Alice Cheong

According to ST, “NTU offers bond-free PhD scholarships in research“, this new scholarship (Nanyang President’s Graduate Scholarship) is opened to all students of all nationalities.

However, there has always been another scholarship that currently goes by the name of “Research Scholarship” that has always been bond-free, and is opened to all students, regardless of citizenship.

The main controversy is why shouldn’t the university be awarding these bond-free scholarship to local students instead of foreigner students? We have a ST forum letter, “NTU shouldn’t make research scholarships for foreigners bond-free“.

First of all, with regards to the “Research scholarship” that has always been in existence, few LOCALLY educated students apply. Why? The allowance before the backdated January 2008 allowance amendment, is simply far below that of a starting graduate pay.

The scholarship allowance is divided into 3 stages.

1. First 10 months: “10% of your monthly stipend for the initial 10 months will be withheld by the Office of Finance. The total amount withheld will be released to you, free of interest, upon successful completion of your higher degree program.”
2. Before confirmation and after first 10 months: full release of 100% of before confirmation allowance.
3. After confirmation: An increment of allowance is applicable.

In the years before 2007, the allowances were

• First 10 months: $1260
• Before confirmation, after first 10 months: $1400
• After confirmation: $1500

After backdated to Jan 2007 allowance amendment, the allowances were

• First 10 months: $1350
• Before confirmation, after first 10 months: $1500
• After confirmation: $2000

After backdated to Jan 2008 allowance amendment, the allowances were

• First 10 months: $1800
• Before confirmation, after first 10 months: $2000
• After confirmation: $2500

Secondly, there is also a question of whether local students are given a priority in the award of the scholarship. The scholarship requirements states that “only candidates with First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) Honours or its equivalent are considered for the award regardless of their citizenship.” Thus, even if the local student apply, they might not get it.

Moreover, there is a little known new system of scholarship coupon that is issued to each Professor based on certain unpublished criteria , such as the Professor’s performance. This coupon is link to the availability of each Professor’s research topic. So, approaching a certain professor for a research topic, might be further complicated.

Summary

1. The allowance before the backdated January 2008 allowance amendment, is simply far below that of a starting graduate pay.
2. There is no priority for local students. “only candidates with First Class Honours or Second Class (Upper Division) Honours or its equivalent are considered for the award regardless of their citizenship.”
3. There is a little known new system of scholarship coupon that is issued to Professor based on certain unpublished criteria.

According to ST, “BOSTON – PEOPLE who got old, stale blood during surgery were 30 per cent more likely to die than people who got fresh blood, US researchers reported on Wednesday. Two weeks seemed the be the cutoff, with older blood causing more complications, the researchers reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.” …

Actually, evidences suggesting that transfusions can increase your chance of heart attack or death had been known for quite some time. According to New Scientist, for instance, a year 2004 study of heart patients found that those given transfusions were more than twice as likely to die in their first 30 days after arriving at hospital and three times as likely to have a heart attack.

This paradox has been investigated by two separate teams of researchers from Duke University in North Carolina. Not only had they suggested a highly possible reason, they had also suggested a possible solution to “refresh” the blood.

The main purpose of blood transfusion is to provide more oxygen to the body tissue. However, their investigation found that the stale red blood is unable to open up blood vessels to allow more oxygenated blood to pass through, due to the depletion of nitric oxide (NO) in stale red blood. The depletion of the NO occurs rapidly from stored blood. Within a single day, the levels of NO can dropped by 85 percent, leading to the inability of stale blood to deliver oxygen properly.

This inability can be overcome by “refreshing” the stale blood. In an investigate, NO fortified stale blood was showed to be able to deliver more oxygen than the original stale blood. However, before fortification of stale with NO can be translated to clinical practice, more research will be required to verify these two teams’ investigations and approval will be required from the FDA or equivalent.

Recently, the current batch of the NTU student union organized a donation drive to foot his hospital bill of a PRC scholar diagnosed with leukamia. The 2-day donation drive raised a total sum of S$80,695.75 and 20 chinese yuan.

This donation drive generated a certain amount of controversy. The New Paper covered the objection from some based on the viewpoint that he is not a citizen of the country. However, there are other controversies. One is the accountability of the donation money. And the other is the distribution of donations to the local needly.

As shown by NKF and Ren Ci, accountability of donations to charity is a very sensitive issue and is govern by a certain set of laws. While, in this personal donation, no accountability is required nor any laws will be applicable. Hence, in a sense, the accountability level required is the same as in the case of Wang Na’s ‘bai jin’ – no accountability required.

The other controversy will be, why should one single case be highlighted, while all the rest of the local cases of needy have to seek help from the charity? Every aged and needy person knows that in Singapore, the common saying is “it is better to die than to suffer from a major sickness”. And the main reason, is that the financial burden of the operation or medical bills is beyond most. Families members will have to toll for years to come, and subsidies are insufficient.

