Singapore 'risks being Asean's slowest growing country': Shanmugam Published on Sep 05, 2013 7:22 AM Mr Shanmugam speaking at the SMU Ministerial Forum on Wednesday night. He cited demographic trends, rising costs and external competition as factors that could cause Singapore to fall behind its Asean neighbours. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM By Tham Yuen-c Faced with a low replacement rate and a fast-ageing population, Singapore risks becoming in future the slowest growing country in the world's fastest growing region, said Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Wednesday night. Speaking to some 300 students at the Singapore Management University Ministerial Forum, he painted a stark picture of how demographic trends combined with rising costs and external competition could cause Singapore to fall behind its neighbours in Asean. "All our neighbours will be growing faster and we will be growing slowly," he said. "When you look for jobs, and in neighbouring countries, salaries are rising much faster, then the best and the brightest will gravitate out, and whoever is left behind simply can't compete internationally, and your economy is dragged down." This, he said, could have implications on how the country supports its growing number of retirees. Citing statistics to back up his point, he said that by 2030, each retired person will be supported by just two working adults, down from the current six.
LTA wins global award for traffic management Published on Sep 05, 2013 2:30 AM By Grace Chua For its Electronic Road Pricing, real-time traffic information systems, and transport initiatives like free early-morning train rides before peak hours, Singapore has received one of ten inaugural City Climate Leadership awards. The awards are given out by Siemens and the C40 network of cities working to combat climate change. Award categories range from urban transport to air quality to intelligent city infrastructure, which Singapore won. Land Transport Authority chief transportation engineer Dr Chin Kian Keong, who helped develop the national road pricing system, received the award on behalf of Singapore at a ceremony in London on Wednesday night (Thursday morning Singapore time).
Future Bidadari estate to retain its historical heritage, says Heritage Board Published on Sep 04, 2013 1:50 PM By David Ee The rich history and heritage of Bidadari will be assimilated into the new housing estate to be built there, the National Heritage Board (NHB) announced on Wednesday. It is the first time that a new estate will include these considerations from the design stage. The NHB is working with the Housing Board (HDB) on a proposed pedestrianised Heritage Walk to replace the present Upper Aljunied Road. Residents strolling along the tree-lined boulevard in future will learn through photographs and boards about old landmarks once found in Bidadari, such as the 19th century Bidadari House once owned by a Sultan of Johor. Relics and tombstones of notable Singaporeans once buried in Bidadari cemetery will also be relocated from the Bidadari Memorial Garden and included in the upcoming 10ha Bidadari Park. A lost favourite, the Alkaff Lake Gardens, which were re-developed in the mid-1900s, will also be resurrected. The new Alkaff Lake within Bidadari Park would be inspired by its predecessor, a Japanese-themed leisure garden and lake that families flocked to in the 1920s to picnic and boat.
How S’pore can grow as hub of integrated ASEAN Mr Shanmugam was the Guest-of-Honour at SMU’s ministerial forum last night. PHOTO: EUGENE QUEK By Kok Xing Hui 7 hours 42 min ago SINGAPORE — Becoming the New York of an integrated ASEAN region is “a vision that will transcend all the difficulties that we have”, said Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam. Speaking at a ministerial forum at the Singapore Management University (SMU) last night, Mr Shanmugam said that an integrated ASEAN will have a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of US$2.2 trillion (S$2.8 trillion), bigger than that of India. A GDP this size will make ASEAN the ninth-largest economy in the world. As the hub of this region, Singapore will be able to “grow out of your size and … somehow transcend the factors that limit you”, he said. Mr Shanmugam noted that an economically-integrated ASEAN is “not entirely within our hands” and would depend on the region’s stability. The minister said Singapore faces the internal challenge of an ageing population as well as the external challenges of an increasingly competitive world fuelled by globalisation and technology. In 2030, the Republic will have two working adults supporting each senior citizen, compared to the 6:1 ratio right now. At the same time, the increasingly competitive world will see other countries stepping up to offer services in industries key to Singapore, namely aviation, maritime, finance and petrochemical, he noted. He reiterated the need for foreign workers in Singapore, as the Government plans to increase the ratio of Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians (PMETs) to non-PMETs in Singapore from 1:1 to 2:1. “If you don’t have a foreign worker population to support the base, how do you become middle management?” he asked. The minister also said that while people often compare Singapore to the Nordic countries and Europe where welfare is more extensive, “actually we’re far more socialist that those countries”. The top 20 per cent of Singaporeans pay 80 per cent of the total income taxes, creating a system which taxes at the top and transfers it out, he said. He also pointed to the Goods and Services Tax, of which 84 per cent is paid for by the top 40 per cent of Singaporeans and foreigners. After Mr Shanmugam’s one-hour speech on the internal and external challenges facing Singapore and the opportunities present, students posed questions ranging from having more women in Parliament to the projected costs of supporting the aged population in 2030, and ways to change the education system to help Singapore remain competitive. On having more women in Parliament, the minister said it was not an issue of women not being able to do the job, but that today’s social and family structure makes it “more difficult for them”. He added that men experience these challenges as well, noting that he would be going to his constituency after the dialogue ended at 9.30pm, before returning home to clear emails around 11.30pm, while having to start early the next morning. When asked if societal values could change such that students do not “chase grades”, he responded: “My answer to you is if people see that the economy has opportunities outside of being on a very narrow track, then the values will change. So we have to create such an economy.” Yesterday’s forum was the second one organised by the SMU Apolitical association. It was attended by almost 300 tertiary students from local universities, junior colleges and polytechnics.
