Draft document from STTA for Liu Guodong to sign

Draft document from STTA for Liu Guodong to sign:

We, the STTA and Coach Liu Guo Dong, have met. We wish to make the following statement jointly.

“The STTA recognizes the achievements of the Singapore Women’s Table Tennis Team under Coach Liu in the Beijing Olympics 2008. The historic Silver medal won by the Singapore Women’s Table Tennis Team is a tremendous milestone.

The STTA is grateful for all the hard work that Coach Liu has put in during his tenure. However, it stands by its decision not to nominate him for the Coach of the Year award. This is a decision for the Association to make. Coach Liu understands the decision.

The STTA’s recent comments on Coach Liu were not intended to take away any part of Coach Liu’s contributions to Singapore table tennis. Neither were they meant to suggest any dishonesty on Coach Liu’s part,, while being coach of the Singapore table tennis team.

Coach Liu has left the Singapore team, while the STTA has recruited new coaches. Both parties wish to leave the past behind and would also like the parting to remain amicable. The STTA wishes Coach Liu well in his future coaching career.”

http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=28588.46

An open letter to the Ministry of Education, petitioning for the removal of AWARE as a sex education provider

An open letter to the Ministry of Education, petitioning for the removal of AWARE as a sex education provider

The petition

Please sign the petition below if you agree that MOE should not allow AWARE to continue being a sexuality education provider to schools.

Deadline for submission to MOE: 31 May 2009

Thank you for your support!

*************************************************
To: The Minister for Education
Dear Sir

OPEN LETTER TO MOE REQUESTING FOR REMOVAL OF AWARE AS SEXUALITY EDUCATION PROVIDER

We refer to the Press Release of the Ministry of Education (“MOE”) dated 7th May 2009. We thank the MOE for its clear statement and reassurance that “MOE and the schools do not promote alternative lifestyles to our students. MOE’s framework for sexuality education reflects the mainstream views and values of Singapore society, where the social norm consists of the married heterosexual family unit”. We also appreciate the MOE’s decisive move in swiftly suspending all sexuality education programs by external providers.

Nevertheless, we note that AWARE is unapologetic for its non-conformance with MOE’s guidelines. In this regard we refer to the ongoing petition against AWARE at http://www.ipetitions.com/peti...

AWARE’s:
(a) consistent wilful or negligent non-compliance with MOE’s guidelines over 2 years;
(b) unapologetic stance with respect to the above; and
(c) continuing assertions that they stand by their erroneous CSE programme

together indicate a lack of regard for the severity of their actions. More importantly, such behaviour gives parents no confidence that AWARE will respect or comply with MOE guidelines in the future. We are also not confident that values contrary to Singapore’s mainstream views and values will not be introduced by AWARE or its trainers into its programs in future under the guise of ‘discussion’ or in a manner such as would escape detection by MOE, parents or schools.

In other words, AWARE has not only betrayed our trust but has also completely lost the trust of parents to continue delivering sexuality education programmes to our children. As responsible parents, we cannot accept or tolerate any further contact between an untrustworthy provider such as AWARE and our impressionable children, particularly on sensitive areas such as sexuality education that can have far-reaching impact on our childrens’ values and lives.

In the circumstances, we:
(1) strongly urge the MOE to remove AWARE as a sexuality education programme provider. Apart from providing much-needed reassurance to parents that they need no longer fear the intrusion of AWARE into our children’s schools, we believe that this is also necessary to send a clear deterrent message to all external providers that MOE’s guidelines are to be strictly adhered to, and that there will be consequences for failing to do so.

(2) respectfully request that MOE procures the release and full disclosure of all CSE programme materials, including all instructor guides and notes, to parents whose children have been through the CSE programme. This is so that parents will be informed of the full extent to which the CSE programme departed from Singapore’s mainstream values and be equipped to remedy any damage or confusion, or correct any wrong thinking resulting from their children’s exposure to the CSE programme. We believe that AWARE should be fully accountable to parents for the contents of the CSE Programme, and have reason to believe that there are other materials apart from the Basic Instructor Guide which should be made available for parental and MOE scrutiny, including an advanced instructor guide.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.
Yours faithfully

cc. The Prime Minister’s Office

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ban_aware_from_schools/

http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=28486.168

Petition AWARE for Public Apology and Disclosure

Petition AWARE for Public Apology and Disclosure

The petition

Please sign this petition by 31 MAY 2009 if you agree that AWARE (1) owes parents a public apology for running the CSE Programme in breach of MOE guidelines; and
(2) should take full responsibility for the CSE Programme instead of citing the lack of complaints;
(3) should fully disclose all relevant CSE materials to parents and MOE and be fully accountable to them for the contents.

Apart from the Basic Instructors' Guide, there are other CSE materials including, we believe, an advanced instructor's guide.
***********************************************************
To: The President, AWARE
Dear Sir

In its Press Release on 6 May 2009, the Ministry of Education (“MOE”) stated that AWARE’s Comprehensive Sexuality Education (“CSE”): Basic Instructor Guide (“Guide”) did not conform to the Ministry’s guidelines, and that it contained explicit and inappropriate responses that “could promote homosexuality or suggest approval of pre-marital sex”.
However, we note that AWARE has not issued an apology to parents for its breach of MOE guidelines, but has instead defiantly maintained that they stand by their CSE Programme. AWARE’s unapologetic stance is evident from the following public statements:

1. “We stand by our CSE programme” (AWARE President’s message, 7 May 2009)

In trumpeting the above, AWARE ignores the severity of its actions and its grave betrayal of the trust of many parents. The fact is, AWARE’s CSE Programme:
(a) is non-compliant with MOE’s guidelines;
(b) goes against the mainstream views and values of Singapore society;
(c) goes against the Government's position as stated by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament in October 2007; and
(d) contained explicit and inappropriate content.
(collectively “Non-compliant”)
AWARE has no business or right to place its own agenda over and above those stipulated by MOE or to impose its own views on children entrusted to them. Not only was an apology not forthcoming for its actions, AWARE audaciously retorted that they stand by their CSE Programme. In other words, it appears to us that AWARE:
(a) affirms the offending content found in their Guide;
(b) confirms that the Guide has always represented the official position of AWARE and the offending content was inserted deliberately and with due consideration contrary to MOE guidelines.

