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China curtails its citizens right to travel and social access based on their “trustworthiness scores”

The Independent
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0
China curtails its citizens right to travel and social access based on their “trustworthiness scores”

The Chinese government’s mandated social credit system is designed to keep a watchful ever-seeing eye over its 1.4 billion citizens to determine each individual’s “trustworthiness” in society.

In the 2018 annual report released by China’s National Public Credit Information Centre, it is reported that 17.46 million people were banned from purchasing airplane tickets while 5.47 million were banned from purchasing high-speed train tickets.

Individuals and businesses with low social credit scores are restricted from accessing better quality services such as financial security markets, land auction participation, better housing, or premium travel options.

Failing to pay loans, illegally soliciting money, false advertising, and taking reserved seats on public transport are just some of the ways in which individuals and business can get blacklisted in the system.

The report says that 14.21 million pieces of information on such “untrustworthy conduct” had been collected just last year.

In addition, more than 3.56 million Chinese business had been blacklisted in 2018. Two of which include the much publicised medical scandals from Quanjian Group and Changsheng Bio-Technonology.

Quanjian Group, a company creating healthcare products, allegedly made false advertising claims about its cancer medicine while Changsheng Bio-Technology, a manufacturer of rabies vaccines, was accused of falsifying documents and fined US$1.3 billion for damages.

3.51 million individuals deemed “untrustworthy” also paid due fines, loans, and taxes last year in order to boost their credit score.

Being blacklisted causes severe damage to an individual’s and an enterprise’s social reputation, and the grave consequences for “misbehaving” and having a low social credit score have just begun to manifest.

Despite the dystopian implications of China’s massive government surveillance, figures show that 80 percent of surveyed Chinese citizens approve the use of the social credit system agreeing that it ensures good public behaviour and business practices.

China’s social credit system has been widely criticised as a violation of an individual’s right to privacy and a “nightmare” that pressures citizens into conforming to socially accepted behaviour.

https://theindependent.sg.sg/under-chinas-social-credit-system-cameras-and-apps-grade-citizens-every-move-in-real-time-high-scorers-get-rewarded-and-low-scorers-get-punished/

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei says, “US does not represent the world”

Anna Maria Romero
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0
Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei says, “US does not represent the world”

In a rare media interview with the BBC, Ren Zhengfei, the founder of Huawei, made strong statements about the future of the Chinese telecommunications giant as well as the arrest of his daughter, which he called a “politically motivated act” by the United States.

First, Ren insisted that Huawei remains strong, saying “There’s no way the US can crush us. The world needs Huawei because we are more advanced.

Even if they persuade countries not to use us temporarily, we could just scale things down a bit.”

Huawei’s founder insists that the adversity the company has faced has forced it to be better than ever.

“And because the US keeps targeting us and finding fault with us, it has forced us to improve our products and services.”

The BBC interviewer then asked Ren, “What kind of impact would it have on your business if the US is successful in getting many of its partners in the west to shut your equipment out?”

Huawei’s owner answered philosophically, “If the lights go out in the West, the East will still shine. And if the North goes dark, there is still the south. America does not represent the world.”

Regarding the company’s plans and future in the United Kingdom, Ren said, “We will continue to invest in the UK. We still trust in the UK, and we hope that the UK will trust us even more.”

He reiterated his plans to invest in the UK and said the company would scale up if necessary. “If the US doesn’t trust us, then we will shift our investment from the US to the UK on an even bigger scale.”

The BBC interviewer went on to ask Ren about his daughter, Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, how he felt about her arrest and how he would feel if she was sent to jail.

The Chinese businessman answered, “I object to what the U.S. has done. This kind of politically motivated act is not acceptable. The US likes to sanction others whenever there’s an issue. They’ll use such methods. We object to this.”

However, he assured the interviewer that Meng’s arrest had no impact on the company. “There’s no impact on Huawei’s business due to Meng Wanzhou’s loss of freedom. In fact, we’re growing even faster.”

