With 43 percent of Singaporean men between 30 and 34 - the prime marrying age - unattached, See has plenty of potential clients in the wealthy city.
Among women in the same age group, singles make up 31 percent, resulting in an imbalance against the men, who also have to compete with foreign professionals working in Singapore in wooing local girls.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
many locals escape NS in JB
The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd: Sun, Mar 27
Home to educator Denyse Tessensohn had always been Singapore. But two years ago, after agonising over it, her family uprooted from their five-room Zion Road flat to settle in Johor, Malaysia, instead.
Her younger son, Mikhil, 25, an aspiring music therapist, had a place to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. But when they worked out the sums, the family found that they could not afford Mikhil's overseas education if they continued to live in Singapore.
Two years on, they have since found the move not as painful as they had expected. Ms Tessensohn, 60, and her husband Steve Hogan, 62, refer to their 9,000 sq ft home as a 'modest bungalow'. Spacious as it is compared to their former HDB flat, it is the second smallest home in the Ledang Heights estate in Nusajaya, west of Johor Baru city.
For the $400,000 price tag, they have four bedrooms, a garden, parking space and membership in the estate's clubhouse which has a pool, gym and restaurant.
'Our living cost is much lower; utilities are a quarter of what we used to pay,' Ms Tessensohn said. 'It's quiet, there's space, good air. It's affordable and there's very good food.'
The couple commute to work in Singapore five days a week. Mr Hogan is an artist and teacher.
Moving to Johor
More Singaporean families have gone to live in and commute from Johor. They are attracted to its up-and-coming residential city Nusajaya, where big houses and a quality lifestyle can be had on middle-class incomes.
Take the figures at East Ledang and Horizon Hills, two estates in Nusajaya where expatriates make up half of the residents. Of the foreigners, 80 per cent are Singaporean.
Nusajaya
From the sky, Nusajaya resembles a city in progress. Patches of construction areas and swathes of virgin greenery make up the bulk of the 9,308ha landscape.
There is access to the highways bound for Johor Baru city or the Tuas checkpoint, both 20 minutes' ride away. Nusajaya is said to be on the way to becoming one of the most sought-after residential cities in Johor.
It is part of the Iskandar Malaysia project to develop Johor into an economic powerhouse. The area, including regions such as Johor Baru city, Senai and Pontian, is three times the size of Singapore.
In Nusajaya itself, various hubs are in the pipeline. There is EduCity, a 242ha collection of brand-name colleges and research centres, including Britain's Newcastle University and Singapore's MDIS. Newcastle's medical college will be ready there by this year.
Its integrated theme park, Legoland Malaysia, is due to be completed by next year. A transport hub has also been planned for the area, with a coastal highway due to be ready by next year.
Residential enclaves - like Ms Tessensohn's estate - have already sprung up. Each estate touts itself grander than the next. Nusajaya's Horizon Hills, for example, features an 18-hole award-winning golf course at residents' doorsteps.
Despite the premium pricing for houses in Nusajaya - starting from RM700,000 (S$292,000) for terrace units with about 5,000 sq ft in built-up space - they are popular with Singaporeans, who make up half the clientele.
Technology consultant Wu Qi (not his real name), is one of them. His semi-detached house cost him less than RM800,000 when he bought it two years ago. It takes him about an hour to travel to his office in Singapore's Central Business District each workday.
But the 34-year-old said: 'It is worth it. I enjoy the fresh air, the space and the freedom. It's not really about the travelling cost but whether it makes long-term sense.'
The lower cost of living was also a draw for Mr Steven Wong, 40, who has a weekend home in Setia Indah. The manufacturing firm manager estimates that food items in Malaysia are two to three times cheaper, thanks to the currency conversion.
'Living here is so much cheaper,' he said. 'The money saved can go towards my retirement. If I still live in Singapore, I won't be able to retire in comfort.'
Fitting in
Australian writer Kaz Augustin, 45, spent two years in Singapore before she moved to Johor Baru with her husband and two children in 2008.
Recreation for the family includes visiting the Ledang Heights estate's clubhouse and restaurants. They also take walks in the park in the estate, or enjoy the nearby lake in their motorised speedboat.
Bukit Indah, which is about 10 minutes away by car for the Augustins, has supermarket chains such as Jusco and Tesco, and shops. Residents there are awaiting the completion of Legoland and Puteri Harbour, a waterfront development. Till then, they spend their free time around the usual places in their gated communities, and however far their cars can take them out of Nusajaya
Home to educator Denyse Tessensohn had always been Singapore. But two years ago, after agonising over it, her family uprooted from their five-room Zion Road flat to settle in Johor, Malaysia, instead.
Her younger son, Mikhil, 25, an aspiring music therapist, had a place to study at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. But when they worked out the sums, the family found that they could not afford Mikhil's overseas education if they continued to live in Singapore.
Two years on, they have since found the move not as painful as they had expected. Ms Tessensohn, 60, and her husband Steve Hogan, 62, refer to their 9,000 sq ft home as a 'modest bungalow'. Spacious as it is compared to their former HDB flat, it is the second smallest home in the Ledang Heights estate in Nusajaya, west of Johor Baru city.
For the $400,000 price tag, they have four bedrooms, a garden, parking space and membership in the estate's clubhouse which has a pool, gym and restaurant.
'Our living cost is much lower; utilities are a quarter of what we used to pay,' Ms Tessensohn said. 'It's quiet, there's space, good air. It's affordable and there's very good food.'
The couple commute to work in Singapore five days a week. Mr Hogan is an artist and teacher.
Moving to Johor
More Singaporean families have gone to live in and commute from Johor. They are attracted to its up-and-coming residential city Nusajaya, where big houses and a quality lifestyle can be had on middle-class incomes.
Take the figures at East Ledang and Horizon Hills, two estates in Nusajaya where expatriates make up half of the residents. Of the foreigners, 80 per cent are Singaporean.
Nusajaya
From the sky, Nusajaya resembles a city in progress. Patches of construction areas and swathes of virgin greenery make up the bulk of the 9,308ha landscape.
There is access to the highways bound for Johor Baru city or the Tuas checkpoint, both 20 minutes' ride away. Nusajaya is said to be on the way to becoming one of the most sought-after residential cities in Johor.
It is part of the Iskandar Malaysia project to develop Johor into an economic powerhouse. The area, including regions such as Johor Baru city, Senai and Pontian, is three times the size of Singapore.
In Nusajaya itself, various hubs are in the pipeline. There is EduCity, a 242ha collection of brand-name colleges and research centres, including Britain's Newcastle University and Singapore's MDIS. Newcastle's medical college will be ready there by this year.
Its integrated theme park, Legoland Malaysia, is due to be completed by next year. A transport hub has also been planned for the area, with a coastal highway due to be ready by next year.
Residential enclaves - like Ms Tessensohn's estate - have already sprung up. Each estate touts itself grander than the next. Nusajaya's Horizon Hills, for example, features an 18-hole award-winning golf course at residents' doorsteps.
Despite the premium pricing for houses in Nusajaya - starting from RM700,000 (S$292,000) for terrace units with about 5,000 sq ft in built-up space - they are popular with Singaporeans, who make up half the clientele.
Technology consultant Wu Qi (not his real name), is one of them. His semi-detached house cost him less than RM800,000 when he bought it two years ago. It takes him about an hour to travel to his office in Singapore's Central Business District each workday.
But the 34-year-old said: 'It is worth it. I enjoy the fresh air, the space and the freedom. It's not really about the travelling cost but whether it makes long-term sense.'
The lower cost of living was also a draw for Mr Steven Wong, 40, who has a weekend home in Setia Indah. The manufacturing firm manager estimates that food items in Malaysia are two to three times cheaper, thanks to the currency conversion.
'Living here is so much cheaper,' he said. 'The money saved can go towards my retirement. If I still live in Singapore, I won't be able to retire in comfort.'
Fitting in
Australian writer Kaz Augustin, 45, spent two years in Singapore before she moved to Johor Baru with her husband and two children in 2008.
Recreation for the family includes visiting the Ledang Heights estate's clubhouse and restaurants. They also take walks in the park in the estate, or enjoy the nearby lake in their motorised speedboat.
Bukit Indah, which is about 10 minutes away by car for the Augustins, has supermarket chains such as Jusco and Tesco, and shops. Residents there are awaiting the completion of Legoland and Puteri Harbour, a waterfront development. Till then, they spend their free time around the usual places in their gated communities, and however far their cars can take them out of Nusajaya
foreigers get free scholarship locals get 15 mths jail
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110311-0000228/Soldiers-plead-guilty-but-appeal-against-detention-sentences
SINGAPORE - Three soldiers tasked with protecting a key installation ended up damaging private property.
The three Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen appeared in the Military Court of Appeal yesterday to appeal against their detention sentences, which their lawyers said were too excessive.
Third Sergeant (3SG) Chiam Toon Chong, 23; Lance-Corporal (LCP) Tan Fu Ning; and LCP Tan Yong Cheng, both 21; were among a group of five servicemen who took several new Kia Koup cars shipped to the Sembawang Wharves for a joyride on Aug 6 last year.
The men had been deployed to protect the key installation that night but raced against one another in the vehicles, damaging them.
They pleaded guilty to several charges, including theft of a motor vehicle, driving without a licence and leaving a place of duty as a sentry without being relieved.
3SG Chiam, LCP Tan Fu Ning and LCP Tan Yong Cheng had been sentenced to detention of 15 months, nine months and 10 months, respectively.
The trio appealed against their detention sentences, which their lawyers said were "manifestly excessive".
They argued the men were first-time offenders who were youthful, immature, mischievous and ignorant of the consequences.
Chief Military Prosecutor Hui Choon Kuen, however, argued that the servicemen "were a group of soldiers who belong to a unit and (were) performing a mission then".
3SG Chiam's lawyer, Mr A P Thirumurthy, also wondered whether there was actual theft and permanent loss of property involved.
After the joyrides, the cars were returned to the places from which they were removed, he argued.
Mr Hui replied that damage to the cars amounted to $13,056.
He also singled out 3SG Chiam - the only professional soldier in the group - as the ringleader who had instigated the others to abandon their sentry posts to drive the cars.
The men's lawyers submitted that the Subordinate Military Court had erred in stating that theft of motor vehicle offences under the Penal Code attracted a minimum mandatory jail term of 12 months.
Under the revised Penal Code - which came into effect in 2008 - there is no minimum mandatory jail term of 12 months for such cases.
The five-person Military Court of Appeal reserved judgment after a two-hour hearing.
Justice Choo Han Teck, who is also its president, instructed parties to make further submissions on whether the servicemen's convictions of theft were "sustainable in law".
SINGAPORE - Three soldiers tasked with protecting a key installation ended up damaging private property.
The three Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen appeared in the Military Court of Appeal yesterday to appeal against their detention sentences, which their lawyers said were too excessive.
Third Sergeant (3SG) Chiam Toon Chong, 23; Lance-Corporal (LCP) Tan Fu Ning; and LCP Tan Yong Cheng, both 21; were among a group of five servicemen who took several new Kia Koup cars shipped to the Sembawang Wharves for a joyride on Aug 6 last year.
The men had been deployed to protect the key installation that night but raced against one another in the vehicles, damaging them.
They pleaded guilty to several charges, including theft of a motor vehicle, driving without a licence and leaving a place of duty as a sentry without being relieved.
3SG Chiam, LCP Tan Fu Ning and LCP Tan Yong Cheng had been sentenced to detention of 15 months, nine months and 10 months, respectively.
The trio appealed against their detention sentences, which their lawyers said were "manifestly excessive".
They argued the men were first-time offenders who were youthful, immature, mischievous and ignorant of the consequences.
Chief Military Prosecutor Hui Choon Kuen, however, argued that the servicemen "were a group of soldiers who belong to a unit and (were) performing a mission then".
3SG Chiam's lawyer, Mr A P Thirumurthy, also wondered whether there was actual theft and permanent loss of property involved.
After the joyrides, the cars were returned to the places from which they were removed, he argued.
Mr Hui replied that damage to the cars amounted to $13,056.
He also singled out 3SG Chiam - the only professional soldier in the group - as the ringleader who had instigated the others to abandon their sentry posts to drive the cars.
The men's lawyers submitted that the Subordinate Military Court had erred in stating that theft of motor vehicle offences under the Penal Code attracted a minimum mandatory jail term of 12 months.
Under the revised Penal Code - which came into effect in 2008 - there is no minimum mandatory jail term of 12 months for such cases.
The five-person Military Court of Appeal reserved judgment after a two-hour hearing.
Justice Choo Han Teck, who is also its president, instructed parties to make further submissions on whether the servicemen's convictions of theft were "sustainable in law".
Monday, March 21, 2011
how the poor can beat bill gates
the anti-NS party policy is to abolish NS so that poor people are given a chance in life. What bill gates and warren buff dont have is youth and the underprevilidged ace card should not be wasted in NS.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
what would trigger a explosion in sg ?
you only need a external force to expose the dangerous nuclear core that can will reach critical mass for a explosion.
Same for NS. As the true talents get turn off by NS and leave the country , fake talents come in as replacement. Very soon , you just need a external force to tip sg into a spiral inward for total collapse to reveal a hollow empty core.
Same for NS. As the true talents get turn off by NS and leave the country , fake talents come in as replacement. Very soon , you just need a external force to tip sg into a spiral inward for total collapse to reveal a hollow empty core.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
you are treated like worst than a dog in NS
SAF court raises doubts on car theft convictions
Military appeal court asks whether joyride should be considered as theft
By Khushwant Singh
DOES taking someone else's car for a joyride, then parking it back where you found it, constitute theft?
This question was asked by the Military Court of Appeal on Thursday as it considered the case of three soldiers who did just that while on a security operation at Sembawang Wharves.
Last December, the trio were sentenced to detention for between nine and 15 months for offences which included taking joyrides in several new Kia Koup cars that were due to be shipped abroad.
They appealed against their sentences, but Singapore's top military court raised doubts on Thursday about whether the theft convictions were sustainable under the law.
