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by S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
Political-watchers and economists in Singapore said the prime minister's new year message will help to manage expectations of Singaporeans in 2009. They said it is important for Singapore to realise that times are going to be tough and to band together to ride out the economic storm - a point that was stressed in PM Lee Hsien Loong's message on Wednesday.
by Singapore Government
Singapore's key strengths are our honest and capable leadership, sound policies which look beyond the short term, social cohesion and talented and hardworking people. These strengths have brought us peace, prosperity and progress for decades, and they will see us through these difficult times. When the environment was favourable, we upgraded and grew our economy, lived within our means and patiently build up sizeable reserves. So when this sudden, severe storm struck, we were ready.
by The Nation
Singapore's permanent representative to ASEAN, Lim Thuan Kuan, is scheduled to present his credentials Monday to the secretary-general of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan, at a ceremony held at the ASEAN secretariat.
by Feed Me To The Fish
It looks like 2008 is a nightmare year for the 1st world Singpore million dollar ministers. I guess it was a year of one "honest mistake" after another.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
A weak and divided opposition coupled with the typical "kiasi" mentality of Singaporeans will ensure the PAP be elected to power again on another "overwhelming mandate".
by Kenny Chee, My Paper
In a country often criticised for the sheep-like mentality of its people, it may surprise some that dialogue and engagement on issues between the government and Singaporeans this year reached new levels, according to a political analyst.
by Leong Wee Keat, Today
In what is becoming a familiar sight, a group of about 200 China national workers turned up at the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) yesterday morning to complain about unauthorised salary deductions and wages owed to them.
by Carol Wong, The Star
Let's hope that someone will come up with a brilliant idea to solve the traffic woes at the new Johor Baru CIQ. A workable solutoin is all we commuters ask for.
by Ednal Palmer, Solomon Star
Singapore has been cautioned not to accept the bottlenose dolphins exported from the Solomon Islands. Chairman of the Mexican Congress, Committee of Environment of Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries senator Jorge Legorreta wrote to the Singapore minister for national development Mah Bau Tan on this.
The senator said the 28 bottlenose dolphins exported to Mexico from the Solomon Islands in 2003 has tained their country's reputation.
by Melanie Lee, Reuters
Singapore Airlines, the world's largest carrier by market value, may ask its pilots from its cargo arm to take unpaid leave in a bid to cut costs and reduce capacity, a newspaper reported on Wednesday.
by Amelia Tan, Straits Times
The Ministery of Education (MOE), which will aim to add 7,500 employees to its payroll next year, also plans to give the economy a fillip by speeding up its scheme to equip every school with an indoor sports hall by 2014 and look into building centralised facilities for arts, music and sporting activities.
by The Star
Even at the peak hours, there were not traffic jams like in KL, JB, Georgetown or even anything like that in Ipoh!
by Bernard Aw
by AFP
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
by Lucia Maes, Today
Singapore can boast of countless international accolades for its first-class services, infrastructure and attractions. Unfortunately, when it comes to helping others, this country still retains a very third-class mentality.
by Sunita Sue Leng, The Edge
by Jeremy Sim, Straits Times
by Amanda Yong, New Paper
Mr Francis Tan had wanted government agencies to foot a $1,200 water bill he felt he was not responsible for. And that is exactly what the National Environment Agency (NEA) and hte Public Utilities Board (PUB) have agreed to do, even if they do not admit liability.
by New Paper
Mr Lawson's family sent his ashes to Singapore, following his instructions. But he could not hav ehis park wish fulfilled.
by Cheryl Frois, Channel NewsAsia
by Rachel Kelly, Channel NewsAsia
by S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
by Thoughts —-> Blogs
by Kyodo News
by My Singapore News
by Wild Shores of Singapore
by Tan Chin Aik, Straits Times
Architecturally, Changi Airport's Terminal 3 is almost beyond reproach. But the same cannot be said of the directional signs and communication skills of the service staff we encountered.
by Fiona Chan, Straits Times
by Serene Luo, Straits Times
Telco customer service agents helpful but knowledge is a bit too specialised.
by S.B. Jamaran, The Star
The notion that Malaysia always plays second fiddle to Singapore is not true.
by Lalatendu Mishra, Hindustan Times
Singapore Airlines has slashed the economy fare by 52 per cent to Singapore and other destinations from India to counter boycotting travel agents and to woo passengers from rival Indian carriers.
by Nilanshuk Haldar, Rumination And Reflection
by Warren Tan
by My Singapore News
by Peter Gordon, Financial Times
This skilfl matching of food and drink is quite extraordinary and although it may sound like an awful lot of posturing and cleverness, it lovingly focuses fully on the palate and the mind.
by AFP
Singapore's manufacturing output fell 7.5 percent in November, according to the latest data, as exports from the recesion-hit economy suffer during a global slowdown.
