Prataman just a witness in signing Contracts

Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the apex body managing the tourism industry within the Arabian Gulf emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the economic development agency of Singapore’s tourism sector, have sealed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at deepening strategic relations and co-operation between the two.
The five-year renewable MOU was signed in Abu Dhabi today between HE Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA and Ms Aw Kah Peng, Chief Executive, STB. It was witnessed by Singapore’s President, HE S. R. Nathan, who is in the UAE capital on an official visit, HE Mohamed Ahmed Al-Bawardi, Secretary General of Abu Dhabi’s Executive Council, and HE Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, ADTA.

“This MOU signifies a coming of age for Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector recognising it as an important and effective driver in the promotion of economic diversification and co-operation, and serves to strengthen the ADTA’s international engagement and collaborative efforts,” said Sheikh Sultan.

Under the MOU the two signatories will exchange information and documentation on professional training for tourism sector employees and explore organisation and industry training initiatives such as study trips, the staging of training seminars for tourism officials and professionals and facilitate training by suitable tourism experts.

The partners will also carry out joint research studies in areas of mutual interest, and share best practices through information and process exchange to deepen their knowledge and skill sets.
“In the STB we have a partner with 45 years experience and numerous international accolades which we can leverage to lead our tourism sector to greater heights and future success,” said Al Muhairi.

“Singapore shares with us the commonality of adopting an open approach to economic and tourism development, as well as that of a small native population with a tourism industry which is, in part, reliant on foreign expertise and labour. Our shared experiences and knowledge will forge new development horizons for the good both of our local human resource pool, and ultimately our destinations.”

The MOU also provides for mutual support and assistance in tourism marketing and promotions in each other’s countries and regions by leveraging their local networks and contacts, as well as the future establishment of tourism promotion offices in each other’s countries.

“Abu Dhabi and Singapore share a common belief and interest in the role of tourism for long term economic growth and development," said Ms. Aw Kah Peng.

"The STB is pleased to enter this MOU with our counterpart in Abu Dhabi as it underscores our long term commitment to the Middle East and reflects Singapore's aim to deepen our engagement with this region," she concluded.

ADTA and STB will also leverage the MOU to facilitate engagement and co-operation between their respective tourism-related private sector enterprises.

Abu Dhabi’s links with Singapore are expanding. The island state’s national carrier, the award-winning Singapore Airlines on March 15 increased its flights from Changi International to Abu Dhabi International from three flights a week to a daily service. Etihad, the Abu Dhabi-based national airline of the UAE, flies thrice-weekly from Abu Dhabi International to Changi International.

Learn how to make Kebabs

Singapore President S R Nathan is in Qatar for the second leg of his state visit to the Gulf.

While this is not the first time the Singapore national anthem is played at the Amiri Diwan — the seat of government in Qatar, this is President Nathan’s first official visit to the Gulf state, as well as his first meeting with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al—Thani.

The meeting coincides with the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In a meeting afterwards, President Nathan and Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al—Thani discussed the state of bilateral relations.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the excellent state of Qatar—Singapore relations, and reaffirmed their interest to enhance the relationship.

They discussed a broad range of international issues, including the impact of the current global economic crisis on their respective countries, as well as developments in the Middle East and East Asia.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al—Thani expressed satisfaction at the progress made in bilateral cooperation and said he looked forward to more being achieved in the future.
He said that he had designated the Heir Apparent of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al—Thani, to take charge and nurture this special relationship that Qatar and Singapore have established.

Most of Qatar’s rapid growth is backed by oil, and Singapore is its third biggest export destination, after Japan and South Korea.

Bilateral trade grew by over 60 per cent in 2007 to reach over S$6.67 billion, and that momentum is set to continue.

Prataman Go Eat Air Again!

Singapore President S R Nathan has begun a two—week state visit to Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He last visited Kuwait in November 2008.

Oman is the second—largest country in the Arabian Peninsula and is one of six countries in the Gulf. Since 1985, Singapore and Oman have enjoyed a strong and positive friendship.

Ties between the two countries will be further strengthened through meetings with Sultan Qaboos bin Said and other top leaders.

In recent years, Singapore firms have also viewed the country as a new market for growth.
Oman’s wealth was closely tied to the sea in ancient times, but in more recent decades, it has made its fortune through oil.

Its oil reserves, however, are small, so Singapore’s success story — achieved despite the lack of natural resources — presents an interesting model of economic development for the Gulf country.

President gives formal approval for draw on past reserves

PRESIDENT S R Nathan has given his formal consent for the Government to draw on past reserves to finance part of the $20.5 billion economic package unveiled in January.

His decision was conveyed in two letters to the Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi dated March 9.

The letters were released to the media yesterday. His decision was also announced in the electronic version of the Government Gazette the same day.

Prataman is really Working!

Immortal ?

A few months ago in January, I visited the Singapore Science Centre. It was like down memory lane again, with childhood memories gushing back as I bump into some of the older exhibits which were there since I was a primary school kid.

What! I got shock is to see my old friend SR Nathan there!

Holographic image of President Nathan, which can move. How spooky as if he is dead...

Arabs meets Prata

United Arab Emirates’ Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Hamdan Zayed Al Nahyan, who is in Singapore for a five—day visit, called on President S.R. Nathan.

During their meetings, the leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including recent developments in the Middle East and Asia, and the impact of the global financial crisis in both regions.

Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said the leaders also discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relationships between Singapore and the UAE, and welcomed the healthy exchange of high—level visits.

On Monday evening, Sheikh Hamdan was hosted to dinner by Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar.

