Every time I watch a National Day Parade and the festivities surrounding the event, I’m reminded of a drinking session I once had with Vinod Shekhar CEO of Malaysia’s Petra Group. In between our shots of MacCallans Single Malt at the Post Bar, he described Singapore as, “Disneyland under Martial Law.” He justified his statement by saying that life in Singapore is perfect, like Disneyland. However our Disneyland conditions were created by strict laws.
As a patriotic Singaporean, I agree that life in Singapore is good. However, I often contemplate on whether this state of affairs is merely an illusion. Take the fact that Singapore is small island that hosts four (Western, Hindu, Islam and Chinese) of the seven civilisations that Samuel Huntington argued would inevitably clash if they were brought together. Somehow, Singapore has remained peaceful. However, would we continue to enjoy this state of affairs if we didn’t have a government obsessed with ensuring racial harmony?
Global evidence would suggest that Huntington is right. Singapore’s happy multicultural society is an artificial creation. People, it seems only cooperate when there’s a common enemy and will gladly jump at each others throats the moment the enemy disappears – just look at the way Yugoslavia disintegrated when Marshal Tito died or look at Iraq the moment Saddam Hussein was removed from power.
Even in Singapore, we’re finding groups of people to dislike. In the 60s we had interracial riots. Today it’s gripes against Bangladeshi workers and “Study Mamas,” from China. When I first started dating a Vietnamese girl, the whole world warned me that to be careful, after all Vietnamese girls are only interested in milking Singaporean men. Let’s just face the facts – negatives are so much easier to look at than positives.
Global examples are depressing! One might conclude that given half a chance, Singapore’s various ethnic groups would go the same way as Iraq. We had a potential example of this possibility in the shape of the racist bloggers who, in spite of growing up in our multiethnic community proceeded to promote views that were more suited to Mein Kampf than the Bible.
Are things in Singapore potentially this bad? I prefer to be optimistic about Singapore’s ability to maintain its happy multiethnic and multicultural fabric. I’m not alone in this view. People like Dr Amin Kurdi, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador have expressed admiration for Singapore’s efforts to create a, “Dialogue of Civilisations.” As long as we can maintain this, the future will look bright.
For one thing, Singapore’s cultures have been united through prosperity rather than through fear as they were in Iraq and Yugoslavia. Singapore’s government may have a global reputation for being stern but it also has a reputation of delivering the conditions for its citizens to succeed regardless of race, language or religion. While it would be wrong to claim that there is no racial prejudice in Singapore, it is possible for people from different ethnic groups to succeed – just look at Fandhi Ahmad.
Singapore has also reached the stage where we are culturally different from other countries. This is especially true for our Chinese and Indian business people who are discovering China and India. As an Indian lawyer admitted, “I miss my barchor mee whenever I go to India.”
Independent Singapore was an accidental creation and many of the things about Singapore may have been created in an artificial manner imposed from the top. I’m just glad that the feelings Singaporeans have shown for Singapore and each other, regardless of race, language or religion is quite real.
donderdag, augustus 17, 2006
Scrap bias against abused hubbies
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/136813.asp
Voices // Thursday, August 17, 2006
I Say
Terrance Ang
IT'S good that the Government has recognised there are men who suffer from domestic abuse and that these men are victims in need of help ("Reaching out to males in abuse cases," July 19).
.
But much more needs to be done to solve the problem. And to do so, I believe we need to look at some cultural facts.
.
Communication, for example, is an area that women excel in, while men do not. Women are encouraged to talk. Men are admired for suffering in silence. Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, was right to say that: "The men also need some skills on how to say 'no' to an unhealthy relationship and how to communicate with their wives."
.
However, it's hard to communicate with a person who has an abusive nature. It's also hard to say "no" when you either do not recognise that you are in an unhealthy relationship, or feel you have an overwhelming responsibility towards the relationship.
.
Men are culturally conditioned to the latter — we venerate men who sacrifice themselves for their families. Women who run away from an abusive relationship are victims who became survivors. Men who run away from their relationships are irresponsible.
.
I was married to an abusive woman for two years. Friends and family tried to warn me that I was in an unhealthy relationship. I, however, tried to convince myself that we would be able to work things out. It took one violent assault too many to make me realise that this was never going to happen, and so I took out a Personal Protection Order (PPO) against her.
.
One thing was the fact that she had to have an abortion. Throughout the marriage, she used that against me, arguing that I was responsible for her suffering. It took me over a year to understand that she was equally responsible for what happened to her.
.
Looking back, I count the violence as a blessing in disguise. It forced us to reevaluate our marriage. I recently spoke to an uncle trapped in an unhappy marriage with a partner who was not physically violent, but verbally abusive.
