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SINGAPORE: From this year, Singaporeans will get absolute priority over permanent residents when it comes to balloting for primary school places. The Education Ministry said where balloting is required during Primary One registration, Singaporeans will be admitted first ahead of permanent residents, before home-school distance is considered. For example, when the number of applications exceed the number of school places, Singaporeans who live closer to the school of choice will get higher priority compared to Singaporeans who live further away. Citizens living within one kilometre will be admitted first, followed by those who live between one kilometre and two kilometres from school. Singaporeans who live outside two kilometres of the school of choice will then be given a place. If there are still vacancies in the school after all eligible Singaporean children have been admitted after balloting, places will be given to permanent residents, with priority given to those who live closer to school. MOE said by giving Singaporeans priority over PRs only when balloting is required, it retains the underlying principles of the Primary One registration framework, which reflect a careful balance of considerations, and provide for diversity in Singapore schools, while according citizens a further privilege. This is on top of a measure introduced in 2010, where Singaporeans are given two ballot slips for each child for Primary One registration, while PRs get one ballot slip per child. MOE also announced that there will be seven new primary schools next year - five in the new towns of Sengkang and Punggol, and one each in Jurong West and Woodlands. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1191133/1/.html

Yahoo News Opposition parties criticise PA letter Two opposition parties have criticised a recent letter by the People's Association (PA) on why opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) cannot be advisers to grassroots organisations (GROs). "I can only conclude that the PA is partisan," said Hougang SMC MP Yaw Shin Leong, pointing out that organisation seemed to be equating the government with the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) in its forum letter. "The government and the said political party needs to be separated in terms of identity," Yaw said. "Over the decades, however, the two seem to have been increasingly seen as the same." The Singapore People's Party echoed this view. "By choosing not to work with duly elected Opposition MPs, the PA is confirming that it is working for the interest of the PAP, not Singapore," the party's central executive committee said in a statement. In a forum letter to The Straits Times published on Wednesday, PA's director for corporate and marketing communications Ooi Hui Mei said that opposition MPs cannot be advisers to GROs because they "cannot be expected" to promote government activities. "The government has to appoint grassroots advisers who support its programmes and can play this role well... Opposition MPs cannot be expected to do this and thus cannot become advisers to GROs," wrote Ooi. She further explained that "besides connecting people to people, grassroots advisers are required to help the government connect with people and help promote government policies and programmes such as anti-dengue and active ageing." Ooi was responding to a reader who felt grassroots advisers, who are appointed by the PA, should be elected MPs. Yaw told Yahoo! Singapore that he found it strange for the PA to comment that an elected opposition MP, being one himself, is unable to fulfill the role of connecting with people and promoting programmes such as anti-dengue and active ageing. When contacted, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and PAP MP Janil Puthucheary defended the PA's policy. Dr Puthucheary, who sits on the PA's board of management, said that as a statutory board, the PA is "linked to government policy" and the grassroots adviser has to believe in the overall thrust of the government's approach. "People who implement and operationalise these policies cannot oppose them. You simply can't have a situation where the adviser does not support the implementation of these policies," he noted. Opposition MPs fundamentally oppose the government and so would not always be in support of its policies and programmes, he said. "Even if they did support policies such as anti-dengue and active ageing programmes, it is possible that they could oppose methods of implementation of these policies," he added. However, political observer Tan Ern Ser said that the PA's actions may erode the moral ground of the PAP and dilute its political capital. While the PA is able to defend its practice of appointing PAP members as grassroots advisers on "logical grounds", the associate professor of sociology at the National University of Singapore suggested that Opposition MPs take matters into their own hands. "I would argue on practical grounds that the WP may want to consider setting up its own grassroots organisations, since the ones set up by PA may not take to them as advisers in any case," he said. The debate over the politicisation of the PA started when Workers' Party (WP) Aljunied GRC MP Chen Show Mao was uninvited from a Hungry Ghosts' Festival dinner organised by Hougang residents because they were told that approval for the venue would be withdrawn by the PA if they invited Chen. It later emerged that 26 commonly-used spaces in the constituency had been leased to the PA by the Housing and Development Board in June. Following a public outcry, the PA revised its policy and relaxed its restrictions on event guest lists.

can anyone alighten me and tell we the names of political parties we have in singapore? PAP WP SDP anymore?

The stuff and argument plus retort raised here are great and guaranteed to make many supporters of the incumbent tongue tied. Although not always friendly, the points of contention brought up are genuine and thought provoking. It's a Gold mine ............

From Channel News Asia: All 27 constituencies will be contested, meaning the ruling party will not be returning to power on nomination day? We will have to wait & see.... http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1114574/1/.html Singapore GE: Opposition parties to contest all seats By S Ramesh/Evelyn Choo | Posted: 05 March 2011 1847 hrs SINGAPORE: Singapore's major opposition parties have come to an agreement to contest all 27 constituencies in the next General Election (GE), which is due before February 2012. At Saturday's meeting, they also agreed to avoid three-cornered fights in Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs), meaning most of the GRCs are likely to see a straight fight. However, in the case of the 12 Single-Member Constituencies (SMCs), the party leaders said discussions are ongoing. If the opposition parties keep to their declaration, the next GE is likely to see a situation where the PAP will not be returned to power on Nomination Day. Going into the details of where they stand to contest, Workers' Party (WP) chairman Sylvia Lim said her party will be in the Aljunied and East Coast GRCs. She said the WP is also interested in the newly-carved out Moulmein-Kallang GRC as well as Nee Soon GRC. As for the SMCs, she said her party is keen on five. These are Hougang, Joo Chiat, Punggol East, Sengkang West and Whampoa. When asked if the WP will contest the Ang Mo Kio GRC, Ms Lim said the party will not be doing so as it has to balance its resources according to its strategy. But Channel NewsAsia understands that other parties may decide to take on Ang Mo Kio GRC. The Reform Party's Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam said his party will be contesting in the West Coast and Chua Chu Kang GRCs and also the single seats of Radin Mas, Pioneer and Hong Kah North. Meanwhile the Democratic Progressive Party's Seow Khee Leng said it will take on the Tanjong Pagar and Marine Parade GRCs. The National Solidarity Party intends to contest Tampines and Jurong GRCs. As for the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA), it plans to contest the Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and also the single-MP seats of Punggol East and Radin Mas. Sengkang West is also under consideration, it said. Potong Pasir's MP, Mr Chiam See Tong, said he wants to contest Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and his Singapore People's Party (SPP) also wants to run in Potong Pasir and Hong Kah North single-member constituencies. The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) meanwhile said it would go for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC and the Bukit Panjang single-member ward. Saturday's meeting was the opposition parties' second in a week and the last to decide on the seat allocation for the coming General Election. However some of the individual parties will continue to meet on a one-on-one basis to come to a bilateral agreement, especially for the single-member constituencies, to avoid three-cornered fights. Independent candidate Andrew Kuan, who is eyeing the Joo Chiat seat, was also at Saturday's meeting. But he left the venue when organisers told him the discussion was not for independent candidates but opposition parties. - CNA/ir

like that consider threatening with their vote or not??

check out his other speeches clips... entertaining...

Just read this in Toyota Club Singapore forum and was wondering if any one here is affected by this? Feeling very sorry and at the same time damn pekchek for the car owners involved Details on this thread here (but you need to create an account): http://www.toyotaclubsg.com/nuke/modules.p...ewtopic&t=23245 ------- Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 8:02 pm Post subject: Need help urgently. (Very bad experience) I bought a toyota wish from PI(Pinnacle Motors) 1 year plus ago, as what they recommended i always bring my vehicle to their appointed service centre(Jackspeed) to do my servicing to prevent warranty void. During my first 1000Km and 10000Km servicing this service centre added in a kind of oil treatment for my gearbox. After driving this vehicle for almost 1 year plus, now i having problem on my gearbox. Now their next appointed service centre (Premier Auto Parts & Services Pte Ltd) told me that my gearbox defective and need to be replaced, so i need to pay for the damage because gearbox warranty only cover on the 1st year. The most funny part is the reason they give me is that the treatment which was added in during the 1000Km and 10000Km caused my gearbox to breakdown.That is ridiculous, why should i pay for the damage they cause. By the way i am not the only victim. Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 8:58 pm Post subject: Today I went down to their service centre(PAPS) to check what is the outcome, lucky enough I saw a guy who is driving a toyota Harrier also having the same problem as mine., so we are ask to speak to the workshop manager regarding the problem we had.To my surprise, the first thing the workshop manager told me is "ASK YOUR LAWYER WRITE A LETTER TO ME".Wow...that was a very aggressive phase, if those people who can't afford to get a lawyer, then we should let this matter rest?I don't think so because there is law in Singapore.What ever I ask, this manager will reply back in a very simple words "SUE ME IF YOU WANT".By the way I not going against him but I am going against the company and the way this guy handle this problem is by shouting back at you.Until I really can't stand the way he talk, i ask him to talk nicely but the anwser he give me is "THIS IS THE WAY I TALK". Haiz, what kind of manager is that, when a company facing this kind of problem yet he still dare to shout at consumers. After a long discussion, I think this guy can't give me an proper anwser because i don't feel he has the PR skill enough to handle this kind of problem.In the end, i try to look for the manager at the PI head office, haiz another fellow who use a dam stupid comparison to compare my problem. He compare my problem with HID lights by saying if a service centre ask you to install a HID light and been caught by the traffic police, should the PI bear the fine? That was like comparing an apple with an orange. He do not know what he is talking about.But he did know that there are quite a lot of people affected by that additive, so as a PI they should communicate with the service centre who damage my car not me. But he keeps on asking me to approach the service centre who damage my car, so he can wash his hands out of it (I believe). After approaching the service centre, another comapny who do not want to bear the responsible.

Any handicraft gents or ladies here? Looking for glitter powder for use on skin tattoos (temp for events and parties, not permenant), would like to know where to get at a cheap price..... i dun think places like Popular is selling... thanks in advance