In a congratulatory Facebook post to Dr Mahathir last week, Dr Tan Cheng Bock spoke about age.
The former member of the People’s Action Party (PAP) said to Malaysia’s new Prime Minister, “You have shown that age has not prevented you from doing what u believe is right.”
Dr Mahathir won Malaysia’s elections at the robust age of 92.
Dr Tan also took the opportunity to reminiscence with pictures of Dr Mahathir at a Medical Alumni function in the 1980s.
In his post, he said:
Oldest PM at 93.
Congratulation Dr Mahathir for winning the hearts and minds of the Malaysian people in the GE14.You have shown that age has not prevented you from doing what u believe is right. l wish you the best and hope Malaysa and Singapore will continue to have good relations. Picture shows Dr Mahathir gracing our Medical Alumni function in the 80’s
Dr Tan’s post was flooded with comments about how he should contest in Singapore’s next elections.
Ex-PM Najib Razak received money transfers from 1MDB despite denying the sovereign funds landed in his accounts.
A panel apparently launched by the new Mahathir administration told Reuters the MACC found evidence in late 2015 that RM42 million (US$10.6 million) was transferred from a former subsidiary of state fund 1MDB into an account of the then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.
The new probe team did not say whether more evidence exists of The famous RM2.6 billion or US$681 million of funds deposited in his personal bank account were from the 1MDB.
Najib who lost the elections last week had insisted the fund is a donation from a Saudi royal. The US$10.6 million would be in addition to that sum.
In an interview with Reuters, panel member Lim Chee Wee said then attorney-general, Apandi Ali, had been presented with evidence by MACC at the end of 2015 that Najib had received the US$10.6 million from 1MDB unit SRC International.
Apandi, who was replaced as attorney-general on Monday, declined to probe further, Lim said.
“AG refused to investigate further despite evidence suggesting that Najib received directly or indirectly RM42 million from SRC,” Lim said, using the acronym for the attorney-general.
The SRC International Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of 1MDB that was later placed under the Finance Ministry in 2012, is part of the ongoing global investigation.
The Swiss office of the Attorney General in an email to Malaysiakini reaffirmed that SRC’s funds are part of its ongoing investigations.
“SRC investments are also investigated in the frame of the criminal proceedings opened in August 2015,” it said.
The SRC phase, like the three other phases detailed in the DOJ filing, started off with a massive fundraising exercise.
Part of SRC funds diverted locally
The SRC phase is unique as some parts of the transactions took place wholly in Malaysia, unlike the other phases where the sum were routed overseas, said Malaysiakini.
In terms of local transactions, at least RM74Â million originating from SRC International made its way into Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s personal bank accounts.
These local transactions happened after SRC International was no longer a subsidiary of 1MDB when it was placed under the Finance Ministry in 2012.
Colliers International on 15 May announced that freehold development Fernhill Court at 60 Fernhill Road will be put up for collective sale for $125 million via public tender on 16 May 2018.
The reserve price translates to a land rate of $1,885 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr), after factoring in a development charge of $3.7 million payable for the intensification of land use. This compares favourably against the land rate of $1,898 psf ppr achieved for the collective sale of Villa D’Este in Dalvey Road recently.
With 100% consensus from the owners of Fernhill Court already obtained, the successful tenderer will not be required to obtain an approval from the Strata Titles Board for the sale, and will be able to take possession of the site following the end of the vacant possession period.
Built in 1981, Fernhill Court – situated next to the Nassim Road, Dalvey Road and White House Park Good Class Bungalow (GCB) areas – is a rare redevelopment opportunity in the well sought-after District 10 within an easy stroll to Orchard Road.
Ms. Tang Wei Leng, Managing Director at Colliers International, said, “We expect to see substantial interest in the Fernhill Court tender opportunity due to the scarcity of prime freehold redevelopment sites in the exclusive Fernhill/Orange Grove area and the palatable investment quantum. The site will allow the successful tenderer to create a luxury boutique development comprising 90 new homes with an average size of 750 sq ft.”
