AsiaOne ran this story on 16 July 2009:
Four prosecuted in kickback employment scam
Three employers and one agent have been prosecuted for kickback offences.
This is the first prosecution since new regulations were introduced by the Ministry of Manpower in July 2008.
The employers - Ong Gim Chua, manager of Meeting Point Pub & Lounge, Ke Koon Seng, director of Seng System Engineering Pte Ltd, and Wong Seng Kiong of Guo Tai Mei Trading - were charged for recovering employment-related costs from their foreign workers.
Meanwhile, the agent, Sun Bao Hua of Starseas Consulting Services Pte Ltd, was charged for abetting representatives of four bus companies to receive benefits by paying them to hire foreign workers through her agency.. The for cases involved 22 workers.
Under the new regulations, Work Permit and S Pass conditions prohibit employers from receiving payment as consideration for employing foreign workers, and recovering employment-related costs from foreign workers.
Similarly, the Employment Agency Licence Condition also prohibits employment agencies from offering payment (whether monetary or in kind) to employers, in exchange for hiring foreign workers through them.
Aw Kum Cheong, Divisional Director, Foreign Manpower Management Division, MOM, said, "Kickbacks undermine the integrity of the employment agency industry, and distorts the market for foreign labour. Our foreign worker policies are intended to help companies to meet their legitimate need for foreign workers. Foreign workers should not be brought into Singapore in order to collect fees from them. Such exploitative behaviour will not be tolerated."
Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, employers who breach Work Permit conditions can be fined up to $5,000 and/or imprisoned for up to six months. They will also be barred from employing foreign workers in the future. Employment agencies that breach the Employment Agency licence conditions will have their licenses revoked and security deposit of $20,000 forfeited.
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Siew Kum Hong Not Re-Appointed as NMP
From Siew Kum Hong's blog entry on 6 July 2009:
I received a notice from Parliament a couple of hours ago -- it was the Second Report of the Special Select Committee on Nominations for Appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament, which I've reproduced below. In short, I was not re-appointed, and the new NMPs (who will be sworn in on 20 July) are:
1. Mr Calvin Cheng Ern Lee
2. Mr Terry Lee Kok Hua
3. Mrs Mildred Tan-Sim Beng Mei
4. Assoc Prof Paulin Tay Straughan
5. Mr Teo Siong Seng
6. Mr Viswaroopan s/o Sadasivan
7. Mr Laurence Wee Yoke Thong
8. Ms Audrey Wong Wai Yen
9. Ms Joscelin Yeo Wei Ling
I am of course disappointed that I was not re-appointed; I felt and continue to feel that I could contribute meaningfully to Parliament for a second term, which is why I applied for it in the first place. Having said that, I am glad that I had the opportunity to serve, and I hope that I had contributed to Parliamentary debate (as the NMP scheme was intended to). Beyond that, it is really for Singaporeans to judge my time in Parliament for themselves.
Please visit Kum Hong's blog to read the full entry @ http://siewkumhong.blogspot.com/2009/07/nmp-results-are-out.html.
I received a notice from Parliament a couple of hours ago -- it was the Second Report of the Special Select Committee on Nominations for Appointment as Nominated Members of Parliament, which I've reproduced below. In short, I was not re-appointed, and the new NMPs (who will be sworn in on 20 July) are:
1. Mr Calvin Cheng Ern Lee
2. Mr Terry Lee Kok Hua
3. Mrs Mildred Tan-Sim Beng Mei
4. Assoc Prof Paulin Tay Straughan
5. Mr Teo Siong Seng
6. Mr Viswaroopan s/o Sadasivan
7. Mr Laurence Wee Yoke Thong
8. Ms Audrey Wong Wai Yen
9. Ms Joscelin Yeo Wei Ling
I am of course disappointed that I was not re-appointed; I felt and continue to feel that I could contribute meaningfully to Parliament for a second term, which is why I applied for it in the first place. Having said that, I am glad that I had the opportunity to serve, and I hope that I had contributed to Parliamentary debate (as the NMP scheme was intended to). Beyond that, it is really for Singaporeans to judge my time in Parliament for themselves.
Please visit Kum Hong's blog to read the full entry @ http://siewkumhong.blogspot.com/2009/07/nmp-results-are-out.html.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Video: Plight of Migrant Workers
TWC2 has produced two videos on the case involving the unfavourable housing and employment conditions of migrant workers in the dormitory at Tagore Lane. This is one of them titled "Plight of Migrant Workers".
Video: Migrant Workers Left In The Lurch
Another video produced by TWC2 titled "Migrant Workers Left in the Lurch".
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Regional Rights Body Dismissed as "Toothless"
IPS (www.ipsnews.net) ran this article on 27 June 2009:
SOUTHEAST ASIA: Regional Rights Body Dismissed as "Toothless"
By Marwaan Macan-Markar
BANGKOK, Jun 27 (IPS) - Southeast Asia is weeks away from getting its own regional human rights body, but not everyone is cheering the birth of this new mechanism due to be approved at a foreign ministers’ meeting here. Least of all the region’s vibrant human rights community, spread across the 10 countries that belong to the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In a final, desperate push to lobby for an ASEAN Human Rights Body (AHRB) with teeth, over 200 civil society organisations, activists and academics have dispatched a letter to the high-profile committee drafting the terms of reference (ToR) of the rights body to make it an "effective" mechanism.
Plans are afoot to meet some foreign ministers before they assemble for the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in the resort island of Phuket, from Jul. 17- 23. The ministers are due to approve the ToR for the AHRB, paving the way for it to start functioning later in the year.
The countries in the regional bloc, which was formed in 1967 as a bulwark against the spread of communism, include Brunei, Burma (or Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Most troubling for the activists is the lack of power for this regional entity to investigate rights violations among member countries and the absence of independent human rights experts to be on the body. There is also a call for the AHRB to have regular reviews of the human rights situation in the region.
"We hear that these three demands have not been met," says Yuyun Wahyuningrum, East Asia programme manager for FORUM-ASIA, a Bangkok- based regional rights lobby. "There is opposition from Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. Even Singapore and Malaysia have said our demands are difficult."
"We said this has to do with the lives of victims, in our meetings with the government officials," she added in an interview. "The ToR is very weak and may do little to improve the human rights situation in the region."
That is confirmed by the confidential draft text of the ToR seen by IPS. Although stating that the AHRB is being created to "promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of the peoples of ASEAN," the language in this nine-page document is short on specific details on precise actions of the new body to protect victims of gross abuse.
There are also provisions for principles that the 42-year-old ASEAN is known for, such as "non-interference in the internal affairs of ASEAN Member states" and "respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all ASEAN Members States."
But non-governmental organisations (NGOs) argue that when governments sign international treaties they give up an aspect of sovereignty and are open to some monitoring by the international community.
"To renege on the international human rights standards at this point would be really a shame," says Rafendi Djamin, coordinator of Indonesia’s NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy. "This would again affirm the widespread perception that ASEAN lacks the political will to protect human rights."
There is already a view among some activists that the AHRB is destined to fall far short of what national human rights commissions in some ASEAN countries - such as Indonesia and the Philippines - have achieved. They have strong investigation mechanisms and independent commissioners.
