About Singapore

by **camomile** Tue 07 Oct 2008, 4:32 pm

Since I was born in Singapore and live all my life in Singapore. I have been unfairly spending my time moderating Malaysian section since Malaysia is half of my heritage. Razz

Even though my heritage is partial Malaysia and partial Indonesia but my heart really in Singapore and a true Singaporean holding a Singapore passport.

Well I'm posting a new topic ABOUT SINGPORE is to tell others that Singapore is not a chinese country. We are part of Malaysia more than 40 years ago, our National Anthem is in Malay Language - Majulah Singapura. Our National Language is Malay but our OFFICIAL Language is English. Singapore is my country and this is where I belong and where I really feel comfort and safe when I live in it.

by **camomile** Tue 07 Oct 2008, 4:35 pm

Founding of Modern Singapore

The British, who were extending their dominion in India, and whose trade with China in the second half of the 18th century was expanding, saw the need for a port of call in this region to refit, revitalise and protect their merchant fleet, as well as to forestall any advance by the Dutch in the East Indies. As a result, they established trading posts in Penang (1786) and Singapore (1819), and captured Malacca from the Dutch (1795).

In late l818, Lord Hastings, Governor-General of India, gave tacit approval to Sir Stamford Raffles, Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen, to establish a trading station at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. On 29 January 1819, Raffles landed on the island of Singapore after having surveyed other nearby islands. The next day, he concluded a preliminary treaty with Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman to set up a trading post here. On 6 February 1819, a formal treaty was concluded with Sultan Hussein of Johor and the Temenggong, the de jure and defacto rulers of Singapore respectively.

Singapore proved to be a prized settlement. By 1820, it was earning revenue, and three years later, its trade surpassed that of Penang. In 1824, Singapore's status as a British possession was formalised by two new treaties. The first was the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of March 1824, by which the Dutch withdrew all objections to the British occupation of Singapore. The second treaty was made with Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdu'r Rahman in August, by which the two owners ceded the island out right to the British in return for increased cash payments and pensions.

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 12:33 pm

Singapore Weather

Like most of Southeast Asia, Singapore is generally hot and humid. It's warm and humid year round, with the temperature almost never dropping below 20°C (68°F), even at night, and usually climbing to 30°C (86°F) during the day. Recent times, it even reached till 35°C. Humidity is high, mounting over a 75% mark.

November and December is the rainy season. June-August is considered to be the best time to visit, but even then it rains often. Don't let the climate stop you from going, however. Most buildings are air-conditioned (to the point that you may want to take a sweater), and pains have been taken to make everything as comfortable as can be, all things considered. When it does rain, it's generally only for a short period.

For those who enjoy the sun and the beach, Singapore is an ideal place for beach lovers, as you get the hot hot sun throughout the year. So when you're in Singapore, just bring along your cooling apparels and hats.

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 12:33 pm

Singapore Geography

Singapore's strategic location at the southern tip of the Malaysian peninsula has ensured its importance, which is greater than its size might seem to justify. Singapore consists of the island of Singapore and some 63 islets within its territorial waters. The main island is about 26 mi/42 km from west to east and 14 mi/23 km from north to south. It's a mostly undulating country with low hills (the highest, 540-ft/166-m Bukit Timah Hill, is to the northwest of the city).

Singapore's Central Business District actually spreads across both the central and southern parts of the island (you'll know when you're there - it boasts striking high-rise structures). You can get a good visual orientation to the city as you cross the Benjamin Sheares Bridge on the East Coast Parkway, which links the airport to the city center. The Singapore cityscape looks magnificent, particularly at night when buildings are brilliantly lit. Offshore, there appears to be another city all lit up because of the many ships anchored there - Singapore is one of the busiest seaports in the world.

Many of the city's attractions are clustered closely together. Orchard Road, the shoppers' haven, is located in the northern part of the city center. Chinatown, where you'll find Boat Quay, is just to the southeast of Orchard Road, while Little India is northeast. Sentosa Island, with its many amusements, is directly to the southwest of the city center. These frequently visited neighborhoods, as well as more suburban areas, remain a bustling hive of pedestrian activity well into the evening.

Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E
Area: total: 647.5 sq km
Land: 637.5 sq km
Water: 10 sq km
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 193 km
Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
Highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Terrain: lowland (undulating central plateau with water catchment area and nature preserve)

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 12:36 pm

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 12:37 pm

Singapore Culture

Singapore is a cosmopolitan society where people live harmoniously and interaction among different races are commonly seen. The pattern of Singapore stems from the inherent cultural diversity of the island. The immigrants of the past have given the place a mixture of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European influences, all of which have intermingled.

Behind the facade of a modern city, these ethnic races are still evident. The areas for the different races, which were designated to them by Sir Stamford Raffles, still remain although the bulk of Singaporeans do think of themselves as Singaporeans, regardless of race or culture. Each still bears its own unique character.