Meanwhile, the simplistic view that if the needy has purchase insurance, he/she would have been covered, no such financial burden will occur. In reality, most insurance scheme has a maximum payout. In this case, all full-time international students are under compulsory purchase of “Group Hospitalisation & Surgical Insurance“. However, the maximum payout per year or per medical condition is $15,000, which is below the estimated cost of at least $150,000 for the chemotherapy session by the family.

The bus transport system does really needs to deliver what it is supposed to deliver. Generally for most of the buses, they come roughly within the stated duration in the information board. However, almost every public member to take buses, will experience the huge abnormality in the stated timing, and the delivered timing. Here, we have another typical abnormality timing.

Where’s the bus?

I AM a regular bus commuter. Last Tuesday, I was at the bus stop at Tampines Avenue 2 waiting for Service 9. I waited for one hour from 4pm, but not a single Service 9 bus came, whereas I saw at least six Service 8 buses pass by. I overheard another commuter complaining that she had been waiting since 3.30pm.

Eventually, I took a cab as I was late for my appointment. According to the information board at the bus stop, the waiting time for Service 9 is, at most, 19 minutes during off-peak hours. Therefore, from 4pm to 5pm, there should at least be six buses if not seven. Being a regular and long-term bus commuter who have been subjected to one fare raise after another, I believe SBS Transit owes commuters an explanation.

Ng Kuan Kim (Mdm)

Our small little island has been experiencing an atypical March with heavy rain fall. Brrr. It’s so cold. This is the ‘coldest’ March in 74 years of Singapore’s history. The average temperature so far for this month is 25.6 deg C. And on Thursday night, it was 21.8 deg C. No wonder, for once, the laboratory that I am usually in, is warmer than the temperature outside. Now, I know why I am wearing all the thick thick woolly jacket.

Cold snap in S’pore

By Sumathi V Selvaretnam and Tania Tan

TALK about a chill in the air.

Thermostats here are being turned up as Singaporeans throw on sweaters and jackets to beat the ‘coldest’ March in 74 years: The average temperature so far this month is 25.6 deg C, a tick higher than the 25 deg C in 1934.

Singapore dipped to its coldest of 19.4 deg C on Jan 30, 1934.

On Thursday night, the mercury dipped to 21.8 deg C – about the average day-time temperature in wintry Hong Kong.

The ‘cold snap’ has resulted in some things one does not typically see – or hear – in Singapore. Children bundled up like Eskimos and office workers coming to work in woollies.

But Solutions architect Sivaram Shunmugam, 29, likes it cool.

‘Normally it is hot, humid and uncomfortable. Not now. Finally, a temperature I can live with!’ he said.

Neither is Colin Wan, 34, complaining.

‘It’s like a regular English day. I get to wear winter clothes like my jumpers and cardigans that I thought I would never need in Singapore,’ said the advertising executive from Britain who has been living here for five years.

The cool spell stems from the prolonged heavy rain and dense cloud, said Associate Professor Matthias Roth of the National University of Singapore’s Department of Geography.

‘It’s more difficult for sunlight to penetrate the thick cloud cover – so the ground cools after a few days,’ he explained.

The freakishly wet weather is due to a strong La Nina effect, explained Dr Roth. Caused by a cycle of cooling air over the Pacific Ocean, the weather phenomenon usually results in cooler, wetter weather.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) says next week will continue to be wet, with moist winds blowing in from the ocean.

The governing body is under the assumption that transport operators will be under pressure to step up productivity to survive competition. However, the assumption is clearly flawed. The privatisation of public transport has not delivered the improved service standards nor shorter arrival times, while fares have been constantly increasing based on the justification that being private transport operator, they are not charity and need to make profit for their shareholders. Moreover, there is no real competition.

However, the transport operation will remain privatised, as any displeasure of the service standard, arrival times and fare price will be aimed at the private sector, and is none of the government’s fault. (We have set out the requirements, it is the supplier who cannot delivered. Not my fault. I have done my part. Fire at the supplier.) No ministry department will want to take the blame. They will just fine the transport operators when there is a major mess-up. (Good money. No arrows. Comfortable job.)

Moreover, it is always easy to be the manager. They will only need to say, I have the money, and I want the product or service done. The supplier will do the heavy weight lifting of getting the specification right. If they can’t get the specification right, we will just fine them. There is always the late delivery penalty and the un-met requirements penalty. There is no good reasons for the scholar high up there to get their hands dirty.

Govt should take over public transport

ALLOW me to refer to Transport Minister Raymond Lim’s point in Parliament last week about public transport.

