I will remember 2007 for many reasons as it was not exactly a perfect year for me. However there were some unique moments and stuff that happened that has made me turn more wiser especially when dealing with people i know.
2007 was full of mixed reactions. It did not start really well and i felt that same negative vibe throughout the year. However things took a dramatic change for the better in the last month of december. After a long time, i received some good news in the form of getting a queue number to book my first home. It was like a big burden had been taken off my shoulder....however i guess a heavier burden (financially) is waiting for me in 2008.
Speaking of 2008... I would be turning 30 and that brings with it the sobering prospects of turning older, becoming even more bitter and jaded than before and of being disappointed and also cautious.
Ah yes, how unpredictable life can be.
I have not made up my mind yet about 2008. Ask me again 6 months from now and perhaps I would be able to give you a better indication.
Even so...
There is no pain that your loved ones is unable to dull, no laughter brought about by friends that cannot bring about immense joy, and of course there is the music. Music saved me once and perhaps it can save me (yet again) if ever needed.
Until then, have a good year everyone! For every glass of teh-tarik you sip tonite please sip another one for me. No, like seriously :)
See you all next year!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
You can always count on liverpool to let you down..
What a miserable weekend for liverpool fans....again. Another loss to arch enemies manchester united. It was a horrid match. The liverpool players displayed no passion right from the start to win this match. They were neither aggressive or creative and i reckon they were just playing for a draw. The liverpool were chasing shadows for most of the match ! This is not the first time they have let us down against the red devils. To lose at home in anfield is already unthinkable but to lose of all teams to manchester united, it's scandalous !
I don't think the current liverpool squad care about the great rivalry with manchester united anymore. It's also disgusting to notice that the current liverpool players seem to get along fine with their red devil opponents. It's a blasphemy to even allow Alex Ferguson entry into the famed anfield ground....let alone allowing him to walk away with a victory. Where was the rivalry, the passion....the red devils were all over liverpool throughout the match.
Just compare how arsenal played against chelsea in the next match. That was performance that defines championship material. To be frank i'm losing hope on liverpool and it's hard to keep forgiving them for their shortcomings over and over again. The current liverpool team are a disgrace. You can win a 100 champion league trophies but if you can't win one single premiership title and beat manchester united on your home ground then it defeats the purpose of being called liverpool football club.
To simply put it this way, you can lose to all the teams in the premiership but you must NEVER LOSE TO MANCHESTER UNITED AND ALEX FERGUSON because you are LIVERPOOL !!!
I don't think the current liverpool squad care about the great rivalry with manchester united anymore. It's also disgusting to notice that the current liverpool players seem to get along fine with their red devil opponents. It's a blasphemy to even allow Alex Ferguson entry into the famed anfield ground....let alone allowing him to walk away with a victory. Where was the rivalry, the passion....the red devils were all over liverpool throughout the match.
Just compare how arsenal played against chelsea in the next match. That was performance that defines championship material. To be frank i'm losing hope on liverpool and it's hard to keep forgiving them for their shortcomings over and over again. The current liverpool team are a disgrace. You can win a 100 champion league trophies but if you can't win one single premiership title and beat manchester united on your home ground then it defeats the purpose of being called liverpool football club.
To simply put it this way, you can lose to all the teams in the premiership but you must NEVER LOSE TO MANCHESTER UNITED AND ALEX FERGUSON because you are LIVERPOOL !!!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
There's no sunshine till it rains
It's the month long rainy season again in singapore and i'm not sure how long it's gonna last this time. I'm not sure about others but i always look forward for the rain. It gives a good reason for me to stay indoors and do the things i 've never had the time to do. Stuff like re-arranging my room, listening to my cd collection and watching my dvd''s, making a cup of hot chocolate and enjoying the cool breeze from my window.
I love the cool climate cause it gives you that right comfy feeling to jump into bed and doze off right away haha. I guess it's also a good thing not to go out and do unnecessary shopping and that's something i'm very prone to do if i go out. Well I'm gonna enjoy my rainy days at home as much as i could before the sun sets in again....
I love the cool climate cause it gives you that right comfy feeling to jump into bed and doze off right away haha. I guess it's also a good thing not to go out and do unnecessary shopping and that's something i'm very prone to do if i go out. Well I'm gonna enjoy my rainy days at home as much as i could before the sun sets in again....
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Is this not genocide ?
Nearly 100,000 iraqi civilians have died since american forces and their allies invaded iraq in 2003. The body count is just an estimate and the actual numbers could be unbelievably higher as many bodies can never be found... In the name of fighting terror and retaliating for 9/11....nearly 100,000 iraqi civilians have perished....many more lives of families destroyed forever and a country in chaos....this is modern day genocide.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Newly weds find It hard to get a flat
I refer to the Straits Time article dated 29th November titled " More Than 7000 new flats expected over next 7 months". I must add that there was nothing new about the latest announcement from HDB and the government. They are merely repeating what they had promised to do earlier in the year. Almost all the units they would be offering to ease the market situation are under the BTO and DBSS schemes. Under these schemes, it would take a minimum 4 to 5 years before the flats are completed and the keys made available to the buyers. This does not address in any way the immediate needs of homeseekers like myself. The government failed to mention anything about increasing the flat supply being offered under the walk in selections to meet the current demands of newly wed couples and families. They are merely announcing plans to ease the market demand in 4 to 5 years time. I feel extremely let down by the recent news and i don't think the announcements would have any impact in the surge of prices in the resale market at least for the next couple of years..
