Singapore On the News - Success Stories and Achievements

I believe every country has its own success strories and Singapore is not excluded. Let's share Singapore success stories in this thread. Each and every Singaporean do play a part in every achievements made by Singapore.

Sources from http://www.airlinequality.com/news/110808_airlineawards.htm



2008 WORLD AIRLINE AWARDS ANNOUNCED






Click HERE for the full World Airline Award results


SINGAPORE AIRLINES NAMED AIRLINE OF THE YEAR IN WORLD AIRLINE AWARDS

LONDON, 11th August 2008

"For the 3rd time in 10 years, Singapore Airlines has been named World's Best Airline, winning the 2008 Airline of the Year title in the latest World Airline Awards" said Edward Plaisted (CEO of Skytrax). "We extend our congratulations to them for this notable achievement, coinciding with the time that Singapore Airlines was the world's first airline to fly the Airbus A380."

Over 15 million eligible survey interviews were completed during the 11 month Survey period. From Seoul to Sao Paulo, Copenhagen to Cape Town, the scale and breadth of the 2008 survey further strengthens the well-established reputation as the World's Largest Passenger Survey.

Singapore Airlines also collected the Award for Best Business Class in a very competitive section of the survey. "Business Class standards continue to be upgraded by airlines across the world, and Singapore Airlines managed to retain their title amidst this growing level of competition" said Edward Plaisted. "It is the whole business class package that is evaluated, from airport lounges, ground services to the quality of cabin seating, inflight entertainment, catering and of course the cabin staff service."

Cathay Pacific takes 2nd place overall in the 2008 Awards (up from 3rd in 2007), and picks up the Award for World's best First Class, giving due recognition to their new onboard 1st Class product and service concept.

Qantas is ranked 3rd worldwide (5th in 2007) and collects the Award for Best First Class Lounge - achieved in a period where the airline has seen competition ramped up both in its domestic and regional market. "The global rating for Qantas is interesting" says Edward Plaisted. "When we look at more localised studies, reporting etc, we found that Qantas comes under fire from some media that clearly contradicts a more widespread view of Qantas customers that voted for the airline in the survey. We do find that many countries flag-carrier airlines suffer fairly vitriolic levels of reporting in their local regions, and the airline industry remains a business that some areas of the press seem to love-to-hate!"

"Another closely contested Survey category, the Best First Class Lounge Award is a true recognition of top-end quality being delivered, and Qantas have set a clear benchmark with their First Class facilities at Sydney Airport. This lounge in Sydney is the flagship for Qantas. Designed by Australian Marc Newson, the lounge concept for both product and staff service has been modelled around the finest quality you would expect to find in a 5-star hotel or restaurant, and the best part is that the concept is being so well delivered by Qantas" added Plaisted.

Thai Airways maintained a strong ranking, placed 4th worldwide (2nd in 2007) together with picking up 4th place in the Best Cabin Staff section of the Awards.

Asiana Airlines was one of the biggest improvers across the 2008 results, ranked 5th worldwide (up from 12th in 2007), as well as taking the sought-after World's Best Cabin Staff Award and also collecting the Award for Best Economy Class. "This is clearly an airline on the move upwards" says Edward Plaisted. "Smaller than it's national counterpart Korean Air, Asiana Airlines are developing an ever-increasing level of customer support, achieving some of the highest levels of customer satisfaction across today's airline industry. Some innovative cabin service concepts clearly contribute towards their success, but it is more apparent that Asiana Airlines is gaining a worldwide reputation based on the concept of superb customer service."

Click HERE for the full World Airline Award results

Malaysia Airlines ranked 6th worldwide (as in 2007), and was also the very close runner-up for the title of World's best Cabin Staff. "Repositioning itself during 2007 as the 5-star value carrier, we see it as a real achievement for Malaysia Airlines to have retained it's high global ranking. For them not win the Best Cabin Staff award is naturally a disappointment, although their hold on that particular award does occasionally have to be relinquished!" said Edward Plaisted.

Qatar Airways is another 5-Star airline achieving a top-10 ranking (placed 7th worldwide), and collecting the Award for Best Airline and Best Cabin Staff for the Middle East region, as well as the Best Business Class Catering category.

Air New Zealand is ranked 8th worldwide (7th in 2007), and also collects the 2008 Award for Best Airline Transpacific, ahead of Qantas in that category.

Emirates maintained the same ranking as last year, placed 9th worldwide and offering clear recognition of the airline's aggressive marketing and growth policy. "Echoing the trend of Dubai where everything now has to be the biggest, it is undeniable that Emirates is well recognised around the world" says Plaisted. "Such growth is never an easy time to maintain quality levels, but Emirates has managed to maintain its global rating this year, and can now use its Airbus A380 aircraft to try and impress passengers in the coming year."

"Four must be a lucky number for Emirates, as they pick up the Award for Best Airline Inflight Entertainment for the 4th year in succession. This was another very hotly contested section of the World Airline Survey, and we witnessed the closest finish ever in terms of Emirates final push for 1st place ahead of Singapore Airlines in 2nd. We congratulate Emirates for retaining their distinctive reputation in this Survey category, and determination to remain at the forefront of inflight entertainment concepts" added Plaisted.

A new entrant to the world's Top-10 airlines is Abu Dhabi based Etihad Airways, securing 10th position in the 2008 Awards. Following in the footsteps of Emirates and Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways is continuing it's rapid expansion with new route openings and aircraft acquisitions, and is delivering a high quality product and service offering to passengers.

A repeat win was achieved by Virgin Atlantic in being named winner of the Best Business Class Lounge Award, having secured the title in 2007 for their Clubhouse facility at London Heathrow Airport".

