SOME PARTIES DO NOT HAVE WEB GUIDELINES

SOME PARTIES DO NOT HAVE WEB GUIDELINES

by Leong Wee Keat

SINGAPORE – In spite of the general belief among political parties that the Internet will play an active role in the coming General Election, a check with some revealed that several do not have specific guidelines on members’ Web etiquette.

The recent online fracas between a Young People’s Action Party (YP) branch chairman and a netizen has cast the spotlight on how members of political parties engage in social media.

Responding to MediaCorp’s queries on the incident involving YP Toa Payoh East Branch chairman Cheo Ming Shen, a YP spokesperson said it “doesn’t take an official position where its members or leaders make comments or personal opinions in private matters or issues”.

Adding that it has internal guidelines, the spokesperson said: “However, we do on a regular basis, advise and encourage our members as well as our leaders to be mindful of their comments, especially in the public domain such as websites.”

Workers’ Party (WP) webmaster Koh Choong Yong told MediaCorp that its social media policies have been in place “for one to two years”. WP’s guidelines include encouraging members to identify themselves so that they can take responsibility for their words, pause – and reflect for a moment – before replying, and refrain from name-calling or responding to aggravation.

Said Mr Koh, who also heads the WP youth wing: “While the party do not restrict any member from posting his/her personal views on social media platform, we always remind the members that whatever they post will be deemed to be associated with the views and perspective of the party.”

In contrast, the National Solidarity Party (NSP) and Reform Party do not have a set of guidelines for their members.

NSP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng said: “The majority of us are mature adults. Even if a member make a mistake, we should learn from it … in the end, it may be immaterial. What matters most (during hustings) are policy issues.”

RP chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam said his party expects members to adhere to its vision and beliefs as well as to show the party in a good light. Membership privileges do come with obligations, he reiterated.

Meanwhile, YP’s Mr Cheo has apologised for the online fracas, which began after the netizen confronted Mr Cheo about his comments in The Sunday Times that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew “is the equivalent of Nelson Mandela to Singaporeans”.

In response, Mr Cheo – a co-founder of Internet start-up Netccentric – fired off numerous tweets, some containing foul language.

Mr Cheo told MediaCorp: “In hindsight, I definitely regret and am sorry for my actions. All comments were made in my personal capacity. At no time did I make the comments donning my PAP hat.”

As Mr Cheo looks to put the incident behind him, the YP spokesperson said that it “would be highlighted as an example to members” on how to conduct themselves on the Internet.

Source : TODAYonline – MediaCorp Press Ltd’s copyright

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MOE To Hire More Mother Tongue Teachers

MOE To Hire More Mother Tongue Teachers

by Ng Jing Yng

SINGAPORE – When it comes to recruiting new Mother Tongue Language (MTL) teachers, preference will be given to local teachers as “there’s a culture and ethos”, as Education Minister Ng Eng Hen put it.

But as the Ministry of Education (MOE) ramps up hiring of these teachers – to support the changes to the curriculum – Dr Ng yesterday did not rule out the possibility of tapping on foreign sources.

Said Dr Ng: “We’re realistic. If we can’t get them (here), we may get some from overseas.”

MOE plans to deploy 500 Mother Tongue Language teachers – mostly to primary schools – by 2015. The latest recruitment efforts come on the back of a step-up already seen in the past three years, with the addition of about 400 Chinese Language teachers, 80 Malay Language teachers and 20 Tamil Language teachers. Currently, 5 per cent of the 6,666 MTL teachers are foreigners.

There are 50 scholarships available for citizens interested in pursuing a career as an MTL teacher.

Without giving a number, Director-General of Education Ho Peng said that more will be given out. Efforts will also be stepped up to encourage younger people to teach MTL.

With info-communications technology (ICT) set to be used more heavily in the new curriculum, support for teachers will also come in the form of courses and training provided by the respective language centres, said Ms Ho.

Singapore Chinese Teachers’ Union president Lim Chin Nam is confident that the current crop of MTL teachers would be able to implement the latest recommendations effectively. Many of them – regardless of age – have already taken courses on using ICT for the classroom, Mr Lim noted.

He added: “To attract new talents, MTL teachers could make lessons more enjoyable and lively, by showing students that the language is useful and applicable to real-life situations and one’s own culture.”

Besides ICT courses, training will be given in teaching methods.

Singapore Centre for Chinese Language deputy executive director Dr Tan Chee Lay said it would “hand-hold” teachers so they understand the new theories. It will also conduct research in the classroom.

A Chinese Language teacher told MediaCorp that change was inevitable but hoped that older teachers would be given leeway in the current fast-changing IT environment.

Said the 37-year-old: “These teachers are invaluable to us because of their rich classroom and teaching experience. Learning of the language is still the core business. IT and other ways to learn, for example, drama and script writing, should not take the lead. They should only be supportive tools.”

Source : TODAYonline – MediaCorp Press Ltd’s copyright

UOL Buyes Lion City Hotel For $313M »« A New Chapter In Teaching Mother Tongue

A New Chapter In Teaching Mother Tongue

A New Chapter In Teaching Mother Tongue

by Ng Jing Yng

SINGAPORE – Instead of describing a picture, a student would be asked to start a conversation in his mother tongue after watching a video clip of an everyday scenario. And rather than putting pen to paper, he could use the computer to reply to an email as part of an examination.

This is a simple snapshot of the way examinations will change but it goes to the heart of the new Mother Tongue Language (MTL) curriculum coming onstream in the next few years.

Technology, interactivity and a shift in home language backgrounds underpin the swath of recommendations announced yesterday by the MTL Review Committee.

Primary school pupils, for instance, will start using video stimuli in their oral exams at the Primary School Leaving Examination from 2017. For pupils taking Higher MTL in secondary schools, oral assessment will be incorporated into their O-Level Exam from 2016.

The aim is for pupils to see how language skills apply to real-life scenarios.

Said Director-General of Education Ho Peng, who headed the review committee: “This will keep Mother Tongue languages alive and encourage fluency outside the classroom.”

After a year-long deliberation, it suggested four areas of change to the MTL curriculum and said $45 million was needed to implement the measures.

Other than new exam formats, the curriculum will feature elements such as songs or drama as well as a heavier use of info-communication technologies.

To cater for this, curriculum content will be reduced at various levels, for example, by 10 per cent at Primary Three and Four.

The changes mean that instead of targetting certain learning outcomes, teachers will look at different proficiency descriptions of language use to gauge the achievements of their pupils.

And with greater diversity of learning abilities, more options are also being introduced. Specifically for Chinese Language, there will be a new subject at selected junior colleges from 2015: Chinese Linguistics and Translation.

For pupils weaker in MTL, greater emphasis will be placed on developing communication skills.

The recommendations come six years after the last round of changes allowed more pupils to take the MTL “B” syllabus in secondary school to cope with their difficulties in learning MTL.

At a press conference yesterday, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen also set the latest changes in context: The dynamic shift of MTL usage in homes has led to different starting points for pupils entering an education system in which the bilingual policy remains a corner stone.

Dr Ng said: “Lessons must be more engaging and interactive, so that students can see direct relevance of what they’re learning.”

Teachers whom MediaCorp spoke to acknowledged that the predominant use of English Language at home has made it more challenging to sustain students’ interest in MTL. The pervasiveness of technology has also placed the onus on MTL teachers to make lessons more engaging.

Dunman High School head of department (Chinese Language) Yeong Chan Kong is confident that teachers can instead leverage on technology: “By showing young learners that the language is alive and applicable to real situations, this will pique students’ interest and keep them curious about it.”

Singapore Tamil Teachers Union president S Samikannu agreed that exam formats should be re-aligned as the curriculum is updated, but stressed that teachers still need to balance between interactivity and written skills.

To allow teachers to have more time to plan lessons creatively by tapping on technology, he suggested that the ministry relook the distribution of teachers’ duties.

Parent Ong Bee Chin, who has a son in Primary One, understands how hard it is for her son to pick up Mandarin, which he finds boring. She applauded the use of computers vis-a-vis rote learning.

