The entitled, the woke, the agenda-driven, the vested-interest advocate etc.

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48% of S’poreans believe promoting women’s equality has become discrimination against men: Ipsos study​

Around half of Singaporeans also fear speaking up for women's rights, the study found.
By Jonathan Yee - 7 Mar 2024

Women’s equality has gone too far, say 48% of Singaporeans in Ipsos study​

Almost half of Singaporeans polled for an Ipsos study believe that promoting women’s equality has gone so far that it discriminates against men.
Gen Z men are also more likely to hold this sentiment compared to Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennial men.
The study, which polled around 500 Singaporeans aged between 21 and 74 years, also found that the majority had no preference when it comes to the gender of their political leaders.

Ipsos study finds 48% of Singaporeans believe women’s equality has led to discrimination against men​

The Ipsos study for International Women’s Day was released on Thursday (7 March) and conducted together with the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London.
The study polled around 24,000 people across 31 countries, which includes about 500 Singaporeans.
Around two-thirds of Singaporeans — 62% — believe things have gone far enough when it comes to giving women equal rights with men in Singapore.

Source: Ipsos
68% of men polled felt this way, compared to 55% of women.
Ipsos also noted an “emerging sense of concern” in Singapore regarding the impact of gender equality on men.

This was borne in 48% of Singaporeans feeling things have gone the other way when it comes to promoting women’s equality into discrimination against men.
Singapore sits on the high end of the countries polled — 79% of people in Thailand feel this way, followed by 67% in India.

Source: Ipsos
IPSOS noted that 57% of Singaporean men have this sentiment, compared to 39% of women.

Fear of speaking up for women’s rights noted among 48% of Singaporeans​

48% of Singaporeans also said they were scared to speak out for equal rights for women as they fear reprisal. Of these, 51% of women agree compared to 45% of men.

Source: Ipsos
“More than half (58%) of Singaporeans also agree that men are being expected to do too much to support equality,” Ipsos said.

Gen Z more likely to think women’s equality has gone too far​

The study found that Gen Z males are more likely to think that women’s equality has gone too far, compared to Baby Boomers and Gen X.

Source: Ipsos
Gen Z women, on the other hand, are less likely to think this, although the sentiment does not differ significantly between Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z women.
Where inclusion in politics is concerned, 27% of Singaporeans would prefer a male political leader. However, just 7% would opt for a female political leader.

That said, 63% had no preference for either gender.

Source: Ipsos
Most Singaporeans also agree that both genders are equally competent in areas such as being honest and ethical, getting the economy on track, ensuring ethnic minorities are treated fairly, and benefiting those who are less advantaged.
Most believe male politicians tend to excel better in fighting crime, defending national security, and getting the economy on track.
Meanwhile, respondents tend to see female politicians as upholding fair treatment of women, uplifting the less advantaged, and treating those LGBT+ identities fairly.

Half have no preference when it comes to gender of boss​

Though 36% of respondents demonstrated a tendency to favour male bosses over female bosses (10%), the majority (51%) were neutral about the gender of their bosses.
Singaporeans were also mostly in agreement that both male and female leaders can create a financially successful and innovative company.
However, 16% think males are better, while only 8% believe females are better.
Katharine Zhou, Country Manager for Ipsos in Singapore, said there could be an unconscious bias when associating certain roles and capabilities between genders.
This is even though most have no preferences over their boss’ gender.

Sentiment warrants “further examination”​

Ms Zhou said it was “revealing” to see that most believe women’s rights in Singapore had gone far enough.
However, there is a “significant” gender difference in these perceptions, she said.
The sentiment espoused by 48% of respondents over women’s equality efforts discriminating against men also warranted further examination, she added, calling the result “notable”.
“It is also interesting to note the apprehension among Singaporeans about advocating for gender equality,” she said.
“This could be attributed to various socio-cultural factors and shows us that while we have made progress, there is still work to be done.”
She advocated for a more comprehensive dialogue on gender equality that “transcends familiar arguments” into an increased appreciation for emerging sentiments as found in the study.