Ren wondered aloud if the US authorities had caught the wrong person. “So they caught Meng Wanzhou. Maybe they caught the wrong person. They may have thought that if they arrested her, Huawei would fall. But we didn’t fall. We are still moving forward. Our company has established processes and procedures and no longer relies on any one person.

Even if I myself go one day, this company won’t change its trajectory forward.”

Ren’s daughter Meng was arrested in Canada on December 1, 2018, upon request from the United States. She has been charged with bank and wire fraud violating American sanctions against Iran.

The United States Department of Justice has denied Ren’s claims that Meng’s arrest was politically motivated.

Nicole Navas, a spokesperson for the Department told Reuters in an email that “The Justice Department’s criminal case against Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou is based solely on the evidence and the law.

The Department pursues cases free of any political interference and follows the evidence and rule of law in pursuing criminal charges.

The United States has accused Huawei, as well as another Chinese network equipment company, ZTE Corp, of working with Beijing for the purpose of obtaining information about America. These are claims that Huawei in turn, refutes.

Ren has said repeatedly that Huawei would “never undertake” any spying activities.

The United States has called on other countries not to use Huawei’s technology, due to concerns over state-sponsored espionage.

This has the potential to affect Huawei’s bottom line in a big way, which is probably why the reclusive Ren has become more visible in the media.

However, it was also reported earlier on Monday, February 18, that the United Kingdom would not support the total ban on Huawei’s equipment, even after the US has expressed its espionage concerns and the company’s ties to Beijing.

Read related: As US proceeds with extradition of Huawei CFO, China threatens retaliatory action

https://theindependent.sg.sg/as-us-proceeds-with-extradition-of-huawei-cfo-china-threatens-retaliatory-action/

 

Singapore buys 4 customised submarines from Germany

The Independent
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0
Singapore buys 4 customised submarines from Germany

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) purchased four new submarines from Germany, with the first one already fully functional.

The wife of Defence Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen, Ivy Ng, launched The Invincible-class or Type 218SG submarine at the thyssenKrupp Marine Systems shipyard in Kiel, Germany, on February 18 (Monday).

While it is still in Germany, Invincible will be undergoing a series of sea trials before being delivered to Singapore in 2021.

Dr. Ng emphasised how Singapore needs to protect its sea lines of communication and these new submarines will boost the Navy’s capabilities to do so.

He said, “Most people would see this development by RSN as an assurance that the RSN is able to do its part in keeping our sea lines of communication open because it’s crucial for maritime trade.”

Geographically, Singapore is located across the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca, which are two of the busiest sea lines of communication.

The three other submarines will also be boasting powerful names and will be called Impeccable, Illustrious and Inimitable. ­

Although they are still under construction, four submarines will replace the Navy’s current and refurbished submarines, two Challenger-class and two Archer-class. These four submarines that were obtained by Sweden have served the country for over two decades.

The upgrade

Invincible has the capacity to live up to its name as it was designed to be more lethal. This class of submarine can stay underwater about 50% longer and can carry a wider variety of mission payloads.

As for the crew, the new submarines will retain the same 28-member crew setup like what is being already being done with the existing submarines although it will have three instead of two shifts due to the advanced automation and sense-making systems the boat is equipped with.

Colonel (COL) Teo Chin Leong, Commanding Officer of 171 Squadron from the submarine unit of the Navy stated that the increase in technological advancements will “actually give us higher human endurance” because it will help the submarines to act quicker.

Now, the data will be calculated by computers which will allow the crew to concentrate on data checks and analyses.

The analytics and decision support systems were developed by the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA).

In addition to data analytics, the sensors will allow for the submarines to be maneuvered more effectively across the shallow yet busy Singapore waters.

“We have better sensors that help us ‘see’ further or rather ‘hear’ further, (to) make sense of our environment better,” COL Teo added.

Speaking of design, it was mentioned earlier that the submarines were customised. This means that they have been built to ergonomically-fit Asian bodies.

The valves and button are placed within the reach of the RSN crew.

The living quarters will also be slightly larger with more showers and toilet cubicles. More storage spaces for food ingredients was also included which will allow the chef to prepare a more diverse menu.

To create an efficient and streamlined workflow inside the submarine, the watchkeepers (for engineering, combat functions, and weapons) will be located in one place, a big improvement compared to the current submarines with its watchkeepers deployed at three different areas.

Crew training

The pioneer crew for Invincible has already been selected, comprised of senior and junior submariners, who have been flying in and out of Germany for training sessions on operating various submarine systems.

They will be based in Germany for more intensive training until the submarine’s delivery to Singapore. They will, however, be starting their operational onboard training before the delivery and after the submarine’s sea trials.

With new submarines come higher expectations. The pioneer crew carries a lot of pressure because they will be the first to touch base with the new submarines.

Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) and Commanding Officer of Invincible Jonathan Lim is looking forward to the challenge and is setting a high standard for the crew.

LTC Lim was awarded the Command Star, (an award usually presented to high-performing German Navy officers) for commanding a German submarine in 2016.

He had practically no experience with the particular submarine he was in nor did he understand German. The crew held discussions in their native language before reporting to him in English. He rose to the challenge and performed extremely well, earning him the  the award.

He added, “With that, there is an acknowledgment that I am as good as one of their own, able to perform up to their standards, even though I come from Singapore, and have  never stepped into their submarine before the first day of the course.”

Chinese province bans mobile homework to protect students’ eyesight

The Independent
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0
Chinese province bans mobile homework to protect students’ eyesight

An Eastern province in China moved to ban teachers from using mobile apps as a tool for students to do their homework.

This measure is aimed at curtailing the growing incidences of poor eyesight among students, which is partly blamed on their excessive screen time.

The province of Zhejiang issued a draft regulation a week ago and is said to be seeking public comments. Other provinces in China are also seeking to implement similar measures.

Aside from banning app-based homework, the regulation also seeks to limit the usage of electronic devices in classes for up to 30% of total teaching time.

It encourages teachers to include more paper-based work in the class and that homework should be done by hand.

According to a report by The Telegraph, the regulation also restricts students from bringing electronic devices to school without authoritative permission, minimizes the amount of homework, and increases time for breaks, sports, and extracurricular activities.

Many teachers in China are reliant on apps such as WeChat and QQ. They photograph the assignment and message it to parents. Because of this, students have to look at the phone screen in order to complete their homework.

According to a report by the AP news, myopia in China is at 31%.

BREAKING: Former DPP chief Ben Pwee applies to join the Singapore Democratic Party

Jewel Stolarchuk
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0
BREAKING: Former DPP chief Ben Pwee applies to join the Singapore Democratic Party

Former Democratic People’s Party (DPP) secretary-general Benjamin Pwee said today that he has applied to join the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP). The 51-year-old wrote on Facebook:

“After much internal discussion and consideration within my team, we have decided to submit our membership application forms to SDP.

“We share and believe in the values and ideals that SDP stands for, and they have many other like-minded credible people. We also believe in their organisational resources and capabilities as a long-standing political party in Singapore.”

In his youth, Pwee was the chairman of the youth wing of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in the Thomson area. In 2011, however, he joined the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) – an opposition party led by veteran parliamentarian Chiam See Tong.

In that year’s General Election, Pwee was part of the SPP’s five-member team contesting Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC. The SPP team, led by Chiam himself, lost to the incumbent PAP team.

Not only was Chiam ousted from Parliament, his party also lost his former ward (Potong Pasir SMC) to the PAP in the same election.

The party was not able to win Potong Pasir SMC back from the ruling party in the 2015 General Election.

Shortly after the 2011 General Election, Pwee became the SPP’s Second Assistant Secretary-General. He, however, left the SPP months later, in January 2012.

A year later, in January 2013, Pwee joined the DPP and was appointed as the party’s Acting Secretary-General. He was confirmed as the party’s Secretary-General on 31 March 2013.

Despite joining a different party, Pwee and his DPP team joined forces with the SPP and sent a joint team to contest Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC in the 2015 General Election but lost the ward to the PAP.

Two weeks ago, Pwee revealed that he has left the DPP to “join a bigger, more effective one”. Although he declined to name the new party he joined then, he had confirmed that he would not be returning to the SPP.

On why he is moving to a bigger party, Pwee had said: “The opposition scene is a big ‘pasar malam’ of small political parties, ineffective in resources, effort and size. I am taking the lead to step out of a small political party, to join a bigger, more effective one.”

Urging other opposition members in smaller parties to do the same, Pwee expressed his hope that they would “urgently consolidate behind a few key established credible leaders” so that there will be greater opposition representation in Parliament.

Pwee’s decision to not return to the SPP and to join the SDP instead may be notable to some Singaporeans due to the tensions between the two opposition parties.

The SDP was founded in 1980 by Chiam See Tong, who served as the party’s Secretary-General for 13 years, until 1993.

In 1984, Chiam contested Potong Pasir and won the seat and became the second opposition politician ever to be elected to Singapore’s Parliament after J. B. Jeyaretnam.

In 1992, Chiam recruited Chee Soon Juan, a psychology lecturer at the National University of Singapore, into the SDP.

Tensions between Chiam and Chee are said to have arisen thereafter and Chiam resigned as secretary-general of the SDP after the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) backed Chee.

When Chiam publicly criticised the party, the SDP convened a disciplinary hearing and voted to expel Chiam from the party, which would have caused him to lose his Parliamentary seat. Chiam, however, won a court case to prevent them from doing so on procedural grounds.

Chiam left the SDP in December 1996 and accepted an invitation to join the SPP, which was formed by a breakaway faction of the SDP in 1994, and became its leader. Standing for his new party, he was re-elected as MP for Potong Pasir at the 1997 general election and remained an MP until 2011.

Although the differences between Chiam and Chee are decades old, it appears that the tensions are not entirely over.

In 2016, Chiam See Tong refused to endorse Chee Soon Juan for the Bukit Batok by-election even though he was the only opposition candidate to contest the ward.

Taking issue with the SDP for including a picture of Chiam and Chee in the SDP’s publication as the SDP was preparing for the by-election, Chiam’s wife Lina Chiam said:

“My fellow citizens, Mr. Chiam and I understand that the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has been circulating an image of Mr. Chiam See Tong and Dr. Chee Soon Juan in SDP’s newsletter, The New Democrat.
“We would like to clarify that Dr. Chee did not seek nor receive permission to include Mr. Chiam’s image in this newsletter. Mr. Chiam has not given his endorsement to any candidate for the upcoming Bukit Batok by-election.”

https://theindependent.sg.sg/chiam-see-tong-refuses-to-endorse-chee-soon-juan-for-bukit-batok-by-election/

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1857571107677605&set=a.567924769975585&type=3

7 Singapore-based blockchain projects that are having global impact

e27
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Big names, small origins

With the heightened negativity associated with cryptocurrencies, many would assume that blockchain, the accompanying technology is dead.

But on the contrary, blockchain as a technology is very much alive and applicable as a deep tech layer that would significantly impact the way we operate.

In fact, a number of blockchain projects exist right here in Singapore.

So what are these blockchain projects about?

TRIVE’s team that runs Tribe, Singapore’s first government-backed blockchain accelerator, investigates and tell us more.

Automotive – MVL

The automotive industry faces multi-faceted issues.

Examples are cab drivers with discourteous service, unreliable service by mechanic shops, a lack of consistency and transparency on used-cars by dealers, and accidents caused by reckless driving.

Current solutions are unable to address these individual issues effectively, let alone solving them as a whole.

To further compound the issue, the lack of transparency often leads to an increase in prices customer has to pay for.

MVL Chain was born based on these issues. It is a vehicle data collecting ecosystem based on blockchain technology which aims to resolve these issues.

It is an ecosystem that connects all services, like the car dealer shops, mechanic shops and car rental companies, touchpoints that your car engages in its lifetime.

These participants will insert core data related to driving, traffic accidents, repairs and other car-related transactions into the blockchain.

With this ecosystem, records of all activities relating to a particular vehicle for the entire duration of its lifetime can be maintained.

It can also be ensured that such records are kept free from corruption. Only the owner will have the authority over his or her data stored on the decentralized blockchain.

