Cyber Bullies~

sunday times, "Armed, online and dangerous" -6th may'07- pg 31

The internet is exposing the young and also the other age groups to the hideous side of human nature which is uncommon along the streets. Through blogs, youtube( popular video sharing portal), and other means of expressing one's views, people are in contact with what the world around them is doing- good and bad.

So, as more and more people use internet, they abuse them. They do more things to harm the environment, they try to use these means to play pranks on people whom they do not know. Therefore, this leads to more victims of the internet. The internet was used to help people to be more informed of world news, lastest fashion or to do business, but now, the usage of it is gradually straying away from this main idea.

I feel that some of the reasons that may cause this phenomenon are that these people have no means to express their views to people that they know or that their friends and families are reluctant to listen to them. Therefore, till the stage that they write these things on their blogs or forums on the internet, they already do not have much good things to say due to being too upset with the events happening around them.

So, I feel that we should spend more time listening to what our friends or family members have to say on certain issues so that they may feel better or that maybe some improvements can be done to make that person feel better or even everyone.

At this current situation, I feel that efforts have to be made to get rid of the pollutants of the internet, to make it into a better environment for people to work with. I think the younger generation such as age group between 6-12 years old, will benefit the most because these are children who are starting to get exposed to the internet and they learn things that appear in front of them easily. Therefore, we should not let them see this dark side of the world by reducing the number of these cyber bullies on the internet.

How can Singapore be a more cosmopolitan country?

Singapore has been trying her best to keep talents within the country. It is known that one who has talents and is highly educated is highly sought after from companies overseas. Therefore, in order to allow them to stay in the country, Singapore has carried out certain measures such as the revision of salaries so that these talents would be attracted to the working environment in Singapore.

Furthermore, Singapore also feels that these Singaporeans should have a conscious in the sense that they are being educated in Singapore, and that they should in turn benefit the community that helped them. This idea should be clear to the young in Singapore especially those doing well in schools, colleges, polytechnics and universities.

Only with the required talents in Singapore, the country can grow. Singapore had to adapt constantly and adjust to the realities of a globalising world. Therefore, these people are needed in the planning for the future of the country so that her people can live in a striving economy and not lose out to other countries. We have to observe countries like China to learn from their techniques that made them progress at such a fast pace, thus keeping Singapore moving at such a pace also.

Should ministers and civil servants get the pay rise?

I feel that the ministers and civil servants should get the pay rise because it is a measure to prevent corruption in the country as they are paid well. When they are being paid well, they would not think of wanting more money for their own expenditure.

Another reason would be that the government wants to keep talents within the country. When these jobs are more highly paid, the high educated and talented would want to stay in the country. So when the country has more of these talents, the economy will work better as there will be more effective work and more creative innovations.

However, the pay rise should be accompanied by better work performances. I feel that it is only right to pay people who do their work well. These people have to produce results that comply with the standards of the economy. If not, these high paying positions would be redundant and certainly there should not be the pay rise.

Therefore, the pay rise to ministers and civil servants would expect a more productive government that is capable of performing to the best to give the country the best. I feel that Singaporeans would not mind paying someone who takes care of them well.