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Hi bros Im visiting a friend's place who has been very very helpful and whom im very grateful to. what should i bring when visiting?

Title : GE: PAP recognises concerns of all segments of society, says PM Lee By : Date : 04 May 2011 1137 hrs (SST) URL : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1126683/1/.html SINGAPORE : The People's Action Party (PAP) feels it has not talked enough about the needs and concerns of the middle class and the young people in Singapore in the current election campaign. Hence its secretary-general, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, said he has decided to focus his messages about these segments of Singapore society over the last two days. Speaking to the media after meeting residents at the Ang Mo Kio MRT and Bus Interchange on Wednesday morning with his GRC team-mates, Mr Lee stressed that it was not to address concerns of vote-swing. He added that any voter would have to weigh carefully how he was going to vote, but the PAP must try to reach everybody in the country and ensure that this was an inclusive society. Mr Lee emphasised that the party looks after all segments of the population, whether young or old, middle class or low income. He said: "Not every policy will benefit everybody equally, but if you take the whole bundle over time, then I think nearly everybody in Singapore has benefited considerably from them. "But apart from having the results of the income tax cuts or CPF or GST offset, it is also important for us to signal that we recognise people's concerns, understand what they are anxious about and we have a sense of what they are thinking and what they would like to see Singapore be and we empathise with you and we connect with you." The prime minister was asked about his move at the lunchtime rally on Tuesday to apologise for some mistakes which the government had made - such as over the Mas Selamat escape and incidents of flooding along Orchard Road. Mr Lee said the reaction to his apology has been good. He said the party had considered it carefully and it was a suitable message to Singaporeans at this stage of the campaign so that the voters can focus their minds on key issues like education and housing. Mr Lee feels that the audience has received it well and he hopes Singaporeans too would likewise. The five-member Ang Mo Kio GRC team is being opposed by a team put together from the opposition Reform Party and Singapore People's Party. Elaborating on his point of the opposition borrowing candidates from one another, the prime minister said this showed a lack of seriousness and commitment. PM Lee said: "When you join a party, it is a serious commitment. You study what the party stands for, what sort of reputation has it got, what is it that it's fighting for, what are your own values and beliefs, and ideals. "And you choose a party which approximates that, and you join, and then you fight on that basis. It doesn't mean that you are 100 per cent on one ideology ... everybody in the PAP believes in integrity, service to the people, in putting the nation first, in growing our economy. "There are certain fundamentals which you share to join the party and that are what the party needs. If you can just change party overnight, then you are really not serious about these basic things - what are you in politics for, what are you trying to achieve other than trying to become an MP or NCMP. "And that cannot be the objective of being in politics. It must be to do something good for the people. If you just swap around like this, it means that you are not serious." - CNA/al

Was at SPP Potong Pasir rally on 30 April. I've attended Mr Chiam's rallies in the past two elections and though I've known about his stroke it still caught me a bit by surprise when I saw him tonight. Gone were the rousing speeches in the past and what I heard tonight was a man uttering sentences in a slurred voice with long 30-second to a minute's pauses in between. Despite this, the crowd was deafeningly silent - patiently waiting for his next sentence with none of the background chatter one normally hears in rallies. When he spoke about LKY's criticism of his 5 'O' Levels and how he, despite his results, became a lawyer and then a MP, and that nothing is impossible once we put our minds to it, I found myself struggling to hold back my tears. Even though the line may be cliche, I found myself in awe and greatly humbled by the frail man struggling to deliver his speech before me. In truth, he didn't say much - he didn't need to. The crowd needed absolutely zero convincing that here is a man with nothing left to prove but yet strives on simply for his "love of Singaporeans". I thought maybe I was just being emo, but I saw that the grown uncles beside me were in tears too. I never thought I would ever witness such a spontaneously emotional scene in pragmatic Singapore, certainly not in a rally. The above is just my way of describing how I felt during the rally (I couldn't sleep and hence felt to need to type this out ) Perhaps after reading this you may wonder what's the big deal to get emotional about but I think it's different when one is there in person. Maybe those of you who attended can share your thoughts as well?

I feel a closeness to my Malay and Indian fellow citizens during this election that was not apparent before. A strange feeling cos we are supposed to be one country and the GRC was set up to attain closer integration and goodwill amongst the races. I guess this feeling arose from the sub conscious that we are one people after all. Perhaps it is also the primal feeling that we need to band together as one against the deluge of foreigners that have flooded in and caused many to feel like strangers in their own land. I have to thank the incumbent government for letting me feel what it means to be Singaporean, as one people, one nation. I am pretty sure they did not mean for it to happen this way though. With pride. A brave lion I will be.

