Wednesday, May 27, 2009 @ 3:01 PM Author: clarinda
Today, Singapore has reported its first flu case (ST, 2009). I believe that this will not be the only one, as the evolution of the different modes of transport has made travelling more convenient and efficient. This thus facilitates the spread of virus/diseases more easily, which in this case is the A (H1N1) flu strain. I have to be more vigilant and continue to maintain high standards of personal hygiene at all times when I go for my travelling trip in June.Anyway, MSK will be held in detention under the ISA for two years. During this time, he will undergo rehabilitation programme which includes debating with religious experts on Islam (ST, 2009). Honestly speaking, I am not sure if this will help to change his deep-grained mindset. After being radicalised for several years, I believe that it will be an uphill task. Even when he has escaped, he has continue to plot against Singapore, and I feel that this shows that he is a revengeful person. I often wonder how does one determine if a person has been fully de-radicalised. I mean the person could have pretended that he/she is not an extremist anymore right? However, I am thankful that there is follow-up monitoring in Singapore, ensuring that the person is on the right track. Notwithstanding this, I remain hopeful that the rehabilitation programme will be useful. Indonesia has seen successful examples that resulting in ex-terrorists rehabilitating current terrorists. Hence, nothing is impossible right??
In San Francisco, Carlifornia's Supreme Court upheld a ban on gay marriage there, but said that some 18,000 same-sex weddings carried out before the ban took weffect would remain valid. The latest Calirfornia ruling comes after a rollercoaster 12 months that have seen activists on both sides of the same-sex marriage debate lurch from jubilation to despair. Last Many, California's Supreme Court voted four to three to legalize same-sex marriage, delighting gay activists in the most populous US state and sending thousands of same-sex couple rushing to tie the knot (ST, 2009). Honestly speaking, if same-sex marriage is to be allowed in Singapore, I am absolutely fine with it. I feel that the sex orientation of a person is innate, and is not that person's fault. If there is a choice, I think that most people would prefer to be the same as the mass, i.e. attracted only to the opposite sex. Since one cannot be blames for his/her sex orientation, why should we condemn them. Nonetheless, I am not one who will press for the gorverment to legalise such marriages. How successful same-sex marriage becomes legalise depends on how open the society is, how tolerant the society is and how willing the society is, to be able to accept them, include them. I think that it will still be a long way before Singapore actually legalise such marriages. This is because the traditional mindset that unions should be between opposite sexes is still ingrained in our society. Also, i think that even if we are accept to accept that some people do have a sex orientation that deviates from the convention, it does not mean that we will be able to tolerate them to the extent that we view their marriages as 'normal'.
In Indonesia, disabled pedestrians are required to wear signs identifying them as handicapped under new traffic regulations passed unanimously by parliament. Even though I understand the rationale behind it, i.e. for their safety, I feel that it is rather discriminating. If I were to put myself in their shoes, I will not want to wear such signs. Rather, I support the view of transport experts that the government should instead focus on providing facilities such as level footpaths and wheelchair ramps (ST, 2009).
Ok, enough of the news.
(Eng Sub)DBSK*Love in the ice*SoEulmates* Boys Before Flowers MV