"The power to investigate human rights violations is the first mandate of the Philippines human rights commission," says Cres Lucero, deputy executive director of the Manila-based Task Force Detainees of the Philippines. "It helps with a witness protection programme and is committed and has a capacity building plan."
"The credibility of any human rights body will be judged on its power to investigate," she added during a telephone interview from the Philippines capital. "It is disappointing that the AHRB will be weaker than the national human rights bodies."
ASEAN’s history offers a window into understanding why the AHRB is hampered by these flaws despite the region’s charter, which came into force last December, spelling out that the need for a regional human rights mechanism was important in making the bloc a rules-based entity on the lines of the European Union.
With the exception of Indonesia and the Philippines and, to some measure Thailand, the rest of ASEAN’s members have governments that permit a limited democratic culture to ones that crush all hints of political and civil liberties. The latter are still comfortable with the concept of "Asian values" - an idea advanced by the authoritarian leaders of Malaysia and Singapore in the 1990s to justify the strong grip with which they ruled, and to deflect criticism from the West.
"The ToR for the AHRB mirrors the shortcomings of the ASEAN Charter as a whole," says Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University. "It has the politically correct concepts. But in the details, it has been diluted and is not effective."
"The problem is that the ToR was a ‘Track One’ process like the ASEAN Charter. Only officials were involved in drafting it," he explained to IPS. "ASEAN is full of non-democratic countries. So a ‘Track One’ process lacks legitimacy, lacks people’s participation and also ruins the purpose."
SOUTHEAST ASIA: Regional Rights Body Dismissed as "Toothless"
By Marwaan Macan-Markar
BANGKOK, Jun 27 (IPS) - Southeast Asia is weeks away from getting its own regional human rights body, but not everyone is cheering the birth of this new mechanism due to be approved at a foreign ministers’ meeting here. Least of all the region’s vibrant human rights community, spread across the 10 countries that belong to the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN).
In a final, desperate push to lobby for an ASEAN Human Rights Body (AHRB) with teeth, over 200 civil society organisations, activists and academics have dispatched a letter to the high-profile committee drafting the terms of reference (ToR) of the rights body to make it an "effective" mechanism.
Plans are afoot to meet some foreign ministers before they assemble for the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in the resort island of Phuket, from Jul. 17- 23. The ministers are due to approve the ToR for the AHRB, paving the way for it to start functioning later in the year.
The countries in the regional bloc, which was formed in 1967 as a bulwark against the spread of communism, include Brunei, Burma (or Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Most troubling for the activists is the lack of power for this regional entity to investigate rights violations among member countries and the absence of independent human rights experts to be on the body. There is also a call for the AHRB to have regular reviews of the human rights situation in the region.
"We hear that these three demands have not been met," says Yuyun Wahyuningrum, East Asia programme manager for FORUM-ASIA, a Bangkok- based regional rights lobby. "There is opposition from Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. Even Singapore and Malaysia have said our demands are difficult."
"We said this has to do with the lives of victims, in our meetings with the government officials," she added in an interview. "The ToR is very weak and may do little to improve the human rights situation in the region."
That is confirmed by the confidential draft text of the ToR seen by IPS. Although stating that the AHRB is being created to "promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of the peoples of ASEAN," the language in this nine-page document is short on specific details on precise actions of the new body to protect victims of gross abuse.
There are also provisions for principles that the 42-year-old ASEAN is known for, such as "non-interference in the internal affairs of ASEAN Member states" and "respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all ASEAN Members States."
But non-governmental organisations (NGOs) argue that when governments sign international treaties they give up an aspect of sovereignty and are open to some monitoring by the international community.
"To renege on the international human rights standards at this point would be really a shame," says Rafendi Djamin, coordinator of Indonesia’s NGO Coalition for International Human Rights Advocacy. "This would again affirm the widespread perception that ASEAN lacks the political will to protect human rights."
There is already a view among some activists that the AHRB is destined to fall far short of what national human rights commissions in some ASEAN countries - such as Indonesia and the Philippines - have achieved. They have strong investigation mechanisms and independent commissioners.
"The power to investigate human rights violations is the first mandate of the Philippines human rights commission," says Cres Lucero, deputy executive director of the Manila-based Task Force Detainees of the Philippines. "It helps with a witness protection programme and is committed and has a capacity building plan."
"The credibility of any human rights body will be judged on its power to investigate," she added during a telephone interview from the Philippines capital. "It is disappointing that the AHRB will be weaker than the national human rights bodies."
ASEAN’s history offers a window into understanding why the AHRB is hampered by these flaws despite the region’s charter, which came into force last December, spelling out that the need for a regional human rights mechanism was important in making the bloc a rules-based entity on the lines of the European Union.
With the exception of Indonesia and the Philippines and, to some measure Thailand, the rest of ASEAN’s members have governments that permit a limited democratic culture to ones that crush all hints of political and civil liberties. The latter are still comfortable with the concept of "Asian values" - an idea advanced by the authoritarian leaders of Malaysia and Singapore in the 1990s to justify the strong grip with which they ruled, and to deflect criticism from the West.
"The ToR for the AHRB mirrors the shortcomings of the ASEAN Charter as a whole," says Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University. "It has the politically correct concepts. But in the details, it has been diluted and is not effective."
"The problem is that the ToR was a ‘Track One’ process like the ASEAN Charter. Only officials were involved in drafting it," he explained to IPS. "ASEAN is full of non-democratic countries. So a ‘Track One’ process lacks legitimacy, lacks people’s participation and also ruins the purpose."
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Video: In Unity for Her Liberty
Thanks to Patrick Chng for giving us this video of the In Unity for Her Liberty: a Peace Vigil for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Freedom event at Speakers' Corner on 31 May 2009.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
'Hybrid system' for Parliament?
The Strait Times website ran this article on 26 May 2009 (Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times):
'Hybrid system' for Parliament?
By Zakir Hussain
NOMINATED MP Siew Kum Hong on Monday called for a hybrid Parliament in which 'a limited number of seats' could be 'allocated by way of proportional representation', while the majority would still be filled the way they are now.
This would allow for more diverse views in Parliament, he said, adding that it would also be 'more consistent with democratic principles than a scheme like the Nominated MP scheme'.
Under proportional representation, parties are allocated seats based on their share of the popular vote.
Mr Siew also welcomed the three principles outlined by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong over the weekend to guide political changes that President SR Nathan had hinted at in his address to Parliament last Monday.
Mr Goh said the changes must be fair to all political parties; should result in a strong, effective Government; and must ensure diverse and opposition views are represented in Parliament.
Mr Siew said that these objectives accept that a fair electoral system is critical for its legitimacy, and that it is in Singapore's interest to have diverse views in the House.
'I applaud the SM, and the Government, for taking this stance,' he said.
Mr Siew also called for a reduction in the size of group representation constituencies (GRCs) and an increase in the number of single member constituencies.
'These moves, together with clear commitments to refrain from the constant redrawing of electoral boundaries and to openly publish the reasons and justifications for any such redrawing, will go a long way towards restoring Singaporeans' respect for the political process in Singapore,' he said.
He felt the moves would also make citizens more willing to take part in the political process, and convince them that the PAP is serious about political change, even if this meant its absolute dominance of the House could be at risk.
'Hybrid system' for Parliament?
