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5 shortlisted names for baby panda at River Safari. Mandai Wildlife Group had invited the public to submit suggestions for the panda's name, and it has narrowed the shortlist down to these five names for the public to vote: Hong Hong (宏宏): Hong (宏) means magnificence (宏伟/宏大) in Mandarin, signifying well-wishes for the panda cub to grow up magnificent and healthy. Le Le (叻叻): Le (叻) comes from the old Chinese term for Singapore, "Shi Le Po" (石叻坡). Xin Le (新乐): Xin Le means new joy and can also mean Singapore’s joy. Xin Yang (新阳): Xin Yang means Singapore Sun or new Sun, which symbolises the brightness and joy this birth brings. The panda was also born in the morning. Xin Yuan (新缘): Xin (新) refers to Singapore, while Yuan (缘) means affinity/fate. Yuan also sounds like (圆) which means fulfilment. The cub was born after fate brought Kai Kai and Jia Jia together in Singapore. Votes are now open for the public to choose their favourite name and will end on Nov. 7, 2021, at 11:59pm. 😁

Longlong,chingching? i tink will win http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1089255/1/.html Nationwide panda-naming contest extended to year-end By Dylan Loh | Posted: 25 October 2010 1919 hrs Photos 1 of 1 Pandas SINGAPORE : A nationwide contest to name two pandas coming to Singapore from China next year has been extended till 31 December 2010. The animals will be on loan to Singapore for a 10-year period. They will arrive next year and can be seen at the Wildlife Reserves Singapore's River Safari attraction when it opens in 2012. Wildlife Reserves Singapore said the contest was extended to allow more people to submit entries. Over 1,000 entries have been received since the contest opened in June. A judging panel, including China's ambassador to Singapore, will decide on their names based on the suggestions received. - CNA/al

AS MANY as one in three men in Singapore could be suffering from premature ejaculation (PE), according to a study. PE, a devastating condition for a man, is defined as a lack of control on a man's part during intercourse, resulting in ejaculation prior to or within one minute of penetration, said Associate Professor George Lee Eng Geap from the University of Malaya and Monash University. Although the poll did not include Singapore, Prof Lee, who is part of the study's steering committee, said: "We believe the results to be applicable to Singapore, because a similar study done in Europe in 2007 also showed a similar result. PE is a problem that cuts across ethnicity and age groups." The Asia-Pacific Premature Ejaculation Prevalence And Attitude Study surveyed nearly 5,000 men, aged 18 to 65, from 10 Asia-Pacific countries, including China, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, South Korea and Malaysia. The causes of the problem are complex, ranging from the psychological to the physiological, said Prof Lee. A person who secretly had intercourse at home, and was anxious of being found out by his parents, for instance, could develop PE later in life, he said. The problem could also be genetic in nature, he added. There may be a solution: American company Janssen-Cilag has recently submitted its medication, Dapoxetine, to the health authorities here for review. The pill is the only known medication that can treat the condition and is currently available in seven European Union countries, including Sweden, Austria and Italy. Outside of Europe, the medicine is available only in New Zealand and South Korea. Dapoxetine is supposed to boost the ejaculation-delaying hormone serotonin, by preventing or delaying the breakdown of serotonin in the body. In effect, this would help maintain higher levels of the hormone in the body, which would in turn help to delay ejaculation. Other treatments for PE include behavioural therapy like counselling, or topical treatments like sprays, numbing gels or condoms. However, there are drawbacks to some of these treatments. For example, numbing gel or sprays can desensitise the penis, causing a loss of sexual enjoyment, said Prof Lee. The condition can seriously injure a man's relationship with his partner. "PE can have a devastating impact on the relationship between men and their partners," said Prof Lee. "The impact extends not just to a man's self-esteem, but also to a woman's fulfillment and, ultimately, to the entire relationship." Source http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Stor...215-185879.html

Asian markets are proving increasingly vital for exotic automakers like Lamborghini, but the latest reports in from the Far East show an unprecedented enthusiasm for Sant'Agata's newest model before it's even made its debut. According to reports, more than 50 examples of the tentatively-dubbed Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4

http://news.xin.msn.com/en/singapore/spore...ransport-system If they only want profit. There is no way we can learn from them. Hong Kong and Taipei transport system are under subsidy if I not wrong.