Both deputy prime ministers also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation between the finance ministries of their countries.

The MoU aims to further collaboration between the two ministries through the sharing of experiences in areas of public finance management, such as budgeting, debt management and tax administration, and covers activities such as study visits, seminars and workshops.

Kylie fall in love with Ah Neh

Kylie Minogue is not only shaking a leg for Blue she’s also fallen in love with all things Indian including Bollywood and the sari.

Now it can be told. The reason why Akshay Kumar has been playing Kylie Minogue’s unofficial host in Mumbai is because she is a huge Akshay Kumar fan.

Says a source, “It started when Kylie watched Chandni Chowk To China. She was completely hooked to Akshay’s antics. In fact one of her main incentives for accepting Blue was the opportunity to meet up with Akshay.

When she decided to do the film and the date for her arrival was confirmed she made discreet inquiries about Akshay’s schedules and his availability. She also wanted to go through the full India experience, including the khana,a wedding and of course the Taj Mahal and Jaipur -Rajashthan route.”

While some of of his guests’ primary prerequisites have already been worked out, Akshay is in the process of trying to work out the other details.

Confirming Kylie’s Akshay-centric attitude to Bollywood, the film’s director Anthony D’Souza says, “Kylie is a big Bollywood buff. She’s She has done her homework. She has seen lots of our movies. And she’s a huge Akshay fan.She’s seen lots of his films. I think she was at the premiere of Chandni Chowk To China in London. The comfort level between them comes from the fact that Kylie knows Akshay’s work.”

She’s also able to match steps with her Bollywood co-stars.

Says Tony, “She gets the nuances perfectly correct. And she’s very intelligent.I’ve shot with her for a week and I’m bowled over by her professionalism.And she’s a fantastic performer.”

Kylie has no Hindi dialogues in Blue. But apparently she gets into a saree for a part of her song, though Tony isn’t telling.

2 men from S'pore in Top 50 list for "Best Job in the World"

Two men from Singapore have made it to the top 50 candidates who are shortlisted for what is touted as the "Best Job in the World". They beat more than 34,000 applicants ranging from scientists, chefs and students from around the world.
The two Singaporeans will be up against each other and 48 others for the job of a caretaker of Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef in a tourism promotion by the Queensland state government.
The successful candidate will be paid US$100,000 for six months to enjoy the sun, sea and sand and report his experiences via blogs, photos and video diaries.
For Greg Reynen, a teacher at the Singapore American School, the news that he was shortlisted was a timely birthday present as he has just turned 31.
He said: "I was at my computer and I couldn't believe it, I just screamed and I went running down the hallway. It's an amazing opportunity. It totally fits my personality and I get to go out, meet new people and interact with the locals and tourists. I also get to try new things and be adventurous."
For 24-year-old Jimmy Wong, a freelance diver and photographer, it was a total surprise as well.
He said: "At first, I was definitely in a state of shock, but after that I realised if you do something out of passion and the love for it, you can go far."

The judges were impressed with the duo's video clip submissions.

Leong Pik Yin, manager, Marketing Communications, Tourism Queensland, said: "They were quite creative and their applications were quite out of the box and they met all the five selection criteria." These include being proficient in English and IT savvy.

Tourism Queenland received about 224 applications from Singapore. Besides the two successful applicants from Singapore, two other regional applicants, from Malaysia and Indonesia, made the cut.

The 50 shortlisted applicants will be narrowed down to a final 10. An 11th applicant will be chosen by popular vote via a "wild card" round. You can go to this website to vote.

They will then fly to Hamilton Island in early May to take part in the final selection. The winner will be made known on May 6 and he or she will start work or play on July 1.

To me, the best job in the world is taken by Prataman!

Paki Terror strikes Sri Lankan Cricket Team

Masked gunmen opened fire on the Sri Lankan cricket team's bus in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on Tuesday, killing at least eight people and wounding six team members, police said.
Up to 12 gunmen attacked the team's convoy near the Gaddafi stadium with rockets, hand grenades and automatic weapons, triggering a 25-minute gunbattle with security forces, said Lahore policechief Habib-ur Rehman.

"They appeared to be well-trained terrorists," said Rehman.

A police official said that two civilians and six police officers who were guarding the players were killed in the attack, which happened as the team was heading for the third day's play in the second Test against Pakistan.

Television footage showed several gunmen creeping through trees, crouching to aim their weapons and then running onto the next target.

Crystals of broken glass littered the road next to a gun cartridge and an empty rocket-propelled grenade launcher. A police motorbike was shown crashed sideways into the road at the Liberty Chowk roundabout.

Bullet holes ripped through the windscreen of another vehicle and a white car was shown smashed headlong into the roundabout as nervous security officers guarded the site.

Pakistani officials gave no details about the fate of the gunmen who they said arrived at the scene in rickshaws.

Sri Lankan officials said six team members -- five players and a coach -- were wounded and that the team was immediately ending its tour of Pakistan.

Assistant coach Paul Farbrace and star batsman Thilan Samaraweera were kept in hospital although their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, said Sri Lanka's Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Tharanga Paranavithana and Ajantha Mendis suffered only minor injuries, he said.

Samaraweera is one of Sri Lanka's leading players and earlier this week became only the seventh batsmen in Test cricket to notch a double hundred in consecutive matches.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but fears of attacks by Islamic militants linked to Al-Qaeda have caused many teams to postpone or cancel cricket tours to Pakistan in recent years.

The shooting also came as the Sri Lankan army pushed its final offensive against ethnic Tamil rebels in the north of the country in a civil war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The brazen attack sent shockwaves through the world of cricket and immediately raised doubts about the 2011 World Cup which is due to take place in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"What has happened is very shocking indeed," said N. Srinivasan, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

"We have been saying that there was a lack of security and safety in Pakistan. But this is not the time to give statements on that. At the moment our concerns are only for the Sri Lankan players," he told AFP.

Former Sri Lankan cricket coach Tom Moody said he was stunned.

"My thoughts and prayers are not only with my friends in the Sri Lankan cricket team, but with the families of everyone that has been killed or injured in today's attack," he said.

The attack cast another cloud over Pakistan cricket which has been reeling from a string of cancelled tours and tournaments.

Australia earlier this month forced Pakistan to change the venue of a one-day series to the neutral venues of Dubai and Abu Dhabi when the two sides meet in April-May this year over security fears.

Australia, who also played Pakistan in three Tests at the neutral venues of Colombo and Dubai in 2002, have not toured here since 1998.

India also refused to send its team across the border amid heightened tensions in the wake of attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on militants based in Pakistan.
Last month, security concerns raised by other teams forced the ICC to move the 2009 Champions Trophy out of Pakistan.

The event was originally scheduled for last year but was put off after South Africa pulled out of the event and Australia, England and New Zealand showed a reluctance to tour because of fears about players' safety.

Cricket is just a game? Think again.

SLUMDOG BACKLASH

About 65 million Indians - roughly a quarter of the urban population - live in slums, according to government surveys. Health care is often nonexistent, child labor is rampant and inescapable poverty forms the backdrop of everyday life.

Although everyone from the local butcher to the prime minister called the Oscar coup a proud day for the country, 'Slumdog Millionaire' was hardly a phenomenon with Indian audiences.
'Hit in the West, flop in the East,' read a front page headline in DNA's Sunday newspaper. The film was a tough sell in Indian movie theaters because it was largely in English, featured few giant stars, and skimped on the dance numbers.

Many people here also objected to its gritty portrayal of India, as well as its title, which some took as derogatory. The film sparked protests in Mumbai and at least one north Indian city by slum residents who said the movie demeaned the poor.

'No one can call me a dog,' Sheikh said on Monday. 'I work very hard.' A widow and mother of seven, Sheikh is a housekeeper who said she earns 600 rupees (S$18.50) a week.
She said the movie has been good for the families of Azhar and Rubina, but that her days are as difficult as ever.

'Look at my house,' she said, pointing to the walls made of rags and the mud floor covered with a thin plastic tarp. 'What has changed?'

They are enjoying your misery!

India to send men to space

Government approves $382m budget for two-man mission

India is poised to join the ranks of space giants Russia, the United States and China, after its government approved the budget for sending two astronauts into space in 2015. Last year, India became the third Asian country, after China and Japan, to send an unmanned moon mission.

Now, the government has given the green light for a manned space mission, allocating a budget of 12.4 billion rupees (S$382 million), according to Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the planning commission, which formulates the country's five-year development plans.

The decision was taken at a meeting last week with top officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and officials of the Department of Space, newspaper reports said.

'We had a good meeting. The general inference is that ISRO has done an expert job and it needs to be supported. The planning commission will support it,' Dr Ahluwalia was quoted by the Indian Express newspaper as saying. The project would be executed in two phases: an unmanned flight in 2013-14, and a manned space flight in 2014-15.

'We intend to put two persons in the vehicle and launch them into space for seven days in an orbit of 275km,' Dr K. Radhakrishnan, director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and a member of the Space Commission, was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

India has already demonstrated its capability in space flight by launching dozens of satellites and the unmanned moon mission in October last year that put a 1,400kg lunar probe into orbit.
The spacecraft Chandrayan-1 was sent to study the moon surface for evidence of water and precious metals over two years.

'We are already in space. We are better placed than when the Americans did it (manned space flight) earlier,' said Professor Yash Pal, a former director of the Space Applications Centre.

The ISRO had said earlier that the successful launch of the unmanned moon mission last year had given Indian space scientists the confidence to undertake a manned mission to the moon.

Slumdog Millionaire

“Slumdog Millionaire” took the best-picture Academy Award and seven other Oscars on Sunday, including director for Danny Boyle, whose ghetto-to-glory story paralleled the film’s unlikely rise to Hollywood’s summit.

The other top winners: Kate Winslet, best actress for the Holocaust-themed drama “The Reader”; Sean Penn, best actor for the title role of “Milk”; Heath Ledger, supporting actor for “The Dark Knight”; and Penelope Cruz, supporting actress for “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”

A story of hope amid squalor in Mumbai, India, “Slumdog Millionaire” came in with 10 nominations, its eight wins including adapted screenplay, cinematography, editing and both music Oscars (score and song).

“Just to say to Mumbai, all of you who helped us make the film and all of those of you who didn’t, thank you very much. You dwarf even this guy,” Boyle said, holding up his directing Oscar.

The filmmakers accepted the best-picture trophy surrounded by both the adult professional actors who appeared among the cast of relative unknowns and some of the children Boyle cast from the slums of Mumbai.

The film follows the travails and triumphs of Jamal, an orphan who artfully dodges a criminal gang that mutilates children to make them more pitiable beggars. Jamal witnesses his mother’s violent death, endures police torture and struggles with betrayal by his brother, while single-mindedly hoping to reunite with the lost love of his childhood.

Fate rewards Jamal, whose story unfolds through flashbacks as he recalls how he came to know the answers that made him a champion on India’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”
As he took the stage to accept his prize for playing slain gay-rights pioneer Harvey Milk, Penn gleefully told the crowd: “You commie, homo-loving sons of guns.”

He followed with condemnation of anti-gay protesters who demonstrated near the Oscar site and comments about California’s recent vote to ban gay marriage.

“For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think it’s a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect on their great shame and their shame in their grandchildren’s eyes if they continue that support,” Penn said. “We’ve got to have equal rights for everyone.”

For his demented reinvention of Batman villain the Joker, Ledger became only the second actor ever to win posthumously, his triumph coming exactly 13 months after his death from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

His Oscar for the Warner Bros. blockbuster was accepted by Ledger’s parents and sister on behalf of the actor’s 3-year-old daughter, Matilda.

“I have to say this is ever so humbling, just being amongst such wonderful people in such a wonderful industry,” said his father, Kim Ledger. “We’d like to thank the academy for recognizing our son’s amazing work, Warner Bros., and Christopher Nolan in particular for allowing Heath the creative license to develop and explore this crazy Joker character.”
Since his death, the 28-year-old Ledger has gained a mythic aura akin to James Dean, another rising star who died well before his time.

The Joker was his final completed role, a casting choice that initially drew scorn from fans who thought Ledger would not be up to the task given Jack Nicholson’s gleefully campy rendition of the character in 1989’s “Batman.”

In the months before Ledger’s death, buzz on his wickedly chaotic performance swelled as marketing for the movie centered on the Joker and the perverted clown makeup he hid behind.
Ledger’s death fanned a frenzy of anticipation for “The Dark Knight,” which had a record $158.4 million opening weekend last summer.

The previous posthumous Oscar recipient was Peter Finch, who won best actor for 1976’s “Network” two months after his death.

Cruz triumphed as a woman in a steamy three-way affair with her ex-husband and an American woman in Woody Allen’s romance.

“Has anybody ever fainted here? Because I might be the first one,” Cruz said, who went on with warm thanks to Allen. “Thank you, Woody, for trusting me with this beautiful character. Thank you for having written all these years some of the greatest characters for women.”

“OK, that fainting thing, Penelope,” Winslet joked later as she accepted her best-actress prize for “The Reader,” in which she plays a former concentration camp guard in an affair with a teen. “I’d be lying if I haven’t made a version of this speech before. I think I was probably 8 years old and staring into the bathroom mirror, and this would be a shampoo bottle. But it’s not a shampoo bottle now.”

It was Winslet’s first win after five previous losses.

“Slumdog” writer Simon Beaufoy, who adapted the script from Vikas Swarup’s novel “Q&A,” said there are places he never could imagine being.

“For me, it’s the moon, the South Pole, the Miss World podium, and here,” Beaufoy said.
The epic love story “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which led with 13 nominations, had three wins, for visual effects, art direction and makeup.

“The Dark Knight” had a second win, for sound editing.

“Milk” writer Dustin Lance Black offered an impassioned tribute to Milk.

“If Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he would want me to say to all the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told they are less than by the churches, by the government, by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value, and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights, federally, across this great nation of ours,” Black said.

“Man on Wire,” James Marsh’s examination of tight-rope walker Philippe Petit’s dazzling stroll between the towers of the World Trade Center in 1974, was chosen as best documentary.
The acting categories were presented by five past winners of the same awards, among them last year’s actress winners, Marion Cotillard and Tilda Swinton, plus Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Kevin Kline, Sophia Loren, Anthony Hopkins, Shirley MacLaine and Robert De Niro.

It was a much different style for the Oscars as each past recipient offered personal tributes to one of the nominees, without clips of the nominated performances. Awards usually are done in chit-chat style between a couple of celebrity presenters.

After last year’s Oscars delivered their worst TV ratings ever, producers this time aimed to liven up the show with some surprises and new ways of presenting awards. Rather than hiring a comedian such as past hosts Jon Stewart or Chris Rock, the producers went with actor and song-and-dance man Hugh Jackman, who has been host of Broadway’s Tony Awards.

Instead of the usual standup routine, Jackman did an engaging musical number to open the show, saluting nominated films with a clever tribute.

Jackman later did a medley staged by his “Australia” director Baz Luhrmann with such performers as Beyonce Knowles and “High School Musical” stars Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron.

“Slumdog Millionaire” went into the evening after a run of prizes from earlier film honors.

The film nearly got lost in the shuffle as Warner Bros. folded its art-house banner, Warner Independent, which had been slated to distribute “Slumdog Millionaire.” It was rescued from the direct-to-video scrap heap when Fox Searchlight stepped in to release the film.

“Slumdog” composer A.R. Rahman, a dual Oscar winner for the score and song, said the movie was about “optimism and the power of hope.”

“All my life, I’ve had a choice of hate and love,” Rahman said. “I chose love, and I’m here.

Prataman award

Singapore President SR Nathan has sent a letter to congratulate Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej for receiving the first World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Global Leaders Award.
The recognition honours contributions by world leaders to the cause of intellectual property development.

In his note, Mr Nathan said with over 20 patents and 19 trademarks to his name, King Bhumibol will be an inspiration to the people and especially youths in Thailand.

He added the WIPO award is a clear recognition of the king’s lifelong and unwavering commitment to the promotion, development and respect for intellectual property.

Mr Nathan added that the award is also testimony to the king’s creativity and leadership.
King Bhumibol is the first recipient of the WIPO award, which was conferred by WIPO director—general Francis Gurry at a ceremony at the Klai Klangwon Palace in Hua Hin, Thailand, on January 14.