.
He told me that he stayed with an abusive woman because it was "a no-brainer between leaving her and making his sons suffer, or putting up with her abuse and keeping the family together".
.
Why do men think like this? Part of the reason is cultural.
.
Even in this day and age of gender equality, men are considered the legal head of the household and have a responsibility towards the wife and the family. In Singapore, this is legally enshrined in the Women's Charter. This legislation even protects the rights of women in the event of a divorce. Men, on the other hand, do not enjoy such protections.
.
While it is important to ensure that women and children receive support from ex-husbands, this piece of legislation denies women the ability to be responsible for their behaviour.
.
A woman who takes out a PPO against a man has a stronger case when demanding support from him. A man who is awarded a PPO against an abusive wife is still legally obliged to provide financial support in the event of a divorce. Being awarded a PPO does not help a man win custody of the children either.
.
We rightly discourage men from being violent towards women. Men who hit women for whatever reason are instantly vilified. But are we doing the same for the women who are abusive towards their husbands and children? Clearly not.
.
So let's get serious and make the PPO count for something regardless of which sex takes it out. Imagine if women who have PPOs taken out against them incurred an automatic penalty against — or even lose the right to — any potential maintenance claims. Imagine if their chances of claiming custody was halved.
.
It's time we made deserving parties suffer the same consequences for their actions, regardless of gender.
.
This article was contributed by a freelance writer. A pseudonym was used to protect both parties' privacy.
Copyright:(C)MediaCorp Press Ltd：2006
Voices // Thursday, August 17, 2006
I Say
Terrance Ang
IT'S good that the Government has recognised there are men who suffer from domestic abuse and that these men are victims in need of help ("Reaching out to males in abuse cases," July 19).
.
But much more needs to be done to solve the problem. And to do so, I believe we need to look at some cultural facts.
.
Communication, for example, is an area that women excel in, while men do not. Women are encouraged to talk. Men are admired for suffering in silence. Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon, Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, was right to say that: "The men also need some skills on how to say 'no' to an unhealthy relationship and how to communicate with their wives."
.
However, it's hard to communicate with a person who has an abusive nature. It's also hard to say "no" when you either do not recognise that you are in an unhealthy relationship, or feel you have an overwhelming responsibility towards the relationship.
.
Men are culturally conditioned to the latter — we venerate men who sacrifice themselves for their families. Women who run away from an abusive relationship are victims who became survivors. Men who run away from their relationships are irresponsible.
.
I was married to an abusive woman for two years. Friends and family tried to warn me that I was in an unhealthy relationship. I, however, tried to convince myself that we would be able to work things out. It took one violent assault too many to make me realise that this was never going to happen, and so I took out a Personal Protection Order (PPO) against her.
.
One thing was the fact that she had to have an abortion. Throughout the marriage, she used that against me, arguing that I was responsible for her suffering. It took me over a year to understand that she was equally responsible for what happened to her.
.
Looking back, I count the violence as a blessing in disguise. It forced us to reevaluate our marriage. I recently spoke to an uncle trapped in an unhappy marriage with a partner who was not physically violent, but verbally abusive.
.
He told me that he stayed with an abusive woman because it was "a no-brainer between leaving her and making his sons suffer, or putting up with her abuse and keeping the family together".
.
Why do men think like this? Part of the reason is cultural.
.
Even in this day and age of gender equality, men are considered the legal head of the household and have a responsibility towards the wife and the family. In Singapore, this is legally enshrined in the Women's Charter. This legislation even protects the rights of women in the event of a divorce. Men, on the other hand, do not enjoy such protections.
.
While it is important to ensure that women and children receive support from ex-husbands, this piece of legislation denies women the ability to be responsible for their behaviour.
.
A woman who takes out a PPO against a man has a stronger case when demanding support from him. A man who is awarded a PPO against an abusive wife is still legally obliged to provide financial support in the event of a divorce. Being awarded a PPO does not help a man win custody of the children either.
.
We rightly discourage men from being violent towards women. Men who hit women for whatever reason are instantly vilified. But are we doing the same for the women who are abusive towards their husbands and children? Clearly not.
.
So let's get serious and make the PPO count for something regardless of which sex takes it out. Imagine if women who have PPOs taken out against them incurred an automatic penalty against — or even lose the right to — any potential maintenance claims. Imagine if their chances of claiming custody was halved.
.
It's time we made deserving parties suffer the same consequences for their actions, regardless of gender.
.
This article was contributed by a freelance writer. A pseudonym was used to protect both parties' privacy.
Copyright:(C)MediaCorp Press Ltd：2006
donderdag, augustus 10, 2006
A World of Dew is a world of Dew
Here I am sitting in the comfort of home after completing a successful day of work. Managed to attend several meetings and get quite a bit done and hopefully there will be more things in the pipe line, most notably the possibility of getting a job in Brunie! This would, as the Arabs would say, a case of Inshallah, or God Willing.
Yet, with all this potential success after years of getting nowhere, I'm suddenly feeling sad and restless and I know why. I made the mistake that of becomming closer to a small child than I anticipated. I don't know but when little Thui heads back to Vietnam on Sunday, I will have lost the only the good thing that has touched my life in the past 4-years.
I didn't plan on enjoying the brief moments of family bliss that I've had with Han Li and Thui. I think the day I saw the little girl and knew that Han Li was a mother, I should probably have walked out. But I didn't because, I felt the need to stay and that need was the most powerful need that I've felt in quite a while.
Perhaps the more cynical amongst us would say that I feel for the classic trap of a Vietnamese girl hopping to hook a Singapore Guy. Who knows, perhaps I am being manipulated into something but I've been doing so with a happy heart. I don't know but each day I did things like take her to school and back felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Sometimes, the language barrier between Han Li and I gets frustrating but we've managed to get along. I know that little Thui has been the glue in our lives and although we never got the chance to be a real family in the sense of the word, the so called family moments that we had together were the most happy that I've lived.
I know that being a parent requires responsability and I'll end up having to give up many of the things that I've come to take for granted in my daily life. No more wild parties and the life where I could happily do with less would have to go. After the marriage with Gina came to its obvious end, I went into all these things with a relish. It was like I was dennied something wonderful. But not getting involved with these things for the two girls now seems quite wonderful.
But this is no longer going to be the case. In a few days, the little girl goes back and who knows how things develop between her mother and I. For a person who's enjoyed the unknown, wondering if I'll ever see the small one after Sunday makes me feel sad. I don't know why but I'm feeling an incredible sense of injustice against all the factors that have dennied me the chance to be happy.
When Han Li suggested that I might want to move to Vietnam, it felt so idealic. I guess this is as they say a world of dew and we accept that its world of dew.
A brand rebirth
Business // Tuesday, August 8, 2006
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/135141.asp
Immortal Design defines good branding through its Marina Square and Goodwood Hotel projects
Tang Li
news@newstoday.com.sg
IN TODAY'S crowded market, good branding is the way to build a business, while bad or non-existent branding has been the downfall of many businesses.
.
But what does branding really involve? Is it the redesign of a logo and a marketing communications message, or is it something more?
.
One local design house, Immortal Design, clearly believes that there is more to branding than simply changing fonts and logos. It is about creating a complete experience. The 16-year-old design house and brand consultancy recently demonstrated this philosophy through a prestigious retail brand – Marina Square.
.
After the recent re-opening of the popular development at Marina Bay, it was clear that the mall had gone through more than a renovation exercise but a rebirth.
.
One of the key areas that Immortal Design looked at was the layout of the shops. The whole mall was re-designed into zones linked by signage and themes such as "Groove Nation," the youth zone that featured trendy fashion stores and hair salons. "The layout was designed to make it easier for visitors to shop for what they want," said Saxone Woon, Immortal's managing director.
.
The 2,000-vehicle car park area, which serves three other establishments, was also redesigned. It now has colourful and clear signage that helps people find their way around the mall more easily.
.
Said Mr Woon: "The right brand elements that best positioned Marina Square such as the typeface, colours and icons had to be visually identifiable, meaningful, transferable and adaptable. Marina Square's new identity had to be communicable across all walks of life."
.
The mall's management provided the tools to develop a marketing programme through advertising, promotions and other means. The aim was to provide shoppers with a new brand experience. The leasing teams also had a plan to help explain how the improvements would benefit the tenants.
.
Mr Woon believes retail tenants will pay more for space if they feel they are getting a quality product and that the mall is working for them in sales and brand representation. "Without such workable concepts, tenants will go elsewhere," he said.
.
Another feather on Immortal Design's cap is The Goodwood Park Hotel whose renovation was done last year. Immortal Design produced a plan to update the heritage hotel while maintaining the elegance associated with its 83-year history. It was a challenge to upgrade a structure with 235 rooms and suites, as well as five food-and-beverage outlets.
.
Argentine-born architect Ernesto Bedmar redesigned the interior. He took his cue from existing architectural details, which were then used to create most guest-related items. A corporate font was also chosen to standardise all applications.
.
Various collaterals and amenities set the hotel's classic ambience in a contemporary environment. A holistic approach to the details and colours of all the print materials and even to the staff uniforms ensured that they all "spoke the same language."
.
Mr Woon describes the Goodwood Park Hotel's renovation as a "transformation into a grand dame of style for the 21st Century. The brand update is classic yet contemporary and places the hotel in a timeless tradition."
Copyright: (C)MediaCorp Press Ltd 2006
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/135141.asp
Immortal Design defines good branding through its Marina Square and Goodwood Hotel projects
Tang Li
news@newstoday.com.sg
IN TODAY'S crowded market, good branding is the way to build a business, while bad or non-existent branding has been the downfall of many businesses.
.
But what does branding really involve? Is it the redesign of a logo and a marketing communications message, or is it something more?
.
One local design house, Immortal Design, clearly believes that there is more to branding than simply changing fonts and logos. It is about creating a complete experience. The 16-year-old design house and brand consultancy recently demonstrated this philosophy through a prestigious retail brand – Marina Square.
.
After the recent re-opening of the popular development at Marina Bay, it was clear that the mall had gone through more than a renovation exercise but a rebirth.
.
One of the key areas that Immortal Design looked at was the layout of the shops. The whole mall was re-designed into zones linked by signage and themes such as "Groove Nation," the youth zone that featured trendy fashion stores and hair salons. "The layout was designed to make it easier for visitors to shop for what they want," said Saxone Woon, Immortal's managing director.
.
The 2,000-vehicle car park area, which serves three other establishments, was also redesigned. It now has colourful and clear signage that helps people find their way around the mall more easily.
.
Said Mr Woon: "The right brand elements that best positioned Marina Square such as the typeface, colours and icons had to be visually identifiable, meaningful, transferable and adaptable. Marina Square's new identity had to be communicable across all walks of life."
.
The mall's management provided the tools to develop a marketing programme through advertising, promotions and other means. The aim was to provide shoppers with a new brand experience. The leasing teams also had a plan to help explain how the improvements would benefit the tenants.
.
Mr Woon believes retail tenants will pay more for space if they feel they are getting a quality product and that the mall is working for them in sales and brand representation. "Without such workable concepts, tenants will go elsewhere," he said.
.
Another feather on Immortal Design's cap is The Goodwood Park Hotel whose renovation was done last year. Immortal Design produced a plan to update the heritage hotel while maintaining the elegance associated with its 83-year history. It was a challenge to upgrade a structure with 235 rooms and suites, as well as five food-and-beverage outlets.
.
Argentine-born architect Ernesto Bedmar redesigned the interior. He took his cue from existing architectural details, which were then used to create most guest-related items. A corporate font was also chosen to standardise all applications.
.
Various collaterals and amenities set the hotel's classic ambience in a contemporary environment. A holistic approach to the details and colours of all the print materials and even to the staff uniforms ensured that they all "spoke the same language."
.
Mr Woon describes the Goodwood Park Hotel's renovation as a "transformation into a grand dame of style for the 21st Century. The brand update is classic yet contemporary and places the hotel in a timeless tradition."
Copyright: (C)MediaCorp Press Ltd 2006
woensdag, augustus 09, 2006
National Day
Today it was my nation's 41st birthday and a time for everyone to celebrate the usual things like 41-years of constant economic success and how we managed to come up from a sleepy backwater to a thriving metropolis that we are today.
Well, there's much to celebrate in Singapore. It's one of the few places where you can look at Apache Helicopters and realise they're not there to harm you but as part as the fun and games. I've also used this time and time again, Singapore is one of those cheery places where the tap water is safe and the civil servants are actually obliged to play by rules that exist instead of rules that are made up.
Singapore has on the whole been a good home to me and the many others like me in terms of providing us with a safe and secure infrastructure. But with all that said and done, I feel restless and frustrated with the way things have turned out.
I think my biggest bugbear is the fact that we've become a society that places more emphasis on letters of the law rather than on the human. I suppose you could say I've been affected by the rejection of my request for defferment from NS. Its like the powers that be are so obsessed with the paper war that they forget their actions have consequences on real people. I do value the time I spend in National Service but I cannot let this service to a non-existent war rob me of my ability to make a living.
I'm frustrated because Thui's immigration status. Han Li could be a million things but if they keep her here, they should also allow the little girl to stay. Let's be realistic, playing with the immigration status of a 7-year old status will do nothing to affect the vice trade in Singapore, which was always prevelant.
We can be a nation of rich and successful people but at the end of the day, we need to remember the success was created by people and not by arbitary rullings. It was entrepreneurship and common sense that created this nation rather than by academic bureaucracy. If we remember and celebrate this, our future looks bright. If we forget this and insist on letting our bureaucrates develop a sense of being God then our future will be glum.
