Parliament Passes New CPF Life Plan ChannelNewsAsia ran this story on 20 July 2009:Parliament passes new CPF Life plan with aim of celebrating longevityBy S.RameshSINGAPORE: Celebrating greater longevity with CPF Life is the aim of changes to the CPF Act passed by Parliament on Monday to ensure members have an income for the rest of their lives.But several MPs expressed concern over those who have less than S$40,000 in accounts to fully benefit from the scheme.It started with 12 different plans for CPF Life and now it's down to just four - Life Plus Plan, Life Basic Plan, Life Income Plan and Life Balanced Plan.Members with at least S$40,000 in their Retirement Account will be automatically included, while those with lower cash balances can opt-in.LIFE Plus Plan offers higher monthly income but leaves behind less for beneficiaries.For the LIFE Basic Plan, members accept a lower monthly income for higher bequest amount.The LIFE Income Plan offers the highest monthly income but members would leave nothing behind when they pass away.The default plan is the LIFE Balanced Plan which will provide a balance between a level of retirement income and some bequest amount if they pass away early.Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong, said: "Over the years our CPF policies have evolved to better address our changing needs and they will continue to evolve.CPF Life is our unique response to address the challenges of our ageing population and it marks an important milestone in the evolution of the CPF."This was a major concern for trade unionist Halimah Yacob as the number of Singaporeans working part time or on contract work has increased.She said: "Our low-wage workers are the ones who need such a scheme the most as they are not likely to have discretionary savings or other assets. I would like to ask the Minister to study this issue carefully, so that we can have a truly inclusive CPF Life scheme."In her maiden speech in Parliament, Nominated MP Pauline Straughan, suggested programmes for the vulnerable poor.She said: "As we move towards a more comprehensive coverage for Singaporeans, it is even more critical for us to ensure that no group is omitted from the lifelong income fund. If we failed to do so, we may inadvertently entrench social inequality."The CPF Board estimates that at least 70 per cent of members turning 55-years- old in 2013, will have at least S$40,000 in their retirement accounts.Mr Gan said: "There is no minimum balance required to participate in CPF Life. All members, regardless of their CPF balances, can opt-in into the scheme.“However, members with a very low balance may not be in a position to maximise the benefits from CPF Life."For them, schemes like Workfare will come in handy where older, low-wage workers receive an income supplement, of which a portion is credited into the recipient's CPF to shore up his retirement savings.Changes to the CPF Act also address the issue of members who are mentally incapacitated.Currently, under the Mental Capacity Act, a court ruling cannot affect a CPF nomination.So, rules dealing with nominations will also be amended to allow the courts to do this, in the best interest of the member. Four Prosecuted in Kickback Employment Scam AsiaOne ran this story on 16 July 2009:Four prosecuted in kickback employment scam Three employers and one agent have been prosecuted for kickback offences.This is the first prosecution since new regulations were introduced by the Ministry of Manpower in July 2008.The employers - Ong Gim Chua, manager of Meeting Point Pub & Lounge, Ke Koon Seng, director of Seng System Engineering Pte Ltd, and Wong Seng Kiong of Guo Tai Mei Trading - were charged for recovering employment-related costs from their foreign workers.Meanwhile, the agent, Sun Bao Hua of Starseas Consulting Services Pte Ltd, was charged for abetting representatives of four bus companies to receive benefits by paying them to hire foreign workers through her agency.. The for cases involved 22 workers.Under the new regulations, Work Permit and S Pass conditions prohibit employers from receiving payment as consideration for employing foreign workers, and recovering employment-related costs from foreign workers.Similarly, the Employment Agency Licence Condition also prohibits employment agencies from offering payment (whether monetary or in kind) to employers, in exchange for hiring foreign workers through them.Aw Kum Cheong, Divisional Director, Foreign Manpower Management Division, MOM, said, "Kickbacks undermine the integrity of the employment agency industry, and distorts the market for foreign labour. Our foreign worker policies are intended to help companies to meet their legitimate need for foreign workers. Foreign workers should not be brought into Singapore in order to collect fees from them. Such exploitative behaviour will not be tolerated."Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, employers who breach Work Permit conditions can be fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to six months. They will also be barred from employing foreign workers in the future. Employment agencies that breach the Employment Agency licence conditions will have their licenses revoked and security deposit of $20,000 forfeited. Fake Degree Peddler's Second School to Close Too The Straits Times ran this story on 16 July 2009: Fake degree peddler's second school to close tooBy Amelia Tan & Corrie TanA SECOND private school run by a man who peddled fake degrees has been ordered to close.In a statement yesterday, the Education Ministry (MOE) said it had revoked the registration of Stamford Global Learning Centre, which has about 40 students and is also operated by Mr Benny Yap Chee Mun.The order came a day after another school owned by Mr Yap, Brookes Business School, was ordered to close.----------------Students lured by attractive dealBROOKES Business School offered something which many students found too good to refuse - a degree in a year for $12,000, and from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) no less.But the scam was exposed by The Straits Times in a report last month.Students were lured by the fact that the school was registered with the Education Ministry and had the CaseTrust quality mark.In addition to RMIT degrees, it offered bachelor of business qualifications from a Brookes University - which students said they were told was based in Truro city in Cornwall, Britain - the University of Wales and the University of Ballarat in Australia. Brookes Business School Registration Cancelled AsiaOne ran this story on 15 July 2009:Brookes Business School Registration CancelledMinistry of Education will cancel the registration of Brookes Business School effective today.This follows the outcomes of investigations by the secretariat of the pro-tem Council for Private Education (CPE) on Brookes Business Schools for contraventions of the Education Act.All affected students may approach the Association of Private Schools and Colleges (APSC) to seek assistance to be placed in another private education institution.Students must be prepared to show proof that they are currently enrolled at the school, and must bring their student contracts, payment receipts, course schedules and assignments completed, and any past tests scripts and results.International students holding student passes issued by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) should first approach the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) to get advice on fees return under the Student Protection Scheme.Students may also contact Students may also contact pro-tem CPE via the MOE Customer Service at(email) MOE_CPE_Contact@moe.gov.sg or (Telephone) 68722220 for clarifications.The secretariat of the pro-tem CPE is working with various agencies and the private education industry players to put in place measures to ensure that affected students have other avenues to complete their studies. Siew Kum Hong Not Re-Appointed as NMP From Siew Kum Hong's blog entry on 6 July 2009:I received a notice from Parliament a couple of hours ago -- it was the Second Report of the Special Select Committee on Nominations for Appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament, which I've reproduced below. In short, I was not re-appointed, and the new NMPs (who will be sworn in on 20 July) are: 1. Mr Calvin Cheng Ern Lee 2. Mr Terry Lee Kok Hua 3. Mrs Mildred Tan-Sim Beng Mei 4. Assoc Prof Paulin Tay Straughan 5. Mr Teo Siong Seng 6. Mr Viswaroopan s/o Sadasivan 7. Mr Laurence Wee Yoke Thong 8. Ms Audrey Wong Wai Yen 9. Ms Joscelin Yeo Wei LingI am of course disappointed that I was not re-appointed; I felt and continue to feel that I could contribute meaningfully to Parliament for a second term, which is why I applied for it in the first place. Having said that, I am glad that I had the opportunity to serve, and I hope that I had contributed to Parliamentary debate (as the NMP scheme was intended to). Beyond that, it is really for Singaporeans to judge my time in Parliament for themselves.Please visit Kum Hong's blog to read the full entry @ http://siewkumhong.blogspot.com/2009/07/nmp-results-are-out.html. Video: Plight of Migrant Workers TWC2 has produced two videos on the case involving the unfavourable housing and employment conditions of migrant workers in the dormitory at Tagore Lane. This is one of them titled "Plight of Migrant Workers". Video: Migrant Workers Left In The Lurch Another video produced by TWC2 titled "Migrant Workers Left in the Lurch". Human trafficking: More Women, Children Being victimised AsiaOne ran this article by The Nation/Asia News Network on 30 June 2009:Human trafficking: More women, children being victimisedTHAILAND - More and more women and children are becoming part of human-trafficking scams, a report from the Foundation for Women (FFW) said yesterday."With countries like Laos having a very male-oriented society, male family members force women or children to shoulder bread-winning responsibilities. Since children and women are weak, they are not allowed to make decisions and instead are taken advantage of or violated by human traffickers," Panjit Kaewsawang, a social worker with the FFW, said at a seminar yesterday."Some female victims in Laos cannot even use the money given to them by the FFW to bring their lives back in order. Instead the money is used for other purposes such as a relative's wedding, the purchase of a tractor or a satellite dish," she added.She studied the lives of victims in Laos, Cambodia and Burma after they were rescued from a life of drudgery.Panjit said she found that mothers and children were often abandoned, which put them at further risk. She also found that some Burmese refugees on the Thai border kept selling their children even after they had been rescued from human traffickers.The seminar, held at Bangkok's Asia Hotel, was organised to study the problem of human trafficking and to find a way of assisting victims after they had been rescued.Meanwhile, Matthana Chetamee, the FFW's project coordinator in Thailand, has discovered that illegal agents held a lot of power in certain communities, which not only threatened people's safety but also made it difficult to corner them."The agents will have donated large amounts of money to temples, thereby gaining the respect and trust of the locals. Victims who try to take these agents to court are usually condemned by their communities," Matthana said.Another problem that Thai human-trafficking victims face is that some relevant government officials do not take them seriously."Many have told me that every time they asked for financial assistance, they were made to feel like beggars," Matthana said.FFW's president Siriporn Skrobanek recommended that both governmental and non-governmental organisations jointly approach local administrative organisations and have them take part in making locals understand what happens to human-trafficking victims and encourage them to fight against the illegal agents.She also called on relevant officials to pay serious attention to victims. "People accused of human trafficking out on bail should not be allowed to go overseas," Siriporn added. Regional Rights Body Dismissed as "Toothless" IPS (www.ipsnews.net) ran this article on 27 June 2009:SOUTHEAST ASIA: Regional Rights Body Dismissed as "Toothless"By Marwaan Macan-MarkarBANGKOK, Jun 27 (IPS) - Southeast Asia is weeks away from getting its own regional human rights body, but not everyone is cheering the birth of this new mechanism due to be approved at a foreign ministers’ meeting here. Least of all the region’s vibrant human rights community, spread across the 10 countries that belong to the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN).In a final, desperate push to lobby for an ASEAN Human Rights Body (AHRB) with teeth, over 200 civil society organisations, activists and academics have dispatched a letter to the high-profile committee drafting the terms of reference (ToR) of the rights body to make it an "effective" mechanism.Plans are afoot to meet some foreign ministers before they assemble for the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in the resort island of Phuket, from Jul. 17- 23. The ministers are due to approve the ToR for the AHRB, paving the way for it to start functioning later in the year.The countries in the regional bloc, which was formed in 1967 as a bulwark against the spread of communism, include Brunei, Burma (or Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.Most troubling for the activists is the lack of power for this regional entity to investigate rights violations among member countries and the absence of independent human rights experts to be on the body. There is also a call for the AHRB to have regular reviews of the human rights situation in the region."We hear that these three demands have not been met," says Yuyun Wahyuningrum, East Asia programme manager for FORUM-ASIA, a Bangkok- based regional rights lobby. "There is opposition from Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. Even Singapore and Malaysia have said our demands are difficult.""We said this has to do with the lives of victims, in our meetings with the government officials," she added in an interview. "The ToR is very weak and may do little to improve the human rights situation in the region."That is confirmed by the confidential draft text of the ToR seen by IPS. Although stating that the AHRB is being created to "promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of the peoples of ASEAN," the language in this nine-page document is short on specific details on precise actions of the new body to protect victims of gross abuse.There are also provisions for principles that the 42-year-old ASEAN is known for, such as "non-interference in the internal affairs of ASEAN Member states" and "respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all ASEAN Members States."But non-governmental organisations (NGOs) argue that when governments sign international treaties they give up an aspect of sovereignty and are open to some monitoring by the international community."To renege on the international human rights standards at this point would be really a shame," says Rafendi Djamin, coordinator of Indonesia’s NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy. "This would again affirm the widespread perception that ASEAN lacks the political will to protect human rights."There is already a view among some activists that the AHRB is destined to fall far short of what national human rights commissions in some ASEAN countries - such as Indonesia and the Philippines - have achieved. They have strong investigation mechanisms and independent commissioners."The power to investigate human rights violations is the first mandate of the Philippines human rights commission," says Cres Lucero, deputy executive director of the Manila-based Task Force Detainees of the Philippines. "It helps with a witness protection programme and is committed and has a capacity building plan.""The credibility of any human rights body will be judged on its power to investigate," she added during a telephone interview from the Philippines capital. "It is disappointing that the AHRB will be weaker than the national human rights bodies."ASEAN’s history offers a window into understanding why the AHRB is hampered by these flaws despite the region’s charter, which came into force last December, spelling out that the need for a regional human rights mechanism was important in making the bloc a rules-based entity on the lines of the European Union.With the exception of Indonesia and the Philippines and, to some measure Thailand, the rest of ASEAN’s members have governments that permit a limited democratic culture to ones that crush all hints of political and civil liberties. The latter are still comfortable with the concept of "Asian values" - an idea advanced by the authoritarian leaders of Malaysia and Singapore in the 1990s to justify the strong grip with which they ruled, and to deflect criticism from the West."The ToR for the AHRB mirrors the shortcomings of the ASEAN Charter as a whole," says Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University. "It has the politically correct concepts. But in the details, it has been diluted and is not effective.""The problem is that the ToR was a ‘Track One’ process like the ASEAN Charter. Only officials were involved in drafting it," he explained to IPS. "ASEAN is full of non-democratic countries. So a ‘Track One’ process lacks legitimacy, lacks people’s participation and also ruins the purpose." Firm Fined $100k Over IR Worksite Death The Straits Times ran this story on 27 June 2009:Firm fined $100k over IR worksite deathBy Elena ChongA CONSTRUCTION company was fined $100,000 yesterday over a fatal accident on the worksite of the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort, where a brick wall collapsed on a foreign worker.A representative of Lian Beng Construction, the occupier of the worksite, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure a safe workplace on Jan 16 last year.In the same court, Indian national Pitchai Alagarsamy, 40, the former foreman of Soon Li Heng Civil Engineering, was fined $800 - $200 shy of the maximum fine - for failing to work with Lian Beng to stop the wall from being backfilled.This safety breach resulted in the death of Mr Xie Xu Han, 39, who died of multiple fractures.Lian Beng was contracted by Marina Bay Sands to build the sub-structure for the three hotel towers on the site; Lian Beng sub-contracted Soon Li Heng to carry out the earthworks on the site, Ministry of Manpower prosecutor Danny Han told the court.The accident happened while a basement was being built. As one part was progressing ahead of the other, a gravity wall was to be erected to demarcate and separate the work areas.Investigations showed that a brick wall was erected to act as a formwork for the gravity wall.Not supported with any other structure, the backfilled brick wall collapsed onto the Chinese national.The court heard that a few hours before the accident, Alagarsamy had seen the brick formwork being backfilled with earth. He did nothing to stop it although he had been told backfilling should not be done.Lian Beng's lawyer Raymond Chan said that, following the accident, steps have been taken to improve workplace safety. Under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, the company could have been fined up to $500,000. MOM Helped Recover $800,000 in Salary Claims This Year AsiaOne ran this article on 8 June 2009:MOM helped recover $800,000 in salary claims this yearIn the first quarter of this year, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) helped 750 local workers recover about $800,000 in claims.Since its inception in 1968, MOM's Labour Court has served an important function in enabling workers with valid claims to seek a quick resolution without incurring high costs.The Labour Court heard around 490 cases, for which Orders were issued for payments to be made to workers. For the remaining cases, employers reached out-of-court settlements with their workers.Salary in lieu of termination noticeOne such case involved in Dec last year involved a company which terminated the services of four employees, without paying their salaries in lieu of termination notice.The company also owed salaries to three of them, ranging from $1,700 to $6,000.Upon inquiry by the ministry, the employees were eventually paid the full amount they were owed in May this year.Employers are reminded that notice periods in employment contracts provide time to the affected party to prepare for the cessation of the employment relations. If employers intend to vary the terms of the employment contract, this should be communicated clearly and put in writing.Paid sick leave and unauthorised salary deductionAnother case involved a worker in a childcare centre who took eight days of hospitalisation leave in Dec last year, and also further hospitalisation leave in Feb and Mar this year. The employer failed to pay her salaries in Feb and Mar, and also deducted the eight days of hospitalisation leave in 2008 from her salary in Jan 2009.Under the Employment Act, an employee is entitled to pay sick leave if he has served the employer for at least 3 months.Annual leave, sick leave and termination noticeIn another case, a worker was terminated while he was on hospitalisation leave, and offered $2,800 as settlement, with no explanation given as to how sum was arrived at. The Labour Court informed the employer that his full obligation to the worker upon terminating his services should have been around $5,300. The full termination payment was eventually paid to the employee.MOM advisoryWorkers are advised to refer to their obligations and rights in their employment contracts and the Employment Act.If they feel that the law has not been complied with, they may approach the Ministry for advice and assistance. They can also make an e-appointment through the MOM website at www.mom.gov.sg or contact MOM at 6438 5122. Singapore Has Most Efficient Civil Service Thomson Reuters ran this article on 3 June 2009:Most efficient civil serviceSINGAPORE'S civil servants are the most efficient among their Asian peers, a business survey on 12 economies released on Wednesday showed, but they tend to clam up unhelpfully when things go wrong.The Republic was ranked first for a third time in a poll of 1,274 expatriates working in 12 North and South Asian nations on the efficiency of bureaucrats in those countries.The poll was last held in 2007.'During normal times, when the system is not stress-tested, it operates very well,' Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy said in a 12-page report of Singapore's bureaucracy.'However, during difficult times - or when mistakes are made that reflect badly on the system - there is a