*News and the Young Singaporean*

For the people who don't read Singapore's No. 1 Tabloit, try these questions...=P

1. What important speech did Defence Minister Rear Admiral (NS) Teo Chee Hean make in parliment recently?

2. Who is the speaker of parliment?

3. Who is Malaysia's prime minister?

4. The name of the Government's 'gift' to S'poreans to cushion the rise in GST

5. The popular night spot whre parking was banned by police this week

Hmmm...five "widely publicised" current affairs questions were posed to 100 students from pre tertiary and tertiary level students. Of the 100, 40% could not get a single one right, the rest only got one or two. A mere 3 got all right.

What does that say about us? Blur or bochup? Ms Sylvia Toh plumps for bochup. She used the example of Mike Jagger's knowledge of taxi fairs( he drives a royce...he doesn't need to know). They should have asked him about the British taxation system though. The economist from LSE (yes he IS a grad from LSE) would have had a lot to say...=)

I agree with Ms Toh. Cherian Georges' thesis in the Air-conditioned Nation is not a new one but his is still one fo the most balanced and insightful of politics in Singapore in recent years. I don't really agree with her use of examples though. President Bush and the FTA directly affects my life...more so than question 2 and 5 (and maybe four coz I'm not 21 yet...=< ). And to be brutally honest, I proably currently know more about the intricacies of US or EU or even Sri Lankan internal politics than my national one. But anyway here's my two cents worth of analysis of the questions

1. I think this is probably one of the questions most people got right. Afterall It affects half of the student population very very very very directly. And as a medic instructor *rolls eyes*......

2. Um, I only found out after that scholar couldn't answer it on nation tv. And even till now I have no idea what the job scope is. But I could name you the four front runners for the Democrats presidential nomination over Hong Kah GRC MP any day (wait....am I in Hong Kah or Jurong West....doesn't matter....won't be able to vote in either anyway... =P)

3. Hey the only reason I know was because Dr Mahatiar was finally going...good riddance I say. And to all apologist out there, HE IS A RACIST ALL RIGHT? No amount of explaination can do away with the remarks....there is no way you could take it out of context!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. I though it was ESP....then I realised that it I could figure out what the individual words meant. Besides, economically speaking, I still can't figure out what it is...=) You would need psychic powers to do so....

5. Isn't that good? It means that our student population is 'kwai' and doesn't go out pubbing!

Cheerios!

p.s. My email address is shaunlee@singnet.com.sg and I'm on friendster...=)