Singaore's manufacturing sector accounts for nearly a quarter of economic output. Virtually allof the production heads for foreign markets, an indicator of Singapore's dependence on the health of the global economy, analysts say.
by Mithun Roy, Economic Times
Indian travel agents associations and travel portals on Friday decided to completely boycott Singapore Airlines, after the foreign carrier declined to give any commission to the agents on the sale of tickets.
by Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
Twenty-five years ago, when the government had a stronger hold, the day unfolded according to plan. Today's news headlines reflect its vastly changing citizenry.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
by Tan Weizhen, Straits Times
by Yong Sing Wee, Straits Times
by The Malaysian Insider
by Melanie Lee, Reuters
Singapore's visitor arrivals dropped 9.7 percent in November compared with the same period last year, as a worsening global economic climate crimped demand for travel, the country's tourism agency said on Friday.
by Journalism.sg
by Loh Kok Sheng, God's Wonderful Creation
The list of Terumbus and Betings are definitely not perfect, as some may have been missd out. They are indeed mind-boggling and hopefully in the future we will know more about them.
by Casey Liew
by Melissa Sim, Straits Times
Transferring wedding banquet bookings has become common for couples who have to cancel their packages. And the process has become easier with more wedding websites and forums.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
by Mariko Oi, BBC News
Until the global economy emerges from this gloomy winter, Southeast Asia's wealthiest country may face a frosty year ahead.
by Desmond Ng, New Paper
Tiger Airways, the budget airline with the largest number of flights at Changi airport, also drew the most complaints.
by S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
by Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia
by Ian Tan, Empty Vesel
The Flyer risks becoming Singapore's biggest white elephant.
by Desmond Wong, Channel NewsAsia
Singaporeans are worried about job security and their personal finances, according to a Citibank survey.
by AFP
by Carolyn Quek, Yeo Sam Jo and Diana Othman, Straits Times
One woman cried while she was being lowered down by a rope from a capsule about eight storeys high. Another kept her eyes tightly shut until he feet touched solid ground before bursting into tears of joy.
by Benson Ang, New Paper
Police alerted after banner with escaped JI detainee's face on it hung at Toa Payoh.
by AFP
See Also:
173 People Stranded For More Than Six Hours On World's Largest Ferris Wheel, by Daily Mail.
Passengers Rescued After Singapore Flyer Breaks Down, by The Guardian.
by Feed Me To The Fish
by The Extra Scoop
The Straits Times has been slow in adopting changes. The mass migration of news consumers to the internet is unstoppable. While The Straits Times is hoping to capitalise on the online market by charging its readers, this tactic actually hurts online advertisement revenue.
There is no financial motivation for the Straits Times to be free on the internet. Firstly, there is no proven online business model: even the New York Times cannot get enough revenue from its online operations to run its journalistic operations. Secondly, there is very little competition in Singapore.
by Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has reinstated the practice of building wet markets. But for the first time, private developers will be responsible for building them.
by Richard Murphy, Tax Research UK
by Shelter Offshore
One location has so far managed to benefit and profit from other jurisdictions' reduction in favourability, and the jurisdiction in question is Singapore which is becoming an increasingly attractive offshore tax haven. However, with a greater in-flow of international money comes greaty scrutiny from the OECD... so how will Singapore continue to fare?
by Kevin Yao, Reuters
Singapore's central bank is likely to flood the local money market with liquidity in the coming months as it prepares to let its currency weaken to head off a sharper economic slowdown, analysts said on Tuesday.
by Lee Lilian, The Itch To Write
by mrbrown
by Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia
by Library@esplanade
by Chen Shiyin, Bloomberg
Singapore's inflation eased in November for a second month as lower oil prices cut transportation costs in the city state.
by Wild Shores of Singapore
Vessels are now prohibited from anchoring in a large area opposite the East Coast.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
Notice that both have stopped short of repudiating the possibility of CPF cuts entirely in their speeches.
That would be stupid, and you can't accuse them of being stupid.
by Singapore Life And Times
Singaporeans may be an obedient and disciplined workforce, but we are not stupid.
by Singapore Dino
by Peter Litras, The Age
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
by Gerald Giam
Why was the minister talking down to Singaporeans like that by using such hyperbole?
by Matt O'Sullivan, The Age
Singapore Airlines is the first carrier to fight the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's claims that it broke the law by colluding with rivals to set high freight and security surcharges.
by Stretegic Thinking
by DPA
by Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Bernama
by Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia
Speaking to unionist, minister in the prime minister's office Lim Boon Heng said on Friday that the wage structure in Singapore has enough flexibility such that a CPF cut should be a last resort.
by The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
by This Lush Garden Within
Next, while we are at it, increase further so that we can all have free clothings, food, and flats too.
by mrbrown
I think Raymond Lim's statement need further parsing. What he is saying, which is true, is that the government does not regulate public transport fares directly via the cost of oil price. If one reads between the lines, Raymond Lim is saying either that the public transport companies should be the one taking the initiatives to lower fares, or we should go pressure ComfortDelgro and SMRT, and leave the government out of this.
by Everyday's Life In A Snapshot
by Roland Lim, Channel NewsAsia
by Ministry Of Manpower, Singapore Government
Many employers are going beyond the basic statutory requirements to provide various family-friendly levae benefits.
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
Change in the local media will only come if there are threats to its dominance and if there are pressure on its bottomline, said PN Balji. And with the government as its 'biggest stakeholder', policies towards the media will change only if the government feels there is a threat to its position.
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
In past years transport operators have cited increases in oil prices as a reason for asking for fares to be increased.
by Alicia Wong, Today
Singapore's name for high-end treatment still draws foreigners, but patients are counting the costs.
by Li Xueying, Straits Times
With 2009 shaping up to be a 'diffcult year', the government will try to moderate public transport costs next year, said transport minister Raymond Lim yesterday.
by Ho Liam-Yi, New Paper
Even before the choir boys have cleared their throats for Jingle Bells, the chorus ringing out Chinese New Year promotions and fun activities has already begun.
by Hedy Khoo, New Paper
by KJ, The Online Citizen
Total power is arrogant; it is corruptible, and it is begrudged too. The knee-jerk resentments are but symptoms of desperation.
by New Straits Times
Malaysia had relied on Singapore documents in its fight over the sovereignty of Pedra Branca, the republic's chief justice, Chan Sek Keong, said yesterday.
Chan said he was disappointed with Malaysia for accusing Singapore of withholding a letter from the ICJ that would have supposedly damaged the republic's case. "The truth is that we had gone round the world looking for it (the letter) for some 30 years without success."
by Tonette Orejas, Philippine Daily Inquirer
A marine park at the Subic Bay Freeport has been assailed by a concerned group for importing 18 bottle-nosed dolphins from te SOlomon Islands to be trained for performances at a similar park in Singapore.
Trixie Concepcion, representative of Earth Island Institute in the Philippines, said the export of dolphins from the Solomon Islands was controversial because the animals could not be declared sustainable since there were no scientific or baseline studies on the current stock nd pouplation of dolphins in that area.
by OpEd
by The Star
My family and I have just come back from a trip to SIngapore. We had anticipated the unfavourable exchange rate but not the unease I felt seeing one aspect of our neighbour's development — working senior citizens.
by Farik Zolkepli, Yee Xiang Yun and Suan Song, The Star
What was previously a five-minute walk for bus passengers from Singapore to reach the city centre now takes almost 20 minutes from the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex.
by Dylan Jones-Evans, Wales Online
What is encouraging for the Singaporean economy is that large technology-based firms continue to see this small country of 4.5 million as the place in which to invest for the future.
by Mr Wang Says So
I can't see how this can work out well.
by Tan Teck Ann, Ministry Of Education, Straits Times
The request by parents to lower the benchmark does not serve the interests of these students. Instead, parents should consider enrolling them in our national schools to avail themselves of the full opportunities and resources our schools provide.
I think the issue is not of lowering the benchmark, but to standardize the benchmarks so that they are the same for students in national schools and home-schoolers.
by The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
by Singapore Life And Times
The TCs were just lucky this time around. I know of people, and you will too, whose investments have almost been wiped out, or at least reduced so drastically that it would be a pain greater than going to hell, to liquidate now.
