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You are here in the archive: SingaporeSurf > 2009 > April
by Irene Ngoo, Straits Times
Singapore on Thursday raised the Mexican swine flu pandemic alert from Yellow to Orange, and will quarantine people who have been to Mexico recently and tighten infection control measures at hospitals.
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
by Timothy Ouyang, Channel NewsAsia
A couple who walked nude at Singapore's Holland Village in January, were fined S$2,000 each on Thursday.
by Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia
In his May Day message on Thursday, Mr Lee said the country must use this crisis to prepare for a different and more competitive world.
by Cullen Hartley
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore employers fired a record number of workers last quarter as the nation’s deepest recession since independence in 1965 forced manufacturers to cut output.
by 盛卓荣, 联合早报
新马长途巴士终站一直是悬而未决的问题，国人不禁要问新加坡各项基础设施已经发展到非常完美的地步，一座现代化的长途巴士终站为什么还是迟迟没有出现？
by Sue-Ann Chia, Straits Times
The unemployment rate for Singaporeans and permanent residents hit a five-year high of 4.8 per cent last month, according to the latest Manpower Ministry figures, but this is still below the peak reached during the Sars crisis in 2003.
by Ministry Of Manpower, Singapore Government
Preliminary estimates show that total employment declined marginally by 1,000 in the first quarter of 2009 as the economy continued to worsen. Falling external demand has severely affected the manufacturing sector where employment declined by 19,900, deeper than the 7,000 loss in the earlier quarter. Supported by a strong pipeline of building projects, construction employment grew by 8,500 in the first quarter of 2009, but lower than the gains in the earlier quarters. Services added 10,300 workers, substantially lower than before.
by Irving C. Johnson, Straits Times
My friends and I had lunch at Sakae Sushi in West Coast Plaza last week and were disturbed by the low service quality. What was to have been a short lunch dragged into a painful hour of having to deal with untrained staff and a general lack of attention.
by New York Times
The secretive and xenophobic junta — still fearing a seaborne invasion by Western powers — now readily accepts air shipments of foreign aid, even from the West. Myanmar’s neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, especially Indonesia and Singapore, have been widely credited with helping the junta to assume a somewhat more relaxed posture.
by Singapore Peak Oil: Energy, Entropy, Economics, Ecology
In spite of the blueprint's laudable efforts and lofty goals to maintain sustainable growth (an oxymoron really) and to raise green living standards, one topic that is sorely missing is any discussion at all about the future availability of dense energy sources, namely fossil fuels, to implement the "four-pronged strategy".
Singapore's position, if I understand correctly, is that no revolutionary progress in energy 'creation' is expected or assumed.
by Au Yaipang, Yawning Bread
If we don't want to see this kind of identity mobilisation tear society apart over the question of homosexuality, the solution is not to freeze, stand still and move no further forward on the question of gay equality, but the opposite: To move faster. To blur the distinction and value differential between gay and straight. So that scary bogeymen conjured by fanatical minds are not believed but laughed away. And fanatics seen for what they are: the real threat.
by Tan Kin Lian, The Online Citizen
by Channel NewsAsia
The Association of Women for Action and Research or AWARE has changed the venue of its extraordinary general meeting again.
by Tmothy Ouyang, Channel NewsAsia
Come December 1 this year, new projects and re-developments within the central business district, Kallang Riverside and Jurong Gateway areas will be required to have green landscape at least equivalent in size to the development site area.
by Andrew Peaple, Wall Street Journal
Tempting though entry into China's airline sector may be, Singapore Airlines must tread very carefully when it comes to China Eastern Airlines. The Chinese carrier's leadership claims Beijing is keen to revive talk of an investment from Singapore's flagship carrier.
by Maria Almenoar, Straits Times
Motorists will have to give way to buses on more roads from June when the Mandatory Give Way to Buses Scheme is extended. The scheme, which started with a three month trial in December at 22 bus stops along three roads, will now be extended islandwide over two years.
by Fiona Chan and Robin Chan, Straits Times
The worst is over for Singapore's economy, but a decisive rebound is not on the cards, said the Monetary Authority of Singapore on Wednesday.
by 剪报本子
让我们多容纳一点“不一样”吧。生活才不会太乏味。
by The Online Citizen
The country is ill-equipped to cope with a possible rise in homelessness.
by Sue-AnnC hia, Straits Times
Workers should continue to brace themselves for tough times ahead as the global economy has yet to hit the bottom and more layoffs are likely, labour chief Lim Swee Say has said.
by The Wayang Party Club
This is a number game. The majority wins, as simple as that.
by The Singapore iPhone Guide
by Deeksha Vasundhra, Aware CSE Development Team (2006-07), Straits Times
The CSE programme takes a lifelong approach to sex and aims to equip young people for adulthood and marriage as there are even fewer chances for sex education after they leave school.
by Straits Times
Singapore's Ministry of Health on Tuesday night raised the pandemic alert phase for swine flu outbreaks from green to yellow as the epidemic has entered a new phase with more than 16 countries reporting confirmed or suspected infections.
by Au Yaipang, Yawning Bread
What I have noticed is that the Manpower Ministry is not taking a pro-active approach to these problems. There is an unmistakable tendency to merely play passive mediator when complaints flood in, even when employers have clearly violated one or more laws. One cannot but get the sense that the civil servants just want the problem to go away, and their actions seem to be mainly directed at chasing complainants away and looking good to the media.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
You claimed that you are seeking to serve other women in Singapore, but all I can see is that you are serving your own bigoted cause. Your resume posted on AWARE’s website lists an impressive array of corporate credentials, but unfortunately it also reveals that you have never been involved in feminism or helping women. In the absence of any track record of feminist work, we have to judge you based on your words and deeds over the past few weeks. Your behaviour speaks for itself.
by Channel NewsAsia
The Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) has changed the venue of its extraordinary meeting to Singapore Expo Hall 2.
by Neel Chowdhury, Time
Numbers like these suggest Singaporeans are in a funk so deep only psychiatrists would be flourishing here. Consumer confidence has fallen to an all-time low, according to pollster A.C. Nielsen's latest bi-annual survey. Yet the city's malls and restaurants are no less crowded than before. Property launches are thronged, especially for cheaper suburban homes. Nor are Singaporeans just flipping the pages of the glossy property brochures or sadly gazing at the architectural models, wishing they were one of the frolicking toy figures in the miniature pool. They're buying too. Property developers sold 1,332 units of new private homes in February, a bumper sales crop that was the highest since August 2007, when the economy was booming.
by The Wayang Party Club
by Lin Jiamei, 938Live
Costing more than $4 billion, it is much higher than the initial estimation of $2.5 billion due to the difficult soil conditions.
When completed, the 5-kilometre road will serve as a high speed link to the new Downtown area in Marina Bay. The connection will in turn allow a section of the ECP to be coverted into arterial roads serving nearby developments such as the integrated resort.
Given that it nearly doubled in cost, I sure hope the government has re-evaluated the cost-benefit analysis carefully.
by Ministry Of Education, Singapore Government
The schools that engaged AWARE found that the content and messages of the sessions conducted were appropriate for their students and adhered to guidelines to respect the values of different religious groups. The schools did not receive any negative feedback from students who attended the workshops and talks or their parents.
In particular, MOE has also not received any complaint from parents or Dr Thio Su Mien, who was reported to have made specific claims about sexuality education in our schools. MOE has contacted Dr Thio Su Mien to seek clarifications and facts to substantiate her claims.
by 许国伟, 南洋商报
一个诽谤罪名，成功封住了媒体的嘴巴；这比起动用政治权力关闭媒体，来得更高明；当然又比起花钱买下媒体，来得更实惠。
by 黄清华, 联合早报
到底是“入”而不“融”——其身虽“入”而其心不“融”呢，还是“融”而不“入”——有心“融”进却被拒而不得“入”呢？新加坡对新移民真的如此不具包容心吗？要融入新加坡真的这么困难吗？
by Ravi Philemon, The Online Citizen
Enacting a law to criminalise without having effective safeguards against the hurdles that life throws at those that earn lower income is, to say the least, not thoughtful.
by Groundnotes
These hot button issues will make policy-decisions more complicated. It will make Singapore politics more sophisticated because the PAP will have to speak to a variety of constituents and decide which to court. There would be more bargaining and negotiating as the ruling party will have no choice but to bear in mind the deeply held values of a wide array of people. This fragmentation of identities will lead to a fragmentation of politics.
by The Jakarta Post
In an attempt to convince judges that David Hartanto Widjaja, an Indonesian student who died on the campus of Nanyang Technology University (NTU) in Singapore in March did not commit suicide, his family will present four additional key witnesses at a Coroner Court’s inquest in Singapore on May 20-26.
by Paul Chin, The Sun
by Feed Me To The Fish
by Reuters
Singapore will revise its laws this year to improve disclosure on foreigners evading income taxes in their home countries, its finance minister told his Japanese counterpart, a Japanese Finance Ministry official said.
by AFP
More than 100 construction workers from China gathered outside Singapore's manpower ministry Monday to complain about unpaid wages and cancellation of their work permits, witnesses said.
by Channel NewsAsia
Kenneth Jeyaretnam has been voted in as secretary-general of the Reform Party by its central executive committee.
The post was left vacant by his late father, veteran opposition politician JB Jeyaretnam, after his death in September last year.
by Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia
Mount Faber Leisure Group is investing in a whole new cable car system which will see 67 new cable car cabins, as well as a Swarovski-encrusted VIP cabin.
by Channel NewsAsia
by Nopporn Wong-Anan, Reuters
Singapore, one of cleanest nations in Southeast Asia, launched on Monday a campaign to teach people how to wash their hands properly to help curb the spread of disease.
by SimpleBlob's Life
by Me And My Thoughts
I understand that discrimination can never be rooted out. What I hope to see though is a world where discrimination is criticized and recognized as contemptible in public opinion. Would Thio Li Ann and friends have gotten away if they talked about racial discrimination rather than gay discrimination? Yet both are the same and fundamentally contemptible.
There was a time where slavery, gender discrimination and colonialization were not viewed as immoral, and I hope gay discrimination will go the same way and gradually be recognized as abhorring in time to come.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The PAP practice of lavishing generous rewards on its ex-leaders only goes to maintain political stability to serve its own partisan interest while it is a drain on our state resources.
by Patricia Kowsmann, Wall Street Journal
As property prices in Singapore continue to tumble, one of the country's biggest developers posted disappointing earnings while another said it will raise capital to protect itself against the downturn.
Analysts said the severity of the earnings decline suggests the property market in Singapore and in the rest of Asia is unlikely to recover this year.
by R. Jaichandra, Straits Times
I do not see the need to have cafeterias inside public libraries when numerous eating establishments are found just outside the libraries, some of which are located in shopping centres.
It must have looked good on paper: attract new users by appearing hip, while earning extra money for the NLB. Except that it totally alienate the core customers.
by Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times
The new sports hub project in Kallang may be facing setbacks, but Singapore will eventually have a national stadium.
Community Development, Youth and Sports Minister Vivian Balakrishnan gave his assurance on Sunday, saying the proposed $1.87 billion sports complex will not be abandoned.
by Military Life: Memoirs Of A Conscript In The Lion City
Singapore Inc runs first and foremost by economic considerations. I accept that. But why is the government screwing us NSmen by imposing obligations in a way that is both disruptive and detrimental to our economic competitiveness.
They expect us NSmen to grin and bear it when we know we are competing on an unequal playing field? How can you expect us to embrace immigrants who are fighting for the very same rice-bowls and who do not need to make similar sacrifices to preserve it? I have risked my life every time I report for my annual in-camp training to protect and defend our way of life only to find that sacrifice entails having me risk my livelihood?!
by S Ramesh/Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia
Minister for community development, youth and sports, Vivian Balakrishnan said the problems facing AWARE are not a national one, so it is best for the organisation to settle them democratically and according to its constitution.
by Au Waipang, Yawning Bread
Lunatic Straits Times readers aside, bloggers and their readers have now given the lie to the Singapore government's oft-repeated warning that freedom of speech will lead to chaos and strife, a scary scenario based on the accusation that bloggers and non-government-related site-owners have no sense of responsibility.
by 林慧慧, 联合早报
从美国华尔街爆发的金融海啸已经席卷欧洲各国，英国更是首当其冲。许多在伦敦工作的海外新加坡人虽然还未直接受影响，但是不少已做好面对裁员的最坏打算，并且开始留意新加坡就业机会，考虑回国发展。
by Cara van Miriah, Straits Times
Life is not quite a beach nowadays along the Siloso shoreline at Sentosa. It is more, well, a mini-construction site.
by Dennis Morrison, Jamaica Gleaner News
by S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore has set up a new National Integration Council to promote and foster social integration among Singaporeans and with new citizens and permanent residents.
by For It Is Difference That Moulds Me
by The Online Citizen
by Debbie Yong, Straits Times
To be ready by year-end, it will lessen road congestion at Illuma mall and Bugis Junction.
by The Online Citizen
Why the PAP struggles to renew its class of Malay leaders.
by Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
The large salaries paid to the elite is pushing many Singaporeans towards an unhealthy chase for the dollar.
by 李德慧, 南洋商报
其实，不管进入谁话事的时代，市民要的，只不过是一个明确的答案，我们只是要通到新加坡去！
by Jakarta Post
Indonesian police said Friday a team of officers, currently in Singapore offering assistance into the investigations surrounding the controversial death of Indonesian student David Hartanto, had been turned down.
by Mr Wang Says So
by Straits Times
Deputy prime minister Teo Chee Hean on Friday called for the two groups at loggerheads in the ongoing Aware saga to show respect and tolerance for each other's views.
by Eugene Yeo and Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
What is really at stake is the space for a diversity of views in our secular, cosmopolitan and pluralistic society. Singapore is a multiracial, and multicultural nation. We must be able to tolerate inherent differences in beliefs and values so as to co-exist peacefully with one another.
by Darren Boon, The Online Citizen
Dr Soin had made it clear that AWARE had been founded on the principle of inclusiveness, and clarified the misconception of AWARE being pro-gay.
by Heng-Cheong Leong, MyAppleMenu
This blogger equates a web site moderating comments, to government censoring of speech and the freedom of speech.
The difference is, to any intelligent people, obvious. When a web site refuses to publish your comment, you can go elsewhere and shout all you want. You can write in other blogs, forums, or newspapers. You can even set up your own blogs or, if you are rich enough and live in a country free enough, your own newspaper or television station.
But when the government 'moderates' you, you will most likely be fined and end up in jail. You will not be allowed to say what you want to say anywhere. And in some regimes, you may even be killed.
This blogger's rant is an insult to people all over the world fighting for freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
by Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia
by Ang Ka Swan, Channel NewsAsia
The National Environment Agency (NEA) plans to issue temporary food hygiene rating labels on the spot. This is so that hawkers need not wait for the agency to issue actual labels.
by Au Waipang, Yawning Bread
Stripped down to the basics, the "agenda" of Thio and her recruits had nothing to do with serving women or advancing feminism. It had just one objective -– to purge AWARE of anything to do with tolerance, diversity and the empowerment of women.
During the last few weeks, many people have wondered why this clique that took over AWARE did not instead set up their own Christian-linked organisation to promote their views. As you can now see, that wouldn't have achieved their objective: It was never to construct an alternative discourse, it was to silence and destroy AWARE's work.
by Nopporn Wong-Anan, Reuters
Singapore's sex trade is a side of the Southeast Asian city-state less well-known than its air-conditioned shopping malls, efficient governance and laws that ban littering and the import of chewing gum.
by The Wayang Party Club
by A Xeno Boy In Sg
by Grace Chua, Straits Times
The most comprehensive proposal to save Singapore's coral reefs yet was released on Thursday, calling for the government to formally recognise the richness of reef habitats like Raffles Lighthouse and Cyrene Reef in the southern islands.
by AFP
US entertainment giant Universal Studios on Thursday announced a global recruitment drive for aspiring actors, singers and other performers for shows at its upcoming theme park in Singapore.
by Zul Othman, Today
Aware’s membership numbers have swelled so much in the run-up to its extraordinary general meeting on May 2 that the women’s advocacy group has to find a new venue to hold it.
by Sandra Davie, Straits Times
A death threat was sent to a member of the new exco of Aware as well as the husband of president Josie Lau.
by The Wayang Party Club
by Ajit Koshy, Straits Times
by Ng Tze Yong, New Paper
Grassroots volunteers say government should declare amnesty and regulate loanshark activities.
by Zakir Hussain, Straits Times
Senior lawyer Thio Su Mien on Thursday revealed the key role she played in bringing about the change of leadership at the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware).
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
The underhand tactics used by this bunch of intolerant individuals to promote their own selfish agenda and the misinformation that is being spread by AWARE’s new Exco is deserving of the strongest rebuke. Let us condemn this atrocity.
by PinkNews.co.uk
An unusual day in the park planned for next month will show support for Singapore's lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans population.
by Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
by Tan Yew Guan, Channel NewsAsia
The National Environment Agency (NEA) says a tropical storm is the reason for the strong winds which blew into Singapore Wednesday night. A wind speed of up to 83 kilometres per hour was recorded -- the strongest in nearly nine years.
by Victoria Ho, ZDNet Asia
Singapore's free wireless Internet service, Wireless@SG, is still seeing new sign-ons, according to the government and local operators.
by Nurviana Mubtadi, Channel NewsAsia
One of their main concerns is the release of a statement by the university about the events leading to Widjaja's death before police investigations were completed.
by 21CN旅游
说新加坡是一个罚款国家，一点儿也不为过。
by 陈盈之 郭秀芳, 联合晚报
如果敏感一些，成龙的这翻言论，即可解读为批评新加坡人不像美国人和日本人那样自律自爱，所以政府才不准本地人吃口香糖。
by Asia Sentinel
Singapore continues to grow on everybody else's land.
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore’s inflation slowed to a 21-month low in March as a weakening economy eroded demand and transport and communication costs eased.
by Channel NewsAsia
Tourist arrivals to Singapore fell by 13.2 per cent last month, compared to March 2008.
by Cavalierio
The POA is about preserving the dominance of the PAP. For this reason, the POA is about us, the citizens.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
by Darren Boon, The Online Citizen
Singapore has come a long way from violent protests and demonstrations, and it is unlikely that we would go back this route. And I believe there is no need to resort to militancy or disruptive tactics to advocate a cause. A peaceful and collective civic participation to a fair cause at the right moment is useful in getting concerns heard.
The students group is a testament to this. Yet, it’s lamentable that right now students can’t do much outside their studies and co-curricular activities, and that they can only look forward to a day whereby even a public petition wouldn’t be a taboo any longer.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
by 联合早报
种种迹象显示，马哈迪及其旧部正在利用首相刚刚更迭的机会，向纳吉政府施加压力，试图在最大程度上卷土重来，恢复他们在阿都拉手头失掉的利益。
弯桥所涉及的不单是马国的内部政治，它还牵扯到新马双边关系。纳吉政府接下来会如何应对，自然也就很值得我们关注。
by 沈裕尼, 联合早报
新加坡人的“逆来顺受”，也让一些国家的人嘲笑我们是（政府）“听话”的国民。而今，这些“听话”的国民要再次面对另一轮的挑战，和“汹涌”而至的新移民一起来为新加坡的经济奋斗，再创经济“奇迹”。
by Amnesty International
Amnesty International recognises the security concerns and the challenges of policing such a large event. However, this development has the potential of further constricting freedom of peaceful assembly in Singapore, which is already compromised. This law should be amended to ensure full compliance with international human rights standards.
Amnesty International calls on the Singapore government to meet its legal obligations under Article 14(1) of the Singapore Constitution to preserve freedom of speech and expression; the right to assemble peaceably and without arms; and the right to form associations.
by Chan Kok Leong, The Edge Malaysia
The elder statesman said that the bridge will improve traffic flow between Singapore and Malaysia and hence benefit IDR.
by 北方新报
“不可以”是新加坡人的口头禅，做好公民，不做“不可以”的事，是他们的基本原则。
by Poh Lee Heng, Today
I personally would rather live with a certain amount of instability due to political differences, in exchange for political robustness. I think Singapore has matured vastly over the last 20 years and can survive and prosper even if there are political differences.
by Norimitsu Onishi, New York Times
After starting the day with prayers and songs in honor of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday, the students at the Madrasa Al Irsyad Al Islamiah here in Singapore turned to the secular. An all-girls chemistry class grappled with compounds and acids while other students focused on English, math and other subjects from the national curriculum.
Teachers exhorted their students to ask questions. Some, true to the school’s embrace of new technology, gauged their students’ comprehension with individual polling devices.
by Nicholas Joshua Law, Straits Times
Subway trains in Paris arrive at intervals of between 90 and 105 seconds. Those in Tokyo and Hong Kong arrive at two- to 21/2-minute intervals. In Singapore, the peak period train interval is four minutes. Most of the time, it is six minutes.
The Paris and Tokyo train systems are much bigger and older than Singapore's, yet they have a higher frequency of arrivals.
by Vijeya Kumar Govindan, Straits Times
Low-cost doesn't mean you can not give decent customer service. (Just ask the auntie selling $1.50 breakfast at my local coffeeshop.) Tiger Airways is a shame for its Singapore Airlines parent.
by C.V.G. Krishnan, Straits Times
I could not, therefore, even imagine that it still has an appeal to many finding themselves at the edge of despair.
How about facing up with scientific research — especially those on depressions and mental illness — and doing some reading? After all, you are a journalist, aren't you? Isn't ignorance another form of cowardice?
by Ang Siow Hui, Straits Times
by Amresh Gunashingham, Straits Times
The A-B-C-D cleanliness grading system for food stalls is sound, robust and has led to higher hygiene standards here, environment and water resources minister Yaacob Ibrahim said on Wednesday.
He was also not in favour of taking away the licences of stallholders who do not score the top A or B grades.
by Blowin' In The Wind
by Hasnita Majid, Channel NewsAsia
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has no plans to link the grading system of food stalls to the renewal of their licence.
This disconnect is quite disturbing. A single measurement yardstick is going to mean two different things under two different systems: this can easily go out of sync. I think MOH should really set its own (higher) standards and do the measurements themselves, rather than rely on NEA's measurements which is for a different purpose.
by 938 Live
A coroner's inquiry into the unnatural death of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) student David Hartanto Widjaja has been set for next month.
by Sam's Thoughts
What is it about religion, pop culture, capitalism, patriarchy, etc. that makes us have an unfavourable view of nudism?
by Koon Yew Yin, Centre For Policy Initiatives
The public should note that the latest Mahathir blast on the bridge contains no clear or strong justification for building the crooked bridge – no economic reason, no technical reason and most important of all, no balanced analysis of the pros and cons of building the bridge.
by Singaland
PAP is feared so much that no public agencies dare to censure any of its subsidiaries even if their action, or inaction as in this case, not only can harm but lead to loss of human life.
by Dee Kay Dot As Gee
What if one day, a police officer did something wrong and they use this law to stop witness from recording the deed? Are we safe? Is there really a need to have this Public Order Bill?
by Ben Sandilands, Plane Talking
Tiger Airways seems to have a culture of being evasive, tricky, unreliable and contemptuous of its customers. The antithesis of its major shareholder.
by Neil Graham, Grantham Journal
by Neil Chatterjee and Harry Suhartono, Reuters
Ports operator PSA said on Tuesday a slump in container shipping trade has hit bottom but many ports are likely to face overcapacity and increasing competition before global volumes rebound.
by Carol Lewis, The Times
If we don't take the time to work smarter and be more innovative then someone else in the global economy will - probably in Singapore.
by Heba Fatani, Kingdom Holding Company, The Times
We leave it to readers to ask the question as to why a business enterprise would embark on such expensive expansion and renovation, especially in these financially troubled times, only to turn around and sell its hotels in a significantly depressed real estate market.
by 吴慧敏, 联合早报
市区重建局证实收到莱佛士酒店的工程申请，不过由于莱佛士酒店被列为国家古迹，所以有关申请还必须得到古迹保存局的批准。
by Leong Hung Yee, The Star
FlyFirefly Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysia Airlines (MAS), is expected to commence its inaugural flight to Singapore in June following the approval from the transport ministry.
by Susan Long, Straits Times
If the downturn deepens, Singapore should brace itself for a rise in suicides. And it should do all it can to prevent the increase from starting now, warns Dr Chia Boon Hock.
by 何惜薇, 联合早报
有趣的是，《小娘惹》主题曲的第一句歌词是“愿意合上眼才能美梦无边，别让悔熏乌了从前”，跟《人在旅途》中的“勇往直前”相比，它似乎多了些许宿命与无奈。
by The Wayang Party Club
by Mayo Martin, Today
For the first time, the community is searching ground-up for candidates to the post of Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) .