The site is a stone’s throw away from Singapore’s premier Orchard Road shopping belt, with glitzy malls offering everything from fashion staples to cutting edge couture. Steps away in the neighbourhood with an excellent range of top restaurants is the renowned Shangri-La hotel, often host to foreign heads of states and dignitaries, and consistently voted one of the best hotels in the world. Future residents will also be able to enjoy a wide range of amenities nearby, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Singapore Botanic Gardens, the Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, Nanyang Primary School and Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road).
Nearby Stevens MRT station on the Downtown Line – which will be connected to the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line in 2021 – also provides easy access to well-known attractions including Fort Canning, Chinatown, Marina Bay Sands, Bugis, Little India and Botanic Gardens.
Meanwhile, the Central Business District is just a little over 10-minutes’ drive away owing to the site’s excellent connectivity to main roads and expressways such as Orchard Road, Stevens Road, Pan Island Expressway and Central Expressway.
Ms. Tang added, “Despite its proximity to the bustling Orchard Road, the Fernhill Court site enjoys the tranquil and refined atmosphere of an exclusive neighbourhood, thanks to its location next to GCB areas. There are also several embassies nearby – along Nassim Road and Tanglin Road – further adding to the prestige and exclusivity factor of the redevelopment plot.”
Fernhill Court comprises 18 maisonettes with sizes ranging from 2,271 sq ft to 2,982 sq ft. Each owner could stand to receive a minimum of between $6.32 million and $8.3 million from the successful sale of the development.
Mr. Yeo Jih-Shian, Chairman of the Fernhill Court Collective Sale Committee, said, “This is an extremely rare prime site with a unique combination of attributes: within walking distance to Orchard Road; near the MRT station; lush tranquil greenery adjacent to a large 170,000 sq ft conservation bungalow site; and within 1 or 2 kilometres of three top primary schools. With the Singapore luxury residential market recovering strongly and the scarcity of ultra prime freehold sites for sale, we are optimistic that it will attract significant interest for developers and investors to bid at prices that truly justifies the site’s unique attributes and location.”
“All of us love living here, waking up to birds chirping, with squirrels and birds outside our windows, yet with Orchard Road and the MRT a short walk away. It is like a hidden oasis within the city centre. We will have mixed feelings about having to move,” added Mr. Yeo.
Under the Master Plan 2014, the 4530.7 square metre (approximately 48,768 sq ft) site has no plot ratio indication and the building height is subject to detailed control. However, Outline Planning Permission has been submitted for a proposed residential development with a Gross Plot Ratio of 1.4, comprising a 5-storey block and a 2-storey block.
The collective sale tender for Fernhill Court will close at 3pm on 21 June 2018.
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If you are home-hunting, our Panel of Property agents and the mortgage consultants at icompareloan.com can help you with affordability assessment and a promotional home loan. Just email our chief mortgage consultant, Paul Ho, with your name, email and phone number at [email protected] for a free assessment.
The month of April saw low private homes sales due to slow pick-up in launches. Last month, developers sold 729 private residential units, just 1.2 per cent marginally higher than March and less than half of the 1,567 units sold in April last year. The tally for the first four months of the year is estimated at 2,310 units, about half of the 4,529 units which developers sold for the same period in 2017.
The low private homes sales was marked by 654 new private homes were launched during the month, continuing the leisurely pace of 614 units placed on the market in March and a mere 40 per cent of the 1,616 units launched last April. From January to April this year, an estimated 1,575 were launched for sale, 56 per cent less than 3,565 launched during the same period last year.
Three new private residential projects were launched in April. Cayman Residences placed all its 19 units on the market without selling any. Harbour View Gardens’ 57 units were available for sale and 52 units were taken up at a median price of $1,763 psf. The Verandah Residences launched all of its 170 units, selling 141 at a median price of $1,846 psf.
The top selling private residential projects in April were Park Place Residences at PLQ (166 units at median price of $2,060 psf), The Verandah Residences (141 units at median price of $1,846 psf), Harbour View Gardens (52 units at median price of $1,763 psf), The Tapestry (51 units at median price of $1,391 psf) and Parc Botannia (41 units at median price of $1,324 psf).
