Daily Archives: January 20, 2021

Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced his bid for the Singaporean presidency on 8 Jun, expressing intent to serve as a "unifying figure". He plans to resign from his government positions by 7 July. His goal, if elected, is to navigate a globally uncertain future, build a unified Singapore across race, religion, and politics, and utilize his experience in economics, finance, and international affairs for the nation's benefit.

The 2021 military coup in Myanmar accelerated the decline of religious rights, particularly for ethno-religious minorities, says a new report by Asia Centre. The study highlights four main oppressive practices, including targeted violence, destruction of religious sites, arbitrary detentions, and escalated persecution of the Rohingya population. Despite the junta justifying these practices as national security measures, their impact is a rapid erosion of religious freedoms, especially post-coup This report is available for download here: https://tinyurl.com/mw6x9z4a

Hong Kong's top court will hear an appeal against activist Chow Hang-tung, who was previously acquitted for her involvement in a banned Tiananmen Square vigil. The government is challenging the High Court's ruling that police did not properly follow procedure when banning the vigil. Chow, who also faces charges under the national security law, has been a leading figure in organizing commemorations of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, now driven underground since the 2020 ban.

A Singaporean Grab user, Abdul Karim Sadali, publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with Grab's service after an incident with a driver. Sadali found his driver still eating at a coffee shop, leading to an extended wait time. Upon confrontation, the driver offered no explanation. Despite immediate cancellation by Sadali, the booking wasn't cancelled until 20 minutes later by the driver. Other users shared similar complaints on Sadali's Facebook post, highlighting an ongoing issue. Grab has since temporarily suspended the driver involved.

The Election Commission (EC) of Thailand has ordered a recount at 47 polling stations due to irregularities in the May 14 general election. Sixteen stations will recount constituency MPs' ballots, while 31 will recount party-list MPs' ballots. The decision came amid claims that ballot numbers didn't match voter turnout, potentially affecting the final results. The recount is set for 11 June.

Mr Ravi Philemon, Red Dot United Secretary-General, has raised concerns over Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam's resignation from the People's Action Party to run for Presidency, suggesting it could undermine the integrity of Singapore's GRC system. Mr Philemon called for a by-election in Jurong GRC to ensure continued minority representation.

SINGAPORE — Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has announced his resignation from the People's Action Party (PAP) in order to participate in the upcoming 2023...