Song of a Reformed Headhunter

 Weekly column written for the Singapore Unbound newsletter. Sign up here . Message “SINGAPORE, STOP THE KILLINGS” projected by  The Illuminator  onto the building  housing Singapore’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations on November 2, 2022.  The NYC-based Singaporean organizer explained, “The goal is to name and shame on the international arena,  to increase awareness outside of Singapore and show our support for those in Singapore fighting for justice."   The  shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs  last Saturday, killing five people and wounding 17 others, was a tragedy. The repercussions of the shooting will live on, not only for the wounded and the families of the dead, but also for the LGBTQ community everywhere, who are reminded, once again, that they are not safe even in what is supposed to be a "safe space." Tragic in a different manner is the Singapore state's judicial murder of prisoners on death row. State-...

Weekly column written for the Singapore Unbound newsletter. Sign up here . A 16-year-old student has been charged for the murder of a 13-year-old in their school in Singapore. The tragedy has shocked the country, which has very low rates of violent crimes. A chronological account of the incident was given by the Education Minister in Parliament. The 16-year-old was assessed at the Institute for Mental Health in 2019 after he attempted to commit suicide at the age of 14. This new revelation has prompted even more calls for a review of counseling services in Singapore schools. Especially perceptive and eloquent was the call for greater mental health resources and support for schools issued by President Halimah Yacob . In Singapore, those found guilty of murder may receive the death penalty. A minor below the age of 18 will not get the death sentence, but may be imprisoned for life instead. It is no surprise that at least one social-media comment has called for the 16-year-o...

 Weekly column written for the Singapore Unbound newsletter. Sign up here . After last year's hullabaloo about the rising COVID infection rate among Singapore's low-wage migrant workers, what has now become of them? These workers come mainly from South Asia to work in the dangerous industries of construction and shipping. They number more than 300,000, and almost half of them contracted the virus because they live in crowded dormitories. Though most of those infected displayed mild or no symptoms, several continue to experience the long-term effects of the sickness , such as debilitating pain and fatigue, months after testing positive. The authorities responded by ordering the private dormitory operators to control and restrict the workers' movement. The workers were not allowed to use communal facilities or gather in the hallways; they had to keep to their bunk rooms, which accommodated as many as ten of them. When the COVID situation in Singapore stabilized, ...