By Zakir Hussain
NOMINATED MP Siew Kum Hong on Monday called for a hybrid Parliament in which 'a limited number of seats' could be 'allocated by way of proportional representation', while the majority would still be filled the way they are now.
This would allow for more diverse views in Parliament, he said, adding that it would also be 'more consistent with democratic principles than a scheme like the Nominated MP scheme'.
Under proportional representation, parties are allocated seats based on their share of the popular vote.
Mr Siew also welcomed the three principles outlined by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong over the weekend to guide political changes that President SR Nathan had hinted at in his address to Parliament last Monday.
Mr Goh said the changes must be fair to all political parties; should result in a strong, effective Government; and must ensure diverse and opposition views are represented in Parliament.
Mr Siew said that these objectives accept that a fair electoral system is critical for its legitimacy, and that it is in Singapore's interest to have diverse views in the House.
'I applaud the SM, and the Government, for taking this stance,' he said.
Mr Siew also called for a reduction in the size of group representation constituencies (GRCs) and an increase in the number of single member constituencies.
'These moves, together with clear commitments to refrain from the constant redrawing of electoral boundaries and to openly publish the reasons and justifications for any such redrawing, will go a long way towards restoring Singaporeans' respect for the political process in Singapore,' he said.
He felt the moves would also make citizens more willing to take part in the political process, and convince them that the PAP is serious about political change, even if this meant its absolute dominance of the House could be at risk.
Teach Character Values
The Straits Times ran this article on 26 May 2009:
Teach character values
By Derrick Ho
THE apparent lack of civility and gracious behaviour during the recent Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) saga is a clear indication that Singapore is still lagging behind in graciousness, said MP Lim Biow Chuan (Maine Parade GRC) on Tuesday.
He urged schools to teach basic character values to students all the way till university level.
'The only point which I wish to make is that if the reports are accurate, then civility and gracious behaviour during the Aware extraordinary general meeting was clearly missing. While I accept that emotions were highly charged.... I would submit that this cannot be the level of behaviour which we should promote as acceptable,' he said of the 'raucous behaviour' during the EGM.
Citing other examples, Mr Lim said graciousness among Singaporeans seems to 'be an elusive target which is moving further and further away'.
Unruly road behaviour and the need to still rely on campaigns to encourage commuters to give up seats to the elderly, and shoppers to return their trolleys, were some instances Mr Lim raised in his speech during the debate on the President's address.
He said regardless of Singapore's economic situation, 'well-mannered, courteous and considerate' fellow citizens will make life more pleasant'.
Mr Lim said if Singapore is serious about wanting to promote a more civil society, parents must play a part in inculcating values themselves and not 'sub-contract' it to their domestic helper or rely solely on teachers.
Raising a similar point, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Parilamentary Secretatary for Education and Home Affairs, urged the government and society not to lose sight of its principles and 'fundamentals' during tough times and ensure that children continue to attend school and focus on their studies.'
He noted that a good number of youths drop out of school because they can get by, working at McDonald's for $4 per hour by leaving school immediately rather than wait 12 long years of education to earn a trade certificate.
Acknowledging that dual income families may not be able to spend more time with their children, Mr Lim urged the Ministry of Education to consider teaching basic character values through the entire school curriculum from primary school level all the way to university.
'We should make character education an integral part of the education system and not just another non-examinable subject. We must evaluate out school principals and administrators not on how many students that they can produce with outstanding academic results but how well they mould their students.'
Mr Lim also asked the government to take the lead in nurturing graciousness by showing more compassion to the poor. Citing an example, he said many HDB tenants were asked to pay a higher rental when their family income goes up, regardless of the number of family members the tenant has to support.
'When it comes to dealing with the poorer segment of our society, we take quite a tough approach with these tenants,' Mr Lim said. 'We have failed to come across as being compassionate and mindful of their difficulties... Can we not afford these people a greater sense of compassion by the government? Can we not give our residents more encouragement when they try to better their lives to earn a higher income?'
Teach character values
By Derrick Ho
THE apparent lack of civility and gracious behaviour during the recent Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) saga is a clear indication that Singapore is still lagging behind in graciousness, said MP Lim Biow Chuan (Maine Parade GRC) on Tuesday.
He urged schools to teach basic character values to students all the way till university level.
'The only point which I wish to make is that if the reports are accurate, then civility and gracious behaviour during the Aware extraordinary general meeting was clearly missing. While I accept that emotions were highly charged.... I would submit that this cannot be the level of behaviour which we should promote as acceptable,' he said of the 'raucous behaviour' during the EGM.
Citing other examples, Mr Lim said graciousness among Singaporeans seems to 'be an elusive target which is moving further and further away'.
Unruly road behaviour and the need to still rely on campaigns to encourage commuters to give up seats to the elderly, and shoppers to return their trolleys, were some instances Mr Lim raised in his speech during the debate on the President's address.
He said regardless of Singapore's economic situation, 'well-mannered, courteous and considerate' fellow citizens will make life more pleasant'.
Mr Lim said if Singapore is serious about wanting to promote a more civil society, parents must play a part in inculcating values themselves and not 'sub-contract' it to their domestic helper or rely solely on teachers.
Raising a similar point, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Senior Parilamentary Secretatary for Education and Home Affairs, urged the government and society not to lose sight of its principles and 'fundamentals' during tough times and ensure that children continue to attend school and focus on their studies.'
He noted that a good number of youths drop out of school because they can get by, working at McDonald's for $4 per hour by leaving school immediately rather than wait 12 long years of education to earn a trade certificate.
Acknowledging that dual income families may not be able to spend more time with their children, Mr Lim urged the Ministry of Education to consider teaching basic character values through the entire school curriculum from primary school level all the way to university.
'We should make character education an integral part of the education system and not just another non-examinable subject. We must evaluate out school principals and administrators not on how many students that they can produce with outstanding academic results but how well they mould their students.'
Mr Lim also asked the government to take the lead in nurturing graciousness by showing more compassion to the poor. Citing an example, he said many HDB tenants were asked to pay a higher rental when their family income goes up, regardless of the number of family members the tenant has to support.
'When it comes to dealing with the poorer segment of our society, we take quite a tough approach with these tenants,' Mr Lim said. 'We have failed to come across as being compassionate and mindful of their difficulties... Can we not afford these people a greater sense of compassion by the government? Can we not give our residents more encouragement when they try to better their lives to earn a higher income?'
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Only Elected Opposition Offers 'Effective Checks'
The Straits Times ran this article on 26 May 2009:
Only elected opposition offers 'effective checks'
By Zakir Hussain, Political Correspondent
THE ruling party says the effectiveness of Singapore's political system lies in its internal checks and its ability to serve the people, but only an elected opposition can provide effective checks and balances, Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang) declared yesterday.
The leader of the Workers' Party said this is because the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) currently dominates the House, can amend the Constitution freely, and controls key levers of power in the country.
What if one day it were to abuse its powers, trample on people's rights or become corrupt? 'What can the people do then?' asked Mr Low.
NMP Siew Kum Hong calls for a 'hybrid system' for Parliament
NOMINATED MP Siew Kum Hong yesterday called for a hybrid Parliament in which 'a limited number of seats' could be 'allocated by way of proportional representation', while the majority would still be filled the way they are now.
