Hong Kong paper runs ad insulting mainland 'locusts'

Yahoo! News Singapore, 2 Feb 2012
A group of Hong Kongers published a newspaper ad Wednesday insulting mainland Chinese as "locusts", amid seething resentment over rising mainland influence in the southern city.
The full-page advertisement in the widely-read Apple Daily also demanded the government take action to stop the "infiltration" of mainlanders into the former British colony.
It features an enormous locust overlooking Hong Kong's iconic skyline with the words "Hong Kongers have had enough!" and "This city is dying, you know?" Full story

OPINION: Singapore's gains look fragile - Robert M Cutler

Asia Times Online, 2 Feb 2012
On Monday, the government's latest Business Expectations Survey found that nearly all sectors in the services sector had a negative outlook for the period to June, with retailers most pessimistic, followed by financial and insurance companies.
The remarkable success of Singapore's two casino resorts meant that the one bright area was the recreation, community and personal services sector, which overall expected their businesses to improve over the next five months. Full story

OPINION: Cyclists Face a Steep Climb In Singapore - Matthew Allen

WSJ Blog, 2 Feb 2012
Solid figures are hard to come by, but anecdotal evidence suggests that cycling doesn’t seem to be gaining as much traction in Singapore (or other Southeast Asian metropolises, for that matter) as in other global cities. In this part of the world, the car is king of the road, and bicycle commuting is still in its infancy.
That’s all the more surprising in Singapore, a small and densely-populated nation where cycling, at least in theory, should be more popular. Full story

Singaporean terrorist killed in Philippines

eTaiwan News, 2 Feb 2012
The Philippine military said it killed three most-wanted leaders of the al-Qaida-linked terrorist groups Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah at dawn Thursday in one of the most significant successes against militants on their southern island stronghold.
Those killed included Abu Sayyaf leader Umbra Jumdail, a Filipino, Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, and Singaporean Abdullah Ali, who uses the guerrilla name Muawiyah, said military spokesman Col. Marcelo Burgos. Full story

OPINION: Yours or mine? — Lim Mun Fah

The Malaysian Insider, 2 Feb 2012
A Singapore academic recently claimed on Facebook that the “lo sang” (tossing of yee sang) culture originated from the island republic and should be entered into Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Following food ownership debates over Hainanese chicken rice, bak kut teh and chilli crab, it reignited a food fight between Singaporeans and Malaysians.
It is a bit embarrassing as we always find after massive debates that many dishes actually originated neither from Singapore nor Malaysia, but China, India or Indonesia. Full story

OPINION: When was the last time you had a good look at your PUB bill?

Singapore Democrat, 2 Feb 2012
When was the last time you had a good look at your public utilities bill? If you were like millions of other people, chances are that you haven't. Perhaps you should, it would make for surprising – and not so pleasant – reading.
You will notice that your bill includes your water consumption amount. Under this category, you have to pay for the amount of water you use, a “Waterborne Fee” and a “Sanitary Appliance Fee”.
The Waterborne Fee is, according to the Public Utilities Board (PUB) website, a “variable component levied based on the volume of water used.” Why, you might ask, is there a need for this fee because one is already charged a variable amount depending on the volume of water that you use? Full story

GIC to invest $100 million in Godrej Properties office project following Temasek's stake in Godrej Consumer

The Economic Times, 2 Feb 2012
MUMBAI: GIC Real Estate, a part of Singapore government's sovereign fund GIC, is investing over $100 million in a Godrej Properties office project in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex.
Recently, Godrej Properties' managing director and chief executive officer designate Pirojsha Godrej had admitted that the company's debt-equity ratio is on the higher side and said it was looking to reduce the debt by monetising commercial assets in Kolkata and Vikhroli. Full story

