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From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1197133/1/.html Employees in Singapore are highly motivated: survey By Sara Grosse | Posted: 24 April 2012 1615 hrs

CNA Town council management report is politically motivated, says Chiam By Tan Weizhen, TODAY | Posted: 11 July 2011 0653 hrs SINGAPORE: Former Opposition Member of Parliament Chiam See Tong on Sunday criticised the latest Town Council Management Report (TCMR) - which showed that the town council of his former Potong Pasir ward had improved in three of the six indicators - as being "politically motivated". Despite the improvements, the Potong Pasir town council remained among the worst performing according to the report, which was released last Friday. For example, while most town councils achieved a Level 1 rating for service and conservancy charges arrears management, the town councils of Opposition-held Hougang and Potong Pasir fared worst in this area. Mr Chiam, 76, had helmed the Potong Pasir ward for 27 years until the General Election - which was held in May - when he moved out of the ward to lead a team to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. Mr Chiam and his wife Lina, who had contested in Potong Pasir, were both defeated. The Ministry of National Development (MND) had said that the third TCMR - it was introduced in 2009 - covered the period from last October to March this year and was based on pre-General Election town boundaries. Despite the MND's pronouncement that the assessment was carried out before the GE, Mr Chiam said in a media statement yesterday: "The HDB has now decided to award Potong Pasir constituency with a consolation prize after the GE by reporting that (its town council) has made the biggest gains with higher scores recorded for three out of six indicators." Mr Chiam added that he did not believe the report. "At all material times, I have been maintaining the estate well. (The report) is politically motivated," he said. When asked to respond to Mr Chiam's statement, Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin reiterated that the "most important thing now is for us to move forward and improve the living conditions of Potong Pasir residents". "We also have to ... improve the overall maintenance of the town council," said Mr Sitoh. He added that a working committee was formed last month to look into "why the families are in arrears". - - TODAY/fa

Speculation about Michael Schumacher's mood continues to rise, but the seven time world champion insists he is "extremely motivated" ahead of the fifth race of his 2010 comeback. After three years of retirement, the 41-year-old German has been consistently outpaced by his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg so far in 2010, but will have a car with a longer wheelbase in Spain that should better suit his driving style. "When he has that (revised car) I think we will have to reassess the whole story," commented former triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart. "If he then doesn't deliver, then I think he has a problem," added the Scot. 70-year-old Stewart thinks part of Schumacher's problem will be reassessing his desire to honour the full three years of his new contract. "You know, I don't think he should have retired when he did in 2006 because I don't think it was out of his system," he said. "This might take it out of his system." Schumacher's old title rival of the 90s, Damon Hill, is not ruling out that "the old Schumacher magic" could soon return. "Is it still there?" he told the Daily Mail, whose headline accuses Mercedes of "wasting money" on Schumacher. "I'm sure that's a question Michael will be asking himself -- and it's one that is starting to become valid after four races," added Hill. In an official Mercedes press release, Schumacher played down the likely effect of the car upgrades for Barcelona but sounded bullish about his own outlook. Team boss Ross Brawn also said the German is "determined to succeed" despite the setbacks so far. Added Schumacher: "Our step forward in Barcelona will be bigger than you can make at each race during the flyaways but it would not be realistic to expect us to suddenly be competing right at the front," he said. "However the good news is that after three years away, I am feeling extremely motivated. So I am clearly ready to take this challenge," added the record winner of 91 grands prix. Source: GMM