Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards 2012 nominee for: Production of the Year, Best Original Script, Best Director, Best Ensemble In the electrifying months leading up to the watershed 2011 General Elections and in the tumultuous months after, playwright Alfian Sa’at interviewed Singaporeans to discover their responses to the elections. Covering a wide social and political spectrum, the candid interviews capture the GE experience through the voices of individual Singaporeans — from election candidates to pro-establishment civil servants; from taxi-drivers to teachers; from diehard opposition supporters to young people casting their virgin votes. These interviews — some hopeful, some fearful, some hilariously frank, some achingly honest — form a portrait of Singaporeans confronting the real meaning of democracy and rediscovering their role in shaping the country’s future. Cooling-Off Day is published by Ethos Books & W!LD RICE. Reader Reviews "Heartfelt and hilarious...no issue too taboo to be discussed." — The Flying Inkpot "A must-see...you will recognise yourself in it." — The Straits Times "Asthma inducing hilarity." — TODAY “Highly entertaining.” — Channelnewsasia.com “Brilliant...I was tempted to lead a standing ovation at the end of it.” — The Online Citizen

When it comes to buying and selling real estate, knowledge is power -- and this book lets you in on the secrets. Everything You Need to Know (But Forget to Ask) When Buying or Selling Property is a concise, authoritative guide. In plain, simple language, real estate agent Mary Smits looks at the many issues that confront both buyers and sellers, including: choosing a home or investment property wisely negotiating to save money understanding the paperwork dealing with and choosing real estate agents preparing to sell your property moving home. Mary explains how to search for property on the internet and provides tips to help you use buying and selling tactics to your advantage and avoid potential traps. The book features useful check lists to take with you to inspections, along with sound, practical advice.

A wickedly twisted comedy by Koji Kumeta Suicidally depressed high school teacher Zetsubou-sensei, a man for whom the light at the end of the tunnel is the coroner inspecting his glazed eyes, continues his attempt to endure life's suffering while teaching a classful of cute girls. Will Kafuka Fuura, the most optimistic teenager on earth, ever convince her beloved sensei to look on the bright side of life? Or will Zetsubou and his students end up lobotomized and starving in a third-world dictatorship? All this, plus a Zetsubou-sensei Christmas! Includes special extras after the story!

Commentators on the media in Southeast Asia either emphasise with optimism the prospect for new media to provide possibilities for greater democratic discourse, or else, less optimistically, focus on the continuing ability of governments to exercise tight and sophisticated control of the media. This book explores these issues with reference to Malaysia and Singapore. It analyses how journalists monitor governments and cover elections, discussing what difference journalism makes; it examines citizen journalism, and the constraints on it, often self-imposed constraints; and it assesses how governments control the media, including outlining the development and current application of legal restrictions.

Once a ceremonial position modelled after the constitutional monarchy in the United Kingdom, the office of the President of Singapore was transformed from an appointed to an elected one in 1991. As the head of state, but not the head of government, the elected President was to have additional discretionary powers involving the spending of financial reserves, appointment of high-ranking public servants, and certain ministerial powers to detain without trial. In 2016, a constitutional commission was convened to consider further reforms to the office and the elections process. This book explores Singapore’s presidency, assessing how well it has functioned, discussing the rationales for an elected presidency, and evaluating the constitutional commission’s recommendations for reforms, including the need for minority representation in the office. In doing so, the book provides important reflections on how the constitutional reform process raises crucial questions about the rule of law and the practice of constitutionalism in Singapore.