I don't know what it is, but I've been so melencholy about things here that when Han Li mentioned moving to Vietnam with her and Thui and setting a simple beauty shop, I wanted to say yes!
woensdag, augustus 02, 2006
Now don't get cynical. There are kind souls among Singaporeans who should be recognised
http://straitstimes.asiaone.com/portal/site/STI/menuitem.c2aef3d65baca16abb31f610a06310a0/?vgnextoid=f832758920e39010VgnVCM1000000a35010aRCRD&vgnextfmt=vgnartid:f4dda967db8cc010VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD
Aug 2, 2006
After reading the surveys about how awful and unhappy Singaporeans are, it was a relief to read Ms Puspa Mala Vaitinadan's letter 'Faith in man restored by rescue of injured dog' (ST, July 31).
I'm glad that someone has shown the courage to tell the world that it is possible to be kind in Singapore.
Singaporeans by their own admission are grumpy and insecure. Walk along the streets and you'll be bombarded by slimming ads for women and hair restoring solutions for men.
Get into a bus or train and you'll be hit elbows or blocked at the door by the crowds. Don't think of getting a seat.
Singaporeans enjoy a first-rate infrastructure but there are many people who are inconsiderate about the needs and comfort of other commuters.
Yet, in spite of all the boorish behavior, there are Singaporeans who behave in a kind and decent manner without a thought for themselves.
Ms Vaitinadan met a stranger who helped an injured dog and there are more of such Singaporeans who don't get publicity but still do good things.
One of the most touching personal examples I encountered was at the beginning of the year when I came back from an overseas trip and was locked out of my home.
I had no money to stay in a hotel and so I decided to stay outside the apartment until the next morning. A stranger came and insisted I spend the night in his spare room instead of hanging out and wondering around the apartment like lost vagrant.
Besides inviting me to his two-room flat, he and his wife insisted that I take the main bedroom while they slept on the floor in the living room.
We live in a cynical world. Every encounter with a different human being has an edge to it. What makes encounter with a kind stranger even more heart-warming was that at a time when foreign nationals are being blamed for crimes and other social problems, here was a kind couple who thought I was a China national.
As we approach our 41st birthday and celebrate big achievements in many fields, I wonder if we could do something different and include the ordinary Singaporeans who act with kindness?
These are people like Ms Vaitinadan's dog rescuer and my host. These acts of kindness may not create great shifts in the economy or politics but they make life so much more pleasant.
Having more of such acts would surely help us climb the ranks of those happiness surveys.
Tang Li
Copyright: (C) Singapore Press Holdings Ltd 2006
Aug 2, 2006
After reading the surveys about how awful and unhappy Singaporeans are, it was a relief to read Ms Puspa Mala Vaitinadan's letter 'Faith in man restored by rescue of injured dog' (ST, July 31).
I'm glad that someone has shown the courage to tell the world that it is possible to be kind in Singapore.
Singaporeans by their own admission are grumpy and insecure. Walk along the streets and you'll be bombarded by slimming ads for women and hair restoring solutions for men.
Get into a bus or train and you'll be hit elbows or blocked at the door by the crowds. Don't think of getting a seat.
Singaporeans enjoy a first-rate infrastructure but there are many people who are inconsiderate about the needs and comfort of other commuters.
Yet, in spite of all the boorish behavior, there are Singaporeans who behave in a kind and decent manner without a thought for themselves.
Ms Vaitinadan met a stranger who helped an injured dog and there are more of such Singaporeans who don't get publicity but still do good things.
One of the most touching personal examples I encountered was at the beginning of the year when I came back from an overseas trip and was locked out of my home.
I had no money to stay in a hotel and so I decided to stay outside the apartment until the next morning. A stranger came and insisted I spend the night in his spare room instead of hanging out and wondering around the apartment like lost vagrant.
Besides inviting me to his two-room flat, he and his wife insisted that I take the main bedroom while they slept on the floor in the living room.
We live in a cynical world. Every encounter with a different human being has an edge to it. What makes encounter with a kind stranger even more heart-warming was that at a time when foreign nationals are being blamed for crimes and other social problems, here was a kind couple who thought I was a China national.
As we approach our 41st birthday and celebrate big achievements in many fields, I wonder if we could do something different and include the ordinary Singaporeans who act with kindness?
These are people like Ms Vaitinadan's dog rescuer and my host. These acts of kindness may not create great shifts in the economy or politics but they make life so much more pleasant.
Having more of such acts would surely help us climb the ranks of those happiness surveys.
Tang Li
Copyright: (C) Singapore Press Holdings Ltd 2006
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