Joyce Lim
The Straits Times
Publication Date : 18-04-2014
A Singapore passport remains one of the most welcome in the world, research has found.
As of last year, it offered visa-free access to 167 of 219 countries surveyed for the latest Visa Restrictions Index.
It was ranked sixth internationally - alongside Australia and Greece - for the unrestricted access it offers. This was up from eighth place in 2012, when it offered such access to 161 countries, and ninth in 2011 when it was waved through in 164.
Citizens of Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom held the best passports for global travel last year, with visa-free access to 173 countries.
Consultancy firm Henley & Partners carried out the study in collaboration with the International Air Transport Association.
Henley's chairman Christian Kalin told The Straits Times yesterday that Singapore passports are in "high demand".
Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli had told Parliament on Monday that around 7,000 passports have been reported lost or stolen in each of the last five years.
Kalin called Singapore "one of the premier residence options in the world today".
"The Singaporean Government is making great efforts to attract talent and good human capital to facilitate the growth of its economy," he said. "The Government's intention is for foreigners to make Singapore their home, so there are a number of incentives and benefits for citizens."
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority was unable to provide a more detailed breakdown of the figure revealed by Masagos - such as how many passports were lost overseas.
Mr Masagos also said about 350 travellers have been caught carrying forged or tampered passports at Singapore checkpoints in each of the last five years. He gave no further details.
Among the 52 countries and territories requiring Singaporeans to obtain a visa are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Iraq, Myanmar, Kazakhstan and Yemen.
Singaporeans can travel freely to Canada, China, the European Union and the United States.
B.C. Tan, head of Asia-Pacific risk research at international media firm Thomson Reuters, said Singapore passport holders could be profiled as a lower-risk category because of the country's "good global reputation of low crime rates, strict enforcement and efficient government administration".
Since August 2006, all newly issued Singapore passports have been biometrically enabled with new security features, such as a shorter expiration date of five years and unique passport numbers that are changed when the passport is renewed.
Tan, who specialises in transnational organised crime, noted how these could make it "rather difficult to forge or travel impersonating the actual holder of the Singapore passport".
"However, in recent years, there has been a noticeable surge in Singaporean passport holders being used as mules to smuggle contraband," he added. "These can be... willing participants or unwitting individuals who have fallen prey to scams."
The ICA said the unique numbers in every biometric passport enable international enforcement agencies to share information on lost or stolen passports.
To date, more than 40 million travel papers - mostly passports - have been reported to Interpol, which set up a Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database in the wake of the Sept 11 terror attacks on the US in 2001.
Singapore accesses this about 29 million times a year to determine if a passport presented has been reported lost or stolen.
In 2004, eight Singaporeans were jailed for up to 61/2 years in China for trying to smuggle Chinese nationals into the US using Singapore passports.
One of them, a 39-year-old woman who did not want to be named, told The Straits Times: "Travellers with Singapore passports do not usually get checked at immigration checkpoints."
Henley & Partners, which will release its 2014 index in June, said: "Visa requirements are also an expression of relationships between individual nations and generally reflect the relations and status of a country within the international community."
Afghanistan ranked lowest in last year's index, with its citizens having visa-free access to just 28 countries.
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Monday, March 31, 2014
10-year vision for infocomm, media sectors unveiled | TODAYonline
10-year vision for infocomm, media sectors unveiled | TODAYonline:
Panel seeks feedback from industry and public
By Joy Fang
Published: March 31, 4:13 AM
SINGAPORE — In the years ahead, seniors could tap on enhanced speech and visual recognition technologies, coupled with more intuitive user interfaces, to control and navigate content with ease, while communities could be part of a virtual “kampung”, using their time, not cash, to pay for services rendered.
Students from the primary to post-secondary level could be studying coding and computational thinking and at the tertiary level, those not studying infocomm and media (ICM) — such as students in law, healthcare and business — will be encouraged to take it as a recognised minor, with subjects such as data analysis, modelling and simulation on offer.
These are among 13 ideas that a high-level steering committee — formed by the Government to chart the next phase of development in the ICM industries — has proposed as part of its vision for the next 10 years, starting from next year.
The ideas are grouped under five strategies: To ensure a “pervasive, agile and robust” infrastructure, build vibrant ICM sectors, develop human capital, enable people and businesses to harness infocomm technologies, and to create a research and development ecosystem that supports innovation and commercialisation.
Stressing that the ideas are all preliminary and subject to refinement, the committee yesterday released its 10-year infocomm and media master plan for public consultation. It hopes to consult the industry and public from next month to August to get feedback and glean new ideas.
