Source: Channel News Asia

Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa has said the Indonesian government will not issue an apology to Singapore for the haze crisis.

Singapore has never asked for an apology from Indonesia, only action to stop the haze.

According to a report in The Straits Times, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said he hoped the Indonesians would adopt a neighbourly spirit. This came after remarks from an Indonesian minister saying that Singapore's reaction to the haze was childish.

Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam said Singapore had offered assistance at all levels, from aircraft to manpower, to Indonesia to combat the haze.

But unlike in 2005 when the Indonesians accepted assistance from Singapore, the current offer has yet to be taken up.

Mr Natalegawa insisted the Indonesian government would do everything it could to tackle the problem, reports The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network.

“The Singaporean government must be aware that we have done all we can to tackle this haze problem. Indonesia has been dealing with this for years and improvements have been made,” Mr Natalegawa said.

Mr Natalegawa added that both governments had worked together to tackle the problem, sharing information regarding the latest situation on the ground.

For example, he said, Singapore’s environment minister had been sent here to discuss the best possible solutions with his Indonesian counterpart.

Current visibility in Singapore is very limited and air pollution has breached ‘hazardous’ levels. 

Similar conditions are also being seen in Indonesian cities like Pekanbaru in Riau and Jambi. 

The haze is coming from fires in many locations in Sumatra and West Kalimantan.

Did you hear what Vivian just said?

Take a look at the video at the link below. Listen to what our dear Vivian has to say at 2:35:

http://www.razor.tv/site/servlet/segment/main/news/91928.html (sorry, I couldn’t embed the video)

These were his exact words:

We are probably the only country that’s publishing 3-hourly rolling average PSI. If you look at PSIs in almost any other jurisdictions, it will be on a 24-hour average and the updating is not going to be at an hourly interval and published almost instantly as what we have now.

Does Vivian think that we are idiots?

You want to know what the truth is? Just take a look at the images below and you will SEE for yourself what the truth is.

This is Hong Kong:

Hong Kong: Air Pollution Index (API)

This is Montreal, Canada:

Canada: Air Quality Health Index

This is London, United Kingdom:

United Kingdom: PM10 (particulate matter)

This is America/Canada – click on the link to see the real-time loop.

America/Canada: Air Quality Index (AQI)

Do any of these look like 24-hour averages to you?

Do they not get published instantly?

What is Vivian talking about when he said that Singapore is “in almost any other jurisdictions, (the PSI reading) will be on a 24-hour average”?

Ok, so even if it’s a technicality and we should look at the PSI – which other country uses the PSI? Singapore and?

You see can at the two links below the other air quality indexes used by the other countries:

http://airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=airnow.international

http://taqm.epa.gov.tw/taqm/en/b0901-2.aspx

The only other country that uses the PSI index is Taiwan and even then, it also provides real-time data:

http://taqm.epa.gov.tw/taqm/en/PsiMap.aspx

What “other jurisdictions” is Vivian talking about? Timbuktu? Even when just compared to Taiwan, what Vivian had said is a fallacy!

And if you look at air quality indexes as a whole, you can see that many of the countries provide hourly readings which are published at “hourly interval(s) and published almost instantly”.

Vivian, who are you trying to smoke? You think that with the haze, you can really haze our brains, is it? Is that it?

Apparently, Vivian isn’t the only funny person to say this. According to Channel NewsAsia, “Defence Minister and Chairman of the Haze Inter-Ministerial Committee Ng Eng Hen on Friday urged the public to refer to the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading rather than the three-hour reading.”

It also reported that, “He added that most studies on the exposure to pollutants are based on 24-hour measurements. That is why the government’s guidelines are also based on those measurements.”

Just last night, Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin also chimed in and said on his Facebook page that, “ We understand that the 3-hourly PSI readings can spike and cause much anxiety, but they fluctuate greatly during the day. It is the total exposure that the 24-hr readings provide that will matter most.” FYI, readings are supposed to spike! – this is much better an indication for the people as to what they should do, rather than a 24-hour reading which doesn’t give them clear instructions. Hello???

Is Vivian, Eng Hen and Chuan-Jin trying to pull a fast one? What other “jurisdictions”? What other “studies”? The indexes I have shown clearly publish hourly readings!

If I use the same logic and apply it to the weather – now in some countries, the temperature fluctuates severely throughout just one day – if I should be looking at the 24-hour temperature, I should be wearing a thick sweater for the whole day even if the weather becomes sweltering hot at some parts of the day or I should be wearing only singlets and shorts for the whole day even if it becomes freezing cold at night? Is that it?

That’s rubbish. Obviously, the weather doesn’t operate on human timelines – the weather fluctuates according to, well, mother nature! I hardly imagine the weather, or the haze for that matter, fluctuates based on our clock! It’s completely erroneous to expect us to monitor the haze on an 24-hour average basis!

The basic idea should be that we should wear our masks when we go outdoors, and when the haze hits a high level – on as immediate a basis as we can notice! It simply doesn’t make logical sense to decide whether to put on a mask based on the 24-hourly average.

Why The Government Wanted To Pull The Wool Over Our Eyes

By now, many of us would understand why Vivian and Eng Hen had made such illogical statements. In the past where there was only the state-controlled media controlling what is reported, Singaporeans would have blindly bought into what these highly-paid ministers had said. But not now – not when we have the Internet to help us locate the real answers.

Mr Harinderpal S Grewal did up some amazing comparison charts between the hourly and 3-hourly average PSI readings.

If you look at the chart directly below, the government had initially published 3-hourly average readings because initially (between 6am to 12pm), the 3-hourly average readings (red line) were lower than the hourly readings (blue line) and it could help give the illusion that the PSI reading is actually lower than it really is.

Photo credit: Harinderpal S Grewal’s Facebook Page

However, as Thursday went by, the hourly readings began to fluctuate – it fluctuated to a point where the hourly readings dipped to such lows (8pm and 11pm), where the government was even thinking about whether to focus on reporting on hourly readings, because they would have looked “nicer”.

But on Friday (in the chart directly below), as the both the hourly and 3-hourly average readings grew to hazardously levels, the government wanted to find other ways to present the PSI readings to depress the readings further – what else but a 24-hour average, which they hope would flatten the PSI curve.

Photo credit: Harinderpal S Grewal’s Facebook Page

Why they could so seriously underestimate Singaporeans’ intelligence, I don’t understand how. The haze might have gotten into their heads but it has only opened our eyes further to the government’s blasé attitude in managing the haze.

Seriously, who is Vivian and Eng Hen trying to kid? The 60% who voted for them – or would it be the 50%, which would have become by now.

As if this is not already bad enough, on Wednesday night, the National Environmental Agency had apparently initially put out the PSI reading at 10pm as 393, but it was later changed to 321.

Photo credit: Karen Teoh

Who should we believe? Who can we believe? Can we believe the government when what it says is utter nonsense?

This reminds me of when the Chinese government didn’t want to report on the actual SARS cases in 2003 and caused the SARS epidemic to eventually blow out of proportion, because of their lack of honesty.

