More Singaporeans are staying single - 23-06-2010, 01:33 PM

More Singaporeans are staying single

Singapore’s resident Total Fertility Rate (TFR) fell to its lowest at 1.22 in 2009. This is in line with the general trend of higher singlehood rates and later marriages.

The "Population in Brief 2010" publication also noted that marriages between citizens and non—citizens have gone up.

Singaporeans are having fewer children. The National Population Secretariat said this might have to do with the global recession in late 2008.

It added that the impact was smaller compared to previous economic downturns.

This perhaps explains the lowest TFR of 1.22 last year.

The Chinese continued to have the lowest TFR followed by Indians and Malays.

The rate for Malays showed the most significant decline over the past decade.

The median age of citizen mothers at first birth increased from 28.6 years in 1999 to 29.6 years in 2009.

The decline was more pronounced among the younger cohorts aged 30—39 years.

Based on current trends, the National Population Secretariat said this group is less likely to achieve an average of two children by the time they reach 40—49 years old.

Overall, the fertility rates for the prime childbearing age of 20—34 years declined between 1999 and 2009.

The peak childbearing age group also shifted from 25—29 to 30—34 years.

The low TFR may also be due to more Singaporeans staying single.

Last year, of those aged 30 to 34, 42 per cent of men remained single, up from 33 percent ten years ago.

Likewise, 30 percent of women remained single compared to 22 percent in 1999.

Singlehood rates were the highest among males with below secondary educational qualifications and among females with university qualifications.

The secretariat added that those who marry are doing so later.

More are also marrying foreigners from around Asia.

The general marriage rate for male citizens dropped from 53 per 1,000 unmarried males in 1999 to 42 per 1,000 unmarried males in 2009.

Similarly, marriage rates for female citizens also fell from 56.0 to 38.2 over the same period.

The NPS said between 1999 and 2009, the median age of citizens at first marriage increased by one and a half years from 28.4 to 29.9 years for males, and from 25.9 to 27.4 years for females.

Proportionately, more Singaporeans are marrying non—citizens.

Such marriages increased by 10 per cent over the past decade from 31 per cent in 1999 to 41 per cent in 2009.

In particular, close to 80 per cent of such marriages were between Singapore men and foreign brides.

The majority of non—citizen spouses came from Asia, although non—citizen grooms came from more diverse regions.

Source - Channel NewsAsia

Comments:

This is hardly surprising. With economic progress and higher expectations among Singaporeans, the pursuit of a desired lifestyle is everything to most people. Women have equal opportunities in employment and no longer need the financial support of husbands. With such high costs of living in Singapore and greater opportunities for overseas work, the lure for a more vibrant, relaxed and tolerant lifestyle is too great to resist. And regarding the matter of more people marrying to foreigners, it's neither surprising too. Because Singaporean men are getting more and more violent, and they always ended up in divorce. It's common, too common. News about divorces or husbands beating up their wives are so common and often takes up 1/4 of the paper. So as time goes by, women will have this mindset that Singapore guys can't be trusted and of course would not entrust the rest of their lives with them. And therefore in contrast, they would believe that foreigners in Asian is better, for the aspect that they love their wives more. As the saying goes, "the grass is always greener on the other side". So why would not women be tempted to marry foreigns? Till Singapore guys learn how to really love Singapore woman.

Wendy.

http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=30797

More job seekers refusing job offers: survey

SINGAPORE : Many Singapore employers are getting rejections from candidates whom they've made offers to, given the buoyant job market.

According to recruitment firm, Hudson, 40 per cent of employers in Singapore it surveyed said that candidates had declined offers of jobs made to them in the last six months. This is almost twice as many as the 21 per cent who said that they had not received any refusals at all in this period. And as hiring expectations continue to rise, workers will be spoilt for choice. Hudson's Executive GM, Georgie Chong, said this makes the recruitment process more challenging. "That good candidate in the current market is going to be very protected by the current employer. If you look at Europe and the US, the economic outlook there is still weak. Therefore, most of the growth is going to be piled into Asia. The budget for Asia is more aggressive compared to the headquarters," said Chong.

The single most important reason for refusing a job offer was the expectation of higher salaries. However, Chong pointed out that employers would be willing to meet these expectations for key positions. She added that companies may need to pay at least 20 per cent more to attract these candidates. Chong said: "In certain sectors, for example in banking, compliance roles for instance where we need very specialist knowledge or critical revenue generation positions, and faced with a very tight talent pool, candidates have an upper hand. "We've even offered candidates 30 - 40 per cent more but they still won't move because their employers come back with very aggressive counter measures." Such counter offers from the present employer are a significant issue, being mentioned by 38 per cent of employers in the survey.

The Hudson Report also indicated that many employers recognise they must increase salaries to retain top talent. Nearly half of respondents are prepared to offer increments of more than 10 per cent. Other reasons cited for turning down job offers include candidates having accepted job offers from other companies. In addition, the report showed that hiring expectations in Singapore are at their highest levels in nearly a decade.

57 per cent of respondents across all sectors forecast headcount growth in the third quarter. - CNA /ls



Comments:

With the increase in standard of living in Singapore, it is understandable that Singaporeans get more picky in choosing jobs. Spending over a few hundreds in a week is nothing fresh to Singaporeans anymore with exceptions to families with low income. I find it rather amusing for the job applicants to reject the jobs offered to them when they need a job. If not why apply for a job in the first place? According to the news report, the applicants rejected the job offers even though there was an increase in percentage of salary to attract the applicants to take up the job. These days, to acheive an increase in pay is not an easy thing with the economy being bad.

Should smoking be banned in casinos?

ARTICLE : Casino patrons and employees alike are raising concern over the poor air quality in the smoking areas of local casinos at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) and Marina Bay Sands (MBS).

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has received more than 30 complaints from patrons about poor air quality and gamblers lighting up in non-smoking areas.

“Most of the floors in MBS are smoking areas and after being in there for an hour or so, I start coughing and feeling uncomfortable,” 56-year-old patron Margaret Choi tells Yahoo! Singapore.

Another RWS patron Madam Lee Geok Lan, 70, also told The Straits Times that signages were poor in RWS’ casino and that she had trouble finding the non-smoking area.

It is not just the patrons who are disgruntled. Some dealers who work in the smoking areas of the casino are worried about the ill-effects of their long exposure to second-hand smoke.

An NEA spokesman acknowledges that there had been complaints about smoking violations when the casinos first opened, but claims the integrated resorts (IR) have since taken action including displaying “No Smoking” signs more clearly and reducing available entrances and exits in smoking areas.

The IRs, unlike other public places, have been left out of moves over the years to curb smoking indoors. They are allowed to draw up their own house rules on smoking and non-smoking areas. This is despite the ban against smoking in nightspots that took effect in July 2007 and the prohibition of lighting up within 5 metres of entrances of exits and buildings since January last year.

At RWS, more than 60% of the casino is smoke-free. However, at MBS, only one of the four floors is devoted to gambling for non-smoking patrons. As a result, casino employees are consistently exposed to second-hand smoke at work.

Richard Chua, 55, who recently visited MBS’ casino told Yahoo! Singapore, “Even though the second-hand smoke is not that big a deal for me since I only visit once in awhile, it can’t be healthy for those working there everyday.”

A typical shift for a dealer lasts eight hours, with workers getting a break every one to two hours. This adds up to almost six hours of smoke exposure a day. Working on a rostered basis, some may spend many days working in smoking areas before being posted to non-smoking ones.

Several casino staff have expressed unhappiness over having to breathe second-hand smoke for such long working hours everyday. While some have quit, others are putting up with the situation for fear of losing their jobs, and have not raised the matter to the management.

One MBS dealer told The Straits Times she had developed a lingering cough because of the second-hand smoke and said, “I was on medical leave three times within the first month of work.”

Others agreed, saying working in the smoking areas can be unbearable because the small gaming tables increases their proximity to surrounding smokers.

An MBS spokesman explains that ”all employees working in the casino were informed that their work environment will have smoking components.”

He adds that MBS is “committed to managing air flow and air quality” and that they have invested in air treatment and filtration systems similar to those used in hospitals.

RWS also told The Straits Times that it was “constantly monitoring and implementing ways to improve the air quality of the casino” to ensure patrons and workers are given a pleasant gaming and working environment.

The Ministry of Manpower, when asked if the issue of second-hand smoke came under the Workplace Safety and Health framework and what employees could do, said, “MOM encourages employees who have concerns about their work environment to raise them with their employers to work out practical solutions.”