For example in the 3 room or smaller flats walk in selection opened yesterday,only 150 units had been released eventhough the number of applications could easily hit over 1000. Under these cicumstances, I am still going to get a queue number at the end of the line and by the time my turn comes, almost all the units are taken up or the racial quota is full. I have been faced with this situation repeatedly in the walk in selection. Is the government sending a message to home seekers that they are unable to do anything now to solve the immediate squeeze, urging them to wait for 4 to 5 years untilthese new BTO'S are built. Where does the government expect young couples and families to stay for 5 years ?
The only way to convince home owners trying to sell their flats on the resale market to become realistic with their demands is if the government immediately releases a great number of completed flats in their stockpile either for sale or rent. There are so many completed flats that are unsold and yet HDB is unwilling to release them immediately. There are newly completed block of flats near kallang mrt,commonwealth mrt,punggol which have been totally unoccupied for months now. A good measure that the government could do is to rent out the 4 room and 5 room flats in their stockpile with subsidised rates until their BTO's are completed.
Monday, November 05, 2007
SMRT found lacking when it comes to public bus improvements
I have read with much interest a column posted on the straits times forum and i totally agree with the writer on the standard of SMRT buses. I think it's the same sentiments shared by the vast majority of the population living in the northern which are dominated by SMRT buses. They seem to be far behind the standards set by SBS Transit. Besides the irregular frequency between services, there's also nothing new or sophisticated about the majority of SMRT's fleet of buses which have remained in service for longer than 10 years. Some buses like the one regularly used on Route 178 are extremely old buses that have been used since the 80's.Some of these buses are so filthy and it can be a really unpleasant journey. You would not be suprised to find on most SMRT buses that the seat covers are stained and smelly. Some of the seats at the backl even come off ! The aircon won't be working on hot days, even if they do work the vents would be leaking and you could see the panels corroded, you might even see cockroaches and other insects crawling onto your seats from time to time. The kind of service displayed by SMRT buses are even worse than some third world countries. It's rather embaressing that the authorities are turning a blind eye to the apparent shocking low standards on SMRT buses.
Bring Back A&W to Singapore !
A&W was first brewed in June 1919, in Lodi, California by Roy Allen. Allen sold the nickel root beer at a roadside stand at a parade for returning World War I veterans. Along with partner Frank Wright, Allen began A&W Restaurants, giving the root beer its name as well as eventually selling other food. At some A&W Restaurants the root beer is still prepared fresh, thus accounting for the fact that the taste varies at each restaurant.
The first A&W store opened at Dunearn Road in Singapore in the year 1966 as the first fast food restaurant from America in the country. The chain expanded in the later years including one at Singapore Zoo which closed down in 1999. The chain's Singapore operations dwindled in the 2000s, and by 2002 it had 7 outlets around the island. A&W finally closed in 2003.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Bring the FIFA World Cup To Singapore
It is now confirmed that FIFA, the world governing body for football, are expected to change their system of rotating the World Cup finals between the continents. If that decision is finalised, it would open the market for any country with the necessary infrastructure to launch a bid to host the 2018 tournament. I believe with the progress asean has made over the decades, 2018 would be the prefect time for southeast asia in particular to showcase to the rest of the world that they have the resources and capabilities to stage such an important world sporting event.
The economic benefits of staging the world cup finals in southeast asia would be unparalled and it will definately spur even greater development in the region. The World Cup finals in south-east asia would not only propel the tourism industry but also raise the sporting standards of asean footballing nations. It is the perfect time to announce to the rest of the world, that we are ready to stage the world cup finals and this news would also be a boon to our current developments like the intergrated resorts in making singapore a global city.
I strongly believe if Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore were to cooperate and join hands to co-host a joint world cup bid, they would be serious contenders. Both Malaysia and Thailand already have world class stadiums while singapore would have their new Kallang Stadium in place by 2012. We would have ample time to build a second stadium in the north-east region in the developing part of Sengkang or Punggol if needed. I think the vast economic oppurtunites that would benefit Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore would also bring many years of political stability and cooperation between these nations who have a long interwoven history. I believe we can do it with a collective effort and i hope the government sets up a panel with it's neighbouring counterparts to study this dream and make it into a reality. To sum it up, if we can't make it to the world cup, the next best thing is to bring the world cup here.
The economic benefits of staging the world cup finals in southeast asia would be unparalled and it will definately spur even greater development in the region. The World Cup finals in south-east asia would not only propel the tourism industry but also raise the sporting standards of asean footballing nations. It is the perfect time to announce to the rest of the world, that we are ready to stage the world cup finals and this news would also be a boon to our current developments like the intergrated resorts in making singapore a global city.
