Racist Text Messages Spark Widespread Fear and Investigation

A series of deeply troubling racist text messages aimed at Black Americans across the United States has raised alarm, sparking investigations by federal and state authorities. These messages—vile and reminiscent of the language of slavery — began circulating shortly after the recent US presidential election, instructing recipients to report to a “plantation” to “pick cotton.” While the wording of these messages can vary slightly, the message itself is shockingly consistent. In most cases, recipients are told that they have been “chosen” to go to a nearby plantation to pick cotton, with some even claiming that a van will pick them up for the "job". The messages seem to go out of their way to provoke fear, with some recipients being told to prepare for searches when they arrive. These messages have been reported in more than 20 states — Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, New York, California, and others. What is even more disturbing is that they have targeted both students and professionals alike. In some cases, the recipients are young people, leading many to worry about the psychological toll these messages are having, especially on the youths. The FBI has now taken the lead on investigating these messages, with assistance from the Department of Justice and other agencies. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has also condemned the messages, calling them wholly unacceptable. Authorities are working to track the origins of these texts, but the use of untraceable messaging services like TextNow has made the process more difficult. Even so, the need to identify and hold accountable those responsible for spreading this hatred is urgent. These are not just crude pranks; they are part of a growing pattern of racial harassment, and there is a real fear among many that this kind of behavior will only escalate unless stopped. Leaders within the civil rights community spoke out swiftly. Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, condemned the messages as clear evidence of the rise in racist rhetoric following the election. In the wake of these messages, many recipients have expressed a mixture of shock, fear, and disbelief. Some say they worry for their own safety; others say the emotional toll these messages take, particularly on young people, could be long-lasting. There is no doubt these messages are a form of intimidation, and it is clear that the impact is being felt far and wide. For many, it is another reminder of the ugly realities of racism in America — realities that many had hoped would be in the past. The timing of these messages, which began circulating shortly after the reelection of Donald Trump, has sparked speculation about the role the political climate may have played in their rise. While Trump’s campaign has denied any involvement, many critics argue that his divisive rhetoric and the emboldening of certain hate groups during his tenure has had a lasting impact. Is it possible that these messages are a direct result of the toxic political atmosphere that has dominated the United States for the past several years? While the investigation is still ongoing, one thing is clear: the spread of these racist messages highlights the dangerous undercurrent of hate that continues to simmer in this country, regardless of who is in office. As the investigations unfold, the question remains: what does this say about the state of racial relations in the United States today? This is not just about a few people sending crude messages — they are part of a larger pattern of hate and intimidation that has been growing in recent years. And while the authorities are working to track down those responsible, the truth is this: the root causes of racism and hate is addressed, incidents like this will continue to crop up. For now, the most important thing is that those responsible for sending these messages are found and held accountable. But we also need to take a hard look at the culture that allows such hatred to flourish, especially in a time when so many are already vulnerable. These racist text messages are more than just words on a screen. They represent a very real and frightening reality for many Black Americans — and they remind us that the fight for racial equality is far from over. The investigation is still ongoing, and we must demand that those responsible face consequences. But we also need to think critically about how we can address the deeper issues of racism and hate that continue to plague our society. The time to act is now — before more lives are harmed.

Why the Former President Obama Firmly Endorses Kamala Harris

In the world of American politics, endorsements can be as telling as policy positions. When former President Barack Obama lends his support to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, it’s not merely a nod to his successors but a calculated endorsement reflecting deep-seated beliefs and strategic foresight. Here’s why Obama’s backing is significant and what it reveals about his vision for the nation.

A Longstanding Bond and Shared Vision

The relationship between Barack Obama and Joe Biden is more than just a footnote in political history; it's a testament to the power of collaboration and mutual respect. Obama’s endorsement of Biden stems from their robust partnership during the Obama administration. Biden’s tenure as Vice President wasn’t just a supporting role; it was a position that required him to navigate the complexities of governance alongside Obama. This close working relationship forged a bond that transcends mere political alignment.

Obama’s support for Biden is also a nod to policy continuity. Both leaders champion similar stances on healthcare reform, climate action, and economic recovery. For Obama, Biden’s policies represent a continuation of the progressive agenda that shaped his presidency. The endorsement signals confidence in Biden’s ability to carry forward a vision for progress that Obama believes is crucial for the country’s future.

Kamala Harris: A Historic and Strategic Choice

When it comes to Kamala Harris, Obama’s support is equally compelling. Harris is a historic figure—America’s first Black and South Asian Vice President. For Obama, a leader who himself broke barriers as the first Black President, supporting Harris is a natural extension of his commitment to diversity and representation. Harris’s groundbreaking role is not just symbolic but a substantive shift towards a more inclusive leadership landscape.

Obama’s endorsement of Harris also underscores a shared commitment to key progressive issues. Her track record on criminal justice reform, healthcare, and climate policy aligns closely with the values Obama has long advocated. Harris’s experience as Attorney General and U.S. Senator adds a layer of competence and practical insight that Obama clearly values.

The Power of Unity

In supporting both Biden and Harris, Obama is also endorsing their partnership. The Biden-Harris team represents a unity ticket that aims to bridge divides within the Democratic Party and across the broader electorate. Obama’s endorsement reflects his belief in their combined ability to advance a cohesive agenda, essential for navigating the complexities of contemporary American politics.

In essence, Obama’s backing of Biden and Harris is not merely about endorsing individuals but about endorsing a vision for America. It’s about continuity in policy, commitment to diversity, and the strategic capability to unite and lead. For Obama, supporting Biden and Harris is both a personal and political endorsement, rooted in a deep-seated belief in their shared ability to drive the country forward.

Paris 2024 vs. Earlier Olympics

 The Paris 2024 Olympics has been lauded for its innovative approach to planning and execution. Let's compare it to previous Games and identify both its strengths and areas for improvement.   

Positive Aspects of Paris 2024 Planning

Sustainability Focus: A hallmark of Paris 2024 is its strong emphasis on sustainability. The organizers have committed to halving the Games' carbon footprint compared to previous editions. This includes using renewable energy, minimizing waste, and prioritizing public transportation.   

Legacy Planning: Paris 2024 has placed significant emphasis on the long-term benefits of the Games. The plan includes repurposing existing venues, investing in public infrastructure, and developing programs for local communities.

Urban Olympics Concept: In contrast to previous Games that often involved constructing new stadiums in remote locations, Paris 2024 is embracing an urban Olympics. This approach maximizes the use of existing infrastructure and integrates the Games into the city's fabric.

Innovation and Technology: The organizers are leveraging technology to enhance the spectator experience, improve logistics, and promote accessibility. This includes using digital platforms for ticketing, transportation, and information sharing.   

Areas for Improvement

While Paris 2024 represents a significant step forward, there are still areas where improvements can be made:

Cost Control: Despite efforts to utilize existing infrastructure, the overall cost of hosting the Olympics remains a concern. While Paris 2024 has made strides in this area, there's always potential for further cost-cutting measures without compromising the quality of the Games.

Accessibility and Inclusivity: While Paris 2024 has made efforts to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, there's still room for enhancement. Ensuring that the Games are truly inclusive for all requires ongoing attention to detail and innovation.

Local Community Engagement: While the organizers have emphasized the importance of engaging the local community, there's always the risk of displacement and gentrification associated with large-scale events. Continued efforts are needed to ensure that the benefits of the Games are shared equitably among residents.

In conclusion, the planning for Paris 2024 represents a significant advancement in Olympic hosting. By prioritizing sustainability, legacy, and urban integration, the organizers have set a new standard for future Games. However, addressing challenges related to cost control, accessibility, and community engagement will be crucial for the long-term success of the event.   

WHO Announces End of COVID19 Pandemic

Promising COVID19 vaccines! Lower numbers of new infections! COVID19 is now under control! COVID19 cure found!

Headlines that we will love to see but reality is far less rosy. 

COVID19 is a virus. 

A strain of coronavirus not unlike past virus such as SARS in 2003, MERS in 2012. Years have passed and no vaccine, no cure has been found for SARS or MERS. The same is likely to happen for COVID19.

The optimistic put hopes on the huge efforts to find a working vaccine but what if  the end state is that the virus is here to stay?

The virus is selective. Many infected are just asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, carriers whom go on to keep the spread alive. These are usually the young/healthy ones with no underlying issues. The ones whom really suffer are the older/weaker.

At the end, perhaps we need to come to terms that it will remain as commonplace as influenza. People will die if they do not take care of their health. Life expectancies will be lowered as weakened elderly fail to overcome infections.

Life will have to go on. Hope will survive.

Singapore Presidential Election 2017

Will this election be a reserved one for the "Malay" community? While Dr Tan Cheng Bock's initial case for an "open" election has been dismissed, it is still up for appeal.