The launch of the 628 unit Rivercove Residences in April boosted new executive condominium (EC) sales to 596 units, more than eight times the 72 units sold in the previous month. Top selling EC projects in April were Rivercove Residences (512 units sold at a median price of $970 psf), Signature at Yishun (32 units sold at a median price of $781 psf) and Parc Life (31 units sold at a median price of $862 psf).
Mr. Ong Teck Hui, National Director of Research & Consultancy at JLL, commented: “Contrary to what was expected earlier, only a few new projects were launched for sale in April, contributing to the low sales figures. Typically, when the market is upbeat, there tends to be a pick-up in activity in April as seen last year when 1,616 private homes were launched and 1,567 sold. The 654 units launched and 729 units sold in April 2018 are in stark contrast to a year ago, despite the current buoyant market.
The low private homes sales was recorded amidst much publicity on the keen demand from buyers, strong take-up at launches and robust pricing, market interest is being drummed up to the benefit of projects awaiting launches.
The 3.9 per cent rise in the URA property price index in 1Q18 suggests the possibility of a good upside in prices which would encourage an unhurried stance towards launches in order to capitalise on the price increase. An examination of projects that were previously launched with unsold units shows many did not launch or launched judiciously in April notwithstanding the upbeat market.
However, several private residential projects have already been launched for sale in May and this is expected to mitigate the low private homes sales and improve sales figures for this month.
In the absence of other new EC launches and existing EC projects at the tail end of their marketing, Rivercove Residences was able to capitalise on the lack of supply and dearth of competition to launch its 628 units and sell 512 at a median price of $970 psf, which is a record price for new ECs. With only the Sumang Walk EC project in the future launch pipeline and only one EC site scheduled to be out for tender in June, the EC market will remain under-supplied so the upward pressure on prices will continue.”
Table 1:Total island-wide (landed and non-landed excluding ECs) units sold by developers
​
​
​
​
​
Apr-17
Mar-18
Apr-18
m-o-m change
y-o-y change
CCR
30
69
50
-28%
67%
RCR
567
110
459
317%
-19%
OCR
970
537
220
-59%
-77%
Island-wide
1,567
716
729
86%
-53%
Take-up Rate
97%
117%
111%
Source: JLL, URA
​
​
​
​
​
Table 2: New launches (ex. ECs)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Locality
Development name
Lowest price
($ psf)
Median price
($ psf)
Highest price
($ psf)
Launched
Sold
Take-up rate
OCR
Cayman Residences
–
–
–
19
0
0%
RCR
Harbour View Gardens
$1,673
$1,763
$1,832
57
52
91%
RCR
The Verandah Residences
$1,530
$1,846
$1,998
170
141
83%
Source: JLL, URA
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
The real estate market sentiment has been at the all-time high after showing 10 consecutive quarters of increases since the 4th quarter of 2015, and the low private homes sales numbers for April stacks up against this.
Crazy prices and weak fundamentals should keep savvy investors away from property market said the chief mortgage consultant of icompreloan.com, Paul Ho.
“I wonder howcurrent investors will recover their investment given the low rental yields, rising interest costs,” said Mr Ho.
Adding: “I got a sense that it is more a portfolio diversification play given that they feel bullish about the Singapore Property market – given that the malaise of over supply has been digested for many years. The situation is nowhere as dire. So, this is more about the confidence and the sentiments. The fundamentals of the Singapore property market remains weak.”
Mr Ho believes that value buys in the property market right now are are landed inter-terrace houses which’s per square feet price on the built-up area is usually less than $1000. And this may be the best time to buy inter-terrace houses.
—
If you are home-hunting, our Panel of Property agents and the mortgage consultants at icompareloan.com can help you with affordability assessment and a promotional home loan. Just email our chief mortgage consultant, Paul Ho, with your name, email and phone number at [email protected] for a free assessment.
Imagine walking down the street and seeing advertising screens change their content based on how you walk, how you talk, or even the shape of your chest. These screens rely on hidden cameras, microphones and computers to guess if you’re male or female. This might sound futuristic, but patrons in a Norwegian pizzeria discovered it’s exactly what was happening: Women were seeing ads for salad and men were seeing ads for meat options. The software running a digital advertising board spilled the beans when it crashed and displayed its underlying code. The motivation behind using this technology might have been to improve advertising quality or user experience. Nevertheless, many customers were unpleasantly surprised by it.
This sort of situation is not just creepy and invasive. It’s worse: Efforts at automatic gender recognition – using algorithms to guess a person’s gender based on images, video or audio – raise significant social and ethical concerns that are not yet fully explored. Most current research on automatic gender recognition technologies focuses instead on technological details.
As digital technologies become more powerful and sophisticated, their designers are trying to use them to identify and categorize complex human characteristics, such as sexual orientation, gender and ethnicity. The idea is that with enough training on abundant user data, algorithms can learn to analyze people’s appearance and behavior – and perhaps one day characterize people as well as, or even better than, other humans do.
How machine learning works.
Gender is a hard topic for people to handle. It’s a complex concept with important roles both as a cultural construct and a core aspect of an individual’s identity. Researchers, scholars and activists are increasingly revealing the diverse, fluid and multifaceted aspects of gender. In the process, they find that ignoring this diversity can lead to both harmful experiences and social injustice. For example, according to the 2016 National Transgender Survey, 47 percent of transgender participants stated that they had experienced some form of discrimination at their workplace due to their gender identity. More than half of transgender people who were harassed, assaulted or expelled because of their gender identity had attempted suicide.
Many people have, at one time or another, been surprised, or confused or even angered to find themselves mistaken for a person of another gender. When that happens to someone who is transgender – as an estimated 0.6 percent of Americans, or 1.4 million people, are – it can cause considerable stress and anxiety.
Effects of automatic gender recognition
In our recent research, we interviewed 13 transgender and gender-nonconforming people, about their general impressions of automatic gender recognition technology. We also asked them to describe their responses to imaginary future scenarios where they might encounter it. All 13 participants were worried about this technology and doubted whether it could offer their community any benefits.
Of particular concern was the prospect of being misgendered by it; in their experience, gender is largely an internal, subjective characteristic, not something that is necessarily or entirely expressed outwardly. Therefore, neither humans nor algorithms can accurately read gender through physical features, such as the face, body or voice.
They described how being misgendered by algorithms could potentially feel worse than if humans did it. Technology is often perceived or believed to be objective and unbiased, so being wrongly categorized by an algorithm would emphasize the misconception that a transgender identity is inauthentic. One participant described how they would feel hurt if a “million-dollar piece of software developed by however many people” decided that they are not who they themselves believe they are.
Privacy and transparency
The people we interviewed shared the common public concern that automated cameras could be used for surveillance without their consent or knowledge; for years, researchers and activists have raised red flags about increasing threats to privacy in a world populated by sensors and cameras.
But our participants described how the effects of these technologies could be greater for transgender people. For instance, they might be singled out as unusual because they look or behave differently from what the underlying algorithms expect. Some participants were even concerned that systems might falsely determine that they are trying to be someone else and deceive the system.
Their concerns also extended to cisgender people who might look or act differently from the majority, such as people of different races, people the algorithms perceive as androgynous, and people with unique facial structures. This already happens to people from minority racial and ethnic backgrounds, who are regularly misidentified by facial recognition technology. For example, existing facial recognition technology in some cameras fail to properly detect the faces of Asian users and send messages for them to stop blinking or to open their eyes.
Our interviewees wanted to know more about how automatic gender recognition systems work and what they’re used for. They didn’t want to know deep technical details, but did want to make sure the technology would not compromise their privacy or identity. They also wanted more transgender people involved in the early stages of design and development of these systems, well before they are deployed.
Creating inclusive automatic systems
Our results demonstrate how designers of automatic categorization technologies can inadvertently cause harm by making assumptions about the simplicity and predictability of human characteristics. Our research adds to a growing body of work that attempts to more thoughtfully incorporate gender into technology.
