"Let there be LIGHT!" And there was Light. And Vanity. Vanity. All is Vanity.

Sometimes, I wonder, how people decide on their pet peeve, and (in this specific case) what "triggered" (I do not like to use this word, but hey, I need to show I'm current, right?) this missive to the Forum Page (or Voices in Today's paper). Let's see if we can spot the trigger...

Why does Singapore need so many lights on?

By Lee Teck Chuan

19 December, 2019

As Singapore moves ahead with its eco-friendly drive, have we overlooked how much electricity we are using, especially from lighting?

Are we guilty of light pollution?

Lights have proliferated unchecked along pavements, covered walkways, bridges, corridors, stairways, and in bus stops, car parks, lifts, void decks, playgrounds and parks.

["Proliferated unchecked? He makes lights sound like some runaway weed. "Unchecked"? He thinks light fixtures are free?]

Build highways for personal mobility devices, bicycles

[I will let the words of this... moron, speak for themselves. I will just highlight the more... ludicrous parts.]

By Su Sicheng

21 July, 2019

You know, it's like one day everything was fine,
and the next there were these fuckin' scooters everywhere.

There has been much talk about errant users of personal mobility devices (PMDs).

While regulations are in place to minimise inconsiderate behaviour, many pedestrians still feel that their sense of space and security is infringed upon when such vehicles pass too close or too fast.

It is too simplistic, however, to only blame users. Talk to PMD or electric-bicycle riders, or cyclists, and they will likely say they are frustrated that they have nowhere to ride freely.

The limited space on footpaths and the pace of pedestrians frustrate them.

PMDs are banned from roads, and most casual cyclists also restrict themselves to pedestrian paths, as those riding on roads must wear helmets.

It is clear there is rising demand by people here for such devices.

Unintended ‘problems’ could surface with new curriculum for secondary schools

[So after many years and robust defence of the streaming policy, the Ministry of Education decided in 2019 that streaming has had its day, and should be retired to the chorus of cheers from parents, educators, and social commenters and pundits.

Well... 

Let's just say you can't please everyone. 

Here's an unpleased one:]


ROBIN CHEE MING FENG

06 MARCH, 2019

I refer to the report detailing the Government’s decision to abolish streaming in the near future.

While we must appreciate the Government’s efforts in slaying this sacred cow, we should not be under the delusion that this major change in policy would lead to a significant reduction in the stigma experienced by students who are less academically inclined.

Under the new system, students would no longer be labelled as belonging to the Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) streams.

However, it is just an effort in repackaging or renaming the streams.

Hai Di Lao closed due to hygiene lapses. Singaporeans (some) lose their shit.

[One restaurant suspended for hygiene lapses. At least two Singaporeans suffer a lapse in common sense.]

Food outlets under suspension should be upfront about why they are closed 

Popular spicy hot pot chain Hai Di Lao's flagship branch at Clarke Quay has had its licence suspended for two weeks for hygiene lapses, according to a suspension notice issued by the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Monday (Feb 12).

By Tay Yong Hong

14 February, 2018

I refer to the report, “Hai Di Lao’s Clarke Quay outlet gets 2 weeks’ suspension for hygiene lapses” (Feb 13).

While I feel sorry reading that this popular Chinese restaurant is suspended during this peak festive period due to unhygienic handling of food, I think they are misleading customers by posting signs at the shop saying that they are undergoing renovation, even if that is true.

I hope the authorities will require companies that are suspended to be more upfront to their customers on why they have to close temporarily.

Review age limit for caning sentences

[I've been sitting on this for a whole year. Time to "publish" it.]

Today Voices

Liew Kai Khiun
January 6, 2017

I refer to the report “Ex-teacher, 66, jailed for molesting girl, 7”; Jan 4). It is always saddening to read about child victims of molestation, especially by teachers.

What angers me is that by dint of the culprit’s age, he was spared the caning punishment and given an extra six weeks of jail in lieu.

Besides serving as a deterrence, the purpose of judicial caning in Singapore has evolved since its codification in 1871 into an additional punishment to underscore the enormity of the crimes committed, particularly those involving bodily harm.

Sarcasm, rudeness and personal attacks on social media

By Teo Kueh Liang

TODAY/VOICES

23 November, 2017

In today’s context, technology has made it instant and convenient for people to get information and news.

Everyone is able to read news online, and readers may express his or her views on any particular issue or topic on social media.

However, on these platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, the common but unhealthy experience for anyone reading or taking part is that when online users do not agree with someone’s opinions, they often resort to personal attacks by using sarcastic comments and vulgarities on the other party.

[That's because your opinion is STUPID! Oh. Was that rude?]

To me, it is not necessary and meaningless to use such an approach in any discussion or debate. It only reflects the person’s character, personality and his or her level of civility.

It seems that people have lost their emotional intelligence (EQ) or even just their intelligence (IQ) in these public spaces.

[No. I suspect they lost their patience with unthinking boors who have an over-inflated sense of the importance and intelligence of their half-baked opinions and who think nothing of inflicting their ignorance and ignorantly-conceived opinions on others and expect others to be unthinkingly grateful for their "pearls" of swine droppings. Oh. Was that rude too?

What are pre-schools' guidelines on naps?

FEB 12, 2015

ARE there recommendations or guidelines on sleeping for pre-schoolers who are in full-day class ("Many parents 'not alert to children's lack of sleep'"; last Friday).

Some pre-schools do not allow afternoon naps from Kindergarten 1 onwards. One reason could be that there are enrichment classes on some afternoons. But these do not take place every afternoon, and not all children are involved.

Another reason could be that some parents feel that they are paying school fees not for their children to nap.

Some people say that not having a nap in school means children will sleep earlier at night.

But the key consideration is whether a child's overall development and health benefit from a nap.

My children benefit from a nap: They are less cranky and have better appetites at dinner time.

My questions for the childcare and kindergarten authorities are: Are there guidelines on napping for pre-schoolers? Is there no benefit to a child napping, say up to an hour, in addition to sleeping nine to 10 hours straight at night?

Yah Jun Yang

[I am an evil person who relish dumb letters to the ST Forum Page so I have material for this vicious blog. If you are reading this you are probably a evil person as well.

OK. enough self-flagellation. 

Let's flagellate the more deserving. 

Like this letter-writer who in his inspired wisdom decided that the best way to ensure that his children gets enough sleep in pre-school is to ensure that ALL pre-schools have nap time.

This despite noting that some pre-schools do not schedule nap times because:

"One reason could be that there are enrichment classes on some afternoons. But these do not take place every afternoon, and not all children are involved.
Another reason could be that some parents feel that they are paying school fees not for their children to nap.
Some people say that not having a nap in school means children will sleep earlier at night."

So despite these reasons, this parent decides that since 

My children benefit from a nap: They are less cranky and have better appetites at dinner time.

Therefore, he "reasons", EVERY Pre-school should have nap times. 

Why?

I dunno why people act selfishly. I dunno why people think that what works for them MUST apply to everyone. Oh wait, I do know. It's because they are self-centred, self-absorbed, and thinks the world revolves around them, their needs, their priorities, their interests.

The reasonable, rational approach would have been to ask the the pre-school you are considering enrolling your children in, about their programme, or if you want to be specific about it, ask them straight out if they schedule afternoon naps.  And if they do, and everything else is fine and meets your needs or your children's needs, you can enrol them in that pre-school.

Instead you choose to ask the AUTHORITIES if they have guidelines on napping? Because they know your children better? Or they know that ALL children need afternoon naps? That all children are the same? Or that this need supercedes all other needs? Or your need has precedence over other parents' needs and priorities? 

While you are at it, can you ask MOM about scheduling afternoon naps in the workplace?

Thank you.]

Aug 16 2014

I WENT to a wedding dinner recently and met some relatives from overseas. One was from Switzerland and another was from New Zealand.

I was taken aback by the negative things they had heard about Singapore. They were bemused as they knew Singapore was renowned for being a great place to live and visit.

They said taxi drivers had told them these things after they revealed themselves to be visitors.

I acknowledge that citizens of any country do have their gripes. However, I expect taxi drivers to be "mini-ambassadors" of our country, especially when they are ferrying foreign visitors.

Why pour out their grievances to foreign guests and leave them with an unsavoury impression of our country?

Taxi companies should educate their drivers on their role of "selling" Singapore, so more tourists will visit and, hence, bring more business for cabbies.

Perhaps the Singapore Tourism Board should find ways to reward taxi drivers for promoting Singapore. After all, cabbies are usually the first line of contact for tourists when they arrive here.

Henry Low Chuan Hoe

Reward cabbies for 'selling' Singapore

Published on Aug 16, 2014 1:02 AM

 45  2  0  0 PRINT EMAIL

 

I WENT to a wedding dinner recently and met some relatives from overseas. One was from Switzerland and another was from New Zealand.
I was taken aback by the negative things they had heard about Singapore. They were bemused as they knew Singapore was renowned for being a great place to live and visit.
They said taxi drivers had told them these things after they revealed themselves to be visitors.
I acknowledge that citizens of any country do have their gripes. However, I expect taxi drivers to be "mini-ambassadors" of our country, especially when they are ferrying foreign visitors.
Why pour out their grievances to foreign guests and leave them with an unsavoury impression of our country?
Taxi companies should educate their drivers on their role of "selling" Singapore, so more tourists will visit and, hence, bring more business for cabbies.
Perhaps the Singapore Tourism Board should find ways to reward taxi drivers for promoting Singapore. After all, cabbies are usually the first line of contact for tourists when they arrive here.
Henry Low Chuan Hoe

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/reward-cabbies-selling-singapore-20140816#sthash.ROnnZMrG.dpuf

Reward cabbies for 'selling' Singapore

Published on Aug 16, 2014 1:02 AM

 45  2  0  0 PRINT EMAIL

 

I WENT to a wedding dinner recently and met some relatives from overseas. One was from Switzerland and another was from New Zealand.
I was taken aback by the negative things they had heard about Singapore. They were bemused as they knew Singapore was renowned for being a great place to live and visit.
They said taxi drivers had told them these things after they revealed themselves to be visitors.
I acknowledge that citizens of any country do have their gripes. However, I expect taxi drivers to be "mini-ambassadors" of our country, especially when they are ferrying foreign visitors.
Why pour out their grievances to foreign guests and leave them with an unsavoury impression of our country?
Taxi companies should educate their drivers on their role of "selling" Singapore, so more tourists will visit and, hence, bring more business for cabbies.
Perhaps the Singapore Tourism Board should find ways to reward taxi drivers for promoting Singapore. After all, cabbies are usually the first line of contact for tourists when they arrive here.
Henry Low Chuan Hoe

- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/reward-cabbies-selling-singapore-20140816#sthash.ROnnZMrG.dpuf

So instead, you want visitors to our country to get into a cab, make a passing/ throwaway remark, and then have the cabby extoll the wonders and virtues of MAGNIFICENT SINGAPORE?
I understand the desire to properly represent Singapore, and I wish that such cabbies would leaven their critique of SG with some concessions as to where and how SG has done well.
BUT, perhaps they do not see such "concessions"? Perhaps all they have seen is depressing and hopeless?
Or maybe they are just curmudgeonly old men who couldn't appreciate good fortune if it shat on them.
Whatever the case, they have a right to express their opinion. I may not agree with their opinion, but they have a right to it. And they have a right to express it.
As for being "mini ambassadors", at which point in the licensing process were they commissioned as such?
You, as a "mini ambassador" for Singapore should have told your overseas friends, "Ah yes. As you can see, in Singapore we respect freedom of speech and freedom of expression. And no we do not clamp down on criticisms of Singapore. Now, did you note the name of the Taxi driver or drivers, or their vehicle registration number?"

No solution for eateries flouting rules?

Jul 10, 2013

I WAS amazed to read the report ("Steamboat outlet faces closure for repeatedly obstructing walkway"; July 1).

The steamboat restaurant was fined 38 times over the last three years and was finally given an ultimatum.

However, other restaurants in the vicinity are still operating outdoor dining areas right alongside the road.

A waiter was quoted as saying: "If we can't operate outside, it's the end for us."

It would appear that the authorities' primary concern is issuing penalties for persistent flouting of the rules, while noise disturbances, public hygiene issues, general disamenities to the public and perhaps even danger to road users continue unabated.

It also seems that the operation of certain businesses in some areas cannot be carried out profitably without disregarding the rules, and this particular "problem" in Beach Road has been unresolved for several years.

Can the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Land Transport Authority and the management councils of buildings suggest solutions?

Derrick D'Souza

[On the one hand we want to have a more "humane" society, with more give and take.

Then we have people who want uncompromising enforcement of the letter of the law. And when the eateries are closed down because of uncompromising enforcement of the law, the authorities will have to take the blame. And the people who asked for the enforcement of the letter of the law will quietly fade away, leaving the authorities to face the music for being "heartless". Passionless. Without Compassion or Humanity. Being overly Legalistic. Or Bureaucratic. Stone-faced enforcers of the law without understanding the needs of businesses or their patrons. 

But sure. In the meantime, stridently defend your need for disturbances, nuisances, and disamenities to be dealt with to the full letter of the law.

If you want a kinder, gentler Singapore, it starts with us. Being a little more tolerant. Live and let live. Give and take. Accept a little inconvenience as part of the price of living in a thriving society/community.

Or just clean up Singapore until all disamenities and organic businesses are gone. Then complain that Singapore is so sterile. Then go to places like KL and Bangkok and Penang, and say, "Wah! They have such a thriving street food scene. Ya, it's a little messy, but it is so ALIVE! Not like Singapore. Like a hospital."

Singaporean: One who complains about everything without realising what their complain would result in.]

Meal service on SIA flight poorly timed

Jun 10, 2013

DESPITE recent complaints about Singapore Airlines' (SIA) service standards slipping, my parents insisted on taking our national carrier to Osaka for their holiday on March 22. To their horror, they experienced an appalling in-flight meal service on board SQ616.

There was only one meal during the flight - which was six hours and 40 minutes long - and this was served at 3pm, an hour after the plane took off. No food was served for the rest of the flight.

[With a start like, "despite recent complaints...", I was led to believe that "to their horror" meant that service standards had NOT slipped! Disappointing!

In a movie, if you hear about "service standard slipping", it's called "foreshadowing" and at some point later in the movie you should experience the "slipped service standard" more or less firsthand (or vicariously thru the lead actor/actress)!]

The plane landed at Kansai International Airport at about 9pm, and by the time my parents cleared Customs, it was already 10.15pm. They then had to rush to catch the last train leaving the airport for Osaka and managed to have their dinner only around midnight, after much difficulty as most eateries were already closed.

My parents were terribly disappointed by SIA's poor scheduling of the meal service. Their experience led me to wonder: Did the cabin crew intentionally serve the main meal way ahead of dinner time, enabling them to get this time-consuming task out of the way?
If the cabin crew were merely following a planned schedule, it speaks poorly of SIA's in-flight service standard and suggests that the carrier has little regard for the welfare of its passengers.

Did it not occur to SIA that tourists entering a foreign country would not be able to clear customs as quickly as its flight crew and would thus have to go for hours without food?

Passengers should be treated humanely and not have to endure what my aged parents went through.

Jason Fok Wai Kwong

[Yes, Jason. It was all a conspiracy to torture your parents for the convenience of the SIA cabin crew who are after all just glorified flying waitresses and waiters.

For the next trip, you should try another airline. Note what time they serve the meal or meals. And report back. Preferably you should provide a table to compare the two meal services/airlines, and your conclusion that SIA meal service is outrageous in terms of timing should be supported by how other airlines serve their meal (or meals) and what time they did so.

Otherwise your complaint cannot be taken very seriously.

BUT, here's some speculation on my part. With some known parameters.

Every flight has some risk of encountering turbulence. If turbulence is very bad, meal service would be suspended. 

The hour immediately after take-off and just before landing are "no-go" for inflight service as the plane maneuvers into position. So basically, the in-flight service window is from 3 to 8 pm. It may about 30 mins to an hour to serve all the passengers (depending on the size/capacity of the plane) so the latest service can start is 7 pm. 



However, there are usually customs and immigration forms to be filled up and the crew will start handing out the forms about an hour or two before landing, so that might be another consideration.

Even if you intend to start meal service at 7, the plane may suddenly encounter turbulence severe enough for the captain to suspend in-flight service at about the same time, there may NOT be meals, at all.

So you want to start earlier. The earlier you start, the more margin for dealing with unexpected turbulence. And yes, turbulence can hit more than once.

I just love Singaporeans. They are so pampered because everything here works EXACTLY as it should, and Nature here is tamed and domesticated to our wills, they never realise that we still need to consider unpredictable nature elsewhere.

Update July 2013. The same unreasonable and unrealistic expectations of Singaporeans were again manifest during the Haze of 2013. The PSI reached 401 at the highest and Singaporeans were appalled that our govt has NO PLANS to go to Indonesia and STOP the burning. ]

Give ex-offenders a chance

Mar 29, 2013

MY SON was released from prison last September. He served a four-year sentence and has to wear an electronic tag for one year. He also needs to report to the police station once every two weeks.

He admits that he made a mistake, and wants to turn over a new leaf.

He is the family's sole breadwinner and is currently working as a technician, earning a gross monthly salary of $1,000.

After three months on the job, he was confirmed and promised a pay rise. But there has been no follow-up even after six months. Each time he raises the issue, it falls on deaf ears.

My son is now looking for a new job. But it is discouraging as many employers discriminate against him. Some require him to work long hours, others offer him ridiculously low pay, while the rest do not want to employ him at all.

This is because my son wears the tag and needs to report to the police station.

Why is he still being discriminated against when he has already paid his dues? How can he possibly change and be a better person when society is unable to accept him? It is no wonder that many former offenders return to prison. How can they possibly earn a living when employers are unwilling to give them a chance?

I do not deny that some former offenders return to a life of crime, but why discriminate against all the others just because of a few black sheep?

Everybody makes mistakes, but all deserve a second chance.

Fatimah Nachair (Ms)

[Another caring-to-the-point-of-over-protective (?) mother. Not quite sure how to describe her, but there is a hint of mothering when your mother writes to the press about your parole from prison.

So many misconception and unrealistic expectations in this letter.

"He has paid his dues".
Not exactly. If he has completed his sentence and paid his due, served his time/sentence, etc., he would NOT be electronically tagged. Prisoners given "parole" (not sure what they call in Singapore, so using the American term) with electronic tagging are technically still subject to prison regulations (i.e. they are still serving time) and may be recalled to prison during the duration of the term of the electronic tagging. So NO, he has NOT completed his sentence.

"Deserve a second chance"
If the complaint is that employers are unwilling to hire him or are trying to exploit him, my answer would be: He currently has a job with $1000 salary. That is $1000 MORE than what he would be getting in prison. His current employer HAS given him a second chance and after just 9 months, he is searching for ANOTHER job? Maybe I'm old fashioned, and 9 months these days are a lifetime (in which case the 1 year electronic tag must be an eternity, and the 4 years he spent in prison must have passed glacially), but I am from the generation that believes you stick with a job unless you have very good reasons to quit or change jobs. The fact that he has NOT taken up the other exploitative job offers indicate that his CURRENT employer is NOT exploiting him (as much).

Isn't that his second chance? Or you want his second chance to be gold-plated? Presented on a silver platter? Invitation sent by courier?

"It is no wonder that many former offenders return to prison... some former offenders return to a life of crime."
Maybe I am over-sensitive, but is that a threat? Blackmail? "Don't give my son a good job, he go back to be criminal then you know! And it will be all your fault!"