The two sectors have been rapidly developing due to the prevalence of high-speed connectivity, widespread use of mobile devices and digitisation of information. Currently, these sectors contribute about a 10th of Singapore’s gross domestic product. The nominal value-added of the infocomm and media sectors respectively jumped from S$19 billion in 2008 to S$21 billion in 2011, and from S$6.4 billion in 2008 to S$8 billion in 2011.
The committee hopes the master plan can contribute to a better quality of life for Singaporeans through innovative solutions, encourage the creation of revolutionary products and services here, and build a nation that advocates cutting-edge technologies.
Under its strategy of enabling people to harness infocomm technologies, the committee’s proposed virtual “kampung” would see an individual, for instance, earn two “time-credits” for helping someone with a service, such as grocery shopping. He can then spend these two credits on someone else who offers another service, such as providing tuition for his grandson.
The committee called this system a Community Time Exchange. Known as time banks overseas and a hit in the United States and United Kingdom, it will help connect people together and build stronger communities, said the committee. Some examples overseas include the Fair Shares community time banks in Gloucester and the Nippon Active Life Club in Japan.
To establish an agile, pervasive and trusted ICM infrastructure, an idea proposed by the committee is the installation of a common sensor infrastructure outdoors.
Currently, outdoor sensors are deployed in an ad-hoc manner, with limited coordination and planning across service providers, resulting in long and costly deployment processes, said the committee.
For instance, the traffic light and street lighting control system is under the purview of the Land Transport Authority, the PUB has water-level sensors for the monitoring of the drainage system and the National Environment Agency regulates water pollution and quality in Singapore’s sewerage system through water-quality sensors.
By setting up a new infrastructure for nationwide sensor deployment, termed Above Ground Box, sensor infrastructure across the island can be more “speedy, secure, cost-effective and scalable”, said the committee.
As for the new media service for seniors, Mr Eddie Chau, a committee member and the founder of iSentia Brandtology, pointed out that the technology today “needs to be revamped just to suit the next generation of seniors”.
For instance, a computer mouse may be tough to use for seniors who have problems with hand mobility, he said. “So how can they get engaged when they can’t even move or click it? There are a lot of things we need to do, (there are) a lot of opportunities,” he added.
Panel seeks feedback from industry and public
By Joy Fang
Published: March 31, 4:13 AM
SINGAPORE — In the years ahead, seniors could tap on enhanced speech and visual recognition technologies, coupled with more intuitive user interfaces, to control and navigate content with ease, while communities could be part of a virtual “kampung”, using their time, not cash, to pay for services rendered.
Students from the primary to post-secondary level could be studying coding and computational thinking and at the tertiary level, those not studying infocomm and media (ICM) — such as students in law, healthcare and business — will be encouraged to take it as a recognised minor, with subjects such as data analysis, modelling and simulation on offer.
These are among 13 ideas that a high-level steering committee — formed by the Government to chart the next phase of development in the ICM industries — has proposed as part of its vision for the next 10 years, starting from next year.
The ideas are grouped under five strategies: To ensure a “pervasive, agile and robust” infrastructure, build vibrant ICM sectors, develop human capital, enable people and businesses to harness infocomm technologies, and to create a research and development ecosystem that supports innovation and commercialisation.
Stressing that the ideas are all preliminary and subject to refinement, the committee yesterday released its 10-year infocomm and media master plan for public consultation. It hopes to consult the industry and public from next month to August to get feedback and glean new ideas.
The two sectors have been rapidly developing due to the prevalence of high-speed connectivity, widespread use of mobile devices and digitisation of information. Currently, these sectors contribute about a 10th of Singapore’s gross domestic product. The nominal value-added of the infocomm and media sectors respectively jumped from S$19 billion in 2008 to S$21 billion in 2011, and from S$6.4 billion in 2008 to S$8 billion in 2011.
The committee hopes the master plan can contribute to a better quality of life for Singaporeans through innovative solutions, encourage the creation of revolutionary products and services here, and build a nation that advocates cutting-edge technologies.
Under its strategy of enabling people to harness infocomm technologies, the committee’s proposed virtual “kampung” would see an individual, for instance, earn two “time-credits” for helping someone with a service, such as grocery shopping. He can then spend these two credits on someone else who offers another service, such as providing tuition for his grandson.
The committee called this system a Community Time Exchange. Known as time banks overseas and a hit in the United States and United Kingdom, it will help connect people together and build stronger communities, said the committee. Some examples overseas include the Fair Shares community time banks in Gloucester and the Nippon Active Life Club in Japan.
To establish an agile, pervasive and trusted ICM infrastructure, an idea proposed by the committee is the installation of a common sensor infrastructure outdoors.
Currently, outdoor sensors are deployed in an ad-hoc manner, with limited coordination and planning across service providers, resulting in long and costly deployment processes, said the committee.
