When will covid 19 end in Singapore?

When will covid 19 end in Singapore? When will circuit breaker end in Singapore? These are the questions everyone is asking nowadays. The end of circuit breaker depends on the trajectory of the coronavirus cases and the respond of experts and policy makers but some data driven studies can give estimates about the end of covid 19 in Singapore.

Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) provides model-based and data-driven predictions of the trajectories and end dates of COVID-19 in different countries and has been continually updating the predictions daily with the latest data. For each country, a figure is provided to visualize the estimated pandemic life cycle together with actual data to date, which further reveals the predicted inflection point and ending phase.

Only predictions with satisfactory model-data fits and statistical significance are reported. The prediction was started purely for self-curiosity regarding when COVID 19 might end in Singapore where we live and then has been expanded to cover other countries in response to requests of site visitors.

The site has unexpectedly received millions of visitors from all over the world.

According to the model, the covid 19 is estimated to end in Singapore by May 12 with 97% confidence and by May 20th with 99% confidence.

When will covid 19 end in Singapore? When will circuit breaker end in Singapore?

How to get to Singapore Zoo?

Singapore Zoo is probably one of the best tourist attraction Singapore offers to its visitors. Nested on 26 hectare wild park which is set in a larger rainforest reservation area on a peninsular in a large water reservoir, Singapore Zoo hosts many wild animals and attractions.

The easiest and most convenient way to get to the Singapore Zoo is Safari Gate. For $7 per adult and $5 per child you can get from city center to Mandai (where the Zoo is) and for $5 per adult or child from Mandai to the city. It passes through some popular and central Singapore hotels like Orchard Hotel, Marriott Hotel, Mandarin Hotel, SVC@Orchard, Orchard Plaza, Rendezvous Hotel, SAM/Carlton Hotel and Raffles City/Swissotel.

For Singapore Zoo bus time table and details of Safari Gate, you can visit Safari Gate web page.

Singapore Attractions Express (SAEx®) Service is another convenient and  popular way to access Singapore Zoo. 2-way trip between city and Singapore Zoo costs $10 per adult and $5 per child and you can also only purchase one way trip. SAEx buses passes through Orchard Hotel, DFS Galeria, Sheraton Towers, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Mandarin Orchard, Concorde Hotel, Hotel Rendezvous, Little India Arcade, Gemini Travel, Farrer Park MRT Station, Quality Hotel and Ibis Singapore Novena.

For Singapore Zoo bus time table and details, you can visit SAEx Service web page.

Singapore Zoo is deep inside Singapore island but it can be relatively easily reached by public transport network. If you are planning to go to Singapore Zoo, you need to get at minimum an MRT ride and then change to a bus to reach to the Zoo.

The nearest MRT stations to the zoo are Ang Mo Kio MRT Station (NS16) or  Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT Station (NS4/BP1) on North South Line (or the Red Line as popularly known in Singapore). If you are coming from the city, the best is Ang Moi Kio MRT Station. This station is adjacent to a bus interchange from where you need to take Bus 927. The bus you need to take from Choa Chu Kang is 138.

On Sundays and public holidays, bus 926 also buses from Marsiling MRT Station (NS8) and Woodlands MRT Station (NS9) which are also closed to the Singapore Zoo.

Another way to access Singapore Zoo is to mix public transportation and SAEx (see above) and go to Farrer Park MRT Station and then get a SAEx bus.

If you are heading Singapore Zoo by taxi, you can calculate the cost by taxi fare calculator. Currently, taxi fare calculator shows a 24 minutes taxi trip which costs 15.28 Singapore Dollars from Orchard Hotel (a central hotel) to Singapore Zoo at normal flag down fare (no peak hour).

A sample taxi fare calculation for Singapore Zoo

The Violin animation : 80 years of Singapore history in 17 minutes

Have you seen The Violin by Ervin Han? The animation shows the journey of a violin through 80 years of Singapore history starting from 1939, a few years before the horros of Japanese occupation :

"Circa late 1930s, Boat Quay, Singapore. A young boy receives an old violin as a gift out of kindness from a foreign trader. From then on, it becomes a treasured possession as he teaches himself to play the instrument over several years, until it was lost during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. After the war, the violin was found by a man working for the British Military Administration and given to his young daughter. The girl learns to play it and becomes a renowned violinist over the decades. She eventually passes the instrument on to her grandson, an accomplished violinist himself, who restores it and performs in a concert by the Singapore River, where the violin started its unexpected journey nearly 80 years ago.

Throughout the film, the violin graces different stages of Singapore - both figuratively and literally – as we see a young nation’s landscape evolve from a bustling 1930s to the dark days of the Japanese Occupation, followed by the sweeping political changes that lead to its independence and finally, present day."

It is a very nice animation and it is especially meaningful to watch it in this SG50 weekend.
You can watch this 17 minutes animation below. Make it full screen.

Below is a scene from the animation. It shows 1930s Boat Quay Area.

Top 10 Things to Do in Singapore

My friend Dilek recently visited Singapore before flying to Thailand for a Bangkok and Phuket trip. I requested her to compile a to-do-list in Singapore and here is what she has written:

Singapore attracts many visitors, travelers and tourists into the region combining the skyscrapers and subways of a modern, affluent city with a tropical climate, with tasty food, and good shopping malls. The culture of Singapore is composed of mainly Chinese, Indian, British, and Malay cultures. There are many things you can do in Singapore. During your first visit, you can start with these top 10 things to do in Singapore.

1. Going to Marina Bay Sands

Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. It is located along Marina Bay waterfront with 3 cascading hotel towers, 2,560 rooms, Sands SkyPark, floating crystal pavilions, lotus-inspired ArtScience Museum, shops, restaurants, theaters and nightclubs. Sands SkyPark offers 360-degree views of Singapore’s skyline. You may buy tickets for Sands SkyPark Observation Deck online http://www.marinabaysands.com/Sands-SkyPark/Tickets/ Observation Desk is open 7 days a week (Mon-Thurs:09:30 am-10:00pm/ Fri-Sun: 09:30 am-11:00pm).
Marina Bay Sands Singapore.

Marina Bay Sands Singapore. Sands SkyPark is on the deck hovering at the top of 3 hotel towers

2. Riding The Singapore Flyer

Standing at 165 meters above the city, The Singapore Flyer is a giant Ferris wheel in Singapore that was constructed between 2005 and 2008. It is located near the shore of Singapore’s Marina Bay. The Flyer’s height is of a 42-storey building  and it is taller than famous London Eye. If you ride on  the world’s tallest observation wheel, you will have chance to catch the magnificent view of Singapore’s iconic and historical landmarks as well as views from the Marina Bay to the Singapore River, Raffles Place, Merlion Park, Empress Place and the Padang.

3. Going to Night Safari

The Night Safari is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Singapore. Actually it is the world’s first nocturnal zoo.(Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by activity during the night and sleeping during the day.) The 40-hectare park houses 1,040 animals representing 120 species, of which 29% are threatened species. The length of visit recommended is 2-3 hours. You may explore the park either walking on foot or riding on the tram. You can purchase your night safari tickets online http://www.nightsafari.com.sg/ Indeed by buying online tickets, you can save around 5%. Just visit Night Safari Park, catch the animals of the Night Safari before they go to sleep.
View from Night Safari Photo by Dileka

4. Visiting Singapore Botanic Gardens

The 150-year old Singapore Botanic Gardens attracts many visitors as well as the local residents. This Gardens has an array of botanical and horticultural attractions with a rich history and a wonderful plant collection of worldwide significance. The Singapore Botanic Gardens is the only botanic garden in the world that opens from 5 am to 12 midnight every single day of the year. Admission to the Gardens is free except for the National Orchid Garden. There are different sections at the garden. These are National Orchid Garden, Rainforest, Evolution Garden, Ginger Garden, Healing Garden, Botany Center and Tanglin Gate and Jacob Ballas Children’s Garden. You can find more than 10,000 types of plants, many heritage trees, and three lakes, namely Symphony Lake, Eco-Lake and Swan Lake. Since there are many sections, you may spend 2-3 or more hours at Singapore Botanic Gardens.

5. Visiting Jurong Bird Park

Another tourist attraction in Singapore is Jurong Bird Park managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore. Like its motto, it is Where Colour Lives. Jurong Bird Park has an area of 202,000 square meters and it is currently the world’s largest bird park in terms of number of birds, and second largest both in number of bird species and land area. There are 5,000 birds of 380 species in Jurong Bird Park. The park is separated for different exhibitions. These are Waterfall Aviary, Dinosaur Descendants, Birds of Prey, Southeast Asian Birds Aviary, Jungle Jewels, Lory Loft, Hornbills & Toucans, Royal Ramble, Scarlet Ibis, Spoonbills, Penguin Coast,  World of Darkness, Pelican Cove and Parrot Paradise. Don’t be surprised, if you encounter magnificent birds in front of you while you are walking.

6. Going to Sentosa Island

You should visit Sentosa Island definitely. Sentosa is a popular island resort in Singapore and it is visited by some five million people every year. Sentosa offers a variety of attractions, museums and other facilities to provide a variety of experiences, recreation and entertainment to visitors.

7. Being at the Southern Most Point of Continental Asia

While you are in Sentosa Island, do not forget to visit The Southern Most Point of Asia. It stands at the edge of continental Asia right on Palawan Beach at Sentosa Island. It is accessible via a suspension bridge. Actually the bridge has very nice view. After you reach at the Southern Most Point of Continental Asia, you can spend some time for viewing the island.

8. Spending time at the Orchard Road

Visiting and going around Orchard Road is another suggestion. Spanning almost 2.2 kilometer-long, Orchard Road is the retail and entertainment hub of Singapore. Orchard Road is a one-way boulevard including distinctive and iconic shopping malls, restaurants and hotels. It attracts many tourists.

9. Visiting Little India

As its name promises Little India is the center for the large Indian community in Singapore. It is shopping destination for many travelers visiting Singapore. Since in Little India, Singapore, you may have chance to see many spice stores, restaurants, backpacker hostels, art galleries, sari shops and Bollywood record shops. It is known for many festivals and it is one of the most colorful and attractive places to visit in Singapore.

10. Going to Chinatown

Singapore’s Chinatown is an ethnic neighborhood featuring distinctly Chinese cultural elements and a historically concentrated ethnic Chinese population. I’m sure you will enjoy your experience in Chinatown since it is full of many little shops selling everything from plastic Buddhas to the products you name it.  Furthermore, you can purchase souvenirs from Chinatown because it is where the cheapest souvenirs are. Chinatown Heritage Centre is located in Pagoda Street and all buildings are so colorful which provides you with some great photographing opportunities.

Where to stay in Singapore?

Singapore, the small and cosmopolitan city-state in the center of South East Asia, is a mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian and European culture and you will find an authentic cuisine, colorful night life, great shopping, plenty of places to visit and a nice jumping point to many destinations in Malaysia, Thailand and the rest of South East Asia.

Here we will introduce the neighborhoods of Singapore where you can find nice accommodation instead of giving individual hotel advices. If you are budget conscious, you should stay in a hotel which is outside central region near an MRT station or a bus stop. Singapore is one of the safest and cleanest places in the world so you have no chance to fall into a "bad" neighborhood. As Singapore hotels are expensive, Singapore is small and public transportation is convenient (except rush hours), doing so will save you some money.

Although you will see a lot of places to stay in Singapore in sites like Airbnb, B&B and renting out public and private property rooms to tourists or short term visitors is not legal in Singapore. It is tolerated but try not to stay in public housing units advertised for tourists. You won't be prosecuted but you will be kicked out if you are caught there.

Bugis District

Singapore's Bugis District is one of the most popular place to stay in Singapore for budget conscious travelers. Although it is not as budget as Chinatown and Little India, Bugis has several advantages. It is in a location right next to Singapore's Orchard Road, Singapore Historic Center, Suntec City, Little and very near to Singapore Central Business District and Chinatown. The Bugis MRT Station offers an easy access to/from airport as well as to many locations in Singapore. This central location has some of the best hotels in Singapore under 100 USD per night and below 200 USD per night.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Bugis hotels page.

Orchard Road

1 kilometer long Orchard Road, the shopping hub of Singapore, is one of the most expensive places in Singapore to stay and if you are not a shopping addict, there is no point to pay the "premium". Still, if you are in shopping or have a deep pocket for expensive rooms, it is still a central place served well by Orchard Road MRT Station and Somerset MRT Station.

Here you can find a list of Orchard Road hotels. For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Orchard Road hotels page.

Marina Bay

Thanks to its location (right next to Singapore Central Business District and Suntec City Convention Center), the cluster of 5-Star luxurious hotels in Marina Bay area with great Singapore skyline views is popular among business travelers. Probably the most famous one here is Marina Bay Sands Singapore, the hotel part of the Singapore casino complex (a.k.a Integrated Resort) which is also the largest hotel in Singapore.

Skypool of Marina Bay Sands Hotel Singapore in Marina Bay Area

For hotels in Marina Bay area, you can check Singapore Marina Bay hotels.

Singapore Riverside

In our opinion, the best place to stay in Singapore is Singapore's Riverside starting from the mouth of the river (where Fullerton Hotel is located) all the way upstream to Zouk Night Club. Three of Singapore's best night life areas, Clarke Quay, Boat Quay and Robertson Quay are here as well as infamous Zouk Night Club. Both sides of riverside also can be considered as the Singapore's historic center.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Riverside hotels page.

Chinatown and Central Business District

Although 70% of Singapore's population is Chinese but the country still has a Chinatown. This place is the area where British colonial rulers desgnated as "Chinatown". It is colorful, quite authentic and offers several mid to low budget accomodation options. Chinatown also houses some of the best hostels in Singapore. Towards the end of Chinatown to Tanjong Pagar, there is a cluster of popular business hotels for business travelers.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Chinatown hotels page.

Little India

Not as central as Chinatown, Little India is authentic and still quite central. It offers some nice budget hotels and is served well by Little India and Farrer Park MRT Stations. Guests staying here will also be near Mustafa Center and Sim Lim Square.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Little India hotels page.

Sentosa Island

Sentosa Island, the most expensive resort island in South East Asia, offers a resort like stay right next to the Singapore's Central Business District. Resort World Sentosa here offers a casino and many attractions such as Universal Studios Singapore as well as 5-Star hotels. On the mainland looking to Sentosa, you will find Singapore's largest shopping mall, VivoCity which has a monorail connection to Sentosa.

For detailed hotel list as well as latest prices and guest reviews, visit Singapore Sentosa Island hotels page.

Singapore Changi Airport

For those looking a place to stay near airport there are some nice alternatives. Crowne Plaza Hotel is directly connected to Terminal 3 and is the nearest hotel to Changi Airport. For those who can go a little further there are several alternatives. Changi Village Hotel offers a nice and calm environment looking toward Pulau Ubin Island while guests can stay near East Coast of Singapore, in between Changi and city center, to enjoy an authentic Peranakan neighborhood experience. You can find more info in our hotels near Changi Airport post.

Singapore most expensive city in the world

It is official : The Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) has confirmed what we terribly feel in the Lion city : Singapore is the most expensive city in the world to live in. Singapore jumped five places from No 6 in 2013 to top this year’s list after rising in the list in recent years. Singapore was ranked just 18th most expensive city in the world in 2004 in the EIU's Worldwide Cost of Living Survey.

The Republic’s strong currency, which has appreciated about 40 per cent over the past decade, combined with soaring utility bills and the high cost of car ownership contributed to Singapore’s rise in the list, according to the EIU. Singapore is also the most expensive place in the world to buy clothes.

Paris, Oslo, Zurich and Sydney also made the top five of the EIU list. Tokyo, the most expensive city to live in for 2013, fell to joint sixth place alongside Caracas, Geneva and Melbourne. At No 10 is Copenhagen.
Source : Singapore now the world’s most expensive city: Economist

Singapore is the most expensive city in the world.

Tips to save money during Singapore holiday

Tip #1 - Book your hotel online
Hotels in Singapore are very expensive. Thus it is the first place to save money during a Singapore holiday. By choosing the right hotel, you can really save a lot of money in Singapore.

Room prices at the reception and on the hotel web site are usually more expensive than what you can find online. A better alternative is to look at online hotel reservation sites like Agoda.com but the best is a hotel meta-search engine like hotelscombined.com. These online hotel search engines aggregates price and guest review data from many online reservation sites as well as some hotel web sites and puts them in a simple list from where you can choose the best hotel rates in Singapore (or anywhere indeed).

Tip #2 - Stay in a hotel near MRT Station or major bus lines
Singapore is quite small and its public transportation system allows you to access everywhere quite fast. Singapore's rail system, known as MRT (Mass Rapid Transportation) extensively covers almost everywhere in Singapore.

Instead of staying in a central hotel and paying a fortune to a tiny room, you can simply stay a little outside the Singapore city center in a hotel near MRT Station. As long as you are near an MRT Station you can go significantly out of the central region and save more money.

Tip #3 - Consider staying in a Singapore hostel
Singapore offers many nice hostels offering accomodation from plain-old dorm beds to pod-style or private room twin beds. Some of these hostels are quite luxurious. You can find nice hostels near Chinatown MRT Station.

Tip #4 - Read Wikitravel Singapore Guide
Online open-source travel guide wikitravel has an excellent Singapore Travel Guide which covers almost every topic a tourist will need to know and using it alone will save you tons of money.

Wikitravel Singapore Travel guide is also published as a pocket guide an can be purchased from Amazon: Wikitravel Singapore: The Free, Complete, Up-To-Date And Reliable Guide To Singapore.

Tip #5 - Beware of Singapore scams
There are many tourist complaints about scams in Lucky Plaza of Orchard Road, Sim Lim Square and People Park Complex in Chinatown. A popular scam is to sell you a very cheap smartphone and then force you to buy a very expensive warranty or subscription. If you stay clear away from too good to be true prices you can protect yourself from many scams.

If you are ripped off by a shop do not lick your wound and go away. Call Singapore Tourism Board's free hotline at 1800 736-2000. The Small Claims Tribunal at 1 Havelock Sq also has a special expedited process for tourists that can solve simple cases within 24 hours.

Tip #6 - Buy travel insurance
A visit to hospital in Singapore will be very costly and do not step into the country without a proper travel insurance. Although health system is quite good in the country, an extended stay in a hospital may cost you tens of thousands of dollars if you do not buy that 20+ USD something travel insurance.

Tip #7 - Buy a local SIM Card
Instead of paying a fortune to roaming you can buy simple prepaid SIM cards which are sold in 7-Eleven convenience stores, phone shops and currency exchange counters. All you need is a passport or Singapore ID to sign up.

Since almost everyone in the country has cellphones and prepaid SIM cards are available, number of public phones in the country is declining (but you can still find them in all MRT Stations and in the airport). Having a phone will local card may save a lot of time and money for you. Especially the cards with data plans will allow you use maps, Singapore specific apps (such as bus timings or call-a-taxi apps).

Tip #8 - Eat and Shop in hearthlands
Orchard Road may be the most famous shopping area in Singapore, it is the most expensive and food here is just average. For better service, taste and prices consider visiting malls and hawker centers outside tourist area. These places are less inclined to use hit-and-run sales tactics and more dependent on frequent customers (in a shop in town you’re just another faceless sales target).

Tip #9 - Save money on electronics
Singapore is still a good place to buy electronics if you know what you are doing. If you are planning to buy electronics in Singapore read this article: 5 Money Saving Ways to Buy Electronics in Singapore.

Order food online with Foodpanda Singapore

If you are lazy to go out to fill your empty stomach, you can order your food online and have food delivery in Singapore through Foodpanda Singapore, a leading online food ordering platform in Singapore. Instead of keeping links to many individual restaurant or food chain online order sites, you can simply go to Foodpanda and choose among partner restaurants.

Foodpanda SG is founded in Singapore on March 2012 by German online start-up incubator Rocket Internet GmbH, who is also the founder of online shoes and fashion shopping site Zalora Singapore. Rocket Internet GmbH's business model is to identify the successful internet ideas, usually from the US (e.g. Groupon), and replicate them in other countries such as Germany (e.g. Citydeal). They then usually sell the sites to the original company (they have sold Citydeal to Groupon in 2010).

Ordering food online from Foodpanda is fuss-free and fast. You simply enter your post code, find your favorite restaurant near you and with just a few effortless clicks, you can to easily order food over the internet. Although started with 51 restaurants targetting only Central Business District and its over working executives, Foodpanda has grown to 200+ restaurants and Singapore wide coverage in a year. Some popular restaurants from where you can order food online are Thai to Go (Kitchen), Cafe Mexicana, Omar Shariff Authentic Indian Cuisine, Golden Pillow 933, Indian Curry House (Sixth Avenue), Sarpino's Pizzeria (Balestier), The Yang's Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice, Brinda's, Khansama Tandoori Restaurant, Sarpino's Pizzeria (Downtown East), Yeo Keng Nam Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice, Ananda Bhavan Restaurant, Thai to Go (Sembawang), JK Don, The Shepherd's Pie, Da Vinci's Italian Restaurant, Hui Wei Chinese Thai Cusine, Tandoor Curry Club, Maharajah Restaurants ( Dial-a-Curry ), Sakunthala's, Thin Crust Pizza and  Madjack Clementi.

FoodPanda delivers your favorite food straight to your desk or doorstep!
You can choose from over 200+ restaurants and order online.

Foodpanda together with its affiliated brand hellofood is the leading group of online food ordering platforms active in 27 countries (India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Hungary, Venezuela, Poland, Ukraine, Romania and Saudi Arabia).

The Singapore Girl

Singapore Girl is one of the first you know about Singapore before even stepping a foot in Singapore. This consistent visual advertising slogan, which was created in 1972 when Singapore Airlines was formed is applied to depictions of stewardesses of Singapore Airlines (SIA). Dressed in the distinctive "Sarong Kebaya" SIA uniform in batik material designed by Parisian couturier Pierre Balmain, The Singapore Girl is said to engender "Asian values and hospitality" and has been described as "caring, warm, gentle, elegant and serene". Well most stewardesses really become living versions of  Singapore Girl through weeks of training. Many times so caring, warm and gentle: I heard from someone that he had to hold himself from asking one of these girls "please sit down I serve that tea for you" in her first flight with SIA :)

The Singapore Girl is a global marketing icon, one of the airline industry’s most instantly-recognised figures. This recognition factor gives the Airline a great advantage over its competitors. In 1993, a waxwork of the  Singapore Girl was unveiled at Madame Tussaud's, the world-famous waxwork museum in London. It was the first commercial figure to be displayed at the museum.   Madame Tussaud's said the figure was chosen
"to reflect the ever-growing popularity of international travel" and in recognition of the 21st birthday of both Singapore Airlines and the Singapore Girl.

On joining Singapore Airlines, Singapore Girls undergo 15 weeks of training, followed by a series of refresher and product-specific courses throughout their careers. Singapore Airlines cabin crew are well versed in  all aspects of passenger management and service, as well as the special needs of the young, the aged and those with disabilities. They are also proficient in safety evacuation procedures.

The Singapore Girl

Not all Singapore girls are Singaporeans. More than  80% of all Singapore Girls are either Singaporean or Malaysian.  The rest are from countries including China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.


The Sarong Kebaya
Exquisitely designed by Parisian couturier Pierre Balmain, the signature uniform in batik material reflects the Airline’s Asian heritage and is the most distinctive feature of The Singapore Girl. Today, the design first introduced in 1968, is universally recognized as the Singapore Girl’s very own.

Did you know that The Singapore Girl’s sarong kebaya comes in four colours, each representing a different rank?

The Sarong Kebaya colors

John Lee's Facebook complaint about SingTel goes viral

"Dear singtel, all my friends are complaining about your network. How could you setup a 4G network where your 3G suck big time and you want to lower our data plan but still charge us the same price and yet we still get many drop calls and slow network. You guys are taking money but not giving us the service so here I'm complaining right at your face and wait for your feedback ..." wrote John Lee in his open message to SingTel on Facebook. He must have struck a raw nerve since his message drew 12,889 likes (and counting) while 1,000+ people commented mostly agreed with Lee's feedback .

Although SingTel may have some room to improve its infrastructure there are also other issues which makes Singapore's data speed is painfully slow. One of course is overcrowding which we also see on the trains, buses, shopping malls and roads. Second is the as much as you can data plans which basically resulted in 10 percent of SingTel's customers consume 64 percent of the company's mobile data![1] Although there is not more of this kind of abuse as much as you can plans, the existing limitless data plans will continue to suck speed until they fully expire. There are also several other issues which are actually not issue I guess. One is that you cannot buy pirated CD in Singapore which is in my opinion a good thing but as a result people are downloading more movies that their counterparts in other countries. Second is that Singapore smart phone usage rate is much higher than any other country except Korea and Japan and I see most smartphone users watching full episodes of TV shows on mobile in the train.

 John Lee's Facebook complaint about SingTel goes viral

Of course I do not mean SingTel does not have anything to blame here. They may be maintaining their network and investing to new equipment as less as SMRT is maintaining the MRT lines. I wonder how is the speed in Japan where population density and smartphone penetration is quite high.

As response to the comment SingTel's administrator wrote:

""We hear you. We would like to assure you that SingTel is committed to providing high-quality and consistent 3G and 4G mobile coverage to its customers. There are various factors that affect coverage, and these are due to the inherent nature of mobile technologies. These issues are not unique to the SingTel network and could affect customers of any operator. For example, users may sometimes experience weak reception in locations, such as basement car parks and lifts, where signals are blocked by walls and structures. SingTel has an ongoing programme to enhance and expand our mobile network. In the last 3 years, we have invested more than S$2 billion across our networks, including mobile. We are adding more base station sites islandwide and upgrading existing ones to handle more traffic.""[2]

I have the same speed problem with StarHub and actually it get's worse when you are nearer to city center (I guess due to the density of users there) and weekends. I do not think speed-wise M1 is different. I frequently travel to Ho Chi Minh City and there the internet I use is 10 times faster than in Singapore. You can drive faster on 4 lane (Saigon's network) when there are moderate number of cars than 16 lane road (Singapore's network) with a traffic jam.

[1] - SingTel 4G smartphones are on sale today
[2] - Frustrated Singtel user draws 10,000+ likes and 800+ comments and growing

Police looking at the Zouk CyberJapan Bikini Party

Zouk, one of the oldest and most popular nightclubs in Singapore, is investigated by police because of the debut of the Cyberjapan dancers at Zouk's CyberJapan Bikini Party on Oct 5 2012. At the event, CyberJapan dancers took the center stage and showed off their sexy moves while Japanese DJ Mitomi Tokoto was performing his debut. These Japanese dance troupe is famous with their trademark bikinis and some photos of them appeared on Singapore's Stomp web site.

According to The New Paper of Singapore, a police spokesman said that "the police will be looking into the performance to "ascertain whether the establishment had breached licensing conditions". On the other hand, Timothy Chia, Zouk's head of marketing and events, said that Zouk Club has a blanket, year-long live performance license from (the) public entertainment division.[1]

Back in August 2010, Club Atlantis, Singapore's biggest Thai disco, where scantily-clad young women went from table to table pushing the sales of drinks, was ordered to shut down for breached licensing regulations.

[1] - Police to investigate Zouk bikini dancers

NTUC fired Amy Cheong for racist Facebook comment

Amy Cheong, an assistant director with National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), has used her 15 minutes of fame time yesterday, in a very wrong way. This Sunday evening, she has wrote a really rude and  unacceptable comment on her Facebook timeline on Sunday evening complaining about a Malay wedding in a void deck near her home (what did Amy Cheong say? See the image below). The uncalled comments immediately created a public outcry in Singapore and internet users have bombarded her employer's, NTUC’s, UMembers Facebook page between Sunday evening and Monday morning, calling for her dismissal and seeking the trade organ’s response to her post. And today, NTUC Amy Cheong, for her racist remarks on Facebook:

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has sacked an assistant director from its membership division after she posted offensive comments on her personal Facebook account.
In a statement sent to the media, its secretary-general Lim Swee Say said the trade organisation has "terminated with immediate effect the services of Ms Amy Cheong, Assistant Director, Membership department after establishing with her that she did post offensive comments... on 7 October 2012".[1]

These terrible comment cost Amy Cheong her job
Photo - Yahoo SG

Amy Cheong, later inactivated her Facebook account, but before she has published an apology on the UMembers Facebook page:

“Hi All, I sincerely apologize for my silly comment. It is in no way a reflection of NTUC and the good works it has done and is doing for its members. It was my own bad judgement of which I truly regret. I certainly do not mean to distress the Malay community with my comment, I was just upset with the noise. I truly do not mean to be judgmental or critical. I am truly sorry."[2]

She has later issued a formal apology to the media:

"In the four-paragraph long statement, she said that she is "terribly sorry to all who were affected emotionally, mentally and in all other aspects." 

She acknowledged that she is aware of the pain she has caused through her insensitive remarks and asked for the public to view her as a person offering her most sincere apology."[5]

According to some sources, Amy Cheong is a Singapore Permanent Resident who was born in Malaysia but holds Australian citizenship. After the incident and losing her job, she has left Singapore for Perth, Australia on Oct 8 2012:

In a report in The New Paper, Cheong, who is in her 30s, had revealed that she is a Singapore permanent resident who has lived here for ten years. She had moved to Australia from Malaysia when she was eight, before finally choosing to settle here. 

She says she initially chose to live here because people here could speak English and were culturally diverse, with different festivals and a wide variety of food. Despite her rant, she claims her exposure to people of many backgrounds and cultures over the years means that she sees everyone as "the same, regardless of their race or colour."[6]

She also revealed that she had been publicly threatened over the incident, with some making "really nasty" comments about her. She decided to leave because she had feared for her safety and hoped to reduce tension by staying away.

According to media, Singapore police are investigating the former NTUC staff who was fired on Monday morning for her profanity-laced post insulting traditional Malay void deck weddings:

A police report was filed against Amy Cheong, assistant director, membership department at labour movement NTUC, by a member of the public, Lionel Jerome de Souza on Monday morning. 

De Souza is the secretary of Hougang's Inter-Racial and Confidence Circle (IRCC), which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Community Development Youth and Sports. In his report, he urged the police to take a serious view of Cheong's comments which "inevitably hurt the feelings of the Malays".[3]

Amy Cheong later apologized publicly before deactivating her Facebook account.
Photo - AsiOne

Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said the comments "are shameful and completely unacceptable" and added that "this confirms what I had long suspected and said: there are deep fault lines in our society, based on race/religion":

Ex-NTUC staff Amy Cheong's Facebook comments have confirmed that there are "deep fault lines" based on race/religion in Singapore society, said Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam today. 

Ms Cheong had posted a comment on Malay weddings at void decks on her personal Facebook page on Sunday. In response, the NTUC today said it terminated the services of Ms Cheong, who was an Assistant Director in its Membership Department. 

Noting that the emergence of the Internet and social media "frees some people to say what is really in their hearts", Mr Shanmugam said: " Her comments reflect a deep seated racist attitude coupled with contempt for those who are less well off, or who wish to spend less."[4]

[1] - NTUC sacks assistant director over racist remarks on Facebook
[2] - NTUC fires Assistant Director for racist comments
[3] - Police report filed against Amy Cheong over racist Facebook post
[4] - Facebook comment confirms "deep fault lines" in S'pore society: K Shanmugam
[5] - The former assistant director of NTUC membership who was let go for her racially insensitive remarks made on Facebook has released a formal statement of apology to the media.
[6] - The real Amy Cheong: She's an Australian citizen born in Malaysia

Kancheong Style: Singapore parody of Gangnam Style

A Singaporean parody of South Korean hit song Gangnam Style features Singaporean kids making light of the "kancheong" culture in Singapore. "Kancheong" is a Singlish term used in Singapore to refer to nervous, tense, worried. The video is depicting the intense pressure put on Singaporean kids by their kiasu parents.

The 4-minute video is produced by family magazine The Asian Parent to celebrate Children's Day on 5 October.[1] It has gone viral and reached over 24,000 views on YouTube. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin have both featured the song on their Facebook walls.

Singlish infused lyrics of the song depicts the Kancheong style:

Wake up every morning I am feeling oh so sleepy
Faster faster bathe and then I go get ready
Auntie get me milo
Daddy gives me money
Tiger Mummy tell me better quickly go and study 

Walking to the train
But then it starts to rain
Ai-yoh eh, eh
No umbrella leh, eh
But my maid Lorraine
She tells me use my brain
Take newspaper… er
Why you so blur
We push, you push, we shove, you shove if we go late
Sure kenna scold-o-o-o-o…! 

Super Kancheong Style!
Kancheong Style, style-style-style-style-style
Super Kancheong Style
Kancheong Style, style-style-style-style-style
Super Kancheong Style
Eh… better hurry, eh eh eh eh eh
Super Kancheong Style
Eh… give me curry, oh oh oh oh oh
Super Kancheong Style

Run like a Siao Gila, heng ah I reach school on time ah
Teacher look at me macam just commit a crime lah
Walking like some hero
Oh no forgot my homework
Mummy, Daddy sure scold me ‘cos all test I got zero![2]

[1] - ‘Kancheong Style’ shows off moves of Singaporean kids
[2] - Singapore Gangnam with Children – Super Kancheong Style

Where is Singapore on the map?

"Where is Singapore?" a friend asked when he heard I live in Singapore. "You do not know? seriously? Singapore is just at the tip of peninsular Malaysia" I wanted to say but then I realized that this will be immediately followed by another question: "Where is Malaysia?" Well my friend, I will explain you in this blog and send this link to you and also enlighten others people who ask the same questions again and again:

• Where is Singapur?
• Where is Singapore on the map?
• Is Singapore in China?
• What is the capital of Singapore?
• (My favorite) In which city you live in Singapore?

Where is Singapore on the map?

Singapore is in a sub region of Asia called South East Asia. South East Asia is bordered (roughly) by China on the north, India on the west, Australia on the East and Papua New Guinea and Pacific Ocean on the east. (See the map below).

South East Asia on the world map

In South East Asia, Singapur is a small island between Malay peninsula and Indonesia's Sumatra Island. It is actually southern most point of mainland Asia (there is a point in Sentosa Island which marks the southern most point of mainland Asia)!

Where is Singapore on the map?

Is Singapore in China?

No. Singapore, as you can see from the map above (China starts from Macau and Hong Kong at the top border of the map) is thousands of miles south of China. The confusion comes from Singapore's Chinese majority which is unique in South East Asia. 70% of the population of Singapore is Chinese but it is far from China and Singapore is not a part of China. 

What is the capital of Singapore?

Singapore is a city state, so there is no capital of Singapore. Singapore is one nation, one island and only one city, Singapore City.

In which city you live in Singapore?

See above answer.

SCDF islandwide sounding of the sirens on 15 September

For those who still do not know what were those loud sirens islandwide today (September 15 2012) for about 1 minute, they were Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) controlled warning sirens called Public Warning System. Singapore currently has a network of over 2000 stationary such sirens which warn the entire country of war air raids, man-made and natural disasters (except earth tremors). According to Wikipedia, On the first day of every month Singapore's sirens are tested. During the test, the sirens sounds a light but cheerful chime instead of any of its three signals, which led to the population's speculations of the sirens reminding them of the start of each month. The sirens look very similar to the Israel version pictured on the right.[1]

According to media The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has sounded the "Important Message" signal through its island-wide network of Public Warning System (PWS) sirens on SCDF Day on Saturday at 12.05pm:

"Members of the public are advised not to be alarmed by the minute-long sounding exercise. When the signal is sounded, members of the public can immediately tune in to any local radio station to listen to an important message broadcast by SCDF."[2]

The "Important Message" signal is a pulsating blasts sounded to alert the people of important messages broadcast by Singapore FM radio stations. This is the most used signal as to celebrate Total Defence and Civil Defence Days in Singapore.[3] Well I saw some people looking up as if they were expecting to see alien spacecrafts (I may be watching too much Hollywood alien movie).   Thus far, the siren network has only been used for occasional public awareness drills, monthly noon chimes and for commemorating the island's Total Defence (February 15) and Civil Defence Days (September 15)[3]. In the below video, you can hear Islandwide sounding of the scdf sirens on 15 September 2009 (starts around 0:45)

Islandwide sounding of the scdf sirens on 15 September

Public Warning System has 2 more signals. Alarm signal is a wailing blasts that warn people of a danger or threat and it means for them to move a SCDF air raid shelter. Used only once on the island's Total Defence Day in 2006. And there is also All clear signal which is a continuous blasts of a clear sound to allow the people to move out of the shelter if the threat is over.[3]

[1] - Civil defense siren (Singapore)
[2] - SCDF to sound Public Warning System sirens on Saturday
[3] - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Warning_System

Number of new Singapore citizens and Singapore PR approvals down in 2011

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, that the number of new permanent residents (PRs) decreased from an average of 58,000 per year from 2004 to 2008, to 28,500 per year from 2010 onward while fewer Singapore citizenships (SCs) were granted last year as compared to the average of 18,500 per year in the last five years.[1] The fall in number of new Singapore PRs is due to the stricter criteria and Governments effort to decrease Singapore PR intake which is decreasing since 2008 peak of 79,200 new Singapore PRs and  drop in new Singapore Citizens is due to the introduction of the Singapore Citizenship Journey which lengthens the time taken for applicants to be granted citizenship by about two months.[1]


New Singapore Citizen intake numbers of the past 5 years, 18,500 per year, is still more than twice the 8,200 per year between 1987 and 2006 [2]. By the steep increase of the intake speed in the past 8 years, Singapore's total population increased 27% since 2003 to current number of 5.26 million.

3.81 million of these 5.26 million are Singapore Residents (3.27 million Singaporeans and 540,000 Singapore PRs). The rest, 1.46 million are foreigners with non-resident status. Of these around:

• majority, 671,600, are work permit holders (excluding foreign domestic workers)
• 219,000 are dependents of citizens, PRs and work visa holders,
• 204,400 are maids (foreign domestic workers),
• 175,200 are Singapore Employment Pass holders,
• 87,600 are students and
• 116,800 are S Pass holders.

Singapore Permanent Residency given by year. 2011 numbers are estimate based on the
28,500 per year from 2010 onward numbers given by Singapore Government

So by 2010 onward, Singapore PR approval per year falls to almost half of the average of the past 10 years. The numbers are also below the 35,250 per year average of 2001 to 2004. The numbers also show that an estimated 509,860 new Singapore PRs are given in the past 11 years excluding 2012.

Below graph shows the Singapore population growth between 1960 - 2011. There is a steep rise in population following 2006 which added 25%+ to the existing population in just 5 years!

Singapore population per year. There is a steep increase between 1986 - 1998 and after a rest of 

5 years following Asian Financial Crisis of 1997, population again 

goes into a steep climb 2003 onwards.

[1] - Number of new citizens drop last year
[2] - Our population, our future

Bay South Garden of Gardens By the Bay will open on June 29 2012

The largest of three gardens that make up the 101 hectares Gardens by the Bay, Bay South Garden, will be officially opened next Thursday and will be open to the public next Friday. With 54ha area, Bay South is the largest of the three gardens and designed by UK based landscape architecture firm Grant Associates[1]. The garden has 18 man-made vertical gardens called Supertrees which range between 25 meters to 50 meters high and hosts some 160,000+ plants and 2 Cooled Conservatories – The Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.

