHEE SIONG

IT WAS jealousy that drove Wu Yun Yun - opposition party member Tan Lead Shake's China-born wife - to stab her 34-year-old brother-in-law to death and to slash his wife.

Wu, 26, suffered from major depression which qualified her for the defence of diminished responsibility, the High Court heard on Friday.

Originally charged with murder, the Singapore permanent resident pleaded guilty to committing culpable homicide, not amounting to murder, by stabbing Tan Lead Sane, 33, and to attempted culpable homicide for her attack on 36-year-old Madam Huang Meizhe.

Justice Kan Ting Chiu adjourned sentencing for six months to allow psychiatrist George Joseph Fernandez to monitor Wu's mental state.

The senior consultant of the Institute of Mental Health testified that he needed this time to check if her mental condition would improve.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Diane Tan had earlier told the court that Wu came to Singapore from China in 2001 to marry Mr Tan Lead Shake.

The couple shared a house in Paya Lebar Crescent with Madam Ng, her eldest son Tan Lead Hand, and Mr Tan Lead Sane and his wife, who is also from China.

Wu became jealous of Mr Tan Lead Sane and his wife, as they appeared to be more 'loved' by her mother-in-law. She began to think about killing her brother-in-law and in early June last year bought a fruit knife and hid it. At 5.30am on June 28, Wu stabbed Madam Huang in the neck.

The commotion woke Mr Tan Lead Sane; he was stabbed twice in the chest and once in the abdomen. When Madam Ng tried to stop Wu leaving the house, she too was slashed.

Wu later called her husband and surrendered before being arrested. She could be jailed up to 20 years or for life.

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AWARE AGM 2009 : EOGM May 2nd : Do SOMETHING!

AWARE AGM 2009 : EOGM May 2nd : Do SOMETHING!

I will be qouting members of AWARE ( the old-timers) who I believe, are far more in the know than me. Please support our appeal. ( I’ll qoute them anonymously for now, as I don’t know if they want to be credited. But I’ll credit as soon as they tell me they want to be)

The EOGM is on the 2nd May.

@ Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE).

Address: AWARE Blk 5 Dover Crescent #01-22. Singapore 130005

Nearest MRT : Bouna Vista, Cross the road, take 196 or 74, stop after ACS.

If you want to help us, please come down, and join as a member. This is truly a matter of numbers already. We need you, every single one of you. Your vote MATTERS.

Remember,
You don’t have to be an animal to support animal rights

You don’t have to be a child to support childrens’ rights

You don’t have to be gay to support gay rights

You don’t have to be a woman to support gender equality.

Facebook group :
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=25846462465#/group.php?gid=72296674515&ref=mf

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The AWARE Catfight

The AWARE Catfight

Cat fight cat fight! After weeks of baiting from the ‘old guard’ of AWARE, the new president Josie and her Pussycats have lashed back. Sorry, I apologise for the term ‘old guard’ - it’s both ageist and not gender neutral. In a statement to the media today, Josie Lau literally threw back the same accusations that the ‘evergreen guardresses’ had originally leveled at her new exco – “disclose your motives and objectives openly and honestly” (Channelnews Asia, 17 Apr 09).

No doubt, the evergreen guardresses of AWARE will retort, well our open and honest motive and objective is to ensure that you disclose your motives and objectives openly and honestly. Hmmpf, well our open and honest motive and objective is to ask you to disclose your motives and objectives openly and honestly…meow! And on it goes….yawn. It’s a bit like watching two spiders fighting and then slamming your hand down on them in a fit of boredom.

I’ve never had much time for AWARE. It’s always been a glorified tea party for gentrified women trapped in an outdated bubble of feminist ideology floating in the 21st century. And because of this it is full of contradictions. It screams for equal rights, and yet it has never championed the right of women to do NS. It argues for gender neutral terms, and yet it has never sought to change the Women’s Charter to say, Men, Women, Gay, Lesbian, Transvestite, Transexual, and Everything in-Between Charter. It demands equal treatment of the sexes, and yet it has never argued for the use of the rotan as corporal punishment for women criminals. It admonishes anyone who treats women like fragile pretty ornaments, and yet it does not fight against Western notions of romance and chivalry. Like I said, I have little time for it.