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The haste in which Mr Allaudin was charged seemed to give one the impression that he was being made a scapegoat to take the rap for others.
by Faridul Anwar Farinordin, New Straits Times
A Singapore TV commercial by award-winning filmmaker Yasmin Ahmad, posted on YouTube, is raising a storm.
by Diary Of A Singaporean Mind
You simply cannot trust people to handle money when there are no checks in place.
Even for good and honest people, as the saying goes, "trust, but verify."
by Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen
If Ms Lau is keen on building a collegial working environment, why have their actions been so destructive? A New Paper opinion piece the day after the interview read: “Few straight answers in AWARE interview”. I am inclined to agree.
by Au Waipang, Yawning Bread
Gay equality is only problematic if you don't believe in non-discrimination and equality. If you did, it would roll off your tongue as easily as race, religion, etc.
That she tripped over this told us everything we needed to know about the direction of AWARE under the new leadership.
by Ben Bland, Telegraph
In what must be a first, risk-averse Singapore will next month open its arms to an activist who has been deemed too controversial to speak at the Oxford Union, which likes to boast that it is "the last bastion of free speech in the Western world".
by Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore will see a glut of hotel and office spaces when projects at the Marina Bay Downtown come on stream in the months ahead, but developers say they are not worried.
by Jimmy Yap, The Singapore iPhone Guide
by Channel NewsAsia
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is setting up a centralised hub containing biometric data such as facial images and fingerprints of all Singaporeans, permanent residents as well as foreigners staying here.
by Michelle Tay, Straits Times
According to the latest survey by human resources firm Hewitt Associates, the average annual salary increment projected for 2009 is 2.1 per cent.
by 联合早报
柔佛州新山新关税、移民及检疫大厦（苏丹依士干达大厦）启用四个月后，当局开始拆除具有86年历史的旧关卡。
by Ben Bland, Asia Sentinel
Singapore may have not a reputation for opening its doors to outspoken activists but in an intriguing move, next month it will host a seminar by one of the world’s most controversial speakers, Philip Nitschke, the Australian campaigner for voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide known, like Dr Jack Kevorkian in the United States, as "Dr Death".
What makes the visit of the renowned pro-euthanasia campaigner even more surprising is the legal status of suicide in Singapore, where attempting to take your own life remains a criminal offence. Those who have slashed their wrists or taken an overdose but failed to kill themselves are routinely handcuffed to their beds when they are brought into hospital by the police. Assisting a suicide is considered an even more serious crime, with a mandatory jail term for anyone found guilty of such an offence.
by 李静仪, 联合早报
by 胡洁梅, 联合早报
在“虎虾事件”中因收费过高的东陵第一站海鲜馆（Tanglin Best BBQ Seafood）被国家环境局吊销执照后，摊主为此提出上诉却失败，当局已从本月15日起，吊销摊主的营业执照3个月。
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
It’s high time the PAP stop playing the blame game. They should not bite the hands which feed them. We are feeding them to run the country and not spit at us to cover up for their own inepitude and uselessness.
by K. C. Vijayan, Straits Times
Some 55 lawyers who breached a legal requirement were spared punishment by the Attorney-General after the Law Society explained that they were 'ignorant' of the new law.
by The West Australian
Singapore has always been at a crossroads. A conduit for people, for culture and for goods. As an important sea route it’s had 20 centuries of exposure to Arabs, Chinese, Malay, Indians, British and other Europeans. And they’ve all left their mark.
by 联合早报
阿瓦立德王子的王国控股公司（Kingdom Holding）昨天发表文告说，莱佛士酒店将在扩充后，增加多78间客房。但文告没有透露扩充莱佛士酒店的成本预算或是工程会持续多久。
by Hazlin Hassan, Straits Times
Prime minister Najib Razak on Monday said the government was in no rush to revive an aborted 'crooked bridge' project in Johor.
by Ben Bland, Telegraph
Hence, the old joke about the crooked bridge being designed to represent the true nature of Malaysia-Singapore relations: Singapore is straight and Malaysia is crooked.
by Loh Chee Kong, Today
by Au Yaipang, Yawning Bread
Think about it. Her superiors must have been extremely upset to have a statement prepared in advance for just that eventuality. They must have foreseen the possibility that she would deliberately flout their instructions. What do they know about her that they have not revealed?
by Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia
The new public order law, passed in Parliament on Monday, has generated much debate online. While some say it infringes on civil liberties, others believe this will not be the case as long as the law is exercised judiciously.
by Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia
by The Online Citizen
by AFP
A prominent Singapore doctor said Monday it was "premature" to rule out an operation to separate Indian twin sisters joined at the head despite a warning from his own country's health minister.
by Mathaba
Orderly efficient transport and immigration processing in Singapore contrasts sharply with the chaos on the Malaysian side of the border.
by Neil Chatterjee, Reuters
Singapore's Botanic Gardens is developing an orchid seed bank and a section devoted to healing plants, as it looks to help conserve Southeast Asian species threatened by development and climate change. The seed bank, in its early stages and part of a global project, will keep alive dust-like orchid seeds by chilling them in liquid nitrogen.
by Puja Bharwani, Reuters
Currently, there are two online barter exchanges -- Barter Vista and BarterXchange -- and they are attracting hundreds of people seeking innovative ways to stretch their dollars.
by Mr Wang Says So
The government may like to treat you as a digit, but you don't have to treat yourself like that. Please give your own future a little more tender loving care.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
By taking over the helms of leadership at AWARE through the use of subversive tactics and then alienating the Old Guard, the new Exco has damaged the organization and disrupted the good work that it has been doing thus far. It has done a great disservice to AWARE and to all Singaporean women.
by Lim Wei Chean, Straits Times
Consumers in Singapore said they were less happy last year than in 2007, according to a national customer-satisfaction survey.
by Tan Kin Lian
The unemployment rate in Singapore may appear low by international standards, but it is seriously under-reported. Due to the lack of employment benefit, many people do not bother to report that they are looking for work.
by 高极登, 联合早报
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
Singaporeans do not need any more empty words and promises from the authorities. What we want to see most is accountability, justice and transparency - accountabilty in taking responsibility for one’s missteps, justice in ensuring the culprits are punished and transparency in revealing the findings of the internal inquiry to the public.
by 三九健康网
by Judith Tan, Straits Times
Three of the four twins joined at the head who were separated in operations here are dead, and the fourth is not in good shape. Given this track record and the similarly dismal results overseas, health minister Khaw Boon Wan on Sunday suggested that doctors reconsider plans to separate yet another pair of such conjoined twins.
by Ho Lian-yi, New Paper
Both sides are strengthening their positions by marshalling their forces before an expected extraordinary general meeting (EOGM) initiated by a group of Aware veterans.
by Tay Shi'an and Ng Tze Yong, New Paper
Unreasonable employers or ungrateful scholars? Lack of dialogue and unrealistic expectations cited as reasons.
by Tay Shi'an, New Paper
Like a true marriage, scholars and their organisations should meet as equals, each bringing something to the table, going in with their eyes open, willing to make compromises, and communicate.
by Charissa Yvonne Yip, Straits Times
During my five-hour stay at the library, I did not see any librarians on patrol, except to put books back on the shelves.
by Judith Tan & Nicholas Yong, Straits Times
Health minister Khaw Boon Wan said on Sunday that hospital stall holders which do not get the top 'A' or 'B' ratings may be told to close shop.
by 信力建的博客
一个政治上专制而在经济上取得成功的国家而言，新加坡应该是最恰当的例子。然而，这终究不过是戴着镣铐在舞蹈，跳得再好，也毕竟是例外——而且，我们可以相信：如果除掉镣铐的话，它会跳得更好。
by 许丽卿, 联合早报
要知道新加坡经济有多糟糕，先看美国经济。与其说政府对经济预测过于悲观，不如说政府对美国经济不乐观。
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
by Austin Camoens, The Star
Johor Baru Member of Parliament Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad is against the revival of the crooked bridge project between Malaysia and Singapore, and has instead proposed that both countries work together to build a straight one.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The real motive behind the law is to prevent any public expression of disaffection and anger against the PAP’s governance because not only will it bring shame and disrepute to the PAP, it will also shatter the myth that it is a popular government voted into power by the people.
by Shuli Sudderuddin, Straits Times
The number of retrenched unionised workers has hit one of the highest levels in the last decade, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said yesterday.
by AFP
Animal rights activists have launched a campaign in Singapore against the consumption of shark fin, a status symbol when served at Chinese wedding banquets and dinners.
by Alice Cheong In Wonderland
Perhaps, we now have a good idea of what may be implemented by the new AWARE team, who attend Anglican Church of Our Saviour, which subscribed to the above values.
by The Online Citizen
Two decades on though, it is possible to say that the NMP scheme has been a moderate success, at least when judged by the hopes and fears current at the time of its inception.
by Hoe Yeen Nie, Channel NewsAsia
The internet has made possible the rapid spread of fear in a crisis, said deputy prime minister and home affairs minister Wong Kan Seng. But he said bloggers and website moderators can help ease public concerns should a terrorist attack occur.
by 凤凰网
“我们其实没有人能够在相当长远期保证我们的预测都十分准确，因此我们在监管、发展的时候或者在开发新的产品工具的时候要注意到，还是存在着很多长远的不确定性。”
by Tan Weizhen, Straits Times
Computer security is being beefed up across the National University of Singapore (NUS) after sensitive data of more than 15,000 alumni members was leaked in an e-mail.
by 林妙娜, 联合早报
赌场管制局已完成电子博彩游戏机技术标准的筹备工作，这套标准将确保赌客在本地赌场玩这类较受欢迎游戏时，享有公平和可靠获奖几率。
by Balan Moses, New Straits Times
It is time for Najib and Lee to lay the foundations for a bridge between the two nations that will withstand the worst “earthquake’ that one could foresee in bilateral relations.
by Krist Boo, Resorts World at Sentosa, Straits Times
We understand Mr Tan's concerns and assure Singaporeans that Resorts World at Sentosa is and always will be committed to hiring Singaporeans first. We envisage that the bulk of our 10,000 job openings will be filled by Singaporeans.
Currently, Resorts World at Sentosa has more than 500 staff on its payroll, 80 per cent of whom are Singaporeans. The non-Singaporeans were hired for their specialist skill sets, such as gaming and international theme park operations.
by Sabina-Leah Fernandez, Straits Times
by Sheldon Filger, Huffington Post
Amid all the horrific economic news, Singapore can boast of an advantage denied the deficit-driven economies of Europe and the United States. During the good times, the Island nation prudently set aside substantial foreign exchange reserves. Even with a recent $20 billion stimulus package, Singapore still maintains a reserve fund of $170 billion. This will provide flexibility for policymakers to address the immediate ramifications of the severe economic contraction now occurring in their country. Nevertheless, there can be no doubt that once prosperous Singapore is facing many years of economic and financial hardship that will severely test the country's capacity for entrepreneurial innovation and hard work.
by Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
More young professionals with good credentials are trickling towards the opposition camp, auguring well for the growth of democracy in Singapore.
by Glass Castle
Either Ms Lau knowingly assisted an organisation steeped in these values, or she was totally clueless about what she was doing. Either option inspires grave doubts about the direction in which she and her team might take AWARE.
