Leisure Plan drawn up to enhance recreational options in S’pore

Leisure Plan drawn up to enhance recreational options in S’pore

By Wong Siew Ying,

SINGAPORE: In the near future, one will be able to stroll, jog or cycle around the whole of Singapore just by following an extensive route.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is developing a 150-kilometre round-island path as part of its Leisure Plan.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan revealed details of new recreational options at the Architectural Design Awards 2008 ceremony on Wednesday.

The round-island route will be developed over the next 10 to 15 years, but up to two-thirds of the path – which includes the Punggol Coastal Promenade – could be ready in just five years.

At three and a half times the length of the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE), the route will comprise existing and new park connectors, waterfront promenades and other trails.

It will also cover leisure destinations at the Marina Bay, Changi Point and the upcoming Jurong Lake District.

Mr Mah said: “We may be the first and only people in the world to be able to take a relatively easy walk around our whole country. You can spend a morning with your family at East Coast Park, enjoy the sea breeze at the new coastal promenades at Punggol and Woodlands, or take an evening stroll through our hilltops at the Southern Ridges.”

Besides visiting the rustic countryside and farms at Lim Chu Kang, the more adventurous will also be able to trek along new nature trails to the 17-hectare Kranji Marshes.

Furthermore, the National Parks Board will be launching a Wetland Master Plan in the Sungei Buloh area to promote “bio-learning” activities.

Cheong Koon Hean, CEO of URA, said: “We already have the very beautiful Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, which we will enhance. We will add 21 hectares of park land around it to protect the ecology of the entire system.

“The agri-tainment sites have been introduced because a lot of people just want to get away and experience farmstays, so we are creating opportunities to do that. Some sites will be tendered out for agri-tainment use.”

Singaporeans can also look forward to more quiet retreats, which will be made available with 900 hectares of new green spaces, including the new Gardens by the Bay and the Diary Farm Nature Park.

Authorities also plan to triple the existing park connector network from the current 100 kilometres to 360 kilometres within 15 years.

Waterways like the one in Bukit Chermin will be made more accessible. At the same time, urban planners are considering converting some of the black-and-white bungalows there into boutique hotels or spas.

The URA has also come up with ideas to transform Singapore into a 24/7 city. One way is to create more lifestyle hotspots like the one at Dempsey Hill. In the years ahead, new chill-out places will be found at the Lakeside Village in Jurong and Kallang Riverside.

Some other leisure plans will be happening much sooner this year. Come July, the National Heritage Board is holding a Night Festival at the Bras Basah area, followed by the Singapore Tourism Board’s Singapore River Festival in September.

Besides hosting more programmes, URA said improvements like better night-lighting, new street furniture and more attractive activity spaces will be introduced to create a better ambience for people to enjoy the nightlife in Singapore.
- CNA/so

Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 22 May 2008

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Singapore PUB plans to spend S$2b in water treatment and infrastructure projects

Singapore PUB plans to spend S$2b in water treatment and infrastructure projects

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s national water agency, PUB, is planning to spend S$2 billion in water treatment and infrastructure projects in the next five years.

Responding to queries from Channel NewsAsia, PUB said the investment will be in water infrastructural projects such as NEWater network expansion and upgrading of NEWater plants.

Singapore already has five NEWater plants and the latest will be built at Changi by Sembcorp Utilities.

With the addition of this new plant, NEWater will meet a third of Singapore’s current water needs by 2010.

The Changi NEWater Plant is the second NEWater project by the private sector. - CNA/vm

 
Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 22 May 2008

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MOM launches new labour Singapore market information on website

MOM launches new labour Singapore market information on website

By Margaret Perry,
SINGAPORE: Job seekers can now get more information about recruitment prospects and wages from the Labour Market Highlights on the Manpower Ministry’s (MOM) website.

Jointly produced by MOM and the Workforce Development Agency (WDA), the labour market guide aims to give job seekers a better understanding of the opportunities in the job market by providing a broad overview of 11 industry groups in the construction, manufacturing and services sectors.

It includes information on industry trend outlook, pipeline of investments and projected job creation. Occupations are colour-coded according to demand - for example, red indicates that the job is very high in demand.

According to the guide, engineering professions continue to be in strong demand in the manufacturing sector. A software engineer’s wage falls between S$2,885 and S$4,314, while a semiconductor engineer’s salary is in the range of S$3,204 to S$4,496.

In two months’ time, the online guide will be updated with 2007 wage information.

The Labour Market Highlights was launched by Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong at Temasek Polytechnic’s graduation ceremony on Wednesday.

Mr Gan urged graduating students to have realistic expectations as they embark on their careers.
- CNA/so

Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 22 May 2008

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Bicycles to be allowed on trains, Singapore buses as part of 6-month trial

Bicycles to be allowed on trains, Singapore buses as part of 6-month trial

By Hiroshi Limmell,

SINGAPORE : Cyclists will be allowed to bring foldable bicycles on board all trains and public buses, in a six-month trial.

This is an initiative by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a study to meet the transport needs of diverse groups of people.

The trial period is from May 24 to November 24 this year.

Foldable bicycles will be allowed on MRT trains every weekday during off-peak hours and on SBS and SMRT buses on weekends and public holidays.

The trial is one of several initiatives announced during the Land Transport Review. The Review recognises an increasing trend of people cycling for sports, recreation or as a means of transport.

Although the move gives cyclists more convenience, LTA spokesman Jeremy Yap said public safety must still come first.

He said, “Cyclists and other commuters are encouraged to be considerate and make way for one another, so that more people can use our public transport system to meet their needs.”

During the trial, public transport staff can stop a cyclist from boarding a bus or train if the cyclist is unable to comply with given guidelines.

The LTA and operators will monitor and review the initiative after the trial period.

Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 22 May 2008

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New foreign brands to set up shop at 313 @ Singapore Somerset in 2009

New foreign brands to set up shop at 313 @ Singapore Somerset in 2009

By Ng Baoying,

SINGAPORE: Some popular international brands will come to Singapore by the end of 2009 when 313@Somerset opens its doors to shoppers for the first time.

The new mall opposite Centrepoint is being developed by Australia’s Lend Lease, which had put in a record bid for the site.

Now, six months into its leasing campaign, Lend Lease said that interest from both local and foreign retailers has been overwhelming. Work is still in progress, but about 200 local and foreign brands are waiting to call the place home.

Lend Lease is not revealing just yet about who are coming to town, but it said the names will be big.

Mike Kenderes, Development Director, Lend Lease Retail, said: “We are in very close discussions with major fashion retailers in the mid-range offer. We’re also looking to secure some international brands that are new to this market - which are taking a little longer.”

Lend Lease is putting together a strong fashion mix in the mid to upper mid-range price bracket. It hopes this will go some way in turning the spotlight onto the Somerset stretch, which has in recent months fallen behind new malls down the road.

Mr Kenderes continued: “There’s three shopping centres being developed at the moment. We’re excited as there will be a new critical mass at this end of Somerset Road.

“There are key department stores already existing - John Little, Marks & Spencer, Robinsons. We think they anchor the area and that’s why our offer is very much suited around speciality retail.”

Lend Lease is not planning to have an anchor tenant. Instead, it said that its largest space will go to a ‘food loft’. And already, four of Singapore’s main food outlet operators are competing to run it.

Lend Lease said that despite the number of recent retail developments here, Singapore still has the capacity for more.

Lend Lease also owns and manages Parkway Parade and said that it is open to looking at more opportunities around the island. - CNA/vm
 

Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 22 May 2008

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Banyan Tree signs contract for Angsana Resort & Spa in the Caribbean - Singapore

Banyan Tree signs contract for Angsana Resort & Spa in the Caribbean - Singapore

SINGAPORE: Mainboard-listed Banyan Tree Holdings has signed a management contract for a resort in the island of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean.

Banyan Tree said the Angsana Resort & Spa Saint Lucia is the group’s fourth foray into the Caribbean.

Angsana Saint Lucia is an integrated resort project that will comprise a full scale resort with related facilities and amenities, including a marina and a commercial centre.

The development, which will also include residences for sale, is slated for completion in 2011. - CNA/vm
 
Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 22 May 2008

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Companies say corruption laws strongly enforced in S’pore

Companies say corruption laws strongly enforced in S’pore

By Pamela Almeda,

SINGAPORE: Companies in Singapore said laws and regulations against bribery are strongly enforced. This is according to findings of the 10th Global Fraud Survey by professional services provider Ernst & Young.

27 respondents (85 per cent) from Singapore said corruption laws and regulations are very strongly enforced. This is compared to 40 per cent for global respondents.

The poll surveyed 1,186 interviewees including risk managers, heads of legal divisions and compliance teams across 33 countries.

More than half of the respondents from Singapore said they believed internal audit was effective in detecting corrupt practices, compared with 26 per cent from the global respondents.

In addition, some 67 per cent of companies polled from Singapore said there are specific procedures to mitigate risk of corruption when dealing with government officials, versus only 43 per cent from the global respondents. - CNA/vm

Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 22 May 2008

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Search for Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 appears intense- Singapore

Search for Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 appears intense- Singapore

By Timothy Ouyang,

SINGAPORE: According to the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) and the Rotary Club of Singapore, this year’s search for the Entrepreneur of the Year looks set to be intense.

Singapore’s oldest entrepreneurial award – given to those who have shown outstanding leadership in business – has grown to include leaders who have taken the lead to make corporate social responsibility (CSR) an integral part of their businesses.

ASME said CSR does not have to be limited to charitable causes.

Kurt Wee, vice-president of ASME, said: “It can be a participation in non-profit (activities), a contribution to various facets of society… that adds value to the society’s well being.”

To qualify, the candidate must be an entrepreneur who is either a Singapore citizen or a permanent resident, and who has been in business for at least three years.

Moreover, the candidate’s company must not be listed, must have a minimum of 30 percent local equity, and it must not have total fixed production assets that exceed S$30 million.

Candidates will be judged based on their ability to create successful enterprises and sustain a profitable business that is socially responsible.

Some 50 nominations were received last year and there are already signs that this year’s competition may be stiffer.

“We’ve got a few names and we’ve heard that they’re interested. We are also quite flattered and excited that they’re keen to come in this year. I shall not reveal the names first, but if they do come in, it will take the award to a new level,” said Mr Wee.

Four awards will be given out to recognise entrepreneurs for their social contribution and innovation, and for their performance in enterprise and e-commerce. These winners will be announced in September.

An overall winner – the Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 – will be unveiled at an award presentation ceremony on October 3.
- CNA/so

 
Source : Channel NewsAsia  - 22 May 2008

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Jump in number of Green Mark buildings - Singapore

Jump in number of Green Mark buildings - Singapore

Of the 100 certified last year, over 60 are residential
By LIM WEN JUIN
THE Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has reported an ‘exponential increase’ in the number of buildings certified under its Green Mark scheme.
Almost 100 buildings were certified last year, compared to 17 each in 2006 and 2005, the year in which the scheme was introduced.

More than 60 of these buildings are residential developments, which translates to over 19,000 green homes.

BCA chief executive John Keung noted that of the five key Green Mark assessment criteria, energy efficiency is the main emphasis.

It takes into account ‘passive design’ features such as natural ventilation and natural lighting.

BCA Green Mark department deputy director Jeffery Neng added that the most common green features found within residential units include energy-efficient air-conditioners, sun-shading devices and water-efficient fittings such as tap flow limiters and dual flush cisterns.

Air-conditioners certified with four ticks under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme promise at least 30 per cent energy savings over their non-inverter counterparts, which translates to monetary savings, pointed out Mr Neng.

 
In a study of nine private residential projects, the BCA found that, assuming air-conditioner operation eight hours a day, a household certified Gold or above, under the Green Mark scheme, can expect to save $1,000 to $1,800 a year in utility bills.

The savings are not confined to homeowners either.

In a separate study of 15 buildings, the BCA calculated that a certification of Gold or above offers overall energy savings of 15-35 per cent, resulting in the cost of greening being paid back within two to eight years after construction and fiscal savings for the building owner thereafter.

So far this year, a further 200 buildings have already been voluntarily committed to be assessed and certified under the scheme. This is nine million square metres in terms of floor area, compared to a cumulative 6.24 million sq m certified over the last three years.

Under legislation that came into effect on April 15 this year, all new buildings and major retrofitting projects with ground floor area exceeding 2,000 sq m are required to meet minimum Green Mark certification standards.

Source : Business Times - 22 May 2008

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Landscape design contest for Singapore Punggol waterway

Landscape design contest for Singapore Punggol waterway

Competition includes design of Punggol Town Park
By CHARMIAN KOK

FOLLOWING its announcement to develop Punggol into a modern waterfront town, HDB is also engaging with the private sector to design the landscaping of the Punggol waterway through a Landscape Masterplan Design Competition for the Waterway.
 
Tapping talent: The winner of the competition will receive $300,000, which will form part of the professional fee to be paid to the appointed firm or team
The competition aims to draw on fresh and innovative ideas for the landscaping of the 4.2 km waterway, and also includes the designing of the Punggol Town Park - a 10.6 ha land that will provide a range of water-based activities and facilities.

Besides proposing the landscape design development direction of the waterway, entrants to the competition can also actively participate in creating the communal and commercial spatial typologies along the waterway.

Proposals for the competition are expected to introduce new sustainable development concepts and features, in line with HDB’s concept of ‘green living by the waters’.

According to HDB, response to the competition has been good, with 17 firms registered as of yesterday.

 
This is an innovative attempt to integrate the water body with public housing.
 
 
Design Link Architects is one such company, and its director Mabel Goh said: ‘We feel that this project is quite innovative. So far, waterfront housing has been largely limited to the East Coast side, but this is an innovative attempt to integrate the water body with public housing.’

Another firm, Atelier Dreiseitl Asia, which has years of experience in landscape architecture and urban hydrology, is evaluating the competition brief and its director Leonard Ng has expressed interest in the project.

‘Right now, it’s a clean slate and it gives you the potential to work out a complete approach to design, being sensitive to all the aspects of an urban environment. If that’s taken into consideration, it can have a cutting edge design that integrates the urban fabric with the waterway.’

The winner of the competition will receive $300,000, which will form part of the professional fee to be paid to the appointed firm or team. The professional fee will be fixed at 3.68 per cent of the total construction costs of the landscape development. In addition, two merit prizes of $50,000 each will be awarded.

The competition is opened to urban planners, architects and landscape architects from May 17 to September 16 and registration closes on July 16.

Source : Business Times - 22 May 2008

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Zero bids for Singapore hotel site is first in seven years

Zero bids for Singapore hotel site is first in seven years

Consultants cite weak economic sentiment, large site for 500 rooms
By ARTHUR SIM

A HOTEL site at Race Course Road has failed to receive a single bid. According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority, not since February 2001 has there been a launch of a development site through the Government Land Sales Programme (GLS) that did not take off.
The 0.9 ha site at the junction of Race Course Road and Bukit Timah Road has a maximum permissible gross floor area (GFA) of 338,417 sq ft, and is next to Little India MRT station. It was launched for sale by public tender through the confirmed list under the GLS programme for the first half of 2008.

While sites on the confirmed list are generally thought to have the potential to be developed faster than those on the reserve list, developers obviously did not think so.

Knight Frank director (research and consultancy) Nicholas Mak said that the poor showing could be ‘a signal to relook the quantum of land for hotel use in the confirmed list of the next GLS programme’.

In April, the government released another site on the confirmed list for sale at Balestier Road and Ah Hood Road.

In addition, there are also eight hotel sites on the reserve list currently.

Mr Mak said there could be three reasons for the Race Course Road site not receiving any bids: location; weak economic sentiment; and oversupply. He also said it was more likely to be a combination of the latter two reasons.

 
 
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels executive vice-president and head of corporate advisory (Asia) Chee Hok Yean believes that the sheer size of the site could have put potential bidders off.

Earlier estimates had put the range of bids at between $400 - $700 per square foot per plot ratio (psf ppr).

Estimating that the site could yield 500 rooms for a three-star hotel at a possible bid price of $500 psf ppr, Ms Chee believes that land price of $170 million would have been too hefty for a potential hotel developer of this category to bear. ‘Construction costs have also gone up,’ she added.

While Ms Chee also added that investor sentiment is generally weak at the moment, she said that average room rates and occupancy levels in Singapore have remained high, suggesting that there is no issue with an oversupply of hotel rooms here yet.

 
Source : Business Times - 22 May 2008

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New GM for Singapore Marina Bay Financial Centre

New GM for Singapore Marina Bay Financial Centre

Colliers’ Singapore MD to be promoted to MD for North Asia

THE joint venture developers of Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC) - Cheung Kong Holdings, Hutchison Whampoa, Hongkong Land and Keppel Land - said yesterday they have appointed a new general manager for the prime project.
Wilson Kwong replaces outgoing general manager David Martin, who is moving to Hong Kong after running MBFC for four years.

Mr Kwong was previously senior asset manager, commercial property, for Hongkong Land - a role that included managing the company’s interests in key developments in Hong Kong.

From 1998 to 2006 he held various management positions in the Jardine Matheson Group.

‘MBFC is shaping up to redefine the Central Business District in Singapore by adding 3 million sq ft of office space, 649 new residential apartments and more than 120,000 sq ft of new shopping and dining pleasures,’ he said. ‘A project of this magnitude relies on the interaction of many parties, including MBFC’s strong team and I look forward to working with all the parties involved.’

Mr Kwong paid tribute to Mr Martin for leading a team that gave MBFC a strong start and guiding the project through its initial phases of land tendering, design and planning.

 
 
Separately, marketing agent Colliers International has said its Singapore managing director Dennis Yeo will be promoted to managing director for North Asia from June 1. In his new portfolio, Mr Yeo will oversee Colliers’ businesses in China and Taiwan, except Hong Kong and Macau.

He will work with local management teams on strategy and identifying new business opportunities.

Mr Yeo will continue as head of the regional industrial group, which helps with clients with cross-border transactions.

Source : Business Times - 22 May 2008

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Singapore SIA launches series of green building initiatives

Singapore SIA launches series of green building initiatives

By EMILYN YAP

SUPPORTING the local green movement, the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) will be taking on a series of initiatives to promote green architecture in Singapore.
SIA will also bid to host the 2014 International Union of Architects World Congress.

 
SIA’s latest efforts came to light at its annual dinner yesterday, as president of the institute, Tai Lee Siang, introduced three green awards to recognise excellence in sustainable architectural design.

The first is the SIA-NParks Skyrise Greenery Awards, jointly launched by SIA and the National Parks Board to encourage creative greenery design in high-rise developments.

Partnering Philips and Hunter Douglas separately, SIA will also launch the SIA-Philips Green Innovation Awards and the Eco Friend Awards.

The former recognises innovative sustainable design, while the latter promotes the creative use of sustainable products.

Awards aside, the SIA will also bid to host the 2014 International Union of Architects World Congress, one of the world’s largest conferences on architecture and urban design, under the theme ‘Green Cities’.

Through the bid, SIA hopes to showcase Singapore not just as a model green city, but also as a catalyst for the creation of a green region around South-east Asia.

 
As a sign of the government’s support, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan will lead the SIA delegation to Turin, Italy, to present the bid in July.

Yesterday’s spotlight was also on the 9th SIA Architectural Design Awards.

With talk of recession and belt-tightening making its rounds, it was a uniquely apt time for the awards to introduce a new prize - ‘Best Project Below S$1 Million Construction Cost’.

The winning design at 19 Jalan Elok by Chang Architects was a stunning display of urbanised nature, impressing the judges with the ‘magical quality of its spaces’.

Also making its debut was the ‘Building of the Year’ award, which went to RSP Architects Planners & Engineers for its work on the LaSalle College of the Arts.

According to the judges, the college is ‘a work with sensitivity to youth, to climate, to context, to construction’.

 
Source : Business Times - 22 May 2008

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Singapore luxury homes ninth most expensive globally

Singapore luxury homes ninth most expensive globally

Market supported by jet-setting high net-worth individuals: report
By ARTHUR SIM

LUXURY homes in Singapore are the second most expensive in Asia and the ninth most expensive in the world.
 
High living: At US$2,423 per sq ft, S’pore luxury home prices are topped only by HK, where they cost US$4,507 psf. Even Tokyo is cheaper at US$2,334 psf 
According to a report by Citi and Knight Frank, luxury home prices here are now US$2,423 per sq ft.

The only place in Asia where they are more expensive is Hong Kong, where they cost US$4,507 psf. Even Tokyo is cheaper than Singapore, coming in third most expensive at US$2,334.

Worldwide, London is the most expensive, followed by Monaco and St Jean Cap Ferrat (France) at US$6,191, US$5,888 and US$5,853 psf respectively.

The global luxury home market is supported by jet-setting high net-worth individuals who think nothing of owning homes on every continent.

As an example, the report describes a Brazilian/Russian family that owns apartments in New York, Geneva, Ibiza and, until recently, Singapore.

The family reportedly spends equal periods at each property, with business and social ties meaning they find it possible to change location for long or short periods with ease.

‘In many ways, none of their properties is regarded as either a primary or secondary residence,’ the report says. ‘In fact, they feel equally at home in all of them.’

The report ranks high net-worth individuals in four categories - those with US$1 million to US$10 million; US$10 million to US$100 million; US$100 million to US$1 billion; and more than US$1 billion.

 
‘Extraordinary wealth creation has continued across the global oil and commodity sectors.’
 
- Report by Citi and Knight Frank
 
 
 
It found that 15.7 per cent of entry-level high net-worth individuals own four or more homes. In the second, third and fourth (the richest) categories, the respective percentages increased to 23.3, 31.5 and 60 per cent.

Importantly, the report found that in both developed and emerging economies, uncertain economic and political conditions did not affect the growth in numbers of high net-worth individuals, with the growth of their wealth, ’similarly undimmed throughout 2007′.

Citing data from Scorpio Partnership, the report says the most significant growth in 2007 was in the US, where the number grew almost 120,000 to 3.1 million. China had the second-largest increase, with the figure rising almost 46,000 to 373,000 - almost as many as Germany.

‘Despite the credit crunch, extraordinary wealth creation has continued across the global oil and commodity sectors,’ the report says.

An example of the strength of the global luxury home market is that in London the number of £pounds;10 million-plus sales in Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Belgravia rose 190 per cent in the six months to January 2008 from the same period a year earlier.

In the US, where prices fell 4.5 per cent over the past year and 4.2 per cent in New York generally, prices for prime Manhattan properties rose 25 per cent.

Knight Frank’s head of residential research Liam Bailey said: ‘Prime locations have held their own. London, New York, Shanghai and others are proving that almost any residential market tied to the global economy maintains confidence among purchasers.’
 

 
Source : Business Times - 22 May 2008

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Microsoft cashback plan for Live.com - NEW YORK

Microsoft cashback plan for Live.com - NEW YORK
(NEW YORK) Microsoft Corp will give cash back to people who shop online with its Live.com search engine, building up the business after abandoning a US$47.5 billion bid for Internet rival Yahoo! Inc this month.
Users who buy products through Windows Live accounts can get rebates of 10 per cent or more, according to a Microsoft website. The ‘cashback’ service directs subscribers to websites that sell products from companies such as Adidas AG and Canon Inc.

The move may attract more customers and online advertisers to Microsoft’s sites, helping the software maker compete with Google Inc, the most popular US search engine. Microsoft had sought to unite its third-ranked engine with No 2 Yahoo, and walked away after the company demanded a higher price.

Microsoft is working to consolidate brands, attract advertisers and expand partnerships, online business president Kevin Johnson said in a letter to employees this week. The business lost US$228 million last quarter, the company’s sole unprofitable division in the period.

Mr Johnson said the Redmond, Washington- based company was to discuss its strategy in more detail yesterday at its annual advertising conference. Microsoft spokesman Frank Shaw didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking comment. — Bloomberg

Source : Business Times - 22 May 2008

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