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PAP, don't engage in smear tactics: SDP chief Chee By Faris Mokhtar | SingaporeScene Tue, Apr 26, 2011 3:19 AM SGT Singapore Democratic Party's (SDP) secretary-general Chee Soon Juan has called on the People's Action Party (PAP) not to engage in "smear tactics" as the General Election reaches fever pitch. Dr Chee was responding to a statement released late on Monday night by the PAP's Holland-Bukit Timah GRC team calling on the SDP and, in particular, its candidate Dr Vincent Wijeysingha, 40, to be upfront about his "political motives". This after the PAP began referring to a six-minute video on YouTube which showed Dr Wijeysingha attending a gay forum and debating how to further promote the rights of gays and lesbians. The PAP team led by Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan -- and comprising of Mr Liang Eng Hwa, Mr Christopher De Souza and Ms Sim Ann -- said in a statement on Monday: "The issue is not Wijeysingha's sexual orientation. That is a matter for him... Rather the video raises the question on whether Wijeysingha will now pursue this cause in the political arena and what is the SDP's position on this matter." The PAP team also highlighted that the video -- which it accused the SDP of "trying to suppress" -- also touched on the issue of sex with boys and whether the age of sexual consent should be 14 years of age. However, in a swift response, SDP secretary-general Chee said that neither the party nor its candidates will pursue a gay agenda. "Dr Vivian Balakrishnan has asked whether the SDP is pursuing the gay agenda, let me state categorically, we are not pursuing the gay agenda and none of our MPs will." Repeating that party's "only agenda" is to provide an alternative voice for Singaporeans in Parliament, the SDP chief also expressed his "disappointment" that Dr Balakrishnan raised the "gay issue" referring to the video in such a manner. While both parties might have disagreements over policy issues, Chee called on the Minister not to resort to "personal attacks" and adopting "smear tactics". "He didn't have the courage to say what he really wanted to say at first. And he was beating around the bush. "We call on Dr Balakrishnan not to continue in this manner. I can only hope that he will not adopt smear tactics in this campaign and we ask him not to go down this road," said Chee. Human rights lawyer M. Ravi -- who was prominently featured in the video -- also questioned why Dr Balakrishnan raised the issue of a gay "agenda". Ravi told Yahoo! Singapore that he had organised the forum in November last year -- meant to discuss the constitutional challenge of Section 377A -- which criminalises sex between men. He said that Dr Wijeysingha was invited as one of the speakers in a private capacity. It is understood that there were five other speakers at the event. "The context of the issue was a constitutional challenge of 377A which is discrimination in the first place. He (Vincent) was just invited as one of the speakers in a private capacity and I as a citizen have the right to speak about the issues that I want," said Ravi. "Just because I raised this issue, why must Wijeysingha be targeted? This issue does not need to be a political agenda only because it was being discussed. "Just because another panelist raises some issue, does it automatically become a cause promoted by Wijeysingha? In that dialogue, we were just speaking our own mind." During a media conference on Monday evening, Dr Chee also attempted to re-focus public discussion on government policies. He asked Dr Balakrishnan to make public the spending of last year's Youth Olymipic Games (YOG). "Now I would like to ask Dr Balakrishnan to reciprocate. Will he now make publicly the accounts of the YOG and debate our Holland-Bukit Timah team?" In the interest of transparency and accountability, we hope that Dr Balakrishnan will not equivocate and accept our invitation," he said.

FINE...JAIL...CANE ??? Party flags flouting Parliamentary Elections Act??? By Liyana Low | SingaporeScene – Sat, Apr 23, 2011 2:55 PM SGT The internet is abuzz with Singaporeans questioning if it was against the rules for political parties to display their flags in neighbourhoods before Nomination Day. Several netizens spotted People's Action Party (PAP) flags being planted in several estates in Bukit Batok, Woodlands, Hougang, Toa Payoh and Kovan and posted them on Facebook, while a Temasek Review report asked Singaporeans to complain about the flags to the Elections Department. According to the Elections Department website, candidates can only start their election campaigns from the close of nomination (27 April), and up to before the eve of Polling Day (which is the Cooling-Off Day). In the regulations, any form of election advertising such as the use of flags, can only be displayed during the campaign period stated. Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Inderjit Singh told Yahoo! Singapore that their PAP flags are out only at their branches and said that this is quite normal. "For every election we do that. I'm sure the opposition is doing the same. We are not putting banners in any places except in front of our branch offices where we will conduct our election activities from," he added. However, Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang preferred to let the Elections Department ensure the rules are not flouted. "I think its better to ask the Election Department rather than asking the Workers' Party whether they flout the rules and what we are going to do. We do have law enforcement here in Singapore and I think ED is the one that's supposed to … it's their job. It's not our job." Choa Chu Kang resident, John Tan, 23, said that he called up his neighbourhood police post to check if it was against the Parliamentary Elections Act after his friend posted a picture of the flags on Facebook. According to Tan, the police officer he spoke to said they will investigate and get back to him. When contacted by Yahoo! Singapore, the Elections Department, which is in charge of managing the conduct of political parties during the General Election, said that they are unable to comment but will be looking into the matter. Under the law, any person who commits such an offence shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months and every offence under such regulations shall be an arrestable offence within the meaning of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 (Act 15 of 2010).

We are not living in Disney World: MM Lee By Fann Sim | SingaporeScene – Tue, Apr 26, 2011 2:17 AM SGT In a statement issued just on Monday, two days before Nomination Day, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew urged voters to look at the fundamentals and not rock the foundations where Singapore was built from scratch. He reminded Singaporeans to "remember where Singapore came from, and how difficult it was that we got to where we are". "The schools, hospitals, universities, police force, armed forces, the air force, we built all of them up from scratch, from ground zero," said the 87-year-old, who is leading the Tanjong Pagar GRC team in the elections. MM Lee said that Singapore's success was never by chance. It was through careful planning and selection of men and women of integrity and quality by the People's Action Party (PAP) that got Singapore to where it is today. He also added that PAP's 24 new candidates are individuals with a proven character of high calibre and with a track record of performance that shows they will not fail in taking on responsibilities. "We combed Singapore to select those with the highest integrity and ability to chart the way forward for Singapore. We will never reach a point where it can be on auto-pilot, so that any team can just take over. We are not living in Disney World." Sharing Singapore's achievements, MM Lee stressed that no country in the world has housed 85 per cent of its population in public housing of high quality, with the remaining 15 per cent able to afford to buy condominiums and landed properties. He said: "We decided in 1965 that Singapore must become a property-owning democracy. So at the bottom of the market in 1965, when investors thought that Singapore would not survive after our separation from Malaysia, we acquired and bought up all vacant lands and all fire sites. I also removed the right of seaside owners for compensation for loss of their foreshores so that the government could reclaim land without the high cost of compensating the owners of seaside properties." Turning his attention to housing, MM Lee said young couples are impatient waiting for their homes. "Nowhere else in the world can a couple getting married look forward to a home well below market price and, after five years of occupation, sell their homes at a significant premium. My team had planned for this." He also emphasised how a house in Singapore is worth 10, 15, 20 times the price of that same house built in Indonesia, and 5 to 10 times that built in Malaysia. MM Lee also touched on the Central Provident Fund. He said the CPF was expanded and has enabled people to buy their homes, co-pay for their medical and dental expenses, and still have an adequate balance for their retirement. With Singaporeans going to the polls on May 7, he advised voters to not risk their assets, property values and job opportunities and vote for men and women of proven character and track records of high performance.

Obviously lah !!! NO HONEYMOON for Potential Office Holders By ewenboey | SingaporeScene – Sat, Apr 23, 2011 2:40 PM SGT People's Action Party (PAP) candidates who are potential office holders will be "thrown into the deep end" immediately if elected. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that these candidates would not have the luxury he had previously, referring to the 20 years he had in politics before assuming the role as Prime Minister. "We will throw them into the deep end. That is the first step. Then we will see how they work out. There is no other way," he said told The Straits Times on Thursday. The former Brigadier General entered politics in 1984 when he was 32. He stood for election at Teck Ghee, where he won 80.38 percent of the votes against a candidate from the now inactive United People's Front. He was first appointed as Minister of State for both the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Defence. In 1987, he became the Minister for Trade and Industry. PM Lee highlighted the importance of finding successors as his cabinet is an aging one. "I am 59 years old, and my colleagues are all in their 50s." The youngest ministers today are Lui Tuck Yew and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, who both turned 50 recently. PM Lee told the same paper that of the 24 new candidates, more than half can be "more than backbenchers", and "at least five" can become ministers. He did not identify the five, but it is speculated that they could be a handful of civil servants -- Major-General (NS) Chan Chun Sing, Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan-Jin, labour movement assistant secretary-general Ong Ye Kung, former Monetary Authority of Singapore managing director Heng Swee Keat and former Energy Market Authority head Lawrence Wong. Heng is the oldest at 50 and Wong the youngest at 38. The Prime Minister admitted that he did not manage to bring in as many potential "office-holder types" as he would have liked in 2006, and revealed a more aggressive push in the renewal of leadership this year. Only three from the 2006 batch were seen as potential ministers -- Lui, Grace Fu and Lee Yi Shyan -- who were all made Ministers of State after being elected. "This time, I think I have an exceptionally rich crop and we will have to make up for lost time," said PM Lee, referring to the 2011 batch of candidates.

FB fans turn up for NSP's Nicole Seah RazorTV Mon, Apr 25, 2011 By Cheong Poh Kwan SINGAPORE - The upcoming general election's youngest candidate made her first public appearance at the National Solidarity Party's (NSP) walkabout at Aljunied Avenue 2 on Sunday. NSP announced the 24-year-old advertising executive's candidacy on April 21. She visited two wards in Marine Parade GRC with her four team members. With the NSP team expected to stand there, Marine Parade GRC will see the first contest in 19 years. They will take on the People's Action Party team led by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. Besides her team members for the Marine Parade GRC, Ms Seah also had the company of her parents, brother, boyfriend - who is also her elections manager - and around 10 Facebook fans during her walkabout. These fans found out about the walkabout from Ms Seah's Facebook page and turned up dressed in orange to show their support. Said entrepreneur Carl Chung: "I'm quite impressed by this girl's political convictions... The odds are against her, but the 15,000 likes on her FB page [are] for real."

I took responsibility for Mas Selamat Affair: DPM Wong Yahoo! Newsroom – Mon, Apr 25, 2011 1:18 PM SGT Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng says he's owned up and apologised for the escape of terror leader Mas Selamat Kastari. Speaking to media on the sidelines of a community event on Sunday, DPM Wong said, "Of course, the first mistake cannot be obliterated; it was there, I owned up to it, as a minister I took responsibility for it -- that's the right thing to do." He added, "There was a lapse in the security and I apologised for that and I said we would do everything to find him." When asked if the issue would cost him votes and be a "fatal blow" to his re-election campaign, the PAP MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC said he hopes people would see the mistake in context over the work he has done throughout his career. "I think people will look at that and see... based on that I've done here for the last 27 years; and is that one lapse by a department fatal to their decision on electing me or not?" he said. Mas Selamat escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre in Onraet Road in February 2008 and was recaptured in Johore Bahru over a year later. Dismissing a claim by veteran opposition leader Chiam See Tong that he had not fully explained how the terror leader had escaped, DPM Wong said he had given a full public account in Parliament of the Mas Selamat security lapse on April 21, 2008, when he was Home Affairs Minister. "I spent one hour detailing what the committee of inquiry found and I spent the next two hours answering questions from all the MPs, for those interested in asking questions," he said. The Minister also questioned why Mr Chiam -- who is expected to contest the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC -- had only raised one question in Parliament on security lapses in the aftermath of Mas Selamat's escape. DPM Wong also said that residents in the GRC had not mentioned the issue of Mas Selamat when he made his grassroots visits. "Nobody raised a question of Mas Selamat in any of these visits," said the Minister, who stepped down and made way for Law Minister K Shanmugam to take over as Home Affairs Minister in November 2010. Meanwhile Potong Pasir MP Chiam said the public still had not been given a full version of the Mas Selamat debacle. The leader of the Singapore People's Party said on Saturday, "I remembered I asked only one question, but that question was not fully answered." "I asked whether heads would roll over the issue of Mas Selamat. They didn't give us a good answer... We believe in accountability. I want the minister to account to the people of Bishan-Toa Payoh over why heads have not rolled."

Mah: WP’s Low is ‘MISCHIEVOUS’ By Alicia Wong | SingaporeScene – 2 hours 30 minutes ago In the latest exchange of words between the People's Action Party and Workers' Party, National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan called WP chief Low Thia Khiang "mischievous" for saying the government has been guilty of raiding the reserves. Speaking to reporters after a youth dialogue on the proposed Tampines Town Hub and the soft launch of the Tampines Eco Green Park on Sunday, Minister Mah said, "This is a very fiscally prudent government." The government has only drawn from the reserves once, in 2009, during the worst economic crisis in Singapore, Minister Mah was quoted by mainstream media as saying. Last week, the Minister said WP's proposal to lower flat prices by lowering the cost of land would amount to an "illegal raid" on the reserves. In response, Low said that going by the same logic, the PAP has been guilty of taking from the reserves for years and using the Grow and Share package to please voters. Minister Mah said on Sunday, however, that the package was completely funded by surpluses from the government. The government has also returned the S$4 billion it took from the reserves in 2009, even though it was not obliged to do so. He pointed out, "I remember Mr Low himself commending the government for that. Yet now he is saying that we are actually using money from the reserves." Adding that he is not targeting the WP but pointing out serious flaws in its proposals, the Minister said, the WP was able to make its proposals attractive to voters in the short term because it does not "seriously believe" it is going to form the government and would not have to implement all these policies.

GST will not go up in next 5 years: Finance Minister By Ewen Boey | SingaporeScene – Sun, Apr 24, 2011 1:31 PM SGT Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has dispelled rumours of a goods and services (GST) hike after the General Election on 7 May. Speaking to reporters, he said, "We have got a solid Budget, we have got a disciplined Budget, and there is absolutely no reason why we should raise the GST." The MP for Jurong GRC added that "at least for five years there is absolutely no reason to raise the GST" so "let's put that rumour to rest". Introduced in 1994, the GST is a broad-based consumption tax which started out at 3 percent, and is now set at 7 percent. It contributed S$7.9 billion, or about 17 percent of tax revenue for the 2010 financial year. This is not the first time the issue has been raised in recent months. On 12 April, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, responding to a TV forum viewer's concern that the GST will increase after the elections, said, "I very much doubt that. Unless we go wild on our spending plans, then of course we will run out of money, and then you will have to raise the GST." Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang called for GST to be reduced to 5 percent in the Budget debate last month. At that time, Mr Tharman called it a "wrong solution", and added that the tax helps the government to fund various bursaries and grants -- workfare bursaries, housing grants, subsidies -- to help the lower- and middle-income groups. Lowering the GST may mean taking away these initiatives, he said. Opposition parties have also been discussing the issue of a GST raise. In a video released last week, Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) leader Chee Soon Juan gave a speech in Hokkien and said that in no uncertain terms that "GST will go up after the elections", The Straits Times reported. The National Solidarity Party (NSP), which has confirmed its contest in Jurong GRC, also called for a GST reduction in its election manifesto. Mr Tharman explained that the tax should be seen in the context of workfare and other bursaries and subsidies that Singaporeans get. "When you add up what the lower-income group has received after we raised the GST from 5 percent to 7 percent, the low-income group received S$5 back for every extra dollar they paid in GST," he said. "So, the GST is actually a way in which we are helping the poor and helping the middle-income group as well, to some extent. It is actually a very fair scheme," he added. While GST by itself is regressive, GST plus, which is the motivation for the GST here, is a highly progressive scheme, he said. "It's a redistribution scheme where we collect a very significant amount of revenue. It is a very efficient tax, from a large base with the bulk of it coming from the high-end companies and foreigners, and we use it to subsidise the poor and to some extent the middle-income group." However, he did not rule out a GST hike in the long-term future. "I don't think any Finance Minister worth his salt will say that 10 or 20 years from now, whoever is the Finance Minister should not raise some tax. That will be completely irresponsible," he said.

It’s about who can do better for S’pore: PM Lee By Alicia Wong | SingaporeScene – Sun, Apr 24, 2011 7:51 PM SGT Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has urged voters to look beyond the arguments and debates that have ensued during the General Election (GE). The GE, which will be held on 7 May, is about "who can do better for Singapore", said PM Lee, who was speaking at the Chong Boon Market and Food Centre 30th anniversary celebration on Sunday. "Who can look after your future better and make this a place with more opportunities, with more secured lives, with more prosperous economy and with a more stable society for you and your children," he continued. "It's worthwhile remembering, ultimately, it's not over who wins the argument," added PM Lee, pointing out that arguments and debate are "the nature of the contest". "It is a matter of choosing and choosing wisely, and then having chosen, working with the leaders we have chosen to make it work for Singapore," he said. "That's how we make Singapore what is it today ... and that's what we should do if we want to continue to thrive and prosper for years to come." PM Lee pointed to the changes at Chong Boon over the last 30 years and the work of the market association in bringing about improvements, commenting on the favourable results for lift upgrading at blocks 446 to 453. Such improvements, said the Prime Minster, came from years of consistent work, building up grassroots networks and government leaders who know what programmes Singaporeans need. New People's Action Party candidate for Ang Mo Kio GRC Ang Hin Kee also announced two more improvements to the area this year. Following the tragic accident where a Thai girl fell onto the tracks at Ang Mo Kio MRT station, safety screen doors will be installed in June, ahead of schedule. SBS bus service 265, a loop service from Ang Mo Kio depot, will also make an additional stop at the bus interchange from next month, at the request of residents. Fellow GRC candidate Inderjit Singh also said on Sunday that the PAP is "completely ready for a contest" even though stallholders have told him they have not seen any opposition party walking the ground around the market area. "The ground (at Ang Mo Kio GRC) is very warm," he said, referring to residents' support of the PAP. He advised voters to study in depth the proposals put forth by opposition parties and understand "what's the implication of some of these things". Earlier on Sunday morning, PM Lee also launched the Community Sports Festival 2011, targeted to promote community bonding through sports, at the Yio Chu Kang Stadium.

WHITE SHIRT GOOD...RED SHIRT BETTER !!! SDP, PAP clash over Mystery Video By Faris Mokhtar | SingaporeScene Sun, Apr 24, 2011 10:11 PM SGT A mystery YouTube video has become the centre of focus of a raging war of words between Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and opposition candidate Dr Vincent Wijeysingha. The amateur video, which Yahoo! Singapore has seen, revolves around a casual talk given by human rights lawyer M Ravi discussing Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises sex between gays It's shot in a casual setting with about 20 people in attendance. It was uploaded less than two weeks ago and has received about 5,000 views so far. Halfway through the six-minute video, M Ravi calls on a person that looks and resembles like Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Dr Wijeysingha and introduces him by saying, "Introducing Singapore's first gay MP from the SDP..." Without referring directly to the video in question on Saturday, Dr Balakrishnan said the SDP is "trying to suppress" the video and that it "raises awkward questions about the agenda and motivations of the SDP and its candidates." However, during a Sunday press conference where the SDP unveiled its team for Holland-Bukit Timah group representation constituency (GRC), Dr Wijeysingha shot back and asked Dr Balakrishnan to specify which video he was referring to. "I'm aware of several videos that have raised our party's agenda...I'm not sure what is the video you are referring to. We've been a very open party and we're very clear." Dr Wijeyasingha, 40, who is the son of former Raffles Institution principal, Eugene, added that Dr Balakrishnan is "very, very rattled" by the challenge from his party. On Saturday, Dr Balakrishnan had described SDP's candidates as "a team of strange bedfellows" and that the party was trying furiously but unsuccessfully to change its public image. "If you look at the statements principally of Dr Vivian in the last few days, you would recognise that he is very, very rattled," said Dr Wijeysingha. "The fact that a highly trained opthalmologist hides behind the newspaper and issues these comments shows a man running scared," said the civil society activist, who joined the SDP last July. "Once our team was announced, he's gone into overdrive, but there's been nothing of a substantive policy nature about his criticisms," he added. Dr Wijeyasingha said, "It's one of these little things he's dropping in the arena. He hasn't said how we've changed, he hasn't said what he sees as a change." When asked by The New Paper about the video, Dr Wijeysingha declined comment. However, at the same event, Dr Wijeysingha and his fellow SDP colleagues all pledged to donate half of their MP's allowance, if they're elected, to set up a fund for the needy. Based on the current monthly MP allowance of $13,000, that works out to about $6,500 per candidate. Debate over minimum wage policy Meanwhile, former civil service high-flier Tan Jee Say, 57, defended his suggestion of a minimum wage policy which was one of the issues discussed in his 46-page working paper that proposed new ideas for the economy. This comes after Labour chief Lim Swee Say reiterated his stand of not implementing a minimum wage. Speaking to media on Friday, Minister Lim said the minimum wage approach may be popular among Singaporeans, but could have serious implications on the country's economy. When asked if the policy is more of a theory than realistically applicable, Tan argued that it has been practiced in other countries. He cited Hong Kong as an example, where they are known to be economically competitive and have introduced a minimum wage system. "Nothing in my paper is only theory, it is a good theory but it's the basis of implementation and I don't think a minimum wage law is theoretical stuff. It has been in practiced in other countries. The former principal private secretary to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong also suggested that Singapore should move towards a service-based economy, instead of emphasising on its manufacturing sector. Both Minister Lim and Trade Minister Lim Hng Khiang have since criticised the paper. Tan had earlier said that the extensive focus on the manufacturing industry has resulted in over-dependence on foreign workers, which has in return created other problems such as depressed wages for local workers. In his argument, Minister Lim stressed on the need to maintain its manufacturing economy. He said, "Once you let go of the manufacturing sector for three to five years, there is zero chance that we can redevelop the industry again, because it is an industry that is globally highly-competitive." Trade Minister Lim Hng Khiang also slammed Tan's suggestion, calling it unrealistic as the services sector will not drive the same level of growth as the manufacturing industry. He also underscored the need to have a diversified economy and not be too overly reliant on a single sector. Responding to the criticisms, Tan said the objective of his working paper is to produce an alternative plan to propel the economy forward. "The whole objective of my paper is to produce a plan, an economic plan, an alternative plan which will produce, create fulfilling jobs, creative enterprises of the future, not of the past. "The ministers are harking back to the past. We are more interested in the future," he said. Addressing the ruling party's concerns of a freak election, Dr Wijeyasingha said that the PAP's understanding of a freak result is when the returning candidates will serve the people of Singapore, instead of serving the interests of the PAP. "When you have one particular group of people who are in power and they don't want the people to have their say in regular general elections, then a decision against the status quo is seen as a freak result," he added.

New WP candidate breaks down at unveiling By Liyana Low | SingaporeScene – Sun, Apr 24, 2011 11:45 PM SGT Worker's Party new candidate Watson Chong broke down during a press conference on Sunday, saying he was afraid joining the opposition would "bring his family down". The 53-year-old aviation consultancy managing director said that his wife, 41, afraid of trouble caused by lawsuits, once threatened to divorce him after he joined WP in 2006. His father-in-law was also worried for his safety. With two children aged 10 and 12, the MBA holder, who is likely to be fielded in Nee Soon, said, "It took a lot of courage for me to join because it's not about me, it's about my loved ones, and how they would suffer if I were to go down." "My wife objected to it. Why is it so? Because of fear of getting involved in lawsuits and such things like this," he said. He recounted how his father-in-law had questioned him and, with his voice breaking, said, "Watson, you know, you're a married man. You have two young children. Why don't you spend some time with them?" After composing himself for a few seconds, Chong said, "If I fall, I will drag them down. I'm emotional not because of (my own fear). If I had fear I wouldn't have joined... but seeing my family go down with me makes me cry, you know? It's not about me, but my loved ones and how they would suffer." Chong said his family had eventually come round to his decision. In fact, he even feels that with the increase in the number of qualified people joining the opposition, the political scene today has "progressed and matured." But he remains cautious. "We won't know... How hard is the lightning bolt going to be on me? We have some taste of it already with our Mr Chen (Show Mao)," he added. However, unlike Chong's initial family fears about joining the opposition, the family of another new candidate Png Eng Huat, was very supportive of his plans. In fact, the former Raffles Institution student, whose father was an ex-gambler, "Even my 10-year-old daughter went 'Vote for my dad!' and told her friends that her father was running for the elections." Chong and Png -- who joined the Workers' Party after donating his growth dividend shares from the government to Low Thia Kiang in 2006-- were two out of the five new candidates who were unveiled at a press conference on Sunday. The other three are Sajeev Kamalasanan, 41, Frieda Chen, 35, and Mohamad Fazli Bin Talip, 29. Kamalasanan, who owns an interior design company, together with both Chong and Png, are the entrepreneurs in the group of five newcomers. Chairman of the WP, Sylvia Lim, said that one of the reasons that the party was able to attract entrepreneurs was because they had more freedom with their time management. Semi-retired businessman Png, who grew up as the youngest in a family of six, feels that having an entrepreneurial background helps in being more resourceful on the ground, especially when it comes to organising grassroots events without funding from the PA. "We are actually able to have Hari Raya Puasa and Lantern Festival events through raising funds from donors," Png, who used to work as a cook in a Chinese restaurant during his student days in university. Where businessmen are able to bring to the party their resourcefulness, Frieda Chen feels that her 15 years as a social worker has helped her in understanding the social problems faced by many families who fall through the gaps in the system. On why she wanted to run as a candidate, she said, "Politics and social work are closely-knit. I've seen how government policies have affected families whom I've worked with, and I hope that future policies can get translated into practical help for these families."

I think ya AT will be happy swarming in moi 'AT playground'.

