Close Watch: A Nation's Resolve to Secure Singapore
Ben Nadarajan
Singapore: Straits Times Press, 2012
ISBN: 9789814342193

Close Watch documents Singapore’s efforts in countering the threat of terrorism since the country was stunned by the arrests of several Jemaah Islamiyah members here following the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States. This book details what goes on behind the scenes as the authorities endeavour to keep the country safe from terrorist attacks. The whole-of-government approach to the threat is augmented by contributions from a cross-section of society, from the private sector to religious organisations and members of the public. Together, their collective vigilance is a testimony to the whole-of-nation effort in keeping our home safe.

Marina Bay Sands: A Pictorial Journey
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2012
ISBN: 9789814398053

With the completion and opening of Marina Bay Sands, Singapore's skyline has been transformed. The iconic form of the three towers - supporting the outrageously cantilevered sky park - is the new symbol of Singapore, one to rival the Merlion.

This book presents a never-been-seen before collection of photographs, which capture in stunning detail the architectural highlights of Marina Bay Sands. From the lavish hotel suites to the vast gaming floors, from the world-class collection of artwork to the spectacular array of shopping, fine-dining and convention facilities, and of course, the 340m-long SkyPark, boasting the highest and longest infinity pool in the world - they're all here. A special section documents the huge challenges faced in the construction process, which had to be completed in record time, and the ground-breaking technical innovations that were developed to overcome these obstacles.

Throughout the book, fascinating facts and figure and anecdotes give the reader yet more insights into MBS's hitherto hidden facets.

As a souvenir of this milestone moment in history - Singapore's ascendance to the ranks of the world's great cities - this book is invaluable. Singaporeans and tourists alike will not fail to be enthralled by this first-ever pictorial survey of Marina Bay Sands.

Goh Keng Swee: A Legacy of Public Service
Emrys Chew & Kwa Chong Guan (eds.)
Singapore: World Scientific, 2012
ISBN: 9789814390750

Dr. Goh Keng Swee's extensive career as a public servant was dynamic as well as distinguished, in many ways decisively instrumental in the making of the Republic of Singapore. This distinctive collection of essays attempts an assessment of the long-term influence and significance of Dr. Goh's major contributions.

Envisaged as a companion volume to Goh Keng Swee: A Public Career Remembered, this volume brings together an exceptional team of Singaporean scholars whose interdisciplinary expertise and cross-generational perspectives offer a balanced analysis and nuanced appraisal of Dr. Goh's lifetime of public service. The book's contributors argue that Dr. Goh's past endeavours bequeathed an enduring legacy, meriting fresh examination and careful evaluation in order to appreciate the heroic scale of such achievement.

Particularly instructive are the examples of Dr. Goh's thinking patriotism, fiscal prudence, strategic pragmatism, and creative imagination at work - technocracy at its finest - which could be of immediate, practical benefit to a wider ‘nation of technocrats’. Further illumination comes from the insights of those contributors who had worked with the former Deputy Prime Minister and knew him personally. For a half-century that witnessed key turning points and phases of development in Singapore's transformation from colonial port city to independent global city, Dr. Goh played a leading role in the crafting and conduct of public policy, as with the creation of public institutions, which made the difference between survival and success.

The organization of this volume reflects both a thematic approach and a chronological arrangement of material, the focus and the order of chapters corresponding to the historical sequence of public offices that Dr. Goh held: social welfare; political and constitutional evolution; development economics and finance; the armed forces and defence industry; the education system, from schools through higher education to the research institutes; Chinese studies, from Confucianism to ‘China watching’; and cultural development, with special emphasis on the creation of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Goh Keng Swee: A Legacy of Public Service will be read by present and future generations of public servants, by Singaporeans in general, and by all students and laypersons with an interest in the modern history of Singapore — social, economic, political, military, and cultural — to which a characteristically simple and frugal Dr. Goh contributed both decisively and unreservedly.

Freedom From the Press: Journalism and State Power in Singapore
Cherian George
Singapore: NUS Press, 2012
ISBN: 9789971695941

For several decades, the city-state of Singapore has been an international anomaly, combining an advanced and open economy with restrictions on civil liberties and press freedom. Freedom From the Press analyses the republic's media system, showing how it has been structured - like the rest of the political framework - to provide maximum freedom of manoeuvre for the People's Action Party (PAP) government. Cherian George assesses why the PAP's "freedom from the press" model has lasted longer than many other authoritarian systems. He suggests that one key factor has been the PAP's recognition that market forces could be harnessed as a way to tame journalism. Another counter-intuitive strategy is its self-restraint in the use of force, progressively turning to subtler means of control that are less prone to backfire. The PAP has also remained open to internal reform, even as it tries to insulate itself from political competition. Thus, although increasingly challenged by dissenting views disseminated through the internet, the PAP has so far managed to consolidate its soft-authoritarian, hegemonic form of electoral democracy. Given Singapore's unique place on the world map of press freedom and democracy, this book not only provides a constructive engagement with ongoing debates about the city-state but also makes a significant contribution to the comparative study of journalism and politics.

Great Expatations: Don't Chop My Passport! And Other Stories
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2012
ISBN: 9789814361354

What does it mean when we say, chope the seats with a packet of tissue paper?

Is it bad to be called ang moh kow, ang moh kui or ang moh lang? (HUH?!)

Should you wait for passengers to get off the train, or should you slam yourself forward even before anyone has a chance to disembark?

Great Expatations gives an eye-opening glimpse of these bewildering situations and more. It features contributors of varied nationalities and professions, and peels away the many layers that make up Singapore, the vibrant sunny island that many expats have come to love.

Totally sincere and without hypocrisy, they reveal what they love and dislike about this Little Red Dot they call home. They share with open honesty and lightheartedness that will delight fellow expats who have had similar experiences,and offer Singaporeans a while new perspective of their local way of life. A glossary of Singlish terms is included to help non-Singaporeans who are absolutely clueless about the local lingo used in the book.

Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen: Singapore Recipes From My Mother
Sharon Wee
Singapore: Marshall cavendish, Cuisine, 2012
ISBN: 9789814346368

This is more than a cookbook filled with ingredients and cooking methods. Sharon Wee lovingly remembers and records memories of her mother, family and childhood. In doing so, she tells the story of a Singapore family growing up in the mid-20th Century, seen through the lens of her Peranakan heritage and culture. The recipes themselves are like a historical record of the times, hinting at centuries-old British Colonial influence in the region, mirroring the diverse multi-cultural tableau flourishing in a nascent island republic, and finally recording some of the distinct cultural practices of the Peranakans in Singapore.

Bike Republic: The Essential Guide to Cycling in Singapore
Azhar Yusof
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789814328463

Written in an informative, yet simple-to-digest format, Bike Republic: The Essential Guide to Cycling in Singapore is a practical handbook for amateur cyclists who wish to take the sport to the next level but are not sure where to begin. This handy guide covers the key aspects of riding - from what type of cycling to pick up and how to choose an appropriate bike, to key safety must-knows and useful training tips on getting bike-fit and how to care for your bike.

The Prosecutor
Glenn Knight
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789814302333

Glenn Knight was Singapore’s first Director of Commercial Affairs and Deputy Public Prosecutor until his illustrious career of public service came to an abrupt end. This book covers both the personal and professional landscape of this former top crime buster and high-flier, and details the highly publicised cases he handled including the Adrian Lim murders, and the Pan-El and JB Jeyaretnam cases. It also describes his learning experience working with major legal personalities like Mr TT Rajah, AG Tan Boon Teik, Singapore’s first Chief Justice Wee Chong Jin, Justice FA Chua, Justice Choor Singh and Mr David Marshall.

Return to a Sexy Island: Notes From a New Singapore
Neil Humphreys
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789814382670

Singapore got sexy and Neil Humphreys got jealous. After five years chasing echidnas and platypuses in Australia, Neil returns to Singapore to see if the rumours were true. Like an old girlfriend getting a lusty makeover, the island transformed while he was away - throwing up casinos and theme parks; building bridges, linking forests, encouraging Singaporeans to work, rest and play (preferably at a casino, but not for free); and even giving the political opposition more power than ever before. With Humphreys characteristic wit, Return to a Sexy Island provides an insightful account of new Singapore - its best bits, its ugly bits and, most important of all, what it's really like to pee in the world's best toilet.

Perpetual Spring: Singapore's Gardens by the Bay
Koh Buck Song
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789812618474

Gardens have always been central to Singapore's identity and global positioning. Now, a fresh era has blossomed with Gardens by the Bay. Since the 1960s, this young nation has cultivated its international reputation as a "Garden City", a city-state adorned by gardens as a high priority in urban planning. In the 21st century, a paradigm shift is being carefully nurtured - as Singapore becomes a "City in a Garden", where the whole country is one big garden, and urban development is fully integrated and immersed amidst greenery and floral. The primary icon of this groundbreaking model is Gardens by the Bay. Plants from little corners of the globe and sustainable technology at the cutting-edge are brought together and harnessed. The fruits of these efforts include botanical landmarks such as the Vertical verdure of the Supertrees and two cooled conservatories introducing "perpetual spring" to this equatorial isle. This commemorative volume tells the story of the seeding of Gardens by the Bay, from the germination of the concept to first flowering and harvest with the official opening in 2012.

Why Not?: The Story of Courts
Terry O'Connor
Singapore: Marshall Cavendish, 2012
ISBN: 9789814328722

Why Not? tells the story of Terry O'Connor and how he brought a household name to Singapore. The book gives a fascinating insight into the history of Courts (a general goods store set up in Canterbury, England in 1850), its subsequent expansion into Southeast Asia, and its transformation from a furniture retailer to a purveyor of electronic goods. Along the way, the author relates his personal journey (from trainee buyer in an electronics store in the UK to CEO of Courts Asia) and gives thoughtful insights into doing business in Singapore.