STEPHANIE GARCIA WRITES- Cartoons are typically humorous, but Leslie Chew is hardly laughing since being charged with sedition for his “racially insensitive” comic strip. The 37 year old may face up to $5,000 in fines and three years jail time if he is found guilty of violating Section 298 of the Penal Code, stating “any [...]
About Stephanie Garcia
Stephanie is currently pursing a degree in Political Science and plans to graduate in 2014.SINGAPORE: Let the FBI in Already!
Sometimes, one must give a little to get a little, a lesson Singapore is learning the hard way. Specifically, if the city-state gives in and grants the FBI access to evidence collected in the investigation of US engineer Shane Todd’s death, it will continue receiving generous funding from the US government. Although the Singapore Police [...]
SINGAPORE: Cops bend to FT, let FBI investigate engineer’s death
After months of alleged dawdling, an article in the Financial Times seems to have persuaded Singapore police to let the FBI help investigate a U.S. scientist’s death. Shane Todd, a 31 year old electronics engineer from Montana, was found hanging dead in his Singapore apartment last June. His death was initially deemed a suicide, but [...]
SINGAPORE: Oral Sex Trial Blows Over!
What the region’s overheated news media has termed “the most high profile graft trial in decades” is finally over… maybe. Last week, Ng Boon Gay, former Central Narcotics Bureau Director, was acquitted of all four charges of corruption. He was accused of obtaining oral sex from Cecilia Sue, sales manager at two IT vendors, in [...]
SINGAPORE: Social Media Mourns As Well
It is no exaggeration to say that all of Singapore is mourning the death of two brothers who collided into a cement-mixing truck. The city-state’s media is all over the story, and its social media is humming overtime. Recently, Nigel Yap, 13, offered to pick up his younger brother Donavan, 7, from Tampines North Primary [...]
SINGAPORE: Let’s Make Babies
Singapore’s biological clock is ticking, and she will do whatever it takes to have more babies. The young nation is encouraging couples to marry and have babies to increase the Singaporean population. The government has increased its Marriage and Parenthood budget from $1.6 billion to $2 billion. Some benefits include one week of paternity leave [...]
SINGAPORE: Why Was the Rape Victim Moved from India?
The mystery deepens as media speculation won’t go away. On Saturday, December 29, chief executive Dr. Kevin Loh of Singapore’s Mt. Elizabeth Hospital stated that the hospital and team of eight specialists mourned the loss of the 23 year old New Dehli gang rape vicim and was honored to have been chosen to care for [...]
SINGAPORE: High Expectations and False Advertising Leave Tourists Unimpressed
As Singapore becomes a hot vacation spot, tourists’ expectations increase as they hear of its booming economy and luxury resorts. But can Singapore keep up with these higher demands? Vacationers weighed in, seeming unimpressed. Recently, the Institute of Service Excellence at Singapore Management University released the results of its tourism satisfaction survey, revealing a declining [...]
SINGAPORE: Advertising Restrictions Hard to Swallow
How much government really is too much? Singapore plans to follow in the footsteps of the UK, South Korea, Denmark, and Finland to encourage healthy lifestyles for citizens by regulating advertisements for fast food, soda, and other food high in sugar, salt, and fat. At the recent launch of the annual National Healthy Lifestyle Campaign, [...]
SINGAPORE: Malay Marriage Critique Gets Amy Cheong Fired or Worse
Recently, Amy Cheong, assistant director at the National Trades Union Congress, posted an offensive rant on her Facebook about Malay weddings, using explicit language to claim that cheap weddings on void decks (the first floor of many Singaporean apartment buildings) are responsible for the high divorce rate among Malays. Just as Facebook was used by [...]
SINGAPORE: Singapore Says “Told You So”
The US often criticizes Singapore for restricting freedom of the press, especially on visceral topics. But after speculation that the assassination of Christopher Stephens, US Ambassador to Libya, was a result of the “Innocence of Muslims” trailer, based on a longer video made by radical (so-called) Christians to denigrate the Muslim religion and their prophet [...]
ASIA INSIGHT VIDEO NO. FOUR: STEPHANIE GARCIA AND HER VIEW ON AMERICAN JOURNALISM AND SINGAPORE
Professor Tom Plate meets with South-South News
Professor Tom Plate Goes Live With South-South News to discuss his book on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Professor Plate reveals why he decided to write a book on Ban Ki-Moon -- and how the Western media stereotypes the Korean diplomat.
Staff Writer Lauren Chen Reflects on the Death of a Journalist