Category: Articles and Speeches

This category captures some of my favorite articles related to Singapore be it famous speeches, opinions, commentaries, poets etc.

Is the ground sour? Time for the 4G leaders to tackle it

source: Sunday Times 26 Aug 2018 By Han Fook Kwang Editor At Large Singapore celebrates its 53rd year as an independent nation with much to be proud of. The city has been transformed, the economy is humming along even if

The Singapore paradox: going forward and standing still, all at once- kishore Mahbubani

Source: The AlumNUS, Apr-Jun2018

Sometimes we should say it like it is. It’s a characteristic of obstreperous Singaporeans

Chua Mui Hoong Source: Straits Times, 22 Apr 2017 From whether cars should be banned from Orchard Road, to R&D spending and race, three articles this week exemplify the virtues of plain speaking. In my role as Opinion Editor, I

“if you want to see how society will treat you when you hit your 40s. Just look at how society treats the 40 year olds now. “

http://treeofprosperity.blogspot.sg/2016/04/why-it-engineers-are-similar-to.html Other interesting quotes from the same author: “At work you focus on experiential goods like travel, but the reason you need travel is because you are so stressed out by work. You become financial independent so that you can

Lessons learnt from failure

Tan Chin Hwee Source: The Straits Times Aug 12, 2016 The first lesson I would like to share has to do with perseverance. When I was a student, I was fortunate to have won a scholarship with less than stellar

新加坡的尴尬

“夹在英语和方言之间,华语被多数学生及家长视为多余的负担,但是为了得到中学文凭,非得通过华文考试不可。这么一来,新加坡中学生努力学华文的唯一目的是:通过考试,以后不用再学。” “结束后,主办这场演讲的教授说:听外国人讲热爱中文,叫我们深思,身为华人的自己有没有像她一样热爱过这门语言?” “我慢慢开始明白,在这个极为繁荣的热带小岛,中文正处于很尴尬的位置上:多数居民是华人,政府则推出英华双语政策;可实际上,社会上地位最高的语言是英语。如今的新加坡年轻人,在朋友之间或兄弟之间,都是彼此说英语的。然而,英语在此地缺乏传统文化的背景,即使说得不错了,也很难获得深度。尤其当中国经济日趋发展的今天,炎黄子孙失去华语能力实在可惜了,因为他们不仅失去传统文化,而且失去工作上极好用的工具。” “他是马来西亚人,读的是当地华人兴办的独立中学,由于马来西亚政府不承认独中的文凭,只好来新加坡读大学,毕业后留下来任职于政府“母语处”。原来,马来西亚的华文教育水平高过新加坡。这说起来都很矛盾:在马来西亚,华人只占总人口的三分之一;在新加坡,华人比率超过七成,却因为政府重视英语,华文程度要输给马来西亚。” “主持人向听众说:听外国华文作家演讲,很清楚的是,新加坡的华语教育出问题,并不是教学方法出的问题,而是华语的社会定位出的问题;我们以前也讨论过,语言到底是工具还是文化的一部分,今天这一点也很清楚了,学好华文的外国人都对华夏文明着迷。” 新井一二三专栏:新加坡的尴尬

SingTel v StarHub: It gets curiouser and curiouser

Singapore – Welcome to the Alice in Wonderland world of cable television. Where red is green, the ball is not round and rules are not what they seem. That’s how it feels right now with the twists and turns in

The Art of Becoming Rich by Li Ka Shing

Came across this excellent article by Li Ka Shing in my newspaper collection, wish I know these basic principles much earlier in life. Full text here and here. Source: The Straits Times, 2 Aug 2014

Lee Kuan Yew would have been distressed by the hero-worship at one year anniversary following his death

Background story behind why the following post did not appear on Dr. Lee Wei Ling’s regular article on Straits Times but on her Facebook page instead. Lee Kuan Yew would have been distressed by the hero-worship at one year anniversary

To improve education, go beyond classroom

Han Fook Kwang Source: Sunday Times Feb 14, 2016 Examine parts that fall outside the system which will impact community and society At the beginning of the video, the Primary 5 pupil shows what’s in her school bag. Apart from

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