The old streets of Chinatown can still be seen; the Muslim characteristics are still conspicuous in Arab Street; and Little India along Serangoon Road still has its distinct ambience. Furthermore, there are marks of the British colonial influence in the Neo-Classical buildings all around the city.

Each racial group has its own distinctive religion and there are colorful festivals of special significance all year round. Although the festivals are special to certain races, it is nonetheless enjoyed by all.

In Singapore, food is also readily and widely available. There are lots of cuisines to offer. We have, Chinese, Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Western, Italian, Peranakan, Spanish, French, Thai and even Fusion. It is very common to savour other culture's food and some of the food can be very intriguing. Indian food are relatively spicier, whereas Chinese food is less spicier and the Chinese enjoy seafood. Malay cooking uses coconut milk as their main ingredient, that makes their food very tasty.

You can refer to our Eating in Singapore section for a list of recommended food outlets in Singapore.

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 12:51 pm

Religion in Singapore

Most Singaporeans celebrate the major festivals associated with their respective religions. The variety of religions is a direct reflection of the diversity of races living there. The Chinese are predominantly followers of Buddhism, Taoism, Shenism, Christians, Catholics and some considered as 'free-thinkers' (Those who do not belong to any religion). Malays have the Muslims and Indians are Hindus. There is a sizeable number of Muslims and Sikhs in the Indian population.

Religious tolerance is essential in Singapore. In fact, religions often cross racial boundaries and some even merge in unusual ways in this modern country. Younger Singaporeans tend to combine a little of the mysteries of the older generation with the realistic world that they know of today.

Religion is still an integral part of the cosmopolitan Singapore. Many of its most interesting buildings are religious, be it old temples, modern churches, or exotic mosques. An understanding of these buildings do play a part in contributing to the appreciation of their art.

Chinese Temples

Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, and ancestral worship are combined into a versatile mix in Chinese temples.

Followers of the Tao (The Way) adhere to the teachings of the ancient Chinese legend, Lao Tzu. They are concerned with the balance of the Yin and Yang, which are opposite forces of heaven and earth, male and female. Feng Shui, literally translated as wind and water, also originated from Yin and Yang. Ancestral worship is common and the spirits of the dead, like the gods themselves, are appeased with offerings.

Most Buddhists are of the Mahayana school although there are some from the Theravada school. In Singapore, the Buddhist faith is linked with Taoism and the practical doctrine of Confucianism.

Islam

The Malays in Singapore are Muslims. A few of the Indians are also Muslims, but even more uncommon are the Chinese Muslims.

Islam has a fundamental influence in the lives of those who follow the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad. The religion involves praying five times a day, eating only "halal" food, fasting during Ramadan, and going to Mecca on the Haj (pilgrimage). Halal food means food that has been specially prepared as according to the religion's dietary requirements.

Hinduism

As the Indian immigrants migrate to Singapore, they brought with them Hinduism. The early temples are still the central points of rituals and festivals, which are held throughout the year.

Christianity

One will be able to find Christian churches of all denominations in Singapore. They were actually established with the arrival of various missionaries after the coming of Sir Stamford Raffles. Together with Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism, Christianity is considered one of the four main religions today. There is quite a large number of Christians on the island.

Others

Minority faiths are not forgotten. There are at least two synagogues for the Jews and Sikhs. The Zoroastrians and Jains are also represented in Singapore.

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 2:15 pm

Language in Singapore

The four official languages of Singapore are Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and English. English is the most common language used and is the language which unites the different ethnic groups. Children are taught in English at school but also learn their mother tongue to make sure they don't lose contact with their traditions.

Expatriates and foreigners may encounter language problems in the beginning of their stay in Singapore as many Singaporeans use Singlish to communicate. Singlish is a mix of English with other languages mixed into the English, sometimes phrases can end with funny terms like 'lah', 'leh', mah'. Chinese commonly use their own dialects to communicate, and sometimes, inter-dialect groups don't understand one another's language, as the language is vastly different. Except for Hokkien and Teochew, which have a closer link. The Malays use the language among their fellow races and the Indians speak Tamil. But whatever the race or religion, the country's community unite as one nation, where most religious or racial gaps are being bridged.

Singapore English has its origins in the schools of colonial Singapore. In the nineteenth century very few children went to school at all, and even fewer were educated in English. The people who spoke English and sent their children to English medium schools were mainly the Europeans, the Eurasians (people of mixed racial ancestry), some of the small minorities, such as the Jews, some of the Indians and Ceylonese, and also a group of Chinese people usually called the Straits Chinese, who had ancestors of long residence in the region, and who spoke a variety of Malay usually called Baba Malay which was influenced by Hokkien Chinese and by Bazaar Malay.

The fact that all these children would have known Malay probably explains why most of the loan words in Singapore Colloquial English are from Malay. The largest group of teachers were Eurasians, and there were also many teachers from Ceylon and India. European teachers were never more than a quarter of the total teaching staff in a school, and they usually taught the senior classes. These Europeans may have been from Britain (which at that time included Ireland) but were also from the USA, Belgium and France. The children in these schools would have been exposed to many varieties of English.

