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Addenda to President's Address 2016

January 20, 2016, 5:43 am
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MINDEF, MHA, MFA, NSCS, MOE, MOM, MTI, PMO-MAS, PMO-NRF, MOH, MSF 

Security agencies outline plans to tackle threats
The Straits Times, 19 Jan 2016

Singapore is boosting the capabilities of its security agencies to deal with a range of threats, from terrorism to cyber crime.

The Singapore Armed Forces is developing know-how such as unmanned systems and robotics, and the police are installing cameras at HDB estates and public areas to deter criminal and terror activity.

These broad plans to keep Singapore safe and secure were outlined by the Defence, Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs ministries yesterday, in addenda to President Tony Tan Keng Yam's address to Parliament.

Speaking at the opening of Parliament last Friday, Dr Tan said Singapore can remain sovereign only if its people are able to determine their own fate.

Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean, who oversees the National Security Coordination Secretariat, said yesterday that strengthening social resilience is also crucial.

"In the event of a crisis, it is not just the security agencies that will be called to respond. Our society as a whole will also be tested," he said. "We must ensure that we can bounce back from any incident, and emerge stronger and more united."

Several other ministries will release their plans this week. MPs will then debate these policies when Parliament sits for a week from next Monday.





Plans to boost security in Singapore, preparedness in crises
Govt agencies to make better use of technology to fight criminal, terror threats
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 19 Jan 2016

The Singapore Police Force will explore whether to install more surveillance cameras in HDB estates and other public areas to boost its ability to deter and detect criminal and terrorist threats, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said.

The ongoing installation of such police cameras at all 10,000 Housing Board blocks and multi-storey carparks is on track for completion this year.

Measures like these, which make better use of technology, as well as strengthen people's preparedness and ability to respond to a crisis or terror attack, are at the core of the plans by three ministries and the government agency overseeing national security matters, outlined yesterday in addenda to the President's Address.

These moves to step up Singapore's security come at a time when terror is a growing threat to the region.

In his ministry's addendum, Mr Shanmugam identified terrorism and transnational and cybercrime as key challenges for his ministry, with traveller and cargo volumes rising even as Singapore's population continues to age.

"While our work will grow in load and complexity, there is a limit to how much we can grow the size of the Home Team, given Singapore's manpower constraints," he said.

"We will have to develop new operating models and concepts, and make better use of technology."

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said his ministry will also invest more in areas such as unmanned systems and robotics, while ensuring that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) develops capabilities against a wider range of threats to national security, such as attacks to Singapore's online space.

"The operating environment for MINDEF and the SAF is changing rapidly: Technologies that used to be the domain of professional militaries are becoming cheaper and easier to obtain and used by less advanced militaries and non-state actors," said Dr Ng.

"As our economy and society rely more on technology that allows us to function with ease and efficiency, cyber criminals and attackers have more avenues to disrupt and destabilise Singapore."

Beyond its investments in hardware and capabilities, the Government will also look at ways to strengthen society's resilience - a "key ingredient" in national security, said Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean.

Mr Teo said the National Security Coordination Secretariat (NSCS) will continue to work with government agencies and community groups to develop a stronger understanding of the factors that determine how quickly the island can bounce back from a crisis, such as attitudes towards emergencies, social trust and family resilience.

The NSCS will also look at ways in which social media can be better used in an emergency to quickly manage a situation and restore confidence and order, at a time when rumours and disinformation spread through social media may complicate matters.

"In the event of a crisis, it is not just the security agencies that will be called to respond," he said.

"Our society as a whole will also be tested."

The NSCS will also work with agencies such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, Defence Ministry, Infocomm Development Authority, Media Development Authority and the Economic Development Board to develop practical solutions to cyber-security challenges facing Singapore.

Both the SAF and Home Team will also look at ways to improve the national service experience, to strengthen a cornerstone of Singapore's defence and security.

The SAF will expand its Volunteer Corps initiative that gives women, first-generation permanent residents and new citizens a way to contribute to the island's defence, while the Home Team intends to give its NSmen more leadership and specialist roles.

On the diplomatic front, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said Singapore will continue to work actively to enhance Asean integration, strengthen relationships with its immediate neighbours like Malaysia and Indonesia, and expand Singapore's international space through constructive participation in forums like the United Nations and the World Trade Organisation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) will expand Singapore's political relations and economic space in new emerging markets in Africa, Central Asia and Latin America, while also expanding its consular outreach as more Singaporeans travel and live abroad.

"With increasing occurrences of natural disasters and other emergencies, MFA will work closely with other government agencies and foreign governments to render consular assistance and ensure the safety of our Singaporeans abroad," said Dr Balakrishnan.





In the pipeline
The Straits Times, 19 Jan 2016

These are the plans key agencies have to strengthen Singapore's security, diplomacy and economy.


MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

• The Singapore Armed Forces will develop new capabilities in areas such as unmanned systems and robotics, as well as capabilities to defend against cyber threats.

• National service will be strengthened through measures such as gifts for active NSmen who are newly married or have babies, basic life and accident insurance coverage, and vouchers for doing well during training. There will also be an NS Mark accreditation scheme for companies that support NSmen staff.

• There will be a series of NS50 activities to mark the 50th anniversary of NS in 2017.

• Efforts for the SAF Volunteer Corps will be expanded.

• Singapore will work to strengthen the regional security architecture through platforms like the Asean Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus Maritime Security and Counter Terrorism Exercise, which it is co-hosting in May.


MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

• Singapore will continue to deepen bilateral relations with Malaysia, Indonesia, other Asean member states and key partners, and expand Singapore's international space through diplomacy.

• Singapore will use its chairmanship of Asean in 2018 to strengthen the grouping's centrality in the evolving regional architecture.

• New economic opportunities for Singapore firms and Singaporeans will be created through the Asean Economic Community, Trans-Pacific Partnership and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

• Access to new emerging markets in Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia and Turkey will be expanded through active diplomacy in collaboration with the Republic's economic agencies.

• MFA will expand its engagement of Singaporeans living and working overseas.



The 13th Parliament opened last Friday. MFA’s strategic priorities for the next five years include securing Singapore’s...
Posted by Vivian Balakrishnan on Monday, January 18, 2016




MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

• The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority will strengthen border security capabilities.

• Police will complete installation of police cameras at all HDB blocks and multi-storey carparks, and consider having more cameras in housing estates and public areas to deter and detect threats.

• The Home Team will reviewoperations to cope with increasing demands and manpower constraints, using data and technology to deploy officers and equipment.

• Laws will be reviewed to keep them relevant and effective against emerging threats, and public education will be scaled up.

• Cooperation with international organisations will be deepened to counter terrorism, drugs and cybercrime, among other threats.

• Intelligence efforts, operationsand investigations will be better integrated across different Home Team departments.



In his delivery of the MHA Addendum to the President’s Address yesterday, Minister Shanmugam outlined the key aims that...
Posted by Home Team News (Singapore) on Monday, January 18, 2016




NATIONAL SECURITY COORDINATION SECRETARIAT

• The "Let's Stand Together"campaign to raise awareness of security issues and prepare people for potential risks will be improved.

• Efforts will be taken to strengthen community vigilance, social cohesion and resilience so that in the event of a crisis such as a terror attack, Singaporeans can bounce back stronger and more united.



These are the plans by several agencies to renew the economy and provide opportunities for all.
The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

• Reduce excessive focus on academic results.

• Primary schools to get boost for arts, music, sports programmes.

• Greater emphasis on non-academic scores for admission to post-secondary institutions.

• More support for workers to upgrade know-how through SkillsFuture.


★ MOE's Addendum to President's Address 2016 ★The key initiatives highlighted in MOE’s addendum are:• Reduce...
Posted by Ministry of Education, Singapore on Tuesday, January 19, 2016




• Help for companies to strengthen Singaporean core.

• More support for workers to match skills to jobs.

• Re-employment age to go up from 65 to 67 by next year.

• Improvements to Central Provident Fund to be put in place.

• Silver Support Scheme to be rolled out for the elderly poor.



At the Opening of the 13th Parliament on 15 January 2016, President Tony Tan spoke about the Government’s efforts to...
Posted by Singapore Ministry of Manpower on Tuesday, January 19, 2016




• Build on strengths in these sectors to support better jobs for Singaporeans:

- advanced manufacturing

- logistics and aerospace

- applied health sciences

- smart and sustainable urban solutions

• Nurture start-ups.

• Help small and medium-sized enterprises restructure and venture abroad.



Today, we unveiled our long-term plans aimed at positioning our economy for the future and creating good jobs for...
Posted by Ministry of Trade & Industry on Tuesday, January 19, 2016





• Use technology to boost efficiency, lower costs.

• Develop swift, secure digital and mobile payments.






The following are plans of three agencies for strengthening social safety nets and giving people peace of mind about being able to pay for their basic needs and healthcare costs.
The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016


MINISTRY OF HEALTH

• Help patients transition more smoothly as they move from acute hospitals to long-term care facilities and their homes during the recovery process.

• Ensure each Singaporean hasa regular family doctor who knows his health needs best.

• Add more than 10,000 beds in acute hospitals, community hospitals and nursing homes.

• Add more than 7,000 places to community care and home-care services, such as senior daycare centres.

• Develop standardised private Integrated Shield health insurance plan, which will build on MediShield Life.

• Implement the Action Plan for Successful Ageing for seniors to live more fulfilling lives.


MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT

• Encourage marriage; provide early support to vulnerable marriages and families.

• Review laws and policies to better protect the elderly suffering abuse or neglect.

• Streamline standards in welfare homes for the destitute.

• Better coordination by Social Service Offices in planning and delivering help to needy residents.

• More childcare places that are affordable and of good quality.

• Support for children from low-income families in their early years.



https://msfconversations.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/msf-addendum-to-the-presidents-address/At the opening of the 13th...
Posted by Tan Chuan-Jin on Wednesday, January 20, 2016





NATIONAL POPULATION AND TALENT DIVISION IN PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

• Encourage family-friendly workplaces.

• Support fathers so that they can play a more active role in bringing up children.

• Balance economic vitality and the needs of the ageing citizen population and workforce.





MOE: More time and space for students' interests
Schools to also emphasise outdoor activities; tertiary institutions to go beyond academic scores in assessment
By Pearl Lee, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

In the next five years, students can expect less emphasis on academic results, and more time and space to pursue their interests in schools as well as take part in outdoor activities.

As they move to tertiary level, the polytechnics, Institute of Technical Education (ITE) and universities will assess them on attributes beyond their academic scores.

These Ministry of Education (MOE) plans were outlined yesterday by Acting Education Ministers Ng Chee Meng (Schools) and Ong Ye Kung (Higher Education and Skills).

They set out the MOE's focus for the next five years in an Addendum to President Tony Tan Keng Yam's Address in Parliament last Friday, when he mapped out the Government's goals and policies for its new five-year term.

MOE's move to reduce the over-emphasis on academic results continues an effort that began about five years ago to make learning more enjoyable and examinations not be "overly perceived" as "high-stake endeavours".

It will give primary school pupils more opportunities to pursue their interest in the arts, music and sports, the ministers said.

The policy comes amid expectations from educators, parents and students of a revamp of the way Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) pupils are graded down to the last decimal point, a system called the T-score.

It will be replaced by grade bands similar to the A1 to F9 grades used for the O levels, a change Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had said in 2013 was to take place in a few years' time.

Ms Denise Phua, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, said it will take time for mindsets to change.

"Not announcing the top PSLE scores or tweaking the PSLEsystem will not change the underlying perception about high-stakes exams. Tuition even for the stronger students will still be a feature and a security blanket," she said.

"A lot more attention has to be made to address this mindset."

Last year, then Education Minister Heng Swee Keat, who is now the Finance Minister, said the PSLE changes may take place this year at the earliest.

Parents and children had been assured they will be given enough time to respond and adjust.

The ministry also said in its addendum that strong emphasis will be placed on outdoor education.

The two ministers are in favour of outdoor activities, saying they "build... ruggedness and resilience in our students".

At the tertiary level, the Singapore Institute of Technology and SIM University will offer more applied degree programmes with a strong nexus with industry.

The institutions of higher learning will also expand the way they select students, by assessing them on a range of attributes and not just their academic scores.

Various initiatives are also in place to let individuals build hands-on, industry-relevant skills while in school, and take charge of their personal upgrading after that.

These include the Earn and Learn Programme that lets ITE and polytechnic students study while working for a salary, and the $500 SkillsFuture Credit for all Singaporeans aged 25 and older to pay for courses to stay relevant in the workplace.

"The objective is not to chase more and higher qualifications, but to achieve mastery in everything we do," MOE said.

"As a society, economy and nation, we need to recognise and celebrate different forms of successes, and embrace a culture of lifelong learning."





Keeping Singaporeans healthy and boosting standards
Health Ministry's priorities in next five years also include keeping healthcare affordable
By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

The Health Ministry's priorities in the next five years are to intensify efforts to keep Singaporeans healthy and to further boost healthcare standards.

These initiatives include raising the capacity both in hospitals and at other healthcare facilities, stepping up efforts to reduce obesity and smoking rates, and working out the details of the standard private Integrated Shield Plan that will build on MediShield Life.

The six regional health systems - each anchored by a public hospital - will also work on making the transition smoother from acute hospitals to long-term care facilities and patients' homes.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong outlined these plans in an Addendum to the President's Address made in Parliament last week, mapping out the goals and policies of the Government's new five-year term.

"We will continue to improve capacity of healthcare services and keep them affordable for Singaporeans," Mr Gan said in a separate statement yesterday.

He became Health Minister in 2011 and, in his first term, oversaw the launch of MediShield Life, abasic lifelong health insurance scheme for all Singaporeans and permanent residents.

In that time, the Community Health Assist Scheme, which subsidises visits to participating general practitioners and dentists, was also expanded.

Around 1.4 million Singaporeans, including members of the pioneer generation, have benefited from the scheme.

Last year saw the opening of new hospitals, nursing homes and senior care centres - notably, the Yishun Community Hospital, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and the neighbouring Jurong Community Hospital.

Still, the ministry plans to add more than 10,000 beds in acute and community hospitals as well as nursing homes. It will also add more than 7,000 places to community and home care services, like senior care centres.

Other initiatives include stepping up efforts to help Singaporeans live healthily - including plans to reduce obesity and smoking - and making sure each person has a regular family doctor familiar with his needs.

Also, the ministry will continue to recruit healthcare staff and find ways to improve productivity. It will also leverage the new SkillsFuture scheme to strengthen healthcare career paths.

In a separate addendum, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is the Minister-in-charge of the National Population and Talent Division, said the number of seniors in Singapore is estimated to double to 900,000 by 2030.

Hence, one of the division's tasks will be to balance population growth so that the needs of the ageing population and workforce can be met, he said.

Other efforts targeted at seniors include the new Action Plan for Successful Ageing. It will give seniors opportunities to learn, volunteer and live well even after retirement, and the Health Ministry will implement it.

In his statement, Mr Gan pledged to continue developing new ways to offer healthcare services and prepare for future healthcare needs.

"We will also step up efforts to promote healthy living among our people, and help our seniors enjoy a healthy and fulfilling life," he added.





More help for elderly poor, low-income families
By Priscilla Goy, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

In the next five years, the destitute elderly will get more help to overcome their difficulties.

Policies and laws, such as the Mental Capacity Act, will be reviewed to better protect elderly folk who suffer abuse or neglect.

Destitute adults in welfare homes will also receive greater support, as the authorities streamline care standards in these homes.

Low-income and disadvantaged families will be given help to improve their home environment for their children's learning and development, so that the children's needs are met earlier.

Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin yesterday outlined these plans of his ministry for the next five years, in an addendum to the President's address.

These efforts come amid a rising number of senior citizens who live alone, and shrinking family sizes.

Said Mr Tan: "The social needs of our citizens and families are becoming more complex as the demographics, economics and family structures in Singapore change.

"Our social policies and services must evolve so that we can continue to nurture resilient individuals and strong families."

For parents with children in pre-school, the Early Childhood Development Agency will continue to offer more childcare options that are affordable and of good quality, and increase the number of places.

The network of 24 social service offices was completed last month. Mr Tan said these offices will improve the coordination in planning and delivery of their services to needy residents in each town.

Mr Tan said everyone plays a part in caring for one another. "Through what we do and how we do it, the ministry hopes to nurture a culture and spirit of giving in Singapore."


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Fort Canning Bunker: $300,000 makeover for WWII bunker Battle Box

January 20, 2016, 6:55 pm
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New operator of Battle Box at Fort Canning Park aims to start operations in March
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

The site where the British decided to surrender Singapore to the Japanese - the Battle Box bunker - has been given a $300,000 makeover.

The one-year effort has rectified the problem of leaks and floods that filled the 9m-deep underground bunker whenever it rained. New generators and an air-conditioning system have been installed too.

The attraction at Fort Canning Park, which is managed by the National Parks Board (NParks), is slated to reopen in March.

Its new operator, the Singapore History Consultants which won a tender in 2013, plans to launch the attraction in three stages.

During the first phase from March to May, visitors will get to go on "high-quality guided tours" costing $18 for adults and $9 for children, said the firm's director Jeya Ayadurai. There will be around five tours a day.

He said: "In the past, the Battle Box mostly focused on the rooms. We're investing heavily in retelling the story of the fall of Singapore that led to Lieutenant-General (Arthur) Percival and the allied forces surrendering to the invading Japanese forces on Feb 15, 1942."

Once the nerve centre for British military operations during World War II, the labyrinth was completed in 1938. It had 29 rooms, including a cipher office and signal room.

Mr Jeya said multimedia guides will be rolled out in the second phase. Archaeological finds such as used ammunition from Adam Park - the scene of the last battle before Singapore fell - will be incorporated into the showcase. The final phase will weave 3D technologies, including ambient soundscapes, across the bunker.

Mr Jeya expects the attraction to draw about 60,000 visitors in the first year, of whom 60 per cent will likely be locals and the rest tourists. The Battle Box used to draw about 2,000 visitors a month.

Mr Kong Yit San, assistant chief executive officer of NParks' park management and lifestyle cluster, said: "Fort Canning Park has a lot of history and culture. The Battle Box lends a good sense of historical significance to the entire site.

"If the story is going to be told in clearer clarity than before, then it is a good reason to come back and revisit Battle Box."

Volunteer tour guide Chia Bee Lian, 60, feels entry fees are "a little expensive", and hopes the content will be "meaty". She said: "Perhaps the Battle Box could have some kind of a tie-up with neighbouring art gallery Pinacotheque Museum to ensure ticket prices are more affordable."

Tickets to the Battle Box attraction were previously $8 for adults and $5 for children.

The effort to breathe new life into the bunker ties in with NParks' move to rejuvenate and draw more visitors to Fort Canning Park, which is a stop along the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth's Jubilee Walk.

Traces of an ancient Malay kingdom, the British empire's bunkers as well as gravestones of Singaporean pioneers lie there.

Mr Kong said NParks is working with the area's tenants to improve navigation. It has installed new lighting across the 18ha space, which draws about 1.3 million visitors a year.

The Singapore Tourism Board has also rolled out a free shuttle that serves museums in the civic district.

NParks also organises tours of the site as well as its sculptures, spice garden and heritage trees nearly every month.







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CPF savings and the elusive dream of high returns, low risk

January 20, 2016, 7:41 pm
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The question of how returns on CPF savings should be calculated has resurfaced after an economics don's surprising call for change.
By Aaron Low, Deputy News Editor, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

When shopping, many people open their wallets on one simple principle - "cheap and good".

In the world of finance, an equivalent of the maxim would probably be "high and low" - high returns on low risk. The problem is there are almost no investments that can offer a high return on low risk, without a hidden catch. High returns must necessarily come with high risks. That is a universal law of finance.

But last week, a National University of Singapore economics don offered a suggestion that could result in returns on the Central Provident Fund becoming "high and low".

