http://www.mrbrown.com/blog/2008/09/pap-community-f.html
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
PAP Community Foundation is not a political party
I told you there had to be a good reason why WP could not cycle at East Coast Park but PAP could at West Coast Park:
ST Forum 9 Sept 2008, Why WP didn't get permit for event
I REFER to last Thursday's letter by Mr Tan Ghee Gay, 'Why 'no' and 'yes'?', regarding police decisions with respect to the Workers' Party's (WP) proposed mass cycling event last year, and the carnival on Aug 31.
Police do not issue permits for outdoor political events in public places due to the potential for disorder and unruly behaviour. This applies to events organised by all political parties. For this reason, police rejected WP's application to hold a mass cycling activity in East Coast Park, to commemorate its 50th anniversary in September last year.
The event on Aug 31 was very different. The permit was issued after taking into account the organiser and the nature of the event. It was organised by the PAP Community Foundation, which is a registered charity and not a political party. The event was not assessed to have the potential for disorder and unruly behaviour. It was a carnival that involved children and families from various kindergartens and educational institutions. The Prime Minister, as guest of honour, and a few other guests, made their entrance by cycling a short distance. During the event, a sum of $664,000 (which had been raised earlier) was distributed to 17 charities, including Beyond Social Services, Children's Aid Society and Chung Hwa Medical Institution.
DSP Paul TayAssistant Director (Media Relations)Singapore Police Force
The police, in explaining why approval was granted to the PAP Carnival, even took the trouble to tell you how much the PAP Community Foundation raised for charity.
I liked one comment on the ST forum page, about this letter:
"LPPL. Charity organisation or political party. No difference.Same location and scene, producer, director, actors, actress, carelifare and audience."
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
PAP Community Foundation is not a political party
Saturday, September 6, 2008
好校长 - 冯焕好
骆森伟
（2008-09-06）
小依：
今天是本报庆祝85周年的大日子。我们做了一个特辑，回顾过去85年《联合早报》对社会所作的贡献。
教育这一块，我们一直在做着为社会服务的工作，我们表扬好学生、好教师、好校长，协助社会重建尊师重道的传统价值观。我们也挖掘浪子回头、顽石点头的好故事，成为身陷困境年轻人的楷模，协助他们重新做人。
我找回了1998年写逃学威龙骆森伟被冯焕好校长及时拉了一把，成为他生命转捩点的故事。2001年我再写他在新加坡理工学院以优秀成绩毕业，冯校长去祝贺他，要协助他升读大学的故事。没几天，我又写新加坡工程集团总裁许保华被报道感动，决定送他奖学金读大学的新闻。
为了把这个故事写进报庆特辑，我和骆森伟、冯焕好和许保华三人再次见面，为他们三人拍了照片，过后，我感觉在他们三人中间，应该插进《联合早报》的招牌才对。
骆森伟是幸运的。他如果没有碰到冯焕好校长，是没有办法从“社会暴民”的边缘被救过来。他获救后，奋发图强的故事，没有碰到《联合早报》把它登载出来，是无法让他和第三个恩人许保华见面。
他的生命就在几个恩人携手帮助下，焕然一新。《联合早报》就像一道桥梁那样，为社会做着很多穿针引线的工作，发挥着它的影响力。
那天我看到的骆森伟，已经大学毕业，一口流利英语华语，在新加坡工程集团当工程师，已经成家，正欢欣等待家里新成员的到来。他逐渐向社会的主流靠近，“逃学威龙”的魔咒已经彻底破解，脱胎换骨，他已经成为国家栋梁。
我可以想象当时和他一起在街头干案的“哥儿们”如何没有他幸运，仍然在茫茫人海中载浮载沉，在社会底层挣扎。他们没有骆森伟幸运，碰不到好校长，在紧要关头，被一把拉起。他们不只没有机会读书，还继续“豁”出去，无恶不作，在社会沉沦。
上帝有一个很优秀的“编剧”团队，安排冯焕好去救骆森伟是很曲折的。首先，要把冯焕好从工作了23年的名校华中初级学院调出来。当日华初师生，是在鼻涕眼泪中送别冯副院长，因为，她去的是一所跟华初不“匹配”的邻里中学，没有人认为这个调派对冯焕好是件好事。
然而，谁也想不到，在她到校第二天就发生骆森伟和教师起冲突，训育委员会以他曾有三个月停学的记录，决定开除他的事故。骆森伟对这个像地狱式的学校，也 毫不恋栈。就在双方闹得沸沸扬扬，正准备“一拍两散”的刹那，冯焕好像仙女下凡那样出现，坚决不赞成开除。她把骆森伟带在身边，每天用眼睛盯着他，用爱的 教育感化他，终于改变骆森伟的命运。
骆森伟虽然自小生长在破碎的家庭，杂染了很多坏习惯，却还是一块好料，是聪明的。当日，他碰到仙女下凡，立刻知道机不可失，他紧紧抓住了冯校长这根救命稻草，跳出生天。很快，他就以崭新面目“示众”。
回看这10年，骆森伟当然因为有了冯校长改变了命运。冯焕好校长何尝不因为有了骆森伟这样的学生，使她超过30年的教育生涯更添光彩？
2005年底冯焕好退休时曾说：“100年后，我今天驾一辆什么样的汽车，住什么样的房子，银行里有多少钱，已不再重要。世界可能因为我曾经对一个孩子的生命很重要，而变得美丽。”
什么是好校长？这就是了。
