The Singapore Daily

“The problem in Singapore is that, even with upwards of 70 MPs, we still see the need for NCMPs, and 9 at that. What a waste of money and resources. What a failure of the government of the people, by the people and for the people.”
Epilogos

“I will not tell you how many months’ notice I give you, otherwise when I appoint the [Election Boundaries Review] committee and its results are published, you will calculate forward and determine the election date.”
Lee Hsien Loong

“..if a smaller fund like Yale’s can diversify across 6-7 different asset classes while pursuing high returns like Temasek’s mandate, does it make sense for a fund of Temasek’s size to remain as concentrated as it is in a single asset class in its pursuit of returns?”
Peijing Teh

“Since the NTUC can help 194,000 of its members, why is it that the Government is only helping 24,000 Singaporeans?”
Leong Sze Hian

“The Singapore civil service could be manned with rule-based robots and nobody would notice the difference.”
Lee Chee Wai

“..’queer’ is in the press now.”
Sam

“Nobody denies ‘religious values … a role in public debate’ – but there is a line drawn when it comes to legislation because divinely-inspired values should work by moral persuasion.. Religious expression is fair, but religious compulsion by law is not.”
Khairulanwar Zaini

This week’s roundup and recommended reads after the break.

Singapore Politics They Are a-Changin’
- TOC: Victims of reverse tactical ploy or party political opportunists? [Recommended]
- the kent ridge common: Changes for better or worse?
- Sgpolitics: The Real Political Change That Singapore Needs
- Sgpolitics: Worker’s Party’s capitulation to PAP’s NCMP gambit is regrettable
- Singapore Life and Times: Of the People
- Yaw Shin Leong: Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts
- Illusio: A modest proposal for GRC reform
- Illusio: Minilee’s reformasi decoded
- Today In Singapore: More Voice For Wayang
- a blog day’s work: 50 years of PAP government… and another 50 to go?
- Jacob 69er: Opposition political parties responses to ‘changes’ in Singapore’s electoral system
- a writer’s blog: Thoughts on the changes to the NMP scheme
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Talking Point : Come on Sylvia, you can do better than that!
- Sgpolitics.net: Blackout on Singapore Democrats
- Majulah!: Changing of Electoral Rules - A Masterstroke [Thanks Ron]
- Hard Hitting in the Lion City: Positive on the Changes
- Yawning Bread: Should opposition parties reject the enhanced NCMP scheme?
- the kent ridge common: Mr. KRC in Parliament on 27 May 2009, hypothetically

AWARE Takeover Aftermath
- ed’sperience’s Blog: on Secular Fundamentalism and Fascistic Harmony - comment on Thio Li-ann’s speech
- Laïcité: Mixing religion and politics [Thanks Seelan] [Recommended]
- My Little Corner: Secularism has a place in policies
- Sam’s thoughts: “Sexually challenged” is offensive
- Laïcité: A conservative country? Really?
- Article 14: Secularism - recycling an old article for the page 73 girl
- Today In Singapore: Concocting An Explosive Mixture
- Sam’s thoughts: Let’s build bridges rather than burn them
- that burning republic-state doesn’t sway placidity: Religion in Secular Society: Expression, not Compulsion [Thanks Fadzridin] [Recommended]
- TOC: Vocalness – An effective tool in the battle of belief systems [Recommended]

GIC, Temasek State Fund Investments
- Inquivision: On Tharman’s comments about Temasek, and more [Recommended]
- Singapore Social Activist: Temasek – Another “time will tell” story in the writing?
- My sketchbook: Temasek’s outstanding performace
- Wayang Party: Temasek Outperforms?
- Sgpolitics.net: Temasek’s portfolio significantly underperforms regional markets
- Everyday’s Life in a Snapshot: Temasek Holdings scores with Barclays!
- TOC: Temasek losses – Enough is enough
- Simply Gab: Temasek Losing Its Touch?
- The Wayang Party: Lame excuses given by Tharman on Temasek’s loss
- Singapore Recalcitrant: Another parting gift from the gracious Ms Ho Ching
- Today In Singapore: Dumb And Dumber

Recesion
- TOC: More people apply but less people get help?
- Everyday’s Life in a Snapshot: ever heard of “upturn the downturn” song? here’s one
- Singapore Peak Oil: Singapore Needs to Wake Up to the End of Economic Growth
- Mr Wang Says So: Stocks, Property And The Economy
- Singaporean Skeptic: Stock Market Rally: Beware of false positives
- mrbrown: Upturn the Downturn song sung by NTUC
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Does the stock market predict economic recoveries?

Tiananmen Anniversary
- ed’sperience’s Blog: Remembering Tiananmen, in quotes [Thanks ed]
- Jacob 69er: Video: 20 years ago… It happened in Tiananmen Square
- Jacob 69er: Commemoration of 20th Anniversary of Tiananmen Square Protests @ the Substation
- Readings From A Political Duo-ble: Tiananmen June Fourth Massacre – 20th anniversary
- Article 14: Tiananmen: The Tragedy of the Crops that Stood Up
- Article 14: Tiananmen: Open Letter from some PLA Officers to the Central Military Commission
- …thrills, spills & flatliners: TODAY, 20 YEARS AGO…
- Article 14: Dazi Bao: Posters from Tiananmen Square - 1989
- SDP Blog: Breaking news: Government reverses ban on Tiananmen performance [Thanks Seelan]
- Jacob 69er: Videos – Tiananmen: China’s Unhealed Wound
- ed’sperience’s Blog: Tiananmen : Tank Man Tango? – Regimented Idiocy in Motion

Singapore Mainstream Media
- the kent ridge common: The alternative media
- Only “objective” and “factual” political films please, we’re Singaporeans: Straits Times celebrates 50 years of PAP rule
- Taikiew: Erosion of roles of alternative media; all hail Straits Times!
- The Wayang Party: Limitations of New Media in promoting civil activism in Singapore in contrast to Malaysia

Remember May 21st
- TOC: Reform the Internal Security Act
- Chemical Generation Singapore: Reform not Repeal the ISA

Strangers in a Strange Land
- the kent ridge common: Warning signs of unhappy sentiments against foreigners

Housing
- TOC: Is the HDB profiteering from flat owners’ woes?

Healthcare
- The Gigamole Diaries: The murky world of drug trials in Singapore
- Singapore M.D.: Changes 2

H1N1 Swine Flu
- Dee Kay Dot As Gee: She requested not to reveal her identity. But TNP did not listen!
- The Gigamole Diaries: H1N1, aka American flu, aka swine flu…. essentially a story of a deer and the headlamps

CPF
- Singapore Enquirer: Changes to CPF Minimum Sum
- The Wayang Party: Are we paying too much for a guaranteed CPF return?

The People vs PoThePanda
- Chia Ti Lik’s Blog: The case of PoThePanda – Update

High Notes & Mini Bombs
- Tan Kin Lian’s Blog: It is easy to be cheated (2) - Capital Protected Products
- Tan Kin Lian’s Blog: It is easy to be cheated (3) - Credit linked notes
- Tan Kin Lian’s Blog: It is easy to be cheated (4) - Participating policies
- Tan Kin Lian’s Blog: Travel insurance does not cancel trip cancellation

Free Burma
- TOC: Free Aung San Suu Kyi
- Singapore Social Activist: In Unity for her Liberty
- Sgpolitics.net: Repeated mistakes made by mainstream media on Aung San Suu Kyi

Singapore Sports Awards 2009
- The Wayang Party: Where is STTA’s “fairness and dignity” when its President made damaging remarks about Liu without substantiating it?
- Singapore Recalcitrant: The whimsical wisdom of MCYS Minister

Sports
- the kent ridge common: FC Barcelona’s victory: More than just physique, pace and power
- The Singapore Sports Fan Says…: Newsflash: Sean Lim vaults his way to new national junior record [Thanks SFF]

International
- ed’sperience’s Blog: Is the U.S. of A. partially ‘asian democratic’? [Thanks ed]
- Diary of A Singaporean Mind: Elitism 501 : Dear Leader has found his successor!
- Kaffein-nated: General Motors (GM) ran out of gas
- Sex sells, so does Politics: President Obama Speaks to the Muslim World from Egypt

Daily Discourse
- Nomed Letters: The 80-20 Percent Rule [Thanks Lived Nomed]
- Chee Wai’s Random Musings: A Sign of South Korean Democratic Maturity that Singapore Lacks?
- the kent ridge common: “Singapore tops social and economic progress” - Is it?
- Singapore Recalcitrant: The Apoplexy of ASEAN
- Singabloodypore: Is Singapore’s e-govt model exportable?
- News Release by UncleYap: Public To Be Vigilant & Ensure Fairness for victim of alleged Police Chief Molest
- The Sketch Times: Crooked Bridge Politics? [Thanks The Sketch Times]
- Inquivision: Should Singapore focus more investment in “soft” science research?
- the kent ridge common: In desperate times, MOE is the solution
- TOC: TOC editorial: Electric dreams
- Singapore Peak Oil: PM Lee Hsien Loong vs Dr. Ow Chin Hock on Population Growth
- Chee Wai’s Random Musings: Efficient when familiar, unhelpful in uncharted waters
- My sketchbook: Our civil servants are tops! Congrats!

Life, the universe and everything
- ed’sperience’s Blog: Can Singaporedaily.net be more representative? - comment on the ‘girlie’ ‘Daily Chiobu’ section
- Singaporean Skeptic: Why you pay so much money for Petrol and Electricity.
- Aussie Pete: The World’s Most Impressive ‘Holes’…
- NO BUNS NO LIFE: North Korea’s NUCLEAR Ambition, and WHY We Should OPPOSE it GLOBALLY
- Singapore Fountain Pen: The Singapore Passion Run 2009 Experience [Thanks Major Elm]
- Cooler Insights: Build a Virtual Museum and Win Awesome Prizes
- Digital Terrorist: How-to: Consolidate all your Email accounts with Gmail
- Aussie Pete: China Authorities Ban Snake-Bitten “Cock-In-A-Pot”
- Today In Singapore: Politics Of Denial
- Seelan Palay’s Blog: The Singapore that we aspire to build [Thanks Seelan]
- mrbrown: PES C2 not enough! Got PES V or not?
- Empty Vessel: Here at E3, after five long years
- A L V I N O L O G Y: Edison Chen (陳冠希) breaks his silence – there were more than 1300 sex photos in his full collection
- The Fire in My Life: Hit the nail on the durian… [Thanks Joel]
- The FØØL’s Progress: Can Manoeuvre Warfare Win War?
- My Little Corner: Disable .Net Framework Assistant Firefox Extension
- Information Read By Me: On Feedback & Mindef’s New Clothes [Thanks Jaunty Jabber]
- AngryAngMo: Its Official, I Won The World Blogging Challenge 2009!

Books and Papercuts
- The FØØL’s Progress: The Resident Tourist 3
- Jacob 69er: Constructing Singapore: Elitism, Ethnicity and the Nation-Building Project – Reviewed by Chee Soon Juan
- Cooler Insights: How Disney Creates Its Magic

Infoblogaramous
- Random Thoughts Of A Free Thinker: Public appeal by Singapore Red Cross Society for funds to help Sri Lanka