Top 10 Most Powerful People In The World

1. U.S. President Barack Obama

2. Chinese President Hu Jintao

3. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

4. U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke

5. Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page

6. Carlos Slim, Chief Executive of Mexico's Telmex

7. Rupert Murdoch, chairman of media group News Corp.

8. Michael T. Duke, Chief executive, Wal-Mart Stores

9. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz

10. Bill Gates, co-chairman, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

(Forbes)

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew wins Lifetime Achievement Award

Singapore is so fortunate to have Mr Lee Kuan Yew helming the nation. He is so well respected by Top-notch leaders from United States....



"Our trading relationship with Asean suports millions of American jobs and helps nurture the industries and opportunities of tomorrow. It is fitting that His Excellency Lee Kuan Yew will be honoured on the (US-Asean Business) Council's 25th anniversary.

"As Prime Minister of Singapore from 1965 to 1990, and through his current service as Minister Mentor, Mr Lee has been a central figure in the evolution of Asean. He has also been a constructive partner with the US in efforts to promote economic growth."

US President Barack Obama



"MM Lee's life of public service is both unique and remarkable. As Prime Minister of Singapore for more than three decades, he has been a key figure in the growth and evolution of Asean.

"His work as Prime Minister and now as Minister Mentor has helped literally millions of people in Singapore and all across South-east Asia to live better, more prosperous lives.

"I hope the leaders of Asean will continue to build upon Mr Lee Kuan Yew's outstanding legacy. I send you again my heartfelt congratulations, I thank you for honouring a man I admire so very much."

Ex-president Bill Clinton



"I first met Mr Lee Kuan Yew in 1981. Over the years, he's continued to be a trusted and important friend and ally to the United States. All of us who have worked with him have benefited from his wisdom, insights and dedication.

"Few have done so much for their country or are as deserving of recognition for lifetime service to his country and the South-east Asian region as Mr Lee. His leadership was instrumental in Singapore becoming the thriving prosperous nation it is today.

"He was visionary in recognising the need for regional architecture and he helped Asean become a force for peace and aconomic cooperation that has helped millions of people in South-east Asia raise their standards of living."

Ex-president George H.W. Bush



"He's a great man, and great leaders bridge the gap between the experience of their society and their vision...He has become a seminal figure for all of us.

"I've not learned as much from anybody as I have from Mr Lee Kuan Yew. He made himself an indispensable friend of the United States, not primarily by the power he represented but by the quality of his thinking."

"Over 40 years, when Mr Lee Kuan Yew comes to Washington, he gets to see an array of people that almost no foreign leader gets to see in such a grouping and in a mode which is unique, because he does not come as a supplicant He comes as a comrade, in common efforts, from whom we can learn, who can tell us about the nature of the world that we face. He gives us insights into the thinking of his region.

"And that is the most important challenge we face in the long term in this country - how to build a kind of fundamental and organice relationship with Asia. We have to learn to deal with Asia, not by the patterns of the Cold War, but in a way that various arms of Asia, including China, build an organic relationship across the Pacific. There is nobody who can teach us more about this than the MM."



Dr Kissinger, 86, former secretary of state and Nobel Peace Prize winner

"Not long after I took office as Secretary of State, maybe two or three weeks, I had invited (then Chancellor of West Germany) Helmut Schmidt to come to a gathering.

"At the same gathering, my great friend Henry Kissinger had invited (then) Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, our mutual friend, to come. We had the weekend and afterwards on Sunday, we went down to my house on the Standford campus and the four of us sat around the kitchen table: Helmut Schmidt, Lee Kuan Yew, Henry Kissinger and me for about three hours. Finally our wives came in and said, 'We're going to get lunch, you got to get out of here.''

But it was an intense discussion among that group. Can you imagine a seminar where a new secretary of state is sitting around for three hours listening to Kissinger, Schmidt and Lee Kuan Yew?

"Man, that was education."

"So (MM Lee), you have taught all of us a tremendous amount by what you've done, what you've said, the way you meant it when you say something, and I thank you."

Dr Shultz, 89, former secretary of state (1982-1989).



"(MM Lee) has demonstrated not only the power of his intellect but the strength of leadership at a scale that is truly of historic proportions.

"So I would ask you to join me in a toast to His Excellency, whose mark has been made on the evolution of South-east Asia in a way that is perhaps unsurpassed by any other individual, whose power of intellect and strength of his leadership will be long remembered in our history."

Senator Jim Webb, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations' subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific Affairs



"Thanks for coming and spending so much time with a group of people who not only respect you but love you. I know we don't use that word in Singapore, but still, we love you."

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs - the US state department's top Asia policy official, Kurt Campbell.

(Asiaone)

World's hottest leaders

World's hottest leaders

Its official, President Obama is slightly hotter than Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

1. Yulia Tymoshenko, Prime Minister, Ukraine

2. Jens Stoltenberg, Prime Minister, Norway

3. Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King), Bhutan

4. Joseph Kabila, President, Democratic Republic of Congo

5. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, President, Argentina

6. Rafael Correa, President, Ecuador

7. Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

8. Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister, Dominica

9. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President, Philippines

10. Bamir Topi, President, Albania

11. Michelle Bachelet, President, Chile

12. Alexander Lukashenko, President, Belarus

13. Xanana Gusmao, President, East Timor

14. Mohamed Nasheed, President, Maldives

15. Barack Obama, President, USA

16. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister, Singapore

17. Mauricio Funes, President, El Salvador

18. Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister, Russia

19. Pierre Nkurunziza, President, Burundi

20. Jakaya Kikwete, President, Tanzania

(Photo credits: Asiaone, Reuters, AFP, BT, ST, Internet)

Merkel still world's most powerful woman, Ho Ching is 5th.

NEW YORK (AFP) - - German leader Angela Merkel and businesswomen dominate Forbes magazine's new list of powerful women, while First Lady Michelle Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton didn't break the top 30.

Merkel headed the list, published Wednesday, for the fourth year running, with the magazine highlighting her role as leader of the huge German economy and her likely re-election in September.

Reflecting the world's focus on recession and the struggle to keep the financial markets afloat, Merkel was followed almost exclusively by businesswomen.

In second place came Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, which insures US banks.

Third was Indra Nooyi, chief executive at PepsiCo, then Cynthia Carroll, the chief executive of mining giant Anglo American, and Ho Ching, chief executive at Singapore's government investment company Temasek Holdings.

Hillary Clinton slipped from 28 last year, when she was close to winning the Democratic presidential nomination to 36, despite heading the powerful US State Department.

Michelle Obama came into the list for the first time. Although she has the ear of the US president around the clock, she ranked only 40.

Below her, at 42, came Britain' Queen Elizabeth II.

Herewith the full top 10 in the list on www.forbes.com/women:

1: Angela Merkel, chancellor. Germany

2: Sheila Bair, chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. US.

3: Indra Nooyi, chief executive, PepsiCo. US.

4: Cynthia Carroll, chief executive, Anglo American. UK.

5: Ho Ching, chief executive, Temasek Holdings. Singapore

6: Irene Rosenfeld, chief executive, Kraft Foods. US.

7: Ellen Kullman, chief executive, DuPont. US.

8: Angela Braly, chief executive, WellPoint. US.

9: Anne Lauvergeon, chief executive, Areva. France

10: Lynn Elsenhans, chief executive, Sunoco. US.

(Asiaone)

The Super RICH!

Take a look at the picture below, guess what is this?

(Answer below)

You might guess that these are pictures of luxurious hotels or resorts, but you are wrong.

It is ...

(Take a deep breath...)

... a HOUSE!

Its owned by the family of Sheikh Zayeb Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the former president of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi!


And if these are not enough to make you go all envious, pls scroll down further!

See these cars?

Take a look at the Silver car below!

Its an Audi A8 in silver, specially made for Sheikh.

MIND YOU, it is NOT Silver in COLOUR, its MADE OUT OF SILVER!

Now, do you finally know where all your money go to when you pump petrol?

Cleaner's safety?

The cleaners in Singapore really have no welfare. Got a shock today when I saw an Indian cleaner standing on the ledge of the HDB block opposite my block!

Guess what he was doing?

He was sweeping the ledge!

Goodness, I was wondering was he doing it because he loves his job (voluntarily)?
Or was he forced to sweep the ledge by the Town Council? (no choice)

A closer look.

No safety harness or something?

I thought the government always warn employers not to ask the domestic helpers (a.k.a. maids) to clean dangerous places like the windows, so as to prevent accidents?

Then can someone please explain this?

OBAMA

Don't ever despise your life, because ... ...



21 yrs back in his grandma's place..







From one of the poorest family's chair to the most powerful chair in the world!

Did you know?:

O- Originally

B - Born in

A - Africa to

M - Manage

A – America

(I cannot guarantee that the information / picture in this post is 100% accurate.)

Is George Bush sick?

Disclaimer:
This is only for entertainment purposes, not meant to create any political issues. Pls do not proceed to watch if you are a big supporter of Bush or do not have a sense of humour.

Thank you.

The Yellow Bird

Met D for coffee and catching up after such a long time. The last time I saw him was like one year ago. Brings back a lot of pleasant memories as we caught up with our lives. Sometimes I really wish we had never made THAT decision 2.5 years ago.

How different would it have been for us if we didn't? Could we have been happier now? Closer now than before?

We have a long suffering friendship, always getting ourselves into misunderstandings, always becoming the target of gossip-mongers.

Each time we clarify, I love this friendship more, but each time something unpleasant gets to my ear, we drift apart again.

Friends, bosses, subordinates, it seems we can't trust anyone these days..........

Its sad how someone I look up to (an ex LADY boss) can be so scheming, to plot a discord-sowing drama, just to get rid of someone from HER company. Someone I have always thought was a really nice boss, a motherly figure (though she is not that old), a trustworthy person. However, I was THOROUGHLY wrong.

She was nice superficially, a 'Mother Mary' in disguise, and a double headed snake, "Trust" probably don't exists in her dictionary.

I am glad this whole YELLOW BIRD saga is over, its bridge over troubled waters, its rainbow after the rain, a heavy rain indeed.

Those FELLOWS who were victimised, my heart goes out to you.

I have grown wiser, stronger after this.

Lets move on, with our heads up, full of expectancy of better things to come.

That one year for me , and two years for you (and many others) were traumatizing, the losses were hefty, but lets be thankful we are all now free like a bird, not a yellow bird, but an eagle, ready to soar into the skies, and conquer the world.

Singapore Politicians Are The Highest Paid In The World

Do you know?

PM Lee Hsien Loong earns SGD$4.5million annually.

That is:
- 6 TIMES MORE than Barack Obama
- 9 TIMES MORE than Britain's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
- 12 TIMES MORE than Australia's Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd

(Please correct me if I am wrong because I cannot guarantee the above statistics are 100% accurate)

Lee Kuan Yew and Lee Hsien Loong wins lawsuit!

Don't they know who they are defaming? One of Singapore / Asia / the World's most famous politician we are talking about. And can't that Chee Soon Juan just back off?

Wonder how much damages will be awarded to the Lees.

----------------------------------------

SINGAPORE, Sept 24, 2008 (AFP) - A banned Hong Kong-based magazine and its editor defamed Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew and his son, the city-state's High Court has ruled, in the latest legal ruling against government critics.

Justice Woo Bih Li, in a decision obtained Wednesday by AFP, ruled that the Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) defamed the elder Lee and his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The Lees sued the magazine's editor Hugo Restall and Hong Kong-based Review Publishing, its owners, alleging defamation in a 2006 article based on an interview with Chee Soon Juan, an opposition party leader.

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

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

Dismissing objections by the defendants' lawyers, Woo issued his decision by summary judgment, meaning no trial was held.

Dismissing objections by the defendants' lawyers, Woo issued his decision by summary judgment, meaning no trial was held.

Damages will be assessed later.

Singaporean leaders have won hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages in defamation cases against critics and foreign publications, which they say are necessary to protect their reputations from unfounded attacks.

The city-state banned distribution of FEER in September 2006, saying it had failed to comply with media regulations.

(News from Yahoo)

Singapore VS Malaysia Government

Received this from an email this morning. Thought its really interesting....

This table shows the education qualifications of the cabinet ministers of Singapore and Malaysia.

Don't even need to elaborate, enlarge the able and see for yourself!




*(Pls email me if I need to credit you, thanks)

Its worth SGD$120 million!

This is one of Singapore's most expensive property!


Facts and Figures

Owned by: Prince Jefri Bolkiah, the younger brother of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah

Size: about 110,000 sq ft / 92 five-room HDB flats combined

Where: Nassim Road

Worth: A jaw dropping SGD$120 million



This is Prince Jefri

2 Singaporean Businessmen offer $1 million REWARD!

SINGAPORE — A cash reward of S$1 million is being offered for information leading to the apprehension of Mas Selamat inside or outside Singapore.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng revealed this in Parliament on Monday in response to a question on fugitive JI leader Mas Selamat.

