Indonesian Ambassador to Singapore: 8 migrant workers’ death penalties overturned AFTER being sentenced to die

This report by Jakarta Globe is noteworthy for two reasons.
One, the plight of  Indonesian migrant workers in Singapore and the statistics cited in the report.
And two, the revelation by the Ambassador that eight Indonesian migrant workers had their death sentences overturned after they were sentenced to die and got lighter punishments. Contrast that to Yong [...]

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Singapore government’s exploitation of workers has to stop [incl. audio/video]

Stop the exploitation of workers
Chee Soon Juan
Singapore Democrats, 13 Nov 2009
I chanced upon a man dressed in office attire yesterday morning lying on a park bench. Covering his face was The New Paper’s Wednesday edition with the headline in big, black letters: I WANT TO JUMP OFF WITH MY KIDS.
It was a report on how [...]

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Singapore’s hidden heartland….and Ben Bland’s involuntary departure

This post features an article by freelance journalist, Ben Bland, which appeared in the Oct 2009 edition of the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER).
But first….
Bland was based in Singapore till only recently when the Singapore government refused to renew his work visa. He says in one of his latest tweet,
Preparing to ship out of Singapore [...]

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Singapore has health-care hurdles too

Letters, Wall Street Journal
Nov 3, 2009
William McGurn’s column “What Singapore Can Teach the White House” (op-ed, Oct. 21) paints an inaccurate picture of Singapore’s health-care system and the costs it incurs.
Singapore does not have “universal coverage,” as Mr. McGurn asserts. Even the government has admitted that in a country of about three million citizens, tens [...]

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Freedom for Sale

I’m reading a new book by John Kampfner titled Freedom for Sale: How we made money and lost our liberty. Its available in libraries and bookstores.
John Kampfner’s study of the Singapore style of government – now spreading across the world – chillingly shows how much is lost under this brand of democracy, says Peter Preston…continue [...]

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Singaporeans playing second fiddle to foreigners despite having a birthright

Seah Cheang Nee, Insight Down South, theStar, 26 Sept 09
AN ELECTRONICS firm that advertised last week for a “preferably non-Singaporean” engineer has added fuel to a worsening controversy in this migrant city.
It particularly stipulated that “permanent residents are welcome” to apply for this “mid-career job (salary negotiable)”.
A copy of the advertisement found its way onto [...]

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{Video} Struggles of 76-year old Singapore street scavenger

Original youtube link to the AFP video. See also Video – Poverty in Singapore.

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{Video} SDP’s call to care for disabled and deaf communities

Singapore Democrats website and original youtube link to the video

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{Video} Migrant Dreams turn nightmarish in Singapore

From the Al Jazeera English (website, youtube channel) programmes Witness and People and Power. Both films by Lynn Lee and James Leong.
Part 1 {original youtube link}

Part 2 {original youtube link}

Human Trade {original youtube link}

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Happy National Day Singapore??

Reminder: Don’t forget the event today, 9 Aug, from 5-7pm at Hong Lim Park by young Singaporean activists. See here for details.
Sense of belonging lacking among the young
Insight Down South
Seah Chiang Nee
8 Aug 2009
FOR a few hours tomorrow, central Singapore will be turned into a fairyland of flashing lights and fireworks, and ringing to patriotic [...]

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