Congratulations to Mr Benjamin Ang for being the first Signaporean artist to join the Marvel Comics. Say you don't have any blog to share what ought to be a marvelous life working for Marvel?! Heh. Envy.The first Singaporean artist will be joining the Marvel Comics bandwagon.
Mr Benjamin Ang, 27, was shortlisted during Marvel's portfolio review at last year's Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention (STGCC).
The American comic book company has produced well-known titles such as X-Men, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, The Avengers, and Thor.
Mr Ang is the first Singaporean to be signed to Marvel and was chosen from hundreds of artists from around the region.
"It is truly a dream come true to be able to work with Marvel and alongside some of the most renowned writers and artists in the industry," he said.
The freelance illustrator's art style has been described as an eclectic mix of East and West. He said: "I aim to add a signature touch to my work and hopefully inspire more Singaporean artists to chase their dreams."
Mr Ang will be working on projects beginning later this year.
Mr C.B. Cebulski, Marvel's Senior Vice President of Creator and Content Development, who conducted the Portfolio Review at 2010's STGCC, is hoping to discover more new talent at this year's event.
Similarly, Ms Yeow Hui Leng, Project Director of STGCC hopes that this year's convention will serve as a platform for other budding talents to be noticed at an international level.
From Asiaone, "Marvel Comics gets its first Singaporean artist".
I have this sudden compellingly outrageous inspiration when I was re-reading the manga, Liar Game about the Round 2 that is aptly called 'Minority Rule'.
Hey, why don't we deploy this game to determine the next Singapore President?
Okay, okay...I know those of you (especially those who are ignorant of the treatise called Liar Game. Hur hur) are dying to know about this so-called 'Minority Rule'.
Quoted from Liar Game Wiki, "Second Round" (cool, huh, Wiki just for Liar Game!):The game the participants play is called "Minority Rule" which consists of players voting with the minority to proceed.
Imagine the 7 persons mentioned in "Clash of the three ti-TANs ... (Recap of Presidential Election candidates)" are--due to some divine intervention?--assessed to be eligible to run for Presidential Race.
Do you think the citizens ought to be burdened of choosing 'the best' (or the cynics among you will prefer the term 'the least of the devils'. Shame on you, really!) to be crowned as the President who Unify the Singaporeans?? (By the way, are we really perceived that strongly as 'divided', thus the need to 'unify'? Sheesh...)
No, I'd tell you.
The citizens must not be shouldering such a paramount ... uhm ... headache(?)!!.
Ergo, let us allow the Presidential candidates play this Liar Game's Minority Rule to determine the winner.
Let's list down the rules of the Game:
1. First a random candidate is chosen to ask any question as long is the answer is either "yes" or "no."
2. Candidates then vote for either "yes" or "no."
3. To vote, a candidate will place either a small sheet saying "yes" or "no" into a box.
4. The paper is numbered to identify who voted for which answer.
5. Candidates don't have to vote honestly. (Yeah, must be tough for a certain candidate who boasts 'honesty' & 'fairness' as his values!)
6. Candidates who don't vote within the time limit are eliminated. (Relevant as we do not want a wishy-washy candidate who cannot even decide to persevere to contest in the Election!)
7. The answer with the most votes is declared the majority and anyone who voted for that answer is eliminated.
8. If the votes are split in half exactly then the candidates will vote again.
9. If two candidates are left standing at the end, both will win, splitting the title of President (and those skyrocket salary!) between them.
The strength of this Game with respect to the Presidential Race will be the intelligence of the random candidate to pose a question which eventhough the answer is either Yes or No, the candidates must be wondering how each other shall vote in order to avoid becoming the majority.
Phew. Too long a sentence. Hate it.
So what do you think?
There is an element of intelligence as elaborated above.
There is an element of luck (with the 'random' candidate is given an opportunity to propose a question) - and isn't it said that "Being deeply learned and skilled, being well trained and using well spoken words; This is good luck"? (Kind of a non sequitur, I know. Sorry.)
Shall we adopt this Liar Game Minority Rule then? It will make a great show when it's broadcast live on TV!!
Disclaimer: this post is just a tounge-in-cheek. (Can'tBelieveIhaveToExplainIt...mutter) If you are taking it seriously, you truly have a serious problem. My sympathy. Liar Game Minority Rule implementation to determine the rightful President can only work in the world where its inhabitants are two dimensional, in black and white, having a pair of incredibly big eyes...in short, only in a manga-like Reality. Not in this one.
Heh. Cannot resist not to grab a screenshot of this Facebook Game, "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" -- as it's in 'maintenance mode'. The white box near the caption 'BACK SOON!' is kinda annoying, though.
No, don't expect me to post a screenshot of this Facebook page called, "Anti-Singapore". Actually I did intend to, at least just to show that there're merely 133 'likes'. Heh.
So why a sudden interest about things against Singapore? Well, let's just say this ridiculous clown in New York City (featured in STOMP article below) somewhat intrigues me & makes me wonder what else the world is against Singapore. Heh.This man has been spotted walking around Times Square in New York City, holding up a sign attacking Singapore and our prime minister, apparently after losing his job here.
It seems like that he has been doing this for weeks, judging from the numerous emails STOMP has received about the man from various STOMPers.
Editor's note: We have masked out most of the words on the sign, as they are libellous and offensive. Some of the accusations made against Singapore are also patently absurd.
One of the STOMPers who have written in to STOMP to express their displeasure over the man's actions is JJLim. He said he saw the man while on holiday in New York City.
He said:
"My wife and I were on holiday in New York when we saw this strange guy near Times Square, New York.
"Holding a self-written cardboard, he displayed unfounded accusations at our Prime Minister and our nation.
"When we claimed that his accusations were false, he brushed us away and walked off.
"Coming back to Singapore, we still could not understand why would someone thousand miles away accuse Singapore like that.
Another STOMPer, Edwin, said the man had apparently lost his job in Singapore.
He found these comments posted about the man, online:
"Weird man in Times Square. Talked to him and thinks he's just unhappy with losing a job in Singapore and tries to paint a bad impression to the tourists at Times Square.
"...he's weird. I went to talk to him to find out more about him. He lost his job in Singapore and could not find another in SEA, so he's being a bum."
"That's so retarded! Spreading false accusations too.
"Seems like that guy hasn't yet found a job in the US either."
From STOMP, "FT who lost job in S'pore protests with sign against PM and nation in NYC Times Square".
In brightest day, in blackest night . . .
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who laugh at my lack of height . . .
Beware my banjo...Green Froggie's light!!!
I swear I have not seen the photos yet. (Not for lack of trying to google 'Phoebe Hui nude photos' or 'Phoebe Hui naked'. Hur hur.)