Of course, these people didn't understand the meaning of the word 'diversify'. The policy of limiting 'risky' investment to 30% cannot be ignored in the argument.
by Heng-Cheong Leong, MyAppleMenu
From The Onion's Our Dumb World atlas about Singapore: The hermetically sealed corporate biosphere of Singapore protects each of its carefully monitored 4.4126 million citizens from germs, crime, emotion, and dust.
by Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
I believe it is the simple food hawkers who keep their prices low in adverse conditions, something that exerts a major, repeated impact on every family.
Note who was not chosen by this columnist as heroes: the politicians. In fact, to most people, the last politicians who can probably qualify as heroes are from the Lee Kuan Yew's generation.
by Re-claim
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
by AFP
by Bernama
The congestion at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in Bukit Chagar, Johor Baharu is not due to the absence of the crooked bridge after the project was cancelled. Domestic trade and consumer affairs minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad who said this, attributed the congestion to the haphazard entry and exit at the complex since the first day it was opened to the public.
by Diana Othman, Straits Times
Malaysian police were called in yesterday to keep the morning crowds in check at the new Johor checkpoint as chaos reigned. Thousands of Malaysian bus commuters pushed, shoved and beat on bus doors, trying to get a seat on a bus travelling to Singapore.
by Kevin Lim, Reuters
Singapore said on Friday there were 10,450 uncompleted private homes purchased under the country's deferred payment scheme, revealing for the first time the potential number of homes that may be returned to developers.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
Why should Singaporeans believe his assessment of the PAP Town Councils this time round?
by Sarah Garland, Newsweek
An Obama education advisor thinks U.S. schools could take a lesson from Finland and Singapore.
by Yesterday... Today... Tomorrow
by All The Electric Stars Are Shining
The Bangladeshi and/or Indonesian construction workers are some of the most shunned and disfavoured people on this island.
by Blowin' In The Wind
Why not tell it like it is?
Because cutting CPF rates can be considered a major failure of the current government - the whole point of the variable salary component initiative is to remove the need to use such a blunt instrument in cutting business costs.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
by Bernama
Umno Youth executive council member Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has expressed support to the call to revive the construction of a new bridge connecting Johor and Singapore.
by Vijay Ramani, CSR Asia
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore's exports fell the most in more than six years in November as weakening orders for electronics and drugs from developed and emerging markets led to the longest slump in overseas sales since 2002.
Singapore's economic growth this year may miss the government's forecast of 2.5 percent as the global economy worsens amid a credit crisis, trade minister Lim Hng Kiang said yesterday.
by Heng-Cheong Leong, MyAppleMenu
The Explainer is one of the regular features of Slate that I enjoyed. And it has come up with list of questions that it didn't answer this year. And the two questions I'm interested in finding out the answers are:
"I live in Washington, D.C., and we have very long escalators coming out of the Metro. If I grabbed the handrail when I first step onto the escalator and did not let go until I was at the top, my body would be almost prostrate across the steps. As I go higher on the escalator, I have to readjust the hand that is grabbing the rubber handrail. Why can't the companies that make escalators sync the steps and the handrails so that they go the same speed?" Yes, I've noticed this in Singapore's MRT too.
"Why don't humans have a mating season?" But, honey, this *is* the time.
by Tan Kin Lian
A RM of a bank called me. He is willing to come forward to sign a statement that he has been giving the wrong information about the credit-linked notes to the bank customers, due to his ignorance.
by New Straits Times
by John Burton, Financial Times
Singapore, the world's biggest container port, suffered last month its first fall in throughput traffic since 2001 due to a slowdown in global exorts that has affected the Asian shipping industry.
by Cheryl Lim Mei Ling, Channel NewsAsia
Motorists at the checkpoint were greeted with long queues, traffic confusion and teething problems.
See Also:
Massive Traffic Congestion At CIQ, by The Star. The congestion involved traffic into Johor that snaked all the way to Woodlands in Singapore during peak hours due to motorists being caught off guard that the toll collectin system at the complex was cashless.
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
Unlike the past, there is a significant number of professionals, managers and executives who are also seeking help.
by Melanie Lee, Reuters
by Mr Wang Says So
The essential question is - in these bad times, how would companies be able to afford a relatively generous 4% wage increase? A rather brutal answer came to my mind. The 4% wage increase would be possible, if firms retrenched more employees now.
