29 August 2010

Singaporean arrested after Facebook attack on govt -  XinMSN News: Singapore News “要烧维文和行动党” 男子面簿留言煽动被捕

http://news.xin.msn.com/en/regional/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4295467
By Agence France-Presse, Updated: 25/08/2010
Singaporean arrested after Facebook attack on govt

A Singaporean man who attacked the ruling party on Facebook and urge people to "burn" a cabinet minister has been arrested on charges of inciting violence, police said Wednesday.

In a statement, police said they had arrested a "man in his late 20s" on Tuesday "in connection with investigations into offences related to incitement of violence".

The statement did not name the man or give details of the offence, but said that he was released on bail pending further investigation.

Local media identified him as Abdul Malik Ghazali, 27, who posted a series of comments on the social networking site critical of how Singapore is hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

The August 14-26 event, held for competitors aged from 14 to 18, has generated limited public interest, with many events blighted by empty seats and the host country's athletes faring badly.

Vivian Balakrishnan, the minister for community development, youth and sports, has come under particular fire from online critics over the games.

Abdul Malik's postings on his own Facebook page and on a separate group account called "I hate the Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee" are also critical of Singapore's ruling People's Action Party (PAP).

Abdul Malik, who works for a company specialising in wood and flooring, said on his Facebook page that he was arrested "due to my involvement in anti-YOG and anti-PAP Facebook pages".

One of his postings highlighted recent floods in Singapore, the escape of detained terror suspect Mas Selamat Kastari, the amount of money spent to host the games and reports of the poor standard of food served for games volunteers.

He said it was time to "burn" the sports minister and the PAP.

"Rally together and vote them out!!!" he wrote.

Abdul Malik said in comments published Wednesday by The New Paper that "the comment is a metaphor".

"I did not intend for it to be taken literally. I did not mean for someone to actually burn," he said.

In another posting, Abdul Malik referred to a version of the communist anthem The Internationale on YouTube and wrote: "This song is a call to rise against tyranny and oppression... Very suited to what is happening now in Singapore."

Prosperous Singapore -- which is spending close to 300 million US dollars to host the games, more than three times original projections -- follows a hardline policy on political dissent.

Public protests are banned without a police permit and anti-government critics in the political opposition and media have been successfully sued for defamation by top officials.

Some in cyberspace rallied to Abdul Malik's defence.

One Facebook poster calling himself "Kok Meng" wrote "seems like even metaphors are forbidden these days".

"Police should get a grip and let loose. We are a democracy."

Abstract from xin msn news
http://news.xin.msn.com/en/regional/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4295467

27 August 2010

《独立新闻在线》- 家人携七万联署跪求宽赦 杨伟光命运系于纳丹总统


http://www.merdekareview.com/news/n/14646.html
家人携七万联署跪求宽赦
杨伟光命运系于纳丹总统

作者/本刊记者 Aug 24, 2010 11:02:35 am

【本刊记者撰述】马来西亚青年杨伟光家人今早将宽赦杨伟光的请愿书和7万6500多分纸本签名联署呈交给总统纳丹,要求宽赦他救其一命,将死刑改为终身监禁。家人更跪在总统府门前请愿,总统府守卫以公路安全为由,促全部人离开。

杨伟光马来西亚代表律师兼杨伟光后援会成员饶兆颖告诉《独立新闻在线》,杨伟光的父亲、兄弟姐妹、伯伯、伯母等特地来到新加坡,提呈请愿书签名给新加坡总统。

他们大约早上9时30分便聚集在总统府前,起初守卫不让他们从正门递交请愿书,他们步行15分钟,从后门递交请愿书。

当家人呈交了请愿书后,守卫急忙驱赶他们离开,但是杨伟光的父亲仍希望可递交纸条给总统纳丹,恳请对方慎重考量宽赦杨伟光。但是守卫并不允准,家人才在门前跪了三至五分钟。

饶兆颖不解为何总统府的守卫如此紧张地驱赶他们,“守卫驱赶大家走之后,我们已经过马路去到对面,但是杨伟光的姐姐等人还不要走。他的父亲希望能提交一张纸条,却遭驱赶。”

她也透露,除了杨伟光的家人之外,他两个七八年未见他的阿姨也特地赶来,希望可在监狱见他一面,但是新加坡当局拒绝了他们的要求,以致他们带着遗憾回去。但是,杨伟光的直属家属都有与他会面。

此外,今天杨伟光代表律师拉维(M.Ravi)和沙巴州斗湖国会议员蔡顺梅也与他们同行。蔡顺梅昨天尝试到新加坡樟宜监狱见杨伟光一面但遭新加坡当局拒绝。

联署破十万大关

杨伟光后援会协调员饶兆颍今天下午发表文告表示,杨伟光先生的代表律师拉维、家属和后援会经已在2010年8月24日(二)早上,向新加坡总统府完成呈交7万6516份签名运动的纸本联署信函,以及马来西亚44名国会议员和15名上议员的陈情信函。

继昨日突破10万大关后,截至24日(二)下午5时,杨伟光后援会获得总共11万1331签名,其中3万3837来自网上签名、4万3466来自沙巴、3万3716来自大马半岛,以及312来自新加坡。

文告也吁请尚未签名的公众:尽速上网(www.petitiononline.com/SaveVK/petition.html)签名,或将签名运动表格寄到隆雪华堂,地址是:1, Jalan Maharajalela, 50150 Kuala Lumpur。

文告表示,杨伟光后援会(Save Vui Kong Campaign)衷心感谢社会各界的鼎力支持,促成第一波的签名运动达到预期目标。至于接下来的第二波行动,该组织将在近日内对外公布。

再推动“道歉日”运动

另一方面,后援会也将在本周四推介“道歉日”,并定下9月3日为道歉日。

饶兆颖(左图)表示,这是从杨伟光获得的启发,即杨伟光做错了,他想要道歉,但是目前已是生死存亡之际;但我们这些身在外面的人,经常都会做错事,因此,更要珍惜每分钟去道歉和弥补。

她说,这项“道歉日”运动已超越杨伟光运动,参与此运动者未必需要支持杨伟光宽赦的诉求,反之,这更倾向人道主义的运动,鼓励大家可以为自己做错的事道歉,祈求原谅,并且重新开始。

杨伟光后援会自一个多月前成立以来,便开始推行签名运动,要求世界各地的人,通过网上或纸上签名,要求新加坡共和国总统宽赦杨伟光一命,让因运毒而被判死刑的他,可以其剩余的生命,在监狱中宣扬切勿沉沦毒海的讯息。

杨伟光签名运动自7月18日开放以来,便获得各地人民的热烈回响,昨天,后援会已成功收集到超过10万个签名,突破了他们原定的10万签名目标!此外,佛教团体举办的抄心经以宣扬“远离毒海,珍惜生命”活动,也得到社会人士的回响。

曾拒绝宽赦申请

沙巴州青年杨伟光(右图右)因运送47克海若英而遭新加坡高庭判处死刑,新加坡总统曾在去年11月27日拒绝杨伟光的陈情,而杨伟光原本要在去年12月4日问吊,但其律师拉维取得展延执行令,并成功展延其刑罚。

拉维原订在今年8月20日再提呈新的宽恕陈情书给总统,但因为该国法律部长山姆甘(K.Shanmugan)公开表达应该处决杨伟光的立场而导致他无法这么做。

22 August 2010

古城遗书。关爱城市

 

乘着国庆日周末长假,和太太到马六甲、麻坡。我觉得虽然马六甲古城有很多地方很商业化,但是间中有一两间还是依稀住着当地人,或者是以传统工业/商店的形式存在着。比较新加坡的牛车水,刻意以旅游为目的的经营痕迹比较少,虽然如此当地人还是有话说。刚在马六甲买的一本《古城遗书——写给马六甲,记一城的美丽与哀愁》的书,是马来西亚星洲日报记者欧阳珊专栏摘录,记录她在在驻马六甲时候收集的资料整理和杂感。她是马六甲人,在书中她写到:“今天的马六甲人在普遍缺乏古迹认知的情况下,以‘发展’的之名装修、拆建、铲平;旅店、咖啡馆乃至采养燕窝的‘鸟屋’以渐渐蚕食的方式,‘消化’着老街的古屋群,消蚀着‘古城’”....“一个古迹可能是几百年岁月的累积,消失却可以在一瞬间,而且将永远失去、无法重来”。