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
While providing migrant workers with decent lodgings is to be applauded, even if they are commercially-run dormitories, perhaps we should look beyond just dumping these workers in such compounds.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The market management committee has been “managing” the market for 3 years. How can they fail to eradicate the rats which is easily accomplished by pest controllers in less than a week!
If this represents the “best” effort put in by the Kampong CCC, then I really worry about the other temporary markets which are run by these grassroots organizations.
by Bernama
The government has not made any decision whether to resume the construction of the crooked bridge over the Straits of Johor, said deputy prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
by Albert Lin, The Wayang Party Club
The current MOH system of surveillance and reporting of mass food poisoning cases is adequate to deal with most outbreaks.
by Sam's Thoughts
There is no victory for any one, even the alleged alliance, and of course, DBS included.
by Timothy Ouyang & Lau Joon-Nie, Channel NewsAsia
by The Wayang Party Club
Will prosecuting the management committee open up a can of worms with widespread political ramifications for the ruling party?
by Diary Of A Singaproean Mind
By criminalising borrowing from loansharks, the victims of loanshark harassment now cannot go to the police for help because they themselves will be arrested for borrowing from the loansharks. The police will see a sharp drop in the number of cases and the govt can say the problem is solved! Briliant!
by Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia
In a statement to the media, she challenged these members to disclose their motives and objectives fully and honestly.
by News From The International Coastal Cleanup Sinapore
by Lucia Maes, Today
What it had actually unearthed was the negligence of the governing authorities. The food grading decals were distributed only four months after the grades were revised. And Mr Sheik’s poor food preparation skills merely uncovered the chronic problem of the presence of rats.
by Niki Bruce, Straits Times
HortPark was an insight into the local environment for a non-native and for a non-wild nature lover reinforced why I've chosen to live in Singapore. At least some of the 'nature' in Singapore is exactly the way I like it – tidy, green, organised and safe.
by Lee June, The Choson Ilbo
Singapore emerged relatively undamaged from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, which impacted more severely in Korea and other countries in the region. At that time, Lee boasted that Singapore was still the leader of Asian values and the Asian manufacturing model. But he probably has little to say this time. The Financial Times reported that the economy of Singapore was sinking as exports drop rapidly. This is the problem with depending wholly on exports without the support of domestic demand. It is also a problem facing Korea.
by Daily Telegraph
A young Sydney woman's hopes of an international modelling career are in tatters after false promises of work left her living on one can of food per day in the global economic recession-hit city of Singapore.
by 何惜薇, 联合早报
by 赖诗琳, 联合早报
Tampines 1发言人表示，购物中心在4月9日开张时，有6个租用单位因未取得临时入伙准证（TOP）而不能开始营业，Kopitiam是其中之一。但不知何故，Kopitiam在隔天开始营业。
by Zakir Hussain, Straits Times
Singapore has been studying electronic voting but has no plans to introduce it yet, said the Elections Department yesterday.
It was responding to recent reports in the Indian media which said Singapore was one of several countries to have shown an interest in buying electronic voting machines from Indian company Bharat Electronics.
by The Online Citizen
by The Online Citizen
Despite the mainstream media’s spin, chances are that things will get worse.
by AFP
Singapore Airlines (SIA) said on Thursday that passenger numbers plummeted in March as the global downturn continues to weigh on travel demand.
by Daily Express
The State Labour Department (SLD) refuted claims by a non-governmental organisation that many Sabah women were manipulated by so-called employment agencies and forced into prostitution in Singapore.
by The Online Citizen
"Please be informed that the film 'Zahari 17 Years' was previously gazetted by the Minister as a prohibited film under Section 35 (1) of the Films Act as the Minister was of the view that it’s possession or distribution would be contrary to the public interest. As the upcoming amendments to the Films Act do not relate to Section 35 (1), and the Minister has not changed his opinion, 'Zahari 17 Years' continues to be a prohibited film. Please note that we will not be releasing this film for your collection as it is an offence for any person to be in possession of a prohibited film under Section 35 (2)."
by BBC News
Singapore has warned foreign protesters against trying to disrupt an Asia-Pacific summit in November due to be attended by US President Barack Obama.
by The Wayang Party Club
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Years of one-party rule with literally no challenge to its political hegemony has made the PAP complacent. It doesn’t see the need to account to anybody because they can never be removed from power with the system they put in place and so public opinion counts little for them.
by Lee Pheng Soon, Straits Times
Beyond full disclosure, should not an exit plan - even one based purely on monetary compensation - be built into scholarships? Sometimes it is truly impossible to foresee changes in the personal circumstances of an applicant, so serious that he cannot serve out the remainder of his bond. In that case, a fair exit option prevents the scholarship bond from actually becoming bondage, if his superiors disagree and do not release him.
by Forbes
Prospects for a recovery are tied to a revival of demand in key external markets, which is unlikely to occur until well into the second half of the year. Government policies will help cushion the impact of the recession, especially on vulnerable labor sectors, but will have limited impact on the growth outlook.
by Mathia Lee
by Au Yaipang, Yawning Bread
by Gerald Giam
Is it really necessary to regulate what staff do in their own time? Can’t staff be judged by their productivity in the office and the results they achieve?
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
The Ren Ci fiasco took an unexpected twist today when it was revealed in the court by Ming Yi that he approved loans to several of its staff including is Chief Operating Officer Dr Ong Seh Hong who borrowed a stunning sum of $60,000.
by Darren Boon, The Online Citizen
In response to TOC queries, DBS spokesperson stated that in accordance to the Bank’s staff code of conduct, employees need to request and receive approval before taking on an external appointment, something which Lau failed to do.
by The Edge Singapore
No buyers have yet emerged but analysts say several Asian and global hotel chains as well as private equity investors would probably be interested in buying a piece of Singapore history. Still, the US$450 million asking price in the current depressed climate might be too steep even for those who would normally treasure Raffles in their portfolio.
by Jeremy Koh, The Wayang Party Club
To put it bluntly, the IRs are never meant to create jobs for Singaporeans in the first place. The Singapore government needs the IRs to provide an additional source of revenue for their coffers through taxation and the two consortiums who won the right to build the IRs just want to maximize their profits.
by Sumathi Bala, Financial Times
The new media industries, which include game developers, animators and other related digital specialists, are projected to generate 10,000 jobs and more than S$10bn in value by 2015.
by S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
Wong Kan Seng said this would hold borrowers accountable if their reckless borrowing or gambling habits endanger the safety and security of the community.
by Sam's Thoughts
by Ringisei
The only thing vaguely constructive I have to say about this small part of the whole sorry incident is, when dealing with any large organization, if it ain’t written down, it doesn’t exist. If the issue at hand really bothers you, it’s best to create a paper trail.
by Channel NewsAsia
Commuters can look forward to the first stretch of the Circle Line starting operations two days earlier than scheduled, with fares identical to those on the North East Line (NEL).
There will be no changes to bus routes for now.
by Channel NewsAsia
Singapore minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew said Singapore will assess a country's ability to absorb the transfer of ideas and knowledge before deciding whether to collaborate with the country on joint projects.
by Tan Dawn Wei, Wong Kim Hoh & Yen Feng, Straits Times
DBS Bank said it had told her just before last night's Aware exco meeting that it did not support her running for president. The bank said it supported employees' participation in community work, but they needed approval before taking on external appointments.
And Ms Lau did not have the green light to be Aware president.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Everybody has a role to play in maintaining the hygiene of the environment. SM Goh Chok Tong has been quick to point fingers at the ungracious habits of Singaporeans, but conveniently forget to mention the fact that the wet market is a project by Kampong Ubi CCC under Marine Parade GRC.
by Neo Chai Chin, Today
Business has dropped by over 50 per cent, and on Wednesday afternoon, about half the food stalls were not even open.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
by Xinhua
by Tony Lee, Today
by Zul Othman, Today
The panel has completed interviewing all the parties involved, chairman Johnny Tan told Today, and the only party that maintains it had called up the authorities about the broken railing is the family of victim Siti Nur Aini.
But the family is not certain when they placed the call, so tracing the records has not been possible.
by Alicia Wong, Today
The new guard sealed its leadership grab in women’s advocacy group Aware yesterday when one of their own, Ms Josie Lau Meng Lee, was appointed president.
by Maria Almenoar, Straits Times
The number of bus services linking Singapore and Johor Baru in Malaysia is being doubled from eight to 16.
by Gerald Giam
It is plain to me that this law was drafted with one event and one person in mind: APEC and Chee Soon Juan.
by The Jakarta Post
The family of David Hartanto, an Indonesian student accused of stabbing his professor at Singapore's Nanyang Technology University (NTU) before committing suicide, will take further legal steps to investigate his death.
by Musings
If you're wondering why Aware has done so much but you haven't heard of it, the answer has to do with the way civil society groups work in Singapore. You campaign for what you want, but only until the Government starts listening to you and realising that you're right. Then you back off and let the Government implement your proposals in the way they see fit. Then you let the Government take all the credit. The moment you start getting all media-whore-y and high-profile, your relationship with the Government is screwed.
by Koh Gui Qing, Reuters
"No money no honey" seems to be ringing true for Singapore's bridal agencies, which are seeing slowing business as the financial crisis and a looming recession hit love in the country.
by Loo Zhan
How will filmmakers in Singapore ever get the freedom to create a film like ‘W’?
by Journey To The Sinking Lands
But look underneath and you realise the flowers aren’t real.
by Geraldine Yeo, New Paper
by Teh Jen Lee, New Paper
It has expressed 'serious concern' over the welfare of such animals like freshwater turtles and bullfrogs that are being sold in Sheng Siong supermarkets.
by Tan Shao Ken, Straits Times
The government and the IRs must work to ensure that Singaporeans who are qualified and want a job with the IRs get one.
by Sujin Thomas, Straits Times
THE man at the centre of the food poisoning incident at Geylang Serai Temporary Market said on Wednesday he is resigned to having his licence suspended. However, Indian rojak stallholder Sheik Allaudin Mohideen, 70, was taken aback when told by The Straits Times that he may wind up in court.
by Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia
As Singapore prepares to host the APEC Summit in November, deputy prime minister Wong Kan Seng said Singapore will treat high-profile events as possible terrorist targets and deal firmly with those who engage in acts of violence during that period.
by Bernama
The Ipoh-Singapore flight route that is expected to become operational in the middle of the year would be a generator of investment and tourism between Perak and the island republic, said Perak menteri besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
by 星洲日報
兒子與警艇相撞後傷重死，父親要求徹查兒子死因，卻發現父子2人都是人蛇集團首腦，最後大馬籍的父者被判入獄6年！
by May Wong, Channel NewsAsia
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore’s retail sales fell for a fifth month in February, the longest period of declines in seven years, as consumers cut spending amid an economic slump that has led to the loss of thousands of jobs.
by Tan Kin Lian, The Online Citizen
We were proud and happy to be Singaporeans many years ago. We were part of the struggle to build an independent nation, based on equality and justice, which is respected by many nations around the world.
Today, Singaporeans are disappointed. We are not sure if Singapore still belongs to us or only to those who are in power.
by Straits Times
Sales for the month rose a seasonally adjusted 10.5 per cent from January, due to stronger car sales, said the Department of Statistics (DOS) on Wednesday.