Comment: Singapore, a clean and green environment , should ban smoking in the casino. Smoking in the casino has caused several problems and concern over on the poor quality of air in the casino itself. The smoker will not just affect the players that are around him but also affect the non-managerial employees working in the casino. Breathing in second-hand smoke has always been known to be more detrimental to health than first-hand smoke.

Furthermore, it affects not only the health of the players but also the performances of the players. Health is the most important factor to why we should ban smoking in the casino. It had been said," To reach a thousand steps, it is to take the first step", we must know that though banning smoking in the casino is just a step to ensuring a free-smoking environment in the casino but it is also a step making us closer to a free-smoking Singapore.

Done by: Hans

Link: http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/06/22/should-smoking-be-banned-in-casinos

HOME > BREAKING NEWS > SINGAPORE > STORY

Jun 8, 2010

MRT VANDALISM CASE

Staff thought it was artwork

By Maria Almenoar & Teh Joo Lin

The reason: Staff who spotted the graffiti thought it was an advertisement or artwork, and brushed it off. It was only when the train was called in for routine maintenance on May 19 that the alarm was raised, it said. -- PHOTO: YOUTUBE

AFTER almost a week of silence, train operator SMRT on Tuesday revealed the scale of the security breach at its Changi train depot.

For close to two whole days from May 17, it said in a statement on Tuesday, the company had no idea of the gaping hole in the perimeter fence at the depot, which consequently went unrepaired. And during this time, no staff member raised an alarm that a train had been vandalised.

The reason: Staff who spotted the graffiti thought it was an advertisement or artwork, and brushed it off. It was only when the train was called in for routine maintenance on May 19 that the alarm was raised, it said.

Police had earlier said that two men allegedly broke into the depot late on May 16 or in the early hours of May 17. One, Swiss national Oliver Fricker, 32, was charged with vandalism and trespassing. He is out on bail. His employer, Swiss company Comit AG, has also suspended him.

The other, believed to be Briton Lloyd Dane Alexander, is still at large. A warrant for his arrest has been issued.

In its statement on Tuesday, SMRT said its staff noticed the graffiti on the two train carriages on May 17, but thought nothing of it.

Comments: After reading this, I think that the Singapore government might be a little too over-reacting. Because I don't really think that this is considered vandalism because there's no vulgarities written on it. Although in Singapore, doing anything to the public properties is already considered vandalism, but the person who did it wasn't even a Singaporean. It's obvious that he din't know the laws of Singapore. Adding on, the graffiti he did was..nice. It wasn't ugly fugly, but artsy fartsy. I mean, why get so worked up? Yes you can charge him for trespassing, but, vandalism? Really? We should learn to relax, everyone.

WendyTang.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_537320.html

Jun 2, 2010

Pursue dreams, give back

By Sue-Ann Chia, Senior Political Correspondent

PM Lee's message of ensuring the continued success and survival of Singapore struck a chord with the students. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI

TO GET pre-university students to think of the future, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday urged them to look to the past.

In particular, the contributions of Singapore's founding father Goh Keng Swee, who died last month at age 91.

Dr Goh's pivotal role in shaping Singapore into a success story was highlighted by PM Lee no less than four times during his 25-minute speech that sought to inspire his young audience to reflect on how their generation can contribute to the country and build on what they have inherited.

'I encourage you all to pursue your dreams, go for it.

'But wherever you are, whatever you are doing, please also remember your obligation to society, and make an effort to contribute back in some way,' he said at an annual seminar attended by about 500 students heading towards adulthood.

Mr Lee suggested two ways. One, do volunteer work, and the other, join the public service like Dr Goh did.

Comments : I think that what Mr Lee said is actually very true. "..pursue your dreams, go for it." Young people nowadays gives up whenever they faces an obstacle. Doing volunteer work has been scarce among youngsters nowadays because of their mindset or some find them troublesome. But have you ever thought that you'll actually feel good after doing something good? Like helping an old woman cross the road. This may be a simple act but you'll feel happy and so will the old lady. You don't have to be rich to do anything like this because sometimes money can't do as much as helping, literally. No matter what the world throws at you, just take it by the hand and you'll be able to conquer all the obstacles. Go for it; don't forget to remember your roots, though.

Wendy Tang.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_534243.html

More fall prey to phishing.

The emails, sent out in the victim's name, are intended to deceive recipients into believing that the victim is stranded overseas and in urgent need of financial assistance. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM

THE number of victims falling for 'phishing' scams is on the rise.

