New Police Land Division HQ in Woodlands by 2015 Channel NewsAsia Posted: 09 March 2011 1246 hrs SINGAPORE: Singapore's Police Force is augmenting its resources on the ground. It is setting up a new Police Land Division Headquarters in Woodlands New Town and two Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs) in Marsiling and Punggol. Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said these are major developments, benefiting residents living and working in Woodlands, Sembawang, Yishun and Choa Chu Kang areas. All three projects are targeted to be completed by 2015 and is in tandem with the area's rapid development. Mr Shanmugam explained that the north of Singapore is becoming a vibrant hub, with a growing resident population. The new Police Land Division and NPCs will provide faster response, increased Police presence and help Police in its fight against crime. But the Minister stressed that there is a limit to increasing Police resources. "Much investment goes into the selection and training of Police officers to be effective law enforcers. We should therefore use them to do the job they have been recruited and trained to do. He said currently, the Police are often called to address problems which are neither crime-related nor pose a real threat. And the nature of these calls typically ranged from complaints about noise, anti-social behaviour and many other similar complaints. Officers are also asked to mediate quarrels between neighbours, and at times to deal with snakes and monkeys. Mr Shanmugam said although many of these cases may be non-urgent, every caller expects his case to be treated as priority. Last year, the Police had more than 430,000 non-urgent calls, working out to almost 1,200 a day. The Minister cautioned that this meant Police officers were being delayed from responding to urgent calls, including those with imminent threats to life and property. Turning to Singapore's crime rate, Minister Shanmugam told the House that the country's crime rate has continued to drop in the past few years. There were 650 crimes per 100,000 population last year, the second lowest in 20 years. He added that while incidents of youth violence hit the headlines last year, Singapore's crime incidence remained low and is one of the safest cities in the world. Public confidence in the Home Team was also high. A survey by the Ministry of Home Affairs of 2,000 residents last year found that 91 per cent generally felt safe within their neighbourhoods. This was an increase over the 83 per cent result when the survey was last conducted in 2004. More than 92 per cent of the respondents also expressed confidence in the Government's ability to ensure the safety and security of Singapore.
Videolink from Singapore in Romania diplomat case The Straits Times Mar 10, 2011 Silviu Ionescu, a former Romanian charge d'affaire in the state city, is charged with manslaughter, causing physical injuries and making false statements after the accident in December 2009. -- PHOTO: AFP BUCHAREST - A BUCHAREST court ruled on Wednesday that witnesses in Singapore can be heard via videolink in the case of a Romanian diplomat charged with manslaughter after a hit-and-run car crash there. Silviu Ionescu, a former Romanian charge d'affaire in the state city, is charged with manslaughter, causing physical injuries and making false statements after the accident in December 2009. Ionescu pleads not guilty. He has always denied he was the driver and says the car was stolen. The diplomat is alleged to have hit three pedestrians while driving a car belonging to the Romanian mission and to have fled the scene. One pedestrian, a 30-year-old Malaysian national, suffered brain damage and died on Christmas Day. One of the victim's friends, Bonghwee Haw, a 23-year-old Malaysian who was also severely injured in the crash, will testify through a videolink on May 6, the judge ruled. -- AFP Channel NewsAsia Witnesses to testify via videolink in Romanian diplomat case By Claudia Craiu | Posted: 09 March 2011 2100 hrs SINGAPORE : A Romanian court has ruled that over 20 witnesses from Singapore will be able to testify via videolink in the trial involving former Romanian diplomat Silviu Ionescu. The group includes two victims of the hit-and-run case. The incident occurred on December 2009 in Singapore, and left one dead and two injured. The witnesses will testify between May 6 and May 20. The ruling is considered a breakthrough for the prosecution which has so far been in a deadlock on how to interview its witnesses. In court on Wednesday, Ionescu appeared relaxed and confident. They requested to file evidence from Singapore which they claim would prove Ionescu's innocence. This includes telephone and security records showing he was at the Romanian embassy in Singapore at the time of the accident, as well as testimony from a taxi driver. Ionescu also argued in court that there were discrepancies between the Singapore police report and what he claims as fact. He said for instance, that the Malaysian victim, Tong Kok Wai, 30, who died on Christmas Day, was cremated a day before the coroner's report was made. Speaking to reporters before the session, Singapore's Special Envoy to Romania, Anil Kumar Nayer, said the most important thing was that the trial continues and that justice is done. He added that the Singapore government is watching the proceedings closely. The next hearing is on May 6. Ionescu is on trial for culpable manslaughter, fleeing the scene of an accident, and giving false statements.