We Need To Protect The Freedom Of Our Internet

This also reminds me of what Yaccob had said earlier this month about the newly-implemented “licensing framework” by the Media Development Authority (MDA) when he said that, “Singapore is not the only country tweaking the laws governing traditional and online media.” Yaacob had also said that, “New Zealand and Britain are also reviewing their regulatory approaches and frameworks for new and old media (where) he noted that New Zealand’s Law Commission recently called for an independent watchdog to oversee broadcast, print and online news. It will have the power to censure and ask for material to be removed from a website as well as for a published apology.”

But again, these were erroneous arguments presented by Yaacob. The truth was clearly illustrated by Kirsten Han who said that, “The MDA’s licensing scheme shows that nothing was learnt from the UK’s example. It has completely missed the point of the Leveson Report, which specifically stated that the government should have no power over what is published in the media;” and Choo Zheng Xi, who said that, “The New Zealand Law Commission consulted widely and solicited views and opinions from members of industry, the legal fraternity, bloggers, commercial news agencies, and the public at large before formulating their recommendations,” whereas there was no public consultation done on the MDA’s Licensing Framework.

Do you remember how Yaacob had wanted us to “read the right thing”? Would you have known all these if you had read what they wanted you to read – what they had put out in their own newspapers and TV channels?

You wouldn’t have known what hit you!

I don’t trust what this government wants to say anymore – I will read everything with a very discerning eye, and I suggest that you do the same, as many have done so. The haze episode has revealed many Singaporeans who have taken things into their own hands to find out the truths about the haze on their own.

If the haze episode has shown anything, it is that we cannot allow the government to control our Internet. This is the only source of information that we have left where we can investigate on matters on our own and put the truth out.

If we had allowed our Internet to be controlled by the government, that’s it, Singaporeans. We would be cheated, lied and told half-truths and we would be made to believe “the right thing”. This is very, very dangerous. We need to protect the freedom of our Internet and we need to protect our right to read, know and make informed decisions.

And if we need to take away anything from this haze episode, it’s to remember that the people are a lot stronger than the government. Our people – Singaporeans – have shown that we are better able to come together and help one another, while we have to wait for the government to do anything at all to manage the situation.

This government has shown a lack of leadership and strength in this episode, and this shouldn’t even be considered a major crisis! If they are not even able to show the ability to manage the haze, then I shudder to imagine how they would be able to effectively manage other major crises.

Remember these names: Vivian, Eng Hen and Yaccob.

Roy

*The author blogs at www.TheHeartTruths.com

Disclaimer: TheRealSingapore.com is a platform for users to submit content and all content remains the property of the individual contributors. The views and opinions expressed by author(s) within the website are solely that of the contributors and in no way reflects the views of TheRealSingapore.com.

Defence Minister and Chairman of the Haze Inter-Ministerial Committee Ng Eng Hen on Friday urged the public to refer to the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading rather than the three-hour reading. He said that most studies on the exposure to pollutants are based on 24-hour measurements, and explained that was why the government’s guidelines are also based on 24-hour measurements.

This is dangerous nonsense. Does one whose house is burning around him make a decision whether to leave the premises based on 24-hour average temperature? Just as that person would be burned to death in minutes if he decided to stay in a burning building, similarly, serious lung damage could be sustained by one breathing in high PSI air for short durations like 15 minutes.

Has the relatively recent smoke grenade fatality involving a young NSF not taught us that fine particulate matter in air can be harmful in short intense exposure? Or has the poor young man been forgotten? Granted, that tragic case is not identical, but there are important similarities.

(The PAP Government should be reminded of the basic fact that if a 3-hour average PSI reading is, for instance, 300, then there must have been 10/20-minute average PSI readings in the relevant 3-hour time span above 300. Possibly significantly above 300.)

It is certainly true that the health impacts of air pollutants are determined both by the concentration and also the duration of exposure. But what the PAP Government is saying is truly incredible, and incredible claims have to be backed up by evidence.

If the government can put forth credible evidence that exposures of 10 to 20 minutes, common for simple necessary actions like walking to the bus stop and waiting for the bus, to PSI levels of over 200 has negligible ill-effects. We should take note and relax a little. But in the absence of such credible evidence, it is only safe and reasonable to assume that such exposure should be actively avoided because such exposures may cause complications; Complications that may be much more severe in some than others.

The PAP Government should not misinform Singaporeans about the haze threat. It is dangerous and does Singaporeans a huge disservice.

Jeremy Chen

* Jeremy is currently a PhD student at the Department of Decision Sciences at NUS Business School. Jeremy believes in the possibility of a beautiful synthesis of “social justice” and “the free market”. He also hopes for less politicking and more policy discussion in the political arena. He blogs at http://jeremy-chen.org.

The haze situation in Singapore over this week is certainly one of crisis proportions. The carbon monoxide levels as measured by NEA this week go way beyond the acceptable international standards set for human exposure to this toxic gas.* This poses a significant threat to the health of everyone living in Singapore.

Tackling the haze

The SPP understands that the ongoing haze crisis is not a simple domestic issue – it has to be handled delicately with our regional partner. We also note that it has been difficult to employ cloud seeding. However we urge all relevant authorities to use the full extent of the law to rein in the commercial companies responsible starting the forest fires in Sumatra in the first place.

We call on ASEAN countries to deal urgently with this issue at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Brunei next week, and for Singapore to take the lead in working with the Indonesian delegation for Indonesia to ratify the 2002 Southeast Asia Transboundary Haze Agreement without further delay.

During this time, Singaporeans must remain calm in order for the government and their Indonesian counterparts to solve this problem together.

Concern for the health of the vulnerable

The SPP is very concerned about the elderly and young children, and workers whose vocations require them to remain outdoors. We are also concerned about vulnerable families who do not have air conditioning at home. On Thursday night (20 June), the SPP’s grassroots workers and volunteers started giving out face masks to residents in Potong Pasir and in Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, as a temporary measure.

We are aiming to secure N95 masks and to give them out to Potong Pasir and Bishan-Toa Payoh residents. In view of this crisis, the SPP is happy to work with our PAP counterparts, if requested.

Lastly, we earnestly hope that retailers and individuals will not seek to profit during this haze period by stocking up on excessive supplies of N95 masks and selling them at overly high prices.

_____

* We note from NEA publications that PSI values of between 300 and 400 reflect carbon monoxide (CO) levels (in mg/m3) of between 34 and 46 for an 8-hour period. We also understand that in 2012, the maximum 24-hour average exposure has been established by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work at 7 mg/m3. Allowable standards as set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and European Union stand at 10 mg/m3 within an 8-hour average CO level. Above the 30 mg/m3 CO level, the WHO standard only allows for a maximum exposure of 1 hour.

Singapore People's Party

There have been many complaints about the lack of action taken by the government in response to the haze. 

Many Singaporeans have come together and acted together in another display of solidarity.

This is one example of such a hero. 

Kenneth Shanghaiist Tan posted on his facebook this photo and told about how they were able to organise within 24 hours for 5000 N95 masks to be given out: 

Thanks to a group of people who decided to scramble to action as soon as they realised our million dollar ministers in their ivory towers couldn't be depended on to act fast, 5000 of these 3M N95 masks are now on their way from Shanghai to the homeless, elderly, migrant workers and sex workers in Singapore.