this is good news for some of the young people. from personal experience i have seen some of the younger people from the last downturn come to do quite well after a few years. --- S'pore grads in recession catch up eventually Teh Shi Ning | The Business Times | Wed Nov 23 2011 SINGAPORE - Graduates entering the job market here in a recession start off with lower pay, but their salaries catch up with the wages of those who start in economic booms after about three years on the job. This compares with an 18-year disadvantage faced by graduates joining the United States workforce in a recession, says a study published in the latest issue of the Economic Survey of Singapore, released yesterday. Click here to find out more! Economists from the Ministry of Trade and Industry's (MTI) Economic Division found that a one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate at the time a university graduate starts work reduces his starting pay by about 6-8 per cent. The results of their statistical regressions are similar to those of a US study of graduates which finds an initial wage loss of 6-7 per cent for a one-point increase in the US unemployment rate. But this negative impact diminishes over time and disappears after a graduate has gained three years of work experience. "Singapore's labour market would thus appear to be efficient enough to prevent the perpetuation of downward wage persistence for 'unlucky' cohorts of graduates," the study's authors said. The US study found that it takes almost 18 years before a graduate's initial wage disadvantage is mitigated. Singapore's recovery period could be shorter due to higher job mobility of university graduates here, or greater variable and performance-linked components in the wage structures here, which could make it easier for "unlucky" graduates to catch up with the skills acquired, the MTI economists said. Their results do come with caveats though. The data available, from 2000 to 2007, covers just one recession and the short time frame may exclude long- term negative effects. Also, without information on individual ability and job switches, they were unable to assess how different segments of university graduates are affected - key because wage persistence can differ for people of varying abilities. The economists said that this exploration of whether joining the labour force in recession-time has a negative impact on wages is an area "of growing importance", given the "rising economic volatility in Singapore". There have been three recessions in the last 15 years, and only one before 1996. Job creation was stronger in Q3, with 32,300 jobs added in the quarter compared to 24,800 in Q2. But with economic slowdown now underway, economists like OCBC Bank's Selena Ling expect the labour market to "soften this quarter and next year". Pointing to recent official business expectations surveys, she notes that employers have already turned cautious about hiring. This article was first published in The Business Times.

Any bros saw the TV footage of him talking about this? Could not really hear him and you have to raise the TV volume. And his manner was very stiff... But for an almost 90 old man really From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1203376/1/.html S'pore chooses new leaders very carefully: Lee Kuan Yew By Michiyo Ishida | Posted: 24 May 2012 2219 hrs

Avail in a 3 cyliner 12 Valve 1 litre engine. Go for the manual. The auto is underpowered. Details in the Nov issue of 'Motoring'. http://www.perodua.com.my/our_cars.php?sub...car_model=kasih

I think there are some good food at cheap prices around the island. Problem is that these are few and far apart. Hardly what I would call easily accessible. Most of them are overpriced crap that they sell in aircon places. ----- Jun 10, 2011 Case poll finds 'cheap, good' food in S'pore By Jessica Lim Despite complaints that prices of food have gone up, people can still get a decent meal for $2.50. -- PHOTO: THE CHICKEN RICE SHOP DESPITE complaints that prices of food have gone up, people can still get a decent meal for $2.50. A survey released by the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) on Thursday found that 331, or 54 per cent of the 611 non-air-conditioned food stalls it checked sold dishes for $2.50 or less. The remaining number of stalls priced them between $2.60 and $6. The consumer watchdog ran the survey in April. It was carried out with the help of 10 mystery shoppers - a mix of volunteers and its officers - on randomly selected stalls. Portion sizes and the quality of food were not taken into account. The check focused on the prices of single portions of five common dishes here: plain roti prata, chicken nasi beriani, chicken rice, fishball noodles, and a plate of rice with two portions of vegetables and one of meat. Read the full report in Friday's edition of The Straits Times.

just like table tennis and swimming

The full article is Here For those who TLDR, he is saying as the thread title implies. For the more tiko minded, this is the same guy who posted xxx pics and videos of his GF on his blog. News report Here

Based on Polis stats. They classify major crimes as robbery, break-in, snatch theft, car theft and outrage of modesty. While this place may not have the highest for each category, it is the only area to have double digits in all 5 categories. No googling please

