Tag: Singapore Business Federation

Reform Party Secretary General, Kenneth Jeyaretnam, questions Tharman Shanmugaratnam's eligibility for presidency, scrutinising his political history and previous conviction. Mr Jeyaretnam raises concerns about potential conflict of interest given Mr Tharman's former role as Finance Minister and his alleged lack of commitment to checks and balances. He further criticizes the People's Action Party's disregard for conventional checks and balances in the context of Tharman's candidacy.

Outrage ensues as around 100 Malaysians protest at the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur against former Singaporean comedian Jocelyn Chia's distasteful remarks about Malaysia and the MH370 tragedy during a show in the U.S. Chia's comments have sparked widespread condemnation, leading to calls for her ban from Malaysia and an investigation by the U.S. government.

Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo appeared irritated in a recent event in Singapore, according to a video shared by TikToker Khan 7. The clip shows Ronaldo standing next to former Singaporean actress Wong Li Lin, who is holding his arm. The video sparked online debate, with some netizens suggesting Ronaldo's annoyance could be due to his personal space being infringed, while others proposed alternate reasons such as the hot weather or crowd.

Following Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam's announced resignation, Red Dot United (RDU) issued a call to Prime Minister Lee for a by-election in Jurong GRC. Despite the Apex Court's ruling, RDU urged the PM to uphold democratic values and call a by-election.

As Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam prepares for his presidential bid, questions arise about his potential effectiveness and independence as a check on the PAP-led government. Lessons from the tenure of the late 'People's President', Ong Teng Cheong, indicate a presidency filled with challenges. Singaporeans must contemplate whether Tharman can separate his political past from PAP or if his tenure will mirror previous presidencies. This dilemma, paired with Tharman's roles in reserve management, adds a layer of complexity to the upcoming election.

In a courageous act, Fan Jiangtao and Xie Ruxiang, from the Hunan Mountaineering Team, halted their Everest summit attempt 400 meters from the peak to rescue a fellow Chinese climber in perilous conditions. Later, controversy arose when the woman, Ms Liu, allegedly offered only US$4,000 instead of the promised US$10,000 rescue fee to the Sherpa guide. Both Fan and Xie eventually covered the fee, while appealing to the public to cease their harassment of Ms Liu.

Japan passed a controversial immigration law allowing the deportation of failed asylum seekers after three rejections. Critics argue that the new law violates human rights and puts lives at risk. Japan's low acceptance rate for refugees and scrutiny of immigration detention conditions have been subjects of criticism in recent years. Activists and opposition parties staged protests against the revised law, but the ruling coalition voted it down. The government claims the changes will improve access to medical care and accommodation options for pending asylum seekers. Amnesty International has called for the revision to be scrapped, labeling Japan's detention policies as harsh and repressive.