Kisah Seram

This story is received via email from someone who called him/herself “nisan11”. Disclaimer: Can’t verify the person or the story.

Aku masih benar2 ingat peristiwa itu. Tatkala itu aku masih di Sec 2. Aku adalah anggota uniform group yg selalu mengadakan weekend camping kat Sekolah Willow pada waktu itu.

Malam itu ialah malam minggu dan sekali lagi kami di sekolah untuk camping setelah puas menghabiskan seluruh hari Sabtu itu dengan marching drills dan sebagainya.

Jam ditangan menunjukan pukul 11 malam. Seperti biasa diantara kita akan bersembang2 hingga jauh malam. Sedang bersembang2, perut ku terasa memulas. Mungkinkah sebab lauk tadi yang ku makan sudah agak basi. Ku cuba tahan sakit perut ku sedaya upaya sebab tak sangguplah nak ke tandas malam2 begini……lebih2 kat sekolah Willow ini…faham2 saja lah….TAPI perut ini tak lah reti bahasa….semakin ku tahan….semakin memulas….sampai macam nak rak aku dibuatnya…

Oleh kerana itu, aku terpaksa mengajak sahabat karib, “F” untuk menemani ku. Pada mula nya “F” enggan…pasal dia pun tak berani macam aku. Tapi melihat “seksaan” yang aku hadapi ini, dia pun bersetuju.

Aku tak boleh beritahu di toilet mana perkara ini terjadi…tapi aku rasa ramai yang tahu toilet mana yang aku perkatakan ini. (it’s a girl’s toilet)

Setelah sampai di toilet, “F” menunggu di luar dan aku bergegas masuk ke satu cubicle untuk segera melenyapkan penderitaan ini.

Sejurus ku selesai, aku tiba2 terdengar seperti ada bunyi ketawa2 nyaring(mengelai) di cubicle sebelah… Aku jadi panic....pasal setahu aku hanya aku sorang saja yang ada dalam toilet ini.

Aku, apalagi, terus keluar dari cubicle….tetapi terpaksa melepasi cubicle sebelah untuk ke pintu keluar toilet. Alamak…pintu cubicle sebelah terbuka luas…aku cepat2 berlari keluar……sebelum itu aku sempat menoleh dan dapat melihat ke dalam cubicle sebelah itu…..

Aku nampak……………….dua Kakak Cantik tengah duduk di atas buai!!!!

Is MENDAKI TOO SLOW for the Community?

No doubt, Mendaki has contributed tremendously to our community's success. THANK YOU, lah.. very much...

But seriously with too many foreigners flushing into S'pore, I think, MENDAKI got too really do self-examinations & really review its strategy.

If you read Today's BERITA HARIAN, you will notice a big article lauding MENDAKI's efforts in retraining & getting these trainees jobs with higher pays. Well that's GREAT, right?

BUT, if you read see the bottom line of the achievements, ALAMAK, really peanuts, lah!!!
See here: Only 240 trainees successful in getting jobs with between $1.2K - $1.5K.. Like this type of achievement also got featured in a national newspaper?? Strange...

OK, now let see the WHOLE PICTURE, Of the 236,600 new jobs created last year, 144,500 (or 61%) went to foreigners.
With all those overtime & stuff, those foreigners' salaries are about 1.8K to 2K per month!!!

Hope this REALITY wakes MENDAKI up. Pls don't get buoy by the the illusion of FALSE SUCCESS..... for the sake of OUR COMMUNITY.

Great Read, this one....

http://utopia8787.blogspot.com/2008/05/jobs-for-foreigners-ns-for-singaporeans.html

jobs for foreigners, NS for singaporeans

SINGAPORE: Singapore Management University (SMU) graduates are finding better paying jobs and getting employed sooner, despite the Class of 2007 being 84 percent bigger than the 2006 cohort.

Three-quarters of them found jobs even before graduation, while the remainder secured employment within six months.

Graduates with cum laude degrees, or degrees with distinction, started with an average pay of $3,500 - which is $200 more than what the 2006 cohort got.

69 graduates also landed high-flying jobs that paid between $4,000 and $10,000 a month.

The overall starting pay for the Class of 2007 rose by 6.7 percent to $3,040 from $2,850 for the Class of 2006.

The data are from a survey of 618 respondents.

But success did not come easy, especially for students like Bernard Chan whose parents are hawkers.

He said: "Things got kind of hectic and we can even stay in school till 12am or 1am, preparing for the next day's presentation. Weekends will be.....early morning....heading to my parents' stall to help out."

For Malaysian Edwin Chong, his commute across the Causeway to SMU was no barrier. He said: "(the journey)...about an hour 15 minutes, each way....taking the public transport from Customs to Kranji.... and then a train to here. The classes are not really that bad."

For Lee Huishan who did a double degree in Accounting and Finance, she said she is glad the university made it possible for her to have a stint in Denmark.

For Delaine Cheong, she said joining the university's Judo Club was a great help in her personal growth. "You really have to learn how to cover up for your own weaknesses....like during a three-minute competition, it's really one-on-one. So even if you feel that you're losing ground, nobody is going to come and save you. You really have to do your best to turn things around." - CNA/ir

the girls and foreigners at 21 are getting their degrees while we are still digging shellscripts.

u can call ur female secondary sch classmate "Boss" when ur finally out with a degree, or even better, the foreigners become ur boss!!
and of course, foreigners will naturally pick another foreigner to succeed him while u henta-taki on ur position.

eat ur hearts out fellow Singaporean NS SLAVES!!

let our voices be heard with votes in the coming election:
DOWN THE GOD-DAMN NS CONSCRIPT SYSTEM

Steal Your Jobs???

http://utopia8787.blogspot.com/2008/05/mp-lams-p65-post-foreigners.html

Foreign workers constitute about a quarter of the total labour force in Singapore, which is probably one of the highest in terms of proportion in Asia. Foreign workers in Singapore has been closely associated with our economic development, and the demand has progressively grown with increased industrialisation and globalisation.

In Singapore, foreign workers can be categorised into semi-skilled / unskilled and professionals. The former work mainly in the manufacturing, construction and domestic services sectors. The majority of them come from countries such as India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Phillipines, Thailand and China. The latter are foreigners with professional qualifications working at the higher end of Singapore’s economy.

Of the 236,600 new jobs created last year, 144,500 (or 61%) went to foreigners. Some Singaporeans have commented that the presence of foreign workers have raised competition in the job market and deprived them of better paying jobs. However, if we look at it objectively, amidst this booming economy with a tight labour market, Singaporeans alone will not be able to meet the high manpower demand. In addition, there are many unskilled / low-skilled jobs where Singaporeans are unwilling to take up. If we adopt a “protectionist” mindset and forbid companies to hire foreigners, we may not be able to attract big companies and MNCs to invest and set base in Singapore. This in turn will result in less job opportunities for our own Singaporeans.

Quoting what PM Lee said in his May Day Rally this year: “It’s because we have the foreign workers here, that’s why our economy has grown, that’s why the employers, …companies are here, and that’s why Singaporeans have jobs. You send away the foreign workers,… a few hundred thousand (of them), Singaporeans (won’t) go into those jobs, the companies will close or leave. I think the Singaporeans unemployment will go up, and hardship will go up”.

