Latest News Updates, All round the World

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NKF to cut dialysis charges by another 10%: Health Minister Khaw
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

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SINGAPORE : The new National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is due to slash dialysis charges by another 10%, after its initial round of cost reduction last year.

Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan told Parliament his ministry will be publishing detailed comparison of kidney dialysis charges by different providers on its website.

He also spoke of the need to rethink how renal failure patients are managed in Singapore.

The NKF has a lion's share of the kidney dialysis market - servicing 50% of the renal failure patients. The rest of the patients are serviced by private centres, hospitals and charities.

So NKF, Mr Khaw says, should have the most competitive cost structure.

Since scaling back its fundraising and administrative activities, it has kept cost down and could further reduce dialysis fees which currently hover at around $2,000.

Health Minister Khaw said: "They have significantly reduced the involvement and therefore the headcount and costs. They have done the first round but this is not the end of it.

"In fact, I have received an email from the CEO, Prof Goh Chee Leok, of the 10% reduction very soon, within days."

The Health Ministry will also publish dialysis charges by different providers on its website to help them review their cost structures and lower costs further.

Mr Khaw added that the recent NKF uproar has made the Health Ministry rethink the approaches to manage renal failure patients.

In particular, comparison with countries like Norway, Spain and the US has shown that Singapore fell short when it comes to kidney transplants.

"In Norway, the vast majority of renal failure patients undergo transplants. Only 28% are on dialysis. In Singapore, it's the reverse - 73% are on dialysis with a small minority going for kidney transplants," said Khaw.

"I've already asked the NKF board to think long term, say in 10 years time, what you want NKF to be. Is it still more of the same? I hope not and I don't think that is right or wise. Instead we should be pushing for more modalities, peritoneal and of course, live donor transplants."

Still, Mr Khaw said Singapore has the highest five-year survival rate among its renal failure patients, at over 48% compared to US and Europe. - CNA

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RECORD panel recommends financial incentives for NSmen
By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia

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SINGAPORE : About 700,000 current and ex-National Servicemen could be getting a one-off bonus and other financial incentives if recommendations by a defence panel are approved by the government.

The Committee to Recognise the Contribution of Operationally-Ready NSmen to Total Defence (RECORD IV) has also asked for a special award to be given out to all 20,000 Operationally-Ready NSmen who complete their training cycle every year.

Singapore marks 40 years of national service next year.

The 18-member committee proposed, as part of the next government surplus-sharing exercise, a one-off bonus for all serving and former NSmen.

Dr Ng Eng Hen, Second Defence Minister and Chairman of RECORD IV Committee, would not say what the amount would be except that unlike past exercises, an even higher quantum would be given to those who have completed their NS duties.

The committee also recommended that key NS appointment holders receive more allowances and an additional tax relief of $2,000 over and above what they are currently entitled to.

Dr Ng said: "The key appointment holder's roles and responsibilities within the Police and SCDF have been stepped up in response to counter-terrorism threats.

"These key appointment holders are responsible for maintaining the training level and operational readiness of their units and building a climate that fosters ideas, commitment and camaraderie among their men. Their sacrifice and dedication to NS should be given recognition."

Dr Ng said the recommendations should not be seen as commensurate with the investment or sacrifice made by NSmen - they are not meant to be tallied.

Rather, he said it was a tangible expression, a simple way of appreciating the role of every NSmen in the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

But the rank-and-file are not forgotten.

The committee wants the Ministry of Defence to give an award - which could be a one-time payout - to all Operationally-Ready NSmen who complete their training cycle.

Lieutenant-Colonel (NS) Edmund Leong, Brigade Second-in-Command and Key Appointment Holder and Record IV Committee Member, said: "In general, there were a lot of bread and butter issues through the rank and file.

"At the end of the day we felt that we have to acknowledge all of them. These are concerns, these are points to incorporate as much as as can. So through the discussion, we decided that maybe overall, let us acknowledge everyone, so that we do not target any specific groups and miss out other groups.

"Ultimately this is just a symbol of recognition. We all agree that it is not a one-for-one exchange. We cannot measure how much this is worth to you. I think sacrifices are inevitable.

"Every single Singaporean man has to go through these sacrifices - some more, some to a lesser extent, everyone sacrifices. And if we were to do a one-for-one sacrifice for your effort, it is not feasible. At the end of the day, we acknowledge that this is a recognition, rather than an outright compensation for work done."

Dr Ng said: "Instead of pegging it to this and that, we just decided to give a completion NS award. It recognises everybody similarly for finishing it.

"Regardless of rank, you get the same amount because you have completed it. So it is equal recognition if you like, even if there were unequal positions."

Other recommendations include simplified exit controls to exempt NSmen who have completed their Operationally-Ready NS training from having to notify the Defence Ministry of short overseas trip.

Full-time NSmen will only need to apply for an exit permit if they are going abroad for three months or longer.

There will also be smoother transition from NS to working life through enhancements in the e-learning (or e-PREP) scheme and a certificate of service.

There will also be better family and employer support for national service with more funds for social activities and more regular dialogue sessions.

The committee also recommended building a new SAFRA in Jurong to serve NSmen and their families living in the western part of Singapore.

Another recommendation is a museum to showcase the history of National Service, which will also help Singaporeans better appreciate the crucial role of National Service in national defence.

Ms Lim Mei Mei, RECORD IV Committee Member, said: "I think Total Defence is not just the responsibility of the NSmen but also the home bodies, that means the wife, the children and family members.

"A pro-active role that we spouse can play is to understand first of all, what our men do during reservist. And to understand that we have to be educated. That can be done through SAF exhibitions and fairs.

"Besides, have more interactive relationship with other NSmen's wives as well. So when our men go on reservist, we know there are some contacts we could establish that in times of emergency who do we go to?

"A suggestion is to establish a help line. One suggestion is to have more activities at all the different SAFRA clubs. We feel that the SAFRA Clubs could be a base for each different zone for NSmen's families to gather for common activities."

The committee has presented its report to Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Mr Teo said the government would study it and implement as many of the recommendations as possible.

The government is expected to give its response during the budget debate. - CNA

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Banks assure new $2 polymer notes enough to meet demand
By Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia

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SINGAPORE : As the Lunar New Year approaches, demand for the new $2 polymer note just keeps growing.

Banks have given the assurance there is enough to go around, since the notes are replenished daily.

But at crowded branches, quotas have to be set on how much each customer can exchange for.

Banks said queues for the new notes were relatively higher this year, since they were issued just before Lunar New Year.

And the demand is not just coming from the Chinese.

Mohd Hanafiah, Shipping Clerk, said: "I have a friend who is from Norway, coming to Singapore. And they are going to bring these $2 notes back as hongbaos for the Chinese community down there. And that is the reason why I am queueing for it."

According to people in the queue, the wait takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

At DBS Bank, the maximum exchange amount has been pegged to $200 per person, just in case the daily replenishments of notes do not come in on time. But the bank says the rule is not compulsory for every customer.

The exchange quota varies from bank to bank and depends on the demand of the day.

And customers are advised to come back the next day if banks run out of the day's supply.

A spokesman for OCBC Bank said it would request for more new notes from the Monetary Authority of Singapore if the daily allocations cannot meet demand. - CNA

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Contraband cigarettes found in Malaysian bus at Checkpoint
By Joanne Leow, Channel NewsAsia

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SINGAPORE : 1,700 cartons of contraband cigarettes were discovered when a Malaysian bus and its driver was stopped for a routine check at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

Immigration and Checkpoint Authority Officers found the contraband items in a secret compartment under the floorboard of the bus.

The 25-year-old Malaysian bus driver was arrested and the bus seized immediately.

He confessed that he was promised RM800 to smuggle the cigarettes into Singapore.

The customs duties and GST involved was estimated to be over S$100,000.

If evading customs duties, first time offenders can be fined up to a maximum of 20 times the amount of duty evaded.

Subsequent convictions can result in a jail term of up to 2 years as well as a fine.

