16 Oct 2013
Today Voices
While animal welfare groups have stepped up efforts to promote the humane treatment of animals here, the legislative framework seems somewhat ambiguous following the latest incident.
[Hoo boy. Assumptions. Damn Assumptions. Presumptions. Short answer: Animal welfare groups have not done any work in reforming the legislative framework. And what do you mean "ambiguous"? Where is the ambiguity?]
...Given the increasing animal abuse here and the grey areas in our animal welfare legislation, I am concerned about the veterinary protocols concerning euthanasia requests by pet owners.
[Again. What "grey areas"?]
For example, are there conditions where veterinarians may exercise professional prerogative over such decisions? Are there conditions that constitute abuse or negligence on the owner’s part when a healthy pet is sent for euthanasia without exploring alternatives?
[You have neither made a case or proven that a) there are conditions where vets can or should over-ride pet-owners' requests, nor b) that "euthanasia" of pets must be supported by a list of approved reasons, or only as a last resort. And no, this is not jeopardy. You do not need to frame your answer in the form of a question. You just want to redefine abuse to include euthanising a healthy pet? Just say so... but it helps if you explain why and you show you at least appreciate the reality of the situation, even if you seem divorced from reality]
Also, what access rights do owners and rescuers have to an animal’s medical records in the event of a dispute, and what avenues may one seek regarding errant vets?
[The right of privacy of the animal records are covered by the... oh wait! There are no such rights. Nor are these records a matter of public interests or public information. If a vet writes up his observation, it is HIS (or HER) observation. There are NO rules governing medical records of pets. Where did this "errant vet" come from? Define "errant"?]
Animal abuse should not be limited to signs of physical injury. Legally, it should also encompass mental harm and any malicious intent that contributes to the unnecessary suffering or death of an animal.
[So how was the owner of the puppy "malicious"? You are not legally trained are you? Tossing in "intent" is just going to make prosecution harder. Which brings us to the next question: who is going to investigate and prosecute such cases? Who will pay for the legal proceedings? Do we want to tie up our courts with such proceedings?]
Perhaps another legislative review is in order to address all of the above and to move Singapore closer to being an animal-centric and inclusive society.
Tan Pei Ying
[I will assume you mean "animal-centric" and "animal-inclusive" society.
Wow.
Those are big dreams.
Stupid dreams. But Big.
Big, Stupid Dreams.
"Animal-centric" huh? So Animals will be the centre of Singapore society? How does that even start? Do you mean ALL animals, or just the ones you like. You know, like dogs.
I'm not sure, but the neighbourhood garbage centre at my place is quite animal-centric. Rats, Crows, Pigeons, and even Cats and Dogs gather there. The hawker centre nearby is also Animal-centric. Crows, Mynahs and Pigeons scavenge food off the tables. The hawker patrons are quite Animal-centric. They leave scraps of food on the table for the animals to pick, instead of clearing their plates to the tray return point.
There are some Cat lovers around my place. The responsible ones will feed the stray cats and then clear up the uneaten food. But the animal-centric ones will just leave the uneaten food for rats, and other animals. I used to think they were just irresponsible. But now I see that they are actually animal-centric.
Comment: There are different types of animal lovers. But the true animal lovers are respecters of animals. They allow animals to be exactly what they are. In other words, they won't keep animals. They consider it a cruelty at worst and an indignity at best to the animal.
The so-called "animal lovers" who keep pets, give them names, domesticate them, dress them up in ridiculous clothes they think are cute, and otherwise tries to anthropomorphise the animals are sad, insecure people seeking vicarious validation of their life choices.
Or they just need to get a life.
Then there are "pet owners". These range from the "animal lovers" mentioned aforehand, to animal "farmers" who try to make money from the animals, usually by breeding them for sale. The choice is often between cruelty and unnatural control/indignity.
Which is not to say that there are no "good" pet owners. But these are usually people with large compounds for the dogs to run freely, explore excitedly, and mark naturally. Most SG pet owners do not have that luxury.
The argument over whether the puppy could have been saved or re-homed misses the bigger picture.
The point is, there are different views and values about pets and the value of an animal's life. You may believe that all life is sacrosanct. That is your right. But it is the right equally of others to believe otherwise, or not to the same extent as you.
Imposing your views, or wanting your views to be paramount, is not much different from Lawrence Khong believing that adultery should be punished with dismissal from the job, regardless of one's pregnancy or need for income at one of the most critical point in one's life, or the law of the land. The issue of the death of that puppy is at best a moral issue. And moral issues are personal choices. It is not a legal issue.]
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Thursday, October 3, 2013
A German's lifelong love affair with S'pore
Oct 03, 2013
Among the birthday wishes Mr Lee Kuan Yew received for his 90th birthday was this letter from accountant Stefanie Tuczek, 51, of Germany. This is an edited excerpt.
[This is not an ST Forum Page letter, but it is a letter. So I put it here.]
DEAR Mr Lee,
I am from Munich, Germany. My first time in Singapore was in 1978 when our family was on our way to Australia. (My father was a physicist and he was about to spend a working semester there.) I had my 16th birthday in Singapore and I instantly fell in love with your island. Although we travelled around the world and we visited many places such as Hong Kong, Sydney, Hawaii and Tahiti, Singapore always remained my favourite.
In retrospect, I think Singapore Airlines was partly responsible for that: I still remember when my father told us that he booked our flights with some "obscure" airline because they were the cheapest. Nobody knew SIA at that time, at least not in Europe.
From the moment we boarded the plane in Frankfurt, we were thrilled. It took me two more weeks and two more SIA flights before I actually came to Singapore, but I knew right from the beginning that a country with such an exceptional airline must be something special.
[Bravo SIA! But some travellers have felt that SIA standards have fallen. Or rather, not kept up with other airlines. Can't rest on 35-year-old laurels.]
In 1991, I had a brief stopover in Singapore and saw that the Singapore River was cleaned up and not that filthy water I used to know. What an achievement. I could hardly believe my eyes!
In 1998, my mother and I planned to spend a vacation in Batam. We thought it would be nice to combine an Indonesian island close to Singapore which would give us two weeks at a beach and one week in Singapore.
Being back in Singapore was awesome: the clean river and all the new or restored buildings, the MRT, Changi Airport.
Soon we took the ferry for a day trip to Batam to look for a hotel for the beach vacation. But after my mother's passport was stolen, we spent the rest of the day oscillating between the local police station and the immigration at the harbour. It was really hard work to get back to the ferry to Singapore without a passport and without bribing anybody. But when we finally made it, we really appreciated the Singaporean immigration office: nice people, no chaos, no bribes, rules and regulations which were followed strictly! I loved this place even more.
The next day, my mother got a new passport from the German embassy. But we had made up our minds not to leave. Singapore was a safe haven in the middle of strange worlds.
[And that is our selling point. For the less adventurous, for those who want safety and comfort when they travel, Singapore is it.]
And we had a great time. We even went to the beach in Sentosa. In 1978, we just had a cable car ride and we couldn't find proper places to swim.
Since 2000, we have always combined our vacations in Vietnam, Shanghai or Malaysia with Singapore. But the time we spent in Singapore became longer and longer. Now, it is only Singapore. Once or twice a year, we come back for a few weeks. There is always something new.
I tried to learn more about this stunning development. Your memoir, From Third World To First, is definitely one of my favourite books.
Most of my German friends cannot understand why I always go to Singapore. In their opinion it is a police state with corporal punishment and absurd laws, such as no chewing gum and no littering. I gave up arguing with them. Over here it seems quite often that the authorities believe that people will behave without the threat of corporal punishment, which of course doesn't work.
And they make fun of Singaporean campaigns to educate the people. But I never understood what is bad about that. I still remember the signs back in 1978 in public buses - "Courtesy is our way of life." I liked that, it gives you a good feeling.
Or the reminder "Use it, don't lose it" for the Chinese not to forget their native language. Sometimes I ask my Singaporean friends to write some sentences in Chinese characters on my postcards. At first I was surprised how many couldn't do this properly.
They were surprised that I wanted these sentences to impress my friends back home. They couldn't imagine that angmohs are fascinated with the Chinese language. It's so easy to learn it as a child but it's just as easy to forget it as a grown-up. So sad.
Singaporeans are also astonished that I spend so much time in their country. Many think that everything in Germany must be a lot better. I once praised the toilets in MRT stations. The reply was: "OK-lah. But I suppose they are much better in Germany!" Unfortunately I had to answer that if there is a subway toilet, it is either filthy or closed because of vandalism.
I think in both countries many younger people take the status quo for granted and don't consider the hard work done to achieve this level.
Anyway, this is just a story of somebody from Europe who loves your country a lot, and who is well aware that all these great developments happened thanks to you. I wish we had wise politicians like you in Europe, but I know that this will never happen.
I look forward to November when I will have the great pleasure again to spend four divine weeks in Singapore. I wish you a very happy birthday and I hope that you will be Singapore's mastermind for many more years!
Alles Gute fur Sie und Ihre Familie (All the best for you and your family).
http://www.singapolitics.sg/views/germans-lifelong-love-affair-spore
Among the birthday wishes Mr Lee Kuan Yew received for his 90th birthday was this letter from accountant Stefanie Tuczek, 51, of Germany. This is an edited excerpt.
[This is not an ST Forum Page letter, but it is a letter. So I put it here.]
DEAR Mr Lee,
I am from Munich, Germany. My first time in Singapore was in 1978 when our family was on our way to Australia. (My father was a physicist and he was about to spend a working semester there.) I had my 16th birthday in Singapore and I instantly fell in love with your island. Although we travelled around the world and we visited many places such as Hong Kong, Sydney, Hawaii and Tahiti, Singapore always remained my favourite.
In retrospect, I think Singapore Airlines was partly responsible for that: I still remember when my father told us that he booked our flights with some "obscure" airline because they were the cheapest. Nobody knew SIA at that time, at least not in Europe.
From the moment we boarded the plane in Frankfurt, we were thrilled. It took me two more weeks and two more SIA flights before I actually came to Singapore, but I knew right from the beginning that a country with such an exceptional airline must be something special.
[Bravo SIA! But some travellers have felt that SIA standards have fallen. Or rather, not kept up with other airlines. Can't rest on 35-year-old laurels.]
In 1991, I had a brief stopover in Singapore and saw that the Singapore River was cleaned up and not that filthy water I used to know. What an achievement. I could hardly believe my eyes!
In 1998, my mother and I planned to spend a vacation in Batam. We thought it would be nice to combine an Indonesian island close to Singapore which would give us two weeks at a beach and one week in Singapore.
Being back in Singapore was awesome: the clean river and all the new or restored buildings, the MRT, Changi Airport.
Soon we took the ferry for a day trip to Batam to look for a hotel for the beach vacation. But after my mother's passport was stolen, we spent the rest of the day oscillating between the local police station and the immigration at the harbour. It was really hard work to get back to the ferry to Singapore without a passport and without bribing anybody. But when we finally made it, we really appreciated the Singaporean immigration office: nice people, no chaos, no bribes, rules and regulations which were followed strictly! I loved this place even more.
The next day, my mother got a new passport from the German embassy. But we had made up our minds not to leave. Singapore was a safe haven in the middle of strange worlds.
[And that is our selling point. For the less adventurous, for those who want safety and comfort when they travel, Singapore is it.]
And we had a great time. We even went to the beach in Sentosa. In 1978, we just had a cable car ride and we couldn't find proper places to swim.
Since 2000, we have always combined our vacations in Vietnam, Shanghai or Malaysia with Singapore. But the time we spent in Singapore became longer and longer. Now, it is only Singapore. Once or twice a year, we come back for a few weeks. There is always something new.
I tried to learn more about this stunning development. Your memoir, From Third World To First, is definitely one of my favourite books.
Most of my German friends cannot understand why I always go to Singapore. In their opinion it is a police state with corporal punishment and absurd laws, such as no chewing gum and no littering. I gave up arguing with them. Over here it seems quite often that the authorities believe that people will behave without the threat of corporal punishment, which of course doesn't work.
And they make fun of Singaporean campaigns to educate the people. But I never understood what is bad about that. I still remember the signs back in 1978 in public buses - "Courtesy is our way of life." I liked that, it gives you a good feeling.
Or the reminder "Use it, don't lose it" for the Chinese not to forget their native language. Sometimes I ask my Singaporean friends to write some sentences in Chinese characters on my postcards. At first I was surprised how many couldn't do this properly.
They were surprised that I wanted these sentences to impress my friends back home. They couldn't imagine that angmohs are fascinated with the Chinese language. It's so easy to learn it as a child but it's just as easy to forget it as a grown-up. So sad.
Singaporeans are also astonished that I spend so much time in their country. Many think that everything in Germany must be a lot better. I once praised the toilets in MRT stations. The reply was: "OK-lah. But I suppose they are much better in Germany!" Unfortunately I had to answer that if there is a subway toilet, it is either filthy or closed because of vandalism.
I think in both countries many younger people take the status quo for granted and don't consider the hard work done to achieve this level.
Anyway, this is just a story of somebody from Europe who loves your country a lot, and who is well aware that all these great developments happened thanks to you. I wish we had wise politicians like you in Europe, but I know that this will never happen.
I look forward to November when I will have the great pleasure again to spend four divine weeks in Singapore. I wish you a very happy birthday and I hope that you will be Singapore's mastermind for many more years!
Alles Gute fur Sie und Ihre Familie (All the best for you and your family).
http://www.singapolitics.sg/views/germans-lifelong-love-affair-spore
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Want less stress for kids? Raise pay of technical job
Ng Ya Ken
13 July
Schools may be an “instigator” of stress among our children, as pointed out in “Are schools going too far in the quest for accolades?” (July 12), but the schools are not wholly to blame.
Schools respond to what our parents and society expect them to achieve: Better academic results year after year.
Academic results are much emphasised in our society because students must be in the top quarter or so of their cohort to have the chance to go to our universities now. And this group can earn far more over a lifetime than those without a degree.
There are exceptions, but they remain as exceptions.
However, in countries where academic results and having a degree are not as important in getting good paying jobs as in Singapore, the gap between white-collar and blue-collar workers is small, if any.
And it is common for salaries of skilled technical jobs to exceed those of general white-collar jobs.
[This letter is... too complicated - it's the most generous I can get. To summarise, the point the writer is making is a) schools are stressful, because b) you need academic qualifications in order to c) get a good paying job, otherwise, d) you drop out and get a crappy paying job, which is really bad because e) Singapore's pay differential between a grad and and non-grad is very wide. Whereas, f) in other countries skilled technicians can earn MORE than a grad. Therefore, (g) we should pay our technicians more.]
In Australia, the mining, engineering and construction industries pay better than legal, marketing, banking, accounting and government jobs. Also, the entry-level pay of a manager can be only one-quarter higher than that of an executive assistant
In Sweden, a doctor earns only double that of a teacher or a nurse.
Over time, if Singapore could raise the salaries of skilled technical jobs, more of our young would switch to technical training in polytechnics and vocational schools. They could then pursue careers according to their inclination and aspiration.
We should make these career options, as well as jobs in music, the arts, design and the like, more viable. This would be an important step towards a more balanced and less stressful education system.
Such tweaks in our pay structure would tame our Gini coefficient, though it may have implications for our economic competitiveness.
If the long-term social and political benefits outweigh the costs and inconveniences, it would warrant our consideration.
[I wonder if people who suggests such ideas (and the people who support such ideas) really know what it means.
First of all, the examples are irrelevant: "Mining, Engineering, and Construction".
We don't have Mining.
Engineering pays quite well, and Construction is mainly filled by foreign workers.
The proper examples for SG might well be, Hawkers, Sales persons, and Property Agents. I could be wrong. What do students who fail to get a degree go on to do in SG?
Let's take Hawkers. Obviously this is a respectable profession. 2 out of 3 hawkers (I may be generalising here) can beat a michelin-starred chef.
How much does a michelin-starred chef make and how much does a hawker make?
If we can all agree that the hawker should have a higher income (comparable to a michelin-starred chef), that would be great.
Now, - here's the reality check, this is where you put your money where your mouth (or keyboard typing fingers) is - how many of you are willing to pay $24 for a bowl of laksa so our hawkers can have a more decent wage for the job they are doing which is BETTER than a michelin-starred chef?
Anybody?
How about $20?
$16?
In any case the complicated argument lost most readers, and response from readers... went off on different tangents. ]
13 July
Schools may be an “instigator” of stress among our children, as pointed out in “Are schools going too far in the quest for accolades?” (July 12), but the schools are not wholly to blame.
Schools respond to what our parents and society expect them to achieve: Better academic results year after year.
Academic results are much emphasised in our society because students must be in the top quarter or so of their cohort to have the chance to go to our universities now. And this group can earn far more over a lifetime than those without a degree.