S'pore may ease rules on foreign law firms Channel NewsAsia By Imelda Saad | Posted: 09 March 2011 1719 hrs Singapore's Supreme Court building SINGAPORE: The government may further liberalise the Qualifying Foreign Law Practice or QFLP scheme to allow more foreign law firms to practise Singapore law, in permitted areas. Six foreign law firms have been granted licences to do so. The law ministry will review these firms in the second half of the year. It will study information collected from both international and local law firms. Minister for Law K Shanmugam said: "Since commencement of the QFLP scheme, the six firms have increased their manpower by over 200 lawyers. "Almost two-thirds of these lawyers were hired from overseas, and more than half were the result of transfers from the QFLP's overseas officers. "The scheme is achieving one of our desired outcomes, the attraction of more legal talent to Singapore, while at the same time providing more exciting opportunities for local lawyers to work in top international law firms without having to leave Singapore."
MHA studying new Organised Crime Act The Straits Times Mar 10, 2011 By Mavis Toh Organised crime is 'not yet a menace in Singapore', Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam made clear on Wednesday when Parliament debated his ministry's budget. -- PHOTO: BLOOMBERG A NEW law is in the works to deal specifically with organised crime and pre-empt the sinking of roots here by foreign syndicates. Organised crime is 'not yet a menace in Singapore', Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam made clear on Wednesday when Parliament debated his ministry's budget. But the authorities are aware that the threat of cross-border and organised crime hangs over the city state as it is an open society and a financial and communications hub. Hence the law now under consideration. 'The key is to stop foreign groups from penetrating our borders, sinking roots and growing here,' he said. The current local crime scene, though, comprises loose coalitions of hooligans in street gangs and small groups in loan sharking and drug activities, Mr Shanmugam said.
Budget 2011: S$150m training programme targeted at PMETs Channel NewsAsia By S Ramesh | Posted: 09 March 2011 1629 hrs Singapore office workers SINGAPORE : The Singapore government is investing S$150 million over three years to enhance the capabilities of professionals, managers, executives and technicians (PMETs). The programme called the Skills Training for Excellence Programme (STEP) comes with four key objectives. Giving details in Parliament during the Manpower Ministry's (MOM) debate on Wednesday, Minister Gan Kim Yong said STEP will allow the nearly 60,000 PMETs here to deepen their industry and occupational specific skills so they can be more proficient in their jobs. Next, it will allow PMETs to broaden their skills through developing relevant horizontal skill sets such as management and human resource. There will also be courses for PMETs to refresh their skills and update their knowledge to stay abreast with new trends and developments in their sectors. And lastly, STEP will develop a talent and leadership core for key industries through scholarships and customised training roadmaps for PMETs in various sectors. Mr Gan explained that many of the training programmes are delivered through small bite-sized modules to meet the needs of working PMETs. Nevertheless, attaining a full qualification, through completion of a requisite set of modules, gives trainees a more comprehensive repertoire of skills. Therefore, the MOM will introduce a CET Qualification Award (CQA) to encourage workers to complete a full qualification. This will help finance the cost of training for the PMETs. Finally, from April 1, the MOM will also introduce mandatory qualification requirements for trainers, assessors and curriculum developers engaged by the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) training providers. Mr Gan believes this will improve the quality and outcomes of the CET programmes and benefit both employers and workers.