But what I believe the nude photos were well taken. After all, as Phoebe Hui claimed that they were intended "as a remembrance of her youth". How old is she by the way that she's trying to immortalize her naked youth in the perpetually alive Internet?!
Shall follow up this incident with great interest. Hur hur. Till then I know many of you are ogling at Phoebe Hui's not naked photos in this May Daily post, "34-D belle loses phone, vital statistics all over web".Meet Asia's answer to Hollywood actress Blake Lively - Phoebe Hui.
A collection of nude photographs featuring the busty Hong Kong model has gone viral in the cyberspace.
Hui, the proud owner of D-cup breasts, admits that she's the person in the photos and that the nude shots leaked online after she lost her cell phone.
While some speculate that this is nothing but a gimmick, Hui denied it, saying that she lost her phone in a mall on June 17.
"I really didn’t expect the photos to be leaked as my cell phone is protected by password," she explained.
She said she took the photos for fun and as a remembrance of her youth.
"I hope everyone don’t take my photos too seriously. Many female celebrities overseas are doing this," she said.
Nevertheless, she is concerned that her personal data might be leaked and is considering seeking assistance from the police.
From Asiaone, "Nude shots of HK D-cup model leaked".
FORMER PAP MP Tan Cheng Bock has no plans to abandon his bid for presidency even if fellow presidential hopeful Tan Kin Lian contacts him about the possibility of one of them stepping aside.
'I'm not the kind of person who announces that I'm going to run, then after that decides not to. If I've made up my mind, nothing is going to change it,' he told The Straits Times yesterday.
He was asked for his response to Mr Tan's comments on Saturday that he was open to discussions with Dr Tan about the possibility of one of them stepping aside should both get certificates of eligibility from the Presidential Elections Committee.
Dr Tan said the former NTUC Income chief executive has not contacted him on the matter: 'But even if he did, I won't change my mind. I'm not open to the possibility of stepping aside. Nothing is going to change my mind about standing.'
Contacted yesterday, Mr Tan said he raised the possibility on Saturday because individuals, whom he did not identify, 'asked me to consider talking to Dr Tan Cheng Bock and discuss if one of us should drop out of the campaign to give the other candidate a better chance to contest against Dr Tony Tan'.
Former deputy prime minister Tony Tan announced last Thursday that he will run for the presidency as an independent candidate.
Former People's Action Party MP Tan Cheng Bock has stressed he will not abandon his plans to contest the Presidential Election.
"I am never more determined to contest this Presidential Election," wrote Dr Tan in a Facebook posting on Tuesday morning.
"I want Singapore united in transparency, integrity and independent thinking. I will not back off," he stated.
On Saturday, former NTUC Income chief executive Tan Kin Lian flagged the possibility of either one of them stepping aside so it could be a straight fight between either of them and latest entrant to the polls, former deputy prime minister Dr Tony Tan.
Dr Tony Tan announced last Thursday he would contest as an independent candidate.
Responding to Tan Kin Lian, Dr Tan Cheng Bock told The Straits Times on Monday the former had not contacted him. "But even if he did, I won't change my mind. I'm not open to the possibility of stepping aside. Nothing is going to change my mind about standing."
Tan Kin Lian told the paper, it is also his preference to stay in the contest, even if it means a three-way fight.
'People felt strongly that I should continue to contest the election as I am most independent of the PAP," he said.
Both he and Dr Tan Cheng Bock stressed that they stepped forward to allow voters a choice in the Presidential Election. They are focused on obtaining the Certificate of Eligibility first.
One contrast that appears to have arisen between the two already, however, is their fund-raising campaigns.
While Dr Tan Cheng Bock said he has no problems, Tan Kin Lian said he is having difficulty with getting donations.
Tan Kin Lian said in his blog, he aims to operate on a "modest" budget of $200,000 because of these difficulties. Several companies and individuals he approached for donations declined as they prefer to be "neutral".
"Support from ordinary citizens has also been slow," he added, describing his budget as a "modest, shoestring budget".
The fund raised will be used for printing and distribution of campaign material, outreach activities, rallies, rental of premises, logistics, contractors, sound systems, and the production of online videos.
He will also use $48,000 raised for the deposit in contesting the election.
He added," I can meet the expenses on my own, but I want the people to have the chance to contribute financially to the campaign as well. I do not wish to shoulder this arduous task and journey on my own with the help of a few supporters."
Dr Tan Cheng Bock, on the other hand, said he has received "quite strong support from the people".
"I do not think there will be a problem with the funding," he said. Although he declined to disclose details on his spending plans, earlier reports said his campaign budget could hit $500,000.
Each candidate is allowed to spend up to 30 cents per elector or $600,000 on election expenses, whichever is higher.
A belated follow-up to this post, "Presidential Racer Mohammed Raffi: "I Am No 4".", I've just found out this clip, "Fourth presidential hopeful collects forms (09 Jun 2011)".
Here's the description in the YouTube:A man, under investigation for allegedly driving a van spray-painted with expletives into the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore premises in January, is thinking of running for the Elected President's post.
Mohamed Raffi Bashir Ahmed, 50, turned up at the Elections Department on Thursday to collect forms to contest the Presidential Election. He said he did so because a friend had promised to be his campaign manager.
Mr Raffi said he retired three years ago after he "made his bundle". He did not disclose whether he had been a CEO or chairman of a company.
He was the former owner of the Singapore Satay Club in Sembawang.
Mr Raffi said if he became President, he would want to help Singaporeans become better citizens. "I've seen the good side of Singapore. I've seen the bad side of Singapore. But the worst was the ugly side of Singapore. So I want to help repair the ugly side of Singapore first."
After the incident in January, Mr Raffi was arrested again in March for disorderly behaviour in Changi where he is alleged to have used expletives on police officers.
He was subsequently remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric assessments and later freed on bail. Investigations into the expletives-painted van incident are ongoing.
Earlier Thursday, a group of three unidentified men turned up together at the Elections Department. They are believed to have collected forms for the Certificate of Eligibility. They declined comment when asked by MediaCorp why they were there.
Applications opened on June 1, and will close on the third day after a writ is issued for the Presidential Election which must take place before August 31.
To date, former People's Action Party (PAP) Member of Parliament (MP) Tan Cheng Bock, former NTUC Income chief Tan Kin Lian, and 70-year-old Mr Ooi Boon Ewe - who failed in his bid to contest the recent General Election as an independent candidate - have collected forms for the Presidential Election.
Representatives of former foreign affairs minister George Yeo on Monday collected the forms on his behalf.
MediaCorp understands that former group chief financial officer of JTC Corp, Andrew Kuan, will also be collecting the forms before the closing date.
So it is the same Mohamed Raffi Bashir Ahmed! Irregardless the use of 'Mohammed' (additional 'm' to the name). Heh. A (little) mystery is solved. Heh.