This would allow for more diverse views in Parliament, he said, adding that it would also be 'more consistent with democratic principles than a scheme like the Nominated MP scheme'.
Under proportional representation, parties are allocated seats based on their share of the popular vote.
Only elected opposition offers 'effective checks'
By Zakir Hussain, Political Correspondent
THE ruling party says the effectiveness of Singapore's political system lies in its internal checks and its ability to serve the people, but only an elected opposition can provide effective checks and balances, Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang) declared yesterday.
The leader of the Workers' Party said this is because the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) currently dominates the House, can amend the Constitution freely, and controls key levers of power in the country.
What if one day it were to abuse its powers, trample on people's rights or become corrupt? 'What can the people do then?' asked Mr Low.
NMP Siew Kum Hong calls for a 'hybrid system' for Parliament
NOMINATED MP Siew Kum Hong yesterday called for a hybrid Parliament in which 'a limited number of seats' could be 'allocated by way of proportional representation', while the majority would still be filled the way they are now.
This would allow for more diverse views in Parliament, he said, adding that it would also be 'more consistent with democratic principles than a scheme like the Nominated MP scheme'.
Under proportional representation, parties are allocated seats based on their share of the popular vote.
We Are Not Funding NMP
The Electric New Paper ran this article on 26 May 2009:
We are not funding NMP
By Liew Hanqing
NETIZENS were abuzz over a meeting between him and Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Siew Kum Hong last month.
But Mr Johan Skarendal, 29, a member of the Swedish International Liberal Centre (SILC), has rubbished online allegations that Mr Siew had asked for and is receiving foreign funding from his organisation.
Mr Skarendal said SILC is a foundation which assists democracy development, by supporting organisations and individuals who promote democracy and human rights.
It is affiliated to the Liberal Party, one of the four political parties in the Swedish government since 2006.
In recent weeks, Mr Siew has been the target of what seems like an organised online campaign to oppose his re-nomination as a NMP.
Flamed online
He has been flamed extensively on several forums and blogs, and has even received nasty e-mails from his detractors.
Mr Skarendal told The New Paper that though he met Mr Siew during his visit to Singapore last month, the issue of funding was never broached.
He said: 'I met him (Mr Siew) for one hour to discuss his work in parliament, and his views on current affairs and the civil society in Singapore.'
He added that SILC is one of several Swedish organisations carrying out government policy in the democracy assistance field.
'All of our project proposals must pass through rigorous screening and evaluation before decisions are made to fund a project,' he said.
He stressed that Mr Siew did not ask about the possibility of funding, and neither did he mention the possibility to Mr Siew.
'The current allegations against him are clearly nothing but hot air with the intent to defame him, and as such are criminal in nature,' Mr Skarendal said.
When contacted, Mr Siew declined comment as he has already made a police report.
In an 18 May entry on his blog (siewkumhong.blogspot.com), Mr Siew wrote: 'I did not at any time ask for, and have not at any time been offered or accepted, any sort of funding from any local or foreign entity, including the Swedish politician named in the latest attack.
'The only sources of income (or funding) that I have, are my employer and the Government of Singapore (in the form of my monthly NMP allowance).'
He quashed online allegations of links with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).
Mr Siew described the latest attacks as going 'beyond anything that a reasonable person could possibly perceive as being a valid or legitimate exercise of the right to free speech.'
He added that he would not tolerate the latest wave of 'character assassination' from 'cowards hiding behind the perceived anonymity of the Internet'.
Mr Skarendal said his latest visit to Singapore was with Mr Henrik Ehrenberg, head of the allied Christian Democratic International Center.
They met with several 'human rights defenders and civil society members', but Mr Skarendal declined to say who, because it would be 'impolite' to do so.
He confirmed that he had met with SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan during the recent visit. They first met in February 2003 when Dr Chee visited Sweden.
We are not funding NMP
By Liew Hanqing
NETIZENS were abuzz over a meeting between him and Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Siew Kum Hong last month.
But Mr Johan Skarendal, 29, a member of the Swedish International Liberal Centre (SILC), has rubbished online allegations that Mr Siew had asked for and is receiving foreign funding from his organisation.
Mr Skarendal said SILC is a foundation which assists democracy development, by supporting organisations and individuals who promote democracy and human rights.
It is affiliated to the Liberal Party, one of the four political parties in the Swedish government since 2006.
In recent weeks, Mr Siew has been the target of what seems like an organised online campaign to oppose his re-nomination as a NMP.
Flamed online
He has been flamed extensively on several forums and blogs, and has even received nasty e-mails from his detractors.
Mr Skarendal told The New Paper that though he met Mr Siew during his visit to Singapore last month, the issue of funding was never broached.
He said: 'I met him (Mr Siew) for one hour to discuss his work in parliament, and his views on current affairs and the civil society in Singapore.'
He added that SILC is one of several Swedish organisations carrying out government policy in the democracy assistance field.
'All of our project proposals must pass through rigorous screening and evaluation before decisions are made to fund a project,' he said.
He stressed that Mr Siew did not ask about the possibility of funding, and neither did he mention the possibility to Mr Siew.
'The current allegations against him are clearly nothing but hot air with the intent to defame him, and as such are criminal in nature,' Mr Skarendal said.
When contacted, Mr Siew declined comment as he has already made a police report.
In an 18 May entry on his blog (siewkumhong.blogspot.com), Mr Siew wrote: 'I did not at any time ask for, and have not at any time been offered or accepted, any sort of funding from any local or foreign entity, including the Swedish politician named in the latest attack.
'The only sources of income (or funding) that I have, are my employer and the Government of Singapore (in the form of my monthly NMP allowance).'
He quashed online allegations of links with the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).
Mr Siew described the latest attacks as going 'beyond anything that a reasonable person could possibly perceive as being a valid or legitimate exercise of the right to free speech.'
He added that he would not tolerate the latest wave of 'character assassination' from 'cowards hiding behind the perceived anonymity of the Internet'.
Mr Skarendal said his latest visit to Singapore was with Mr Henrik Ehrenberg, head of the allied Christian Democratic International Center.
They met with several 'human rights defenders and civil society members', but Mr Skarendal declined to say who, because it would be 'impolite' to do so.
He confirmed that he had met with SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan during the recent visit. They first met in February 2003 when Dr Chee visited Sweden.
Call for Political Change
Today ran this article on 26 May 2009:
'Start with electoral boundaries’
By Alicia Wong
THOUGH it may put the People’s Action Party’s dominance at risk, the “sheer symbolism” of having smaller Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) and more Single Member Constituencies (SMC) willl “go a long way towards convincing Singaporeans that the PAP is serious about political change,” said Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong.
President S R Nathan had last week signalled that Singapore’s political system must evolve as society changes.
In Mr Siew’s view, clear commitments to not constantly re-draw the electoral boundaries, and publishing the reasons should the Government do so, will help restore Singaporean’s respect for the process and increase their desire to vote.
“That has to be the starting place if we truly want Singapore politics to evolve and Singaporeans to participate,” argued Mr Siew, who saw a “longstanding problem of political apathy and disengagement”.
MP Low Thia Kiang (Hougang) called for the strengthening of external checks and balances in the political system, in the form of the Opposition.
