[Term 3 submission]

Response & Reflections

Article: China's Lead Problems Go Beyond Toys

These few years, one would be able to encounter issues regarding the products made in China. Some Chinese goods factories have been found to be producing substandard or even fake goods which may range from food to toys. China is well known for its cheap manufacturing processes and many factories have been hired by foreign goods company to reduce the cost required to make their goods. Recently, there has been a case where excessive amounts of lead have been found in certain toys which were manufactured in China.

Lead is used in the paint which is used to coat the toys and its main usage is to make the paint look brighter. It can also post as a hazard to the health of those who come into contact with it, especially children. Some harmful effects of lead are vomiting, convulsions, anemia, appetite loss, headaches, etc. Lead exposure is much more serious for young children because they absorb it more easily than an adult and are much more susceptible to its effects.

The two main groups of individuals whom I feel is responsible for the issue of excessive amount of lead, they are the American brand companies and the China manufacturers.

The American companies which hire the China manufacturers to mass produce their various goods have the responsibility to inspect the quality of the goods before they are sold to the consumers. They should ensure that safety and quality regulations are adhere so as to provide good quality goods rather than some substandard piece of junk which may post as a health hazard.

On the other hand, I feel that the China manufacturers should not blame the American brand companies as they have a part to play too. The Chinese manufacturers should ensure that the supplies which they buy to produce their goods with are also of quality. Like in this case, the toy manufacturers could have make sure that their toy paint which they have ordered do not contain excessive amounts of lead or even better, no lead. But one must also realize that some China manufacturers do not have any other choice as they may have financial difficulties and are only able to buy substandard supplies. In this scenario, I feel that the American brand companies or the Chinese government should subsides these manufacturers as the goods which the manufacturers produce would be reflected on the American brand companies and the Chinese government.

To conclude, I feel that companies, be it the American brand companies or the China manufacturers, should have some business ethics as they should not just put their selfish goals in front of their consumers well-being. The China manufacturers especially must ensure their quality of their goods as there are too many factories and companies for the Chinese government to inspect and regulate. I also feel that the American brand companies should check the quality of their goods too as it would save them the time and trouble of recalling the substandard goods and wasting more money manufacturing them all over again.

[Term 3 submission]

China's Lead Problems Go Beyond Toys

Article: China's Lead Problems Go Beyond Toys
Source: Fox news
Date: Wednesday, August 15, 2007


To view article, please click on the link provided below

Website: http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Aug15/0,4670,ChinaToysLeadWoes,00.html

[Term 3 submission]

Response & Reflections

Article: Music's the Messenger at Live Earth

7 July, 2007. The day which brings together more than 100 music artists and 2 billion people to trigger a global movement to solve the climate crisis via concert venues located in New York, London, Sydney, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Tokyo, Shanghai and Hamburg. This 24-hours non-stop musical event aims to use the powerful multimedia platform consisting of television, radio, internet, etc, to reach out to the people to combat climate crisis, to show that global warming is not just a myth.

Firstly, I would like to comment the usage of music. I feel that using music, especially g I feel that the developed countries like America should set a good example for the developing countries by making an effort to reduce their own carbon emissions or by organizing more environmental awareness campaigns.
enres like pop, rock, techno, etc, as a form of outreach is very effective as most people today enjoy listening to these types of modern music. Modern music is more appealing to the younger generation, thus the message of saving the Earth can be spread. People would also look up to some singers and bands as their idols, so when an idol tells his fans that he recycles, everyone would start to recycle too.

The main purpose of having Live Earth is to create awareness of the current situation of global warming and how we must stop it immediately or face the undesirable consequences in the future. I feel that it is possible to combat global warming, it is just the matter of whether we want it or not. Although developed countries have the responsibility to help developing or poorer countries to cut carbon emission, while they themselves are contributing the release of green house gases. How can the more economically developed countries continue to pollute the environment themselves and expect the less economically developed countries to cut down on their carbon emission? If a developing country can reduce their carbon emission, then it should not be too difficult for a more developed country to do so too.


