Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Mon, 4 Jan 1993 09:53:35 EST
From:         mulliner@OUVAXA.CATS.OHIOU.EDU
Subject:      SG: NEWS (long) 29 Dec 92- Jan 3 93 (fwd)

                   Ohio University Electronic Communication


   Date:  04-Jan-1993 09:52am EST

     To:  Southeast Asia Listers               ( _MX%"SEASIA-L@MSU.EDU" )

   From:  Kent Mulliner                              Dept:  Library
          MULLINER                                 Tel No:  614-593-2707

Subject:  SG: NEWS (long) 29 Dec 92- Jan 3 93 (fwd)


Forwarded from Singapore Gopher, TECHNET, with permission
Prepared by Singapore International Foundation (SIFlash)


SINGAPORE DAZE
+++++++++++++++
A twice weekly bulletin featuring local news snippets from
Singapore Publications. Issue #17: 29 Dec 92 - 1 Jan 93

THE SIFTERS WISH ALL READERS A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

************************************************************
1.  Temasek Holdings to invest in China
2.  "It's not so easy, your Honour"
3.  Pushing Outwards and Cashing In
4.  Repentant robber gives himself up
5.  RI gets new deputy headmaster
6.  Something in the way she moved them
7.  Scientifically, it was not so elementary
8.  Survey on Singapore youths
9.  PM Goh's New Year Message
10. 4 000 Students to get Edusave awards
11. PM Goh: Not to take racial and religious harmony for granted
12. Young Singaporeans as a team
**************************************************************

>TEMASEK HOLDINGS TO INVEST IN CHINA<

It will be Temasek Holding's first direct investment in China and
the start of many more in the world's fastest growing economy.
As one of the government's main investment arms, Temasek Holdings
will be involved in a S$65.5 million holiday resort and golf
course which is being developed by Straits Steamship Land in
Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan province, located close to
the Vietnamese border.

With Silkair, Singapore Airlines' subsidiary, providing regular
flights to Kunming, the future of the Temasek-Straits Steamship
venture seems bright.

Temasek has also set up a company and office in Hong Kong to
research and spot investment opportunities in HK and China for
the Singapore head office for consideration. Singapore has become
one of China's biggest investors with the Chinese government
having approved 421 projects from Singapore in the first three
quarters of 1992, a big jump from the total of 629 projects
committed between 1979 and 1991. Many business men have been
concentrating on coastal areas of South China, e.g. Guangdong and
Fujian. But there is increasing interest in areas deeper inside
the mainland, where competition is not so stiff (BT, 29 Dec).


>IT'S NOT SO EASY, YOUR HONOUR<

BT, 29 Dec - 44 out of 341 candidates who sat for the six-paper
Postgraduate Practice Law Course (PLC) will have to resit at
least one paper in February, while four failed outright. Last
year, only four out of the 292 candidates had to resit and none
failed. Of the four failures, two received their degrees from
NUS, and the other two from UK. At least two who have to resit
papers are said to have been appointed judicial officers in the
subordinate courts.
And law graduates who intend to practise law in Singapore must
successfully complete the four-month PLC, a full time course
conducted by the Board of Legal Education which teaches legal
procedures and skills of professional lawyers.


>PUSHING OUTWARDS, CASHING IN<

Be prepared. 1993 will be the year of investing abroad for
Singapore companies and the Trade Development Board (TDB) is
heeding the government's call even before the year ends.

They announced yesterday (ST, 30 Dec) 4 schemes to give Singapore
companies that extra push towards growing opportunities in the
region, especially new emerging economies like China and Vietnam.
Yes, them again!

TDB's programme comprises:

a) Investment Information Service: a library of publications,
electronic information as well as Investment Guide series. It
will share information and contacts with other statutory boards,
government departments and institutes in Singapore and the
region.

b) Business Development Centres: aimed at providing business with
fully-serviced office space in TDB's overseas centres, which will
also serve update potential investors on new opportunities and
conditions. BDCs will monitor progress of their deals and conduct
investment studies. The first BDCs will be in Shanghai, Ho Chi
Minh City and Budapest.

c) Market and Investment Development Assistance Scheme (Midas):
It may not turn everything to gold but it will certainly try to
make it real for others. Midas will allow companies to apply for
a grant to cover up to half of the coat of developing their
investment plans, like setting up a marketing office or carrying
out investment studies.

d) Joint Ventures with TDB Holdings: to help generate projects
and spin-offs for local companies. TDB Holdings has already joint
ventures in Japan, Taiwan, in the distribution of Singapore-made
jewellery, food and consumer items (BT, 30 Dec).

>REPENTANT ROBBER GIVES HIMSELF UP<

He was on the run for two years for slashing Madam Goh Siah Choo
and her two children during an armed robbery in Bedok. The 29
year old Chinese Singaporean surrendered to the Malaysian police
and is now being remanded at the Geylang Police Station.

The odd-job labourer, who recently converted to Islam, said it
was time to pay for his sins. He used to borrow money from Madam
Goh, who lived in the flat above his. But when she refused one
day, he attacked her son Sok Poon, 10 and daughter Sok Leng, 15,
and herself with a knife. While the robber ordered Madam Goh and
Sok Leng to strip, Sok Poon grabbed a knife and stabbed the man
in the waist, who in anger slashed all three before fleeing. Last
January, Sok Poon was commended by the police and received a
Guinness Stout Effort for his role in foiling the robbery.

>RI GETS NEW DEPUTY HEADMASTER<

Old RI boy, Mr Tng Kim Guan, 48, has been appointed the new
deputy headmaster by the RI board. The post is far from alien to
Mr Tng who was deputy head of RI between December 1985 and April
1989 before MOE made him principal of Serangoon Secondary.
Mr Tng says old boy sentiments, support from staff, former
students and family encouraged to him take up the offer.

The current head, Mr Eugene Wijeysingha, confirmed that he would
retire by the time he turns 60 in February 1994, but added that
he may stay on if the board required him to. Mr Tng however does
not automatically replace Mr Wijeysingha as head upon the
latter's retirement. "According to [the board], if someone more
capable could be found, he or she would receive the board's
endorsement to be head (ST, 30 Dec)."

Mr Tng, who stressed that he wants to assessed on his own merits,
graduated from NUS with a BA in 1984 at the age of 41. His
parents could not afford to see him through further education
after his O levels in 1961.


>SOMETHING IN THE WAY SHE MOVED THEM<

Vietnamese refugee Miss Tran Kim Phuong's plight appeared in the
Overseas Edition of the Straits Times Weekly and struck a
sympathetic chord in some Americans. She was one of the sixty
refugees on hunger strike, as a protest against 7 Western
countries who have yet to fulfil their promise of guaranteed
resettlement in the West.

A family from US sent her a letter of sympathy. Another person,
Dr Csaba Keszthelyi, believed to be based at the University of
Texas, sent her a money order of US$10. He offered to help her
join him. Miss Phuong, who wants to be a doctor, said that she
will ask only for his friendship. One of her most treasured
articles is a biology textbook she reads almost daily. She is
here with 5 of her 8 siblings.

Yesterday (ST, 30 Dec) 30 refugees were still on sit-in at the
Hawkins Road Camp in spite of the heavy downpour. They will
continue to protest until their appeal gets the attention and
action it wants.


>SCIENTIFICALLY, IT WAS NOT SO ELEMENTARY<

An article in the Straits Times' Life! section (30 Dec) reviews
"The Year in Science" and gives interesting insight to
breakthroughs, dogged research, new laws, awareness programmes,
campaigns in the health and environment.

You've heard this many times and you will hear this for the next
9 years - take health into your own hands and adopt a healthy
lifestyle to avoid those nasty hospital bills.


And it is not just fat-free food that the government is worried
about. The Safe Sex message is being amplified as 143
Singaporeans, 10 out of whom are women, are diagnosed with the
Aids virus. 65% of the infections in the past two years were
among heterosexuals. Doctors actually say that the real figure
may be close to 1000, taking into account unreported or
undetected cases. 23 out of the 40 who were diagnosed this year
contracted the disease though casual, unprotected sex with
prostitutes. Four out of every 10 infected Singaporeans may have
contracted the disease in their teens, as 42% are between 20 -
29 years of age.

A law was passed in January requiring infected persons to inform
their sexual partners of it and to undergo counselling for HIV
carriers. Disclosing the identity of any HIV carrier is
prohibited. An education programme Project Protect started in May
for prostitutes to learn about the disease and to protect
themselves by insisting that their clients wear condoms. And of
course, a recent ruling that all foreign workers holding work
permits must be tested for HIV.

Singaporeans face other perilous diseases like dengue and
leukaemia. The Aedes mosquito has caused much havoc especially
this year when dengue fever cases shot up to 2800; four deaths
were reported. On a more hopeful note, a group of generous-
hearted young working adults got together to form Working In Aid
of Leukaemic Kids or Walk in February. They help patients and
their parents cope with the disease.

For 1992, it was not only the 3 Rs - recycle, reduce, and re-use-
but it was a fight to for Singapore's natural heritage. The
nature society lodged a protest against the Public Utilities
Board for its decision to build golf course over a forested site
at Upper Pierce Reservoir. No word on the outcome as both sides
have submitted environmental impact assessments for review.

The government also just completed a $3.5 million project to stop
the drainage problem along a stretch of Sungei Tampines. ENV
engineers did well to build a tunnel under a valuable mangrove
swamp to drain excess water instead of destroying it to widen the
river.

>SURVEY ON SINGAPORE YOUTHS<

This is what is a recent survey on Singapore youths says (ST, 31
Dec) - "Singapore youths (aged between 13 and 18) are level-
headed, satisfied with life, not given to excesses in behaviour
and blessed with a stable home and good social support." Carried
out by the Research and Information Department of Singapore Press
Holdings, the survey was undertaken to fill a critical
information gap on problems and risks faced by Singapore youths.

The findings seems rather certain that youths are pretty involved
in family activities (93%), having meals at home (80%), watching
TV and video together (81%) which logically shows a thriving
family network. It is estimated that 92% of the population of
243,000 youths aged 13 to 18 are living with both parents.

>SINGAPORE ECONOMY UP 5.6 % LAST YEAR<
In his New Year's message PM Goh announced a record  $3.5 billion
in investment commitments for 1992, bringing a good 5.6 % growth
in 1992, reports Business Times (1 Jan)  He also said that growth
would be faster this year, as the Ministry of Trade and Industry
has now revised its 1993 projections to between 5.5% and 6.5%.
All sectors of the economy fared well, especially the
construction and the transportation and communications sectors.

He urged Singaporeans to take part in the growth in the region
and contribute to domestic income from earnings from abroad,
singling out the East-Asian economies for opportunities to invest
and trade in.  He added that "the government will support
businessmen in their ventures abroad with public sector expertise
and by setting by Singapore schools in cities where necessary".
However at the same time, the government will continue to pay
attention to bread-and-butter issues like education,better
housing, affordable housing and transportation.  But there are
no painless solutions  and Singaporeans must be prepared to pay
for their aspirations.  Thus it is important to work together for
growth.  "Never forget that only when we make good economic
growth can we enjoy higher salaries and bonuses to pay for a
better quality of life," he said.

Personal and corporate taxes will be cut the next few years.  The
reduced revenue from lower direct taxes will be made up for
through a goods and services tax (GST).  This is to be introduced
after a discussion of a White Paper to be published by the
government early this year. The impact of the GST on different
groups of Singaporeans will be assessed by the Cost Review
Committee.  It will also suggest ways to mitigate the adverse
effect on pensioners and low wage-earners.


>4 000 students to get Edusave awards<

About 4 000 secondary school students will be awarded Edusave
scholarships annually, beginning this year.  This means 2 000
scholarships worth $500 will be awarded to the top 5% of students
in government and aided secondary schools.  Another 2 000 in the
next 5% category will receive scholarships worth $300 each.
These awards will be based on the examinations of each school.


>PM GOH: DO NOT TAKE RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS HARMONY FOR GRANTED<

At the opening of the new $7 million cultural centre of the
Singapore Soka Association in Tampines Street 81, the Prime
Minister said, "We must never underestimate the intensity of
emotion and sentiment that cites religious strife.  Although
Singapore has enjoyed a long stretch of religious harmony, we
must continue to remind ourselves never to take it for granted".
(2 Jan)  He added that it was good that Singapore did not mix
religion with politics but instead made a conscious effort to
keep them separate.  In fact, Singapore's religious leaders
understood why the country needs a Maintenance of Religious
Harmony Act which serves prohibition orders on members of
religious groups members who "threaten religious harmony by what
they say or do, or who carry out subversive activities under the
guise of religious practice".


>YOUNG SINGAPOREANS TO WORK AS A TEAM<

Foreign Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng and deputy chairman of the
People's Association said at the PA's staff club annual dinner
that younger Singaporeans must work as a team and not indulge in
confrontational politics which will divide the country, reports
ST (2 Jan).  He urged the PA to "galvanise the new generation to
work with the Government to tackle problems, like their parents
used to do".

***** SPORTS *****

-----------------------------------------------------------------
SOCCER - ABBAS WANTS TO PLAY FOR S'PORE AGAIN (ST WED, DEC 30 92)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
     Australian footballer ABBAS SAAD has indicated his desire
to play for Singapore again.

     The Johore team, whom he is representing now is willing to
let him go for A$50,000 (S$57,000). This was the price the
Malaysian state team had to pay to  ABBAS's former club, Sydney
Olympic.

     "If worse comes to worst, I might just buy myself out", says
ABBAS, who is in town for a visit. He has also said he would love
to play alongside FANDI AHMAD, Singapore's former ace striker,
who may be coming back to the team.

     ABBAS, the 25 year old midfielder striker last played for
the Singapore team during the 1990 Semi Pro League and the
Malaysian Cup season.

     His differences with the former coach, Robin Chan led to the
Australian being dropped the following season. He was then
quickly signed up by Johore, which went on to win the Semi- Pro
Division One League and Cup titles.


------------------------------------------------------------
SWIMMING - JU WEI WINS EIGHT GOLD MEDALS (ST TUE, DEC 29 92)
------------------------------------------------------------

     Sng Ju Wei was the star of the People's Association Youth
Swimming Club - Niigata Amateur Swimming Association friendly
meet at the  Toa Payoh pool yesterday.

     He splashed his way to eight gold medals, including two
relays. No, he is not related to Singapore's former Golden Girl,
Junie Sng.

        The 12 year old boy broke Desmond Koh's national under-14
record in the 200m freestyle with a time of 2min 04.79 sec.





Received:  04-Jan-1993 09:53am
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU