I understand your concern. You see, in Singapore we are also very concerned and that is why the government makes it clear publicly why such remarks should not be encouraged, especially by responsible religious leaders. It is better to let readers know the reason so that they will think twice before indulging.
Mix of old and new as casino offers 500 tables at opening TODAY 10 February 2010 0756 hrs By Ong Dai Lin , SINGAPORE: The soon-to-be opened casino at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) will cater to the Asian palate - gambling-wise. There are 19 games available, and an announcement in the electronic version of the Government Gazette on Monday revealed a mix of games. There will be popular ones like baccarat and roulette and newer games like money wheel and three-card poker. And the mix is definitely catering to the Asian market, said those in the industry. "The games are very Chinese and are like what the Macau casinos are offering. Western casinos offer more poker games and jackpots," said Mr Felix Ling, senior partner of gaming consultancy Platform Asia. Mr Ling added that RWS' move to cater to the "primary" Asian market is one in the right direction as it is "less likely" that Westerners will fly to Singapore to game. RWS spokesman Robin Goh told MediaCorp that in line with the company's vision "to provide games that will cater to all casino patrons", the casino will offer a variety of slot machines and more than 500 tables upon its opening. The games offered at RWS is similar to the mix offered at the Genting casino in Malaysia, according to the chief executive officer of a training school for the industry. Mr Ramachandar Siva of International Club Games Training Center said: "This shows that they have a good understanding of what games are popular and what works for them as a business." But having more than 500 tables upon opening is an ambitious act. Genting's casino started with less than 300 tables and only increased them to 400 in 2002 - after 20 years of operation, he said. When contacted, Marina Bay Sands - which is slated to open in April - told MediaCorp it will have four levels of gaming with a wide variety of table games and slot machines featuring the latest games such as video poker and electronic roulette. At RWS on Tuesday, workers were hurrying to put in the last touches before the casino welcomes its first punters this weekend. A worker said: "We are all looking forward to opening the casino with a bang." Roulette will be among the games on offer at the RWS casino.
Motor Racing: F1 Singapore tickets on sale from March Channel NewsAsia 09 February 2010 1122 hrs By Patwant Singh/Mustafa Shafawi, SINGAPORE: Tickets for this year's Formula One Grand Prix will go on sale from next month. Race promoter, Singapore GP, said some 65,000 three-day general admission tickets will be available. These tickets are in addition to the 10,000 Paddock Club and corporate hospitality suite tickets launched on Monday. Singapore GP said all ticket prices will either be lower or unchanged compared with last year. Early bird ticket buyers will enjoy an average of 15 per cent in savings. Grandstand ticket prices will also be lower, and prices of walkabout tickets have been held at last year's levels. Singapore GP said it will also, for the first time, release a walkabout ticket that allows fans access to Zone 1. The three-day Premier Walkabout tickets allow fans to watch the action along Republic Boulevard, where the cars approach the sweeping right-hander at Turn 5. At Turns 22 and 23, spectators can see first-hand drivers entering the pit lane or heading towards the chequered flag. Zone 1 will be equipped with specially designed bleachers to maximise viewing opportunities. Premier Walkabout ticketholders also have access to the entertainment offerings in the rest of the Circuit Park. Although single-day walkabout prices are not yet released, Singapore GP said it is expected that three-day tickets will offer at least 25 per cent savings over individual day tickets. There is heightened excitement for this year's race, as seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher - regarded in some quarters as the greatest driver in the history of the sport - will show off his night-driving skills on the Marina Bay street circuit for the first time, in a Mercedes GP car. Singapore's night skyline
5 world-class institutions (needed) The Straits Times Feb 4, 2010 By Wendy Lim TO DEVELOP and attract the best talent, Singapore should offer education and development opportunities in world class institutions, a rich eco-system of career opportunities and extensive personal and professional networks. These are among the recommendations made by the Economic Strategies sub-committee looking into making Singapore a leading global city. The sub-committee suggests attracting or developing at least five world-class institutions or programmes in a wider range of disciplines and new areas - for example, arts, design-driven innovation, sports, fashion and culinary - by 2020 to enable a broader spectrum of talent to grow. It also calls for equipping local talent with soft skills needed for success in an inter-cultural business environment. In this aspect, schools can play a role by creating opportunities for interaction between local and international students through exchanges. Economic agencies can also play a part by bringing in top jobs and talent. Industry events can also be organised to encourage networking among organisations and professionals. The sub-committee also recognises the importance of building greater connection and engagement with local talent through regular dialogues and support and referral services for newcomers and returning Singaporeans. This includes support for overseas Singapore schools and helping returning overseas Singaporeans integrate into the local education system.
Party at Pit Building The Straits Times Feb 4, 2010 By Ang Yiying THE third instalment of what has been billed as Singapore's biggest street party will be held at the Pit Building near the Singapore Flyer on Feb 20. City Alive! will take place after this year's Chingay Parade, and 8,000 people are expected to attend it. Its organisers, the People's Association (PA) and its youth movement, plan to make the street party an integral part of Chingay.[/B] Mr Eric Chua, second vice-chairman for the PA Youth Movement (PAYM) Central Youth Committee, described the party as one that would show 'the hip and trendy side of PAYM'. The first two editions of the party were held in front of City Hall, which was tighter on space, and some party-goers had to be turned away. Moving the venue to the 360m stretch of the Formula 1 racetrack in front of the Pit Building will mean more people can show up. This year's party features foreign DJs like Space Cowboy and DJ SARASA, as well as home-grown acts DJ Andrew T and DJ Inquisitive. Break-dancing boy groups from Japan and Singapore will compete against one another and a dance will be performed by about 1,000 youths. There will also be LED night flyers and LED stiltwalkers. Party-goers must be at least 18 years old. Tickets can be bought in advance from Sistic agents at $15 for PAssion Card holders and $20 for the public. Tickets will also be sold at the door on the day of the event, at $28. For more information, visit www.cityalive.sg. This year's party features foreign DJs like Space Cowboy and DJ SARASA, as well as home-grown acts DJ Andrew T and DJ Inquisitive. Break-dancing boy groups from Japan and Singapore will compete against one another and a dance will be performed by about 1,000 youths. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
ITE students learn finer points of coffee making Channel NewsAsia 09 February 2010 1317 hrs By Mustafa Shafawi, SINGAPORE: Some 120 Institute of Technical Education (ITE) students will be taught the finer points of coffee making under a five-year collaboration between the institute and Boncafé International. With gourmet coffee drinking becoming a growing lifestyle, both partners hope to develop a potential pool of baristas to cater to the growing need for qualified professionals in this area. An ITE-Boncafé Barista Training Centre will be set up at the new ITE College West regional campus in Choa Chu Kang. It will equip students pursuing the National ITE Certificate in Food & Beverage Operations course with the knowledge and skill-sets relevant to the latest technology and trends in coffee making. The centre will also offer short courses on coffee making to the public. ITE is the first educational institute in Singapore to offer this training programme. Institute of Technical Education
A FINAL WORD FROM THE GOVERNMENT The Straits Times Feb 10, 2010 By Rachel Chang DPM and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng made the following statement when asked by the media to comment on the insensitive remarks by Pastor Rony Tan: "What Pastor Rony Tan said and did at his evangelism sharing sessions was clearly offensive to Buddhists and Taoists. In fact, it has angered even Singaporeans who are not Buddhists and Taoists. I am glad to note that Pasteor Tan has realised his mistake and has met up with the Buddhist and Taoist leaders today to personally apologise for his actions. This is the right thing to do. I am also heartened to learn that the Buddhist and Taoist leaders, while understandably upset with the incident, have accepted Pastor Tan's apology and have urged restraint on the part of their religious communities. This is also the right thing to do. When there is a problem, we must resolve it rationally and constructively. The Government cannot allow anyone to exploit and escalate any issue to whip up emotions and tensions on the ground between our ethnic and religious communities. Mutual respect, tolerance and restraint are critical to maintaining communal peace and harmony in our multi-ethnic, multi-religious society. Religious leaders especially, must lead and set the right example in this regard. While each of us is free to propagate our religious beliefs, it must never be by way of insulting, or denigrating the religious beliefs of others. This is a fundamental OB (out-of-bounds) marker that we must all steer by in Singapore."