ICA says would-be offenders might take advantage of the peak festive period to try bringing unlawful goods into Singapore, and that it will continue to remain vigilant. - CNA

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NKF cuts dialysis fees, new admission rules to stretch donations
By Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia

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SINGAPORE : Starting next month, the National Kidney Foundation will reduce its dialysis fees by another 7.4 percent.

But to stretch public donation dollars, it has tightened admission rules to take in only truly needy new patients.

NKF is also getting tough on 312 patients who owe the charity S$1.3 million.

From February 1, NKF patients will pay just S$150 for each dialysis session, down from the current S$162.

The reduction brings to 25 percent the total cut in dialysis fees since the new board and management took over six months ago.

With the latest round of fees reduction, NKF's dialysis costs will be among the lowest in Singapore.

But NKF wants to prevent those who can afford private care from taking advantage of its heavily-subsidised programmes.

So it has come up with a new admission policy.

For a start, NKF will only take on new kidney patients.

It is turning away those already being treated in private centres, unless they prove to be in dire financial difficulty.

Priority will be given to patients with a family income of less than S$3,500.

Those who fail this means test will be assessed by their per capita income.

Patients whose applications are rejected could appeal to the NKF Patient Appeal Committee.

Those who fail in their appeal will have very low priority for entry into NKF's dialysis programme, and they will also have to pay a premium dialysis fee.

But NKF wants to cap such full-paying patients at 10 percent of its total dialysis capacity.

Currently 199 patients, or some 11 percent of its 1,840 patients, do not receive any subsidies.

To stretch its donations to help as many as possible, NKF is scaling its subsidies according to patients' affordability.

It is also getting tough with those who owe dialysis fess.

Over the last five or six years, 312 patients have chalked up bad debt ranging from a few hundred dollars to S$22,000 each for a total of S$1.3 million; 5 percent of them are recalcitrant defaulters.

Since the NKF saga, the number of defaulters has risen by over 30 percent.

Said NKF Chairman Gerard Ee, "There are people who because of the saga, the negative publicity, they are taking advantage of it and say we are just not going to pay, because I'm not happy with what has happened. Those who have the money but who choose not to pay we will have to be firmer.

"But we'll counsel them first, try and work out instalments with them, give lots of reminders. And when it has run its course over six or seven months, then we'll have to tell them to go elsewhere. If they run to the public, go to the press and cry foul, at least we have a dossier to show that we have been very patient, given lots of persuasion and they choose not to pay."

The 312 patients who owe NKF dialysis fees will be reviewed by the NKF Department of Patient Advancement.

But those with genuine difficulties will be given more subsidies to settle their debts. - CNA

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NUS researchers discover world's smallest fish in Sumatra
By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia

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SINGAPORE : Researchers from the National University of Singapore have discovered the world's smallest fish in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra in Indonesia.

But the tiny carp's survival is under threat because its natural habitat is being destroyed.

The world's smallest fish - Paedocypris progenetica - is fully grown at just 7.9mm from nose to tail.

Dr Tan Heok Hui, NUS Research Officer at Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, said: "It is something totally unexpected. In fact when we first got the fish, our reaction was "it's all juveniles, why are there so many of it?" And on closer inspection under the microscope we saw some of them are so bloated."

The bloated fish were actually carrying eggs - a sign of a mature female.

Further studies revealed distinct male and female characteristics which is unusual for the carp family.

The males have longer, stronger pelvic fins which suggest an unusual reproduction mode, while the females carry one ripe egg at a time, similar to humans.

Dr Tan added: "They also exhibit reduced covering of the skull so actually partially exposing the brain, so when you look at the fish from a dorsal view, from the top, there's a very bright red spot which we think is just pigmentation."

Unfortunately the outlook for the tiny fish is bleak because it lives in peat swamps in Southeast Asia where the water is dark and acidic.

But these areas are often considered to be mosquito-breeding grounds which destroys the environment and the specific conditions this fish needs to survive. - CNA

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China's Lunar fireworks frenzy kills 36 FROM CNA

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A man burns a stick of firecrackers

BEIJING - Fireworks explosions killed 36 people and injured hundreds more in China as traditional Lunar New Year celebrations led to much mayhem as well as joy across the nation, officials and state media said Monday.

