FREE Radio Clock with alarm feature !

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Light weight and very good in the reception.

Furore over funeral parlour's final resting place

URA proposals to build a funeral parlour in Sin Ming have met with the objections of residents despite its assurances that the facilities will be quiet and discreet

An example of a purpose-built funeral parlour in Hong Kong Shatin Memorial Hall, New Territories. Often sited within mixed residential and industrial areas, they are what the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) here is looking to copy in the possible funeral parlour in Sin Ming. -- PHOTO: URA

FUNERAL parlours in Hong Kong and Japan look just like modern office buildings, complete with lift lobbies.

But inside, they are kitted out with dining areas and large halls for wakes.

Often sited within mixed residential and industrial areas, they are what the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) here is looking to copy in the possible funeral parlour in Sin Ming, slated for the empty plot next to the Bright Hill Temple.

On Friday, the URA released details for the parlour, assuring the residents of Sin Ming that it will be a quiet, discreet and dignified place that will not advertise the business of death so near to their homes.

The URA stressed that no decision had been made on where the parlour will be as a study is still ongoing. It said it wanted residents' feedback.

Asked about alternative sites for the parlour - such as Mandai, already home to a crematorium and columbarium - the URA returned to its point that site details had not been finalised.

Its spokesman said: 'We are looking at details on the siting of such parlours, the timing for implementation, the mitigating measures that would be needed in place to minimise disturbance to the surroundings.'

When The Straits Times asked via e-mail why Sin Ming was being considered despite the area's lack of an MRT station, the URA replied that it was accessible by public and private transport.

It also said a future industrial development would shield the parlour from nearby homes and access to it would route traffic away from residential areas. Rules would be set up on the design and operation of the parlour.

The URA spokesman said that Yishun, another proposed site, had been tendered out, but there were no takers. The feedback it received suggested that it was not centrally located.

The proposed Sin Ming site is near a school, HDB blocks, private condominiums and terrace houses.

Residents told Transport Minister Raymond Lim last Sunday that they did not like the parlour being near their homes because of the taboos surrounding death.

Other residents The Straits Times interviewed on Wednesday expressed concern about the noise from funeral processions, the chanting, incense fumes and traffic jams. These things would depress their property value, others said.-By Alina Ashad

Poor eyesight an indication of poor health

POOR eyesight could be linked to higher death rates, says a new study.
Reflecting a trend in Australia, Britain and the United States, a new study among Chinese in Singapore's Tanjong Pagar district has shown that those with poor vision are about three times more likely to die than those with good eyesight.

The study, conducted over a seven-year period, found that mortality rates were higher regardless of other underlying health conditions. It tracked Singaporeans aged 30 to 79 years from 1996.

Associate Director Wong Tien Yin of the Singapore Eye Research Institute, at the Singapore National Eye Centre, who spearheaded the the study, said the findings showed that poor eyesight was not to be taken in isolation.

'People tend to underestimate the impact of visual impairment, but this shows it's a marker for poorer overall health, and isn't just for ophthalmologists to be concerned about,' said Dr Wong.

Previous studies on visual acuity and its link to mortality have been carried out in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. Although the link was noted in all countries, the correlation was strongest in Singapore.

Go ahead for Singapore F1 street circuit

THE F1 Singapore Grand Prix street circuit has received in-principle approval from FIA, the world governing body for motorsports, Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran announced on Friday.

Expressing delight at the speedy go-ahead, the Minister said: 'This approval has come quite quickly, within just four months since we announced the hosting of the F1 race.'

But the race promoters, Singapore Grand Prix, are still awaiting confirmation on whether it can stage a night race, which will be held exactly one year from now on Sept 28, 2008.

Mr Iswaran said the race promoters, with the strong support of government agencies led by STB, have made good progress and are on track to presenting a very special race to the world next year.

He described the Singapore's street circuit in Marina Centre as a compelling win-win proposition for Formula One and Singapore.

'It will be an attractive and exciting Formula One race venue on many counts,' he said and went on to highlight the track circuit.

The Singapore Grand Prix is Asia's first street race and it will run counter-clockwise, making Singapore one of only three circuits in the world to do so, along with Istanbul in Turkey and Sao Paulo in Brazil.

