News Today

Investors go the whole hog, pushing STI to new record
INVESTORS could barely wait to get back to business on the first trading day of the Year of the Pig yesterday, immediately propelling the local bourse to yet another all-time high. The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) ended yesterday at its... [Read more]

Ex-detainee Ho Toon Chin dies in London
FORMER political detainee Ho Toon Chin died in London on Tuesday from a stroke. He was 70.Mr Ho was a manager in a small media company, said his undergraduate son Hehao, 21, yesterday, declining to disclose its name.He had a stroke... [Read more]

Thailand steps up security for match against S'pore
BANGKOK - BOMB detectors, police dogs and some 500 police officers will be deployed tomorrow when Singapore meets Thailand in the Asean Cup final. 'There will be a special area for the 2,000 Singaporean fans expected, and they will be separated... [Read more]

Blair's top fund-raiser rearrested while on bail
THE top fund-raiser for British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, a police source said.Lord Michael Levy was arrested when he returned to a London police station... [Read more]

Keppel issues in demand after record annual profits
WARRANTS on Keppel Corp are now the flavour of the week, after the conglomerate's better-than-expected full-year results released on Tuesday.Keppel's net profit rose 33 per cent to a record $750.8 million, outperforming analysts' expectations.Warrants on stocks such as Keppel allow investors... [Read more]

Tonight's Headlines
Retirement planning low on S'poreans' priority listMOST Singaporeans are prepared for short-term financial emergencies and big expenses such as their mortgage and children's education. However, such planning falls well short in other areas like retirement.Those were the key findings of a... [Read more]

Group pays $884m for rest of Marina plot
THE consortium that is developing the prime Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC) has disclosed the sum - $883.8 million - that it is paying for the second phase of the site, on nearby land. And for the first time, the consortium,... [Read more]

Brokers' Choice
MERRILL EXPECTS CDL TO SET UP OFFICE REIT MERRILL Lynch believes that City Developments (CDL) 'will look to establish an office Reit this year, following its successful initial public offer of CDL Hospitality Trusts', referring to a real estate investment trust.... [Read more]

Old Changi hospital gets new life as spa-resort
THE former Changi Hospital will undergo a $20-million makeover to become a rustic spa and resort for Singaporeans and budget travellers by year's end. Property company Bestway Properties, which won a recent tender to lease the Halton Road site, wants to... [Read more]

Killer molested his high school hostages
He sexually assaulted some of the six girls before killing one and then himselfBAILEY (COLORADO) - THE gunman who killed a student and committed suicide during a high school stand-off methodically selected six girls as hostages - apparently favouring blondes -... [Read more]

Wall St expects rate cut in third quarter or later
NEW YORK - ANALYSTS on Wall Street expect the United States Federal Reserve to keep interest rates on hold for some time as growth rebounds and inflation moderates, with many holding out for a rate cut later in the year. A... [Read more]

Extend senior-citizen concessions to visitors

I REFER to recent letters urging the extension of travel concessions to the whole day. I agree fully with the writers. It is an appropriate way to show respect to seniors.

Many First World countries extend such concessions to senior citizens of all countries.

Many, if not all, European Union countries extend concessions on train and ferry travel and to local attractions to seniors.

In Japan, if you look like a senior, the receptionist will tell you of the concession, which is zero payment in some instances.

In the United States and Australia, you are told of concessions in a large number of eating places as you enter. All this is done without asking for proof.

In Singapore, such privileges are not extended to foreigners and locals are often required to produce proof of their age.

We are not very trusting, are

we?

I hope that as we aspire to become a First World country in many respects, we should also show respect to people of other countries and extend to them the courtesy that they so freely bestow upon seniors of all countries.

I can assure organisations that there will be no great rush to Singapore by seniors to avail themselves of the concessions and that the organisations will not be bankrupted by the senior tourists.



Murali Sharma

Leaders capitalise on friendlier Classic

THE leaderboard after yesterday's opening round of the Clariden Leu Singapore Masters 2007 tells the whole story.

Golfers who teed off on the more generous Classic Course at Laguna National Gold and Country Club occupy the top 14 spots.

Australian Marcus Fraser and China's Liang Wenchong were tied for the lead, after both carded solid bogey-free eight-under 64s.

Said Fraser, 28: 'The fairways on the Classic Course are pretty generous. The greens are pretty good over there.

'So if you're giving yourself a chance, you're going to shoot a good score.'

Look further down and the names who teed off at Laguna's other course - the more challenging par-72, 7,207-yard Masters - pop up.

Among them, in an 18-way tie for 15th spot, was Singapore's No 1 and defending champion Mardan Mamat.

He shot the day's lowest Masters Course score of 68, along with France's Jean Van de Velde, Scot Simon Yates, India's Guarav Ghei and New Zealander Richard Lee.

The pre-event talk was that the Classic, with its shorter holes, gentler mounds and fewer water hazards, would be the easier course.

The players have decided the winning formula here is to score on the Classic and maintain that lead on the Masters.

This week's Clariden Leu Singapore Masters is the first professional event to be held on the Classic Course since the Nations Cup in 2003.

The course, usually used for corporate tournaments, club competitions and members' social games, had been employed to accommodate the record 204-strong field.

Said Liang: 'I know the Masters is going to be tough.

'I find the Classic Course a lot easier, and that is why I was a bit more aggressive.'

Japan No 1 Shingo Katayama, who shot seven-under 65, agreed.

The world No 30 was joint-third with Scotland's Barry Hume and India's Jyoti Randhawa.

Of the 102 players who played on the Masters, only 42 shot even-par or lower.

At the Classic, however, 72 of 102 players managed those scores.

Australia's Unho Park, who was tied-11th with three others on 67, noted: 'It definitely gives you more peace of mind, having played well here and then going onto the Masters.'

For Mardan, though, it did not matter.

He said: 'It was better to have started on the Masters than the Classic...'

Because the hard part is - for now - out of the way.

Exhibitions of nude artworks allowed

I REFER to the letter, 'Ban on nude art hurts bid to be arts hub' (ST, March 6), by Mr Toh Han Shih in Hong Kong.

Exhibitions of nude paintings and photographs are allowed in Singapore.

Such exhibitions have taken place in the past without difficulty. For example, in 2004 the Federation of Art Societies organised an exhibition entitled 'Figure Arts 2004'. This exhibition was held in the atrium of the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (Mica) building. The Ngee Ann Cultural Centre held exhibitions in 2005 and 2006 featuring nude photographs.

The Singapore Art Museum has also featured many figure paintings in its exhibitions. This week, the museum will have an exhibition featuring figure paintings by Singapore abstract expressionist Wong Keen.

The organisers of these exhibitions had accepted the need to display nude artworks in an enclosed area with an advisory at the entrance to alert the public to the content.

In the recent case of a display of a nude painting in the Mica atrium, the gallery owner was requested to adopt similar guidelines for display in a public area. Mica offered the gallery owner a solution to display the painting in the atrium. However, the gallery owner chose not to accept the solution offered.

The Mica atrium is a public area which is visited by members of the public, including school children. Display of artworks in such a public space should be done with sensitivity.

The Government strongly encourages and supports the arts. We are also mindful of the prevailing values and sensitivities of our multiracial and multi-religious society. We are confident that the arts will continue to flourish and Singapore will become a global city for the arts.

K. Bhavani (Ms)
Director of Corporate Communications
Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts

Gade demands more prize money

BIRMINGHAM - PETER Gade, Denmark's top player, has criticised the badminton tour's prize-money structure.

He is bidding to win the men's singles title at the All-England Championships, which start here today.

The 30-year-old Dane's career-best form has coincided with the inaugural Super Series - the 12-tournament 32-draw series which was started this year.

He won the series' first tournament, the Malaysian Open, in Kuala Lumpur six weeks ago.

He likes the new elite format, but is not happy with the rewards given to leading players.

'We still have the same prize money as 10 years ago. You can't look at many sports and say that,' he said.

'There should be a huge possibility in badminton.

'The series is a beginning, but it has a long way to go.

'With better prize money it should be different, especially as men's singles is much tougher than other events.

'They give prize money for the early rounds now, but in women's singles and women's doubles, the players are not pushed in the early rounds.

'Bao Chunlai got only US$6,400 (S$9,700) for being runner-up in Malaysia . Something is wrong, we need to fix that as soon as possible.

'The prize money for a tournament should be £300,000 (S$885,000) to £500,000.

'We could easily have set the minimum prize-money level at £300,000.

'Maybe three or four tournaments could have less, but this is what the prize-money levels should be.

'Hopefully it's a start, but if the Badminton World Federation can't show that this is working, we have to do something to change it.'

The All-England is offering a total prize money of US$200,000, the same as the Malaysian Open.

For the first time, first-round losers will get US$300.

