Experts Concerned Over the Effectiveness of Health Screening Drive in Singapore

TopNews United States, 31 May 2010
The health experts in Singapore are questioning the effectiveness of the health screening program undertaken in the country wherein all the foreign worker s will be directed to undergo a health checkup before being permitted for working.
The maids will have to undergo a urine test and have X-rays. However, the experts said the general checkups have an inability of detecting serious diseases.
They fear that diseases like tuberculosis fall in this category. One of the experts shared that she had hired a maid in January and her medical checkup gave her a green signal. But, she developed a regular couch and suffered for over 6 months. When she underwent another check up, she had developed TB. Full Story

Singapore Airlines disappointed with South Korean Fair Trade Commission decision

India Infoline Limited, 31 May 2010
Singapore Airlines Cargo has reportedly said that they are disappointed with the decision by the South Korean Fair Trade Commission in a case involving alleged unfair air cargo practices.
The report stated that the company was among several major airlines that were facing fines, after South Korean authorities accused them of conspiring to introduce fuel charges for freight cargoes or continued to raise them over the past seven years.
Singapore Airlines Cargo has not received the commission's full reasoning, which it will study closely "with a serious view towards mounting an appeal". Full Story

Singapore To Launch Self-help Portal For SMEs

Bernama.com, 31 May 2010
Singapore will on Tuesday launch a new dedicated portal for local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to access information and various resources to help them take action to raise productivity.
The EnterpriseOne website at www.enterpriseone.gov.sg, managed by SPRING Singapore, an enterprise development agency for growing innovative companies and fostering a competitive SME sector, contains easy-to-understand productivity concepts, simple tools and other useful resources on productivity that businesses can tap for self-help. Full Story

Australian gold-miner Citigold may list in Singapore

Creamer Media's Mining Weekly, 31 May 2010
PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Australian gold-miner Citigold on Monday reported that it was in the final stages of completing a A$18-million capital raising, to fund the growth of its Charter Towers operations, in Queensland.
“At this stage in the development of the project, the directors feel a term loan facility has become attractive to the company,” said MD Mark Lynch.
He added that international investor interest in the company continued to grow, and as such, Citigold was considering the possibility of listing on the Singapore Stock Exchange to give international shareholders additional access to trade in the company’s securities.
“Singapore is a large and long established, sophisticated financial centre catering to, and easily accessible by, the fast growing Asian economies, especially India and China,” Lynch said. Full Story

Singapore coast cleared of oil slick, scientists warn of impact

Monsters and Critics, 31 May 2010
Singapore - Singapore's coastline has been cleared of oil slick from a damaged tanker, authorities said Monday, but scientists warned of long-term effects on marine life.
Scientists said nature would suffer from the estimated 2,500 tons of crude oil leaked from Malaysian tanker MT Bunga Kelana 3 that collided with a container ship Tuesday.
'We have not seen mass kills, but I am sure some (animals and plants) are affected,' Peter Ng, director of Singapore's Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, told local media.
'In the longer term, the oil will affect the animals and plants in different ways,' he said. 'It may reduce the reproduction, it may reduce the growth rate, it might reduce their strength.' Full Story

Changi Airport Group aims to drive footfall and retail spend with vital new initiatives

The Moodie Report, 31 May 2010
SINGAPORE. Changi Airport Group has launched a series of new initiatives to drive retail spend at Singapore Changi Airport. These include the creation of a new ‘Be A Changi Millionaire’ prize draw plus the extension of GST-absorbed shopping to airport terminals 1 and 2.
The ‘Be A Changi Millionaire’ Draw will see one Changi shopper or diner become a Singapore Dollar millionaire at the start of 2011. The promotion, which kicks off on 1 June 2010, offers a Grand Prize of S$1 million in cash. In addition, 188 other winners will win cash prizes totalling more than S$200,000. Full Story

Scientists identify genes for throat cancer

Xinhua, 31 May 2010
SINGAPORE, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Scientists from Singapore, China and the United States have identified three new susceptibility genes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a cancer originating in the nasopharynx, the uppermost region of the "throat".
The study, led by the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), a biomedical research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and the Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, the largest specialized cancer center in southern China, identified genetic risk factors of NPC that influenced the susceptibility to this cancer, an A*STAR statement said on Monday. Full Story

Related:
Genes linked to throat cancer identified - The Times Of India

GIC to acquire 5% of Sunway REIT listing

Malaysia Star, 31 May 2010
Sunway City Bhd (SunCity) has entered into an agreement with the Government of Singapore Investment Corp Ltd (GIC), whereby GIC has agreed to acquire 134mil units or 5% of the proposed listing of Sunway Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) at the lower of the institutional price and 98 sen per unit. Full Story

Related:
GIC to buy 5pc of Sunway’s property trust - Business Times Malaysia

Singapore Set for Broadband Ramp

Light Reading Asia, 31 May 2010
While the Singapore government is busy plowing its taxpayers’ millions into the nationwide delivery of high-speed fiber access broadband, the real story in the island state might be in the mobile sector, according to a new report from Pyramid Research . (See Singapore Slings for AlcaLu, Huawei.)
The report, "Singapore: Fiber Initiative to Drive Higher Adoption of Broadband and Pay-TV," notes that the state-backed National Broadband Network (NBN) project will undoubtedly enhance the appeal of fixed broadband. To date, broadband takeup in the fixed sector has been slow, partly because of the almost universal availability of free WiFi. (See Singapore Unveils Digital Hub Vision and Singapore Makes FTTH Strides .) Full Story

Locals overtake foreigners as buyers of pricey homes in Singapore

People's Daily Online, 31 May 2010
One reason could be partly due to more cautiousness as a result of the financial woes and uncertainties of the European countries, senior manager of Savills Research and Consultancy Christine Sun said.
Another might be that the Singapore currency is generally stronger against other currencies. Full Story

"Managing Singapore's Workforce During The World Cup...The HR Challenge!"

TMCnet.com, 31 May 2010
Late night World Cup games in June and July could mean higher than normal absenteeism and employee fatigue at work in Singapore - however a little planning and forethought will go a long way. Every four years the FIFA World Cup brings people together across the globe, as they immerse themselves in this spectacular sporting event. Although the 2010 World Cup in South Africa will bring joy to many - it is also bringing concern to some employers and the need for employee planning, scheduling and good communication. Full Story

Singapore township plan hit by recession

Deccan Chronicle, 31 May 2010
The Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority’s housing projects in the Guntur district have been affected by recession.
The officials of the VGTM-UDA had proposed to construct Singapore township near Mangalagiri on the Amaravati townhip at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.
However, due to recession and reduction in the demand for luxury apartments, the company is not coming forward to build the Amaravati township. Full Story

Eight Singaporeans held for bribery

Malaysia Star, 31 May 2010
State MACC director Simi Abdul Ghani said the Singaporeans aged between 27 and 66 were detained for offering bribes to the police officers after they were caught for various traffic offences.
“Anyone convicted for the offence can be jailed a maximum of 20 years and fined not more than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher,” he added. Full Story

Singapore Tries to Green Up Its Act

The New York Times, 30 May 2010
SINGAPORE — White-gloved hands carefully pack azure-blue solar cells at a vast new plant that Singapore persuaded Renewable Energy Corp. of Norway to build in the city-state.
The plant, worth 2.6 billion Singapore dollars, or $1.85 billion, is the largest of its type in the world, making solar wafers, cells and panels that harness the sun’s energy.
Luring R.E.C. was a major coup and a key element of Singapore’s drive to become a global hub for clean-technology investment, development and education, plus a center for the carbon market. Full Story

Singaporeans asked to chew on their manners

The Sydney Morning Herald, 31 May 2010
Some foreign workers in the city have few kind words about Singaporeans' manners. "They are the rudest f---ing people I have ever seen; they need some basic training in civic awareness," said Paul Stapleton, an IT manager from Sydney. "They don't feel that anyone else exists outside this tiny island."
"The problem is the sole concern of most Singaporeans is money and economic wellbeing," a long-time British resident says. "The only reason the churches here are packed to the rafters is because people attend in order to network." Full Story

