SINGAPORE • мÓÆ • Singapura • Ïþƒ¨¼Ä

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Land and Climate

Location: Between latitudes 1º 09´N and 1º 29´N and longitudes 103º 36´E and 104º 25´E

Area: 682.3 sq km. Comprises one main island (604.2 sq km) and a number of islets scattered off its north-east and south.

Climate: Singapore is an equatorial country with relatively uniform temperature, high humidity and abundant rainfall.

Average daily temperature: 26.8ºC - 31ºC

Annual rainfall: 2,345 mm with increased rainfall from Nov to Jan

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People

Total Population: 4.16 million

Resident population (Singapore citizens and permanent residents): 3.38 million

Resident population growth (2000-2001): 1.8%

Population density (2001): 6,055 per sq. km

Resident Population by Race: Chinese (76.5%); Malays (13.8%); Indians (8.1%); Others (1.6%).

Population by age: Below 15 (21.4%); 15-64 (71.2%); 65 and over (7.4%)

Official languages: English (language of administration), Chinese (Mandarin), Malay (National language) & Tamil

Religions aged 15 years and over: Buddhism (42.5%); Taoism (8.5%); Islam (14.9%); Christianity (14.6%); Hinduism (4.0%); Other religions (0.6%); No religion (14.8%)

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Education

Location: Between latitudes 1º 09´N and 1º 29´N and longitudes 103º 36´E and 104º 25´E

General literacy rate (15 years and over): 93.2% [2001]

Literacy in 2 or more languages: 56 %

Tertiary education: 3 universities (National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University);

5 polytechnics. Working adults can enrol in the Open University Degree Programme run by the Singapore Institute of Management.

The universities produced 9,923 first-degree graduates as at Aug 2002, while the polytechnics produced 16,736 graduates from part-time and full-time diploma courses as at July 2002.

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Health

Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births): 2.2

Life expectancy at birth: 76.4 years (males); 80.4 years (females)

No of hospitals/specialty centres: 28 with 11,884 beds

Persons per doctor: 700 persons per doctor

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Government

Singapore is a republic with a parliamentary system of government based on the Westminster model.

ORGANS OF STATE
The Executive: Head of State and Cabinet

Head of State: President S R Nathan, elected on 1 Sep 1999. The President is elected for a fixed term of six years.

Cabinet: Led by the Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong [since 28 Nov 1990]

Parliament
Parliament is elected by general election every five years. The first sitting of Parliament was held on 8 Dec 1965. The first general election for Parliament was held on 13 Apr 1968. There are 24 registered political parties. Parliament, elected on 3 Nov 2001 has 82 People's Action Party Members of Parliament (MPs), 2 Opposition MPs and 1 Non-Constituency Member of Parliament. In addition, there are 9 Nominated MPs.

The Judiciary:

The Supreme Court and the Subordinate Courts
The Judiciary administers the law independently of the Executive and this independence is safeguarded by the Constitution.

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National Symbols

The National Flag

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The Origin
The National Flag of Singapore is a symbol of statehood. It replaced the Union Jack, which had flown over Singapore for 140 years (1819-1959). It was the committee headed by Dr Toh Chin Chye, the then Deputy Prime Minister, which first conceived and created the flag. Together with the State Crest and the National Anthem, it was unveiled on 3 December 1959, at the installation of the new Head of State, the Yang di-Pertuan Negara, at the City Hall steps. Upon independence in 1965, it was adopted as the National Flag.

Its Meaning
Our National Flag consists of two equal horizontal sections, red above white. In the upper left canton is a white crescent moon beside five white stars within a circle. The features of the flag were not arbitrarily chosen – each feature has its own distinctive meaning and significance: red symbolises universal brotherhood and equality of man; white signifies pervading and everlasting purity and virtue; the crescent moon represents a young nation on the ascendant; and the five stars stand for the nation's ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality.

The National Anthem

A New Recording of Our National Anthem
A new recording of the National Anthem, Majulah Singapura, with a grander and more inspiring arrangement, was launched on 19 January 2001.

The new anthem recording was the culmination of more than a year's work by the Ministry of Information and the Arts. The main objective was to make Majulah Singapura, one of Singapore's beloved national symbols, more accessible to all Singaporeans.

Several leading local composers were invited to re-arrange the National Anthem in May 2000 in the key of "F". Cultural medallion winner, Phoon Yew Tien's version was chosen by an evaluation panel, headed by Bernard Tan. The orchestration is in a slower tempo and uses more instruments to create a majestic rendition of the Anthem.

Singapore's very own flagship orchestra, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, with Lim Yau at the helm, did the new recording at Victoria Concert Hall on 20 November 2000. The new arrangement has been recorded in seven versions including orchestral, choir/solo and piano.

The new recording comes with a revised English translation of the lyrics so that the meaning of the Anthem can be better understood.

Guidelines for the singing and playing of the national anthem have also been relaxed to encourage the singing of the Anthem at all events of national significance.

The Origin
The National Anthem was written in the wake of nationalism during 1956-57. Its composer, the late Encik Zubir Said, had written it on the basis of two words, "Majulah Singapura" or "Onward Singapore". The patriotic song was first performed by the Singapore Chamber Ensemble on the occasion of the opening of the newly renovated Victoria Theatre. It was launched on 3 December 1959 together with the National Flag and the State Crest, at the installation of the new Head of State, Yang di-Pertuan Negara, at the City Hall steps. Upon independence in 1965, "Majulah Singapura" was adopted as the republic's National Anthem.

Its Meaning
The anthem was composed in Malay. You can also find its musical score and lyric translations into the three other official languages below.

MAJULAH SINGAPURA
Mari kita rakyat Singapura
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singapura

Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura

ONWARD SINGAPORE
(English Translation)

Come, fellow Singaporeans
Let us progress towards happiness together
May our noble aspiration bring
Singapore success

Come, let us unite
In a new spirit
Let our voices soar as one
Onward Singapore
Onward Singapore

Audio

The following audio files are in mp3 format.

Instrumental - Orchestral (http://www.sg/flavour/symbol/NA_OL.mp3)

Soloist and Choir with Orchestral Accompaniment (http://www.sg/flavour/symbol/NA_CS.mp3)

Piano Solo (http://www.sg/flavour/symbol/NA_P.mp3)

Credits

Music and Lyrics - Zubir Said
Re-arrangement - Phoon Yew Tien
Project Advisor - Bernard Tan
Executive Producer - Ken Lim
Orchestra Conductor - Lim Yau
Orchestra - Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Choir Conductor - Jennifer Tham
Choir - Singapore Youth Choir
Soloist - Jacintha Abisheganaden
Engineer - Ross Cockle
Technical Engineer - Kevin Nai
Equipment - Team 108
Production - Hype Records
Coordinator - Jeremy Foo

The National Coat of Arms (State Crest)

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The Origin
The National Coat of Arms or State Crest was first launched on 3 December 1959 together with the National Flag and National Anthem at the installation of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara at the City Hall steps.

Its Meaning
The State Crest consists of a shield emblazoned with a white crescent moon and five white stars against a red background. Red is symbolic of universal brotherhood and equality of man, and white signifies pervading and everlasting purity and virtue. The five stars represent the five ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality. Supporting the shield are a lion on the left and a tiger on the right. Below the shield is a banner inscribed with the Republic's motto, Majulah Singapura. The lion represents Singapore itself and the tiger, the island's historical links with Malaysia.

The Pledge

The Origin
Initially penned by Mr S Rajaratnam in 1966, the Pledge was written against the backdrop of racial riots in the 1950s and 1960s. Mr Rajaratnam revealed that the dream was about building "a Singapore we are proud of". He believed that language, race and religion were divisive factors, but the Pledge emphasises that these differences can be overcome if Singaporeans cared enough about their country. The draft text was handed to the then Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who polished the text before submitting it to the Cabinet.

Its Meaning

Our Pledge
We, the citizens of Singapore,
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
to build a democratic society
based on justice and equality
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.

IKRAR KITA
(Malay Translation)
Kami, warganegara Singapura,
sebagai rakyat yang bersatu padu,
tidak kira apa bangsa, bahasa, atau ugama,
berikrar untuk membina suatu masyarakat yang demokratik,
berdasarkan kepada keadilan dan persamaan untuk mencapai kebahagiaan,
kemakmuran dan kemajuan bagi negara Kami.

The Lion Head Symbol

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The Origin
As recorded in the 13th century Malay Annals, a prince from Palembang was shipwrecked and washed ashore to an unknown island. Subsequently, he saw a creature which he believed was a lion and named the island "Singa Pura" ("Lion City") - from which the name Singapore was derived.

The Lion Head Symbol was first introduced in 1986 as an alternative National Symbol. This is so since the National Flag and State Crest have legal restrictions which prohibit their use for non-government and commercial purposes. The then Ministry of Communications and Information had launched a search among art institutions and advertising agencies for a logo that could best exemplify the characteristics of a nation. Eventually, the Lion Head Symbol was chosen because of the nation's reputation as the Lion City.

Its Meaning
The lion, from which the name Singapore was derived, symbolises courage, strength and excellence. It is in solid red against a white background - the colours of the National Flag. Its mane's five partings, representing the five ideals - democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality - are as embodied in the five stars of the National Flag. The lion's tenacious mien symbolises the nation's single-minded resolve to face any challenges and overcome any obstacles.

The National Flower

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The Origin
The Vanda Miss Joaquim, an orchid variety, is Singapore's national flower. It is an indigenous hybrid between the Vanda teres and the Vanda hookerana and was first discovered in the garden of Miss Agnes Joaquim in 1893. It was registered within the same year.

On 15 April 1981, following an announcement by then Minister of Culture S. Dhanabalan, the Vanda Miss Joaquim was proclaimed the national flower of Singapore. The selection of a national flower was part of our overall effort at fostering national pride and a sense of identity.

Its Meaning
Vanda Miss Joaquim was chosen as Singapore's national flower from among 40 other contenders, including some 30 orchids. It was selected particularly because of its hardy and resilient qualities and its ability to bloom throughout the year. These are characteristics which reflect Singapore's quest for progress and excellence in all aspects of life.

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Households in Singapore

86% of Singaporeans lives in public housing, of which 93% own the HDB flats they occupied. [Labour Force Survey 2001]

No. of resident private households in Singapore: 923,000 (Census of Population 2000)

All households* [1998 Household Expenditure Survey]
Consumer Goods (%)

Refrigerator: 98.6
Television: 98.6
Telephone: 96.9
Washing machine: 90.8
Video/Laser/Compact disc player: 56.7
Personal Computer: 47.4
Air conditioner: 57.7
Private car/station wagon: 34.9
Microwave oven: 37.7

* includes one-person households.

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Leisure

Attendance at cinemas: 13.6 m [averaging 3 annual visits per person in 2001]

No of books borrowed from the National Library: 25 m [2001]

Public Sports facilities: 17 stadiums, 1 indoor stadium (Singapore Indoor Stadium), 1 Rugby Field, 28 swimming complexes, 58 tennis courts, 28 squash courts, 8 netball courts, 15 multi-purpose fields, 15 sports halls, 2 fitness parks and 1 practice track.

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Transport and Communications

Port figures 2002:
Total no. of vessels calling at the port: 142,745

Airport statistics 2002
Total no. of aircraft movements: 144,780
Total passenger movements: 23,878,673

Total no. of vehicles in Singapore: 704,768 (of which 405,797 are cars & rental cars)

Forms of public transport:
MRT service: 51 stations and 106 trains serving 1.077 million average passenger trips daily
LRT service: 14 stations and 19 trains serving 31,900 average passenger trips daily
Bus service: 2 companies operating 267 routes with a fleet of 3,659 buses
Taxi service: 5 groups of operators running a fleet of 19,007 taxis

Forms of communications:
Total no. of mobile phone users: 3,005,775 (72.8%)
Total no. of pager subscribers: 307,200 (7.4%)
Residential telephone lines: 1,935,600 (46.9%)

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Mass Media

No of local newspapers: 10 dailies with an average combined circulation of about 1.5 million

No. of foreign publications, journals & magazines: 5,500

No. of TV broadcasters: 2 groups (MediaCorp TV, SPH MediaWorks)

No. of radio broadcasters: 6 (MediaCorp Radio, UnionWorks, SAFRA Radio, National Arts Council, Rediffusion and BBC World Service)

No of TV cable operator: 1 (Singapore Cable Vision)

No. of radio channels (domestic): 18

No. of free terrestrial TV channels: 7

Cable TV subscribership: 341,907 persons or 31.83 per cent of all cabled homes (as at 31 Oct 2002)

Internet dial-up penetration rate: 48.4 per cent (as at November 2002)

Cable modem subscribers: 93,967 (Those who subscribe to SCV MaxOnline service to access Internet as of 31 Oct 2002)

ADSL subscribers: 108,600 (as at 31 Oct 2002)

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Thank you, Huaiwei! :) You've given us what I've come to think of as another "typical Huaiwei thread:" thorough and thoughtful. :okay:

I just listened to the Singaporean anthem (you think of everything! ;) ). I had looked at the music & decided from studying the rhythm and intervals that the anthem would have a decidedly western sound, which indeed it does.

Thanks Whose Homepage! :D Actually I have not finished....and boy...Im just trying to pour in ALL the basic info first before talking about anything else! :D

Its interesting you find the anthem western sounding. I suppose the composer had western influences? ;)

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Arts

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The National Arts Council, the national agency spearheading the development of the arts in Singapore, manages Kallang Theatre (1,744 seats), Victoria Theatre (904 seats) and the Drama Centre (326 seats). The other major arts venue is the Esplanade -Theatres on the Bay. Opening Oct 2002, the arts centre is managed by The Esplanade Co Ltd and comprises a 1,600-seat Concert Hall (with 200 additional seats in the Gallery), a 2000-seat Theatre, a 250-seat Recital Studio, a 220-seat Theatre studio, a rehearsal studio, outdoor performing spaces and Esplanade Mall.

There are currently three National Museums namely the Singapore History Museum, the Singapore Art Museum and the Asian Civilisations Museum.

The Singapore Philatelic Museum is a subsidiary museum.

Other museums maintained by various private and para-governmental agencies include:

Fort Siloso and Images of Singapore in Sentosa,
The Battle Box at Fort Canning
Lee Kong Chian Art Museum and Ng Eng Teng Art Gallery at the National University of Singapore
Changi Chapel & Museum
Fuk Tak Chi Museum at Telok Ayer Street
Sports Museum
URA Gallery
Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
Chinese Heritage Centre
Singapore Mint
Civil Defence Heritage Gallery
Police Heritage Centre
Singapore Discovery Centre
Air Force Museum
Singapore Navy Museum.


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Tourism

No. of visitors: 7.6 million, mainly from Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, China, UK, S Korea, USA, India, Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan.

No. of gazetted hotels: 104

No. of gazetted hotel rooms: 30, 726

Average occupancy rate: 76.3%

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Government Expenditure

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Economic Indicators (2002)

Inflation Rate: 1.0 %

Money Supply: 36 billion (comprising currency in active circulation and demand deposits of private sector)

Official Foreign Reserves: $140 billion

Commercial Banks: 6 local and 121 foreign banks

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GDP by Industry

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Trade 2002

Total trade $432 bn
Imports $208.3 bn
Exports $223.9 bn

Major trading partners: Malaysia, USA, Japan, Hong Kong, China and People's Republic of China

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Employment

Labour force: 2,128.500

Employed persons: 2,017,352 (Males: 1,137,062 Females: 880,290)

Unemployment rate: 4.2%

Central Provident Fund:
A social security savings scheme in which all employees and their employers contribute a percentage of their salary. Every month, employees below 55 years contribute 20% while employers contribute 16%. Employees 55 years and above contribute at lower rates. In addition, the CPF helps Singaporeans to save for old age, healthcare and home ownership.

There are 3.0 million CPF members and their CPF balance stood at $95.38 billion (as at 30 Sep 2002)

Withdrawals released: $386.0 million (Between July and Sep 2002)
Amount used under Public Housing Scheme: $2,047.2 million
Amount used under Residential Properties Scheme: $910.8 million
Medisave: $84.3 million

Wage Policies:
The National Wages Council made up of representatives from the government, employers groups and trade unions, advises the government on wage policies and issues guidelines in line with long term economic objectives. There are 71 registered employees' trade unions and 3 employers unions and one federation of employee trade union, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). NTUC work closely with the government and business sector to look after workers' interest.

THE PEOPLE OF SINGAPORE - The Nation's only resource

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The customs and festivals of the different ethnic groups in Singapore highlight the nation's rich cultural heritage. Singapore's people are largely descendants of immigrants from the Malay Peninsula, China, the Indian sub-continent and Sri Lanka. They have gradually acquired a distinct identity as Singaporeans while still retaining their traditional practices, customs and festivals.

Population Profile

In 2000, the total population of Singapore was 4,017,700 of which 3,263,200 are citizens and permanent residents. This is an increase of 2. 8 per cent over the decade.

There are three main racial groups, with the Chinese numbering 2,505,400 ( 77 per cent of resident population) , Malays 453,600 ( 14 per cent) and Indians 257,800 ( 8 per cent) . With 1,630,300 resident males and 1,632,900 resident females, the sex ratio was 998 males per 1,000 females.

The median age of the resident population was 34.2 years in 2000, compared with 29.8 ten years ago. Residents below 15 years of age formed 21.5 per cent of the population. The proportion of residents aged 65 years and above was 7.3 per cent. Infant mortality rate was 3.3 per thousand resident live births in 1999, compared with 6.3 in 1989. The life expectancy at birth for resident males and females has increased from 72.9 years and 77.2 years in 1989 to 75.6 years and 79.6 years in 1999 respectively.

Early Immigrants

The Malays

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Most of the original inhabitants were Malays. Other early immigrants came from the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago, including the Bugis. The first Malays were mainly involved in agriculture or, before Raffles, were camp followers of the Temenggong( Defence Minister) of the Sultan of Johor.

The Chinese

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The first Chinese immigrants came from Riau and Melaka ( Malacca) , many belonging to the distinct Baba community ( also known as Straits- born Chinese) . In February 1821, the first junk from Amoy, China, rrived and others soon followed. The Hokkiens from Fujian province formed the largest group. Others included the Cantonese from Guangdong; the nomadic Hakkas or Khehs from northern Guangdong; the Teochews from Shantou; the Kwongsais from Guangxi; the Hokchius from Fuzhou and the Hainanese from Hainan Island. Most were poor farmers, labourers or craftsmen.

The Indians

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The first Indians came from Penang and Malacca. Others migrated from the Coromandel and Malabar coasts of Southern India ( mainly from the present states of Madras and Kerala) . They also came from Gujarat, the Punjab, Sind, Bengal and Sri Lanka. The early Indians were soldiers or camp followers and a few were merchants. Indentured labourers were brought in later by the British for construction work. Others worked as clerks, teachers, traders and money- lenders.

The Europeans

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Apart from the British, many Europeans came mainly as professionals. They brought their families with them and while many left for home eventually, others settled down and became citizens.

Other Ethnic Groups

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These include the Eurasians, descendants of Europeans, mainly Portuguese, married to Asians. Also there were a few Arab families, who came as traders, and eventually married Malays.

Originally posted by huaiwei
Its interesting you find the anthem western sounding. I suppose the composer had western influences? ;)

Well, I don't know about "influences," but the guy surely took a course or two in western composition and music appreciation! This in turn might just possibly have had an impact on the way he composed the Anthem of Singapore. ;) Is he a well known composer? Are pieces of his performed in the concert halls, both in Singapore and abroad? Are they in the same style?

It's OK, you don't have to answer, Huaiwei. It just happens that I'm into music. :)

Hmm....you forced me to do some research on the composer. :D

Well I found this information about him and some interesting data about the anthem he wrote. Hope it helps! ;)

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1907 - 1987
Composer

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Zubir Said was 51 years old and not yet a Singaporean when he gave his most enduring legacy to the people, The National Anthem of Singapore - Majulah Singapura - in November 1959.

Early life

Zubir Muhamad Said was born on 22 July 1907 in Bukit Tinggi, Padang, in Sumatra, Indonesia. From a Minangkabau family, his father was a Headman of four village; his mother, the first wife, died when the boy was seven years old.

Zubir attended a Dutch school, had no interest in academic studies, but was active in the Boy Scouts movement. The Captain, a lady teacher taught him the 'Solmisasi' - Solfa music system - the number notations system of music. In primary school, a classmate taught him how to play and make a flute. At middle (pre-secondary) school, he learnt guitar and drums from students of the keroncong society.

Keroncong and Bangsawan

When he finished school, he returned to his village and got a job as a copy typist in a Dutch administrative office. However, Zubir's passion and direction was music, and he joined the village keroncong orchestra where he learnt to play the violin. This he did, much to the disappointment of his father who had hoped that this eldest son would one day take over as headman of his four villages, or at least join the army or the civil service of the Dutch government.

He now could play the violin, and he next travelled around Sumatra touring with a keroncong group. At one of their stops in Pekan Baru, Zubir fell very ill and stayed on to recover. When he was well again, he took up this friend's offer to go to Singapore to seek his fortune as a musician. He left Pekan Baru on a small cargo boat and took one day and two nights to reach Tanjong Pagar.

Soon after his arrival he got his first job as a violin player with The City Opera, a large traditional Malay Opera-Bangsawan-troupe. The troupe's elderly violin player lent him a violin, and even taught him how to read music in staff notation, as all bangsawan music had notes written in this system. Zubir, meticulous and an enthusiastic learner, was soon able to copy all the music scores he had to play for the troupe, in both number and staff music notation! When the band leader quit, Zubir was recommended as leader by his elderly friend. He was paid $5 a day for his work of writing, performing, and directing, as leader of the City Opera's 14-man ensemble. They performed at Happy Valley Park, at the junction of Tanjong Pagar and South Bridge roads, where nightly Bangsawan shows and matinees were held. The repertoire often included Chinese or Indian stories requiring appropriate ethnic instrumental effects and players. This exposed Zubir to a variety of musical instruments and musicians.

Talent Scout

Zubir Syed stayed with the troupe till 1936, when he got a job at His Master's Voice studio as recording supervisor for a monthly salary of $100. His responsibilities were to co-ordinate recording dates, conduct recordings, and talent-spot singers and musicians. As talent scout, Zubir travelled all over Indonesia and Malaysia. While in Jakarta in 1938, he met Tarminah Kario Wikromo, a popular keroncong singer. He groomed her for recording and later married her in Bandung. Until the outbreak of World War II, the couple lived at Killiney Road in Singapore.

War, photography and movie music

Fearing the cruelty of war, he returned to Bukit Tinggi. When the Sumatran town was later taken by the Japanese, he spent the better part of the war entertaining Japanese soldiers and war prisoners, as conductor of a Japanese Military Band.

He returned to Singapore in 1947. With no more work at His Master's Voice studio, he took up photography and got a job as freelance photographer for the Malay newspaper, Utusan Melayu. The paper's chief editor was then Yusof bin Ishak, who would become the first local Yang Dipertuan Negara, and later, the first President of the Republic of Singapore.

In 1949, freelance work with Shaw Brothers began his involvement with films. A year later in 1950, he joined Cathay Keris Film Productions, wrote, performed and recorded songs, and entire soundtracks. This was something entirely new then, so Zubir was a local pioneer in the making of motion picture scores. His work often reflected his Western and Asian music influences. These, mixed with Malay melodies, made delightful eclectic music which perfectly matched the different moods required of the movies.

The Original Majulah Singapura

The commissioning of 'Majulah Singapura' took place in the late 1950s. Former superintendent of the Victoria Theatre, Yap Yan Hong was in the team to look for a vigorous theme song with a martial tempo for the City Council. Yap knew Zubir as a songwriter for Cathay Keris, and approached him to compose the City Council song. Zubir also recalled being approached by Syed Ali Redha Alsagoff, to compose a patriotic song for the Council.

So Zubir had to write a stirring song with a martial beat, in simple easy-to-sing language, to be understood by all the races of Singapore. As the song was to be sung in Malay, he consulted Malay language expert and teacher, Muhd Ariff Ahmad, who advised him to keep the lyrics simple. The song was to be titled 'Majulah Singapura' (Let Singapore Flourish), - these were the words that were displayed in big letters on the facade of the Victoria Theatre after renovations in August 1958. The lyrics reflected his awareness of the social and political awakening happening then, in the late 1950s. A tape was sent to the approval committee, headed by Mr Ong Pang Boon who was also Deputy Mayor. Mr Ong rather liked it and told Zubir to improve on it.

When the song was finally approved, Yap then contacted Paul Abisheganaden, conductor of the Singapore Chamber Ensemble, to have the choir sing 'Majulah Singapura' in the grand finale of the concert commemorating the opening of the renovated Victoria Theatre on 6th September 1958. There was satisfying response to the song's debut.

National Anthem

The City Council was dissolved in 1959 and its functions were delegated to various government departments, but 'Majulah Singapura' was not to be forgotten. When Singapore attained self-government and independence in 1959, one of the many immediate tasks of the government was to establish state symbols of authority and loyalty like the National Anthem, State Flag and Crest. Deputy Prime Minister, Dr Toh Chin Chye, led a high-level government working committee to search for these symbols.

Ong Eng Guan, mayor of the dissolved City Council told Dr Toh Chin Chye of Zubir's City Council song. After hearing 'Majulah Singapura', Toh decided that Zubir's song was suitable, but not before changes were made. Dr Toh wanted it shortened, and since he didn't know much about music, relied on music experts around him to give advice.

Lee Koon Choy, former Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Culture in 1959, asked Zubir to make the words more 'concise and compact'. Zubir accepted the idea and went to work. A number of musicians and orchestras like the Radio Singapore Orchestra, the Military Forces Band, and the Berlin Chamber Orchestra who were visiting and performing at the Victoria Memorial Hall, were also involved in the changes and the shaping of the National Anthem.

Dr Toh wanted a song which was appropriate to the character of the nation's people. 'It cannot be too slow neither should it be sung as if we were trying to beat a galloping horse'. The selected arrangement, which was of medium-tempo, was by the Berlin Chamber Orchestra.

When Dr Toh and the committee were satisfied, the proposed National Anthem, together with State Flag and Crest, were presented to the Legislative Assembly and unanimously accepted on 11 November 1959. These symbols were presented to the nation at the launch of Loyalty Week on 3 December 1959, after the installation of the first Malayan-born Yang-di-Pertuan-Negara of Singapore, Yusof bin Ishak.

The launching of the National Anthem was a very proud moment for Zubir as it crowned his music career. Present at the ceremony was his 101-year-old father, Muhamad Said Sanang, whom he had specially brought over from Indonesia to witness this historic occasion. It was an emotional reunion for father and son.

Achievements & Awards

Zubir continued to work for Cathay Keris Film Productions until his retirement in 1964.

He spent the rest of his days teaching his method of learning music through the Solmisasi music system at his home in Joo Chiat Place.

Zubir Said was a prolific composer and may well have written more than a thousand songs in his time, but since he was a poor compiler of his own work, many of them are now untraceable.

His film music for Dang Anom, a film about a legendary female warrior, won the Best Folk songs and Dances Award at the 9th Asian Film Festival held in Seoul, Korea in 1962.

He has won many awards for his contributions to music in Singapore and the region.

On 3 June 1962, the Singapore Government conferred upon him the Sijil Kemuliaan (Certificate of Honour). In July 1971, the title Jawasan Seni (Culture Contributor) was given to him by Singapore Malay Cultural Organisations for his unflinching support and advice. In March 1974, the title Sangeetha Kalabhooshan - the highest award given by the society - was conferred by the Indian Fine Arts and Dramatic Society for his contributions to the cultural scene of Singapore. In 1980, he received the title Sri Budiman (The Wise One) from the Malay cultural association, Sriwana. In 1987 he received the Asean Cultural and Communications Award.

DEATH

Zubir Said died on 16th November 1987 at the ripe age of 80. He will always be fondly remembered as the man who wrote Singapore's National Anthem.

- by Vernon Cornelius

© 1998 Vernon Cornelius

This article was published in the Straits Times back in March 9, 1990

http://ourstory.asia1.com.sg/independence/images/music.gif

BY Serene Lim

HE WAS a loving father but was also a strict disciplinarian who wanted the best for his family. His daughter, now an associate professor in the University of Malaya, recalled how he sold some of his precious books in 1948 to pay for her English tuition.

Mr Zubir (Said), who is believed to have written about 1,000 songs, is best known as the composer of Majulah Singapura, the national anthem and Semoga Bahagia, the theme song for Children's Day and the Singapore Youth Festival.

Born in Minangkabau in Sumatra in 1907, Mr Zubir, the eldest surviving son of a village chieftain, ran away from home in 1928 to join a bangsawan troupe here because his father, a very religious man, believed music to be against religion. He had heard about Singapore from a sailor friend, who described it as a place of "glittering lights, kopi susu (coffee with milk) and butter".

His third daughter, Associate Professor Puan Sri Datin Dr Rohana Zubir-Hamid, 50, who is with UM's Faculty of Education, said: "He had very high expectations of all of us. He wanted me to get the highest education possible. He tried to keep us away from the world of the arts, because he felt it was a hard life."

In 1938, Mr Zubir married Tarminah Kario Wikromo, a keroncong singer, and went back to Indonesia shortly after World War II broke out. They returned to Singapore with Dr Rohana in 1947.

Although Pak Zubir, as he was called in later years, was short-tempered and impatient, he was also a loving father, Dr Rohana recalled. He had five children -- four daughters and a son. "My father had very little luxury himself, but he made a lot of sacrifices for us. He spent a lot of his time ekeing out a living," she said. "I was nine when we came to Singapore. I didn't know a word of English, and it was too late to enter school. My father sold some of his precious books for $15 to pay for my English tuition."

To earn a living, Mr Zubir became a photographer, "going from village to village to take IC-size photos for the villagers", said Dr Rohana. Identity cards had become a requirement by then. Later, Mr Zubir was employed by Cathay Keris Film Productions as a songwriter for their Malay films. He also gave music lessons until his death. "In terms of money and luxury, he didn't have much," she said. "Still, he was a happy man."

Of the book, Dr Rohana said: "My father did not expect any kind of public accolade. He was genuinely a man of the arts. As a citizen, he would have been very happy to know he has contributed to Singapore, and that he was leaving something behind for posterity."

(Mr Zubir Said, who died in 1987, was honoured in March 1990 with the launch of a two-week exhibition of his life and works. A book, Zubir Said: His Songs, was also launched, the result of a three-year project sponsored by Berita Harian.)

Hohoho so detailed information about Singapore...:D

Hehe...haven finish yet leh.....actually this is just to throw in all the basic info first lah. Next time people ask question just shot a link to this thread. :D

Registration of Persons

A total of 66,500 persons registered for identity cards with the Singapore Immigration and Registration Department in 2000. All lawful residents 15 years old and above are required, unless exempted, to register for identity cards. They are also required to re-register for identity cards when they reach 30.

Singapore Citizenship

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Citizenship may be acquired by birth, descent, registration or naturalisation. Generally, a person is eligible to apply for citizenship by registration if he is 21 years old or above and has resided as a permanent resident ( PR) for a period of 2 to 6 years.

Under the new family ties scheme, Singaporeans can sponsor their wives or husbands and children for Singapore citizenship if the family has means to support itself and the wives or husbands have been PRs for at least two years.

Language and Literacy

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The official languages are Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English. Malay is the national language and English is the language of administration. Mandarin is being increasingly used among the Chinese in place of the main Chinese dialects Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka, Hainanese and Foochow. Besides Tamil, some of the other languages spoken by the Indians are Malayalam, Punjabi, Telegu, Hindi and Bengali.

The general literacy rate of residents aged 15 years and over was 93 per cent in 2000. More residents were also multi-lingual. Among the literate population, 56 per cent were literate in two or more languages

Standard of Living

The standard of living is high. The resident labour force comprised 63 per cent of the resident population aged 15 years and above in 2000. In 2000, the per capita Gross National Product ( GNP) was S$ 42,212. About 86 per cent of the population live in Housing and Development Board ( HDB) flats. Singaporeans are able to live and work in a safe environment. The crime rate declined over the last decade to 1,005 cases per 100,000 population. For every 1,000 residents, there were 114 private cars and 347 residential telephone lines. In 1998, some 47 per cent of households owned personal computers while 58 per cent had air- conditioners. There were 731 persons per doctor and 332 persons per hospital bed in 1999.

Marriages

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The Registry of Marriages is responsible for the solemnisation and registration of civil marriages (except Muslim marriages) . In 1999, 21,561 marriages were registered, compared with 18,971 in 1998.

The Registry of Muslim Marriages approves and solemnises Muslim marriages under the Administration of Muslim Law Act (Chapter 3). There were 4,087 Muslim marriages in 1999, compared with 4,135 in 1998.

Religions

Advance data from the Population of Census 2000 show that the religious composition of adult Singaporean residents remained relatively stable over the last ten years.

Buddhism and Taoism, which were traditional Chinese religions, jointly accounted for 51 per cent of the resident population aged 15 years and above in 2000 compared with 54 per cent in 1990. The main shift had been from Taoism to Buddhism among the Chinese. The proportion of Muslims and Hindus remained relatively unchanged at 15 per cent and 4 per cent respectively.

The shift towards Christianity continued but the increase in proportion of Christians was very gradual - from 10 per cent in 1980 to 13 per cent in 1990 and 15 per cent in 2000. The increase was among the better-educated Chinese who were more inclined towards Christianity.

Islam

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The religion of Islam is the complete acceptance of the teachings and guidance of Allah (God) as revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Islam stands for complete submission and obedience to God and peace.

Islamic Religious Council of Singapore
Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) - Islamic Religious Council of Singapore - is the supreme Islamic religious authority in Singapore. Established in 1968 to advise the Government on Islamic matters, MUIS looks after the religious, social and welfare needs of Muslims in Singapore. Its functions and responsibilities are set out in the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA). Its main functions include building and administering mosques, madrasahs and wakaf (endowment) properties, co-ordinating family development programmes, collecting zakat (tithes), issuing halal certificates, co-ordinating the annual pilgrimage to Mecca and providing financial assistance or bursaries to needy Muslims.

An Appeal Board located within MUIS also hears appeals for decisions made by the Syariah Court or from the Registry of Muslim Marriages pertaining to divorce and marriage. The Family Development Department in MUIS helps build cohesive families, besides setting directions, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of family development programmes.

Under the Mosque Building and MENDAKI Fund (MBMF) scheme administered by MUIS, working Muslims are required to contribute towards the Mosque Building Programme and MENDAKI (Council for the Development of the Singapore Muslim Community). The minimum monthly contributions are as follows: $2 for those earning $1,000 or less; $3 for those earning between $1,001 and $3,000; and $5 for those earning above $3,000. The money is remitted to MUIS through the Central Provident Fund Board. In 2000, $7.1 million was collected.

In Islam, charity is institutionalised through zakat, where Muslims are obliged to contribute a percentage of their earnings and wealth to improve the welfare of the Muslim community. In 2000, MUIS collected $14.7 million. The proceeds are allocated according to the Islamic law governing the distribution of zakat to eight asnafs (categories of beneficiaries) for the social and economic development of the Muslim community.

In 2000, 4,413 pilgrims performed the Haj pilgrimage. Their welfare and medical needs during Haj were taken care by doctors, nurses and Haj officers appointed by MUIS.

Syariah Court
The Syariah Court hears and determines proceedings concerning disputes over marriage, betrothal, nullification of marriage, separation and divorces. It also enables Muslim couples with marital difficulties to undergo counselling. Where divorce is inevitable, the Court mediates to help couples resolve their post-divorce issues amicably. The Court only rules on cases where parties cannot come to an agreement or where complex decision making is required. In March 2000, the Court introduced video conferencing for mediation sessions and hearings for those detained in prisons or drug rehabilitation centres.

Buddhism and Taoism

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The early Chinese settlers brought with them their religious beliefs and practices. Different dialect groups set up temples to serve the religious and cultural needs of the community. Some of these temples are now national monuments, for example, the Thian Hock Keng Temple, the Siong Lim Temple and Hong San See Temple.

Buddhism is essentially centred on the 'Three Jewels' - Buddha, Dharma (teachings of the Buddha) and Sangha (monastic order) - which help to inspire and guide Buddhist practices. In Singapore, Buddhism is traditionally mixed with Taoism and Confucianism, and involves a range of beliefs, practices and institutions.

The majority of Buddhists in Singapore belong to the Mahayana school; the rest follow the Theravada, Vajrayana and other schools. The different schools have been brought into closer co-operation through joint religious, cultural, educational and social welfare projects organised by the Singapore Buddhist Federation, the Singapore Buddhist Sangha Organisation and the Singapore Regional Centre of the World Fellowship of Buddhists.

Hinduism

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The Indians brought their religion, culture and art to Singapore. The story of their early religion is told in numerous Hindu temples, built mostly in Southern Indian style, in various parts of the island. The temple is the focal point of many Hindu festivals and ceremonies. The life of the Hindu is profoundly influenced by religion, marked by its rituals. Most Hindu families have altars or prayer rooms in their homes.

There are 24 principal Hindu temples in Singapore today. Of these, the Sri Mariamman Temple in South Bridge Road and the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road are national monuments.

The Hindu Endowments Board, set up in 1967 under the Hindu Endowments Act, administers and manages the Sri Mariamman, Sri Srinivasa Perumal, Sri Sivan and Sri Vairavimada Kaliamman temples and buildings and properties belonging to these endowments. The Board also organises major Hindu festivals such as Thaipusam (penitential kawadi procession), Thimithi (fire-walking ceremony) and Navarathiri (nine nights' prayer).

The Hindu Advisory Board advises the Government on matters concerning the Hindu religion and customs and on matters affecting the general welfare of the Hindu community.

Christianity

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The Catholic Church
The Catholic Church in Singapore dates back to the founding of Singapore in 1819. In 1821, a missionary in transit ministered to a community of some 12 Catholics. By 1829, there were about 200 Catholics. The Catholic community grew steadily and established a number of schools. In 1832, a boys' school was started. It later became the St. Joseph's Institution, which was built in 1852, and run by the La Salle brothers. Two years later, a girls' school run by the Infant Jesus Sisters was built at Victoria Street.

On 22 December 1972, the late Pope Paul VI decreed Singapore a separate archdiocese, distinct from the previous Malacca-Johor Archdiocese. By an agreement which came into effect on 1 July 1981, the Bishop of Macau handed over jurisdiction of his subjects in Singapore to the Archbishop of Singapore. Since then, the Catholic Church has been under the jurisdiction of the Holy See in Rome.

There are 30 Catholic churches around the island. The Church runs 20 primary and 17 secondary schools, one pre-university school and one junior college, as well as the Mount Alvernia Hospital, Assisi Hospice, five homes for the aged and chronically ill, and one children's home.

Protestant Churches
Raffles granted a piece of land to the London Missionary Society soon after he landed and the first Protestant missionary arrived within a year. In the initial decades, several different groups made distinctive contributions towards the growth of the Protestant churches in Singapore. These included the Western mercantile community, the Peranakan (Straits Chinese) community from Malacca, overseas missionaries and Christian immigrants from India and China. Seminaries and bible colleges were also established.

In 1948, the National Council of Churches of Singapore was founded, followed by the Singapore Council of Christian Churches in 1956 and the Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore in 1980.

The Protestant churches introduced social services to serve the community, such as Christian counselling in the prisons in 1953, the Christian Counselling Service and the Samaritans of Singapore in 1969 and the Christian Anti-Drug Rescue Endeavour in 1976. They also established welfare homes such as the St John's Home for the Aged in 1956, the Lee Kuo Chuan Home in 1972 and Ling Kwang Home for Senior Citizens in 1983.

Sikhism

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There are 16 registered Sikh religious and social organisations in Singapore. There are seven Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) in Singapore. The Sikh Advisory Board advises the Government on matters concerning the Sikh religion and customs and the general welfare of the Sikh community.

The important festivals of the Sikhs are the installation of Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak's Birthday, Guru Gobind Singh's Birthday, and Vaisakhi (creation of the Khalsa brotherhood).

Other Religions

Religious freedom and tolerance are practised in Singapore and many other faiths have followings here. The Jews have two synagogues in Singapore, while the Zoroastrians and Jains (followers of Mahavira, a contemporary of Buddha) have no temples.

Festivals

A potpourri of colourful festivals is celebrated in multi-racial Singapore throughout the year.

CHINESE NEW YEAR

Every January and February, the Lunar New Year is celebrated. It is the major event in the Chinese calendar. Red pieces of paper, bearing good wishes in Chinese calligraphy, are pasted on doors and walls. The main celebration revolves around the reunion dinner on the eve and visits to relatives and friends on the first two days. After the reunion dinner, parents and other relatives distribute 'hong bao' (red packets containing money) to the family's unmarried children as a gesture of good fortune.

In Singapore, Chinese New Year is celebrated mainly during the two public holidays. But the celebrations can last for half a month, involving much feasting and social interaction. The 15th day is observed as the close of the festive season.

The exuberant Chinese New Year Chingay Procession, held since 1973, increasingly reflects the cosmopolitan vitality of the country. Chingay, which means the 'art of masquerading', has evolved into a national event featuring not only local performances but foreign items as well.

QING MING AND YU LAN JIE FESTIVALS

Qing Ming (meaning 'clear and bright'), a festival in memory of one's ancestors, is observed in early April. On this day, families visit ancestral graves. Rice, wine, lit candles and joss sticks are placed before the tombs to honour the dead. The festival promotes filial piety and a sense of gratitude to one's ancestors.

In mid-August, the dead are again remembered during Yu Lan Jie (the Feast of the Hungry Ghosts). Offerings of food, and burnt offerings of silver and gold paper money, paper houses, cars, clothes, and candles are placed at the roadside and open grounds to appease and honour the departed. Wayangs (Chinese operas) are also staged to entertain the wandering spirits during this period.

MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

The Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, is also known as the Mooncake or Lantern Festival. Round 'moon' cakes with a variety of sweet and savoury fillings appear in shops, and paper lanterns of all colours, shapes and sizes are also sold.

Several interesting legends are connected with this festival but, basically, the mooncakes signify unity and a cycle completed - traditionally, the end of the farming year and an abundant harvest.

In Singapore, lantern competitions are held and the winning lanterns exhibited in a fairyland of lights and colour in the Chinese Garden.

HARI RAYA PUASA

Hari Raya Puasa or Aidil Fitri is an important religious day of the year for Muslims. It is celebrated at the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting and alms-giving. The celebrations begin with the birth of the new moon of Syawal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims usually attend prayers in the mosque in the morning and then gather with their families and close friends for a feast of thanksgiving.

Hari Raya Puasa signifies 'openness' of both mind and heart, and in multi-racial Singapore, this is often expressed in the practice of inviting non-Muslim friends to share the Hari Raya festivities. It is also customary to seek forgiveness for wrongs done to family and friends, and to renew one's sense of community.

HARI RAYA HAJI

Hari Raya Haji is celebrated one day after Haj pilgrims converge on Arafat in Mecca, the Islamic Holy Land, to perform the major rites of the pilgrimage. This falls on the 10th day of Zulhijjah, the 12th month of the Muslim calendar. The highlight of the occasion is the sacrifice of a goat or buffalo as a mark of gratitude to Allah (God).

TAMIL NEW YEAR

The Tamil New Year begins on the day the sun enters the zodiacal house Medam (Aries), in the month of Chithirai (between April and May). To herald in the New Year, morning worship (puja) is held in temples in honour of Surya, the Sun God - the remover of all darkness and gloom. Orthodox Hindus rise early for a ritual bath and elaborate worship at the family shrine. The first meal is then taken at a predetermined auspicious time. Temple visits and visits to relatives and friends follow. The Hindu Almanac for the New Year is published at this time. It lays down in detail the positions of the planets and the stars at New Year, and gives a reading of the significance of these signs, pointing to what is auspicious.

THAIPUSAM

Thaipusam, a penitential festival in honour of Lord Subramaniam, is celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai (between January and February). Devotees go in procession from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road to the Sri Thandayuthapani Temple in Tank Road, carrying kavadi in penitence or thanksgiving. The traditional kavadi is a wooden arch on a wooden base, decorated with peacock feathers and supporting various offerings like fruits, flowers and pots of milk. However, some devotees carry heavy metal kavadi and practise self-mortification by driving sharp skewers through their tongues, cheeks and bodies. This form of devotion, like the annual fire-walking ceremony (Thimithi), is usually undertaken only after careful spiritual preparation involving prayer and fasting.

THIMITHI

Thimithi, the fire-walking ceremony, is conducted at the Sri Mariamman Temple in the month of Aipasi (between October and November). Like Thaipusam, the devotees go in procession from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple to the Sri Mariamman Temple, led by a priest. After the priest has ceremonially walked on fire (actually a bed of burning coal), the devotees follow one by one, witnessed by thousands of people assembled in the temple.

DEEPAVALI

Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, is an occasion of much rejoicing for Hindus and Sikhs. Like Thimithi, it is celebrated in the Tamil month of Aipasi. Because of its ancient origins, the festival is enveloped in a variety of legends, the most common one being that it marks the slaying of an oppressive ruler named Narakasura by Lord Krishna, symbolising the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. It is also believed that the souls of departed relatives descend to earth during this time. Rows of tiny earthen oil lamps are lit to guide these souls on their return journey to the next world. The festival is celebrated in various ways by different groups. For certain northern Indians, it marks the beginning of a New Year, while some in the business community close accounts and ceremonially open new ones for the New Year. Deepavali is also an especially happy time for children, because of the social visits and sweet treats. Like the other festivals, Deepavali is one of Singapore's national festivals that help promote goodwill, understanding and harmony among the people.

VESAK DAY

The Buddhists observe Vesak Day, which denotes perfection and commemorates the birth, enlightenment and Nirvana (liberation from earthly passions and desires) of the Buddha. Vesak falls on the full moon day in the fifth month of the year. The occasion is marked by chanting, recitations and offerings at shrines; the ritualistic bathing of Prince Siddartha's (the earthly name of the Buddha) statue; the practice of vegetarianism; and the release of captive animals. Temples are also decorated with flags, lights and flowers, and vegetarian meals are served to those present.

The joint Vesak celebrations held by Buddhist organisations and temples are observed by the practice of dana (the virtue of generosity). Gifts in cash and kind are distributed to the poor and needy through charitable organisations, regardless of their race or religion. Buddhist youths participate in mass blood donation exercises held in hospitals. Some Buddhists also visit homes for the aged, drug rehabilitation centres and prisons to share the joy of Vesak with the inmates. Vesak celebrations in Singapore are also marked by mass candlelight processions, in which thousands of devotees participate to chant sutras (holy verses) and pay homage to the Buddha. The highlight of the festival is a mass religious and cultural gathering held at either the Singapore Indoor Stadium or a major public theatre.

CHRISTMAS AND EASTER

Christmas (from the old English Christaes maesse, or Christ's Mass) is the commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe to be the Son of God. To the Christians, Christ's birth is an initiative taken by God to reconcile man to Him and to redeem man from sin. The event is marked by special Christmas services in churches. In the week prior to Christmas, many Christians visit homes to sing Christmas carols.

Good Friday is a solemn festival which marks the trial and crucifixion of Christ. Good Friday services include the holy communion, during which those who participate remember Christ's sacrifice. Easter, which falls on the Sunday after Good Friday, is a celebration of Christ's resurrection. This is very important to Christians because they believe it signifies the victory of Christ over death, bringing the gift of eternal life to all who believe in Christ. Both Good Friday and Easter are festivals of remembrance and thanksgiving, marked by prayers and special church services.

Thank you again, Huaiwei! :) It was fascinating to read of the life of the composer of the Singaporean Anthem. :cool:

You'll remember that I had observed it sounded a bit "western" to me. I see this impression confirmed in the articles you posted:

His work often reflected his Western and Asian music influences.

and

The selected arrangement, which was of medium-tempo, was by the Berlin Chamber Orchestra.

Interesting to learn that Maestro Said developed the Anthem through a series of sessions with different orchestras.

Majulah Singapura! :banana:

You are most welcome WH! ;) Later I can even link to you some "nationalist" songs...quite interesting to analyse the lyrics and arrangement of the songs over the past 2 decades. But that will come later. I dun want this thread to turn into some massive propaganda thread! :D

Again thanks for digging up the information on the composer of the Singaporean Anthem, Huaiwei--I truly appreciate that, especially since I was proven right. :D

Originally posted by huaiwei
I dun want this thread to turn into some massive propaganda thread! :D

I'm afraid it's way too late for that! ;) Besides, I wouldn't call it a massive propaganda thread but a thorough educational thread on your home country! :)

Not everyone are as tolerant and appreciative as you Whose Homepage! ;)

Alrite...maybe now is a good time to show pictures!! :cool:

These are from the more common angles....

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damn this is the most comprehensive thread about SIngapore you guys have ever posted :cool: I shall look for pics of our public transport to post here :D

nice thread huaiwei. i commend you for your efforts. i hope this thread will attract readers and will be updated often. cheers. :cheers:

Not many people know this, but Singapore's 'official' National Bird is the Crimson Sunbird.
http://www.ecologyasia.com/NewsArchives/May_2002/birdy_1_0527.jpg
'It's bright red like the Singapore flag and Singapore is often described as a tiny red dot by neighbouring countries.'

SINGAPORE
Is not only a garden city, but is also home to 335 species of birds which is slightly more than half the number of of birds in the whole of the Phillippines or Malaysia in an area about half the size of Hong Kong. No other city in South East Asia has such a stunning density of common garden birds.

Singapore is one of the best places in the world to see the rare CHINESE EGRET which during the winter months, is unable to adapt to any habitat other than a narrow strip of undisturbed tidal mudflat which happens to be available in Singapore.
http://www.birdtheme.org/image6/slarge/sing101193.jpg

What a great city! A true heaven on Earth! :angel1:
Thanks for the info. Although, I still have a few questions:
Since one of the official languages in English, does that mean that most of the population speaks it? If that is true, then there is no better place for me to be than in Singapore :yes:
I always dreamed about moving to a high-tech Asian city, but language is always a problem. I only speak English, Russian and Ukrainian.
But if it was possible for me to live there and speak at least English, I would be the happiest person in the world! :yes:

You see, I don't like life in the US and I want to move away from here as soon and as far as possible. My most desirable destination so far has only been Moscow, but Singapore is so attractive that I might consider moving there instead :yes: .

I am Singaporean and I speak only English. At home and with my friends. Of course I can use Mandarin, but I'm not very good at it.

PS: I think I'm a bit extreme as other Singaporeans are far more bilingual.

But yes, daily life in Singapore gets by on English. Street signs etc are in English and it helps the different racial groups understand each other too.A bit of an oddity in Asia I guess :)
Anyway why do you dislike life in the US, if I may ask? Just curious :)

'PS: I think I'm a bit extreme as other Singaporeans are far more bilingual.'

You are not extreme...:D (as far as I'm concerned)

Went for a tour to Italy, and we met a Ukrainian couple, and discovered that the husband was teaching at NTU, Singapore!:D

Well I failed my A level Chinese oral test..I remember I blurted out "shopping" to the examiner:D

One thing about Singapore. It is HOT!:cheers:

Originally posted by RafflesCity

I am Singaporean and I speak only English. At home and with my friends. Of course I can use Mandarin, but I'm not very good at it.

PS: I think I'm a bit extreme as other Singaporeans are far more bilingual.

But yes, daily life in Singapore gets by on English. Street signs etc are in English and it helps the different racial groups understand each other too.A bit of an oddity in Asia I guess :)
Anyway why do you dislike life in the US, if I may ask? Just curious :)

Thanks for answering, now I'm really going to add Singapore to my "move to" list (I have two items now :D)
I'm not going to tell you why I dislike US, some people might get offended.
This is weird though, I always thought the dominating language in Singapore was Japanese..

Originally posted by Cliff

Opps Huai Wei.:D

'You mean you didnt even know it was my name??? '
I thought Edmund Teo was your name, wait, what am I saying, Edmund Teo is you name!

I just did not know that Huai Wei is your name.:angel1: Walao...at least I didnt assume Cliff is your name! :D

Originally posted by RafflesCity

Well I failed my A level Chinese oral test..I remember I blurted out "shopping" to the examiner:DErm..dude...I think I belong to your class of "extremes" as well you noe? Chinese at AO level....F9 first attempt, miraculous C6 at second attempt!

Yeah, basically English is as well used here as most other languages, anyone can attest to that. Even my age old grandma loves to say "bye bye" when she is probably cant utter any other english word! :D

For all you know, Cliff might not be my name!

But it is:D

My name is: Tan Anlong Cliff :)

Wahaha! Now I suddenly recall you copyrighted all your work with "Cliff Tan". ;)

It's funny to think Malay is the national language when it's like 99% of Singaporeans dunno 1-2 word of the language :D. for what ar?

Originally posted by hypermount

It's funny to think Malay is the national language when it's like 99% of Singaporeans dunno 1-2 word of the language :D. for what ar?

99% come on..its not that drastic! Many of the older generation are able to speak and understand Malay ie my parents.
14% of the population is Malay too and Malay words are unconsciously integrated into daily lingo...
But I know what you mean. I suppose its just part of historical baggage particularly in the era of the 50s and 60s.

:cheers:

Originally posted by hypermount

It's funny to think Malay is the national language when it's like 99% of Singaporeans dunno 1-2 word of the language :D. for what ar? Dude...my dad speaks Malay...so does my grandparents, including my age old grandma who cant speak a sentence of English, speaks a smattering of Mandarin, but can gossip with the Malay equivalent of ah-sohs downstairs. Are they so unique as to belong to that 1%?

Oh, and since we all sing the national anthem in Malay, that means we know more then 1-2 words. Add to that, in all the uniformed services, or basically anything where foot drill is invovled, the commands are always given in Malay! How are you going to know what to react to those commands if you only know 1-2 words? Well at least that is true for half the population from those aged about 35 and below!

Still, you can be sure that the younger generation are asking the same question. Maybe when the old guard leaves us, the younger generation would demand that everything turns into English? I dunt know, personally I would love that, coz it means not having to memorise those bloody commands again, but I fear an aspect of our heritage will be permanently lost....

Originally posted by huaiwei
Oh, and since we all sing the national anthem in Malay, that means we know more then 1-2 words.

Maybe when the old guard leaves us, the younger generation would demand that everything turns into English? I dunt know, personally I would love that, coz it means not having to memorise those bloody commands again, but I fear an aspect of our heritage will be permanently lost....

Well when I was in NJC, we had to sing the national anthem AND the college anthem everyday. And the college anthem is in Malay, so that is 2 songs everyday LOL.

I would prefer things to remain as they are now.

Originally posted by RafflesCity

Well when I was in NJC, we had to sing the national anthem AND the college anthem everyday. And the college anthem is in Malay, so that is 2 songs everyday LOL.

Now that is new! So NJC really lives up to its name...its so nationalistic! :D

Huaiwei,
What a great idea, thank you for the huge colletion of information. Your thread is the ultimative Singapore guide!
:master:

Originally posted by Tymon

Huaiwei,
What a great idea, thank you for the huge colletion of information. Your thread is the ultimative Singapore guide!
:master: Thank you veyr much Tymon!! ;) :D Hope you will hang around here as often as you would like! :cheers:

Originally posted by hypermount

It's funny to think Malay is the national language when it's like 99% of Singaporeans dunno 1-2 word of the language :D. for what ar?

Oh and don't forget that 20-25% of the population is Malay, who i'm sure speak and understand Malay, so, that 99% statistic may be wee off the mark, hypermount :D :D

Originally posted by glenj

Oh and don't forget that 20-25% of the population is Malay, who i'm sure speak and understand Malay, so, that 99% statistic may be wee off the mark, hypermount :D :D I noe hypermount lah.....he just LOVES to screw us for our pathetic command of Malay (refering to the non-Malay population)! :D

Unlike places with 'toothless' environment authorities, Singapore has practices worth studying and adopting, says top UN official

By Sharmilpal Kaur

THE Asia-Pacific region has 12 of the world's 15 most polluted cities, and a United Nations body is looking to Singapore as a model of how these cities can be cleaned up.

In a study, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) cited the Republic's organised approach to combating pollution, resulting in more people being aware of the environment.

Mr Ravi Sawhney, director for environment and sustainability of the UN body, said: 'Singapore is a model whose practices we would like to study and document for others to adopt and adapt.

'In Singapore, you can breathe the air. In some countries, you can also see it.'

The top UN official noted that cities such as New Delhi in India, Beijing in China, and Teheran in Iran and other countries in the region face resource depletion, waste, pollution, worsened living conditions and trans-boundary environmental problems.

Weak implementation of pollution policies has hampered attempts at resolving the problems started by rapid economic expansion in the region.

In these countries, various ministries 'worked in compartments', instead of together.

He added: 'Yes, countries articulate the policy but the environment ministries in most countries are toothless.'

Mr Sawhney told The Straits Times that these countries can improve by learning from others in the region who have done well, such as Kitakyushu in south Japan, which was a polluted city before.

Escap has a network of 54 cities in which members learn the best practices from one another. Singapore is not such a member, but it has an understanding with Escap to give technical help to other countries.

Mr Sawhney was in Singapore to attend a trade show at Suntec City, showcasing companies in the environment, water, chemical and petrochemical industries.

It was launched on Tuesday by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of State for National Development and Trade and Industry.

He highlighted the need for environmental management as well as the tremendous savings for chemical and petrochemical companies that export to the United States, because of the recent US-Singapore free trade agreement.

They will get most of the $146 million savings in tariffs estimated for non-textile exports, he said.

not surprising;)

They should make S'pore the UNESCO Capital, Ha:D Too bad our land area is too small to have a ratio of 50+sqm of greenery to 1 person.

Singapore is indeed clean.:)

Originally posted by chaos83

Singapore is indeed clean.:)



true, i wish all asians cities are like that :D

Originally posted by RafflesCity

Mr Ravi Sawhney, director for environment and sustainability of the UN body, said: '....In Singapore, you can breathe the air. In some countries, you can also see it.'This sounds familiar. ;)

Originally posted by Cliff

They should make S'pore the UNESCO Capital, Ha:D Too bad our land area is too small to have a ratio of 50+sqm of greenery to 1 person. Hm....maybe they should use a "population of trees to humans" ratio instead! Seriously, I think we could be amongst the most heavily vegetated urban places on earth! ;)

Right, where else in the world would a city look like this??:D
http://skyscraperpage.com/gallery/data/500/85panorama2.jpg

Or this? :D (Both happens to be view froms our respective homes in fact) Check out the greenery at ground level,
which are otherwise usually hidden by taller buildings. The bunch of trees across the bottom of the pano is actually
along the road outside my house! :D This was done deliebrately nationwide to cut down on pollution from our roads.

http://e.1asphost.com/sssc/Panoramas/Home.jpg

so green ... so much more livable than my home ...
is there some restriction such as tree ratios in singapore?

Originally posted by InitialD18

is there some restriction such as tree ratios in singapore? Not at all. Its kinda wierd come to think of it. Take a land of virgin forests, chop down all the trees, lay all the roads and buildings, then cram all the remaining empty land with trees again....

Thankfully nowadays, they try to actually preserve the original trees as they do their construction by building AROUND the trees then over them. In fact right now, they are building a tunnel downtown, and adopted a burrowing method instead of cut and cover, incurring a much higher construction cost, all just to save a few trees above the site.

What floor do you live on Huaiwei? Your trees seem to be very far down below.

I stay on the 8th floor. Maybe I live near the edge of AMK, that's why the trees are larger, look at the buildings at the opposite, they're 10 storeys high, and yet the trees are higher, but that is a true forest, not a replanted road, even though that 'forest' is as thin as a building.:D

I live by a jusction with 6 lanes in each direction!

Singapore is trully a tree paradise!:D

Haha...I actually live on the 10th floor! Dosent look like it eh? ;)

I too, live on the southern edge of a town, namely Hougang, and that explains why I get such a commanding view over such a wide area. The road just running below my flat is only 2 lanes per direction, but it has plenty of mature trees as this particular district is about 20 years old. :colgate:

that model should be used in Mumbai and Delhi :) :)

The memories of the circumstances of which Singapore became independent and how it overcame serious economic challenges to propel itself to where it is today cannot be overrated. Although you can say there is a siege mentality in the government and that this has filtered down to the people, it does keep the country on its toes. Remember. Singapore has no natural resources.

Heres an interesting article.

http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/96/0202/ed2.html

In Shunning Developed Status,
Singapore Keeps Its Fighting Edge

SINGAPORE IS AMONG THE dozen richest countries, as measured by the widely used yardstick of nominal per-capita gross national product. In this respect, it is ahead of almost every nation on the planet including the likes of Australia, Britain, Canada and Italy. But, Singapore protests, please don't call us a developed nation. For weeks now, the government has been spending much time and energy trying to disabuse people of the notion that the republic is an international heavyweight.
Ironically, it was partly the Lion City's own government that got citizens thinking of their higher status. In a New Year message, Mr. Goh Chok Tong, the prime minister, said the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the rich nations' club, had reclassified Singapore as a developed economy. While lauding the achievement, Mr. Goh attached a caveat: they would now have to learn manners. "Some Singaporeans still behave as if they were in the Stone Age," he tut-tutted. Still, one local editorial writer waxed eloquently about the "coming of age of the republic, which takes its place today among the developed countries of the world."

Not quite, clarified Mr. Yeo Cheow Tong a few days later. The trade and industry minister said the OECD had indeed raised Singapore's ranking, but it was from "developing economy" to "more advanced developing economy." Singapore was MADE, but that's different from being a fully developed nation in the OECD mold. Indeed, the organization explained to Asiaweek, it does not have a special classification for developed nations, though it acknowledges that all its members -- among them Mexico and the Czech Republic -- are developed. But since Singapore has not applied to join, the OECD has not had the occasion to confer membership to the city-state, as well as the status of full development.

Being MADE, of course, isn't something to sneeze at. Singapore shares the ranking with other tiny, but gilded countries: the Bahamas, Brunei, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. That reclassification process began in 1992 and was completed on January 1 this year. Technically, it means that any aid given to Singapore by the OECD's 26 members cannot be counted as official development assistance under its definitions. That is largely academic: the city-state got its last World Bank loan in 1979, and accepting handouts is not its way of doing things. It keeps trading benefits such as preferential tariffs in the European Union.

Some may ask why Singapore doesn't apply to join the OECD when less affluent countries like Mexico (accepted in 1994) and South Korea (maybe this year or next) have filled out the necessary forms. Members must meet two criteria: they have to be a pluralistic democracy and a full market economy. A detailed check then follows of a number of factors, such as full currency convertibility. The organization would not be drawn on whether Singapore matched these specifications, preferring to stress that a nation cannot be evaluated for membership it has not applied for.

Despite all that, there is little doubt that the Lion City is economically and socially more advanced than a number of countries in the grouping. Mexico's nominal per-capita GNP is a little under $4,200; Singapore's is more than $22,000. Germany has a current account deficit of $19 billion; Singapore is $6.5 billion in the black. Italy's foreign debt is $88 billion; Singapore is a net creditor. As for broader social measurements, Singapore has 275 people per hospital bed; Mexico has 829. Five Singaporean children in a thousand die before the age of 1, while for Americans the figure is nine.

But the republic says it is not ready to join. Why? Because of the obligations? A member's international aid contributions are monitored and there is a target of 0.7% of GNP. But so few meet it that it has become an irrelevance. Singapore says its economy is too fragile. Too much of its technology is imported, it adds, and the workforce is under-qualified. What's more, officials sigh, its population lacks culture and social graces. It's not clear what those last two items have to do with a full market economy or political pluralism.

No, we'll have to go back to Mr. Yeo for the more likely reason Singapore is staying out of the OECD. "It will take us another five to 10 years to get there," he intoned, "provided the people continue to work hard and smart, and we continue to put the necessary investments in education, business and social infrastructure." There must be no let-up in the national effort, not for a small island amidst powerful countries and the towering waves of an unpredictable global economy. The best way to avoid sitting on one's laurels is not to accept any.

I realised the article was writtern in 1996. It has been 8 years, and no, we are still not a developed country! ;) Amazing how the article soiunds about as relevant today as it was 8 years ago!

Interesting article Raffles. The term "developed country" is beginning to sound more and more weird all the time. Maybe "large westernised country" would be more fitting :)

Originally posted by Jo

Maybe "large westernised country" would be more fitting :) But when does a country become defined as "large"? How about Luxembourg? ;)

Hmm, you got a point there :)

"Large westernised country, small filthy rich Europan state or Japan" or "Selected country with good or promising economy" then.

..okay okay, better stick with the term "developed country" :tongue3:

Hahah!! You never fail to crack me up, Jo! :rofl:

'Large'?

Singapore is the 18th smallest country in the world!

Originally posted by redstone

'Large'?

Singapore is the 18th smallest country in the world! Obviously that category isnt for us? :D

2 March 2004

It rises to joint 33rd spot with Tokyo in world ranking of the best cities for foreigners to live and work in; Zurich and Geneva head list

By Narendra Aggarwal

SINGAPORE has climbed a few spots in a global survey to tie with Tokyo as the most attractive Asian city for expatriates to live and work in.

The latest annual survey by international human resources consultancy Mercer examined the overall quality of life in 215 cities worldwide.

The Republic jumped three places from last year's survey to joint 33rd position with Tokyo, ranked 26th last year, in a ranking dominated in the upper spots by European, American and Australasian cities.

Swiss cities Zurich and Geneva jointly took first place.

Cities were ranked by Mercer staff, using New York as the benchmark with a rating of 100, based on a set of 39 quality of life criteria, including personal safety and health, education, transport, recreation and housing.

Singapore scored 101, the same as last year. This means the quality of life here is regarded as better than in New York.

Mercer Consulting Singapore's Simon Alford said that it was notable that Singapore had maintained its appeal despite a difficult year with Sars, while cities in Japan, along with Kuala Lumpur, had dropped in the rankings. KL dropped from 73rd to 75th.

Mr Renato Sirtori, managing director of STMicroelectronics, one of the largest foreign investors in Singapore, said the country's political stability is 'a big plus point'.

'Ability to provide a pro-business environment as well as having a strong intellectual property protection culture and system' were among key factors attracting multinational companies to locate here, said Mr Sirtori. He is also the chairman of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce, the oldest business chamber in the country.

At the American Chamber of Commerce, executive director Nicholas de Boursac, who has been here for 12 years, said: 'Singapore is a great place to live. It's safe and clean. Senior managers can go around the region on their business knowing that their families will thrive here.'

The next best performing Asian city outside Japan was Hong Kong, which managed to hold onto its No 70 ranking.

Bangkok was well down the list at No 102, and Jakarta fared even worse, at 139th spot.

The analysis, covering 215 cities, is done to help governments and major firms place employees on international assignments.

Geneva's move up to joint first place with Zurich this year from second position last year takes account of its schools, where education standards, both in public and private institutions, are now rated among the best in the world, said Mercer.

Australian and New Zealand cities scored very highly, just like last year.

Sydney and Auckland were in joint fifth position, while Melbourne moved up from 15th place last year to 12th position this year, as a result of improved law enforcement. Perth was in 20th place.

Ireland's Dublin was ranked 23rd, the same as last year.

American cities slipped in the latest rankings, as tighter restrictions have been imposed on entry to the country. Increased security checks on arrival and departure from the country can be very time-consuming for expatriates, the human resources consultancy pointed out.

Baghdad is now the world's least attractive city for expatriates. Its score dropped from 30.5 last year to 14.5 because of ongoing concerns over security and precarious infrastructure.

One more time, we did well! Wonder what is going to happen if I post it in the international forums, as has happened when I posted the Globalization index thingy?? :D

Originally posted by huaiwei

One more time, we did well! Wonder what is going to happen if I post it in the international forums, as has happened when I posted the Globalization index thingy?? :D

I already did. So far didnt get any replies from a particular forumer protesting. Strange;)

Anyway here is the table for Asia Pacific.

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-03-02/040302plife.gif

Wahaha!! When a particular city was not in the top 50.....I almost expected him to think his city was not in the study...coz he cant believe his city isnt that high up?

And thank goodness Good Ol'e Business Times pays good money for the full listing! :D

Singapore is way ahead in graft index

By Eugene Low

SINGAPORE is still regarded as the least corrupt country in Asia, according to a poll of foreign business executives released yesterday.

On a scale of zero to 10 - with 10 being the worst - expatriates surveyed by the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (Perc) gave Singapore a score of 0.5.

Japan was a distant second with 3.5, and Hong Kong was in third place with a score of 3.6. Indonesia, with 9.25, was the worst performer.

Singapore also compared favourably with the United States and Australia, which had ratings of 2.45 and 2.17 respectively.

'Fear of punishment acts as an effective deterrent and the (Singapore) Government is very efficient about policing itself,' said Perc in its report.

'The top-down nature of the anti-corruption fight in Singapore has worked as well as it has not only because the country's leaders have pushed the campaign, but also because they have personally been beyond reproach.'

Perc asked more than 1,000 expatriate business people in the region to rate how bad they thought the problem of corruption in the country where they are working was, as well as in their home countries.

Singapore came out tops in last year's survey as well. However, its latest score is slightly worse than its grade of 0.38 last year.

But Perc managing director Robert Broadfoot told The Straits Times that the dip was 'statistically insignificant'.

The small decline could be 'due to the weather', he quipped, adding that there was no change in Singapore's 'zero-tolerance' stance against graft.

'The latest score is consistent with Singapore's long- term trend,' he said. 'It has had no problems with corruption for a number of years and its rating remains superior to other Asian countries'.'

Singapore's rating has improved steadily over time. Its score was 1.43 in 1998.

But ironically, the Republic could be a victim of its own good reputation.

'Unscrupulous individuals and companies - mainly non-Singaporeans - sometimes try to dress themselves up as being 'clean' by developing an association with Singapore,' said Perc.

It cited Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) as an example of an Indonesian-owned company that listed here in order to enjoy better ratings by foreign creditors and investors.

Last July, the Commercial Affairs Department completed an 18-month investigation into APP, which had defaulted on US$14 billion in debts in 2001.

On a more positive note, the Perc survey also found that perceptions of corruption in most Asian countries had improved.

'Some of the biggest improvements have been registered in countries like China and Thailand, which have long had poor reputations, while perceptions in three of the four worst-rated countries for corruption, Vietnam, India and Indonesia, are slightly better this year,' it said.

HOW REGION FARED

1. Singapore........0.50
Autralia..............2.17
United States......2.45
2. Japan.............3.50
3. Hong Kong......3.60
4. Taiwan...........6.10
5. South Korea....6.67
6. China.............7.33
6. Malaysia.........7.33
6. Thailand.........7.33
9. Philippines.......8.33
10. Vietnam........8.67
11. India............8.90
12. Indonesia......9.25

NOTE: Zero is the best grade, 10 the worst

SOURCE: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RISK CONSULTANCY

This is great news and is to Singapore's advanatge to be perceived as less corrupt than its neighbours:guns1:

What amazes me is the huge gap between the first ranked and the rest! :D

Singapore ranks most desirable place for expatriates in Asia: PERC study

16 March 2004

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpu3Xs5o.jpg

SINGAPORE : Singapore is the most desirable place for expatriates to live in Asia, followed by Hong Kong, according to a survey by Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy or Perc.

Perc said the Singapore government "has gone out of its way to create a comfortable living environment for expatriates", in order to distinguish the city-state from rivals like Hong Kong.

It added that these expatriates are frequently well paid, and Singapore is "doing a good job" in making sure they live in a more comfortable environment than alternative locations like San Francisco and Sydney.

Perc also said that housing is comfortable and much more spacious in Singapore than what is available in Hong Kong, for the same price.

And although Singapore and Hong Kong are relatively expensive, Perc said it is usually easier for expatriates to fit into these societies than others in Asia. - CNA

This story was printed from TODAYonline

S'pore 6th in WEF competitive index

Thursday • October 14, 2004

GENEVA — Singapore continued to set the pace in terms of its macroeconomic environment for the 104 countries in the World Economic Forum's (WEF) annual ranking of the most competitive economies this year.

Comprising the Asian countries that made it to the top 10 were sixth-place Singapore, Taiwan in fifth and Japan in the ninth position.

Leading the business forum's 2004 overall growth competitiveness index for the second year running was Finland.

The United States, Sweden, Denmark Norway, Switzerland and Iceland took the remaining places at the head of the ranking.

Overall, this year's survey favoured smaller economies and highlighted the quality of public institutions as well as the legal framework that companies rely on for a steady business.

"It is vitally important that countries improve the quality of their public institutions over time," said WEF chief economist Augusto Lopez-Claros. — AFP

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 19 Oct 2004

S'pore's plus factors offset expats' lower pay

Survey finds their pay lags those of expats in many countries in region

By CHUANG PECK MING

(SINGAPORE) Pay isn't the biggest draw for the many expatriates still flocking to Singapore to work.

While expats here command higher salaries than locals, their earnings are lower than those of expats in many countries in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a recent survey.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/ylstan03/Miscelleneous/bt191004pexpats19pg1.gif

Total earnings of expats in Singapore - especially those in country manager and function-head positions - are 1.6 times those of their local counterparts, says the survey by Hong Kong-based HR Business Solutions.

But at about US$225,000, the total that expats make here in a year lags expat earnings in Australia (US$380,000), Japan (US$360,000), India (US$330,000), Thailand (US$270,000), South Korea (US$260,000), Hong Kong (US$250,000) and China (US$235,000).

Except for Hong Kong, these remunerations - because of perks and various allowances - are two to nearly four times those of locals in equivalent positions. Expat earnings in Hong Kong are 1.3 times of local pay.

Earnings of expats in Singapore are only about on par with expats in Taiwan but are more than those in Indonesia and Malaysia, according to the survey which covered 7,261 execs in 470 companies.

But Taiwan and Indonesia have hardly any sizeable expat communities to speak of while Singapore, the survey shows, has the biggest expat community in the region after China.

Of the 1,802 executives polled in Singapore, 14 per cent were expats. The survey covered 1,850 executives in China, of which 29 per cent were expats.

'China has the most expatriates because the managerial supply cannot meet demand as a result of the breakneck economic growth over the past two decades,' says Elaine Ng, HRBS's managing principal.

Hong Kong has the region's third biggest expat community - 12 per cent of 922 executives polled were expats.

So if salaries aren't the major factor drawing expats to Singapore, what is? Ms Ng, a Singaporean and formerly with New York-based Mercer Human Resource Consulting, says a major factor is Singapore's better living conditions.

The big presence of MNCs and the government's open-door policy are also factors, she says.

Yet another reason is the large number of regional job positions here. A big chunk of those positions - up to 47 per cent, says the survey - are still being filled by expats.

Although Singapore's hold is slipping, the country continues to top the Asia-Pacific ranking in the amount of regional jobs on offer. Nearly two in three jobs polled carried regional responsibilities.

The figure is half for Hong Kong, which has the second biggest number of regional jobs.

'Despite severe competition from countries around the region, Singapore continues to maintain its lead as an Asia-Pacific hub where MNCs continue to base their regional HQs,' Ms Ng says.

'Wages in Singapore over the past five years have increased slowly by a compound rate of 21 per cent and are at the bottom fourth in wage growth among 14 Asia-Pacific countries,' she says.

'Managerial labour costs in Singapore are 21 per cent lower than Hong Kong and Japan. While some companies may consider moving their Asia-Pacific HQs elsewhere - and especially to China, where business operations are huge - not all companies think in the same mode.'

Managerial pay in China, Ms Ng says, has grown by 'leaps and bounds', but local managers there lack experience.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

The New Paper - 20 Oct 2004

Who says expats make big bucks here?

They earn less than counterparts in India, China, Thailand and many other Asian countries. But conditions here still a big draw
SURPRISE.

That expat sipping a beer at a swanky pub in Boat Quay is actually earning much less than his colleagues in most other Asian countries.

But he'd much rather sip his beer here than anywhere else.

A survey by Hong Kong-based HR Business Solutions said pay isn't the biggest draw for the many expatriates still flocking to Singapore to work.

While expats here command higher salaries than locals, their earnings are lower than that of expats in many countries, the survey, reported in The Business Times, said.

Total earnings of expats in Singapore - especially those in country manager and function-head positions - are 1.6 times those of their local counterparts.

But at about US$225,000 ($378,000) yearly, what expats make here lags expat earnings in countries like Japan (US$360,000), India (US$330,000), Thailand (US$270,000) China (US$235,000) and other Asian countries.

ON PAR

Expat earnings here are about on par with Taiwan but are higher than in Indonesia and Malaysia, according to the survey which covered 7,261 execs in 470 companies.

Singapore also has the biggest expat community in the region, except China.

Of the 1,802 executives polled in Singapore, 14 per cent were expats. The survey covered 1,850 executives in China, of which 29 per cent were expats.

'China has the most expatriates because the managerial supply cannot meet demand as a result of the breakneck economic growth over the past two decades,' says Ms Elaine Ng, HRBS's managing principal.

So if salaries aren't the major factor drawing expats to Singapore, what is?

Ms Ng, a Singaporean and formerly with New York-based Mercer Human Resource Consulting, says a major factor is Singapore's better living conditions.

The big presence of MNCs and the Government's open-door policy are also factors, she says.

Yet another reason is the large number of regional job positions here. A big chunk of those positions - up to 47 per cent, says the survey - are still being filled by expats.

Although Singapore's hold is slipping, the country continues to top the Asia-Pacific ranking in the amount of regional jobs on offer. Nearly two in three jobs polled carried regional responsibilities.

The figure is half for Hong Kong, which has the second biggest number of regional jobs.

'Despite severe competition from countries around the region, Singapore continues to maintain its lead as an Asia-Pacific hub where MNCs continue to base their regional HQs,' Ms Ng said.

She also said wage growth here is at the bottom fourth among 14 Asia-Pacific countries.

'Managerial labour costs in Singapore are 21 per cent lower than Hong Kong and Japan.

'While some companies may consider moving their Asia-Pacific HQs elsewhere - and especially to China, where business operations are huge - not all companies think in the same mode,' she said.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Singapore also has the biggest expat community in the region, except China.

Although Singapore's hold is slipping, the country continues to top the Asia-Pacific ranking in the amount of regional jobs on offer. Nearly two in three jobs polled carried regional responsibilities.

The figure is half for Hong Kong, which has the second biggest number of regional jobs.

Interesting...

uh... this is the first time i've seen this thread :o

needs some updating..

@heirloom, I'm basically salvaging relevant posts from the ROJAK thread that would fit this title. Its also useful as a repository of information as you never know when we will need fast facts :D :) ;)

Singapore is way ahead in graft index

By Eugene Low

HOW REGION FARED

1. Singapore........0.50
Autralia..............2.17
United States......2.45
2. Japan.............3.50
3. Hong Kong......3.60
4. Taiwan...........6.10
5. South Korea....6.67
6. China.............7.33
6. Malaysia.........7.33
6. Thailand.........7.33
9. Philippines.......8.33
10. Vietnam........8.67
11. India............8.90
12. Indonesia......9.25

NOTE: Zero is the best grade, 10 the worst

SOURCE: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC RISK CONSULTANCY

I'm quite surprise at the difference in scores between the first and the rest......:eek:

yup..very dramatic difference :yes:

Expressed as percentage

1. Miami - 59%
2. Toronto - 44%
3. Los Angeles - 41%
4. Vancouver - 37%
5. New York City - 36%
6. Singapore - 33%
7. Sydney - 31%
8. Ivory Coast - 30%
9. London - 28%
10. Paris - 23%

UNITED NATIONS - Singapore is one of the top 10 cities in the world with the largest foreign-born population, with Miami topping the list, according to a UN report.

The Republic ranks sixth, with 33 per cent of its population born abroad.

In Miami, in the southern United States, 59 per cent of the population is foreign-born, the majority of whom come from Cuba, along with other immigrants from the Caribbean and South America.

Toronto comes in at 44 per cent, with Los Angeles close behind at 41 per cent.

Also among the top 10 are Vancouver (37 per cent), New York City (36 per cent), Sydney (31 per cent), Ivory Coast (30 per cent), London (28 per cent) and Paris (23 per cent).

Earlier this week, a separate UN report said Singapore had moved up three notches to 25th spot in the latest UN rankings of international levels of development - an indicator of the best places to live in the world.

Industrialised nations, as usual, were in the top 20, with Norway leading the list of 177 countries as it has for the past four years.

'Driven by globalisation, the number of migrants soared in the last decade, especially to the high-income countries of western Europe, North America and Australia,' said the Human Development Report by the UN Development Programme released this week.

But it warned that countries receiving high numbers of outsiders 'struggle with issues of cultural freedom' as immigrants complain of lack of recognition and natives fear their national identities and values are under threat.

The report cited debates over Spanish-language education in US schools, whether Muslim girls should be allowed to wear headscarves in France and if Sikh motorcyclists should be permitted to wear a turban instead of a helmet in Canada as examples of some issues that cities with large foreign populations have to grapple with.

It encouraged countries to acknowledge diversity and promote unity at the same time and to include immigrants in civic affairs rather than relegate them to ghettos.

However, the report recognised that the process would be a slow one. It said: 'Accepting multiple identities is a major transformation. But history shows that it does happen.'

In a plea for opening doors to immigration, the report argued that gains from liberalising migration dwarfed even those of removing barriers to world trade.

The study said nations had a choice: recognise and promote cultural diversity or face violence, less development and a loss of human freedoms.

The report concluded that accepting diversity and protecting minority rights are vital to development and stability across the globe. -- AFP, Reuters

Human Development Index 2004

from the UN

HDI Ranking
http://hdr.undp.org/

High human development


1 Norway 0.956
2 Sweden 0.946
3 Australia 0.946
4 Canada 0.943
5 Netherlands 0.942
6 Belgium 0.942
7 Iceland 0.941
8 United States 0.939
9 Japan 0.938
10 Ireland 0.936
11 Switzerland 0.936
12 United Kingdom 0.936
13 Finland 0.935
14 Austria 0.934
15 Luxembourg 0.933
16 France 0.932
17 Denmark 0.932
18 New Zealand 0.926
19 Germany 0.925
20 Spain 0.922
21 Italy 0.920
22 Israel 0.908
23 Hong Kong, China 0.903
24 Greece 0.902
25 Singapore 0.902
26 Portugal 0.897
27 Slovenia 0.895
28 Korea, Rep. of 0.888
29 Barbados 0.888
30 Cyprus 0.883
31 Malta 0.875
32 Czech Republic 0.868
33 Brunei Darussalam 0.867
34 Argentina 0.853
35 Seychelles 0.853
36 Estonia 0.853
37 Poland 0.850
38 Hungary 0.848
39 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.844
40 Bahrain 0.843
41 Lithuania 0.842
42 Slovakia 0.842
43 Chile 0.839
44 Kuwait 0.838
45 Costa Rica 0.834
46 Uruguay 0.833
47 Qatar 0.833
48 Croatia 0.830
49 United Arab Emirates 0.824
50 Latvia 0.823
51 Bahamas 0.815
52 Cuba 0.809
53 Mexico 0.802
54 Trinidad and Tobago 0.801
55 Antigua and Barbuda 0.800


Medium human development


56 Bulgaria 0.796
57 Russian Federation 0.795
58 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya 0.794
59 Malaysia 0.793
60 Macedonia, TFYR 0.793
61 Panama 0.791
62 Belarus 0.790
63 Tonga 0.787
64 Mauritius 0.785
65 Albania 0.781
66 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.781
67 Suriname 0.780
68 Venezuela 0.778
69 Romania 0.778
70 Ukraine 0.777
71 Saint Lucia 0.777
72 Brazil 0.775
73 Colombia 0.773
74 Oman 0.770
75 Samoa (Western) 0.769
76 Thailand 0.768
77 Saudi Arabia 0.768
78 Kazakhstan 0.766
79 Jamaica 0.764
80 Lebanon 0.758
81 Fiji 0.758
82 Armenia 0.754
83 Philippines 0.753
84 Maldives 0.752
85 Peru 0.752
86 Turkmenistan 0.752
87 St. Vincent & the Grenadines 0.751
88 Turkey 0.751
89 Paraguay 0.751
90 Jordan 0.750
91 Azerbaijan 0.746
92 Tunisia 0.745
93 Grenada 0.745
94 China 0.745
95 Dominica 0.743
96 Sri Lanka 0.740
97 Georgia 0.739
98 Dominican Republic 0.738
99 Belize 0.737
100 Ecuador 0.735
101 Iran, Islamic Rep. of 0.732
102 Occupied Palestinian Territories 0.726
103 El Salvador 0.720
104 Guyana 0.719
105 Cape Verde 0.717
106 Syrian Arab Republic 0.710
107 Uzbekistan 0.709
108 Algeria 0.704
109 Equatorial Guinea 0.703
110 Kyrgyzstan 0.701
111 Indonesia 0.692
112 Viet Nam 0.691
113 Moldova, Rep. of 0.681
114 Bolivia 0.681
115 Honduras 0.672
116 Tajikistan 0.671
117 Mongolia 0.668
118 Nicaragua 0.667
119 South Africa 0.666
120 Egypt 0.653
121 Guatemala 0.649
122 Gabon 0.648
123 São Tomé and Principe 0.645
124 Solomon Islands 0.624
125 Morocco 0.620
126 Namibia 0.607
127 India 0.595
128 Botswana 0.589
129 Vanuatu 0.570
130 Cambodia 0.568
131 Ghana 0.568
132 Myanmar 0.551
133 Papua New Guinea 0.542
134 Bhutan 0.536
135 Lao People’s Dem. Rep. 0.534
136 Comoros 0.530
137 Swaziland 0.519
138 Bangladesh 0.509
139 Sudan ae 0.505
140 Nepal 0.504
141 Cameroon 0.501


Low human development



142 Pakistan 0.497
143 Togo 0.495
144 Congo 0.494
145 Lesotho 0.493
146 Uganda 0.493
147 Zimbabwe 0.491
148 Kenya 0.488
149 Yemen 0.482
150 Madagascar 0.469
151 Nigeria 0.466
152 Mauritania 0.465
153 Haiti 0.463
154 Djibouti 0.454
155 Gambia 0.452
156 Eritrea 0.439
157 Senegal 0.437
158 Timor-Leste 0.436
159 Rwanda 0.431
160 Guinea 0.425
161 Benin 0.421
162 Tanzania, U. Rep. of 0.407
163 Côte d’Ivoire 0.399
164 Zambia 0.389
165 Malawi 0.388
166 Angola 0.381
167 Chad 44.7 0.379
168 Congo, Dem. Rep. of the 0.365
169 Central African Republic 0.361
170 Ethiopia 0.359
171 Mozambique 0.354
172 Guinea-Bissau 0.350
173 Burundi 0.339
174 Mali 0.326
175 Burkina Faso 0.302
176 Niger 0.292
177 Sierra Leone 0.273

Business Times - 25 Oct 2004

S'pore has pivotal role in global pharmaceuticals

Raw materials for 10 of the world's blockbuster drugs are made here

By CHEN HUIFEN

(SINGAPORE) Raw materials for 10 of the world's blockbuster drugs that saw US$20 billion in worldwide sales last year are being produced right here in Singapore, thanks to the appeal of its strong intellectual property (IP) protection laws.

http://img67.exs.cx/img67/7656/251004p1xfpharma.gif

According to business intelligence firm World Market Research Centre, 'few pharmaceutical companies have dared to enter the Asian market for this manufacturing process, generally due to poor IP standards', yet Singapore alone has managed to attract several big pharmaceutical giants to have their active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) made here.

Of the 10 popular drugs that have their APIs manufactured here, three are the world's top 20 drugs, namely Seretide (for asthma), Neurontin (seizures) and Diovan (hypertension).

The arthritis drug Vioxx would have made it four had it not been recently pulled off the global market by Merck after a study confirmed concerns that it raises the risk of heart attack and stroke risks.

The 10 popular drugs that have their APIs produced in Singapore are labelled 'blockbuster' because each has an annual sale of at least US$1 billion.

Top on the list is Seretide, produced by Glaxo SmithKline. Sales of the drug generated about US$4 billion last year. It is followed by Pfizer's US$2.7 billion Neurontin and Novartis' US$2.4 billion Diovan.

'We haven't done any specific analysis of other Asian countries in terms of the number of blockbusters they manufacture but I'd be surprised if any other country had more,' said London-based WMRC healthcare analyst Gustav Ando.

'Certainly this is unique to Asia - that a small Asian pharma hub has been able to attract so much interest from the big pharmas, and is the centre of manufacturing for 11 blockbusters (if Vioxx is also taken into account) around the world.'

Mr Ando does not have an estimate of how many blockbuster drugs there are globally right now, but he reckons only the world's top 10 drug companies would have more than two or three. 'Outside the top 20, most companies do not have one,' he added.

A strong IP regime in the country they manufacture is important to major drug companies because they rely on the exclusive rights to produce proprietary drugs, held through patents lasting 10-20 years, to generate the phenomenal sales for a stipulated period of time.

'In this respect, Singapore comes out on top in Asia, and the country's IP legislation is continually being improved in favour of the pharmaceutical industry,' Mr Ando said.

He noted that Singapore has been consistently ranked among the top in Asia for IP protection from 1997 to 2003 by the Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy. 'Thus, you can't ask for a better research and manufacturing environment,' he added.

'Ultimately, Singapore's strength is that it is attempting to build a unique, fully-integrated life sciences sector, from early stage R&D to manufacturing and commercialisation. The problem remains the dearth of venture capital and an unlively stock market, and this will not change until a stronger intellectual capital has been built up in the life sciences sector.'

While Taiwan, India and China offer cheaper operating facilities, WMRC said some have questionable IP records. In a tussle involving Pfizer and the authorities in China, the latter overturned Pfizer's patent for Viagra, leading to a rampant counterfeiting of the drug.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

'We haven't done any specific analysis of other Asian countries in terms of the number of blockbusters they manufacture but I'd be surprised if any other country had more,' said London-based WMRC healthcare analyst Gustav Ando.

A strong IP regime in the country they manufacture is important to major drug companies because they rely on the exclusive rights to produce proprietary drugs, held through patents lasting 10-20 years, to generate the phenomenal sales for a stipulated period of time.

'In this respect, Singapore comes out on top in Asia, and the country's IP legislation is continually being improved in favour of the pharmaceutical industry,' Mr Ando said.

this solid reputation in the industry will help to make it even more attractive for future companies to base their research here :)

Interesting thread! :)

Interesting thread! :)

Interesting?? Hmm....in what way?? :D

^

must be lots of useful trivia :D

Other countries studying PUB's system of harnessing rainwater

27 Oct 04

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpbQhZxY.jpg

By Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Back in the 1980's, Singapore's Public Utilities Board put in place a plan to harness rainwater collected in urban areas.

Singapore is now the only country in the world getting drinking water directly from a system of drains and canals.

In fact, it has become a case study for other countries.

The scheme harnesses water from drains from the northern and eastern parts of the island, and channels them to two man-made reservoirs - the Bedok and Lower Seletar Reservoirs.

Rainwater that falls in housing estates is channelled from a network of drains into larger monsoon drains.

The water is collected in the two man-made reservoirs, which are interconnected, and then pumped into reclamation plants for treatment.

The reservoirs are built in such a way that there is no wastage of water.

PUB consultant Dr Brendan Harley said, "In studying the development of some of these schemes, Singapore was able to make a decision that we understood enough about, for example the Bedok-Seletar system, that we could go ahead and build a safe water supply system.

"You could study it for 10 years, or you could go ahead build it, and monitor it very carefully. That's what makes Singapore different from many other places."

This system provides 10 percent of the island's water needs.

New York City, which now relies only on one source of water, is studying to see if the programme can be modified to supply water to the city for the next 50 years.

Said Dr Harley, "One of the things we brought back from Singapore is the ability here to integrate multiple sources of water supply, whether it's imported water from Malaysia, urban drainage, NEWater, and desalination. All of which will be looked at by New York City as a way of providing redundancy and additional capabilities for that city, which right now is dependant on only basically one single source of water."

While land scarce Singapore has found innovative ways to meet its water needs, it faces a battle educating the public on the need to conserve water.

The biggest challenge the authority faces now is on educating the public to respect our environment.

We have to be aware that every bit of rubbish that we dispose of indiscriminately into the waterways is directly contaminating the source of our drinking water.

So public education will now focus on getting everyone to not only save water, but to keep reservoirs and drains clean. - CNA

This story was printed from TODAYonline

Singapore slips in global press freedom survey

Thursday • October 28, 2004

SINGAPORE has slipped down the latest world press freedom ranking, according to international association Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF).

The Republic is now ranked 147th out of 167 countries, three rungs lower than last year, making it the lowest ranked developed country when it comes to press freedom.

Malaysia is ranked 122nd while Indonesia is 117th.

RSF, which has its national branches based mostly in Europe and with offices around the world, released its third annual worldwide press freedom index on Tuesday.

Northern Europe emerged as a haven for journalists as Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland all ranked a joint first.

North Korea, Cuba and Myanmar remained the most media repressive regimes.

RSF identified East Asia, which also has China, Vietnam and Laos near the bottom of the index, and the Middle East as having the worst press records.

China has become the world's biggest media prison, with 27 journalists currently behind bars. "In these countries, an independent media either does not exist or journalists are persecuted and censored daily. Freedom of information and the safety of journalists are not guaranteed," said RSF.

The deaths of 44 journalists in Iraq since war broke out last March has seen it plummet from 124th last year to 148th, one spot behind Singapore.

The index does not look at human rights violations in general; only press freedom violations, noted RSF.

Besides physical violations against journalists, the 52-criteria questionnaire takes account of the legal situation affecting the media, such as penalties for press offences, the existence of a state monopoly and the existence of a regulatory body.

It also considers the behaviour of the authorities toward state-owned news media and the foreign press as well as obstacles to the free flow of information on the Internet.

The questionnaire was sent to RSF's 130 global correspondents as well as to journalists, researchers and jurists. Rights activists and freedom of expression groups also responded.

Singapore's score on the questionnaire worsened from 47 to 57 points. In comparison, the top ranked countries scored 0.5 points while North Korea racked up 107.5 points.

RSF described The Straits Times as practising "systematic self-censorship in its domestic reporting" while noting that Today and Streats published independent commentaries on the domestic situation more often. RSF said that the rankings are not indicators of the press quality. For the complete rankings, log on to www.rsf.fr — Derrick A Paulo

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

Oct 30, 2004
Only 1 woman in 2 here works
This compares to four out of five in Norway and three out of five in the United States
By Sue-Ann Chia

WHEN it comes to being family-friendly, Singapore firms lag behind those in developed countries.

One indication is the lower number of working women here as more of them tend to quit their jobs after they have children.

Only 54 per cent of women in Singapore work, compared to 80 per cent in Norway, 73 per cent in Finland and 60 per cent in the United States.

This led Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, to renew a call to firms here to develop a pro-family culture so they can attract and retain employees.

'In Singapore's case, we can do much more. There is a need for our enterprises to push on further,' he told 100 company chiefs at a seminar at the Shangri-La Hotel to discuss family-friendly work practices yesterday.

At the event, there was no lack of role models to learn from as Norwegian and Singaporean firms shared how they strike a balance between work and family life by doing a variety of means.

These include allowing employees to work from home, take time off to care for children or work flexible hours.

Visiting Queen Sonja of Norway, a guest-of-honour at the event, said: 'People today expect success, not only in terms of a successful career but also in terms of a good family life.

'This is a challenge for governments, corporations and employers alike.'

For Norway, its slew of family-friendly policies such as 10-month maternity leave and 10-day childcare leave, as well as an entrenched flexible work culture, have paid off.

Employees are more productive - not only at work but also in childbearing as fertility rates have risen.

However, even as Singapore learns from Norway's experience, Dr Balakrishnan noted the Republic has chosen not to use legislation to get companies to be more family-friendly.

'We do not want to introduce excessive rigidities to our labour laws and hence affect the flexibility of our labour market,' he explained.

Even without laws in place, firms should develop family-friendly work practices to respond to the needs of workers.

It will also signal that 'Singapore is a great place to work, which will help retain homegrown talent and attract foreign talent, he added.

This is crucial, given that competition for global talent continues to be keen as there is a manpower crunch as citizens age.

Firms which fear that having family-friendly practices will put their bottom line at risk should stop worrying.

'It does not make sense to try to extract a little more productivity by denying employees flexible work arrangements, time off or leave to care for their families, or making employees work overtime hours,' he said.

'In the long run, the early gains in productivity will be negated by longer sick leave, disengaged workers, poor morale and higher staff turnover.'

Mr Russell Watson, managing director of pharmaceutical firm Merck, Sharpe & Dohme, who attended the seminar, agreed that employees who have a happy family life are also more motivated at work.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 03 Nov 2004

S'pore falls a notch in information society poll
South Korea and Hong Kong ahead of S'pore at 13th spot in IDC survey
By RAJU CHELLAM

SINGAPORE may have made great strides in becoming a wired island, but it still has some catching up to do with the frontrunners, according to the second global Information Society Index (ISI) survey released yesterday by US-based research house International Data Corp (IDC).

The study ranks Singapore 13th out of 53 top nations for 2003, one place lower than in 2002.

In first place is Denmark, followed by Sweden, the US, Switzerland and Canada.

'South Korea jumped from 16th place in 2002 to eighth place in 2003 and is the only country in the Asia-Pacific to be ranked in the top 10 worldwide,' said Kitty Fok, IDC's vice-president for the Asia-Pacific central research group.

'Singapore's rank dropped one level, while Hong Kong jumped from 18th place in 2002 to 11th in 2003.'

The ISI combines 15 variables in four infrastructure pillars - computers, Internet access, telecom and broadband adoption, and social factors such as education, civil liberties and government corruption - to rank countries.
'In much the same way that gross domestic product measures a country's economic wealth, the ISI measures its information capacity and wealth,' Ms Fok said.

'At the top of the telecom rankings, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore claimed four of the top five positions.'

Based on 2003 data, 68 per cent of Korean households have broadband connectivity, more than triple the rate seen in the US or Denmark.

Wireless subscribers as a percentage of population is topped by Taiwan, with Hong Kong and Singapore capturing third and fourth places.

At the 2002 rankings, IDC said that it expects Singapore to jump all the way to grab second spot - behind the US - by 2007.

Falling behind Singapore in four years' time will be Sweden, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway and South Korea - in that order.

Singapore scored top marks in the computer and telecom sub-indexes.
It was ranked third in computer penetration in terms of PCs per household - behind Canada and the US - in 2002. And it was ranked second in telecoms - in terms of mobile subscribers, handset shipments and broadband households -behind Hong Kong.

But Singapore did not make it to the top five spot in the Internet and social categories - and lost out in the overall rankings.

'At the bottom of the rankings in 2003 were the less-developed information societies,' Ms Fok said. 'These are countries where there is far less ability to access and use information and IT. Of the 53 countries profiled, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and Turkey received the lowest overall scores.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 03 Nov 2004

S'pore is Jaguar's biggest Asean market
By SAMUEL EE

SINGAPORE'S appetite for big cats is the strongest in the region, and it seems that the bigger the cat, the better the demand.

The republic is the biggest market for Jaguar cars in South-east Asia and outsells Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Sri Lanka combined. Another peculiarity is that sales of the flagship model alone - the XJ - is almost double the worldwide trend.

The British luxury car has been racking up steady growth of 17-18 per cent in Singapore over the last four years and the latest addition to the range - the XJ Long Wheelbase saloon - is expected to help distributor Malayan Motors continue this sales momentum.

Last year, Malayan sold 384 cars and this year, it expects to sell 450 units. Four Jaguar models are available - the X-Type, the S-Type, the XJ, and the XK coupe and convertible.

The entry-level X-Type is the best-seller with about half of all cars bought and the S-Type registers almost 20 per cent of sales.

But what is unusual is that because the Singapore market associates the XJ look with the Jaguar marque, the top-of-the-line saloon makes up about 30 per cent of total sales. This compares with just 15-20 per cent in other parts of the world.

And last week's introduction of the long wheelbase (LWB) model should help to sustain growth. 'Asia is a long wheelbase market,' explained Roger Jory, regional director of Jaguar Cars Asia.

'For Singapore, about 70 per cent of long wheelbase Jaguars are chauffeur-driven but the trend is decreasing. China, Taiwan and Korea have a much higher percentage of chauffeur-driven cars,' he added.

Last year, about 1,870 Jaguar cars were sold in the whole of Asia, excluding Japan (annual sales for Japan alone are about 5,000). This year, Asia, excluding Japan, is likely to see the figure rise to slightly more than 2,000.
'In absolute terms, the number is not huge but we are competing in a small market,' said Mr Jory. One reason is that Jaguar does not have production facilities for CKD operations. CKD refers to completely knocked down vehicles which are assembled in destination countries.

Such vehicles are more competitively priced because they do not attract import duties. So despite the status and prestige associated with a fully imported brand like Jaguar, the bulk of the market will still go to significantly cheaper locally assembled luxury cars.

'Generally, you have to do local manufacturing to be competitive,' said Mr Jory. 'Jaguar is unique because it is built in only one location in the world - the United Kingdom - and currently, there are no plans for local assembly.'
He said it is a question of priorities. For example, the XJ has an aluminium body which is the result of a high-tech fabrication process and thus may not be suitable for CKD.

'You need significant investment for CKD, so we need to identify where the opportunities are. And there are a lot of opportunities in China and Korea,' he said.

But even with North Asia's growth potential, other more mature markets still hold promise for Jaguar. Mr Jory said: 'Singapore and Hong Kong are mature markets, but we will still have a record year even before the long wheelbase version's arrival.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 03 November 2004 1440 hrs

Singapore best-managed city in the world: Jones Lang Lasalle

SINGAPORE : Singapore was declared the world's best-managed city on Wednesday in a survey of major capitals by a global property consultancy.

The city-state was trailed by Barcelona, Dubai and New York, with Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong also among the top 10 in the inaugural City Governance Survey by Jones Lang Lasalle, which operates in more than 100 markets worldwide.

In terms of marketing itself, New York City came out number one, followed by Shanghai, Barcelona and Singapore.

Thirty-three major cities were included in the rankings based on quantifiable data and "softer, qualitative information" gathered by the firm.

"City governance has a critical influence on a city's attractiveness," said Yu Lai Boon, managing director of Jones Lang Lasalle's Singapore office, adding that governance was essentially "the process for making and implementing decisions".

The top 10 cities in overall ranking were Singapore, Barcelona, Dubai, New York, Shanghai, Budapest, Brisbane, Beijing, Auckland and Hong Hong.

These were declared the "successful" cities in the survey.

The "balanced" cities' list included Dublin, Dalian in China, Paris, Sydney, London, Stockholm, Melbourne, Berlin and Cape Town.

"In Asia, Singapore and Hong Kong ranked particularly well in terms of city management," Yu said.

He noted that medium-sized, wealthier cities tended to perform best on this index as larger cities often experience congestion and high costs while smaller cities have to deal with lack of real estate products and not enough market scope to attract investors and corporates.

Yu also cited Shanghai and Beijing for their "strong marketing capabilities".

Shanghai recently held a Formula One race and will host the 2007 Special Olympics and 2010 World Expo, while Beijing will host the 2008 Olympics.

Singapore was noted for its "prominent regional position and cultural diversity" as well as its "physical integrity and city autonomy," a feature it shares with Barcelona and Dubai.

These three cities have a single administrative and political body whose area of responsibility broadly matches the geography of the city economy, the property firm said. - AFP

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 03 November 2004 1735 hrs

Singapore ranked first in city governance survey
By Connie Tan, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Singapore has clinched the top spot in the Jones Lang LaSalle City Governance survey, ahead of other Asian cities such as Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.

The survey, which evaluated 33 major cities around the world, found that successful governance is not dependant on a city's size, geographical spread or economic maturity, but on its management and strong marketing capacity.

Good city governance is a critical factor in attracting investors.

Other cities noted for their strong governance were Barcelona, Dubai and New York. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Here's the top 10 cities ranked in order:

1. Singapore
2. Barcelona
3. Dubai
4. New York
5. Shanghai
6. Budapest
7. Brisbane
8. Beijing
9. Auckland
10. Hong Kong

Full report may be downloaded from http://www.research.joneslanglasalle.com/GlobalReports.asp?LanguageID=1

Hmm.....I wonder what the reaction's like when this is posted on the world forum?? :naughty::lol:

Here is it...muahahaha

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=148334

Seems like my lover is lurking around. :D (he is looking at that section as we speak! :lol: )

View Profile: hkskyline

Last Activity: Today 07:19 AM
Viewing Thread Singapore the best-managed city globally: Jones Lang LaSalle City Governance Survey @ 07:19 AM

Here is it...muahahaha

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=148334

Seems like my lover is lurking around. :D (he is looking at that section as we speak! :lol: )


Muahahha......now this is going to be exciting.......will we see a repeat of the previous stuff(ie statistic problems, bias blah blah)?? :eek:.........:lol:

Well..he is already creating a new thread in there. Now lets bet..confirmed its about another "alternative" survey which has his beloved city on top or something! :lol:

Well..he is already creating a new thread in there. Now lets bet..confirmed its about another "alternative" survey which has his beloved city on top or something! :lol:

Almost guranteed........:lol:

Now what's new?? ;)

Haha...I dunno what the freak of a thread he has created...sounds lame. But why not go partitipate in the international thread lah. Sekali kana accuse of being "provincial" how? ;)

Haha...I dunno what the freak of a thread he has created...sounds lame. But why not go partitipate in the international thread lah. Sekali kana accuse of being "provincial" how? ;)

"Provincial"?? Muahahaha......kaoz another of your lover's (recently) favourite term......:lol:

I like HK but from all my visits there, I didn't gather that it was being "managed", which is why I like it so much.

S'pore named best-governed city

4 Nov 04

Island ranks high in city management and marketing in Jones Lang LaSalle survey of 33 major cities, reports ANDREA TAN

SINGAPORE is the world's best-governed city, according to a survey by Jones Lang LaSalle. This puts the city-state ahead of Barcelona, Dubai and New York.

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-11-04/041104tjll4.gif

JLL said in its inaugural City Governance Survey of 33 major cities that success was dependent on city management and strong marketing capacity, not city size, geographical spread or economic maturity.

New York was the leader in city marketing, trailed by Shanghai, Barcelona, Singapore, Beijing and Dubai. In terms of city management, Singapore was No 1, followed by Auckland, Dubai, Barcelona and Hong Kong.

'City governance has a critical influence on a city's attractiveness to both investors and occupiers of real estate,' said JLL Singapore managing director Yu Lai Boon.'Broadly speaking, governance can be defined as the process for making and implementing decisions.'

Cities were classified as successful, balanced and challenged.

San Francisco, Warsaw, Tokyo and Shenzhen were labelled 'challenged' under overall city governance ranking.

Frankfurt, Rio de Janeiro, Berlin and Sao Paulo were the least well managed. The worst cities in terms of marketing were Tokyo, Shenzhen, Warsaw and San Francisco.

Dr Yu said Singapore and Hong Kong ranked 'particularly well' in terms of city management.

'Singapore is a city-state characterised by prominent regional position and cultural diversity,' he said. 'Singapore has strong city autonomy given its high capacity to allocate financial resources according to its priorities as well as raising resources to fulfil the same priorities without depending heavily on central government transfers.'

JLL said medium-sized, wealthier cities tended to perform best on this index, as larger cities often experience congestion and high cost issues, while smaller cities have to deal with the lack of real estate product and the limited scope of their markets in order to attract investors and corporate occupiers.

How can a city improve its ranking?

The international property consultancy said major events such as the Olympic Games, and buildings were good tactics to use in city marketing programmes. Barcelona used the 1992 Olympic Games as a catalyst to renovate the city, while Dubai's major harbour Jebel Alihas become a leading world tourist destination, JLL said.

I think our government recieves more respect from the world at large than from Singapore's very own residents...

I think our government recieves more respect from the world at large than from Singapore's very own residents...
Just look at ignore. Typical example. :lol:

How sad....

See? This thread makes me laugh for some reason...

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=147919

Jesus. Singapore must be quite a shithole to live in since it is hardly "up to mark" to being a "perfect city"....no matter how "well-managed" it is supposed to be according to those "experts"!

See? This thread makes me laugh for some reason...

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=147919

Jesus. Singapore must be quite a shithole to live in since it is hardly "up to mark" to being a "perfect city"....no matter how "well-managed" it is supposed to be according to those "experts"!

Can't help it......not everyone is that patriotic......:no:

Can't help it......not everyone is that patriotic......:no:
Its not to do with patriotism lah...aiyoh...

Its more to do with how "insecure" they feel about their own place (a very common trait in so many of our youngsters, I have to add, and is affects the way they see themselves as individuals), or how much they like to think the world outside is always greener.

Its not to do with patriotism lah...aiyoh...

Aiyoh......it's just how I felt at that moment lah.....so don't get too "excited" about it.......;)

Nov 5, 2004
NUS ranks 18 in British survey of 200 universities
By Sandra Davie

THE National University of Singapore has beaten several reputable institutions, including Cornell and Columbia in the United States, in a Times of London ranking of the world's 200 best universities.

NUS, placed No 18, was one of only the three Asian universities that made the top 20. The other two are Tokyo University and Beijing University.

American institutions took seven of the top 10 positions, with Harvard University garnering the No 1 spot.

Nanyang Technological University came in at No 50, ahead of Britain's Warwick and Bristol universities, and Australia's RMIT University, Macquarie and Curtin, all popular with Singapore students heading overseas.

The four-year-old Singapore Management University which specialises in business was not included, as single-subject institutions were left out.

The survey, published on Thursday, was a first by the British newspaper.

Some 1,300 academics in 88 countries participated in the survey which asked them to name the best institutions in fields they were knowledgeable about.

The ranking then took into account the amount of cited research produced by faculty members, the ratio of professors to students and a university's success in attracting foreign students and internationally renowned academics.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

well visiting a foreign city and staying in it are 2 totally different things.

He probably wants to do some travelling....

uh... different people like different things.

anyway this survey is about city-management and everyone that comes to Singapore always remark at how well planned and how it takes the long-term strategic view of things. Sometimes too well-planned but nevertheless impressed.

Singapore Sweeps Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Awards 2004

For the fourth consecutive year, Singapore has emerged a winner at the annual Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Readers’ Poll awards. Singapore took the award for Best Business City in the World, and the Shangri-La Singapore, Best Business Hotel in the World.

Singapore Airlines won the World’s Best Airline and Best Asia-Pacific Airline awards. Singapore Airlines also took lead honours in the following categories: Airline Economy, Business and First Class, and Frequent-Flyer Programme. Changi Airport was crowned as Best Airport in the World and Best Duty-Free in the World.

Two new categories were added to the awards list this year: Best Serviced Residence Brand in Asia-Pacific which went to Ascott International, while Best Serviced Residence in Asia-Pacific went to The Ascott, Singapore.

Over 350 travel industry leaders gathered for the awards luncheon held at the Grand Ballroom of the Conrad Hong Kong. Mrs Anson Chan, UNICEF Council Member and former Chief Secretary of Hong Kong, was the event’s Guest of Honour.

Peggy Teo, publisher, Business Traveller Asia-Pacific, said: “All the winners have fought a good battle, with their commitment and exceptional service to the industry.”

Business Traveller Asia-Pacific is in its 23rd year of publication, and is one of seven regional editions of the magazine. The others are published in the UK, US, China, Germany, Middle East and Hungary.

Source: Make It Singapore, Issue 4, October 2004 (Singapore MICE E-newsletter published by Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau).

Editor’s note :

Shangri-La Singapore also took top spot in the Best Business Hotel in Asia-Pacific category.

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 09 November 2004 1319 hrs

S'pore's customer service ranking drops to 21st place
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Singapore's ability to satisfy customers has dropped.

In the just-released Global Competitiveness Report of over 100 countries, Singapore has slipped to 21st position, down from 8th place just six years ago.

NTUC Deputy Secretary General Lim Swee Say noted this might be because Singapore was not improving fast enough in service standards compared to other countries.

He was speaking at this year's Excellence Service Awards ceremony.

The report places Japan in top spot for customer satisfaction while Hong Kong is in 10th position. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Duh! NTUC FairPrice's check out staff are grounchy. But I understand why. NTUC FairPrice pays them meagre wages. Damn NTUC. They have no idea what the staff there suffer though. Damn complain queen complain king Singaporeans.

huuhuh i dont think tourists go to ntuc fairprice:lol:

Nov 9, 2004
S'pore lags in global tech ranking
By Chua Hian Hou

SINGAPORE may see itself as having a good telecommunications infrastructure and a high PC penetration rate, but it ranked only 13th in a global Information Society Index released last week.

American research company International Data Corp (IDC), which is well known in the IT area and which compiled the list, said the country's censorship laws and a lack of legislation on the privacy of data meant it was not as ready as Asian neighbours South Korea and Hong Kong to compete successfully in today's information economy.

That is expected to change by next year, however, as Singapore is tipped to overtake other Asian countries.

The index assessed 53 countries, measuring their 'progress towards becoming an information society', said the research company's vice-president for Asia-Pacific, Ms Kitty Fok, last Thursday.

The list rated countries in four areas: computer usage; Internet access; telecommunications and broadband adoption; and social factors. The last included issues such as education and civil liberties.

Globally, Denmark was placed first, followed by Sweden and the United States. South Korea was the top country in the region in eighth place, followed by Hong Kong in 11th. Australia was 12th.

The index can be viewed at the IDC website.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Nov 17, 2004
Minister ticks off media group for S'pore's low ranking

SINGAPORE - The Government on Wednesday slammed a media watchdog for ranking Singapore in the same league as North Korea and Myanmar in press freedom, saying outsiders shouldn't equate freedom with criticising the government.
Singapore placed 147th in the annual index put out by Reporters Without Borders - by far the lowest ranking of any developed country in the annual ranking - and just one notch above Iraq and 18 above Myanmar.

Other countries in the bottom two dozen included Libya at 154, Zimbabwe at 157 and China at 162. North Korea was ranked worst at 167; Cuba was 166.

Information Minister Lee Boon Yang said the index imposes a standard that fails to take into account 'special circumstances' in Singapore, where he said journalists contribute to the nation's development and are not necessarily adversarial.

Dr Lee said the Reporters Without Borders index 'is based largely on a different media model which favours the advocacy and adversarial role of the press'.

'We have a different media model in Singapore,' he said in a written comment.

'This model has evolved out of our special circumstances and has enabled our media to contribute to nation building,' he said, adding the government simply 'did not agree' with the organisation's rankings, which were released late last month.

Dr Lee said Singapore's media 'has to be sensitive to our national interests'.
-- AP

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Ranking of what?

Ranking of what?

This.......

This story was printed from TODAYonline

Singapore slips in global press freedom survey

Thursday • October 28, 2004

SINGAPORE has slipped down the latest world press freedom ranking, according to international association Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF).

The Republic is now ranked 147th out of 167 countries, three rungs lower than last year, making it the lowest ranked developed country when it comes to press freedom.

Malaysia is ranked 122nd while Indonesia is 117th.

RSF, which has its national branches based mostly in Europe and with offices around the world, released its third annual worldwide press freedom index on Tuesday.

Northern Europe emerged as a haven for journalists as Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia and Switzerland all ranked a joint first.

North Korea, Cuba and Myanmar remained the most media repressive regimes.

RSF identified East Asia, which also has China, Vietnam and Laos near the bottom of the index, and the Middle East as having the worst press records.

China has become the world's biggest media prison, with 27 journalists currently behind bars. "In these countries, an independent media either does not exist or journalists are persecuted and censored daily. Freedom of information and the safety of journalists are not guaranteed," said RSF.

The deaths of 44 journalists in Iraq since war broke out last March has seen it plummet from 124th last year to 148th, one spot behind Singapore.

The index does not look at human rights violations in general; only press freedom violations, noted RSF.

Besides physical violations against journalists, the 52-criteria questionnaire takes account of the legal situation affecting the media, such as penalties for press offences, the existence of a state monopoly and the existence of a regulatory body.

It also considers the behaviour of the authorities toward state-owned news media and the foreign press as well as obstacles to the free flow of information on the Internet.

The questionnaire was sent to RSF's 130 global correspondents as well as to journalists, researchers and jurists. Rights activists and freedom of expression groups also responded.

Singapore's score on the questionnaire worsened from 47 to 57 points. In comparison, the top ranked countries scored 0.5 points while North Korea racked up 107.5 points.

RSF described The Straits Times as practising "systematic self-censorship in its domestic reporting" while noting that Today and Streats published independent commentaries on the domestic situation more often. RSF said that the rankings are not indicators of the press quality. For the complete rankings, log on to www.rsf.fr — Derrick A Paulo

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

With a broadsheet newspaper monopoly? :bash:

Business Times - 17 Nov 2004

BreadTalk wins prestigious Hong Kong Design for Asia Award 2004

SINGAPORE- Beverage chain BreadTalk Group Limited has won the prestigious Design for Asia Award 2004 (DFA) from the Hong Kong Design Centre, the organiser of this year's Business of Design Week 2004: Lifestyle Asia (BODW) held in Hong Kong.

BreadTalk is the only Singapore company among 11 other companies around the world whowon the DFA award.

Other winners include Sony Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd.

The DFA award recognises the most commercially effective designs in Asia and seeks topromote design excellence and awareness amongst businesses and the public, underscoringthe fact that good design is key to the quality of life and business success.

Dr George Quek, BreadTalk's Group Managing Director hopes that winning this award will propel the brand to greater heights and increase brand equity.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 18 Nov 2004

Fullerton Square wins Fiabci award again

TYCOON Ng Teng Fong's Far East Organization/SinoLand has again won an international real estate award for its Fullerton Square project comprising The Fullerton Singapore hotel, One Fullerton and the underground link connecting the two.

Far East/SinoLand is also the world's only property entity to win the Oscars of the property world, the Fiabci Prix d'Excellence, four times. Fiabci is the French acronym for International Real Estate Federation.

Its latest triumph comes from winning the US-based Urban Land Institute Award (ULI) for Excellence 2004, with Singapore being the only Asian country to feature a winning project.

The ULI Awards for Excellence programme is widely regarded as the land use industry's most prestigious recognition programme worldwide. Winning projects, representing the highest standards of achievement in the development industry, contribute to a live-work-play environment and are designed to complement and enhance the greater community.

'It reaffirms The Fullerton's achievements in its pursuit of world-class real estate development excellence,' said Chia Boon Pin, chief operating officer of Far East's retail & lifestyle concepts business group and corporate affairs director.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 09 November 2004 1319 hrs

S'pore's customer service ranking drops to 21st place
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Singapore's ability to satisfy customers has dropped.

In the just-released Global Competitiveness Report of over 100 countries, Singapore has slipped to 21st position, down from 8th place just six years ago.

NTUC Deputy Secretary General Lim Swee Say noted this might be because Singapore was not improving fast enough in service standards compared to other countries.

He was speaking at this year's Excellence Service Awards ceremony.

The report places Japan in top spot for customer satisfaction while Hong Kong is in 10th position. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

The follow-up action........

Nov 19, 2004
10 retailers tie up with ITE to beef up service level in S'pore

New course will have scholarships and internships for students
TEN of the larger retail outfits here are trying to make a difference to Singapore's service standards by working with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) on a course to train service staff for the country's retail industry.

The one-year programme will groom students with N or O levels in soft skills such as interacting with customers, acting as a cashier, handling and displaying merchandise, as well as poise and grooming. At the end, they will get a National ITE Certificate in service skills (retail).

Yesterday, the 10 signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the ITE agreeing to provide a two-month internship for those doing the course, which starts next year. During that period, the students will be given the same training as the stores' permanent staff.

The retailers are electronics chain Best Denki, hypermarket Carrefour, department stores C K Tang, Isetan and Seiyu, clothing chain Giordano Originals, supermarket NTUC FairPrice, sporting goods chain Royal Sporting House, Watson's Personal Care Stores and clothing company Wing Tai Retail.

At Best Denki, each student will have a mentor to guide him. FairPrice will train the students at its own training institute as well as on the job. And for the first time, it will also offer scholarships.

The ITE has been trying out a service course this year for 300 students - but without attachments - in an effort to make people aware of job opportunities in the retail sector, as well as to raise the profile of service staff in an industry comprising about 19,700 establishments.

The enhanced course, which places greater emphasis on hands-on learning, will start with an intake of 500, but could cater to more if necessary. Applicants will be interviewed to see if they have the personality and the aptitude for the retail business.

