Lawrence Wong – The citizens must play their part by offering alternative solutions

Leong Sze Hian was so pissed off by the comments of Lawrence Wong that opposition parties were opposing for the sake of opposition and not offering solutions to help the govt that he wrote an article addressing the remarks directly. This is what Leong Sze Hian wrote:
 
I refer to the article “Citizens should be active in seeking solutions to improve Singapore: Lawrence Wong” (Straits Times, Oct 17). “This goes beyond partisan politics. It’s about the kind of democracy we want to be, and that I hope we can be – a democracy of integrity, and a democracy of deeds, made up of an active citizenry who get involved in developing solutions for a better society.” Lawrence Wong
 
Quoting Lawrence Wong, Leong Sze Hian said, ‘In the last 15 years or so – I have written a few thousand articles, a few hundred letters published in the newspaper forum pages, about 50 videos on youtube, more than a hundred radio talkshows, made scores of suggestions, etc.
 
In particular, I do not think I have hardly had any response to my suggestions.’
Leong went on to list 12 of his suggestions on healthcare. And it is not only Leong Sze Hian that had been making suggestions to the govt, here is a list of the suggestions or alternate policies put up by SDP.
 
- on Healthcare (http://yoursdp.org/_ld/0/5_sdp-national-he.pdf, http://yoursdp.org/publ/sdp_39_s_alternatives/healthcare/31)
- on Housing (http://yoursdp.org/_ld/0/7_Housing_a_Natio.pdf, http://yoursdp.org/publ/sdp_39_s_alternatives/housing/32)
- on Population (http://yoursdp.org/_ld/0/8_Building_a_Peop.pdf, http://yoursdp.org/news/sdp_unveils_six_point_plan_to_control_population/2013-02-14-5548)
- on Ministers' salaries (http://yoursdp.org/_ld/0/2_ethical-salarie.pdf)
- on Economy (an update coming soon, http://yoursdp.org/publ/sdp_39_s_alternatives/economy/25)
- on Education (http://yoursdp.org/news/scrap_psle_delay_streaming_and_foster_creativity/2014-05-18-5827, http://yoursdp.org/_ld/0/12_SDP_Education_P.pdf)
- on Malay issues (http://yoursdp.org/_ld/0/10_A_Singapore_for.pdf, http://yoursdp.org/news/sdp_holds_historic_malay_discussion_in_dignified_manner/2012-09-08-5341)
- on the Budget (http://yoursdp.org/_ld/0/9_Transforming_Ou.pdf, http://yoursdp.org/_ld/0/4_sdp-shadow-budg.pdf)

I can see the glaring problems in Lawrence Wong’s complaint about opposition and citizens not offering solutions to the govt. He or the govt did not receive the above suggestions and solutions put up by Leong Sze Hian and the SDP. The two parties are thus also at fault. They must send their solutions to the govt for considerations, by SingPost courier service to make sure that they are received. They must know that suggestions or solutions put up in opposition party websites and social media may not reach the govt as they are very busy and unlikely to have time browsing the net or going to read opposition party websites. Maybe if they put them up in Reach then the chances of the govt reading them would be good. At least Amy Khor will read them and maybe make a summary of the number of suggestions put up. Then Lawrence would not make those complaints and acted ignorant of all the suggestions and solutions available.

It is thus unfair to blame Lawrence Wong for not knowing that Leong and the SDP have put up a lot of suggestions and solutions. I have a win win suggestion. Leong Sze Hian and the SDP should quickly submit all their 10 years of solutions and suggestions to the govt so that Lawrence Wong and his colleagues can read them and use them to make improvements on govt policies.

What do you think? Good suggestion or not?

PS. I have a confession to make. I am one of those that never offer solutions or suggestions. But I have my reasons. I need to work for a living, so have no time to help the govt solve national problems. I am just being pragmatic. I also don’t believe in working for nothing or being paid handsomely for not working.

Kopi Level - Yellow

World Universities Rankings trivialise Research Excellence

By MIKOspace

Bogus World Universities Rankings promote Mediocrity and Worthless Value as Excellence

True research excellence is the product of passion and genuine scientific investigative efforts directed at purposeful outcomes in the form of “discoveries that will benefit Singaporeans and humankind globally” (Dr Tony Tan, 29 Jul 2006).   The desired goal of NTU research is “the harnessing and capturing of value” (Dr Tony Tan, 29 Mar 2007). This is our Definition of “Research Excellence”.

Singapore Universities NUS and NTU were recently ranked among the Top by THE (Times Higher Education) World University Rankings. The London-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranked NTU as the World’s Youngest Best University.

For QS Rankers, Research “Excellence” is measured by a questionable proxy measure called “Citations per faculty (20%)”.

Their “Citations” indicator aims to assess Universities’ Research Output. A ‘citation’ means a piece of research being cited (referred to) within another piece of research. Generally, the more often a piece of research is cited by others, the more influential it is. A rather simple but nonetheless naïve and invalid construct of “Research Excellence”, revealing QS’ ignorance and lack of understanding regarding Universities Research Excellence.  

Popular facts mentioned that Albert Einstein only published 3 papers.   Many NTU and NUS professors however, like many of their counterparts elsewhere, actually publish more journal papers than Nobel Prize potentials and winners!  

For QS Rankers, the winning Soccer Team is determined by counting the number of passes and ball possessions instead of the overall goals score impact!  Seriously, how VALID or Significant would this be?

There should be clear, ample proof that “new” knowledge contained and “cited” in these journal and conference papers is in fact of some degree of significance public value.

QS Rankers failed to evaluate the extent to which NTU had attained its Goal directive to “harness and capture value” (Dr Tony Tan, 29 Mar 2007).

Such glaringly blatant and obvious defects should NOT have escaped the penetrative professional scrutiny of NTU Senior Management and Administrators, many of whom eminent Professors and Researchers themselves, who had pronounced and unashamedly embraced the spurious and bogus QS Rankings to position our University in spite of its lack of validity and reliability of their Criterion measures.

In doing so, irreparable damage was done to the great authentic reputation of Singapore. Singapore universities should no longer participate in any Global Universities Ranking scams, no matter what other “famous” Universities had been included.  All Marketing collaterals making references to the bogus University Rankings should also be cleansed of the lie and return our Institution to Authentic levels of transparency and integrity. 

Kopi Level- Yellow 

Read Full Article:

Research Excellence Trivialised by Universities Rankings

UK going after Internel trolls

‘Internet trolls will face up to two years in jail under tough new laws proposed by Justice Secretary Chris Grayling following a number of high profile cases.

The sentence for internet abuse is presently six months but under the plans Mr Grayling is proposing to take a hard stance and quadruple it…

The Justice Secretary told the Mail on Sunday: "These internet trolls are cowards who are poisoning our national life.

"No-one would permit such venom in person, so there should be no place for it on social media.

"That is why we are determined to quadruple the current six-month sentence."’

The full article is at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/celebritynews/11172231/Internet-trolls-t...

Raymond, the resident troll in mysingaporenews, this article is targeted at you. I am collecting hard copies of all your postings here. When the law is passed and also introduced here, you will be hanging on the laundry wire for drying. The law will catch up with trolls like Raymond and he has nothing to protect him.

Just keep on with your heckling and harassment here, don’t let up.

Kopi Level - Yellow

The Americunts reviewing sale of Waldorf to Chinese firm

Apologies to Americans for using the term Americunts in this case. There is a huge trade deficit in America’s trade with China and this is giving the Americans a lot of excuses to complain against the Chinese Govt. But what would the Americans expect the Chinese to do with the money from their trade surplus when they could not buy anything that the Americunts considered as militarily sensitive or strategically unacceptable? Do they expect the Chinese to buy root beer, hamburgers and chew gums when they are banned from buying military equipment and high tech stuff that have potential for military use? Everything has a potential to be used in military equipment, like a simple magnet or a solar cell.

So the Chinese bought a hotel, an American icon no doubt. And this is also prohibited for security reasons as the rich and famous and powerful Americans like to stay at the Waldorf. And hey, the management and operations of the hotel will be in the hands of Americunts for  another 100 years. What security risks are they talking about? It is in American soil and the secret police and FBIs would have all the say about security matters in the hotel. Or at worse, American politicians should not be allowed to stay at the Waldorf and there are plenty of other good hotels available.

Come on Americunts, stop being a bitch. Stop bitching in every little things. The Cold War ended decades ago. Oops, the war for world dominance is still hot and getting hotter. Free trade? Liberty?

PS. China is going buy up the Liberty Statue. Any problem with that?

The Hong Lim Affair – What’s it all about?

Many have rightly pointed out that this Hong Lim Affair has distracted many people from the real issues of CPF, influx of foreigners, PME jobs, Yang Yin, lawyers over charging clients by the millions, and many other major issues that were really hot with the people. Now everyone is engrossed first with the heckling of children and now with unlawful assembly, and the two main charactors of the Hong Lim Affair were kept very busy trying to shake themselves loose. Ariffin Sha is taking a long leave with no intention of coming back after being invited for kopi.

What is happening now is that Roy and Hui Hui would be so disturbed, troubled and preoccupied by the pressure mounting on them by the investigation. They would be kept very busy trying to ward off all the unnecessary attention and demands on their time. In a way they are now under attack instead of preparing their attacks on the CPF issues in the next rally on 25 Oct.

Tactically this whole drama is a good move, from defence to offence. Never mind if the charges or investigations would not come up with naught. And it has been quite successful with the netizens too being involved in trying to block all the attacks and throw back everything thrown at Roy or Hui Hui. They too did not have time to concentrate on the real issues at hand.

It is now a different agenda not set by Roy or Hui Hui.  Would they be able to circumvent this new battle field, seize back the initiative and return to their own battle field unscathed, and in the right frame of mind to do battle again? It is a test of their resolute and resilience and how they face off with the authority. If they could survive the drama they would come out very much tougher and stronger to face more challenges and gruelling charges and arrows coming their way.

Could Roy and Hui Hui call upon more resources and supporters to their side? They need everyone to shield them from the assault. Would the people form a barricade around them? At the moment only the netizens and social media are taking up the challenge to stand shoulder to shoulder with them. It would be good if some of the political parties would speak out and join battle together. The job is cut out for the opposition parties to come forward and stand on the side of the people, to be seen to be doing something. Would they?

The last thing to happen is for the people to desert Roy and Hui Hui and leave them on the lurch when they needed their support badly.  Could these two youngsters stand bravely against GPMGs, tanks, bazookas, sniper bullets, mortars, rockets, artillery and bombs raining on them from the air and everywhere and survive?

Would there be a bigger turnout on 25 Oct at Hong Lim? Or would the rally on 25 Oct not even take place? Would the two be able to stick to their agenda and pursue the CPF cause tenaciously to the end and not be driven by other people’s agenda?

Kopi Level - Yellow