Schools get children talking the STELLAR way

April 1, 2014, 5:50 am

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Role play helps to hone pupils' ability to speak clearly and confidently

By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 31 Mar 2014

FOUR pupils sit facing their classmates, their lips tightly pursed, looking ready and certain of what is to come.

"How did you feel when you met your long-lost daughter?""Who did you decide to stay with in the end: your foster or birth parents?" Questions poured forth.

The Primary 6 pupils from Punggol Primary were having a mock press conference, with some posing as reporters and others as characters in a story about Sallamah, a Chinese girl adopted by a Malay family.

"Sometimes I got stuck but I used my imagination to answer questions, based on how I thought the character would feel," said Nivrithi Ganesh, 12, who played Sallamah.

Such role-playing exercises are commonly used by primary schools today to help children speak better, as part of an English language syllabus that has paid rich dividends since its pilot in 2006.

Called STELLAR, short for Strategies for English Language Learning and Reading, the method aims to develop pupils' ability to speak clearly and confidently.

Extended to all primary schools in 2009, STELLAR uses ideas such as storytelling and role-playing and exposes pupils to texts from news articles to fiction.

It is part of a push by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to raise English standards, after a study it did from 2001 to 2005 identified speaking and writing as weak areas among pupils here.

Helping children communicate effectively is one of STELLAR's goals, said Dr Elizabeth Pang, the ministry's programme director for literacy development.

"We're looking at a new economy in Singapore, where communication skills - the ability to express what you know - are really important."

The programme has had results, with 160 pupils who took part in it for a longer time scoring better for reading and speaking compared to those who joined later.

Educators say they have seen improvements in pupils who are given more opportunities to think and express themselves, thanks to more interactive English lessons.

At Punggol Primary, another class of Primary 5 pupils is asked to interview the school's "unsung heroes", such as cleaners and security guards. The pupils later share what they learnt in class.

Lim Jin Kai, 11, who interviewed a librarian, said: "I used to be very shy in lower primary, especially during show-and-tell when everyone was looking at me.

"But presenting in front of my class helps me to be brave. I can now talk to people I'm not familiar with like some relatives."

At Da Qiao Primary, upper primary pupils build confidence by speaking on topics given by teachers, sometimes impromptu and before the whole school.

Madam Shakila Jamal Mohamed, 45, an English teacher at Da Qiao, said: "We're testing pupils on their ability to speak off the cuff and think on their feet, which are critical life skills.

"In class, asking questions has become part and parcel of lessons."

Primary schools are also cultivating a love for reading by setting aside time for reading materials such as news articles.

Da Qiao Primary pupil Celyna Teo, 11, said she has learnt to read the news through a weekly 30-minute segment where everyone presents newspaper articles.

"I pick up interesting phrases as I read and use them in my compositions." she said.

Accountant Mazlita Abdul Jabbar, 38, said her Primary 2 daughter looks for books written by authors of the stories used in school. STELLAR has helped her develop the habit of reading, she added.

Mrs Valerie Low, an English teacher at Punggol Primary, said: "The children have more purposeful sharing and opinions. It's also no longer a paper chase and about completing worksheets in class."

Said Punggol Primary principal Hanafi Asmore: "At the end of the day, the one who gets the job is the one who can speak confidently, who is able to articulate his ideas.

"We don't want our students to lose out not because they lack the head knowledge but because they lack the ability to articulate."

Related

MOE tweaks PSLE English Language paper for 2015 cohort

Learning of English to Develop 21st Century Competencies

Fun with Literacy in School and at Home

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Are students spending too much time on CCAs?

April 1, 2014, 6:09 am

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Little time for homework and rest, say some, but others say hours worth it
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 31 Mar 2014

MADAM Lee Hui Ling's daughter was in for a shock when she joined her secondary school band.

She has practice three times a week - a total of 12 hours - and there is even more during performances and competitions. This was a jump from her once-a-week Chinese orchestra practice of five hours in primary school.

As a result, the Secondary 2 student in an independent girls' school is exhausted when she goes home around 7pm. By the time she goes to bed after homework, it is past midnight or 1am.

Like her, many students involved in co-curricular activities (CCAs) - compulsory for those in secondary school - end up with little time for rest and homework, say parents, who are asking if the Ministry of Education should review the time spent on such activities.

Highlighting this in a letter to The Straits Times' Forum page last Monday, Madam Lee said the amount of time her daughter dedicates to her CCA is excessive.

"It is not that she does not like her CCA - she likes music, so she pushes herself to go for practice," said the part-time operations manager who is in her 40s. "But she sacrifices sleep to finish her work. The next day, she wakes up at 5.45am for school again. It is exhausting."

Six other Forum letters followed. Most were written by parents who, while recognising the value of CCAs, echoed Madam Lee's call for the ministry to review the time spent on them.

Readers also weighed in on ST's Facebook page, raising similar concerns.

Ms Michelle Sim said: "How can you expect the child to wake up at 6am, come home at 7pm to 8pm after CCA and still be productive to deal with homework, tests and studies. They are humans, not robots."

For the Secondary 1 daughter of senior manager Gina Lee, 45, two days a week of National Cadet Corps training was too much, and she left to join the choir after two months.

But some parents and students feel CCAs are an integral part of school life, and their worth outweighs the gruelling hours.

Xinmin Secondary student Cassandra Lim, 16, stays in school until almost 7pm for guzheng ensemble practice twice a week, and up to four times before major performances.

"Even though the hours are a bit long, CCA is worth it because it releases study-related stress, I learn new things and mix with friends," she said.

Madam Esther Yap, 48, a sales coordinator, said her Secondary 2 son's badminton CCA is "good exercise". But she added: "It must be balanced, too. Students cannot neglect their studies."

When contacted, a ministry spokesman said secondary schools and junior colleges have guidelines for CCA hours - an average of five to six hours a week over a total of 30 weeks.

She added that some CCAs, like school sports teams, "do require more time in order that students may progressively develop the skills and physical conditioning to peak at the right time".

The ministry will continue to work closely with schools to ensure that CCA time does not "compromise the overall well-being of our students", she said.

Principals interviewed said schools monitor students' CCA time to ensure a balance. CCAs also stop about a month before mid-year and final examinations, for students to focus on studying.

At Anglican High School, each CCA has, at most, two sessions a week, each lasting about three hours. Its principal Maureen Seah said parents are informed when there are extra sessions.

Ang Mo Kio Secondary principal Abdul Mannan said: "For traditionally time-consuming CCAs like performing arts and sports, parents are given a schedule of the official timings. Anything more is the students' initiative."

Maris Stella High principal Joseph Lim said some CCAs such as sports set aside time before training for students to complete their homework.

He added: "Teachers in charge of CCAs monitor students who are not doing so well academically and give them extra help."

Review time spent on CCAs

IN RECENT years, I have observed that students are spending increasingly longer hours in school for scheduled lessons and co-curricular activities (CCAs).

While I agree that CCAs are an important aspect of our students' education, it is perhaps time to review the amount of time students spend on this pursuit.

My daughter studies at an independent secondary school. She is required to stay back after school for her CCA three days a week, each time for up to four hours.

If there are forthcoming performances or competitions, she may need to stay back on additional days for practice.

Many of her schoolmates who take public transport wake up as early as 5.30am to make it in time for school at 7.20am.

Lessons end around 1.30pm and, following lunch, CCA starts at 2.30pm and ends at 6.30pm.

Taking public transport home sets them back by another one to 11/2 hours and some manage to reach home only after 8pm.

Following a quick dinner and wash-up, they start on their heavy homework load or revisions after 9pm. By the time they go to bed, it is way past midnight or 1am.

They wake up a few hours later at 5.30am, with barely five hours of sleep, to start another long, tiring day.

Most of us are aware of the long-term health risks of sleep deprivation.

While these students are young now and thus seemingly able to withstand such long hours of activities, they will suffer the ill effects later on in life.

In their quest to excel in not only academics but also CCAs, some schools may have imposed gruelling hours on students.

In the process, students, and the teachers who stay back for equally long hours, get caught up in a system that drains them mentally and physically.

The primary purpose of CCA is to develop the interests and talents of students; winning accolades is secondary and this should not be done at the expense of students' health.

I urge the Ministry of Education and the Health Promotion Board to look into this issue.

Perhaps a good starting point would be for the authorities to set a maximum CCA time limit, say nine hours a week, and mandate that all school activities should end by 5.30pm each day.

Left to their own discretion, schools may impose differing CCA standards, which students have no choice but to adhere to.

Lee Hui Ling (Madam)
ST Forum, 24 Mar 2014

Limiting CCA time may impede development

MADAM Lee Hui Ling urged the Ministry of Education to limit the amount of time students spend on their co-curricular activities ("Review time spent on CCAs"; Monday).

I understand her worry, having gone through the Singapore education system myself, but I disagree with her call for a nationwide review.

Madam Lee said "the primary purpose of CCA is to develop the interests and talents of students; winning accolades is secondary".

If this is the case, she and her daughter's school could work out a schedule where her daughter joins a CCA for leisure and attends fewer sessions.

In Singapore, the aim is to nurture all-round students exposed to different fields. Given how competitive society is, however, many students and parents take this to mean obtaining the highest honours in every field the children participate in.

If parents are worried about their children's health, they should take a step back, decide that they do not need their children to be the cream of the crop, and their children can have the rest they need.

Many other students may not excel academically but are competent in their CCAs. Limiting the time they spend on these activities could impede their development.

Singapore's national athletes may even suffer in the long run if they do not get enough time to hone their skills.

Benjamin Eu Jun Liang
ST Forum, 26 Mar 2014

Examine true purpose of CCAs

I CAN relate to Madam Lee Hui Ling's description of a typical student's gruelling schedule and her call for a review of the time spent on co-curricular activities ("Review time spent on CCAs"; Monday).

In reality, it is difficult to impose a blanket cap on the number of hours spent on CCAs. This is true especially for schools with niche CCAs linked to the Direct School Admissions scheme. Extra hours may be needed to maintain standards, and also when there are competitions.

It is worthwhile to examine the true purpose of CCAs.

It would be worrying if the desire to win accolades to boost the school's standing overshadows the ideal of developing the interests and talents of students.

The key is for the student to engage purposefully in his CCAs; the time spent is immaterial.

While long hours may take a toll on students in the long term, we run the risk of mollycoddling them by shielding them from tough CCA schedules. This is a chance for them to learn about time management and work-life balance in a protective environment; this knowledge will stand them in good stead in the working world.

Students who take up CCAs outside school ought to be given credit. This should be reflected in the official transcript, especially if significant time is spent on these activities.

For example, a student in the National Youth Orchestra should get more credit than one in the school ensemble.