Typically, the victim in such 'phishing' scams receive an email claiming to be from their email service provider. They are then led to believe that they are required to verify their user account information and email password with the 'service provider', failing which their email account may be suspended or terminated.

Once the victim unwittingly replies with his user information and password, the scammer takes over the email account and changes the password to prevent access by the victim.

Using the victim's email account, the scammer then sends emails to the victim's email contacts, requesting financial assistance. These emails, sent out in the victim's name, are intended to deceive recipients into believing that the victim is stranded overseas and in urgent need of financial assistance.

Typically, the scammers also ask for money to be remitted urgently to an overseas account via remittance companies.

Malay daily Berita Harian reported last Friday that the email account of former senior parliamentary secretary (Information, Communications and the Arts) Yatiman Yusoff was compromised and used to send out emails to others requesting for financial assistance.

The police advise the public to be wary of such email phishing scams. If users receive emails, claiming to be from service providers or family members, they should be careful and avoid clicking on any URL link or opening file attachments inside the email.

Comments: I think that Singaporeans should be more weary of scams because they will lose their money over nothing because of this matter. There was also one year where scams are very often and we thought it had already subsided. But who knows it came back again this year and still, many people fell prey. It could be that they ain't taught on it, or is it that the scammers are back with more clever methods. Although the senior parliamentary secretary was suspected, we hadn't really know who the real culprit is. So to prevent more people from falling prey to phishing, I think that they should contact the 'victim' stated in the email to find out about their whereabouts. Should the person is not contactable, they should send emails back asking for more personal questions to verify the authenticity of the sender. I think that Singaporeans should increase their awareness because this is a serious matter and of course no one wants to lose their hard earned money over some scammed email right?

Wendy Tang.

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_531040.html

Arson, looting in Bangkok after protest crackdown Posted: 19 May 2010 2003 hrs BANGKOK: Enraged protesters went on a rampage of arson and looting on Wednesday in Bangkok, where fire engulfed major buildings including the stock exchange after a deadly army assault on an anti-government rally. Plumes of black smoke billowed across the skyline in the aftermath of the military crackdown on the "Red Shirt" camp which left at least seven people dead, including an Italian journalist, and forced their leaders to surrender. While most demonstrators dispersed, some militant protesters set fires at 27 locations in Bangkok in an upsurge of violence that prompted authorities to declare a night-time curfew across about a third of the country. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who has been under enormous pressure to end the crippling standoff, said he intended to "get through" the crisis and return peace to the country. "The end of the rally has dissatisfied some protesters, especially those who are armed," he said. "So they created trouble, particularly arson in some areas." Major blazes swept through Central World, one of Southeast Asia's largest shopping centres, the Stock Exchange of Thailand, a downtown cinema, many banks and a television station where about 100 staff had to be rescued. The bloody crackdown inflamed unrest outside the capital as supporters in northeast Thailand set fire to at least two provincial halls. Violence also broke out in northern Chiang Mai where people tried to burn buildings and throw home-made bombs after the Bangkok protests ended, but by late evening the situation was under control, local officials said. The government imposed an 8:00 pm (1300 GMT) to 6:00 am curfew in Bangkok and 23 other provinces, out of a total of 76, in a bid to quell the eruption of violence, admitting that parts of the capital were still outside their control. "We are waiting until the people go back home, then we will deal with rogue protesters," Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon told AFP. The latest unrest began when armoured vehicles backed by armed troops firing live rounds smashed through towering barricades made of tyres and razor wire that the Red Shirts had erected around their sprawling base. A tearful protest leader later announced on stage that the Reds would end their occupation of the upscale shopping and hotel district in the heart of the capital where they have been camped for six weeks. "I know this is unacceptable to some of you... but we cannot stand this cruelty," said top Red Nattawut Saikuar. "We will exchange our freedom with your safety. We have tried our best." At least four top Reds later went to the police headquarters nearby to give themselves up. The government said earlier some others had already fled. An Italian freelance photographer, Fabio Polenghi, 45, was among those shot dead during the clashes at one end of the Reds' encampment, which had stretched for several kilometres. Several other journalists were wounded in the clashes, including Dutch television reporter Michel Maas who was shot in the shoulder. Another journalist, a Canadian, and four soldiers were also badly injured by grenade attacks inside the camp An AFP photographer saw two protesters lying dead on the ground after being shot in the head when troops pushed into the encampment. At least 46 people have died since the army moved to lock down the area last Thursday. Police said elite troops had orders to shoot on sight anyone looting, committing arson or inciting unrest, following several days of urban warfare in the capital. "Tonight will be another night of suffering," government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said in an address on national television. The United States urged Thai protest leaders to rein in their supporters following the bloody army crackdown. Washington was "deeply concerned that 'Red Shirt' supporters have engaged in arson, targeting electricity infrastructure and media outlets and have attacked individual journalists," said State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid. UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged Thai authorities and protesters to avoid further violence and loss of life, according to his spokesman Martin Nesirky. Hundreds of army and police had advanced towards the protest zone in the pre-dawn hours, with trucks dropping off troops wearing balaclavas and carrying weapons and riot shields, while a helicopter circled overhead. Several thousand protesters, including many women and children, were inside, defying a government deadline to leave by Monday. The Reds have been campaigning for elections to replace Abhisit's administration, which they consider illegitimate because it came to power with the backing of the army in a 2008 parliamentary vote. The crisis has left at least 75 people dead and about 1,700 wounded since mid-March, including 25 people who died in a failed army crackdown on April 10. The Reds are mostly supporters of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a 2006 coup Thaksin - accused by the government of bankrolling the protests and inciting unrest - denied on Wednesday he had undermined peace talks, saying he was not the "mastermind of the terrorists". - AFP/ir/d Comments: I feel that the protestors in Bangkok that are unhappy with the government should not be setting fire and also going on a rampage of arson and looting. This will cause lots of innocent people to be hurt and killed. Some may be on the side of government but some are just people that want to have a peaceful life but yet they become the victims of the chaos which is unfair. Many will also have to live in fear, fearing that they might be one of the victims. I also feel that the protestors do not want to create such a chaos in the country as they also hope that such cruelty will stop soon and some have given themselves up. The government also tried to stop the situation by having curfews. Therefore, since both parties hope to have peace, I think that they should have a representative from each side to negotiate for an outcome that is fair to everyone. As there will be no end to this chaos unless one party is completely wiped out, this also means that lots of lives will be sacrificed. http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1057743/1/.html Clement Juan