I strongly believe if Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore were to cooperate and join hands to co-host a joint world cup bid, they would be serious contenders. Both Malaysia and Thailand already have world class stadiums while singapore would have their new Kallang Stadium in place by 2012. We would have ample time to build a second stadium in the north-east region in the developing part of Sengkang or Punggol if needed. I think the vast economic oppurtunites that would benefit Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore would also bring many years of political stability and cooperation between these nations who have a long interwoven history. I believe we can do it with a collective effort and i hope the government sets up a panel with it's neighbouring counterparts to study this dream and make it into a reality. To sum it up, if we can't make it to the world cup, the next best thing is to bring the world cup here.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
With all the mad rush going on around the world today, it's always refreshing to go back and marvel at the wonder of mother nature....here is a blissful image that showcases the calm and peaceful side of this beautiful planet....i am sure this picture will help calm the mind of those viewing it.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Wag The Dog
War has become a lucrative industry for the rich and powerful nations. There is a whole new meaning to the term "world war"....it is now defined as a situation where the rest of the world is forced to sit and watch a superpower tyrant nation wreck havoc and destroy helpless nations that it deems hostile to it's monopoly and dominance.
The war that america and it's western allies are now waging was made possible with the power of the media. Every angle of an event such as 9/11 was captured and edited to meet their agenda.The news footage fed into the homes over and over again....it made everyone believe that they needed to wage a war with a non-existent enemy....an enemy that was created by themselves to fuel the war machines.
The war on terror was initiated with the help of the media which started to paint a picture that all of america was under attack. They made it into an american issue and that they were victims besieged by evil forces. It was such a successful propaganda and served as a justification to go to war and if that was not enough to convince the rest of the world....they started to spin lies of on the floors of the UN assembly about WMD.
With the support now in their hand, they shifted their focus of attention to countries that have had hostile relationships with america. These countries were targeted for annihilation by being labeled as an axis of evil. However only nations which did not pose a serious threat to them militarily were carefully chosen as victims.
These so called "evil nations" were already battered nations as in the case of Iraq and Afghanistan, which had already been fragmented by decades of unfair sanctions and civil war. This was all carefully planned to make the entry and infiltration of the allied forces very simple and give the world the impression that they have won a battle they never fought.
America has always been a jewish colony....the country's most powerful, influential men and women are jewish....and these powerful jewish americans believe unanimously that the only way to protect their motherland, israel, is to make use of the financial, politcal and military might of america to safeguard their interests. That's the only reason why america has always had a harsh and bitter relationship with most muslim nations in the middle east.
The history of the arabs whether muslims, christian or jewish are so intertwined. Yet they only focus on their differences and engulf themselves in conflicts where only blood and tears are shed. It's a cruel situation where arab muslims keep getting the blame and on the contrary always suffer the most casualties and victimization. The questions that need to be asked are simple. Why did mankind sit idle and allow such baseless wars to happen in the first place ? Have they forgotten the hard lessons from World War 1 and 2 ? What went wrong that made civilization take a back seat in the 21st century ? Is this the beginning of the end ? Only time will tell.
The war that america and it's western allies are now waging was made possible with the power of the media. Every angle of an event such as 9/11 was captured and edited to meet their agenda.The news footage fed into the homes over and over again....it made everyone believe that they needed to wage a war with a non-existent enemy....an enemy that was created by themselves to fuel the war machines.
The war on terror was initiated with the help of the media which started to paint a picture that all of america was under attack. They made it into an american issue and that they were victims besieged by evil forces. It was such a successful propaganda and served as a justification to go to war and if that was not enough to convince the rest of the world....they started to spin lies of on the floors of the UN assembly about WMD.
With the support now in their hand, they shifted their focus of attention to countries that have had hostile relationships with america. These countries were targeted for annihilation by being labeled as an axis of evil. However only nations which did not pose a serious threat to them militarily were carefully chosen as victims.
These so called "evil nations" were already battered nations as in the case of Iraq and Afghanistan, which had already been fragmented by decades of unfair sanctions and civil war. This was all carefully planned to make the entry and infiltration of the allied forces very simple and give the world the impression that they have won a battle they never fought.
America has always been a jewish colony....the country's most powerful, influential men and women are jewish....and these powerful jewish americans believe unanimously that the only way to protect their motherland, israel, is to make use of the financial, politcal and military might of america to safeguard their interests. That's the only reason why america has always had a harsh and bitter relationship with most muslim nations in the middle east.
The history of the arabs whether muslims, christian or jewish are so intertwined. Yet they only focus on their differences and engulf themselves in conflicts where only blood and tears are shed. It's a cruel situation where arab muslims keep getting the blame and on the contrary always suffer the most casualties and victimization. The questions that need to be asked are simple. Why did mankind sit idle and allow such baseless wars to happen in the first place ? Have they forgotten the hard lessons from World War 1 and 2 ? What went wrong that made civilization take a back seat in the 21st century ? Is this the beginning of the end ? Only time will tell.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
S@M'S TOP 25 FAVOURITE ROCK ALBUMS
I have a strong penchant for music. It's one of my greatest passion. Although i love all genre of music, it's definitely rock music that has always been a great influence on me. I like to give a list of albums that have left a great impression on me during my formative years appreciating music and they are ranked in no order of preference as they are all considered classics. The list is definitely longer but i will crop it to 25 most influential to me.
