The Verve Residences at Jalan Rajah - Singapore - District 12

The Verve Residences at Jalan Rajah - Singapore - District 12

Project Name : The Verve Residences (Dist 12)
Developer : Ascend Land Pte Ltd
(Co Registration No.200616841N)

Legal Description : Lot 5425K & 5638C MK 17
At 23 and 25 Jalan Rajah

Property Type : 1 Block of 19-storey with attic residential flats
(consist of 1/1+1/2 Bedroom, Penthouses)

Property Address : 23 and 25 Jalan Rajah, Singapore 329139

Tenure : Freehold

Site Area : Approx. 1,853.1 sqm / 19,947 sq ft

Expected T.O.P : 30 March 2011

Facility :
Swimming Pool at 2nd storey and roof top
Pool Deck
Gymnasium at 14th storey
Playground
BBQ Area
Seating/Landscape

Plot Ratio : 3.03

Total Unit : 106 Units

Carpark Lots : 2 levels of basement carparks, 106 lots

Unit Type :

1bed-441-603sf
1+1-624sf
2bed-796-829sf
1+1 penthouse-1122/1281sf
2bedroom penthouse-1122/1281sf

Selling Point for Jalan Rajah development :

Neighbourhood –

1. Located in the upcoming and popular District 12
2. 10 Mins walk to Toa Payoh HDB Hub / Ctl / MRT / Bus-Interchange and 3 MRT stops to Orchard Road
3. Within 2km distance to reputable Schools (ie: 1km -CHIJ Toa Payoh, 2km –St Joseph Institution Junior)
4. Close proximity and easy access to town (Orchard Rd) (10 Mins drive), Central Business District (10 Mins drive) and major expressway (CTE / PIE)
5. Easy access to amenities such as NTUC Supermarket, Child Care Ctr,Market & Food Street

The Development –

1. Yuppies and young families who appreciate exclusivity and at the same time, accessibility to town areas
2. Young families who wish to be near the city and also practical amenities like neighborhood hubs and schools
3. Out-of the box architectural design to enhance visual and aesthetic appearance
4. Individuals who appreciate lifestyle living, modern interior design & high quality finishes & fittings (Modern kitchen Built-In and fittings, Bathroom fittings and accessories)
5. Fully equipped Kitchen with integrated Fridge & Washer/Dryer
6. Well-planned and organized layout for maximization of space, with the use of a balcony screen system
7. Posh and Elegance Entrance and Sky terrace facilities planned for luxury living and lifestyle enjoyment.
Amenities Nearby :

MRT STATION:

Toa Payoh MRT ( NS19 ) 0.48 km away
Novena MRT ( NS 20 ) 0.95 km away
SCHOOL:

Balestier Hill Primary School 0.55 km away
CHIJ Primary School (Toa Payoh) 0.89 km away
Kheng Cheng School 1.01 km away
Saint Joseph Institution (Junior) 1.20 km away
SUPERMARKET:

NTUC Fairprice (Toa Payoh) 0.42 km away
Cold Storage (Toa Payoh) 0.44 km away
NTUC Fairprice (Shaw Plaza) 0.44 km away
NTUC Fairprice (Toa Payoh (HDB)) 0.51 km away
MARKET & FOOD CETNRE:

Lorong 4 Toa Payoh Block 74 Market And Food Centre 0.79 km away
Whampoa Drive Block 92 Market 0.81 km away
CENTRAL & SHOPPING MALL:

Balestier Plaza 0.36 km away
Toa Payoh HDB Hub 0.51 km away
Novena Square / Square 2 0.97 km away
United Square 1.10 km away

Properties of Singapore Real Estate Purchase , sell, rent, invest,

MINDY YONG

( +65 ) 91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com ( email me )

http://www.hotvictory.com

JI leader’s escape underscores importance of trust in community - Singapore

JI leader’s escape underscores importance of trust in community - Singapore

By May Wong

SINGAPORE: The recent escape of Jemaah Islamiyah leader, Mas Selamat Kastari, has underscored the importance of community bonding among Singaporeans.

That is why the grassroots cluster of the Community Engagement Programme (CEP) is working to strengthen mutual trust among residents.

This year, about 30 out of 84 constituencies in Singapore will be the first to receive the CEP Ready Certification.

The certification criteria include developing proper constituency emergency preparedness plans and having a group of influential community leaders who can be mobilised in a crisis.

The certificate recipients include constituencies and divisions like Paya Lebar, Clementi and Marine Parade.

Grassroots volunteers have been getting together to distribute flyers for the wanted fugitive, Mas Selamat. This is a sign of how Singapore rallies together as one, regardless of race or religion.

The programme is not just about being prepared for a natural disaster, but also for a deliberate act of attack aimed at causing mistrust among Singaporeans.

Lim Swee Say, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister-in-Charge of Grassroots Cluster CEP, said: “What’s important is for us to make sure that people are coming together, regardless of their religious groups, regardless of their racial groups, and working together…

“Over time, we would know one another better, trust one another better, and accept one another better. I think this is the only way for us to ensure that we can be best prepared.”

Singapore should not wait for a case like the JI leader’s escape to build confidence among the people.

Halimah Yacob, MP for Jurong GRC, said: “For instance, when I attend residents’ wakes, I make sure I bring other races as well, so in Chinese wakes, there’ll be Malays and Indians. In that way, we break the barriers.

“If we’re able to internalise the importance of developing trust and community spirit, we’ll build a whole foundation of trust and confidence among our residents.”

Madam Halimah added that she is planning to develop an email database of all her residents in Bukit Batok to allow easy and faster dissemination of information.

She said: “In the event that we need to be alert, apart from SMSing our core group, we can reach out to the residents.”

Crisis simulation exercises have also proved to be effective.

Irene Ng, MP of Tampines GRC, said: “We inculcate a sense that we have a common stake in society, and while we may have different religious views and different faith, it doesn’t mean we have to be divided. In fact, it means that we have to work even closer.”

Aside from visits to places of worship, various constituencies have come up with different scenarios to learn how to manage communal tensions among their residents.

It is eventually hoped that some constituencies will be able to share their best practices with others.
- CNA/so
Source : Channel NewsAsia - 07 March 2008

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S’pore commissions high-tech underground ammunition storehouse

S’pore commissions high-tech underground ammunition storehouse

By Chew Wui Lynn

SINGAPORE: Singapore has achieved another world’s first in the form of its military’s Underground Ammunition Facility (UAF).

Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, who commissioned the S$36 million facility on Friday, called it an “engineering achievement” that took 10 years to complete.

Situated at the old Mandai quarry, it is the first large-scale underground facility to be designed and built within a densely developed area.

Stackable containers within the facility ensure that space is fully utilised, and the system is automated so that ammunition can be retrieved and sent out to the field in a short time.

The granite caverns also offer natural insulation, cutting by half the energy required to cool the contents and minimise the risks associated with ammunition storage.

The underground system replaces the old Seletar East ammunition depot.

By building the facility below ground, about 300 hectares of land - or the equivalent to 400 football fields - are freed above ground for other developments.

- CNA/ir
Source : Channel NewsAsia - 07 March 2008

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A country’s success depends on human resource, says Singapore MM Lee

A country’s success depends on human resource, says Singapore MM Lee

By Dominique Loh,

BAHRAIN: Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew’s trip, which began a week ago, took him to Dubai, Riyadh and Bahrain.

Mr Lee said it is a very different Bahrain today, compared to the late 1970s. It is more developed but it is also facing fierce competition from neighbouring Gulf states like Dubai.

But it is not the physical hardware or infrastructure that will keep a country going – Mr Lee said it is the human resource or the software that is the critical factor.

Attracting overseas talent to countries like Dubai or Singapore is not the issue.

Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar, who is also part of the delegation to the Middle East, said it is important to attract overseas talent to stay and sink roots in Singapore.

“Dubai, for example, has a small local population and that, I think, is an important lesson for us because we also have to stay on track to get foreign talent. I think it’s important not only to get them to work, but also to make it attractive enough for them to stay and sink roots in Singapore,” said Prof Jayakumar.

Mr Lee said integrating the talents is crucial, which is why Singapore did what it did.

He said: “If we did not integrate our communities and give everybody the same chances – housing, health, schooling and equal job opportunities depending on ability and performance – today, we will have a very different Singapore.”

On the issue of rising crude oil prices, the minister mentor said countries like Singapore cannot be rattled by the high oil prices because they cannot influence these prices. What Singapore can do is to adjust its consumption.

Mr Lee said it is best to stay alert of the changing market situation and take steps to meet them.

- CNA/so

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 07 March 2008

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Search for Mas Selamat continues in wooded areas of S’pore

Search for Mas Selamat continues in wooded areas of S’pore

By Lynda Hong
 
 
 

SINGAPORE : The search for Mas Selamat Kastari, the Jemaah Islamiyah fugitive who escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre last Wednesday, continued in various parts of Singapore on Thursday.

Police officers and SAF soldiers on Thursday first searched the wooded area along the Kranji Expressway. The search extended to Labrador Park later in the day.

A close watch is also being kept on parts of Singapore’s shoreline where Mas Selamat may try to leave the country.

So far, police have received some 600 phone calls and 170 e-mails related to the search for Mas Selamat. - CNA/ms
Source : Channel NewsAsia - 07 March 2008

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Mindy Yong

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6-month trial to let cyclists bring foldable bicycles on trains, buses - Singapore

6-month trial to let cyclists bring foldable bicycles on trains, buses - Singapore

SINGAPORE : There will be a six-month trial from the middle of this month to allow cyclists to carry their foldable bicycles on board trains and buses.

In addition, to make it more convenient for cyclists to use public transport, there will also be better bicycle parking facilities at MRT stations and bus interchanges in housing estates.

Announcing the good news for cyclists in Parliament on Thursday, Minister of State for Transport Lim Hwee Hua said the government recognised that cycling provides an additional if not alternative mode of transport.

This is especially for intra-town travel and to key transport nodes, like the MRT stations and the bus interchanges.

So as part of plans to promote greater use of public transport, a one-year pilot will also be carried out next year at MRT stations and bus interchanges in Pasir Ris, Tampines and Yishun.

Mrs Lim said this would allow the Land Transport Authority to gather feedback so as to better understand the usage patterns and needs of the cyclists before extending the facilities to all other MRT stations and bus interchanges.

However, she drew the line at providing dedicated cycling lanes.

Mrs Lim explained, “Given our land constraints, it is not feasible to provide a comprehensive set of dedicated cycling tracks or cycle lanes island-wide. We have to ask ourselves if this is the best way to make full use of our…very limited space.

“The issue is not whether cyclists have a place in our public transport system, but how do we allocate space amongst competing users that will best make use of our very limited land.”

The issue of better facilities for cyclists was brought up by MP Irene Ng of Tampines GRC as well as Mr Teo Ser Luck, the Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth and Sports. - CNA/ms

Source : Channel NewsAsia - 07 March 2008

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Mindy Yong

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Singapore Changi Airport’s Terminal 4 likely to be built in 10 to 15 years

Singapore Changi Airport’s Terminal 4 likely to be built in 10 to 15 years

By Wong Siew Ying,

SINGAPORE : Changi Airport’s Terminal 4 will likely be built in the next 10 to 15 years. This is the estimate given by aviation experts.

They were responding to the announcement by the Transport Ministry on Thursday that it was working on a Master Plan on T4.

The new terminal is a massive project and local companies will be in the running for contracts expected to be worth millions of dollars.

Changi Airport Terminal 3 was initially slated to open in 2004, but it was cleared for takeoff only two months ago, so that passenger numbers could hit a critical mass.

And analysts say this same principle will guide the future Terminal 4 project.

Nicholas Ionides, Regional Managing Editor (Asia), Flight, said: “Terminal 3 itself wasn’t strictly needed. Terminals 1 and 2 were already able to handle the traffic that was going through, but it is preparing for the future.

“Hong Kong right now, they are at capacity in some ways, particularly on the runway side of things, they are looking at building a third runway. You don’t strictly need that, you could improve your operations and find ways to make things better, but they are thinking ahead because they have to.”

Changi Airport, as a whole, handled more than 36 million passengers last year. And it has the capacity to serve more than 64 million jetsetters from Terminals 1 through 3 and the Budget Terminal.

But air travel in the region is booming and there is a need for airport infrastructure to grow in tandem to avert severe capacity shortfall.

The Airports Council International has projected the number of air passengers worldwide to reach over 9 billion by 2025. According to some estimates, air traffic is expected to grow at 5 percent annually for the next 20 years.

Mr Ionides said: “In Asia, it’s probably going to grow at a faster rate than that, probably by 6 percent or a little bit more, so it’s well above the industry average. And depending on how liberalisation takes hold particularly in this region, Southeast Asia, it may grow at an even faster rate.”

While it is too early to project what T4 can offer, analysts believe the newly-opened Terminal 3 will provide a good benchmark.

This means, the new terminal will likely feature innovations in IT, with top notch amenities and a strong environment theme. Capacity-wise, it will probably add another 20 million passengers to Changi Airport.

Still, analysts say it is not just about adding capacity. The authorities will have to work at establishing a good relationship with the airlines, offering incentives to get more airlines to fly through or to encourage existing ones to increase their services.

To improve passenger experience, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore says four more airlines will join Singapore Airlines in operating out of Terminal 3 from March 26. They are China Eastern Airlines, Jet Airways, Qatar Airways and United Airlines. - CNA/ch
Source : Channel NewsAsia - 07 March 2008

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Mindy Yong

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Martin Place Residences at martin place - Singapore - District 09

Martin Place Residences at martin place - Singapore - District 09

The block of 2 towers of the development of 33 storey residential with ith communal facilities and basement car parks Place is located on one of the addresses singapore’s of the best residential, Martin place. In the limits going for a walk of distance to premier to purchase to belt singapore’s, to road orchard, and station orchard MRT. Nearby landmarks includes Meritus Mandarin Hotel, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Orchard Cineplex

Property Type : Condominium
Address: No. 2/6 Martin Place
District: 09
Country: Singapore
Tenure : Freehold
Maintenance: est. from $252 to $429
Developer: FCL Land Pte Ltd
Total Units: 302 in two 33-storey residential towers

Available Unit :
1 bedroom ~ 592-646 sqft
2 bedroom ~ 1044-1163 sqft
3 bedroom ~ 1421 sqft
3 + study ~ 1722 sqft
4 bedroom ~ 1894-2002 sqft
Penthouse ~ 3326, 3380, 3434 sqft

Facilities:

Swimming Pool
Children’s Pool
Clubhouse with Function Room
Gymnasium
Changing Rooms
Children’s Play Area
Play Pavilion with Lawn
Tennis Court
Spa Pools
Pool Deck
Grand Pavilion with Kitchen
Barbeque Facility (2 nos.) and Lawn
Sky Terrace at 14th Storey
Reading Lounge
Yoga Corner
Sky Lounge
Water Garden

Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT

Walking Distance : 15 Minutes

Properties of Singapore,Real estate Singapore - Purchase , sell, rent, invest,

MINDY YONG

( +65 ) 91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com ( email me )

http://www.hotvictory.com

CityVista Residences at Peck Hay Road - Singapore - District 09 - 10

CityVista Residences at Peck Hay Road - Singapore - District 09 - 10

Development - block of the tower of terrace of the Sky of 70 units in 14 floor with gymnasium, rooms of the function, features of the water, the platform of comment, rooms in change with sauna, skylounges, platform of wellness, lounges confidential and 20 multi room of the purpose - storeys highly with carpark of the basement. If walked short one to Newton MRT or the minutes to respectable schools, one kaleidoscope of amenities privileged waits.In immediate access to a net of the roads that bind the orchard, the Scotts and the Cairnhill, the CityVista residences open the door to an enclave of superior pleasures of shopping, dinning and entertainment.

Name : Cityvista Residences
Developer : Ph Properties Pte Ltd
Tenure : FH
Property Type : APT
District : 9
Location: 21, Peck Hay Road
Total Units: 1 tower block of 70 units, 20 - storeys high with basement carpark .

Unit Types:
Type A1 - 3 bedroom - 2142 sq ft - 12 units
Type A2 - 3 bedroom - 2121 sq ft - 12 units
Type B - 4 bedroom - 2626 sq ft - 22 units
Type C1 - 4 bedroom - 2788 sq ft - 11 units
Type C2 - 4 bedroom - 2809 sq ft - 11 units
Penthouse A - 5 bedroom - 9182 sq ft - 1 unit
Penthouse B - 5 bedroom - 9160 sq ft - 1 unit
Facilities:
Gymnasium
Function rooms
Water features
Viewing deck
Changing rooms with sauna
Skylounges
Wellness platform
Private lounges
Multi purpose room
Real estate Singapore - properties of Singapore, Buy, sales, rents, investment,

MINDY YONG

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mindy@mindyyong.com ( email me )

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The Cascadia At Bukit Timah - Singapore - District 09-10

THE Cascadia At Bukit Timah - Singapore - District 09-10

Centrally property along the road of Bukit Timah, the Cascadia is a masterpiece architectonic modern of freehold that it is based nearly on 300,000 ft squared of land area. Containing a total 536 units, this imminent development imitate the life of resource-style of the upscale.

The Cascadia is situated close to the numerous schools prestigious and some institutions which example likeHwa Chong High, Henry Park Primary, Raffles Girls Primary, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, National University of Singapore Raffles Junior College, Nanyang Girl’s High, National Junior College.

Name : Cascadia
Developer : Allgreen Properties Ltd
Property Type : CONDO
District : 9
Location: 947 Bukit Timah Road
Tenure: Freehold
Site Area: 27,570.90sqm / 296,773sq ft
Total Units: 536 in13 blocks of 10-storey condominium development
Unit Types: 2-4 bedrooms, penthouses
Unit Info:(Cascadia)
Total Units: 584

Facilities:
jacuzzi
jacuzzi lounge
in-water lounge
garden pavilions
barbeque arbor
adult/elderly fitness area
porte cochere
pool deck
eco-koi pond
water features
children’s play area
feature arbor
clubhouse/multi function room
gymnasium
male/female changing rooms
50m lap pool
children’s pool
fun pool
basketball practice area
badminton court
tennis court
loop jogging path
waiting shelter

567 carpark lots

Real estate Singapore - properties of Singapore, Buy, sales, rents, investment,

MINDY YONG

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mindy@mindyyong.com ( email me )

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Singapore launches wireless broadband access for ships

Singapore launches wireless broadband access for ships 

By Ong Bi Hui 
 
A CUTTING-EDGE system allowing wireless Internet access to personnel aboard ships that are up to 15km off Singapore’s southern coastline is now up and running.
The system was officially launched yesterday and might eventually be extended to include areas off north-eastern Singapore.

Singapore is the first country to launch the pioneering technology, called Wiseport, short for Wireless broadband access for seaport.

Personnel on ships travelling within the zone are now able to update their shipboard software and download the latest navigational charts to facilitate their voyages.

They can also communicate more easily with onshore agents.

Sailors will also enjoy recreational benefits. They will be able to use Internet phone service Skype, hold video conferences and check their e-mail messages without having to dock at port.

The technology is part of a three-year, $12 million collaboration between the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore. It cost about $800,000 to develop.

Currently, there are eight activation zones concentrated in southern Singapore due to the higher concentration of ships passing by and calling at the ports there.

Mr Simon Ang, the manager of planning and communications at MPA, said it is planning to expand the broadband network to north-eastern Singapore as well, if the response is good.

Some ports in that vicinity, such as the Sembawang port, also see a steady stream of ships docking and passing through.

The technology is cheaper and more portable than traditional forms of satellite communications or telegrams, which ships traditionally employ for communication.

‘All you need is a thumbdrive-sized WiMAX modem that connects to your PC, to access wireless broadband networks anywhere from the southern port waters and offshore islands, to mainland areas,’ said Mr Alex Tan, a director of Qala Singapore, the company that will provide the QMax network service under the Wiseport initiative.

There are several packages available to cater to the different needs of various ships. QMax also hopes to work with leisure cruises, apart from the business community.

Source : Straits Times   - 07 March 2008

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Consumer banking chief Edmund Koh quits DBS, taking two others - Singapore

Consumer banking chief Edmund Koh quits DBS, taking two others  - Singapore

By Grace Ng, Finance Correspondent 
NEW MOVE: Leaving DBS for Carlyle are (clockwise from top left): Mr Chew, regional head of strategy; Mr Ang, chief operating officer of DBS consumer banking; and Mr Koh, head of regional consumer banking. — PHOTOS: ST FILE PHOTO, BT FILE PHOTO, CHEW MUN YEW
THE head of regional consumer banking at DBS Group Holdings quit yesterday - the latest high-profile senior executive to go.
In a surprise move, Mr Edmund Koh, 47, is joining private equity group Carlyle - and taking two colleagues with him.

They are Mr Raymond Ang, the chief operating officer of DBS consumer banking, and Mr Chew Mun Yew, the regional head of strategy. The three will leave on March 31.

Mr Ang, 37, and Mr Chew, 38, were among the young high-flyers who had helped Mr Koh turn around the image and operations of DBS’ consumer bank over the past few years.

News of the resignations followed the announcement on Feb 13 that American Richard Stanley, a Citibanker, would be the new DBS chief executive. On the same day, chief operating officer Frank Wong announced he would retire at the end of the year.

Mr Koh rejected suggestions that his departure was linked to the appointment of Mr Stanley. Some analysts said Mr Stanley was likely to bring in some of his own staff.

‘It was entirely a pull factor from my new employer that prompted me to leave,’ said Mr Koh, adding: ‘I will miss the DBS team tremendously, having worked with them for years.’

The Straits Times understands that Carlyle, which is aggressively expanding in Asia, made an offer to the three bank executives because of their strong experience and track record in building a banking franchise.

Mr Koh told his consumer banking managers about his departure at a 4.30pm meeting yesterday that one staff described as ’subdued’.

‘Edmund is a charismatic boss, so obviously the staff have developed strong feelings working under him,’ said another employee.

Mr Koh has a strong record in the finance industry, having held senior management posts with HSBC, Citibank and Prudential Assurance Company Singapore.

He joined DBS as the managing director of consumer banking in May 2001 and was named regional head of consumer banking in 2006.

Under his leadership, the consumer banking business delivered net profits of $1.05 billion last year - 46 per cent of DBS’ earnings and up from 22 per cent in 2003.

Mr Chew, a former deputy director at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, had a stint as the regional head of government affairs and strategy for the Asia-Pacific at American Express before joining DBS three years ago.

Mr Ang, an ex-Citibanker, joined DBS in 1999 from insurer Prudential to set up the bank’s Cashline revolving credit business.

These young guns helped Mr Koh push growth on all fronts, as POSB was revitalised, the credit cards segment scored major successes with products like the Black Card, and DBS grabbed market share in loans and unsecured credit.

Until replacements are appointed, Mr Koh’s regional responsibilities will be covered by Mr Jeremy Soo, DBS’ managing director and head of consumer banking, and Mr Sunny Cheung, the consumer banking head for Greater China.

Mr Soo will also cover Mr Ang’s and Mr Chew’s roles in Singapore.

——————————————————————————–
SELECTING THE TEAM

The Straits Times understands that Carlyle, which is aggressively expanding in Asia, made an offer to the three bankers because of their strong experience and track record in building a banking franchise.

Source : Straits Times   - 07 March 2008

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Singapore Temasek unit to sell Mid-East funds in Asia

Singapore Temasek unit to sell Mid-East funds in Asia 
 
A FUND manager owned by Temasek Holdings is planning to sell to Asian investors funds that invest in the Middle East and North Africa.
Fullerton Fund Management, formerly an in-house division of Temasek, will tie up with Middle-Eastern company EFG-Hermes Asset Management to market these funds.

The fund will be managed by EFG-Hermes, which manages more than US$7 billion (S$9.7 billion) of assets, and has offices in Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Fullerton, which sells hedge funds and other investments, hopes to raise US$100 million from Asian investors over 12 months, said Reuters, citing Fullerton chief executive Gerard Lee.

Mr Lee added that the fund manager is in talks to offer funds to Middle-Eastern investors through EFG- Hermes.

Fullerton had previously said it aims to increase its third-party funds - assets that it manages on behalf of other companies - to US$3 billion by the middle of this year, from US$2 billion last May. As of last May, the bulk of these funds were from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, with some from Europe and Singapore.

Apart from third-party funds, Fullerton also manages part of Temasek’s more than US$100 billion in assets, according to Reuters.

FIONA CHAN

Source : Straits Times   - 07 March 2008

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Mindy Yong

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ERP and MRT queries: Minister responds - Singapore

ERP and MRT queries: Minister responds  - Singapore
NO ANOMALY: Transport Minister Raymond Lim (above) explained why ERP gantries have been erected in Toa Payoh but not Ang Mo Kio.
 
OPPOSITION MP LOW THIA KHIANG (HOUGANG)
Mr Low said he received feedback that roads in Ang Mo Kio experience congestion levels similar to those in Toa Payoh during morning peak hours.

But, he noted that ERP gantries have been erected in Toa Payoh, not in Ang Mo Kio, ‘which incidentally happens to be the PM’s constituency’. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is an MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Mr Low wanted Mr Lim to clarify this ‘anomaly’.

MR RAYMOND LIM’s RESPONSE

Mr Lim said he was ‘disappointed’ with Mr Low’s remarks.

‘That’s not the way we do things. You know that it’s a congestion measure and if there are indeed roads in there that are congested, ERP would have been effected.’

Besides, key access roads to Ang Mo Kio GRC already have ERP gantries, he noted.

MP LEE BEE WAH (ANG MO KIO GRC)

For MRT trains, Ms Lee suggested that the practice of announcing the name of the upcoming station be made in all four official languages, instead of just English.

Doing so would benefit non-English speakers, she said.

MR LIM’S RESPONSE

Citing feedback, Mr Lim said some Singaporeans are already complaining that the current English announcements are too long.

‘Can you imagine if we put in four (official languages)? By the time they finish announcing, we might have shot past the station!’

NOMINATED MP SIEW KUM HONG

Mr Siew argued that ERP is a regressive measure, as it reduces drivers’ choice of road or the time he prefers to drive to ‘a dollar value’.

‘This effectively sends the message that some roads are, at certain times, largely for the use of whoever can afford to pay,’ he said.

MR LIM’S RESPONSE

Mr Lim said it is impossible to tailor ERP to individual needs and circumstances, as this involves making a value judgment.

‘For instance, a housewife who drives her children to school, is that more meritorious than her neighbour who commutes to work?

‘If we say, we start looking at individual circumstances… soon you’ll find that in Singapore, there are many, many meritorious drivers.’

Source : Straits Times   - 07 March 2008

Singapore Property - Buy , Sell , Rent , Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

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Net TV service to focus on education - Singapore

Net TV service to focus on education - Singapore

By Chua Hian Hou 
 
A NEW subscription-based Internet TV service will offer at least 10 hours a day of educational and lifestyle programming when it goes live later this year.
VeeV TV will focus on knowledge, lifestyle and culture with such features as maths or Chinese lessons for preschoolers, diploma candidates and adults.

There will also be life-skills programmes teaching cooking and better financial discipline.

As with similar services, it will be accessible via a TV set linked to a set-top box or viewed on a computer with a broadband link.

The programming mix will set VeeV TV apart from existing Internet TV services such as SingTel’s mio TV, M2B World’s WowTV or MediaCorp’s MobTV, which focus on entertainment content.

The service will be run by VeeV Interactive, a division of Sky Media, the company behind the popular SkyTutor range of educational CDs.

VeeV Interactive received a five-year licence to run a ‘niche subscription TV’ service from industry regulator Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) yesterday. The licence limits VeeV to a maximum of 100,000 subscribers.

When the service starts in the fourth quarter of this year, it will have at least 10 hours of programming a day, said VeeV Interactive’s chief operating officer, Ms Lara Lai.

This will include content from its library.

Ms Lai said the company is now producing content specially for the service and acquiring broadcast rights to foreign-made programming.

She added that the service will also ’showcase local film, lifestyle, arts and culture content’.

Sky Media has invested more than $1 million in VeeV and has set aside a further $6 million over the next few years.

Pricing has not yet been finalised, but will start from $20 a month, said Ms Lai.

Engineer T. Lim, 47, who has two school-age children, said it will have to be ‘under $20′ for him to consider signing up.

And the content should also be ‘linked to the Singapore syllabus, not stuff we can just go online and watch for free, or too similar to stuff StarHub already has’.

The MDA is in talks with a few other firms keen to get into the Internet TV field here.
Source : Straits Times   - 07 March 2008

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