Budget 2011: Salary threshold rise for work pass holders Channel NewsAsia By Hoe Yeen Nie | Posted: 09 March 2011 1615 hrs Singapore manufacturing sector SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower is raising the salary thresholds of two groups of workers -- local full-time and skilled foreign workers -- from July this year. And with foreign worker levies increasing again, it is timely for companies such as Lerk Thai to innovate. Since December, machines have been doing the cooking at Lerk Thai's outlet in Bedok Point. In one corner, a machine works the boiler, while another handles the wok The restaurant said the food tastes the same, but the cooking is done much quicker, while manpower costs are down by 20 to 30 per cent. Sales have also been increased by between 20 and 30 per cent since the changes were introduced. Lerk Thai is one of the restaurants managed by Select Group. The company's executive director Jack Tan said: "With the whole process in place, the chef can multi-task, instead of just standing in front of the wok to look after the wok." Lerk Thai is now looking into introducing automation for future outlets. Currently, the number of foreign workers a company can employ depends on the number of full-time local staff on its payroll. To prevent companies from paying locals "token salaries" to gain access to foreign workers, from July, their benchmark salary will be raised from S$650 to S$850. This is also in line with rising wages. Minimum salaries for skilled foreigners are also going up. The S-Pass levy will also be raised, by between S$190 and S$300. Minister for Manpower Gan Kim Yong said this is because the S-Pass stock has "more than doubled" since 2007, which is "clearly not sustainable". For S-Pass holders, this will be set at S$2,000, up from the current S$1,800, while the three categories of Employment Pass holders will be S$2,800, S$4,000 and S$8,000. The salary threshold for Q1 passes will be raised from S$2,500 to S$2,800; that of P2 passes will go up from S$3,500 to S$4,000 and for P1 passes, the new threshold will be S$8,000, up from the current S$7,000. Mr Gan noted in Parliament MPs' concerns that skilled foreigners were competing with Singapore white-collar professionals - or Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) - for jobs, but he reiterated Singapore cannot close its doors to foreign talent. "Given the tight labour market for PMETs, it is not surprising that salaries of local PMETs have moved up in recent years," Mr Gan said. "We need to raise the qualifying salary thresholds for EP and S Pass applicants accordingly, to keep pace with the local PMETs and to encourage companies to be more selective in hiring foreign talent who can contribute to our economy."
Budget 2011: S'pore can't let its guard down against terrorism, says Shanmugam Channel NewsAsia Posted: 09 March 2011 1518 hrs K Shanmugam (file picture) SINGAPORE: Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said Singapore cannot afford to let down its guard even though it has been successful in preventing terrorist attacks in the past. Speaking in Parliament during the debate on the estimates for his ministry, Minister K Shanmugam said in addition to the threat from foreign terrorist groups, Singapore has not been spared from the threat of individuals who are radicalised through exposure to online jihadist material. The security agencies have detained four such self-radicalised individuals so far. Mr Shanmugam stressed that tackling the threat of terrorism cannot be done by any government acting alone. He added that a vigilant and cohesive community played a crucial role in countering the spread and influence of jihadist ideology. "Singapore continues to be an attractive terrorist target. Mr Alvin Yeo is right to say that the nature of the threat requires that we all pull together and play our part. There are no absolute guarantees, and certainly no perfect systems. There will be occasional human lapses. "However I believe that the combined efforts of the government, the private sector and a vigilant and cohesive community will continue to guard Singapore from the terrorist threat, and continue to keep us safe and secure." On its part, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Internal Security Department (ISD) have conducted security briefings and conferences to reach out to the community to sensitise them to the threat of terrorism. To date, these security briefings have reached out to over 300,000 individuals. The SPF and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) also leveraged on new media platforms, such as YouTube and Facebook, to spread the message on the need for public vigilance against possible terrorist threats. Mr Shanmugam said they will continue to organise such activities and exercises to raise public awareness and vigilance against terrorist threats. He said: "Past survey findings suggest that to the general public, crime is a greater concern than the terrorist threat. This is not surprising, given the fact that so far we have been fortunate enough to have avoided a large scale terrorist incident. Mr Shanmugam added that past surveys also suggest that there is generally a high level of confidence in the government and security forces' ability to respond effectively. "In terms of public preparedness for a terrorist incident, slightly more than half of the population indicated that they are prepared for an attack and know what to do in the event of an attack. This is encouraging, but there is room for improvement. Home Team agencies will continue their outreach and educational efforts on this front," he said.