Cathay Pacific win the Best First Class Onboard Catering Award, with their new First Class concept clearing being a success with customers. In the year that Austrian celebrates it's 50th anniversary, the airline has another honour to mark the achievement, winning the Award for Best Business Class Onboard Catering for the second year running. Austrian has developed a very strong reputation amongst customers for the high standards of long-haul business class catering, and their gourmet cuisine prepared by Do & Co continues to impress. Qantas was named winner of the Best Economy Class Onboard Catering Award, based on their longer haul, international operations.

yeah cam Singapore's so clean and the mode of transportation, roads and infrastructures are the best in the world, I have watched it one time, it was featured in the TV, it's so cool, I hope to see Singapore someday.
Is it true that when you drive there, there's no bumpy ride?

benjbuddy wrote:yeah cam Singapore's so clean and the mode of transportation, roads and infrastructures are the best in the world, I have watched it one time, it was featured in the TV, it's so cool, I hope to see Singapore someday.
Is it true that when you drive there, there's no bumpy ride?

Benj, I can't say Singapore is perfect, but our govt. are trying their best to make Singapore a good and safe place to live even for the expat. Of caused there are crime everywhere, we just have to watch where we go and what type of place...other then that I should say it is safe, I went home at 2am without feeling scared.

Since Singapore is small country, it is easy for our govt. to control and we always take feedback seriously. So any bumpy ride experience by our motorist, they will take action almost immediately.

So yeah you can say that....there's no bumpy ride....except during F1...LOL the racers complained the road is too bumpy, even though I ever drive at the road, it is very smooth....maybe their cars are too fast....

Top prize for a melting museum


Mayo Martin
mayo@mediacorp.com.sg

AN ART installation work depicting a “melting” National Museum (picture) has bagged the grand prize at the inaugural Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize.

Singaporean sculptor Yeo Chee Kiong’s A Day Without a Tree bested 10 entries from nine countries in the inaugural regional art contest.

The winners were announced yesterday morning at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM). “I’m very happy although I didn’t really seriously think about (winning),” said Mr Yeo, 38.

The piece was exhibited last year, portraying the museum’s rotunda as slowly melting in a commentary on climate change. According to the artist, it was also a way to challenge the views of visitors.

“The National Museum invited me to put up a show during its 120th anniversary and I thought it was interesting that if they were going to celebrate it, why not melt the building?” .

According to SAM director Kwok Kian Chow — one of the members of the judging panel that included judges from Thailand and China — the judges noted how Mr Yeo’s work opens up an interpretation of the building “being a national monument”.
As for the entire selection, he added that they were very pleased with the entries, which included those from countries “that do not usually participate in biennales, like Mongolia and Cambodia”.

The three Juror’s Choice Awards went to Malaysian Ahmad Fuad Osman for his slide projection Recollections of Long Lost Memories, Indian sculptor G R Iranna for Wounded Tools and Chinese photographer Zheng Bo’s The Karibu Islands.

In an online voting scheme, the public chose Mongolian artist Davaa Dorjderem’s Voice in the Space for the People’s Choice Award.

Mr Yeo will receive $45,000, while the rest of the winners will receive $10,000 each. He plans to keep his prize money for his yet-to-be-finalised project next year: Either a solo show or a book.

The works of the winners and finalists will be on display at the SAM until Nov 16.


Information from Today Article at
http://www.todayonline.com/articles/281522.asp

Ms Ho Ching is currently no. 8 on The 100 Most Powerful Woman. The only Asian in the top 10 among the top European Countries and U.S.



Information from http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/11/biz_powerwomen08_The-100-Most-Powerful-Women_Rank.html

Rank		Occupation	Country
1	Angela Merkel	Chancellor	Germany
2	Sheila C. Bair	Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.	U.S.
3	Indra K. Nooyi	Chairman, chief executive, PepsiCo	U.S.
4	Angela Braly	Chief executive, president, WellPoint	U.S.
5	Cynthia Carroll	Chief executive, Anglo American	U.K.
6	Irene B. Rosenfeld	Chairman, chief executive, Kraft Foods	U.S.
7	Condoleezza Rice	Secretary of state	U.S.
8	Ho Ching	Chief executive, Temasek Holdings	Singapore
9	Anne Lauvergeon	Chief executive, Areva	France
10	Anne Mulcahy	Chairman, chief executive, Xerox Corp.	U.S.
11	Gail Kelly	Chief executive and managing director, Westpac Bank	Australia
12	Patricia A. Woertz	Chairman, chief executive, president, Archer Daniels Midland	U.S.
13	Cristina Fernandez	President	Argentina
14	Christine Lagarde	Minister of economy, finance and employment	France
15	Safra A. Catz	President and chief financial officer, Oracle	U.S.
16	Carol B. Tome	Executive vice president and chief financial officer, Home Depot	U.S.
17	Yulia Tymoshenko	Prime minister	Ukraine
18	Mary Sammons	Chairman, chief executive, president, Rite Aid	U.S.
19	Andrea Jung	Chairman, chief executive, Avon	U.S.
20	Marjorie Scardino	Chief executive, Pearson PLC	U.K.
21	Sonia Gandhi	President, Indian National Congress Party	India
22	Risa Lavizzo-Mourey	Chief Executive and President, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation	U.S.
23	Sri Mulyani Indrawati	Coordinating minister for economic affairs and finance minister	Indonesia
24	Dr. Julie Gerberding	Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention	U.S.
25	Michelle Bachelet	President	Chile

Information from http://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/11/biz_powerwomen08_Ho-Ching_OO5O.html


The 100 Most Powerful Women


#8 Ho Ching

08.27.08, 6:00 PM ET


Chief executive, Temasek Holdings
Singapore

ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images The wife of the prime minister of Singapore, Ho Ching has been credited with converting Temasek from a Singapore-focused firm to a leading investor in Asia. She earned accolades by making investments in Indian and Chinese telecoms and banks, and as a result, brought the portfolio to roughly $100 billion. Temasek has bought a 15% stake in Merrill Lynch since last December in the wake of the bank's write-downs. Another deal, Temasek's tax-free takeover of Shin Corp., one of Thailand's biggest telecom companies, sparked a wave of protests. The tax-free deal eventually led to the overthrow of Thailand's prime minister. — Megha Bahree

Giant robots are coming to Singapore, Hollywood

AP - Tuesday, October 21


LOS ANGELES - Giant robots are heading for Hollywood and Singapore.

A new theme-park ride based on the hit movie "Transformers" is being developed for Universal Studios, the company announced Monday.

The new rides, scheduled to debut in 2011, incorporate robotics and 3-D, high-definition technology.

Hasbro Inc. and DreamWorks Pictures are helping to create the new ride, and "Transformers" director Michael Bay and producer Steven Spielberg will consult on the its development, said Tom Williams, chairman and chief executive of Universal Parks & Resorts.

The ride, like the film, shows humans caught in an intergalactic war between armies of giant robots that can change into cars, planes and other technological creations.



News from http://sg.news.yahoo.com/ap/20081021/ten-transformers-ride-5e343d7.html

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20081025/tap-148-singapore-gets-top-marks-un-worl-231650b.html

Singapore gets top marks in UN World’s Cities Report

Channel NewsAsia - Sunday, October 26

SINGAPORE: The United Nations (UN) gave Singapore top marks in its latest report on the state of the world’s cities, and has said it is keen to deepen its collaboration with Singapore as a knowledge hub.

The UN also called on cities to take on pro—growth policies that support the poor and strengthen infrastructure. It said all these can make a difference when it comes to sustainable living.

The UN said people’s consumption and lifestyle patterns, and not urbanization, are to blame for climate change. To solve the problem, cities need to use less fossil fuel, maximise recycling and have a well—planned transport network.

Singapore, which set up an inter—ministerial committee on sustainable development in February, has been highlighted for its low per capita car ownership.

With its greening policy, Singapore has also been singled out as a country that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits. Another achievement is that Singapore is the only country with no slums.

Director of Monitoring and Research at UN—HABITAT, Banji Oyelaran—Oyeyinka, said: "Obviously, (the) government has taken pro—active steps over a long period of time because it has to be sustained.

"One of the problems you find in most countries is they actually start well, but you need constant investment, sustained effort (and) visionary leadership to sustain those kinds of actions."

The latest UN report by UN—HABITAT, the agency working to boost the liveability of cities, studied 245 cities. The report is a lead—up to the UN World Urban Forum in Nanjing, China in November.

It noted another worrying concern of rising sea levels, and Southeast Asia in particular is at the highest risk due to its low elevation.

Singapore has said in parliament in September that it has taken measures in terms of building requirements on reclaimed land and drainage infrastructure. A two—year study to understand the specific implications of climate change, including rising sea levels, is also expected to be ready in 2009.

Director of Centre for Liveable Cities, Andrew Tan, said: "Moving forward, I would say that having achieved the level of environmental quality we have in Singapore, there is still a need for us to maintain these efforts.

"It’s necessary for Singaporeans to be proud of what they have achieved, but at the same time, to know that sustained efforts is required."

The UN has lauded the 43—year—old city state as a model city. However, experts cautioned that as all cities progress, they will no longer be measured just by their level of economic, social and environmental progress.

Cities like Singapore will also have to look at its inclusiveness and its quality of life. Related to this, the report said cultural assets too should be protected to nurture the soul of the city.

— CNA/yt

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20081025/tap-206-singapore-wins-golds-silver-ika-231650b.html

Singapore wins four golds, one silver at IKA Culinary Olympics

Channel NewsAsia - Sunday, October 26

SINGAPORE: Singapore has won four golds and one silver at the IKA Culinary Olympics held in Erfurt, Germany.

This puts the republic in fourth position overall, among 32 countries.

The national culinary team took part in both the Cold and Warm Food categories.

The six—member team was the only one from Southeast Asia.

The team will return home on Monday.

— CNA/yt

well,for me..singapore is sooo clean la..
true....

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20081025/tap-045-nus-team-wins-top-search-engine-231650b.html


NUS team wins top search engine prize


Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, October 25

SINGAPORE: A team from the National University of Singapore clinched the US$100,000 (S$150,000) top prize in a competition to develop technologies for a next—generation search engine.

Dubbed The Star Challenge, the competition sought to encourage the development of technologies that can be used in a sophisticated search engine that is able to recognise objects in pictures and video, as well as words in audio.

The 10—month—long, multi—stage competition that kickstarted in January was organised by Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and attracted 56 teams from 17 countries. In each stage of the competition, teams had to refine their search technologies to suit different tasks.

Yesterday, the final five teams from Singapore, China, France, the United States and Japan duked it out at the newly—opened Fusionopolis in one—north business park.

According to the judges, the team from NUS won because its results in the finals were the most accurate. In under two hours, the teams had to find segments of speech and identify video scenes in search tasks. More challenging tasks included retrieving instances of spoken words in other languages, matched to a certain visual.

Mr Victor Goh, a member of the three—man winning team and a research staff from the NUS Lab for Media Search, said: "I think what gave us an edge over the other teams was our intuitive system.

"It could search and retrieve results much faster than some of the other teams. Our research focus is on performing efficient searches, so it was geared to the competition where time was very short."

With the proliferation of online new media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Flickr, A*Star reckons such a search engine would be beneficial to the masses.

Current ones only find pictures, video or audio files based on file names, tags and contextual text that appears on the same web page as the media file. — TODAY/fa

Source from http://www.aneki.com/countries_gdp_per_capita.html


Singapore is in the top 30 among the TOP 100 most richest countries based on HIGHEST GDP per Capita...

