Aware No. 2? Night Safari Halloween Event Cancelled Because Of 2 Christians (President Tony Tan And Ceo Isabella Loh)

[Guest guest]

You peasant just don't get it do you? Perhaps only Nightingale got the brains to move up the ladder in Singapore. Who cares what are you views? It's a culture of sucking up here in Singapore. If you don't you can never be CEO of something like big as WRS I guess. So all you "corporate gurus" and "zionist" out here, stop living in the ideal world and live in the realistic world. Do you think it matters to the zoo how many of you visit it? Of course not! Would this issue effects it's staple visitors (who are foreigners), they wouldn't care! And to the sponsors? They're in a position to understand the cancellation. So as Nightingale so succinctly puts it, the big mouth wins. Even if you're the 2nd big mouth, you loose.

[Guest Guest]

I grew up with Halloween (stayed in the states for 8 yrs). I dun participate and it's just a harmless, fun event.

If the Zoo Ceo is a Buddhist and she's under 'pressure' from supposedly Xtian group, I kind of understand.

I used be a xtian, then tried buddhism and now I believe in a higher force and all religions are somehow connected.

I used to have this friend for ore than 30 yrs. He's a 'staunch' xtian but I had to talk him out of getting involved with other's xtians'wives while he was still married. Lately, i was having some 'spiritual attacks' (validated by others)from my neighbour who wanted to shift. I asked for his prayers and he refused and tried to get me to go to his chuurch. I declined & stopped all contacts with him. He sent me an email with a dying AIDS patient on his bed telling me that i need GOD to save me. It seems that there is this monopoly of divine power and only Xtian GOD could save me. In that case, I dun need a GOD who judges more than loves.

The Higher Power I believe is fun, loving, compassionate to ALL.

Instead of cancelling the event, she could have come up with a new emphasis, not no the 'horror' but on the 'creativity' side of Halloween - dressing up as well-known comic characters. Have a charity fund-raising event for children's home , invite them to attend the event at the zoo, teach the children that 'giving & caring'. It could have been a great event!

[Guest Guest]

It seems that there is this monopoly of divine power and only Xtian GOD could save me. In that case, I dun need a GOD who judges more than loves.

There is no need for God to judge you... it's actually your 'friend' who had judge you.

Your 'friend' has pushed you way from God because he has used God's old judgement on you.

God has forgiven all sinners.

What's homosexuality to God?

There are worse sinners than homosexuals and He has also forgiven them all.

Sinless men do not exist... there are only men with less sins but they are still sinners.

God has given man free will to do good or bad.

Blaming God for what man has done is just unfair.

Blame man, not God.

[Clickclock]

I just read that article today, on an outdated newspaper.

It really pissed me, off, i meant, the cancellation of an event JUST because it has no relevance to conservation? Further down the article, they also mentioned planning another event to replace it that has something to do with deepavali? i mean, what the hell does deepavali got to do with conservation anyway? this is just like banning the sale of watermelons just because they do not match the market's curtains. Totally irelevant and stupid, i'm really sure this excuse is just a mere cover up for the "judgement" given by the president.

Furthermore, I myself am a christian, protestant to be exact and i totally support events like this, how is the devil being celebrated through this? Halloween is the celebration of the halloween, the festival! the spirit of celebrating a themed event! If singapore practices halloween just like north america, i would gladly participate as a wizard or something. Besides, america, which is deemed as a highly christian country created halloween in the first place?

well, this has something to do with the forum title, i know what your going about, however, the way you phrased your title is as if ALL christians are ignorant and objective about anything new. I find it offensive.

[Guest Guest]

we are going round and round and round over one single issue of an ceo of a company who cancelled an event at the last minute that offended many people like as though she owes them a living... and all these talk are going round and round just because some smart alec jonah posted a title that plants ideas into people's mind and makes people angry just reading it... so...

[Personne]

I think the President wants to build family relations in the long run, as compared to short-term fun for couples. Since such hints were dropped by the President, CEO Loh has only but one choice. This is bizarre linguistics at work. The president cannot be faulted for forcing a change, but the risk of being in the bad books of the president is something no CEO in Singapore would want to be in.

By the way, could we all refer to Tony Tan as the president rather than 35% president tan? He may not be our number one choice, but he is our leader for now, and we need to support him. It was our duty then, during voting, to express our personal choice. But it is our duty now, as citizens, to ensure our leaders know they have our support. Of course, our support for them is dependent on moral judgments, efficiency factor and competency.

[Clickclock]

I totally agree with what personne mentioned.

But why cancell the event totally when it can be manipulated to be a family event? why cancell it? There can be a candy section or phototaking booth for the young ones.. Besides, since the event attracts couples, why cant the couples bring their kids along to patronize the night safari once they are done? I personally believe that manipulating the event is better than just cancelling it...

and pff, grow up ppl, so what if you dont like Tony Tan as our president, this is a democratic society, we vote for our leaders n the majority wins because Tony Tan is successful in winning the hearts of the majority. Just accept the fact n move on, i'm sure he knows what he is doing. So what if he gave his son preferential treatment, if Im at his position ill do the same for my son as I love him and he deserves the rest. Be nice..

btw, @ personne, nice cock btw, how i wish i can suck on now...

[Clickclock]

This is what I imagine the CEO would say: "Aiya, you fellows! Why keep on harping on it? Already told you nothing to do with the President. Me under great pressure? Aiya, none of your business lah. Here I call the shots. I have already apologised. Period. Case closed. What else you want, huh? What Christianity? Aiya. Nothing to do with Christian religion. I am Buddhist lah. By the way, how do you know God has forgiven all sinners? He talked to you meh? If God has forgiven all gays, then why do some priests say God won't condone gays? They treat gays like worse than cockroaches. And they call themselves Christians! So are they real or false Christians huh? I think my Buddha has forgiven all sinners and gays and lesbians too lah. Why Deepavali? Oh, because it has nothing scary mah. Halloween has ghosts and devils. If old people kena heart attack and young children have nightmares when asleep, then how? I don't want to get sued, ok? You fellows talk some more on religion or President or big clout or small cock, then I am getting out of here. Bye bye!" (tongue-in-cheek soliloquy)

better watch your words, religious stuff isnt welcome here.

[Guest Xiaoxue]

By the way, could we all refer to Tony Tan as the president rather than 35% president tan? He may not be our number one choice, but he is our leader for now, and we need to support him. It was our duty then, during voting, to express our personal choice. But it is our duty now, as citizens, to ensure our leaders know they have our support. Of course, our support for them is dependent on moral judgments, efficiency factor and competency.

You are full of bull. It's a fact he got 35% only at the recent Presidential Elections with only a majority of 7000+ votes. And he's only a 35% figurehead taking home a multimillion dollar salary for doing nothing significant in comparison to the salary he's drawing. You should be glad no one here's calling him Tancho Tan.

We can count the number of Pappy cocksuckers there are in this forum already.

[Guest Guests]

I think the President wants to build family relations in the long run, as compared to short-term fun for couples. Since such hints were dropped by the President, CEO Loh has only but one choice. This is bizarre linguistics at work. The president cannot be faulted for forcing a change, but the risk of being in the bad books of the president is something no CEO in Singapore would want to be in.

Regardless why the decision was made, that CEO should not have just cancelled the event just like that. She is literally spitting in the face of all the people who planned and are taking part in the event. Not to mention flushing all that money down the drain.

This is turning out to be a colossal disaster for WRS. I'd have to give her credit though, She certainly has a flair for screwing up things and people big time.

P.S. I'm a Christian, and that religious reason (if it is true) is really retarded. I think the govt should put her through primary school CME lessons again to relearn religious harmony and sensitivities. Not everyone shares that sort of view, even among fellow Christians, so that really should not be a justification to flush 7 months of hard work & 1 Million dollars down the toilet.

[Guest Alabaster]

You are full of bull. It's a fact he got 35% only at the recent Presidential Elections with only a majority of 7000+ votes. And he's only a 35% figurehead taking home a multimillion dollar salary for doing nothing significant in comparison to the salary he's drawing. You should be glad no one here's calling him Tancho Tan. We can count the number of Pappy cocksuckers there are in this forum already.

Sure, it's a fact he got 35%, its also a solid fact that he won the elction fair n square, I see 35%, the most number of votes. He won, move on, instead of moping about him doing nothing to get such a good pay, you should be giving him the support to make the right decisions for out country.

I myself am underaged and unliable to vote, hence im apathetic to this matter, i do not have any preferences over any of the candidates, but i know its vital for me to just support whoever won and hope that he makes the right choices.

[Guest Guest]

Here's an idea for everyone. On 30th September, put on a halloween costume and go to the Night Safari. Show your solidarity with the Singapore Polytechnic students and the WRS employees, be seen and not just heard.

[Guest LowIQ]

Some juicy insider news about CEO Isabella Loh Wai Kiew...

People who have worked with her called her Low I Q behind her back.

[Guest LowIQ]

Halloween video feat. Isabella Loh Wai Kiew

Rating: NC16

[Jaded]

Nothing wrong with having a religion, but pushing your religious viewpoint onto others is seriously wrong.

[Guest Sigh]

Here's the real reason for cancellation:

Ever wondered why ex-WRS CEO Fanny Lai left so quietly and hastily in July this year? Well some little birdies have dished the dirt on WRS' behind-the-scenes politicking. It seems Fanny was forced out by Isabella, a WRS Board member, and another "dragon lady" at the top of WRS' Board. Was it due to jealousy of Fanny's success or clash of styles? No one knows for sure.

Halloween Horrors was one of Fanny's babies which achieved phenomenal international success. It does not make any logical sense for a new CEO to destroy his/her company's cash-cow after taking over. The fact that Isabella canned HH so hastily and with so little regard for public opinion adds to the suspicion that she did it to kill off Fanny's "legacy". The reason for cancellation could be just this simple and irrational.

Just watch if Isabella, should she continue to stay on as CEO, will mess with Fanny's other baby - the much-hyped River Safari (home of Singapore's Pandas) opening in 2012.

[Guest Family Values]

http://160.96.186.10.../sep/ST0420.pdf

Saw the above 2005 article on another forum, quite an interesting read about Isabella Loh.

Which part about Isabella Loh modelling in a red bikini for a calendar is promoting wholesome family values?

[gstc82]

fanny has a real passion for the zoo, i will always remember her animal print outfits , her big hair, her big laugh and her big big heart. i was more shocked by her departure than the cancelling of that event. its a real waste as i always respect fanny for thinking out of the box.

[Guest Guest]

it's a sad day when people post childish immature irresponsible things and resort to calling people names and digging out people's past...

[Guest wrre]

it's a sad day when people post childish immature irresponsible things and resort to calling people names and digging out people's past...

What's wrong with providing information on people's past? It's public information available a Google search away. You cannot take it then click on another thread, no one's forcing you to read. Stop trying to dictate what people can type on the Internet.

[gstc82]

its just a comment.

[Guest Guest]

fanny has a real passion for the zoo, i will always remember her animal print outfits , her big hair, her big laugh and her big big heart. i was more shocked by her departure than the cancelling of that event. its a real waste as i always respect fanny for thinking out of the box.

I like Fanny Lai too, what's happened to her?

[Guest guest]

http://160.96.186.10.../sep/ST0420.pdf Saw the above 2005 article on another forum, quite an interesting read about Isabella Loh. Which part about Isabella Loh modelling in a red bikini for a calendar is promoting wholesome family values?

Oh... so the new CEO is dragon lady Low??? Oh mind... if you had only worked with her before, I bet you will get your 1st taste of being heterosexual... she MELTS hearts. If you could only see how all her staff adores the "dragon" lady. The zoo is going to new heights! Hurray!

[Guest Isabella Loh]

Oh... so the new CEO is dragon lady Low??? Oh mind... if you had only worked with her before, I bet you will get your 1st taste of being heterosexual... she MELTS hearts. If you could only see how all her staff adores the "dragon" lady. The zoo is going to new heights! Hurray!

"I cancelled Halloween Horrors. Muahahahaha!!!"

[gstc82]

she looks kinda like a man.

[Guest Guest]

http://160.96.186.10.../sep/ST0420.pdf

Saw the above 2005 article on another forum, quite an interesting read about Isabella Loh.

Which part about Isabella Loh modelling in a red bikini for a calendar is promoting wholesome family values?

The 2 ding dong bells lah . Very Nuturing lor. hehe...

[Guest Guest]

she looks kinda like a man.

No, i was shocked when ii saw her photo. She looks like a turkey, guess she must be a favorite during thanksgiving.

BTW, what's her CVs like? Civil servant all the way? Just curious.

[Guest Guest]

I am a chinese but I go to a Hindu temple for my weekly worship. Though many are curious, they do welcome me & treat me with respect. I also noticed the tourists (Ang mohs & Asians) are also more encourage to enter.

What happened here?