tendency among bureaucrats to circle the wagons in ways that lack transparency and make accountability difficult,' the report said.India's 'suffocating bureaucracy' was ranked the least-efficient by the survey, which said working with the country's civil servants was a 'slow and painful' process.'They are a power centre in their own right at both the national and state levels, and are extremely resistant to reform that affects them or the way they go about their duties,' PERC said.Thailand, despite four years of on-off street protests and a year of dysfunctional government was ranked third.'For all the country's troubles - or perhaps because of them - respondents to our survey were impressed with the way Thai civil servants have been carrying out their duties,' PERC said, adding that state offices associated with corruption presented the most difficulties for Thai citizens and foreigners.PERC managing director Bob Broadfoot told Reuters that the controversy around huge investment losses by Singapore sovereign wealth fund Temasek was a good example of how things could become less transparent in in the island-state.The Singapore government has come under fire from lawmakers and its citizens over several investment losses, particular its exit from Bank of America which resulted in a loss of over US$3 billion (S$4.32 billion), according to Reuters calculation.The survey ranked Hong Kong second. China, which has been campaigning to fight corruption in its bureaucracy and improve efficiency on the civil service, was ranked 9th in the 2009 poll, two places down from 2007.Ranking by most efficient to least efficient economies: Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, Philippines, Indonesia and India. Video: In Unity for Her Liberty Thanks to Patrick Chng for giving us this video of the In Unity for Her Liberty: a Peace Vigil for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Freedom event at Speakers' Corner on 31 May 2009. 'Hybrid system' for Parliament? The Strait Times website ran this article on 26 May 2009 (Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times):'Hybrid system' for Parliament?By Zakir Hussain NOMINATED MP Siew Kum Hong on Monday called for a hybrid Parliament in which 'a limited number of seats' could be 'allocated by way of proportional representation', while the majority would still be filled the way they are now.This would allow for more diverse views in Parliament, he said, adding that it would also be 'more consistent with democratic principles than a scheme like the Nominated MP scheme'.Under proportional representation, parties are allocated seats based on their share of the popular vote.Mr Siew also welcomed the three principles outlined by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong over the weekend to guide political changes that President SR Nathan had hinted at in his address to Parliament last Monday.Mr Goh said the changes must be fair to all political parties; should result in a strong, effective Government; and must ensure diverse and opposition views are represented in Parliament.Mr Siew said that these objectives accept that a fair electoral system is critical for its legitimacy, and that it is in Singapore's interest to have diverse views in the House.'I applaud the SM, and the Government, for taking this stance,' he said.Mr Siew also called for a reduction in the size of group representation constituencies (GRCs) and an increase in the number of single member constituencies.'These moves, together with clear commitments to refrain from the constant redrawing of electoral boundaries and to openly publish the reasons and justifications for any such redrawing, will go a long way towards restoring Singaporeans' respect for the political process in Singapore,' he said.He felt the moves would also make citizens more willing to take part in the political process, and convince them that the PAP is serious about political change, even if this meant its absolute dominance of the House could be at risk. Teach Character Values The Straits Times ran this article on 26 May 2009:Teach character valuesBy Derrick HoTHE apparent lack of civility and gracious behaviour during the recent Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) saga is a clear indication that Singapore is still lagging behind in graciousness, said MP Lim Biow Chuan (Maine Parade GRC) on Tuesday.He urged schools to teach basic character values to students all the way till university level.'The only point which I wish to make is that if the reports are accurate, then civility and gracious behaviour during the Aware extraordinary general meeting was clearly missing. While I accept that emotions were highly charged.... I would submit that this cannot be the level of behaviour which we should promote as acceptable,' he said of the 'raucous behaviour' during the EGM.Citing other examples, Mr Lim said graciousness among Singaporeans seems to 'be an elusive target which is moving further and further away'.Unruly road behaviour and the need to still rely on campaigns to encourage commuters to give up seats to the elderly, and shoppers to return their trolleys, were some instances Mr Lim raised in his speech during the debate on the President's address.He said regardless of Singapore's economic situation, 'well-mannered, courteous and considerate' fellow citizens will make life more pleasant'.Mr Lim said if Singapore is serious about wanting to promote a more civil society, parents must play a part in inculcating values themselves and not 'sub-contract' it to their domestic helper or rely solely on teachers.Raising a similar point, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Parilamentary Secretatary for Education and Home Affairs, urged the government and society not to lose sight of its principles and 'fundamentals' during tough times and ensure that children continue to attend school and focus on their studies.'He noted that a good number of youths drop out of school because they can get by, working at McDonald's for $4 per hour by leaving school immediately rather than wait 12 long years of education to earn a trade certificate.Acknowledging that dual income families may not be able to spend more time with their children, Mr Lim urged the Ministry of Education to consider teaching basic character values through the entire school curriculum from primary school level all the way to university.'We should make character education an integral part of the education system and not just another non-examinable subject. We must evaluate out school principals and administrators not on how many students that they can produce with outstanding academic results but how well they mould their students.'Mr Lim also asked the government to take the lead in nurturing graciousness by showing more compassion to the poor. Citing an example, he said many HDB tenants were asked to pay a higher rental when their family income goes up, regardless of the number of family members the tenant has to support.'When it comes to dealing with the poorer segment of our society, we take quite a tough approach with these tenants,' Mr Lim said. 'We have failed to come across as being compassionate and mindful of their difficulties... Can we not afford these people a greater sense of compassion by the government? Can we not give our residents more encouragement when they try to better their lives to earn a higher income?' Lorry Load of Trouble The New Paper ran this article on 26 May 2009:Lorry load of troubleBy Ho Lian-YiIt's common to hear Singaporeans gripe about having to be packed like sardines on trains and buses during peak hours.But take a look at these pictures - and see how foreign workers are being transported daily.They put up with bumpy rides and battle the elements. Worse, it is dangerous.Four workers were killed last Monday after the lorry that was carrying them crashed into a trailer at Tuas.We spoke to a few foreign workers to find out what it's like to travel on the back of a lorry.Mr Arman, 29, a Bangladeshi, told The New Paper that he gets to sit in the front of the lorry these days - one of the perks of being a supervisor.But he still remembers vividly the "scary" rides at the back.The ride from his workers' quarters in Yishun to his worksite in Haig Road takes 25 minutes.When the drive brakes suddenly, "those behind also come to the front", he said.He has also seen workers getting hit by low-lying branches - causing injury in some cases.What is really dangerous, Mr Arman said, is when companies carry equipment and men on the same lorry. When it's overloaded, workers have to sit on the machinery.He said his workers bought a 5m-long canvas sheet to protect themselves from the rain. When it pours, they huddle under the sheet, holding hands.Despite the recent accident, nothing has changed, Mr Arman said.Another Bangladeshi workers, 38, who declined to be named, said that recently, one of his colleagues injured his leg falling off a lorry when it surged forward before he had properly climbed onboard.Although he has worked in Singapore for 19 years, he said he had to take lorries only in the last two years. Previously, he lived onsite.The lorry rides are very bumpy, he said. And that hurts his spine."One year, two years, so much damage to my back," he said.Sometimes, when the lorry ends up behind a rubbish truck, the stench is unbearable, he said.He added that when the workers get caught in the rain and fall sick, some foremen are unsympathetic.Other workers though, had better experiences.Indian national Muthu Senthil, 28, who has worked in Singapore for five years, takes the lorry from Tuas to Marina Bay at 7am every day. It's a 45-minute ride.While there are no seat belts, he said everyone holds on to the handlebars at the side tightly. And people do not fall off as the driver moves off only after the workers have told him that everyone is secure.No mixingThey also do not mix equipment with workers."If they need to get equipment, they'll make a second trip," Mr Senthil said.Singapore roads are straight, he added, and not dangerous.Mr Bala Supramaniam, 27, said his driver, a Singaporean, was "very good" and cleans his lorry every day."He follows the speed limit, even on the highway," he said.His lorry has plywood planks securely bolted to the sides for the workers to sit, and handles to grasp.Mr Bala deals with the dust and smoke of the roads with a handkerchief over his mouth.What he is unhappy about is the way many workers get on or off a lorry while it's still moving.All the foreign workers we spoke to said they preferred to be transported by bus. But most were not optimistic that there will be changes any time soon.Said Mr Arman, "If I tell my boss, buy a bus for us, he'll say, 'waste money for what?'" Only Elected Opposition Offers 'Effective Checks' The Straits Times ran this article on 26 May 2009:Only elected opposition offers 'effective checks'By Zakir Hussain, Political CorrespondentTHE ruling party says the effectiveness of Singapore's political system lies in its internal checks and its ability to serve the people, but only an elected opposition can provide effective checks and balances, Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang) declared yesterday.The leader of the Workers' Party said this is because the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) currently dominates the House, can amend the Constitution freely, and controls key levers of power in the country.What if one day it were to abuse its powers, trample on people's rights or become corrupt? 'What can the people do then?' asked Mr Low.NMP Siew Kum Hong calls for a 'hybrid system' for ParliamentNOMINATED MP Siew Kum Hong yesterday called for a hybrid Parliament in which 'a limited number of seats' could be 'allocated by way of proportional representation', while the majority would still be filled the way they are now.This would allow for more diverse views in Parliament, he said, adding that it would also be 'more consistent with democratic principles than a scheme like the Nominated MP scheme'.Under proportional representation, parties are allocated seats based on their share of the popular vote. We Are Not Funding NMP The Electric New Paper ran this article on 26 May 2009:We are not funding NMPBy Liew Hanqing NETIZENS were abuzz over a meeting between him and Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Siew Kum Hong last month. But Mr Johan Skarendal, 29, a member of the Swedish International Liberal Centre (SILC), has rubbished online allegations that Mr Siew had asked for and is receiving foreign funding from his organisation.Mr Skarendal said SILC is a foundation which assists democracy development, by supporting organisations and individuals who promote democracy and human rights.It is affiliated to the Liberal Party, one of the four political parties in the Swedish government since 2006.In recent weeks, Mr Siew has been the target of what seems like an organised online campaign to oppose his re-nomination as a NMP.Flamed onlineHe has been flamed extensively on several forums and blogs, and has even received nasty e-mails from his detractors. Mr Skarendal told The New Paper that though he met Mr Siew during his visit to Singapore last month, the issue of funding was never broached.He said: 'I met him (Mr Siew) for one hour to discuss his work in parliament, and his views on current affairs and the civil society in Singapore.'He added that SILC is one of several Swedish organisations carrying out government policy in the democracy assistance field.'All of our project proposals must pass through rigorous screening and evaluation before decisions are made to fund a project,' he said.He stressed that Mr Siew did not ask about the possibility of funding, and neither did he mention the possibility to Mr Siew. 'The current allegations against him are clearly nothing but hot air with the intent to defame him, and as such are criminal in nature,' Mr Skarendal said.When contacted, Mr Siew declined comment as he has already made a police report.In an 18 May entry on his blog (siewkumhong.blogspot.com), Mr Siew wrote: 'I did not at any time ask for, and have not at any time been offered or accepted, any sort of funding from any local or foreign entity, including the Swedish politician named in the latest attack.'The only sources of income (or funding) that I have, are my employer and the Government of Singapore (in the form of my monthly NMP allowance).'He quashed online allegations of links with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). Mr Siew described the latest attacks as going 'beyond anything that a reasonable person could possibly perceive as being a valid or legitimate exercise of the right to free speech.'He added that he would not tolerate the latest wave of 'character assassination' from 'cowards hiding behind the perceived anonymity of the Internet'. Mr Skarendal said his latest visit to Singapore was with Mr Henrik Ehrenberg, head of the allied Christian Democratic International Center.They met with several 'human rights defenders and civil society members', but Mr Skarendal declined to say who, because it would be 'impolite' to do so.He confirmed that he had met with SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan during the recent visit. They first met in February 2003 when Dr Chee visited Sweden. Call for Political Change Today ran this article on 26 May 2009:'Start with electoral boundaries’By Alicia Wong THOUGH it may put the People’s Action Party’s dominance at risk, the “sheer symbolism” of having smaller Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) and more Single Member Constituencies (SMC) willl “go a long way towards convincing Singaporeans that the PAP is serious about political change,” said Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong.President S R Nathan had last week signalled that Singapore’s political system must evolve as society changes.In Mr Siew’s view, clear commitments to not constantly re-draw the electoral boundaries, and publishing the reasons should the Government do so, will help restore Singaporean’s respect for the process and increase their desire to vote.“That has to be the starting place if we truly want Singapore politics to evolve and Singaporeans to participate,” argued Mr Siew, who saw a “longstanding problem of political apathy and disengagement”.MP Low Thia Kiang (Hougang) called for the strengthening of external checks and balances in the political system, in the form of the Opposition. It is not enough that the losing candidate is appointed as a Non-Constituency MP, he argued; elected MPs have the benefit of Meet the People sessions which help them grasp issues on the ground. Also, given the chance to represent a constituency gives the Opposition party space for events to widen its networks.In contrast to Mr Siew’s view, Reach chairman Amy Khor believes there is “a growing political maturity and vigorous, no holds barred debate on issues of the day”. She cited discussions on the Reach portal on electricity prices and the NMP nominations.MP Michael Palmer (Pasir Ris-Ponggol) agreed society is becoming more “outspoken” as channels of communication between the Government and people grow. Recent episodes in civil society and sports associations also show “a cry for openness and transparency”, he noted. Dr Khor said “cautious” experimentation is the way forward. With Singapore’s small size, there is no “manoeuvre room to embark on bold political experimentation without risking everything that has been painstakingly built up over the past few decades”, she warned. MPs Call for Greater Openness Today ran this article on 26 May 2009:MPs call for greater openness from Temasek and GICBy Alicia Wong AS THE world economy took one knock after another in the past year, Temasek Holdings and the Government of Singapore Investment Corp’s (GIC’s) investment decisions have also come in for some hard questions inside and outside of Parliament. Yesterday, in their debate on the President’s May 18 address, Members of Parliament (MPs) added their voices to the call for more openness from the two investment companies in matters of public interest, as they homed in on Temasek’s recent divestment of its stake in Bank of America (BofA).MP Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio) called for a complete review on the management and investment of Singapore’s reserves, given how Temasek and GIC had deviated from what they were chartered to do. While GIC once followed conservative principles in long-term investments that delivered good returns, it has recently been investing in “more risky investments,” said Mr Singh.Meanwhile, Temasek, which used to invest in Singapore or Government-linked companies in their early stages of development, “in fact moved more into what GIC used to do”, so that the two are “starting to look almost similar”.A complete review of how Singapore’s reserves are managed from now on, would “require top-levelpolicy thinking on what the core objectives are, that these two funds should serve and how they should be managed,” said Mr Singh. With Singapore’s reserves meant as “long-term shelter” for its citizens, “is it appropriate to allow GIC and Temasek to continue investing the way they have done in recent years, make somewhat speculative investments, like the way private wealth is shown to have been managed?” he questioned.If Temasek does not return to its original investment roots, should there be another entity to invest and bring up Singapore-based companies, asked Mr Singh, “and most importantly, should we allow so much of our reserves to be placed with GIC and Temasek, or ... managed by people who understand these are meant to be long-term investments”?On the BofA stake sale, Temasek had on May 15confirmed it sold its 3-per-cent shareholding through a series of sales in the first quarter — but kept mum on its reasons up till a week later, when it said that its “investment thesis” as well as the “risk-return environment” had changed. Still, it did not disclose the loss incurred on the deal, which stemmed from its 2007 US$5.9-billion investment in Merrill Lynch ($8.5 billion) that was later taken over by BofA. Temasek’s reticence on the matter spawned even more speculation over the size of the loss, with some estimates hitting as high as US$4.6 billion.MP Michael Palmer (Pasir Ris-Ponggol) highlighted how citizens speculated — online and offline — on Temasek’s reasons for divesting the BofA stake and the loss incurred. “Clearly, the public wanted to know the rationale and reasons behind the decision to sell what was originally meant to be a long term investment made with public funds,” he said.“Unfortunately, due to the lack of information, speculation and discontent were rife,” he added.While Temasek’s statement last Thursday was a “step in the right direction”, said Mr Palmer, “questions still remain”. While it is not expected to give detailed investment strategies, “answers to pertinent questions given after the fact, which will not impact investment outcome, would appear to be another matter”.MP Zaqy Mohamad (Hong Kah) said: “We lost money that took generations and many good years to create. They are investing Singaporeans’ money and Singaporeans deserve greater accountability in how our money is being spent.” Mr Zaqy highlighted the need to address issues such as matching the commercial objectives of the investment funds to the social objectives of the reserves. He also asked if there should be greater transparency “given to the public of the bonuses and performance of its staff”? Call for a Review of Foreign Worker Policy Today ran this article on 26 May 2009:Call for a review of foreign worker policyBy Neo Chai ChinShould Singapore tighten its “liberal” foreign worker policies? Some Members of Parliament think so and have called for a Government review. Jurong MP Halimah Yacob urged for a review of foreign worker quotas to reflect today’s situation of higher unemployment and weaker job creation. She warned of a “hollowing out of skills” among locals, should large numbers of foreigners occupy jobs in a particular sector.