(In blue are other South East Asia countries and in green are the countries in ASIA Continent)

Countries with the Highest GDP per Capita
Rank Country GDP - per capita
1 Luxembourg $ 68,800
2 Equatorial Guinea $ 50,200
3 United Arab Emirates $ 49,700
4 Norway $ 47,800
5 Ireland $ 43,600
6 United States $ 43,500
7 Andorra $ 38,800
8 Iceland $ 38,100
9 Denmark $ 37,000
10 Austria $ 35,500
11 Canada $ 35,200
12 San Marino $ 34,100
13 Switzerland $ 33,600
14 Japan $ 33,100
15 Australia $ 32,900
16 Finland $ 32,800
17 Belgium $ 31,800
18 Netherlands $ 31,700
19 Sweden $ 31,600
20 Germany $ 31,400
21 United Kingdom $ 31,400
22 Singapore $ 30,900 <<<<<
23 France $ 30,100
24 Monaco $ 30,000
25 Italy $ 29,700
26 Qatar $ 29,400
27 Spain $ 27,000
28 Israel $ 26,200
29 New Zealand $ 26,000
30 Brunei $ 25,600
31 Bahrain $ 25,300
32 Liechtenstein $ 25,000
33 Korea, South $ 24,200
34 Greece $ 23,500
35 Slovenia $ 23,400
36 Cyprus $ 22,700
37 Czech Republic $ 21,600
38 Kuwait $ 21,600
39 Bahamas, The $ 21,300
40 Malta $ 20,300
41 Trinidad and Tobago $ 19,700
42 Estonia $ 19,600
43 Portugal $ 19,100
44 Barbados $ 18,200
45 Slovakia $ 17,700
46 Hungary $ 17,300
47 Latvia $ 15,400
48 Lithuania $ 15,100
49 Argentina $ 15,000
50 Oman $ 14,100
51 Poland $ 14,100
52 Saudi Arabia $ 13,800
53 Mauritius $ 13,500
54 Croatia $ 13,200
55 South Africa $ 13,000
56 Chile $ 12,700
57 Libya $ 12,700
58 Malaysia $ 12,700
59 Russia $ 12,100
60 Costa Rica $ 12,000
61 Botswana $ 11,400
62 Antigua and Barbuda $ 10,900
63 Uruguay $ 10,700
64 Mexico $ 10,600
65 Bulgaria $ 10,400
66 Kazakhstan $ 9,100
67 Thailand $ 9,100
68 Iran $ 8,900
69 Turkey $ 8,900
70 Turkmenistan $ 8,900
71 Romania $ 8,800
72 Brazil $ 8,600
73 Tunisia $ 8,600
74 Belize $ 8,400
75 Colombia $ 8,400
76 Macedonia $ 8,200
77 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 8,200
78 Dominican Republic $ 8,000
79 Panama $ 7,900
80 Belarus $ 7,800
81 Seychelles $ 7,800
82 Algeria $ 7,700
83 China $ 7,600
84 Ukraine $ 7,600
85 Palau $ 7,600
86 Namibia $ 7,400
87 Azerbaijan $ 7,300
88 Gabon $ 7,200
89 Cyprus $ 7,135
90 Suriname $ 7,100
91 Venezuela $ 6,900
92 Peru $ 6,400
93 Fiji $ 6,100
94 Cape Verde $ 6,000
95 Albania $ 5,600
96 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 5,500
97 Lebanon $ 5,500
98 Swaziland $ 5,500
99 Armenia $ 5,400
100 Nauru $ 5,000

Source: http://www.mis-asia.com/magazines/computerworld_singapore/september-2008/top-in-standards


Singapore technology wins top spot in US standards rankings.
By Zafar Anjum
03 Sep 2008

A voiceprint technology developed by Singapore’s Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) has clinched the number one spot in the US standards agency rankings.

According to I2R, its team beat 45 international institutions to emerge 1st in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 2008 Speaker Recognition Evaluation.

I2R is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) family. NIST develops technologies, measurement methods and standards that help US companies compete in the global marketplace. NIST’s annual benchmarking provides a worldwide platform for the calibration of speech technology capabilities participated by academia and the leading institutions from the industry.

Identifying hoaxes

I2R’s winner technology can identify and spot the pranksters who make hoax calls to emergency services, the agency said.

The agency claimed that the technology is now able to detect, with 97 per cent accuracy whether two voices were from the same speaker. This allows for the verification of voiceprints for large scale deployment in adverse acoustic environments.

Professor Lye Kin Mun, I2R’s deputy executive director (research) said: “I2R has always been pitching our own capabilities in technology against other industry players through participation in global challenges. It is through this that we can learn more and improve ourselves, eventually winning international acclaim.”

The I2R team is led by Dr Haizhou Li, Department Head of Human Language Technology; and its members are Bin Ma, Hanwu Sun, Donglai Zhu, Kong-Aik Lee, Khe Chai Sim, Changhuai You, Rong Tong, Ismo Kärkkäinen, Vladimir Pervouchine, Yijie Li and Susanto Rahardja.

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/386651/1/.html


Singapore team wins Xbox game development challenge
By Lau Joon-Nie, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 31 October 2008 0127 hrs



SINGAPORE : A Singapore team has won Microsoft's global Xbox game development challenge.

Team Gambit, led by National University of Singapore undergraduate Bruce Chia, beat 7,800 participants from 100 countries.

They won US$40,000 for their winning entry was "CarnyVale: Showtime" - an acrobatic puzzle game where players have to complete various circus stunts.

According to a statement from Microsoft, Chia even built-in a circus map editor for players to create their own obstacles to overcome, bringing user-generated content to a new level.

Second place and US$20,000 went to Jose Alberto Gomez and his team from Venezuela their stunning, 3D, action tennis submission, "Battle Tennis".

Mommy's Best Games, led by Nathan Fouts, received third place and US$10,000 for the high-energy, side-scrolling "Weapon of Choice".

China's Hu Ling and his team came in fourth place and received US$5,000 for their stylized martial arts action game "HurricaneX".

Top winners will have the chance to receive an invitation to publish their games on Xbox LIVE Arcade and appear on the new Xbox LIVE Community Games Channel when it launches on November 19 in selected territories. - CNA /ls

Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20081031/tap-940-nus-students-win-design-contest-231650b.html


NUS students win design contest on facility to house Berlin Wall

Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, November 1

SINGAPORE : Portions of the Berlin Wall that will soon be making their way to the Bedok Reservoir Park, and NUS architecture students have won the contest for designing the best home for the wall.

The committee working on the project held the "Kings of Freedom" competition to invite local architects and students to design a home for the wall.

"The first thing is the project is in a park context and we didn’t want to take down any trees. The second is the idea of participatory art because the Berlin wall is an act of defiance against something so we felt visitors should have a say in how they want to express themselves," said Sim Jie Han, a Masters of Architecture student at NUS.

The layout includes a place where visitors can learn about the wall’s history. And branching off from the central plaza where the Berlin Wall will reside, there will be another set of walls for visitors to create their own graffiti art.

The hope is that an integrated set up will create a historical and artistic bridge between Europe and Singapore.

"The fact that we have this opportunity to bring the Berlin Wall to Singapore to get ourselves connected to one of the major events of the post—WWII world and give us a chance to ponder on the meaning and importance of freedom, I think that makes this job very meaningful," said Lui Thai Ker, a judge on the "Kings of Freedom" design competition.

The completed exhibition will be unveiled on 9 November 2009, which is also the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. — CNA /ls

Source: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20081101/tap-693-more-roar-singapore-231650b.html

More roar for Singapore

Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, November 1

SINGAPORE : Now that Singapore has established itself as a premier venue for Formula 1, get ready for the biggest and fastest thing on two wheels.

MotoGP, the motorbike equivalent of F1, is set to make its debut here as early as 2011 when Singapore’s first permanent race track is completed. Speaking from his Madrid office in Spain, MotoGP boss Carmelo Ezpeleta told TODAY that his company Dorna Sports, which holds the commercial rights to MotoGP, has signed an agreement with a Singaporean company to stage a round of the 18—leg world championships here, when the planned track is completed.

The 61—year—old Spaniard, who is to Moto—GP what Bernie Ecclestone is to Formula 1, also said that Singapore is an important part of the sport’s growth plans, as it is a key financial centre in the middle of an important region of the world.

Although TODAY is unable to name the Singapore promoter, who sealed the deal in Madrid about two months ago, due to contractual sensitivities, Ezpeleta said: “Yes, I can confirm that we have signed an agreement with a promoter to stage a round of the motorbike world championships in Singapore.

“But it depends when the permanent track you are going to build will be completed. I understand it will be up in three years’ time, so you can have a race there as early as 2011, if not 2012.”

Matching Formula 1

MotoGP motorbikes can reach top speeds of about 340kmh, compared to 370kmh for F1 cars, and Dorna claim they have an average television audience of about 350 million viewers across 200 countries for each race.

In terms of economic impact, organisers of the MotoGP event at Laguna Seca, California, say the annual event there contributes about US$100 million (S$146 milion) into the Monterey area surrounding the track, which is on par with spill—off revenues generated by F1 races.

But unlike F1 — with some Grands Prix held on street circuits, including Singapore — MotoGP hold all their races on purpose—built racing circuits.

Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports, said at last month’s F1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix that the permanent circuit in Changi is on track to be completed in 2011. Although 20 hectares have been allocated for the project, he also said the Government is willing to consider releasing more land should there be a need.

And despite the difficult economic climate, Singapore Sports Council chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik said that plans for the track will go ahead. “The Changi racetrack is a major component of SSC’s overall motor sports industry development plan in Singapore and it is intended to be funded by the private sector,” said Oon.

“The current financial climate will have an impact on the types and number of bidders that we will be able to attract. Nonetheless, it can only serve to improve their quality and proposals. Weaker players are unlikely to participate while stronger ones will need to put together even better proposals that will enable them to secure financial backing. Based on the feedback we’re receiving, potential investors are still upbeat about the project.”

Friendlier Ticket Prices

In their regulations for 2008, the sport’s world governing body, the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), has stipulated that tracks hosting MotoGP races must be at least 3.5km long.
But Ezpeleta would like to see them longer than that. “We prefer a race track with a length of at least 4km to 4.5km, but safety is our top priority,” he said.

“It would be good also if the track could hold at least 70,000 people, but I am leaving that to the promoter in Singapore to decide.

“Asia is important to MotoGP’s growth and Singapore is at the centre of it, that is why we want to hold a round there. But like I said, my agreement with the promoter in Singapore is subject to the track being built.”

There is an added attraction to MotoGP, as ticket prices are far more affordable. At the Malaysian MotoGP race earlier this month, a seat at the main grandstand cost about RM230 (S$95), compared to about RM1,800 for the same seat at the Formula 1 race there in April this year.

But Ezpeleta, who has an “unwritten agreement” with Ecclestone to ensure their events don’t clash, said: “If Singapore’s F1 race is in September, we will have no choice but to plan a MotoGP race to be held there in early 2011.” — TODAY/il

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/387018/1/.html

Four Singapore restaurants voted as Asia's Top 20
By Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 November 2008 2112 hrs

SINGAPORE: Few would dispute that Singapore has some of the best street food in the region.

But now, according to the inaugural Miele Guide, published by German home appliance maker Miele, Singapore also has Asia's best fine dining restaurant in the form of Iggy's.

However, choosing the best was not easy.

It took 84 of the most respected food critics, votes from over 15,000 diners across 40 countries, and a special jury of 1500 journalists and foodies, to come up with the final list.

Eight Hong Kong restaurants and four in Singapore made it to the list of Asia's Top 20 Restaurants. The ones from Singapore include Les Amis, Gunther’s and Garibaldi, which are placed at the third, fourth and seventh spot respectively.

To come up with the guide that lists 200 of the best, restaurants in 16 countries were evaluated.

Managing director of Miele South East Asia, Mario Miranda, said: “There was actually no serious credible guide in Asia - such a rich and diverse region, such great dining experiences."

The full list of the Top 20 restaurants is available at this website. .

-CNA/yt/ls

Source: http://mieleguide.com/asias-top-20

Asia’s Top 20

Thousands of people from around the world cast more than 75,000 votes for restaurants in 16 countries. Despite the intense competition, there were some restaurants that garnered significantly more votes (from both the voting public and our Special Jury) than others—which mean the restaurants at the top of our list truly stood out against their peers.

