Time to Revive the Kampung Spirit

The Chinese says “远亲不如近邻”- neighbours are better than distant relatives. For the Malays there is gotong royong – cooperation in a community. If we meld them together, it is the Kampung Spirit. It is where neighbours become friends, have mutual consideration for one another and some form of understanding and compromise when our views differ.  

Here are 5 questions you should ask yourself to determine if the kampung spirit is still alive in your neighbourhood.      

1) Do you know your neighbours staying in your block? How many kids they have? Are they married yet? How many times a year they go for holidays overseas? Who went for botox?

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2) Do you always let your neighbour try your latest culinary creation of kueh or pudding to gather their feedback? Or simply to share the calories?

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 3) Do you invite your neighbours over to celebrate festivals together? Excellent opportunity to binge on your neighbour’s cornflake pastry which you always crave for.

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4) Do you sometimes host parties along your common corridor because your dining table too small to host so many people staying on the same floor.

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5) Do you share a common interest with your neighbours living around your block? You will even go as far as to organise a “legal” gathering at the nearby coffeeshop or CC to pursue your interest further?

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If your answers to the above are YES, the KAMPUNG SPIRIT LIVES!!

HOSAY liao!

Love your lines, Love Your Body

We have known Barbie’s body to be impossible – a slender figure and absurdly small waist that doesn’t leave enough room for her internal organs, and small wrists and feet which would actually leave her crawling around. Yet, this Mattel icon remains a standard of beauty for many young girls, leading younger girls to self-objectify, to be conditioned to see themselves through the gaze of media and boys; and thus leading to a whole laundry list of problems from eating disorders to low self-worth. The team at HSB has put together these instances of pop culture and instances are they advocating positive body imagery or negative ones? What say you, HSB readers?

“All About That Bass”, or “All About That Boys”?

A call-out to embrace inner beauty, positive body imagery and self-acceptance, Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” had its controversy, with critics dismissing it as being anti-feminist. Some said it uplifted ideas of body positivity by putting down other women, “boys they like a little more booty to hold at night”, and some said that it reinforced the idea that women existed for the pleasure of men. 

“Bass or treble” - Memes of fellow BFFs Karlie Kloss and Taylor Swift show that they are all treble and no bass.

        cr.thegloss.com








Cr.livememe.com

A couple of years ago, netizens jibbed at Numero’s new cover editorial starring top model (also VS Angel) Karlie Kloss, it was, specifically, a jab at Karlie’s ribs.  Greg Kadel, photographer, wanted to “represent Karlie as she naturally is… slender, athletic and beautiful” but Numero took it all away, airbrushing away Kloss’s bones. People fail to see that the result of maintaining a special job-requirement, measuring 34” - 24”- 34” at most for straight-size fashion models, results in bones and musculature that become more visible. Looks like people don’t like to be confronted with images that show the consequences of being that skinny in a realistic way.

 Kim Kardashian’s bare-naked, greased-up ass

In our patriarchal society, history (read: not her-story) has deemed that a naked female body is a huge boo-boo. There has always been the commodification of the female form, from porn, to modelling – some might say that it is putting the female body out for show. Some girls might even have been at the receiving end of slut-shaming, or victim-blaming. Taking Kim K for example, her body has been sexually objectified , with her body tied to her worth – cheap to some when she bares it all, and expensive for the money she racks in.

Too much emphasis on what the female body looks like

There has been way too much emphasis on what the female body looks like, instead of what the female body can do.  Australia-based artist Wendy Fox was struck by the diversity in female body types when watching the 2012 London Olympics, and celebrates this diversity – the worth of the female power, her project proves, comes in all shapes and sizes.

Cr. Cosmopolitan.au

 

Cr. Womensgoldmedalists.com

Love your lines 

Cr.LoveYourLines

Two mothers have started an Instagram account dedicated to celebrating stretch marks, with almost 100k followers, and saw hundreds of women using the hashtage #LoveYourLines to submit images of their own stretch marks, and the stories behind them. Comments on the Instagram account have been filled with support from people, celebrating these women who sometimes share pain from their stories, victorious embraces of their beauty after childbirth, and the growth into womanhood.  

Move away, Barbie and Ken

While real-life Barbie doll, Valeria Lukyanova is on her way to subsisting solely on air and light and Justin Jedlica, real- life Ken is adding on to his over 100 plastic surgeries, the team at HSB celebrates the beauty of all human bodies. 

Says Jada Pinkett Smith of her own daughter: “Willow cut her hair because her beauty, her value, her worth is not measured by the length of her hair…even little girls have the right to own themselves”.

What is the best way to remember Mr Lee Kuan Yew?

Other than conserving 38 Oxley Road, there were other suggestions on what we could do to remember Mr Lee’s legacy. But, let’s think again.

1) Do we really need notes and coins with his face on it to remind us of Singapore’s economic success?

2) Do we really need a battleship named after him to remind us of why we can sleep well every night knowing that we are living in a safe country? #singaporenavy

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3) Do we really need to rename an airport to remind us that it is an icon of Singapore’s progress from third world to first? #changiairport

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4) Do we really need a “founders’ park” to remind us that our home is a city in a garden teeming with rich biodiversity? #cityinagarden #nparksbuzz

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The fact is, we do not have to look far to be reminded of Mr Lee’s legacy. Just look out of your window. This gleaming global metropolis that is clean, green, safe and fair is the best testament to his lifelong work and contribution to Singapore.

In our humble opinion, the most hosay way to commemorate Mr Lee would be to protect Singapore from anyone who may want to destroy or knock down what he had spent his lifetime building for us. 

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Agree bo?

Of 38 Oxley Road

He had said it twice at Parliament and had made it clear in his last will and testament. Mr Lee Kuan Yew wants his home demolished upon his death. And, in the event that there are changes in law stopping the demolition, his wish is that the house never be opened to others except his family. Such is the extent that Mr Lee would go to protect the privacy and memories of his family.

Many of us have called to preserve Mr Lee’s home at 38 Oxley Road and turn it into a museum. We said it is to remind ourselves and future generations of Singaporeans of the work and values of our founding father. But, let’s dig a little deeper and touch our hearts, perhaps a part of us wants to keep it because we want to satisfy our own curiosity? We want a peek into the Lee family’s private life – where they ate, slept, worked and played and also see for ourselves how dilapidated his toilet is and the family’s famed “ham dan gong”?

38 Oxley Road was their private enclave - a place where the family called home and shared many fond memories together. These are private memories for them to keep and it is their right not to share it with anyone else. Let’s not allow our curiosity to intrude upon their privacy. Let’s respect Mr Lee’s decision to demolish 38 Oxley Road.

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EXPOSED: So-called tough P5 Math question actually from Math Olympiad Sec 3-4 contest

Read on for what Singaporeans always want, the “model answer”

The Internet has been in a frenzy the past few days over a mind-boggling math question supposedly meant for Primary 5 students that’s gone viral and stumped the world.

The reactions over the question regarding “Cheryl’s Birthday” have been flying fast and furious, with some going as far as to condemn our Singapore education system as being too tough on young kids, and adding fuel to the fire behind a recent New Paper article about parents hiring tutors to do their children’s homework.

Even the international news media have caught wind of it, with The Guardian, The Daily Mail and The  Independent all publishing stories on the baffling math problem. It’s even got a new hashtag #cherylsbirthday generated on twitter, it’s the top trending article on US site Buzzfeed .

We’d like to call it Singapore’s answer to the white and gold dress phenomenon.

Well, for those of you still pulling your hair out, fret no more, it’s been found out that the offending math question is actually from a Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiad (SASMO) contest aimed at sifting out the best among Sec 3 and Sec 4 math students from Singapore and other parts of the world.

In short, only the best of the best 15 and 16-year-old mathletes are meant to solve this puzzle. So for those who have been spreading online vitriol against our local education system or taking naughty digs like how “Albert” and “Bernard” should dump their friend “Cheryl”, well, maybe you should have done a little “homework” before getting all upset.

And if you’re 16 and below and managed to derive the correct answer, maybe it’s time to add some kind of self-congratulatory hashtag or meme on Facebook.

Below is a clarification from the Executive Director of SASMO, Henry Ong, sent to local community news site, Mothership.sg, that clears up online misconceptions on if the question in question was actually meant for 11-year-olds: 

 “To whom it may concern, We would appreciate if you could post this reply to clarify the “supposedly P5 viral question” that appeared on your website.

We think it is important to clarify so that Singapore parents will not worry unnecessarily. The supposedly P5 question that went viral on the Internet on Apr 12, 2015 is actually a question from the Sec 3 and from the Sec 4 SASMO (Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiad) contests held on Apr 8, 2015 (see photo below).

Being Q24 out of 25 questions, this is a difficult question meant to sift out the better students. SASMO contests target the top 40% of the student population and the standards of most questions are just high enough to stretch the students.

Questions that test on logical reasoning are common questions in Math Olympiads. This year, about 28 000 students from Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and UK took part in the contests.

We are pleased that this question has generated so much interest and ‘solutions’ on the Internet. For more information, please visit http://sasmo.sg or http://mathsolympiads.org.”

And the “model answer” for all you math geeks, also taken from Mothership.sg:

Of course, what we’re wondering now is why a primary 5 student, supposedly the niece of a friend of Singapore TV talk show presenter Kenneth Kong, was given such a difficult question to grapple with in the first place?

Seems to us that it’s parents and not the education system that’re getting too tough on our kids these days.

Certificate of Entitlement (COE)

Recent events have shown that many Singaporeans already own a COE aka Certificate of Entitlement without even knowing it!  Don’t believe? Read on…

1)    Entitled to my opinions

“I am entitled to my opinion. I can go on social media and say whatever I so please.“

HSB says –  Congratulations on owning your COE. Sure, you are entitled to your views but please be respectful, use social media responsibly and always spare a thought for other people’s feelings. If you want to exhibit your creativity on YouTube, do it like Theo Chen.

What’s OK	What’s NOT
Theo Chen  SJI boy who took to YouTube to stand up against bullies and appealed against homophobes.	Amos Yee Posted profanity laced YouTube clip making remarks about the death of LKY and insulting Christianity.

2)    Entitled to a common space

Same, same but different – Both are DBSS and both have 2 RC centres within the estate. But, while the RC folks at Pinnacle@Duxton are focused on their vertical challenge (i.e vertical marathon), the RC at The Peak is facing a different kind of challenge…..Residents do not want a RC centre under their block.

HSB says – Whilst you are entitled to do whatever you like with your own flat, the fact remains that the void deck is a public area. You may not want the RC but others may want it. Who knows, someday you may find it useful (i.e. a place for your elderly parents to go to or your child to study during exams)?

  

Pinnacle@Duxton

The Peak

3) Entitled to entry

It does not matter whether the sticker on the storefront says that no animals or food allowed. I am entitled to enter, even if it means that customers of other races or religion may feel uncomfortable, or if I may cause inconvenience to the store (i.e. leave dog fur, food stains behind).

HSB says –If you visit your friend’s house and he tells you no pets allowed, respect it. If you disagree, you can either choose to leave your pet at home or leave both the pet and yourself at home. If a store stops you from entering because you are enjoying your ice-cream, don’t feel aggrieved, take your business somewhere else.  It’s their loss, not yours.  

4) Entitled to convenience

Why is it so troublesome to apply for the government’s transport vouchers? Why only $30? Why don’t you deliver it to my doorstep?  Don’t inconvenience me by asking me to go to the CC to apply.

HSB says - We read in the article (link to ST) that the beneficiaries are grateful for these vouchers and they are happy with the simplified application process. $30 is a subsidy not meant to cover 100% of their transport cost. Got $30, better than no $30 right? Actually, the beneficiaries are not even complaining. Why are we complaining? Or are we complaining because if we don’t get the $30 and we don’t want others to have it too?

Gratitude begins when the sense of entitlement ends. The world does not owe us a living. 

“When we replace a sense of service and gratitude with a sense of entitlement and expectation, we quickly see the demise of our relationships, society and economy” 

Steve Maraboli

Why keep your money in CPF?

When it comes to money (especially hard-earned-blood-sweat-and-tears-work-OT-go-home-to-sleep-and-bathe-only), it’s fully understandable why some Singaporeans wished that they could have full control of what they used their money for. Or at least, have a say in what they use their CPF money for, other than for housing or health purposes.

But, ultimately, if we ask ourselves – do we really know what the CPF was initially set-up for and what purpose it serves? The government first introduced CPF to enable working Singapore Citizens and PRs to set aside funds for retirement. It also addresses healthcare, home ownership, family protection and asset enhancement.

Sounds good, right? To be able to have assurance and peace of mind that you’ll have enough for yourself and your loved ones as you enter your golden years, fully knowing that your flat was fully paid for and that you have enough in your MediSave to pay your doctors’ appointments so that you’re in good enough shape to enjoy the fruits of your labour – music to my ears.

One way we can look at CPF, is that it’s a tool that we are lucky enough to have to safeguard our future. I believe that the same thought process is in play when we consider buying insurance. We are putting aside money every month, to be able to acknowledge the security that we are able to prepare ourselves for rainy days and stormy nights. Personally, I sure was glad that my partner and I were able to pay for the down payment of our first home when we decided to take the step. Not a single cent out of our pockets/banks, as we’ve spent some years building up the amount in our accounts. Shiok, right!

So why then, are we so against the very system that ensures us peace of mind in throughout our different life stages? If we truly, honestly, ask ourselves – when a lump of money falls onto our laps – is leisure not the first thing that comes across our minds because we feel like we deserved it? Will we even think about putting the amount aside for safekeeping – or will we always go back to the age-old mind-set that there’s still a looooooong time for us to save enough for when they day comes?

Think about it, won’t you? And be honest, when you answer.

HOSAY Traits of fellow Singaporeans

Hosay Lah Singaporeans

1) An unprecedented outpouring of EMOTIONS, GRATITUDE AND RESPECT from Singaporeans, young and old – in Singapore and overseas. Goes to show how much the old guard has done for us.

2) GENEROUS AND KIND towards fellow Singaporeans, shown by the many volunteers handing out food and drinks to Singaporeans queueing at Padang! Volunteers also worked through the night to manage crowds at the Community Tribute Sites.

3) HELPFUL towards others who needed a helping hand – such as holding an umbrella for the staff on duty at the funeral procession!

4) PATIENCE, a rare virtue, was seen in all Singaporeans who queued for many hours without any complaints to pay their last respects to our late Mr Lee.

5) PERSEVERANCE was notably the best trait observed about fellow Singaporeans who braved all elements to pay their last respects to Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

With such Hosay behaviour by our fellow countrymen, Mr Lee will be proud of us ! smile emoticonhhhh

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