Time is Ripe to open up - IMF/WB/IR/Mega events
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A lot of bull seemed to be spewn all over about the need for security, law and order in the run-up of spat with IMF/WB organizers who have apparently been promised there would be no clamp-down of IMF/WB civil activists.
It is as if after so many months of preparation our police force with so many talented scholars in charge could not come up with a satisfactory answer to ensure safety of the conference.
Beside all the barriers and immigration check-point checks there are CCTV and Mobile probing to screen all suspected trouble makers and be assured of the full look-out for risks.
Unless our talented senior police scholars in charge really still have no confidence in their own security control system, then in which event, the police should similarly have recommended to the PM not to stage any such event at all.
For that kind of reason given about the possibility of risks being so high, then the government should not have gone ahead to invite or hold such mega events.
Worse if Singapore is to risk its reputation by deliberate breach of contracts with international communities like IMF and WB on allowing civil activism in the event.
If Singapore government is really determined to attract more visitors and investments, there is no doubt that it should not have gone about the whole issue by all these bulls about security and law and order which were basic to all such issues behind holding of mega events.
If there is a proper re-think of all the surrounding policies and issues including fundamental issues such as extent of permissible opening up of intellectual and basic freedoms of its own people, it should have become quite clear that it is now overdue to set a full time table for relaxing all the past draconian anti-people controls from the need for apply for permit to speak in public and licensing of media and clamping of blogging.
The more controls are put up and tightened, the more will be the need for more controls because with increased controls, resistence increases and with increased resistences, yet more controls are needed.
Controls have a life of their own. So all must understand the whole issues in perspective i.e. controls can lead to chaos and disorders and not necessarily reduce them while objectivity may increase laws and orders and safeguard our security. -
Eh robertteh, let me relate to you what someone who works at Suntec tells me about the type of sophisticated security the Police are using in screening people going there:Originally posted by robertteh:A lot of bull seemed to be spewn all over about the need for security, law and order in the run-up of spat with IMF/WB organizers who have apparently been promised there would be no clamp-down of IMF/WB civil activists.
It is as if after so many months of preparation our police force with so many talented scholars in charge could not come up with a satisfactory answer to ensure safety of the conference.
Beside all the barriers and immigration check-point checks there are CCTV and Mobile probing to screen all suspected trouble makers and be assured of the full look-out for risks.
Unless our talented senior police scholars in charge really still have no confidence in their own security control system, then in which event, the police should similarly have recommended to the PM not to stage any such event at all.
For that kind of reason given about the possibility of risks being so high, then the government should not have gone ahead to invite or hold such mega events.
Worse if Singapore is to risk its reputation by deliberate breach of contracts with international communities like IMF and WB on allowing civil activism in the event.
If Singapore government is really determined to attract more visitors and investments, there is no doubt that it should not have gone about the whole issue by all these bulls about security and law and order which were basic to all such issues behind holding of mega events.
If there is a proper re-think of all the surrounding policies and issues including fundamental issues such as extent of permissible opening up of intellectual and basic freedoms of its own people, it should have become quite clear that it is now overdue to set a full time table for relaxing all the past draconian anti-people controls from the need for apply for permit to speak in public and licensing of media and clamping of blogging.
The more controls are put up and tightened, the more will be the need for more controls because with increased controls, resistence increases and with increased resistences, yet more controls are needed.
Controls have a life of their own. So all must understand the whole issues in perspective i.e. controls can lead to chaos and disorders and not necessarily reduce them while objectivity may increase laws and orders and safeguard our security.
She works in one of the towers at Suntec City, every morning she travels there by the shuttle bus that ferries passengers alighting from City Hall MRT station.
According to her, she says the Police officers wil be standing at the exit door of the bus scrutinizing the FACES of each and every passenger, and randomly stop anyone whom they feel is suspicious by their facial features!!
Oh my God man!! What? Are they using Super natural powers to look into people's minds by scrutinizing their faces???
I tell you, this one truly KOCKED UP event our gov has ever dis-ORGANIZED!
All because of what? Paranoia and Political Ego. -
Originally posted by ShutterBug:
if u are guilty of something, u're facial expression would give it away. this is what they are looking at.
