I used to be a Lesbian.

There, I said it. For a year or so, I was in a relationship with a girl, at 16.

She was much older and looked just like a boy. Everyone in her workplace thought she was a boy. Her father wished he had a son, and she didn’t want to disappoint. She called me princess, and made me feel very loved. Growing up in church, I knew that the relationship wasn’t right, but I justified it. It was all about loving a person for who they are inside, and it didn’t matter what they were outside. That was what I told myself. Eventually I knew I had to break it off at some point because I knew I wanted a family, I wanted children, and I knew that despite this feeling of being “in love”, this was not going to last and there would be no happily ever after.

Then I knew it was a “sin”. It didn’t sit well with me and it had always made me uneasy. I stopped going to church as much because it just made me feel guilty. I figured that I would just avoid God altogether since I was disobeying his laws.

What is sin? Sin is anything that falls short of the glory of God. Anything that falls short of the glory and perfection of his creation. Yes, he made us perfect. He made Adam, and said it was good. He made us IN HIS IMAGE, but he also gave us the freedom of choice. Sin is anything that isn’t good for us, that hurts us, that goes against the DNA of who he has made us to be – LIKE HIM.

Everyday I am amazed, at how much my baby girl looks like both my husband and I. How does God do such a great job at combining two people into one perfect little human being? Just as how I look at my baby girl everyday and am so in love with her and see myself in her, that is how God sees us. That is his father’s heart for us. He loves us so much, that he gave his one and only son up, FOR US. If there’s any definition of love, it is the cross, and the cross is grace.

Paul himself said, and I too feel this way – like we are the worst sinners of all! Because when we know how amazing the grace of God is, when we know that we seriously don’t deserve any of his love, when we know that we definitely could not have earned our right standing before God based on what we do – it’s hard to feel like others have sinned more than you – because “we all have sinned and fallen short”.

I’m sharing this because a friend asked me about my views on homosexuality and the opposition stance against the pink dot movement in Singapore.

I have quite a few LGBT friends, and I love them, A LOT. I know the path they have chosen (on who to love and be with) would not complete them in the way God has made us to be complete in – a family unit of man and wife, and the ability to conceive and have children in their image. Does this hurt God and does this make him sad? I believe so. Does this make him stop loving them? I don’t think so.

Is homosexuality a sin? Yes, because it isn’t the way God designed for us to live, and it clearly says in the bible that it is - along with – a proud heart, a lying tongue, eating too much (gluttony), being drunk, undressing a woman/man in your mind without actually doing the act, hating your brother/friend (it is akin to murder according to Jesus) and much more….

Am I making light of homosexuality? No I am not. The point I am trying to get across is that all sins are sins. There are sins that can be seen and there are sins that you can hide – are we in a position to judge if others have greater sins that us? As Jesus said to the crowd that wanted to stone the adulterous woman, “May the one without sin cast the first stone”, and to the adulterous woman, “who is left to condemn you? Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more”.

See, it is through NO condemnation that we can SIN NO MORE.

I draw a parallel to my ex-addiction to smoking. Did my desire and addiction for smoking dwindle as loving friends and family “nagged” me to quit? Did the lung cancer ads on the cigarette boxes stop me? Did the government’s new rules of “no smoking in this and that place” stop me? Did ostracization from non-smokers or dirty looks from religious Christians stop me?

None of the above.

Smoking is and was an addiction for me after all. It wasn’t till I got embraced by the people at this church called Tuesday Group – who said they didn’t condemn me for my smoking – that I continued to go and grow in my relationship with God. It wasn’t till I went to New Creation Church and learnt about God’s grace that I made me realize that God still loves me and that I have right standing with him not because of anything that I do, but because of what Jesus has done. It wasn’t till I reminded myself that I was still loved, still righteous and that this SIN and addiction had no control over me (Romans 6:14-23) because I am under his grace (unearned, unmerited favor and love) not under law (blessed if you obey ALL and I mean ALL the laws not just some. Cursed if you break even one of the laws) and that I was a New Creation, a new person in Christ – The old has passed and the new has come. (2 Cor 5:17)

So if I was in Singapore would I be rallying and protesting against the Pink Dot Movement? I know its not the same thing to compare the addiction of smoking to choosing your life partners but since I am already drawing parallels – I have close friends that smoke and have same-sex partners and I love them all the same. Since they are already smoking and being in those relationships, would I be happy for them if they were able to smoke wherever they wanted to or be legally recognized as being in a relationship to make their lives easier and to be seen as one in the eyes of the law? I think I actually would be happy for them.