Excluding motor vehicles, February's retail sales index.declined a seasonally adjusted 3 per cent from January. Compared with a year ago, February retail sales fell 5.7 per cent, hurt by a 25.8 percent drop in food and beverages sales.
by 爾爾, 星洲日报(馬來西亞)
巫統領袖，尤其是借“維護馬來人特權”來鞏固自己地位的政客，是時候向獅城巫裔同胞看齊，並向他們取經：如何在一個沒有特權、一切以績效為考量的社會裡公平競爭，證明自己和其他族群一樣優秀，只要肯奮鬥，也能闖出春天來。
by Cavalierio
To read Shanmugam's speech in full is to be thoroughly amazed by a speech that is replete with elementary false-dilemmas and double-speak.
by My Singapore News
by 证券之星
面对经济持续恶化，新加坡政府手上的武器已所余无几。
by Viet Nam News
Visiting Singaporean minister mentor Lee Kwan Yew has been sharing his country’s experiences with tackling the global economic crisis with Viet Nam.
by Manuela Zoninsein, Condé Nast Traveler
To Singaporeans, frying dough balls is a form of connoisseurship.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The charge appeared to be timed perfectly to divert attention away from authorities which are facing intense public scrutiny and pressure for failing to prevent the outbreak.
by Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen
by The Wayang Party Club
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
Let us call a spade a spade and let us all be clear as to what the Act really is all about — a sugar coated poison pill that further subjugates political freedom and civil rights in the name of public interest.
by Singapore Democrats
This two-pronged gambit of introducing the Public Order Act and electronic voting will kill off politics and political competition in Singapore.
It is also a signal that the government is ill-at-ease with itself and with the people it rules. It is a nervous beast, and nervous beasts lash out at anything it perceives as a threat. Confident rulers seek the mandate of the people, nervous ones crush them.
by Chan Sue Ling, Bloomberg
Qantas Airways Ltd., Australia’s largest carrier, will cut about five percent of its staff in anticipation of a record loss caused by a drop in business class travel. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and Singapore Airlines Ltd. may be next.
by Glass Castle
Advocacy for women's rights which ignores LGBTQ rights is incomplete at best, and may be downright detrimental at worst.
by New Paper
Businessmen and the public in Johor are hopeful that the crooked bridge project across the Straits of Johor will spur development within the city, which has been adversely affected since the opening of the new Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex.
by Audrey Tan Ruiping, New Paper
Convenience store chain 7-Eleven has opened an outlet at the Sengkang Sports and Recreation Centre - and you can eat there.
by Mark Cranfield, Wall Street Journal
Singapore isn't willing to step onto the slippery slope of competitive currency devaluation. By ceding that it can't control external demand for its goods, it's being as clear as it can that it doesn't want foreigners to lose confidence in the Singapore dollar and take their wealth elsewhere.
The money these temporary residents spend in the local economy has become significant in the past five years, and a driver of the near doubling in residential property prices between 2006 and 2008.
by Sam's Thoughts
Our mainstream media has to conduct itself more professionally. You have to respect your subjects/interviewees. Even if you want to be conservative or sympathetic to the government, you should at least portray, for example, minorities or political opposition without damaging/threatening their reputation or dignity.
by Judith Tan, Straits Times
by The Online Citizen
Like the new Films Act passed some weeks earlier, the Public Order Act introduces enough ambiguity and powers to – in effect – constrict civil liberties even as it retains a visage of liberalisation that allows the government to self-righteously argue that it is taking a positive step.
by The Online Citizen
by Xiaoxiong Yi, Lancaster Eagle Gazette
Economically, Asia's export-led development finally might have outlived its usefulness.
by Channel NewsAsia
The new agreement gives carriers of both countries the right to operate between Singapore and six new destinations in Malaysia, namely Ipoh, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Malacca, Sandakan and Tawau.
by Bloomberg
With declining occupancy and revenue-per-available-room levels already apparent, the addition of new supply will likely result in a further softening of the market, Alison Poore, senior consultant at CBRE Hotels-Southeast Asia, said in a statement.
by Blowin' In The Wind
The ministry's powers of economic divination seem to have been rattled by the crisis as the economy gets worse and worse.
by 百度
by Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times
Three Members of the House yesterday opposed the new public order rules, arguing that these gave overarching powers to the police without sufficient checks and balances.
by The Wayang Party Club
by Lim Wei Chean, Straits Times
Two reports circulating on the Internet that half of the 10,000 jobs at Sentosa's upcoming integrated resort (IR) have been set aside for foreigners have created a furore among some Singaporeans.
by Chua Hian Hou, Straits Times
Consumers can expect more Internet service providers (ISPs) to launch 100Mbps consumer broadband services next year at about $75 a month or less.
by Channel NewsAsia
Some members of the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE) have sought a vote of no confidence in the newly elected executive committee.
by AFP
Singapore's worst economic crisis since independence is predicted to be even worse than expected, with output now forecast to shrink by up to 9.0 percent in 2009, official data showed.
The revised 2009 outlook was the fourth downgrade since November, a reflection of the severity of the recession confronting the trade-dependent state as electronics and other manufactured exports continue to plunge.
by Hard Hitting In The Lion City
The Singapore government may have done a good job on the conversion scheme but it is a case of good tactics, bad strategy.
by Yaw Shin Leong
by Melvin Lim Soon Hin, Today
The government should consider allowing low-income earners — say below $2,000 — to choose to pay a reduced (say, 10 per cent?) CPF contribution to make up for the loss in income.
by 938 Live, Channel NewsAsia
by Tan Kin Lian
In recent years, many government agencies have reduced their manpower in the bid to cut cost. We now have insufficient number of people to enforce the law.
by Nopporn-Wong Anan, Reuters
Singapore's central bank on Tuesday eased monetary policy for the second time since 2003 by effectively devaluing the currency as the government forecast a record economic contraction this year.
The move came as Singapore's economy contracted a record 11.5 percent from a year earlier in the first quarter of 2009, more than a market median forecast of an 8.8 percent slump and deepening the trade-dependent city-state's worst ever recession.
by Channel NewsAsia
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore said its recession will be deeper than previously expected, prompting the central bank to adjust the band within which the currency is managed to help the nation exit its worst economic slowdown on record.
The worst global economic slump since World War II has pushed Asia’s trade-dependent nations into the region’s deepest slowdown in more than a decade. Singapore’s efforts to prevent job losses by handing out cash to companies haven’t stopped manufacturers such as Creative Technology Ltd. from firing workers as orders fall.
by ZhengNinG
新加坡还有多大的吸引力来留住新移民，还有多少的优势来腾飞？逆水行舟，不进则退。今天已经不是90年代初，新加坡政府也应该适时而动，让世界看到它在思维上的变化，看到它的诚心，信心和决心。不然，这个小岛也就只能成为大海中的一叶扁舟，被人忘却。
by Sylvia Lim, The Workers' Party
The Bill as a whole will give the State a carte blanche to control citizen activity and further erode whatever little power Singaporeans have to pursue legitimate causes. This is in contrary to the Workers’ Party belief in Power to the People.
by Fang Zhi Yuan and Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The unfortunate Geylang Serai food poisoning episode has exposed the flaws of both NEA’s grading system and its enforcement.
by April Fonti, Daily Telegraph
It can be difficult to explain the lure of Singapore.
by Ministry Of Trade And Industry, Singapore Government
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) announced today that it expects Singapore's GDP to contract by 6.0 to 9.0 per cent in 2009, lower than the contraction of 2.0 to 5.0 per cent that it had forecast on 21 January 2009. (Note: Link goes to PDF document.)
by Mr Wang Says So
If there are 10,000 available jobs, and 5,000 of them go to Filipinos, then at best 5,000 of them are left for Singaporeans. That's half. That's not the "bulk".
by Singapore Democrats
The SDP has been hoping that it will not come to pass. But it has. Singapore is set to purchase electronic voting machines from India. We might as well kiss elections goodbye. This is no melodrama and it is certainly no exaggeration. Here's why.
by Channel NewsAsia
A smaller CAAS will continue to be the regulator, promoter and developer of the aviation industry, while a corporatised entity will operate Changi Airport and the airport emergency services as well as exploit investment opportunities overseas.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
by Reuters
Singapore passed a law affecting freedom of assembly on Monday it said would help prevent the sort of disruption of international meetings that caused the cancellation of a summit in Thailand last weekend.
An opposition member of parliament, however, said the rules would tighten restrictions on Singaporeans' rights.
by Timothy Ouyang, Channel NewsAsia
Senior parliamentary secretary for transport Teo Ser Luck told the House on Monday that the first group of MRT stations - Jurong East, Pasir Ris, and Yishun - will have screen doors by the end of this year.
by Timothy Ouyang, Channel NewsAsia
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, second minister for transport Mrs Lim Hwee Hua said that has led to the 50-cent reduction in ERP charges at the gantry along the southbound CTE, before Braddell Road between 8.30am and 9am.
by Civic Advocator
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
Second minister for home affairs, Mr K Shanmugam, said: "The approach is to seek the optimal balance between the freedom to exercise political rights while not affecting public safety security and not affecting stability."
by Channel NewsAsia
The second session of the Eleventh Parliament will convene with the President's Address on 18 May at 8.30pm. Parliament is usually prorogued to enable the House to take stock of progress made and map out its legislative programme for the new session.
by Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia
IRAS has apologised for the inconvenience caused and is investigating the cause.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
Concerns over the hijacking of AWARE by anti-gay conservatives is not unfounded. According to the Straits Times as well as the popular website fridae.com, some members of AWARE’s new committee as well as other outspoken members have written to the Straits Times Forum Page opposing the repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code which criminalises sexual relations between men.
by Channel NewsAsia
by Bernama
Singapore’s former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew told the republic’s new citizens to master English if they want to succeed in the city-state.
by 外汇理财周刊
“亚洲四小龙”之一的新加坡在此次金融危机中也未能逃脱经济下滑的厄运，其货币新加坡元更是一跌千丈。所以，随着近期国内银行对外汇汇率的改革，手头持有外汇，特别是持有新加坡元的投资者应抓紧时间去兑换人民币，以免其继续贬值而造成更多的损失。
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
Deputy prime minister and defence minister Teo Chee Hean says that since 2000, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has allowed three officers to be released prematurely from their bonds. Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Mr Teo said the SAF is not an unreasonable organisation when it comes to the issue of officers serving out their bonds.
by Reuters
Singapore developers and construction firms can still access credit markets and there is no need for loan guarantees to help the industry, the government said on Monday.
by Khairulanwar Zaini, The Online Citizen
While the mass food poisoning may be the fault of an errant individual stall owner, the dirty state of the market reflects a worrying systemic failure on the part of the NEA and the Geylang Serai Temporary Market Management Committee.
by Bryan Huang, Straits Times
Do you eat out on a Saturday evening with your friends or family? Then you are in good company, as one in two Singaporeans dines out on Saturday, according to the latest global online study released by The Nielsen Company.
by Singapore Kopi Tok
Now, not only is there rivalry between the offline and online media, there is also intra-online media competition developing.
by Alfred Siew, Techgoondu
What do you do when the entire nation is rushing to file their taxes just two days before the April 15 deadline?
by Everyday's Life In A Snapshot - For Lesser Mortals Only
Suzhou Industrial Park and success does not go together, unless you are from China. Everyone who really knows the truth must know that Singapore got their asses kicked in Suzhou, and we had to suffer in silence, while proclaiming that it was a success so as not to lose face.
by Bryan Caplan, EconLog
Lee may be the father of independent Singapore; but his own account of the facts suggests that Singapore's economic miracle would have begun 10-15 years earlier if the nationalist movement had never existed. I have to ask, then: What was the whole point of Singaporean independence?
by Lim Teck Kong, Today
I used to see [head of the Hawkers Department] making his rounds in the previous centre where my father’s stall was, as well as the current one (Redhill Hawker Centre), to ensure that everything was in place and that no one was breaking the law. If there was such a person (my father had once smoked while cooking), the head would march up to him and discipline him for the bad deed.
by P N Baliji, Today
If it is a case of being upset at the way leadership was seized from right under their noses, constitutionally mind you, then they should be magnanimous in defeat, lick their wounds and prepare to fight another day. Whether in politics or activism, it is that kind of maturity that Singapore needs.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The reservist obligation of Singapore males is a bane to us. How can we compete with new citizens who do not have to take 14 days off each year to serve national service?
