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By Tang Li

You got to thank Barak Obama and his open support for “same-sex” marriages. The topic of homosexuality is “hot news” again.

The United States president had said, in an American television programme: "I've always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally.”

He explained his position thus:

"I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or Marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.”

By Loke Hoe Yeong

When Teo Soh Lung was growing up, she had to walk home from school whenever there were bus strikes. Her route saw her passing by the central police station. She had dreamed of being a policewoman but her desire to join the police force, however, was not fulfilled because, she says, she “didn’t have the height.”

Soh Lung led a carefree and happy childhood - “No tuition at that time!” she says. The seventh child in a family of eight, her father was a self-taught photographer who set up the well-known Studio Deluxe at Stamford Road. A specialist in black-and-white portraits, his clients included prominent figures of the day, by virtue of the studio’s proximity to the courts and the Legislative Assembly. These clients included figures such as the last British governor of Singapore, Sir William Goode, as well as one young politician by the name of Lee Kuan Yew.

By Andrew Loh

On 12 May 2012, the Straits Times print edition and Today (online) both reported on the court application by Ms Vellama Marie Muthu with regards to the Hougang by-election.

Ms Vellama, a Hougang resident, had sought the court to declare that the Prime Minister does not have “unfettered discretion” in deciding whether and when he would call a by-election. She also sought the court to order the PM to hold a by-election in Hougang within 3 months or any “reasonable time” the court sees fit.

In April, High Court judge, Philip Pillai, dismissed the Attorney General’s objections and ordered the case to be heard in open court. The Attorney General then appealed against his decision at the Court of Appeal (CA). Ms Vellama, represented by lawyer M Ravi, subsequently appealed against the AG’s appeal, arguing that the AG had not followed the proper court procedures in filing his appeal.

The following is an essay written by Singaporean blogger, writer and activist, Kirsten Han, for the Centre for International Private Enterprise's (CIPE) Fourth International Youth Essay contest. (See what CIPE is about, below.)

Her entry, titled, "Democratic Transitions: Not just about waiting for change", won the 2nd Prize in the "Democratic Transitions" category.

The nine winning essays were selected from over 400 entries in three categories: Corruption, Democratic Transitions, and Economically-Sustainable Development.

Entries were received from 65 countries, including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Egypt, Indonesia, Moldova, and Uganda.

The following is the essay by Kirsten, who blogs here and is an activist with Second Chances.

We thank Kirsten for allowing us to publish the essay.