It's finally here in the flesh! Test drove it and it's . Nippy drive powered by a 2.0L direct-injection turbo producing 340Nm @ 1750rpm. 3 models avail Pure, Dynamic & Prestige and prices start at $225k. Was told 50-60 units oredi sold liao and the Evogue still not officially launched till Oct. Very tempting indeed.

uh oh.... i/r going up anytime soon? High debt-GDP ratio could hurt in face of global slowdown Bylivia yap THE rapid rise in household debt here, coming amid the uncertainty of global financial markets, has been red-flagged. Kelvin Tay, the regional chief investment officer for the Southern Asia-Pacific for UBS Wealth Management, said the high household debt levels, coupled with high property prices, could make Singapore vulnerable to a rise in unemployment, a reduction in incomes and asset deflation if a slowdown in global economic markets happens. Singapore's household debt - total consumer loans of Domestic Banking Units - stood at 279 per cent of the total gross domestic product in the first quarter of this year, up from 177 per cent in the corresponding quarter in 2007. The 279 per cent figure is even higher than the 198 per cent recorded in the first quarter of 2009, after the 2008 financial crisis. Mr Tay said 80 per cent of household debt here is made up of mortgages, which, coupled with the climb in property prices since 2009, explains why household debt as a percentage of GDP shot up so sharply from 2007. He said: "With (household debt) at such significant levels, it will be difficult for the government or policy makers to stimulate demand to offset the sluggish exports we are currently experiencing." This has been worsened by panic selling of risk assets, such as US high yield and Asian local currency bonds, since the US Federal Reserve's indication last week that it might start tapering its bond-buying programme later this year. Mr Tay said a rise in US treasury yields usually leads to a rise in Singapore government bond yields. As the USD is a major component in the basket of currencies used to manage the SGD, interest rates here usually follow the trends of USD interest rates. "Given the sharp rise in credit growth over the last few years, I would not be surprised if an increase in interest rates is followed by deterioration in the loans portfolio of banks and other financial institutions; this would in turn lead to a tightening of credit supply and a higher cost of financing for credit in general." He still believes the Asian market will continue growing, despite the impending halt of liquidity from the Fed. He rejects the notion that this could lead to a repeat of the Asian financial crisis "because the circumstances of both the global economy and, more importantly, the Asian economies, are now very different from 1994". Mr Tay said the Asian economies, excluding Japan, have strong fundamentals, with total foreign exchange reserves comprising more than half the world's GDP (52 per cent), much higher than in 1994 (23.6 per cent). Corporate balance sheets are similarly healthy, and although the net debt-to-equity ratio increased to 26.1 per cent from 18.3 per cent after the Lehman Brothers' crisis in 2008, this is still well below the 41.8 per cent in 1994, when the Fed began to raise interest rates. Despite a relatively sharp rise in debt over the past few years, the gross debt-to-GDP ratio for Asian economies excluding Japan averaged 46.4 per cent, with GDP growth for this year and the next likely to average 6.3 per cent. This is well above the 3 per cent growth rate for the world. Mr Tay said: "In short, the Asian story not only remains intact, but is also more attractively valued than before. "Compared to the years just before the Asian financial crisis, Asia excluding Japan has significantly more FX reserves, lower net debt-to-equity levels and sovereign debt levels and healthy growth rates."

This one very obvious........... 150Rm ok? No lar....Ok, 50RM I help you. This driver forgot to bring his driving license along with him and was told he had over the speed limit!!!

