News Quickly

Pan-United Marine eyes higher revenue, margin
PAN-UNITED Marine said it expects to increase revenues and improve its operating margin this year, thanks to higher-value orders and a 50 per cent jump in vessel deliveries. The Singapore company's two shipyards - one in Singapore and the other on... [Read more]

Hardline Thai general to head phone corporation
BANGKOK - SAPRANG Kalyanamitr, a top general with a hardline reputation, was on Thursday given additional charge of a major public enterprise when he was appointed chairman of the board of TOT (Telephones of Thailand Plc). TOT has exclusive rights to... [Read more]

Insurgents go undercover
BANGKOK - MUSLIM insurgents have infiltrated universities and are using them as launch pads for attacks in Bangkok, Thailand's defence minister said yesterday. The comments by Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtat followed warnings that Muslim separatist militants may be planning to expand... [Read more]

More alumni donating to NUS bursary fund
MORE National University of Singapore (NUS) alumni have been donating to the institution's bursary fund, unfazed by news that its bursaries have been going to foreigners too.When the first annual donation drive was launched from April 2005 till the end of... [Read more]

Reclamation firm Koon ousts chairman 'over takeover bid'
THE executive chairman and founder of reclamation company Koon Holdings, Mr Oh Keng Lim, 69, was removed from his post as chairman last Friday. This was due to his opposition to a takeover deal from an Indian company, he claimed. In... [Read more]

Thailand shows it's still the Land of Smiles
FOR a few days last week, it looked like Bangkok was the last place to be seen if you were Singaporean. An ongoing diplomatic row appeared to be on the verge of worsening after Singapore beat Thailand in the first leg... [Read more]

Bloggers attempt to have NST's libel suit struck out
KUALA LUMPUR - BLOGGERS Ahirudin Atan and Jeff Ooi, being sued by media giant New Straits Times (NST), are fighting back by attempting to get the suits thrown out even before they are heard.Mr Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, their lawyer, said yesterday... [Read more]

Parliament Shorts
TAX BOOST FOR AVIATIONSINGAPORE'S booming industry for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services will soon get even more firepower from new tax incentives for local businesses.The incentives will encourage the 100 or more such local companies to provide airlines with cutting-edge... [Read more]

Maybank S'pore's interim profit rises 11% to $82.5m
MAYBANK Singapore's pre-tax gain grew 11.1 per cent to RM187.9 million (S$82.5 million) for the six months ended Dec 31 from RM169.1 million previously.During the same period, it registered a 29.7 per cent revenue growth to RM909.3 million compared to RM700.9... [Read more]

Abe grilled over ministers' controversial remarks
TOKYO - JAPANESE Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his right-hand man were yesterday grilled over gaffes by two ministers who called the Iraq war a 'mistake' and women 'child-bearing machines'.The comments are giving Mr Abe a political headache when his support... [Read more]

Don't confuse humility with appeasement
I REFER to Mr Lim Wee Hing's comments on my earlier letter on the need to exercise greater humility and sensitivity when dealing with our neighbours ('Good foreign relations stem from mutual respect'; ST, Feb 16). This is important as the... [Read more]