“There are now so many foreign workers even in the services sector that Singaporeans are beginning to feel squeezed out,” she said. For their part, Singaporeans must be prepared to work in new sectors or work further away from home.Ang Mo Kio MP Inderjit Singh believes Singapore needs more pro-active measures such as a minimum-wage system to make some jobs more attractive to locals — a call the Opposition has made in the past — as well as reserving certain jobs for Singaporeans.Middle- and lower-income groups here will be worse off over time with the current liberal policies due to “artificially depressed” wages — a result of “competition for low value-added jobs from foreigners”, he said. Myanmar's Suu Kyi Set to Testify as Outcry Grows AFP ran this article on 26 May 2009:Myanmar's Suu Kyi set to testify as outcry growsMyanmar pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was set to testify at her trial, as European and Asian foreign ministers stepped up international pressure on the ruling junta to free her. The military regime said it would reopen the court to diplomats and journalists for part of the day in a small concession to global criticism of its treatment of the 63-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Critics say Aung San Suu Kyi's trial, on charges of breaching her house arrest over an incident in which a US man swam to her house, is an excuse for Myanmar's ruling generals to lock her up for elections due next year. The spokesman for her opposition party, Nyan Win, said the defence felt that the mostly closed proceedings at the notorious Insein Prison near the main city of Yangon were being rushed through. "She will be questioned by the judge (on Tuesday)... This was a surprise to us because we need more time to discuss the case with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," Nyan Win said on Monday night. Aung San Suu Kyi pleaded innocent last week to the charges, under which she faces between three and five years in jail. She has been detained for 13 of the last 19 years, mostly under house arrest. The defence is also planning to call Tin Oo , the detained deputy leader of her opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party, as one of its witnesses. Asked whether he thought the ruling junta would allow testimony by Tin Oo, who has been in jail or under house arrest since 2003, Nyan Win told AFP: "They have to, otherwise it will be one-sided." Diplomats from all foreign embassies in Yangon had been told to report to the court early on Tuesday for a briefing by a magistrate, and they would be allowed to attend the trial later in the day, a western diplomat said. Authorities will also allow 10 journalists from local media and 11 from international organisations to report on part of the proceedings. The trial has provoked a storm of international outrage. More than 40 foreign ministers from Asia and Europe meeting in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi this week are to jointly call for the release Aung San Suu Kyi, according to a draft statement. "In light of the concern about the recent development to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ministers... called for the early release of those under detention and the lifting of restriction placed on political parties," said the draft statement. During a meeting Monday with Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win on the sidelines of the talks, the EU called for Aung San Suu Kyi's immediate release. In a rare move, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) last week expressed "grave concern" over her treatment. Myanmar's neighbours normally prefer not to be seen as intervening in the affairs of their members. Myanmar issued an angry rebuttal to the statement on Monday. The junta is also trying the American intruder, John Yettaw, and two female aides who live with Aung San Suu Kyi in the house. Yettaw has said that he swam across a lake to the house to warn her of his belief that she would be assassinated, but the junta accuses Aung San Suu Kyi of illegally communicating with and sheltering him. The latest, six-year period of Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest is due to expire on Wednesday but Myanmar authorities have not said whether they will extend the term. Aung San Suu Kyi and her deputy Tin Oo have both been detained since an incident in 2003 in which their motorcade came under attack during a political tour. Wednesday is also the 19th anniversary of Myanmar's last democratic elections. The NLD won a landslide victory in the polls, but the military never allowed it to take office. Chinese Worker Jailed for 10 Weeks The Straits Times ran this story on 25 May 2009:Jailed for 10 weeksA CHINESE national who threatened to jump from the top of the Ministry of Manpower building last month had no intention of doing so, a district court heard on Monday.Zhao Er Hui's purpose of calling the police on April 1 was to intimidate MOM officers to intervene into his work-related issues with his employer.The 32-year-old was jailed for 10 weeks after he admitted to criminal trespass at the seven-storey MOM building at Havelock Road that day. Profitable, So Deducted Staff Pay Given Back This article was published in The Business Times on 25 May 2009:Profitable, so deducted staff pay given backLIKE many other companies, Knight Frank has cut staff pay as one way of riding out the downturn. But unlike most, it's ready to pay back the amount taken away - when it does well.Staff whose pay was cut by 10-20 per cent for the months of February to April have been paid back the deducted amount.Knight Frank chairman Tan Tiong Cheng told BT that this was done after the company managed to 'scrape through' and make a profit for the year ended April 30, 2009.And while the pay cut remains for the current financial year, Knight Frank will return the deducted amount again should it do well.The group has a total headcount of about 560 people in Singapore. That's excluding its network of about 700 associates or agents who don't earn a salary but are paid commissions on sales instead.Executive directors and directors took the biggest pay cut of 20 per cent from Feb 1, with other staff seeing their salaries trimmed between 10 and 15 per cent, again with more senior staff members taking the bigger hit. Those earning less than $2,000 a month were spared.Mr Tan declined to say just how much profit the company made for the financial year just ended. However, he disclosed that turnover fell 25-30 per cent - investment sales and residential agency businesses were hit by the property slump, but valuation did 'extremely well' and retail agency also chalked up good numbers.On a group basis, including the results of subsidiaries such as Knight Frank Shopping Centre Management, Knight Frank Estate Management (which does property and facilities management) and Knight Frank Property Network (the associates arm), revenue took a small dent.Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority records show that the company made an after-tax profit of $5.4 million and had revenue of $37.2 million for the year ended April 30, 2007. Figures for the year ended April 30, 2008 were not listed. Three NGOs Form Coalition Called Solidarity for Migrant Workers Channel NewsAsia ran this article on 24 May 2009:Three NGOs form coalition called Solidarity for Migrant WorkersBy Lynda HongSINGAPORE : Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have said they are seeing a huge impact on foreign workers due to the economic recession.Thus, despite more steps being taken to improve the working conditions of foreign workers, NGOs want to further strengthen activism for them.Three NGOs - Migrant Voices, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) - have come together to form a coalition called the Solidarity for Migrant Workers, which taps on the expertise of the three foreign worker NGOs.Up to 160 foreign workers attended the launch of the new coalition on Sunday afternoon. Talking Point: Role of bloggers in Online Citizenry Alex Au of Yawning Bread is one of three guests in this episode of Talking Point about the role of blggers in online citizenry. Thanks to Singapore Enquirer for posting this up.Part 1Part 2 Dark Documentary on China Underbelly Chills Cannes AFP ran this article on 24 May 2009:Dark documentary on China underbelly chills CannesBy Claire