why i am migrating
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angel7030>>>>
man who claims he loves cockles>>>
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...aiyo, i give up!!! -
Originally posted by angel7030:...aiyo, i give up!!!
If the Taiwanese "hum" have any integrity left, it should have kept to its "cheap" words, and stayed out
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From our Correspondent
A Singapore recruitment agency posted on its website a list for jobs for foreigners, but locals need not apply!
Allied Manpower is a licensed recruitment agency in Singapore which claims to provide services in human resources and manpower management. It has over 29 years of proven experience in foreign recruitment.
It offered a list of jobs for foreigners which can be easily filled by locals:
As we can see from above, the jobs are offered only to specific nationalities such as Filipinos and Chinese nationals.
Of late, senior cabinet ministers have stepped forward to defend the government’s pro-foreigner policy.
MM Lee repeated the circular argument that foreigners are needed to take up jobs shunned by Singaporeans without which Singapore’s economy will stagnate:
“Look at the Integrated Resorts. (On the) rooftop, not one (construction) worker there is a Singaporean. (They are) China Chinese and the Indians. If you don’t have that, where’s the IR, and the 10,000 jobs (they will create)?” he asked in speech made at a grassroots event last week.
Opticians, art teachers, beauticians and website designers are hardly considered as jobs shunned by Singaporeans. In fact, many locals will be keen to take up such jobs.
The Singapore Polytechnic offers a three-year course in Optometry which is popular among students. Are Filipino opticians more highly qualified than ours?
Saved for the positions of IT support analyst and opticians, the other jobs offer pay of less than $1,500.
For a local website designer, $1,200 is surely too low a salary, but it is more than enough for a Chinese National who has no family here. Convert it to RMB and he will take home more than RMB$5,500 a month, far more than what he makes in China.
Again, there are many qualified Singaporeans who will be interested in applying to become an Art teacher if not for the meager pay of $1,200.
Imagine if you are a diploma or degree holder, will you consider taking up such a job?
Instead of addressing the real concerns on the ground, the government has chosen to put the blame on Singaporeans for being too “choosy” about their jobs.
The relentless influx of foreigners, especially the semi-skilled workers, has led to increased competition for the limited jobs in the labor market.
Singaporeans often have to accept lower pay and longer working hours out of fear of being replaced by foreigners who generally have fewer demands.
Despite the widespread unhappiness and resentment among the citizenry at its immigration policy, the ruling party is adamant that foreigners are needed to keep the Singapore economy growing.
There is no minimal wage in Singapore. Neither are there any social welfare benefits for those who are retrenched or unemployed.
Singapore’s population just cross the 5-million mark this year out of which 36 per cent are foreigners. This means that for every person you meet in the streets, he/she is likely to be a foreigner.
The ruling party is able to force its unpopular policies down the throats of a subservient citizenry largely because there is no opposition in parliament to check on them and it controls all important state institutions.
In Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and other Asian democracies, citizens are able to gather and protest in the streets to show their frustration and anger against their governments.
In Singapore, even a peaceful solo protest anywhere on the island except Hong Lim Park is illegal under the law.
The lack of public expression of dissent helps the ruling party to recycle and perpetuate the myth through the state media that it is a “popular” government which have the “support” of the people to introduce these laws and policies.
Unless Singaporeans wake up from their long slumber and reclaim their civil and political rights as citizens of their country, they will forever be subjected to the mercy of the ruling party.
Source: The Temasek Review
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PM Lee urged Singaporeans who are terminally ill to consider end-of-life options
From our Correspondent
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said during a speech at Assisi Hospice last night that terminally ill patients should not treat death as a taboo subject.
He was speaking as the guest of honour at Assisi Hospice’s 40th anniversary charity dinner. His wife, Ms Ho Ching, is the patron of the hospice.
PM Lee urged them to discuss with their families and doctors plans for dying with dignity and under the best possible care.
He also said he felt more public education was needed about what hospice and home palliative care can do to provide comfort for patients in their last days.
With medical advances, people are living longer, but with terminal illnesses, lives can be prolonged only up to a point when ‘more aggressive treatment will likely do more harm than good’, he said.
Palliative care is a field of medicine that helps terminally ill patients live the remaining days of their lives with minimal pain and suffering. There are few specialist palliative-care physicians in Singapore.
Singapore’s aging population will put more strain on its public healthcare system which was rated one of the best in the world by the World Health Organization.
Unlike Australia, Canada or the United Kingdom, palliative care is not a recognized specialty in Singapore. The current palliative care physicians are mostly geriatricians or internists whose postgraduate training is in internal medicine.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) is recruiting and training more doctors, nurses and social workers who can provide palliative care which will also be introduced to nursing homes.