Spanning 5.067km, with 14 left hand turns and 10 right hand turns, the Singapore street circuit will present several thrilling straights and tight turns for dramatic action that will not only test the capabilities of the F1 drivers but also satisfy even the most avid race enthusiasts.


From a Singaporean perspective, the circuit will showcase Singapore's skyline in the heart of the city and many historic buildings.

It will take the F1 drivers and half a billion television viewers past some of our iconic landmarks like the City Hall, the former Supreme Court, the Padang and The Esplanade. As you can well imagine, the scene outside The Esplanade will be quite different one year from today.

The in-principle go ahead for the circuit from FIA will pave the way for road works to commence.

The Land Transport Authority will manage modifications to some existing infrastructure such as road kerbs and traffic islands as well as the construction of a new 1.2 km road alongside the pit building that forms the start and finish straight.

The FIA will make several inspections on the progress in the coming months and issue the full circuit licence after the final inspection on the week of the race itself.

Mr Iswaran said Singapore is awaiting confirmation from the FIA on whether the Sept 28 Grand Prix will be the first night race in F1 history.

STB and other government agencies are working closely with the race promoter to ensure the lighting trials run smoothly, he said.

Meanwhile, Singapore GP will launch the sale of corporate hospitality packages in November and the season passes in December.

Night racing has become the latest fad in Formula One, even though an actual race has yet to be held under floodlit conditions.

Whilst it would certainly be a spectacle to have F1 cars screaming around the city circuit against the night sky, the economic dimension of having the race at a more convenient time for viewers in Europe is just as crucial.

Malaysia, Japan, China, and India have all been said to be looking at possible night races to cater to European audiences, who would have needed to wake up at 3 or 4am to catch the season opener in Melbourne this year.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has already impressed upon Australian race organisers that night racing is imperative, with global viewership of the Melbourne leg falling from 339 million in 1999 to 82 million.

However, drivers have also been divided over the issue of safety, with some concerned about the possibility of a mid-race blackout, and blinding glare coming off puddles in the event of rain.

The organisers of next year's race in Singapore have given the assurance that safety is of prime concern, and a night race will only happen if the motorsports' governing body, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), gives the go-ahead.

Recent trials of night-time racing in France were successful, and two more trials - one in Singapore and one overseas - are expected soon.
- The Straits Times

Singapore's "magic monkey" trees inspire cult, cynics

SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) - Buddha sat for years under one to find enlightenment, and scientist Isaac Newton had his epiphany in another's shade. But for many Singaporeans, trees are useful for a more prosaic quest -- lucky lottery numbers.

The discovery of two "monkey heads" poking out of the bark of an otherwise non-descript African Mahogany tree have sparked a minor craze in the southeast Asian state, as devotees seek numbers from what they believe to be a god living in the tree.

Bananas, peanuts and peaches have been left as offerings to please the monkey god, sacred in Chinese mythology and Hinduism. A wheel-like device which kneeling gamblers turn by hand in front of the tree to spit out numbered balls has helped fuel the mania.

"Most people come for lottery numbers", explained Madam Kang, who had traveled half way across the island to join a crowd of a hundred onlookers milling around the tree on a weekend afternoon.

"There were three car accidents by the tree but no one was hurt, so people believe it was the monkey god protecting them."

Not long after the monkey god reportedly aided a series of wins, another three trees bearing gnarls that resemble gods were discovered along the same -- now jammed -- road.

Cartons of milk and more joss sticks garnish a small shrine set up in front of the elephant god Ganesha on a nearby tree, where a nobbly "elephant" head juts from the trunk.

Meters away, more onlookers snap images of a bark outline of the Chinese mercy goddess, Guan Yin, while others pat an oval bark eruption on another tree, ringed with garlands and said to be a tiger-dragon god tree.

SPIRIT PANTHEON
Despite the sacred trees' popularity, not all are convinced.

"The uneven bark surface at the base of the tree trunk is the result of callusing, a natural reaction in which the tree grows new bark over injured areas", a spokeswoman for the National Parks Board told the official Straits Times newspaper.

Other skeptics say the concept is simply too good to be true.

"If the tree can give money, most of the people in Singapore are not going to work. They'd just go to the tree and ask for the number," laughed taxi driver Mahmud Sanusi.

"After a few months maybe somebody will find a rock, with Mickey Mouse on it," said another taxi driver Chan Chee Siong.

But for others, sacred and lucky trees are a reality.

Bamboo and wooden "wishing trees", where devotees pray and hang written wishes, are found in several Chinese temples. And small shrines, nestled into the trunks of the roadside trees, are a common sight on this verdant island.

Henry Yap finds nothing strange about worshipping each week at a yellow-painted shrine set up in the roots of a massive banyan beside a shopping mall. "When you come here you set your mind free. It's what you call a holy place. It's very different from an indoors place," he explained.

For lucky tree-devotees, winning is believing. In February, 26-year-old Han Weili won $2,000 in the lottery with what he said were numbers gained from a lucky tree outside his housing block.

"I'd never won before" he said. "After I won I said thank you to the tree and bought it some food and some small flowers. I didn't buy anything with the money."

Despite local protests, estate renovations have now fenced off the tree. Devotees say the god "moved" to another sacred tree -- a 120-year-old, 30 meter (98 foot) tall Bodhi that towers over a temple, and which is now mobbed at weekends.

Volunteers at the temple, who believe the tree is Singapore's oldest and most sacred, are perplexed at its new fan base. But they can not stop them.

"No one can explain it. God appears in different forms to suit the culture," said temple volunteer Alice Chua.

"Being greedy is against our precepts, in Buddhism we don't encourage gambling. But we can't stop their luck if they do win."

- By Gillian Murdoch

Odex offers olive branch to anime downloaders

No action will be taken for downloads made before Monday, says anime distributor

A COMPANY that has attracted online venom for its campaign against pirated Japanese animated movies, or anime, has extended an olive branch to alleged offenders.

Anime distributor Odex's director Stephen Sing has written on the firm's web forums it will not take action against those who stop Internet anime downloading 'now'.

Mr Sing was referring to Monday this week, when he wrote the message.

He added that if an Internet user complies then 'he will have no possibility of ever receiving any letters from the copyright holders as we will not take anything that he has downloaded before this date against him'.

Contacted by The Straits Times, Mr Sing confirmed that he wrote the message, but declined to elaborate pending an official statement.

Since May, Odex, the region's biggest distributor of the animated Japanese cartoons, has sent out letters to several hundred alleged downloaders demanding settlement sums of $3,000 to $5,000, on threat of legal action.

The Straits Times understands that Odex has already sent letters to alleged anime downloaders using the Internet service provider SingNet. It earlier obtained contact details of these users.

It has obtained a court order to get the names of alleged downloaders from StarHub, but has yet to receive any names.

On Monday, Odex filed an application to appeal a court decision blocking its attempt to obtain the details of Pacific Internet downloaders.

This means that StarHub and PacNet downloaders, even if Odex's appeal succeeded, would be safe from any penalty.

Mr Sing did not say what prompted Odex's change of heart.

Still, the firm has been criticised online over issues such as alleged profiteering. Others fear a successful crackdown on pirated anime would lead to similar crackdowns on other media.

According to an Intellectual Property Office of Singapore study on Singaporeans' attitudes towards intellectual property here, only one in five Singaporeans is 'bothered' by piracy.

Mr Sing wrote that the firm will now 'focus enforcement efforts on those who have continued to download illegally even after the publicity in the press on this issue'.

He did not say what would happen to those who already settled with Odex, but noted that these were 'heavy or persistent downloaders'.

'We will continue to negotiate with those who have not settled the matter yet, or take action if we are instructed to do so by the copyright owners.'

Undergraduate Eugene Tang, a StarHub subscriber who used to download anime before news of the crackdown broke, finds Odex's olive branch acceptable.

Given the widespread coverage of this issue, he said, 'you would have to be living under a rock to still be able to say that you don't know unauthorised downloads are illegal, so I guess it is fair for Odex to prosecute those who continue to download'.

Visit S'pore's art Galleries by Night

PROMPTED by the success of Hong Kong's ArtWalk, now in its seventh year, the Art Galleries Association Singapore has decided to stage a similar event here.

'Art Walk - Galleries by Night' will take people around 16 galleries on two consecutive nights, next Thursday and Friday.

Starting at 6pm from Mica Building where five of the galleries are situated, three free Explorer buses will transport art enthusiasts to each destination. The loop covers 11 other galleries from Holland Avenue to Maxwell Road. 'It's an opportunity for art collectors and tourists to visit all of us with the greatest of ease and convenience,' says Vera Ong, president of the Art Galleries Association.

There will be cheese and a free flow of wine at each gallery, where visitors can move around to view the art at their leisure. Gallery owners will be on hand to answer queries in a pleasant, approachable and unassuming environment - an unparalleled opportunity for novices to gain exposure and information about regional art.

Founded in 1998, the Art Galleries Association is Singapore's only organisation of professional art galleries. The aim, Ms Ong explains, is to 'promote public awareness of the variety and range of art galleries in Singapore and the local art available in Asia'. The association's previous events include Arts Singapore and New Finds, samples of art from different galleries that promote new artists.

Art Walk, says Christina Sui of Yisulang Art Gallery and vice-president of the Art Galleries Association, aims to not only cater to regular clients but also reach out to the wider public to add vibrancy and diversity to the arts scene.

As in Hong Kong with its ArtWalk, the galleries here are situated amid eateries, cafes, bars and delis - a lively environment in which to appreciate the works on display.

Chris Churcher's Red Sea Gallery, which moved to an elegant colonial-style building in Dempsey Road this year, will showcase works by Vietnamese artist Dao Hai Thong and Singapore's Manjeet Shergill and their innovations with traditional oil on canvas. Other highlights are the opening of Malaysian artist Yap Chin Hoe's second solo exhibition at Art Folio, a gallery at Raffles Hotel, and Probir Gupta's Diptych paintings at Bohdi Art, which specialises in Indian contemporary art.

Art Season has curated the Three Female Warriors, an exhibition featuring female Chinese artists Jin Zi, Sun Xiaole and Tan Jie, to parallel the Chinese Pavilion at this year's Venice Biennale, which also featured three female artists. Besides regional artists, there is a strong local contingent, such as Han Sai Poh and Soh Chee Wee exhibiting at Art-2 Gallery, and Chua Ek Kay, Eric Chan, Aaron Teo and Teng Nee Cheong at Gajah Gallery.

Krisstel Martin of Gajah Gallery says of Art Walk: 'We hope it is a foundation for other similar projects. It certainly helps bring art to the public in a fun and exciting way. We believe art walks help to bring collectors together, encourage discourse and heighten appreciation of the arts.'

S'pore Flyer booked to the hilt for 3 mths

THE Singapore Flyer looks like it will be the coolest thing going around next year with 1.5 million people already booked to take a spin.

That means the Flyer, which can take 784 passengers at a time, is already fully booked for its first three months once it starts turning on March 1.

Local tour agencies have snapped up 60 per cent of the seats since sales started in April with corporate clients such as banks and trading firms and individuals reserving the rest.

A ride on the Flyer - the world's tallest observation wheel at 165m, or 42-storeys high - costs $29.50 and will last for about 37 minutes.

General manager Cynthia Yeo, 30, has already staked a claim to being a frequent Flyer having bought 26 tickets for March and August dates.

Ms Yeo and her husband have been closely following the construction process since the Flyer's main structure arose on the Marina Bay site in April.

They had no qualms shelling out more than $700 on tickets as the days they picked were special - the March date is near her mother-in-law's 58th birthday and the other is National Day.

'I'm sure it will be a wonderful experience because of the beautiful view. From that height, we'll get to see Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia too,' said Ms Yeo.

Singapore Flyer on track for completion by early 2008

SINGAPORE : Singapore's latest attraction - The Singapore Flyer - is on track to be completed by early next year.

The massive observation wheel will offer panoramic views of not only Singapore but certain parts of Malaysia and Indonesia as well.

As developers fit in the final bolt to the wheel's rim, it is impossible to escape comparisons with another wheel - The

Eye on KL - a ferris wheel built in the heart of Kuala Lumpur as part of Malaysia's drive to attract more tourists.

But the Singapore Flyer team wants to make this clear - the Singapore Flyer is not a ferris wheel.

"Your typical ferris wheel has a gravity slung cabin. It can take four to six people and it costs around US$10 to US$15 million to build. This S$230 million project has 10-tonne capsules carrying up to 35 people in air-conditioned comfort where people can sit or walk around inside the cabin," says Peter Purcell, MD of Singapore Flyer.

Part of the evolving landscape at Marina Bay, the project has used up more than one million man hours and is nine weeks ahead of schedule.

Rides will last 37 minutes and ticket prices will begin at about S$30 (US$20).

Corporate events can be held in the cabins for about S$1,000 (US$660).

There are contingency plans should anyone fall ill while in mid-flight.

"The wheel can be accelerated to bring people down if it's an in-cabin emergency. We've also been working with the SCDF, police and other agencies to ensure that in the event of any mechanical stoppage of the wheel, there is a slick and safe evacuation programme," said Purcell.

And as if the structure itself isn't amazing enough, there are strong rumours the UK-based group, which owns the famous Madame Tussauds Museums, has been in talks with the Singapore Flyer team.

But no details have been made available. - CNA /ls

National Day 2007

Singapore celebrates its 42nd year of Nationhood this year. And for the first time, the National Day Parade will be held on the floating platform on Marina Bay.

'Peeping Tom' doc gets 2 weeks jail

The Straits Times

A HOUSEMAN with Tan Tock Seng Hospital who was caught trying to video tape a staff nurse in a shower room was sentenced to two weeks' jail on Wednesday.

Last week, Tan Swee Chin, 28, pleaded guilty to insulting the modesty of the 24-year-old woman on Jan 24.

On that day, he had hung a pouch containing a camera in a unisex shower at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The victim, a nurse at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, was about to take a shower after her duties when she noticed a black waist pouch hung on the cubicle wall.

Upon closer inspection, she saw a green light inside the pouch and suspected it was a camera. She immediately alerted security.

The Deputy Public Prosecutor had asked for custodial sentence citing previous similar cases where the accused persons were sentenced to jail.

In asking for a leniency, counsel Ravinderpal Singh said the University of Melbourne graduate was genuinely very remorseful over what had happened and that it was a 'one-off incident'.

Tan had also written an apology letter to the victim and offered a compensation of $5,000 for the hurt and embarrassment caused.

Before passing the sentence, District judge May Mesenas said that the offence warranted time in jail as there was 'definitely pre-meditation and pre-planning on the part of the accused'.

She added that Tan had violated the trust among colleagues by placing the camera in a unisex staff toilet.

Judge Mesenas however also took into consideration that Tan is a first-time offender and had admitted to his guilt to the security guard as well as the impact his conviction will have on his career.

Tan could have been jailed up to a year, or fined $2,000, or both.

SanDisk Micro Secure Digital 2 GB Memory Card(SDSDQ-2048-A10M) Retail Package

Singaporean woman heads UN body

A SINGAPOREAN woman has been appointed head of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap), a United Nations commission.

"Singapore had strongy supported her candidacy and we have every confidence in her leadership," said Foreign Minister George Yeo on Ms Noeleen Heyzer's new role as Escap's executive secretary, according to a ministry statement.

Ms Heyzer, currently the executive director of the UN Development Fund fo Women (Unifem), was described by the minister's press secretary as "highly regarded globally for her success in enhancing Unifem's performance and her role in advancing women's rights".

With her new appointment, she has now "become the first Singaporean woman in the UN system to hold the rank of under-secretary-general", added the secretary.

Asian Home Gourmet Singapore Laksa Coconut Curry Noodle Soup Mix, 2.09 Ounce Pouch (Pack of 12)

Bring your own BAG !

About the Campaign

Why waste plastic bags? Choose reusable bags!

This is the message that National Environment Agency (NEA), together with its Working Group partners, i.e. major supermarkets and chain retailers, the Singapore Environment Council and the Singapore Retailers Association would like to bring across when we embark on the campaign.

The objective of the campaign is to educate shoppers to use reusable bags instead of single-use plastic carrier bags whenever possible.

The campaign aims to reach out to two main groups of people – the shoppers and the cashiers at retail outlets. Educational materials such as standees, wobblers, posters and pamphlets are displayed at 686 participating retail outlets to raise awareness among shoppers. Cashiers are trained to ask shoppers in a polite manner if they need a plastic bag for small purchases.

Facts about Plastic Bags
* About 2.5 billion plastic shopping bags are used every year. That’s about 2,500 bags used per family per year.
* Plastic bags thrown away as litter, dirty our public places, rivers and canals, and may even clog up drains, and this would lead to stagnant water and mosquito breeding.
* Plastic bags litter despoils nature trails, beaches and even chokes up mangroves and poses a threat to marine lives.
* If each family uses one less plastic bag a week, Singapore could save more than 50 million bags each year.
* Plastic bags are made from oil, a finite resource. By using reusable bags during our shopping trips, we will use fewer plastic bags and help to conserve earth’s resources.
* Plastic bags are not disposed of at Semakau Landfill. They are incinerated, along with other domestic wastes, at our four incineration plants.
* Hence, unlike countries that landfill their waste, the non-biodegradability of plastic bags is not a problem in Singapore.
* That does not mean that we should use plastic bag excessively! It is a waste of resources.

What we can do
Here are some of the things we can do to help reduce wastage of plastic bags and conserve resources:
* Always take or ask for just enough plastic bags to carry purchases and no more.
* Better still, buy reusable (available at major supermarkets at low prices) and use them during shopping trips.
* Remember to bring your reusable bags when you go shopping.
* Say ‘No’ to plastic bags when buying only a few small items.
* Say ‘No’ to plastic bags when the items are packaged with handles (e.g. toilet rolls, rice packet, etc).
* When you need to have the plastic bag, save it for the next trip or use them as waste bin liners.
* When using a plastic bag as waste liner, fully fill the bag before throwing it away wherever possible.
* Do not throw away excess plastic bags as a trash/waste item. Reuse or recycle them.
* Encourage your family members, relatives, friends and colleagues to do the same.


Benefits of using reusable bags
In addition to helping the environment, reusable bags are also:
* kinder to hands and fingers than plastic carrier bags when filled up and carried as they are better designed for the purpose,
* can hold twice as many items as conventional plastic carrier bags,
* have handle straps that can go over the shoulder, leaving both our hands free for other purposes and making it easier for us to carry more,
* will not burst under the weight of heavy items, and
* are inexpensive, can be washed and last for years.

Let’s do our part!
* As consumers, we have the power to change things by consciously making the switch to reusable bags.
* Let’s do our part to support a worthy cause and help the environment!

Suntec City - Fountain of Wealth

Fountain Of Wealth

Supported by four 13.8 metres high bronze legs and spreading over an area of 1683.07 metres, the Fountain of Wealth has been accorded the status of "World's Largest Fountain" in the 1998 edition of the Guinness Book of Records. It is symbolically the ring in the palm of the hand, guaranteeing the retention of wealth. It is destined to be Singapore's most visited tourist destination.

The plaza would provide a large outdoor space for people to gather. But on its own, it would not achieve sufficient visual impact. A dramatic fountain was proposed as a visual focus.

The Fountain Plaza, now the focal point of Suntec City, is also at the heart of the Marina Centre area. Not only is it the hub of circulation within the development, it also draws life from the surrounding buildings. This is why it sits off centre within Suntec City -so that it can be directly connected to its neighbours.

The flowing water from the Fountain is also a potent symbol as water is the essence of life in almost every culture. Located round this symbolic centre of life are the buildings which make up Suntec City. These buildings attract human activity - life - to the area. At ground level, vehicles flow around the fountain plaza while pedestrians flow into the buildings around it. Below ground, at the Fountain Terrace, all the buildings are interconnected by shops and restaurants. The complex is also connected to its neighbours by both underground and street-level pedestrian linkways.

$20 polymer notes being auctioned off on the internet

SINGAPORE'S new $20 polymer notes have hit auction sites on the internet.

One web auctioneer has reportedly made a profit of $550 by selling 100 notes on online marketplace eBay.

Evening Chinese daily LianHe WanBao had spotted another individual who was trying to sell six pieces of this note in running serial numbers for $180.

The notes were launched on June 27 to commemorate 40 years of Singapore' Currency Interchangeability Agreement with Brunei that took effect on June 12, 1967.

Under the deal, the currency of either country is also legal tender in the other, such that notes can be exchanged at par.

This means one Singapore dollar gets one Brunei dollar and vice versa.

It is understood that some banks have limited the exchange of the new note to two pieces per person and details like names and identity card numbers are noted down.

The Straits Times
July 29, 2007

He owns the whole condo in Orchard Rd

Mr Lim is resisting the temptation to sell up and cash in on the property boom as his mum does not want to move. -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG

EVEN for the ultra rich, condo living still means having to share facilities like pools and tennis courts with neighbours. Unless you're billionaire Peter Lim, that is. Mr Lim, wife Cherie and his 85-year-old mother have an entire 11-storey condo and pool at Ardmore Park to themselves.

No noisy neighbours, no barking dogs, no learner trumpeters practising in the apartment next door.

The family occupy a flat close to 4,000 sq ft at the Abelia condo while the other three maisonettes and a 5,000 sq ft penthouse sit empty, although there is a security guard.

Not that Mr Lim needs the rent.

He made his first fortune as a remisier and another bigger one with shrewd investments in palm oil.

And Abelia - Mr Lim owns 80 per cent and a pal the rest

- is probably worth about $100 million given its primest of prime locations near Orchard Road.
But Mr Lim is resisting the temptation to sell up and cash in on the property boom as his mum Does not want to move.

They like the location and the acres of space, including an underground carpark, which is handy given Mr Lim's pricey collection of 10 cars, Ferraris included.

And while he could sell the Abelia and buy a handful of houses, the posh bungalow life in District 10 doesn't suit him.

The Straits Times

28 July 2007

Nation Day Parade (NDP) @ Marina 2007

Happy National Day ! Singapore !

Environment

Singapore is a small island state with limited resources. Protecting our environment is of great importance to our survival. Singapore tries to prevent or reduce pollution by encouraging households and industries to reduce, reuse and recycle. Public transport is continually being improved so that fewer people will drive cars. This will reduce the burning of fuels which can cause aire pollution.

Hotel occupancy, room rates at all time high: STB

Revenue per available room hit $165.90 and gazetted hotels here generated total room revenue of $854.4 million, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in a statement.

SINGAPORE'S hotel sector posted outstanding performance this year, with hotel occupancy and room rates at an all time high, said the tourism board on Tuesday.

For the first six months of this year, the average room rate grew by 19.5 per cent to $192, while the average occupancy rate reached 86 per cent.

Revenue per available room hit $165.90 and gazetted hotels here generated total room revenue of $854.4 million, said the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) in a statement.

For the month of June, the average room rate crossed the $200 mark for the first time to reach $210.

Gazetted hotels churned out $164.3 million in room revenue and $181.60 in revenue for each available room.

STB said these are not only historical highs for any single month but also significant double-digit growth in excess of 20 per cent, compared to June last year.

Singapore also received more visitors than ever before in the first half of the year, it noted.
'This is the highest visitor arrivals recorded over the January to June period for the Singapore tourism sector,' said STB.

It added it's confident of meeting its full-year target of 10.2 million visitors with an expected boost during the peak months of July, August and December.

Estimated tourism receipts for the six months reached $6.4 billion, a nine per cent increase, which has a full-year target of $13.6 billion.

'We have also seen record high visitor arrivals for each month this year compared to the same month in previous years,' said Lim Neo Chian, STB'S chief executive and deputy chairman.

Indonesians were the largest group of visitors, with 911,000 arriving between January and June.

China was second with 529,000, followed by India with 386,000, said STB.

Lacking natural attractions, Singapore has embarked on a major campaign to spruce up its tourist appeal.

It has plans for new attractions including two casino resorts, expected to open by 2010.

It is also trying to become an arts and entertainment centre, and will host its first Formula One Grand Prix event later next year. -- AFP