For instance, the traffic light and street lighting control system is under the purview of the Land Transport Authority, the PUB has water-level sensors for the monitoring of the drainage system and the National Environment Agency regulates water pollution and quality in Singapore’s sewerage system through water-quality sensors.
By setting up a new infrastructure for nationwide sensor deployment, termed Above Ground Box, sensor infrastructure across the island can be more “speedy, secure, cost-effective and scalable”, said the committee.
As for the new media service for seniors, Mr Eddie Chau, a committee member and the founder of iSentia Brandtology, pointed out that the technology today “needs to be revamped just to suit the next generation of seniors”.
For instance, a computer mouse may be tough to use for seniors who have problems with hand mobility, he said. “So how can they get engaged when they can’t even move or click it? There are a lot of things we need to do, (there are) a lot of opportunities,” he added.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Users can 'unlist' numbers from phone directory services
Users can 'unlist' numbers from phone directory services:
Published on Jan 15, 2014
FROM April 1, it will no longer be mandatory for fixed-line operators to publish directories of residential telephone number listings ("Grey areas in new phone listing rules" by Mr Francis Cheng; Forum Online, Dec 25). These changes reflect the decline in the demand for such services and concerns about the open publication of personal data.
Recognising that some individuals may wish to search for the phone numbers of people they know, operators will have to continue providing the "Service 100" directory inquiry service for callers seeking particular residential telephone numbers.
Operators such as StarHub may voluntarily choose to continue publishing directories containing residential listings with listed numbers, in printed form, CD-ROMs or online. Users will be given a one-time option to unlist from such directory services free of charge. Once the number is unlisted, it will not appear in any commercially/voluntarily published directories and the "Service 100" directory inquiry database.
The Infocomm Development Authority's decision covers fixed-line numbers starting with only "6" and excludes mobile numbers because there was no regulatory requirement to publish mobile numbers.
Under the Personal Data Protection Act, organisations should use personal data only for the purposes for which the data was collected, and cannot disclose the data to other organisations without explicit consent.
If you register your mobile number to obtain one-time passwords for your credit cards, or for the purpose of hospital appointment notifications, the relevant organisations should not use these for other purposes without your consent.
Ng Sook Fun (Ms)
Director
Corporate and Marketing Communication
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Published on Jan 15, 2014
FROM April 1, it will no longer be mandatory for fixed-line operators to publish directories of residential telephone number listings ("Grey areas in new phone listing rules" by Mr Francis Cheng; Forum Online, Dec 25). These changes reflect the decline in the demand for such services and concerns about the open publication of personal data.
Recognising that some individuals may wish to search for the phone numbers of people they know, operators will have to continue providing the "Service 100" directory inquiry service for callers seeking particular residential telephone numbers.
Operators such as StarHub may voluntarily choose to continue publishing directories containing residential listings with listed numbers, in printed form, CD-ROMs or online. Users will be given a one-time option to unlist from such directory services free of charge. Once the number is unlisted, it will not appear in any commercially/voluntarily published directories and the "Service 100" directory inquiry database.
The Infocomm Development Authority's decision covers fixed-line numbers starting with only "6" and excludes mobile numbers because there was no regulatory requirement to publish mobile numbers.
Under the Personal Data Protection Act, organisations should use personal data only for the purposes for which the data was collected, and cannot disclose the data to other organisations without explicit consent.
If you register your mobile number to obtain one-time passwords for your credit cards, or for the purpose of hospital appointment notifications, the relevant organisations should not use these for other purposes without your consent.
Ng Sook Fun (Ms)
Director
Corporate and Marketing Communication
Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Saturday, November 9, 2013
English losing its appeal in China | TODAYonline
English losing its appeal in China | TODAYonline:
As the economy matures, many Chinese see new job opportunities that do not require English
08 November
SHANGHAI — Ms Marina Wang used English every day when she worked at a British company in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. But her use of the language dropped to virtually zero when she quit to work for a Chinese bank in her home province of Hubei.
Though she majored in English in college, she does not miss speaking it. “My new job offers greater economic stability and allows me to live near my parents,” she said. “English is not required because I communicate mainly with Chinese customers.”
Her story is one example of a broader debate taking place over China’s long-time emphasis on teaching English that experts say could prompt a rethink about why and how Chinese learn the language.
Estimates vary, but state media China Daily said there were as many as 400 million English-language learners in China at the beginning of this decade. In 2011, the market for English-language training was worth 46.3 billion yuan (S$9.4 billion), according to market data provider Beijing Zhongzhilin Information Technology.
Yet, as China’s economy matures, creating a domestic consumer class and home-grown companies to serve it, many Chinese such as Ms Wang see new job opportunities that do not require English. Meanwhile, some critics blame an overemphasis on English in schools for contributing to an erosion of Chinese skills in young people.
“We may be on the brink of a change of status in relation to English in China,” said Mr David Graddol, an education consultant based in Hong Kong. “In the past, the main driver of English has been the need to pass national exams. In the future, this may decline — but the need to be able to communicate in English may increase,” he said.
Earlier this year, a group of top Chinese universities, including Beijing Institute of Technology, dropped the English test requirement from their independent entrance examinations for study in some fields such as engineering.
Last month, education authorities in the city of Beijing announced proposals to reduce the weight given to English test scores in critical public examinations, including the college admissions tests, or gaokao.
Other provinces, including Shandong and Jiangsu, are looking at making modifications too.
Mr Wang Xuming, a former spokesman for China’s Education Ministry, had also called for an end to the teaching of English to very young children, suggesting more time to be given to the study of Chinese.
An editorial early last month in the nationalist daily The Global Times said it was time for China to cool down its English mania.
“It is time that we pour some cold water on the mania, reversing the tendency of excessive emphasis on English education and learning at an increasingly young age,” it said.
Still, Mr Christopher McCormick, head of EF Education First’s academic affairs and research network, said China is going from strength to strength in its drive to increase English language proficiency, especially considering the sheer size of the country and its population. But China cannot be complacent, he said.
Prominent English private tuition companies in China such as Zurich, Switzerland-based EF Education First and United States-listed New Oriental Education & Technology Group are following the English debate here closely.
In a recent conference call with investors, New Oriental President Louis Hsieh said the reallocation of gaokao points to Chinese and mathematics away from English was “obviously not a positive development for New Oriental”.
But he said the changes would not affect the company too much because English enhances employment chances. “How are these people going to find jobs if they don’t speak English?” he asked.
DOW JONES
As the economy matures, many Chinese see new job opportunities that do not require English
08 November
SHANGHAI — Ms Marina Wang used English every day when she worked at a British company in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. But her use of the language dropped to virtually zero when she quit to work for a Chinese bank in her home province of Hubei.
Though she majored in English in college, she does not miss speaking it. “My new job offers greater economic stability and allows me to live near my parents,” she said. “English is not required because I communicate mainly with Chinese customers.”
Her story is one example of a broader debate taking place over China’s long-time emphasis on teaching English that experts say could prompt a rethink about why and how Chinese learn the language.
Estimates vary, but state media China Daily said there were as many as 400 million English-language learners in China at the beginning of this decade. In 2011, the market for English-language training was worth 46.3 billion yuan (S$9.4 billion), according to market data provider Beijing Zhongzhilin Information Technology.
Yet, as China’s economy matures, creating a domestic consumer class and home-grown companies to serve it, many Chinese such as Ms Wang see new job opportunities that do not require English. Meanwhile, some critics blame an overemphasis on English in schools for contributing to an erosion of Chinese skills in young people.
“We may be on the brink of a change of status in relation to English in China,” said Mr David Graddol, an education consultant based in Hong Kong. “In the past, the main driver of English has been the need to pass national exams. In the future, this may decline — but the need to be able to communicate in English may increase,” he said.
Earlier this year, a group of top Chinese universities, including Beijing Institute of Technology, dropped the English test requirement from their independent entrance examinations for study in some fields such as engineering.
Last month, education authorities in the city of Beijing announced proposals to reduce the weight given to English test scores in critical public examinations, including the college admissions tests, or gaokao.
Other provinces, including Shandong and Jiangsu, are looking at making modifications too.
Mr Wang Xuming, a former spokesman for China’s Education Ministry, had also called for an end to the teaching of English to very young children, suggesting more time to be given to the study of Chinese.
An editorial early last month in the nationalist daily The Global Times said it was time for China to cool down its English mania.
“It is time that we pour some cold water on the mania, reversing the tendency of excessive emphasis on English education and learning at an increasingly young age,” it said.
Still, Mr Christopher McCormick, head of EF Education First’s academic affairs and research network, said China is going from strength to strength in its drive to increase English language proficiency, especially considering the sheer size of the country and its population. But China cannot be complacent, he said.
Prominent English private tuition companies in China such as Zurich, Switzerland-based EF Education First and United States-listed New Oriental Education & Technology Group are following the English debate here closely.
In a recent conference call with investors, New Oriental President Louis Hsieh said the reallocation of gaokao points to Chinese and mathematics away from English was “obviously not a positive development for New Oriental”.
But he said the changes would not affect the company too much because English enhances employment chances. “How are these people going to find jobs if they don’t speak English?” he asked.
DOW JONES
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