In less than 24 hours they were able to rustle up donors and volunteers and connect them to the civil society groups that have requested for these masks. It goes without saying of course that the cost of getting these masks to the door in Singapore will be less than what you guys have been paying for your so-called "government stockpile".

[This is a satire article by newnation.sg]

The government of Singapore took pains the past few days to explain its use of the 2,400-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading when calibrating its response to the haze situation.

Coming under fire from the public for using a 24-hour measure as a benchmark, they adamantly said they will revert to using an even longer time frame.

This is because a 2,400-hour PSI reading provides a better reading of the impact of the smog on health, compared to the one-hour, three-hour, 24-hour or even the 240-hour reading.

One government spokesperson, Tan Koo Ku, said: “The 2,400-hour measurement is a better reflection of the total exposure of the individual to particulate matter in the haze. This is taking a long term view of your health, over a period of 1,000 days, or roughly two-and-a-half years.”

Although some Singaporeans feel that this time is absurdly long, there are others who felt that 2,400 hours is not long enough.

One Singaporean, Hen Jian Kang, said: “Why not 24,000-hour measurement? Surely that will be more indicative of how healthy Singaporeans will be?

“Come to think of it, why not 24 million hours? Surely that would be better?”

*Article first appeared on http://newnation.sg/2013/06/2400-hour-psi-reading-a-better-reflection-of...

Our Singapore Conversation Dialogue (OSC) floated the idea of subletting HDB flats (among other suggestions) as a way for seniors to free up cash during their golden years.

Through my work with PandaBed.com, I regularly interact with seniors who practice long-term and short-term subletting of their homes as a way to earn an income on their most valuable but illiquid asset. I can attest that many private-property-owning senior citizens in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand are using this method to successfully pay their bills and stay current. Recently, a homestay operator in his 70's commented "...meeting guests from around the world is my only connection with what's happening on the outside world these days..."

Currently, HDB forbids the short-term subletting of homes. In my humble opinion, the Housing Board should consider short-term subletting as a compliment to long-term subletting as a way for seniors to pay the bills and lead more socially active lives. The benefit of short-term subletting versus long-term is that it also seniors the flexibility to keep their rooms vacant for personal commitments like family visits, grand children stay overs and festive seasons where long term subletting causes inconveniences. Apart from the flexibility, homestay or bed & breakfast operators enjoy high job-satisfaction because of the ability to earn a decent income while remaining close to family and home. The home-based nature of this business also allows less mobile seniors to still operate a respectable business with dignity intact.

The other side of the equation are the independent travelling guests, who enjoy this type of accommodation because of the $ savings, local experience and often good location of the properties. From what I can see, the homeowners and guest want this arrangement to be legalized for reasons mentioned above. Of course, not everyone supports the idea although it is good for cash-strapped seniors and travellers on a budget. In the case of legalizing short-term sublets, it is pretty obvious the average Singapore stands to gain.

James Chua

CEO and Co-Founder of PandaBed.com

Contributions

Sometimes, you may read a few Ministers spout some things in the press such as "$1000 monthly salary can buy BTO Flat" or "Foreigners Help to Improve Real Wages of Singaporeans"

This is the reason.

Recently, I attended Our SG Conversation on one area.

Most of the attendents are matured workers who understand some of the policies and background.

On one occasion, a young lady fresh graduate was seen spotted sitting in our focus group of about 6 people. Before we started, the facilitator wanted us to introduce ourselves to break the ice.

She introduced herself as XYZ working in a Ministry as a policy analyst after her graduation in economics. The Ministry was a prestigious place and only scholars can go in to do policy research.

Someone beside her asked her why she was doing here as she could spend the Saturday morning at home. She replied that she was interested in this area as she wanted to be exposed to other areas.

Then, the topic started and I went on to talk about Wage Credit and Productivity Innovation Credit and why some of the policies are hurting Singaporeans and need to be fine-tuned.

While most of us engaged actively, Ms XYZ sat there like a block of wood. She contributed some airy fairy things like "We Must Not Introduce Anti-Competition Measures as this is not sustainable and must reflect true market conditions".

Someone replied that it's because there's too much real market conditions involved and that is hurting Singaporeans and went on to give some examples and there are a lot of behavioural economics at play even when the policy looks good on paper and may not benefit Singaporeans at the end.

After the topic ended, she approached that person and asked how are those policies a failure etc. The person should demand part of her salary and her job for helping her instead.

How can someone so inexperienced and ignorant of the daily struggles be in a position to advise on policy? 

CJ

Contributions

The Johor Disaster Management and Relief Committee has imposed six immediate measures following the declaration of a haze emergency for Muar and Ledang.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, in his Facebook posting, said the steps were:

- Issuing closure orders on all offices whether government or private and other workplaces including factories, estates, construction sites and quarries.

- Ensure all schools are closed

- Restrict use of private vehicles

- Stop all land clearing and transfer of earth

- Ensure timely updates on the air quality situation (Air Pollutants Index) to the mass media

- Enforce ban on open burning

However, the closure order does not include:

- Shops selling food items and drinks, markets and supermarkets

- Clinic, pharmacies and medicine shops

- Essential services

*Article first appeared on http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2013%2F6%2F23%2Fnation%2F20...

In times of crisis, how a country reacts speaks volumes about its people and its character. I am sad to say that many online reactions to the unprecedented haze does not bode well for the country’s future.

Why isn’t there a stop work order? Gahmen only care about economy and not its people!

This is the most common complaint, but there is a key piece of information missing in every complaint. Nobody backs up their complaint with how other countries react if the air quality is really bad. A quick online search tells us why:

• Muar, Johor declared a state of emergency when their Air Pollution Index hit 746. Schools were closed and residents were directed to stay indoors.

• On Wikipedia, there is only one case where a state of emergency is declared. If the API in Malaysia exceeds 500, then “non-essential government services are suspended, and all ports in the affected area are closed. There may also be a prohibition on private sector commercial and industrial activities in the reporting area excluding the food sector.”

• If the AQI exceeds 300 in the USA, the Environment Protection Agency says that while outdoor activities are not recommended, it is still ok for kids to occasionally go out and play. This is because “even though dirty air is bad for kids, most kids won’t be hurt by playing outside, once in a while, when the air is dirty.” The EPA backs up its claims through studies on the effects of particulate pollution on health.

What does all this tell us? Firstly, there is little international precedence for a stop work order if the PSI is at 400. Many services can still continue. If you examine the policies of other countries, you will notice that most countries still allow commercial and construction activities to continue as long as precautions are taken (e.g. workers use masks) and that the companies assess that the risk is still manageable. If the companies fail to manage risk and cause an accident, they are still liable to be prosecuted.

It also tells us that the bad effects of air pollution are mainly felt over the long-term, so a little short-term exposure is still somewhat ok.

The effects of a stop work order in Singapore are very serious, possibly more so than bad air. Today, many people are scrambling to buy masks and air purifier. People still need to buy groceries. Over the weekend, I still see many people eating at hawker centers. If a stop work order was issued, how are people going to get their masks and food? How are hospitals going to be staffed? Who is going to run the public transport system? Who is going to be delivering essential supplies? If the concern is that people working outdoors should not be working due to bad air, then the MOM has already stated that respirators are essential above a certain PSI.

Do the people insisting on a stop work order believe that the world revolves around them? Singapore is not the first country facing bad air and there are international cases for how to react. To blindly insist on a stop work order shows a failure of imagination and research.

The PAP wasn’t prepared for the haze!

If the Govt wasn’t prepared for the haze, then where did the stockpile of 9 million N95 masks come from? These masks don’t just appear overnight. They expire every 3 years and have to be continuously replenished. And it is a major logistical challenge to distribute these masks to pharmacies all over the country.

If the Govt wasn’t prepared for the haze, then why is there already an Inter-Agency Haze Task Force comprising 23 govt bodies with plans in place when the haze hits? If you go to the websites of these agencies, you can see how these agencies have reacted to the haze by setting guidelines (e.g. medical assistance at polyclinics, closure of school activities etc)

If you are complaining that the Govt isn’t giving you free masks, then it is a sign of how unreasonable you are. Assistance has to be given to those who need it most, such as the poor, elderly and the vulnerable hospital patients. If you can read this message online, you can already afford a $3 mask. Don’t be a scrooge and pay for your own god-damn mask.

The PSI reading is inaccurate! Look at the sky, so much worse! Gahmen is trying to hide something!

Hello? Is there a brain in there? PSI is measurement of past pollution, because it is a 3-hour average. It is not a measurement of the present. If you want to see how bad the haze is RIGHT NOW, go look out of a window!

You can see on NEA’s website that the PSI can fluctuate wildly. This is because the localized effects of pollution can change wildly based on wind conditions. A PSI reading of any one particular point in time is useless because it can vary a lot within minutes. So it makes sense to smooth the readings over a period of time. Especially if the effects of bad air on health are measured over long-term (and not short-term) exposure

Singapore should do something to the Indonesians! The PAP is inept!

Hello? Are you asking for an act of war? It is crazy to insist on unilateral action that goes against the sovereignty of another country.

Shameless public behavior

There’s a world of difference in the way Singaporeans have reacted to the haze compared to say, Japan.

When Fukushima happened, the Japanese were queuing up in an orderly manner for essential supplies like water, even though they have lost their homes and were facing a looming nuclear disaster.

When the haze happened, we see some Singaporeans hoarding masks, or even worse, reselling those masks at a marked-up profit. This is bad for everyone. Masks are cheap enough such that they can be easily hoarded. If the hoarding is bad enough, then it may not be enough for the Govt to release their N95 stockpile. It’s no wonder the PM had to tell people not to hoard masks.

Shameless online critics politicizing the haze, instead of lending a hand.

In other countries, an externally-triggered crisis would normally cause citizens to put aside their differences and rally towards a cause. Notice how the Americans came together after 9/11 and the Boston bombings? Notice how the Japs came together to help each other after Fukushima?

But in Singapore, we have multiple sites from the online community that are known to be anti-PAP and politicize almost all events as resulting from the incompetence of the PAP. The haze is no exception. Online commentary has degenerated into a mudfest of nitpicking the words of politicians and how “slow” the Govt’s reaction has been.

Of particular note is The Heart Truths, a site that claims to come across as a level-headed critique of the PAP, but is actually a site that uses half-truths and misquoted information. For example, the author tried to poke holes at VB’s claims that “other countries also use 24-hour averages for their air quality indices”. However, this claim was swiftly rebutted by MEWR, who honestly speaking should be concentrating on tackling the haze rather than rebutting unfounded online accusations. I would urge readers to boycott The Heart Truths. Life’s too short to read the lies of this author.

The ironic joke is that while all these complaints about the PAP are intended to make the Govt look bad, it actually speaks volumes about the site owners and authors themselves. These sites are not using their online reach to reach out to the public and spread reassuring words on how to deal with the haze, or how to contribute to helping your neighbor, or help spread the message on what is being done to combat the haze. They prefer to politicize the issue. Even the Worker’s Party has chosen not to politicize the haze. By focusing their efforts on blaming the Govt instead of providing help and guidance, it goes to show who really loves Singapore, and who would rather see Singapore burn than to cede power to the PAP.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I'm a 40-year old Singaporean male, and this blog pens down my thoughts and feelings about Singapore's political happenings, government policies and society trends. I hope this blog will provide a moderate voice in the growing online debate about the state of Singapore's society. Some of the posts here won't be solely written by me, since there will be times when other writers are more eloquent at expressing their views, in which case I'll share their insights (along with my comments). The content on this blog is owned by me.If you wish to share or reproduce the content, please attribute it to this blog. 

*The author blogs at http://sgthinker.wordpress.com/

After years if not decades in which the Singapore government has perennially failed to solve the haze problem, it seems that the time for new ideas to address this complex challenge has arrived. Both Kenneth Jeyaretnam and Alex Au put forward innovative ideas that could help to alleviate the problem, which is a refreshing change from the usual diplomatic hectoring that has typically been deployed. In light of this I would like to put forward my own thoughts on a long-term solution to the problem – but instead of suggesting a new solution to and old problem, I would prefer to set up a mechanism that will enable an optimal solution to be found without any one person having to select the best way forward. This can be achieved through market forces – by creating a profit incentive which will hopefully drive all relevant parties to investigate and implement whatever may be the economically most efficient means to solve the haze problem.

My idea – “Clean Air Bonds” is inspired in fact by both Kenneth and Alex’s own suggestions. They both propose reasonable ideas which involve spending money on solving the problem. The question is which idea is best? Which is most likely to work? Which is going to be the economically most viable? Clean air bonds would seek to answer these questions by creating a marketplace for solutions to the problem which compete for financial reward. If the reward is meaningful, our best and brightest will all be inspired to attempt to resolve the haze problem once and for all and make a profit in the process. This is much better than the government seeking to pick an ideal solution up front and being faced with the politically difficult decision to change course if their initial decision is not optimal. Creating a profit motive for private entities ensures a concrete desire to truly solve the problem – otherwise those private entities do not get paid. Remember that the motivation to make a profit is very powerful – it is in fact this motive, through a desire to minimise land clearance costs, that causes the haze in the first place.

What are Clear Air Bonds?

So how does it work? The details are likely to be complicated, but let us start with a simple example to illustrate the point. A clean air bond can simply be a piece of paper, signed by the Prime Minister, stating the following words:

“The government of the Republic of Singapore will pay the person holding this piece of paper on 31 December 2015 five million dollars, if and only if, the 24 hour PSI reading published by Singapore’s NEA does not exceed 80 on any day in the preceding twelve month period.”

Obviously this piece of paper, the “Clean Air Bond”, has some value; but crucially the exact value will increase if we solve the haze problem. If no steps are taken and next year the haze returns this bond is likely to be worthless. However, if someone does solve the haze problem, this bond will quickly become very valuable. People or organisations with good ideas on how to solve the haze problem will be willing to pay for the right to own the bond, and people with good or cheap ideas are likely to be willing to pay more. Suppose that someone decides to implement Alex Au’s suggestion – which was to solve the haze problem with a fleet of hydrogen balloons which carry sea water up to a height of a few kilometers and spray it into the sky – wherein the ensuing mist would scrub haze from the air before it reaches Singapore. If someone designs and tests a means to implement this plan, they may estimate it will cost two million dollars to successfully set up, then assuming they want to make one million dollars in profit, they would be willing to pay up to two million dollars for the clean air bond:

Cost of solution: (2,000,000)
Cost of bond:     (2,000,000)
Revenue from Bond: 5,000,000
-----------------------------
Profit:            1,000,000

Through this process, anyone who has a viable and testable solution can bid for the bond, solve the haze problem and make a profit. However there are a few caveats. Multiple bonds would have to be issued in the first instance, to encourage multiple people or companies to work in parallel towards a solution. If multiple successful projects are launched then everyone can benefit. There also needs to be good oversight to prevent “gaming” of the system. Since the payout of the bond is a function of NEA’s PSI readings someone could potentially try to bribe their staff or tamper with their equipment for a favourable result – so an independent body following a transparent process would have to be responsible for managing the reporting system. There would have to also be caveats in place presumably to prevent the system being ruined by pollution outside the scope of the haze problem – a volcanic eruption elsewhere in Indonesia for example could make the bond worthless if the wording of the terms and conditions is not chosen carefully. The last question for now is how much should the bond pay out? Five million dollars – or more? This is something Singaporeans together need to consider. How much is clean air worth to you?

AndyXianWong

*The author blogs at http://andyxianwong.wordpress.com/

In a recent article that appeared in the TODAY paper, Young entrepreneurs thriving in Singapore, 13 May, I read that Singapore ranked 2^nd for its entrepreneurial activity in a study of 25 comparable economies globally done by NTU (Nanyang Technological Institute). It would seem that Singapore is a thriving hotbed for creativity, aggressive risk-taking and business acumen. At least based on the NTU study.

But everyone I speak to have very little of each of those above traits. So either I have very little friends, very low quality friends or something’s got to give. And something’s got to give.

We cower behind safety nets and iron bowls, and when that was snatched, we turned to half-hatched plotting to earn that little bit that completes the hand to mouth cycle. I’m not trying to belittle what we’ve done. I’m just saying, I do not think we are risk-takers or have business acumen or think outside the box. We don’t. But we might get there.

This article highlights the creative ways people come up with to earn an extra $1,000 a month here and some pocket money there in addition to their regular job or while studying. Yes, that’s good practice, but I wonder how effective that mindset is in the long run because no one really is thinking that this will be a full time job.

The article quoted some people saying they are happy remaining small-scale and would still like to have their full time job. I ask, is this what we define as “young entrepreneurs thriving in Singapore”.

So my question to you is, do you have an idea but are too afraid to fail. If you answered yes, then you my friend, are what Singapore will consider a young entrepreneur. You’ll get a job, but think about this desire/hobby/idea/business, and you will delve into in half-heartedly, eventually. You might see a little success or immediate failure, but going into it full-time will never be on the plate.

Dinesh Dayani
dollarsandsense.sg

Dollarsandsense.sg is a local website that aims to be the destination for timely and relevant information on personal finance matters presented for the layperson in a bite-sized, interesting, and enjoyable manner.

So the fiery Indo haze makes her annual visit, full of intent and determination this time. Government told us to wear The N95 mask and left us to fight it out ourselves, for a while at least. When brick and mortar pharmacies run dry, online shops suddenly pop up instantaneousy with mysterious suppliers providing all kind of N95 masks. Wheezing Singaporeans gratefully fill their carts but do we really know what we are carting off? 

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 Official page with vital info about identifying certified N95 masks:

• READ THIS >>>  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/default.html#labels

All NIOSH-Approved N95 masks that have been tested and certified are listed here.

Check here before buying any masks:

• CHECK HERE >>>  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/n95list1.html

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Are the masks really "N95 Approved"?

I was googling N95 out of curiosity last night and chanced on the official website. A bit of reading soon turned into a very long night when I took a look at the masks people were buying. What I found shocked me. I checked ten popular online deals and it wasn't just one or two but all ten which turned out to be not what they said they were. The complete list and details are further below where I'll try my best to lay out the facts. Some examples here. 

• http://superdeals.insing.com/deals/singapore/LAIANZHI-N95-Mask/12681
• http://superdeals.insing.com/deals/singapore/N95-Mask/12660
• http://www.deal.com.sg/deals/singapore/fight-haze-20-pieces-n95-masks-now-available-only-36-choice-size-m-or-l-delivery
• http://www.deal.com.sg/deals/singapore/immediate-redemption-protect-yourself-haze-branded-prosafe-n95-particulate-respi

Our dear government told you to wear N95 masks but did they tell you what N95 is?

N95 is one of seven ratings for NIOSH-approved masks.

Others are N99, N100, R95, P95, P99 and P100 for the win.

N95 - Filters at least 95% of airborne particles. Not resistant to oil.

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/default.html

What's NIOSH then? (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

It's part of the US CDC federal agency... health... safety.. standards.. you get the idea.  

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/about.html

** Essentially, the N95 rating is created and regulated by NIOSH and dutifully followed by The Rest of The World. Ok, Singapore at least.

With that made clear, there's no such thing as "N95 Approved". The correct term is NIOSH-approved N95 respirator or mask. Remember this little detail well...

So what's with all these dubious online deals?

Well, they failed.

NIOSH states that all approved masks are required to have the following markings:

1. Name, e.g. 3M
2. NIOSH in block letters or the NIOSH logo
3. NIOSH Testing and Certification approval number, e.g. TC-84A-XXXX.
4. NIOSH filter series and filter efficiency level, e.g. N95, N99 etc.
5. Model Number or part number: e.g. 8210. 

Optional: NIOSH recommends the lot number and/or date of manufacture also be included, however, this is not required.

The real 3M 8210 N95 masks that I've checked so far do have the lot number printed on the mask.

**********************************************************

**********************************************************

 Official page with vital info about identifying certified N95 masks:

• READ THIS >>> http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/default.html#labels

All NIOSH-Approved N95 masks that have been tested and certified are listed here.

Check here before buying any masks:

• CHECK HERE >>>  http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/n95list1.html

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"I spent $300 on 'N95 Approved' masks from a reputable deal website but can't find it here!"

Yes, you've been suckered.  

Most prob. You can write to NIOSH to check, demand a refund or make a police report. Why let them get away with it? 

Don't buy your N95 mask/respirator from that website!

Based on what you now know, look at those deals again and decide for yourself if you've been duped in a potentially life endangering scam.  

• The first tell-tale sign of a dodgy deal are the words "N95 Approved". They appear in most of the dodgy deals description. Can you possibly get approved by a rating? Once you've read the NIOSH classification you will know that the words "N95 Approved" doesn't make linguistic nor logical sense. If you are still not convinced, do a search on the NIOSH website and see how many times the terms "N95 Approved" and "NIOSH-Approved" each appears.

• However, I've seen images of authentic looking 3M boxes of the 8210 N95 mask with different variations of "N95 Approved" printed on red stickers and sold by your regular retail shops. Sounds safe? I really hope they are real, but why put an approval sticker as an afterthought? Shouldn't it be pre-approved and printed on the box during the manufacturing process?

• The second sign is the glaring ommision of the company name and product model on the website's description. How on earth would you know what you are buying to protect your lungs?? 

