22 10 月, 2022

John Lineker vs. Fabricio Andrade Main Event Ends in No Contest After Unintentional Foul Stops Fight

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - ONE Championship(TM)(ONE) made a triumphant return to the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with a thrilling night of martial arts action. ONE on Prime Video 3: Lineker vs. Andrade featured a series of exciting matchups, headlined by three World Title bouts.John Lineker vs. Fabricio Andrade Main Event Ends in No Contest After Unintentional Foul Stops FightAgilan Thani (L) defeats Germany's Ilja Stojanov (R) via submission (rear-naked choke)Agilan Thani (L) defeats Germany's Ilja Stojanov (R) at ONE on Prime Video 3's In-Stadium After Main EventONE Championship, in partnership with leading premium lifestyle and luxury performance brand TUMI, presented the prestigious ONE World Title belt to the World Champions.ONE on Prime Video 3 Photo Gallery: https://tinyurl.com/yn93zu83ONE on Prime Video 3 Official Scorecards: https://tinyurl.com/3ejexxt6The main event showdown between former ONE Bantamweight World Champion John Lineker and #2-ranked contender Fabricio Andrade ended in controversy midway through the third round, after Andrade connected with an unintentional knee to Lineker's groin.The two bitter rivals traded bombs from the sound of the opening bell, with "Wonder Boy" looking to push forward behind a stinging right jab. Lineker found openings to land his thunderous hooks, rocking Andrade in the second round. However, the younger fighter did considerable damage to Lineker with his striking, causing the veteran's right eye to nearly close by the end of the frame.In the third stanza, Andrade connected with a knee to the midsection and had Lineker reeling in pain. "Wonder Boy" tried to follow up with another knee, but it unintentionally landed south of the waistline. After a five-minute recovery period, Lineker could no longer continue. The fight was ruled a no contest and the ONE Bantamweight World Title now remains vacant.In the co-main event, Regian Eersel became a two-sport ONE World Champion, capturing the inaugural ONE Lightweight Muay Thai World Title behind an efficient striking display against Thai star Sinsamut Klinmee. Action was fierce throughout the five-round contest, with both men trading combinations while taking each other's best shots. Sinsamut was game from start to end, wearing Eersel's damage on his face well. But the Dutch-Surinamese fighter was just too good, as "The Immortal" increased his aggression in the championship rounds to take the split-decision victory.Teenage Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensation Kade Ruotolo captured the inaugural ONE Lightweight Submission Grappling World Title, defeating multi-time Sambo World Champion Uali Kurzhev via heel hook. Ruotolo was constantly on the attack, but once he trapped Kurzhev in a leg lock situation, the American grabbed ahold of the heel and put pressure on the knee to force the tap. Ruotolo also received a US$50,000 bonus for his performance.In a featherweight kickboxing contest, Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Mohammed Boutasaa figured in an all-out war of attrition for three rounds. The two met each other at the center of the Circle and looked to trade bombs in the opening stanza. Boutasaa went on the offensive in round two, as Sitthichai opted to lay back and counter. In the third frame, the Thai star came alive, moving forward with a sense of purpose. In the end, all three judges saw the bout in favor of Sitthichai to win by unanimous decision.ONE Championship newcomer Shamil Gasanov made quick work of #2-ranked featherweight MMA contender Kim Jae Woong in his promotional debut, submitting the South Korean dynamo with a rear-naked choke in the first round. Gasanov closed the distance early and swiftly took Kim's back with an explosive takedown. After a quick scramble, the Russian's left arm wound up underneath Kim's chin as he cranked out the rear-naked choke. His performance earned him a US$50,000 bonus.READ: Gasanov, Miado, Grandjean Score Highlight-Reel Finishes In The MMA Fights At ONE On Prime Video 3: https://tinyurl.com/m7y9jdk3READ: Sitthichai, Naito, Zatout Victorious At ONE On Prime Video 3: Lineker Vs. Andrade: https://tinyurl.com/2p9yvfe7Performance bonus winners: Kade Ruotolo (US$50,000), Shamil Gasanov (US$50,000), Mehdi Zatout (US$50,000), Noelle Grandjean (US$50,000)MAIN CARDMMA - Catchweight (145.50 lbs): John Lineker vs. Fabricio Andrade is declared a no contest in round threeMuay Thai - Lightweight: Regian Eersel def. Sinsamut Klinmee via Split DecisionSubmission Grappling - Catchweight (174.00 lbs): Kade Ruotolo def. Uali Kurzhev via Submission (Heel Hook) at 4:26Kickboxing - Featherweight: Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong def. Mohammed Boutasaa via Unanimous DecisionMMA - Featherweight: Shamil Gasanov def. Kim Jae Woong via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 2:09 of R1LEAD CARDMMA - Catchweight (127.00 lbs): Jeremy Miado def. Danial Williams via TKO at 0:31 of R3Muay Thai - Flyweight: Taiki Naito def. Amir Naseri via Unanimous DecisionMuay Thai - Bantamweight: Mehdi Zatout def. Asa Ten Pow via TKO at 3:00 of R1MMA - Catchweight (116.75 lbs): Noelle Grandjean def. Lea Bivins via TKO at 4:01 of R1IN-STADIUM (AFTER EVENT)MMA - Featherweight: Yoon Chang Min def. Keanu Subba via Unanimous DecisionMMA - Welterweight: Agilan Thani def. Ilja Stojanov via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) at 1:48 of R2About ONE Championship(TM)ONE is the world's largest martial arts organization, ranking among the world's top five sports properties for viewership and engagement with a cumulative reach of over 400 million fans, according to Nielsen. ONE produces and distributes world-class events across more than 150 countries, featuring martial artists and World Champions from over 80 nations and all styles of martial arts including MMA, Muay Thai, kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and more. ONE can be viewed on many of the largest global free-to-air and digital broadcasters, including Prime Video Sports, ELEVEN Sports, Star Sports, Beijing TV, iQIYI, One Sports, Abema, IB, NET TV, Vidio, Startimes, Mediapro, Thairath TV, VieOn, Skynet, Mediacorp, Spark Sport, Match TV, Dubai Sports, RedeTV and more. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