Apart from owning patents and trademarks, the king is also an artist with over 1,000 works, which include paintings, photographs as well as musical and literary compositions.

He obtained his first patent in 1993 for a technology to alleviate water shortages during the dry season.

Prataman and Our Money

Yes Man! His 11 days

PRESIDENT S R Nathan revealed yesterday why he agreed to the first-ever draw on past reserves, citing the severity of the downturn and the speed at which the economy was declining.

It took 11 days for the Government to seek and secure his in-principle approval, with Mr Nathan giving the nod just a day before the Budget was presented in Parliament on Jan 22.

The swiftness of the process, he said, stemmed from the urgency in giving the Government the confidence to roll out measures to tackle the recession which could worsen without fast action.

'I recognised the importance of giving confidence to go ahead with the measures proposed in the Budget for the particular reference to past reserves bearing in mind (that) if the situation prolongs or worsens, negative consequences would have kicked in, making any measures too late to be of any effect,' he told the Singapore media at the Istana.

He was making public for the first time his decision to allow the drawing down of $4.9 billion of past reserves to fund two schemes: a Jobs Credit scheme to subsidise wage costs in a bid to save jobs; and a Special Risk Sharing Initiative to give companies more access to credit.

Explaining the speed with which the decision was made, he said: 'The urgency was quite evident, and I think 11 days was reasonable. If it had to be, it could have been shorter.'

Mr Nathan also said in response to questions that he need not have held a press conference to explain the decision. He is required only to convey his decision in writing to Parliament in response to the Government's request.

But there was interest during the Budget debate about the process of dealing with past reserves, and questions of when past reserves can be used, he noted.

He made it clear that the steps taken to seek his approval did not bypass procedures and went by the book.

'Whether you take 11 days or one month, the process will be the same,' he noted. 'If we had the luxury of time, we'd have taken much longer. But the circumstances were such, people's confidence had to be restored.'

I was elected to assist the Government, not to add problems to their administration.

Prataman explains how he worked!

Singapore's President S R Nathan said the approval process to draw down S$4.9 billion from past reserves was a rigorous one.

Speaking in detail for the first time on Tuesday about his decision to give in-principle approval for the government to tap into past reserves, Mr Nathan said he and the Council of Presidential Advisers recognised the importance of giving full confidence and backing to the Budget measures as a speedy decision was needed to stem the tide of the economic downturn.

Mr Nathan, who is the first Singapore elected president to use the second key to unlock past reserves accumulated by the Singapore government, emphasised that the Constitution does not prescribe the process for dealing with a request for using past reserves.

All it spells out is the need for the president to consult the Council of Presidential Advisers and to publish his view when he approves a draw on past reserves.

"It is not easy to say 'yes' in so far as the withdrawal of the reserves go. There must be compelling reasons why we have to resort to withdrawing from past reserves," the president said.

During the recent Budget debate, several Members of Parliament had expressed the opinion that not many details about the process of unlocking the reserves and the use of the second key by the elected president were given.

Mr Nathan said he and the Council of Presidential Advisers had been kept in the loop about the global and domestic economic situation since the middle of last year.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also discussed the situation with the president informally and sounded him out about the government having to seek his approval to tap on past reserves for some extraordinary measures that were being considered.

The Council of Presidential Advisers convened a meeting the same day when Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam approached the president with information on the Jobs Credit scheme and Special Risk-sharing Initiative.

The president and the council were briefed by the Trade and Industry Ministry and the Monetary Authority of Singapore on the global economic and financial situation, and its potential impact on Singapore.

The Finance Ministry, Accountant-General and Attorney-General's Chambers also briefed them on the Budget strategies and gave them a detailed explanation of the two measures.

President Nathan revealed that Mr Tharman's formal request seeking his in-principle approval to draw on past reserves was made on January 19 – three days before Budget 2009, which was brought forward to January 22 this year.

After going through the proposal the next day, the president said he gave his in-principle approval on January 21.

Mr Nathan said the rapidly deteriorating global economic situation and its adverse impact on Singapore's economy meant that he and his council of advisers had to address the request to use past reserves with urgency.

"In this instance, the process of seeking and securing my in-principle approval took approximately 11 days from the time the matter was first broached. The urgency was quite evident and I think 11 days was reasonable.

"If it had to be, it could have been even shorter. The target was the Budget and that was set. Whatever decision that had to be made, had to be made in time so that it can go into the proposal," he said.

As for his feelings about having used the second key for the first time, Mr Nathan said: "I was hoping not, but the circumstances came and of course it is provided that if and when it comes, an approach will be made to me.

"But I have the advice of the Council of Presidential Advisers, which I have to pay regard to. And we started the process of consulting together and I then left it to them to deliberate on their own and give me their recommendations, which were consistent with what I had felt I should do."

At the end of the day, Mr Nathan said the system was tested and he has responded to the urgency of the situation after clinically examining the government's proposal to use past reserves to battle the economic downturn.

The government has presented the Supply Bill to Mr Nathan for his assent on Monday, according to the government gazette. This assent would formally approve the provision to draw on past reserves.

I was paid $3million a year not to "Micro-manage"

CIA helped India, Pakistan after Mumbai attacks

They now needs the whites to solve their differences!

WASHINGTON: The US Central Intelligence Agency helped arrange back-channel intelligence exchanges between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai attacks in order to avoid conflict between the two nations, The Washington Post reported.

Citing unnamed US and foreign government sources, the newspaper said that due to the CIA's effort the two countries quietly shared highly sensitive intelligence while the Americans served as neutral arbiters.

The exchanges included sophisticated communications intercepts and an array of physical evidence detailing how the 10 Mumbai gunmen and their supporters planned and executed their three-day killing spree in the Indian port city, the report said.

Indian and Pakistani intelligence agencies separately shared their findings with the CIA, which vetted the intelligence and filled in blanks with its own information, said The Post.

The paper said the arrangement was ongoing, and it was unknown whether it would continue after the Mumbai case is settled.

Tourists stay away from 'Incredible India'

(Reuters) - It's billed as one of the world's most luxurious and romantic train journeys. An old-world tour of India's palaces and lakes, all the way to the Taj Mahal.

Despite great expectations when it was launched in January, the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels train, with $2,000 suites and gourmet dining cars, has at times been left languishing in the rail yards as the global economic crisis and the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks put the brakes on India's tourist boom.

The new luxury train Royal Rajasthan on Wheels (RROW)

"If you don't have guests, what's the point of running the train?" asked Supinder Singh, the president of Palace Tours.

India has seen its tourist arrivals drop in recent months for the first time since 2002 when it launched its hugely successful "Incredible India" campaign that enticed millions of well-heeled tourists from around the world to explore the wonders of India.

Winter is peak season, but this year business has been slow and hotels are struggling to fill empty rooms due to mass cancellations by foreign tourists. All sectors have been hit, from pricey tours of Rajasthan, to budget beach holidays in Goa.

When Palace Tours launched the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels in January it had high hopes the $8 million train would be inundated with bookings by wealthy tourists seeking to explore India in the comfort of a five-star train compartment, with wireless Internet, a spa and silver-service dining on demand.

Instead, the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels has either been relegated to the rail yards due to lack of passengers or plied the journey through Rajasthan to the Taj Mahal in Agra, with only a handful of the possible 82 visitors it can carry.

"I think there are more staff than us," said Amrit Dhaliwal, a tourist who traveled on the near empty train this month with her husband.

The American couple were among 10 passengers who embarked on the trip from New Delhi, welcomed by traditional musicians sitting on cushions and playing flutes and drums.

"We didn't realize it would have so few people on it. It would have been nice to have had more people," said Amrit's husband Kulwant.

Several of the visitors on the train were upgraded from the less lavish Palace on Wheels, a sister train that is operating at about 60 percent capacity instead of its usual 100 percent.

Tourism contributes more than 6 percent to India's GDP of $1 trillion, and employs 53 million people directly or indirectly. Foreign tourist arrivals to India dropped 12 percent to 522,000 in December, compared to 596,560 in the same month in 2007.

An attendant works inside Sheesh Mahal, a restaurant coach of the new luxury train RROW.

The plunge in arrivals has hurt the entire sector from New Delhi, to Agra, to the beaches of Goa and Kerala, which in recent years have become favorite haunts for European tourists soaking up the sun during the winter at home.

Boats and fishing gear are more visible than sunbathers on some of the most popular beaches of Kerala, and business is so slow that restaurant waiters and shopkeepers vie for the odd tourist seen wandering about the streets.

"The specter of cancellations we have been witnessing following the global meltdown has increased in the wake of the terror strikes," said Peter Kurien, the general manager of the Jasmine Palace hotel.

"All the hotels and restaurants used to be filled to capacity at this time of the year. They are half empty now."

Aside from the global economic woes which have prompted many potential tourists to tighten their belts and stay home, India is still reeling from the Mumbai attacks in which Islamist gunmen killed 179 people in a three-day shooting spree in November that was broadcast live on television news channels around the world.

Foreigners appear to have been targeted as the gunmen attacked two luxury hotels, a popular night spot and a Jewish center in India's financial capital.

Since then, countries have issued advisories against traveling to India and popular tourist areas such as Goa have been on alert for more attacks.

"There was a slowdown anyway," said Dhruv Shringi, the CEO and co-founder of Yatra.com travel.

"Post the Mumbai attacks, we had almost a 22 percent cancellation in December and it's about 15 percent in January. So my worry is this trend seems to be continuing into February."

Hotel occupancy rates in the seaside town of Kovalam in Kerala were at 60 percent over the peak season, compared to nearly 100 percent at the same time last year.

Ratings agency Crisil said in a report in January that "hotel occupancy rates (in India) are expected to show their steepest decline in a decade."

The deluxe "Lalgarh Palace" suite of the new luxury train Royal Rajasthan on Wheels.

'OSTRICH MENTALITY'?
A slump risks undermining India's enormous growth potential in the tourism sector, which the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) says has been let down in the past by a lack of adequate accommodation and poor infrastructure.

Despite its size and array of historical monuments, India ranks at no. 42 in the world's holiday destinations of choice.

Slashing hotel rates, offering buy-one-get-one-free air tickets and free spa treatments are some measures being introduced to entice visitors. Security has been visibly beefed up at many of India's plushest hotels, especially in New Delhi and Mumbai.

But some tour operators are frustrated by what they see as the government's failure to address the sector's relatively slow progress compared to other destinations.

It rankles that smaller Asian rivals such as Thailand, which ranks at number 18 in the foreign tourist arrival rankings, and Malaysia, at 11, are far ahead of the south Asian giant.

"What is there in Malaysia? What is there in Thailand?" asked Sujit Banerjee, the secretary of the Ministry of Tourism at a crisis meeting for the tourism sector in January. "Only 5 percent of India has been shown to the world.

Tour operators say India is seen as a "hardship destination" even as hotels in major cities charge up to $400 a night.

"If you land at the airport and if it takes you an hour-and-a-half to get your bags and then you have to fight in a taxi queue, that's not really the kind of experience you want as a customer," Shringi of Yatra.com said.

An advertising campaign featuring one of India's biggest Bollywood stars has been launched to send a message to touts hassling tourists that "guest is god."

"India is not giving value for money," said Himmat Anand, the managing director of Diethelm Travel India. "There is an ostrich mentality amongst us when we say everything is alright."

Death sentence for murders

Murder and rape convict Moninder Singh Pandher steps out of a police van outside a court in Ghaziabad, India on Thursday.

AN INDIAN court sentenced a businessman and his domestic employee to death on Friday for the murder of a young girl - one of 19 victims in a case that has shocked the country. Moninder Singh Pandher and his servant Surinder Koli were found guilty on Thursday of the rape and murder of 14-year-old Rimpa Halder, and face trial on 18 similar counts plus charges of abduction.

Most of their alleged victims were children.

There was nationwide revulsion in December 2006 after police recovered skulls, bones and body parts from sewage drains near Pandher's house - dubbed the 'House of Horrors' - in Noida, a wealthy satellite city of the Indian capital New Delhi.

Koli confessed to cannibalism and necrophilia.

Judge Rama Jain called the gruesome crimes the 'rarest of rare' in declaring the sentence.
India has not carried out an execution since 2004, although death sentences are still handed down.

The victim's family rejoiced at the sentence.

'We are happy with the court's decision. It shows that poor people like us can also get justice. This is victory for all children in the country,' said Halder's father Anil.

In 2007 police said Koli confessed to having abducted children from a slum area, then killing them in his employer's home and disposing of the remains in drains. Some of the victims were as young as three and police believe most of the murder victims were raped or sexually assaulted.
Koli reportedly admitted under interrogation that he raped children as young as three, had sex with the corpses of his victims and once tried to eat human organs, believing cannibalism cured impotency. In all, police found 69 bags filled with human parts from sewers outside Pandher's home.

Pandher's son Karan told reporters he would rather his father was executed immediately than have to face trial on the remaining counts which could take years, given India's slow-moving justice system.

'I would rather wish that my father is given capital punishment right away,' his son said. The other cases 'will be fought on the same evidence and my father will be doomed to be in jail for his entire life.' Pandher's son previously blamed media pressure for his father's guilty verdict.

“Ahpunehneh” is not a proper word

http://deadpoetscave.com/2006/06/the-silence-is-broken

It is not a Tamil word. Nor it is an English word. Nor it is a Greek word. Hell, it is NOT even a word. It is gibberish of the purest kind. Yes, yes. I hear all the gasping and “Did you hear that?!” and “Is it true?”. Yes it’s true. If there is one gibberish that is to be flushed down the toilet, this is it.

I am tired. Tired beyond words to explain what this gibberish has done. I am pretty much sure almost all my Indian counterparts will agree. Been called “Ahpunehneh” in a country that calls itself happily multiracial. There is nothing happy about this. I now take it upon myself to give all my clueless Singaporeans a much needed enlightment on this. Read and read well. And pass it on. Because the next time i hear or read that blasted gibberish, I won’t be patient. Anymore.
It makes me cringe just to think of the gibberish, much less typing it. But what has to be done has to be done. I can’t stress enough. “Ahpunehneh” is not a word. It’s a disgracing gibberish. I once read a comment on MrBrown’s blog that ahpunehneh is a form of respect for elder brother. Form of respect my ass is more like it.

But still, let’s autopsy this stinking mess. This gibberish can be broken down into 2 parts; Ahpu and nehneh. “Ahpu” looks and sounds like the mutated clone of an olden Indian name “Apu”. The name “Apu” was and is in use in India. But I doubt if anyone has been named Apu in Singapore for the past 20years or so. ‘Cause, Apu is, after all, a very old name. And no sane Singaporean parent would want to name their son something that has been used as a racist remark.

The second part, “nehneh”. Just what the hell is this? It is no word in the Tamil language.

Yes. And stop arguing that it is. ‘Cause this is my mother tongue language and not yours. Just because you know a couple of Tamil words and can somewhat mispronounce them doesn’t mean you know this language. The nearest I can place this gibberish is to the Tamil word “Annan”. “Annan” in Tamil means elder brother. We all know that most languages are bound to have these 2 kind of forms; the formal written form and the informal spoken form. For example, “relax” is the formal written form and “relac” is the informal spoken form. In this case “Annan” is the is formal written form. And the way it is said in informal way is “Annah”.

Stop. Before you start agruing that it’s the same. It is not. It is not said in the highly ridiculous singalong tone you use. Another thing is, in chinese you can say papa, mama, poh poh. You can say the word twice and it would still mean you are calling you dad, mom and grandmom. This doesn’t apply to Tamil. Shortening a word then saying it twice doesn’t work in Tamil. Therefore shortening “Annah” to “neh” to “nehneh” is not correct. Don’t think you twist and turn my mother tongue language and claim it’s ok to do so. ‘Cause i will bitch-slap you. So my guess is, there was some guy called Apu in the earlier days of Singapore. And people chopped, pounded and minced the word “Annah” and mutated it into “neh” and postfixed it to “Apu” and voila! You have a gibberish that is known nationwide used to address all Indians.

Now that I have done the autopsy, lets proceed to other things that is related to this gibberish. My dear fellow Singaporeans, you look fucking retarded saying things in a singalong manner and claiming that’s how we sound. There was once I was at Dover station with my group of newly made friends from class. Then one of them said a few sentences in a high singalong tone and weird ass accent. Then started to laugh. The rest didnt know how to respond, because for a starter, this was done in front of a Indian girl. Me. I just looked at him and started to double over with laughter.

After catching my breath, I told him “Did you know how fucking retarded you looked and sounded just now dude?! OH MY GOD!!” and promptly went into fits of laughter again. Red faced, he defended himself by saying “But that’s how you all sound”. I looked him in the eye and asked “Do i sound like that?”. “Err, no..” was his reply. “Does S(another Indian classmate of ours) sound like that?”. “Err..no la..But that’s how they sound in the movies”. “Which part of the movie?”. “The song lor”. This, is the highest form of stupidness i have encountered in my life. A song is supposed to be in a singalong manner, no? So for the record, we don’t talk in a ’singalong’ manner. It’s just your inability to understand a song is a song and doesn’t apply to talking as well. You people definitely don’t talk like Jay Chou or Sammi Cheng or any Chinese artiste’s singing. It’s the same. So quit it.

Next. Repeat after me. Brown is not black. Black is not brown. We have people from different walks of life and somehow in this nationwide disorder, almost all chinese cannot differentiate brown from black. Once again another example that happened to me. This happened in the first year of uni. After one of the lectures, i was waiting at the back of the lecture room, for a couple of my clique guys. This part of the lecture room was not lit but rest assured the rest of the room was. So it is understood the part i was standing wasn’t pitch black. Then another guy from another clique, who was standing near me, turned and said this “Hey TC, why you stand there? You so black, still stand there. Cannot see you lor. *Insert laughter*” The following was the connversation that happened between us after he said this. All my replies were said in a deadpan face and tone.

Me : Now that’s a pity. How long have you been having this disability?
Him : Huh? What disability? What you talking?
Me : Ya what. This color-blindness disability of yours. Have you been having it since young? Never got it checked ah?
Him : *clearly in a confused state* Color blindness?! Where got? Don’t have what..
Me : Yes. It is color blindness. You can’t differentiate brown from black.
Him : *Finally understanding what i was getting at* Oh..aiya..I thought what..
Me : Seriously, you ought to have it checked lor. Can be quite dangerous.
Him : *laughs* How can it be dangerous..
Me : It will be, when i punch you. (Note to everyone. I am not exaggerating. I am capable of throwing a punch to the face)
Him : Hehe, sorry la. Brown and black the same what.
Me : What’s the color of my TShirt?
Him : Black lor.
Me : And my skin?
Him : Hehehe. Brown..ok la ok la..sorry..

I maybe perceived as an anal retentive person in the conversation above. But I don’t appreciate called “black”. Simply because I am not. I am chocolate brown. The bottom line is brown is not black. Black is not brown.

Third. Holding your noses when an Indian comes near you. Some of the older Indians and India nationals (these are 2 different kind of people) adore their coconut or jasmine hair oils. It have been their practise for centuries and just because you can’t stand it, they are not gonna quit. It’s the same how an Amercian will first react to durian.

Do you as a Singaporean give up eating durian just because someone unused to it claims it’s smelly? No i suppose. That been said, not all Indians use these oils. As much as I have observed, modern image conscious Singaporean Indians, don’t use it. So it’s unfair to automatically hold your nose when any Indian comes near you. What are you, a no brainer robot? It’s not like every ah pek, ah mah, uncle and auntie I come across is sweet smelling. Some reek of sweat and body odour. Which is much more worse than coconut and jasmine oil if you ask me.

Fourth. Indian girls and ladies wear a “dot” on our forehead. The proper name is “pottu” but forget it. You are still gonna call it a dot. It is not there for infrared or bluetooth purposes like how one sms from my poly fren claimed to. I am still pissed.

It’s sad to let you all know that this racist behaviour comes mostly from Chinese(not as if you guys don’t know it in the first place). Which is why i can only write about what I have encountered. Just because this race forms the majority of Singapore doesn’t mean it’s superior.

Simply because, it’s not. And I don’t know how long more i will be patient to these kind of racist treatment. Of course, 90% of my friends are chinese. Not all are like this. It’s just too contradictory to claim ourselves as a multiracial country. Yes we have different races and we have one whole day called Racial Harmony Day and we live in relative harmony. But that is only possible because people like me, who have been subjected to racist treatment since young, prefer to keep quiet. But how long do you think we will keep quiet? Patience is only this much. I seriously had enough of all your “ahpunehneh” rubbish, holding noses and all racist acts. And parents, if your kid points and says “ahpunehneh”, correct him/her. Don’t you freaking ignore it or worse encourage it. If i see one more kid look in my general direction and say “ahpunehneh”, i will throttle him/her til he can’t remember the rubbish ever again. I swear i will do it. Because i had enough.

Now that i have said all, whoever reads this, if you are Singaporean, and have done any of the above mentioned or know of people who done or does any of the above, read this entry and read it well. ‘Cause i don’t like to repeat. Print this out, distribute or mention it in your blog. I don’t care. I just want this to gibberish to stop. Because me and my Indian race had enough.
And all my Indian counterparts, whether I know you or not, if any of the above have happened to you, I feel your frustration. Share with me what were your experiences. Everyone else who wants to say something. Go ahead. But do it in a civilised way.

You have been warned.