Earlier this year, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan caused a furore when he suggested that Singaporeans send their aged parents to live in nursing homes in Johor Baru where medical expenses are lower. It is not sure if there are any hospices in Johor Baru which can accept Singapore patients in the future.
Source: The Temasek Review
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Our govt are just giving you options for consideration, you dun have to take it, so what is wrong with it?? It just like asking you if you want kopi siew tai, kopi O, kopi ti low, kopi kosong, kopi cau or starbuck kopi...get it?
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1st----- the old and sick of all races
2nd---- the non-essential workers irregardless of age
3rd------people with insufficient money as stapulated by future legislation
we will all grow old... n become sick
so if u are a teacher or musician or dancer ,,,arts...bartendering......................non-essential
so if you are a doctor,nurse,mechanic, engineer or production technician ...or deal with production and essential to spore economy mebbe they would leave u alone.
hmmm......interesting.
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angel7030,
which queue are u in??the essential people queue or non-essential queue?
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If anywone were to migrate i'm pretty sure a major factor would be the damned turn off weather!
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WANTS TO GOTO NORTH POLE.....NOBODY OWNS IT,,,,AND WHICH IMMIGRATION OFFICER WOULD GO ALL THE WAY THERE TO DEPORT U?
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Originally posted by Hitman3:
angel7030,
which queue are u in??the essential people queue or non-essential queue?
Ahem! well hitty, mine is abit higher but certainly very essential, without me, i think nearly half of Singapore uncles will be suffering -
7030,
uncle dont need to visit your place and can still survive......its only entertainment and not needed thus not really exactly essential...its optional.something like radio in car.but if your place sold economical caipeng maybe it would go slowly onto the essential bandwagon!make sure the uncles like the fried eggs and porkchop.
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Another non-combat death in ship “incident”
Written by Our Correspondent
Another full-time national serviceman had died in the course of duty yesterday, three days after he was warded in the intensive care unit.
Lance Corporal Mar Teng Fong, 20, an engineering systems specialist, was on watch duty on Tuesday on the Republic of Singapore Navy’s RSS Persistence.
He was found unconscious on Wednesday morning, trapped between a hydraulic sliding door and the door frame of the ship which was out at sea for training at the time.
He had gone on a routine round to check the engineering systems at 11.40pm. When he did not return after 15 minutes, a fellow ser-viceman went in search of him.
According to the state media, LCP Mar was given immediate medical attention by a doctor on the ship, and was evacuated by helicopter to Singapore General Hospital at 1.15am.
The exact cause of his death was not revealed. LCP Mar’s case is the latest of a series of non-combat death to have hit MINDEF this year.
In July this year, a 21 year old National Serviceman, Second Lieutenant Nicholas Chan Wei Kit died yesterday after a jeep which he was inspecting rolled over and hit him, pinning him under its wheels.
There was at least a gap of about 30 minutes between the time he took over the vehicle and the time a recovery vehicle – located within the grounds of the camp – was dispatched.
In June, an army sergeant, aged 30, was found dead in his bunk in Taiwan.
A month before that, a 53-year-old parachute jump instructor at the Commando Training Institute died in South Africa when his parachute failed to open during a freefall exercise.
The others, which included a recruit and three warrant officers, all died in Singapore in separate incidents.
The circumstances surrounding their deaths were never released to the public. Like the cases before him, LCP Mar’s death will remain forever a mystery.
All Singapore males have to served mandatory National Service for two years followed by more than 10 years of reservist service each year.
The duration of two years is long compared to other countries who maintain a conscription policy such as Taiwan (12 months), Ukraine (12 months) and Germany (9 months).
MINDEF has never revealed the exact figures for non-combat deaths and injuries to Singaporeans. In the case of the latter, it is not known if the victims are adequately compensated by MINDEF.
The case of Corporal Jeremy Tan showed that MINDEF is not always forthcoming in offering compensation to NSFs who suffered injuries during their National Service.
In 2005, Corporal Tan, who was rostered as duty storeman at the Seletar East Camp, was found unconscious at the foot of the building where his bunk was located on the third level.
His head injuries were consistent with a fall from height, but findings by SAF investigators as to how he came to be hurt were inconclusive. Mindef classified his injuries as non-service related and stopped paying for his hospital treatment from March 2007.
Corporal Tan’s parents have to sue MINDEF in High Court in order to seek disability compensation and medical benefits from them.
The Minister of Defence Rear-Admiral Teo Chee Hean is also the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore and a former Chief of the Navy.
There is no political pressure on the ground or opposition in parliament to exert pressure on the government to be more transparent about the figures of non-combat deaths in the armed forces.
No senior MINDEF officers are ever taken to task for the unnecessary deaths of these young men in the prime of their lives.
The “internal” investigations conducted by MINDEF are almost always classified state secrets.
Such sensitive cases are rarely reported in the mainstream media which remains tightly controlled by the ruling party.
Without a free media and an opposition to fight for their interests, Singapore parents must pray that their sons are in safe hands during their two years in National Service.
Source: The Teamsek Review
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Originally posted by angel7030:
Our govt are just giving you options for consideration, you dun have to take it, so what is wrong with it?? It just like asking you if you want kopi siew tai, kopi O, kopi ti low, kopi kosong, kopi cau or starbuck kopi...get it?
"Our govt" ? The Singapore Government belongs to Singaporeans - not to a Taiwanese "hum" that belonged to the Taiwanese Government.
Singpaore PM LHL already said it very clearly - that he does not want any "hum" - even if it is the Taiwanese "hum" variety - get it ?
Originally posted by angel7030:
Ahem! well hitty, mine is abit higher but certainly very essential, without me, i think nearly half of Singapore uncles will be suffering
The insufferable ignorance of a Taiwanese "hum" does not even know that the door has been shut on its cockle shell, and will imagine that it is anywhere but only abit higher.PM LHL had stated quite clearly - he does not want any "hum".
Only the desparate vanity of a Taiwanese "hum" will think that Singapore uncles will need any Taiwanese "hum" - when there are so many different varieties of better grade specially bred oysters are imported daily at a dollar a dozen.
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Originally posted by Hitman2:
TO BERRY TAN,
getting an oz permanent resident isnt as easy as what it used to be.and the oz mindset in most places are still not evolved since 1950's for strange unknown reasons.if u were to come over to oz........the oz people would not accept you unless u become bruce lee.when u come over to oz.....dont give them a chance.......take their blonde hair most beautiful woman and make her your wife like bruce lee!!!make sure u check b4 u hoot her or your dna will also end up half criminal!
go setup some kinda factory or dojo in oz to ensure u dont get runned over by their ang mo wannabes.most ang mos in oz are primitive .....think they can only have lower tech skills equal to the welders and labourers.when u give them a modern production line.........they will destroy it out of poor management ,lack of knowledge and lack of skills foundation in their so called apprenticeship system.what they learn in their 5 year apprenticeship system in oz would be equal to a 3 month on job training in spore.so they tend to be swollen headed tellin people they know plenty when they only have dust and crumbs for their technical knowledge.if spore had people like the aussies...spore would have collapsed a long time ago and not much industries built.
so if u ever goto oz...make sure u are an indian that looks like an ang mo........make sure u develope skills and expertise to setup your own industrial factory...........dont werk fer the ang mo if possible....they are so arrogant and pride themselves to the point of ridiculous imagination.only they can be the best.the germans ,japanese and hong kongers came over since ww2 and all have not went anywhere in oz.most left for another country after that.
try taiwan or malaysia.......
usa and new zealand have almost shut their doors to immigration.
australia....hmm........dunno....im still tryin to figure out if they are nice people.
You must be those Singapore government-linked companies CEO's who get ordered by LKY,LHL n boot-licking GCT n went to Australia n invest n lose alot of Singaporeans hard earn money.And then come in this forum n whine about how unfair those Aussies are treating immigrants.
Of coz,there might be racist in Australia,but i doubt not to the extent as u have described.Coz my uncle n his Filippinos wife n their children live there for decades,n they have no problem living in there.And my sis also went there to study,so far,no problem also.
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Originally posted by Berries tan:
When I'm bored, I write articles, hahaha... Anyone has writing jobs for me?
good writers must be objective.
Anyway, it's just a personal view of mine..but if i have a choice i will not want my son to serve NS. Yes, boy become men there but patriotism aside, it's really unfair to Singaporean boys.
1. you lag TWO bloody years behind your Malaysia PR friend. Singapore government subsidies them to study, they come out and compete for jobs with you and THEY COMPLAIN WHEN YOUR SALARY IS $150 HIGHER THAN THEM. Totally disgusted.
2. Your boss gives that dream project u want to do to someone b/c you got reservist for ONE BLOODY MONTH.
3. two years is really a hell'uva time to be taken away. Our education system is already slow with a redundant A level system, an university curriculum that is way too long and inflexible and government still want us to have more kids...By the time we graduate, we are already 25-26....With HDB flats that sell for 500K....can you imagine the kind of stress ??
4. Oh yes, i do have a fantastic $1.5K rebate off my taxable income due to having served NS. FANTASTIC....it work out to about $50/yr...MIGHT AS WELL DUN GIVE?
5. Still it has taken them bloody long when PM came up with " oh , we think we need to make the difference between PR and citizen sharper " recently....Have you guys been sticking your head in the sand for the last 10 years ignoring the problem hoping it will go away?