Should the reserved election proceed, the likely Presidential candidates for 2017 so far are:

1. Mr Salleh Marican (CEO, Second Chance Properties)
2. Mr Farid Khan Kaim Khan (Chairman, Bourbon Offshore Asia Pacific)
3. Mdm Halimah Yacob (Speaker of Parliament)

Mr Salleh Marican
He is of Indian heritage and lacks fluency in the Malay language.

Additionally, calculations by The Straits Times puts Second Chance’s average shareholder equity over the past three years between $254.3 million and $263.25 million, missing the eligibility criteria of at least $500 million in shareholders’ equity, on average, for the most recent three financial years.

Mr Farid Khan Kaim Khan
The question will likely hinge on whether he is "Malay" enough to contest in the Reserved Presidential Elections. It is noted that his race is indicated as “Pakistani” on his identity card,

Mdm Halimah Yacob
She has yet to confirm her interest to run for the upcoming Reserved Presidential Elections but some quarters have questioned her Malay-ness, noting she has an "Indian-Muslim father...who died when she was eight years old". Is Mdm Halimah Yacob Indian then?

It would have been much preferable to have never tried establishing a Reserved Presidential Election so that potential contenders are able to truly contest on an equal, meritocracy basis.

Should the 2017 Reserved Presidential Election come to pass, it is likely to be remembered as:

1. Clouded by the perception of it being an attempt to block Dr Tan Cheng Bock from becoming President
2. Reinforcing the belief that Singapore's minority races still require assistance regardless of how capable they are

The best case scenario for Singapore's 2017 President Elections that I hope for now is that Dr Tan Cheng Bock's appeal is heard by the courts and that the courts decide that the upcoming Elections should be made an "open" one for all races.

1. Dr Tan Cheng Bock likely continues to be ineligible because of the $500 million in shareholders’ equity criteria
2. "Malay" candidates still contend for the Elected Presidency
3. A "Malay" candidate wins in an Open Presidential Election

The intent of Reserved Presidential Elections may sound good but is fundamentally flawed. Having to set up a committee to decide if a candidate is a member of the community goes against our nation building, our pledge of regardless of race, language or religion. It also opens up a host of possibilities such as inter-racial marriages, adoption, etc that further complicate the entire process.

The President is supposed to be an unifying figure, Singaporean first before being Chinese, Malay, Indian or Eurasian. Elections are by nature divisive amongst the candidates' supporters but let us not let it divide us further along other lines.

Singaporeans First Party by Tan Jee Say

Tan Jee Say has been a common sight in Singapore politics in recent years. He first got into the scene when he contested the 2011 General Elections under the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) flag, then resigned from SDP to stand in the 2011 Presidential Election without securing any wins in both efforts.

Now in 2014, mid term through the mandate of the current government, Tan Jee Say establishes the Singaporeans First Party with a team of 11 founding members. While Tan Jee Say's credentials look good being an investment adviser and former civil servant serving as a principal private secretary to former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, he has yet to make a significant mark on the political landscape of Singapore. It stands to be seen if the SFP will grow from strength to strength or remain the likes of the Reform Party.

The initial reception to the SFP seems rather cool. The memories of the 2011 Presidential Election still holds strong in many voters' mind. Many had believed that Tan Jee Say diluted the votes for Tan Cheng Bock and resulted in Tony Tan winning by a razor thin margin of less than 0.5% of the valid votes.

The establishment of the new political party has definitely stoked the interests of many and spawn the Singaporeans First Party Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/singaporeansfirstparty

which has garnered many more likes than the real Facebook page of the party at

https://www.facebook.com/SFPSingapore

The bulk of the online chatter about SFP is about its manifest and party logo.


Wall's Ice Cream

Singaporeans First Party Logo
 



In attempting to put Singaporeans first, the party's manifest has put forth quite a number of proposals that advocates spending more on social assistances, healthcare, education, etc and even advocates scrapping the Goods and Services Tax (GST). It remains to be seen if SFP is able to work out the sums and deliver on their manifesto holistically.

Will SFP remain around for long in the political scene or exist to only participate in the next General Elections before fading into obscurity? We will not have to wait long to find out for the next Singapore General Elections has to happen by 2016.

James Raj is "The Messiah"?

The Online Citizen (TOC) just put out a Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/theonlinecitizen, that a James Raj is being investigated for offences under the Computer Misuse Act and it is believed that the police are investigating him in relation to the actions of "The Messiah".

Nothing done online is truly anonymous. Just connecting to the Internet gives you an unique IP address and there is also the MAC address of your network card.

Have the recent hacking cases been solved? Once the mainstream media starts reporting on this information, guess the local community searches are going to explode with the terms of "James Raj", "Anonymous" and "The Messiah" once again as people try to figure out who this character really is.

It will be interesting to see if a guilty verdict carries the death penalty as a report the The New Paper appeared to have had reported (http://www.tnp.sg/content/experts-threat-very-serious-matter).

Wage Shock Therapy for Town Council Cleaners?

Just last year in 2012, during the May Day Rally, PM Lee said "No" to wage shock therapy proposed by  Lim Chong Yah and The Straits Times reported National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Lim Swee Say on Friday said raising wages for the lower-income strata in Singapore would be a “very risky” move.

Professor Lim, who chaired the National Wages Council from 1972 to 2001, had proposed raising the monthly salaries of workers who earn $1,500 or less by 50 per cent over three years, while freezing the wages of those who earn monthly incomes of $15,000 or more for the same period to help to close Singapore’s growing income gap.

While there was an outright rejection at the point of Prof Lim's proposal of the radical approach, it appears that his proposal has actually taken root in government policies though it has not been referred to as "wage shock".

While the tripartite partners appear to be pushing for a different approach, the Progressive Wage Model, the execution of it appears to be equally shocking as well.

In recent days, the mainstream media has been constantly priming us for price increases. Consumers are being told that costs are rising as manpower remains tight, more needs to be paid for better service and such.

Out of the blue, the Town Councils can sign an MOU to raise cleaners' wages to by 20% from $1000 to $1200 despite not having undergone any trainings or significant improvements in efficiency.

"We would like to increase productivity, improve their skills and their salaries, so as to provide better services for our residents," said Dr Teo Ho Pin, coordinating chairman of the PAP-run town councils. Please show us the improvements before raising our service and conservancy fees again.

Punggol East SMC 2013 Election Results

Now that the by-election has been called, the results of the by-election of the Punggol East SMC will be delivered by the Returning Officer Yam Ah Mee on 26th Jan 2013. For Yam Ah Mee's fans, this will be his last stint as Returning Officer since he has resigned as Chief Executive Director of the People's Association.

Now confirmed as a 4 way fight comprising the People's Action Party(PAP), Workers' Party(WP), Singapore Democratic Alliance(SDA) and the Reform Party(RP), the election has been said to be shaping up as a 2 horse race between PAP and WP.

The media coverage of the PAP and WP campaign efforts had so far been on more positive notes than SDA and RP.

The results of the Punggol East SMC by-election is important coming right in the middle of the term of the current government. The outcome of the polls may be construed as a vote of how the government has performed so far and is likely an important indicator of how pollers are trending towards the next General Elections due by 2016.

Is the winning margin going to be significant or will it be a replay of the 2011 Presidential Elections when a razor thin majority necessitated recounts? What will the outcome be when the Returning Officer takes to the podium to declare "Pursuant to Section 49, Sub-section 7e, Paragraph A of the Parliamentary Elections Act, I declare..."?

Who will be the winner of the Punggol East SMC by-election? The PAP newcomer Koh Poh Koon, the already known WP candidate Lee Li Lian, the poor performing SDA candidate Desmond Lim who failed to secure even enough votes to retain his election deposit or the RP candidate Kenneth Jeyaretnam whom parachuted in all the way from the western part of Singapore to contest in Punggol East.

Barack Obama is Still President!

It was a very close call but Obama is still the President of the United States.

Congratulations President Obama!

Our Singapore Conversation VS The National Conversation (Singapore)

Our Singapore Conversation and The National Conversation (Singapore). Both look equally legit and both appear to be seeking to engage Singaporeans on PM Lee Hsien Loong's initiative of finding out where Citizens want to bring the Nation to next.

It is not possible for both to be the real McCoy and one is an impostor. The government initiated one is Our Singapore Conversation and the "fake" one is The National Conversation (Singapore).

REAL SITE: http://www.facebook.com/OurSGConversation

Many people are confused by the two because the nature of the postings are so similar. The National Conversation (Singapore) purports to be a citizens-led initiative to have uncensored national conversation but the truth of the matter is that the group that created this clone is creating confusion.

People are going to unknowingly provide their feedback to the unofficial initiative and wonder why the Government did not listen to their views when they should have contributed at http://www.facebook.com/OurSGConversation

The efforts of the legit Our SG Conversation are likely to be compromised as the clone dilutes the efforts in gathering feedback.