RosembergCANNES, France (AFP) - At a festival chock-full of cinematic violence, a documentary by a young Chinese film-maker brought more darkness to Cannes with a harrowing portrayal of life in Beijing's underbelly."I'm relating reality as it is in China today," director Zhao Liang told AFP in an interview.His "Petition" documents the plight of China's judicial "petitioners" -- people from across the land who gather in Beijing in the hope of righting legal wrongs suffered back home."These people are sacrificing themselves for China," said Zhao, whose work is one of 15 feature-length films selected for screening by the festival but showing out-of-competition for the Palme d'Or award."There is a lot of corruption. China's problem today is that justice is not independent," he said.Often from the most disadvantaged social classes, the petitioners come to Beijing's Complaints Office of the Supreme People's Court after failing to win cases lodged at local or regional level.Filmed over a decade in alleyways and makeshift huts near the city's South railway station -- a teeming area once known as "Petitioners' City" -- the two-hour documentary focuses on the dire living conditions of the petitioners and their often hopeless quests for judicial redress.Living off waste, sleeping rough, and locked in relentless red tape, they also face bands of thug "retrievers" sent by local authorities to shoo them home -- which often means jail or a mental hospital.A 2006 scene shows a group recovering a jaw, a severed hand and other body parts left on a railway track where an old woman was cut down by a passing train while trying to escape retrievers.The tale of a mother and daughter is told over a decade, from when the girl is 12 to her decision at adulthood to leave a life on the streets and marry. During her fight for justice, the mother spent five years locked up, including months drugged in psychiatric wards."Although we are on the road to openness, there is a still a lot to do in China," Zhao said. "This film aims to inform people about the petitioners.""I see myself as a doctor looking at an ill person," Zhao said. "It is urgent to cure this sickness and look after the ill."The 38-year-old film-maker said that because "Petition" was a documentary, he did not need to request an official permit in order to film nor did he require official authorisation to show the work at Cannes.The film is scheduled to screen at a Chinese independent film festival this month. "There is space in China nowadays for this sort of film to be shown," he said.The "Petitioners" area was razed ahead of the 2008 Olympics, when Zhao's film stops, to make way for the new South Station, Asia's largest rail terminal. But the petitioners are still in Beijing, pushed further away deep into the suburbs.Peppered with their criticism of party officials and calls for pro-democratic revolt, Zhao said: "I can't say I agree with the petitioners in the film. I have merely related reality.""I'm interested in the humanity of these people," he added. "In China networks are essential and these people can't pull strings.""These people are sacrificing themselves for the good of China. I would never become a petitioner myself. I don't have sympathy for them but I do have respect." Arrests in Chinese Slavery Case BBC ran this article on 22 May 2009:Arrests in Chinese slavery casePolice in eastern China have arrested 10 people suspected of beating mentally disabled people forced to work as slaves in brick factories.State media said the brick kiln owner had bought 32 such people and forced them to work without pay.The victims, aged between 25 and 45, were freed in a police raid in April.The case echoes a scandal in 2007, when more than 1,000 labourers - including children were found working in brutal conditions in central Shanxi province.Following that scandal, China announced a nationwide crackdown on enslavement and child labour.Terrible conditionsUnder terrible conditions, 32 mentally disabled people were forced to work in brick kilns in Jieshou city, in Anhui province, according to the Xinhua news agency.The 10 are "suspected of beating and treating the mentally handicapped people like slaves," a local police official was quoted as saying.The victims had been sold to a factory owner for less than $50 (£30) each, after being recruited off the street by a taxi driver promising work food and lodging, the report said.Unpaid, and working more than 10 hours a day, they were fed little more than steamed dough.Twelve of those freed have now returned home, while the remainder, many of whom are unable to say where they live, are being kept in local shelters. In Unity for Her Liberty: a Peace Vigil for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Freedom MARUAH is organising a peace vigil for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at Speakers' Corner on Sunday, 31 May 2009 at 5pm. Message from MARUAH:Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who won the democratically-held elections in 1990, has been under house arrest for almost two decades. On 18th May 2009, she was charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest and stood trial. She has borne her trials with dignity. Yet they continue unabated. The world has honoured her with a Nobel Peace Prize and lobbied tirelessly for her freedom but there is a growing helplessness towards the situation as the Myanmar junta continues to keep her in detention without trial.We find the situation untenable. It will be a grave injustice if we all were to stand by and let this courageous citizen spend all her days as a prisoner. She is due for release at the end of May.Many among us know that it will not happen. We need to show ASEAN solidarity at the civil society level and act together to ask for her freedom.Let us then come together throughout ASEAN on the same day at the same time to demand for her freedom. Can we show solidarity by wearing some yellow in our clothing, hold a candlelight vigil and let off 19 yellow-coloured balloons (one for each year she has been under arrest) with her portrait, into the skies?Come.Have your silence heard.This event is jointly organised by MARUAH (SWGAHRM) with other regional NGOs. Remembering 22 Singapore Victims of ISA SGPolitics.net ran this article on 21 May 2009:Today at 6.30pm, a group of activists held a rally at Hong Lim Park to call for a commission to be set up to investigate and reveal any wrongdoings by state officials in the arrest of 22 Singaporeans under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in 1987.In a statement released by the activists, they expressed outrage over the Government’s use of the ISA to violate the fundamental human rights of a group of young social workers, lawyers, businessmen and theatre practitioners during Operation Spectrum on 21 May 1987.They said that the ISA, which provides for indefinite detention without trial, is a draconian law that should be abolished.They also said that if any of those who were detained had committed wrongdoing, they should have been charged in a court of law, and that everyone so charged has the basic right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. In no uncertain terms, they said the ISA is an outright violation of these rights.After the statement had been read out, Ms Noora Zul recited a poem written by one of the ex-detainees, and Mr Seelan Palay read out a statement written by Mr Francis Seow in commemoration of the 22nd Anniversary of Operation Spectrum.Finally, the group sang the song Blowing In The Wind by Bob Dylan, which is a song frequently sung at human rights events.Watch the video of the event