30 6 月, 2022

Indonesian calls, messages at G7 Summit

JAKARTA, Jun 30, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has arrived at the venue of the 48th G7 Summit in Schloss Elmau, Germany on Monday afternoon (June 27) local time (UTC+1) to attend the meeting in the capacity of a partner country and as the G20 President.Indonesian President Joko Widodo in conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron and United States President Joe Biden while attending the G7 Summit in Elmau, Germany, Monday, June 27, 2022. ANTARA/HO-Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat/Laily Rachev/aa/ak. (Handout of Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat/Laily R)The G7 is an informal forum bringing together leaders of the world's leading industrial nations from the European Union and countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.Jokowi was welcomed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.During the official welcoming session by the chancellor, Jokowi was present with the leaders of G7 partner countries, including Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Senegalese President Macky Sall, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.Furthermore, during the photo session, he posed for a picture accompanied by the German chancellor and United States President Joe Biden.All heads of government attended two sessions of the G7 meeting.President Jokowi invited G7 countries to contribute to capitalizing on investment opportunities in the clean energy sector in Indonesia.President Jokowi conveyed the statement while attending the G7 Summit working lunch session based on the topics of climate change, energy, and health in Elmau, Germany, Monday (June 27)."(This is) especially (regarding) investment opportunities in the clean energy sector in Indonesia, including the development of an electric car and lithium battery ecosystem," the president stated.According to President Jokowi, Indonesia's potential, as a contributor to clean energy, whether in the bowels of the earth, on land, or at sea, is very large. Indonesia needs large investments and low-carbon technologies to support a fast and effective transition to clean energy."Indonesia needs at least US$25-30 billion for energy transition in the next eight years. We can optimize this transition as a motor of economic growth, open up business opportunities, and create new jobs," President Jokowi stated.Furthermore, the president noted that in Indonesia as well as in other developing countries, the risk of climate change is very real, especially since it is an archipelagic country, with 17 thousand islands. The risks are not only detrimental to health but also put farmers and fishermen in trouble."We really hope for the support of all G7 countries in the Indonesian Presidency at the G20. See you in Bali. Thank you," the president stated.During session II of the G7 summit on the topics of food security and gender equality, President Jokowi called on G7 and G20 countries to jointly overcome the food crisis that currently threatens people in developing countries to fall into extreme hunger and poverty."(Some) 323 million people in 2022, according to the World Food Programme, are at risk of facing acute food insecurity. The G7 and G20 have a big responsibility to overcome this food crisis. Let us fulfill our responsibilities now and from now on," President Jokowi affirmed.According to the president, food is the most basic human rights issue. Indubitably, women from poor families suffer the most from food shortages for their children and families."We must act quickly to find a concrete solution. Food production must be increased. The global food and fertilizer supply chain must return to normal," the president stated.In his speech, President Jokowi emphasized the importance of G7 countries' support for the reintegration of Ukraine's wheat exports and Russia's exports of food and fertilizer commodities in global supply chains.There are two ways to realize this, with the first being the facilitation of Ukraine's grain exports that can begin immediately.According to the president, the second approach is proactive communication with the public worldwide that food and fertilizer commodities from Russia are not subject to sanctions."This intensive communication is very necessary, so that there is no prolonged doubt in the (minds of the) international public. This intensive communication also needs to be strengthened with communication with related parties, such as banks, insurance, shipping, and others," the president explained.President Jokowi had paid significant attention to the impact of the war on food and fertilizer supply chains."(This is) especially for fertilizers, because if we fail to handle it, then a rice crisis involving two billion people, especially in developing countries, can occur," the president cautioned.At the end of his remarks, the president again called for the importance of the G7 and G20 countries to jointly overcome this food crisis while also inviting G7 leaders to attend the G20 Summit in Bali."I am waiting for the G7 leaders to attend the G20 summit. See you in Bali, on November 15-16, 2022," President Jokowi stated.Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi noted that the president held about nine bilateral meetings with: the Prime Minister of India; French President; Prime Minister of Canada; Chancellor of Germany; British Prime Minister; Prime Minister of Japan; President of the European Commission; President of the Council of Europe; and the Managing Director of the IMF.During the bilateral meetings, besides inviting other countries to solve the problems of the food supply chain, president Jokowi also highlighted the preparations for the G20 Summit."In these meetings, we can clearly see that support for the Indonesian Presidency is still very strong," Marsudi noted.In 2022, Germany takes over the G7 Presidency and hosts the 48th G7 summit held on June 26-28, 2022, in Schloss Elmau.The G7, originally G8, was set up in 1975.The annual G7 summits have, over the years, developed into a platform for determining the course of multilateral discourse and shaping political responses to global challenges.Written by: Azis Kurmala, Editor: Fardah Assegaf (c) ANTARA 2022 Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

