Singapore is the only non-oil producing country to benefit from our reserves for our annual budget
The most unique thing about Singapore’s finances is that we get a significant amount of money each year from our reserves, that can be spent for the good of Singaporeans, President Tharman said in a Facebook post (8 Jan 2024) This is an outstanding fact, he said. It is outstanding because we are the only country […]
Ministerial statement on money laundering: how the case was uncovered in likely the largest anti-money laundering operation in the world
Singapore’s money laundering case is one of the largest anti-money laundering operations not just in Singapore, but likely the world as well, Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information & Second Minister for Home Affairs said in a ministerial statement. The probe is comprehensive and extensive. How it was uncovered It began with disparate […]
Little did I know that this solo wave would be a sad goodbye: Tharman Shanmugaratnam
The decision to leave politics and put himself forward as a candidate in the forthcoming Presidential Election was a difficult one, Tharman said in his letter to PM Lee. It was a decision made after he had consulted his family, and given careful thought to how he could best serve the country in the years […]
Tharman Shanmugaratnam announces that he will be running for President
With the recent news announced by President of Singapore, Halimah Yaacob – that she won’t be running for presidency this year – there have been speculations about who will be the next President of Singapore. In a letter dated 8 June to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Senior Minister Tharman stated that he would resign […]
Jamus Lim unabashedly claims credit for revised policies for allocating land to places of worship
The Straits Times reports on 29 May 2023 that religious organisations are set to pay less for new leasehold land and lease renewals, after the Government revised its policies for allocating land to places of worship. True to form, WP Jamus Lim was quick to claim credit in a Facebook post. His basis for claiming credit […]
Soft options are a luxury Singapore cannot afford if Singapore is to survive
Times may pass, things may change but some facts about Singapore will never change. Singapore will always be a small country and hence, vulnerable. Singapore is not a natural country. It is artificial and man-made. For Singapore to survive, it will have to be better organised than countries in the region, said Mr Lee Kuan […]
In trying to avoid the European tragedy in southeast Asia, it is entirely legitimate to consider all views: Vivian Balakrishnan
Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan said in Parliament (8 May 2023) that the statements made by Law Minister K Shanmugam on the Ukraine war in a keynote address at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute Workshop (8 March 2023) reflects the views of the Government of Singapore. The Government’s position has not changed, Dr Vivian said. […]
WP Louis Chua is queried on his opposing positions on housing affordability
Recently, it emerged that WP MP Louis Chua’s professional position on public housing differs from his party position. The WP MP has consistently maintained his party’s position that public housing is unaffordable. Yet, in his capacity as a research analyst, he wrote that housing affordability remained healthy. In an exchange in Parliament on Wednesday (Apr […]
Labour Day Special: On May Day, others strike, Singapore celebrates
If you have been following international news, you would have heard of the recent strikes in the UK where tens of thousands of doctors, teachers, civil servants, lecturers, London Underground drivers, and Amazon workers took part in. Or the strike by South Korean truckers estimated to have cost more than $1.6 billion in lost shipments. […]
Bilingualism enables us to share, appreciate and bring together different perspectives: Heng Swee Keat
Bilingualism is one of Singapore’s most fundamental policies, DPM Heng Swee Keat said. Speaking at the Opening of the Bilingualism Carnival on 8 April 2023, Mr Heng said language is a key medium for values to be passed on from one generation to the next. Our mother tongue connects us to our values, culture, and […]