DOCSLIB.ORG

Issue 46 a Newsletter of the Singapore Cooperation Programme

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Issue 46 a Newsletter of the Singapore Cooperation Programme Helping Pole Water Myanmar Position World S’pore strengthens S’pore obtains Manatees and more its cooperation observer status at at S’pore’s river- with Myanmar Arctic Council themed wildlife park APR – JUN 2013 / ISSUE 46 A NEWSLETTER OF THE SINGAPORE COOPERATION PROGRAMME WORLD WATER DAY 2013 Coming together for water Cover V3.indd 3 07/08/2013 18:58 E d ’s Not e CONTENTS 3 FOCUS Coming together Dear readers, for water Singapore celebrates s an island state, Singapore is surrounded by water. World Water Day each year, And Singapore is indeed fortunate to be able to spreading the message tap on technological advancements to produce clean of water conservation to water for consumption as well as commercial and ensure that the country’s industrial purposes. demand for water is sustainable A precious resource in so many ways, it is the theme of this issue of Experience Singapore, and 6 IN SINGAPORE perhaps a timely rejoinder of water’s impact in our lives. AFind out how Singapore celebrates this precious resource Water world Visitors to the newly- during the annual World Water Day activities in Coming together opened River Safari for water. can discover up close the Water also serves strategic purposes freshwater habitats found for Singapore’s relevance as an interna- in some of the world’s tional seaport, which sits on the path of most iconic rivers one of the busiest sea routes in the world. In Pole position, learn more about the 8 REFLECTIONS significance of Singapore being granted Old friends observer status in the Arctic Council in and neighbours May 2013. Singapore and Myanmar A new river-themed attraction is also deepen ties through making waves as Asia’s first and only riv- collaboration in er-themed wildlife park. In Water world, capacity-building read about the River Safari which offers visitors close encounters with freshwater 10 JOINING HANDS inhabitants from profiled rivers such as Pole position the Amazon, Mississippi, Congo, Nile, Singapore’s latest role Ganges, Murray, Mekong and Yangtze. as observer in the Arctic Like a constant and steady stream, Council gives it front Singapore’s collaboration with our friends row seats to making a in capacity-building is an ongoing ini- difference for the world’s tiative. Old friends and neighbours de- ocean resources tails how Singapore and Myanmar have deepened ties through an enhanced River Safari, technical assistance package – the Singapore-Myanmar Technical pg6 Cooperation Programme. We hope that you will find the magazine a good read. Copyright © is held by the publishers. Director Keep All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Public Affairs Directorate in touch! Printed in Singapore by Times Printers. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore Share with us your memories, photos and experiences in www.timesprinters.com. ISSN: 0219-2896 Singapore under the Experience Singapore is a publication of the Singapore Cooperation Public Affairs and Technical Cooperation Programme. Email us at Directorates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, [email protected]. Singapore. The Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP) is administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, and is aimed at sharing Singapore’s developmental experience with other developing countries. Cover photo by Xxxxxx Publishing Consultant www.scp.gov.sg Like SCP Alumni on Facebook Follow us on Twitter @MFAsg MediaCorp Pte Ltd 2 APR - JUN 2013 ISSUE 46 ExperienceSg V12.indd 2 12/08/2013 14:47 Focus Coming WATER CONSERVATION together for water HE LAST 50 YEARS has seen Singapore diver- sify its water supply, but merely putting in place Singapore celebrates the infrastructure to supply water is not enough. World Water Day As Singapore’s population and economy continue to grow, the need to conserve water has become each year, spreading increasingly important. The annual World Water the message of water TDay (WWD) — designated by the United Nations General Assembly to mark the importance of water conservation to ensure in daily life — is observed in Singapore every year in that the country’s a bid to encourage the country’s residents to adopt better water consumption habits. demand for water is This year, about 35,000 people commemorated WWD on 16 March, with the theme “Every Drop sustainable. WORDS BY FAIROZA MANSOR Photos courtesy of PUB: Angie Ng Counts”. Celebrations were held across 11 sites, including Marina Barrage, the Lorong Halus Wet- land (Serangoon Reservoir), Kallang River @ Bishan- Ang Mo Kio Park, Jurong Lake and Lower Seletar Reservoir. The festivities at Marina Barrage — built Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong joined 3,000 people in the formation of a giant water droplet on the rooftop of the Marina Barrage EXPERIENCE SINGAPORE 3 ExperienceSg V12.indd 3 12/08/2013 14:47 Focus WATER CONSERVATION to create Singapore’s 15th and only city reservoir — The giant Addressing those present, PM Lee urged Singa- water droplet took centrestage as Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee formed by 3,000 poreans to work together to conserve water. “In many Hsien Loong and Minister for the Environment and participants countries, people don’t have access to clean water. Water Resources, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, joined in Here in Singapore, we’ve got clean water in our res- the celebrations. ervoirs, from our taps, in our homes, in our lives,” he The event kickstarted with a morning walk which said. We need to work together to use this precious was conceived as a reminder of the challenges faced resource responsibly, he added, calling water conser- by people from countries with little or no access to vation a “national project”. clean water. PM Lee officially launched WWD by Other activities organised included a sailing pouring a pitcher containing raw water collected clinic conducted by the Singapore Sailing Federa- from various reservoirs in Singapore into a tray, to tion, a story-telling segment by the National Library symbolise the importance of reservoirs as a source Board and a mass yoga session on the green roof of of water supply. Thereafter, he joined 3,000 people Marina Barrage. in the formation of a giant water droplet on the roof Singaporeans from other parts of the island were top of Marina Barrage. This formation represents the not left out. Over at Lorong Halus Wetland, a landfill importance of collective efforts in saving water. “In Singapore, we’ve got clean water in our rreservoirs,eservoirs from our taps, iinn our hhomes,om in our lives. WWee need to work together ttoo use thithiss precious resource responsibly.” MRR LEE HSHSIENIEN LOLOONG,ONG, SINGAPORE’SSINGAPORE S PRIMEPRIME MMINISTERINISTER Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen (left) and Sam Tan, Mayor of Central Singapore District at Bishan - Ang Mo Kio Park 4 APR - JUN 2013 ISSUE 46 ExperienceSg V12.indd 4 12/08/2013 14:47 IMPORTED WATER Singapore continues to import water from the state of Johor, Malaysia, under the 1962 Water FOUR NATIONAL TAPSS Agreement which will be in effect until 2061. Singapore’s water comes from the following sources DESALINATED WATER Desalinated water has been a part of Singapore’s LOCAL CATCHMENT WATER NEWATER water supply since 2005. Sea water goes through a Two-thirds of Singapore’s land area NEWater, introduced in 2003, is produced pre-treatment process to remove suspended particles. is water catchment, and rainwater is by purifying treated used water using In the second stage, the water undergoes reverse collected and stored in 17 reservoirs advanced membrane technologies namely, osmosis, the same technology used in the production around the island, making it the microfi ltration, reverse osmosis and of NEWater. Afterer only city in the world where urban ultraviolet disinfection. NEWater is safe treatment, desalinatedlinated stormwater harvesting is carried out for drinking, but has mainly been used for water is blendedd wiwithth on such a large scale. industrial and air-con cooling purposes at treated water beforeefore wafer fabrication parks, industrial estates it is supplied to hhomesomes and commercial buildings. During dry and industries inn months, NEWater is also used to top-up the western partt Singapore’s reservoirs. of Singapore. now transformed into a wetland teeming with biodiversity, about 1,000 residents living in the North- Eastern part of Singapore gathered for a mass picnic. Dragonboating on Joining in a mass clean-up of Lorong Halus and Seran- Marina Reservoir goon Reservoir in kayaks was Coordinating Minister was part of the programme at the for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs Marina Barrage and Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. Over at Jurong Lake, in the western part of Singapore, an art installation sculpture made from 11,121 used plastic water bottles was unveiled. Made by students from Bukit View Secondary School over a period of two months,hs, thethe sculpture illustrated the amount of water,water, a whoppingwhopping 4,560 litres, consumed by an indi-indi- vidual in Singapore over 3030 days. The art installation was meantmeant to remind individuals on howhow they can play their partt to cut down on water usage.e. Water Wally, the mascot for water conservation Students took home tangible reminders of the importance of conserving water EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY Singapore shared its water management strategy at the 2nd Asia-Pacifi c Water Summit (APWS) held in Chiang Mai, Thailand on 20 May 2013. The Summit was organised by the Thai government to explore — among other issues — the various challenges in securing water resources and mitigating water-related natural disasters. Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources told regional leaders and development agencies how Singapore — with the involvement of private companies — integrated its storage and drainage systems to ease the huge strain water and sanitation networks come under due to rapid development.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam
    Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam Citation for conferral of Doctor of the University (honoris causa) 17 June 2014 Chancellor, I present to you His Excellency, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, President of the Republic of Singapore. Dr Tan was born in Singapore and received his early education at St Patrick's School and St Joseph's Institution. He graduated from the University of Singapore with a First Class Honours Degree in Physics and as top of his class in 1962. He then went on to obtain a Master of Science degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a PhD in Applied Mathematics at the University of Adelaide. Dr Tan started his career as a lecturer with the Physics Department of the University of Singapore in 1964, after obtaining his Master of Science degree. He joined the University again as a lecturer with the Department of Mathematics after obtaining his doctorate in 1967. In 1969, he left the University to begin a career in banking with the Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC), where he rose to become General Manager. He left OCBC in 1979 to enter politics, when he was elected as a Member of Parliament and appointed Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Education. In the following years he served as the Minister for Finance and concurrently as the Minister for Trade and Industry, then as Minister for Education. In 1991, he chose to return to the private sector as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OCBC. He re-joined the Cabinet in 1995 and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence.
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of the Internet in Singapore's 2011 Elections
    series A Buzz in Cyberspace, But No Net-Revolution The Role of the Internet in Singapore’s 2011 Elections By Kai Portmann 2011 © 2011 Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Published by fesmedia Asia Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Hiroshimastrasse 28 10874 Berlin, Germany Tel: +49-30-26935-7403 Email: [email protected] All rights reserved. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed in this volume do not necessarily reflect the views of the Friedrich-Ebert- Stiftung or fesmedia Asia. fesmedia Asia does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. ISBN: 978-99916-864-9-3 fesmedia Asia fesmedia Asia is the media project of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) in Asia. We are working towards a political, legal and regulatory framework for the media which follows international Human Rights law and other international or regional standards as regards to Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom. FES in Asia The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has been working in Asia for more than 40 years. With offices in 13 Asian countries, FES is supporting the process of self-determination democratisation and social development in cooperation with local partners in politics and society. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is a non-governmental and non-profit making Political Foundation based in almost 90 countries throughout the world. Established in 1925, it carries the name of Germany’s first democratically elected president, Friedrich Ebert, and, continuing his legacy, promotes freedom, solidarity and social democracy. A Buzz in Cyberspace, But No Net-Revolution The Role of the Internet in Singapore’s 2011 Elections By Kai Portmann 2011 Content ABSTRACT 5 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Speech by Dr Tony Tan, Chairman of Singapore Press Holdings And
    OPENING ADDRESS BY DR TONY TAN KENG YAM, CHAIRMAN OF SINGAPORE PRESS HOLDINGS FOUNDATION, AT THE MEDIA IN TRANSITION: SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT LECTURE SERIES INAUGURAL LECTURE BY PROFESSOR HENRY JENKINS AT THE DRAMA CENTRE ON FRIDAY, 5 JANUARY 2007, AT 5.30PM Dr Vivian Balakrishnan Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports & Second Minister for Information, Communication and the Arts Dr Balaji Sadasivan Senior Minister of State Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts & Ministry of Foreign Affairs Professor Henry Jenkins DeFlorz Professor of Humanities and Founder and Director, Comparative Media Studies Program Massachusetts Institute of Technology Distinguished Guests Ladies and Gentlemen On behalf of the Singapore Press Holdings Foundation, I would like to thank all of you for joining us at this inaugural event to launch the lecture series on the theme “Media in Transition: Social and Economic Impact”. Gutenberg’s invention of the movable-type printing press in the mid-15th century led to a revolution in the production of books and facilitated a quicker transmission of information and knowledge. The print revolution transformed European society as it brought about a transition from medieval to modern times. The Renaissance period that followed saw a great revival of art, literature and learning, and rapid advancement in fields such as the sciences, arts and religion. 2 The religious and aristocratic elites in those days first tried to stop, then sought to control, before finally deciding to co-opt the new print medium. In the centuries that followed, social and legal systems adjusted, with copyright laws coming into existence, for example, and books, newspapers and magazines began to circulate widely.
    [Show full text]
  • Speech for Launch of Prof Jayakumar's Book
    SPEECH FOR LAUNCH OF PROF JAYAKUMAR’S BOOK “DIPLOMACY – A SINGAPORE EXPERIENCE” THURSDAY, 9 JUNE 2011 Let me first thank all of you for coming to this book launch. I also thank Dr Tony Tan for agreeing to be the Guest-of-Honour. Our Foreign Service has come a long way since 1965 when we became independent unexpectedly. In those days, most of us who had anything to do with foreign affairs had to learn our craft “on-the-job”. There was no handbook on how to do it. We were learning as much as we were doing and constantly innovating and adapting. 46 years later, I think we have now built up a significant corpus of norms, principles and experiences that form the core of our foreign policy. Buried within our archives and the memories of several generations of ministers and officials are many important and interesting episodes and stories to be told about our foreign policy. Many lessons can be gleaned from them. My book is not a comprehensive account of Singapore’s foreign policy. It contains my own reflections on selected episodes where I was involved. I started this writing project with the limited objective of serving as case- studies for younger officers in MFA and in the Civil Service. I thought they would find it helpful when they later faced their own challenging situations. As I circulated my draft to various people for their comments, several strongly urged me to publish it and not limit readership to the narrow confines of the Foreign Service or Civil Service.
    [Show full text]
  • PRESS STATEMENT for Immediate Release Official Visit Of
    PRESS STATEMENT For Immediate Release Official Visit of Chairperson of the Federation Council of Russia, Mrs Valentina Matvienko to Singapore, 16 to 17 March 2016 Chairperson of the Federation Council of Russia, Mrs Valentina Matvienko made an Official Visit to Singapore from 16 to 17 March 2015 at the invitation of Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob. Mrs Matvienko was accompanied by a delegation comprising Council Members and government officials. Mrs Matvienko called on Speaker Halimah Yacob at the Parliament House this morning. Speaker Halimah Yacob and Mrs Matvienko reaffirmed the warm inter- parliamentary relations between Singapore and Russia. They agreed that there are potential for greater cooperation between both countries beyond the traditional sectors of trade and investment. Speaker Halimah Yacob and Mrs Matvienko looked forward to further cooperation between Singapore and Russia such as culture, education, governance, labour and healthcare. Later in the afternoon, Speaker Halimah Yacob also hosted lunch for Mrs Matvienko and her delegation. As part of the official visit, Mrs Matvienko called on President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana yesterday. While in Singapore, Mrs Matvienko also visited the National Gallery Singapore and Gardens by the Bay. Office of the Clerk of Parliament 17 March 2016 Mrs Valentina Matvienko signing the Visitor Book at Parliament House (Photo Credit: Parliament of Singapore) Mdm Speaker with Mrs Valentina Matvienko at the Courtesy Call on Mdm Speaker (Photo Credit: Parliament of Singapore) Group Photo of Russian Parliamentarians with Singapore Parliamentarians (Photo Credit: Parliament of Singapore) .
    [Show full text]
  • China and the “Singapore Model”
    January 2016, Volume 27, Number 1 $14.00 The Authoritarian Threat Christopher Walker Lucan Way Ethiopia’s 100% Election Leonardo R. Arriola and Terrence Lyons Simegnish Yekoye Mengesha What’s Wrong with East-Central Europe? James Dawson and Seán Hanley Ivan Krastev Nancy Bermeo on Democratic Backsliding Stephan Ortmann & Mark R. Thompson on the “Singapore Model” Neil DeVotta on Sri Lanka Alfred Stepan on Leaders of Transitions The Quest for Good Governance Alina Mungiu-Pippidi Alexander Kupatadze Christian Goebel Daniel Buquet and Rafael Pi~neiro Thompson.NEW saved by BK on 11/16/15; 3,907 words, including notes. TXT saved from NEW by TB on 11/23/15; 3,726 words. MP edits added by TB on 11/30/15; 3,769 words. AAS saved from author email by TB on 12/7/15 3,782 words. FIN saved from AAS by TB on 12/7/15 and finalized per author email on 12/8/15. PGS created by BK on 12/8/15. CHINA AND THE “SINGAPORE MODEL” Stephan Ortmann and Mark R. Thompson Stephan Ortmann is assistant professor of political economy at the City University of Hong Kong. His most recent book is Politics and Change in Singapore and Hong Kong: Containing Contention (2010). Mark R. Thompson is acting head of the Department of Asian and In- ternational Studies and director of the Southeast Asia Research Centre at the City University of Hong Kong. In 2007–2008, he was Lee Kong Chian Distinguished Fellow for Southeast Asian Studies at Stanford University and the National University of Singapore.
    [Show full text]
  • CITATION for SENIOR MINISTER Tharman
    ANNUAL DINNER CITATION FOR SENIOR MINISTER Tharman ShanmugaratnamText by Dr Wong Chiang Yin, SMA Council The last time I spoke on this very same But first, let us digress a bit and talk a And of course, it is no official secret stage with a Senior Minister in the audience little about some interesting facets of our (pun intended) that he had a small and was in 2006, when I was SMA President Honorary Member: unfortunate brush with the law in 1992. and we conferred the SMA Honorary Firstly, Mr Tharman spent many years I would like to add that much Membership on our Guest of Honour, in a school with the word “Chinese” of the above is hearsay. I have not then Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong. in its school name, yet the school is verified if they are facts. But since the That evening, when Senior Minister paradoxically well known for being Protection from Online Falsehoods and Goh spoke after me, he reminded me extremely bad in Chinese. That is Manipulation Bill hasn't been passed yet, that there was this CCTV attached to the something I am proud to announce I should be OK. What I am going to say ceiling and it was recording everything. next is pure opinion, which the Act is not the two of us have in common. It is still there. supposed to regulate. According to his friends there, he was I will keep this brief, as I am reminded Now that we are done with that short an avid sportsman and he represented that everyone remembers Abraham Lincoln public education bit for which Ministry of the school in no less than four sports for his 271-word Gettysburg Address, Law should be pleased, let us now return and apparently did not study very but no one remembers the person before to regular programming.
    [Show full text]
  • SINGAPORE-FACTSHEET Location Situated Approx
    HIGH COMMISSION OF INDIA SINGAPORE SINGAPORE-FACTSHEET Location Situated approx. 137 km north of the Equator, at the tip of the Malaysian Peninsula, between latitudes 1o09’N and 1o29’N and longitudes 103o36’E and 104o25’E; immediate neighbours are Malaysia and Indonesia Capital Singapore Area 710.2 sq. km. Climate Singapore is an equatorial country with a relatively uniform temperature, abundant rainfall and high humidity. Average daily temperature 24.7 to 31.1 degrees C. December and January are generally less warm. Rains throughout the year; maximum rainfall in November to January. Annual rainfall 2,325 mm. Average daily relative humidity 84.3 per cent Population 3.82 million Singapore Residents, 3.29 million Singapore Citizens, 0. 53 million Permanent Residents (PRs) and 1.5 million nonresident foreigners. Total population 5.31 million (2012) Ethnic composition of Resident Population (citizens + PRs)– Chinese 74.2%; Malays 13.3%; Indians 9.2%; others 3.3% (2012) Density 7422 persons per sq km (2012) Growth rate of Total Population: 2.5 % per annum Literacy 96.4% ; Fertility 1.29%; Life expectancy: Total 82 years, males 79.6 years, females 84.3 years (2011) Language English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil are all official languages; the constitution of the Republic of Singapore provides that the national language is Malay and shall be in Roman script; the administrative language is English. Religion Buddhism (33%), Taoism (11%), Islam (15%), Christianity (18%), Hinduism (5.1%) {2010 census}. As a secular state, Singapore constitutionally guarantees freedom of worship. Political Structure Constitutional Republic, with a parliamentary system of Government based on universal adult suffrage.
    [Show full text]
  • The S. Rajaratnam Private Papers
    The S. Rajaratnam Private Papers Folio No: SR.068 Folio Title: Letters, Correspondences – ISEAS ITEM DOCUMENT DIGITIZATION ACCESS DOCUMENT CONTENT NO DATE STATUS STATUS Letter from Assoc Professor P C Wicks, The University SR.068.001 19/2/1996 Digitized Open of Southern Queensland Memo from Mrs Y L Lee, ISEAS re: NWS wage SR.068.002 23/6e/1997 Digitized Open adjustments Appointment letter as Distinguished Senior Research SR.068.003 20/5/1997 Digitized Open Fellow from Professor Chia Siow Yue, ISEAS Letter from Professor Chan Heng Chee, ISEAS re: SR.068.004 26/7/1994 Digitized Open Extension of Distinguished Senior Fellowship award Letter from Mrs Y L Lee, ISEAS re: Extension of SR.068.005 1/3/1991 Digitized Open Distinguished Senior Fellowship award SR.068.006 12/6e/1989 Letter from ISEAS re: ISEAS Directory Digitized Open Form for change of telephone subscribership from SR.068.007 3/3/1989 Digitized Open Telecoms Letter from Ms Ch'ng Kim See, ISEAS re: Subscription SR.068.008 10/2/1989 Digitized Open of journals Letter from Seetoh How Cheng, Ministry of Foreign SR.068.009 4/2/1989 Affairs re: Telephone no 2546777 at 30 Chancery Lane Digitized Open Singapore Letter from Ms Ch'ng Kim See, ISEAS re: Subscription SR.068.010 10/11/1988 Digitized Open to newspapers Invitation letter from Mrs Y L Lee, ISEAS SR.068.011 26/10/1988 Digitized Open re: Distinguished Senior Fellowship 1 of 2 The S. Rajaratnam Private Papers ITEM DOCUMENT DIGITIZATION ACCESS DOCUMENT CONTENT NO DATE STATUS STATUS Press statement from ISEAS re: Mr S Rajaratnam to SR.068.012
    [Show full text]
  • The People's Action Party and the Singapore Presidency in 2017 : Understanding the Contradictions Between State Discourse and State Practice
    This document is downloaded from DR‑NTU (https://dr.ntu.edu.sg) Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The People's Action Party and the Singapore presidency in 2017 : understanding the contradictions between state discourse and state practice Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman; Waikar, Prashant 2019 Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman, & Waikar, P. (2019). The People's Action Party and the Singapore presidency in 2017 : understanding the contradictions between state discourse and state practice. Asian Survey, 59(2), 382‑405. doi:10.1525/AS.2019.59.2.382 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/142254 https://doi.org/10.1525/AS.2019.59.2.382 Mohamed Nawab Mohamed Osman, & Waikar, P. 2019. The People's Action Party and the Singapore presidency in 2017 : understanding the contradictions between state discourse and state practice. Asian Survey, 59(2), 382‑405. https://doi.org/10.1525/AS.2019.59.2.382 © 2019 by the Regents of the University of California/Sponsoring Society or Association. Downloaded on 26 Sep 2021 20:56:15 SGT MOHAMED NAWAB MOHAMED OSMAN AND PRASHANT WAIKAR The People’s Action Party and the Singapore Presidency in 2017 Understanding the Contradictions between State Discourse and State Practice Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/as/article-pdf/59/2/382/79470/as_2019_59_2_382.pdf by guest on 17 June 2020 ABSTRACT While the Singapore government has sought to construct the elected presidency as an institution critical to Singapore’s political system, the result in fact forces the insti- tution to contradict itself. This paradox has important implications for politics in a post–Lee Hsien Loong Singapore. KEYWORDS: People’s Action Party, Singapore presidential election 2017, state praxes, state discourse, post-Lee Singapore INTRODUCTION In September 2017, Singapore elected Halimah Yacob as the country’s first- ever female president.
    [Show full text]
  • Former President Tony Tan Given Top Honour by NTU
    THE STRAITS TIMES Former president Tony Tan given top honour by NTU Former president Tony Tan Keng Yam receiving the honorary degree from President Halimah Yacob during the NTU Convocation ceremony on July 24, 2018. ST PHOTO: JONATHAN CHOO PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO Amelia Teng Education Correspondent (mailto:[email protected]) SINGAPORE - Former president Tony Tan Keng Yam received the highest honour from the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) on Tuesday (July 24). Dr Tan, who served as education minister from 1985 to 1991, was given the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from NTU for his contributions to the university and Singapore's higher education landscape. In a citation, Mr Koh Boon Hwee, chairman of NTU's Board of Trustees, said that Dr Tan played an instrumental role in setting up NTU and the National University of Singapore (NUS) as the minister-in-charge for both institutions. "Under Dr Tan's guidance, university education in Singapore became more globalised and was made accessible to more Singaporeans regardless of their family or financial background," said Mr Koh. Apart from shaping university education, Dr Tan also played a key role in advancing research in Singapore as chairman of the National Research Foundation and deputy chairman of the Research, Innovation and Enterprise Council until 2011. He was also NTU chancellor from 2011 to 2017, before passing on the role to President Halimah Yacob, who presided over NTU's main commencement ceremony on Tuesday for the first time. At the event, former NTU president Bertil Andersson was conferred the title of President Emeritus, for his leadership from 2011 to 2017.
    [Show full text]
  • TAN CHENG BOCK … Appellant And
    IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE [2017] SGCA 50 Civil Appeal No 124 of 2017 Between TAN CHENG BOCK … Appellant And ATTORNEY-GENERAL … Respondent JUDGMENT [Constitutional Law] — [Constitution] — [Interpretation] [Constitutional Law] — [President] — [Election] [Statutory Interpretation] — [Constitutional Provisions] This judgment is subject to final editorial corrections approved by the court and/or redaction pursuant to the publisher’s duty in compliance with the law, for publication in LawNet and/or the Singapore Law Reports. Tan Cheng Bock v Attorney-General [2017] SGCA 50 Court of Appeal — Civil Appeal No 124 of 2017 Sundaresh Menon CJ, Judith Prakash JA, Steven Chong JA, Chua Lee Ming J and Kannan Ramesh J 31 July 2017 23 August 2017 Judgment reserved. Sundaresh Menon CJ (delivering the judgment of the court): Introduction 1 This appeal turns on the correct interpretation of two provisions in the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (1985 Rev Ed, 1999 Reprint) (“Constitution”), Arts 19B and 164. Both provisions were inserted into the Constitution by the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Act 2016 (Act 28 of 2016) (“2016 Amendment”), which was passed on 9 November 2016 and took effect on 1 April 2017. They were part of a raft of changes affecting the office of the President that were implemented by the 2016 Amendment. Tan Cheng Bock v AG [2017] SGCA 50 2 Art 19B(1) introduces the concept of a “reserved election”. It provides that an election for the office of the President shall be reserved for candidates of a particular community if no person from that community has held the office of President for the five most recent terms of office.
    [Show full text]