27 12 月, 2021

SDK Decides to Choose and Apply to be Listed into TSE Prime Market

TOKYO, Dec 27, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Showa Denko (SDK; TSE: 4004) announces that it was resolved at the Board of Directors meeting held today that the Company will choose to be listed into the Prime Market, which will be created by the Tokyo Stock Exchange Inc. (TSE) as a new market segment on April 4, 2022, and submit application for admission into the Prime Market.On July 9, 2021, SDK received the result of the first-stage judgement on the Company's eligibility for the Prime Market from TSE, and we confirmed that the Company has cleared criteria for maintaining its listing on the Prime Market, which is to be created by TSE as a result of restructuring of its current stock market into three new market segments. Following this confirmation, the Board of Directors meeting resolved today to choose the Prime Market for listing, and submit application for admission into the Prime Market.SDK will follow the schedule set by TSE, and go through prescribed procedures for the application for admission into the Prime Market.About Showa Denko K.K.Showa Denko K.K. (SDK; TSE: 4004, ADR: SHWDY) is a major manufacturer of chemical products serving from heavy industry to computers and electronics. The Petrochemicals Sector provides cracker products such as ethylene and propylene, the Chemicals Sector provides industrial, high-performance and high-purity gases and chemicals for semicon and other industries, the Inorganics Sector provides ceramic products, such as alumina, abrasives, refractory/graphite electrodes and fine carbon products. The Aluminum Sector provides aluminum materials and high-value-added fabricated aluminum, the Electronics Sector provides HD media, compound semiconductors such as ultra high bright LEDs, and rare earth magnetic alloys, and the Advanced Battery Materials Department (ABM) provides lithium-ion battery components. For more information, please visit www.sdk.co.jp/english/.Media contact:Showa Denko K.K., CSR & Corporate Communication Office, Tel: 81-3-5470-3235 Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

1 11 月, 2021

Meeting other leaders face-to-face valuable, can’t be replicated by Zoom calls: PM Lee

ROME - Meeting the leaders of the Group of 20 (G-20) economies has been a valuable experience that Zoom calls cannot replicate, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Oct 31). "In a Zoom conference, you cannot interrupt one another, you cannot float an idea and then see what he thinks," Mr Lee said, speaking to Singapore reporters after this year's G-20 Leaders' Summit in Rome. "You can make a speech, I listen carefully, try and catch your facial features through the little Zoom picture, I make my speech and after we all finish speaking... well, that's a conference done." This format may be suitable for formal business, "but you do not get the same meeting of minds or at least mutual sounding out of one another", he added. "And I think that is very valuable; I hope we will be able to do more." Mr Lee met multiple world leaders on the sidelines of the two-day summit, including United States President Joe Biden. The hour-long session on Sunday was the first meeting between both leaders since Mr Biden became president in January. The White House said they reaffirmed the importance of the US-Singapore Strategic Partnership and reviewed opportunities to build on the momentum generated by Vice-President Kamala Harris' visit to Singapore in August. It added: "The President expressed his desire to deepen cooperation with Singapore in pursuit of our shared interests and a free and open Indo-Pacific, including in upholding freedom of the seas and advancing supply chain resiliency." Also at the meeting between PM Lee and President Biden were Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and his counterpart, Secretary of State Antony Blinken. This year marks the first time that the G-20 meeting has been held in-person since the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Last year's edition, hosted by Saudi Arabia, was conducted entirely online. PM Lee with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the La Nuvola convention centre in Rome on Oct 31, 2021. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Sharing his takeaways from the conference, the Prime Minister said world leaders are interested in how Singapore sees the world from its vantage point in South-east Asia. They also want to know how the country is tackling the pandemic and how it sees the path ahead. On top of that, they are interested in working with Singapore on a variety of things - including digital economy cooperation, technology cooperation, research and development as well as security issues, he added. More on this topic Related Story S'pore working towards opening up while keeping human cost of Covid-19 low: PM Lee Related Story Minimum corporate tax rules mean Singapore is in for 'tougher competition': PM Lee

27 10 月, 2021

Subsidy clawback, 10-year MOP for new prime location HDB flats to keep them affordable

SINGAPORE - Future Housing Board (HDB) flats built in prime, central locations will be subjected to a 10-year minimum occupation period (MOP) and additional subsidies will be clawed back by the Government upon their resale. These are among the key measures under a new prime location public housing (PLH) model, aimed at keeping prime HDB flats affordable and inclusive, announced by National Development Minister Desmond Lee on Tuesday (Oct 26). The first Build-to-Order (BTO) project under this model will be located in Rochor and launched next month. The pool of resale buyers of these prime HDB flats will also be limited to households who earn not more than $14,000 a month and at least one applicant must be a Singapore citizen. Under the PLH model, fewer flats may be set aside under HDB's Married Child Priority Scheme, which gives priority to applicants whose parents or children live in the same area. Currently, up to 30 per cent of new flats are set aside under this scheme for families buying a flat for the first time. At a media briefing on Tuesday, Mr Lee said the new model is to keep public housing in prime locations affordable, accessible and inclusive for Singaporeans, both at the initial purchase and at subsequent resales on the open market. The PLH model will apply only to future public housing in prime locations and not to existing flat owners. There will be at least one prime location public housing project launched each year, but the exact proportions will differ year on year, as it depends on site availability and the overall supply of flats across all towns, said Mr Lee. In order for HDB to launch these prime flats at affordable prices at the BTO stage, it has to provide additional subsidies on top of the those provided for all BTO flats, said Mr Lee. All subsidies are factored into flat prices when they are launched as BTO flats. "But the concern is whether this would lead to the lottery effect, excessive windfall gains and whether it would be fair to BTO buyers in other parts of Singapore, who would not get these additional subsidies," he said. A record number of HDB flats have changed hands for at least $1 million this year. In the first nine months of this year, there were 174 million-dollar HDB flats, compared with 82 for the whole of last year, which raised eyebrows and set off concerns about home affordability. They came on the back of a buoyant HDB resale market, in which resale flat prices also hit a record high in the third quarter of this year. To address these concerns, the Government will claw back additional subsidies provided to PLH flats. Flat owners will pay a percentage of the resale price to HDB when they resell their home on the open market for the first time, he said. This will apply only to those who bought the flat from HDB and not to subsequent resale transactions. More on this topic Related Story What is HDB's prime location public housing model? Will The Pinnacle@Duxton be affected? Related Story First BTO project in Rochor under new prime housing model to launch in November The exact percentage will be announced at the launch of the Rochor BTO project next month, which is the first site under the PLH model, and may be adjusted for other projects in the future, he said. Other prime locations for public housing include the future Greater Southern Waterfront. However, buyers who want one of these flats on the resale market will have to meet the prevailing eligibility conditions for buying a flat directly from the HDB . These include having at least one applicant who is a Singapore citizen, meeting the household income ceiling of $14,000 and not holding a private property or sold any in the last 30 months. Singles above 35 years old will not be allowed to buy these PLH flats. This is in contrast to current rules that do not place limitations on singles above the age of 35 buying resale flats. "Without such restrictions, the resale prices of these homes in prime locations may rise beyond the reach of many Singaporeans over time," said Mr Lee. The first BTO project under the PLH model will be located in Rochor and launched in November. PHOTO: HDB More on this topic Related Story Million-dollar HDB flats in S’pore: Where are all 389 units located? Related Story Greater Southern Waterfront and key projects that have shaped S'pore These conditions on the resale pool will also act as safeguards to prevent sellers from adding the subsidy recovery to their asking price in the hopes of trying to maximise gains, he added. “Buyers will be a circumscribed group of people who meet BTO eligibility requirements, so that means not anyone can buy. And buyers will also have to bear in mind the impositions on subsequent resale on him or her,” he said. “So that will ensure that the moderated market for the prime location public housing flats is functional.” To ensure buyers are genuinely buying the flat to live in, instead of hoping to flip it for a windfall, the MOP for prime location HDB flats will be extended to 10 years, up from the current five. Owners will also not be allowed to rent out their whole flat at any point in time, even after the MOP is over. These conditions will apply to all flat owners who purchase BTO and resale flats under the PLH model. The resale restrictions will be in place for at least half of the 99-year lease of each prime location HDB flat before the Government considers whether to review them, Mr Lee said. "These policies will help to strengthen the owner-occupation intent of public housing and also seek to deter speculative demand and moderate resale prices," he added. However, HDB housing grants will still be available for eligible buyers and the prevailing ethnic quota under HDB's Ethnic Integration Policy will apply. When asked what constitutes a prime location, Mr Lee said it refers to the city centre in central Singapore and the future Greater Southern Waterfront. Some of the HDB towns and estates immediately surrounding the city centre may qualify, depending on the attributes of the sites within those areas, he said. "I think let’s keep it tight for now to these central prime locations. Because there are constraints on the buyers of these homes and we have a clear social objective to achieve by injecting these flats in areas which, under today’s context, would normally be for private housing." Public rental flats will also be included at these sites where feasible, said Mr Lee. He added that the new PLH model, which comes after almost a year of public consultations, strives to balance the many considerations and trade-offs, while fulfilling the key social objectives of public housing. "As with all our policies, the new PLH model is not cast in stone. It is very new and we will continue to review the parameters over time, based on our experience from the projects that are launched along the way," he said.

27 10 月, 2021

First BTO project in Rochor under new prime housing model to launch in November

SINGAPORE - The first project under a new model for public housing in prime locations will be built in Rochor, and launch at the next Build-to-Order (BTO) exercise in November. The project will have a mix of 960 3-room and 4-room flats, and also include 40 2-room rental flats, as part of efforts to make living in prime areas accessible to all. It will be located on two plots of land along Weld Road and Kelantan Road next to Jalan Besar MRT station, said the National Development Ministry and Housing Board in a joint statement on Wednesday (Oct 27). An open-air car park next to Sim Lim Tower used to occupy one plot, while the other was vacated by the Sungei Road flea market in July 2017. Besides an MRT station at their doorstep, future residents will also be within walking distance of Berseh Food Centre and Stamford Primary School. At a media briefing on Tuesday (Oct 26), National Development Minister Desmond Lee said more HDB flats will be rolled out progressively after the Rochor project, in prime areas within and surrounding the city centre. Moving forward, HDB will launch at least one prime location housing project per year, he said, adding that the proportion of new prime location flats to flats in other areas will differ year on year to ensure a diverse supply across areas. Under a new model for public housing in prime locations, flats may only be sold after 10 years' minimum occupancy, to buyers with a combined salary not exceeding $14,000. To further curb the "lottery effect" - where BTO unit owners resell their prime location flats for an excessive windfall - HDB will also recover the higher subsidies for such flats by taking a cut of the resale proceeds. More details will be announced in November. Higher subsidies will be provided for BTO flats in prime locations compared with typical BTO units, to keep prices affordable. In comparison, BTO projects in other areas have a minimum occupancy period of five years and no salary cap for resale buyers. The prime location housing model, which applies only to future projects, will be implemented for BTO projects in central areas like the upcoming Greater Southern Waterfront. About 9,000 housing units - both public and private - will be built on the site of Keppel Golf Club, whose lease expires in December this year. Mr Lee said: "If you leave everything to the forces of the private market, these attractive locations would likely become very expensive and exclusive locations, with housing that only the well-to-do can afford." This has happened in many cities around the world, he noted, adding: "We are determined not to let this happen in Singapore. We want to keep our city inclusive." HDB will launch a new housing project in November 2021 as part of a BTO exercise in the Rochor area. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN The new model comes on the back of a 11 month-long public engagement, where more than 7,500 Singaporeans gave their views on the issue. The 960 units in Rochor will be among 4,400 BTO flats to be launched in November, with others in areas such as Choa Chu Kang, Hougang, Jurong West, Kallang/Whampoa and Tengah. Another 2,000 to 3,000 BTO flats in Geylang, Tengah and Yishun will be launched in February next year. More on this topic Related Story Subsidy clawback, 10-year MOP for new prime location HDB flats Related Story What is HDB's prime location public housing model? Will The Pinnacle@Duxton be affected?

27 10 月, 2021

What is HDB’s prime location public housing model? Will The Pinnacle@Duxton be affected?

SINGAPORE - Future Housing Board (HDB) flats in certain locations will be subject to tighter buying and selling conditions under a new prime location public housing (PLH) model. The PLH model is aimed at keeping future HDB flats in prime, central locations affordable and inclusive. "If left to the forces of the private market, it is likely that these attractive locations would likely become very expensive and exclusive locations, with housing that only the well-to-do can afford," said National Development Minister Desmond Lee on Tuesday (Oct 26). A record number of HDB flats have changed hands for at least $1 million this year, with The Pinnacle @ Duxton arguably the “poster boy” for such transactions, although such units are not exclusively located in the central area. Mr Lee said the PLH model was developed after almost a year-long public engagement with more than 7,500 Singaporeans. "We recognise that we are acting against very powerful social and economic forces that drive stratification and segregation in every society, especially in successful cities," he said, adding that the model is necessary to achieve equitable outcomes. Here are the key features of the PLH model and considerations behind them, according to Mr Lee. Q: Where will this new PLH model apply? Will The Pinnacle @ Duxton be affected? A: The new PLH model will be implemented for public housing in prime, central locations such as the city centre and Greater Southern Waterfront area. It will apply only to future projects and not retrospectively to existing public housing, so The Pinnacle @ Duxton will not be affected. At The Pinnacle @ Duxton, a handful of five-room flats on high floors have sold for over $1 million each in recent years. PHOTO: ST FILE Q: How will these prime HDB flats be made affordable when they are first launched during Build-To-Order sales exercises? A: HDB provides additional subsidies, on top of the existing subsidies provided for other Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, to ensure these flats under the PLH model are launched at affordable prices. However, the concern is whether this would lead to the lottery effect and excessive windfall gains when owners sell their flats on the open market. To address these concerns, HDB will claw back the additional subsidies as a percentage of the resale price, also known as the "subsidy recovery", when the owner sells the unit. The subsidy recovery applies only to the first resale, and not to subsequent resale transactions. The exact percentage of the subsidy recovery will be announced next month, at the launch of the Rochor BTO project, the first site under the PLH model. It may be adjusted for other projects in the future depending on market conditions and the amount of subsidies given by HDB. More on this topic Related Story Subsidy clawback, 10-year MOP for new prime location HDB flats Related Story First BTO project in Rochor under new prime housing model to launch in November Q: Will I still get priority for flats in prime locations if I am going to live near my parents? A: For certain projects in prime locations, HDB may reduce the proportion of flats set aside for households who want to be near their parents or children under the Married Child Priority Scheme. While many Singaporeans who participated in the consultation suggested removing such priority schemes completely to ensure equal chances to all applicants, HDB said it was important to facilitate mutual care and support across family generations. Reducing the quota for these priority schemes instead of removing them completely strikes a fairer balance, said Mr Lee. Adjustments to the quota will depend on the specific location and attributes of each project. Q: How will these prime HDB flats be kept affordable on the resale market? A: Those who want to buy a prime HDB flat on the resale market must meet the prevailing eligibility conditions for buying new flats directly from HDB. These include having at least one applicant who is a Singapore citizen and a monthly household income not exceeding $14,000. Buyers must also not own or have an interest in a private property and not disposed of any in the last 30 months. These resale restrictions will be in place for at least half of the 99-year tenure of each prime location flat, before HDB considers whether to review them. More on this topic Related Story Most S'poreans want HDB priority schemes removed, buyers limited for resale flats in prime areas: MND report Related Story Most S'poreans want more subsidies, strict criteria to keep flats in prime areas affordable Q: How will HDB ensure that prime flats will remain primarily for Singaporeans who want a home for themselves to live in and not to benefit from the lottery effect of reselling them? A: The minimum occupation period (MOP) will be extended to 10 years, from the current five years for all other HDB flats. Owners of these flats will not be allowed to rent out their whole flat at any point in time, even after the MOP is over. They will only be allowed to rent out spare rooms. Both conditions apply to those who purchase directly from HDB and also subsequent buyers on the resale market. More on this topic Related Story Million-dollar HDB flats in S’pore: Where are all 389 units located? Related Story Greater Southern Waterfront and key projects that have shaped S'pore

28 9 月, 2021

PM Lee Hsien Loong congratulates Canada’s Justin Trudeau on his re-election

SINGAPORE - Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has congratulated his Canadian counterpart on his re-election, saying that Mr Justin Trudeau's victory reaffirms the Canadian people's trust in his leadership. "Congratulations on your re-election as the Prime Minister of Canada," Mr Lee wrote in a letter to Mr Trudeau on Monday (Sept 27). "Your victory reaffirms the Canadian people's trust in your leadership, as you lead Canada's recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic and implement your policy agenda and vision for the way forward." Mr Trudeau was last week re-elected to a third term as Canada's prime minister in a snap election that he had called last month to capitalise on his government's handling of the pandemic. In his victory speech, Mr Trudeau promised to lead Canadians "into the brighter days ahead". In his letter on Monday, PM Lee said Singapore and Canada enjoy an excellent relationship and that the two countries have worked together to preserve essential global links and support vaccine multilateralism even amid the pandemic. "We engage in wide-ranging collaboration and are exploring cooperation opportunities in new and emerging areas, such as infrastructure development, smart cities, the digital economy, as well as climate change and green finance," Mr Lee said. "Building on this strong foundation, I am confident that Singapore-Canada relations will continue to grow from strength to strength." Mr Lee also wished Mr Trudeau good health, and said he looked forward to continue working with him. More on this topic Related Story 'Thank you!': Canada PM Justin Trudeau mingles with supporters after narrow election win Related Story PM Lee speaks to Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau

27 4 月, 2021

JCB and GB Prime Pay announce partnership to expand online merchant network in Thailand

Bangkok and Tokyo, Apr 27, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - JCB International, Co., Ltd., the international operations subsidiary of JCB Co., Ltd., Japan's only international payment brand, and Global Prime Corporation Company Limited (GB Prime Pay: GBP), an online payment platform provider, are pleased to announce the enablement of JCB payment acceptance at GBP online merchants today.Since the establishment in 2017, GBP is offering online payment service in a wide range of sectors such as travel agencies, hotels and ecommerce. GBP offers to provide solutions for Fintech companies and SMEs for fast, convenient and safe online payment.The ecommerce sector in Thailand has showed a great growth in midst of the COVID-19 pandemic - wherein people's payment orientation has also started to lean toward online. This JCB-GBP partnership responds to our intention to further expand and meet the growing demand on online business.About Global Prime Corporation Company LimitedGlobal Prime Corporation Co., Ltd. or GB Prime Pay is a payment service provider operating under Payment Systems Act B.E. 2560 (2017), regulated by Bank of Thailand (BOT). GB Prime Pay was established with our vision of solving and facilitating the limitation of electronic payment in the present time. We aim to assist online businesses to gain access to payment and financial management platform which is convenient, secure and user friendly as ever to enhance effectiveness and growth of online businesses.GB Prime Pay operates with the concept of everyone can design their own payment to suit their business's need as our slogan "GB PRIME PAY: CUSTOMIZE YOUR PAYMENT". Therefore, our platform is designed to be compatible with any type of business, such as online businesses, social commerce, SMEs and corporate.About JCBJCB is a major global payment brand and a leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding worldwide in 1981. Its acceptance network includes about 35 million merchants around the world. JCB Cards are now issued in over 20 countries and territories, with more than 140 million Cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with hundreds of leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase its merchant coverage and Cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to providing responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.global.jcb/en/ContactKumiko Kida, Ayaka NakajimaCorporate CommunicationsTel: +81-3-5778-8353Email: jcb-pr@jcb.co.jp Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

9 4 月, 2021

Next S’pore PM should have ‘sufficiently long runway’ to master job: Heng Swee Keat

SINGAPORE - Singapore's next prime minister should have a "sufficiently long runway" to master the demands of the job, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Thursday (April 8) in a letter to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Noting that he will be close to his mid-60s when the Covid-19 pandemic is past, he said this is why he is stepping aside as leader of the People's Action Party's (PAP's) fourth-generation (4G) team. "The 60s are still a very productive time of life. But when I also consider the ages at which our first three prime ministers took on the job, I would have too short a runway should I become the next prime minister then." What Singapore needs is a leader who will rebuild the country post-pandemic, as well as lead the next phase of the nation-building effort, he said. Singapore's first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew was 35 when he took on the job, his successor Goh Chok Tong was 49 and PM Lee was 52. Mr Heng, who turns 60 this year, will stay on in his current roles as Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies. He will be giving up his finance portfolio at the next Cabinet reshuffle in about two weeks. In his reply, PM Lee said he looked forward to Mr Heng carrying on his work as coordinating minister, and setting Singapore on the path to emerging stronger from the Covid-19 pandemic. The cerebral, soft-spoken Mr Heng was chosen by consensus to head the PAP's 4G leadership team in late 2018. He had asked Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing to be his deputy, with both men subsequently appointed the ruling party's first and second assistant secretary-general, respectively. At the time, observers noted that Mr Heng's new position in the party hierarchy - just below that of PM Lee - set the stage for him to become Singapore's next prime minister. The writing on the wall became even clearer six months later, when Mr Heng was formally appointed DPM. At the time, Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam relinquished their appointments as DPMs and became Senior Ministers. PM Lee said then that the changes were part of ongoing leadership renewal. He had originally intended to step down by the time he turned 70 next year, but said during last year's general election campaign that he intends to see the Covid-19 pandemic through. More on this topic Related Story DPM Heng steps aside as leader of 4G team, setting back S'pore's succession plan for next PM Related Story Who will be Singapore's next PM with Heng Swee Keat stepping aside? Mr Heng joined politics in 2011 and stood in Tampines GRC, after stepping down as managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). His candidacy was publicly endorsed by founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, who spoke of how his former principal private secretary had seen Singapore through the 2008 global financial crisis. After being elected, Mr Heng was appointed Education Minister, a post he held until he became Finance Minister in 2015. But less than a year after taking up the new post, Mr Heng suffered a debilitating stroke during a Cabinet meeting and underwent surgery before being hospitalised in Tan Tock Seng Hospital's intensive care unit. He remained in a coma for six days. Among the first words he scribbled when he woke up were: "Is there a Cabinet meeting today? Where are the papers?" Mr Heng was discharged on June 25, 2016 - six weeks after his stroke. Although he did not return to his office at The Treasury immediately, he still kept abreast of current events in what proved to be a challenging year for Singapore. That conscientiousness has been a defining trait of his career, even before he entered politics. He grew up in a kampung, studied at Raffles Institution and subsequently obtained a police scholarship to read economics at Cambridge. More on this topic Related Story Cabinet reshuffle to be announced in two weeks; DPM Heng to give up finance portfolio Related Story DPM Heng steps down as 4G leader: Read his letter to PM Lee After his return to Singapore, Mr Heng spent 15 years in the Singapore Police Force before leaving the service as assistant commissioner. He moved to the elite Administrative Service in 1997, where he spent time in the Education and Trade and Industry ministries. He then moved to MAS, after which he began his political career. In a surprise move ahead of last year's general election, Mr Heng moved to lead the hotly contested East Coast GRC, retaining the constituency with 53.41 per cent of the votes there. He has delivered his share of Budget statements as Finance Minister, including a landmark five Budgets last year as Singapore rolled out emergency measures to help keep the country afloat during the economic crisis. He was also the man, in 2018, to broach the unpopular topic of raising the goods and services tax. More on this topic Related Story PM Lee's letter to DPM Heng on his decision to step aside as 4G leader Related Story PAP 4G team says more time needed to pick new leader after DPM Heng steps aside Outside his finance portfolio, Mr Heng took the lead on the Singapore Together Movement, a national exercise to tap ground-up ideas and perspectives, as well as get Singaporeans involved in policymaking. He also chairs the Future Economy Council, which oversees Singapore's economic transformation, and the National Research Foundation. In his letter to PM Lee, Mr Heng said that having worked with him, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Mr Lee Kuan Yew, he knows that the top job imposes "exceptional demands" on the office holder. "In a very different post-Covid-19 world, the demands will be even more exacting. While I am in good health today, it is in the best interests of the nation for someone who is younger to tackle the huge challenges ahead," he said. "It will be for the 4G team to choose this person, and I stand ready to support the next leader." More on this topic Related Story DPM Heng says East Coast GRC election result not the reason he is stepping aside as 4G leader Related Story DPM Heng steps aside: What lies ahead for PAP's 4G in electing its new leader and team builder

11 12 月, 2020

BTO flats in prime locations may get more govt subsidies but face resale restrictions: Desmond Lee

SINGAPORE - Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in prime locations may receive more subsidies as the Government considers ways to ensure new Housing Board units remain affordable for ordinary Singaporeans. Among the ideas under study - home owners may face restrictions on the resale conditions for future public housing projects in prime areas. In a Facebook post on Friday morning (Dec 11), National Development Minister Desmond Lee said a new housing model is necessary for BTO flats in "new areas with very prime attributes" as they will be "a lot more expensive than current BTO flats". To keep future housing projects in prime locations - such as those in the city centre or those in Greater Southern Waterfront - affordable, Mr Lee said the Government may have to apply more subsidies, on top of the existing subsidies that are already provided today for all BTO flat buyers. But he acknowledged that the additional subsidies may raise some issues. "There is the issue of fairness when these additional subsidies add to higher capital gains for buyers of such flats in prime locations," he said. "In addition, we want to preserve the character of public housing in these estates, so that like other HDB estates in Singapore, they continue to remain inclusive over time." He also reiterated that a diverse range of flat types will be built in upcoming estates in prime locations, including two-room flexi flats and rental housing where possible, to cater to different needs and keep Singapore's public housing inclusive and diverse. Mr Lee said the Government will consider measures that "balance between these various objectives" for upcoming new flats in the prime areas. "We have received many ideas - for example, some have suggested introducing some restrictions on the resale conditions for future prime area projects," he said. Calling for more suggestions from the public, he said there is a "whole range of ideas" that can apply to these future flats under the new housing model, which will be carefully studied by the Government. Last month, Mr Lee said in an interview with Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao that a range of housing types will be "deliberately injected" in upcoming estates in prime locations. He also acknowledged the "lottery effect" of these well-located flats when they are resold at high prices, resulting in a "likely windfall" for home owners. He said then that the pricing of flats must be kept affordable at the first sale by HDB and also in resales, hinting that a series of a measures may be implemented to ensure "if resale is permitted for these flats, that they remain affordable for generations to come". More on this topic Related Story Ensure estates like Toa Payoh or Marine Parade are not beyond the reach of the low-income Related Story National Day Rally 2019: Greater Southern Waterfront and key projects that have shaped Singapore