by 下午茶
谁不晓得工资低、成本轻就有竞争能力？谁不晓得如果能够买来一批奴隶，昧着良心去干，发财是轻而易举？
by iEat.iShoot.iPost
Traditional little coffeeshop where you still get to see the hawkers frying their stuff on the outside. With a Hokkien Mee, Oyster Omelette and a Satay stall, it would almost seem that it is a coffeeshop designed to be a supper place.
by Warren Longwell, The Stonecypher
The idea about motivating government regulators with vast sums of money is not a new or novel idea. It actually works. We know this because it has worked in Singapore for more than thirty years.
by Wild Shores Of Singapore
What a fabulous way to spend Easter holidays, sunrise on the reefs of Pulau Hantu at low tide!
by 星洲日報
士姑來一名63歲巫裔老漁夫沙蘭阿旺3週前召開發佈會，申訴兒子在新加坡水域遭新方警方追撞後傷重死亡。老漁夫如今反遭大馬警方逮捕後，交由新加坡警方處置。
by Merinews
China, Singapore, Tunisia and Myanmar are the countries where bloggers have been arrested for exposing corruption or abuse of human rights.
by 南博网
虽然面临经济危机，新加坡公司在陕西发展的脚步不但没有停止反而加快。新加坡房地产巨头嘉德置地（中国称为凯德置地）、盛邦、淡马锡属下的丰树、雅诗阁在西安的项目正如火如荼地建设。越来越多的新加坡中小企业也来到陕西寻求发展机会。
by 龙永华, 联合早报
吃得了咸鱼必须抵得住渴，針无两头利。要融入环境必须全心投入，义无反顾。主动、自发性地与人交往，不能一味处在期待与被动的状态。
by Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore’s economy probably shrank for a fourth straight quarter as manufacturing and exports collapsed, adding pressure on the central bank to allow the currency to weaken to revive growth.
The worst global economic slump since World War II has pushed trade-dependent Singapore into the deepest recession in its history. Government efforts to prevent job losses by handing out cash to companies haven’t stopped manufacturers such as Creative Technology Ltd. from firing workers, and economists expect the island to loosen monetary policy this week.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
While I concur that every Singaporean has a part to play in ensuring public hygiene and food safety, it is not fair to attribute the blame squarely on us.
If we are responsible for everything, then why do we still need to pay million of dollars for a minister to be in charge of the environment?
by Blowin' In The Wind
by Singapore Democrats
Why are the ministers making themselves millionaires when they can't lead?
by Dune Lawrence, Bloomberg
by George Yeo, Beyond SG
PM was told by the Thai Government that he and the Singapore delegation should evacuate by sea, to be ferried by small boats to a nearby LST which would take us to Sattahip naval base. From there we could drive to U-Tapao. It all seemed quite unseemly to me that leaders and ministers had to leave in this way. But anyway we packed our belongings and waited for instructions since the Thais were responsible for our security. Happily we were informed around 3.30pm that the demonstrators had dispersed and we could travel by road to U-Tapao with full dignity.
by Angry Doc
Because if it's not going to be about love in the end, then what's the whole point?
by Elysa Chen, New Paper
Hawkers reveal how they decide where it's safe to eat.
by Maureen Koh and Tan Kee Yun, New Paper
Do the rising number of clubs catering to women - at least 11 which have opened in under a year - necessarily mean that women are becoming bolder or wilder?
by SM Ong, New Paper
Does the PTC seriously expect us to believe that, of the over 250 bus services run by SBS Transit and SMRT, only 17 of them are overcrowded during rush hour?
What alternate universe does the PTC live in? I want to live in that universe.
by Amit Roy Choudhury, Business Times
by Weiwei
新传媒主播张海洁作演讲的时候，提到了这样一个概念：当我们这些新移民，或者来新加坡不久的人们，聚在一起臭骂房东，鄙视新加坡人的时候，当我们更进一步打算融入这个社会把新加坡当作自己家的时候，我们，是不是要摈弃民族主义？
by Au Waipang, Yawning Bread
I am pessimistic about the prospect of reversing this. This means that gay people, and anyone with liberal views on sexuality, including abortion, will have to be watchful of what new AWARE does in the future. The moment the new leaders use the organisation to further a religious, sectarian agenda, efforts must be made to counter it.
An interesting question arises: Shouldn't the Registrar of Societies step in if it is later shown that a society is being used for a quasi-religious agenda? You can bet the government will rush in the moment that agenda is Islam-related. But it is one of the tragedies of Singapore that with the over-representation of Christians in government, they will not see any danger should it be a Christian agenda. They may think it can only improve Singapore!
by The Legal Janitor
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
We have to stay vigilant all the time against the mainstream media and I sincerely call on all netizens to join us in our quest to be the media watchdog.
by Mitchell Toy, Kellie Cameron, Herald Sun
The tragedy has sparked fierce debate in Singapore over regulations that force doctors who have trained with the armed forces to then serve for at least 12 years.
Dr Ooi's distraught parents, who have returned to Singapore after collecting their son's body, are desperate to know more about his last months.
by Mergawati Zulfakar, The Star
Prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia and Singapore will look into one or two iconic projects within the Iskandar Malaysia region in Johor to symbolise the cooperation between the two nations.
by Darren Boon, The Online Citizen
by Bread Crumbs And Candy Cottage
It freaks the hell out of me that their hatred for their fellow human beings can reach such a fever pitch to organize this coup.
by Leona's Blog
If you think the recent events at Aware do not have any direct implications for you, near or far, think again.
by The Online Citizen
The government has done little to indicate that it is willing to share the pain with those who have been affected by the crisis, beyond token cuts in public sector salaries.
by Mathia Lee
I think we must think about why the ST report was written, rather than focusing on why what happened, happened.
by Channel NewsAsia
Responding to queries from Channel NewsAsia, DBS said after a brave fight with the disease, Mr Stanley died on Saturday morning at 8.45. His immediate family was by his side as he slipped away peacefully.
by 傅丽云, 联合早报
32岁小学华文女教师两个月前承认与15岁学生发生性关系，在被定罪前，详细的案情（Statement of Facts）就被人上载到互联网，再转载到“性论坛”上，但总检察署认为这不会构成问题。
by 陈天明, 联合早报
由于卫生评级没有法律约束力，赏罚不明，长期以来被小贩当成纸老虎，等同虚设。
by New Paper
The New Paper team visited 18 hawker centres and found that only some eight out of 10 of the stalls had displayed the grades - despite it being compulsory to do so.
by Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
This fast growing city is set to become an even more exciting place. The location to watch is the blogosphere, which will become a new political arena after the Government launches a web offensive within the next few weeks to retake lost ground.
I do not see an “anything goes” website for free political discussions – if it happens - not having a spreading impact on the mainstream media.
by The Wayang Party Club
by Musings
It will be interesting to see, therefore, whether Aware will continue to be able to leverage on its networks, or whether it will continue to succeed without being able to do so.
by Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia
The National Environment Agency (NEA) will step up its enforcement regime at hawker centres to ensure there are no more lapses in hygiene standards -- which the environment and water resources minister Yaacob Ibrahim says can never be compromised.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
As the minister in charge of NEA, Dr Yaacob should be on the ground inspecting the premises and visiting the victims in the hospital on the very day itself if not the day after, but he was nowhere to be seen or heard.
Even if he is not available, the next highest official such as his Permanent Secretary Tan Yong Soon should have stepped forward to fill his shoes. Again, he wasn’t around. (or is he in Paris now for another cooking course?)
by Amelia Tan, Straits Times
Principals and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) say the appeal of machine-dispensed fruit lies in the attractive packaging it comes in.
Doesn't sound like this is environmental friendly.
by Glass Castle
It is sad that it should come to this, but Constance Singam and the rest of the AWARE ‘old guard’ should take heart: there is a way forward. Disassociate publicly from the new AWARE. Set up a new organisation. State clearly, without hedging, and without obfuscation, what you stand for: secular feminism, including abortion rights, equality for LGBTQ people, and freedom from oppressive gender roles. Put it in your constitution this time, and make it a habit to stand up for what you believe in, in the loudest, clearest, most principled possible terms, whenever the opportunity arises. Be transparent about your values, and accountable – including, yes, to queer women (more on this below). Learn from this mistake and it won’t happen again. It might even be better this time.
by Writing-Yoga-Living
Now I understand why these new committee members (& the NMPs they support) were writing paranoid letters & scaremongering about people’s hidden agendas & plans to force the majority to live by rules of a vocal minority…
by Where Bears Roam Free
For now, it appears that some women (maybe some men behind the scene too) have taken over an institution to counter the gay movement. Only time will tell what this development will lead us to.
by AFP
British-trained economist Kenneth Jeyaretnam, 50, told AFP he had been approached to join other parties but decided going with the Reform Party was the right thing to do.
by Sam's Thoughts
The Straits Times is interesting. They do their snoops but leave the "reading" to their readers. They mentioned Jenica Chua, Angela Thiang, Claire Nazar and Alan Chin in the article. For those who have followed the news, these individuals have contributed their (conservative) views in the S377A debate in 2007.
I have no idea how AWARE works, but it is definitely interesting to know what plans they have in store for Singapore - women, children and men, of different backgrounds and identities.
by Channel NewsAsia
The family of David Widjaja, the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) student who fell to his death on campus last month after allegedly stabbing his lecturer, is in Singapore to seek clarification from the authorities on several matters.
by The Anti Neo-Democracy Theorist
The surprised entrance of Kenneth Jeyaratnam into Singapore’s rather bleak opposition scene presents a fresh air into Singapore’s political scene.
by Tan Kin Lian
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party
by Singapore Democrats
Perhaps, with the downturn, Singaporeans are waking up to the idea that things may not be quite the way the PAP has been telling them all these years.
by Harish Pillay, Alas, A Blog!
I posted a very cynical comment but there is a bigger issue at play. There has never been any degree of transparency in the government, despite of what they keep saying.
by Singapore Government
So long as the succeeding generations of Singaporeans do not forget the fundamentals of our vulnerabilities, and not delude themselves that we can behave as if our neighbours are Europeans or North Americans, and remain alert, cohesive and realistic, Singapore will survive and prosper.
by The Blog Of A Certified Geek
by Harish Pillay, Alas, A Blog!
I continue to be amazed by the utter waste of tax-payer monies that goes to pay the ministers who, on the face of it, do nothing.
by AFP
Singapore, a predominantly ethnic-Chinese Buddhist society of 4.6 million, has seen a boom in recent years in born-again Christian movements, which experts said people perceive as modern institutions reflecting their personal aspirations.
by Aaron Low, Straits Times
Singapore's growth forecast for this year will have to be be revised downwards from the current -2 to -5 per cent as exports continue to be hit by the global economic slowdown, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday. But he does not think it will go into double-digits.
by Elena Chong, Straits Times
A couple, who caused a stir by strolling down naked along Lorong Mambong earlier this year were charged in court on Thursday.
by Xiamenloh
by Wicked
In other words. they are using the guilt card.
by 陆彩霞 冯剑斌 王珏琪, 联合早报
发生印度罗惹集体食物中毒事件的芽笼士乃临时巴刹鼠患问题严重，灭虫公司在一个星期内捉到41只老鼠。
by 胡洁梅, 联合早报
纽顿熟食中心“虎虾事件”中因收费过高而从本月1日起被吊销执照三个月的“东陵第一站海鲜馆”（Tanglin Best BBQ Seafood）摊位，到目前为止还是照常营业，让一些食客大感不解。
by Haro Genki
by Letty Aw Siew Hua, Today
The concept of en bloc sales should be reviewed. En bloc should mean “all agree to sell”. The premise that you can sell away another’s right to live in peace, provided 80 per cent give support: This is the crux of the issue. It’s an unsound premise.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
An unbreakable bond is tantamount to modern slavery. If there were no such clause initially, why should Allan be refused his basic human right to leave his current employment in search of a better one?