Supreme Court Registrar Foo Chee Hock, a member of the five-man appeals panel, asked if the offence should be considered as theft as the cars were never taken out of the vicinity of the wharves.
The panel gave the men's lawyers and military prosecutors seven days to submit arguments on whether the convictions were sustainable.
Military appeal court asks whether joyride should be considered as theft
By Khushwant Singh
DOES taking someone else's car for a joyride, then parking it back where you found it, constitute theft?
This question was asked by the Military Court of Appeal on Thursday as it considered the case of three soldiers who did just that while on a security operation at Sembawang Wharves.
Last December, the trio were sentenced to detention for between nine and 15 months for offences which included taking joyrides in several new Kia Koup cars that were due to be shipped abroad.
They appealed against their sentences, but Singapore's top military court raised doubts on Thursday about whether the theft convictions were sustainable under the law.
Supreme Court Registrar Foo Chee Hock, a member of the five-man appeals panel, asked if the offence should be considered as theft as the cars were never taken out of the vicinity of the wharves.
The panel gave the men's lawyers and military prosecutors seven days to submit arguments on whether the convictions were sustainable.
more sg males revolt against NS slavery
45723.1
NS Men: Call of duty and what the elections mean to us
March 10th, 2011 | Author: Contributions | Edit
With the General Election soon approaching us, I would like to call for all of us Male Singaporean Citizens, who have completed their NS commitment or are still going through it to come together for this GE.
The 2.5 years, with 13 year reservist cycles, coupled with IPPT and remedial training if you fail, becomes a liability when we have the influx of cheap labor pounding the very land that we pledge to defend.
While we are out in the field, our foreign talent gets ahead in their careers in Singapore, and we have to ask ourselves what recognition does the PAP government acknowledge us in terms of benefits?
Why do we not have a certain level of privilege when it comes to medical treatment, why is it we do not have privilege HDB housing benefits when leasing the 99 year HDB flat.
Is there no need to acknowledge the NS men¡¯s contribution, the recent payout for NS men is a slap on the face, if there were a rule where the NS men could pay that amount back to be exempted from NS liability, I am sure most Singaporeans citizens would take up that offer.
The defense budget is one of the heavier expense driven item for Singapore, but why is it we cannot reduce the defense budget and allocate a certain portion to the Singaporean male citizens?
Who is going to operate the hardware if we do not take care of these NS Men?
This election my vote goes to the opposition because I do not want my sons to grow up with that NS liability, as it is likely his bosses will be foreigners who will hire people from their native country, and he has to start from ground zero while the PAP provides jobs for foreigners and NS for Singaporeans.
My fellow NS brothers, do consider the vulnerable situation, we are in and it is in our own interest that we consider the NS liabilities versus the career stability and opportunity cost, for doing National Service without any Singaporean privileges.
Also one worrying factor on my mind is the recent incident of the NS men that went into coma while on store man duty and the financial challenges that came with it later on
This could happen to anyone!
Vote for change, vote for opposition and NS Men benefits
Cheers
NS Men
NS Men: Call of duty and what the elections mean to us
March 10th, 2011 | Author: Contributions | Edit
With the General Election soon approaching us, I would like to call for all of us Male Singaporean Citizens, who have completed their NS commitment or are still going through it to come together for this GE.
The 2.5 years, with 13 year reservist cycles, coupled with IPPT and remedial training if you fail, becomes a liability when we have the influx of cheap labor pounding the very land that we pledge to defend.
While we are out in the field, our foreign talent gets ahead in their careers in Singapore, and we have to ask ourselves what recognition does the PAP government acknowledge us in terms of benefits?
Why do we not have a certain level of privilege when it comes to medical treatment, why is it we do not have privilege HDB housing benefits when leasing the 99 year HDB flat.
Is there no need to acknowledge the NS men¡¯s contribution, the recent payout for NS men is a slap on the face, if there were a rule where the NS men could pay that amount back to be exempted from NS liability, I am sure most Singaporeans citizens would take up that offer.
The defense budget is one of the heavier expense driven item for Singapore, but why is it we cannot reduce the defense budget and allocate a certain portion to the Singaporean male citizens?
Who is going to operate the hardware if we do not take care of these NS Men?
This election my vote goes to the opposition because I do not want my sons to grow up with that NS liability, as it is likely his bosses will be foreigners who will hire people from their native country, and he has to start from ground zero while the PAP provides jobs for foreigners and NS for Singaporeans.
My fellow NS brothers, do consider the vulnerable situation, we are in and it is in our own interest that we consider the NS liabilities versus the career stability and opportunity cost, for doing National Service without any Singaporean privileges.
Also one worrying factor on my mind is the recent incident of the NS men that went into coma while on store man duty and the financial challenges that came with it later on
This could happen to anyone!
Vote for change, vote for opposition and NS Men benefits
Cheers
NS Men
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