KAO-CHENG !!! ANALYSIS: Red Shirt Leader adds to Thaksin's Dilemmas By News Desk in Bangkok/The Nation (Thailand) | ANN – Thu, Apr 21, 2011 5:10 PM SGT Bangkok (The Nation-Thailand/ANN) - What should worry former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra more - Army tanks or one loose cannon in the form of Jatuporn Promphan? The formidable former toppled him in 2006, but the unpredictable latter is arguably making it more difficult for him to repair the damage caused by that coup. And to make the matter even more complex, both parties are facing off on a daily basis, a confrontation that is flying in the face of the Kingdom's electoral mood. To Thaksin, Jatuporn is both an asset and a liability. The red-shirt leader is the hero of more than 90 per cent of people who are set to vote for the opposition Pheu Thai Party, but he is also potentially a political disaster waiting to happen. The showdown with Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha will not help Pheu Thai's chances in the election or after the poll. Thaksin wants the military to leave his political party alone, but Jatuporn has invariably made sure that Pheu Thai will continue to be closely watched for its ideology. In fact, many Pheu Thai MPs are fearing that an election victory will come to nothing if Jatuporn keeps running amok. "I'm a locked target," the embattled MP declared. He claimed the military was using him to discredit the red shirts and then destroy Pheu Thai, possibly through another coup. Whether that is true or not, Jatuporn has definitely allowed himself to be used. His political speeches marking the first anniversary of last year's political bloodshed on April 10 left many people agape even before Prayuth came out to criticise them. If an anti-Pheu Thai conspiracy is real, Jatuporn has helped feed it. Veteran Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has quit as Pheu Thai Party chairman, with sources close to him citing his concern over the camp's controversial ideology. Again, Chavalit, a well-known schemer, might have just needed a pretext. But, again, Jatuporn gave him a good pretext. Still, not only is Jatuporn compounding Thaksin's woes, but he may be also putting fellow red-shirt peers in a predicament. What he said on a red rally stage has brought attention to less outspoken red-shirt leaders like Natthawut Saikua, Wichien Khao-kham, Suporn Attawong, Weng Tojirakarn and Thida Tavornseth, all of whom now are facing police summonses for their role in the April 10 gathering. Thaksin can only hope that the Jatuporn controversy does not snowball into a situation where naming the MP as an election candidate will be deemed an ultimate provocation. Leaders of the armed forces have come out to pledge their support for the general election and ruled out the possibility of a new coup, but that was before the flare-up with Jatuporn. The no-coup vow will stand, but if Thaksin is hoping for a smooth Pheu Thai rise to power after the election, Jatuporn is a threat to that dream. Facing the tough decision of whether or not he should risk his beloved sister Yingluck in politics, Thaksin now also has to deal with the Jatuporn dilemma. Pheu Thai needs red-shirt votes, but the party can be endangered by guys like Jatuporn, who is both an MP and leader of the movement. A "dual-track" approach has been suggested to make Pheu Thai and the red shirts "appear" to be separate, but that is easier said than done. Pheu Thai and the red shirts can't part ways. Thaksin, the de-facto Pheu Thai leader, needs the red shirts like he needs air. The red shirts, on the other hand, are a headless movement without him in spite of claims they have gone way "beyond" the man in Dubai. However, who needs whom more is a no-brainer. Without the red shirts, Thaksin will regress into complete irrelevance.

Famed Hindu GURU Sathya Sai Baba dies at 86 AP – 1 hour 23 minutes ago Hindu holy man Sathya Sai Baba, considered a living god by millions of followers worldwide, died Sunday in a hospital near his southern Indian ashram, a doctor said. He was 86. Sai Baba had spent more than three weeks on breathing support and dialysis while struggling with multiple-organ failure at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, near his ashram in Puttaparti village in southern Andhra Pradesh state. He died Sunday morning, hospital director Dr. A.N. Safaya said. Women selling marigold garlands broke down in tears outside ashram when the news was announced. The saffron-robed Sathya Sai Baba had a huge following with ashrams in more than 126 countries. He was said to perform miracles — conjuring rings and watches and "vibhuti," a sacred ash that his followers applied on their foreheads — from his overgrown and unkempt Afro-style hair. Followers gathered to mourn in small groups in alleys and streets surrounding the ashram, while some began trickling into the temple complex where the holy man's body will be brought to lie in state until Tuesday. Hundreds of thousands of devotees are expected in Puttaparti for Sathya Sai Baba's funeral. A heavy police deployment, in place for weeks as the guru's condition worsened, was manning barricades on the roads to restrict traffic in the village. Shopkeepers were told to close to control the number of people near the ashram. Born Nov. 23, 1926, in Puttaparti, the guru was first named Sathyanarayana Raju. In 1940, he declared himself an "avatar," or reincarnation, of another Hindu holy man called the Sai Baba of Shirdi, a town in the western Indian state of Maharashtra who had died in 1918. The Sathya Sai Baba was also mired in several controversies, with several news reports about allegations of sexual abuse and fake miracles. In 2004, a television program by the British Broadcasting Corporation called the "Secret Swami," interviewed at least two American male devotees who claimed the guru had fondled their genitals and exposed himself to them, claiming it was part of a healing ritual. The guru and his ashram have always denied all reports of any wrongdoing and he was never charged or convicted of any crime. The holy man was never married and has no children.

Why NO WAY when U can beautify ya tanky like this ???

WHERE ART THOU ???

Korallen-Zucht release new ZEOvit Additive Pohl’s Xtra Special Posted on December 4th, 2009 by Ryan Gripp Korallen-Zucht, the people behind Zeovit has released a new product called Pohl’s Xtra Special. Pohl’s Xtra Special is similar to the regular-old Pohl’s Xtra but ”it is mainly for low nutrient tanks, for corals with very light and pale colors without deep coloration” said Thomas Pohl. If you wondered where the Pohl name came from, wonder no more. This new product should be available in mid December of this year with several different sizes: 250,500 and 1000ml. This post has been promoted to an article

