SMS service provider fined $65,000

Sybase 365's Multiple Breaches of the Premium Rate Services Code (PDF)
Sybase was punished by IDA for breaches for 3 of its services. One particular breach was for a considerably long period of 13 months. During this period, Sybase had continued to collect payment on an ongoing basis from 2,766 subscribers. The company has previously been sanctioned in 2008.

Awareness Seminar on Draft International Standard ISO 26000 - Guidance on Social Responsibility

The ISO standard on Corporate Social Responsibility is reaching its final phase of development. It has been a long journey. I have been following the issue on-and-off via Consumers International (CI) coverage of the issue.

SPRING is organising an event to highlight this new international standard to Singapore businesses.

Date: 5 October 2009 (Monday)
Time: 1.30pm - 4.30pm
Venue:
Theatrette, Level 1
TÜV SÜD PSB Pte Ltd
1 Science Park Drive
Singapore 118221

Myanmar allegations highlight Singapore bank secrecy

AFP

Sad to see this happening. Hopefully pressure from organisations like OECD will force some changes.

UN to establish single new agency to deal with rights of women

UN news centre
UNIFEM, DAW, OSAGI, and INSTRAW to be merged...

Dads 'to share maternity leave'

BBC NEWS
The details are not mentioned, but this looks like a great victory for gender equity in the UK.

Closing loopholes in fee protection scheme

asiaone
Full article at straitstimes.com. Sandra hits out at lack of protection for local students.

MAS Issues First Part of Response to Feedback on Proposals to Strengthen the Regulation of the Sale and Marketing of Unlisted Investment Products

Monetary Authority of Singapore
19 page response, and there's part 2 in Q4. Time to read and digest...

Send in the clowns

yawning bread
Alex is back in action. Nice hard-hitting article that goes straight to the heart of the matter.

FM invites candidate for ASEAN human rights panel

Nationmultimedia.com
Great to see the open selection process by Thailand finally kick off. I wonder if the Singapore government will be "enlightened" enough to follow suit.

Making AICHR work for Asean citizens

The Nation
Updates on the AICHR, including the political declaration, and the proposed statement on Aung San Suu Kyi.

Consultation workshop on ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights

The Singapore Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism (MARUAH) would like to invite you to a Consultation Workshop: “Engaging the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) – The People’s Views”. Read more in our e-flyer.

Details below
Saturday, 22 August 2009
8.30 am to 3.45 pm
Novotel Hotel, Clarke Quay
177A River Valley Road
Singapore, 179031

Sign up online here

Alternatively, you can fill up the registration form.

Pressuring the Burmese Junta

NYTimes.com
Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer does make a good point to focus on the overall situation in Burma, and not just the plight of Aung San Suu Kyi alone.

'Dirty war' general found guilty

BBC NEWS
When will we see something similar for the generals in Burma?

UNESCO Remembers Assassinated Journalists

UNESCO
Quite shocked to see the large number of journalists who were assassinated in the exercise of their profession.

Short but meaningful

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore
Good to see a quick response from MFA. Now the real work of the ASEAN Human Rights Body begins...

MFA Spokesman's Statement on Reports of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Being Charged

Singapore is dismayed by this latest development. This is a setback for the national reconciliation process. We reiterate the call for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from detention. We are also concerned about recent reports on her poor health, and that the arrest may exacerbate her condition.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
15 MAY 2009

Be aware of counterfeit medicines

Even though the situation is not rampant in Singapore, there's no harm to do the proper checks when you buy (and consume) medicines.

Download the PDF guide here.

Human Organ Transplant Act

Channelnewsasia.com

"In Tuesday's voting, four MPs chose to abstain, while Christopher De Souza voted against the amendment.

Those who abstained were Opposition MP Low Thia Khiang, Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim, MP for Jalan Besar GRC Denise Phua, and the Chairperson for the Group Parliamentary Committee for Health, Halimah Yacob."

Save lives. Make hospitals safe in emergencies

World Health Day 2009 - WHO
An eclectic (but imo, a good) choice of theme for this year's World Health Day.

2008 Human Rights Report: Singapore

US State Department
Part of the annual report on the human rights situation in countries all over the world, sgwatchDOG wonders how much research was gathered directly by the State Department...

The wrong and right kind of letter

BBC - Watchdog
a.k.a. how to write a complaint letter...