There are exceptions, but they remain as exceptions.
However, in countries where academic results and having a degree are not as important in getting good paying jobs as in Singapore, the gap between white-collar and blue-collar workers is small, if any.
And it is common for salaries of skilled technical jobs to exceed those of general white-collar jobs.
[This letter is... too complicated - it's the most generous I can get. To summarise, the point the writer is making is a) schools are stressful, because b) you need academic qualifications in order to c) get a good paying job, otherwise, d) you drop out and get a crappy paying job, which is really bad because e) Singapore's pay differential between a grad and and non-grad is very wide. Whereas, f) in other countries skilled technicians can earn MORE than a grad. Therefore, (g) we should pay our technicians more.]
In Australia, the mining, engineering and construction industries pay better than legal, marketing, banking, accounting and government jobs. Also, the entry-level pay of a manager can be only one-quarter higher than that of an executive assistant
In Sweden, a doctor earns only double that of a teacher or a nurse.
Over time, if Singapore could raise the salaries of skilled technical jobs, more of our young would switch to technical training in polytechnics and vocational schools. They could then pursue careers according to their inclination and aspiration.
We should make these career options, as well as jobs in music, the arts, design and the like, more viable. This would be an important step towards a more balanced and less stressful education system.
Such tweaks in our pay structure would tame our Gini coefficient, though it may have implications for our economic competitiveness.
If the long-term social and political benefits outweigh the costs and inconveniences, it would warrant our consideration.
[I wonder if people who suggests such ideas (and the people who support such ideas) really know what it means.
First of all, the examples are irrelevant: "Mining, Engineering, and Construction".
We don't have Mining.
Engineering pays quite well, and Construction is mainly filled by foreign workers.
The proper examples for SG might well be, Hawkers, Sales persons, and Property Agents. I could be wrong. What do students who fail to get a degree go on to do in SG?
Let's take Hawkers. Obviously this is a respectable profession. 2 out of 3 hawkers (I may be generalising here) can beat a michelin-starred chef.
How much does a michelin-starred chef make and how much does a hawker make?
If we can all agree that the hawker should have a higher income (comparable to a michelin-starred chef), that would be great.
Now, - here's the reality check, this is where you put your money where your mouth (or keyboard typing fingers) is - how many of you are willing to pay $24 for a bowl of laksa so our hawkers can have a more decent wage for the job they are doing which is BETTER than a michelin-starred chef?
Anybody?
How about $20?
$16?
In any case the complicated argument lost most readers, and response from readers... went off on different tangents. ]
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
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?
[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.]
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.]
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
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.
[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. ]
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
[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. ]
Friday, April 26, 2013
Why peg EPL rates to GDP per capita?
Apr 27, 2013
THE statement on Wednesday by Mr Allen Lew, chief executive of SingTel's digital life unit, stated that the service provider's English Premier League (EPL) subscription rates are the lowest relative to gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Asia.
In fact, the rates Singapore residents pay to watch European football league matches are the highest in Asia and are comparable to those in Britain if you combine SingTel's and StarHub's sports package fees (that's the only way to watch all available European league matches).
In some countries, service providers offer free EPL broadcasts over mobile devices and personal computers. In Singapore, watching the EPL on mobile devices costs $7, and on personal computers, $12.
Can SingTel explain why fees are pegged to GDP per capita rather than pricing around the region?
Advin Kwok Ching Hoong
[Should I be kind to addicts?
I shall. They can't help themselves. It's a form of psychological dependency.
SingTel chooses to compare on the basis of GDP because, as you noted, comparing absolute prices would be disastrous for their PR reply.
Also, to be fair to SingTel, comparing simply on absolute prices would be... simplistic.
The simplistic (and childish) retort then would be, "if you think so cheap, then you go overseas and watch lah!"
Moreover, why stop at comparing only cable TV subscription? Cars are cheaper anywhere else in the region. Homes too. For the price of a 3-room flat in Singapore, you could probably get a nice landed property in Philippines. Or Sabah. Or even in Johor (please check prices as I am not a property agent).
In fact with prices so affordable in the neighbouring region, and the overcrowding in Singapore, and the always congested MRT (please check trains personally, as I usually do not use the trains), it is a wonder to me why more people do not migrate to these less expensive, less crowded places but instead choose to flock to Singapore (or stay in Singapore, if you were born here)!
So to Mr Kwok and his ilk, my question to his question would be, "Why watch the EPL in Singapore when it is cheaper to watch it anywhere else in the region?"
Unacceptable answers:
a) "Because I live here!" - You can move/migrate.
b) "My friends/families are here" - Your family/friends more important or EPL more important?
c) "I work here!" - You mean the surrounding region got no work?
d)"I can't get as good a job with as high a pay elsewhere!" - Bingo! (This is actually an acceptable answer, and it actually answers Mr Kwok's question. If there are more jobs here with better pay, the GDP will go up and EPL will be stupid to charge 3rd world rates for a 1st world economy.)]
THE statement on Wednesday by Mr Allen Lew, chief executive of SingTel's digital life unit, stated that the service provider's English Premier League (EPL) subscription rates are the lowest relative to gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in Asia.
In fact, the rates Singapore residents pay to watch European football league matches are the highest in Asia and are comparable to those in Britain if you combine SingTel's and StarHub's sports package fees (that's the only way to watch all available European league matches).
In some countries, service providers offer free EPL broadcasts over mobile devices and personal computers. In Singapore, watching the EPL on mobile devices costs $7, and on personal computers, $12.
Can SingTel explain why fees are pegged to GDP per capita rather than pricing around the region?
Advin Kwok Ching Hoong
[Should I be kind to addicts?
I shall. They can't help themselves. It's a form of psychological dependency.
SingTel chooses to compare on the basis of GDP because, as you noted, comparing absolute prices would be disastrous for their PR reply.
Also, to be fair to SingTel, comparing simply on absolute prices would be... simplistic.
The simplistic (and childish) retort then would be, "if you think so cheap, then you go overseas and watch lah!"
Moreover, why stop at comparing only cable TV subscription? Cars are cheaper anywhere else in the region. Homes too. For the price of a 3-room flat in Singapore, you could probably get a nice landed property in Philippines. Or Sabah. Or even in Johor (please check prices as I am not a property agent).
In fact with prices so affordable in the neighbouring region, and the overcrowding in Singapore, and the always congested MRT (please check trains personally, as I usually do not use the trains), it is a wonder to me why more people do not migrate to these less expensive, less crowded places but instead choose to flock to Singapore (or stay in Singapore, if you were born here)!
So to Mr Kwok and his ilk, my question to his question would be, "Why watch the EPL in Singapore when it is cheaper to watch it anywhere else in the region?"
Unacceptable answers:
a) "Because I live here!" - You can move/migrate.
b) "My friends/families are here" - Your family/friends more important or EPL more important?
c) "I work here!" - You mean the surrounding region got no work?
d)"I can't get as good a job with as high a pay elsewhere!" - Bingo! (This is actually an acceptable answer, and it actually answers Mr Kwok's question. If there are more jobs here with better pay, the GDP will go up and EPL will be stupid to charge 3rd world rates for a 1st world economy.)]
Thursday, April 4, 2013
What I want my Singapore to be
Apr 05, 2013
DURING my seven-day stay in ward 11C of Tan Tock Seng Hospital, I was taken care of by a group of registered nurses, enrolled nurses and Nanyang Polytechnic trainee nurses. They were from different countries, such as India, Malaysia and the Philippines, with varying backgrounds.
As they worked together, it was clear that they had respect for one another's differences and culture, while they discharged their duties swiftly and quietly.
This is what I want my Singapore to be.
This stay reminded me of the Singapore I grew up in - with my Chinese friends, Indian classmates and Malay neighbours. We were all very different, yet got along well.
Having been based outside Singapore for eight years, I find that people always seem to be able to spot a Singaporean from a mile away - we speak English, Hokkien and Malay all in the same sentence, and are honest, hard-working and not prone to taking unethical short-cuts.
People say this is the result of growing up in a multiracial and meritocratic country.
I would like to thank the nurses who brought warmth to my heart - Ms Mary George, Mr Kelvin Chin, Ms Felicia Yap and Mr Mohd An-nur.
Moses Tan Beng Teck
[Sadly the online comments to this letter were not very sympathetic. Most totally missed the point and went off on a tangent for their pet peeves. Do Singaporeans only appreciate Singapore after they have left Singapore for a while?
Maybe.]
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