The Spirit of Hougang
By Dr Wong Wee Nam
26 June 2012
There is a HUDC block in the constituency of Hougang. It is so spick and span that the cleanliness even impressed the PAP Member of Parliament who visited the block during the Hougang by-election.
“The mosaic and the tiles are so well-maintained.”
That this is so is not just the result of the good work by the town council. More than that, there is evidently a social compact between the residents and the MP and the town council. In some other places, people expect the town council to do all the maintenance. In Hougang, the people feel that they must to their part. This is the spirit that makes Hougang unique.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s Nobel Peace Prize Lecture speech in Norway on June 16, 2012
Tribute to Lim Hock Siew by Ang Swee Chai
Ang Swee Chai
(first published on SDP website)
Like many, I learnt with great sadness of Dr Lim Hock Siew’s death. It is especially painful for me since I have only met him once, and so briefly on 11 February 2012. Dr Lim came to the memorial mass of my husband, Francis Khoo, when I brought his ashes back home to Singapore after 35 years of exile. It was a great honour to meet him. For many of us he is a hero of legendary status.
I was too young to remember properly the mass arrest of 1963, the Operation Cold Store that incarcerated dozens of brave men and women who participated in the democratic struggle for Singapore’s independence.
The Passing of Dr Lim Hock Siew
By Dr Wong Wee Nam
15 June 2012
“Parliamentary democracy does not mean merely casting of votes once in five years during election time. Far more than this is the freedom of thought, the freedom of expression, the freedom of association, the freedom of organization everyday during the five year period and continuously thereafter.” — Dr Lim Hock Siew
This declaration by Dr Lim Hock Siew encapsulates his political beliefs. This is what any true democrat would subscribe to.
Not everybody knows who Dr Lim is. This is because he was almost never mentioned in the media, nor was his photograph, except on a couple of occasions, ever published. But for those who knew him, they have nothing but respect for the man.
Allegations of DPM Teo being dodgy and dismissive were simply swept under the carpet
Written by Ng E-Jay
14 June 2012
The mainstream media has done it again. If they are to be believed, DPM Teo Chee Hean has been shown to be gracious and magnanimous, almost to the point of scoring a moral victory, in the Reuben Wang saga.
The story we get from the press is that a rash teenager lashed out against the esteemed Deputy Prime Minister using a vulgar word, but he repented after receiving feedback from his friends and seniors. DPM Teo graciously accepted his apology in person, and even gave him an autographed copy of an economics textbook. The image we get is of a brash youngster being guided toward the right path and of the DPM exhibiting both grace as well as a personal touch.
The problem with this version of events depicted by the mainstream media is not so much that the DPM gets a positive image of being a gracious and personable mentor to a young impressionable student, but that the original issues Reuben Wang raised in his blog post, which has since been taken down, have been entirely swept under the carpet and quietly buried.
Sticker Lady teaches us to step out of our comfort zones, to think and to laugh
Written by Ng E-Jay
08 June 2012
Earlier this week, Ms Samantha Lo, founder of the online magazine RCGNTN, was investigated by the police for allegedly pasting stickers bearing humourous captions at traffic junctions near the Lau Pa Sat area, and for sprayed the words “My Grandfather Road” on Maxwell Road and Robinson Road.
Also popularly known as Sticker Lady, Samantha Lo has drawn a great deal of online support, including an online petition started by concerned netizens calling upon the authorities to treat her case with a light touch and reduce her charge to one of Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance).
Meanwhile, some netizens have also said that Sticker Lady should not be treated lightly, or else others might take advantage of the laxity and escalate acts of vandalism. This kind of paranoia and a pessimistic view of Singapore society is unfortunate, and deserves a rebuttal.
Dr Lim Hock Siew: The passing of a patriot
Written by Ng E-Jay
06 June 2012
In their heartfelt tribute to Dr Lim Hock Siew, who died of renal failure at the age of 81, the Function 8 group said that he had been “one of the most vocal, consistent and unwavering former political detainees in Singapore“.
As a medical doctor, Dr Lim worked with his colleague Dr Mohd Abu Bakar at the Rakyat Clinic along Balestier Road.
Throughout his years as a medical practitioner, he was renowned for his generosity towards the poor and for his public-spiritedness.
Nicole Seah on Sticker Lady: we will never achieve a truly creative society
Source: Nicole Seah’s facebook
05 June 2012
The arrest of the Sticker Lady has caused a public uproar, because many are understandably disappointed that such swift action was taken against a person who executed street art, against the backdrop of other more serious cases that warranted public attention in the past but were not addressed publicly.
It is unfortunate but true, that we will never be able to achieve the state of a truly creative society if we continue to place these boundaries around ourselves. We cannot foster a culture that aims to be daring and innovative whilst slapping ourselves on the wrist each time we move out of line.
Dr Lim Hock Siew passes away
Dr Lim Hock Siew passed away last night. He was arrested under Operation Cold Store in 1963 and was detained without trial for nearly 20 years before being released in 1982.
Read the following articles about Dr Lim Hock Siew penned in the past couple of years:
- A Tribute to Dr Lim Hock Siew (by Function 8)
- The courage of his conviction: ISA detainee Dr Lim Hock Siew
- Dr Lim Hock Siew – A remarkable man (by Dr Wong Wee Nam)
- Dr Lim Hock Siew (second article by Dr Wong Wee Nam)
- SDP honours Dr Lim Hock Siew (by the Singapore Democrats)
- Dr Lim Hock Siew calls for inquiry on ISA detentions (by the Singapore Democrats)
Commemorating 25th anniversary of Operation Spectrum May 1987 (SG govt oppression & brutality)
“That we may dream again” was held at Speaker’s Corner on 02 June 2012. It was jointly organized by MARUAH and FUNCTION 8.
- Mightier than the pen: Remembering ISA detentions of writers (by Cherian George)
- A post-event reflection (by Rachel Zeng)
- An open letter to PAP : Torture and the abuse of ISA (by Martyn See)
- Hundreds turn up at rally against arbitrary detention (by Alex Au)
- Singaporeans commemorate the ‘Marxist Conspiracy’ (by Kirsten Han)
- Blue or red pill? (by Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss)
- In Memory of 1987 (by Siew Kum Hong)
- The ISA is an impediment to building an inclusive society (by Ravi Philemon)
- Singapore: A Place Where Wealth and Status is Preferred to Kindness and Humanity
Siew Kum Hong
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