Dear A.S.S.,

A row of beautiful trees were savagely trimmed on 15th July 2015 to give broader view of the kaleidoscope cloths put on the walls of the corridors for SG50 event.

These trees provide shade to the blast of afternoon sun.Just for one event, how long will residents on the lower floors have to suffer the hot blast before the branches regrow to their past glory.Is there a need to trim these trees so drastically?

It there is a serious need to consider conserving our greens in every event. There is a serious need to consider conserving our greens in any event or to ask for the consent of the residents affected by the loss of shade for a long time to come after the event.

Auntie Lily
Blk 23 Bedok South Avenue 1 S460031
A.S.S. Contributor

Dear Editors,

This is a sad day for Singapore. Even on our nation's 50th birthday, there is a total lack of respect for our nation. Take a look at this image a friend sent me. Do you see what is wrong with this Singapore flag? It is a pirated Singapore flag that has the stars printed wrongly. You know what is worse, this pirated flag was used to decorate the estate for our nation's birthday celebrations.

Correct Flag:

I did not see the person who put up the flag but can we all take a guess who used such a pirated flag and put it up?

It is disgraceful that the sacred symbol of our country's sovereignty was pirated and disrespected. Worse is the person who put it up didn't even realise it was a fake Singapore flag. Makes me wonder if he is even Singaporean.

Any loyal Singaporean will spot the mistake easily. I wonder who that "patriotic" idiot is...

Jun Jie

A.S.S. Contributor

Turkish-based hacker group "Ayyildiz Tim" hacked local car dealer Eurokars Group's Mazda website yesterday, raising fears that details of members and users of the website have been comprosied.

Eurokars has defended the security of its customer data collected via the website.

The defaced www.mazda.com.sg website, spotted as early as 9am Thursday morning, carried the hacker group's logo and the message: "Injustice, Oppression and War with all our might...Freedom for All Muslims." It was taken down at around 10.30am, replaced by the "Service Temporarily Unavailable" message. By around 11.15am, the website was up again.

When contacted, a Mazda spokesman confirmed that the site was attacked, but said the car dealer was still investigating the incident. A police report has been made.

The website allows car owners to make service appointments by entering personal details such as name and NRIC, car and contact numbers. It is not known if customer details were compromised.

38 year-old Singaporean Sun Hongli could face the death penalty in the United States if convicted with murder. He was charged in court on Tuesday with running over a man whom he suspected of having an affair with his wife, and then stabbing him to death.

The dentist, 54 year-old Liu Xuan, had gotten to know Sun's wife and hired her to work at his dental practice in Irvine city, California, last year.

Sun, who is an engineer, and his wife had initially been separated and begun divorce proceedings at that time. However, the couple changed their minds and got back together.

Last Saturday, Sun waited at a car park in his Mercedes-Benz SUV, then knocked Liu down when he turned up.

Liu survived, and tried to get up, but Sun got out of his car and stabbed him. Liu was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Sun also stabbed a female associate of Liu's who attempted to intervene, but she is expected to survive her injuries.

Sun and his wife were married in Singapore 12 years ago and have an 8-year-old son.

Metropolitan Productions, the producers behind The LKY Musical, has issued a statement to refuge allegations from actor Tan Shou Chen that the government had been heavily involved in the musical production.

The musical production team had sought various sources to ensure their historical facts were accurate, said Metropolitan, and one of these sources was chief of Government communications Janadas Devan.

“For example, we had a scene where (former Deputy Prime Minister) Goh Keng Swee tells Mr Lee Kuan Yew about his Albatross file relating to separation with Malaysia,” said a spokesperson for the producers. “Mr Janadas told us no one knew of the existence of the file until decades later.”

The Albatross file is a record of Dr Goh’s meeting with then Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Razak and Home Affairs Minister Ismail Abdul Rahman in June 1965, when Dr Goh persuaded them of the need for Singapore to secede.

Metropolitan reiterated that government officials did not impose any demands on them. “At no time did he or anyone else ask us to change any part of the story.”