For national interests, I certainly do hope the admins of The National Conversation (Singapore) update their facebook information to clearly show that they are not the official government led initiative.

As a concerned netizen, I will encourage Facebook users to report The National Conversation (Singapore) so that something will be done about this impersonation effort.

No Easy Day's Mark Owen is Matt Bissonnette

"No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama bin Laden" is an upcoming military memoir by "Mark Owen". "Mark Owen" is a pseudonym used to supposedly protect the identity of the former US Navy SEAL whom participated in the mission that culminated in the death of Osama bin Laden.

Interesting approach and rather valid to cloak the author considering the sensitive nature of the work of the US Navy SEALs but it seems that this authoring mission failed badly with Matt Bissonnette quickly being identified as the real author hiding behind the name of Mark Owen.

While the mission to protect his identity has been a spectacular failure with the US Department of Defense closely scrutinising his unvetted book for potential security leaks and al Qaeda members spreading Matt Bissonnette's personal information for militants to exact revenge on him, the actual book itself if successfully released is likely to see rather good sales.

Originally scheduled for release to coincide with the September 11 anniversary, it has already been moved forward because of the large numbers of orders logged.

Bissonnette should enjoy his moments of fame now while he can and reap the profits of his book as much as possible. People in sensitive jobs typically keep a low profile for fear of reprisals and Bissonnette has certainly made many enemies aware of his existence. No matter how great the story is, I doubt it will be worth it incurring the wrath of so many.

Remember the fatwa calling for Salman Rushdie's death issued by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran that resulted in Salman Rushdie living in hiding for a long while. To date, the fatwa remains in place since fatwas can only be rescinded by the person who first issued them, and Khomeini had since died.

Tan Cheng Bock Most Suitable For Singapore President

Now that the Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) has granted Certificates of Eligibility (COE) to the four prospective candidates Tan Cheng Bock, Tan Jee Say, Tony Tan Keng Yam and Tan Kin Lian, it is time for voters to start seriously considering who is the most suitable candidate to assume the role of President of Singapore.
While ESM Goh Chok Tong has referred to Tony Tan as a "suitable candidate", my personal belief is that Tan Cheng Bock is the most suitable candidate amongst the four.

Why is Tan Cheng Bock the most suitable candidate for Singapore President? I will just list a few to share my thinking:

1. Tan Cheng Bock had been a PAP Member of Parliament and was the first non cabinet minister elected into the People's Action Party Central Executive Committee which means that he understands the thinking process of the Government of the day.
2. He was very popular gaining 88% share of the vote in the 2001 parliamentary elections which was the PAP’s best score in 31 years.
3. He had pushed hard for various policies such as CPF for tertiary education,  free HDB parking on Sundays and public holidays to promote family togetherness and Singaporeans first.
4. He is well known for being outspoken and frank and stands firm on issues of conscience.
5. He has voted against PAP on the NMP scheme despite the Party Whip not being lifted.
6. In my opinion, he is the most independent choice of the four candidates.
• Tan Jee Say has just contested in the GE2011 under the opposition SDP's flag and appears to be supported by the various opposition parties as he starts his campaigning. Familiar opposition figures such as SDA's Desmond Lim, NSP's Nicole Seah have appeared with him during his walkabouts.
• Tony Tan has been always been closely aligned with the ruling party and has been involved in GIC and SPH which he only relinquished recently when announcing his candidature. I find this to be a huge minus since as the Elected President, he may be prone to investment groupthink after having been involved with GIC for so long.
• Tan Kin Lian has not demonstrated commitment to run with the frequent flip flops of his intention to run or not run. This is a real cause for concern since to hold the highest office, one should be able to demonstrate a consistent position for the population and not waver constantly.
7. Finally, but perhaps the most useless point, Tan Cheng Bock reminds me of Wee Kim Wee, our immensely popular President whom passed away in 2005. The nation needs a fatherly figure to gentle remind everyone that we are One People, One Nation, One Singapore regardless of our political differences.

Having Tan Cheng Bock for President will mean that we get a candidate whom is not overly aligned to either the ruling party or opposition. A president who is likely to have a heart for the people and executes his tasks with a strong focus on conscience. A president whom is well loved by all segments of society... All that awaits is the result of 27th Aug 2011.

Flooding in Singapore

For many Singaporeans, when rain falls, the instinctive response was to do a mental check if the laundy hanging out to dry for the day had been retrieved. However, in recent years, the immediate response has started shifting to wondering if there is any flooding occuring.

The most serious case of flooding in Singapore occured in Orchard Road in 2010 when the cross junction at Orchard ION and Wheelock Place became totally impassable and the basement levels of surrounding malls got inundated. The Tessarina in Bukit Timah also made headlines with its basement carpark severely flooded and residents' cars becoming write offs.

The Minister for Environment, Yaacob Ibrahim, then called the event a "freak" event that occurs once in 50 years but yet more flooding occurred after that though not in Orchard Road, leading many to comment that many 50 years have gone by.

Fast forward to 2011, and flooding occured again today near Orchard Road with "waterfalls" being experienced in Tanglin Mall as flood waters got into the building. Areas such as Cuscaden Road, Hillcrest Road, Eng Neo Avenue, Sennett Estate near Potong Pasir, MacPherson, Toa Payoh, and Balestier, Bukit Timah Road and the slip road of the Kranji Expressway towards Woodlands were all affected by the flash floods.

The amount of rainfall that Singapore is getting does not appear to have increased significantly but why is the drainage that had previously been working now failing to drain runoffs quick enough? Despite official assurances to the contrary, many people place their bets on the cause of the issue to be the Marina Barrage which was officially opened in November 2008 since flooding start occuring after that. One theory that appears to make sense is "The barrage is basically a dam retaining water that is suppose to flow into the sea. It causes water tables in Singapore to rise. When the rain comes, the issue it not whether they open up the barrage to allow water into the sea which is already an impeded process but water has accumulated all over the place already to cause sudden flash floods".

For the 2010 Orchard Road flooding, the problem was attributed to choked drains which diminished the flow rate and the authorities committed to making stronger efforts to keep the drains debris free. Let's see if there is going to be any follow up on this latest flooding and the findings.

Pedra Branca Awarded to Singapore, Middle Rocks to Malaysia

It is official. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague in the Netherlands has awarded sovereignty of Pedra Branca island to Singapore, while the sovereignty of Middle Rocks has been awarded to Malaysia in its judgement passed today. As for the South Ledge, the third islet under contention, the ICJ ruled that it belongs to the state in whose territorial waters it is located as Awn Shawkat Al-Khasawneh, the Acting President of International Court of Justice, elaborated that "The Court has not been mandated by the parties to draw the line of delimitation with respect to the territorial waters of Malaysia and Singapore in the area in question. In these circumstances, the court concludes that for the reasons explained above, sovereignty over South Ledge, as a low tide elevation, belongs to the State in the territorial waters of which it is located."

This verdict brings the 28-year row between Singapore and Malaysia to a close. The dispute arose in 1980 when Singapore protested against a new Malaysian map published in 1979 of its maritime boundaries, which claimed Pedra Branca, which Malaysia refers to as Pulau Batu Puteh, as part of Malaysian territory.

Based on reports that were carried by The Straits Times, Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh would consider such a verdict a good outcome for Singapore since Pedra Branca is the largest and most significant of the three maritime features under contention and it hosts the Horsburgh Lighthouse which Singapore have been maintaining.

No more arguing over whether it is going to be Pedra Branca or Pulau Batu Puteh. From now on, it is Pedra Branca. Congratulations to Singapore!

One Nation Under Lee

"One Nation Under Lee " is a film produced by Seelan Pillay which painted a poor picture of Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew's stint as Prime Minister. It also tries to depict the social divide in Singapore as arising from the policies of the People’s Action Party. "One Nation Under Lee" included interviews with former Solicitor General Francis Seow, political detainee Said Zahari, opposition politician JB Jeyaretnam and scenes of various public protests which had taken place in Singapore.

So who are these names being mentioned in relation to this film? Lee Kuan Yew is a well known name internationally and needs no more introduction. Francis Seow was a Singaporean who fled the country while awaiting trial for tax evasion. Said Zahari was alleged to be a communist. JB Jeyaetnam was a bankrupt whom had been convicted of defamation and libel. But who is Seelan Pillay? Wikipedia holds no information on Seelan Pillay and this is a really unknown name to me.

A private screening of the movie was done by Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) on Saturday to an audience of about 70 people who paid $20 each to attend the event but the event was cut short by the police and MDA officials because of contravention of the Films Act.

It is interesting how some people are (at the moment) getting away with all sorts of potentially defaming remarks online when I was trying to find out more information about these people. Makes me wonder when will these people be made to substantiate the claims that they had so unthinkingly dished out...