S'pore street food trumps HK's: Blogger By Li Xueying The Straits Times Tuesday, Nov 05, 2013 Here's a pretty startling proposition for food lovers in two cities that pride themselves on their culinary delights: Singapore has better street food than Hong Kong. That's according to Mr K.C. Koo, one of Hong Kong's most prolific food bloggers and a critic, writer and food lover. "While Hong Kong's street food tradition has all but disappeared, Singapore has done a better job of preserving its hawker food," he argues. The 45-year-old, a regular newspaper columnist whose Facebook page has nearly 22,000 fans, drew that conclusion after writing a guide to Singapore's hawker food aimed at Hong Kong readers. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) flew him to Singapore, where over three trips totalling 10 days, he ate his way through 85 stalls across the island - including wrestling with 10 pepper crabs at five different places. In the end, 58 stalls made it into his book, written in Chinese and launched last Tuesday. It showcases an eclectic collection that goes beyond big names to include places like Chye Kee Chwee Kueh in MacPherson, Satay Sejati at Haig Road and Fu Ming carrot cake in Redhill. STB hopes it will entice younger Hong Kongers, especially professionals, to visit Singapore and go off the beaten track for culinary discoveries. Singapore has traditionally been more attractive to Hong Kong families. Last year, it received 470,000 Hong Kong visitors, the 10th largest group. Said STB's regional director (Greater China), Mr Edward Chew: "Food is a big motivator for Hong Kongers to travel - they spend 50 per cent more of their budget on food compared with other travellers." Mr Koo, a former finance professional who began reviewing food 11 years ago, said he tailored his guide to suit Hong Kongers' taste buds. For instance, while Singaporeans place a premium on the sambal in nasi lemak or the chilli sauce accompanying chicken rice, these condiments matter less to Hong Kongers, he said. So his listings for nasi lemak include more Chinese stalls offering a wider array of side dishes. He said that since his first visit to Singapore in 1999, he has found that the quality of hawker food has been consistent. Take a bowl of prawn noodles, for example. "When you return to the stall, the ingredients, the way they are put together, are the same," he said. He even thinks the seafood in Singapore tastes fresher than that in Hong Kong, where a well done steamed fish is prized in Cantonese cuisine. "Whether it's crabs or curry fish head or fish slices, the seafood in Singapore is fresher - it's obvious from the taste and texture," he said. He thinks it may be because Singapore gets its seafood from nearby waters whereas Hong Kong imports from around the world. Asked what was his favourite from everything he sampled, he said it was the pepper crab at JB Ah Meng in Geylang. "It's gorgeous," he said. But is he saying all these nice things about Singapore food because he was sponsored by Singapore's tourism board? He said: "I'm a food critic. It is important to preserve the integrity of our name." He did note some areas where Singapore has slipped. He detected the use of frozen meat in chicken rice, and felt that took away some of the flavour. It is a problem in Hong Kong too, he said. - See more at: http://www.soshiok.com/content/spore-street-food-trumps-hks-blogger#sthash.rBJ4fkTX.dpuf

You hardly get this type of news coverage in our papers... Last week, we published the first part of Reverend Miak Siew

some time reading what the MY minister say can really make you tear

Will this stop you from entering JB for their petrol/food/groceries? Definitely will give a 2nd thot on getting a property in Nusajaya... http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/story...ars-entering-jb ******************************************************************************** **** Nusajaya | The Star/Asia News Network | Wednesday, Aug 21, 2013 JOHOR - Johor should consider imposing a levy on Singapore-registered vehicles entering the state, because the move would generate additional revenue, a Johor politician has suggested. Semarang assemblyman Samsol Bari Jamil of Barisan Nasional said that more than 200,000 cars from Singapore enter Johor Baru daily via the Causeway and Second Link crossing. He proposed that the state government impose a RM7 (S$2.70) levy on each Singapore-registered car, adding that the amount was affordable to Singaporeans. "(Singaporeans) will continue coming to Johor, even if the state government starts imposing the levy on them," he said. He said it was a well- known fact that Singapore and Johor have a close relationship, with many Singaporeans having relatives and family members in the Malaysian state. Datuk Samsol Bari also urged the state government to bring equal amounts of development to other parts of Johor, and not focus only on certain districts. "Johoreans in the other parts perceive that they have been sidelined by the state government in (terms of) development," he said. All foreign-registered vehicles entering Singapore, including Malaysian cars and motorcycles, have to pay a fee during certain hours on weekdays. In addition, toll charges apply for both Singapore and foreign cars at the Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints. - See more at: http://ride.asiaone.com/news/general/story...h.FpU5EplH.dpuf

