Govt announces relaxation to Internet election advertising rules

Govt announces relaxation to Internet election advertising rules
By S.Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 23 March 2009 1628 hrs

	Photos
	Video Govt announces relaxation to Internet election advertising rules

SINGAPORE: Singapore's taking a significant step to further liberalise and expand the Internet space for political debate. Parliament has approved changes to the Films Act, allowing for certain types of films which would otherwise be termed party political films.

Regulations on internet election advertising have also been relaxed.

Singapore's society is changing and the younger generation want more space for political discourse and greater engagement with the government.

Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts, Lui Tuck Yew, said: "It is therefore important that the government learns to make better use of the medium of film and new media tools to reach out and engage, inform, educate and obtain the views of media-savvy Singaporeans.

"While videos, films and new media can be widely used and can improve communications, we must be mindful that they can be easily abused. This is the reason why, even as we liberalise, there needs to be some safeguards to minimise the risk that they will be exploited and to reduce the undesirable effects."

So amendments to the Films Act will allow films that are factual and objective. They must not dramatise or present a distorted picture.

With the change, LIVE recordings of events held in accordance with the law, anniversary and commemorative videos of political parties, and factual documentaries or biographies will be permitted.

The space for political expression is also liberalised. Political parties and their candidates will now be able to use films allowed under the Act during an election period.

MPs shared some views expressed by netizens and in other forums.

MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, Penny Low, who also chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for the Information, Communications and the Arts, said: "The Internet is rife with different opinions questioning the intent of the amendment.

"Is this really a step forward towards liberalisation or is this a step backwards to contain certain political parties? Even worse - is this to introduce a catch-all clause to contain even the film producer, the videographer and free speech."

Zaqy Mohamed, MP for Hong Kah GRC, said: "The proliferation of the new media and the ease of means to get films to be produced and distributed outside of Singapore signals that local regulations are becoming less and less effective."

Mr Lui noted that while films have their impact when reaching the population, they also have their downside.

He said: "If our democracy is reduced to slick commercials, clever editing, sharp sound bites and political spin, then I think our democracy is being debased. So I would say that when we craft this, we are very much aware that even as we liberalise, that we continue to make sure that the debate is serious, robust and rational."

And with an environment that continues to evolve, the government said it is prepared to make further changes, when appropriate. - CNA/vm

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Public Order Act introduced

Public Order Act introduced to examine new realities in managing security
By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 23 March 2009 1833 hrs

	Photos K Shanmugam
	Video Public Order Act introduced to examine new realities in managing security

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Home Affairs Ministry wants to create a more effective legal framework when managing public order - one that is formal, coherent and transparent.

To achieve this, Law and Second Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam introduced a new Public Order Act in Parliament on Monday. It examines new global realities in managing security and consolidates existing laws which regulate the conduct of activities.

The Public Order Act aims to distinguish between types of activities in outdoor settings - separating those assessed to be inherently higher than those with lower public order risks.

Presently, activities held for a certain cause are regulated together with recreational, social and commercial ones under the Public Entertainments and Meetings Act and the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

Under the new Public Order Act, cause-related activities will be regulated by permit, regardless of the number of persons involved or the format they are conducted in.

The Act will broaden police powers in dealing with public order incidents. Currently, in the face of an illegal assembly, police can either prosecute or arrest to prevent the incident from escalating.

In the Act, there will be a "move on order" clause. This allows the police to engage the offender and give him a chance to stop his unlawful activity without involving arrest. The order will be issued in writing.

The Home Affairs Ministry emphasised that major international events are trophy targets for terrorists.

As Singapore plays host to more of such events, the priority must be to ensure the security and safety of the delegates and Singaporeans. One key event this year is the APEC Leaders' Meeting in November.

Under the new Act, the minister can declare through a gazette notice certain events as special. This will then allow the police to exercise powers to preserve public order and the safety of those involved.

Finally, the Act also has orders on filming. The ministry said there are specific situations where the recording of an ongoing incident can jeopardise the success of security operations or the safety of officers.

So the Act empowers officers to prohibit persons from filming, communicating and exhibiting films of such activities.

Parliament will debate provisions of the Bill at its next sitting.

- CNA/yt

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Mindef breaks silence on dead doctor Allan Ooi

Mindef breaks silence on dead doctor Allan Ooi
By Lin Yanqin, TODAY | Posted: 23 March 2009 0819 hrs

	Photos File picture of Allan Ooi

SINGAPORE: For the first time since Singapore Armed Forces doctor Allan Ooi was found dead under a bridge in Melbourne nearly three weeks ago, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) has come forward to address the incident in detail.

In a letter to the press, Mindef stated that it wished to “clarify certain facts regarding media reports on Capt (Dr) Ooi’s service in the SAF and his scholarship bond”, and gave a rundown of the events leading to his disappearance in October.

An alleged suicide note by Capt (Dr) Ooi, which has been circulating on the Internet, has been stoking public speculation, in particular. Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao had referenced the alleged letter and its contents, which touched on his dissatisfaction with his job and his bond with the SAF.

Mindef confirmed in its letter that Capt (Dr) Ooi, who studied medicine at the National University of Singapore under the SAF Local Study Award (Medicine), had last year informed his superior at the Aeromedical Centre that he was “unhappy at work and was considering leaving the SAF”.

Recipients of the scholarship are required to serve a 12-year bond after their housemanship, which Capt (Dr) Ooi completed in 2006.

“On 3 Oct 2008, his superior offered him the option of posting to an appointment which he would be interested in,” wrote Mindef spokesman Darius Lim in the letter.

“Capt (Dr) Ooi agreed to consider this option and to get back to his superior in two weeks’ time. However, he did not do so. He also did not submit any application to leave the SAF.”

Less than two weeks later, Capt (Dr) Ooi went Awol (absent without official leave). He would have been scheduled to go for his hospital posting at the end of this year.

In the letter, Mindef stated that SAF officers who take up sponsorship have a responsibility to serve the full period of their bonds as “substantial resources and time have been devoted to training them”.

“Otherwise, they will leave gaps in key positions in the SAF. Nevertheless, if an officer wishes to leave the service early, he can submit an application through a proper process. Approval to leave the service will be granted only under strong and extenuating circumstances,” wrote Colonel Lim.

Capt (Dr) Ooi was commissioned in 2006, and served for one and a half years in the Air Force Medical Service. He was sponsored by the SAF in January last year for further specialist training in Aviation Medicine in the United Kingdom. He was posted to the Aeromedical Centre after completing the course last July.

While it was not said if this would extend his stay in the SAF, a 12-year bond from a Local Study Award comprises six years spent in hospitals to acquire clinical competency in fields needed by the SAF.

The other six years are spent in command and staff positions with the SAF Medical Corps, performing duties such as the clinical care of SAF servicemen and professional development of military medicine.

Melbourne police are still investigating the circumstances of Capt (Dr) Ooi’s death.

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The missing forum threads

CDC Bonus Fiasco Part 2: The missing forum threads

 

I didn't believe it at first when someone commented that SPH's AsiaOne forums had locked and deleted a lively thread discussing the Northwest CDC 8-month bonus issue. I mean, yes I can see the news articles disappearing from ST and CNA, but forum threads too?

This forum post entitled "Northwest CDC 8-month Bonus" was started at 3.36pm on Thursday, 19 March on AsiaOne forums, that's yesterday.

This is what the forum post said:

As of last night, there were two pages of comments on this thread but if you went back this morning, with this URL, http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=226046, you got nothing.

Then this morning, there is already a third thread started on the AsiaOne forum, entitled "CDCs giving out 8 month bonuses?", and people are wondering when it will be deleted.

Oh wait. It's already gone. That was even faster.

So SPH, why ah? Dowan people to discuss the CDC 8-months bonus topic ah? Or read anything about it ah?

http://forums.delphiforums.com/sunkopitiam/messages?msg=24645.2

 

Missing articles from ST and CNA on CDC

Missing articles from ST and CNA on CDC 8-months bonus fiasco

Not sure why hor, but Straits Times and Channel NewsAsia no longer have the news articles about the Northwest CDC 8-months bonus outcry.

In case you are not aware of this, the outcry was over the fact that two staff from the Northwest Community Development Council (CDC) received bonuses of eight months last year, including the 13th month bonus.

In response to the fracas, Northwest CDC’s mayor, Dr Teo Ho Pin said, "If you ask me, I do not know the salaries; I do not know the bonuses of all my staff."

According to Dr Teo, bonuses and salaries of CDC staff are decided by the People’s Association (PA) and the Workforce Development Agency (WDA).

People's Association (PA) deputy chairman (and Minister in the PMO) Lim Boon Heng said, "I think we should not begrudge the few people who get very high bonuses."

The bonuses were paid in 2008, when the economy was said to be good until the last quarter.

The missing articles:

• CNA: Northwest CDC mayor says PA, WDA decide on staff pay, bonuses (link to page is empty)
• Straits Times: CDC bonuses explained (404 page)

The internet moves in mysterious ways, you know. But never mind, I have the PDF of the pages, in case you want to read them.

• CNA: Northwest CDC mayor says PA, WDA decide on staff pay, bonuses (Yahoo CNA news PDF)
• Straits Times: CDC bonuses explained (PDF of cached page)

The deleted ST piece can also be read in Google's cache.

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Northwest CDC mayor says PA, WDA decide on staff pay, bonuses

Northwest CDC mayor says PA, WDA decide on staff pay, bonuses
By Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 March 2009 2049 hrs

	Photos 1 of 2 Dr Teo Ho Pin (file pic)
	Video Northwest CDC mayor says PA, WDA decide on staff pay, bonuses

SINGAPORE: An online outcry has broken out over rumours that two staff from the Northwest Community Development Council (CDC) received bonuses of eight months last year, including the 13th month bonus.

It all started on March 1 when someone raised the matter on channelnewsasia.com's forum. Soon enough, it was hot news on various blogs.

When asked about the matter at an event for needy families on Saturday, Northwest CDC's mayor, Dr Teo Ho Pin, said bonuses and salaries of CDC staff are decided by the People's Association (PA) and, in the case of officers, the Workforce Development Agency (WDA).

He explained that this is because all CDC staff are seconded from the PA and WDA.

"I want to clarify that the mayors do not decide on the salaries, the increments, the bonuses of all our staff at the CDC.

"The mayors are political appointment holders. We chair the CDC to spearhead the CDC, to build a social safety net and help the people. That is our job. If you ask me, I do not know the salaries; I do not know the bonuses of all my staff," Dr Teo said.

The mayor added that a lot depends on staff performance when it comes to bonuses.

"Of course, the staff performance will be like a bell curve. Some would be top performers, some would be very poor performers. The bulk – maybe average performers. This is quite normal in every organisation.

"In the private sector, it's the same thing. The top performer of the company will normally get better bonuses as compared to the poor performers," said Dr Teo.

PA, in an earlier statement to 938LIVE, would only say that salaries are in line with National Wages Council's guidelines which state that salaries are performance-based and come with variable components based on economic and individual performance.

The People's Association added that only staff at the lower end of the salary range receive a higher performance bonus. This enables such officers to be rewarded similarly to other staff in the same kind of job who are drawing a higher basic monthly salary. It also helps the organisation to retain outstanding performers.

The range of performance bonus and other salary components are reviewed regularly and they go up or down in tandem with economic and market conditions, PA qualified.

Given the current economic climate, the organisation said it has cut its performance bonus pool and is working within a smaller budget.


- CNA/so

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