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
Active citizenry is a myth in a totalitarian one-party state like Singapore where the rubber-stamp Parliament passes legislation according to the wimps and fancies of a tinpot dictator with scant regards for public opinion.
by Simon Hartley, Otago Daily Times
The viability of some shipping lines is being questioned with hundreds of ships laid up across the globe and at anchor as trade and cargo volumes dwindle.
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
While speed demons were on a high during last year's inaugural night race, some businesses within the F1 circuit found themselves left out of the party as extensive road closures before and after the race put the brakes on spending.
With more experience this time round, government agencies - Singapore Tourism Board and Land Transport Authority - and race organiser Singapore GP said they will shorten the road closure period to improve the situation.
by Gerald Giam
by Ngian Lek Choh, National Library, Straits Times
The National Library Board (NLB) Act 1995 requires Singapore publishers to deposit two copies of every print publication with the National Library, under the Legal Deposit requirement. The purpose is to preserve Singapore's published national literary heritage and make it accessible to present and future generations.
by Saeed Azhar and Joseph Chaney, Reuters
Singapore's Temasek, like other Asian and Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, is digging for deals in mining and oil, as it licks its wounds from financial sector investments that have soured in a global crisis.
by Ng Zi Yun, Straits Times
Surely, the size of a leader's salary is justifiable if he attracts a lot more revenue than if he were not part of the organisation.
I'm very distrubed with our obsession of using money as the only way to measure performance and rewards.
by AFP
Singapore will temporarily restrict payments for organ donations to its nationals to prevent wealthy locals from exploiting poor foreigners, a report said.
by Huang Shoou Chyuan, NoFearSingapore
If we include foreign donors into the scheme, we are unable to monitor the donor back in their homeland and we do not know where the money goes to and we are never sure that the money from the recipient really went to help defray expenses only.
by 938 Live
938LIVE understands from stallholders that since the temporary market started functioning some three years ago, no spring cleaning had been organised.
by 938 Live
by Groundnotes
After years of rewarding the smartest guys with the best credentials to drive the economy, we now realize that the smartest guys may not necessarily be the best guys to do the job. Wall Street is learning that a credential-based meritocracy is not always the best way to go. This lesson is seeping into the consciousness of Singaporeans as they read about the paradigm shifts in corporate culture over in the US. With the rationale for our high ministerial salaries so informed by market logic and US corporate culture, it is no wonder that someone has come out to defend the right to bonuses.
by 陈锦柏 陆彩霞 胡洁梅, 联合早报
老字号“芽笼士乃罗惹”摊的印度罗惹导致100多人集体食物中毒事件，老摊主昨晚终于打破沉默，接受记者访问，道出他的心声。
by Christel Quek
I’m just upset that we’re increasingly misguided in our faiths. The church’s exponential growth in terms of attendance and income should never be attributed to a single person alone.
by Blowin' In The Wind
by Eicolab
Singaporeans seem to love the plastic bag.
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
To suggest that defamation suits are a valid means of promoting good dialogue is to regard citizens as politically and socially immature brats who are unable to exercise good judgment.
by Eugene Yeo, The Wayang Party Club
The Ming Yi fiasco has proven to Singaporeans again beyond doubt that a system which relies on trust alone is a faulty one open to abuse. When there are no checks and balances in the system, a powerful, charistmatic or influential leader will be given a blank cheque to run the organization without having to account to anybody. And that lies the real danger. Can we expect human beings to check on themselves?
by 938 Live
In an update on the rojak food poisoning outbreak, the Health Ministry (MOH) says early investigations reveal that two cases of food poisoning have tested positive for the bacteria called Vibrio Parahaemolyticus.
MOH says the bacteria is part of the normal flora of the marine environment and is a common cause of food poisoning associated with consumption of raw or partially cooked seafood.
by Colin Lim, Straits Times
Fines amounting to merely $4,500 and $100 are pocket change to the bus companies and may send the wrong message to them.
by Narayana Narayana, Straits Times
The more pragmatic attitude of "quid pro quo" or more simply "what's in it for me?" had already then replaced any ideals of altruism.
by Arthur Tan, Straits Times
This seems to run counter to the objective of trying to help companies stay afloat.
by Jermyn Chow, Straits Times
In a letter to the media on Tuesday, the defence ministry said it would have preferred to keep such exchanges private out of respect for Capt (Dr) Ooi and his family. However, it said an earlier letter by the family had raised 'several issues', and it was necessary to clarify them.
by Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia
Those who want to look at the list can go to the Elections Department or any of the 105 Inspections Centres island-wide which are primarily community centres and clubs.
by What Else Can This Be Apart From My Blog
by Serene Luo, Straits Times
Blogs, the Internet and other new media like social networks are already regulated 'with a light touch', and it is likely to continue in that vein, said the new acting minister for information, communication and the arts Lui Tuck Yew.
by Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia
This means that the bills for post-transplant medical check-ups will be sent directly from the hospital or clinic to a charity or religious group that is responsible for administering the reimbursements.
by The Online Citizen
The main problem seems to be a continuing stigma against mental illness and a perception that mental healthcare is “not scientific”.
by New Straits Times
Plans are afoot to put more buses on the road between Johor and Singapore to meet the demand of commuters.
by Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen
by Diary Of A Singaporean Mind
There is nothing to change and the system is fine. ...
by Dee Kay Dot As Gee
Why is our Minister talking about something that is so far away from home? What does AIG bonus has to do with Singapore?
by Everyday's Life In A Snapshot - For Lesser Mortals Only
Well done, Public Transport Council. That fine was really productive. Oh sorry, I forgot. That was symbolic lah.The fines would have struck fear into the consumer-oriented SMRT and SBS Transit, hence they will 100% clean up their act to prevent themselves from being fined again in the future.
by Prose Pedagogies
40 million dollars in making changes to things shopping crowds hardly ever notice is a completely asinine way of spending money.
by Running Legs
I was quite amazed by how Singapore have stoop so low to name a orchid after an authoritarian regime. Explanation given was to uphold tradition of naming an orchid for visiting head-of-state. Oh please. Dispense us with the crap.
by Shelter Offshore
The good news is, two havens that have recently become more attractive to expat savers have actually agreed to accept the transparency directives of the OECD.
by The Online Citizen
$100 is only 0.00024%% of SMRT’s quarterly profit. How can this amount encourage SMRT to improve their services? This amount is simply too little and meaningless.
by Feed Me To The Fish
It's only obscene when it makes a mockery of national service, nation building and civil service.
Or are we being 'unkind' to Mr Lim Boon Heng, his bosses and colleagues in highlighting their achievement of being the best paid in the world?
by Singapore Democrats
It is clear the PAP has lost its way. With the world financial and economic undergoing a fundamental shift in the way it operates, we need a new model upon which to build our future. That model is one based on transparency and accountability, one where the people come first.
by Terence Lee, The Online Citizen
“It’s very, very unfair,” he said before finally calming down.
by Tessa Wong, Straits Times
by Nicholas Yong, Sujin Thomas & Diana Othman, Straits Times
One person is dead, another is in a coma and 25 others have been hospitalised so far in what is possibly Singapore's worst case of mass food poisoning.
by Reuters
For all the ambiguity afforded to Singapore by its unique currency-based monetary policy, its central bank will still have to effectively devalue the currency if it wants to meaningfully achieve lower interest rates.
Singapore's central bank announces its policy after a six-month hiatus next week, and barely anyone doubts that authorities will have to ease monetary settings to shore up an economy that is already in recession and toying with deflation.
by Lin Yanqin, Today
by The Wayang Party Club
Temasek and GIC performed especially badly under the “structure” category. GIC does not state the source of its funds which is not kept separate from Singapore’s international reserves.
by AFP
Singapore has vowed to amend its tax laws within the year after being named in a list of countries that have not yet fully implemented global standards aimed at eliminating tax havens.
by Ravi Philemon, The Online Citizen
Organisations like WWF Singapore are in best position to exercise their corporate citizenry, to pressure SBG over the orchid naming issue. Having said that, should every organisation which professes to support human rights and green issues, now avoid using SBG since Dendrobium Thein Sein in all probability may not be removed from the SBG’s VIP Orchid Gardens? It is a decision best left to the organisations themselves. But such decisions should be done only after careful consideration of all options.
by Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
Internet engagement by politicians is a new phenomena in Singapore – and parties on both sides of the fence are adopting tentative stances towards it. The politicians do not want to get into something they are not familiar with; while netizens are wary of politicians usurping Net space for their political agenda.
But if discussions on issues of importance are to progress, both parties have to accept that perhaps it is time to stop staying on their respective sides of the fence.
by Felicia Wong, Straits Times
SBS Transit, the larger operator, was fined $4,500 for its failure to ensure that 85 per cent of feeder bus services were operating at headways of not more than 10 minutes. While SMRT met this requirement immediately since it was introduced August 2008, it was fined $100 for exceeding the 95 per cent loading during peak hours.
by 联合早报
新马依士干达部长联合委员会昨天举行第四次会议，就四方面的合作进展进行检讨，并原则上同意把来往两地的巴士服务次数增加一倍。
by 王永炳, 联合早报
这些学者根本没有意识到，国无大小，无格则小；人无高低，有品乃高。
by Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
Mr Lim Boon Heng has gotten his case wrong. The outcry over the mega bonuses paid by AIG was not simply due to the fact that AIG had been bailed out by American taxpayers’ money, but also due to the fact that managers and executives at AIG had, for the past several years, indulged in highly speculative and risky activity that brought down the whole company and threatened the entire financial system when the US housing market collapsed.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
The PAP has failed to meet the needs and aspirations of the population so far. Without the GRC system, a weak opposition and a compliant media under its thumb, it would have been booted out of office a long time ago.
by Jessica Cheam, Straits Times
Construction firms that rely heavily on private-sector projects face tough times ahead as more property developers delay building works.
by 谭浩俊, 东方网
by S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore's Parliament has called for names to be submitted for the next batch of Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs).
by EVA逆流而画, EVA逆流而画
生为土生土长的新加坡人我觉得现在真的变得好拥挤去到哪里都是人!
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party
by Channel NewsAsia
With the first three months of 2009 just over, Singapore's manpower minister, Gan Kim Yong, said the unemployment rate for the first quarter of this year is likely to be higher than the last three months of 2008.
by 吴新慧, 联合早报
怎么让求职者面对现实，调整心态，劳动市场上的信息有多流通及透明，其实是一大关键。目前有好几个政府、社区机构及全国职工总会在协助解决失业和职能培训问题。这些机构也在努力地收集和提供各行业的职位空缺数据，并不时通过媒体发表。然而，笼统的数据并不能为求职者提供准确的信息。
by Anthony Tan, The Star
The Government has approved direct flights between Langkawi and Singapore which will take off soon.
by Jarkarta Post
Singapore’s Nanyang Technology University (NTU) has finally sent the autopsy report of David Hartanto Widjaja, an Indonesian student who died on its campus last month, to his family.
by Anthony Faiola and Mary Jordan, Washington Post
One day after world leaders threatened tax havens with sanctions, a host of countries on a freshly published "list of shame" scrambled to get off it even as questions surfaced over China's maneuvers to exclude Hong Kong and Macau.
by Choo Zheng Xi, The Online Citizen
Singapore laws on banking secrecy need to rethought so that a balance can be struck with our desire to cooperate with the international community’s attempts to apprehend money launderers. MOF’s less than subtle attempt to divert the international community’s attention from TIEAs by highlighting its compliance with the apparently less onerous DTAs is unfortunate.
by Alvin Koh, Straits Times
While I understand and agree that the regulation has its benefits, I do not see why service staff have to wear something that reveals their NRIC numbers, which I believe is private information.
by Jeremy Koh, The Wayang Party Club
Temasek and GIC executives need not fear anything by disclosing their salaries and bonuses. If they feel they truly deserve the renumeration received, then they should not be ashamed to reveal it.
by Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
Being on the list means Singapore has agreed to the international tax standard, but has yet to substantially implement the measures required.
