Thanks Chris for your timely reminder. It has been more than a year since I started this thread in May 2009, but I'm very happy that things are looking much brighter since for Singapore. Our leaders and people are generally more positive than before. Our GDP this year will be impressive, just crossing the double digit figure as recently forecasted. Foreign investmests continue to pour in, giving endorsement to our political stability, social and economic policies. Even our national investment company, Temasek, has reported great gains wiping out the huge losses incurred during the recent financial crisis. Singapore is more conducive for work and play to both foreigners and locals. The addition of the two integrated resorts has not only provided more jobs but also brought more life and buzz to our shores. Maybe more international celebrities will begin to make a stop in Singapore soon. Our foreign talents have done us proud in many sectors, particularly in sports when our women table-tennis players became world champions and even now the hitherto impregnable China players will take Singapore more seriously. I'm sure our foreign talents will continue to bring pride to Singapore in all human endeavours, aside from sports. But it is through our strong, committed and passionate leadership and people support that won Singapore the honour of being entrusted the inaugural Youth Olympic Games that will begin in about a month's time. It is relatively costly to host even the Youth Olympics, but our efforts will be well worth it particularly when Singapore will be remembered in world sports history as the first small country to host the YOG and the events here will be beamed to millions of homes around the world! Yes Singapore has overcome. The brighter side of things is blessing our tiny nation. Thank you so much!
I am also very irritated by Taneepak's constant bashing of Singapore.... I am a Singaporean working in China and Loh's thread has served me well with its constant update from Singapore. But it is really irritating to see Taneepak's in the midst of Loh's update. Whatever it is, Singapore will continue to innovate and surge forward. Our neighbours can bash or even threaten us, it does not matter. At the end of the day, it is the living standard and condition of the people that really counts. And to Taneepak, please start your own thread or get a life if you have nothing better to do. Thanks.
let's hope it stops here and we can have some peaceful readings (constructive comments are definitely welcomed)
Look, if one can brag and even sound arrogant about something you are proud of why the intolerance to a different point of view? Once you wear the national flag in a discussion then it becomes political. Why do you wish that I stay out of this thread? Do you own it and if so how much do you pay for its rights?
Solar panels in 6 precincts The Straits Times Jul 13, 2010 By Esther Teo SOLAR panels will be installed at 30 HDB blocks in six precincts across the island in a $2.3 million initiative announced on Monday. The roof panels will be able to power all common area services such as lighting, lifts and pumps. The green initiative will allow the precincts - Jurong, Aljunied, Telok Blangah, Bishan, Ang Mo Kio and Jalan Besar - to each save about $40,000 a year, according to the HDB on Monday. Installation of panels - they will cover a total area 1.5 times the size of a football field and serve about 3,000 flats - is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Each block will have about 150 of the panels, which measure s 1.8 metre by one metre and should last for 20 years or more. HDB chief executive Tay Kim Poh said that as the largest developer in Singapore, HDB could play a leading role in supporting efforts towards sustainable development. 'We see a lot of potential in developing clean, renewable energy; and particularly solar energy, given our extensive coverage of HDB blocks all over Singapore,' he added. The green initiative will allow the precincts - Jurong, Aljunied, Telok Blangah, Bishan, Ang Mo Kio and Jalan Besar - to each save about $40,000 a year, according to the HDB on Monday. -- PHOTO: HDB
Loh's update is mainly based on newspaper on the development and status of Singapore. It is you with the Ah Q's type mentality who think that it is arrogant. If Loh's update irks you so much, why do you bother to come into his thread. Get a life or get lost, thanks.
Tremendous interest in Asia from delegates at Sun Valley conference Channel NewsAsia 12 July 2010 1700 hrs SINGAPORE: Singapore's Ambassador to the US Chan Heng Chee said delegates at the recently concluded Sun Valley conference showed tremendous interest in Asia. They gained a better understanding of Singapore after a more than one hour dialogue session with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. According to Professor Chan, Mr Lee was described as being "upfront" and "insightful" in his answers. Mr Lee, who is on a visit to the US, attended the conference which brought together leaders of Fortune 500 companies. Professor Chan briefed Singapore reporters on the dialogue as the conference was closed to the media. Professor Chan said Mr Lee fielded wide ranging questions, from an audience of about 300. Issues touched on included where Asia was heading, what makes Singapore competitive and developments in China. Mr Lee said that while powerhouses like the US and Europe will recover, Asia, with growing economies like China, India and ASEAN,will catch up and close the gap. Mr Lee was also asked about what it was like growing up with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew as his father, to which the Prime Minister replied, "there were great expectations". He also touched on the issue of salaries for ministers. Professor Chan said that Mr Lee explained to the conference participants that the pay for Singapore ministers was pegged to the country's GDP and if GDP dropped, so too, would salaries. He also reiterated the point that Singapore pays good money to attract top civil servants. Professor Chan said many delegates thought this was a "smart way of going about government".
Bilingualism important as influence of China grows: MM Lee Channel NewsAsia 12 July 2010 2300 hrs By Claire Huang SINGAPORE: Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew says as the influence of China grows, more Singaporeans have come to realise the importance of being bilingual. He noted that parents now want their children to immerse in the language and culture. And this is very different from the situation about 20 years ago. Mr Lee was speaking during a dinner-dialogue of the FutureChina Global Forum meeting, organised by Business China. The theme for the inaugural meeting - Strategic Insights for riding China's next decade. Fielding questions on a range of issues in English and Mandarin, Mr Lee said Singapore is in Southeast Asia and its outlook from any strategic issue must be from an ASEAN point of view. This means there's a fundamental difference between the mindset of the Singaporean Chinese and the mindset of the China Chinese. Mr Lee said: "What can we learn from each other? Well, we have quite a number of mainland Chinese. They are very hardworking, they are very serious, their children do well in schools, giving our children enormous competition. "And therefore that's already a good incentive for our children to do better. What can we teach the Chinese? Bilingualism. Understanding the world without translation. English is the second language of all countries that do not have it as their first language. Without it, you are at a disadvantage." The Straits Times Jul 13, 2010 English skills give edge But creation of an English-speaking environment a challenge By Rachel Chang Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said if the Chinese can master English, it will give them a very powerful weapon for economic growth. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG THE ability to understand the world without translation is a skill Singapore can impart to China, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. But for China to attain this skill will involve creating an English-speaking environment alongside their Chinese-speaking one - a difficult challenge he does not know how to overcome. 'If the Chinese can master English, it will give them a very powerful weapon for economic growth,' he said. China is currently at a 'disadvantage' in a world where English is the lingua franca, he said. In finance, for instance, all bank annual reports are in English, regardless of their countries of origin. Mr Lee was speaking to an audience of 300 at a dialogue during the FutureChina forum yesterday. A participant had asked what China could learn from Singapore and vice versa. Mr Lee said that 10 to 20 per cent of Chinese must become proficient in English before an English-speaking environment can develop.
Public ballot to watch NDP fireworks from 50th floor of Pinnacle @ Duxton Channel NewsAsia 12 July 2010 1957 hrs By Ng Lian Cheong SINGAPORE: Members of the public can watch the National Day fireworks from the 50th storey skybridge of the Pinnacle @ Duxton. Registration for the balloting of tickets began Monday. As of Monday afternoon, 237 applications have been registered for the 100 spots available. The skybridge can hold up to 1,000 people. 90 per cent of the allocated spots will be set aside for residents of the Pinnacle. Another skybridge, on the 26th storey, remains open only to residents. Each successful applicant will receive two tickets. These will cost $10 each - double the usual price. HDB says this is to regulate the number of applications.
MediaCorp launches news channel on YouTube TODAY 05:55 AM Jul 13, 2010 MediaCorp has launched News In Singapore, a news channel on online video site YouTube. The channel aims to widen the reach of news from Singapore by tapping into the growing online and social media audience. News clips will be sourced largely from Channel NewsAsia's nightly Singapore Tonight bulletin. These will be made available within three days of the telecast. News In Singapore puts Singapore news on the most popular video sharing site, making it a convenient place to keep in touch with the latest happenings here. To access News In Singapore, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/NewsSingapore or search "News In Singapore" under "channels". A full range of news clips is also available on http://www.channelnewsasia.com/.
Please understand the intention of a thread . Hi taneepak, You have to understand the intention of starting a thread. Here, we are talking about the positive/brighter side of Singapore. If you have an intention to talk about the negative side of Singapore, please start a different thread; like 'What Singapore cannot do'. Please allow Loh to inform us about what 'Singapore Can Do'. Personally, I like to read 'GOOD NEWS' rather than 'BAD NEWS'; GOOD NEWS brightens up my day. Therefore, I am usually reading 'GOOD NEWS' threads at BadmintonCentral, not the 'Bad' ones. .
PM Lee pushes for greater US-Asia economic engagement Channel NewsAsia 13 July 2010 0909 hrs By Imelda Saad HOUSTON, US: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has made a strong push for greater economic engagement between the United States and Asia. Speaking in Houston, Texas, at a dialogue attended by prominent American businessmen and city officials, Mr Lee said a positive "trade agenda is critical" to US-Asia engagement. Mr Lee made a strong pitch for Singapore, highlighting among other things, the country's low tax structure and how American businesses can also use the country as a launch pad to the Middle East. He added that with the Panama Canal widening project completing in five years, it will make it easier for companies in Houston trading with Singapore. That's because many more ships can sail directly to Singapore instead of having to transport goods by rail and road through the US. But on a larger scale, Mr Lee urged the audience of over 300 to maintain good relations with Asia, especially China. He acknowledged there would be tension in US-China relations from time to time. Mr Lee said: "It's not possible for your relationship with China to be uncomplicated. There will be tensions, there will be differences from time to time, frictions. But it's vital to avoid a clash and both sides have a lot to gain by working together and should manage issues with a view to the longer term." And to be active in Asia, Mr Lee said there needs to be two-way trade, not just one country "pushing for exports". Prime Minister Lee pointed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement as a catalyst that would link Asia Pacific economies. The agreement started with Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. Now, the US, Peru, Australia and Vietnam have also expressed interest to join the agreement. He said: "Trade is important not just in itself but to enhance your relevance and influence and complement and give substance to your political and security relationships with the region." Mr Lee's trip to Houston is part of Singapore's continuing efforts to expand the country's external trade linkages. Trade between Singapore and Houston has been healthy. Despite the global recession, it grew 24 per cent last year. More than 520 Houston companies report doing business with Singapore, and Singaporean firms operate seven subsidiaries in the metropolitan area. Jeff Moseley, CEO of Greater Houston Partnership, said: "So, it really isn't by accident that Houston ranks as Singapore's third largest US gateway for international trade, and Singapore is our region's 13th largest international trade partner. That's why, Prime Minister, we're so pleased to welcome you today to Houston. "Our city's economy is consistently ranked as one of the strongest in the nation and we're very pleased to see this current and future state of international business developing and growing and we know that Singapore is central to that economic growth story." Houston is the fourth-largest city by population in the United States and the largest city in the state of Texas. Texas is the second largest economy in the United States after California and the largest exporter of goods among US states. For Singapore, this is an important catchment for its key industries spanning areas like engineering, oil and gas, energy and services.
Loh, I think I know you better than Bbn. Of course we have our professional disagreement, and there is nothing wrong about that. But one thing I am quite sure is that you are not too keen to be seen in the same room as Bbn. Malicious, you say but how about the truth? Or even some sense of humour?
I am sure you will learn to be more tolerant and learn to live with people with a different opinion sooner or later as you mature. Success must also come with dignity and an acceptance of diversity in the way we live, think, speak, write, and disagree. Without this it doesn't look good. BTW, if you wish to be kept abreast of happenings about Sinagapore, why not log into www.straitstimes.com and www.channelnewsasia.com. These will provide more news about Singapore than Singapore Also Can. If you subscribe you can even get the full editiion of your Singapore newspaper.
Look, this is a Chit-Chat forum to for all non-badminton related topics and not some one-way reproduction of articles from the news media about any particular country. There must a chit and a chat to be a proper discussion forum instead of creating a country's tourism thread that must be seen and read but cannot be questioned or discussed vigorously. For those who want to learn about Singapore there are better sources that are more comprehensive and less selective, i.e. www.straitstimes.com and www.channelnewsasia.com.
Again you're being presumptuous about Bbn. I think his views here have been neutral and more forward looking and certainly not filled with the kind of cynicism, bias, mockery, sarcasm and other negatives you've been demonstrating now and then. Now you are talking of tolerance and maturity when you have tried so hard from early days to instigate and influence others to have my thread closed. Even now you are still trying. Thankfully we have more mature administrators who do not hold similar views as you do. You have also been quick to arrive at conclusions, often negative ones, when events are still work in progress. If this is the kind of tolerance and maturity you possess as someone much more senior than most of us, then you haven't progressed very much, I'm afraid. Many of your views are not only malicious, they are destructive and damaging, certainly not what I intended for in my thread. As I've stated on the onset, I wish to bring a brighter side of Singapore to our readers to drive away the negatives that pervaded following the dreadful financial crisis that started in the West. Why are you still mired in gloom and doom? Don't you have something more positive and beautiful to say?
Waterway Terraces BTO project sees huge interest Channel NewsAsia 13 July 2010 1017 hrs By Mustafa Shafawi SINGAPORE: The HDB Build-to-Order (BTO) project in Punggol, Waterway Terraces, is proving a big draw for home buyers. With hours to go before applications close, 5,465 home buyers have indicated their interest to own one of the five-room units available. That's close to 18 times the number of such units on offer. Demand was also high for the four-room units. 6,947 applications have been received so far, some 12 times the 588 units available. Three-room flats were also popular with home buyers. 983 applications were received for the 178 units offered. The project is Singapore's first public waterfront housing, consisting of 1,072 premium flats with eco-friendly designs and features such as rain gardens and solar power. The development will be ready in the first quarter of 2015. Two other BTO projects were launched in Sengkang - Rivervale Arc and Fernvale Foliage - at the same time. These, however, were less well-received. 3,149 applications were received for the 1,624 two-, three-, four- and five-room flats available. Artist impression of Waterway Terraces