Academy to help meet changing healthcare needs of elderly Mrs Tan Ching Yee touring the Family Medicine Academy at Bukit Batok Polyclinic. Photo: National Healthcare Group Polyclinics Launch of Family Medicine Academy will help train, groom more doctors to treat people with chronic condition By Emily Liu 7 hours 52 min ago SINGAPORE — Across nine polyclinics run by the National Healthcare Group, the bulk of patients suffering from chronic conditions are aged between 45 and 74 — a clear indication of the changing healthcare needs and demands of an ageing population, according to Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Tan Ching Yee. Speaking at the official opening of Singapore’s first Family Medicine Academy at Bukit Batok Polyclinic yesterday, she noted that the proportion of Singapore’s population aged 65 and above will more than double to 20 per cent. “Our healthcare needs will rise and change. ‘Change’ because we will need to look after people with chronic conditions, help them manage well, so that they can continue to have a good quality of life,” Mrs Tan said. While the ministry is expanding the capacity and reach of primary care for Singaporeans, she stressed that well-trained doctors are needed within the community. Thus, the opening of the academy will help train and groom more doctors to meet the rising demands in family medicine, Mrs Tan said. “With our rapidly ageing population, primary care will play an increasingly crucial role in the years to come,” she added. Professor Chee Yam Cheng, Group CEO of National Healthcare Group, also noted a shift in the focus of medicine in recent years — from one that is reactive and focuses merely on caring for the sick, to one which focuses more on preventive care, patient empowerment and keeping the population healthy, he said. Among the first to be trained at the academy would be the pioneering cohort of 54 students from the new Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). They will spend a week of their first semester of Year One at the polyclinics, with the Family Medicine Academy as their base of training within the community. The academy is jointly set up by LKCMedicine and National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP). “We hope the early exposure to primary care will leave a deep imprint on the students and encourage more to seriously consider making family medicine a career as they contribute to Singapore’s healthcare system,” said Adjunct Associate Professor Chong Phui-Nah, Senior Director of Family Medicine Development and Education Director at the NHGP and at LKCMedicine. The academy contains a clinical skills laboratory for students to gain practical skills in primary care procedures, and consultation rooms for students to learn and practice their clinical examination skills on site. Medical students from other universities will also be able to use the facility, said Mrs Tan.
Innovative tech trade show for firms to show their wares Those present at the official launch of The Stage at ME@OUE including Chairman of Mediacorp Pte Ltd Teo Ming Kian, Chairman of Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation Eddie Chau and CEO of MediaCorp Pte Ltd Shaun Seow had to mask their eyes for a walk through presentation of The Stage on 4 Sep 2013. Photo by OOI BOON KEONG TODAY By Peter Yeo - 13 hours 40 min ago SINGAPORE — Technology companies can look forward to a new platform to showcase their products come 2015, when MediaCorp and the Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation (SiTF) hold the Republic’s first innovative technology trade show, dubbed The Stage. Similar to international trade shows such as International CES in America, Computex in Taiwan, or Germany’s IFA, The Stage has one major difference: It aims to be more experiential, said Mr Guillaume Sachet, Head of Strategic Planning for MediaCorp. Mr Sachet said the three-day show will not be like others where exhibitors crowd to showcase their products. It would instead be broken up into six themed areas: The Main Stage, Future Stars, Newcomers, Showtime, The Podium, and the Walk of Fame. For example, Future Stars will showcase start-ups, while Showtime will have a headline concert featuring as-yet-unconfirmed artistes. The showcases are aimed at demonstrating how technology can benefit and enhance one’s life. To be held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, The Stage could provide a meeting place for innovators and capital fund managers looking for the next big thing. SiTF Chairman Eddie Chau said: “We will have a Start-Up pavilion so start-ups who would like to showcase their technologies, look for funding, or future funding, or network with the (venture capitalists) can do so.” The Stage will also be a hotbed of innovation, said potential exhibitors. Mr Ng Chee Soon, President and Managing Director, Sennheiser Electronics Asia said: “We see an interesting opportunity because traditionally we launch products in CES, in IFA, and we launch products in Asia-Pacific but in a more fragmented manner ... the idea of having a platform for us to present a broader portfolio of products to the larger audience for the entire Asia-Pacific sounds very compelling to me.” Mr Chau added: “Singapore as a whole in the last few years has attracted a lot of investors. I personally also have a fund called TNF Ventures, where we have invested in nine start-ups since May last year. Every one is about US$500,000 (S$640,000). Do you think it’s vibrant? Not too bad, right? Look at Viki. It sold, right? Singapore company. Will it happen in Singapore? Absolutely.”