Or is it a highly sophisticated social commentary on our criminal-justice and social safety net/social compact where it is inherently "easier" to be incarcerated than to be "free" to struggle for a living with the rest of us? No?

To quote: "Dying is easy. Living is hard." This can be paraphrased to "Prison is easy. Freedom is hard" to suit this instance.

I hope that your son is actually doing his best to find his way in life. I hope that he is just considering all his options when he looked at other jobs and is realising that his current employer is NOT THAT BAD and while a little easy on the promises and tardy with following thru, is nevertheless giving him a decent job and a decent chance, and your son is appreciating his opportunity.

I hope that you are writing this letter on your own initiative out of concern for your son, and not at his instigation, and that you do so because you see his situation and feel more strongly about it than he does. I hope that when he finds out that you have written to the press, he will be horrified and mortified that you have made a big deal of the normal struggles of people trying to make a living regardless of whether they have a prison record or not. It would be a sign that his expectations are realistic and that is a good indicator that he will succeed.

I wish your son well, and you, I wish you peace of mind.]

Rate advertisements for sexism

Jan 03, 2013
 
PG MOVIE ON FREE-TO-AIR CHANNEL

I CAUGHT the late-night screening of the movie You, Me And Dupree on free-to-air television on Christmas Day.

The 109 minute-long movie aired from 12.45am to 3am and was interspersed with advertisements.

What I did not expect was the repeated airing of a few advertisements that drew attention to the female body and offered breast enhancement, weight-loss programmes and hair-loss treatment.

One advertisement, which focused entirely on close-up images of a model's exposed cleavage, and flaunted her presumably augmented breasts, was lewd and subliminally pornographic.

Another showed the drastic weight loss of a young mother and her progression from being an oversize to an XS size.

The message suggested that excessive weight gain as a result of childbearing is crushing to a woman's self-esteem.

It did not offer any information on the health risks of obesity, or the benefits of staying healthy.

In yet another commercial, a young wife is visibly distressed when her husband tells her that her crowning glory is thinning.

Her crisis was not over a life-threatening illness but the fear of looking unattractive to her husband.

Sexism was the common thread in all these commercials, with in-your-face messages that a woman's self-esteem can be repaired simply with breast augmentation, weight loss and hair-loss treatment.

While it is important for every person - man or woman - to keep good health and hygiene habits, I was offended by the sexual objectification of women in these messages.

Ironically, while the movie carried a PG-13 rating, there was nothing to warn me of the sexist contents in TV commercials that could be offensive to me as a woman.

For a long time, Singapore has had legislation that prohibits tobacco advertising and limits the screening of alcohol commercials.

In the wake of the recent heinous gang-rape in New Delhi and the global outcry for the protection of women against violence, maybe it is time our media and advertising regulatory bodies also look into the content, presentation and impact of print and TV advertisements to rate them for sexism, ageism and all forms of discrimination against women.

Eve Loh (Ms)

[Yes, the answer to hyperbole in advertisement is.... hyperbole in your complaint against them!

Yes the advertisements were tasteless... however, using the gang-rape victim to "sell" your point was also tasteless. Yes, every little bit of social and cultural conditioning may well add to the overall sense of oppression and devaluation of women, but it is a loooooong jump to the conclusion that an advertisement working on a young wife's fear of losing her hair would lead to indiscriminate, inevitable, and a proliferation of gang-rapes in our society.

Or ads on breast enhancement and weight-loss.

Moreover, these ads were aired in the late-night slot where the authorities have rightly exiled these tasteless, baseless, and valueless advertisements.This is almost the same time slots as those ads selling those products, "as seen on TV".

Advertisements on late-night TV serves a purpose, it provides breaks for you to refresh your drink, take a toilet break, check your email on your iPad, messages on your iPhone, and sms on your mobile phone. Only people with no social life, and a weak sense of self, pay close attention to those ads and get upset by them.]

Harping about the F1

Oct 04, 2012

F1 reveals ethical dissonance


THANK you, Ms Anna Quek, for so eloquently expressing the concerns about the Government's decision to extend the hosting of the Formula One (F1) race for another five years ("S'pore GP: Full disclosure, please"; last Saturday).

[I don't know why you are thanking her. Her points were nothing related to yours. Oh! You were just using it as a hook! Or simply to form solidarity of "SG against the F1". I see. No logical or philosophical alignment other than a simple common foe: the F1.]

Singapore risks evolving into a country of contradictions.

[Wrong. Singapore is already a country of contradictions. Farrer Park is not on Farrer Road. Marina Bay Station is not at Marina Bay Sands. Esplanade Station does not open directly to the Esplanade. There are 4 different brands of "Katong Laksa" all claiming to be the authentic one. Right in the middle of our city centre, we have a cricket club and how many Singaporeans even know the rules of cricket let alone play it?]

We welcome casinos and try to teach values in our schools.

[No. No. No. We teach students to be disciplined and want our soldiers to think!]

We host a clearly environmentally hostile race, while we make increasingly loud noises about sustainability.

[We do? (make increasingly loud noises about sustainability)?]

We also claim great pride in our reputation for integrity.

Yet, integrity is about doing the right thing, even if it costs one personally.

[So... JBJ, CSJ are men of integrity, but since CST and LTK have never been sued by the PAP and so never suffered personal costs, they have no integrity, or at best less integrity than JBJ and CSJ?]

It means having to make financial sacrifices in order to preserve and build a long-term reputation.

[Like Ng Eng Hen giving up his multi-million practice to make just about $1m as a minister? Or K Shanmugan giving up his multi-million dollar law practice? or Vivian Balakrishnan?]

I am increasingly concerned that we are unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices because we cannot see beyond dollars and cents.

[Like how your definition of integrity is pegged to financial costs? How about a simple, "Integrity is simply doing what one says one will do and saying what one will do"? Like CST? What's with all these personal costs and financial sacrifices crap? Integrity - it's not real until you put a price on it.]

If we do not watch it, we may one day be called ethical pragmatists, which is an oxymoron.

Mak Yuen Teen

[Thank you ethical moron. My problem with your letter is your assumption that contradictions are an evil. "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind and the same time and still retain the ability to function" says F. Scott Fitzgerald.

There is an obvious failure to function here.

Contradictions abound in life. Mature people navigate these contradictions and can even hold opposing ideas in their mind at the same time. They don't selectively seek to resolve the "contradictions" that contradict their wants.

Here's a contradiction: we value tolerance. So here is an example of me being intolerant of intolerance!

Let's see what Anna Quek actually wrote.]

Sep 29, 2012

S'pore GP: Full disclosure, please


I AM dismayed that Singapore has committed itself to a further five years of Formula One ("Five more years for S'pore race", Sunday; and "F1 'to bring bigger benefits' in next lap", Tuesday).

[Narcissistic delusion. Assumes we are concerned about her dismay. Or that her dismay amounts to an earth shattering catastrophe that needs urgent attention to address or prevent.]

I am unconvinced by its purported benefits and worry about the ethical implications from the promotion of the event.

[See "Narcissistic Delusion" above. Assumes that others should be similarly unconvinced.]

The only certainty about F1 is the financial outlay for each race, amounting to about $150 million, with the Government co-funding 60 per cent of approved costs.

[Her first factual assertion.... and it's WRONG! OK, possibly wrong. The figures she stated were the conditions of the first 5 years deal. We have not been told what the deal is for the next 5 years.]

It is widely acknowledged that Singapore paid a hefty premium for the first deal, and there were expectations that the Government would negotiate better terms for a second contract.

It is disappointing that there has been no disclosure of the actual financial terms of a deal involving millions of dollars of public funds. Instead, Singaporeans are asked to place their faith in "consultants" who claim favourable international publicity generated by the F1 glitz.

[Life is disappointment. Get used to it.]

I am sceptical that any for-profit company would pooh-pooh such a trophy event and risk incurring the wrath of its clients.

[There's healthy scepticism, and poisonous cynicism, and pathological paranoia. She has a 1 in 3 chance of being healthy. Consultants thrive on the value they provide to their clients, and their reputation depends on it. Bad advice can kill their reputation. Ask Arthur Anderson. Similarly, I am sceptical that any myopic, idealistic, xenophobic puritan with no business experience or business acumen, would approve such an event and risk not being able to impose her values and wants on others.]

Even assuming the survey results are representative, there is no certainty that favourable impressions translate into actual benefits for Singapore and the average Singaporean.

At any rate, $150 million is a princely sum for a three-day "marketing campaign".

[And here is the essence and evidence of the naivete of the idealistic, myopic, xenophobic puritan with the mono-factorial decision-making heuristic. You can spend $150m (less actually for the SG govt) for EFFECTIVE marketing that reaches your TARGET audience in 3 days and it would be better than spending $15m for a year long campaign that is ineffective. Or $50m. Or $100m. Or even $150m for a year long campaign that is not as effective. Judging the worth simply by the cost is precisely why we need consultants and not Ms Quek and her ilk.]

I am also curious how the "incremental tourism receipts" of $560 million, from 2008 to last year, were attributed to F1, or how the fantastical "billions" in revenue projected by the consultants were arrived at.

[Finally! A good question!]

Is every tourist asked upon arrival at Changi Airport if they came specifically because of F1, and if so, were their wallets tagged and monitored?

[Followed immediately by a stupid research methodology!]

How were the losses suffered by Marina Bay area businesses and commuter inconvenience accounted for?

[Another good question! I think those businesses have been ignored by the govt! What do you think we should do Ms Quek?]

I believe I am not alone in noticing that there have been many more "super-cars" on our roads since the introduction of F1.

[... And... other than that short question, she has also ignored the fate of those "few, those unhappy few" businesses.... And has instead decided to imply that F1 has caused a surge in "super-cars" in Singapore! Correlation is not causation, as any researcher can tell you. ]

On our Little Red Dot, the allure of super-cars probably lies in their bragging rights, driven home by deliberate loud revving and speeding (if only for 10m).

While it may be a stretch to blame F1 for the anti-social behaviour of some drivers, the marketing thrust of F1 - fast cars, grid girls, extravagant parties and "bling-bling" - is nothing short of crass consumption, with its corrosive effect on social values.

[And so she admits it is a stretch to blame the F1... and then proceeds to cast her disapproving eye on crass consumption, and pass judgement on its"corrosive effect" on social values. Why corrosive? I don't know. Bravo Ms Quek! In one sentence, you have managed to start with understated research methodology, and jump straight to the conclusion you had already decided! Bravo! Such intellectual sleight-of-hand! Mental illusion that is exceeded only by your narcissistic delusion! Beautiful were it not also opinionated and misleading.]

Hosting F1 in Singapore will appear much less triumphal once its true economic and social costs are weighed against a realistic assessment of "incremental receipts".

Anna Quek (Ms)

[When we require a realistic assessment of the costs and benefits of hosting the F1, we can be sure that you will be the most biased and unqualified person to make that assessment. We may have to ask one of those for-profit consultants to run the assessment. Again. You will probably be disappointed. Again.

Tough.

Deal.

Personally, I have no interest in the F1, or to want to watch it up close and in person. This is a made for TV spectacle, and I would watch only for the thrill of seeing slips, slides, skids, crashes, collisions, and explosions. From the safety of my home or a sports bar somewhere. I hate unrelentingly loud noises. I hate packed-like-sardines crowds.  Would I be unhappy if F1 were not renewed for 5 more years in SG? No. It bothers me not one bit. But it matters to many others. So for a week or so, downtown SG is off-limits to me, by my own choice. Big deal. So the F1 is "environmentally hostile". If so, it is so regardless of where it is held and affects the global climate eventually.]

The messy limit to tray returning

Sep 29, 2012

[Another excuse-making lazy Singaporean!]

LET'S get real ("Tray-return campaigns have worked before" by the Singapore Kindness Movement; Monday).

How do you return trays for "messy" meals such as chilli crab, bak kut teh and fish head curry?

[Riiiight! Lots of Hawker centre stalls sell Chilli Crab, and Fish Head Curry.]

There is no doubt that the tray-return campaign had worked and is successful in certain places like school cafetarias, army camps, McDonald's outlets and the foodcourt at Ikea.

But in all these establishments, the foods sold or catered are simple dishes like noodles and rice, or just finger food like burgers, chicken wings and french fries.

These are foods that do not generate a lot of waste like bones and gravy.

I do not want to sound pessimistic or negative. [Try harder! You're failing miserably!] But from my observation, the tray-return system is not so easily implementable in establishments where messy food is on the menu.

These items generate a lot of food waste, and woe betide the operators who want their customers to clear their soiled crockery and food waste after their sumptuous meals.

[Most of these stalls are either zichar stalls or restaurants. Yes. Maybe for these, the stall operators have an incentive and a vested interest in keeping their high-value (or higher value) customers happy. Or for operational and logistical efficiency, they could or should clean up after their customers? First of all, it is tray return. If nothing else leave your food waste (bones, bowls of leftover gravy, etc) within your tray. Return tray with everything on it. Second, maybe it's time to learn how to eat with a little more decorum and keep things neat instead of spraying your bones and gravy all over the place?]
The customers will either go to another outlet, or the restaurant floors will be covered with food waste and gravy.

For similar reasons, the campaign has not been successful in hawker centres.

[No. Not similar at all. So it would seem that all your arguments above are for non-hawker centres?]

There is a need to look into the prerequisites for a successful campaign this time round. It a waste of funds to relaunch it if no modification is made.

For the campaign to be successfully implemented, especially in hawker centres and foodcourts, the operators have to restrict the food items that can be sold in the establishments.

So, chilli crab, fish head curry, bak kut teh, cockles, clams and food that generate messy waste should be banned in hawker centres earmarked for the campaign. But it will not be easy to enforce a ban on the types of food that can be sold in existing hawker centres without attracting a backlash.

[No. No. No. You are solving the wrong problem. Messy, bone-spitting, gravy spraying, soup-spilling, excuse-making, lazy-farkers who do not reduce their mess or return their trays should not be allowed to eat at hawker centres.]

Hence, the relevant authorities should enforce it and the tray-return system in the new hawker centres that are being built over the next few years.

Soh Ah Yuen

[Stupid argument. Sets up a false premise, unrealistic assumptions and then concludes it cannot be done. As good as arguing that car park space is too small for buses and lorries and so parking spaces should be made larger.

So his argument literally is, I'm a messy eater! I love eating messy food! The messier the better! This new rule discriminates against lovers of messy food!

Stop making excuses.

Update: The letter below is written by a better person than me. Or he puts his point across in a non-confrontation (or at least less confrontational than me) manner. Yes, we cannot pretend to be "job-creators" when we are just being messy, inconsiderate slobs.]


Oct 20, 2012

 

Cleaners picking up trays is not the answer

 

 

I disagree with Benjy Kip, who wrote the letter Pay 10 Cents For A Cleaner To Pick Up Tray (Life!, Oct 13). Graciousness in the form of keeping tables clean for the next person should not deprive cleaners of their jobs.

They will still be needed to wipe dirty tables and take soiled dishes to the washing area. Creating messy tables to ensure jobs for unskilled people is a step backwards in building a gracious society.

Let us be more creative in solving this ungracious and unhygienic practice at hawker centres instead of resisting change to anti-social habits. Employing more cleaners is not the answer.

Just visit any hawker centre during peak hours and on Sunday mornings, and you will notice that the cleaners cannot keep pace with the fast turnover of customers.

Lim Jit Chaing

The cost of clearing a tray ...

From Chiew York Hun

TODAYONLINE

Sep 07, 2012

I disagree with the opinion in the letter "No excuses please, just clear your trays" (Aug 31) from two perspectives.

First, the comparison with the police and doctors is flawed. The police would never encourage citizens to break the law and a doctor would never jeopardise his patients' health just to keep their jobs, whereas a food and beverage business would always encourage people to patronise.

Manpower and operating costs such as for cleaning services would have been taken into account in the price a customer pays. It is facetious to view tray return as a social grace when it is a paid-for service.

For instance, is it ungracious to have chambermaids make the beds in hotel rooms? Would one insist that it is social grace to refresh the room for the next guest?

Second, those employed to clear trays are often unskilled elderly with little chance to "elevate" their job. Clearing trays, wiping tables and washing dishes are critical processes that must go on simultaneously to maximise patron turnover.

Therefore, either there is separate manpower to do the wiping and washing or these elderly staff are also expected to do them. In any case, if customers start clearing their trays, it would reduce workload.

What could that mean other than a manpower cut in a profit-driven business obsessed with productivity and efficiency?

Asking customers to clear their trays benefits only the F&B company's bottom line and not other customers, as people are already employed to do that at a cost worked into the prices we pay. More importantly, these employees are a group who would have difficulty getting a job elsewhere. It is an irony that one deemed as gracious is endangering the livelihood of some needy elderly.

[Only a Singaporean can rationalise laziness and inconsideration with logic surpassed only by self-righteous indignation that anyone would dare suggest that he should clear his own table. He should hire someone to wipe his ass. Hey! Think of all the jobs that would create for the poor uncles and aunties with no better skills.]

The S'pore I don't want to see in 2032

From James Poh Ching Ping

Jun 18, 2012

I refer to Dr Jason Kho's I Say piece "The S'pore I want to see in 2032" (June 11), about the Singapore he still wants to call home in 20 years' time. In contrast, I wish to express what I do not want to see in 2032.

I do not want, the minute I leave my home, to have to pay to use the roads or the expressways.

[So you want free petrol, issit? In any case, don't, worry, in future ERP will be very friendly, you won't be charged the minute you leave your home. You will be charged before you leave.]

I do not want to see more independent secondary schools which further divide the rich and the poor, as it is obvious that their academic and enrichment programmes are costlier than those of other schools.

As a parent, I do not want children to be able to telephone the authorities to report that their father is spanking them, as is the case in some countries. In Asian society, it is a norm to discipline an ill-behaved child so long as it is not abuse.

[So you still want to have naughty children to spank?]

I do not want the Government to liberalise same-sex marriages, as it would go against the policy of encouraging a higher birth rate to maintain a good population size.

[So you want to make gays and lesbians produce children?]

I do not want to see more shoebox apartments and congested public housing, even though Singapore is land-scarce. Architects should be creative to maximise land use and ensure the right housing proximity, not like in Hong Kong.

[Hmmm... maybe you should rethink your gay marriage ban. Firstly, a good size population will require more apartments, and second, some of the best creative architects are gay. But if you ban gay marriage, they may not be here to apply their creative solutions to housing.]

I do not want to see a lack of social etiquette in public places, such as on public transport. It is rude, for instance, to use electronic gadgets so openly here, compared to Japan and in Europe.

[Ya! much better if they use it furtively. You know, like terrorists.]

I do not want to see more "Fine" signage. There should be a balance between legal and social discipline. Indeed, Singapore is an orderly society where most citizens are law-abiding.

[Of course, no need "fine" signage. You should have spanked the anti-socialness out of them!]

I do not want fast-food outlets to outgrow the traditional food court or hawker centre. Although Singapore has a busy workforce, it is equally important that health comes first.

I do not want any overuse of robots or productivity gadgets to the extent of replacing customer service personnel. We should continue to upkeep the Singapore spirit and show the world what is uniquely Singapore through our people.

[er... that we are uniquely technophobic? You do realise that many of our customer service personnel over the phone are in India?]

I do not want to see a place where one could only survive or succeed with academic achievements and wealth. There should be space for people with skills and who are hardworking enough to make one's day worthwhile.

[My suggestion is that on Dec 31 2031, if you are still alive, you should poke out your eyes. This will guaranteed that you will not see all those things you don't want to see.

People have a vision for the future. Only a "unique Singaporean" can turn his complaints into a non-vision. Bravo! you have managed to set a new low for what is often criticised as Singapore's lack of vision.]

AWARE and Lee Kuan Yew

Sep 13, 2011
 
MARRIAGE, MOTHERHOOD AND CAREER
Aware disagrees with Mr Lee

THE stark choice between motherhood and professional advancement presented in Mr Lee Kuan Yew's comments to Ms Joan Sim is not new ('A PhD's fine, but what about love and babies?'; last Tuesday).

In 1983, he said: 'We shouldn't get our women into jobs where they cannot, at the same time, be mothers.'

In 1994, he said that 'attractive and intelligent young ladies' should go to finishing colleges so that they will be 'marvellous helpers of their husband's career'.

And now, Ms Sim has been advised to stop wasting time on her doctorate and find a boyfriend instead. These views contradict the recent statements by Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports Halimah Yacob to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) that gender equality is central to Singapore's socio-economic growth and that 'maximising the full potential of every individual, male or female, is a priority'.

Under Cedaw, the Government is obliged to 'take appropriate measures to modify the social and cultural patterns of the conduct of men and women based on the idea of stereotypical roles of men and women'. However, state policies have not kept pace with social developments and changing gender roles.

Fathers are not entitled to paid paternity leave, reinforcing the social expectation that mothers should bear most of the caregiving responsibilities.

Flexible working arrangements attractive to mothers of young children are not widely available. Infant care facilities are inadequate for the country's needs. Such policies make raising children a daunting prospect for working women who want to continue their careers after becoming mothers. The State should take the lead in making family a more attractive option for these women, starting with a change of governmental attitude and the policies stated above.

The Scandinavian countries have shown that appropriate state policies that counter social norms can reverse declining fertility rates.

Public statements made by influential figures like Mr Lee are also important to shaping social attitudes.

Remarks that imply that women belong at home and men should be primarily providers undermine the efforts of men and women who struggle every day to meet the demands of family and working life.

Implying that marriage and motherhood are more important than education and work belittles the choices and contributions of women who prefer to be single or childless.

Such comments also perpetuate sexist stereotypes for a younger generation.

Nicole Tan (Ms)
President
Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware)

[And may I say misrepresenting the words of others in order to propel your own agenda is disingenuous at best, and a poor reflection of your reading and comprehension skills. You come out sounding like an over-sensitive harpy ready to pounce on any misperceived slight or misconstrued sexism with strident denunciation and accusation of perpetuating sexist stereotypes.

No. Lee Kuan Yew did not ask the PhD candidate to abandon her studies and get pregnant. (See the excerpt below for reference.)

That was your inability to comprehend simple English or your disingenuous attempt to twist his words to create a false assault on gender equality, allowing you to drag in CEDAW, paternity leave, childcare facilities, etc to further your own public agenda.

Mr Lee's advice to Ms Sim did not perpetuate sexist stereotypes.

Your ridiculous letter of complaint to the forum paints you and the association you head and represent as stereotypical strident feminists with no sense of reality and an over-developed sense of prostitution.]

Excerpt from:
A PhD's fine, but what about love and babies?
6 Sept 2011

The 27-year-old, who is pursuing a doctorate in biological sciences at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), observed that Singapore had accepted a large number of foreign immigrants within a short period of time. She asked what could be done to promote a greater sense of belonging among those here.

Mr Lee said that given Singapore's fast-ageing population and extremely low fertility rate, it needs to accept a sizeable number of immigrants each year, to ensure society has enough young and economically active members.

He then cited figures from projections done by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in an exercise due to be made public later this month.

He said: 'The Institute of Policy Studies has a grim statistic of 60,000 migrants a year to keep our people young and economically active. We can't digest that; 20,000 maybe, 25,000 then you're stretched, but certainly not 60,000.'

He called the latter figure 'politically indigestible'...

Mr Lee then turned the tables on Ms Sim and started gently quizzing her about her personal life, to the surprise and amusement of the audience.

He asked her age and if she was married, to which she said 'no'. He asked her when she would finish her PhD, and she said 'in two years' time'.

He then asked if she had a boyfriend, and again she said 'no'.

He then gave her some advice on why she should try to have children by the age of 35.

'After 35, the dangers of having mongoloid children, Down syndrome, in other words, a dull person, rises. So my advice is, please don't waste time. It's more important and more satisfying than your PhD but good luck to you. I hope you get your PhD and your boyfriend.'

A uniquely Singapore system based on first come, first served principle

May 29, 2011
 
Your letters

I am irked by people who question our uniquely Singaporean seat reservation system at hawker centres and foodcourts.

[And I am irked by your stupid letter and lack of comprehension.]

These places operate on a first come, first served basis.

[Ya, so I come first, see an empty space, go buy my food, come back and see packets of tissues "choping" the seats by people who came later than me.]

The people who find tissue packs placed on tables to reserve the seats are facing a fact: They have got there later than others. However, these latecomers refuse to accept this fact and, instead, start a flood of discussions and classify this seat-reserving behaviour as an embarrassment.

[So will you give up our tissue-choped seats to someone with a tray of food? Obviously if they have a tray of food, they were here earlier than you. Except that you plonked your tissue on the table first.]

In my experience, this tissue pack reservation system operates only in crowded places where there are insufficient seats available, such as in Shenton Way food centres during peak hours.

I seldom come across the practice in heartland areas like Ang Mo Kio.

I do not know if placing a 'reserved' card issued by the hawker centre will be any more acceptable to people who are against a reservation system. If they disagree with first come, first served as a principle, nothing will make them any happier - be it a card, umbrella, book or even bodies.

The tissue pack system is the cheapest to operate.

[But inherently rude and inefficient. If people got their food then look for their seat, there would be less space waste. As it is you see "empty" tables occupied by tissue packs while people with hot food unable to find a seat wander desperately about. This kiasu, kiaboh mentality is inconsiderate. But you don't see it, cos you are inconsiderate.]

If we decide that a First World country cannot practise such an 'unseemly' system and deem this an embarrassment, let's design one which includes issuing seat numbers and having a crowd manager. Then voila, we have a system resembling a restaurant.

Then my fishball noodles may cost $5 instead of $3.50.

But seriously, people should just live and let live, and let peace prevail.

Lam Wen-li (Ms)

Aljunied delay remains inexplicable

May 17, 2011

MEDIACORP'S reply last Friday ("MediaCorp explains why Aljunied result came after 2am") will surely assist voters and viewers alike to better appreciate or understand the constraints and limitations under which it covered GE2011.