According to her, she says the Police officers wil be standing at the exit door of the bus scrutinizing the FACES of each and every passenger, and randomly stop anyone whom they feel is suspicious by their facial features!!
Oh my God man!! What? Are they using Super natural powers to look into people's minds by scrutinizing their faces???
anyway how do u randomly stop ppl who they feel is suspicious by their facial features? if u are suspect someone, u would check it out liao rite? random picking is when they just pick someone without any plan or purpose. so if they suspect some one, than it is not random liao isn't it?
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1 word sum up
Kiasi -
Since they don't mind the extra work, and they are serious about security, get everyone working at Suntech to be issued a security tag! So that anyone alighting from the bus without a tag clipped onto the front of shirt or blouse, will be questioned.Originally posted by saline:if u are guilty of something, u're facial expression would give it away. this is what they are looking at.
anyway how do u randomly stop ppl who they feel is suspicious by their facial features? if u are suspect someone, u would check it out liao rite? random picking is when they just pick someone without any plan or purpose. so if they suspect some one, than it is not random liao isn't it?
After all this, if any terrorist planned to do anything, they will have recruited or have applied to work in Suntec months ago and are now going in and out of that area every day, waiting for the right moment!
sheesh... -
This case that you have just mentioned is a case of security being implemented by officials to the extent that it could intrude into the personal privacy of ordinary citizens.Originally posted by ShutterBug:Eh robertteh, let me relate to you what someone who works at Suntec tells me about the type of sophisticated security the Police are using in screening people going there:
She works in one of the towers at Suntec City, every morning she travels there by the shuttle bus that ferries passengers alighting from City Hall MRT station.
According to her, she says the Police officers wil be standing at the exit door of the bus scrutinizing the FACES of each and every passenger, and randomly stop anyone whom they feel is suspicious by their facial features!!
Oh my God man!! What? Are they using Super natural powers to look into people's minds by scrutinizing their faces???
I tell you, this one truly KOCKED UP event our gov has ever dis-ORGANIZED!
All because of what? Paranoia and Political Ego.
Is there anything proper criteria in what a police officer can or cannot do for that line if not drawn could be extremely wide. What if he also wants to use that authority or presumed authority to probe into the lady's sensitive spots.
In the name of lawful duties, there is no doubt that the police if not properly controlled and regulated may do almost anything like the NKF.
It is frightening that the whole of police force can become rather powerful and could do almost anything. -
Intrusion of privacy? If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.
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I work in Suntec. I have never seen craziness in all my years of travelling on conferences or meetings. All for what..The entire conference is like a ghost town. where all this 24,000 people exactly? all the restaurants around seem to be empty! the only people visible are bored men in blue! For a country that is supposed to be sophisticated and well mannered, we have been potrayed as a bunch monkeys who are used to being behind invisible cages! well done to all this Police scholars. they have definately brought us to a new level of kiasuism!
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I think after skrewing up the whole IMF show, there would hardly be 24,000 people/delegates coming to swarm Suntec City....Originally posted by gill_hfc:I work in Suntec. I have never seen craziness in all my years of travelling on conferences or meetings. All for what..The entire conference is like a ghost town. where all this 24,000 people exactly? all the restaurants around seem to be empty! the only people visible are bored men in blue! For a country that is supposed to be sophisticated and well mannered, we have been potrayed as a bunch monkeys who are used to being behind invisible cages! well done to all this Police scholars. they have definately brought us to a new level of kiasuism!
Woe is to be for all those tenants...
All these inconvenience loss of sales, for nought. -
can you believe it?
16000 people on standby, all because of 10000 delegates.
with the type of security they put in place, is there such a need? -
Walao... overkill lah....Originally posted by dragg:can you believe it?
16000 people on standby, all because of 10000 delegates.
with the type of security they put in place, is there such a need?
Simply overkill...
I was right - terrified porcupine... -
you are forgetting that we are legal prostittues also....newspaper mention before we are looking for 20s++ women to ESCORT the delegates.....Originally posted by dragg:can you believe it?
