Year 2005

Singapore Purchase 12 New F-15SG

Tuesday, 6th December 2005

MINDEF announced that the Boeing F-15SG Strike Eagle had won the contract over the Rafale. The RSAF embarked on its Next Generation Fighter (NGF) programme to replace the aging A-4SU Super Skyhawks. The original list of competitors was shortlisted to the final two - Dassault Rafale and the F-15SG Strike Eagle.


Australian Drug Mule Hang In Changi Prison

Friday, 2nd December 2005

Caleb Van Tuong Nguyen, a 25-year old Australian national, was executed in Changi Prison at 6:07 am and was officially reported as dead at 7:17 am. Drug trafficking carries a mandatory death sentence under Singapore's Misuse of Drugs Act, and despite pleas for clemency from the Australian government (Prime Minister John Howard and former prime minister Bob Hawke), Amnesty International, the Holy See (Pope Benedict XVI, his predecessor Pope John Paul II), as well as other individuals and groups before his execution. On 12 December 2002, after he was caught in Changi Airport while on transit in Singapore between Ho Chi Minh City and Melbourne, Mr. Nguyen confessed to have in his possession 396 grams of heroin, more than 26 times the amount of heroin that mandates a death sentence under the Misuse of Drugs Act (Illegal traffic, import or export of Heroin of more than 15 grams). The Singaporean High Court sentenced Nguyen to death for this crime on 20 March 2004.


ST Aerospace Provides Helicopter Fleet To RSAF

Thursday, 24th November 2005

ST Aerospace (Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd) provides a fleet of five Eurocopter EC 120 Colibri helicopters (AKA Hummingbird) together with full technical and logistics support for RSAF’s Rotary Wing Course (RWC).


Nathan As Second Term President

Thursday, 1st September 2005

Sellapan Ramanathan Nathan aka SR Nathan was sworn in for a second term of office. He and 3 other people ("Tom, Dick & Harry") had submitted their application for this S$2.5 Million a year job in the Istana. A straw poll showed that nearly 80 per cent of Singaporeans hoped for a contest. But on August 13, 2005, the Committee announced that the other three applicants had been rejected as ineligible. Nathan returned unopposed on nomination day, 17 August 2005.


Zheng He Exhibition

Saturday, 13th August 2005

The Zheng He & Maritime Asia Exhibition, held at the National Library (Level 10) Victoria Street, ran for 6 months from 13 August 2005 to 10 February 2006. The Exhibition enhanced public's interest in learning about Zheng He and his influence on the maritime history of Southeast Asia. The exhibition showcased the various ports-of-call and highlight the cultural, social and political influences, which have, to some extent, contributed to Singapore's multi-cultural identity and entrepot status. This also marks 600th anniversary of Zheng He's voyages. Zheng He commanded seven great expeditions to more than 30 countries between 1405 and 1433.


New National Library Opened

Friday, 22nd July 2005

The National Library in Singapore was officially opened. It is located on an 11,304-square metre site between Bugis Junction and the Bras Basah Complex. The new building replaces the old National Library at Stamford Road, which closed on 31 March 2004. National Reference Library at Victoria Street was named Lee Kong Chian Library in honor of the late Mr. Lee Kong Chian. His donation kick started the first National Library project.


Senior Minister Goh Made Press Statement

Saturday, 16th July 2005

Senior Minister Goh Chiok Tong said that his wife (Mrs Goh, Patron of NKF) regretted the  "for a person who runs a big million-dollar charitable organisation, with a few hundred million in reserves, S$600,000 a year is peanuts" statement. He also said to have explained and shown her several e-mails and letters he had received after the remark was made. Mrs Goh has also resigned as patron of the NKF.


NKF board resigned en masse

Thursday, 14th July 2005

NKF board resigned en masse which includes NKF CEO TT Durai,  NKF Chairman Richard Yong, NKF Director Mathilda Chua and NKF  Treasurer Loo Say San. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan appointed Gerard Ee as interim chairman and CEO.


NKF v. SPH Case Dropped

Tuesday, 12th July 2005

The case was dropped by Durai on 5 PM on the second day of the trial.  This action triggered the The National Kidney Foundation Singapore scandal, also known as the NKF saga, NKF scandal, or NKF controversy, was a July 2005 scandal involving National Kidney Foundation Singapore (NKF) following the collapse of a defamation trial which it brought against Susan Long and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH).


NKF V. SPH Case

Monday, 11th July 2005

The trial began with Susan Long and SPH represented by Senior Counsel and MP Davinder Singh, while NKF and Durai were represented by Senior Counsel Michael Khoo. Under cross-examination, it was revealed that Durai collected a monthly salary of $25,000 and collected a 10-month bonus in 2002 and a 12-month bonus in both 2003 and 2004, for a total of $1.8 million over three years. He had access to a fleet of eight chauffeured cars and the NKF paid the taxes and maintenance costs of his personal Mercedes-Benz.


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