Goh Keng Swee's contributions led to "Singapore miracle"

SINGAPORE: Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has said that without the contributions of the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, there would not be the Singapore miracle of today.

In a letter to Dr Goh's wife, the Senior Minister referred to him as "one of the most brilliant architects" of the country.

Senior Minister Goh said Dr Goh was a practical man full of bold and creative ideas, and when faced with a problem, he analysed it with far-sightedness and produced practical solutions.
When Mr Goh first stood for elections in Marine Parade in December 1976, it was Dr Goh who gave the senior minister advice on how to fight and win.

- CNA/ir

Comments: I believe many of my age would not know about this incredible man, Dr Goh, as I also did not know about this wonderful man until my father talked about it. After reading this article, i found out that Dr Goh was like the founder of Singapore to a certain extent. He introduced many ideas on improving Sigapore and that was very important to bring Singapore out of the third world state in the older days. He introduced national service so that Sinagpore need not depend on other countries to protect our own country.He also started the mahufacturing buisness in Sinagpore. This in turn provided job opportunities for the many jobless. Dr Goh also worked hard to promote the young economy of Singapore to foreign countries to attract them to invest in Singapore so as to provide even more job opportunities. I feel that youngsters should know more about this magnificent man who literally build up Singapore in areas of economy and defence, two of the most important elements in every country. So do you know who Dr Goh is?

Article from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1056667/1/.html

Photos from:

http://www.channelnewsasia.com./photosgallery/gallery_20100514151116.htm

Isabel :)

PRC bus driver fined $5,000 only for killing Singaporean in traffic accident


A former PRC bus driver was let off with only a $5,000 fine and banned from driving for three years for causing the death of a Singaporean scooterist Mr Oh Yam Seng.

33 year old Zhou Yunpeng, a Singapore PR admitted to causing the death of Mr Oh by failing to give way to him when he made a right turn from Ang Mo Kio Ave 5 into Ave 8 last year, the Straits Times report.

It is not revealed how Mr Zhou managed to obtain his Singapore PR. He told the judge that he had been driving the bus for only one and a half months before the accident.

