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Singapore Ready for a More Civil Society
17-Feb-2000
IT is no longer a case that Singapore's nascent civil society has to develop by incremental gains, there is now a window of opportunity for a vertical take-off.

Hefty Deposit May Deter Good Candidates
13-Nov-2001
IN THE article, 'Will a dominant PAP also be domineering?' (ST, Nov 10), the writer seems to agree that the $13,000 deposit required of this year's General Election candidates was justified.

SPP Annual Dinner 1999 - Secretary-General's Speech
20-Nov-1999
Speech of Mr Chiam See Tong at the SPP (Singapore People's Party) 6th Annual Dinner 1999.

Show of Good Faith needed for Civil Society
28-Jan-2000
DEPUTY Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's open call to Singaporeans to engage the Government in debate over national issues, and his assurance that the Government, will be more open to public opinion should be commended and embraced by all Singaporeans.

Role of Civil Service in Civil Society
17-Feb-2000
THERE has recently been considerable discussion of civil society in Singapore. Younger ministers such as Brigadier-General (NS) George Yeo and Rear-Admiral (NS) Teo Chee Hean have followed up on Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's call to develop civil society and an active people sector.

Speak Up!
02-Sep-2000
TalkingCock.com's K.K. Cheow reports from the new Speakers' Corner at Hong Lim Park.

A Nation of Watchers
25-May-2001
Think Centre co-ordinator Irvin Lim, in his letter to Today, disagrees that Singaporeans fear to speak up but laments the lack of consequential action after the "talk". Read on!

Asia's 50 Most Powerful Communicators: James Gomez
26-May-2001
(44) - James Gomez, Internet Political Activist
"Singapore is a country that is tech-savvy but politically shy."

Public Consulted on Library, Chinatown
25-Feb-2000
MESSRS Simon Tay, Zulkifli Baharudin and Cherian George in their commentary, " Role of Civil Service in Civil Society " (ST, Feb 17), cited three examples of "civil service intransigence": The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)'s handling of the National Library issue, the Public Utilities Board (PUB)'s development of water-storage tanks in the nature reserves, and the Singapore Tourism Board's plans for Chinatown.

Open Debate - and Open Minds - Needed
29-Feb-2000
WE WOULD like to thank the PS21 Office for its response (ST, 25 Feb) to our article on civil society (" Role of civil service in civil society ", ST, Feb 17).

Contest of Ideas Critical, says NMP
06-Mar-2000
Fierce debates between civil society and Government can be constructive if they are non-violent, says Simon Tay. They also develop thinking minds.

JB Chit Chat: The Non-Governmental Approach to Cross-Straits Relations
19-Jun-2000
Cross-straits relations has always been a highly sensitive issue handled by the politicians in both societies. This high echelon network hence dictates how the relationship between both sides should be developing. While there are obvious merits of this particular approach, however within this framework, it harbours one's distinctive disadvantage. Absolute politics should not be allowed to shape the truth & realities of cross-straits ties. The layperson on both side of the causeway must take a pro-active role in cultivating friendly ties between the 2 countries.

Speech Impediment
21-Sep-2000
A Malaysian Reflects on an experimental Speakers' Corner in his homeland.

Ode to Singapore's Shame
26-Oct-2000
Dr Kevin Tan recited this poem at the launch of Shame magazine at MPH Stamford Road on 7 Oct 2000.

Speakers' Corner Revisited
28-Oct-2000
As a Malaysian journalist revisits their own Speakers' Corner in Universiti Malaysia, one can't help but to think about our own experiment in freedom of speech. Will it go the same way as its Malaysian counterpart? Will it become an 'intellectual wasteland' or will it flourish as a place of heated and passionate intellectual debate?

Shame Launched without Fear
29-Oct-2000
Singapore, a country that places strict control on the freedom of speech, saw the launch of a political review magazine whose aim is to liberalize politics.

Malaysian Writer Says Philip and James are "Churlish"
04-Nov-2000
Singapore was represented at the conference by authors and social commentators Philip Jeyaretnam and James Gomez. Urbane, intelligent, articulate and self-aware, it seemed almost churlish of them to anatomise Singapore's limitations when their very existence was manifest evidence that Singapore hasn't done too badly in some respects.

James Gomez: Man on a Mission
15-Nov-2000
When Speakers Corner opened on September 1, he was there decked in Anwar's Pro-Reformasi T-shirt urging listeners to shed their fear of speaking up for their political rights. He did not sound pro-government and - after probing him later - neither is he pro-opposition. He is the founder of Think Centre, and author of 'Self-Censorship: Singapore's Shame', a critical assessment of Singaporeans' obsession to self-censor what they say and write. It might sound unbelievable to some, but he is also a member and twice-elected secretary of the government's Feedback Unit. In short, he is a controversial figure and political enigma when it comes to Singapore politics.

National Library says "No"!
18-Nov-2000
In July 2000, a Ms Sharon How (programme development executive of the programme development division) at the National Library Board (NLB) was contacted at telephone number 3323271 to arrange for a reading event or dialogue for Self-Censorship: Singapore’s Shame. A request was made of the author, James Gomez, to forward an abstract and book review. But what do you think happened? Read on to find out.

A Nation of Campaigns
08-Mar-2001
Since independence in 1965 the Singapore government has often relied on broad public education campaigns to put across its goals and aspirations to the man (and woman) in the street. Campaigns on the subjects of spitting, littering, flushing public toilets, courtesy, keeping fit, teenage smoking, chewing gum and speaking Mandarin instead of dialects, have sought to create a more hygienic and well-behaved population.

How to Kheng Army, Especially Physical Training
08-Dec-2000
Every male Singaporean should be aware by the time they have completed their National Service – Compulsory Military Training (NSF) what is called the Remdial Training (RT). It's a 'special' program whereby NS men who have failed the Individual Physical Provisional Test (IPPT) report to either a army camp in the north or another in the west twice a week (one weekday and one weekend) for two months and thrice a week (two weekdays and one weekend) for an additional month for NS men who did too badly for their IPPT. In this article I look at first, the inefficiency and thus a complete (OK, maybe not 100 % but it is still very close) waste-of-time of plus some other materials, followed by ideas on how to kheng (skive) RT sessions.

The Young and The Restless
14-Dec-2000
SINGAPORE Issue cover-dated December 21, 2000 The ruling party is on the hunt for new blood to fill its talent pool. But Singapore's best and brightest say political apathy is 'a fact of life'

From Tokyo With Love
22-Dec-2000
Its Banzai time in Tokyo as the holiday season starts. Universities and schools begin the holiday tomorrow. But tomorrow is also the Emperor's birthday and the yearly proclaimation is eagerly waited by one and all. Tune in as we bring you reports "live" from Tokyo by James Gomez this holiday season.

Singapore's Other Founding Father
24-Dec-2000
Lim Kim San - the masterbuilder and media czar Web posted December 5, 2000

TORA! TORA! TORA!
23-Dec-2000
Some 6 000 soldiers died in suicide missions during the last stages of World War II. They attacked through a variety of instruments such as a one-man torpedo and air and navy bombers. An amphibian saboteur was also in the planning, but that never really took-off from the drawing board. Nevertheless it killed quite a few people used in the making of the prototype.

Fuji-san Ichiban
25-Dec-2000
Stopping at Tokyo is not complete without a day trip to a beautiful spring water spot, Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture. A mere 2-hour-drive from central Tokyo, Shinji-yuku station, the Gotenba Interchange, along a narrow road known as Hakone Skyline, takes the day tripper towards Lake Ashino, measuring 7.09 square km.

Geisha, Gion & Kyoto
30-Dec-2000
While most would be hard put to even spot a Geisha these days, if you know where to look you can find two! The book Memoirs of a Geisha is generously quoted in tourist brochures around Kyoto, Gion especially.