Singapore-Malaysia industrial estate affects Batam trade zone

Antara News, 30 May 2010
Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - The industrial cooperation between Malaysia and Singapore could disadvantage the Batam, Bintan, Karimun Free Trade Zone (FTZ), a noted businessman said.
"The development of the Johor Bahru Iskandar Muda industrial zone by Singapore`s Temasek and Malayasia`s Khazanah would adversely affect Riau Islands free trade zone," Honorary Council Chairman of the Indonesian Businessmen Association (Apindo) for Riau Islands, Rudy Chua, said here on Sunday. Full Story

Singapore Students Visit Tutong School

BruDirect.com, 31 May 2010
Tutong - Twenty-two students and four teachers from Singapore's Compassvale Primary School paid a visit to PKN Bukit Beruang Primary School, Tutong recently, as part of the Singapore-Brunei Cultural Immersion Programme.
Welcoming the visitors was headmaster Cikgu Samihon Haji Kechi and the school's hadrah team.
The visiting students were also showered by bunga rampai and being greeted by Year 6 students from the school, who had been selected to buddy up with their Singaporean counterparts. Full Story

Singapore women paddlers celebrate historical win at Moscow worlds

Xinhua, 31 May 2010
MOSCOW, May 30 (Xinhua) -- With heartfelt tears and proud smiles, Singapore women players embraced their historical victory in the table tennis world team championship by beating China at the 50th TT worlds here on Sunday.
The team, composed of Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu and Sun Beibei, defeated the Chinese trio of Ding Ning, Liu Shiwen and Guo Yan in the final 3-1, ending the Chinese team's 20-year unbeatable legend in women events. Full Story

Singapore emerging as Asia’s top liver transplant center

Healthnews18.com, 30 May 2010
Singapore is attracting many patients around the globe who are looking for liver transplant operation. The high success rate, good feedback from the patients and the convenient facilities within the country helped Singapore to stand as one of the best liver transplant centers in the world.
The number of patients coming to Singapore for liver transplant surgery has significantly improved over these two years. Singapore is known for its ‘live liver transplant surgery’, where as many other countries only have the facility of conventional liver transplant where liver is collected from dead persons for a transplant. Full Story

Landmark Project in Singapore

WaterWorld
The SingSpring Desalination Plant at Tuas is Singapore's first seawater desalination plant and it meets some 10% of the nation's water needs, supplying some 136,380 m3 of potable water per day. The plant adopts reverse osmosis technology that uses semi–permeable membranes.
Hyflux developed SingSpring Desalination Plant under a 20–year design, build, own, operate and transfer (DBOOT) arrangement with PUB. Construction of the plant commenced in January 2004 and the plant was completed some three months ahead of schedule. Full Story

GIC and Khazanah fight over Parkway

Moneycontrol.com, 29 May 2010
It's a proxy war between Singapore and Malaysia, and India has become the battle ground. Two sovereign wealth funds -- Singapore's GIC, and Malaysia's Khazanah -- are locking horns, each eyeing a majority stake in Parkway.
Fortis currently holds a 25% majority stake in Parkway, while Khazanah holds 23%. Khazanah has made an offer that will take its stake in Parkway up to 51%, thus becoming the majority stakeholder.
Fortis recently raised USD 85 million from Singapore's GIC through a preferential issue. Once shareholders approve this transaction, GIC will hold nearly 5% in Fortis. So, GIC will indirectly hold a stake in Parkway. Full Story

Related:
Parkway Race: Fortis, GIC look to counter Malaysian Co Khazanah - The Economic Times
Khazanah move to protect Parkway interest - Malaysia Star

Singapore's services sector posts robust 8.8 percent growth in Q1

The China Post, 29 May 2010
SINGAPORE -- The all-important services industry, which makes up two-thirds of Singapore's economy, is the latest sector to record a return to robust growth.
Business has been particularly strong among firms here involved in financial and insurance services, education, and information and communications.
This helped to drive the business receipts index 8.8 percent higher in the first quarter, compared to the same period last year. By contrast, in the first three months of last year, business receipts — income from business operations — of these firms had slid 2.3 percent from a year earlier. Full Story

