13/01/2020

Singapore gets US approval to buy F-35B

Singapore and US partnership in military modernization

Update 25 Feb 2023: Singapore to acquire eight additional F-35Bs
The 8 fifth-generation F-35A stealth fighter jets will grow Spore's F-35 fleet to 20, replacing the ageing F-16s

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will buy eight F-35A jets, continuing its build-up of a “next-generation” force to serve the country’s security needs.

The aircraft are expected to be delivered around 2030, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said during the Ministry of Defence’s (MINDEF) budget debate in parliament on Wednesday (Feb 28). This is on top of RSAF’s existing order of 12 F-35 jets of the “B” variant, expanding its full fleet of the fifth-generation US-made fighter aircraft to 20.

Once operational, the F-35 jets will put Singapore’s air force in the “premier league”, he said. The purchase is timed to capitalise on a “window of opportunity”. F-35 prices are now more competitive amid a healthy order pipeline for the jets globally, said Dr Ng, who did not reveal the cost of Singapore’s F-35A purchase.


Workers’ Party MP Sylvia Lim questions MINDEF’s latest purchases and its implications

 As an example, Ms Lim referred to the crucial defects of the US F-35 programme. She noted that the said programme has been dogged by cost overruns and questions about reliability, adding that there were also issues regarding the leak of confidential data that later required costly redesigns and retrofits from various vendors and subcontractors.

 Ms Lim pointed out that as of January, Singapore’s purchase of 12 such aircrafts for an estimated cost of US$2.75 billion was undergoing the US Congressional approval process. She stressed that these need to be configured into the overall cost.

 Therefore, Ms Lim raised the question, “Can MINDEF elaborate on how it injects rigour into its procurement decisions to ensure value for money?” Additionally, Ms Lim had also touched on the subject of East Asia becoming a site of intense power contestation with many of its regional actors adopting overt militarised stances, such as the purchasing of arms and taking on muscular positions over the disputes therein.

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 Ng Eng Hen @Ng_Eng_Hen · Mar 2

 @TheRSAF is maintaining its deterrent edge with acquisition of the 5th-gen F-35B, with short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL), and full suite of sensors and fighting capabilities. MINDEF is acquiring four F-35s, with an option to purchase eight more. #SGBudget2020

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 Singapore's F-35 jet purchase part of longstanding bilateral relationship: US official
A US F-35B fighter jet which will feature in the upcoming Singapore Airshow, at Changi Air Base on Feb 7, 2020.ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

 Singapore's recent purchase of the F-35B fighter jets is part of the vital and longstanding relationship shared between the Republic and the United States, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, Mr Rene Clarke Cooper, said on Monday (Feb 10).

 The purchase of the jets is also not just a matter of protecting Singapore's sovereignty, but a contribution to regional peace and stability as well, he added.

 Speaking to global media via telephone hook-up, Mr Cooper also said that the purchase is part of a "longer-term process" with Singapore.

 related: US government paves way for sale of F-35B fighter jets to Singapore

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 Singapore gets the green light to buy F-35B
A Marine F-35B seems to hover over the runway as it descends toward the ground during the first short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing mission at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (Samuel King Jr./U.S. Air Force)

 The U.S. government on Thursday formally approved Singapore to become the next customer of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, paving the way for a future sale. Last year, Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen announced that the country would submit a letter of request to the U.S. government to purchase four F-35B short takeoff and landing jets, with the intention of a total of 12 "B" models.

 The U.S. State Department endorsement made Jan. 9 would allow Singapore to move ahead with purchasing those jets, at an estimated cost of $2.75 billion, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Also included in the proposed deal are up to 13 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines, unspecified electronic warfare and communications systems, training equipment, and the Autonomic Logistics Information System used for mission planning, maintenance and other logistics functions.

 “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States. Singapore is a strategic friend and Major Security Cooperation Partner and an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia Pacific region,” DSCA stated in a release.

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 US approves $2.75b fighter jet sale to Singapore
A Republic of Singapore Airforce, F-15 fighter jet flies over the sky of Singapore on February 18, 2019. (AFP/Roslan Rahman)

 The United States has approved the sale of up to 12 F-35 fighter jets - one of the most advanced warplanes ever built - to Singapore for around $2.75 billion, officials said Friday. The city-state last year said it planned to buy four of the jets, with an option to purchase eight more, picking the Lockheed Martin model over rivals from Europe and China.

 Despite its small size, Singapore has one of the region's best equipped armed forces and spends a large chunk of its national budget on defence. The State Department had approved the jet sale, said the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, adding Congress had been notified and must now also give the green light. "Singapore is a strategic friend and major security cooperation partner and an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia-Pacific region," said the agency. It added that the deal "will not alter the basic military balance in the region".

 The affluent city-state spent several years assessing which fighter jet should replace its ageing fleet of F-16s before choosing the F-35s. It is a supersonic plane whose advanced stealth characteristics allow pilots to avoid detection by radars, according to Lockheed Martin. Its advanced electronic warfare capabilities enable pilots to locate and track enemy forces, jam radars and disrupt attacks. The Singapore military also has F-15 fighter jets, Apache helicopters and submarines in its arsenal.
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 Pentagon notifies Congress of $2.75B proposed fighter jet sale to Singapore

 The Trump administration has moved forward a possible $2.75 billion F-35 fighter jet sale to Singapore, formally notifying Congress of the deal on Thursday. The sale includes four initial F-35B short take-off and vertical landing variant aircraft, with the option to acquire an additional eight as well as relevant equipment and support. “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States,” a statement posted to the website of the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said. The DSCA handles foreign military sales.

 “Singapore is a strategic friend and Major Security Cooperation Partner and an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia Pacific region,” it stated. Singapore in February 2019 first announced it planned to buy the F-35s from U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp as it looks to replace its current F-16 fleet.

 The country’s roughly 60 F-16 jets entered service in 1998 but will be retired shortly after 2030. Singapore joins the 10 other foreign militaries that have decided or are seeking to add the advanced fighter jet into its arsenal.

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 State Department Approves Possible Sale of F-35Bs to Singapore
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Charles Plouffe)

 The State Department on Jan. 9 approved the possible sale of 12 F-35Bs to Singapore at a cost of about $2.75 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale, which is subject to approval on Capitol Hill. The sale would include up to 12—four initially, with an option of eight—of the aircraft and 13 F135 engines, along with electronic warfare systems, the Autonomic Logistics Information System, training systems, software development, personnel training, among others. Prime contractors on the sale are Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney.

 “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States,” DSCA said in a statement. “Singapore is a strategic friend and Major Security Cooperation Partner and an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia-Pacific region.”

 The country has long been expected to purchase the aircraft, with Lockheed Martin recently saying the purchase would help offset the loss of sales to Turkey, which was kicked out of the program last year when it insisted on buying the Russian-made S400 integrated air defense system. If approved, Singapore would join Australia, South Korea, and Japan as operators of the jet in the Pacific region. The country already flies the US-made F-15SGs and F-16s.
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 U.S. State Dept. approves sale of 12 F-35 jets to Singapore
FILE PHOTO: A F-35B Lightning II aircraft is launched aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex, September 27, 2018. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Freeman/U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

 The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of up to 12 F-35 fighter jets and related equipment to Singapore at an estimated cost of $2.75 billion, pending approval from Congress, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Friday.

 The Southeast Asian city-state said last year it planned to buy an initial four F-35s from Lockheed Martin Corp, with an option for eight more, as it looks to replace its aging F-16 fleet.

 “The State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale to Singapore of up to twelve F-35B ... aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.750 billion,” the DSCA said in a statement, adding it had notified Congress of a possible sale.

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 US approves sale of 12 F-35 fighter jets to Singapore
Singapore is a key prize for global arms companies as it looks to invest in new technology and upgrade its equipment. Photo: Los Angeles Times/TNS

 The US State Department has approved the sale of up to 12 F-35 fighter jets and related equipment to Singapore at an estimated cost of US$2.75 billion, pending approval from Congress, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Friday.