Mr Lim expects transport operators to be under pressure to step up productivity to survive competition.

Yet, despite multiple increases in public transport fares since the general election two years ago, there has been little improvement in service standards such as in cleanliness and hygiene, or shorter bus and MRT arrival times.

Commuters must still wait a very long time for buses, bus bunching is common and over-crowding occurs even during off-peak hours.

Let me cite two personal examples: service 56 from Toa Payoh to Bishan interchange, and service 95 plying Buona Vista.

In a small market like Singapore, privatisation of public transport has not increased competition and productivity. Essential services like public transport should be directly operated and subsidised by the Government.

Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC Madam Cynthia Phua had a simple request: ‘No more fare increases, please,’ she pleaded.

I couldn’t put it in simpler words.

Ng E-Jay

Just a few moments ago, I received a call from a lady, who claimed that I am one of the specially selected few to be given a free makeover and photo shoot worth $550. She keep speaking for a few minutes, to make her point that everything is free, from the makeover, to the free choice of 2 different set of clothes, and 2 free digital images on a CD.

When I told her that I am not interested, she keep pestering me and ask me to give her reasons on why I am not interested. And she kept promoting her company, Naughty by Nature, at 69 circular road #03-01. She claimed that all their photographers are very professional, and that since it is a free complimentary makeover photo shoot worth $550, why should I give up such good chance?

My alarms went ringing non-stop. Something must be not right. In business, there is no free lunch. So, their complimentary makeover and photo shot must be a bait for something else. So, I searched internet for their company, while she continues pestering me to give reasons to why I turn her down.

W00t! Hoo hoo hoo! There is an article in 08 Febrary 2005, that is 3 years ago, that they were already in the act of bad bad bad practice. 3 long years ago, they were already, in the act of taking lots of extra photos during the complimentary makeover and photo shoot, and demanding asking something like $1,800 for these extra photos. I also really wonder what do they do with the extra photos taken. There is always undeleted for digital photos.

Moreover, in clubsnap forum, there is a thread, that they try to push the baited ladies into dressing in revealing and skimpy clothes. And, according to accounts of baited unfortunate ones in forums, the 2 free digital images are to be chosen by the company, and are the bad ones from the lot.

So, my last answer that stopped her from pestering me, was, “your company have lots of bad press online”. (I can just slam my phone, but, there is no guarantee that the other person will not start giving my phone prank calls. So, I rather end the call “normally”.)

According to ST, SGH is clearing an entire surgical ward for the future doctors exams. Is there really such a need?

“At the Singapore General Hospital, surgeons will stop doing non-emergency operations a couple of days before exam day, in order to clear out an entire surgical ward.”

And for the sake of future doctors exams, expect hospital delays.

As a commuter who has to take MRT on a daily basis, I observes that the train tends to be packed to the brim during peak hours, and often during non-peak hours, the train does not have empty seats.

Moreover with the unpredictable weather, there is almost always someone who is coughing his/her lungs out, and sharing spreading the germs with every other commuters. As for the end of the day, we tend to be treated to the sweet perfume stinking perspiration.

One of the question that often comes to my mind is what should the level of service be provided by public transport? Is they just a means of transport that brings you from point A to point B irregardless of the condition you have to put up with? Or is there a minimum condition such as ensuring that around 90% of the commuters have a seat? (Oh, we are not charity, profit is more important than customer satisfaction. If you are not happy, don’t take public transport.)

At the current level of service that is demonstrated by our service providers, it is clearly just as a means of transport, irregardless of the condition that one has to put up with. Thus, it is no brainer that those who can afford the exorbitant price of a car and its usage cost, will tend to purchase one and use it.

The other alternative from public transport, that is obviously not an option of those who cannot afford, is taxi. However, even for those who can afford, with the new ruling that taxi can only stop (both alighting and boarding) at taxi stand in CBD area, it makes travelling by taxi in CBD a big useless exercise. It is especially for the old and aged, the disabled, the foreigner and local who are unfamiliar with location, those with lots of baggage (especially tourist on conferences) and during thunderstorm. (Oh, the conference tourist that caught a cold after being drenched in the thunderstorm and sprung his ankle lugging his baggages searching for the venue with presents that were damaged by the rain, will veto the next conference to be held in Singapore.) So, it is back to private cars.

So, with the public transport providing sardine pack conditions during peak hours and lack of seats during off-peak hours, and the regulatory restriction of stopping only at taxi stand in CBD, the fundamentals of the transport just isn’t there. Increasing the cost and usage of the car, will be seen as just out to squeeze the people, rather than truly address the transport issue.

The transport system, being something that every people has to live with, no wonder, is a motivation pushing the search for greener pasture. (Oh, my friend just got a second hand car at USD$1500 in USA.)