Minorities have historically been left out of conversations about large-scale technology deployment, including ethnic minorities and people with disabilities. Yet, scientists and designers alike know that including input from minority groups during the design process can lead to technical innovations that benefit all people. We advocate for a more gender-inclusive and human-centric approach to automation that incorporates diverse perspectives.
As digital technologies develop and mature, they can lead to impressive innovations. But as humans direct that work, they should avoid amplifying human biases and prejudices that are negative and limiting. In the case of automatic gender recognition, we do not necessarily conclude that these algorithms should be abandoned. Rather, designers of these systems should be inclusive of, and sensitive to, the diversity and complexity of human identity.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Palestinian protesters evacuate a wounded youth in the Gaza Strip.AP Photo/Adel Hana
On May 14, the day the U.S. embassy in Israel moved to Jerusalem, at least 55 Palestinians were killed and 2,700 wounded by Israeli soldiers amid protest at Israel’s border, according to The New York Times.
What began as Palestinian protests against economic sanctions in Gaza months ago now also includes a response to the embassy move. President Donald Trump announced the move back in December 2017, when he recognized Jerusalem as the “true capital” of Israel.
Four pieces from our archive help explain why the move is so contentious, and how it is viewed by different interest groups.
1. Jerusalem 101
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has a deeply rooted and complex history. Professor Dan Arbell, a scholar-in-residence at American University and a former Israeli diplomat, identifies several key moments – from the Ottoman Empire to the Six-Day War – that help explain why the U.S. decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem is so controversial.
He writes: “The international community hasn’t recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and still views the city as disputed territory. It has long been considered an issue that must be settled between Israelis and Palestinians in the context of peace negotiations. As a result, all foreign embassies operate from the city of Tel Aviv in Israel.”
Now other countries like Guatemala and Paraguay are planning to follow the U.S. example and move their embassies too.
2. What it means to Palestinians
Many Palestinians protesting the embassy move fear that it will end the possibility of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine. However, Middle East scholar Maha Nassar suggests that it may not be all bad.
Nassar argues that the idea of a two-state solution has never been realistic, in part because of the power imbalance between the state of Israel with strong U.S. support and the stateless Palestinian people. Trump’s decision has closed the door on this approach to peace.
“Now that the two-state solution is over, perhaps the region can start looking at alternative visions for a genuine peace that actually represents the rights and claims of all people living on this land,” Nassar writes.
3. What it means to Trump supporters
Many critics of Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy suggest that it was primarily done to please his conservative evangelical base. But why do evangelicals in the U.S. care about this particular aspect of U.S. Middle East policy?
Well, it has to do with their beliefs about the end of times and the second coming of Jesus, according to Julie Ingersoll, a religious studies professor. Ingersoll explains that some interpretations of the Bible suggest that returning Jerusalem to Jewish control is one major precursor to a “cosmic battle between good and evil called Armageddon at which Satan will be defeated and Christ will establish his earthly kingdom.”
Over time, this narrative has become popularized in books and movies, and a powerful force in American evangelicals’ political attitudes.
4. What it means to American Jews
The new U.S. embassy was opened on the 70th anniversary of the state of Israel being established. It’s an anniversary that young Jewish Americans may not be as eager to celebrate as their parents or grandparents were, writes Dov Waxman.
According to Waxman, a professor of Israel studies at Northeastern University, younger generations of Jews have generally felt more secure in the U.S. and grown up overwhelmingly liberal and “dovish” in their politics.
“Many find it hard to reconcile the values they have internalized from these belief systems with the idea of a state that gives preferential treatment to Jews at the expense of its non-Jewish citizens, most notably its Arab minority – as Israel does,” he writes.
According to Indonesia’s National Police Chief Tito Karnavian, a family of suicide bombers was responsible for the latest in a series of suicide bombings in Surabaya, the capital of East Java province.
He said that the attack was carried out by a family of five. However, the eight year old child amongst them survived.
National Police Chief Tito said that the attacks were religiously motivated and that the attackers received instruction from the headquarters of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The family blew themselves up at a checkpoint outside the Surabaya police headquarters on Monday morning, injuring at least 10 people. The National Police Chief added that the bomb was named the “Mother of Satan” and was made by the mixing of explosive and reactive chemicals.