Of course, a recession will not affect everyone equally. There will be retrenchments, but there will also be jobs that will still pay well.
by Liaw Wy Cin, Straits Times
A two-year study has confirmed what has been anecdotally known about Singapore - that its shorelines are relatively safe from tsunamis.
by Reuters
Singapore will convene its National Wages Council (NWC) in early January, four months ahead of schedule, in what economists say may be a prelude to a cut in employers' pension contributions.
The government last cut employers' contributions to the CPF, the retirement fund for Singaporean workers, by 3 percentage points to 13 percent in October 2003 to help firms cope with the effects of the SARS outbreak.
by Ministry Of Manpower, Singapore Government
The National Wage Council (NWC) will reconvene in early January 2009 to review its guidelines issued in May this year.
by Blowin' In The Wind
The current recession looks set to turn Singapore into a nation of teachers and civil servants.
by Gary Slapper, The Times
by Farik Zolkepli, The Star
After 41 years of being in operation, the Malaysia-Singapore Causeway checkpoint finally closed its doors at 12.01 am on Tuesday.
by Anand Krishnamoorthy, Bloomberg
Singapore Airlines Ltd., the world's largest carrier by market value, reported its biggest slump in traffic in more than five years as a global recession cuts travel demand.
by Matthew Artz, The Argus
In standing up for free speech in his native Singapore, Gopalan Nair unwittingly thrust himself into a one-man economic crisis.
by Mitch Kowalski, National Post
by Reuters
Drug smugglers are increasingly using Singapore as a transit point to ship heroin to the United States and Europe, despite some of the world's strictest drug laws in the city-state, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.
by See Leong Kit, The Online Citizen
For the average Singaporean, his HDB flat is the single most expensive purchase item in his lifetime. Thus, it is important for HDB to clear to air once-and-for-all by providing transparent replies to the above two simple questions, and disclosing detailed cost figures for its Pinnacle project.
It is to the government's advantage to keep prices artificially high, it seems.
by Genevleve Jiang, New Paper
by Associated Press
Singapore's retail sales fell in October, more evidence the city-state's economy likely contracted for a third straight quarter as dwingling consumer demand adds to drops in manufaturing and exports.
by Ministry Of Manpower, Singapore Government
The labour market shows signs of softening as a result of the global downturn.
by Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
This woeful lack of accountability and transparency, and not to mention responsibility, is characteristic of a government and a party which have become too arrogant. But more importantly, it is a danger for a country which puts so much stock in its finances and economy to just sweep such failures under the carpet.
by Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia
by Terence Lee, The Online Citizen
Helathcare in Singapore is affordable as long as one is willing to accept the B2 and C-class wards without fear of losing face, said Mr Tan Kin Lian at a forum on economic rights.
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
by Mathia Lee
Our education system that breeds a culture where there is a right answer to everything, and that right answer is determined by qualified authorities opens up a huge potential for abuse, where qualified authorities recommend policies out of their own self-interest, and no one questions them because of the strength of their qualifications.
by Readings From A Political Duo-ble
by Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, Newsweek
From SHanghai to Singapore, gourmets have been partaking of the finest European cuisines, while wealthy businessmen entertaining clients have spent thousands of dollars on the best wines in the world.
by Neil Chatterjee and John O'Donnell, Reuters
As pressure mounts on Switzerland's flagship bank UBS and the country's secrecy code comes under fire from the United States and Germany, Singapore's star as a haven for the super-rich is rising fast.
With close ties to powerful Asia, Singapore is in a stronger position to resist pressure from the U.S. than rival Switzerland or Alpine retreat Liechtenstein, which recently partially surrendered bank secrecy.
by Raymond Lo, Straits Times
In this globalised and digital age, the ban on Malaysian papers in Singapore and Singapore newspapers in Malaysia makes no sense.
by Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
There is no doubt that the level of permissiveness has risen — and will continue to rise — throughout the island, with youths the most affected.
by Amanda Yong and Lediati Tan, New Paper
by The Void Deck
Despite the shift in styles of engagement, the internet constituency will largely remain sceptical of the substance the PAP swirls around in the blogs, social media networks etc.
by Yaw Shin Leong
by Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
by Fred Hiatt, Washington Post
Canadian lawyer Robert Amsterdam, who is assisting Chee Soon Juan, said that in his experience, which includes representing persecuted clients in Russia and elsewhere, governments do not go to great lengths to monopolize the media and control speech unless there is something they would rather their people not know. If he is right, Chee Soon Juan's rap sheet would indicate there is much this government would rather not share with its public.
by Mr Wang Says So
Too often, too many Singaporeans fall to speak up on important issues, even issues that should concern them directly.
by Garry Rodan, Far Eastern Economic Review
Singapore Democratic Party leader Chee Soon Juan may have been neutralized as an electoral force, but he exerts a growing influence on the political agenda of the PAP.
by Selina Lum, Straits Times
The wife of former NKF chairman Richard Yong pleaed guilty in Hong Kong on Monday to a charge of money laundering, more than a year after she and her husband were arrested in the territory.
by Byon's Blog
We look around us and see all the privileges handed out to foreigners on silver platters on a regular basis and wonder what is it we serve National Service for.
by Mathia Lee
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
by Ang Eng Liang, Straits Times
LTA needs to observe carefully whether such time-saving benefits have been passed on to commuters or have been absorbed by bus companies in their incessant quest to cut cost and maximise profits.
by Gerald Giam
by The Online Citizen
by Dhevanrajan, The Online Citizen
We do not need stock replies and interviews from you reassuring us. We want to know the exact details of your investments. And don't you dare keep referring us to the annual reports as if they contain the information we want.
by Flight Of The Avocados
This country is a melting pot of the Asian elite. One has to be pretty well-off to live here. Besides being a playground for everything posh and high-end, it really is a melting pot of cultures.
by Singapore Bus Page
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
The PAP wants us to pay them first world salaries for transparency and accountability in the government. Where is the transparency? Where is the accountability?
by Neil Chatterjee, Kevin Lim and Jan Dahinten, Reuters
by Random Thoughts Of A Free Thinker
by Bald Runner
by Mathia Lee
by New Straits Times
The republic hopes there will be a smooth transition of leadership in Malaysia when prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi steps down next March. Lee Hsien Loong said Malaysia had gone through a number of major political developments in recent months and he hoped the power transition in Malaysia would go well.
by PTI
Students in Sri Lanka have been cautioned against pursuing courses in certain institutions in Singapore which charge high fees and fail to fulfil the promise of providing immediate jobs.
by Mavis Toh, Straits Times
A report card on the performance of town councils will be drawn up next year and one possible new indicator is the adequacy of town councils' resident sinking funds, said senior minister of state for national development Grace Fu.
by Au Waipang, Yawning Bread
We're confident that bit by bit, we are nudging corporate social responsibility in the right direction.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
Without human rights, we will never have political or economic rights. Instead of waiting for the pAP to throw us crumbs of "rights" which should be rightfully ours, why not fight for it and demand an equal share of what we truly deserve?
by Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia
A draft masterplan was launched on Saturday to expand the 130-hectare Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. There will also be rooms for nature experts to conduct research.
by Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen
In the email, Dr Ahmad Magad of Pasir-Ris Punggol GRC seems to tell his town council general manager not to reveal any more information "beyond what we have already uploaded on line..." Could it be that mnisters are giving different instruction in private than they are in public?
by AFP
Singapore may consider using nuclear power and culd even look into building an underground plant because of its limited space, prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Friday.
by AFP
Singapore does not know if the country's most wanted man is still in the country more than nine months after the alleged Jemaah Islamiah terror cell leader escaped from detention, prime minister Lee Hsien Loong says. "We don't know. He could be here, he could be overseas," Lee said.
Two months after the escape, home affairs minister Wong Kan Seng told parliament that security agencies believed Kastari was still in Singapore, but analysts said Kastari had likely fled to nearby Indonesia.
by Au Waipang, Yawning Bread
The source of the problem is the employer, but by action or inaction, our government is abetting all these abuses, ranging from cheating people of their wages, to robbery of their handphones, to kidnap.
by Shamim Adam and Chen Shiyin, Bloomberg
Singapore's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong defended the performance of the city's state-owned investment companies after a plunge in the value of their stakes in Citigroup Inc., Merrill Lynch & Co. and other global banks.
"The situation looks a lot gloomier now than when [GIC and Temasek Holdings] went in but these are long-term investment. It looks under water now, but the situation can change," Lee told the Foreign Correspondents Asociation at a lunch today. "But if you are taking a long-term view, you have to be in on the downs as well as the ups."
by City-State Life
Environmentalism is big here. Lot of 'green' promotions and recycling centers. Interestingly, I rarely see bottle/plastic recycling, but they are getting there.
by Deadpris
by Ivy Ong-Wood, The Standard
Ever since I came to Hong Kong a year ago, I've been on a quest for genuine Singapore/Malaysian food I know from home. It hasn't been easy, as most I've tasted have been watered down to suit the local palate. But I'm glad to say I have located two that have stuck to their guns and are serving the spicy cuisine as authentically as possible.
by Rosie Milne, Telegraph
by Samuel Wittberger, Straits Times
by Alice Cheong In Wonderland
by Ng Baoying, Channel NewsAsia
by Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia
by Cheryl Foris, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore is the 12th most expensive city in Asia, according to a global survey on cost of living by international human resource company ECA International. The country jumped 27 places, and is one of Asia's biggest movers.
by Ethan Pang, Better, Higher!
Is this what "pro-family" is about? And to think that we live in an equal opportunity society.
by Sramana Mitra On Strategy
In America, by and large, we don't see much of this kind of formality anymore.
by Reuters
Singapore said on Thursday it will cut back on government land sales next year to support the property market as the city-state battles recession.
by Tang Li, Desparatebeep
Media is just one example of how "Not Changing" is stunting Singapore. It's disturbing that the government seems content with dwarfism and even encourages it.
by Blowin' In The Wind
by Diary Of A Singaporean Mind
There is no way for the UDHR (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) to be adopted in Singapore, here's why.
by The Singaporean Gamer
How is this standing up like a man and living like a man?
by Liaw Wy Cin, Straits Times
Electricity tariffs for households will be cut by about 25 per cent for January to March, in line with lower fuel oil prices. The reduction is the first since April 2007, and is lower than the 21 per cent spike in October - the biggest one-time increase in seven years.
by Joakim Enegren, Namaste Express
Now you know what my visit to Singapore was all about. Please don't tell my wife.
by Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador of Singapore to the United States, Wall Street Journal
The fundamental disagreement between Singapore and the Journal (and its sister publications) has been that you want to force Singapore to change its rules to comply with U.S. norms, so that journalists will not be sued even if they denigrate our judiciary or publish false, defamatory articles. This was the basic issue over which The Asian Wall Street Journal and the Far Eastern Economic Review clashed with the Singapore government two decades ago. We allowed these journals to resume circulation after they signaled clearly that they would henceorth abide by Singpaore laws. But as shown by your articles, affidavits filed on your behalf in court, and statements made by your counsel, you are now again campaigning for a change in the laws.
by Jennifer Chen, Today
"My aim now is to tell people that we are as good as [Singapore Airlines is]... in the back end. I think we can be as good in the economy section. That's my goal before I leave my job as CEO."
by Koh Jie Kai, The Online Citizen
by AviationRecord.com
by Tan Teck Ann, Ministry Of Education, Straits Times
The PSLE benchmarks for designated schools (madrasahs and San Yu Adventist School) and homeschooling students were developed while taking into account the profile of the students who wish to be exempted from Compulsory Education, and were set after public consultation. The benchmarks and the need to meet these benchmarks from this year have been communicated to the homeschoolers since 2003.
by Musings
I think DBS did what they did simply because they believed it was the right thing to do. And for that, I say yay for DBS.
by Channel NewsAsia
by City-State Life
The fact that this article decided to focus on her drinking does a couple of things I disagree with. First, it suggests that she is partly responsible, which is not OK.
by Roger Hamilton XL Blog
Lee Kuan Yew's answer was on the lines of "renewable power will be insignificant to the world's needs - even if iit's successful it will reach 5% of our needs at the most." So, is LKY right? Is nuclear power the only viable alternative?
by Everyday's Life In A Snapshot
by Daily Express
An average of 78 complaints from Sabahans working in Singapore are forwarded to the Labour Department here every month by the Malaysian Labour Attache in Singapore.
by S. Murall, New Paper
The zoo now knows that some of its staff are aware of abuses. Should it continue to look the other way, claiming that contract workers are the responsibility of the company that hires them? Surely not.
by Rachel Kelly, Channel NewsAsia
by Mathia Lee
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club Of Singapore
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
The AIMS recommendations, due to their lack of willingness to move ahead decisively on what is right and their insistenc eof retaining unjust legislation, would not prevent another episode of Martyn See from occurring.
by Musings
"It was never the intention of the Bank to discriminate against any group through this initiative. Nevertheless given feedback received, to demonstrate that DBS believes in diversity and inclusion, with immediate effect we will be removing the Christmas charity campaign."
by Straits Times
The government has commended an advisory council for its comprehensive report and insgihtful observations on the pertinent issues and concerns arising from the emergence of new media.