 The city state said last year it planned to buy an initial four F-35s from Lockheed Martin Corp, with an option for eight more, as it looks to replace its ageing F-16 fleet.

 “The State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale to Singapore of up to twelve F-35B … aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of US$2.750 billion,” the DSCA said in a statement, adding it had notified Congress of a possible sale.

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 US Approves $2.7 Billion Potential Sale of 12 F-35B Jets to Singapore

 The US State Department green-lighted the sale of 12 F-35B fighter jets to Singapore in a deal worth more than $2.7 billion, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.

 "The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Singapore of up to twelve F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.750 billion. The Defence Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today", the release said on Thursday. Earlier in the month, Pentagon’s Defence Contract Management Agency (DMCA) said that Lockheed delivered 134 of the fighter jets in 2019. Since the year of 2016, 458 jets have been deployed out of about 3,500 planned purchases by the US and its allies, from Australia to Poland.

 Lockheed Martin’s F-35 aircraft is a fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter. It is considered the most expensive weapons program in history, with a projected life cycle cost of between $1 trillion and $1.5 trillion.

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 USA approves Singapore to buy up to 12 F-35B stealth fighters
F-35B Lighting II performs deck landing qualifications on the US Marine Corps USS Wasp

 The potential deal would be for an initial package of four aircraft, with the option to buy eight more examples. The announcement was expected as Singapore said in January 2019 that it plans to use a small number of F-35s in an evaluation programme before buying additional jets.

 The F-35B is the short-take-off-and-vertical-landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter. A ducted fan that is geared to its main turbine and an exhaust nozzle that rotates downward allow the fighter to take off from shortened or ramped runways, for example on small aircraft carriers. It also can land vertically. F-35B aircraft have been delivered to the US Marine Corps and the Royal Navy. Italy also is to acquire the F-35B. All three services plan to operate the short-take-off-and-vertical-landing variant from aircraft carriers, as well as austere military bases.

 Singapore does not have an aircraft carrier, but could use short-take-off-and-vertical-landing capabilities to fly the F-35B from small, hard-to-find military bases. Quickly concealing aircraft from an attack – possibly on an ally’s aircraft carrier or on a remote island – is an important consideration for the small city state as its air bases are easily reachable by an adversary’s missiles.

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 US Approves Sale of 12 F-35 Fighters to Singapore

 The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of up to 12 F-35 fighter jets and related equipment to Singapore at an estimated cost of $2.75 billion, pending approval from Congress, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Friday. The Southeast Asian city-state said last year it planned to buy an initial four F-35s from Lockheed Martin Corp, with an option for eight more, as it looks to replace its aging F-16 fleet.

 "The State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale to Singapore of up to twelve F-35B ... aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.750 billion," the DSCA said in a statement, adding it had notified Congress of a possible sale. The DSCA said the sale would involve equipment from Lockheed and engine maker Pratt and Whitney. The F-35B variant of the jet can handle short takeoffs and vertical landings, attributes seen as benefiting land-scarce Singapore.

 Singapore's defense ministry said formal terms of the purchase would be negotiated after approval from Congress.
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 U.S. confirms possible F-35 sale to Singapore

 The U.S. State Department on 9 January approved the possible Foreign Military Sale of F-35B Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) stealth aircraft to Singapore for approximately $2.750 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in a news release the same day.

 The agency said Singapore requested to buy up to 12 F-35B STOVL aircraft (four F-35B STOVL aircraft with the option to purchase an additional eight F-35B STOVL aircraft). In addition to the aircraft, Singapore requested to buy 13 Pratt and Whitney F135 Engines (includes 1 initial spare), electronic warfare (EW) systems; command, control, communications, computer, and intelligence/communications, navigational; and other equipment.

 “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States,” said in a news release. ” Singapore is a strategic friend and Major Security Cooperation Partner and an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia Pacific region.”

