That was Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's response to queries on the Singapore Sports Hub Consortium's (SSHC) recent decision to launch a financing competition to raise money for the delayed project.

But the 68-year-old's job search kept proving fruitless - until Saturday's inaugural Jobs-For-Seniors fair at Sengkang Community Club.

The ministry has, for a start, identified three primary schools that will also serve dyslexic pupils from nearby schools, said Education Minister Ng Eng Hen at a conference on dyslexia on Saturday.

They will get to sample the fare at many more eateries when the two integrated resorts open for business soon.

In Clementi Central, a night market is being held. But one was staged not too long ago, the shop owners lamented.

New $100 paper banknotes have been spotted in Singapore a few days ago, carrying the signature of Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Upon obtaining the note, the first thing which I noticed was the difference in intensity of colour on the new $100 note, in particular the dark brown colour.

Recommended by Anonymous Coward: "Something which many is unaware of"

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• Bukit Timah canal burst its banks for the first time in years

• Was six times the intensity of an average shower here!

•  one of the worst floods in recent years.

•  dumped enough water into the Bukit Timah Canal alone to fill 115 Olympic-size swimming pool. 

•  floodwaters were knee-deep

The Singaporean parliament should enact new legislation protecting freedom of expression, Amnesty International said today, after a magazine and its editor agreed to pay S$405,000 (Approximately US$290,000) following a fine by the country’s highest court for alleged defamation.

The Dow Jones Company-owned Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) magazine and its editor Hugo Restal had published an article critical of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father, former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

The 2006 article entitled "Singapore's 'Martyr', Chee Soon Juan", contained allegations against the two leaders, including of corruption, which the Singapore Court of Appeal ruled as defamatory.

Dow Jones Company denied any wrongdoing but said they had to pay the fine.

In its ruling, the Singapore Court of Appeal held that “constitutional free speech in Singapore is conferred on Singapore citizens only.” It further held that Singapore does not recognize a special function for the press as a "watchdog".

“Laws that allow the authorities to impose restrictions on freedom of expression together with a pattern of politically motivated defamation suits, have created a climate of political intimidation and self-censorship in Singapore.” said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International’s Asia Pacific Director. “This ruling further illustrates how press freedom is under threat in Singapore and sets a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression and journalism in the region.”

Amnesty International urges the Singapore parliament to enact legislation that would ensure the media's ability to perform its vital function as a watchdog while removing discrimination and undue restrictions from the laws on freedom of expression, to bring them into line with international law and standards.  

The government of Singapore has a history of using civil defamation actions to stifle political opposition. Such defamation suits place unreasonable restrictions on the right of Singaporeans to peacefully express their opinions and to participate fully in public life.

Amnesty International remains concerned about the continuing use of restrictive laws and civil defamation suits in Singapore to penalise and silence peaceful critics of the government.
 
"If Singapore has pretensions to being an international commercial center, especially in the age of the internet, its legislature must immediately act to bring the country in line with commonly accepted concepts of free expression and media activity,"
said Sam Zarifi.

Journalists are finding it increasingly difficult to work without interference from the governing People's Action Party.

Background

International law recognizes limitations to the right to freedom of expression as enshrined in Article 19 of Universal Declaration on Human Rights however these restrictions must be demonstrably necessary for and proportionate to certain permissible purposes. The permissible purposes for such restrictions include “securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.”

However, it is well established under international law that public officials must tolerate more, rather than less, criticism than private individuals.

SINGAPORE — The Far Eastern Economic Review and its editor have paid over 400,000 Singapore dollars (290,000 US) to settle a defamation suit filed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his father, the magazine's lawyer said Wednesday.

"They have paid it yesterday," said Peter Low, who defended the Hong Kong-based publication and its editor Hugo Restall against the defamation suit filed by the premier and his father Lee Kuan Yew.

The two parties reached a settlement on the amount that FEER and Restall should pay the two Singapore leaders, said Low.

Court orders issued on November 13 to enforce the settlement showed the prime minister got 200,000 Singapore dollars in damages and 30,000 Singapore dollars in legal costs.

Lee Kuan Yew, 86, who now serves as a senior adviser in the cabinet, was to be paid 150,000 Singapore dollars in damages and 25,000 Singapore dollars in legal costs, the documents said.

The settlement was reached after the Court of Appeal last month upheld a 2008 decision finding the defendants guilty of defaming the Lees in a 2006 article based on an interview with Chee Soon Juan, an opposition party leader.

Dow Jones and Co., which owns the magazine, said in a statement that it disagreed with the verdict and denied any wrongdoing, but would settle the damages instead of prolonging the process.

"The Court casts significant doubt as to whether Singapore will ever recognise the fair and honest reporting privilege accorded to responsible journalism -- a privilege available in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries with diverse histories and cultures," Dow Jones said.

FEER, at its height one of Asia's most influential and respected publications, is to be shut down in December, one of a growing number of newspapers and magazines which have fallen victim to the Internet age.

The article at the heart of the case -- entitled "Singapore's 'Martyr', Chee Soon Juan" -- described the opposition Singapore Democratic Party secretary general's battle against the ruling People's Action Party and its leaders.

In the article, editor Restall also touched on the success of Singapore officials in libel suits against critics.

Singaporean leaders have won hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages from domestic critics and foreign publications.

They say the lawsuits are necessary to protect their reputations from unfounded attacks and dismiss criticism from human rights and media groups accusing Singapore of suppressing media freedom.

The offending article:

Singapore’s ‘Martyr,’ Chee Soon Juan
July/August 2006
By Hugo Restall

Read Dr Lim Hock Siew's 1972 press release here.

One month ago, Google and the Singapore Tourism Board embarked on a quest to map out a path of the Google Street View trike together with the Singaporean public. Over a thousand suggestions later, Google received an extensive list, ranging from the spooky to the adventurous.

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