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 [...]
Tag Archives | Singapore
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: 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: 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: Book on UN Secretary General Reviewed
On 5 January The Straits Times of Singapore published as its lead opinion essay a review of ‘Conversations with Ban Ki-moon,” the new book on the United Nations Secretary General that is featured as part of the ‘Giants of Asia’ series. The reviewer Asas Latif, a visiting research fellow at the highly regarded Institute of [...]
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 [...]
SINGAPORE: Journalism Fellowships!
Asia Journalism Fellowship 2013 opens for applications: The fifth round of the Asia Journalism Fellowship will run from 25 February to 17 May 2013. The fully-sponsored program is accepting applications until 12 October 2012 from accomplished mid-career journalists. The annual program is an initiative of Temasek Foundation and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. It brings [...]
SINGAPORE: Shock, Horror! Why Were We Not Exempted from U.S. Sanctions?
Singapore’s media and political circles were set abuzz by the decision of the Obama Administration not to include U.S.-friendly Singapore on the “clean list” of countries exempt from Iran oil sanctions by the White House on Monday, June 11th. Here’s the deal: On June 11th, the Obama Administration exempted seven more governments to join Japan [...]
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