16000 people on standby, all because of 10000 delegates.
with the type of security they put in place, is there such a need? -
inconvenicing the whole population to curry favor the 160,000 delegates is certainly something i cannot understand. somemore the ads about welcoming the delegates totally put me off, all depict us locals serving up to ang mos, why ? is there a tinge of colonialism here ? why only ang mos ? the chief economist of IMF is an Indian, so why depict ang mo ? At todays age, Singapoeans and broader, Asians can hold their own against the ang mos.
bcos of this event, police, doctors, almost everyone involved must be activated, have their leave cancelled, ppl working in Suntec is forced to take leave (for some), if not, they hve to bear with traffic diversion, closed off areas, etc. Its crazy, you are in Singapore, you are Singaporean, yet you are not allowed to use the bridge to go to a public place bcos some foreigners are here ??
If its for security reason, then for goodness sake, dun hold it at the Suntec Convention centre, hold it at Changi Exhibition Centre where Asian Aerospace is held, its far off, you can build a big cage to isolate the delegates if you want and you won't inconvenience the public or the inconvenience caused is minimal. Or even better, hold it at Pulau Sudong or Pawai, for sure no soul will be inconvenienced.
There is no inconvenience to the delegates because they are personally driven. mind you the poor public that are affected are not compensated. Seek our understanding ? How can I understand ? I don't. Reading the reports in the media, I know the crowds that is supposed to spend MICE money did not materialise, the shops are empty, sales staff are smiling to the air, the food courst are empty, the limo taxi are at the airport, waiting for no body...and Suntec basically becomes a forbidden city, a ghost town.
And I don't see how hosting the event can boost Singapore to the world map. Already, ppl knows Singapore exist. And hosting the event is not going to make someone who, previously dun noe Singapore is not part of China, suddenly wake up and realise his mistake. what I mean to say, those who need to know Singapore already know Singapore. What can we prove by hosting such a event ? That we can host a major International event ? Or just want to show-off ? sure, hold events but not at the expense of inconvenicing the locals pls. -
Well, one thing is sure from now on - our gov has further enhanced the ill-repute the world already has of Singapore - by raising the hackles of WB / IMF.Originally posted by red_amoeba:inconvenicing the whole population to curry favor the 160,000 delegates is certainly something i cannot understand. somemore the ads about welcoming the delegates totally put me off, all depict us locals serving up to ang mos, why ? is there a tinge of colonialism here ? why only ang mos ? the chief economist of IMF is an Indian, so why depict ang mo ? At todays age, Singapoeans and broader, Asians can hold their own against the ang mos.
bcos of this event, police, doctors, almost everyone involved must be activated, have their leave cancelled, ppl working in Suntec is forced to take leave (for some), if not, they hve to bear with traffic diversion, closed off areas, etc. Its crazy, you are in Singapore, you are Singaporean, yet you are not allowed to use the bridge to go to a public place bcos some foreigners are here ??
If its for security reason, then for goodness sake, dun hold it at the Suntec Convention centre, hold it at Changi Exhibition Centre where Asian Aerospace is held, its far off, you can build a big cage to isolate the delegates if you want and you won't inconvenience the public or the inconvenience caused is minimal. Or even better, hold it at Pulau Sudong or Pawai, for sure no soul will be inconvenienced.
There is no inconvenience to the delegates because they are personally driven. mind you the poor public that are affected are not compensated. Seek our understanding ? How can I understand ? I don't. Reading the reports in the media, I know the crowds that is supposed to spend MICE money did not materialise, the shops are empty, sales staff are smiling to the air, the food courst are empty, the limo taxi are at the airport, waiting for no body...and Suntec basically becomes a forbidden city, a ghost town.
And I don't see how hosting the event can boost Singapore to the world map. Already, ppl knows Singapore exist. And hosting the event is not going to make someone who, previously dun noe Singapore is not part of China, suddenly wake up and realise his mistake. what I mean to say, those who need to know Singapore already know Singapore. What can we prove by hosting such a event ? That we can host a major International event ? Or just want to show-off ? sure, hold events but not at the expense of inconvenicing the locals pls.
Good job.... -
you couldnt have been more right!!!Originally posted by red_amoeba:inconvenicing the whole population to curry favor the 160,000 delegates is certainly something i cannot understand. somemore the ads about welcoming the delegates totally put me off, all depict us locals serving up to ang mos, why ? is there a tinge of colonialism here ? why only ang mos ? the chief economist of IMF is an Indian, so why depict ang mo ? At todays age, Singapoeans and broader, Asians can hold their own against the ang mos.
bcos of this event, police, doctors, almost everyone involved must be activated, have their leave cancelled, ppl working in Suntec is forced to take leave (for some), if not, they hve to bear with traffic diversion, closed off areas, etc. Its crazy, you are in Singapore, you are Singaporean, yet you are not allowed to use the bridge to go to a public place bcos some foreigners are here ??
If its for security reason, then for goodness sake, dun hold it at the Suntec Convention centre, hold it at Changi Exhibition Centre where Asian Aerospace is held, its far off, you can build a big cage to isolate the delegates if you want and you won't inconvenience the public or the inconvenience caused is minimal. Or even better, hold it at Pulau Sudong or Pawai, for sure no soul will be inconvenienced.
There is no inconvenience to the delegates because they are personally driven. mind you the poor public that are affected are not compensated. Seek our understanding ? How can I understand ? I don't. Reading the reports in the media, I know the crowds that is supposed to spend MICE money did not materialise, the shops are empty, sales staff are smiling to the air, the food courst are empty, the limo taxi are at the airport, waiting for no body...and Suntec basically becomes a forbidden city, a ghost town.
And I don't see how hosting the event can boost Singapore to the world map. Already, ppl knows Singapore exist. And hosting the event is not going to make someone who, previously dun noe Singapore is not part of China, suddenly wake up and realise his mistake. what I mean to say, those who need to know Singapore already know Singapore. What can we prove by hosting such a event ? That we can host a major International event ? Or just want to show-off ? sure, hold events but not at the expense of inconvenicing the locals pls.
do our govt really think they will be impressed. they might smile on the outside but deep inside they are probably laughing at us - our stupidity. i dont understand the necessity to impress them at the expense of so many singaporeans.
imagine people around the world catching suntec on tv. a ghost town because of one event.
we made a laughing stock out of ourselves.
again, who is the overall-in-charge? -
60 Million spent on the event. And I bet at the end of it, other than the main issues to be settled by IMF, all that they are going to remember is that we banned some activist and that SG is a police state.
All the effort all these while...down the longkang -
It was announced that 27,000 had registered themselves as participants, and if half came with their spouse, it will add another 13,000 - which will require at least some 25,000 rooms.
This should have caused all the hotels to experience at least 90 percent occupancy.
Yet, the hotels are complaining that all the preparation work came to nothing - (up to the eve of the Big Week beginning on 10 September 2006 ) - causing all the hotels to lower their room rates back to the days when SARS broke out; and making arrangements for all the cancelled bookings to be attracted back.
If there are 27,000 registered conference participants, and 13,000 accompanying spouses; we should be seeing big crowds of 40,000 persons in all the major 5-stars hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls.
Sadly, nothing seems to be right, with most places looking like 'ghost towns' - as our Government believe the ghosts from the 7th month are still hanging around; and the remaining Civil Society Activists should not turn up to fulfill their worst nightmares. -
You should have seen how news on TV on this issue was so briefly covered - as if they were told not to dwell on it. You know it was like briefly announced and quickly some other news came on...Originally posted by Atobe:
It was announced that 27,000 had registered themselves as participants, and if half came with their spouse, it will add another 13,000 - which will require at least some 25,000 rooms.
This should have caused all the hotels to experience at least 90 percent occupancy.
Yet, the hotels are complaining that all the preparation work came to nothing - (up to the eve of the Big Week beginning on 10 September 2006 ) - causing all the hotels to lower their room rates back to the days when SARS broke out; and making arrangements for all the cancelled bookings to be attracted back.
If there are 27,000 registered conference participants, and 13,000 accompanying spouses; we should be seeing big crowds of 40,000 persons in all the major 5-stars hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls.
Sadly, nothing seems to be right, with most places looking like 'ghost towns' - as our Government believe the ghosts from the 7th month are still hanging around; and the remaining Civil Society Activists should not turn up to fulfill their worst nightmares.
heheheheee.. so typical....
so many years of high-handedness they have accumulated a lot of Humble Pies to eat....