On the national level, the government should continue to organize environmental awareness campaigns and explore for more energy efficient alternatives like solar power and nuclear power. I feel that the developed countries like America should set a good example for the developing countries by making an effort to reduce their own carbon emissions or by organizing more environmental awareness campaigns, since it is one of the few countries which have been contributing to the release of carbon dioxide and other pollutions.

Most people would probably be thinking, how can one help in the reduction of global warming? And what difference who an insignificant individual like me make? On the individual level, any ordinary people like you and me can be ‘green’ by taking the public transport instead of private transport, practicing the three R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle), participating in environmental related campaigns, etc. There are so many different methods of doing one’s part, even if it is small and insignificant, it still helps one to know that he has did his part for the environment, so why not start today if you haven’t and make a difference.

[Term 3 submisssion]

Music's the Messenger at Live Earth

Article: Music's the Messenger at Live Earth
Source: Fox news
Date: 8th of July, 2007


To view full article, please click on the link provided below
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Jul08/0,4670,MusicLiveEarth,00.html

Personal Response on the article: "James"

In northern Uganda, young children are being captured or abducted by an organization called the Lord’s Resistance Army. They are being forced to work as slaves and sometimes trained to become child soldiers. These innocent children are in fact being introduced to violence at a very young age, and this would badly affect their lives in the future, if they manage to survive until then. One boy who got abducted by the Army was James.

Unlike other typical children, James was being abducted during his school holidays to work as a slave in the Lord’s Resistance Army. He was also forced to brutally kill his own brother who too got abducted with him in a method too gruesome to be said. When the camp which the Army was located finally got raided, the children were set free. But though James is out of captivity, he still suffers from the mental horrors of his experience in the Lord’s Resistance Army.

How can a boy as young as James receive such harsh treatment from the Lord’s Resistance Army? It would definitely be a bad memory which would haunt him for the rest of his life. He would need enormous amount of emotional and spiritual help to enable him to recover from this traumatic experience and be able to lead a normal live once more.

Personally, I feel that slavery is a very terrible and horrible thing. It is the violation of human rights when a particular group of people are seen to be more superior then others, thus they would be the masters of those whom they despise, and treat them as slaves. Every living human being has their basis rights to survive, to do whatever they want freely and not be treated by others as animals.

But slavery is still happening in the world as it has been for hundreds of years. The slaves are being imported from foreign countries, either abducted or fooled into some scams where they are told of some promising land where they can get rich easily. They work under harsh conditions and the goods which they produce get sold at high prices and they receive a small percentage of the profit only while they masters get filthy rich. For example, Nike, a popular sports brand has sweatshops in various parts of the world where they employ slaves to help manufacture their high quality goods. These slaves earn very little income while the Nike gets rich quickly.

I feel that the government of every country in this world should help abolish slavery once and for all. There should also be more campaigns like The Amazing Change to aid in the process of creating awareness of slavery in the world. Just like environmental issues, everyone has a part to play to help remove slavery complete, be it writing of petitions or spreading stories like James’ to people to create awareness. I myself would contribute by boycotting companies which mistreat their slaves and continue to support fair trade.

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from: http://www.theamazingchange.com/james.html

James

Whether in the U.S. or in countries such as Uganda, most fifth graders spent last summer escaping the rigors of school and enjoying the activities of a lazy summer vacation. Not James, an 11-year-old boy from northern Uganda. An abducted child kept as a slave in the Lord’s Resistance Army, he was forced to brutally kill his own brother who had been abducted with him. He was rescued from captivity, but demonstrates the fragile psyche of a child victim forced to kill or be killed.

