Aiyo ... you preached about creativity and all you can do at a party is to turned up all dressed in white ... at Zouk some more. Trying too hard, eh?
SEPT 24, 2004
People! Action! Party!
THE People's Action Party (PAP) may be serious, but last night it tried to show it was not square.
The occasion was a party to mark the PAP's 50th anniversary and its youth wing's 18th birthday.
More than 1,500 Young PAP (YP) members and their friends gathered at trendy nightspot Zouk to boogie the night away.
The party got off to a slow start at 7pm, but picked up momentum after YP chairman Vivian Balakrishnan, clad in a white linen shirt and white trousers, asked guests to 'loosen up'.
When Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the party's first assistant secretary-general, arrived at 9pm, the crowd broke into applause.
Launching the celebrations from the DJ console, Mr Lee confessed that it was strange to be addressing his 'comrades' at Zouk.
'The PAP is a serious party, but we're not a square party. We have some serious people, but we know how to enjoy ourselves too,' he said, before joining party revellers on the packed dance floor.
On stage and on pedestals which normally showcase the most snazzily dressed or niftiest dancers in the club, were MPs gyrating to the mix of house and retro music.
They included former YP chairman Lim Swee Say, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, who chairs the PAP Women's Wing, as well as MPs such as Miss Irene Ng, Miss Indranee Rajah, Dr Chong Weng Chiew, Dr Ong Seh Hong and Miss Penny Low.
Saturday 25 September 2004
Hmmmm ....
So now how? The anti-corruption drive losing steam soon?
The Straits Times SEPT 25, 2004
Why did Abdullah's men lose?
Shock election results for top party posts could be reaction from members against him and his campaign against money politics
By Reme Ahmad
KUALA LUMPUR - A day after the dramatic turn of events that shocked Umno, its leaders began searching for answers to questions on how candidates regarded widely as the 'Prime Minister's men' came to be defeated.
Party members and analysts are asking whether the results - which saw two unlikely contenders ushered into the important vice-presidential posts - were a setback for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Had he failed to convince the members of the dangers of 'money politics'?
Was the voting trend by the delegates a signal of opposition to him and some of the measures he has been pushing to clean up the system?
Indeed, just how could he fight corruption in the country if his own backyard is seen to be tainted?
A closer look at just who won and lost makes clear the extent of the shock that was delivered on Thursday night.
Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, the favourite for the post of vice-president and preferred by the Prime Minister himself, was nudged into the last slot.
Kelantan chieftain Mustapa Mohamed, also thought to be favoured by Datuk Seri Abdullah, failed to make the cut.
Another loser was former Selangor Menteri Besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib, who was said to have a more than even chance of winning.
Just as shocking were the results for the 25 seats in the Supreme Council, Umno's powerful decision-making body. A total of 51 candidates contested.
Some leaders won unexpectedly, while six ministers and deputy ministers lost. Half the 20 incumbents who tried to get re-elected were shown the door.
The vice-presidents and Supreme Council chiefs were chosen by 2,520 voting delegates picked from Umno's 190 divisions throughout the country.
Although there was no evidence that funds changed hands in the run-up to the polls, the widespread speculation that money still talks came as a big blow to Datuk Seri Abdullah.
After all, he had cracked down hard on such tactics in the campaigning, hauling up more than a dozen leaders.
And since taking office 11 months ago, he has been trying to rid the country of graft.
A surprise winner was Tan Sri Isa Samad - the Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan for 22 years, and the Federal Territories Minister for the past six months.
On Thursday, the 55-year-old former teacher threw Umno into a tizzy when he was chosen vice-president with the highest number of votes, putting him within striking distance of being deputy prime minister.
His win, along with that of Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam, who came in second, caused a mad scramble for answers within the party.
Almost immediately, the two men faced accusations of having bought votes in the seven-way race. Both denied playing dirty.
'I may not be the media's favourite, but I am a favourite among party members,' said Tan Sri Isa, who added that he had found strong support when he was campaigning.
Datuk Seri Ali said he was helped by his wide network in the youth movements. He leads the 4B Youth Movement, the Malaysian Youth Council and the World Youth Assembly, which have hundreds of thousands of members in total.
'Money politics must be rejected 100 per cent,' Datuk Seri Ali said yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, when asked whether money politics skewed the results, said: 'I do not know, there are rumours...(but) look at it as a mandate from the party.'
Both Tan Sri Isa and Datuk Seri Ali do have their plus points.
'The members want someone who they can approach. Both these two are very approachable,' said Terengganu MP Shabery Ahmad Chik.
But others viewed the results as a setback for Datuk Seri Abdullah and his reform agenda.
Said Mr Lim Guan Eng, secretary-general of opposition Democratic Action Party: 'The election of new leaders at all levels, from the vice-presidents to the Supreme Council members who have not been at the forefront of the fight against money politics and corruption, can be read as a reaction in Umno against the Prime Minister.'
The Straits Times SEPT 25, 2004
Why did Abdullah's men lose?
Shock election results for top party posts could be reaction from members against him and his campaign against money politics
By Reme Ahmad
KUALA LUMPUR - A day after the dramatic turn of events that shocked Umno, its leaders began searching for answers to questions on how candidates regarded widely as the 'Prime Minister's men' came to be defeated.
Party members and analysts are asking whether the results - which saw two unlikely contenders ushered into the important vice-presidential posts - were a setback for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Had he failed to convince the members of the dangers of 'money politics'?
Was the voting trend by the delegates a signal of opposition to him and some of the measures he has been pushing to clean up the system?
Indeed, just how could he fight corruption in the country if his own backyard is seen to be tainted?
A closer look at just who won and lost makes clear the extent of the shock that was delivered on Thursday night.
Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, the favourite for the post of vice-president and preferred by the Prime Minister himself, was nudged into the last slot.
Kelantan chieftain Mustapa Mohamed, also thought to be favoured by Datuk Seri Abdullah, failed to make the cut.
Another loser was former Selangor Menteri Besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib, who was said to have a more than even chance of winning.
Just as shocking were the results for the 25 seats in the Supreme Council, Umno's powerful decision-making body. A total of 51 candidates contested.
Some leaders won unexpectedly, while six ministers and deputy ministers lost. Half the 20 incumbents who tried to get re-elected were shown the door.
The vice-presidents and Supreme Council chiefs were chosen by 2,520 voting delegates picked from Umno's 190 divisions throughout the country.
Although there was no evidence that funds changed hands in the run-up to the polls, the widespread speculation that money still talks came as a big blow to Datuk Seri Abdullah.
After all, he had cracked down hard on such tactics in the campaigning, hauling up more than a dozen leaders.
And since taking office 11 months ago, he has been trying to rid the country of graft.
A surprise winner was Tan Sri Isa Samad - the Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan for 22 years, and the Federal Territories Minister for the past six months.
On Thursday, the 55-year-old former teacher threw Umno into a tizzy when he was chosen vice-president with the highest number of votes, putting him within striking distance of being deputy prime minister.
His win, along with that of Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam, who came in second, caused a mad scramble for answers within the party.
Almost immediately, the two men faced accusations of having bought votes in the seven-way race. Both denied playing dirty.
'I may not be the media's favourite, but I am a favourite among party members,' said Tan Sri Isa, who added that he had found strong support when he was campaigning.
Datuk Seri Ali said he was helped by his wide network in the youth movements. He leads the 4B Youth Movement, the Malaysian Youth Council and the World Youth Assembly, which have hundreds of thousands of members in total.
'Money politics must be rejected 100 per cent,' Datuk Seri Ali said yesterday.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, when asked whether money politics skewed the results, said: 'I do not know, there are rumours...(but) look at it as a mandate from the party.'
Both Tan Sri Isa and Datuk Seri Ali do have their plus points.
'The members want someone who they can approach. Both these two are very approachable,' said Terengganu MP Shabery Ahmad Chik.
But others viewed the results as a setback for Datuk Seri Abdullah and his reform agenda.
Said Mr Lim Guan Eng, secretary-general of opposition Democratic Action Party: 'The election of new leaders at all levels, from the vice-presidents to the Supreme Council members who have not been at the forefront of the fight against money politics and corruption, can be read as a reaction in Umno against the Prime Minister.'
I bet
I bet that Singapore will eventually have its casino, all these survey are just for show. Pretend to be democratic and consultative ...
SEPT 25, 2004
S'poreans split evenly on casino
Survey finds 53% in favour of and 47% against having a casino, with those opposed fearing social costs of gambling
By Lydia Lim
THE ongoing debate over whether Singapore should have its own casino has the population split almost right down the middle.
A Straits Times (ST) survey carried out two weeks ago found that 53 per cent are in favour of having a casino here, while 47 per cent oppose it.
Those in favour believe it will help the country attract more tourists, generate revenue and create jobs.
Those opposed are concerned about the social costs. Nine in 10 of them believe a casino will lead to gambling addiction growing here and causing more family-related problems, while eight in 10 fear a casino will also result in more crime.
Only two-thirds of those who oppose a casino do so because they believe gambling is immoral.
Public policy expert Ho Khai Leong said it is unusual for society to be so evenly split on an issue.
But the casino debate is unique as it pits economic arguments against deeply-felt moral convictions and social values, he said. Probably the only other issue in the past that was so polarising was the debate over legalising abortion, he added.
The ST survey is the first to gauge public sentiment since the casino idea was first broached by the Government in March as part of plans for a top-class resort on the Southern Islands, to draw the world's rich and famous.
Leaders of several religious groups have voiced their opposition to the idea.