It is not enough that the losing candidate is appointed as a Non-Constituency MP, he argued; elected MPs have the benefit of Meet the People sessions which help them grasp issues on the ground. Also, given the chance to represent a constituency gives the Opposition party space for events to widen its networks.
In contrast to Mr Siew’s view, Reach chairman Amy Khor believes there is “a growing political maturity and vigorous, no holds barred debate on issues of the day”. She cited discussions on the Reach portal on electricity prices and the NMP nominations.
MP Michael Palmer (Pasir Ris-Ponggol) agreed society is becoming more “outspoken” as channels of communication between the Government and people grow. Recent episodes in civil society and sports associations also show “a cry for openness and transparency”, he noted.
Dr Khor said “cautious” experimentation is the way forward. With Singapore’s small size, there is no “manoeuvre room to embark on bold political experimentation without risking everything that has been painstakingly built up over the past few decades”, she warned.
'Start with electoral boundaries’
By Alicia Wong
THOUGH it may put the People’s Action Party’s dominance at risk, the “sheer symbolism” of having smaller Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) and more Single Member Constituencies (SMC) willl “go a long way towards convincing Singaporeans that the PAP is serious about political change,” said Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong.
President S R Nathan had last week signalled that Singapore’s political system must evolve as society changes.
In Mr Siew’s view, clear commitments to not constantly re-draw the electoral boundaries, and publishing the reasons should the Government do so, will help restore Singaporean’s respect for the process and increase their desire to vote.
“That has to be the starting place if we truly want Singapore politics to evolve and Singaporeans to participate,” argued Mr Siew, who saw a “longstanding problem of political apathy and disengagement”.
MP Low Thia Kiang (Hougang) called for the strengthening of external checks and balances in the political system, in the form of the Opposition.
It is not enough that the losing candidate is appointed as a Non-Constituency MP, he argued; elected MPs have the benefit of Meet the People sessions which help them grasp issues on the ground. Also, given the chance to represent a constituency gives the Opposition party space for events to widen its networks.
In contrast to Mr Siew’s view, Reach chairman Amy Khor believes there is “a growing political maturity and vigorous, no holds barred debate on issues of the day”. She cited discussions on the Reach portal on electricity prices and the NMP nominations.
MP Michael Palmer (Pasir Ris-Ponggol) agreed society is becoming more “outspoken” as channels of communication between the Government and people grow. Recent episodes in civil society and sports associations also show “a cry for openness and transparency”, he noted.
Dr Khor said “cautious” experimentation is the way forward. With Singapore’s small size, there is no “manoeuvre room to embark on bold political experimentation without risking everything that has been painstakingly built up over the past few decades”, she warned.
MPs Call for Greater Openness
Today ran this article on 26 May 2009:
MPs call for greater openness from Temasek and GIC
By Alicia Wong
AS THE world economy took one knock after another in the past year, Temasek Holdings and the Government of Singapore Investment Corp’s (GIC’s) investment decisions have also come in for some hard questions inside and outside of Parliament.
Yesterday, in their debate on the President’s May 18 address, Members of Parliament (MPs) added their voices to the call for more openness from the two investment companies in matters of public interest, as they homed in on Temasek’s recent divestment of its stake in Bank of America (BofA).
MP Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio) called for a complete review on the management and investment of Singapore’s reserves, given how Temasek and GIC had deviated from what they were chartered to do. While GIC once followed conservative principles in long-term investments that delivered good returns, it has recently been investing in “more risky investments,” said Mr Singh.
Meanwhile, Temasek, which used to invest in Singapore or Government-linked companies in their early stages of development, “in fact moved more into what GIC used to do”, so that the two are “starting to look almost similar”.
A complete review of how Singapore’s reserves are managed from now on, would “require top-levelpolicy thinking on what the core objectives are, that these two funds should serve and how they should be managed,” said Mr Singh.
With Singapore’s reserves meant as “long-term shelter” for its citizens, “is it appropriate to allow GIC and Temasek to continue investing the way they have done in recent years, make somewhat speculative investments, like the way private wealth is shown to have been managed?” he questioned.
If Temasek does not return to its original investment roots, should there be another entity to invest and bring up Singapore-based companies, asked Mr Singh, “and most importantly, should we allow so much of our reserves to be placed with GIC and Temasek, or ... managed by people who understand these are meant to be long-term investments”?
On the BofA stake sale, Temasek had on May 15confirmed it sold its 3-per-cent shareholding through a series of sales in the first quarter — but kept mum on its reasons up till a week later, when it said that its “investment thesis” as well as the “risk-return environment” had changed. Still, it did not disclose the loss incurred on the deal, which stemmed from its 2007 US$5.9-billion investment in Merrill Lynch ($8.5 billion) that was later taken over by BofA.
Temasek’s reticence on the matter spawned even more speculation over the size of the loss, with some estimates hitting as high as US$4.6 billion.
MP Michael Palmer (Pasir Ris-Ponggol) highlighted how citizens speculated — online and offline — on Temasek’s reasons for divesting the BofA stake and the loss incurred. “Clearly, the public wanted to know the rationale and reasons behind the decision to sell what was originally meant to be a long term investment made with public funds,” he said.
“Unfortunately, due to the lack of information, speculation and discontent were rife,” he added.
While Temasek’s statement last Thursday was a “step in the right direction”, said Mr Palmer, “questions still remain”. While it is not expected to give detailed investment strategies, “answers to pertinent questions given after the fact, which will not impact investment outcome, would appear to be another matter”.
MP Zaqy Mohamad (Hong Kah) said: “We lost money that took generations and many good years to create. They are investing Singaporeans’ money and Singaporeans deserve greater accountability in how our money is being spent.”
Mr Zaqy highlighted the need to address issues such as matching the commercial objectives of the investment funds to the social objectives of the reserves. He also asked if there should be greater transparency “given to the public of the bonuses and performance of its staff”?
MPs call for greater openness from Temasek and GIC
By Alicia Wong
AS THE world economy took one knock after another in the past year, Temasek Holdings and the Government of Singapore Investment Corp’s (GIC’s) investment decisions have also come in for some hard questions inside and outside of Parliament.
Yesterday, in their debate on the President’s May 18 address, Members of Parliament (MPs) added their voices to the call for more openness from the two investment companies in matters of public interest, as they homed in on Temasek’s recent divestment of its stake in Bank of America (BofA).
MP Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio) called for a complete review on the management and investment of Singapore’s reserves, given how Temasek and GIC had deviated from what they were chartered to do. While GIC once followed conservative principles in long-term investments that delivered good returns, it has recently been investing in “more risky investments,” said Mr Singh.
Meanwhile, Temasek, which used to invest in Singapore or Government-linked companies in their early stages of development, “in fact moved more into what GIC used to do”, so that the two are “starting to look almost similar”.
A complete review of how Singapore’s reserves are managed from now on, would “require top-levelpolicy thinking on what the core objectives are, that these two funds should serve and how they should be managed,” said Mr Singh.
With Singapore’s reserves meant as “long-term shelter” for its citizens, “is it appropriate to allow GIC and Temasek to continue investing the way they have done in recent years, make somewhat speculative investments, like the way private wealth is shown to have been managed?” he questioned.
If Temasek does not return to its original investment roots, should there be another entity to invest and bring up Singapore-based companies, asked Mr Singh, “and most importantly, should we allow so much of our reserves to be placed with GIC and Temasek, or ... managed by people who understand these are meant to be long-term investments”?
On the BofA stake sale, Temasek had on May 15confirmed it sold its 3-per-cent shareholding through a series of sales in the first quarter — but kept mum on its reasons up till a week later, when it said that its “investment thesis” as well as the “risk-return environment” had changed. Still, it did not disclose the loss incurred on the deal, which stemmed from its 2007 US$5.9-billion investment in Merrill Lynch ($8.5 billion) that was later taken over by BofA.
Temasek’s reticence on the matter spawned even more speculation over the size of the loss, with some estimates hitting as high as US$4.6 billion.
MP Michael Palmer (Pasir Ris-Ponggol) highlighted how citizens speculated — online and offline — on Temasek’s reasons for divesting the BofA stake and the loss incurred. “Clearly, the public wanted to know the rationale and reasons behind the decision to sell what was originally meant to be a long term investment made with public funds,” he said.
“Unfortunately, due to the lack of information, speculation and discontent were rife,” he added.
While Temasek’s statement last Thursday was a “step in the right direction”, said Mr Palmer, “questions still remain”. While it is not expected to give detailed investment strategies, “answers to pertinent questions given after the fact, which will not impact investment outcome, would appear to be another matter”.
MP Zaqy Mohamad (Hong Kah) said: “We lost money that took generations and many good years to create. They are investing Singaporeans’ money and Singaporeans deserve greater accountability in how our money is being spent.”
Mr Zaqy highlighted the need to address issues such as matching the commercial objectives of the investment funds to the social objectives of the reserves. He also asked if there should be greater transparency “given to the public of the bonuses and performance of its staff”?
Call for a Review of Foreign Worker Policy
Today ran this article on 26 May 2009:
Call for a review of foreign worker policy
By Neo Chai Chin
Should Singapore tighten its “liberal” foreign worker policies? Some Members of Parliament think so and have called for a Government review.
Jurong MP Halimah Yacob urged for a review of foreign worker quotas to reflect today’s situation of higher unemployment and weaker job creation. She warned of a “hollowing out of skills” among locals, should large numbers of foreigners occupy jobs in a particular sector.
“There are now so many foreign workers even in the services sector that Singaporeans are beginning to feel squeezed out,” she said. For their part, Singaporeans must be prepared to work in new sectors or work further away from home.
Ang Mo Kio MP Inderjit Singh believes Singapore needs more pro-active measures such as a minimum-wage system to make some jobs more attractive to locals — a call the Opposition has made in the past — as well as reserving certain jobs for Singaporeans.
Middle- and lower-income groups here will be worse off over time with the current liberal policies due to “artificially depressed” wages — a result of “competition for low value-added jobs from foreigners”, he said.
Call for a review of foreign worker policy
By Neo Chai Chin
Should Singapore tighten its “liberal” foreign worker policies? Some Members of Parliament think so and have called for a Government review.
Jurong MP Halimah Yacob urged for a review of foreign worker quotas to reflect today’s situation of higher unemployment and weaker job creation. She warned of a “hollowing out of skills” among locals, should large numbers of foreigners occupy jobs in a particular sector.
“There are now so many foreign workers even in the services sector that Singaporeans are beginning to feel squeezed out,” she said. For their part, Singaporeans must be prepared to work in new sectors or work further away from home.
Ang Mo Kio MP Inderjit Singh believes Singapore needs more pro-active measures such as a minimum-wage system to make some jobs more attractive to locals — a call the Opposition has made in the past — as well as reserving certain jobs for Singaporeans.
Middle- and lower-income groups here will be worse off over time with the current liberal policies due to “artificially depressed” wages — a result of “competition for low value-added jobs from foreigners”, he said.
Myanmar's Suu Kyi Set to Testify as Outcry Grows
AFP ran this article on 26 May 2009:
Myanmar's Suu Kyi set to testify as outcry grows
Myanmar pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was set to testify at her trial, as European and Asian foreign ministers stepped up international pressure on the ruling junta to free her.
The military regime said it would reopen the court to diplomats and journalists for part of the day in a small concession to global criticism of its treatment of the 63-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Critics say Aung San Suu Kyi's trial, on charges of breaching her house arrest over an incident in which a US man swam to her house, is an excuse for Myanmar's ruling generals to lock her up for elections due next year.
The spokesman for her opposition party, Nyan Win, said the defence felt that the mostly closed proceedings at the notorious Insein Prison near the main city of Yangon were being rushed through.
"She will be questioned by the judge (on Tuesday)... This was a surprise to us because we need more time to discuss the case with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," Nyan Win said on Monday night.
Aung San Suu Kyi pleaded innocent last week to the charges, under which she faces between three and five years in jail. She has been detained for 13 of the last 19 years, mostly under house arrest.
The defence is also planning to call Tin Oo , the detained deputy leader of her opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party, as one of its witnesses.
Asked whether he thought the ruling junta would allow testimony by Tin Oo, who has been in jail or under house arrest since 2003, Nyan Win told AFP: "They have to, otherwise it will be one-sided."
Diplomats from all foreign embassies in Yangon had been told to report to the court early on Tuesday for a briefing by a magistrate, and they would be allowed to attend the trial later in the day, a western diplomat said.
Authorities will also allow 10 journalists from local media and 11 from international organisations to report on part of the proceedings.
The trial has provoked a storm of international outrage.
More than 40 foreign ministers from Asia and Europe meeting in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi this week are to jointly call for the release Aung San Suu Kyi, according to a draft statement.
"In light of the concern about the recent development to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ministers... called for the early release of those under detention and the lifting of restriction placed on political parties," said the draft statement.
During a meeting Monday with Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win on the sidelines of the talks, the EU called for Aung San Suu Kyi's immediate release.
In a rare move, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) last week expressed "grave concern" over her treatment. Myanmar's neighbours normally prefer not to be seen as intervening in the affairs of their members.
Myanmar issued an angry rebuttal to the statement on Monday.
The junta is also trying the American intruder, John Yettaw, and two female aides who live with Aung San Suu Kyi in the house.
Yettaw has said that he swam across a lake to the house to warn her of his belief that she would be assassinated, but the junta accuses Aung San Suu Kyi of illegally communicating with and sheltering him.
The latest, six-year period of Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest is due to expire on Wednesday but Myanmar authorities have not said whether they will extend the term.
Aung San Suu Kyi and her deputy Tin Oo have both been detained since an incident in 2003 in which their motorcade came under attack during a political tour.
Wednesday is also the 19th anniversary of Myanmar's last democratic elections. The NLD won a landslide victory in the polls, but the military never allowed it to take office.
Myanmar's Suu Kyi set to testify as outcry grows
Myanmar pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi was set to testify at her trial, as European and Asian foreign ministers stepped up international pressure on the ruling junta to free her.
The military regime said it would reopen the court to diplomats and journalists for part of the day in a small concession to global criticism of its treatment of the 63-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
Critics say Aung San Suu Kyi's trial, on charges of breaching her house arrest over an incident in which a US man swam to her house, is an excuse for Myanmar's ruling generals to lock her up for elections due next year.
The spokesman for her opposition party, Nyan Win, said the defence felt that the mostly closed proceedings at the notorious Insein Prison near the main city of Yangon were being rushed through.
"She will be questioned by the judge (on Tuesday)... This was a surprise to us because we need more time to discuss the case with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," Nyan Win said on Monday night.
Aung San Suu Kyi pleaded innocent last week to the charges, under which she faces between three and five years in jail. She has been detained for 13 of the last 19 years, mostly under house arrest.
The defence is also planning to call Tin Oo , the detained deputy leader of her opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party, as one of its witnesses.
Asked whether he thought the ruling junta would allow testimony by Tin Oo, who has been in jail or under house arrest since 2003, Nyan Win told AFP: "They have to, otherwise it will be one-sided."
Diplomats from all foreign embassies in Yangon had been told to report to the court early on Tuesday for a briefing by a magistrate, and they would be allowed to attend the trial later in the day, a western diplomat said.
Authorities will also allow 10 journalists from local media and 11 from international organisations to report on part of the proceedings.
The trial has provoked a storm of international outrage.
More than 40 foreign ministers from Asia and Europe meeting in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi this week are to jointly call for the release Aung San Suu Kyi, according to a draft statement.
"In light of the concern about the recent development to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ministers... called for the early release of those under detention and the lifting of restriction placed on political parties," said the draft statement.
During a meeting Monday with Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win on the sidelines of the talks, the EU called for Aung San Suu Kyi's immediate release.
In a rare move, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) last week expressed "grave concern" over her treatment. Myanmar's neighbours normally prefer not to be seen as intervening in the affairs of their members.
Myanmar issued an angry rebuttal to the statement on Monday.
The junta is also trying the American intruder, John Yettaw, and two female aides who live with Aung San Suu Kyi in the house.
Yettaw has said that he swam across a lake to the house to warn her of his belief that she would be assassinated, but the junta accuses Aung San Suu Kyi of illegally communicating with and sheltering him.
The latest, six-year period of Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest is due to expire on Wednesday but Myanmar authorities have not said whether they will extend the term.
Aung San Suu Kyi and her deputy Tin Oo have both been detained since an incident in 2003 in which their motorcade came under attack during a political tour.
Wednesday is also the 19th anniversary of Myanmar's last democratic elections. The NLD won a landslide victory in the polls, but the military never allowed it to take office.
Chinese Worker Jailed for 10 Weeks
The Straits Times ran this story on 25 May 2009:
Jailed for 10 weeks
A CHINESE national who threatened to jump from the top of the Ministry of Manpower building last month had no intention of doing so, a district court heard on Monday.
Zhao Er Hui's purpose of calling the police on April 1 was to intimidate MOM officers to intervene into his work-related issues with his employer.
The 32-year-old was jailed for 10 weeks after he admitted to criminal trespass at the seven-storey MOM building at Havelock Road that day.
Jailed for 10 weeks
A CHINESE national who threatened to jump from the top of the Ministry of Manpower building last month had no intention of doing so, a district court heard on Monday.
Zhao Er Hui's purpose of calling the police on April 1 was to intimidate MOM officers to intervene into his work-related issues with his employer.
The 32-year-old was jailed for 10 weeks after he admitted to criminal trespass at the seven-storey MOM building at Havelock Road that day.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Three NGOs Form Coalition Called Solidarity for Migrant Workers
Channel NewsAsia ran this article on 24 May 2009:
Three NGOs form coalition called Solidarity for Migrant Workers
By Lynda Hong
SINGAPORE : Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have said they are seeing a huge impact on foreign workers due to the economic recession.
Thus, despite more steps being taken to improve the working conditions of foreign workers, NGOs want to further strengthen activism for them.
Three NGOs - Migrant Voices, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) - have come together to form a coalition called the Solidarity for Migrant Workers, which taps on the expertise of the three foreign worker NGOs.
Up to 160 foreign workers attended the launch of the new coalition on Sunday afternoon.
Three NGOs form coalition called Solidarity for Migrant Workers
By Lynda Hong
SINGAPORE : Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have said they are seeing a huge impact on foreign workers due to the economic recession.
Thus, despite more steps being taken to improve the working conditions of foreign workers, NGOs want to further strengthen activism for them.
Three NGOs - Migrant Voices, Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) and Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) - have come together to form a coalition called the Solidarity for Migrant Workers, which taps on the expertise of the three foreign worker NGOs.
Up to 160 foreign workers attended the launch of the new coalition on Sunday afternoon.
Talking Point: Role of bloggers in Online Citizenry
Alex Au of Yawning Bread is one of three guests in this episode of Talking Point about the role of blggers in online citizenry. Thanks to Singapore Enquirer for posting this up.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 1
Part 2
Dark Documentary on China Underbelly Chills Cannes
AFP ran this article on 24 May 2009:
Dark documentary on China underbelly chills Cannes
By Claire Rosemberg
CANNES, France (AFP) - At a festival chock-full of cinematic violence, a documentary by a young Chinese film-maker brought more darkness to Cannes with a harrowing portrayal of life in Beijing's underbelly.
"I'm relating reality as it is in China today," director Zhao Liang told AFP in an interview.
His "Petition" documents the plight of China's judicial "petitioners" -- people from across the land who gather in Beijing in the hope of righting legal wrongs suffered back home.
"These people are sacrificing themselves for China," said Zhao, whose work is one of 15 feature-length films selected for screening by the festival but showing out-of-competition for the Palme d'Or award.
"There is a lot of corruption. China's problem today is that justice is not independent," he said.
Often from the most disadvantaged social classes, the petitioners come to Beijing's Complaints Office of the Supreme People's Court after failing to win cases lodged at local or regional level.
Filmed over a decade in alleyways and makeshift huts near the city's South railway station -- a teeming area once known as "Petitioners' City" -- the two-hour documentary focuses on the dire living conditions of the petitioners and their often hopeless quests for judicial redress.
Living off waste, sleeping rough, and locked in relentless red tape, they also face bands of thug "retrievers" sent by local authorities to shoo them home -- which often means jail or a mental hospital.
A 2006 scene shows a group recovering a jaw, a severed hand and other body parts left on a railway track where an old woman was cut down by a passing train while trying to escape retrievers.
The tale of a mother and daughter is told over a decade, from when the girl is 12 to her decision at adulthood to leave a life on the streets and marry. During her fight for justice, the mother spent five years locked up, including months drugged in psychiatric wards.
"Although we are on the road to openness, there is a still a lot to do in China," Zhao said. "This film aims to inform people about the petitioners."
"I see myself as a doctor looking at an ill person," Zhao said. "It is urgent to cure this sickness and look after the ill."
The 38-year-old film-maker said that because "Petition" was a documentary, he did not need to request an official permit in order to film nor did he require official authorisation to show the work at Cannes.
The film is scheduled to screen at a Chinese independent film festival this month. "There is space in China nowadays for this sort of film to be shown," he said.
The "Petitioners" area was razed ahead of the 2008 Olympics, when Zhao's film stops, to make way for the new South Station, Asia's largest rail terminal. But the petitioners are still in Beijing, pushed further away deep into the suburbs.
Peppered with their criticism of party officials and calls for pro-democratic revolt, Zhao said: "I can't say I agree with the petitioners in the film. I have merely related reality."
"I'm interested in the humanity of these people," he added. "In China networks are essential and these people can't pull strings."