2. “As I’ve said to the press, we’ve been running the programme for two years without complains [sic].” (AWARE President’s message, 7 May 2009)
“Furthermore, parents can opt for their children not to attend the programme” (ST interview with AWARE, 10 May 2009)

Instead of taking full responsibility for their non-compliance, AWARE repeatedly cites the fact that they have not received complaints as if that exonerates their CSE Programme. In our view, it does not for the following reasons:

(a) The lack of complaints by parents does not excuse AWARE from breach of MOE guidelines. Failure or delay in detecting a breach does not mean the breach did not happen and does not justify the continuation of that breach.
(b) Parents did not complain because they were not aware or apprised of the contents of the CSE Programme. AWARE has itself stated that the Guide is confidential.
(c) If AWARE did not specifically request or invite teachers and parents to sit in on CSE sessions, and only students were present, AWARE cannot reasonably expect students to lodge complaints. In any case, the lack of complaints by students does not exculpate AWARE but only confirms that students are impressionable, especially with respect to programmes run under the legitimacy of authorised educational providers.
(d) Parents, without being informed of the contents of the CSE Programme, would not generally have had reason to ‘opt for their children not to attend the programme’, precisely because they trusted that AWARE would comply with MOE guidelines.
AWARE cannot expect parents to actively scrutinise and police every letter and detail of every educational programme run by schools and authorised providers. A large part of the relationship between parents, schools and such providers is based on trust. Parents trust that authorised providers will comply with MOE guidelines. AWARE has betrayed that trust.

3. “We are prepared to review these and make any necessary changes so long as the principles and objectives of the CSE are not compromised...” (AWARE President’s message, 7 May 2009)

It is worrying that AWARE’s commitment to make changes to the CSE Programme based on MOE guidelines is not unconditional, but only “…so long as the principles and objectives of the CSE are not compromised…” We fail to see how AWARE can conscionably continue to uphold “principles and objectives” which were the foundation of a Non-compliant CSE Programme.

4. “The information (in the Basic Instructor’s Guide) was taken from a confidential instructor’s booklet, illegally released online, pounced on and distorted…. the accusations by … parents, that AWARE’s programme promoted homosexuality, were based on information taken out of context...” (Straits Times interview with AWARE, 10th May 2009)

It appears to us that:
a) AWARE is not sorry that their CSE Programme was Non-compliant, but only that its contents were exposed.
b) By keeping the CSE Programme materials confidential, AWARE demonstrates a lack of transparency which is inconsistent with AWARE’s own recognition of the importance of transparency in recent events.
c) AWARE does not claim responsibility for its Guide’s non-compliance but accuses others of having ‘distorted’ the Guide. Further, AWARE appears to take the view that its CSE Programme and Guide are without reproach and that the fault lies rather with parents for reading it ‘out of context’.
If AWARE feels that information has been taken out of context, AWARE should make fully disclose CSE Programme materials so that everyone can properly review the Guide in its full context. Further, no less than full disclosure of such materials, and full accountability for its contents, is owed to parents whose children have attended the CSE Programme. Such disclosure must include all instructor guides since these form the basis on which lessons conducted.

In the circumstances, we call on AWARE to:
1) Issue an unequivocal public apology to parents for its negligent or wilful non-compliance with MOE guidelines and take full responsibility for such breach;
2) Retract its statement that “we stand by our CSE programme”; and
3) Release all CSE Programme materials in the interest of full disclosure and accountability, as parents of children who attended the CSE programme have the right to know exactly how and what their children have been taught.

Perhaps AWARE has not had opportunity to fully reflect on the wisdom and implications of its recent press statements. If so, providing an appropriate response of contrition, responsibility and accountability towards parents as requested above will go far towards repairing public perception of AWARE and showing that AWARE is not unwilling to admit and learn from its mistakes.

Yours faithfully
(Signatures appended)

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/aware_to_apologise/

http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=28486.167

Singapore to develop 3 new tertiary institutes of excellence

Singapore to develop 3 new tertiary institutes of excellence
Posted: 19 May 2009 1158 hrs

	Photos 1 of 1 University student conducts research
	Related News • New university, institute to be set up to boost higher education • President Nathan says Singapore's well-prepared for financial crisis • President Nathan says govt's immediate priority is to see S'pore through crisis

SINGAPORE: Singapore is looking into developing three new institutes of excellence in the tertiary education sector – the Singapore Institute of Applied Technology, a new university in partnership with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a new medical school.

Education Minister Ng Eng Hen revealed these plans at a news conference on Tuesday.

Dr Ng said the Singapore Institute of Applied Technology will be set up as a distinct entity within the Education Ministry, which will be responsible for planning, managing and implementing degree programmes offered by foreign universities, in partnership with Singapore’s five polytechnics.

The new institute will work with the foreign universities to offer degree courses from 2011. These courses will be mostly conducted in the polytechnic campuses and the foreign universities will award the degrees in their own names.

There will be places for 2,000 full-time students and 1,500 part-time students yearly by 2015. The duration of full-time courses is likely to be two years, while part-time courses can be expected to take up to four years to complete.

Senior Minister of State for Education S Iswaran will act as adviser to the taskforce appointed to look into expanding upgrading opportunities for polytechnic graduates.

As for Singapore's new university in Changi, which will open its doors to students in 2011, it will have the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as its partner.

The university will focus mainly on the disciplines of science, engineering, information systems and architecture, and aims to be a high-quality research-intensive university.

A core team of experienced professors from MIT will play the lead role in developing the curriculum and in teaching undergraduate students. It will have an undergraduate population of about 4,000 students and a significant number of postgraduate students.

As for the setting up of a new medical school in Singapore, the Education Ministry and Health Ministry have asked the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) to submit a proposal on it.

The university has formed an advisory panel, chaired by NTU president Dr Su Guaning, to advise it on the matter.


- CNA/so

http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=29224.4

LHZB interview special with Dr. Thio Su Mien

LHZB interview special with Dr. Thio Su Mien

“Feminist Mentor” Dr. Thio Su Mien: The “coup” was accidental

The “coup” that occurred at AWARE’s AGM several weeks ago was actually an accident.

At least this was how Dr. Thio Su Mien perceived it.

At the AWARE AGM on March 28th, a twelve-member executive committee (exco) was voted in but the majority of the exco members, including Ms Josie Lau who later took over as president, were new and relatively unknown members. This provoked unease and dissatisfaction amongst the veteran members of AWARE; later, this also sparked a series of tussles between the old guard and new guard of AWARE.

However, Dr. Thio, widely perceived as the one who orchestrated this “coup”, in an interview with this newspaper, claimed that she did not expect the outcome of the AGM elections to result in a new guard taking over as the exco. She also claims that her encouraging of young women to join AWARE was aimed only at injecting new vitality into the organisation and to preserve the core family values of Singaporean society.

According to reports, AWARE’s membership numbers have, in recent years, been declining, reaching a low of 200 members at the end of last year. However, amongst those attending AWARE’s AGM on March 28th, only a minority was long-standing members of AWARE while the majority were new members who joined only shortly before the AGM.

According to Dr. Thio, if the long-standing members of AWARE had all attended the AGM, the new members “may not even have a single chance of winning a position, hence who can we blame for the outcome of the exco elections; even I was not expecting such an outcome”.

In a media report in April, it was revealed that Ms Josie Lau, the new AWARE president, along with another 5 new exco members are from the same church of Church of Our Saviour (COOS) while Dr. Thio is also a member of COOS and a mentor to Ms Lau and company. It was later revealed that Ms Lau is married to Dr. Thio’s nephew. All this were cited as proof of a well-orchestrated “coup” by Dr. Thio.

When reminded of this during the interview, Dr. Thio laughed and said: “If you say that I planned all this, I indeed was the one going around encouraging people I know to join AWARE. But all these people were mobilised at the last moment. Some amongst them did not know one another but only know me; some in fact are not that familiar with me. My purpose was: if you are able to, you should join this organisation and contribute to society”.

She added that if she was indeed the mastermind behind the whole thing, she would not be “as stupid as to find people from the same church”.

“If I really premeditated this, then I would be a real strategist; if so, I should organise a rainbow coalition like them (the old guard of AWARE). However, my thinking was very simple. But now thinking back, I was in fact rather foolish and naïve in my thinking. I never thought that the outcome will be this and that things will get so out of hand”.

On the April 23rd press conference held by the exco headed by Ms Lau, Dr. Thio was present to answer questions on behalf of the exco. At that press conference, Dr. Thio made statements about AWARE’s declining membership numbers, the proposed changes to its constitution to allow for male members to be eligible to vote. Her accusations about AWARE’s Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) programme and about it promoting a homosexual lifestyle were also made at that press conference.

The AWARE saga later attracted more attention from outsiders and supporters of the old guard and this was because of Dr. Thio’s confession that she has been the mentor of the exco for several years and was the one who encouraged them to join AWARE. Also, it was revealed through online sources that Dr. Thio had, before the AGM, sent out mass emails criticising the CSE and encouraging people to vote for “reformers who want to be in charge”.

The question is: why didn’t this retired veteran lawyer personally run for a position on the AWARE exco if she was so concerned about the supposed direction the organisation was heading in?

Dr. Thio, who is already 71 years of age, explained that besides her age, another more important reason why she didn’t personally run for an exco position was that she felt that being a mentor, her responsibility was to nurture people who can make contributions to society and not try to glorify herself.

Similarly, it was because of her role as a mentor that Dr. Thio decided that it was necessary for her to present at the April 23rd press conference to defend Ms Lau and company.

Surprised at the anger and emotions at the EOGM

“I originally only planned to speak at the EOGM but when I saw the exco being lambasted, I felt that I have the responsibility, since I was the one who encouraged them to join AWARE and serve the interests of womenfolk and the nation, to be present at the press conference. I did not expect that they will be attacked and, even worse, that their lives, livelihood and businesses will also come under threat.”

The exco originally has no plans to hold a press conference and had wanted to wait till the EOGM to express their views.

“But”, said Dr. Thio, “the media was having a field day with the AWARE saga so we had to hold a press conference to clarify matters”.

Besides being surprised at the “coup”-like outcome of the AGM, Dr. Thio also expressed great surprise at the sudden increase in membership numbers for AWARE and the intensity of the emotions displayed at the EOGM on May 2nd.

During the 7 hours long EOGM, a scene which is perhaps most memorable to those present and those paying close attention to the happenings at the EOGM would be that of Dr. Thio proudly holding up a publication by AWARE to announce that she is on page 73 of the publication. This act was heavily criticised by the supporters of the old guard present at the EOGM. Dr. Thio’s attempts to rein in the noisy crowd by reminding them that they need to respect their elders also provoked a round of jeers.

Reminded about this during the interview, Dr. Thio expressed surprise: “I never thought that on the day of the EOGM, people’s emotions would be so intense, that the atmosphere will be so filled with anger”.

Nothing to be angry about

However, with regards to being unable to finish her speech due to the jeers, Dr. Thio said that there was nothing to be angry about.

“There is no need to be angry. Being angry will be like playing an old record non-stop”. Dr. Thio feels that if an individual is not able to let go, he or she will only cause him/herself to be trapped in the past and not be able to move on.

Hence, even though her remarks of “Please respect your elders” and “I am on page 73” was printed onto slogan t-shirts, Dr. Thio also laughed it off, saying: “This sort of design is quite interesting and can increase the income for the designer; I also want to buy one to take a look”.

