TOC 2nd anniversary speeches

The Online Citizen raised Social Justice and Fairness issues at its 2nd anniversary event at Speakers’ Corner. Here are the videos of the speeches.

Opening Speech by Choo Zheng Xi:

• TOC guiding principle: Transparency, Accountability, Active Citizenry.
• TOC – a platform for Singaporeans to tell their stories and shape the nation’s development.
• Human Rights – HDB residents’ views deserve as much respect as the ministers’.
• Town Councils reply on investment prime example of lacking in transparency.

• Make elected representative accountable with creditable candidates contesting coming election.
• Active Citizenry – our duty to build the nation as written in our National Pledge:

to build a democratic society
based on justice and equality
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.

• How we treat the poorest and weakest, the minorities reflect our true values.

—

HDB policies and how they are affecting the poor by Leong Sze Hian:

• 33,000 HDB households (8% of HDB concessionary loans) can’t pay HDB housing loan.
• Total figure of households with payment problem unknown – missing figures on compulsory acquired homes, foreclosures, selling flats because of payment problems.
• Are HDB flats still affordable when 33,000 HDB households can’t pay housing loan.
• HDB policies make low income families hard to afford a flat.
• Rising HDB flat price and stagnant low income wage make situation worse.

—

“Distributive Justice” and our education policy by Ravi Philemon:

• Human Rights is about prosperity and progress of “ME and MY FAMILY”.
• DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE – fair share of the society’s benefits and burdens for everyone.
• Growing income gap is tearing the social fabric of Singapore.
• Our education system disadvantaged lower-income families is root cause of deep divide between the haves and the have-nots.
• America has a culture of learning that challenges conventional wisdom; even if it means challenging authority. These are the areas Singapore must learn from America.
• Poverty inflicts permanent scars on the psychology of a person.

• Government’s policies of excessively streaming educational system, cheap foreign labour need to be addressed.
• A living wage provides disadvantaged segment of population with minimally satisfactory living conditions.
• Living wage is responsibility of the government as foreigner worker policy artificially suppressed wages.
• “We the citizens of Singapore!” should be the guiding ideology of the society.

—

Egalitarianism and why our elected leaders should represent the people by Tan Kin Lian:

• Singapore was a very different society then.
• A little rain will not hurt.
• Raised questions on these structured products 1 year ago.
• Petitions aim at seeking fair treatment for misled people who lost life savings.
• Surprised and shocked by attitudes of government leaders. Their remarks made Mr Tan more angry.
• Social justice – continue to fight until there is fair treatments.

• Social justice means we help each others even when we are not affected just because it is not fair.
• Do we want Singapore to carry on like this.
• Want to encourage others to come forward with 100,000 signatures.
• Need elected representatives that really represent the people, make them act for people.
• We must fight for a Living Wage policy.

—

Mr Tan Kin Lian updates audience on Minibond issue:

• Three groups considering legal action.
• Best solution is negotiated settlement.
• Call on public to petition good people to come forward.

—

The Online Citizen team thanks readers and friends for their support.

***