OFT investigates 100 household brands over price-fixing allegations - Telegraph

Telegraph
This action by the OFT shows the advantages of having a fair trading office...

Chinese consumers know their rights

TODAYonline
What about you, the Singaporean?

BBC Action Network set to close on 30th April 2008

BBC - Action Network
BBC is pulling the plug. They have a comprehensive "How to get started" page on campaigning. Time to quickly skim through that resource and start saving them offline...

Toolkit on World Health Day 2008

It seems today is World Health Day. Anyway, sgwatchDOG is quite impressed with the toolkit page for the event. Useful info and ideas for NGOs campaigning for a cause, and not just relating to health, as the tips can be applied to any cause.

Enforcement action by MAS

Just spotted this on the MAS "Enforcement Actions" page (which is a link on the blog sidebar), which highlights that

Inter-Alliance International (Singapore) Pte Ltd (“IAIS”), a licensed financial adviser until 18 February 2008, has paid a composition amount of $50,000 for contravention of section 13(1) of the Financial Advisers Act (“FAA”). IAIS has also paid a composition amount of $6,250 for contraventions under the Insurance (Intermediaries) Regulations (“IIR”).

Not sure if this has been reported in the local media...

Film disallowed for SIFF 2008

The documentary, "Arabs And Terrorism", has been disallowed to be screened at the Singapore International Film Festival (SIFF). The following from the SIFF homepage.

3 April 2008
URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Please note that the following film has been disallowed and will not be screened:

Title: Arabs And Terrorism
Date: 5 April 2008
Time: 11am
Venue: The Substation

It will be replaced with a screening of Amina(PG).

Ticket holders of Arabs And Terrorism can use their tickets for the replacement screening, or get a refund at the Festival Secretariat by 14th April 2008.

The synopsis of the film is below

Arabs and Terrorism
Bassam Haddad | USA | 2007 | 135 mins | TBA

Researched in six different languages, 11 countries, 120 experts and politicians as well as hundreds of street interviews, this fast-paced documentary is determined to unearth what is said about Arabs and Terrorism. Tired of empty rhetoric about the fight against terrorism from Washington, D.C. neo-conservatives (and curious of many assertions made by the Bush administration), Arab-American filmmaker Bassam Haddad decided to seek the truth for himself, camera-in-hand, and thus sparks an impassioned dialogue between right-wing American policymakers and Middle Eastern political factions.

Haddad's method of documentary involves having interviews with political power-players on each side of the transcontinental (and trans-ideological) fence - American and Arab; recording each interview on his laptop; and having each interviewee view and respond to allegations made by the other side. The result is a documentary that dares to journey into waters seldom treaded by other filmmakers, by travelling right to the core of the ideological debate that lies behind the war on terror and investigating what the Arab people actually think, believe and desire -- independent of media bias.

Intro to international human rights law

United Nations
The webpage above gives a good rundown of all the international instruments relating to human rights.

A quick discovery while checking out the links. It seems that Singapore, a multi-racial society that prides itself on equality among races, is not a signatory to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

sgwatchDOG will follow up by detailing what international human rights instruments Singapore has signed, and what it hasn't.

Women and an ASEAN Human Rights Body

Maruah:SINGAPORE WORKING COMMITTEE FOR THE ASEAN HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISM
A forum on 29th March 2008, organised by MARUAH. Hope to see you there.

HDB introduces Resale Checklists for Housing Agents

HDB InfoWEB : Press Release

Good move by HDB to curb the tactics of some of the "black sheep" in the estate agent business. Hopefully, buyers and sellers will have less worries after this scheme kicks in.

Google for Non-Profits

Google for Non-Profits
sgwatchDOG already uses many Google tools to disseminate info. Google recently set up a website dedicated to non-profit organisations.

Beware of Scams

Consumer Portal: MoneySENSE Alert
Scams just don't seem to go away. The latest scams are getting more and more sophisticated.

Getting our priorities right

Ethical Living - Guardian Unlimited
With the current fad for everything "green", it's very easy to start to do stuff that is easy to do, yet "green" in ideal. However, should that be the way? It seems we are choosing the easy bits and forgetting the more important (but often more difficult) issues...

New company added to MoneySENSE Investor Alert List

Apollo International Wealth Management Co. Ltd has just been added to the MoneySENSE Investor Alert List.

Consumer Reports' Secret Shoppers Have Lots of Explaining to Do

Wired Magazine
A quirky report on mystery shoppers and testers working for Consumer Reports.

The other casualty of the Great Escape: mainstream media credibility

journalism.sg
A good analytical article from Cherian George revealing the failure of the mainstream media to ask the right questions regarding the escape of the JI detainee.

Acceptance of ichqs put on hold

ichqs.com - Home
sgwatchDOG remembers that the ichqs programme had some problems a few years ago also. Anyway, the public notice by ichqs contained an interesting portion

Due to the termination of our telesales team, a few disgruntled ex-employees may have contacted you via sms. We apologize for the inconveniences caused.

sgwatchDOG wonders if the recently released MAS tips on stored value facilities has anything to do with ichqs being put on hold.

MAS seeks comments on Guidelines on Board and Senior Management Responsibility for Delivering Fair Dealing Outcomes to Consumers

MAS

Whistle-blower site taken offline

BBC NEWS | Technology |

Efusion's Charging for Incorrect Subscription Keywords

IDA Singapore - Policies & Regulation - Determinations and Enforcement
1st case for 2008 has just been published. Click on the above link, and then click on the "2008" link to see it.

Toy safety

CHOICE - Toy safety
Although this is a Australian article, the toy checklist is still very useful for parents in Singapore.

Toy safety checklist

Here are some general rules to help you when choosing a toy.

Look for a label, or instructions on the packaging, which should tell you:

* Age recommendations
* Instructions for proper assembly (if appropriate)
* Proper use and supervision (if appropriate).

Note: always remove and carefully dispose of all packaging before giving a toy to a baby or small child. And where appropriate, make sure your child understands any important instructions.

"Not suitable for children under three"

This is a safety warning, not an indication of skill level or intelligence. For example, it's illegal for toys (and their parts) suitable for children under three to be so small that they can present a choking hazard. As a guide, if a toy or its parts can fit wholly into a 35 mm film canister, don't give it to a child under three years of age.

* Make sure the toy and any of its parts are sufficiently large
* Check toys regularly for loose parts that could present a choking danger

Note: ingestion/inhalation test cylinders are available in baby specialty stores.

Buy washable, non-breakable toys for babies. Make sure there are no:

* Sharp edges
* Sharp points
* Rough surfaces
* Small parts that could be bitten or could break off.

If a sharp edge or a sharp point is essential to the function of the toy — for a toy sewing machine or toy scissors for example — make sure you show your child how to use it safely and always supervise.

Check there are no gaps or holes in a toy, where a child could trap their fingers.

Be wary of toys that make loud noises particularly toys that are held against the ear, such as walkie talkies and toy mobile phones — as they can be harmful to hearing.

Toy chests and boxes should be designed not to trap or close on top of children, or better still they should have a lightweight removable lid. Anything big enough to crawl inside must have ventilation holes. Also, make sure the lid is fitted with rubber or other stoppers that alllow a gap of 12 mm or more when the lid is closed so that small fingers can't be crushed and to assist with ventilation.

If you're buying a toy that shoots projectiles, only choose ones that have a soft, one-piece dart or non removable suction caps. The projectile musn't be small enough to pose a choking hazard. Also, make sure that the firing mechanism won't discharge any other objects, like stones or nails, and that the projectile's impact is weak enough not to cause injury.

Check for ventilation before buying tents, masks or helmets.

Ensure that ride-on toys are stable and appropriate to the age of the child. Toy bikes should have effective brakes which can be applied by the rider.

Swimming aids and flotation devices shouldn't be considered 'toys'. Adult supervision is essential with these devices. Check that they're marked to comply with the Australian Standard, and follow the instructions carefully.

Think about whether the toy fits your child's developmental needs. Toys meant for older children can be totally inappropriate or even dangerous for younger children.

Note: the information provided in this guide is advisory only.