Do you care about Nominated Members of Parliament?
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A brand new slate of NMPs in the House
By Loh Chee Kong and Ong Dai Lin,
TODAY | Posted: 07 July 2009 0731 hrs
SINGAPORE: It will be a slate of completely new faces in the House, all nine of them – the maximum number of Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) allowed by the Constitution. But you might recognise a few familiar names.
One surprise is former national swimmer and Olympian Joscelin Yeo, who makes the move from pool to politics; while ex-current affairs television presenter Viswa Sadasivan will simply be taking his long-time involvement on government panels to the next level.
On Monday evening, an email sent out by the Select Committee, tasked with whittling down the list of 46 applications, revealed the results of their deliberations.
Subject to President S R Nathan's formal approval, the nine picked to give voice to non-partisan, alternative views in Parliament comprise an entrepreneur, a decorated unionist, a top honcho at a Big Four accountancy firm, a vocal sociologist, a shipping industry leader, a communications consultant, a sportswoman, a community service veteran and an artistic director.
Former NMPs Mr Siew Kum Hong and Mr Gautam Banerjee, both of whom had sought second terms, were conspicuously absent from the list.
The newbies, who will be sworn in before Parliament sits on July 20, were selected after interviews held over three days last week.
Ms Yeo, 30, said she went for the interview without any expectation after her name was put up to the panel by the sporting fraternity. She views being an NMP as an extension of the work she is doing at the swimming school she runs with her brother and with the Youth Ministry of New Creation Church.
"Definitely, some of the things close to my heart are sports and youth," she told TODAY, on the type of issues she might raise.
Mr Viswa, 49, who has been active on national panels for years, feels "sufficiently attuned to what's happening on the ground".
"I'm at a steady state in my life where I'm able to commit the time needed ... I also feel strongly that to be able to contribute effectively (as an NMP), you need to have sufficient knowledge - and I feel today that I have enough to participate in debates on a spectrum of Bills," he said.
Foot up for civil society
One area Mr Viswa feels strongly about is the development of civil society, and he thinks the public is getting "mixed signals" from the top.
"I think the government is sincere but quite often, there appears to be a sense that it's one step forward and two steps back," he said.
Though mindful not to "overstep" his bounds as NMP, he is ready to leverage on his new role.
"I would like to form a loose resource panel of individuals with domain knowledge in specific areas like economics, social work, education, defence policies and so on ... so I'll be able to tap on their expertise which I might articulate (through) my views in Parliament," he said.
Another NMP hoping to extend her work outside of Parliament is The Substation co-artistic director Audrey Wong. Besides seeking to "give the arts a foot in the door among decision-makers", and reflecting the people's views on issues such as Internet freedom, political films and education, she plans to start a blog and run workshops for youth.
"I've discussed with The Substation what my role should be ... one is to develop a stronger education programme where we give young people insights into arts and culture, and how the arts and society are intertwined."
From bread-and-butter to identity issues
While veteran unionist Terry Lee said he would focus on workers' welfare and employability - especially with Singapore in recession - some fellow NMP-appointees want to draw attention to social and cultural issues affecting the country.
Fashion entrepreneur Calvin Cheng hopes to contribute in national debates on "cultural identity".
"With the Integrated Resorts, a window is opening which will either strengthen our cultural identity or weaken it ... At no time is having a strong, unique and proud cultural identity more important than right now, when we throw open our doors to the world," he said.
Married to an American, National University of Singapore sociologist Paulin Straughan wants to share her own experiences in drawing attention to the children of such "inter-cultural marriages".
"Each year, we lose some of these bi-cultural youth when they are forced to give up Singapore citizenship.
"As more Singaporeans marry foreigners and grow their families here, we must find an innovative way to help these children maintain their bi-cultural identity," she said.
TODAY was unable to contact the other three new NMPs. Ernst & Young Associates managing director Mildred Tan chairs the public communications sub-committee on the National Council on Problem Gambling.
Mr Teo Siong Seng, managing director of a container-ship operator, is president of both the Singapore Chinese Chamber Of Commerce & Industry and the Singapore Shipping Association.
Mr Laurence Wee is the executive director of Presbyterian Community Services. -
I am surprised
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error.
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error.
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The Punch and Judy show in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore Parliament goes on.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's intolerant leader has successfully managed to remove even the remotest resemblance, if there ever was, of representative government in his Parliament. For a start, there are only 2 opposition politicians there, albeit being only pretenders who are careful about what they say so as not to offend the dictator.The entire remaining 82 members in the house are there to sing his praises. With this disgraceful situation, where everyone can see it being nothing more than a one party dictatorship, his efforts to hoodwink the world into thinking it is a model democracy is failing. So he does the next best thing. Which is to make a fool not only of his subjects but the entire world audience by faking a representative Parliament.
In his state controlled press the Straits Times online edition of July 7, 2009, there is an article titled "9 NMP names submitted". This is what it means. Even though the Constitution of Singapore calls for a representative government in Parliament, in total contempt for it, he has selected 20 to 30 citizens whom he feels will ask some political questions in Parliament which he will approve before hand, and thereby give the impression of genuine political debate.Of course you rightly guessed who these selected speakers are, none other than Lee Kuan Yew sympathisers of course, who are not there to further any citizen's interests but their own; that the right patronage and connections naturally bring.
Singaporeans who are aware of this shameless chicanery will rightfully ask who these Nominated Members are speaking for in the first place; not them since they did not elect them. And therefore they have no right to be speaking for them, let alone in Parliament, not having been elected by anyone.
And who are these selected clowns (Nominated Members of Parliment) anyway? There is a former sportswoman Joscelyn Yeo aged 30. Calvin Cheng 33, a fashion manager, Audrey Wong 41, an arts manager etc. No one is bothered about any of these individuals and neither does anyone care.
If they were intending to represent the people in Parliament, then why have they not stood for elections especially when they would almost certainly win being Lee Kuan Yew's bootlickers. You know why this is the case of course.Any real opposition candidate would be sued for defamation, criminally charged, bankrupted and impoverished, not necessarily in that order. And yet, even though winning is almost a guaranteed certainty in Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore, these individuals have no desire to stand up to it. Despite lacking any political interest or even the slightest civic consciousness of any sort, they are chosen to go to Parliament and speak a lot of nonsense, on your behalf, which everyone cares nothing about!
Lee Kuan Yew is becoming a joke. So is his Parliament and so are his obedient clowns who do the clown show in his Parliament.
If asked about all this, I think Singaporeans should say as they have always done "I do not know, and I do not care." These handpicked Lee Kuan Yew's clowns can do all the talking they want. They would be talking to themselves.
And the Singapore watchers reading this would be alerted once more to what Singapore really is; a one party Lee Kuan Yew dictatorship trying very hard to fool everyone into thinking the island is not what everyone knows it is. Lee Kuan Yew's nonsense is not fooling anyone anymore.
Gopalan Nair -
error
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Now you see why LKY wanted us to give up dialects for English. You couldn't understand that simple ang mo article! It is Paulin Straughan, NUS sociologist, who wants to find ways to help children of inter-cultural marriages maintain their bicultural id and not Calvin Cheng. Joke aside, dialects are only a very small part of cultures. I somehow believe that even without the gahmen's intervention dialects will become less and less frequently used. Singaporeans, or human beings for that matter, are very practical and will only use whatever language that is necessary in ensuring their economic well being. I couldn't remember the figure but it was reported that everyday some dialects or languages will die a natural death. Ah Chia, open your heart, open your mind and embrace other cultures. Your life will become more interesting and you will become happier and richer spirtually.
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You couldn’t understand that simple ang mo article! It is Paulin Straughan, NUS sociologist, who wants to find ways to help children of inter-cultural marriages maintain their bicultural id and not Calvin Cheng.
You are correct.
I read too quickly.
It is this Paulin Straughan that is making the bi-cultural bullshit, not Calvin Chen.
I apologise to Calvin Chen.
Sorry.
My error.
Now you see why LKY wanted us to give up dialects for English.
Seems out of point.
Ah Chia, open your heart, open your mind and embrace other cultures. Your life will become more interesting and you will become happier and richer spirtually.
I am open to other cultures.
But if some baba bastard come and suppress my language and impose alien language on me and weaken my culture, I won't go and kowtow to the bastard.
Will you pearlie27?
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First of all, i wouldn't view anybody from his/her ethnic group. Secondly, have that particularly person ever asked you or anybody to kowtow to him? Yes that person had abolished dialects from the public media, mainly TV and radio, but he didn't forbid anybody from speaking dialects at home or in public places. I still speak dialects and don't think my culture has been eroded just because dialects have been banned in the public media.
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Yes that person had abolished dialects from the public media, mainly TV and radio, but he didn’t forbid anybody from speaking dialects at home or in public places.
But he suppressed the dialect in state media.
He promotes his own colonial english but suppresses the local dialects.
The elderly folks how?
They have to suffer because of the suppression of dialects by the baba bastard.
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The old man was right about getting every one to master english as english is the language used for technology, engineering and IT development esp INTERNET.
I recognised this point as the japanese population are now suffering the impact for not learning english.
As for dialects, if he suppress it too much, you will not be speaking it in the 1st place.
So, you have to be fair to him for this point.
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I am not against english.
Teach english is one thing.
Suppress dialect is another thing.
Why HK can do both?
And the HK economy is better than Singapore also.
Primary education in Hong Kong covers a wide curriculum. Core subjects include Chinese, English, Mathematics ,and General Studies with broad emphasis on Music, Physical Education and Arts. In some schools Science is taught as well.