In a society that prizes academic excellence above most things, there seems to be a perception that CCAs and studies cannot coexist. Parents may consider CCAs a distraction from studies, but do not realise that studying without CCA participation can be equally exhausting.

As far as regulating CCA hours goes, it is up to teachers to judge whether the students under their charge are coping well. The students should also be counted on to juggle their CCAs and studies.

Paul Sim Ruiqi
ST Forum, 26 Mar 2014

Mentally and physically exhausted by schedules

I AGREE with Madam Lee Hui Ling's views ("Review time spent on CCAs"; Monday).

Last year, as a Secondary 1 student, I joined a co-curricular activity that required me to stay back in school a few times a week. It was really tiring and stressful as we would reach home only in the late evening, and we had to stay up till late into the night or early the next morning to finish our homework.

Of course, we could have chosen a less hectic CCA, but we needed to be actively involved and take part in competitions to obtain the CCA grade needed to hive off two points from our O-level scores.

Even though we enjoy our CCAs, my friends and I feel mentally and physically exhausted due to the hectic schedules, which also deprive us of our school holidays. What is the point of having school holidays if we cannot enjoy them?

I hope the Education Ministry will do something about the situation to make our childhood and school life more enjoyable and less stressful.

Christy Yong Hui En, 14, Secondary 2 student
ST Forum, 26 Mar 2014

Heavy school workload dampening love for learning

I AGREE with Madam Lee Hui Ling that the Ministry of Education should review the amount of time spent by students on co-curricular activities, as well as the impact on their health and studies ("Review time spent on CCAs"; Monday).

My child studies in a school offering the Integrated Programme (IP). I am shocked by the amount of time she needs to commit to non-academic activities in school every afternoon - thrice-weekly sessions for CCAs, one afternoon for house practice or peer support leadership, and another afternoon for music or art elective.

As indicated by Madam Lee, many students wake up at 5.30am to prepare for school, and get home at about 7pm each day.

With a heavy academic workload comprising conventional assessments and non-routine assessments in the form of project work and research, the majority of students in my daughter's school stay up past midnight. As a result, many of them are sleepy and inattentive in class.

My child complained that it does not pay to work hard and do well in the Primary School Leaving Examination to earn a place in a top school, only to realise that the road ahead is much tougher.

I am not advocating a relaxed curriculum for our students. But parents sincerely hope the ministry will review the unreasonable workloads imposed on IP school students, and the amount of time they should spend staying in school for CCAs and other commitments.

Education is a lifelong process and we need our children to love school and love learning. Also, our children need time for family bonding.

Ng Sout San (Ms)
ST Forum, 26 Mar 2014

Choir practice leaves little time for study and rest

I SHARE Madam Lee Hui Ling's sentiment that students are spending too much time on co-curricular activities ("Review time spent on CCAs"; Monday).

Last year, my daughter, who is in her secondary school choir, spent so much time practising for the Singapore Youth Festival that she came home late every evening, with little time to do her homework and prepare for tests.

She had to stay up past midnight every night and wake up at 5.30am to take the bus to school.

Secondary school students are still growing and need enough rest and sleep. They should enjoy schooling without feeling drained by the long hours in school.

This is probably why a growing number of young people are suffering from poor health.

During the week-long March holidays, my friend's son, who is also in secondary school, was called back for school activities on four days.

The Education Ministry needs to review and limit the time spent on CCAs each week, and keep school holidays as just that - holidays.

Catherine Ngiam Sok Huang (Ms)
ST Forum, 26 Mar 2014

Can students join CCAs 'for leisure'?

IN HIS response to Madam Lee Hui Ling's letter ("Review time spent on CCAs"; last Monday), Mr Benjamin Eu Jun Liang suggested that her daughter join a co-curricular activity "for leisure" ("Limiting CCA time may impede development"; last Wednesday).

To my knowledge, many schools - especially those offering niche CCAs linked to the Direct School Admissions scheme - do not offer CCAs for leisure.

CCAs, especially those relating to sports or the performing arts, are taken up by students who want to win accolades for their schools.

Many of the sports CCAs require students to train for up to three times a week throughout the year, with sessions usually ending after 7pm.

The students may reach home only after 8pm. After bathing and having dinner, they start doing their school work and go to bed only around midnight or later.

Nearer competition dates, some sports CCAs require the students to report for physical training at 7am, five times a week, on top of the normal training.

Although participation in CCAs is important for nurturing all-round students, having enough sleep is equally important.

Many students are getting by on less than six hours of sleep each day, and they are so tired that some fall asleep in class.

Over the long term, is this good for their mental and physical health?

As a parent, I hope that my children can be given the option of joining a CCA for leisure - but is this possible?

Lau Huei Lee (Madam)
ST Forum, 31 Mar 2014

For quality childcare, care for parents too

April 1, 2014, 6:23 am

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Having social workers, educational therapists on the spot allows for early intervention

By Sandra Davie, The Sunday Times, 30 Mar 2014

Last week it was heartening for me to see the results of a new pre-school education model being tried out at two childcare centres run by the welfare group Care Corner.

Under the Circle of Care programme started in February last year, 159 children from two centres at Leng Kee and Admiralty received a high-quality pre-school education, which included music and movement classes, field trips and literacy and numeracy programmes.

With generous funding from local philanthropic group Lien Foundation, the centres were able to employ more teachers and lower the ratio of teachers to children to 1:8 for the kindergarten classes.

But what was novel about the programme was that the staff now included social workers and educational therapists. This made a crucial difference to children needing help in anything from learning to health or financial aid. Identified early by social workers, they and their families were given appropriate help, often at the centres themselves.

It is a big change from what happens at most other childcare centres, where children and families needing help, for what are often multifaceted problems, can face an uphill struggle. If they are identified by a social worker or pre-school teacher, the families are then directed to various centres run by government agencies and welfare organisations.

The Circle of Care programme has shown encouraging results. Not only are the children attending pre-school more often, but they have also shown big jumps in reading and numeracy skills.

Children at the Leng Kee centre used to attend class only five days a month on average. Now they attend an average 12 days a month.

Twenty-four children at the two centres, who could read only a few words such as "I" or "me", received educational therapy. Among other things, they were taught reading and told stories by students from Wheelock College, a pre-school teacher training institute.

After more than six months, the children could recognise the sounds that accompany the letters of the alphabet.

The centres also ran talks and workshops for parents and invited them on field trips. This has made the parents more involved in their children's education.

For a start, they are taking their children to the centres on time, at 9am. Previously some would arrive as late as 4pm.

And before the programme started at Leng Kee, only one parent turned up to meet her child's teacher. Last year, 25 parents attended the meeting.

I also saw the difference the programme made to a six-year-old boy I met last year.

A year ago, he was hyperactive, unable to sit still in class for even a few minutes, and his reading and numeracy skills were poor. His mother, a security guard who worked late shifts, was at a loss about what to do and was worried he would fall into the wrong company in their neighbourhood.

Last week the single parent was happy to report that her son was improving in his reading and maths and didn't need much urging to do his homework.

What had made the difference, she said, was that the educational therapist had trained her son to focus better and helped develop his reading and maths skills.

The mother herself had received counselling and was coached on effective parenting techniques, including how to help her son with his homework. She has also changed jobs to have regular hours so that she can be home with him.

For these children, parental involvement is crucial. Research has shown a child's development is closely associated with parental involvement.

The Government should study the encouraging results of this scheme and look into adopting some of the ideas as it takes further steps to help children from disadvantaged homes level up.

It has done much in recent years to raise the quality of pre-schooling and make it more accessible to poor children. Some 30 per cent of places at the Education Ministry-run kindergartens, for example, are being set aside for these children.

Having access to high quality pre-school education can change the equation for children who lack a stable, nurturing home environment.

But as the Circle of Care scheme has already shown, other services such as counselling and educational therapy must be made available to these children and their families.

Parent education must be included. The children most in need often come from homes where parents are busy making ends meet, beset by more urgent problems, ignorant of their children's needs or unaware that they can help.

Experts have attributed part of the success of the landmark Perry Preschool project in the United States to home visits made by teachers. They helped mothers pick the right storybooks from the library and taught them how to read aloud to their children and even how to play simple number games with common household items.

Childhood poverty is a complicated issue.

Various studies in the United States and Britain show that early intervention - at pre-school level - produces more positive and lasting effects on children from disadvantaged families.

American economist James Heckman has shown that early intervention has a much greater economic and social impact than programmes run later in school systems, such as remedial schemes or lowering the teacher-student ratio.

Researchers such as Betty Hart and Todd Risley in the United States found that the gap between rich and poor kids starts from age 0. They studied how parents spoke to their young children and concluded that professional parents gave their children an advantage with every word uttered, and the advantage just kept building.

Sociologist Annette Lareau peered into the homes of poor and rich children and concluded that better-off parents practised a different kind of child-rearing - one she termed "concerted cultivation", which built various abilities and skills. She found that the differences translated into a distinct advantage in school and, later, in life and in the workplace.

So the disadvantages that poverty imposes on children are not merely about a lack of books or missing out on speech and drama classes. Much of the evidence points to the quality of the nurturing environment at home and this is something that can be addressed by offering help to the child as well as his family.

As Singapore looks at ways to do better by the most disadvantaged children, all signs tell us we cannot stop at providing quality pre-school education to the child alone.

Help on the spot

What is novel about the Circle of Care programme is that the staff now include social workers and educational therapists. This makes a crucial difference to children needing help in anything from learning to health or financial aid. Identified early by social workers, they and their families are given appropriate help, often at the centres themselves.

Does having one teacher help babies learn better?
Study to look at impact of curriculum that emphasises relationship building
By Janice Tai, The Straits Times, 31 Mar 2014

A STUDY has been launched to find out if babies and toddlers develop better when they are cared for or taught by just one teacher instead of a few.

Conducted by the Seed Institute, the study aims to determine if a curriculum that emphasises relationship building makes an impact on a young child's physical, emotional and social well-being.

The institute is a unit of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and runs diploma and degree courses on early childhood education.

It said that if the findings from its latest research show that young children become more confident and learn better under the watch of one main teacher, parents can expect NTUC First Campus to implement the curriculum from next year. NTUC First Campus is the biggest childcare centre operator here, with 105 centres.

Research has shown that strong attachment to and bonding with an adult are crucial in a child's development, especially in the first three years when brain connections are being formed.

Studies emphasise the role of primary caregivers in helping children to be independent and resilient and to learn well. For example, a child has difficulties in forming secure relationships when he has to interact with many adults at the same time.

So having a key teacher should mean that the teacher would understand the young child's cues, needs and preferences better, said Professor Marjory Ebbeck, senior academic adviser at the Seed Institute and director of its centre for research and best practices, who is leading the study.