OPINION: Moving on to the future - Seah Chiang Nee

Malaysia Star, 29 May 2010
The announcement of the railway land deal between Malaysia and Singapore is not only momentous in the economic sense, but also in that both sides have now moved away from the old mindset.
AT A time when the world economy is entering a stormy phase, I am happy to see Malaysia and Singapore moving to put their querulous past behind them. Full Story

OPINION: Painful history: Academic freedom receives another blow in Singapore - Ben Bland

Asian Correspondent, 28 May 2010
In a review of a new book on Singapore that I penned in March, I argued that Singapore's historical narrative had for too long been dominated by the People's Action Party and its chief figurehead Lee Kuan Yew because of direct and indirect control by the state over schools, universities and the mass media.
That view was sharply challenged by Ong Weichong, an associate research fellow at Singapore's S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, in an RSIS commentary (PDF here).
I intend to respond to his article in greater depth at a later date. His key argument was that the reason for a lack of alternative histories in Singapore was not state domination but disinterest among kids, who would rather play PlayStation games than buy history books. Full Story

GIC invests in India's Dewan Housing Finance

Business Standard, 28 May 2010
Home finance firm Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL) today announced that it had raised Rs 500 crore through a combination of qualified institutional placement (QIP) and preferential allotment of equity shares.
The firm placed Rs 375 crore worth of equity shares with qualified institutional investors at a price of Rs 222 per share. A major portion of the issue was picked up by foreign institutional investors such as Equinox, Mirae Asset Management and EMM. The government of Singapore’s main sovereign wealth fund GIC also participated in the issue. Full Story

25 Tourists From Singapore Escape Unhurt After Bus Rams Garage

Bernama.com, 28 May 2010
UALA TERENGGANU, May 28 (Bernama) -- A bus carrying 25 tourists from Singapore skidded before it rammed into the garage of a house at Km16, Jalan Kuala Terengganu-Kuantan near Kampung Kijing, Marang Friday.
However, only the bus driver Haslimun Hasan, 44, sustained a broken arm, while the other passengers escaped unhurt. Full Story

Taiwan's officials to visit Singapore on jobless rate

Focus Taiwan, 28 May 2010
Taipei, May 28 (CNA) Taiwan will send officials to Singapore next week to learn about the Singaporean government's successful efforts to lower the city state's jobless rate, the country's top economic planning head said Friday.
"It (the trip) is more of a research nature," Christina Liu, the new chairwoman of the Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) told reporters. Full Story

OPINION: Global Undemocratic Revolution - James Bovard

The American Conservative
While many Americans know that chewing gum is illegal in Singapore, they are unaware that until recently oral sex was punishable by two years in prison. The government has almost totally repressed political opposition. When journalists or others criticize, they are bankrupted by volleys of defamation suits. Kampfner notes, “People confide only in their good friends here; meaningful opinion polls do not exist.” But as long as the economy has boomed, there has been little or no resistance to authoritarianism. Full Story

Local law firm managing partner joins Temasek

ALB Legal News, 27 May 2010
Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara will join Temasek, Singapore's state-owned investment company, as head of portfolio management in October, leaving his current role as managing partner of WongPartnership.
Dilhan will bring over 20 years of legal experience including mergers and acquisitions, covering both public and private transactions in Singapore and other jurisdictions in Asia.
Temasek said in a media release that Dilhan was recognised as one of the best corporate lawyers in Singapore, which will come to good use in his new role focusing on governance and value creation opportunities for the Temasek portfolio. Full Story

Singapore 2010 Theme Song - "Everyone" Premiering On 30 May

GamesBids.com, 27 May 2010
The Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games theme song "Everyone" will be premiering world-wide on May 30. The song combines the musical talents of five top singers, Jody Williams, Sean Kingston, Tabitha Nauser, Steve Appleton and Jessica Mauboy, which Singapore 2010 says, creates "a global anthem for today's youth".
Ken Lim, acclaimed Singaporean record produce and composer said, "these five talented performers, one from each continent, are a source of inspiration for youths all over the world for reaching out for their dreams until they have achieved success". Full Story

Related:
Singapore Youth Olympic Games: "Everyone" - An Anthem for Youth Around the World - Around The Rings

Singapore Straits oil spill enters Malaysian waters

iStockAnalyst, 27 May 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27, 2010 (Xinhua News Agency) -- Crude oil spill caused by ships' collision in the Singapore Straits has spread into Malaysian waters.
About 1,600-metre long and 960-metre wide of the leakage is about 1 km from the Tanjung Ayam beach on the eastern coast of south Malaysian state of Johor, national media Bernama quoted Johor Department of Environment director Zulkifli Abdul Rahman as saying on Thursday. Full Story

Related:
Oil spill reaches Teluk Ramunia - Malaysia Star

Singapore Embraces Super-robots in Cardiac Surgery

PRWeb, 27 May 2010
Singapore (Vocus/PRWEB ) May 27, 2010 -- Singapore's National University Heart Centre successfully performed its first robotic cardiac surgery recently, laying the groundwork for a new era in the field of heart surgery.
"We are aligning ourselves with the world's leading heart centers in providing cutting- edge technology in surgery," says Associate Professor Theo Kofidis, Director of the Robotic Cardiac Surgery Program at the National University Hospital (NUH). The centre recently invested several millions to bring in advanced robots such as the DaVinci SI. Full Story

City at core of development: Singaporean minister

Xinhua, 27 May 2010
PARIS, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The city is at the core of the development of a country because more and more people will be living in cities, according to a Singaporean minister.
Cities are facing pressure from increasing population and "good governance" could be part of the solution, Singaporean National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan told a forum here on cities and green growth.
Mah told Xinhua conserving space for greenery, being efficient and forward-thinking in urban planning was very important. Full Story

Father And Son Leadership Story The World Has Not Seen Before

Bernama.com, 27 May 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) -- It was indeed a poignant picture, whose significance goes far beyond the mere handshakes and beaming smiles between the prime ministers of Malaysia and Singapore.
When Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong emerged from their retreat at Shangri-La Hotel on the island nation to face the media, perhaps, many among the hordes of reporters and camermen present were thinking that it was just another assignment. Full Story

Singapore Import Price Inflation Accelerates In April

RTTNews, 27 May 2010
RTTNews) - Singapore's import price inflation accelerated in April after easing for the past three months, data from the Department of Statistics showed Thursday.
Import price inflation rose to 3.4% in April from 2.6% in the previous month. Prices increased for the sixth month in a row. On a monthly basis, import prices rose 0.6% in April after remaining unchanged in the previous month.
The oil-index rose 50.4% annually during the month and 4.2% on a monthly basis. The monthly increase in the oil index was largely driven by higher crude petroleum and fuel oil prices. Full Story

Singapore closes beaches as oil spill spreads

The Associated Press
SINGAPORE — Singapore closed beaches along 7.2 kilometers (4.5 miles) of its east coast as an oil spill from a damaged tanker continued to spread Thursday.
Blotches of rust-colored oil floated next to a breaker wall at a ferry terminal while the nearby National Sailing Center, which usually gives daily classes to hundreds of school students, shut its doors.
A pungent stench has now enveloped the eastern coastline — an area that is normally packed on weekends with families, roller-bladers and cyclists enjoying the sand, sea and some of the island's best seafood restaurants. Full Story

Related:
Singapore closes popular beaches after oil spill - Bangkok Post
Singapore closes popular beaches after oil spill hits coast - Earth Times
Singapore closes beaches due to oil spill - Reuters India
Singapore oil slick closes beach after ship collision - BBC News
Singapore beaches closed due to oil spill after earlier tanker-carrier collision - Examiner.com