Purchase a copy of The Miele Guide 2008/2009 at your favourite bookstore or through our online store now and read the full profile of Asia’s Top 20 Restaurants. Also, get access to profiles of the next top 300 restaurants in Asia.

1. Iggy’s
Singapore
www.iggys.com.sg

2. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong
www.joel-robuchon.hk

3. Les Amis
Singapore
www.lesamis.com.sg

4. Gunther’s
Singapore
www.gunthers.com.sg

5. Mozaic
Bali, Indonesia
www.mozaic-bali.com

6. Robuchon a Galera
Macau
www.hotelisboa.com

7. Garibaldi
Singapore
www.garibaldi.com.sg

8. Yung Kee
Hong Kong
www.yungkee.com.hk

9. Hutong
Hong Kong
www.aqua.com.hk

10. Antonio’s Fine Dining
Tagaytay City, Cavite, Philippines

11. Caprice
Hong Kong
www.fourseasons.com/hongkong/dining/caprice.html

12. Zuma
Hong Kong
www.zumarestaurant.com

13. L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Tokyo)
Tokyo, Japan
www.joel-robuchon.com

14. Bukhara
New Delhi, India
www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury

15. Grissini
Hong Kong
www.hongkong.grand.hyatt.com

16. Nobu
Hong Kong
www.noburestaurants.com

17. M on the Bund
Shanghai, China
www.m-onthebund.com

18. Fook Lam Moon
Hong Kong
www.fooklammoon-grp.com

19. Zanotti Il Ristorante Italiano
Bangkok, Thailand
www.zanotti-ristorante.com

20. Kyubey
Tokyo, Japan
www.kyubey.jp

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/387024/1/.html


Swimming: Tao Li wins gold in FINA World Cup 2008
Posted: 01 November 2008 2202 hrs

SINGAPORE: It has been some two months since Singapore made sporting history at the recent Olympics, and reviving the glory again is Singapore swim sensation, Tao Li.

She may have come in fifth during the Olympic Games 2008, but the swimmer struck gold in the women's 100m butterfly event at FINA Swimming World Cup competition on Saturday.

She clocked in 56.85 seconds, beating second placed Swede Sarah Sjostrom who clocked in 57.39 seconds.

In third place was Australian Guehrer Mareike, who clocked in 58.06 seconds.
The FINA Swimming World Cup continues on Sunday at the Singapore Sports School.

- CNA/yt

Oh i read about that today in the sunday times...it's awesome lah

CONGRATULATIONS

jon...

I'm proud to be a singaporean!!!!! yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/387355/1/.html

Singapore improves in world ranking for customer service
By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 03 November 2008 2051 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore has improved its world ranking for customer service, jumping five places to clinch the 10th spot this year, said Acting Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong.

The ranking is in the Global Competitiveness Report, which is a yearly report published by the World Economic Forum. Singapore was ranked 15th in 2007 and 26th in 2006.

Mr Gan was speaking at the Excellent Service Award presentation ceremony for the hospitality industry on Monday.

He added that while the near-term economic outlook may be somewhat uncertain, the government is optimistic that Singapore's tourism sector will continue to grow over the medium to long term.

The Singapore Tourism Board is targeting 17 million visitor arrivals by 2015 under the Tourism 2015 Plan, and Mr Gan feels what lies ahead are exciting times for Singapore's tourism industry.


- CNA/so

Source: http://www.weforum.org/en/initiatives/gcp/FinancialDevelopmentReport/index.htm

The Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009 Rank
Rank
1. US
2. Switzerland
3. Denmark
4. Sweden
5. Singapore
6. Finland
7. Germany
8. Netherlands
9. Japan
10.Canada

The Global Information Technology Report 2007-2008
Rank
1. Denmark
2. Sweden
3. Switzerland
4. US
5. Singapore
6. Finland
7. Netherlands
8. Iceland
9. Korea
10. Norway

The Global Enabling Trade Report 2008
Rank
1. Hong Kong
2. Singapore
3. Sweden
4. Norway
5. Canada
6. Denmark
7. Finland
8. Germany
9. Switzerland
10. New Zealand

Financial Development Report 2008
Rank
1. US
2. UK
3. Germany
4. Japan
5. Canada
6. France
7. Switzerland
8. Hong Kong SAR
9. Netherlands
10. Singapore

congrats singapore!

Wow, that is real awesome!

There is no doubt Singapore is doing well lately. I am also proud of your success.

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/389431/1/.html


Singapore Grand Prix awarded Motor Sport Facility of the Year
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 13 November



SINGAPORE: The SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, which was held in September this year at the Marina Bay circuit, has been awarded the title of Motor Sport Facility of the Year.

It received the industry accolade at the Professional MotorSport World Annual Awards ceremony in Cologne, Germany on Tuesday.

Now in their third year, the awards recognise international motor sports endeavours.

The Singapore Grand Prix – the world's first Formula One night race – was commended for its revolutionary track lighting. It also scored high points for the spectacular way in which the track was designed to weave through the heart of the city.

Other short-listed entries for this award included the European Grand Prix venue in Valencia, Spain; the new Toyota Racing Development chassis engineering building in Cologne, Germany; and a new racing facility in Sweden.

Other awards given out at the ceremony were for Safety Innovation, Testing Technology, Vehicle Development, Design Engineer and Team Principal of the Year.

- CNA/so

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/390046/1/.html

Bowling: Singaporean Jasmine Yeong-Nathan wins AMF Bowling World Cup
15 November



SINGAPORE: Singapore bowler Jasmine Yeong-Nathan is the new women's champion of the 44th Qubica AMF Bowling World Cup in Mexico.

The event is held annually and considered the world's most prestigious bowling tournament.

In the final, the 20-year-old Singapore Polytechnic student beat defending champion Ann-Maree Putney of Australia in straight sets, with pinfalls of 263 and an almost perfect score of 298.

The 2005 national champion is Singapore's first champion in this event.
In 2002, Remy Ong achieved second place.

Yeong-Nathan said: “I feel happy and excited, and honoured to be able to bring home the title for Singapore. I'm really grateful for the chance to be here. I would love to bowl for as long as I can.”


- CNA/yt

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/390214/1/.html

Tao Li breaks World Cup series record in 100m butterfly in Berlin
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 16 November 20... hrs



SINGAPORE: Singapore's Tao Li has broken the World Cup series record in the 100 metre butterfly event with her time of 56.28 seconds.

She smashed the previous record of 56.3422 seconds set by American Natalie Coughlin in 2002 in New York.

The world record is 55.74 seconds set by Libby Trickett.

18-year-old Tao Li achieved her latest feat at the Fina/Arena World Cup Berlin leg.
At the start of November, Tao Li won her first gold in the Singapore leg with a time of 56.85 seconds.

She then travelled to Russia last week, where she achieved a silver, with a
58.50-second timing in the Moscow leg.

Last Tuesday, at the Stockholm leg, she bagged her second gold for the 100-metre butterfly event.

So far, Tao Li has won three golds and a silver in the 100-metre butterfly event and 2 bronzes for the 50-metre butterfly in the World Cup series.

Berlin is the last of her World Cup series competitions. - CNA/vm

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/391049/1/.html

S'pore stem cell researchers score breakthrough for diabetes treatment
Posted: 20 November 20... hrs


A scientist conducts research on stem cells at a laboratory

SINGAPORE: Pure insulin-producing cells, similar to those found in the human pancreas, have been developed in the lab by a team of Singapore researchers working with mouse embryonic stem cells.

The breakthrough, which will be key in treating diabetes, was achieved by Dr Lim Sai Kiang from the Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) and Dr Li Guodong from the National University Medical Institutes, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at National University of Singapore.

The researchers were able to develop an unlimited number of pure insulin-producing cells, which when transplanted into diabetic mice caused the high blood glucose levels of the animals to drop.

The experiments also showed that when the transplanted cells were later removed from the diabetic mice, the blood glucose remained normal as well as the insulin-production and glucose-sensing capacity in the mice.

Another discovery was that none of the diabetic mice involved in the transplants developed teratoma, a type of tumour which usually occurs with the use embryonic stem cells and complicates treatment.

The research provides proof that the method of treatment could be used for diabetic people who need pure insulin-producing cells.

Professor Gordon Weir, Director of the Clinical Islet Transplantation Program at Harvard Medical School, has described the work by the researchers as "impressive".

"We need something to put into diabetic patients to treat their condition, and these findings tell us interesting things about the development of beta cells," said Professor Weir, who also holds appointments at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Joslin Diabetes Centre.

Speaking of his work, Dr Lim said that what is also significant is the chance for further studies in the treatment for diabetes as the researchers can isolate and then multiply insulin-producing cells from different embryonic stem cells for an unlimited supply of pure insulin-producing cells which they can study.

Dr Li added, "Besides providing a tool to facilitate basic research in test tubes and animals, these insulin-producing cells may be also used to replace the isolated native pancreatic cells that are hard to obtain in a large amount, for pharmacological tests."

The work of Dr Lim and Dr Li, which has been published in two separate papers, has been recognised as one of the "Novel and Newsworthy Top Ten" in Cell Biology at the an American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB).

- CNA/sf

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/393446/1/.html

Bowling: S'pore team returns triumphant with 6 medals from Commonwealth Championship
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 December 2008 2009 hrs



SINGAPORE: Singapore is aiming to be among the world’s top five when it comes to bowling.

And the country is on track, with its bowlers winning six medals, including two gold, at the recent Commonwealth Championship in Ireland.

The four bowlers and their coach returned home on Monday to warm weather and warm smiles for giving Singapore its best performance in the 16-nation tournament.

Singapore's top male bowler, Remy Ong, had two gold and a silver.

And the bowlers admitted they could have added to the tally, if they had adjusted to the lanes faster.

Still, the good outing in Ireland shows that Singapore bowling is on the right track.

"This result is just part and parcel of what is going to happen more for ten-pin bowling in Singapore. One thing is for sure, we are going to aim towards (to be among) the top five nations in the world," said the coach of Team Singapore, Mervyn Foo.

- CNA/yt

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/393992/1/.html

Singapore receives international award for approaches to tobacco control
By Lynda Hong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 04 December 2008 0147 hrs

SINGAPORE: Singapore's National Smoking Control Programme (NSCP) has been internationally recognised for its outstanding practices, as well as innovative and successful approaches to comprehensive tobacco control.

Singapore received the Good Practice Award for Comprehensive Tobacco Control in Cities at the World Health Organisation Alliance for Healthy Cities Awards 2008.

The award was announced at the Third Global Conference of the Alliance for Healthy Cities held in Ichikawa City, Japan, on 25 October 2008.

The National Smoking Control Programme adheres to the MPOWER package, which is a roadmap to help countries meet their obligations to the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC).

The MPOWER package comprises:
- Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies
- Protect people from tobacco smoke
- Offer help to quit tobacco use
- Warn about the dangers of tobacco
- Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship
- Raise taxes on tobacco

Besides having demonstrated action on the MPOWER package as listed above, Singapore is one of the four FCTC ratifying countries to have fully implemented three of the six polices.

According to the Health Promotion Board, Singapore has one of the lowest smoking prevalence rates in the world with a reduction from 20 percent in 1984 to 12.6 percent in 2004. - CNA/de

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/394433/1/.html

Bowling: New Hui Fen bags gold medal at championship in Macau
Posted: 05 December 2008 2201 hrs



SINGAPORE: Singaporean bowler New Hui Fen won a gold medal at the Masters at Asian Intercity Tenpin Bowling Championship in Macau on Friday.

The 16-year-old national bowler took part in the Masters for Women category.
With a total pinfall of 3,440, the student from Singapore Sports School beat Liza Clutario of Paranaque by four pins.

Hui Fen is part of a team of eight bowlers from Singapore. In total, the team won two gold medals, one silver and a bronze in the championship in Macau, and will return to Singapore on Saturday.