James is now in a transit center in Lira, and the details of his abduction and captivity are just beginning to emerge from his silence. His deadened eyes and unwilling tongue betray the horror of recent months, when he was one of three brothers abducted by LRA rebels from their village. When one of his younger brothers tried to escape, the rebels pronounced a sentence of death as punishment as an example to other abducted children who would consider escape. The rebel leaders designated James and the third brother to execute their sibling using means too horrific to detail here. Adding to the horror, sometime later when James picked up a piece of cassava to chew on without permission, his overseer cut off part of his ear as punishment.

James was rescued in an army raid, but he is traumatized by the abuse of his captors, and although now free he needs enormous emotional and spiritual help if he is to recover and lead a productive life. This is the kind of enduring and critical help ChildVoice is trying to offer children enslaved by war.

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Personal Response on the article: "Waking up to An Inconvenient Truth"

GLOBAL WARMING, the two words which have been appearing in the media recently. Surely everyone knows what it is, and that the present situation in critical and our future looks grim. There have been cases of severe droughts and hurricanes these few years, and all these are due to climate change. But how much are we doing to reduce and stop it?

Scientists and environmentalist are more than 90% certain that global warming is indeed occurring and that human activity is the main cause for it. The most disturbing however is the fact that this trend will continue for at least a century and the window of opportunity for effective mitigation is closing very rapidly.

Different countries have different approaches towards global warming. Government in the various countries would organize Green Weeks, Tree Planting days, etc. All these events help to promote environmental awareness and hope that the people can help reduce natural resource consumption as well as combat the issue of pollution. Recently, even entertainers have been actively participating in environmental campaigns too. Even in Singapore, there have been some environmental awareness events going on.

For example, on certain days, shoppers of NTUC Fairprice need to bring their own shopping bags. Those who did not bring their own bags have to pay for the plastic bags which they are usually provided with. Reusable bags can also be bought at NTUC counters for a relatively cheap price. Even though many people may find this very inconvenient, it is a good practice and should be continued. This may seem to have minimal impact on the environment, but at least it is a small step towards reducing environmental pollution.

I feel that a government of a country should not be just content even of they have managed to solve the issue of pollution in the country. They should extend their help to other countries to help make a difference. For example in Singapore, our government should offer help to Indonesia to help them cope with the problem of farmers who carry out slash-and-burn, because during certain months of the year, the haze caused by these farmers can spread to Singapore and the health of the people may be affected badly. But on the other hand, we must pity these farmers as they have to clear the forest for agriculture and to support their families. Thus the government should offer subsidies or plans for the poorer farmers.

It is not the government responsibility to conserve our environment, but the responsibility of everyone. Everyone has a vital role to play in this conservation, for ourselves, as well as for the future generation. True, one can hardly make a difference to the environment, but if everyone where to combine their efforts, there would be an opportunity for us to mitigate further warming. We can play our part by using CFC-free products, practicing the three Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle), using hybrid cars which are environmentally friendly, or just take the public transport.

Headlines:

Waking up to An Inconvenient Truth

Source:

The Straits Times, Wednesday, 18th April, 2007

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Even if the world agrees with the findings on climate change, it disagrees on the remedies.

GLOBAL warming is shaping up as a momentous issue this year.

Doubt has given way to certainty and widespread awareness.

The topic has drawn an unusual media interest.

Sceptical politicians are forced to embrace science.

US President George W Bush mentioned it in his budget; Australia is changing light bulbs - although both countries had repudiated the Kyoto Protocol, the controversial global blueprint for greenhouse gases reduction.

The EU has set a target to cut emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and by 30 per cent if other nations follow.

But big changes are taking place in the US. States and American businesses, including insurers and oil companies, are clamouring for action.

More important, the US Supreme Court has weighed in, ruling that the Environmental Protection Agency has the power to set emission standards.

Thus, the US auto industry may make more energy efficient cars in the future.

At least 10 states have taken a cue from California, which has set a target of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by 25 per cent by 2020 and by an ambitious 80 per cent by 2050.