But where the public is concerned, the question still remains unanswered.

If, as reported, Mr George Yeo himself was preparing to concede as early as 11pm, and his opponent, Mr Low Thia Khiang, too was already preparing to celebrate victory, what was it that stood in the way of an earlier public announcement of this crucial result by the Returning Officer?

One could reasonably expect the results of small constituencies with around 20,000 voters (like Whampoa and Yuhua) with clear-cut majorities to be among the first to be announced.

Admittedly, Aljunied is not in this smaller group, but the winning margin was convincing and unambiguous enough.

Why then the inordinate delay in making public the polling result of this particular constituency, which was so eagerly awaited by the people?

Hopefully, the official body supervising the election exercise will now offer its explanation to clear the air on the matter.

Narayana Narayana

[Looking at a pile of ballots after it has been sorted, a candidate can see which pile is higher, and which is lower, and you would be an unmitigated optimist to think that maybe the count will be in your favour when you consistently have the smaller pile. Except with very close counts (like in potong pasir) or with very mixed results (some wards going one way, and others going the other way), would an observer be unable to estimate the final result.

BUT the election process (counting) will have to continue. Surely we do not expect the RO to say, pursuant to my eyeballs, I hereby declare WP the winner of Aljunied, because any idiot can clearly see their pile of ballot papers is obviously higher than that of the PAP.

So the ballots still have to be counted to the very last ballot, the resulted checked and confirmed. And with so many votes to count, there may well be errors to correct, discrepancies to resolved, and finally results to be reported by each counting centre, confirmed and finally recorded and announced by the RO.

Delays happen for many reasons. Most are not for devious reasons. Did the delay caused the results to be different?  Did the unduly long delay lead to intolerable excitement causing one or more over-anxious voter to have a heart attack and die?

Does Narayana Narayana (so nice, they named him twice) suspect foul play on the part of the PAP? How? Maybe they were so shocked the asked the RO to delay the announcement so that they have time to write their concession speech? Or maybe the WP asked for more time to write their victory speech. Or to bring more supporters to the assembly area. Or the police asked for a delay to allow them to deploy more officers for crowd control. Or maybe there was a technical problem or some sort or other (Maybe the RO needed to practice saying "Aljunied" properly).

In other words, what was the big deal? Does Nara-Nara write in to complain to the Academy Awards for awarding all the meaningless little titles for 150 minutes before announcing the best picture, best actor and best actress awards? What's his problem? He explained on May 11:]

From ST May 11:
MR NARAYANA NARAYANA: 'Sunday's article on the keen contest for Aljunied GRC ('From political gamble to election history') starts by recalling that Foreign Minister George Yeo called his wife Jennifer about 11pm on Polling Day and calmly told her: 'We have lost.' The report further informs that an hour later, his opponent, Mr Low Thia Khiang, was preparing for what would perhaps be the sweetest victory speech of his career. So, it must seem obvious that the Workers' Party had clinched the critical Aljunied constituency. But the hundreds of thousands of viewers who were not privy to such information sat glued to the designated TV channels awaiting the crucial outcome, which was not announced until after 2am, by which time I had decided to call it a night. A few minutes afterwards, I heard cheers in the neighbourhood and guessed, correctly, that the opposition had pulled off the near-impossible. Viewers deserve an explanation for the long delay (three hours) in what was arguably the most eagerly awaited result of the election. With the winning majority of over 12,000 votes, even a call for a recount was hardly likely to have changed the outcome. Don't viewers and voters need greater consideration in such supposedly 'live' and 'on-the-spot' coverage?'

[Well, I guess, if it's not important enough for you to stay awake, it's just not that important. You can check the news the next day. Or do you expect the RO at the next election to say, Pursuant to Mr Narayana Narayana bedtime which was set by his parents as to be no later than 2.00 am, and to all those supporters standing in the fields with poor cardiac health, and poor bladder control, I hereby declare... ?]

Proposed skywalk icon impractical, will be an eyesore

Mar 6, 2011
YOUR LETTERS

Mr Harry Tong ('Build 'skywalk' mall as national icon'; Feb20) proposed that Singapore consider building its next icon in the form of a 5km-long, three-storey-high, open-air skywalk pedestrian mall running above the existing Orchard/Bras Basah roads and stretching to the Marina Bay area.

Beyond the factors of feasibility and costs, there are at least three major issues with this proposal.

First, the idea of a skywalk as an above-ground connector between buildings emerged from the need to protect pedestrians from crime and inclement weather in certain North American cities.

[We have inclement weather here too. And floods too.]

Because of its original design intentions, the skywalk also drains pedestrian traffic from the street level, thereby impoverishing the existing street life without necessarily compensating for this loss, since pedestrians typically use the skywalk only to move between destinations.

[Have you seen Orchard Road? It can do with some draining (of pedestrians as well as rain water). In any case, window shoppers are not so dumb as to window shop on the streets. They go into Ion, wander thru to Wisma, then into Ngee Ann City/Takashimaya, pop out onto the street only because that is the only way to link to the next shopping mall. People on the street clearly want to move to their next destination anyway.]

If a skywalk is built here as proposed, it will impoverish the present vibrancy of street-level activities on Orchard Road without any certainty of recreating such activities again above ground.

Second, a skywalk on the scale of what Mr Tong proposed would be more of an urban travesty than a national icon. It will cast a shadow over everything below it.

Imagine the underside of such a long skywalk. It will be similar to the underside of a concrete highway. Can this serve as an attractive space for vibrant street life?

[Here I think there is some concern. A almost fully enclosed skywalk will lead to a build up of vehicle exhaust which would potentially make the "Underwalk" a health hazard. But this need not be so, with proper ventilation and eventually if/when we switch to more electric vehicles. And the unimaginative concrete tunnel is the brainchild of an unimaginative brain.]

Third, the need to rely on yet another icon to attract more tourist dollars is unsettling.

'Icon' means the representation or imagery of some identity - an icon is thus not the real thing. To rely continuously on different representations to sell Singapore to the world undermines the commitment to the kind of social solidarity, and hence civic identity, that iconic representations cannot offer but which every unique city or state integrally requires.

[LKY is iconic. We should tell him he is not coke, i.e. not the real thing. I don't even know what this point is about. Probably an iconic rant with no real substance. Probably taking a word out of context, and arguing semantics. Yeah, I'm sure every tourists to Singapore is here to see our civic identity. We should charge admission for it.]

For these reasons, the proposal for yet another eye-catching icon, whether in the form of a skywalk or some other urban structure, needs to be considered carefully.

Jeffrey Chan

[Get off your high horse and walk. If you like high horses, you might like the skywalk.]