Singapore
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Education
Singapore set to repeal homosexual law
By Ivan Lim Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: A contentious decades-old law that criminalises sex between men but not women will be axed as the Singapore authorities found it increasingly legally untenable in the face of challenges to its constitutionality. The repeal of Section 377A of the Penal…
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Politics
Ire among some in Singapore over Sri Lankan Terminator’s stay
By Ivan Lim Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: The unexpected arrival in Singapore of former Sri Lankan strongman Gotabaya Rajapaksa, 73, on July 1, has caused anger among some people in the Republic and raised inconvenient questions for the authorities here. Critics, overlooking the fact that he tendered…
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South East Asia
The invasion of Ukraine by its larger neighbour
By Ivan Lim, Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: The world reacted with outrage when Vladirmir Putin sent Russian tanks and troops into Ukraine in a so-called special military operation to subdue a sovereign state that was bent on allying with the United States-backed European economic and military bloc.…
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Culture
Flak and some praise for Singapore Press Club’s Hall of Fame
By Ivan Lim, Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: An initiative by the Singapore Press Club in setting up a Hall of Fame for media personalities has received some praise, but the flak it drew was unhesitating because of its noticeably exclusive approach in choosing candidates. Fifty people made…
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Society
Singapore denies entry to ‘extremist’ Indonesian preacher
By Ivan Lim, Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: On May 16, an Indonesian preacher Abdul Somad Batubara travelled from neighbouring Batam island by boat and arrived at Tanah Merah Ferry Point in Singapore. The cleric, who had been known to the authorities for his extremist religious views, was “interviewed”…
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Politics
Singapore has a Prime-Minister-in-waiting
By Ivan Lim, Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: He is Finance Minister Lawrence Wong Shyun Tsai. A career civil servant-turned- politician, he has been designated as the new leader of the fourth generation (4G) cohort of the ruling People’s Action Party(PAP). It is a spectacular rise for the…
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Politics
Upshot of the July 11, 2020 General Election in Singapore
By Ivan Lim, Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: In 2020, politics in Singapore threw up some surprises. Despite misgivings, the government went ahead, in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic, to hold a general election in which conventional door-to-door campaigning and open-air party rallies had to be replaced by…
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Politics
An existential issue, says Singapore dubbing foul invasion of Ukraine
By Ivan Lim, Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: Singapore has stood out among its Asean partners to boldly call out Russia for its invasion of its next-door neighbour Ukraine on Feb 24 that has shaken up the world. The city-state has followed up its condemnation of Moscow with…
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Politics
Tripped in race to lead Singapore, but Heng Swee Keat still in limelight
By Ivan Lim Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: “Good Luck.” That’s what “Heng” means in Singapore’s local dialect. So, once-kampong boy Heng Swee Keat considered it his good fortune that he has had a crack at high office. Not by luck but by the dint of his credentials.…
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South East Asia
Safeguard yourselves against Covid-19, government tells Singaporeans
By Ivan Lim Former AJA President, Contributor to AsiaN SINGAPORE: “YOU are on your own, lookout” That’s the new order of the day as Singapore pushes ahead as one of the first Covidean states to pivot towards living with the Coronavirus. Since late September, the city-state of 5.45 million has gone…
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