TODAYonline News Alert

Taxman Raises Hdb Property Value, Most Unaffected For Now

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:45:08 +0800

The annual values of most properties - including HDB flats - are going up,
but while owners of most private homes will be paying more taxes on their
properties next year, HDB flat owners will largely be insulated from the
taxman's move.

The annual value is the estimated annual rent of a property if it were to
be let. In determining the annual value of a property, the Inland Revenue
Authority of Singapore (Iras) is guided by prevailing market rents.

The property tax rate is currently set at 10 per cent of the annual value
of the property. For owner-occupied homes, a concessionary rate of 4 per
cent applies.

The Iras said the average increase in the annual value of private
residential properties is about 20 per cent. This is broadly in line with
the rise in real estate prices reflected in data from the Urban
Redevelopment Authority (URA).

According to the URA, private home prices were up an average 8.3 per cent
in the third quarter from the previous three months. Compared to the end
of last year, private home prices averaged 22.9 per cent higher.

"Every year the Iras will assess the situation They are increasing it
because rentals have gone up," said Mr Eugene Lim, assistant
vice-president at real estate agency ERA.

"We are already seeing a trend of HDB owners renting their flats out and
the rental market has picked up. In that sense, the Government will look
at ways to ensure those who benefit pay their dues," said Mr Donald Han,
managing director of property consultancy firm Cushman and Wakefield.

The Housing Development Board (HDB) Resale Price Index rose 6.6 per cent
in the third quarter and was up 11 per cent from the end of last year.

However, most HDB flat owners will enjoy a two-year reprieve from higher
property taxes, even though the Iras will be raising the annual values of
all HDB flats from Jan 1.

"The amount does impact the dwellers, but because there is a system of
rebates and preferential rates applied to home owners, the tax increase
will be mitigated," Mr Han said. "The increase will only be felt by those
who lease out their premises."

As part of the offset package for the Goods and Services Tax announced in
Budget 2007, all owner-occupied residential properties will be given an
additional tax rebate of up to $100 per year in 2008 and 2009. As a
result, 90 per cent of all HDB flat owners will not be paying more
property tax next year, the Iras said.

According to the Iras, one and two-room HDB flat owners will not have to
pay property tax next year, as well as 60 per cent of three-room flat
owners. The other 40 per cent of three-room flat owners will pay less tax
than they did this year.

For the four- and five-room HDB flat owners, 15 per cent will have to pay
higher taxes but the increase will be less than $40, the Iras said.

Meanwhile, in Parliament yesterday, National Development Minister Mah Bow
Tan said the Government would not be taking further action to cool the
property market.

Last month, the Government announced that it would scrap the deferred
payment scheme for private property purchases in a move to reduce
speculative buying and stabilise the red-hot real estate market. Mr Mah
said removing the scheme would not affect genuine home buyers.

Mr Mah also assured Singaporeans that there would be enough new housing to
meet the demands of a growing economy and population.

"At the end of the third quarter of 2007, there was a supply stock in the
pipeline of 65,000 units. This, in fact, is higher than the supply at the
end of the second quarter of 56,000 units. If Singaporeans are aware of
these figures - and these are numbers that we put out regularly - there is
no reason for Singaporeans to panic and feel that there is a real shortage
in the medium term."

Mr Mah added that while the Government would seek to balance the supply
and demand in the long term, its "bias is not to over-regulate or
interfere" with the market.

"We monitor the growth rate of the market in relation to the growth of the
economy and growth is supported by economic fundamentals," he said.

The National Development Minister added that more sites would be put up in
the Government Land Sales Programme in the first half of next year if
necessary. But this will be done carefully so as not to create an
oversupply situation in the longer term.

Mps Tackle Worries Over Food Price Rise

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:45:07 +0800

Govt doing its best to keep inflation low, assures minister

Nazry Bahrawi
nazry@mediacorp.com.sg

WITH groceries costing more by the day and consumers still getting used to
the four-month-old 2-per- cent hike in GST, it was inevitable that
inflation - and the Government's handling of it - became one of the
talking points in Parliament yesterday.

Among the questions raised by several MPs: Is the Government monitoring
the increases in prices of food items such as flour and chicken? Are such
increases a cause of concern? What will be the impact of rising prices on
businesses? Should the Singapore dollar be allowed to appreciate further?

Madam Halimah Yaacob (Jurong GRC), wondered whether the Consumer Price
Index (CPI ) - which rose 2.7 per cent year-on-year in the third quarter
compared to 1 per cent in the second quarter and 0.5 per cent in the first
quarter - was an accurate reflection of inflationary trends in Singapore.
The CPI tracks the prices of a basket of goods and services, such as
housing, healthcare and transport, consumed by an average household.

Mr Inderjit Singh (Ang Mo Kio GRC) said he was concerned that higher
inflation would affect Singapore's competitiveness in attracting foreign
investors. Non-Constituency MP Sylvia Lim of the opposition Workers'
Party, wanted to know how Singapore is diversifying its food sources in
order to stabilise prices.

In his response, Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang said that the
Government would try its best to keep inflation low even as he noted that
the "current uptick in inflation is a global phenomenon".

For example, Mr Lim said, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) had
managed to strengthen the value of the Singapore dollar by maintaining an
exchange rate policy since April last year that allows the currency to
"appreciate gradually and modestly" rather than pegging it to the US
dollar. The latter move would have resulted in Singaporeans experiencing
higher inflation.

In reference to Mdm Halimah's query about whether the CPI was an accurate
reflection of the state of inflation here, Mr Lim noted that the index had
been low for the first two quarters of this year. The CPI is expected to
rise slightly above 2.7 per cent in the fourth quarter.

Mr Lim attributed the lower CPI in the first two quarters of the year to
the "low transport CPI" because of some changes to the transport policies
as well as the low oil prices back then.

However, oil prices are now on the rise and the impact of the GST hike in
July will continue "to show up in higher CPI inflation figures" for 12
months until June next year.

Mr Lim added: "Unlike food import prices, the GST increase has had only a
limited impact on basic food prices as the major supermarket chains have
been absorbing the GST increase for basic food items."

Mr Lim expects the CPI to hover around 3 per cent in the later part of
2008, higher than the last few years. The Government expects inflation to
peak at 4 to 5 per cent in the first half of next year.

On the issue of food diversification, Mr Lim said while Singapore can
explore the possibility of importing vegetables from Thailand and China,
there is only so much that the Government can do to mitigate a price hike
in consumer goods.

For example, if there is a worldwide increase in the prices of cornfeed,
than chicken prices will go up even if Singapore were to diversify its
sources of frozen chicken from countries such as Australia, the United
States and Brazil.

Allaying Mr Singh's concern over the impact of rising prices on
businesses, Mr Lim said that Singapore is still in a "good position" to
attract foreign investments because inflation here is still comparatively
lower than other countries.

Singapore is competitive also because while wages had increased, so too
had our productivity, said Mr Lim.

"I don't think we should begrudge our workers having a fair share of wage
increase in the last two years if we look at the last broader 5 to 7 year
time frame," he said, explaining that wages was slow to climb during the
longer term period.

Will New Penalties M Ake 'disappearing' Taxis Reappear?

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:45:06 +0800

LTA hopes they will but some have doubts if the stick will work

Leong Wee Keat
weekeat@mediacorp.com.sg

FROM Monday, taxi drivers who solicit for, overcharge or refuse to pick up
passengers will face higher fines, more demerit points and immediate
suspensions of their vocational driving licence of two to four weeks.

Wielding a big stick, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it expects
the combination of stiffer penalties and stepped up enforcement to put an
end to these errant practices, which have earned the ire of the public.

Passengers are hoping these measures will reduce the long wait at Clarke
Quay, Boat Quay, Sentosa and Orchard Towers, where many often despair of
ever getting a taxi, especially during the evening peak hours.

The LTA noted that at such entertainment "hotspots" errant taxi drivers
have been known to take advantage of the high demand to openly tout for
business and overcharge their passengers, especially tourists.