Speaking at the MOU signing, ITE chairman Eric Gwee pointed out that employment prospects in the industry are good, and that it is looking at a possible 1.1 per cent annual growth, or 1,700 new positions being created each year for the next five years.

He added: 'One of the key challenges is the low-productivity of the industry due to an undertrained workforce. Another...is the quality of customer service.'

This year, Singapore plummeted from eighth to 21st place for customer orientation in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report, prompting Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Lim Swee Say to remark at Spring Singapore's Excellent Service Award ceremony last week that he was concerned if service standards here are merely 'nice but forgettable' and urged a customer-centric approach.

Noted Wing Tai Clothing's general manager, Ms Lee Mei Li: 'The rest of the world has gone ahead leaving us behind. Also, people's expectations are higher now.'

Front-line sales positions are regarded as a second-rate career option, rather than a profession needing specific skills, because of the attitude towards academic qualifications, she said, adding that she is hoping the ITE course will change this perception.

Neo Wei Ling, 17, who is doing the pilot retail course, said: 'I didn't know there are relevant higher level courses, like the Higher Nitec course in business studies, which I can take after this one.'

Case study

A customer who collected her clothing from a launderette found several problems.

First, instead of removing a stain on her dress, the launderette had made it worse. Second, her silk skirt had been badly creased and the champagne stains were still there. Third, the slit of her blue skirt had been sewn up entirely. The woman had specified that only the section that had split open should be sewn up.

The customer felt that the launderette had not rectified the problems but had only made them worse. She believed that she should be compensated and not be charged for the services.

In the end, the launderette returned her clothing and waived the charges.

CONSUMER TIPS

1. Beware of the small print in agreements. Sometimes this is printed on the reverse of the receipt.

2. Check your clothing thoroughly immediately after receiving it, before paying.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

The New Paper - 19 Nov 2004

Asia's Best Budget Hotel is right here

By Genevieve Jiang
geneviev@sph.com.sg

IT'S been named by Time magazine in its latest issue as Asia's Best Budget Hotel.

But there was a time when Hotel 1929 in Chinatown had only three customers.

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-11-18/gj1929-233637.jpg

Within a month of its opening in February last year, the hotel saw its occupancy hit 85 per cent.

But that quickly tumbled to a low of 10 per cent at the height of Sars in April.

Said hotel owner Loh Lik Peng, 32: 'The going was definitely tough at the start. I tell people we had an occupancy rate of 10 per cent, which doesn't sound too bad if we're a 400-room hotel.

'But in a budget hotel, that's three rooms!'

Today, the 32-room 1929 enjoys full occupancy almost every month.

The name came about because the old building which the funky boutique hotel now occupies was originally built in that same year.

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-11-18/news-235831.jpg

It was described in Time as a property with 'a soupcon of good taste and a lot of imagination'.

At Hotel 1929, rooms are individually styled, and all are equipped with a flat-screen television, broadband Internet access and a designer shower.

Guests also get to enjoy a rooftop spa pool and a private collection of vintage designer chairs, which are scattered throughout the guest rooms and public areas.

Best of all, they come at an affordable price of $110 for a regular room, and $180 for a suite with outdoor baths set in tropical roof gardens.

And it is its eclectic furnishings and unique style that has helped it stand out from the rest.

Said Mr Loh, a former lawyer: 'I was very lucky, right from the start. We got a lot of publicity and support from the media, probably because of our unique decor and style.

'Because of that, Singaporeans flocked to the hotel. Even during Sars, we never suffered from a zero occupancy rate because although there were few tourists, Singaporeans still patronised us.'

The hotel in Keong Saik Road was built from a triangular cluster of five shophouses which Mr Loh's family had bought for less than $4 million during a mortgagee sale in 2001.

QUIT LAW AND TOOK A CHANCE

Said Mr Loh: 'The most obvious thing to do at the time would have been to rent it out. But Singapore was going through a recession at the time and I wanted to do something different.

'So I decided to take a chance, and turn it into a hotel.'

Mr Loh is the only son of two doctors. His elder sister is a doctor, the younger one, an architect.

He quit David Lim and Partners, where he was a corporate commercial litigator.

'I always saw law as a transitory period of my life. I saw myself pursuing my passion later on in life, perhaps, opening a pub.'

And if there's one thing Mr Loh is passionate about, it's his collection of vintage chairs.

'Before the hotel came about, I was just spending thousands of dollars collecting designer chairs from all over the world and stacking them up in a room somewhere at home.'

Since the birth of 1929, his 'babies' have found a new home.

The hotel is stuffed with classic chairs by well-known designers such as Arne Jacobsen, Pierre Paulin and Hans Wagner.

And although the hotel is located in an area in Chinatown known more for its brothels and working girls than for trendy establishments, he steers clear of the sleaze.

'Unlike some other budget hotels which offer hourly rates, we offer only overnight stays. We do not position ourselves as a cheap hotel, but more a hotel that offers good value.'

He declined to reveal how much he takes home a month, but said it was a 'healthy sum'.

In fact, the legal eagle-turned-hotelier already has plans for a second hotel, also in Chinatown.

Expected to be opened at the end of next year, it will occupy the current Majestic Hotel at Bukit Pasoh Road.

Mr Loh calls it the Hotel 1929's 'big sister, only more upmarket'. It will charge close to $250 a room.

Said Mr Loh: 'I have been extremely lucky and blessed. Being named the best budget hotel was totally unexpected.'

Asia's other No 1s

SINGAPORE made it to Time magazine's list of Asia's Best in more than just one category.

The rooftop swimming pool at Changi Airport (right) Terminal 1 was named Best Airport Surprise.

Travel-weary passengers can soak in a hot tub or take a dip in the adjacent kidney-shape pool while watching planes go by.

Time described it as a 'mini rooftop resort'.

And the Boom Boom Room was named the place that served the best Singapore Sling here.

Also on the list were Tokyo's Club Quattro for best live music, Laos' Bia Lao for best local beer, and Kuala Lumpur's City Centre Park for best park for kids.

The Gulmarg Golf Club in Kashmir was named the most spectacular golf course, and South Korea's Pusan International Film Festival was crowned the best film festival in Asia.

The list was put together based on the knowledge of Time's correspondents.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

$110 a night considered budget? I dont think so

Nov 23, 2004
S'pore team in global contest for first time

THE challenge was to think up an exhibit for a children's museum and then produce a prototype - within 24 hours.

Eight students, who comprised the Singapore team in the Global Enterprise Challenge, suggested a series of interactive booths intended to give a taste of 'the experiences of flying'.

Singapore was one of 16 countries to take part in the competition. All submitted their entries over the Internet, including business plans and videos that showed working models.

Scotland came tops in the contest, launched last Tuesday by Scottish Enterprise Education and judged by a panel from the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa).

The Singapore team, made up of students from various local educational institutions, thought up Kazoom - a series of booths simulating 'flight technology over the years, from when the Wright Brothers invented the aeroplane'.

For instance, at one booth, visitors are jerked about to simulate encountering air turbulence.

Scotland's winning entry proposed a 'rotating drum': Children step in and experience different levels of friction as it rotates.

This is the first time Singapore - or any South-east Asian country - has entered a team in the three-year-old competition.

The team members, from different junior colleges, polytechnics and international schools, were Brian van der Vliet, Brian Ho Guan Long, Teng Hui Ling, Roshini Jain, Caroline Lund, Heng Yuan Rong, Naren Sundaravaradan and Charmaine Tang.

For being the best of 10 local student teams, they get to split a $2,000 prize.

PSA Corp was the main sponsor of the local leg.

Flight simulation

THE Global Enterprise Challenge: Think up an exhibit for a children's museum.

The eight students in the Singapore team conjured up Kazoom - a series of booths simulating 'flight technology over the years, from when the Wright Brothers invented the aeroplane'.

For instance, at one booth, visitors are jerked about to simulate encountering air turbulence.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

November 23, 2004

S'porean is Asia's top PI

By Zubaidah Nazeer

FORTY-FIVE years into the business, private eye Harmon Singh is not only still busting the baddies, but also continuing to bag accolades.

But his latest award title is quite a mouthful: The Best and Most Successful and Talked About Private Investigator of Asia in the Past Quarter Century.

The award is the second given to him by the India-based International Institute of Security and Safety Management (IISSMNET), an international body comprising security and safety experts.

Mr Singh, 64, received his first IISSMNET award, the Most Celebrated Detective in the World, in 1995.

He now focuses mainly on matrimonial investigations, especially cases of infidelity.

Although he has 30 private investigators under him, Mr Singh is still ever ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work.

The snooper has had acid thrown in his face and bones broken in the line of duty.

Said Mr Singh, who served in the police force for 21 years before setting up his own PI agency in 1981: I did not go into the job expecting all these; it's the satisfaction of helping people... but getting awards feels nice.

Indeed, with this latest award being his 39th, will he be calling it a day soon?

There are still so many problems to solve, so many people to help, especially the ladies, he said.

The award will be presented on Thursday in Hyderabad, India.

Copyright © Singapore Press Holdings, 2004. All rights reserved.

actually by thte standards of most developed cities 110 a night is really quite cheap isnt it?. there was an article in wallpaper* about budget hotels and they mentioned hotel 1929 with a rock bottom price of £30 a night. then they went on to discuss other 'budget' hotels in europe that were at least three times the price!!!

actually by thte standards of most developed cities 110 a night is really quite cheap isnt it?. there was an article in wallpaper* about budget hotels and they mentioned hotel 1929 with a rock bottom price of £30 a night. then they went on to discuss other 'budget' hotels in europe that were at least three times the price!!!

I think so......just as topshop is considered "cheap" (something like giordano is to singapore) in UK (one t shirt maybe £18).....but when it's in Singapore, it's about S$57......:eek:

I think so......just as topshop is considered "cheap" (something like giordano is to singapore) in UK (one t shirt maybe £18).....but when it's in Singapore, it's about S$57......:eek:

I tot giordano is cheap everywhere. U2 stuff is slightly cheaper only in hk. but they have so much more clothes on offer.

I tot giordano is cheap everywhere. U2 stuff is slightly cheaper only in hk. but they have so much more clothes on offer.

What I meant just now is that things thats cheap to the ppl in Europe might be considered expensive for us in Asia......:yes:

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 24 November 2004 1733 hrs

Singaporeans the most optimistic consumers in Asia Pacific: ACNielsen
By Channel NewsAsia's Hong Kong Correspondent Roland Lim

Singaporeans are the most optimistic consumers in the entire Asia Pacific region, says a global survey by ACNielsen.

The study is on how individuals plan to spend their spare cash next year.

When it comes to spending spare cash, Singaporeans are the most upbeat with consumer confidence even higher than in China or Hong Kong.

This is even though growth is likely to slow to 5 percent next year after expanding more than 9 percent in the first nine months of this year.

Bienvenido Niles, President Asia Pacific, ACNielsen, said: "It's a reflection of the great economic performance in Singapore over the last year and the expectation from consumers that this will continue despite the fact that there could be some factors which will impact the economy, not only in Singapore but other countries like the price of oil, the rise in interest rates."

Coming in a close second is Hong Kong.

SK Fung, Managing Director, ACNielsen, said: "They're upbeat about the next 12 months probably because they know deflation is over, now some inflation is back, but in the case of Hong Kong, it's still very low single-digit, 0.2 percent compared to a month ago."

The survey shows that Hong Kong people are most likely to spend their spare cash on dining out and entertainment, clothes and new tech gear.

And there is also the increasing trend that Hongkongers are also spending on bigger ticket items like short holidays and home improvement.

At the other end of the spectrum, the most pessismistic consumers in the region are in Japan, Philippines and South Korea. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

http://sg.yimg.com/i/sg/providers/reuters.gif

Thursday November 25, 4:20 PM

SMIC overtakes Chartered to rank 3rd in Q3 - IDC

SINGAPORE, Nov 25 (Reuters) - China's top chip maker, SMIC , overtook Singapore rival Chartered Semiconductor to rank third in the global industry in the September quarter, researchers IDC Asia Pacific said on Thursday.

Four-year-old Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. ranked third in terms of revenues, after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp. , the world's top two suppliers of made-to-order chips, IDC said in a report.

State-controlled Chartered now ranks fourth.

Given a slowdown in the semiconductor industry and a build-up of inventories, factory usage rates were expected to fall in the fourth quarter of 2004, but would likely bottom out by the second quarter of next year, IDC said.

As a result, revenues for the contract chip makers were expected to remain flat or grow slightly in 2005 from the previous year.

"If (factory) utilisation rates continue to drop beyond the first half of 2005, then the outlook will be even more severe," it added.

SMIC last month said third-quarter revenue grew 24.4 percent from the second quarter to US$274.9 million, while Chartered's quarterly sales rose 87 percent from a year earlier to $257.3 million, but were almost flat from the second quarter.

TSMC, UMC and Chartered have warned of weak fourth-quarter sales, while SMIC is cautious on demand beyond the fourth quarter.

Increasing competition from Japanese and South Korean integrated device manufacturers (IDMs) -- firms that mostly design and manufacture their own proprietary chips -- could spur consolidation among contract chip makers, IDC said.

Toshiba Corp. , Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Fujitsu Ltd. are becoming more visible in the market place, thanks to their advanced technology development.

"They may pose a challenge in the long term to the dedicated foundry suppliers (contract chip makers) as they become more aggressive in leading-edge designs," IDC said.

Copyright © 2004Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 02 Dec 2004

Non-tariff barriers: S'pore rated tops in Asean survey

By NANDE KHIN

US multinational companies find the non-tariff barriers to trade low in Singapore, but the same cannot be said for other Asean countries, according to a survey commissioned by the American Chambers of Commerce in the region.

Singapore consistently performed the best in all the criteria: payment of intellectual property rights/royalties; invoice/transfer pricing policies; repatriation of foreign currencies; reverse logistics; and international guidelines on valuation.

Malaysia trails in second place across all the criteria. Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines generally performed below the region's average across the same criteria.

The 91 survey respondents were US companies with a strong regional presence who are members of the American Chambers of Commerce in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

While 30 per cent of them responded for more than one country in the survey, most responded for only one country.

'While we applaud the lowering of tariff barriers within Asean, governments now need to focus their efforts on lowering non-tariff barriers as these also discourage investments and slow down the growth of the Asean economies,' said Nicholas de Boursac, executive director of American Chamber of Commerce Singapore.

The area that Singapore was rated the least favourably was the payment of intellectual property rights/royalties.

Of the 18 companies which responded for Singapore in this category, 11 per cent said Singapore's compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) guidelines for payment of intellectual property rights/royalties is poor or fair. Another 28 per cent said compliance is good while the rest said compliance is excellent.

The issue also emerged as a primary concern for the region as a whole, with 59 per cent of the respondents not convinced of the regional authorities' compliance with the WTO guidelines.

In the categories of invoice/transfer pricing policies and reverse logistics (goods returns, rejects and defects), all the respondents for Singapore rated the country either good or excellent.

But respondents were less satisfied with the other countries. With regard to reverse logistics, Indonesia (82 per cent), Vietnam (76 per cent), Thailand (70 per cent) and the Philippines (69 per cent) were ranked unfavourably in terms of their rate of speed in processing the customs clearance for goods returns, rejects and defects.

In general, respondents indicated they encountered the most difficulties with non-tariff barriers in Vietnam (39 per cent), followed by Indonesia (22 per cent) and Thailand (9 per cent).

'Working hard to make regulations and procedures crystal clear and dependable would go a long way to attracting further trade and foreign direct investment,' said Mr de Boursac.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 04 Dec 2004

STMicro, Merck win awards

STMicroelectronics and Merck Sharp & Dohme Singapore have become the first foreign companies to win the Singapore Envi ronmental Achievement Awards in the seven years since the award's launch.

STMicro clinched the top award in the foreign manufacturing category. Merck won the merit award in the same category. The awards were presented by the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Yaacob Ibrahim, at a ceremony yesterday.

Property and real estate developer City Development Ltd won in the local service category this year.

SEAA is awarded by the Singapore Environment Council.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 07 Dec 2004

Prime office rents up 10% this year

Trend expected to continue in 2005 and flow through to wider market as demand picks up and supply tightens in prime areas. KALPANA RASHIWALA reports

PRIME office rents in Singapore are expected to end this year at about $4.40 psf a month, or a 10 per cent gain over the past 12 months. And they will continue their upward trend and hit at least $5 psf by end-2005, amounting to a further increase of 13.6 per cent, says CB Richard Ellis.

This will be aided by the ongoing improvement in demand for office space on the back of economic recovery and limited completion of new office space.

'Sharply falling vacancy levels, particularly in the Grade A segment of the market, will enable landlords to test tenants' willingness to meet higher rent expectations,' said CBRE executive director Moray Armstrong.

He acknowledged, however, that slowing economic growth predicted for next year may serve to decelerate rental increases in the following year.

For the next 12 months at least, property consultants generally expect prime office rents to continue improving steadily. DTZ Debenham Tie Leung's executive director Ong Choon Fah predicts an increase of up to 10 per cent, while Ong Beng Kheong, managing director of Valuers & Property Consultants (S) Pte Ltd (VPC), forecasts a 10-15 per cent hike in the Raffles Place area.

'But this will be confined only to the prime buildings directly in Raffles Place - like Republic Plaza, SingLand Tower, Caltex House and UOB Plaza - simply because there's no new supply there,' added Mr Ong.

'The rest of the market isn't going to get any worse, but it may take a while to pick up as the current phenomenon of a two-tier market continues for a while,' he added.

Prime office rents in Singapore started to recover in Q2, after three straight years of decline which saw average prime office rent falling to $4 psf, an 18-year low. However less sought-after buildings in non-prime locations have continued to languish as tenants move to the best buildings in the CBD. Reflecting this trend, CBRE's figures show that prime Grade A office vacancy rates are now 7.1 per cent, or about half of what they were a year ago. Overall islandwide vacancy rates are also down, although less dramatically, from 17.9 per cent in Q4 2003 to about 16 per cent now.

DTZ's Ms Ong said she expects prime office blocks to continue leading the rental recovery next year due to the nature of demand at this point of the cycle. 'Right now, new demand is coming mainly from expansion in the financial services industry like wealth management - and these users need prime space.

'However, as the prime space gets increasingly taken up, some users will be more open to other places and make the necessary compromise, and that will help to spread out the rental increase to some of the non-prime buildings - although these will not be as high.'


Silver lining

Agreeing, CBRE's Mr Armstrong says: 'With a limited range of options for prime Grade A space, occupiers may need to start looking at less prestigious locations as alternatives,' he said.

Market watchers say that the silver lining behind the rental slide over the past few years is that it has boosted Singapore's cost competitiveness.

'In the mid-1990s, Singapore was consistently in the list of 10 most expensive office locations worldwide. As at the middle of this year, it was ranked 60th. This is complementary to the wider government objective of keeping Singapore lean, mean and competitive,' observes Mr Armstrong.

But VPC's Mr Ong argues that 'such cost comparisons can be a red herring'.

People like to be based where the business is. If there's business to be done here, they will be very happy to pay even a $10 psf monthly office rent. But if the business simply isn't here, what's the point of maintaining an office in Singapore even if the rent is just $2 psf?

'Like a Taiwanese client told me recently: 'Office rents in Singapore are cheap, but so what? There's no business.' The business is in China, India, Thailand and Indonesia.'

What had sent office rentals sliding for the past few years was oversupply and weak demand. Things seem to be on the mend now. Only 61,000 sq ft of new supply has been added to the market this year compared with the 10-year annual average (between 1994 and 2003) of 2.3 million sq ft.

And with businesses expanding once again with the economic recovery, CBRE estimates new demand for office space this year at about 750,000 sq ft, after two years of negative net demand - to the tune of 930,000 sq ft in 2002 and 1.13 million sq ft in 2003.

The firm expects demand to improve further next year to 1.25 million sq ft, exceeding the new supply of 730,000 sq ft that will come from the completion of 1 George Street and 3 Church Street.

The only major office project expected to be completed in the following year (2006) will be One Raffles Quay in the New Downtown with about 1.3 million sq ft of net lettable area.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 13 Dec 2004

S'pore is top M&A player in the region

It bought the most foreign assets by volume

By SIOW LI SEN

(SINGAPORE) Singapore is the largest buyer of foreign assets in the region by volume, reflecting its saturated domestic market, and this trend is likely to continue, according to Vishal Sharma, director of corporate finance at accounting and consulting firm KPMG.

http://img25.exs.cx/img25/2776/newspaper17fj.png

Mr Sharma added Singapore will likely retain the top spot, despite China's recent emergence as a big player in cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) activity - as evidenced by the landmark buy of IBM Corp's PC unit by Chinese PC maker Lenovo.

For the first 11 months of this year, Singapore's M&A activity has been strong with US$15.5 billion of deals completed - up 74 per cent over the US$8.9 billion posted in the corresponding 2003 period, according to a KPMG/Dealogic survey.

There were 396 completed deals in the region, of which 243 were cross-border deals.

Of the 396 deals, 155 involved Singapore bidders for overseas assets. The 155 bids were worth a total of US$7.5 billion, which made Singapore entities the top cross-border M&A players in the region when measured by volume and a close second when measured by value.

Explaining this trend, Mr Sharma said: 'Cross-border activity has increased a lot over the years, as many companies facing a saturated domestic market have been forced to pursue growth offshore.'

Singapore buyers of offshore assets this year include United Overseas Bank (UOB), which acquired Bank of Asia (Thailand) and Singapore investment company Temasek Holdings, which purchased a stake in Hana Bank (Korea).

The largest transaction this year so far was Singapore Power's US$3.7 billion buy of TXU Australia.

A fair bit of activity was also seen in the real estate sector, Mr Sharma said.

China too recorded very strong M&A growth this year with US$27.1 billion of completed deals in the first 11 months - more than double last year's amount.

The activity has been driven by a 182 per cent increase in inbound acquisitions (that is, acquisitions within China itself) from US$6.5 billion in 2003 to US$18.2 billion in the year to date.

Mr Sharma feels while Chinese company Lenovo's purchase of IBM's PC business is a landmark, the predominant trend in Chinese M&A activity has been inbound investment.

'China wants to buy offshore assets, no doubt, but the inbound wave will still dominate for the next 5-10 years,' he said.

So while this will mean more competition for Singapore as it scours overseas markets for good assets, the additional rivalry is 'no more or less than it always has been', according to Mr Sharma.

'I don't think Singapore will feel an additional pinch from China,' he said, noting there will always be competition for good assets.

He also noted that China's interest in offshore assets is more manufacturing-related and less focused on the services sector or in hub businesses, in both of which areas Singapore is stronger.

The survey also showed that economic recovery in the region is well under way with the upturn in M&A activity becoming more broad-based, particularly from Singapore.

Where Singapore is involved either as a bidder or as a target nation, the number of deals is a record since 1997, when data began to be collected, he said.

The previous highest volume was in the year 2000, when 386 deals were completed for the full year.

Of the 396 deals this year, 367 - or nearly 93 per cent - were under US$100 million and were spread across a number of industries including manufacturing (where the average deal size was US$15 million) and wholesale trade (average deal size: US$10 million).

There were also a good number of deals in the media, information and software sectors, with each deal averaging US$21 million.

Despite the high number of deals, their total value is much lower than in 2001, which witnessed some of the biggest-ever M&A deals in Singapore, including UOB's S$10 billion acquisition of Overseas Union Bank and DBS' S$10 billion buy of Hong Kong's Dao Heng Bank. SingTel also bought Australia's Optus for S$14 billion in 2001.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

The only major office project expected to be completed in the following year (2006) will be One Raffles Quay in the New Downtown with about 1.3 million sq ft of net lettable area.

not many big ones to look out for, hope they announce the BFC in the coming months

Time is GMT + 8 hours
Posted: 14 December 2004 2300 hrs

Akira is named one of Singapore's most valuable brands
By Michael Lim, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : IE Singapore has unveiled this year's 15 most valuable Singapore brands.

Besides the traditional marquee names like SingTel, UOB and Creative, there was a surprise new entry - home grown consumer electronics maker, Akira.

And the good news is: all in, the 15 brands are estimated to be worth S$8.1 billion, or S$200 million more than last year.

Akira has been venturing abroad and expanding its market presence in a big way.

Arnout Mostert, Senior Consultant, Interbrand, said: "They really cherish their brand very much and make sure that in their design, pricing and selection of countries where they operate. They use the brand and the design of the products rather than the price which we believe leads them obtaining a stronger financial position then if they were to just focus on price."

The effort is bearing fruit.

Akira has been gaining acceptance internationally.

And back in Singapore, parent company TT International says Akira has started to gain market share against more established electronic makers like Sony and Panasonic.

Julia Tong, Director, T T International, said: "We target for the different consumer segments. There will be always higher income segments who follows the more famous brands. There will be always the middle income and lower income segment who will have to look at the brands like Akira."

Also on this year's top 15 list is Brand's, Cerebos's most popular name.

Jennifer Yap, Marketing Manager, Cerebos Pacific, said: "Brand's itself as a brand it has gone beyond logo and tag line. It has created a relationship with our customers. We constantly innovate, and then create value to either meet or exceed the needs of our customers."

And that is one reason why Brand's continues to be a money spinner. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd


Business Times - 14 Dec 2004

S'pore's 15 Most Valuable Brands worth some S$8.1 billion

SINGAPORE -International Enterprise(IE) Singapore said Singapore's 15 Most Valuable Brands are estimated to be worth S$8.1 billion up from S$7.9 billion last year.

The brands in this year's Singapore Brand Award come from a wide spectrum of industries such as food and beverage, financial services, healthcare, airlines and telecommunications.

The top 15 Most Valuable Brands are: SingTel (wire line & wireless), UOB, DBS Bank,Asia Pacific Breweries,OCBC Bank,Great Eastern,Singapore Airlines,F&N (soft drinks & 100 Plus), Brand's, Tiger Balm,OSIM,Creative,Food Empire,AKIRA and Eu Yan Sang.

Most of the 15 brands have shown improvements and stable growth in their brand value despite 2003 being a difficult year due to SARS and the war in Iraq.

AKIRA, the home-grown electronics and home appliance brand, is the only new entrant to make it to this year's table of Singapore's 15 Most Valuable Brands.

It has shown extremely strong growth, rapidly making inroads in 60 countries through an aggressive expansion of its distribution channels in emerging markets.

The brand's potential was already being noticed when it received special recognition last year as 'The Brand to Watch at the Singapore Brand Award 2003.

IE Singapore said an interbrand study also showed that Singapore brands are steadily establishing their presence in the international arena - holding their own in more developed Western markets, while demonstrating boldness to enter the less conventional ones.

For example, Food Empire continues to rank as one of the leading coffee brands in core markets of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, while AKIRA is fast growing in emerging markets such as Eastern Europe.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dec 15, 2004
Average in S'pore but tops in world
Singapore pupils ranked No 1 in maths and science in global study

By Maria Almenoar and Estelle Chan

WITH a score of 218 in the recent Primary School Leaving Examination, Mustaqim Munajat, 12, is your typical neighbourhood school student.

But stand him against 12-year-olds from 48 other countries and he is a world beater.

Students like Mustaqim, who confesses that he sometimes struggles with his mathematics and science, have helped Singapore come out tops in a major international study that tracks how well students do in standardised tests for the two subjects.

Mustaqim, the son of a lift technician and housewife, was in Primary 4 at Wellington Primary when he and 6,700 pupils from Singapore schools sat for the 72-minute test in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in October 2002.

Another group of 6,000 students from all schools and streams in Secondary 2 sat for an equivalent paper for 14-year-olds.

In both age groups, Singapore students came out tops in both subjects, beating closest rivals Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea.

The results, released last year, are Singapore's best ever in these tests, which have been carried out twice before, in 1995 and 1999.

In 1995, Singapore ranked first in maths and seventh in science at the Primary 4 level and topped both the maths and science categories at Secondary 2.

Four years later, Secondary 2 students emerged first again in maths but dropped to second in science. Primary 4 pupils were not tested in 1999.

Just as heartening are the scores of the Singapore students. Most scored above the international median.

Seven out of 10 of the Primary 4 pupils reached the high benchmark at 550 for maths compared to three in 10 internationally. For science, six in 10 attained the 550 benchmark compared to three in 10 internationally.

Singapore's 14-year-olds also performed higher than the international average. Almost eight in 10 reached the benchmark compared to two in 10 internationally for maths. For science, it was almost seven in 10 compared to nearly three in 10 internationally.

The study was conducted by the International Association for Evaluation of Educational Achievement based in the United States, a cooperative of research bodies which does large-scale comparative studies of educational achievement.

Asian countries dominated the rankings, with students from Belgium and Britain, the closest non-Asians, coming in fifth for maths and science for the 10-year-olds.

For the older group, Belgium came in sixth for maths and Estonia took fifth spot for science.

In an e-mail yesterday, the Education Ministry said: 'The results confirm what we have known and what we want to preserve - that we provide our students with an education that is rigorous.'

Singapore has received international endorsement for its achievements in education, especially mathematics and science, for several years now, added the ministry.

As in previous years, the US study tried to uncover the reasons for the participants' performance. It found that a comprehensive curriculum, supportive homes and schools, plus the availability of such resources as computers, attributed to the success of Singapore youngsters.

Mustaqim, the middle of three children, who scored Bs for maths and science in his PSLE, said his teachers and private tutors helped him in the two subjects.

Besides enrichment classes in school, Mustaqim, like many Singapore students, spends three hours each day doing assessment books and another two hours of tuition.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Two years?!? :eek:

Still accurate now?

S'pore still holds appeal for wealth managers

15 Dec 04

Notable is broad band of households with investable assets of US$100,000-US$250,000

By ANNA TEO

(SINGAPORE) It may have been a trying year in 2003, but not only did Singapore's rich get richer, more households joined the ranks of the 'wealthy' - at least by one study's yardstick.

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At end-2003, the number of wealthy Singapore households - defined as those with at least US$100,000 in financial assets under management - grew 4.6 per cent year-on-year to 238,051, according to the latest Global Wealth report by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

These households account for almost a quarter of the 956,818 households in Singapore - a proportion that grew just marginally during the year. But the total value of their assets increased 12.5 per cent to US$227.6 billion - faster than the 11.6 per cent growth of the 'non-wealthy' sector, or those with less than US$100,000 in liquid assets.

In terms of their share of the pie, the top quartile of households accounted for 85 per cent of all Singapore households' investable financial wealth of US$267.6 billion.

The assets under management tracked in BCG's Global Wealth series - which started four years ago - are liquid financial assets that a bank may manage, such as stocks, bonds, hedge funds and cash. Property and chattels are excluded.

While Singapore's wealth growth figures seem decent, they pale in comparison with those in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, where the number of rich households - and the value of their assets - increased some 20-33 per cent last year.

In turn, the Asean figures are outclassed by the East Asian economies - both in absolute numbers and growth potential. The Greater China region (China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) and India, in particular, are seen as most promising.

The Singapore wealth market is still growing at a 'reasonable rate' but clearly the huge growth markets are elsewhere in Asia, says Roman Scott, a BCG vice-president and director, and head of wealth management in South-east Asia.

In any case, Singapore is already an established, even advanced, market for wealth managers, with most of its rich well served by the key players - the three local banks, Citibank, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank, he adds.

But what makes the Singapore market still attractive is the broad band of households with investable assets of between US$100,000 and US$250,000. That is, the first tier of what BCG defines as 'mass affluent investors' - those with US$100,000 to US$1 million in assets under management.

'Singapore has lots and lots of people in the broad mass affluent market, most of whom are urban professionals,' Mr Scott says. But relatively fewer people here - compared with, say, in Indonesia or Thailand - are 'seriously wealthy'.

After the 'mass affluent', the Global Wealth report defines as 'emerging wealthy investors' those with US$1 million to US$5 million in liquid financial assets, and the 'established wealthy' as those with financial holdings of more than US$5 million.

Emerging markets like Indonesia and Thailand have far fewer generally wealthy households than Singapore, but rather more big-time millionaires.

Across the world, emerging wealthy investors and the mass affluent are the dominant segments, accounting for more than two-thirds of global 'wealth' assets and revenue. And their significance is greatest in the Asia-Pacific, BCG notes, where the number of mass affluent investors has grown rapidly in recent years.

Emerging wealthy investors grew 24 per cent in 2003 and will grow close to 5 per cent annually through to 2008, BCG forecasts. 'These investors will provide one of the most profitable growth markets for wealth managers provided they tailor their offerings appropriately,' it says.

Among individual countries, India is among Asia's top wealth management markets with about half a million households 'holding sufficient wealth to be targets for wealth management services', BCG notes. 'We expect this number to double over the next three to five years.'

Globally, some 7 million households each held more than US$1 million in financial assets at end-2003, thanks to strong equity markets and currency movements, notably a weak dollar.

In all, wealth management revenue totalled some US$542 billion last year.

Switzerland - with a market of US$1.78 trillion - remained the biggest offshore centre for private client assets in 2003. Other leading centres were London, Channel Islands, Nassau and Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, Miami and New York, and Hong Kong.

But Swiss private banking is under pressure to consolidate because of tax and other regulatory changes in Europe. And other offshore centres - notably Singapore, with an US$80 billion market, and Hong Kong - have benefited from the trends in Europe, BCG says.

December 15, 2004

S'pore wins regional video contest

By Serene Tay

A TEAM from Canberra Secondary School (above) has won the regional leg of the Panasonic Kids Witness News Regional Contest 2004, held yesterday.

This competition saw six groups of students aged from 10 to 15 years, from Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore - with two teams from each country - presenting a short video on the theme Ecology and Communications (Culture).

Their entry, Everything But The Earth, was presented in a news report format and also included a help hotline.

Said chief judge Mike Kitadeya: "It was very professionally done. The interaction was smooth and was very informative. The message needed to be stronger but it was still nice to see."

The group also won the award for best sound.

Also standing out was Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road).

Instead of showing the scenery images typical of the other entries, the five boys had animation instead, and it garnered them a special mention by the judges.

Said Kitadeya: "This team was impressive and unique with its animation and good graphics despite it being challenging."

Said the ACS team leader, Desmond Chew, 15, a Secondary 3 pupil: "We wanted something different and vibrant to capture the audience's attention.

"It was difficult as we had limited resources and technical aspects. We worked until 8pm daily during the (December) school holiday to finish it up."

They used flash and multimedia programs for the animation.

Despite not winning, the boys felt very proud of their effort and were contented, as they had not even expected to compete at regional level.

The team from Canberra Secondary will be representing the Asia Pacific region in Panasonic's KWN Global Contest, in Japan next year, in which they will compete against other regions such as the US, China, Japan, Europe and Middle East.

Copyright © Singapore Press Holdings, 2004. All rights reserved.

This article is not about winning any awards.....but praises......:)

Dec 16, 2004
Orchids create tropical S'pore in Washington

By Susan Sim
For The Straits Times
WASHINGTON - SINGAPORE orchids filled the ballroom of a downtown hotel on Monday night - all 3,650 stalks of jade, burgundy, pink and white orchids flown in specially to create a bit of hot, tropical Singapore during a wintry Christmas in the US capital.

To benefit one of the city's best-known gems, the Choral Arts Society of Washington, organisers invited Singapore Ambassador to the United States Chan Heng Chee to be the Honorary Patron of this year's dinner and dance.

A charity auction raised more than US$600,000 (S$990,000). Bidding for a dinner party of 18 with Prof Chan at the Singapore Residence began at US$3,000. And a pair of business class tickets on a non-stop flight from New York to Singapore ignited a bidding war.

Each guest received a goodie bag filled with My Mum's Traditional Asian Spice and Sauce, Tiger Balm ointment, Gold Kili Chrysanthemum packet drink and an orchid pin.

Said Prof Chan: 'Singapore was given a great opportunity to profile the country and its products. Our beautiful and colourful orchids drew gasps from the dinner crowd.'

The 700-strong crowd included US senators and establishment figures. US Ambassador to Singapore Frank Lavin, who was in Washington, made a special appearance.

When benefit chairman Penny Yerks said she was struck by the attention of the Singapore Embassy in ensuring the evening's success, Mr Lavin assured her it was typically Singaporean.

'That's what you get when you work with Singapore. Singapore never takes on anything without giving full commitment.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 16 Dec 2004

Image, prestige tops in office choice: study

IMAGE and prestige rather than location is tops when it comes to choosing an office space. This is the surprising finding of a National University of Singapore study.

'The rule of location, location, location in real estate, which is linked to the inherent physical attributes of fixity, immobility and indivisibility of real estate, is no longer binding in Suntec City's case,' said Sing Tien Foo and Joseph Ooi from the NUS real estate department. 'Recognising the location shortfall of the project, Wong Ah Long, chief executive officer of Suntec City Development, has been able to turn the odds in his favour by facilitating 'connectivity, connectivity, connectivity' for Suntec tenants and occupiers.'

http://img134.exs.cx/img134/9880/officespace5nj.png

The NUS study was based on a sample of 342 firms in Suntec City office towers from March to June 2004. There were 61 responses. Suntec City Development's Wong Ah Long and general manager Patrick Lum are listed as co-authors.

Having a prime office space ranked only 11th out of 36 office space determinants. Proximity to the Central Business District came in at 19. Factors like flexible lease terms, efficient mechanical, electrical and fire systems ranked ahead.

Suntec bills itself as Asia's Vertical Silicon Valley and has attracted several technology groups, including the Infocomm Development Authority. Suntec, however, has seen a few high profile departures recently. It lost Microsoft Singapore and Fuji Xerox. Deutsche Bank is also understood to be moving out. At the same time, UBS, which is a major tenant, has renewed its lease while Oracle Corp is taking up more space.

The mega Suntec City's retail mall and a stake in the five office towers have been sold to Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit). Suntec Reit chairman Justin Chiu had earlier blamed the lower office occupancy on the bursting of the dotcom bubble.

Suntec is located away from the Central Business District in the Marina Centre area.

The paper concluded that the emergence of Marina Centre was an example of a shift from the CBD. Aside from Suntec, One Raffles Link is another major office building located in the Marina Centre area.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

From The Economist

http://www.economist.com/theworldin/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3372495&d=2005

http://www.economist.com/images/worldin2005/qualitytable.gif

Dec 17, 2004
S'porean wins again with insect close-up
He beats 2,000 others for second year in a row in a regional digital photo contest

By Ho Ka Wei

SINGAPOREAN William Lam makes creepy crawlies look good.

Good enough, that is, to win the top prize two years in a row at the National Geographic Channel-Sony Digital Photography Contest.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2004-12-17/h27.jpg
WINNER: Mr Lam's picture won for its composition of light, shade, silhouette and colour, and unique perspective. -- MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN

He beat about 2,000 entrants from the Asia-Pacific region both this year and last year with his close-up shots of insects taken around Singapore.

His winning picture this year was a shadowy shot of a grasshopper contrasted against the vibrant green of a leaf taken at the Botanic Gardens. There were 234 entries from Singapore this year.

Last year, a beetle fly perched on a leaf at the Bukit Batok Nature Park clinched it.

The second prize this year went to Mr Edwin Loyola from the Philippines, who had a silhouetted shot of six children at play.

The results were announced yesterday by the organisers, National Geographic Channel Asia and Sony Accessories Digital.

A statement from the channel said Mr Lam's picture won for its composition of light, shade, silhouette and colour, and the unique perspective.

For that, Mr Lam, 32, an IT executive, won a Sony Cybershot V3 and earned himself a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he will attend the National Geographic On Assignment Photography Workshop next July.

He attended that workshop, which was part of last year's prize, in March this year and took home photography tips, although he has no plans yet to turn professional. He told The Straits Times that he prefers to keep it 'a hobby'.

He said he picked up digital photography only about two years ago, when digital cameras started to be affordable.

On his fascination with insects, he said: 'My pictures aim to show that it's not just a concrete jungle here.

'If you pay attention, you can find interesting subjects amid Singapore's nature parks. That's what I want to show the world.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 16 Dec 2004

Image, prestige tops in office choice: study

IMAGE and prestige rather than location is tops when it comes to choosing an office space. This is the surprising finding of a National University of Singapore study.

'The rule of location, location, location in real estate, which is linked to the inherent physical attributes of fixity, immobility and indivisibility of real estate, is no longer binding in Suntec City's case,' said Sing Tien Foo and Joseph Ooi from the NUS real estate department. 'Recognising the location shortfall of the project, Wong Ah Long, chief executive officer of Suntec City Development, has been able to turn the odds in his favour by facilitating 'connectivity, connectivity, connectivity' for Suntec tenants and occupiers.'

http://img134.exs.cx/img134/9880/officespace5nj.png

The NUS study was based on a sample of 342 firms in Suntec City office towers from March to June 2004. There were 61 responses. Suntec City Development's Wong Ah Long and general manager Patrick Lum are listed as co-authors.

Having a prime office space ranked only 11th out of 36 office space determinants. Proximity to the Central Business District came in at 19. Factors like flexible lease terms, efficient mechanical, electrical and fire systems ranked ahead.

Suntec bills itself as Asia's Vertical Silicon Valley and has attracted several technology groups, including the Infocomm Development Authority. Suntec, however, has seen a few high profile departures recently. It lost Microsoft Singapore and Fuji Xerox. Deutsche Bank is also understood to be moving out. At the same time, UBS, which is a major tenant, has renewed its lease while Oracle Corp is taking up more space.

The mega Suntec City's retail mall and a stake in the five office towers have been sold to Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit). Suntec Reit chairman Justin Chiu had earlier blamed the lower office occupancy on the bursting of the dotcom bubble.

Suntec is located away from the Central Business District in the Marina Centre area.

The paper concluded that the emergence of Marina Centre was an example of a shift from the CBD. Aside from Suntec, One Raffles Link is another major office building located in the Marina Centre area.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.
Parkview Square, anyone? ;) :lol:

Business Times - 17 Dec 2004

S'pore hotels still rank among the best: survey

Five local hotels have made it to a list of the best 80 hotels in the world

By DANIEL BUENAS

(SINGAPORE) Singapore hotels are still among the world's best, according to a survey by Institutional Investor.

Singapore ranked third out of 37 cities in terms of the number of hotels that made it to a list of the best 80 hotels ranked by a panel of senior corporate and financial executives from 27 countries.

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Sharing third spot with Singapore - with five hotels each - were Hong Kong, London and Los Angeles. New York took second spot with six, and Paris first, with eight.

The panelists, who spent an average of 52 nights in hotels over the past year, ranked them on numerous factors, including ambiance, service, location, facilities and amenities.

They gave each hotel a score of between 1 to 100, and the scores were then averaged and ranked according to a formula that assigns greater weight to those panelists who travelled more.

Of the five local hotels that made the list, The Four Seasons was ranked highest in fourth place, while The Fullerton was second-highest at 39th. Taking 43rd place was the Ritz-Carlton Millenia, followed by Raffles Hotel at 48th and the Shangri-La at 54th.

In terms of regional rankings, The Four Seasons came in second, behind Bangkok's Sukhothai Hotel, out of the 23 Asian hotels that made the list. The Fullerton was ranked 13th, the Ritz-Carlton Millenia 15th, Raffles 16th and Shangri-La 17th.

'Singapore's high-end hotels have traditionally scored points in comparisons with other hotels worldwide,' said Singapore Hotel Association (SHA) chief executive Pakir Singh. 'Singapore hotels have continued to excel in spite of our labour shortage. This says a lot for the owners and operators and the commitment to excellent service by the work force.'

The recent announcement of a $900 million six-star hotel and luxury housing development by tycoon Kwek Leng Beng's Hong Leong Group will boost Singapore's hotel-industry image, he said.

Robert Hecker, managing director of consultancy Horwath Asia-Pacific, said that despite a perception that service levels here are lower than in other Asian cities like Bangkok, Singapore 'ranks pretty well' compared with Western cities like New York and London.

'There is a benefit to having a little bit of the Asian style, and Singapore is still above average for staff-to-room count, and I think people may tend to not recognise Singapore's quality level on a worldwide basis,' Mr Hecker said.

Hoteliers told BT they are confident that Singapore's luxury hotel service standards are top-notch.

'I believe that there is absolutely no reason why Singapore shouldn't rank as one of the top destinations,' said Christopher Norton, regional vice-president and general manager at The Four Seasons. 'It's all about instilling a pride about providing excellent service.'

Anton Kilayko, director of public relations at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia, said service standards in Singapore are 'very competitive', and the country's luxury hotels 'can compete with the best in the world'.

The hotel industry, having recovered from the aftermath of Sars, has started to take-off again.

Horwath predicts that average occupancy for Singapore's top 13 hotels will hit 75-80 per cent this year, and sees average daily rates of US$115-120. Next year, average room rates are projected to rise to US$120-125, and average occupancy is expected to climb to 80-85 per cent.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Four Seasons! :eek:

uh why so shocked?

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http://www.fourseasons.com/image_library/SIN/SIN_007_320x400_web-large.jpg

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I thought it's gonna be Shangri-La!

Dec 18, 2004
Two IT firms bag regional awards
Mozat wins it for application to monitor factory floors; and JadeLite, for school software

By Alfred Siew

A NERVOUS Mr Michael Yin, 29, almost forgot his own name when he stood in front of the judges to present his company at a regional competition in Hong Kong last week.

But the chief executive officer of Mozat , a Singaporean cellphone application developer, went on to win the top award in communications applications at the Asia-Pacific Information and Communication Technologies Awards (APICTA).

Mr Yin had to explain why his product, which lets users monitor their factory floors remotely with their mobile phones, was better than what was already in the market. 'Luckily, I remembered my presentation in time,' he told reporters yesterday.

Education software developer JadeLite Technologies, also a Singaporean firm, won the top award in the education and training category.

The annual competition, first organised in 2001, had 146 companies from 14 Asia-Pacific economies show off their best software applications and hardware this year.

There is no monetary prize but Mr Yin, who is also a full-time research scholar at the National University of Singapore, said it gives his company increased recognition and potential contracts with customers in the region.

Mozat was one of 22 Singaporean IT companies that took part in the competition. The Team Singapore contingent was organised by the Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation.

Mr Yin said his company's product, called mVision, lets users view surveillance videos - instead of motionless snapshots - of their factory floors on their cellphones.

Mozat can do this, he said, because it has developed a technology that compresses the movie clips to fit onto cellphone networks which are usually too slow to transmit video.

JadeLite Technologies caught the judges' eye with EduCampus, an education software suite which integrates student records in the same efficient manner that companies collate employee records.

Chief executive officer Narinder Singh said the company, which he personally funded and founded two years ago, is now signing up larger schools as customers, with each project worth between $1 million and $6 million.

JadeLite's software, which is used by Serangoon Junior College and the School of Audio Engineering, can cater to schools with thousands of students. The company is venturing into the United States and Europe next year.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Dec 18, 2004
London stays at No. 1 for forex trading

LONDON - LONDON remains the centre for foreign-exchange trading, accounting for almost a third of the US$1.9 trillion-a-day (S$3.13 trillion-a-day) industry, a Bank of England survey indicates.

About 31 per cent of currency trading takes place in the British capital. The figure is little changed from that in 2001, when the central bank's last survey was published.

The United States has about 19 per cent of the market, up from 16 per cent three years ago. Japan ranked third with 8 per cent.

Singapore and Germany were in fourth place, each with 5 per cent of the market, according to a survey by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) published on Sept 28.

The five largest currency trading banks all have their heads of foreign exchange based in London.

UBS is the largest trader, according to a survey published in May by Euromoney magazine, followed by Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and HSBC Holdings.

The British central bank's survey of foreign-exchange trading in London, conducted in April, was one of 52 made by central banks as part of the triennial survey of the market by the BIS first published in September.

Average daily currency trading in London was US$753 billion, up 49 per cent from 2001. Spot trading, or currency transactions that are settled in two business days, accounted for US$222 billion of turnover, forward instruments made up US$531 billion. \-- BLOOMBERG NEWS

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

so Singapore is Asia's 2nd largest forex trading centre

Dec 20, 2004
OCBC first local bank to win Lafferty accolade
It wins 'Retail Bank of the Year' award for both the Asia-Pacific and South-east Asia
By Arthur Poon

OCBC Bank has become the first Singapore local bank to win the London-based Lafferty group's 'Retail Bank of the Year 2004' for both the Asia-Pacific and South-east Asia regions.

The yearly awards are judged by an international panel, which examines whether banks have a credible organisational structure for retail operations, as well as a reputation for top-class customer service and corporate governance.

Lafferty, which provides business intelligence to the financial services industry, said the banks in the running for the awards typically generate more than half of their profits from personal financial services.

Standard Chartered Bank (Stanchart) was last year's winner of the 'Retail Bank of the Year' award in the Asia-Pacific.

And in 2000, DBS Bank topped a Lafferty ranking of Internet banking websites in the Asia-Pacific outside Australia.

Commenting on the bank's success at the awards, OCBC Bank's group head of consumer financial services, Mr Y.Y. Chin, said that the bank did not build its business 'overnight'.

'Instead, we put in place building blocks which allowed us to transform our consumer banking segment into a world-class outfit,' he explained.

One of these key building blocks is hiring good people, he emphasised.

Not shy of trying new ideas, he has gained a reputation for employing people who may not look or dress like your typical banker. 'Some may even sport brown hair or earrings,' he quipped.

OCBC focused on growing various segments of its consumer banking business here also in 'blocks'.

'We had to prioritise. When I first joined in 1999, the credit card market was already very competitive...so we chose to concentrate on several core retail products such as bancassurance, housing and car loans,' said Mr Chin.

The result is that OCBC is now ranked No. 1 here for both new Housing Board home loans and bancassurance, with market shares of 45 per cent and 42 per cent respectively.

The bank also claims it is tops in outstanding car loans, with a $3 billion portfolio.

In fact, since joining OCBC to head its consumer banking segment, the former Stanchart banker has grown the business by a staggering 71 per cent to $832 million last year, up from $487 million in 2000.

Now, OCBC is after one of the final pieces of the puzzle: credit cards.

A flurry of activities followed the hiring of former DBS Bank credit card chief, Mr Andy Chan, last year.

The bank announced a tie-up with NTUC Link to offer co-branded credit cards in September. It also launched its Titanium credit card as part of an overall strategy to double its current card base of 550,000 here to one million over the next five years.

In Malaysia, Mr Chin said OCBC had started a major initiative in May to woo new credit card holders by getting 17,000 agents from its unit, insurer Great Eastern Holdings (GE) , to cross-sell the bank's suite of products, including credit cards and home loans.

'Our credit cards in Malaysia have increased 80 per cent year-to-date, to more than 100,000,' Mr Chin disclosed.

In July, OCBC raised its stake in GE, the parent company of Great Eastern Life Assurance Malaysia, to 81 per cent from 49 per cent, demonstrating its commitment to capturing a larger slice of the Malaysian financial services market.

The bank is hoping to replicate its Singapore success in Indonesia.

Just this month, OCBC entered into a conditional agreement to lift its stake in Bank NISP to 51 per cent from 22.5 per cent, making it the first Singapore company to gain a majority stake in an Indonesian bank.

Mr Chin said: 'We will complement NISP's efforts to grow its consumer banking business by sharing our expertise where appropriate.

'These include areas such as sales and distribution, and is in line with our New Horizon strategy, to build and transfer our successful business models across boundaries.'

OCBC intends to keep NISP as a separately managed operating entity in Indonesia and to retain its name and management because NISP has a strong brand equity and good local knowledge of the market with its 145 branches and 5,000 shared automated teller machines, he added.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Dec 21, 2004
NUS in world top 10 for IT and engineering
It beats premier varsities like Harvard in global survey of faculty

By Maria Almenoar

THE National University of Singapore (NUS) is among the top 10 of the world's best engineering and IT universities.

The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) placed NUS ninth, ahead of other renowned institutions like Harvard and Carnegie Mellon University in the United States and Oxford University in Britain.

NUS also ranked 35th among the top 100 science universities.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) ranked 33rd in the engineering/IT list, and was unranked in the science category.

First was the University of California, Berkeley, in the US, in the engineering/IT category and Britain's Cambridge University in the science rankings.

In a more general ranking published last month, NUS took 18th place in the survey of the 200 best universities in the world.

In the latest survey, THES extended the analysis to faculty level, starting with science and engineering.

Information was collated by surveying about 1,300 academics across the world for their opinions about top universities in subject areas where they have expert knowledge.

Big US institutions with strong industrial connections took six out of the top 10 places in the science rankings and four, in the engineering/IT rankings.

Asian universities ranked highly, with three among the top 20 in the science category and seven in the engineering/IT list.

Mr Martin Ince from THES said: 'While universities in Asia may well enhance their positions in this table in future, the big-name institutions of California and New England will continue to figure strongly.'

NUS president Shih Choon Fong was delighted with the news, saying the university had done exceptionally well given its 'small resources in comparison to other top institutions'.

Professor Shih, who chairs the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, a group of 36 research universities in 16 economies, said NUS not only offered knowledge-based engineering courses but also focused on research and entrepreneurship opportunities for students.

'We have strong ties with institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and have established colleges in places like Silicon Valley and Shanghai - all of which contributes to our global standing.'

Said NTU's deputy president, Professor Er Meng Hwa: 'University development is not primarily driven by rankings - we focus on excellence, relevance to our nation and region and on the students we turn out.

'What we should be proud of is that both NTU and NUS are among the top engineering/IT universities in the world.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 28 Dec 2004

S'pore among top property investment locations

It is second for long-term investment in Asia-Pac, a DTZ survey shows. KALPANA RASHIWALA reports

JAPAN, China, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia are the most popular overseas property investment destinations in Asia-Pacific, according to a recent global survey by DTZ Research in London.

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Japan emerged as the number one cross-border real estate investment destination in the region in all three timescales covered by the survey: current, medium-term and long-term. Singapore was ranked second in the long-term and third in the current and mid-term horizons.

Australia and Singapore were also the favourite overseas locations for many Asian property investors.

Malaysia also emerged as a desirable location in the medium/long term among Asia-Pacific respondents.

'Singapore, in terms of real estate infrastructure, transparency and titles system being similar to many Commonwealth countries, gives confidence to foreign investors of property. And some of them may be using Singapore as a stepping stone to elsewhere in Asia,' said DTZ Debenham Tie Leung executive director Ong Choon Fah.

The survey polled insurance companies, pension funds, listed property companies, private property companies, property fund managers, investment banks and asset managers in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific.

On the whole, respondents picked the UK, France and Germany as the three most popular locations for cross-border property investment in Western Europe. As for Eastern Europe, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary emerged as the most favourite locations.

The US and Canada emerged as the respective number one and two overseas real estate investment choices in all different time scales in the Americas.

Respondents also named India and Saudi Arabia as their top two picks for Central and South Asia.

The survey, conducted in September, is the fourth by DTZ Research. It notes that the trend towards cross-border property investment has increased significantly over the past three years. 'Global economic integration makes cross-border investment opportunities more notable than before, with fewer barriers.

'As more and more countries open up real estate capital markets to foreign investors, many international institutional investors are engaging international real estate markets, in line with their international bond and equity portfolio strategies,' DTZ said in its report.

An additional spur for cross-border property investment is limited stock in domestic markets. And the low interest-rate environment in the past few years has enhanced the attractiveness of property as a major investment option, it added.

The research aims to identify global investment trends, predict future patterns across different regions and identify major institutional factors that concern investors in terms of cross-border property investment.

The latest survey showed that more than 70 per cent of all respondents said they are currently engaging in foreign property investment, and 66 per cent indicated interest in increasing cross-border investment in the medium term and 55 per cent in the long-term.

Another finding is that European and Asian investors are more likely to increase their foreign real estate holdings than American investors. DTZ suggests this might be due to the size of local markets in some European and Asian countries.

Respondents ranked a good rate of return as the most important factor in holding overseas property - especially for North American investors. Other reasons cited (in order of importance) were risk diversification, portfolio expansion and cost of capital.

The 2004 survey also showed that direct holding is the preferred way to hold real estate in domestic markets, whereas indirect investment vehicles (like holding units in property funds including real estate investment trusts (Reits) and owning shares in property companies) are the preferred route for making cross-border property deals globally, especially for American markets.

In Singapore, too, Reits and other property funds are emerging as a major source of investment sales, accounting for at least half of the total value of transactions this year, say market watchers.

Major transactions include the sale of Suntec City's retail mall and some of its office space to the Suntec Reit and the sale of Hotel New Otani to a Lehman Brothers real estate fund. A party linked to Indonesia's Lippo Group also bought 78 Shenton Way.

Respondents to DTZ survey also indicated that the office sector is the most popular for cross-border property investment at present and will remain so in the medium to long term. Retail is the next most preferred sector, followed by industrial, with little change over the different time scales.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 30 Dec 2004

Singapore mobile phone penetration past 90%: IDA

By ROLAND LIM

MOBILE phone subscribers in Singapore numbered 3.8 million or 91 per cent of the population in November, according to the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA).

Mobile phone subscriptions grew about 8 per cent this year, from 3.5 million subscribers in January this year or 84.2 per cent of the population, to 3.8 million last month.

This leaves about 385,000 people here without a mobile subscription.

The proportion of mobile subscribers on pre-paid subscriptions grew to 32 per cent in November from 30 per cent in January.

The other 68 per cent were post-paid subscribers, who pay a monthly fee for their mobile subscriptions.

'With the growing trend of younger customers, foreign employees and international travellers using pre-paid services, we see a strong growth in our pre-paid mobile business in the past couple of months,' said Jeannie Ong, assistant vice-president of corporate communications at StarHub.

'Going forward, we believe that pre-paid will contribute more to the market growth as this is consistent with a more mature market.'

SingTel leads the market with a market share of about 40 per cent of the mobile market, while M1 and StarHub each has about 30 per cent.

According to 2003 statistics from the International Telecommunication Union, countries in the region with a higher mobile penetration rate than Singapore were Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Taiwan and Hong Kong led the region with mobile penetration rates of past 100 per cent, with some of its population having more than one mobile subscription plan.

IDA's statistics also showed that local mobile subscribers sent an average of about 172 SMS messages per subscriber in November.

A total of 653.58 million SMS messages were sent.

Fixed-line telephone subscriptions in Singapore continued to see a gradual decline. In January 2004, there were around 1.9 million fixed-line subscribers, which had since dropped to 1.87 million subscribers in November.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

I thought Singapore had the largest rate of mobile phone use or SMS?

Business Times - 31 Dec 2004

Go for quality to draw foreign patients: study

Marketing can only go so far in attracting region's affluent, it says

By JEAN CHUA

(SINGAPORE) A research study has one pointed message for Singapore's healthcare industry if it wants to be a serious regional player.

Make sure that Singapore has some of the best healthcare services and medical research in the world - because marketing and promotions can only go so far in attracting foreign patients.

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The research, conducted by Synovate Business Consulting for the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), found that affluent patients - those the government and hospitals hope to attract - generally don't consider distance or price when seeking treatment. They go, instead, for what are known as 'gold standard' destinations where they know they can be assured of top-quality care.

'If you need a liver transplant, do you go to Thailand or Singapore? Generally, if it's something life and death you want to make sure you get out of the surgery alive,' says Damien Duhamel, Synovate's director of business consulting for Asia-Pacific.

In October 2003, the Singapore government launched the SingaporeMedicine initiative, guided by STB, the Economic Development Board and trade promotion agency International Enterprise Singapore. Their job, respectively, is to generate demand overseas, develop new capabilities in the industry and help healthcare players expand regionally.

According to STB, Singapore had about 230,000 medical visitors last year - almost 9 per cent more than in 2002, despite the Sars outbreak. The government hopes to bring in one million foreign patients by 2012, and a government study showed this target could potentially generate $1.5 billion in expenditure and add about one per cent to Singapore's gross domestic product.

In 2001, there were 190,000 foreigners who came to Singapore for medical treatment.

STB says there are no figures yet for this year, but estimates that there will have been 270,000 foreign patients by December.

Part of the strategy is to emulate research clusters in the American cities such as New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Cleveland by building Singapore's Biopolis, designed to encourage collaboration across genomics, nanotechnology, advanced medical sciences and other fields.

'What that means is we try to encourage healthcare related kind of investments,' says an official from SingaporeMedicine. 'We are looking at promoting specialties that are in procedure-intensive.'

A spokesperson for Raffles Hospital, where foreign patients make up 30 per cent of the total, says these patients go to Raffles mainly for health screening, obstetrics and gynaecology, orthopaedics, cardiology and aesthetics treatments. In line with government figures, 7 out of 10 foreign patients are from Indonesia. 15 per cent are from the US and Britain.

Singapore's largest private healthcare company, Parkway Holdings, which claims a 60 per cent market share of the private healthcare sector here, says organ transplants, cancer treatment and hip replacement are among the popular complex procedures that foreign patients seek.

About 30 per cent of its patients are foreigners or people with overseas addresses. Parkway, which runs the Mount Elizabeth, Gleneagles and East Shore hospitals, has about 40 referral offices and marketeers in more than 10 countries, including the Philippines and Bangladesh.

Synovate's Mr Duhamel says collaboration of the private and public sectors in Singapore could go a long way towards ensuring that Singapore get its share of regional - and global - patients. Thailand's medical tourism industry is very much led by the private sector, as is the case in Britain, Australia and the US. Malaysia's development is led by the government.

'The hospitals we have spoken to would very much like the government to do more to promote them, and let foreign patients know that they provide some of the best and most sophisticated health services in the world,' Mr Duhamel says. 'Bringing in renowed institutes and specialists also will give Singapore's medical industry a great boost.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

This story was printed from TODAYonline

S'pore remains world's second-freest economy

Republic holds position for 10th consecutive year

Wednesday • January 5, 2005

Jaime Koh
jaime@newstoday.com.sg

SINGAPORE has retained its spot as the world's second-freest economy for the 10th consecutive year, trailing only top-ranked Hong Kong, according to the 2005 Index of Economic Freedom.

"As the world's second-freest country, Singapore is a standard bearer in free trade policy, strong property rights, monetary policy, and foreign investment," said the annual report, published by the Washington-based think-tank The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal.

Hong Kong and Singapore have been close rivals for the top spot since the ranking, now in its 11th year, was first released in 1995.

Hong Kong remains "the poster economy for economic freedom around the world".

Despite boasting the world's two freest economies, Asia is also home to the two lowest-ranked countries — Myanmar and North Korea.

Interestingly, the United States did not place in the top 10 for the first time.

This year, it slid two spots to tie with Switzerland at No 12.

"The US has been treading water while other nations were improving their scores and surpassing it in ranking," said the report.

The rankings are based on factors such as fiscal burden of government, government intervention, monetary policy, capital flows and black market activities.

The report examined the economies of 161 countries but ranked only 155.

Grading for five countries — Angola, Burundi, Congo, Sudan and Iraq — was suspended due to their state of "civil unrest or anarchy". Serbia and Montenegro was not graded due to a lack of reliable data.

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

the top 2 always seem the same...but HK is slipping slightly apparently

Posted: 05 January 2005 2112 hrs

Singapore companies among the lowest geared in Asia: survey
By Chua Chin Chye, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Singapore's corporate sector remains healthy compared to those in the region.

A recent international survey by Thomas Financial showed that Singapore companies generally have lower gearing than most of its Asian peers as well as British and American firms.

The debt ratio of Singapore companies outside the financial sector stands at 17.1 percent, much better than that in Thailand, Malaysia and South Korea.

Only Hong Kong companies enjoyed lower gearing - at 12.6 percent.

For the year ahead, earnings growth is expected to moderate due to high oil prices and a downturn in the technology industry.

David Cohen, director of Asian Economic Forecasting/Action Economics, said: "Remember, in 2004, world growth was at its strongest in three decades. That was supportive of export demand for many of the regional economies, and supportive of the production. That's clearly going to moderate somewhat in 2005. The tech sector, for example, has cooled down from the boom of the beginning of last year."

But in its Financial Stability Review released on Tuesday, the Monetary Authority of Singapore noted that the expected moderation is not likely to cause significant deterioration in the financial position of the corporate sector.

That's because the manufacturing industry has one of the highest liquidity ratios and lowest leverage ratios within the corporate sector.

And the transport, storage and communications industries have a very low leverage ratio and has adequate interest cover.

Interest cover refers to the ratio of a firm's earnings over its interest expense.

In a sign of better times ahead, the MAS noted that earnings growth for the corporate sector for fiscal year 2004 is expected to reach a high of 45 percent.

Singapore companies also did better, in managing debt.

Using the latest figures available, MAS says the liquidity situation remained adequate in Q2 last year -- with only the property sector seeing some slight deterioration. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Seems that Sg is always second only to HK, and sometimes Tokyo! :D :banana:

yah isn't it tragic? we can never step out of the shadow of our rival! tell you what to do, we instigate China into ravaging Taiwan, then the Taiwanese come to SG and make us 8 million people and richer, more cultured, and better pop music than HK ok? yay! and then we of course invite all the intelligent KL urbanites to give us that cultural connection with hinterland ASEAN. then we will GROW, and GROW! like Anmum milk.

Wah, I like you essay replies! :D

my english is very lousy actually. Alfian Bin Sa'at is singapore's greatest articulator of art. you should try reading his books. he is my friend and his english makes me feel small.

Jan 7, 2005
Zen Micro storms MP3 market

By Ho Ka Wei

LAS VEGAS - CREATIVE Technology's Zen Micro has been flying off the shelves so quickly since its November launch last year that its chief Sim Wong Hoo is pushing his staff to jack up production speed to meet the frenzied demand.

'They submit reports on their status to me daily by 6pm,' he told The Straits Times on Wednesday, on the eve of the start of the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) here.

Demand has been 'more than 10 times our expectations', he said, adding that it has been 'the fastest ramp-up' for his line of MP3 players - there are 15 lines.

'We were fighting an operation problem in our war room the whole of last quarter,' he said. He was referring to the battle that began in July last year, when Creative launched the Apple iPod-killer, the Zen Touch.

The Zen Micro is the local firm's follow-up answer to Apple Computer's other successful digital music player, the iPod mini. More MP3 players are expected early this year, including a 1GB flash memory player, and other hard-disk players in other memory capacity ranges.

Mr Sim also said to expect more accessories, including speakers for the MP3 players and wireless headphones that use a new magnetic induction technology, which enables wireless data-sharing between devices within a range of 1m to 2m.

Apple dominates among hard drive-based digital music players with over 50 per cent global market share, and Mr Sim wants Creative's bite to get bigger - from the current share of about 25 per cent, to his target of 40 per cent.

To do that, he has launched his US$100 million (S$165 million) global marketing campaign in a bid to plant more of his players in new markets, including Turkey, the Middle East and China. One sign of that here at CES: The registration counter at the show's main entrance is dressed up in Creative banners showing all the Zen Micro's 10 colours.

He said: 'In Singapore, we already take about 80 per cent of the market, easily.

'I am confident that with proper marketing, we can have a big part of the global market.'

But don't just take Mr Sim's word for it. The Micro's popularity was highlighted by another Apple rival - Microsoft chairman Bill Gates.

'This Christmas, we had people like Creative with the Zen Micro and Rio Carbon, those devices sold very well. In fact, they are sold out,' Mr Gates said, to a full house of analysts, media and trade visitors at the pre-CES keynote address.

Mr Gates on Wednesday night painted a vision for seamless entertainment, similar to his 'seamless computing' pledge at the last CES.

'Gaming is becoming more a social thing... e-mail, blogging, communities, live entertainment - if we can integrate all that and make it seamless, so that you can see a presence across that,' he said during the one-hour address.

'Consumers want things that are simple, low-priced... We want to get everybody involved and deliver the vision by the end of the decade.'

American talk show host Conan O'Brien sat across a very sporting Mr Gates, who kept his cool even through three technical failures - including an instance of 'out of system memory' during a demonstration of upcoming Xbox game Forza Motorsport. Xbox comes from Microsoft.

One of the demonstrations that eventually worked showed how pictures taken with a digital camera can be transferred wirelessly and viewed through the Windows Media Centre program.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

American talk show host Conan O'Brien sat across a very sporting Mr Gates, who kept his cool even through three technical failures - including an instance of 'out of system memory' during a demonstration of upcoming Xbox game Forza Motorsport. Xbox comes from Microsoft.

lol..

Heres the full ranking of the economic freedom index and a graphic

Rank Country - 2005 Score
Free
1 Hong Kong - 1.35
2 Singapore - 1.60
3 Luxembourg - 1.63
4 Estonia - 1.65
5 Ireland - 1.70
6 New Zealand - 1.70
7 United Kingdom - 1.75
8 Denmark - 1.76
9 Iceland - 1.76
10 Australia - 1.79
11 Chile - 1.81
12 Switzerland - 1.85
12 United States - 1.85
13 Sweden - 1.89
14 Finland - 1.90
15 Canada - 1.91
16 The Netherlands - 1.95
Mostly Free
17 Germany - 2.00
18 Austria - 2.09
19 Bahrain - 2.10
20 Belgium - 2.13
20 Cyprus - 2.13
21 Lithuania - 2.18
22 El Salvador - 2.20
23 The Bahamas - 2.25
24 Italy - 2.28
25 Taiwan - 2.29
26 Latvia - 2.31
27 Malta - 2.33
27 Norway - 2.33
28 Spain - 2.34
29 Barbados - 2.35
30 Czech Republic - 2.36
30 Israel - 2.36
31 Hungary - 2.40
32 Slovak Republic - 2.43
33 Botswana - 2.44
33 Portugal - 2.44
34 Japan - 2.46
35 Trinidad and Tobago - 2.49
36 Poland - 2.54
37 Armenia - 2.58
38 Uruguay - 2.60
39 France - 2.63
40 Korea, Republic of (South Korea) - 2.64
40 Slovenia - 2.64
41 Belize - 2.66
42 Madagascar - 2.68
42 United Arab Emirates - 2.68
43 Bolivia - 2.70
43 Mongolia - 2.70
44 Bulgaria - 2.74
44 Panama - 2.74
45 Costa Rica - 2.76
45 Kuwait - 2.76
46 Peru - 2.78
46 South Africa - 2.78
47 Jordan - 2.79
48 Greece - 2.80
49 Jamaica - 2.81
49 Oman - 2.81
50 Cape Verde - 2.84
51 Cambodia - 2.89
51 Mexico - 2.89
52 Mauritius - 2.90
52 Nicaragua - 2.90
53 Albania - 2.93
53 Mauritania - 2.93
54 Macedonia - 2.95
55 Malaysia - 2.96
56 Thailand - 2.98
57 Saudi Arabia - 2.99
57 Senegal - 2.99
Mostly unfree
58 Croatia - 3.00
58 Uganda - 3.00
59 Lebanon - 3.05
60 Moldova - 3.06
60 Swaziland - 3.06
61 Guyana - 3.08
61 Sri Lanka - 3.08
62 Namibia - 3.10
62 Qatar - 3.10
63 Tunisia - 3.14
64 Bosnia and Herzegovina - 3.16
65 Guatemala - 3.18
65 Mali - 3.18
65 Morocco - 3.18
66 Colombia - 3.21
66 Ukraine - 3.21
67 Brazil - 3.25
67 The Philippines - 3.25
68 Ivory Coast - 3.26
69 Burkina Faso - 3.28
69 Fiji - 3.28
69 Guinea - 3.28
69 Kenya - 3.28
70 Kyrgyz Republic - 3.29
71 Djibouti - 3.30
71 Ghana - 3.30
72 Georgia - 3.34
72 Mozambique - 3.34
73 Lesotho - 3.36
74 Azerbaijan - 3.38
74 Chad - 3.38
74 Egypt - 3.38
75 Gabon - 3.40
75 The Gambia - 3.40
75 Zambia - 3.40
76 Tanzania - 3.41
77 Honduras - 3.43
78 Paraguay - 3.45
79 China, People's Republic of - 3.46
79 Turkey - 3.46
80 Algeria - 3.49
80 Argentina - 3.49
80 Ecuador - 3.49
81 Central African Republic - 3.51
82 Equatorial Guinea - 3.53
82 India - 3.53
82 Niger - 3.53
83 Dominican Republic - 3.54
83 Indonesia - 3.54
83 Rwanda - 3.54
84 Russia - 3.56
85 Romania - 3.58
86 Cameroon - 3.60
86 Nepal - 3.60
87 Benin - 3.63
88 Malawi - 3.65
89 Kazakhstan - 3.66
90 Togo - 3.68
91 Yemen - 3.70
92 Ethiopia - 3.73
92 Pakistan - 3.73
93 Sierra Leone - 3.78
94 Congo, Republic of - 3.80
95 Vietnam - 3.83
96 Guinea Bissau - 3.85
97 Syria - 3.90
98 Suriname - 3.93
99 Bangladesh - 3.95
99 Nigeria - 3.95
100 Belarus - 3.99
Repressed
101 Tajikistan - 4.00
102 Haiti - 4.04
103 Venezuela - 4.09
104 Uzbekistan - 4.10
105 Iran - 4.16
106 Cuba - 4.29
107 Laos - 4.33
108 Turkmenistan - 4.36
109 Zimbabwe - 4.36
110 Libya - 4.40
111 Burma (Myanmar) - 4.60
112 Korea, Democratic Republic of (North Korea) - 5.00
Angola - n/a
Burundi - n/a
Congo, (Democratic Republic of) - n/a
Iraq - n/a
Serbia and Montenegro - n/a
Sudan - n/a

Source : The Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom (http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/)

http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/downloads/Index05_EconFreedomMAP.jpg

Jan 9, 2005
New Zen model wins Creative hat-trick at show

By Ho Ka Wei

LAS VEGAS - FOR THE third year running, Creative Technology has won a Best of Show award at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) for one of its products.

And this time, it was for its new Zen Micro Mini Photo.

The homegrown company had taken home similar awards for its musical keyboard Prodikeys in 2003, and for the Zen Portable Media Centre last year.

The Zen Micro Mini Photo is a 5GB MP3 player that is similar to Creative's current hot seller the Mini, except that it can show photos too.

It is expected to come in all 10 colours like the Mini, and be in stores by June. Customers should expect to pay between US$250 (S$412) and US$300 each for the gizmo.

An ecstatic Creative chief Sim Wong Hoo told The Sunday Times on Friday, when the win was announced at the show held in Las Vegas: 'It may be a third award, but it's still a big deal to us.

'Our team had worked really hard to get this player ready for the show and it managed to impress the judges.'

He added with a grin: 'Next year, maybe we'll aim for two award-winning entries.'

The winners are awarded by G4techTV, a 24-hour American technology television channel.

One of the judges, Mr John Walsh, 39, a senior technical analyst with G4 Media, told The Sunday Times: 'We look out for products that have the 'wow' factor.

'Creative's Mini Photo properly integrated photo and music features in one small package that's simple and elegant and is terrific value for money.'

To those eager to get their hands on it, Mr Sim has pledged: 'Singapore will be the first to get it. The Singapore market is huge and it is important.'

Other options already in the Singapore market include Sony's Vaio VGF-AP1 (20GB model at $618) and Apple's iPod Photo (from $888). The judges for Best of CES rate products not yet in the market or are just about to ship.

Altogether, there were 12 categories of awards that covered home theatre, digital photography and electronic games.

Yamaha Electronics won overall Best of Show with its home theatre speaker system, the YSP-1 Digital Sound Projector; Kodak won with its wireless-Internet-enabled digital camera EasyShare-One; while Sony's PlayStation Portable beat the Nintendo DS, a dual screen handheld games console.

Look up the full list at www.g4techtv.com

The weekend crowd thronged CES on Friday, all eager to see what's hot for the year ahead in consumer electronics.

More than a thousand people had also packed the nearby Las Vegas Hilton auditorium that morning to listen to Hewlett-Packard (HP) chief Carly Fiorina deliver her keynote address.

In her 90-minute star-studded presentation, she had DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg talk about HP's computing prowess in making animated movies like the upcoming Madagascar, about four zoo animals on an adventure between New York and Madagascar.

Also making an appearance: pop singer Gwen Stefani, who will launch, around June, a dressed-up HP digital camera she designed.

Ms Fiorina made clear her vision for digital entertainment: 'We want to integrate analog and digital in a seamless, simple way that will be easy and affordable to the consumer.

'We're putting consumers, not technology, at the centre of entertainment.'

Earlier last week, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates had said in his keynote address that the personal computer will be the hub for digital entertainment.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

11 January 2005

PAP tops global ranking for reputation: survey
By Derek Cher/Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Singapore's ruling People's Action Party has come up tops in the political party category in a global survey by market research firm Taylor Nelson Sofres.

Some 35,000 people from over 40 countries were polled in the global survey, which TNS carried out for the first time.

The Corporate Reputation Index reflects the perceptions of people towards their own country, both politically and economically.

Among the thousands polled across the globe, 500 Singaporeans were selected to share their views.

And the results surprised many, including the researchers.

Singaporeans were so satisfied with their government that the country came up tops in the political parties category.

John Smurthwaite, chairman of Taylor Nelson Sofres, said "Singapore perhaps doesn't have the same reputation as being a democratic country in the western sense, like the UK or US. But I think what has happened is people have been very happy with the change in leadership; they have seen a nice changeover and they are obviously very happy with that."

Said Associate Professor Bilveer Singh, Department of Political Science, National University of Singapore, "People are looking for material goods and the government delivers that. I think the track record is an excellent one in almost every area that you talk about.

"At the same time, over the last couple of years, what has changed compared to the earlier generation has been the notion of good governance. People say we have good governance, accountability, no corruption, somewhat growing openness, and therefore we are relating with soft authoritarianism."

He added, "The government has also been exceptional in crisis management, in the way it has dealt with SARS and the tsunami, etc. The pride in associating with a successful government -- there are many small states that are not successful and people will ditch them; whereas in this case the government is successful and people like to relate and correlate."

While Singaporeans interviewed by Channel NewsAsia agree with the findings, some feel there is still room for improvement.

"I think the government has to be given credit where credit is due. We are pretty transparent, it is accountable, and there's no corruption. But I think in a democratic system, a one party state is not always the best thing," one Singaporean said.

"My reaction is that the survey confirms everyone's opinions, including my own. No matter how much they gripe, they still think that the government is efficient. But they have to come up with an image that is warmer, I guess; now they portray an image of efficiency, of trust," another said.

Survey results also reveal that Singaporeans think very highly of the country's health, telecoms and postal services.

As a result, health services and telecom operators here clinched the top spots in their respective categories.

Mail services was ranked second best in the world, behind Australia.

This is the first time that TNS has carried out such a massive global survey, so there is no comparison for the present rankings.

But TNS noted that consumer confidence in Singapore only picked up recently after years of slow economic growth.

The survey also showed that Singapore is the best country to do business in Asia.

Globally, it takes the 4th spot, following closely behind the US, Australia and Ireland. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

11 January 2005

Singapore is best country in Asia to do business: survey
By Derek Cher, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Singapore has been ranked the best country to do business in Asia.

In a global survey by market research firm Taylor Nelson Sofres, Singapore came in fourth, just behind the US, Australia and Ireland.

The country's ruling People's Action Party also came up tops in global reputation.

Some 35,000 people from over 40 countries were polled in the survey - Corporate Reputation Index - which TNS carried out for the first time.

Corporate Reputation Index is a survey that reflects people's perception of their own country, both from a political and economic standpoint.

Of the top 10 countries ranked with the highest reputation as a business location, 5 are in the Asia Pacific region and Singapore leads the Asian pack.

It was ranked as the best place to do business in Asia while globally, it took fourth spot.

John Smurthwaite, Chairman, Taylor Nelson Sofres, said: "It is terribly important that people have a good perception because visitors come to the country and if they hear from a Singaporean or whatever country they are in, if the people are very positive about their country, then of course that's going to help people make decisions about investing in that particular country, and in this case, Singapore."

Confidence in Singapore's health, telecoms and postal services is also very high.

Health services and telecom operators here took the top honours globally while mail services came in second best in the world, behind Australia.

Even though local banks and supermarkets were ranked among the top 10 in their respective categories, the survey shows more can be done to improve their quality of products and services.

This is the first time that TNS has carried out such a massive global survey, so there is no comparison for the present rankings.

But TNS noted that consumer confidence in Singapore only picked up recently after years of slow economic growth.

But what surprised many people including the researchers is the ranking of political parties.

Here Singapore came out tops, showing that Singaporeans are satisfied with the People's Action Party and its policies.

Mr Smurthwaite said: "Singapore perhaps doesn't have the same reputation as being a democratic country in the western sense, like the UK or US. But I think what has happened is people have been very happy with the change in leadership, they have a nice changeover and they are obviously very happy with that."

Malaysia took the second spot in political parties, due to a smooth political transition as well.

The worst Asian performer was Japan, which scored poorly across the board, signs of the Japanese losing confidence in their country. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 11 Jan 2005

Stanchart deal puts S'pore assets in 3rd spot

But S'pore market looks likely to retain second place in profit contribution for now

By SIOW LI SEN

(SINGAPORE) Standard Chartered Plc yesterday agreed to buy Korea First Bank for US$3.3 billion, the biggest acquisition in the bank's history - and a deal that will move Singapore down to third place in terms of the bank's assets and revenue.

Korea First Bank is the seventh largest banking group in South Korea by assets and has a market share there of about 6 per cent. With over three million retail customers, it will bolster Stanchart's revenues by 16 per cent and boost its assets by 22 per cent based on June 30, 2004 figures.

With assets of US$41.9 billion, Korea First Bank will become Stanchart's second largest market by assets, after Hong Kong where it has assets of almost US$50 billion.

Singapore, which has been Stanchart's second largest market in assets and revenue until now, will move down to third place. The 140-year-old UK-based bank employs some 2,500 people in Singapore. It also bases many of the global heads of its various business here.

In profit, Singapore could retain second place among the bank's operations, but it is not clear for how long. For the first six months of last year, Singapore contributed profit before tax of US$132 million, and US$243 million for the whole of 2003.

First Korea Bank in the nine months ended Sept 30 last year earned profit before tax of US$127 million and US$88 million for the whole of 2003.

Stanchart has been looking to diversify from Hong Kong and Singapore for some time now, where margins have grown increasingly tight.

In a statement yesterday Stanchart said Korea First Bank with its 404 branches and about 2,100 automated teller and cash-deposit machines represents a robust platform for growth in both wholesale and consumer banking.

South Korea has a population of 48 million and a banking sector worth about US$44 billion, over three times the size of Hong Kong, according to Stanchart's estimates.

'Standard Chartered expects to leverage Korea First Bank's nationwide platform to capture new product and customer segments and drive earnings growth,' the bank said.

It added that South Korea is one of the largest consumer and wholesale banking markets in the world and that there is opportunity to create value through more sophisticated banking products.

Observers think Stanchart will be kept busy digesting and integrating its latest purchase. Coming so close after the takeover in October 2004 of Bank Permata, Indonesia's seventh largest bank, they said Stanchart's attention could be diverted from its traditional markets such as Singapore.

'It's pretty ambitious...they tend to get distracted from day-to-day growth issues, but then Singapore does have its local managers,' said one analyst from a US-broking house.

A Stanchart spokeswoman, however, told BT that Singapore had always been, and would remain, a key market for the bank.

She said: 'We have a strong and established presence here with a network of 20 branches.

'And we are unique in that the group's global businesses are managed out of Singapore which is also a centre for product development and innovation.' The spokeswoman added that the acquisition would provide Stanchart with a strong platform for growth in the world's tenth largest economy, which is also an increasingly important market for Singapore-based companies. 'This is an important development in our network and will enhance our capability to serve companies doing business in South Korea,' she said.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

12 January 2005

Creative ramping up production, wants to win MP3 war
By Connie Tan, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Creative Technology says it is prepared to fight for a bigger share of the MP3 player market. It will launch a big marketing blitz in the next few months, once it has ramp up its production capacity.

The company's digital music players have been selling like hotcakes, and Creative ramped up production in its December quarter about five times to keep up with demand.

More than two million MP3 players were sold during that period.

While the Christmas season is over, Creative believes that demand will still be strong, and plans to continue with its production momentum this quarter.

Said Creative's CEO Sim Wong Hoo, "For this year, we're prepared to spend a hundred million US dollars in marketing alone, just for MP3 players. We haven't spent a lot of money yet because we have a shortage of products. Once we have all the production ramped up -- we're ramping production like crazy right now -- the marketing dollars will come in.

"But even with this kind of some marketing spending, not to the extent of what I want to spend, we're actually receiving huge response, huge demand to our products already. And that's what we're doing, and that's with some marketing -- not a lot yet -- and the big show is still coming."

Over at MacWorld, Apple Computer has launched a new iPod digital music player costing as little as US$99.

Chief executive Steve Jobs said Apple had sold 4.5 million units of its blockbuster iPod in the last quarter, almost double that of its nearest competitor, Creative's Zen Micro.

But Mr Sim says Creative is not worried about the new flash player from Apple eating into its market share.

Said Mr Sim, "Actually, to me it's a big let-down: we're expecting a good fight but they're coming out with something that's five generations older. It's our first generation MuVo One product feature, without display, just have a (shuffle feature). We had that -- that's a four-year-old product.

"So I think the whole industry will just laugh at it, because the flash people -- it's worse than the cheapest Chinese player. Even the cheap, cheap Chinese brand today has display and has FM. They don't have this kind of thing, and they expect to come out with a fight; I think it's a non-starter to begin with."

Yesterday, Creative announced that it has raised its guidance for revenue growth in its fiscal second quarter.

Creative now expects to see a 45 percent on year jump in revenue for the three months ended in December to over US$360 million.

It will release its second quarter earnings on January 20, a week ahead of schedule.

Creative's share price jumped 3.3 percent on Wednesday to end at S$25.30. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 15 Jan 2005

S'pore is best place for business

OF all the cities in the world, EMC's chief executive Joseph Tucci thinks Singapore is the best location for business.

'Singapore is the easiest place to live and operate and offers a great quality of life,' Mr Tucci says.

'It has the best infrastructure for doing business, is very well positioned geographically, has a great set of laws to protect intellectual and personal property and is a good place to hire bright people.'

EMC runs its Asia South operations from Singapore, where it employs 140 people and runs its global training centre. EMC has 1,950 employees across Asia-Pacific and Japan, and 21,000 worldwide.

The company's customers in Singapore include the Central Provident Fund Board, Citibank, DBS Bank, BNP Paribas, NTUC FairPrice, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Soundbuzz, Jebsen & Jessen, Siemens Business Services, Seagate Technologies, Agilent Technologies, Infineon Technologies and the Singapore Exchange.

'We're looking at the possibility of doing R&D work in Singapore,' Mr Tucci says.

'Other than that, Singapore could be an ideal data recovery and disaster recovery centre. We're helping some of our global customers to set up their data recovery centres in Singapore and in the region.'

He's in Asia about 20 days a year. The Asia-Pacific region - including Japan, China, India and Australasia - contributes about 13 per cent to EMC's gross global revenues of US$8.1 billion.

Mr Tucci's target three years ago was to get the region to gross US$1 billion in revenues. That hasn't happened yet, due to the recession. However, now that corporate IT budgets are getting beefed up and more companies across Asia plan to plonk more money into beefing up their data storage, is he going to increase the target?

'Before you change the goal, you should first hit the goal, don't you think?' he says. 'Once you achieve the goal, the bar goes up. We say, here's your reward, here's your money, here's your praise, and here's your new target. Once you hit a goal - in business or in life - you've got to move the goal post. If you're satisfied with your goal and don't want to better it, then you become mediocre.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

17 January 2005

SingTel ranked most profitable company in DP Info survey for 2003/2004
By Frederick Lim, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: SingTel has been ranked the most profitable company in Singapore for the period June 2003 to May 2004.

The exercise was conducted by business and credit information provider DP Information Group.

The ranking is based on a yearly survey of the top 1,000 corporations in the country.

Meanwhile, in the SME category, real estate firm SB Development took the top spot.

For the first time in three years, both big and small companies saw improvements in both turnover as well as profits.

DP Info said this was a result of the strong economic recovery.

The combined turnover of the top 1,000 Singapore companies climbed some 13% to S$770b while combined net profit rose 39% to S$47b.

Not to be outdone, SMEs posted a 7% rise in combined turnover to S$12b.

Total profit shot up by 31% to 427 million.

DP Info says Singapore's drive to promote itself as a telecoms, transport and logistics hub translated into good financial results for companies in the sector.

Chen Yew Nah, managing director of DP Information Group, said: "The communications, transport, storage industries, they have done very well and they are the only industries for the last five years that have grown year on year."

So unsurprisingly, among the top 1,000 Singapore companies, it was telecoms provider SingTel that claimed top spot in the net profit category.

It was followed by Glaxo and Shell Eastern Petroleum.

But it was sofa maker HTL International which booked the highest jump in percentage turnover.

Its revenue jumped by a hefty 19 times to S$127m, thanks to overseas expansion.

Siew Peng Yim, Group Financial Controller of HTL International, said: "Currently our turnover, 99% is entirely outside of Singapore, Europe being the largest market which accounts for 46%. The bulk of our turnover is actually export-based."

In the SME 500 category, despite poor sentiment on the property front, developer SB Developments reported the highest net profit.

It was followed by another real estate firm Hoi Hup and electrical products maker BBS Access.

According to DP Info, Singapore SMEs are beginning to find their own niche or business formula to improve profitability.

Michael Teo, director of Taka Jewellery, said: "We try to do it as the lowest price in the market, and we can do it because we have a factory in China where production cost is much lower. We do it in mass production and buy in big bulk of diamonds, so we pass all the savings to the consumers."

Taka Jewellery was among the SMEs that came in tops in the highest turnover category for SMEs. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

11 January 2005

PAP tops global ranking for reputation: survey
By Derek Cher/Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia


this is certainly an interesting article ;)

18 January 2005

Singapore scientists win top world radiology award
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: A team of Singapore scientists from the Agency of Science Technology and Research (A*STAR) has come up with a new image interaction tool that allows radiologists to navigate through 3D images of the human organs.

With the tool, radiologists and physicians can now make faster diagnoses.

The invention has helped the team clinch a top award at the recent Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting.

The meeting is the largest and the most prestigious radiological conference held every year in America. - CNA

Copyright © 2004 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 20 Jan 2005

S'pore still lags in broadband penetration

By RAJU CHELLAM

(SINGAPORE) Despite the marketing push to get more people to opt for high-speed Internet connections, Singapore still lags other developed markets in Asia in broadband penetration.

Research house Gartner says Singapore's broadband penetration last year was just 11.4 per cent, compared with Japan's 15.2 per cent, Taiwan's 15.6 per cent, Hong Kong's 21.6 per cent and South Korea's 25 per cent.

'The fastest-growing major Asian market in 2004 was Thailand, which grew by more than 1,000 per cent,' said Gartner's principal analyst, Andrew Chetham.

'The number of broadband connections in India, Malaysia, China and Australia all at least doubled in 2004 from 2003.'

Broadband refers to the ability to connect to the Internet using either a cable modem (like the StarHub-MaxOnline connection) or via ADSL or asymmetric digital subscriber line (like SingNet's Magix). Broadband connections offer speeds ranging from 256 kilobits per second to 3,000 kilobits per second, versus a dial-up modem's 56 kilobits per second.

About 490,000 Singapore residents - out of a population of 4.3 million - had broadband connections in 2004, up 24 per cent from 2003.

That rate of growth was higher than South Korea's 13 per cent, and slightly higher than Taiwan's 22 per cent and Hong Kong's 20 per cent. But it was lower than Japan's 42 per cent, and a lot lower than some of the faster-growing economies in Asia.

Besides Thailand, where the number of people opting for broadband soared 1,456 per cent, other high-growth markets included India (236 per cent), Australia (115 per cent), Malaysia (113 per cent), China (99 per cent) and New Zealand (77 per cent).

However, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), which studies broadband penetration among households as well as individuals, says that as of November 2004, 497,100 individuals and 41 per cent of households had broadband subscriptions, up from 225,000 the year before.

That translates to close to one in two households, up from one in five the year before. IDA's target was to achieve a 50 per cent broadband household penetration by 2006.

A study done in April last year for the Economist Intelligence Unit and IBM's Institute for Business Value ranked 64 of the world's largest economies to arrive at an 'e-readiness' score by analysing 100 quantitative and qualitative criteria. Singapore came first in Asia and seventh worldwide. 'Singapore made the greatest advance in the 2004 ranking, up five places over 2003,' the authors of the study said. 'Like its neighbours, Hong Kong (9th) and South Korea (14th), Singapore is a world leader in broadband rollout and benefits from strong government-industry co-operation.' Japan was placed 25th.

Gartner's Mr Chetham said that with the right mix of marketing, pricing and in some cases, applications, it is possible to push broadband penetration higher, even though it has already obtained very high levels.

'The world's three leading broadband markets by penetration - South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong - all continued to grow robustly, with Japan now joining this leading trio,' he said.

'South Korea, the world's leading broadband market, managed to grow 13 per cent. Its absolute penetration (against population) is 25 per cent, and its household penetration rate is now approaching 80 per cent.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water quality here is world-class

26 Jan 05

THE water that flows from any Singapore tap is world-class.

This is the verdict of a six-member panel of Singapore and foreign experts on the water supplied by the Public Utilities Board (PUB).

Tests conducted on water - including reservoir water, PUB water and Newater - showed that it more than met benchmarks under the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Standards, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Drinking Water Guidelines.

Headed by Professor Joan Rose, an international expert on water, the panel was set up in September 2003 to provide a twice-yearly independent assessment of PUB's management of water quality.

More than 80,000 tests were conducted based on 239 criteria in one month alone, according to PUB's media release. And these criteria were more than the 96 specified by the EPA, and 113 specified by WHO, it added.

The panel attributed the quality of the water to well-equipped and trained staff who are able to handle the daily operations as well as emergency situations.

Prof Rose, who is from Michigan State University in the US, said: 'The audit panel is confident that PUB has put in place a robust and effective system that is well-planned and has strong operational procedures.'

Business Times - 27 Jan 2005

S'pore emerges as wealth centre for Middle East assets

Citigroup aims to introduce its clients to opportunities in the region

By GENEVIEVE CUA

PRIVATE money from the Middle East is increasingly looking to Singapore as an alternative wealth centre, says Citigroup Private Bank's new managing director Alston Beinhorn.

Assets under management from the Middle East are understood to have risen substantially from virtually nil, eight years ago, but Citigroup has declined to be specific. The Middle East falls under the Singapore's Asia Pacific ambit, excluding Japan. The bank aims to host a conference in Dubai to give clients in Singapore and the region a chance to explore opportunities in the Middle East.

'Eight years ago, Singapore wasn't on the path at all for Middle East clients. Now it has become a very viable alternative. We have a large presence in Dubai,' Mr Beinhorn said.

In the Asia-Pacific, the bank's private wealth assets grew at a double-digit rate between 1999 and 2003 and this is expected to continue over the next three to five years.

Mr Beinhorn said the closure of the bank's operations in Japan last year - following allegations of failure to block money laundering and fraud - did not dent its Asian business. The silver lining, he said, is that the group has re-examined all compliance procedures to ensure everything is 'squeaky clean'.

'We've had no change in our assets under management,' he said. 'There has been soul-searching to make sure we weren't involved, and that was verified by various audits internally and externally...There has been no panic or turnover among clients.'

Based on an annual wealth survey by Boston Consulting Group, the Middle East wealth market grew 16.2 per cent in 2003, with the number of wealthy households rising by 300,000 to 1.35 million. Saudi Arabia dominates the region's wealth market, accounting for a third of wealthy households.

Boston believes rising oil prices are likely to increase Saudi Arabia's dominance and raise the importance of the UAE and Kuwait wealth markets.

Mr Beinhorn worked for eight years in Singapore between 1987 and 1995 for Citigroup Private Bank, before moving to Brunei and India.

Back in Singapore, he has replaced Peter Triggs, who has moved to London as a senior trust consultant for the Asia-Pacific and Middle East.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 28 Jan 2005

S'pore is 56th most costly office location, up 4 rungs

SINGAPORE is now the 56th most expensive office location in the world, up from 60th position six months earlier, according to the latest CB Richard Ellis Global 50 Index.

The rise in Singapore's standing in the US dollar-based ranking was in line with the significant improvement in the office market on the island.

The average prime office rent here rebounded by 10 per cent last year to S$4.40 psf per month (US$32.06 psf per annum) - the first yearly increase since 2000.

London's West End remained the world's most expensive office location, with prime office space there now costing US$191.60 psf per annum. This is 52 per cent more than the second most expensive location - London's City area at US$125.80 psf.

The slide of the US dollar against most other major currencies further marginalised US locations, of which only three are now in the top 50. The most expensive US location is now Midtown Manhattan, which ranks 24th at US$52.53 psf per annum.

Singapore's upward movement in the index was in line with the improving office market. Demand - about 700,000 sq ft - turned positive for the first time since 2001, and the average Grade A occupancy rate rose to 93.2 per cent at the end of 2004, from 88.2 per cent a year earlier. CBRE said prime office rents could rise by another 10 to 12 per cent this year.

'While the economy is projected to experience lower growth in 2005 compared with 2004, there is typically a delay effect between economic performance and its impact on office demand. Consequently, a relatively lower economic growth level in 2005 may not have an immediate dampening impact on office demand. We expect strong leasing activity through the year,' CBRE said.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

28 January 2005

Singapore's eSys is world's biggest hard disk drive distributor

SINGAPORE : In just four short years, home-grown computer component distributor, eSys, has become a global S$2.4 billion company.

With presence in 33 countries, eSys has emerged as the largest hard disk drive or HDD distributor in the world with 25 percent of the global HDD distribution market.

eSys also produces the cheapest PCs in the world and it will be launching its own brand of laptop next month.

Strong in markets like US, Russia and China, the group saw turnover cross S$1.3 billion in 2003 and last year it hit S$2.4 billion.

From distributing IT components to manufacturing low-cost PCs, eSys is arguably one of the key and fastest-growing players in the IT industry worldwide.

Vikas Goel, Chairman and MD, eSys Technologies, said: "Our business model is not a conventional distribution model as you might see it with our competitors. We build a business model that allows us to do things at one-fifth the cost of our competitors."

And that strategy has allowed eSys to grow to a S$2.4 billion company in just four short years.

Today, the firm distributes hard drives for industry names like Seagate, Maxtor and Western Digital.

eSys commands 25 percent share of the hard drive market.

It also distributes components like motherboards, memory chips and CD roms for companies like Intel and Seagate.

Its own product range includes the world's lowest cost PCs based on the Linux platform.

The PCs are manufactured in Singapore and they are sold in some NTUC Fairprice retail outlets.

eSys ePC has also been launched in India, South Korea, Middle East and the UK.

In India, eSys ePC is credited with creating an entirely new category of low cost Linux PCs.

It is considered a major driver in the expansion of the Indian PC market by 30 percent within a year of the launch.

Last year, the award-winning eSys was granted International Headquarters Status by the Singapore government.

For companies that expand rapidly like eSys, experts say it is vital to connect with local partners.

Eugene Tan, MD, Commercial Banking Group, Citigroup, said: "When a company is moving abroad, they sometimes need a local partner to help them extend their business. In this respect a financial institution that is already established in that area can help them find such a partner."

Recently, eSys secured a deal with the largest telco in Latin America to supply more than 150,000 PCs in phases.

The deal, worth over US$30 million, came as a result of a business lead generated by IE Singapore's Mexico City Overseas Centre.

Mr Goel said: "IE Spore has a lot of schemes which they have been helping us with. All their global network of offices and directors all around the world, they identify the opportunities for us."

In four short years, eSys has expanded its operations to the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

As it expands into several markets, eSys is also mindful of the many challenges it faces in going global.

In short, it's not easy doing business in several markets at the same time.

Mr Goel said: "For every country the challenges are different. Like in countries like Japan and Korea, the biggest challenge is the language barrier. For Russia and China, it's the way the business is done. There are informal and formal channels. In Latin America there's a lot of bureaucracy. For India, setting up an office is one thing but if you have to do actually stock and selling, you need to have tax registration in all the 26 states which is a painful process. Takes a few months."

Challenges aside, eSys is forging ahead with its ambitious expansion plans.

Mr Goel said: "The growth primarily for us is coming from our PC business which is mainly into large projects or retail chains. Then we're into consumer electronics could be simple stuff like MP3 players, mobile phones and as a company we're growing naturally with the industry growth especially in the emerging markets like Russia, India, Middle East China." - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Suprisingly...

Suprisingly...

Why so surprised?? :?

Business Times - 31 Jan 2005

MALAYSIA INSIGHT
KL grapples with fall in foreign students

Plan to turn country into education hub in jeopardy as intake this year falls short of target by more than half

By PAULINE NG
KL CORRESPONDENT

ALARM bells are ringing in Malaysia's education ministry. A long-term plan to turn the country into an education hub is in jeopardy, with foreign students not signing up at the country's institutes of higher learning in the numbers expected.

Indeed, the ministry's target this year has fallen short by more than half, with only 23,000 enrolled (from 150 countries) out of an expected 50,000.

Worse, it's a sharp drop from the 40,000 figures last year.

Singapore, which is also promoting itself as a centre for education, appears to have pulled ahead in the game: its foreign student population is estimated at 50,000 already, and the Economic Development Board has ambitions of tripling this by 2012.

As usual the Chinese have been super-quick learners.

The current shortfall in the foreign student intake in Malaysia can be traced back to the Chinese who previously made up a third of the foreign student intake.

Now, Chinese students are opting to stay put as foreign universities and colleges in the country catch on to the lucrative nature of education and embark on twinning programmes that have spawned branch campuses across China.

This year, China is host to 77,715 foreign students.

The drop in Chinese students and the income they generate here is palpable, and the Malaysian government that has sold the country on a lower cost of living, cheaper tuition fees and quality facilities, would like to woo them back.

But this might be easier said than done. Apart from being a powerful magnet for foreign investments, China is also irresistible for foreign students.

Since the country began to open up, hordes of students from all over the world have made a beeline there to study Mandarin or to hang around so as to be part of the infectious 'China experience.'

There's also much in its education system to impress. China has a huge pool of educators and academics, and given the legendary Chinese emphasis and belief in a sound education, the quality of teaching is likely to be high.

Indeed, Chinese universities are acknowledged to be some of the best in the region, with Beijing, Tsing Hua and Fudan universities being cases in point.

While the Chinese still make up the biggest group of foreign students in Malaysia (11,000 of them this year), their declining numbers are conspicuous.

The bright spot seems to be Indonesia.

In 1998 in the aftermath of the unrest in Jakarta, Malaysia attracted 3,893 Indonesian students to continue their education in the country.

The numbers enrolled this year were 7,500, making them the second largest group after the Chinese. India, Thailand and Singapore have a thousand-plus students here.

In the interim, the education ministry has set up a committee to look into the country's competitiveness in the sector vis-a-vis its rivals in the region. Besides new marketing strategies, a decision has been made to allow foreign students to take part-time employment.

Last year, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi appointed Mohd Effendi Norwawi as its special envoy to the higher education ministry, tasking him with promoting Malaysian higher education abroad.

While these measures are a start, they are unlikely to be enough to check the slide in this lucrative but extremely competitive service.

Quite apart from the private colleges that give Malaysia a black eye overseas by their lack of accreditation, there are also other fundamental issues clouding the country's future as a preferred centre of learning.

Chief among these is the declining quality of teaching at some of the country's institutions of higher learning, a trend that many academics have long expressed misgivings about and which is reflected in Malaysian institutes' slide in regional rankings of universities.

'We are seriously worried about how Malaysia can compete against countries like Singapore and Thailand,' said a concerned Education Minister Shafie Mohd Salleh last week.

For the ministry's planners seeking to put Malaysia on the region's education map, it will have to be back to school again.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 31 Jan 2005

S'pore PC sales cross 500,000 mark in 2004

In Q4 2004, 148,726 PCs were shipped in S'pore, up 18 per cent over Q4 last year. Much of that demand was for laptops, reports RAJU CHELLAM

SINGAPORE'S personal computer shipments crossed the half million mark in units sold for the first time in December 2004, thanks to a buying surge by companies which bought new PCs to replace older models.

http://img172.exs.cx/img172/3761/050131rjsin31p285fv.gif

A total of 575,428 PCs - including desktops and notebooks - were shipped in all of 2004, up a robust 20 per cent over 479,586 shipped in 2003, according to preliminary data from IDC Corp.

'Desktops are not dead in Singapore yet,' said Reuben Tan, IDC's Singapore-based senior analyst for personal systems research. 'Desktop PCs beat our expectations despite notebook migration trends, reduced traffic in IT malls, and a lacklustre Sitex PC show.'

In an earlier study, IDC had estimated that Singapore would see PC shipments rise just 2.4 per cent - and notebook PCs go up 4.1 per cent - in all of 2004 over 2003. However, a strong uptick in demand in Q3 and Q4 2004 lifted the year's overall PC numbers significantly.

PCs are a strong indicator of economic sentiment since companies cannot do without them - between 70 and 80 per cent of all PCs sold are to companies. Even with individuals, 74 per cent of Singapore households own one or more PCs, according to the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore. In the last quarter of 2004, 148,726 PCs were shipped in Singapore, up 18 per cent over Q4 last year. Much of that demand came from laptops. 'Notebook computers were hot in Singapore in Q3 this year, especially at the Comex computer show,' Mr Tan said. 'Unfortunately, the high volumes came at the expense of reduced margins for many notebook vendors.'

That's also the view from Gartner Inc. Lillian Tay, Gartner's Singapore-based principal analyst for hardware and systems research for the Asia-Pacific, said Singapore is a small and relatively mature IT market which is predominantly driven by replacement PC demand cycles.

'The key driver of growth is still the corporate segment, which bought more notebook computers to replace chunky desktops in Q3 last year,' Ms Tay said. 'PC sales to homes fell 2.9 per cent in Q3 over the year-ago period, while sales to professionals and the corporate sector grew 14 per cent. However, more home users opted to buy notebook computers.'

Demand for notebook PCs was the driving factor behind home market purchases. 'In Q3 2004, tertiary students bought the bulk of the mobile PCs,' Ms Tay said. 'Desk-based PCs in the home market fell a sharp 27.8 per cent in Q3 year-on-year.'

Across the Asia-Pacific region outside of Japan, PC shipments reached 34 million units in all of 2004, up 16 per cent over 2003, IDC said. 'With the exception of South Korea, all countries recorded positive annual growth rates,' Mr Tan said.

PC growth was most significant in China, as active buying from the public sector, Internet cafes, and the SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) space drove PC sales despite the government's efforts to cool the country's potentially overheating economy. India achieved the highest annual growth rate in 2004 driven by successful entry-level offerings as well as good volume purchases from the government sector.

Worldwide, the PC market saw shipments rise to 51.5 million units in Q4 2004, up 13.7 per cent year-on-year. This marked the seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit growth in PCs, IDC said.

PC shipments for all of 2004 reached 177.5 million units worldwide on growth of 14.7 per cent, representing peak recovery following the market contraction of 2001. 'Total shipments in 2004 were more than 26 per cent over 2000 volumes,' said Loren Loverde, director of IDC's worldwide PC tracker. 'We expect growth of roughly 10 per cent in 2005 before shipment growth slows to single digits.'

Across Asia, China's Lenovo led the pack with a 2004 share of 12.3 per cent in units sold, followed by Hewlett-Packard's 10.3 per cent, IBM's 7.4 per cent, Dell's 7.2 per cent, and Founder's 5.4 per cent. Taken together, the three China plays - Lenovo, IBM (whose PC business was taken over by Lenovo end-2004) and Founder - had a combined market share of 25 per cent and an average growth rate of 24.23 per cent.

On a global basis, Dell led the market with 17.9 per cent share in 2004 units, followed by HP's 15.8 per cent, IBM's 5.9 per cent, Fujitsu's 4 per cent, and Acer's 3.6 per cent. 'Dell managed a strong quarter in Q4 2004 with a solid performance across regions and total shipment growth of more than 21 per cent,' IDC said. 'The strong results further consolidated Dell's lead, preventing HP from taking back the top rank as it did in the fourth quarter of 2002 and 2003.'

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

02 February 2005

Singapore wins 2005 Work-Life Innovative Excellence Award

Singapore has become the first Asian country, and also the first outside the United States, to win the prestigious Work-Life Innovative Excellence Award.

The annual award by the US-based Alliance for Work-Life Progress is to recognise development and advancement of work-life effectiveness.

It is given this year to the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports for efforts by its Work-Life Unit to promote work-life harmony and create family friendly workplaces in the country.

The judges, who are work-life experts and practitioners, gave the Ministry top marks for its ability to 'think global, act local' by adapting from overseas examples and experiences and customising strategies to suit the local needs.

They were also impressed by its holistic strategy in encouraging family friendly workplaces by collaborating with employers, unions and government and adopting a three-pronged approach of organising public awareness events, facilitating training and providing resource materials and research.

The organisers said the Ministry, through its Work-Life Unit, was able to raise awareness for the need for work-life balance among Singapore employers and workers within a short span of four years.

The unit was launched four years ago in September 2000.

The conferment of the award was announced by Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon at the launch of a seminar for family life ambassadors on Wednesday morning. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

http://www.axiss.com.au/content/pubs/a2a_email/data_comparisons/104-2005-01-17dc.pdf

some interesting facts...

Definition:
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - the total output of goods and services for final use produced by an economy, by both residents and non-residents, regardless of the allocation to domestic and foreign claims. It does not include deductions for depreciation of physical capital or depletion and degradation of natural resources.

Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) - A rate of exchange that accounts for price differences across countries allowing international comparisons of real output and incomes. At the PPP US$ rate, PPP US$1 has the same purchasing power in the domestic economy as $1 has in the United States.

So it seems, though S'pore does not hv a very high GDP per capita, but because our cost of goods/services is cheaper than say Japan/Australia, we are able to buy more. Anyone got a better idea??

Still remember burgernomics that was discussed during Economics class? It's all about PPP. :)

http://www.economist.com/markets/Bigmac/index.cfm

However, I have returned most of what I learnt about economics to the lecturers... :colgate: But, what you are saying is we have higher purchasing power because we can exchange for more goods and services with the same dollar.

I chance upon this fact sheet while looking up for S'pore's latest economic data, was surprising that the Oz agency had such an updated version but whatz even more surprising is how our economy as a whole improved over the pass year bringing up our per capita gdp to such levels.

But Hong kong's per capita GDP doesn't seem right though, it shld be higher based on other sources??

So despite the pass four years of gloom and doom, we are looking up again :okay: :banana:

04 February 2005 1409 hrs

Discovery Channel to air new documentary series on Singapore

SINGAPORE : Singapore's historic past will be recounted in a new documentary series to be aired on Discovery Channel in the third quarter of this year.

Discovery Networks Asia announced on Friday that it had commissioned a four-part series titled 'History Of Singapore' as a special tribute to mark the country's 40th year of independence.

Filming will start this month.

In the Asia Pacific, the programme will be aired in 23 countries and territories reaching over 90 million households.

Comprising four one-hour episodes, will trace Singapore's history from its humble beginnings as a fishing village to its emergence as a rapidly industrialising city state.

It will also piece together the ever-changing dynamics of the Singapore identity, borne from a society of immigrant descendants.

Discovery Channel Asia says the documentary series, to be shot entirely in high definition, is the most ambitious project it has ever commissioned.

It will use rare archival footage, photographs and sound recordings, as well as high-quality, cutting edge computer graphics for a dramatic reconstruction of Singapore's historical evolution.

Prominent historians and experts will be involved and the National Heritage Board will be consulted regarding historical facts and information. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 07 Feb 2005

S'pore is top location for outsourcing

It scores 22.6 projects per million people: Study

By RAJU CHELLAM

(SINGAPORE) Singapore is now the world's top location for outsourcing.

The Republic's 22.6 offshoring projects per million people beat 59 other countries, according to a study by the EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit) that looked at data gathered by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

http://img237.exs.cx/img237/1488/050207rjoff7pg18zb.gif

CEOs polled by EIU also ranked Singapore as the world's fourth-most attractive outsourcing location.

The study, which was co-sponsored by American software giant Oracle Corp, and Dimension Data, ranks 60 of the world's key economies on their attractiveness as offshoring locations in nine categories, including political and security risk, regulatory environment, tax regime, labour laws, costs and skills, and infrastructure. In overall ranking, Singapore came in fourth behind India, China, and the Czech Republic.

'Singapore's very high-quality telecoms infrastructure makes it a logical location for data centres that demand world-class telecommunications,' the study, titled CEO Briefing, notes.

'On the other hand, Singapore's well-educated workforce makes it suitable for high-tech activities and the offshoring of financial services.'

In Asia, apart from India, China and Singapore, Hong Kong also featured high on the list. It was ranked fourth in offshoring projects relative to population, behind Singapore, Ireland and the Netherlands.

'This demonstrates that success in attracting offshoring projects is not just a question of very low labour costs,' says Daniel Franklin, EIU's editorial director. 'Both Singapore and Hong Kong have long been popular locations for international corporate headquarters.'

In absolute terms, Singapore's total of 95 offshoring projects puts it in sixth place globally, said EIU, which cited 'the most recent data' from UNCTAD. These projects include call centres, shared service facilities, infotech services, and regional headquarters related functions.

The UNCTAD trade investment report states that India is currently home to 228 offshoring projects, followed by Britain's 187, China's 132, America's 123, Canada's 98, and Singapore's 95. Behind Singapore are Germany and Ireland with 77 each, Australia with 72, and the Netherlands with 52.

'The EIU would expect to see shares of the UK and the US dropping in the future, given their diminished attractiveness,' Mr Franklin said. 'By contrast, India and China have considerable scope for growth, given that India receives just 0.2 offshoring projects per million people, and China just 0.1 per million people.'

The study notes that advances in technology is the single most critical force that will change the global marketplace in the next three years. The emergence of China, India and Eastern Europe will put huge pressure on traditional market forces, and innovative use of IT will decide which companies win.

'In today's intensively competitive marketplace, innovation is critical for survival itself,' says Stanley Chew, managing director of Oracle Singapore. 'Only those CEOs who have placed IT at the core of their company's management strategy will stand to win as the stakes get higher and the cost of doing business shoots up.'

According to research house International Data Corp, companies and governments are set to spend a whopping US$591 billion worldwide on sub-contracting IT services alone this year. Across 14 key countries in the Asia-Pacific outside of Japan, the IT services market will be worth US$32 billion by 2006, double 2003 levels.

In Singapore, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore says it wants IT services to gross $3.78 billion in 2005, up from $3.23 billion in 2003. Singapore-based organisations are also outsourcing IT services when it makes business sense. Examples include the Registry of Companies' eBizcore, DBS Bank outsourcing its back-end IT operations, the Department of Statistics' Census 2000 survey and Singapore Airlines outsourcing its infrastructure functions to IBM. The Supreme Court and the Land Transport Authority too have outsourced IT services in their Technology Court and online COE bidding system respectively.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

thats rather interesting, but then its on a per capita basis!

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Feb 9, 2005
NUS beats Princeton, Cornell in social sciences ranking

By Sandra Davie
EDUCATION CORRESPONDENT

THE National University of Singapore (NUS) has come out ahead of well-known American institutions like Princeton, Cornell and Columbia in a worldwide ranking of universities for the social sciences.

In the latest survey results, released by the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES), NUS came in 10th among 101 universities. Princeton came 11th, Cornell 13th and Columbia 14th.

IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

# Top 10 social sciences universities

1. Harvard University

2. London Sch

3. University of california, Berkeley

4. Oxford University

5. Chicago University

6. Stanford University

7. Yale University

8. Cambridge University

9. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

10 National University of Singapore

# Top 10 arts and humanities universities

1. Harvard University

2. Oxford University

3. University of California, Berkeley

4. Yale University

5. Cambridge University

6. Princeton University

7. Beijing University

8. Columbia University

9. Tokyo Universtiy

10. London School of Economics

17. National University of Singapore

In a separate ranking for the arts and humanities, it came 17th among 50 universities, beating the School of Oriental and African Studies in London (18th place) and the Ivy League institution, the University of Pennsylvania (19th place).

Harvard, the oldest university in the United States, took pole position in both ranking tables.

The tables are part of a series that began with overall world university rankings and continues with discipline-specific tables for science, engineering and IT.

Information was collated by surveying about 1,300 academics in 88 countries for their opinions about top universities in subject areas where they have expert knowledge.

In the overall ranking published three months ago, NUS took 18th place in the survey of the 200 best universities in the world.

In the ranking for engineering and IT that followed in December, it was placed ninth.

In the latest survey, three Asian institutions, the Beijing University of China and the Kyoto and Tokyo universities of Japan, were placed ahead of NUS in the arts and humanities.

Nanyang Technological University was placed 70th in the social sciences table and 21st in the arts and humanities ranking.

Australian universities such as Melbourne University and Australian National University (ANU), which are popular with Singaporeans, came within the top 20 for social sciences, with Melbourne ranked 12th and ANU 16th.

NUS president Shih Choon Fong said he was pleased with NUS' placing among the premier league of universities.

He said NUS faculty members in the humanities and social sciences have 'leveraged on their location in the heart of Asia to build a strong international reputation in the study of the dynamic continent'.

THES said that with 30 American institutions in the top 101, the latest rankings show that the US is undoubtedly the world capital of social science research. Next on the list is Britain, with 12 entrants.

Among the top 50 universities for the arts and humanities, the US, with 18 institutions, and Britain, with nine, once again dominated the field.

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

NUS still needs to improve its international image.

Business Times - 21 Feb 2005

S'pore is No. 1 Asian city for expats: survey

SINGAPORE - Singapore has edged out Tokyo and Hong Kong as the best city in Asia for expatriates to live, according to a survey by a human resource group released on Monday, while Dhaka is the worst.

Singapore's wide use of English was one key factor for the tropical Republic's top billing, ECA International, a global membership organisation for human resources professionals, said after releasing its survey.

ECA's Hong Kong general manager, Lee Quane, said high quality transport, communications and health facilities, low health risks and low crime rates were other factors that made Singapore most attractive to foreigners.

'Although it boasts an excellent infrastructure, the added benefits of its cosmopolitan outlook and the extent to which English is spoken make it a very easy location for an expatriate to assimilate into,' Mr Quane said in a statement.

Singapore also shaded Tokyo and Hong Kong in the crucial area of air pollution, he said, while the Japanese capital further lost out because of its susceptibility to earthquakes.

In order from number four to 10, the other most livable Asian cities for expatriates were: Macau, Kuala Lumpur, Bandar Seri Begawan, Taipei, Bangkok, Seoul and Beijing.

At the other end of the scale, the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka won the gong for the least livable city, just ahead of Karachi.

'Dhaka is plagued by instability and poor infrastructure and the strains upon foreigners are increasing,' the findings of the survey said.

The survey ranks 38 cities according to categories that include climate, prevalence and impact of natural disasters, health facilities and risks, transportation, accommodation standards, education, recreation, and crime.

THE BEST LOCATIONS

1 Singapore
2 Tokyo
3 Hong Kong
4 Macau
5 Kuala Lumpur
6 Bandar Seri Begawan
7 Taipei
8 Bangkok
9 Seoul
10 Beijing

Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

^^

that is excellent to use in certain threads! :happy:

A question...The Changi airport website has listed only 15 awards for Changi for 2004 and it's already February of the next year. Even 2003 boasted 20 awards. Is that list conclusive? Or are there awards yet to be listed? If not, this could signal a worrying downward trend.

Business Times - 01 Mar 2005

S'pore businesses among the world's top e-mail users

By ROLAND LIM

SINGAPORE businesses are among the top e-mail users globally, according to a survey by international accounting and consulting firm Grant Thornton.

Grant Thornton's 2005 International Business Owners Survey (Ibos), which surveyed over 6,300 owners of medium-sized businesses in 24 countries in 2004, found that Singapore business owners, which formed about 3 per cent of the sample size, spent 1.6 hours daily on e-mail.

This ranked Singapore sixth among the 24 countries, behind the Philippines, Hong Kong, India, the US and Australia, but above the 1.5 hour global average.

'This comes as no surprise,' said Kon Yin Tong, managing partner of Foo Kon Tan Grant Thornton, the Singapore arm of Grant Thornton International, 'especially in Singapore where much effort has been placed on getting our country to the forefront of technology'.

'This is helped by the fact that IT is also promoted by various bodies such the ministries, and the government sets a good example.'

The 2005 Ibos also found that most Singaporean business owners saw e-mail and the Internet as having helped to boost their business turnover. Singapore had a balance of 12 per cent, in line with the global average.