I saw this on my Facebook. The story seems to be getting a lot of attention in cyberspace. It's all about a Moulmein resident's unpleasant encounter with PAP candidate Lui Tuck Yew. Dear Friends I am forwarding you an email I sent to the incumbent MP for Moulmein, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, and his subsequent reply. (They are reversed in order below). I have only deleted my name/addresses and Mr Lui's address for the sake of privacy in the event that you may wish to forward this to your own friends. I trust you will not use this email to "flame" (hope I used the term correctly), but instead to educate and perhaps generate informed discussion. I am sending my friends this because I feel that it is important that you hear what happened to me personally, and how Mr Lui reacted to me during what I thought was a simple, agreeable conversation. Those of you who know me well know that I do not go around deliberately antagonising people or creating trouble of any kind. So the flow of the conversation that took place left me shocked, and I must admit, sad. Mr Lui explains his "disengagement" in his reply attached below. I will leave you to read the whole story and the two emails and then come to your own conclusions. First, the background to this whole incident. I have been a resident of Moulmein my whole life, and not once have I ever had the chance or privilege to vote. So you can imagine how excited I was when I realised that there may be a strong possibility that Moulmein would be contested this time round. Prior to Mr Lui being the walkover MP, our MP was Mr Khaw Boon Wan. If Mr Khaw had still been our MP, I would most likely have voted for him as Mr Khaw had made his presence felt strongly in Moulmein, even at a social level, and it had always been a very reassuring presence. Mr Lui, on the other hand, has not had much of a presence. So, on a recent walkabout in Moulmein, I happened to have what I thought at the time, was the privilege, to meet Mr Lui and get to know him better. He started off very friendly and handed me the Moulmein newsletter. He asked how long I'd been living here, and I let him know that I have been in Moulmein my whole life, and that this was the first time I may get a chance to vote. His immediate reaction was, "Yes, blame the Opposition! I don't know what they ..." and he went on to say something more which I couldn't hear because my brain was trying to process the fact that he had actually openly said, "Blame the Opposition" in a serious tone, laced with annoyance. He might have sensed my confusion (I'm guessing here). I then changed topic and pointed out to him that I had felt Mr Khaw's presence much more than his, and I requested for him to let me hear some of what he had done for Moulmein. He told me to refer to the newsletter. I then said that I really wanted to hear from him, and not read what other people (ie his grassroots team) had created. He immediately started listing all the playgrounds they had done up (there was always the word "We") and spoke about a unique-to-Moulmein schools programme, which I liked very much. I interrupted him a few times to clarify a few things he had said. I next asked him to let me know why I should vote for him. (I'm serious about voting, and I have thought this through so carefully. I told myself that no matter what, it was my duty to try and understand each candidate and approach them one-to-one before I cast my vote. And it was, and still is, my resolve to ask each candidate this question - why I should vote for them.) I'm now going to recount the dialogue word-for-word as it is still clearly playing itself over and over in my head: Me: Could you please tell me why I should vote for you? Mr Lui: You should NOT vote for the Opposition because they ... Me: The Opposition? No, I want to know about you. Please tell me why I should vote for you. Mr Lui: You should vote for the PAP because we .... Me: The PAP? No, no. I'm not interested in the PAP or the Opposition. I'm interested to know about you. Why should I vote for you? At this point, Mr Lui shot me a look of pure anger, waved his hand about in the air, declaring, "We could spend all night talking about me!", pointed to the newsletter and snapped, "It's all in the the newsletter!" He then swung round and stormed off. I remember standing there, in total shock, wondering what on earth I had done wrong to deserve such an intense reaction. I watched as he couldn't get beyond two or three steps as he was stopped by someone else wanting to meet him. I watched as he switched on his smile, said a few polite words, thrust the newsletter into her hand and disappeared, still angered. (Those who know me well, know I did my MA in nonverbal language, and know how accurate I am with "vibes".) I watched as his posse scurried after him, not one of them daring and/or caring to turn to look at me or say goodbye, not one of them. I had asked a simple question. I was not expecting rocket science for an answer or any deep psychological profile to be shared. Just a simple answer from the heart would have sufficed, or even a more measured response. But not anger, never in a million years would I have thought anyone would have, or could have, responded to my simple question with anger. And I feel sad. Sad that after all these years, what people have been saying has finally been proven true to my face, literally. I then turned to the Moulmein newsletter, ploughed through it in the hope that perhaps there was a lot about Mr Lui in the newsletter. No, there wasn't. Not a thing. Instead, I was left very impressed with the Moulmein Citizens Consultative Committee, the various Neighbourhood Committees and the Residents' Committees - all of which I am sure will not disappear if there is a change in leadership. So I sat down, and penned an email, which I have since sent, to Mr Lui. I chose to be polite and measured in the email, and not angry nor accusatory because to be angry would have been to stoop to Mr Lui's response towards me, and that would not do anyone any good. If he's going to continue as Minister (and it does look like he's on the PAP fast-track if he's voted back in), then really, he needs to hear, he needs to understand, he needs to be educated. And he needs to learn how to answer simple, non-threatening questions! It's such an irony that prior to the dissolution of Parliament, he was the Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts. You'll find the email below, and Mr Lui's response (in reverse order), which I just received a short while ago. If you should choose to share my experience with any of your friends who need or would wish to read this, I request that you not include my email address and name. Love and hugs everyone. - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Tuck Yew LUI (MICA) Date: 22 April 2011 16:53 Subject: Re: Moulmein Walkabout To: Dear - , i am sure this may not apply to you given that you have now taken the trouble to write this note but unfortunately I encounter some people whose minds are made up and whose main intent seem to be to slow us down in our outreach. And nothing, we say, no explanation we give whether to do with cost of living, etc will ever be good enough. The pragmatic way to deal with this is simply to disengage at an opportune moment. Dont worry, it didnt leave a sour note with me nor a poor impression of you. Regards, Lui Tuck Yew Sent from my iPad On Apr 21, 2011, at 10:18 PM, "-" wrote: > Dear Mr Lui, > > We met briefly at the walkabout at xxxxxxxxxx last evening. Unfortunately, I seem to have upset and angered you which was not my intention at all. > > If I appeared rude or aggressive in any way, then I apologise. I don't usually take too well to answers that are off-tangent, they tend to confuse me, and I always re-direct answers back to my original question which often means that I can appear too direct or clinical and therefore somewhat aggressive. As a teacher by training, I have always emphasised the importance and merits of listening carefully and answering to the point questions that are addressed to my students. > > I hope you understand that this is the first time in my life as a Singaporean I may be asked to vote. I take that responsibility very, VERY seriously, weighing all factors involved. Each political party has its own aims and objectives and track record (or none where some of the opposition are concerned) all of which I am very well aware of. The ONE thing which is not clear, and which is difficult to determine, is the individual politician - the person who will represent me in my constituency. It is this individual politician that I am genuinely interested to know. I need to know and understand what this individual can bring to the table. > > That is why I was so keen for you to convince me why I should vote for you. Not why I should not vote for the opposition. Not why I should vote PAP. But why I should vote for you. I was genuinely interested to hear your answers. Instead, not only did I not get direct a reply from you, I caused you to turn away in anger. Maybe it was the end of a very long day for you, maybe my tone and questions threw you off-centre. Either way, it left a sour note behind, I believe, for both of us. > > Right after you left, I immediately sat down to read the Moulmein newsletter cover to cover (the bits in English) exactly as you suggested I should do to find out more about you. Unfortunately, it doesn't shed any light on your as an individual or as the leader of Moulmein. It tells me instead about the wonderful grassroots teams and wonderful committees that have come up with truly great ideas, which I like very much. But it doesn't tell me about you. And so I am still left clueless. > > The questions I asked you will be the same questions I will be asking whoever decides (if at all) to stand against you in the elections. If the opposition candidate is equally stumped and/or angered by me, then you can rest assured that I will be forced to find another way to come to a decision well-thought through. > > Before I end, I would like to stress that I am not against the PAP in any way, nor am I for any particular opposition party. I am merely a Singaporean, proud and excited at the thought of a chance at finally being able to exercise my right to vote. > > > > With Regards > - I couldn't help feeling surprised by Lui's email reply to the Moulmein resident. Specifically the part where Lui wrote: "Don't worry, [the incident] didn't leave a sour note with me nor a poor impression of you." In my opinion, it is Lui's own behavior which would leave a sour note with voters, and a poor impression on them. Singaporeans don't owe you a living, Mr Lui. Posted by Gilbert Koh aka Mr Wang http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/2011/04/l...during-his.html