The authorities are currently investigating about 80 taxi drivers for such
offences since last month. Some are repeat offenders. There are about
23,000 taxis plying Singapore's roads.

Taxi operators and the LTA appeared confident in the new measures.

However, taxi passengers whom Today spoke to had mixed feelings.

They agreed that the LTA was moving in the right direction, but were
sceptical the new measures would solve the prennial problem of
"disappearing cabbies" at peak hours and before late night surcharges kick
in.

An LTA spokesperson told Today: "We expect many of the errant drivers to
cease the malpractices, including that of rejecting passengers who are
unwilling to accept their demand for exorbitant fares."

ComfortDelGro's chief executive officer of taxi operations, Mr Yang Ban
Seng, said the measure would "serve as a strong deterrent".

The chairman of Premier Taxi Operators' Association, Mr Foo Chi Yong, said
the "tougher penalties are necessary to restore the public's confidence in
the taxi industry".

The taxi chiefs also took pains to paint a picture of a few bad apples,
spoiling the image of the majority.

Under the new penalties, taxi drivers who refuse to pick up passengers
could be fined $300, given six demerit points and an immediate two-week
suspension. This is a sharp increase from the current $100 fine and three
demerit points.

Repeat offenders, found guilty of soliciting or overcharging within a
period of two years, will have their vocational licence revoked.

But what of the other bugbear of "queue jumping" where passengers walk
ahead of one another to flag down taxis along the road?

Well, the LTA also announced that it will be adding 15 more taxi stands in
the Central Business District (CBD) by the end of the year - up from the
current 80. This is so that there will be a taxi stand within 300 metres
or a five-minute walk from buildings in the area.

So from March next year, hailing taxis along the roads within the CBD will
no longer be allowed.

Taxis will only be allowed to pick up or drop off passengers at taxi
stands and along private driveways, even on telephone bookings.

The LTA expects this will increase the number of taxis calling at the
stands and hence help shorten the waiting time. More importantly, it will
alleviate some of the difficulties now faced in getting a cab during the
evening peak hours.

The LTA added that this measure would also reduce the incidents of taxis
cutting into bus lanes to pick up passengers or indiscriminately stopping
and contributing to traffic congestion.

This, however, did not go down too well with some taxi commuters.

"Doesn't having to walk to the nearest taxi stand defeat the purpose of
taking taxis, and being able to just stick out your hand, and hope to hop
into a taxi?" asked primary school teacher Sonya Lin.

Similarly, marketing executive Serene Fong asked if such changes would
work at some downtown spots, such as Plaza Singapura.

There, taxi queues tend to form along Orchard Road rather than at the
designated taxi stand.

Freelance writer Wong Zijia wondered what pushed drivers to overcharge.
"Are there too many taxis and too little business to go around? Are taxi
rentals too high?"

There was also no shortage of suggestions from passengers.

Sales consultant Bryan Lim noted that most taxi drivers head out of the
city when changing shifts in the afternoon. So, a change in shift timing
might be a better solution.

From January, taxi companies will also have to meet the full criteria of
quality service standards.

Currently, operators need to meet 80 per cent of the standards.

The LTA will also release results of its mystery audit of taxi services
next January. Started last month, the mystery audit is part of the LTA's
on-going efforts to improve taxi services and is conducted on a quarterly
basis. The audit assesses taxi drivers on service, conduct, driving skills
and familiarity with routes.

Sub-prime Still Gets Shares Down

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:45:05 +0800

But fall cushioned as Govt says no new property measures

Cheow Xin Yi
cheowxinyi@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE shares suffered their biggest fall in three weeks yesterday as
bourses worldwide slumped on continued concerns over the extent of the
sub-prime mortgage crisis that began in the United States.

But the Straits Times Index (STI) found a foothold at the psychological
3,500 mark, soothed partly by the Government's reassurance that it would
not be taking further measures to cool the property market.

The benchmark shed 88.55 points, or 2.5 per cent, to close at 3,511.12,
recovering from an intraday low of 3,483.2. Decliners outnumbered gainers
800 to 160, on volume of 2.17 billion shares valued at $2.74 billion.

Banks continue to bear the brunt of the selling. Shares in DBS,
Singapore's largest lender, fell 70 cents to $19.80. Shares in United
Overseas Bank, the second- biggest, shed 50 cents to $19.60. OCBC shares
lost 15 cents to $8.50.

"There's been a wave of risk aversion around the world in the wake of last
week's reports of more (US) banks' write-offs; so, that clearly scared
investors off. We saw the weakness on Wall Street last Friday and that was
echoed in sell-offs across Asia," said economist David Cohen from Action
Economics.

DBS Vickers' retail market strategist Yeo Kee Yan said he expected a
rebound today after National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan's remarks in
Parliament that the Government would not be "considering any new measure
for the property market" following its move last month to scrap the
deferred payment scheme.

"Some of the property stocks have been sold down quite badly. The market
may see this as an excuse to put some technical bounce on property plays.
But the trend is still uncertain with so many worries like oil prices and
the sub-prime crisis," said Mr Yeo.

Changes To Listing Rules To Improve Market Efficiency

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:45:04 +0800

- Cheow Xin Yi

SHORTER trading halts and prompt disclosures of information relating to
employee share options are some of the key changes in listing rules
announced by Singapore Exchange (SGX) yesterday, in its bid to improve
market efficiency and transparency.

The revisions, following a public consultation in May, will take effect
from Dec 3.

Said Ms Yeo Lian Sim, SGX's senior executive vice-president and head of
risk management and regulation: "These listing rule changes will not only
improve market efficiency and shorten trading halts, it will also add
clarity and promote accountability of listed companies."

SGX said it would be shortening trading halts to a minimum 30 minutes,
instead of the current 60 minutes, to "minimise market disruption", citing
"increasing familiarity with market practices and wider availability of
information".

But Mr David Gerald, president of the Securities Investors Association of
Singapore, said the shorter minimum trading halt would make it harder for
retail investors to make informed decisions.

They would have to monitor the information more carefully, he added.

On employee stock options, SGX wants issuers to announce promptly each
grant of options as well as other information such as the date of grant,
the exercise price and the number of options granted to directors,
controlling shareholders and associates.

Agri-firms Make Comeback At International Trade Exhibition

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:45:03 +0800

- ESTHER FUNG

After an absence of three years, agribusinesses will make a comeback, with
at least two participating in the Enterprise Exchange exhibition this
week.

"With prices of goods and commodities getting higher because of high oil
prices, land-owners and agricultural entrepreneurs would be interested in
finding out how to increase their yields," said Dr Sung Do Song, director
of agricultural consultancy and fertiliser-maker Agro-Genesis.

Organised by Global Entrepolis @ Singapore (GES), this annual
international trade fair, the fifth since 2003, aims to attract up to
20,000 people to the Suntec City Convention and Exhibition Centre from
today to Thursday.

Besides the agri-businesses, there are about 350 companies from over 30
countries that will exhibit their offerings in the manufacturing, exchange
dealings and energy sector, said managing director Derrick Tan of Zenith
Events Management, organisers of GES 2007.

Record Investments This Year: Pm Lee

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:45:02 +0800

Manufacturing still key focus for Singapore

Hedirman Supian
hedirman@mediacorp.com.sg

Manufacturing will remain a key focus for the Government as it expects
investment commitments for the sector to reach a record high this year.

Speaking at the opening of Global Entrepolis @ Singapore yesterday
evening, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said: "The Government is fully
committed to keeping manufacturing a key pillar of the economy."

"EDB expects to end this year with manufacturing investment commitments in
Singapore reaching a record high," he added.

The Economic Development Board has forecast fixed asset investments (FAI)
for manufacturing to be between $8.5 million and $9 billion this year.
Last year, the FAI forecast was between $8 billion and $8.5 billion but
actual investments were $8.8 billion.

The best in manufacturing were given due recognition last night with the
Manufacturing Excellence Award (Maxa).

In its second year, Maxa is the only national award benchmarked to global
manufacturing standards.

Tetra Pak Jurong, this year's big winner, received top marks for
production and operational performance and employee training.

Other winners included Kenwood Electronics Technologies Singapore, 3M
Singapore and Systems on Silicon Manufacturing.

The Tiger Could Lose Its Roar

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:45:01 +0800

M'sia needs to work harder and faster if it does not want to be left
behind: Analyst

William Pesek

Those wondering where Malaysia is headed should keep an eye on Mr Tony
Fernandes.

Perhaps no one personifies the promise of Asia's 10th-biggest economy
better than the 43-year-old entrepreneur. In 2001, he created a budget
airline, beating the odds in an industry dominated by government-linked
companies. AirAsia has been turning heads ever since.

Airline magnate Aristotle Onassis once said the key to succeeding in
business is knowing something others don't. Mr Fernandes knew that not
only were Asians ready for no-frills carriers, but so were investors.

Mr Fernandes is often called South-east Asia's answer to Mr Richard
Branson. It seems highly appropriate, then, that the two men teamed to
launch AirAsia X, a long-haul budget carrier that made its maiden flight
this month. Mr Branson's Virgin Group is among its key backers.

For all his success, Mr Fernandes is a microcosm of why Malaysia's economy
isn't on the upward trajectory it could be.

Politicians' efforts over the years to protect the turf of Malaysia
Airlines (MAS) backfired, leaving Kuala Lumpur lagging behind in the race
for Asia's travel hub. Malaysia has tied one hand behind its back to help
national champions at the expense of the bigger picture.

"I'm asking this for national interest, not MAS' interest or that of
anything else," said Mr Fernandes of his battle to fly from Kuala Lumpur
to Singapore. "The consumers have suffered enough."

Politicians continue to dither over another national champion:
State-controlled carmaker Proton Holdings. While talks on an alliance with
Volkswagen AG are progressing, the saga is a reminder that Malaysia's
leaders are wasting time the nation doesn't have.

In Proton's case, the exercise is about finding a partner to help revive
sales and return the 24-year-old company to profit. Yet this, like Mr
Fernandes' fight to expand his innovative airline, is emblematic of how
politicians often don't grasp that Malaysia's place in Asia is rather
tenuous.

Malaysia is a remarkable place with incredible potential. Its economy has
achieved great things in the 50 years since independence from Britain.
Once a tropical backwater, Kuala Lumpur is now a modern, skyscraper-filled
city home to the world's second-tallest buildings, the twin Petronas
Towers.

Yet, the next 50 years will arguably be harder than the last. It wasn't
one of the original Asian tigers, but Malaysia became one over the years.

However, "the world is moving ahead at a rapid pace and it won't wait for
Malaysia", said Mr Razlan Mohamed, chief executive of Malaysian Rating
Corp. The nation "needs to work harder and work faster".

Ms Chrisanne Chin from MIMS Business School, Malaysian Institute of
Management and INTI University College, puts it this way: "It's not so
much what Malaysia is lacking, but that China, India, Vietnam and even
Thailand and Indonesia have improved so much they are capable of
leapfrogging Malaysia in another five years because of specific
comparative advantages, from low costs to human capital to technology."

Human capital is a particular concern. The government needs to do more to
train the leaders of tomorrow and import the talent that companies need to
thrive. It also has to win more of the foreign direct investment flowing
elsewhere in Asia.

There is much backslapping about how the US$147-billion ($213-billion)
economy may expand 6 per cent this year and 6.5 per cent next year. The
real picture can be found in the World Economic Forum's latest
competitiveness survey, in which Malaysia slipped two spots to 21st place.

A huge obstacle for Malaysia is something that can barely be discussed: A
37-year-old affirmative-action programme favouring the predominant Malay
community.

It alienates non-Malays, limits foreign investment, stifles competition
and keeps the economy from moving toward a meritocracy. Yet, it is a
third-rail issue. Most Malaysians won't even discuss it without first
looking around to see who is listening.

A sense of political drift doesn't help. Four years in office, Prime
Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has spent more time trying to solidify the
influence of his political party - the United Malays National
Organisation - than bringing Malaysia's economy to the next level.

For a glimpse of the future, one could do worse than ask Mr Ramon
Navaratnam, president of anti-corruption group Transparency International
Malaysia and author of the book, Where to, Malaysia?, who has this to say:
"The future is bright, but only if we are honest with ourselves that we
have a lot of difficult work to do ... Otherwise, we will see the rest of
Asia pulling ahead and Malaysia walking in place."

William Pesek is a Bloomberg News columnist. The opinions expressed are
his own.

Businessbriefs

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:45:00 +0800

hyflux doubles q3 profit

Water-treatment firm Hyflux's third-quarter net profit climbed to $4.2
million from $1.9 million a year earlier, while revenue rose to $51.9
million from $29.4 million. Hyflux's China operations contributed about
68 per cent to its revenue while sales in the Middle East and North Africa
accounted for 27 per cent.

Noble group triples Q3 profit

Noble Group's net profit nearly tripled to $60.6 million in the third
quarter from $23.5 million a year earlier because of rising demand for
commodities. A recent expansion in its operations - to take advantage of
low production costs in source markets - and its shipping fleet also
helped its bottom line. Turnover of the energy segment, Noble's largest
business, rose to $2.2 billion from $1.8 billion on higher returns from
clean fuels, coal, coke and carbon credits activities. - AGENCIES

Red Bee Media Opens In S'pore

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:59 +0800

Red Bee Media, an award-winning multimedia and channel management firm,
opened its Singapore office last Tuesday as part of its global expansion.

It joins its network of global offices in London, Paris, Beijing and
Sydney.

Red Bee Media, with its 40 years of expertise in digital media, works for
clients like the Discovery Channel, ESPN, Star and Virgin Media. It is a
key player in the European video on demand market, helping its clients to
distribute and promote multimedia content through a variety of platforms,
including Web-based and mobile media.

The Singapore office will offer interactive design, media management,
branding and editorial services to media players in Singapore and
throughout the region.

Mr Petri Nikula, Red Bee Media's vice-president of business development,
will head the office in Singapore.

- Joseph Yadao

Sleek, Friendly And ... Seductive

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:58 +0800

Joseph Yadao
joseph.yadao@mediacorp.com.sg

Bigger and clearer - that seems to be the sales pitch for most television
sets these days. But Philips is bringing another element into its
marketing drive.

The Dutch consumer products manufacturer enthralls its target audience
with the Seduction by Light campaign for its Aurea line of televisions.

This campaign was developed to convey the emotions aroused by Aurea.
Philips roped in film director Wong Kar Wai, fashion photographer Vincent
Peters, fashion designer Alber Elbaz from the House of Lanvin and
jewellery designer Lorenz Baumer to generate the seduction of light-
inspired creatives.

Mr Wong, who won international acclaim when he garnered the Best Director
award in the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, created There Is Only One Sun, a
short film that had its exclusive premiere in Singapore at the Aurea
launch.

"He is a renowned master in blending light and colours to create a
seductive atmosphere in his movies and Philips feels that he is the
perfect person to create a movie which highlights all of the Aurea's
features," said Philips Electronics Singapore general manager Milton Tan.

For Aurea's print campaign, Mr Peters was the man for the job. Having
worked with Vogue magazine and several fashion houses, he brought the
campaign images to life with his inimitable style of light manipulation.

"The light itself is what creates emotional access to what you see. The
light is always there, but no one ever thinks about it," he said.

The Seduction by Light campaign is Philips' first foray into the luxury
lifestyle space and is a world away from its usual brand positioning as a
leader in technology. With its alluring appeal, Aurea is positioned to
appeal as much to women as to men.

"Women are getting more tech-savvy today and are constantly seeking
technology that enhances their current lifestyle," said Mr Tan. "More
women today are willing to explore technology and want it to be sleek,
feminine, user friendly and trendy."

Viva Pinata Fiesta At Swensen's

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:57 +0800

Swensen's has teamed up with Microsoft to offer its Viva Pinata Fiesta
meals till Jan 2.

Diners can order special Viva Pinata dishes and sundaes, which are
inspired by the main characters of the hit Xbox 360 game. They also have a
chance to win $18,000 worth of Xbox 360 prizes in the weekly and grand
draws.

Xbox 360 gaming corners will also be set up in 10 selected Swensen's
restaurants.

Viva Pinata: Party Animals was launched earlier this month and is an
exclusive title for the Xbox 360 console. The Viva Pinata 3D-animated
series also airs on MediaCorp's Kids Central every weekday afternoon. -
Joseph Yadao

'no Way Militants Can Grab Our N-arms'

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:56 +0800

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan said yesterday it had sufficient "retaliatory
capacity" to defend its nuclear weapons and that there was no risk they
would be seized by the Taliban or Al Qaeda-linked militants, who have
expanded their control beyond the country's north-western border regions.

The comment came a day after an American newspaper reported that the
United States has secret plans to safeguard Pakistan's nukes and that US
officials worry their limited knowledge about the location of the arsenal
could pose a problem.

Denouncing "irresponsible conjecture", Pakistan's foreign ministry said
the country was ready to defend its nuclear arsenal and there was no risk
of the arms being taken. "If there is any threat to our nuclear assets and
sovereignty, we have the capacity to defend ourselves," foreign ministry
spokesman Mohammad Sadiq told AFP.

A ministry statement went further, saying in response to the Washington
Post report: "Pakistan possesses adequate retaliatory capacity to defend
its strategic assets and sovereignty."

The ministry strongly denied its weapons were at any risk: "Our strategic
assets are as safe as that of any other nuclear weapons state."

The Washington Post reported on Sunday that the US has secret contingency
plans to safeguard Pakistani nuclear weapons if they risk falling into the
wrong hands.

"We can't say with absolute certainty that we know where they all are,"
one unidentified former US official told the newspaper, adding that any US
effort to secure Pakistan's nuclear arsenal "could be very messy".

Under a more optimistic scenario, the Pakistani military would help the US
in any intervention, the Washington Post said. In other cases, that
assistance might not be forthcoming, it cautioned.

Among US intelligence agencies, there is particular concern now over the
cohesion of Pakistan's army if extremist violence and opposition protests
against President Pervez Musharraf escalate, the report said.

Last week, former US Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton
encouraged the US to support General Musharraf - who has come under
international pressure for imposing a state of emergency that has stomped
on civilian rights - to protect the nuclear stockpile from Islamic
fundamentalists. - AGENCIES

Pakistan Facing New Censure

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:55 +0800

Commonwealth may suspend the country if emergency rule continues

LONDON - As Commonwealth foreign ministers debated whether to suspend
Pakistan from the grouping if it does not lift its state of emergency,
opposition leader Benazir Bhutto ruled out any more power-sharing talks
with President Pervez Musharraf and said her party may boycott the coming
elections if it's held under emergency rule.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action group met yesterday to consider the
suspension of Pakistan from the 53-nation group, as it did for five years
when Gen Musharraf seized power in a coup in 1999.

But its powers of persuasion are limited and suspension is the ultimate
sanction. Pakistan was restored to the group in 2004 after Gen Musharraf
promised to step down as military chief - something he has yet to do.

British officials said, however, that an immediate decision was unlikely,
with any action deferred to a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government
from Nov 23 to 25 in Kampala, Uganda.

Meanwhile, two-time former Premier Bhutto is set on collision course with
the military ruler. She had been in Western-backed negotiations with Gen
Musharraf before he declared a state of emergency on Nov 3, but said she
was changing tack.

"We are saying no to any more talks," Ms Bhutto said. "We cannot work with
anyone who has suspended the Constitution, imposed emergency rule, and
oppressed the judiciary. That's why we are holding the 'long march'."

She also said that "boycotting the election is an option" with her
Pakistan People's Party.

It is the largest political group in the country and any boycott would
damage the credibility of the polls scheduled for January.

She promised to press ahead with a protest march from Lahore to the
capital Islamabad planned for today, despite warnings from officials that
they will not allow it.

"There will be no long march," a senior government official in Punjab, the
province that includes Lahore, told AFP under cover of anonymity. "It will
not be permitted."

"It's a political decision," Lahore police chief Malik Mohammad Iqbal
said, warning that the threat of militant attacks on the march was
"imminent and it is of the highest degree." - AGENCIES

Time's Up For 'brother No 3'

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:54 +0800

Former Khmer Rouge leader, wife to face genocide charges

PHNOM PENH - Former Khmer Rouge Foreign Minister Ieng Sary and his wife
Ieng Thirith were arrested yesterday, bringing to four the number of
regime leaders now facing Cambodia's United Nations-backed genocide
court.

A French-educated communist, Ieng Sary, also known as "Brother Number 3"
emerged as the public face of the secretive Khmer Rouge. His wife became
the regime's Social Affairs Minister and continued to defend its policies
long after its demise.

The elderly couple, who were seized in their villa in Phnom Penh, will
face charges of crimes against humanity. Ieng Sary, who also served as the
regime's Deputy Premier, will face additional war-crimes charges,
officials said.

They are among five former top cadres currently under investigation for
their role in crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge's rule from 1975 to
1979 over Cambodia, as efforts intensify to bring ageing regime figures to
justice.

Under the Khmer Rouge, up to 2 million people died from starvation and
overwork or were executed. The regime abolished religion, schools and
currency and exiled millions to vast farms in its bid to forge an agrarian
utopia.

During his rule, Ieng Sary, now thought to be 78 years old, convinced many
educated Cambodians who had fled the country to return. They were then
killed in the regime's purge of intellectuals. Many of the victims were
diplomats taken from Ieng Sary's foreign ministry with his knowledge.

The alleged crimes of his wife, Ieng Thirith, believed to be 75 years old,
includes participation in the "unlawful killing or murder of staff members
from within the Ministry of Social Affairs", according to a report filed
by prosecutors with the tribunal's judges on July 18.

Regime leader Pol Pot died in 1998, but his deputies Nuon Chea and Duch,
who oversaw the notorious Tuol Sleng torture centre, were arrested by the
tribunal earlier this year.

The fifth suspect under investigation has not been named, but some believe
it to be former head of state Khieu Samphan, 76 years old.

The court got under way last year after a decade of tense negotiations
between the UN and Cambodian government. Trials are expected next year.

Despite receiving a royal pardon for a 1979 genocide conviction after his
surrender to the government in 1996, Ieng Sary could face other charges.

Like other surviving Khmer Rouge leaders, he has repeatedly denied
responsibility for any crimes.

"I have done nothing wrong," Ieng Sary told AP last month. "I even made
good deeds to save several people's lives (during the regime)", he said. -
AGENCIES

Un Envoy Spends Hour In 'hell-hole'

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:53 +0800

YANGON - United Nations human rights expert Paulo Sergio Pinheiro visited
Myanmar's Insein prison yesterday to probe abuses and uncover how many
died during the junta's suppression of September's pro-democracy protests.

Mr Pinheiro, who was allowed back into Myanmar by the regime for the first
time in four years, visited the jail for about an hour. He was joined by
UN and government officials, and escorted by police, witnesses said.

Human rights groups have urged him to push for reform and press for the
release of all political prisoners. Amnesty International estimates 700
are still in detention.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was secretly held at Insein in 2003.
Former political prisoner Ko Aung said the British-built prison was known
as the "darkest hell-hole in Burma".

Earlier yesterday, Mr Pinheiro met home affairs officials in Yangon and
was scheduled to meet senior Buddhist monks.

Monks were at the forefront of the protests, which eventually swelled into
the biggest anti-government demonstrations in two decades.

Mr Pinheiro had been expected to travel yesterday to the Myanmar's capital
Naypyidaw to meet government ministers, but that trip has been postponed,
the official said.

It was not immediately clear if Mr Pinheiro, who will leave Myanmar on
Thursday, would meet Ms Aung San Suu Kyi. - AFP

Empty Monasteries, Blood-stained Floors

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:52 +0800

Reprisals send Myanmar's monks running for their lives

BANGKOK - Myanmar's monasteries used to teem with saffron-robed Buddhist
monks, revered as spiritual guides and moral authorities in a country in
the grip of a repressive military regime.

In September, the junta turned its troops on the monks, beating them in
the streets for leading pro-democracy protests. They also raided
monasteries, chasing anyone who had participated in the rallies and
leaving behind blood-stained floors.

Nobody knows how many of the more than 500,000 monks in Myanmar remain.

The picture that emerges after scores of interviews is that monasteries
around the country have been depleted - especially in Yangon and Mandalay,
where the protests were staged. Many monks have slipped into other
countries or are hiding in their hometowns and villages.

To avoid being caught in a night raid on their monasteries, some stay with
friends, despite rules that do not allow monks and lay people to sleep
under the same roof.

The junta has lifted a night-time curfew, restored Internet access and
ended a ban on public assembly. But the monks remain targets. The junta
said it was still pursuing four monks who led the rallies.

One of them, Mr U Kovida, asked that his location be kept secret in case
the Thai authorities sent him back. "At the moment you will hardly find a
monk in Yangon. Monks are being arrested and sent to labour camps,
tortured and killed," said the 24-year-old.

A heavy police guard remains outside a few monasteries in Yangon where
some of the best-known shrines were flashpoints.

But there is little left to guard in some monasteries. The Ngwekyar Yan
monastery in northern Yangon used to house 180 monks, said chief abbot U
Yewata, who was ordered by officials to move out. He said 70 monks were
dragged away on the night of Sept 26 and more were arrested later.

An abbot at a monastery in Ahlone township, in western Yangon, said he had
sent most of his 1,200 monks home fearing he could no longer control them.
Only the elderly monks remain.

Residents of North Okalapa township in northern Yangon said when a
traditional daily procession of monks failed to show up they went to the
monastery and were told that hundreds of monks had left.

The last time monks took to the streets was during anti-government
protests in 1990, which the junta crushed.

The junta regards monks as a potential threat. It has tried to intimidate,
bribe and spy on them. It has also tried to gain control over the official
state committee of monks, giving some of its 47 members cars, mobile
phones, televisions and other gifts.

But many say the junta went too far in targeting the monks. Some 90 per
cent of Myanmar's 54 million people are Buddhists and monasteries are
sacrosanct.

At the height of the crackdown, news footage showed troops firing on
marching monks. A dead monk was shown floating face-down in a river.

For now, the generals appear to have scared the monks into submission.

Mr Josef Silverstein, a retired Rutgers University professor who studied
Myanmar for more than 50 years, does not expect to see monks in the front
line for some time. "Prayers were no match for the guns and determination
of the military," he said.

Other experts say the monks' treatment won't be forgotten. "The next wave
of protests may have to be led by student leaders and political activists.
But monks will remain an inspiration that lends legitimacy to the
movement," said Myanmar specialist Pornpimon Trichot. - AP

Battle Looming Over 'us Wars'

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:51 +0800

Opposition threatens censure against Fukuda government

- Agencies

TOKYO - A Japanese parliamentary committee yesterday approved the renewal
of a limited anti-terror naval mission in the Indian Ocean, setting the
stage for a fresh showdown with the opposition.

Japanese warships had been refuelling vessels in the region since 2001 in
support of US-led combat operations in Afghanistan, but the mission was
halted on Nov 1 because of objections by the opposition, which controls
the upper house of Parliament and argues that Japan should not be part of
"American wars".

But a committee in the lower house, where Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's
coalition enjoys an overwhelming majority, passed a bill which limits
Japanese ships to refuelling and supplying water to ships used in
monitoring and inspecting suspicious vessels.

The new mission would be a part of the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom.
However, it would not allow Japanese warships to refuel vessels involved
in military attacks, or in rescue and humanitarian operations directly
related to Afghanistan.

The full lower house is expected to approve the measure today and send it
to the upper house, where the opposition is expected to reject it.

While the lower house can override a rejection by the upper house, the
main opposition Democratic Party of Japan on Sunday threatened a censure
motion against Mr Fukuda's government if it resorts to such drastic
measures.

Mr Fukuda's Liberal Democratic Party in turn has warned the opposition,
which has recently been in disarray, that a snap general election may be
called if it pushes through a censure motion.

Globalroundup

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:50 +0800

M'sians' kindness backfiring: PM

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said that the problem
of rising numbers of illegal immigrants in the eastern state of Sabah was
due to the kindness of locals offering them shelter and jobs, a news
report said yesterday.

Located on Borneo island, Sabah shares a border with Indonesia and has a
large number of illegal Filipino immigrants.

"If our people ... want to accept them, give shelter, give work, then they
will continue to come.

" Malaysian people are always very kind, very generous, and that becomes a
problem sometimes," Mr Abdullah said. - DPA

Copycat YouTube massacre threat

Finnish police have detained a teenage boy who allegedly posted a video on
YouTube threatening a massacre similar to the one that occurred last week
at a high school in Finland.

The 16-year-old posted a 30-second-long video showing his "school and a
person with a weapon in hand", a police spokesman said. He said the teen
had told police "it was a joke, that he had no intention" of carrying out
the massacre.

Teen killer Pekka-Eric Auvinen posted a video threat on YouTube two days
before the murders at a Finnish school last week. He killed himself after
the shootings. - AFP

First Votes Cast As Polls Predict Defeat For Howard

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:49 +0800

SYDNEY - Aboriginal voters cast the first ballots in Australia's elections
yesterday as the latest polls forecast a landslide defeat for Prime
Minister John Howard.

The votes cast by Aborigines at Kybrook Farm south of Darwin marked the
start of early voting for those unable to make it to polling stations on
election day and for Australians abroad.

The first to cast a ballot, Mr George Huddlestone, said he had voted for
Mr Howard in the last election in 2003 but objected to the government's
move this year to seize control of remote Aboriginal communities.

"I voted Liberal last time but Howard, he's changed the rules on us," Mr
Huddlestone said. "Some things are changing and people are worried for
their families."

The poll, published yesterday, showed Labour had gained two percentage
points to extend its lead over Mr Howard's Liberal-National coalition 55
per cent against 45 per cent.

It also showed that Mr Rudd had increased his lead over Mr Howard as
preferred Prime Minister, with backing from 48 per cent of the 1,119
voters polled against 40 per cent for Howard.

Mr Howard refused to comment directly on the poll results, but said he was
"optimistic" he could win a fifth term on the basis of his handling of the
economy.

The poll also showed that Mr Howard, 68, retains a strong lead over Mr
Rudd, 50, on the question of who could best manage the economy. - Agencies

Gunfire Mars Arafat Rally

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:48 +0800

GAZA CITY - At least seven people were killed and 150 were injured after
Hamas security forces opened fire yesterday as hundreds of thousands
gathered (picture) to mark the third death anniversary of Palestinian
leader Yasser Arafat.

The shots brought an abrupt end to the largest public display of support
for the rival Fatah movement since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip
in June.

Shots rang out after the crowds started chanting "Shia, Shia" - accusing
Hamas of being a proxy for Shia Iran and its ally Syria, witnesses said.

Television images showed protesters and armed men running through the
streets and opened fire at random.

The city had been filled with a sea of yellow flags, the colour of the
Fatah party that Mr Arafat had founded.

The crowds waved Palestinian flags and held portraits of the iconic leader
as Fatah party officials called for unity.

"We say to Hamas and these armed militias, stop your crimes. "These crimes
will not shake our determination," said Mr Zakaria Al Agha, chief of Fatah
in Gaza, reading a statement from Fatah leader President Mahmoud Abbas.

Senior Fatah official Ahmed Hellis said the event had drawn up to 500,000
people.

The Hamas-run Executive Force, a paramilitary group that has policed Gaza
since taking power, was out in force and had earlier confiscated tens of
thousands of portraits of Mr Arafat and Mr Abbas.

Mr Arafat died on Nov 11, 2004, and remains a symbol of Palestinian
unity. - Agencies

A Derby Clash, One Glittering Prize

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:41 +0800

A WIN for second-placed Home United and they will almost certainly lift
the NTUC Income-Yeo's S-League 2007 title.

All league leaders SAFFC need is one point, and they will in all
probability defend their league crown.

There is so much at stake when the two teams meet this Friday at Bishan
Stadium, in what has been billed as the match of the season.

Both sides will have just one game to go after the clash - Home will visit
Geylang United next week while SAFFC will host Gombak United - and look
quite capable of winning their respective matches. So it almost certainly
comes down to the 90 minutes on Friday.

Both camps were in upbeat mood yesterday.

Protectors' coach Vincent Subramaniam held a special training session for
the players who will fill in for his four Lions - Shahril Ishak, Shi
Jiayi, Indra Sahdan and Lionel Lewis - away on World Cup qualifying duty.

"We wished all the national team players farewell and good luck after
Sunday's win over Balestier. Now, we are concentrating on plugging the
holes in our midfield," said Vincent.

"We won't have Qiu Li also after he picked up another yellow card on
Sunday, so there's a lot of thinking to do.

"But we don't need to work the rest of the players hard on the training
field now. It is mental preparation that's important at this stage."

Vincent insisted home ground advantage would count for little on Friday.

"I really think they (SAFFC) have the upper hand with their talented
foreigners and the fact that they have not had a game since Nov 5," he
said.

"Since they played at Woodlands last Monday, they will have had 11 days
rest by the time Friday comes, while we are still recovering from our
match on Sunday."

SAFFC coach Richard Bok was only interested in how his men were doing and
he was happy to report the Warriors' were up for the battle ahead,
especially after the recovery of their Thai star.

After struggling with a thigh injury for a few weeks, midfielder Therdsak
Chaiman came through a practice game yesterday showing no ill effects.

"We didn't play him against Woodlands last week to give him time to
recover from his injury as he needed the rest," said Bok. "All is good for
us now and we just have to go to Bishan and do our job. It now comes down
to hunger and desire, it is about how much the players want the
championship."

"While a draw at Bishan will suit us, we will go there to win. We want to
win both our remaining games," he insisted.

Meanwhile, in last night's S-League match, Albirex Niigata beat Liaoning
Guangyuan 2-0 at Jurong East Stadium.

A first-half brace from 19-year-old striker Akira Takase ensured the three
points for the home side. - Paul Green

Armband Won't Weigh Heavy On Him

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:40 +0800

While shocked at Aide's retirement, Indra says it's time to focus on
Tajikistan

Cubby Leong
cubby@mediacorp.com.sg

JOHN Wilkinson limped away after the first tackle, but when Gombak
defender Precious Emuejeraye steamed into the SAFFC midfielder the second
time, both players squared off with each other at a Lions' training match
yesterday at the National Stadium.

While some Singapore fans would be alarmed to hear of the confrontation,
so near the second leg of their Asian Zone World Cup second round
qualifier with Tajikistan, new Lions' captain Indra Sahdan (picture) was
unconcerned.

"I don't foresee any problems. They are all good boys in the team," the
Home United striker said. "They are not hard to manage and are easy to
talk to.

"This team is focused on playing as a unit and it's not just about the
captain or anyone else in particular. That's a good sign."

Indeed, minutes later, both Precious and Wilkinson were already speaking
to each other on the touchline and looked a little sheepish.

After the shock retirement of veteran defender and long-time Singapore
captain Aide Iskandar last Friday, national coach Radojko Avramovic has
named 28-year-old Indra as team skipper.

Which means besides scoring goals, Indra will now have to deal with such
issues as team unity and player bonding.

While some have blamed a rift between Aide and Avramovic for the
defender's retirement, other members of the public have blasted the
Geylang player for the timing of the submission of his letter - hours
before the crucial home clash with Tajikistan.

The new captain just wants to move on.

"It wasn't just me, we were all surprised and disappointed by Aide's
decision to leave," said Indra. "But we have to move on. There's a very
important game coming up in Tajikistan and the team must come together and
concentrate on that."

The Lions leave for Tajikistan tonight and they will take a 2-0 advantage
into the second leg, which will be played at the Central Stadium, in the
capital Dushanbe.

Besides using common sense and instinct, Indra will draw on what he learnt
from watching how Aide performed as captain between 2003 and 2007, to lead
the team.

"I liked how Aide led the team," said Indra. "He was a very nice man to
begin with. If anyone had any problem, they could speak to him and he
would always be very supportive.

"He never faulted anyone, in any situation. In fact, he was always very
encouraging, especially when things were not going well."

Indra has always risen to the occasion, coming up with goals against the
likes of Denmark, Uruguay, Japan, Kuwait and Premiership champions
Manchester United.

Could the armband restrict him in any way?

"Of course this is a new experience for me, but I don't see it as extra
pressure or me having extra responsibilities," he said. "When I was a boy
watching from the stands, all I wanted was to play for the national team.
Being captain never crossed my mind.

"Now that I am, I will still approach the game the way I have always
done."

Cook Islands Pip Singapore

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:39 +0800

The Singapore netball team went down 45-43 to world No 11 Cook Islands
yesterday at the Netball World Championships in Auckland.

The Singapore women led 32-31 after the third quarter and the lead swung
back and forth in the final period, with the Cook Islands side just edging
it in the end.

With the top two from each pool (four pools of four) advancing to the
last eight, Singapore are already out of the running, having lost two
matches.

Singapore go into today's final Pool C match (11.10am, Singapore time)
against world No 3 Jamaica with only the battle for minor placings in the
tournament (positions 9 to 16) to aim for. - Low Lin Fhoong

The Rise And Rise Of Robinho

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:38 +0800

After two seasons at Real, Brazil striker is finally showing he is
capable of great things

MADRID - He signed for Real Madrid in the summer of 2005 amid much
fanfare, with the likes of Pele himself hailing the youngster as Brazil's
next great thing.

The last couple of seasons have been a steep learning curve for Robinho as
he only displayed occasional glimpses of his form and some Real fans began
to question the wisdom of the signing.

But after another five-star performance for the Spanish champions on
Sunday (yesterday morning, Singapore time), the 23-year-old is finally
beginning to realise his enormous potential.

The Brazilian international put on a mesmerising display, including two
goals, as Real downed Real Mallorca 4-3 to stay top of La Liga.

The youngster has already chalked up a double in one previous league clash
this season and Real coach Bernd Schuster acknowledged: "Robinho is in
great form at the moment and he has maintained a very high level for
several matches now. That is what we expect of him.

"At Real Madrid we need players such as Robinho, Raul, Ruud (van
Nistelrooy) and (Wesley) Sneijder to create problems for the opposition."

Dutch international van Nistelrooy scored the 73rd minute winner for Real
in a see-saw game that underlined Real's attacking prowess and their
defensive frailties.

Real's nearest challengers are Villarreal, just a point adrift after their
sensational 3-2 win over 10-man Sevilla.

Sevilla had beaten Real last weekend and Mallorca looked set to follow in
their footsteps.

Robinho had headed the hosts ahead on 12 minutes but Fernando Varela
equalised two minutes later.

The Brazilian then grabbed his fourth goal of the season on 16 minutes,
dispatching with aplomb after a pass from Raul.

But Real were at sixes and sevens in defence and Varela matched Robinho by
scoring his second of the match with a ferocious 36th minute equaliser.

Guiza then put Mallorca ahead, but Real had too much for the islanders,
with Raul and van Nistelrooy gobbling up chances set up by Robinho to send
the locals into a frenzy.

Said the youngster, after the game: "When I see Ronaldinho once we all
join up for the Brazil games, I'm going to remind him it is Real Madrid
that are leaders.

"I'm very happy with the way I'm playing.

"I'm here to make my dreams come true - to win trophies with Real Madrid.

"We are in great form and I am very happy with the victory because the
three points were very important. We are gradually doing things better and
it means we can be even better." - Agencies

Italy In A State Of Shock

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:37 +0800

ROME - The Italian government held an emergency meeting yesterday after
the police killing of a football fan sparked riots by supporters across
the country which left at least 40 police injured.

Gabriele Sandri was hit in the neck by a shot fired by a policeman at a
motorway rest area where rival fans were fighting on Sunday. The police
described the shooting as a "tragic error".

In a furious reaction to the shooting, militant fans across Italy turned
on police targets forcing three of Sunday's matches to be called off. -
AFP

Man City To Sign Thai Footballers?

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:36 +0800

BANGKOK - English Premiership club Manchester City, owned by ousted Thai
prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, plan to sign three Thai players,
according to Vittaya Khunpleum, chairman of Thai side Chonburi FC.

City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who took the helm after Thaksin bought
the club in July, is due to arrive in Thailand on Friday to make the
signings, Vittaya said.

Two of the players - Suree Sukha (picture) and Kietprawut Sai-aeo - come
from his club, while the other player is Theerasil Daengda from Bangkok's
Muangthong-Nongchok United FC.

Vittaya hailed it as a chance to showcase Asian and Thai football.

Thaksin bought City for US$162.6 million ($235 million) and his team are
currently third in the Premiership. - AFP

Chelsea's Defence Cut Down, Grant Stays Calm

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:35 +0800

Two-week break and an easy upcoming schedule could give walking wounded
time to heal

LONDON - When they won back-to-back Premiership titles under Jose
Mourinho, Chelsea were well-known as a team who refused to throw in the
towel until the final whistle.

Their campaigns in 2004/05 and 2005/06 were littered with matches where
they grabbed a goal at the death to snatch a point, and at times, a vital
three points.

On Sunday, with new boss Avram Grant in the dugout, the boot was very much
on the other foot for the Stamford Bridge outfit.

Leading Everton 1-0, Chelsea was shocked by a spectacular 90th minute Tim
Cahill equaliser which denied the home side three points and saw the Blues
go five points behind league leaders Manchester United.

It was significant that Cahill's stylish bicycle-kick was executed without
Chelsea's regular centre-back pairing of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho
in attendance, or with Petr Cech in between the posts.

But, despite the mounting casualty list in his defensive department, Grant
insisted yesterday that his side would bounce back and remain contenders
for the title.

Chelsea lost Carvalho during the first-half of the clash with Everton and
the seriousness of the Portuguese international's back injury would only
be known after a scan, but a defiant Grant said: "We have too many
injuries at the moment, and it is not easy to play without key players
like Terry and Cech, as well as Paulo Ferreira.

"But this is why we have a big squad. We have players who can come in and
replace those who are injured."

Grant definitely cannot afford to be shorn of three of his biggest
defensive stars for too long. But his brave front is possibly due to the
current two-week domestic break for internationals. It could not have come
at a better time as Chelsea fight to regroup. Besides, the Blues will not
face a stern test for at least a month in the shape of a Champions League
clash.

Indeed, Grant is convinced his team will return to action rejuvenated for
their match with bottom side Derby County on Nov 24.

He said: "I am sure that when we come back, we will quickly start to play
the good football that we have managed to play in our recent matches."

The trickier Champions League tie follows next with a trip to Rosenborg,
but Grant and his men know they only need a win from either one of their
remaining two Group B games to qualify for the last 16.

Following Rosenborg, Chelsea's next four games will be at home to
Sunderland, West Ham, Valencia (Champions League) and Liverpool, in a
tricky League Cup quarter-final on Dec 18.

That will be the Blues' next big test, followed by a trip to Ewood Park
five days later to face Blackburn Rovers in the Premiership.

By this time, Grant will want at least a couple of his big-name defenders
back in the starting XI.

After taking over from Jose Mourinho in September, Grant vowed to create a
Chelsea team that placed more emphasis on attacking flair than that of his
predecessor.

They had plenty of chances to score against Everton to extend their run of
five successive league wins, but Grant's team found American goalkeeper
Tim Howard in magnificent form.

Said Grant: "When a team wants to play attacking football, it is normal
that they will try to score the second and third goals after they have
scored the first.

"They had one chance and scored - we scored one goal from many chances.

"I am happy with the football, but not with the result. The most important
thing is that we continued to play good football.

"We showed we have a good squad and good players. I am happy." - Agencies

Mp Tells Of Young Nephew's Video Game Addiction

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:34 +0800

Leong Wee Keat
weekeat@mediacorp.com.sg

A 12-YEAR-OLD nephew's addiction to cyber and gaming cafes led Member of
Parliament Ellen Lee (Sembawang GRC), to table similar questions to three
different ministries in Parliament yesterday.

According to Ms Lee, her nephew's addiction had led to his incurring a
debt. She asked if there were sufficient controls and measures against the
proliferation of cyber gaming cafes, especially in the heartlands and
close to schools.

In reply, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, Associate Professor
Ho Peng Kee, said the police do not allow computer gaming establishments
to be set up in Housing and Development Board (HDB) residential zones
where most schools are located.

Such establishments are only allowed in shopping, recreational or
commercial centres, he said. HDB town centres, however, were classified as
part commercial and part residential and could allow gaming establishments
to operate. But he assured the House that the police assess the location's
suitability before granting licences.

Ms Lee also asked about steps taken by schools and communities to minimise
obsession or addiction by children and youths to cyber gaming.

In response, Minister of State for Education Gan Kim Yong said schools
adopt a "holistic approach" to the problem. Besides actively advising
students against frequenting computer games centres or cyber cafes, they
also do counselling. Ang Mo Kio Secondary School, for example, has
included topics such as blogging, Internet gaming and cyber bullying in
the school's Civics and Moral Education module. The Education Ministry is
also preparing a cyber-wellness resource kit to complement the schools'
efforts.

Mr Teo Ser Luck, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Community
Development, Youth and Sports, added that his ministry is working with
community partners such as the National Youth Council, and the National
Committee on Youth Guidance and Rehabilitation, to promote cyber-wellness
among youths.

Meanwhile, the police raided three Internet cafes - believed to be
providing illegal online gambling - in Geylang last Friday and arrested 15
men and three women, and seized 84 computers, 21 fruit machines and more
than $20,000 in cash.

Mps Fret Over Patient Information Disclosure

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:33 +0800

Minister reassures members that all data will be treated with strictest
confidence

Sheralyn Tay
sheralyn@mediacorp.com.sg

EVEN as they agreed on the importance of having a national registry to
gather key information to help formulate public health policies, Members
of Parliament (MPs) voiced concern over the issue of confidentiality
during the debate about the National Registry of Diseases Act before the
amendments to it were passed yesterday.

Jurong MP, Mdm Halimah Yaacob, who also chairs the Government
Parliamentary Committee for Health, said that while she had no problems
with patient information being kept anonymous, her concern was over the
"laxity allowed in the use of individually-identifiable information where
the identity can be readily ascertained from the information given".

Sections of the Act allow identifiable patient information to be disclosed
"for purposes of national health programmes", Mdm Halimah noted.

Responding to these concerns, Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said data
collected may "show from time to time, worrying trends that are beyond the
scope of the registry to investigate", and it may need to release
identifiable data to match it with other data. This practice has been
adopted in countries like Australia.

Nominated MP Prof Thio Li-Ann questioned the general exemption clause,
which gives the Health Minister powers to waive the requirement of
confidentiality stipulated by the Act.

"This is an extremely broad power, effectively providing carte blanche for
the Minister in his discretion to allow someone to be given blanket
immunity from this statutory regime," she said.

Mr Khaw said the clause would not be used to exempt anybody from the
obligations of confidentiality.

Rather, it is intended to exempt managers of healthcare institutions from
being prosecuted when they notify the registry about patients being
treated for a reportable disease.

Mr Khaw reassured members that all patient data collected by the
registry - whether anonymised or identifiable - would be treated with the
"strictest confidence". In cases where data is released, be it for
research or to inform health policies, there will be rigorous scrutiny.

Anyone guilty of unauthorised disclosure would be subject to a maximum
fine of $10,000, a jail term of up to 12 months, or both.

"We will only collect information that is absolutely essential for
healthcare policy-making," added Mr Khaw.

Under the Act, all healthcare institutions are required to notify the
Registry of Diseases about cancer cases. Other illnesses such as heart
disease, renal disease and stroke will be added in time.

Parliamentbriefs

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:32 +0800

- SHERALYN TAY

New cpf changes give more clout to workfare scheme

Amendments to the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Act, passed yesterday, will
give the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) scheme legislative teeth to
prevent any abuse. Anyone guilty of making false declarations can be fined
up to $2,500 for first offences and up to $10,000 for second and
subsequent offences. The amended law also allows the CPF Board the right
to recover and adjust WIS payments already made if there are any changes
in a person's earnings. Payments will be made in two lots - the first will
be provisional and the second will be adjusted when a person's final
average income is declared. The changes take effect on Jan 1.

sin ming will not be a 'funeral hub': minister

Despite the Government's plans to pilot a purpose-built funeral parlour
there, the Sin Ming area will not become a "funeral hub", Minister of
State (National Development) Grace Fu said yesterday. To mitigate
residents' concerns about noise and property values, the proposed site
will be moved away from the nearest residential areas and the Government
has brought forward the development of an adjacent industrial site to act
as a buffer between the two. Work will not start on the funeral parlour
until after the industrial site is developed. Ms Fu also assured Member of
Parliament Hri Kumar (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) that her ministry would
consider residents' feedback carefully before implementing the plan. -
LEONG WEE KEAT

Uwc Plans New Tampines Campus

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:31 +0800

Demand at international school spikes with steady influx of foreigners

Teo Xuanwei
xuanwei@mediacorp.com.sg

FACED with the happy problem of overwhelming demand from parents, the
United World College of South East Asia has decided to open a new campus
in Tampines, which will be ready in three years' time.

"The economy is booming and a lot of people are moving into Singapore. And
the quality of education for their children is an area where parents are
not ready to compromise," said the college head, Mr Julian Whiteley,
yesterday.

For the last admission exercise in June, the college received more than
1,800 applications for 550 places.

The school also has a waiting list, of between one and three years,
depending on the level. The new 6-ha campus at Tampines Street 73 will be
about half the size of the college's 11-ha campus at Dover Road but will
have similar facilities.

"It's basically one college, two campuses. We will offer the same type of
education and curriculum," Mr Whiteley said.

Like its Dover facility, the teacher-to-student ratio for the new campus -
operational in August 2010 - will be maintained at 11.6 to 1, which means
it will have about 220 teachers eventually.

Mr Mike Price, deputy college head, said the new campus will also continue
with the tradition of not just emphasising academic achievements but also
maintaining a "values-driven education, where students can explore,
inquire and challenge".

The new campus will also cater to students from Kindergarten 1 to Grade
12 - the equivalent of nursery to junior college education for students
between four and 18 years old - and boarding facilities for about 200
students will also be available.

The school expects to hit its full capacity of 2,500 students five to
seven years after the Tampines campus starts operating, pushing total
numbers to about 5,400.

While the Tampines campus is being built, a transitional primary school
for about 400 students from Kindergarten 1 to Grade 4 will open in Ang Mo
Kio next September.

According to Mr Whiteley, the college chose Tampines for three reasons:
The absence of a major international school in the area,
relatively-cheaper property prices, and the town's convenient transport
network.

With more foreigners settling down in Singapore - more than 77,000 came
here last year - the college is not the only international school with a
spike in demand.

Two months ago, DPS International School announced it would have a new
campus to accommodate about 2,000 students in the East Coast from next
April. Chairman C P Kabra said that the school has received about 500
enquiries from parents.

Key Is Getting Climate Message Through: Don

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:30 +0800

Alicia Wong
alicia@mediacorp.com.sg

He may have made winning a Nobel Peace Prize seem easy: One docu-movie and
former United States vice-president Al Gore shared the honours this year
with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

But when it comes to environmental work, the importance of successfully
conveying the issues to the public - which is what Mr Gore did with An
Inconvenient Truth - cannot be understated, according to the coordinating
lead author of the panel's Fourth Assessment Report, Professor Richard C J
Somerville (picture).

Prof Somerville, a climate scientist and distinguished professor emeritus
at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, told reporters yesterday that
people needed to "tell their governments that these issues are important
to them".

"Polling data show this is not an overpowering No-1 priority but I think
governments are responsive," he said, citing western Europe's several
centre-right governments that made the environment a "high priority"
despite a pro-business philosophy.

The refusal, on the other hand, by the US to move on environmental
policies until developing countries do so is frustrating for the American
on a personal level. Prof Somerville, who is in Singapore as a Lee Kuan
Yew Distinguished Fellow and was speaking in his capacity as a scientist,
called doubters of the effects of global warming "professional
contrarians".

It is like smoking. It took 50 years to prove that smoking causes health
problems, and he expects environmental education to take time, too.
"Sceptical people are simply not well-informed about science," he said.

But "people listen to their physicians and that's all we are". As
"planetary physicians", he said, scientists tell governments and people
"there are different ways to behave and there are consequences".

While climate science, like medical science, is imperfect, "it's good
enough to be a valuable ingredient to policymaking", added Prof
Somerville, who will be giving two public lectures today and on Friday at
the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University.

6 Key Steps To Meet S'pore's Energy Needs

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:44:29 +0800

Lin Yanqin and Esther Fung
yanqin@mediacorp.com.sg

SPIRALLING oil prices, growing global demand for energy, limited and
uncertain supplies from oil-producing countries, climate change from
greenhouse gas emissions - these are the challenges faced by a Singapore
dependent on imports for energy needs.

But even if Singapore has to be a "price-taker" in meeting its energy
needs, it can still turn "energy challenges" into "energy opportunities".

To help make this happen, a master plan - outlined in the National Energy
Policy Report - was unveiled by the Minister for Trade and Industry Lim
Hng Kiang yesterday, with six strategies mapped out for Singapore's energy
future.

Steps will be taken to improve energy security by diversifying energy
sources and the mix of fuels currently used to generate electricity. Plans
are also in place to grow the value-add of the energy industry, now worth
$20 billion, into a $34-billion industry by 2015, and triple the number of
jobs to 15,300.

"There's very little we can do to affect worldwide demand and supply,"
said Mr Lim after unveiling the details of the energy policy at the
Singapore Electricity Roundtable. "The best solution is a long-term one,
towards efficiency, conservation and a competitive market."

Traditional strengths like oil- refining and trading would continue to
grow, while others like renewable energy and the trading of energy
products have been identified as growth areas.

More than $300 million has been committed to boost Singapore's energy
research and development capabilities, such as the Economic Development
Board's $17-million Clean Energy Research and Test-bedding Programme.

A clean energy scholarship programme to fund some 130 Masters and PhD
students over the next five years for study and research in local and top
foreign universities was also announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
at the opening of a separate event, Global Entrepolis, yesterday.

Diversifying Singapore's energy supplies was a key strategy of the
framework, Mr Lim said.

Currently, more than three-quarters of Singapore's electricity is
generated from piped natural gas (PNG) from Malaysia and Indonesia. But
rising domestic demand means that these countries might not be able to
continue PNG exports to Singapore.

Thus, developments, such as the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on
Jurong Island, where construction will begin in 2009, will allow Singapore
to source further for LNG, which can be transported over long distances,
to meet energy needs by 2012.

Singapore will continue to rely on natural gas for energy, Mr Lim said.
"Hydro, geothermal and wind power are not available in Singapore, while
nuclear energy is not feasible due to (Singapore's) small size." Solar and
coal power, on the other hand, have potential, but face cost and
technological barriers.

The framework also aims to improve Singapore's energy efficiency, promote
competition in the energy market, boost international cooperation and get
all government agencies involved in shaping energy policy.

The energy industry regulator, Energy Market Authority, will take on a
more developmental role in policy planning and develop cooperation with in
ternational organisations.

The Energy Studies Institute, which was launched yesterday, will conduct
research in energy economics, energy security, and the environment.

Also underway is the pilot-testing of the Electricity Vending System,
where consumers can choose how much electricity they want to buy.

Trade-offs between the objectives of economic competitiveness, energy
security and environmental sustainability are inevitable, but where they
converge, they should be exploited, said Mr Lim.