OCBC Cycle Singapore: Cycling should not be a contact sport

On Sunday, I was one of the more than 10,000 participants at the OCBC Cycle Singapore event.

It was into its sixth year, but this was the first year I was taking part.

I only recently bought a hybrid bicycle to get some exercise on weekends. All my rides have been confined to the cycling paths along East Coast Parkway (ECP).

The paths are generally crowded on weekends, and it is fairly normal to have to dodge other cyclists, children and the occasional dog to avoid falling off my bike.

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  An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

  
  


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  An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

  
  


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  An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

  
  


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  An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

  
  


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  An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

  
  


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  Cyclists assembling on the F1 track for the The Business Times Charity Challenge of the OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014. — BT PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR

  
  

An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

An accident witnessed by cyclist Hock Lee Ng during the OCBC Cycle Singapore event on Sunday, March 31, 2014. – PHOTO: HOCK LEE NG

Cyclists assembling on the F1 track for the The Business Times Charity Challenge of the OCBC Cycle Singapore 2014. — BT PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR

Despite the practice I’ve had doing this, Sunday’s event still came as a bit of a shock to me.

Within the first 5km or so of the 39km route, I saw two cyclists on the ground. One looked like he was bleeding from the knee.

This was along the downhill portion of the event on the Benjamin Sheares bridge heading east.

I thought to myself then that since it was rather dark (it was just past 6am) and everyone was going downhill, with some possibly half asleep, it was within the laws of probability that out of 10,000 cyclists a minor accident would happen.

But as I continued cycling, it became clear the accidents had nothing to do with the light or the slope.

Along the flat part of the ECP expressway somewhere between Marine Parade and Siglap, I saw another two cyclists fall, one of them just metres in front of me.

A few kilometres later, I almost became a statistic. A cyclist in front of me suddenly jammed on her brakes. I managed to stop just in time, but I could smell burnt rubber from my tyres from braking too hard.

I was definitely a little shaken by all of this, but carried on.

It was hard to feel entirely comfortable during the race when I kept passing by toppled cones, flattened water bottles and broken lights. These were reminders that yet someone else had fallen down.

Even past the finish line, there was no escaping an accident.

A cyclist who whizzed past me in the last 200m crashed near the barriers just after the finish line. Other cyclists who had already dismounted helped him. He was able to dust himself off and push his bicycle to the side.

He should count himself lucky.

As I write this, national serviceman Chia Wee Kiat, 24, is in critical condition after an accident during the race.

Many of these accidents could have been avoided.

The bunching of cyclists along the ECP eastwards was one of the main reasons the mishaps happened.

With just one lane or a little over a lane for cyclists heading east, the entire stretch was an accident zone.

The slower cyclists tried their best to stick to the left lane to let the faster cyclists through on the right. But with limited space, it was difficult to accommodate everyone’s varying speeds.

The U-turns were also danger areas as cyclists with different turning radii came together. Also a red zone was the split in the route at Benjamin Sheares bridge where those going on their second lap had to veer right, and those headed to the finish line looped left.

One way to solve this would be to redefine the categories according to experience or speed, or flag people off in more “waves” so that cyclists moving at the same speed ride together.

The other solution is to simply give everyone more space. Most of the route on the ECP towards the finish line was accident-free because there was more than enough space for both the slower and faster cyclists.

If the organisers cannot secure enough road space for cyclists to have a safe ride, then they should consider capping the number of cyclists.

There’s no point having a record number of participants when many leave with injuries, marring what would have otherwise been a perfectly wonderful event.

Cycling isn’t a contact sport, and it really should stay that way.

mariaa@sph.com.sg

OCBC Cycle Singapore: Cycling should not be a contact sport

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Singapore kids streets ahead

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Singapore kids streets ahead

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In Singapore, citizens don"t want babies — or foreign workers, either

Get the message? (Lydia DePillis/The Washington Post)

In Singapore, the place where most people go to make the biggest decision in their lives — other than, arguably, their choice of a spouse — is the headquarters of the Housing Development Board. It’s a get-a-room, one-stop shop: Browse the planned communities depicted in glass-enclosed models on the first floor, pick out your unit at the staged showrooms three floors up, and descend again to line up your financing and apply for a spot.

Spend much time there, though, and the real mission becomes apparent: Make babies. Right now, Singapore is a time bomb. In 1980, there were 17 people working for every retired person. That’s come down to six people today, and by 2030, the ratio is expected to be 2 to 1 — a problem stalking much of the developed world that’s bearing down on this island city-state with alarming speed.

So at HDB, it’s families first. Flat-screen TVs display b-roll of smiling pregnant women and couples with strollers. “Working together to build a loving home,” scrolls the motto of the Ministry of National Development underneath. Expecting newlyweds and those with small children jump ahead in the line for new flats (just one of a slew of procreation incentives). Even though the government recently started allowing unmarried people to buy units if they’re over 35 — past which they’re presumably beyond all help — the videos depicting a homely single woman arranging flowers in her lonely living room did not make the choice look attractive.

Aisya Sharif, a 26-year-old kindergarten teacher, is doing exactly what the government wants her to do. At HDB’s vast waiting room on a recent afternoon, she sat reading a book about pregnancy, about to pick up the keys to a new four-bedroom apartment she’d bought with her firefighter husband. It’s an exciting new phase — getting married and buying property is pretty much the only way to move out of your parents’ house — but the future doesn’t look so bright.

“One word? Struggling,” Sharif says, when asked how Singapore is faring. The costs of food, gas and goods are rising, but wages haven’t kept pace. ”Generally, what we’re getting is not as much as things are increasing. To survive here is okay, but to do better is hard.”

Looking over options at the HDB Hub. (Lydia DePillis/The Washington Post)

Over the past decade, the government has tried to supplement the sagging labor force by welcoming immigrants — only 3.2 million of the country’s 5.3 million residents are actually citizens. For Sharif, though, that’s made doing better even harder. She’s now competing with foreign teachers for the best jobs at private international schools. And she’s noticed that everything is getting more crowded as foreign laborers flood the malls, subways and well-designed public waterfront.

“Public transport is just crazy,” Sharif sighs. “You leave early, you’re still late. You leave even earlier, you’re still late.”

Sharif’s not alone in her dissatisfaction. Last year, the government reacted by starting to stem the flood of new arrivals — which leaves the country in an impossible position, as its half-century long growth miracle starts to fade.

—

HERE’S THE MOST irksome piece of the population problem: This wasn’t supposed to happen to Singapore. The 50-year-old democracy has been a wonder of central planning, with a laser focus on attracting foreign investment and channelling the proceeds into public goods.

Housing policy, for example, is just one of many powerful tools. Too many people commuting into the downtown and creating traffic jams? Put more office buildings next to housing complexes. Ethnic groups starting to self-segregate into racial enclaves? Set up quotas for each race within each tower, to keep a harmonious mix. As a result, Singapore has enjoyed remarkable peace throughout its half-century of expansion, allocating decent housing for all with elegant efficiency.

The economy has needed that kind of active stewardship, argues Minister of Law and Foreign Affairs K. Shanmugam, because the island — which is slightly smaller than Cape Cod — lacks natural resources and is highly subject to the vagaries of international trade that flows around it.

“It’s not a country with an internal economy,” Shanmugam explained to a group of American journalists a couple weeks ago. “Basically, it’s like a spinning top that’s got to stay spinning in order to stay up.”

But just like Aisya Sharif, Shanmugam knows that those easy times are over. Young people today don’t remember the years of striving and sacrifice that gave rise to the prosperity all around them, he says, and no longer simply accept the government’s benevolent paternalism; new plans have to be justified with arguments about what’s in it for them.

“Now we are entering a new part of our history, where it’s no longer possible to deliver those kinds of results every four years,” he said. ”Their expectations are going to adjust. You’re not going to earn double next year. It’s very jarring.” Citizens are also starting to notice the rising inequality, which for so long had been hidden by forceful government redistribution. “The feeling that you can be like ‘that guy’ is not so strong.”

That’s why the long slide in Singapore’s birth rate, now at 1.2, is so alarming. It threatens to upset the balance of the spinning top. The government  released a white paper on population last year that put the problem in stark relief. Even though the birth rate has ticked back up slightly in recent years, the projections are still dire. Caring for all those older people will be a huge burden on the young, and Shanmugam worries that everything his government has worked for could disappear.

Singapore’s problem. (Government of Singapore)

In fact, he sees it every week. In Singapore, ministers are also elected members of parliament, and Shanmugam represents a community on the northern end of the island where the ratio of working people to retired people approaches what the country is expected to look like in 2030.

“You are looking at the future,” said Quak Hiang Whai, one of Shanmugam’s senior advisers, as the minister wove through a crowded market greeting constituents on a rainy Saturday morning. Elderly people were everywhere, picking out vegetables at the market stalls or lingering over bowls of porridge. Right now, their children can support them, but the next generation of retirees might not have had any in the first place. “We have the money to take care of old people, but you have to start taxing people more, so it’s going to undermine our competitiveness,” Quak said.

For more than a decade, the government has kept the top spinning with a liberal immigration policy for high-skilled professionals, as well as for manual laborers who work as domestic maids and in low-wage industries like construction and retail. They live in dormitories provided by their employers, make much less than native people, and don’t enjoy any of Singapore’s generous state benefits. But there’s no way of keeping them out of public places, and since infrastructure hasn’t kept pace with the burgeoning population, citizens are starting to notice.

“These people are not going to be citizens, but they do take up space,” Quak said, noting that voters had sent a message in recent elections that they’re sick of the overcrowding. “They hear the Chinese talking, they hear the Indians talking, and it’s a minor irritant.”

Singapore’s Minister of Law K. Shanmugam knows what his country needs. (Lydia DePillis/The Washington Post)

—

FACING RISING dissatisfaction with their plan to compensate for a low birth rate with new immigrants, Singapore’s central planners are doing their best to recalibrate. Last year, they tightened quotas on the number of immigrants any business may employ — a restaurant, for example, can only have foreigners make up 40 percent of its staff — and increased the fees levied for each hire. But since the unemployment rate among citizens is 1.2 percent, Singaporeans are hard to find, putting a ceiling on growth. Instead of creating more jobs, the government has asked businesses to make each worker more productive, through automation and if necessary longer hours.

That hasn’t made businesses happy.

“What’s happening now is you’re a restaurant, you want a foreign worker to be approved, and they say, ‘No you can’t, because you already hit the quota,’ ” said Ho Meng Kit, CEO of the Singapore Business Federation. “So you find that food establishment will be closing down because it can’t find the workers.”

But here’s the thing about the private sector: It, too, has been co-opted by a central government that’s been in control for the country’s entire history. So far, the ruling party has been radically pro-business. Now that it’s choking off the labor supply, the Business Federation — whose board of trustees is appointed by the government — isn’t sure what to do. It can protest the new immigration regime but not threaten to defect to the opposition. That signature Singaporean groundedness, it figures, is more important.

“We would rather have a stable government than one that loses votes as a result of continuing this policy,” says Ho, referring to the government’s old open-immigration strategy.

“We don’t play politics,” adds Ang Yuit, vice president for membership and training at the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises. “What’s the point?”

So, having decided against pulling the levers of power that an American corporation might, businesses are relying on the negative economic consequences of the new policy to convince the government that the citizens’ concerns are misplaced — or for citizens themselves to feel their corner noodle shop’s pain, when it can’t find enough people to bus the tables.

“They don’t see the blood on the streets yet,” Ang says.

In Singapore, citizens don"t want babies — or foreign workers, either

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Amazing Spider-Man 2 launches Earth Hour 2014 in Singapore

An environmentally friendly Superhero? Just what the world needs.

Sony Pictures has rather cleverly laid claim to that marketing real estate, partnering Spider-Man up with global environmental group the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and their Earth Hour campaign.

With the imminent release of the next chapter in the lucrative Spider-Man movie franchise, the cast flew into Singapore along with a bevy of international media to launch Earth Hour 2014, and the local fans went crazy for them.

Thousands crammed the Earth Hour event at Marina Bay in central Singapore to watch the lights go out, and for a taste of Hollywood, as Andrew Garfield (Spider-Man), Emma Stone (Gwen Stacey), Jamie Foxx (Electro) and director Marc Webb took to the stage to whip the gathered crowd into a frenzy for the cameras.

The cast of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in Singapore (Getty)

Earlier, Garfield told 3 News the Earth Hour partnership was a natural fit for Spider-Man, and was overwhelmed at the level of excitement from the local fans.

After already fronting for the Chinese media in Beijing, there was no rest for the cast in Singapore. On arrival they hit the red carpet in one of the city’s newest and most enormous shopping malls, crammed with thousands of frenzied fans on a mission to get a Spidey selfie.

Garfield worked the crowd like a natural, no longer the quiet shy boy who spoke to 3 News in Cancun Mexico four years previously, an up and coming actor who couldn’t quite believe he’d just been given the role of his favourite superhero.

The always effortlessly stylish Emma Stone didn’t disappoint in a gorgeous claret red Dior lace dress and charming the gathered fans and media alike.

Jamie Foxx was certainly a crowd favourite and ruled the roost at the post-carpet media conference.

The Oscar-winning Grammy-nominated actor and singer beat-boxed his way through his question/answer session, explaining how excited his young daughter had been when he told her he was going to be in the new Spider-Man movie, only to watch her face fall when he confirmed that no, he wasn’t going to be playing Spider-Man.

The cast spent the rest of their Singapore tour buried in hotel rooms at The Marina Bay Sands Hotel for 2 days of interviews, before flying onto Japan for the next leg of their promotional tour.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2: The Rise of Electro opens in New Zealand in April.

3 News

Amazing Spider-Man 2 launches Earth Hour 2014 in Singapore

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InterContinental Hotel Groups (IHG) unveils Holiday Inn Express Singapore

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) opened its doors to Holiday Inn Express in Singapore. The 442-rooms Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay will commence its functioning in Singapore’s liveliest food and entertainment districts.The new hotel is developed in partnership with RB Capital Hotels, the hotel arm of RB Capital Group – a property investment and development group in Asia that also launched the Cuppage Terrace development in Orchard Road and the EFG Bank Building in Singapore.

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay offers guests Free Wi-Fi, free Express Start breakfast or a Grab Go option for a smart start to the day. A comfortable and restful sleep with high quality bedding and a choice of firm or soft pillows. Self-service business centre and laundry room for your everyday needs. 24-hour fitness room access to indulge in your fitness regime any time. Rooftop swimming pool for a refreshing dip to soak up the sun
The award-winning green-designed hotel also features a spacious landscaped roof-top area which includes a fitness room and swimming pool. Guests can recharge with a workout or a refreshing dip in the 40 mt infinity pool with picturesque views of both Clarke Quay and the Singapore skyline.

Mark Winterton, General Manager, Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay commented, “Travellers to Singapore will be hard-pressed to find a better location and quality of hotel for the same price than Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay. We’re in the heart of one of Singapore’s most exciting locations – its entertainment and dining hot spot – which is hugely popular among locals and tourists alike.

“Our guests can look forward to a refreshing and hassle-free stay with my team and I who are here to make their experience as easy and as uncomplicated as possible. Holiday Inn Express guests know exactly what they want from a hotel and we listen to them closely.”
Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay follows the successful launch of Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road in July 2013. There are currently six Holiday Inn Express hotels in South East Asia with properties in key cities in Indonesia and Thailand and more than 2,200 around the world.

“Holiday Inn Express is one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world and this is our second Holiday Inn Express hotel to open in Singapore in under a year. In the last eight months alone, the brand debuted in both Indonesia and Singapore and across the two countries, we opened five Holiday Inn Express hotels in that time. We know that there is a demand for select-service hotel brands in the region and Holiday Inn Express is here to meet that. With 19 Holiday Inn Express hotels due to open across South East Asia alone over the next five years, we’re confident this is just the beginning of a successful growth period for the brand,” said Clarence Tan, CEO, South East Asia Resorts, IHG.

InterContinental Hotel Groups (IHG) unveils Holiday Inn Express Singapore

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TASTE OF THE WORLD AT SHERATON TOWERS SINGAPORE HOTEL

Sheraton Towers Singapore is strategically located along Scotts Road with 420 elegantly refurbished rooms and 13,400 square feet of prime function space made up of 17 event venues. Voted by Conde Nast Traveler Gold List as one of the best places to stay in the world, Sheraton Towers Singapore sets the benchmark in the hospitality industry with its outstanding quality standards and personalized butler service. From the detailed elegant furnishings, delicate presentation of culinary experience to warm, discreet service, the hotel believes in pampering its guests with the comfort, luxury and conveniences that they are accustomed to at home.

(TRAVPR.COM) SINGAPORE – March 31st, 2014 – Drawing inspiration from their travel experiences, Executive Chef Nobuyuki Taguchi and his culinary team at The Dining Room of Sheraton Towers, a 5 star hotel in Singapore, has exquisitely crafted a new ala-carte menu that showcases signature dishes from around the world.

Introducing 12 international delights, some of the new menu highlights include the following:

Confit de Canard

Chef Nobu’s personal favourite, the flavoursome duck confit is a classic dish from France which is meticulously prepared over long hours. The duck leg is cured overnight, slowly simmered for another 10 hours before pan-frying to yield a golden-brown crispy skin, encasing the tender and flavourful meat. The accompaniment of braised red cabbage and sautéed potato adds an authentic touch to this dish.

Dolsot Bibimbap

All within a hot stone bowl, the Bibimbap is a comforting Korean staple that literally means “mixed rice”. Featuring a sunny-side up egg perched atop the vivid assortment of sliced mushroom, carrot, zucchini, soybean sprout, lettuce and radish, this wholesome and visually-pleasing dish promises a myriad of textures and nutrients. For a sweet, tangy and subtle chilli kick, simply stir in the homemade gochujang, a fermented condiment specially concocted by Korean Chef Kim.

Eisbein

A traditional German delicacy set on a bed of appetising sauerkraut, the Eisbein features a whole pork knuckle marinated overnight with a special in-house blend, boiled for another hour and then glazed with a coat of apple vinegar to attain a crisp finish. Fitting for two to share, the succulent meat is best enjoyed with wholegrain mustard and sautéed potato wedges.

Xing Hua Bee Hoon

Originated from China, this well-loved dish is wok-fried using very thin rice vermicelli specially brought in from Xing Hua. Adorned with generous serving of fresh prawns, oysters and pork, the Xing Hua Bee Hoon makes a delightful meal for all who enjoy the light and natural flavours of this Chinese cuisine.

Chicken Fajita

A crowded pleaser for grown-ups and kids alike, the Fajita is Tex-Mex flavours all enveloped within a wrap. Sizzling on a hotplate, the chicken slices are grilled to perfection with sautéed onion and bell pepper. Served with warm flour tortilla, the chicken fajita is complemented with an array of condiments – salsa, guacamole, sour cream, shredded lettuce and cheese jalapeno pepper. 

Draw a close to your culinary journey with our signature Ice Burger – a sweet treat of luscious chocolate and vanilla ice cream sandwiched between ginger sponge cake. The Taste of the World ala-carte menu is available daily for both lunch and dinner at The Dining Room, one of the best restaurants in Singapore. In-house guests may also enjoy these delectable dishes in the comfort of their room.

For enquiries and reservations, please call The Dining Room: 6839 5621

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TASTE OF THE WORLD AT SHERATON TOWERS SINGAPORE HOTEL

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NEC Participates In Small Cells Asia 2014 In Singapore

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah

SINGAPORE, March 31 (Bernama) — NEC Corporation will outline the advantages of its E-RAN Solution for enabling mobile operators to quickly provide indoor services to large enterprises at Small Cells Asia 2014 on April 7-8, 2014 at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel here.

Gakuto Oka, assistant manager, Mobile Radio Access Network Division, NEC Corporation, will deliver a presentation on NEC’s E-RAN Solution on April 7 and will introduce the importance of in-building solutions for achieving effective TCO (total cost ownership), outlining innovative solutions for future network empowerment.

In a statement, NEC said the spread of mobile devices had led to an explosive growth of data traffic, and indoor environments account for a large segment of this increase.

It said NEC’s E-RAN solution features multimode small cells, an intelligent, on-premises services node and a small cell gateway that provides enterprises with scalable, reliable and secure in-building LTE (long term evolution), 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, which reduces mobile operator churn in the valuable enterprise segment.

Moreover, it provides new revenue streams from value-added services such as IP-PBX integration, BYOD (bring your own device) management and in-building location-based applications.

– BERNAMA

NEC Participates In Small Cells Asia 2014 In Singapore

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Surfing The Singapore Skyline

By John Oseid

A day of seducing lady luck at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands c asino tables can take its toll. But then dusk rolls around and brings a breezy reward 57 floors above the city at the Ku De Ta lounge. Towering palm trees dot the resort’s rooftop SkyPark, and a 500-foot-long infinity pool is cantilevered across three buildings like a giant surfboard. (If you’ve booked a room, you can plunge in.) Did the renowned architect Moshe Safdie have the Jetsons in mind when he designed the Sands? Because the SkyPark could easily pass for an Orbit City landing platform.

Either way, while standing on the wooden deck at Ku Dé Ta under a red umbrella, savor the kitchen’s modern Asian fare before hitting the dance floor. And be sure to order a Singapore Sawa–a sublime concoction of umeshu plum liqueur, Aperol, Prosecco and ginger liqueur.

Edge up to one of the tables that hug the glass railing and you’ll be treated to an unrivaled panoramic view: Safdie’s futuristic glass Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton store floats in the bay just next to his lotus-shaped ArtScience Museum. Farther off, the sky reflects against a London Eye-like Ferris wheel called the Flyer. As night descends, a field of funky steel Supertrees that belong to the domed Gardens by the Bay put on a dazzling light show. And if you gaze a bit beyond the Gardens to old Singapore, you can plot the evening’s next adventure, which will undoubtedly be more down to earth.

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Surfing The Singapore Skyline

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Solaire apes Singapore to make bigger profits

Malaya Business Insight’s weekday sections treat readers to timely articles on shipping, banking, information and technology, automotive and motoring, real estate and property development, travel and tourism and people and sectoral events. Special issues and supplements are designed to enrich current information and data files of readers with pre-selected topics of national and local significance.

Solaire apes Singapore to make bigger profits

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Can Razon's Solaire match Marina Bay Sands' success?

MANILA – Bloomberry Resorts Corp hopes to recreate the magic of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands with the expansion of its $1.2 billion Solaire casino-resort in Manila, a crucial project if the firm is to reverse its disappointing first-year results.

Solaire is the first of four planned integrated resorts expected to rise in Manila Bay’s new Entertainment City gaming precinct, a massive development designed to give wealthy Asian gamblers an alternative to the Chinese casino city of Macau.

Solaire’s first phase opened in March last year, and as work on the $500 million expansion gets into full swing Bloomberry is looking to Marina Bay Sands for inspiration. With its triple towers, boat-shaped observation deck and infinity pool in the sky, Marina Bay Sands is more than just the world’s most profitable casino – it is an emblem of Southeast Asian gaming glamour.

Solaire will struggle to match the $5.9 billion Marina Bay Sands in terms of glitz, even though it already boasts spectacular views of Manila Bay and the expansion will see the opening of the country’s first Lyric theatre that can stage big musicals.

But Bloomberry’s billionaire owner Enrique Razon, the Philippines’ fourth-richest person, has managed to grab a bit of the Singapore casino’s executive nous in the form of ex-Marina Bay Sands CEO Thomas Arasi.

The American left Las Vegas Sands Corp-owned Marina Bay Sands in early 2011 citing personal reasons, after 18 months with the company.

Razon convinced Arasi to come back to Asia from the United States to become Bloomberry president and COO in October, hoping to tap some of the secrets of Marina Bay’s success.

Five months later, Solaire has seven fixed-room junkets and over 40 casual junket operators who fly in players, against nearly zero junkets under the previous management of Las Vegas-based Global Gaming Philippines (GGAM).

That is apart from individual high-rollers from China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia, who fill Solaire’s VIP gaming sections.

HIGH-CLASS PROBLEMS

Arasi believes Solaire is already on the right path in terms of its clientele, having achieved in its first year the sought-after balance of high roller VIPs and mass-market gamblers.

“We are close to ideal because we have a nice variety of junkets that are currently calling Solaire home,” he told Reuters in an interview at Solaire’s Bay Tower hotel overlooking Manila Bay.

“Based on our current space constraints in our VIP areas, we don’t have too much more room to bring in others. So that’s a high-class problem to have.”

He said the Philippines had certain advantages over Singapore for casino operators which should serve Solaire well, citing lower taxes and high-quality local staff.

Casino operators also enjoy higher margins in the Philippines because Manila allows junkets – middlemen who charge casinos commissions to bring in wealthy gamblers.

Solaire’s expansion is likely to open towards the end of the year, boosting Solaire’s VIP gaming area by 70 percent.

But for the market, Bloomberry’s inability to make its current assets profitable outweighs any anticipated jump in gaming revenue, after the company posted losses amounting to around $19 million in its first nine months.

“I’m not factoring in the expansion,” said Rizal Commercial Banking Corp’s Vittorio Gomez, who helps oversee trust funds partly invested in gaming.

“They haven’t even fully maximised the existing space, they are only starting to maximise the space.”

Investors who were disappointed by Solaire’s weak earnings and a bitter shareholder battle involving GGAM have started to buy Bloomberry shares again after they fell 35 percent last year.

The stock is up about 13 percent this year, the only integrated casino resort-related stock to post gains in the Philippine stock market over the period.

Bloomberry is expected to post its first net profit this year of P3.2 billion.

Arasi said the opening later this year of Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd’s more than $1 billion City of Dreams integrated resort – Asia’s sole new casino development in 2014 – would lift the profile of Entertainment City.

“They are another competitor; they are also just as much a savior,” Arasi said.

“When (City of Dreams) opens you’re going to have twice as much marketing going on to this location. You’re going to have the centre of gravity starting to really shift down here” from the Makati financial and commercial centre in Manila.

Can Razon"s Solaire match Marina Bay Sands" success?

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Singapore"s Shockingly Nice Airport Just Won Best In The World Again

Photo courtesy of Singapore Changi Airport

Singapore’s Changi Airport was just named the world’s best airport in 2014 by the World Airport Awards. 

This is the second year that Changi took the top spot in Skytrax’s World Airport Awards, the most prestigious airport award in the industry.

Skytrax evaluates over 400 airports around the world for service, check-in, transfers, shopping, security, immigration, and more. 

It’s no surprise that Changi took the No. 1 spot. The international transit hub has incredible amenities, like a butterfly garden, rooftop pool, movie theaters, hotels, spas, and showers, and even a four-story slide.

Last year, I visited the airport during a trip to Singapore and had a chance to explore. The bottom line: This is a place where you’ll actually enjoy having a long layover.

Disclosure: Our trip to Singapore, including travel and lodging expenses, was sponsored by the Singapore Tourism Board.

Singapore"s Shockingly Nice Airport Just Won Best In The World Again

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Over 9000 Singaporeans celebrate Singapore Day in London

LONDON: Over 9,000 Singaporeans living, working and studying in the United Kingdom and Europe came together to celebrate Singapore Day in London on Saturday.

They were joined by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Grace Fu.

The event was held at London’s Victoria Park.

Thousands of Singaporeans and their friends enjoyed the familiar tastes, sights and sounds of home including authentic hawker food.

They were also updated on developments in Singapore, including the education landscape, the sports scene, infrastructural developments and career opportunities.

For entertainment, the Dim Sum Dollies, Hossan Leong, The Noose’s Chua En-lai and Michelle Chong, music duo and radio entertainers Jack Rai, as well as indie rockers, The Great Spy Experiment wowed the crowd with their songs and performance.

“I could feel the strong Singapore spirit among the participants today,” said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.

“More than 180 overseas Singaporeans volunteered to help organise and contribute to the event. Apart from Singapore Day, Singaporeans abroad do organise their own programmes to keep in touch with home and with one another.

“I am glad to see that many have a keen interest in what is happening in Singapore and want to contribute to make Singapore a better home for us all.”

Ms Fu said: “Over the years, we have tried to make this as accessible and relevant to Singaporeans.”

“We hope that we have brought some of the updates from Singapore and… to make this as close to your heart as possible. The idea is to get everyone… to participate and… get back (their connection) with Singapore, and hopefully relieve them of some of the homesickness.”

Rozalina Rawi, a student in London, said: “There’re some friends who actually came from Singapore to be here, and we’re definitely looking forward to rojak, mama nasi lemak and teh tarik”.

Singapore Day is a collaborative effort by the Overseas Singaporean Unit and its partners from the public, people and private sectors.

It is held annually in major cities where there are a significant number of Singaporeans.

Singapore Days have been held in New York (2007), Melbourne (2008), London (2009), Shanghai (2011), New York (2012) and Sydney (2013).

A statement from the National Population and Talent Division said Ms Grace Fu also held a dialogue with about 40 overseas Singaporeans, mainly students and working professionals living in London.

At the dialogue, they shared their hopes and aspirations for Singapore and discussed ideas on how the overseas Singapore community could be involved in the upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.

Ms Fu said, “Singaporeans based overseas are an integral part of our Singapore family and it is important that they be involved in the celebration of our 50th year of independence in 2015.

“As we commemorate our journey as one people, we should reflect on what the first 50 years of Singapore’s development means to us and how we can shape our future together. The SG50 celebration is indeed a special milestone for all Singaporeans, no matter where they are.” 

Over 9000 Singaporeans celebrate Singapore Day in London

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Growing Maybank Singapore ops

SHIFTING FOCUS: Group wants to capitalise on the republic’s huge corporate banking segment

MALAYAN Banking Bhd (Maybank), the fourth-largest banking group in the Asean region, aims to grow its business in Singapore by capitalising on the country’s huge corporate banking segment.

Its president and chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Farid Alias said some 66 per cent of the banking business in Singapore comprises corporate financing, while the retail segment makes

up the remaining.

“This is unlike in Malaysia, which has a 50:50 ratio of corporate and retail segments in the banking sector,” he said in an interview, here, recently.

“For the longest time, we have been managing our business in Singapore with 50-50 contribution from both segments. But things changed last year.”

Farid said Singapore’s corporate banking sector continued to show strong growth last year despite new measures introduced by the government to cool down property prices, which affected the consumer banking segment.

This situation has led to Maybank shifting its focus and expanding in the corporate banking segment to some 60 per cent from 50 per cent previously.

“As a whole, our business in Singapore reflects the portfolio we see in other major banks in the country, which manage about twothirds of corporate financing and one-third of consumer financing.

“The beauty about Singapore is that the country responds very fast to market circumstances. Our team there, too, responded quickly to the new government measures and managed to address the situation successfully,” he added.

Following that, Farid said Maybank Singapore has also been receiving growing interest from corporate clients, citing its quick services, especially in providing effective business turnaround plans.

“For loans indication in Southeast Asia and Singapore, we are in the league table, which indicates that we are doing the right thing from the profitability perspective.”

Farid said the bank needs to look at its Singapore operations as a whole Maybank institution rather than just a commercial bank, which is one portion of the business.

He said Maybank Singapore, which is headed by CEO Datuk Lim Hong Tat, needs to strengthen all its businesses, including investment banking and insurance, as one large entity.

“If we can do this successfully, we can replicate the kind of returns we get in Malaysia,” he added.

Growing Maybank Singapore ops

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10,000 cyclists take part in final day of OCBC Cycle S'pore

SINGAPORE: More than 10,000 cyclists came together on Sunday morning to take part in OCBC Cycle Singapore.

In total, a record 12,000 people took part in the three-day event, which took them past iconic landmarks such as the Sheares Bridge, Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands.

Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin helped flag off the Super Challenge category at the F1 Pit Building, before taking part in the 59-kilometre challenge himself.

OCBC Cycle Singapore also saw representatives from various charities take part to raise funds.

The event is into its sixth year, and attendance has grown steadily.

It attracted just over 5,000 riders in its first edition in 2009.

Mr Tan said: “More people are responding, I think not just to cycling but… many sports. And that’s encouraging.

“That’s good for the growing sporting fraternity. What it means from the competitive angle is that perhaps you might have a larger pool to draw people from.”

Mr Tan said the government is committed to seeing cycling grow as a mode of transport.

But having dedicated cycling lanes on roads here is something the authorities will have to explore further.

He cited space constraints as a potential obstacle and pointed to alternatives that are already in place.

He said: “Well, we have park connectors, which I think is increasing in connectivity, and I think that’s a great way (to encourage people to cycle).

“It’s not ideal for competitive cycling because you can’t really go at fast speeds, but I think for the majority of people when they’re cycling, I think park connectors are great. Both the ABC Waters programme and park connectors — I think when they are fully mature, you will have a fairly dense network.” 

10,000 cyclists take part in final day of OCBC Cycle S"pore

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Suspect under police guard after Singaporean student stabbed to death

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According to media reports, he is an Indian national who had flown to Australia from South Africa. The pair was reportedly due to have an arranged marriage and had only met on Monday night.

Ms Narayanan’s brother arrived in Brisbane late on Tuesday night.

Acting Detective Inspector Tod Reid said the scene in the hotel room was “quite confronting”.

“The first response police were faced with a fairly difficult scene and we’re going to make sure they receive the appropriate support,” he said on Tuesday.

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Suspect under police guard after Singaporean student stabbed to death

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Singaporean student Meena Narayanan stabbed to death in Brisbane hotel

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Singaporean student Meena Narayanan stabbed to death in Brisbane hotel

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Singapore Dunes LLC gets state permit to build road across dunes to Lake ... - The Grand Rapids Press

SAUGATUCK, MI – Construction will begin this spring on a two-lane blacktop road that will allow access across the Singapore Dunes to 18 home sites facing Lake Michigan, according to a spokesman for Singapore Dunes LLC, a development company owned by Oklahoma oilman Aubrey McClendon.

Singapore Dunes, which plans to sell the lots for between $1.5 million and $2.75 million each, announced it received permission to build the road from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality on Friday, March 28.

The permit opens up some 18 building sites, said Stephen Neumer, project manager for the company. The home sites have frontage on Lake Michigan or are nestled in adjoining dunes with views of the lake, he said.

Singapore Dunes received the permit following a nine-month review process and several public hearings in which members of the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance objected to the project. The property that was previously inaccessible except via a narrow and steep driveway.

A spokesperson for the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance was not available for comment on the permit action.

Neumer said the new road will follow a flatter historic wagon trail that led to the lumber mills of Singapore, a village founded in 1836. The village became a ghost town by the end of the 19th Century after it was buried beneath the shifting sands of the dunes.

RELATED: Legend of lost mill city buried under Saugatuck dunes

The new road will be built to state standards that will allow access by emergency vehicles and two-way traffic. Construction will begin this spring and continue over two construction seasons, he said.

As part of the permit, Singapore Dunes agreed to a conservation easement that will permanently protect more than 8 acres of wetlands on the property, Neumer said. They also agreed to a one-to-one tree replacement plan.

The entire site was listed for $40 million last August by Singapore Dunes. That price included a 23-year-old beach house that is listed separately for $12.5 million.

Singapore Dunes also is planning a separate condominium and marina project along the Kalamazoo River Channel that was once the site of Broward Marine as Phase II of the development, Neumer said.


RELATED: With a $40 million asking price, West Michigan has a new champion of high-end real estate listings

Jim Harger covers business for MLive/Grand Rapids Press. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+.

Singapore Dunes LLC gets state permit to build road across dunes to Lake ... - The Grand Rapids Press

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Lights off for Earth Hour in Singapore

The environmental campaign saw record participation from 350 organisations, who pledged to switch off their lights in their bid to help save the planet.

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Man of “The Amazing Spider-Man” attends the Earth Hour with Spider-Man, the first super hero ambassador for Earth Hour, the global movement organised by WWF (World Wide Fund For Nature) in Singapore. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Sony/AFP)

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2″ attend the Earth Hour campaign with Spider-Man, the first super hero ambassador for Earth Hour, in Singapore. (Photo: Xabryna Kek)

Spider-Man, the first super hero ambassador for Earth Hour, in Singapore. (Photo: Xabryna Kek)

Spider-Man, the first super hero ambassador for Earth Hour, in Singapore. (Photo: Xabryna Kek)

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SINGAPORE: Earth Hour came to Singapore, and was observed for an hour from 8.30pm on Saturday.

The environmental campaign saw record participation from 350 organisations, who pledged to switch off their lights in their bid to help save the planet.

At the flagship event in Singapore was Earth Hour’s global super hero ambassador Spider-Man.

Lending star power to the celebrations were the cast of the “The Amazing Spider-Man 2″ — Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx.

They helped to switch off the lights at over 60 iconic structures across the Marina Bay skyline.

Members of the public too joined in the fun while learning about the use of sustainable energy sources.

In the activity, Energy Floors, they showed off their dance moves on a huge mat that converts kinetic energy from footwork into electricity.

Joining other organisations in supporting Earth Hour was Singapore’s leading media company MediaCorp.

Bright digital screens at malls and bus stops were switched off from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.

It is part of an initiative by MediaCorp’s outdoor advertising arm, OOH Media, to show its concern for the environment, and encourage the public to save electricity.

OOH media has over 70 digital screens in bus shelters and malls in Singapore.

Malls supporting the initiative include ION Orchard, JCube and The Star Vista. 

- CNA/de

Lights off for Earth Hour in Singapore

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Singapore: Small state, big weapons buyer

Singapore‘s determination to remain independent has fuelled military expansionism – but in a fast-changing global security environment, the militarised city-state may be forced to take sides.

“Our immediate part of the world is changing dramatically,” said the Singaporean defence minister, Dr Ng Eng Hen, during a recent unveiling of Singapore’s defence plans.

In his opening remarks, the defence minister of this city-state of five million people alluded to the difficult balancing act Singapore has had to master since its independence. 

“In the latter half of the 20th century, US dominance in both security and economic spheres was unchallenged, and it provided the security umbrella for this region. In the 21st century, China’s rise as an economic and military power is redefining the power dynamics in the Asia-Pacific,” he said.

Singapore’s foreign policy has long been based on economic partnerships, yet it has refused to enter into any military alliances to preserve these economic interests. Instead, it has devoted a large share of its budget to defence spending, transforming this once-small British outpost into a force to be reckoned with. Between 2008 and 2012, Singapore accounted for four percent of all global weapons imports, making it the fifth-largest importer of military hardware, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The country now spends 25 percent of its annual budget on defence. Its military spending has risen from $600m annually at the start of the 1980s to $12bn in 2013. By comparison, neighbouring Malaysia – whose population is more than five times bigger than that of Singapore – spent just $5bn last year.

“I think Singapore’s position on security has been consistent for the past 45 years,” said Tim Huxley, author of Defending the Lion City, considered by many to be the definitive work on Singapore’s defence establishment.

The modern state of Singapore was born in 1965, when it separated from the Federation of Malaya. Its independence came in the midst of the Cold War, as the US war in Vietnam was intensifying. 

“Singapore had always been aware of its position as a Chinese enclave in a Muslim-concentrated Malay archipelago,” wrote Pak Shun Ng, a military officer in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Pak said insecurities stemming from Singapore’s acrimonious separation from Malaysia in 1965 and the subsequent konfrontasi or confrontation with Indonesia caused Singapore to adopt a fiercely independent military and foreign policy.

“The attitude in Singapore is that although the country has security partners, it does not have any allies,” said Huxley. “Singapore has to rely on itself for its own defence.”

From ‘poisonous shrimp’ to porcupine

“In a world where the big fish eat small fish and the small fish eat shrimps, Singapore must become a poisonous shrimp,” said Lee Kuan Yew, the father of modern-day Singapore. Lee was echoing concerns that in case of a conflict, tiny Singapore would be overrun and thus had to adopt a defensive posture.

“Singapore has no territory to fall back on and to regroup its military in,” said Wendell Minnick, the editor of Taiwan-based Defense News. “Over time Singapore has realised that the defence of its territory needs to be a ‘pre-emptive equation’ rather than a defensive one, much like Israel.”

This realisation has transformed Singapore’s defence policy from the “poisonous shrimp” philosophy of self-preservation to something more aggressive.

“I may not completely destroy you, but you’d have to pay a high price to subdue me, and you may still not succeed,” said Brigadier General (and now Prime Minister) Lee Hsien Loong in 1984. The 1980s saw Singapore shift from a “poisonous shrimp” to a “porcupine” strategy, which aims to inflict intolerable costs on potential enemies and outlast attackers in the event of a conflict.

“By assuming a more offensive posture, Singapore changed its message from one of ‘we’ll be here, don’t come to us’ to one of ‘we’ll take you on’,” wrote Pak Shun Ng, the military officer.

Singapore’s military acquisitions in the 1980s were based primarily on imports of advanced systems from the US.

Where East and West collide

Although an estimated 74 percent percent of Singapore’s population is of Chinese origin, the country has preferred to do business with US defence contractors instead of with Chinese firms.

“They have a lot of American fighter jet capability, mostly third-generation F-16s and F-15s but also Apache helicopters and US-made drones,” said Minnick.

“We are likely to see Singapore invest in equipment such as the US Joint Strike Fighter, commonly known as the F-35. The country will invest in high-tech equipment which can be networked, which will not require large numbers of personnel to operate it,” said Huxley, given Singapore’s limited manpower.

“Singapore’s military modernisation trajectory must be viewed in the context of deepening territorial disputes and potential crises over selected islands in the South China Sea and the East China Sea,” argues Michael Raska, a research fellow at the Military Transformations Programme at S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. Raska told Al Jazeera that Singapore may face a tough balancing act if China intensifies its demands over the disputed islands.

“Singapore has good relations with both China and the US, the two major powers in the region,” said Huxley. The balance between East and West puts Singapore in an awkward position. Singapore is politically and militarily oriented towards the US, said Huxley, but increasingly relies on China economically.

“One can think of circumstances in the future, in the event the US-China relationship deteriorates, Singapore may find itself in a fix,” said Huxley.

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Singapore: Small state, big weapons buyer

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