10 - Your MP will not visit you regularly every 5 years 09 - Your flat will go from costing peanuts to being worth peanuts 08 - Your wife and daughter will end up as maids overseas 07 - SG will be less diverse without the influx of FTs 06 - Honest mistakes are no longer acceptable 05 - No Lily Neo to watch on "Today in Parliament" 04 - No one to blame for toilet breaks and Orchard road floodings 03 - The poor will not benefit from GST increases 02 - Rampant corruption since no one to collect high salaries 01 - Because they can track down your vote and make sure your car always tio summons, you never get promoted at work, every year you kena ICT with commandos, your children get posted to a neighbourhood school on the other side of the isalnd ...

i just remember, on last sunday around 11am, saw new mondeo ecoboost around pasir panjang rd. is it too far from rm? i wonder is there a distance limit to test drive? and .... drove like f1 world champion ! i mean, when you test drive, just follow road rule safety regulation. when i cruise steady 65-68km/ h, they bypass me like at least 100km/ h if want know real capability, just rent and test it at sepang

My platoon mate hit a bull's eye during his range practice........ but it's the wrong target, not his

Blog by someone in Japan. Even in disasters, japan drivers don't panic or get impatient like some of our drivers here. Cut here, cut there, horn this, horn that, not to mention high beam all the way... Are those drivers rushing to hospital becoz they are getting radiated?? * 渋滞した交差点での出来事 http://twitter.com/micakom/status/46264887281848320 一回の青信号で１台しか前に進めないなんてザラだったけど、誰もが譲り合い穏やかに運転している姿に感動した。複雑な交差点で交通が５分以上完全マヒするシーンもあったけど、１０時間の間お礼以外のクラクションの音を耳にしなかった。恐怖と同時に心温まる時間で、日本がますます好きになった。 At a congested downtown intersection

Asia Home > Breaking News > Asia > Story Mar 14, 2011 Foreigners, wary of nuclear risk, flee Tokyo As Japan confronts a post-quake nuclear emergency, foreigners have begun a slow exodus from Tokyo, though some are maintaining a stiff upper lip. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN TOKYO - FEARING the possible risk of contamination as Japan confronts a post-quake nuclear emergency, foreigners have begun a slow exodus from Tokyo, though some are maintaining a stiff upper lip. Several European nations have advised their citizens to consider leaving the Japanese capital following two blasts at a quake-damaged atomic power plant 250km to the north, sparking fears of a possible meltdown. France went further, telling citizens to leave the Tokyo area 'for a few days' if they had no specific reason to stay and warning that if a reactor were to explode, radioactive steam could reach the city in a 'matter of hours'. 'A third of our staff has left,' Stefan Huber, the Austrian deputy head of the European Union delegation in Japan, told AFP. He added that executives at several German companies such as Bosch, Daimler and BMW, as well as law offices, had evacuated their spouses and children, noting that in Tokyo's German community 'it's a veritable exodus'. Marissa, a dual Australian-Italian national who has lived in Tokyo for the past six years with her husband and two young children, decided Sunday that she was not taking any more chances and the family flew to Hong Kong. 'We just thought it was probably better to leave at this point in time... I don't know about this nuclear issue, they don't seem to have quite got it under control yet,' she told AFP, asking to be identified only by her first name. -- AFP

If involved in an accident and decided to settle privately, can the other party change his mind and make an insurance claim? Payment made but no black and white. Anyone has experience with this? Thanks.

STOMPer LL was aghast at how this maid was showering a toddler. In the video, the woman used her foot to scrub the toddler, pulled the toddler's hair, and even appeared to pour water right into the child's mouth and nostrils. The STOMPer wrote: "Babies can't complain. "You watch and make up your own mind about foreign maids. "Beware if you have a maid at home. I think the baby must be used to her way of showering. "I can't hear screams or crying from the video. "This is terrible." Warning: This video may be disturbing for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. Visit This Website My family never trusts maids.

I kena on Sat when I parked along Sin Ming Walk. It's a whole long road, something like Seletar Reservoir. I went at 926pm and got summoned at 952pm. I came down from my aunt's place at 1012pm. I think they must be very happy coz there must be at least 30 cars parked on both sides of the road. All the drivers were KPKB-ing.

Hi to all Bro Does anyone know wat is the problem if my car keep on giving a squeaking noise during braking. The sound come from the front brake. I have jus changed the front brake pad recently. Does the noise come about because of rotar uneven because of new brake pads? Any bros pls advise of any solution or how u manage to resolve the problem. thank u awaiting ur solution. :)

Dear bros and sis, my air conditioning systems just broke down. Can someone please tell me where i can get people to fix it during this festive season? I need the aircon badly, because my wife just gave birth yesterday, and according to customs, she is not allowed to use the fan. The aircon was okay the day before, and it had to break down now. thanks in advance...

Being a cosmopolitan city, Singapore is brightly lit with the rows of lights lining up the roads and expressways. But I realised that these things posed as potential hazards at night during a downpour especially as it caused the lights to "break up' and distract your vision because of the glare produced by the 'break up' of lights. I was driving down from NSHW yesterday and the rain was heavy from Malacca to here but once I entered the checkpoint, I feel that driving in Sg is more challenging due to the change in environment. Now I appreciate more the lack of street lights on NSHW. Anyone feels the same? Any remedy to eliminate the hazard?

Anyone has got any idea? Google not helping much/ Need to find cos working on those 3 days and company allow us to order anything.

Apologies for the noob question, but as above, can anyone assist to clarify? Just need to be sure and not incur an unwarranted offence of driving without e-day license..Much appreciated.

i'm planning to go to waterloo street's guan yin temple for prayers during the eve and also shopping at chinatown for new yr stuffs..however knowing tat the roads will be closed and heavy human flow, where can i park the car? pls share!

CNY, everyone up prices. Check internet Chinatown point $2 per entry. When you are near the gantry with no point of turning back, you LL have to go in at double the charges of $4. NBzzzz. Beware.

hi all, i just had my ge6 brake pad changed today. i changed to normal original one, which i bought from a spare part shop in waterloo centre... went to my usual mechanic and asked him to change... it was not that biting for the first few KMs... it is fine now, however, i smell a very bad odour upon getting out of car... is it normal? or is it that my usual mechanic tightened it so tight that pad rubs against the rotor when the car is moving??? pls advise... im noob to this...

was wondering have any one had an accident with a Taxi and the claim from Taxi's Insurance company comes up to high 4figure or 5 figure sum?? Usually when bang taxi, there is always a lost of income claim from the driver. have any one check into the details of this claims before? I have friends who have suay suay bang taxi before and have claims with a good sum being lost of income for the driver. Some claiming $100+ per day, and these $100+ a day are free from Rentals.. as the companies doesnt charge the drivers when the vehicle is in the workshop.. Even heard Merc driver says $200 a day also have.. Doing some simple calculation, if $100 bucks a day, per year income would go around $35000. (350*$100, with a few day of rest and vehicle maintaince). I'm wondering, does anyone actually dispute the claims amount from such loss of income figures.. Medical claims would have to have its receipts and reports. Workshop repairs would have its repair bills. Loss of income, I would say coming from Income Tax accessment? If Taxi drivers do earn that kind of money, why always on newspaper/TV, the drivers always say no business, cannot earn, etc etc.. PS: I have nothing against Taxi drivers, my dad used to drive taxi too...

seldom post here but anyway ... seeing its a downpour, think is the best time to wash window cus knowing everybody will close their window ... so my wife started to wash the window in one of the room (all the unit window top, there is some sort of cover which is abt 60cm extending out and the soapy water will not splash directly into the unit below) ... then suddenly, the unit below start to kpkb ... so my wife stop and apologies to them and the farker aunty still continue ... i went into the room to find out wat happen ... the aunty still kpkb and say we do thing don't use brain ... i got heated up and shouted back at her telling her if she don't like it, let us know and we don't wash the window dont need to scold ppl mah ... then come a male voice, say if we continue like tat, he will complain ... when i heard the word 'complain' ... i get more heated up ... i fark care him and told him he want to complain, go complain all he want ... sissy i feel so sorry for these ppl ... little bit complain, complain ... as if they are big fark and when they complain, ppl will listen to them if you dun like something your neighbour do, cant you talk nicely to ppl? If the neighbour still continue to do it again and again, then by all mean, fark them all you want ... no wonder we have situation like joo chiat happening in sgp

i think some of you guys experience this before. You're reversing into a perpendicular parking lot (R gear) with steering wheel turned, and if u engage the D gear to move forward, and R gear again to reverse to adjust the parking, there will be this spring-like knocking sound. any idea wat's that sound and whether it's damaging the gears etc?

MCF bros, Just curious and want to know, during raining days when temperature outside is like cold 25'C.. what is the car aircon temp that you use? my frd said, just push it to 27... another said maintain at 25, but it will be dame cold right? esp there are kids in the car. any thoughts or unique practises that can share?