Actor Tan Shou Chen, who plays Deputy Prime Minister Dr Toh Chin Chye, had hinted that the Ministry of Communications and Information had influencing the direction of the play, but did not elaborate. He wrote: “My question is how much influence (not authority) has the Government had on the artistic process and how much have been unquestioned (sic).”

He subsequently removed the post on Wednesday morning. No explanation was given for why it was taken down.

The MCI has also issued its own statement on the matter, saying that it had not altered, edited or insisted on changes to the script in any way. The ministry added that it had not asked for the script to be sent to them in the first place. It also confirmed that the producers of the musical had approached Mr Janadas directly in his personal capacity because they thought he was a good source of information about Singapore’s history. It said it did not have any issues with the script.

Editor's Note: A reader has sent us his thoughts on being a Singaporean living in Australia.

You all want to know how a quitter feel? I give you the real deal. I am quitter living in Australia now.

1) I miss SG. All my friends in sg. All sec sch/JC till now still close. More than that, I miss speaking singlish. I talk to ang moh until mouth pain. Talk good english is sibei sian one, I tell you. I also miss chicken rice, bak chor mee, mee rebus, fried fish soup, zi char, carrot cake, curry puff, ice kopi/teh, etc. I miss walking around suntec, bedok, etc. Go everywhere also see the same kind.

2) I cannot go back because I cannot make it (CMI). I cannot work any longer than 9-5. My salary here is quite overpaid. I think I'll only get less than half if I go back. I cannot tahan reservist, because I so long haven't go back, cannot take regimentation. My camo still the blotchy type, only know how to use AR15, never touch SAR21 b4. New webbing I don't even know how to put on. Basically I quite spoilt here materially. I cannot take crowd, very stress. The last time I went back, walk orchard road hyperventilate and almost nervous breakdown after 1 hr.

3) I cannot go back because my family also CMI. Don't want my children to studee so hard. My brother told me his friend send the child to 8 enrichment classes a week when he is 5 years old. Aussie maybe 16/17 send to 1. My wife also cannot work hard or take stress type

4) I will never be real aussie. This will never be my true home. Not because I don't want to, but because of how I was brought up. they are welcoming, but they are very different. even the way they think, the way they talk, also don't interest me, but i must act a bit. The American born Chinese call us FOB, Fresh Off the Boat, or low class people, they were also brought up very differently. Just cannot click la. I keep trying to integrate, but just a very strange feeling la.

5) I feel very stuck. I cannot live in sg, but aussie also not my true home. So how? I scare my daughter become SPG, because I will disown her. I hope my children will be stronger so they can go back to sg in my place. I still feel very strongly for east asian people, but at the same time, the way tiongs do things also very farked up, while ang moh seem to have better ways of doing things. Feels very mao dun. Jin sian.

In an interview with Time Magazine released on Thursday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave his views on a variety of topics, including the need to balance the population of more than 1.3 million foreign workers, which make up a quarter of Singapore’s population, while forging a national identity with a Singaporean "core".

According to Lee: “If you don’t have that Singapore core, you can top up the numbers, but you are no longer Singapore. It doesn’t feel Singapore, it isn’t Singapore and we can issue everybody red passports, but where is the continuity?”

He says the Government has taken steps to slow the intake of foreigners in recent years, but faced with a rapidly ageing population, “the solution we have to be able to work, is to have enough of our own children for the next generation.”

He reiterated a point he made at a recent public lecture that demographics will continue to be a challenge for Singapore over the next 25 years.

Responding to Time’s observation that Singapore has been “quite successful” in forging a national identity, Mr Lee maintained the issue was “not that simple”. He highlighted various sub-divisions that could cause tensions such as race, language and religion, as well as personal positions on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues.

Making Singaporeans feel rooted is a challenge as well. Options for them to leave are “plentiful”, Mr Lee noted, more so for the talented.

“With Singaporeans, you speak English, you’re well-educated, the doors open everywhere. You can go to Silicon Valley, you can go to Sydney, you can go to Perth, you can go to London, Frankfurt, you’re welcomed and it’s not just talking about five, 10 per cent at the top who are like that but 30, 40, maybe even 50 per cent who are welcomed.

“If the successful ones mostly leave, we’re going to be depleted. And if it goes beyond the successful ones, we’ll be shrunken.”

“Maintaining a strong, unique national identity”

According to the Channel NewsAsia news report “Three biggest challenges Singapore will face up to SG100: Lee HsienLoong” (Jul 23) – “In the long term, maintaining a strong, unique national identity is key to prolonging Singapore’s success story …

If Singapore does not get the balance between its birthrate and immigration policies right, the country could end up in the same “tight spot” the Japanese currently face …

But the key to keep Singapore successful in 2065 – 50 years from now, and a hundred years from Independence – is in maintaining a unique sense of national identity …

“People must feel that we are Singaporeans”

“Before you can make any policies and get people to say ‘I want to do this or the other’, first, people must feel that we are Singaporeans and we want to be together and we are different from the others and we are special” …

“And keeping that sense of unity and specialness over the long-term – I think it is critical and it is a very big challenge”…

the landmark of 50 years of Independence is a time of both celebration and soul-searching for Singapore”.

In this connection (national identity), on the average in a year – there were

… 43,852 new PRs granted

(348,654 new PRs granted from 2007 to 2014)

… 19,240 new citizens granted

(153,923 new citizens granted from 2007 to 2014)

… about 60,000 increase in foreign workers

(estimated 490,000 increase in foreign workers from 2007 to 2014)

… 35,000 Dependent Pass (DPs) and Long-term Visit Pass (LTVPs)

issued to dependents of foreign workers on Employment Passes (EP) (from 2005 to 2010)

… estimated 3,000 new tertiary students (non-Singaporean – foreigners and PRs) in a year

… the above 5 categories alone add up to an estimated 161,092 a year!

… how many DPs and LTVPs to dependents of PRs, new citizens and citizens?

… how many foreign university interns who may have competed for jobs – average 6 months stay in Singapore?

… how many foreigners came as tourists to look for jobs?

… how many non-Singaporean (foreigners and PRs) undergraduate and graduate students in the public universities’ total enrollment (estimated 30+ per cent)?

Win battles lose war

A.S.S. Contributor

Statistics don't lie, right?

Statistics show that:

-60% of the people want to pay higher Taxes of Goods and Services. (TOGS) Must be 7% and above.

-60% of the people want to pay money to use the roads.

-60% of the people want to pay more money for public transportation.

-60% of the people want to have 20% of their salary locked away for eternity.

-60% of the people do not want transparency or clarity about how the government use the public funds.

-60% of the people believe that ministers should write their own paychecks, because high salary prevents corruption.

-60% of the people want to be forced to buy an insurance policy they may not need.

-60% of the people do not want their government to be held accountable for investment losses.

-60% of the people want to pay an astronomical sum for their housing, including yearly property tax and housing loan interests.

-60% of the people want to let the government take away their homes for free after 99 years.

-60% of the people want their government to make one-sided unilateral decisions and pass on bills without consulting anyone.

-60% of the people believe that they should not have any say in their government's policies, and they should just obey.

-60% of the people believe that being conscripted into the army to work for 2 years, is a "privilege" that belongs only to local born citizens.

-60% of the people want their government to bring in more foreigners to compete with them for jobs.

-60% of the people believe that ordinary citizens who blog on the internet should be sued by high-profile politicians.

-60% of the people believe that foreigners should be given free citizenship.

-60% of the people believe that foreign students coming in to study, should be prioritized for scholarships, above the local-born students.

-60% of the people want their government to control the state media, and strive for the lowest possible press freedom index.

-60% of the people want their government to over-budget major sports events. (Must show off to the other countries that we can spend, right?)

-60% of the people want their government to spend millions to rent 2 endangered ursines from China. After all, if they can spend so much money on 2 useless animals, they must be treating their citizens really well, right?

Statistics also show that:

-40% of the people are suffering because of what 60% of the people did.

Mark Twain once said this. There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.

I disagree. There are only 2 kinds of lies. The first kind of lies are blog posts. The second kind, is the dookie that politician's pull out of their buttho... I mean, mouths.

Dear ASS,

A netizen Wei Chong spotted this ridiculous scene along a public bus stop. He spotted a Lexus car parked like a boss in the bus bay.

Most puzzling of all is the notification card inside the car informing the public that the driver is an SMRT staff on official duty, if any emergency then call him.

Is this legal? Can SMRT staff illegal park for official reasons? Can LTA or Traffic Police clarify the use of such "official" notifications?

Thomas

A.S.S. Contributor

Dear ASS admin,

Kindly help my friend uncle to share this scammer! On 21/06/2015 (5.30am), a man got into this taxi. To cut the story short, instead of paying taxi fare he beg uncle for $20 as he had lost his wallet and urgently needed to go for a meeting at boat quay. After exchange contact number, the uncle believe he won't run away and he promise he will return the money the next day.

When next day, uncle ask him have he transfer? He say his "IC" lost couldn't go bank withdraw. Day by day, all rubbish excuses coming and full of lies.

Uncle reported to police but till now no response at all. Although is small money but this guy betrayed uncle and somemore he can write at his whatsapp" RESPECT ELDERLY ALWAYS!"

Pls help share! And if his friends saw this post pls ask him to return the money to that uncle and beware to this friend of yours too! Thanks!

Carol

A.S.S. Contributor

Dear PAP MP Lee Bee Wah,

States Times Review (STR) is an independent and neutral site that reports without fear or favour. Unfortunately, a recent article has caught your attention that made you attacked the site’s integrity. STR is a responsible media which prides itself above the Singapore Press Holdings, and the editor myself is very particular about credibility. Allegations of misreporting, especially coming from a Member of Parliament, is very damaging to the site.

Therefore, States Times Review (STR) officially apologise for any distress the recent article has caused you. The reports have been factual and not a political smear. STR have every faith in the integrity and incorruptibility of our PAP MPs especially for the hardworking ones like yourself. It will do STR no service to spread lies and falsehoods, and this is not the purpose why I set up this site for.

Henceforth, STR would like to clear your name in this article, by simply asking some questions to better clarify any misunderstandings and dispel falsehoods spreading on the internet:

1) You said you tendered for Khatib Court in 2013 but sold off your company only in January 2014, meaning you won the tender while you were both the MP and owner of the company in 2013. How does that not constitute conflict of interests?

Screenshot from Facebook

2) You said you sold off your company to Meinhardt International, but the company lists you as a Joint Managing Director. How does that not constitute conflict of interests?

Screenshot from Meinhardt

3) The Government Parliamentary Committee for National Development and Environment is created to examine policies, programmes and proposed legislation of the Ministry of National Development (MND), and you are the Chairman of this committee. Henceforth, would your role as a leadership figure in the MND not constitute a conflict of interest especially when the HDB is a statutory board under the MND?

Screenshot from PAP website

4) You are the MP-in-charge of Khatib in Yishun, and Meinhardt International has used a subsidiary containing your initials, LBW, to bid for public housing projects in your area. Did you raise this concern to Meinhardt International or the HDB? If no, why?

5) Meinhardt International makes profits from these government projects. Has your role as a Joint Managing Director benefited in monetary terms directly or indirectly from these profits? Who pays your director fees and how much?

Please be reminded the questions above are not about whether if you have served your constituents full-time. This will help Singaporeans, and especially your voters in Khatib, clarify and communicate your position better.

Feel free to let me know how can States Times Review help you and I will offer my fullest cooperation.

Best Regards,
Editor
States Times Review

Responding to a whatsapp message warning parents about safety of the LED balloon maracas, the authorities have issued a statement urging users to not overblow the balloon to prevent any safety issues. They reiterated that the device was definitely safe to use.  This is their statement in full: 

The NDP Executive Committee (EXCO) is aware that messages on the safety of the LED balloon maracas from the Funpack are being circulated. The manufacturer assures that the balloon maracas have gone through careful testing for quality control and is safe for use.

