Casa Fortuna at Balestier – Singapore – District 12

Casa Fortuna at Balestier – Singapore – District 12

Casa Fortuna at Balestier
Location : 36 Jalan Rajah & 38 Ah Hood Rd (District 12)
Tenure : Estate in Fee Simple (Freehold)
Site Area : Approx. 2585 sqm / 27,824 sq ft
Expected T.O.P : 30 June 2012
Plot Ratio : 2.8
Development : Beautiful Facade with State of The Art Twin Iconic Towers (Tower 1 - 18 Storeys & Tower 2 - 12 Storeys)
Total Units : 106

Type of Units :-
- 1 Bedroom
- 1+1 Bedroom
- 2 Bedrooms
- Penthouses

Ceiling Height :-
Typical – 2.95 m
2nd Floor & Penthouses – Minimum 4.5m

Walking Distance To MRT and 3 Stops or 10 mins Drive to Orchard

Facilities :-
2nd Storey Sky Terrace:
- Partial Cover Infinity Lap Pool ( 25 m X 5 m )
- Wadding Pool ( 5 m X 3 m )
- Pool Deck
- Gymnasium
- Children’s Play Area
- BBQ Area
- Carpark (Basement -65 Lots & Surface – 41 Lots ; Include 12 Mechanical Lots)
- 24 Hours Security
- High End Technology Using Biomatrix Keyless Entry(Thumbprint)
- 1 & 2 Bedrooms Penthouse (Type B1 & C1) with Private Pool & Jacuzzi

Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest, in Singapore

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Mah Bow Tan says revised application rules for new Singapore flats are fair

Mah Bow Tan says revised application rules for new Singapore flats are fair

By Wong Siew Ying,
 

SINGAPORE : National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan has said that the Housing and Development Board (HDB) has no intention to raise the administrative fee for the application of new flats.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Draft Master Plan Exhibition on Friday, Mr Mah said the fees will remain at the current S$10, so as not to deter genuine flat buyers.

He also justified the need to revise the application rules for new Build-To-Order flats.

Mr Mah said, “In HDB’s case, we are selling heavily subsidised flats; we need to make sure that those who need the flats, first-timers, young couples getting married, do get a chance to own the flat.

“They are given two choices; if they still don’t take it up, I think it’s only fair that we move them to the back of the queue.

“We are not even saying ‘don’t come back’, we are saying ‘please move to the back of the queue’, because obviously your need is not so urgent.” - CNA/ms

Source : Channel NewsAsia   - 24 May 2008

Singapore Property - Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Over 770,000 Singapore HDB households to get S$63m worth of rebates

Over 770,000 Singapore HDB households to get S$63m worth of rebates

By Julia Ng,

SINGAPORE: More than 770,000 HDB households will be receiving S$63 million worth of rebates for their Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) and rents in fiscal year 2008.

The Finance Ministry said all eligible households will receive S&CC rebates.

Three and four-room households will receive two months worth of S&CC rebates.

And among low-income rental households, eligible one-room households will get four months of S&CC rebates as well as an additional three months worth of rental rebates.

These rebates are part of the S$4 billion GST Offset Package announced in 2007, to help Singaporeans, especially low and middle-income households, cope with the GST increase in July 2007.

The rebates will cost the government S$250 million over 5 years.

HDB will be sending notification letters to all eligible households by the end of this month to inform them of the amount of S&CC and rental rebates they will be receiving.

- CNA/cl

 
Source : Channel NewsAsia   - 24 May 2008

Singapore Property - Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Singapore Industry players upbeat about plans for 2 new commercial hubs

Singapore Industry players upbeat about plans for 2 new commercial hubs

By Wong Siew Ying,

SINGAPORE : Industry players are upbeat about the plans for two new commercial hubs, noting that both Kallang and Paya Lebar have great potential for growth, given their close proximity to the city.

However, they said the timing of the various projects will have to be calibrated carefully, so as not to place additional strain on the construction sector.

In the next 15 years, Singapore will have three new commercial hubs. Jurong Lake District, Paya Lebar Central and Kallang Riverside will cost billions of dollars to develop.

According to the National Development Minister, Mah Bow Tan, one or two sites in these new regional centres will be released for sale fairly soon. But market demand will mostly dictate the pace of the developments.

Industry players warn against over-developing and easing plot ratios, which they said could trigger another wave of en-bloc sales.

Simon Cheong, President, Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore, said: “We are one of the highest in the world - higher than Dubai, Tokyo, Sydney, New York and Hong Kong - in terms of construction costs. By not increasing the plot ratio, I think the government is giving some relief to the construction industry.”

The government has already announced that it will defer some S$3 billion worth of public sector projects. Other projects may also join the list.

Mr Mah said: “I’ve asked the public agencies to consider deferring more projects if necessary. It makes good sense, (with) construction cost being so high, you won’t get as much value for money.

“It also helps to even out the cycles - when construction demand in other areas goes down, this is one way for us to even out the cycle.”

Some infrastructural works have already started at the Jurong Lake District, which is being transformed into a regional centre for the western part of Singapore. - CNA/ms

Source : Channel NewsAsia   - 24 May 2008

Singapore Property - Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

SPRING S’pore, A*STAR launch S$15m Precision Engineering Centre

SPRING S’pore, A*STAR launch S$15m Precision Engineering Centre

SINGAPORE : The Precision Engineering Centre of Innovation was officially opened on Friday by SPRING Singapore and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

The S$15 million centre is aimed at supporting companies in developing technologies for innovations in material, product, process, operational and business models.

The centre already has 42 on-going or completed projects since operations began in June 2007.

The precision engineering (PE) industry is seen as new growth sector, generating S$22 billion last year and making up 10 percent of total manufacturing output.

Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade and Industry, said: “Just as our PE industry has evolved in the past 20-over years, our PE companies must continue to innovate, upgrade and acquire new capabilities and venture into

Source : Straits Times  - 24 May 2008

Singapore Property - Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

How ICJ arrived at its decision

How ICJ arrived at its decision 

While the court recognised that Johor had the original title to Pedra Branca, it ruled that by 1980, when the dispute over the island crystallised, sovereignty over Pedra Branca had passed to Singapore.
 
Reasoning of the court

MALAYSIA contended that it had original title to the island, dating back to the time of its predecessor, the Sultanate of Johor, and that it continued to hold this title.

Singapore contended that the island was no man’s land in the 1840s when the United Kingdom, its predecessor for legal purposes, took lawful possession of the island to build a lighthouse.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) observed that it was not in dispute that the Sultanate of Johor had, from the time it came into existence in 1512, established itself as a sovereign state with a territorial domain in part of South-east Asia.

It noted that from at least the 17th century until early in the 19th century, it was acknowledged by historians that the territorial and maritime domain of the kingdom of Johor comprised a considerable portion of the Malay peninsula, straddled the Strait of Singapore and included islands and islets in the area of the strait - where Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh is located.

It highlighted as significant that Pedra Branca had always been known as a navigational hazard in the Strait of Singapore. It was, therefore, evidently not terra incognita, that is, an unknown island.

Yet throughout this time, the Johor Sultanate’s sovereignty over Pedra Branca was never challenged by any power in the region.

The court thus concluded that Johor had original title to Pedra Branca.

The court also found that developments between 1824 and the 1840s, including the Anglo-Dutch Treaty and Crawfurd Treaty, both of 1824, did not change the status of Pedra Branca.

The island remained in the sovereignty of Johor when the British made preparations in 1844 to build Horsburgh Lighthouse there.

The court then went on to determine whether Malaysia had retained its sovereignty over Pedra Branca or whether sovereignty had passed on to Singapore.

It noted that any passing of sovereignty might be by way of an agreement between two states, whether in the form of a treaty or in the form of a tacit agreement arising from the conduct of the parties.

It said that sovereignty over territory might, under certain circumstances, pass as a result of the failure of the state which has sovereignty to respond to conduct a titre de souverain of the other state, or to concrete manifestations of the display of territorial sovereignty by the other state.

The court then highlighted as significant an exchange of letters in 1953 between the Colonial Secretary in Singapore and the Johor authorities.

On June 12, 1953, the Colonial Secretary of Singapore wrote to the British Adviser to the Sultan of Johor asking for information about the status of Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, in the context of determining the boundaries of the ‘Colony’s territorial waters’.

In a letter dated September 21, 1953, the Acting State Secretary of Johor replied that the ‘Johore Government [did] not claim ownership’ of the island.

The court said this correspondence was of central importance ‘for determining the developing understanding of the two parties about sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh’.

It found that Johor’s reply showed that as of 1953, Johor understood that it did not have sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh.

Finally, the court examined the conduct of the parties after 1953 with respect to the island.

It found four types of activities by Singapore as conduct a titre de souverain, that is, conduct that confers title on the party responsible.

These were:
The investigation of shipwrecks that took place in Pedra Branca’s territorial waters.

The granting of permission by Singapore to Malaysian officials to visit the island and survey the waters surrounding it.

The installation of military communications equipment on the island in 1977.

The proposed reclamation plans to extend the island.
The court also noted the failure of Malaysia and its predecessors to respond to the conduct of Singapore and its predecessors.

It thus ruled that by 1980, when the dispute over the island crystallised, sovereignty over Pedra Branca had passed to Singapore.

It thus concluded that sovereignty over Pedra Branca belongs to Singapore.

Middle Rocks and South Ledge

THE court observed that the particular circumstances which led it to find that sovereignty over Pedra Branca rests with Singapore did not apply to Middle Rocks.

It, therefore, found that the original title to Middle Rocks should remain with Malaysia as the successor to the Sultanate of Johor.

As for South Ledge, the court noted that this low-tide elevation falls within the apparently overlapping territorial waters generated by Pedra Branca and Middle Rocks.

It recalled that it had not been mandated by the parties to draw the line of delimitation with respect to their territorial waters in the area.

It concluded that sovereignty over South Ledge belongs to the state in whose territorial waters it is located.

Source : Straits Times  - 24 May 2008

Singapore Property - Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Judgment will prevent unilateral action, says DPM Najib

Judgment will prevent unilateral action, says DPM Najib
 
By Carolyn Hong, Malaysia Bureau Chief 
 
KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA views the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment on Pedra Branca as one that will prevent Singapore from acting unilaterally in the waters around the island.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, describing it as a balanced decision, said the award of Middle Rocks to Malaysia was important as the coral reefs defined the maritime area of the two countries.

The ICJ gave Singapore sovereignty over Pedra Branca - called Pulau Batu Puteh by Malaysia - and Malaysia, sovereignty over Middle Rocks.

‘Some people are viewing this as a win-win situation,’ the deputy premier said in Johor Baru.

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Rais Yatim also said the split decision meant that Malaysia still has rights over Middle Rocks, which is located about a mile from Pedra Branca.

He told The Straits Times that Malaysian fishermen will still be able to use Middle Rocks, and hoped that Singapore would be flexible in this respect.

He added that Middle Rocks will generate its own territorial waters and continental shelf which would be established in later negotiations with Singapore.

As for South Ledge, which the ICJ has ruled would belong to the country in which it lies, Malaysia asserts that the rocky outcrop is within its territory.

Meanwhile, International Trade and Industry Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the decision was disappointing but asked Malaysians to accept it.

‘As a subject of Johor, I’m sad because whatever consideration applied by the ICJ under international law, in terms of the historical value, sovereignty and morality, we have lost part of our territory,’ he said yesterday.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin said Malaysia’s success in its claim over Middle Rocks was considered ‘a slight boost to our disappointment’.

‘Hopefully, Singapore will not be arrogant over the latest decision,’ he said.

Other Johor politicians also expressed disappointment over the loss of the island, but said it would not affect ties with Singapore.

The loss comes as a blow to Johor, in particular, as the island lies close to the state and was formerly part of the Johor sultanate.

‘But I think we should be pleased that the decision was made by reference to the ICJ. We can all accept its decision,’ Johor Umno Youth chief Razali Ibrahim said.

He told The Straits Times that both countries should regard this as a final solution to a longstanding prickly issue, and can look forward to improving bilateral ties.

Datuk Razali said he hoped that the scope of activities around the island would not change, as it was very close to Malaysian territory.

Malaysian MPs were briefed earlier in the week on the case, as the government moved to prevent any unhappiness - in particular among Johoreans - from turning into rhetoric against Singapore.

Johor MP Puad Zarkashi hoped that ‘the opposition will not try to politicise the outcome’.

Prominent blogger Ahiruddin Attan, who goes by the pseudonym Rockybru, asked: ‘Will we lose more than this rock outcrop? I hope we’ll do all that we should to ensure that we don’t ever lose sovereignty over the Iskandar Development Region.’

He was referring to the special economic zone in south Johor that had generated some resistance among Johoreans over fears that Singaporean investments would overwhelm the local population.

 
Source : Straits Times  - 24 May 2008

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Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

Pleased with judgement

Pleased with judgement 
 
‘Moments ago, I was on the phone with the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister and Cabinet colleagues were attending a Cabinet meeting today and they were, at the same time, keeping close contact with the news of the reading of the judgment.

The Prime Minister told me he was pleased with the outcome and also asked me to thank the members of our team for the work they have done. We are pleased with the judgment because the court has awarded sovereignty over Pedra Branca, which is the main feature in dispute, to Singapore.

Of course, we would have been happier if the court had awarded all the three features in Singapore’s favour, and we had argued before the court that these other features were part of Pedra Branca, but the court has found otherwise.

We accept the judgment of the court.’

DPM S. JAYAKUMAR, speaking to Singapore media at The Hague after the ICJ judgment

 
——————————————————————————–
BIT OF A CLIFFHANGER

‘With the majority of 12 judges in our favour and with four dissenting judges, it is a good ratio. I am happy with it.

We feel relieved and happy. The first one hour to 11/2 hours was a bit of a cliffhanger because we had argued very strenuously against Malaysia?s primary argument of original title.

We had made what we thought was a strong argument in favour of the view that in 1847, Pedra Branca and the two related features were terra nullius.

The court found against us and that, of course, was a great disappointment. Fortunately, the rest of the judgment was in our favour.

What they found was that because of the long cumulation of sovereign state activities on the part of Singapore on the island, because of the 1953 letter of disclaimer, because of Malaysia?s acquiescence, that title had passed from Malaysia to Singap ore.’
AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE TOMMY KOH

 
——————————————————————————–
‘BASIS FOR US TO FORGE AHEAD’

‘It is a win-win situation. While Singapore has been given sovereignty over Pulau Batu Puteh, Malaysia gets to have sovereignty over Middle Rocks.

Having spoken with Prof Jayakumar and Prof Tommy Koh this morning, we are convinced that this judgment is a basis for us to forge ahead.

Primarily, Singapore and Malaysia should take this as a point of strength, of coordination and deeper understanding between two countries that have had very strong ties in history, culture and commerce.

We have also told the various segments in our society, in our government, that we will take the decision of the ICJ with respect.’
MALAYSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RAIS YATIM, speaking to reporters at The Hague after the ICJ judgment. He was also asked if the judgment would weaken Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi?s position, to which he replied that the judgment had nothing to do with that and ?Umno remains as strong as ever’.

Source : Straits Times  - 24 May 2008

Singapore Property - Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

How the two countries presented their claims

How the two countries presented their claims 

The dispute pitted Malaysia’s claim of original title to the island against Singapore’s claim of taking lawful possession in 1847, and continuous exercise of sovereignty ever since
 
Malaysia’s arguments
Malaysia’s legal case rested on its claim that the Sultanate of Johor possessed title to the island since its establishment in 1512.

That original title was then transmitted to the State of Johor, and subsequently to the Federation of Malaya, which Johor joined in 1948.

Malaysia quoted from historical writings, including the Malay Annals, which described the Johor Sultanate as extending from the Natunas Islands in the north to the Riau Islands in the south.

It argued that that demarcation placed Pedra Branca, or Pulau Batu Puteh as Malaysia calls the island, in the centre of Johor’s ancient maritime empire.

Therefore, it said, the island was always part of Johor.

To explain Singapore’s presence on the island, Malaysia cited an 1844 letter which it claimed was a grant of permission by the Johor rulers to the British, for the latter to build and operate a lighthouse there.

Malaysia argued that the British and their successor, Singapore, were merely lighthouse operators and never exercised sovereignty over the island.

 
Source : Straits Times  - 24 May 2008

Singapore Property - Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com

International law will continue to guide Singapore: MFA

International law will continue to guide Singapore: MFA 
 
INTERNATIONAL law will continue to guide Singapore’s approach to issues thrown up by the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) latest judgment, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) yesterday.
These include its interests in relation to maritime space and boundary delimitation following yesterday’s award of Pedra Branca to Singapore and Middle Rocks to Malaysia by the ICJ.

It was responding to media queries yesterday following the judgment on the sovereignty dispute between the two countries.

Asked what the judgment meant for issues related to territorial waters and the extent of the maritime zone around Singapore, the MFA spokesman said: ‘The Court was not asked to determine such questions of maritime space or boundary delimitation. Singapore’s rights and interests on these matters will be pursued in accordance with international law.’

Singapore has a territorial sea limit that extends up to a maximum of 12 nautical miles and an Exclusive Economic Zone, it noted.

This is consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of Dec 10, 1982, which Singapore is a State Party to.

The precise coordinates of Singapore’s territorial sea and Exclusive Economic Zone will be announced at an appropriate time, said MFA.

‘Should the limits of its territorial sea or Exclusive Economic Zone overlap with claims of neighbouring countries, Singapore will negotiate with those countries with a view to arriving at agreed delimitations in accordance with international law.

‘Singapore reserves its position on international agreements it is not a party to,” it added.

On the ICJ judgment itself, MFA said it was ‘pleased’ with it as the ICJ had awarded Singapore sovereignty over Pedra Branca which was ‘the key feature in dispute’.

It noted, however, that the judgment was not totally in Singapore’s favour, as the Court had awarded Middle Rocks to Malaysia.

The Court also decided that South Ledge belongs to the country in whose territorial waters it is located.

‘We had argued that these features are part of Pedra Branca but as the Court has found otherwise, Singapore accepts the Court’s decision.’

Noting that the judgment brings to a closure a longstanding territorial dispute between Malaysia and Singapore, MFA said: ‘We will now put this issue behind us and move on to strengthen our bilateral and regional cooperation.’

Singapore will discuss with Malaysia the steps and procedures to implement the decision of the Court, it added. Officials from both sides have already been in discussion prior to the judgment of the Court.

 
Source : Straits Times  - 24 May 2008

Singapore Property - Buy, Sell, Rent, Invest

Mindy Yong

(+65)91002985

mindy@mindyyong.com