Look, if I were in the management of Pastor Rony Tan's church I would sack him. Simple as that. Also, if I were the government I will bring him to court. That will be a real deterrence to any future copycat Rony Tan. I do not really believe that Pastor Tan was, deep in his heart, sorry for what he wrote or said. He probably apologised to save his own skin. In private, he will continue to rubbish other religions.
Man, you are very kind. If I were the government, I have that guy beheaded and his family members executed.
S'pore to host Canoe Marathon World Championships The Straits Times Feb 10, 2010 SINGAPORE has been picked to hold the Canoe Marathon World Championships in October next year. It will be the first Asian country to host the event since its inception in 1988. The event in Singapore will see paddlers competing in six different race categories of distances from 17km to 30km. With races lasting approximately two to three hours, paddlers will have to negotiate with the water currents in a flat-water course of 4.3 km lap, starting from Marina Reservoir towards the Benjamin Sheares Bridge, the Singapore Canoe Federation (SCF) said in a press statement today. The planned route will take the canoeists through the heart of Singapore's city and past famous landmarks like the Merlion, the Singapore Flyer, the Marina Barrage and the Esplanade. As with the traditional canoe marathon format, participants in the C and K classes will also have to make some dashes to complete the necessary number of portage segments, where they will carry their boats across a stretch of about 100m at The Float @ Marina each time at the portage, before making a final push towards the finish line. Jointly organised by the ICF and the Singapore Canoe Federation (SCF), the event will take place from Oct 22 to Oct 23.
Universal Studios theme park will only open weeks later, sources say TODAY 10 February 2010 2237 hrs By Ong Dai Lin, SINGAPORE: With preparations underway at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) to open its casino in time for Chinese New Year, those seeking the thrill of theme park rides will have to wait a little longer. Media reports this week had speculated that RWS' casino and Universal Studios theme park will open in time for the festive holidays. MediaCorp understands that Universal Studios Singapore will throw open its gates a few weeks later after it completes the final safety checks. Responding to queries, RWS spokesman Robin Goh said: "We are on track to opening the theme park in the first quarter of 2010." Analysts said that while the ideal situation is for both the casino and theme park to open at the same time to capitalise on the CNY holidays, RWS can still expect to reap dividends from opening the casino first. Chesterton Suntec International head of research and consultancy, Mr Colin Tan, said: "To hold back the casino means they lose money, so it is better to open as early as possible to start earning money. "Chinese New Year is the best time to open. That is when they get the most publicity. It is also nice to start the New Year with a casino." But with the weekend inching closer and no firm date for the casino opening announced, it may now be too late for tourists to fly in to gamble at the RWS casino. Travel agents told MediaCorp that flights to Singapore over the weekend were full. While there are still hotel rooms available in the city, hotels in Sentosa are fully booked for the weekend. Ms Alicia Seah, CTC Holidays' senior vice-president of marketing and public relations, said she expects visitors to RWS this weekend to comprise of mainly Singaporeans - instead of tour groups whose travel plans would have been firmed up for the weekend. And while some Singaporeans told MediaCorp they are planning to visit RWS during the festive break, several others have no intention of doing so even with the casino thrown in as an added attraction. Said 27-year-old Ken Sim: "I am not a gambler so there is no point making the trip down. And the opening date is not confirmed yet, so I will just be visiting relatives and friends during the holidays." Visitors on a tour around the integrated resort
Singapore Arts Festival to be "People's and Creation Festival" Channel NewsAsia 10 February 2010 2059 hrs By Lynda Hong, SINGAPORE: "Between You and Me" – that is the connection this year's Singapore Arts Festival wants to build between Singaporeans and the arts. The festival aims to bring the arts closer to the community through a year-long series of programmes at places such as community centres and regional libraries. It hopes this will be a platform to engage heartlanders. "When we think about bringing people into the centre, it's really to first engage them deeply with the heart of the festival," said Low Kee Hong, general manager of the festival. "And so, when we bring out something to the heartlands in subsequent editions, there is that connection. "Previously in the civic cultural district, people assume that it's only for art lovers, and therefore it's not for the ordinary folks. So therefore, (people) don't even... bother to go into the museums or theatres. Low said that is a mindset that "we want to try and change from this year. So that when we try and bring them out to the city centre, like the Mega Line Dance", people will feel that the Arts Festival is an occasion they can enjoy. The festival, which starts on May 14, will close with the Mega Line Dance at Marina Bay on June 13. About 20,000 line dancers are expected to take part. Besides activities that will appeal to heartlanders, the festival will also have strong creative content with a global perspective.
Big names set for arts festival The Straits Times Thu, Feb 11, 2010 By Deepika Shetty The wildly successful Singapore Arts Festival last year will be followed up this year by big names, crowd pleasers and the restaging of an iconic Singapore play. Three-time Grammy award-winning American violinist Joshua Bell, French superstar ballerina Sylvie Guillem, who wowed audiences here in 2007, and British theatre guru Peter Brook are some of the big names who will make their presence felt from May 14 to June 13. Actress-turned-academic Margaret Chan will be reprising her role in the Stella Kon play, Emily Of Emerald Hill, a one-woman show about the laments of a Nonya matriarch. She has performed the role three times, the first in 1985, and has come to be known as the definitive Emily Gan.
Loh, frankly I am surprised that Singapore has finally succumbed to the casino gaming industry as an economic way out. It is one industry for quick bucks for the host government but it is a zero-sum business. This means everyone except the Singapore government (taxes) loses. Of courses there are gamblers who win and those who lose but this is never true in the long term. The only certain thing is the tax the government collects. Silly gamblers who may win big think they make big bucks. Has anybody told them that such big winnings are just money loaned to them, only to be paid back when they go back and lose them all and perhaps more? Let us be frank here. Nearly all casinos, especially the new ones, in Asia or in Australia are built to milk money from Chinese gamblers from China. This is dangerous. At one time China cracked down on their officials from going to Macau, and Macau tanked like ten million tons of brick. This is a yo-yo industry that "steals" money from other countries but in a legal way. Casinos in Asia and Australia are different from those in the West. In the West it is a little entertainment plus gambling. In the East it is mega bucks across countries, mainly from China's new mega rich businessmen and Chinese corrupt officials.
Well, I'm not sure whether 'succumb' is the right word to use. Many other countries already have casinos and especially on weekends, quite a number of Sporeans have been making trips to Genting Highlands for years to try their luck. Some of these casinos existed long before China achieved its current prosperity. Sporeans have been gambling on all sorts of things even before this. They bet on horses, football, numbers, etc, illegally and the money went underground, not into the government's kitty. In fact Spore forego the chance of making these 'illegal' money for many years and it doesn't make much sense to lose such revenue which can be put to good use like supporting the arts and sports and giving to charity. While the MM was adamant in retaining the old 'clean' image, the younger ministers think otherwise, but they agree to put in place a deterent system for gambling addicts and those who are financially strapped so as not to cause further hardship and problems to their families. In fact the government got the majority of the people's approval through some sort of referendum and discussions with religious bodies and the like before giving the go-ahead. Our casinos are slightly different from just pure gambling dens. The authorities decided that the casinos be incorporated into the concept of Integrated Resorts, where family and business entertainment and recreation are also catered to. That's why we have Universal Studios in Resorts World Sentosa. That's why world class entertainers will be brought in for longer periods. Also required are MICE facilities for meetings, incentive tours, conventions and exhibitions. This will feature more for Marina Bay Sands IR to attract more global travellers. So the IRs with the casinos will enable Spore to become a more global city with facilities and amenities that can match up to and even surpass other global cities. We want a greater piece of the world tourism pie instead of forgoing the opportunity to others. Therefore Spore did not succumb but rather beefed up its resources to meet the international challenge and make up for lost time. At long last the people rallied together to endorse what was thought to be a 'sin' to engage in the casino business.
MM Lee mentioned that since everywhere also have casinos, there is no point in resisting it as people will just go to macau, vegas, genting or wherever to gamble. Rather then lose out, why not use it as a attraction to bring in more tourist to boost the economy. If we don't accept changes we will be eliminated. Simple as that. No point resisting it
Marina Bay Sands update On my way to the recent Singapore Air Show at Changi, I stopped by Marina Bay Sands to take another look. Here's what I saw:
