Singapore to join Operation Prosperity Guardian to ensure maritime security in the Red Sea: Ng Eng Hen
In Parliament (9 Jan 2024), Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen announced that Singapore would participate in a multinational operation to ensure maritime security in the Red Sea. The Red Sea, which connects the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, is the shortest sea route linking Asia and Europe. It is a major Sea Line […]
Should banks be mandated to fully reimburse scam victims as suggested by WP Sylvia Lim?
Should banks in Singapore be mandated by law to fully reimburse scam victims, and in a timely manner without much hassle as suggested by WP MP Sylvia Lim? Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan said doing so could erode vigilance and personal responsibility, and lull users into complacency. While the amounts lost […]
Lee Kuan Yew: We have to keep our house clean. No one else will do it for us.
No political system in any country is immune from corruption. Can Singapore always remain clean? In 2005, at the Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute’s World Ethics and Integrity Forum, Mr Lee Kuan Yew said that corruption is incipient in every society. It eats into any system, regardless of the philosophy or ideology. Corruption must be continuously […]
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 […]
Many governments spend first, then look for funding. The PAP Government has a different approach.
In many countries, governments spend first and then look for money to fund the spending. The result is a huge debt burden for future generations when governments make big promises to get elected and then borrow to fund their promises. The Singapore PAP Government’s approach to spending is different. The Government set aside money for […]
What to make sense of Leong Mun Wai’s cry over the termination of partnership between SportsSG and SHPL
Back in the 1970s when Paya Lebar could no longer cope with growing traffic, the Singapore Government invested S$800 million to expand Paya Lebar and build a second runway. Works had already begun but Mr Lee Kuan Yew felt that Paya Lebar had inherent disadvantages. It was located near the city centre. Expansion would be limited. Worse, noise […]
Seizing the opportunities in the complexities of the world we live in: Chan Chun Sing
We should not assume that the next 50 years will be the same as the last 50, where we had a secure and stable economic order underpinning our peace and prosperity, which allowed us to progress together through interdependence, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing said in his opening address to students at the Pre-University Seminar […]
A Singaporean reflects on the lessons learned from the pandemic
Singapore’s preparation has already started quite awhile ago, and it will continue to be improved until we face the next crisis. Singapore was among the first to have approved vaccines delivered to us. Working like clockwork, our leaders and front-liners, including doctors, nurses and grassroots volunteers were able to help Singapore achieve one of the […]
Does CECA take away Singaporeans’ jobs? The short answer is ‘no’.
Singaporeans are anxious about their jobs. There is also a great deal of disruption in our lives and workplaces due to the COVID-19 situation. With globalisation and rapid technological advancement, business cycles are short and disruptions take place. Businesses that face difficulties may scale down or shut down. When this happens, jobs will be lost. […]