However, I dislike Christian fundamentalists even more. Any group that believes that it is absolutely, one hundred and one percent morally right, and expects everyone to abide by their code of morality is, to me, nothing less than a tyrant. This anti-gay, anti-abortion brigade is stretching its slimly self-righteous tentacles into as many facets of Singapore life it can from law (377A), economics (protest against the casinos) and now civil society. This holy-molely brigade has realized that it must leave the comfort zone of the church compounds to fight the rising tide of liberalism and wanton hedonism. And ‘fight’ is the right word because evangelical Christians believe that they are engaged in a spiritual warfare against Satan. In their minds they are fighting an epic Lord of the Rings-style battle against the anti-Christ, or as we known him by his earthly name, Siew Kum Hong. These fanatics sincerely believe that they have to prepare the ground for the second coming of Christ, an event that is taking almost as long to happen as Guns N Roses’ release of Chinese Democracy. And, like Chinese Democracy, it’s going be one helluva anti-climax.

So there you have it. Two irritating spiders fighting away. Sure, all this politicking is good for civil society. It helps mature our political culture and alerts us to the fact that the pluralism in Singapore cannot always be swept under the carpet. But f**k it, if only I could slam my hand on them both.

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Singapore Economy in Free Fall Disaster

April 17, 2009 | 11:49 AM (EST)

Singapore Economy in Free Fall Disaster

The city state of Singapore, Venice of the 21st century in terms of its mercantile prowess, has as its national anthem the refrain, "Onward, Singapore." With the data that has recently emerged on the Q1 performance of Singapore's economy, however, it may be time to change the national anthem to "Backwards, Singapore." The numbers are that bad.

This tiny Island republic, sitting at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, covers only 274 square miles, with a population of under five million. Yet through innovation, industriousness and the entrepreneurial environment facilitated by a pro-business if somewhat authoritarian government, Singapore has become a powerhouse within the global economy. Indeed, no less an authority than the World Bank has graded Singapore as the most business friendly economy in the world. However, amidst the tectonic shifts occurring as a result of the Global Economic Crisis, Singapore has discovered that it is an exceptionally vulnerable and fragile geopolitical space.

Global trade is the engine that drives the Singapore economy. The tiny nation has a vast manufacturing sector, which includes electronics, petrochemicals and engineering. With its small population, Singapore must export the products it manufactures. That export trade has led Singapore to being the fourth largest port in the world. The Global Economic Crisis, however, has sent international trade into a tailspin. All major exporters are hurting badly; Singapore is bleeding.

In the first quarter of 2009, Singapore's GDP contracted at a catastrophic rate of 11.5%, much worse than expected. In March, non-petroleum exports declined by 17%, the eleventh consecutive monthly decline. Unemployment is rising while business confidence is plummeting. The once busy port of Singapore is now almost quiescent, a reflection not only of Singapore's decline but also a window on how severely global trade has been impacted by the worldwide recession.

As in America and other major economies that have been decimated by the Global Economic Crisis, Singapore has its share of overly optimistic economists, analysts and media pundits who are trying to spin the bad news into glimmers of hope. Some have even suggested that the severity of the country's Q1 economic statistics are "proof" that the recession has hit bottom and will soon begin to ease. However, such appalling macroeconomic data cannot wear a happy face under any circumstance; it is irrefutable proof that the synchronized global recession now shattering the worldwide economy is unprecedented in its depth and reach. I think the elder statesman of Singapore, former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, was more aligned with reality when he recently suggested that it will take at least six years before Singapore recovers from the effects of the Global Economic Crisis.

Amid all the horrific economic news, Singapore can boast of an advantage denied the deficit-driven economies of Europe and the United States. During the good times, the Island nation prudently set aside substantial foreign exchange reserves. Even with a recent $20 billion stimulus package, Singapore still maintains a reserve fund of $170 billion. This will provide flexibility for policymakers to address the immediate ramifications of the severe economic contraction now occurring in their country. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that once prosperous Singapore is facing many years of economic and financial hardship that will severely test the country's capacity for entrepreneurial innovation and hard work.

If a nation that has been as prudent and fiscally responsible as Singapore is enduring a free fall meltdown in vital areas of its economy, what about the United States, which is also undergoing a significant economic contraction, but with a massive debt load instead of sizeable reserves?

Much Ado About Nothing

Much Ado About Nothing

On Monday, the Singapore Democrats published an article claiming that Singapore has purchased Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) from India. The SDP itself based its commentary on this article from The Hindu, an online Indian-based news update service.

The SDP has raised a big fuss over it. But, in the words of The Bard, they are making much ado about nothing.

In the article, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the supplier of the EVMs, stated that it is currently in negotiations with several countries, including Singapore. The company has also customised its EVMs to suit Singapore's purposes.

At this juncture, I want to make a distinction between BEL's EVMs and generic electronic voting machines. The former will henceforth be referred to by its acronym, which was the one assigned to it by the company. The latter will be labelled 'e-voting systems', in order to prevent confusion.

But nowhere in the article is a declaration that Singapore has, in fact, purchased the EVM.

Replace 'Singapore' with 'an international corporation', 'BEL' with 'a global electronics giant' and 'EVM' with 'latest office and desktop solution', and the process can be demystified. What happened, in effect, was that BEL tried to tailor its EVMs to court business from Singapore through a demonstration of its capabilities. But Singapore did not purchase the EVM.

Nor does Singapore have any intention of doing so, as reported today in The Straits Times. While I have been critical of The Straits Times in the past, it is fairly unlikely that this is simply another piece of propaganda; you cannot, after all, hide the existence of a machine when it is going to be a platform for the next elections, and there is little propaganda value in this article.

E-voting systems do have their faults, and e-voting in general is presently flawed, as reported in this post by the SDP, and again in the above-mentioned aticle by Steven Stigall and Dr. Rebecca Mercuri, among many other sources. But the main flaw in these warnings is that they were not referring to the model in question.

This distinction is significant because BEL's EVMs were designed to minimise electoral fraud. The machine's microcontroller's uses One Time Programmable Read Only Memory (OTROM). After initial programming, the programming codes cannot be read or altered by any external source, including the manufacturer. The code itself accepts no data other from any external device save for the balloting unit. As the EVM is a stand-alone unit, it is impervious to hacking attempts from the Internet. Data registered in the machine is encrypted for further security. After the poll is officially closed, no further votes may be made.

In addition, practices set down by the Election Commission of India can be adopted to further reduce the chances of bogus votes. Before polling begins, the Presiding Officer at the polling station will show the result screen of each EVM to polling agents, and allow the agents to conduct a mock vote to demonstrate that the EVMs work as advertised. Replace 'polling agent' with 'independent observer' and another check and balance can be established. After voting ceases, the Presiding Officer will press the 'Close' button, effectively shutting down the EVM and preventing anybody from inputting a vote.

Perhaps the best vote for BEL's voting machine is the 2004 Indian General Election. In the face of illiteracy and lack of infrastructure in remote areas, the 2004 General Elections were widely considered as the smoothest election held by the world's largest democracy. This was facilitated through education and awareness programmes, and executed through the widespread use of BEL's EVM. Indeed, BEL's EVM has received the least flak and the most praise compared to other e-voting systems.

The SDP has conflated BEL's EVM with other e-voting machines. BEL's model was designed to facilitate free and fair elections. By not making this distinction and not checking the facts, the SDP has wrongly smeared BEL's reputation.