In a Facebook post, Minister of Defence Ng Eng Hen urges Singaporeans and said that, “The SAF will thwart and deal with such attacks but to counter the threat of terrorism, all sectors of our society must stand up for unity amid racial and religious harmony”.
He wrote: “The bombings in Surabaya this morning underscore the message that security agencies here have repeatedly cautioned – terrorism is a clear and present danger. It takes a powerful indoctrination to get parents to use themselves and worse of all, their children, to commit acts of suicide and kill innocent people.”
He added, “As twisted and evil as this is, we cannot ignore the power of this false ideology. The SAF will thwart and deal with such attacks but to counter the threat of terrorism, all sectors of our society must stand up for unity amid racial and religious harmony. Our peaceful and harmonious way of life is an answer to their perverted ideology.”
In the recent elections, Malaysia saw its first female Deputy Prime Minister, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. She was appointed as by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Saturday, three days after the country’s general election.
Surprisingly, the 66-year old Dr Wan was born in Singapore, but raised in Malaysia. Dr Wan’s campaign is very popular with women especially, as she holds rather strong, opinionated views. She said, “I actually have to remind a few people I’m the first woman opposition leader of Malaysia”.
Talking about her previous career as a doctor, she said, “I feel and believe corruption is a cancer, dangerous and pervasive, and you need a surgeon’s touch. I happen to be a woman and I happen to be a surgeon, I think that helps very much.”
Yesterday evening, Deputy Prime Minister & Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean, and Deputy Prime Minister & Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam called Dr Wan to congratulate her on her appointment as Deputy Prime Minister.
They also sent congratulatory letters.
They wrote:
14 May 2018
YAB Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Deputy Prime Minister
Malaysia
Dear Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah,
My warmest congratulations on your appointment as Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia. I would also like to congratulate Pakatan Harapan on its strong win at the 14th General Election, and your victory in your seat of Pandan.
Singapore and Malaysia enjoy strong and long-standing ties, built on mutual trust and respect. We have a good working relationship and regular interactions at all levels from the very top, through to the Ministerial and officials’ levels. We co-operate closely in the economic, social and security dimensions.
I look forward to working closely with you and your team to deepen and strengthen our cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral fora for the mutual benefit of the people of both our countries.
Poh Yim and I wish you and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim the best of health and success, and look forward to meeting you in the near future.
Yours sincerely,
TEO CHEE HEAN
.          .          .          .          .
14 May 2018
YAB Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail
Deputy Prime Minister
Malaysia
Dear Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah,
Congratulations on your new appointment as Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia as well as Pakatan Harapan’s victory at the 14th General Election, and your landslide win in Pandan. Your strong leadership as President of Pakatan Harapan and as President of Parti Keadilan Rakyat were important in securing victory.
Singapore and Malaysia are close neighbours and partners. We have longstanding and deep ties at many levels. We have also cooperated in a broad range of sectors from trade and investment through to defence and tourism. In addition, we work well together in regional and international fora, such as ASEAN, WTO, APEC, and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. I look forward to continuing the positive collaboration between Singapore and Malaysia.
I wish you and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim good health, happiness, and success. I look forward to meeting you soon.
One of the parties in the new coalition government of Malaysia has slammed The Straits Times for publishing “completely fabricated and false” claims that they believe is an attempt to “drive a wedge” between their party, the new ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition and the people.
The coalition partner – the People’s Justice Party (PKR) – is taking issue with an article that the Singapore broadsheet published this morning, entitled ‘Cracks appear in PH over posts in new Cabinet’.
The paper reported: “As Malaysia’s new government heads into its first official day of work today, cracks in the hastily put-together Pakatan Harapan (PH) alliance have begun to show right after Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was sworn in last Thursday.”
Quoting certain “sources”, the paper alleged that PKR’s president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, wanted a Malay politician – not a Chinese politician – to be the finance minister while Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announced over the weekend that Democratic Action Party (DAP) secretary-general Lim Guan Eng would helm the Ministry of Finance.
The PKR has since hit back. A senior PKR leader who declined to be named reportedly told Free Malaysia Today that the claims in the article are “completely fabricated and false”.
Adding that the PKR believes Lim, an accountant by training, is suitably qualified for the role, the leader said: “We strongly believe that the finance portfolio must be based on ability.”
He criticised: “But we don’t appreciate the narrative and claims being made against PKR, painting us as troublemakers. We believe this report is part of a concerted attempt to drive a wedge between PKR and the people, and PH, to push us out of the pact.”
Meanwhile, Universiti Malaya analyst Azman Awang Pawi felt that PKR may have been hoping for jailed leader Anwar Ibrahim to take over as Finance Minister since it is a portfolio he once held.
Azman added that the PKR should not worry though, since Lim will be advised by a council comprising prominent figures such as former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akthar Aziz, former Petronas president Mohd Hassan Marican, billionaire tycoon Robert Kuok and economist KS Jomo.
Azman said: “The finance ministry is extremely important in politics. You can see how important the portfolio was to Umno in the Barisan Nasional-led government…Giving Lim the finance portfolio may not sit well with Malay conservatives, but they don’t have to worry as the Council of Elders will advise him.”
As for Lim, he has earlier clarified to reporters: “I’m Malaysian, I don’t see myself as Chinese.”
AÂ Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) full-time national serviceman (NSF) died yesterday after he was found unconscious at the bottom of Tuas View fire station pump well.
The Force revealed in a statement today that the NSF, Corporal (CPL) Kok Yuen Chin, had gone into the pump well to celebrate his impending ORD with his squad mates. It added that a “mishap” arose due to activities which are prohibited and that two SCDF regulars were arrested today by the police.
A later media report revealed that it is believed the NSF, who was due to ORD this Wednesday, was ragged into entering the well. An unknown source allegedly contacted TNP and reported that ragging is typically done to mark an NSF’s end in the Force.
Ragging in the SCDF can allegedly include acts such as pinning an NSF to the ground and applying boot polish to their skin or even throwing an NSF into a pool. Ragging is banned in the Force though it is reportedly still carried out.
It remains unclear how CPL Kok entered the well.
Meanwhile, Law Minister K Shanmugam has called for an audit to look into CPL Kk’s untimely death. The Minister told reporters that the “conduct of some of the people involved” was in “clear violation” of the SCDF’s rules and called the incident a “celebration gone wrong” that resulted in the “tragic loss” of a “young man full of potential”.
He added: “The facts I’ve been given so far, they make it quite clear that conduct was quite wrong of some of the people involved. It was in clear violation of SCDF’s rules, it should not have happened, unacceptable, period…Details will be released in due course.”
The Minister further said: “I’ve also asked SCDF to do an audit. Any other evidence of such conduct, take action, because we have to send a clear message…Action has been taken before when conduct which is not sanctioned has taken place, celebrations or otherwise. But after a while, people forget and break the rules again.”
Shanmugam, who had met Kok’s family earlier today, did not wish to “give a descriptor to the incident” at this time, when he was asked whether this was a case of ragging gone wrong. SCDF deputy commissioner Chong Hoi Hung confirmed that this is the first such death.
Chong added: “SCDF will not condone unauthorised activities and we have been telling our commanders to brief the men properly to ensure they do not (commit them)”:
FULL VIDEO: Singapore Civil Defence Force NSF died as a result of "celebrations gone wrong"; incident was a "clear violation of SCDF rules", Minister K Shanmugam Sc tells reporters.
This incident comes just two weeks after an army NSF passed away after “displaying signs of heat injury” at Bedok Camp.
NSF Dave Lee Han Xuan, was conveyed to Changi General Hospital (CGH) on 18 April after an 8km fast march at Bedok Camp. The Guardsman from the 1st Battalion Singapore Guards fell into a coma and spent 12 days at CGH’s Intensive Care Unit as his condition worsened, before he passed away at 5.32pm on Monday, a mere 10 days after his 19th birthday.