Formerly there were 3 knowledge-oriented subjects: Social Studies, Health Education, and Science. In the 1996-1997 academic year the Education Department amalgamated these subjects into the new subject of General Studies. Depending on the religious background of the school, Religious Education or Bible Studies could be incorporated.
The teaching medium in most of the local primary schools is Chinese with English as a second language.
After the transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong in 1997, only a handful of primary schools and secondary schools are able to keep English as the medium of instruction under new government policies. Those schools are generally referred to as English as Medium of Instruction schools (EMI)...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E
They want to teach english go and teach in schools.
Don't come and suppress dialects in state media.
But that is not the true agenda of the baba bastard.
His real agenda is to suppress and to kill off the dialects.
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Yes most of us were unhappy when he abolished dialects from the public media but to say that we or the old folks suffer as a result of that policy is a tad exaggerated. There are still Chinese programmes and dialects news. If we want dialect shows or songs we can still get them in the forms of CD, VCD or DVD. So long as we can have access to Chinese papers, shows or songs I wouldn't say that the Chinese culture has been suppressed. Anyway, culture, like languages/dialects is a life thing, it wouldn't remain unchange but keep evolving with our changing lifestyles.
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Yes most of us were unhappy when he abolished dialects from the public media but to say that we or the old folks suffer as a result of that policy is a tad exaggerated. There are still Chinese programmes and dialects news. If we want dialect shows or songs we can still get them in the forms of CD, VCD or DVD.
That's not the point.
The point is that the baba bastard is biased against dialects and wants to suppress it.
That is the point.
The point is that he despises dialects and insists on wiping it out.
The point is a peranakan from minority group wants to wipe out the dialect which forms the majority group.
Like I go malaysia go and suppress the malay language there, insist on wiping it out and force all malays to learn mandarin.
They are going to cut off my head if I do that.
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Originally posted by Ah Chia:
That's not the point.
The point is that the baba bastard is biased against dialects and wants to suppress it.
That is the point.
The point is that he despises dialects and insists on wiping it out.
Eroding roots of the people is evil act.
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There are still Chinese programmes and dialects news. If we want dialect shows or songs we can still get them in the forms of CD, VCD or DVD.
But why?
Why must do that?
Why can't be a normal country like Hong Kong, Taiwan?
Why Singapore the odd one out?
Must go and suppress?
Why?
Why?
Why HK, Taiwan NEVER suppress.
Singapore MUST go and suppress?
Why?
Why?
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May be chia under watch by thunderstrike party
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Originally posted by Ah Chia:
But why?
Why must do that?
Why can't be a normal country like Hong Kong, Taiwan?
Why Singapore the odd one out?
Must go and suppress?
Why?
Why?
Why HK, Taiwan NEVER suppress.
Singapore MUST go and suppress?
Why?
Why?
Uniquely Singapore.
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Why Singapore cannot be like Hong Kong?
Why Singapore cannot be like Taiwan?
Why the PAP regime insists on suppressing the dialects in state media?
Why?
Why?
Lee Kuan Yew, you are a peranakan baba, you are not hokkien, you are not teochew, you are not cantonese, you are not hainanese and you are also not truly a hakka.
Can you explain to me WHY Singapore CANNOT be like HK and Taiwan?
DIE DIE MUST go and SUPPRESS the dialects in state media?
WHY?
What is the reason?
WHY?
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The reason for your question is simple.
Poodles dun understand dialects.
If they are require to communicate in dialect, they will malu.
That kind of situation cannot happened here.
That is why every thing is unique here.
As for the old man, he reaping the "rewards" of too much suppression.
The poodles he employed can only obey his orders and incapable of solving simple issues and providing simple solution.
I hope he stay longer to enjoy more fruits of his suppression.
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Who cares ...
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Hey you baba bastard Harry Lee Kuan Yew, why you go suppress the dialects in state media?
Allow dialects in state media will die huh?
Allow dialects in state media the island will split into two and we all sink into the sea huh?
Allow dialects in state media the economy will crash huh, Temasek, GIC lose another 100 billion huh?
Hey Lee Kuan Yew you baba bastard why you allow your english in state media but come and suppress my dialect in state media?
Why?
Why?
Taiwan, HK they never suppress.
So, Lee Kuan Yew I want to know WHY you want to suppress my dialect in state media.
Hey bastard why?
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want to por china is it?
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Lim did what LKY could not do in the 1950s: mobilize tens of thousands ethnic Chinese just by his words. Lim Chin Siong, was not recognized but is one the founding members of the PAP.
It was then when the beacon of Lim Chin Siong shined brighter than Lee Kuan Yew’s. James Puthucheary, who was in charge of PAP publicity for the elections recalled the first rally held in a remote Chinese village.
“Toh Chin Chye spoke first, in English! No response from the crowd. Ong Eng Guan was next, in Hokkien, but not very good. The crowd was restless. Then, Chin Siong stood up. He was brilliant and the crowd was spellbound.”
http://singaporegovt.blogspot.com/2006/07/