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I guess this would be a timely reminder now in the midst of sooo many recent threads and lots of flare going up again. I decided it is time to revisit some cordial rules that has kept MCF sane all these years. Have seen MCF also grow into more responsible posts and knowledgeable posts from various parties and thanks for that. Here are the basics i can think of, but not exhaustive: 1. Agree to Disagree While we get caught up in discussions and want our viewpoints heard, let's also respect that others have theirs. If you disagree, then just move on and agree to disagree. By doing that, you basically save your own BP as well as respect that others have their viewpoints as well. It does not ruin your life nor make your life anymore miserable. So, state your point, move on and leave it as that. The worst thing one can do is FORCE the views down somebody's throat. Life is already stressed, let's not add to that here. 2. Getting Personal This is not the Porker-Turboflat4 kind of personal.... This I notice happens on the odd occasion where ppl get embroiled in attacking the person for what they say and putting the person down thenceforth. Address the issue, NOT the person, please! Discuss and look at the bigger picture rather than begrudgement of a certain character or their attributes, etc. The MODs do note certain characters and watch their every move should they post in a certain way, and that too, is not begrudgement of the character but for the sanity of the forum at large. We have seen in the real world that it can get pretty ugly judging from recent events that have also occurred out there. 3. Politics Time and again, we have mentioned, no politics, please. MCF tends to attract certain kinds of visitors and although I have noted certain threads, they are for general discussion and while they border and tether on the brink, will let it stay. Once it gets out of hand, I would have to step in to call a close. This is also for the benefit of the existence of this place. There are other places out there for putting your hand in it, should you wish to, but let's not go down that lane here. Most importantly, substantiate your claims These are the few that have come off my head since the last week or so and let's keep the spirit of MCF alive as we know this to be a place where most of us get our news and information as well as to just chill out. Feel free to add should you want to. Good night all!

I took my name out of the ballot for NCMP post: WP's Png By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 21 May 2012 1821 hrs SINGAPORE: The Workers' Party's candidate for Hougang, Mr Png Eng Huat, said he had decided not to be considered for the Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) post after last year's General Election (GE). In an exclusive interview with Channel NewsAsia on Monday, Mr Png revealed he was against the NCMP scheme. He said this stand goes back to the time when the NCMP scheme was introduced. He did not wish for a government to dictate on the number and type of opposition members in Parliament. Mr Png added that before the GE, he had made the position clear to The Workers' Party's Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang and the party. At a rally on Sunday night, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean had asked the Workers' Party why it didn't send Mr Png to parliament as an NCMP when it had a chance to do so. Mr Png said: "I actually took my name out of the ballot for the NCMP post. Because I have a personal stand against the NCMP scheme, so that's why my name wasn't in the ballot. So I don't think DPM knows all of these." Mr Png was part of the Workers' Party team for East Coast GRC in last year's GE. The Elections Department had offered three NCMP seats to the best losing opposition candidates in last year's GE. One of the seats was offered to the Workers' Party's East Coast GRC team, which was taken up by Mr Gerald Giam. Mr Png also commented on DPM Teo's suggestion that the Workers' Party had taken the Hougang residents for granted. Mr Teo had said that the manner in which the Workers' Party handled Mr Yaw Shin Leong's expulsion from the party, which had led to the by-election, was the issue. Mr Png said Mr Teo has not visited nor talked to the residents as intensely as he had. Mr Png also pointed out the issue of Mr Yaw's expulsion was brought up by residents a few times during his home visits. Png Eng Huat clarifies involvement in NCMP ballot process By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 22 May 2012 1226 hrs SINGAPORE: The Workers' Party candidate for the Hougang by-election, Mr Png Eng Huat, has clarified that he went through the ballot process for the Non-Constituency MP post last May. He clarified that his name was in the ballot, together with the names of the other WP members who had contested in East Coast GRC in the last general elections. "To clarify, my name was in the ballot paper itself that night when we went for the NCMP selection meeting. I cannot remove that name, so I have to go through the process," Mr Png said. He explained that he was just going through the balloting process, as that was the selection procedure. "But to ensure that I don't get voted, I made my stand again clear to the East Coast team, to secretary-general (Low Thia Khiang) and to a few other members to ensure that I will not