 

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For many years, SingPost was led by a female chairman Fang Ai Lian who staffed the board with a number of female directors, to meet the women's agenda of having a gender-diversified board.
The same period saw SingPost's deterioration as a business.
Now they have to replace the female CEO with a male CEO.

SingPost appoints ex-SMRT managing director as new Singapore CEO​

Mr Shahrin Abdol Salam (left) will take on the role of Singapore CEO from May 1. He will succeed current CEO Neo Su Yin. PHOTOS: SINGPOST

Colin Tan
Senior Business Correspondent


APR 01, 2024

SINGAPORE – SingPost will have a new chief executive officer to head its Singapore operations from May 1, following a restructuring of the business that will see the group attempt to transform itself into a logistics company within three years.
Mr Shahrin Abdol Salam will take over the role of Singapore CEO from Ms Neo Su Yin, who is leaving to pursue career opportunities elsewhere, the group said in a statement on April 1.
Mr Shahrin was the managing director of SMRT’s Thomson-East Coast Line, as well as senior vice-president (strategic relations) at SMRT Corporation.
SingPost Group CEO Vincent Phang said: “Shahrin has a strong track record in leading operations, engineering and service quality, and I look forward to his leadership in our continued transformation.”
Said Mr Shahrin: “It is exciting and a privilege to lead such an iconic business, especially at this transformative time.”
He has more than 25 years of experience in managing operations, strategic planning, asset management, business development, engineering and customer service.
He has held various senior leadership positions, and was expert and adviser (rail agency) in the Dubai government’s Roads and Transport Authority.


Mr Shahrin, who turns 51 in 2024, was reported in early March to be “joining an organisation in Saudi Arabia”.
He said his U-turn back to Singapore was a difficult and personal decision.
“Family exigencies often call for tough decisions, and so I have to forgo the overseas opportunity to prioritise my parents’ needs,” he told The Straits Times on April 1.

“I am grateful for the timely opportunity SingPost provides for me to take this exciting leadership role in shaping SingPost’s next phase of growth.”
SingPost told ST that Ms Neo had tendered her resignation and given notice in January.
Separately, she also confirmed that she will be advancing her career in the aviation industry.
SingPost expressed its gratitude to Ms Neo for her contributions during her tenure as CEO of the Singapore business. The group credited her for her leadership through the Covid-19 pandemic, raising the performance of the domestic service, as well as growing the e-commerce business.
On March 20, SingPost announced it was embarking on a three-year plan to become a logistics company.
This followed an eight-month review that concluded that SingPost’s share price had failed to “appropriately reflect the intrinsic value of the company”.
The restructuring aims to make the group more efficient in capital management, while streamlining the business for growth.
Among the initiatives being considered is the divestment of non-core assets, with the sales proceeds being used to repay debt, ploughed into faster growing businesses or returned to shareholders.
Non-core assets that may be put up for sale include SingPost Centre in Paya Lebar, which was valued at $1.1 billion as at September 2023, along with a partial stake in its Australian unit, which accounts for around 60 per cent of the group’s revenue and profits.
In addition, its business units will be streamlined according to geographic zones – Singapore, Australia and the international operations that encompass some 200 markets through a global postal network – to give them more independence, increase their flexibility to pursue growth opportunities and, ultimately, achieve better valuations.
SingPost shares closed flat at 42 cents on April 1, after the announcement.

 

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Another female CEO replaced.

Consumer watchdog Case gets new executive director​

Mr Dexter Tay replaces Ms Lee Siow Hwee as executive director of the Consumers Association of Singapore on April 1. PHOTOS: CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION OF SINGAPORE

Wallace Woon

APR 01, 2024

SINGAPORE - Mr Dexter Tay was appointed executive director of the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) on April 1.
He replaces Ms Lee Siow Hwee, who has helmed the association since 2021 on secondment from the People’s Association (PA).
Mr Tay, who was previously Case’s deputy director, has worked in various public sector agencies including the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Ministry of Transport and Land Transport Authority.
Ms Lee, during her tenure, helped streamline Case’s consumer services amid the Covid-19 pandemic, introducing online mediation for consumers to resolve disputes and launching a one-stop website where consumers could have their queries answered round the clock.
She also helped to extend Case’s dispute resolution services to more than one million NTUC members in 2022, allowing them to tap the services for free.
In 2024, Ms Lee launched Price Kaki Champions, a collaboration between Case and PA.
The programme saw some 2,000 volunteers recruited to look for good deals around neighbourhoods and promote community awareness of price comparison platform Price Kaki.

Case president Melvin Yong said: “I would like to thank Siow Hwee for her contributions in the past three years. She played an important role in leading Case through the Covid-19 pandemic and responding to emerging consumer trends and challenges.
“As executive director, she enhanced Case’s suite of services to consumers, extended the reach of our dispute resolution services to more consumers, and expanded our pool of community volunteers.”

 

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Another incompetent female CEO replaced.
The outgoing CEO Teo tried to downplay the falsification of circulation figures at SPH.

Former IMDA chairman to be new SPH Media CEO from July 15​

Former IMDA chairman Chan Yeng Kit (right) will take over as the new chief executive of SPH Media from Ms Teo Lay Lim. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA
Lee Nian Tjoe, Senior Correspondent

APR 09, 2024

SINGAPORE – SPH Media, which publishes titles including The Straits Times and Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao, will have a new chief executive from July 15.
Mr Chan Yeng Kit, who is permanent secretary for health and the former chairman of the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), will take over from Ms Teo Lay Lim, who is retiring.
In the media group’s announcement on April 8, it said Mr Chan, 59, brings a wealth of experience to his new role from his extensive career in the public sector, the labour movement and the private sector.
SPH Media chairman Khaw Boon Wan said: “Yeng Kit is committed to our mission to help inform and unite our people via quality journalism. Against the competitive pressure from social media, he will support the newsrooms to tap digital platforms to reach new audiences and build a sustainable commercial model.
“We are grateful to Lay Lim for kick-starting our organisation’s digital transformation. Yeng Kit will build upon the foundations that she has built.”
Mr Chan was appointed to SPH Media’s board in March. That month, he stepped down from IMDA’s board after having served on it for nine years.
As permanent secretary for health, a role he took on in 2019, he headed the Government’s efforts to develop Covid-19 safe management measures.

He was the permanent secretary for defence from 2013 to 2019.
The Public Service Division said in a separate statement that Mr Chan, who will be seconded to SPH Media, will be succeeded as permanent secretary for health by Ms Lai Wei Lin, who will relinquish her appointments as permanent secretary for transport development and second permanent secretary for finance on July 1.
Mr Chan has also held a range of appointments in the labour movement and private sector. These include management positions in the Public Service Division, National Trades Union Congress and the Suzhou Industrial Township Development.

An SPH Media spokesperson said: “Mr Chan Yeng Kit’s wealth of experience and expertise will further benefit the organisation as it navigates the opportunities and challenges of the evolving media landscape.”
Ms Teo, 60, is leaving SPH Media after more than two years as its CEO. She took over from interim CEO Patrick Daniel on March 1, 2022.
In its announcement, SPH Media said that under Ms Teo’s leadership, the media group made steady progress in areas such as digital integration, customer experience and talent development.
During her tenure, it refreshed its digital platforms and mobile applications to adapt to how different audiences consume content, it added.
For instance, new features were introduced on SPH Media’s news apps, and the first Tamil Murasu app was launched. A shared video and audio production facility for its newsrooms, Studio+65, was also set up to strengthen the group’s digital media offerings.
The SPH Media statement added that Ms Teo’s efforts led to greater data integration and analytics, which provide newsrooms with better visibility on how readers are responding to stories and support decision-making.
“Ms Teo has advocated for a culture of putting audiences and subscribers at the centre of what SPH Media does,” said the spokesperson.
“This has led to an expansion of options through which our audiences are able to access, consume and experience our content, especially the various digital channels.”