If Dreams Come True
02-Jan-2001
The Gate of the Emperor’s Palace was opened to the public today to celebrate the New Year. But little do many people know that 2nd Jan is also held by Japanese as a day when dreams come true. The saying is if you go to bed on 2nd Jan the contents of the dream, the next day, will come true. So it is no guessing what the Japanese right-wingers will be dreaming of tonight. [Editor’s Note: James Gomez will file his final report from Tokyo on 4th Jan. He will return to Singapore on the 5th to speak at Hong Lim Park.]

Sayonara, Tokyo, Sayonara
04-Jan-2001
Japan’s economy is braising itself for a two year slow down maybe more - if we take the Tokyo’s mayor’s word for it. Dropping all niceties he told a crowd of over one thousand people gathered at Tokyo’s International Forum to mark the New Year’s countdown not to get their hopes up for the next millennium. Its not going to be a good one.

Hard Internet Debate now dubbed as Religious Extremism
06-Jan-2001
Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff is a regular writer at cyber ummah who packs a sharp Internet tongue. Read his response to recent statements about religious extremism on the Net.

What is a Demonstration?
08-Jan-2001
With the recent “brouhaha” in the local media and probably the coffeeshops with regards to the events on 10th December 2000 which was International Human Rights Day that took place at Hong Lim Park and the Falungong affair, this article by the Social Owl from Malaysia, gives us an understanding of the dynamics of a demonstration or by whatever name its known as. Its food for thought. Read on and be stimulated to think about this issue.

Sunshine Policy: What to expect in 2001?
08-Jan-2001
Some day the year 2000 may well be recorded in Korean history books as the year two leaders of the divided nation - the Southerner Kim Dae-jung and his Northern counter-part Kim, Jong-il - kicked off a political process that eventually lead to the peaceful reunification of the divided Peninsula. The present situation in Korea is special: Here history is in the making, it is no exaggeration to state, that we find ourselves in the midst of an historical process.

Singaporean Civil Society in retrospect
08-Jan-2001
The contemporary view is that civil society serving as the realm between the public space and the private sphere, contending that civil society consisted of associational networks of human individuals engaged in interest issues much more diverse and of varied socio-politico implications than before. Such networks would include social movements (eg. feminist movement with latent political interests) as well as informal groupings (eg. senior citizens’ club with leisurely pursuits) for civil society was no longer associated with the politically charged notion of challenging state order. Just fresh into a new millennium, I share with you my thoughts of our civil society, an institution glaringly malnourished in well-to-do Singapore.

Book Review: Young Vietnam - Doi Moi's Children
12-Jan-2001
Written by Koichiro Toyama, "Young Vietnam - Doi Moi's Children" is an insightful book with a fantastic collection of photographs taken by the author, coupled with a credible array of statistics, facts and figures.

Warrior Of The Fourth Estate
18-Jan-2001
In the 1961 ‘Utusan strike’, Said Zahari, chief editor of Utusan Melayu, resisted all attempts by Umno to make the leading Malay newspaper its party organ. It was only in that one incident did national history record an uprising by journalists. It was the first and only time the nation witnessed journalists and workers of a press institution standing together to uphold freedom of the press.

The Shared Vision of Hell
27-Jan-2001
An excerpt from Patrick J. Michael's and Robert C. Balling Jr. :- "The Satanic Gases" Clearing the Air about Global Warming. Climatologist extraordinaire Patrick J. Michael's says its is. He lays out the scientific facts; exposes Al Gore's wild exaggerations, miststatements, and outright lies; and examines how government money corrupts science. Read on.

Rencana dan Pendapat: Melayu Singapura bagaikan menumpang di negara sendiri
28-Jan-2001
TIDAK seperti rakannya di Malaysia, kehidupan 453,000 masyarakat Melayu Singapura hari ini bagaikan “menumpang” di tanah tumpah mereka sendiri. Sejak 35 tahun, kehidupan mereka tidak lebih daripada melukut di tepi gantang. Mereka tidak diberi layanan dan hak keistimewaan sebagai peribumi ditambah pula sistem meritokrasi pemerintah. Benarkah kenyataan Perdana Menteri, Goh Chok Tong, Ahad lalu, orang Melayu Singapura tidak dipinggirkan. Hanya orang Melayu Singapura wajar menjawab dan meluahkan pendapat mengenai dilema kaumnya di republik itu. Sehubungan itu, Berita Minggu menghantar wartawan ZAINUDIN ISA ke Singapura, kelmarin untuk menemu bual Setiausaha Agung Pertubuhan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura (PKMS), Mohd Rahizan Yaacob di ibu pejabat pertubuhan itu di Changi Road, bagi mendapatkan gambaran sebenar isu itu.

Prospects of Democracy in Asia
17-Jan-2001
The enormous economic growth of Asian tigers (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan etc.) in nineties termed as miracle left the Western world gasping at the huge growth potential of these countries. But suddenly in 1997 the myth exploded with a bang called the” crash of 1997”. The countries were suddenly engulfed by an economic turmoil. The analysts all over the world delved into the economic causes of the problem ignoring the political dimensions. The book “The Political Dimensions of the Asian Crisis” is a collection of papers read at the annual congress of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats(CALD) held in Bangkok from 16 to 18 October 1998. [The Political Dimensions of the Asian Crisis edited by Uwe Johannnan, Jurgen Rudolph and James Gomez, Publisher: Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Singapore, Pages: 267 Price: S$29.00 is now available in Singapore and Malaysian Book Stores](The book can be also ordered online at Select Books. See link on left of this page)

How Open is Singapore?
03-Feb-2001
A Malaysian journalist visits Singapore to examine its political scene.

Namby-Pamby No More?
30-May-2001
Save for her position on the GATT-Uruguay Round Treaty in 1994, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) has not shown resoluteness or clear-cut positions on many other issues of national import.

Singapore Makes News in Texas
31-May-2001
The following article on Singapore appears in the TEXAS REVIEW Newspapers in June, 2001: The Austin Review (Austin, Texas), The Houston Review (Houston, Texas),The Baylor Review (Waco, Texas), The Aggie Review (Bryan & College Station, Texas)

Banned or Not Banned, That is The Question?
31-Jan-2001
Most Singaporeans think that Francis Seow’s books are banned, but the truth is far from it.

Update on Human Rights violations in Vietnam
31-Jan-2001
On July 13rd, 2000, Vietnam signed the landmarkTrade Agreement with U.S.A.. This event could be seen as a step toward the liberalization of the Vietnamese economy which may impact on the Vietnamese civil society. In reality, the Vietnam’s human rights record remains appalling, and restriction of freedom still prevents the country to comply with international standard.

Shame On You
14-Feb-2001
Author James Gomez says that many people in Singapore, both local and foreigners alike, are afraid to speak up and act on things political. He explains why in the article below. We bring you this rare and uncirculated piece published last year on a Japanese wesbite.

Update on Human Rights Violations in Vietnam
19-Feb-2001
Introduction: On July 13rd, 2000, Vietnam signed the landmark Trade Agreement with U.SA. This event could be seen as a step toward the liberalization of the Vietnamese economy which may impact on the Vietnamese civil society. In reality, the Vietnam's human rights record remains appalling, and restrictions of freedom still prevents the country to comply with international standards.

Word Humour
19-Feb-2001
The Washington Post's Style Invitational asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are some recent winners:

Another Step Towards Supreme Capitalism
27-Feb-2001
The Singapore Government is going ahead with its plans to abolish the Control of Rent Act. On 23 Feb 2001 during a Parliament session, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan introduced the Control of Rent (Abolition) Bill 2001.

Ethical Issues Rule in Leadership Conference - Is Singapore Really Free of Corruption?
07-Mar-2001
From 8 to 13 February 2001, I was given the opportunity to represent Think Centre - and Singapore - to attend the 6th Regional Ethics in Leadership Conference held in Hanoi, Vietnam. The four-day conference, organised by the St. James Ethics Centre and CYDECO, was part of the Vincent Fairfax Fellowship, a leadership-training programme based in Australia.

Spotlight: Registry of Political Donations (Judge, Jury and Executioner)
13-Mar-2001
The Registry of Political Donations (RPD) which administers the Political Donations Act (PDA) is located at the Singapore Immigration and Registration (SIR) building, 10 Kallang Bahru, on the 6th floor. A call was placed to RPD (Tel: 391 6306) to determine whether members of public or journalists are allowed to view the records kept at the Registry.

The Singapore Media: What Needs to Be Done?
14-Mar-2001
[This article appeared in the Asian Human Rights Commission Publications - Human Rights SOLIDARITY - February 2001 Volume 11 No. 2] INTRODUCTION - During much of the year 2000, there was talk in and around Singapore of the media opening up in the island city-state. Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), a long-time monopolistic media player, now has a new contender -MediaCorp. Each of these two groups now has put out new publications: Project Eyeball, an Internet newspaper, and Streats, a free newspaper, by SPH and Today by MediaCorp, which aims, among other things, to look at political issues. From a broadcast point of view, the Singapore Broadcasting Authority is not clear what MediaCorp will produce by way of Channel U; but on the ground, there are not enough indications to suggest that it will be something that will break with the past. Hence, in short, the current reality surrounding press freedom and plurality now is not very different from the past. The proliferation of radio channels in Singapore, for instance, has not brought greater press freedom and critical analysis. In this regard, the new print tabloid publications remain just that tabloids. Focusing on where to eat, entertainment, fashion and local gossip, it is all geared towards chasing that advertising dollar. Where it counts, on critical political issues, nothing has changed, especially when it comes to local politics. The bottom line is that the government of the People's Action Party (PAP) still has financial investments in these two media companies through its government-linked corporations. In this regard, before we go into what can be done, we need to understand the environment in which those who want to put out competing views operate. From here, we can try to plot the path forward. This article looks at the case of opposition party publications as one instance of putting out competing viewpoints and suggests some ways forward.

Singapore's Goh Poh Seng is thriving in Canada
23-Mar-2001
Catherine Lim has dominated the literary scene in Singapore for so long that one almost forgets that the island nation has some other important writers. One of the most distinguished is Goh Poh Seng, 64, who won the National Book Development Council of Singapore Award for Fiction in 1976 and the Singapore Cultural Medallion in 1983. He remains one of modern Singapore's most prolific writers and poets.

There Are All Kinds
05-Apr-2001
At Think Centre we receive all kinds of notes in our e-mailbox. Some make sense, some are down right stupid. Those that habour on the stupid and are vengeful usually are submitted through free email accounts (eg yahoo, hotmail). Read on for one example of ranting and raving.

Starting the Long Journey
18-Apr-2001
Steve Chia, the current assistant sectretary-general of the National Solidarity Party has embarked on a lone 7000 km motorbike ride in preparation for the electoral and political battle ahead. We bring you a serialised account of his journey as he sends back messages to the Think Centre. Read the first installment and stay tuned for more....

Water Wars
19-Apr-2001
Still on his bike ride, Steve Chia writes about images of the recent Songkran Fesitival in Thailand. Read his Day 5 report (16 April 2001).

"Cock Music" at TalkingCock. com
03-Apr-2001
In the spirit of the month of April, as April Fool's day marks the start and the "Save JBJ" rally to round it up (should a permit be granted that is), our website has put up, with permission, a couple of originally-composed songs courtesy of TalkingCock.com, Singapore's top satirical humour website. Read on!

Mr Kiasu and Chilli Crab - S'pore's National Identity Quest
06-May-2001
Whether it is in the form of its national flower, the Vanda Miss Joaquim or the floral-motif shirts and dresses, the obsession with national icons, symbols and identity is prominent in Singapore.

Information Technology as a Tool for Control in Singapore
15-Jan-2004
This essay appeared in the recent issue of the Development Dialogue Journal published out of Sweden. It is a special issue on freedom of expression and access to information. Read on.

Is Singapore a Democracy?
10-May-2001
The Singapore Pledge, which every citizen has uttered contains the words, “…to build a democratic society..” but have we built one, in the process of doing so or have we abandoned it? Read on to find out about an interesting online questionnaire developed by International IDEA which helps anyone who is interested to know!

Why "Save JBJ"?
12-May-2001
Speech at "Save JBJ" rally by Jacob George, Public Affairs Manager of Think Centre.

The Politics of Unfairness?
11-May-2001
Speech at "Save JBJ" rally by Melvin Tan, Systems Manager of Think Centre.

WWF: Next on the Guillotine?
22-May-2001
World Wrestling Federation (WWF) programmes, for all its precarious exhibitions and bogus antics, are gaining popularity among Singaporeans, both adults and children. The Sunday Times reported that an episode of "WWF Raw", a 2-hour programme, recorded a 120,000 viewership, in par with the final episode of the "Survivor" series.

Bytes, Business & Governance (22)
11-Jun-2001
No Frills Officer and Gentlemen:Two heroes of the Republic, Lt. Kenneth Bulong of PMA Class 2000 and my uncle, Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Arce Mendoza (ret.) of PMA Class 1940, were buried last Saturday afternoon. The younger ‘ayer, killed in an encounter with the Abu Sayyaf early this month, was appropriately interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Uncle Rey, though entitled to be buried at the same hallowed ground, chose Himlayang Pilipino as his resting place, beside his son Ramon, who died so many years ahead of the father. Gen. Cullao, a number of colonels and light colonels plus the 1st Escort Company of the Philippine Army were at hand to accord him the appropriate military honors.

Will Vietnam Democratise?
12-Jun-2001
We bring you a special interview with Doan Viet Hoat (DVH), a Vietnamese based in the US, who is part of a group fighting for democracy in his home country. Find out what its like and whether you can draw any parallels for Singapore.

Antipersonnel Mine Policy and Practice in Southeast Asia
16-Jun-2001
This article presents an overview of the landmine situation in Southeast Asia and the state of the Mine Ban Treaty. It identifies the respect states and their position on the issue.

Bytes, Business & Governance (23)
14-Jun-2001
Politics, Investor Uncertainty, and Business Cycles (Part I): The Philippine economy grew by a middling 2.5% during the first quarter of the current year. The country has just concluded another by-election that brought a new set of lawmakers and local chief executives to power. Will election-related spending boost the economy during the second semester and beyond? Or will the gloom brought about the Abu Sayyaf’s depredations and repeated increases in crude oil prices combine to sink the economy further downwards? Or will the low quality of our governance and political institutions do us in, again?

Anti-Landmine Campaign Videos
15-Jun-2001
The following are URLs of online anti-landmine campaign videos, each with an informational paragraph. They are hosted by Free Speech TV (www.freespeech.org) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) (http://www.icrc.org).

"God, I Will Be Dead"
19-Jun-2001
Suigheng joined the Chin National Front (CNF) on 4 February 1994 at the age of 16. When asked why he joined this insurgent group he said: To fight for justice and freedom for my people. There is no democracy in Chin state and people suffer a lot under the current military dictatorship .

An Interesting Toy
19-Jun-2001
Kong Sothea, 12 years old, an ex-student of the 3rd Grade in Taben village in Svay Chek dist. of Banteay Meanchey Province. Sothea was a nice looking and intelligent boy, the neighbor said.

Rebuilding What is Left of Their Shattered Lives
19-Jun-2001
On 29 January 1996, while cutting bamboo for her vegetable plantation at the canal near her village, Wiboonrat Chanchoo's life changed forever. She stepped on a landmine and had to have her left leg amputated below the knee.

Bytes, Business & Governance (25)
24-Jun-2001
The Siemens SL-45: MP3, voice, text, and all: In my May 29 column, I promised that from then on every Sunday’s column will be devoted to product and user reviews of IT products and peripherals (mobile phones, PDAs, and the like). For one reason or the other (such as my uncle’s death and out-of-town trips), it took till now to make good my word.

Wei Out There
29-Jun-2001
Singaporean physician Wei Siang Yu, 32, has developed software enabling women to keep track of their biological cycles even with a cellphone. To do something so unconventional, he tells Alexandra A. Seno, he had to break away from home

Prison Didn't Shut Him Up
29-Jun-2001
AT 4:30 on the morning of February 2, 1963, Singapore police arrested newspaper editor Said Zahari. He was 34. His "long, long night" ended in August, 1979, when he was released at the age of 51.

China's Invisible Farmers
02-Jul-2001
A recent workshop conducted in Nanjing highlighted the importance of one of China's most neglected, yet crucial labour forces - women farmers. And it also questioned stereotypical notions of women as weak and vulnerable.

Love my Nanny - Singapore's Tongue-tied Populace
12-Jul-2001
MODELED on its prototype in London's Hyde Park, Singapore's heavily publicized new Speakers Corner opened for business last September. More than 100 local and foreign journalists thronged to Hong Lim Park to watch the landmark event. In this tiny Southeast Asian island country, where public speeches to more than five persons had long been prohibited, and where opposition politician Chee Soon Juan was jailed for attempting such a speech a year before, the government was now permitting citizens to assemble to speak and be heard. It seemed a significant change.

Drug Addicts and Death Penalty in Singapore
13-Jul-2001
In late 1970s, there were about 20,000 heroin addicts and by 1989 Reduced to around 9,000 addicts. In 1995, there were 7,700 drug addicts in rehabilitation centres and 80% of the newly registered addicts were young citizens under the age of 30. Drug addiction is common among the poor and young school dropouts.

Bytes, Business & Governance (28): Digital Divide (Part I)
10-Jul-2001
Is the Internet a great equalizer, a democratizing factor? Or is it another source of inequality between and within nations and societies, giving rise to the so-called digital divide? Is the new information technology class- or income-neutral, which can be as useful to the poor as to the rich, provided it becomes affordable and universally accessible?

Political Compass
16-Jul-2001
Hey if you want to know where you stand politically than go to politicalcompass.org. A simple test to evaluate what your ideological positions are, sorry pragmatism is not on the list. Give it a go, maybe the article will prompt you to try.

Comet in Our Sky: Lim Chin Siong in History
21-Jul-2001
Lim Chin Siong, the vanquished other hero of Singapore's political history. A man who stayed true to his cause and an architect of our struggle against colonialism. In his honour, KS Jomo and Tan Jing Quee have edited a book which is a collection of essays, poems and speeches in a tribute to a great leader who never got true recognition in our history books. History will be re-written for you cannot keep the truth from surfacing forever. Read this review and buy the book, we believe only in Malaysia. But we will try Borders and tell you the results.

Demonstrations can be peaceful
01-Aug-2001
Last week, I was in Jakarta for training on setting up a radio station. As part of the training involved field work, I opted to join another journalist at a demonstration.

The Junta's Deception
14-Aug-2001
The political prisoners released since October are only a fraction of the estimated 1,800 still languishing in Burma's prisons.

What's in a Singapore Societies Registration?
20-Aug-2001
Following Think Centre's latest move and register itself as a society, and if successful thereafter surrender its business status, a registration form was obtained from the Registry of Societies located at the Singapore Immigration & Registration (SIR) Building, off Kallang Road (next to Lavender MRT station).

Backdoor News
01-Sep-2001
A Singapore activist is hooking up with Indonesian radio stations to launch a new radio news service called Sinews, short for Singapore News. AZHAR GHANI reports.

Actualities Behind The Aegis
25-Aug-2001
A book review of Dr Chee Soon Juan's "Your Future, My Faith, Our Freedom". Published by Open Singapore Centre. Selling price S$20.

The Essence of a "Multi-Partisan" Approach
18-Sep-2001
Think Centre's membership hails from different political walks of life. In other words, it is a multi-partisan and balanced approach that helps create a politically vibrant society in Singapore.

Give More Room for Civil Society to Develop
20-Sep-2001
The Socratic Circle is doing its part for civil society by writing this excellent letter to The Straits Times Forum Page (20 Sept) by asking the establishment to give more room for civil and political initiatives. Read the letter below.

Young Singaporeans, Can the PAP Safeguard Your Future?
24-Sep-2001
This is the text of the speech delivered by Bryan Lim, Vice President of the Young Democrats, the youth wing of Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) at the Yio Chu Kang Stadium on Sunday, 23 Sep 2001 at the SDP public rally.

The True Meaning of Civil Society
02-Oct-2001
In response to a The Straits Times article, where Professor Tommy Koh called upon the Government to be more tolerant of dissent at a conference, Think Centre urged othe civil society groups here to explore an even deeper sense of meaning into the term "civil society". The letter, sent to The Straits Times Forum page, was refused publication probably because it hit the nail on the head which the Government may not be so ready to tolerate. Nevertheless, we reprise the full letter below.

Heed the Call for Civil Society
02-Oct-2001
Socratic Circle, Singapore's first political discussion group, supports Professor Tommy Koh's comments at a conference, calling for more civil society space. Like Think Centre's letter, their views were not put out by The Straits Times Forum page. Read the letter below.

Political Satire - Give a Dog a Bad Name and Hang it!
09-Oct-2001
The limricks below call to attention the contradiction in Singapore politics. We suggest that when you read them you maintain a sense of humour.

Indonesian Extremists Determined to Cause Confusion in Malay Archipelago
10-Oct-2001
Over the three weeks, our editor, Anbarasu Balrasan has been following the trail of Indonesian extremists and in particular the Islam Defenders Front (FPI). He started his endeavour to see whether there were any banking accounts in Singapore that had belonged to any terrorist organisations including those that are non-Islamic as there have been suspected individuals associated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that have been spotted in our nation-state especially those based in Sydney and Melbourne. However, he has been unable to gather any evidence and the check and balances of our banking system has to a large extent ensured that it is safe from treacherous criminals. In this fact finding mission, he tumbled upon a reliable source who says that the Islam Defenders Front are determined to "radically Islamacise" the Malay Archipelago and through his reliable source met a member of the Islam Defenders Front in transit here to Indonesia from Malaysia. Read this exclusive feature and remain vigilant against terror.

The CPF-funded SGIC and Temasek Holdings Connection
12-Oct-2001
CPF-funded Temasek Holdings and the Singapore Government Investment Corporation (SGIC), have massive financial links with financially troubled Ansett Airlines. Ansett Airlines is reported 'owned' by Air New Zealand. However, did you know Air NZ is owned by Brierley Investments Ltd, which itself is largely controlled by Temasek Holdings and the Singapore Government. Temasek Holdings is a majority shareholding in SIA, which has already lost $155 million on writing off its part of Air New Zealand's Ansett stake. According to the news report below, the Australian government now says SIA is liable for another $55 million that liquidators must pay the employees of the failed airline. And the Singapore carrier has lost some $50 million or so in the diminution in value of its Air New Zealand stake. Read on for more...

Whither Economy, Whither Civil Society?
17-Oct-2001
After Prime Minister's dialogue with unionists on Sunday, SM Lee spoke to 1,500-odd students and staff of the local varsity scene on Monday. A regular face at ministerial forums or political talks on campus, recently graduated Tan Kong Soon missed out on the Senior Minister Forum organized by NUS Students' Union. Undaunted, he watched the live telecast and was filled in on unreported details by contacts at the scene. We bring you his alternative take on the forum below.

Suspected Drug Trafficker Free to Do Business
19-Oct-2001
The Irrawaddy Vol 8. No. 6, June 2000 - Managing Director of Burma's biggest conglomerate, Asia World Co Ltd, Steven Law is also son of Lo Hsing Han, the infamous drug lord and chairman of Asia World. Asia World Co Ltd was founded on June 5, 1992 with strong financial backing, and engages in a broad range of business activities.

Both India and Pakistan See Their Relations With the US a Zero-sum Game
22-Oct-2001
Stephen P Cohen is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Cohen, a former professor at the University of Illinois, is currently an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. A leading analyst of South Asia, Cohen has written, co-authored, or edited eight books, including The Pakistan Army, The Indian Army, Brasstacks and Beyond: Perception and Management of Crisis in South Asia (1995), and India: Emergent Power? He has also been a member of the Policy Planning Staff of the Department of State. In this interview with Rahul Sagar, he discusses the complex political equations in South Asia that have arisen in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attacks in New York.

The 'Cave Man' and Al Qaeda
01-Nov-2001
A Pakistani journalist who repeatedly interviewed bin Laden says he's not the terror group's main force.

The Young Guns of Opposition Politics
21-Nov-2001
Over the past two weekends, the youth wing of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) - the Young Democrats, was out in full force at separate receptions held by the party. Think Centre was invited to both informal gatherings and saw with its own eyes, the presence of youthful exuberance in opposition politics. Tan Kong Soon files this special report to explore the myth that Young Democrats are the Davids vis-à-vis the Goliaths of the ruling party’s youth wing.

The Right to Know: Access to Information in Southeast Asia
07-Dec-2001
Edited by Sheila S. Coronel, (Manila: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance, 2001).

'The US is one of factors that complicated the West Bank situation'
09-Dec-2001
Palestinian Ambassador to India Khalid-al-Sheikh tells Arnab Pratim Dutta that unless the United States is sincere about the peace process, it has no role to play in the Middle East.

On the Multi-layered Concept of Jihad
13-Dec-2001
Jihad has come to acquire a one-dimensional meaning today - one which goes against the basic precepts of Islam. Islam preaches peace, and jihad through war is only a means of achieving this; the greater jihad is the non-violent one, fought within oneself or for social justice, says Asghar Ali Engineer.

Independent Elections Commission? Yes, please
28-Dec-2001
The Roundtable first called for an independent elections commission, among four recommendations that included "endorsement constituencies", smaller Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) and a longer campaigning period. Then, the Feedback Unit Group for Political Matters and Media announced an upcoming paper on political best practices, an independent elections commission being one of the things mentioned.

Government-linked Firms Spark Debate in Singapore
30-Dec-2001
Government-linked companies account for a significant proportion of the Singapore economy and the stock market. But are these attractive investments?

Know Your Rights, Don't Be Too Mellow
18-Dec-2001
Speech by Bryan Lim, Vice President, SDP Young Democrats and member of Amnesty International at the International Human Rights Day Commemoration Forum on 14 Dec 2001 hosted at Oxford Hotel by Think Centre entitled "Free Your Mind & The Rest Will Follow".

Political Islam: Misunderstood and Homogenised
19-Dec-2001
The ignorance and suspicion of the West has caused an oversimplification, which denies the existence of many kinds of politics in Islam, and unjustly links terrorism with the religion of Islam, says Eric Rouleau.

The Enemy Within: Israel's Gravest Danger is Not the Palestinians
05-Jan-2002
Jerusalem - Ariel Sharon appears determined to wreak havoc on the Palestinian Authority. Events in December suggest that the Israeli prime minister's strategy may be to unseat Yasser Arafat in the hope of precipitating an inner Palestinian conflict, perhaps even a civil war. Israel, so the twisted logic goes, can then help set up a puppet government while changing the West Bank's territorial demarcation - the Lebanon debacle revisited.

An Example of Terrorist Propaganda
08-Jan-2002
Yesterday, editor of Think Centre, Anbarasu Balrasan, spoke of the need to curb terrorist propaganda and also be aware of it. This article shows how a jailed Pakistani leader uses religion in trying to mobolise the Islamic 'Ummah' or community. Lashkar chief, Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, mourns the diminishing of jihad. He is behind bars in Pakistan and has released a write-up addressed to the Muslim rulers and community, reports V K Shashikumar of tehelka.com.

Internet Politics: Surveillance & Intimidation in Singapore
12-Jan-2002
James Gomez, (Singapore: Think Centre (Singapore) & (Asia), 2002), ISBN 981-04-5563-1, pp. 120. Read on for the abstract.

Introduction: Politics in the New Economy
15-Jan-2002
Welcome to the serialisation of "Internet Politics: Surveillance and Intimidation in Singapore". Every week, starting today (15 Jan 2002), excerpts from the 14 chapters of James Gomez's new book will be made available on the net. Don't miss it!

JBJ Press Release on the Tudung Issue
09-Feb-2002
Are not the Prime Minister and his First Deputy showing muddled thinking in their opposition to Muslim girls wearing the tudung to school?

Enronomics 101: Business as Usual in the Disinformation Economy
14-Feb-2002
Even more than the dot-coms, Enron-the aptly nicknamed "crooked E"-was the star of the new "information economy." During the past decade, economic fortune-tellers said that the future of business lay in exploiting the Internet and information technologies to create boundless productivity growth and profits. At the same time, there was a continued ideological push toward deregulation of all markets, and financial firms increased their domination over producers of goods and services.

A Question of Cowardice
15-Feb-2002
The fall of Singapore in 1942 transformed our relationship with Asia. But on the 60th anniversary of our defeat, historians are still arguing over who was to blame, writes Mark Baker.

Politician Focus - Mohd Rahizan Yaacob
16-Feb-2002
Mohd Rahizan Yaacob, who anchored the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) team in Jalan Besar GRC in the recent-held General Election (GE), is a double-whammy appointment holder in politics. He serves as Secretary-general of both SDA and one of its component parties - the Pertubohan Kebangsaan Melayu Singapura (PKMS), is one of the oldest party in Singapore apart from the People's Action Party (PAP) and the Workers' Party (WP).

Singapore: The Modern Police State
18-Feb-2002
We bring you once again snippets from "Internet Politics: Surveillance & Intimidation". Read excerpts from Chapter Three - Singapore: The Modern Police State, where James Gomez raises the question of politics and policing in the city-state.

Internet Politics - Chapter 1: Wiring Up the City-State
23-Jan-2002
Welcome to excerpts from Chapter 1: "Wiring Up the City-State" in the on going serialisation of "Internet Politics: Surveillance and Intimidation in Singapore". Join us next week when we bring more from the 14 chapters of James Gomez's new book. Don't miss it! The plot thickens as the chapters unfold.

Of Manners and Judges and Politics
01-Feb-2002
In civilized societies, a litigant's right to retain counsel of choice usually raises no undue demurral as long as the latter has the necessary legal expertise and experience. In purportedly democratic Singapore, however, it is a universally acknowledged fact that this right is more honoured in its breach than in its observance.

A Political History of the Internet in Singapore
04-Feb-2002
Welcome to excerpts from Chapter 2: "A Political History of the Internet in Singapore" in the on going serialisation of "Internet Politics: Surveillance and Intimidation in Singapore". A co-publishing project of Think Centre (Singapore) & (Asia).

Letter From Israel: Terrorizing the Terrorists into Terrorism
13-Apr-2002
JAFFA - Can any of you fathom what we're doing? My friends are all dumbfounded. I've asked everyone I know, running the gamut from right-wingers to bleeding hearts, and not one person can comprehend the logic behind the current military frenzy.

Remaking Singapore: Undo the Shackles
18-Feb-2002
A slightly edited version of this article appear in Today on Mon, 18 February 2002 re-titled "The First Sacred Cow We Must Slaughter".

Policing S'poreans on the Web
11-Mar-2002
James Gomez lists some of the incidents of Internet Policing in Singapore. All movements by Singaporeans on the World Wide Web do not escape the watchful eyes of the gatekeepers and rulemakers. The book launch is scheduled for later this month.

Anti-terrorist Measures May Infringe Human Rights
02-Apr-2002
The following paper was presented by Sinapan Samydorai at the forum "Post-September 11: Implications for Singapore" held at the Oxford Hotel on Saturday 30 March 2002 at 2 pm.

The Tide Turns for Seagate Technology
26-Apr-2002
In a feat at once marvellous and scary, the disk drives produced at Seagate Technology's sea-facing Penang factory are growing steadily smaller. From their toaster-oven size in the early 1980s to their videocassette proportions in the early 1990s to their mobile phone-sized girth today, the tens of millions of disk drives United States technology-giant Seagate is set to churn out from its Southeast Asian factories will be a fifth of the size they were two decades ago.

Hindu Warriors Guard Singapore From Terror
18-Apr-2002
These days, Nepalese not Singaporeans guard some of the city's most sensitive sites. Gurkha soldiers, widely regarded as the most fearsome fighters in the world, are on the front line in the city-state as Singapore clamps down on Islamic militancy in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States. The Hindu warriors, raised in the foothills of the Himalayas and recruited by the Singapore police, have seldom been in the public eye here although their contingent has been based on the wealthy island for more than 50 years.

Petition: Migrant Domestic Workers
26-Apr-2002
Millions of women, men, children leave their country because they hope to earn a living in another country as a household help, maid, handyman, cleaning woman, babysitter: they are migrant domestic workers.

Interview with Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi
17-May-2002
BANGKOK, May 17 (Reuters) - The following is a full text of a telephone interview with Myanmar pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday. The interview was conducted by Reuters from Bangkok shortly after the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner returned from her first trip outside the Myanmar capital of Yangon since October 1997.

East Timor confronts reality of going it alone
02-Jun-2002
A week after East Timor became independent, the terrace of Dili's City Cafe is nearly deserted. Days before, it was thronged with media crews, international VIPs who had graced the independence ceremony and the United Nations officials who had made it their watering hole since it opened in 2000.

Halting the slide toward war
10-Jun-2002
The conflict between India and Pakistan takes place on many levels: the passions of both sides override traditional calculations of self-interest, writes Henry A Kissinger - but no country - not even the world's only remaining superpower - is in a position to impose a solution

What is the AG Chamber's criteria?
28-Jun-2002
Zulfikar who earlier this week defended himself in court provides a first hand account of his case. Read on as he put the AG Chambers on trial...........

Singapore: The Modern Police State
05-Jul-2002
Singapore is often labeled as an authoritarian, semi-authoritarian or one party dominant state. However a useful way of understanding the ruling party’s control of Singapore is as a police state.

"Snooping" and "Self-Censorship"
09-Jul-2002
In the run up to the launch of Think Centre's Internet Politics: Surveillance & Intimidation in Singapore, May 2002 we serialised the first half of the book. We now continue with the second half. Tune in every week for the next few weeks for the remaining installments. The book is available in Kinokunyia, Select Books and other major book stores.

Wrestling Match Named After Singapore
20-Jul-2002
The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), formerly known as World Wrestling Federation (WWF), has named a special match after the Lion City. Called the Singapore Cane Match, the special contest made its debut on 15 July 2002 at "WWE Raw", one of the two highly-rated weekly television programmes of WWE, the other being "WWE Smackdown!".

The Right to Refuse to Kill
22-Jul-2002
War Resisters' International, an international network of more than 80 pacifist organisations from more than 40 countries worldwide, is presently preparing for Prisoners for Peace Day 2002, which will focus on the Caucasus/Central Asia region, but will also include information on other parts of the world. Enclosed below is more information on their work in support of conscientious objectors. Each year on Prisoners for Peace Day, they publish a list of imprisoned conscientious objectors. Read to find out more.....

e-Government and Political Participation
30-Jul-2002
We continue with the serialisation of Think Centre's Internet Politics: Surveillance & Intimidation in Singapore, May 2002. This week its e-Government and Political Participation in Singapore.The book is available in Kinokunyia, Select Books and Changi Airport book stores.Its also available from Asia Books, Thailand and Silverfish, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Some Thoughts on the Social Movement in Hong Kong
05-Aug-2002
Its five years since Hong Kong was handover peaceful by the British to China. But some problems related to attitude and behaviour among its citizen still continue. A key problem is that Hong Kong's people lack respect for the equal rights of others. Most people do not believe that everyone has equal rights, that there is equality in the world. Singapore will celebrate its 37th Independence Day on August 9th - and Singaporeans have the same problem too. What is the answer?

Popper's critique of right-wing Dionysian frenzy
05-Aug-2002
Karl Popper's "The Open Society and Its Enemies" was mostly seen as an anti-communist polemic, but it attacks fascism much more strongly. Think Centre brings you this feature article that is important for India and Singapore to think about the importance of an open society.

Stay to fight or take flight?
27-Aug-2002
Encountering its first real crisis, Singapore’s new generation–well educated, serious and self-centred–is tearing a little at the seams. At least that is what the leaders are fretting about as the state celebrated its 37th National Day on August 9.

The Economic Costs of going to War with Iraq
14-Sep-2002
I want to begin with two caveats. The first is that if attacking Iraq clearly fell into the category of a just war, we should of course spend whatever it would take to wage it. Providing for the common defense is our government's first mandate. But by my reckoning our government has not remotely made the case that this would in fact be a just war. I'll just mention quickly a couple of reasons, which the president's speech yesterday at the UN did not change.

Dragnet in Disneyland
29-Sep-2002
A FURTHER 21 terrorism suspects were rounded up in Singapore last week, bringing the total number detained since last December to 36. Why is the only shopping mall with a UN seat suddenly near the centre of the terrorist map? Eric Ellis seeks signs of foment amid the frangipani.

US - the perils of pre-eminence
07-Oct-2002
A while before 11 September the American historian, Arthur Schlesinger Jr, suggested that despite the "absence of international checks and balances" in the modern unipolar world, the United States would not "stroll too far down the perilous highway to hubris . . . No one nation is going to be able to assume the role of world arbitrator and policeman" (1).

Discussing the basics of liberalism
20-Nov-2002
Often, I begin workshops or classes dealing with liberalism by asking the participants to share their definition of that political concept by jotting catchwords on little cards which are then collected and pinned on to a moderation board. This method, I have come to learn, is not only highly participatory it also comes close to a written referendum of the group as to the definition of a highly complex, and controversial concept as well. Topping the list of catch words defining liberalism is always the term “freedom”. No doubt, freedom is at the very centre of liberal thinking and ideology. In the seminars’ exercise, participants frequently add annotations to the noun freedom. For them liberalism means freedom of expression, freedom of association and opinion or, very basically, freedom to do as one desires.

My Opinion on The Problems of The Singapore Education System
06-Dec-2002
I would like to express my personal opinion about the education system in Singapore. The education system has failed to achieve its Desired Outcomes. Despite what the system publicly declares, it actually desires to maintain a mindset of scarcity [such as with the concept of elitism] and to continue with its old traditions, policies and mindset.

The Real Handover: How China is Squeezing Hong Kong
12-Dec-2002
Remember when the world's attention was focused on Hong Kong's handover to China in 1997? After a few speeches and the arrival of some mainland Chinese soldiers, nothing much changed that day, and the hordes of dignitaries and journalists went away. It turns out perhaps they were five years early. The handover looks to be happening now, as the government seeks to push through sweeping changes that could affect the very way of life in Hong Kong, as well as how businesses assess the risk of operating in China's special administrative region.

Journalism was fairer 20 years ago
19-Dec-2002
Think Centre managed to find this article from the former New Nation on what JBJ was going to do after his victory in 1981. It might seem odd that this article was written in the Lee Kuan Yew era. Read it and you will be surprsied on how well journalists then knew the ground.

Guiding the public along
12-Feb-2003
The Singapore government appears to have dramatically reduced the use of public campaigning as a tool to change society from the scale of previous decades.

ACT NOW: Sign online petition to UN Security Council
17-Feb-2003
Military action could trigger a disaster for the people of Iraq and surrounding countries. Take action - Sign online Petition to the President of the Security Council before 8 March.

Iraq's "special relationship"
22-Feb-2003
Read the following excerpt taken from a report by BBC News.

Paying A Social Price For Progress
24-Feb-2003
Doctors under investigation for tax evasion, screamed a recent headline in Singapore’s newspapers, reporting an extensive check on earnings of private doctors.