This is fundamental and many countries are vying and competing for top talents to contribute to their economic developments. Interestingly but expectedly, in the Worker’s Party (WP) May Day message, they think otherwise and questioned the benefit of the surge in jobs created as a result of this foreign worker policy. Is the WP fair in making this statement?

Mr Seng Han Thong, Assistant Secretary-General of NTUC even challenged Mr Low to lead by example by hiring only Singaporeans in Hougang Town Council to prove that what they have advocated is feasible and the right way forward. Will the WP ”match their words with deeds” ? Let’s wait and see…

Posted by Lam Pin Min

Good to have become COLOUR BLIND

http://www.littlespeck.com/content/people/CTrendsPeople-080315.htm

Race
Old enmity erodes
Deepening globalisation has generated an ‘us vs them mentality’, compelling the various races to come together. By Seah Chiang Nee.
Mar 15, 2008

FASTER than anything else, globalisation has eroded much of the historical racial divide in Singapore, especially between Chinese and Malays, without eliminating it.

Given its longstanding nature, this scourge is unlikely to disappear any time soon, but the next best thing is happening.

Deepening globalisation has brought in new challenges (as well as benefits) that are compelling the various races to come together to work things out, instead of bickering over petty racial issues.

One perceived threat from the people’s point of view is immigration.

While the large-scale arrival of foreigners – mainly from China and India – has contributed significantly to the overall economy, locals perceive it as a threat that cuts across racial lines.

The strongest resentment against the presence of Chinese mainlanders, for example, has not come from the Malays or Indians, but from local Chinese.

Similarly local-born Indians have hit out against the new arrivals from their former motherland.

Race issues have been replaced by a common feeling that the local population is slowly becoming a minority in its own country as an overwhelming number of foreigners arrives.

To a large extent, this has helped to bond them. “Its an emotional thing. The foreigners have brought the different races closer together,” a social worker said.

“It’s sort of an us versus them mentality.”

When Singapore’s most dangerous terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari escaped from a high-security detention centre, a shocked nation sprung into action to set up an island-wide search.

Joining hordes of security forces were volunteers who spread across residential estates to distribute pamphlets with the picture of the wanted Jemaah Islamiah leader.

Many were Malays, as was the large number of security forces hunting for Mas Selamat.

“This man is a threat to us all because he wants to bomb us irrespective of whether we’re Chinese, Indian or Malay,” explained a middle-aged Malay housewife on television.

This is the latest evidence that race relations in Singapore, particularly between Chinese and Malays, have significantly changed from the violent 60s.

More Malays – like other Singaporeans – are marrying outside their race. Last year three in 10 Muslims did so, compared with only 20% in 1997.

And in a recent survey, 94% of ethnic Chinese undergrads said they would not mind an Indian for a Prime Minister, while 91% would accept a Malay Prime Minister.

This is Singapore’s new generation, born after independence in 1965. They have no living memory of the deadly race riots of the 60s.

Racial bonding has also another ally – education.

Last week I saw seven teenage students, obviously classmates, two Malays, an Indian and three Chinese, noisily lunching at a fast-food outlet. They were laughing and joking, oblivious of their different backgrounds.

This is actually a normal scene in Singapore schools these days (which still celebrate Racial Harmony Day every year), so common that it arouses little interest.

To an old journalist like me, however, who has lived through the worst of times of Chinese-Malay riots, the whole thing is a minor miracle.

Singapore kids have lived, studied, worked and played together for over 40 years.

To ensure racial and educational immersion, the authorities long ago imposed a rule that forbids neighbourhood schools from catering exclusively to any one race, but makes sure of a proper mix.

The same, too, applies in public housing.

The units of each block of Housing Board flats are apportioned roughly 70% to the Chinese, 16% to Malays and 8% to Indians.

Despite the progress, racial issues still surface even among the best educated.

Three young bloggers were prosecuted for posting racial remarks against Malays.
Two of them were jailed for making seditious remarks and the third sentenced to do work within the Malay community.

This would help him “correct his misguided dislike for Malays”, the judge said.

A shocking eye-opener came last year from – of all people – a Public Service Commission (PSC) scholar studying in the United States, Chuan Chen San, who remarked in his blog:

“The Singapore Association (in the campus) has become an Indian association, so gross. And some more (they’re) non-Singaporeans. It’s just so repulsive, these ugly guys with dark skin and irksome features.”

“I still find Indians and Filipinos (dark ones) so repulsive and such a turn-off. Anyway, so now we have this ugly mass as our president (etc).”

The only merit of the case was the universal condemnation by Singaporeans of Chuan, who was criticised in strong terms by almost every one.

More serious are complaints often voiced by Malays and Indians of job discrimination.
These minority job seekers are angry over employers who asked them during interviews if they were proficient in Chinese or whether they could speak Mandarin, even in jobs that require no special language needs.

Landlords, too, frequently display bias against dark-skinned tenants; many of the room-to-let advertisements blatantly rule out Indians.

The government has warned against such racial discrimination and may take action to stop it.

One person is not too optimistic about the possible emergence of a Singaporean identity that is free of racial, language, religious and cultural identities of its people.

The cynic is Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, who understands racial problems here better than most.

He said: “The melting pot idea (of throwing in all the races and hoping one day to pull out one people) is idealistic, but not realistic.”

(This was first published in The Star, Malaysia on Mar 15, 2008)

Who is SITI ONG?

http://jobsdb.com.sg/SG/EN/v6HTML/Home/indufo_hospitality_excellent_timefor_spa.htm Excellent time for spa industry Because of constant manpower shortage situation, it’s an excellent time for those who want to serve in the spa industry, top entrepreneur and spa owner Ms Siti Ong reveals

“Do not go into a service-based industry if you do not have a passion to serve others. Your personality traits are just as important as your skill traits,” warns Ms. Siti Ong who, in her 20s, has already made an impressive mark in the hospitality industry with her Wayan Retreat Balinese Spa in Kampong Glam. It was for this that she received the Women Enterpreneur of the Year (2006) Award from the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “My education background is in accountancy, which has nothing to do with the spa business,” she candidly tells JobsDB. “I spent several years in both audit and commercial accounting before deciding to set up my own business.” She has since gathered enough knowledge about the industry — which she believes is beginning to mature. “I’m sure everyone has noticed that many spas have mushroomed all over Singapore in the past two to three years. It is starting to mirror a ‘Bubble Tea’ syndrome… I think the medium- to long-term macro landscape of the spa industry in Singapore is a bright one. With the upcoming Integrated Resorts and the doubling of tourist arrivals in the near future, the spa industry, in general, would experience an enlargement of the existing pie, which presently stands at over $150-million a year,” she explains. She also notes a Straits Times report early this year on the country’s Top 10 most in-demand jobs. Spa therapist is one of them. “The industry is faced with a constant manpower shortage situation,” she warns. “Many spa operators are forced to take in unskilled and unqualified staff just to meet their short term needs.” And so, for those who are thinking of entering into the spa industry, this is indeed an excellent time. What does it take to be a spa therapist? “In general, equipping yourself with a recognised spa qualification would suffice,” says Ms Ong. Some of the commonly accepted qualifications include CISDESCO, ITEC, NSRS and World Masters. “However, to truly excel in the spa industry, it is not just solely about the paper qualification.” Natural touch. “To be very honest, an excellent spa therapist must have a very good pair of hands. His/her hands must be warm, firm and have great control of his/her strength.” Pleasing personality. “Additionally, it is important to have a nice personality with a [patience] to serve. Sometimes, I feel that Singaporeans are brought up in a culture preferring to be served than to serve — resulting in many service establishments preferring to hire foreign workers who are incredibly polite and proud to serve.” Ability to smile. “You must enjoy meeting different people from all walks of life and be able to smile even if the customer is not nice — it happens!” Did you like this story? We'd like to hear from you. Write to us at marketinginfo@jobsdb.com.sg