And by not checking the facts before publication, the SDP has shot itself in the foot.

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AWARE president questions intentions of veterans unhappy over election outcome

AWARE president questions intentions of veterans unhappy over election outcome
By Cheryl Lim/Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 17 April 2009 1747 hrs

	Photos 1 of 1 > " onclick="Next();" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_next.gif" type="image" width="18" height="15"> Josie Lau (seated, front) helms AWARE's new executive committee, partly seen here
	Related News • DBS "reviewing" employee's appointment as AWARE president • Women's advocacy group AWARE picks new president • 160 AWARE members call for meeting to question new ExCo • 150 AWARE members seek vote of no confidence in new executive committee

SINGAPORE: The new president of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), Josie Lau, has questioned the intentions of veteran members who are unhappy that newcomers have swept most of the executive committee (Exco) seats in the organisation's recent annual election.

In a statement to the media, she challenged these members to disclose their motives and objectives fully and honestly.

On Tuesday, 160 members had written to the new Exco to request for an extraordinary general meeting, with the apparent purpose of replacing the Exco. The much-awaited extraordinary general meeting will be held on May 2.

Meanwhile, Ms Lau pointed out that no more than five of the signatories were present at last month's annual general meeting.

She also highlighted that just-resigned president Claire Nazar had nominated six out of the 11 new Exco members with the support of veteran members.

Ms Lau also said that following the first Exco meeting on April 7, Ms Nazar unilaterally resigned by email on April 8.

The Exco then called for a second Exco meeting on April 15, the earliest possible date, as the Constitution requires at least seven days' notice.

It was at this meeting that Ms Lau was named the new president unopposed.

Ms Lau said the current committee hopes to improve the life of women in Singapore and is pro-women, pro-family and pro-Singapore.

She added that AWARE is a secular organisation - with members from different races, walks of life and belief systems.

She said that as a democratic society, they welcome diverse viewpoints.

Ms Lau added that she has full confidence in her team and that they are ready for the challenges ahead.

Meanwhile, on Friday evening, some members of the new Exco spoke to Channel NewsAsia.

The new Exco said the organisation's old guard is recruiting members to call the extraordinary general meeting.

The new guard said 120 of the 160 signatories were recruited in the last month to swell support for the requisition.

A vote of no confidence may be considered against the new committee at this meeting.

This comes just weeks after the old guard accused the new Exco of recruiting members to "muscle their way onto the Exco" in the society's annual general meeting.

When asked of their intention of joining AWARE, the new Exco said they wanted to bring fresh ideas to the organisation and improve the quality of life of women in Singapore. They are also planning programmes to help women who are suffering during the economic downturn. - CNA/ms

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45% Fresh Graduates Jobless

In the graduate employment survey, 45% of the respondents indicated that they are without jobs.

In this jobless group, 60% are actively looking for a job, while the remaining are not.

The poll was conducted over about 10 days with a better-than-expected 439 responses.



As for the 55% (or so) with jobs, the median income is between $2,001 and $3,000. Not too bad.

Contrast our survey results with those (overly) positive-looking ones from the 3 local universities.

Note: Figures do not add up to 100% due to rounding.

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Loansharking : PAP govt's brilliant solution

Loansharking : PAP govt's brilliant solution

Times are bad and the number of loanshark harassment cases has climbed sharply. Police had to deal a total of 4000 cases in the first 3 months of this year. But don't worry our Home Affairs Minister has come up with a brilliant solution to reduce the number of cases our police have to handle:

"The ministry will also consider making borrowing from loansharks an offence."
- DPM Wong Kan Seng.[Link]
.
"This would be good news for us. If the police arrest those who borrow, they won't dare to report us when we harass them," - Loanshark who welcomes the move[Link]
,
If you still don't understand how brilliant this solution is, let me explain. The police has to handle so many cases of loansharking because the victims go to the police for help. By criminalising borrowing from loansharks, the victims of loanshark harassment now cannot go to the police for help because they themselves will be arrested for borrowing from the loansharks. The police will see a sharp drop in the number of cases and the govt can say the problem is solved! Briliant! Bravo! Now victims of loansharks have to suffer quietly. This will free up vast amounts of resources - there will be more police to handle those pesky opposition members and peaceful protestors who break our new our public order laws. I thought sending our old folks to JB was the best idea for the year -I was wrong.... this one is a lot more brilliant!

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S'pore works with countries serious about knowledge transfer, says MM Lee

S'pore works with countries serious about knowledge transfer, says MM Lee
By Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 16 April 2009 1643 hrs

	Photos 1 of 1 > " onclick="Next();" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_next.gif" type="image" width="18" height="15"> Mr Lee Kuan Yew
	Related News • MM Lee meets Vietnam PM Nguyen Tan Dung, discusses economic situation

SINGAPORE: Singapore Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said Singapore will assess a country's ability to absorb the transfer of ideas and knowledge before deciding whether to collaborate with the country on joint projects.

Mr Lee made this point while speaking to Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet during a courtesy call on Thursday morning.

He said if a country is not serious about knowledge transfer, Singapore will be reluctant to work with it as it will be a fruitless effort.

But Mr Lee is confident that Vietnam has a serious-minded leadership, who wants to make a breakthrough in the new economy.

This can be seen in the success of the first two Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park projects in south Vietnam.

Mr Lee said with the support given by President Triet and his government, the joint venture is a success and is now expanding to north Vietnam.

He believes the two new projects in Bac Ninh and Hai Phong will make similar progress as the first two projects in Ho Chi Minh City.

President Thiet said the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park projects are symbols of good friendship between the two countries.

He is also pleased with the progress made in the area of education collaboration.

Mr Triet also thanked Mr Lee for his contributions to the promotion of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Mr Lee, who is on a five-day official visit to Vietnam, will meet the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Nong Duc Manh, in the evening.

Mr Lee will also have a dialogue session with about 100 senior and new party cadres. The dialogue session is to find out more about the renewal process of the country and its challenges.

- CNA/yt

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No way, Jose... er, Josie

No way, Jose... er, Josie

The response from DBS in relation to Josie Lau's appointment as AWARE President is laughable.

Quote:
“Banks worldwide are facing very challenging times and her role as VP in the credit card space today is even more challenging, given the environment we are in,” the spokesperson said.

How ironic and absurd. If I remember correctly, one of the core values in large MNC is to do volunteerism work, isn't it? I guess it isn't so for DBS since there aren't gonna be any monetary gains.

I felt it was eerily high-handed and arrogant like the PAP. Pray tell me, do you pay her after-hours 24 x 7? What has her role in AWARE got to do with her VP appointment in DBS? Are there conflict of interests between the goals of AWARE with that of DBS for you to make such a statement? My finite mind thinks not.

Let me ask you a truthful question:
Can you be certain none of your senior management has ever held a post as an Executive Committee member in golf resorts or town clubs before? I think you'd better do your checks before you response to my question.

Anway who are you to tell what I can or cannot do in my free time as long there is non-conflict of interest and it does not degrade my performance at work? You don't jolly pay me for after-hours outside the office and it is not as if Josie gave a credit card fraud teaching session to your competitors.

For that matter, I know of a Victorian senior policeman who is casually employed by universities to give talks on youth and crimes. And yes he is paid hourly. I am proud of him because he went beyond his call of duty to teach and enhance public awareness in youth crimes since he has the knowledge.

In Australia, organisations allow and encourage employees to be part of the volunteerism work. Hey, the staff are even honoured for their effort especially during the Victorian Bushfire Black Saturday!