Notwithstanding, we urge users to use the LED balloon maracas in accordance to the instructions on the packaging and avoid overinflating the balloon.

Dear All Singapore Stuff,

I want to tell Singaporean and the world how UOB and my sister spoil my life. Few years ago, I made mistake of selling my flat. Then I went to USA. Anyway, to keep story short , I had last 20k in FD in UOB for 6 months before I left. Also I stupidly have my sister 2k cash in an ATM card of chase bank. It was for cost of errands on my behalf, like purchase and mail me some stuff when I need it.

Almost to the 6 months, my sister asked me for loan to fix the flat she bought. I told her not now, I don't have it as a fact, may be in months ahead. And I was thinking of my FD maturity. I also making plans to end my marriage and find independence in another state. I will have no problem if I have my money. Then few weeks before maturity, I called UOB to have my money put into my savings account. But they insisted I have made a loan of 15k. After miserable calls I found out that UOB sent out a cheque of 15k to offer as a loan in the mail without my permission or knowledge. My sister who is appointed to look into my mails was very happy thinking I had agreed to lend her and had instructed the bank and she bank into my ATM and used for her needs.

So my plan collapsed, I cried non stop, and she return it but it had broken I to pieces and I stayed on the miserable marriage until i got totally broke. I still end with divorced.

Now I am in California again, broke. I cannot get 2k loan to get a car from anyone in this world. I would have got to school and got a car if I had my 20k untouched. UOB is never feel any guilty for letting my money out in a stupid cheque. MAS also sided with UOB for letting them send loan cheque without permission. I will be never forgive them.

And my sister is also a selfish idiot. She is selfish without knowing. And I gone though so much shame when I ask her for my money. Anyway it broke into pieces just like my good plan for success and independence.

I hate UOB and MAS forever.

Ms Berries
A.S.S. Contributor

On 21st April this year, PRC police raided condom producing plants all over Shanghai and Henan Province and confiscated 3 million counterfeith condoms. What's disturbing is that these condoms have been exported all over the world and have evaded customs checks in countries as far as Italy in Europe, where police intercepted a huge shipment of fake condoms being transported by PRC nationals.

The packaging of the condoms are nearly identical to legitimate contraceptives, but those in the know can tell that the copycats do not match the genuine. For example, the instruction booklets included with the condoms indicated they used the 1999 safety standards, while real condoms use standards established later in 2004.

"We don't know where the rubber comes from. Produced in underground factories, such condoms, with fragile rubber and poor flexibility, may lead to accidental pregnancies and bacterial infections. We found consumers were unaware of how to distinguish these condoms," a Guangzhou-based doctor told the media.

Insiders say some people collect expired condoms or buy factories' surplus stock at an extremely low price, recycle them in underground workshops with cheap silicon oil, stamp them with brand names and reintroduce them to the market.

Testing revealed that the prophylactics had been made using noxious chemicals and had not been properly sterilized. According to officials, the logo of British condom-maker Durex was featured on the packaging and on the information leaflet.

This is not simply a domestic problem, as recent reports have revealed that sub-standard condoms have been shipped overseas.

China produces about 10 billion condoms a year, accounting for 25 percent of the world's total, according to media reports.

Italian customs officers seized 600,000 counterfeit condoms at Rome's Leonardo da Vinci airport, Vice News reported in July. Officials have stated that they believe the condoms were produced in China.

This has raised concerns about the spread of these unsafe condoms. No one knows how many more counterfeits have sneaked into shops in China and other countries without being discovered at customs.

Everyone reading the media would come to one conclusion, ie, the biggest case of public service incompetence must be the AHPETC. You hear the ministers talking about it practically everyday. You read in the media just as often until ‘jer lat’.

Are there other cases of public service that are more serious than the AHPETC? Just think about it. I say just think about it, not to talk about it. Think of anything? Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. I left this article at this point yesterday not very sure how to proceed from here.

This morning, 16 Jul, I was greeted by two articles from the Auditor General’s Office on lapses in the NLB and the Admiralty CCC. In the above paragraph I said I chose not to know, but with these cases in the front pages of the media, even I closed my eyes, I cannot refuse not to see them. It is now common and public knowledge.

Now my problem is how to comment on these lapses? Shall I put them side by side with the AHPETC case and show the similarities? Better not. With the GE around the corner, it is better to change tack and read it from the right perspective. Issues like these would become election issues and the opposition parties would definitely compare them and their severity with the AHPETC case. Comments already flooded a thread on the topic in TRE.

What were the cases about? The facts first. In the NLB’s case it was the procurement of a $7.3 million e-resource system from a vendor and apparently without looking at other alternatives or no tendering or something like that. The exact words, “ ‘without any evidence’ of having considered other alternative materials that were similar”. In the case of the Admiralty CCC it was about the Chairman approving seven of his own claims amounting to $114,767 and the approving and award of two contracts amounting to $32,000 when he held a senior position in the company. No one can miss the similarities in these instances to those of AHPETC. Conflict of interest anyone? How serious compares to husband approving wife’s application for payment?

I will look at these cases as lapses in procedures and how to rectify them. They happened, let’s move on. Oh, based on the AGO’s recommendation the Ministry of Communications and Information had made a police report on this case. Before anyone started to use strong words, it is important to understand that some of these agencies and people are new to these things and have to start from scratch. With their inexperience, they are likely to be lapses in procedures but with no intention to cheat or foul play. They would not understand the meaning of conflict of interest. How to expect people from the villages of a 3rd World to understand such concepts of impropriety? Being too harsh on newbies is not very kind and a bit unfair.

In the case of the NLB and Admiralty CCC, are these new institutions? Would they have precedents and existing practices and procedures to work on? Would they have paid expertise like govt officials and procedures to guide them? These are important factors to determine whether their actions are mischievous or innocent and due to ignorance. I think NLB is a new organization. The old NLB is history, so they have to start things all over, to reinvent the wheel on operating procedures.

Another angle to look at is that being a 3rd World country and without foreign talent, such lapses are bound to occur. We just don’t have the expertise and the experience about such things. It may be good to hire 3rd World experts with the experience to show our ‘going to be’ 3rd World no skill and no talent people how to run public organizations and how to develop proper procedures on checks and controls. This thing about approving own claims or approving jobs or contracts with connected parties are things that are new to a new 3rd World country like ours, only 50 years in existence. We should learn from older countries and govts that have all these procedures worked out and in place. They are very experienced in such matters when such things are part of their culture.

I would suggest we hire more 3rd World talents to help us iron out all the administrative loose ends and lapses. Alternatively we can send our people to 3rd World countries to learn from their best practices. I think these should work. Are we a young country? Oops, we are not even a country, a city, going from first World to 3rd World and these lapses should be considered normal, our new normal.
We should thus be more forgiving and not to act as if the sky has fallen down and go for the kill. It is so embarrassing and so unbecoming to jump up and down like little brats accusing inexperienced people for such lapses.

What do you think?

Dear Gilbert,

Good Day to you.

I am writing in to seek assistance for a 70+ widowed old granny who struggles for her daily meal.

Ah Mah stays at VeerasamyRoad in a 3-room HDB flat.

She’s the flat ownership and currently staying with her PRC daughter-in-law (unofficially married) , 2 grand children – a boy and a girl.

One of her room was rented out to collect rental to pay SP bills and grandchild’s expenses. PRC lady didn’t gave a single cent to Ah Mah from room rental.

PRC lady works on a part-time job.

Old granny doesn’t know her actual employment as they weren’t on good terms for many years.

Ah Mah actually had a son in his 40s but he passed away 8 years ago.

She didn’t shared much on his death. When her son died, his CPF was inherited by PRC lady.

Granny has no income or pocket money after his son’s death.

Every morning, she wakes up around 5.45am pushing her big trolley going around back lane trash bin to look for cardboards, soft drink cans and e-waste to sell it for cash to buy her daily meals.

Sometimes, she makes a few dollars or even penniless. Neighbors sometimes buy her meals.

I have donated canned foods, white rices to her 2 months ago. I also understand from my neighbor that PRC lady is a wicked lady in her 30s.

She even threw away some of the Ah Mah food stuff in the fridge. Actually, any stuff in the house belongs to Ah Mah. PRC lady has no right to discard. I donated a 16″ table fan to Ah Mah few months ago.

She told me her table fan was gone. She suspected that wicked woman could have thrown or given it away.

Neighbors kept asking Ah Mah why is she granting the wicked lady to stay together since she’ has no respect for her. Ah Mah pampered her grand children so much because she missed her dead son.

Ah Mah has joint problems and high blood too. She took medication on high BP.

Her medical expense was paid by her uncle (her deceased husband’s younger brother)

Several times, the PRC lady has arranged property agent and urged her to sign transfer of flat ownership.

Ah mah is smart enough and didn’t do so otherwise that wicked lady will kick or thrown Ah mah out of her flats.

Old granny bought instant noodles for her meals when she makes small pocket money from cardboard collection.

Gilbert, I sincerely hope you and your team could help and provide granny with daily meals.

May God Bless.

Thanks & Kind Regards
Jack

Editor’s note: we are trying to establish if we can connect with the cardboard collector directly. If you spot the Ah Mah collecting cardboard in your area, please let us know.

These 2 cars are parked at a roundabout between Blk 33 and 32 Bedok south ave 2. It is typically used for picking up and alighting of passengers. In the morning, school buses will be picking up children from this point.

These drivers conveniently parked their cars there to send their kids to a nearby school. School buses that could not get past them will park outside, along the road in the carpark and have the children walking out into the road in the carpark. This is extremely dangerous and inconvenient for the children, who will be exposed to additional risk because of these inconsiderate drivers.

Emails have been sent to LTA on 15 July and no news from them. The white car especially has been parking there every morning. Just called LTA and was informed that this offence will be under HDB!

No action talk only from our highly paid civil servants again?

Angry Singaporean Parent

Editor's Note: Not everything we receive from our readers is a complaint. We receive many heartwarming stories of honesty and good will among Singaporeans. This is one example. A reader sent us this email to publicly thank the staff at Auto Link @ Sin Ming Auto Care Center for returning his wallet untouched to him.

Thank you Auto Link @ Sing Min Auto care Centre for keeping my wallet which contain my IC, credit cards and driving license as well as few hundred dollars of cash.

Went there yesterday to look for car spare parts and left my wallet on the table at 3.30pm.
After searching up n low for my wallet, I decided to call the shops that I had visited at 6pm.

The Auto Link Staff, Ben pick up the call and he help me to keep the wallet.
Finally collected my wallet this morning.

Desmond Toh
A.S.S. Reader

The first Member of Parliament under the People's Action Party (PAP) for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Mr Inderjit Singh, announced today on Facebook that he would not be contesting the coming General Elections and would be stepping down from the Party.

"The announcement also sees Kebun Baru redrawn into Nee Soon GRC from Ang Mo Kio GRC," he wrote. "I would like to take the opportunity to share that I will be stepping down at the coming GE."

"I did my best to serve and this would not have been possible without my team, the grassroots leaders and branch activists, at Kebun Baru who have become my extended family. I urge the residents at Kebun Baru to continue to support this team, which will be helmed by my successor. To Kebun Baru, Ang Mo Kio and everyone there, you will always be in my heart," Mr Singh wrote.

Mr Singh, who has served in Ang Mo Kio for four terms since 1996, looks after Kebun Bahru. He gained fame and admiration in May last year for his daring criticism of his own party members and the ruling government in a lengthy Facebook post where he commented on the performance of the Singapore government over the past 3 years.

He correctly pointed out the disconnect between Singapore’s wealth and citizens’ well-being, the importing of talent, the complacency and elitism in the top ranks of civil servants, and the national identity for Singapore’s young people.