FAS fiasco leaves Etoile FC's members high and dry

Yahoo! News Singapore, 1 Feb 2012
Imagine being in a foreign land with no money, no job, and worse, no place to live in.
Seven members of the Etoile football club said they are now jobless and owed unpaid wages following the club's withdrawal from the 2012 S-League season on 16 January, reported The New Paper (TNP).
Their situation appears to have come about as a result of the club's pull-out from the S-League, three weeks before the tournament was due to begin, after Etoile's former chairman Johan Gouttefangeas was named the deputy chief executive officer of the S-League.
However, Gouttefangeas short tenure ended after he resigned last Monday following reports of his financial woes in France. Full story

Las Vegas Sands profit jumps to $320.1M in 4Q on higher gambling revenue from Macau, Singapore

The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Casino-resort developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. said its fourth-quarter net income rose 17 percent to $320.1 million as the company set an internal record for revenue, thanks mainly to more people gambling at its resorts in Macau and Singapore, company officials said Wednesday.
The company's billionaire CEO, Sheldon Adelson, who has made headlines recently for his and his wife's combined donation of $10 million to a political action committee supporting GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, said the company is seriously considering building resorts in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. Full story

Related:
Las Vegas Sands profit jumps to $320.1M in 4Q with higher revenue, more gambling in Macau - The Washington Post
Las Vegas Sands 4Q Profit Rises 34%; Asia Results Strong - Nasdaq
Las Vegas Sands profit jumps to $320.1M in 4Q - msnbc.com
Las Vegas Sands Profit Rises 17%, In Line With Street - RTTNews

Remarks With Singaporean Foreign Minister and Minister for Law K. Shanmugam

U.S. Department of State, 1 Feb 2012
FOREIGN MINISTER SHANMAGUAM: Thank you, Madam Secretary. I think our relationship is very strong. It’s broad-based. It’s deep. The joint vision statement sets that out. I’m not going to repeat everything that Madam Secretary has just said. It’s my first visit as foreign minister. We have had very substantive, good, useful discussions. And our senior officials met last week, and they also had excellent discussions. And I look forward to continuing the relationship that we have had for a very long period of time, our two countries, on a broad array of fronts. Thank you. Full story

Facebook files for IPO

USA Today, 1 Feb 2012
Facebook today filed to go public in a bid to raise $5 billion with a mammoth stock offering.
A Facebook valuation of roughly $100 billion would rank the company just below McDonald's, which is currently 25th, at $101.5 billion, says Howard Silverblatt at Standard & Poor's. Full story

Related:
Morgan Stanley Cements Status as Leading Web IPO Underwriter With Facebook - Bloomberg

Singapore Scientists Lead in 3D Mapping of Human Genome to Help Understand Human Diseases

MartketWatch, 1 Feb 2012
Genome Institute of Singapore's (GIS) Associate Director of Genomic Technologies, Dr Yijun RUAN, led a continuing study on the human genome spatial/structural configuration, revealing how genes interact/communicate and influence each other, even when they are located far away from each other. This discovery is crucial in understanding how human genes work together, and will re-write textbooks on how transcription regulation and coordination takes place in human cells. Full story

Related:
3D mapping of human genome to help understand diseases - Medical Xpress

Singapore's main subway operator invests S$195 mln on upgrades

Reuters, 1 Feb 2012
Singapore's main subway operator, SMRT Corporation Ltd, whose chief executive resigned last month after train breakdowns, said it is investing S$195 million ($155 million) to upgrade its signal system on one of its train lines.
The project, which will be completed by 2018, will make it possible for trains on its North-South and East-West lines to run at an improved frequency of 100 seconds,...Full story

Recession looms as Singapore's manufacturing contracted for a seventh straight month in January

Nasdaq
SINGAPORE -(Dow Jones)- Singapore's manufacturing sector contracted for a seventh straight month in January as demand for the country's exports weakened amid a sputtering global economy.
The country's purchasing managers' index inched lower to 48.7 in January from 49.5 in December, the Singapore Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management said Wednesday.
A PMI reading below 50 indicates contraction in manufacturing activity. Full story

Related:
Singapore January Manufacturing PMI 48.7 Vs 49.5 In December - 4-traders
Singapore PMI contracts for 7th straight month in Jan - Reuters

Able to converse in mandarin is a pre-requisite for this warehouse job

Able to speak mandarin is listed as a pre-requisite in this warehouse job in order to communicate with PRC staff.

