Cost-recovery fee levied when old IC is lost

The Straits Times; Published on Nov 18, 2011
Cost-recovery fee levied when old IC is lost 
THE identity card is an important document used primarily for identification purposes ('Hefty penalty for losing old IC' by Mr Alex Chan; Nov 8). It also facilitates personal transactions in the public and private sectors in Singapore.

China needs more than a 5-year charm offensive

China needs more than a 5-year charm offensive
It's now seeking to build 'soft power', but there are limits to its likely success
04:45 AM Nov 11, 2011
by David Pilling
In the past 30 years, China has created an economic machine that has lifted more people out of poverty in a short space of time than any nation in history. It has built world-class factories, vast modern cities and a continental highway system. Now it wants to build something less tangible: Soft power.

Hefty penalty for losing old IC

The Straits Times; Published on Nov 8, 2011
Hefty penalty for losing old IC
I WAS recently involved in an identity card (IC) re-registration exercise. Unfortunately, my wallet, which contained my old IC, was stolen while my new one was being processed.

Destruction of general election 2011 ballot papers and other documents

PRESS RELEASE
DESTRUCTION OF GENERAL ELECTION 2011
BALLOT PAPERS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS
In accordance with Section 49(9) of the Parliamentary Elections Act (Chapter 218), ballot papers and other documents used in the election shall be sealed and retained in safe custody for a period of 6 months, after which they shall be destroyed unless otherwise directed by order of the President. This is to ensure secrecy of the vote.

Be more discerning in adopting latest medical tests

The Straits Times; Published on Nov 5, 2011
Be more discerning in adopting latest medical tests
THANK you, Professor Tommy Koh, for shedding light on the controversy surrounding prostate cancer tests ('Why prostate test is being peddled'; last Saturday) and Professor Feng Pao Hsii ('The public is being sold increasingly sophisticated tests, devices, machines and procedures that have little long-term scientific evidence'; Wednesday).

'The public is being sold increasingly sophisticated tests, devices, machines and procedures that have little long-term scientific evidence.'

The Straits Times; Published on Nov 2, 2011
My point: Medicine
'The public is being sold increasingly sophisticated tests, devices, machines and procedures that have little long-term scientific evidence.'

Why prostate test is being peddled

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 29, 2011
Why prostate test is being peddled
I WISH to draw attention to the following facts with reference to Singapore Urological Association president Dr Michael Wong Yuet Chen's letter yesterday ('Prostate cancer screening: Careful risk assessment vital').
First, the person credited with the discovery of prostate specific antigen (PSA), Professor Richard Ablin of the University of Arizona Medical School, has expressed remorse for his discovery.

Prostate cancer screening: Careful risk assessment vital

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 28, 2011
Prostate cancer screening: Careful risk assessment vital
I REFER to the article on the new United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendation about PSA screening ('Prostate cancer test 'does have benefits''; Oct 20).
The task force, a non-governmental panel comprising internists, nurses and health behaviour specialists, advised that PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) screening should not be performed for all age groups as it 'results in small or no reduction in prostate cancer-specific mortality'.

New NUS law school dean has uphill task

The Straits Times; Published on Nov 5, 2011
New NUS law school dean has uphill task
NEW National University of Singapore (NUS) law dean Simon Chesterman's effort to produce creative thinkers in addition to technically capable lawyers may be an uphill task, as his students are the products of schools obsessed with assessments and rankings ('Grads must be creative thinkers: New NUS law dean'; Tuesday).

New NUS law dean has big plans for school

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 31, 2011
New NUS law dean has big plans for school
By Amelia Tan
Professor Simon Chesterman has been named the new dean of the National University of Singapore (NUS) law school after more than 60 candidates were considered for the job.

Woman sues developer after she falls at show flat

The Straits Times; Published on Nov 8, 2011
Woman sues developer after she falls at show flat
By K. C. Vijayan
A prospective home buyer who fell and hurt her face after viewing a show flat is suing the developer.
Madam Tan Ah Lai, 59, claims she slipped as she was walking down a staircase, which was unlit and had sand on it.

FairPrice took the lead in reducing plastic bag usage

The Straits Times, Published on Oct 29, 2011
FairPrice took the lead in reducing plastic bag usage
WE THANK Ms Catherine Ho Shull for her concerns on the environment ('Time to say a firm 'no' to plastic bags'; Tuesday) and would like to share FairPrice's position on this issue.

Maid borrows but boss suffers loan-shark woes

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 31, 2011
Maid borrows but boss suffers loan-shark woes
MY FIRST maid, a Filipina who worked for me for five years, left Singapore in a hurry after she had used my name to borrow money from a loan shark.

The SHOCKING Truth About the U.S. Dollar: What The Media Never Told You

The SHOCKING Truth About the U.S. Dollar: What The Media Never Told You

Victim, rescuer and travesty of justice

The Straits Times, Published on Oct 25, 2011
Victim, rescuer and travesty of justice
MR PEH Shing Huei's retelling of the story of Peng Yu and Xu Shoulan shows that justice in China may sometimes be miscarried ('Help me up... so I can sue you'; last Friday).

Help me up... so I can sue you

Help me up... so I can sue you
Peh Shing Huei
The Straits Times
Publication Date : 21-10-2011
The story of Peng Yu and Xu Shoulan is not part of China's rich collection of ancient folk tales, but most Chinese are familiar with it nonetheless.

Offer cheaper flats with a condition - sell them back to HDB

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 24, 2011
Offer cheaper flats with a condition - sell them back to HDB
IN HER letter, Ms Chen Xinyi argued that restricting resale of three-room flats to only low-income earners, and pegging resale prices to the original sales price plus the annual inflation rate will disadvantage current as well as future three-room home owners, as they will be unable to leverage on capital gains from the asset to upgrade to a larger flat ('Restricting sale and price of resale 3-room flats won't work'; last Thursday).

Restricting sale and price of resale 3-room flats won't work

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 20, 2011
Restricting sale and price of resale 3-room flats won't work
I AM dismayed by MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Zainudin Nordin's suggestion to restrict the resale of three-room flats to only low-income earners and peg resale prices to the original sales price plus the annual inflation rate ('Call to re-look pricing of new flats'; Tuesday).

Time to say a firm 'no' to plastic bags

The Straits Times;Published on Oct 25, 2011
Time to say a firm 'no' to plastic bags
WHILE living in Shanghai four years ago, I was amazed at how resolutely the authorities ended the use of plastic bags. The city's populace quickly adapted and most people began carrying their own bags whenever they went shopping.

The instability of inequality

The instability of inequality
Unless relative economic roles of the market and state are rebalanced, protests will get more severe
by Nouriel Roubini 04:46 AM Oct 17, 2011
This year has witnessed a global wave of social and political turmoil and instability, with masses of people pouring into the real and virtual streets: The Arab Spring; riots in London; Israel's middle-class protests against high housing prices and an inflationary squeeze on living standards; protesting Chilean students; the destruction in Germany of the expensive cars of "fat cats"; India's movement against corruption; mounting unhappiness with corruption and inequality in China; and now the "Occupy Wall Street" movement in New York and across the United States.

Up to 6m plastic bags saved per year: FairPrice

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 13, 2011
Up to 6m plastic bags saved per year: FairPrice
WE THANK Ms Cheong Shu Min for her letter (''Bring Your Own Bag' scheme isn't working as it should'; last Saturday), and will consider her feedback with other inputs to improve our programmes.
FairPrice introduced the Green Rewards Scheme in 2007 to help reduce plastic bag wastage.

'Bring Your Own Bag' scheme isn't working as it should

The Straits Times; Published on Oct 8, 2011
'Bring Your Own Bag' scheme isn't working as it should
I WAS appalled by the sheer amount of plastic bags used for bagging groceries when I visited my neighbourhood FairPrice recently.

GDP and GNP

GDP and GNP: distinguishes between gdp and gnp figures, explains why they are calculated and considers the level of accuracy of the figures.

Median income of S'poreans up 11%

Median income of S'poreans up 11%
By Saifulbahri Ismail | Posted: 11 October 2011 1935 hrs
Median income of S'poreans increased over past 10 years
SINGAPORE: Singapore has one of the highest employment rates internationally and the median income of workers also increased 11 per cent in real terms, over the past 10 years.