by Peh Shing Huei, Straits Times
The People's Action Party (PAP) will continue to ensure a good spread of candidates to reflect the views of the young and also to take care of older Singaporeans, deputy prime minister Teo Chee Hean said on Friday.
by Bernama
Malaysia's new prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has received congratulatory messages from Singapore leaders who expressed confidence that ties between both countries would be further enhanced. Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said he was confident that Malaysia would continue to prosper under Najib's stewardship, saying that he look forward to working closely with the new prime minister to further enhance "our warm relations and mutual cooperation".
by Diary Of A Singaproean Mind
The PAP continues to insist that its economic model is the best for ordinary Singaporeans but ordinary Singaporeans are beginning to ask : What's in it for us?
by Alfred Siew, Techgoondu
It’s been known for years that telco firms are morphing into media companies. So, why aren’t the rules clearer to allow for the right kind of competition that brings better value to people? Without rules to curb cross-bundling, the NGNBN will only solve one part of the problem - and be bogged down by another.
by Straits Times
The Singapore Botanic Gardens marks a century and a half of lush foliage and brilliant flowers this year. On Friday, the Grande Dame opened a year-long series of festivities with a live video conference with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, England.
by Channel NewsAsia
Telecommunications service provider StarHub has won the bid to operate Singapore's Next Generation National Broadband Network.
by My Singapore News
by Channel NewsAsia
Being a burden to one's family, medical cost and pain — these are Singaporeans' top three fears about death, as revealed in a first ever survey on death attitudes in Singapore.
by Tabitha Wang, Today
For once in our life, can't we let go of the reins for a bit and let things develop organically? As long as the pedlars don't tout or set up stalls that are a safety hazard, what's the harm in letting them try to make some business in these difficult times?
by Loh Chee Kong, Today
Having made forays into Facebook and online multimedia, the ruling party is now taking the cyber-battle for hearts and minds up another notch. Its youth wing is set to launch an offensive in the weeks ahead, with a revamped website that could feature a more prominent no-holds-barred forum, lively rebuttals by party activists to online chatter, and provocative essays by external writers.
by Mark Bendeich, Reuters
An Australian court has dismissed attempts by Singapore Airlines and Emirates to prevent the Australian competition watchdog from demanding documents in relation to a price-fixing probe, the watchdog said on Friday.
by 中国新闻网
by 陈赛芳, 光华日报
享誉国际政坛盛誉的新加坡内阁资政李光耀，也是娘惹的后代，其母亲是个名副其实的娘惹。深受娘惹文化熏陶的李夫人，曾出版过娘惹食谱，至今仍在售卖当中。
by 联合早报
市场人士指出，浩然大厦案件判决意味今后要进行集体出售更为艰难，销售委员会和分层地契局的职责将加重。
by Civil Advocator
I believe that you father’s book deserved to be read by Singaporeans. I’d like to tell you that there is Internet which can make it very easy for people to get your dad’s book. Just a couple of mouse click and the entire book goes to your PC in the form of a PDF file. I hope someone could approach the publisher of your dad’s book, to check if such an electronic version of the book could be made available, for people to download.
by 钟庆兴, 联合早报
我想知道的是:学生车资卡真需那么高费用来进行特别制作的话，为何连简单的暂时停用功能都办不到呢？这样的收费合理吗？
by Reuters
Singapore's purchasing managers' index, a leading indicator for manufacturing, edged up in March from the previous month, but the overall index shows the industry continued to contract for the seventh consecutive month.
by Robin Chan, Straits Times
There are no ships laying idle in Singapore waters despite a global trade collapse that has left a record 485 'unemployed' vessels around the world. The assurance came from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Thursday, in response to questions over whether local ports may be unsafe due to a large number of empty ships clogging the waterways.
by Parul Chhaparia, Financial Chronicle
The tussle between Singapore Airlines and travel agents on the issue of commission has cost Rs 500 crore to the largest foreign airline operating from India. According to the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), the airline has lost Rs 500 crore in the past 94 days since travel agents decided to boycott it after a zero-commission regime was proposed.
by Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Bernama
Singapore is steadfast in turning the city-state into one of the leading arbitration centres in Asia and in the world, the government says.
Law minister K Shanmugam said Singapore's judicial philosophy facilitated arbitration in the city-state, and the judiciary had through case law, made clear that it would support the arbitral process and would not interfere with it.
by Los Angeles Times
Victoria, a one-month-old Malayan tapir, is the most recent addition to the Singapore Zoo's Malayan tapir population (her birth brings the total to eight).
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
On the whole, Singaporeans do not begrudge civil servants receiving a pay and bonus which is commensurate with their peformance. What we ask for is simply for the respective organizations to keep us informed on how they utilize public funds. Is this too much to ask for?
by The Star
Johor Baru-Singapore Taxi Federation acting chairman Ahmad Osman said the Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board approved the increase last week.
by Huang Shoou Chyuan, NoFearSingapore
I am still convinced that to say that only if Singapore’s political office-holders are paid astronomical salaries, could we have a non-corrupt and clean government is a false dichotomy and an insult to each and every Singaporean’s intelligence. The words "altruism" and "self-sacrifice" are obviously alien to the PAP and not present in their vocabulary!
by Ricky Calderon, Tempo
by Tan Kin Lian
My proposal is intended to protect the integrity of the CPF as a saving plan for retirement.
by New Paper
For the past two years, the CPIB has been preparing for a new industry that will offer a different sort of challenge in its battle against corruption - the integrated resorts (IRs).
by Cindy Lim, Straits Times
by Tammy Tan, SBS Transit, Straits Times
Let me explain why we have not been able to do so despite trying for the last few days to get more information about the person who was involved in the accident with our bus.
by Neel Chowdhury, Time
The irony is both sad and delicious. The Little Nyonya, a Singaporean television serial about a Chinese Peranakan family that concluded in the middle of January, was told entirely in Mandarin, a language whose creeping bid for dominance in Singapore has lately eclipsed Baba Malay — the pidgin Malay at the heart of Peranakan culture. But in a sly act of revenge, the immensely popular serial triggered a boomlet in all things Peranakan.
by Martyn See, Only "Objective" And "Factual" Political Films Please, We're Singaporeans
This TimesOnline article gets it all wrong.
by Lynlee Foo, Channel NewsAsia
Affluent Singaporeans are the most pessimistic in Asia when it comes to their future, according to a survey by life insurer AXA.
by AFP
As the global economy tanks and an increasing number of people get laid off in Singapore, SOS is seeking more volunteers to cope with a rise in the number of callers in need of solace from a kind voice.
by Khairulanwar Zaini, The Online Citizen
That is the true tragedy in the entire affair: of being Singapore and being vulnerable to the pressures of economy and trade that ideals and principles that we should stand for have to be forsaken.
by Alastair Su, Give Me Some Truth
by 李静仪, 联合早报
行情不好，到访的外国旅客不断下降，圣淘沙岛上其中四个景点却从本月起调高收费，令一些旅游业者不解。
by 大公网
by Karamjit Kaur, Straits Times
Singapore's Temasek Holdings, as well as other minority shareholders of the company that owns low-cost carriers Jetstar Asia and Valuair, are pulling out of the venture.
by Kevin Lim, Reuters
Singapore private home prices suffered their biggest drop in more than 30 years in the first three months of 2009 as the country's worst-ever recession hammered investor sentiment in the recently booming property market.
Resale prices for government-built HDB apartments, which house over 80 percent of Singapore citizens, fell 0.6 percent in the first quarter from the last three months of last year, a separate index compiled by the Housing development Board showed.
by Lim Yii Tong, The Wayang Party Club
If the allegations contained in the letter are indeed true, MINDEF will be hard pressed to account for their policy of coercing unhappy scholars to remain in service against their will.
Under Article 23 of the UN Universal Declarations of Human Right, everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment. In this instance, the right of Dr Allan Ooi to “free choice of employment” overrides the MINDEF’s right to demand him to complete his bond.
by The Wayang Party Club
by AFP
Singapore Airlines (SIA) on Wednesday announced shorter work months for management and ground staff as part of cost-cutting measures to deal with the impact of the global economic crisis. A company statement said it will also implement a wage freeze for managers and warned it cannot rule out further measures to keep costs down if the worldwide downturn worsens.
by Azmanshah Zailamshah, Straits Times
I always thought POSB was the people's bank.
by Amanda Kloer, Change.org
Karin's story illustrates the vast work which needs to still be done.
by Sudha Menon and P.R. Sanjai, Wall Street Journal
In their ongoing agitation against Singapore Airlines, representatives of the Travel Agents Association of India, or Taai, and Travel Agents Federation of India, or Tafi, have decided to approach Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray to mediate in the imbroglio, said Rajji Rai, president of Taai.
by Ong Dai Lin, Today
A childcare centre is suing newspaper company Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) for alleged defamation. Al-Amin Education is claiming that a Straits Times article last year had implied its Tampines branch was responsible for a 13-month-old boy and his five-year-old cousin contracting hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).
by Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, New York Times
Presenting Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” with an all-male cast dressed as men has raised a few eyebrows in conservative Singapore, leading the media regulator to request the company to prominently display an age advisory of “16 years and above” on all its publicity material, with the notice, “Re-interpretation, all-male cast.”
The director, Glen Goei, said he decided to recast the well-known play, which has several female characters, because he wanted to “celebrate” Oscar Wilde, a man who “dared to be true to himself and his nature” and “remind people what he stood for.”
by Karamjit Kaur, Straits Times
More than 1,400 Singapore Airlines have volunteered to take no-pay leave but it is not enough to steer the airline through the current tough times. Next step: Compulsory leave for all, and a wage freeze for managers in the current financial year, which ends next March.
by Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia
The Family Exclusion Order is available to immediate family members such as spouses, children, parents and siblings, including adopted and step relations.
by The Online Citizen
Supporting community heritage institutions are a national imperative.
by Straits Times
by Alicia Wong, Today
Watersports enthusiasts may soon find the waters calmer at the Marina Reservoir, although visitors to the barrage may get the occasional whiff of a strange smell. These are some of the changes that can be expected as the PUB, the national water agency, begins the desalting process at the Marina Reservoir this month.
by 经济日报
昇菘超市逆势而上，正是看准建筑成本随经济萎缩而相应回落，果断把握机会，大胆进行扩张，在资金充裕的前提下断然出手，当算是采取“攻略”的典型企业。
by Peter Chong, The Star
At one time when I visited my cousin in Singapore, she told me how her own daughter almost wanted to kill her.
by Teo Xuanwei, Today
The family of Captain (Dr) Allan Ooi Seng Teik, who was found dead under a bridge in Melbourne last month, is asking for an inquiry by an independent panel to address some of the late doctor’s concerns about his job.
by Seelan Palay
Help us genuinely - don't make use of us to promote yourself. Sembawang GRC does owe us, and it owes us a lot. The high maintenance costs that we have to pay, continue to fatten the Town Council's bank accounts. Some of our money was recklessly lost in speculative investments in toxic financial products; are there further losses to come? At the end of the day, we are the ones who have to bear the increasing burden.
by Aussie Pete
The reason I am clapping with just one hand only, is that once again I have seen no change to behaviours... I still see cyclists speeding through crowds of pedestrians (on both paths), boldly and proudly ringing their bell to part the crowds - often without even slowing, many still talking on cell phone.
by Fang Zhi Yuan, The Wayang Party Club
The zero sum game in Singapore politics means that you are either with or against the PAP. Given the climate of fear fostered by ISA arrests and defamation lawsuits on opposition leaders, it is little wonder that Singaporeans are generally averse to politics.
The pervasive political apathy in the populace has led to a perculiar situation in which there is a dearth of talented Singaporeans joining politics. The PAP has to go out of its way to coax Singaporeans to join its ranks.
by The Wayang Party Club
by Alfred Lim, Straits Times
by Times Of My Life
by David Neiwert, Crooks And Liars
"Now, they have no drug problem in Singapore at all, number one, because they hang drug dealers — they execute them. And number two, the market is very thin, because when they catch you using, you go away with a mandatory rehab."
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.