The million dollar reward has been put up by two private individuals who approached the Home Affairs Ministry.

DPM Wong said the individuals had asked the ministry to operationalise their proposal because they wished to remain anonymous to protect themselves, families or business interests in the region from becoming a target for retaliation.

The House was also reminded that the Singapore Police Force, as a policy does not offer cash rewards for information on fugitives and unsolved crimes,or for assistance from the public.

However, the authorities do not object if private corporations and individuals wish to offer cash reward as a labour—supply company and a non—government organisation did in March, offering $50,000 and $5,000 respectively for information on Mas Selamat.

On the whereabouts of Mas Selamat, the DPM said that up till now, Singapore’s security agencies have not received any information from their Indonesian counterparts to confirm that the JI fugitive is hiding in Indonesia.

Neither has domestic intelligence shown that the Singapore JI leader has left the country.

"We obviously cannot dismiss the possibility that Mas Selamat could have managed to escape Singapore for another country. Singapore is not a fortress" added Mr Wong.

However, if Mas Selamat has escaped abroad, DPM Wong said Singapore will work with the relevant foreign counterparts to track him down and bring him back into custody in Singapore.

Parliament was told that given the time since Mas Selamat’s escape, the scenario of the fugitive harboured by sympathisers inside or outside Singapore must logically be treated as increasingly plausible. However, there is no intelligence at present to substantiate it said Mr Wong.

With a S$1 million reward in place, the two anonymous businessmen who offered the cash are hoping for some breakthrough.

"Whatever you say, $1 million is an eye—catcher and I hope some people will respond to it and give information to capture the fellow” said the 50—something businessman who is offering part of the reward.

Describing himself as a "good citizen" who is not in it for the publicity, the international trading and consultancy businessman said he decided to be part of the S$1 million reward scheme after being told of it by his friend.

“Actually I didn’t really give the matter much thought because I sincerely believe that sooner or later, the Government will catch Mas Selamat.

"But when I learnt from my friend of the proposal to give a reward to help catch the man, I thought it was a good idea."

The friend, a businessman with regional interests and investments, said he was motivated by respect for members of the Home Team and the kind of work they put in.

"Singapore has been good to me and my family. I have lived in many places but there is no place safer for my family than in this country" he said.

The businessman who’s in his forties also revealed that he had long nursed the idea of offering a reward for the capture of Mas Selamat.

"I have thought about it before but I decided to do something now because after 5 months, it is clear that the authorities are not making much headway" he said.

"I hope my cash reward will generate the breakthrough they need."

Members of the public with information on Mas Selamat can call the Counter Terrorism Centre hotline at 1800—262 6473 or the Police at 999.

All information received will be kept confidential and will be verified and investigated.

(News from CNA)

---------------------------------
Lets hope with this attractive reward, Mas Selamat will be arrested soon!

Malaysia's Anwar accused of sodomy

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was accused Saturday of sodomizing a man, police said, sparking speculation that he might be arrested on the same charge that led to his imprisonment a decade ago.

Anwar, who resurrected his political career after leading the opposition to spectacular gains in the March 8 elections, denied the allegation, calling it a "complete fabrication."

"This is clearly a desperate attempt by the ... regime to arrest the movement of the Malaysian people towards freedom, democracy and justice," the 60-year-old former deputy prime minister said.

Anwar claimed the report was engineered by "interested parties" to prevent him from exposing the national police chief and the attorney general for their alleged role in having him accused of corruption and sodomy in 1998.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi insisted the government was not responsible for the accusation, saying there was no conspiracy "to cause (Anwar) trouble or harass him or raise such issues to undermine him."

Abdullah declined to say whether Anwar would be arrested. Asked about Anwar's denial, Abdullah said it "was common for an accused person" to claim he was innocent.

Anwar was ousted from government 10 years ago amid accusations of corruption and sodomy. He was convicted on both charges, but Malaysia's highest court overturned the sodomy conviction and freed him in 2004.

Anwar said in a statement he "recently obtained" evidence implicating Inspector General of Police Musa Hassan and Attorney General Gani Patail of misconduct and fabricating evidence against him. He said he will release the evidence soon.