Asia’s first automated storehouse unveiled in Changi An illustration of storage in a traditional warehouse set-up compared with the AutoStore solution. Thirty-six robots ply the top of the grid to store and extract products in Asia's first AutoStore, at Texas Instruments' product distribution centre in DHL’s Changi supply chain hub. Photo: DHL Advanced system employs 36 robots to store and extract products at Texas Instruments’ product distribution centre in DHL’s Changi supply chain hub By Wong Wei Han 19 hours 41 min ago SINGAPORE — Texas Instruments (TI) today (Sept 5) unveiled an advanced inventory management system that will boost productivity by 40 per cent at its product distribution center in DHL’s Changi supply chain hub. The AutoStore is a US$10 million (S$12.8 million) investment, and is the first of its kind in Asia. Taking up about 30 per cent of the centre’s floorspace, the system uses 36 robots to store and extract products from a massive grid in a process that is highly automated by a central computer to ensure accuracy and efficiency. The system, which is built Swisslog, will also allow TI to ramp up the centre’s storage amount by four times, the group’s president for Asia, Mr Larry Tan, said. Productivity enhancement of this scale is not common in Singapore’s logistics and warehousing industry, but the high labour and rental costs as well as a scarcity of space in the Republic means there are a lot of opportunities for further innovation and automation in the industry, chief executive of DHL Supply Chain in South and South East Asia, Mr Oscar de Bok, said. “The automation allows four times the volume of products to be stored within the same floor space, increases productivity by some 40 per cent and vastly improves accuracy and visibility of the inventory, said Mr de Bok. “Such turn-key logistics solutions are a boon for land-scarce countries like Singapore where land and labour costs run high.” Agreeing, Swisslog’s head of Southeast Asia Mr Koh Seng Teck added that industry operators should focus on upgrading parts of their operations where benefits outweigh cost, and modern logistics systems often offer the flexibility and scalability to different business needs.
Lee Kuan Yew receives Lifetime Achievement Award Singapore's founding Prime Minister and former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew was on Thursday presented with the Business China Lifetime Achievement Award in celebration of his upcoming 90th birthday on September 16. The award was presented at a celebratory dinner organised by three major Chinese community organisations -- the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Business China. The event was an occasion to remember and recognise many of the initiatives which Mr Lee had launched over the years to support the Chinese community in Singapore. Mr Lee had wanted to attend the event, but his doctors have advised him to avoid large gatherings as a precautionary health measure. Mr Lee's second son, Lee Hsien Yang, represented his father at the celebration. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is currently away in Russia for the G20 Summit. Speaking to some 800 business and political leaders at the event, the chairman of Business China and president of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, Chua Thian Poh, said the 'Singapore model' developed by Mr Lee has been highly regarded and widely replicated. The success of this model has helped Singapore play an instrumental role internationally. Mr Chua noted that among the major initiatives launched by Mr Lee were the Speak Mandarin Campaign, the set-up of the Chinese Development Association and the launch of Business China in 2007. Business China is an organisation that actively promotes bilingualism and biculturalism. Mr Chua said for the past six years, Business China had been actively involved in nurturing generations of China-savvy Singaporeans through a range of events and programmes. He added: "The programme is progressing well; mainly we are grooming a group of youngsters who are bilingual and bicultural, connected with China. In future, this group of people will help us with culture and business.” Mr Chua also stressed that Business China is now a crucial bridge between Singapore and China. To celebrate Mr Lee's 90th birthday, Business China launched a commemorative book entitled “Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore-China Relations”. The book honours Mr Lee's extraordinary contributions to the establishment and strengthening of Singapore-China bilateral ties. Mr Lee has visited China 33 times since ties were established with China in 1976. Stephen Lee, president of the Singapore National Employers' Federation, said: "Mr Lee is one of the very few politicians in the world with the opportunity to have personal encounters with five generations of Chinese leaders. "To that end, Mr Xi Jinping, the current (Chinese) president, regarded Mr Lee as 'our senior who has our respect', and that China 'will never forget the important contribution you have made to our bilateral relationship'." Thanking the organisers for the award, Mr Lee Hsien Yang recalled that his father had not learnt Chinese as a child. He only took up Mandarin as an adult when he entered politics. Mr Lee Hsien Yang said: "Because he started learning the language only as an adult, he has struggled to maintain the proficiency he would like to possess of Chinese. To overcome this, he continues to take regular Mandarin lessons at age 90 to keep his hard learned skills alive. “Learning the language enabled my father to more effectively convey his ideas and rally political support for them. Without that, it would not have been possible (for him to) go down the path that has led Singapore to where it is today. "It also gave him a window into China and the Chinese world view, building strong foundations for the strong bilateral ties and close cooperation that both counties enjoy today." The 200-page commemorative book features a collection of 140 photographs, many of which have never been published before. - CNA/gn
NUS online modules to give NSmen an early start They can take 8 such courses from January before school starts in August Published on Sep 09, 2013 8:09 AM Senior lecturer Seow Teck Keong in a video for a course on introductory biology. NUS is trying to mix online learning and classroom teaching. -- ST PHOTO: NURIA LING By Ong Hwee Hwee Assistant News Editor National servicemen starting school at the National University of Singapore (NUS) next year will get a headstart - without having to turn up in class. For the first time, they can choose to take some modules online soon after they complete national service. They can do so from next January, instead of waiting for school to start next August. Eight such courses - ranging from computing to philosophy - will be offered exclusively to them, as part of NUS' push to combine online learning with classroom teaching. The pilot programme is also aimed at helping NSmen who may need a longer time to adapt to university life after being away from school for two years or more. Background story Universities moving into online learning THE National University of Singapore (NUS) is planning to go online in a big way. Apart from the eight modules offered exclusively to national servicemen, the university will also put up three other courses for current students. A module on writing skills will be rolled out later this month, while the other two - in philosophy and engineering - will be offered next January. These 11 modules will be exclusive to NUS students. In the first two months of next year, it will also offer three courses which will be free for all users of Coursera, a provider of open online courses. NUS is the first Singapore university to partner Coursera, a California-based company. Others schools on the platform include Brown University and Northwestern University. Other local universities are also looking at online learning. At Nanyang Technological University, "flipped" classroom teaching - where students attend lectures online and use class time to assimilate the knowledge - is already being used in a small way. The Singapore University of Technology and Design is in talks with its partner university, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to incorporate the latter's online courses in its teaching. NUS' provost Tan Eng Chye said it plans to offer at least 10 modules online every year. Rather than replacing university education, the trend of online learning has made classroom teaching more effective by getting professors to think more deeply about how they present information, said NUS lecturers involved in putting their modules online. "There is no 'real' audience who can give immediate feedback. So you have to anticipate the response of the students," said Associate Professor Chung Keng Yeow of the department of physics. Filming lecture video snippets that are only 10 to 12 minutes long also means that lecturers have to be very clear and focused in their delivery. That requires a lot more planning, such as including examples of common errors made by students, said Ms Susan Tan, deputy director of the Centre for English Language Communication. And lecturers have to pay much more attention to details. Said Ms Tan: "There is no eye contact with students... so you have to make sure there is always a smile in your voice." ONG HWEE HWEE
Lee Kuan Yew's life captured in bilingual pictorial book In 480 pictures, it tells his story - as politician, statesman and family man Published on Sep 07, 2013 7:16 AM http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/s...20130907/ST_20130907_AOLKY07QCT3_3827663e.jpg (From left) SPH English and Malay Newspapers Division managing director Han Fook Kwang, Straits Times picture editor Stephanie Yeow, Lianhe Zaobao news editor Han Yong May (hidden) and SPH chief executive Alan Chan presenting the book to Mr Lee Kuan Yew at his office in the Istana on Sept 6, 2013. -- ST PHOTO: MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/20130907/ST_20130907_LKYBOOK_8_3827521e.jpg Lee Kuan Yew: A Life In Pictures is a bilingual pictorial book published by Straits Times Press to commemorate Mr Lee's 90th birthday on Sept 16. -- ST PHOTO: MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/s...130907/ST_20130907_LKYBOOK079PQQ_3827383e.jpg FAMILY TIME: Mr Lee taking a break while Hsien Yang (left) and Wei Ling played with their pet labrador Niki on the front lawn of Sri Temasek in the early 1960s. Mr Lee spent an hour or so every evening with his children at the Istana, before they had dinner together at their Oxley Road home. Then, he would resume his work at home. -- PHOTO: LEE KUAN YEW COLLECTION http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/20130907/lky090713e.jpg Mr Lee holding Hsien Loong at home in the 1950s. -- PHOTO: LEE KUAN YEW COLLECTION http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/s...130907/ST_20130907_LKYBOOK0743EU_3827386e.jpg LEGAL ADVISER: Mr Lee (in sunglasses) was legal adviser to the Singapore Bus Workers' Union when it went on strike in April 1955. Against his advice, they called the strike before their 14-day notice of a strike had expired. -- PHOTO: SPH http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/s...130907/ST_20130907_LKYBOOK07ADCF_3827398e.jpg VISITING FRIENDS: On a visit to Britain in 1990, Mr and Mrs Lee met Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her husband Denis at Chequers, their country home. -- PHOTO: LEE KUAN YEW COLLECTION By Andrea Ong From unpublished photos of Mr and Mrs Lee Kuan Yew in their courting days to iconic images of Mr Lee on the stump, the public and private lives of Singapore's first prime minister are captured in full visual splendour in a new book launched yesterday. Titled Lee Kuan Yew: A Life In Pictures, the bilingual pictorial book was published by Straits Times Press to commemorate Mr Lee's 90th birthday on Sept 16. The 268-page coffee-table book tells the story of Mr Lee - as politician, statesman and family man - through some 480 carefully curated photographs. Of these, over 100 have never been published. They include pictures from Mr Lee's personal and family albums, which depict private moments between him and his late wife Kwa Geok Choo, as well as their three children.
NUS ranked No. 1 Asian university Published on Sep 10, 2013 7:50 AM The National University of Singapore has become Asia's top university for the first time, according to the World University Rankings. -- ST FILE PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG By Amelia Teng The National University of Singapore has become Asia's top university for the first time, according to the World University Rankings. NUS moved up to 24th on the global list, published today, to take over the mantle from the University of Hong Kong (HKU). The Nanyang Technological University also reached its best position in the table, jumping six spots to become seventh in the region and 41st in the world. The World University Rankings, arguably the best-known and respected rankings, have been published since 2004 by London-based education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). It is widely consulted, including by prospective students and university professionals.
Ng Ser Miang: No anxiety, no stress, just a sense of calm Photo: Wee Teck Hian Ng Ser Miang tells TODAY why he remains relaxed even in the final hours before the IOC presidential elections By Tan Yo-Hinn 6 hours 1 min ago BUENOS AIRES — For someone who is about to find out if he will become the most powerful man in sports, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Vice-President Ng Ser Miang cuts a surprisingly relaxed, almost zen-like figure. Today, the Singaporean will discover at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires if he, Thomas Bach, Richard Carrion, Wu Ching-kuo, Denis Oswald or Sergey Bubka will succeed Jacques Rogge as IOC President. Whatever the result, the outcome will mark the culmination of a year-long journey that has taken Ng from Colombia to China, and from Senegal to Spain, one that has caused him to be rarely at home, and to spend more time sleeping in planes than in his own bed. Yet, despite the hustle and bustle of the past 12 months, the 64-year-old, who is also Chairman of supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice and Singapore’s Ambassador to Norway, told TODAY that he has never felt stressed by the presidential race. “The first magic formula is that you must enjoy it, and be relaxed about the outcome and that the process is really important,” said the former national sailor. “I’ve no illusions about the chances of losing versus the chances of winning ... By putting my candidature forward, I believe I’ve helped to raise the bar.” His resume bears testimony to this. Since his entry into the Lausanne-based body in 1998, Ng has built an impressive reputation within the IOC. He spearheaded the organising of the 117th IOC Session in Singapore in 2005 — which reaped S$40 million in spin-offs and S$19 million in tourism receipts — and the inaugural 2010 Youth Olympic Games, which was a brainchild of Rogge. Ng’s achievements in sports administration mirror his successes as a businessman. In 1976, three years after graduating from the University of Singapore with a business administration degree, he joined the Singapore Shuttle Bus company, which was in disarray, and turned it around in two years. He also started Singapore’s second bus company, Trans-Island Bus Services (Tibs), in 1982 after raising capital by selling his Thomson bungalow for S$800,000 and borrowing S$1 million from his father. Twenty-two years later in 2004, he made S$80 million when SMRT Corp took over the company. Despite Ng’s impressive CV, the general sentiment in Buenos Aires is that fellow IOC Vice-President Bach remains the favourite to succeed Rogge. A protege of former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, the 59-year-old German, who is a lawyer and a former Olympic fencing champion, is also said to enjoy the support of Kuwait’s highly-influential IOC member Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah, the President of the Olympic Council of Asia and the Association of National Olympic Committees. The IOC’s alleged Eurocentricity — American Avery Brundage has been the only non-European of its eight Presidents since it was formed in 1894 — is also seen as favouring Bach’s chances. But many believe Ng is likely to be Bach’s biggest rival. In his 28-page manifesto, he states a desire to offer ordinary IOC members a greater voice in the organisation. It could well turn out to be a masterstroke. This is because while most of the IOC’s decisions are currently made by the Executive Board, there is an increasing groundswell of support for a greater voice among ordinary members in the running of the IOC. As such, many members may identify with Ng’s plan to give them a bigger say. “It’s most important that those involved in the organisation should share and own this common vision,” said Ng. “(But) you must have a strong team that is able to do the work. The President is like the chairman. “If he does the right delegation and can leverage on the different strengths of the organisation and its different components, then you have a very strong basis for the organisation to move forward.” Another reason why Ng remains calm and zen-like is his family. He has two daughters, Xuan Hui and Xuan Ming, and a son, Chong Geng, who are aged between 27 and 36, with his first wife Ko Ai Choo, who died in 1999. He is now married to Madam E Hong, a businesswoman. Family keeps him grounded and helps him to hold firm to his principles, he explained. “In life, I’ve dealt with many different challenges and happenings. Some are pleasant, others not so. But that’s life and it comes with the job,” he said. “As long as you hold onto your principles, it’ll be easy. The work itself may be difficult, but making the right decisions is more straightforward as long as you hold onto your fundamental principles.” Ng hopes his decision to run for the highest office in sport will inspire other Singaporeans to aim higher and punch above their weight. “Singapore will always have a special place in my heart,” said Ng, who was born in China in 1949 and arrived here when he was one. “I would want to support the strengthening of sporting culture in Singapore, and make sure the Sports Hub will be one of the centres of the world’s sporting activity, and I will want to continue pushing for exposure of Singaporeans in different sports and different fields of sports. “I hope it will help us to think even more out of the box and what we can achieve. Whether I’m elected or not, this is something I want to work on.” Watch the election of the next IOC President “live” on StarHub Ch112/201 tonight from 11.30pm to midnight.
Why it’s still worth learning from Finland The headquarters of Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia is pictured in Espoo Sept 3, 2013. Photo: Reuters By Richard Hartung 5 hours 56 min ago From its education to its social support system, Finland has been lauded as a model worthy of emulation by many in Singapore. Finnish students score among the best in the world in the PISA tests and nearly 70 per cent go on to tertiary education. Its economy continued to grow even as other parts of the euro zone fell into crisis. But while its education system remains excellent, Finland’s situation is nowhere near as rosy as a year ago. The country fell into a technical recession earlier this year, it faces challenges with integrating immigrants and, as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted in his National Day Rally speech recently, 20 per cent of Finnish youth are unemployed despite comprehensive protection for workers. With such tremendous changes under way, policymakers who once looked to the Finnish model might well be considering whether to look elsewhere for ideas instead. INTO TURBULENT WATERS Just when the euro zone started to emerge from its slump this year and industrial production registered modest growth, Finland went into a technical recession after GDP shrank 0.1 per cent in the first quarter and industrial output dipped 5.7 per cent. The shift to the technology sector has slowed, and Federation of Finnish Technology Industries CEO Jorma Turunen said the drop in technology exports appears permanent because Finland is not competitive enough — a trend underscored by the headline-making sale of Nokia’s mobile phone business to Microsoft in a US$5.4-billion (S$6.9 billion) deal last week. Nordea Bank said the period of weak economic growth has still not ended. And despite relatively low unemployment at 6.6 per cent in July, down from 7.8 per cent in June, the data masked a worsening labour market as more people dropped out of the workforce, according to Bloomberg. Far worse, unemployment among immigrants is estimated to be three times higher than for Finns born in the country; and the latest EU Labour Force Survey also showed that youth unemployment is nearly 20 per cent. Immigration is a hot-button issue, with concerns that immigrants will compete for scarce jobs and Minister for Education and Science Krista Kiuru noting, on her recent visit to Singapore, that resources of schools in the suburbs are being stretched by having so many immigrants. Even though Finland will need more workers to cope with an ageing population, the University of Helsinki’s Arno Tanner wrote that “many regard Finland as a remote, cold, taciturn country displaying passive reluctance toward immigrants”. The issue is so important the Cabinet in June released a White Paper outlining plans for controlled immigration that take into account the sustainability and security of Finnish society. HAPPY AND COMPETITIVE Yet amid the enveloping gloom, the quality of education through secondary schools in Finland remains high and life remains comfortable for most Finns, for now. In contrast with the rising income inequality in Singapore and a Gini coefficient here that rose to 47.9 recently, Finland’s Gini coefficient of 25.8 indicates that it has far greater income equality. The Washington DC-based Fund for Peace ranked Finland as the best performer in its assessment of nations around the world for having the most even economic development out of 178 countries; its rule of law was ranked the third best in the world and social services sixth. Finns were also rated as the second-happiest people in the world by the United Nations World Happiness Report in 2012, right after Denmark. UN researchers concluded that political freedom, strong social networks and an absence of corruption were more important than income in countries topping the happiness rankings. In contrast, Singapore was ranked 33rd. And despite the weak economic outlook, the latest World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness report released this month ranked Finland as the third most competitive economy in the world, just behind Singapore. THE FINNISH KAMPUNG SPIRIT Dig a little deeper and the reasons for the challenges Finland faces may turn out to be similar to Singapore’s, even as the reasons for Finns’ greater happiness reflect some of what Singapore is striving for. It may be beneficial to learn from more than just its education successes. Like Singapore, Finland’s economy is shifting to services as manufacturing faces cost pressures and moves overseas. Universities with more traditional education models that also churn out plenty of engineers have, as in Singapore, been slow in shifting to teach the skills students actually need for the new workplace reality. What perhaps cushions Finland and keeps happiness high is a sense of equality and a strong social support network that takes care of the population during the transition, somewhat similar in essence to the kampung spirit Singapore enjoyed in decades past. As the Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation’s Director-General Pasi Sahlberg told educators in a talk at Harvard University, fairly equal wealth distribution within Finland impacts the education system and enables Finland to continue to do well in many areas beyond education, such as women’s empowerment, technological advances, children’s well-being and prosperity. The focus on collaboration and personalisation in education, he said, results in a system where a student’s only competitor is himself or herself. As Finnish Teachers’ Union President Olli Luukkainen told the Smithsonian: “Equality is the most important word in Finnish education.” While detractors argue that this undermines the competitive drive, or that extensive social welfare benefits reduce the incentive for young people to look for work, such support fuels a sense of community and helps those in transition. Singapore, meanwhile, has acknowledged the untenability of the wide income disparity and is seeking to close that gap, although it is unlikely to go as far as Finland in equalising incomes or in providing outright social welfare safety nets. The mantra is that Singapore must find its own way, to suit its own unique situation. Even so, the National Day Rally speech signifies a momentous shift, with the State taking on a greater load in caring for the individual — and, just as importantly, calling on the community to do the same. As Singapore looks at how to reclaim its kampung spirit, where neighbours took care of each other and there was greater communal sense of nationhood, it is worth considering how the Finns developed the societal values of equality and support for those in need. And with both countries needing to shift their tertiary education systems to better prepare the young for new workplace needs, there may be opportunities for collaboration in higher education. There is still plenty to learn from Finland — and to share as well. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Richard Hartung is a consultant who has lived in Singapore since 1992.
Bidadari to house Singapore's first underground service reservoir Estate's unique feature: It will house Singapore's first underground service reservoir built on low, instead of high, ground The Sraits Times Published on Sep 11, 2013 7:56 AM -- GRAPHICS: MIKE M DIZON By Charissa Yong THE future Bidadari estate will lay claim to a unique feature - Singapore's first underground service reservoir built on low, instead of high, ground. Holding enough water to fill three Olympic-size pools, the tank will be built beneath the town's planned park to save on surface space and keep the surroundings unmarred. The land above it will be "integrated with the surrounding park amenities, hence optimising land", PUB said yesterday, adding that high ground available for service reservoirs is "limited". The Bidadari reservoir could pave the way for more such underground tanks on low ground. Background story OBVIOUS SOLUTION Instead of having reservoirs above ground, which is water you can't even swim in, you have land that you can walk on. Going underground is an obvious solution to preserve as much free space for people as possible. - National Research Foundation water technology adviser Lui Pao Chuen, who believes that building below the surface is key, given the scarcity of land here
Singapore and Korea police forces sign memorandum of understanding Published on Sep 10, 2013 6:12 PM By Joyce Lim Singapore Police Force (SPF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) at KNPA's headquarters in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday. The MOU which was signed by SPF's Commissioner of Police Ng Joo Hee and KNPA's Commissioner General Lee Sung-han, aims to strengthen law enforcement cooperation between the two forces. It is expected to further enhance information sharing, capacity building, professional development and training between the two forces. The significant milestone development in the relationship between SPF and KNPA, would "enable both forces to learn and tap on each other's capabilities, so as to strengthen our fights against transnational criminals and syndicates", said Commissioner Ng, in a statement on Tuesday. He also emphasised the importance of international cooperation in the fight against crime.
