陈雪娟:从高架桥看日本的良政

（2010-12-25）

陈雪娟:从高架桥看日本的良政

（2010-12-25）

早报导读 [名家专评] 薛理泰：北京当重估朝鲜局势走向 [中国早点] 中国网络言论空间的建设性作用 [中国政情] 中国央行两个月内第二次加息 [台海局势] 学者：民进党不能回避的统独问题 [朝鲜问题] 朝鲜半岛局势仍然可控

● 陈雪娟

　　上个月，我随公司领导去日本大阪市的一个民间商业机构进行友情交流。在大阪的关西国际机场下飞机后，机构的接机人松井加腾早就已经等在外面了，他先把我们带到一家宾馆里安顿好，让我们好好休息，明天再去机构里进行交流活动。

　　第二天上午，松井加腾又来到宾馆，接我们去单位里。开了半个小时的车后，终于来到了一幢大楼的地下停车场，因为一直坐在车内，也没有好好看看这幢大楼，心里不免有点遗憾。我的总经理笑笑说：“大楼有啥好看的？全世界的大楼都差不多！”我一想也是，心情这才宽慰了许多。

　　松井加腾带着我们乘坐电梯来到八楼的一个会议室里，那里已经部署妥善了，里面坐满了大阪本地的一些公司代表，在欢快的气氛中，三个小时的座谈交流会很快告了一段落，机构负责人通知我们去三楼吃中饭。因为我们是唯一的一家中国公司，席中，有许多大阪的公司代表不断走过来向我们敬酒，邀请我们去他们的公司办公室坐坐，有几家还说非常近，和这餐馆一样，都在三楼。

　　正所谓盛情难却，更何况我们此行的目的正是为了多一些交流，增加见识，于是便欣然答应。饭后，那几位办公室同在三楼的公司代表便邀请我们一起过去“串串门”，因为松井加腾既是我们安全“保卫”，又是他们的朋友，于是就和我们一起出发了。走出餐厅后，松井加腾带着我们走到走廊的尽头，然后拐了一个弯，带着我们来到电梯边，看样子是准备等电梯。我说不是在三楼吗，那为什么要等电梯？

　　松井笑笑说：“虽然同在一层楼，但是中间隔着一条马路，所以要坐电梯到五楼，然后再从五楼回到三楼。”

　　一幢大厦里，中间有一条马路？我心说这松井加腾还真是会开国际玩笑，但看他的表情又不像是在开玩笑。我好奇地问松井加腾这究竟是什么回事，松井这才告诉我们说，所谓的公路，准确说来是一座单向高架桥。原来，八年前，大阪市政府为了缓解这一地段的交通状况，便要在这里建一条高架桥，然而无论他们如何设计，那条高架都要与这幢大楼发生“碰撞”，怎么办呢？拆大楼？这种浪费资源和财力的做法根本不是大阪政府所主张的，也不是大阪市民所能容忍的；放弃高架建设？那么这一地段的交通状况就无法得到缓解！

　　经过半年的思考，大阪政府终于想出来一个别具匠心的主意：捅开大厦的三楼和四楼，让高架桥穿楼而过！

他们把这个想法和大厦的业主一商量，竟然得到了支持。大阪政府在对因此而产生的损失作出高额补偿后，就开始动工，历经大半年时间，一座高架桥终于从大厦两端贯穿而过了！也就因为这样，从此，这座大楼的三层和四层，任何一侧想要到另一侧去，都需要从二楼或者五楼“绕道”。

　　当天活动结束后，我们走出大厦，仰头看去，果然看见一座高架桥从大厦的内腹贯穿而过，映着夕阳，看上去就像是一座仙宫建在彩虹上，用一句我们当前流行的网络词来形容，那真是叫“给力”！

　　听着奔驰而过的汽车声，我忍不住想，这种神奇的建筑机构除了给人以感观上的新鲜外，是不是还透射出一种大阪政府的智慧，一种对人民财产、国家财富以及自然资源的尊重呢？

Assuring MP Low Thia Khiang — who had asked why investigators did not detect the crimes earlier — the Law Minister said: “If any irregularity comes to light, it will be exposed, swift action will be taken and answers will be given in Parliament.”

Leong Wee Keat

Each year, the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) carries out audits of all 15 ministries in Government, all nine organs of state and around 18 other entities — mainly statutory boards.

- every  agency  should  have  only  two layeres of  Agency  Chief  and  Agency Officers    ? ? ? ? 

Finance Minister

Tharman Shanmugaratnam— The Auditor-General will pay greater attention to IT services procurement and contracts for future audits.

Dr Khor said: “I sincerely hope that my promotion, just like those before me, will point to the immense possibilities that are open to women in Singapore for political involvement at the highest level.”

Complacency and security fatigue key concerns: Jaya

SAIFULBA HRI ISMAIL

saifulbahri@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE

Professor Jayakumar says he is worried about complacency and security fatigue, and also ensuring the community is resilient enough.

He shared his reflections on his five year term in charge of the country’s national security with reporters on Friday.

Professor Jayakumar said public awareness typically shoots up in the aftermath of a terrorist attack but would abate over time.

“I worry, for example, there was a MICA survey which showed that public vigilance on terrorists fell but fortunately it rose again.

“But you know it rose because prior to that there were the Mumbai attacks and there was the Jakarta bombing. Now, we do not wish for catastrophic terrorist attacks in any other countries near the region for the public to show greater vigilance.”

He added that the continuing challenge is how to get Singaporeans to be prepared for terrorist attacks without suffering alert fatigue.

However, Professor Jayakumar is heartened to know that many Singaporeans are alert and notify the authorities of unusual incidents.

The 71-year-old veteran politician will relinquish his appointment as Coordinating Minister for National Security to Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng on Monday.— Outgoing Coordinating Minister for National Security S Jayakumar has raised two key concerns in dealing with the constant threat of terrorism.

American Club reeling from investment losses during financial crisis

Irate members raise questions on club’s choice of instruments, urge it to go into conservative mode

Today Exclusive Conrad Raj

editor-at-large |

conrad@mediacorp.com.sgSINGAPORE — One of Singapore’s most prestigious social clubs is reeling from investment losses incurred during the financial crisis.

T

While the club, which boasts some 3,500 members, reported the losses before last year’s annual general meeting, most of its members appear to have been unaware until the minutes of the meeting were circulated a month ago.

The discovery of the losses has infuriated some of its members, who made their grievance felt to

Said one irate member: “The losses amount to almost 30 per cent of the $56 million given to the fund managers that year to handle.”

Another member questioned why the club did not place its money in bonds and “other safer instruments”.

According to the club’s minutes, Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore), who are the club’s investment advisers, explained that the use of hedge funds was to reduce risk.

Morgan Stanley’s representative at last year’s AGM further explained that using hedge funds saved the club money.

A glance at the financial statements showed that the club had reduced its investments in debt instruments from just over $21 million in FY2009 to $16.5 million in FY2010.

Quoted equities went up from $18.65 million to $26.22 million while mutual funds invested in equities increased from $1.93 million to $9.09 million.

The previous year’s loss, however, did not prevent the club from investing even more with Morgan Stanley and the amount placed went up from $56.54 million in FY2009 to $63.50 million this year. As a result, management fees for the inverstments rose from $325,000 in FY2009 to $455,993 in FY2010.oday has learnt that after losing $16.58 million in bad investments in its 2009 financial year, The American Club has recovered less than $850,000 of the losses on the disposal of its investments a year later. Overall, it reported net income of $3.32 million for the financial year ended June 30 this year.Today.

T

Meanwhile, some members called for the club, which will hold its AGM next month, to go into a “conservative investment mode”, with one member suggesting investing all the money in gold.

While most clubs put their surplus cash into safe instruments like bonds, some place their money in riskier instruments to obtain better returns.

In 2001, the Singapore Island Country Club reported losing $12.4 million while dabbling in the stock market.oday understands the club is looking into proposals from other investment managers. Typically, a request for proposal is carried out every five years by the club’s Investment Sub-Committee, which is composed “primarily of people in the field professionally”.

Mio issues still persist ...

Suggestions to improve mio Voice situation have been futile

Letter from Douglas Tan

I ENTERED into a two-year mio Plan contract with SingTel some time in October 2009. For the last year, I have been calling the technical support line for help with several issues but the problems associated with mio Voice remain unresolved.

The problems include me being unable to make outgoing calls — there is no dial tone and being unable to receive calls. Our relatives need to call our mobile phones to alert us that our home telephone line is “jammed” again or that it is difficult to hear us.

On one occasion, even the phone support officer had difficulty hearing me. The line becomes disconnected during a conversation, which is especially troublesome if I am hosting a phone conference.

Each time, technical support will suggest that I solve the problem by switching the power of the mio box on and off again. A house visit would then be arranged, which meant I would have to apply for leave and wait at home for my mio box to be replaced.

I would then be asked to monitor if the problem will recur.

During the last year, many suggestions were given, including replacing my cordless phone with a corded unit, replacing the micro filters (I have used all my spares!) and connecting the telephone line to a different socket on the mio box. I have even replaced the telephone cord from the wall outlet to the mio box which required me to shift the wall cabinet in my living room.

I have followed all the suggestions but the problem still persists. In the two recent house visits, senior technicians were sent and in both visits, the wall socket was removed and wires were cut and stripped.

According to the senior technicians, poor contact might have been the cause of the problem. They even informed me that the cabling outside the house was also checked to ensure that the problem did not reside elsewhere.

However, none of the attempts solved the problem and we continued to power cycle the mio box on our own whenever mio Voice exhibited the same problem.

Due to the inconvenience that we have experienced for the past year, I have decided to terminate mio Plan and switch back to a fixed line.

Upon enquiry, I was told that I would have to pay a penalty fee for prematurely terminating the two-year mio Plan contract.

I was also told I would need to pay for the additional cost of subscribing to a new fixed line even though I can no longer use mio Voice.

Could the IDA, Consumers Association, Department of Fair Trading or relevant bodies please advise me regarding the Consumer Acts and what my rights are as a consumer?

If I am paying for a service that I have failed to receive in full, do I then have the right to terminate a contract prematurely without penalty?

What compensation or recourse would I be entitled to?

Connection, not expertise

Julie Quek

juliequek@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPORE

They said a stringent process should be in place in the selection of company directors.

Mr Alex Malley, chief executive of accounting body CPA Australia, said: “I think the appointment of the board, the skill mix of the people who sit on the board and their capacity to monitor risks are the key drivers.”

Good corporate governance should be cultivated top-down from the board of directors, rather than from the company’s employees who may have a short-term view, the experts added.

In the region, Singapore is the standout.

Singapore Exchange (SGX) chief executive Magnus Bocker in his keynote speech pointed out that the Republic has been ranked No 1 in Asia for good corporate governance this year.

This is based on a survey conducted by the Asian Corporate Governance Association and CLSA Asia Pacific markets which covers 11 markets in Asia.

Hong Kong ranked second, while Japan came in third.

The Securities Investors Association of Singapore (Sias) yesterday presented the Singapore Corporate Governance Excellence Award to Mr J Y Pillay, who is set to step down as chairman of the SGX.

Sias said the award recognised his outstanding leadership during his tenure in the exchange.— Many Asian companies still hire directors based on “who-knows-whom” rather than a set of qualifications, according to experts who spoke yesterday at the first Corporate Governance Week held here.

Findings  dId  nOt  repOrt  On :  ? ? ? ?

FULL  COMPLIANCE  tO    ? ? ? ?

100%  MAINTENANCE  REQUIREMENTS    ? ? ?  ?

STANDARDS    ? ? ?  ?

SCHEDULE    ? ? ?  ?

PROCEDURES    ? ? ? ?

SPECIFICATION  TESTING  PASSED    ? ? ? ?

FITNESS  INSPECTION  SIGNED  OFF    ? ? ?  ?

FLIGHT  DEPLOYMENT  RELEASE  AUTHORISED    ? ? ? ?

? ? ? ?

Findings show flight

routes and emergency

procedures followed

Search Results

RSAF pilots made emergency landing because of mechanical problem: DPM Teo

RSAF pilots made emergency landing because of mechanical problem: DPM Teo

 

 

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean has said that preliminary findings showed that a mechanical problem caused RSAF helicopter pilots to make an emergency landing at Woodlands on Thursday.

The Apache AH—64 helicopter landed in an open field between Woodlands Avenue 12 and Woodlands Drive 64. The two pilots were unhurt, and there was no damage to public property.

"Our preliminary findings also show that designated flight routes and emergency procedures were followed and these allowed the pilots to land the aircraft in an open field," said Mr Teo.

"We are conducting investigations together with the manufacturers of the aircraft," he added.

"Our next steps are to make sure that we do a thorough investigation to find the root cause. We will thoroughly inspect our Apaches and Seahawks before any decision is made to resume flying of these aircraft."

Mr Teo was speaking on the sidelines of his official visit to India on Friday, said a MINDEF statement.

— CNA/ir