As for what her future plans for herself and her “mentees” will be, Dr. Thio said: “Let’s talk about this after I return from a vacation! Perhaps taking a vacation will inspire me. And hopefully, the anger over this saga will dissipate and Josie will be able to continue using her strengths to contribute to society”.

Box story: “Homosexuality is a political movement”

Been keenly aware of the developments in homosexuality in Europe and North America, Dr. Thio firmly believes that there is a political movement promoting homosexuality. And the aims of this movement will include the de-criminalisation of anal sex. This may be witnessed in the attempts by individuals in Singapore to repeal Section 377A of the local Penal Code.

Dr. Thio said: “This is a significant point. Because if once the law is abolished or liberalised, homosexual activists will start to raise issues, such as marriage equality, education equality, and medical equality, to ask for funds from the government.”

In Finland, singles and lesbians are, with government subsidies, able to receive artificial insemination. This, according to Dr. Thio, will thus involve how taxpayers’ money should be used.

Dr. Thio also cited an example from Canada. According to her, there was a case in Canada in which a kindergarten teacher filed a lawsuit against the school management committee, accusing the committee for not including three books with contents about same-sex parents in the syllabus for kindergarten and primary one students. Although parents from different religious backgrounds, e.g. Hinduism, Sikhism, Catholicism and Christianity, supported the school management committee in the Canadian Supreme Court, the school management committee lose the case and had to put the three books into the school library.

She originally did not want this interview to be published

This interview with Dr. Thio almost did not get published.

Although she readily agreed to be interviewed one week ago, Dr. Thio later wanted to prevent this interview from being published.

As one of the central figures in the AWARE saga, Dr. Thio felt that Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng’s statement about the government stance on the AWARE saga and call for individual religious groups and secular organisations to be tolerant and exercise restraint already provided a very good conclusion to the AWARE saga. Thus, she did not want this interview to be published lest it stirs up emotions or polarise society.

Eventually, Dr. Thio was convinced to allow this interview to be published. This was because she knew that the focus of this interview will be the family values she espouses. As she said, one week ago, when she agreed to be interviewed: “If you all want to find out my views on family and values, then we may talk. But if you all want to talk about the AWARE saga, then forget about it”.

The interview was conducted at a restaurant in the Botanical Gardens. The day before the interview (6/5/2009), Dr. Thio attended the 150th anniversary dinner and dialogue session with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew organised by the Botanical Gardens; amazed by the beauty of the Botanical Gardens, Dr. Thio wanted us journalists to also experience it.

Dressed in a purple floral top and a long skirt, Dr. Thio looked markedly different and softer from how she looked like during the AWARE saga – serious and dressed in proper business attire. Without wasting any time, Dr. Thio proceeded to, through sharing one story after another, express her staunch belief in the core family values which she seeks to protect.

The first story was the “Chicken Egg” story, a story her daughter, Ms Thio Li-Ann, in conjunction with Mothers’ Day, wrote in The New Paper to express her gratitude towards Dr. Thio.

With regards to this story, Dr. Thio said: “I was in disrepute after the AWARE saga, thus I was very moved by Li-Ann’s use of this story to express her respect and support for me; it also shows that she still remembers the meaning behind the story”.

After the end of World War Two, Dr. Thio, who was then only 7 years of age, was visiting her grandmother’s hometown in Fujian along with her parents and siblings. Her relatives there, although they were very poor, will always present Dr. Thio and her family with a big bowl of noodles with an omelette placed on top. Seeing this, Dr. Thio’s father will remind her and her siblings to finish the noodles as although her relatives were poor, they offered them the best. This childhood lesson about respecting others that Dr. Thio’s father imparted to her was a memorable one to Dr. Thio which she later imparted to her own children.

Dr. Thio said: “My parents each had their own personalities and strengths and it was them who provided me with an environment that shaped my character and value system. Hence, I firmly believe that every child should be able to live and grow up in a family with full parental support. A family headed by a same-sex couple will find it difficult to provide children with a conducive environment to best grow up in”.

For the past 10 years and more, Dr. Thio has been involved in church counselling work and once, a father lamented to her that it is most unfortunate that a small golfing ball can alienate a father from his family. This lamentation by this father also illustrated to Dr. Thio the importance that parents have in their children’s lives and education.

“When my children were about 2 to 3 years old, my husband gave me a set of golfing equipment. I went to play a few rounds of golf but I realised that I was neglecting my children. Thus, I decided to throw the golfing equipment into the storeroom and brought my children out for swimming. In the years which I have been doing family counselling, I have also been encouraging parents to bring their children for swimming or cycling to strengthen the bonds between them and their children; don’t play golf. When it comes to discerning what is truly important, we often make mistakes”.

Witnessing the trends and changes in Europe and North America with regards to the family and gender relations, Dr. Thio was more convinced of the paramount importance of family education and that many societies, including Singapore, are facing challenges to their value systems.

Dr. Thio is especially worried about the erosion of values by a movement, originating in the West, that is challenging people’s belief in the family. And this movement, according to Dr. Thio, aims to “basically redefine the meaning of marriage, to redefine marriage as not only belonging to couples of different sexes but also to same-sex couples. This movement aims to legalise same-sex marriage and to redefine the traditional concept of the family”.

“This is a movement which constantly appeals to people to support it. You can recognise its existence but you cannot allow it to become part of the mainstream. Schools should have sex education but this should be done appropriately to preserve our core values about the family”.

And encouraging eligible women to serve and contribute to society is one way that Dr. Thio has been using to preserve the core values of Singaporean society. As the mentor of Ms Josie Lau and others, she often “nags” at them to be more concerned about society at large and “not to be only interested in fashion and handbags”.

This is basically why she encouraged them to join AWARE.

“We cannot depend on the schools and the government for everything. We all understand the need to seriously learn how to be good reporters and lawyers but this is not the case when it comes to learning how to be a good parent. If parents are only concerned their children’ academic grades and leave the rest to maids and society to handle, the family and society will collapse”.