Sentinel Prime featured in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon"? Woo hoo!!! Can hardly wait.
Political watchers say Dr Tony Tan has the the edge in three-cornered fight--involving Dr Tan Cheng Bock & Mr Tan Kin Lian--in the 'coming soon, please!' Presidential race.
Political watchers are wrong.
It's Dr Tan Cheng Bock who will benefit from such a situation.
This is why.
Note that the logic is based on the following 2 premises:
1. The "pro-establishment" votes could be split between Dr Tony Tan and Dr Tan Cheng Bock. (As thought by SMU law lecturer Mr Eugene Tan.)
2. The "non pro-establishment" votes would likely be split between Mr Tan Kin Lian and Dr Tan Cheng Bock. (As suggested by a former NMP Mr Siew Kum Hong.)
From all eligible voters, let's assume that 60% are of "pro-establishment" and 40% are of "non pro-establishment". (The figures are simplistic indeed - and based from the latest General Election result.)
Of "pro-establishment" voters, let's assume that another 60% would prefer Dr Tony Tan (as he's perceived to be more pro-establishment. Disclaimer: I strongly disagree with this perception as evident from this post of mine, "Dr Tony Tan the Government's preferred Presidential candidate? Perhaps. Perhaps not.").
That means 40% (of "pro-establishment" voters) will opt for Dr Tan Cheng Bock.
In other words:
a) 60% of 60% total voters will go for Dr Tony Tan, that means 36% of overall votes.
b) 40% of 60% total voters will go for Dr Tony Tan, that means 24% of overall votes.
Of "non pro-establishment" voters, let's assume that 55% shall vote for Mr Tan Kin Lian whereas 45% for Dr Tan Cheng Bock (Note: I make use of the poll result conducted by Yahoo to gauge the choice between Mr Tan Kin Lian & Dr Tan Cheng Bock where they secured 2,270 votes & 1,987 votes respectively.)
In other words:
c) 55% of 40% total voters will go for Mr Tan Kin Lian, that means 22% of overall votes.
d) 45% of 40% total voters will go for Mr Tan Kin Lian, that means 18% of overall votes.
In conclusion:
- Dr Tony Tan shall secure 36% of overall votes
- Mr Tan Kin Lian 22% of overall votes
- Dr Tan Cheng Bock 24% + 18% = 42% of overall votes (WINNER!!)
There you go. Dr Tan Cheng Bock as the next Singapore President winning 42% of overall votes.
As many have commented, this Presidential election is going to be the most exciting ever!
The above are based on 'assumptions'. I could be very wrong. In the first place, it may not even be a three-cornered fight, it could be a many-cornered fight. Just see the recap so far of how many possible candidates in this Race. Heh.On Saturday, former NTUC Income CEO Tan Kin Lian reportedly said he was open to discussion with fellow presidential hopeful Tan Cheng Bock about the possibility of one of them stepping aside, should both get the nod from the Presidential Elections Committee.
Yesterday, when contacted by this newspaper, Mr Tan Kin Lian explained that the thought arose after some people had asked him to do so, in order "to give the other candidate a better chance against Dr Tony Tan" - a view that was shared by political observers whom Today spoke to.
Even so, some of the observers reiterated that a withdrawal of any of the hopefuls will be a setback to the maturing political landscape here.
The Presidential Election should not be framed as a contest between political affiliations, they pointed out. Rather, the higher the number of candidates contesting for the highest office on the land, the better it would be for Singapore because it gives voters more options.
Former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Zulkifli Baharudin said: "This is not party politics where it's the Opposition challenging the ruling party and trying to unseat its members."
What matters instead, is how each candidate would convince voters that he is independent and is best qualified to become President, he added.
Said Mr Zulkifli: "It's good for Singapore that more people contest, so anybody who is qualified and prepared to contest should come forward."
Concuring, another former NMP Siew Kum Hong, however, acknowledged that in the event of a three-cornered fight, the "non pro-establishment" votes would likely be split between Mr Tan Kin Lian and Dr Tan Cheng Bock.
Independent scholar Derek da Cunha noted that although former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan is not the Government-endorsed candidate, he is "very closely identified" with the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) - which means that he "is likely to pick up the bulk of support from all those who voted for the PAP in last month's General Election".
"That is a sizeable block vote," said Dr da Cunha.
Dr da Cunha argued that "the moment Dr Tony Tan announced his intention to stand in the Presidential Election, it made Mr Tan Kin Lian's candidacy quite uncompetitive".
Singapore Management University law lecturer Eugene Tan offered a different take: A three-cornered could actually work to Mr Tan Kin Lian's advantage if voters assessed the presidential hopefuls through politically-tinted lenses.
Assistant Professor Tan suggested that pro-establishment votes could be split between Dr Tony Tan and former Ayer Rajah MP Tan Cheng Bock.
With votes split three ways, it also raises the possibility that the President could be elected without an absolute majority, he added.
Reiterating that he is keeping his options open until after the Certificates of Eligibility are issued, Mr Tan Kin Lian told Today that some people feel "strongly" that he should continue running because he is the "most independent" of the PAP among the presidential hopefuls.
When contacted, Dr Tan Cheng Bock stressed that he is contesting the election.
When asked if he is open to discussions about either himself or Mr Tan Kin Lian withdrawing, he said he had no comment because the latter had not spoken to him yet.
From Today, "Dr Tony Tan has the edge in three-cornered fight, say political watchers".
These photos taken yesterday are what I was referring to in this post, "Hilarious M&M advertisement...". Heh. 
2. And also this one...
3. I was not the only one who couldn't resist the urge to take the photos.
4. The lady was showing the right way of holding the poster. Upside down. Heh.
5. The sighting of these sweet mutated candies to promote www.m-ms.com.sg
Congratulations to Ms Hazel Poa Koon Koon for being the new secretary general of the National Solidarity Party, replacing Mr Goh Meng Seng. She must have been very busy that she has not updated her blog (hazelpoa.blogspot.com) yet. Heh.
I'm quite relief that it's not Nicole Seah who becomes the secretary general. I mean it's getting too predictable if NSP is overly pushing forward this amazing young politician into the limelight.
Unless of course she's aiming a higher post in the party to replace Mr Sebastian Teo...THE National Solidarity Party (NSP) has elected a new slate of leaders to bring the party forward after the May 7 general election.
At a congress meeting on Sunday, former government scholarship holder Hazel Poa was voted in as the NSP's new secretary-general - the first woman to be made secretary-general of a political party here in decades.
She takes over from Mr Goh Meng Seng, who said on Sunday morning that he is stepping down from his position and the party's central executive council to take a two-year sabbatical from politics.
Ms Poa, 41, called her new role a 'heavy responsibility' but pledged to put in her best effort to help the party grow.
Business consultant Sebastian Teo, 63, was elected president for a fourth consecutive term. The congress also voted in 13 other members to sit on the NSP's central executive council, which makes collective decisions for the party, for the next two years.
Mr Teo said the council contained "a very good mix" of older and younger party members. One of them is 24-year-old Nicole Seah, who won support for her eloquence during the polls and helped her team score 43.4 per cent of the votes in Marine Parade GRC against the People's Action Party team. Said Ms Seah: "We have a very great responsibility, not just to rebuilding the party but also to forward the cause of the opposition in Singapore."
From Straits Times, "NSP elects new leaders".Opposition figure Hazel Poa has been elected as the new secretary-general of the National Solidarity Party (NSP) after the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the party met on Sunday.
Mr Sebastian Teo retains his position as party president.
Meanwhile, Mr Tony Tan, Mrs Jeannette Chong Aruldoss and Ms Nicole Seah were elected as council members.
Ms Poa's appointment came after Mr Goh Meng Seng stepped down as NSP's secretary-general.
Earlier on Sunday, Mr Goh said on his blog he would taking a sabbatical for at least two years.
Mr Goh, who will remain a congress member, also said he will try to help presidential hopeful Mr Tan Kin Lian in his campaign over the next couple of months.
He added he had an exciting one year and four months leading the NSP for the recent general election.
He described the NSP's result as its "best" since its inception even though it did not meet his expectation of winning seats in Parliament.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Hazel Poa is NSP chief".Former civil servant Hazel Poa yesterday became the first woman to lead a political party here, as she took over from Mr Goh Meng Seng as National Solidarity Party's (NSP) secretary-general.
Ms Poa was part of the NSP team which lost in the Chua Chu Kang GRC at last month's General Election (GE). The team garnered 38.8 per cent of the votes.
NSP's latest central executive council lineup features three other women - Ms Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss, Ms Nicole Seah and Ms Noraini Yunus, who stood as candidates in the recent GE. Mr Sebastian Teo remains party president.
Ms Poa, 41, told Today that she hoped NSP's new leadership slate would enable the party to shed its "male-dominated, Chinese towkay party" image.
When Today pointed out to her the significance of her appointment, Ms Poa said: "I have never felt gender to be a problem but I do hope that it can serve to encourage more women to step up."
Said political watcher Eugene Tan, a law lecturer at Singapore Management University: "Taken together with the higher number of women candidates in the last election, and Singapore having its first woman Opposition parliamentarian, Ms Poa's rise is a qualitative and not just quantitative symbol that women are not only getting more involved with politics but also can be in a position to make decisions."
Apart from building the party's branding, Ms Poa said the NSP will work at communicating more clearly its "political position" and stand on certain policy issues.
She also plans to have more collaboration and engagement with other Opposition political parties and set up grassroots organisations in areas the NSP is targeting in the next GE.
Ms Poa noted that the party will also go on an "aggressive" recruitment drive as it found that it had spread itself too thin during the recent GE. "For the next GE, we should be more focussed and more concentrated. Of course, that depends on how many members and candidates we are able to attract over the next five years," she said.
Mr Goh, who became NSP secretary-general last February, said he is taking a "political sabbatical" of at least two years. Meanwhile, he plans to help in former NTUC Income CEO Tan Kin Lian's presidential bid.
Mr Goh added that he may look into working with international non-governmental institutions or setting up a think tank, as well as look for business opportunities to provide financial support for the family of his late brother, David, who died in the early days of the elections campaign.
He said whether he stands for the next election will depend on the situation then, although he remains an NSP congress member for the time being.
From Today, "She's the first woman political party chief".
FORGET Bieber fever, and brace yourselves instead for a "Blush crush".
Newly formed Pan-Asian girl band Blush - which has been billed as the first A-Pop (Asian- pop) group - has big plans for international stardom, and are making good headway, too.
The quintet were the opening act for 17-year-old Canadian teen superstar Justin Bieber at his Hong Kong concert last month, and are working with A-list Los Angeles producers for their debut album.
They're not shy about coining a term like "Blush crush" either, describing the upcoming phenomenon as "being inspired by the Blush love and Blush power to go after your dreams".
"This opportunity (to be a part of Blush) wasn't handed to us - we worked hard for it and have learnt that it is precious," explained one of its members, Alisha Budhrani. "We hope others will be inspired to follow their passions."
Blush were speaking to my paper at TAB in Orchard Road during a five-day promotional trip to Singapore last week.
The Blush girls - comprising Budhrani, 19, who represents India; Victoria Chan, 28 (China); Natsuko Danjo, 20 (Japan); Lee Ji Hae, 26 (South Korea); and Angeli Flores, 19 (Philippines) - are based in Hong Kong, where they live together.
And they are unabashedly a manufactured group, not unlike the hugely successful 1990s pop powerhouse, the Spice Girls.
Blush are the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Jon and Stacey Niermann of independent production company FarWest Entertainment. The group was formed through a televised talent search, Project Lotus, which saw thousands across Asia competing for a spot in the final five.
But while the sassy fivesome are keen to break into the United States, they will retain their Asian roots, they say.
Their record, to be released by the year's end, will include songs in the girls' mother tongues and also feature traditional Asian instruments such as the sitar. In the meantime, the girls still celebrating their first milestone: the release of their first single, Undivided. The track was co-written by none other than American rapper Snoop Dogg, who will also appear in the song's music video, which was filmed in Los Angeles last month.
On working with Snoop, Flores enthused: "It was a lot of fun, because he's a very chilled-out and down-to-earth guy."
Chan added that the rapper, 39, took the time to chat about "where we're from and what we're doing", and even picked up take-out from one of his favourite restaurants, Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles, for them.
Their next big US appearance is in August, when Blush will perform on reality dance competition So You Think You Can Dance.
Blush are hopeful of being received well in the US, since Asian celebs, such as Filipino singer Charice Pempengco, who has a recurring role on TV show Glee, are doing well.
"There's so much Asian talent out there... We're hoping we'll be able to see that same success," said Budhrani.
Download Blush's single, Undivided, for free from www.blushband.com.
THEY'RE a long way from being the next Spice Girls or Pussycat Dolls, but five Asian women are hoping to take the world by storm in what is being billed as the first pan-Asian girl band.
Blush is made up of five girls from the Philippines, India, China, Japan and South Korea who beat hundreds of other pop star wannabes during a talent search across Asia last year.
After surviving weeks of gruelling training and an elimination process, the five are ready to make a big splash on the music scene - both in the East and the West - as they prepare for the release of their first single in May.
