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Muhammad Cohen, Asia Times
The city-state's rules on junkets run counter to its tax regime. Singapore's government appears to be working at cross purposes, encouraging VIPs with one hand while waving them away with the other. That stance is particularly bewildering because Singapore wants to be known as the Switzerland of Asia, a safe haven for wealth, and hasn't been fussy in the past about accepting funds from foreign businesspeople and government officials with less than perfect pedigrees.
Sam Ho, Sam's thoughts
The Online Citizen
The ‘findings’ cited by the Minister are not false. They are, however, a selective choice, stripped of their context and grossly misrepresenting a complicated situation. It creates an impression that Eddie and Samiah are sitting on a large fortune, when the reality is very different. Although the financial aid received from various organisations and their current incomes assist in subsidizing daily expenses, they do not allow them to buy a resale or rent a flat in the open market.
This article, while focused on ‘setting the record straight’ on Samiah and Eddie’s situations, is not just about this one couple. TOC ran stories about a number of families who were sleeping in parks because they had no access to a comfortable roof over their heads. Each of those stories were equally complicated, mired with sad tales of mishaps, ill-health and financial woe. Through our reports, we hoped the state would step in and review its policies, that the relevant authorities would be woken up from their stupor and seek ways to remedy an alarming situation. The Minister, despite public proclamations of concern and assurances of assistance, has chosen instead to pick on one homeless couple and publicly discredit them, instead of taking the opportunity to address a serious issue in Parliament with gravity and depth.
赵倩玉, 联合早报
本地电信公司迟迟无法与国际足联（FIFA）敲定世界杯转播权，许多球迷转向黑市购买宽带网络电视解世界杯之瘾。
Frederik Balfour, BusinessWeek
Singapore's expertise in treating water has wooed researchers and is helping build an important new export industry.
mrbrown, CNNGo
This, of course, sent Singaporeans into a nationwide collective giggle.
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
No questions were asked by these establishment journalists. All they did was publish Dr Balakrishnan's response verbatim, without any verification. This isn't journalism, this is stenography.
It's All About Amelioration
If the government can push Singapore’s resources to the max, when it comes to building a prosperous first class economy, surely then, we as Singaporeans can push the government for a first class society.
Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times
Mr David Adelman, on his first day on the job as United States Ambassador to Singapore, spent much of his first meeting with the Singapore media mending fences. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, he stressed repeatedly that his earlier remarks - on how he would use public diplomacy to promote political freedom in Singapore - were not an attempt to interfere in local politics.
Singapore Recalcitrant
The PAP leaders are doing all these as they are concerned about reports of favourable ground situation in favour of the opposition in a general election. They will try with everything in their power to prevent the opposition from making inroads into their political dominance.
Today
When contacted, Dr Bala-krishnan's press secretary, Ms Ho Moon Shin, dismissed Al Jazeera's claims as "illogical". Despite the profits from the sales, she pointed out that the couple continued to receive financial and social assistance from the Government and voluntary welfare organisations.
Want Some Tau Huay?
I puzzled with Dr Balakrishnan flip-flop comments. On one hand, he claims the Government is more than willing to help anyone in need, but on the other hand, he refuses to find out why a couple, who can afford a flat, choose to live out on the streets.
Brian Rezny, Seeking Alpha
Isn’t it risky for an economy to grow that quickly? The short answer: possibly. Blockbuster growth can lead to inflation (and pricing bubbles). But it's not just about how quickly an economy grows, it’s how the government handles it.
Blowin' In The Wind
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
The stark reality is that much of the homelessness situation in Singapore is the doing of the PAP government, as its rigid and inflexible housing policies as well as overly bureaucratic machinery lead to many families falling through the cracks and finding themselves with nowhere to turn.
Exacerbating the plight of the homeless is the fact that the government continually turns public housing facilities that could be used to shelter them into profit making entities used to provide accommodation to foreign workers and foreign students instead.
And while all this chicanery is occurring, the government still unrepentantly pursues policies that continually lead to escalating HDB flat prices which are forcing average Singaporeans out of their own market and which are also resulting in higher incidences of foreclosures and more cases of homelessness.
The Online Citizen
Since January this year, TOC has spent many hours with the couple in question. We have approached various organisations, including MCYS, to try to help them find a home. We have done this in the belief that the government would be able to assist the couple.
We are thus shocked that the MCYS minister chose to castigate the couple in Parliament, without having ever spoken to them himself. What is also notable is that Channelnewsasia made no attempt whatsoever to contact the couple to seek their response to the minister’s statements. Perhaps CNA should have “ascertain[ed] the facts” before reporting on the case?
If they did, they would have realized that “the man in the video” bought and sold his three flats over a period of 20 years. The so-called “tidy profit” was derived by totaling up proceeds accumulated over two decades. “The man in the video” lost his third flat as a result of a divorce. He is a single father struggling to support three children. He is not sitting on a sudden windfall.
The woman in the video is technically co-owner of an HDB flat. She is also a divorcee. Neither CNA nor the minister mentions this, but is it logical to expect a divorced couple to live under the same roof?
Singapore Government
Ambassador Neagu told MFA that the official Romanian inquiry into Dr Ionescu's actions in Singapore on 15 December 2009 was still on-going. It was not yet possible for Romania to officially conclude if Dr Ionescu's diplomatic immunity had ceased or not because the investigations by the Romanian authorities had yet to determine whether or not Dr Ionescu was acting in an official capacity on 15 December 2009.
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
Musings From the Lion City
So when Mr. Balakrishnan use the fact that the woman co-own a flat as an example of Al Jazeera not getting its facts straight…that doesn’t really make sense. If she cannot sell, she cannot get money for a new flat. She also cannot get a rental flat due to the fact she co-own the flat which she cannot sell; thus she became homeless. She is almost the perfect example of what Al Jazeera is contending; that various government policies are forcing some Singaporeans to be homeless!
Journalism.sg
Miral Fahmy, Reuters
Legions of status-seeking shoppers with deep pockets are turning Asia into the next big catwalk for international designers, boosting Singapore's aspirations to become the region's Milan or New York.
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
The government cannot choose to swing between "religion must not intrude into secular society" and "doing XXX will offend mainstream society, dictated by religious sensibilities" and go with whatever is convenient for them at the time, and expect people to not call them out on it.
刘丽仪, 联合早报
警方已完成今年1月发生的“蒙面男涂鸦邮箱事件”，给予新加坡邮政公司两名职员口头警告，作为这起引起公众批评事件的落幕。
Marcus Cheek, Al Jazeera, The Online Citizen
Al Jazeera stands by the report which we feel is factually correct. The homeless couple featured in our report were locked out of the system of state support because of bureaucratic regulation.
The fact that they were previously successful and had owned and sold homes was mentioned in the report, but was not strictly relevant.
Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, AFP
Singapore promotes itself as a model of financial integrity. But, officials in Jakarta say, the wealthy city-state is a haven for some of the most corrupt Indonesians and their ill-gotten gains.
Singapore denies thallegedly smuggled out of Indonesia to Singapore is hard to find due to the small republic's strict bank secrecy laws and the sensitivity of the subject. But a report by Indonesia's financial intelligence unit in late 2006 said around 200 fugitives from Indonesian state debt were residing there.
Wong Chun Han, The Online Citizen
Singapore needs to better protect the human rights of low-skilled migrant workers and review policies that marginalise certain ethnic groups, a United Nations racism expert said Wednesday.
Singapore Government
We do not expect Mr Muigai to agree with all our approaches; nor do we agree with all that he had shared with us. Such differences of opinion are natural when dealing with a subject as complex as race. We will respond fully as appropriate when we see his final report. However, there are some comments in his press statement and from his press conference that require immediate clarification.
DPA
A high-ranking United Nations official on Wednesday urged Singapore to better protect the human rights of migrant workers, saying the introduction of a minimum wage and more legal safeguards could prevent their exploitation.
"I would strongly urge the government to act swiftly to ensure the protection of migrant workers' human rights, as this is one area where the situation is quite dire," UN Special Rapporteur on racism Githu Muigai told a news conference after a one-week visit to the city-state.
Gregory Lou, Straits Times
This is not an issue about commuters who choose to take a longer journey and be cross-subsidised by commuters who make transfers, but one about commuters who have no choice but to take the only route at their disposal.
Wah Lau Blog By Maik
Malaysians might live a slower life, are according to her self-proclaimed less efficient but they see themselves as more humble and friendly than their Singaporean neighbors.
Straits Times
Money woes, the late distribution of programme booklets and insufficient publicity plagued the recently ended 23rd edition of the Singapore International Film Festival (SIFF), according to the festival organisers.
Blowin' In The Wind
How do you reconcile such self-censorship with Singapore's widely praised education system?
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
Callan Tham, The Online Citizen
Mr Sin’s decision to withhold information from his constituents is why they protested vehemently, and Mr Sin chose to see the consequence of his actions as the cause and justification for his decision. This is circular logic, stemming from the arrogance that permeates throughout the PAP government, whose policies Mr Sin would defend because they believe it is right.
Times They Are A-Changin'
Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore’s inflation gains may become “steep” in coming quarters as improvements in the city- state’s labor market boost wages and businesses pass on higher costs to consumers, the central bank said.
The consumer price index may rise 4 percent by the fourth quarter, accelerating from March’s 1.6 percent gain, the Monetary Authority of Singapore, or MAS, said in a twice-yearly review today. Growth drivers are likely to be “intact” and the level of economic activity will probably be “sustained at a high level,” according to the report.
Benjamin Cheah, Thinker, Writer, Magus, Man
Singapore Democrat Party
The abuse of the law and law enforcement agencies by the PAP to crush legitimate political activity and for its own political interests must be addressed by the High Court.
Judges must take a serious look into the matter which runs to the very heart of our constitution and provide sound reasoning for dismissing the appeals if they do so.
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
The lack of quality arguments from PAP MPs, and NMPs alike leads me to think that we have bigger things to worry about than increasing the number of NMPs and NCMPs in Parliament, especially if the existing system allowed the likes of Zaqy Mohamad, Ho Geok Choo, and Calvin Cheng into Parliament.
Esther Ng, Today
When the government introduced measures to cool the property market in February, the steps were not intended to stop prices from rising. Instead, they were calibrated to temper exuberance in the market and pre-empt a property bubble from forming, minister for national development Mah Bow Tan told Parliament yesterday.
Leong Wee Keat, Today
It was the last inclusion the Government made when it was revising the electoral rules, and it drew the biggest debate yesterday.
Leong Wee Keat, Today
Nominated member of Parliament Calvin Cheng's passionate opposition against more Non-Constituency MPs - a day after the Constitution was amended to allow more into Parliament - was greeted with some surprise yesterday.
Phua Kok Hee, Today
So far, details of the new distance-based fares are very sketchy.
Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
The government is taking a "fundamental re-look" at the entire real estate industry. Speaking in Parliament, national development Minister Mah Bow Tan said this includes strengthening measures to curb unscrupulous practices and abuses.
Stephanie Chok, The Online Citizen
Invisibility. It appears that this is the most successful way for low-income foreign workers to ‘integrate’.
Ben Bland, Asian Correspondent
How do you encourage more alternative voices in politically staid Singapore? If you were to ask one of Singapore's small band of civil society activists and opposition politicians, they would probably tell you the key was ending censorship of the media (direct and indirect), relaxing wide-ranging restrictions on political activity and making the city-state's electoral system more fair.
But the ruling People's Action Party (PAP), which seems to have accepted that some Singaporeans are becoming digruntled with its near-total domination of politics and public discourse, has another solution: more gerrymandering.
Channel NewsAsia
Health minister Khaw Boon Wan says Singapore will continue to put fluoride in its drinking water supply as it is an effective way to fight tooth decay.
Bernama
Johor will stop the sale of raw water to Singapore from the Skudai water treatment plant here upon the expiry of the related agreement next year, menteri besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said.
Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, New York Times
For Singapore, a city-state of five million with few natural resources and one of the highest population densities in the world, it is another chance for its companies to cash in on decades of government investment in urban planning.
Betsy Pisik, Portfolio.com
Despite Singaporeans' concerns about gambling-related crime and addiction, the casinos are likely to act as a powerful stimulant for the already-strong regional economy: Casinos are exceptionally labor-intensive at all education and skill levels, while unemployment in Singapore is just 2 percent.
The Anti Neo-Democracy Theorist
We might have to take a wait and see approach, rather than celebrate or bemoan too early on such constitutional changes.
Seelan Palay, Democratic Voice Of Burma
As preparations for the sham elections in Burma get into full swing, it is not difficult to notice similarities in electoral practices between the Burmese generals in uniform and Singapore’s leaders in civilian clothes.
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
It may not count for much, but it is up to her to harness these and finesse them to her advantage, and I believe she will.
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
The combined reach of StarHub, SingTel and MediaCorp's networks should ensure that all viewers will be able to watch World Cup 2010. Acting minister for information, communications and the arts, Lui Tuck Yew gave this assurance in Parliament on Tuesday.
However, he said he still has not received any final word on the outcome of the negoitiations between SingTel, StarHub and the local agent for FIFA.
Is this guy making promises on behalf of commercial entities, or are there secret negotiations between the Singapore government and FIFA?
Kevin Lim and Nopporn Wong-Anan, Reuters
Andrew T. Kenyon, International Journal of Communication
Overall, the differences in content between Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia are consistent with several strands of the existing literature. First, they support the importance of less restrictive ownership laws in allowing the potential for greater speech online. Second, they show the emergence of examples of independent journalism online; examples which, drawing as they do from domestically trained journalists, suggest that normative arguments for ASEAN media serving primarily a national-building and government-supporting role deserve critical examination and substantial modification, if not rejection. Third, and perhaps most importantly, they suggest the importance of civil society and political opposition in underpinning public speech.
(Note: Link goes to a PDF document.)
S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, community development, youth and sports minister Vivian Balakrishnan stressed that homelessness is a complex problem and that the government will continue to enable people to be self-reliant.
“The people we have who insist on staying in beaches and parks are not first timers and not people who have bought their first flat or first rental flat. These are people who have almost always sold their second flat or a third flat, have unfortunately dissipated the subsidies and cashed them and now have run into problems."
Musings From the Lion City
I can understand why the PAP wants the NCMP scheme but it is a waste of time and the scheme doesn’t really works. I mean be serious; I have yet to hear of any Singaporean who is fooled by it.
Groundnotes
All these point to a certain mindset within the PAP elite – give the people political buffet, dazzle them with the variety, but make sure we get to choose what is laid on the table.
游润恬, 联合早报
Alastair Su, Gimme Some Truth
Muhammad Shamin, Singapore Democrat Party
Discrimination against ethnic minorities, though subtle, is till very much alive in Singapore and much of this is perpetuated by the PAP government. This is the message that the SDP sent to United Nation's representative Mr Githu Muigai. By doing this, the government undermines the identity of the nation and build mistrust and resentment among citizens.
Eugene Tan, Public Transport Council, Straits Times
In effect, those who make transfers pay a 'transfer penalty' that cross-subsidises those who make direct journeys. With distance fares, all commuters will pay based on the total distance travelled, regardless of the number of transfers made during the journey. In other words, commuters who make transfers will no longer be penalised by having to cross-subsidise direct journeys. This is a fairer approach.
Teo Jin Chong, Straits Times
Technical issues are unavoidable. But given the plan to move towards the hub-and-spoke model, glitches in train services with no viable alternatives are unacceptable.
Boon Kok Ann, Straits Times
Parents may not remember the contact numbers of the school and hence it is more convenient for them to contact their children directly.
This parent have no idea how to save a phone number in his mobile phone.
Tong Jee Cheng, Today
People are more adverse to parting with money than being rewarded monetarily. Charging shoppers for each bag issued will be more effective than giving a rebate.
Alicia Wong, Today
Even after some 20 years, the Nominated Member of Parliament scheme still has its stiff detractors in both the ruling and Opposition parties. In yesterday's debate about the scheme, questions were asked of its relevance and the lack of transparency in its selection process.
Alicia Wong, Today
Deputy prime minister Wong Kan Seng said the committee was set up in 1957 to ensure that people who had been in Singapore for some time were not denied the right to be voters. But the committee is now unnecessary as the current approval process is "quite rigorous".
Esther Ng, Today
Interpol has suspended its Red Notice of arrest for former Romanian Charges D'Affaires Silviu Ionescu because of disagreements between Singapore and Romania over his diplomatic immunity.
The Online Citizen
By this Bill, the prime minister is trying to make a bad situation better but increasing NCMPs is not the solution towards a more robust political system. The root causes of our current problems are the abuse of the GRC system and gerrymandering. These have curtailed the expression of the people’s desires at the elections and instead promoted the ruling party’s own agenda. The PAP has created the problem which it is trying to solve. But we should instead tackle the root causes for a more lasting and sustainable political future for Singapore.
Writing Yoga-Living With Dogs
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
The Star
Discussions on the dedicated pedestrian mini Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex are nearing completion, said Johor Baru MP Datuk Shahrir Samad.
William Tan, A Day In The LIfe Of Be@rbrick
Straits Times
Sweeping changes - especially to allow the courts more flexibility in sentencing and to the ways the prosecution and defence exchange information - were introduced in a proposed Bill to change criminal procedures in Singapore.
One key amendment proposed in the Code, tabled in Parliament on Monday, is for a formalised structure to be put in place to allow the courts more diversity in sentencing, moving away from a 'one size fits all' scheme and towards a community-based sentencing regime.
Brad Farless, Unraveling Singapore
Maria Almenoar, Straits Times
The man at the centre of the Indian rojak food poisoning case will be charged in court on May 11, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Monday.
Straits Times
Any makeover plans for Raffles Hotel, which is to be sold to a Qatar sovereign wealth fund, will have to take into account its status as a gazetted National Monument. Trade and industry minister Lim Hng Kiang gave this assurance in Parliament on Monday in a written reply to a question from West Coast GRC MP Ho Geok Choo, who had asked about the impact of the hotel sale on the tourism and hotel industry.
Jeremy Au Yong, Straits Times
Parliament on Monday passed laws ensuring at least 18 people not from the ruling party will enter Parliament after the next election.
The House voted 74 to one in favour of the amendments to the Constitution that would increase the maximum number of Non-Constituency MPs from six to nine and entrench the Nominated MP system.
Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore will not need to renew one water agreement with Malaysia which expires next year. That's because Singapore has ramped up with local water supply with new reservoirs, NEWater and desalinated water.
Environment and water resources minister Yaacob Ibrahim said Singapore will build a second desalination plant over the next few years to ensure reliability in water supply.
Straits Times
Eight in 10 of the 699 summonses issued to errant cyclists last year for cycling along footways of roads went to foreign cyclists. More than 95 per cent of these summonses have already been paid, said senior parliamentary secretary for education and home affairs Masagos Zulkifli in Parliament on Monday.
Singapore Democrat Party
It is a matter of when, not if, Singapore will become a democracy. This was the view of some of the speakers at a discussion that was held a couple of weeks ago at the Orchard Hotel. Dr Larry Diamond, a political science professor at Stanford University, made this point when he spoke at length about the political situation in Singapore. Malaysian opposition MP, Mr Tian Chua echoed this view, pointing out that Singapore could even democratise before Malaysia.
Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
The government has proposed several changes to provide more clarity to the en bloc sales process. A key revision that's been tabled will make it more difficult to restart an en bloc sale process after a failed attempt.
Shiyin Chen, Bloomberg
Singapore’s tighter monetary policy is “appropriate” as the island’s economic recovery is becoming more entrenched, trade minister Lim Hng Kiang said today.
Teh Joo Lin, Straits Times
Romania sent Singapore a diplomatic note last Friday asserting that former charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu continues to enjoy diplomatic immunity for the hit-and-run case of Dec 15. This is puzzling, said foreign minister George Yeo, as 'it seems to imply that Romania is now claiming that Dr Ionescu was engaged in official duties at the time of the accident and we do not understand how this can possibly be the case'.
See Also: Minister George Yeo's replies in Parliament, 26 April 2010, by Singapore Government.
王润, 联合早报
滨海湾金沙综合度假胜地明天开张营业后，每天将至少有200趟往返新加坡和马来西亚或泰国南部的豪华旅游巴士，运送外国游客来我国两家综合度假胜地观光消费，但这个市场的火热程度目前还难以估计。据本报向业者了解，这些快车公司当中，有约一半是在马国和新加坡两边都有注册的公司，他们因此也算是本地公司。而快车业者原则上只能跟其中一家综合度假胜地合作，不能“踏两船”。
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
Another question that comes to mind is this: what would have happened had Anthony Mullen not written about this discriminatory flip-flop? Mullen felt an injustice was done when MOE rescinded their invitation, and his story caught our collective attention, amplifying MOE's errors. It is plausible that MOE would clear this up on their own, even without Mullen's post, or our collective shock- and anger-induced letters and posts directed at the ministry, but their inability to research a Colorado state Teacher of the Year winner and national Teacher of the Year finalist, or her ability to both teach hearing-impaired and "regular" children, makes this already implausible event more doubtful.
Ministry of Manpower, Singapore Government
As the economy emerged from the recession, redundancies fell from the record high in the first quarter of 2009 to pre-recession quarterly levels in the last quarter of the year. Despite an increase in 2009, the incidence of redundancy remained well below that in previous recession levels, reflecting the impact of the Resilience Package and concerted tripartite efforts in saving jobs. Re-employment improved after hitting a low in the middle of the year, though re-employment for the year was still lower than in 2008. These are the key findings from the "Redundancy and Re-employment, 2009" released by the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Manpower’s Research and Statistics Department.
Channel NewsAsia
The Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore has issued a casino licence to Marina Bay Sands. In a brief statement on its website, the authority said the casino operator must ensure that it remains suitable to manage and operate a casino in accordance with Section 45 of the Casino Control Act.
Lee Seck Kay, Straits Times
Let's first dispatch a team to Britain to study how to organise such an event that could well turn out to be a watershed in our election history.
Phua Hooi Boon, Ministry of Transport, Straits Times
When second minister for transport Lim Hwee Hua said there will be no new long-distance buses in future, she meant that no new ones will be introduced as an alternative to the hub-and-spoke model on which our public transport system is based.
As for existing long-distance bus routes, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will review only those that have known reliability issues and where there are sensible mid-points to break them, so that overall, more commuters will benefit.
Ong Dai Lin, Today
Yes, we overreacted to the building of a dormitory for foreign workers in our estate, admitted more than half of the Serangoon Gardens residents interviewed by MediaCorp, but the issues raised were relevant and ultimately benefited the estate, they added.
Leong Wee Keat, Today
Is it wrong to keep lost and found property? This issue surfaced recently after a new lost and found online portal, simply called Lost & Found, was set up by former NTUC Income chief executive Tan Kin Lian earlier this month. Besides helping those report on lost and found items, the portal had intended to safe-keep lost items and charge a $25 fee for owners who recovered their property through it.
But the portal withdrew these statements after the police called Mr Tan on April 6 to enquire about his operating model, police spokesman Inspector Mohd Hamizyam told MediaCorp.
Thomas Sim Wai Tat, Today
Any student of statistics would tell you that a median value without a reported range is almost useless.
M Lukshumayeh, Today
Certain jobs should not be exposed to the gossip machinery; the job of Attorney-General of Singapore is clearly one such example.
Bernice Han, AFP
Soaring food prices in 2008, driven by a global supply crunch, reminded Singapore of its vulnerability and prompted the government to take a fresh look at its agricultural policies and support investors willing to go into farming.
Jonathan Cheng and Alexandra Berzon, Wall Street Journal
With a floating garden that overlooks Singapore's glitzy waterfront from about 200 meters in the air, the Marina Bay Sands is an architectural showstopper. It is also a massive US$5.7 billion bet on the future of Asian gambling.
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
Tan Kin Lian
I feel that taxis should also be considered as public transport and should receive some subsidy, although not to the same extent as for buses and trains. This will make taxi fares less costly and encourage more people to take taxis, rather than to drive private cars.
Tattooed Banker
Ravi Philemon, The Online Citizen
Whether one is for or against the NCMP and/or NMP schemes, one can easily deduce that the comments by Mr Mohamad, Mdm Ho and Mr Cheng come across not as constructive criticisms but as ‘a lot of noise’ and as self-contradicting viewpoints.
Asian Correspondent
The Singapore government has declined to reappoint Attorney General Walter Woon after his two years on the job expired earlier this month. Woon was earlier criticized by Lee Wei Ling, the daughter of Singaporean patriarch Lee Kuan Yew. Wei Ling is the head of the National Neuroscience Institute.
Esther Teo, Straits Times
Even as Housing Board (HDB) flat prices show signs of moderating after frenetic rises last year, the HDB rental market seems to be bucking the trend with a sharp upswing in subletting deals.
Leonard Lim, Chan U-Gene & Jeff Ang, Straits Times
Almost all the live telecasts will be for matches that kick off at 10pm Malaysia and Singapore time - and they involve top teams like Brazil, Portugal and England. These are matches that will be broadcast on Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) 1. Four other live matches are being screened on RTM2, which is not available in Singapore.
My understanding is that the matches will not be available on the RTM1 channel through SCV cables; the satellite feed will be encrypted. To watch the World Cup over RTM, you will need to get yourself a pair of the old rabbit ears.
Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
Lee Kuan Yew’s assertion that today’s Singaporean has turned soft has not gone down well with some quarters, but the reality is successive generations of migrants lose some of their forefathers’ pioneering spirit.
Today
Professor Walter Woon, who stepped down as Attorney-General recently, said he "was kidding" when he told The Straits Times last week that he had "outstayed" his welcome. "I was kidding. I was being facetious," Prof Woon told The New Paper in an interview published on Friday.
Channel NewsAsia
Train service at the Bukit Panjang LRT was disrupted at about 5.30pm on Friday due to a power trip caused by lightning.
Due to lightning risk and the heavy rain, a rescue train was sent to push out the train. Service was resumed at 6.30pm.
Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
In reply to a query by The Online Citizen over the incident, the MOE said “the withdrawal of our invitation to Ms Susan Elliot was a mistake on our part” which resulted from “our misunderstanding about the need for interpreters and her professional experience.”
The MOE says the chairman of the Organising Committee for the September conference has since spoken to Ms Elliot personally to convey the ministry’s apologies. “We should have clarified these matters before making the decision,” it said in its reply to TOC.
See Also: MOE Sorry About Mix-Up, by Jennani Durai, Straits Times: It is understood the organising committee had mistakenly thought that Ms Elliott, the Colorado state Teacher of the Year 2009, was a teacher of only deaf students, while the conference would focus on mainstream education.
Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore and Malaysia have made progress in several areas to promote links and improve connectivity.
Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia
Howard Shaw, executive director, Singapore Environment Council, said: "We are in dialogues with all the major retailers to actually implement a nationwide scheme, basically bringing your own bag day, every day, idea - by offering their customers incentives for using reusable bags, like a small discounts, for example."
Lin Jiamei, Channel NewsAsia
When Parliament sits on Monday, MPs will debate proposed changes to the Constitution and two other related bills which will pave the way for the next General Election.
AFP
With more than 80 percent of its ethnically diverse people staying in public flats -- and foreigners now accounting for a third of the population of five million -- void decks are an important part of daily life in Singapore.
Like blank canvasses on which Singapore's ethnic rainbow is painted, void decks host everything from weddings and funerals to romantic trysts and day-long chequers sessions that draw retirees from all ethnic groups.
Mok Fei Fei, Channel NewsAsia
Private home prices continue to rise first quarter this year but at a slower pace. Final data released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) showed that prices were up 5.6 per cent slightly higher than the initial estimate of 5.1 per cent.
Claire Huang, Channel NewsAsia
Data released by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) showed that its resale price index in the first quarter this year stood at 155. That's an increase of 2.8 per cent over the previous quarter, slightly higher than HDB's preliminary forecast of a 2.7 per cent rise.
Bill Costello, The Borneo Post
If Singaporean educators want to learn how to teach students to think more creatively so the nation can increase its ability to produce scientific and technological innovations, then it would be useful for them to look beyond the classroom.
Shamim Adam, Bloomberg
Singapore’s consumer prices rose the most in 12 months in March amid an economic rebound that has led policy makers to allow the island’s currency to strengthen.
journalism.sg
Singaporeans For Democracy has told the visiting UN Special Rapporteur on Racism that the situation here is less harmonious than the government makes it out to be. The group, spearheaded by activist James Gomez, said that the lack of freedom of expression was denying citizens the chance to discuss problems openly.
许绮纹, 联合早报
如果教育部真的决定要“让兴趣和天份不同的学生有更多空间和时间追求自己的兴趣”，我希望他们可以考虑采用O水准的制度：让考生从自己小六会考成绩里选出最佳三科的成绩，才减少第四科的比重。这一来才不会影响语言能力较强的学生的成绩，让他们也能升上理想的中学。
余玉玲, 联合早报
前一两年提倡的创意教学，好不容易让学生提起了学习华文的兴趣，没想到刚看到一点成绩，教育部主事者冷不防地提出要探讨调整小六会考母语的成绩比重。原因是为了减轻其他科目较优异的学生的负担，但能因此而牺牲那些母语成绩较好的学生吗？
Ben Bland, Asian Correspondent
Politics is always an expensive business but, in Singapore, the risk of failure is particularly high.
Koh Tze Hock, Straits Times
Another question: will commuters who travel on the upcoming Downtown Line, transfer to Bukit Panjang's LRT, and continuing their journey on the North-East Line be penalised?
Siew Kum Hong
Everybody has different strengths and weaknesses, why is one particular set of weaknesses picked out for crutches and other special treatment?
Blowin' In The Wind
So, why does it make me feel like a lab rat?
Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Bernama
Singapore has invited Pope Benedict XVI to visit the island republic next year, in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the city state and the Vatican.
Goh Meng Seng, Singapore Alternatives
I hope that Singaporeans should not just see my little grass in the forest without realizing that Singapore does have a tradition of people making sacrifices for the betterment of the society politically, in the name of Public Service.
Channel NewsAsia
The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) is seeking expressions of interest to operate a FM radio station on a vacant FM frequency in Singapore that it says will add diversity and vibrancy to the local radio scene.
Reuters
Singapore revalued its currency Wednesday, propelling its dollar to a 20-month high, as the central bank said that the economy had fully recovered from its worst recession and that inflationary pressures were likely to pick up.
Anthony Mullen, Ed Week
Singapore will be hosting a major education conference in September and has invited distinguished scholars and teachers from throughout the world to share ideas and presentations. One such distinguished teacher is Susan Elliot, the 2009 Colorado State Teacher of the Year and one of four finalists for the 2009 National Teacher of the Year.
Once the Singapore education officials discovered that Susan was hearing-impaired, they retracted her invitation. The so-called discovery and subsequent retraction of her invitation was an act of disingenuous statesmanship because the Singapore education officials knew all along that Susan was deaf.
Yawning Bread
联合早报
乘客如能改变乘车习惯，减少一些不必要的需求，业者就能更合理地调配资源，提高生产力，提高服务素质，提高服务效率，最终受惠的还是乘客。
Kevin Brown, Financial Times
Singapore’s central bank on Wednesday announced a formal review of the city state’s burgeoning fund management industry, including a close look at hedge funds and private equity firms.
Maria Almenoar, Straits Times
SMRT said the push-back mechanism would explain what happened when a passenger complained that a door had opened mid-journey on the first day of the newly opened Circle Line.
Low Yen Yen, Straits Times
Is it a sound policy to encourage the attitude of giving up when the going gets tough? Our young may not only lose language skills and forget their roots, they may also lose the tenacity and determination to overcome challenges.
Gregory Lou, Straits Times
It seems highly unusual that we have to penalise a significant number of commuters just because they have a direct route to their destinations.
Could it be commuters who had direct routes had been subsidized by commuters who didn't had direct routes all along?
Tony Tan, Straits Times
Din Merican: The Malaysian DJ Blogger
Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines and the Sultanate of Brunei need good management teams. They would not be able to do this on their own steam. I would advise that they call on Lee Kuan Yew to show them what good governance is. Why look East to Japan when it is just next door across the causeway.
Harry Suhartono, Reuters
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
Sure it makes sense for the transport system and its operators, but does not make any sense for the commuters who use the system, and in the process, increasingly enrich the operators year after year.
Food Fuels Me To Talk...
What makes for seamless travel and movement should also take into consideration the connectivity of buildings and this, alas, is an area that Singapore, while trying to catch up, is still a long way from Hongkong.
Edmund Chua, Singapore Tourism Board, Today
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has been working closely with the Changi Airport Group (CAG) and the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) from last week to attend to the immediate needs of these travellers, many of whom have been provided accommodation by their airlines. Other amenities such as meals and free city tours have also been offered to help them make the most of their extended stay.
Gabriel Sim, Simply Gab
As we have it, a good judgment was superseded by two massively poor ones.
Imelda Saad, Today
Train services on the North East Line (NEL) was disrupted for 26 minutes between Serangoon and Hougang stations yesterday morning due to technical problems. This led to congestion at the Circle Line as commuters changed travel plans.
McM Santamaria, Business Mirror
Singapore may be seen less as an island (or, more correctly, a group of islands) and more as an artifact. Artifacts are constructed, perpetuated and given meaning by the human mind. Singapore today is a testament to what the human mind can achieve. Few places in this part of Asia may be compared with Singapore, which I visited recently courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board.
CNNGo
Satisfy more than one craving in Geylang, Singapore's most infamous red light district, with these food picks.
Lips Don't Lie
Ravi Philemon, The Online Citizen
It is quite obvious that SDP and PAP have taken polar positions on the issue of the wet market takeover and the subsequent wet market stalls rental hikes by Sheng Siong Supermarket in Bukit Panjang.
If the Bukit Panjang SMC is left intact as it currently is, it will not only be an opportunity for the voters there to decide to support or reject the current MP and his performance, but it will also be a perfect opportunity for the current government to bring home its point (if SDP loses) that Singaporeans have indeed rejected the SDP.
Philip Michaels, Macworld
An update to Final Cut Server released Tuesday offers up a pair of fixes for the asset management tool that integrates with its Final Cut Pro video editing application.
Singapore Democrat Party
The SDP has written to the Prime Minister's Office calling on for Bukit Panjang to remain as a Single-Member Constituency (SMC) so that the party can challenge the incumbent PAP MP Dr Teo Ho Pin in the ward in the upcoming general elections.
It is obvious that stallholders and residents in the estate are deeply unhappy about the recent takeover and shocking rent hike of the Fajar market by Sheng Siong. Dr Teo has refused to step in and stop the supermarket chain from profiteering from the residents.
It's All About Amelioration
Blowin' In The Wind
Actually, it's hard to compare the new fares with what we pay now.
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
Perhaps it is best summarised as “some pay more, some pay less, but always earn more.” Make sense?
Wendy Lim, Straits Times
Five out of the 11 public holidays will fall on a Friday or a Sunday next year, according to the schedule of public holidays in 2011 released by the Ministry of Manpower on Wednesday.
Xinhua
Singaporeans are getting fatter, taller and broader at the shoulders than two decades ago, a new study showed.
周浩, 上海商报
对于新加坡来说，与其等待中国作出“突然动作”而陷于被动，不如提前升值以避免未来人民币升值时，新币在短期内升值过多，进而影响自身的出口和本国其他工业。
Richard Hartung, Today
Consumer frustration with unwanted telemarketing calls is rising. While that irritation may still be more in coffee-shop conversations and online blogs than the mainstream media, the unrelenting increase in the number of calls is clearly creating inconvenience and annoyance for many.
Esther Ng, Today
In Singapore, some have asked: Could the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have done the same? Some observers felt that by not doing so, Singapore lost an opportunity to showcase itself as a welcoming destination. In fact, some hotels increased prices as the flight cancellations chaos unfolded.
Sandra Davie, Straits Times
The high weighting given to mother tongue languages in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is now under review and could be reduced. Education minister Ng Eng Hen says his ministry is studying whether it is educationally sound for mother tongue language performance to count for so much at the Primary 6 level.
Lawrence Pak, Housing & Development Board, Straits Times
This standard process for all LUP projects will generally require several months, depending on the complexity of the solution. The board understands that residents look forward to the completion of LUP work and we will speed up works where possible.
Diary of A Singaporean Mind
There were 62 data requests from Singapore to provide information about users of Google's services and products.
BBC News
Belfast-based journalist Paul Higgins, his partner and two children, face being stuck in a hotel in Singapore for a fortnight because of the ongoing volcanic disruption.
Singapore Recalcitrant
Ng E-Jay, The Online Citizen
The Secretary-General of the National Solidarity Party (NSP), Mr Goh Meng Seng, has revealed to close associates and supporters that he intends to sell his HDB flat in Serangoon North in order to fund his upcoming election campaign.
Mr Goh emphasized that he need not sell his flat if he merely intended to fund his own election battle. However, he feels that as a leader of the party, the onus is on him to personally tend to what he terms “the bigger strategic campaign” of NSP.
Costas Paris, Joanne Chiu and Santanu Choudhury, Wall Street Journal
Among those most affected in Asia, Singapore Airlines Ltd. has been losing at least 4 million Singapore dollars (US$2.9 million) a day since flight bans were introduced Thursday, a person familiar with the situation said Tuesday.
Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia
Political analysts have floated measures like downgrading diplomatic representation as some steps Singapore could take against Romania if it doesn't bring former diplomat Dr Silviu Ionescu to justice.
Zakaria Abdul Wahab, Bernama
Singapore said today it had disassociated itself from the conclusion of the Tehran Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation which ended yesterday in the Iranian capital, as it was misleading. The foreign affairs ministry said Singapore attended the two-day Tehran Conference but had formally disassociated itself from the conclusion which the Iranian authorities claimed was adopted at the Tehran Conference.
Singapore Democrat Party
District Judge John Ng imposed a $500 fine, or a 5-day imprisonment in default, for Ms Chee Siok Chin, Mr Chong Kai Xiong and Mr John Tan for taking part in the 1st WB-IMF anniversary walk in September 2007. Mr Gandhi Ambalam was fined $600 or 6 days jail in default.
The Judge had originally acquitted the activists for walking down Orchard Road because he could not see how such an activity fit the definition of a procession under the Miscellaneous Offences Act (MAO).
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
The best way to challenge such hate speech is to reject it based on the secular principles of equality, inclusiveness, reason and human rights, and not using the law to intervene as a first resort.
Channel NewsAsia
Bus and train fares will be reduced by 2.5 per cent from July 3 when the Public Transport Council (PTC) introduces a new distance-based fare system.
With the changes, the PTC said that two in three commuters will see a reduction or no change in their weekly public transport expenditure. One third of them will see an increase.
Thoughts...
In Singapore you can find a Chinatown, a place called „Little India“ as well as a street called „Arab Street“ proving that Singapore is not only a multicultural city but also permits its citizens to keep following their own traditions, food and especially their religion. This was one of the most striking things in Singapore.
David Kwok, Straits Times
Both organisations have kept silent and appear oblivious to public feedback and complaints. They need to address this issue as it is a genuine problem.
Chemical Generation Singapore
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
Groundnotes
Now, all this sounds rather reasonable. When in public it’s better to speak with a secular vocabulary than a religious one because you reach more people. However, this comes rather hollow when one recalls the 2007 debate of 377A.
Callan Tham, The Online Citizen
All things considered, while the healthcare system needs to be improved on several policy fronts, the PEG is one policy that is worth implementing. It provides an incentive for overseas-trained Singaporean doctors to return home to practice, while helping them cover a significant part of their fees. It will help cushion the need for doctors while local medical schools expandto fill the needs of Singaporeans, keeping up the quality of healthcare. Finally, it helps MOH to improve in areas they have identified to be”bugbears” in the healthcare delivery: shorter waiting times between appointments, short waiting times on the day of the appointment itself, and longer consultation times with their physicians.
Howard Lee, The Online Citizen
My suggestion to the authorities is: get used to it, get thicker skin, or get up and react positively. The astroturf is no longer as cleanly manicured as it used to be.
赵琬仪, 联合早报
虽然政府表示，永久公民少一点权益、多一点限制并不代表政府不欢迎外来人才，但是权益减少之后，一些永久居民坦然接受，但也有另一些感到失落不安，甚至担心下来还会有哪些更大的改变，“to be or not to be”成了一大难题。
Yawning Bread
We have hitched our political stability to never-ending economic progress. Why? Why are we like gamblers, hitching our overall well-being to the roll of the dice? Why can't we have a system that is stable in good times and bad?
Richard Lu, The Temasek Review
Mr. Mah Bow Tan and Miss Grace Fu should be reminded that wealth creation is not the function of the Ministry for National Development. The writer of this article suspects that if Mr. Mah Bow Tan has his way, he would raffle or have Singaporeans bid for the apartments like the COE bidding system that he implemented for vehicles when he was Minister of Communications. He would also like to see the prices of HDB flats to be as high as private apartments in New York or Hong Kong or Paris or London.
Guanyinmiao's Musings
Perhaps it is high time for a more active engagement of political and socio-economic issues beyond the new media realm. Ultimately, it would prove to be a win-win situation, since the administration would enjoy the same liberty of refuting factually-false claims and defending its assortment of plans and policies.
P N Balji, Today
Like in the case of Mr Chip Goodyear, who quit even before he took up his CEO post at Temasek Holdings, somebody forgot to tell Mr Woon that the Singapore culture of top officials articulating their points of view in public is still a no-go.
Mr Woon's appointment was a great opportunity to change all that - but it's now gone. That's a pity, really.
Ng Teck Siong and Gopal Prabha, Today
ERPZ
星洲日報
Singapore Recalcitrant
So in the world of politics, you can plead being above board in nepotism and corruption but you cannot completely eradicate cynicism shown by some of the sceptical citizens. And this can have a multiplying effect in certain circumstances.
Blowin' In The Wind
For, in a country with nearly 90 per cent home ownership, how many people will gain from falling property prices?
Singapore Democrat Party
The PAP MP obviously doesn't know what he is talking about. Sheng Siong is taking over the only wet market in the area. The company is increasing rents leaving stallholders without a choice but to move out of the property.
Dr Teo seems clueless that there is not another wet market in the estate. Without another wet market to offer competition to Sheng Siong, how can there be market forces?
Food Fuels Me To Talk...
Globalisation ensures that a small, well-run place like Singapore will have high demand for property, internally and externally. You just figure the sums.
Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia
The minister for law and second home affairs minister, K Shanmugam said it is important for Singapore to have as large a secular space as possible for people be able to interact with each other.
"If you put forward that argument as to why society should be governed in a certain way - underpinned by or supported by - what you say is your religious practice, it is difficult for someone else to accept it. But if you put that argument on the basis that it's in the best interests of community and you put forward on a logical secular basis, then people can accept it."
Xinhua
Singapore's minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew on Saturday stressed the need to attract more educated immigrants.
Free Malaysia Today
What all of that translates in no small measure it simply makes that much sense that keeping ‘a distance’ from the other, is perhaps arguably the safest way to keeping the peace.
周文龙, 联合早报
“新加坡是属于华人的，我们的富裕靠的全是我们华人的本事，再过多几年，新加坡将是中国的首都。”第一次看必要剧场彩排舞台剧《模范市民》（Model Citizens）时，听到剧中人物念出上述对白时，心里着实吓了一跳。
Rachel Lin, Straits Times
Singapore must not shy away from embracing new, highly educated migrants, minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew said yesterday. Re-stating his view on the issue, he said Singapore would continue to need overseas talent to drive its economic dynamo.
Wild Shores Of Singapore
Alicia Wong, Today
Religious events in public areas: Guidelines needed on 'how much is too much' says inter-religious group.
When the Dust Clears
Daryl Montgomery, Seeking Alpha
While countries are always trying to increase their GDP growth rates, this is one of those areas where the proverbial "too much of a good thing" can lead to trouble.
Amiti Sen, Economic Times
India will seek greater access for its professionals in Singapore in areas such as IT, health, education and finance in the upcoming review of the bilateral agreement between the two countries. The second review of the comprehensive economic cooperation agreement or CECA that was rolled out in 2005 will begin early next month.
Patrick Tan, Straits Times
Forcing change by staging protest marches, hunger strikes and criticising Singapore while in foreign countries may be juicy news for foreign powers and their media, but they do not help our cause in any way.
Joshua Selvakumar, Straits Times
In my opinion, the PAP need not be confronted today. It has given all Singaporeans and even non-Singaporeans an island to call their home with good opportunities. It is safe and peaceful here. That is what every citizen of any country needs and what every world leader should give his people. We do not need an opposition for the sake of having one. We do not need confrontation, but rather a contribution of opinions and suggestions to a system that is already working well.
Aloysius Lau, Straits Times
I hope if Dr Chee is passionate about helping Singaporeans as his primary agenda, he should work with social groups and organisations to ensure his constructive input is heard.
Wong Jia Yun, Straits Times
Identity is no longer a stagnant concept. Rather than let ourselves be bogged down by the need to reinforce the history of such places, why not let them be similarly evolving structures which move in line with our nation's creed?
Lee Seck Kay, Straits Times
Singaporeans are sophisticated enough to make the right choices. I doubt we can be led into believing that without the PAP, Singapore is doomed, or that it is the only political party with all the talent to help Singapore advance.
Han Tau Kwang, Straits Times
With the poor voter response he has received, Dr Chee should respect and listen to the wishes of Singaporeans, and reposition himself to be relevant to our aspirations.
Joyce Chng, Straits Times
The buildings are not hollow husks. Generations have walked through them. The walls have echoed with the voices of students. These historical buildings are our heritage. There is history in all of them.
Ivy Singh-Lim, Straits Times
Charles Tan, Seelan Palay's Blog
There are practical and ethical reasons for opposition politicians to be more assertive in voicing minority issues. To take a safer middle path is to play into the prejudices concocted by the PAP.
Stefan Karlsson, The Christian Science Monitor
Cai Haoxiang, Straits Times
Younger Singaporeans do not just want to be heard; they aspire for a say in policymaking. Senior minister Goh Chok Tong thinks that is a good thing: It is a sign that they want to help build a better society. No matter how efficient and honest the Government was in the past, and is today, the clamour for more participation must be expected, he said on Friday.
Singapore Government
At that time he was still a diplomat officially accredited to Singapore and therefore could not be prevented from leaving. Furthermore, the police had at that time not completed their investigations and it was not yet established that Dr Ionescu was the driver of the vehicle that caused the accident on 15 December.
The situation now is different and a different provision of the Vienna Convention now applies.
Yawning Bread
Clearly, religious freedom is not an unlimited freedom. In fact, I would argue that it should be seen as limited only to a freedom of conscience and a freedom to worship. Public religiously has to be conditional and subject to the imperatives of public order and civil peace in the context of a society with diverse beliefs, including atheism.
David See Leong Kit, Sgpolitics.net
HDB must now provide a detailed public explanation as to why its income limit requirement has not been strictly and fairly enforced for all new-flat applicants.
Chua Hian Hou, Straits Times
StarHub is prepared to lose some money to bring Singapore football fans the World Cup telecasts, but not too much. Despite an unprecedented offer to the event's rights holder Fifa, said StarHub's chief executive Neil Montefiore, it has yet to receive word on whether football fans will be able to catch the year's biggest sporting event.
Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia
Senior minister Goh Chok Tong has said that trust lends more legitimacy to a government than its legal authority. Mr Goh pointed out that rebuilding trust with the people is especially important in the post-crisis landscape otherwise it'll be difficult for governments to persuade the people to accept tough and painful solutions.
Yawning Bread
This is not to say that Chao is not a man of independent mind, or that he does not have the freedom to make his own decisions, but a system of judges always on probation leaves the public, at the very least unsure, if not altogether suspicious, of what should be a respected institution. Our Supreme Court may be independent. Or it may not and subject to political influence. The problem is, we just don’t know, and we are loath to extending it our trust.
P.R. Venkat, Wall Street Journal
Singapore's key exports rose at a faster than expected pace in March, driven by strong demand overseas for electronics and providing more support for the economy's sharp recovery.
The surge in exports was centered on the electronics sector, a core industry for Singapore and much of Asia. Singapore's exports of electronics were up 39.4% on year--the biggest gain on record according to HSBC--following a rise of 26.4% in February, on demand for semiconductors and personal computer parts. That more than made up for a drop in shipments of pharmaceuticals, a volatile industry that Singapore has sought to develop to diversify is small, export-dependent economy.
Ng Teck Siong, The Online Citizen
The truth remains that in the rush to take-over the Party’s helm, the CEC meeting where Kenneth was ‘elected’ as secretary-general was not held in accordance to the party constitution.
Straits Times
Veteran television journalist Charlie Rose had an exchange with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong over the way the Singapore leadership dealt with insinuations of nepotism. He also asked Mr Lee about the legacy of his father, and the biggest lesson the Minister Mentor has taught him.
Live Dealer
Channel NewsAsia
The Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) has urged the government to take a cautious approach in responding to the labour movement's call to restore the employers' portion of the CPF contributions.
刘宜基, 联合早报
My Little Corner
Small Steps For Social PR
Unfortunately, the Singapore social media scene is still still coming to grips on a statement made by Member of Parliament Ong Ah Heng’s comment in parliament on his decision to replace older workers with younger foreigners at his town council.
Want Some Tau Huay?
Because we have the so-called ‘National Education’, which is already brainwashing school children from primary school levels upwards.
AFP
Asian economies are "on the move" after weathering the global economic downturn, but require more liberalization and reforms, Singapore's prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said Thursday. "We see Asia on the move," Lee said in a speech to the Chicago Council on Global Relations. "Barring a conflict or war, for at least several more decades Asia will continue to grow."
Chua Chin Hon, Straits Times
Singapore cannot afford to ever land in the kind of debt crisis that Iceland and Greece found themselves in, as no white knight will come to its rescue, prime minister Lee Hsien Loong has said.
Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore's rival Pay-TV operators have been asked to provide authorities with relevant information on whether there was last-minute exclusive deals signed before new rules requiring telcos to share exclusive content kicked in last month.
Eileen Ang, head (Competition & Market Access), Media Development Authority said: "It’s concerned about reports that operators SingTel and StarHub have rushed into locking up exclusive content before the effective date of the cross-carriage measure".
Singapore Government
Singapore has officially informed the Romanian government by a Third Person Note (TPN) to its Embassy in Singapore that the position on diplomatic immunities is explained in Article 39.2 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. As Dr Ionescu was recalled by his government on 5 January 2010 and is no longer serving as the Charge d'Affaires of the Romanian Embassy in Singapore, his immunity for acts performed outside of his function as a diplomat would have lapsed as provided for by Article 39.2.
It is clear from the findings of the Coroner's Inquiry that the acts for which Dr Ionescu has been charged were not pursuant to his official functions. Dr Ionescu was using the Embassy vehicle in his private capacity and for his private purposes. As such, with effect from Dr Ionescu's recall, he no longer enjoys diplomatic immunity for the acts in question. Therefore, there was no need for a waiver of diplomatic immunity by Romania and no need for Singapore to seek a waiver.
Singapore Democrat Party
Dr Chee's vesrions was "Yes, let's go with a system that works for Singapore". But the editor changed it to "PAP Just As Confrontational, Replies Chee"
This does not reflect what Dr Chee is saying which is that how can exercising one's constitutional rights be considered confrontational? The way that the Straits Times entitled the reply was that Dr Chee was admitting that he, too, is confrontational. The spin is so underhanded.
Alex Frangos, Wall Street Journal
Singapore, a bellwether of the world's fastest-growing economic region, tightened monetary policy after reporting its swiftest expansion on record, in the latest sign that Asia is recovering far more rapidly than the West.
Donaldson Tan, New Asia Republic
Singaporean Skeptic
Channel NewsAsia
Singapore's labour movement has called for a restoration of the employer's CPF contribution rate in the wake of the strong rebound of the Singapore economy in the first quarter of this year.
Sam Holmes, Dow Jones
Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong said the island-state's robust economic growth is unlikely to continue indefinitely and that the government will introduce more measures to curb speculation in the housing market if needed, The Business Times reported Thursday.
Khaw Boon Wan
Chee Soon Juan, Singapore Democratic Party, Straits Times
Yes, Mr Tan is right, let us not get bogged down by whether it is Western or Asian style of politics. Let us go with what works for Singapore and our future.
Right now, the PAP system of authoritarianism and top-down control looks decidedly obsolete for our future needs. It is time for change.
Chan Tau Chou, The Online Citizen
If nobody can provide a better reason for dropping AJE, it will only fuel speculation that the move was politically motivated.
Diary of A Singaporean Mind
Wei Gu, Business Standard
Singapore might just be a dot on the map, but it has long been viewed as a leader in economic policy by other Asian countries, including China. That's why investors took so much notice when the city-state revalued its currency by about 1.3 percent.
Peter Garnham, Financial Times
The Singapore dollar climbed to a 20-month high on Wednesday after the Monetary Authority of Singapore tightened monetary policy by revaluing its currency following its semi-annual policy meeting. Analysts said the revaluation was understandable in light of figures released on Wednesday that showed Singapore’s gross domestic product rose at a record annualised rate of 32.1 per cent in the first quarter.
Channel NewsAsia
Local teleco M1 today denied a report in the Straits Times that it had "inked a deal" with Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera to carry its news bulletins and other content.
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
Ravi Philemon
There are many reasons why people become homeless and government policies also force some hard-working people like Jacob and his family to be homeless. They are neither drug, nor gambling, nor alcohol, nor sex addicts. Neither do they display family abuse nor truant behaviour. They are neither jobless, nor lazy bummers, nor unmotivated.
Sue-Ann Chia, The Online Citizen
But rather than just putting the blame on home buyers, it could be time for the government to relook a number of the political messages it has been sending to citizens over the years. To manage their expectations better, some fundamentals need to be relooked.
P.R. Venkat and Sam Holmes, Wall Street Journal
Singapore's central bank tightened monetary policy Wednesday to stem inflationary pressures that have grown with the island's sharp recovery from last year's slump.
The move, which came as the government reported surprisingly fast surge in economic growth for the first quarter, suggests the authorities believe the economy--and the outlook for its export markets--is strong enough for them to shift their focus from spurring the recovery to keeping consumer prices in check.
Patricia Lui, Bloomberg
Singapore unexpectedly revalued its currency, triggering the biggest gain in 10 months, after the government raised forecasts for economic growth and inflation.
Singapore’s dollar rose as much as 1 percent to S$1.3791 against the greenback, its biggest gain since June 2009 and the strongest level this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It last traded at S$1.3799 as of 9 a.m. local time from S$1.3923 in New York yesterday.
赵倩玉, 联合早报
根据外国媒体，在新闻、通讯及艺术部代部长吕德耀上月宣布付费电视公司须分享独家节目条例前，消息早已走漏，以致有公司听到风声后，赶紧提前与节目供应商续约。吕德耀昨天表示，媒体发展局将对此进行调查。
林佩碧 洪于杰, 联合早报
由于在名胜世界赌场载客可收取3元附加费，更多德士司机“舍近取远”，“过海”载客。怡丰城发言人受询时证实，过去两个月在怡丰城等候德士的时间要比过去更长，商场已经与德士公司洽谈，希望它们能协助吁请更多德士司机在繁忙时间到商场载客。
Straits Times
At a media round table in Cannes yesterday, acting minister for information, communications and the arts, Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, shot down spe-culation that the channel was dropped because it had done unflattering stories about Singapore.
Straits Times
The government expects Singapore's inflation to rise between 2.5 and 3.5 per cent this year, slightly higher than the earlier 2 to 3 per cent forecast.
Straits Times
Associated Press
Singapore says its economy soared in the first three months of 2010 as manufacturing more than doubled. The Trade and Industry Ministry said Wednesday that gross domestic product grew an annualized, seasonally adjusted 32.1 percent in the first quarter, bouncing back from a 2.8 percent drop in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Patricia Lui and Simon Harvey, Bloomberg
Singapore’s central bank tightened its currency policy by seeking a defacto one-time revaluation in the local dollar to curb inflation as growth in the economy accelerated in the first quarter.
Straits Times
THE Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on Wednesday revised the growth forecast for Singapore economy to between 7 and 9 per cent this year from the earlier 4.5 to 6.5 per cent, after an exceptionally strong first quarter led by manufacturing.
Kazuo Ogoura, Japan Times
All in all, the basic question that confronts Singapore today and that China is likely to face in the future is as follows: how to preserve Chineseness with more prosperity, greater international exposure and less political control.
Ecological Observations In Singapore
My interest towards the hairy crab Pilumnus vespertilio (Fabricius, 1793) was piqued after the Labrador rocky shore field trip, especially after I got to hold the tiny crab in my palm!
Straits Times
A drop in the quality of pay-TV programming forced the government to intervene and set up new rules requiring telcos to share exclusive content last month. In the first official comments about the changes, which have been criticised by analysts and the telcos but praised by viewers, acting minister for information, communications and the arts, Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, said there was concern that the telcos 'did not put enough resources and investments into packaging and providing value-add'.
Instead of solving the problem of a lack of competition due to tight regulations, the government instead chose to tighten the regulations, thus raising the barrier of entry for other players. Where is iTunes Store? Netflix streaming? Hulu?
Chua Peck Lan, Today
I read with interest that the Singapore Civil Defence Force is controlling the crowd at Mustafa Centre. But nothing is being done to prevent overcrowding in public transport vehicles like trains and buses, which are often packed to capacity.
Esther Ng, Today
It is wheelchair users and visually-handicapped commuters who would be most inconvenienced and who would also face longer travelling times if cross-country bus routes are broken up and transfers have to be made.
So said Mr Kua Cheng Hock, a blindness technology specialist who has been blind since birth.
Gladys Ow, Channel NewsAsia
The acting minister for information, communications and the arts, Lui Tuck Yew, is optimistic that football fans in Singapore will be able to watch the World Cup 'live' on television. He said it is mutually beneficial for FIFA and local content providers to ensure Singapore gets to broadcast the event held in South Africa.
Patrick Sio, Straits Times
While the government's timely interference helped, it leads to one question: How much government interference is desirable in the open market?
Liau Chuan Yi and Norvin Chan, Asian Correspondent
This points us towards a disturbing observation - that a certain segment of the population has become so radicalized that the idea of spending a single cent on foreigners equates to blasphemy.
Guanyinmiao's Musings
Competition of politics, in the school context, would allow students to read more and comprehend the policies proposed or enacted by the different political parties. The enhanced sensibilities and intellect would empower them to make wise decisions – whether they are in the public sector or not – in the future. In this sense, political education does go a long, long way.
Sam Ho, Sam's thoughts
It is unethical and bigoted to decree the illegality of positive portrayals of any minorities in our society. The media has a role to truthfully portray society and should not distort reality with denigrating stereotypes and negative portrayals. I don’t know what is more offensive: the media depiction of a happy gay couple or the intolerant mindset of policy-makers who feel these bunch of people are less human.
If the CRC and MDA ever want to invoke the rhetoric of “values” or “Asian values” in our society, I urge you to do some research on these values, and also shed light on your rendition of “values”. Are these values predominantly middle class ethnic Chinese Singaporean Christians of higher education disguised and marketed as universal?
Shamim Adam and Jay Wang, BusinessWeek
Singapore’s economy probably rebounded last quarter as manufacturing improved and the opening of the country’s first casino boosted services, adding pressure on the central bank to tighten monetary policy this week.
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
I won't call it a triumph of journalism standards, but it is refreshing to see an ST editorial that cautioned against dismissing legitimate issues with the excuse of astroturfing, and exposed the sleight-of-hand that National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan presented to the ST as justification for rising resale flat prices, using Hazel Poa's blog post.
Trapper's Swamp
This fear of alternatives, of a different journey to reach the same goals, is what is holding us back as a people, and enables the PAP to continue holding us back. We need to change this mindset if we are to progress, even if we do it one person at a time. Talk to your neighbours, your friends, your family, especially those who rely on mainstream media, and show them what they're not seeing, what news have been hidden from them, and get them to question everything they know.
Diary of A Singaporean Mind
Minister Mah is losing a lot of credibility trying to talk his way out.
Tong Jee Cheng, Today
So, to make $100,000 after 26 years - just $3,846 a year - I would have to downgrade to a smaller unit. If HDB flats are indeed such valuable investments, shouldn't I be upgrading instead?
May Wong, Channel NewsAsia
Political watchers say it is timely for Singapore to share its views on the non-proliferation of nuclear and cement its ties with the United States.
As a major trading hub, experts believe it is important for Singapore to share its knowledge on trans-shipment security to prevent nuclear proliferation. They feel the country can also contribute to discussions on developing high technology nuclear energy at the Summit.
Yong Pagit, The Online Citizen
“Who am I going to blame? I didn’t ask to be divorced. I am independent, I work very hard. I just need extra help. They didn’t help just because of their policies. The government only will help me when I become a destitute.”
Sharon See & Evelyn Lam, Channel NewsAsia
It's All About Amelioration
What I really, really crave for is a much more intellectual stimulation and enlightenment when it comes to the discussion of politics or any social issues close to the citizens. How many of us normally switch channels after news when “Today in Parliament” is being aired following that? I know I would, not because I have no interest in our national affairs but what is the point of seeing a monotonous group of leaders, dressed as if they are attending a wake, reading off scripts and singing the same tune? Worse thing is, the scripts might not be even crafted by them?
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
中国新闻网
向来被视为香港竞争对手的新加坡，在处理住房问题上的政策跟我们有何不同？有否值得借镜之处？记者带着这连串问题走访狮城，与当地官员、商界和平民深入交谈，发现香港多方面已经远远落后——新加坡人实现了安居，香港人仍为蜗居苦恼。关键之一，是当地“组屋(组合房屋)”制度的成功。
On Nation And State
Fact is, there is no direct way to control the demand for cars without higher car prices/costs, save for imposing a total ban on new cars on the road.
Sharon Stephenson, New Zealand Herald
I have a squirming crab in one hand and a meat cleaver in the other.
Joel Chan, Straits Times
The reply did not address a key point of Mr Wang's question, which was to explain the rationale for a single dedicated lane.
Tattooed Banker
Just for the record, I think I have struck 4d about twice over the last couple of years, yet I have not met my MP before.
Khairulanwar Zaini, The Online Citizen
And as long as fear persists as a familiar leitmotif, hegemonizing remains a much easier task for the government.
Conrad Raj, Today
But to look at it conversely: If ignoring the reserve price would not necessarily send property prices down, then why not just release land without a minimum bid price?
Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia
Elaborating on his point that political contest is healthy, Dr Ng said he would encourage would-be candidates and opposition parties to meet residents so that residents could ask them questions about what they stood for.
Maxwell Coopers, Free Malaysia Today
W. Jayamaha, Sri Lanka Sunday Times
Having anti-corruption laws and regulations in the statute book alone serves little purpose, unless these laws are implemented without fear or favour — and with ruthless efficiency and indomitable political will, something we have not seen so far under successive governments.
杨永欣, 联合早报
绿色保护主义是令人担忧的未来趋势，今后如何妥善应对它需要全方位的讨论。我国国务资政吴作栋昨天在博鳌亚洲论坛的“贸易保护主义：全球经济脆弱复苏的现实威胁”主题午餐会上，针对近期开始受到关注的绿色保护主义提出了以上观点。
The Star
The new Sentosa casino in Singapore has not affected tourist arrivals in Malaysia, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen. She said both Malaysia and Singapore had their attractions and it would be unfair to compare one with the other.
Zakir Hussain, Straits Times
Former Reform Party (RP) chairman Ng Teck Siong has lambasted the party's current chief, Mr Kenneth Jeyaretnam, for remarks that the RP was in a bad state a year ago just before he took over. Mr Ng, 69, also questioned the sincerity of Mr Jeyaretnam, 51, in taking over the mantle of his father, the late Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam.
Singapore Life and Times
Although it goes against the government's oft-stated position that business should be left to make their own commercial decisions, this is potentially a hot political potatoe to leave alone in the simmering charcoal.
One potential problem for the government: If I remember correctly, NTUC FairPrice was given the go ahead to convert some wet markets into supermarkets some years back. (This was the basis for Fairprice's Pasar concept.) Sheng Siong can cry foul on unfair treatment - especially since FairPrice is government-linked.)
Farik Zolkepli, The Star
Construction of the proposed mini Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex for pedestrians in Johor Baru, is expected to start by next year, says Johor Baru MP Datuk Shahrir Samad.
Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
Lina Chiam, Singapore People's Party, Straits Times
Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia
Tattooed Banker
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
If Tafep’s conclusion is indeed “true”, why do we consistently refuse to break down the labour statistics into Singaporeans and PRs?
Ben Bland, Global Asia
It is almost as if Frost and Balasingamchow are paying the necessary dues to ensure their book is published and marketed in Singapore, their biggest potential market. Closing the book, they rue the PAP’s determination to set the historical clock “back to zero,” warning that “if we fail to comprehend what happened in the ‘old’ Singapore — fail to understand its passions, dream, failures and accomplishments — then we can never fully appreciate the extraordinary change that followed.” What they don’t say is that Singaporeans need to develop a better understanding of their own history not so much to “fully appreciate” what the PAP has done for them but to understand the limitations of their rigid political system and how they can improve it.
Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, New York Times
For some time now, China’s property market has looked like a bubble about to pop. As a result, many Chinese have been putting their wealth into real estate markets further afield, notably in Singapore.
Gillian Tett, Financial Times
The doughty Government Investment Corporation of Singapore is not often a hotbed of heretical thought. Recently, however, a debate has been bubbling at the GIC that has fascinating implications for investors round the world.
Straits Times
Singapore government has issued an arrest warrant against former Romanian charge d'affaires Silviu Ionescu over a hit-and-run accident that left a man dead last December.
At the same time, Interpol has also issued a 'Red Notice' against Dr Ionescu, said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, following a meeting it had with Tokyo-based Romanian Ambassador to Singapore Aurelian Neagu, who was summoned here.
Singapore Democrat Party
While we welcome HDB's we note that the statement is too little too late. It is cold comfort for the stallholders, some of whom have had no choice but to quit their stalls as a result of the exhorbitant rent hikes. Others have to put in longer hours and lay off of workers.
All will struggle to cope with increased cost of operating their stalls which will ultimately be passed on to shoppers who are already feeling the burden of the high cost of living. And all this for Sheng Siong to make itself richer at the expense of the common folk.
陆彩霞, 联合早报
受到裕廊东13街部分路段并入一条新路并改名为Jurong Gateway Road（尚未有中文名称），裕廊东镇中心一些建筑物自8月1日起相应更改地址。配合裕廊商业区（Jurong Gateway）发展，裕廊东地铁站周围目前正在辟建新的公路网，扩建多条主要道路，以应付日益增加的交通需求。
New Straits Times
Prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and the other Asean leaders at the 16th Asean Summit here are hoping for the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) to be completed in the next five years. The project, proposed in 1995, has been hindered by a lack of funds and other technical issues in connecting the rail to major towns across the region.
Kunwar Bir Singh, Straits Times
A better solution may be to make a clear distinction between feeder services and buses on long routes. This way, buses on long routes will go on only major roads and not wind around HDB townships.
Bernadette Low, SMRT Corporation, Straits Times
Together, the feeder buses and LRT take residents across the town or to transfer hubs, depending on their travel needs and preferences.
Kor Kian Beng, Straits Times
Prime minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday urged fellow Asean leaders to redouble their efforts in cooperation projects and implement key programmes to retain the region's centrality and strategic influence.
Singaporean Skeptic
Diary of A Singaporean Mind
Conrad Raj, Today
Perhaps NEA ought to take over the running of all wet markets?
Sheng Siong, with its own supermarkets competing with the wet markets it owns in the same town, has an inherent conflict-of-interest. On hindsight, HDB should have blocked the sale of wet markets to major supermarket owners.
Joanne Chan, Today
Since the beginning of the year, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has started taking action to repossess three flats - their owners had rented out their entire units without fulfilling a minimum occupation period and gaining prior approval from the HDB.
Sharon See & Michelle Lee, Channel NewsAsia
The Temasek Review
Amelia Tan, Straits Times
The National University of Singapore (NUS) should look into starting an undergraduate liberal arts programme which will equip students with a more flexible frame of mind and the confidence to pursue new fields- necessary traits for success in a rapidly changing economy.
The liberal arts model allows students to study varied fields, from the humanities to the hard sciences, before they specialise in a major. This, said chairman of the National Research Foundation and Singapore Press Holdings Tony Tan, would foster in graduates a readiness for changes and a willingness to take risks.
Icarus Flew Too High
The four parter by Dr Chee, as well as Cherian’s own accounts, debunks Lina Chiam’s entire claim. No one forced Chiam out. He got himself into his own Chiam-gate, with his own undemocratic ways and personal grudges. But can we say that Chiam has turned over a new leaf with the SPP/SDA? Unfortunately, no. The differences within the Potong Pasir Town Council, as well as “two factions” within the SDA, are rumors that have been circulating around for some time. I am not entirely surprised if these were true.
Hazel Poa
Choosing a suitable base year to support your conclusions is quite a useful trick that we should all learn.
The Temasek Review
Ravi Philemon, The Online Citizen
Contrary to what the government would have us believe, that the situation of all the homeless in Singapore is only transitional, in the sense that the families that are experiencing homelessness do so only for a short period given there is so much help in the community, anecdotal evidence like that of Jacob and Sally prove that it is no longer transitional but almost permanent – at least for some.
Teymoor Nabili, Al Jazeera
Journalists still need to tread carefully, and many people still discern the whiff of authoritarianism in the air, but to my mind Singapore now ranks as one of the most agreeable places in the world, Asia's equivalent of LA.
But every now again, that inexplicable whiff of the past re-appears.
Shaffiq Alkhatib, Channel NewsAsia
Mustafa Centre in Little India will have to stop business temporarily for 40 hours on its first floor following a court order on Thursday. If the violations are not dealt with, they can be fined an additional S$500 for each day.
Alexis Hooi, China Daily
For veteran Singapore journalist Felix Soh, one of the main issues facing Asian media now is that of credibility.
It's All About Amelioration
The Online Citizen
Diary of A Singaporean Mind
Cai Haoxiang, Straits Times
Fliers critical of the People's Action Party and urging residents to take 'collective and concerted action to go against the PAP' have been circulated in at least two group representation constituencies (GRCs).
Khaw Boon Wan
Whether it creates smoke or is smokeless, tobacco is highly addictive and it kills.
Chua Hian Hou & Tan Weizhen, Straits Times
Dominic Walsh, The Times
The historic Raffles Hotel in Singapore, famed for its colonial grandeur and the Singapore Sling cocktail, is to change hands in a deal worth $275 million (£180 million).
AFP
Singapore's housing sector is still sizzling despite government measures to cool it down, with demand fuelled by a strong economy and foreign investor confidence, analysts say.
Hefty price tags have not dented the market, with buyers flocking to pre-construction sales offering blank cheques to reserve condominium units which they expect to rise sharply in value after the projects are finished.
Chan Mia Lee, Straits Times
Let our constituency be a model of how an ugly duckling can be transformed into a beautiful swan.
Wong Wee Nam, Sgpolitics.net
For a just an equal society, a government must be able to control the greed of the Big Rats and trim the fat of the Fat Cats instead of justifying the necessity of their existence.
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
The Straits Times and its journalists are just as culpable as the PAP in manufacturing an uninformed, detached, and unquestioning citizenry, and the continued reign of the PAP to the detriment of Singapore and Singaporeans.
Loh Chee Kong, Today
While Mr Jeyaretnam sees his work as a continuation of his father's lifelong mission, he also wants to be seen as "his own man" with his own brand of "economically-competent" politics. And perhaps having witnessed firsthand his father's costly legal battles, he recently told Loh Chee Kong that he wants the Reform Party to steer clear of legal minefields.
An American Girl In Singapore
As an expat, you may experience your stages in a completely different order or in a completely different way. Your expectations are the most dynamic tool that shapes your experience in this new culture.
Expect to be happy. Honestly believe that you will be. And most likely, it'll happen.
Wang Eng Eng, Channel NewsAsia
The HDB said it has made clear its position to Sheng Siong which had bought over the markets and increased rent by 30 per cent. The HDB said in approving the sale of these properties to Sheng Siong, it specified that they must continue to be operated as wet markets.
The question is: can Sheng Siong set up its own individual stalls in its own wet markets?
Loh Keng Fatt, Straits Times
Singaporeans want to keep their cross-island buses.
Musings From the Lion City
Now Indonesia says that they know of at least 10 other Indonesian fugitives living in Singapore. For the sake of our own ‘face’, I strongly suggest that Singapore be more pro-active in capturing these other fugitives. Let’s not have another ‘accident’.
Victoria Schneps-Yunis, Queens Courier
On the last leg of our adventure from Hong Kong to Vietnam and Cambodia, then finally Singapore, I found what appears to be a sister city to New York, but on steroids.
Mr Wang Says So
Muhd Khalis, Singapore Democrat Party
Patricia Lui and Lilian Karunungan, Bloomberg
Singapore’s central bank will favor a stronger currency by October to curb inflation and catch up with regional peers in withdrawing economic stimulus, a survey of economists showed.
“MAS doesn’t want to be seen as being behind the curve,” said Sebastien Barbe, head of emerging-market research at Credit Agricole CIB in Hong Kong. “The central bank wants to manage inflation expectations.”
Straits Times
The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is considering parcelling out its remaining third-generation (3G) cellular spectrum, paving the way for a fourth telco player.
赵琬仪, 联合早报
巴士路线从长变短，表面看来是城市的节奏加快了，移动效率提高了，往深处挖掘，那是一份享受从容迟缓的感性的消逝。
Diary of A Singaporean Mind
What is worse than a govt that implements bad policies? A govt that implements bad policies then blame the people who suffer from their bad policies for its negative effects. Sickening isn't it? But the PAP govt has done it again.
Asia Sentinel
Although it remains to be seen if the Gayus case is a one-off, it seems unlikely that criminals who have established lives for themselves in the safety of Singapore — and Jakarta officials have said there are as many as 200 of them — will give up so easily.
Ng E-Jay, Sgpolitics.net
Individual freedom and responsibility towards other people are actually two sides of the same coin, because each imply the other, and each cannot exist without the other. Human rights activists in Singapore understand that, and so does the SDP.
Singapore Recalcitrant
Ong Dai Lin, Today
Asked why the channel was removed, a SingTel spokeswoman told MediaCorp: "mio TV constantly streamlines our content offerings in order to address the demands and requirements of our customers." The pay TV operator did not answer queries about Al Jazeera's viewership figures.
When contacted, the Media Development Authority said: "The introduction of new pay-TV channels and the removal of existing ones are part of the constantly evolving media landscape in Singapore. These are commercial decisions made by the pay-TV operators, which periodically review and refine their channel offerings to meet market demands."
Sujadi Siswo, Channel NewsAsia
Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said such an agreement would act as a deterrent for criminals from both countries trying to escape the long arm of the law. However, Dr Marty said the absence of such an agreement now would not hinder both sides from cooperating in fighting transnational crimes.
Singaporean Skeptic
联合早报
张志贤说，他阅读多篇外国报章的相关报道后，留意到这些文章都强调传媒应有发表看法的言论自由，却完全不提传媒应有报道真相的责任。
Callan Tham, Trapper's Swamp
This is a curious mix of arrogance, ignorance of conflict of interest, and a stubborn, unrelenting belief that the system works. This is his reality, as much as it is the reality of his PAP colleagues, symbolic of a systemic failure that bubbles beneath the calm, over-achieving veneer of the Singapore Story.
It's All About Amelioration
Christopher Ong, Kent Ridge Commons
Singaporeans are not xenophobic, but are merely saying that the government of Singapore that they have placed their trust in and elected must serve to protect their interests first. In a tiny country such as ours, the middle class Singaporean is being squeezed out of employment opportunities, not by the likes of Mr. Rogers and Mr. Welkers, but by the class of foreigners that Ms. Lim has neglected to refer to.
Today
As the National Wages Council sits this month to deliberate on wage guidelines, one factor it is likely to consider, is "productivity that leads to real wage growth on a trend basis, which is important to be sustainable", said Mr Heng Chee How. The labour movement's deputy secretary-general said: "We are already seeing signs that the labour market is tightening and in certain pockets, skills shortages are beginning to appear.
Patrick Tan, Straits Times
Dr Chee seems more intent on introducing a confrontational Western-style democracy in Singapore. While that model may work in some countries, it does not mean it is the best and only model for us. In the West, individualism is supreme. But at what price?
In other words, don't make me uncomfortable.
Goh Meng Seng, Singapore Alternatives
We hope that the CRA would take the recent development into careful considerations when it decides upon the issuing of Casino License to Marina Sands. We would also like to know the contingency plans that the government has in place to deal with casino operators who are found to breach the rules on having links to any triads after casino licenses have been issued.
Imelda Saad, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore's deputy prime minister Teo Chee Hean says young Singaporeans should have a well-founded confidence in their future. He pointed out that even though Singapore has vulnerabilities, the country has strong anchors that will keep it stable.
Ben Bland, Asian Correspondent
Although the Singapore government usually prevents human rights experts from conducting official trips to the city-state, it has agreed to a request from the UN special envoy on racism to visit Singapore later this month.
AFP
Indonesian police want to work more closely with Singapore to track down corruption suspects who have taken sanctuary in the city state, national police chief detective Ito Sumardi said Monday.
Joanne Chan, Channel NewsAsia
A Malaysian property developer plans to build a retirement village in Johor to cater to the growing silver market in Asia.
Singapore Government
The MFA spokesman reiterated that Singapore expected the full cooperation of the Romanian authorities to ensure that justice would be served and that to this end Singapore would cooperate to the fullest extent possible under our law with the Romanian authorities.
Dan Lepard, Telegraph
Food has a sacred status in Singapore and eating out is a favourite national pastime. So perhaps it's no wonder that afternoon tea, far from becoming a relic of the colonial period, has been elevated and elaborated upon – to a level where it has become a high point of self-indulgence and affordable luxury. It's a much better experience than in London, in the quality, quantity and variety of the food on offer, while the settings in which you can enjoy it are in a league of their own. And that's what afternoon tea should be: a mixture of grandeur, folly and flippancy, playtime for the taste buds and a feast for the eyes.
Blowin' In The Wind
Straits Times
A rare penthouse maisonette in Bishan Street 24 has become the most expensive HDB flat ever to be sold in Singapore.
岳安民, 联合早报
持这种观点的人大多是崇尚美式民主。但他们太健忘了。美国迄今有44位总统，其中哈里森家族是爷爷当了总统孙子当，亚当斯家族和布什家族都是父亲当了儿子当，还差点出现肯尼迪家族的兄弟总统和克林顿家族的夫妻总统。美式民主，爷孙、父子当总统都是正当的，而别的国家民主选举出的父子总理就是“世袭制”“王朝”，这些崇美派是什么逻辑！
The debate, whose point this author missed completely, is that whether the term 'dynasty' does or does not imply nepotism. In fact, American media have referred to Bush and Kennedy families as 'dynasty', without any implications of nepotism.
郭书真, 联合早报
新元汇率或许在某个程度上受到“控制”，但还不至于被“操纵”吧？伯格斯滕似乎不明白，类似新加坡这样的小规模但却开放的经济体，如果不对本身的货币加以保护，以致遭到投机者的炒作，将会对民生造成严重的影响。亚洲金融危机便是一个教训。
Leong Wee Keat, Today
At the next General Election, the incumbent People's Action Party (PAP) team in a ward not contested since 1997 could face a combined opposition force - one anchored by a veteran and a newcomer.
After their first joint walkabout yesterday morning in Bishan-Toa Payoh, opposition veteran Chiam See Tong of the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) and rookie Kenneth Jeyaretnam of the Reform Party told reporters they were "working toward" having a joint team contest the Group Representation Constituency (GRC).
Joanne Chan, Today
In a two-page notice to its members yesterday, it explained that it had signed a non-disclosure agreement with other shareholders and had to keep details of the transaction - including the share price and the percentage of shares acquired - confidential.
This is pure coward. If you think you should disclose, then you shouldn't get into this deal. If you think you don't need to disclose, then just say so. Don't blame your failure to disclose on the deal.
Singapore Democrat Party
This is why the cost of living increases unnecessarily for Singaporeans. There is no change in demand or supply of the items sold in the market, workers have not become more productive, and there is no upgrade of the facilities at the market. All that has changed is the ownership of the market and because the new owner wants to make a bigger profit margin. As a result, consumers will now have to pay more for basic necessities.
This is one example of how the GDP grows at the expense of the people.
The Online Citizen
Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia
The battle lines are starting to appear, as anticipation of a General Election grows. They include the group representation constituencies (GRCs), which the opposition parties have started to show interest in.
Nimi Kurian, The Hindu
There is much to do in Singapore: shopping, sightseeing and, of course, checking out the wide variety of restaurants that offer a range of epicurean delights.
The Temasek Review
Perhaps it is time for the PAP to consider changing its name to “Phor-eigner Action Party” (”phor” meaning to please in Hokkien) to better reflect its mission statement and vision for Singapore – that it is acting more in the interests of foreigners than Singapore voters.
Kandula Subramaniam, Businessworld
'Looking East To Look West' examines the complex relationship between Singapore and India elaborating the role of Lee Kuan Yew's Mission India and the implications of India's 'Look East' policy.
Roger Tan, The Star
As a Malaysian, I am touched by the determination and resolve of the people and government of Singapore in their pursuits for justice for our countryman Tong. In this regard, our government must support the Singapore government by putting pressure on the Romanian government to waive Ionescu’s immunity and ensure that Ionescu will stand trial in Singapore for causing Tong’s death and grievous injuries to two others.
Flaneurose
Reducing the variability in journey time is an unalloyed "good thing". But what concerns me is that our public transportation system may not be completely set up for a hub and spoke system.
Andrew Loh, The Online Citizen
While the minister for MCYS was promising the moon to poorer S’poreans, officers from his ministry and Nparks were raiding the homeless at Changi Beach, clearing them away before Al Jazeera came calling.
Winston Chai, Business Times
An intended benefit of government intervention may not materialise after all, as Singapore's largest pay-TV operator says that content acquisition costs could stay high despite the new cross-carriage ruling. 'It doesn't mean that once (content) is non-exclusive, it (prices) will go down,' StarHub chief operating officer Tan Tong Hai said yesterday. 'Some providers still attach a premium to their content.'
星洲日報
竟有人設立這樣的網站，叫馬來西亞網友“把垃圾丟到新加坡”！
Icarus Flew Too High
Perhaps Al Jazeera has rattled the nerves of the ruling elite with a host of programs scrutinizing the socio-economic problems in Singapore, more so than any other news channel (including the venerable BBC World News).
The Star
Young Singaporean entrepreneurs in small and medium industries (SMIs) are optimistic about investing in Iskandar Malaysia, especially in supporting businesses such as the services and logistics sectors.
Clark Hoyt, New York Times
Singapore is tiny, with a population of around five million, but it has outsized economic power as a financial hub, making it an important source of news. For The Herald Tribune, the economic stakes are large: more than 10 percent of its Asian circulation is in Singapore. It prints papers there that are distributed throughout the region. It sells advertising to companies throughout Asia that want to reach readers in Singapore.
Google faced a similar painful dilemma in China. With potentially billions of dollars at risk, it stuck to its principles, and The Times applauded editorially. I think Google set an example for everyone who believes in the free flow of information.
符诗专, 联合早报
对当年支持报业传讯优频道新闻的观众及笃信媒体事业要有竞争才会有所表现的国人而言，这样的结局难免让人唏嘘。可换个角度来看，优频道及整合之后的U频道新闻过去近10年的奋斗，对长期风平浪静的新加坡媒体业来说，却是难得的精彩篇章。
S Ramesh , Channel NewsAsia
Secretary-general of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), Dr Chee Soon Juan, has described local press reports that he had ousted former leader Chiam See Tong from the party as a "blatant lie".
S.Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
Singaporeans should not create the image that immigrants are not welcomed in the country. Speaking at a gathering for new residents in Marine Parade on Saturday, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong also urged new Singaporeans and permanent residents to play their part to make their community a better place to live in.
蔡永伟, 联合早报
在实龙岗河口修筑的两个堤坝最近竣工，一些公众悄悄通过堤坝登上实龙岗岛（前称科尼岛，Coney Island），欣赏本地少有的纯朴大自然风光。
Seah Chiang Nee, The Star
For a segment of the population, mostly middle and low-wage earners who have fallen behind, the frequent trips to Johor have become a necessary feature to combat high costs.
Due to costs, more Singaporeans are seeking treatment in Malaysia (now making up 10% of its total medical tourists) even as wealthy foreigners are still making their way here. In Malaysia, Singaporeans can cut medical bills by at least 50% even if they can wait in queue.
杨萌, 联合早报
尽管有人认为欧洲和北美国家的现收现付福利制度比较优越，但这听起来有很吸引力的计划其实是另类的庞氏骗局，只适合那些比较年轻的社会；相反的，新加坡的公积金制度才能确保每一代人都为自己的养老买单，这才是具有可持续性的。
社会发展、青年及体育部长维文医生认为，到头来，一些人鼓吹的福利制度要持续下去，不是得增收课税，就是得减少拨出的福利。“坦白说，我认为这是政治上的庞氏骗局（Ponzi Scheme），搞不好还会导致政治瘫痪。”
Leong Sze Hian, The Online Citizen
Singapore is the country with the highest electricity prices in the region and charges its consumers more than countries like the United States and France. Why?
Singapore Recalcitrant
It is precisely because of the dearth of genuine news about the political and financial mismanagements of the government which the mainstream media are covering up that there is a healthy growth of the new media to counter this journalistic abberation of the mainstream media.
Flaneurose
李顺福, 联合早报
为了让公共交通工具能够满足中下层国人的需求，当局有必要在维持营运系统效率操作和照顾到广大民众需求之间取得适当的平衡。只有以人为本的心态做好巴士路线的规划，我们才可能拥有一流的交通系统。
Civic Advocator
I wonder if Choo knows how ridiculous his sentence reads – “evidence on record shows that the respondents had a political purpose for what they called a ‘walk’”. Yes, in modern Singapore, we cannot walk around in a group of 5 if we have a political cause.
Blowin' In The Wind
With all due respect to the law, reports of the Singapore court proceedings that ended in the conviction of five opposition activists yesterday reminded me of the words of Humpty Dumpty.
Kor Kian Beng, Straits Times
Potong Pasir MP Chiam See Tong and Reform Party chief Kenneth Jeyaretnam have scheduled a joint walkabout on Sunday in the Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
The opposition leaders are using this first combined event involving their parties to gauge support for the possibility of a joint contest in the constituency at the next general election.
Yaw Shin Leong
Whilst it is understandable in the context of Singapore’s small island state for the need for bus-train integration, but in a truly world-class transportation system, the principle of choosing between ‘more and better’ choices must stand.
Victoria Ho, Zdnet Asia
Despite mobile broadband availability in Singapore, public transportation operators could offer free Wi-Fi onboard to differentiate their service and attract commuters, say observers.
广西新闻网
外界分析，多年来，李光耀在与西方媒体的诽谤官司中屡屡胜诉，主要有以下两点原因：首先，李光耀是律师出身，是法律高手。面对李光耀这位高手，西方媒体很难有胜算。其次，在新加坡，诽谤罪官司除了要支付昂贵的法律诉讼费用外，还要面对巨额罚款。在冗长的法庭程序下，普通人往往因此倾家荡产，有些人因无力支付罚款被打入穷人堆。同西方媒体相比，李光耀不愁金钱问题，可以打一场持久战。而西方媒体往往由于财政开支考虑而求和。
Sam Ho, Sam's thoughts
I don't know what to say. What is fair? What is justice? Maybe within the same geographical space, there are different standards applied when a law is broken or appears to be broken. We exercise surveillance on the wrong people, and mind you, money is needed for such surveillance.
Chee Soon Juan, Singapore Democratic Party, Straits Times
It is a fact, recorded even in court documents, that Mr Chiam See Tong resigned as Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secretary-general in 1993 when no central executive committee (CEC) members supported a motion he proposed. No one forced him out.
Chen Junyi, Straits Times
Government intervention in the public transport system should improve the experience of travellers, saving them time and money.
Today
Following the State Coroner's verdict that he was the driver of the car in two hit-and-run accidents, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) is filing 13 charges against former Romanian diplomat Dr Silviu Ionescu, including that of causing death by a rash act.
Ng E-Jay, The Online Citizen
The party members, however, are keeping mum for now. They will disclose further details about the new party at a press conference that will be held at a later date.
Sharon See, Channel NewsAsia
Some stallholders at the wet markets operated by Sheng Siong have decided to call it quits, now that they have to pay 30 per cent more in rent. About 10 per cent, or 14 stalls, told MediaCorp they have decided not to carry on at the wet markets, which are in Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Batok and Serangoon.
Singapore Government
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has summoned HE Aurelian Neagu, the Romanian Ambassador to Singapore (who is based in Tokyo), to a meeting in MFA next week to discuss the charges preferred by the Attorney-General's Chambers against Dr Ionescu after the Coroner had delivered his verdict. A summary of the charges is attached."
"Dr Silviu Ionescu's comments carried in the media are outrageous and cast aspersions on the integrity of Singapore's judicial system which are entirely without basis."
Readings From A Political Duo-ble
While it appears that the Singapore government has reduced the number of capital punishment cases, there is much work to be done. From an abolitionist point of view, a single state execution is one too many. The decreasing number of public death sentences and executions is possibly a sign of the political elites being increasingly embarrassed by such negative publicity.
Wang Eng Eng, Channel NewsAsia
Fans of animation are in for a treat when the best of Pixar over 20 years comes to the Singapore Science Centre. The exhibition, costing S$1.5 million, is making Singapore its only stop in Southeast Asia.
AFP
Singapore's High Court on Thursday overturned a ruling acquitting a group of pro-democracy activists of taking part in an illegal march. The five, who include members of the opposition Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), were cleared last year of taking part in the September 2007 protest.
But the High Court accepted an appeal by the public prosecutor and ordered the court which made the original ruling to sentence the group.
Richard Perez-Pena, New York Times
“Nobody in most of the world would bat an eye about” such a piece, said Stuart D. Karle, a former general counsel of The Wall Street Journal, who has handled disputes with Singapore’s leadership but was not involved in this case. But in that country, he said, there is often “the presumption that there’s a hidden message” about nepotism or corruption in news coverage, and if that turns into a libel case, a news organization faces “a near-certainty of losing."
Sue-Ann Chia, Straits Times
A new political party - the United Singapore Democrats (USD) - has just been registered last week. At least four of its leaders have links to the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), with one of them contesting the 2006 General Election as part of the SDP's six-man team in Sembawang GRC.
Singapore Democrat Party
High Court Judge Choo Han Teck has overturned District Judge John Ng's decision to acquit five activists for conducting a procession in 2007. Mr Choo ordered that the matter return to DJ Ng for conviction and sentencing.
蔡慧玲, 联合早报
刚小翻新不到十年的后港21街第209座小贩中心不久后将来个大翻新，一些公众认为没有必要，并关注政府是否有必要再次投入大笔资金在同一座巴刹上，造成不必要的浪费。
Straits Times
Temasek Holdings yesterday clarified that there was no late disclosure of the fact that it is no longer a substantial shareholder of China-based shipbuilder Cosco Corp (Singapore).
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