The following article is contributed by the Association of Women for Action and Research(AWARE) for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2013. By Wong Pei Chi (Board Member, AWARE) The first International Women’s Day, commemorated on 19 March 1911, was marked by public rallies in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland calling for the limited choices then available to women […]

By Carol Soon The recent tragic deaths of two young brothers involved in a road accident in Tampines triggered an avalanche of online responses, which is to be expected these days. The responses ranged from deep sympathy for the boys and their family to outrageous claims and accusations. Sadly too, graphic photos of the victims were […]

By Zhou Rongchen SMRT has ended its trial runs of Mandarin announcements of station names on the North-South and East-West MRT lines. Now that the dust has settled on the recent controversy, it may be time to relook into this seemingly harmless move by the transport operator that instead resulted in much controversy and unhappiness. The […]

By Cheong Kah Shin and Faris Mokhtar Racist incidents online go as fast as they come. After much lampooning and some public discussion, the dust settles and the incident is over in a week, forgotten in two. Where in the past we could conveniently skirt around the issue of racism, the Internet now acts like a […]

The following is the keynote speech by Professor Tommy Koh, Rector of Tembusu College, and Special Adviser to the Institute of Policy Studies, at the National Conference on Kindness at the Marina Mandarin Hotel on 20 October 2012. The conference was titled, “Journeying Together For Kindness”. Salutation Minister Lawrence Wong; Mr Koh Poh Tiong, Chairman […]

The Young Singaporeans Conference (YSC) is one of the Institute of Policy Studies’ flagship programmes. Held biennially, the YSC gathers young Singaporeans, between the ages of 25 and 35, who have shown leadership or excellence in their respective fields of endeavour to discuss issues of national interest. The following is the speech delivered by the Director of […]

By Carol Soon Last month, a teenager shared her thoughts on the National Conversation in a letter to The Straits Times Forum page (18 September). Her letter astutely points to the wave of cynicism that has surged forth since the unveiling of the committee members of the Our Singapore National Conversation initiative. What is perhaps more […]

By Soon Sze Meng Our Singapore Conversation asks ourselves where we should be heading. It is as important to ask ourselves first what makes Singapore home and identify ourselves as being Singaporean. To me, it is about our shared experiences and values. Our shared experiences are the common spaces in this small island where we have […]

In his National Day Rally speech, the Prime Minister revealed plans to create an environment conducive for couples to have and raise children.  These measures were targeted at addressing the practical problems that child-rearing couples may face. These are also to “signal where we must change our mindsets and norms…” Among the measures being considered are […]

In his National Day Rally speech, the Prime Minister says he fully understands the concerns of single or unmarried Singaporeans over housing. He says the Ministry for National Development (MND) is looking into addressing these concerns. Currently, singles can only buy resale HDB flats. In the event that there is a policy change, singles may be […]

By Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh China-born Feng Tian Wei’s Olympic table tennis bronze medal has sparked an outcry in this country about what it means to be a true Singaporean. Many Singaporeans say they feel no pride about the country’s first individual Olympic medal in four decades. Yet the problem is not so much that Ms Feng […]

Mr Janadas Devan, Director of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), introduces the institute’s second online portal, and speaks on the role which IPS plays in policy discussions and research. © Copyright 2012 National University of Singapore. All Rights Reserved. You are welcome to reproduce this material for non-commercial purposes and please ensure you cite […]