Punished Singapore China-born shuttler denied C'Wealth chance

The Times Of India, 27 May 2010
SINGAPORE: Singapore's top badminton player will miss her chance to compete at this year's Commonwealth Games after being slapped with a suspension for bad behaviour, the sport's chief in the city-state said on Thursday.
Singaporean officials hit Zhang Beiwen with the stiffest penalty ever meted out by the Republic when they suspended her for three months without pay and stripped her of the right to train with the national team or attend selection trials and tournaments.
The punishment, imposed for ill discipline and disruptive behaviour at training the Singapore Badminton Association said, means the world number 31 will not be eligible to compete in the trials for New Delhi's Oct. 3-14 Commonwealth Games. Full Story

Related:
Punished Singaporean shuttler denied C'Wealth chance - ZeeNews.com
Punished Singaporean shuttler denied C'Wealth chance - Sify
Punished Singaporean shuttler denied C'Wealth chance - Reuters India

More Indian cos using S'pore springboard for global ventures

NDTV Profit, 27 May 2010
An increasing number of Indian companies are expected to use Singapore as a springboard for their global operations, an industry chamber said in Singapore on Thursday.
"We are seeing an increasing number of Indian companies setting up their overseas headquarters in Singapore, especially to invest in global business," Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) Chairman R Narayanamohan said.
Some of the Indian groups have set up holding companies with investments in agricultural and food processing land as far away as Africa, as well as within the region, in Cambodia and Vietnam. Full Story

Related:
S'pore springboard for India Inc - Express India

Singapore zoo official criticized Patnaites' lack of civic sense

The Times Of India, 27 May 2010
PATNA: "The Patna zoo is amazing. It's much richer in terms of botanical species than I had expected," gushed Singapore zoo's assistant director May Lok.
She was here to attend a four-day training workshop on `Conservation, education and zoos', organized by the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park here last week.
On her first visit to India, Lok said she was moved by, besides so many good things, the lack of civic sense among people. Sharing her experience at the floating Ganga restaurant, she said she had heard so much about it. "I had finally a chance to see it and also the dolphins... But I was disturbed to see how people dirty the holy river," she said. Full Story

Mistrust lingers over 'politically motivated' sovereign wealth funds

eFinanical News, 27 May 2010
Sovereign Wealth Funds are increasingly being perceived as investors motivated by political objectives, according to the results of a global poll of attitudes to SWFs, with Russia and China among those considered the most likely to have hidden agendas.
Respondents were asked how likely they perceived certain countries to be motivated by political agendas when picking companies in which to invest. A total of 87% of respondents, when polled, thought Russia fell into this category – more than any other country – marginally ahead of China, 84% and Libya, 74%. These compared to Norway, 43% and Singapore, 50%, which were ranked bottom. Full Story

Related:
Sovereign investments less welcome in Asia than the West - FinanceAsia

India’s Largest Bourse Plans Short Selling to Lure Investors

BusinessWeek, 27 May 2010
National Stock Exchange of India Ltd., the nation’s largest bourse, plans to offer short sales within the next few weeks aimed at luring investors to the local market after expanding in the U.S. and Singapore.
The company, which counts Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Temasek Holdings Pte as shareholders, will introduce short selling to meet a “huge demand,” Chief Executive Officer Ravi Narain said in an interview at his office in Mumbai.
Temasek, Singapore’s state-owned investment company, called its 5 percent investment in the National Stock Exchange “a proxy to India’s growth and the development of its capital markets” when it bought out NYSE Euronext’s stake this month. Full Story

Oil spill reaches Singapore's east coast

BusinessWeek, 26 May 2010
Oil spilled from a tanker collision offshore Singapore fouled parts of a two-mile (3.2-kilometer) stretch of the city-state's coast, authorities said Wednesday.
Officials have deployed oil dispersants, 15 boats, 120 personnel and 3,300 meters (10,800 feet) of containment booms in a bid to keep the oil from Singapore's east coast, a popular beach and park area. The affected area is between a naval base and a sailing center, authorities said.
"Small patches of oil and sheen were sighted at Changi Naval Base," the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said. "Patches of oil slick have also affected part of the coastline." Full Story