In the most serious accident, 36 people at a temple fair in the central province of Henan were killed on New Year's Day Sunday when a nearby store room full of fireworks exploded, Xinhua news agency said.

The accident, in a mountainous area of Anyang city, injured up to 48 other people, it said, quoting sources with the local government.

Sixteen were initially reported to have been killed but the death toll rose after another more bodies were discovered during clear up operations and some victims died of
their injuries, the news agency said.

In the capital Beijing, where a 12-year ban on Lunar New Year fireworks had just been lifted, the government reported 112 people were treated at hospital emergency rooms over the weekend for fireworks-related injuries.

Seventeen people suffered serious eye injuries, the State Administration of Work Safety said in a statement. Another 26 were admitted to hospitals with various types of other wounds, it said.

More than 60 people were treated at Beijing's Tongren Hospital, which is the city's number one medical facility for eye care, the Beijing News reported.

"On New Year's Eve alone, we had more than 40 injuries and among them there were around a dozen people with serious injuries," the paper quoted hospital assistant director Tian Jian as saying.

In China's southwestern Chongqing city, where the fireworks ban was also lifted after 12 years, firefighters rushed to extinguish nearly 200 fires caused by fireworks on New Year's Eve, the Xinhua news agency reported.

"There were 191 fires caused by fireworks overnight on New Year's Eve ... a record for the city," Xinhua quoted a local fireworks official as saying.

"Around 3,000 firefighters gave up the chance to spend the New Year with their families to remain on duty the whole time ... they have been under enormous pressure."

However, Chongqing officials said there had been no reports of injuries.

A ban on fireworks, which are traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits and ghosts trying to enter the new year, was put in place across 200 cities in China in 1994 due to safety and environmental pollution concerns.

The ban was lifted last year for more than 100 cities after authorities said the industry had been cleaned up to ensure higher safety standards. The ban was lifted in Beijing and many other cities this year.

In Beijing, a city of 15 million people, the sounds of huge explosions have for days thundered through the alleyways of traditional courtyard districts as well as the modern areas of new condominiums and office high-rises.

The city's streets have been left littered with used fireworks, with the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau reporting 458 tonnes of such waste collected on New Year's Day alone, according to the Beijing News Daily.

However, amid the fireworks mayhem, state press reported China's 1.3 billion people were largely enjoying the festivities, with celebrations to continue throughout all of this week's worth of public holidays.

Tens of thousands of people flocked to temples in Beijing -- once closed as symbols of feudal superstition by the Communist regime -- on Sunday and Monday. - AFP

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Death toll from Indonesian ferry disaster rises to 30 FROM CNA

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Rescuers escort a ferry accident survivor in Kupang, the capital of the western half of Timor island

JAKARTA : Rescuers searching for victims of a sunken ferry in eastern Indonesia found one survivor as well as 21 more bodies, bringing the death toll for the disaster to 30.

The survivor was found stranded on a small island three days after the ferry sank in heavy seas, port chief Bambang Yulianto told AFP from Kupang, the main town of the western half of Timor island.

Most of the deceased were found Friday washed ashore along the coast of Semau island, near Kupang.

Yulianto said it was not known how many people were still missing, if any, but the search operation would continue until Monday.

Rescuers had earlier saved 123 people, many of whom were wearing life jackets.

The ferry was travelling between Kupang, and the island of Rote when it encountered rough seas and capsized.

Some 105 passengers and crew members were listed on the vessel's manifest but an unknown further number boarded the ship in four trucks and seven cars.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago nation, relies heavily on marine transportation, but weak enforcement of safety standards and regular overcrowding have led to frequent deadly accidents.

Kupang is around 2,000 kilometres (1,250 miles) east of the capital Jakarta.
- AFP

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Anger grows across Asia over cartoons row FROM CNA

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Angry protesters shout anti-Denmark slogans in front of the Danish embassy

ISLAMABAD - Asian Muslims angered by cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad held new protests on Friday amid dire warnings that the drawings could stoke tensions between the Muslim world and the West.

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai strongly condemned the publication of the drawings in Danish and other European dailies.

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, about 100 members of a hardline Islamic group forced their way into the building in the capital Jakarta where Denmark's diplomatic mission is located.

"Let's go jihad, we're ready for jihad," the protesters chanted as several pelted the embassy with eggs. One poster said: "Let's slaughter the Danish ambassador!"

The demonstrators were ejected by security forces and left peacefully.

Dozens of protesters from the same group also massed outside the offices of the Indonesian tabloid Rakyat Merdeka, which reportedly published several of the cartoons on its website earlier this week.

The Islamic Community Forum, an umbrella body for several dozen Indonesian religious groups, called on the Danish government to put the cartoonists to death.

Indonesian Vice President Yusuf Kalla said he had protested to the Danish envoy.

Hundreds of Pakistani protesters in major cities burned flags for a second straight day and chanted "Death to Denmark, France and Norway", while the country's senate condemned the publication of the drawings.

"This vicious, outrageous and provocative campaign cannot be justified in the name of freedom of expression or of the press," the resolution said, adding that the cartoons "hurt the faith and feeling of Muslims all over the world".

Musharraf said the cartoons "have inflamed our sentiments and in the strongest terms I condemn it."

"Any educated person who has any understanding of the situation around the world would not like to hurt the sentiments of the Muslims," the official Associated Press of Pakistan quoted Musharraf as saying at his military office in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near the capital.

Foreign ministry spokesman Tasnim Aslam said Pakistan had summoned the Danish envoy in November, just after the cartoons were first published, and lodged an official protest.

Copenhagen altered its travel advisory for Pakistan in November after it said an official from the leading Jamaat-e-Islami religious party had announced a reward for the deaths of the cartoonists. The party denied doing so.

In Afghanistan, Karzai called on Muslims to be forgiving about the cartoons, saying they should not cause a dispute between cultures.

Karzai however also reiterated his "strong objection" about the drawings first published in Danish daily Jyllands-Posten last year and several European newspapers recently, saying they should never be printed again.

At least 15 people were killed in deeply religious Afghanistan last May in protests that erupted after US magazine Newsweek wrongly reported that the Koran had been mistreated at a US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Coverage of the cartoons controversy has been low-key in Malaysia, with reports confined to the foreign pages and little home-grown commentary or editorials.

The fundamentalist opposition Islamic party said it would present a protest letter to the Danish embassy in Kuala Lumpur after Friday prayers but that in view of recent apologies from Danish leaders the matter was now closed. - AFP

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1,000 missing or dead after Egypt ferry tragedy
FROM CNA

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Egyptian families wait for news of their relatives

SAFAGA, Egypt : Rescue teams were scouring the Red Sea for survivors after an Egyptian ferry sank, leaving more than 1,000 people dead or missing in one of the worst maritime tragedies in years.

The owners of the Panamanian-flagged 'Al-Salam Boccaccio 98' said between 300 and 400 of the more than 1,400 people on board had been rescued, but police could confirm just 241 people found alive.

The official toll stood at 185 confirmed dead but maritime sources said heavy seas and strong winds were complicating the work of rescue teams and hundreds more people remained unaccounted for.

It was not known whether there were enough life jackets for the passengers but as water temperatures further dropped during the night, rescuers feared many would not survive much longer.

With almost 24 hours gone since the ship encountered difficulties, controversy had emerged over the 36-year-old vessel's compliance with safety regulations and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak demanded an immediate investigation.

The passengers, mainly Egyptians working in Gulf countries or returning from the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, were heading to Safaga when contact was lost shortly after the last reported distress signal at around 2400 GMT Thursday.

In the small Red Sea resort from which rescue efforts were being coordinated, relatives of the missing were anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.

"Nobody is telling anything, it's unbearable," said Said Ali Said, who rushed from southern Egypt to inquire about the fate of his cousin who worked in Kuwait. "Just tell me if he is dead or alive."

Gathered in an area on the edge of the port dubbed "the pilgrims' village" and initially designed for passengers returning from Mecca, families listened to officials reading out the names of the passengers.

"I spoke to my nephew last night when he was still in Saudi Arabia. We came from Sohag in southern Egypt to find out what the situation was but we have no information for the moment," Abdelazem Mohammed Mahmud told AFP.

Like many Egyptians, his nephew and cousin had found better paid jobs as construction workers in Kuwait and were returning to Egypt to see their family.

Most of the survivors were treated on rescue ships carrying medical teams and equipment and the first to be brought back on shore were taken to Hurghada hospital, north of Safaga.

The Al-Salam Maritime Transport company that owns the ship said that 1,318 passengers were on board, including 1,200 Egyptians, 100 Saudis, six Syrians, four Palestinians as well as Omani, an Emirati, a Yemeni, a Sudanese, an Indonesian, a Jordanian, a Filipino and an American.

It added that the crew consisted of 97 people. Al-Salam is one of the largest maritime transport companies in Egypt, transporting a million passengers each year on 15 ferries all over the region.

One of the ship's sister vessels sank in the Red Sea last October after a collision with a Cypriot tanker.

The Italian firm that certified the ship's seaworthiness is facing prosecution in France for allegedly failing to carry out proper checks on the Maltese-flagged tanker Erika which broke up off the coast of France six years ago.

With mystery still swirling over the cause of the accident, Mubarak swiftly cast doubt on the seaworthiness of the vessel.

"The speed at which the ship sank and the fact there were not enough life rafts on board confirm that there was a (safety) problem but we cannot anticipate the results of the investigation," Mubarak spokesman Suleiman Awad told public television.

There was no indication that the sinking was the result of an attack or a collision with another ship.

A spokesman for the Italian firm RINA which was in charge of inspecting the vessel told AFP that his company was ready to cooperate with investigators.

Only Thursday, a Paris criminal court opened legal proceedings against the company and oil giant Total on charges of pollution and endangerment of life over the sinking of the Erika.

The Egyptian vessel had departed from the Saudi port of Duba and had been due to reach Safaga at 2:30 am local time (0030 GMT) after a crossing of up to 18 hours. The boat was also reported to be carrying more than 40 vehicles.

Andrea Odone, from the operations department of the Al-Salam Maritime Transport company's Cairo headquarters, told AFP that the ship complied with all regulations governing seaworthiness.

"It met all the safety requirements, and it fully complies with international safety rules," he said.

Close to 500 people perished when another Salam Express ferry sank in the Red Sea in 1991.

According to France-based shipping expert Yvan Perchoc, the 'Al-Salam Boccaccio 98' was one of several old Italian ferries to which extra decks had been added in order to boost passenger capacity, sometimes threefold.

"Despite the addition of extra bulges on the sides of these ships, one can wonder about their stability," he told AFP, adding that the draught of such vessels was generally very low. - AFP

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Queues formed islandwide for annual $10m Hong Bao Toto draw
By Kheng Siong/Julia Ng, Channel NewsAsia

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It's five days to the annual Toto $10m Hong Bao Draw and queues have started forming at outlets across the island since Saturday.

At a betting outlet in Yishun Avenue 5, the blazing mid-noon sun on Sunday was no match for the punters' burning desire to become instant millionaires.

That outlet has the reputation of being a 'blessed' spot.

It's where some lucky punters bought their tickets, which later drew top million-dollar prizes.

"I came all the way from Ang Mo Kio. They say this outlet has the best chances of winning. So I came to try my luck," said a punter in the queue.

"Friday got $10 million so I want to budget $100 to buy Toto. I also want to win the 4D, that's why this Saturday, Sunday buy!" said an Indian foreign worker, in broken English.

As the $10m Hong Bao Toto Draw is five days away, punters who want to place their bets for Friday will also have to punt in Monday's draw.

But most would rather place their bets for two draws at one go now than to queue for hours later.

"I spent over $100 betting in both draws. It's easier to bet in both draws. The queue is not too long," said a punter, in Mandarin.

"Buy 4D first, then buy Toto. If I strike 4D, then I can bet more in Toto," said another, also in Mandarin.

The same scene was repeated at another outlet in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.

Most owners of betting outlets say they're extending business hours and increasing manpower in the days leading up to Friday's draw, to cash in on the million-dollar dream that's become almost a Lunar New Year tradition. - CNA

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Police hunt gunman after businessman shot dead in Serangoon
By Rita Zahara, Channel NewsAsia

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SINGAPORE : Police are sparing no efforts in their hunt for a gunman, suspected of killing 41-year-old businessman Lim Hock Soon at his Serangoon Avenue 4 flat on Wednesday.

An islandwide search is now on for the gunman who is still at large.

The suspect is a 1.7 metre tall Chinese man in his late 30s to 40s.

He was last seen wearing an all-black outfit - round-neck T-shirt, pants, shoes and cap - and appeared blind in the right eye.

The public is advised to call the police hotline at 999 if they spot anyone fitting this description.

Police also warn the public not to approach the suspect as he may be armed.

Shocked coupled with anxiety, residents of Serangoon Avenue 4 say their quiet neighbourhood of eight blocks of flats have seen one blow after another.

In the last two months, there have been two reports of snatch thefts and now the murder of a fellow neighbour.

"As a neighbour we just talk, simple word, nothing much, we don't know much about inside."

"In the morning, I heard five, six, or seven loud bangs. I did not know they were gunshots until the police arrived later."

"Early in the morning, I heard a loud bang like gunshots, I thought it was nothing, just someone quarrelling, it was just a while so I continued sleeping - that's all."

After nearly 10 hours, curious onlookers finally saw Police emerging with sealed bags and suitcases - believed to be evidence.

There was also a large item that looked like a chair wrapped in paper.

Police left the scene at 6.30pm - some 12 hours after the alleged murder took place.

Police say Lim's body was found in the study room with gunshot wounds to his head and limbs.

Six empty cartridges were also recovered.

Lim's wife, daughter and maid who were also in the flat were tied up but unharmed.

Police believe the suspect knew Lim and the case looks like a deliberate attack.

They say the house was ransacked and the gunman fled with a blue denim handbag believed to contain cash and jewellery.

Neighbours described the family as quiet and reserved and they often kept to themselves.

Some say the family of the victim is well-off. The victim is believed to own two cars and more than one property other than the flat in Serangoon.

Lim has been staying at the flat for the past 20 years and his mother lives just a few units away on the same floor.

He is also a partner of the Las Vegas nightclub at Havelock Road.

Lim's daughter is believed to be a Secondary 1 student at a nearby school in the estate.

Police are providing the necessary assistance to the family members. - CNA

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Record attendance as Asian Aerospace opens its doors to public
By Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia

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SINGAPORE : It is the first day that Asian Aerospace opened its doors to the public on Saturday, and already the public attendance record set in 2004 was smashed by some 7,000 more visitors.

With Asian Aerospace going into its final public day on Sunday, it will cap a record-breaking four days of trade deals that have been signed, worth some US$15.2 billion.

All eyes were fixed on the action in the sky as the fighter jets, trainer aircraft, and the star of the show - the Airbus A380 - were put through their paces.

The aerial display thrilled those brave enough to tough it out under the baking hot afternoon sun.

Among those in the crowd watching the aerial display was President S.R. Nathan.

The cameras were out in force to capture these moments to remember.

And there's no doubt which aircraft stole this year's show.

Justine Ong said: "The big plane, and I saw the big plane it was really, really big."

Kevin Ong said: "It's fantastic, I've been to this show every two years, this year's attraction was the A380, very huge."

Goh Kok Kheng said: "The 380 was the main attraction of the whole show, it was nice good to see the plane flying for the first time, very impressive, quite stable although a bit slow I would say!"

When the action proved too fast, others simply moved to the static display area to have their pictures taken with the planes and their pilots.

Although this year's Asian Aerospace is the last to be held in Singapore, aviation buffs say they are not disappointed as they are looking forward to its replacement - the Singapore Airshow in 2008.

For those who missed the action on Saturday, they can still catch the roar of the thunderous engines on the final day for the public on Sunday. - CNA

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Singaporeans bid farewell as Rajaratnam's cortege leaves Parliament House
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia

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SINGAPORE : A final farewell.