S'porean students lack drive, risk-taking: Education Minister Heng. Is this another excuse to bring in more foreign students?

Yahoo! News Singapore, 1 Feb 2012
Another student from the National University of Singapore, Matthias Chia, said that Minister Heng’s comments were not applicable to everyone.
“Not everyone is going to be a millionaire or CEO, CFOs and the like,” he said.
The 22-year-old said that most university students are overworked, which may be a reason why they did not try new things. “Most Singaporean students have co-curricular activities, which take up time for study and research,” he said. Full story

Singapore bans poultry import from Australia amid bird flu fears

The Sydney Morning Herald, 1 Feb 2012
The Australian Chicken Meat Federation says Vietnam, Singapore, and Hong Kong have placed bans on all poultry products from Victoria, while Japan has cancelled all imports from across Australia.
The bans come days after authorities quarantined two commercial duck farms north-west of Melbourne after detecting low pathogenic avian influenza, which is not the deadlier and more contagious form of the virus that spread through Asia in recent years. Full story

Job advertisement: Only Filipino need apply

Link

Admin Note:
Mr Alvin from IBM Singapore had clarifed that IBM has no relationship with DigitalNerva, and no association with the posted advertisement in question.

SPP dismisses Tan Jee Say rumours

Yahoo! News Singapore, 1 Feb 2012
“It was reported in several sources in the print and online media reported that the resignation of the CEC members was linked to former presidential candidate Mr Tan Jee Say. That rumour went that the possibility of Mr Tan joining the SPP was met with resistance from within the party. This is not true,” the party said in its statement.
“If Mr Tan decides to join the SPP, we will fully welcome him. The SPP is also supportive of opposition unity and initiatives towards this end,” the statement continued. Full story

Hsieh Fu Hua quits Temasek board

Bloomberg
Temasek Holdings Pte (TMSK), Singapore’s state-owned investment company, said Hsieh Fu Hua is stepping down from the board four months after he left his post as president.
The former chief executive officer of Singapore Exchange Ltd. (SGX) will retain his positions as chairman of Fullerton Fund Management Company Ltd., ST Asset Management Ltd. and the Stewardship and Corporate Governance Centre, which is backed by the investment firm, Temasek said in a response to queries. Full story

Eircom - another bad investment by Temasek?

Irish Times, 1 Feb 2012
THE PARENT company of debt-laden Eircom has confirmed it has hired Morgan Stanley & Co International to seek a buyer for the company.
Before Christmas ST Telemedia, Eircom’s Singapore-based majority shareholder, withdrew a €200 million conditional investment proposal due to concerns over the euro crisis. It also withdrew its executives from the Eircom board and other committees. Full story

Singapore business expectations remain bleak

Xinhua, 1 Feb 2012
The business outlook for the services and manufacturing sectors of Singapore in the first half remained weak, according to results of surveys released on Tuesday.
The results of the latest business expectations survey by the Department of Statistics showed that all industries in the services sector were expecting a negative outlook for the first half of the year, except the recreation, community and personal services.
The real estate sector fared the worst, with a net weighted 60 percent surveyed expecting less favourable business prospects. Full story

More cracks found on Singapore Airlines A380s

Dailytelegraph.com.au, 1 Feb 2012
SINGAPORE Airlines has found more cracks on all six of the Airbus A380s on which it carried out mandatory inspections.
The airline's regional public relations manager for Europe Peter Tomasch told the media of the discovery at Frankfurt Airport on Monday, Fairfax reported.
Airbus said last week it had found cracks and predicted that a consistent pattern would emerge in further tests until it had time to conduct repairs. Full story

Related:
Singapore Airlines finds cracks in wings of six A380s - The Sydney Morning Herald
Cracks found on Singapore Airlines A380s - Herald Sun
Singapore Airlines: Wing Cracks Found In Six Airbus A380 - Bernama.com
Cracks found on Singapore Airlines A380s - Adelaide Now
Wing Cracks In Six Airbus A389 - Malaysian Mirror

Myanmar Taps Singapore Expertise To Modernize Its Economy; Deal Signed

Manila Bulletin, 1 Feb 2012
SINGAPORE (AFP) – Myanmar has signed an agreement with Singapore seeking the financial center's help as the country emerges from political and economic isolation after decades of military rule.
President Thein Sein arrived Sunday for a four-day state visit to the city-state accompanied by a top-level delegation which included business leaders and top ministers in charge of economic portfolios. Full story

Related:
Burmese President Says Nation on Path to Democracy - Voice of America

Brisbane to be the world's fastest growing 'mature' city ahead of Singapore, Hong Kong and Austin - study

Brisbane Times, 1 Feb 2012
Brisbane will grow faster than any other 'mature' world city over the next eight years, according to an international study compiled by market analysts Jones Lang LaSalle.
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said he was "delighted" with JLL's assessment of Brisbane's commercial growth opportunities.
He said the report showed Brisbane was on track to be one of the world's most prosperous cities. "While Brisbane doesn't feature in the top 30 cities for direct commercial real-estate investment, I'm delighted that we have been identified as number one of the 20 fastest growing mature cities ahead of Singapore, Austin and Hong Kong," Cr Quirk said. Full story

Anger in Aceh over Singapore sex trade in underage girls

Free Malaysia Today, 31 Jan 2012
JAKARTA: Two 19-year-old girls have been arrested in Aceh for duping two minors into working as prostitutes in Singapore, in what police in the province say is part of a cross-border trafficking network based in Batam.
The case has angered many in Indonesia’s religious, westernmost province, who called for the government to crack down on syndicates that lure young girls into joining the flesh trade with promises of free holidays and other lies. Full story

Newly appointed S.League deputy CEO Johan Gouttefangeas forced to step down

ESPNSTAR.com, 31 Jan 2012
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced on Monday that Mr Johan Gouttefangeas will step down as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the S.League.
"I am thankful that the FAS has completed its investigation into the recent allegation that I was a bankrupt and affirmed that I was not adjudged a bankrupt," said Gouttefangeas. Full story

Singapore Dec bank lending up 1.1% from Nov

Malaysia Star, 31 Jan 2012
SINGAPORE, Jan 31 (Reuters) Total bank lending in Singapore rose 1.1 percent in December from November, central bank data showed on Tuesday.
Bank lending in the citystate totalled S$420.4 billion ($333.7 billion) last month, up from S$415.8 billion in November. Bank lending rose 30.3 percent from a year ago. Full story

PREVIEW: Singapore Property Developers Brace For Lean 2012

Fox Business, 31 Jan 2012
Analysts won't read too much into the fourth-quarter results of Singapore's property developers because of distortions caused by changes to when the firms can book profits from overseas and certain local projects under new financial reporting standards.
Investors will instead focus more on the developers' responses to macroeconomic and policy risks amid a gloomier outlook for 2012, weighed by concerns over slowing growth and the impact of fresh interventions by the city-state's government in early December to take even more heat out of the booming property market. Full story

Singapore Police Department Awards Contract for Twelve T3 Motion Electric Vehicles

MarketWatch, 31 Jan 2012
T3 Motion Inc. a producer of clean/green technology, announced that T3 Motion has been awarded the contract from Singapore Police Department for twelve T3 Electric Stand-up Vehicles. The vehicles will be used by the Singapore Police Department for Changi Airport.
The T3 ESV is an electric law enforcement patrol vehicle known for its command presence, quick response time and iconic look that is designed to decrease operating costs, reduce crime and increase patrol capabilities. Full story

No Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer status on Virgin Australia flights

Australian Business Traveller, 31 Jan 2012
It seems that the frequent flyer partnership between Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia doesn't quite go the whole distance.
SQ's KrisFlyer members can earn KrisFlyer Miles when travelling on Virgin Australia flights but not the 'Elite Miles' status credits which catapult you to KrisFlyer Silver and Gold status. Full story

Demand for construction in Singapore expected to dip

Asia Property Report, 31 Jan 2012
Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority believes private-sector construction demand could fall to between S$8 billion (US$6.19 billion) and S$12 billion (US$9.5 billion) in 2012, from S$16.8 billion (US$13.3 billion) last year. The drop is being blamed on global and domestic economic uncertainty which is affecting the domestic market. Full story

Foreigners getting away with molest by paying off victims

inSing.com, 31 Jan 2012
A man has been acquitted of molest after agreeing to pay $10,000 to his victim.
According to The Straits Times, Ukrainian Mr Sierkov Sergii had molested an air stewardess on board a Singapore Airlines flight from Moscow in November last year.
The 35-year-old man apologised in court and paid the victim $10,000 accompanied by an apology yesterday (30 Jan).
This is not the first such case where molesters get away by paying their victims.
Another such case was reported in The Straits Times on 12 January this year, where a Finnish man paid his victim $5,000 and apologised to her in court. Full story

OPINION: Confusion within SPP? - Jeanette Tan

Yahoo! News Singapore, 31 Jan 2012
Who’s in, and who’s out, of the new Singapore People's Party (SPP) Central Executive Committee (CEC)?
Former party chairman Sin Kek Tong, who according to some media reports was voted into the new CEC following Sunday’s Ordinary Party Conference (OPC), knows nothing about it.
Speaking to Yahoo! Singapore on Tuesday, Sin said because of an accident he suffered six months ago, he was unable to attend Sunday’s OPC and election, and so does not know what happened there, or who was elected. Full story

Tourism Malaysia to aggressively promote 'Homestay by Rail' to Singaporeans

New Straits Times, 31 Jan 2012
SINGAPORE: Tourism Malaysia will aggressively promote the 'Homestay by Rail' programme as it is one of the most sought-after escapades for students and the senior citizens here.
Its director for Singapore, Zalizam Zakaria, said the agency was working with Kereta Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) to create attractive holiday packages.
"On top of that, the launching of the new Blue Malayan Tiger train will further boost the needs and desire of travelling by train from JB Sentral to East Coast destinations," he told Bernama after a meeting with KTMB officials here today. Full story

OPINION: Premature rush for Myanmar riches -Brian McCartan

Asia Times Online, 31 Jan 2012
The rapid pace of reforms in Myanmar is raising speculation about when, not if, United States- and European Union-imposed economic sanctions will be lifted. While Myanmar's various untapped markets are generating immense interest from foreign investors, until more economic and financial reforms are implemented actual capital inflows will likely be mitigated.
While part of President Thein Sein's wider reform drive, economic reforms are also being fueled by a crisis in the domestic financial system, dissatisfaction with China's growing economic influence Full story

Burmese banks to start SE Asia services

Democratic Voice of Burma, 31 Jan 2012
Four privately-owned Burmese banks will next month open exchange services in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore in a bid to ease problems with remittances from Burmese migrant workers abroad and increase connectivity with ASEAN economies.
The move will make life easier for the millions of Burmese living outside the country whose remittances serve as a crucial safety net for families back in Burma. Full story

Myanmar denies trying to obtain N.Korean nukes

AFP
SINGAPORE — Myanmar President Thein Sein has denied his country is trying to obtain nuclear weapons from North Korea, describing allegations of a covert programme as "unfounded".
A 2010 United Nations report accused Pyongyang of supplying banned nuclear and ballistic equipment to Myanmar, Iran and Syria. Full story

Six foreigners arrested for illegally working at pushcarts in Tampines Central

The Manpower Blog, 30 Jan 2012
Six foreigners working at five pushcarts were arrested for offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA) such as illegal employment, illegal deployment and breach of work pass conditions. They were Social Visit Pass (SVP) and Dependant’s Pass holders, who are generally not allowed to work in Singapore.
A SVP holder who was arrested came from Malaysia to Singapore for a holiday and to meet her boyfriend, but agreed to ‘help’ her friend sell clothes at the pushcart stall for three days. Although she knew that it was an offence to work without a valid work pass, she did not think she would get into trouble. Another illegal worker arrested was a Work Permit (WP) holder who was supposed to be employed in the manufacturing sector. MOM officers found that the WP holder’s employer had in fact illegally deployed all her foreign workers to work as sales staff at various pushcarts and retail stores. The employer is currently being investigated for breaching Work Permit conditions. Full story

Singapore Unemployment Rate Held at 2% Last Quarter on Construction Boost

Bloomberg
Singapore’s unemployment rate held near a three-year low last quarter after companies in the services and construction industries added jobs in 2011.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2 percent in the three months through December, the Ministry of Manpower said in a statement today, citing preliminary data. Full story

Related:
Singapore 4Q Unemployment Rate 2.0%, Unchanged From 3Q - Nasdaq
Singapore 2011 Jobless Rate At 14-Year Low - RTTNews

Singapore December 2011 M1 Money Supply Grew 14.8 Percent Against Previous Year

Nasdaq
December Year Earlier November
M1 S$129.12B S$112.47B S$130.77B
M2 S$443.35B S$403.08B S$442.14B
M3 S$451.66B S$410.09B S$450.30B

Full story

OPINION: Yes Mr Lee, it is no fun being poor in Singapore

Singapore Democrats, 30 Jan 2012

In an interview in Davos, Switzerland, where he was attending the annual World Economic Forum, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that "If you're poor in Singapore, it's no fun but I think you're less badly off if you're poor in Singapore than in nearly anywhere else in the world including the United States."
Is that what he really thinks, that it is just "no fun" to be poor in Singapore? One can say that it is no fun visiting the dentist or getting caught in the rain without an umbrella. But no fun being poor? Full story

Singapore home prices fall in December - NUS property index

Reuters, 31 Jan 2012
Jan 31 (Reuters) - Singapore private home prices fell in December from the previous month, according to data from the National University of Singapore, showing signs that new measures to curb the housing market are taking effect.
Prices of private non-landed residential properties in Singapore dipped 0.8 percent last month, flash estimates from the university's Singapore Residential Property Index (SRPI) showed. Full story

OPINION: Tiger losses continue, as does poor reporting of its affairs - Ben Sandilands

Crikey.com, 31 Jan 2012
It is disconcerting to hear radio reports this morning blaming Tiger Airways latest quarterly losses in its Australian operations on CASA reducing the frequency of its flights.
It lost money in Australia not because of what CASA did, but because Tiger was so badly managed prior to its being grounded for five weeks in the middle of last year that it thought it could choose what safety rules to obey, and play deaf to the Australian safety regulator. Full story

Related:
Tiger Airways makes loss after hit from Australia grounding - The Australian
Singapore’s Tiger Air reports Q3 loss on Australia, fuel costs - The Malaysian Insider
Tiger licks wounds on local fleet - Adelaide Now

‘Engineering solutions will not help S’pore’s flash flood problem’ - Dr Chris Hails

Yahoo! News Singapore, 31 Jan 2012
Flash floods are going be the norm for Singapore and "no amount of brilliant engineering can resolve that problem," said Dr Chris Hails, chairman of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore.
Hails said that the flash floods are here to stay due to climate changes happening around the world.
On Monday, the Public Utilities Board (PUB) announced that it will carry out a $750-million plan to mitigate the flood problems. Over the next five years, the board plans to improve drainage capacity of six major canals and introduce a polymer lining to smoothen canal walls. Full story

Related:
Singapore to invest $595 mn on drainage system - MSN India

Malaysia And Singapore In Entertainment, Media Tie-up

Bernama.com, 30 Jan 2012
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Singapore are combining efforts and resources in a strategic entertainment and media industry alliance to penetrate the global market.
To jumpstart the initiative, Singapore's Media Development Authority (MDA) will be leading 33 entertainment and media companies to Kuala Lumpur from Jan 30 to Feb 1, and they will be hosted and facilitated by Malaysia's National Film Development Corporation (FINAS). Full story

Related:
Malaysia, Singapore Ramp Up Global Media Development Ambitions - The Hollywood Reporter