Korallen Zucht release ZEOstart 3, Bio Mate Zeovit products Posted on September 14th, 2010 by Ryan Gripp Korallen Zucht, the original company that produces the ZEOvit system has announced that they will come out with two new products shortly. You’ll see an addition to the Basic 4 line up with ZEOstart3 which will replace the ZEOstart2 organic carbon source. If you aren’t a ZEO nerd, ZEOStart can be added to help fuel bacteria growth within the aquarium. Bio Mate is the other new product that is said to be great for “cleaning substrate and rock, reduction of mulm deposits and phosphates. The effect on SPS is a better coloration when you dose normal 2-3 times a week. When you overdose the corals get a little darker but lighter colors come back after a while.” Says Thomas Pohl. ZEOstart 3 was developed for reefers who want optimum water parameters in a biological way. It promotes the reproduction of all nitrifying bacteria in the aquarium and is therefore very effective in reducing phosphate and nitrate, nitrite and several inhibitors. The skimmer removes up to 100 % more concentrated adsorbent. Bacteria dependent slime algae dissappears rapidly and a biological balance is re-established. To start a new tank it shortens the inital phase enormously to about only 14 days. This product is not only for the initial phase, it should be dosed every day in all tanks. It enhances the metallic colors on Acropora, Montipora, Poccilopora and Stylophora. Soft corals grow faster and open the polyps wider. Dose directly into the water. Swich off the skimmer briefly if possible. Do not increase dosage of 2 ml per 250 gallons/1000 L daily – please note that it is highly concentrated. Overdosing is dangerous for all fish!

SEASMART Flopped !!! PNG National Fisheries Authority responds to suit filed by EcoEZ regarding the SEASMART Program Posted on January 11th, 2011 by Jake Adams We learned that the National Fisheries authority of Papua New Guinea is withholding funds from EcoEZ for the SEASMART program. the PNG NFA has issued a public statement regarding the suit and they are citing a lack of confidence in EcoEZ as the primary reason for withholding money allocated for the SEASMART program. In their statement the PNG NFA makes it clear that they believe in the viability of the marine aquarium trade: “The PNG NFA is planning to move forward with their own, internally run marine aquarium program, which will be largely based on the core principles of the SEASMART program: sustainability, equitability, profitability.” The statement goes on to say that the new program expects to start shipping PNG fish again in the middle of this year, and we can only hope that exporting corals from PNG is still on the agenda. The Papua New Guinea National Fisheries Authority has lost confidence in Eco EZ Inc to develop the PNG Marine Aquarium Trade. The Papua New Guinea National Fisheries Authority (NFA) has ceased the allocation of funds to the U.S. based consultancy firm Eco EZ Inc, which formerly held the contract to carry out the “SEASMART” Program. This decision comes as the contract term between Eco EZ Inc and the PNG NFA neared expiration, and the NFA was not satisfied with Eco EZ Inc’s level of performance. Funding to Eco EZ Inc was cut short for the last quarter of 2010, which was the last quarter of the contract term. Eco EZ Inc entered into a contract with the Papua New Guinea NFA in 2008. Initially a one year contract to conduct reef survey work in the reefs of PNG and test the feasibility of an aquarium trade, the scope of work and contract term quickly expanded to three years and the development of a sustainable marine aquarium fishery. 15 million kina, approx 5 million USD, were allocated to Eco EZ Inc to carry out the SEASMART program over the three years. The government of Papua New Guinea, through the NFA, was the sole provider of funds to Eco EZ Inc. Initially the program seemed to be going great, with Eco EZ Inc training local fishers from over 8 villages to sustainably collect marine aquarium life. Exports of these organisms occurred throughout 2009 and 2010, primarily to US importers in Los Angeles. However, shortcomings in the SEASMART program slowly started to become apparent over time, especially in 2010. A number of contractual objectives were in place that Eco EZ Inc was expected to deliver on, but simply failed to achieve. One example of this is the production of TRADE software. The PNG government allocated a substantial amount of money specifically for Eco EZ Inc to develop this web based organism traceability software. Six months was the established timetable for this TRADE software to be created, and shortly thereafter, NFA management was to be trained on its use. However after nearly three years, Eco EZ Inc was unable to deliver the software, despite spending all of the allocated sum. In the end, Eco EZ Inc was unable to develop a viable business model that the Papua New Guinea NFA would be able to utilize to attract private sector investment. The combined effect of Eco EZ Inc not meeting their contractual obligations left the PNG NFA no choice but to discontinue funding. The National Fisheries Authority’s decision to cut funding to Eco EZ Inc is not a reflection of NFA’s position toward the marine aquarium trade in Papua New Guinea however. The NFA still recognizes that the enormous untapped marine resources of PNG’s reefs can bring great benefit to the coastal people of PNG by channeling these resources through a sustainable, equitable aquarium trade. The PNG NFA is planning to move forward with their own, internally run marine aquarium program, which will be largely based on the core principles of the SEASMART program: sustainability, equitability, profitability. This main aim of this NFA project will be to take the aquarium fishery in PNG from a “project stage” to a fully developed, private sector run industry. Profitability is the one previously unattained area that the NFA hopes it will be able to achieve in 2011. Many employees from the SEASMART program will be incorporated into the new, NFA run program. “A work plan and budget have already been established for the 2011 PNG marine aquarium program. This next year of operation is expected to deliver a great range and volume of marine aquarium organisms to our international customers. Fish from around the coast of PNG, as well as inverts and cultured corals, should be available at your local fish store by mid 2011,” says Kema Mailu, program “caretaker” of the new NFA run PNG marine aquarium program. The National Fisheries Authority of Papua New Guinea is a Statutory Authority set up by the PNG Government to monitor, regulate, and develop policy related to fisheries in Papua New Guinea. The National Fisheries Authority of Papua New Guinea is committed to managing fisheries for sustainable benefit.

This post has been promoted to an article

Posted on December 24th, 2010 by Brian Blank Video footage from the Eastern Fields of Papua New Guinea. The Eastern fields are a large submerged atoll approx 170 km southwest of Port Moresby. Limited fishing pressure, along with nutrient rich water from the Gulf of Papua this time of year, combine to create overwhelming amounts of fish which feed on the suspended food particles. Video was shot during a live aboard dive trip with the MV Golden Dawn, December 2010.