In an interview that spanned 2 hours, two-thirds of the time was spent on discussing the importance of maintaining core values. As the interview came to an end, Dr. Thio said to us journalists: “If I had known you all earlier, I would perhaps also encouraged you all to join AWARE”.

“Why is it that everytime someone offers an opposing view to homosexuality, that person will receive death threats or have his/her livelihood threatened? Does this involve the use of politics of fear? Shouldn’t the media be concerned about this? Shouldn’t we be having a regulatory mechanism to ensure objective and fair reporting by the media?” – On the former exco of AWARE and herself receiving death threats during the AWARE saga

“I am very glad that now there are more people discussing about the issue of sex education and desiring a better vetting process to be put in place for sex education in schools. However, I am not sure how the Education Ministry will oversee the matter, as in how will they check on the teachers, who are crucial figures in sex education, who are teaching sex education? This point will need to be clarified.

Originally, the Education Ministry wanted me to produce evidence for my claims about there being parents complaining about sex education. However, the report in the April 24th edition of The Straits Times and my response letter to the Education Ministry have made it clear that I never said I received complaints from parents. Also, after investigations, the Education Ministry has publicly announced that some sex education programmes have contravened its guiding principles. This shows that my accusations were not inaccurate.

What is comforting is that the Education Ministry has decided to examine how it can enhance its vetting process for sex education. We should improve on the transparency and credibility of this process. A supervisory body should also be specially set up to communicate with and consult parents. Also, perhaps the vetting process should include placing relevant information online as a display of transparency?” – On the Education Ministry announcing on June 7th the suspension of sex education programmes provided by external organisations e.g. AWARE after its initial statement that it did not receive any complaints from parents

“The responsibility of a mentor is to nurture and groom them before allowing them to go out to contribute to society; to allow for the continued increase in the numbers of talented individuals. If you do not let young people to serve in leadership roles but do everything by yourself, this will be most inefficient.” – On why she did not personally run for a position on the AWARE exco

“50% of Singapore’s population consists of women; we actually have an abundance of talent. If we are able to have 10 Mrs. Lim Hwee Hua (Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office), 50 Professor Chan Heng Chee (Singapore’s Ambassador to the United States) or 100 Olivia Lum (CEO of Hyflux), that will be a great blessing. There are two levels to this: firstly, on the societal level, we will need to help those women at the bottom of the social ladder to improve themselves and for those women who are better off, we will have to let them possess more skills and to inspire them to contribute more to society.

We will have to nurture more women leaders in different fields because CEDAW’s target is to have women have 30-35% representation in different fields. I, with my life experiences, should be able to contribute towards this endeavour.” – On why she encouraged more eligible women to join AWARE

http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=28024.408

联合声明与协议不符　刘国栋指责乒总虚假

刘国栋说，联合声明以英文草拟，他找人翻译后发现声明内容与之前所谈的有出入。

刘国栋说，联合声明以英文草拟，他找人翻译后发现声明内容与之前所谈的有出入。

以英文草拟的联合声明与协议不符，我国国家乒乓球队前总教练刘国栋指责新加坡乒乓总会态度虚假。

刘国栋昨天受访时透露，他与乒总前晚临时约谈了几十分钟，对方给他看的联合声明草稿不但只以英文撰写，而且内容与第一次会谈时达成的协议不一样，让他感到十分气愤。

现为印尼国家队总教练兼技术顾问的刘国栋（35岁）说：“我们昨天临时谈了几十分钟，但和之前见面时谈的有出入。我觉得，他们都在针对我，我对昨天的会谈感到很气愤，他们的态度很假，一点都不诚恳。”

刘国栋在去年北京奥运会上带领李佳薇、王越古和冯天薇摘下女团银牌，为新加坡赢得48年来的首枚奥运奖牌。不过，女乒获得乒总提名，成功拿下最佳队伍（单项）奖的同时，刘国栋却没有被提名角逐最佳教练奖。

乒总在声明草稿中承认 刘国栋协助夺牌有贡献

据了解，乒总在这份用电脑打印的联合声明草稿中表示，乒总承认刘国栋去年对新加坡夺取奥运银牌作出的贡献，但在草稿中澄清刘国栋在担任国家队总教练期间没 有任何不诚实行为的同时，也重申总会有权提名或不提名任何人角逐新加坡体育奖，并认同当初不提名刘国栋的决定，而刘国栋也明白这个决定。

刘国栋曾在上个星期五与乒总秘书长孙敏慎和总裁周树声在香格里拉大酒店会面，三人针对他要求乒总会长李美花作出澄清一事，谈了约两个小时。刘国栋会谈后表 示，孙敏慎和周树声“态度友善”，但他们当时无法做决定，因此双方说好再定时间约谈，而且双方当时异口同声表示，和解的可能性很高。

然而，刘国栋显然对草稿内容许多地方非常不满，他说：“我看不懂英文，他们却带了一份英文的文件来，太过分了。他们跟我解释的内容，和我找朋友翻译（草稿）的内容不同。我不满（草稿内容）的地方很多，他们说我知道得不了（最佳教练奖），还有其他一些。”

乒总上个月针对新加坡奥林匹克理事会询问没提名刘国栋角逐2008年最佳教练奖的来函，作出书面回复时指出，“最佳教练不该只是取得好成绩，他同时也该具备专业精神、正直的品性、道德、团结球队的能力，以及是个受球员尊敬的人”。

刘国栋把乒总的答复解读成对他的人身攻击，因此在上个星期四独自从中国回到新加坡，要求李美花通过报章作出澄清，否则将考虑提出法律诉讼。

孙敏慎昨天证实双方前天确实第二次会面，但他表示，乒总将采取一样的做法，继续寻求取得双赢的结果。他说：“我们昨天临时决定见面，刚好大家都有时间。事情没有改变，我们还是希望取得双赢结果，所以我们会继续与刘国栋联络，采取友善的态度跟他一起找出解决的方法。”