The Cabinet has approved MOE’s plan to implement the recommendations.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in an email correspondence to Dr Ng, said: “We must help every student to attain as high a proficiency in MTL as he or she is capable of with reasonable effort.”

Key recommendationsAlign teaching and testing to achieve language proficiency

- Customised curriculum for different language backgrounds

- Using proficiency descriptors to motivate students and teachers

- Stronger interaction skills via ICT

- Changes to exam formats

More support for specific groups

- Higher Chinese Language: New Chinese Linguistics and Translation subject

- Higher Malay Language: Two new elective programme centres

- Higher Tamil Language: New national elective programme

- MTL ‘B’ students: Greater emphasis on communication skills

Creating a supportive environment

- Enrichment programmes such as camps

- Promotion committees to co-organise events with schools and to work with media on programmes

- Increased funding of $45 million

- Pre-school curriculum guidelines to be revamped

Deploying and developing more teachers

- 500 new teachers over next five years

- More teaching scholarships

- Partner with National Institute of Education and language centres to train teachers

Source : TODAYonline – MediaCorp Press Ltd’s copyright

MOE To Hire More Mother Tongue Teachers »« PRs Now Better Educated

PRs Now Better Educated

PRs Now Better Educated

S’pore must welcome more ‘suitably qualified’ immigrants: Wong

by Imelda Saad Aziz

SINGAPORE – The number of foreigners who became permanent residents (PRs) last year was half that of 2009 and one-third 2008′s figure. But the approach of keeping Singapore’s doors open to “suitably qualified” foreigners is here to stay.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng yesterday reiterated this reality as the population ages without replacing itself adequately.

With the fertility rate hitting a new low last year, Mr Wong said the Republic must keep bringing in foreign workers to support economic growth. Said Mr Wong: “The key hurdle to achieving a sustainable population lies in our local fertility rate, which is quite weak.”

Mr Wong, who heads the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD), also outlined the principles that would guide the Government’s objective of achieving a “sustainable population profile”: Preserving and upholding what is distinctive and unique about Singapore, ensuring the growth and change will benefit Singaporeans and remaining nimble and prepared to make adjustments along the way.

Speaking at the annual Singapore Perspectives seminar, which is organised by the Institute of Policy Studies, Mr Wong disclosed that 29,265 foreigners became PRs last year, a sharp drop from 59,460 in 2009, and 79,200 in 2008.

The number of new citizens remained relatively steady at 18,758 in 2010, compared to 19,928 for 2009.

The Government had tightened the PR and citizenship framework in the last quarter of 2009 to better manage the pace and overall numbers of foreigners.

IPS research fellow Leong Chan Hoong said the figures had a “very reassuring effect for Singaporeans”. Said Dr Leong: “Certainly I think this will help assure Singaporeans that the policymakers have their interests as a priority.”

In his speech, Mr Wong said the Government would continue to encourage couples to have more children but he noted that raising the fertility rate would take time.

Growing the population, Mr Wong explained, provides the critical mass to attract investors and grow domestic markets.

The key is in attracting the right kind of people.

Mr Wong said: “Singapore’s population story is still evolving. Looking ahead, continual refinements will need to be made at appropriate junctures to ensure that Singapore will remain our best home. Like other countries around the world, we must continue to welcome suitably qualified people to work and live in Singapore and contribute to our society.”

Mr Wong described these “suitably qualified people” as an “improvement in the quality of new PRs”.

According to the latest population census, PRs in Singapore tend to be better-educated.

Almost half of the PR population last year were degree holders, compared with 18 per cent of citizens.

Going forward, the NPTD will formulate, coordinate and review Government policies.

As to what is unique about Singapore, Mr Wong said that its people “value hard work, thrift and honesty” and the country has also made its multi-ethnic diversity work for it.

Mr Wong said the Government will “always be guided by the need to preserve a strong citizen core” and to “maintain stability” in the ethnic mix.

Source : TODAYonline – MediaCorp Press Ltd’s copyright

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Floods Buoy Commodities

Floods Buoy Commodities

by May Wong

SINGAPORE – Commodity prices are set to continue to trend upwards, aggravated further by the floods in Australia, and analysts said this could in turn benefit commodity-exporting countries in Asia such as Indonesia.

Despite the weather disruptions to mining activities and with crop productions down in Australia, analysts believe the commodity sector will still perform better than most other asset classes this year. Some say that is because, as economies do well, demand for commodities will continue to grow. And right now, there is still a shortage of commodity supplies.

With Australia – a major supplier of coal to Asian steel producers – grappling with the destruction, other countries might step up their output to plug the gap. Mr Avtar Sandu, Asian commodities manager, Phillip Futures, said that Indonesia, the second-largest exporter of thermal coal, might attract a lot of long-term contracts.

“The full impact has yet to be felt. I feel the flooding is going to go on for another two to three weeks and, with the ships lining up on the ports itself, exports will be hit and spot prices especially for coal are going to go up,” Mr Sandu said.

The price of coking coal, used in steelmaking, is likely to reach US$320 ($412) per tonne in the first quarter, up from the current price of US$295 a tonne. It has already increased by about 33 per cent since last October.

Analysts were bullish on the prospects of local commodity firms like Straits Asia Resources and Noble Group. They said such companies either do not have operations in Australia or that their businesses are well-diversified and not dependent on Queensland.

“We do not expect Straits Asia Resources to be affected by the Australian floods because its operations are based in Indonesia. And, in fact, Straits Asia Resources might benefit from what’s happening in Australia because of rising thermal coal prices, resulting from supply shortages,” said Mr Lee Wen Ching, investment analyst, OCBC Investment Research.

“As for Noble, we do not expect the floods to have significant impact for two main reasons. Firstly Australia accounts for only 2 per cent of Noble’s volumes. Secondly, Noble’s coal mines are located in New Castle, which is quite far south from Queensland,” he said.

Mr Lee said Olam International sources cotton and wheat from Queensland and that the harvest yield for its cotton crop might be affected by floods. However, the extent of damage will not be ascertained until the harvesting season in February.

“Investors (in Olam) can take comfort in knowing that despite the floods, Australian cotton harvest is expected to grow to four million bales from 1.6 million bales the year before, and on top of that, Olam’s market share has been rising. This could offset some of the weakness caused by these floods in Australia,” he said.

May Wong

Source : TODAYonline – MediaCorp Press Ltd’s copyright

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Number Of Off-Peak Cars Starts To Plateau

Number Of Off-Peak Cars Starts To Plateau

by Leong Wee Keat

SINGAPORE – In the first sign that the population of off-peak cars (OPCs) may be reaching a plateau, the number of red licence plates on the roads has fallen for the first time in at least three years.

The number of car owners converting to the OPC scheme has also hit the brakes lately.

According to Land Transport Authority (LTA) figures, the total population of OPCs decreased last month by 57, from November’s 50,097. The fall was attributed to high Certificate of Entitlement premiums, which are making OPCs less appealing and keeping budget buyers on the sidelines, motor traders say.

The number of new cars registered as OPCs has fallen sharply since last January – when the scheme was enhanced to allow motorists on the roads throughout Saturdays and the eves of some public holidays – from 767 to 111 last month.

Before the change, they were allowed on the roads only before 7am or after 3pm on those days. If they wished to drive outside the prescribed hours, they had to pay $20 a day.

When asked by MediaCorp if the fall in the OPC numbers was a concern, the LTA said the overall population last year was 2,816 more than the number in December 2009.

The LTA had previously envisaged that the enhanced scheme could eventually lead to 10 to 15 per cent of cars being OPCs, which would alleviate peak-hour traffic. OPCs now account for 8.4 per cent of the car population.

One trader felt that the $17,000 tax savings on an OPC is “relatively insignificant” now. For example, a 1.6-litre Hyundai Avante, which cost $52,000 last February, now costs $80,500. The OPC discount would have been 33 per cent last year, but amounts to 21 per cent now.

Under the revised scheme, car owners who convert to red plates could also receive cash rebates of up to $1,100 for every six months under off-peak registration.

But fewer owners seem to be making the switch lately. There were 108 owners who did so last month, less than half of the 229 in December 2009. Still, the 1,984 conversions last year were several times higher than the number in 2009.

Singapore Vehicle Traders Association honorary secretary Raymond Tang has seen several used car buyers converting their cars to red plates, allowing them to claim cash rebates to offset rising fuel and parking costs.

To make the scheme more attractive, he suggested that the authorities could look at expanding the scheme to the eve of public holidays beyond just New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas. “With COEs so high, it doesn’t make any sense to motorists to purchase new cars as OPCs,” he added.

Source : TODAYonline – MediaCorp Press Ltd’s copyright

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Premier for Regular Reviews of FTA to Gain from Growth of China

Premier for Regular Reviews of FTA to Gain from Growth of China

Singapore and China share many common interests and goals. Both the countries have entered into Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to benefit mutually from each other. Both the countries have had now 20 years of diplomatic relations and have covered indeed many distances in facilitating economic, cultural and diplomatic ties between both the countries.

China has one of the highest growth rates in the last four decades. China is now diverting the development trends away from her coastal cities. Central China cities have been given the priority to focus on their industrial and infrastructural development. Singapore is seeking to gain from this experiment and experience. Singapore is also seeking to gain better share of tourism from china.

Last one year has seen active diplomatic exchange visits. Highest levels of visits from both countries have forged even deeper friendship between both the countries. Last year China’s President paid an official visit to Singapore. Now Premier of Singapore is scheduled to visit five central China cities to further enhance the economic ties between both the countries. PM will also launch the Tasty Singapore festival to attract more private visits from common Chinese for Singaporean cuisine.

PM Lee has emphasized regular reviews of FTA for the mutual economic benefits of business communities in both the countries. He said that whatever, concerns and suggestions business men have, they should be analyzed for inclusion in FTA. It is through mutual gain that people of both the countries can reap maximum benefits from economic ties.
He also sought to encourage the youth of Singapore to develop stronger friendships with Chinese youth to foster long lasting friendships.

PM Lee‘s visit is also coinciding with the eve of World Expo. Therefore, he has made it convenient to make a special visit. He will be accompanied by his spouse as well as many ministers and officials from trade, commerce and foreign ministries. He will interact with Chinese Government functionaries in the Capital and other cities. He is also planned to meet Singaporean businessmen working in China to learn about their problems and seek proposals for their redress.

PM has emphasized on greater mutual consultations and sought a role in china’s ever increasing growth. His key theme was that by helping China, Singapore can also gain benefits for her development. He is likely to discuss with his Chinese counterparts the prospects to enhance his country’s role in this aspect.

China is witnessing a rapid growth due to her investment friendly policies and successful measure to limit the effects of global recession. As a matter of fact, many had feared the spill over of European and American economic woes onto China’s galloping economy. But it was seen with relief that reduced demand from these continents did little to affect China’s economic growth rate. Her neighbours are increasing seeking to benefit from the policies of China. PM Lee’s visit is all the more important in this backdrop. Interestingly, Singapore Government is not likely to seek concessions in the FTA agreement between both countries three years ago, rather it intends to assist China in her quest and in the process attain economic gains.

Buy Sell Rent invest In Singapore Property Real Estate

Mindy Yong

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Mindy@MindyYong.com

www.hotvictory.com

www.property-elite.com

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Overview Of Singapore Property

Overview Of Singapore Property

Singapore is a country based on an island. Undeveloped land in this county is difficult to find. As the population of the country is increasing so is the demand for property. Many people are migrating to Singapore which is also contributing to the rising population. With limited undeveloped land at disposal the rise in the property prices is inevitable. As the demand for property goes up, the prices are increasing. Singapore has seen a sudden rise in property prices since the beginning of the year 2010. More and more investors are now looking at investment opportunities in Singapore.