• Poor, makeshift looking product or marketing pictures. 

• Last and most importantly, a lack of information on the mask itself as mentioned

1. Name, e.g. 3M
2. NIOSH in block letters or the NIOSH logo
3. NIOSH Testing and Certification (TC) approval number, e.g. TC-84A-XXXX.
4. NIOSH filter series and filter efficiency level, e.g. N95, N99 etc.
5. Model Number or part number: e.g. 8210. 

There are cases where a mask is masquerading (haha) under a legit TC code but which belongs to a different product and company, and another example I found on amazon.com where the NIOSH approval had already been revoked.

http://www.amazon.com/MCR-Safety-CRPN951W20-Particulate-Respirator/dp/B001QCXVCA

List of revoked approvals here:

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/disp_part/RespSource2RevokedTable.html

• I know where the fake stuff are from; you know where the fake stuff are from. So if you see anything that seems to be from there, it should be best to play it safe.

More on the dodgy deals

Not found in the NIOSH-Approved list; Incomplete markings on the mask

• http://superdeals.insing.com/deals/singapore/LAIANZHI-N95-Mask/12681
• http://plus.bigdeal.sg/N95-Approved-Particulate-Respirator-Face-Mask.html
• http://www.deal.com.sg/deals/singapore/fight-haze-20-pieces-n95-masks-now-available-only-36-choice-size-m-or-l-delivery
• http://www.deal.com.sg/deals/singapore/immediate-redemption-fight-haze-20-pieces-n95-masks-now-available-only-36-free-s
• http://www.voucherwow.com/cities/singapore/deals/a-box-of-n95-masks/ 

Quoted an approval TC that belongs to another company's product

• http://superdeals.insing.com/deals/singapore/N95-Mask/12660

Not found in the NIOSH-Approved list; Claims to be approved by MOH!! the cheek of it.

• http://www.ilovedeals.sg/products/24813-immediate-redemption-protect-yourself-from-the-haze-with-the-branded-prosafe-n95-particulate-respirator-mask-for-only-60-for-1-box-of-20-masks-approved-by-moh
• http://www.deal.com.sg/deals/singapore/immediate-redemption-protect-yourself-haze-branded-prosafe-n95-particulate-respi

No model number; no TC code; Details blurred out

• http://www.voucherlicious.com/deal/beat-the-haze-S36-for-20pcs-of-n95-face-masks-protect-against-particles-in-the-air-niosh-approved/

None 3M wearing instructions; dodgy; dodgy; dodgy; from you-know-where

• http://list.qoo10.sg/item/3M-3M-N95-APPROVED-FACE-MASKS%EF%BC%8FBEAT/410982028

Where can I buy real N95 rated masks online?

I don't know.

Maybe this site:

www.drugstore.com

They sell masks. It's run by Walgreens, the largest drug retailing chain in US which does give it a bit of credibility but I read somewhere that delivery may take a while.

Or NTUC Health:

http://www.ntuchealth.com.sg/wholesales/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=29868

But most certainly, those who engage in profiteering in times of need and sell dubious safety equipment without conducting basic due dilligence should be punished and stopped from further mis-selling!  

In Feb 2012, Singapore signed an MOU with NIOSH. Amongst the plan was to:

• Share and exchange occupational safety and health related information resources
• Promote the dissemination of information in the area of occupational safety and health via all types of media

Yet, if we step back to the PSI 400 moment.. has that really been done?

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/updates/upd-02-24-12.html

Toh Yi Jie

*Article first appeared on https://www.facebook.com/notes/toh-yi-jie/why-you-shouldnt-buy-your-n95-...

Editor's Note: We have not verified with each of these outlets whether or not the masks being sold are indeed NIOSH approved. However we post this as an informative piece so that the public will be better equipped to verify their masks themselves. 

Indecisiveness and failure to anticipate ‘panic-buying’ causing widespread mask shortages? Let the people decide.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen had said on Fri 21 Jun 2013 that the “artificial shortage” [of N95 masks] was caused by panic-buying. (see http://www.tnp.sg/content/hunt-face-masks-grows-more-desperate).

In order to answer the above question, I think it is very important to let people decide for themselves based on what actually happened (see chronology below), as opposed to being distracted from daily promises, aspirations and assurances of “we are ready” or “we have enough”.

Reality on the ground matters much more than mere promises.

Please take note of the number of masks that were released from MOH’s stock and distributed initially on Thu (7K – 21K), and then later from Sat (figures of 800K, 1 million etc were cited in the media).

When did purchase restrictions on the number of masks start to take effect?

Is this a situation of real demand being not met, hence the occurrences of island-wide shortages since Wed until Sat?

Or is this a case of “artificial demand” as claimed by Minister Ng Eng Hen?

Just let the people decide.

Chronology of Key Events

- 9 million masks in MOH’s stock located at secured armories before onset of unhealthy haze in the week of 17th June 2013.

- 3-hour PSI had soared to 290 at 9pm Wed 19 June

-  Yahoo news on Thu, Jun 20, 2013, first reported shortages in some Guardian Pharmacy outlets they checked on Wed 19 June 2013.

- 3-hour PSI reading hits a high of 371 at 1pm Thu, 20 June.

- As of the afternoon of Thu 20 June 2013, there have been 7,000 and 21,000 N95 masks that have been distributed to Unity and Guardian respectively. (see http://e101.gov.sg/haze/mask.htm)

- 3-hour PSI reading hit a record 400 at 11 am Fri, 21 June.

- Singaporeans rushed out to buy N95 masks Fri 21 Morning, the day after the Government announced it would be releasing stocks to pharmacy stores [on late Thu]. But many shoppers could not get their hands on them at pharmacies such as Unity, Guardian and Watsons as most of their outlets had run out of the masks by lunchtime. (ST Jun 22, 2013: N95 masks sell out quickly at pharmacies)

- No official reports of another large-scale mask distribution to retail outlets on Friday 21 Jun 2013, after the efforts reported late Thu 20 Jun 2013.

- NTUC Unity Healthcare said it is stocking some 800,000 pieces of N95 face masks progressively in its retail outlets from today (Sat 22 Jun). In a statement, NTUC Unity said its retail outlets will be limiting the purchase of the masks to 10 pieces per customer. (seehttp://www.todayonline.com/singapore/discount-n95-masks-being-offered-ntuc-unity-healthcare)

- The government will distribute N95 masks free to poorer households in all constituencies through grassroots organisations [starting from Sat 22 Jun 2013]. About 200,000 households will receive 1 million N95 masks.

- NTUC FairPrice said face masks, including N95 face masks, will be restocked and available at all 115 FairPrice supermarkets, FairPrice Finest and FairPrice Xtra hypermarkets from Monday 24 Jun 2013.

So, was the PAP Govt indecisive? Did they fail to anticipate the demand for N95 masks?

You decide.

Peter

This is a response to: Dumb and Dumber Singaporean Reactions to the Haze

Blind faith for pap and labeling Singaporeans Daft and Hazy?

As the haze clears , the appearance of the moon , the thunder(pardon the pun), and the sun become more prominent . Likewise, so has articles lamenting that we Singaporeans care not enough to come together to help in the situation. In order to set the record straight, let us define several things for discussion. Some of the discussion has been mentioned in my previous article, but I have failed to pass the message, it seemed. [link]

Defining past, present and future.

3 generations of pap leaders have been presiding over Singapore. The rough timeline is when the Prime Minsters are in power.

 The 1^st generation of PAP leaders has set up many institutions and improves the efficiency of public services. Likewise, they had the foresight of keeping many of the British system, from the language to the laws, having a multi cultural country and also maintaining Singapore as a free trading port and entrepot (reaching a 20.4 million NRT in shipping in 1949)[link]. Similarly, they provided directions and leadership such as the 2 child policies and making Singapore into a place where the living conditions are better for the citizens, form housing to education.This is the foundation. 

The 2^nd generation of PAP has maintained the same institutions and efficiencies, added several new systems such as the MRT by Ong Teng Cheong [link]. The visions of the second generations PAP include a Swiss standard of living [link] and world cup 2010. In short, it was enhancing what the previous general of pap has built up. This is the build up of our foundation

The 3^rd generation of pap is the current generation. In order to maintain the economical growth, they have diverse ideas such as the CASINOs , F1s, increase in the population growth (via import) .The biggest buzz word is to increase efficiency to a higher level where as many of the public institutions are made into quasi –companies (privatised).  The biggest owner of all is GIC and Temasek Holdings. So transport now has SMRT and SBS, comfort Delgro and even the bus stops are privatized. In telecommunications, there are M1, Starhub and Singtel.

Bulding new ideas and institutions are different from maintaining.  It is not fair to claim credit for institutions that is mainly maintenance as if they have build it from scratch.

So the old institution, such as SAF, which is efficient, is mainly the work of the 1^st generation of PAP. The 3^rd have to maintain the same institution.

Your life , your future, our Children’s future!

With this haze, no one will know exactly what are the long-term health issues with breathing in such air quality. Will they caused or accelerate lung cancer? How about Throat cancer? The immediate effects are spelt here [link]. However, it is up to one to take the risk and breathe in all they want form the Haze. However, it is wise to ensure that our children and the elderly, even ourselves are protected. After all, it is your own health, your own future. You cannot sue the pap for not providing the protective measures timely. It is worse when it comes to your children. They may be predisposed to unknown cancers. The main aim is to look after yourselves and your loved ones. It is legitimate to demand actions from authorities when there is a need to protect yourselves and your love ones.

Lack of Leadership roles in clear guidelines?

To date, no one is sure what are the exact cut-off points for the PSI and their related actions. When do we stop work? when do we have a state of emergency? As mentioned before, to date, everyone is still very hazy about the haze incident (pardon the pun). Pap should spelt out clearly what are the guidelines to kick in an action or actions. Even the distribution of masks has to be spelt out. Well, it is for all to judge how prepared pap is for the haze. Even being ill prepared, the leadership is still hazy at best. This has led to citizens helping themselves and praying for the haze to clear.

Prepared for haze with 9 million stokepile? 

Some has said that preparation for haze is a 9 million N95 mask stokepile[link]. This is preparation at its worst. Preparation should be via the 2002 treaty to prevent the haze from worsening or even happening.  Failing in the above , clear guidelines  are needed on what mask to wear for the different bands of PSI level. Is N95 for unhealthy level? Who has to wear them?everyone? the children[link]? the elderly? The babies?Are there even N95 masks for masks for babies? Worse, is everyone trained to wear them?

How long can a single-use N95 masks from the 9 million stokepile last ? With a population size of 5 million [link].Each person on average will have 2 masks each at most! Can the 2 masks last for 2 weeks? 2 months or 2 days? How about the labour workers or those who will be working in arduous conditions, like in the sun?Will the N95 mask will be soiled from the sweat? Then what is next? The figure 9 million is really a feeble attempt at all. What are the top up /replenishing plans? Yes the current pap leaders used SAF to help in distribution as SAF is effective .Give credits to SAF, but it is not the current leaders who set up SAF.

How about the distribution of the masks? Who gets them? How about the rest? A 9 million stokepile or any figure for that matter is useless when the layman on the ground is unable to get hold of one when the PSI exceeds 300.Period. This is poor preparation.

Leadership in Pollution Index?

Allow me to revisit this issue. The choice of an air pollution index is crucial in management of air pollution. PSI is one such index. However, this has been abandoned by the founding fathers for a more updated index since 1999 [link]. However, the Singapore political leaders (aka pap), have kept to this index. It is acceptable to choose this index, but stick to your guns. One minute, NEA publishes hourly updates, then 3 hourly . Then a pap minister tells us that the daily one is the most indicative [link] .This confuses people. No one really knows what is really indicative, but a 24 hours or daily PSI does seemed too far fetch. When a person has dengue fever, do you average their body temperature and platelet count over 24 hours? I do not think our esteemed doctors will even do that at all.

Influencing neighbours starts today? Not yesterday?

Once again, this is a revisit of the same topic I have written. Singapore had its chances with leadership roles in Asean [link] and [link]. We should have strongly influence Indonesia before the start of a haze. No one is asking to start a conflict or war. Foresight is required in this.  Does the current generation of pap leaders have good foresight?

Raising Awareness is doing nothing? 

Some has critised netizens for doing nothing. Raising awareness is doing something. Telling the pap that it has been slow is doing something. Being tardy in response, what point is it for the haze to be over and start distributing masks or come up with guidelines? Will a inter Haze committee be even set up without the raising awareness of the nation by the alternative media?

Parents who are concerned for their children will tell them to study, watch less television, play less computer or chat less on the mobile phone. Such is raising awareness for the children. Is that doing nothing? What can the parent do, take over the role of studying? Similarly, what can citizens do? Take over the roles of planning? Will pap even allow us to take over their roles of planning?

Citizens politicking and doing nothing?

Some claimed that citizens did nothing.

See this article what citizens have done. They have to collect supplies from China. [link]. Even SPP(Chiam See Tong and his team) has been distributing mask way (on 20^th June) before pap, but the mainstream media avoided this news [link]. Who has been slow? Perhaps if not for the awareness raised by the alternative media, perhaps , will pap just wait out for the haze to be over like every other year?

Japanese  Fukushima Tsunami , no one raised awareness?

Some mentioned that the Japanese did not even raise any awareness of the tardy response during the recent Tsunami [link].

In fact the citizens are really angry over the ways the radiation figures are givem(like the PSI) [link]. So much awareness was raised that a minister indicated to resign after the incident[link].

Will pap minster resign over this like the Japanese  Fukushima incident?

So much comparison has been done to Singaporeans with Japanese. So good, will pap follow Japanese minister’s footstep? If not, then what exemplary leadership will be shown. Citizens have to be subservient like the Japanese, but our leaders lord over us? Or now, will I hear only thunder and no rain[pardon the pun once again!]?

Pap supporters polarizing and confusing the issues?

Who are the ones polarizing Singaporeans and confusing the issues? Raising awareness is not wrong. It is a legitimate move to protect our families and ourselves. In the process, yes, pap has been shown to be a poor leader. It is the very same point that we care for our fellow Singaporeans to highlight this point. This is so as we care for your future and our children’s future. There is little hope in the vision of the 6.9 million, the handling of Dengue, (mis)AIM issues, Brompton Bikes and even the Haze incident. We care to raise awareness to fellow Singaporeans to protect all in this Haze incident and the future of Singapore.

One day, you may be chased away from the coffeshop by the pap grassroot because a pap MP is visiting [link].  And if not for the alternative media, pap would have got away by claiming it is not pap[link], but the coffee shop owner, who is a pap member [link]. Why do we raised awareness and reveal all this to fellow Singaporeans again? 

We care for you.

Vote wisely in 2016 against the 6.9 million-population vision. It may be your last chance as a native Singapore, who may be a minority in future.

Contributions 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has sought clarification on statements by Indonesian ministers and officials on Singapore-linked companies that are said to have a part in illegal land-clearing practices yesterday.

This was conveyed in a diplomatic note to Indonesia's ambassador here, Mr Andri Hadi, reports The Straits Times.

The note, signed by MFA Permanent Secretary Chee Wee Kiong, also asked Indonesia to share evidence of illegal land-clearing activities by any Singapore firms. 

In a press statement, MFA noted that Mr Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, the head of Indonesia's presidential working unit for development supervision and control, had reportedly said many hot spots were on land owned by Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) and Asia Pacific Resources International Limited.

Both companies have offices in Singapore.

However, Indonesia's Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan was quoted as saying that there was "no strong evidence" against these companies.

Mr Kuntoro's remarks, MFA added, also contradicted comments by Indonesia's Environment Minister Balthasar Kambuaya to his Singapore counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan at a meeting last Friday.

He had informed Dr Balakrishnan that "no Singapore companies were involved in illegal land clearing practices".

MFA also said that if there was credible evidence that Singapore-owned companies or companies operating here were involved, the Government intended to take further steps against them.

However, Mr Chee told the ambassador that the primary responsibility for legal and enforcement action lay with Indonesia, where the firms were allegedly conducting these illegal activities.

He also said it was important to focus on dealing with the haze rather than engaging in "megaphone diplomacy" that was "neither helpful nor constructive".

Separately, Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam, responding to a media question on whether he knew if Sinar Mas or Golden Agri-Resources contributed to burning activities based on his past experience with them, said he could not speak for them as he left the boards of both firms over a decade ago.

Golden Agri and APP are the palm oil and paper and pulp arms of Sinar Mas, and all three are allegedly involved in slash-and- burn farming in Riau, though they have denied the charges.

Mr Shanmugam said: "I left the board more than 11 years ago. I can't speak for them. We will await the evidence and will act based on evidence, as advised by the Attorney-General's Chambers. My involvement with Sinar Mas started with a request from SGX and is a matter of public record."

I feel compelled to write about the treatment of most service based local staffs after twice experiencing what I perceive as tantamount to abuse at dr. CAFE, CityHall Interchange Mall.

After parking my car at the mall last Wednesday, I decided to head for some nice coffee and chanced upon dr. CAFE after one of its staff "enticed" me with his display sampling of some "cookie frappe". As I felt it was tasty and the interior very inviting, I purchased one of it and chilled at the comfy seating. The staff concerned then proceeded to check if the place was clean after tidying up and threw some rubbish at the closest bin while also clearing those that had fallen by the side. An Indian cleaner of the mall saw what this Eurasian boy with blond looking hair did and gave him a good dressing down. She was ranting away to the tune of also wanting him to lose his job after escalating the matter to her CapitalMall management. His superior repeatedly apologised to her but she refused to be pacified. I don't know what happened after as I still saw the same two working yesterday which leads me to the second incident.

They were running the store by themselves as usual when two of their managers appeared to spot-check on them. What followed after really disgusted me to want to stop patronising this chain in favour of Coffeebean which hire even handicapped persons and treat their staffs far better. The manager begin raining them with explicit vulgarities after picking on minute issues which to me as a customer, makes no difference at all so long as the beverages and food are good and hygienic. I pity the staffs as they have to tirelessly serve demanding customers and endure verbal diarrhea by their management committee all with a smile.

This story is about the plight of many Singaporean Service Staffs who brave not only ungracious foreign and local customers but also an uncaring and capitalistic management who will always side with patrons.

Following my email to the site, I received another feedback of how staffs from this similar outlet located at Star Vista have to endure exploitations from church goers on Sunday with a "holy bible" in their hand while lecturing dr. CAFE staffs who do not meet their expectations.

Roman Tan

Contributions

Chew Eng Han’s response to CHC’s statement
22 Jun 2013

In response to CHC’s Board’s response to my Personal Statement on my departure from CHC (ACCUSED CHURCH LEADER CHEW ENG HAN LEAVES CITY HARVEST CHURCH), the following are my replies:

1. Firstly I refer to the para which states:

“While we do not understand the reasons for his current sentiments, we wish nothing but the best for Eng Han and his family, and thank him for all his contributions.”

My query to the Board is whether they have been made aware of a four and a half hour meeting between Pastor Kong, Sun, myself and my wife? Are they also aware of some of the issues which I raised and whether there were sincere corrective actions taken since that meeting 3 months ago?

2. Secondly I refer to the para which states:

“The Board knows and believes that the senior leadership has always walked in integrity, adhering to Biblical principles through the leading of the Holy Spirit. We maintain our full confidence in the leadership.”

My query is how many of the board members made a conscious effort to read the COC Inquiry Report which was made accessible to them? And if they did, was then a diligent internal inquiry held in-house, to determine if there was any wrongdoing on the part of the alleged wrongdoers? Has the board done an inquiry on the issues named by COC, and satisfied itself fully that there has been no compromise of integrity? If the board has not done so, it cannot state that it knows and believes in the integrity of the senior leadership.

3. The board is probably unaware of many other issues, especially those on the pastoral angle, in terms of the manner of conduct of some of their pastors and senior leaders.  Without such information, it is not equipped to issue a board statement of confidence.

The church statement is a mere attempt to unite the church with a spiritual tone, but lacks substance in dealing with the real issues of truth and integrity.

Chew Eng Han

[Source]: http://mrslightnfriends.com/chew-eng-hans-response-to-chcs-statement

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[CHC replies to Mr Chew's posting on 22 Jun 2013]

Message from the Board
24 Jun 2013

Dear Brothers and Sisters in City Harvest Church,

We wish to put on record that the members of the Management Board have satisfied ourselves regarding the allegations of integrity, honesty and lifestyle of the senior leadership after appropriate reviews since the investigation by CAD started. We wish to reiterate that we stand by our statement on 22 June 2013 that we have full trust in the integrity, honesty and spiritual standing of the pastoral leadership of City Harvest Church.

We do not wish to discuss, engage or argue with these allegations at this present time as these matters are before the Court. We would like to advise our members to do likewise. There are two sides to every story and all the evidence will be brought up in due time, and the truth will be revealed. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says that “there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.”

If you have any pastoral concerns, please feel free to contact your pastors or emailinfo@chc.org.sg.

In the meantime, “I appeal to you brothers [and sisters] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.” (1 Cor. 1:10).

In Christ,

Lee Kiam Hiong
Secretary
2013/2014 Management Board
City Harvest Church

[Source]: http://www.chc.org.sg