After a meeting between the Prime Ministers of Singapore and Malaysia, Malaysia has shown interest in linking both countries via MRT. Mr. Syed Hamid Albar, the Malaysian Foreign Minister, believes that now is the best time to do it, while both countries still have a close and harmonious relationship. In my opinion, an MRT connecting both countries is a very good idea indeed, as it can bring us closer (both distance and relationship) with our neighboring country.
I feel that this future MRT line, if built, can bring a lot of convenience to the citizens of both countries. Quoting the article, Mr. Syed had “expressed confidence that such cooperative efforts can yield a balance of benefits for both countries”, which I strongly agree. As we are practically next to each other, there are many Malaysian workers in Singapore, and vice versa. It would be much more convenient for these workers if there were direct transport to their workplace, instead of having to wake up early in the morning in order to bypass the traffic jam on the causeway. Also, there are many Singaporeans whose relatives live in Malaysia. Building a MRT station there allows them to meet up more frequently and spend more time together.
However, there are also people who think otherwise. Many people, like MP Wee Ka Siong (who was quoted in the article), feel that there bound to be problems during the process, and prefer not to invite trouble by building the MRT line. I can also foresee other problems, such as the lack of resources, power of control over the transport, etc. In addition, usually during peak hours, the train is already crowded as it is, and if Malaysians share the train with us, there would most definitely be a massive jam, which will cause inconvenience to the passengers.
In my opinion, there are bound to be risks behind every project. As the saying goes, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained” – If we are afraid of trouble, then there would be no progress. Hence, we should tackle the problems and not avoid them. Also, I feel that the government of both countries should not take matters into their own hands, ignoring the opinions of the masses. In order for the citizens to have a say in the decision, I would suggest that the both countries create a voting system to allow their citizens to vote for or against the idea of the Singapore-Malaysia MRT line. Being democratic countries, this would be the best course of action to take.
No matter whether the MRT line would be built or not, I feel that this initiative by Malaysia is a good thing. If both Singapore and Malaysia are able to maintain such a harmonious relationship and help each other out, both countries will definitely flourish and will progress very quickly.
Signing off, [Ķσάιά ßέάŕ].
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Thursday, May 17, 2007
「 posted on 10:03 PM 」
Schools cave in to sleepy teens (Category: Issues regarding teenagers)
Recently, two Victorian schools have delayed their starting times and were satisfied with the students’ response. These schools had introduced their new timetable after Russell Foster, an Oxford University sleep expert, felt that ”teenagers are biologically wired to stay up late and wake late”, while psychologists had also discovered that 40 percent of teenagers were deprived of sleep. After delaying the starting times, students were found to be more alert in school.
In my opinion, although this article was taken from an Australian newspaper (Herald Sun), I feel that the same case can be applied to us too. In Raffles Institution, many students usually find it difficult to juggle their studies and other commitments (CCA, e.g.) at the same time. With the exception of a rare few who are able to manage their time very well, a committed RI student usually reaches home in the late afternoon, leaving them little time to finish their piles of homework. These students will then either: retire early, leaving their homework undone; or rush their homework till late at night, and then sleep during lessons the next day. Hence, if RI adopts the “late timetable” system, it would certainly favour the students’ sleeping needs.
However, there are also many who are against the idea of the “late timetable” system. From the comments given by the readers, many people, especially adults, felt that the younger generation is becoming much lazier. If teenagers could not even stand the lack of sleep now, how would they survive in the workforce in the future? Instead of delaying the school timetable, many felt that the students should learn to manage their time properly by themselves.
I feel that sleep deprivation is an important matter that should be worked out among teachers, students, and their parents. Other than changing the school timetable, there are actually many alternative solutions, like: decreasing the amount of workload, helping the student set a timetable for his commitments, etc. Students should learn to take charge of their lives and manage their own time well, instead of relying on the school to make allowances for their lack of time management. Their school and parents can also help them decide upon the best course of action to take in order for them to have sufficient sleep while finishing their work on time.
“A healthy kid is a happy kid.” – No matter what course of action the student choose to take, he should always get enough sleep (> 8 hours) in order for him to lead a healthy and active life.