Associate Professor Chia Ngee Choon said at a symposium on pensions that the formula used to tabulate the returns on the CPF Ordinary Account (OA) could be tweaked such that interest rates on the funds can be enhanced while still bearing zero risk for the member.

Currently, the interest rate for OA funds is adjusted quarterly, to either the legislated minimum 2.5 per cent a year or the average three-month rates at the three local banks, whichever is higher.

The CPF Board has said the OA interest rate will be maintained at 2.5 per cent from Jan 1 to March 31, as the computed rate of 0.21 per cent is lower than the legislated minimum interest rate. And the first $20,000 in the OA receives even higher returns of 3.5 per cent.

But Prof Chia believes that returns on the OA should now include the returns of the GIC, a global investment firm that manages the Singapore Government's financial assets for the long term, including CPF funds.

GIC's annualised 20-year rate of return, taking into account inflation, for the year ended March 31, 2014, was an impressive 4.1 per cent. Another way of looking at it is that if you had given $100 to GIC to manage 20 years ago, your $100 would grow to about $223 today, in real terms.

By contrast, $100 left in the CPF Ordinary Account 20 years ago would grow to about $163 today.

By adding part of GIC's returns to the OA funds, members will get higher returns.

But in order to preserve the purchasing power of the OA funds, Prof Chia also proposes that the base interest rate of 2.5 per cent stays.

That would mean CPF members receive all the potential of a possible excess of returns generated by risky investments, but are protected from any risk that these investments could suffer in a negative return.

"We don't want to miss the opportunity of having a higher rate," she said. "We can still keep the 2.5 per cent guarantee. It's a win-win for CPF members."

WIN-WIN?

Prof Chia did not give specific details of how this would work, saying that her next book on the CPF would provide more clarity. But it is worth asking if there should be a direct link between the CPF monies and the investment returns generated by GIC.

This is a longstanding issue which has been debated several times in Parliament, with backbencher MPs comparing CPF returns to those of other pension funds, such as Malaysia's Employees Provident Fund (EPF). The Malaysian fund is like the CPF in that it operates on a fully funded basis, with each worker saving for his own retirement in a personal account.

Under Malaysian law, the EPF provides a base of 2.5 per cent in returns a year to funds it manages. Over the past 40 years, the lowest dividend rate has been 4.25 per cent, in 2002. In 2014, it declared a dividend of 6.75 per cent.

If one had invested RM100 in the EPF in 2005, the initial investment would have risen to RM174.30 over 10 years. In 2014, RM174.30 was worth about S$66.

The Singdollar equivalent of RM100 in 2005 was $45.50. If $45.50 had been invested in Singapore's CPF for 10 years from 2005 to 2014, it would have grown to $58.40, lower than the EPF returns.

A key difference, however, is that EPF members are not shielded from market risk, unlike CPF members.

The Singapore Government has, in recent years, come out to explain how its management of CPF funds differs from that of Malaysia's management of EPF funds. Its position was most recently set out by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in July 2014, during a debate on the reserves.

Mr Tharman, who at that time also helmed the Finance Ministry, explained that CPF monies are invested by the CPF Board in Special Singapore Government Securities issued and guaranteed by the Singapore Government. As at June last year, CPF net balances were about $275.4 billion.

The proceeds are then pooled together with funds raised from Singapore Government Securities and other government unencumbered assets, such as Budget surpluses from the early years of government.

Together, they are placed with the Monetary Authority of Singapore as deposits, which will eventually be transferred over to the GIC to manage. The GIC takes a long-term investment horizon with a view to generating good returns.

In this way, CPF monies are not unlike deposits in the bank, which pays depositors a fixed interest rate but reinvests the funds it holds in riskier assets, with the aim of generating higher returns.

CPF members receive a minimum of 2.5 per cent interest a year, whether GIC's investments earn or lose money. That means the risk of investment is borne entirely by the Government, which is obligated to pay 2.5 per cent regardless of what happens in the market.

APPROACH WITH CAUTION

One warning about Prof Chia's approach: While it stands to benefit CPF members, it is not a free lunch.

The model can work provided the Government is willing to give subsidies that help top up any potential losses from financial market gyrations.

How big this subsidy may eventually be will depend on the size and duration of market swings. Some downturns can last more than a year, which means that the Government's balance sheet will have to be strong to weather the downturns.

Senior research fellow Christopher Gee of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) believes that the CPF currently offers the best risk-free return that few in the private sector can match.

"I'm not sure you can find a better return-risk trade-off out there anywhere in the private markets, and the return is structured to cater to the large majority of CPF members' needs and risk profile; they should satisfy all but the most risk-hungry, most likely top quintile CPF members, for whom their CPF payouts are likely to be a minor component of their overall retirement financial plans," he said.

In an IPS paper published last year, Mr Gee and consultants from Towers Watson found that under certain assumptions, such as rising interest rates, the returns from the CPF Board largely correspond to the typical model portfolio that has invested 60 per cent of its funds in equities, with the rest in bonds.

The model assumes that interest rates will rise to 4 per cent in 10 years, up from nearly zero today. The second assumption is that the 10-year Singapore Government bonds will pay 5.3 per cent a year, up from about 2.2 per cent now.

The study also continues to assume that the CPF will continue to pay an additional percentage point for the first $60,000 of the CPF Ordinary and Special accounts, as it does now.


With this type of compounded returns, retirement savings will be easily accumulated - $100 today will triple to $303 in 20 years' time.

A final point to consider is that GIC's returns already benefit the population at large. This is how individual Singaporeans, including those too poor to have much or any CPF savings, benefit from GIC's returns currently.

Up to 50 per cent of Net Investment Returns (NIR) of net assets managed by GIC and MAS can be used by the Government for its Budget.

For the current fiscal year, the NIR Contributions account for about $8.9 billion, or 13 per cent of the entire Budget.

Much of the investment returns pay for the increased spending on social welfare, including income support for older folk and needy families.

So the question on GIC returns is really a philosophical one. It is about whether individuals should benefit directly or whether the Government should de cide how best to channel these returns and to whom.

The Government believes it can, through targeted subsidies and support, be more efficient in channelling the surpluses from investment returns to people and families who need more help, rather than to place the returns directly in the hands of CPF members.

As Dr Linda Low, currently a senior research fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, noted in a research paper written back in 2004, what the returns should be used for boils down to "a political decision on what role the CPF should play, serving state or members".

In other words, the heart of the debate is not whether CPF interest rates can give a "high and low" type of ideal returns, but how the returns from investing the reserves, government assets and CPF monies should be distributed.

That is a lot harder to answer than building a model to figure out the data and numbers. It is a question that Singaporeans will need to pose and answer collectively.




Discussions on how to refine Singapore’s CPF scheme to boost the savings of Singaporeans continues. One of IPS Senior...
Posted by IPS Commons on Tuesday, January 19, 2016




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Singapore keeps No. 2 position in global talent index

January 20, 2016, 10:16 pm
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It retains position for third straight year, the only Asian country in top 10 of annual study
By Chia Yan Min, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

Singapore has been ranked the world's second-most talent-competitive country for the third straight year, behind Switzerland.

This makes it the only Asian country in the top 10 of the Global Talent Competitiveness Index compiled by the business school INSEAD.

The annual study, released yesterday, measures a nation's competitiveness based on the quality of talent that it can produce, attract and retain. It was done in partnership with the Adecco Group and the Human Capital Leadership Institute of Singapore.

Singapore scored highly on its ability to attract and retain talent due to its openness to business and high quality of life.

However, the indicator of tolerance to migrants showed a relatively poorer performance, the study found.

It also showed that Singapore has "ample room for improvement" when it comes to access to growth opportunities as well as expanding the pool of people with labour and vocational skills.

The report also noted that Singapore's attractiveness as a regional talent hub has faced strong competition from its neighbouring countries in recent years, and such competition is likely to intensify when talent is completely mobile in the ASEAN Economic Community.

Singapore's tighter immigration policies and slower economic growth is a "double whammy" for the country's talent-attraction ambitions, noted the Human Capital Leadership Institute in the report.

Although Singapore will continue to remain an attractive location, talent from the region is likely to increasingly look towards other emerging economies that offer similar career opportunities, such as the Philippines and Indonesia.

"We have to be mindful that there is no permanence in a country's talent competitiveness and fleet-footed talent often would seek out greener pastures and career opportunities regionally and globally," said Ms Wong Su-Yen, chief executive of the Human Capital Leadership Institute.

Mr Bruno Lanvin, executive director of global indices at INSEAD and co-editor of the report, said countries have to be more proficient at managing the emerging new dynamics of "brain circulation".

"While the temporary economic mobility of highly skilled people may initially be seen as a loss for their country of origin, countries have to understand that this translates into a net gain when they return home," he added.


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The story of how its passport redesign and screening makes Singapore safer

January 20, 2016, 10:38 pm
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By Ronald K. Noble, Published The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

Just last week, news channel CNN published a story titled Why Singapore Has The Smartest Kids In The World, in which one expert succinctly described the cause of Singapore's economic success, saying: "They did it largely with education and training."

In the wake of the Paris-like terrorist attacks in neighbouring Jakarta, Indonesia, last week, and the arrest last Friday of a terror suspect in Malaysia who was planning a suicide bomb attack in Kuala Lumpur, I would add that it is not just in the economic realm where Singapore's dedication to education yields results, but also in the realm of security.

I speak from my experience as secretary-general of INTERPOL from 2000 to 2014, where I witnessed first-hand how Singapore emphasised education in the realm of security, devoting substantial resources to educating and training its intelligence, police, immigration and other law-enforcement officers.

As a result, Singapore has the well-earned reputation of being one of the safest places in the world.

In 2006, I was invited by the country's Ministry of Home Affairs to address the Home Team at a gathering of almost 1,000 law- enforcement officers.

I used this occasion to describe how, in 2003, Milorad Ulemek used a stolen Croatian passport to cross borders to plan, prepare and perpetrate the assassination of then Serbian President Zoran Djindjic. The assassin Ulemek's stolen passport received law enforcement's official stamp of approval at 26 European border crossings - and once, at the border crossing, to enter Singapore.

I recall the surprise and shock expressed by the Singapore media, who asked how it was possible for Singapore to have left such a gaping hole in its security. My revelation even made front-page news in The Straits Times the next day.

Fortunately, for Singapore's law-enforcement agencies, they could say that, back in 2003, the international database of stolen or fake passports that would have exposed Ulemek's passport as stolen, did not exist.

However, I also announced that since then, INTERPOL had created the world's only database of stolen and lost passports, and Switzerland had already proven that it could be implemented efficiently by any country that is willing to do so.

Singapore analysed the issue, and discovered that doing so would be expensive, complicated and time consuming. Why?

Singaporean identification documents were conceived with efficiency in mind, not security, with the same unchanging national identification number of each person used for many different identity documents. As a result, a Singaporean who reported his passport stolen and got a replacement passport issued risked being detained or arrested when travelling abroad because the new passport number and the stolen passport number were the same.

Singapore could have responded to media inquiries by stating that my proposal was not practical for Singapore to implement, as it would put Singaporeans at risk of being falsely detained or arrested.

However, Singapore could boast of not just some of the smartest, best educated kids in the world, but also some of the smartest, best educated law-enforcement officers, civil servants and technology experts in the world.

Together, they redesigned Singapore's entire system for the issuance of identity documents, creating an entirely new ID document numbering system that would prevent Singaporeans from being falsely detained or arrested if their own passports were stolen, and that would allow Singapore to follow Switzerland's lead.

Singapore educated and trained its police and immigration officers on how best to use INTERPOL's databases and technology to detect stolen passports and yet avoid long queues at entry checkpoints.

It then began to systematically screen the passports of all those crossing its borders, preventing those with stolen passports from entering.

As a result, Singapore now ranks No. 3 in the world, in terms of passport screening, after only the United States and Britain - countries with populations 12 to 60 times larger than Singapore's.

Unfortunately, today, fewer than 15 of the world's almost 200 countries systematically screen the passports of those crossing their borders against global databases like Singapore does, thereby placing far too many people at risk of falling victim to terrorists and other dangerous persons who use stolen passports to cross borders.

It is too soon to know today whether Jakarta's terrorist attacks were facilitated by the use of stolen or fake passports, as was the case with the recent attacks in Paris and Bangkok. We do know, though, that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria provides stolen and fake passports to its members.

Last month, Turkey arrested criminals possessing almost 150 authentic stolen European passports. Just last week, a passenger used a fake passport to board a British Airways flight to London, and was caught only because staff noticed her unusually nervous behaviour. Tellingly, fake passports are openly advertised on the Internet, accessible via a simple Google search.

In November last year, after the Paris terror attacks, the European Union's Justice and Home Affairs ministers made a common decision that, by March this year, passport screening against INTERPOL's stolen passport database would be implemented at all of the EU's external borders.

Singapore made this same decision, not because of a terrorist attack on its soil, but because its law-enforcement officers studied the experiences of other countries, learnt the lessons, and applied them to the real-world threat.

I am, therefore, confident that as Singapore celebrates the success of its children in school, its law-enforcement officers will be studying what happened in Jakarta, and the other examples of terrorist attacks around the world, to see what lessons can be learnt.

Their commitment to keep educating themselves and keep learning, in order to better protect their citizens, economy and guests, is never-ending.

The more countries that follow Singapore's example, the safer we all will be from the threat of terrorists and dangerous criminals.

The writer was INTERPOL Secretary General from 2000-2014 and is also the founder of RKN Global, a security solutions provider.




How the passport was redesigned: "Singapore now ranks No. 3 in the world, in terms of passport screening, after only the...
Posted by The Straits Times on Tuesday, January 19, 2016




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Over 1.8 million cargo vehicles crossed Singapore's land checkpoints last year

January 20, 2016, 11:12 pm
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By Lim Yi Han, The Straits Times, 19 Jan 2016

More than 1.8 million cargo vehicles, such as lorries, crossed the land checkpoints last year (2015).

On average, about 5,000 such vehicles cross the checkpoints daily and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is expecting a higher volume during the lead-up to Chinese New Year.

Last year (2015), there were 990 detections of contraband and prohibited items, including drugs and contraband cigarettes smuggled via the cargo vehicles, down from about 1,290 the year before (2014).

"Despite stringent checks, smuggling attempts have not ceased. Checks are therefore critical and necessary," said Woodlands Command Deputy Commander, Superintendent Tan Kong Hui, in a meeting with the media on Tuesday (Jan 19), adding that there is a need to use technology to keep Singapore safe and secure.

Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints are two of the busiest land crossings in the world, said the ICA. Currently, ICA has two fully operational labs to test for "unconventional threats" such as radiation, explosives and chemicals at Woodands and Tuas checkpoints, and it has plans to roll out such facilities at other checkpoints.

Officers have equipment to help them with the checks, and samples are also taken for analysis at the labs. Such tests take about one to three hours.

Supt Tan said: "Over the years, the lorries and trucks have become bigger. Now it's quite common to see 60-footers (or the length of five saloon cars). It poses a challenge to us because you can have 30 different kinds of goods in a lorry, you can't possibly (unpack) each and every box to check."

On average, more than 70 lorries are screened a day by the lab specialists.


Sergeant Muhammad Nizam, 29, uses an "identifinder" to detect radiation on a Malaysia-registered truck carrying construction sand. Over 1.8 million cargo vehicles crossed Singapore's land checkpoints last year. str.sg/ZVmbVIDEO: LIM YI HAN
Posted by The Straits Times on Monday, January 18, 2016


Explaining the importance of such screening, Supt Tan noted: "If we have a truck of construction materials which has a radiation reading of eight times of what is allowed, and it's used to construct buildings, people might be exposed to unhealthy levels of radiation.

"If nitrates in fertilisers are way past acceptable levels... they can also be made into explosives."

Separately, two Malaysia-registered vehicles were also found to be carrying over 1,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes and around 19,000 satchets of chewing tobacco on Tuesday morning. The two drivers, whose details are not known yet, have been arrested.





Lab takes one to three hours to do analysis
By Lim Yi Han, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has labs set up at both land checkpoints to test for hazardous chemical, biological, radiological and explosive agents in cargo vehicles.

Yesterday, ICA opened the doors of its chemistry lab, part of the Woodlands Analytical Laboratory, to the media for the first time. The $2.9 million chemistry lab, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, opened in 2013. More labs are being planned for other checkpoints, such as the ports.

Normally, sending a sample for analysis to another agency would take at least half a day but it takes between one and three hours for the lab to do the job.

Officers have access to equipment such as a handheld Sabre5000 system which can detect trace amounts of explosives, chemical warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals or narcotics in about 20 seconds.

On average, more than 70 lorries are screened a day at each land checkpoint. ICA has trained more than 160 officers as "security sensitive materials specialists" to conduct checks.

Superintendent Tan Kong Hui, deputy commander of ground operations at Woodlands Checkpoint, said: "It's quite common to see 60-footers (lorries). It poses a challenge to us because you can have 30 different kinds of goods in a lorry, you can't possibly (unpack) each and every box to check.

"For unconventional threats, we are worried about what we can't see, what officers cannot use their hands or eyes to find."


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Jakarta attacks could mark start of ISIS campaign in South-East Asia

January 20, 2016, 11:53 pm
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More must be done to counter terror group's spreading influence, experts warn
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

Last week's deadly attacks in Jakarta could mark the start of a violent campaign by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in South-East Asia unless more is done to counter the group, experts have warned.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the gun and bomb attacks that ripped through a busy commercial district of the Indonesian capital, leaving four civilians dead and more than 20 injured.

SPF, with the support from other Home Team agencies, conducted an island-wide exercise at various locations from 18 to...
Posted by Singapore Police Force on Tuesday, January 19, 2016


It could have been a lot bloodier, said Dr Rohan Gunaratna, head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore, if Indonesian security forces had not arrested more than a dozen militants over the past two months, dismantling two terror cells in the process.

Still, ISIS' tentacles are spreading.

As the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, Indonesia seems the likeliest place for ISIS to try to establish a satellite province of its so-called caliphate, a foothold from which to expand its influence from its heart in the Middle East.

Already, Indonesia's most-wanted terrorist, Santoso, has pledged his East Indonesia Mujahidin group , which operates in Central Sulawesi, to ISIS' cause. The terror group has also established links with militants in East Java, Lampung in Sumatra, South Sulawesi and West Sulawesi.

"There are 22 groups in Indonesia that have pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi," said Dr Gunaratna, referring to ISIS' self-styled caliph.

"As long as those groups exist, there will be extremism not just in Indonesia, but also in the region."

ISIS' influence in the Philippines is also growing, with some experts going so far as to say that the authorities have no time to waste.

After a year-long discussion between local terror groups that had pledged allegiance to ISIS, Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon was chosen to head ISIS in the Philippines, according to Dr Gunaratna.

He believes the Philippine military should deploy itself in the country's south now to nip the situation in the bud before it escalates. He said: "Our assessment is that ISIS will declare a satellite state in South-East Asia, and it could be a combination of elements in the Philippines and Indonesia, or it could be first in the Philippines, then in Indonesia."



Closer to Singapore, Malaysia is also grappling with the spread of ISIS ideology, said Associate Professor Kumar Ramakrishna, head of policy studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

This has even taken root within its military. Last October, two 28-year-olds were arrested at a special forces camp in Malacca for trying to spread ISIS ideology among soldiers. They are among at least 13 military personnel who have been arrested for suspected links to ISIS, according to Malaysian police.

"On top of that, ISIS has an Indonesian and Malaysian unit of fighters - the Katibah Nusantara - in Syria, and these people will come back one day, perhaps sooner rather than later," said Dr Ramakrishna.

The Katibah Nusantara is said to comprise about 700 fighters from Indonesia and 200 from Malaysia.

ISIS' ability to mount more devastating and coordinated urban terror attacks in this region will be strengthened as more of such trained, hardened fighters return to their home countries.

Despite its distance from the Middle East, South-East Asia is a coveted prize for ISIS, and its efforts here show that.

It is not hard to see why - the region is home to a quarter of the world's 1.6 billion Muslims, noted Dr Ramakrishna. "South-East Asia is a natural 'strategic reserve' for ISIS in that sense. Also, the region straddles important sea lanes of communication that are vital to world trade," he said.

Establishing a foothold in the region would allow ISIS to "mobilise, radicalise and militarise a segment of the Muslim community", said Dr Gunaratna.

He said: "The Middle East is too far, but an entity (in South-East Asia) can be a hub for groups to come to for training, strategy and funding... that's why this must be prevented."









Disaffected people easy prey for ISIS recruiters
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

One way to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is to attend to the disaffection in the region, said two security experts and a Muslim leader contacted by The Straits Times.

If the unhappiness festers, ISIS will exploit it for recruitment and create divisions in society, they said.

"We do know that foreign jihadists have identified the Rohingya situation in Myanmar as a source of resentment," said Dr Kumar Ramakrishna from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

The Rohingya people are a displaced Muslim minority group persecuted for their faith and ethnicity in Buddhist-majority Myanmar.

Recently, Indian media reported on the dismantling of a human trafficking racket which had sneaked 500 Rohingya from Bangladesh into Saudi Arabia on fake passports. Some of the men were believed to have joined ISIS.

Dr Rohan Gunaratna, head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, said that already, a small number of Rohingya have trained in Indonesia and southern Thailand, and it was "only a matter of time" before ISIS created a cell among these displaced people.

It has already created a similar presence in southern Thailand, where a Muslim insurgency festers, he said.

"ISIS will move wherever there is disaffection and unhappiness, and exploit the situation," said Dr Gunaratna.

Last year, The Straits Times reported on how ISIS released videos in Malay showing the indoctrination and grooming of children of Katibah Nusantara fighters, encouraging others to join them.

The Katibah Nusantara is a unit of Indonesian and Malaysian fighters in Syria. The group's leader, Bahrun Naim, has been identified as the man behind last Thursday's attacks in Jakarta.

On its Twitter feed last August, ISIS posted a picture of a baby sleeping next to a grenade and rifle with a message in Bahasa exhorting Indonesians to join its so-called jihad, if not in Syria, then where they lived.

But the propaganda is not just a call to violence, it also threatens to drive a wedge into society, said Ustaz Ali Mohamed, co-chairman of the Religious Rehabilitation Group which is made up of Muslim scholars who counsel terror detainees and radicalised individuals in Singapore.

They have launched a helpline for religious counsellors, trained ambassadors to reach out to Muslims, and uploaded videos online to counter distorted teachings.

Ustaz Ali said: "ISIS is a misinterpretation of what is Islam. Islam never condones or practises violence. We need to engage non-Muslims also, and explain to them that these are not teachings of Islam - so people of different faiths feel safe living with Muslims."





Malaysia steps up security at entry points, malls
The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

PUTRAJAYA • Security at Malaysia's key entry points such as airports, train stations and ports has been tightened as a precaution against terror attacks, officials said, and there will be increased police and military presence in public and tourist areas.

After chairing a meeting of the National Security Council yesterday, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said joint patrols by policemen and soldiers would be conducted immediately in the Bukit Bintang shopping and entertainment area in Kuala Lumpur, as well as a few major shopping malls.

"We want the people to feel safe and reassured. We want the people to continue their business as normal and not to be overly concerned as the authorities have the situation under control," he told a press conference.



Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said security had been beefed up at the country's key entry points from last year, after intelligence sources revealed a threat of possible attacks in Kuala Lumpur's popular food street, Jalan Alor, in Bukit Bintang.

"Airports and train stations are public areas, and we always pay close attention to these places. We have put in more surveillance equipment and personnel. We will continue to strengthen security at these areas," he told reporters on Monday after launching a civic awareness programme.

He also urged the public not to panic.

"Although some areas in the city have been identified as possible targets, Malaysians must stay calm and have confidence in our security forces," he said.



City buses and monorails in the capital are also taking precautions.

Mr Azmi Abdul Aziz, group chief executive of Prasarana, which runs the RapidKL city buses and KL Monorail, said company officials were working closely with police to enhance public safety and ensure no disruption to travel.

THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK






Indonesia to review anti-terror laws
Proposed revisions to focus on prevention, tightening of sentences for offenders
The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

JAKARTA • Indonesian President Joko Widodo is considering a regulation that would prohibit Indonesians from joining radical groups overseas, in an effort to prevent a deadlier attack than last week's militant assault on Jakarta.

At a meeting yesterday at the palace, top political and security officials agreed to review anti-terrorism laws, which currently allow Indonesians to freely return home after fighting in Syria with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Security forces fear that returning fighters could launch a much more calculated attack than the amateurish assault militants launched on Thursday last week using two pistols and 11 low-yield homemade bombs.

Eight people were killed in the attack, including the four attackers.

"We've agreed to review the terrorism law to focus on prevention," parliamentary speaker Zulkifli Hasan told Reuters.

"Currently, there is nothing in the law covering training. There is also nothing currently covering people going overseas (to join radical groups) and returning. This needs to be broadened."

Proposed revisions would also tighten prison sentences for terrorism offences, he said.

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan told reporters the new regulation would allow suspects to be temporarily detained.

"The point is to give police the authority to pre-emptively and temporarily detain (a suspect) while they get information to prevent future incidents," Mr Luhut said, adding the detention could last up to two weeks.

Mr Joko said discussions on the new regulation, which would be a stop-gap measure until parliament can revise its anti-terrorism law, were still at "an early stage".

"This is very pressing. Many people have left for Syria or returned," he said, but did not say when a decision would be made.



Police believe the alleged mastermind of the Jakarta attack, an Indonesian fighting with ISIS in Syria called Bahrun Naim, used social media to communicate his radical ideas to followers in Indonesia.

Jakarta Post newspaper reported yesterday that Bahrun has reactivated a defunct blog and published two posts on Monday, saying the attack was carried out by ISIS to target police - whom he accused of killing Muslims without trial - as well as foreigners.

Hundreds of Indonesians are believed by the authorities to have travelled to the Middle East to join ISIS. About 100 are believed to have returned, most of whom did not see frontline combat.

Indonesian Police Chief Badrodin Haiti told Reuters in an interview on Monday that the country was bracing itself for the return of these more experienced fighters, who may be capable of carrying out far more sophisticated operations than last week's attack, which was hampered by poor training and weapons.

"There is the possibility (of a bigger attack) if they can train people in preparing explosives," he said.

In the wake of the latest attack, police will redouble efforts to monitor radical networks in Indonesia.

Two terror networks, who Gen Badrodin identified only as Bekasi and Cirebon groups, are suspected of involvement in Thursday's attack, which was the first in Indonesia to be attributed to ISIS.

"The Bekasi and Cirebon groups have strong communication," he was quoted as saying yesterday by online news portal kompas.com.

But even if the new revisions are imposed, Indonesia would still have weaker anti-terrorism laws than some of its neighbours.

Malaysia last April passed a law reintroducing detention withouttrial, three years after a similar measure was revoked.

Australia has in recent years passed measures banning its citizens from returning from conflict zones in Syria and the Middle East, while making it easier to monitor domestic communications.


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Government looking at new steps to protect social harmony: Shanmugam

January 21, 2016, 1:44 am
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Changes will take place this year to deal with acts that sow discord between races, faiths
By Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

Singaporeans can expect new policies to tackle acts that denigrate other races or religions, preach intolerance, or sow religious discord.

The impending changes will take place this year to protect secular Singapore's racial and religious harmony, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam said yesterday.

"The Government has got to come forward, mobilise the community in a very substantive way so that the message gets understood," he added.



Mr Shanmugam made the point at the opening of a conference on expanding common space for people of various faiths, held by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).

In a 40-minute speech, he explained in detail how South-east Asia had become fertile ground for terrorism owing to the mixing of religion and politics that has, in turn, fuelled sectarian tensions.

The rise of militant group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has also led to much violence, as well as intolerance online.

These developments threaten peace in Singapore and have given rise to four types of threats that confront the country.

They are: a terror attack, the radicalisation of a part of the Muslim population, some Singapore Muslims growing more distant from the rest of society, and Islamophobia - or intolerance towards Muslims.



Mr Shanmugam said it was worrying that some younger Muslims believe they should not wish Christians Merry Christmas, or Hindus Happy Deepavali, as such greetings contradict their faith.

If such sentiments become widespread, there will be serious long-term implications. This is why foreign preachers with such views are sometimes disallowed from entering Singapore to prevent them from building up a following here.


Why are some foreign preachers barred from entering Singapore? Minister K Shanmugam Sc explains. http://bit.ly/1NhVVvV
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Tuesday, January 19, 2016


"The Government will not interfere in doctrinal matters within each religion, but the Government has to step in to protect our racial, religious harmony," he said.

Also worrying is the threat of Islamophobia, he added.

Hate crimes against Muslims have risen in Western cities such as London and Paris. Singapore is not immune, and Mr Shanmugam cited two cases.

Last September, a Malay woman walking to a bus stop heard a man of another race utter "suicide bomber" at her.

In November, a week after the Paris attacks, the words "Islam murderers" were found scribbled at a bus stop in Bukit Panjang and on a toilet seat in Jurong Point mall.

While such acts are few and far between, they put Singapore's harmonious society at risk, he said.

"How our non-Muslims treat our Muslim brothers and sisters will decide what type of society we are. If we behave with suspicion and negativity, then our Muslim population will feel isolated.

"It is important that we ensure Muslims in Singapore enjoy good opportunities, that there is no discrimination in schools, in jobs, in society as a whole," he added.

"Islamophobia will tear our society apart. We have to guard against it. It is completely unacceptable."

He noted that various religions in Singapore have taken steps to preserve the common space.

Muslim leaders, for example, have identified principles to guide the community to preserve and protect its moderate way of life.


"It's a battle for hearts and minds on what's the right doctrine. The Government can't do that. That has to come from religious scholarship. Not just one religion but across the board": K Shanmugam Sc http://bit.ly/1NhVVvV(Video: Justin Ong)
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Tuesday, January 19, 2016


But as extremism and exclusivity grow in the region, both the Government and people must make a greater collective effort to safeguard harmony, Mr Shanmugam said.

Specifically, it needs religious leaders to counter ISIS ideology, community leaders to help unite Singaporeans, and the Government to stay vigilant against all attempts to spark divisions.

"The ultimate aim of terrorism is to create sharp and violent divisions between 'us' and 'them'. If we remain resolutely 'us', one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, no force can divide us, and terrorism will be defeated," he said.


"I don't think you can ever say 'I'm completely safe' or 'I'm completely protected'": Minister K Shanmugam Sc on the threat of terrorism. http://bit.ly/1NhVVvV(Video: Justin Ong)
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Tuesday, January 19, 2016


Today, Catholic Archbishop William Goh and Mufti Fatris Bakaram will address the conference, which is organised under RSIS' Studies in Inter-religious Relations in Plural Societies Programme.





Posted by K Shanmugam Sc on Thursday, January 21, 2016










As the region becomes “fertile ground” for the breeding of terrorism, Singapore must make a bigger collective effort to...
Posted by Home Team News (Singapore) on Tuesday, January 19, 2016





Doing harm in name of religion 'not unique to any one faith'
Shanmugam relates history of conflicts over religion to explain rise of ISIS and threat posed to Singapore
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

Religion as a force for good and a tool for terror is a phenomenon with a long history and, yesterday, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam dug deep into the past to show the evil that men do today is not unique to any organised faith.

Whether it is the Christian Crusades in the Middle Ages, the conquests of the Muslim Mughals on the Indian sub-continent between the 16th and 19th centuries, or the Hindu-Muslim-Buddhist conflicts in Asia in more recent decades, their justification boils down to one factor: religion.

While religion did play its part, often it is just a vehicle and an excuse to achieve very old human urges, said Mr Shanmugam, who is also the Law Minister.

"Look closely and you may often see the real reason for the conflict was the basic human lust for power, profit, control of people and lands," he said in a speech to open a symposium that explores how religion can expand the common space for all.

The two-day meeting attended by more than 500 people, including religious and community leaders, is organised by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

Mr Shanmugam, in relating the bloody history of religions causing untold suffering to millions, was seeking to explain, among other things, how the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group can be traced to charismatic preachers exploiting issues of concern to Muslims to achieve political power.

This poses a severe threat to Singapore's racial and religious harmony.

In the neighbouring countries, Islam in particular has been used over the last few decades as a tool in political power play and to cultivate an us-versus-them mentality, he said.

Citing Malaysia, Mr Shanmugam noted that it has become more Islamic and politics led the change.

A survey last year showed 60 per cent of Malays identified themselves as Muslims first, rather than as Malaysians or Malays, and more than 70 per cent of Malays support hudud laws that punish theft by chopping off the criminal's hands, and adultery by stoning.

In Umno-controlled Terengganu state, Muslims who skip prayers are paraded in a hearse around the city centre, while in Kedah they face criminal sanctions.

"The current situation (there) has been shaped by deliberate choices made over decades, about how public discourse on religion should be conducted," he said.

Against the backdrop of such changes, some Malaysians have begun to support extremist terrorist ideology. A recent study showed 10 per cent of the Malays had a favourable opinion of ISIS. "Consider the nature of the threat posed, if even a small fraction of these become radicalised," said Mr Shanmugam.

In Indonesia, Islamic boarding schools and madrasahs are suspected to have links with terror networks and serve as conduits for money to the Middle East, he added.

Also, the country's lack of preventive detention laws has led to hundreds of terrorists linked to Jemaah Islamiah being released back into society (or who will be this year). They include those previously involved in plots against Singapore.

Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar face the possibility of inter- religious strife too, he said, adding that the socio-economic conditions of their respective Muslim populations have added to the potency of the terrorism threat.

Mr Shanmugam believes the region becoming ripe for an explosion of religion-based terrorism points to three ways leaders have failed their people.

These are: the cynical exploitation of race and religion by some secular and religious authorities; the relative lack of focused development and education by governments in the past; and a lack of strong commitment to multi ethnicity.

Coupled with developments in the Middle East, these have resulted in the rise and spread of dangerous ideas such as killing people is doing God's will and the killer will go to heaven, he said.

"These ideas will not win," he added. "But the cost in terms of blood and misery will be high."

















Muslim leaders concerned about extreme leanings
By Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

Muslim leaders have, in recent years, noticed a disturbing trend among a section of the community.

Some of the young feel it is against their faith to wish Christians "Merry Christmas" or Hindus "Happy Deepavali".

Some also preach that it is wrong for them to recite the National Pledge, sing the National Anthem or undergo national service.

They also believe the democratically elected Government in Singapore is not compatible with Islam, and they should live in a caliphate.

That such marginal, exclusive sentiments are held worries Muslim religious leaders interviewed by The Straits Times, who say these have not taken root here.

"Like it or not, members of our community have been influenced," said Ambassador Mohammad Alami Musa. Mr Alami, who heads the Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, added that such ideas are "alien to the Islamic ethos in Singapore".

"Muslim leaders teach what it means to be a Singaporean Muslim - to be faithful, good members of the society and to be loyal citizens," he said. But the sanctity of these values is threatened by mutilated and erroneous messages from outside, spread through social media, he added.

Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam flagged the exclusivist tendencies yesterday in a speech where he also noted that Singapore Muslims have been a successful model for the modern world for their moderate worldview and practices. But intolerance by others towards Muslims is also a threat to social harmony, he said.

"The community must continue to preserve and protect their way of life, despite challenges within and without," he added.

Community leaders have sought to develop a Singapore Muslim identity and strengthen ties with other religious groups. Some are active in the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG) that counsels terror detainees and counters radicalism.

The leaders have also initiated the Asatizah Recognition Scheme to accredit religious teachers and ensure that divisive and extremist teachings do not gain ground.

Going forward, the SRP will work with the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) and religious scholars' association Pergas to help religious teachers apply their knowledge to Singapore's context.

Ustaz Mohamed Ali, the RRG's vice-chairman, said it is important to teach young Muslims to be more discerning about information they gather online. Efforts to deepen trust are also key, he said, adding that places of worship like temples, mosques and churches can play a bigger role in "organising inter- faith activities and engagement that specifically deals with the threat of religious extremism".

Madrasah Al-Ma'arif Al-Islamiah student Nur Ardini Mohd Khafidz, 18, welcomed Mr Shanmugam's citing recent examples of Islamophobia as a reminder that discrimination must not take root here.

"I remember watching Al Jazeera - they interviewed female Muslims in America afraid of leaving their homes without wearing disguises such as caps," she said.

"It's good that really specific examples were brought up, because being politically correct all the time will not solve this problem."





Muslims here growing ‘somewhat more distant’: Shanmugam
Local Muslim population a successful model for its moderate practices, he says
By Siau Ming En, TODAY, 20 Jan 2016

Amid increasing religiosity among Singaporeans as a whole, a developing trend is being watched with concern by the Government: A sentiment among some younger Muslims that sending greetings to friends on other religious festivals or reciting the National Pledge and serving National Service are at odds with their faith.

Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam warned of this trend in his opening address yesterday at a two-day symposium organised by the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

As religiosity sweeps the world, the Muslim population here is also growing “somewhat more distant” from the rest of the community, partly due to influences from the Middle East. Some people also feel that the democratic elected governance system here is “incompatible with Islam” and Singapore should be part of a caliphate, he added.

“These are worrying trends, and if these sentiments become widespread, the Muslim community that grows apart from the mainstream is not good for the Muslim community and not good for Singapore, with serious long-term implications,” said Mr Shanmugam.

"The Muslim community that grows apart from the mainstream is not good for the Muslim community and not good for Singapore," says K Shanmugam Sc.
Posted by TODAY on Tuesday, January 19, 2016


While he said that the Government is watching the development closely and will take steps to address the issue, the minister commended the Muslim population’s stance so far.

“You are a successful model to the modern world for your moderate, respectful worldview and practices. The community must continue to preserve and protect its way of life, despite challenges within and without,” he added.

There is a “fine line” between gaining a better understanding of religion and celebrating the country’s diversity by identifying as Singaporeans first; Chinese, Malay or Indian second, versus believing that “our religion requires us to be separate”, said Mr Shanmugam. The latter belief is indifferent at best, and more often intolerant towards other faiths, he added.

Taking this approach will spell trouble for Singapore, and “the exceptional multiracial, multi-ethnic society that we have here will be destroyed”, said Mr Shanmugam.

He cited the words of the late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who had spoken about the Singaporean Chinese, Singaporean Malay and Singaporean Indian as opposed to the Chinese Singaporean, Malay Singaporean and Indian Singaporean.

Mr Shanmugam also said that foreign preachers are, at times, not allowed to enter Singapore to preach.

“Why? We will not allow anyone, of any religion who preaches that people of other faiths should be shunned or that people of other faiths should be ignored,” he said.

This is not limited to what he preaches in Singapore, but also outside the country as his teachings would be available online and it would be wrong to allow him to build up a following in Singapore, added Mr Shanmugam.

While the Government will not interfere in doctrinal matters within each religion, it has to step in to protect Singapore’s racial and religious harmony, he said.

“We cannot allow someone to preach values which are contrary to our multicultural, multi-ethnic harmony,” said Mr Shanmugam. “We take a firm, clear stand on that and make no apologies.”

Responding to the minister’s speech, Mr Malminderjit Singh, secretary of the Sikh Advisory Board, said inter-religious dialogues would help foster and build bonds and better understanding among different communities while a national narrative would be powerful in a secular country like Singapore.

“Every religion is different, but if we have common shared values on who we are as Singaporeans, what we want to preserve as our Singaporean identity, I believe that can be a huge deterrent (against divisions) and bond different segments of society,” added Mr Singh, who is also President of the Young Sikh Association.

Mr Alla’udin Mohamed, vice-chairman of Geylang Serai Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles, said he understands why Mr Shanmugam came out “very strongly and directly” on the possible threat of the Muslim population growing apart from the mainstream.

“He wants the whole community to understand that this is a very grave situation that we are facing. He’s trying to (put across) a strong (message) to Singaporeans that it can happen ... so we have to be very vigilant,” he added.

Additional reporting by Toh Ee Ming








Religious heads work to build trust, maintain harmony
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

Just two hours after the Jakarta blasts, about 30 religious and community leaders of the Braddell Heights' Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle received information about what was happening on the ground there.

They were also asked by the authorities to look out for reactions in their communities.

Said Venerable You Guang, adviser to Puat Jit Buddhist Temple and a member of the circle: "Most times, the sentiments people express after such an attack are harmless. But if they take sides along racial or religious lines, we must intervene."

He was among religious leaders of all stripes interviewed yesterday who agreed with Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam that they can help Singaporeansbetter understand terrorist ideology and ensure Singapore remains united.

One way, said Sikh Advisory Board chairman Jarmal Singh, is to help people see the actions of one misguided individual do not represent the entire community or faith.

Master Lee Zhi Wang, president of the Singapore Taoist Mission, added that given the credibility and influence of religious leaders in their community, they need to be proactive in preventing conflict between their group and others.

He suggested telling followers not to be over-sensitive and be conscious not to discriminate against other groups, he added.

Ven You Guang said leaders should also urge their followers not to speculate or put blame on any community.

Many religious leaders like Reverend Gabriel Liew of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church also agreed with Mr Shanmugam that any spread of Islamophobia is a threat to Singapore's peace.

"Ignorance breeds fear - fear of people we do not know," he added.

Countering such ignorance requires understanding and empathy which comes from personal friendships with Muslims, he said.

Ms Murshida Mohd Kadir, acting assistant head of the Muslim Converts' Association of Singapore, said that with the attacks in Indonesia and arrests of ISIS suspects in Malaysia, it was timely to state publicly that most Singapore Muslims reject the ideology of violence and extremism.

"Many of us feel more has to be done for non-Muslims to understand that we are not violent people, we are for religious harmony."

She also feels it is a good time for an interfaith dialogue and more exposure to what Islam stands for.

The comments by these religious leaders were in response to a lecture by visiting professor Julius Lipner of the Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

Dr Lipner, an expert on interreligious understanding, had called for deeper and more sustained dialogue between people of each faith, between different religious groups, and with those with no religion.

This will help expand the common space for all Singaporeans.

Such dialogues need to be inclusive and tolerant, with a readiness to change one's views when given new insights about the values, rights and responsibilities that constitute social well-being for all who share the public space in a liberal, secular democracy, he said.

Otherwise, he added: "There is no prospect of arriving at even a semblance of viable public order and a common good."





Religious leaders call for more inter-faith dialogues
This will help counter threat of exclusivity among some young Muslims, and Islamophobia too
By Walter Sim, Zhaki Abdullah and Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

As Singaporeans become more religious, there are concerns that some segments of society are becoming more distant from others.

One strong antidote to this exclusive tendency, religious leaders said, lies in their followers reflecting on what their respective religions teach. This is crucial, they added yesterday at a conference on building inter-faith relations.

The leaders also called for more inter-faith dialogues to promote understanding, in the light of sectarian strife and terror attacks around the world.

Such moves will counter the threats posed by some young Muslims in Singapore distancing themselves from mainstream society, and Islamophobia. These threats were highlighted by Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam the day before when he opened the two-day symposium on religions held by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

Yesterday, the leaders presented ways in which organised religions can help expand the common space in Singapore for all people. The Mufti of Singapore, Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakaram, cited the Quran to show that forging a common space - where people live together harmoniously amid their differences - is a religious obligation for Muslims.

Archbishop William Goh said that Catholics, when engaging with people of other faiths, should look at what they have in common rather than their differences.

The two men also pointed out that different religions preach the same positive values such as peace, love, unity and tolerance. These qualities are all key to being a good Singapore citizen, they added.

Venerable Dr Chang Qing, an assistant professor at the Buddhist College of Singapore, said: "If your religious values and mindset are right, then you will naturally be a good citizen. But it is also important to align ourselves with the national values as a country, if not there will be divides."

But carving out this common space will not be a straightforward endeavour in a multi-cultural society, the leaders acknowledged.

Said Dr Fatris: "Each individual and each community has its own preferences, demands, aspirations, hopes and requests. So there will be times, and they come quite frequently, when these opposing demands will happen."

Hence, there was a need for give and take among the religions.

Hindu Centre president N.Varaprasad said, among other things, that people must decide whether it was important for them to attend ceremonies of other faiths, like weddings or funerals of their friends or loved ones.

So, the way forward, said Dr Fatris, is for inter-faith dialogues to help the different communities understand one another. But this may cause "some sense of discomfort or lack of confidence" among some Singaporeans.

Archbishop Goh said that one way to kill such dialogues is to start comparing religions.

"Don't say mine is better (and) yours (is) not so good. I've the fullness of truth, you've got half a truth," he said. "We cannot talk like that. If you begin a conversation like that, the dialogue finishes."

Dr Fatris pointed out that already, there are many physical common spaces for different faiths and these can be found in Housing Board estates, offices and schools.

As the right ingredients are in place, he said: "If we do not start now with a serious and constructive inter-faith religious dialogue, I think it will be a waste for Singapore as a nation."

As religious tensions rise across the world, he said Singapore should aspire towards having mutual respect among religions flourish for years to come.

He cited the case of Prophet Muhammad welcoming a delegation of Christians and letting them pray in a mosque. "I am not suggesting that we turn mosques into churches or temples, or otherwise, but these institutions can offer space for communities to understand each other a lot better," he said.

Religious and government leaders have also pointed out such examples of inter-faith cooperation in Singapore.

Master Lee Zhi Wang, president of the Singapore Taoist Mission, said the Temple of Heavenly Jade Emperor in Telok Ayer has worked with the next-door Nagore Dargah Indian Muslim Heritage Centre to run events and share resources.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said last October that a church in Sembawang opens its carpark every Friday to the Muslim congregation of a neighbouring mosque for Friday prayers.

Various religious groups had also extended invitations to members of other religious bodies for their SG50 celebrations, he added.

But Archbishop Goh said more could still be done. He suggested that secular schools teach their students about all religions in Singapore, so that from a young age, they can understand the beliefs of other faiths. "With greater appreciation comes greater unity," he said. "Otherwise, when we shield people from other religions, there will be a lot of misconceptions."

He also acknowledged the challenges in holding dialogues that can reach entire congregations - "many" of the 360,000 Catholics here do not go to church, he said.

"If we can't even get (followers) to attend the courses we offer, how to ask them to come for inter-religious courses? I mean, when you hold a course about your own faith, they don't want to come. When you offer a course on inter-religious faith, will they come?" Archbishop Goh wondered aloud.

"This is an experience felt by all the other religions," he added.

Still, the dialogues and joint events are a good way to build inter-faith friendships.

"When we are friends, we begin to treasure and cherish each other and appreciate our differences. These differences enrich us."

•Additional reporting by Lim Yan Liang





Religious leaders on harmony

NEED FOR COMMON SPACE

Several examples in Islamic scriptural sources, which together with historical records, clearly suggest that Islam, like all other world religions, aims to develop a productive and prosperous life for its followers, in the context of the diversity of human societies.

We can thus see how forging a 'common space' became a religious obligation as it was critical in developing a sense of community, confidence, acceptance and mutual respect, so that humans could live together, despite their differences.

- MUFTI MOHAMED FATRIS BAKARAM



FAITH DRIVES PATRIOTISM

The reason why I'm a good Singaporean, a patriotic person, the reason I give my life for Singaporeans is because of my faith. If you are a good Catholic, if you are a good Muslim, you should be the best Singaporean... (because) you will really promote peace, love, unity and tolerance.

- CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP WILLIAM GOH, who said because religion defines how faith believers live and act, it would by extension make them better Singaporeans if they are instilled with the right teachings and values.



THE COMMON MAN DECIDES

Common space is created by the common man: It is the common man who decides who his friends are.

It is the common man who decides whether to attend the wedding of his friends' children in a church or a temple, and it is the common man who decides whether to attend a birth ceremony or funeral, in spite of whatever religious edicts might be placed on him.

He's the one who finally decides whether it is more important for him to do that, and by enlarging his own friendships, he enlarges the common space.

- DR N. VARAPRASAD, PRESIDENT OF THE HINDU CENTRE



PURIFY THE MIND

The Dhammapada, one of the scriptures in Buddhism, teaches us not to do any evil, to cultivate the good, and to purify one's mind.

To purify one's mind isvery important in Buddhism, and is actually common to many religions.

Once you purify the mind, you have the right mindset, a positive attitude and I believe this can contribute to what we call the common space.

- VENERABLE CHANG QING, assistant professor of Buddhist College of Singapore.






Singapore stable because religions treated equally, says expert
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

At a time of rising religiosity in the region, Singapore has to firmly protect its religious harmony, said an expert on inter-religious understanding yesterday.

Professor Julius Lipner told The Straits Times that various measures, such as barring foreign preachers who spread divisive messages from coming here and ensuring views on sensitive issues are aired responsibly, show the Government is very conscious of this fact.

Prof Lipner is a visiting fellow of the Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

The ban on divisive foreign preachers is a Singapore policy for which the Government makes no apologies, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam had said the previous day.

Mr Shanmugam made the point when he opened a conference on expanding the common space among people of various faiths.

He had said that, while the Government will not interfere in doctrinal matters of each religion, it will not allow anyone to preach values contrary to Singapore's multicultural, multi-ethnic harmony.

"We will also look at what he preaches outside Singapore. As his teachings would be available online, it is wrong to allow him to build up a following in Singapore," the minister had said.

Yesterday, Prof Lipner said Mr Shanmugam's speech showed that maintaining religious harmony remains a government priority. It is also an acknowledgement of the sensitive geopolitical situation Singapore is in, he added.

Singapore, he said, has enjoyed peace and stability because all religions are treated equally under the law, a concept that, together with secularism, is enshrined in the Constitution.

"The moment we depart from these terms, we go on a very different trajectory, with a very different prospect for the future," said Prof Lipner, who is also emeritus professor of Hinduism and comparative religion at Cambridge University.

Singapore's firm stand on not allowing unfettered speech has been vindicated by the experience of countries such as Britain, he said, noting that his home country has had to deal with the consequences of not preventing hate speech.

"Great Britain made the mistake earlier on when they decided that anyone should be allowed to say anything in the name of free speech," he said.

This has given rise to controversial preachers such as Trevor Brooks, also known as Abu Izzadeen, who built up a following because he was able to deliver inflammatory speeches openly from a central London mosque.

"They finally realised that free speech has to be responsible speech, and there was not enough stress on the responsibility part, and are now doing what Singapore has been doing all this time."





These radical Islamist preachers took their extremist message to the streets of London and got shut down again and again by ordinary Muslims.
Posted by Channel 4 News on Tuesday, January 19, 2016



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Religion, terrorism and threats to Singapore, the region: K. Shanmugam

January 21, 2016, 5:02 am
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Politics and events in the Middle East have made the region fertile ground for terrorism, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said at a symposium by RSIS' Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies Programme yesterday. Below is an edited excerpt of his speech.
The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

Over the last few decades in this region, religion, particularly Islam, has been used as a tool in political power play. Exclusiveness based on religion was advocated. A nexus between political power and the clergy developed in some places. Broad-minded multiculturalism was de-emphasised. An "us" versus "them" mentality was encouraged. Sometimes it was cynical exploitation, for very secular ends.

The zealots want to overthrow elected governments and establish a caliphate.

Malaysian society has fundamentally changed. Look at a study by Merdeka Centre last year. Among Malay respondents, the most important trait was that the Malaysian Prime Minister should have Islamic credentials. Sixty per cent of Malaysian Malays identified themselves as Muslims first, rather than as Malaysians or Malays. If you look at support for syariah law, 71 per cent of Malay respondents supported hudud laws, which include the amputation of hands for thefts and stoning for adultery. Support was greater among younger Malays than older ones.

The current situation has been shaped by deliberate choices made over decades, about how public discourse on religion was to be conducted. It is useful to see some trends on what is happening in the public sphere in Malaysia. What happens in Malaysia is highly relevant for us.

Terengganu, an Umno-ruled state, introduced closure of supermarkets and shops during Friday prayers, public shaming of Muslims who skip Friday prayers. Then there was criticism by some leaders against Malaysian gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi. She won multiple SEA Games medals, including two golds. She was criticised for her gymnastics attire.

These are some indications that help us understand the trends in society. Malaysia as a whole has become much more Islamic. Politics led the change. Now that society has changed, politics will change even more and religion and politics will become even more closely linked. Against the backdrop of such changes, a section of the Malaysian population has begun to support extremist terrorist ideology. A recent Pew Research Centre study showed 10 per cent of Malaysian Malays had a favourable opinion of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Consider the nature of the threat posed, if even a small fraction of these become radicalised.

The Malaysian authorities have foiled several ISIS-inspired attack plots and arrested several persons involved in ISIS activities. There were personnel from the armed forces and security forces including commandos (as was reported in the media), police officers, civil servants and healthcare workers. These individuals enjoyed access to weapons, sensitive locations and information. They would have posed a great and severe security threat. The developments are obviously very, very troubling.

INDONESIA

In Indonesia, several militant groups have pledged allegiance to ISIS. Some pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) and madrasahs are suspected to be linked to terror networks. There is suspicion that money from the Middle East has been funnelled through these institutions. The prisons, where many Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terrorists are held, have been breeding grounds for radicalisation and recruitment for ISIS.

The threat is made worse by the impending release of a large number of terrorist prisoners which increases the risk in the region. Indonesia does not have preventive detention laws which can be used against these people. So hundreds of prisoners have already been released or will become eligible for release by the end of this year. They include JI-linked terrorists previously involved in plots against Singapore and Western targets in Indonesia.

In fact, two of the attackers in the recent Jakarta attacks had been convicted of terror-related crimes and were reportedly released from prison earlier.

Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar all face possibilities of inter-religious strife with their ethnic Muslim populations.

The home-grown conditions and politics in our region have now been aligned with events in the Middle East, such as the rise of ISIS in Palestine and Syria. There is a proliferation of charismatic preachers who advocate intolerance and violence, with such teachings available on the Internet, with glorification of terror, violence, beheadings. These international events and trends are fusing perfectly with fertile conditions in this region, to beget violence and terror.

FOUR THREATS IN SINGAPORE

What does all this mean for us, in Singapore? Our very existence, as one of the most religiously diverse and tolerant societies in the world, where mosques, churches and temples are situated side by side, is unacceptable to the zealots. They consider us infidels, kaffirs who ought to be exterminated. Singapore, in their scheme, has to become part of a caliphate.

We face four types of inter- related threats in Singapore, and they are becoming more urgent. First, of course, is the threat of a terrorist attack. It is not a question of "if" but "when". Second is the threat of radicalisation of a part of the Muslim population. The third problem we face is our Muslim population growing somewhat distant from the rest of our society. The fourth, which is a very serious threat, is Islamophobia among our non-Muslim communities. Let me deal with each of these in turn.

Extremists are evolving new ways of attacking defenceless people, killing maximum numbers. We have to anticipate and prepare for the attacks which will come. This requires a strengthening of our security forces, our intelligence capabilities and border controls. Border controls, especially at the land checkpoints may be irksome, especially the long waits during festival periods and holidays. But there is not much choice.

Singapore is fairly secure. We have tight laws, tight gun control, and with intelligence work, we try to prevent attacks from happening. But attackers are likely to gather and plan just outside Singapore and attack us, like the attack on Paris was probably planned in Molenbeek, Belgium, where security was less tight. So, in addition to hard security measures, we have to do one more thing which is very urgent. We have to move to change mindsets. Our people must realise that everyone is responsible for our collective security.

Over the next few months, my Ministry will announce some of the measures covering both the hard and soft aspects of Singapore's security, including the response by the community.

Our Internet penetration is over 100 per cent. More than 90 per cent of each cohort of our young people go on to some form of tertiary education - university, polytechnic or ITE. The young are very Internet savvy, and they can see and hear preachers who glorify violence on the Internet. The talks are very slick, evocative and increasingly aimed at populations in this region, and in Malay and English. Some of our young people have been brainwashed.

Just to share with you a couple of examples. The first, a young boy in NS. He decided he will go and learn demolition specifically. He began surfing the Internet for jihadist propaganda and videos when he was in polytechnic. He wanted to take part in armed jihad overseas, and went online to search for information on bomb-making. He also produced and posted a video glorifying martyrdom and justifying suicide bombing. We detained him.

For us, National Service is the place where all our young men come together. Our parents believe that the boys are safe in National Service. If one of the boys turns his weapon on another, that will be a deep tear in the fabric of our society. Faith will be shattered and communal harmony will be at risk and Islamophobia will grow.

Another self-radicalised boy decided that he would go and fight in Syria and Iraq. If he could not, he wanted to go to the Istana during an open house and use a knife to kill the President and the Prime Minister.

RISK OF GROWING APART

As religiosity sweeps the world, Singaporeans are not immune. There is a sense that Singaporeans as a whole are becoming more religious, across more religions. There is research which backs up this conclusion. Influences from the Middle East have had an impact on our Muslim population as well.

There is a fine line between having a greater understanding of religion and practising one's religion as opposed to believing that our religion requires us to be separate. Remaining an integral part of society as a whole, celebrating our diversity, being Singaporeans first and Chinese, Malay or Indian second, as opposed to being indifferent at best, more often intolerant towards other faiths. The latter approach will spell trouble to Singapore, and the wonderful multiracial, multiethnic society that we have here will be destroyed.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew spoke about Singaporean Chinese, Singaporean Malay, Singaporean Indian, in contrast to Chinese Singaporean, or Malay Singaporean, or Indian Singaporean. However, we have picked up among sections of our younger Muslim population, sentiments against wishing Christians "Merry Christmas" or wishing Hindus "Happy Deepavali".

Some groups preach that it is wrong for Muslims to recite the National Pledge, or sing the National Anthem, or serve National Service, as doing so would contradict the Muslim faith. Or that the democratically elected Government that we have in Singapore is incompatible with Islam, and that we should be a caliphate. These are worrying trends and if these sentiments become widespread, a Muslim community that grows apart from the mainstream is not good for Singapore and will have serious long-term implications.

We watch this closely and will do what we can. Foreign preachers are sometimes not allowed in. This is because we will not allow anyone, of any religion, who preaches that people of other faiths should be shunned or ignored.

The Government will not interfere in doctrinal matters within each religion, but the Government has to step in to protect our racial, religious harmony. We cannot allow someone to preach values which are contrary to our multicultural, multiethnic harmony. We take a firm, clear stand on that and make no apologies.

The threat of Islamophobia is a serious risk. Singapore is a unique place: Chinese comprise 74 per cent of the population. But Mandarin is not our working language, nor do the Chinese get the sort of privileges which 74 per cent of the population will expect in many societies.

We have crafted a unique set of policies emphasising multiracialism, tolerance and equality.

However, the daily, incessant news coverage of some attack somewhere in the world ranging across North America, Europe, Africa and Asia can create a general sense of suspicion of Muslims, Islam as a whole. Any home-grown radicalisation will seriously exacerbate this.

There are increasing reports of intolerance towards Muslims by non-Muslims. Singapore is not immune to such intolerance. In September, a Malay woman was walking towards a bus stop when she was approached by a man of another race, who uttered the words "suicide bomber" to her. In November, about a week after the Paris attacks, the words "Islam murderers" were found scribbled at a bus stop in Bukit Panjang and on a toilet seat at Jurong Point mall.

As yet, such acts are few and far between in Singapore. But it is difficult to assess how the mental landscape within people is shifting. If the mental landscape among a significant part of the population changes, then we will have a serious problem.

How our non-Muslim population treat our Muslim brothers and sisters will decide what type of society we are. And if we behave with suspicion and negativity, then our Muslim population will be further pushed. The harmonious society that we have built will be at risk.

It is therefore vital that we ask the non-Muslim communities to look squarely at themselves, their attitudes and viewpoints. How supportive are they really or are they only being superficially, politically, correct? Do they accept that the vast majority of our Muslim population are tolerant, positive and are in every way Singaporean? Do we accept that it is our duty to reach out, encourage and continue to build a harmonious society where each of us, including our Muslim brothers and sisters are bonded, and keep to the ideals of Singapore?

It is important that we ensure that Muslims in Singapore enjoy good opportunities, that there is no discrimination in schools, in jobs, in society as a whole. Islamophobia will tear our society apart. We have to guard against it. It is completely unacceptable.

RESOLUTELY "US"

In the face of these threats, what will our response be? How will we respond as a Government and one people to these challenges? Since Independence, we have made determined efforts to pursue policies that bring people from all races and religions together. We live in the same neighbourhoods, our children attend the same schools; and our young men all serve National Service together.

Our religious groups and communities have come up with initiatives to preserve our common space and to contribute to the well-being of Singaporean society as a whole. In this regard, the Muslim community in Singapore has much to be proud of. You are a successful model to the modern world for your moderate, respectful worldview and practices. The community must continue to preserve and protect their way of life, despite challenges from within and without.

As tendencies towards greater religious extremism and exclusivity grow in the region, both the Government and our people must make a bigger collective effort to safeguard our racial and religious harmony. The ultimate aim of terrorism is to create sharp and violent divisions between "us" and "them". If we remain resolutely "us", one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, no force can divide us, and terrorism will be defeated.

Religious leaders have to help our population understand the true nature of terrorist ideology. The ideology of ISIS has to be countered doctrinally. That has to come from religious scholarship. The fight for hearts and minds has to come through powerfully, and through simple messages, including on social media.

The community leaders have to help lead the fight for hearts and minds in a community context for a united Singapore. The Government has an important role. It has to be vigilant. There are tough laws to prevent race and religion being used to create divisions. For example, we will not allow the burning of the Quran or the Bible, in the name of free speech in Singapore. Nor will we allow denigration of any religion or person of another race. There are limits to free speech and we will be very tough on that. We will do our best to keep Singapore safe, and ensure equality of opportunities, fairness and a fair stake for all in Singapore. We will also ensure everyone has the freedom to practise his or her religion.

Over the course of this year, in the context of challenges and terrorist threats that we face, we will announce and roll out a significant number of policies which will seek to achieve these objectives.




Posted by K Shanmugam Sc on Thursday, January 21, 2016





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27 radicalised Bangladeshis held under the Internal Security Act
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27 radicalised Bangladeshis held under the Internal Security Act

January 21, 2016, 6:45 am
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They were planning attacks outside Singapore but were a serious threat to the Republic: PM
By Zakir Hussain, Deputy News Editor, Politics, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

Twenty-seven Bangladeshi workers who were planning terror attacks back home have been arrested in the largest security crackdown in Singapore in 15 years.

All but one of these construction workers, aged between 25 and 40, were deported last month, the Ministry of Home Affairs said yesterday.

Md Zahidul Islam Md Foyej Uddin, 32, is still here, serving a 12-week jail term for trying to leave the country illegally after learning his friends had been arrested. He will be sent home after his jail term.

The men were part of a closed religious study group that had met discreetly every week since 2013, and used the premises of a few local mosques near where some of them stayed. Most worked here for between two and seven years. They were not concentrated in any particular company, workplace or neighbourhood. They were picked up under the Internal Security Act between Nov 16 and Dec 1 last year.

In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: "They were plotting nefarious activities in Bangladesh and other countries, and not in Singapore. But they were still a serious threat to us."

Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, who a day earlier underlined the radical threat, said: "They could have easily changed their minds and attacked Singapore."

Found in the men's possession was "a significant amount" of radical material, including books and videos of young children undergoing paramilitary training with the flag of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the background.


WATCH: Why 27 Bangladeshis were nabbed in Singapore under Internal Security Act http://str.sg/ZVX7VIDEO: RAZOR TV
Posted by The Straits Times on Wednesday, January 20, 2016


Several men shared a document, adapted from a manual for assassins, and saved under the title "Techniques of Silent Killing". It had graphic images and instructions in Bengali on how to attack and kill a victim stealthily.

All but one of the men arrested were members of the group that subscribed to extremist beliefs and the teachings of radical ideologues like Yemeni-American preacher Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed in a United States drone strike in 2011.

They believed they should "wage armed jihad" against the Bangladeshi government. Some considered travelling to the Middle East. The group's only non-member was in the process of becoming radicalised, supported extremist preachers and had radical materials, the ministry said, without naming him.

The men also donated money to entities believed to be linked to extremist groups in their country. They "carefully targeted the recruitment of other Bangladeshi nationals to grow their membership".

The Home Affairs Ministry said: "This is the first time Singapore has uncovered a jihadist terror cell comprising foreigners." Previously, members of the Singapore Jemaah Islamiah network, detected in 2001, were involved in terrorist incidents overseas. Last year, four Singaporeans were detained because they were planning to take part in armed violence overseas alongside ISIS.

There are an estimated 160,000 Bangladeshi nationals here, mostly work permit holders.

Bangladeshis interviewed were surprised their countrymen would plot violence while in Singapore.

Muslim leaders said the arrests signal the need to be more vigilant and to engage foreigners who worship at mosques, and prevent deviant teachings from taking root.

Bangladesh Home Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said officials are investigating the men.

Said Singapore's Home Affairs Ministry: "Foreigners are guests of our country and they should not abuse this privilege and use Singapore as a base to import their own domestic political agenda and carry out activities in pursuit of such an agenda."




You have probably read about the 27 Bangladeshi workers arrested under the Internal Security Act. They had become...
Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday, January 20, 2016





Yesterday I made a speech about terrorism in the region. Today, MHA announced 27 Bangladeshis who have become...
Posted by K Shanmugam Sc on Wednesday, January 20, 2016





[MHA Press Release] Arrests of 27 Radicalised Bangladeshi Nationals under the Internal Security ActThe Internal...
Posted by Home Team News (Singapore) on Wednesday, January 20, 2016






Radicalisation of Bangladeshi workers arrested under ISA dates back to 2013
Bangladeshi workers started a closed study group to discuss conflicts involving Muslims
By Zakir Hussain, Deputy News Editor, Politics, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

In April 2013, terrorist group Islamic State announced it would expand its operations beyond Iraq as the civil war in Syria worsened.

Around the same time, supporters of radical Bangladesh Islamist group Jamaat-e-Islami were engaged in a wave of violence in the country that saw attacks on police and minorities.

That same year, a group of Bangladeshi construction workers in Singapore began a closed religious study group to discuss these conflicts that involved Muslims, and whether they should take up arms.

By the end of last year, their number had grown.

Between Nov 16 and Dec 1 last year, 26 members and another who nearly joined them were arrested under the Internal Security Act, Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said yesterday.

Ranging in age from 25 to 40, most had worked in Singapore between two and seven years.

These work permit holders were not concentrated in any particular construction company or workplace, nor were they concentrated in a particular residential area.

But they met every week to discuss taking up arms, and even used the premises of a few local mosques located near where some of them were staying, the ministry said.

Singapore Muslim leaders believe they might have slipped under the radar because quite a number of Bangladeshi workers gather at mosques, especially on weekends, to worship and do volunteer work.

Language poses a significant barrier too: Most Bangladeshi Muslims worship together with other Muslims, but when it comes to discussing religious matters, they are more comfortable using their own language. This group of radicalised men appeared to have taken measures to be discreet about what they discussed.

They circulated hardline material secretly among themselves.

They also carefully targeted fellow Bangladeshis to grow their numbers.

Some even distributed leaflets calling for the establishment of an Islamic caliphate, according to Bangladeshi workers interviewed who knew some of them.

Among themselves, they circulated videos of radical preachers as well as footage put out by supporters of terror groups like the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).



These show clips of young children undergoing martial arts as well as firearms training in what appear to be conflict zones. In the background are rousing Arabic recitations, also common in videos put out by ISIS to instil fervour among viewers.

The ministry said the members of the group supported the ideology of armed jihad espoused by terror groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS.

They also had grievances against their government back home over its actions against some Bangladeshi Islamic groups and leaders. The Bangladesh government had clamped down on these groups and detained their leaders.

The members donated money to outfits linked to these groups.

Some also supported the violent actions of extremists who killed Shi'ite Muslims because they considered them to be deviant.

So when this group of Bangladeshi nationals gathered every week, they encouraged members to return home and take up arms against their government.

It appears they went beyond just instilling fervour through videos.

Some members had a soft copy document in Bengali that showed, through graphics, how they could attack a targeted victim and kill him quickly and quietly.

The ministry did not give details of how the group was detected, but many Singaporeans and Bangladeshis yesterday denounced these plans and were relieved they were found out before harm was done.




BREAKING: 27 Bangladeshis working in Singapore have been arrested under the Internal Security Act. They supported terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda. http://str.sg/ZVX7
Posted by The Straits Times on Wednesday, January 20, 2016





Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) will continue to step up efforts to prevent any form of radical teachings from taking root in the Singaporean Muslim community. http://bit.ly/1PErkui
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Wednesday, January 20, 2016





14 of the 26 deported men arrested on their return home
Bangladesh conducting probe; 12 others released and being monitored by police
By Nirmala Ganapathy, India Bureau Chief In New Delhi, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

Bangladesh has arrested 14 of the 26 men deported from Singapore on terror charges and released the remaining 12, who are being monitored by police.

The Singapore authorities had arrested the 26 men, most of them construction workers, after discovering that they were planning terror attacks in their own country.

The 14 men were charged last month under the Anti-Terrorism Act after they returned to Bangladesh, Dhaka police officials said. Under the Act, the maximum punishment is the death sentence.

On Dec 27, they appeared in a Dhaka court, which ordered them to be detained in jail while investigations took place.

"The 14 are now in jail... investigations are going on. The rest have been released to their relatives under some conditions. They are being monitored," Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Maruf Hossain Sorder told The Straits Times. "They don't have any previous record."

Police investigations showed that the men were from different parts of Bangladesh and got to know each other while working in Singapore.

The men were part of a closed religious study group that had met discreetly every week since 2013, according to Singapore's Home Affairs Ministry.

Mr Mashrukur Rahman Khaled, a deputy commissioner with the Dhaka police, said the men were influenced by the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), also known as Ansar Bangla, an extremist organisation in Bangladesh.

The ABT has been accused of being behind a series of gruesome killings of atheist bloggers.

Bangladesh has seen a rise in extremist violence in recent years, marked by the high-profile murders of four bloggers, one publisher and two foreign nationals over the past 12 months alone.

Analysts see the development as a cause for concern for Bangladesh in its fight to stamp out terror.

"How deeply they were committed and how they were in possession of whatever evidence was found by Singapore. This is a matter for investigators to come up with (answers)," said Mr Tariq Karim, a former Bangladeshi diplomat and a distinguished fellow with the Delhi-based Vivekananda International Foundation.

"Certainly this should be worrying for any country and any government."





ISA ARRESTS: While the 27 Bangladeshi extremists did not have plans for terror activities in Singapore, there is nothing to suggest that this cannot happen here, says an expert. bit.ly/1n9AKa7
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Wednesday, January 20, 2016






ISA arrests: Singaporeans must be more vigilant against radical ideologies: Yaacob Ibrahim
By Shea Driscoll, The Straits Times, 20 Jan 2016

Singaporeans must be more vigilant, whether against radical teachings and ideologies, or of any suspicious activities, said Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim in response to the arrest of 27 radicalised Bangladeshis under the Internal Security Act.

He also urged Singaporeans to remain united and not discriminate against foreign workers here.

The 27 arrested were working in the construction sector here.

"The actions of a few cannot determine how we treat others who have worked so hard to build our homes, schools and hospitals," Dr Yaacob said in a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon (Jan 20).

I am deeply concerned about the arrests of a group of self-radicalised Bangladeshi workers in Singapore. Terrorism is a...
Posted by Yaacob Ibrahim on Wednesday, January 20, 2016


He also expressed his concern over the arrests.

"Terrorism is a continuing threat that can have a grave impact on all of us.

"I appeal that we be more vigilant, whether against radical teachings and ideologies, or of any suspicious activities around us," he said.

Dr Yaacob added: "All of us, regardless of race, language or religion, have a role to play. With solidarity and strong bonds of trust, I am confident we can overcome these threats as one people."

MP and Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs Amrin Amin added: "Extremist ideas are not just what we read about in newspapers. We have to be vigilant. We should speak up to make it absolutely clear that extremism has no place in our multiracial and religious Singapore."

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) denounced acts or plans by extremist groups that threaten the security of Singapore. Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakaram, Mufti of Singapore, said Muis will continue to step up efforts to prevent any form of radical teachings from taking root in the Singaporean Muslim community. Muis and the mosques also work closely with the Singapore Bangladeshi Association to enhance the welfare of the Bangladeshi workers.

FULL STATEMENT FROM DR MOHAMED FATRIS BAKARAM:

"Muis, together with the Singapore Muslim community, joins fellow Singaporeans in denouncing any acts or plans by extremist groups which threaten the security, peace and harmony of Singapore and the world. They contradict the fundamental Islamic teaching of protecting the sanctity of human life and preserving peace and harmony at all times.

The safety and peace of Singapore is of paramount interest to the Singapore Muslim community. We have a commendable tradition of living as inclusive and progressive Muslims within the context of Singapore's multi-ethnic and multi-religious landscape.

In recent times, the community itself is growing in diversity, with the inclusion of our brothers and sisters from around the world who come to our shores to visit and work, as well as greater exposure through the internet and social media to the many orientations of Islam.

Just as we have shown the beauty of Islam in being able to live with other faith communities, so too should we refrain from intolerance within our own community. Exclusivist and isolationist tendencies will only lead to extreme religious thinking and practice, which is unacceptable and goes against the very essence of Islamic teachings.

Muis calls upon the Singapore Muslim community to remain vigilant and uphold our resilience against these tendencies, radical ideologies and individuals who subscribe to them, both online and offline.

On its part, Muis will continue to step up efforts to prevent any form of radical teachings from taking root in the Singaporean Muslim community."

MUIS DIRECTOR OF MOSQUES HELMY ISA SAID:

"Singapore has a large number of foreign workers which include Bangladeshi Muslims working in the construction and the cleaning sector. Over the years, the Bangladeshis have been become part of and embraced by the diverse mosque congregation.

They perform prayers regularly at the mosques and also volunteer their time in helping the mosques in noble work such as preparing for and cleaning up after iftar during Ramadan as well as during other Islamic festivals such as Korban.

Muis and the mosques have taken several proactive steps to ensure that our Bangladeshi congregation could perform prayers in a conducive environment, given the prayer space constraints. Several mosques have included holding two sessions of Friday prayers and even Eid prayers to specially cater to their needs.

Muis and the mosques also work closely with the Singapore Bangladeshi Association (SBA) to enhance the welfare of the Bangladeshi workers. For example, the text of Muis' Eid sermons are translated into Bangla for the benefit of the workers.

We do hope that the discovery of the heinous plan by the group does not tarnish the good image of our Bangladeshi workers.

Muis has been stepping up efforts to prevent radical teachings from taking root in the community. This includes working with mosques to help them better design and manage their programmes, to ensure that mosque programmes promote intra and interfaith harmony through deep understanding of Islamic principles and practices, do not contain any element of deviant or radical teachings and ideologies and are not used as platforms to disparage other sects or religious thoughts in Islam or to denigrate other faiths.

Muis calls on the community to be vigilant against such teachings."





ISA ARRESTS: Footage of children undergoing physical and firearms training in terrorist camps was circulated among the...
Posted by The Straits Times on Wednesday, January 20, 2016






How one worker learnt of friend's arrest
By Aw Cheng Wei, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

One morning in November last year, a Bangladeshi construction worker here received a call from his friend's brother.

"I could barely make out what he was saying. He sounded very scared," said the worker, who gave his name only as Mahbub.

After calming the man down, Mr Mahbub learnt that a group of people had picked up his friend - Hossen Md Akram - from the shophouse in Desker Road where he was staying. No one knew who they were.

"I tried calling Akram but he did not answer," said Mr Mahbub, 28.

A week went by. Akram's brother, who was newly arrived in Singapore and also a construction worker, was getting frantic.

Frustrated, Mr Mahbub lodged a report about his missing friend at a police station. That was when worry gave way to shock. A senior officer advised him to have a word with Akram's boss.

The boss said "Akram was caught by police but not the ones we always see", Mr Mahbub said. He was also told that Akram would be sent back to Bangladesh.

He told Akram's brother what he had learnt. The man was relieved, but the saga was not over.

Last month, Mr Mahbub found out that Akram had been arrested in Dhaka as soon as his flight landed in Bangladesh.

Akram's family was not allowed to meet him, and he is still in jail.

Yesterday, Akram, 32, was named as one of 27 Bangladeshi workers who had been arrested in Singapore between November and last month under the Internal Security Act.

They were planning terror attacks back home. All of them had their work permits cancelled and 26 have since been repatriated.

Mr Mahbub still cannot get over the shock of learning that Akram had become radicalised.

The two men, who are from the same village in Bangladesh, came to Singapore six years ago.

He said he had no idea when radical thoughts took root in his friend's mind.

"Akram would go to the mosque on Sundays," he said.

Other Bangladeshi nationals told The Straits Times that they were aware of extremist groups back home, but did not expect to find them in "safe and secure" Singapore.


"It's very shameful for us... that some of them were involved with a terrorist group," said Mr Mohsin, the editor of a Bengali newspaper in Singapore. http://str.sg/ZVBHST VIDEO: AW CHENG WEI
Posted by The Straits Times on Wednesday, January 20, 2016


Mr Abdul Khaeer Mohammed Mohsin, 53, editor of the Banglar Kantha, a Bengali newspaper here, said he had heard of "disappearing" workers last month.

He ran a report in this month's issue of the paper about workers being deported for alleged extremist behaviour.

"It's a shameful situation," he said. "They are here to work, not engage in political or extremist activities."

Workers said they hoped Singaporeans would not judge their community by the actions of these 27 men.

Construction worker Nurzzaman, 32, said: "It's a very, very small group... Most of us don't agree with them. Our country is not (extremist)."





“We are just here to work, and we don’t want to cause trouble": Bangladeshis in Singapore fear backlash even as they denounce the 27 countrymen who were arrested over their extremist plans. TODAY reports.
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Wednesday, January 20, 2016






Bangladeshis 'mostly peace-loving'
By Aw Cheng Wei, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

While condemning the actions of 27 compatriots arrested last year under the Internal Security Act, Bangladesh's High Commissioner to Singapore stressed that most Bangladeshis are peace-loving and law-abiding.

Speaking to The Straits Times at the funeral of a community leader at Angullia Mosque in Little India yesterday, High Commissioner Mahbub Uz Zaman said the Singapore Government was "right in sending them back", referring to the radicalised individuals.

All but one of the 27 construction workers, who were planning to wage armed jihad in their home country, had been deported. The remaining one is serving a jail term for trying to leave Singapore illegally. He will also be deported after he serves his time.

Mr Zaman, who has been holding his post since 2012, confirmed that police in Dhaka are investigating the matter.

"The radicals were arrested once they landed," he said.

Currently, there are 160,000 Bangladeshi nationals in the Republic. Most work in construction but Mr Zaman did not provide specific figures. He said his embassy will continue to visit workers in their dormitories. "We will inform them that they are to follow the laws here and not get involved in illegal activities."

But he highlighted that the 27 are "not representative of the community". Mr Zaman stressed that Bangladeshis here belong to "a peace-loving community that follows the rules of the countries they are residing in", which has also contributed to society.





I was extremely concerned to hear about the discovery of a radical cell comprising foreign workers in Singapore....
Posted by Chan Chun Sing on Wednesday, January 20, 2016





Bangladeshi workers still needed here: Employers
By Toh Yong Chuan, Manpower Correspondent, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

While shocked by the news that 27 Bangladeshi construction workers who turned radical had been arrested here, employers said they would continue to hire workers from that country.

Some said they would do so because their options were limited, while others felt that the actions of a handful should not taint the whole group.

The Singapore Contractors Association, which represents construction firms, declined to comment on the impact of the arrests on the sector, saying the case is sensitive and the association did not have sufficient information.

But Ms Annie Gan, managing director of Jian Huang Construction, said workers from India and Bangladesh will continue to be needed in the sector because they do the hard labour that other workers shun.

"It cannot be that we stop hiring them because of just one case," she said. "What is important is that companies continue to look after the welfare of their workers so that they feel (that they are) a part of the company and Singapore."

Besides the construction sector, cleaning companies also hire Bangladeshi workers to clear the rubbish bins in Housing Board estates.

"It is the only source of foreign workers approved for town council work, so we will continue to hire them unless there are other new approved sources," said Mr Milton Ng, managing director of Ramky Cleantech Services.

Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Thomas Chua said the episode showed that it is critical to assimilate these workers properly into the labour force, "regardless of the country of their origin".

Bangladesh High Commissioner Mahbub Uz Zaman said there were around 160,000 Bangladeshi workers in Singapore.

The spotlight also fell on how they lived here and interacted with one another. Dormitory operators agreed that if the workers staying in their quarters were well integrated, it could prevent them from getting radicalised.

Mr Mohamed Abdul Jaleel, the founder and chief executive of dormitory operator Mini Environment Service, said how dormitories are run can influence the behaviour of the workers who stay there.

"It is inevitable that those of the same nationalities will prefer to live together, but we make sure that they share common spaces like sports and recreation facilities," he said.

About 8,000, or one-third, of the 23,500 foreign workers who stay in the three dormitories that he runs are from Bangladesh.

"They get their own space for prayers, but they know that they are part of a larger community," he added.

He will be briefing his staff to monitor how the foreign workers react to the news of the arrests.

Mr Kelvin Teo, chief operating officer of Centurion Dormitories, said an operator's role in integrating the different nationalities of foreign workers extended beyond the dormitories.

"We have to bring them to the larger community," he said. "For example, we took a group of 100 workers to participate in The Straits Times Run last year."

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang, chairman of foreign worker advocacy group Migrant Workers' Centre, urged employers and the public not to let the arrests taint their impression of foreign workers.

"The vast majority of foreign workers are law-abiding and hard-working," said Mr Yeo. "Let us not tar them with the same brush."





The arrest and deportation of the 27 Bangladeshi nationals linked to terrorism showed the alertness of our law...
Posted by Wong Kan Seng on Wednesday, January 20, 2016





The recent arrests of the radicalised workers is a clear reminder that Singapore is not immune to threats of extremism...
Posted by Grace Fu on Wednesday, January 20, 2016





Counter-terrorism efforts should widen to include foreigners, say leaders
It does not mean being suspicious but to show concern and not let them be isolated, say leaders
By Rachel Au-Yong, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

Efforts to counter extremism and radicalisation should be broadened to include foreigners, said community, political and religious leaders yesterday.

But this requires the involvement of all Singaporeans - Muslims and non-Muslims - and may also involve difficult discussions, they told The Straits Times.

Their comments follow the revelation yesterday that 27 Bangladeshi construction workers who were considering militant attacks abroad had been arrested here.

"The arrests clearly show that countering extremism in Singapore has to move beyond our main target audience, and also include foreigners," said Ustaz Mohamed Ali, vice-chairman of the Religious Rehabilitation Group, which counsels terror detainees and counters radicalism.

"It's important for us to engage the foreign workers at mosques. We must not let them be isolated and dissociated from the community here."

At the Khadijah Mosque in Geylang which has about 2,000 Bangladeshi worshippers, for example, regular meetings are held between mosque leaders and some of these worshippers to keep abreast of teachings, as well as to see how they can help with maintaining the mosque.

Singapore Mufti Mohamed Fatris Bakaram, speaking to reporters after a forum on inter-faith relations, said there were challenges to monitoring foreigners in religious settings. Those arrested met at mosques regularly. But given the casual nature "of friends coming together in between prayers and asking each other about life and work... almost every occasion seems innocent", said Dr Fatris.

"But I think it's time now to be... more vigilant," he added.

Being vigilant, however, did not mean being suspicious of foreigners, he said. Rather, it involved showing concern for them and their interests, and how they felt about their work and families.

"That touch of mercy, compassion and love is what is needed. And that's not only the responsibility of the Muslim community but everyone in Singapore," he added.

Employers in the construction industry, where there are many Bangladeshi workers, could remind them not to lose sight of their goal of earning money for their families back home, said Mr Rajan Krishnan, chief executive of a civil engineering firm and a member of the National Steering Committee on Racial and Religious Harmony.

"The assurance has to be two ways. Employers have to show that we respect our foreign workers and that we need them for our worksites and country. Workers' focus should be on their work, not extremist ideology," he added.

Jurong GRC MP Rahayu Mahzam, a member of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Law, said Singapore had a robust security network, but this could be boosted by Singaporeans keeping an eye out for radicalised individuals in their midst.

That required Singaporeans, especially younger ones, to be more aware of the need to maintain religious harmony, she said.

"The situation has changed and the threat has evolved. So we need to have these conversations about religious harmony, and to be mature and not so easily offended. Otherwise, we'll succumb to the fear that terrorism aims to instil."

She also said her grassroots network has links with foreign worker dormitories in the area and she would tap these to see how to engage these workers better.

"But we must make sure we do not end up discriminating against workers. At the end of the day, most rational Singaporeans know this was the work of a few extreme individuals," she said.

The arrest of 27 Bangladeshi foreign workers in Singapore is another example on how our safety and security is not...
Posted by Amrin Amin on Wednesday, January 20, 2016


In a Facebook post, Parliamentary Secretary for Home Affairs Amrin Amin said it was important Singaporeans do not tar Bangladeshis or Muslims with the same brush and regard them as terrorists.

"I have met many Bangladeshis in Singapore and they are good people. I am Muslim and I reject these extremist teachings. The extremists preach division and hatred. We are better than that."




BE VIGILANT AGAINST RADICALISM

While they were not planning any terrorist attacks in Singapore, and it is only a minority who subscribe to extremist teachings, the incident demonstrates growing tendencies towards religious extremism in the region, which could possibly undermine Singapore's national security and racial and religious harmony.

SFCCA fully supports the Singapore Government's actions to beef up national security. Singaporeans should also remain calm and be more vigilant against radical teachings and ideologies, (and) at the same time work hand in hand with the Government to safeguard our collective security.

- ''THE SINGAPORE FEDERATION OF CHINESE CLAN ASSOCIATIONS (SFCCA), in a statement following news of the arrests.



DAILY REMINDERS OF TERROR THREAT

Yesterday, I made a speech about terrorism in the region. Today, MHA announced 27 Bangladeshis who have become radicalised and were planning attacks back home...

They were meeting at a mosque on a regular basis. I sometimes walk past this mosque.

They had materials on techniques of silent killing and videos on jihadist propaganda.

The videos showed young children training overseas with firearms.

While they were planning attacks outside Singapore, they could have easily changed their minds and attacked Singapore.

Our security agencies have done well in picking them up early. I had said yesterday that the threat of terrorism is real. We are getting daily reminders of that.

- MR K. SHANMUGAM, Minister for Home Affairs and Law, in a Facebook post.



STOPPED IN TIME

I'm glad that the group consisting of 27 Bangladeshi workers have had their plans curbed before things happened. Because it takes only one criminal act by such a group to have a devastating impact on the social cohesion that we have built for many years.

- MUFTI FATRIS BAKARAM, on the arrest of the workers.






ISA arrests: Workers fear stigma and losing their jobs
By Aw Cheng Wei and Nilanjana Sengupta, Digital News Editor, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

Shock, shame and the fear of being stigmatised were felt by Bangladeshi workers yesterday, the day after the clandestine activities of their countrymen working in Singapore were made public.

Professionals especially were worried about their standing in Singapore society, saying they foresee locals becoming wary of them.

Said IT executive Maruf Kuzman, 36: "I don't want my local colleagues to think I could be up to no good... If they stay away from me, it will be hard to work together."

But blue-collar Bangladeshi workers, who are mainly in the construction and marine sectors, seemed more pained by a sense of shame.

Said construction supervisor Jul- fikar, 38, who goes by one name: "We come here to work, not create trouble. I am ashamed of their conduct.''

Like all the 25 Bangladeshis interviewed, he condemned the radicalised group, saying he neither subscribes to their violent beliefs nor condones their plans to launch terror attacks back home and in the Middle East.

Said marine worker Tutul Khan, 33: "We are not supposed to be doing political activities, just working and sending money home. They did not appreciate the chance to make money here.''

In the last two months, 27 Bangladeshi construction workers were arrested for planning terror attacks in their home country and in the Middle East. All were deported except one, who is in jail for trying to leave Singapore illegally.

The Bangladeshi community here is now looking at ways to raise awareness, especially among construction workers, of the laws of Singapore, said the president of the Singapore Bangladeshi Society, Mr Mohd Shahiduzzaman.

His organisation, whose 700 to 800 members are professionals, plans to work with the Bangladesh High Commission on it.

"We are concerned about how the larger Singaporean community will view us," he added.

Members had told him they are very worried about a possible backlash at work or in the community.

"We will do what we can to reach out and create more awareness about the Bangladeshi community,'' he added.

Bangladesh High Commissioner Mahbub Uz Zaman added: "Bangladeshis here are mostly peace-loving, law-abiding people. The extremists are a small segment and not representative."

Labour chief Chan Chun Sing, writing in a Facebook post on Wednesday, reminded Singaporeans that the "majority of the foreign workers here contribute positively to the growth and development of our nation".

He added: "We must be careful not to let the actions of these radicalised foreign workers taint the positive contributions of other law-abiding foreign workers who live harmoniously amongst us."

Meanwhile, High Commission staff will continue to visit worker dormitories and carry out activities to educate workers on the dos and don'ts in Singapore. The High Commissioner said about 160,000 Bangladeshis work in Singapore's construction and marine sectors.

Many interviewed said extremist political and religious groups are common back home and they are aware of them. But finding one of their cells here shocked them.

Said construction worker Kazi Arif, 33, yesterday: "I was shocked. My colleagues and I got the news today at lunch. We just continued eating and then went back to work. We didn't talk too much about it.''

Most of the construction workers said they did not know about the arrests until the day after the news came out as they do not follow local media. But now, they worry their jobs are at risk because all the radicalised men were in construction.

A Manpower Ministry spokesmen told The Straits Times that Bangladesh remains an approved source country for foreign workers.

Said worksite supervisor Mohd Iqbal, 37: "We come here to work because we want money. We hope we don't lose our jobs."





ISA arrests show need to raise vigilance, say Muslim leaders
They plan to do more to engage Bangladeshi worshippers, to warn them about radical ideology
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

Hours after the news broke on Thursday that a group of 27 radicalised Bangladeshi men had been arrested, members of the Assyakirin Mosque management board gathered for a regular meeting but they had a new topic: Review the way they operate.

Said Ustaz Suhaimi Mustar: "You have to monitor all classes, all groups in the mosque, you need to talk to them individually... We don't want this to happen here."

The mosque chairman was referring to the fact that the rogue Bangladeshis had used the premises of a few Singapore mosques to discuss their radical ideology.

Like him, mosque and Muslim community leaders interviewed yesterday said the discovery of the radical study group was a timely wake-up call to step up vigilance against extremists who distort Islamic teachings to justify violence.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had said the men, construction workers aged between 25 to 40, shared radical material discreetly and urged members to take up arms against the Bangladeshi government.

All but one of them were deported, the last serving a jail term for trying to leave Singapore illegally.

The news hit hard for a number of mosques like Assyakirin, the closest mosque for many Bangladeshi workers staying in nearby dormitories. Up to half the daily congregation is Bangladeshi, and many of them volunteer at the mosque. It also has a Bangladeshi board member.

On Friday afternoons, the mosque in Jurong West, which has a capacity of 6,000, has to hold two sessions, the second in Bengali. It also makes sure the Bangladeshi preachers are qualified.

As the number of Bangladeshi workers here grew in recent years to meet manpower needs, they have been welcomed in mosques as part of increasingly diverse congregations, said Mr Helmy Isa, director of mosques at the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis).

He notes that Muis has been stepping up efforts to prevent radical teachings from taking root, and urged the community to be vigilant.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim, in a Facebook post, said: "I appeal that we be more vigilant, whether against radical teachings and ideologies, or of any suspicious activities around us".

He hoped that people would also remain united and not discriminate against foreign workers.

Like Ustaz Suhaimi, a number of other mosque leaders now plan to do even more to engage foreign worshippers. They stress that the majority of Bangladeshis here denounce extremist leanings like those held by the radicalised study group.

Mr Abdul Rahim Kassim, secretary of the Khadijah Mosque in Geylang Road, which has a sizeable Bangladeshi congregation, said mosque leaders had always made sure they were in the loop on the activities of those at the mosque, including their twice-weekly classes.

"We have an open concept, we do classes in the prayer hall, the light is on, no secluded place for them to do what they want, " he said.

But in the wake of the reports, they plan to hold more discussions with Bangladeshi worshippers.

"We don't want them to stop coming to the mosque to pray out of fear of any kind of backlash," he said.

Further down Geylang Road, the Haji Mohd Salleh Mosque sees largely Bangladeshi worshippers.

Vice-chairman Haron Hamzah said workers who stay in the nearby lorongs pray at the mosque in groups of three to five, and attend religious classes in larger groups.

"We get to know the ones who lead each group and advise them, and we will look at ways to better reach out to them so they can help us reach the wider Bangladeshi community," he said. "Sometimes, when I meet them, I also tell them, 'This is Singapore, don't do anything bad, you come here to work to support your family.'"

Mr Abdul Halim Kader, who heads Muslim group Taman Bacaan, which has held seminars to educate youth against extremism, now plans to hold sessions to educate foreign workers about the dangers of radical ideology. "This is a gap, we have to have Bengali speakers to educate them," he added.

Ms Ng Siew Lam, chairman of the Geylang Serai Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle, welcomed the assurance that Muslim leaders were being more watchful.

"Singaporeans do not see all Bangladeshis in the same light as those who were detained. Their radical views are not representative of the views of the majority of Muslims in Singapore and abroad," she said.

"We stand together in rejecting extremist ideologies, which have no place in multiracial and multi-religious Singapore."





Dhaka probe into how group became radicalised
Police say it is first case of large number of Bangladeshi workers becoming influenced abroad
By Nirmala Ganapathy, India Bureau Chief In NewDelhi, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

The group of 26 Bangladeshi nationals deported by Singapore for planning terror attacks back home is the first such instance of a large number of Bangladeshis becoming radicalised while working abroad, say police and security experts.

Dhaka police said the men, 14 of whom have been arrested and detained in jail, had gone to Singapore to work as construction workers to earn money to send home. The police are now investigating how the men became radicalised.

"This is the first such case. They don't have any (terrorist) background," Dhaka Metropolitan Police spokesman Maruf Hossain Sorder told The Straits Times.

Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country of 160 million people, has seen publishers and bloggers targeted - and some of them killed - by militant groups even as the government cracked down on far-right parties such as the Jamaat-e-Islami.

Since 2013, Bangladesh has executed leading Jamaat members who had been convicted of genocide during the Liberation struggle of 1971. The move angered many affiliated groups, which accused the government of waging a politically motivated campaign.

Members of the Bangladeshi group in Singapore also had grievances against their government over its actions against some Bangladeshi Islamic groups and leaders, according to the Singapore authorities. The men were found to have "a significant amount" of radical material, including books and videos of children undergoing paramilitary training with an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) flag in the background.

According to a Dhaka police official, Mr Mashrukur Rahman Khaled, the 14 men are so far found to have links with the Ansarullah Bangla Team militant group, but none with ISIS or Al-Qaeda.

Some analysts see the radicalisation of Bangladeshi workers abroad as a "new phenomenon". "The Singapore case is a big worry as this is a completely new phenomenon. These are working-class people," said Dr Shantanu Majumder, an associate professor at Dhaka University.

With millions of Bangladeshis working outside the country, analysts say it would be difficult for Bangladesh or any other country to keep track of citizens abroad.

Referring to the release of photos of the Bangladeshi men by the Singapore authorities, security analyst Md Abdur Rashid told The Straits Times: "I think this creates social pressure on others if they are thinking of getting involved in similar activities.

"If each and every government takes such strong steps, then we can succeed against terrorism."

As for the 12 men who were released after they returned to Bangladesh, the executive director of the Institute of Conflict, Law and Development Studies in Dhaka added: "While there is a probability that (they) may escape surveillance, there is also a possibility that their return to their families will help them lead a normal life. Because in Bangladesh, most families are not radicalised and there is an inherent resistance to violence."

Additional reporting by Nilanjana Sengupta





Radical groups in Bangladesh
The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

Analysts and people who knew some of the 27 Bangladeshi workers suggest they may have been influenced by three radical outfits in Bangladesh, namely:

ANSARULLAH BANGLA TEAM

Created in 2011, this banned militant group adheres to Al-Qaeda's ideology and is directly linked with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Its objectives include the radicalisation of young people, inciting active participation in a local armed struggle and seeking control of areas in Bangladesh. It is believed to be behind a series of attacks on atheist bloggers in Bangladesh in recent months.

JAMAAT-E-ISLAMI

The largest Islamist political party in Bangladesh before its registration was cancelled in 2013, it is committed to the creation of an Islamic state with a syariah legal system and the outlawing of "un-Islamic" practices and laws.

The group was founded in 1941, and many of its leaders are accused of war crimes during the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971. Several have been convicted by the country's International Crimes Tribunal.

AHLE HADITH ANDOLAN BANGLADESH

An Islamist militant outfit led by Muhammad Asadullah Al-Ghalib, who has called for a struggle against "Islamic fallacies" and to bring about Islamic rule.

It is said to be a main source of terror financing in Bangladesh along with Jamaat-e-Islami, channelling funds for recruitment and training, and to establish mosques and madrasahs that help radicalise people.



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Bosses must now pay Filipino maids at least $550 a month

January 21, 2016, 11:10 pm
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No official word yet, but maid agents say contracts submitted at embassy last week rejected over salary
By Joanna Seow, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

Employers will have to pay at least $550 a month to employ a Filipino maid, up from $500 - the first rise in three years.

This comes three months after the Indonesian Embassy here told agents that the minimum salary for maids from its country must be $550 a month, also up from $500.

Although there was no official announcement from the Philippines' side, employment agents here told The Straits Times that employment contracts submitted at the embassy last week had been rejected as the salaries were too low.

The minimum salary for maids set by the Philippine government had been US$400 for over a decade. To avoid exchange rate fluctuations, the Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) (AEAS) had an agreement more than three years ago with the Philippine Embassy here that it would be set at $500 locally, said AEAS president K. Jayaprema.

As the US dollar has strengthened - US$400 is now worth around S$575 - the change is not unexpected, she said. "Salaries do increase over time; it is a natural progression," Ms Jayaprema said, adding that while some groups of helpers such as those doing caregiving and eldercare roles were already being paid above $600 due to better qualifications, the majority still received around $500 a month.

Employers also have to pay a foreign worker levy of $265 a month, although a concessionary rate of $60 is available for most households, for instance those with a Singaporean child below the age of 16 or an elderly person aged 65 and above.

The Philippine Embassy's labour attache could not be reached for comment yesterday. There are about 70,000 Filipino maids here, out of a total of about 227,100 maids.

Just two months ago, the embassy tightened restrictions on its nationals coming to Singapore to work as maids, as it started processing only five employment contracts per employment agency each week. A few months earlier, it halved the number of job orders, which are the number of workers an agency can recruit at one time, allocated to each employment agency.

A Manpower Ministry spokesman said: "Employment agencies and employers who wish to recruit foreign domestic workers should consider requirements administered by foreign governments or embassies carefully when making their hiring decisions."

The latest change may cause some delays for employers waiting for their employment contracts to be approved, said Ms Jayaprema. Some agents will have to reapply for a work permit with the new salary and redo other paperwork such as the security bond.

Mr Stephen Chia of 21st Century Employment Agency said he had been expecting the increase after the Indonesian Embassy increased its minimum wage for maids and the US dollar appreciated.

"This month we already started to play it safe and tell employers to anticipate the adjustment," he said.


Related
Minimum pay for Indonesian maids at $550 from January 2016
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New interactive art education programme launched for primary school students

January 21, 2016, 11:25 pm
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Art class moves from classroom to great outdoors
By Yuen Sin, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

Primary school pupils are to be given the chance to learn about and interact with art in public spaces.

A new art education programme was launched by the National Arts Council's Public Art Trust (PAT) and non-profit organisation Art Outreach yesterday.

It will take students on a tour of public art along the Jubilee Walk, a commemorative 8km-long trail covering 25 historic sites in and around the civic district.

Thank you to the Art Outreach Singapore team too! Great job today with the kids :) looking forward to more school programmes and walking tours
Posted by Public Art Trust on Wednesday, January 20, 2016


Yesterday morning, about 120 pupils from three schools attended a pilot run of the programme, exploring three art installations created by Singaporeans that were commissioned by the trust as part of the SG50 celebrations.

They include Singapore's first long-standing audio sculpture by artist Baet Yeok Kuan, titled 24 Hours In Singapore, which consists of five large stainless-steel spheres near the Asian Civilisations Museum that play audio recordings of daily life in Singapore, such as the sounds of traffic in the heartland and MRT trains. Other work by artists Han Sai Por, Kum Chee Kiong and Tan Wee Lit are also featured.

"We want to take their understanding of art beyond just a two-dimensional scale, and challenge their sense of what art is and why art exists," said Ms Mae Anderson, 43, chairman of Art Outreach Singapore.

Under the curriculum developed by Art Outreach, pupils are prompted to respond to different pieces of art. For example, worksheets ask them to compare and contrast differences between the new installations and older sculptures, such as Aw Tee Hong's 2003 work The River Merchants, located along the Singapore River.

Josh Emmanuel, 10, a Primary 4 St Joseph's Institution Junior pupil, enjoyed learning about the 24 Hours In Singapore sculpture. "You can get up close and see your reflection in it, and you can hear many different sounds when you are there," he said.

The programme, led by Art Outreach staff and professional guides, will be extended to 60 schools by the end of this year. It will also train teachers to lead the tours.

The PAT also announced yesterday that it will set up a partnership with the Singapore Land Authority to bring more public art to residential neighbourhoods such as Bishan and Tampines, and provide online resources for the public to learn more about art in their own homes.

The exact timeline for the project will be confirmed at a later date.



Students from Admiralty Primary, Naval Base Primary & SJI Junior were spotted at Empress Place Lawn @ ACM (Asian...
Posted by ArtsForLife on Tuesday, January 19, 2016



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A budding community of green thumbs

January 22, 2016, 1:30 am
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Foodscape Collective hopes to to start a 'cross-fertilisation' of green ideas, projects
By Lester Hio, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

Urban farming has taken root in Singapore, with the number of amateur gardeners and gardening enthusiasts growing over the years.

However, such gardens are still largely confined to individuals' own properties, with each person or group doing their own thing.

Now, a group called Foodscape Collective wants to bring together all these green thumbs - home farmers, community gardeners and organisations.

Ms Ng Huiying, 24, a research assistant at the National University of Singapore, and environmental scientist Pui Cuifen, 33, started the group last March and were soon joined by Ms Suzanna Kusuma, 36, who works in marketing, and environmental educator Tan Hang Chong, 42, who is also an assistant honorary secretary of the Nature Society of Singapore.

Their vision is to take community gardening a step further by building connections with the various such gardens and to start a "cross-fertilisation" of ideas, experiences and crops from one garden to another.

Mr Tan said: "We want to build a larger community out of all these gardens across Singapore."

The group organises visits to the various community gardens across the island, sets up booths at farmers' markets and holds pot-luck dinners at which crops harvested from home gardens are cooked and shared.

The aim is to start a community of not just gardeners but also seed growers and savers.

Its latest project is the creation of a seed bank which saw seed packets mailed to interested gardeners. So far, 84 people have signed up for their packets, which contain basil, luffa and okra seeds.

Ms Ng said: "These plants grow well in Singapore's climate, and are easy for even newcomers to grow."

Those who receive the seeds will grow them until the plants that spring from them flower. They are then supposed to mail the seeds from the grown plants back to the collective.

The initial batch of seeds, which the group estimates it will receive in four months, will form the first seeds in the community seed bank.

The group is still getting requests from people who want to join this project, and it is considering another giveaway soon.

The four members consider themselves to be the core team of Foodscape, but said that, as a collective, anyone is welcome to join.

Ms Pui said: "That's why we're called a collective - anyone who's interested in home gardening or food sustainability is welcome."

There is no fixed number of members in the collective, said Ms Ng, but it has more than 700 likes on Facebook and almost 200 people have signed up for its newsletter.

The Foodscape Collective's concerns go beyond growing food and gardening - it also wants to study and share how food is consumed and distributed in Singapore, and how to cut food waste.

Food waste in Singapore has gone up by 48 per cent in the past 10 years. Last year, the National Environment Agency released figures showing that Singapore generated 788,600 tonnes of food waste, or about 146kg a person, in 2014.

The group's members collaborate with gardeners, cooks and chefs to raise awareness about the the entire chain of food production and consumption from seed to produce.

Ms Ng said: "We want to raise awareness of sustainable eating, and also introduce more peopleto the idea."

The group has also started an online map of community gardens which members can update to show where their gardens are and what events they are planning.

Up next is a community harvest next month, where it intends to reach out to the public to join the harvesting of crops grown in various public community gardens.



Meeting point: Beside Block 106 Bukit Batok Central.Make no mistake - this is no ordinary community garden space. For...
Posted by Foodscape Collective on Sunday, January 17, 2016




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Forget Us Not: Help for dementia patients in Yishun

January 22, 2016, 2:01 am
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Yishun set to be first ‘dementia-friendly’ town
2,000 people trained so far in community support project
By Janice Tai, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

Madam Chan Poh Keng, 86, was once almost caught for shoplifting because she took and ate a banana from a provision shop but forgot to pay for it.

Several times, she had been lost for hours because she could not remember the way home.

Her daughter, Ms Mok Leng Chan, 65, who has been caring for her for the past 16 years, said: "It is so frustrating for her that she hits her head with her hands to try to recall. Caring for her became so tiring that I once even thought of killing myself with her."

To support people with dementia and caregivers like Ms Mok, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) and Lien Foundation are spearheading efforts to foster Singapore's first dementia-friendly community, in Yishun.



So far, about 2,000 people in the town - from school students to frontline staff in hospitals and businesses to mosque and church members - have been trained on how to spot those with dementia and how to interact with and help or refer them to aid agencies. Dementia guides - which provide information about the condition - will be distributed to 58,000 households and businesses.

DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY TOWN: 10% OF YISHUN RESIDENTS ARE ELDERLY

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said last year that tackling dementia needs to go beyond having the "hardware" - such as infrastructure - to fostering stronger community support and creating dementia-friendly communities.

Those who have been trained in Yishun include staff from businesses such as McDonald's and retailers at Northpoint shopping centre as well as students and volunteers who patrol the town regularly.

Organisations such as Sheng Siong supermarket chain and National Library Board are expected to be involved soon.

Yishun was chosen to test out the concept of a dementia-friendly community because it has a significant number of elderly residents. It also has the community resources - such as a geriatric centre at KTPH - to support them.

About 10 per cent or 20,000 residents in Yishun are aged 65 and above. One in 10 people aged 60 and above in Singapore has dementia and the condition strikes half of those aged 85 and beyond, according to findings from a large-scale study released by the Institute of Mental Health last year.

With more training and awareness of dementia, it is hoped that Yishun and, later, other communities will be able to understand, embrace and support sufferers and caregivers in their midst.

Mr Lee Poh Wah, chief executive of Lien Foundation, said: "Often, persons with dementia are stigmatised. The shame associated with dementia is exacerbated when people do not understand its symptoms and react poorly towards dementia sufferers."

With the training, it is hoped that if a person with dementia gets lost, a policeman or student can show him the way home. Or, if the person takes items from a supermarket without paying, its staff will not assume he is shoplifting.

Dr Philip Yap, director of KTPH's geriatric centre, said: "In Yishun, they can get around safely and continue to participate meaningfully in their usual routines because members of their community, be it a favourite neighbour, shopkeeper or local policeman, can understand and assist them."

One person for whom training has been helpful is Nanyang Polytechnic student L. Sakthisvaran, 22, who often sees an old woman shouting at the top of her voice in his neighbourhood. After learning to spot signs of dementia, he now knows what to do. He took down her children's contact numbers and lets them know where she is whenever he sees her.

Such dementia-friendly communities will help the elderly avoid having to stay in institutions such as hospitals or nursing homes and live at home instead. Research has shown that having them at home would be less costly to society.

Said Mr Lee: "Because of its prevalence and high cost to society, we need to make dementia-friendly communities the 'new normal' in Singapore, starting with Yishun."

Organisations or individuals who wish to find out more about dementia or be trained in responding to those who have it can sign up at www.forgetusnot.sg




Did you know 1 in 10 adults in Singapore will suffer from mental illness in their lifetime? If you know of someone in...
Posted by NCSS Singapore on Thursday, January 21, 2016





Global movement to help sufferers
By Janice Tai, The Straits Times, 21 Jan 2016

In recent years, large-scale projects to help dementia patients have taken off in Britain, Japan and the US. Last year, a Dementia Friendly America Initiative - announced at the White House Conference on Ageing - drew participation from more than 50 groups seeking to create such communities across the United States.

Six pilot programmes are up and running in Colorado, California, Arizona, West Virginia, Maryland and Tennessee. Nine more are planned for this year.

Volunteers in all sectors are trained to help. Waiters at restaurants, for instance, learn to recognise common signs of dementia in customers such as using incorrect words or becoming agitated easily. They are then trained to respond in a calm and friendly way.

Bank tellers, meanwhile, learn to politely ask elderly patrons for an emergency contact, so that if they try to withdraw a large sum of money or become disoriented over the cheque book, the teller has someone to notify.

Britain has about one million people trained in basic dementia recognition and care since its Dementia Friends campaign started in 2013. The target is to have four million Dementia Friends by 2020.

Japan's Dementia Friends network comprises six million people, with a target of eight million by 2025.

Another significant project is the SOS Wanderers Network which links Japanese cities and towns, making it easier to search for persons who are lost because of dementia. The network, which covers more than half of Japan, involves people in the neighbourhood keeping an eye on those who wander.

In 2014, 10,322 people with dementia were deemed missing in Japan, with 388 eventually found dead.

Some of these networks take reference from the Belgian city of Bruges, a global pioneer in dementia-friendly communities. About 90 dementia-friendly shops in the city display a logo of a knotted red handkerchief that signifies to people with dementia, especially those in the early stages, that staff can offer help.

More than 7,000 dementia guides, or small booklets with communication tips, are distributed and basic two-hour training sessions provided to frontline staff.

The Bruges' police force has a database of residents prone to wandering, so it can help redirect them.





Dementia also a social issue
By Janice Tai, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

Yishun is set to be the first town in Singapore to be "dementia-friendly".

So far, about 2,000 people there - from school students to front-line staff in hospitals and businesses to mosque and church members - have been trained to spot people with dementia, and to interact with and help them.

This is a crucial movement that ought to gain momentum nationally, for a number of reasons.

First, a significant number of people already have dementia or will have it in future.

According to research estimates, one in 10 people aged 60 and above in Singapore has dementia now, and the condition afflicts half of those aged 85 and beyond.

Second, dementia is not just a medical condition to be treated in hospitals and clinics, but is also a social issue that needs community support and understanding.

For instance, people with dementia sometimes forget to pay for items, and storekeepers assume they are shoplifting. Then, there are some patients who fear leaving the house because they often get lost and cannot find their way home.

Unlike Singapore, other countries such as Britain and Japan have recognised the urgency of tackling dementia within communities, and have trained millions of people in local towns on basic dementia recognition and care.

Third, having such communities will enable people who display symptoms of the illness to seek treatment earlier.

Khoo Teck Puat Hospital estimates that seven out of 10 people with the disorder in Chong Pang are not getting medical attention, either because of the stigma attached to it or a lack of awareness.

Fourth, studies overseas have shown that supporting people with dementia so that they can continue living at home, within the community, reduces the need for costly nursing or hospital care.

The economic case for creating dementia-friendly communities is as compelling as the simple need to see our ageing loved ones live dignified and active lives in their neighbourhoods despite their frailty.


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New heart pump used in Singapore for the first time

January 23, 2016, 5:21 am
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Patient here is 1st Asian to get new heart pump
By Tan Weizhen, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

A new heart pump - that has shown improved survival rates and fewer heart failure symptoms for advanced heart failure patients in a trial - has been implanted in the first patient in Singapore, said the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) yesterday.

A one-year trial, involving 50 patients from six countries, showed a survival rate of 92 per cent among them, and 83 per cent had fewer heart failure symptoms.

Last November, the device was implanted in Mr Rajamohan Pekrisamy, 44. He was also the first in Asia to receive it. Called The Heartmate 3, the pump aims to keep patients on the waiting list for donor hearts alive. Implanting this new pump costs $218,000, but with an 80 per cent subsidy, Medisave and other plans that offset the cost, Mr Rajamohan did not pay any cash out of pocket.

He said: "Before I had the implant, I was very tired and could walk (the distance of) only one or two bus stops. Now, I can walk much further and I have better appetite."

Adjunct Associate Professor Lim Chong Hee, senior consultant at the department of cardiothoracic surgery at the NHCS, said: "We are always on the lookout for new technology for patients who are very sick, and heart transplants are not so readily available. Without the heart assist device, fewer than half of these patients will survive beyond one year just on medications alone."

The new device uses a new technology that aims to reduce the risk of blood clots forming. It is also the first heart pump that has an artificial pulse that mimics the natural heartbeat, reducing the likelihood of blood clotting. Two lithium batteries ensure that the patient can move around for about 17 hours before they need to be recharged.


The Heartmate 3 aims to keep patients on the waiting list for donor hearts alive. Mr Rajamohan Pekrisamy, 44, is the first person in Asia to receive it. Full story here: str.sg/ZVKsVIDEO: KEVIN LIM
Posted by The Straits Times on Thursday, January 21, 2016


On average, there are three heart transplants a year under the NHCS Heart Transplant programme.

The Heartmate 3 is the third type of heart assist device introduced at NHCS. The two older devices, still in use, have survival rates of about 91 per cent and 90 per cent each.

To date, 67 of such devices have been implanted. The NHCS expects to see about 15 implants a year.


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Hawker centres try out recycling of food waste

January 23, 2016, 5:48 am
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Machines at two centres could cut waste there by 80% daily
By Samantha Boh, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

Food waste recycling machines have been installed at two hawker centres here, potentially cutting the waste generated there each day by up to 80 per cent.

The machines, which make use of micro-organisms to convert food waste into water and fertiliser, are on trial at the Tiong Bahru Market and Ang Mo Kio Block 628 Market.

Together the two centres generate 5 tonnes of food waste every day from 342 and 218 stalls, respectively. This means up to 4 tonnes could be recycled.


WATCH: Our reporter Monica Kotwani was at the National Environment Agency - NEA's food waste recycling pilot launch, and finds out the process is like making fine wine! http://bit.ly/1P7DXSA
Posted by 938LIVE on Thursday, January 21, 2016


During the two-year trial, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will be assessing how economically viable the machines are and how well they work to reduce food waste. The machine at Ang Mo Kio is managed by Eco-Wiz and can convert 1 tonne of food waste into water within 24 hours.

It works by mixing the waste with microbes, which digest and decompose the waste into water that is then reused by the machine for self-cleaning. The recycled water can also be used for non-potable purposes such as to clean the bin centre, said Mr Michael Lee, senior sales manager at Eco-Wiz.

The machine at Tiong Bahru is managed by VRM Operations (Singapore). It grinds up food waste and mixes it with micro-organisms. The resulting mixture is then stored in 1,000-litre-capacity tanks.

The tanks of food waste are transported to an off-site facility every three days, where the waste is converted into fertiliser and used for agricultural purposes.

VRM Operations aims to convert 1 tonne of food waste per day.

The two firms won an NEA tender worth about $257,000 in October last year to trial food waste recycling machines. Since then, the NEA has taught hawkers and cleaners at the two centres how to segregate the food waste properly so it can be recycled.

Each stall has been given a plastic bucket to store its food waste. Cleaners have also been provided with separate containers for food waste and other waste such as tissue paper and disposable cutlery.

Mr Chen Pak Seng, 66, owner of Original Tiong Bahru Golden Pig and Roasted, said the process was a bit troublesome but he is getting used to it. "In the past I just dumped everything, but now, with this programme, I can do my part for the environment," he said.

Part-time cleaner Arunsin Bamrungchit, 64, who works at the Ang Mo Kio market, said she found it hard initially to remember to separate the different forms of waste, but has now got the hang of it.

Waste Less. Save More.
Did you know that we generated 789 million kg of food waste in 2014? Watch this video to find out more.Learn how to reduce food waste here: http://www.cgs.sg
Posted by Clean & Green Singapore on Sunday, November 22, 2015


Food waste accounts for about 10 per cent of all waste in Singapore but only about 13 per cent of it is recycled. In 2014, Singapore threw away 788,600 tonnes of food, equivalent to two bowls of rice a person, every day.

Speaking at the launch of the trial yesterday, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources, said steps to cut food waste have to be taken now. "We envisage that, over time, with a growing population and increasing affluence, as well as the fact that food will remain close to the hearts and stomachs of Singaporeans, the amount of food waste generated is going to increase if we do not do anything about it now," she said.



Today, NEA’s on-site food waste recycling pilot at two hawker centres officially kicked off with a launch event at Ang...
Posted by National Environment Agency - NEA on Wednesday, January 20, 2016




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New Asian Business Law Institute to lift cross-border trade

January 23, 2016, 6:08 am
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Ensuring consistency and standards across region will help boost business confidence
By Grace Leong, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

A new research institute has been formed to ensure that Asian business law keeps up with the accelerating pace of economic integration in the region.

The Asian Business Law Institute (ABLI) aims to address inconsistent regulations and standards across the region that can increase uncertainty, add costs and impede cross-border trade.

Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon announced the initiative at the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) conference yesterday, noting that tackling the barriers to cross-border trade is becoming significant in the light of rising integration through developments such as the ASEAN Economic Community, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, China's "One Belt One Road" and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

"This confluence of watershed developments suggests that the integration of Asian markets will happen on a scale, and at a pace, not yet seen," he told 500 senior judges, lawyers and business leaders at the conference.

"To capitalise on this monumental opportunity, it is imperative that our business laws keep up."

Ensuring certainty when it comes to enforcing court judgments will give businesses greater confidence to invest and trade freely.

"There is nothing more frustrating ... than for a business to obtain a judgment in one jurisdiction, and then find that it is in fact only a paper judgment in others," he added.

ABLI will be steered by a 12-member board of governors drawn from the judiciary and academia in Singapore, China, India and Australia.

Its first task will be to publish a comprehensive review on harmonising rules on enforcing foreign judgments in Asia. Other priorities are to draw up global principles on data privacy and develop rules for contracts in cross-border deals.