Jennifer Lopez named Most Beautiful Cover Media – Wed, Apr 13, 2011 2:30 PM SGT Jennifer Lopez has been named the most beautiful woman in the world by People magazine. The 41-year-old Latino star – who is famed for her gorgeous looks and sensational curves - has topped the US publication’s annual list. Jennifer – who has three-year-old twins with her husband Marc Anthony – has been rendered lost for words after landing the coveted title, and says she in honoured to receive the prestigious beauty award. "Rarely am I left speechless, but I feel honoured," she told People magazine. "I feel not worthy, you know? I feel happy and proud. Proud that I’m not 25!" Joining the gorgeous star on the list are Hollywood stars including Eva Longoria, Zac Efron, Kellan Lutz, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lawrence and Ryan Reynolds. Jennifer told the publication she makes a concerted effort to look her best at all times. The singer says people don’t realise the amount of work that goes into her fitness and beauty regime. "The thing is, it's part of my job. I don't want anybody thinking it's easy. It does take time and it's hard work. HDTV wide-screen is nobody's friend!” she joked. Despite her glamorous lifestyle in front of the camera, Jennifer is happiest when she is at home with twins Max and Emme. The global superstar prefers it when she doesn’t have to wear make-up at home with the kids. "That's when I'm my happiest. Just being able to touch my face and rub my eyes and put my fingers in my hair and not having to worry about messing it up,” she explained. “It's so much better." Jennifer says that her daughter is beginning to pick up on her beauty secrets and is also learning how to mix and match her outfits. "She is very girly-girl, just like me since I was very little. She loves for me to paint her nails," she said. "She lays out her clothes on the floor like I do with my stylist and she's like, 'This matches very good!'” The American beauty says her son is also learning from her make-up regime. Max enjoyss having his nails painted because he loves the colour blue. However, the tot is so fidgety she never gets past painting a couple of his nails. "He wants to paint his nails too. Because for him, it's just paint. He's like, 'I want the blue!'" she laughed. "Then Marc is like, 'Why are Max's nails painted?!' But he won't sit still so it's only like two nails." Jennifer has been called a “diva” in the past. The star was initially offended by the label as she insists she has never made diva-like demands throughout her career, however she has now grown to embrace it. "I kind of like it. We've kind of owned it now. But I certainly don't like and I've never been a person who has what they call 'diva behaviour,' which is something they tried to pin on me for a long time." © Cover Media

DEVIL in Disguise !!! Lady Gaga: My Body Modifications arent Dangerous Cover Media Wed, Apr 13, 2011 2:30 PM SGT Lady Gaga thinks stars who have plastic surgery promote a more damaging image to fans than her body modification does. The flamboyant singer is renowned for her edgy appearance and has recently started sporting horns which jut out of her face and shoulders. Her new look is tied into the promotion of her latest record Born This Way, with the star keen to show her admirers its important to embrace who you really are. She knows some people will think shes encouraging her fans to go to extreme lengths to look different, but insists thats not what her ###### changes are about. I have never had plastic surgery, and there are many pop singers who have. I think that promoting insecurity in the form of plastic surgery is infinitely more harmful than an artistic expression related to body modification, she told the May edition of Harpers Bazaar. And how many models and actresses do you see on magazine covers who have brand-new faces and have had plastic surgery, while I myself have never had any plastic surgery? I am an artist, and I have the ability and the free will to choose the way the world will envision me. "Trust me, I know that. I think a lot of people love to convolute what everyone else does in order to disempower women. But my fans know me… I am in no way promoting sadomasochism or masochism." The star baulked when the horns were referred to as prosthetics in the interview, insisting they are her real bones. She claims they have always been there, its just she was waiting for the correct moment to unleash them on the world. They come out when I'm inspired, she added. It's artistic expression. It's a performance-art piece. Born This Way hits stores next month, and the single of the same name has already been released. Its been praised by fans who say the song is another example of why Gaga is one of the most different and edgy artists around at the moment. She explained if people enjoyed that single, the record will bowl them over. Born This Way is the marijuana to the heroin of the album. The [album's] experience gets massively more intense as you explore it. All the different songs are different kinds of highs, she added. © Cover Media

Ashley Tisdale proud of N.U.D.E Photoshoot Cover Media – Tue, Apr 12, 2011 2:30 PM SGT Ashley Tisdale decided to shed her clothes for a photoshoot to prove she isn’t a young girl anymore. The actress shot to fame playing Sharpay Evans in the High School Musical franchise and is currently starring in American television show Hellcats, in which she plays a college cheerleader. Although she is known for playing students, Ashley wishes people would understand that she has put her school days behind her in real life. The star agreed to pose naked for Allure magazine’s annual N.U.D.E Issue to make people realise she has grown up. "I'm 25, almost 26, but people think of me as much younger because I look young," Ashley said in an interview to accompany the photoshoot. "Being in this shoot was me saying, 'I'm not just the young girl everybody thinks I am. I'm actually a woman.'" Ashley was accompanied to the shoot by her mother Lisa. She has revealed her mom has inspired her determination to succeed and she decided to get a tattoo so she would always remember her encouraging words. "I've always wanted to be sure my parents approve of what I do," Ashley explained. "Even with my tattoos, my mom went with me. The 'believe' tattoo is because my mom always told me to believe." © Cover Media