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 US State Dept approves US$2.75b F-35B jets sale to Singapore, reports agency
US approval has been given for Singapore to procure 12 F-35B fighter jets (pic) for US$2.75 billion. — Reuters pic

 The US State Department has approved the sale of up to 12 F-35B fighter jets and related equipment to Singapore at an estimated cost of US$2.75 billion (RM11.27 billion), pending approval from Congress, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency said today.

 The Asian city-state said last year it planned buy an initial four F-35 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin Corp , with an option for eight more, as it looks to replace its ageing F-16 fleet.

 With Southeast Asia's largest defence budget, wealthy Singapore is a key prize for global arms companies as it looks to invest in new technology and upgrade its equipment.

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 US Plans Decision on F-35 Full-Rate Production in Autumn of 2020 - Undersecretary of Defence

 Defence Department policy calls for all of the F-35’s deficiencies to be resolved prior to beginning with full-rate production to avoid expensive retrofits needed to bring existing jets to standard.

 The US Defenсe Department plans to decide whether to begin full-rate production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter before the end of 2020 and is confident the decision will not be delayed due to systemic obstacles in the supply chain for aircraft parts, Undersecretary of Defenсe for Acquisition Ellen Lord said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

 Lord’s assessment was somewhat more optimistic than in October, when she warned the determination on the F-35 aircraft’s full-rate production could be delayed until early 2021. The Defense Department had previously expected to begin full rate production by the end of this year. Lord said one potential supply chain problem, corrosion found in fasteners used in F-35 jets delivered thus far had been resolved.

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Full Coverage:
US approves sale of 12 F-35 fighter jets to Singapore
US gives green light for sale of F-35B fighter jets to Singapore
US government paves way for sale of F-35B fighter jets to Singapore
US government approves Spore to buy up to 12 F-35 jets at US$2.75b
US govt approves sale of F-35B jets to S'pore
US Approves $2.7 Billion Potential Sale of 12 F-35B Jets to Singapore
US govt gives go-ahead for sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to S'pore
US approves potential sale of 12 F-35 fighter jets to Singapore
US govt approves possible sale of 12 F-35B stealth fighters to Spore
USA approves Singapore to buy up to 12 F-35B stealth fighters
US approves $2.75 bn fighter jet sale to Singapore
Singapore and US partnership in military modernization.
U.S. State Dept. approves sale of 12 F-35 jets to Singapore
US approves potential sale of up to 12 F-35 fighter jets to Spore
U.S. confirms possible F-35 sale to Singapore
Singapore gets the green light to buy F-35s
Pentagon notifies Congress of $2.75B proposed fighter jet sale to Spore
State Department Approves Possible Sale of F-35Bs to Singapore
US State Dept approves sale of 12 F-35 jets to Singapore
US approves $2.75b fighter jet sale to Singapore - The Jakarta Post
US State Dept approves sale of F-35B jets to Singapore
US Approves Sale of 12 F-35 Fighters to Singapore
US State Dept approves sale of F-35B jets to Spore worth $2.75b
US State Dept approves US$2.75b F-35B jets sale to Singapore
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12/01/2020

Here’s What Happens If You Eat Ginger Every Day


If you’re going to get hooked on any spice, make it ginger.

 Of course, there are tons of great spices that offer significant health benefits, but it’s tough to top ginger for the sheer number of positive attributes. And unlike other popular daily supplements, it tastes great, too. (We’re looking at you, apple cider vinegar.)

 The reason that ginger is so good for you is down to a compound called gingerol. This substance is anti-inflammatory, which means it can relieve pain and swelling. It is also an antioxidant that neutralizes harmful free radicals in the body. This can reduce your lifetime risk of cancer.

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11/01/2020

7 everyday items that could be making you sick


While most people attribute their cold to a few late nights in a row and some questionable diet choices, there can be more than just a run-down body to blame for feeling sick.

 As numerous studies have revealed, it can be as simple as touching public parking meters or failing to clean your shower head properly that can trigger an illness within days. 

 So while you're taking shots of vitamin C and resting up, you might be able to blame these things for being struck down with an unexpected cold:
  • Magazines at the doctor's surgery
  • Toothbrush
  • An ATM
  • Shopping trolley
  • Shower heads
  • Can openers
  • Parking meters

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10/01/2020

A newborn baby found in a garbage bin

Unsourced

Update 30 Jul 2020: Cases of abandoned babies in Singapore

In the past 10 years, there have been 17 cases of abandoned babies in Singapore, according to statistics from the MSF.

Last year, the ministry handled one case of an abandoned baby. There were no reported cases in 2017 and 2018.

In 2016, two abandoned babies were found alive. One was abandoned at a hospital, and the other was left at the staircase of an HDB block.

related: In rare cases of abandoned babies here, one mum left newborn infant in hospital, another on staircase


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 26-year-old woman believed to be mother charged with exposure and abandonment
Cleaners and police officers at Block 534 Bedok North Street 3, on Jan 7, 2020, where a baby boy was found abandoned in a rubbish chute.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

 The Singaporean woman believed to be the mother of the baby boy abandoned in a Bedok North rubbish chute in January was charged in court on Saturday (Feb 15).

 The 26-year-old, whose identity cannot be revealed because of a gag order, was charged with exposure and abandonment of a child under 12 years old.

 If found guilty, she faces a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.

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 Mother charged with abandoning baby in Bedok North rubbish chute
A baby was found alive in a rubbish chute in Bedok North. (Photo: Cindy Co)

 A 26-year-old woman was charged on Saturday (Feb 15) with throwing her newborn baby boy into a rubbish chute at a Bedok flat last month, intending to abandon him. 
The baby was found alive inside a rubbish chute at Block 534 Bedok North Street 3 at about 9.10am on Jan 7. The discovery was reportedly made by several cleaners, who were clearing garbage when they saw the baby wrapped in a blood-stained supermarket plastic bag. Police had said the baby was in stable condition, with no visible injuries.

 Officers from the Bedok Police Division identified the woman through ground investigations and with the help of police cameras and CCTV footage provided by residents and businesses in the neighbourhood. She was arrested on Thursday. The authorities are looking into the identity of the child's father.

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 Two women offer to adopt infant found in rubbish bin
Mr Patwari Shamin (left) and his colleague carrying the rubbish chute bin to the bin centre on Tuesday after it had been checked. A baby boy was found alive in the bin at the bottom of a rubbish chute at Block 534 Bedok North Street 3 that morning. TNP PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

 In a gruesome introduction to life, a newborn boy who was discarded like a piece of garbage could have suffocated while trapped inside a tied-up plastic bag in a rubbish bin.

 But he showed an instinct for survival by crying loudly to alert two cleaners, who then rescued him from the bin.

 Now two women have come forward to offer the infant a home after reading about his traumatic experience in The New Paper yesterday.

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 Offers come in to take care of baby boy found in garbage bin
YouTube screengrab. For illustration purposes only

 After a newborn baby was found alive in a rubbish bin, offers have come in to adopt the infant, says The New Paper (TNP).

 Two cleaners from the area who had heard crying sounds found the baby boy with his umbilical cord still attached at Block 534 Bedok North Street 3 between 8:00 and 9:00 on the morning of Tuesday (Jan 7) inside a tied-up white plastic bag that had bloodstains. The cleaners told their supervisor, who then called the police. Patwari Shamin, one of the cleaners who found the baby, said that they had to go through the garbage pile before they found the bag with the crying infant.

 According to a report from The Straits Times, there were 16 abandoned babies in Singapore between 2009 and 2018.

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 Baby found alive in Bedok North block rubbish chute
The baby was found at the bottom of Block 534 Bedok North Street 3 on Tuesday morning

 Police are searching for the parents of a baby boy who was found alive in a rubbish chute at Block 534 Bedok North Street 3 on Tuesday (Jan 7) morning.

 Apart from making their rounds on every floor of the block, the authorities are also contacting owners of vehicles parked at the open-air carpark near the block to ask for footage captured by their in-car cameras.

 One such driver, Mr Ng Kok Khim, told The Straits Times: “I received a call from the police asking if they can access the footage from my in-car camera. The officer said it was to assist in the investigations of a case but he didn’t give any details of the case. At first, I thought maybe someone hit my car.”

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 Police looking for parents of abandoned baby boy
Curious members of the public gathered at the foot of Block 534, where police went from door to door on each of the 13 floors in their search for the baby's parents.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

 Police are searching for the parents of a baby boy who was found alive in the bin of a rubbish chute at Block 534 Bedok North Street 3 yesterday morning. They went from door to door on every floor of the 13-storey block in their search. The officers are also contacting owners of vehicles parked at the open-air carpark near the block to ask for footage from their in-car cameras.

 In the past 10 years, 17 abandoned babies were found in Singapore, according to statistics from the Ministry of Social and Family Development. Last year, the ministry handled one case of an abandoned baby. There were no reported cases in 2017 and 2018. In 2016, two abandoned babies were found alive. One was abandoned at a hospital, and the other was dumped at the staircase of an HDB block.

 Parents who abandon their child under the age of 12 can be jailed for up to seven years or fined, or given both punishments.

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 Newborn baby found in tied plastic bag in Bedok North; parents still not traced
Newborn Baby - Representational Picture

 After they opened the bag they found the infant with blood on his body and the umbilical cord still attached. The cleaner said that the infant was crying loudly but he did not look hurt. Later when paramedics reached the spot, the baby was handed over to them.

 Later, police talked to several people from the neighbourhood and showed CCTV footage of a woman walking down the stairs to one of the second storey residents, 29-year-old Chelvi Sukumaran. As reported by The New Paper, officers asked if she knew her or had seen her around.

 Officials went door to door to speak to residents in the 13-story block to trace the parents of the newborn baby. They asked owners of vehicles left at the open-air carpark nearby to show some footage from the in-car cameras. But as of now, the police couldn't find any clue about the parents.

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 Pritam Singh says to not jump to conclusions after baby boy was found alive in Bedok North rubbish chute bin
The WP chief said that despite the distressing situation people should not draw any conclusions “... let’s not rush to judge the parents or whoever dumped the child. I hope they get help they need even as they will have to face up to what was done"

 Earlier this morning (Jan 7), a baby was found alive inside a rubbish chute bin at Block 534 Bedok North Street 3. The baby was found in a plastic bag stained with blood by cleaners who were clearing the bin between 8am and 9am.

 Pritam Singh, Workers’ Party (WP) chief shared on social media that he received a message this morning and some pictures on his Aljunied-Hougang Town Council MPs chat group when the baby boy was found.

 He wrote: “A million thoughts crossed my head when I saw the pictures and you can imagine the thoughts expressed through words and emoticons by the other MPs, feelings I am sure many would Singaporeans share (sic)”.

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09/01/2020

Former CJ Yong Pung How dies 9 Jan 2020

Singapore's former chief justice Yong Pung How dies, aged 93
In his 16 years as chief justice, Mr Yong Pung How introduced sweeping changes and harnessed technology to streamline court procedures. PHOTO: BT FILE

Former chief justice Yong Pung How, who implemented rigorous reforms to transform the Singapore court system into a model of efficiency, died on Thursday (Jan 9) morning, the Supreme Court has confirmed. He was 93. He is survived by his wife, Madam Cheang Wei-Woo, and their daughter, Ms Yong Ying-I, who is permanent secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information.

Mr Yong and Madam Cheang, a graduate of the London School of Economics, met in 1950 while they were studying. They married in 1955. Mr Yong's work in the legal field started as early as 1953, when he was appointed by the Singapore Government as arbitrator to resolve a dispute between the Government and a union. The union was represented by a young lawyer, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who would go on to become the country's prime minister in 1959. Mr Yong was admitted to the Bar in 1964 and became a senior partner with the law firm of Shook Lin and Bok, until 1970. He then went into merchant banking and finance, ending up as chairman and chief executive of OCBC Bank. On a secondment from OCBC Bank from 1981 to 1983, Mr Yong helped form the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation - Singapore's sovereign wealth fund - and became its managing director. He later became the managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

When he took the helm at the judiciary in September 1990, there was a backlog of more than 2,000 cases. He introduced case management measures that cleared the backlog by the mid-1990s and reduced the time for cases to be concluded. In his 16 years as Singapore's top judge, Mr Yong introduced sweeping changes and harnessed technology to streamline court procedures.


'Truly this nation's loss': Chief Justice Menon pays tribute to former CJ Yong Pung How

Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon on Thursday (Jan 9) described the death of Singapore's former top judge Yong Pung How as "truly this nation's loss", saying that his 16-year tenure as chief justice was the "most consequential in our history".

Mr Yong, whose career included stints as a banker and a university chancellor, served as Singapore's second chief justice from 1990 to 2006. He died on Thursday aged 93. In a written statement on behalf of the Singapore judiciary, Chief Justice Menon called Mr Yong a "prodigiously talented individual" and a “foundational figure” in Singapore’s legal and national history. “He leaves behind a legacy that is nothing less than the modern and progressive judiciary and legal system that Singapore has today,” said Chief Justice Menon.

Mr Yong was born on Apr 11, 1926, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He spent almost two decades in legal practice before deciding to enter the finance industry in 1971. During that time, he became the first managing director of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) and later, the CEO and chairman of OCBC Bank. At the age of 63, Mr Yong returned to the law as a Supreme Court judge in 1989 and was appointed chief justice the following year. "Mr Yong was a prodigiously talented individual whose diverse gifts and interests brought him beyond the law into business, finance and public administration," Chief Justice Menon said in his statement. “In each field he entered, Mr Yong reached its pinnacle,” he added.


Yong Pung How
Born 11 April 1926 & died on 9 Jan 2020 at the age of 93

Yong Pung How (11 April 1926 – 9 January 2020) was a Malayan-born Singaporean judge who served as the second chief justice of Singapore between 1990 and 2006. After stepping down as chief justice, Yong served as the chancellor of the Singapore Management University between 2010 and 2015. The Yong Pung How School of Law at the Singapore Management University was named after him in 2021. He was appointed by former President Wee Kim Wee and took office on 28 September 1990.

Yong was born in Kuala Lumpur (then located in undivided Selangor state prior to 1974), to an ethnic Chinese family with Hakka ancestry from Dabu County, Guangdong, China. His father, Yong Shook Lin, was a lawyer who founded the law firm Shook Lin & Bok. After completing his early education at Victoria Institution, Yong went on to read law at Downing College, Cambridge University. While in Cambridge, he developed close friendships with Lee Kuan Yew and Kwa Geok Choo. Yong was made an Exhibitioner and an Associate Fellow in his college years. In 1949, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in law, and qualified as an Inner Temple lawyer in 1952. In 1970, Yong attended the six-week Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Yong was called to the English Bar at the Inner Temple and he returned to Malaya as an advocate and solicitor in 1952, practising law as a partner at his father's law firm, Shook Lin & Bok. In 1954, Yong also served as the arbitrator appointed by Sir John Fearns Nicoll, the Governor of Singapore, to resolve the dispute between the Singapore government and the general clerical services and telecommunications workers.[8] He was also admitted into the Singapore Bar in 1964 and appointed to the role as Chairman of the Public Services Arbitration Tribunal in Malaya from 1954 to 1962, and as a Chairman of the Industrial Court in Malaysia between 1964 and 1967. Yong also had commercial powers invested upon him as Chairman of Malaysia-Singapore Airlines between 1964 and 1969, and as Deputy Chairman of Maybank between 1966 and 1972.

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