The balance is the difference between the proportion of respondents who agreed and the proportion of those who disagreed.

The survey also found that most local business owners felt that online advertising and marketing are not yet essential to their business, and most local businesses did not rely much on the Internet for ordering supplies.

In an earlier survey by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore on infocomm usage by businesses in 2003, it was found that 42 per cent of local businesses used e-commerce, with 21 per cent using it as a supplier and 35 per cent as a customer.

The survey results also showed that about three-quarters of local businesses had access to the Internet, with the top three uses of the Internet being online research, internal communications and marketing and promotions.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

A question...The Changi airport website has listed only 15 awards for Changi for 2004 and it's already February of the next year. Even 2003 boasted 20 awards. Is that list conclusive? Or are there awards yet to be listed? If not, this could signal a worrying downward trend.

According to the latest Changi e-zine, the actual number of award is 19....:)

http://onetarget.oneempower.com/caas/new/awards.html

March 6, 2005
Sleepless in Singapore
54% of Singaporeans turn in only after midnight, making the country seventh in the top 10 night owls' list

By Sarah Ng

LIGHTS out after the witching hour? Not likely in Singapore, which, a global study on sleep habits found, is a nation of owls.

It found that one in two stay up past midnight, with half (27 per cent) hitting the sack between midnight and 1am, and the other half turning in after 1am. Not that this translates into the luxury of sleeping in.

Over a third (37 per cent) of the 500 polled rise between 6am and 7am. Another 31 per cent get up between 7am and 8am.

Hardly surprising then, that six out of 10 Singaporeans don't get the recommended eight hours of shut-eye. The majority (59 per cent) manage six to seven hours, while 3 per cent survive on only five hours of sleep.

The survey was conducted by ACNielsen last October over the Internet. More than 14,000 people, aged 16 to over 60, in 28 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe and the US were polled.

With 54 per cent of Singaporeans turning in after midnight, Singapore ranked seventh in the top 10 night owls' list. Seven of the places on this list are from Asia, the others are Mediterranean countries - Portugal, Spain and Italy - which are typically known for their mid-day siestas and late night dinners.

Said Ms Vicky Santos, executive director for ACNielsen Research Singapore: 'The competitive Singaporean society is adapting to a longer 'waking' day as working adults juggle their time between work and family.'

The growing range of late-night entertainment, such as pubs, karaoke lounges, cinemas, cable television and the Internet, as well as 24/7 retail outlets have also pushed back people's bedtimes, added Ms Santos.

The earliest to bed in Asia Pacific are the Australians, with 24 per cent in bed by 10pm. They are followed by the New Zealanders (19 per cent). Only 2 per cent of Singaporeans said they are in bed by this time.

As 31 per cent Aussies and 28 per cent Kiwis clock over nine hours of sleep daily, they are the biggest sleepers in the region.

The Japanese, however, are the exact opposite, with four out of 10 getting six hours or less.

On the honour roll for larks, Indonesia took the top spot with nine in 10 out of bed by 7am.

The Taiwanese - second on the owl list - are the last out of bed. Over a quarter (26 per cent) don't get up until after 9am.

The survey also found that globally, people in their 20s tend to be owls. In Asia Pacific, however, those in their 30s are more likely to burn the midnight oil.

This, perhaps, has to do with the long hours at work, leaving them with no time for hobbies.

Mr Steve Lim, 31, expressed the sentiment of many when he said: 'When you get home after 12 hours of work, there's not much time left to do things that you enjoy. Going to bed late means you can stretch the day a bit longer.'

The communications executive, who gets home at 10pm, watches Hong Kong drama serials on the cable channels and reads the newspapers before turning in at 2am. He wakes up at 8am for work.

Copywriter Ong Yee Mien, 30, spends three nights a week doing housework before sleeping at 12.30am. 'It's become a habit and I can spend my weekend going out with my family,' she said.

So what about the recommended eight hours of sleep?

Dr Yeo Poh Teck, consultant neurologist and director of the Sleep Disorder Centre at Gleneagles Hospital, said that it is not a medical requirement.

A union movement in the 1930s in the US and Europe had led to the demand for the 24-hour day to be split equally among work, leisure and sleep. That's how the eight hours of sleep came about, he said.

The average person, he added, needs seven to eight hours of sleep, but it can range from five to 10 hours.

His advice: 'Listen to your body. If you feel refreshed when you wake up, and can function well throughout the day, then you have enough sleep. Otherwise, you need more time in bed.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

07 March 2005

S'pore women say they are not paid enough compared to male counterparts: survey
By Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Singapore is seventh in a survey which compares the socio-economic level of women to men in Asia Pacific region.

Although the survey shows that Singapore women are closing the gap with their male counterparts in terms of tertiary education, the women are lagging behind when it comes to salaries.

The survey by MasterCard compares the data from 13 countries in the Asia Pacific region.

A score above 100 means gender inequality in favour of women; a score of 40 for - above average income, shows that Singapore women surveyed say they are underpaid.

One woman said, "It's not fair, we're doing the same standard with the guys but salary wise it's not fair."

Meanwhile a man said, "Women are not paid as well. I think it's the same as everywhere in the world at this moment; it's still like that because women are not taken as seriously as men."

Dr Yuwa Hedrick-Wong, Economic Advisor, MasterCard International, said, "The women executive would tend to believe she is actually better, superior compared to a male counterpart because the environment is so tough, she really has work so much harder and excel and out-perform her male counterparts in the same position."

Most of the women Channel NewsAsia spoke to agreed Singapore women are progressing well in terms of education and career advancement; but in some cases, they had to put their careers on hold in favour of marriage and having children.

On the other hand, Thailand topped the study with the highest overall index of 92, partly due to the large number of tertiary educated women there. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 08 Mar 2005

S'pore voted cleanest place for business: Perc

SINGAPORE - Singapore has been ranked the cleanest country for business, followed by Japan and Hong Kong, a new survey showed on Tuesday.

The Republic's grade was an almost pristine 0.65, Japan's at 3.46 and Hong Kong at 3.50.

Next, but far behind, were Taiwan at 6.15, South Korea at 6.50, Malaysia at 6.80, Thailand at 7.20, China at 7.68, India at 8.63, Vietnam at 8.65, the Philippines at 8.80 and Indonesia at 9.10.

The survey by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy Ltd (Perc) was conducted among foreign businessmen in the region.

'The issue of corruption could make or break Indonesia,' said Perc, which polled over 900 expatriate respondents across Asia in January and February.

It said 'relative outsider' Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was elected Indonesian president last year partly because voters were 'disgusted with the corruption of an entrenched, secular elite.'

Perc urged Mr Yudhoyono to make sure that foreign aid was used transparently in projects that benefit people and areas affected by last December's tsunami that left over 220,000 Indonesians dead or missing, mostly in Aceh province.

If the former general succeeds in fighting corruption, the economy would improve and radical Islamic groups such as Jemaah Islamiyah 'will be much more marginalised and less of a threat to the country and the region.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

March 8, 2005
S'pore ranks highly among BBDO offices worldwide

By Nicholas Fang

BANGKOK and Singapore have been shining brightly in terms of awards won for New York-based advertising agency BBDO, despite being so far from the traditional industry powerhouses in Europe and the United States.

The Thai capital was No. 2 out of BBDO's network of global offices while Singapore was No. 6 based on the number of creative awards clinched by the offices, said the company's worldwide president and chief executive, Mr Andrew Robertson.

In an industry dominated by Europe and the US, this strong performance by two Asian cities is somewhat unusual, but not surprising for the company, said Mr Robertson.

In a recent interview with The Straits Times, he said that despite the relatively small size of the markets in Thailand and Singapore, the two offices had a reputation for turning out top-notch work.

'Quality is rarely a function of scale, but more of skill. If you set the bar high initially, then standards will continue to be raised.

'I think that, especially for Singapore, the fact that it is a business hub means there are a lot of companies already here and they drive the demand and create the market for top-notch creative work.'

BBDO Singapore chief executive Seshadri Sampath said that the high ranking of the two Asian offices had not been an easy achievement.

'Bangkok nurtures high creativity across the board and there is generally more receptivity to bold and gutsy creative ideas.

'Singapore needs to balance the business side along with creative excellence. However, it has done well to raise the bar and this could be due to the high standards of talents Singapore has attracted over the years.'

Mr Robertson said that attracting the cream of creative talent was not necessarily a function of high-end salaries.

'I think the most important thing that an agency can do is to show that you honestly care about the quality of the work that you do. Top creative talent is drawn to that approach more so than a fat pay cheque.'

Last year, BBDO Singapore won awards at ad shows such as AdFest, Creative Circle Awards, and Clio.

It also topped the ST-R3 agency performance ratings for last year, beating close rivals Ogilvy & Mather and TBWA. The ST-R3 agency performance rating is the first full-year ranking conducted by agency performance consultants R3, which touts the ratings as the most comprehensive in Singapore.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

08 March 2005

Singapore still a top destination for outsourcing: minister
By Derek Cher, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang has downplayed the impact of manufacturers relocating to lower cost countries in recent years.

Speaking in Parliament, he says Singapore still commands over 50 percent of the global volume of high-end server drives.

Even though low-end manufacturers have been shipping out or cutting production -- the latest being Maxtor -- Mr Lim says Singapore is still attracting billions of dollars of investments, with electronics giants ST Microelectronics and Seagate continuing to expand their operations here.

He says Singapore's global maket share in electronics is rising and the country remains a top destination for outsourcing. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

9 Mar 05

S'pore cleanest again in Asian corruption survey

But Perc notes the issues posed by the wide gap between govt and its critics

SINGAPORE remains by far the least corrupt country in Asia, but the rating has gone down for a second straight year.

Political and Economic Risk Consultancy's (Perc) latest corruption study gives the Republic a 0.65 score on a scale of zero to 10, with zero the best grade possible. That's down from its 0.5 score a year ago, and 0.38 in the 2003 survey, which is its best rating in at least nine years.

Still, in Perc's view, perceptions about graft in Singapore 'have held very steady', with very little change in the favourable ratings year after year. 'It reflects a high level of confidence in the system's ability to keep the kinds of corruption that foreign investors are most sensitive to well under control.'

But while expatriates in Singapore - from whom views are sought for the survey - do not think corruption is a big problem at all here, this view is 'at sharp odds' with those of the government's political rivals, Perc notes.

'Many of these people live in exile, where they are free to express their opinions about their country of origin, and in the view of many of these people, Singapore is one of the most corrupt countries in Asia.

'They argue that the country's leading judges are all appointed by PAP (the ruling People's Action Party), that the country's leading companies are heavily influenced by PAP, and that because PAP's influence is so pervasive and complete, there are no institutions, including the judiciary, that are really free from political interference.

'When pressed to answer why expatriates working in Singapore hold such a different opinion, such critics say either that the expatriates are simply wrong and do not really know Singapore or that they have been co-opted by these same political forces and are afraid to say anything unflattering about the government.'

But such accusations have 'to date' not interfered with Singapore's ability to draw foreign investments, Perc says, noting that most foreign banks and companies do not share the views of the government's political critics.

Still, there is a risk that the wide gaps that exist between the Singapore government and its critics could become a bigger political - and commercial - problem, particularly for Singaporean companies that venture abroad, according to Perc.

It cites cases, such as in Canada, where parties involved in commercial disputes with Singapore companies have tried to use the testimonies of Singapore critics in exile and other observers who share those views to support their cases.

'It might no longer be enough to convince foreign investors that Singapore's system is clean and its institutions are run professionally. In the future, it will be important to make sure there are precedents in foreign jurisdictions so Singapore's systemic integrity is not questioned there either. This might be harder to accomplish than it sounds.'

Singapore tops tech economy table
Singapore has toppled the US from top spot in a ranking of world economies that make the best use of information and communication technology (ICT).
The US has been outpaced by the advance of other nations, rather than any slow down in its own performance.

The annual World Economic Forum (WEF) index placed Singapore, Iceland, Finland and Denmark above the US, with the UK up three places in 12th spot.

The WEF said ICT is playing a "central role" in growth and competitiveness.

Singapore was found to be the best performer in a number of categories, including quality of maths and science education, affordability of telephone connection charges and internet access, and government policy on ICT.

"It is clear that information and communications technologies will continue to play a growing role in boosting the efficiency of the increasing integrated global economy," said the report's co-editor Augusto Lopez-Claros.

He said that in turn enabled countries to "improve resource allocation and boost growth prospects".

Productivity link

The use of technology in 104 economies was assessed, while the report's Networked Readiness Index (NRI) measured the level to which countries exploit the opportunities.

Networked Readiness 2004-2005
1. Singapore (2)
2. Iceland (10)
3. Finland (3)
4. Denmark (5)
5. United States (1)
6. Sweden (4)
7. Hong Kong (18)
8. Japan (12)
9. Switzerland (7)
10. Canada (6)
11. Australia (9)
12. UK (15)
13. Norway (8)
14. Germany (11)
15. Taiwan (17)
2003-2004 rankings in brackets

Iceland was found to have achieved the greatest improvement among the top ten performers, moving up eight places to number two in the index.

Nordic governments, business communities and households are "enthusiastic users" of new technologies, the report noted.

The booming economies of China and India moved up 10 and six places respectively to into 41st and 39th in the index.

A comparison of previous indexes confirmed a trend of a narrowing digital divide between the most developed and least developed economies, said the report's authors.

"The link between investment in ICT and a nation's productivity has long been a subject of significant interest for decision makers and economists," the report noted.

"The analysis carried out by the authors establishes a strong link between the two."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/business/4331305.stm

Published: 2005/03/09 10:11:07 GMT

© BBC MMV

NRI is defined as "the degree of preparation of a nation or community to participate in and benefit from ICT developments".

RANK COUNTRY SCORE
1 Singapore 1.73
2 Iceland 1.66
3 Finland 1.62
4 Denmark 1.60
5 United States 1.58
6 Sweden 1.53
7 Hong Kong 1.39
8 Japan 1.35
9 Switzerland 1.30
10 Canada 1.27
11 Australia 1.23
12 United Kingdom 1.21
13 Norway 1.19
14 Germany 1.16
15 Taiwan 1.12
16 Netherlands 1.08
17 Luxembourg 1.04
18 Israel 1.02
19 Austria 1.01
20 France 0.96
21 New Zealand 0.95
22 Ireland 0.89
23 United Arab Emirates 0.84
24 Korea 0.81
25 Estonia 0.80
26 Belgium 0.74
27 Malaysia 0.69
28 Malta 0.50
29 Spain 0.43
30 Portugal 0.39
31 Tunisia 0.39
32 Slovenia 0.37
33 Bahrain 0.37
34 South Africa 0.33
35 Chile 0.29
36 Thailand 0.27
37 Cyprus 0.25
38 Hungary 0.24
39 India 0.23
40 Czech Republic 0.21
41 China 0.17
42 Greece 0.17
43 Lithuania 0.13
44 Jordan 0.10
45 Italy 0.10
46 Brazil 0.08
47 Mauritius 0.08
48 Slovak Republic 0.03
49 Jamaica –0.03
50 Botswana –0.10

Full list http://www.weforum.org/pdf/Global_Competitiveness_Reports/Reports/GITR_2004_2005/Networked_Readiness_Index_Rankings.pdf

Wah.....how come I still feel I am paying too much to surf the net?

Wah.....how come I still feel I am paying too much to surf the net?

cant be to much loh...dial-up or dsl/cable?:)

Cable....it costs me a freaking SGD80 per month!!

Sorry for the misplacement mr Huaiwei :colgate:

hehe Vapour in action :) :D ;)


huaiwei:thats 334 SKR...and for cable its expensive:(
is it 512kbit?

Cable....it costs me a freaking SGD80 per month!!

Huh? Er, you on MaxOnline 6500? That's about SGD70 right now isn't it..

Hm...yeah...6500. Is 6500 kbit right? Cant remember the unit, and I cant be bothered too, coz its still freaking slow. :bash: :D

Shld be $80 I think....I went to chk the website again before I posted that price. ;)

then i wonder why Sweden didnt top the ranking;) ;)

Darn...how cheap is it?! :bash: :D

15 March 2005

Singapore, Tokyo ranked top two Asian places for quality of life
By Ken Teh, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Singapore and Tokyo have been ranked the top two cities in Asia for quality of life.

Singapore, along with Tokyo, maintained its 34th position from last year in the list of 215 cities surveyed.

Hong Kong was ranked 70th while Kuala Lumpur was placed 75th in the international survey conducted by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

Geneva and Zurich topped the list for overall quality of life, while Baghdad scored the lowest.

London and New York were tied at 39th place.

The survey assessed cities on criteria like personal safety and security, censorship and personal freedom. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

^

same as last year, Singapore tied with Tokyo

wonder why HK scored so low :eek:

23 March 2005

Singapore's living cost falls, Japanese cities remain the world's most expensive: EIU survey

SINGAPORE : Costs of living in Singapore have dropped while the Japanese cities of Tokyo, Osaka and Kobe have preserved their status as the world's most expensive cities to live in, a survey shows.

A bi-annual Economist Intelligence Unit survey of more than 130 cities says Singapore is now at the 19th position, down from 17th in cost of living over the past year.

Manila and Bombay are among the cheapest.

London saw the biggest rise in cost of living over the past year while the falling US dollar made American cities cheaper.

New York, assigned an index reading of 100 and ranked the 23rd most expensive city in the world, down from 13th a year ago, served as the basis of comparison.

Tokyo's stood at a whopping 141 and the Osaka-Kobe zone's was 136.

London, in seventh place, was on 121.

At the bottom of the list, New Delhi and Karachi were jointly ranked 120th with just 45 on the index, Bombay was ranked 122nd on 44 and Manila was 123rd on 38, just above the cheapest city, Tehran at 32.

Other Asia-Pacific cities in the top 25 were Hong Kong at 12th place, down from seventh a year ago and Seoul, in 25th place, down from 19th in the previous survey.

A basket of goods and services was used to calculate individual indices, with currency strength playing a key role because local prices are converted into US dollars.

"The position of Tokyo and Osaka as the world's most expensive cities disguises a much more varied picture in the Asian region," the EIU said in a press statement.

"Australia and New Zealand have seen sharp rises in relative cost of living thanks to currency strength - Wellington and Auckland rose the highest number of places," it added.

The two New Zealand cities were tied at 39th place on an index reading of 91.

Traditionally expensive destinations like Hong Kong have seen a fall in the relative cost of living thanks to low inflation and the pegging of the currency to the US dollar, while European cities closed the gap with Tokyo and Osaka.

Other key Asian cities had widely varied rankings.

Beijing and Taipei were tied for 44th place with an index reading of 87, while Shanghai was ranked 46th - along with Miami, Florida - on 86.

Jakarta was in 86th place with an index of 68, Ho Chi Minh City at 90th on 66, Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur were tied at 98th on 62, and Bangkok was in 102nd place with 60. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

S'pore costlier than even New York now: EIU

24 Mar 05

Cost-of-living survey ranks Republic 19th, down two notches

By ANNA TEO

SINGAPORE remains among the world's 20 most expensive cities to live in, though it has dropped two rungs from a year ago to 19th. But that still makes it - at least in the Economist Intelligence Unit's latest worldwide cost-of-living survey - pricier than even New York.

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2005-03-24/240305_acosts24_p12.gif

Hong Kong has fallen even more, from 7th last year to 12th. But the latest bi-annual survey - which compares the cost of a basket of goods and services in US dollar terms across more than 130 cities - sees no change in the top six rankings. Tokyo and Osaka, followed by Oslo, Paris, Copenhagen and Zurich - where living costs are between 23 and 41 per cent higher than in New York - lead the pack.

The EIU survey, which uses New York cost levels as a base index of 100 for comparison, is generally used as a guide for executive allowances.

As the dollar has continued to weaken, there's now no US city in the top 20 list. New York - 13th last year and still the most expensive American city - is now down to 23rd, cheaper than Manchester and Dublin, EIU notes. Canadian cities have overtaken many US cities in cost-of-living terms, too.

The relative strength of the pound over the past 12 months, on the other hand, has led to a 12-point rise in relative cost-of-living terms for Londoners to 121 - the biggest index rise in the latest survey. In terms of rankings, it has climbed only one rung up to 7th, since the weak dollar has caused jumps across the eurozone.

Meanwhile, the continued dominance of Tokyo and Osaka at the top of the rankings belies a 'much more varied' picture in the Asian region. At the other end, four of the cheapest five cities surveyed are in Asia, with Manila (123rd) occupying the second from bottom spot in the overall rankings.

Australia and New Zealand have seen sharp rises in relative cost-of-living terms, thanks to currency strength, with Wellington and Auckland climbing the highest number of places in the latest rankings.

And 'traditionally expensive' destinations such as Hong Kong have seen a fall in relative cost, thanks to low inflation and their currency peg to the dollar. A long period of low or negative consumer inflation in Japan, coupled with currency movements, has also led to several European cities closing in on Tokyo and Osaka in the cost stakes.

hmmm... what basket of goods izzit compared against?

Live simply. don't own cars. don't buy private apts/houses. rent hdb flat. eat at hawker centre. take public tpt.

Be extreme, work very hard. Thus, no life and no time to spend money. :lol:

March 25, 2005
S'pore 13th on hacking ladder
It leaps from 39th place on global list in just 12 months as cyber-attacks rise by 200%

By Chua Hian Hou

SINGAPORE rose up the ranks of digital notoriety last year after a more than 200 per cent rise in the number of cyber-attacks launched from computers here.

In its Internet Security Threat Report released on Tuesday, information security firm Symantec said Singapore had climbed from 39th place to 13th on the global cyber-attack ladder.

This dramatic rise took place over a period of just 12 months. In the last six months of 2003, there were 182 attacks per 10,000 Internet users. In the second half of last year, that number rose to 598.

Singaporeans are probably not responsible for these attacks, however. Symantec's senior regional system engineering manager, Mr Adrian Tham, attributed the hike to poorly protected computers here, which are left open to hijacking by overseas users.

'Singaporeans think they won't get attacked and so many users don't protect their computers,' he said.

Mr Tham believes cyber-attackers outside Singapore probably exploit security loopholes on computers here, hijack them and use them as jump-off points to attack systems in other countries.

'This is more likely as real hackers aren't so dumb as to do it from their home countries,' he said.

Symantec's monitoring systems traced the source of cyber-attacks, but not the destination, meaning attacks may have targeted systems either locally or overseas.

Another major contributor to the rise in these attacks is the presence of more than 1,600 'bot'-infected computers here.

Bot-infected computers perform like any other computer. But without the owner's know- ledge, they can be controlled over the Internet by a hacker, who can instruct them to send spam, distribute computer viruses or hack into other computers.

Broadband-connected computers are favourite targets because their connections are fast and they are usually left online longer than computers on dial-up Internet.

According to the Symantec report, Singapore has the fourth largest number of bot-infected computers in the Asia-Pacific region, behind China, Taiwan and South Korea, which Mr Tham said is a major cause of concern.

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) said it is not surprised by Symantec's findings.

An IDA spokesman said: 'The trend described by the Symantec report is not a new phenomenon. Past reports from various organisations have reflected this.'

The authority said the report merely stressed the Government's position that cyber-security is the dual responsibility of the public and private sectors.

'Individuals and businesses must also take up the responsibility to adopt sufficient security measures... IDA will step up our cooperation with businesses and Government to enhance security.'

Worldwide, the top three culprits where cyber-attacks originate are Panama (1,345 per 10,000 Internet users), Hong Kong (1,073) and Macau (964).

Keeping your computer safe

TO PREVENT your computer from cyber- attacks, Mr Tham recommends that users:

# Install a firewall program to prevent unauthorised users from entering one's computer from the Internet and installing bot-programs on it.

# Install an anti-virus program and run scans on your computer regularly to find and remove malicious programs.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Singapore student,Ardian K. Poernomo wins Google India contest

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/03/27/images/2005032701530301.jpg

The top 5 winners of the `Google India Code Jam,' (from right) Ardian K. Poernomo, student, Singapore (1st place), Pascal Alfadian, student, Indonesia (second), Rajsekar Manokaran, student, Chennai (third), Nishant Redkar, student, Mumbai (fourth) and Sreeram Ramachandran, Lecturer, Singapore (fifth place), after receiving their prizes in Bangalore on Saturday. - Murali Kumar. K

GOOGLE India announced the winners of the Google India Code Jam 2005, its first computer programming competition in India and South Asia, where a Singaporean student Adrian Poernomo, has been placed first in the finals held here on Saturday. The contest had attracted over 14,000 participants from six countries in the initial rounds with 50 making the final.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/03/27/stories/2005032701530300.htm

hmmm... what basket of goods izzit compared against?

yar lor... other than cars and sometimes housing, i can't think of anything in singapore thats expensive compared to most other cities.

March 29, 2005
Is New York really cheaper than Singapore?

By Sharlene Tan

A RECENT survey ranking Singapore a more expensive city than New York has puzzled New Yorkers here and Singaporeans in New York.

In its most recent cost-of-living survey, the research arm of London-based magazine The Economist, ranked Singapore the 19th most expensive city in the world. New York, the survey's benchmark city, was 23rd.

'It's outrageous,' said Mr Douglas Jaffe, 31, a New Yorker who has worked in Singapore as a financial analyst for 4 1/2 years. 'New York is seen as expensive even by those in other American cities.'

One reason for New York's drop from 13th position last year is the weak US dollar, which has made American cities cheaper in global terms. In fact, no US city made it to the top 20 this year.

While the strong euro has kept European cities like Paris and Zurich in the top 10, the top two spots went to Japanese cities, Tokyo and Osaka-Kobe.

Singapore's ranking was boosted significantly by the high cost of owning a car, a significant item in the basket of goods and services The Economist team used in its calculations.

According to the survey, a family car in New York costs from US$35,975 (S$59,400). A similar car here costs from S$176,280. These cars are from 1,800cc to 2,499cc, which includes models like the Nissan Cefiro and Toyota Camry.

Economist Intelligence Unit analyst and editor Jon Copestake said removing transport from the equation would push Singapore significantly lower than New York.

Economists The Straits Times spoke to were not surprised by the findings.

The head of the economics department at the National University of Singapore, Professor Ake Gunnar Blomqvist, said the survey is useful for multinational corporations, as it helps them gauge employees' expense allowances.

'The findings reflect changes in exchange rates. With the weakened US dollar and strengthened European currencies, Singapore looks more attractive to European businessmen, but not for American businessmen.'

Assistant Professor Randolph Tan of Nanyang Technological University's school of humanities and social sciences believes it is more important to look at overall trends to see if Singapore is becoming more expensive.

Americans here said there are several factors like childcare that make Singapore an attractive place to live.

New Yorker Dennis McEvoy, 35, an associate director in an accounting firm, said: 'I live in a two-bedroom apartment in River Valley, but for the rent I pay here, I'd get something far smaller in New York. No pool, perhaps a one-bedroom unit.'

University lecturer Nicole Draper, who used to live in San Francisco, found childcare far cheaper here than in the US, where it can cost 'more than US$1,000 a month'.

Conversely, some Singaporeans in New York feel the pinch as housing prices are higher.

One is postgraduate student Jayanthi Raja, 28, who has lived in New York for six years and commutes between her university in Philadelphia and New York, where her husband works. While she enjoys living there, she does not intend to settle in Manhattan, as it will not be affordable when they have children.

Another Singaporean in New York, Ms Puah Xin Yi, 24, said: 'Real estate in Manhattan is always a headache. For the price of buying a small studio here, you could buy a house elsewhere in the US.'

Cheaper to live here if you spend wisely

Single American Douglas Jaffe, 31, financial analyst, in Singapore for 4 1/2 years

TO THE native New Yorker, Singapore is cheap.

'A lot of people come out here to Asia and they save money - unless they're stuck on buying Western products at Carrefour to replicate life back home,' he said.

Mr Jaffe is happy with a meal at a hawker centre for lunch and meeting friends in cafes on the weekend.

'You can live very well here for a lot less money, and the taxes are far lower here as well,' he said.

He is paid in Singapore dollars, which he is more than happy about because of the dollar's appreciation in recent years. His company does not provide a housing or transport allowance.

He estimates that each month, he spends more than $1,500 on rent and about $1,500 on other expenses like food, utilities, transport, overseas trips, and purchases like books and CDs.

He does not own a car, preferring the train or taxis as 'there are no distances to travel'.

However, he added, there is more to spend money on in New York, such as antiques and arts performances.

'There's not very much to do here, so one option is to travel more,' he said of Singapore.

Rent alone takes up 40% of her salary

Single Singaporean Vivien Teo, 28, co-principal of a public relations and marketing firm, in New York for seven years

RENT was something she never had to consider when she lived in Singapore with her parents. But now, about 40 per cent of her salary goes to rent a 46 sq m studio apartment in New York's East Village.

'I not only have to pay rent but rent that's far higher than in Singapore. It's a double whammy,' she said in a phone interview from her Manhattan office.

Another expense she has to contend with is tips. 'Everytime you receive service, whether it's taking a taxi, or being served in a restaurant, you have to tip. I can easily spend up to $300 a month on tips.'

However, despite the 8.625 per cent goods and services tax she has to pay on everything she buys, clothes and daily necessities are more affordable than in Singapore, she said. She spends US$1,000 (S$1,650) a month, excluding rent. 'While movie tickets are pricey, other entertainment such as plays and musicals are very much cheaper.'

Although she has stopped converting prices to Singapore dollars, she said: 'I can't believe Singapore is more expensive than New York. I can't imagine it being affordable here.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

April 2, 2005
Perth's S'pore-style Gum Battle
Civic leader salutes Singapore as he goes for total ban in gum-litter fight

By Trevor Robb
FOR THE STRAITS TIMES

PERTH - THE deputy mayor of the Western Australian capital of Perth has called for a 'Singapore-style' ban on chewing gum amid serious concerns that it is becoming a costly blight on the city's streets.

Councillor Bert Tudori will seek the support of the Perth City Council (PCC) at a meeting on Tuesday to push the state government for a ban on chewing gum sales and for heavy fines on those who drop used gum on the street.

'It's absolutely out of control,' Mr Tudori told The Straits Times.

'I personally would like to see it banned altogether and follow the Singapore style. There is nothing wrong with that. I thought that was very clever of them doing that (banning all but therapeutic gum). I commend the Singapore government for taking that initiative, I really do.'

While Mr Tudori admits he is unlikely to win the PCC's support for a total ban on gum, there seems little doubt it will adopt a recommendation to seek a 10 per cent levy on any sold within the state.

Such a levy, if imposed by the state government, would then be distributed to local councils throughout Western Australia to help with the cost of cleaning gum off their streets.

The recommendation, made in a report prepared by the PCC's business unit, outlines the response of the Singapore government and steps being taken in South Korea, New York and Britain to try to deal with the gum problem.

The report says pavements in the heart of London have an average of 20 pieces of used gum per square metre - which suggests there are 300,000 pieces of used gum on Oxford Street alone.

In New York, it says, the incidence of chewing gum waste has risen sharply since a hefty new cigarette tax was introduced, and residents are annoyed about it.

'New Yorkers are concerned that their city will become the gum splotch capital of the world,' the report says.

Among solutions being canvassed are changes to legislation to formally classify gum as litter; heavier fines for those who dump it on the street; the introduction of digestible chewing gum; public education programmes; and special boards for the public to stick used gum on.

Levies on chewing gum are already being contemplated in some parts of Britain.

The Western Australian government declined to comment on the issue, with a spokesman saying state lawmakers would wait to see what the PCC presented.

But the national executive officer of the Keep Australia Beautiful anti-litter campaign, Mr Scott Lyle, said his organisation preferred individual action rather than legislative change to improve the environment.

'Our aim is that through education we can empower the public to be responsible themselves,' Mr Lyle said.

The agency was already working with major gum manufacturer Wrigley to educate schoolchildren in New South Wales about chewing gum disposal, he said.

Banned in Taiwan

TAIWAN banned chewing gum - as well as betel nuts - in trains, MRT stations and some designated public places in April last year.

Those flouting the law face fines of between NT$1,500 (S$80) and NT$7,500. Prior to that, only those who spat gum or betel-nut juice on MRT carriages or at MRT stations could be fined.

Taxed in Britain

IN BRITAIN, local authorities want a penny-a-packet tax on chewing gum to help meet the £150 million (S$468 million) annual cost of cleaning used gum off the streets.

The demand was made by council representatives from London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast at a gum summit in February and is being debated in the House of Commons.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

05 April 2005

Singapore stocks still among cheapest in the region: UOB Kay Hian
By Chua Chin Chye, Channel NewsAsia

The stock market has been rocked by a series of scandals in the first quarter of this year - among them, ACCS and Citiraya.

But that did not seem to hurt the benchmark STI which managed to pull ahead by 3.8 percent during the three months.

And looking ahead, analysts say the outlook for the stock market remains bright, despite rising oil prices and interest rates.

Analysts say Singapore stocks are among cheapest in Asia in terms of price-earnings and price-to-book ratio.

In terms of counters, oil-related stocks were the best performers in the first quarter easily outshining the other sectors.

In particular, Keppel Corp and SembCorp Marine stole the limelight as higher oil prices and the pent-up demand for offshore equipment continued to drive orders in the offshore segment.

But oil prices are continuing to hit new record highs - pushing past US$58 a barrel in recent days.

In its latest research report, broking house UOB Kay Hian says this could cloud prospects for equities in the second quarter - especially as interest rates look set to rise further.

But it also see dips as opportunities to accumulate because the longer-term outlook remains bright.

In fact, one economist says high oil prices could be good for the economy.

PK Basu, Managing Director, Robust Economic Analysis, said: "I would say it's a mild net positive for Singapore, because Singapore is a net exporter of refined oil products, as well as petrochemicals. High oil prices contribute to greater activity in the ship-repair sector."

Meantime analysts say the stock market has already factored in rising interest rates.

Thio Chin Loo, Senior Currency Analyst, BNP Paribas, said: "We think the Fed will continue to hike interest rates. We are expecting a 25 basis point rate hike in each of the remaining Fed funds meeting. That will take the fed funds rate to 4.5 percent, by the end of the year."

On the domestic front, BNP Paribas expects the rise in local three-month inter-bank rates to be modest, touching 3 percent by year-end.

In the second quarter, UOB Kay Hian says the focus could shift to the recovery in domestic demand.

And it believes that the casino project, if approved, will be a big boost to economic growth.

While property stocks like CapitaLand are seen as likely gainers, second-liners and the laggards are also seen as interesting on a valuation basis.

Gabriel Yap, Senior VP, Dealing, Phillip Securities, said: "We have actually reached a stage where the small caps are, to me, trading at a severe bargain. Some of the small caps have the possibility of going up by as much as 50 percent, if indeed market sentiment becomes better."

Overall, analysts say the Singapore bourse has book-to-price ratio of 1.8 times.

That's on par with Malaysia and Taiwan, but cheaper than Thailand, Indonesia, Japan and China. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 07 Apr 2005

Global city wannabee

WHAT marks Geneva and Zurich - surely two of the most pricey places on earth - out as the world's most liveable cities, at least according to a quality of life survey by Mercer Consulting? A host of factors, encompassing the spectrum of political, social, economic and environmental considerations, as well as criteria like personal safety and health, education, transport, recreation, and other public amenities. Vancouver, Vienna and three German cities - Frankfurt, Munich and Dusseldorf - rank next, followed by Auckland, Bern, Copenhagen and Sydney. No Asian city comes close; the best-placed, Singapore and Tokyo, come in at a distant 34th on the list. Even solely on personal safety and security - something that Singapore might have made much about, widely perceived as it is to be safe and secure - it managed only 37th spot, behind even several Japanese cities.

As global surveys go, the Mercer study may be just another international ranking, each to be read in context and in full appreciation of its terms and limitations. But at the same time, such global assessments are excellent eye-openers for Singaporeans who may otherwise have misplaced ideas about their city-state's place in the world pecking order, having heard or been told ad nauseum over the years how Singapore is best or tops in Asia, if not the world, in this, that or other.

Ask anyone to name their choice of the world's great cities, and chances are, New York City (or more specifically, Manhattan) and London will be the most mentioned. Both, coincidentally, rank only a joint 39th (along with Japan's Kobe) on the Mercer list. Clearly, the world's greatest cities aren't necessarily the most attractive places to live in, though there should be little disagreement that they meet all the criteria for World City, even with their share of urban slums. The unmistakable buzz that stems from a dynamic and varied urban milieu that is at once cosmopolitan but yet retains the city's historical, classical charms; an ethnic and cultural melting pot and magnet for all sorts of skills and talents, and which sparks and inspires a free flow of ideas and creative energies, and not least, open debate across a spectrum of views.

Yes, beautiful, iconic buildings notch up the attractiveness quotient a good bit, but they do not, by themselves, a Great or Global City make. Neither do one-off mega events, like a World Expo or even the Olympics. And, as Singapore recognises, being functional, efficient and clean is no longer enough; in today's global economic stakes, being a top-notch global city is not a matter of choice but a 'must'. Many of the 'hardware' prerequisites - infrastructure, amenities, economic linkages - and even some cosmopolitan flavour, are in place here. What's missing, as most agree, is the elusive, inscrutable x-factor that makes for a great city's non-stop buzz. So, the quest to turn Singapore into an enduring global city is not one to be laid squarely on the shoulders of just urban planners and architects. Rather, it calls for open mindsets - of policy makers and Singaporeans all - to accept and embrace a greater diversity of ideas, views, lifestyles and norms. That's a huge challenge.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

08 April 2005

Thirteen Singapore companies on Forbes Global 2000 list

Thirteen Singapore companies have made it to the Forbes Global 2000 list.

Leading the Singapore list is Singapore Telecoms at the 287th spot, followed by DBS Group, United Overseas Bank, Singapore Airlines and Flextronics.

Also on the list are OCBC Bank, NOL, Keppel Corp and CapitaLand.

Others include SembCorp Industries, Singapore Press Holdings, Singapore Technologies and City Developments.

The Forbes list ranks the world's leading companies based on sales, assets, profits and market value.

At the top of the global list is the US banking giant, Citigroup. - CNA

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

The results of the Mercer study on Quality of Life 2005

http://www.mercerhr.com/pressreleas...t=1173105#notes

Rank City Country Index

1 Geneva Switzerland 106.5
2 Zurich Switzerland 106.5
3 Vancouver Canada 106
3 Vienna Austria 106
5 Frankfurt Germany 105.5
5 Munich Germany 105.5
5 Dusseldorf Germany 105.5
8 Auckland New Zealand 105
8 Bern Switzerland 105
8 Copenhagen Denmark 105
8 Sydney Australia 105
12 Amsterdam Netherlands 104.5
13 Brussels Belgium 104
14 Toronto Canada 103.5
14 Melbourne Australia 103.5
14 Berlin Germany 103.5
14 Luxembourg Luxembourg 103.5
14 Stockholm Sweden 103.5
14 Wellington New Zealand 103.5
20 Ottawa Canada 103
20 Perth Australia 103
22 Montreal Canada 102.5
22 Nurnberg Germany 102.5
22 Dublin Ireland 102.5
25 Calgary Canada 102
25 Adelaide Australia 102
25 Hamburg Germany 102
25 Helsinki Finland 102
25 Honolulu United States 102
25 San Francisco United States 102
31 Brisbane Australia 101.5
31 Oslo Norway 101.5
31 Paris France 101.5
34 Singapore Singapore 101
34 Tokyo Japan 101
36 Lyon France 100.5
36 Yokohama Japan 100.5
36 Boston United States 100.5
39 London England 100
39 Kobe Japan 100
39 New York United States 100
42 Madrid Spain 99
42 Portland United States 99
42 Barcelona Spain 99
42 Washington United States 99
46 Winston Salem United States 98.5
46 Lexington United States 98.5
46 Osaka United States 98.5
46 Pittsburgh United States 98.5
46 Seattle United States 98.5
51 Chicago United States 98
51 Milan United States 98
53 Lisbon Portugal 97.5
53 Nagoya Japan 97.5

Republic keeps top credit rating

8 Apr 05

By Bryan Lee

GLOBAL credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) has reaffirmed its highest 'AAA' rating for Singapore - the only country in Asia with the designation. S&P, which has rated Singapore triple A since 1995, said the country's success lies in its large budget and trade surpluses.

'Singapore's strengths in public finances and external flexibility are substantial and compare favourably with its AAA peers,' said S&P credit analyst Philippe Sachs.

Governments want good credit ratings as global investors use them to decide where to put their money. The ratings - which are based on a country's economic status, foreign currency reserves and other factors - reflect the degree of investment risk.

Mr Sachs said interest rates are rising around the world and those governments running deficits, such as France and Germany, will find it increasingly more expensive to service such debt.

The Singapore Government, however, has been accumulating surpluses over the years and should be shielded from these higher rates.

These fiscal surpluses, he said, have also put Singapore in a better position to deal with the challenge of lower-cost countries such as China.

The Republic is better equipped to adjust tax rates and Central Provident Fund rates to lower the cost of doing business here without jeopardising the health of government finances.

The problems of an ageing population are less acute here. Singapore's exceptional savings levels coupled with modest expectations of public assistance puts it in better stead than some of Europe's welfare states.

'In a world where many 'AAA' sovereign credits are grappling with the rising cost of funding, competitive pressure posed by lower-cost countries and the fiscal burden posed by the ageing population, Singapore is exceptionally well placed,' said Mr Sachs.

Still, as a small open economy, he warned that Singapore is more vulnerable to external economic shocks than its larger triple A-rated peers, whose economies were more diversified and better shielded from such shocks.

Republic still top Swiss investment stop in Asia

9 Apr 05

By Narendra Aggarwal
Economics Correspondent

SINGAPORE remains Switzerland's top investment destination in Asia, said visiting Swiss Economics Minister Joseph Deiss yesterday.

And the setting up of a new Swiss Business Hub in Singapore - which Mr Deiss opened yesterday - will deepen the rapidly growing ties between the two countries.

Swiss exports to Singapore rose a robust 10 per cent last year from the previous year while the Republic's exports shot up by nearly 30 per cent in the same period.

'The new Swiss Business Hub will add another dimension to our growing business links,' Mr Deiss said. 'It is aimed at helping our small and medium-sized enterprises explore new business opportunities in Singapore and the Asean region, thereby deepening our already strong relations.'

He said that while Switzerland had many well-known multinational companies and globally recognised brands, it was not common knowledge that 98.5 per cent of Swiss enterprises were SMEs, employing less than 250 people each.

To help Swiss SMEs boost their exports and go global, the concept of Swiss business hubs was introduced in 2001 to provide professional advice.

'It's a one-stop shop,' said Mr Deiss. Working with partners in Switzerland, the hub offers fast, thorough and high-quality consultancy services at competitive rates, he added. And the first hour is free.

The Swiss Business Hub Asean - its full name - at the Swiss Embassy in Swiss Club Link will service all Asean countries.

Addressing a business luncheon, Mr Deiss said Switzerland and Singapore, while being small countries, had many common characteristics and established themselves 'among the world's leading economies with strong financial centres'.

Singapore is Switzerland's most important trading partner in South-east Asia, and trade increased to 1.8 billion Swiss francs (S$2.49 billion) last year.

'With regard to the level of direct investment, Singapore represents Switzerland's most important destination not only in South-east Asia, but also in the whole of Asia, with accumulated direct investment of 8.5 billion Swiss francs,' said Mr Deiss.

Switzerland regularly ranks among the top 10 foreign direct investors in Singapore.

'Our 250 companies present in Singapore employ more than 19,000 people and take an active part in various sectors of the economy. In turn, they contribute to increase our trade and strengthen our ties,' he added.

Business Times - 11 Apr 2005

Only S'pore seen as truly global

By MICHELLE QUAH

SINGAPORE is poised to be Asia's only truly global city, beating close contenders such as Tokyo and Hong Kong, says Deutsche Bank. And against the backdrop of such strong long-term prospects, it favoured government-linked companies such as DBS Group Holdings and CapitaLand.

The bank, in its latest research report, said that Singapore had the greatest potential - out of Asia - to attract talent from all over the world, while possessing the highest level of services and entertainment.

It ruled out Tokyo, saying it was more of a large Japanese city than a global one. It also said that Sydney was 'simply too far away from Asia to be a contender'. As for Hong Kong - seen as Singapore's greatest competitor in this arena - the bank said that its prospects would 'gradually diminish due to immigration from the mainland'.

Singapore, on the other hand, had its three main racial groups and a large number of expatriates living in relative harmony, making it 'naturally more multicultural, while immigrants are better educated and are more diverse than in Hong Kong'. The bank said that it believed multiculturalism was necessary for a global city.

Other factors in Singapore's favour are: a very low crime rate, cheap services and a host of good schools. Deutsche Bank added that safety in Singapore extended beyond personal safety, to low risks for businesses locating here, given the country's focus on intellectual property rights, and an efficient and transparent legal system.

Deutsche Bank said that Singapore had also begun to address an area it lagged Hong Kong in - the entrepreneurial mindset of its people. In this area, it said, Singapore's education curriculum has been revised 'to provide students with opportunities to reflect and explore', which it believed would 'produce more entrepreneurial Singaporeans as well as those interested in research'.

Benefiting from Singapore's push to be a global city would be DBS Group Holdings, CapitaLand, Keppel Corp and SingTel - which Deutsche Bank has as its long-term stock picks.

'All four are major regional or global players in their respective industries and have been aggressive in international expansion. A strong performance in recent years demonstrates that they are generally well-managed and have successfully regionalised.'

The bank said that it was 'bullish on GLCs in the long term because Singapore's AAA rating and implied sovereign support give a low cost of capital'.

It added that the four GLCs it favoured had high management quality, and 'Temasek is a wealthy shareholder that is committed to helping them grow'.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 14 Apr 2005

S'pore scores high in shared services

Accenture survey finds Ministry of Defence to be among world's best in integration of services, reports AMIT ROY CHOUDHURY

SINGAPORE is one of just a handful of countries that have succeeded in providing one-stop integration of a wide range of public sector services, according to a recent study by global management consulting firm Accenture.

Accenture defines this integration, known as 'shared services', as the consolidation of administrative and support functions from several departments or agencies into a single, stand-alone organisational entity able to provide services as efficiently and effectively as possible. Support services include human resources management, finance information technology and procurement.

David Wilson, a partner at Accenture, cited Singapore's Ministry of Defence (MOD) as being 'further along the maturity curve than lots of the other examples that we found in other governments'. Another Singapore government entity with a well-developed shared services model, according to Mr Wilson, is the Ministry of Finance.

Other countries leading the shared services push in government include Australia, Germany, Ireland, the UK and the US.

More than 140 senior government executives across 13 countries in Europe, North America, the Asia Pacific region and Africa, including 10 from Singapore, were interviewed. The survey is part of an Accenture report titled 'Driving High Performance in Government: Maximizing the Value of Public Sector Shared Services'.

'The vast majority of government executives believe that shared services are important to helping them achieve their organisations' strategic goals,' Mr Wilson told BizIT.

An efficient shared services system saves money too. A Ministry of Finance spokesman told BizIT: 'The Prime Minister mentioned in his Budget speech in February that Mindef (the Ministry of Defence) has improved service standards by bringing various services into a single centre and saved or avoided $4 million in costs in the first one and a half years.'

The spokesman noted that the Prime Minister has also announced plans to 'roll out to the rest of the public sector this idea of aggregating common services'. The Ministry of Finance is leading an ongoing study on how to do this, he said.

But why this need of shared services in the public sector?

Mr Wilson says government entities should be focused on citizen-facing programmes. 'The back office functions of a government, like finance and accounting, human resource (HR) functions and procurement are important but are not a core mission of the government,' Mr Wilson said. Even so, 'what we found was that in many cases there was no executive focus to make those back office functions as efficient and effective as possible, but at the same time these functions sometimes consumed as much as 10-15 per cent of the overall operating budgets'.

That is why there are tremendous opportunities for governments to make those back office functions more efficient by consolidating them into shared services, and as a result delivering public sector value.

More than three quarters of respondents - 85 per cent - said they believe that shared services are playing or will play a role in supporting their organisations' strategic goals, Mr Wilson observed.

In addition, two-thirds (66 per cent) of the government executives reported that they had already implemented, or were in the process of implementing, shared services, while only 6 per cent of respondents said they would not even consider a shared services model, Mr Wilson said.

The Accenture official said the top three objectives for shared services identified by the respondents were to help meet efficiency targets, facilitate cost reductions, and address citizen demands for improved services.

'The respondents also acknowledged an array of other value-oriented shared services objectives, including strategic benefits (for example through standardised processing environments and improved systems) and improved service quality and speed of delivery,' Mr Wilson said.

Another key finding is that most governments in-source their own shared services centres, although many rely on outside expertise during planning.

'The unique nature of governments sets up some very specific challenges to shared services, such as a lack of the necessary managerial skills to tackle a transformational change programme or a lack of clear leadership support or top-level commitment to change,' Mr Wilson observed.

He added that while two-thirds of the government executives interviewed said they have started to implement some key components of a true shared services operating model, few have implemented them all; thus few have realised the full potential of their shared services strategies.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

15 April 2005

Room for improvement in Singapore's innovation ranking
By Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Singapore is ranked highly in the world for innovation, but there is still room for improvement, according to a survey by the Institute of Policy Studies and the Monitor Group.

The findings show that while many companies are aware of the need to innovate, a certain degree of innovation fatigue appears to be setting in.

Innovate or run the risk of being stagnant -- this was among the key findings of the survey, which assessed the innovation capabilities of Singapore firms.

Ninety percent of CEOs interviewed said they believed that innovation was important to achieving a company's business goals.

But Singapore is still ranked 15th in the world for its innovative capabilities, and its firms still lag behind their counterparts in the US, Finland, Israel and Korea.

So it is time to play catch up.

"We are very careful to protect what we have and we are very careful when we partner with anybody -- how much we will give up in exchange for partnership -- so the mindset is understandable as to where it comes from," said Dr Hitendra Patel, president, IMI Asia, Monitor Group.

"What happens is more and more countries and especially companies in those countries have figured out that partnering is actually win-win; and you can actually get more versus losing some."

The focus of innovation activities is mainly on cost-reduction, efficiency and incremental improvement, but not strategic growth.

To propel forward, companies must benchmark against the best and adopt the best practices.

Some of the key recommendations laid out were:
- for companies to have stretched targets
- to have good and strong leadership
- to partner others to leverage on each other's strengths
- to reward workers for their efforts

"We give our workers the fund, money to work on their idea. Every year we set aside one to two million (dollars) for them to work on their idea. When they come up with an idea and their idea can turn into a good business proposition, we will reward them," said Seah Moon Ming, deputy CEO, ST Electronics.

To stay ahead of the competition, the survey also found that companies should think of breakthrough growth projects that command long-term benefits. - CNA /ct

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

S'pore emerges as top choice for hedge fund managers in 2004

21 Apr 05

But Hong Kong still way ahead in total assets under management

By GENEVIEVE CUA

(SINGAPORE) Singapore's efforts to woo hedge-fund managers to set up shop here appear to be paying off.


Based on data compiled by Eurekahedge, Singapore emerged as the top choice among managers in Asia last year.

In all, there were 19 new fund launches here last year, beating other centres like Hong Kong and Australia, which each saw 13 fund launches.

Hong Kong, however, continues to be way ahead of Singapore in total assets under management. According to Eurekahedge's paper on key trends among Asian hedge funds, the Chinese city weighed in at US$9.3 billion at end-2004, against Singapore's US$2.8 billion.

The average fund size in Hong Kong was also heftier at US$114 million, against Singapore's US$46 million.

'The doubling of Singapore's share of the region's start-ups from 12 per cent in 2003 to 20 per cent in 2004 has much to do with active measures that the Monetary Authority of Singapore has put in place to woo prime brokers and other builders of market infrastructure,' says Eurekahedge.

By comparison, Australia's share of startups halved from 22 per cent in 2003 to 13 per cent last year.

Hedge funds generally employ a much wider range of investment techniques and strategies than the usual investment funds. Though considered to carry higher risks, they are favoured by sophisticated investors who believe in working their money hard.

In its paper, Eurekahedge says the biggest issue for managers is the time it takes to register their start-ups, a point that has worked in Singapore's favour. It takes only a couple of weeks to complete a registration here, compared with several months in Hong Kong.

'This lag in processing time has also much to do with the recent arrival of big American funds, such as Tudor, Everest and more recently, Moon Capital in Singapore, instead of Hong Kong.'

Hedge fund managers recently got a break when the government announced in its Budget in February that there would be a 12-month grace period for managers to comply with the so called 80-20 rule.

Under the rule, foreign investors must make up 80 per cent of a fund's investors for the fund to take advantage of a 10 per cent tax rate on fee income.

Eurekahedge expects the Asian hedge fund industry to continue to grow despite a relatively difficult year in delivering performance last year.

The size of the industry expanded by 51 per cent from 2003 to US$59.6 billion. This was, however, about half the growth rate of 91 per cent of the year before. Still, Eurekahedge co-founder Richard Armstrong expects that by end-2006, there will be 700 Asian hedge funds managing US$100 billion.

'Fears of a bubble in the industry are unfounded from an Asian perspective as the region is essentially catching up with the rest of the world,' said the paper.

The Asia Pacific makes up 15 per cent of the global market's capitalisation, but Asia strategy hedge funds represent only 5 per cent of world hedge fund assets.

'Asia's core attraction to global asset allocators is that it possesses some world class managers who are close to the ground... and who typically still have capacity unlike in more developed markets.'

GFIA, a hedge-fund consultancy, has just launched a new research service to facilitate the due diligence for asset allocators looking to invest in Asian hedge funds. For a start, the firm has issued reports on 13 managers. 'We'd like to get up to 50,' says GFIA principal Peter Douglas. The reports will be updated semi-annually.

So far, the managers covered include Binjai Hill Asset Management, Halberdier Capital and Tantallon Capital Advisors.

Denmark most Web savvy; S'pore No. 11

21 Apr 05



(AMSTERDAM) The United States and Switzerland boosted their rankings in an annual survey of the world's Web-savviest nations by aggressively rolling out broadband and wireless Internet connections.


The US, which had slipped to sixth place in late 2003, recovered to rank No. 2 in late 2004, according to an annual study published yesterday by US computer company IBM Corp and the intelligence unit of British magazine The Economist. Switzerland climbed to fourth place from No. 10.

Denmark remained No. 1 in taking advantage of the Internet, both connecting citizens securely over broadband and wireless networks, as well as using its near ubiquitous hookups for Internet banking and government services such as tax returns.

Denmark has also established a government website that pulls together ministries and other organisations, in which citizens and companies can access public services.

Countries such as Singapore (11th place), Austria (14th) and Spain (23rd) fell several places, while Australia (10th), New Zealand (16th), Israel (20th), Japan (21th) and most eastern European states climbed several spots.

This year's study put more emphasis on security - laws and technology that protect users against viruses and fraud - a factor that hurt South Korea's ranking.

South Korea fell to No 18. from No. 14, despite leading the world in broadband access with 75 per cent of households having access to a fast Internet connection.

'Security is a problem affecting South Korea. It doesn't have a secure (Internet) environment,' said Peter Korsten, European director at IBM's Institute for Business Value.

Another weakness holding back South Korea is its weak entrepreneurial culture, unlike that of Nordic European countries such as Sweden, Finland and Denmark, which all made it into the top six.

Norway, as an exception to the Scandinavian edge, slipped to ninth place from No. 4 as the study found that the country was lagging in innovation, measured by the number of technology patents per citizen.

The UK also fell three places due to its weak position in education, which was looked at more thoroughly in this year's survey.

'Its performance in some e-readiness criteria now appears in a less positive light than previously. This includes the educational level of the population, which is lower than most other western European countries,' the survey said, adding that British children left school earlier than their European peers.

14 countries scored over eight points in the survey out of a possible 10, compared with eight countries last year, which means that they risk losing leading positions even if their performance remains stable.

'Today's top performers may well lag behind in one or two years if they don't embrace the latest Web innovations,' Mr Korsten said.

'It's a tough, continuing battle out there,' he added.

Mexico (36th) gained several positions after major government investment in Internet community centres and a rising number of Internet cafes, reminiscent of initiatives in Sweden five years ago.

Of the 65 countries surveyed, Azerbaijan remained at the bottom of the list with just 2.72 points, up from 2.43, only slightly worse than Pakistan with 2.93 points. - Reuters

^
A different version.......coinciding with the govt agenda (convince ppl we need IR) lately?? :lol:

Business Times - 21 Apr 2005

HK has Asia's best electronic business environment

SINGAPORE - Hong Kong has overtaken Singapore as Asia's most electronically-savvy economy and is well ahead of Australia, South Korea and Japan, a global business survey showed on Thursday.

The annual 'e-readiness' rankings by the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit said Hong Kong was tied at sixth place with Finland behind the top five: Denmark, the United States, Sweden, Switzerland and Britain.

Hong Kong vaulted over Singapore, which fell to 11th place, 'thanks to innovative development of e-business services, a positive legal and policy environment and advances in mobile services', an EIU statement said.

'For perhaps the first time since the technology bubble burst, the global economy is beginning to feel comfortable in a digital skin,' it said. 'Spending on information and communications technology (ICT) is growing again with some buoyancy in developed markets.'

In the 2004 survey, Singapore stood at seventh place and Hong Kong at ninth. Denmark was the topnotcher in 2004 as well.

Scandinavian countries 'remain the best in class in key areas of connectivity, such as mobile penetration and Internet use,' the EIU said.

The United States in turn recovered the number two global position this year, from sixth place in 2004.

'Not only has the US seen broadband penetration surge forward, but the country remains a global leader in secure Internet server penetration and ICT spending,' the EIU noted.

Among the other Asia-Pacific economies in the 65-market survey, Australia was at 10th place this year, followed by New Zealand at 16th, South Korea at 18th, Japan at 21st and Taiwan at 22nd.

South Korea remains the world's most developed broadband access market but a closer analysis 'revealed weaknesses in that country's e-readiness armour, such as Internet security'.

Apart from Singapore, Southeast Asian nations fared poorly, with Malaysia at 35th place, Thailand at 44th, the Philippines at 51st and Indonesia at 60th, just five places above bottom-dweller Azerbaijan.

India, a hotbed of technology, was at 49th place, and China, Asia's most dynamic economy, was at 54th place.

The economies were ranked based on six criteria: infrastructure, business environment, consumer and business adoption, social and cultural environment, legal and policy environment, and supporting services.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

21 April 2005

Singapore may well become Asia's first global city: Economists
By Derek Cher, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Economists have said that Singapore can meet its goal of becoming a global city in the near future.

But success will depend very much on how well the economy leverages on its strengths, and they singled out the education sector as one of the key growth areas, apart from tourism.

As asia does not have a global city, there is clearly space for at least one such city in the region.

Singapore is working towards that goal by reinventing its economy to one that is conducive to creative and knowledge-based industries.

Economists have said building the integrated resorts with casinos is just a part of Singapore's strategy.

"The global city unlike a more industrial model, requires an organic mixing of a number of ingredients. There's education and human capital element to it. There's the entertainment element, which the casino is all about, the urban buzz bit, civic amenities and so on and so forth," said Sanjeev Sanyal, Senior Economist at Deutsche Bank.

"The idea is to create a milieu which feeds into each other and this is the point that much of the analysis of the government's plan misses because clearly the government's plan is not just about the dollars it earns out of specifically the casino projects," he added.

Some analysts are placing their bets that Singapore could well become Asia's first global city.

Global cities are cosmopolitan and enjoy ethnic and cultural diversity.

This is a key strength in Singapore's favour that analysts had said is unlikely to be challenged in the near future by rivals such as Tokyo and Hong Kong.

They foresee Singapore will eventually become a services economy - with focus on high value-added manufacturing.

Some also highlight the growing importance of the education sector in Singapore's future growth.

"Together with the casino-related tourism, I think the educational sector is poised for a major expansion in the near future," said David Cohen, an economist at Action Economics.

"I see the recent expansion of the SMU campus will increase the number of seats and students coming from around the world to study here and once that process begins, it can feed on itself a virtuous circle enhancing Singapore's status as a university centre," he added.

In the meantime, analysts have said Singapore should continue to build on its international trade links.

One suggestion is for Temasek Holdings to build a business network through its overseas investments - that feeds back to the home-city.

Even though economists feel Singapore stands a good chance of becoming Asia's global city, they have said it is still work-in-progress and competitors such as Hong Kong have been building up strengths in other areas. - CNA /dt

Copyright © 2005 MCN International Pte Ltd

Strange....why does it claim that there isnt a global city in Asia?

April 23, 2005
Overseas dollars too hard to resist for many Singaporeans
Young and not-so-young are following the yellow-brick road to China, the Middle East and Australia

By Ng Hui Hui

HE WAS beckoned by the booming hospitality industry in Dubai and the clout it would add to his resume.

That was why, nine months ago, Mr Timothy Cheong, 34, quit his $53,000-a-year job as assistant executive housekeeper at Sheraton Towers Singapore, packed and left to join Dubai's five-star hotel The Fairmont Dubai.

He was headhunted by Dubai-based First Choice Management Consultancy and now heads a team of 150 staff from 13 countries as senior assistant executive housekeeper.

He says he got a 'slight pay raise' on top of a $360 cut each month from the hotel's earnings in service charges and tips.

But with a tax-free salary in Dubai, he says he is far better off.

He drives a new 1.8-litre Toyota Corolla, which he bought for $25,500 recently. A full tank of petrol costs only $18 in the oil-rich country, which discovered offshore oil reserves in 1966.

That is a sharp discount from his 1.6-litre Hyundai Elantra in Singapore, which cost him $68,900 two years ago. Petrol set him back more than $60 a week in Singapore.

With the savings, his wife Karen, 29, could afford to quit her job as a human-resources officer in Singapore to join him in Dubai. They are planning for a baby 'maybe next year'.

On their single income now, a third lower than their combined annual salary of $87,000 in Singapore, the couple manages to save $2,000 a month.

'That's at least three times more than we ever managed to before. Back home, I was struggling just to put away $500 to $700 a month, after paying for electricity bills, car instalments and petrol, which was a killer,' he says.

With employment perks such as free accommodation, paid-for cell phone bills, complimentary parking for employees and yearly return air tickets for the couple to Singapore, he says shoring up a fat savings account is easy.

On top of that, he also gets 30 days of annual leave and a full suite of medical benefits and insurance, compared to just 14 days of leave and basic medical benefits in Singapore - not to mention a rent-free, swanky one-bedroom apartment along Dubai's Sheikh Zayed Road, which boasts postcard views of the city.

On days off, the couple catches up with Singaporean expatriates over Chinese meals or mahjong games.

'Yes, mahjong is alive and well here. Some people bring over their tables from Singapore, others have them specially made here,' he muses in a mixture of English and Hokkien.

According to the Singapore consulate in Dubai, he is one of 400 or so Singaporeans who have taken the bait to work in Dubai, the second-largest and most populous state of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Consular officals estimate there are about 500 Singaporeans working throughout the UAE.

Most are in the hospitality, infrastructure, trading and shipping sectors.

In the past decade, Dubai - worried that its oil reserves will not last beyond the next 20 years - has embarked on an aggressive campaign to chase investments, woo foreign talent and develop its service and tourism sectors.

Throughout the state, personal taxation is non-existent, employment restrictions are minimal, staff can be recruited from anywhere in the world, and foreigners are allowed to own up to 49 per cent of a local company.

As a result, Dubai's population has grown from 20,000 - a quarter of whom were expatriates - in the 1930s to 971,000 today, with 80 per cent expatriates. Europeans and Asians now make up 70 per cent of Dubai's households.

As more foreigners flocked there, the state's economy grew 16.7 per cent last year, compared to an average of 10 per cent between 1999 and 2004.

It is now eagerly courting more foreign talent to grow its transport, telecommunications, finance, real-estate and construction sectors, which accounted for nearly 60 per cent of its economic expansion between 1999 and 2004.

Typical of such talent is Ms Mo Su Yee, 30, who has been working as an account manager for an oil and gas multinational in Dubai since last year.

Apart from more money, the Singaporean applied for the overseas stint because she wanted a more cosmopolitan living environment, as well as wanting to see how far her career could fly.

'The most important factor for me is to stretch my abilities and strengths in a challenging environment. And if you are good, as in the Olympics, you will end up with a medal no matter which country you compete in,' she says.

Dubai is not the only Middle Eastern country rolling out the red carpet for foreigners.

Its neighbour, Qatar, is also trying to snare its share with tempting packages. State-owned energy firm Qatar Petroleum recently advertised more than 500 vacancies ranging from clerks and employee-relations officers to auditors.

It is offering 37 days of annual leave, free schooling for up to four children in posh international schools and interest-free car loans.

These are the perks that cap a generous, tax-free pay package, inclusive of comprehensive life and medical insurance coverage.

Such bells and whistles are working. Today, more than half of Qatar's 840,000 population comprises foreigners.

At Qatar Petroleum, 7,492 staff hail from more than 30 countries. Between 2002 and 2003, it hired a total of 413 expatriates.

The home page of its corporate website (www.qp.com.qa) flashes this open invitation: 'We are recruiting. Join us.'

To dispel misconceptions about Qatar's living conditions, it features extensive links to its places of interests, climate and religious profile.

Of late, recruitment firms here have also put out newspaper advertisements, on behalf of Qatar's Ministry of Interior, seeking fire-safety engineers and fire investigators in return for hot salary packages.

To up the ante, most employers from the Middle East now factor in an extra 'hardship allowance' - typically 30 to 50 per cent of a salary - in remuneration packages.

According to Mr Eric Yeo, managing director of recruitment firm Kingsforce Management Services, which has advertised several times in The Straits Times recruitment section for openings in Qatar, this is to make up for the downside of working there.

'In these Muslim countries, it's hard to get alcoholic drinks. There's no night life so it can be quite boring after dark for those used to living in vibrant cities.

'The weather, which goes up to 50 degrees Celsius in summer, is not exactly pleasant. Not to mention that in Qatar, official working hours are from 6.30 am to 2.30 pm, which may require some adjustment.'

As such, he notes that response to his ads has been lukewarm.

'Singaporeans have the impression that Qatar is dangerous and a terrorist target. They are spoiled by the excellent lifestyle they enjoy here and cannot take hardship,' he laments.

Most of the applicants he has seen so far are Indian nationals and Filipinos, who have a 'higher tolerance of hardship', he says.

China calling

ONE would think that manpower would be the last resource China, with its billion-strong population, needs. But according to global headhunters, Singaporeans are a sought-after commodity there. Especially if they are technicians, architects, accountants or human-resource and senior operations managers.

In particular, recruitment agencies note middle-to-senior managers aged 45 to 55 are most lacking in China today.

A 2003 survey by Hong Kong-based human-resources consultancy HR Business Solutions revealed that 35 per cent of managers at foreign-owned companies in China were expatriates.

According to the Shanghai Labour and Social Security Bureau, more than 60 per cent of the 28,000 foreigners working in Shanghai today hold senior executive positions.

Japanese top the list of foreign nationals there, followed by Americans, Singaporeans, Malaysians and Germans.

There are an estimated 25,000 Singaporeans working throughout China, according to recruitment agencies there.

Most are based in the Yangtze River Delta, which covers 16 cities including Shanghai and Suzhou.

China, once a hardship location, is now viewed as a green pasture to many. For one, Chinese companies usually are willing to pay 30 to 50 per cent above an employee's last drawn salary.

Perks also usually include medical insurance, free accommodation and yearly air tickets home.

Apart from money, many also hanker after the opportunity to be part of the most dynamic, fastest-growing economy in the world.

As Mr Stanley Chung, 33, who traded in his marketing manager job here to become a director of real-estate developer Grand Central Holdings in Suzhou, says: 'It's more challenging to work in China. Unlike in developed countries where everybody knows their job scope well, you have to define it yourself in China and always think two or three steps ahead.'

Recruitment agencies and global headhunters for Chinese companies here say they now get an avalanche of inquiries. Some job-seekers even 'settle' for local terms to beat off the competition.

Mr Daniel Ladd-Hudson, manager of global headhunter Robert Walters, which has 40 per cent of its clients based in China, observes: 'In the past, job applicants used to demand all kinds of allowances for postings to China. But in the past two to three years, they have been far less demanding.'

Dr Gavin Jones of the Asia Research Institute in Singapore, whose research interests include regional employment changes, adds: 'I would imagine that Singaporeans see China as an upcoming world economic power.

'Therefore, any experience in China is valued as a springboard for further involvement in this dynamic economy.'

Evergreen pastures: OZ

DOWN Under is also facing a severe skilled labour shortage and making no secret of it. Over the past decade, Australia has tripled its intake of skilled migrants. It was 71,000 last year and there are hopes to bump that figure up to 97,500 this year.

Hairdressers, plumbers, bricklayers and refrigeration and air-conditioning mechanics are particularly welcome.

According to Australian assessment criteria for skilled migration, these trade workers stand a higher chance of getting into the country than even professionals such as statisticians and chemists.

Currently in red-hot demand are the estimated 9,000 Singaporeans who graduate from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) each year with skills certificates such as National Technical Certificate Grade 2.

According to Australian recruitment agencies, upon relocating, these plumbers and mechanics can earn up to three times their salary in Singapore. On top of that, they enjoy more respect for their trade and a lower cost of living Down Under.

According to Australian immigration statistics in 2001, there are now an estimated 33,600 Singaporeans working and living in Australia. There are also more than 10 dedicated Australian migration consultancies which have sprung up here in recent years to help facilitate a burgeoning number of Singaporean applications.

A report by research company ACNielsen in 2002 revealed that almost half of those hoping to migrate someday picked Australia as their preferred destination.

Another 12 per cent looked towards the green pastures of New Zealand.

But what puts off some hopeful emigres is the drawn-out and complex Australian visa application process. It requires exhaustive details of one's education, work skills, employment history, mental and physical health and extended family background. The waiting time for an answer can be up to two years.

Mr Phillip Sim of Australian immigration consultant firm Ntrust says: 'The documents we submit for each case are usually three inches thick. If there's anything missing, the visa application falls through. The next time people apply, the requirements may have gone up again and they might not meet the mark.'

To obtain a skilled immigration visa, individuals must be under 45, speak good English, match the Australian Skilled Occupations List and have above post-secondary education.

But Mr Joshua Koh of the Agate Migration Centre points out that although Singapore's ITE graduates may have the requisite skills, their stumbling block was usually a relatively poor command of English.

As such, he and others see only a smattering of trade workers hoping to migrate. The rest are mostly professionals seeking blue skies and a more languid lifestyle.

Typical of these is Ms Nelda Samy, 23, who got her Australian permanent residency last November and now works with investment bank UBS in Sydney.

She finds the lifestyle there so 'perfect' that she intends to give up her Singapore citizenship eventually.

'The work environment is more relaxed and the emphasis is on family. Work ends at 5pm and no one expects you to stay till 10 pm.

'If you have other commitments, you can go off. Work can wait,' she says.

Stayers and quitters

WHILE there are no official statistics on how many Singaporeans are working abroad, the Singapore International Foundation estimates the figure could be close to 200,000.

According to recruitment agents, Singaporeans are especially sought after in developing nations because of their willingness to work long hours, proficiency in English and exposure to the culture and management of multinational companies.

And their aversion to the risk factor and reluctance to relocate has faded over the past few years too. According to headhunter Mr Ladd-Hudson: 'The overseas exposure is a great CV booster to job applicants. Those who ask for overseas postings recognise this and hope the experience can be a bargaining chip for better remuneration packages in future jobs.'

In fact, many now have an 'anywhere but here' mentality. According to the 2002 ACNielsen report, one in five Singaporeans hopes to migrate overseas.

Migration consultants say Australia is the evergreen No. 1 choice, followed by Canada and New Zealand.

The most-often cited attractions include a less stressful life for themselves and their children.

Mid-lifers also see it as an escape hatch from the ageist society here in Singapore, which values only youthful vigour.

Agate Migration Centre's Mr Koh says: 'I have a significant number of clients who are approaching 40 or above. Here, companies are not so open to hiring older people, but in Australia it's easier to find a job, even if you are in your 50s or 60s.'

Although the numbers are worrying, this trend of Singaporeans venturing overseas to work should be seen more as a fact of life than a brain drain, says Asia Research Institute's Dr Jones.

'It doesn't have to be negative. Many of those who go overseas eventually return with new, better qualifications and skills which they can use to improve the economy here,' he explains.

And as the war for talent heats up, with countries fighting each other to snare the best, the real winners are mobile Singaporeans.

In the case of Ms Mo, her Dubai stint has not only enriched her bank account and curriculum vitae but also her personal relationships.

'Going abroad does not mean leaving career, friends, family behind. Absence makes the heart grow fond and relationships are kept up through frequent visits and e-mail,' she says.

The only hitch is that long-term romantic relationships have to be put on hold.

'I am single and, unfortunately, I've not found my rich Arab Sheikh yet,' quips Ms Mo. 'I have a number of long-distance relationships with male friends but only time will tell how they will develop.'

But except for Ms Samy, all of the 20 overseas-based Singaporeans interviewed by The Straits Times said they planned to head for the security of home eventually after making their fortune abroad.

As Ms Stacey Teo, chef de cuisine at Dubai's five-star One&Only Royal Mirage hotel since 2002, puts it: 'We don't know what's going to happen here. The Dubai government is now trying to recruit more locals and some expatriates have been asked to go home.

'But I'm not afraid. My job is considered hard labour. I don't think the locals will be willing to do it.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

April 23, 2005
Desperately seeking S'poreans
As the global talent war heats up, many countries are rolling out the red carpet for Singaporeans. Who is offering the best deal? What kind of talent are they after? Ng Hui Hui trawls through newspaper advertisements and immigration websites and talks to seven recruitment bodies to find out.

Australia

# Seeking: Nurses, midwives, trade workers such as plumbers, welders and mechanics.

# Perks: Ease of migration, with extra points allocated to skilled workers, up to three times higher salary for trade workers, help from recruitment companies to source for accommodation and reimbursement for International English Language Testing System fees.

# Promises: A languid and affordable lifestyle where having your own landed house with garage, car, pool and garden is no pipe dream. Also, scenic weekend getaways await, along Victoria's Great Ocean Road and Queensland's Surfers Paradise.

United Arab Emirates

# Seeking: Chefs, mid- to high-level hotel managers, engineers, architects and nurses.

# Perks: Almost all companies offer full expatriate status, tax-free salary packets, free accommodation, free transport to and from work, free return air tickets to home country at least once a year and free medical care.

# Promises: A comfortable, cosmopolitan city lifestyle, where expatriates form 80 per cent of the population. Boasts a fast-developing tourism industry with world-class land reclamation projects such as The Palm Islands and The World in Dubai.

You can buy an island in The World and do what you want with it, including naming it after your dog.

Qatar

# Seeking: Civil and structural engineers, economic and business analysts, interior designers, civil defence personnel and construction supervisors.

# Perks: Most companies offer tax-free salary, free accommodation and transport allowances, children's education subsidies, free medical and dental care, and free return air tickets to home country at least once a year.

# Promises: Dirt-cheap petrol because of the many projects under development by Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch/Shell there. It is also home to the largest United States airbase in the Middle East outside of Iraq.

However, recreation options are few and far between, and summers, which see temperatures soar up to 50 deg C, can be a killer.

New Zealand

# Seeking: Mental health nurses, midwives, occupational therapists and anaesthetic technicians.

# Perks: Companies usually assist with flight and immigration matters, send someone to meet and greet you at the airport and provide reimbursement for International English Language Testing System fees.

# Promises: A laid-back, idyllic pace of life. Many breathtaking countryside vistas to explore. Plenty, too, for the adventure sports fan, ranging from glacier walks to bungee jumping.

China

# Seeking: Operations and business development managers, engineers, accountants, auditors and English teachers.

# Perks: Typically, free Chinese lessons, free accommodation and tax benefits.

# Promises: The chance to be a player in the world's fastest-growing, most dynamic and biggest market in a time of flux. Since its entry into the World Trade Organisation in December 2002, China has been actively liberalising its telecommunications, legal services, real estate and advertising industries. A definite resume boost.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 23 Apr 2005

S'pore exports moving up quality ladder: IMF study

By ANNA TEO

(SINGAPORE) Singapore has been nimble in entering new higher value-added industries and in moving up the quality ladder, says an International Monetary Fund (IMF) study of the Republic's exports.

Manufactured exports - especially machinery and chemicals - have narrowed the quality gap with developed economies such as Japan and the UK, and pulled further away from low-cost regional competitors including China, Malaysia and Thailand, the study notes.

The study is part of an in-depth IMF analysis on Singapore's export performance, to be published next week, according to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), which carries a small box item on it in its latest macroeconomic review.

The IMF study looks at the quality upgrading of Singapore's exports to the US, compared with nine other developed and developing economies, by tracking price differences of more than 10,000 exported products. Price differentials for the same product made in different countries are used as a proxy measure for quality.

The results show that Singapore's manufactured exports, especially chemicals and machinery, have seen marked price jumps. So, while Singapore faces growing competition in goods that are also produced and exported by lower-cost countries, the IMF study finds it has been nimble in climbing the quality ladder, the MAS says.

'Moreover, the size of the pie seems to be large enough to absorb Singapore's structural adjustment into higher-quality products, where export growth to end-markets is largely unaffected by the performance of its lower-cost competitors,' it adds.

The IMF finds the results an 'encouraging sign for Singapore's future growth prospects'.

Meanwhile, a MAS study finds that intra-East Asian exports have been growing steadily since the Asian crisis, reflecting strong growth in trade within the North-east Asian (NEA) countries and also higher exports from Asean to NEA. Most of the trade is in electronics, motor vehicles and petrochemicals.

And gone is yesterday's Flying Geese model of regional trade and investment flows, where producers shift their output location from one country to another driven by cost and competitiveness pressures.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 27 Apr 2005

Singapore among world's best in government services

Responsiveness to citizens among factors rated highly in Accenture study of 22 countries

By RAJU CHELLAM

SINGAPORE'S government services and responsiveness to citizens are among the best in the world, according to a study by consultancy firm Accenture.

Singapore and Denmark were ranked joint third with identical scores of 56 - behind Canada with 68 and the US with 62.

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The study measured the delivery of government services, responsiveness to citizens, number and quality of services offered via the Internet and the value that governments bring to citizens.

'Singapore has been an e government powerhouse for many years and its efforts have resulted in a strong foundation for future leadership in government service,' said Martin Cole, group chief executive of Accenture's government operating group. 'Given its emphasis on all areas of customer service maturity, Singapore seems poised to claim a world-leading position in service delivery in the near future.'

Accenture rates Canada and the US as 'trend-setters'. The next block of eight countries, led by Singapore and Denmark - and followed by Australia, France, Japan, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands - are termed 'challengers' because they are well placed to overcome their shortcomings. The 'follower' countries make up the next nine, with scores ranging from Sweden's 49 to Malaysia's 44. The last three - Portugal, South Africa and Brazil - are still in the 'formative' stage.

The rankings are based on the results of two studies. The first assessed countries based on the breadth and depth of e-government services offered. The second involved polling 9,000 adults in the 22 countries on their experiences and perceptions while interacting with their governments on line, in person or by phone.

'Most citizens are eager to embrace a new generation of services, but their expectations outpace their government's ability to deliver them,' said Vivienne Jupp, Accenture's managing partner for government services. 'When the government acts as a single, seamless entity - remembering all the details of a citizen's previous contact - a high percentage feel the government is effective at working together.'

Accenture has done a similar study for the past five years that ranked countries on delivery of services on line. In that study, Singapore maintained its No 2 position for a fourth straight year in 2004. Canada remained No 1, while the US narrowed its gap with Singapore, moving up a notch to tie for second place.

This year's study went beyond just e-government. 'E-government is well advanced and should now be an integral component of a much broader service delivery agenda,' said Seah Chin Siong, partner of Accenture's government operating group.

'The basic drive to put services on line is approaching its limits. Future leadership will be defined by strength in all areas of customer service. Most governments are putting the foundations in place for multi-channel, inter-connected government and are starting to adopt many customer service capabilities.'

All countries surveyed this year saw a drop in scores, as previous surveys were heavily weighted on services on line. 'Singapore, for example, has 89 per cent of its services on line,' Mr Seah said.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.