In Singapore the distribution of property is different than other countries. Around eighty percent of the Singaporean population lives in apartments or units which are constructed and maintained by the HDB or the Housing and development board. Hence, the major chunk of real estate is dedicated to these units from the housing and development board. The other section of the real estate market consists of condominiums or private apartments and landed property. These are comparatively more expensive when compared to the apartments provided by HDB.

Foreigners in Singapore have ownership restrictions. Mostly foreigners in Singapore would rent in private apartments or condominiums. Another option available to foreigners is the converted Chinese style shop houses. In Singapore, the private rental market is dominated by the emigrants. However, most of the landed property and private apartments are owned by Singapore residents. Wealthy Singapore residents would normally invest in land and the private apartments and hence the majority of landlords are Singaporeans.

The Singapore government is constantly checking the real estate prices and takes all measures possible to avoid steep rise in property prices. It is known to take necessary measures whenever there is a sharp rise in the real estate prices. Constant change in government policies generally maintain the real estate prices and keep it at certain levels. Stamp duty policy which was introduced this year was one of the measures that the government takes to control the price rise.

The government also makes available new undeveloped property to developers and builders if the demand for property increases. The plot ratio is also one thing that the government controls. Recently, the government increased the permissible floor space that can be built per sq foot of the land. This has resulted into increased interest from the developers towards twenty or more years old private apartments. The developers plan to redevelop these private apartments into taller, modern and luxurious private apartments since the demand for private apartments is increasing constantly.

Buy Sell Rent invest In Singapore Property Real Estate

Mindy Yong

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Mindy@MindyYong.com

www.hotvictory.com

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Mount Pleasant Seeks More Tenants As Tenders Open

Mount Pleasant Seeks More Tenants As Tenders Open

With the recent wave of good news about the economic backdrop, it is a natural outcome that the residential property is looking good too. Sources have said that the economy is making an almost V-shaped recovery. The property analysts are also awaiting the launch of a new tender for the tenancy for 33 bungalows situated at Mount Pleasant.

The 33 black and white bungalows set amidst the tropical setting of the island, have been built in a colonial style. Their gross floor area ranges from about 210-1,140 square meters. The forecast rent for the collective 33 bungalows is approx. $488,300 per month.

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) has banned any commercial use of the property, restricting its purpose to be only residential so as to preserve the historical ambience. Although of these bungalows have a prime location, it still lacks some basic amenities especially the outside eateries. This means that anybody who wants to have a bite will have to go somewhere else which is not nearby. Therefore Mount Pleasant still expects to attract tenants from niche class alone.

The black and white bungalows have generally been divided into 3 types depending upon the size of the area they have been constructed upon. They are all two-storey 3-4 bedroom bungalows which are a nest of rich colonial heritage. The very road on which it is situated has been named as the Heritage Road by the National Parks Board. Set in a tranquil background these bungalows are actually black and white from their exterior. Being painted white on the exterior and supported with black wooden beams.

It is said that they were once made for the colonial families that belonged to the British Empire. Since they belonged to the colonial families they could easily be a hundred years old. This means a good level of maintenance required. However, extensive renovations have had been done to the bungalows. But the nostalgic aura prevalent in these bungalows is unusual and craved for by a special class and if you have around 20 K at hand then, why not.

Therefore, the property analysts are optimistic, as the leases are about to expire for the existing occupants around December 2010. Sources have revealed that SLA has opened the tender for these colonial-era black and white bungalows on 31 August 2010 and foresees to close on 21 September 2010. The initial tenancy period allotted for these residential bungalows is 3 years with an alternate option to renew it for two more 3-year terms.

Although the guide rent has been delivered agents believe that there is still room for attainable rent. They expect the rent of a single unit to reach between $20,000 and $40,000.

Reports have said that the tender notice is likely to attract more than 30 company representatives. SLA has however issued some criteria to fulfil by interested parties if they wish to participate – like a recent history of steady cash flow record and a good track record in residential or other business for consecutive 5 years.

Buy Sell Rent invest In Singapore Property Real Estate

Mindy Yong

( +65 ) 91002985

Mindy@MindyYong.com

www.hotvictory.com

www.property-elite.com

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