'We are hoping we can get global and touch everyone's heart out there with our music,' Alisha Budhrani from India told AFP in a recent interview as she took a break from dance practice in a Hong Kong studio. 'For us we are really happy that all of our countries can come together through music and we could go out there to show the diversity of Asia, how wonderful it is as a whole.'
'We got real different cultures, languages, dialects and (there are) all kind of crazy things going on in Asia,' said a self-assured Alisha, breaking into laughter with the other four girls, aged between 18 and 28.
The group's bid for superstardom may be a long shot, but they have been supported by an A-list of Los Angeles-based producers who have worked with top names like Lady Gaga, the Black Eyed Peas and Beyonce.
So is this news official? I've just checked the NSP website, "National Solidarity Party | My Voice My Choice" and nothing is mentioned about Mr Goh Meng Seng stepping down from being the secretary-general.
Kinda perplexing on why the supposedly official news is not mentioned 1st in the official website of the party.
Instead it's merely based on a blog post titled, "Political Sabbatical" published in Mr Goh Meng Seng's personal blog, "Singapore Alternatives".
The post was published this morning at 09:50 AM. Quoted as follows:I am stepping down from Secretary General of National Solidarity Party from today onwards.
It has been an exciting 1 year and 4 months of leading NSP as SG in its preparation and contesting in the last General Elections. There are "crisis" like NEA summon which I have to manage. But I am glad that we have managed it very well by NOT paying up the fines, else the impact would be unimaginable... can you imagine ALL opposition parties being banned from selling our publications and newspapers during our weekly regular outreach? It was a TOUGH but RIGHT decision and judgement made. A very important lesson and experience for all of us.
I have mixed feelings about the GE results NSP has achieved during my tenure as SG. It is the BEST electoral result that NSP has achieved since its inception but it is still not up to my expectation of winning seats in parliament. This is one of the small regret I have so far.
I will NOT be contesting for a seat in the NSP Central Executive Committee as well. I will go into Partisan Political Sabbatical for at least 2 years. I feel that as the outgoing Secretary General, I should refrain from staying in the CEC so that I would not be seen as undermining the authority of the New SG under any circumstances. But for the time being, I will still stay as a Congress member of NSP.
I will leave behind a stronger and better platform for my successor as well as Singaporeans who wish to contribute to the opposition movement to work on.
10 years in politics is a very tiring process. There is one saying, 1 year in politics is just like 10 years in life. It is very true indeed. But looking back at my initial motivations to get into partisan politics, I guess the two key missions I have set out to achieve, have been accomplished; though they might not be directly achieved by me.
The first mission is to break the hegemony of PAP power by breaching the first GRC. I believe that once the first GRC falls into opposition hands, there will be rapid changes which will create a more balanced system. This has been accomplished by Workers Party in GE2011.
The second mission is to bring justice to my generation of people who are so adversely affected by the so called "Asset Enhancement Scheme" created by the Goh Chok Tong administration. I feel that NSP has provided a good platform for me to elaborate on the ills of such irresponsible scheme which promotes GREED in the guise of "asset enhancement" but in actual fact, will cause great wealth disparity across generations. GE2011 is a very special event which allowed me to elaborate on the ills of the insane Asset Enhancement Scheme which was coupled of false sense of affordability of HDB flats propagated by the PAP.
Thus I should safely say that if I have to quit politics altogether now, I will gladly do so PROUDLY. I could finally tell my children and grandchildren wonder stories about my political involvement in Singapore in future!
However, the biggest regret I have during my tenure of SG is the death of my eldest brother in the tour of duty of helping me out during GE2011. His death has provided much grief as well as inspiration for me during this period.
What will I be doing during this Political Sabbatical period?
In the coming couple of months, I will try to help Mr. Tan Kin Lian out in his Presidential Campaign as much as possible. This will be just another small effort on my part to try and institutionalize REAL checks and balances in our political system.
I could be looking into getting myself involved in various international NGOs where I could further practice and enhance the Core Values of Democracy, Social Justice and Human Rights. I am currently looking into the World Problems of Refugees.
I could also be looking into more business opportunities else where so to earn more money to provide enough financial support for my late brother's family.
I could even be setting up a think tank with some other people who are interested in providing non-partisan policy views.
Whichever the case, I think it is about time to take stock of my future directions now. This timely Political Sabbatical will provide me the necessary breather to do just that.
Someone may ask me whether I will be back to stand for the next GE. Honestly, I have no answer to that now. It will depend on situations there and then.
But for my readers of this blog, I will still write periodically about my various thoughts whenever I have the inspiration to do so. Especially so for the coming couple of months, I will be writing more on the Presidential Elections.
I wish to thank all my supporters for all these years. Some of you have been truly great to me.
Last but not least, I also wish to thank my colleagues in NSP who have given me the support and opportunity to serve and lead the party for the past year.
Goh Meng Seng
It is a loss.
Considering I didn't really blog much about Mr Goh (very few posts on him here), I must admit my ignorance reading the Wikipedia article how impressive he is (Check out the Wikipedia article, "Goh Meng Seng" - specifically on the section of "Political Career").
Now that he's left, will Nicole Seah be the next Secretary General of NSP? Perhaps. Anything for a publicity that she is going to be the YOUNGEST secretary general of any political party in Singapore. Yeah. Possible, huh?!THE secretary-general of the opposition National Solidarity Party (NSP) announced on Sunday morning that he is stepping down from his post.
Mr Goh Meng Seng, 41, said in a blog post that he will be taking a two-year sabbatical and will be resigning from both his leadership position and the party's central executive council (CEC).
Mr Goh, who became NSP secretary-general in February last year, said he had 'mixed feelings' about the party's performance in the recent general election.
The party, which fielded the most number of candidates among the opposition, scored its best electoral result since it was founded in 1987. However, it failed to win any seats in Parliament.
Mr Goh, who will remain an NSP congress member, said he had some plans for his two-year break. Besides helping aspiring presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian with his campaign, he may look into working with non-governmental organisations or setting up a think-tank.
Mr Goh, who runs his own business, may also look into more business opportunities to help provide for the family of his late eldest brother David Goh. Mr David Goh was his brother's principal election agent in Tampines GRC and died in the early days of their campaign.
From Straits Times, "Goh Meng Seng steps down as NSP Secretary General".
The question people will be raising to Aetos auxiliary police officers is how come the handcuffed man could escape? Truly shameful! How many of you officers were there during the incident?!A MAN arrested for failing to appear in court for parking offences sparked a manhunt in Hougang Street 51 when he escaped from police custody - still handcuffed.
The 28-year-old, who goes by only one name Nicholas, turned himself in at the Ang Mo Kio North Neighbourhood Police Centre six hours later.
Aetos auxiliary police officers had gone to his home in Block 566 Hougang Street 51 at around 2pm on Thursday to arrest him for being a no-show in court.
