Dignity for the old begins in our hearts

Two weeks ago, I wrote about him. (Click here for the story.) He was in a nursing home in Johor Baru (JB), Malaysia. Today, I saw him again. He finally returned to Singapore. He passed away a day ago, in the early morning hours in the JB nursing home. There were no family members with [...]

The presidency is not a feedback channel

I almost want to tear my hair out. In the past weeks, as the Presidential election approaches nearer, we have been hearing how the potential candidates are all pledging to be “the voice of the people”. They also vow to “speak up for the people” and to let the government know what the people’s views [...]

Enter the PM

My apologies. After the General Election, I’d wanted to be more objective in my views. But the topic of public transport, and seeing how the PTOs are asking for even higher fares and the PM coming out to support this, just makes my blood curl.  So, here’re my thoughts on the matter. Channelnewsasia, on what [...]

Flying Cowboys

One of my favourite singers and certainly one of my favourite songs… by Rickie Lee Jones who has a voice like an angel…

No concessions for disabled – but CEOs reap millions

Members of the disabled community, many of whom work in low-paying jobs, have been calling for public transport concessions for 12 years – to no avail. In 2009, SBS Transit said it was looking into the call. (See here.) It has been two years since and no news from SBS Transit, or SMRT, about its [...]

The blandness of sameness in the estates

Walking around the heartlands now, you can’t help but feel one thing – they all look and feel the same. There is this monotonous drabness about them. The same designed HDB flats, the same playgrounds, the same shops, the same estate centres, the same shopping malls with the same kinds of shops selling the same [...]

A foreigner I will always remember

When I was a kid, my parents, along with my older brothers and sisters, would make regular trips to our parish church – the catholic Church of the Holy Spirit along Upper Thomson Road. These visits to the church, which was within walking distance from our home, were borne out of necessity. With 12 children [...]

Elderly in foreign nursing homes – something is not right

Would just like to add more thoughts to the article I wrote for Yahoo: “Singaporeans dying away from home”. It is an emotional issue. There is no doubt about this. After all, we are talking about the elderly who could be our parents and grandparents. And no one in his right mind would want to see [...]

Singaporeans dying away from home

Excerpts from my latest article for Yahoo: As we left them and the home, I wonder how many Singaporeans — after having served and contributed to the country — would end up in homes such as this one abroad simply because they would not be able to afford to stay in nursing homes in their [...]

Chan Chun Sing not entirely wrong

Andrew Loh Read this post by Alex Au on the controversial (to some, at least) remarks by Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Maj Gen Chan Chun Sing. Also mentioned by Alex in his article is this blog posting by Rachel Zeng who, incidentally, is a good friend of mine. It all started [...]

Guilt by public opinion

“I hope both of them gets the 100+ stabs as their death sentence.” – “Lentor“. The comment above is in response to a news report about the murder of a woman in May of 2005. Two brothers – Ismil Kadar, now 42, and Muhamad Kadar, 35 – were found guilty and sentenced to death in [...]

It’s really about dignity

This article is inspired by this letter by Jolovan Wham, Executive Director of HOME, and the debate over giving domestic workers in Singapore a day off. (See this article on The Guardian.) Singapore does not have a great tradition of respecting human rights, even basic ones. In fact, the very term itself has been derided [...]

Is there room for respect?

Should one respect – and show it – to ministers? I asked myself this question today on my way home in the train. The question came about because of what I had been reading on the Internet lately. In particular, articles, letters to ministers and certain postings made on the wall of the ministers’ and [...]

Does it matter who becomes President of Singapore?

My latest article for Yahoo Singapore which you can read in full here. Now that President SR Nathan has confirmed he will not be seeking a third term in office, the presidential race looks like it will be fought between three former People’s Action Party (PAP) members. The presidential hopefuls are:Dr Tan Cheng Bock, former [...]