Responding to queries from ST, the spokesperson said the controversy over the inflation of circulation numbers uncovered by a March 2022 internal review was not a factor in the leadership change.
Among the findings from the review was an overstatement of an average of 49,000 daily copies, or 5 per cent of the total circulation then, of news titles, including ST. Several senior employees left the company in December 2022 following the audit.
SPH Media said the leadership change comes as the group requires a different set of experience and skills for its next stage of transformation, now that its digital foundations are in place to deliver quality storytelling and be the trusted source of news.
The spokesperson said Mr Chan has led organisations through challenges posed by digital disruption and behavioural shifts, and is well placed to lead SPH Media “to optimise the outcomes and ensure sustainable growth”.
SPH Media was spun off from Singapore Press Holdings in December 2021 as part of a strategic review to enable the media business to focus on quality journalism and invest in strengthening its digital capabilities.
Following that, the authorities said in February 2022 that the media group would get government funding of up to $180 million annually over five years to invest in technology and newsroom capabilities, including for the vernacular newsrooms.
With public funding, it would be required to provide half-yearly progress updates on how it is meeting key performance indicators, such as reach and engagement of its products.

 

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This is what happens when nature lovers pressure the government into letting fowl, otters, monkeys etc run wild.

Forum: Nature is fine, but not when it’s at the expense of sleep​

Jul 12, 2024


I empathise with the plight of Ms Chang May Choon (What price some quiet time at home?, July 7) and Mr Ramamurthy Mahesh Kumar (Spare a thought for those affected by noise, July 10), and would like to add that noise pollution comes from more than just inconsiderate humans.
There has been public discourse on good mental health in recent months. An important contributing factor is sufficient and quality sleep.
Unfortunately, this is being sacrificed because of the loud noises from jungle fowl.
In my estate, these birds often start calling as early as 4am, and their uneven and hoarse crowing can go on for hours, depriving many people of good quality sleep every day.
I recently polled about 20 people in the area, and 70 per cent said they were disturbed by the noise and would rather have the birds removed.
The irony is that humans are supposed to observe quiet hours before 7am, but we let these birds get away with noise pollution. I have seen residents call the police for less.
While the onus is on those who cannot bear with the noise to soundproof their homes, this is a costly solution and runs into thousands of dollars. Many earn a modest living and may not be able to spare the money.

For those who stay up late working, parenting or doing chores, sleeping early to get sufficient rest is not always an option either.
There are occasions when we can be more tolerant towards wildlife in our bid towards becoming a City in Nature.
But I think people tend to appreciate nature better when they are not constantly in sleep debt due to nature in the first place.
Advocates may say that this is the natural way of things, but let’s get real – we are no longer an agrarian society that needs jungle fowl to rouse us in the dead of the night to milk cows and gather eggs.
Would the authorities please do more to manage this?

Tan Yi Shu

 

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Many small businesses do not have the money to hire and train staff, or the business owners had no plans to do business with these customers.

Forum: More public awareness about guide dogs needed​

Oct 16, 2024

I refer to the news report about visually impaired people with guide dogs who still face challenges in public (‘I get rejected 70% of the time’: Visually impaired with guide dogs still face challenges, Oct 13).
It was reported that when they are with their guide dogs, they are often turned away at places such as fast-food restaurants, retail outlets, shopping malls, dining establishments and even when booking private-hire vehicles.
It’s disheartening to hear about the challenges they face.
We must take more steps to raise public awareness about the differences between pet dogs and guide dogs, which provide essential assistance to the visually impaired.
I have no issues when these guide dogs enter dining establishments or public transport with their owners and are seated near me.
It is our duty and responsibility to ensure that their owners are comfortable and can enjoy the facilities like the rest of us.
It is also in everyone’s best interest that we do not disturb or distract these guide dogs when they are “on duty”.

I recommend implementing more public awareness campaigns to promote the acceptance of guide dogs in various settings, including schools, hospitals, food and beverage establishments and shopping malls, as well as on public transport.
As we mark International
White Cane Day on Oct 15, let’s not only celebrate the achievements of the visually impaired but also develop practical ideas and suggestions to ensure this community is not left behind.
We must focus on fostering positive relationships and inclusivity in our society.

Muhammad Dzul Azhan Sahban