Red Bull to charge down Orchard Rd Channel NewsAsia By Low Lin Fhoong | Posted: 09 March 2011 2209 hrs David Coulthard SINGAPORE: Orchard Road, home to fashion-forward boutiques and malls, will witness high octane speed of a different kind when Red Bull Racing's F1 showcar speeds through Singapore's shopping belt on April 24, five months ahead of the Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix. Former driving ace David Coulthard will demonstrate short sprints, burnouts, donuts and engine breaks in a one-hour event along a 1-kilometre stretch from Orchard Link junction to the Buyong Road intersection near the Istana. The 39-year-old Briton has driven with Red Bull Racing, Williams and McLaren in a career spanning 14 years, winning 13 Grands Prix titles and finishing on the podium 62 times, before retiring in 2008. The 2010 World Championship team's showcar last featured in Singapore in February 2008 as a special five-minute item in the Chingay Parade, months ahead of the inaugural 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. And the action will not be limited to Singapore shores, with the Red Bull Racing showcar expected to speed through Kuala Lumpur's bustling shopping street -- Jalan Bukit Bintang -- on April 3. This is the first time that the Austrian energy drink company is bringing the showcar event to Malaysia, with the F1 Malaysian Grand Prix to be hosted at Sepang a week later. More than 100,000 spectators are expected to get up close to the action in both cities, which will be closed for the Red Bull Speed Street event. Safety measures and precautions will be implemented to ensure the safety of the audience. Touted as a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to experience the adrenaline, power and speed of a Formula 1 car up close, the event has featured in locations worldwide, including Bueno Aires (Argentina), Pamplona (Spain) and Bangkok.
Budget 2011: Low-wage workers to get more training Channel NewsAsia By S Ramesh | Posted: 09 March 2011 1800 hrs Singapore workers SINGAPORE: Helping low-wage workers do better and earn more is a multi-faceted challenge, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Hawazi Daipi. Speaking in Parliament on efforts to level-up low-wage workers, he explained that based on the 2010 Singapore Labour Force survey, at least 22 per cent of the total resident labour workforce had below secondary school qualification. "One of our priorities is promoting training for low-wage workers, which will enable them to become more productive and take on higher value jobs over time," Mr Hawazi said. "The government has made a major commitment to the upgrading of low-wage workers with the launch of the Workfare Training Support (WTS) Scheme in July last year. "WTS consists of three components to support training for low-wage workers. First, the "Employer Grant" provides up to 95 per cent of course fees and absentee payroll support to encourage employers to send workers for training. "Second, the "Training Commitment Award" rewards workers up to S$400 a year to encourage them to complete their training as they work. "Third, the "Workfare-Skill Up" programme provides a holistic training roadmap with customised classes to help low-wage workers overcome training barriers, attain literacy and workplace skills and find suitable jobs. "As of February 2011, more than 34,000 workers have benefited from the scheme. Specifically, over 11,000 workers and 1,300 employers have benefited from the WTS-Employer Grant". A new programme will be launched to enhance their competency in English with the training made more accessible. It's called "The English @ Workplace scheme", which encourages companies to provide English training at the workplace. This will make such training more accessible to workers and the courses more relevant to their work. Mr Hawazi explained that under the scheme, companies will receive additional development grants to offset cost incurred in training, curriculum development and the adoption of other innovative design and delivery methods for Workplace English training. These development grants are over and above what the companies already enjoy in course fee funding and absentee payroll under WDA's existing programmes, including the Workfare Training Support (WTS) programme for low-wage workers. The English @ Workplace Scheme offers companies' two different options to better meet their needs when it comes to developing their in-house English training programmes. Companies can engage one of WDA's Workplace Literacy CET centres to design customised programmes and to conduct training at the companies' premises. For companies that already have in-house training capability or are looking to establish their own in-house English training programmes, they can become an in-house provider and deliver their own English training. Mr Hawazi also stressed that the ministry is stepping up its enforcement against errant employers. He said the Manpower Ministry will provide information for buyers of services, employees and consumers, on individual companies that have infringed employment-related laws. It will start by publishing online a list of employers convicted under the Employment Act and Workplace Safety and Health Act from April this year.
4 1/2 football fields of tech toys at IT Show 2011 The Straits Times Mar 10, 2011 By Jasmine Osada GADGET lovers can look forward to bargains at Singapore's first major consumer electronics and tech fair of the year, which opens today. IT Show 2011 is marking its 10th anniversary with what is expected to be a record-breaking streak. It will be spread over five levels of the Suntec convention and exhibition centre, with more than 41/2 football fields' worth of exhibition space - the largest show in its history. The show hopes to pull in 820,000 visitors in its four-day run and ring up $70 million in sales, up from last year's 807,000 visitors who blew $67.5 million on tech toys. This is the first year Exhibits Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), is running the show. It has brought in big exhibitors such as Microsoft, Canon and Samsung, as well as the three local telcos, SingTel, StarHub and M1. Fans of Apple gadgets will revel in the new iPavilion, a 5,000 sq ft space that will 'resemble a mini-Mac World', said Mr Melvin Koh, the general manager of Exhibits Inc. The space will be a shrine to all things Apple - the iPad, iPod and Mac computers, new Apple accessories and Macintosh software.
Hard Truths: Doubts over e-book download The Straits Times Mar 10, 2011 By Chua Hian Hou Online websites offering e-book versions of the book Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going could be a scam. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG WEBSITES offering downloads of a new book based on interviews Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew gave have appeared - though it is unclear if they can actually deliver the goods. One of the websites, mydownloadHQ, charges a sign-up fee of US$2 (S$2.50) for a seven-day trial, after which the user's credit card is automatically billed another US$50. The book, Lee Kuan Yew: Hard Truths To Keep Singapore Going, was written by a team of seven journalists from The Straits Times and published by the paper's parent company Singapore Press Holdings. It is based on 16 interviews Mr Lee gave to the team and offers his takes on issues, from race relations to his love for his wife. While this reporter did not enter a credit card number to see if the book was really available for download, users on sites such as Yahoo Answers and Webutation said mydownloadHQ does not always deliver and they were unable to get refunds. ST editor Han Fook Kwang, who was part of the team behind the book, said: 'It looks like Hard Truths has really travelled well, even in cyberspace.' He added that 'it must be a scam as we've not done an e-book version'.
Tighter criteria for work-pass applicants The Straits Times Mar 10, 2011 Qualifying salaries raised for foreign professionals and skilled workers By Melissa Kok Foreign professional and skilled workers will need to meet a higher qualifying salary from July 1 before they can get a pass to work here. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA FROM July 1, foreign professional and skilled workers will have to meet a higher qualifying salary before they can get a pass to work here. The change is prompted by the improving profile of the local workforce and to encourage companies to hire more qualified foreigners, said Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong in Parliament yesterday. For professionals, the minimum monthly pay for getting an Employment Pass will be raised by as much as $1,000. These pass holders, who often are degree holders working in professional, managerial or specialist jobs, are categorised into three groups: P1, P2 and Q1. The new qualifying salaries for P1 is $8,000, up from $7,000, P2 is $4,000 ($3,500), and Q1 is $2,800 ($2,500). The revision is the first since 2001, when their qualifying salary was raised from $2,000 to $2,500. Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.
Wee Nam Kee chicken rice voted best hawker The Straits Times Mar 9, 2011 By Lim Yi Han Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice clinched the top spot for the Best Hawkers category. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM WEE Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice has emerged as the best hawker at the AsiaOne People's Choice Awards 2010. In its third year, the annual awards recognise brands, products and services in Singapore and the region as voted by AsiaOne readers. The People's Choice Awards 2010 has expanded to 31 categories, of which 13 are new. Some of the new categories include Best Hawkers, Best DSLR Cameras and Best Body Care Products. The top three winners, including the People's Choice, from each category was announced at the awards ceremony. The awards were presented at the Singapore Press Holdings Auditorium on Wednesday. Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice clinched the top spot for the Best Hawkers category, with Song Kee Fishball Noodles at Toa Payoh Lorong 5 and Yuan Chun Famous Lor Mee at Amoy Street also making it to the top three. (Note: The boss of Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice (the smiling tall man in maroon LS shirt as shown in pic above) is a badminton fanatic and probably still remains as President of Harper Valley Badminton Club. My congrats to him.)
The Wizardy of Woz The Straits Times Mar 9, 2011 By Low Yi Qian, Multimedia Journalist STEVE Wozniak, better known as the co-founder of Apple, was in Singapore to conduct a seminar on innovation and creativity at DRIVE, or Driving Innovation Execellence, a series of talks held by the Work Development Agency and Next U. Steve Wozniak is the first speaker in the series, which aims to gather thought leaders in the industry to impart their knowledge and experiences on innovation and productivity. Mr Wozniak touched on topics like technology's role in education, the importance of innovation and even gave tips on how companies can encourage innovation within its own staff. Rounding up the seminar, he answered questions from the audience and shared his thoughts on why Apple is the new Sony. He also talked about the upcoming technological advances which he is most excited about.
Online mentoring portal for younger women The Straits Times Mar 10, 2011 By Judith Tan The new Women's Register was launched at the Singapore Council of Women's Organisation's celebration of 100 years of International Women's Day. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM A NEWLY-TWEAKED Women's Register has been re-launched as an online platform, targeting women between the ages of 18 and 35 years. This initiative aims to connect younger women to successful and accomplished older women who could guide them on matters such as the ins and outs of various industries, and potential career paths. It also provides an opportunity for the older women to become mentors and share their experiences and knowledge; and create a sense of community among women. The new Women's Register was launched at the Singapore Council of Women's Organisation's (SCWO) celebration of 100 years of International Women's Day on March 9. Among the women recruited as mentors include gynaecologist Ann Tan, and actress-entrepreneur Irene Ang. The concept of a women's register was first formulated in 2005 after a year-long public consultation with study groups led by prominent women leaders here. Also introduced at the dinner, held at Regent Singapore, was BoardAgender, another outreach programme to promote the importance of diversity at top levels of management and boardrooms.
NUS ranked 27th in the world by academics The Straits Times Mar 11, 2011 Harvard is No. 1; table shows US institutions most highly regarded By Sandra Davie, Senior Writer NUS president Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said the latest ranking was 'a positive affirmation from the international academic community of the world-class quality of education and research being produced at our university'. The university is ranked third in Asia. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM THE National University of Singapore (NUS) has been ranked the 27th best in the world and third best in Asia by academics asked to pick the top universities in their disciplines. A total of 13,388 experienced academics in 131 countries were asked to rate universities around the world according to how good they thought their research and teaching were. The results, published on Thursday by Britain's Times Higher Education magazine, reveal that US institutions were most highly regarded, taking seven of the top 10 places. Harvard University was first, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in second place. In total, 45 US universities made it to the global top 100. Two British universities, Cambridge and Oxford, made it to the top 10 and a dozen more were in the top 100. Japan's Tokyo University was the only Asian university to make it to the top 10, followed by Kyoto University, at 18th. Read the full story in Friday's edition of The Straits Times. sandra@sph.com.sg WORLD'S TOP 10 VARSITIES TIMES Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2011 include: 1. Harvard University 2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3. University of Cambridge 4. University of California, Berkeley 5. Stanford University 6. University of Oxford 7. Princeton University 8. University of Tokyo 9. Yale University 10. California Institute of Technology 27. National University of Singapore 91-100. Nanyang Technological University After 50, the universities were bunched in groups of 10 and listed in alphabetical order. Singapore Management University was unranked because it is considered a specialised university.
Students at polys intern at top varsities The Straits Times Mar 11, 2011 Schools say such schemes boost interest in research By Amelia Tan Biomed Science student Daniel Poh, interned at HARVARD Biotech student Gan Sok Ting, interning at STANFORD Biotech student Lee Jin, interning at STANFORD -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI SINGAPORE Polytechnic (SP) biomedical science student Daniel Poh's 10-week internship at Harvard University last year marked many personal firsts. It was his first trip to the US and his first taste of life as a stem-cell researcher. The second-year student spent 12 hours almost every day holed up in one of the labs at the Children's Hospital Boston, part of the Harvard Medical School.
Philippine President Aquino in S'pore for state visit Channel NewsAsia By Imelda Saad/Satish Cheney | Posted: 10 March 2011 1439 hrs Philippine President Benigno Aquino (L) is greeted by his Singaporean counterpart S R Nathan (R) during a meeting at the Istana. SINGAPORE: Philippine President Benigno Aquino, who is on a three-day state visit to Singapore, met President S R Nathan and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday morning. President Aquino was then hosted to lunch by Mr Lee. In the evening, Mr Aquino was hosted to a state banquet by President Nathan at the Istana. Distinguished members of the Filipino community in Singapore were also present at the banquet. Mr Nathan highlighted the contributions by the Filipino community here, saying: "There is also a sizeable Filipino community residing here, making significant contributions to Singapore's development. The profile of the community has gradually changed over recent years. There are now many Filipino professionals working in various sectors, some of whom occupy top positions in business and industry. The Filipino community has integrated very well." On his part, Mr Aquino said: "Every Singaporean has been empowered to fulfil his or her personal potential and I believe that the same potential holds true for my own people. You make me realise what we can someday achieve. I intend to lead my countrymen on a path of progress and I am grateful for your example." President Aquino is in Singapore with several other Filipino leaders, such as Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Presidential Adviser on International Relations Albert F. Del Rosario, Secretary of Finance Cesar V. Purisima and Secretary of Trade and Industry Gregory L. Domingo, and a business delegation. During his visit, Mr Aquino will also deliver a keynote address at a Singapore Business Federation-International Enterprise Singapore Eminent Leaders Lecture titled "Philippines - Partnership for Progress", as well as visit the Singapore Management University. In addition, President Aquino will visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens for an Orchid Naming Ceremony. He will also tour the Changi Water Reclamation Plant and the Changi Airport and meet the Filipino community here. Economic relations between Singapore and the Philippines are strong. Bilateral trade reached S$22.3 billion last year, a 51 per cent increase from 2009, making the Philippines Singapore's fourth largest trading partner. The Philippines, in turn, was Singapore's 12th largest trading partner. Electronic products account for a large proportion of bilateral trade as the manufacturing process straddles both countries. Singapore investments in the Philippines are also on the rise. In 2009, the country's registered cumulative investments in the Philippines reached S$4.2 billion, a 26 per cent overall increase from S$3.3 billion in 2005. Investments are in diverse sectors including business process out-sourcing, airport development, transport and logistics, real estate and hospitality, information technology, telecommunications, retail and F&B. Singapore companies with a presence in the Philippines include Banyan Tree, Keppel Offshore and Marine, SIA Engineering Company and Ascendas. Tourism links have been boosted by increased air links. As of January 2011, five airlines operate the Manila-Singapore route. They are Airphil Express, Cebu Pacific, Jetstar Asia, Philippines Airlines, SIA and Tiger Airways.
Budget 2011: MICA to promote arts and culture to the masses Channel NewsAsi By Hoe Yeen Nie | Posted: 10 March 2011 1351 hrs SINGAPORE: The Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts has outlined a raft of measures to grow the arts and culture within the community. These include more funding to interest groups and having more arts content on free-to-air television. These measures are expected to cost the ministry about $80 million a year on average, for the next five years. Speaking in Parliament during the debate for the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) on Thursday, Minister Lui Tuck Yew said the steering committee looking into the Arts and Culture Strategic Review (ACSR)has put forward a vision of Singapore in 2025, as a nation of cultured and gracious people, proud of their heritage, and confident in the Singaporean identity. The proposals include a network of heartland performing arts centres, with affordable rehearsal facilities for casual practitioners to hone their craft or to just come together for practice. Over the next few years, the library could be more than a wonderland for book lovers. It could also be turned into a place where you can catch a performance or exhibition. That's an idea the government is exploring to bring the arts into the mainstream. "We must dispel perceptions that arts and culture is elitist, expensive, and restricted to 'high art'. Ballets, orchestras, we know that it is far more than that and we must help people realise that," said Mr Lui. "Art needs to broaden its appeal; it needs to provide more opportunities for participation, so that more people can appreciate the prevalence and pervasiveness of arts and culture in their lives, in their leisure activities," he added. Local interest groups will get more help through funding, and to secure facilities in community centres and schools. Besides national icons like the orchestras and museums, support will also be given to emerging talent through a national mentorship programme. The National Arts Council (NAC) will also tie up with private arts schools to spot and groom promising talent. More scholarships and subsidised training courses will also be available to existing practitioners. Last year, about 200 arts practitioners went through programmes subsidised by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA), in areas ranging from the performing arts, technical theatre, arts education and creative entrepreneurship. The NAC is also working with partners to develop a Specialist Diploma in Arts Education, aimed at arts instructors in schools and community centres. More resources too will go into creating new audiences for the arts. Some ideas include having a lifestyle fund for companies to use for activities like lunchtime concerts and museum passes. Another is to work with schools to bring more of the arts into lesson time. And you don't even have to go beyond your living room to get a dose of culture. There will be more local arts content on MediaCorp's free-to-air channels such as okto, as well as online on MediaCorp's xinmsn. As for the traditional arts, more funding is on the way, while free admission to all museums could be a possibility in the future.
Possible review to policies regarding marriage and parenthood Channel NewsAsia By Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid | Posted: 10 March 2011 1308 hrs A Singapore family cycling in the park SINGAPORE: The government is taking steps to review policies related to issues of marriage and parenthood. A group of woman MPs is conducting feedback sessions to find out what more can be done to make it more conducive for couples to get married, have children and for married couples to have more children. The effort comes at a time when Singapore's total fertility rate hit a historic low of 1.16 last year, below the replacement rate of 2.1. The sessions which will take place till June, will involve singles and young couples who are married but do not have children. Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Hwee Hua and REACH Supervisory Panel unit chairman, Dr Amy Khor co-chaired the first session on Thursday morning with some 50 stay-home mothers and fathers. Participants were asked what first motivated them to have children and what more can be done to help them re-integrate into the workforce. While many shared their joys about having children, some raised concerns about the lack of support, particularly flexible work arrangements. Ms Sher-Li Torrey, a mother of one, said: "Before you think about having a second child, sometimes you worry about time with family, whether you can still commit to work, whether future employers want to hire you as well." Mrs Lim agreed that this issue still needs to be addressed further and that there is scope for employers to be encouraged further in this issue. She said: "We will think through and come up with specific recommendations where the government can consider making flexi-work arrangements truly the norm and where nobody thinks of it as a special effort any more...if you are a company that does not take family into account ,you are not very progressive so that will be the ideal scenario that we will like to work towards." Mrs Lim said many pro-family benefits are also currently linked to working mothers, and she said the government can explore if stay home mothers can also receive similar support. When asked if the feedback sessions are part of a bigger plan to further enhance the Marriage and Parenthood package in the coming months, Mrs Lim gave little away. She said the purpose of the sessions were to take stock of the changing mindsets and views on issues concerning marriage and parenthood. But she agreed that such efforts will come in handy in addressing the low total fertility rate. Mrs Lim said: "What we are doing is basically rounding up views, updating ourselves on some of the current thinking the views and whether the challenges that have been there continue to be there in full force, or that certain aspects have been mitigated. For example childcare, I think we have done a lot and also what are some of the lingering issues that we can look at. "So we have some good suggestions - not totally new, but I think it just reinforces the fact that we need to work hard at it and the government in its facilitator role as well as an employer can probably look at how much more it can actually do." Dr Khor said Reach is planning to set up a specific website to allow more to give their feedback on these issues. "I think this session has been very fruitful and useful for us to bring back to the policy makers, when they look into reviewing and refining the policies in relation to marriage and parenthood, so we can even set up a dedicated micro-site just for marriage and parenthood issues, so that you can get in there and start the discussion. That will be a little bit more structured." The marriage and parenthood package which provides cash incentives and other benefits to married couples, was last enhanced in 2008. The package includes a parenthood tax rebate, child relief, enhanced Baby Bonus, subsidies for centre-based infant care and childcare, extended maternity leave, paid childcare leave and unpaid infant care leave. REACH will be conducting three more feedback sessions by June.