It's really sad. Singapore is not bad a place to live in. I feel safe, my taxes are low...but, i feel that i am better off being a malaysian who come to singapore to study and work instead. I earn 5K here, go back JB become 12K...oh, and that gov let me study for 5K/year as uni school fees ( way cheap, you cannot find this ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD) ...infact, IF i cannot find a job, they will even try to match me up with some job.oh yes, I DUN HAVE TO SERVE NS.
which is why i am apply for Auzzie PR.
I think i am not alone in feeling this frustration. This country treat foreigners better than their own sons in a bid to attract what they call talents.... Come on, i scored my 4As in A level, what are you trying to do to retain me? With a $50 yearly tax rebate + taking away 2 years of my time? I can't even defer my NS to purse my interest.....
I dun buy into the having talent will create more job crap. Firstly, if the man is truly such a talent, you think that if you attract him to come here, he will not be attracted to somewhere else more favorable ?? ( EVERYwhere will seem favorable if his son dun have to do NS....lol)When I'm bored, I write articles, hahaha... Anyone has writing jobs for me?
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Today marks my 1 year as a soldier in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the time I should have commissioned as an officer, but did not due to my lack of determination. However, this article is not about me, but it’s about you, the officers of the Singapore Armed Forces.
I reckoned that in my 1 year stint, I have been to many places, having served as a recruit, officer cadet, signaler as well as a civilian working for the army! I would like to think my time with officers of these different vocations as a good learning experience.
There are many reasons why many people outside think that officers have the better end of the stick. They are given trust to handle their own matters, awarded higher respect by superiors, receive better pay and viewed by the public as more reliable. It’s almost like a textbook example of Maslow Hierarchy of Needs.
However, to my own calculative mind, I cannot help but think officers have gotten the shorter end. Like most conundrums, the paradoxical response is often the truth. In the 2 years NSF career, an officer would receive a total of approximately $20,000 while a Man would receive $13,000.
This makes it a difference of $7,000, which a single trade on the stock market would negate or increase. Think of it as small change once you start working in the civilian world.
Most Officers endure arduous training in their 9 months in Officer Cadet School (OCS) and finally after much blood, sweat and tears, commission. Having been in there, I can attest to each day being a constant struggle, and no one really knows if he will even commission. It’s a mental and physical challenge everyday. Why did I write ‘most officers”? Because the officers at ALTI (Army Logistics Training Institute) hardly chiong-sua during their Pro Term!
After they commission, most are sent to units to become platoon commanders, staff officers and so forth. Being an officer is a badge of honor, but like most badges, it is also a magnet for work assignments.
Unlike a man, who can nonchalantly say he does not know to do it (tah bodoh), most officers have to accept work thrown at them by senior officers or warrant officers. The term “act blur, live longer” does not apply to an officer.
Being an officer also brings about added responsibilities, and there are many things which only an officer is able to handle, as deemed by the upper echelons of SAF. Many times, men in unit would sit around stare into blank space while the officers can be seen running around handling matters. At the same time, officers also do not trust men to do things other than the most menial of matters. (lucky me I say!)
Finally, as an NSF Officer, you have to handle regular specialists, who view you with disdain because you have lesser experience, but are of a higher rank than them. If you’re unlucky and pair with a WO who is unfriendly, good luck with your 1 year stint in the unit.
As if there is not enough grievances they quietly face, officers have to serve their reservist till they hit 50 years old while man and specialists end theirs at 40 years old. Trust me, when you see reservists men ambling around in my unit, you don’t want to be in their shoes. Rounded, and less fit in their later years, every moment in green is not pleasure. This applies to everyone.
In operation / war, officers must plan and execute. It is no mean feat to plan and think of battle formations in the sweltering heat while caring for your men’s welfare. Men just loll around and eat their muesli bars after setting up the command posts waiting for orders. Every moment is a wayang moment. Even if you’re tired, you cannot show it to your men or risk losing their morale and confidence.
Now tell me, for seven grand, is it worth it to put in such a sacrifice for a government that doesn’t care for the people’s general welfare? It plainly isn’t.
Therefore, to my platoon mates who just commissioned, and to the many more officers before and after me, I salute you, for your dedication to the country, to our parents (I remember LTC Fred Chung’s speech), and for your ability to look beyond the dollars and sense.
Thank you for your sacrifice.
Ode to Love, Ode to Officers.Source: my posting first appear here....
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showt...=1#post5461106Ya,i also wouldnt want my kids(if i have any in future) to serve NS.Not to mention that Singapore National service is a "Long-term agonising contract".Which means after the 2 years NS,we still need to do Reservist n take IPPT test.
THERE IS NO WAY I WILL LET MY KIDS TO WENT THROUGH THE TORTURE!!!!