17 overhead bridges to be fitted with lifts by 2016 They are part of S$700m plan to make transport nodes more accessible, elderly-friendly and conducive for commuters TODAY 5 hours 56 min ago SINGAPORE — Work to make overhead bridges more accessible to pedestrians who are less mobile will begin next year, with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announcing yesterday that it has called tenders to retrofit 17 existing pedestrian overhead bridges and allow for the installation of lifts. The areas with these bridges include Woodlands, Boon Lay, Serangoon, Potong Pasir, Tampines and North Bridge Road. Selected bridges have to be located within 200m of MRT stations, bus interchanges and integrated transport hubs, within 100m of bus hubs and LRT stations, and within 100m of health institutions, welfare homes, homes for the aged and schools for special needs children. In addition, they have to be in locations where it is technically not feasible to provide a new “at-grade” pedestrian crossing and there are no barrier-free alternatives nearby. They also need to have high levels of usage and the retrofitting work has to be cost-effective and technically feasible. The 17 bridges are the first of the 40 bridges to be retrofitted with lifts announced by Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew in January as part of a S$700-million plan to make transport nodes more accessible, elderly-friendly and conducive for commuters. The bridges will be ready by 2016, with the rest to follow. Late last month, the LTA called two tenders for the construction of sheltered walkways at 59 MRT stations, while two more will be called for the remaining MRT and LRT stations in the last three months of this year. Also in the works are noise barriers along selected busy road viaducts and MRT lines to reduce noise pollution for residents nearby. The LTA said it has conducted site surveys as part of preparatory work to ensure that it is technically feasible to install the lifts at the selected bridges. It will announce the locations of the remaining overhead bridges by early next year. Overhead bridges where lifts will be installed 1. Woodlands Avenue 3 near Marsiling MRT Station 2. Woodlands Avenue 7 near Admiralty MRT Station 3. Boon Lay Way near Lakeside MRT Station 4. Boon Lay Way near Boon Lay MRT Station 5. New Bridge Road / Eu Tong Sen Street 6. Serangoon Central / NEX Shopping Mall 7. Selegie Road / PoMo 8. Potong Pasir near Potong Pasir MRT Station 9. Paya Lebar Road near ITE MacPherson 10. PIE (Jalan Kolam Ayer) / Kallang Basin Swimming Complex near Geylang Bahru DTL3 MRT Station 11. Holland Road near Holland Village MRT Station 12. Queensway / Stirling Road 13. Kampong Bahru Road / Blair Road 14. North Buona Vista Road 15. Blk 940, Tampines Avenue 5 16. North Bridge Road / Crawford Street 17. Geylang East Central / Geylang Polyclinic
PM Lee to visit Vietnam for launch of strategic partnership, new industrial park Published on Sep 10, 2013 6:01 PM By Terrence Voon Ties between Singapore and Vietnam will reach a new high when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrives in Vietnam on Wednesday. As the two Asean nations mark the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, Mr Lee will formally launch a strategic partnership agreement with his Vietnamese counterpart Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung. The other highlight of Mr Lee's three-day visit is his trip to Quang Ngai province in central Vietnam to officiate the groundbreaking of the fifth Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park (VSIP). The first was set up in 1996, and all five are a joint venture between a Singapore consortium led by Sembcorp Development and Becamex, a Vietnamese state-owned enterprise.
New $30 million 3D printing research centre for NTU The Straits Times Published on Sep 10, 2013 2:36 PM By Hoe Pei Shan Doctors in Singapore could soon be printing human skin, corneas and heart tissue, and saving lives as a result. The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is building a new $30 million research centre for additive manufacturing which will house some of the latest 3D printing machines available. When the centre opens in May next year, it will also have what is likely to be Singapore's first bioprinter which is a machine capable of producing real human tissue, layer by layer. The research centre called the NTU Additive Manufacturing Centre will be funded by the Economic Development Board. In order to grow the pool of talent needed to feed the growing additive manufacturing industry, NTU is also introducing PhD and masters' degree programmes specialising in this area in August. Students under both programmes will contribute to the research conducted at the centre.