[Guest mammal]

tat isabellala something.. isnt that the animal that was locked in the malaysia zoo cage? escaped?

[Nickolade]

I've read about this issue for awhile now....all the comments...and all I can think about is how the lemurs, polars, lions, orang utans, pygmy hippos are all probably quite happy that the event is cancelled.

Having to put up with the noisy 'public' gawking at them is bad enough on a daily basis....but having to hear them constantly scream on Halloween night too??....lol... I bet if they could start an animal forum there would be threads like "Our saviour Isabella Loh!!"....alongside the other threads like "This crazy kid threw tissue into my enclosure today....WHERE ARE MY RIGHTS".....and "Why everyday same food....banana banana banana....would it kill them to throw in an orange now and then?"

[suckling_pig]

I don't know what to feel more uncomfortable with:

A totally foreign holiday/festival that has been adopted for purely for commercial reasons.

or

The fact that some comments from a figure-head president with dubious support can cause such an event to be cancelled.

[gstc82]

now i remember, she look like Mr OK http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A0PDoS.YsHhOehsAZ0mJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dwong%2Bjing%2Blun%26fr2%3Dpiv-web%26b%3D29%26tab%3Dorganic&w=403&h=604&imgurl=image.dek-d.com%2F24%2F2391291%2F107676779&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dek-d.com%2Fboard%2Fview.php%3Fid%3D2199063&size=34.9+KB&name=黃靖倫+wong+jing+lun&p=wong+jing+lun&oid=449172b0304647856c5b04e7407e9a13&fr2=piv-web&fr=&tt=黃靖倫+wong+jing+lun&b=29∋=28&no=36&tab=organic&sigr=11e6d9cdh&sigb=12p19om1k&sigi=11438ln7k&.crumb=KMFt8P.qhTv

[Guest Guest]

WAH!!!! With this look she can go to ANY Halloween party and scare the living daylight out of EVERYONE. Haha!

Shockingly she was 1983 Miss Singapore pageant runner-up. What were the judges doing? Those olden days har, as long as your skin is thick enough har........sigh

[hkstud]

Family-oriented theme park? What bullshit she's talking. There's a month-long of Halloween nights in Disneyland Hong Kong and Ocean Park. A period where advanced tickets sell off well and a money spinning event. Not only one haunted house in Ocean Park but several to scare the nerves off you.

[Guest Guest]

Family-oriented theme park? What bullshit she's talking. There's a month-long of Halloween nights in Disneyland Hong Kong and Ocean Park. A period where advanced tickets sell off well and a money spinning event. Not only one haunted house in Ocean Park but several to scare the nerves off you.

OMG! I did not know Hong Kong is a 'satanic' country. I m writing an email to HKTB. Thank God I reside in Singapore, very clean, wholesome & 'angelic'. Let's boycott Hong Kong!!!

[Guest Guest]

WAH!!!! With this look she can go to ANY Halloween party and scare the living daylight out of EVERYONE. Haha!

Shockingly she was 1983 Miss Singapore pageant runner-up. What were the judges doing? Those olden days har, as long as your skin is thick enough har........sigh

Sure turn any straight guy gay. lol.

[upshot]

Sure turn any straight guy gay. lol.

Walking contraceptive pill. LOL. Should not be so mean heh

[Guest StupidForeignTalent]

Isabella Loh is the CEO of Singapore zoo - not that I condone her actions in the Halloween case - but let me ask you this: if there were any other management experts in Singapore with a keen understanding of how to run a zoo successfully, would Mandai zoo have chosen to employ a Malaysian over a more credible local Singaporean candidate?

What an insulting statement that presumes Isabella Loh was employed because she was definitely more credible than all other management experts in Singapore. Your anti-Singaporean bias is implicit in your views. Please don't bore me by responding to this post.

[Guest Aiyoh]

It was our duty then, during voting, to express our personal choice. But it is our duty now, as citizens, to ensure our leaders know they have our support.

No hor he hasn't done anything to deserve our support hor :whistle:

The economy is getting worse

Unemployment rates among Singaporeans are still high

Property prices are still high due to shortage of HDB flats

Public transport is still overcrowded and breaking down often

Foreign trash are blatantly insulting locals

The ministerial salaries are still millions of dollars monthly for such fxxked up performance

Ministers refuse to listen to public feedback and ground sentiment

PAP is business as usual

What has 35% president Tony Tan done to deserve our support? :whistle:

[gstc82]

aiyoh, u are right. vote opposition and everything will be solved. everyone will be employed with super high salary, HDB will be spanking new like condo at dirt cheap price, no money also can buy, public transport will never break down and you will have a seat at all times, there will be no foreigners. ministers all work for love, no need money. and so far, of all the insults and racial slurs i see on the net, its mostly singaporeans like you directing at the foreigners. there will be no place on earth that can satisfy you. or world you tell us which country u think is ideal for you?

Edited September 22, 2011 by gstc82

[Guest Xiaoxue]

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) CEO Isabella Loh announced the decision to cancel the Night Safari's award-winning Halloween Horrors event on Sept 14, just two weeks before the event was due for launch. Amid the public fallout and vocal calls for a proper explanation and reinstatement of the event, however, lie important lessons in stakeholder communication that interest me as a student of the discipline.

COMMUNICATON ERROR#1: INSUFFICIENT CLARITY

Ms Loh has said that she would personally discuss the cancellation of Halloween Horrors with students of the Singapore Polytechnic (SP) who have been working on the event for the past seven months as part of their final-year project. This suggests that the students, a stakeholder group intimately involved with the event for the better part of the year, did not first hear about the cancellation directly from Ms Loh or anyone from the WRS management.

It appears from media reports that the students learnt about the cancellation from a third party, either from their lecturer, principal, hearsay, or worse, from the media. If true, this is akin to not an organisation not telling their staff that a retrenchment exercise is underway, only for the staff to find out for themselves through a news report.

If true, it is also not difficult to understand why WRS has been perceived to be high-handed and insensitive to the concerns of the students. But if WRS is not guilty of of this cardinal sin of stakeholder communication, then it would be wise for it to make clear the steps it took to communicate its decision to all stakeholders, and dispel the negative image it now has. Right now, there just isn't enough information available to the public.

COMMUNICATION ERROR#2: HOW TO SAY 'SORRY'

It was reported that a public apology was issued at least four times on WRS' Facebook page on Saturday. Apologising as a method of regaining public goodwill, however, is not a mere matter of saying sorry. Sincere apologies demonstrate an understanding of the concerns faced by various stakeholders.

The SP students, for example, might have developed a strong emotional attachment to the event, having worked on it over many months, and are upset that something they have committed so much energy to could be brushed aside so easily. Members of the public could have bought tickets to the event, intending to have a good time with their friends and family, and must now make alternative arrangements. Tourists, especially those coming to Singapore with the explicit aim of attending Halloween Horrors, might feel that their travel arrangements have come to naught, and might be bewildered that an award-winning event could be cancelled so casually.

WRS' apology makes no acknowledgement of these legitimate concerns, and instead relies on generic statements apologising for the upset the cancellation has caused. To be fair, in a statement published on the Halloween Horrors website, a one-liner from Ms Loh acknowledges and thanks the students for their hard work in planning for the event - but that is surely cold comfort for the latter.

COMMUNICATION ERROR #3: INCONSISTENCY

There has been some incongruence in WRS' public statements. In a statement on the Halloween Horrors website, Ms Loh said the event was cancelled due to negative feedback from corporations, Friends of the Zoo, the public and the media. In a subsequent interview with The Sunday Times, however, Ms Loh also claimed to be upset after visiting the Haunted House set-up, saying that the idea was too scary, thus giving the impression that her personal emotions factored into what was initially positioned as a corporate decision made on professional grounds.

Ms Loh's original statement also suggests the decision was made collectively by WRS management, but a media report on Monday indicates otherwise. Such inconsistent and unsure corporate messaging serves only to undermine the public's battered trust in WRS, and might create the unfortunate impression that WRS has something to hide. WRS might have done better if it had stated clearly, from the outset, all the reasons that had factored into its decision to cancel Halloween Horrors - instead of making addendums to qualify its position in an effort to mollify the public.

One might argue that it is easy to identify these communication boo-boos with the benefit of hindsight. But perhaps a more productive method for organisations to identify better ways of communicating with stakeholders would be for them to come down from the position of unequal power they inherently have over most stakeholders, and then heed Aristotle's Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Tim Mou Hui is an undergraduate at in Political Science & Corporate Communication, at the School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University.

[Guest AnotherForeignTalent]

What an insulting statement that presumes Isabella Loh was employed because she was definitely more credible than all other management experts in Singapore. Your anti-Singaporean bias is implicit in your views. Please don't bore me by responding to this post.