不过，孙敏慎没有提及联合声明草稿的事。

刘国栋明天回北京 月底再回来交涉

随着第二次会谈陷入僵局，刘国栋表示，他决定明天回返北京，为即将开战的中国乒乓球俱乐部超级联赛做准备。他将在新赛季担任宁波北仑海天俱乐部的男队主教练，旗下球星包括中国的马龙、台湾的庄智渊和香港的唐鹏。

他说：“谈了两次，谈出这样一份东西，还怎么谈？现在应该他们来（做回应），我现在说来说去，到最后（也不知道会怎么样）。”

刘国栋表示，他决定在乒超本月底完成首三轮比赛后再回来新加坡，继续要求乒总对诋毁他人格的说法作出澄清。

http://news.omy.sg/News/Sports/Story/OMYStory200905180146-61873.html

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刘国栋要求李美花　登报澄清道歉

刘国栋要求新加坡乒乓总会会长李美花在报章上对诋毁他人格的评语，作出澄清及公开道歉。

只要这场风波一天没有解决，我国国家乒乓球队前总教练刘国栋就一定会回来新加坡，要求新加坡乒乓总会会长李美花在报章上对诋毁他人格的评语，作出澄清及公开道歉。

现为印尼国家队总教练兼技术顾问的刘国栋（35岁）今天凌晨搭机回北京前，在樟宜机场第三搭客大厦的离境大厅说：“我就是要乒总在报纸上道歉，就在报纸上这样写好了：‘刘国栋人品不错，关于对刘国栋人品不好（的说法），我们给予澄清’，就这么简单。”

刘国栋透露，卢平池律师昨晚主动联络他，表示愿意为他免费打这场官司。刘国栋说：“卢律师今晚来找我谈，他说他愿意分文不取，免费为我打官司。不过，我还必须先向国内的亲戚朋友征求意见。”

他还说，要是他日后因为李美花（宏茂桥集选区议员）诋毁他人格的评语，被雇主开除的话，他肯定有充分的理由起诉乒总。

刘国栋在去年北京奥运会带领李佳薇、王越古和冯天薇摘下女团银牌，为新加坡迎来48年来的首枚奥运奖牌。不过，女乒获得乒总提名，成功拿下最佳队伍（单项）奖的同时，刘国栋却没有被提名角逐最佳教练奖。

乒总上个月针对新加坡奥林匹克理事会询问没提名刘国栋的来函，作出书面回复时指出，“最佳教练不该只是取得好成绩，他同时也该具备专业精神、正直的品性、道德、团结球队的能力，以及是个受球员尊敬的人”。

刘国栋把乒总的答复解读成对他的人身攻击，因此在上个星期四独自从中国回新加坡，要求李美花通过报章作出澄清，不然就会考虑提出法律诉讼。不过，李美花在乒总的书面回复曝光后，至今都不曾作出任何回应。

刘国栋表示，身为宁波北仑海天俱乐部主教练的他，今天必须回到北京准备本周六（23日）开打的中国乒乓球俱乐部超级联赛，以及监督印尼国家队在中国的训练，所以他不一定能够在本月底完成前三轮乒超联赛后再到新加坡。

他说：“我可能很快再来，也可能几个月后来，因为我老婆也快生了，预产期是6月29号。不过，这件事只要一天不澄清，我就一定会回来。”

乒总在上个星期六给刘国栋看了一份英文的联合声明草稿，草稿虽澄清他在担任国家队总教练期间没有任何不诚实行为，却也重申总会有权力提名或不提名谁角逐新加坡体育奖，并坚持当初决定不提名他角逐最佳教练奖的立场，而他本人也明白这个决定。

不过，刘国栋对草稿内容非常不满，因为他“根本就不明白这个决定”。他表示，草稿不但用英文撰写，而且乒总秘书长孙敏慎和总裁周树声在会谈时解释的草稿内容，与他后来找朋友翻译时的内容有出入，内容也与上个星期五首次会谈时不同。

由于这次逗留新加坡的四天都没见到李美花，刘国栋因此表示，他下一次回来一定要当面和她谈。他说：“这次谈了两次都没有效果，因为他们（乒总代表）都不能做决定，所以下次我一定要和李美花当面谈。”

已获得我国永久居留权的刘国栋原本只是要李美花在报章上作出澄清，但随着事情的发展，他现在不但要澄清，也要李美花公开向他道歉。

至截稿为止，记者仍然无法联络上乒总负责人。

http://news.omy.sg/News/Local%2BNews/Story/OMYStory200905190505-62110.html

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Panel for new med school

May 19, 2009

Panel for new med school

By Goh Yi Han
		'This medical school must be positioned for the future...We must also anticipate the way medical care will be delivered ten, twenty years from now,' said Mr Ng Eng Han. -- ST PHOTO: ALBERT SIM

AN ADVISORY panel comprising medical experts has been set up to help draw up proposals for a third medical school in Nanyang Technological University.

Minister for Education Ng Eng Hen said at a press briefing on Tuesday the new medical school would help Singapore cope with future demand for medical care, which is expected to increase as demographic change brings about a growing and ageing population.

RELATED LINKS New Peaks of Excellence in the Tertiary Landscape

Adding that the new school should be geared towards greater integration of science and technology in daily healthcare needs, he said: 'This medical school must be positioned for the future...We must also anticipate the way medical care will be delivered ten, twenty years from now.'

The new school will take in about 100 to 150 students each year, adding to the 310 who presently graduate each year from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School.

Details on when the school will open are not available yet. However, NTU is expected to submit its proprosal for evaluation in the next six to 12 months.

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MIT to partner 4th university

May 19, 2009

MIT to partner 4th uni

By Amelia Tan
		The university will be kept small with an undergraduate population of about 4,000 to maintain the high standards of education which MIT is known for. -- ST PHOTO: TERENCE TAN

THE Massachussets Institute of Technology (MIT) has been confirmed as a partner for the fourth university which will open in 2011.The university will be kept small with an undergraduate population of about 4,000 to maintain the high standards of education which MIT is known for, said Education Minister Ng Eng Hen at a press conference on Tuesday to announce changes in tertiary education here.

RELATED LINKS New Peaks of Excellence in the Tertiary Landscape

But he said the intake may grow depending on the quality of applicants.

Previous reports said the new university will take in about 2,000 to 2,500 students per year, before hitting between 10,000 and 12,000 undergraduates eventually.

Asked why the enrolment size has been scaled down, Dr Ng said: 'I would say in our discussions with our partners, it was clear that there would have to be some trade-off between quality and quantity. You can't realistically take students of varying calibre, as some of them will struggle in the courses.'

He added: 'I'm not precluding a larger university. I also bear in mind that our top students are spreading themselve out in NUS, NTU and SMU.'

Dr Ng said he did not think all students would be drawn to the new university.

'And I want to assure the other universities that it will not happen,' he said. 'The issue is really on quality that is consistent with our choice of partners and the way we position this university.'

A second partner - a Chinese university - will be announced at the end of the year, said Dr Ng.

Classes will start in 2011 at a still-undisclosed temporary location. It will move to its permanent home in Upper Changi in 2013 on land which was set aside for the aborted University of New South Wales Asia project. It will also occupy two sites across the road with a total land area of 23ha.

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President S R Nathan: Political system must evolve

May 19, 2009
POLITICS
Political system must evolve
By Clarissa Oon

SINGAPORE'S political system is 'not set in stone' and must evolve in response to changing circumstances, President S R Nathan said last night.

In particular, it must resonate with the young. New leaders need to be found to connect with a new generation of Singaporeans, he added.

Like their predecessors, these younger leaders 'understand how Singapore works'.

What is different about them is that they 'bring with them fresh thinking and energy to set and achieve new goals', he said in his address at the opening of the second session of Parliament.

Coming at the end of a wide-ranging speech on the country's economic, social and political challenges, the President's remarks reflect a growing recognition that there are younger voters who are dissatisfied with the system, said MPs and political analysts.

Said assistant law professor Eugene Tan of the Singapore Management University: 'It gave me a sense that the Government recognises there could be pockets of Singaporeans who feel the political system is not responsive, not adaptive, or too authoritarian.'

Many who hanker for change are younger Singaporeans who want 'a lot more say' and 'greater involvement and participation in the political process', said Madam Halimah Yacob (Jurong GRC).

The need for the political system to evolve was first raised by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong last July at a dinner in the opposition-held Hougang ward. He said the 'status quo cannot last forever', but added that any refinements to the system should not lead to division or chaos.

While the President's remarks last night are another sign that some re-tooling of the system is on the Government's agenda, they give nothing away as to what those tweaks might be.

One possible change is the size of group representation constituencies (GRCs), said Mr Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio GRC).

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President S R Nathan: Importance of harmony

May 19, 2009
SOCIAL COHESION
Importance of harmony
By Kor Kian Beng

THREE recent events were highlighted by President S R Nathan yesterday when he underlined the importance of social cohesion.

These were: the outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1), the recapture of escaped terrorist leader Mas Selamat Kastari and the Aware takeover saga.

Mr Nathan said the need to strengthen social cohesion must go hand in hand with the push for economic growth.

'The challenging times will put stresses on our society and families, but Singapore must manage these stresses and meet the challenges as one people.

'We will then emerge from the current crisis stronger,' he said in his opening address of the second session of Parliament.

Describing new infectious diseases as a test of social cohesion, he said Singaporeans must respond to the H1N1 outbreak, 'just as rationally, vigorously and cohesively' as they did to Sars in 2003.

As for the recapture of Mas Selamat in Malaysia last month after his escape from detention here last year, President Nathan said it is a reminder that extremist terrorism not only threatens Singapore's security, but also its racial and religious harmony.

In the Aware saga, controversy was sparked when a group of Christians, many from the same church, took over the leadership of the Association of Women for Action and Research. There were heated debates on religion, secularism and homosexuality. The old guard later regained the helm.

The episode, said Mr Nathan, highlighted the need for all groups to practise tolerance, restraint and mutual respect to live peacefully in a multiracial, multi-religious society.

'This applies not just to religious groups venturing into the secular domain, but also to secular groups which want to strongly push their views and change our social norms,' he said.

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Siew Kum Hong blasts allegations that he has foreign funding and is SDP mole

May 19, 2009

NMP files police report

Siew blasts allegations that he has foreign funding and is SDP mole

By Goh Chin Lian, Senior Political Correspondent
		Mr Siew says the attack crosses the line and is nothing short of character assassination.

NOMINATED MP Siew Kum Hong has made a police report over allegations on the Internet that he is receiving funding from a Swedish politician who allegedly also funds the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), and that he is the party's representative or 'mole' in Parliament.

In a post on his blog yesterday, the in-house counsel, 34, who is at the centre of an online storm over his application to seek a second term as a Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP), said the allegations were untrue and false.

'They are vile, vicious and malicious attacks on me, and nothing short of character assassination. I consider them extremely defamatory and criminal in nature,' he said, without identifying those who made the allegations, or the sites in question.

But he said he has asked 'those forums that I am aware are currently hosting these falsehoods, to take them down'.

When contacted last night, he confirmed making the police report. It is now a police matter and he declined to make further comments.

In his posting, 'The line has been crossed', he said he did not ask for, nor was he offered or received funding from any local or foreign entity, including the Swedish politician, whom he did not name.

Mr Siew said his only sources of income were from his employer - a technology company - and from the Government in the form of his monthly NMP allowance.

He added: 'I am not involved or affiliated or associated, whether directly, indirectly or in any other way, with the SDP, and am certainly not their representative or 'mole' in Parliament.'

Mr Siew said that while he had not previously taken action against those who attacked him on the Internet, the latest salvo 'crosses the line and goes beyond any attacks that I am willing to countenance as being fair game for a public figure'.

In his posting, he said he did meet 'certain Swedish gentlemen' at their request. But this was no different from his meetings with other foreigners, whether from embassies or academia.

