Singapore to work closely with China to battle novel coronavirus threat: Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat

Singapore sending coronavirus test kits, screening machines to China
Channel NewsAsia, 7 Feb 2020

Singapore will continue to work closely with China and the international community to fight the novel coronavirus, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Friday (Feb 7).

“This includes preventing its further spread and developing better medical testing,” Mr Heng wrote in a Facebook post, following a phone call with China’s Vice-Premier Han Zheng.

“In times like this, with the longstanding special relationship between Singapore and China, it is also important for us to work together.”

One of the examples he cited is the work Singapore researchers have done to develop novel coronavirus testing kits for use in laboratories.

“We can contribute to China’s containment efforts by providing test kits to conduct 10,000 tests at the first instance, together with three polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines,” he said.

“We will be providing 10,000 tests in the next couple of weeks.”



He added that Singapore’s scientific experts are also “exchanging views with their counterparts in China”.

In addition to this, the Government will also be contributing S$1 million in seed funding to the Singapore Red Cross, which launched a public appeal to raise funds for humanitarian assistance to affected communities in China.

Mr Heng also conveyed his condolences and sympathies to the families and communities affected by the virus in China in his post.

“Infectious diseases are transboundary in nature,” Mr Heng said. “Countries can only overcome this challenge by stepping up measures within each country, and by collaborating with one another.”



Singapore has reported 30 cases of the novel coronavirus, which has affected more than 30,000 people and killed more than 600 in China. Outside mainland China, Hong Kong and the Philippines have recorded one death each.

The first local transmission cluster was also confirmed earlier this week. Authorities said there is no evidence of community transmission in Singapore so far.

Last week, it was announced that all new visitors with recent travel history to mainland China will not be allowed to enter or transit in Singapore. Those with Chinese passports, excluding Singapore permanent residents and long-term pass holders, will also not be allowed to enter Singapore.

“Singapore will continue to do our part – enhancing our safeguards as the situation evolves, and working with China and the international community to combat this outbreak," Mr Heng wrote.

“I am confident we can overcome this challenge together.”

Rohingya crisis: Aung San Suu Kyi breaks her silence, but fails to quell criticism

The Straits Times, 20 Sep 2017

Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday broke her silence on the Rohingya crisis, but her speech failed to quell mounting international criticism of her government's military offensive against the Muslim minority that has been described by the UN as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.

In her address to the nation, the Nobel Peace laureate said she does not fear global scrutiny over the crisis, which has driven more than 400,000 people from Rakhine state to Bangladesh since Aug 25. While she condemned human rights violations and promised that violators would be held to account, she stopped short of blaming the military and did not address the United Nations' allegations.

"We condemn all human rights violations and unlawful violence. We are committed to the restoration of peace and stability and rule of law throughout the state," Ms Suu Kyi said in Myanmar's capital, Naypyitaw.



Amnesty International noted that "she is still silent about the role of the security forces".

The Myanmar government has said its armed forces are tackling the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, which has claimed responsibility for attacking a border post on Aug 25, and which the government accuses of setting fires to Rohingya villages and attacking civilians. But Rohingya and rights groups say it is the army which has razed houses to force the minority out of Myanmar.



Terrorism experts warn that the Rohingya's plight has forged a groundswell of support among Islamist militants in the region, particularly from Malaysia and Indonesia. Meanwhile in India, a debate has broken out amid government efforts to deport around 40,000 Rohingya Muslims on the grounds that they pose a security threat to the country.

Singapore supplying more potable water to Johor since 4 June 2016

Singapore supplies extra water to Johor due to severe dry weather
By Tiffany Fumiko Tay, The Straits Times, 7 Jun 2016

Singapore has been supplying an additional 6 million gallons per day (mgd) of potable water to Johor since Saturday in response to a request for assistance by its water regulatory body, Badan Kawalselia Air Johor (Bakaj).

The month-long arrangement is due to dry weather which has severely affected water levels in Johor's Sungai Layang dam, and will not affect the water supply in Singapore in the short term, national water agency PUB said yesterday.

Dry conditions have also brought water levels in the Linggiu Reservoir to a historic low of 33 per cent, down from 40 per cent in April, PUB said.

The PUB-operated reservoir improves the yield of water from the Johor River, which helps to meet half of Singapore's water needs. The Republic draws up to 250mgd of raw water from the river, and supplies Johor with treated water in return.

The temporary increase, which is being supplied by the PUB-operated Johor River Waterworks, brings Singapore's supply of treated water to its closest neighbour to 22mgd.

From last August to January this year, PUB supplied an additional 5mgd to 6mgd of potable water to Johor under an arrangement similar to the present one.

Moral need to act decisively on haze, says Ng Eng Hen

Defence Minister points out that man-made disaster has affected health of thousands of Indonesians
By Francis Chan, Indonesia Bureau Chief In Jakarta, The Sunday Times, 25 Oct 2015

The strongest motivation to resolve this year's transboundary haze crisis - statistically proven to be the worst in a decade - must be a moral one, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen has said.

And those who own or use the land for commercial purposes must bear responsibility for the fires raging over them, Dr Ng added yesterday, as he welcomed the Singapore firefighting assistance team that returned home after a two-week mission to Indonesia.

"The haze has impacted the lives of millions of residents in our region in many ways. Schools have closed and the volume of business has dropped. Tourist arrivals will plummet if this becomes a chronic issue," Dr Ng wrote in a Facebook post.

"But to me, the strongest motivation to deal with the haze for Indonesia must be a moral one - the health of hundreds of thousands of their own citizens are affected by this man-made disaster as they breathe in high levels of pollutants. These are strong reasons to act decisively."

Yesterday, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan told The Sunday Times that the government plans to claw back concessions in peatlands that have not been cultivated, to prevent companies from using the slash-and-burn method to clear land.

The move is seen as a strong indication that Indonesia believes peatland restoration must be the focus of any efforts to end the haze crisis.

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency estimates that more than 43 million people in the country are breathing in the toxic fumes from the fires.

The haze has also hit Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, forcing airports to delay or ground flights and schools to close as well.

The human costs, however, are the highest in Indonesia, where there have been unverified reports of more than 10 deaths, including babies, from lung infections.

Dr Ng said Indonesian leaders, including President Joko Widodo, have realised that what is key in preventing this environmental disaster from recurring is prevention and enforcement.

"I applaud the President's ideas and initiatives. The industrial scale of this disaster - millions of hectares burning - requires a systemic, deliberate and multi-prong response to be effective."

He added that there is no shortage of international expertise to help in the crisis.

On Oct 10, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) deployed three aircraft and a 34-strong team to Sumatra after Indonesia accepted Singapore's offer.

The SAF team was accompanied by a six-man Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Homecoming for SAF and SCDF Firefighting Contingent
After extinguishing more than 50 hotspots and discharging more than 400,000 litres of water within the last 2 weeks, 34 personnel from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the six-man Disaster Assistance and Relief Team (DART) of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) finally reunite with their families.The Singapore ArmyThe Republic of Singapore Air Force
Posted by cyberpioneer on Saturday, October 24, 2015

"The Indonesian authorities accepted help from various countries, including Singapore, to deal with the haze for an initial two-week period," said Dr Ng.

"With the two-week period concluded, our SAF and SCDF personnel returned home today.

"This is the worst haze situation to affect this region in a decade. Our deepest thanks to our men and women who overcame difficult conditions on this mission to put out hot spots and help the surrounding villages."

Indonesia: Singapore’s one-plane offer to help fight fires ‘insulting’

TODAY, 21 Oct 2015

Singapore’s offer in September of only “one aircraft” to Indonesia to help fight forest fires that have caused thick haze to descend around the region was “insulting”, said Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Speaking in an interview last Friday (Oct 16) with the country’s Tempo magazine, Mr Luhut defended Indonesia’s perceived tardiness in putting out the fires and in accepting foreign aid.

“During the dry season, peatlands tend to be very flammable. When we bombard the land with water to put out the flames, they just come out again. So I get a headache when people get upset. What are we supposed to do?” he replied when asked why this year’s forest fires are worse than those of last year’s.

“Then someone asks why we didn’t accept the assistance offered earlier. There are many reasons for that. Firstly, we wanted to try and do it on our own. Secondly, we didn’t realise the process would be so long. Thirdly, Singapore offered only one aircraft. It was insulting.”

http://tdy.sg/1LLtlqO - Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan hits out at Singapore's assistance in fighting the fires.
Posted by TODAY on Wednesday, October 21, 2015

In September, Singapore offered a C-130 aircraft for cloud-seeding operations, a Chinook helicopter with a water bucket for aerial fire-fighting, and up to two C-130 aircraft to ferry the Singapore Civil Defence Force fire-fighting assistance team.

Mr Luhut’s comments in the latest issue of the magazine came after Indonesia finally accepted help from Singapore on Oct 7 after repeatedly ­declining offers of help for weeks. Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen had even flown to Jakarta at the end of September to meet his Indonesian counterpart at one of the meetings. During his visit, Dr Ng also met Mr Luhut.

On October 11, aircraft from Singapore and Malaysia began water-bombing missions to put out the raging fires in South Sumatra.

Singapore sent a Republic of Singapore Armed Forces (RSAF) Chinook helicopter with a 5,000-litre heli-bucket and 34 SAF personnel to help fight the ongoing forest fires, together with a six-man Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team from the Singapore Civil Defence Force. Two RSAF C-130 aircraft were also deployed to transport SAF and SCDF personnel.

In an interview on Oct 7, Indonesian Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung told CNN Indonesia that Jakarta had earlier rejected Singapore’s offers of assistance because it was concerned that the city state would claim credit for solving the problem, despite being worried about the rapidly deteriorating situation.

Indonesia asks Singapore, 3 other countries for help against haze

TODAY, 9 Oct 2015

Indonesia yesterday asked for help from Singapore, Russia, Malaysia and Japan to put out forest fires that have caused choking smoke to drift across South-east Asia — the first time such a large-scale international operation will take place in the region to combat the yearly problem.

Indonesia is also in discussions with a fifth country, Australia, on how it can help to tackle the crisis.



“We have asked for help,” President Joko Widodo said, adding that Indonesia was hoping for at least three aircraft from Singapore and Russia to help douse the fires that often smoulder underground for weeks in peat deposits. “What we need now are planes that can carry 12-15 tonnes of water, not like the 2-3 tonnes we have now.”

“We hope this will speed up the process because fires on peat land is different from regular forest fires.”

Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir added that Jakarta was in talks with Canberra and Kuala Lumpur about how they might help. “We have been using all our resources, but what we see is our progress is not quick enough,” Mr Nasir told Reuters, adding that Indonesia was exploring what roles the countries could play and what equipment they could provide. They aimed to finalise details “as soon as possible”, he said.

Indonesia had repeatedly declined offers of outside help to tackle the smoke, which is mostly caused by companies using fire to clear land for palm oil and pulp wood plantations on Sumatra island and its part of Borneo island. In particular, the government had faced criticism for turning down several offers from Singapore.

Indonesian officials yesterday did not elaborate on why the government has now decided to seek foreign help, although Indonesian media had earlier reported on Wednesday that Jakarta was concerned that Singapore will claim credit for solving the problem.

Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan wrote on his Facebook page on Wednesday night that his Indonesian counterpart, Ms Retno Marsudi, had indicated Jakarta will take up Singapore’s offer of assistance following a “good discussion” the pair had on Tuesday.

Responding to TODAY’s queries, a Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said yesterday that Singapore has offered a C-130 aircraft for cloud-seeding operations and a Chinook helicopter with a 5,000-litre heli-bucket under-slung for aerial firefighting and waterbombing efforts. A firefighting assistance team from the Singapore Civil Defence Force will be deployed. Up to two C-130 aircraft will also be on standby.

Nepal Earthquake: Singapore sends supplies, personnel

By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, The Straits Times, 27 Apr 2015

SINGAPORE has sent two planes carrying supplies and personnel to aid earthquake-stricken Nepal.

Last night, two C-130 aircraft, carrying contingents from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), set off for the Himalayan state.

<<Relief Efforts begin for Nepalese Earthquake>> Tonight, two C-130s took off to help in the Nepal Earthquake rescue...
Posted by Ng Eng Hen on Sunday, April 26, 2015

Nepal is struggling in the aftermath of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck on Saturday, leaving thousands dead.

Among the men and women who set off for Nepal was a team of six from the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre. They will help the Nepalese authorities coordinate relief efforts.

Also on board the aircraft was an SCDF search and rescue team.

Another aircraft, with a contingent from the police, including members of its Gurkha unit, and a second batch of SCDF officers, is scheduled to leave this morning.

Gurkhas are trained Nepalese who serve in foreign militaries; Singapore's Gurkha contingent has been active since 1949.

As Singapore's leaders authorised this wave of assistance for Nepal, they took to social media to express their condolences to the Nepalese nation and made special mention of Singapore's Gurkhas.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday that the Gurkhas in Singapore must be worried about their families and friends back home. "Our thoughts are with them," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean visited the Gurkhas here yesterday morning.

Singapore Red Cross delivers final rebuilding project in Japan after 2011 disaster

TODAY, 16 Mar 2015

Four years after an earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) has delivered its final rebuilding project to the community: A multi-purpose community hall that will serve more than 20,000 residents of Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture.

The community hall was one of the four major rebuilding projects undertaken with donations from the Singapore public following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

Formally opened today (March 16) by the SRC, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local Rikuzentakata City officials, the 2,000 sqm hall, costing S$11.1 million, is the single largest reconstruction projects of the SRC in Japan, said the SRC in a statement today.

Built on elevated grounds and housing a community hall, meeting rooms and exhibition spaces, among others, it is also designed to enhance Rikuzentakata City’s disaster preparedness by integrating with the city’s fire and police departments, and serving as a Disaster Relief Centre.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam, who was the Guest-of-Honour at the ceremony, said: “Our sympathy and unity with Japan led to a tremendous outpouring of support and contribution to help the victims of the disaster. The donation drive supported by the government and launched by SRC raised over S$35 million.

“This is either the largest or second largest amount ever contributed by Singaporeans for a disaster in a foreign city. We decided that our contribution should be channelled to projects that would benefit the local community.”

Mr Benjamin William, Secretary General of SRC, said: “I still recall with a certain pride the overwhelming response from the people of Singapore when Singapore Red Cross launched the appeal. It was this show of solidarity and enduring friendship by the people of Singapore towards the affected communities, that made the reconstruction and other relief efforts possible.”

SCDF’s Emergency Preparedness Centre at Central Fire Station opens on 2 Feb 2015

New centre to train Singaporeans for emergencies
By Kimberly Spykerman, Channel NewsAsia, 2 Feb 2015

More Singaporeans can get trained to better respond to emergencies, with the opening of a new Emergency Preparedness Centre by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Monday (Feb 2).

Through interactive exhibits, the centre at the Central Fire Station will educate Singaporeans on what to do in a range of emergencies, including fire, medical and terrorism-related incidents.

Acting Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said that while being prepared may not stop all incidents from happening, it allows for a quicker and more effective response to emergencies, which means consequences are better managed.

Security agencies in Singapore work round-the-clock to prevent terrorist attacks, but there is no guarantee that such attacks will not happen. As such, strong community resilience is necessary to counter any possible fallout from such attacks, said Mr Teo.



Mr Teo said those who carry out violent acts seek to divide the community and strike fear in innocent people.

"We should stand united and condemn the actions of these particular individuals who hold extreme views, and recognise that their violent acts and attempts to justify them do not reflect the beliefs, and are indeed rejected by the wider community,” said Mr Teo.

Mr Teo noted that it is important for Singaporeans to continue to cherish and focus on what they have in common, rather than accentuate their differences.

Making reference to the recent terror incidents in Sydney and Paris, Mr Teo said security agencies had resolved both incidents "decisively" because officers had prepared and trained well for them.

"The community also responded well, carrying on with life as normally as possible, refusing to let their lives be disrupted,” he added.

Singapore ship that found AirAsia fuselage back home

By Jermyn Chow, Defence Correspondent, The Straits Times, 19 Jan 2015

AFTER 20 days at sea, the ship that found the fuselage of the downed AirAsia plane is back in Singapore, concluding the Republic's efforts in helping Indonesia search for the remains of the plane.

The Republic of Singapore Navy ship, MV Swift Rescue, with 70 men and women on board, arrived at Changi Naval Base yesterday and was received by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen. He was accompanied by Chief of Defence Force Ng Chee Meng and navy chief Lai Chung Han.

Post by cyberpioneer.

The arrival of MV Swift Rescue marked the official end of Singapore's efforts in the multi- nation search operation, which started on Dec 28 last year when the AirAsia plane lost radar contact with Indonesia's air traffic control towers.

Since then, the Singapore Armed Forces has deployed more than 400 personnel, two RSAF C-130 aircraft, two Super Puma helicopters, five navy ships and a six-man Autonomous Underwater Vehicle team in the operation.

Many of those who had contributed to the search were also present for MV Swift Rescue's homecoming yesterday. As a mark of respect, they observed a minute of silence for those who died in the air crash.

2004 tsunami showed importance of resilience in face of adversity: PM Lee

By Fiona Chan, The Straits Times, 26 Dec 2014

The Boxing Day tsunami off Sumatra that claimed nearly 230,000 lives in 2004 displayed the fragility and uncertainty of human life, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday.

It also showed "how resilient and united we must be in the face of adversity", he said in remarks on Facebook exactly a decade after the disaster.

Post by Lee Hsien Loong.

"Natural calamities will happen again. We must be prepared for them, and work together to protect ourselves," Mr Lee added.

He recalled visiting Banda Aceh and Meulaboh in Indonesia - the closest areas to the epicentre of the earthquake that triggered the tsunami - days after the disaster, and being "overwhelmed by the extensive damage".

Singapore's armed forces were already on site to offer help, in their largest relief effort ever, Mr Lee said. Also assisting were the Republic's Home Team, non-governmental organisations and individual Singaporeans.

Mr Lee also remembered the strength of the Indonesians who had survived the tsunami. "Despite the trauma, grief and uncertainty, the survivors were determined to recover and not give up," he said.

"A decade later, many of the destroyed areas are again bustling with life. The survivors have also rebuilt their lives. But we also remember those who have perished."

Singapore continues to support Meulaboh: Boxing Day Tsunami 2004

Years after tsunami, Aceh town taps on Republic's development expertise
By Jermyn Chow Defence Correspondent In Meulaboh (Aceh), The Straits Times, 26 Nov 2014

AFTER extending considerable assistance to reconstructing Meulaboh following the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, Singapore will look at what else it can do to help develop the Indonesian coastal town, the centre of its relief efforts 10 years ago.

Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said yesterday the Republic will study proposals by local government officials, who hope to tap the Republic's goodwill in carrying on its work to restore Meulaboh's status as one of the main sea ports of West Sumatra.

Singapore may be able to offer help in training and education, said Mr Tan. As a small island state with few resources, Singapore concentrated its efforts on building capacity in its people, and still does.

"I think that is something we are quite happy to support," he said. Mr Tan was speaking to reporters yesterday after he toured Meulaboh, which is about 240km south of the capital city, Banda Aceh. The town was closest to the epicentre of the Dec 26 earthquake, which, together with the ensuing tsunami, killed 170,000 in Aceh.

Mr Tan, then an army colonel, led the relief efforts in Meulaboh.

Besides sending in 1,700 men and women from the Singapore Armed Forces in its biggest overseas deployment of humanitarian aid, Singapore also raised about $56 million from Government funds and private donations for reconstruction projects by non-governmental groups such as the Red Cross and Mercy Relief in the years afterwards.

The projects included a new jetty, which became the local residents' lifeline as it served as an entry point for essential supplies to be delivered.

Regional relief coordination centre opens in Changi

It aims to help ASEAN militaries respond to disasters more quickly
By Jermyn Chow, The Straits Times, 13 Sep 2014

A NEW disaster relief centre in Singapore has begun operations, with the aim of enabling militaries in the region to get to where they are needed quickly when disaster strikes.

The Changi-based outfit acts as a single contact point which can activate a response team to reach ground zero within 48 hours of a natural crisis.

It will also provide militaries and civilian aid agencies with timely and accurate information, ensuring aid is delivered soonest.

"Militaries have unique capabilities such as strategic airlift and are on 24/7 operational footings, able to rapidly mobilise and deploy," said Second Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing yesterday.

The facility, called the Changi Regional Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre, aims to cut out duplication and red tape during relief efforts in South-east Asia.

"It hopes to do this by providing partner militaries with a comprehensive situational picture before, during and after a disaster that highlights, among other things, both the needs as well as the pledges," Mr Chan told more than 100 delegates at the end of a two-day conference on disaster relief.

The facility, which is based in the Changi Command and Control Centre, was mooted by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in April at the ASEAN-United States Defence Ministers' meeting in Hawaii.

Sharper military responses during emergencies are important, especially in a part of the world which has been prone to natural disasters - as could be seen in the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and Super Typhoon Haiyan last year, among others.

The crucial task in the immediate aftermath of a disaster is to stabilise the country and save lives - a job which the new centre can enhance, said Singapore Armed Forces' joint operations director Desmond Tan.

"What we want to do is to set up a permanent structure that will allow the militaries to have a single point of contact, a focal point... so we can reach the disaster area faster and more effectively," said Brigadier-General Tan. Previously, military coordination has been "ad hoc", he added.

President Tan reaffirms close ties with Philippines

Quick response by S'poreans to typhoon Haiyan an example of deep kinship, he says

By Raul Dancel Philippines Correspondent In Tacloban, The Sunday Times, 6 Apr 2014

President Tony Tan Keng Yam wound up his first state visit to the Philippines with a reaffirmation of closer "people-to-people ties" between Singaporeans and Filipinos.

"This visit has enabled me to reaffirm these strong people-to- people linkages between our two countries," Dr Tan said at a news briefing yesterday.

There is already "deep kinship" between Singaporeans and Filipinos, he said, as seen in the outpouring of grief among Singaporeans and their quick response when Super Typhoon Haiyan struck in November last year. Haiyan, the strongest typhoon in recorded history, left at least 6,200 dead and displaced some 300,000 people in the central Philippines.

Soon after the typhoon, Singapore sent two C-130s that flew relief missions twice a day.

Last Friday, Dr Tan presented more than $7 million in donations from Singaporeans to partners of Singapore Red Cross helping some 1.5 million victims of Haiyan.

Dr Tan capped his state visit by turning over medical equipment, medicines and other assistance to a district hospital in Samar, one of the provinces that bore the brunt of Haiyan's fury.

Haiyan shut down the hospital in Basey town but it reopened its doors five months later. The hospital provides health services to around 200,000 people living in Basey and two other towns in Samar, Marabut and Sta Rita.

Singapore offers to host crisis centre for region

Suggestion gets support at summit of defence ministers from ASEAN, US

By Jeremy Au Yong, The Straits Times, 5 Apr 2014

WHEN ASEAN states next work together on a disaster - like the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 or delivering aid to Typhoon Haiyan victims in the Philippines - the coordination may well be done in Singapore.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen has offered to host a regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief coordination centre at Changi Naval Base.

Post by cyberpioneer.

The suggestion, made at a three-day summit of defence ministers from ASEAN and the United States, was supported by the ministers. There are no details yet on when it might begin operation.

"We'll flesh this out and put it into operation if the other member states agree, and senior officials will see how to operationalise it," Dr Ng told reporters.

He said Singaporeans participating in disaster relief efforts saw how difficult it was for the affected nation to set up such a centre in the critical first few days.

"And it occurred to us that what you really needed was a C2 (command and control) centre that was stood up all the time that... had the ability to input all the information that various agencies would bring to bear when such crises occurred, and then make a coherent picture for everyone to see."

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370: Singapore sends more planes, ships to help in search efforts

By Lee Hui Chieh, The Straits Times, 10 Mar 2014

SINGAPORE has sent more military planes and ships to help in a multi-country search for the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) plane that went missing on 8 March 2014.

Two military transport planes, a naval helicopter, two warships and a submarine support and rescue vessel were dispatched, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement yesterday.

These exclude the first military transport plane deployed on Saturday, which has since returned, the ministry added. Two other C-130 planes have taken its place.



Singapore's efforts are part of a growing international effort to find the missing jetliner, which is widely presumed to have crashed in the waters between north-eastern Malaysia and southern Vietnam.

Malaysia has taken the lead in search efforts by ordering 15 air force planes, six navy ships and three coast guard vessels to search for the missing plane.

Seven other countries - China, the United States, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Australia and Indonesia - have since deployed ships and aircraft to the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait to aid in search operations.

A Xmas gift that's so good

Get into the festive spirit by helping the thousands of typhoon victims in the Philippines

By Jessica Cheam, The Sunday Times, 17 Nov 2013

This Christmas, as many of us in Singapore gather in dining rooms to enjoy roasted turkey and wine, 800,000 or so people in the Philippines will be homeless after the devastation of Super Typhoon Haiyan.

Hopefully, in a month from now, the victims of the biggest natural disaster in the Philippines in recent years may at least not be hungry.

Media reports have detailed challenges in getting food, water and medicine to remote areas cut off in the aftermath of the storm, and some desperate survivors have started to loot neighbours' homes, shops and warehouses.

But the international community is responding quickly by sending aid, with the United Nations launching an appeal to raise US$300 million (S$374 million) in emergency aid funding, and countries such as the United States, Britain and Japan and corporations such as Sweden's Ikea are donating millions of dollars to the relief efforts.

At times like these, you ask what can we, located thousands of kilometres away, do to help?

Well, plenty. But there are some ways of giving that are better than others - just like investing.

Calls for old clothes and shoes, for example, have been making the rounds on social media pages.

But relief workers have highlighted that unwanted clothes and items often end up as waste in the streets of the disaster areas, as in the areas affected by the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.

Access to the affected people is also extremely limited and should be reserved for supplies such as medicine, tents and food items.

The simplest way to help, say experts, is simply to donate money - not unloading your unwanted items.

Tan Chuan-Jin: A labour of purpose

Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin believes in having the right purpose and values in his work and personal life.
By Wong Wei Kong, The Business Times, 27 Apr 2013

HE WRITES about the model plane that he would never finish, about the anxiety of sending a child away on a school trip for the first time, and of joining the army instead of reading law. He worries about the erosion of values, fears for how Singapore society would evolve and reminisces fondly about his childhood days on his Chopper bicycle in Ghim Moh. And at Easter, he wrote about death.

The posting on his Facebook page read: "Of the many things in life, nothing quite focuses one's mind than the thought of our impending death. What would you do if this was the last day of your life? Or your last month? Or year? Perhaps these are the moments when we remember again what really matters. And who really matters. And pause to think about the way we live and the way we treat others."

There's clearly another side to the man who has the unenviable task of reforming Singapore's labour force and weaning the country from its dependence on foreign workers. Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin finds himself in the hot seat - critics charge the government with raising business costs and risking growth by curbing the use of foreign labour; others say it is not moving aggressively enough to give jobs back to Singaporeans.

It calls for strong persuasion and sometimes tough action, but the man behind this is highly contemplative about what he has been called to do. It's evident - from reading what he writes and talking to him - that he believes that getting the job done is more than just crafting policies and implementing them. It's also about finding purpose and meaning, and trying to get the balance right, in policy making, in dealing with people and in one's own personal life.

P&G bases global disaster relief hub here

Good location, logistics capabilities led to set-up of water purifier plant here

By Feng Zengkun, The Straits Times, 30 Nov 2012

SINGAPORE has notched up another accolade, with US consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble's (P&G) decision to base its global hub for disaster relief here.

This comes about after it officially opened a factory in Tuas yesterday which will produce sachets containing ingredients that can convert 10 litres of dirty water into drinkable water in about 30 minutes, enough for five people a day. This could mean the difference between life and death for people caught in natural disasters.

The factory will produce 100 million sachets a year for now and at least double its output by 2020.

This is the equivalent of producing at least two billion litres of clean water a year by 2020.

The sachets will be given free to countries during natural disasters and sold to governments and organisations at 3.5 US cents (4.3 Singapore cents) at other times.

The purifier is not new - since 2004, P&G has supplied about five billion litres of clean water to countries using the sachet under its global Children's Safe Drinking Water programme.

Robert Kee: Charity, SME-style

Some charities may have lost their way, but Robert Kee of Operation Hope Foundation, which runs orphanages in poor nations, tells Susan Long he wants to set an example with a hard-nosed approach that looks at the benefit-to-cost ratio.

The Straits Times, 13 Jul 2012

OPERATION Hope Foundation (OHF) squats in the crammed corner of a flatted factory unit in Ayer Rajah Crescent. A pile of slippers grace the entrance. Plastic bags of donated old clothes jostle for space among four staff cubicles that have seen better days.

Its crumpled co-founder and director Robert Kee, 64, sports a sunburn from spending the past month overseeing the building of an orphanage and training centre in Phitsanulok, Thailand, and finalising the paperwork for an orphanage and boutique hotel social enterprise in Pokara, Nepal.

This is charity 'SME-style', says Mr Kee, who is also managing director of Applied Digital System, a $55-million-revenue programming house operating on the same premises.

Home is a Balinese-style bungalow with a pool along Holland Road, but he spends a quarter of his year, up to a month each time, in Cambodia running an orphanage he founded, sleeping under a mosquito net mounted on sticks and eating the same one-dish meals as the kids who call him Grandpa. His sole creature comfort from home: sambal chilli.

The avuncular man hands over a name card - 'Three cents only,' he proudly declares - made on his ink-jet printer. In the more than 200 visits he has made to Cambodia to oversee OHF's orphanage and training centre there, he flew on budget airlines, paying for his ticket from his own pocket. He used to stay in US$5 (S$6.30) rooms when travelling on his charity's business till he got robbed and decided to 'upgrade' to US$15 ones.



Through his own 'back to basics' example, he is trying to model how charities should operate: the way a hard-nosed small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) would, keeping a beady eye on the benefit-to-cost ratio instead of operating like a glitzy, free-spending multinational marketing agency. He laments that few charities, donors or journalists these days care about the benefit-to-cost ratio - the estimated dollar value of the goods and services received by beneficiaries - which can be as low as 5 per cent.

For example, a charity distributing rice in a disaster-stricken area might fly in a team of 10, including a videographer and photographer, and hire two Land Rovers. At the end of five days, the team could have spent $30,000 to give away 300 sacks of rice that cost $20 each. So out of $36,000, only $6,000 is the benefit.