Gayle Goh said:

Perhaps it would be more fair to those involved if we did not turn down opportunities to say these things straight to those we judge so easily in the comfort of our homes.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Some interesting commentary about the BlogTV show with George Yeo, and it also puts the question to Mr Wang about his refusal to appear on BlogTV."

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Lawman's Thoughts said:

But the clincher - I speculate - and this this is never admitted in the official grounds of decision - is that a failure to award to Genting would have resulted in intense, totally unfriendly and uncertain competition with the region's most established (by far) resorts operator.

Recommended by tinkertailor: "Why the selection of Genting was also a smart political move."

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Asia Times Online said:

For his pains, Mr Brown's regular column in the government-owned Today newspaper was brusquely terminated - fueling outrage in Internet chat rooms about the government's heavy-handedness and apparent lack of transparency. Meanwhile, the PAP-led government proposed this month to tighten laws that govern the Internet as part of an overhaul of the national penal code.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Welfare is a bad word! A very very very bad word!!!"

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Jeff Yen said:

From ST: But as voters rejected the PAP's candidates, it was 'naive' of Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir) and Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang) to now expect the Government to give them the funds for upgrading, he added...

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Is the gahmen being fair?"

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Yujin said:

Yup, George Bush is coming to Singapore on the 16th and 17th of November. I heard that the A's and O's (exams) have been pushed back by an hour to facilitate his movement around Singapore. But I wonder though, why the secrecy? Usually there will be a lot of news about this but why so quiet this time round?

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Why is George Bush's visit to Singapore so secretive?"

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Goh Meng Seng said:

For those people who like to speculate all sorts of things and come up with all sorts of conspiracy theories, they will be very disappointed. This is a simple resignation over a simple reason.

Recommended by tinkertailor: "Goh Meng Seng explains his resignation from WP"

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Global Politician said:

It's 2 a.m. on a Saturday night. I'm in a Singapore police station. No, this story doesn't involve alcohol. Fortunately neither the death penalty nor caning is likely.

The story begins earlier on September 16, when I arrived in Singapore, the site of the annual meetings of the World Bank and IMF, from neighboring Batam, Indonesia. My companions and I were organizers of the International People's Forum vs. the IMF and World Bank (IPF), which wasn't feasible in Singapore. In January the Singapore government threatened to cane protesters and in the days before the events they made public an official blacklist of 27 people who would not be allowed entry to Singapore.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "From an activist's view... "

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Kenny Sia said:

Our neighbour Lee Kuan Yew apologised for the discomfort he caused when he said that Chinese are marginalised in Malaysia, but our leader said it's not an apology.

That's the way to go about doing things nowadays isn't it?

Recommended by CoWg0eSm0o: "Guess that's how apologies are gonna be from now onwards... =)"

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The Nation said:

The statement was conspicuous, and its timing even more so. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday described Thailand's military coup as "a setback" for the Kingdom and its democracy. This was a rare bold remark from an Asean leader on a country in the region. It came one day after Singapore's investment arm, Temasek Holdings, sank deeper into the Thai political quagmire following the Supreme Administrative Court's decision to accept a case against its controversial takeover of Thaksin Shinawatra's Shin Corporation. The court's move and Lee's strong comment have come at a time when bilateral relations are facing perhaps the most difficult time in modern history. ... The deal brought Thailand to this tough point - a "setback" if you will. One thing Lee should acknowledge is that this "setback" was the result of Thai people clamouring for clean, transparent and accountable politics. The deal has also brought Thai-Singapore relations to this very delicate crossroads. Perhaps some soul-searching is needed. The intertwining of business, political and diplomatic interests is understandable. But investment is not the only way to show goodwill.

Understanding business risks is no exact science. Truly understanding your neighbour is much more complicated. We have found it difficult to understand Singapore's "democracy", but we have tried. Perhaps it's time Singapore returned the favour, starting with Lee.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "View from Thailand. "

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The Star said:

Malaysia can do without scathing comments from its neighbours, especially if the statements made are inaccurate and have political implications, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

He said that a recent statement made by former Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on the status of the Chinese community in Malaysia and Indonesia was seen as “naughty.”

“I do not know the reason he made such a statement but it should not have been made at all. It’s a comment that we can do without and it is not appreciated at all,” he said after launching and presenting the Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) Sejahtera aid to the hardcore poor yesterday.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Surprise surprise."

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The Hindu said:

After his arrival at 7 a.m. on September 13, Mr. D'Costa was questioned by the Singapore police for five to six hours after which he was locked up in the "police resting room" at the airport for another six hours before he was put on the return flight to Mumbai. He was not allowed to use his telephone or the Internet. He was given a letter saying that he was being deported before being locked up.

Strangely, Mr. D'Costa had no intention of attending the World Bank-IMF meeting and was transiting through Singapore to attend a parallel protest meeting organised by the International People's Forum at Batam Island, which is about half an hour by ferry from Singapore. "I had a two-year multiple entry visa which was cancelled," Mr. D'Costa told The Hindu . This meeting was to be held from September 15 to 17.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Some foreign talent not welcome. "

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Singapore Democrat said:

Singaporean activist Mr Seelan Pillai has been arrested. The SDP can confirm that Mr Pillai, who started the 400 frowns campaign to counter the Government's 4 million smiles project, is now under custody at the Clementi Police Station.

When contacted the police would not reveal anything more other than to say that Mr Pillai's family has been informed of his arrest.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "So what are the charges? Refusing to smile?"

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Bangkok Post said:

Escort agencies were on a recruitment drive Tuesday to provide companionship for International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) delegates in Singapore for the week-long annual meeting.

Advertisements have sprung up in Singapore newspapers seeking women or "young, outgoing girls." The ads are also on the Internet.

Sought after are applicants from Singapore and other Asian women who are in their 20s, tall, "athletic" and "confident."

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Oh yeah they're 'escorts' all right. "

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HardwareZone Forums reports that Youtube now has the video about Ex-Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed's joke on war using F-18s and Russian Migs.

...(the) MIGs are given, are sold to us without any condition, if you feel like bombing Singapore, for example, the Russians are not going to object.

[laughter]

Any Singaporeans here? Or ex-Singaporeans?

But this great aircraft called F-18, which we bought from America, after buying it, after several months, I got to know that this aircraft cannot be used for any attacks against any country, even if this is not Singapore.

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Link to video

Sharon Lim said:

Newly appointed as Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP), she gives Sharon Lim an insider view....

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Insider view of GE 2006 and its aftermath"

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Huichieh Loy launches a new political superblog, complete with a contributor lineup of well-known bloggers.

In his opening remark, this paragraph spells out their motivation:

Even if, at the end of the day, we walk away more convinced of the rightness of our own positions and the wrongness of the opponent view, the hope is that we can now say that we have seen the other side and have, after conscientious consideration, found it wanting of reason, that ours is no longer an opinion held merely for lack of an awareness of alternatives or possible objections, but a conviction that survived an encounter with those who, having given it due consideration, think otherwise.

Perhaps it can grow into a Singapore version of The Huffington Post. Check out the SingaporeAngle.com today!

Financial Times said:

Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore’s prime minister, has criticised Australia and New Zealand’s liberal democratic practices, suggesting that Singapore’s system, under which a single party has ruled since independence, is more efficient.

Mr Lee made the remarks at the end of a nine-day visit to the two countries, which are attracting a growing number of immigrants from the Asian city-state.

Although the democracies of Australia and New Zealand made for “more exciting” politics, the national interest could suffer in a multi-party system, said Mr Lee. ... Mr Lee was questioned about the treatment of Singapore opposition leader, Chee Soon Juan, who was charged this week with speaking in public without a police licence. He said all political leaders had to respect the law, adding that Dr Chee engaged in “destructive” policies that were meant “to impress foreign supporters”.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Welcome to the single-party democracy."

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Sudirwan said:

It's a question every Singaporean designer, artist and anyone in the creative industry should ask themselves. Are we as individual creatives, inspired by the City we are living in? Singapore, an aspiring design hub of Asia has hardly any element or story that a designer could work with. What is the Singapore story? What is the Singapore identity? Where is our brand?

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Identities for nations, countries and cities however are not guidelines. But a reflection of the country itself. The story of the city. The history of the nation. From these elements, designers will pull and work with. Their works will be a part of the city, fostering a brand and image, extending the identity."

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Lionel said:

What should be done about these defeatist, negative, soon-to-be quitter Singaporeans? If I were to adopt the same attitude as them, I would have deported them since "nothing can be done about them" and "there is no hope in having such citizens in our midst". If we were to do that, then we would only be cultivating the enemy within.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Very true... Some Singaporeans only how to criticise and criticise without giving constructive feedback. I have the misfortune of knowing some of these type of people"

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jadeite said:

Found this on a electrical box at a traffic light in Ang Mo Kio. Singaporeans are speaking up - although you might want to use another way, wait police catch you for vandalising public area then you know.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "jadeite found a graffiti that shows some interesting political commentary on the issue of musicians evading NS"

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