Lee's Law: How S'pore Crushes Dissent - A New Book by Chris Lydgate
25-Feb-2003
From the haughty smoked-glass office towers of its financial district to the spotless order of its crowded streets, the city-state of Singapore represents an unprecedented feat of physical, social, and political engineering, orchestrated over five decades by Lee Kuan Yew and the ruling People’s Action Party.

JUST WAR - OR A JUST WAR?
18-Mar-2003
The US determination to launch a war against Iraq, without international support, is a violation of international law. There is no assurances war will secure Iraq's oil reserves nor will it resolve the Palestinian crisis and surely there will be no peace.

Letter to Bush by Adolfo Esquivel
15-Apr-2003
"You speak of God and blaspheme him. You speak of liberty and you destroy it. You speak of democracy and dignity and don't hesitate in sacrificing at the altar of the god Moloch, your god of destruction and death. You speak of human rights, violating them systematically."

The Hatchet Man of Singapore
22-Apr-2003
The J.B Jeyaretnam has published his second book, 'The Hatchet Man of Singapore'. The book is available at S$20 from Select Bookshop.

Women right and gender perspective
23-Apr-2003
The twin principles of equality and non-discrimination are among the fundamental elements of international human rights law, and are at the heart of the ILO approach to promoting human rights and decent work of women workers.

Noam Chomsky's Golden Rule
24-Apr-2003
The principle is that if somebody carries out terror against us or against our allies, it's terror, but if we carry out terror or our allies do, maybe much worse terror, against someone else, it's not terror, it's counterterror or it's a just war. – Noam Chomsky, "Power and Terror"

Respect workers' health and safety
27-Apr-2003
Worldwide about two million die each year as a result of workplace hazards. Most don't die of mystery ailments, or in tragic "accidents". They die because an employer decided their safety just wasn't that important a priority. The global trade union movement wants employers to be accountable for workers' health and safety. This is the theme for International Workers' Memorial Day, 28 April 2003.

Stalled HDB upgrading: residents suffer
10-Jun-2003
The problem needs to be resolved immediately. It is unfair to the residents if HDB continues to drag its feet. The upgrading work on the HDB flat stopped. The residents are suffering from the stench, filth, exposed sewage pipes, living without toilet bowls and without showers, and mosquitoes that invades the flats.

S'pore: Police should be kind
13-Jun-2003
All human persons have dignity. Respect them. They are human beings, even a suspect, should be treated with dignity. The police are enforcers of the law, the champions of citizens right. They should perform their duty, ensuring law and order,with kindness and campassion.Adherence to the spirit of the law is crucial than narrow-mindedly picking out the letters of the law.

World Press Freedom Day on 3 May
05-May-2003
Each year on World Press Freedom Day, attention is drawn to the importance of press freedom as a prerequisite of a healthy, functioning democracy in which people are free to speak their minds.

The Graduate
10-May-2003
More then 89,000 unemployed Singaproeans are searching for jobs, among them 13,000 are graduates. Unemployment is expected to rise above 5 per cent. Working hard or long hours for low pay or no pay may not save the job anymore. Read the story of a young graduate and his retrencehd father both on the search for job and how he feels!

Aceh could become an Asian Chechnya
24-May-2003
Asean has a role to play in making peace in Aceh. The grouping must be more responsive and assist Indonesia by sending peacekeeping or monitoring teams. As in East Timor, Asean can help to dilute international pressure and ensure that its peer pressure will keep the Indonesian army in check.

Not to quit but to stay, not just to stay but to live as well…be a “liv-er”!
08-Aug-2003
It has been almost a year since we first heard of “stayers” and “quitters”. Between then and now, the Iraq war and the SARS virus have come and gone and the unemployment rate is still not showing signs of going down.

S'pore: Keep state and religion separate
12-Aug-2003
I've read with great alarm at the recent NCCS Statement on Homosexuality. I understand that they are trying to accommodate the vast diversity of views within the christian community.

Jobless Graduate: Lose or Loose
04-Jul-2003
The young unemployed, graduate feels helpless.It is about the unfulfilled election promise of jobs and the frustration of graduates. Where have all the jobs gone? Why cann't jobs be created - even with no minimum wage - and the boss has the right to fire policy!

S'pore: Remake political process!
14-Jul-2003
The Remaking Singapore Committee may have miss the boat to recommend changes to make the political process more open, democratic, and respectful of fundamental human rights. There is no consensus on changes to defamation law, to liberalize mass-media, streaming in schools, Parliamentary Elections Act [to allow more level playing field]. No mention is make of the need for an Independent Election Commission, Ombudsman and National Human Rights Commission. why?

Hong Kong: For Now, Protests Do Not Faze Investors
31-Jul-2003
In Hong Kong, the recent mass demonstrations against proposed anti-subversion legislation have not shaken foreign investors' confidence.

The sandwich philosophy
01-Aug-2003
Unemployment increased to 4.5% in June 2003. One young graduate without job opportunities has started talking to his sandwhich and thinks of throwing sandwich party. But cutting CPF, reducing retrenchment benefits, increasing GST and long hours of work has not save jobs or create jobs for Singaporeans. A 40 hours workweek and fair minimum wage is key to creating jobs that will provide Singaporeans their livelihood. Otherwise, employers will be hiring only cheap migrant workers - Think Centre

S'pore: US builds an Asian tiger cub
15-Aug-2003
Singapore, better known for its electronics industry and financial services than its defense posture, is steadily modernizing its armed forces with the help of the United States to secure expanding economic interests in the Asia-Pacific region. As part of Washington's efforts to contain China through new military allies, Singapore will transition from a small, inert power to one of the principal military players in the Asia Pacific.
20 July 2001

A page from the diary of Ah Beng in 2003
26-Aug-2003
This is a comical and subtle look at how the govt has given so many things to the people ie bar top dancing, bumgee jump and flag display but it cannot give the one thing that matters to all people, that is jobs for the people.

Does lowering worker's wages and employer's CPF contributions = lower business cost?
29-Aug-2003
What other solutions does the PAP govt provide beside asking the worker to cut cut cut their pay? Yes, the business cost is high. But can this solve the problem by cutting worker's pay and employer's CPF contributions? Lee Ngee Chong wrote this article on 13 August 2003.

World Day Against the Death Penalty
11-Oct-2003
Amnesty International called on communities around the world to participate in the World Day against the Death Penalty on 10th October. Think Centre calls on the Singapore government to cease executions immediately and abolish the death penalty.

S'pore: Privacy & Human Rights 2003
12-Oct-2003
"..we would not have made economic progress, if we had not intervened on very personal matters - who your neighbor is, how you live, the noise you make, how you spit, or what language you use."

Children's Rights in The Netherlands
19-Oct-2003
As a Dutch student on exchange in Singapore, I had the opportunity to attend "Children's Day Forum" organized by the Singaporean NGO Think Centre. The speakers addressed children rights in relation to handicapped children and youths, income and race, and the impact of foreign domestic workers on the child.

State of democracy
26-Oct-2003
Excerpts of the speech Dr Chee Soon Juan gave when he was presented the Defender of Democracy 2003 award by the Parliamentarians of Global Action (PGA), 16 September 2003, Washington DC USA.

Who else but us to right the wrongs of our country
06-Sep-2003
For all the wrongs our country has, it is for us, the citizens, to right it. It is a great loss to our nation to lose so many of our bright and promising young generation to another country - writes a Malaysian, the same cry is also heard in Singapore. It seems Malaysia and Singapore have a common problem.

China: Govt Responsible for Promoting Employment
07-Sep-2003
Employment is the foundation of people's livelihood and the basic way for the laborers to get incomes and raise their living standards.

Student Stress & Suicides
17-Sep-2003
More parents and social workers must speak up fearlessly on the unfolding problems afflicting our children - the next generation of Singaporeans.

Singapore: Landmine Monitor Report 2003
13-Nov-2003
The Republic of Singapore has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty. Malaysia and Thailand completed destruction of its stockpiled antipersonnel mines by July 2003. Three of the fifteen mine producers in the world are in ASEAN - Singapore, Burma and Vietnam. Think Centre calls on the Singapore government to ratify the Mine Ban Treaty [MBT] and inform Singapore residents on this issue.

J.B.Jeyaretnam: Defender of Human Rights
21-Nov-2003
Think Centre is conferring a honorary award to J B Jeyaratnam - arguably Singapore' most fearless and famous human rights activist. Think Centre aims to confer the HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AWARD to outstanding Singaporeans who have contributed to the promotion and defence of human rights.

EZ-Link And Democracy
08-Nov-2003
The EZ-Link controversy is the latest example of the fallout from a prolonged and unchallenged authoritarian rule in Singapore.

March down street in aid of a cause!
29-Nov-2003
On Feb 14th 2004, we will see an interesting test case. A group called "Focus on the Family" (FOTF) plans to march down city streets in aid of their pro-sexual abstinence cause.

A look at Asia's cyberactivists
05-Feb-2004
Is the Internet leading to greater freedom of expression in Asia? Last week I was involved in a seminar on Asian cyberactivism at Thammasat University, which was quite an achievement given that it started at 9.00am in the morning and I had no idea how to get there, not to mention the fact that I know almost zero on that particular subject. Luckily there were others who did so it made for an interesting morning.

Free speech still a fragile flower
15-Feb-2004
A SPEAKERS' corner in Singapore never seemed like an idea destined to rouse the city-state's compliant masses, who long ago forfeited real democracy in exchange for economic riches.

Adopt our recommendations on ISA, Suhakam
15-Dec-2003
The recommendations, among others, has called for the ISA to be repealed and replace with a more comprehensive new security law. Meanwhile, the MCA Youth chief says the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 is the country’s goal for a better human rights record.

Singapore's Growing SEX Trade
27-Dec-2003
Many of Singapore's 6000 prostitutes are imported from Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Prostitution and brothels are legal, solicitation is not [there is no (legal) street walkers]. Is the government cashig in on the booming profits of the industry by taxing and regulating it as a legitimate job?

Europe is Against Death Penalty
26-Jan-2004
The Europeans are aginst capital punishment. By the 1980s, all the Western European countries had abolished capital punishment. The Italians fully light up the Colosseum in Rome whenever a country abolishes capital punishment. Maybe the Colosseum will one day light up to celebrate the death penalty's abolition in Singapore. Pray that the day will come soon and Singapore will be no more the capital of death penalty!

Singapore's Belated Wake-up to Reality
29-Jan-2004
Singapore appears to have finally realized that the game has changed in its relationship with Indonesia, and that it is high time to create an alliance with the new political forces at work in Indonesia.

Time for Senior Minister to retire!
31-Jan-2004
The Senior Minister's great achievement when he was Prime Minister for three decades 1959 ­to 1990 is history. Its very difficult for anyone to believe that anything will really change if he sticks around. Singapore urgently needs real drastic changes, paradigm shifts!

A tale of survival
24-Feb-2004
And before I could wrap up my analysis of when a cleaner will appear, whether the seat is dirty and whether to sweep the tissue paper off the seat and risk being fined for littering, a foreigner suddenly planted himself into the seat.

S. K. P. Minimart
20-Apr-2004
Back in those days, business was very good. From the time it opens in the morning till it closes at night, the minimart was never short of customers.

Asia bucks trend towards abolishing death penalty
28-May-2004
Amnesty International charged in a scathing report that the United States has proved "bankrupt of vision and bereft of principle" in its fight against terrorism and invasion of Iraq.

Indian Migrant Workers: Going hungry in a land of plenty
06-Jul-2004
The story of Krishnasamy, one of about 400 workers who did not receive pay for six months or more. But isn't it exploitation to get people to work when the company has no intention of paying them. Come to think of it, isn't it exploitation to pay only $18 a day for the work these labourers do?

Misuse of bankruptcy law in Singapore
26-Oct-2004
25 October 2004, JB Jeyaratnam appeared before a three-judge Court of Appeal asking to be discharged as a bankrupt. The Court of Appeal will give its ruling at a later date.

Letter from Singapore: racial discrimination?
24-Nov-2004
Singapore Constitution, Article 12 on Equal protection".. there shall be no discrimination .. on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law .. or employment." In reality, is there respect for article 12? Is there racial discrimination at work?

Singapore: Life is NOT a bed of roses
07-Mar-2005
The Straits Times will have you believe that life is a bed of roses for the average Singaporean. We put back in what the Straits Times takes out. Read on and see the truth for yourselves.

Think Centre: No flashy acts...you can't do much in jail
27-Dec-2004
Mr Sinapan Samydorai sends out fierce e-mail on human rights critical of the Singapore Gov- ernment. But as Chua Mui Hoong finds out, the president of activist group Think Centre is a mild-mannered man with a simple lifestyle who believes in working within the system

Sri Lanka: Urgent Appeal for Humanitarian Assistance
30-Dec-2004
Massive earthquake and killer waves, which slammed into coastal towns and villages across south and south east Asia, killing 76,000; Red Cross says dead could exceed 100,000. Millions of people are affected and displaced in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Maldives, and other countries.

Singapore: 300 Indian and Bangladeshi migrant workers stage sit-in strike
04-Apr-2005
The 300 workers living in 'cage-like" conditions and some among them were not paid their salary - stage a sit-in strike. Last June, 200 Indian Workers from Woon Soon Constuction company were on strike against non payment of salaries. What is going on?

10th Anniversary of Think Centre
07-Aug-2009
Extending beyond domestic issues, we have worked with NGOs from the region to discuss and facilitate cooperation within ASEAN.

Singapore: When children commit suicide
14-Sep-2005
In 2003, there were 346 suicides deaths. In 2001, there were more then 300 suicides deaths including 5 children below 15 years old and 37 young persons between the age of 15 to 25. Suicide is one of the ten leading causes of death in Singapore. Suicide is a preventable public health problem. Emotional and mental health problems must become our priority concern to improve the quality of life to reduce the number of suicides.

Chia Thye Poh: A MAN WHO NEVER GAVE IN
20-Jun-2006
The Internal Security Act strikes fear into the mind of the people. The PAP government claimed Chia was arrested in 1966 to avert widespread unlawful demonstrations. This 1998 AsiaWeek article explains why the PAP government is still concern about "freedom of expression".

Asian Human Rights Day Campaign
09-Dec-2006
On 10 December 2006, the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) will be launching a two-year Asian Human Rights Day Campaign: Ratify, Remove, Report and Remedy, together with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society groups throughout Asia.

Million Dollar - Ministers to get fatter pay
08-Apr-2007
Many Singaporeans feel that the increase is in poor taste at a time that many middle- and lower-class Singaporeans face a declining standard of living.

ASEAN Civil Society Conference
22-Aug-2007
3rd ASEAN Civil Society Conference(ACSC3)is being organized by the SAPA Working Group on ASEAN, 1-3 November 2007, in Singapore.

Interim Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism
21-Sep-2007
The Singapore Working Group is progressing from Interim to Pro-tem Working Group and calls itself the Singapore Working Group for ASEAN.

Five lives lost, no one responsible?
10-Jun-2008
Who is responsible for the senseless deaths of the five young Singapore men. Did the sports authorities in Singapore closed one eye to flagrant disregard for basic water sport safety - allowing the sportmen to join dragon boat races without life jackets?

JBJ Indomitable spirit lives on
30-Sep-2008
Think Centre had the honour of working with and for JBJ in 2001. He was the champion spokesperson for those that did not have a voice in parliament for the weak, the downtrodden and the poor!In an age where a million dollars are demanded to serve the nation, JBJ parted with a million dollars to serve his people.

Time to move towards abolition of the death penalty
11-Oct-2008
10 October 2008, on World Day Against the Death Penalty, Think Centre joins Amnesty International in the call to establish a moratorium on the death penalty immediately. Its time for Singapore to set a moratorium on executions!