Previously, a limited number of centralized services monopolized data, but now the power of who owns the information is distributed evenly to the people.

Various participants in the vehicle market can continue to add trustworthy data and be connected in one ecosystem.

User Data – Indorse

In order to generate revenue, social networks sell user-generated content and information to providers, advertisers and recruiters.

This leads to a loss of user privacy.

Furthermore, users do not get any revenue-sharing for the information they produce.

Indorse seeks to address this issue and wants to use the blockchain’s decentralised network to allow people to regain control of their data.

Plus, the nature of the distributed ledger means Indorse users would enjoy significantly more privacy within the ecosystem than the current model for social networks.

The startup is a skills-based professional network platform using new models of tokenization and decentralisation to change the shape of professional social networking — letting the users own and earn from their data.

The solution replaces the current way social networks operate.

It is a decentralised one that places ownership of information back in the hands of the members.

They have control of their own profile with themselves and they get to choose how their data is used by the Social network.

It also allows members an easy way to earn rewards for the activities that benefit them.

With participation in the network, members can earn Indorse Rewards for sharing more about themselves and for endorsing the claims of others.

Indorse is co-founded by David Moskowitz and Gaurang Torvekar, known figures in the Blockchain Industry Association.

Food – Whatshalal

Always wondering whether food consumed is Halal in origin, or to discover new sources of Halal eateries?

This is a major pain point in the world’s Muslim population, especially when travelling to overseas destinations where Halal food is hard to find and not certified.

To address this, WhatsHalal aims to be the definitive guide and provider of unquestionably Halal Thoyiban food to the Muslim community.

The creation of a Halal ecosystem seeks to reduce, even eliminate, doubt of the “Halal-ness” of the food you consume, in fast-changing times where information may not be substantially available or easily sourced.

The startup wants to strengthen the Halal integrity of certificates by ensuring each stage in the life cycle of a food item or product can be established with certainty the conditions that the item was produced.

Integrating Halal traceability in the food chain is greatly improved by Blockchain technology.

This ensures that the movements of an ingredient or product can be tracked even as it changes hands.

Enterprise customers who wish to go Halal simply need to initiate the application on the blockchain platform and several smart contracts will determine the assurance process, working in collaboration with consultants, labs and certification bodies.

Locally, consumers can order products from Halal-certified merchants and send orders on demand.

The consumer app is also touted to verify the Halal validity of products by scanning its barcode, perfect for travelling in non-Muslim countries.

Gaming – Enjin

Gaming is one large worldwide community and Singapore-based Enjin validates that.

It is one of the largest gaming community platforms that support over 250,000 gaming communities and around 20 million registered gamers.

Internet users, gamers and developers demand fast and effective user interfaces that not only appeal to the human eye but also make operations efficient.

This is coupled with the need for a trustworthy platform that keeps their data and intellectual property safe.

As an all-in-one website platform, Enjin can help build websites, forums, voice servers, donation stores among others. It applies blockchain technology on some of its products.

EnjinX is a web-based universal blockchain explorer, built with a focus on user experience, speed and ease of use.

Efinity is Enjin’s solution to the scaling problems in the Ethereum blockchain. It supports various Ethereum tokens and provides end-to-end e-commerce solutions.

Also Read: Singapore-based anime startup BlockPunk raises US$957K seed funding round

The Enjin team comprises of technology and crypto coin enthusiasts with Maxim Blagov and Witek Radomski as the founders of the company. They bring decades of experience in the field of gaming technology, game development and security.

Digital currency backed by gold – Digix

Much of the criticism levelled against cryptocurrencies is due to their price volatility.

It is critical that a digital currency is stable, especially when used as a transactional medium.

Digix makes a digital currency possible to buy gold in an efficient manner via cryptocurrency by providing investors with a tokenized version of gold so you don’t have to physically own or store it.

The company proudly gets 99.99 per cent of its gold from LBMA-approved refiners, with zero per cent from fractional reserves, delivering confidence.

With Digix, investors can take advantage of the stability and value of gold as well as the ease of using cryptocurrency, much similar to that of a fiat currency.

Digix differs itself from other existing investment options by issuing the allocated bullion immediately from a point of digital purpose.

This makes client ownership the priority, instead of the company as a whole. Gold bullion is traditionally challenging to use and trade. Digix overcomes the liquidity by converting gold to a digital currency.

Tokenization of assets – Rate3

The Initial Coin Offering space is a little dicey, to say the least.

There is a real deficit of accountability in the space because of a lack of regulation for utility tokens.

In the same breath, traditional financial transactions are expensive because of all the fees associated with the middlemen like bankers.

Rate3 aims to address the lack of credibility of tokens and overcoming the weaknesses of traditional financial transactions.

It is an end-to-end protocol for tokenization of assets (or security tokens) across both the Stellar and Ethereum networks and a protocol to create and manage a unified cross-chain identity.

Also Read: AI, big data company AiSensum receives seed funding from 500 Startups

Rate3 wants to be the bridge between enterprises today and the tokenized world.

They believe that assets can be tokenized in a legally-compliant, interoperable and scalable way, so they will become widely liquid, usable, tradable and accepted for as cases as possible.

Scalable database service for dApps – Bluzelle

The rapid growth of blockchain technologies is transforming the way data is exchanged via the use of decentralized applications, or dApps for short.

These dApps continuously exchange massive amounts of data that must be stored and managed. However, the current blockchain platforms in existence like Ethereum are unable to store and manage this data due to lack of space.

To fulfil the need for data storage and management, Bluzelle has created a decentralized, on-demand, scalable database service for dApps.

Without a decentralized database like Bluzelle in place, dApps would not be able to run efficiently and scale to massive use.

At its core, Bluzelle’s ecosystem connects consumers wishing to rent out database space to providers with additional computing resources to offer this storage.

Using this data storage, dApp and application developers alike can optimize their products by accessing reliable data when necessary and storing their data on a secure platform.

Providers can, in turn, be compensated for providing this storage.

Bluzelle has the potential to play a pivotal role in the blockchain infrastructure landscape. The company’s decentralized database services have the potential to fulfil a significant need for the advancement of blockchain technologies in enterprise use-cases.

—

This is part of the “VC on Blockchain” series, where I dwell into the blockchain industry. Ethical disclaimer: Tribe Accelerator is a unit of TRIVE, which is a Singapore government-backed blockchain accelerator. Applications for the first cohort are open.

Image Credits: leungchopan

e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

The post 7 Singapore-based blockchain projects that are having global impact appeared first on e27.

Source: E27

Inane netizen flames NSman for chilling at McDonalds and “giving opportunity to terrorists to disturb our nation”

Jewel Stolarchuk
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0
Inane netizen flames NSman for chilling at McDonalds and “giving opportunity to terrorists to disturb our nation”

Local Redditors have blasted an inane netizen who flamed an NSman for chilling at a McDonalds outlet, thereby, “giving opportunity to would be terrorists and enemies to disturb our nation.”

The netizen, whose name was censored in the original Reddit post, shared a photo she had surreptitiously taken of a soldier in uniform, looking at something on his phone as he consumes his McDonalds meal. The picture was apparently taken at the McDonalds outlet at the Lot One Shoppers’ Mall at Choa Chu Kang.

Sharing the picture to a Facebook group, the netizen wrote: “Wow, army boy now so good life is it? 10am still can sit at Macdonalds [sic] relaxing watching movie on his phone or playing games instead of going back to camp to work and/or to train? Looks like he is from the airbase.

“I wonder if MINDEF really reduce their training tempo till this stage? Like this how to trust our army boys to defend our country? Not only he expose himself to the public by giving opportunity to would be terrorists or enemies to disturb our nation, it will also create an image that our defence organisation is too slack. Hope MINDEF look into this.”

Screenshot: u/fishens

Several netizens on Reddit blasted the netizen for trying to shame a soldier who was minding his own business and for sharing a picture that clearly shows his face and name on social media. The Independent has censored the picture to protect the identity of the NSman.

Some Redditors pointed out that the netizen who posted the picture is a known troll who always take pictures of individuals in uniform and complains about them online:

Others excoriated the netizen for her inane views and for trying to shame others instead of minding her own business:

Is #SGBudget2019 an election budget?