She may not be definitely more credible than all other local management "experts" in Singapore. But your stupidity certainly have assumed that whichever local that appears more qualified must definitely want to jump in to do her job. Have you not thought that he/she might have declined the job in hope of better offers? This is one clear trait of people here. They always think they're too qualified for the job when the fact is they're clearly just mediocre.

Listen to your country's founding father more. Without him, you nincompoops are mostly gone case.

[Guest StupidForeignTrashMustDie]

She may not be definitely more credible than all other local management "experts" in Singapore. But your stupidity certainly have assumed that whichever local that appears more qualified must definitely want to jump in to do her job. Have you not thought that he/she might have declined the job in hope of better offers? This is one clear trait of people here (gross generalisation). They always think they're too qualified for the job when the fact is they're clearly just mediocre.

Listen to your country's founding father more. Without him, you nincompoops (name-calling) are mostly gone case.

underlined words: grammatical errors.

Foreign trash like you who can't even write properly and have no balls to disclose your country of origin are a real disgrace. *snorts*

[suckling_pig]

She may not be definitely more credible than all other local management "experts" in Singapore. But your stupidity certainly have assumed that whichever local that appears more qualified must definitely want to jump in to do her job. Have you not thought that he/she might have declined the job in hope of better offers? This is one clear trait of people here. They always think they're too qualified for the job when the fact is they're clearly just mediocre.

Listen to your country's founding father more. Without him, you nincompoops are mostly gone case.

To whom are you addressing this post?

[Guest nudist]

Really doubt if she's suitable to be WRS CEO at all.

Wrong place to release fireflies?

By Alvin Lim, The New Paper | Fri, Sep 23 2011

The Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) is facing allegations that the Moon Night event at Night Safari has undermined conservation efforts.

The Sept 11 event, created under the purview of new CEO Isabella Loh, was held in line with the Mid-Autumn Festival. It was attended by President Tony Tan Keng Yam.

A letter to The New Paper claimed that fireflies were released into a forested area in the zoo, which was the wrong habitat for this particular species.

The fireflies were bred by Night Safari, which, according to the June edition of WRS' newsletter Wildlife Times, is "working with National Parks Board (NParks) to re-introduce captive-bred fireflies to protected natural habitats".

It said Night Safari had first bred fireflies between 2001 and 2005, and the breeding programme was revived last year to cultivate the Pteroptyx valida, a species of firefly.

The letter writer said this species dwells in mangrove swamps and their chances of survival in a forest habitat are significantly less.

He claimed: "This was pointed out to Isabella by WRS Zoology staff, but she insisted on the release."

He said the fireflies "will certainly die without reproducing".

The writer's claim was confirmed by a source close to WRS, who told TNP that the firefly release was "not conducted at a mangrove swamp", and that the release seemed to have been positioned for "visual significance rather than a conservation one".

In another segment of the Moon Night event, floating lanterns with lit candles were released on a boat dock of the Upper Seletar Reservoir.

The source said WRS staff members had tried to dissuade Ms Loh against releasing the floating lanterns.

They were concerned that wildlife in the reservoir would "ingest the candle wax".

Nature Society Singapore president Shawn Lum told TNP that the Pteroptyx valida thrives in a mangrove environment and not in a forest habitat.

The mangrove plants, which once thrived, are now rare in Singapore.

Dr Lum said: "The question is: Can these animals find an appropriate place to dwell after you release them?

"If they have specific feeding requirements, unless they can locate such a habitat... it might threaten their survival."

An NParks spokesman said that it had provided WRS with two breeding pairs of fireflies to aid in its study of the insect.

He added: "We also surveyed our parks and nature reserves for the presence of existing populations of fireflies, with the view of implementing measures to enhance their habitats.

"This includes planting of appropriate species of mangroves..."

WRS did not respond to TNP's queries on whether the fireflies had been released in a less-than-ideal habitat, and whether the fireflies were the Pteroptyx valida species.

Meanwhile, the 17 Singapore Polytechnic (SP) students have turned down an offer by MP for Tampines GRC Baey Yam Keng to resurrect their final-year project on Halloween Horrors at a Tampines North park.

Mr Baey told TNP he received an e-mail from SP's principal yesterday informing him that the students were appreciative, but had to decline the offer due to time constraints.

[Guest Dun Understand]

Halloween Event in Night Safari? Why everyone so excited about this event? Would you go even this event is ongoing?