Over time, the child would then trust the teacher and become more responsive, she added.

The institute decided to conduct the study partly because the high turnover rate in the industry means children in childcare centres may be exposed to multiple new faces.

In 2011, 13 per cent of childcare teachers left the sector. It is common for some centres to change teachers every three to six months, said the institute's academic director Ho Yin Fong.

The study will be carried out for over a year on 65 children who are aged up to three years old. It will be funded by $354,000 from the Lien Foundation.

Three months ago, the institute started a pilot at My First Skool in Woodlands, run by NTUC First Campus. Instead of five teachers dividing their attention between 12 infants in a class, each teacher is now specifically assigned to two or three toddlers.

"This means that there will be less herding behaviour in which a teacher, like a sheepdog, instructs everybody to do the same activity at the same time," said Dr Geraldine Teo-Zuzarte, deputy director at the Seed Institute.

Instead, the teacher can plan activities for the child based on his interests or abilities.

Ms Intan Ismail, 34, a childcare teacher who is involved in the pilot, said: "In the past, we had group activities. But now, some kids do hand painting and others handle Play-Doh or water, based on what they like to do or have an aptitude for."

Housewife Carolyn Quah, 32, took her son, then aged three, out of a childcare centre in Alexandra two years ago because he was behaving badly after having five teacher changes in two months.

"He was crying every day, his language skills worsened and he became violent towards his brother when he came home," she said.

Although the childcare centre was within walking distance of her home, she transferred him to another one in Ghim Moh that required her to drive to. "It's worth it because the teacher there bothered to build rapport with him one on one. From then on, he didn't cry any more," she said.

Childcare manager Sandy Koh at YWCA, which runs 10 childcare centres, said building such strong relationships is paramount but may not be feasible.

She said: "There are manpower challenges. It is hard for the same teacher to receive the kid at 7am and send him off at 7pm, as teachers work in shifts and there is a high turnover."

Govt offering millions to spur ideas from public

April 1, 2014, 6:44 am

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Funds galore for proposals in areas from tourism to heritage and arts

By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 31 Mar 2014

THE Government wants your ideas, and is willing to put its money where its mouth is by offering millions of dollars for proposals in areas from tourism to heritage and the arts.

Observers welcomed the trend, with one saying this shows a shift from a paternalistic model of governance to one where it encourages initiative among the people.

Indeed, various government bodies have started funds to back the move.

In January, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth called for Singaporeans to pitch ideas on how to best celebrate Singapore's 50th birthday. Under the SG50 initiative, funding support goes up to $50,000.

There is also the Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) $5 million Kickstart Fund, launched last June to develop new lifestyle events and concepts with tourism potential.

Ideas that have received funding so far include a visual arts festival and design book fair. Recipients receive up to $75,000.

The list goes on.

The National Heritage Board (NHB), National Library Board (NLB), National Environment Agency, National Arts Council and National Youth Council also have an arsenal of grants rewarding Singaporeans for ideas.

They include projects to preserve local heritage, boost the arts scene and promote environmental ownership in the community, among other things.

National University of Singapore sociologist Paulin Tay Straughan said the trend shows the Government's desire to encourage proactive behaviour.

In the midst of this shift in norms, incentivising the community is helpful, she said. "Rather than watch from the sidelines, these initiatives invite those with dreams, visions and ideas to step forward in partnership with the establishment."

Some such as Mr Amit Anand of local venture capital firm Jungle Ventures said it is wise to tap Singapore's potential for entrepreneurship and innovation, as it is already "the most vibrant ecosystem in the region".

But other observers sounded warnings on how effective such grants can be.

Dr Henrich Greve, the chair of the entrepreneurship and family enterprise area at graduate business school Insead, said the effectiveness of such funding also depends on how much the Government can "act commercially".

"It depends on how good they are at picking good opportunities... For example, any entrepreneurship funding, government or private, will face problems picking the best ideas," he said.

Some of the schemes are evaluated by a cross section of people from the public and private sectors, including non-governmental organisations, businesses and academia.

Proposals for the Kickstart Fund, for instance, are reviewed by a panel that includes STB directors. These projects must also show market potential among locals and tourists as well, said Ms Carrie Kwik, the board's executive director of arts, entertainment and integrated resorts.

But it is not always about making money.

Film-maker Wee Li Lin was awarded $100,000 under NLB's irememberSG fund for two short films. She said the availability of the grants is very heartening as film-making requires a lot of financial resources.

NLB director Gene Tan noted the strong input from young Singaporeans as well.

Out of the 40 projects that were awarded funding under the first cycle of the Singapore Memory Project's irememberSG fund, 60 per cent were from applicants in their 30s or below.

He believes this shows the young are taking the initiative and showing enthusiasm in translating their memories into a range of formats to appeal to wider audiences.

Marine Parade GRC MP Seah Kian Peng, who called on the Government to be more open to citizens' ideas as part of its decision-making process earlier this month, said Singaporeans, young and old, are brimming with good and creative ideas.

"If we keep the channel open and put money where the mouth is, we can tap ideas that will ultimately lead to better outcomes for the community," he said.

Local arts groups to get $12.7m

April 2, 2014, 12:12 am

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NAC commits 25% more to grant schemes to support established and new groups

By Corrie Tan, The Straits Times, 1 Apr 2014

PAINTER and curator Alan Oei, 38, sent a despondent ripple through the arts scene last November when he announced that the popular annual art walk he created, OH! Open House, would take an indefinite break due to a lack of funding.

Thanks to a $150,000 Seed Grant from the National Arts Council (NAC), the bespoke art tours around local neighbourhoods will continue.

The NAC announced yesterday in a press statement that 23 emerging companies, including Mr Oei's outfit, will get Seed Grants this year.

Another 36 companies will receive funding under the council's Major Grant scheme, a three-year scheme catering to long-term development and targeted at more established arts groups.

The NAC has committed $12.7 million to these schemes in total, a 25 per cent jump from the $10.2 million last year.

It said the funding reflects its "firm support to ground the overall development... of our established arts companies, at the same time, developing a diverse pool of artistic talents to build the next generation of art makers".

OH! Open House, which has drawn more than 5,000 participants since it started in 2009, is one of eight new Seed Grant recipients, along with theatre company Pangdemonium and Chinese opera troupe Nam Hwa Opera.

Mr Oei told The Straits Times this means a new lease of life for OH! Open House, which will continue for at least the next three years. He said: "It means instead of being this guerilla pop-up that appears and disappears, we can connect artists, houses and the audience all year round."

Its next walk is slated to take place early next year, and locations such as Geylang and Joo Chiat are being considered. Previous tours have taken visitors to homes in Marine Parade and Tiong Bahru, and offices in the Marina Bay Financial Centre.

One of the new Major Grant recipients is 12-year-old theatre company Checkpoint Theatre, which is known for nurturing young playwrights. It will get $170,000.

Other first-time recipients include Indian dance company Apsaras Art, which will receive $260,000. The Singapore Wind Symphony will get $100,000.

Conductor Adrian Tan, 37, music director of the Singapore Wind Symphony, said the financial boost will help the 35-year-old amateur music group professionalise.

He said: "We have been going on a strong track of promoting Singaporean composers and music. The funding will go towards that and support creating more commissions."

2014 new Seed Grant recipients

- Asian Contemporary Ensemble: $50,000

- Avant Theatre & Language: $80,000

- Chowk: $80,000

- Musicians' Guild: $50,000

- Nam Hwa Opera: $100,000

- OH! Open House: $150,000

- Pangdemonium: $150,000

- Traditional Arts Centre: $80,000

2014 new Major Grant recipients

- Apsaras Arts*: $260,000

- Cake Theatrical Productions: $280,000

- Checkpoint Theatre*: $170,000

- Drama Box: $460,000

- I Theatre: $250,000

- Sculpture Square: $135,000

- Singapore Dance Theatre: $1.2 million

- Singapore Lyric Opera: $320,000

- Singapore Repertory Theatre: $400,000

- Singapore Wind Symphony*: $100,000

- T'ang Quartet: $160,000

- T.H.E. Dance Company: $520,000

- The Arts Fission Company: $300,000

- The Finger Players: $400,000

- The Necessary Stage: $500,000

- The Substation: $369,000

- The Theatre Practice: $500,000

* Denotes first-time recipient of the Major Grant

31 marathons in 31 days - that's running up support

April 2, 2014, 12:30 am

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31-year-old logs 1,302km to raise awareness for Bone Marrow Donor Programme
By Carolyn Khew, The Straits Times, 1 Apr 2014

MOST runners would run a marathon a year, but for Gerrard Lin, today would mark the completion of his 31st marathon in 31 days.

The 31-year-old martial arts instructor ran a full marathon every day under his "March Marathon Madness" campaign, starting on March 2, in a bid to rally more bone marrow donors. "March Madness" also refers to American college basketball championships.

With his race finale today, Mr Lin will have logged a total of 1,302km once he finishes his last marathon around the Tiong Bahru area.

Post by AH SIAO.

He embarked on this endeavour to raise awareness for the Bone Marrow Donor Programme (BMDP) - Singapore's only register of voluntary bone marrow donors - in a bid to encourage more people to step up as donors.

Over the next 10 weeks, he hopes to get 1,302 donors - one donor for every km he ran during the marathon.

Speaking to reporters, supporters and BMDP members after his run yesterday, Mr Lin said: "I hope people can ask themselves 'if he can run so many marathons in so many days, why can't I just spend two minutes to do a cheek swab?'."

This is not the first stunt that Mr Lin, otherwise known as "Ah Siao" - which means crazy in Hokkien - pulled off for the programme. In 2012, he dragged a 14kg used tyre over 42km at the Standard Chartered Marathon to raise funds for the group.

Yesterday's marathon route - from the BMDP office in Sinaran Drive, along Thomson Road, then VivoCity and Tanjong Rhu and back to the start - took about seven hours.

Even though he is an avid marathoner, he rarely runs such "ultra-marathons", the BMDP volunteer said. Doing so was no easy feat and he had to cope with a leg injury on his second day.

"You must know your body and go one day at a time... All I can say is the human body is amazing," he said. To prepare for the marathons, he ate fruit and vegetables and made sure he got sufficient rest before each run.

Dr Ong Joo Haw, registrar at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital's Sports Medicine Centre, said that while such ultra-endurance events may be tolerated by the well-prepared seasoned endurance athlete, he would not recommend it for the average recreational runner.

He said: "Some common problems that one may encounter running such long distances on consequent days include abrasions, overuse injuries (particularly of the lower limb), overtraining and exposure problems such as sunburns... With such an intensive programme, most runners will not be able to recover properly in between runs, even with reasonably good nutrition, hydration and rest."

The recruitment of donors will take place over the next 10 weeks, with Mr Lin approaching running and fitness clubs to get more donors to sign up with the register.

BMDP president Jane Prior said there are at least 50 patients waiting for a match at any one time. The non-profit organisation receives 40 requests for bone marrow donations each month.

"Too often, people say that they don't have the time to sign up but I hope the enormity of Ah Siao's efforts will resonate and give them the courage and push they need to take that first step," she said.

With the odds of finding a donor being one in 20,000, the organisation hopes to get as many on the register as possible. The BMDP hopes to target another 7,000 donors this year.

The organisation is also looking for donations to cover $200,000 worth of laboratory tests and equipment cost involved in adding new volunteer donors to the register.

Software engineer You Yilun, 31, signed up on the spot at the BMDP office yesterday, after hearing of the marathon campaign. "Doing a cheek swab is not life threatening. If I can save someone's life, why not," she said.

Worrying number of new dialysis patients are Malays

April 2, 2014, 12:45 am

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NKF and MUIS take kidney disease awareness programmes to mosques

By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, 1 Apr 2014

MORE of Singapore's new dialysis patients are turning out to be Malays, a worrying trend that has driven the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to take action.

It has teamed up with the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) to reach out to Malays at mosques to educate them about kidney disease.

One of their first moves is to introduce posters on the need to eat healthily.

Health talks and health screenings are also to be conducted at the mosques, which are important meeting points for the community.

In addition, the NKF hopes its newest Malay board member who joined this year, cardiologist Abdul Razakjr Omar, will help spread the message more effectively.

Kidney failure is a growing problem in Singapore, with new dialysis cases almost doubling in 13 years: 536 in 1999 to 913 in 2012.

Of these, one in six was a Malay in 1999. But by 2012, the proportion had risen to one in four.

The NKF serves about 60 per cent of all dialysis patients in Singapore. Most of the rest go to private dialysis centres.

Last year, 28 per cent of NKF patients were Malays who, however, form only 13 per cent of Singapore's population.

The Chinese, making up three-quarters of the population, formed only two-thirds of the patients.

Although more Indians are on dialysis, the proportion who are patients is still below 10 per cent.

Dr Razakjr, 43, pointed to a lack of knowledge as the prime suspect behind the worrying trend in his community.

He told The Straits Times that many Malays may not know that diabetes can lead to kidney failure. "As such, they are unwilling to affect lifestyle changes to control diabetes better."

Many also do not know that once the kidneys fail, dialysis is inevitable, he said.

Dr Razakjr believes the message can be effectively driven home at mosques because of its important role as a meeting point for the community.

Experts blame diet as a main cause of more people suffering kidney failure.

"Fast, convenient food that is high in fat, salt and sugar increases the risk of kidney failure," said Ms Chow Pek Yee, NKF's senior renal dietitian.

Malays are more likely to consume deep fried food and sweet drinks, according to the National Nutrition Survey in 2010.

Dishes cooked in coconut milk, such as rendang and nasi lemak, can increase blood pressure and eventually cause kidney failure.

Aggravating the situation is the lack of physical exercise, Ms Chow added.

NKF dialysis patient Zainal Hamzah, 55, who has diabetes, admits food is the main culprit. "We don't always take care."

He added: "Like myself last time, if I like nasi briyani, I will take it three times in one week."

His kidneys failed four years ago and now he goes for four- hour dialysis sessions thrice a week.

He was a storehand in a logistics company but can no longer work as he tires easily.

Mr Zainal believes education is key in addressing the problem.

"I tell my children not to take too many sweet things," he said. "Before, there were always two or three cans of Coke in my fridge. Not any more."

Lower-income Elderly Need Stronger Social Support

April 2, 2014, 1:13 am

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Stronger social support ‘needed to boost health of lower-income elderly’

Empowering VWOs, forming community of volunteers key to helping them, say NUS researchers

By Ng Jing Yng, TODAY, 1 Apr 2014

Beyond financial incentives from the Government’s Pioneer Generation Package, there is a need to strengthen social support networks, which can bring better health outcomes for senior citizens, researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have suggested.

Their study, which is ongoing, showed that the lower-income elderly have weaker social support and are, therefore, less likely to attend health screenings.

The three-year study, which was shared yesterday during an NUS symposium on successful ageing, found that having close friends and family members is important, as they are the ones who would encourage the elderly to go for blood tests for diabetes and cholesterol.

Seniors who stay connected with friends and family can receive better information on diseases and health screenings. Women with better social support can also rely on family and friends to help with domestic duties so they can go for regular mammograms, the study concluded.

But the researchers’ findings showed that those who have lower household income and who live in one- to three-room Housing and Development Board flats tend to have weaker social support. This, in turn, affected their attendance at health screenings, said the study’s team leader, NUS sociologist Associate Professor Paulin Straughan.

She added: “There are people who are social isolates and, unfortunately, there is a strong relation between being social isolates and being poor, so this is the group we need to reach out to.”

The study, which involved 1,540 respondents aged between 50 and 69, will conclude next month. Public health and sociology researchers involved in the study are working with their Korean and Chinese counterparts to provide a cross-cultural comparison on successful ageing.

The researchers noted that family norms in Singapore were changing and cautioned that successful ageing could mean different things across ethnic and income groups.

Assoc Prof Straughan felt that empowering voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs) and forming a group of community volunteers are key to improving social support for the lower-income elderly.

She said VWOs have already formed good synergies with the community. Citing the Pioneer Generation Package, Assoc Prof Straughan said there is a lack of understanding of this policy among beneficiaries, and that the Government could tap VWOs to help clear up any misconceptions.

Volunteers could also engage the elderly on everyday issues and help them connect with society. New retirees could also volunteer, organising activities and helping the elderly find their relevance in the community, she added.

To capitalise on existing touchpoints in the community healthcare system, Assoc Prof Straughan further suggested that the elderly be allowed to consult with the same physician when going for check-ups at polytechnics, to enable them to build a relationship with their doctors.

Meanwhile, a qualitative study in 2011, which involved 120 elderly residents, showed that those living alone in rental or one-room flats might not necessarily suffer from social isolation. Some were found to be resourceful in forming social networks with neighbours or were in regular contact with their children, said the study’s researcher, NUS Associate Professor Thang Leng Leng.

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Translator was voice of S'pore leaders

April 2, 2014, 1:50 am

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79-year-old helped to project S'pore's image on global stage

By Kash Cheong, The Straits Times, 31 Mar 2014

MR LEE Seng Giap was by the side of then Permanent Secretary Ngiam Tong Dow in early talks with China that paved the way for the establishment of bilateral ties in 1990.

He was also there in 1994 when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who was Deputy Prime Minister at the time, met former Chinese Vice-Premier Li Lanqing to discuss the Suzhou Industrial Park.

His was the voice heard on television in the 1980s and 1990s when then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew delivered his National Day Rally speech.

"As long as they don't come back and tell me I've done a bad job, I'm very lucky," said the veteran translator and interpreter, now 79.

Earlier this month, Mr Lee was honoured by Minister of State for Communications and Information and Education, Ms Sim Ann, for being one of Singapore's pioneers in the field of translation.

"He has helped to groom many outstanding translators... We need more of such translators in public service," she said then.

Translator Lee Hui Huan, who is in his 60s, said: "Seng Giap does not hesitate when he interprets, he does it confidently.

"This helps the image of a small country on an international stage - that is how you want to come across to foreign counterparts."

But little do many know that one of Singapore's brightest translation stars was once teased for his language skills.

When Mr Lee first switched from then Chinese-medium Chongzheng Primary to the English-medium Beatty Secondary, fellow schoolmates called him "Chinaman".

"I was determined to prove them wrong and show them I could do well in English," said Mr Lee, who listened to broadcasts from the British Broadcasting Corporation and read Chinese and English dailies.

His efforts paid off - he scored distinctions in both English and Chinese in what would be the equivalent of today's O levels.

"It was one of the best moments in my life," said the man who still keeps the book prizes he received almost 60 years ago for topping his class.

He trained to be a teacher after graduating from Beatty in 1956, but jumped at the chance to be a court interpreter four years later.

After all, translation was second nature to him.

The eldest of five siblings from a Hokkien family, he translated articles from The Economist and Readers' Digest for Chinese dailies such as Sin Chew Jit Poh to earn pocket money during his secondary school days.

"I knew I had a flair for the languages, but it took a lot of hard work and practice," he said.

As a newly minted court interpreter, he was selected in 1962 with about 20 others to interpret for a Commission of Inquiry that was investigating a 1961 incident where hundreds of Chinese school students boycotted Secondary 4 exams, in protest against school system changes.

"It involved the underlying politics in turbulent pre-independence Singapore," said Mr Lee, who recalled the mental fatigue of interpreting technical subjects in front of a "packed public gallery".

But in hindsight, it was a great honour to be part of this event that shaped Singapore, he said.

After nine years at the Supreme Court, he pipped dozens of applicants, including university graduates, to be picked as head of translation at the then Ministry of Culture in 1969. There, he played a key role in a 1970 government move to standardise the Chinese names of roads. Previously, these names could vary according to different street directories.

Several translations were absurd: Raffles Place, for example, was translated into lai fo shi bu li based on what it sounded like. But the Chinese characters literally mean "Raffles impolite".

"I was so glad that we got rid of the bad translation," he said.

At the ministry, he translated hundreds of letters from the public and dozens of government speeches each month. "The final draft of ministers' speeches often came in quite close to the event, so government translators must be quick and accurate."

The father of three retired in the 1990s, but continued interpreting at international conferences, translating books and serving as a part-time interpreter in Parliament until 2007.

He welcomes the Ministry of Communications and Information's recent announcement of a new committee to raise the standards of government translation.

"I am glad to note that after so many decades of undue neglect in the colonial days, translation... essential to multi-lingual Singapore... is now being taken seriously."

He believes, however, that it would take several years before translators are recognised as professionals even if scholarships are given out. But courses like a master's in translation, currently in the works at the Nanyang Technological University, could "bear fruit", he said.

For now, he is happy to call it a day after 50 years as a professional translator. "I want to read, write and spend time with my family," he said.

In his unassuming way, he has shown that it is possible for the best translators to make a living in the profession while indulging in their passion for languages.

He said: "I'm the living example."

Kind, but no sense of community

April 2, 2014, 2:00 am

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By Tessa Wong, MyPaper, 31 Mar 2014

WHILE Singaporeans can be compassionate, they lack a sense of community, said charity veteran Gerard Ee.

This, in turn, has created a culture where "everything is transactional", he told MyPaper in an interview earlier this month.

Three weeks ago, a BBC News Magazine article which claimed there was a "massive compassion deficit" in Singapore sparked a bout of national soul-searching, with citizens, politicians and even Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong weighing in.

Mr Ee's take on this? "We are quite shy and don't always help, but if asked we would."

But the same Singaporean who would help his neighbour in an accident would get extremely annoyed if the same neighbour washed a car and the soapy water trickled into his compound, he said.

Whenever there's a tragedy, people here always seem to respond with donations, said Mr Ee. But when it comes to working together as a community, "somehow, that is missing".

"Everyone now just wants to 'chiong' and put 'me' first," he said, using the Hokkien slang word for working or playing hard.

Mr Ee, the son of the late philanthropist Ee Peng Liang, lamented that many Singaporeans have "lost (their) senses" and developed a transactional attitude to life.

"We don't even think about having children as a natural process of life. Now it's about: 'What incentives are you giving to me?'" he said, referring to the Baby Bonus.

He said some people had objected to the Public Transport Council's approving fare increases in January, citing increasing train breakdowns.

Singaporeans "have to be realistic" that, as the rail system ages, more problems will crop up, said Mr Ee, who chairs the council.

"Over time, people have to be less uptight and accept that, in life, there will be glitches," he said.

One problem is that many have "left community forming to the Government, when it's up to us to form the community".

Singaporeans "need to look out for one another more", he said, likening the nation to an army platoon competing with others in a race.

The best performing platoon would not be the one that reaches the finish line first, thanks to the stronger soldiers running ahead, rather "the one that runs together, with the strong helping the weak".

It is not just people, but also charities that need to be inclusive, added Mr Ee, who used to chair the National Kidney Foundation and is the chairman of Council for Third Age and Canossian School.

Many of them are stuck in an old model where they "scale down or help only those who are poor" - a mindset that stems from Singapore's early days when charities bore most of the burden in helping the needy.

Now that there is more government help for the poor, charities need to shift towards helping all who need the services, regardless of income level, with subsidies for the poor.

"Then, the starting point is designing a programme to optimise charities and help the maximum number of people," he said.

There have been attempts at self-innovation in the charity sector, but it is not happening fast enough to meet society's needs.

"We have really lost ground over the years... the non-governmental organisations and civil societies have to get up to speed," he said.

UN panel issues dire warnings over climate change

April 2, 2014, 6:29 am

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Asia faces growing drought, flooding, food security risks

By Feng Zengkun, The Straits Times, 1 Apr 2014

ICE caps are melting, water supplies are under stress, heatwaves and heavy rain are intensifying - and the worst is yet to come, said a sombering report issued yesterday by a United Nations group that provides periodic updates on climate science.

Climate change is already having sweeping effects on every continent and throughout the world's oceans, where coral reefs are dying, and slowly acidifying waters are killing off plant and animal life.

This will worsen unless greenhouse gases are curbed, said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.



Prepared by hundreds of the world's top climate scientists, the report - the second in a four-part series - laid out the impact and risks of climate change worldwide and how these could be reduced.

Food security was at risk too, said the panel, with maize and wheat crop yields reduced worldwide. Meanwhile, heat-related deaths had also increased in some regions, it added.

For Asia, climate change could mean higher risks of coastal and urban flooding, more deaths due to warmer temperatures, and drought-related water and food shortages, the panel warned.

While it did not comment on Singapore specifically, it said Asia's key climate threats are "extreme precipitation and temperatures", sea-level rises, and even cyclones.

The IPCC noted a "medium" risk of flooding, heat-related deaths and water and food shortages increasing in Asia between now and 2040. But it said the risks and impact could be reduced via measures such as early warning systems, practices to avoid heat stress for outdoor workers and diversifying water sources.

In Singapore, a national climate change study had estimated that the mean sea level around the country could rise by up to 0.65m, and temperatures could increase by up to 4.2 deg C by 2100.

Dr Chris Gordon, director of the Centre for Climate Research Singapore, said a 3 deg C rise in temperature would affect heat stress and ecosystems here.

Higher temperatures and reduced rainfall make fires - and haze - more likely. Dengue cases may also increase, as warmer temperatures shorten the virus' incubation period in mosquitoes.

"Climate models... show a very consistent signal of increasing heavy rainfall events in our region over the coming century," he said. He added that there may also be more, and more intense, dry spells, "but the modelling evidence (for this) is less conclusive".

"Sea-level rise... combined with storm surge events, will increase the likelihood of coastal flooding," he said. This risk is compounded by the fact that most of Singapore lies within 15m above sea level, and about a third is less than 5m above the water, according to the National Climate Change Secretariat.

To address this, in 2011, the Government raised the minimum reclamation level of new projects to 2.25m above the highest recorded tide level.

Singapore is also vulnerable to crop failures around the world as it imports more than 90 per cent of its food, said experts.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said boosting local production and diversifying the country's food sources are its two core strategies to ensure food security.

It also encouraged Singaporeans to accept alternative food products such as frozen meat, liquid eggs and egg powder. "This will help mitigate the effects of supply disruptions and price increases," said a spokesman.

Calls for urgent action to curb carbon emissions
Activists hope UN warning will give impetus to talks on new global pact
The Straits Times, 1 Apr 2014

PARIS - A stark warning by UN scientists of menacing climate change prompted demands for urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, even as a global pact remained elusive.

Scientists, politicians, envoys and environmental groups united in calls for faster, more drastic action to avoid the worst-case scenarios of conflict, drought and massive displacement highlighted in yesterday's expert report.

"The path of tomorrow is undoubtedly determined by our choices today," United Nations climate chief Christiana Figueres said after the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned of a "severe, pervasive and irreversible impact" if nothing is done.

"This report requires and requests that everyone accelerate and scale up efforts towards a low-carbon world and manage the risks of climate change in order to spare the planet and its people," she said.

Activist groups said governments now have all the proof they need that inaction will lead to disaster, as well as the scientific basis on which to plan an appropriate response.

Many voiced hope that the dire warning would give impetus to negotiations for a new global pact on curbing carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.

"The gap between the science and what governments are doing remains huge," said Mr Sandeep Chamling Rai of the World Wide Fund for Nature. "Now, it is up to people to hold their governments to account, to get them to act purposefully and immediately."

The Alliance of Small Island States said the new alert came as no surprise for nations grappling with rising sea levels, droughts and record-breaking storms.

It said: "We hope that it helps convince the international community, particularly those most responsible for climate change, to address the crisis with greater urgency, and not at some abstract date in the future, but immediately."

Negotiators are seeking to sign a new global pact in Paris next year, to take effect in 2020. The aim is to contain warming to 2 deg C over pre-industrial revolution levels. But countries remain deeply divided on what the deal will look like, what it must contain, how binding its provisions should be and how they will be enforced.

United States Secretary of State John Kerry said the political system must "wake up" to the threat. "Denial of the science is malpractice," he said in a statement. "There are those who say we can't afford to act. But waiting is truly unaffordable. The costs of inaction are catastrophic."

The IPCC warned that untamed greenhouse gas emissions may cost trillions of dollars in damage to property and ecosystems, and in bills for shoring up climate defences.

For Dr Bjorn Lomborg of the Copenhagen Consensus Centre think-tank, "the best solution is to dramatically ramp up funding for research and development of effective green technology".

Today's renewable technology, such as solar and wind energy, requires subsidies of at least US$100 billion (S$126 billion) per year to become viable.

"Innovation can help us develop technologies to provide green energy more cheaply than fossil fuels," said Dr Lomborg.

Climate expert Tom Mitchell of Britain's Overseas Development Institute cautioned against hopes that the Paris meeting will be the definitive solution.

"The real challenge is in what happens after 2015," he said in a phone interview.

"If countries say they are going to reduce emissions, what is the architecture for holding countries to account and ensuring that they are contributing their fair share in the first place?"

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Building affordable homes for S'poreans

April 2, 2014, 7:02 am

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By Janice Heng, The Straits Times, 31 Mar 2014

AT THE turn of the last decade, there were fears that the Housing Board flat was becoming out of reach for many families.

Young couples bemoaned the fierce competition to buy subsidised Build-To-Order (BTO) flats from the HDB, while soaring prices meant that buying a resale flat was a costly proposition.

At the end of 2010, the median price of a four-room flat was $385,000.

Five-room ones were going for more than half a million dollars in many mature estates.

It led to heated tempers, with citizens and opposition parties urging the Government to care more about families and less about keeping property values high.

But to see Singapore's housing policy as hostile to families would be a mistake.

Granted, there is a tension between keeping flats affordable for buyers and keeping property values up for home owners.

The latter was a particular focus in the 1990s.

Then prime minister Goh Chok Tong, in a 1992 speech to grassroots leaders, said HDB flats were the most valuable asset for most Singaporeans, adding: "It is in your interest to ensure that the value of your flats continues to rise."

Nowadays, the need to maintain property values is taken as given.

In his Budget speech this year, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said: "If Singapore's economy were to decline permanently, all properties would drop in value.

"That is why it is important to ensure that our economy remains dynamic and vibrant."

In the light of this, it is not hard to see why some might accuse the Government of being more interested in property than people.

Yet, such an accusation would be misguided.

Even as it aims to maintain property values, the Government has not neglected the needs of those seeking to buy a home.

Instead, it has moved to make sure that public housing is affordable and available.

When Mr Khaw took over the housing portfolio in 2011, he unlinked BTO prices from resale ones.

Previously, BTO prices were pegged to those of resale flats in the same area, and rose when resale prices rose.

Removing this peg meant the Government could keep new flats affordable even in a strong resale market.

In addition, the HDB had already begun launching more BTO flats, with 16,000 in 2010 compared to under 8,000 in 2008.

Mr Khaw ramped this up to more than 25,000 new BTO units each year, which allowed more young families to get a new flat sooner.

The income ceiling for HDB flats was also lowered, making affordable public housing available to more Singaporeans.

Cooling measures such as tighter home loan curbs reined in resale price increases.

Family first

IF ANYTHING, the family is central to housing policy.

Until last year, only families could buy subsidised flats directly from the HDB. Families also receive higher housing grants to subsidise their purchase of public flats than singles.

Housing policies even encourage larger family units.

For instance, 30 per cent of BTO flats are set aside for married couples with children who are buying their first public flat.

Priority is also given to extended families who live close to each other. The Multi-Generation Priority Scheme sets aside 15 per cent of units for parents who are applying with their married child for flats in the same development.

Larger "3-Generation" flats were introduced last year for multi-generational families.

As Mr Khaw put it in 2011, shortly after taking over, promoting marriage and births "is a national priority... and MND (Ministry of National Development) must facilitate it to its best ability".

There have even been arguments that the family has been too central to housing policy.

Over the years, there have been demands for more to be done for those who fall outside the usual definition of a family unit.

Single Singaporeans were initially shut out from the public housing market.

Then-national development minister S. Dhanabalan said in 1988 that land-scarce Singapore could not afford to let every single person have a flat of his or her own. Letting them live alone would also conflict with the Government's focus on the family unit, he added.

For decades, singles could not buy resale HDB flats on their own, but had to apply jointly with another single.

But things have gradually changed. In 1991, singles aged 35 and older were allowed to buy one- to three-room resale flats in all but some urban estates.

In 2001, that geographical restriction was lifted and three years later they were allowed to buy resale flats of any size.

Last year, they were finally allowed to buy new two-room flats in non-mature estates directly from the HDB.

Mr Khaw is unlikely to move any further on this issue for now.

When Member of Parliament Penny Low suggested in the Budget debate that singles be allowed to buy larger BTO flats, he insisted that families still come first. "I have no plan for such a change immediately. Given our limited resources, let me prioritise - and, I think, give greater priority to the married couples first."

But in focusing on families, Mr Khaw is also willing to pay more attention to less traditional ones.

"Now that we have cleared the backlog for newlyweds, we have begun to focus on helping the vulnerable groups, especially divorcees with children," he said.

In September last year, for instance, a temporary housing scheme was extended to divorced and widowed parents with children. Previously, this Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme was open only to married couples who were first-time buyers.

Five per cent of two- and three-room BTO flats in non-mature estates are also set aside for divorcees with children below 16.

This approach looks set to be expanded in future. Mr Khaw asked: "Even as we continue to support marriages and families... how can we, in housing, build a social compact that is more inclusive and provide greater support to divorcees and unmarried parents with kids?"

The traditional family unit remains at the heart of housing policy. But perhaps the next step is to accommodate other sorts of families too.

THE SINGAPORE PERSPECTIVE
The rise of the public flat as an asset
By Janice Heng, The Straits Times, 31 Mar 2014

PUBLIC housing in some countries often takes the form of rental homes for the less well-off, such as Britain's council estates or "the projects" in the United States.

Although owning such property is an option, it is not seen as the default there - unlike in Singapore.

Singapore's model of home ownership allows people to buy such property as an investment which they can sell or let out.

As well as being an option for those on low incomes, the public flat here is also seen as a source of income too.

Yet it was not always thus. The public flat's role as an asset is one that emerged gradually.

When the Housing and Development Board (HDB) was set up in 1960, its role was to provide basic permanent housing for people previously living in slums and squatter settlements.

Initially, rental housing was provided but within half a decade, the HDB moved to encourage home ownership instead.

Having a nation of home owners, rather than tenants, opened up more possibilities.

In 1971, public flats were allowed to be resold for the first time. Previously, they could only be sold back to the HDB at fixed prices.

A resale market was created and, as property prices rose, selling one's HDB flat at a profit became a possibility.

Another avenue for income opened up in 2003, when HDB home owners were allowed to sublet their whole flat. Residents could upgrade to private property while letting out their HDB flat for additional income.

Previously, subletting was allowed only under special circumstances, or for those aged at least 65 who had lived in three-room or smaller flats for at least 25 years.

Schemes have also been set up to let elderly flat owners tap the value of their homes for retirement income.

Introduced in 2009, the Lease Buyback Scheme allows people over 63 to sell part of their flat's lease back to the HDB.

The proceeds go towards topping up the owners' Central Provident Fund Retirement Accounts, with any excess up to $100,000 being paid to them in cash.

The Government has made it clear that its top priority is providing homes. But the role of the public flat as an asset is inescapable.

As Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put it in last year's National Day Rally speech: "The HDB programme is not just about the roof over our heads. It is also a valuable nest egg."

This is the second of 12 primers on various current affairs issues, published in the run-up to The Straits Times-Ministry of Education National Current Affairs Quiz.

Employment Act Changes Take Effect From 1 April 2014

April 2, 2014, 7:30 am

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Changes to Employment Act take effect
Channel NewsAsia, 1 Apr 2014

From Tuesday, managers and executives earning a basic monthly salary of up to S$4,500 will get legislative protection against unfair dismissal and sick leave benefits.

The extended provisions under the Employment Act (EA) are among the key changes approved by Parliament last November, and come into effect Tuesday (1 April).

Post by Singapore Ministry of Manpower.

Other changes include raising the salary threshold for non-workmen, such as clerical staff and frontline service staff, to get overtime pay. The salary threshold will be raised from a basic monthly salary of S$2,000 to S$2,500.

The overtime rate payable for non-workmen will be capped at the salary level of S$2,250 to help employers manage costs.

To help companies comply with the EA changes, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), together with its tripartite partners, and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) and SPRING Singapore, have prepared various forms of assistance to raise public awareness about the EA changes.

Employers may refer to the guidebook on "Changes to the Employment Act 2014" or sign up for seminars and workshops conducted by partners and other training providers.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that need more hands-on guidance can seek one-to-one assistance from the SME Centres supported by SPRING.

MOM has also announced that issuance of itemised payslips will be mandatory by 2016.

A set of Tripartite Guidelines was issued on January 13 as a first step to encourage employers to adopt the progressive workplace practice.

MOM said employers can also tap on a range of different tools based on their needs, such as hard copy payslip templates from free payslip template booklets at the SME Centres, and payslip software which can be downloaded from the MOM website from April 20.





Bosses who don't pay staff face arrest on the spot
MOM training officers in use of handcuffs and police batons
By Toh Yong Chuan, The Straits Times, 1 Apr 2014

BOSSES who do not pay their workers face tougher action from today (1 April).

A low-profile change to the Employment Act kicks in today, giving Manpower Ministry (MOM) officials the power to arrest errant employers on the spot.

This is on top of higher fines that the ministry can hand out to these employers, even without having to haul them to court.

The maximum fine that does not involve court proceedings has jumped to $5,000 from $1,000.

To signal that it means business, the ministry is sending its staff for professional training on the use of handcuffs and police batons.

The Straits Times has learnt that the MOM approached prospective trainers last week to draw up a training programme to enable its officers to be "adequately equipped with the knowledge and skill in executing an arrest".

The training will include "procedures involving the use of handcuffs or flex-cuffs, execution of searches on the accused and the escort of an accused person", said the ministry to trainers in a letter obtained by The Straits Times asking them to propose the fees for their training services.

The officers will also be taught how to protect themselves if someone resists arrest. They are expected to pass both written and practical tests in the next three months.

When contacted, the MOM said the tougher penalties and increased powers for its officers will "facilitate the enforcement" of the enhanced laws.

"Inspecting officers will be adequately trained to enforce the Employment Act in a professional manner," said a spokesman.

The tougher actions against errant firms are among several wide-ranging changes to the Employment Act taking effect today.

The monthly salary ceiling under the labour law has been raised from $2,000 to $2,500, which puts 150,000 more rank-and-file workers under its protection.

A further 300,000 professionals, managers and executives earning up to $4,500 a month are now protected against unfair dismissal and will be able to claim sick leave benefits. Prior to the changes, these workers did not have these rights.

Firms will also have to pay overtime to non-manual workers earning up to $2,500 a month, although the monthly salary used to calculate their overtime pay is capped at $2,250 to help keep labour costs down.

Even as the new rules on overtime pay kicks in, a global survey by recruitment firm Hays has found that one in three employers says their staff are clocking up more overtime work.

Two in five say those extra hours are unpaid.

Hays surveyed 2,600 employers in Asia in the report, released yesterday. It was not clear how many were Singapore-based.

Some firms were surprised when told by The Straits Times that bosses can now be arrested by MOM for not paying workers.

Mr Kurt Wee, president of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, said that the use of such powers should only be limited to the minority of errant firms which "blatantly disregard the law".

"Most small and medium enterprises are law-abiding," he added.

JTC looks into building above major roads

April 2, 2014, 7:57 pm

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By Chia Yan Min, The Straits Times, 2 Apr 2014

IN WHAT would be a first for land-scarce Singapore, industrial landlord JTC is exploring the possibility of erecting buildings, walkways and communal spaces above major roads.

This could be cheaper than going underground, it says of the unprecedented idea to intensify land usage.

The landlord might also step up efforts to redevelop older industrial estates by taking back land when 30-year leases are up.

These moves are part of plans to ensure the best use of Singapore's scarce space, said chief executive Png Cheong Boon at a press conference yesterday.

While heavy industries are probably out of the question, the statutory board is looking into erecting offices, light industries and walkways above major roads and expressways.

One place where such a connection could be built is Buona Vista, across the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE). The highway separates research and business park one-north on one side, and the Singapore Science Park and National University of Singapore on the other.

JTC will also look into creating new spaces by redeveloping older industrial estates. The 30-year land leases in estates such as Tanjong Kling and Sungei Kadut are expiring soon.

"We will explore whether existing facilities can continue to operate, or whether we should take these spaces back and redevelop them," said Mr Png.

This would depend on how well land is being used at the moment, companies' productivity, and land use plans for the surrounding area, he added.

JTC has already redeveloped a site in Tanjong Kling. Launched last year, it is specially designed to house manufacturers and be more space-efficient.

It is also looking to develop Sungei Kadut as a hub for the furniture and timber industries, where companies in the sector can be located alongside essential services and facilities.

Similar industrial hubs have been developed for the biomedical, petrochemical and aerospace sectors, among others.

Mr Png stressed that JTC does not aim to provide cheap industrial space as this is not sustainable in the long term. Instead, it will "step in when its involvement can give companies a competitive advantage... and when it is hard for the private sector to do so".

Examples of this include industry clusters that provide companies with specialised facilities, which tend to be too costly for private developers to build, he said.

Divestment helps JTC add value: CEO
By Mindy Tan, The Business Times, 2 Apr 2014

While acknowledging gripes by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) over JTC Corporation's divestment of its industrial land, JTC chief executive Png Cheong Boon maintains that the divestment allowed JTC to turn its attention to areas it was able to better add value to.

This is part of the landlord and developer's four- pronged strategy, which comprises the development of specialised land and innovative space to support clustering; the creation of new land and space to catalyse new industries; the promotion of a stable and sustainable market; and the driving of innovation, sustainability and construction productivity in industrial infrastructure development.

As of 2013, JTC's market share of the available 9.4 million square metres (sq m) of multiple-user space stood at 3.5 per cent, compared with its pre-divestment stake of 18 per cent out of 7.96 million sq m in 2008.

"(We have) freed up our resources to go into (the development of) innovative space. We can develop new facilities . . . such as those that focus specifically on clusters, those that require common and shared facilities that will give a competitive advantages to companies," said Mr Png.

"Private developers are probably not willing to do this because of the upfront capital investment that is needed. So the divestment, on one hand, affects tenants in (previously JTC- owned) facilities but, on the other hand, allows us to focus on other aspects where we can add more value to industries," he said.

Yesterday, JTC unveiled a host of ideas stemming from its four key strategies. These ideas include the development of more innovative spaces and decking over major roads and highways.

For the former, innovative spaces for other key clusters identified include a poultry processing hub, a furniture/timber hub and a chemicals hub.

JTC is also looking at integrated multi-user factories for the oil and gas sector which could feature flatted factories for heavier manufacturing, warehousing space, offices and even dormitories for foreign workers.

"By co-locating (smaller players) into a single location, it fosters greater collaboration, reduces a lot of inefficiency and hopefully raises the productivity of the industry. For us, it helps optimise land use as well," said Mr Png.

A total of 16 Innovative Space projects are in the works - seven under development and nine on the drawing board. They are expected to add 800,000 sq m of multi-user space by 2017, said JTC.

Separately, JTC is looking at ways to deck over highways and major roads in its quest to create new land and space. This is in addition to other means such as land reclamation and the creation of underground spaces like the Jurong Rock Caverns.

"If you take the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), NUS Science Park is physically separated from One North by the AYE. We want to build an integrated, connected community where the academia work closely with the industries . . . this physical separation prevents it from happening," said Mr Png.

If, however, there is a way to deck over the AYE, it would create a contiguous space for people to interact. While JTC is still studying the feasibility of such a deck, Mr Png said that it hopes to introduce offices or al fresco dining on the deck rather than an overhead bridge.

Mr Png also said that he expects industrial property prices to moderate further in light of the cooling measures and increased supply of multi-user space coming into the market.

Based on the average of 28 hectares of space released per year from 2010 to 2013, JTC estimates that from 2014 to 2016, two million sq m of space, including 500,000 sq m of multi- user industrial space, will be added annually.

This compares with an average annual demand of one million sq m of space.

S&CC rebates, grants help lessen burden for residents: Khaw

April 2, 2014, 8:15 pm

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Channel NewsAsia, 1 Apr 2014

National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said besides service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebates, the government also helps to lessen residents' burden through substantial S&CC grants to town councils.

Last year, the S&CC rebates amounted to S$77 million, while the S&CC grants to town councils came up to S$90 million.

Together, those two government assistance schemes, at S$167 million, translate to about 36 per cent of the town councils' operating expenses.

Post by Ministry of National Development.

In his latest "Housing Matters" blog, Mr Khaw said that is quite substantial and helps reduce the financial burden on residents.

Mr Khaw notes that Budget 2014 is once again giving S&CC grants and S&CC rebates of S$170 million.

As S&CC rebates offer more help for those living in smaller flats, residents pay 8 per cent to 25 per cent less in S&CC as a result.

Mr Khaw said this is a good and practical way to help Singaporeans with cost of living.

HDB households which qualify will receive a letter this week with details of the rebates they will receive.

Mr Khaw said town councils, which are responsible for managing and maintaining the common property in HDB estates, have to manage their finances prudently to sustain their services.

Town councils fund their operations through the S&CC they collect from residents.

Mr Khaw said periodically, town councils would also have to revise their S&CC to meet residents' expectations, improve service and keep pace with rising costs.

Last year, the town councils' operating expenses were estimated to be about S$470 million.

For the town councils to operate viably, S&CC collections would have to cover those costs.

But to reduce the burden on the residents, the government has been helping the town councils and the residents through S&CC grants to town councils, and S&CC rebates for residents.

800,000 HDB households to get S&CC rebates worth S$80m
Channel NewsAsia, 1 Apr 2014

Around 800,000 Singaporean HDB households can expect to receive about S$80 million worth of service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebates this year.

The S&CC rebates were announced during Budget 2014 to help households cope with increases in cost of living.

In total, each eligible Singaporean household will receive one to three months of S&CC rebates, depending on HDB flat type.

Eligible households will receive a letter in April with more details of the S&CC rebates.

The rebates will be disbursed over the months of April, July and October.

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Public accounts watchdog concerned over continuing procurement lapses

April 2, 2014, 8:40 pm

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Public bodies rapped over lack of diligence in tenders

By Robin Chan, The Straits Times, 2 Apr 2014

THE way some public sector organisations conduct their tender exercises is worrying, said Parliament's public accounts watchdog.

They are still not diligent enough in ensuring that tender rules are followed, despite recent government efforts to tighten the procurement rules, the committee of MPs said in its annual report released yesterday.

About one-third, or 12, of the 35 issues questioned in the latest 2012/13 Auditor-General Report"pertained to laxity in the area of procurement".

The lapses include waiving competition based on weak grounds, letting certain bidders alter their bids after the tender has closed, and not disclosing the evaluation criteria upfront in tender documents.

Other mistakes involve failing to evaluate tenders properly and getting approvals retrospectively, said the Public Accounts Committee, which is made up of eight MPs who scrutinise how public funds are spent.

It had asked for written explanations from five ministries and the National Research Foundation (NRF), which comes under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The five are: the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth; Ministry of Education; Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources; Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Ministry of Home Affairs.

The lapses boil down mainly to not following the rules. And the ministries' explanations put the blame on human error, not the absence of rules and procedures, the report noted.

Hence, it said: "The committee was concerned that even with efforts over the last few years to enhance procurement rules and procedures across the public sector, there were indications that some public sector entities were not sufficiently diligent in ensuring compliance with procurement rules."

It also stressed the importance of cultivating the "right values, attitudes, skills and expertise to prevent lapses and fraud" and for the right tone to be set "at the top".

One lapse was in the construction of the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise by the NRF, at the National University of Singapore's University Town. The contract was worth $322.97 million.

The report said the project breached many procurement rules and principles.

These were blamed on a lack of staff strength and capabilities for managing a major construction project.

The contract with the project management company was terminated, said the PMO.

The officers involved in the project had also left NRF, except for one, who was counselled.

The NRF has also taken measures to prevent such a situation from arising again.

Public procurement policies and rules are decided by the Ministry of Finance.

In 2011, it set up a Centre for Public Project Management to give project management guidance to agencies, especially those that do not have in-house capabilities.

Last year, it said it will build a pool of procurement specialists with a career track to raise expertise.

Meanwhile, it requires permanent secretaries and heads of agencies to report yearly on key findings of their procurement audits and the follow-up action.

The ministry is also working with the Public Service Division - the human resource arm of the civil service - on ways it can give public sector agencies more guidance on how to investigate lapses and take the appropriate disciplinary action.

The chairman of the committee of MPs, Mr Cedric Foo, who is an MP in Pioneer GRC, told The Straits Times that all public officers need to be committed to good procurement practices.

Also, they should be rewarded for good practices, not just disciplined for flouting the rules. This approach would improve accountability, he added.

More resources and expertise should be given to government bodies as well.

"We are some way off," he said. "Ultimately, what we want is to have this culture (of good procurement practices) embedded as part of the DNA."

Some of the concerns

- Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis): Lapses in tender evaluation for construction work (for four tenders totalling $17.38 million, seven of the eight evaluation criteria were not made known to potential bidders for the tenders).

No disciplinary action was taken, as an independent panel found no staff wrongdoing or wilful neglect.

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: An overseas mission did not comply with guidelines for security (contract value of $427,886 for two years) and gardening services (totalling $172,982 for four years).

The ministry said the mission has since obtained three quotations for the new contract from April last year to March this year, and has implemented measures to address the procurement issues.

- National Research Foundation (NRF): Many procurement rule breaches in construction of the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (total contract value $322.97 million).

These included not disclosing the scoring method for evaluating tenders.

The Prime Minister's Office said NRF lacked the staff strength and capabilities to manage a major construction project as it was a new start-up organisation.

The project management company has been terminated and the officers involved in the project have left NRF except for one who has been counselled.

NRF has briefed in-house consultants on government guidelines, and required staff to attend courses, among other measures taken.

Moderate religiosity can't survive the rule of the gun

April 2, 2014, 8:55 pm

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Asian governments should work to create a climate where a rational, objective and civil dialogue about religiosity can take place.

By Farish A. Noor, Published The Straits Times, 2 Apr 2014

AS INDONESIA heads to the elections - both legislative and presidential - this year, analysts and scholars have begun to ask if the country's image as a moderate Muslim state will remain unchallenged in the years to come. While it is true that Indonesian Islam has, to some extent, been shaped and defined by the country's two biggest Muslim organisations - the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and the Muhammadiyah - for decades, the fact remains that the NU and Muhammadiyah account for at most 70 million followers in a country with more than 200 million Muslims, which in real terms makes them minority voices.

Extremist groups

COMPOUNDING matters for the NU and Muhammadiyah is the emergence of a host of new, smaller yet much more vocal and violent, groups that are also challenging the hegemony of the mainstream Muslim movements in the country. If the NU and Muhammadiyah could once claim to represent the tolerant, pluralist and pragmatic face of Indonesia's "smiling Islam", the same cannot be said today while groups like the Front Pembela Islam (Islamic Defenders' Front) hog the headlines with their sensationalist rhetoric and provocative political campaigns. And it is these smaller groups that seem to be the principal actors who have slowly shifted the centre of Indonesian Islam's discourse from the moderate middle path to a more exclusive, communitarian and at times violent form of religiosity.

The root of the problem here lies not in theology, for the sad fact remains that anyone with vested interests can shift the focus of any religious discourse to serve sectarian ends.

What is happening in Indonesia today is not unique to Indonesia or to Islam: We see similar attempts to utilise the discourse of Buddhism in Myanmar. In that country, vocal Buddhist leaders like Abbot Wirathu have articulated a more exclusive interpretation of Buddhism that conflates it with Burman identity, to serve other, non-religious, ethno-nationalist ends.

The same seems to be the case in some South Asian countries like Sri Lanka and India, where Buddhist and Hindu nationalists have forged new understandings of their respective creeds to serve the goals of narrower ethno-nationalist projects as well.

Even in Europe, we see right-wing extremists turning to the discourse of Christianity to serve the ends of non-religious political projects that re-present Europe as a cultural zone that is fundamentally Christian in character and which deny the multicultural reality of Europe as it is today.

That religious discourses lend themselves to such manipulation is a fact as old as the history of religion itself. It has been made worse in recent years by the fact that many of these new radical groups have emerged under the eye of their respective states, and today utilise the rhetoric of communal self-defence and identity politics. In Indonesia's case, for instance, vocal groups like the Islamic Defenders' Front have always claimed that their confrontational politics is the result of the quietist stance taken by the country's mainstream Muslim movements on issues they regard as important for the preservation of Muslim identity. This can be something as trivial as dangdut music or attempts at a critical re-appraisal of Indonesian history.

The charge levelled against mainstream movements is often the same: that they are "too soft" when it comes to issues like secularism, liberalism, pluralism and such like.