It will study the recommendations made by the Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media On Society and will announce the government's position in about 1 1/2 months' time.
by Irene Chan, 938Live
by WorldWithoutWar.sg
by Cherian George, Journalism.sg
More significant than the nitty-gritty of hte recommendations are some of their underlying principles.
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
A committee looking into new media has recommended that Section 33 of the Films Acts that prohibits the making and distributing of party political films be repealed but in phases.
by Sundeep Tucker, Financial Times
Singapore Airport Terminal Services, an airline caterer, on Tuesday unveiled a S$335m cash offer for Singapore Food Industries, a supplier to the country's military and to supermarkets in the UK.
I'm not sure why there is a need for a Temasek-owned company (Ambrosia Investment) to sell a company to another Temasek-owned company (SATS).
by Associated Press
A court in Singapore sentenced Australian TV reporter Peter Lloyd on Tuesday to 10 months in jail for consumption and possession of methamphetamine.
by Channel NewsAsia
Commuters will now have to get new ez-link cards supported by a new e-payment sysem.
by Gemma Daley, Bloomberg
Singaproe Airlines Ltd. will be shut out of flying from Australia to U.S. west coast, the Australian newspaper reported, citing a government tatement to be released tomorrow.
by B.K. Sidhu, The Star
by Sylvia Tan, Fridae
Leave home without it, or better yet, cut it up. That is what some members of Singapore's gay community are saying in response to a credit card promotion by a Singapore bank in which up to S$15,000 will be donated to the infamous Focus on the Family (Singapore).
In a letter posted on an email group, Dominic Chua, an educator, has written to the bank to say that he is "thoroughly disappointed to learn that DBS is supporting a right-wing Christian organisation as part of its corporate social responsibility drive this Christmas" and that it "could do better than support an organisation that wilfully perpetrates misinformation about and prejudice toward gay persons."
by Martin Rushton, Straits Times
Homeschooled children are required to meet a higher standard to pass the PSLE than their mainstream counterparts.
by Ng Tze Yong, New Paper
A video has emerged showing a Sun City supervisor beating a worker. Sun City was the employer of cleaner Nordin Montong who was mauled to death after jumping into the white tiger enclosure at the Singapore Zoon on 13 Nov.
by The Online Citizen
Until and unless town councils disclose fully the answers to such questions as the ones above, it is of no use referring residents to the annual reports. For what you get are general statements which gives you only general answers.
by Benjamin Cheah and Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
The two replies from the MPs are not explanations; they are, instead, excuses for excuses in lieu of answers.
by Chong Zi Liang, The Enquirer
"Someone wrote in an online forum that as a MP representing the people, I should represent the majority view," member of Parliament Baey Yam Keng said. "I beg to differ. There can only be one view in the majority and we shouldn't just have that view reflected in Parliament, we need some debate and hear different viewpoints."
by Maria Almenoar, Straits Times
Give way to buses coming out fromt he bus bay or face a fine of $130. By the end of December, 23 bus bays will have yellow 'give-way to buses' boxes which motorists cannot enter if there are buses exiting.
by Kristie Kellahan, The Age
A fast-paced city of skyscrapers, markets, boutiques and glamorous bars, Singapore also offers pockets of peace.
by Shivaji Das, Chutney Spears
At this place and at this time, they forget their hardships and their alienation. Here they are protected, though thinly, from the displays of opulence from the others, the ones who have already prospered in this city.
by Financial Planning Central
by Readings From A Political Duo-ble
It is time the Singapore government stops half-hearted measures such as imposing a moratorium. Unlike what it has claimed, there is no humanitarian nor responsible manner to deal with the issue on the proliferation and use of cluster bombs.
by Angry Angmo
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