- CNA/so

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/394991/1/.html


Singapore Grand Prix wins Autosport Pioneering and Innovation Award
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 08 December 2008 2249 hrs



SINGAPORE: The Singapore Grand Prix, the world's first Formula One night race, won the title of worldwide Motor Sport Facility of the Year in November.

Now, a second accolade – the Autosport Pioneering and Innovation Award – has been bestowed on the Singapore race in London.

The award was presented by Autosport Magazine, which is the world's most widely read motor sports weekly.

The 2008 F1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix was commended for the revolutionary track lighting and the spectacular way in which the track was woven through the heart of the city.

Singapore GP's Colin Syn received the award from McLaren driver, Heikki Kovalainen. Also present at the gala event was F1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton.

- CNA/so

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/395176/1/.html

Singapore excels in latest Mathematics and Science study
By Zhang Tingjun, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 09 December 2008 2205 hrs



SINGAPORE: Singapore students have once again done well in Science and Mathematics at an international study. The latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) looked at the subjects at the Primary 4 and Secondary 2 levels.

In Science, Singapore ranked first in both primary and secondary levels.
As for Primary 4 Mathematics, Singapore was second with a score of 599, eight points behind leaders Hong Kong.

Taiwan was ranked third and Japan fourth.

For Secondary 2 Mathematics, Singapore was third behind Taiwan and Korea with only five points separating the three.

The Ministry of Education said schools will continue to help students build up strong foundations in the two subjects so they will be equipped with the necessary skills to participate fully in society.

Since 1995, Singapore has been ranked within the top three positions with the exception for 7th position for Primary 4 Science in 1995.

The TIMSS study also affirmed that Singapore schools are well-equipped with Science laboratories, and resources are readily available for Mathematics and Science instruction.

In addition, Singapore schools are ranked the highest or second highest internationally when it comes to providing students with a safe and conducive environment for learning. - CNA/vm

Source:http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/395715/1/.html

MediaCorp named "Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year" at ATV Awards
By Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 11 December 2008 2239 hrs



SINGAPORE: MediaCorp, the parent company of Channel NewsAsia, has been named 'Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year' for the second year in a row at the 13th Asian Television (ATV) Awards.

The company also won five other awards and eight commendations at the ceremony held on Thursday.

MediaCorp won the coveted "Terrestrial Broadcaster of the Year 2008" despite stiff competition from other countries.

The company said the award would mean working harder next year, especially with tougher economic times expected.

Mr Lucas Chow, CEO of MediaCorp, said: "Continue to create content very unique to MediaCorp, being creative about it. I think that is still the direction that MediaCorp will continue to take.

"We have started to move on to regional platforms and regional content. We will continue with that in spite of the very difficult times we face. But of course, we would be very careful in managing our costs. We have to have better planning, have less wastage, so as to cut down the costs for production."

For now, the company - with 26 nominations this year - can rejoice with wins and commendations in eight categories.

Channel NewsAsia's documentary "All Things Paper" was named 'Best Infotainment Programme'.

Woon Tai Ho, Managing Director, Channel NewsAsia, said: "'All Things Paper' illustrates clearly that facts are not only informative but they can entertain as well. So ChannelNews Asia is not just about news, we can entertain our viewers with information. Most people know us for news but people should also know us for our current affairs programmes and our infotainment programmes."

Also in the same category, the channel's two other documentaries "Tale of Four Cities" a travelogue, and "Bring it On Beijing!" about the Beijing Olympics 2008 were named 'Highly Commended' programmes.

Its other documentary "Spirit of the Times" about Chinese Contemporary Art was highly commended for 'Best Documentary'.

MediaCorp's TV 12 took home two awards - 'Best Single Drama or Telemovie' for "Singapore Short Story Project" by Arts Central and 'Best Children's Programme' for "REM The Next Generation" by Kids Central.

Ms Daisy Irani, Vice President of MediaCorp TV 12, said: "You are looking at the quality that is improving, because otherwise with this kind of competition coming all over Asia, you might not be nominated. So yes, very good quality, really looking good. And I think the second thing is the creative people need this sort of encouragement."

Quan Yifong from MediaCorp Channel 8 was named joint winner of the 'Best Entertainment Presenter Award' for the first time.

She shares the award with colleague Guo Liang. The outspoken artiste recently went through a widely-publicised divorce.

Ms Quan said: "I have always treated my work as my life. I never thought my life would bring me any awards, or rewards. To me, it just brings colour to my life."
Another first, MediaCorp's Channel 5 bagged the 'Best Entertainment One-off Annual Award'.

Unlike previous years, MediaCorp did not have a strong showing in the 'Best Comedy Performance' and 'Best Comedy Actress' categories this year.

Actress Michelle Chong, nominated for 'Best Comedian Award', was edged out by Thailand's Choosak Iamsuk. But she was given a commendation by the judges.

Even though this year's awards received an overwhelming 1,200 entries from 12 countries and cities, some delegates said that this year's ceremony was relatively low key and had a smaller turnout compared to the ones held in previous years, perhaps because of the financial slowdown. Still the night would be a memorable one, especially for the winners.

- CNA/so/de/vm

Source: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/396147/1/.html


Singapore Grand Prix wins Promoter of Year Award
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 14 December 2008 0240 hrs



SINGAPORE : Singapore Grand Prix (GP) has won the Promoter of the Year Award.
Singapore GP was selected for its effort in organising Formula One's first ever night race.

The latest award is the third the Singapore GP has won in a month.

Last Sunday, the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix was presented with the Pioneering and Innovation Award at the Autosport Awards in London.

On November 11, the Marina Bay Street Circuit was named the Worldwide Motor Sport Facility of the Year at the Professional Motorsport World Expo Awards 2008 at Cologne, Germany.

Singapore GP's Ong Beng Seng collected the third award at a glittering Federation Internationale De L'Automobile (FIA) Gala at Monaco on Friday.

- CNA /ls