Singapore's ambitious Gardens by the Bay is a 350 acre development composed of three distinct waterfront gardens park – Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central  in the heart of Singapore’s new downtown Marina Bay, adjacent to the Marina Reservoir. It is built on reclaimed land and features waterfalls, lakes, green houses and lots of plants from all around the world. The main attractions are 18 stainless steel super trees some of which are 50 meters tall. When they are opened next week, visitors will be able to walk in a sky walkway suspended between these super-trees. There are also 2 large greenhouses called Flower Dome (23 - 25 deg C inside) and Cloud Forest (23 - 25 deg C).  


Bay South Gardens are 10 minutes’ walk from Marina Bay Sands through Garden Bay Bridge (can be accessed from the forth level of Expo) and Dragonfly bridge. The nearest MRT station is Bayfront MRT Stations. You can take Exit B and by an underground linkway reach to the Dragonfly Bridge. 

Bay South Garden, a section of the waterfront gardens in the new Downtown @ Marina Bay, will open on June 29. It is the largest of the three gardens that make up Gardens By The Bay, Singapore's new green oasis in the city.
 The sprawling 54 hectares Bay South features man-made, tree-like structures known as "supertrees". Visitors with a taste for heights can take to the aerial walkway that links two of the supertrees. There is also the Dragonfly Lake, where visitors can stroll along the promenade or rest in the four heritage gardens which reflect the history and culture of Singapore's main ethnic groups.
 Bay South also features two cooled conservatories. Dr Kiat W Tan, CEO of Gardens By The Bay, said: "We have brought (in) two glasshouses that'll give you a touch of perpetual spring. So this is excellent in that here in the tropics, we have a touch of the seasons. It allows us to also look at plants from different continents, brought here from fragile habitats that are disappearing very fast."Source : BaySouth Garden to open on June 29

Bay South Garden - Source : dezeen.com

Gardens will be opened daily from 5am to 2am and admission to the gardens will be free.  Cooled conservatories and aerial walkway will be open for public daily from 9am to 9pm with admission charges. For example, one observatory visit will cost 12 SGD for residents while two conservatories will cost 20 SGD. See here for the pricing of Gardens By The Bay.


[1] - To see a world in a grain of sand, The Straits Times Special Gardens By The Bay

How to get to Marina Bay Sands?

Marina Bay Sands is one of the two integrated resorts(*) which is the most easily seen and accessed due to its location. Although it is at a very central location (constructed on downtown reclaimed land to be developed in the next ten to twenty years), it may a little be tricky to arrive there if you are not using a taxi. Marina Bay Sands is located at the Bayfront Area and the easiest public transportation mode to there is the newly opened Bayfront MRT Station (MRT = Mass Rapid Transit, used in Singapore for metro/subway) located in the Marina Bay area. This station is on the Circle Line Extension between Promenade and Marina Bay.

If you are coming via Promenade MRT station on the circle line you should leave the train at Bayfront MRT Station, not Marina Bay MRT Station. Second thing you need to be careful is that the final destination of the MRT train you will take from Promenade MRT Station. A train going to Dhoby Ghaut is followed by each MRT train heading to Marina Bay station from the same gate. Pay attention to the screens and take the one going to Marina Bay station if you are heading to Marina Bay Sands.

If you are coming from red line (i.e. Orchard Road, Novena, Newton and above) you can head to the Marina Bay Sands Station, the first station of the red line,  North South Line, and then change to Circle Line (Yellow Line) and reach Bayfront MRT Station.

If you are heading there by taxi, you can calculate the cost by taxi fare calculator. Currently, taxi fare calculator shows a 25 minutes taxi trip which costs 19.41 Singapore Dollars from Singapore Changi Airport to Singapore Marina Bay Sands.

Taxi fare from Singapore Changi Airport to Singapore Marina Bay Sands as of late Feb 2012

(*) You may ask what integrated resort is. Integrated resort is a casino and facilities sugarcoating it (usually a shopping mall and a gamblers-inn). The term is invented in Malaysia to hide the main attraction from the consciousness and is also adapted in Singapore probably for the same reason).

Goodbye Megatop

I have first seen an image of Boeing 747 in a cartoon in early 80s in when I was in pre-school ages. Since I also knew a circus elephant named jumbo from another cartoon, it was strange for me to see a plane named jumbo. I have dreamed about taking one as a passenger since than but those were the times the plane tickets were not within reach of middle class. It took some 20+ years I had a chance to fly with one. That was my only time and that was thanks to Singapore Airlines. SIA normally flew Boeing 777 on the Istanbul - Dubai - Singapore route but that day for my luck, they have put a jumbo jet, Boeing 747 to serve this route.

Boeing 747-400 series airliners were introduced to SIA fleet in 1983 and named named Megatops.  They have been flagships of the airline from 1989 until the introduction of the Airbus A380 in October 2007. In 2003 SIA had 39 of them. Today it has only three. Unfortunately Singapore Airlines is saying goodbye to these beautiful planes soon with the last B-747 commercial flight from Singapore to Melbourne and back on March 24th 2012. The airliner was using the plane since 1973:

"SIA's big-aircraft needs are now mainly served by the Airbus 380 superjumbo, which is a more cost-effective and fuel-efficient plane to fly. 

The airline now has 15 A-380s with four more to be delivered in the next few months. The SIA spokesman said the local carrier has no immediate plans to order more A-380s or Boeing's new 747-8, an aircraft which will be launched into commercial service some time this year.  

The phasing out of the B-747 aircraft has also made it difficult for frequent fliers on the SIA Saver Scheme to redeem miles because the older aircraft services only limited flights. But from March 8, SIA will allow frequent fliers on the Saver programme to book business and first-class flights on the A-380 and other new aircraft."

Source : SIA says goodbye to Boeing 747 jumbo

Boeing 747 -400 series airliners were introduced to SIA fleet in 1983 and were called Megatops. 

The real reason to phase out Boeing 747 can be the fact that the airliner, which faces increased competition as well as potential disastrous results of a possible European debt crisis, is not willing to buy more jumbos whether they are Airbus A-380 or Boeing 747.