Singapore at it's best!

Yes, it's a bit quiet at work... so I've been scanning the internet for (local) Singaporean news and I've collected the articles that characterise Singapore best, for those of you who are just as bored as I am... ;-) Some of the articles are in Dutch, sorry!


ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORT:
Ov-chipkaarten Verre Oosten voorbeeld voor Nederland, 14 oktober 2007

De chipkaartsystemen in het openbaar vervoer in Hong Kong en Singapore zijn een succesvol voorbeeld voor invoering in Nederland.

Dat bleek de afgelopen week tijdens een bezoek van een delegatie van openbaarvervoerbedrijven en overheden onder leiding van staatssecretaris Tineke Huizinga (Verkeer). "In Hong Kong hebben ze tien jaar geleden een chipkaart ingevoerd voor alle vormen van openbaar vervoer. Je betaalt per afgelegde kilometer een vast bedrag en het is daar een buitengewoon succes", ontdekte de politica van de ChristenUnie, die dit weekeinde terugkeerde in Nederland. "Het bezoek was buitengewoon nuttig. Wij kunnen leren van hun ervaringen en de manier waarop ze zijn omgegaan met tegenslag." In Nederland verloopt de invoering van de ov-chipkaart tot nog toe bepaald niet vlekkeloos.

[...] De staatssecretaris leerde in het Verre Oosten dat Nederland zich geen overdreven zorgen hoeft te maken over de aanloopproblemen. "In Hong Kong en Singapore kampten ze ook met kinderziektes toen ze overgingen op de chipkaart, maar die zijn overwonnen. [...]

In de stadsstaat Singapore heeft men al vijftien jaar ervaring met chipkaarten in het verkeer en het openbaar vervoer. Weggebruikers zijn daar helemaal gewend aan variabele kosten, afhankelijk van het reistijdstip en de drukte op de weg. Zelfs scooters ontsnappen niet aan het systeem. Voor hen is een waterdicht kastje ontworpen, dat de kosten registreert. "Ze zijn daar nog wat verder dan in Hong Kong", aldus Huizinga. "Komend jaar voeren ze een combikaart in voor ov en auto".

In Nederland is het nog lang niet zo ver. [...]


ABOUT SEX IN PLANES
Singapore Airlines verbiedt seks in mega-Airbus, 30 oktober 2007

In de tweepersoons bedden van de 'superjumbo' Airbus A380, het grootste passagiersvliegtuig ter wereld, mag wat Singapore Airlines betreft de liefde niet worden bedreven, meldt de Britse krant The Times. De luchtvaartmaatschappij zegt tegenover de krant dat "als stellen ongepaste activiteiten zouden bezigen, wij ze vriendelijk zouden verzoeken te stoppen. Er zijn acceptabele en onacceptabele dingen in een vliegtuig", aldus een woordvoerder. "De regels voor de dubbele bedden zijn dezelfde als die in de rest van het vliegtuig."

De eerste klanten die een van de luxe suites boekten, de Australiërs Tony en Julie Elwood, zeiden de strikte regels niet te begrijpen. "Ze bieden je een tweepersoons bed, privacy en massa's champagne aan - maar het meest natuurlijke mag je niet doen?", verbaasde de 76-jarige Tony zich. Julie Elwood zei dat Singapore Airlines zich echter geen zorgen hoefde te maken. Het paar had tijdens de eerste commerciële vlucht van de superjumbo amper tijd voor zichzelf dankzij een constante stroom van journalisten die poolshoogte kwamen nemen.


ABOUT A MONKEY
Vierduizend mensen bij begrafenis orang-oetan, 10 februari 2008

Zeker vierduizend mensen hebben zondag in Singapore de laatste eer bewezen aan Ah Meng. Deze orang-oetan overleed vrijdag op de voor deze mensapen respectabele leeftijd van 48 jaar. In mensentermen zou dat 95 jaar zijn geweest. Volgens de Singaporese krant Straits Times werd Ah Meng begraven nadat haar nabestaanden in de dierentuin van de Aziatische stadstaat afscheid hadden genomen. Mensen stonden later in de rij om het dier ook vaarwel te zeggen. De toegang tot de Singapore Zoo was zondag gratis.


ABOUT (PETTY) CRIME & (MAJOR) PUNISHMENT:
3 suspects arrested after armed robbery at convenience store, 15 February 2008

Police have arrested three suspects who were caught on camera robbing a convenience store at Block 407, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10. The store clerk was robbed at knife point by two men while a woman acted as a lookout early Thursday morning. The robbers escaped with $800 in cash, cigarettes, and phone cards valued at another $1,200. Based on CCTV footage from the store, police were able to establish the identity of one suspect and arrested all three on the same day. The stolen loot and one of the two knives used in the robbery were also seized.

The two men, aged 17 and 21, are believed to be behind another armed robbery in the same area on 29 January that resulted in $200 being stolen. The 21-year-old is also suspected to have broken into a house in Serangoon on 4 February, stealing $4,000 worth of valuables. All three will be charged in court on 16 February. If found guilty, they will face a jail term of up to 14 years and 24 strokes of the cane.


Man with armed NS man Dave Teo to be sentenced on Monday, 20 February 2008

The man charged with being in the company of armed National Serviceman Dave Teo will be sentenced next Monday. Ong Boon Jun may get between five and seven years' jail, according to his defence lawyer Amolat Singh. The maximum sentence for the amended charge of "being in the company of a person in possession of a firearm" is ten years.

Ong had initially been charged with "consorting with a person carrying a firearm", which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years' jail. But the charge was reduced and the case was transferred from the High Court to the Subordinate Courts, where the district judges have less sentencing power. Mr Amolat is hoping for the lowest sentence of five years' jail and six strokes of the cane. Ong was with Teo in a Geylang hotel last September while Teo was allegedly carrying a firearm. Later that day, Teo, a then full-time NSman, was caught on Orchard Road, armed with a gun and bullets.


Two men arrested for serial motorcycle theft, 21 February 2008

Two Chinese men believed to be involved in at least six motorcycle thefts in the Sengkang and Serangoon housing estates have been arrested on Wednesday. [...]Since 17 January, several motorcycles were reported missing from the carparks. Four of the reported stolen motorcycles have been recovered so far. Both men will be charged in court on Friday for theft of motor vehicles, and face up to seven years in jail if convicted.

The Police urge motorcycle owners to remove ignition keys and secure motorcycles when not in use. Motorcyclists are also advised to secure their motorcycles with an additional wheel lock and to park them in well-lit areas.


ABOUT POLITICS:
Foreigners should not organise, lead complaints about Singapore, 15 February 2008

Foreigners should not be encouraged to organise and lead Singaporeans in making complaints about the nation. Information, Communications and The Arts Minister, Dr Lee Boon Yang, made this point in Parliament on Friday when he reiterated the government's position that only Singaporeans can be involved in domestic politics. He was replying to a question brought up by Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong over the Complaints Choir's decision to cancel its public performances when it failed to get a licence to perform from the Media Development Authority. The choir project, which originates from Finland, travels around the world to teach people to sing about local problems. The choir formed in Singapore has several foreigners among its members.

Dr Lee said letting foreigners lead Singaporeans to make complaints in public, run contrary to established principles that comments for domestic affairs should be reserved for Singaporeans. To Mr Siew's point that Singapore had commented on the domestic politics of other countries, notably Myanmar, Dr Lee noted that the situation was different. He said reactions to what was happening in Myanmar were in line with international sentiments.


ABOUT MY NEIGHBOURHOOD:
No change to Geylang's zoning use so residential nature of areas to stay, 18 February 2008

The red-light area of Geylang is ‘ring-fenced’ through vigilant enforcement to control vice activities. National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said the Police has and will continue to undertake regular enforcement action in both the odd and even streets (Lorongs) of Geylang.

Mr Mah was responding to questions by Marine Parade GRC MP Fatimah Lateef on strategies to ‘ring-fence’ Lorongs 22 to 44, which are mainly residential areas. He added that the Anti-Vice Branch conducts frequent checks at the red-light areas and regular enforcement against vice. The Police also impose stringent licensing conditions for entertainment outlets and massage establishments in the area. Mr Mah said the majority of sites in the area between Lorong 22 and Lorong 44 are zoned residential. So change of use to non-residential uses, such as for public entertainment, would not be supported in principle. The Minister noted that a multi-agency effort has been set up to improve conditions in the Geylang area. The aim is to make crime and vice more difficult. Street lighting has been improved and CCTV installed. Enhancing the sense of security among residents by reducing the number of streetwalkers (tippelaarsters red.) venturing into the residential areas is another key objective of the effort.


ABOUT MOTHER NATURE (yes, I felt it!):
7.2-magnitude quake hits Indonesia, tsunami warning issued, 25 February 2008

A 7.2-magnitude quake struck off Indonesia's Sumatra island on Monday, sparking a tsunami alert, the geophysics and meteorology agency said, but there were no immediate reports of damage. The quake hit 165 kilometres (103 miles) northwest of Sumatra's Mukomuko at 3:36 pm (0836 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometres, the agency said. The US Geological Survey measured the quake at 7.3 and said it occurred at a depth of 35 kilometres.

The quake was felt in tall buildings in the capital Jakarta, where pictures swayed on walls. In Bengkulu, about 280 kilometres from the epicentre, provincial government official Linda told AFP that the quake was felt strongly. "But, God be praised, there does not appear to be any damage visible so far," she said. "Everyone rushed out of buildings, but this has become sort of a habit for us all, so there was not panic," she said, adding that people had quickly returned to normal activities. [...]

In neighbouring Singapore, tremors were felt in Robinson Road, Sembawang, Jalan Sultan, Toa Payoh and Pioneer Road. MediaCorp's hotline received several calls informing it of tremors in these areas.