Alice Cheong

The prices for tickets at all Cathay cineplexes will go up on Thursday. Yes, it is yet another price up. The general tickets will be raised by $0.50, while blockblusters tickets will be raised by $1.00.

The ticket prices are as follows.

It is reported by ST, that many national sports bodies are giving the athletes under them the ultimatum, that they must sign a contract to contribute part of their prize money before they are allowed to represent Singapore. If they refuse, they will not be allowed to represent Singapore.

Agree
1) We have SingaporeSailing president Low Two Ping saying that the contribution is “neither a tax nor a levy”, and “It is a way of inculcating a sense of responsibility and upright behaviour among the sailors and is no different from being filial at home.” Singapore Sailing takes a 20% of the prize money.

2) Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) president Jessie Phua said “Besides, one doesn’t become a champion all by himself. We’ve put in a whole system geared towards the bowlers’ success. It’s only right that you give back what you’ve benefited from.” SBF takes a 20% of the prize money.

3) Singapore Shooting Association (SSA) president Chng Seng Mok said “It;s not a threat – it’s a two-way commitment. In our case, our shooters fell honoured to give back.” SSA takes a 20% of the prize money.

4) Parliamentary Secretary (Community Development, Youth and Sports) Teo Ser Luck said that giving back part of the prize money is “very noble”, and “it’s a good thing that successful atheletes contribute back to society because, if they’ve been helped, they should help others too. Like the Chinese idiom goes – when you drink water, you don’t forget the source.”

Disagree
1) While Singapore Badminton Associate chief executive officier Kelcin Ng said “We don’t take a cut because our philosophy is that the players deserve the prize money. It also encourages them to play better.”

What is missing?
However, the main point that seemed to be missed is the high-handed commercialized way that the contribution is FORCED onto the athletes. It is a legal CONTRACT. Take it, or else you might as well as stop training since you will never get to represent Singapore.

It is more of saying, I am investing in you (asset) for a cut of your prize money. The asset, is a resource to be mined. We are no longer talking about philosophy, when it comes into using legal contract.

Oh, by the sayings of those agreeable national sports bodies, perhaps in future, school and university should also start making all students sign a contract for forced contribution of prize money, since, the school and university nurtured the students. Sign the contract of force contribution, else you will not be chosen.

It is really shocking to read that a Secondary One student, drown during school physical education (PE) class. According to the school principal, there were 58 students, and they were accompanied by 4 PE teachers and Singapore Sports Council-registered swimming instructors.

Disbelieve, anger and shock. How could drowning occur under the charge of 4 adults, and during official school class? These 4 adults have a duty to ensure the safety of the students.

Condolence to the grieving family and friends.

The last standing warrior in the recent taxi operators’ decision to raise taxi fare, has succumbed and will docilely follow the pricing of the dominant taxi operator (ComfortDelgo), whom started this round of taxi fare raise.

From March 1, the flagdown rate of these 100-plus taxi, will be $2.80. The fare will be increase in units of $0.20, and peak hour will carry a 35% surcharge on metered fare.

In the long drawn witch-hunting by Odex (the Singapore anime distributor), the High Court ruled that PacNet has to reveal the identities of alleged anime downloaders.

This “reversal” of decision, is due to the addition of the six Japanese anime studios as co-plaintiffs whose copyright were infringed. These six studios, being the copyright owner of the anime, would be able to sue the alleged downloaders under Singapore’s Copyright Act. While Odex, being a distributor, is unable to sue the downloaders under Singapore’s Copyright Act. Thus, the decision is “reversed”.

As a legal stand from Odex and the anime studio, the alleged anime downloaders would either have to make a settlement with Odex or face legal actions. However, many felt that this legal action is mired in controversy.

According to CNA, the Government gazetted Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) clinical director Leo Yee Sin, as a Health Officer, under the Infectious Diseases Act, from Jan 17 to Jul 16. This appointment will confer her with the authority to detain or isolate any  suspected chikungunya cases, to inspect and search any suspected outbreak premise and to seize samples of any substances without a warrant and “with such force as may be necessary”.

This kind of appointment with the conferred legal authority, was last invoked during the SARS outbreak in 2003.

According to CNA, during the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Dr Tony Tan spoke to Singapore reporters. He gave the stand on Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) investing over S$22 billion into the two financial institutions – UBS and Citigroup.

1) “… Dr Tan said it did so for long-term investment, and not to bail out the banks or help stabilise the US financial system.”

2) “He said that GIC takes a conservative approach to investments and adhere strictly to risk perimeters.”

3) “Dr Tan also revealed that GIC has decided not to take a seat on the UBS board of directors.”