WHAT IS WAYAN RETREAT BALINESE SPA? “I decided to set up Wayan Retreat Balinese Spa (http://www.wayanretreat.com) when I realised that despite the growing affluence of the Malay community, there was no upmarket spa targeting the modern Malay women,” explains Ms Ong. Being a Malay herself, she was aware of the health and beauty traditions of her forefathers. “During the course of my market research, I realised there was no spa in Singapore strictly dedicated to the traditional health and beauty methods richly found in the Malay archipelago. Hence, I decided to [focus on] the revival of these age-old traditional healing methods as the focal point for my spa,” she adds. “A Balinese concept also appeals strongly to both the old and young, and goes beyond the confinement of the Malay community.” Wayan Retreat Balinese Spa is located on 61 Bussorah Street with telephone number 63920035.

Foreign population in S'pore crosses 1M mark

http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_161960.html

Highest jump in at least seven years helps lift total population here to 4.68 million

By Goh Chin Lian & Keith Lin

FOREIGNERS are coming here in unprecedented numbers, contributing to the largest swell in Singapore's population in more than two decades. The foreign population, which includes professionals, workers, students and their family members, was an estimated 1,005,500 in June this year - crossing the one million mark for the first time. This is a 14.9 per cent rise over a year ago and represents the highest jump in at least seven years, according to the Department of Statistics. The previous year's increase was 9.7 per cent. The number of Singaporeans and permanent residents here also grew 1.8 per cent, the same as the previous year. These increases lifted Singapore's total population to 4,680,600 as of June this year - a 4.4 per cent rise over the previous year. This is also the largest increase since 1982's 4.5 per cent. The figures, from the Department's annual report on population trends released yesterday, also covered statistics for marriages, divorces, births and deaths. Economist Song Seng Wun said the surge in the number of foreigners reflects the nation's broad- based economic recovery. 'Foreigners are lapping up job opportunities for sectors across the board, from financial services to teaching to construction,' he said. External factors figure too. 'Many neighbouring countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, have been on a strong growth path, so their companies have been setting up shop here as a base for regional expansion,' he added. Liberal immigration policies also play a part, said consultant demographer G. Shantakumar. 'We are attracting not just workers, but also students, in the hope of getting more foreigners to settle down here,' he noted. One newly-arrived professional is 36-year-old China national Hu Yen. The accountant said career prospects are better here and he is hoping his wife and son can join him. 'My wife's an accountant too, so she can find a job here. And my son will benefit from the education system,' said Mr Hu, who arrived two weeks ago. Singaporean Thomas Gan, 56, an operations officer, said there is no harm having more foreigners if jobs are aplenty, especially those that locals do not want to take up. 'But the aged and uneducated who compete with foreigners for jobs will feel the pinch.' Asked about the effects that an influx of foreigners might have on social cohesiveness, sociologist Paulin Straughan said she did not see an adverse impact. But she cautioned against negative stereotyping, such as saying foreigners usurp high-paying jobs, as this could lead to a less cohesive society. 'We need to be careful, and not grow a culture of resentment among locals,' she said. The annual report also showed that the total fertility rate rose a notch to 1.26 last year. While this is up from 1.25 a year earlier, it is still far below the 2.1 figure needed to replace the population. chinlian@sph.com.sg klin@sph.com.sg

Uncouth Foreigners - have we seen 'em all???

taken from STOMP: http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singaporeseen/viewContent.jsp?id=21878

Ugly Commuters

Posted on 06 May, 2008 10:02

Woman cuts nails, drops clippings on floor and says "you mean we're not supposed to?"

To the chagrin of a train commuter, this woman cut her nails whilst she was on board a train, let her nail clippings fall on the ground, and said to the former when confronted, "You mean we're not supposed to do so?"

Jess related the incident via email to STOMP on May 5:

"This China woman continued clipping her nails on the MRT and letting them drop on the floor even after I told her she was littering on the train.

"She just looked and said, oh you mean we are not supposed to? and carried on cutting them.

"After I took a photo of her she caused a commotion shouting at me to delete the photo and even running out of the train to take a photo of me with her phone just for spite.

"We need foreign talent in Singapore, not impolite and uncouth foreigners."

I'm not Pessimistic nor Negative?

Hey! I'm not pessimistic, ok? Yes true, Malays have made leaps and bounds in terms Education and Progress..... I'm not denying that at all.

But.... we are still lagging behind considerably compared to other races in this country. And what's more, with the coming of foreigners, skilled and unskilled, hey.... we are in REAL DANGER of also lagging behind them also!!!

ALAMAK???

Just ask yourselves, how many of you are NOW reporting to a Superior who are not locally-born? Too many to mention, right? Even my close friend, an associate engineer is now reporting a China-born PR and that really dismays him BECAUSE he feels that he is MORE QUALIFIED that this China guy and that manager job should be his. But what my friend forgets, and I dare not tell him, is that his CHINA manager is earning $300 less than what my friend is getting monthly.....

Well, tell me the truth if my friend has his job secured??? NO, not at all.... because any engineer from China comes knocking and willing to take $500- $800 less, the Management will not think twice in giving my friend a BOOT! Ouch!!!

I'm really in difficulty to let my friend see the truth..the whole BIG PICTURE.

So I approach him in another way..... I told him to UPGRADE himself....... since he's just a Diploma holder, I told him to a get a DEGREE.

I think now he is really convinced! Because he told me yesterday that he wants to take up a degree on Islamic Banking since there is SUCH a HUGE PIE in that industry.

I was pretty amazed.... my friend, a bolt & nut technician.... then promoted many a times to a post of Engineer...now thinking to an Islamic Finance Banker??? Pretty weird... too see him next time in long-sleeves & tie....

But having said that, you can see now that humans are REALLY ADAPTABLE to CHANGE...we really can adapt if we brave enough to face challenges along the way....

Let's this story be a motivation to all & myself.... AMAZING, right???

How much should MUMs be paid per month???

To all the Mums in the world: HAPPY MOTHER's DAY!!! You're simple the BEST!!! Thank You!!!


Interesting article in Sunday's Times today. HR experts estimated the economics worth of stay-at-home Mums. This is based on spending 30% of her time on marketing & housekeeping, 40% om supervising the kids's activities like a teacher, & 5% as a family motivator. This is also based on S'pore standard calculations of rest days...etc


So here's their results based on Mums' daily chores:

Executive Housekeeper (5 hrs): $280
Childcare Teachers (5 hrs): $193
Chef (3 hrs): $170
Personal Assistant (2 hrs): $ 90
Driver (2 hrs): $ 73
Total: $22,568 per month


But my estimation says Mums' contributions are PRICELESS!!!

Are you awake? Nod if you can hear me....

http://anh-tuan.blogspot.com/2008/05/to-be-or-not-to-be-spore-education.html

Dear Sir,

I believe you are making more claims, and making them much stronger, than what is in fact true.

I am among the ones you have implied as receiving more than their fair share of educational privileges simply because of nationalities, and just-above-average talents.

I have actually benefited even more than that, thanks to what you consider Singapore's double standards. For seven years, I have been paid to attend prestigious schools, and given much more stipends than the average PRC and Vietnamese students of yours. I have travelled to many shores far beyond the little red dot. many thanks to Singapore!

And so when I, and especially I, do not entirely agree with you, I do think I am in a better position than you are to understand if what you have written fervently about is indeed true.

I agree that Singapore could better use the resources allocated to attracting talented students from overseas. There are still thousands of local pupils who need the Straits Times' Pocket Money Funds for their meals.

However, what might not have met your eyes as you observe all the bright children from China and Vietnam lavishing on the financial incentives and opportunity privileges is what they, or rather we, have put in, have exchanged for, and have sacrificed.

Sir, you may have over-emphasised the monetary awards of it. the other side of the coin is the home-away years, many many years, the teenage angst that often meets with silence from the four walls that house us, and above all, the immense pressure to perform.

Yes Sir, we are showered with golden opportunities. But we have, as I have come to realise, in turn sacrificed more than what we can be aware of, especially as the years go by, and we gradually mature from the Singapore system. I have, and I have accepted the fact that I am not a Singapore citizen, and therefore whatever that I get will ultimately, and always, be less than what Singaporeans are entitled to!

After all, I would like to defend the status quo, that meritocracy still prevails in Singapore! One gets what one deserves! And failures shall not be tolerated.

Thank you Sir!

--------- In response to:

Double standards in Singaporean Education.

Singapore has many surprises for an attentive observer: one area that is rich in such surprises is Singaporean education.

Singapore is a country that prides itself on its uniformity and conformity. Thus one would expect that all within its borders would be treated in the same way, with regards to educational opportunity. In an ideal world, everyone would have access to the opportunities they need. Yet, this is not so.

There is an educational scholarship scheme which many people may not be aware of. Its express purpose is to recruit scientifically and mathematically competent students from other Asian countries and bring them to Singapore. The ones that I have taught are about 95% PRC (People's Republic of China) mainland Chinese students and the rest have happened to be Vietnamese. I haven't met one from anywhere else.

These almost entirely mainland Chinese students are given free education in Singapore. They are given free accommodation. They are even given a monthly stipend on which to live. One particular group even had a paid holiday in Malaysia (probably to show them what a wonderful place Singapore was by giving them the contrast of poverty - since it was a poor area they went to), recently. They basically have a free ride of it, for their time in Singapore. They are even given a choice of where they might like to get a degree out of a selection of overseas countries. Singapore pays for it all.

I can see why they do this. It is so as to recruit scientific talent for Singapore's tech and science industries. The idea is that many of these students will come to settle in Singapore and work here. So, in that sense it is a smart move for Singapore. Yet, I am not particularly happy at this particular programme. Why? Well, because Singaporeans are not treated so well.

We have sought special provision for Ainan's scientific educational needs for over a year and a half, now. Long term readers will know that we have encountered a less than generous attitude in this area. At various times, we have been told: "It is resource intensive to give him practical chemistry classes" and "There is no funding available" and "Why don't you go to a private school and pay for it yourself?" (This last was said by a member of the Gifted Education Programme...a very unhelpful organization, in truth.)

In that entire time, we have managed to secure six practical sessions for Ainan out of the education system (at Raffles Insitution and Raffles College). We were also offered one hour a week at NUS High School of Maths and Science, last year, which we ultimately rejected, because it was of material (at early A level) which he had already covered - and they refused to let him take practical classes. It simply wasn't worth going there, since nothing new would be learnt. All in all, it is not much of a response to Ainan's particular needs.

Now, Ainan was born in Singapore. His mother is a Malay Singaporean - so Ainan has Singaporean nationality. Yet, the contrast between the way PRC science students are welcomed to Singapore and enticed by large bundles of money and educational freebies, and the way we have met obstacles and refusals of support, in Ainan's scientific education, could not be more marked.

I find myself puzzled. Ainan is Singaporean. These PRC imports are not. Ainan gets little support. The PRCs get everything. Surely, this is strong evidence of double standards in Singaporean education? To get what you need, here, you have to be a foreign student on a scholarship. If you are a locally born Singaporean, you need not apply, seems to be the message.

Perhaps they take Ainan for granted. They think that, because he is local, that he is theirs already. The PRCs, however, have to be won over to Singapore's side. The funny thing about this is that Ainan is much brighter than any of the PRC imports I have met and taught over the years. He has much MORE to offer Singapore in terms of scientific talent, than any of these PRCs (or Vietnamese) students. Yet, except for a few token exceptions, Ainan's needs have not yet been met by the Singaporean education system.

Double standards are never fair - nor are they wise. In pursuing this course of action, Singapore will recruit some scientifically talented PRC students - yes. However, they will also alienate LOCALLY DERIVED scientific talent - unless they SUPPORT THEM EQUALLY WELL. The fact is, however, they don't. If you are locally born talent, you can expect no special support of your gifts - or very little indeed, certainly not enough to optimize your intellectual growth. If, however, you were born in Beijing - expect every cheque book to be open. That is the clear message of this programme.

Ainan's education proceeds at home, with us. Were it not for our support, he would be receiving NO scientific education, at this time, from the Singaporean education system. Is that the way to nurture future scientists?

I am sure the story would be very different if Ainan was a PRC child showing the same gift. He would be flown in, with his mother (probably), given a house, a scholarship at a good school, and money every month to pay his way. Unfortunately, for Ainan he is locally born. What he gets instead, is a lot of bureaucratic delays and time-wasting from the educational establishment. Far from receiving a scholarship, we are repeatedly told that "there are no funds available" and no resources, either.

So, the lesson is this. If you have a special child and they were born in Singapore, you should emigrate to China, at once. There you should revoke your Singaporean citizenship and become Chinese - and then apply for the Singaporean scholarship programme. You will be welcomed with open arms and suddenly everything you need for your special education would be made available. For true authenticity, you should speak English exceptionally badly for the first couple of years back in Singapore, just to make sure that you don't look out of place (just like all the other PRC recruits).

We have had to make our own arrangements for Ainan, since the educational system has proven unwilling to do so. Every other special child we have heard of, has run into difficulties too. They share one thing in common: they were born in Singapore.

It would be good to see a Singaporean education system that allowed all children to flourish - and aided all along the way, to reach their potential. It is not enough to focus on grooming PRC children to become Singaporean: they need to give equally good opportunities and support to locally born talent too.

Otherwise a strange thing will begin to happen: just as the PRC "talent" arrives, the local talent will leave. That is precisely what has happened to some of the Singaporean gifted children that we are aware of. They haven't received what they needed in Singapore - so they left for America etc.

Now, is that a smart education policy?

If Singapore did more to nurture its locally born talent, they wouldn't have to recruit PRC students to make up for the shortfall in talent. They would have created it in their own backyard, instead.

The next step for Ainan has been arranged, and will be announced at an appropriate time - but you know what: we arranged it ourselves. Those in the education system whose responsibility is to attend to these matters did nothing to help us, at all. Were we less persistent, nothing would have happened.

The others that we are aware of did not battle on, to secure what they needed here: they just emigrated.