Those who did not manage to pay their respects as Mr S Rajaratnam lay in state on Friday, said their final goodbye as his funeral procession left Parliament House on Saturday.

Mr Rajaratnam, who suffered from Alzheimer's Disease, had lived the final years of his life out of the public eye, and few young Singaporeans knew of him.

But many say it is important the younger generation are aware of his contributions.

Mohammad Sani said: "I bring my son down here to learn the importance of being a good Singaporean and see what a great man we have lost."

Rajas M. says she is very sad for a man who has done so much for Singapore.

"I like the words he said for the pledge. We are actually one united people, as you can see, we are all here for him," she said.

So although Saturday morning had been set aside for members of the diplomatic corps and other officials to pay their last respects, some still turned up to bid the Singapore statesman farewell as his funeral procession left Parliament House.

Kwan Ai Tee said: "He is my hero, always in my heart because he did a good job for Singapore."

Chen Chuan Ren said: "He is a founding father of Singapore, as a Singaporean I should respect him, follow him through his last moments."

Martin Whipman, a former navy officer from Scotland who is in Singapore for a holiday, also paid tribute to Mr Rajaratnam.

"When I first came here in the Navy in 1964 and he and Lee Kuan Yew were forming this country, this nation ... I think he was a real gentlemen, a kind man," he said.

All the people say they didn't know the late Mr Rajaratnam personally, but his great intellect and humility evoked in them a deep sense of respect, and they say the memories of him will live on in their hearts.

The funeral procession travelled down St Andrew's Road and past the Padang to the Esplanade, where the State funeral service was held. - CNA

[zachweb]

Singapore grateful to former DPM Rajaratnam for his legacy
By May Wong, Channel NewsAsia

(Posted Image)

SINGAPORE : Singapore bids a final farewell to one of its founding fathers, Mr S. Rajaratnam.

In his eulogy, Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh says all in the foreign service celebrate Mr Rajaratnam's life.

He also thanked the former Deputy Prime Minister for his legacy.

"We the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion ..."

These words echoed in the Esplanade's hall as a tribute to Mr Rajaratnam.

He was the one who penned the words to Singapore's National Pledge.

But Mr Rajaratnam's legacy goes beyond that.

Professor Koh cited Mr Rajaratnam's achievements, including his contributions to Singapore's foreign policy and the foreign service.

Mr Rajaratnam also helped to establish the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Professor Koh said: "We celebrate his life and we thank him for his legacy, we thank him for teaching us the virtue of courage, which he demonstrated in full measure when he single-handedly stood up to the bully boys at the Non-Alliance Summit in Havana in 1979.

"We thank him for teaching us the virtue of magnanimity when he extended his hand of friendship to our adversary, the foreign minister of Vietnam. We thank him for teaching us to treat our subordinates, our secretaries, our security officers, our drivers, our domestic help with kindness.

"We thank him for teaching us to love and respect our wives, as he did, his beloved, Piroska. We thank him for teaching us to believe in our National Pledge. And most of all, we thank him for teaching us that it is possible to be a good man in this wicked world."

Mr Rajaratnam's cousin, V K Pillay called him an exemplary person, much loved by his family and fellow citizens.

Dr Pillay said: "He once told me that the next generation of Singaporeans would not experience the troubles of pioneers, would not have the same sense of nation-building. The sacrifices of the pioneers would make no impression on them. Sad to say, I'm beginning to see some of this.

"Let's hope that future generations would be charged with a sense of history to give them strong roots and make them realise the hard fights of the pioneers who gave us a nation of which we can be proud of. Raja had one abiding motto - 'One people, One nation, One Singapore'. To all of you here and all not here, I pay tribute to the wisdom of a founding father, who will always be remembered for what he was - a Singaporean Singaporean."

As the funeral service came to a close, the state flag was folded and handed over to President S.R. Nathan.

And the 1,400 guests also observed a moment of silence before the final bugle call - a last farewell to Mr Rajaratnam. - CNA