Anna Maria Romero
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Is #SGBudget2019 an election budget?

Rumors of a General Election being called as early as this year have been circulating, especially after last November, when Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat was chosen as the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) first assistant secretary-general.

This is a designation reserved for the country’s next Prime Minister.

Many are wondering whether the country’s budget for 2019 is in actuality an election budget and if it would be a kickoff to the campaign delivered by Heng in his first budget speech as next in line.

Some analysts are pointing out that the budget  the minister delivered yesterday has points in common with the budgets from the past two years when General Elections were called, in 2011 and 2015, as South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports.

In 2011, the PAP government distributed a“Grow and Share Package” worth S$3.2 billion.

Each adult in Singapore received between S$600 and S$800 in cash. And in 2014, the Pioneer Generation Package worth a whopping S$ 9 billion in health subsidies for older Singaporeans was announced.

For this year’s budget, Heng outlined the details of the Merdeka Generation Package (MGP), specifically targeted for Singaporeans from the ages of 60 to 69.

This package includes S$8 billion in subsidies for health care costs for this demographic.

Additionally, the Finance Minister also announced a Bicentennial Bonus worth S$1.1 billion, in commemoration of Singapore’s 200th anniversary.

More than a million citizens will be getting additions to their state-sanctioned health and educational accounts, plus as much as S$300 extra in a Goods and Services Tax Rebate.

But is #SGBudget2019 an election budget? This is possible since a package like the MGP is likely to forge ties between the recipients and the Government that furnished it, especially since the benefits that recipients will be getting are useful in the long-term.

This could cultivate gratitude and loyalty among the recipients.

But then again, maybe #SGBudget2019 isn’t geared toward elections. Two factors point in this direction, the upcoming generation of PAP leaders, and the budget surplus that the Government must spend before the next leadership turnover.

There is a sense that the fourth generation (4G) PAP leaders have yet to develop strong links with the citizenry, who do not yet clearly see where this new generation of leaders will be leading Singapore.

In other words, confidence in the new generation of leaders may still need time to grow. SCMP reports Singapore Management University’s Eugene Tan as saying, “For Heng and his fourth generation of leaders, Singaporeans are awaiting the ‘next big thing’ for Singapore that could get voters excited and confident that the new leadership has the wherewithal to keep Singapore exceptional.”

And instead of election promises, Heng discussed policy details, which included developments in social services, climate change, and foreign-worker quotas.

The Finance Minister has had much experience with these topics, as well as economic themes that he has been well-steeped in since his appointment in 2015.

Perhaps the Government’s bottom line will be the final determiner of when the next General Election will be called.

The estimated surplus of the present administration is estimated to be around S$19 billion. With Heng saying that he expects the deficit to be at S$3.5 billion, this leaves around $15 billion that the Government could possibly offer as incentives for the next General Election.

Under the country’s laws, the current administration must balance its books, in other words, it is not allowed to end with either a deficit or a surplus.

Read related: As anticipated, booming Merdeka Generation Package for the elderly unveiled

https://theindependent.sg.sg/as-anticipated-booming-merdeka-generation-package-for-the-elderly-unveiled/

 

Changing camps, M’sia Islamic party PAS now supporting the PM claiming there is a plot to overthrow him

Kazi Mahmood
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Changing camps, M’sia Islamic party PAS now supporting the PM claiming there is a plot to overthrow him

In a peculiar turn of events, PAS, Malaysia’s Islamist party, came out to support Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, an archenemy, claiming there is an attempt to overthrow the elderly statesman.

PAS, which is in the opposition and contributed to the defeat of the Pakatan Harapan party in the Cameron Highlands by-election last month, now claims it is a supporter of Dr Mahathir.

While no official disclosures were made after a private meeting between PAS leaders and Dr Mahathir, it is now clear the PAS wanted to ‘warn Dr Mahathir’ of a plot by Pakatan component parties to remove him as PM.

PAS said “something is brewing” within the coalition, and suggested Dr Mahathir had said there is an attempt to remove him as PM in the form of a ‘betrayal’ by other PH component parties.

Which are the parties the PAS is referring to? PAS secretary general Takiyudin Hassan told a press conference his party will support Dr Mahathir in a vote of no confidence.

Based on the Parliamentary procedures in Malaysia, there is no such vote on the horizon, unless PAS is aware of what Pakatan Haparan component parties are plotting?

The only parties that could move against Dr Mahathir in the event of a break-up of the deal between Anwar Ibrahim and the PM are the DAP and the PKR. But no one can tell whether  Amanah (a splinter party from the PAS) and Warisan (a splinter party from the Umno) would continue to support the PM.

According to the Malaysia Chronicle, Dr Mahathir’s ‘Game of Thrones‘ is now almost complete.

The portal says Dr Mahathir is planning to boost the Bersatu party by taking in leap-frogging UMNO MP’s. The Bersatu last week admitted seven Umno MP’s within its ranks, saying they were vetted, and they pledged to support the new government’s reform agenda.

However, the portal adds the plan is to make the Bersatu the biggest Malay based party within the Pakatan coalition, thus undermining both the PKR and the DAP.

The meeting between PAS and the Prime Minister held at the Al-Bukhari foundation in Kuala Lumpur – away from the prying eyes of the Pakatan Harapan government – was not kept secret by Dr Mahathir.

The PM instead made some interesting claims regarding PAS, saying the PAS leader Abdul Hadi Awang promised to support the Bersatu candidate in the hotly contested Semenyih by-election.

Dr Mahathir also revealed PAS wants representation in various bodies and local planning, adding that they (PAS) only said they would not support Umno in this (Semenyih) by-election, because Umno was not fighting against Democratic Action Party.

The Malaysian PM and PAS have a long history of enmity, particularly during the time PAS was headed by Nik Aziz Nik Mat the religious leader who was the Menteri Besar of Kelantan.
While Nik Aziz was friendly with Anwar Ibrahim and the DAP, he was staunchly against Umno, advising PAS never to work in an alliance with the former party of Dr Mahathir.

Lawrence Wong: Cat nuisance incidents almost doubled in 2018 compared to 2016 last year

Anna Maria Romero
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Lawrence Wong: Cat nuisance incidents almost doubled in 2018 compared to 2016 last year

In a written Parliamentary reply on Monday, February 18, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said that the instances of cat-related nuisances had  increased last year, with 4,500 cased reported.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) began to keep track of these instances in 2016.

Wong said that in 2016, reports about stray cats numbered 2,300, and last year, the figure had increased to 3,600.

Louis Ng Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament, asked about the number of nuisance cases related to cats that were reported to HDB since 2008. He also asked if the number of cases had lessened in the Chong Pang constituency.

Wong answered the Nee Soon GRC MP, saying that each individual town council keeps track of these reports in HDB estates, but as a whole, AVA tracks the number of cases and reports throughout the country, starting from 2016.

He also said that the number of incidents in Chong Pang constituency had stayed “relatively constant.”

Ng works with the animal welfare group ACRES (Animal Concerns Research and Education Society), as its director.

Member of Parliament Lee Bah Wah, who is also from Nee Soon GRC, made a speech in Parliament a week ago concerning the management of animals in HDB estates.

She specified instances wherein residents had come to her with complaints about rats, which she said had proliferated because of the leftover food that community cat feeders had not taken responsibility for.

For her speech, Lee was criticised by the Cat Welfare Society (CWS), another animal welfare organization.

The Member of Parliament later clarified that she was not against cats and that her remarks had been misunderstood since she was only pointing out that some cat feeders had behaved irresponsibly.

K Shanmugam sprang to Ms Lee’s defence on social media, saying that she was merely “doing her duty as a responsible MP,” and that the concerns of the residents were legitimate.

Read related: Shanmugam defends Lee Bee Wah on cats issue saying she was doing her civic duty as an MP

https://theindependent.sg.sg/shanmugam-defends-lee-bee-wah-on-cats-issue-saying-she-was-doing-her-civic-duty-as-an-mp/

 

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