Previously, prize money was available from only the quarter-finals.

This total is a US$75,000 increase on last year's, but significantly less than the Korean Open's US$300,000 or other major Asian tournaments.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Runner who collapsed still in a critical condition

HONG KONG - A MAN who collapsed while running the Hong Kong Marathon on Sunday was still in a critical condition yesterday.

The 28-year-old was being treated for heat stroke after he fell ill during the annual race.

More than 30 runners were treated at the hospital.

Aside from the 28-year-old, four others needed to remain in hospital overnight.

A 53-year-old man collapsed and died, and 5,000 more needed medical treatment during last year's race, which took place in high levels of pollution.

A record 44,000 braved the haze and high humidity to join Sunday's race.

However, some 6,200 runners were taken ill.

A spokesman from the Auxiliary Medical Service said that 80 per cent of the runners developed muscle cramps. Some suffered from dehydration and blisters.

Said Chan Yiu-wing: 'Whether it's related to air quality inside the cross-harbour tunnel where part of the marathon is held, we will review it.'

Pollution levels were at the medium to high range, according to Hong Kong's air pollution index.

Relative humidity reached 95 per cent in temperatures of about 25 deg C.

Worsening air pollution has become a key political and social issue in the Chinese territory bordering Guangdong, one of the mainland's major industrial areas.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

News Today

Saving the planet, one degree at a time
ACCORDING to the Economist Intelligence Unit, Singapore was ranked 15th in the world in electricity consumption in 2004, but jumped to 11th in the Economist Pocket World In Figures 2007.I wonder how many of us complain that the temperature in offices,... [Read more]

Nasdaq fails in bid for London Stock Exchange
LONDON - NASDAQ Stock Market suffered a resounding defeat in its £2.7 billion (S$8.1 billion) bid for the London Stock Exchange (LSE) on Saturday, winning just 0.41 per cent of acceptances. Added to the 28.75 per cent shareholding it already owns,... [Read more]

Add another criterion to formula for GST rebate
I UNDERSTAND the formula to arrive at the final amount an individual gets in goods and services tax (GST) rebate is determined by two factors: His income; and The type of housing he lives in.I would like to address the second... [Read more]

Quick-thinking pilot, passengers foil hijack
LAS PALMAS (SPAIN) - PLUCKY passengers of a Mauritanian plane overpowered a suspected armed hijacker with help from a quick-thinking pilot. The Air Mauritania Boeing 737 was on an internal flight in the north-western African country on Thursday when the hijacker,... [Read more]

Israeli police clash with protesters at mosque
JERUSALEM - ISRAELI police stormed the compound of Islam's third-holiest shrine yesterday, firing stun grenades and tear gas to disperse hundreds of Muslim worshippers who hurled stones, bottles and trash. The worshippers were in an uproar over Israeli renovation work near... [Read more]

Oilfield gear supplier wins $68m in deals
OILFIELD equipment supplier Aqua-Terra Supply has won $68 million worth of contracts from Chinese state-owned oil giant China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC).The mainboard-listed company will be involved in providing services such as project management for the building of oil tankers,... [Read more]

Wing Tai's mid-year gains more than double to $85m
STRONG home sales helped property and retail group Wing Tai Holdings double its first-half net profit. Earnings jumped 103 per cent to $84.6 million for the six months ended Dec 31 last year, the mainboard- listed group said yesterday. This was... [Read more]

SM's call to wealthy: Give 0.5% of annual pay to needy
THIS is a call from Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong: If you are wealthy, donate at least 0.5 per cent of your annual income to help the needy. Mr Goh made it yesterday, saying he hoped Singapore will one day become... [Read more]

In the 50s, it was a passion
Mr Wong Ming Yan, 62, has been selling wonton noodles in Jalan Bukit Merah with his wife for more than 20 years. He told The Straits Times in Mandarin that he started lion dancing at 16. A member of the Singapore... [Read more]

Why the deal with N. Korea is unique
IGNORING criticism from neo-conservatives at home, US President George Bush hailed this week's deal over North Korea as 'unique', bringing the world closer 'to a Korea peninsula that is free of nuclear weapons'.The term 'unique' in this context can have two... [Read more]

Foreign investors wary despite asset growth
LONDON - FOREIGN investors are looking at Japan with a mixture of craving and consternation. Those with Japanese assets are seeing them forge ahead as the economy shows signs of real recovery, earning returns that had been promised for so long... [Read more]