Though bus drivers are jobs which can be taken up by Singaporeans, there is an increasing number of PRC bus drivers in Singapore, some of whom are unfamiliar with the bus routes and are unable to speak even simple English.

A Sichuan newspaper reported two months ago of a Singapore bus company putting up job ads in Chengdu to recruit PRC bus drivers to work in Singapore.

The applicants must have a Chinese class “A” driver and three years of driving experience of public transport in China. On top of the attractive wages, they are also given free lodging, transport allowances and medical insurance coverage.

During the recent May Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on Singaporeans to accept a higher “inflow” of foreigners as the economy “improves”.

Singaporeans should prepare themselves for more PRC bus drivers like Mr Zhou Yunpeng. As for the non-Chinese, it is time to pick up some simple Mandarin in order to communicate with these “foreign talents” from mainland China.


Comments: I feel that the bus driver should not be let off this lightly with a sentence of only $5000 fine. This is unfair to the family of the deceased as well to the deceased himself. Singapore is a country where laws should be abided and punishments must be carried out accordingy. The sentence for taking a life in singapore is being sentenced to death but this man was let off lightly and that should not have been the case. Moreover this man failed to give way to the scooterist which caused death to Mr Oh Yam Seng. People should not be selfish as to not give way in traffic. Being considerate can save a life so people should be more considerate and learn to give way to others so that so much commotion would not be caused.

Done by: Gabriel Han

http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=29680

Setback for open-skies policy

Indonesia's decision holds back Asean's plans to lift flight restrictions

By Karamjit Kaur
Aviation Correspondent

AMBITIOUS plans by the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) to lift regional flying restrictions on member- country airlines have hit a brick wall , stymieing the hoped-for boost to travel trade and tourism .
Indonesia , the biggest market within the group , has said it is not prepared to fully open its skies by 2015 , - The deadline the 10 Asean countries had agreed to in principle .
Mr Tri S. Sunoko , The Indonesian Transport Ministry's director of air transportation , told The Straits Times in a telephone interview : " What we will do by 2015 is to open up five of our key airports to Asean member carriers . Anything more will be done progressively after that . "
The five airports are in Jakarta , Medan , Bali , Surabaya and Makassar , in South Sulawesi . Indonesia has about 30 key airports .
Foreign carriers will also not be allowed to ply domestic routes.
As is the practice now , all other international flights to other points in Indonesia will be subject to government-to-government air deals that stipulate where a carrier can fly , how often and on what type of aircraft - because this determines passenger numbers .
Open skies under a single unified aviation market , Asian's ultimate goal , means that airlines would be able to fly freely over the region , transporting passengers and cargo from one airport to another .
Indonesia's decision to delay the development of a single Asean aviation market will hurt travellers , member countries and the bloc as a whole , experts said .
Associate Professor Alan Tan , an aviation law specialist from the National University of Singapore's Law Faculty , in urging Asean to move faster , said : " Liberalisation brings advantages such as greater competition between airlines , better choice and prices for consumers , and other sectors of the economy . "
An example is the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur air sector which was liberalised in December 2008 to allow low-cost carriers in . From $400 for a 45-minute return flight , fares- with all taxes and surcharges included - are now as low as less than $100 . Passengers traffic on the route also jumped by 34 percent last year compared with 2008, Benefiting businesses all round .
Ms Alicia Seah , senior vice-president of marketing and public relations at CTC Holidays , said that apart from adding capacity to popular destinations like Jakarta and Bali , other points in Indonesia such as Yogyakarta, which houses the ancient Hindu temple of Borobudur , are also becoming popular with leisure travellers .
But there is more at stake if Asean's plans for a single aviation market do not take off , experts said . The lack of open skies in Asean would impact ongoing air talks between the bloc and China , for example . These are proceeding apace , with the expectations of increased air travel between South-east Asia and China , as the latter's economy continues to boom .
But Indonesia- and to some extent , the Philippines- does not see the benefits of liberalisation accruing equally to all members . One fear is that if all restrictions are lifted , stronger carriers like Singapore Airlines would benefit more than the weaker ones , said Prof Tan .
Another concern is that countries and the markets they offer are hugely uneven . He noted : " Singapore is seen as offering only one point (Changi) . . . On the other hand , a country like Indonesia has 250 million people and tens , if not hundreds , of cities that foreign airlines can fly into . They do not therefore see the logic of exchanging all points in Indonesia for all points in Singapore . "
A spokesman for Singapore's Transport Ministry responded to this view , saying it is not important how many airports a country has .
More significant is that with direct connectivity to 149 international cities and a traffic volume of more than 37 million passengers , Singapore's Changi Airport is the seventh-largest airport in the world going by international passenger traffic , and second in the Asia-Pacific region .
Despite the slow progress at the group level , travellers have benefited with countries like Singapore , Malaysia , Thailand and Brunei opening up selected routes in recent years .
As for the Asean grand plan , talks will continue when the 10 transport ministers meet in Brunei later this year for their annual gathering.
karam@sph.com.sg , straits times home, Saturday, 8 may 2010.


Comments: I personally feel that the Asean's plans to lift fligh restrictions is a good plan that will benefit every country. Like Professor Alan Tan said: "Liberalisation brings advantages such as greater competition between airlines, better choice and prices for consumers, and knock-on benefits for tourism and other sectors of the economy." Other parts of Indonesia besides Jarkata and Bali has also become places of interest for leisure travellers. Therefore if Indonesia opens up their airports, they will also gain profit from it, so they should not think that if this restrictions are lifted, stronger carriers like Singapore Airlines will benefit more from it. Singapore is a small country so it only has one airport which Indonesia thinks that there is no logic to exchange all points in Indonesia for one point in Singapore. However, if Indonesia opens up, there will be place of interest for people to travel there and they will gain benefits.

Clement

Chance to walk on water

The new boardwalk will allow visitors to cross the reservoir by walking in ankle-deep water. -- PHOTO: PUB

VISITORS to MacRitchie Reservoir Park will be able to walk on water - literally - from next year.

A submerged boardwalk will be built that will connect one bank of the reservoir to another as part of the second phase of an extensive makeover of the park.

As part of the revamp, a hilltop food and beverage outlet and a facility allowing parkgoers to indulge in canoeing and kayaking will also be built.

The second phase of the makeover will cost $4.6 million, and is expected to be completed by the third quarter of next year.

Phase One of the revamp for the 143-year-old reservoir, which began in February 2007 and included a multi-storey carpark and an amenities centre with toilet and shower facilities, was completed in July last year. It cost $5 million.

The new boardwalk will allow visitors to cross the reservoir by walking in ankle-deep water.

Comments: After reading this article, I think that having this new attraction would be great as there would be one more attraction for tourists to visit. It would also have this chance to show tourist and even Singaporeans on how amazing Singapore really is. Although this is not one great attraction compared to the Integrated Resorts in the city area, but at least it is a place where people can visit if they want to take a break from the bustling life in Singapore. As we know, MacRitchie Reservoir Park is a place that people can relax and really slow down their pace. Being able to walk on water would bring joy to a family of old and young. The young kids would have fun splashing the waters around, and the elderly would enjoy having a cool sensation on their aching feet. Normally, people got so sick from walking on land and they would always prefer to walk on something else, like water, or even air! So with this new 'invention', the dream of walking on water came true. Although they would be walking on a submerged boardwalk, but the feeling of having cool water seeping through your toes and caressing your skin will make you feel relaxed, and happy. Since the dream of walking on water has already come true, so, would it be one day where we can actually walk on air? I think it'll be great, what do you think?

Wendy.

Reference :

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_526003.html

Lone gunman to be hanged

MUMBAI - MOHAMMED Ajmal Amir Kasab is a school drop-out labelled the 'Butcher of Mumbai' by one tabloid newspaper who now faces a wait on death row in India for his role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The 22-year-old Pakistani national was one of two heavily armed gunmen who opened fire and threw hand grenades at the city's main railway station on November 26, 2008, killing 52 people and wounding more than 100.

He was born in the dusty village of Faridkot in a remote and impoverished region of Punjab in Pakistan's farming belt, home to 10,000 people, most of them farmers and labourers and few of them literate. His father, Mohammed Amir Iman, ran a food stall in the village and his mother was called Noor.

Kasab dropped out of school in 2000 and worked as a labourer in the eastern city of Lahore until 2005, according to his initial confession to police, which was widely published in India.

Kasab reportedly said he joined the Islamist group blamed for the attacks to get weapons training after deciding to embark on a life of crime but there have also been claims that his father duped him into doing it for money.