As he was being handcuffed, he struggled and fled the scene.
The police were called and the five-hour search mounted in the area included officers from the police Special Operations Command, who arrived in four of their distinctive red vehicles.
Nicholas' photos went up in nearby coffee shops and residents were asked to look out for him.
From Straits Times, "Handcuffed man flees from police custody".
Intriguing.
And yet, it annoys me that the customers were merely asked to leave while the naked hostesses were caught.
It won't deter such a vice if the customers are still allowed to go unpunished. See, when there's a demand, there'll be a supply. It's a basic inevitable truth. So punish the customers (heck, shame them. Publish their photos!) and perhaps they would be thinking twice to indulge in this illegal sexcercise...
20 naked Vietnamese hostesses were arrested during a police raid on Wednesday night.
According to Lianhe Wanbao, the hostesses were caught serving customers naked in a lounge along Joo Chiat.
Plainclothes policemen had visited the bar and saw the hostesses fully naked and having sex with customers in the lounge.
The police conducted the raid at 8.50pm and arrested the Vietnamese women. They were ordered to put on their clothes before they were brought away for investigations. The lounge's customers were also asked to leave.
From Yahoo! News, "20 naked Vietnamese hostesses were arrested during a police raid on Wednesday night".
Tough questions for Miss Singapore Universe World 2011 contestants: what their views on infanticide in India & their stand on plastic sugery. (Thanks to Bunny for pointing out the mistake in the title of my post. It's 'Miss Singapore World 2011', not 'Miss Singapore Universe 2011'. Check out the links, ogle & know the difference. Heh.)
However it baffles me why the questions were asked by the judges while the contestants were only donning their bikinis?
Three out of 4 judges were male, for goodness' sake. Do you think they'd be able to digest whatever answers (intelligent, or otherwise) the contestants offered to these questions?
No seriously I find the interview-in-bikini mode is very offensive. There is no rationale to it. And it is completely irrelevant.
Guess it's time to start an online petition, anyone?
CRITICS have called our local pageant scene a "showgirls' club" and a "gay parade".
So, this year, the newly-appointed licensees of Miss Singapore World and Manhunt Singapore have something to prove.
Both contests are undergoing makeovers, much like the contestants who have been chosen to compete in them. Looks will still count in the race, but this year, brains and substance take centrestage.
Miss Singapore World 2011
WHAT are your views on infanticide in India?
Are you for or against plastic surgery?
Discuss.
While these may seem like General Paper essay topics, they were questions that were posed to the Miss Singapore World 2011 hopefuls on Saturday at the pageant's first audition round.
This was to identify the intelligent women, pageant organiser Raymund Ooi told The New Paper.
Held at beauty salon The Hair Secrets Beaute Care, which is sponsoring all the grooming needs of the contestants, the 20 applicants could only take deep breaths before tackling each topic.
It was made harder as some had to answer them while facing the judges and wearing only their bikinis.
The women had to first meet the panel - consisting of former plastic surgeon Dr William Khoo of Victory Clinic and Surgery; Ms Irene Teo, owner of The Hair Secrets; Mr Paul Lee, former Miss Malaysia World pageant licensee, and Mr Ooi - in cocktail dresses and then appear again in swimwear.
Two women even broke out in rashes due to their nerves, while others stammered and tried to regain control of their shaky voices.
Some took the path oft-trodden - by simply not answering the question. The contestant who was asked about the killing of baby girls in India due to a preference for boys cheekily replied that women are needed to give birth to those baby boys in the first place.
One who was quizzed on what she wanted to do about world poverty said her "biggest wish" was to fly to impoverished countries to help the starving.
But even after much prompting, she still couldn't name a single country she wanted to help.
To make things worse, she asked the judges: "You know? The one with the black people?"
When asked if she meant Africa, she nodded blankly.
Then, as an afterthought, while still on the world poverty question, she said she wanted to make enough money to take her mum for a holiday - to one of the impoverished countries, which she still couldn't name.
Even simple questions were misunderstood.
One contestant with coloured tresses, when asked if she dyed her hair often, replied with a baffling "even if I don't dye it, it'll look the same".
Another said that she was for plastic surgery only if a girl "wants it" but doesn't "need it".
After going on about how "great" enhancing one's looks was but how "wrong" it was to get work done so that "your boyfriend will like you more", the confused contestant finally broke down and confessed that she had had a nose job.
When asked how she would go about being a spokesman for children's charities, as that was the main cause of the Miss World pageant, one contestant replied: "I think that everyone deserves to be helped."
But there were also those who impressed the judges with their confidence and sound answers.
One girl, when asked her views on wealth, said that money was important to her, but she added that she has always kept in mind she shouldn't want more of it in a "negative way".
She then tied it back to educating children by saying that she wanted to help not only the needy, but also those born with a silver spoon in their mouths realise that hard work and not money was what made goals all the more satisfying whenfulfilled.
Mr Ooi said there were some "quality contestants" in this year's batch who had both beauty and brains.
Singaporeans Elle Xue and May Hsu were two standouts, but their places in the pageant are not in the bag yet.
We were asked not to reveal any of the women's particulars until the finalists are determined.
Another round of auditions with 20 more hopefuls will be held at the end of this week.
From Diva Asia, "Q&A too tough?".
The latest news about Dr Tony Tan declaring that he will contest the presidential election as an independent candidate is not really a surprise for me. Emphasis on 'independent'. I've imagined that it's unlikely he would be running as the Government's preferred candidate. (Referring to this post, "Dr Tony Tan the Government's preferred Presidential candidate? Perhaps. Perhaps not.")
I have a strong sense of premonition that Dr Tony Tan will be the next Singapore President.
No, I'm not influenced by the recent poll by Yahoo eventhough it's very flattering to Dr Tony Tan. See, the result of the poll was announced last Monday--and Dr Tony Tan had not even confirmed that he would be running for the Presidential election!--yet, 6,013 voted for him as the President, followed by the current President Mr SR Nathan (with 2,382 votes), Mr Tan Kin Lian (2,270 votes) and lastly Dr Tan Cheng Bock (1,987 votes). Truly an impressive result for one who's at that time not even a candidate yet.FORMER deputy prime minister Tony Tan, 71, who announced Thursday morning that he will contest the presidential election, said that he has resigned from the People's Action Party (PAP) and announced his resignation from the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) with effect from July 1.
He intends to run as an independent candidate. Speaking at a press conference, he said that he was not approached by the government to run as a candidate and that it was his own decision to do so.
Dr Tan collected forms for the presidential election this morning at the Elections Department, ending weeks of speculation over his possible candidacy. He is currently chairman of publicly-listed SPH and deputy chairman and executive director of the GIC.