But do I want smoking and legalized same-sex marriages to be taught in schools as perfectly good and normal to my children, and to be socially accepted and taught in society and our culture that my children grow up thinking that is the way we were made to be and this is how life should be like – that smoking is good for your health and body and that it would give you long life and be a blessing to your family and loved ones? – No, I would not.

The Christians protesting the pink dot movement might be living from the same virtues as Jesus, but would Jesus have been part of the protest?

All I saw in the bible was Jesus hanging out with the lowest of society’s outcasts –tax collectors, prostitutes, adulterers, lepers - what everyone would call the greatest sinners of them all. It was the religious Pharisees that he wasn’t too happy being around - those whom felt that they knew the law and had kept them all, those who felt that they were “holier” and “better Christians”. It was to them that Jesus was trying to drive across the point that it wasn’t just your outwardly actions that mattered, but even the thoughts in your mind and what as truly in your heart.

I used to read those chapters thinking it was TOO HARD to be a Christian because even my thoughts were sinful, it was TOO HARD to try to please God and to not sin, so I gave up altogether. What I didn’t know was that Jesus was trying to say… stop trying to justify yourself by your own efforts because it will never be good enough.

We will always miss the mark of God’s glory if we try to be right with him based on our own good deeds. For we ALL have fallen short, and Jesus is the only way that we can have right standing with God. Through believing in what he did for us and who he is and allowing him to love us, we start to see ourselves for whom we were really made to be – a reflection of him, “his image”.

My friends, no matter where you are on this journey of life and whichever stage you are in, all I know is this – we are all a “works-in-progress”.

I am praying that everyday, there will be a renewing of your thoughts to realize how loved you are by God, and that this love and his grace will set you free from whatever that is holding you from being all that he has made you to be.

He loves you with an everlasting love.

Jus left the stadium after the fireworks.

Knn they over print the ticket n ALOT of people cannot go in the stadium due to over packed. Regardless of complimentary or paid tix. Massive crowd stuck at gate 14 n 5.

Quarrel even started with the temp staff there. They refuse to let any1 in. N worst thing is...

I ask the staff there if the stadium is full? If it is i will just go home instead of waiting.

They can tell me "dunno, not sure, cannot confirm now" SMLJ? pre.show start at 7pm. 8.30pm u can tell me this kinda nonsense cannot confirm? Zho simi lan jiao ?

In the end they shouted those who wan to go in go to gate 21. All charge there like mad to see. But.... its still pack. Have to stand around the railing to see the show.

So a little message to the useless organiser of sea games.

Please dun play n cheat other pple feeling. I really cannot see the part where u can over print of tickets.
Seats are all standardized. Dun tell me the seats can magically disappears.

Four-times Asian champions Japan were held to a surprise goalless draw at home by a resolute Singapore today (June 16) in a poor start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.

Japan expectedly dominated possession and peppered the Singaporean goal at the Saitama Stadium, particularly in the second period, but poor finishing and inspired goalkeeping from Izwan Mahbud meant the visitors grabbed an unlikely point.

Keisuke Honda came closest to breaking the deadlock in the lop-sided contest with a 73rd minute free-kick which cannoned off the corner of post and cross bar but bounced clear to safety.

Izwan produced his best save in the 55th minute when he scooped a strong Shinji Okazaki header off the line at the second attempt, while he also did well to palm away a close range Honda header in the 68th minute.

Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic, appointed in March, cut an increasingly irate figure on the sidelines as time wore on, the Franco-Bosnian coach pulling out the under-performing Shinji Kagawa and Takashi Usami and throwing in striker Yoshinori Muto.

Muto though failed to make a mark with Honda leading the charge. The AC Milan playmaker’s rasping long range drive in the 78th minute bending just wide off the goal as Izwan and his team mates held firm against further waves of pressure to pick up the precious point.

Singapore’s German coach Bernd Stange, under-fire after some poor results including a 2-2 friendly draw at home to Guam in March, had said pre-match it would be a “world sensation” if his 154th FIFA ranked side could hold Japan to a draw.

The surprise point moves them top of joint World Cup and Asian Cup qualifying Group E on four from two games after they won 4-0 in Cambodia in their opener last week.

Japan next face Cambodia at home in September while Singapore are away to Syria, who beat Afghanistan 6-0 in their opener on Thursday.

When 41 year old Goh Mei Lan made a mid-career switch, she chose the most uncanny of careers to join. She decided to sign on with the army to become a Miitary Expert (ME) 4 Army Engineer.

When asked what made her decide to join the army, she said that the lack of growth opportunities in her previous sales position led her to flip through the papers, where she chanced upon a Singapore Armed Forces recruitment advertisement for women.

She went to the fair without her son and husband's knowledge, and decided to sign on there and then.

"I didn't even tell my husband and son about it; I just sneaked off when my son was having lessons, and headed to Suntec to have a look. I wanted to find out if they had anything for a woman who was in her late 30s," says Goh.

With a degree in Mechanical Engineering, she was recommended to sign on in the Military Domain Expert Scheme as an Army Engineer. ME schemed personnel can enjoy a career up to age 60.

With her husband's blessings, she enlisted into BMT on 6th February. But the initially training was gruelling for the 41 year-old, who had to train with girls nearly half her age.

"The physical training and culture was not something I expected, so it was a huge struggle. I kept thinking to myself, 'Can I really do it?" Goh related.

By the end of her training, Goh achieved Gold in all three rounds of her Individual Physical Proficiency Test. She also earned the respect of her peers and superiors and will be moving onto her next challenge: Officer Cadet School.

In 50 years, the history books will tell how Singapore reverted back into a fishing village under L*L & his successors. Except that there are very few fishes left due to the environmental degradation from land reclamation & over development. It will be the classic case study of taking the wrong developmental path, unable to change course & being in constant & perpetual denial throughout.

The PAP can’t change yet their entire system is failing rapidly. Education is failing because we’re too focused on academic achievements while US kids are busy using the computer for coding smart apps for touch devices or bot application that could revolutionize new business models disrupting traditional business like Airbnb or Uber/Lyft.

Singaporeans are too focused on the paper chase when 3rd world people are using fake degrees or buying from degree mills to shortcut the process & getting away with it.

The political system in Singapore is failing because PAP are focused on maintaining power & receiving huge welfare checks oblivious to the failings around them. The indoctrinated electorate are too fearful about losing their rice bowl, unaware that 15 years ago, it had been broken & replaced with a begging bowl instead.

The PAP are barreling towards 6.9m or even 10m population numbers without even thinking if Singapore can house & feed such massive numbers. What kinds of job creation to maintain such numbers? Singapore have very poor wage growth yet has an out-of-control cost of living situation simply from a real estate bubble & govt-push asset enhancement policy. Only a fool would want to work in Singapore!

Newsdesk

Hi everyone,

Can we please stop bad mouthing the poor volunteers, national servicemen and students at the SEA Games today? They were also doing their best to cope in the big messy situation and it is not right for you to call them names and blame them.

In fact, I think the volunteers in purple, national servicemen and students are not incompetent. Many of them are part timers or temp contract staff and have not been equipped with the right knowledge or even receive any training to deal with gigantic crowds like tonight.

If you are still witch hunting, go after the organizing exco and ministry in charge. The top management seriously need to ask themselves many questions and learn from history. It appears like the new Sports Hub is too overwhelming for their capability and they are more accustomed to dealing with the pathetic small crowds at S League matches

It's probably the PAP's fault as they delay the building of the new national stadium in the last 7 years, so there was no big national event to give Singaporeans experience in handling big scale projects like this.

Wei Liang

SMRT told the media today that it has lodged a police report against 2 men who were filmed smoking in one of its train cabins. The MRT train was believed to be travelling in the Bukit Batok area at an unknown date and time at night.

The video of the 2 men showed the 2 passing a cigarette between themselves, taking turns to smoke on it while their friend filmed the act and posted the video on Facebook.

According to SMRT vice-president for corporate information and communications Patrick Nathan, SMRT condemned the "brazen act" and confirmed that police report has been made.

"We encourage members of the public to alert SMRT staff should they encounter such situations," he added.

Company bosses have are complaining about the lack of foreign manpower in Singapore, They say they have trouble filling vacancies in their companies and cannot take on new projects.

Economists warn that slowing growth in the local workforce may be due to the tightening of the government's foreign workforce policy.

Although some companies have restructured and become less reliant on manpower, others did not make the cut and have moved elsewhere to countries like Malaysia and China where cheap labor is more easily available.

The Government tightened policies on foreign workers from 2010, with the goal of weaning companies off the supply of cheap foreign labour. Last year, annual growth in foreign employment moderated to 2.4 per cent, down from 4.6 per cent in 2013 and 6.8 per cent in 2012.

But some employers persist in employing foreign staff although they face greater competition to fill positions with foreign labor.

"It's taking a longer time to fill vacancies," said Ms Serene Tan, director of department store chain BHG. She said information technology staff and managerial level roles take up to six months to fill, compared with two to three months in the past.

"Businesses are pacing themselves for the medium to long term," said Association of Small and Medium Enterprises president Kurt Wee, adding that he had seen a slowdown in the number of jobs offered in the last two or three months.

At Tian San Shipping, which has cut foreign hires by about 70 since 2009, senior manager of operations Chin Tze Chung said: "We can't even undertake some tenders because we don't have the manpower."

Some smaller companies, such as subcontractors in the construction industry, close down when they are unable to fulfill their existing contracts.

Others are considering moving operations to other countries where labour is more accessible.

Mr Kelvin Ho, managing director of freight forwarding firm Intercontinental Logistics, said a lack of foreign labour is forcing out many of the factories he relies on for business.

"If factories are not coming to Singapore, we might as well close down," he said, adding that he is considering moving the company to somewhere like Jakarta or Vietnam, where hiring would be easier.

I was approached by an old lady with a hunched back, outside the Macdonalds restaurant at Toa Payoh Hub earlier this evening. She timidly asked if I could buy her some chicken nuggets and a hot milo drink. So I brought her into the restaurant to place an order for her food. I was appalled when the counter staff started shouting at and mocking the old lady for not having money to pay for her own meal.

The staff kept screaming and threatened to call the police to chase her away. She blatantly announced that this old lady comes to the restaurant regularly and would ask strangers to buy her a meal. The staff even told me off for wanting to pay for the meal, saying that by doing so, I was encouraging this old lady to keep returning. When I insisted, she refused to take the old lady's orders and would proceed only when I personally made the order.

This old lady was simply a nuisance to her. Later, a male staff who I believe was the manager, helped pack our orders. But I could barely stand his sarcasm each time he spoke to the old lady. By then, I realized that perhaps, this old lady wasn't in the right frame of mind. Hence, the habit of asking others to buy her dinner. But nevertheless, whether mentally fit or not, she does not deserve to be shouted at, ridiculed and shamed, especially in front of other diners. She was in the restaurant with me, and I was a paying customer. So why was she discriminated against? And why can't I pay for her meal? It's my money and I can spend it in whatever way I please.

The old lady never forced me to buy her a meal. Instead she asked politely and I gladly obliged. And this meal purchase contributes to Macdonald's daily proceeds and eventually into the bank accounts of these two seemingly heartless employees. I understand the restaurant employees were concerned that this old lady would go around the restaurant, continuously bothering other diners with her requests for a free meal. But there are better ways to manage the situation than to scream away like they did.

Clearly, they handled the situation in poor taste. Because to humiliate someone over her inability to pay for her meal is downright cruel. My parents have long taught me to have compassion for the old and needy. I am not sure I can say the same for these two. I just hope they remember that they too, will grow old, frail and needy one fine day. And they'd better start praying that they don't end up in the same unfortunate situation like this old lady. Because retribution is a bitch and she always bites back. Meanwhile, if this is what your company stands for @mcdsg, then perhaps I should stop buying from you. Wouldn't want to encourage more bullying of an unfortunate old lady, merely seeking some chicken nuggets to satisfy her hunger.

So McDonalds replied me, promising to look into the matter. And that was it. No one from their management actually bothered to get more details of the incident from me, which is a rather odd way of handling a customer feedback. Wouldn't they want to know what time the incident happened? Or if I had names or description of the employees I was referring to? Were they even planning to investigate my claims? How else would they educate their staff then?

I maybe wrong,of course, but I'm given the feeling that they don't really care. I was secretly hoping such a big establishment would do more, perhaps even, providing free meals to those who simply can't afford one. Because what may be a simple fast food meal to most, is a luxury for the less fortunate. But I doubt it will ever happen. Anyways, just thought the management should know;

Your chicken nuggets and hot milo drink left an adorable old lady grinning like she was the luckiest woman on earth. That grin would have been even wider, had your employees treated her with kindness instead.

Si Ti

In a statement to the media yesterday, the Singapore Police Force confirmed that they are investigating the drowning of a 7 year-old boy in a swimming pool at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) on Sunday.

The boy was with his family and was playing with a friend at the deeper end of the pool, which can go up to 1.2m deep.

Police were caled to the scene at about 6PM and the boy was taken to the Singapore General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

According to an eye witness staying at the hotel, "a large crowd had gathered when the youngster was puled out and two lifeguards attended to his motionless body before medics arrived."

A relative of the boy, a woman who appeared to be in her 50s, was distraught and had to be carried away on a wheelchair.

An RWS spokesperson says that the hotel is "deeply saddened" by the unfortunate incident and will assist police with investigations. He also added, "Our lifeguards on duty immediately performed CPR for the boy and the paramedics, upon arrival, continued to administer CPR while the ambulance was activated. The team also provided assistance to the family on site."

Hi A.S.S.,

Was at kfc...

I join a queue, short one, only one customer at counter ordering

Then suddenly a raw elderly auntie appear and cut my queue, she was saying the elderly auntie ( look like her) at the counter was damn slow

I dun mind letting her since she came before me and is an old lady and i not rushing for time. She also say sorry to me so i ok lo

However when is her turn to order (in front of me) she ordered the 2.90 blueberry pancake(2 sets), after which she requested for two cup of hot water. The counter staff obliged, giving her two cup of hot water in plastic cups. But the elderly auntie was so unhappy and demanded a bigger cup in those paper cup meant for coffee. The counter staff then say she will give another cup lo but put in plastic cup.

Then my turn i order as per usual. Then i saw the elderly untie went to the counter manned by the slow auntie. She then complain to her that the previous staff so stingy, give her so small cup, also proceed to point finger at the staff. Im like omg, at first u say the elder staff is slow then u jump to my counter but then u accuse her of being stingy lolol

Elderly auntie also told the elder staff,"next time i find u huh" means she will queue at her counter so as to obtain bigger cup of warm water

Haizz... Self entitlement

Ashton

Laid waste by the mad influx of economic migrants for between 5 years to 10 years, have made all three of us acutely tuned to the political landscape of Singapore today for we now know politics is life and life is politics.

On Saturday, 13th June 2015 we gathered at the Newton Hawkers’ Centre for lunch at 12:00 noon before heading to the SingFirst 2nd public forum; “Can Singapore Succeed Without The PAP?” held at the Hotel Royal on Newton Road.

We have much to be hopeful for having spoken with Tan Jee Say personally on his political game plans ahead after his failed attempt at the 2011 Presidential Election.

He left SDP after GE2011 to contest in PE2011 and have since gained widespread popularity for his deep intellects. He had wanted to form a party with a fresh narrative without any the old political baggage carried by the existing opposition parties.

This was to be our very first interaction with SingFirst since it’s official registration in August 2014 last year.

SingFirst Manifesto – Fair Society, Strong Families and Esteemed People resonated deep in our hearts & minds given today’s socioeconomic realities with our nation in a decade of decline under the current PAP Leadership Team that is unable to see the present for what it is and has lost the character and charm of the earlier generation PAP Leadership Teams.

“Can Singapore Succeed Without The PAP?” was incisively examined and convincingly addressed in the five questions agenda of the forum.

(1) Why even ask this question? – Dr Ang Yong Guan, Chairman, will examine the Singaporean psychic.

(2) How other nations changed and succeeded? – Dr David Foo, Treasurer, will survey cases in Asia.

(3) How can the civil service continue? – Tan Peng Ann, Vice Chairman, will discuss about the professional integrity of public servants.

(4) What is success to Singaporeans? – two young Singaporeans will tell us about their aspirations.

(5) How Singapore can succeed without the PAP? – Tan Jee Say, Secretary General, will outline how SingFirst can transform Singapore into a successful First World nation.

The panel of speakers were eloquent and delivered with substance and conviction touching on the five decades of social conditioning that have gotten Singaporeans in the grip of the psychosis of what Dr. Ang Yong Guan termed the “Singapore Stockholm Syndrome” that Singaporeans have grown to accept even in adversities living with a single party rule.

Dr. David Foo delivered a compelling analysis that this need not be so dishing out generous illustrations of countries in Asia that has rotated political leadership in a multi-parties rule and have in fact progressed with the keen contest of ideas in government.

Tan Peng Ann rightly emphasized on the distinction that needs to be made between the elected political leadership and that of the civil service and in event of a change in composition of the political leadership the civil service must and will be there to ensure the continuity and the functions of government answerable to the government of choice of the people and by the people.

Tan Jee Say, spoke with the intellectual depth of an economist and he laid out new measures to bring Singapore back on track to what’s truly Singaporeans First in jobs, healthcare, education, housing and retirement adequacy.

PAP supporter tries to hijack SingFirst Forum

It was unfortunate that the profound discourse was punctuated mid-way through by an unanticipated squabble when a pro-establishment individual, Leonard Yeo, tried to hijack the SingFirst forum handling the moderator a thumb-drive of slides for presentation to upstage the illustrious panel of SingFirst speakers.

In the vortex of emotions, the participants were in no mood for his antic and promptly castigated him forcing him down from the rostrum flustered.

What came up endearing in this forum are:-

(1) In the entire presentation, little was emphasized on SingFirst as a party and the term “oppositions” was employed at large wherein the participants attempted to reword it as “alternatives” given the negative connotation of the term “opposition” whoever coined it.

(2) It was really towards the end of the forum that SingFirst sought endorsement.

(3) It was touching that Dr. Ang Yong Guan said that members of the SingFirst CEC are fast coming of age and their role is now to engineer a breakthrough in the threshold of PAP dominance and he urged a younger generation to step forward to take this country forward after this is done with.

For the three of us, we left immensely impressed and given the bad hand dealt the past decade, we will want the cards reshuffled, dealt a fresh hand and the bargaining positions changed for to stay with the present government is to stay with perpetual rot in the massive flood of economic migrants.

We look forward in anticipation and in earnest to more of SingFirst forums in the run-up to the next general election. This is a party to watch and a party worthy of our support.

It is therefore an emphatic “yes” that Singapore will succeed without the PAP.

The Three Musketeers

Do you have a cockroach problem at home? Those roaches come out every night to prowl your kitchen and they don't seem to go away even after using all sorts of chemical baits? Why not use this DIY cockroach trap that is easy to make, super effective and environmentally friendly?

Credits and thanks to Beng Tang for this really cool trap!  