Related:
Oil patches spotted near Singapore coast - Hindustan Times
Oil spill reaches Singapore's east coast - Forbes.com

Mahathir Says Kuan Yew A Remarkable Politician

Bernama.com, 26 May 2010
SINGAPORE, May 26 (Bernama) -- Former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Lee Kuan Yew, his then Singapore counterpart, would go down in history as a very remarkable intellectual and politician at the same time.
His comments appeared in the latest book on Lee written by an internationally syndicated veteran American journalist and columnist Tom Plate.
The book, titled "Conversation with Lee Kuan Yew - Citizen Singapore: How to Build A Nation" and the first of a series on "Giants of Asia", was launched here today. Full Story

Related:
Mahathir tributes Lee as 'big frog in small pond' - Daily Express

Singapore Supports Sustainable Wage Increases, Productivity Growth

Gov Monitor, 25 May 2010
The Government supports the National Wage Council’s (NWC) recommendation of granting sustainable wage increases and making continuous productivity improvements.
To maintain competitiveness, there is a need for wage increases to be sustainable and to be supported by productivity improvements.
Going forth, the Government will focus on productivity growth and continue with initiatives to help the more vulnerable segments of the workforce. Full Story

Singapore — encouraging the next wave of innovation

VentureBeat, 25 May 2010
Singapore is shaping up to be the hub for Western startups coming to Asia. A tiny island nation of 5 million population, Singapore aims to be at the focal point of innovation in Asia. Recently ranked the world’s most competitive economy and consistently rated as the easiest country to do business in, Singapore is paving a path for entrepreneurs to explore businesses opportunities and investments in this region. Full Story

The Singapore success story

WaterWorld, 25 May 2010
In the space of 40 years Singapore has developed its water infrastructure and evolved into a global hydrohub. Ahead of the Singapore International Water Week, Yap Kheng Guan explains how strong political will and a motivated workforce helped create a sustainable supply of water.
How does a small city–state with no natural aquifers or groundwater go from having to deal with challenges in water supply to becoming a role model for sustainable water management? The answer is not rocket science. Full Story

S'pore on track to 'green 80 percent' of buildings by 2030

ZDNet Asia, 26 May 2010
Since the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development (IMCSD) announced its second Green Building Masterplan, which aims to green 80 percent of all buildings in Singapore by 2030, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has been hard at work changing the mindsets of the entire construction ecosystem.
The second Masterplan roadmap was launched after the introduction of the Green Mark scheme in January 2005, and together, these green initiatives have driven the industry toward more environmentally-friendly buildings, noted a BCA spokesperson. Full Story

MINDEF: Usual practice for the ministry not to report on military training accidents

Earth Times, 26 May 2010
Singapore - Singapore's Defence Ministry said Wednesday that two of its soldiers, not just one, were accidentally shot by a villager while they were taking part in a night training exercise in March in Thailand.
A ministry spokeswoman confirmed a report by The Straits Times newspaper that said a second soldiers was wounded. Apart from a sergeant, 19-year-old Private J Pritheery Raj had also been wounded when a villager out hunting inadvertently opened fire on them, the daily said.
Asked why the shootings were not reported earlier, the spokeswoman said it was usual practice for the ministry not to report on military training accidents. Full Story

Singapore denies delay in Formula 1 Grand Prix track preparation

F1SA, 26 May 2010
A Singapore official has played down concerns the city-state will run out of time to prepare the floodlit street circuit for this year's Formula One race.
Singapore will host the Youth Olympic Games in the same Marina Bay area until the end of August, less than a month before the Formula 1 circus arrives in town for round 15 of the 2010 World Championship.
But Justin Chew, the Singapore Tourism Board's executive director of Formula 1 projects, told the state owned MediaCorp: "We do have enough time." Full Story

Related:
Singapore denies no time for F1 track preparation - Motorsport.com

Singapore Manufacturing Soars On Strong Pharmaceuticals Output

RTTNews, 26 May 2010
Industrial production in Singapore rose sharply in April mainly due to a surge in production in the pharmaceuticals sector, an official report showed on Wednesday. The strong output is the latest in a series of impressive economic data from the city-state and justifies the consensus that Asia is leading the global recovery.
The Economic Development Board of Singapore reported that industrial output jumped 51% year-on-year in April, faster than the 46.6% increase in the previous month. Economists were looking for a 20.7% rise. Full Story

Related:
Singapore Manufacturing soars - Manufacturing Digital
Singapore’s Industrial Output Growth Tops Economists’ Estimate - BusinessWeek

Tiger Airways plan to hire more pilots and cabin crew

The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 May 2010
Singapore's budget airline Tiger Airways announced plans on Wednesday to hire more pilots and cabin crew as it expands in response to rising demand.
The publicly-listed carrier is hiring at least 20 pilots and 60 cabin crew on top of its current team of 100 pilots and 200 cabin crew, the airline said in a statement. Other positions are on offer in customer service, logistics and flight operations. Full Story

GIC Real Estate Mulls Initial Public Offering For Overseas Assets - Source

Nasdaq
SINGAPORE -(Dow Jones)- Government of Singapore Investment Corp.'s giant real estate arm GIC Real Estate is looking at an initial public offering of its overseas assets in Singapore, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday.
"A final decision may be taken next month," the person said.
He said the sovereign wealth fund's real estate arm is looking to list its Japanese assets-- which includes ProLogis Holdings. Full Story


Related:
Singapore GIC eyes up to $1 bln logistics IPO-sources - Reuters
Singapore’s No. 1 Sovereign Fund May List REIT in Search for Cash - Jakarta Globe

S'pore retained its ranking as most liveable city in Asia

Bloomberg.com, 25 May 2010
May 26 (Bloomberg) -- Singapore retained its ranking as the Asian city with the best quality of life, while Hong Kong lags rival financial hubs as it struggles with air pollution, according to a survey by Mercer Consulting.
ingapore ranks 28 among 221 cities, Tokyo is at 40 and Hong Kong is placed 71, the list shows. Hong Kong also trails New York City (No. 49), and smaller Japanese cities such as Kobe and Yokohama (tied for No. 41), Osaka (No. 51) and Nagoya (No. 57), the list shows.
Singapore lags Hong Kong only on measurements of personal freedom and media censorship, said Loose. Mercer is a unit of Marsh & McLennan Cos. Full Story

Related:
Singapore Beats Hong Kong as Asia’s Most Livable City - BusinessWeek

The Singapore Story: 50 Years of Nation Building

Youtube, 25 May 2010, DisappointedSGPson

Part 1


Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Anwar flays 'submissive' Najib in Singapore deal

The Malaysian Insider, 25 May 2010
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim slammed today Malaysia's deal with Singapore in settling the longstanding dispute over KTM Berhand's Tanjong Pagar railway station in the island state.
Anwar said that the terms of agreement between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong were questionable as it was "shrouded in secrecy" and Malaysians were not aware of the real arrangement.
"It's (the agreements) not open. You always hide behind Khazanah but we don't know what's the real arrangement," Anwar told The Malaysian Insider in an interview today. Full Story


Related:
Pak Lah: It must be a win-win solution for us and Singapore - Malaysia Star

OPINION: Doubts on competitive survey by IMD - John Hardings

Getting at the truth, 22 May 2010
A politically compliant AP reporter, by the name of Bradley S. Klapper wrote on May 21, 2010 that “Singapore and Hong Kong are the world’s most competitive economies, an annual survey said Friday.”
The “survey” cited by Klapper comes from the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) which is located in Switzerland. IMD defines itself as “the global meeting place for executives from all over the world.”
IMD’s Professor Stéphane Garelli (a man) leads the team which publishes the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook – in IMD’s words, “the most comprehensive and reputed study in the field of the competitiveness of nations.”
IMD report compares the competitiveness of sixty-one countries and regions using 312 criteria.
I don’t know what these 312 criteria may be, but I do know that Singapore, for one, is not one of “the world’s most competitive economies.” Full Story