"I believe we are witnessing a repeat of the methods used against me in 1998 when false allegations were made under duress," he said.

The developments that began to unfold a little before midnight could have an impact on Malaysian politics, which have been thrown into turmoil since the March 8 elections in which the governing National Front coalition returned its worst ever result.

The Front lost its traditional two-thirds parliamentary majority, returning to power with only a simple majority, and ceded control of five of Malaysia's 13 states to Anwar's three-party opposition alliance.

Kuala Lumpur's police chief for criminal investigations, Ku Chin Wah, said a man filed a police complaint late Saturday claiming that Anwar sodomized him. Ku told The Associated Press that the complaint was being investigated.

Sodomy, even if consensual, is punishable by 15 years' imprisonment in this Muslim-majority country.

Anwar had been attending a weekend party meeting in a hotel near Kuala Lumpur, but he moved to a secret location amid concerns about being arrested, party officials said

"Because he is considered a threat to the government, we are concerned about his safety. He can't afford to be detained again. He's in a safe location now," party deputy president Syed Husin Ali told The Associated Press.

A person close to Anwar, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to make public statements, said Anwar was likely in a foreign embassy in Kuala Lumpur after being offered security there.

Ku said police have no immediate plans to arrest Anwar, and declined to identify the accuser. The opposition People's Justice Party said the man was coerced into making the accusation

The man went missing Saturday morning and his whereabouts remain unknown, said Sivarasa Rasiah, a top party official.

Former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad fired Anwar from the Cabinet in 1998 amid accusations that he sodomized his family driver and abused his power to cover up the deed.

Anwar insisted he was victimized by a political conspiracy to prevent him from challenging Mahathir for power.

Anwar did not personally run in the March elections because his corruption conviction barred him from holding political office for five years. The ban ended in April, and Anwar has since indicated he wants to re-enter Parliament through a by-election.

(News from Yahoo)

Opposition would ruin Singapore: Lee Kuan Yew

SINGAPORE - The Singapore opposition would ruin the wealthy city-state's achievements in five years if they ever gained power, the country's founding father Lee Kuan Yew said.

Lee, 84, warned Singapore voters against putting the opposition at the helm of government "in a moment of fickleness or just sheer madness" when they get "bored" at some point in the future.

Should this happen, "I think all bets are off because in five years they (opposition) can ruin this place," he told delegates at an international forum late Wednesday.

He stressed that, unlike many other countries, Singapore did not have natural resources such as oil, gas, forests, timber and aluminium.

"When you are Singapore and your existence depends on performance -- extraordinary performance, better than your competitors -- but that performance disappears because the system on which it is based is eroded, then you've lost everything."

Lee, widely credited for shepherding the underdeveloped port into one of Asia's wealthiest nations in one generation, said younger Singaporeans often tell him he is "playing the same old record" when he delivers his message.

Singapore's small opposition has only two seats in a parliament dominated by the People's Action Party which has been elected since 1959.

Despite its economic success, local and international civil rights groups have criticised the government for cracking down hard on dissenters and political activists.

Street protests are rare and public gatherings of five people or more are banned without a police permit.

Lee has maintained that Western-style liberal democracy is not the right model for Singapore.

He said one ingredient for a country's success is putting able leaders in government. This could be difficult under a more freewheeling US-style democracy in which "you are judged in accordance with your persuasive powers," he said.

Lee holds the cabinet rank of Minister Mentor in the government of his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

(News from CNN and Yahoo)

FCUK Singapore?

I was blog hopping as usual, when I discovered a blog with a very shocking and disturbing URL.

http://www.fcuksingapore.blogspot.com/

The title of the blog is FCUK Singapore, and the header says its "A site dedicated to expose all the CRAPS that's associated with Singapore."

I think this person hates Singapore big time.

He even has one post titled "Boycott Singapore Products" and he listed down a long list of companies that Temasek Holdings has shares in, as well as those companies "with presence in Malaysia".

I believe the blog was started only a few days ago, as its first post was dated 23 May, which is only 2 days ago.

Hmmm..... I am curious why this blogger started a blog like this.

And he better hope and pray that no one reports him because I believe this will lead to a very serious issue if being exposed.

Well, its just a matter of time . . .

My advice to him is that he better delete that blog soon.

Didn't he read about the blogger who was jailed for passing racist remarks recently?

What the!