对于传统古迹文化的关心保留,其实除了写书之外,摄影也是另外一种方式。《城市的眼睛》展览从现在到 30 日,假裕廊图书馆举行。《城市的眼睛》活动1999年于槟城发起,后来发展到太平、怡保、吉隆坡、马六甲和新山;2002年在新加坡由一群文化人开展。《城眼》希望从一般社会人士的角度,以摄影的方式记录社会的变迁,并集合共同的新加坡回忆。同时也希望大家在探索与观望岛国各层面的时刻,能够用心关怀社会,用眼睛记载时代的变迁。我在2003年接触参与《城眼》活动后,不久便从主办人的口中知道这活动可能结束,这时候又听到:“新加坡人没有回忆”和“身在故乡为异客”各种声音,便决定和子民兄一起扛下这个活动。我总觉事情说不如做,我们一直在讨论古迹文化的流失,如果不能够保留实体,保留收集现在可以拍摄到的影像,何尝不也是一个方式。我倒是觉得《城眼》的做法是一个比较前瞻性的做法,而且大家应该用各自的方式力量去做,不分彼此。

 

这几年办下来,碰到一些义务性质的团体组织常常碰到的问题,如赞助资金的问题、义工的去留问题、还有资料收集储存的问题,常常是王小二过年——一年不如一年;加上很多团体组织,都以更高的奖金和更大型的宣传来主办类似的活动,使到活动参与人数和赞助的经费都被分散了。这些条件不是我们没有奖金、没有宣传目、没有主题的活动所能够竞争的。其实如果有其它更有组织性和资金的团体活动,能取代《城眼》的活动,我个人是乐于见到的。但是这些活动很多是为了配合一些周年庆典或者产品宣传而主办的,通常没有持续性,而且影像的收集有特定的范围目的。所以我暂时还是觉得《城眼》还是有主办下去的必要。

 

开始接手办这活动后,我常常在思考一个问题,就是《城眼》的定位问题。主办《城眼》常常被问到的问题就是:我们要的是什么照片,我们的选照片准则是什么?这就让我想到小学的时候,当老师作文的时候出“无题”的时候,大家你我对看得景象。我常常觉得《城眼》因当是一个“城市人为自己的城市” (For the city, by the city dwellers) 主办的一个活动,我们提供的只是一个平台给大家,至于大家想为城市留下什么,则是大家共同的决定。但是基于展览和出版书籍的经费问题,我们不得不以一百张照片为一个准则。至于那些想要有一些提示的人,我的个人意见是尽量不要选择热门的题材,或者重复性太高的地点。

 

回到一开始提到,我在国庆日到邻国旅游的事情,看起来像是有点不爱国。最近蔡依林就回应媒体报道她不孝顺的事情说:孝顺不需要别人定义,每个家庭都有自己相处模式套。所以呢?爱国的方式不需要别人定义,如果还是想不到什么方式,就来看看展览,用眼睛来爱这个城市,爱这个国家。

 

注:《城市的眼睛》展览从现在到8月 30 日,假裕廊区域图书馆举行。开放时间是早上10点到晚上9点,入场免费。


(摄于2010年8月8日,马来西亚马六甲古城)



11 August 2010

‪縱貫線李宗盛-給自己的歌(首唱版0129)




李宗盛《给自己的歌》

想得却不可得 你奈人生何
该舍的舍不得 只顾著跟往事瞎扯
等你发现时间是贼了 它早已偷光你的选择
爱恋不过是一场高烧 思念是紧跟著的 好不了的咳

是不能原谅 却无法阻挡 恨意在夜里翻墙
是空空荡荡 却嗡嗡作响 谁在你心里放冷枪
旧爱的誓言像极了一个巴掌 每当你记起一句就捱一个耳光
然后好几年都闻不得问不得女人香

往事并不如烟 是的 在爱里念旧也不算美德
可惜恋爱不像写歌 再认真也成不了风格
我问你见过思念放过谁呢? 不管你是累犯或是从无前科
我认识的只有那合久的分了 没见过分久的合