Auto companies argue such moves will require doubling the fuel economy of their vehicles.

Will slipping sales and market reality make them eventually see the need?

Private industrialists like Richard Branson and Vinod Khosala are betting big on renewable energy technologies and alternatives like ethanol.

Madonna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are among the 150 musicians who will hit some big cities with the green message in July.

The world indeed is waking up to the 'Inconvenient Truth' which former US vice-president Al Gore portrayed in that Oscar-winning documentary.

Environmentalism is shifting beyond tree huggers.

Global views have been converging in a series of studies, most importantly the one from the UN commission, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The panel, composed of the world's top 60 scientists, has issued a stark message: the effects of climate change are broad and too serious to ignore.

Its February report said the earth is 'incontrovertibly' getting warm and it is 90 per cent certain that humans have caused that warming.

Early this month, the IPCC said the world must adapt to global warming since it cannot reverse the trend.

Last October, a study by former World Bank economist and UK treasury official Nicholas Stern underscored the economic cost of inaction.

By devoting one per cent of global wealth annually to check global warming now, the world could offset 20 per cent loss of gross domestic product by 2050.

The reports set the world brooding over how it would cope with increased drought in some areas and flooding in others as well as death and disease due to heat waves and storms of the future.

Fewer deaths due to cold in temperate areas and higher crop productivity at mid to high latitudes are among the positives but are outweighed by the negatives.

Up to a billion people will be affected.

While some still maintain that the threat is overblown, some others contend that the politically charged process by the IPCC is understating the danger.

Indeed, it is difficult to escape the latter impression when the big polluters and countries with vested interests like China, the US, Saudi Arabia and Russia ganged up to tone down the panel's February findings.

So 'hundreds of millions of potential flood victims' was watered down to 'many' in the final text.

A reference that up to 120 million people will be at risk of hunger because of global warming was axed.

The panel's next report in May will deal with mitigation of global warming.

But it warns that even the most stringent mitigation will not turn the clock back.

Adaptation is essential to reduce the near term impact.

'Unmitigated climate change would, in the long term, be likely to exceed the capacity of natural, managed and human systems to adapt,' the latest report warns.

Even if we agree with the findings, we will disagree on the remedies.

Already, the efficacy of the measures proposed under the Kyoto Protocol is being challenged. The cap and trade system, which forms the central plank of the Protocol, is found wanting in practice and can be subject to cheating.

Industry limits are placed on emissions, and companies exceeding the limits buy 'unused' carbon credits from less polluting companies.

Planting trees by the rich polluters in their countries and in less polluting nations also buy carbon credits.

But apart from the occasional cheating involved, it will create more heat by trapping sunshine unless it is in tropical areas, a new study says.

Carbon tax may be more effective but it has not gained sufficient support with business or politicians.

The Kyoto Protocol's successor will have to deal with this, come 2013.

The Group of Eight will engage the issue in June.

But tangible results will flow only from the wholesome support of the US, the principal polluter, and China.

Mr Bush has moved from the denial stage, but he is not prepared to shed the economic-cost argument and deflect from the demand of equal participation by major developing countries.

A groundswell of grassroots-level support has influenced the political thinking elsewhere.

Presidential candidates, Republicans and Democrats alike, are concerned about global warming.

Newt Gingrich, a potential Republican candidate, has now authored a book: Contract with Nature.

The corporate world is gearing up too.

General Electric, Alcoa, Lehman Brothers, Royal Dutch Shell, AIG and ConocoPhilips are among the companies giving a concerted push to the cap and trade system and want the US to take the lead role.

The world may have to find an approach between British evangelism and official American tepidity.

How to power our plants with clean fuel and how to end the addiction to crude oil for transportation are the conundrums.

Mr Stern noted both China and India, though not bound by Kyoto, are moving.

One of the goals of the Chinese presidential visit to Japan was to obtain Japan's expertise in achieving energy efficiency.

Such moves will give the US one argument less against Kyoto.

While solutions take time, erratic monsoons and melting glaciers will perennially haunt us.

California's Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who gives star power to the environmental movement in the US, says it should be made 'hip and sexy'.

Positive marketing will put passion into the movement - just as bodybuilding got a boost from his movie Pumping Iron.

He uses alternative fuel and hydrogen in his Hummers.

He is working on promoting carbon trading and has sought British expertise with a goal of creating a cap and trade system for greenhouse emissions.

When mitigation becomes a shared value, the Hummers will become more affordable and acceptable in the ecosystem.

Meanwhile, governments will face the question how much they should spend to reduce or delay the impact of climate change and to improve our adaptive capacity.

Washington has advocated technological solutions, but none of them - like ethanol - is energy efficient.

GM says Europe's clean diesel proposal will violate US regulations and plug-in cars lack batteries; hydrogen is still far off.

But hope rises when Germany and Singapore showed off the first zero-emission hydrogen jet soaring to the sky.

German Air and Space Centre (DLR) and Singapore-based Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies and others collaborated on the ultra-light aircraft Hyfish.

Immense possibilities are on the horizon.

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REFLECTIONS FOR THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE:

Breaking the link between ethicity and Islam

People from different race and religions should be much more acceptable and flexible with other religions. Like in this article, we should be much more open to other people's religion, and respect their culture and practices. If everyone does not respect other people's religion, and be inflexible with other race or religion, there will be many racial disputes and riots everywhere on earth and human will be killing among themselves. Thus, I feel that it is very important and essential that we should live in harmony and learnt to accept each other's religion, only then can there be peace and prosperity in the world.

(From: The Straits Times, 22nd February, 2007)

Breaking the link between ethnicity and Islam

IT HAS been a hectic Chinese New Year for Mr Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, who is Chinese and has been a devout Muslim for 22 years.

With his wife and children, he headed home from Kuala Lumpur to Teluk Intan in Perak in time to share the traditional reunion dinner with his extended Chinese family.

To him, this is wholly consistent with his Islamic faith.

“Islam requires us to respect our parents, whatever our religions,” said Mr Ridhuan, 42, vice-president of the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association. “We can eat together as long as the food is halal.”

Halal describes meat from animals that have been slaughtered in the ritual way prescribed by Islamic law.

“My family understands the dos and don’ts, and there are more dos than don’ts,” he added.

Born Tee Chuan Seng, he converted to Islam in 1985 at the age of 20 and married his wife, a Malay, five years later.

He said there is a wrong perception that non-Malays have to abandon their cultures and identities when they embrace Islam.

“Some of my Chinese friends were chased out of their homes by their parents when they became Muslims,” he said.

And in the Malay-Muslim community, he said, many disapprove of Chinese Muslims celebrating cultural festivals perceived as un-Islamic.

In the Malaysian psyche, being Muslim and Malay are regarded by many as one and the same.

This attitude is reflected even in the Malay phrase to describe Muslim converts, who are said to masuk Melayu (become Malay).

Many converts adopt the Malay culture by taking Malay names and using the Malay traditional dress.

Conversely, the cultures of the non-Malay ethnic groups are labelledun-Islamic. This explains why, from time to time, a debate erupts on issues such as whether Muslims can use chopsticks or display Chinese calligraphy.

Journalist Saiful Bahrin Saidin recounted in the Malay-language Utusan Malaysia newspaper some months ago how a visitor had rebuked him for displaying the“writings of infidels” in his home.

He had a Chinese calligraphic work hanging on the wall and what his visitor did not know was that it was a declaration of Islamic faith, written in Chinese.

Mr Saiful thought it sad that some Malay Muslims do not realise that Islam is a religion practised by people of many races around the world. More recently, the mufti of the tiny northern most state of Perlis, Dr Mohamed Asri Zainul Abidin, sparked controversy by asking Malaysian state governments to allow Chinese Muslims to build mosques with their own distinct architecture.