Life still goes on ..... ! There are more events in life worth celebrating ~~~~~~ !

[Guest Can't take it!]

I hate woman boss because their emotion is more powerful than their brain generally speaking. So you can't convince them by logic but sweet talk them, they prefer the latter.

[Guest Guest]

I hate woman boss because their emotion is more powerful than their brain generally speaking. So you can't convince them by logic but sweet talk them, they prefer the latter.

I hate to but I have to agree. I had this nightmare of them transforming into a huge walking vagina-like alien and killing all the innocent staffs in the office. No one was spared. The worst scenario is being caught in the middle of power struggle between 2 dragon ladies ;(

[Guest Guest]

Rising level of divisiveness

INSIGHT: DOWN SOUTH By SEAH CHIANG NEE

After nearly half a century of people constrained from speaking out, the arrival of the social media has changed the political landscape. More conflicts, once private, are moving into the public domain. They are not only between people and government, but between people and people.

A GREAT-great-granddaughter of one of the founders of modern Kuala Lumpur, aeronautical engineer Isabella Loh has been caught in a political crosswind here.

The newly-appointed CEO of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), who settled in Singapore in 1982, came under public fire after she abruptly cancelled a Halloween project at Night Safari.

Her controversial decision was made after President Tony Tan commented during a visit that Wildlife Reserves parks should have more family-bonding and wholesome activities.

Loh, 50, who has a little personal history of her own, then pulled the plug on “Halloween Horrors” only two weeks before it starts.

It stirred anger among 1,000 fans who had bought advance tickets, some staff members and 17 polytechnic students, who were taking part in it as a final-year grading exercise.

The outcry shows the pace of change here and how strongly young Singaporeans would respond to a top-down policy decision, taken without a rational explanation.

Loh, who is a descendant of the last Chinese kapitan of Kuala Lumpur, Yap Kwan Seng (1846-1902), is an unlikely victim having been schooled in Britain and Australia.

Her corporate record has been impressive.

In 1982, the 21-year-old joined Singapore Technologies Aerospace to become an aeronautical engineer, the first female to do so in Singapore.

By 2000, she had made it as head of state-controlled environment management company, SembEnviro, starting with a four-man staff and ending up as a 1,600-man operation in Singapore and Australia.

She later told The Business Times of how she came to this island 29 years ago with S$300 (RM735) in her pocket looking for work.

She became CEO of the government-owned WRS several months ago.

She said the sudden closure (loss: S$1mil (RM2.45mil)) was due to “negative feedback” from the public and sponsors.

A senior manager made it worse by describing Halloween as “devil worship”, implying that religion was part of the cause.

In this religious-sensitive city, it had provoked thoughts that it was a scheme by rightwing fundamentalist Christians, but now most critics have ruled out religion as a factor.

A more plausible explanation is she had over-reacted to the president’s pro-family comment, by seeing it as a desire to end the show – but she denied the president had anything to do with it.

It is the latest indication yet of the rising level of divisiveness in Singa­pore after two hotly-contested elections this year, and it’s not always about politics.

After nearly half a century of people constrained from speaking out, the arrival of the social media has changed the political landscape, and youths are now doing just that.

“It’s like the gate opening after decades of control and people are taking advantage of it,” said a polytechnic student, who spends two hours a day surfing.

It has wrought other changes in society.

From Cabinet ministers and civil servants to grassroots leaders and from managers to the counter sales girls, people are becoming careful with what they say or do.

It was not so long ago that former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew was regularly exhorting Singaporeans to practise consensus.

Today, this word has almost disappeared.

More conflicts once private are moving into the public domain, with participants – including early teens – being able to get their messages across to the masses.

This new open environment is worrying Singapore leaders, prompting them to issue several warnings in recent days.

The appeals are no longer to build consensus, but along these lines:

“Prevent the current political divide from becoming a national divide” (former PM Lee) or “We are too small to afford a political gridlock” (PM Lee Hsien Loong).

With more than five million people packed into the world’s second most densely populated country, more disputes between neighbours or commuters are breaking out.

Since 2008, more than 300 such conflicts were referred to the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) every year.

Last year, it hit a record number. Unreported cases are probably many times more.

With most residents living in flats on top of one another in public housing packed like sardines, there have been many quarrels and fights.

“This has turned Singaporeans into possessive creatures that fight to protect their own rights against others,” an English language teacher said.

“The slightest perceived intrusion may start a quarrel.

“Every one wants to protect his own space,” he added, an added reason why the presence of so many foreigners has become an unending problem.

Recently, an official mediator provoked public anger when she agreed to a solution to ban a local Indian family from cooking curry when their mainland China neighbours were home.

The reason: They hated the smell.

One mediator told TODAY newspaper that Singaporeans in the public housing estate today were less tolerant of each other.

They often came to her with minor problems like noisy children or potted plants.

The biggest dangers are, however, inconsiderate remarks about race and religion.

Several youths have been prosecuted for posting disparaging remarks against Malays on the Internet.

Last year, a Christian evangelistic preacher was warned for making insensitive remarks about Buddhists and Taoists.

He later apologised publicly.

All these point to Singapore becoming a non-homogenous mass of people rallying behind a single policy, or what Singapore’s founding leader called national consensus.

If this current political divide turned into constant bickering, Lee warned last week, Singapore would become “another ordinary country”.

[Guest agreetodisagree]

Now hold on a minute - what have you got against Malaysians who have chosen to work in Singapore? There are thousands of Malaysians who do work in Singapore. The government has not released official figures but it is estimated to be between 500,000 to 600,000 Malaysians working in Singapore - including approximately 150,000 who commute in from Johor. You have just insulted all the Malaysian diaspora in Singapore as well - I am appalled at what you've said. My dad is one of these Malaysians who have chosen to live in Singapore. You should be flattered that Malaysians like Singapore and think it's a nice place - rather than start building up walls, creating this 'us' vs 'them' mindset. Like, do you even have friends who are Malaysian? What have you got against Malaysians?

A quick geography lesson here: Malaysia is a big country, it is not uncommon for someone from Sarawak to move to KL for university or from Pahang to Penang for a job. Most Malaysians don't feel this need, "If I was born in Ipoh, I must live and work in Ipoh all my life or else I am considered a quitter who has abandoned my Ipoh roots." No, they think nothing about taking up a job in KL or Singapore if the right opportunity comes along.

Isabella Loh is the CEO of Singapore zoo - not that I condone her actions in the Halloween case - but let me ask you this: if there were any other management experts in Singapore with a keen understanding of how to run a zoo successfully, would Mandai zoo have chosen to employ a Malaysian over a more credible local Singaporean candidate?

And someone who is a CEO of a major tourist attraction in Singapore and heading up a division within Shell Singapore - by most standards, she's a remarkably capable person who has achieved loads, far more than you ever will in this lifetime. And if she is a loser by your standards, then goodness me, what does that make you - by your standards? Are you the CEO of an international conglomerate owning several blue chip MNCs?

Be careful who you call a loser - because people will start comparing you to this 'loser' and you don't wanna go down that road.

I judge Ms Loh by what she has achieved, not by her nationality or where she was born.

I agree that dragging Malaysians in was uncalled for and I believe many of us have friends and relatives across the courseway, too.

However, if you measure people based on their achievements, let me point out some things:

1. I have nothing against any individual but said lady does not actually have any glorious achievements to show. Some success, yes, but that does not necessary place her with the top achievers, if that is what is used to justify her position. She does sit on a number of boards but many of the other members in those companies/organisations achieved far more but are less known, does that make them less capable? Fact is, there are plenty of high ranking corporate executives and/or key civil servants who hold critical positions not for the reason of competence but rather relations or affiliated scholarships etc (able to study does not equal capable in management). Such things happen everywhere.

2. Singapore is not devoid of capable people who can fill that post. There are plenty in both private and govt sectors who are more than capable to take that place. Just because A did not fill a post that B filled does not necessarily mean A is any less competent.

3. We cannot determine that a person will never achieve as much as another person in his/her entire lifetime just because he/she has not blossomed yet, Van Gogh for example was only truly famous and honoured after his death, so we can't say someone can never achieve a given level of success.

4. As a key member of a business entity, a person should place practical interests of the company before personal and religious beliefs, unless it conflicts with public interest. To raise a topic such as devil worship that is central to one's belief in a particular religion (and likely the true cause for the cancellation) to contradict a well receive business plan involving numerous other people who have put in hard efforts can hardly be seen as a wise and informed decision by an able leader. Relevance to wildlife conservation is also moot - plenty of organisations, business or not, have events that are 100% irrelevant to what they stand for, yet they still go ahead with them.