1. NIRVANA - SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT
2. HELLOWEEN - KEEPERS OF THE SEVEN KEYS 2
3. METALLICA - MASTER OF PUPPETS
4. PANTERA - VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER
5. FEAR FACTORY - DEMANUFACTURE
6. KORN - KORN (1st Album)
7. LIMP BIZKIT - SIGNIFICANT OTHER
8. PANTERA - FAR BEYOND DRIVEN
9. HELLOWEEN - LIVE IN THE UK
10. GUNS N ROSES - USE YOUR ILLUSIONS 2
11. MACHINE HEAD - BURN MY EYES
12. SEPULTURA - CHAOS A.D
13. DEFTONES - AROUND THE FUR
14. BIOHAZARD - STATE OF THE WORLD ADDRESS
15. METALLICA - BLACK ALBUM
16. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - EVIL EMPIRE
17. PEARL JAM - TEN
18. KORN - FOLLOW THE LEADER
19. GREEN DAY - DOOKIE
20. SOUNDGARDEN - SUPERUNKNOWN
21. SLAYER - DIVINE INTERVENTION
22. STABBING WESTWARDS - DARKEST DAY
23. BLINK 182 - ENEMA OF THE STATE
24. ALICE IN CHAINS - DIRT
25. FOO FIGHTERS - THE COLOUR AND THE SHAPE
1. NIRVANA - SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT
2. HELLOWEEN - KEEPERS OF THE SEVEN KEYS 2
3. METALLICA - MASTER OF PUPPETS
4. PANTERA - VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER
5. FEAR FACTORY - DEMANUFACTURE
6. KORN - KORN (1st Album)
7. LIMP BIZKIT - SIGNIFICANT OTHER
8. PANTERA - FAR BEYOND DRIVEN
9. HELLOWEEN - LIVE IN THE UK
10. GUNS N ROSES - USE YOUR ILLUSIONS 2
11. MACHINE HEAD - BURN MY EYES
12. SEPULTURA - CHAOS A.D
13. DEFTONES - AROUND THE FUR
14. BIOHAZARD - STATE OF THE WORLD ADDRESS
15. METALLICA - BLACK ALBUM
16. RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE - EVIL EMPIRE
17. PEARL JAM - TEN
18. KORN - FOLLOW THE LEADER
19. GREEN DAY - DOOKIE
20. SOUNDGARDEN - SUPERUNKNOWN
21. SLAYER - DIVINE INTERVENTION
22. STABBING WESTWARDS - DARKEST DAY
23. BLINK 182 - ENEMA OF THE STATE
24. ALICE IN CHAINS - DIRT
25. FOO FIGHTERS - THE COLOUR AND THE SHAPE
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Pasir Panjang Ice Bandung - Must Try !
It's a well kept secret for many years but i'm gonna spill the beans on where to find a fabulous drink in singapore. The Pasir Panjang Food Court has been home to a drink that's only known to long time residents nearby and ex-students from the now defunct Pasir Panjang Seondary School. The drink is sold by an ice kacang stall which has been around for over 15 years and it's one of their specialty drinks. It's simply called ICE BANDUNG.
It's a refreshing bandung drink (rose milk) but what sets it apart from other similar drinks is that this bandung comes with crushed ice and added condensed milk. I'm not sure if there's a secret recipe that's included because i've tried many times to replicate this drink at home but the taste is nowhere near the original one in Pasir Panjang. I think it's the only place in singapore where you can find this drink and it is a must try. The drink itself is so filling that it's advisable to come on an empty stomach. It goes down well with spicy food or satay which can be bought from the neighboring stalls. So what are you waiting for... Go try it ! I
It's a refreshing bandung drink (rose milk) but what sets it apart from other similar drinks is that this bandung comes with crushed ice and added condensed milk. I'm not sure if there's a secret recipe that's included because i've tried many times to replicate this drink at home but the taste is nowhere near the original one in Pasir Panjang. I think it's the only place in singapore where you can find this drink and it is a must try. The drink itself is so filling that it's advisable to come on an empty stomach. It goes down well with spicy food or satay which can be bought from the neighboring stalls. So what are you waiting for... Go try it ! I
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Make Every Word Count
I'm quite happy that many of my views are constantly being re-published on the Straits Times Forum Page. It gives me a sense of satisfaction that whatever i write is being appreciated and worthy of reproduction by the local media. It certainly gives me the encouragement to write more often on issues that i feel need to be addressed in singapore and the world. It gives my blog a reason to be updated more often if i had the time. I think that's the whole idea of keeping a blog in the first place. To build your own platform to express yourself and eventually to share your views with the rest of the world.
Singapore science centre needs a makeover
A recent visit with my family to watch an imax movie at the singapore Omni theatre left me with quite a disappointed experience. Firstly i noticed there were not many other attractions at the Omni theatre apart from the Morphis movie ride , a couple of retail stores and uninteresting exhibits. I think it's about time that the Omni Theatre underwent a major revamp. The last time i visited the theatre was somewhere in the early nineties and i had expected some significant changes with the advancement of technology but my experience of the omni theatre gave me an impression that i was right back in the nineties. The theatre seat cushions were in bad condition and the seats were smelly. What kind of impression are we giving to our foreign visitors ? Apart from the movie ride nothing much has changed there significantly and it is quite embaressing.
Apart from the Omni Theatre, serious considerations must also be taken into replacing the old science centre building to make way for a new state of the art science park cum entertainment facility. I believe that the new science centre must be reflective of the progress science has made in the 21st century and what science can offer in the future. In this spectacular age of science advancements, there should be no place for nostalgia and i believe the science centre management must take immediate significant steps to rejuvenate the science centre by replacing the 70's archiecture of the main science centre building with a futuristic 21st century architecture that will have a strong iconic image to help make the singapore science centre not just a regional attraction but a global one as well.
The old science centre building looks outdated in the 21st century modern architectural age. I think it's about time we have a new state of the art building complex that has a planetarium,library cum museum, science exhibit hall,omni-theatre and many more state of the art facilities all under one roof. A more bolder plan would be to construct a long futuristic suspension bridge linking the nearby chinese gardens to the science centre. This would be beneficial for the two places of attraction in the long run. The new developments of the science centre would also be beneficial for the nearby jurong west housing estate which continues to remain in a property slump.
I urge the current science centre management to take example from the iconic Pyramide du Louvre in France. Spectacular in concept and form, they provide a startling reminder of the audacious ability of modern architects to invigorate and re-circulate traditional architectural forms. This is exactly what the new science centre should attempt to recreate and or at least try to imulate. It would be fantastic to have our very own glass pyramid structure bigger and more spectacular than the one in france. It would be a first in asia. There's not a better timing than this year to make announcements since it's the 30th anniversary of the science centre and not many singaporeans are even aware of that.
Apart from the Omni Theatre, serious considerations must also be taken into replacing the old science centre building to make way for a new state of the art science park cum entertainment facility. I believe that the new science centre must be reflective of the progress science has made in the 21st century and what science can offer in the future. In this spectacular age of science advancements, there should be no place for nostalgia and i believe the science centre management must take immediate significant steps to rejuvenate the science centre by replacing the 70's archiecture of the main science centre building with a futuristic 21st century architecture that will have a strong iconic image to help make the singapore science centre not just a regional attraction but a global one as well.
The old science centre building looks outdated in the 21st century modern architectural age. I think it's about time we have a new state of the art building complex that has a planetarium,library cum museum, science exhibit hall,omni-theatre and many more state of the art facilities all under one roof. A more bolder plan would be to construct a long futuristic suspension bridge linking the nearby chinese gardens to the science centre. This would be beneficial for the two places of attraction in the long run. The new developments of the science centre would also be beneficial for the nearby jurong west housing estate which continues to remain in a property slump.
I urge the current science centre management to take example from the iconic Pyramide du Louvre in France. Spectacular in concept and form, they provide a startling reminder of the audacious ability of modern architects to invigorate and re-circulate traditional architectural forms. This is exactly what the new science centre should attempt to recreate and or at least try to imulate. It would be fantastic to have our very own glass pyramid structure bigger and more spectacular than the one in france. It would be a first in asia. There's not a better timing than this year to make announcements since it's the 30th anniversary of the science centre and not many singaporeans are even aware of that.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Put Emphasis On Education
The recent report card on the progress of the malay community in singapore released by the government has revealed that although the community has made marked improvements compared to 20 years ago, it also shows that compared to the improvements made by the Indian and other minority communities, they are still far behind in the progress ladder.
I would like to cite the remarkable performances of Indian students in local schools. The Indian students have made great improvement in all academic areas especially in the past 10 years. Ever since SINDA launched it’s highly successful STEP program, Indian students have been constantly doing better than malay students and the percentage of Indian students going on to post secondary education like polytechnic and university is much higher compared to malay students. In a 2005 report, 70 per cent of working Malays had secondary or higher qualifications, compared to just 19 per cent in 1980. However the vast majority who received higher education had in fact only obtained either ITE certificates or private diplomas.
The Mendaki have had their own tuition programs for malay students but it lacked the direction and focus that SINDA had achieved with it’s step program. One of the reasons why Mendaki tuition programs were not as much successful was because the tuition classes were only held once every weekends while the SINDA STEP tuition are held during weekdays after school hours in the evening for as many as three times a week. There is a wider pool of teachers and professionals extending their voluntary services for SINDA and as a result STEP programs are conducted in many schools for the convenience of it’s students.
It is very important that the malay community put more emphasis in the education of malay youths. Parents must be responsible in ensuring their children get the best education and assistance if they need any. The malay community must realize that the only assured path to success is a sound education and in a competitive society like Singapore, the minimum guarantee for a stable future is a polytechnic diploma or university degree. Mendaki must immediately revamp it’s tuition program and organize it aggressively in the way SINDA has structured it’s tuition programs. If we can keep the youths longer in the classrooms rather than on the streets, it’s only going to yield beneficial results to the community.
I would like to cite the remarkable performances of Indian students in local schools. The Indian students have made great improvement in all academic areas especially in the past 10 years. Ever since SINDA launched it’s highly successful STEP program, Indian students have been constantly doing better than malay students and the percentage of Indian students going on to post secondary education like polytechnic and university is much higher compared to malay students. In a 2005 report, 70 per cent of working Malays had secondary or higher qualifications, compared to just 19 per cent in 1980. However the vast majority who received higher education had in fact only obtained either ITE certificates or private diplomas.
The Mendaki have had their own tuition programs for malay students but it lacked the direction and focus that SINDA had achieved with it’s step program. One of the reasons why Mendaki tuition programs were not as much successful was because the tuition classes were only held once every weekends while the SINDA STEP tuition are held during weekdays after school hours in the evening for as many as three times a week. There is a wider pool of teachers and professionals extending their voluntary services for SINDA and as a result STEP programs are conducted in many schools for the convenience of it’s students.
It is very important that the malay community put more emphasis in the education of malay youths. Parents must be responsible in ensuring their children get the best education and assistance if they need any. The malay community must realize that the only assured path to success is a sound education and in a competitive society like Singapore, the minimum guarantee for a stable future is a polytechnic diploma or university degree. Mendaki must immediately revamp it’s tuition program and organize it aggressively in the way SINDA has structured it’s tuition programs. If we can keep the youths longer in the classrooms rather than on the streets, it’s only going to yield beneficial results to the community.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
This beautiful photo captures the early morning tranquility of Seletar Resevoir. This is proof that there are
still untouched gems in some parts of singapore where we can enjoy the sights of mother nature. Photo was taken using a Canon 1D MKII camera with Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM lenses.
still untouched gems in some parts of singapore where we can enjoy the sights of mother nature. Photo was taken using a Canon 1D MKII camera with Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM lenses.
Monday, September 03, 2007
Public Housing in Singapore no longer relevant to the Public
I am appalled by the escalated prices of the new flats for the recent HDB Walk-In selection in mature estates. The HDB has very much inflated the prices of the flats in such a way that is virtually out of reach for almost all middle income new couples or upgrading families. I reckon even with the increase in additional housing grants, the new pricing by HDB for 4 room flats effectively shuts out a large proportion of new couples from owning property in matured estates.
Almost all the 4 room flats in the popular sectors on the current HDB walk in selection are being sold at a whopping price of not less than 300k and 5 rooms flats are being sold at not less than 400k. It is extremely impossible to consider that public housing is cheap and affordable to average Singaporeans anymore with such exaggerated prices.
I hope the government immediately starts curbing the inflated pricing of HDB flats or else we would be faced with many people committing themselves helplessly to exorbitant mortgage loans and eventually ending up not able to cope financially. If public housing becomes too expensive for the average Singaporean, then in no time we might find ourselves in a similar mortgage crisis like that in the united states now. That’s not the only problem which will surface. A lot of financial stress would definitely strain many families emotionally as well and this could lead to a snowballing effect with even more divorces as it becomes too expensive to remain as a family in Singapore.
The basic element or foundation to starting a family is having a shelter over their heads and being able to financially cope with other demands in a fast paced society like Singapore. If HDB keeps implementing such anti-family policies by inflating prices for new houses which is definitely not within the reach of the average Singaporean, most couples of families would be spending more of their time worrying about their mortgage loans and neglecting their family altogether. I strongly believe we could soon be faced with a lot of other social problems as well like vagrancy. I hope the government intervenes before it is too late. We are talking about keeping public housing relevant to the public.
Almost all the 4 room flats in the popular sectors on the current HDB walk in selection are being sold at a whopping price of not less than 300k and 5 rooms flats are being sold at not less than 400k. It is extremely impossible to consider that public housing is cheap and affordable to average Singaporeans anymore with such exaggerated prices.
I hope the government immediately starts curbing the inflated pricing of HDB flats or else we would be faced with many people committing themselves helplessly to exorbitant mortgage loans and eventually ending up not able to cope financially. If public housing becomes too expensive for the average Singaporean, then in no time we might find ourselves in a similar mortgage crisis like that in the united states now. That’s not the only problem which will surface. A lot of financial stress would definitely strain many families emotionally as well and this could lead to a snowballing effect with even more divorces as it becomes too expensive to remain as a family in Singapore.
The basic element or foundation to starting a family is having a shelter over their heads and being able to financially cope with other demands in a fast paced society like Singapore. If HDB keeps implementing such anti-family policies by inflating prices for new houses which is definitely not within the reach of the average Singaporean, most couples of families would be spending more of their time worrying about their mortgage loans and neglecting their family altogether. I strongly believe we could soon be faced with a lot of other social problems as well like vagrancy. I hope the government intervenes before it is too late. We are talking about keeping public housing relevant to the public.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Sin City
Singapore is certainly living up to the name...quite literally. The past decade has seen this country transform itself into a more liberal and westernised society. But with change has also come a price. Singaporeans have seen disturbing changes in their lives..not for the good but for the bad..... The much respected asian values & cultures are slowly disintergrating and eventually disappearing as they are forced to become irrelevant. These changes are seen across all the races in singapore especially the chinese and malay community. However amongst these communities i have observed that the females are the ones most absorbed into this newfound western culture that allows them all the freedom they can have that was not possible in a strict asian culture.
It's no suprise to see how such girls dress so scantily these days. Showing off butt-cracks,bellies and boobs in public is considered normal to these modernist females. The clothes they wear are as minimal as possible. Bar-top dancing or pole-dancing are considered acceptable behaviours. For these women, it's not practical to have asian values anymore. They don't believe in settling down and have kids but are more concerned about material wealth and multiple relationships. That is why less people are getting married and more people are getting divorced and staying single. Some people fail to understand that not everything that comes from the west is good. In western countries, the whole family system is no longer relevant because couples cohibit without getting married. The children are brought up with no legal parents and this disturbs the whole family balance. The whole social fabric in the west is facing a collapse. If singapore does not start taking measures to protect it's asian heritage and cultivate the rich values and cultures to the young generation...then a social disoder will be inevitable.
It's no suprise to see how such girls dress so scantily these days. Showing off butt-cracks,bellies and boobs in public is considered normal to these modernist females. The clothes they wear are as minimal as possible. Bar-top dancing or pole-dancing are considered acceptable behaviours. For these women, it's not practical to have asian values anymore. They don't believe in settling down and have kids but are more concerned about material wealth and multiple relationships. That is why less people are getting married and more people are getting divorced and staying single. Some people fail to understand that not everything that comes from the west is good. In western countries, the whole family system is no longer relevant because couples cohibit without getting married. The children are brought up with no legal parents and this disturbs the whole family balance. The whole social fabric in the west is facing a collapse. If singapore does not start taking measures to protect it's asian heritage and cultivate the rich values and cultures to the young generation...then a social disoder will be inevitable.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Congratulations Team Singapore !
Okay they are not the greatest team in the world...not even in asia....but they are still the team that every singaporean should love and support. Hey if we are not behind our country nobody else would....Well done Lions for a hard fought match that has certaintly done wonders to your reputation....but don't sit down on your laurels and regard this victory as a stepping stone to achieve greater heights and bringing home more glory especially the Sea-Games Gold Medal... You can do it guys !
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Bad Apples
I guess some people can't get rid of their racist mindset no matter how much public awareness and campaigns have been going on to stop such utterly moronic behaviours. I recently visited the Apple Store in Wheelock Place to buy a set of speakers for my Ipod. It did not occur to me then at the point of entering the store that almost all the staff at this Apple store were chinese. However,since this was singapore i did not think that was a big deal....sadly i was to realise later...that was the deal !
As i was looking around the store, i noticed none of the sales people came up to me to render any assistance. There were salesmen who were just idling around doing nothing and they kept giving that blank look that gives you the impression of hostility.
However, they gladly approached every caucasian or chinese customer who entered the store. Everytime, i was close to a sales person, they turned a blind eye and looked in the other way. They pretended as though we were non-existant. There were few other local indian and malay customers and they got the same cold reception as i got.
When i approached a chinese sales person whose name was Dennis, he was simply not interested to provide any service. He kept giving blunt replies to my questions, did not assist me to test the speakers and kept turning his attention to his chinese or caucasian customers. I was so fed up with such despicable behaviour, I just stormed out of the store. It's sad that even in this modern age, we still have people who outright racist and feel at the same time subservient to the caucasians.
It's difficult to change the mindsets of these morons, they simply refuse to change. Honestly, they are only making a fool out of themselves. They've belittled themselves.
As i was looking around the store, i noticed none of the sales people came up to me to render any assistance. There were salesmen who were just idling around doing nothing and they kept giving that blank look that gives you the impression of hostility.
However, they gladly approached every caucasian or chinese customer who entered the store. Everytime, i was close to a sales person, they turned a blind eye and looked in the other way. They pretended as though we were non-existant. There were few other local indian and malay customers and they got the same cold reception as i got.
When i approached a chinese sales person whose name was Dennis, he was simply not interested to provide any service. He kept giving blunt replies to my questions, did not assist me to test the speakers and kept turning his attention to his chinese or caucasian customers. I was so fed up with such despicable behaviour, I just stormed out of the store. It's sad that even in this modern age, we still have people who outright racist and feel at the same time subservient to the caucasians.
It's difficult to change the mindsets of these morons, they simply refuse to change. Honestly, they are only making a fool out of themselves. They've belittled themselves.
Friday, February 02, 2007
Bring Back The Dream Team
Last Wednesday 31st Jan 2007, nearly 55,000 fans witnessed what seemed like the last competitive match at the Kallang National Stadium. The match was highly controversialand was marred by a walk-out by the Thai team due to a dubious penalty decision and trouble among rival fans. It is very disheartening to learn that it would be the last competitive match played there.
The great old dame which witnessed the birth of many soccer legends of singapore should be given a more grand farewell party before it's history is put to an end. I strongly believe it would be more befitting if we had a ceremonial match pitting the current national team against singapore's dream team of the past. It would be a mouth-watering contest to see Aide Iskander and his men take on Fandi Ahmad and the legends of singapore soccer. It would be a marvellous oppurtunity for the young generation of today who missed the malaysia cup era to witness the wizardry and talent of the likes of Fandi Ahmad & V.Sundramoorthy,
We must have one last match to celebrate the history of this legendary stadium which witnessed some great goals and matches. This is what singapore wants to really see before the floodlights are turned off for the last time. I hope FAS would take this oppurtunity to celebrate the legacy of past singapore soccer heroes and also showcase what we have for the future. It will also be every singapore soccer fan's dream if FAS releases a dvd showcasing all the great goals,matches and interviews by the Lions of the past and present. Singapore Soccer although not great is still unique and singaporeans have always been passionate about their Lions. I truly hope FAS take into serious consideration of organising this DREAM MATCH before we see the end of the great Kallang Stadium.
The great old dame which witnessed the birth of many soccer legends of singapore should be given a more grand farewell party before it's history is put to an end. I strongly believe it would be more befitting if we had a ceremonial match pitting the current national team against singapore's dream team of the past. It would be a mouth-watering contest to see Aide Iskander and his men take on Fandi Ahmad and the legends of singapore soccer. It would be a marvellous oppurtunity for the young generation of today who missed the malaysia cup era to witness the wizardry and talent of the likes of Fandi Ahmad & V.Sundramoorthy,
We must have one last match to celebrate the history of this legendary stadium which witnessed some great goals and matches. This is what singapore wants to really see before the floodlights are turned off for the last time. I hope FAS would take this oppurtunity to celebrate the legacy of past singapore soccer heroes and also showcase what we have for the future. It will also be every singapore soccer fan's dream if FAS releases a dvd showcasing all the great goals,matches and interviews by the Lions of the past and present. Singapore Soccer although not great is still unique and singaporeans have always been passionate about their Lions. I truly hope FAS take into serious consideration of organising this DREAM MATCH before we see the end of the great Kallang Stadium.
Friday, January 05, 2007
The Last Letter of Saddam Hussein
Here are excerpts from Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's last letter just few weeks before he was inhumanely executed by the invaders of iraq and their cronies. Here are his last words....
"Remember that God has enabled you to become an example of love, forgiveness and brotherly co-existence...
I call on you not to hate because hate does not leave a space for a person to be fair and it makes you blind and closes all doors of thinking and keeps away one from balanced thinking and making the right choice ...
I also call on you not to hate the peoples of the other countries that attacked us and differentiate between the decision-makers and peoples...
Anyone who repents - whether in Iraq or abroad - you must forgive him...
You should know that among the aggressors, there are people who support your struggle against the invaders, and some of them volunteered for the legal defence of prisoners, including Saddam Hussein...
Some of these people wept profusely when they said goodbye to me...
Dear faithful people, I say goodbye to you, but I will be with the merciful God who helps those who take refuge in him and who will never disappoint any faithful, honest believer... God is Great... God is great... Long live our nation... Long live our great struggling people...
Long live Iraq, long live Iraq... Long live Palestine... Long live jihad and the mujahideen".
Saddam Hussein
President and Commander in Chief of the Iraqi Mujahid Armed Forces
Additional Note: I have written this letter because the lawyers told me that the so-called criminal court - established and named by the invaders - will allow the so-called defendants the chance for a last word. But that court and its chief judge did not give us the chance to say a word, and issued its verdict without explanation and read out the sentence - dictated by the invaders - without presenting the evidence.
I wanted the people to know this.
"Remember that God has enabled you to become an example of love, forgiveness and brotherly co-existence...
I call on you not to hate because hate does not leave a space for a person to be fair and it makes you blind and closes all doors of thinking and keeps away one from balanced thinking and making the right choice ...
I also call on you not to hate the peoples of the other countries that attacked us and differentiate between the decision-makers and peoples...
Anyone who repents - whether in Iraq or abroad - you must forgive him...
You should know that among the aggressors, there are people who support your struggle against the invaders, and some of them volunteered for the legal defence of prisoners, including Saddam Hussein...
Some of these people wept profusely when they said goodbye to me...
Dear faithful people, I say goodbye to you, but I will be with the merciful God who helps those who take refuge in him and who will never disappoint any faithful, honest believer... God is Great... God is great... Long live our nation... Long live our great struggling people...
Long live Iraq, long live Iraq... Long live Palestine... Long live jihad and the mujahideen".
Saddam Hussein
President and Commander in Chief of the Iraqi Mujahid Armed Forces
Additional Note: I have written this letter because the lawyers told me that the so-called criminal court - established and named by the invaders - will allow the so-called defendants the chance for a last word. But that court and its chief judge did not give us the chance to say a word, and issued its verdict without explanation and read out the sentence - dictated by the invaders - without presenting the evidence.
I wanted the people to know this.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Goodbye 2006....Hello 2007 !!!
Happy New Year Everyone ! I have to admit 2006 had been a truly great year for me. It's definately my most memorable one because I got married at last and also finally managed to get my driver's license. What a differance a year can make in a person's life. Well i've reached another stage of my life and pretty much settling down in my married life. I hope our beautiful relationship continues to get stronger each day and hopefully in the next few years, we will be starting our own little family.
Well, first thing's first and that's planning my new year resoultion. I have planned to get my own house as well as getting my very own car. As for the forseeable future, i'm going to get down working hard to achieving these two goals first and we'll see how it goes from there....we got a whole year ahead of us ! Once again...
Happy New Year !
Well, first thing's first and that's planning my new year resoultion. I have planned to get my own house as well as getting my very own car. As for the forseeable future, i'm going to get down working hard to achieving these two goals first and we'll see how it goes from there....we got a whole year ahead of us ! Once again...
Happy New Year !
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