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by Mok Fei Fei & Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
Despite the turbulence that has hit the global aviation industry, low-cost carrier AirAsia is still spreading its wings aggressively into Singapore.
by Chemical Generation Singapore
Two apparently unrelated events happened these few days. Underneath the events, however, was the crucial issue of Malay representation and engagement by Singapore political parties.
by AFP
Singapore has launched campaigns to promote everything from more romance to better English. Now, the city-state wants its citizens to just be... nicer.
by Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia
The new approach will calculate the electricity tariff for the third quarter of 2009, from July to September 2009, based on the average of fuel oil prices in the preceding three months – from April to the middle of June 2009.
by Dennis Chua Soon Chai, Sgpolitics.net
Ultimately, what the average Singaporeans yearn for is growth for the people. This means that the majority share of the fruits of the growth must go to the average Singaporean not to corporate profits, dividends and interests of the rich and powerful corporations whether foreign or local.
by Chua Hian Hou, Straits Times
by Farouk Arnaz, Jakarta Globe
The father of a student who reportedly jumped to his death after stabbing his lecturer at the Nanyang Technological University, or NTU, in Singapore has lodged a complaint with the National Police, claiming the circumstances surrounding the death were “peculiar.”
by The Lycan Times
It annoys me that when Oei expressed his gratitude to the Minister Mentor, he forgot the rest of the people who also made their mark in Singapore’s history.
by 联合早报
李显龙总理昨天在总统府会见媒体，谈论内阁最新一轮改组时表示，随着经济体变大，人口增加，国民要求提高，加上制度变得复杂，不管是国家发展部，国防部，教育部或贸工部，部长的职责都比过去繁重。
他可以确定的说，像贸工部，外交部，教育部和国防部，肯定需要多名政务部长或政务次长来协助部长的工作。“我得说当中几个较庞大的部门，其实需要超过一名全职部长。不过那是我们今后必须考虑的问题。”
by The Wayang Party Club
by Fang Zhi Yuan and Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Given the dismal performance of Mr Lee, he ought to offer to step down by the next election if not now and hand over the reins of government to another leader who has the capability and vision to bring the nation forward. We are in urgent need of a change in direction and a rethink of the usual tried and tested methods of governance.
by Straits Times
Attracting private-sector talent into the political leadership is a top priority, but it has not been easy when compared to drawing people from the public sector, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday.
by Sue-Ann Chia, Straits Times
The Straits Times asked him about his health on Monday during a press conference on the Cabinet changes announced last week. His reply: 'My health is okay. I've lost weight because my doctor ordered me to lose weight.'
by Donaldson Tan, The Online Citizen
by Chin Sau Ho, Ministry of Finance, Farah Abdul Rahim, Ministry Of Manpower, Choo Lee See, Ministry Of Community Development Youth & Sports, Straits Times
by Leong Wee Keat, Today
With Singapore in its worst recession yet, Deputy Prime MinisterS Jayakumar last night reminded public servants to serve people “with humility, integrity and empathy”.
by Cheah Swee Keat, Straits Times
Any expert who thinks it is a great idea to keep on increasing the population of Singapore should spend a week or so living like the average Singaporean and not just stay in prime, low-density neighbourhoods which are 10 minutes from the centre of the city.
by Kim-Gau Ng, Straits Times
Within a company, it is possible for those in authority to file a patent application on an employee's invention, naming itself as the sole inventor - without the knowledge of the employee and regardless of whether it is qualified to do so or not.
by New Paper
Since November last year, the pharmacy at Alexandra Hospital has been charging patients 10 cents for a small plastic bag and 20cents for a big one. While some patients and visitors are supportive of the move, others ask if a hospital should be doing this.
by Ang Yiying, Straits Times
A little corner of Singapore that once featured prominently in its history has been earmarked for redevelopment but one group, from thousands of miles away, are holding onto their memories of Seletar Airbase dearly.
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
Four party cadres, including two candidates from GE 2006, resigned in the past one week but renewal process is on track, says organizing secretary.
by Feed Me To The Fish
Break the bank for the glory-maker and let the unproductive (used to be nation builders) rot and die (preferably in JB).
by Perry Tong, A Singaporean
by Channel NewAsia
Administrative service officers have been urged to make the best use of programmes designed to give them exposure to ground sentiments.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
While SPH and the PAP celebrates 25 years of overwhelming success in state-sponsored thought control, let us, as one of the few who have managed to escape relatively unscathed from its omnipresent influence, mourn the demise of a free and independent press.
by Danny John, Sydney Morning Herald
Singapore Airlines is determined to push ahead with its campaign to fly between Australia and the United States despite the latest snub by the Federal Government in blocking its hopes to fly on the route.
by Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
by AFP
The New Creation Church, which raised 19 million Singapore dollars in just one day in February for the construction of its new premises, paid one employee between 500,001 and 550,000 dollars in the financial year ended March 31, 2008, the Straits Times said.
by Elena Chong, Straits Times
Rag-and-bone man Ng Kim Ngweng was sentenced to six months' jail on Monday after he was convicted of threatening to cause hurt to a member of parliament.
In this case, the threat that Ng uttered had ramifications to the victim's work as an MP. District Judge Liew Thiam Leng said threats to cause injury must be taken seriously and the victim concerned in this case was certainly affected in the discharge of her personal and work commitments.
by Straits Times
Cruise operators have expressed concern over the one-year delay in the construction of the new International Cruise Terminal at Marina South.
They say that pushing the project back means the industry will - literally - miss the boat in a tourism sector that remains afloat despite the economic turmoil.
by Laurence Tan, Reuters
For a country that's right on the equator, relying on solar energy in Singapore seems like a bright idea. Try and get off the grid, however, and it quickly loses its shine.
by Ben Bland, Telegraph
The relationship between state and society in Singapore is governed by micromanagement, with many people looking to government for advice on how to live their lives and ministers regularly telling people what to do.
In that very spirit, the health minister, Khaw Boon Wan, has urged overweight Singaporeans to get fit if they want to improve their job prospects in these tough times.
by Channel NewsAsia
Although Mr Lee said the next general election, which has to take place by February 2012, is not near, Singaporeans and investors want to see the next team of political leaders.
by The Online Citizen
Mr Abdul Salim, 27, a member of the Workers’ Party’s team which contested Ang Mo Kio GRC in the last elections, has tendered his resignation from the party.
by Patricia Lui, Bloomberg
The Monetary Authority of Singapore may devalue the city’s currency and allow it to drop 4 percent against the U.S. dollar by June 30 to aid exporters and lift the economy out of the worst recession since independence in 1965.
The central bank will shift the mid-point of the Singapore dollar trading band at a twice-yearly review in April, according to 15 of 17 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The currency is “extremely and ridiculously overvalued,” Patrick Bennett, Asia foreign-exchange strategist at Societe Generale SA in Hong Kong, said last week.
by PN Baliji, The Online Citizen
MICA needs help and with the Cabinet changes already in place, the next best thing is to look at a high-level committee drawing people, even bloggers, to come together for a serious re-look of a policy that is in danger of being swept away by the currents of change.
by 陆彩霞, 联合早报
by Today
As new media increasingly dominates the landscape and as Singaporeans embrace more diverse beliefs, there is a rising danger that hurtful or insensitive remarks may cause unrest between communities, minister for community development, youth and sports Vivian Balakrishnan said yesterday.
Mr Balakrishnan also urged Singaporeans to reach out to new immigrants and permanent residents and help them integrate into society.
See Also: Speech By Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore Government.
by 孙景峰, 联合早报
从1978年到1992年，在长达十多年的时间里，务实的邓小平绝对不可能将当初的一句客套话铭刻于心并付诸实践。
by Ralph Jennings and Cheong Kah Shin, Reuters
Wildlife conservationists, who have long railed against the popularity of shark fin soup, are finally seeing signs that consumption is dropping as young Asians become aware of the environmental impact of this much prized dish.
Added to that is the global financial crisis, which is causing Asians to tighten their belts and either cut down on visits to restaurants or order more frugally from menus.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
We need to encourage the resident population to spend and invest more in our local economy, in all manners of goods and services, especially those produced by small and medium enterprises who have their roots and stakes firmly anchored within our shores. This would create a virtuous cycle that makes for sustainable economic growth and development.
by Sylvia Toh Paik Choo, New Paper
For a young 'un Singapore, especially with no history of literature, who's to prevent us from concocting our own terrible tall tales surrounding our own icons and foods?
by Salma Khalik, Straits Times
Health minister Khaw Boon Wan announced on Sunday a move to iron out the discrepancy by introducing more income tiers to be used to determine the size of subsidy for patients in community hospitals.
Please don't make people think twice about receiving a pay increment at work against a possible real loss of subsidies.
by Haro Genki
Singapore media tends to portray everything as if it is flawless, alternative media loves to dig at it and only has the bad points to it. Then who's right or wrong then.
I just want one person to tell me what is right and what is wrong. Stop confusing me with these different wrong opinions. Don't make me think.
by Harris Ho, Straits Times
There is plenty of vacant ground to build new flats in Singapore, including one beside these trees. HDB need not chop down these trees. The space is more than enough for the new estate.
by Joey Yeo, Straits Times
Why wasn't this anticipated early enough?
Since when did centralized planning of supply and demand proved to be accurate?
by Leedeeya
Filmmaking in Singapore narcisissitic in nature. Maybe now, filmmaking can go somewhere because we are making it about everyone and not just one person.
by Hedy Khoo, New Paper
Sudden crab craze hits area with 3 seafood joints vying for diners.
by Gilbert Goh, The Online Citizen
Our labour hiring laws do seem to allow such discriminatory employment practices to prevail. Amazingly, employers seem to get away with such archaic third-world hiring practices in a first world, developed country.
by Singapore Democrats
The film, One Nation Under Lee, has been widely disseminated on the Internet as viewers forward it to their friends.
by Noor Khan, SamayLive
Travel agents will send one lakh emails to the Singapore Prime Minister on April 1 as part of a campaign to protest against Singapore Airlines' failure in reinstating the agency commission.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
The political elite is given very comprehensive coverage in the mainstream press, which allows them ample opportunity to paint as good a picture of themselves as possible, but at the same time denies others the same privilege. In contrast, Opposition politicians like Dr Chee and other members of the SDP in particular are frequently slimed by the mainstream media with no opportunity to respond or engage the public.
This media bias and abhorrent lack of professionalism points to an urgent need for media reform. Unfortunately, as long as the PAP is in control of the mainstream media and exerts a repressive influence on free expression via the Newspapers and Printing Presses Act, the alternative side of Singapore politics will have to find expression on the internet instead.
by The Online Citizen
If RAdm Lui turns in a decent performance, the odds are that he will be rotated quickly to head more heavyweight ministries, and there have been rumours that the trade and industry minister is also slated to retire. At this point, the prize seems very much his to lose.
by Elysa Chen, New Paper
The decision to move only the stalls from one half of the street has upset some stall owners.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The PAP should not belittle one of its few achievements by blowing a small issue out of proportion in order to justify its tirades at the ST journalist for doing her job.
To say that what Li Xueying wrote is completely inaccurate without hearing her side of the story is grossly unfair. Journalists are duty-bound to protect their sources, many of whom wish to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisals from the authorities.
by The Star
by Clark Hoyt, New York Times
Junior press assistants, political operatives, Congressional staffers, midlevel bureaucrats, military and intelligence officers, cabinet secretaries, and sometimes even presidents refuse to be identified for many reasons: all glory is supposed to go to the boss; they disagree with the boss and are afraid of getting fired; they are talking about classified information and could be prosecuted; they want to promote a policy, or kill it, by getting it out before it is officially announced; they believe the public has a right to know about something that is being suppressed.
by 下午茶
对于张志贤被任命为副总理的美差，除了让他的薪水 直叩3百万元的大关，改善了他本人的生活之外，吾人实在也看不出对新加坡人有什么意义。
by 星洲日報
受訪的人力資源公司說，不少中年員工首當其衝被裁退，但不少僱主卻堅持不聘請40歲以上的員工，讓事業的人更難找到新工作。
by Tan Kee Yun, New Paper
It has taken 55 long years for the iconic bunny to finally land on Singapore's shores. And the duo behind the local edition are confident that they will carve out a niche for themselves in the publishing industry.
We are, of course, talking about Playboy.
by Tom Wright, Wall Street Journal
Theaters here increasingly are allowed to take on risqué social and political themes, a sign this tightly controlled Southeast Asian city-state is starting to loosen up.
by Patricia Lee, Variety
Singapore, a small island nation of 4.8 million people and very limited resources, has built a formidable reputation as a can-do society. A prime recent example: the city-state's adoption of high-definition television within a short span of three years.
by 谢燕燕, 联合早报
李显龙总理这次改组内阁和更新政治领导层，最引起政治观察家关注的是张志贤出任副总理，内阁首次出现女部长，以及这次改组只出现一张全新脸孔。
by Alex Altman, Time
Detroit has become an icon of the failed American city, but vast swaths of it don't look like city at all.
by Bernadette Low, SMRT Corporation, Straits Times
We wish to clarify that the frequency of trains at Pioneer MRT station remains unchanged, at two to six minutes during peak hours and five to seven minutes during off-peak hours. This is the same frequency as at Boon Lay MRT station before Pioneer and Joo Koon MRT stations were opened.
by Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
In talking about lifestyle choice, Lee may have left out other factors that is contributing to fewer Singaporeans marrying and producing babies.
by Derrick A Paulo, Today
Dr Fatimah, a Muslim MP, expressed concerns similar to Mr Goh's, that the article might stir emotions along racial lines. Dr Fatimah stoutly attested to her active involvement in various temple activities, such as the birthday of deities and Seventh Month celebrations.
by Lee Chong Meng, The Wayang Party Club
by Huw Jones, Reuters
Asia is still opening up its financial markets to foreign players and countries should not seek to insulate themselves, Singapore's finance minister, Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on Friday.
by Melvin Tan, The Online Citizen
by The Online Citizen
It is instructive to note that the last time Singapore had a major demonstration was in 1988 when the country’s main trade union (which is practically run by the ruling party) organised one against alleged American interference in our domestic affairs; on the other hand, opposition parties have always been denied permission for similar acts. Given this precedent, it is not surprising that many Singaporeans are understandably wary of the government’s actual motivations behind the new Public Order Act.
by Only "Objective" And "Factual" Political Films Please, We're Singaporeans
The first five seconds of the clip speaks volume about the state of parliamentary debates in Singapore.
by AFP / Channel NewsAsia
Port operator PSA International said Friday its 2008 net profit sank an annual 46 per cent as the worldwide economic slump sent trade volumes plunging in the last five months of the year.
by Singapore Social Activist
Senior minister of state for finance Lim Hwee Hua in addressing this recently in parliament, remarked, "Temasek today is completely different from the Temasek at the time of Mr Dhanabalan's". What she failed to address was, "So, what did change?"
by 杨永欣, 联合早报
吴资政指出，芽笼士乃有上百家会馆和华人庙宇，在重大节日时，场地供不应求是正常现象，因此一些华人庙宇申请准证时可能会被拒绝。此外，很多时候，拒绝签发准证的其实是一些政府部门如建屋局或土地局，而不是花蒂玛本人。
by Lim Wei Chean, Straits Times
Yesterday, the casino-resort's chief executive officer Tan Hee Teck said that hotels in theme parks overseas typically charge a higher rate than similar properties in the city.
by Darren Boon, The Online Citizen
Mr Nicolas Bray, Head of Media and Public Affairs & Communications of the OECD, told The Online Citizen: “There is no new ‘OECD list’ of tax havens and we are not quoting any specific number of tax havens.”
by John Burton, Financial Times
How far Singapore is willing to go to disclose information under the OECD rules will be important for the future of its private banking industry, which is a pillar of the financial services sector. An aggressive enforcement of the rules would probably drive away some private banks.
However, if the city-state is able to maintain some degree of bank secrecy, the crisis could prove beneficial in the years ahead. “Singapore is likely to see a bigger inflow of money as western countries raise taxes to finance the bail-out of their local banking systems,” says a Singapore-based private banker.
by Huang Shoou Chyuan, NoFearSingapore
It irks me that even when the details about the "hows" and "how much" of the compensation mechanisms are so sorely missing, an overshelming majority still voted for the law to be passed.
by Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
Mr Goh said: "I do not like the inaccuracy because it suggested that a minority community MP, a Malay MP, could not reach out to the Chinese temple people, (and) the hint that maybe, she, as a Muslim, did not want to reach out to these people. That is the implication."
Goh Chok Tong did not, at least from this report, justify his assertion that the report was inaccurate.
by The Online Citizen
By initiating cases in which the bench has little room for manoeuvre, and whose outcomes would also certainly bolster the critics’ claims about a politicised judiciary, the Chambers could inadvertently be bringing about the very outcome it had sought to prevent.
by Singapore Democrats
While minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew acknowledges that such leaders can come from his own party or from the Singapore Democrats, he continues to ensure that only those in the PAP are presented to the Singaporean public.
by Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen
SM Goh’s ire would be more constructively directed at the backbiting occurring in his grassroots organizations. The mischief he is imputing to the comment is no fault of the reporter: it was a quote sourced from a party cadre in his grassroots organization.
by Jessica Lim, Straits Times
by New Paper
Adult-lifestyle magazine Show East, which was sold at some neighbourhood convenience stores, has now been ordered off the shelves by the Media Development Authority (MDA).
by Yasmine Yahya, Channel NewsAsia
Ninety per cent of start-ups are seeing slower sales this year and 10 per cent have experienced order cancellations as the economic downturn bites into their business. These were the key findings of the latest start-up enterprise survey conducted by the DP Information Group.
by K C Vijayan, Straits Times
While courts here have to heed public opinion, they cannot be led by it, says Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong.
He wants judges, given their experience and understanding of the core values of society, to guide public opinion where there is none or when public opinion is divided over sentences meted out.
by Toh Yong Chuan, Ministry Of Home Affairs, Straits Times
The existing Public Order (Preservation) Act was enacted in the years of our independence to provide for the possibility of curfews and other measures necessary to preserve public order in emergency situations. The proposed Public Order Act is intended to apply to non-emergency situations.
by Nurliyana Abdul Malek, Straits Times
by Robin Chee, Straits Times
I am both shocked and dismayed by Professor Edward Glaeser's short-sighted and highly flawed opinion that a population of 6.5 million would be essentially beneficial for Singapore. His notion that there is nothing unhealthy about living in skyscrapers does not take into consideration the many Singaporeans who wish Singapore would lose its tag as a concrete jungle and focus on creating a city with more 'green spaces'.
by Reuters
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
In this era where countries all over the world from the United States to China are trying to reduce the size of their governments, our cabinet continues to grow and expand at an alarming rate.
by Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Bernama
by Feed Me To The Fish
The day they paid themselves millions, they made a mockery of national service and nation building. The damage is done! Whatever spin that they can come out with to justify their greed will sound hollow.
by Channel NewsAsia
Prime minister Lee Hsien Loong will make several changes to the Cabinet and other appointments, as part of continuing leadership renewal and testing out of younger office holders for broader responsibilities.
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore’s industrial production fell for a fifth straight month in February, the longest slump in eight years, as shrinking global demand for electronics and pharmaceuticals forced manufacturers to cut output.
by Channel NewsAsia
Singapore has seen its worst monthly drop in tourist arrival numbers in six years.
by DPA
Singapore police is investigating a report by a Myanmar national that he was beaten up in a local prison, the Straits Times reported Thursday. Hong Guo, who served one year in Changi Prison and received cane strokes for slashing a taxi driver, was hospitalized with a head injury that required surgery to remove part of his skull last November.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
by Still Me
As a member of ASEAN, it is ironic that Singapore rejects potential labour, right at its doorstep, and chooses to hire Chinese workers instead.
by Leong Wee Keat, Today
Camping has become so popular that permits now have to be applied for on weekends as well, with a quota imposed on the number being given out.
by Simon Midgley, The Times
With a top-class infrastructure and an international reputation for efficiency and friendliness, Singapore is an ever-popular destination for overseas professionals seeking new opportunities in what is, per capita, one of the world’s wealthiest countries.
by Leo Laksi's Bangkok And Back
One of my favorite walks in Singapore is down the Singapore River from Read Bridge near Clarke Quay to the Cavanagh Bridge near the Fullerton Hotel. Along the way is also Boat Quay and its boisterous pub and restaurant Row.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Treating our local students so shabbily will not impress the foreign talents Singapore so desperately needs. On the contrary, it will only convince them more than ever that Singapore is not a place for them to set up their homes.
by 张锡鸿, 联合早报
其实，我国国会选举制度尽管处于瓶颈，然而制度本身却没有什么大毛病。因此，并不需要进行大规模的改革，而只需作出小幅度的调整。
by Barun Roy, Business Standard
Jakarta has chosen Singapore to play the role of a mentor and guide BBK’s development. For foreign investors, there can’t be a better reassurance.
by France 24
I live in Bishan, a relatively small HDB zone (67,400 residents). Letterboxes are intact, there's no graffiti on the walls, no burnt-out cars, no security guards in the supermarkets. This peace and quiet is a big part of the local landscape.
by Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
Despite these approvals, Malaysia will have to negotiate its bilateral air services agreement with Singapore before the carriers can be granted access to the routes.
by Roger Dobson, The Times
It may have a population of fewer than five million, but Singapore has a health system that ranks among the finest in the world. Its doctors, healthcare workers and researchers are at the forefront of medicine, from basic screening, cosmetic surgery and hip replacements, to pioneering work on stem cells, gene therapy, organ transplants and brain surgery.
by Craig Monteiro, Straits Times
Taking street carts away from Orchard Road is like killing all the pigeons at St Mark's Square in Venice. It would still be attractive, but without some of its character and novelty.
by Tay Ai Cheng, National Library Board, Straits Times
These changes will not affect library users who return their materials on time or pay their fines and fees promptly. We are heartened by those who paid their fines and fees. Settling one's fines and fees is the gracious and responsible thing to do.
by Civil Advocator
by Chia Hui Keng, Immigratoin & Checkpoints Authority, Straits Times
In a move to enhance passport integrity and security, the validity period of Singapore passports was reduced to five years from April 1, 2005. Passports with shorter validity allow new technologies to be incorporated more rapidly, thus deterring passport forgery and abuse.
by 光华日报
内阁已经批准飞荧航空提供飞往怡保至新加坡的航班，如果一切顺利，预料可以在今年年中加以落实。
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Mrs Lim pointed out that Temasek was not part of the civil service, but a commercial company wholly owned by the Government.
Is a purely commercial company entitled to funding from the Ministry of Finance if that is the correct term to use? Don’t tell me that the Ministry of Finance is not part of the civil service too?
Temasek is not unique in this sense. There are a lot of commercial companies that are wholly owned by the government. For example, EZ-Link Pte Ltd is a subsidiary of the Land Transport Authority, while Infocomm Investments Pte Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA).
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
One wonders if Minister Lui was confused by one aspect of the change – that of a “blackout period” during electioneering.
When The Online Citizen (TOC) reported in December 2008 that AIMs had indeed recommended such a limitation, AIMs wrote to TOC to clarify that it was, in fact, not recommending a “blackout period”.
by Today
After talks over new licence fees with the Recording Industry Performance Singapore (Rips) fell through, SPH UnionWorks has joined other radio stations in the country and stopped its Internet streaming services.
by David K., The Jakarta Post
Singapore's requests are unreasonable, especially considering they wish to open a military base on Indonesian soil.
by Aulia Rachmat, The Jakarta Post
As an education destination, Singapore is becoming increasingly popular among Indonesian students due to its proximity and reasonable living costs.
by AFP
Singapore might be small but it always thinks big and that goes for the growth of its sports industry, which is booming despite dark economic times.
by 李亦筠, 联合早报
过去一年本地戏院充满变数，除了有因租金太高的太阳广场荣华戏院结束营业，也有30多年历史的黄金戏院改变营业方式，将戏院租出去，第一个租户只放映淡米尔电影。而人口超过28万的勿洛，也撑不起有多年历史的公主戏院，悄然走入历史。位于美芝路邵氏大厦内的太子戏院有约30年历史，也是本地唯一能容纳1200人的大电影院，在国人忙着迎接2009年当天，也悄悄关闭了！
by AFP
Singapore is tightening its rules on outdoor protests as the city state prepares to host its largest international summit amid its worst recession yet, analysts say.
Analysts said that, beyond the APEC summit, the government can use the law to deal with any outbreaks of public frustration as the recession leads to more job cuts and shrinking pay cheques.
by Ministry Of Home Affairs, Singapore Government
Mr John Berthelsen wrote as if he was surprised over being denied entry into Singapore on 17 Mar 2009. He should not be. He is well aware that he is not welcomed in Singapore when his application for renewal of his employment permit was rejected in 1988.
by Peck Bee Choon, Today
I use the cane on my daughter but only at home. I believe that public punishment humiliates the kids concerned and may cause emotional scars that can take a long time to heal.
by Tom Wright, Wall Street Journal
On almost any major street of this affluent Southeast Asian city-state, cranes tower overhead — a reminder of an incredible three-year building boom that now is turning into a bust.
"In 35 years of my career, I've never seen anything like this," says Jerry Tan, a Singaporean broker who sold $1.5 billion of property to high-end clients in 2007 but now has time to sip wine and brood at his office.
by 邓赐涌, 联合早报
by Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
The proposal to allow reimbursement for altruistic living organ donations was accepted by Parliament on Tuesday - but after a heated debate.
by Singapore Democrats
Taken together these laws and the way they are exercised are designed to ensure that public assembly is completely stopped.
This signals one thing: That the PAP is determined to keep itself in power regardless what happens to the country and how unhappy the people get.
by Karamjit Kaur, Straits Times
The compulsory leave scheme, which for now excludes cockpit and cabin crew, could take effect from May, The Straits Times understands.
by K F Seetoh, New Paper
Nothing much that can be done about the bad eggs as long as the vicious cycle is not broken. Many still want a slice of the action and live to tell the story.
by Wall Street Journal
"Neither Ms. Kirkpatrick nor Dow Jones agrees with the substance of the charges or the contempt judgment. Dow Jones is committed to defending the right of The Wall Street Journal Asia to report and comment on matters of international importance, including matters concerning Singapore."
by Bernama
The Singapore High Commission today refuted claims that P. Ramlee Salam, 28, and his former brother-in-law Khamis Muhammad, 50, were fisherman who unintentionally strayed into the republic's territorial waters when confronted by the Singapore Police Coast Guard (PCG).
In a statement today, the High Commission said there was no basis to the report, dated March 23, as both were involved in human smuggling and not fishing as claimed.
by Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Bernama
Singapore authorities have so far not encountered any Rohingya refugee seeking to enter the island republic's waters, its Parliament was told today.
by Jason Goh, Straits Times
by Lionel De Souza, Straits Times
by Channel NewsAsia
Singapore cannot accept Rohingya refugees should they attempt to land but would help them depart for another country, a senior government official said Tuesday.
by Sam's Thoughts
by Kalings Seneviratne, IPS
This tiny island republic sits on trillions of dollars in foreign reserves. Yet, prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a BBC interview this month that his country cannot spend its way out of the economic downturn, until the global economy heals.
by AFP
Plans by Singapore to allow payments to living organ donors have run into opposition from some lawmakers who fear they may draw indebted foreign workers, according to press reports Tuesday.
One deputy, Halimah Yacob, said the large pool of unskilled foreign workers affected by the financial crisis may turn to donating organs to pay off debts they incurred to get jobs in this affluent city-state.
by Irene Chan, Channel NewsAsia
Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, senior minister of state for finance and transport said a subcommittee of the Temasek board had been working since 2005 with incumbent CEO Ho Ching to review successor candidates. Mrs Lim said: "It was a dynamic list. Each year new names might be added while other names might be taken out. The list included candidates from within the company as well as those from outside Temasek, both Singapore and abroad. They included Singaporeans, permanent residents and foreigners."
by Reuters
Singapore, which already has tough restrictions on freedom of assembly, plans to tighten them further ahead of a major Asia-Pacific summit in the city-state.
Under the proposed law, police could prevent activists from leaving home if they knew they were going to a political rally. It would also allow police to order a person to leave an area if they determine he is about to break the law.
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
When a government legislates not against the person conducting an illegal activity but against the one witnessing it, and does so for clearly political purposes, one should know that the government has stepped beyond its moral responsibilities of safeguarding society and has abused its conferred privilege to enact laws.
Indeed, the Films Act amendments show that the government has overstepped the OB markers which society has prescribed for it and is an affront to the preservation of Singapore’s recorded history.
by Chen Peng
到了新加坡才知道，上白班的上班下班天都是黑的，上晚班的上班下班天都是亮.....
by Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, Singapore Government
by Singaporean Skeptic
by Everyday's Life In A Snapshot - For Lesser Mortals Only
I’m still waiting for the admission that you defamed a dead person by baseless speculations and gross untruths. Whoever the reporter was, and the editor too, Shame on you. Sorry for the wrong language, but fuck you people for trying to lie to the masses and defaming a dead person.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
MINDEF’s official statement is grossly inadequate, given that it fails to address the crux of the entire matter: why wasn’t Dr Allan Ooi allowed to break his bond?
by Rachel S Kraut, Today
The adage “Spare the rod and spoil the child” may have some validity, but as an educational philosophy, it certainly doesn’t contribute to creating a self-confident, free-thinking, creative populace.
by Stephen M. Walt, Foreign Policy
I found myself wondering today whether Singapore might be something of a canary in the coal mine on the issues of energy security and adaptation to climate change.
by Bernama
Wisma Putra is still waiting for Singapore's official statement on the West Ponggol incident which reportedly killed a Malaysian and the arrest of his former brother-in-law nine days ago.
"Usually, when an incident such as this happens, our High Commissioner there will be informed but so far, the republic's authority has not done so," said foreign minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim.
by 联合早报
新加坡人和外国人在我国捐肾，是否应该同样获得补还，以补偿长期医疗费用、医药保险和收入损失，在国会引起激烈辩论。
by 联合早报
下回当你碰巧路过并看到一组示威者在大街上抗议闹事时，请别因为感到新奇而拿出手机录下过程，因为这么做可能是犯法的。
官委议员萧锦鸿是参与影片(修正)法案辩论的六名议员之一，也是唯一反对法案的议员。他认为法案并没有如政府所说的放宽对政治影片的管制，反而限制可被允许的政治影片种类。
by 联合早报
如果两家公共交通公司今年申请调高车资、没把它们在财政预算案省下的营运成本同乘客分享，今年的巴士和地铁车资恐怕会上涨多达6至7分钱。
交通部长林双吉昨天在国会回答议员潘惜玉（阿裕尼集选区）有关车资调整幅度的询问时指出，有些舆论者把下月起生效的车资调低配套看成是只有2分钱的减幅，是具有误导性的论点。
by Melissa Sim & Lim Wei Chean, Straits Times
Hawkers who do not hold the correct licence have been warned to take their business away from Orchard Road.
by 938 Live
A woman was killed after being hit by a train at Clementi MRT station early Tuesday morning.
by BBC News
Global trade flows are set to shrink by 9% during 2009, according to a forecast by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The WTO blames the deepening recession for the downturn, but says trade could be "a potent tool" for recovery.
by My Singapore News
How and when have we reached this state of being when ministers and MPs are afraid of the people?
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Singaporeans do not have to be thankful to the PAP for giving us what is rightfully ours. And don’t forget that they always have the means to take back much more from us later on after they are done with the dispensation of the leftover “crumbs”.
by Chan Sue Ling, Bloomberg
by Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen
The final nail in the coffin of liberalizing the legal regime on online political films was driven in today, as amendments to the Films Act were passed by Parliament.
Although TOC disagreed with the extent of the amendments AIMS recommended, the final amendment that passed in Parliament was a complete repudiation of the process of consultation that bloggers, academics, and members of the public had been engaged in for more than a year and a half.
by Nopporn Wong-Anan, Reuters
Singapore passed an amended law on Monday to ease an 11-year-old ban on films that promote a politician or political party, but the amendments also introduce restrictions on dramatized political videos.
by Sylvia Lim, The Workers' Party
In my view, the ability to take criticism and laugh at one self is a sign of society’s maturity, humility and magnanimity. I urge this Government to cultivate such qualities and accept political films as nothing more than an expression of diverse opinion in a healthy democracy.
Singapore has a high literacy rate and high Internet connectivity. Singaporeans have many channels to obtain official and unofficial information. There are also many other laws in place such as the defamation laws, Penal Code and Sedition Act to catch content which is objectionable. Our society should be ready for and work towards a removal of the ban on political films altogether i.e. repealing S 33 of the Act.
by AFP
by Philip Aldrick, Telegraph
Temasek, Singapore’s state-backed investment fund, has offered the beleaguered hedge fund industry a rare show of support by pledging to commit more money to the sector this year.
by 楊明娟, 中央社
新加坡當局23日出現政治上的一鬆一緊。國會通過影片法修正草案，放寬政黨政治影片播映，並修改選舉條例放寬網路上的選舉廣告；但內政部正研擬法案，緊縮戶外集會自由。
by Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
ION Orchard, one of Singapore's largest shopping malls, is set to open this July amid the dismal economic outlook and falling consumer confidence.
by Stacy Teicher Khadaroo, Christian Science Monitor
It's an honored and very selective profession – and teachers are highly paid.
by Goh Meng Seng
Don't be fooled by such sweet sugar coating of words like "Openness", "Loosening of rules" etc etc. The real poisoned beef lies in the details.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
Today, over 5 decades later, those values of democracy and freedom have been distorted and perverted by the ruling party beyond recognition in the name of security and public order. Let us all strongly condemn this tyranny.
by Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times
The prime minister has not appointed the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee, nor has he decided when to do so.
Deputy prime minister Wong Kan Seng yesterday gave this categorical answer to non-constituency MP Sylvia Lim, who wanted to know if the committee - seen as a precursor to a general election - had been appointed.
by Ting Kheng Shiong/Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia
Are town councils maintaining playground equipment regularly? That is the question the parents of a four-year-old boy are asking after he was injured by a rusty metal bar on Sunday night.
by Only "Objective" And "Factual" Political Films Please, We're Singaporeans
While I leave the analyses to the bloggers and commentators, I will just spell out here in layman's terms what the amendments really mean to you.
Whether it is about broadcast television, local press, or political films, take it with a grain of salt whenever the government uses the word liberalization'.
by Felicia Loo, Reuters
Airlines in Asia Pacific are slashing fuel hedges, some to almost nil, after losing billions when oil dived last year, and as risk management costs rise due to volatile markets and credit-wary bankers.
by Reuters
UBS, the world's biggest wealth manager, has axed a team of six private bankers in Singapore, who were managing wealth for Turkish clients, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters on Monday.
by Straits Times
The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) expects to get a lower rate of return for its reserves over the next 20 years than in the past two decades, amid a tougher investment environment, said Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in Parliament on Monday.
by S. Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
Parliament on Monday debated changes to the Films Act, allowing certain types of films which would otherwise be termed party political films.
by mrbrown
by Catherine Lim
Very briefly, Dr Tan portrays the PAP government as an unremittingly patriarchal leadership with zero tolerance for strident female critics who dare make them lose face publicly. And he portrays me as a survivor in such a climate precisely because I have deliberately—or subconsciously—disguised my ‘masculine’ qualities of aggression and confrontation by an outwardly gentle, deferential ‘feminine’ demeanour!
by Angry Angmo
by 中国宁波网
by 中国经营报
一直以“良好治理”为荣，并准备以主权财富基金扩展财富版图的新加坡政府此时面对的是“外患内忧”的窘境。
by Tai Wei Lim, The Asia-Pacific Jounral: Japan Focus
Singapore has achieved some success in combating the scourge of AIDS amongst women. Such progress came against a general backdrop of advancement for women in Singapore society - politically, economically and socially.
by 幼吾, 联合早报
进入了医学院后，父亲还多次强调懂得多种方言的好处，提醒我多学方言多讲方言。他认为不懂病人的方言，就等于不会医病！
by Hip Young Things
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
SAF needs to account to the public why approval to leave the service will only be granted under certain circumstances. Did it include this archaic clause in the contracts offered to SAF scholars?
by Jeremy Thomas, The Times
Make no mistake, Singapore is a buzz to visit, and the relative wealth and standard of living of its citizens shames most cities in the world. Real life has come to bite it, however. And if Singapore, of all places, starts hurting, then the rest of us might as well get used to a lot more pain.
by Channel NewsAsia
Singapore’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for general households was up 6.5 per cent in 2008 mainly due to higher costs of food, accommodation, electricity tariffs, petrol, holiday travel and taxi fares.
by The Lady Melissa
Journalists in Singapore, having for years having to bear the stigma of writing for a village witless newspaper, have become one of the most denigrated, laughed-at and even despised profession. As such, no self-respecting intellectual will ever aspire to join SPH. Thus, only third-rate minds join SPH, and continue to churn out third-rate dribble. Even SPH scholars are third-rate, often having been rejected by other scholarship boards, and the good ones break their (breakable) bonds way before they are up. And so, the vicious cycle continues.
by The Wayang Party Club
On 13th March 2009, a blogger with the moniker “PothePanda” who was also a regular forumer of STOMP and Hardwarezone posted a statement on his blog at Xanga alleging that he was arrested by the police on 2 March 2009 for an article about molotov cocktails posted on STOMP late last year.
by Nasu Dengaku
Singapore and Dubai make for an interesting contrast. They are both small, rich, highly developed one-party city states with strict laws and low crime. However, Singapore spends a lot of money investing in education and public infrastructure and encourages expatriates to become citizens. In contrast, Dubai seems to treat its noncitizens, which make up 90% of the population, as disposable employees.
by Darius Lim, Ministry Of Defence, Straits Times
SAF officers who take up sponsorship have a responsibility to serve the full period of their bonds as substantial resources and time have been devoted to training them. Otherwise they will leave gaps in key positions in the SAF.
Nevertheless, if an officer wishes to leave the service early, he can submit an application through a proper process. Approval to leave the service will be granted only in strong and extenuating circumstances.
by Tun Ah Heng, Straits Times
What they ask for is not to break the piggy bank. But for members who already have funds above the Minimum Sum, why can't the CPF Board release the excess funds to those who are now struggling to live?
by The Wayang Party Club
The netizen going by the moniker “Johnlaw” who posted about 2 staff of Northwest CDC receiving 8 months of bonuses in 2008 on CNA forum had been missing since his sensational allegations stirred a furore in cyberspace in the beginning of March.
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
The first question one would ask is: Why did the minister defend the PCF’s raising fees while urging private operators to “refrain from increasing their fees”?
by Gerald Giam
by Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia
More Singaporean authors are looking to publish their work. Independent publishers have said more authors are approaching them.
by John Moe, Singapore Democrats
The Burmese are overwhelmed with gratitude to the Singaporean activists who stood up for righteousness when they displayed a banner reading “Long Live Aung San Suu Kyi" and placed at the gate of the Burma Embassy in Singapore the bouquet of orchids.
Sadly, it’s not from the PAP.
by The Wayang Party Club
No, Mr Khaw - “doing your best” is not enough. You should be bold enough to proclaim that no Singaporean will be allowed to retire in JB due to cost reasons to reassure every Singapore citizen that they will not be discarded like a used piece of cardboard when their productive shelf-life has expired!
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
The selfish ambitions of one man has stymized the emergence of a real, vibrant and rigorous parliamentary democracy in Singapore for decades because he doesn’t like dissenting voices to challenge him. He wants to rule as he pleases without any questioning or resistance. All his colleagues and subordinates are merely musicians in an orchestra to play the tune according to his wishes.
by The Online Citizen
The law could give the police powers to prevent protesters from gathering at places like Parliament House and the Istana, and to compel them to ‘move on’.
by 联合早报
总理公署的公共服务署指出，因为经济衰退，公务员的花红和薪金减少是预料中事，而全国工资理事会即将开会讨论今年的工资指导原则，到时公共服务部门也将采纳它所公布的原则。
由于工资会将在近期开会讨论今年的工资指导原则，而公共服务部门到时将采纳它所公布的指导原则，公共服务署表示它暂时无法提供关于公务员减薪幅度的数据。
by Samantha Lewis, The Times
by Jeremy Koh, The Wayang Party Club
It’s time MM Lee send his ‘A team’ of ministers and MPs including his son to learn some basic communication skills so that they will stop stepping on the toes of the people.
I think the problem is deeper than "communication skills." There is a serious lack of leadership skills among our ministers and MPs and senior civil servants. It seems they can only lead by dangling money (and priorities in primary school admissions) in front of their followers.
by Rich Kulawiec
There is a larger and more long-term issue here.
Is anybody actually worth a million dollars (to pick an arbitrary and round number) a year -- to society-at-large?
by Yew-Kong Tham, Straits Times
It gives me the impression that NLB is focused on 'bean-counting' instead of its broader vision of giving access to books and media to the masses. I have always admired our libraries, but this new policy is difficult to understand.
by Abdul Khalik and Lilian Budlanto, Jakarta Post
Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono accused Singapore on Thursday of not signing an extradition pact with Indonesia out of fear it would be obliged to return money stashed away by corrupt fugitives who fled to the city state during the 1998-2001 financial crisis.
The Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), also negotiated along with the extradition agreement, seems to have collapsed as well.
by Norlos
You can go months without talking to a New York cabbie, and most Hong Kong taxi jockey don’t speak English. But just about everybody in Singapore speaks English and likes to talk.
by mrbrown
So SPH, why ah? Dowan people to discuss the CDC 8-months bonus topic ah? Or read anything about it ah?
by 李玉申, 鄂商
陈久霖：在新加坡，监狱对犯人的管理是十分严格的。不仅工作(劳动)要听话，日常的生活条件也很艰苦。
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
All we know from Creative’s annual report that Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council was a major shareholder till 2007. We do not know when the shares were bought or sold.
by Loh Chee Kong and Cheow Xin Yi, Today
TODAY has learnt that civil servants — who are awaiting news on their annual performance bonuses and pay increments as the financial year draws to a close — received a circular via email from the Public Service Division (PSD) in the Prime Minister’s Office, priming them to “expect to see a drop in annual salaries” this year.
Like many indicators in our country, the civil servant's salary is a lagging indicator of our economy.
by The Skeptical Optimist
I have to admit that I have a real soft spot for the Esplanade’s Mosaic Music Festival. Into its 5th year now, the festival programmers love charging ahead and challenging the Singaporean prediliction towards safe, boring, MOR (middle of the road) music.
by Tan Chak Lim, Straits Times
I feel that the GRC system obstructs my right and duty to vote, and appears discordant with the Government's stated policy 'to ensure the maximum possible participation by our citizens in the electoral process'
Given that the GRC has helped PAP tremendously win seats, I seriously doubt PAP government will do away with the system. And that will mean that we have to find other means and ways to get our voices heard and our opinions accounted for in Parliament.
by William Tay, Straits Times
Only a medical certificate from a doctor is recognixsed. Without one, my daughter will have to serve a 'corrective order'.
Our over reliance on medical certificates in Singapore is a shame; a simple flu will simply require a (much chepaer) over-the-counter medicine plus plenty of rest.
by Ben Bland, Telegraph
Singaporeans are obsessed with the idea that their little nation is a safe and law-abiding place but, once you get outside the manicured centre of town, this city is in many ways as chaotic as any other.
by Shawn W Crispin, Asia Times
While a populist backlash against perceived corrupt bankers and financiers mounts in the United States, all is comparatively calm in financial hub Singapore, where the state and finance sector are virtually one and the same.
Yet some analysts wonder whether the deepening downturn could eventually spark popular calls for political change to the People's Action Party (PAP)-led government, similar to the mass mobilizations that ousted Indonesia's and nearly toppled Malaysia's entrenched authoritarian regimes amid the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.
by Jeremy Koh, The Wayang Party Club
by The Online Citizen
by AFP
A senior editor of the Wall Street Journal newspaper was fined S$10,000 ($6,590) Thursday for allowing the publication of articles ruled to have attacked the city-state's judiciary.
The Singapore High Court said Melanie Kirkpatrick, a deputy editor of The Wall Street Journal's editorial page, was in contempt of court, on top of an earlier judgment against publisher Dow Jones Publishing Company (Asia) Inc.
by Kostya Fadeev, ArrivedOK
It is better to learn about visa terms from the original source (for instance from the web site of the immigration service of Singapore).
by Santokh Singh and Pearly Tan, My Paper
Looking for the latest Ten-Year Series but can't find it? There is a reason it is missing. The series, popularly known as TYS among students, has run into copyright problems.
by Tang Li, Desparatebeep
Let's be honest here, Mr Lee's obsession with dialects and the Mandarin versus dialect issue has nothing to do with losing out in the modern world and the great China market. It has everything to do with Mr Lee's paranoia of "real" Chinese culture.
by Nopporn Wong-Anan, Forbes
Golman Sachs said on Thursday it has lowered its forecast for Singapore gross domestic product for 2009 to -8.0 percent from -4.0 percent previously as the U.S. economy is expected to contract further in the year, curbing already weak demand for Asian goods.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The speed at which the police arrested Ng almost immediately and their apparent unwillingness to investigate the claims of Madam Tan reflects an incongruity in the handling of cases involving PAP leaders and ordinary citizens.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
by Chee Siok Chin, Singapore Democrats
I have drawn encouragement from the authors of this book. What each of them had gone through gives me strength to continue with my work and struggle for freedom, transparency, dignity and rights for my fellow Singaporeans.
by 暇觅异思
毕竟南大是在1980年关闭的，讲华语运动也已踏入第30个年头了。
by 星洲日報
by Fang Zhi Yuan, Singapore Enquirer
There was a paradigm change in the government’s mindset last week when it was compelled to respond to rumors circulating around on the internet about the bonuses received by CDC staff.
by Village Idiot Savant
Being a very busy city, only senior citizens only have time to loaf around, and that's what this area in Chinatown is for.
by Leong Wee Keat, Today
The man accused of threatening member of parliament (MP) Denise Phua broke down in court on Wednesday as he publicly apologised to her.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
The next logical step for Opposition parties and other political activists to take is to find a way of bringing the ideas that they are currently conveying to the online community to the offline world, through groundwork, activism, and the use of print publications.
by John Berthelsen, Asia Sentinel
You can say one thing for Singaporeans. They have long memories. And if you think the place is loosening up, think again.
by Asia Sentinel
by Bill Johnston, Straits Times
Why is it necessary? Surely buses should have priority?
by Nopporn Wong-Anan, Reuters
Singapore urged Myanmar's military rulers to reconcile with the opposition and engage with West, even as the junta renewed a crackdown on pro-democracy activists.
by Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
Stall No. 43 (Tanglin's Best BBQ Seafood Stall) at Singapore's Newton Hawker Centre has had its licence suspended for three months for overcharging.
by Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
More Singapore icons, landmarks and commercial buildings will be taking part in Earth Hour.
by Channel NewsAsia
by Chia Ti Lik's Blog
by Seelan Palay's Blog
As Singaporeans we want to register our disapproval over the naming of Singapore's national flower, the Orchid, after a leader of the despotic military junta of Burma.
by Straits Times
The diners were also peeved that when they approached STB, they were directed to the National Environment Agency (NEA).
by Susan Fenton, Reuters
Singapore and Taiwan will be emerging Asia's most battered economies this year as the global downturn spreads across the continent, while China will just miss its targeted 8 percent growth rate, a Reuters poll shows.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Less than a day later, both articles were taken down.
by Mitch Kowalski, National Post
That's certainly one way to stifle any discussion of change.
by Channel NewsAsia
The Elections Department said 27 have requested for their names to be included, while 35 objected to the names of people appearing in their constituencies' list of voters.
by The Wayang Party Club
The government should not be so defensive. I am sure Singaporeans will understand and accept its decision if it is able to communicate with us in an open, direct and coherent manner.
by Singapore Democrats
The Singapore High Court dismissed another attempt by the defence to show that the police had acted in bad faith and abused its powers when they arrested Tak Boleh Tahan protesters while allowing a similar event held by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) to take place.
by AFP
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has reported a large drop in passenger numbers and cargo shipments as the worldwide economic slump further hits global aviation.
by Associated Press
Singapore's non-oil exports plunged in February as global demand collapsed, a sign the country's worst recession in decades has deepened in the first quarter.
by Rachel Chung, The Online Citizen
Ms Lee seemed to have missed the point that there is no excuse or justification for violence in any relationship, provoked or not.
by My Singapore News
Is this what we have become? These robbers are not only robbing the tourists and foreigners, they are destroying the Singapore brand and livelihoods of the decent people in the same businesses.
by Dee Kay Dot As Gee
So can someone please justify why some of the staff at North West CDC received 8 months bonus? Did someone managed to find to cure to Singapore’s unemployment rate or something?
by Think For Me, Singapore
Being in the government is now more about making good money. Some moons ago, someone created this monster because they wanted to attract the best talent from the private sector to govern. The intentions may have been pure back then. But once you sit on a pot of gold, you are unlikely to give it up and that's where we are today.
by Patricia Lui, Bloomberg
Investors should sell Singapore’s dollar against the Indian rupee as the city-state’s exports collapse, while domestic consumers bolster demand in the world’s second most-populous nation, Standard Chartered Plc said.
by Random Thoughts Of A Free Thinker
by The Wayang Party Club
Is it reasonable for us to pay heft bonuses to CDC staff who shout at needy customers? Did the customer service officer depicted below receive months of “performance bonuses” too?
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The government’s foreign talent policy is myopic and does not serve to address long-term structural problems in our economy and society. Foreigners have no sense of belonging to Singapore. Neither do PRs many of whom just want to enjoy the best of both worlds. In the end, it is the local-born Singaporeans who are short-changed.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The two names given to me hold mid to senior level positions in Northwest CDC. One of them is a senior manager in charge of a committee while the other is a deputy general manager. Are they low salary staff? Certainly not.
The only way to end all speculations on the ground is to be completely transparent and allow the public to scrutinize its records. If what the authorities had done is open and above board, there is no reason for them to hide anything from us at all. They should communicate openly and honestly the reason behind their decisions to us.
by Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times
Foreigners got the lion's share of jobs created last year, but nearly all of these were in the construction and service sectors.
The construction sector has not been a viable industry for local jobs for a long time. Will the service industry be next?
by Reggie J, New Paper
Most 18 to 21 years old vote more towards liberal than conservative. That should be a simple enough reason to explain why the current government will not lower the voting age from 21. And why Lee Kuan Yew once proposed votes from older folks (who tend to vote more conservative than liberal) carries more weight than younger citizens.
by Paul Tay, Singapore Police Force, Bernadette Low, SMRT Corporation Ltd, Straits Times
Accordingly, the police officer who attended to Mr Poh had explained the situation to him and the procedures involved in lodging a Magistrate's Complaint. In the conversation, the officer had also explained that it would be more difficult for the authorities to pursue investigations if the identity of the assailant was not known.
by 无认屋
by Kelvin Teo, Kent Ridge Common
by David Johnson and Franklin Zimring, New Scientist
Why are some Asian countries clinging to capital punishment while the rest of the world turns away from it?
by Judith Tan, Straits Times
Six Americans who sat down to a seafood dinner at Newton hawker centre on Saturday just about fell off their chairs when they were presented a bill for $491, including $239 for eight tiger prawns.
by Sujin Thomas, Straits Times
This is the man who tried walking across the Pan-Island Expressway on Sunday, causing a five vehicle pile-up that left a motorcyclist dead.
by Timothy Ouyang, Channel NewsAsia
People's Association deputy chairman, Lim Boon Heng, said the Northwest Community Development Council's current reward system is fair and is in line with the civil service's remuneration system.
"In good times and in bad, there are good performers. And I think that particularly in bad times, we need people who give of their best and show example to the rest about what they can do to help the organisation. So, I think we should not begrudge the few people who get very high bonuses," he said.
by Looking For Words
by Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
Why is transparency being released in drips and draps?
by Wall Street Journal
Singapore's attorney general has applied to the country's courts to begin contempt proceedings against a senior editor of The Wall Street Journal's editorial page.
by Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
In the final quarter of last year, Singapore saw a record of 9,410 workers laid off, a 195.9 per cent increase on-quarter, with professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs) among the hardest hit.
by Nopporn Wong-Anan, Reuters
From pizza delivery chains to fancy restaurants, "recession" is now a buzz word on menus of many restaurants and bars in Singapore, a nation in the middle of its worst-ever economic downturn.
by Reuters
Singapore's economy could shrink by 8.5 percent in the first three months of 2009, hit by a downturn in trade, and its currency could lose about 8 percent against the U.S. dollar this year, a central bank survey showed.
by Straits Times
The number of degree holders who lost their jobs rose sharply to 14,800, or 21 per cent in December, up from 6,200, or 14 per cent a year ago, according to the Ministry of Manpower labour market report released on Monday.
by The Online Citizen
I understand that investments in talent is important. But in times like this, I think it is better to help the needy who are struggling to even make ends meet.
Why can't we do both?
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore’s economy this year will probably contract more than economists predicted earlier as companies cut production and fire workers amid declining demand, a central bank survey showed.
by Joyce Teo, Straits Times
Many tenants have petitioned Mapletree, a Temasek Holdings unit, for hefty rent cuts to help them cope with tough market conditions. They are also upset to have missed out on a 15per cent rental rebate granted by JTC Corp as part of the government's Resilience Package.
by Straits Times
Redundancies nearly tripled from 3,180 in the third quarter of last year to a record quarterly high of 9,410 workers in the fourth quarter as the global economic downturn worsened.
by Leong Wee Keat, Today
Rising motor insurance claims have made the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) "very concerned" and it now plans to lobby the government to look into fraudulent and inflated insurance claims in the motor industry.
by 王秋美, 联合早报
显然，当天该职员在电话中向我要了我的电话和其他资料后，竟然没记下来，让我空等一天。
by Deborah Choo, The Online Citizen
by Saeed Azhar, Reuters
Singapore port terminals handled 19.8 percent less containers in February from a year earlier and containers' throughput dropped 6.3 percent from January, according to data from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
by The Wayang Party Club
This is a good opportunity for the People’s Association to fulfil its mission statement by responding to our feedback proactively and consulting us on salary matters pertaining to its staff.
by The Wayang Party Club
I’m not trying to undermine or condemn the scholarship system, but I am just hoping that there will be more flexibility given in the future, in terms of the switching of course subjects to study, the breaking of bonds and the bond term itself.
by Leong Wee Keat, Today
Huge crowds leaving the IT Fair at the Suntec City Convention Centre and a heavy afternoon downpour had driven a mass of human bodies into the underground CityLink Mall.
by Ravi Philemon, The Online Citizen
The ruling party believes that one-party rule represents stability. But whatever the reasons, the question remains: “Will the fascination of the governing party with the Chinese communists pay dividends for them now as it did more than 50 years ago?”
by Zante's World
It should be the peoples choice about whether to chew gum or not, people have the right to do what they want as long as they aren't hurting anybody.
by C.S. Tan, The Star
Squeaky-clean Singapore seems an unlikely place for serial financial scandals to occur.
by Civic Advocator
As your job is to help people, I suppose you could have also taken the step beyond appearing on TV answering questions, to find out if it was true that your staff had received 7 months bonuses. If it is yes, then say yes. If it is no, then say no. Saying “I don’t know” kind of get me worried whether if you are on top of things at Northwest CDC.
by Anonymous X
Sometimes, many of us just want to hear a straight answer without too elaborate an explanation. I know I do.
by The Wayang Party Club
PA’s explanation that it is free to implement any pay structure as it likes because it does not fall under the purview of the Public Service Division is disingenuous. Where does it obtain its funds from? As long the salaries of its staff are paid for by taxpayers’ monies, they are duty-bound to reveal their entire pay structure and bonus scheme.
by AFP
"Ghosts are the same as human beings. They have feelings and emotions as well. How would you feel if you had to shift after living in the same place for 50 years?"
by Md Asri Bin Haji Jamahri, New Paper
Please do not treat visitors like criminals.
by Porimoi Palma, The Daily Star
As the global recession hits Singapore's manufacturing and shipping business, the government of the city-state now focuses on attracting more international patients to its world-class hospitals with competitive price offer to help maintain its economy.
by 七夕雨
by The Online Citizen
by BBC News
Prime minister Gordon Brown and German chancellor Angela Merkel have said the world has "no place" for tax havens.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
Dr Teo’s curt and condescending response drew sharp criticisms from netizens posting comments on Wayangparty blog lambasting Dr Teo for his bluntness and insensitivity.
by Chemical Generation Singapore
Sure do whatever is Machievallian to “punish” the foreign media for their biased support of only Chee Soon Juan and not the other opposition giants in Singapore, however spiteful that so-called punishment is. Nevertheless, singling out individuals in WSJ for further raps on the hand is overkill, and therefore rather counter-productive in terms of Singapore’s political image.
by Reuters
Thein Sein's itinerary has not been made public, but Singapore's Botanic Gardens said it would host an "Orchid Naming Ceremony" for Thein Sein on Wednesday, as part of his official visit to Singapore and Indonesia, a spokeswoman told Reuters.
Singapore, a strong U.S. ally and a growing centre for wealth management, has opposed sanctions on Myanmar and is believed to be home to the generals' offshore bank accounts.
by Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia
An online outcry has broken out over rumours that two staff from the Northwest Community Development Council (CDC) received bonuses of eight months last year, including the 13th month bonus.
When asked about the matter at an event for needy families on Saturday, Northwest CDC's mayor, Dr Teo Ho Pin, said bonuses and salaries of CDC staff are decided by the People's Association (PA) and, in the case of officers, the Workforce Development Agency (WDA).
I think Teo Ho Pin has more or less admitted that there are staff in Northwest CDC that did receive eight months' bonus.
by Oh Chee Siong, Straits Times
by Yaw Shin Leong
The present WP is no longer overly concerned whether a particular GRC is to be broken up etc. From Anson SMC to Eunos GRC to Cheng San GRC, we have seen it all. Even if all of our previously contested GRCs are to be broken up, so be it.
by 林仁余, 联合早报
组屋区没有了邻里商店，大家当然得冲向市镇中心，钻进购物中心里。
by 赵琬仪, 联合早报
坐落在梧槽路的七层楼酒店的拆除工程自上个月28日开始，预计在下个星期五（20日）完成。这家在去年12月结束营业，拥有55年历史的酒店正式走进历史。
by Gimme Some Truth!
Our courts give the impression of one insecure about their credibility. Furthermore, to the people who always held doubts about our courts independence, rather than convincing them otherwise, this move will likely fortify their perceptions that there’s some wrong and biased about our courts.
by Reuters
The move comes almost four months after a Singapore court found the Wall Street Journal in contempt of court for publishing the same three articles, and fined it S$25,000 ($16,580).
by A Blog Day's Work
If this was not a misquote, it shows even PAP members are of the opinion that their party has control over the electoral boundaries and indirectly implies that the electoral boundaries commission, convened before every general election, is not independent.
by Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
Despite the republic’s relatively moderate global standing, the levels of stress and suicides, especially among youths, are rising.
by Reuters
Malaysia's power-to-property conglomerate YTL Corp is planning to revive a project to build a bullet train link between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, a Malaysian newspaper reported on Saturday, citing unidentified sources.
by The Online Citizen
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
While I applaud the opposition parties for starting their ground work now, it is unlikely they are able to win a GRC if there is no paradigm shift in their collective electoral strategy.
by Think For Me, Singapore
by New Paper
While an NUS spokesman said it was the 'first time that an incident of this nature has taken place', some residents of Eusoff Hall told The New Paper that streaking was not a new thing.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
When the chief justice, Law Minister and AG collectively proclaim at the opening of the legal year in the Supreme Court in January that the law “won’t tolerate attacks” on the judiciary, yet the authorities continually allow attacks on the citizenry to go unpunished or even uninvestigated, you know there is one set of rules for the powers-that-be and another for those who are in fact their rightful masters.
by Siena Beanie
by Haro Genki
by Kathleen Kingsbury, Time
Faced with challenging long-term economic prospects and a flagging birth rate, Singapore's leaders have determined that the future of its 4.4 million citizens depends upon attracting multinational corporations along with hundreds of thousands of ambitious, educated (and preferably wealthy) foreigners to work and live there.
by Neel Chowdhury, Time
Due to the global recession, expat bankers, traders and corporate managers have lost their high-paying jobs with multinational corporations. But instead of returning to their home countries, they've decided to stay in Asia, even though it means moving to cheaper housing and giving up privileges that once set them apart from ordinary Singaporeans.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
by Timothy Ouyang, Channel NewsAsia
The Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) said that industry layoffs could surge as early as June, once the Great Singapore Sale is over.
by Jane Ng, Straits Times
The National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University on Friday said they are holding back their fee increase by one year. They have earlier planned to raise fees by between 4 and 10 per cent when the new term starts in August.
by Zakir Hussain, Straits Times
The government is taking a senior editor of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) to court, accusing her of being in contempt of court in three articles published last year.
In the High Court on Friday, justice Tay Yong Kwang granted an application by the attorney-general to start proceedings against Ms Melanie Kirkpatrick, deputy editor of the New York-based financial daily's editorial page.
by Investment Marathoner
SPH finally decides to cut salaries after seeing advertising plunges. They should have done it long ago. This shows the inertia and lethargy in a bureaucratic company.
by Daniel Ling, Information Read By Me
Today, I saw the aftermath of a accident. The accident involves a bike. I only got a glance but I believe that it was a white RXZ. Location is Ang Mo Kio ave 10 area, near the estates with Blocks beginning with 4.
by Foxy Thoughts
We've got the bit about the economy right. We've got an arguable clean, habitable—even enjoyable—city to live in. Now let's get the next bits right.
by Sam's Thoughts
Suicide sends a message, and sometimes it might be a message independent of the "author"'s intention.
by AFP
Singapore remains well short of the 60,000 births it needs each year to enable the population to replace itself naturally, figures showed.
by Channel NewsAsia
The man who allegedly set Yio Chu Kang Member of Parliament Seng Han Thong on fire will continue to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore’s retail sales fell the most in a decade in January as consumers purchased fewer cars, household and luxury goods amid a deepening economic slump.
by The Associated Press
A new 2 billion ringgit low-cost air terminal to be built by 2011 will make Malaysia a major regional travel hub rivaling Singapore and Thailand, and be a boon for homegrown budget carrier AirAsia, the country's airport operator promised Friday.
by Singapore Department Of Statistics, Singapore Government
Retail sales in January 2009 declined by 8.3% over December 2008. Excluding motor vehicles, the sales fell by 5.7%. On a year-on-year basis, retail sales in January 2009 declined by 12.2% over a year ago. Excluding motor vehicles, the sales declined by 3.3%. (Note: Link goes to a PDF document.)
by My Thoughts...
by 郭伟伟, 新华网
新加坡是世界上公认的住房问题解决得比较好的国家之一。因此，研究和借鉴新加坡低收入者住房保障制度的成功经验，对于我们具有积极的借鉴意义。
by Jacob's Weblog
by Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times
President S R Nathan has given his formal consent for the Government to draw on past reserves to finance part of the $20.5 billion economic package unveiled in January.
by Eugene Yeo and Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
We need to have different voices in our society to balance and counter one another in the court of public opinion. Let the people be the judge. It is both dangerous and foolhardy to depend on only one single source of information without listening to all sides of the story and with the ruling party forcing its own yardstick of credibility right down into our throats.
by John Burton, Financial Times
Plans by the Singapore Exchange to become a regional trading centre for Chinese stocks suffered a setback on Thursday as one of the last two Chinese shares included in the main Straits Times index was dropped. In addition, new allegations surfaced about possible accounting irregularities involving one of several Singapore-listed Chinese companies, or S-chips.
by The Online Citizen
Admittedly, it is still early in the recession, but the initial public reaction to a recent litany of letdowns is nevertheless instructive: frustration and disbelief at revelations of losses at the country’s sovereign wealth funds, compounded by unease that the government might still be withholding the full story; disquiet over the incessant stream of retrenchments and the seeming impotence of labour unions; incredulity that a government minister renewed his suggestion that Singaporeans should retire in cheaper overseas homes.
by My Paper
Two in five young women here had been sexually harassed on public transport like buses and trains. To make matters worse, more than 95 per cent of them kept mum and did nothing about it.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
"Whatever he wrote in the letter about having his bond extended against his will etc is true. It has happened to many saf docs… there are many of us stuck in this system now."
"His calling was to heal and help others. He had the means to but not the chance to."
by Florence Chong, The Australian
In less than a year, one of the world's top 10 property investors, the Singapore-based GIC Real Estate (GIC RE), has lost more than $360 million in just two investments in Australia.
by Lisa Jucca, Reuters
The OECD praised recent moves by Singapore, Hong Kong, Andorra, Isle of Man, Liechtenstein and the Cayman Islands.
"Moves by a number of financial centres over recent weeks have given a welcome boost to efforts to promote transparency
and exchange of information on tax matters," OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said in a statement.
by Samuel Ee, Business Times
There is room for another public transport operator here, a local economist said.
by Susan Long, Straits Times
Now that Singapore is stalled by the world's deepest slump yet, it is time to start a national conversation on its identity and values as a nation.
by Ong Lay Teap, Straits Times
The fluorescent lights are switched on even during sunny days. The lights serve no purpose as the underpasses are very bright.
by Channel NewsAsia
Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) is cutting the pay of its 3,000 staff by between 2% and 10% from next month. SPH said in a statement that the actual pay cut will depend on each staff's current pay package.
Channel NewsAsia is published by MediaCorp, who has joint operations with SPH in television and newspaper operations.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Sin Ming chose to leave out the most critical sentence of Dr Ooi’s letter - “That (work) was certainly the main cause of the severing of ties“. At that time of his departure, Dr Ooi was very angry at SAF purportedly for not allowing him to break his bond, not because he was heart-broken. Shame on Sin Ming to attempting to pull a wool over our eyes again to smear the poor doctor who is unable to defend himself!
by Channel NewsAsia
The Ministry of Home Affairs said Mohamed Ellias Mohamed Khan and Ja'afar Mistooki were released on January 5 this year.
Both men were arrested in December 2001 and detained under the ISA in January 2002 for their involvement in the JI's plans to mount terrorist attacks against several targets in Singapore.
by CPF Board, Singapore Government
by AFP
Seven local and international animal welfare groups have launched an online campaign opposing plans by a Singapore casino developer to import whale sharks for its planned oceanarium.
by 李亦筠, 联合早报
经济前景乌云密布，办“国际性”的电影节是不是困难重重？
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
We need to know what exactly happen so that we will not see a repeat of such tragedies again.
by 穆军, 联合早报
几年前，时任人力部长的黄永宏医生面对低迷的新加坡服务水平，自嘲说新加坡人没有服务DNA，几年过去，言犹在耳。如今经年累月，局势变化，难道我们还没有警醒？
by Most Of The Time
The intercom blasted to life, ordering us out of the MRT through the driver's cabin. Through it, we heard the distinct siren of an ambulance. We knew what had happened.
by Lediati Tan, New Paper
Focus on the economy. Now is not the time for politics.
These are the views of an overwhelming number of Singaporeans polled by The New Paper.
by S Murali, New Paper
If you believe in something, shouldn't you lead by example?
by Veena Bharwani, New Paper
An education ministry spokesman said that schools need to keep track of staff members to ensure that student activities are looked after and classes are attended to. But schools have the liberty to decide how they want to keep track of their teachers.
by Kimberly Spykerman, Straits Times
The Tanjong Pagar Town Council announced on Wednesday plans to appoint an independent panel to investigate the fall of Siti Nur Aini, 7, who plunged four storeys through a gap in a metal railing at her home on Sunday afternoon.
by Matthew Saltmarsh, New York Times
by mrbrown
I don't know which is worse. The ignorance of Singapore history or the ignorance of the various meanings of the word "Gay".
by Anna Willard, Reuters
Switzerland, Luxembourg, Austria, Singapore and Hong Kong will be added to the OECD's list of non-cooperative tax centres, French newspaper La Tribune said on Wednesday, without giving details of its source.
The newspaper said the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development would include around 30 countries out of 84 that were examined.
by AFP
Singapore's much better air quality, low crime rates and good services give it the edge over other Asian capitals like Hong Kong, where pollution is a big drawback, human resources consultancy ECA International said today.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
I refuse to take this episode at face value, especially coming from a politician not exactly known for his graciousness in admitting his errors. MM Lee’s initial remarks clearly reveal that he had knowledge of Temasek’s internal succession planning and that no Singaporean within Temasek was up to the job of CEO in his honest opinion.
His backtracking is evidently made to ameliorate the backlash that would arise from inadvertently admitting that the PAP system has failed to produce talents capable to running the show.
by Rubenerd
I’m going to be blunt, it’s for the same reason why internet radio has been stifled so many times in the US: arrogant old media authorities who pretend to be working in the interests of artists and the public when in fact they’re trying to milk their dying cash cows for all they’re worth and crush new technologies that could be percieved as a threat.
by Everyday's Life In A Snapshot - For Lesser Mortals Only
It is time Singaporeans truly question PAP’s real role in Singapore’s development, and step up the ante to push for change that Singapore clearly need, and not clearly accept what the PAP government has to tell us about what they have done in the past.
by Kevin Lim, Reuters
Singapore Airlines, the world's biggest airline by market value, has asked staff to take unpaid leave for up to two years in a bid to reduce costs.
by Mayo Martin, Today
After an amendment to the Copyright Act in December, broadcasters here have been locked in talks with the Recording Industry Performance Singapore (RIPS).
A MediaCorp spokesperson explained to Today that, previously, radio stations were exempted from paying record companies when the songs played over the Internet were part of a radio simulcast, but now this exception only applies to broadcasts over the airwaves.
Please note the inherent conflict of interest while reading this article: Today is published by MediaCorp, which also operates a number of internet radio streams. Similarly, if you are reading the Straits Times, remember, too, that SPH operates a number of internet radio streams in its partnership with NTUC.
by Denis Edward, Today
A lengthy pause from this type of study can hinder their knowledge of the trade and may affect their examination results in universities.
by Loh Chee Kong, Today
As the United States on Monday lifted barriers on embryonic stem cell research, and with South Korea set to also review its ban, Singapore could see its influx of international scientists slow.
But while the latest developments could dim Singapore’s allure a little, any impediment to its research efforts would “not be significant”, said scientists here — especially when set against the boost the new US policy is expected to bring to international stem cell research.
by Young Upstarts
It’s not about the lack of money. There are good schemes out there for startups to tap on. I am referring to the lack of a support system - the media, for example, and legal, financial, public relations and other kinds of consultancy services that cater to the unique needs of a startup.
by Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia
It seems clear that older developments like Shaw Centre need to redevelop soon or risk losing tenants to newer malls.
by Linda Ho, Straits Times
I am frustrated and helpless as a pedestrian against reckless cyclists riding along pedestrian walkways.
by Chad In Singapore
Until my weekend excursion I mistakenly believed I was exploring the “real” Singapore by adventuring past the malls and instead slipping through alleyway markets far from the financial district.
by Jakarta Globe
The agreement, which ends five years and eight rounds of negotiations, defined a 12.1 kilometer-stretch along the western segment of the two countries’ joint maritime border.
by The Australian
In a submission to the National Aviation Policy lodged last week, the Singaporeans ramped up their rhetoric as they renewed their call for increased liberalisation of international air routes into and out of Australia.
by 扬梓, 扬子晚报
by The Wayang Party Club
"I asked if staff got 7-8 months bonus. It is a general and justified question to ask as funds come from tax payers. It is therefore not out of order to ask this simple question and receive a direct reply esp in the face of many people losing their jobs and having their salaries cut."
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
With statements so short of details and full of inconsistencies, it appears that the press release issued today is nothing more than a damage control exercise to minimize the fallout from his earlier indiscretion. That MM Lee finds it fit to issue a press release to clarify his remarks made last week while many of his words in previous are still yet to be held accountable for is a reflection of the rising public tension and resentment on the ground.
by Crazy Life
实习的第二周，到今天终于给其中一个班上了一节华文课。结果是惨痛地失败了。
by Lau Joon-Nie, Channel NewsAsia
Temasek Holdings has informed Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew that internally, it has several candidates – mostly in their late-30s and 40s – with CEO potential.
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
This year's retrenchment figures are likely to bust the record of 29,000 jobs lost in 1998 during the Asian financial crisis, according to Singapore National Employers Federation’s (SNEF’s) president, Stephen Lee.
by Alfred Siew, Techgoondu
I’d say this watershed, now that we’ve reached it, should mark the start of even more efforts to bring broadband to those who don’t have it.
by Au Waipang, Yawning Bread
That police work and the practice of law is never perfect and has continuously to be improved, is hardly news. In Singapore however, it should be, because the improvements that are needed are so fundamental. Why are things so backward here?
by Straits Times
Singapore has become a more expensive city to live in, according to a survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit . It moved up five notches - from 15th spot six months ago - to become the 10th costliest city to live in the world, said the EIU in a survey on the worldwide cost of living released on Monday.
by Kevin Lim and Saeed Azhar, Reuters
A Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC) official said on Tuesday he expects more forced selling of assets by investors in the next 12-18 months as the "de-leveraging" in financial markets continues.
by Ian On The Red Dot
Singaporeans need to leave Singapore to grow. Away from the eyes of well-intentioned and kaypoh friends, we have a chance to change.
by Singapore Democrats
Melodramatic? Alarmist? No, we call it like it is.
by For Everything There Is A Season
Sengkang Library is probably the only library (and I frequent libraries all over Singapore) that has no proper chairs and not a single table.
by Jeremy Koh, The Wayang Party Club
While we should not shut our doors completely to foreigners, the interests of Singaporeans must come first during this difficult period. Save for jobs requiring special skills and rejected by Singaporeans, hiring companies should be mandated to fill up all vacancies with locals first before turning to foreigners.
by Ceritalah, The Star
Past achievements and former glories amount to very little in the face of mounting expectations from increasingly well-educated and demanding voters, especially during periods of economic uncertainty.
by 沈如正, 联合早报
以后乘客上车仍照旧在车上打阅卡器，下车却在车站打阅卡器以付车资，这样乘客就没有在车上早几站打卡“吃车资”的机会。
The problem with ideas such as these is that the process break down horribly during exceptional cases, punishing honest users hard.
by Chong Wan Yieng, Press Secretary To Minister For Law, Today
As was mentioned in our earlier letter, our legal heritage is a broadly worded Constitution. We can either maintain this approach, or we can adopt an elaborate one, seeking to make all implicit rights express. Some governments have done so. But having express voter rights in a Constitution is not necessarily an effective safeguard against an unknowable and possibly unjust future.
by Ed Tan, Today
I see the fundamental problem is the existence of loan sharks and their tactics; the root of this problem lies with MHA, not HDB.
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
Prospects look bleak for some job-seekers if a recent survey by HR firm Manpower Staffing Services is anything to go by.
by 研究生的呢喃自語
台灣的王八蛋立委、亂七八糟的政務官，口無遮攔、腦袋沒腦漿的內閣團隊，我不知道你們怎麼敢跟新加坡比政務官薪水呀？
by 兴建中华
新加坡的这些动作并不是简单的不友好，也不是无足轻重的姿态，而是非常恶毒的蓄意伤害，是趁人之危落井下石、企图一举置中国于死地的敌对行动。
by Channel NewsAsia
Designed and built as a sculpture, the Merlion did not include a lightning conductor. However, STB is now studying the possible lightning protection measures for the Merlion Park to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
by AFP
Asian governments need to roll out fresh stimulus measures to stop their economies from sinking further as the region reels from collapsing exports, regional analysts said.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
It is a national shame for taxpaying citizens to depend on the ruling party perpetually for handouts and for our vote to be held ransom by it.
by Darren Boon, The Online Citizen
When news of a stabbing incident on the Nanyang Technological University campus broke on Monday morning, the mainstream media descended like a pack of wolves onto the story. However, the likes of OMY, Today, Channel News Asia, Asia One, and to a certain extent The Straits Times, had misrepresented information in their stories.
by Darren Boon, The Online Citizen
When news of a stabbing incident on the Nanyang Technological University campus broke on Monday morning, the mainstream media descended like a pack of wolves onto the story. However, the likes of OMY, Today, Channel News Asia, Asia One, and to a certain extent The Straits Times, had misrepresented information in their stories.
by Ang Kian Chuan, Straits Times
by Carene Poh, Straits Times
An increase in the variation of sentences would give judges more discretion and so better ensure that justice and fairness prevail in sentencing.
by Rhea Tan, Straits Times
I appreciate that the Government has emphasised the use of good English and Mandarin to engage China and other countries. However, I completely disagree that encouraging the learning of dialects is 'stupid'.
by Jason Chua, Straits Times
by Tan Mae Lynn, New Paper
by Lediati Tan, New Paper
Nine years ago, I participated in a flag day for my secondary school's community involvement programme. For my efforts, I received a certificate of appreciation.
But guess what? Next to my name on the certificate was a handwritten remark: 'could collect more next time out'.
by Au Waipang, Yawning Bread
A political manifesto should address the areas which need work in the coming term of office. Of course, if one had the time, it could be an infinitely long list, but here I will just keep it to the top ten priorities. These ten are, in my view, the key areas where the present situation falls far short of ideal, from the point of view of a liberal.
by Sira Habibu, The Star
The Chinese associations here have called on the Transport Ministry to allow AirAsia to fly direct between Singapore and Langkawi to boost tourist arrivals.
by Life And Its M&Ms
If this is the true stance of the government, then today, a little part of me, and a little part of my heritage, died.
by 刘畅
新加坡地方很小，语言却很多元化，英语、华语、马来语、印度语，还有粤语、闽南语。这里几乎所有华人都会至少两种语言，英语和华语。和欧美人比，新加坡人的华语说的比欧美人好，这是优势；和中国人面比，新加坡人的英语说的比中国人好，这也是优势。可是即使会说两种语言，恐怕也只能在新加坡这个小地方使用，这种优势也只能在这个小国家体现出来。
by Diary Of A Singaproean Mind
Yes, ERP is beneficial to those who don't drive and don't pay ERP like myself. But I wonder what people who have no choice but to drive through it every morning think about it.
It's a mistake to think that there are people with no choice. There's always a choice. It's whether you want to take the compromise.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
After he is long gone, he will be put into the rightful place together with other dictators like Suharto and Mahathir who curbed the civil rights of the people and democratic institutions of the land to serve to preserve and perpetuate their political hegemony.
by Ian Tan, Empty Vessel
Why do you think people leave Singapore and never want to come back? You teach them languages that are global, but you don’t let them hear and absorb languages that will keep them rooted.
by Terence Lee, The Online Citizen
Things may not be what they seem.
by Feed Me To The Fish
by Singapore Bus Page
This was one early opportunity for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to showcase its role as the better planner of integrated travel, which it could have done by altering the bus routes (such as feeder services 242 and 243) in tandem with the opening of the two new train stations. At most, if it wants to reduce confusion amid all the hype, effect the changes by this weekend. If major nationwide changes could be carried out during the rationalisation phases in the 1990s, surely this would seem like child’s play for the planners up there?
by Civic Advocator
If you show people respect, I show you respect. If you don’t show people respect, then I say **** off!
Please Chee, don’t anyhow call people stupid. I know some very smart people who do not even know how to speak English.
by Deng Chao, The Online Citizen
Ignorance and bigotry are foolishness. Recognition of the heritage of our forefathers, and respect for diversity of our nation are not.
by Andrew Torchia, Reuters
Singapore state investor Temasek has promised not to sell its shares in Bank of China through at least the first half of this year, the bank's chairman was quoted as saying.
by Everyday's Life In A Snapshot - For Lesser Mortals Only
Since when did he become an authority to speak on how dialects affect the use of languages? I personally learnt to speak dialects when I was young by just listening long enough to my parents’ conversations and I don’t think my Chinese and English was ever affected by it.
by 莊諾的博客
by 星洲日報
新加坡內閣資政李光耀指出，由社會上的成功者主動對弱勢群體伸出援手，所帶來的成效更大，受惠者也會心存感激。他說，反觀由政府資助的福利計劃，是沒有情感聯繫的援助，往往被人們視為理所當然。
by Reuters
Singapore has agreed to endorse the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standard for the exchange of information through Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs), the finance ministry said.
The ministry planned to amend laws in the middle of this year before seeking a parliamentary approval, it said in a statement released late on Friday.
by Christopher Tan, Straits Times
To the commuter, there is nothing "premium" about the NEL or CCL if they discount the million-dollar art installations gracing their stations.
Fully underground MRT lines free up land, a scarce commodity in Singapore. The Government makes billions when it sells land above these lines. Often, the land sales pay for the cost of the entire line.
by Ginny Goh, Media Development Authority, Straits Times
Subscription TV is a medium of choice and so more leeway is given. Subscription TV can carry content which is rated 16 or 18. However, there are also similarities. As Singapore is a multiracial society, there are key social values that are upheld in all our content codes. They include the need to be sensitive to content that is against the national interest, or which undermines social values, race and religion.
by Groundnotes
The truth is, the PAP government has never seen universities as sites of enquiry for enquiry’s sake or knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Perhaps the tumultuous student politics on campus during the 1950s and 1960s had something to do with this. Instead, the government sees universities as a place to produce people with the right skills for the market.
by Teoh Song Keng, Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
The Housing Development Board (HDB) said it's on track to complete its Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) by 2014.
by Jeanette Scott, The Australian
A hot chilli shoved up my nostril seems an interesting way to start a morning that's shaping up to be equally full of heat. I am ambling about the lush confines of Fort Canning Park overlooking Orchard Road in the heart of Singapore.
by Asia Sentinel
UBS's problems come home to roost in the island republic.
by Eugene Yeo and THomas Lew, The Wayang Party Club
by Today In Singapore
Maybe he’s mellowing. Maybe it’s China, and not any other Asian country. Maybe he remembered that, once, when he commented on the China-Taiwan tension, Deng Xiao Peng put him in his place with: “This is between family, you are not family.”
by Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia
This is the lowest rate in four years since April 2005.
by Costas Paris, Wall Street Journal
Government of Singapore Investment Corp. is considering a number of long-term options following its decision to convert its multibillion-dollar investment in Citigroup Inc. preferred shares into common stock, including a gradual reduction of its stake, according to people familiar with the matter.
by UPI
by Bernama
Community airline, Firefly remains upbeat about securing the Singapore route despite the fact that it has yet to secure the green light from the Ministry of Transport.
by The Fire In My Life
New legislature forming to stop the streaming of 'live' Internet radio in Singapore?
by Singapore Democrats
Because the PAP has absolutely no intention of allowing the opposition to win power through elections.
by James Gomez
Online civil disobedience is an important concept to mull over because in Singapore’s short internet history, it possible to make the claim that online civil disobedience is a precursor to the current offline civil disobedience which is organised with the help of online mobilization tools.
by Singapore Democrats
District judge Chia Wee Kiat disllowed the defence to submit video evidence showing a protest and march by the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE).
by Fiona Chan, Straits Times
"It's got nothing to do with bad investments," said Lee Kuan Yew, "because when you go in aggressively into the market you must take the knocks when the knocs come."
by Keith Bradsher, New York Times
As trade withers around the world and freighters sit empty at anchor, some of the most vulnerable economies are proving to be small, extremely globalized trading centers like Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan — and that is prompting a rethinking of their economic development strategies.
by Koh Yina and Teng Jing Wei
“People with opinions have always expressed their thoughts, but now, with the new media, they can bring it to a bigger audience,” said ambassador Ong Keng Yong, chair of the seminar on the political blogosphere in Singapore, held at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).
by Cheng Shoong Tat, Straits Times
by Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia
Minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew said on Wednesday he does not see any purpose in having elections before 2011.
by 星洲日報
美國2家報章最近不約而同報導，新加坡的旅遊景點日趨多元化，夜生活也越來越精彩，整體來說更有吸引力了。
by Kevin Lim and Neil Chatterjee, Reuters
The portfolio of Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC has fallen about 25 percent from its peak, partly because it was too hasty buying into toxic asset-hit global banks, the city-state's most influential minister said.
Lee Kuan Yew said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday that the asset managers of the Government of Singapore Investment Corp (GIC) had pared equity holdings before the crisis from about 60 percent of the portfolio to 45-50 percent.
by Straits Times
by The Associated Press
Las Vegas Sands Corp., which suspended construction last year at two sites in Macau, said Wednesday it's on schedule to open a $5.4 billion Singapore casino resort in December. The casino operator said most of the 2,500-room Marina Bay Sands will be ready by the end of the year. It will be Singapore's first casino.
by AFP
Asian low-cost airlines are offering dirt-cheap tickets to perk up travel during the summer holidays amid the global economic downturn.
by 李静仪, 联合早报
即将在三个月后局部通车的地铁环线系统的车资，可能高于现有的南北和东西线列车收费，它预料会采用类似东北线列车的“高优”（premium）车资结构。
by 吴淑贤, 联合早报
这个用了大约20年的侦速机，近几年被公众和汽车网民认为是早上繁忙时间朝市区和傍晚繁忙时间往北行驶的交通阻塞罪魁祸首。
by 林佩碧, 联合早报
全球经济不景，导致本地消费者的腰带紧缩，好几家快餐店集团和餐厅最近不约而同掀起套餐削价战，大打经济实惠牌，希望吸引消费者上门。
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
I am writing to you express my concern over rumors circulating in cyberspace lately about Northwest CDC staff getting 8 months bonus including AWS in 2008. May I know what justify their 7 month bonuses (if the allegations were true) during such tough times when Singapore’s economy is mired in recession and is poised to contract between 5% and 8% this year ?
by Arul John, New Paper
Lawyer A P Thirumurthy said Judge Liew's order was in accordance with the sentencing guidelines for Tan's offences, but the Controller of Immigration has the authority to impose more restrictions because of his passport offence.
I'm a bit surprised to learn that, according to ICA, "issuance of passports to Singaporeans is a privilege" and not a right. Something doesn't seem right.
by Gerald Giam
Imagine if Internal Security Department (ISD) officers — who are civil servants — are monitoring opposition party conversations and emails, and are reporting all their election strategies to the Prime Minister! I sure hope this is not happening, because I think the ISD and the PAP will lose every remaining shred of credibility if they do revolting things like that. If they don’t, then the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) should come out and strongly rebut this accusation by the US and state clearly that nothing of this sort happens in Singapore.
by Goh Chin Lian, Straits Times
More than 10,000 workers are likely to be laid off in the first three months of this year, said labour chief Lim Swee Say who gave an early estimate of retrenchment numbers on Tuesday.
It is an increase from 7,000 layoffs in the previous quarter, but analysts believe the final figures for January to March could be higher.
by Lam Chun See, Good Morning Yesterday
I think the SAF should learn a lesson from this tragedy at NTU and step up their vigilance.
by Asiya Bakht, Media
The global economic crisis is beginning to make its presence felt in the creative agency world in Singapore, with reports of staff layoffs and pay cuts for senior management.
by Lee Weijia, The Online Citizen
This extended time away from home has given me a greater appreciation of what Singapore has – and does not have. It’s a case of not knowing what you have until you’ve lost it, and not knowing what you lack until you have seen it. This trip has been all that I expected, and so much more.
by Singapore Democrats
The need for transparency and accountability in PAP government's economic policy was highlighted at the Reform Party's (RP) forum, Singapore Budget 2009: Alternative Policies, to address the recent budget unveiled by the Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
by Huang Shoou Chyuan, NoFearSingapore
I still am convinced that one must have the testicular fortitude (balls) to stand up for what one believes in. We cannot help what our friends and relatives think about our political stands, but to live our lives cowering behind false camouflages is just plain “sad”. And bloggers who only make anonymous comments which are nothing more than unconstructive barbs and diatribes are childish ( and should be ignored just as we ignore children’s antics).
by 赖诗琳, 联合早报
新加坡旅游局发言人受询时，表示无法确定鱼尾狮在事故前是否装有避雷针。
by 黄康玮, 联合早报
前后兴建三年多、全长3.8公里的文礼延长线在上星期六正式通车，舒缓了文礼地铁站在周末的拥挤情况。
by Jennifer Gomez, New Straits Times
Singapore's NTUC FairPrice, a cooperative retail chain that serves over a million customers daily, is a runaway success in the republic.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
The glaring double standard in the government’s handling of protests by Singaporeans and foreigners is becoming too embarrassing even for the local media to publish.
by 万建辉, 长江日报
2009届大学毕业生沈婷专门搜索国外招聘单位，尽可能创造条件参加这些企业在国内的面试。目前，她已在新加坡最著名的老字号百货公司——“美罗百货”上班。
by Chong Wan Yieng, Press Secretary To The Minister For Law, Today
Mr Lee’s concern that a future government may seek to illegally restrict the right to vote is not going to be addressed by expressly setting out the right to vote in the Constitution, given that it is already accepted that the right to vote is a Constitutional right.
Nor is it practicable to set out in great detail, in the Constitution, how the right to vote should be exercised. That should be and is set out in other legislation.
by Kevin Lim, Reuters
by Lim Swee Say, Government Whip, Straits Times
Parliament has advised that there is an error in the number for Feb 5. It should be 89 and not 93. My apologies for the error which was due to a miscomunication between the Whip and Parliament.
by Sarah Chong, Straits Times
I am surprised SBS Transit did not work with SMRT to launch new bus services in the area to cater to residents' needs when the new MRT extension went operational.
The bus services, it seems, are in a limbo right now, as the bus companies gave up their roles in proposing and amending bus routes, while LTA has not fully taken up the role of planning and tendering new bus routes.
by Elections Department, Singapore Government
The revised Registers of Electors for all 23 Constituencies (14 Group Representation Constituencies and 9 Single Member Constituencies) have been completed and will be exhibited for public inspection from 3 March 2009 to 16 March 2009 at the Elections Department, the Inspection Centres for the respective Constituencies and at nine Overseas Registration Centres. During this period, online checking of the Registers of Electors may also be made via the Elections Department's eServices provided at its website (www.elections.gov.sg).
(Note: Link goes to a PDF document.)
by David Reilly, Bloomberg
The issue is the conversion terms. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation Pte Ltd. and a few other big holders of convertible preferred stock such as former Citigroup Chief Executive Sanford Weill and his family trust could get a better deal than many run-of-the-mill investors who hold regular preferred stock.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Does Mr Lee seriously think he can convince Singaporeans by using the same “long term perspective” argument again and again in a circular manner?
by Reuters
by Au Yaipang, Yawning Bread
377A is being used as a bargaining chip to get a guilty plea.
by Au Yaipang, Yawning Bread
by Ravi Philemon, The Online Citizen
by 陈能端, 联合早报
和去年同时期相比，全国旅行社协会旅游展的访客人数和营业额双双下跌。不过，大多受访业者表示，国人对旅游的需求仍然强劲，而且销售成绩减少主要是因为旅游配套变得更便宜了。
by AFP
An attempt by Southeast Asian leaders to prove their commitment to human rights backfired at their weekend summit, mainly due to Myanmar's military junta, analysts and activists said.
by A Lesser Mortal
When leaders consider “Welfare as a dirty word” and seriously go about effecting this concept, they cannot and will not be able to attract followers who will be willing to die for them.
Our so-called ‘leaders’ are not natural leaders. They cannot easily command the respect of the people in times of crisis. They can be considered as good administrators and, may be, good technocrats and managers too. But definitely not leaders in the truest sense of the word.
by Yuxiang's Corner
by New Straits Times
Sabah has become a choice destination for those living in Singapore thanks to the global economic downturn which has seen short-haul and regional flights becoming more popular.
by Tim Johnston, Washington Post
Southeast Asian leaders concluded a two-day meeting Sunday that was dominated by the search for a coordinated response to the economic crisis but fell short of coming up with specific remedies.
by Ponderings Of A Pandarific Po
I understand and support the theory behind reservist training, but the kind of training we do and the mentality behind it?
by Daniel Ten Kate and SHamim Adam, Bloomberg
"Asean's biggest problem is that the individual members haven't been willing to sacrifice for the common good," said Michael Montesano, a visiting research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.
by The Wayang Party Club
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
This is blatant insensitivity towards Singaporeans who are struggling to make a living and who find themselves competing against a horde of unskilled foreign labour due to an inability of the authorities to properly enforce existing regulation.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
Being a strong government as so often proclaimed by the PAP, it should not be afraid to put its track record under intense public scrutiny. Is Mr Lee afraid that he will not garner a respectable approval rating for his stewardship of the nation since the last general election?
The PAP government has a habit of saying that the election is the only way of gauging people's choice. In between, the government can damn well do whatever it wants.
by S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
Prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said that despite the gloom, Singapore is not in a bad position.
Stop thinking of your job that has been lost. Think of other people's job that has yet to be lost when you go vote.
by 李慧玲, 联合早报
这次危机与2001年“九一一”事件发生后面对恐怖主义威胁的形势不一样。低收入者、专业人员、经理、执行员及技师（PMET）均受到冲击，人们的饭碗普遍受影响，情绪不一样。而遴选候选人、制定选举策略，都需要分神，因为恰恰是在这样的时候，行动党更不能允许在选举中出现万一，动摇国内外信心。以负责任、为岛国做长远计划建立权威的执政党此时是不是更需要集中精力？行动党的秘书长，即岛国的总理，此时不是更应该沉着应付眼前的难关？
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.