岁月 你别催 该来的我不推 该还的还该给的我给
岁月 你别催 走远的我不追 我不过是想弄清原委

谁能告诉我这是什麼呢?
她的爱 在心里 埋葬了 抹平了 几年了 仍有余威

是不能原谅 却无法阻挡 爱意在夜里翻墙
是空空荡荡 却嗡嗡作响 谁在你心里放冷枪
旧爱的誓言像极了一个巴掌 每当你记起一句就捱一个耳光
然后好几年都闻不得问不得女人香
然后好几年都闻不得问不得女人香

想得却不可得 你奈人生何
想得却不可得 情爱里无智者

05 August 2010

Channel NewsAsia - Lapses & weaknesses in management of public funds in some ministries, govt agencies - channelnewsasia.com

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1073094/1/.html
Lapses & weaknesses in management of public funds in some ministries, govt agencies

By Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid | Posted: 03 August 2010 1932 hrs


SINGAPORE : Lapses and weaknesses in the internal controls over the management of public funds have been found in several ministries and government agencies. This was revealed in the Auditor-General's report for the financial year 2009/2010 released on Tuesday.

The report also showed the need for greater vigilance in the area of IT security.

But the lapses were not as severe as those highlighted in last year's report, which involved millions of dollars that could have been spent more prudently.

Some of the areas that came under scrutiny were how well finances were managed and how efficiently resources were used.

One ministry that did not fare well in financial management was Community Development, Youth and Sports.

Managing agents of three welfare homes transferred donations of S$34,907 to the accounts of voluntary welfare organisations (VWOS) - when the money should have gone to the homes.

At one welfare home, valuables and nearly S$13,000 cash belonging to residents were kept in cardboard boxes and shopping bags in the Superintendent's office.

The misuse of government payouts meant for patients was also uncovered.

Test checks at six nursing homes showed that between 2005 and 2009, as estimated S$1.19 million in government payouts was cashed by the homes on behalf of patients. But one home treated the money as its revenue, while the other five used it to pay for medical treatment and charges incurred by the respective patients, without their authorisation.

One of the homes also used the money to buy general supplies and equipment such as wheelchairs and safety vests.

Wastage of public funds was another issue. Here, the Ministry of Defence did not fare well. Checks on two camps revealed lapses in the way meals were accounted for - there were 63 instances of excess meal orders. These were covered up by personnel managing the cookhouses or servicemen who falsified the records. That resulted in unnecessary expenditure of about S$22,000. The report stated that MINDEF has taken disciplinary action against the personnel involved in the falsification of records.

There was also an instance when revenue due to the government was not collected.

The Singapore Police Force lost S$648,000 in revenue; for more than 10 years, it did not charge town councils and statutory boards a fee of S$25 for every Warrant of Arrest enforced.

This happened between 1997 and 2009 for several prosecuting agencies.

As for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it had over 50 cases of overpayment of salaries, bonuses, overtime claims, medical and dental subsidies to the mission staff, as well as double payment of medical expenses. These amounted to at least $5,800.

Other lapses observed include non-compliance with government instructions and guidelines such as an officer certifying his own claims.

The report said that although the amount of repayments observed from the test checks is not significant, the control lapses need to be rectified so that the system of internal controls is rigorous enough to ensure that payments made are correct and for valid purposes.

In the area of IT, security lapses were found in the government accounting system "NFS@Gov", administered by the Accountant-General's Department.

Over 640 end-user accounts were wrongly given access rights to an application designer tool. Some of the accounts would allow users to modify programs or records in the system.

There was also an unauthorised testing of a computer system at the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority that saw two invoices generated with incorrect amounts.

The report stated that the lapses should not be seen as reflecting the general quality of the internal controls in the bodies concerned, but they do point to the need for greater vigilance, especially in IT security as government ministries and statutory boards are extensively computerised.

A horizontal audit across statutory boards to identify gaps and shortcomings in governance framework and practices was also conducted. And it was observed that in general, statutory boards had in place systems and processes for governance.

The report will be deliberated by the Public Accounts Committee and where necessary, particular ministries would have to account for the lapses reported. - CNA/ms/ls