In the first twenty years of the twentieth century, English medium education became popular for all groups. Girls started going to school in larger numbers too. By the 1950s nearly all children went to school, and the majority were educated in English. By the 1980s. all education was in the medium of English (with children learning another language alongside English).

Singapore English grew out of the English of the playground of these children of various linguistic backgrounds who were learning English at school. As more and more of its people experienced learning English at school, English became widely spoken, alongside Singapore's many other languages. Since Singapore became an independent Republic in 1965, the use of English has increased still further. For many Singaporeans, English is the main language. Many families speak English at home and it is one of the the first languages learnt by about half of the current pre-school children.

Nearly everyone in Singapore speaks more than one language, with many people speaking three or four. Most children grow up bilingual from infancy and learn more languages as they grow up. Naturally the presence of other languages (especially various varieties of Malay and of Chinese) has influenced the English of Singapore. The influence is especially apparent in the kind of English that is used informally, which is popularly called Singlish. Singlish is a badge of identity for many Singaporeans.

Singlish

Singapore English usually come from other languages spoken in Singapore, especially Malay and Hokkien. Speakers of Singlish are not necessarily aware of which language they are from however.

Example:

habis - finished
makan - to eat
chope - to reserve something
cheem - difficult, complicated
ang mo - a white person
rojak - mixed, a mix of
liao - finished, the end
kiasu - afraid to lose mentality

Speakers of Singlish will usually end his sentence with a distinctive exclamation. The three most common are ah, lah, ley and what.

Examples:

OK lah, bye bye.
Don't like that lah.
You are going there ah?
No parking lots here, what.
The price is too high for me lah.
And then how many rooms ah?
It is very troublesome ley.
Don't be like that ley!
I'm not at home lah. That's why ah.

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 2:26 pm

Information extracted from

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/about-singapore/

by **sprity** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 2:36 pm

camo can u give me details about the status or life style of ppl who come to work for particular period. Is the companies pay enough for them to settle the necessary things.

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 2:38 pm

I will try sprity...but I cant promise....must depends on what kind of line you are working in

can you list down what are the information needed...

by **sprity** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 2:47 pm

i jus want to know whether they are paying good. iam working as an oracle programmer in a software company. i have found in many job websites that there are more jobs for oracle programmer. But the sad thing is they are expecting atleast 3 yrs of Experience but i have only 1.5yrs of exp...

is there any good site to apply for jobs in singapore other than jobstreet. becoz iam tacking jobstreet and applying via it.
i know its hard that a company will select me becoz iam in india.so iam tracking jobs where the company has branch in india also.
For example i have applied for diceteksing where it has branch in chennai,india too...

i want to know where can i find list of best software companies in singapore. and what are the formalities(visa) to come to singapore and work.....

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 4:28 pm

hmmmm....I see

Let me get those info first OK...

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 4:33 pm

camomile wrote:Information extracted from

[url=http://www.singaporeexpats.com/about-singapore/

Sorry for the incomplete URL....should be
http://www.singaporeexpats.com/about-singapore/about-singapore.htm

by **camomile** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 4:35 pm

Sprity,

Please read through these website and ask which you dont understand....I will try to explain

http://www.singaporeexpats.com/guides-for-expats/career-in-singapore.htm

by **sprity** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 4:39 pm

iam reading it now... i will reply afterwards......

by **sprity** Tue 14 Oct 2008, 4:39 pm

OMG......

i forgot to thank u first..... Very Happy

by **camomile** Wed 15 Oct 2008, 9:38 am

Our Public transport....double decker bus, we even have WI-FI in selected bus service so you can surf for free using your Iphone or PDA phone or mobile fone while taking the bus ride.

About Singapore Wifibus_5001

by **camomile** Wed 15 Oct 2008, 9:49 am

There are two bus company serve as Public bus....

Singapore Bus Service (SBS) and SMRT Bus Service (formerly known as Trans-Island Bus Service)

Some of the buses roaming around Singapore.

SBS Double Decker

About Singapore SBS7480C

SBS Single-deck
About Singapore 8036_174j

by **camomile** Wed 15 Oct 2008, 9:54 am

Some of the SBS buses also catered for the disable or in wheel-chair. This is called Scania Bus. Recently they ordered 400 more Scania buses.

All the buses will have bodywork produced by Gemilang Coachworks in Malaysia. Deliveries will begin early next year.

About Singapore Seoul-day5-img9056

by **camomile** Wed 15 Oct 2008, 11:59 am

SBS bus - The Interior

Some SBS buses equip with TV mobile.

About Singapore 2408659-Singapore_Buses-Singapore

Volvo Single-deck bus
About Singapore 1881_95_interior_06

Volvo double-decker Super Bus (Volvo B9TL)

About Singapore 300px-SBS-B10TL-LowerInt

Lower-deck

by **sprity** Wed 15 Oct 2008, 8:30 pm

Buses are clean...hmmm i like the buses.....

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