The mufti is the person who heads the group that rules on Islamic law.“The idea that Islam in Malaysia must be Malay in all forms is wrong,” said the religious leader.

New Straits Times reader Ghazali Osman wrote in to say that he agreed with the mufti and suggested that Chinese Muslims help break down the barrier by opening halal restaurants to show that Chinese culture is not at odds with Islam.

“Malaysians like to eat Chinese food. Encouraging Chinese Muslims to do this will erase the fear in other Muslims about the halal status of these eateries,” he said.

There are about 60,000 to 70,000 Chinese Muslims in Malaysia, less than 1 percent of the Chinese population. The total number of Muslim converts is estimated to be over 100,000.

The debate over ethnicity, religion and culture has caused some uneasiness inthe Malay community because it challenges long- accepted notions about race and religion.

To many Malays, Islam is the very core of their identities. A study last year found that 70 per cent of Malays see themselves as Muslims first, then as Malays and Malaysians.

To writer Eddin Khoo, who established a foundation to promote traditional Malay arts, the politicisation of race and religion has contributed to stronger religious identities.

“It is the result of the creation of a political racial identity,” said Mr Khoo, 37, a non-Muslim scholar of Malay arts and Islam.

Further, the Federal Constitution defines a Malay as someone who professes Islam, speaks Malay and adheres to Malay customs.

While that may give the impression that anyone can “become Malay” by converting to Islam and complying with the stated criteria, that is not the case.

The issue is significant because the Malay community in Malaysia is entitled to special economic privileges under the country’s affirmative action policy.

A Muslim convert may adopt the Malay lifestyle and language and yet not be regarded in law as being part of the community.

On this issue, the opposition Islamic Party, PAS, has been consistent in promoting the idea of a universal Muslim unity, regardless of race.

Unlike the ruling Barisan Nasional government, with power shared mainly byrace-based political parties, PAS’ political ideology is based on religion.

While the mufti of Perlis caused some unhappiness with his comments on mosque designs, PAS is going ahead to show what can be done.

In the northeastern state of Kelantan, where the party holds power, it is building a mosque with Chinese architecture. It also has a Chinese Muslim state assembly man.

“PAS has always taken the view of the universalism of Islam,” said Mr Khoo,whose book of essays on Islam will be published this year.

Because of the conflation of race and religion in Malaysia, the response of political leaders to the proposal for Chinese mosques has been lukewarm.

Some accept the idea cautiously. Others, like Malacca Chief Minister Ali Rustam, believe that Muslims should not be segregated by race.

For many Malaysians, Chinese architecture is associated mainly with Taoist and Buddhist temples.

The Chinese-Muslim community, however, believes that having mosques with distinctive Chinese architecture will go a long way towards demonstrating the universality of Islam.

Such a mosque can function as a community centre with activities and religious classes conducted in Chinese.

“We want to show that Islam is a religion that belongs to everyone,” said Mr Ridhuan of the converts’ association, arguing that architecture has noreligious significance.

In the meantime, there are other ways to make the point.Besides the Chinese New Year, the converts’ association also celebrates the Lantern Festival by organising festivities with other Chinese groups.“We wear the Chinese traditional dress and carry lanterns and all. It’s no problem,” he said.

“We want to show that Islam is a religion that belongs to everyone.”

MR RIDHUANTEE ABDULLAH, who is Chinese and has been a devout Muslim for 22 years.

The vice-president of the Malaysian Chinese Muslim Association believes that having mosques with distinctive Chinese architecture will demonstrate the universality of Islam.

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REFLECTIONS FOR THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Wanted: A Net that can catch its own bad hats.

I feel that we, as Internet users, should be much more responsible in our every actions and be more sensitive to people of other races or religions. People who put up "bad posts" on online forum, on a blog or on YouTube may think that just because their actions cannot be tracked down by the authority and post insultive messages,audio track or video on the internet. Although these people think that what they are doing may be just for fun, they did not really consider what other people may think about their actions. Therefore, I feel that if the Internet should not be a place for irrespondsible net users to put up their offensive posts and get away with it. If this were to be the case, the world would be very chaotic and people will be abusing the Internet to offend each other indirectly in the near future. I also feel that if everyone were to be able to do their part in being a responsible net user and not support insultive or offensive posts, then we will be able to enjoy the Internet.

(From Today newpaper, 6th February, 2007)

Wanted: A Net that can catch its own bad hats

IT IS someone's idea of a joke, though most people who have come across the clip posted on YouTube do not find it funny.

Two young men, presumably Singaporean, walk into a halal coffeeshop and — in a variety of ways calculated to irritate the waiter — keep asking him to serve them pork.

The clip was removed last week, perhaps because it was deemed inappropriate, but by yesterday it had made a comeback.

The episode underscores how difficult it is to police the vast and unruly Internet. It also raises the issue: Who should do it? Various experts that this newspaper spoke to agreed on one thing: Regulating the Internet should not be left to the authorities. Preferably, the netizens themselves should keep cyberspace free of such provocation, they agreed.

"There are many civic-minded individuals who have voiced their objections and concerns after seeing the video," the Media Development Authority told Today. "In fact, the video has been flagged out as inappropriate content by YouTube's community of users. This is an encouraging development."

Observers said it was best when the service provider itself took action — with a little help from the community.

At Hardwarezone, the most popular online forum here, administrators rely on members to report "bad posts". According to product manager Lim Chuan Jer, the site has a group of moderators — appointed by administrators — who voluntarily keep an eye on forums.

"I believe this is the only way to go. Websites do not require licences. At the rate at which they are popping up around the world, it will be virtually impossible for any organisation or government to police every site," said Mr Lim.

The site gets about 10 "bad post" reports a day. Over the past two years, it has heard from the authorities about 20 times regarding more severe cases — the most recent being a bomb hoax posted on the site.

Some violations are clear-cut. But in a community as diverse as the Internet, one man's joke may be another man's hurt and it is not always easy for service providers to decide what is appropriate. Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong cautioned about community policing that crosses the line and becomes vigilante behaviour. "If someone has an agenda and goes around complaining, it's going to create a false or misleading picture of what's going on," he noted.

Mr Siew said that private service providers would have to decide what their comfort levels were. "Over time, they will develop a societal norm within the Internet," he said.

But can one rely on netizens to come up with the right responses?

As far as this particular video was concerned, MDA urged Internet users to continue registering their concerns with YouTube. "This will send a strong signal that most Singaporeans disapprove of such content," it said.

But a study showed that Singaporean youth would require some prodding before their spoke up on online issues.

Fei Yue Community Services surveyed 1,200 teenagers — aged between 13 and 15 — and found that most of them were indifferent to illegal websites or undesirable content.

If they come across any, most say they will not tell their parents or teachers about it as they do not want to answer uncomfortable questions on why they visit such sites.

Others, in a demonstration of twisted logic, thought that everything that they saw on the Internet was aboveboard. As one respondent wrote: "If it's on the Internet, it's not illegal ... because if it's illegal, it would have been taken off already."

Such attitudes show that Singaporean youth have a "long way to go" before they could be considered responsible netizens. Fei Yu hopes to educate both, teenagers and their parents on healthy online behaviour.

But Mr Siew pointed out that learning good behaviour wouldn't help if the source of the problem lay in the real world. Referring to the YouTube video, Mr Siew said that those who recorded it "obviously thought it was funny — whether it was online or not".

He added: "While the Internet makes it easier for certain traits to manifest themselves, those traits must exist in the first place. And the underlying problem (racism, ignorance, apathy) is still there."

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