I wish you could praised her. Praise her for her dedication and for her leadership qualities which the members saw to lead them. In addition AWARE is a non-profit organisation to help women, and doesn't even come close to the functions of golf resorts or town clubs.

Our Minister Mentor says it best about knowledge sharing. To quote:
"Singapore will assess a country’s ability to absorb the transfer of ideas and knowledge before deciding whether to collaborate with the country on joint projects."

Oh wait, being an AWARE President doesn't benefit the bank. Hey, you don't even get paid. You should have assessed if AWARE is able to absort your transfer of ideas and knowledge before you decided to collaborate with them.

Heh, no wonder Josie, you got the shaft. I guess you are only allowed to hold appointments where there are significant financial gains, connections or networking.

You can forget about being a president. That goes for us, lesser mortals.

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Women's advocacy group AWARE picks new president

Women's advocacy group AWARE picks new president
By Alicia Wong, TODAY | Posted: 16 April 2009 0748 hrs

	Photos 1 of 1 > " onclick="Next();" src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_next.gif" type="image" width="18" height="15"> Josie Lau Meng Lee (far right) appointed AWARE's new chief

SINGAPORE: The new guard sealed its leadership grab in women’s advocacy group AWARE yesterday when one of their own, Ms Josie Lau Meng Lee, was appointed president.

The executive committee of the group was meeting one week after its then newly-elected president and older member Claire Nazar abruptly resigned.

Ms Lau holds a senior position in DBS Bank as vice-president for its cards. Her husband, TODAY understands, is associate member Dr Alan Chin who helped count the votes at the society’s annual general meeting (AGM) on March 28.

The AGM made news when nine of the 12 seats on the society’s Exco went to new faces, including the positions of vice-president, honorary secretary, honorary treasurer and assistant honorary secretary.

Wednesday night’s meeting was also not without its share of drama when about three hours after it began, Ms Caris Lim — one of two long-time Exco members who had not been ousted — walked out.

“I am very disillusioned. I don’t like what’s going on, so I am walking out,” she said with a sombre face as she left the meeting at 10.15pm.

Ms Lau, 48, was chosen as president from the six non-office bearers which included Ms Lim. The other long-time AWARE member still on the Exco is Ms Chew I-Jin, who is assistant honorary treasurer.

After the meeting ended at around 11pm, Ms Lau told the press she was “delighted to have been elected”. At this point, however, an AWARE staff clarified that Ms Lau had been “appointed”.

In her position, Ms Lau said she will “aspire to bring AWARE to a new level of development, advocacy and growth for women of the nation”.

She declined to comment further but said she would “propel” the group as a “positive agent in advancing the causes of women in particular in times like now which is very, very challenging”.

However, Ms Lau’s employer, DBS Bank, informed Ms Lau prior “to the AWARE election” that, although the bank supported her involvement in AWARE as council member in her own personal capacity, the bank was “not supportive” of her intent to run for president of AWARE, a spokesman told TODAY late Wednesday night.

"We believe that as a VP in DBS, she already has a challenging job with many responsibilities and the role of president would demand too much of her time and energy,” the spokesperson said.

Also present at AWARE's headquarters at Dover Crescent for the meeting was Ms Constance Singam, the immediate past president for Aware, which stands for the Association of Women for Action and Research.

She declined to comment before the meeting started, but said later that “we” will not be resigning from the group as it is one they love and have been committed to for “a very long time”.

Cyberspace has been abuzz with rumours about the religious and allegedly anti-gay views of the new Exco members. It has also been reported that some of them, including honorary secretary Jenica Chua, as well as Dr Chin have written to the media about homosexuality.

Ms Chua had written in October 2007 about Non-nominated Member of Parliament Siew Kum Hong petitioning to repeal Section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalises homosexual sex between consenting men.

Dr Chin has cautioned against the risks of promoting the homosexual lifestyle.

At the same time that the meeting was taking place, the group was also holding a party for its volunteers at its premises.
- TODAY/yb

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