be selected for the NCMP post," Mr Png added. He also said he did not have the opportunity to inform all executive committee members before the ballot process that he did not want to be considered for the NCMP position. Mg Png was speaking to the media a day after he told Channel NewsAsia in an interview that he had taken his name out of the ballot when the party was choosing the NCMP candidate. In a statement released on Monday evening, Mr Png reiterated that he had already made it clear to Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang, as well as the East Coast team, that he would not want to be considered for the NCMP position. Mr Png said this stand goes back to the time when the NCMP scheme was introduced as he did not wish for a government to dictate the number and type of opposition members in Parliament. Mr Png told reporters he "didn't even want to get one vote". He said his choice of words used during the interview with Channel NewsAsia may have been ambiguous and apologised for the confusion. I think PEH really screw up big this time. At the very least, he has big communications problem - can't even tell a simple story straight. Worst, he could have integrity problem if the truth pointed the other way. The meeting minutes is a hard evidence while talking talkng is purely private affair without backing. And if he really has principle and believe that NCMP is a really bad idea, he SHOULD have voiced out before balloting started to take out his slip, even if end in futile. This is what oppos MPs are expected to do, not coward in one corner and keep quiet. Can you trust him to discharge his duty well if elected? I don't think so. So, would you trust a leader who prata here, prata there? Someone who has to clarify and clarify and clarify, because after he tried to clear the picture, new hard evidence surfaced to throw doubt on his stand? And LTK instead of apologising for the hooha (not just admitting as genuine hor), went on the offensive to accuse others of trying to sabotage his guy and party! Would you trust this kind of leader? He should do some soul searching and say sorry for taking the Hougang residents for granted. Granted that majority of them will still support him no matter what. And about the leaked minutes, surely he has a lot of soul-searching to do too, instead of pointing fingers so readily. Something is really wrong within the party. Low Thia Khiang on NCMP ballot incident By Imelda Saad | Posted: 22 May 2012 2201 hrs SINGAPORE: The Workers' Party (WP) Secretary-General Low Thia Khiang has urged voters not to be distracted by recent events. Mr Low said they were made to "intentionally damage the party" and "sabotage" its candidate for the Hougang by-election Png Eng Huat. Mr Low was speaking on Tuesday evening at the party's second rally for the by-election. Mr Low confirmed that the leaked minutes of WP meeting to decide on the post of the Non-Constituency MP are genuine. Mr Low said he does not want to speculate how anonymous sources obtained the minutes. But he also confirmed what Mr Png has said about not being interested in the NCMP post. Producing the NCMP ballot paper on stage, Mr Low said all the names of the East Coast GRC team members were considered for the post. "This is the ballot which I prepared, with all the names of the team on the ballot paper. Png Eng Huat had told me before and after the General Election that he was strongly against the NCMP scheme and had not wanted to be considered for the NCMP position, just as Eric Tan had told me of his desire to be NCMP. However I still listed the names of the whole East Coast GRC team, because they were all part of the team." He added that even though Mr Png had said he did not want to be considered, the selection lay solely with the Central Executive Committee (CEC). Mr Png had one vote to his name. Mr Low said this shows that the party functions on a collective leadership. "In fact, I would invite all of you to take a look at the minutes (of the meeting to decide on the NCMP post). It shows that the Workers' Party functions in a fair and transparent manner where decisions are made collectively. In addition, it also dispels rumours that the CEC is made up of all 'yes' men and women or even fully controlled by Low Thia Khiang. In this case, the CEC was not unanimous in its decision," said Mr Low. "Png Eng Huat had previously stated his position on NCMP to me and some other members of of the CEC but he still got one vote; the majority voted for Gerald Giam. When the voting result was concluded, only Eric Tan decided to resign; the other members stayed united on course with the Workers' Party. This shows that the Workers' Party is a credible party and can embrace different opinions while working together as a team and moving forward," added Mr Low. The WP secretary-general said he stands by what he said when he introduced Mr Png as a man of integrity. Speaking at the same rally, WP chairman Sylvia Lim also backed Mr Png. She said that if Mr Png is elected as an MP, she will appoint him as vice-chairman of the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council. Mr Png took the opportunity to list out his plans for Hougang residents if he is elected. They include improving the estate maintenance and community events for youths. The next Workers' Party rally is expected on Thursday, a day before the Cooling-off Day when no campaigning is allowed.

Did this before, but thought we'd revisit it again, to focus our KPIs and going forward to the new year For me, started out learning stuff abt cars and made some great friends here. As time progressed, it turned out to be a cyber playground to share, chit chat as well as to share ideas! Made more friends and the old ones still remain! With a near life incident during my spate here, I have realised that life is indeed short and that one should treasure his/her time wisely Well, for the good and the bad here, MCF is here to stay, and looking forward to MORE GOOD YEARS IN MCF! (sorry, jus had to put that in)

Tan Kin Lian / Columnist Are we seeing a modern Animal Farm happening in Singapore, where corruption and propaganda are used to control the populace? ANIMAL Farm is a novel written by George Orwell in 1945. I studied this book for Literature when I was in Secondary Two. It is a satire, depicting events in Russia leading up to and during the Stalin era before World War II. The animals of Animal Farm threw out the owner Mr. Jones and took over the farm, depicting the overthrow of the Czar of Russia during the Russian Revolution in 1917. The animals, representing the people, looked forward to a better life under a new leadership. Their leaders were the Pigs, and Napolean was the supreme leader. He ruled Animal Farm initially with the support of the animals, but later kept his power through all means, including propaganda, lies and the use of terror. Two memorable parts of the book were the Seven Commandments and how they became distorted and the story of the loyal horse Boxer. Seven Commandments The original seven commandments of Animal Farm were written to reflect equality of the animals, ethical behaviour and the search for a better life: Whatever goes upon two legs enemy Whatever goes upon four legs or has wings is a friend, No animal shall wear clothes. No animal shall sleep in a bed. No animal shall drink alcohol. No animal shall kill any other animal. All animals are equal. Corruption Later Napoleon and the Pigs (elites) were corrupted by the absolute power they held over the farm. To maintain their popularity with the other animals, they secretly painted additions to some commandments to benefit the pigs while keeping them free of accusation of breaking the laws. The Pigs manage to get away with this because only Benjamin the donkey and Muriel the goat can read to any effective degree, but they were not willing to challenge the pigs. The commandments were changed to accommodate the desire of the leader for a life of luxury and wealth, while ignoring the lot of the other animals. No animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets. No animal shall drink alcohol to excess. Four legs good, two legs better! No animal shall kill another animal without cause. All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. Boxer I felt strongly attached to the horse Boxer. He was the symbol of the working class: loyal, kind, dedicated and respectful. He was physically the strongest animal on the farm, but na

i tested the Primera last week and found the acceleration abit lacking and body rolls abit excessive...... but the intereior and exterior designs are pretty good!! juz spoken to my previous boss this morning whom i haven't met for at least 7 years. He's a well qualified amature road tester (having been a porsches owner and also owned many types of car.... latest being few models of high performance Saab, AR156 and most recently, surprise, surprise:- a Primera )..... he agreed with me that the showroom test Primera was not that impressive when it comes to taking corners...... but after replacing the stock wheels/tyres with good performance 18-inch light weight rims and tyres, he has transformed the cornering characteristics of the Primera to something most enthuriasts will be satisfied with ..... as for the CVT accelerations (or the so called lack of it), he overcomes it by reving hard to reach relatively high rev and then switches on the sports mode quickly..... this way, he finds that the accelerations of the Primera reaching the standard of fast family saloons ie fast !! any comments or 1st hand experience in the above???? cheers