A FULL-TIME national serviceman died in hospital on Saturday, three days after he was warded in the intensive care unit.  He was found unconscious early on Wednesday morning, trapped between a hydraulic sliding door and the door frame on the Republic of Singapore Navy’s RSS Persistence.  Lance Corporal Mar Teng Fong, 20, an engineering systems specialist, had been on engineering watch duty on Tuesday on the ship, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defence (Mindef).

Source: ST

Can the parents sue?  This is no act of God.  Rather, it is more likely due to a technical fault or a lack of proper training cum supervision.  This is certainly no ‘freak event‘ that our talented politicians can just say: What to do? It has happened.

No parent should ever bury his/her child.

SINGAPORE — Six terrorist teams brazenly attempt to sneak into Singapore aboard speedboats launched from a hijacked ship anchored offshore.  The navy detects the presence of the main vessel and alerts the police coast guard, which intercepts one team in a sea chase. The rest land at various points on the southern coast.  Carrying assault rifles concealed inside large bags, the attackers fan out in small groups by foot, train or taxi.  They target posh hotels, shopping malls and an underground station, shooting people at will and taking hostages before security forces overpower them.

Source: AFP

Sounds impressive!  But wait, in the next line it reports:  Last week’s elaborate simulation was modelled on the November 2008 rampage in Mumbai in which 166 people were killed and more than 300 wounded in a 60-hour shooting spree by Islamist gunmen who entered the Indian city by boat.

Somethings tells me that if the terrorists attacked Singapore instead of Mumbai, they could also be just as successful.  If a massive and targeted deployment of SAF and police could not prevent a limping man from escaping, how could routine patrols prevent 4 or 5 incoming terrorists?

And how could this be considered as a ‘new’ tactic?  It’s already coming to a year old.  We seem to be playing catch-up and this is what our highly-paid ministers and scholars seem to be capable of only.  A glamourised demo of defense tactics against old strategies that terrorists may have already forsaken themselves.  It appears terrorists who believe in militant religious doctrines are more motivated to innovate versus our bourgeois elites. 

In the end it’s we who suffer.  However, we can change that, but only if we want to.

The US military is tracking a North Korean ship that media reports said is heading for Singapore. The Kang Nam departed from a port in North Korea on Wednesday and is suspected of carrying weaponry, missile parts or nuclear material.

Source: CNA

This is quite an alarming development.  Singapore’s Foreign Ministry said Singapore takes seriously the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and if the allegation is true, the ministry said Singapore will act appropriately.  We hope our scholars at the helm of our military, and our highly paid Ministers of course, can make the right decisions.

On a lighter side, I wonder if they are coming to Singapore to cheer on their youth football team.

Today, the US is not a very liked nation. Russia and China, the two most powerful countries after the US, have distance themselves against US policies as far as war is concerned. In fact, these two countries have tried to build bridges with Iran, America’s next possible war target, and other Arab nations.

For Singapore, the government has been trying to perform a precarious balancing act. To please US, it has to show support for the war. However, China, being a party that resents America’s cowboy approach, prefers a non-war approach.

Source: Where Bears Roam Free

We are not interested to get involved in the war for control of oil. Unfortunately, we believe George Yeo has no say in such matters.

SINGAPORE Technologies Electronics has won a $100 million contract from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to build the Advanced Combat Man System (ACMS). Under the contract, ST Electronics – the electronics arm of Singapore Technologies Engineering – will design and supply a package that combines sensors, communication devices and a computer, compact enough to be carried by individual soldiers. With the ACMS, a soldier can, for example, summon the firepower of the entire SAF by just sending a text message back to his commanders.

Source: ST

According to the report, the project has been in the pipeline since 1998.  Production will start immediately and the project is expected to be completed by 2012.  I’ve no idea what this thing does (being a woman), but I wonder if this S$100m could be better spent on social assistance, training grants etc during this recession.  After all, is there any immedicate threat to us in the near term?  Do we so urgently need our SAF soldier to be able to call summon the firepower of the entire SAF?  Are North Koreans marching down the causeway towards Singapore?  Isn’t counter terrorism the top priority for us?  Would this system prevent a mumbai-typed attack? 

In any case, even if Singapore really needs it, since this pipeline is already such a ‘long’ one, couldn’t it be deferred for a while more?

Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd (ST Engineering) today announced that its land systems arm, Singapore Technologies Kinetics Ltd (ST Kinetics), has been awarded a contract worth about €8m (about S$15.6m) by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, Försvarets Materielverk (FMV), for the supply of 40mm ammunition.

Source: Defpro

Good news for our economy. I do wonder, however, in the sales of our ammunition and military equipment do we also check the intended use and re-sale of the items? Those who have watched Iron Man  may understand this point better.

We help ourselves. Don’t expect others to help

Tom Wright painted a bleak picture of Singapore’s property sector going forward at The Wall Street Journal. His article ended with the following:
“I’m yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel [for Singapore],” says Mr. Tan, the high-end broker.
We would expect people to continue to dig the dirt and tell it to [...]



Our skin isn’t as thick as it should be

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) organised a seminar on March 4 to discuss Singapore’s political blogosphere.  Tan Tarn How, Senior Research Fellow and Research Assistant Tan Simin presented their paper on trends observed in the blogosphere.  As reported in the TOC, the researchers identified the following limitations:

The online-offline firewall, while somewhat alleviated by offline [...]



Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew – The answer to the African problem?

Recently, I followed a thread “Democracy and Economic Growth” which started in PoliticsForum.org.   Apparently, members there often question the role of democracy in a developing nation. “During the wave of democratization in Africa during the 90s, many people had renewed hope for the continent, immediately equating newly established democracies to economic growth. Are these democracies [...]



Tell Singapore government: Ask them a question or give a suggestion

We informed people about the “Tell Singapore Government” subsite and have received some interesting reaction at some forums.
See: 3in1 Kopitiam, Sam’s Alfresco Coffee, Singapore Kopitiam, SgForums
Our responses to some of the comments are listed below. If we are not answering some other specific questions, that is because we do not know how.
 

Petitions

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

I don’t know

Our Singapore

As seen by people

• 
  

• Purpose

To observe, analyse, present our position, and call for action. Read our articles, give your views, and learn together with us.