Mrs Lee Suet Fern, managing partner of Morgan Lewis Stamford and chair of SAL's steering committee on legal convergence, said legal convergence will help the region to sooner realise the benefits of the recent trade pacts. "We are trying to simplify, clarify and make consistent the laws at a time when there is economic turmoil... It will help the upswing."

While they back legal convergence, some business leaders noted yesterday that there may be challenges driving the initiative.

"The pressure test for harmonisation of legal systems and financial rules comes not when markets are good, but when the situation starts to deteriorate, because that's when the mutual trust that is needed to achieve convergence is really tested," AXA chairman and chief executive Henri de Castries said.

Singtel chairman Simon Israel noted that there are considerable risks to building digital businesses when the model may be undermined by future laws.

"Some of our challenges are about countries having different laws over who owns the data, where it can be stored, and who can access it," he said.

"While harmonising is a critical first step, its impact and effectiveness are contingent on a... framework that goes hand in hand with a common interpretation and implementation of laws, and... timely resolution."

Even as the pace of business integration may be decelerating in the light of economic woes, legal convergence should still be pursued, said Professor Ashish Nanda, director of the Indian Institute of Management.





New institute to 'help unlock region's economic potential'
Asian Business Law Institute will aid investment flows: Minister
By Grace Leong, The Straits Times, 23 Jan 2016

Modernising Asia's commercial laws will help unlock the region's full economic potential, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam yesterday.

He told a Singapore Academy of Law conference that a survey showed that different legal systems and regulatory standards were the the single biggest barrier holding back investments into Asia.

"If we had greater convergence, the investment flows would be much more," he added.

Mr Shanmugam pointed out that the Asian Business Law Institute (ABLI) launched on Thursday can help in this area.

The ABLI aims to address Asia's diverse regulatory standards and legal systems, which can increase uncertainty, add costs and impede cross-border trade.

It can help lay the groundwork for "dialogue between countries... on harmonisation and for businesses to change their practices in a way that can help reduce their costs and increase the business flows", Mr Shanmugam said.

This is becoming significant as the ASEAN Economic Community's 2025 blueprint "commits ASEAN to legal convergence on e-commerce and other regulatory standards", he added. "But to fully address ASEAN's existing challenges and deepen integration, serious action has to be taken to improve its current legal infrastructure."

Chief Justice Robert French of Australia's High Court told the conference that international conventions and free-trade agreements provide "an important framework for developing convergent business laws".

Singapore has taken steps to promote legal convergence by adopting several instruments geared towards harmonising international laws.

"Our International Arbitration Act is based on the UNCITRAL Model Law for Arbitration. We have kept our arbitration regime relevant to support commercial entities," Mr Shanmugam said.

Singapore, which hosts around 7,000 multinational companies, has also become a legal hub through its efforts to support transnational businesses and their operations.

There are 800 local law firms, more than 6,000 lawyers and 130 international law firms employing 1,000 foreign lawyers here.

Cross-border commercial dispute resolution options such as the Singapore International Commercial Court, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and the Singapore International Mediation Centre are already part of the country's legal infrastructure.

"With the launch of ABLI, Singapore companies will benefit by being in the centre of research and practical guidance in the field of Asian legal development. SMEs could look forward to greater clarity, familiarity and transparency in cross-border business," Mr Gerald Singham, deputy managing partner at law firm Rodyk & Davidson, said.

Rajah & Tann deputy managing partner Patrick Ang sees the divergence in legal systems and laws in Asia as a deterrent to investors.

"For investors, legal certainty is key. When I make an investment, will investment laws protect my investment if something goes wrong?" he said.

"If ASEAN can get its act together after the ASEAN Economic Community and get some of their laws for trade and commerce to converge, that would facilitate investors' interest. That will increase legal work for us," he said.


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Protect common space, not do away with race classification

January 23, 2016, 6:15 am
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I do not agree with Dr V. Subramaniam's views ("Race classification must give way to new social realities"; yesterday).

I am a Singaporean Tamil. My race is Ceylonese, but I am classified under "Others".

It changes to "Asian" when I visit Britain and it becomes "Some other race" when I visit America.

At the street level, I am perceived as a dark Indian. And, due to unintended blurred perception that an Indian, a Hindu and a Tamil are one and the same, I am occasionally asked if I am a Tamil or Christian.

The status quo of seeing others the way we want to see them is not an embarrassment but a reality.

While race has no place in science, because of interracial marriages, the number of races keeps on increasing, and there exists a divide between the majority race and minority races.

Hence, racism is rampant in many parts of the world.

Singapore is one of the most religiously, racially, linguistically and culturally diverse countries where different communities have coexisted peacefully for decades.

The responsibility for keeping racism at bay lay squarely with the Government's determined effort.

Harmonious living would not have been possible if not for the coexistence of the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Others (CMIO) classification, the national pledge, the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, the Presidential Council for Minority Rights, the Group Representation Constituency system, and the assurance of common spaces.

As a result, every Singaporean is included and has equal opportunity for education, health, progress and prosperity.

New citizens and new races are coming on board, ensuring that Singapore remains a truly racially diverse society for at least another 50 years or so - this is one of the social realities of the future.

The CMIO classification has little or no effect on my being a true Singaporean yet upholding Tamilness within me.

To me, the CMIO model, together with the pledge, is an assurance that, while all races are counted, the majority race cannot dominate and the minority races are not left behind.

Doing away with the CMIO classification would be a shame.

As Singaporeans, we should feel proud of our ethnicity - Chineseness, Malayness, Indianness, Eurasianness, and so on - and do our part to meaningfully integrate with others.

As long as the common space is well and truly protected, we can continue to coexist peacefully for decades (if not centuries) to come.

Singapore's multiculturalism is the way forward.

The quicker we learn to respect our differences and integrate, the sooner a common identity will evolve.

S. Ratnakumar
ST Forum, 22 Jan 2016






Race classification must give way to new social realities

The call for more inclusive policies towards fostering greater racial and social harmony among our diverse communities is most timely ("Debate on whether race classification model is still relevant"; Tuesday).

At a time when divisive race politics is driving communities apart elsewhere, it is imperative that we safeguard the only thread that holds us together - racial harmony.

I sometimes get uneasy when I see the word "race" being bandied about innocently, because it could unwittingly create adverse reactions and reinforce negative perceptions and stereotypes among our various ethnic groups.

Rightly or wrongly, people accept the biological features of other people as a reality, and so, act in accordance with their belief.

The Government, too, uses the word "race" freely, and our communities see it as normal to regard themselves and other groups as "races".

Stratifying the main ethnic groups into the simplistic and rigid "racial" categories of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others was strategically the most practical way for the Government to construct a Singaporean identity and promote integration, racial harmony and economic survival.

Pragmatically, it has also guided the nation's policies since independence.

Unfortunately, it has also resulted in the unintended presumption of fixed and rigid boundaries. For example, each "race" is identified with a language, a culture and a religion.

Consequently, a nationalism based on such manifestations appears to highlight the differences among the various communities, adding to the distance between them and accentuating racial stereotyping.

I do not agree that discarding the existing race classification model would impinge on minority rights or have an adverse effect on national identity.

While this tenet of multiracialism has served the nation well in the past, demographic changes and social mixing of the various community groups through inter-marriages and immigration have diluted their homogeneity.

As Singaporeans, we should feel proud to belong to a particular ethnic group, but we should also do our part to de-emphasise our Chineseness, Malayness, Indianness and Eurasianness, appreciate diverse viewpoints, respect cultural differences,work together to stress commonalities and forge an identity that is more integrative and cohesive.

The sooner we move away from classifying communities, the better for our nation's future.

V. Subramaniam (Dr)
ST Forum, 21 Jan 2016


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Dedicated bus lanes on North-South Expressway

January 23, 2016, 6:48 am
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New Woodlands-to-city corridor to also have cycling and walking paths along entire route
By Christopher Tan, Senior Transport Correspondent, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

The planned North-South Expressway - a 21.5km partly-underground road linking Woodlands to the city - will have one of its three lanes in each direction reserved for buses, making it the first highway in Singapore to be built this way.

A cycling path and a wide pedestrian walkway will also be built along the entire route of the expressway, which will pass through towns such as Sembawang, Yishun, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan and Toa Payoh.

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced this through an addendum to the President's address yesterday. In a blog following his announcement, Mr Khaw said: "Our founding PM Mr Lee Kuan Yew had thought in great detail about what would make Singapore a pleasant, beautiful city to live in.

"In 1975, he said in a speech, 'Pavements must be designed to allow trees to grow, providing shade to pedestrians, and to cut down noon-day sunshine on roads. Pavements of granolithic slabs and concrete stifle trees. They must be forbidden by law. Some must be unceremoniously broken up.'

"Can we build on Mr Lee's legacy of a clean and green city and his people-centric vision to transform Singapore into a city that prides itself on public transport, walking and cycling, instead of driving?"

Posted by Khaw Boon Wan on Thursday, January 21, 2016


Mr Khaw said that part of Bencoolen Street will incorporate cycling and walking paths when Downtown Line 3 is completed. Two out of the road's four lanes will be used for this. This cycling path will connect to Bukit Timah in the north and the city in the south.

Meanwhile, the reconfigured North-South Expressway will now be known as the North-South Corridor. Originally slated for completion by 2020, it is now likely to take at least one year more.

The Land Transport Authority said it is working on the revised plans. "The final design and project timeline will be released at a later date," it added.

But a spokesman said the North-South Corridor's bus lane will not be the same as the current lanes marked in yellow or red. He said it will be a "dedicated lane".

Research associate Hawyee Auyong at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy described the plan as "quite progressive".

"It's fantastic that they're trying out these new ideas," he said. "But they will have to think through it carefully."

For instance, he said the exits and entrances of the expressway will now have to be designed with the right-of-way of buses. Otherwise, there will be bottlenecks, he noted.

Cycling advocate Han Jok Kwang said the plan is "ambitious".

"It's obvious we are starting to realise the merits of going in this direction," he said. "It will go towards making our city more liveable."

Asked if there would be enough people using the cycling path, Mr Han said: "I think so. The distance is quite meaningful. An average cyclist will be able to do the whole 21km within an hour." He said the next step would be to encourage workplaces to provide adequate shower and bike-parking facilities.




Want to know more about how we will connect from our doorstep to our destination in future? To read about our...
Posted by Ministry of Transport, Singapore on Thursday, January 21, 2016





Pedestrians, cyclists to get 2 lanes on part of Bencoolen Street
By Adrian Lim, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

Two car lanes on a stretch of Bencoolen Street will be converted into a pedestrian path and a cycling lane - the first time Singapore's road planners are handing over real estate on a major road to walkers and cyclists.

The redevelopment, expected to be completed next year, is one of two projects revealed yesterday in the nation's drive for a "car-lite" society, and to encourage more commuters to walk, cycle and take public transport.

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced the revamp of the 450m section of Bencoolen Street - between Middle Road and Bras Basah Road - in an addendum to last week's President's address in Parliament.

This stretch of Bencoolen Street has been closed since October 2011 for the construction of the Downtown Line 3's Bencoolen station.

While two out of the four original road lanes will continue to be used by vehicular traffic, two others will be converted into "wide footpaths lined with trees and benches for pedestrians", the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said.

Bicycle parking facilities will be provided in the area and a dedicated cycling path will connect Rochor Canal and Bukit Timah to the Central Business District, the LTA added. A dedicated bus lane will also feature in the revamp.

A big shout-out to everyone who loves walking and cycling! Let’s work together towards a future where walking, cycling,...
Posted by Land Transport Authority – We Keep Your World Moving on Thursday, January 21, 2016


Cyclists said that having a biking path along Bencoolen Street would greatly increase connectivity to other parts of Singapore.

Mr Han Jok Kwang, a member of the National Cycling Plan Steering Committee, said cyclists can go from Bencoolen Street to Rochor Canal, and then ride along the canal to Kallang River.

They could even push further north into the Geylang area.

"It's a great connection if you are commuting the distance," he said.

Additionally, Mr Han said cutting down the number of vehicular lanes on the street from four to two will have a "traffic calming" effect - meaning cars will have to slow down. This will increase safety for cyclists and pedestrians in the area, he noted.

A spokesman for the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, which is located in Bencoolen Street, said that "widening the footpaths, including a cycling path and benches would improve the general environment" around its campuses.

Besides Bencoolen Street, the Government has pedestrianised roads in the civic district to create a walkable park.

The Sentosa Development Corporation is also building on-road cycling lanes on the tourist island.





Experts welcome dedicated bus lane on North-South Expressway
By Adrian Lim, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

Having a dedicated bus lane on the proposed 21.5km North-South Expressway (NSE) will be a first for the island's highways and is a welcome move, said transport experts.

Yesterday, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced that the NSE will be reconfigured as a "North-South Corridor" to facilitate the movement of cyclists, pedestrians and bus commuters.

While walking and cycling paths will be built along the entire corridor, one of the lanes will be dedicated to buses.

Transport consultant Gopinath Menon said: "It's a very good idea. We have been putting bus lanes on major roads, and never on expressways. Buses can carry many more passengers than private cars."

Mr Menon added that express bus services already use highways, and having a dedicated lane for buses will allow them to move faster.

However, he said that on the NSE, there must be special arrangements for cars filtering out of the expressway, as they would have to cross into dedicated bus lanes which would be on the left.

As the NSE was originally designed to alleviate the congestion on the parallel-running Central Expressway (CTE), motorists have asked if giving up a lane to buses is feasible.

Mr Brandon Tan, 35, a shipping executive, said: "The CTE, which has four to five lanes, gets clogged up daily. I don't see how having a two-lane expressway will be useful."

Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said yesterday: "It depends on how we manage the car population... It could be possible to have congestion-free roads and still meet the needs of cyclists and those who use public transport."

Commuter Charles Patrick, 31, who takes buses which use the expressway, said it is not uncommon for cars and other slower-moving vehicles to compete with the buses for space. That's why the idea of a dedicated bus lane appealed to him.

SIM University adjunct associate professor Park Byung Joon said that compared to driving on a regular three-lane expressway, motorists using the NSE may see their journey times increase, because one lane is reserved for buses.

"But by giving buses the priority, they will be quicker, and this will attract more people to use the bus instead of the car," Dr Park added.





New routes to keep Singapore moving
Initiatives to promote walking, cycling a bold policy change, but public must get on board too
By Christopher Tan, Senior Transport Correspondent, The Straits Times, 22 Jan 2016

It may seem novel in Singapore, but allowing bus commuters, cyclists and pedestrians to have equal rights on the road is commonplace in many cities.

The reconfiguration of the planned North-South Expressway to include a dedicated bus lane and to incorporate biking and walking paths signals a bold change in the policymakers' mindset.

Similar plans to reclaim road space for cyclists and pedestrians are also being rolled out, starting with Bencoolen Street, where two out of four lanes along 450m of the city arterial road will be turned into cycling and walking paths.

But for such a "sustainable mobility" project to succeed, a mindset change among end-users is also needed.

It was not too long ago that policymakers felt commuting by bicycle was not feasible in a hot and humid place like Singapore. That, in part, has prevented cycling lanes from being built.

It is clear that philosophy is changing. And in the long run, it is necessary for a small city state like ours.

At the same time, we must be careful not to throw all economic considerations out the window. For instance, for a dedicated bus lane on an expressway to be worth the money, it has to have a high frequency of buses. Few bus services ply expressways today.

Will there be enough demand for "city direct" services to justify a dedicated bus lane in both directions of a 21.5km highway?

There might be, if the services are as frequent and as predictable as train services. A bus rapid transit system, popular in countries such as China, Australia and Brazil, will meet this service criterion.

If Singapore takes this route, it will be another affirmation for buses which, until recently, played second fiddle to trains. Many bus services were "rationalised" whenever new MRT lines were built in the past.

The impact of this new thinking on motorists is clear. When the new highway opens, some time after 2020, it will be the only two-lane expressway for cars. So, it is unlikely to be as speedy as the other expressways here.

That again, is part of the grand plan to wean people off driving. Because no matter how many MRT lines are built and no matter how many services are pumped into the bus network, consumers will choose to drive as long as the efficiency of private transport remains far superior to public transport. From door to door, driving is easily twice as fast today.

So, if Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan aims to have at least 85 per cent of trips made by public transport by 2050, the speed gap between private and public transport has to close considerably.

One way is to degrade the speed on our roads. The other is to attach a substantially higher economic cost to maintaining the current efficiency of driving - either via road pricing, parking policies, fuel duties or a combination of all three.

That is how New York and Hong Kong are able to have two of the highest public transport mode shares in the world.

But Singapore abhors inefficiency, so it is likely to choose the economic avenue to push people away from cars. At the same time, the pull of public transport has to be beefed up. For that to happen, we have to ensure that the train and bus services are, at the very least, dependable. No other way works. Not even building cycling paths.


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Star Wars: Action made in Singapore for a galaxy far, far away

January 23, 2016, 11:02 pm
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Team of 100 at Lucasfilm's visual effects unit here created scenes for The Force Awakens
By Lester Hio, The Straits Times, 23 Jan 2016

The action in the latest Star Wars movie may have played out in a galaxy far, far away, but some of its visual effects were created in Singapore's backyard.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has received five Oscar nominations, including one for visual effects, and more than 200 of those shots were done at Industrial Light & Magic Singapore, a visual effects division of Lucasfilm.

This came up to a quarter of the scenes in the movie, and included set design, post-processing and texture modelling.

When I caught the Star Wars movie last month, I should have suspected that Singapore had also helped to Awaken the Force...
Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Saturday, January 23, 2016


About 100 people, half of whom are Singaporeans or permanent residents, working from the studio at the Sandcrawler building in one-north, had a part in the movie's visual effects. Many are die-hard Star Wars fans, and to work on the seventh movie of one of the highest-rated franchises was an opportunity to be part of movie history.

"When my manager told me I was going to be working on the movie, I remained very cool on the outside. But inside I was thinking 'Oh yes!'," said production manager Pei'an Lau, 31, pumping his fist.

A lucky - or unlucky - few got to know the movie's plot and twists as far back as 1½ years in advance.

"There's an upside and downside," said Mr JeanLe Koh, 34, a rotoscope lead. "There's the privilege of working on such a huge title, but then you have to know the things that happen and you can't watch it fresh in theatres."

There were small nods to fans who scrutinise every frame of the movie.

"There's a box from the first movie, Episode IV, that we put in the hangar," said texture lead Elvin Siew, 29.

His team designed the model of the Star Destroyer Hangar, where the TIE Fighter escape sequence occurred, and the Bolt Interior, where Han Solo confronts Kylo Ren.

"And in the background of one scene in the hangar, you can see one mouse droid falling over the edge of the hangar - that's just some things we add for fun for the fans," said Mr Siew.

The team started work on the visual effects in December 2014, after primary shooting had wrapped up. No detail was too small for them.

"I was making adjustments to something as small as 20 pixels - it's something someone would spot only if he played the movie frame by frame and zoomed in a hundred times," said layout artist Janice Chan, 33.

As each person worked on various specific scenes, it was surreal to finally see their work come together on the big screen.

Lighting technical director Adrian Tsao, 35, said: "When I watched the movie and knew some of my shots were coming up, my heart beat faster. How will it look? Is it good or bad?"

The studio in one-north currently houses more than 400 artists and support staff.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that he is glad that Singapore teams had the chance to work on the movie. He added that he hopes Singaporeans will have more chances to work on such exciting projects.

The Force Awakens, which has made US$1.87 billion (S$2.7 billion) globally, is up against strong contenders for the Oscars in visual effects, like Mad Max: Fury Road, Ex Machina, The Revenant and The Martian. But the team thinks that The Force Awakens has the best chance of winning because of how seamlessly it draws the audience into its world.

"The work speaks for itself - the amount of artistry that went in, both on the practical and digital side, is something the whole team is proud of," said Mr Siew.


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