Established in 1999

Planners expect the population of Singapore to reach 5.5 million by 2040 or 2050, taking into account an expected increase in the number of foreigners working here. From just 3 million in 1990, the number has swelled to 3.9 million today, including 700 000 foreigners.

Singapore's water is clean and safe to drink from the tap. There is no need to boil it.

The Editor

Raymond Han

You can e-mail him at editor@getforme.com

The WEATHER TODAY: Partly cloudy. Showers with thunder over many areas in the late morning and afternoon. WATER TIDES High tide 0.31 pm 2.8m - SUN Sunrise 6.59 am Sunset 7.08 pm MOON Moonrise 8.33 pm Moonset 8.06 am PSI: 55 (good) TEMPERATURE: 24-32 degrees Celsius (updated daily at 6am Singapore time)

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^{Mid-Week Banking Column}

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GETTING AN OVERDRAFT FROM THE BANK
An overdraft is basically a "better-class" loan from the bank. Not everyone can get an overdraft. Most have to make do with getting a personal loan. Even though banks specify a minimum income of S$30000 a year in order to be eligible for this facility, professionals stand a better chance of securing an overdraft from the bank.
What makes an overdraft appealing is that you are charged interest ONLY when you use the money offered by the bank. And the moment you return the money, you stop paying interest. It works this way. Let's say the bank lets you use an overdraft facility of, say S$10000. Supposing you withdraw S$5000 today and put back the money into the account three days later. You are charged interest on S$5000 for three days. And thereafter, if you do not touch the money in the overdraft account for, say two weeks, there's no interest payable at all. It's that simple.
Another advantage is that there is no minimum payment amount required on your overdraft (OD). You pay into this account whatever amount and whenever you desire so long as you do not exceed the OD limit.
What's so unappealing is that the interest rate charged is pegged to the bank's Prime Lending Rate. So, if the bank's PLR goes up, the interest rate at which you have to pay moves up proportionally. By the way, banks lend out money to their best customers at 2% above the PLR. Therefore, if you are just an ordinary customer, the interest rate charged on your OD account is usually PLR + 3%. Say, if the PLR of the bank is 6%, the interest rate charged is 6% + 3% = 9%. You can view the current PLRs of all banks in Singapore HERE.
The other disadvantage to having an OD facility is that the bank can cancel the facility anytime, and if that happens, you are required to fund the account in full immediately. So, if you have already withdrawn, say S$7000 from your OD facility of S$10000, you have to find ways and means to bank into this account S$7000 immediately. In a personal loan, you just need to worry about your instalment amount when it comes due. And the interest rate is fixed when you take up the loan.
By all means, get an overdraft facility. Despite the disadvantages, it is handy to have around, for you never know when you are going to run into a rainy day. That's when you realise how great a help it is. But, do keep an eye on that itchy finger of yours.
If you have any comments or questions, please e-mail us at editor@getforme.com .

COMING SOON NEW WEBSITES!
Eastciti.com was launched on 18 Apr 2000. It is a lifestyle website, big on stars, with video, music, TV and movies online.
Moneycast.com.sg has an online stock game in which you can win a grand cash prize of S$10 000. The Game is divided into 6 weekly contests and starts on 17 Apr 2000.
Venomclub.com has been launched. You can now view the action in this nightspot without leaving your computer. Six cameras pan the dance floor and lounge areas from 10.30pm - 3am, Tuesdays to Sundays.
Eyeball.com.sg or the print version, a morning tabloid, Project Eyeball, is a new newspaper set to hit the streets and the cyber-highways in the middle of the year. Coming to you from Singapore Press Holdings (SPH).
GettingHere.com, which offers listings of short-haul tour packages tour operators want to sell off quickly, will be launched on 17 May 2000. Click GettingHere.com for a preview.
New AsiaBuilders.com to provide comprehensive listings and product catalogues for the construction industry. To be launched end Apr 2000. Click AsiaBuilders.com for a preview.

SporesCity The Singaporean website community Set up your company's website here. More...
We are now 462 pages thick and growing.
New! The new Cartier boutique has opened at Ngee Ann City #01-33 & #02-04. Tel: (65) 734 2427.
New! The new Louis Vuitton shop has opened at Ngee Ann City.

GOVERNMENT SNIPPETS
Singapore High Commission in London has launched its website.

NEW: Subscribe to our Weekly Internet Edition mailing list so that we can keep you informed of the latest happenings in Singapore. To subscribe, click SINGAPORE.

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GOVERNMENT MATTERS
Singapore Government Website   Police Ministry Of Education Consular Matters
Setting up a business? Do a free Name Search first to see whether the name you want is available. Click RCB.
BUILDINGS TO BE PULLED DOWN
The 17-storey Cathay Building, which houses Cathay Cinema (opened on 3 Oct 1939), is to make way for a new 15-storey shopping-office-cinema complex. It was completed in 1941.

EscapeArtist.Com The website on overseas living for international job seekers and expatriates.
ExpatSingapore For expatriates planning to relocate to Singapore. Provides excellent information on Singapore.
ContactSingapore Step-by-step guide to applying for a job, getting an employment pass, remuneration structure and corporate culture.
Useful Services Relocating to Singapore?
SINGAPORE ARTS FESTIVAL 2000
1 - 25 June 2000
Featuring dances, music, theatre and the Festival Village.
We will be bringing you its highlights shortly.

TOURISTS
Tourism Board
Tourist Arrival Statistics
We wanted to post a picture of the Singapore Official Guide here for you to take a look but the publisher, Singapore Tourism Board, has refused to give its permission.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Low Lying Areas In Singapore Lists the flood-prone areas in Singapore.
Things you should know Tells you things you need to be aware of.

The top ten fiction and non-fiction titles sold at these bookstores last week

Top Ten KINOKUNIYA Bestsellers

Top Ten BORDERS Bestsellers

Top Ten MPH Bestsellers

Top Ten TIMES Bestsellers

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Today Thursday 20 Apr 2000

In Singapore

Changi International Airport, currently wholly owned by the Singapore Government, may be opened up for international investment, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has said.

Lightning killed an airport employee who was taking shelter under an aircraft yesterday. The accident was the latest in recent rainy weather. Singapore has one of the highest number of days with thunderstorms- 180 a year. Every square kilometre of land here is struck between 12 and 20 times a year and there may be as many as three lightning bolts a minute in an active storm.

An Indonesian maid who was swimming alone in a swimming pool at the Royal Ville condominium in Bukit Timah Road was found drowned on Tuesday afternoon.

Asia

Manila: A Philippines airliner, packed with Easter holiday makers, crashed and burst into flames on its final approach to the resort city of Davao yesterday because the pilot tried to land the Boeing 737-200 jet from the opposite direction.

Around the world

Washington: A 15-year-old Canadian who uses the online moniker Mafiaboy has been arrested in connection with the attacks that blocked access to such popular Web sites as Yahoo!, Amazon.com and eBay for hours in February, ABC News reported on Tuesday.

Courtesy of The Straits Times

News updated by 8.00 am daily.

SINGAPORE SLING

30ml Gin

15ml Cherry Brandy

120ml Pineapple Juice

15ml Lime Juice

7.5ml Cointreau

7.5ml Dom Benedictine

10ml Grenadine

A dash of Angostura Bitters

Garnish with a slice of pineapple & cherry

The Singapore Sling was created by Raffles Hotel bartender Mr Ngiam Tong Boon.