He first pleaded not guilty last April but in July made a shock confession, admitting being one of the 10 gunmen trained, equipped and financed by the banned, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). -- AFP

Comments: I feel that Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab should not have decided to start to decide that he was to embark on a life of crime as by that he already knew that through this life that he will not have a good end. There were claims that his father duped him into doing it for money but even though if it was for money, crime should not have been done. Mohammed is a perfectly normal man who could have worked for money instead of leading a life of crime to get money through underhand means instead. 52 men were killed and over a 100 were innocently injured just for Mohammed and that was a selfish thought. Mohammed should lead a normal life and earn money like every other citizen does.

Done by: Gabriel Han

http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_523293.html

Fears grow as animal disease spreads in South Korea

SEOUL: South Korea stepped up major quarantine efforts on Monday as a highly contagious animal disease threatened the centre of its livestock industry.Quarantine officials helped by police and troops have culled some 49,000 animals.
Foot-and-mouth disease affects cloven-hoofed animals including cows, sheep, goats and deer. It is rarely transmitted to humans but spreads easily between animals.
Foot-and-mouth outbreaks in 2000 and 2002 cost South Korea an estimated 450 billion won, including compensation. The government has paid about 55 billion won (49 million dollars) in compensation alone to farmers so far this year.

Wikipedia:
Culling is the process of removing animals from a group based on specific criteria. This is done in order to either reinforce certain desirable characteristics or to remove certain undesirable characteristics from the group. For livestock and wildlife, the process of culling usually implies the killing of animals with undesirable characteristics.


Comments:
The article really saddens me as I think about the amount of cattles and other cloven-hooved animals that would have to be killed to prevent the furthur spread of this Foot-Mouth disease. A large number of animals that were raised for research were also culled. The animals were raised to benefit the humans yet humans are the ones taking away their lives. But then again, to save the rest of the animals in the country, the government has no choice but to make this decision. Although knowing that this disease cannot be passed to human, I couldn't help but think of the consequences if the disease is transmitted to humans. Wouldn't other countries be affected by it then as it is hard to track down who was in contact with who and quarantine them? It would be just like the SARS outbreak that happened in 2003. What do you think?


Isabel.


Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culling

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1054108/1/.html

S'pore firms keeping workers beyond age 62

EFFORTS to convince companies to keep workers beyond the age of 62 are bearing fruit, a new survey has shown. Of 3,200 companies surveyed, more than three of five said they would keep those workers. And out of 9,400 local employees from various sectors who had reached 62, 92 per cent said And out of 9,400 local employees from various sectors who had reached 62, 92 per cent said they were allowed to continue working.

http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/Office/Story/A1Story20100427-212672.html

Comments: After reading this article, I feel that the working society is becoming into a workplace filled with not just young employees but also older employees aged between 60 to 62. As people start living longer and many might not have enough money to retire. By allowing workers of an older age to continue working, it helps to ensure that the senior workers can still earn an income and not to worry about financing the future needs. There are many skeptical employers that doubt if older workers are capable of handling the work in the company. But the truth is, senior workers are even more capable than young employees that have just enrolled into the company or organisation. The reason is simple, senior workers have more working experience. In business, practical working experience is more important than knowledge just alone read in books. Having knowledge is not enough. One must both have the working experience and the knowledge in order to manage a business well.

Done by : Hans

Status: still editing, on hold.

19 hurt in China school knife attack.

A 40 year old man went into a killing frenzy last month and was nearly arrested. He repeated the same act but this time in a particular school in China. He hurt 18 students and one teacher. Arrested by the police and sentenced to death due 23 march . Zheng Minsheng, 41 did these acts due to rage and depression taht was spurned by a lover. The injured were sent to hopitals but there were no reports of any deaths. Zheng used a dagger to stab children in the neck, stomach, chest and back before being subdues by onlookers.

http://news.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20100328-212996.html

Comments : We feel that security must be tightened because the life and the safetyness of the students are of paramount importance. Security guards should be placed in every school to ensure that people like Zheng Minsheng can be stopped before he is able to hurt any students. He should not use his personal relationship problem as an excuse to go mentally unstable and start slashing innocent students. As an adult, he is mature enough to think and should control his emotions. Unless the school starts to become more responsible for the safetyness of the students, we believe that after this incident the institute will begin to lose more of its students as many parents will pull their kids out of this school to prevent the incident from occurring again.


Done by: Whole group
Status : Done