Ya,i also wouldnt want my kids(if i have any in future) to serve NS.Not to mention that Singapore National service is a "Long-term agonising contract".Which means after the 2 years NS,we still need to do Reservist n take IPPT test.
THERE IS NO WAY I WILL LET MY KIDS TO GO THROUGH THE TORTURE!!!!
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Originally posted by Howlheje:
Ya,i also wouldnt want my kids(if i have any in future) to serve NS.Not to mention that Singapore National service is a "Long-term agonising contract".Which means after the 2 years NS,we still need to do Reservist n take IPPT test.
THERE IS NO WAY I WILL LET MY KIDS TO GO THROUGH THE TORTURE!!!!
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Most of the Singaporean vote for them
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Ming Yi jailed for 10 months
November 21, 2009 by admin
Filed under Top NewsWritten by Our Correspondent
Buddhist monk and former CEO of Ren Ci hospital Ming Yi was sentenced to 10 monts in prison for misappropriating Ren Ci’s funds by approving the loan and lying to the COC in an oral statement about it.
His former personal assistant Raymond Yeung, was jailed for 9 months on the same charges.
Ming Yi was found guilty to have made an unauthorised loan of $50,000 on May 17, 2004. The loan was allegedly made to the Mandala Buddhist Cultural Centre but it was not reflected in Mandala’s financial records.
Before his conviction, Ming Yi was a highly regarded leader in the Buddhist community in Singapore.
He founded Ren Ci hospital in 1994 to help the chronic sick, then the only such hospital in Singapore.
Over the years, Ren Ci has grown from a small medicare centre at the old Tan Tock Seng hospital to a full-fledged community hospital with a building of its own.
Ming Yi had appeared on the Ren Ci Charity Show on several occasions doing dangerous stunts to raise funds for the charity.
Despite the guilty verdict, Ming Yi still have a group of loyal followers which explained PM Lee’s visit to the Singapore Buddhist Federation yesterday to officate the opening of its new building in Geylang.
In his opening address, PM Lee acknowledged the role of Buddhists and Taoists helping to maintain Singapore’s racial and religious harmony for 40 years:
“Buddhists and Taoists are among the largest religious groups in Singapore. They have always shown tolerance, setting the basic tone for our society and the general mood of tolerance and understanding among the different communities,” he said.
There were previously calls for Ming Yi to disrobe after he was convicted. The head of the Singapore Buddhist Federation, Venerable Kwang Sheng said that it is a personal decision for Ming Yi to make.
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9,000 Buddhist devotees to plead for Ming Yi
November 21, 2009 by admin
Filed under Top NewsWritten by Our Correspondent
Since August last year, over 9,000 Buddhist devotees from Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan had signed on a petition vouching for Ming Yi’s contributions and character to plead for leniency for him.
The petitioners claimed that Ming Yi had made tremendous contributions to society.
In the aftermath of the tsunami in 2004, Ming Yi led a humanitarian mission to Sri Lanka to help the homeless and displaced people there. He took another team to Indonesia in 2006 to assist the earthquake victims.
One petitioner said:
“Whether as a Buddhist monk or a lay person, Ming Yi is a man of impeccable moral character and integrity.”
Staff of Ren Ci Hospital also spoke up in defense of Ming Yi. They praised Ming Yi for working hard to build up Ren Ci to where it is today.
According to them, Ming Yi was an understanding CEO who cared a lot about his staff. He even forked out $5,000 of his own money to help a medical staff who was diagnosed with cancer.
The prosecutors have requested Ming Yi to be jailed due to the severity of the crime. As the head of a charity organization, his misuse of its funds will erode public confidence in Singapore charities.
Ming Yi is the second charity chief to be jailed after NKF’s T.T. Durai who was found guilty for misleading NKF with a falsified invoice of $20,000 which was allegedly for interior design consultancy work done by David Tan, director of the design firm.
Durai was sentenced to three months in jail after which he went to Abu Dhabi to work as CEO of Singapore-based Property Facilities Services Pte Ltd. He was reportedly paid $25,000 a month.
Both NKF and Ren Ci are the largest charities in Singapore. They used to raise millions of dollars via annual Charity TV shows which have been discontinued.
News source: Lianhe Wanbao, 21 November 2009
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Khaw on Ming Yi going to jail: it is his karma
November 22, 2009 by admin
Filed under Top NewsWritten by Our Correspondent
Minister of Health Mr Khaw Boon Wan said he hopes that there will not be similar cases of charity fraud in the future.
When asked about the jailed sentence imposed on former Ren Ci CEO Ming Yi by the state media, Mr Khaw evoked a Buddhist saying – “when you plant melons, you get melons, when you plant beans, you get beans” to mean that Ming Yi has to accept responsibility or karma for his actions.
Mr Khaw is a regular donor of Ren Ci Hospital and once donated $10,000 to the charity.
He said firmly that charity workers should manage public donations carefully so as not to lose their trust.
Ming Yi was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment yesterday for misappropriation of Ren Ci’s funds. He said he will appeal against the sentence.
Following his conviction, the President of Singapore Buddhist Federation Venerable Kwang Sheng said Ming Yi has to make the decision whether to disrobe himself.
Ming Yi is the second high profile charity leaders to be jailed after NKF’s T.T. Durai who was sentenced to three months jail for falsifying an invoice.
Before the NKF scandal erupted, Mr Khaw Boon Wan was a staunch supporter of NKF and Durai despite rising concerns on the ground that the charity’s funds may have been misused.
He said on 10 April 2004 in an interview with Straits Times:
“I’m sure the Commissioner if Charities has certain rules and code of conduct and if they are not fulfilling it, then the MOF will react but in this case, I don’t think so. Otherwise, they have been around for many years, MOF would have reacted many years ago.”
After the conviction of Durai, Mr Khaw admitted that he had looked “silly” in trusting Durai earlier.
Fortunately for Mr Khaw, he did not make the same mistake of defending Ming Yi. He was swiftly removed from his position in Ren Ci after investigations by the Commissioner of Charities revealed irregularities in its account in 2007.
With public confidence in Singapore’s charities at an all-time low, many are struggling to keep themselves afloat.
Even NKF plans to dip into its reserves of about $270 million after the it suffered one of its worst financial results in years.
According to its latest financial data, donations fell by 26 per cent to $18.5 million last year with a deficit of $900,000.
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Ming Yi guilty on four counts; sentencing on 11 Nov
October 8, 2009 by admin
Filed under Top NewsFrom our Correspondent
The ex-CEO of Ren Ci hospital, Ming Yi, was found guilty of all four counts relating to the $50,000 he had taken wrongfully from Ren Ci, the charity he had founded.
District Judge Toh Yung Cheong also convicted his 34-year-old former aide, Raymond Yeung on two counts.
The judge found that the former Ren Ci chief executive and his aide had conspired to make an unauthorised loan of $50,000 on May 17, 2004.
He also found Ming Yi guilty of two other charges of misappropriating $50,000 and lying to the COC in an oral statement.
Ming Yi was instrumental in the founding of Ren Ci hospital and developing it into its present state as Singapore’s largest chronic care facility.
Ren Ci caters specially to patients who require chronic medical care, such as patients who suffer from stroke, spinal injuries and dementia.
His name became synonymous with Ren Ci over the years through the risky stunts he performed on the Ren Ci charity show to raise funds for the hospital.
Unfortunately, his reputation was tarnished by revelations in court of his spending habits and mismanagement of Ren Ci.
In his judgement, the judge said that though Ming Yi claimed to have made many sacrifices for his ‘baby’ – Ren Ci – these were undermined by his lavish lifestyle, which suggested the sacrifices were not unduly great.
The prosecution had proven its case that Ming Yi had wrongfully allowed Yeung to take the money to pay for renovations to his friend’s flat in Hong Kong.
It was not, as they had claimed, a loan to the Mandala Buddhist Cultural Centre to buy artefacts. While the money was reflected in Ren Ci’s books as a loan to the centre, there was no mention of it in Mandala’s accounts.
The loan was a criminal breach of trust as Yeung was not an official employee of Ren Ci entitled to staff loans.
Yesterday, Ming Yi left the courtroom smiling and saying to his supporters: ‘Thank you, everyone, for your concern.’
He said he planned to go on with his daily life until the sentence is handed down on Nov 11.
Ren Ci has since moved to a new building at Jalan Tan Tock Seng next to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
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Buddhist monks and money as according to the Theravada tradition
April 21, 2009 by admin
Filed under Opinion, Selected readsBy U Aung Mein, Guest Columnist (Editing done by Eugene Yeo)
Introduction
The recent Ren Ci fiasco has thrown up a series of disturbing questions about the handling and use of money by Buddhist monks or Bhikkhus.
In an article published on The Sunday Times (read article here), Ming Yi defended his substantial expenditures on the grounds that we are now living in the modern world.
He said: “A lot of religious people, not only myself, are very different now.”
Is it morally correct for Buddhist monks to spend money given to them by the laity on luxurious items?
To answer the above question, we must first acquire some basic understanding on the history and practice of Buddhism.
Two schools of Buddhism – Theravada and Mahayana
Buddhism was founded by the Indian prince Siddhartha in the 6th century BCE. after which he became known as the “Buddha” or enlightened one.
There are two major schools of Buddhism today – Theravada (School of the Elders) and Mahayana (School of Greater Vehicle) from which Ming Yi belonged to.
Though both schools believe in the common Buddhist tenets of the Three Dukkhas (suffering), Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to Enlightenment, they have different regulations pertaining to monastic practices of Vinaya.
The precise origins of Mahayana Buddhism are something of a mystery. The historical record shows it emerging as a separate school from Theravada during the 1st century BCE.
Some scholars have suggested that Mahayana is an offspring of Mahasanghika, a now-extinct Buddhist sect formed about 320 BCE after the Second Buddhist Council which led to the first great Schism of Buddhism (read more here)
The Theravada school subsequently established itself in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) from which it is spread to Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia by Buddhist missonaries while the Mahayana became popular in northern Indian, Kashmir, Afghanistan and subsequently China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan and lastly Tibet where its amalgation with the local Bon religion led to the emergence of an unique sect – the Vajrayana or Tibetan Buddhism.
In Singapore, the majority of Buddhists still belong to the Mahayana school especially the elder generation though there is an increasing interest from the younger generation in the Theravada school of late.
The Patimokkha (monastic code) according to the Theravada school of Buddhism
Under the Theravada tradition, fully ordained Bhikkhus have to observe 221 precepts or training rules while novice monks or Samaneras have to keep 10 basic precepts.
One of these precepts explicitly forbids both Bhikkhus and Samaneras to accept or hoard money:
“Jatarupa-rajata-patiggahana veramani sikkhapadam samadiyami (I undertake the precept to refrain from accepting gold and silver)”
It is also an offence for Bhikkhus to “pick up” or “consent to the deposit of gold or silver (money)”
“Should any bhikkhu take gold and silver, or have it taken, or consent to its being deposited (near him), it is to be forfeited and confessed.”(Nis. Paac. 18; BMC p.214)
“Should any bhikkhu pick up, or cause to be picked up or consent to the deposit of gold or silver, this entails Confession with Forfeiture.” (Nis. Paac. 18; Paat. 1966 Ed. p.42)
“A monk, who accepts gold or money or gets another to accept for him, or acquiesces in its being put near him, commits [an offence requiring Confession with Forfeiture.]” (Nis. Paac. 18; BBC p.116)
“If a bhikkhu himself receives gold and silver (money) or gets someone else to receive it, or if he is glad about money that is being kept for him, it is [an offence of Confession with Forfeiture.]“(Nis. Paac. 18; Nv p.11)
Bhikkhus are only allowed to keep four basic requisites of robes, shelter, food and medicines to maintain their physical bodies for the purpose of practising meditation with the eventual aim of freeing oneself from all defilements.
All Bhikkhus are to recite the reflections on the four requisites daily:
“Reflecting wisely I wear the robe, only to protect myself from cold, heat, gadflies, mosquitoes, wind and sun and creeping things and also for the purpose of covering the aprts of the body that cause shame.”
“Reflecting wisely I use almsfood not for play, not for pride, not for beauty, not for fattening, but merely for the sustenance and continuance of this body; to cease discomfort; and to be able to practice the holy life, thinking “Thus I will destory old feelings (of hunger) and not create new feelings (from overeating). I will maintain myself, be blameless and live in comfort.”
“Reflecting wisely I make use of dwellings, only to protect myself from cold, heat, gadfiles, mosquitoes, wind and sun and creeping things; and as a protecction from the perils of weather conditions; and for the joy of seclusion.”
“Reflecting wisely I make use of medicinal requisites that are for curing the sick, only to counteract any afflicting feelings (of illness) that have risen and for maximum freedom from disease.”
For laypeople: “A lay-person should never offer money directly to a bhikkhu… even if it is placed inside an envelope or together with other requisites. They should either deposit the money with the monastery steward, put it in a donation-box or into the monastery bank account.”
Every monastery will have a lay attendant or kappiya who is in charge of handling the finances of the Bhikkhus and Samaneras and so technically speaking, they do not possess any monies in their names.
Keeping the precepts in the modern world
Some had argued for the relaxation of the rules governing the use of money by Bhikkhus on the grounds of inconvenience.
It is my personal opinion that the precepts left behind by the Lord Buddha should be adhered to as closely and strictly as possible.
There are many Bhikkhus who live within their means without possessing a single cent and still able to travel extensively over the world to teach the Dhamma (Buddha’s teaching).
Bhikkhus should bear in mind aways that the respect accorded to them by the laity is not because of the saffron robes they don, but due to the reverence they have towards the Buddha and the Dhamma which he left behind for us.
Let us bear in mind the last exhortation of the Lord Buddha before he passed away into Parinibbana:
“Transient are all compounded things. Strive with diligence.”
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Public wants Ming Yi to disrobe before going to jail
November 23, 2009 by admin
Filed under Top NewsWritten by Our Correspondent
Most Singaporeans want Ming Yi to disrobe before serving his jail sentence to prevent bringing disrepute and shame to the Buddhism.
Buddhist monk Ming Yi, the former CEO of Ren Ci Hospital was sentenced to ten months of imprisonment on Saturday for misappropriating $50,000 from the charity. He had since returned the money.
Some suggested that Ming Yi should disrobe first and re-enter monkhood again after he finished his sentence to accept personal responsibility for his mistake and to draw a clear boundary with Buddhism.
Mr Lin said that Ming Yi should not enter prison as a monk and should disrobe to be an ordinary prisoner like everybody else.
However, retiree Mr Chen urged Singaporeans to give Ming Yi another chance and don’t coerce him to disrobe to reflect the magnanimity of Buddhism.
The president of the Singapore Buddhist Federation Venerable Kwang Sheng had earlier said that Ming Yi has to make the decision on his own whether to disrobe.
Ming Yi had declined to be interviewed by the media after the sentencing claiming that he was “exhausted”.
Despite the guilty verdict, some are of the view that a jail sentence was too tough as Ming Yi did not profited from the misappropriation and a fine would suffice.
More than 9,000 followers from Singapore, Taiwan and China had signed on a petition to appeal for a lighter sentence for Ming Yi who had indicated that he would appeal against his imprisonment.
An alumni of Raffles Institution, Ming Yi entered monkhood at the age of 22 in 1982.
He built up Ren Ci Hospital from scratch and was involved in many charitable work and overseas humanitarian missions himself.
Before the scandal broke out, Ming Yi was a highly revered figure in Singapore’s Buddhist community.
He had performed several dangerous stunts on the Ren Ci Charity TV Show to raise funds for the hospital.
Though Ming Yi was judged to have committed a crime, it is apparent from the sentiments on the ground that public sympathy is still with him unlike the beleaguered T.T. Durai of NKF who was jailed 3 months for falsifying an invoice during his tenure as its CEO.
Some Singaporeans have expressed hope that Ming Yi would continue serving the community after his release from prison if his appeal were to fail.
News source: Lianhe Wanbao, 22 November 2009
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High-living Singapore monk jailed for fraud
November 22, 2009 by admin
Filed under SnippetsAgence France-Presse, 21 November 2009
A high-living Buddhist monk who ran one of Singapore’s most well-known charities was Saturday jailed for 10 months for fraud, court officials said.
Shi Ming Yi, 47, was handed the sentence after being convicted last month of conspiring with his personal aide, Raymong Yeung, 34, to cheat the Ren Ci charity out of 50,000 Singapore dollars (36,000 US).
Yeung was sentenced to nine months for the crime.
Shi was the founder of Ren Ci — a charity that provides subsidised medical care to elderly patients — and had lived the high life, owning several luxury cars and properties in Singapore and Australia, before being caught.
He had also owned a horse in Australia.
In 2004, Shi, who was Ren Ci’s chief executive at the time, made the unauthorised loan of 50,000 dollars from the charity’s coffers to Yeung, who used the money to pay for a friend’s home renovation in Hong Kong.
The pair said the money was loaned to a shop affiliated with the charity, but external auditors found this to be untrue.
Singapore is a predominantly Buddhist country, with 42.5 percent of the population over 15 subscribing to the religion. – AFP
Republished from AFP
No special allowances for Ming Yi in jail
November 24, 2009 by admin
Filed under Top NewsWritten by Our Correspondent
Buddhist monk Ming Yi will have to remove his robes and change into prison garments when he goes to jail next year should his appeal fails.
Ming Yi, the former CEO of Ren Ci Hospital was sentenced to ten months imprisonment last Saturday for misappropriating $50,000 of Ren Ci’s funds.
Many Singaporeans are of the view that Ming Yi should disrobe before entering prison in order not to bring Buddhism into disrepute.
According to prison regulations, there are no special allowances for Buddhist monks.
Ming Yi will be treated no differently as other inmates though he can request for vegetarian meals before he commences the sentence.
Following the conviction of Ming Yi, many of his disciples at Fu Hai monastery have left him.
Though Ming Yi’s reputation is now in tatters, he still have a substantial number of followers as evidenced by a petition to appeal for a lighter sentence for him which was signed by more than 9,000 devotees from Singapore, China and Taiwan.
Some even claimed that he has done nothing wrong since he did not profit from the misappropriated funds and had returned it to Ren Ci.
Besides the setting up of Ren Ci Hospital, Ming Yi is also well-known for the dangerous stunts he performed on the annual Ren Ci Charity TV show to raise funds for the hospital. The TV show has since been discontinued.
Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan, who is a patron of Ren Ci Hospital said that Ming Yi has to be responsible for his actions and face the law.
Ming Yi has yet to apologize to Ren Ci’s donors and neither has he shown any remorse for his mistake.
All Source: The Temasek Review
