Singapore Also Can

Many perhaps will know how tiny Singapore went through a difficult independence to fight for economic and political survival as a nation in some rather turbulent times and emerged the better irrespective.

Now that the world is experiencing one of its worst recessions and Singapore is directly affected because of her open economy and dependence on the world for its export of goods and services, it is perhaps time that we remember what Singapore has achieved to gain world, regional and national recognition so as to cheer us on and to remind us that Singapore also can do better in the future to lift us up, to take pride in what we have achieved and to continue to do the best we can.

So I would like to start this section dedicated to Singapore's past, present and future achievements in all fields of human endeavour, whether in economics, social development, politics, education, sports, the arts, design, medicine, science, law, engineering, IT, media, Guinness World Records, etc, etc.

We should as far as possible cite public references to lend creditability to what has been publicised.

Singapore Also Can

 

Compounding the vulnerabilities of Singapore's economy is a Nomura report on the impact of the swine flu on open economies like Singapore:

The Straits Times

May 5, 2009

H1N1 flu outbreak
S'pore most vulnerable

A STUDY of 90 countries by Nomura International rates Singapore as the most vulnerable to economic damage to a pandemic.

Asia is likely even more vulnerable than other parts of the world because it relies far more on international trade and tourism for growth, and because of its population density, it included.

The Nomura study, which was reported by the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, also states that Asia is more vulnerable to the recent influenza A (H1N1) because many countries in the region devote less spending to health care, potentially leaving them less prepared for a surge in patients if one breaks out, raising the economic cost of an outbreak further.

Nomura economists found that nine of the world's 20 most vulnerable economies are in Asia, with Singapore and Hong Kong by far the two most at-risk.

Nomura's chief Asia economist Robert Subbaraman as quoted by WSJ as saying that the outbreak of the flu adds on to the already dismal economy and that he does not foresee a sustainable economic recovery in Asia until 2010 'at the earliest'...

 

Used Water Runs Deep

But in these times of uncertainty, Singapore's PUB (Public Utilities Board) was reported to have won international recognition with its most recent water project.

Deprived of natural resources, especially a life-saving commoditiy like water, it was this scarcity that pushed Singapore to find ways to become self-sufficient when the water agreements with Malaysia come to an end.

So every drop of used water is precious to Singapore and it has now found a way to harness used water to good use as reported below:

The Straits Times
May 4 2009

(Diagram on page B2)

By Grace Chua

Deep beneath Singapore runs a tunnel system that diverts used water to Changi, where water is treated and purified for re-use.

The PUB's Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) has been operational for just four months, but it has already garnered praise internationally.

The project was named Water Project of the Year at the annual Global Water Awards, which honour top achievers in the field of water management and treatment.

The DTSS, a $3.65 billion sewage super-highway that channels waste water to a Changi treatment plant from across the island, won for its contribution to water technology and environmental protection.

The 48-km tunnel, which runs 20 to 55 metres below ground, is expected to meet Singapore's used-water needs for the next century.

Waste water is channelled through the tunnel to the Changi Water Reclamation Plant. There, it is treated and either discharged into the sea, or channelled to the Changi Newater factory to be further purified.

Global Water Intelligence, the prestigious trade monthly which organized the awards, said the DTSS was a "visionary project".

The DTSS beat three other nominess for Water Project of the Year: the Samra Waste Water Treatment Plant in Jordan, the Geneva Water Treatment Facility in Illinois, and the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant in San Diego, the latter two in the United States.

National water agency PUB previously clinched two other titles at the Global Water Awards.

Last year, its recycled-water product Newater was named Environmental Contribution of the Year, while in 2006, it received the Water Agency of the Year award.

 

Thank you my young lady.

Here are some pictures taken from various sources and more information on the DTSS can be found on these links:

http://www.pub.gov.sg/sites/dtss/Pages/default.aspx

http://www.waterandwastewater.com/www_services/news_center/publish/article_001689.shtml

http://www.ies.org.sg/pageview.php?page_id=133

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS223753+28-Apr-2009+MW20090428

 

Yes indeed, when one is pushed into a corner, one has to start thinking fast on how to get out of it!

"Necessity is the mother of invention", so they say.

Being deprived of much natural resources, Singapore is fighting back to find substitutes, make new inventions, innovate, incubate new ideas, try to think out of the box, increase productivity through better methods of doing things, etc.

We can only do this by engaging the best minds, both local and foreign, to help our young to be the best they can. So education is a key component of Singapore's success.

 

WOMEN POWER in AWARE SAGA

Last week, I have never seen such a vociferous turnout of about 3,000 largely professional women at an EGM of the AWARE group, a civic organisation with altruistic aims to contribute to society.

This must be a first for Singapore where women want to be seen in the open in large numbers as equals to fight for what they considered justice and support for their beliefs.

Compare our women with those in some countries where they are treated as second-class citizens with hardly any rights and liberties of their own and subjected to antiquated laws that treat them worse than animals.

The Straits Times
May 4, 2009

Need to walk the talk

By Wong Kim Hoh

EXPECT Singapore's leading feminist group to be more vigilant and less trusting from here on.