Fed’s QE tapering unlikely to hit Asia, says PM Lee Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaking at a dialogue during International Enterprise Singapore's 30th Anniversary Dinner with moderator Robin Hu, CEO, South China Morning Post Group. Photo: Don Wong Region’s economies stronger, with more safeguards instituted since 1997 crisis TODAY By Wong Wei Han 6 hours 12 min ago SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is confident that Asian economies will not face a financial crisis similar to the one that hit the region in the late ’90s, even though concerns over the tapering of quantitative easing (QE) in the United States caused jitters in markets of emerging economies and led to fears that a capital outflow may occur. Speaking at a dialogue during the 30th anniversary dinner of International Enterprise (IE) Singapore last night, Mr Lee felt that Asian economies are in a stronger position than they were in 1997. “We have more safeguards instituted now since then to deal with the likely consequences of big capital flows,” he said. “For example, we have currency swap arrangements like the Chiang Mai Initiative, where countries can support each other when there’s a destabilising flow of capital.” Mr Lee made these comments when responding to a question by Mr Robin Hu, the dialogue’s moderator and Chief Executive of the South China Morning Post Group, who asked how regional economies are going to react to the QE tapering. He noted the US Federal Reserve’s initial hint of QE tapering in June led to a capital flight from Asia, one which resembled the late ’90s financial crisis. Mr Lee’s comments came after Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said last week that members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) can weather large amounts of capital outflow as growth in the region is supported by solid fundamentals. The confidence is reinforced by strong economic data from China, where factory output last month hit a 17-month high, while Japan’s economy grew a stronger-than-expected 3.8 per cent on-year in the second quarter. Against this backdrop, capital volatilities due to the QE tapering are manageable, Mr Lee said last night. “And also the Americans will be mindful as they don’t want the tapering to destabilise their economy. So we’re in a safe position … I don’t see this as a new global or regional crisis,” he added. During the wide-ranging dialogue, which touched on topics such as the economic reform in China and economic integration in ASEAN, Mr Lee felt that Singapore companies looking to succeed in the future will have to move out of their comfort zone. “We should look beyond the more familiar region into new areas … emerging markets in Asia, Latin America and some parts of Africa,” he said. “There will be risks, but that’s where the returns are, so you have to know what risks to take.” The Government is supporting these companies overseas via IE Singapore, which continues to set up new offices in new markets, including recent ones in Myanmar, Ghana, Turkey and South Africa, noted Mr Lee. But wherever they are, local companies must be able to compete globally, if they are to grow beyond the small market in Singapore. “Whether you’re overseas or in Singapore, you have to be globally competitive. Because there’s no way we can build a wall around Singapore … Your markets are out there, and if you’re not equal to the companies in China, India or Vietnam, then you’re not going anywhere — and Singapore is not big enough for you to operate. That is the reality,” said Mr Lee. The Prime Minister also hopes to see more Singaporeans venturing overseas. “In terms of getting people to go where the business is … Singaporeans don’t always go as readily as the employers like them to. It is a limitation for us and will constrain our potential in the world. You want people who are prepared to go out and take adventure, to dive in and be deployed to difficult places as you make your way in the world,” he said. “We should have that spark to go wherever the opportunities are.”
ST wins Asian Media Awards for New Delhi gang **** coverage Published on Sep 11, 2013 11:50 PM http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/20130912/award13e.jpg The Straits Times Foreign Editor Ravi Velloor receiving one of the six awards on behalf of Singapore Press Holdings at the 12th Asian Media Awards in Bangalore, India, on Sept 11, 2013. -- PHOTO: AFP http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/20130912/desmond12e.jpg The 23-year-old Delhi gang **** victim died on the morning of December 29, 2012 at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. The Straits Times photographer Desmond Lim managed to break away from the media pack and took a shot of the victim's body before it was flown back to India. -- PHOTO: DESMOND LIM http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/20130912/nuria12e.jpg Two-year-old Jovan leaves his balance bike, which Mr Kelvin Aik uses to teach him to cycle, to push his father's wheelchair around the void deck. The moving portrait won Straits Times photojournalist Nuria Ling a silver award in the Best in Photo-journalism/Feature Photography catergory at the 12th Asian Media Awards. -- PHOTO: NURIA LING By Himaya Quasem THE brutal gang **** of a 23- year-old student in Delhi and her courageous battle for survival last December touched the hearts of people around the globe, especially in Singapore. Doctors at Mount Elizabeth Hospital fought to save her but she died from severe organ failure as a result of her injuries. The Straits Times stayed with the story right from the start, providing minute-to-minute updates and cross-bureau coverage. Last night, ST was awarded the Silver in the Best in Editorial Content/Breaking News category at the 12th Asian Media Awards. Its team comprised India Correspondent Nirmala Ganapathy, 40, photographer Desmond Lim, 31, journalist Jalelah Abu Baker, 26, and assistant foreign editor Nilanjana Sengupta, 38. “When something significant like this happens in Asia, the ST will be there to bring the story home to our readers in Singapore and beyond,” said Straits Times editor Warren Fernandez. “Our ST team of correspondents in Singapore, India and around the region, stayed with it throughout, filing not only for our print edition, but also for our main website straitstimes.com, and our Asia-focused ST.Asia Report.” Foreign editor Ravi Velloor, who wrote a front-page commentary on the **** tragedy, accepted six awards on behalf of Singapore Press Holdings in the southern Indian city of Bangalore last night. The other awards were: * Silver for the Best in Photo- journalism/Feature Photography: ST photojournalist Nuria Ling, 26, won with her shot of a two-year-old boy abandoning his balance bike to push his paraplegic father’s wheelchair. * Gold for the Best in Community Service: It went to a teachers’ handbook produced by the ST Schools team – “48 Values From The News: The Straits Times Guide To Building Character”. * Silver for the Best in Editorial Content/Breaking News: The New Paper won for its coverage of Mr Michael Palmer’s shock resignation as Speaker of Parliament over an extra-marital affair. * Gold for the Best in Newspaper Marketing for the 2012 revamp of billingual newspaper MyPaper. * Bronze for the Best in Design/Magazine Overall Design for ICON Singapore, a monthly luxury lifestyle magazine. The annual Asian Media Awards is organised by Wan-Ifra, an organisation representing more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 websites and 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries.
