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What is actually May Day (Labour's Day) Rallies ???? Singapore: SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke on some of the concerns of workers and how the government intends to work with them to tackle these issues. Addressing more than 1,500 unionists, workers and employers at the May Day Rally, Mr Lee said he had lunch with union leaders last week to find out what concerned them. One of the issues is the cost of living particularly healthcare costs. "Thousands visited the Istana during its Open House on Labour Day on Tuesday. The bands from River Valley High and Fu Chun Primary School entertained the visitors while musicians from an NTUC club performed the ukelele. The Jurong Bird Park brought along a few species of birds for display. For many visitors, it was a chance to meet President Tony Tan Keng Yam." Indonesia: JAKARTA: Trades unions and left-wing parties staged colourful May Day protests across Asia, sharing the theme of better wages and conditions, as living costs spike in fast-growing economies. Thousands of Indonesian workers held Asia's biggest rally, demanding better pay and job security, watched warily by a heavy police and army contingent. Carrying banners saying "raise our salaries" and "stop outsourcing contracts", more than 9,000 workers gathered at Jakarta's main roundabout before marching to the state palace. Around 16,000 police and soldiers were deployed to guard the protest, Jakarta police spokesman Rikwanto told reporters. Hong Kong: Raising the minimum wage was the main demand also for about 5,000 workers, domestic helpers and activists who held a noisy procession through central Hong Kong, clashing cymbals and chanting demands on the city's incoming government. "The problem with Hong Kong is that the wealth is concentrated on a small number of people, many people are still living in poverty," university professor Fernando Cheung, who teaches social work, said at the rally. "That's why Hong Kong has one of the world's highest income gaps between rich and poor. We urgently need a redistribution of wealth," he said. Philippine: In Manila, about 3,000 workers and activists marched to the presidential palace, bearing a giant effigy of Philippine President Benigno Aquino. They carried banners saying "raise our pay now" and "fight for socialism". But in a Labour Day speech, Aquino said: "If our wages go even higher, will foreign investor put his money here? Our economy could fall even further behind." Taiwan: Denouncing the increases, more than 1,000 workers took to the streets in downtown Taipei for a Labour Day rally that also condemned workplace exploitation. "Oppose exploitation" and "oppose double hikes," the protesters shouted, waving matching placards. Timor Leste: In Timor Leste, Asia's poorest nation which this month celebrates a decade of formal independence from Indonesia, police fired warning shots and arrested 84 people to disperse some 500 protesters calling for higher wages. Police said they were forced to intervene to break up the "illegal demonstration" after protesters began hurling stones and marching to a hotel in Dili where some staff had recently been laid off. Spain: In Spain, suffering the industrialised world's highest jobless rate of 24.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2012, the major unions called protests in about 80 cities. Tens of thousands massed in central Madrid's Neptuno square, decrying the jobless queue, new labour reforms that make it easier and cheaper to fire workers, and a budget squeeze in health care and education. "Total Violence, You Are Robbing Us of Home and Bread!" said a banner brandished by 51-year-old Josefa Martinez Fernandez, adding that her two daughters in their 20s were out of work. "The young who had work have been thrown out," she said. Greece: Thousands rallied in Athens, Thessaloniki and other cities around Greece, five days ahead of cliffhanger general elections with voters fed up with years of austerity. "No One Alone, Together We Will Get There!" read a banner draped on a stage in Athens' central Kotzia square. Polls indicate that Greeks are fleeing the main parties for smaller groups in revenge over a European Union-IMF economic recovery plan that has brought repeated waves of pay and pension cuts. France: In Paris, the French presidential election race overcast the day as three powerful political movements battled for attention with competing rallies five days before polling day. Marine Le Pen's anti-immigrant far-right National Front kicked off the May Day events with several thousand supporters marching through central Paris in memory of Joan of Arc, who has become a far-right icon. Le Pen, who scored a record 18 per cent in the April 22 first round, led the march and urged supporters to abstain rather than back President Nicolas Sarkozy or Socialist Francois Hollande in the run-off. Waving a sea of blue, white and red French flags, Le Pen's supporters chanted "France for the French!" and "This Is Our Home!" as they marched to the Place de l'Opera. and the winner of all rallies...... Russia: MOSCOW: Russia's president-elect Vladimir Putin on Tuesday joined over 150,000 people in a Soviet-style march through Moscow to celebrate labour day and show off public support ahead of his inauguration. Accompanied by kitsch brass music and surrounded by multi-coloured balloons, Putin and outgoing President Dmitry Medvedev led the most extensive May Day march in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. Police said around 150,000 people took part in the "Holiday of Labour and Spring" march in Moscow, by coincidence similar to the numbers said by the opposition to have shown up at anti-Putin demonstrations over the last months. We are very lucky, our rallies is just "Open House at Istana" where thousands comes & goes.....

She shud convert to becoming a citizen leh if she doesn't want to be hurt. If love Sinb so much, prove it. Some more got sacred privilege to vote some more. ST Forum May 7, 2011 PR who loves Singapore laments harsh words at rallies ALTHOUGH I am part Japanese, I was raised and educated in Singapore. I went through the full examination treadmill at the Primary School Leaving Examination, and O- and A-levels. After graduating from a local university in 2009, I decided to build my career in Singapore with an advertising conglomerate. Although I still hold a Japanese passport, Singapore is my second home. Whenever I am overseas, I suffer withdrawal symptoms and yearn for my favourite hawker staples: bubor cha cha and nasi lemak. I am writing in because I am saddened by some speeches at election rallies which have railed unremittingly against foreigners. I appeal to Singaporeans to remember permanent residents like me who have grown to love Singapore as a second home, living and working with Singaporean friends and fellow workers. Many even have Singaporean spouses and children. I couldn't agree more that Singaporean interests must come first. Jobs and competition for promotions are real and pertinent issues. At the same time, I am not certain that inciting division and ill feeling towards any one segment of society is good for peace and progress. History has shown that progressive leaders ushered national progress by opening up their country's economy and embracing diversity. Rather than distance foreigners living in Singapore, many of whom have grown to love Singapore as a second home, why not work together to lift Singapore to even greater heights? Mariko Tania Kimura (Miss)

I hope Singaporeans attend and give our support to the opposition members. They have to sacrifice a lot to do this, to stand up for ordinary Singaporeans. Even if it rains, i saw thousands of Singaporeans attending yesterday's rallies. I was standing under the rain without a brollie. It be very sad and heartbreaking for the speakers to speak under the rain with no one listening. Yesterday, it was very heartening to see so many Singaporeans so passionate about our country. Makes me believe that there still is hope. Come on support them! Our presence means a lot.

Yesterday Marine Parade GRC held a rally at geylang east, anyone know how was the crowd size? Heard buangkok PAP rally is pathetic with only 2.5K people. HAHAHA

Here are the locations of tonight rallies :.......... Take your pick .... Time: 7 pm to 10 pm Where: Serangoon Stadium, 33 Yio Chu Kang Road Who: Workers' Party Time: 7 pm to 10 pm Where: Yio Chu Kang Stadium, 210 Ang Mo Kio Ave 9 Who: People's Action Party Time: 7 pm to 10 pm Where: Open field by Kallang Ave Who: People's Action Party Time: 7 pm to 10 pm Where: Jurong West Stadium, 20 Jurong West St 93 Who: People's Action Party Time: 7 pm to 10 pm Where: Jurong East Stadium, 21 Jurong East St 31 Who: Singapore Democratic Party Time: 7 pm to 10 pm Where: Open field bounded by Sengkang East Ave and Sengkang East Drive Who: Singapore Democratic Alliance Time: 7 pm to 10 pm Where: Open field bounded by Jurong West Ave 3, Jurong West St 22, 23 and 24, diagonally opposite Blk 276D Who: Singapore People's Party Time: 7 pm to 10 pm Where: Delta Hockey Pitch, 900 Tiong Bahru Road Who: National Solidarity Party In 'Red' hot locations and must be there early if you want to go .....................

anyone know which date is earliest opp party rally? maybe we can use this thread to update everyone who wish to attend.

HE USED to be NTUC Income's chief executive officer but now, as a customer, he is one of its toughest critics. Mr Tan Kin Lian, 60, is mounting an online protest over a move by the insurer to restructure bonus payouts for life policies sold after 1993. He stepped down from the top job in February last year after a 30-year career - but he has not left quietly. The former head honcho is livid over the planned changes, which affect two Income policies that he owns, along with those of an estimated 310,000 other policyholders. In a nutshell, Income plans to cut its annual bonus payouts on these policies from 2.3 per cent to 1.3 per cent of the sum assured. Instead, it will assign more as special bonuses that are paid only at the time of death or when the policy is cashed out. Mr Tan summed up his feelings in a letter posted on his blog: 'We believe that this unilateral change by Income is to the detriment of the policyholders. It contravenes the 'reasonable expectation' of the policyholders.' Yesterday, he told The Straits Times that he would like Income to offer policyholders the option to stay on the old bonus structure if they do not accept the change. He aims to gather the signatures of other unhappy policyholders and present the letter of protest at Income's annual general meeting on May 30. His blog is at www.tankinlian.blogspot.com Income plans to raise the special bonus from 25 per cent of accumulated bonuses to anywhere between 30 per cent and 120 per cent. It says policyholder benefits are not affected by the revamp, as the combination of annual and special bonuses will give a return equal to what was intended in the past. When contacted yesterday, Income's chief actuary, Mr Ken Ng, said: 'Any decrease in our annual bonus will be offset by the increase in special bonus to achieve the same yield.' Income says that once annual bonuses are declared, they become guaranteed. To support this guarantee, Income needs to set aside reserves and invest in low-yield instruments such as bonds. This cuts Income's investment flexibility and the potential to invest in assets such as equities that could earn a higher return in the longer term. Mr Ng said: 'While we aim to keep our yields in line with our past practice, we do not wish to build in annual bonuses which prevent flexibility. This strengthens the position of the life fund for the benefit of all.' But Mr Tan and several other affected policyholders prefer to stay with the old bonus structure, as it is 'more transparent', and a higher proportion of the bonus will be vested each year. The regulator, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), said bonus declarations and bonus restructuring are commercial decisions approved by the insurers' boards based on recommendations by their actuary. However, insurers should satisfy themselves that the bonuses declared, including any bonus restructuring, are fair and equitable and that these are clearly communicated to policyholders, the MAS said.

Any one been to these before? Any fun? from a spectator point of view. Might wanna go down and have a look see http://www.whatshappening.sg/events/index....r=2006&month=10 http://www.whatshappening.sg/events/index....r=2006&month=10

Pirelli to shelve WRC involvement. http://www.crash.net/picture_view_single~c...~pid~260777.htm http://www.crash.net/picture_view_single~c...~pid~265968.htm http://www.crash.net/picture_view_single~c...~pid~259801.htm Pirelli will pull out of the FIA World Rally Championship at the end of this season. Although the Italian tyre manufacturer has not put out an official statement, Pirelli's motorsport director, Paul Hembrey has confirmed to both the official WRC website and Autosport that their programme with the Subaru World Rally team will cease following the Wales Rally GB in December, the final round of the 2006 FIA WRC championship. Pirelli have yet to win this season, while rivals BF Goodrich have won all eight events, although admittedly they supply five of the 'manufacturer' squads, including BP Ford and Kronos Citroen. Pirelli have been left with just one team, Subaru, following the decision by Peugeot and Mitsubishi to quit the sport. "We felt that we were getting limited exposure after the loss of two of our partner teams. The decision was marketing-led and reflects feedback from our markets around the world. Motorsport is a marketing tool and is a service to a company. But we have a duty to the board and the shareholders and must go with what they decide," Hembrey told the official WRC website - www.wrc.com. Pirelli's decision however may only be temporary and with the WRC set to follow the lead of F1 and only have single supplier in 2008, Hembrey added that they will consider tendering a bid, although if they will actually submit one remains to be seen. Pirelli's decision brings to a close a 34 year involvement in the sport, with the exception of 1992, which they missed due to financial problems. http://www.crash.net/news_view~t~Pirelli-t...4~id~133411.htm