Under the Belt

I dread the day when I would have to read the Hansard.
That's so under the belt to regard someone's personal disabilities as a form of political/parliamentary rebuttal.

They should move the parliament house to some caves with such primitive notion towards disabilities.


Aug 28, 2007
Outdoor events by political parties banned
A PERMIT application by the Workers' Party (WP) to hold a cycling event for its 50th anniversary was rejected because political parties are banned from organising outdoor activities.

This is a longstanding position, as outdoor gatherings by parties have the potential to cause a public disturbance, said Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs Ho Peng Kee yesterday.

He was responding to Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim, who wanted to know why the WP could not get a police permit for a mass cycling event at East Coast Park.

Said Associate Professor Ho: 'The East Coast Park is a recreational park for Singaporeans and their families. It is not meant to be used by a political party to promote its cause.

'Apart from displacing the usual recreational users...it is an open area where there is greater potential for breach of the peace, public disorder and unruly behaviour.'

He said that police required political events to be held indoors or in stadiums where problems could be contained, adding that the WP could consider these venues. The policy applied to all political parties, he said.

To another question from Ms Lim, he said that even if the organisers were well behaved, others there might still cause problems.

To laughter, he added: 'Maybe cycle around the stadium.'

Then, WP MP Low Thia Khiang (Hougang) rose to ask why political events in public places were deemed to cause disturbances.

He also asked if Prof Ho considered cycling in a stadium a reasonable suggestion, and if the minister could designate a part of East Coast Park for sports by parties, just as Hong Lim Park became designated Speakers' Corner. Just before he sat down, Mr Low remarked: 'Cycling at Hong Lim Park? Don't tell me that, ah.'

To the first question, Prof Ho retorted: 'If you listened very carefully Mr Low, I don't know whether his hearing aid is with him because he wears one, I said there is a greater potential for law and order (problems).

'You may be well-behaving, but there may be other people whom you come across when you cycle who may stop you, may want to debate with you and that may attract a crowd, and therefore will result in problems the police want to avoid.'

Not Again.

When was the last time we heard any positive from Temasek?


From The Times
August 27, 2007
Temasek loses £150m on its July investment in Barclays
Nick Hasell

Temasek, the Singapore investment vehicle that has emerged as a possible buyer of Nasdaq’s stake in the London Stock Exchange (LSE), has lost £150 million on its investment in Barclays in the space of a month.

The state-backed fund took a 2.1 per cent interest in the bank in late July as part of an equity refinancing to support Barclays’s €68 billion (£46 billion) bid for ABN Amro, the Dutch bank.

However, amid the turmoil in the world’s financial markets, shares in Barclays have fallen by 15 per cent from the price that Temasek agreed to pay, cutting the value of its holding from £970 million to £820 million.

Barclays closed at 611p last week, coming under fresh pressure on Friday after the resignation of Edward Cahill, who had run the bank’s collateralised debt obligations division.

Temasek paid 720p a share, with a commitment to invest a further £1.5 billion at 740p a share should the proposed merger with ABN Amro proceed. China Development Bank invested at the same time on the same terms and is sitting on a £220 million loss on its £1.5 billion stake.

It emerged this weekend that Temasek had expressed interest in the 30 per cent holding in the LSE being put up for sale by Nasdaq, potentially marking its first foray into Britain’s financial services sector beyond banks. Aside from Barclays, it has built a 15 per cent interest in Standard Chartered, the emerging markets bank.

However, Nasdaq, which has appointed UBS to handle the auction, has said previously that it would not sell its LSE stake to a single bidder. Under UK listing rules, ownership of a 30 per cent stake would automatically trigger a bid for the entire company.

The Nasdaq holding is expected to draw wide interest, with the New York Stock Exchange, now merged with Euronext Liffe, and Borse Dubai expected to enter the fray. The governments of Dubai and Singapore regularly compete for the same assets, most publicly last year in the struggle to buy P&O, the ports operator, which eventually was won by Dubai Ports World. Deutsche B�rse, which launched a bid for the LSE three years ago at £1.3 billion, is also seen as a contender.

This month Temasek reported the value of its portfolio as $108 billion. Since 2002 it has stepped up its plans to diversify its spread of assets, with a target of allocating one third of its portfolio to Singapore, a third to the rest of Asia and the remainder to developed countries. At present 78 per cent of its assets are within Asia, including Singapore.

For the 12 months to March 31, Temasek reported a total shareholder return of 27 per cent. Aside from this month’s setback on its Barclays stake, it has run into difficulties closer to home. Last year its $3.8 billion investment in Shin Corporation, of Thailand, the telecoms operator once owned by Thaksin Shinawatra, the country’s former prime minister and now the owner of Manchester City Football Club, lost about one third of its value.

Temasek could not be reached for comment.

NSW v Singapore on FOI

As a preliminary, FOI = Freedom of Information. In Australia, the FOI Act 2000 (Cth) is the governing law with regards to most information held in custody of governmental officials.

For some useful background --> Please see Rick Snell's Website


Uni used Singapore laws to stop FOI bid
Harriet Alexander - Higher Education Reporter
August 29, 2007

THE University of NSW has used the secrecy laws of an authoritarian foreign regime to justify its decision not to release documents under freedom-of-information laws.

The university quoted the Official Secrets Act of Singapore in its refusal to release information about its failed UNSW Asia campus, which collapsed in June, stranding nearly 150 students and costing the university millions in compensation and lost revenue.

The university's freedom-of-information officer refused to release correspondence between the vice-chancellor, Fred Hilmer, and Singapore's Economic Development Board partly because it "may fall within the scope of the Official Secrets Act", a draconian piece of legislation that has been used to prosecute journalists, government officials and economists.

"Section 5 of the OSA makes it clear that disclosure of communications entrusted by a person holding office under the government to any person other than the person that is entrusted in confidence or authorised by the person holding office under the government will be guilty of an offence," the university's letter to the Herald said.

"In effect, the Singapore [Official Secrets Act] reinforces that the communications between UNSW and the Singapore EDB are confidential material and release of that material would result in disclosure of confidential communications made between UNSW and the Singapore EDB."

A spokeswoman said yesterday that the university was not relying on the Official Secrets Act in declining to release the documents, but indicating the degree of confidentiality the Singapore Government attached to them.

Reporters Without Borders ranks Singapore 146th out of 168 countries for media freedom.

The university was criticised for its decision to set up a campus in Singapore because of its harsh laws on public comment and dubious record on academic freedom. It replied at the time that the Singapore Government had assured it that academic freedom would be protected.

The university pulled out of its Singapore campus after just one semester, with the bill expected to climb into the tens of millions, including staff payouts, student compensation, contract termination penalties, lost revenue and legal claims.

The university had already spent $17.5 million when it decided to close UNSW Asia, but lost $15 million by not reaching expected enrolment numbers. It is wrangling with the Singapore Government over the liability for $13 million in grants.

The university has also refused access to documents about a sponsored academic chair, saying it contained commercially sensitive information it did not wish to reveal to its competitors.

The University of Sydney released an equivalent document in full.

But UNSW declined to release its agreement with the Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders for the establishment of a sponsored chair, citing the competitive market for private sector funding.

The Herald will appeal against the decisions.

TVB 难兄难弟

Colourful Colourful 60s!!! My recent Obsession. =P
Sigh... there's no TVB rental shops in Hobart. *pout*

Is this for real???

Well... Apparently it is!


Shall blog more later. Need to work.

*runs off*

In Love Again

I don't really know who sang this but sounds really nice. =)

Link up to my multiply if you want the MP3 Copy



Hooo

O yea yea yea yea

When u smile
My life becomes a ray of light
Sing me a lullaby
To sleep at midnight

I’ll be hypnotized
when looked into your eyes
Turn off the room light
Let's Spend the night

Chorus
Take me to far away
Away to your secret place
Take my tears my fears
Take all my pain for which I'll repay
Someday with a kiss and say
Can't believe that I’m in love
In love again

When the stars don’t shine
And when the birds don’t fly
And when the flowers cry
And when the rain runs dry
When the violet's red and when the rose turn blue
Baby I’ll still be in love with u

Chorus X2

$11,650 a month as a junior? Damn!

Pay lawyers more to keep them: Chief Justice
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 18 August 2007 2259 hrs


SINGAPORE: More young lawyers are switching careers, citing long hours, unrewarding pay and stress as reasons.

This causes a shortage of lawyers, and as the economy booms and the demand for law services goes up, the problem is becoming more acute.

How to address this problem?

"Pay them well," said Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong, in his address to law students at the inaugural Singapore Legal Forum on Saturday.

"Our young lawyers enjoy a degree of professional and social freedom and mobility which lawyers of my generation have never experienced. Perhaps the solution is in the old fashion but still fashionable way of using carrots without the stick since the latter doesn't work. Pay them well. Greed works most of the time, even for the large majority of people in affluent societies," he said.

In recent years, even the best-paying firms in Singapore are seeing their young lawyers jumping ship to Hong Kong, where salaries for junior lawyers start at about S$11,650 a month.

In contrast, the big firms in Singapore pay junior lawyers just over $4,000.

A second law school has been established at the Singapore Management University.

Also, the NUS Law Faculty has increased its intake and firms are now allowed to hire foreign lawyers.

But the shortage has not eased yet.

Another issue of concern addressed at the Legal Forum is how to make the law more accessible to the public.

Laws may be available online but the language in which it is written makes it difficult for the layman to understand it.

So the Chief Justice said that he would ask the Law Academy's publishing committee to study the feasibility of publishing simplified law books.

While access to the law is important, access to justice is even more so.

This need will be provided by lawyers who do pro bono work, that is providing service free of charge.

But such services are currently confined to Community Court cases, and this year, more convicted offenders are appearing in High Court appeals without lawyers.

In his speech, the Chief Justice also addressed the issue of restoring confidence in the law profession, particularly after the high-profile case of lawyer David Rasif who fled with more than $12 million in clients' monies.

"We must be more discerning about what we read in the media. The facts do not suggest any loss of confidence in the legal profession," said the Chief Justice.

"On the contrary, our large and medium law firms are generally held in high regard in Singapore and in the region. All the ethical and professional lapses that I have come across in my 40 years in the law have emanated from small law firms. It's very unfortunate," he added.

Although only a small minority of lawyers in these firms have committed breach of trust, the Chief Justice stressed that all law students must be taught the importance of ethical values.

The forum was organised by the UK Singapore Law Students Society. - CNA/ir

Hardcore.

Now just in case anyone was wondering how a regular constitutional law question looks like (which I sincerely have grievous doubt), here goes.

Disclaimer: Proceed at your own risk. The following article has already inflicted PTD on me. *twitch twitch.... drool*

Assignment Qn 2:

Western Australia has for years had an electoral system in which country seats have fewer voters than city seats. In 2006, it enacts an Electoral Redistribution Act which contains the following provisions:

Section 27 – In any redistribution, the Electoral Commission shall ensure that electorates in Area 1 (The whole of the State outside the Perth Metropolitan Area) have at least 50% of the number of electors of the largest electorate in Area 2 (The Perth Metropolitan Area).

Section 28 – In determining electoral boundaries, the Commission is to take into account topography, the sizes of proposed electorates, transport within proposed electoral boundaries, community of interest within each electorate; the need to ensure that all areas of the State are reasonably represented and the number of electors in each electorate.

Section 29 – No Act for the amendment or repeal of sections 27-29 of this Act is valid unless the proposed amendments or repeal are approved at a referendum by a majority of electors in a majority of electorates and by a majority of electors overall before the Act receives the royal assent.

In 2008, the parliament of WA passes the Electoral Redistribution Amendment Act, section 6 of which reads:
Section 29 of the Electoral Redistribution Act is repealed.

The Act passed both houses of parliament and received the royal assent without being put to a referendum.

In 2010, the parliament of WA passes the Electoral Redistribution Amendment Act (No 2), section 3 of which reads:

Section 27 of the Electoral Redistribution Act is repealed and the following section is substituted for it:
Section 27 - In any redistribution, the Electoral Commission shall ensure that all electorates have as near as is reasonably practical the same number of electors.

Jones, a member of parliament, challenges the validity of section 3 of the Electoral Redistribution Amendment Act (No 2). We are instructed to draft submissions on behalf of the West Australian government.

Those submissions will need to address the following issues:
1. is the Electoral Redistribution Amendment Act, section 6 a law on the constitution, powers and procedures of parliament; (In answering this question, assume that a repealing law is on the same subject matter as the law it repeals.)

2. If yes, did it have to comply with the procedure set out in section 29 of the Electoral Redistribution Act in order to be valid. (This will depend upon whether that procedure is a valid manner and form requirement.)

3. is the Electoral Redistribution Amendment Act (No 2), section 3 a law on the constitution, powers and procedures of parliament

4. If yes, did it have to comply with the procedure set out in section 29 of the Electoral Redistribution Act in order to be valid. (The answer to this question raises the same issues as the answer to question 2).

Will it make any difference to our submissions if at all relevant dates, a majority of electorates are in the Perth Metropolitan Area?

Criteria to be addressed in assessment
1. Ability to draft clear, concise submissions
2. Ability to identify arguments for and against submissions and their strengths and weaknesses.
3. Familiarity with the law on the issues in question;
4. Knowledge and understanding of the arguments of principle for and against the points in the Commonwealth’s submission
5. Academic writing skills, such as expression and punctuation, ability to present arguments clearly and logically and accurate and appropriate referencing


Got to submit 2000 words on this in 3 weeks. I need a religion. *sigh*

Love Seats

I know it's not exactly the most friendly kind of furniture to have around but hey... it's still cool!! Though I think they could just lessen the tone of pink a little.

heh.

Finally I Won Something!

Now I lost bid for this watch TWICE!!!



But.....




I GOT this on Saturday..... =p









Isn't she a beauty? *blink blink blink blink blink*
Heh. Shall start camping near my post box tonight till my parcel arrives from Sydney.

YAY!!!!!!

Speak Softly Love

The Original MTV!!! How cool is that!

Love Theme From "The Godfather" (Speak Softly Love)
Andy Williams
Music by Nino Rota and Lyrics by Larry Kusik
from the movie "The Godfather" starring Marlon Brando

(peak Billboard position # 34 in 1972)

Speak softly, love and hold me warm against your heart
I feel your words, the tender trembling moments start
Were in a world, our very own
Sharing a love that only few have ever known

Wine-colored days warmed by the sun
Deep velvet nights when we are one

Speak softly, love so no one hears us but the sky
The vows of love we make will live until we die
My life is yours and all becau-au-se
You came into my world with love so softly love

(instrumental interlude>

Wine-colored days warmed by the sun
Deep velvet nights when we are one

Speak softly, love so no one hears us but the sky
The vows of love we make will live until we die
My life is yours and all becau-au-se
You came into my world with love so softly love

Now... just as an alternative option: