Tiger Airways bought 33 percent stake in debt-laden Indonesian carrier

Sin Chew Jit Poh, 30 Jan 2012
SINGAPORE, January 30, 2012 (AFP) - Singapore budget airline Tiger Airways said Monday it had bought a 33 percent stake in beleaguered Indonesian carrier PT Mandala Airlines as part of its regional expansion plans.
The investment will see Tiger Airways become the second biggest shareholder in Mandala, which has undergone financial restructuring after being grounded in January last year due to massive debts. Full story

Related:
Tiger Airways buys Indonesia carrier stake - Free Malaysia Today

Singapore to spend $598 million to alleviate flooding

Reuters Africa, 30 Jan 2012
SINGAPORE Jan 30 (Reuters) - Singapore will spend about S$750 million ($598 million) over the next five years to boost flood defences, following an increase in the number of flash floods that have hit key areas including the main Orchard Road shopping belt.
The projects include widening and deepening existing canals such that they can hold up to 45 percent more water in times of heavy rain, national water agency PUB said in a statement on Monday. Full story

IDA Raises Quality Standards For 3G Mobile Services

Bernama.com, 30 Jan 2012
SINGAPORE, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) is raising the minimum quality of service (QoS) standards for 3G mobile services in phases with effect from April 1, 2012.
This is the latest measure that IDA is putting in place to ensure better 3G mobile services and broadband experience for consumers. Full story

Fandi Ahmad joins Johor FA as technical advisor

ESPNSTAR.com, 30 Jan 2012
Ex-Singapore goalscoring sensation Fandi Ahmad has penned a three-year contract with Malaysian Premier League (MPL) outfit Johor FA to serve as their technical adviser.
According to a report in The New Paper, Tengku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Crown Prince of Johor and the president of Johor FA is widely believed to have convinced local legend Fandi to take up the technical post. Full story

Singapore visitors still top in Malaysia tourist arrivals

New Straits Times, 30 Jan 2012
SINGAPORE: Malaysia will remain the key destination for Singaporeans to spend their holidays due to its close geographical proximity and cordial bilateral ties with the country, says Tourism Malaysia director for Singapore, Zalizam Zakaria.
"In 2010, Malaysia received 24.6 million tourists, who spent RM56.5 billion. Of the total, Singaporeans accounted for RM28.4 billion, with 13 million arrivals," he said. Full story

Opposition hub in Orchard Road

inSing.com, 29 Jan 2012
Former Presidential hopeful Mr Tan Jee Say is planning to set up a "policy discussion hub" in Orchard Road.
Named "Heart Beat", he intends to hold policy discussions at the hub with a group of about 100 people, whom he hopes to gather by the end of the year.
Through research and brainstorming with the group, he hopes to come up with a set of alternative policies for Singapore by 2014. Full story

Singapore high fashion moves away from shopping malls

CNNGo.com, 30 Jan 2012
Times they are a-changing. For some of the city's best shopping, you need to hit the streets, estates and financial towers.
From stand-alone big brands on the street to a bespoke cheongsam maker tucked in the heart of the financial district, the latest and hippest Singapore shops are now tucked in all corners of the island. Full story

Lee Hsien Loong: United States a good example for China to emulate as a superpower

Shanghaiist, 29 Jan 2012
CNN's Fareed Zakaria asks Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong a few questions about China in a recent interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.



Full story

Myanmar president Thein Sein on goodwill visit to Singapore

Xinhua, 29 Jan 2012
YANGON, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar president U Thein Sein left Nay Pyi Taw Sunday on a goodwill visit to Singapore, aimed at promoting bilateral ties and cooperation, official sources from the capital said.
According to official statistics, Myanmar-Singapore bilateral trade reached 2.074 billion U.S. dollars in 2010-11 fiscal year. Of the total, Myanmar's export to Singapore amounted to 446.4 million dollars, while its import from the latter stood at 1.628 billion U.S. dollars. Full story

Related:
Myanmar president to visit Singapore - Global Times
MYANMAR PRESIDENT ON SINGAPORE VISIT - Yahoo! News Malaysia
Singapore activists protest orchid named after Burmese PM - Mizzima.com
Spore Botanic Garden to honor Myanmar junta leader - ko-htike.blogspot.com
Myanmar president on official visit to Singapore - Monsters and Critics
Burma's president visits Singapore - Sky News Australia

Singapore still pays USD for Iranian oil

Zawya.com, 28 Jan 2012
Despite the fact that Iran's Central Bank has been hit with new wave of sanctions, some countries, with which Iran conducts oil trade operations, still use U.S. dollar to pay Iran. Singapore is one of these countries.
According to Singapore Petroleum Company, the country uses several currencies in case with Iran, which has vast reserves of natural resources, most notably oil and gas, and about 10 percent of the world's crude oil reserves. Full story

Former CNB chief Ng Boon Gay was probed by CPIB in 2010 for insider trading

The Online Citizen, 29 Jan 2012
A well-wisher of TOC wrote in to us on 25 January that he "had heard from reliable sources a long while ago (early 2011 or even in 2010) that top CID guys are under investigation by CPIB", and that it was around this time that Ng Boon Gay was shifted to CNB.
The New Paper confirms today that former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) Director Ng Boon Gay was investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) in 2010, in relation to allegations of improper conduct of share dealings based on insider information. Full story

Plastic from synthetic clothes threaten food chain

MSN India,. 29 Jan 2012
London, Jan 29 (IANS) Microscopic plastic debris that are released from washing synthetic clothes are accumulating in the marine environment and could be entering the food chain, a study has warned.
Researchers traced the microplastic to synthetic clothes, which released up to 1,900 tiny fibres per garment every time they were washed, BBC reported citing the US-based research network National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.
An earlier research showed plastic smaller than one mm were being eaten by animals and getting into the food chain. Full story

Related:
'Microplastic' entering food chain - Khaleej Times Online

Ministry of Manpower: Bountiful of jobs for PMETs and low-wage workers

Malaysia Star, 29 Jan 2012
Jobs remain plentiful in Singapore, with many openings for low-wage workers such as waiters, security guards, cleaners, sales assistants and bus drivers.
The situation is also bountiful for professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs).
Four out of 10 job vacancies in September last year were for PMETS, according to the latest Job Vacancies report, released on Friday by the Manpower Ministry. Full story

Manila's fake degree mill doing roaring business - CNN report

CNN.com, 17 Jan 2012
(CNN) -- If you don't have the time, inclination and, more importantly, the money to go to university in Manila, you can still get a degree. It will cost you between $US10 and $US60, it will take about two hours to complete and it will be fake.
Welcome to "Recto University," the name Manila mockingly gives to the strip of document counterfeiters that openly ply their trade between Claro M. Recto and Rizal Avenues in the Philippines capital. Full story

MHA insists there was no delay in releasing news of CPIB probe

Brudirect.com, 28 Jan 2012
The MHA statement said that in the CPIB investigations, it is normal procedure for the person to be placed under arrest if the CPIB assesses that there is some basis for suspecting that the person may have committed an offence. That person can then be released on bail and is required to return for further investigations as needed, it added.
Both officers were placed on leave when the investigations began and the Ministry said that it was premature then to make any announcement as CPIB investigations had just started and the outcome was not known. An announcement could also compromise CPIB investigations, the MHA said. Full story

Related:
More White Lies - Singapore Notes
Calcifying and crumbling - yawningbread.wordpress.com
CPIB Probe: Netizens urge authorities to come clean with the public - Global Voices Online

Another suicide at Bedok Reservoir

Yahoo! News Singapore, 28 Jan 2012
The body of an unidentified man has been discovered in Bedok Reservoir, the seventh death linked to the area since mid-2011, according to media reports. Full story

Related:
Another dead body in Bedok Reservoir - inSing.com

Twitter to delete posts if countries request it

CNN.com, 27 Jan 2012
(CNN) -- Online social networking site Twitter said Thursday it will begin deleting users' tweets in countries that require it -- but it will still keep those deleted tweets visible to the rest of the world.
The move is significant because, until now, the only way Twitter could comply with countries' limits was to remove the content globally. Full story

Six Singapore People’s Party members resign

Yahoo! News Singapore, 28 Jan 2012
In what seems to be the culmination of several months of rising tension in the Singapore People’s Party (SPP), six key members of its central executive committee (CEC) have resigned from the party.
Yahoo! Singapore has learned that its first assistant secretary-general Wilfred Leung, second assistant secretary-general Benjamin Pwee, organising secretary Ting Sze Jiang, Malay/Muslim Affairs head Mohamad Hamim bin Aliyas, his wife, who is also a member of the party CEC, and SME businessmen affairs head David Tan all submitted notice of their resignations from the party to secretary-general Chiam See Tong and chairman Sin Kek Tong in the days leading up to and on Friday evening. Full story

Related:
Mass resignation today in Chiam See Tong's party - inSing.com
SPP's Lina Chiam stays mum over new CEC, internal conflict - Yahoo! News Singapore

OPINION: MHA - Calcifying and crumbling

Yawningbread.wordpress.com, 28 Jan 2012
“MHA had planned to make these announcements on 25 January 2012, but as news of the investigations had already appeared, MHA decided to advance the media release by one day,” said the statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday, 27 January 2012, desperately denying that its hand was forced by Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Wanbao.
The ministry was responding to an uproar over the delay in making the arrests public. Many in social media have suggested that the government deliberately suppressed news of these investigations while the debate on ministerial salaries took place in Parliament. Full story

Related:
More White Lies - Singapore Notes

CPIB Probe: Netizens urge authorities to come clean with the public

Global Voices Online, 28 Jan 2012
Mike Loh urges the authorities and investigators to come clean with the public, and let everyone know what is going on:

I know what dad would say, “Rule Number One: Never treat your citizens like they are idiots. Never practice Mushroom Management.”
Huh? Mushroom Management, what the fuck is that?
“Oh,” dad would say, “it means ‘keep them in the dark and feed them bullshit.’"

Full story

Related:
More White Lies - Singapore Notes
Calcifying and crumbling - yawningbread.wordpress.com

OPINION: Push to promote mother tongue - Seah Chiang Nee

Malaysia Star, 28 Jan 2012
Singapore has seen a big influx of foreigners who have brought in their own languages and dialects that are incomprehensible to the locals while the government is also determined to transform the island republic into a global metropolis.
More families here are using English on a regular basis when talking to their young children, raising fresh concerns about Singapore’s bilingual future.
This has raised a new initiative that could total S$100mil (RM243mil) from 87-year-old former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew to defend the multi-national language strategy. Full story

OPINION: No student freedom at NUS - Walker Vincoli

Yale Daily News, 26 Jan 2012
My first impression of the country was a threat. No, not the customs form that reads, “Warning: death for drug traffickers under Singapore law.” Within two hours of landing, a security guard threatened me with arrest. My crime? Standing outside the airport subway terminal at 3 a.m., reading the schedule. Full story

Related:
No student freedom at NUS: former student - Yahoo! News Singapore

Las Vegas Sands Corp interested in Indian market

Travel Biz Monitor, 28 Jan 2012
Las Vegas Sands Corp, one of the largest integrated resort developers in the world, is interested in entering the Indian market. Addressing the media at The Venetian Macao recently, Sheldon G Adelson, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Las Vegas Sands Corp said, “If you are wondering whether I am interested in India as a potential destination for my property, the answer is a definite yes. Unfortunately, I have not been invited by anyone who is interested.” Full story

Lee Hsien Loong optimistic about China economic outlook

SteelGuru.com, 28 Jan 2012
Xinhua reported that Singapore Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong recently expressed optimism towards China economic outlook in the next few years at the Davos Annual Meeting.
Speaking at a session titled "the Outlook for East Asia, Mr Lee said he was fundamentally optimistic with the Chinese economy. Full story

Singapore raises sea defences against tide of climate change

Reuters, 27 Jan 2012
(Reuters) - A 15-km (10 mile) stretch of crisp white beach is one of the key battlegrounds in Singapore's campaign to defend its hard-won territory against rising sea levels linked to climate change.
Stone breakwaters are being enlarged on the low-lying island state's man-made east coast and their heights raised. Barges carrying imported sand top up the beach, which is regularly breached by high tides. Full story