"These people are sacrificing themselves for the good of China. I would never become a petitioner myself. I don't have sympathy for them but I do have respect."
Dark documentary on China underbelly chills Cannes
By Claire Rosemberg
CANNES, France (AFP) - At a festival chock-full of cinematic violence, a documentary by a young Chinese film-maker brought more darkness to Cannes with a harrowing portrayal of life in Beijing's underbelly.
"I'm relating reality as it is in China today," director Zhao Liang told AFP in an interview.
His "Petition" documents the plight of China's judicial "petitioners" -- people from across the land who gather in Beijing in the hope of righting legal wrongs suffered back home.
"These people are sacrificing themselves for China," said Zhao, whose work is one of 15 feature-length films selected for screening by the festival but showing out-of-competition for the Palme d'Or award.
"There is a lot of corruption. China's problem today is that justice is not independent," he said.
Often from the most disadvantaged social classes, the petitioners come to Beijing's Complaints Office of the Supreme People's Court after failing to win cases lodged at local or regional level.
Filmed over a decade in alleyways and makeshift huts near the city's South railway station -- a teeming area once known as "Petitioners' City" -- the two-hour documentary focuses on the dire living conditions of the petitioners and their often hopeless quests for judicial redress.
Living off waste, sleeping rough, and locked in relentless red tape, they also face bands of thug "retrievers" sent by local authorities to shoo them home -- which often means jail or a mental hospital.
A 2006 scene shows a group recovering a jaw, a severed hand and other body parts left on a railway track where an old woman was cut down by a passing train while trying to escape retrievers.
The tale of a mother and daughter is told over a decade, from when the girl is 12 to her decision at adulthood to leave a life on the streets and marry. During her fight for justice, the mother spent five years locked up, including months drugged in psychiatric wards.
"Although we are on the road to openness, there is a still a lot to do in China," Zhao said. "This film aims to inform people about the petitioners."
"I see myself as a doctor looking at an ill person," Zhao said. "It is urgent to cure this sickness and look after the ill."
The 38-year-old film-maker said that because "Petition" was a documentary, he did not need to request an official permit in order to film nor did he require official authorisation to show the work at Cannes.
The film is scheduled to screen at a Chinese independent film festival this month. "There is space in China nowadays for this sort of film to be shown," he said.
The "Petitioners" area was razed ahead of the 2008 Olympics, when Zhao's film stops, to make way for the new South Station, Asia's largest rail terminal. But the petitioners are still in Beijing, pushed further away deep into the suburbs.
Peppered with their criticism of party officials and calls for pro-democratic revolt, Zhao said: "I can't say I agree with the petitioners in the film. I have merely related reality."
"I'm interested in the humanity of these people," he added. "In China networks are essential and these people can't pull strings."
"These people are sacrificing themselves for the good of China. I would never become a petitioner myself. I don't have sympathy for them but I do have respect."
Friday, May 22, 2009
Arrests in Chinese Slavery Case
BBC ran this article on 22 May 2009:
Arrests in Chinese slavery case
Police in eastern China have arrested 10 people suspected of beating mentally disabled people forced to work as slaves in brick factories.
State media said the brick kiln owner had bought 32 such people and forced them to work without pay.
The victims, aged between 25 and 45, were freed in a police raid in April.
The case echoes a scandal in 2007, when more than 1,000 labourers - including children were found working in brutal conditions in central Shanxi province.
Following that scandal, China announced a nationwide crackdown on enslavement and child labour.
Terrible conditions
Under terrible conditions, 32 mentally disabled people were forced to work in brick kilns in Jieshou city, in Anhui province, according to the Xinhua news agency.
The 10 are "suspected of beating and treating the mentally handicapped people like slaves," a local police official was quoted as saying.
The victims had been sold to a factory owner for less than $50 (£30) each, after being recruited off the street by a taxi driver promising work food and lodging, the report said.
Unpaid, and working more than 10 hours a day, they were fed little more than steamed dough.
Twelve of those freed have now returned home, while the remainder, many of whom are unable to say where they live, are being kept in local shelters.
Arrests in Chinese slavery case
Police in eastern China have arrested 10 people suspected of beating mentally disabled people forced to work as slaves in brick factories.
State media said the brick kiln owner had bought 32 such people and forced them to work without pay.
The victims, aged between 25 and 45, were freed in a police raid in April.
The case echoes a scandal in 2007, when more than 1,000 labourers - including children were found working in brutal conditions in central Shanxi province.
Following that scandal, China announced a nationwide crackdown on enslavement and child labour.
Terrible conditions
Under terrible conditions, 32 mentally disabled people were forced to work in brick kilns in Jieshou city, in Anhui province, according to the Xinhua news agency.
The 10 are "suspected of beating and treating the mentally handicapped people like slaves," a local police official was quoted as saying.
The victims had been sold to a factory owner for less than $50 (£30) each, after being recruited off the street by a taxi driver promising work food and lodging, the report said.
Unpaid, and working more than 10 hours a day, they were fed little more than steamed dough.
Twelve of those freed have now returned home, while the remainder, many of whom are unable to say where they live, are being kept in local shelters.
In Unity for Her Liberty: a Peace Vigil for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Freedom
MARUAH is organising a peace vigil for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at Speakers' Corner on Sunday, 31 May 2009 at 5pm. Message from MARUAH:
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who won the democratically-held elections in 1990, has been under house arrest for almost two decades. On 18th May 2009, she was charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest and stood trial. She has borne her trials with dignity. Yet they continue unabated. The world has honoured her with a Nobel Peace Prize and lobbied tirelessly for her freedom but there is a growing helplessness towards the situation as the Myanmar junta continues to keep her in detention without trial.
We find the situation untenable. It will be a grave injustice if we all were to stand by and let this courageous citizen spend all her days as a prisoner. She is due for release at the end of May.
Many among us know that it will not happen. We need to show ASEAN solidarity at the civil society level and act together to ask for her freedom.
Let us then come together throughout ASEAN on the same day at the same time to demand for her freedom. Can we show solidarity by wearing some yellow in our clothing, hold a candlelight vigil and let off 19 yellow-coloured balloons (one for each year she has been under arrest) with her portrait, into the skies?
Come.
Have your silence heard.
This event is jointly organised by MARUAH (SWGAHRM) with other regional NGOs.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who won the democratically-held elections in 1990, has been under house arrest for almost two decades. On 18th May 2009, she was charged with breaching the terms of her house arrest and stood trial. She has borne her trials with dignity. Yet they continue unabated. The world has honoured her with a Nobel Peace Prize and lobbied tirelessly for her freedom but there is a growing helplessness towards the situation as the Myanmar junta continues to keep her in detention without trial.
We find the situation untenable. It will be a grave injustice if we all were to stand by and let this courageous citizen spend all her days as a prisoner. She is due for release at the end of May.
Many among us know that it will not happen. We need to show ASEAN solidarity at the civil society level and act together to ask for her freedom.
Let us then come together throughout ASEAN on the same day at the same time to demand for her freedom. Can we show solidarity by wearing some yellow in our clothing, hold a candlelight vigil and let off 19 yellow-coloured balloons (one for each year she has been under arrest) with her portrait, into the skies?
Come.
Have your silence heard.
This event is jointly organised by MARUAH (SWGAHRM) with other regional NGOs.
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