Step 1: Instead of using chemical weapons, which are harmful to human health and the environment, you can deal with a roach infestation using traps made from recycled plastic food tubs. Step 1, take a plastic food tub, the kind used to package some kinds of food, that has a cover, and turn it upside down.

Step 2: Using a cutter knife, scratch the outline of a trapdoor shape on the bottom of the tub, including the hinges.

Step 3: Carefully deepen the centre line by going over it again and again until you cut through, then deepen the sides of the doors until you cut through. Do it gradually rather than trying to cut throguh in one cut to avoid tears in the door, and for safety - the cutter blade is less likely to snap if you don't press too hard. Wear safety goggles or specs to protect eyes from flying snapped blades.

Step 4: Carefully fold down the doors. I leave the doors there rather than cutting them off and leaving a doorless hole, in order to encourage the roaches to crawl down the doors and fall into the trap.

Final Step: Lightly oil the inside walls, and the side with the trap door, with some vegetable oil. Peanut oil is good as the smell also works as bait. The oil makes the inside walls slippery so the roaches can't climb them. Do not oil the outside of the container. Put in some paper towel with some peanut butter on it as bait, put the container lid on, and leave overnight in a dark place where there are roaches.

According to findings from Randstad's Q2 2015 Workmonitor research, one in three Singapore employees find it hard to let go of work even while on a holiday. In addition, half of the 400 surveyed said their superiors expects them to be contactable despite being on holiday. Strong work ethics coupled with greater penetration of technology means Singaporeans find it hard to let go of work during holidays.

Randstad country director for Singapore Mr Michael Smith said: "Singapore employees are also known to have a strong work ethic and are often motivated by money and career progression. This can often translate into working long hours in order to achieve their career goals, also making it harder to switch off once they leave the office."

"We found that 62 per cent of employees don't mind handling work-related matters in their own time, while 41 per cent choose to keep across their work during holidays as they like to stay involved. While it's great to have a high level of commitment to your job, employees need to learn when to let go," he said.

The findings put Singapore among the top in the list of Asia Pacific countries where employees do not leave the stresses of work behind. Japanese (44 per cent) topped the list, followed by Malaysian employees (36 per cent).

Much has been said and written about sending school children on overseas trips as part of schools’ extra curriculum. I disagree with the practice for two reasons. Parents who do not want their child to go on such trips for whatever reason are faced with resentment, anger and accusation from their child because “why other children can go and I can’t”. It also puts poorer families in a very difficult position. While parents do not want to deprive their child or suffer humiliation, they also do not have the means to keep up with such CCA at school. This perpetuates the division between the haves and have-nots. What happens to the child whose parents cannot afford the $1,500 trip? Imagine how left out the child would feel amongst his classmates who are going on the expensive trip. Consider how in school, the ones going and the ones who cannot afford to go would naturally be divided into two groups. That’s where elitism starts, at our schools. It is my opinion that schools must strive for inclusiveness as much as possible.

Many people have however, sung the praises of such trips for building character, developing leadership skills, emboldening children to step out of their comfort zone and, giving children a chance to see the world. For the latter, I say leave it to the parents to take their child on such trips. If the family can afford Europe, good on them. If the family can afford West Malaysia, kudos to them. What matters is these are times families can spend together and strengthen ties. Rather than pay $1,500 so one child could travel to Australia with his classmates, the money could give the whole family a holiday to Thailand for some great family bonding.

As for the other benefits, there are many activities that could be carried out on home ground that achieve the same. Give students free hand to plan a class excursion, manage budget for such, organise overnight camps in schools, put together a school carnival, go to parliament house to observe parliament in sitting and then debate the ideas put forth at those sittings, participate in national focus groups, volunteer at SEA games, research and critique policies. Allow students to debate the death penalty, question the sedition act, research different types of democracy, find innovative solutions to over crowded public transport, devise solutions to address the “tuition mentality” in Singapore.

These all provide similar opportunities to widen one’s horizon, build character, develop leadership skills, embolden children to step out of their comfort zone, learn to ask valid questions, analyse their society and culture, and “see” the world with different eyes. If children are given the opportunity to observe, research, question, test, challenge and are taught to do so responsibly, they will develop creativity, a critical mind and strong analytical skills on top of leadership and character building. These need not be done on any mountain or in any trench.

Will any principal in our schools take up the challenge to not out source character building and instead challenge the norm and be innovative in our own backyard and really educate Singapore’s youths? Can we forge bravery, open-mindedness and fairness by studying and challenging what is happening in our society instead of being brave on a high mountain?

Perhaps it is easier risk lives at such overseas expedition than risk having a truly educated citizenry that is not afraid to challenge the norm, question the intent and solve the problems. It is not advantageous to the ruling government to have an emboldened populace who have seen the world through educated eyes and would question the actions of an arrogant government.

Been there seen it

In the latest Ministry of Manpower (MOM)’s quarterly Labour Market report, it was revealed that Singapore has an average of 2389.4 hours in 2014. The result continue to place Singapore in its number one position in the longest working hours in the world. From results in recent years, Singapore’s nearest Asian competitors in long working hours are Taiwan (2,163), Japan (1,735 hours) and South Korea (2,193 hours).

By labour legislation, Singapore has also the worst maximum working hours in the world capped at 88 hours for two continuous week.

South Korea has the fastest declining working hours in the world, as the government increases its public holidays to 16 days in 2013. Japan is also decreasing its working hours by lowering its legislated working hours limit and increasing its legislated paid holidays to 18.5. Taiwan is also reducing its working hours in 2016 by cutting work week to 40 hours.

Other countries are trying to bring down their working hours and placing higher importance on a work-life balance, however in Singapore, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has this caution for Singaporeans:

“If you look at other countries: Vietnam, China, even in India, they’re not talking about work-life balance; they are hungry, anxious, about to steal your lunch. So I think I’d better guard my lunch.”

A man who physically abused his maid over five months in 2012 was sentenced to four weeks' jail on Wednesday (June 17).

Muhamad Al-Hafiz Nordin, 31, who was then working as a banquet manager, had slapped and hit the Indonesian domestic worker on various occasions at his Punggol HDB flat between April and August 2012.

The torrent of abuse eventually prompted the maid to escape from the 3rd-storey HDB flat by climbing out of the window, scaling down to the 2nd storey before jumping to the ground floor on Aug 7, 2012.

The court also heard that the maid went from 64kg to 44kg - a loss of 20kg - although the defence has argued that her weight loss was not caused by Muhamad Al-Hafiz or his family.

Muhamad Al-Hafiz's wife, Nuraini Hassan, 30, is also facing charges of maid abuse. Her case is still pending.

Read the full report in our print edition on June 18.

Buyers beware!

Last Saturday, a reader drove her second hand car into Malaysia, but was stopped by Malaysian police just before the last checkpoint heading towards the Singapore side of the causeway.

She was puzzled and scared as she did not know what they stopped her for - as far as she knew, she had not done anything wrong and she had no outstanding offences in Malaysia.

Malaysian police impounded her vehicle, and finally told her that she had to settle 6 outstanding fines attributed to this vehicle in the years between 2004 and 2007. However, these fines were incurred by the vehicle's previous owner as the reader had bought the car only 2 years ago.

Our reader had to return to Singapore and get proof of her vehicle's registration to clear her name and claim her vehicle.

According to the reader, she had driven to Malaysia to get medicine for her daughter, but was stopped just before she cleared the final checkpoint at Malaysian customs.

"I saw more than 100 Singapore cars stopped there. Some 20 Singapore car owners were paying fines. There were even people who paid for about 20 fines."

Some of the fines she saw appeared to be arbitrary and unreasonable. One ticket indicated that her vehicle had covered 50KM in 13 minutes. The traffic police also told her that she could get a discount on her fines.

After returning to get her vehicle from the Malaysian police on the same day, she requested to have the fines incurred by the previous owner cancelled out. They refused.