The priority should be: first look after locally born talent, then look to recruit overseas talent. They should not begin to do the latter until the former has been addressed. Otherwise, the result will be that one's own people leave, never more to return. The foreigners who replace them, have no real ties to Singapore. There seems little wisdom in that.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, a scientific child prodigy, aged eight years and one month, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, four years and seven months, and Tiarnan, two years exactly, please go to:

http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html

I also write of gifted education, IQ, intelligence, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, College, University, Chemistry, Science, genetics, left-handedness, precocity, child prodigy, child genius, baby genius, adult genius, savant, gifted adults and gifted children in general. Thanks.)

Saint Sinner was here at 12:16 AM .

Dr M on HardTalk

http://heart-murmur.blogspot.com/2008/04/dr-m-on-hard-talk.html

I haven't watched any BBC Hard Talk before this, but I find the host Stephen Sackur a bit irritating, he talked loudly and kept interrupting Dr M, sometimes barely after he just uttered a few words in response. Maybe it's his style.

Hard Talk kononnya... but still, there is a difference between hard talk (discussion about tough topics) and hard to talk. Not sure whether Stephen Sackur understands that. Sure he can play 'hard' by grilling Dr M with one tough question after another, but for the audience's sake, let him finishes his answer.

What's the point of interview when you are so fixed on your own agenda, asked some tough questions yet leave very little room for the other person to reply. The audience is not interested in you asking questions but in how he answers them.

As Dr M sarcastically remarked "I am here to be lambasted by you, that's what you do".

Anyway, overall, I am impressed at how Dr M skillfully fended off Stephen Sackur's difficult questions and even countered several of Stephen's questions with questions of his own that left the interviewer stumped and with no choice but to quickly changed topic.

Some interesting quotes by Dr M:

When asked if he should stop sniping the present government
"Why should I be quiet, when they are doing something wrong to my country. I would be irresponsible if I do that."

When accused that "his sniping from the side" costed BN badly in the election
"Results of the GE show former supporters of the ruling party (BN), voted Oppositions, not because they liked them! They disliked the decisions made by the leaderships"

"The newspapers only report to him and make him look great. The PM was even misled by his BN members. He thought if he were to hold the election now, he would make a clean sweep, win big."

On whether the election's results showed that Malaysians now oppose the racially divided policies
"I know that was a wishful thinking on the part of foreign critics but the fact is that in this election result, it is due to the dissatisfaction on the part of the ruling party’s supporters with the present decisions.The present leadership should be blamed for losing the support of the BN MPs.”

On democracy
"Great nations in history had no democracy...and yet they achieved greatness.... a poor leader in a democracy can make a huge mess ...eg starting a war in Iraq."

"It is not necessary that the system will work for everybody, but if they have a bad leader, even a democratic system will fail."

"You must remember that it is a democratic country that dropped the atomic bombs killing more than 200,000 people."

"You must have a certain understanding of the limitation of democracy in order for it to work."

"It is necessary (to some form of control). All over the world, multiracial countries can be very unstable...In Ireland they had prolonged war."

On political ideology
"They used it for some time and then they found it to be defective. They dump it and they start on another. One day, they are going to forget about democracy because in some countries, democracy usually ends up with anarchy, and there is practically no government."

When accused of unfair trials and trumped up charges against Anwar Ibrahim
"What are the track record of these countries? These are the sort of people who arrest people without law and trial, like Guantanamo Bay, and even in this country and the States. The people were arrested with no trial at all.”

When accused of imprisoning hundreds of people who voiced out against him
“Who are they? The first thing I did as the Prime Minister, was to release many political detainees.. many of them from the oppositions.. 52 of them. You western media is fond of making up these stories and end up propagating them as the truth. Tell me who are the hundreds who I have put in prison?”

When accused of being anti Western
"I am not anti-western, I’m against the bad things done by the western countries."

On his harsh criticisms against the West when he was PM
"The British used to call us lazy Malays, incompetent Malays, untrustworthy Malays and we are expected to like it. We couldn’t say a thing about you, so when I was in a position to say what I think about you, and then said it, you don’t like it. When you say it to us, you expect us to like it, we don’t like it but we don’t have a way for our voice to be heard."

On Anwar Ibrahim wanting to do a full public inquiry into his misdeeds
"Well, he is welcomed to do so, but I hope that he finds people who are neutral, who are impartial, probably foreigners because I don’t trust people they are putting in charge of the people they don’t like."

On NEP
“It was a system initiated by my predecessors. The system worked for the past 50 years, and had worked very well. It was to correct the imbalance created since the British days”

On the people's discontentment on racial discrimination
“Malaysia is built for all. Everyone is prosperous. We have developed tremendously. All benefited from the Government policies and progressed. Why only now and not during my time?”

On Anwar Ibrahim's promises to rid of racially discriminative policies
“Now, there is an opportunity for him. He was in government for a long time before. He did not complain.”

On Anwar Ibrahim being savagely beaten
"Savagely beaten? I know he was slapped and he had a black eye which was very useful for election purpose."

Why he chose Badawi
"These people, they are very smart in hiding their true character, he was known as Mr Clean and I thought I should appoint a clean and pious person to succeed me...although he was not the one with the highest votes (as vice president)in the party but I thought that he was older and I appointed him thinking that he is not going to do anything very wrong, but this man gives greater priority to his family rather than to the country."

When pressed that he made a poor judgement in choosing Badawi
"Everyone made mistakes, you British voted for Blair who is a liar."

View Dr M on BBC Hard Talk with Stephen Sackur here.

Fault lines in Singapore Society

http://maos-corner.blogspot.com/2008/03/fault-lines-in-singapore-society.html

Recently there was a public outcry when the principal of Boon Lay Garden Primary School banned all non-halal food in the canteen, after a student took pork into the canteen for a sandwich-making session. The decision was reversed following the outcry.

Another incident worth mentioning was the one last year where a few bloggers got sued for posting racist articles and comments on their blog.

Both these incidents show that fault lines do exist between the different races and religions in Singapore, that race and religions are very sensitive topics here, and that the racial bonding is really not as robust as it seems.

Have you heard or made comments against the other races and religions, for example that Malays are lazy and that Indians are stupid? (I am a Chinese so I never get to know what is being said about the Chinese.) Do you bond more with those of the same race than with other races? Do you stereotype those of other races? It would certainly be unusual, if not downright odd, if your answer to these questions was no.

Personally, I have come across a lot of racist jokes and comments. I join in and laugh too, even though I know it is a show of social fragmentation and discrimination. You may accuse me of being hypocritical but I feel it has got more to do with the herd mentality – we follow the crowd. When everyone around you is telling racist jokes how can you resist the urge to join in, no matter what you feel about it?

Upon reflection, of course, I find doing such things particularly unsavoury. But then again, given a choice between upholding one’s ideals and risk being ostracized, what would you do?

So, what do we do about this? Do nothing and allow such fault lines to further widen, eventually fragmenting our society into different racial groups? Was the lesson of the 1963 race riots in vain? Must there be bloodshed in the streets again before we, the younger generation learns the lesson anew?

Some may argue that the 1963 race riots were caused by UMNO radicals spreading dissent, and that the lack of racial bonding had little to do with it. However, I must refute this in that the lack of understanding and communication between the races was the underlying factor for this. If the races had stood as one, the UMNO radicals could not have ignited such dissent that led to violence.

Evidently, something has to be done. As a mere one in the populace of four million there is nothing ground-shaking that I can do. What I can do is to encourage my friends to not be racist, and stay out of racist jokes myself. And so can you. Being one of a great many it may not seem that you are doing anything, but a society is made up of individuals, and one has to start at a personal level. In any case that is better than doing nothing.

My friend is a Singaporean Malay and i pity her (she wears tudung)?

http://www.globaltravelhelp.com/asia-pacific/20161

My friend is a Singaporean Malay and i pity her (she wears tudung)?

she has graduated with a diploma from a local polytechnic and is looking for a job in Singapore. Sadly, many posts require those who are bilingual in English and Mandarin.

There were also some cases when employers (during interview) said directly to her - we only want to employ Chinese people

and a hospital staff actually told her that the employer can employ her - but she must "compromise" (by not wearing tudung).

she feels she is "racially discriminated" - although the local media (including Malay newspapers), has mentioned that there are opportunities for EVERYBODY, or based on MERITOCRACY…

However, fom her experiences, she thinks otherwise….

and I have also visited Singapore few times…and many of the shops are owned by the Chinese…

referring to the recent unrest in Tibet….I was wondering if Malay Singaporeans are also suffering (in slience) - since many shops there are owned by Chinese…and the rental prices are very, very high (per month)

what u think?

---

Answer:
I dunno.. thats the reason why too much of Malay singaporeans moves to Malaysia.. sad, rascist singapore!!! i dunno what to say.. Doctors there cant were tudung, and then Malay never gets to be judge… I dont know.. She has to be strong… Ask her to open her own company.. I h8 singapore!!!! Talking about multiracialism… damn!!!

Truth must prevail!!!

It's still a struggle for jobless over-40s

http://politics.sgforums.com/forums/10/topics/309713?page=1

It's still a struggle for jobless over-40s
By Radha Basu


MADAM T. Nalaayini, 58, has been looking for a job since early this year.

The unmarried woman is the primary caregiver to her mother, Madam N. Karrapiah,
87, who has dementia. When the laboratory where Madam Nalaayani worked as an office attendant for the past 23 years decided to outsource some of its functions, she lost her job. She received a retrenchment payout, but she claims that after paying off debts, the money will not last her even a year. She used to earn around $1,200 a month.

She approached the Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC) for
help to find a job, but there has been no luck yet. 'I think it's my age,' she lamented, sitting in her two-room rental flat at Lengkok Bahru as her mother looked on vacantly. 'I need to take care of my mother. What if I can't find a job again?'

Her fears are not entirely unfounded. The Government has been working hard to
ensure that older workers find jobs, but at least one set of statistics made
available to The Straits Times shows that the efforts have yet to bear fruit.

Despite a booming economy and nearly full employment, the CDCs were able to find
work for only one in four of the 36,000 older job-seekers who sought their help
last year. The figures pertain to workers aged 40 and above. This despite the fact that all five CDCs have extensive job-matching efforts in place, offering career guidance and training to workers and persuading companies to employ them. The obstacles lie with workers and employers, say CDC officers.

The workers are often limited by circumstances, said Ms Charlotte George, who
manages employment assistance operations at Central Singapore CDC. The district
is home to more than 150,000 people aged 60 and above. Many of the vacancies that companies ply CDCs with are for jobs that are 'physically demanding' and unsuitable for older people, she said. These include jobs in warehouses, as crane operators or welders, or in dispatch and courier positions. 'The general perception is that the younger you are, the more fit you are and the older folk lose out, even though some may be very fit,' said Ms George.

Many are hampered by family and caregiving responsibilities that prevent them
from doing shift work. Madam Nalaayini, for instance, said she could not work
the night shift as it would distress her mother. 'She is used to not seeing me during the day, but I worry that if I leave her alone at night, she may not be able to take it.'

To make matters worse, many workers are rigid in their likes and dislikes, said
Mr Vengadesh Naidu, Ms George's counterpart in South East CDC. Some, for instance, want only jobs they are familiar with. Recently, a retrenched 45-yearold who had been a welder all his life asked for help. The CDC offered him jobs as a delivery assistant or gardener but he was not interested. 'He kept wanting a welder's job, saying that is the only thing he knew how to do,' said Mr Naidu.

Not all workers are as choosy. Mr Tay Teck Choon, 71, has been scouring job
advertisements since September last year when the art gallery where he worked
folded. He used to earn about $1,200 per month then, a far cry from the $15,000 he
earned before retiring as training manager of a multinational company in 1994. He knows the Government is encouraging older people to remain employed and he,
for one, is game. 'I have sent out more than 30 applications and have yet to go
for a single interview.' Even those seeking to fill training-related posts, for which he has experience, have turned him down. 'I've been told quite a few times that I am just too old,' said Mr Tay.

Yet, CDC staff such as Mr Naidu say that when approached by their officers, most
companies say they are open to hiring older workers. 'However, their recruitment patterns often show otherwise,' said Mr Naidu. One of his clients, part-time dishwasher Pushpa Rani, 54, was sent to an interview for the job of a laundry assistant with an old folk's home. 'I went for the interview and was told later that the position had already been filled,' said Ms Pushpa. But the CDC found the firm continuing to advertise for the post after that, said Mr Naidu.

Employers such as Mr Gary Haris of KH Security Agency say it is not ageism that
keeps older workers out in the cold. Market dynamics often play a deciding role. Close to 80 per cent of the company's estimated 170 security officers are aged 50 and above, thanks to a deliberate decision to hire older workers. But the policy has come with a price. 'We often find ourselves losing contracts to competitors who have a younger workforce,' said Mr Haris. 'We may want older workers, but our clients don't.'

There are other pitfalls. Last year, after asking for the 'age profile' of its
workers, the company's insurer hiked insurance costs from $10,000 to $70,000. Although the company found another insurer who offered a lower price, Mr Haris
said it was virtually impossible to insure an employee older than 70. 'Exorbitant premiums may thus dissuade companies from hiring older workers.'

Labour MP Halimah Yacob acknowledges that finding jobs for older workers is an
'uphill task', given Singapore's steady supply of cheap foreign labour. Companies that hire substantial numbers of older local workers should be 'more favourably considered' when they apply for work permits for foreign workers, said Madam Halimah, who is deputy secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress. 'That could nudge employers to hire more older workers,' she said.

What other bloggers say???

extracted from: http://utopia8787.blogspot.com/2008/05/foreigners-is-killing-sg.html

Saturday, May 3, 2008

foreigners is killing Sg

SINGAPORE: Instead of accusing foreign workers of taking jobs away from Singaporeans, one company said Singaporeans should be thankful that foreign workers are able to help the country's economy to grow.

This stance coincides with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's message in his May Day Rally speech on Thursday.

Chinese national Yu Ruo came to Singapore about seven years ago and found a job at manufacturing company, Makino Asia.

With a stable income, he was able to bring his wife to Singapore two years ago, and the couple applied for permanent residency last month.

"First of all, Makino Asia is one of the better known companies in the industry, so this attracted me to come to Singapore and settle here," said Yu.

About 15 percent of Makino Asia's 470 employees are foreign workers. Over the years, 30 percent of them have become permanent residents or Singapore citizens.

Unfortunately, not all Singaporeans welcome foreign workers with open arms.

"For the time being, foreigners are not allowed to work in this market," one Singaporean said.

"Yes, they (foreigners) are stealing our rice bowl. And most of them are using illegal means," another said.

Dr Moh Chong Tau, CEO of Makino Asia, said: "I do not agree. In fact, we should be thankful to them for creating more jobs for us... For jobs that are not taken up by Singaporeans, we get foreigners to occupy those vacancies in order to create more jobs."

He also said Singaporeans who feel their jobs are being taken away by foreigners are short-sighted.

"This group of people should not be fearful about losing low-end jobs to foreign workers. They should take the opportunity to acquire more skills and enhance their revenue and livelihood," he said.

Dr Moh believes Singaporeans should compete with advanced countries where the value of jobs is much higher, which means such jobs also command better wages.

- CNA/so

BUY MAKINO ASIA'S SHARES TODAY!!

i am sure they are going to get a lot of government deals soon. their stock price is going to rise faster than PM Lee rises to become a Brigadier General in the army.

"This group of people should not be fearful about losing low-end jobs to foreign workers. They should take the opportunity to acquire more skills and enhance their revenue and livelihood"

wow. what a standard answer our NTUC labor chief would say!!

there is over 200, 000 low-income Singaporean workers. lets take a case study:

how is a 50 year old dishwasher uncle afford THE SPARE CASH AND TIME to go for retraining?

1) he has overdue bills to pay, and the only hope is probably wait for government's WIS. may i ask what is the probability of him abandoning his low-pay job and go for training while the bills snowball?

2) lets say he only speaks mandarin and don't even know how to spell A to Z. can the training and course be conducted in Chinese for him?

hey CEO, talk is easy. your operation managers must hate you very much.

ok back to the China worker case. hey no, he is a PR now and might be turning singaporean citizen very soon. oh and maybe not the distant future, he might be moving to the US or Australia using his Singapore citizenship. i don't know about him, but a lot of these "new Singaporeans" are doing so.

as it seems, most Singaporeans-in-the-street are very unhappy with foreigners here. probably not the elites, like the CEOs of MNCs like Makino Asia i believe.

surprisingly, despite the large unhappiness, none of our "elected" MPs has raise this issue of overpopulating foreigners in our parliament.

aren't the "elected" MPs supposed to represent this particular group of Singaporeans?

clearly, not so.

perhaps they are afraid of offending PM Lee, who has already stated clearly that he is pro-foreigners in his May Day Speech.

anyway back to the point.

if Singaporeans can see that the influx of foreigners has directly resulted in a rise of employment and higher pay among Singaporeans, will there be an argument at all?

no, of course not.

since there're so many foreigners, can PM Lee answer:

1) why do we still have high unemployment rate up to 56% for Singaporeans aged between 55 to 60 years old? oh all above 60 are virtually unemployed hahah

2) why do Singaporeans constantly urged to keep their pay "competitive", or low to be blunt?

PM Lee and the elites are out of touch with the grounds.

Why PM has to explain & explain?

Foreigners do not take jobs away from locals: PM
By Sue-Ann Chia
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that some Singaporeans think that foreign workers are the problem because they are under-cutting the wages of locals. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM THE simmering resentment that some locals have against foreigners was addressed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who sought to assuage concerns. His message was clear: Foreigners do not take jobs away from locals. 'I hope Singaporeans will look at the contributions of foreign workers objectively - they are not here to steal our jobs, but to help us enlarge the economic pie,' he said in his May Day rally speech on Thursday. Foreigners form about 30 per cent of Singapore's workforce, a figure that has remained unchanged for years. But there has been a recent spike in the number of foreigner coming here to work to fill the bumper crop of new jobs. He also cited former labour chief Lim Boon Heng's comments last month about the competition between local and foreign beer ladies. Mr Lim, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, said if foreign beer ladies attracted more customers, the coffeeshops will have more business. This would indirectly help locals keep their jobs. Mr Lee noted that some people disagreed with Mr Lim's answer. 'I also think it may not be a good thing to have more pretty beer ladies who encourage people to drink more,' he said to laughter from the 1,500 unionists, employers and government leaders gathered at Downtown East. Still, Mr Lee acknowledged that Mr Lim had a serious point, and went on to list the value of foreigners. One, foreign workers are hardworking and willing to work long hours. By hiring them, coffeeshops can open late or even round the clock. Two, with the help of foreign workers, the airport, seaport, factories, offices, hotels, restaurants and retail outlets here can offer better service and business hours. '365 days a year, 24 hours a day, they can run their operations, service their customers, and so strengthen Singapore's overall competitiveness,' he said. Three, if smaller business, especially the neighbourhood shops, can hire some foreign workers on top of locals, they can reduce business costs and stay afloat. 'Then, even their Singaporean employees will lose their jobs,' he added. But Mr Lee also assured Singaporeans that the Government was controlling the inflow of foreign workers with levies and limits set on the number employers can hire. 'This gives Singaporean workers the edge in competing for jobs,' he noted. Labour chief Lim Swee Say also weighed in on the issue, saying that foreigners were an 'easy target' for Singaporeans to blame when things go wrong. 'If Singapore was to send back all the 30 per cent of workers who are foreign workers, are we better off?' he asked. But they are not the problem, he noted, adding: 'Let us be very clear. Foreign workers...are our friends, they are our partners because they are here working together with us...that makes us the No. 1 workforce in the world.'

Let's Look at It THIS WAY....

It really pained me to say this but I have no choice if I'd want to see your brothers & sisters progress as much & far as I want them to be. So I'm biting the bullet to say this....

The truth is we can see that generally the low-end type of job...like pest control, delivery, cleaning services are the types of work that Malays are majority in.

These types of jobs, yes very honorable as they are, can be easily done by a cheaper and much younger foreign workers. Our brothers who are in these types of work need to be AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID because at anytime their BOSSES can fire them because they are TONS of foreign workers queuing for these jobs and are willing to take even 30%-50% less in salaries!!!

What can we do NOW? Hung our heads & cry???

No need.... because what we need to do is to see whether we have any brothers, relatives, nephews who are in these types of jobs. High Chance there are.... We just advise that person to upgrade himself. Though I know it is NOT EASY to convince them...

The person will say, "no need to upgrade lah... if you want to help, can you loan me few bucks to clear many of those outstanding bills?" Then, that became a TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY all together.

I understand that by upgrading themselves, they can get better job, can get promoted, pay rise....etc... with that they can give their children better education by getting them tuition classes, good assessments books for practice, get them PCs, good health supplements like brain-booster...etc

With more money, more opportunities......A BETTER QUALITY of LIFE...really!!!

Mari GUNAKAN OTAK!!!

Di petik dari Sebuah Keluhan Seorang Gadis 19 Tahun:- http://illa-equitas.blogspot.com/2007/10/im-completely-dissatisfied-with.html

I'm completely dissatisfied with the education ministry's decision to allow the Normal Academic students to forego the 'O' Levels supposedly at their fifth year and head straight for ITE after their fourth year.

Let me explain the darn system. I was from the Express stream where we take the O's after 4 years them move on to JC/Polytechnics/ITE. The weaker kids are in the NA stream and take 'N' lvls after 4 years. Ideally, they pass it and move on to the fifth year where they'll get to take the 'O's.

No disrespect to anyone, but as the whole country knows, Institute of Technical Ed is like the bottom of pre-U education routes after JC and polytechnic. I'm not proud of it but my fellow Malays invariably form the majority of ITE students. The sad thing is that these students have such misplaced pride in their position.

Don't tell me I'm wrong to say they shouldn't be proud. Don't try reminding me that some of the kids in ITE had perfect grades in their O/N Lvls. And don't even try giving me the crap about the ITE winning this-and-that award and is now labeled the jewel in Singapore's educational crown. Please don't kid yourself by thinking that these achievements were largely due to the Malays in the institutes.

Lets all be frank with ourselves - 95% of the Malays who got into ITE either (a) had shitty grades and had no damn choice on where to go after secondary school except ITE. or (b) they failed their fourth year's N Levels on purpose to get into the ITE where a purportedly cooler, less stressful education is visualized to be at. The plus point for them other than not having to study for the O's is that they get to meet other equally futureless flirts who think that the most important thing in a school is a boyfriend/girlfriend. The ITE is seriously made out to be something of a dating network. I'm speaking as a person who has a substantial lot of ITE buddies here, including a pretty close friend.

And now, the ministry's giving these N.A kids the choice of heading straight for ITE without having to opt out from/fail their final exams. What do you think these slackerheads will do?

Mr Minister, do you honestly feel for a second that the lot of them would even bloody think about studying for the damn O's when you're provided them with such a comfortable chocie?

Do you honestly think that they'll fulfill your expectation/anticipation and aspire for higher education after ITE? And yo, as if we don't know that these people are mostly Malays-- Malays who would take the easier way out of anything at the drop of a hat.

I can just imagine the various consequences :
-Higher unemployment rates for the Malay community..
-Lower income..
-Higher crime rates...
-More need to seek (financial) help from the governmental bodies... etc.

A fucking burden to society, that's what. And trust me when I say I predict "terrible family planning" to be slotted in somewhere in between the mess to add on to the problems. Soon, all KFC cashiers, Pizza Hut waiters & McD delivery men will be Malays.

Seriously, the ministry's not helping fuck by allowing such things. What exactly do you mean by expanding the whole education shit? You jolly well KNOW that the Malays will make up the huge majority of the people concerned, and you know darn well that like 60-70% of them will undoubtedly head for ITE. So what in hell are you trying to do, sir? Push us deeper into the mud?

Thanks. I didn't think that was possible. Silly me.

A couple of people have told me this thing shouldn't affect me since I'm in a JC and all. Sorry guys, but I just find it terribly sad that the future of my community is practically going to the dogs. I really hope we'll start using our brains for once and realize that we're not only living for today.

As Raf said, "It's amazing how many Malay students just don't think about their future."
Je sais.

Best of LUCK to my (LUCKY) 13!!!!

After reading my last week posting on how EASY to Get a GOOD RECOGNISED DIPLOMA, many readers email me to get more details.

This is VERY ENCOURAGING! Because it really shows that we MALAYS have the wanting for SUCCESS.... to upgrade, to work hard for promotions and ultimately RISING our QUALITY of LIFE.

OK, some mentioned that they have no money to take diploma. So I recommend them various education loans from banks. I reckon that if people are willing to loan for home renovations, buying cars...even taking a loan to get a big fat gold chain... then taking a loan for EDUCATION UPGRADING is MUST!!! A REAL INVESTMENT!!!

Some also asked me what DIPLOMA they should get? My answer is simple. Let's check out what DIPLOMA the EMPLOYERS APPRECIATE. So they sat with me and we do reseach on the various current job placements to have the visibility what the JOB MARKET REALLY REQUIRES? Then I allow them to make up their mind & whether thay have the aptitude to do the course they chose.

Then some mentioned that they are working shifts so NO TIME to study. So, I provide them the list of training schools which are flexible in their course scheduling and make REAL efforts to compromise the timetables.

So to these (LUCKY) 13 individuals, I wish you all BEST of LUCK!!! Stay-in-touch!!! Once you got your Diplomas, we can celebrate... I Belanja, promise.... I don't mind at all? Because our Community will surely GAIN with having more & more educated people amongst OUR FOLD.

For the rest who are still without a Diploma, my door is always OPEN for you...may you are given the taufiq & hidayah ... to improve yourself in this dunia & akhira.... Ameen...

Email me: fundblog@gmail.com

Pengalaman Melayu Singapura Merentas Globalisasi – Mohd Raman Daud

Selaku Pengerusi Asas 50 Singapura, Saudara Mohd Raman Daud banyak terlibat dengan aktiviti budaya dan kebajikan masyarakat Melayu di Singapura. Beliau mengatakan bahawa masyarakat Melayu adalah kumpulan minoriti yang paling tercabar dengan gelombang globalisasi terutama pada aspek pekerjaan, fahaman, sosial dan pendidikan.

Pekerjaan – Para pekerja Singapura perlu bersaing secara terbuka tanpa dasar perlindungan pemerintah. Memandangkan purata orang Melayu paling rendah taraf pendidikan dan kemahirannya, peratusan pembuangan kerja di kalangan mereka adalah tinggi. Selain itu, sebahagian masyarakat Melayu berhadapan dengan diskriminasi pekerjaan seperti syarat bahasa Mandarin sebagai kelayakan. Namun, campurtangan pemimpin Melayu sedikit sebanyak mengurangkan bentuk diskriminasi ini.

Fahaman- Sejak berlakunya peristiwa serangan 11 September 2001, Singapura amat berjaga-jaga terhadap pengganas kerana hubungan baiknya dengan Amerika Syarikat. Justeru, para pemimpin Islam Singapura mengambil peranan bagi menjaga keharmonian dan kesucian Islam seperti mengeluarkan kenyataan yang mengutuk keganasan serta meluaskan dialog dan rumah terbuka di masjid. Para ulama dan asatizah telah bergabung mewujudkan Kumpulan Pemulihan Agama (2003) bagi membimbing Muslim Singapura yang terlibat dalam penyelewengan akidah dan sebagainya.

Sosial- Keterbukaan Singapura sebagai kota kosmopolitan dengan tarikan pusat peranginan bersepadu telah mengundang warga asing, pengaruh maya dan media antarabangsa kepada masyarakatnya. Nilai kekeluargaan timur mulai tercabar apabila budaya kuning seperti homoseksual, feminisme dan lain-lain meresapi anak-anak muda. Malah, kaum Melayu Singapura paling ramai terlibat dalam masalah sosial seperti penagihan dadah, penceraian, dan penzinaan. Namun, badan-badan agama Islam dibantu pertubuhan kebajikan Melayu tidak putus berusaha membasmi masalah ini.

Pendidikan- Pencapaian anak-anak Melayu Singapura telah boleh dibanggakan. Malah dalam ujian Sains dan Matematik sedunia, anak Melayu Singapura muncul antara yang terbaik. Kini, persaingan sengit masyarakat di negara maju memberi impak positif kepada anak-anak Melayu untuk berusaha dan berdikari malahan ramai di antara mereka melanjutkan pengajian di luar negara.

Menurut Saudara Raman lagi, walau bagaimanapun jatidiri orang Melayu masih utuh kerana penggunaan bahasa Melayu dan kegiatan budaya Melayu yang rancak serta pengamalan Islam yang utuh di Singapura.