'We will not take anything for granted any more,' said Ms Dana Lam, 56, who was elected new president of the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) on Saturday night, at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).

Top of its list of priorities is plugging constitutional loopholes to prevent strangers from seizing control of the 25-year-old women's group.

That was exactly what happened when a large group of new members elected a team of unknowns into power at Aware's annual general meeting on March 28.

Aware stalwarts overturned that on Saturday and won back control, with members on both sides playing by the rules of the organisation.

Aware is considering introducing the requirement that anyone who wants to stand for elections must have been a member for at least a year. Most of the women seized power in March had joined only in recent months, and the rules allowed them to run for office.

'We need to look into a system which can allow us to screen potential trouble-makers but we have to be careful not to become too exclusionary,' she said.

The vigilance is necessary, said Ms Lam, a past president of Aware. 'It's like we left our back door open and people came in to take our things.'

The tumultuous events of recent weeks have changed Aware, which had operated for years on trust, allowing anyone to join in the spirit of inclusiveness.

But much good has also come out of the recent upheaval, said Ms Lam, citing the surge of support and a large number of new members who want to help.

 

Singapore has a World Bowling Champion in AMF World Cup!!!

Singapore has a World Bowling Champion in AMF World Cup!!!

(AMF World Cup in ten pins bowling is equivalent to the Fifa World Cup in soccer and the Fina World Cup in swimming. It’s a big event.)

The AMF World Cup, now a joint partnership between Qubica and AMF (now called the Qubica/AMF World Cup), is an annual Ten-pin bowling championship, and one of the largest in terms of number of participating nations. Each nation chooses one male and one female bowler to represent them in the tournament, and in the majority of cases, this is done by running a qualifying tournament, the winners of which (male and female) are chosen.


AMF World Cup 2008 in Hermosillo, Mexico
7-15 November 2008

15.11.2008

High scoring finals see championship titles go to Singapore and the USA

In some of the highest scoring finals ever seen, Jasmine Young-Nathan of Singapore and Derek Eoff of the USA took home the championship titles from the 44th QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup in Hermosillo, Mexico, today.

In the first rung of the step ladder finals, the defending champion, Australian Ann Maree Putney, defeated England’s Zara Glover by two games to nil, 246 to 219 and 248 to 202.

In the men’s section, Martin Larsen of Sweden defeated Zulmazran Zukifli of Malaysia, by two games to one, 203 to187, 180 to237 and 249 to187.

So Ann Maree and Martin moved forward to meet our top seeds, Jasmine and Derek. Both matches lived up to the expectations of a World Cup.

In the first game, Ann Maree scored 222 but was outpaced by Jasmine who threw the first 9 strikes, leaving a big split in the 10th frame to finish on 263. The second game was of the highest quality; this time Jasmine threw the first eleven strikes before hitting eight with her final ball, setting a new record of 298 for the World Cup finals. Ann Maree hit 215, so the title went to Singapore.

Jasmine, a 20-year-old student of media and communications, said afterwards: “I just tried to throw the best ball I could and if that meant a 300, then that is what it meant. I have been having some psychology sessions before coming here and concentrating on my refocusing plan, coping with setbacks. These sessions have really helped me.” Jasmine paid tribute to her coach, Mervyn Foo. “He was in our national team for many years and it is great to have a coach who understands what a major tournament is all about.”

This is the first time that Singapore has ever won the Bowling World Cup in either the men’s or the women’s section. “I have been keeping in touch with home by texting my family on my i-phone,” Jasmine said. “I know there is a lot of interest in what I have done here but I don’t know what to expect when I get home.”

Sportswoman of the Year 2009

Jasmine Yeong-Nathan was crowned Singapore's Sportswoman of the Year on May 5, 2009 by the Singapore Sports Awards Selection Committee.

 

Of course you are entitled to your own opinion.
But you are looking at the negative side of things.

If we don't compete and exchange ideas as to how to be better, how far forward and how fast can we go? Do you think competition is selfish?

Why do we have the SS tournaments? Why do we have the Sudirman Cup? Why do we have the Olympics? Why do we have global awards for achievement? Why do the media continue to publicise Lin Dan,Taufik Hidayat. Datuk Lee Chong Wei and Peter Gade as some of the best current badminton players in the world? Don't you want your country to do well and be better the next time around?

Or is it just negativeness, jealousy, the lack of will power or the inability to do better that make others criticise achievement?

I think differently from you. Our athletes' achievements can inspire others to do the best they can. So do the achievements in other fields by other citizens in our country. They help to make things better, they give hope to others that they can also achieve even in the most trying conditions. A small size is no hindrance to achieving a big objective. And our winners I'm sure got their inspirations from the winners of other countries.

So your statement "Selfishness and competition seem to drag people down these days" is just the opposite of what I think is happening. People do benefit from competition and the sharing of ideas.

You may wish to remain as what you are, but please don't try to dissuade others from promoting achievement as a positive goal.

 

Sure a beggar can also be happy.

 

Then you also have misunderstood the intent of my thread.