He told reporters that the next president will make significant decisions affecting the security and well-being of Singaporeans and that if elected, he will be fair and independent: 'I will work with the government, all political parties and civil society to safeguard and advance the future of all Singaporeans.'
Former PAP backbencher Tan Cheng Bock, 71, and former NTUC Income chief executive Tan Kin Lian, 63, have also announced their candidacies.
From Straits Times, "Tony Tan runs as independent presidential candidate".Former Deputy Prime Minister Tony Tan said he is taking a risk in running for presidency.
Dr Tan, 71, arrived at the Elections Department at 10.25am on Thursday to pick up forms for the Certificate of Eligibility required to contest the upcoming Presidential Election.
He said: "If I'm granted a certificate of eligibility, I will contest the presidency election as an independent candidate."
Dr Tan was accompanied by his wife, Mary.
She said: "Well I'm very proud of my husband. I support him. And, I hope you all will too."
At a news conference, Dr Tan said he wasn't approached by anyone to run and it was his own decision.
He also said he has not sought any endorsement from the government, labour union nor any other organisations, but will be grateful and welcome it if given.
Whether the endorsement will be a disadvantage, Dr Tan said it's for Singaporeans to decide.
He said he feels that in present political, social and economic circumstances, it is his responsibility to try in the contest.
Dr Tan said he has resigned from the People's Action Party(PAP).
He will also resign from the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) with effect from July 1.
Dr Tan is currently the Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings as well as deputy chairman and executive director of GIC.
In a statement to MediaCorp, GIC said that Dr Tan is working with GIC Management to decide on his successors or changes to the various internal GIC appointments he holds.
A former mathematics and physics lecturer at the University of Singapore, Dr Tan entered politics in 1979 at the age of 38.
He left the Cabinet between 1991 and 1995, became chairman and CEO of OCBC Bank, before returning to the Cabinet to beef up its ranks in August 1995.
Dr Tan retired from politics after 26 years, having helmed the ministries of finance, education, defence, health, and trade and industry at different points in his career.
Earlier this month, Dr Tan said that the next elected President of Singapore will hold office during a period of enormous change.
He was responding to media queries as to whether he would be making a bid for the position in the coming election.
While neither confirming nor denying a bid at that time, Dr Tan said it's more important than ever to have a President with a steady hand and a deep understanding of the complexities behind each decision he may have to make.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Tony Tan to contest Presidential Election".A recent poll of Yahoo! Singapore users has revealed Dr Tony Tan to be the number one choice for the role of President.
Of the 12,652 users who participated in the poll on Yahoo!'s Fit-to-Post blog, 6,013 people -- 48 per cent of the vote -- voted for the former Deputy Prime Minister, who stepped down in 2005 and was succeeded by Wong Kan Seng.
The 71-year-old is well-known to have a strong independent mind, standing up to then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew over issues such as the Graduate Mother's Scheme when he was Minister for Education.
Currently the deputy chairman and executive director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC), Dr Tan also spoke against the introduction of the Integrated Resorts, leading to then-East Coast GRC MP Tan Soo Khoon's comment, "It is probably the first time that I have heard Cabinet Ministers, starting with no less than the Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Tony Tan, expressing divergent views on a single topic."
He is also currently the chairman of the Singapore Exchange-listed, Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), a post he has held since his retirement from Cabinet in December 2005.
Other options listed in the poll included former Ayer Rajah MP Tan Cheng Bock (1,987 votes), ex-NTUC Income chief Tan Kin Lian (2,270 votes) and incumbent President S R Nathan (2,382 votes).
From Yahoo! News, "Dr Tony Tan favourite for President role". (20/06/11)
Remember about SPH Red Apple Day held in January this year which I raised a somewhat futile objection that goodies were given to the blood donors?
This time there wouldn't be any (please, SPH tell me that I'm right!). And I do sincerely hope that there would be more blood donors for this July goodie-less event.
For comparison in January (when the goodies were offered as a token of appreciation), there were 280 donors & 166 units of blood collected.
For this coming SPH Red Apple Day on 7 July? Let us have more donors & more units of blood collected, gentle souls of selfless blood donors!
See you there... SINGAPORE Press Holdings (SPH) will be holding the second round of its bi-annual blood donation drive - the SPH Red Apple Day - on July 7, to encourage both its staff and the public to donate blood.
Jointly organised by SPH and the Singapore Red Cross Society, the event will be held at the auditorium of the News Centre at Toa Payoh North from 11am to 5pm. As with previous donation drives, the first hour (11am-noon) will be reserved for SPH staff, and the public can head there from noon onwards.
The demand for blood in the Bloodbank is increasing. As it stands, 350 units of blood are needed per day.
The SPH Red Apple Day was initially launched in 2001 as an annual event. Responding to a dip in blood donations during the festive period, the frequency was doubled and one more drive was added to the event calenders of SPH and the Singapore Red Cross Society.
The last event on Jan 25 2011 attracted 280 donors and collected a total of 166 units of blood.
From Straits Times, "SPH blood donation drive back on July 7".
About the 7 July event from SPH website, "The SPH Red Apple Day is back for a second time this year":Launched in 2001, SPH Red Apple Day is one of the ways in which SPH contributes to society as a good corporate citizen and was originally held once a year. In response to a dip in blood donations during the festive period, SPH decided to add another blood donation drive to its annual calendar.
The SPH Red Apple Day is supported by SPH MediaBoxOffice, AsiaOne, SPH UnionWorks´ 91.3 FM and Radio 100.3, Benelux, Centrum, Cerebos, Gardenia, Marigold and Nestle. SPH is also supported by Beatty Secondary, which will be sending its students to help out with the blood donation drive.
Just when I'm getting interested to find out more about this IPO of Bumitama Gunajaya Agro , they just have to announce that it will be postponed due to market conditions. Darn.Indonesia's Bumitama Gunajaya Agro has postponed plans to raise about US$150 million via an initial public offering (IPO) here due to the current uncertainty in financial markets, according to a notice seen by Reuters yesterday.
'The IPO has been postponed due to market conditions,' the notice said, adding that investor meetings scheduled to take place this week have been cancelled. HSBC and DBS began pre-marketing the Bumitama IPO last week.
From Business Times, "Bumitama Gunajaya Agro postpones IPO".Indonesia's Bumitama Gunajaya Agro (BGA) is targeting a Singapore listing in the third quarter to raise around $150 million, in a bet that investor appetite for resources will hold up despite the overall weak market, sources said on Friday.
"HSBC and DBS are currently pre-marketing the approximately $150 million IPO for BGA palm oil plantation on the Singapore Exchange. Management roadshows are expected to commence in early July," a source familiar with the deal told Reuters. The source did not want to be named because the information has not been made public.
Two other sources said DBS will speak to some of its traders and potential investors later on Friday in Singapore, while HSBC has planned meetings in Hong Kong next week and London the week after.
HSBC and DBS declined to comment.
It was not immediately clear if BGA will list all its operations in the IPO. BGA owns palm oil plantations and processes the fresh palm fruit into crude palm oil and palm kernel for sale in Indonesia.
According to BGA group's website (www.bumitama.com), the group has operations in Kalimantan and Riau with a planted area of about 95,800 hectares.
BGA hopes to expand its planted area to 200,000 hectares by 2015 and has a partnership with Malaysia's IOI Corp.
From Reuters, "Indonesia's Bumitama to raise about $150 mln in S'pore IPO". (17/06/11)
'I JUST hope we don't go bankrupt,' Alexander Zhao deadpanned as he talked about the future of Salvation Sam, a western style comic he and co-writer Aravind Menon created.
Thanks to an angel investor who seeded the money, 40,000 copies of their first comic book were printed and given out for free, with a retail version due later this year.
But the race of the comic's main character Salvation Sam, a superhero based in Sacramento, California, has received negative feedback from netizens, like Bluehawk168 who commented on citizen journalism website STOMP: 'I would like to see superheroes in comics about Singapore not elsewhere.'
Salvation Sam's creator were quick to jump to his defence and rectify such misconceptions.
'The character is supposed to be 'chindian'. His parents are Chinese and Indian. It is because the writers are Chinese and Indian which is why we chose that,' quipped Aravind in an interview with RazorTV.
The writers further revealed plans to bring the story back to Singapore and feature 'Singlish' as well as more of their favourite local food in future issues, considering 'his (the character's) parents still live in Singapore and they would kill him if he didn't come visit.'
The answer: When it is not good enough.
Let me illustrate the answer with the latest news on SMRT's goodwill of $15,000 to a 15-year-old Thai girl who lost both her legs after falling onto the MRT tracks in Ang Mo Kio. SMRT has clarified that S$5,000 was offered to Nitcharee's father, Mr Kittanesh Pen-eakchanasak at the end of May and earlier another S$10,000 was offered to Nitcharee's family to travel to Singapore when Nitcharee was still in hospital.
Apparently the 'goodwill' money which is never meant as compensation is not good enough. And thus, SMRT was sued for $3.4M!RAIL operator SMRT on Monday broke its silence on how it has helped the Thai teenager who lost both her legs after landing on an MRT track and being hit by a train.
The father of 15-year-old Nitcharee Peneakchanasak, Mr Kittanesh Peneakchanasak, 56, is suing SMRT for negligence on her behalf.
SMRT had earlier declined to comment on media reports that quoted Mr Peneakchanasak as expressing disappointment over the $5,000 he said the rail operator had offered as compensation. Relating what had happened so far, SMRT said that following the incident on April 3, it immediately began looking at how it could help Nitcharee and her family.
'We were mindful of the special circumstances surrounding the case: A young girl who was alone in Singapore was seriously hurt, and needed her family by her side as she sought to overcome the trauma and recuperate.'
To facilitate her family travelling to Singapore to be with her, SMRT said it offered 'an initial financial support' of $10,000 to cover the expenses incurred during their journey and stay here. 'Our help was meant to be a goodwill gesture, not compensation,' it said. It added that this was clearly indicated to the father in their meeting and he 'accepted our offers of help'.
Following an appeal by him through the Thai Embassy for further help, SMRT provided a further assistance of $5,000 at the end of last month, it said.
From Straits Times, "SMRT: $15,000 given to family as goodwill aid".SMRT has clarified that the money offered to a 15-year-old Thai girl who lost both her legs after falling onto the MRT tracks in Ang Mo Kio was a gesture of goodwill and not compensation.
The transport company said compensation would only be made after police have concluded their investigations.
SMRT said S$5,000 was offered to Nitcharee's father, Mr Kittanesh Pen-eakchanasak at the end of May.
It had made known to both the Thai Embasy and Mr Kittanesh that the offer was only a gesture of goodwill, it added.
Hence, it was surprised that reports had quoted Mr Kittanesh as considering the money as compensation.
SMRT said another S$10,000 was offered to Nitcharee's family to travel to Singapore when Nitcharee was still in hospital.
This, it said, was also a gesture of goodwill.
From Channel NewsAsia, "S$5,000 offered to Thai amputee not compensation: SMRT".
The latest case of violence against a taxi driver has the culprit jailed for 12 months. The crime? Punching & kicking a taxi driver's face & body several times.
I wonder how this case will relate to that of Quan Yifeng's (Referring to this post, "Mischievous Quan Yifeng charged not only with mischief!!")
Quan Yifeng was charged with TWO counts of mischief and ONE count of using criminal force on a taxi driver. The maximum punishment shall be 2 years and 3 months of jail.
Compare that to the "voluntarily causing hurt" which Sulaimi Ismail pleaded guilty to. He's got a 12-month jail out of the maximum 24-month.
And my point? Well, if Quan Yifeng is indeed proven guilty, it may be unlikely that she'll be slapped with the maximum punishment. A 42-year-old man was jailed Monday for 12 months, for punching and kicking a taxi driver's face and body several times.
Sulaimi Ismail pleaded guilty to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to 34-year-old Ng Weng Soon, and a second charge was taken into consideration.
The offence took place at the junction of Redhill Close and Tiong Bahru Road, at about 8pm on November 7 last year.
Investigations revealed that Sulaimi, his girlfriend and another companion, were drinking at Redhill Market, before leaving for Kandang Kerbau Hospital.
Mr Ng, who was driving his taxi along Redhill Close, spotted Sulaimi flagging down his taxi.
The cabby then changed the sign on his taxi to "busy."
The court heard that Mr Ng wanted to go to a nearby petrol station to buy a drink before picking up passengers.
Mr Ng, who was also wary of the trio as they appeared drunk to him, then continued driving along Redhill Close without stopping for them.
When Mr Ng later stopped at a red light a little distance away, Sulaimi ran after the taxi, before opening the driver's door and scolding Mr Ng with vulgarities for not picking him up.
When Sulaimi raised his right fist, Mr Ng ran out of the taxi and Sulaimi chased him.
When Mr Ng asked Sulaimi to stop his actions, Sulaimi responded by punching Ng's face and body several times with both his hands, and later kicking him.
Sulaimi was eventually pulled away by his girlfriend, and they fled the scene.
A medical report showed that Mr Ng suffered several bruises over the left elbow and both knees.
For voluntarily causing hurt, Sulaimi could have been jailed up to two years, fined S$5,000, or both.
From Channel NewsAsia, "Man jailed 12 months for punching and kicking taxi driver".
