Dubious distinctions for Singapore

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#1 Does a powerful international passport help Singaporeans in their cost of living, quality of life, jobs?

Singapore shares top spot with Japan for most powerful passport

Goh Yan Han

PUBLISHED JUL 5, 2019, 5:00 AM SGT

Singapore's passport continues to retain its top spot in an index ranking passport power and global mobility released on Tuesday.

In the 2019 third-quarter update, Singapore and Japan share No. 1 spot on the Henley Passport Index, with their passport holders able to enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 189 destinations.

In the previous update of the index, Singapore, Japan and South Korea shared the honours.

South Korea slipped to second place this round to join Finland and Germany, whose citizens are able to access 187 destinations around the world without a prior visa.

In third place, Denmark, Italy and Luxembourg have a score of 186 on the index, while France, Spain and Sweden are joint fourth with 185.

The United Kingdom and the United States share sixth place with a score of 183, the lowest position either country has held since 2010, said global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, which compiles data for the index.

The statement noted that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) entered the index's top 20 for the first time in the ranking's 14-year history, with a score of 165.

It added that over the past five years, the UAE has more than doubled the number of destinations its citizens are able to travel to without a prior visa.

Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the index, with only 25 destinations available to its citizens without a prior visa.

The Henley Passport Index is based on data from the International Air Transport Association, which maintains the world's largest database of travel information.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Too powerful a passport commands a high price in the black market. It attracts counterfeiters who cater to illegal immigrants, human traffickers, drug smugglers, money launderers, terrorists, corrupt politicians, criminals.

Fake Singapore passports a hot seller online
Many are lost genuine documents that have been tampered with

The Singapore passport is a premium item on the Dark Web because it allows the holder visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 189 destinations.ST FILE PHOTO

Calvin Yang

PUBLISHED MAY 5, 2019, 5:00 AM SGT

He peddles all sorts of forged papers on the black market, but the bright red Singapore passport - one of the most powerful travel document in the world - is among his hot sellers.

The seller on the Dark Web claims the fake documents are as good as state-issued ones, adding that the authorities will not be able to tell the difference.

In fact, the passport dealer, who also sells forged identity cards and driver licences, is so confident of his fake travel papers that he promises a refund if his customers run into problems.

The forged papers "are 100 per cent registered into the database system, so you will never have a problem using them" or passing through security checks, he told The Sunday Times via e-mail.

In the cyber underworld, peddlers are offering forged Singapore passports for sale.

Although the sellers also offer other passports, the Singapore one is a premium item because it allows the holder visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 189 destinations.

On the online black market, the forged Singapore passport is offered at $3,800, with photographs and biodata substituted from the originals. For an extra $100, the passport can be ready within days and shipped anywhere in the world.

A fake Singapore identity card costs about $1,000. Other documents such as driving licences, work permits and university degrees are also available, and items are bought using bitcoin, a digital currency favoured for its secrecy.

The United States passport, which costs about $4,300 on the Dark Web and gives visa-free access to 184 destinations, is another hot item.

• $3,800
  Price of a forged Singapore passport, with photographs and biodata substituted from the originals, on the online black market.
• $100
  The extra fee for the passport to be ready within days and shipped anywhere in the world.
• $1,000
  Price of a fake Singapore identity card.

But one seller, who bragged about his links to immigration authorities and diplomats, cautioned: "There are people who (pass through checks) with my passports and other documents, but do your own research and do it at your own risk."

Unlike counterfeits which involve recreating a document, forged passports and identity cards are often genuine items that have been tampered with. And many are the result of documents that have gone missing, experts say.

In Singapore, it was previously revealed in Parliament that in the five years to 2014, about 7,000 passports belonging to the Republic were reported lost or stolen every year.

In that same period, about 1,700 travellers were caught with forged or tampered passports at Singapore checkpoints.

The problem of forged travel documents persists. Last year, Pakistani national Mohammed Iqbal, 52, was nabbed in Bangkok with three fake Singapore passports and a fake Indian one. He also had plates and laminates used to forge entry visas to France, Italy and Spain.

The problem is significant enough for Interpol to set up a database with more than 84 million records of lost, stolen and revoked travel documents - including passports, visas and identity cards.

POWERFUL STAMP

Private investigator James Loh, who has come across a few passport cheating cases in his 17 years of practice, believes Singapore passport holders are sometimes "subjected to less strict scrutiny by some countries".

This suggests that even a stamp that signals a traveller has been through Singapore is coveted. Last month, police in New Delhi busted a syndicate that produced fake immigration stamps of 28 countries, including Singapore's.

These stamps give immigration authorities the impression that a passport holder is a frequent traveller, making his visa application a smoother process.

Fake documents can also be used to sneak in terrorists, said Mr Tan Kah Leong, a director at technology-based risk consultancy TRS Forensics. Last year, Malaysian police arrested four Malaysians and seven Filipinos for being part of a scheme to provide safe passage for terrorists to enter the Philippines via Sabah by using fake travel documents.

HARDER TO TAMPER WITH

Biometric passports were introduced in Singapore in 2006, in part to combat the scourge of forged documents. Biometric passports contain a small chip that identifies the holder through unique physical characteristics such as fingerprints.

In 2017, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority introduced a new design for the biometric passport, which comes with more features to make it harder to forge.

There are two new security features - the image of the passport holder inside a window which can be viewed as a positive or negative portrait when tilted and viewed in transmitted light; and a surface transformation design in the shape of the national flower, which displays reflective and animation effects at different angles.

A person who possesses a false document with an intent to use it as genuine may be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.

But lawyers said it may be difficult for the authorities to identify those selling fake documents on the Dark Web. Ms Gloria James, head lawyer at Gloria James-Civetta & Co, added: "It is also especially challenging if perpetrators are stationed overseas, as there are hurdles to prosecute them if they are."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#2 The most expensive item in Singapore: a minister that costs >$1 million. This is way about international standards.

Singapore slips from joint top spot of world's costliest cities

The report noted that prices in Singapore fell on an exodus of foreign workers.PHOTO: AFP

PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO

LONDON (AFP) - Paris and Zurich have joined Hong Kong as this year's costliest cities worldwide, while Singapore and Osaka have slipped from their joint-top spot after the coronavirus pandemic weakened the US dollar, a survey published on Wednesday (Nov 18) showed.

The biggest mover was Teheran, which jumped 27 places on US sanctions, The Economist Intelligence Unit added in its Worldwide Cost of Living 2020 report.

The pandemic's effect on the dollar was however the biggest factor for places switching, the financial research group noted.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the US dollar to weaken while western European and north Asian currencies have strengthened against it, which in turn has shifted prices for goods and services," said Upasana Dutt, head of worldwide cost of living at The EIU.

The EIU said "Singapore and Osaka, which have been dislodged from their joint-first with Hong Kong, find themselves at fourth and fifth ranks, respectively, with Osaka tying with Tel Aviv.

"The movement of Paris and Zurich to join Hong Kong at the top spot was spurred on by the rise of the euro and Swiss franc against the US dollar, as well as the comparative decline in the cost of living in the two Asian cities that previously sat at the top of the table," it added.

The report noted that prices in Singapore fell on an exodus of foreign workers.

"With the city state's overall population contracting for the first time since 2003, demand has declined, and deflation has set in.

"Osaka has seen similar trends, with consumer prices stagnating and the Japanese government subsidising costs such as public transport."

New York, the city the index is benchmarked against, and Los Angeles both fell in the rankings.

The Big Apple fell one spot to joint-seventh with Geneva, and Los Angeles dropped to ninth - equal with Copenhagen.

"The coronavirus pandemic has impacted spending habits all over the world, with the prices of essential goods proving more resilient than those deemed non-essential," the report said.

"However, this translates to prices for staples, such as coffee, cheese, rice and orange juice, remaining flat, rather than necessarily increasing.

"Clothing was the only category to see an average fall in the index... (as) many consumers delayed wardrobe changes."

With office workers doing their jobs from home, consumer electronics saw the largest price rises on production shortages, the EIU added.

 

[laksaboy]

It makes the patriotic gong kias very happy. You know, those twits who eagerly fly their Sinkie flags as early as in July, and become irascible at any perceived 'disrespect' shown to the flag, usually by complaining about it on social media.

 

[parrardee]

It makes the patriotic gong kias very happy. You know, those twits who eagerly fly their Sinkie flags as early as in July, and become irascible at any perceived 'disrespect' shown to the flag, usually by complaining about it on social media.

Still better than an idiot like you who only sees and says bad things about our country.

 

[Leongsam]

I returned my SG passport some time ago and have not felt any less powerful.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#3
What is so great about Singapore being ranked as top choice? The ultra-rich foreigners are driving up overall real estate price for Singaporeans.


Asia's ultra-rich rank Singapore as region's top choice for luxury homes

Demand for private homes in Singapore is expected to recover in 2021, according to a Knight Frank Wealth Report.PHOTO: ST FILE

Grace Leong
Senior Business Correspondent

1 MAR 2021

SINGAPORE - Singapore has become one of the world's most sought-after locations for buying investment homes as its safe-haven reputation has been further strengthened by successfully managing the coronavirus pandemic and supporting businesses.

According to Knight Frank's Wealth Report, while private home prices in Singapore's prime districts dipped 0.2 per cent in 2020 as travel restrictions kept foreign buyers away, demand is expected to recover this year as such properties remain relatively affordable, and as the vaccine roll-out continues and borders reopen.

Knight Frank's survey of over 600 private bankers, wealth advisers, intermediaries and family offices, found "a change in strategy" by ultra-high net worth individuals - those whose net wealth exceeds US$30 million (S$40 million) - due to global uncertainty in the wake of the pandemic.

"As a result, they are investing in additional homes domestically wherever they can, followed by second homes in cities and countries that best fit their needs in the new normal," said Ms Victoria Garrett, head of residential property in Asia-Pacific at Knight Frank.

Singapore's luxury residential market is the top Asian territory of choice for the ultra-wealthy in Asia, after the UK, US and Australia, noted Mr Nicholas Keong, head of residential international project marketing at Knight Frank Singapore.

"Home buyers from India, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea rated Singapore in their top five locations when considering investment homes abroad. The manner in which Singapore's government was able to financially support businesses as well as put in place measures to control the spread of Covid-19 further enhanced Singapore's reputation as a safe bastion for investors," he said.

This could augur well for luxury home prices this year, with 26 per cent of those surveyed planning to buy a new home in 2021, up from 21 per cent in 2020. "This demand could help fuel price rises of up to 7 per cent in key markets" this year, the report said.

Moreover, unlike Auckland, Shenzhen, Seoul and Manila, where average home prices ended between 10 per cent and 18 per cent higher last year, prices of prime homes in Singapore dipped 0.2 per cent and sales plunged 20 per cent due to a lack of new launches and as travel restrictions kept foreign investors away.

Nevertheless, Singapore continues to be an oasis for investments due to its stable political environment as well as the extensive measures to mitigate any recurrence of the outbreak, the report said.

This is borne out by a 10.2 per cent increase in the number of ultra-high net worth individuals in Singapore last year to 3,732, despite the recession and an overall drop in median household income from work of 2.4 per cent, Ms Wendy Tang, group managing director of Knight Frank Singapore, said.

"Given that South-east Asia has one of the fastest-growing middle-class demographics in the world, Singapore is well positioned to ride the growth. As such, the number of ultra-high net worth individuals in Singapore is forecast to grow by about 31 per cent between 2020 and 2025 to 4,888," she said.

Mr Leonard Tay, head of research at Knight Frank Singapore, added: "Singapore also has a smaller ultra-high net worth individuals population compared against other Asian countries in the list. With a lower base, a relatively decent growth in quantum results in a higher percentage increase."

 

[laksaboy]

What is so great about Singapore being ranked as top choice? The ultra-rich foreigners are driving up overall real estate price for Singaporeans.

Creates jobs. Forests can be cleared rapidly to build those luxury homes.

 

[covertbriar]

lol whenever you mention forests I can't help laughing at kee chiu's "fire in the belly" remark

 

[tanwahtiu]

Just go round the 5 eye is enough for you...

I returned my SG passport some time ago and have not felt any less powerful.

 

[syed putra]

Only country is asean where you do not need a visa to visit china, US or australia,

 

[rushifa666]

Creates jobs. Forests can be cleared rapidly to build those luxury homes.

Our shit homes are so tiny and completly not worth.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#4

Singapore is world's most free economy: US think-tank

The Republic scored 89.7 points, with its overall score having increased by 0.3 points from 2020.
PHOTO: ST FILE

Nirmal Ghosh
US Bureau Chief

4 MAR 2021


WASHINGTON - Singapore's economy has been ranked the most free in the world this year in the Heritage Foundation's 2021 Index of Economic Freedom, the second year in a row it topped the list.

The Republic scored 89.7 points, with its overall score having increased by 0.3 points from 2020, primarily because of an improvement in points gained for government spending, the conservative Washington think-tank said on Thursday (March 4).

Singapore's score placed it far ahead of both the regional average for 40 countries in the Asia Pacific (60.2) and the world average (61.6).

It was followed in the rankings by New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland and Ireland, in that order, with scores ranging from 83.9 (New Zealand) to 81.4 (Ireland).

The United States ranked 20th with a score of 74.8, and Germany was 29th with a score of 72.5. Thailand took the 42nd spot with a score of 69.7, and China was No. 107 with a score of 58.4.

Hong Kong, which had topped the list for 25 of the last 26 years, was left out of this year's Index, as it has come under the direct control of Beijing, the Heritage Foundation said.

The city's ties to Beijing are increasingly "forged in steel" and "traditions of English common law, freedom of speech, and democracy have weakened significantly", Dr Edwin J. Feulner, founder of the Heritage Foundation, wrote in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

"The loss of political freedom and autonomy suffered by Hong Kong over the past two years has made that city almost indistinguishable in many respects from other major Chinese commercial centres like Shanghai and Beijing," he added.

The Index ranks 12 indicators under four categories: rule of law, size of government, regulatory efficiency, and open markets.

"Singapore remains the only country in the world that is considered economically free in every 12 Index category," Mr Anthony Kim, research manager at the Heritage Foundation and editor of the Index, told The Straits Times.

"The foundations of Singapore's economic resilience and competitiveness include strong protection of property rights and effective enforcement of anti-corruption laws," he said.

"Efficient government provides good public services with low tax rates. The regulatory environment is flexible and transparent, encouraging vibrant commercial activity.
"A strong tradition of openness to global trade and investment has long boosted productivity while facilitating the emergence of a more dynamic and competitive financial sector."

In addition, Singapore has, over the years, been storing or reserving "relatively ample policy space to be flexible and resilient thanks to its high degree of competitiveness, whether through monetary or fiscal policy tools", Mr Kim added.

The broader Asia Pacific scored lower than the world average in seven of 12 indicators: property rights, judicial effectiveness, government integrity, monetary freedom, trade freedom, investment freedom, and financial freedom.

But in other areas - tax burden, government spending, fiscal health, business freedom, and labour freedom - the Asia Pacific exceeded world averages, the report said.
Also, citizens of free or mostly free countries "enjoy incomes that are more than double the global average and more than six times higher than in repressed economies", the report said.

The more economically free a society, the longer people live healthier lives, alongside higher access to quality social goods such as education, healthcare, and a cleaner environment, it added.

The findings "confirm the importance of economic freedom in promoting rapid growth and sustainable social progress", it said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

What is the point of having the most free and open economy when SG opens its legs wide for unqualified, foreign un-talented workers using fake qualifications to enter SG and steal jobs? And the first wave of workers will bring in more workers from their villages.

And the government does not intervene.

 

[a_korusawa]

and it is this free economy that encourages global multi-national companies to boldly ignore our dubious mom's law in meeting with local quotas prior considering 'foreign talents'. and its this free economy that created bullshit mysgcareer where jobs in mycareerfuture are purely fakes! this jo teo keeps using this platform to conn our young gens as if there are jobs for them but in fact - they are NONE !!!

what a BS our gahmen is!

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#5
How do NUS and NTU rank in terms of safety for their students? Safety from rape, molest, peeping toms?
What are the universities' priorities?
To ensure a safe learning place for their students, or to be ranked high academically for the professional advancement of the dons and professors?

NUS and NTU continue to rank well globally in QS university rankings, NTU materials science course overtakes MIT for top rank

Overall, NUS ranked 11th out of 1,000 universities, while NTU came in 13th.PHOTOS: ST FILE

Ng Wei Kai

4 MAR 2021

SINGAPORE - The country's two oldest universities have topped the latest global rankings in specific subject areas.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has overtaken Massachusetts Institute of Technology to become the world's leading institution for the study of materials science, according to a league table compiled by Britain-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a higher education analysis company.

It also placed the National University of Singapore (NUS) petroleum engineering programme at number one, a position it also attained last year out of 151 contenders.
Last year, NTU's materials science programme was ranked 3rd out of about 400 programmes worldwide.

Overall, NUS ranked 11th out of 1,000 universities, while NTU came in 13th. Last year, both universities tied for 11th place.

"The consistent improvements made by Singaporean institutions in our rankings are the result of a decade of investment and strategising," said Mr Ben Sowter, QS's senior vice president of professional services.

"It was in 2010, after all, that the Singaporean government inaugurated the Singapore Universities Fund, with a view to avoiding the sort of downturn-driven real-terms funding cuts that have beleaguered universities across the world."

The QS analysis also found Singapore to be the fourth best higher education system in the world after the United States, Britain and Switzerland, and first in Asia based on its share of programmes in the top 10 globally.

"Singapore is home to more world-class programmes than any other Asian higher education system: it has four times as many top-10 programmes as China's six and eight times as many as Japan's three," it added.

The two local universities had 24 degree programmes in the top 10 globally - 16 from NUS, eight from NTU.

Several degree courses made large jumps in the rankings. NUS's computer science and information systems course shot up from 12th in 2020 to 4th place this year while the mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing programme at NUS jumped from 11th to 5th.

QS evaluated around 5,000 universities, taking into account factors such as academic reputation, standing with employers, faculty-to-student ratios and citations per faculty.

An NTU spokesperson said: "This is a testament to the achievements of our faculty and students ... and will position NTU well to address major challenges ... such as climate change and global pandemics.

NUS senior deputy president and provost Professor Ho Teck Hua said: "The university has top-10 placement for 16 of our programmes, up from four last year. Overall, NUS is placed in the top 20 for 28 out of the 37 programmes in which it was ranked.

"It is a wonderful achievement by our talented faculty members."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#6
Highest-paid mayors in the world

 

[syed putra]

How come no indian mayor?

 

[amransan]

my Australian passport might not be no.1 in the world but i still love and proud of it

 

[mojito]

A distinction is a distinction. Nothing dubious about it!