Democratic dilemma

HERE is where advocates of democratic pluralism come face-to-face with a thorny dilemma. On the one hand, advocates of open society wish to see the widening of the public domain where alternative voices may emerge and where a healthy contest of ideas may take place. On the other hand, many of the newly emerging social-political actors on the scene tend to be of the exclusive, even extremist, bent.

Such groups are also claiming a democratic right to speak - even though the sentiments they articulate include xenophobic rantings against foreigners, biased slander against other ethnic or religious communities or demands for narrower religio-communal solidarity among the members of their own faith community.

Worse still, in some countries today, such groups actually thrive with the active collaboration of the state or powerful political actors and patrons who also utilise them for other sinister political objectives, such as eliminating political opponents.

Need for action

WHAT then can be done?

For a start we can re-state the premise that open democracies are not free-for-alls, where any lunatic fringe with a microphone can shout abuse or issue threats towards others - be they minority groups or members of their own faith community. Democracy works, and it can work well indeed, when there is a shared understanding of the rules of participatory democracy and when everyone agrees to the simple principle that democracy cannot be used to undermine its own democratic principles.

This entails the need for states to disentangle themselves from any shady association with radical groups that may be useful to secure some political ends (like silencing opponents) but which in the long run threaten the democratic space of the nation-state itself. Over the past decade, numerous scholars and journalists have unearthed all manner of collaboration between political elites and radical groups in their own countries, from Pakistan to the Philippines.

Local radicals, pressure groups, militias and even private armies have been put on the payroll of political parties and elites which used them to clear their own path to power. The net result has been the creation of uneven public spaces where moderate voices led by critical intellectuals, pacifist activists, liberal-democratic movements and the like have been edged out by violent groups that claim to defend their faith and identity at the point of a gun.

This has created a situation where religious moderates feel themselves under siege and can no longer speak without the threat of violent reprisal hanging over their heads like the proverbial sword of Damocles.

Role of the state

NO STATE can ever legislate rules that create a happy and contented public domain for everyone. Indeed, even the strongest state in the world cannot force its citizens to love one another. But it can create the conditions that would equalise the field of public debate and discussion.

That is one of the main functions of Parliaments: to legislate laws against hate speech, violent rhetoric and the politics of intimidation.

No government should hold back when it comes to the task of creating conditions conducive to sensible discussion about matters religious. Instead, it should work to create a climate where a rational, objective and civil dialogue about religiosity can take place. When faced with a clearly uneven situation, where moderate religious leaders and intellectuals are being threatened with death, the state must shoulder its responsibility to put an end to the culture of violence.

Asia is a post-colonial, post-modern region where globalisation and multiculturalism are a reality. Religiously-inclined intellectuals thus face the challenge of adapting to modern life-conditions, the practical realities of social evolution and the need for dialogue and compromise.

Some debates will be challenging, but they will also be meaningful to those who wish to reconcile their religious beliefs with the challenges of modernity. But the debate has to take place in the context of a society where moderate intellectuals can think and work freely. Moderate religiosity cannot survive the rule of the gun. To expect moderate Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists to thrive under such circumstances would be akin to expecting rice to grow in a desert. That would be expecting faith to deliver one miracle too many.

The writer is associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University.

Jubilee gifts for kids born in Singapore's 50th year

April 3, 2014, 12:19 am

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Ideas for 'practical yet symbolic' keepsake items are being sought

By Goh Chin Lian, The Straits Times, 2 Apr 2014

EVERY Singaporean child born next year will receive a special Jubilee Baby Gift to mark the 50th anniversary of the country's independence.

The gift will be "a uniquely-Singaporean keepsake filled with practical yet symbolic items for our Golden Jubilee babies", Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu, who oversees population issues, said last night.

Post by Heybaby SG.

Its exact contents will be up to Singaporeans to suggest. People with ideas are asked to send them to the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) in the next seven weeks, until May 15.

A five-member panel led by Families for Life council member Anita Fam will advise on their suitability. A list of the top ideas will be drawn up for people to vote on and the leading items will be in the gift set.

This newest call for gift ideas comes about a week after the end of an earlier call for ideas to celebrate Singapore's golden jubilee.

Yesterday, a focus group discussed items for the gift and Ms Fu told reporters at the event that these should be celebratory, not monetary.

"We would like to have the parents keep this for many years and perhaps for the baby to pass (it) on, maybe 20, 30 years later and say, 'This is what I was born with'."

Her idea? A sarong with which to carry a baby, designed with a motif of the Singapore flag, as "it signifies the bond between parent and child".

The baby gift also emulates the NPTD's soft-sell efforts, like its book of parenthood stories to encourage couples to be parents.

While she does not think parents will have babies just for the gift, she said "if we can all celebrate family and newborns, it will hopefully encourage more to think of having their own family".

Ms Fu, who is Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, and Foreign Affairs, also underlined the important role of the family in Singapore's development. She said: "As we celebrate Singapore's past and honour the contributions of our Pioneer Generation, we also set our sights on the future. Children are our hope for the future and our Golden Jubilee babies symbolise our hopes and aspirations for the Singapore of tomorrow."

Ms Fam told The Straits Times the gift should not be money: "We are so practical as Singaporeans, we'd spend it on milk powder and nappies. It should have retention value."

Her suggestion: "A onesie or a bib with a logo on it."

Singaporeans with gift ideas can send them to Jubilee Baby Gift microsite http://www.nptd.gov.sg/jubilee, or hand them in at booths to be set up islandwide. The first two will be at Jurong Point (April 5 to 6) and VivoCity (April 12 to 13).

Focus group discussions on gift ideas will also be organised by government feedback arm Reach. People keen on taking part can e-mail outreach@reach.gov.sg to register for the sessions.

Kishore Mahbubani in Top 50 World Thinkers list

April 3, 2014, 12:43 am

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By Goh Chin Lian, The Straits Times, 2 Apr 2014

PROFESSOR Kishore Mahbubani, who heads the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, has been hailed by a leading British current affairs magazine as one of this year's top 50 world thinkers.

The veteran diplomat is the only Singaporean on the list, which includes Pope Francis, International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde and economist-philosopher Amartya Sen.

Harvard President Emeritus Lawrence Summers, and United States' Federal Reserve chairman Janet Yellen, were also picked by Prospect, a monthly magazine.

The list recognises leading thinkers with a global reach and whose achievements in the past 12 months contributed significantly to addressing central questions of the world today.

Prospect's managing editor Jonathan Derbyshire said it also gives credit to the currency of the candidates' thinking.

"Kishore Mahbubani's work certainly grapples with some of the biggest questions of our time, sketching as it does the contours of a new era in which the West can no longer take its primacy for granted," he added.

The 65-year-old dean, who writes a monthly column in The Straits Times' By Invitation series, has been lauded for being among the first to argue that Asian powers were ascending while the influence of Western democracies was declining. His recent ST columns have also touched on issues such as public transport and Singapore's soft power.

An author of four books, Prof Mahbubani said it was a great honour to have his latest The Great Convergence: Asia, The West And The Logic Of One World, recognised by Prospect's listing.

He told The Straits Times yesterday that with only a 12 per cent share of the world's population and a consistently declining share of global gross national product, it was "inevitable that Western primacy of the world order will also decline".

"However, if the West remains shrewd and wise, it can preserve its influence if it focuses on winning hearts and minds and not try to maintain the former dominant position," he added.

This is the fifth time he has been on a list of globally influential thinkers.

In 2005, the former President's Scholar was named by Prospect and Foreign Policy magazines as one of the top 100 public intellectuals in the world.

In 2009, the Financial Times included him as one of 50 individuals who would shape the debate on capitalism's future.

He was also selected one of Foreign Policy's top 100 global thinkers in 2010 and 2011. His diplomatic career of more than three decades included being Singapore's Ambassador to the United Nations and president of the UN Security Council.

S'pore teens ranked No. 1 in problem solving

April 3, 2014, 1:33 am

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Education system praised as they top 85,000 students from 44 economies

By Sandra Davie, The Straits Times, 2 Apr 2014

SINGAPORE'S 15-year-olds do not just excel in mathematics, science and reading. They are world-beaters too in solving problems, according to a global ranking of student skills.

Singapore teens chalked up the highest score of 562, beating students from 43 other economies in a problem-solving test under the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

The results have proven those who criticised Singapore's education system for encouraging rote learning at the expense of creative skills wrong, said education expert Andreas Schleicher at an event to release the rankings.

"It shows that today's 15-year-olds in Singapore are quick learners, highly inquisitive, able to solve unstructured problems in unfamiliar contexts, and highly skilled in generating new insights by observing, exploring and interacting with complex situations," he said.

"Indeed, no education system outperforms Singapore on this test," added Dr Schleicher, a special adviser on education to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which runs PISA.

Post by Heng Swee Keat.

Overall, 85,000 students from 44 economies took the computer-based test, which used real-life scenarios to measure the skills young people will use when faced with everyday problems, such as setting a thermostat or finding the quickest route to a destination, said the OECD.

Some 1,394 students from 166 government secondary and six private schools here, including Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah and Canadian International, took the test and had to tackle four to eight problems, which each came with several sub-questions.

Commenting on Facebook last night, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote: "Who says Singaporean students are rote learners?"

"It shows that we are on the right track, but I don't think we can afford to relax," he added.

Likewise, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat noted on Facebook that the study shows that Singapore students are "thinking, open, daring, have initiative".

He said: "You can't learn this by rote study. Instead, you need a total learning environment - be it in classes, CCAs or other activities - where you can question assumptions, solve things for yourself, try different approaches."

The skills can be seen across Singapore's entire student body of 15-year-olds, regardless of their schools, he added.

MOE in turn said that the latest results, taken with one released in December, show that Singapore has one of the deepest and widest pools of talented students, with the ability to apply thinking skills to solve problems.

Singapore students came second in mathematics and third in science and reading in the PISA 2012 study released in December.

"Even our proportion of weaker or low performers in problem solving is among the lowest of all participating education systems," said the Education Ministry, referring to the 8 per cent of students here who were classified as low performers. This is a third of the OECD average.

Singapore had a good share of top performers: One in five students here could solve the most complex problems, compared to about one in nine across OECD countries, said the Paris-based grouping of developed economies.

Problem-solving skills matter, noted Dr Schleicher.

"The world economy no longer pays you for what you know. Google knows everything. The world economy pays you for what you can do with what you know," he said.

Top scores

- Singapore - 562

- South Korea - 561

- Japan - 552

- Macau - 540

- Hong Kong - 540

- Shanghai - 536

- Taipei - 534

- Canada - 526

- Australia - 523

- Finland - 523

- United Kingdom - 517

- United States - 508

- Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development average - 500

Note: The difference in the scores for Singapore and South Korea was not statistically significant.

SOURCE: PISA 2012 STUDY

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