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President Nathan: New strategies ahead

May 19, 2009

New strategies ahead

Basic approach sound, but some policies will be refined, says President

By Chua Mui Hoong, Senior Writer
		The Government's priority is helping Singaporeans cope with the economic crisis and a post-crisis world, noted President Nathan. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI

SINGAPORE will refine some policies and come up with new strategies to help the country cope in a new world order, said President S R Nathan on Monday.

RELATED LINKS PRESIDENT'S SPEECH

It will seek new markets, for example, and develop new capabilities in emerging sectors of the economy.

In politics, the political system will evolve to keep pace with a changing world.

But the basic approach remains sound and has stood up well in this crisis, Mr Nathan said when addressing the new session of the 11th Parliament in a chamber packed with MPs, diplomats, and Establishment members.

As is customary, the President's opening address sets out the priorities of the Government for the legislative term.

Parliament was prorogued on April 13, meaning it went into recess, to let the Government and MPs take stock of events since the January 2006 opening of its first session.

Since then, Singapore has gone through a 'roller-coaster ride', Mr Nathan noted, with the global economic downturn and an impending flu pandemic.

Economic growth last year was 1 per cent, and is expected to decline by 6 per cent to 9 per cent this year.

The immediate priority is to tackle the crisis and help Singaporeans cope, and Mr Nathan reiterated the Government's strategy of helping companies stay viable to keep jobs.

He also gave the assurance that every worker and family will be helped: 'In this downturn, lower-income Singaporeans will not be left to fend for themselves. We must help every worker train and prepare for new jobs, and especially ensure that children from vulnerable families enjoy every opportunity to reach their full potential in education.'

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Self-described feminist mentor's actions invited a reaction

Self-described feminist mentor's actions invited a reaction

I REFER to Monday's letter by Dr Thio Su Mien, 'Gay activists a key constituency of Aware'. I would like to highlight a number of statements she made that serve no purpose other than to confuse.

I am perplexed how Dr Thio can, in the same paragraph, say that Aware's Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) manual 'expressly states that homosexuality is neutral and normal', and then go on to attack the content of the CSE programme as 'non-neutral'.

But that is a minor point. What strikes me as most curious is how Dr Thio seems to have conveniently forgotten that anal sex between heterosexuals is legal when putting forth the argument that anal sex is against the law. It appears that she perceives anal sex as an activity only homosexuals are capable of, and in which heterosexuals would not engage.

Dr Thio has also chosen to view the support that 'sexually challenged women' provided to the old guard at the Aware extraordinary general meeting as a sinister indication that 'homosexual activists seeking to impose their values' have become a 'chief constituency of Aware'. She seems to have overlooked the fact that she and her feminist 'mentees' had made unfounded and moralistic attacks on an entire group of society while orchestrating an unjust takeover of a civil society group.

It is hard to imagine that Dr Thio, with her vast experience as a 'feminist mentor', did not expect sexual minorities to stand up and defend themselves. How then does she indicate statistically that homosexuals have become a 'chief constituency of Aware'?

However, I must agree with Dr Thio's assertion that discerning Singaporeans can examine the evidence to make up their own minds on this issue. Singaporeans are generally progressive and I am confident we are able to see past the smoke to inch towards a more inclusive and egalitarian society.

Tim Mou Hui

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Schools should teach only biology of sex and leave morality of it to parents

Schools should teach only biology of sex and leave morality of it to parents

I REFER to last Wednesday's letter by Mr Warren Mark Liew, 'Instilling values a complex task'.

He questioned this assumption: 'All parents and teachers are sufficiently willing and able to teach their children the best values concerning gender and sexuality.'

As a full-time mother and a part-time educator in a polytechnic, I have this to say.

Just as I cannot be the best parent, and can only do my best, there are also no best values concerning gender and sexuality. There are only values I believe in, and these are the values I want to inculcate in my child.

As a parent, I am definitely willing and able to teach my child this set of values. I chose to be a stay-at-home mum to do just that. And I believe teachers should concentrate on the biology of sex education.

I do not deny the power of external influences. I only hope that over time, the values I have imbued in my child will take root, hold strong, and guide her in making informed decisions and facing the consequences of her decisions.

Meanwhile, I am here to censor. My child is only three years old and, at this point, I am still uncertain when I will lift the censorship. Based on my experience of working with 16- and 17-year-olds, I believe my child will still need my guidance when she reaches young adulthood.

My guidance will be in telling her - yes, you can definitely think for yourself now, but have you considered why you are thinking what you are thinking?

We do not need to worry that Internet-savvy young people are denied alternative views. We have to worry how and why they choose to adopt that particular value.

And when I say 'we', I am referring to parents, not teachers.

Pearlyn Koh (Ms)

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DPM Wong is right, all should be mindful of Singapore's secularism

DPM Wong is right, all should be mindful of Singapore's secularism

I REFER to last Friday's article, 'Questionable takeover but crucial service'. In it, the Bishop of the Anglican Church in Singapore, Dr John Chew, argued that the women who took control of the secular group, Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware), performed a 'crucial service' to Singapore by highlighting the 'revisionist sexuality norms' that were purportedly taught by Aware in schools.

Let me state unequivocally at the outset that I respect all religions and people with religious beliefs. However, the statement, by a leader of the Christian community, is somewhat misleading.

The themes that were advocated in the programmes conducted in schools focused mainly on the virtues of abstinence and the proper use of contraception to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among teenagers.

To claim that 'mainstream society at large would be grateful for the... vigilance of the Christian community' equates to saying that our secular society should adhere to the beliefs of a narrow segment of a vocal religious minority.

Much has been said about how the group of women seized power and was booted out at the recent extraordinary general meeting. I believe the lessons to be learnt have been well-articulated by Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng - that we have to be tolerant of people with different opinions, and people with different religious beliefs, including those who are not bound to a particular religion.

After all, our society is made up of people from a multitude of religions as well as non-believers, people of different races, and people who are straight and those who are gay. As we continue in our quest to be an inclusive society, let us all be acutely mindful of our differences, but even more conscious of the glue that binds us together as Singaporeans.

Vincent Tan

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