anyone invested in this? evergreen business Vibease raises $20,000 in 24 hours for 'world's first smart vibrator' Tiny wonder: Vibease is a Bluetooth-enabled device that communicates with a smartphone app for hands-free or even remotely controlled use. It is compatible with both Apple iPhones and Android smartphones. - PHOTO: VIBEASE A SINGAPORE-BASED sex toy start- up raised $20,000 in crowdfunding within 24 hours of its launch early last Tuesday morning. Vibease, co-founded by Singapore residents Dema Tio and Steven Kik, originally set a funding goal of $15,000 on popular crowdfunding website Indiegogo. By yesterday evening, however, the duo had garnered almost $52,000, with 22 days left before the funding campaign closes. Billed as "the world's first smart vibrator", Vibease is a Bluetooth-enabled device that communicates with a smartphone app for hands-free or even remotely controlled use. It is compatible with both Apple iPhones and Android smartphones. The device is the brainchild of Mr Tio, who was a software engineer with a Boston-based firm until he quit his job two years ago to work full- time on Vibease. While on an overseas posting, he said, he felt concerned about his wife's unfulfilled sexual needs, joking: "I didn't want my wife to become a 'desperate housewife'." He then realised that many couples were in a similar predicament. The electronics enthusiast then roped in Mr Kik, an ex-colleague with a background in software development. The Vibease prototype was rolled out last year, funded by angel investors based in Singapore. However, initial feedback on the prototype showed that users were unimpressed by its unwieldy size, forcing Mr Tio and Mr Kik back to the drawing board. They cut the size of the vibrator by half, to its current length of 3.1 inches (7.9cm), and replaced the ABS plastic material with silicone, which is more durable and easier to clean. Mr Tio said in a phone interview with BT that they had hoped for the Indiegogo campaign to cover the cost of an injection mould to manufacture the new Vibease design, but the unexpectedly positive response they have received so far is spurring them to aim for "enough for us to get the tooling and the production" as well. This is especially urgent because that will give them a large enough stock to start talks with potential distributors. Still, for those in Singapore eager to get their hands on Vibease, a bit of bad news may be a buzzkill: while the team is heartened by local support, Vibease will principally target US consumers, starting with cities like San Francisco - home to famous sex shops such as Good Vibrations, which has expressed interest in the product since the Indiegogo launch. "We feel this project is more suited to the US market, compared to Asia," said Mr Tio, because word-of-mouth marketing is harder to come by in places that are more reticent about sexual matters. This is why he and Mr Kik are reluctant to launch Vibease in their native Indonesia and Malaysia too. Explaining why his company chose Indiegogo to fund the product launch, Mr Tio said that plans to seek traditional private investors and government grants were also hampered by a perception of Vibease as a "hardcore porn product". "We try to market it as a mainstream product, but we understand there is also a sexy element," he said. "Considering Singapore's conservative culture, this is tricky." But he added that the online buzz which Vibease has generated has managed to catch the interest of some local investors as well. Vibease is not the first locally- based start-up to have made waves in the online crowdfunding scene. Earlier this year, Pirate3D used Kickstarter to earn US$1.44 million to manufacture 3D printers for the home market.

JOHOR BARU - Malaysian police are after Singapore-registered vehicles which have not settled their fines for unpaid traffic summonses. Johor Baru (South) traffic chief Deputy Supt Ooi Kok Seong said about four million summonses were issued to foreign vehicles, especially Singapore cars, since 2005. "Police are conducting an operation dubbed Ops Warta Singapura against owners of vehicles who have not paid the fines. http://motoring.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/...602-350069.html

Yes continue in main thread

http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/news/singapore-...-093644847.html Singapore new football coach...What you think? Can Singapore be Asin new football champs and World Cup champs?

Power! Singapore's skyline is set to welcome its tallest building in 2016 at a site above Tanjong Pagar MRT station. SINGAPORE: Singapore's skyline is set to welcome its tallest building in 2016 at a site above Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Developer GuocoLand said the 67-storey office-cum-residential tower will form part of the upcoming integrated development called the Tanjong Pagar Centre. At 290 metres high, the building will soar above Republic Plaza, One Raffles Place and UOB Plaza One, which are 280 metres tall each. The Tanjong Pagar Centre will feature TP180 - Singapore's tallest condominium that starts from 180 metres or 50 residential storeys above ground. GuocoLand said this unique feature should appeal to international investors. Group managing director of GuocoLand, Trina Loh said: "We are looking at the investment market, the international market. The product is very important. The product has to be unique in Tanjong Pagar. "I mean the way we have gone about it, is really - the residential block is above the office. In fact, there are no buildings - residential buildings where it starts 180 metres above ground. "We are very confident our product and the residential component starting at above 180 metres which is really above 50 storeys for residential should command a premium price compared to the area." Currently, a private condominium in the area is going for about S$2,000 per square foot. GuocoLand is looking to put up TP180 for sale in the second half of the year depending on market conditions. TP180 will have some 200 residential units of 1 to 4-bedroom apartments, and 38-storey Grade A Offices - making up 60 per cent of space in the mixed development. GuocoLand said it has yet to confirm an anchor tenant. Research head at Chesterton Suntec, Colin Tan said: "Most of the demand comes from the financial institutions. And I think at the moment, we may not see the light at the end of the tunnel yet. Demand is very uncertain, and because of that, rents may steadily come down." Besides residences and office space, Tanjong Pagar Centre spanning 1.7 million square of floor space will also feature six levels of retail and F&B space linked to the underground Tanjong Pagar MRT station. A luxury business hotel will also be built next to the main tower housing the residences and office space. - CNA/ck

From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singap...hea/642440.html US warship arrives in S'pore for Southeast Asian deployment POSTED: 18 Apr 2013 3:06 PM UPDATED: 18 Apr 2013 10:35 PM TREND USS Freedom, the first of up to four American warships Singapore will host, docked at Changi Naval Base on Thursday 18 April, 2013. (photo by Dylan Loh, Channel NewsAsia) SINGAPORE: A US warship designed to fight in coastal areas arrived Thursday in Singapore for its Southeast Asian deployment, underlining President Barack Obama's new strategic focus on Asia. The deployment of the USS Freedom comes at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula and as China publicly flexes its naval muscle in the South China Sea, where it has competing territorial claims with some Southeast Asian states. US Navy officials said the Freedom, a new class of vessel called the littoral combat ship (LCS), sailed into Changi Naval Base at around 11:00 am (0300 GMT) in Singapore, a long-standing US ally that assists in logistics and exercises for forces in Southeast Asia. The ship, the US Navy's first LCS which is designed to fight close to the shore, will be deployed for the next eight months in the region, where it will participate in naval exercises and visit other ports. Regional security expert Ian Storey said the Freedom's deployment signals Washington's commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation in the region, which hosts some of the world's busiest shipping lanes. "The forward deployment of these ships is part the US pivot, rebalancing away from Iraq and Afghanistan and towards Asia," said Storey, a senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. "It demonstrates to US allies and friends that it is committed to maintaining a strong presence in the region to ensure stability. In naval terms, it also underpins the US' commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation," he told AFP. US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta announced last year that Washington will shift the bulk of its naval fleet to the Pacific by 2020 as part of a new strategic focus on Asia, where China is an emerging power. China is embroiled in a maritime dispute with four Southeast Asian countries -- Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam -- over territorial claims in the South China Sea. Beijing claims nearly the entire sea, including areas much nearer to the other claimants. Manila and Hanoi have been the most vocal in criticising China over alleged heavy-handedness in enforcing its claims. While not a claimant, Washington has said it has an interest in the area to ensure freedom of navigation. "We plan on spending most of our time here in Southeast Asia. This will be Freedom's neighbourhood for the next eight months," said US Navy Commander Timothy Wilke, the ship's commanding officer. "We are eager to get out and about, work with other regional navies and share best practices during exercises, port visits and maritime security operations." Singapore has agreed to the rotational deployment of up to four LCS. This means the vessels will not be permanently based in the country and crews will live aboard during ship visits. Euan Graham, a maritime security expert at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said Beijing "is obviously cautious about any enhancement of the US military presence around the South China Sea". But he added that China also understands that Freedom's presence is "not a major step-change in the naval balance in the region". China however would be keen to learn about the performance of the ship, a versatile vessel that can be used for surface warfare as well as to hunt for mines and submarines and is suitable to maritime regions like Southeast Asia, Graham said. He said the timing of Freedom's deployment also counters perceptions that US budget cuts would "undermine the sustainability of the US forward presence" in Asia. USS Freedom is the first of up to four American warships Singapore will host. US Ambassador to Singapore David Adelman said the second is expected within 20 months. While analysts point to USS Freedom's tour of duty in Southeast Asia as proof of more American muscle in a region prone to territorial conflicts, Adelman called it a "new chapter" in an "increasingly important part of the world". It's also another chapter capturing close ties between the US and Singapore. "Here in Singapore, the United States continues to have the assets to do what we've always done, which is partner with our friends and important allies here. And I think the USS Freedom is 'Exhibit A' to our continuing commitment to security here in Southeast Asia," said Adelman. - AFP/CNA/xq/ir