But it had not been clear until now where the population at large stands on the issue. The survey by Singapore Press Holdings' research arm polled a representative sample of 376 Singaporeans and permanent residents aged 20 and above.
It found that race is a significant factor, with Chinese the most likely to want a casino here and Malays the least likely. Six in 10 Chinese want it as compared to only two in 10 Malays. Among Indians, 45 per cent are in favour.
Men are also more likely than women to support the idea, but other factors such as age, income and education do not seem significant.
If there is a casino here, most of those polled - 68 per cent - want entry for all adult Singaporeans.
They disagree with a government proposal to limit entry, possibly to tourists and higher-income Singaporeans, as they do not want discrimination between rich and poor. They also believe adult Singaporeans are mature enough to make their own decisions.
As for the 30 per cent who want entry restrictions, they believe the poor need to be protected against gambling losses.
The survey findings also suggest that there are Singaporeans who play with Lady Luck and yet oppose having a casino here.
This is apparent from comparing the number who say they have ever bought 4-D - 66 per cent - with the number who support the casino idea, which is 53 per cent.
Among current forms of legalised betting, 4-D is the most popular followed by Toto, soccer betting and horse-racing. As for visiting casinos, 34 per cent have never done so and 55 per cent have never gambled at one.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) yesterday said the findings were useful feedback for its ongoing study.
Within the next few months, it plans to invite proposals from potential investors keen to develop an integrated resort that includes a casino.
This is to test the market and allow the ministry to assess the merits of the proposals.
More details will be released later, it said, adding that the Government has not made a decision on whether or not to go ahead.
MTI also revealed that it had actively pursued ways to develop an integrated resort without the casino component, but 'the private sector has for various reasons decided not to develop such projects here'.
This reflects the intense competition for investments in the region, it said.
The Straits Times understands that one such project that fell through involved theme park developer Disney.
SEPT 25, 2004
S'poreans split evenly on casino
Survey finds 53% in favour of and 47% against having a casino, with those opposed fearing social costs of gambling
By Lydia Lim
THE ongoing debate over whether Singapore should have its own casino has the population split almost right down the middle.
A Straits Times (ST) survey carried out two weeks ago found that 53 per cent are in favour of having a casino here, while 47 per cent oppose it.
Those in favour believe it will help the country attract more tourists, generate revenue and create jobs.
Those opposed are concerned about the social costs. Nine in 10 of them believe a casino will lead to gambling addiction growing here and causing more family-related problems, while eight in 10 fear a casino will also result in more crime.
Only two-thirds of those who oppose a casino do so because they believe gambling is immoral.
Public policy expert Ho Khai Leong said it is unusual for society to be so evenly split on an issue.
But the casino debate is unique as it pits economic arguments against deeply-felt moral convictions and social values, he said. Probably the only other issue in the past that was so polarising was the debate over legalising abortion, he added.
The ST survey is the first to gauge public sentiment since the casino idea was first broached by the Government in March as part of plans for a top-class resort on the Southern Islands, to draw the world's rich and famous.
Leaders of several religious groups have voiced their opposition to the idea.
But it had not been clear until now where the population at large stands on the issue. The survey by Singapore Press Holdings' research arm polled a representative sample of 376 Singaporeans and permanent residents aged 20 and above.
It found that race is a significant factor, with Chinese the most likely to want a casino here and Malays the least likely. Six in 10 Chinese want it as compared to only two in 10 Malays. Among Indians, 45 per cent are in favour.
Men are also more likely than women to support the idea, but other factors such as age, income and education do not seem significant.
If there is a casino here, most of those polled - 68 per cent - want entry for all adult Singaporeans.
They disagree with a government proposal to limit entry, possibly to tourists and higher-income Singaporeans, as they do not want discrimination between rich and poor. They also believe adult Singaporeans are mature enough to make their own decisions.
As for the 30 per cent who want entry restrictions, they believe the poor need to be protected against gambling losses.
The survey findings also suggest that there are Singaporeans who play with Lady Luck and yet oppose having a casino here.
This is apparent from comparing the number who say they have ever bought 4-D - 66 per cent - with the number who support the casino idea, which is 53 per cent.
Among current forms of legalised betting, 4-D is the most popular followed by Toto, soccer betting and horse-racing. As for visiting casinos, 34 per cent have never done so and 55 per cent have never gambled at one.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) yesterday said the findings were useful feedback for its ongoing study.
Within the next few months, it plans to invite proposals from potential investors keen to develop an integrated resort that includes a casino.
This is to test the market and allow the ministry to assess the merits of the proposals.
More details will be released later, it said, adding that the Government has not made a decision on whether or not to go ahead.
MTI also revealed that it had actively pursued ways to develop an integrated resort without the casino component, but 'the private sector has for various reasons decided not to develop such projects here'.
This reflects the intense competition for investments in the region, it said.
The Straits Times understands that one such project that fell through involved theme park developer Disney.
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