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East Coast Plan unveiled
- Thread starter A Singaporean
- Start date
Heng Swee Keat
Yesterday at 05:00 ·Congratulations to the graduands of the 121/20 Officer Cadet Course! Since the start of the pandemic, our uniform personnel have continued to train, with strict safe management measures in place, including several batches of enlistees. As our officer cadets put on their newly minted rank, their journey to serve the nation in a greater capacity has only just begun. They will take on heavier responsibilities, at a time of great global uncertainty and flux.
COVID-19 crisis has shown that it is not just armed conflicts that can cause huge disruptions to lives and livelihoods. A tiny virus can wreak havoc around the world. We must be prepared.
The men and women of SAF have been a great pillar of support in a time of crisis — joining our frontline workers and Home Team in the fight against COVID while continuing to keep us secure. A big thank you to all of you for your commitment, contributions and sacrifice!
#SGUnited
#HormatSAF
His wife and minions were there to help him, this is very inspiring.
Heng Swee Keat
20 hrs·I joined several families in Bedok for a virtual father-and-child cupcake decoration workshop. It was adorable to see fathers and children having fun together (and, actually, quite a few mothers helping them too!). The instructor, Jenny, did a great job of sharing some decoration techniques, and the children were eager to ask questions and show off their creations. I thought one of the best questions from the children was "Can we eat it now?". The cupcakes should be all eaten up by now, but the memories remain.
Tomorrow, we will go into Phase 3 (Heightened Alert). I hope everyone will stay vigilant and support one another, and let us all enjoy a safe and happy Father's Day together next weekend.
Heng Swee Keat
16 hrs·Today is Dragon Boat Festival (端午节, Duanwu Festival).
The festival’s most popular elements are dragon boat racing and eating zongzi (粽子) — glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. Due to the pandemic, we will miss seeing the intense and action-packed dragon boat races this year, but we can still enjoy eating delicious zongzi at home with family. I’m looking forward to having my favourite bak chang! How about you?
There must be many varieties and home delivery options available. But do also support our hawkers who are not online, some of whom have been preparing this treat for many years!
(MCI Photo by Ngau Kai Yan)
Is he mocking Keechiu for saying that cotton come from sheep? 
from HSK facebook:
I recall the birth of Dolly the Sheep back in 1996 — the first mammal to be cloned, it heralded a new era in genetics. Science was pushing new frontiers, but it also resulted in new moral and ethical dilemmas.
Our Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC) was formed 20 years ago, at a time when we were giving our nascent biomedical sciences sector a big push. The BAC was instrumental in setting out the ethical boundaries for human biomedical research over the years. As it marks its 20th anniversary, I thank past and present members for bringing BAC so far in this journey.
We can expect the field of biomedical sciences to be even more exciting in the future, as our knowledge of life advances and as we focus our research efforts to improve health and human potential. BAC will have to confront a wider range of issues, as we realise the full benefit of science for the benefit of humankind.
Congratulations BAC, on your anniversary!
from HSK facebook:
Heng Swee Keat
3 hrs·I recall the birth of Dolly the Sheep back in 1996 — the first mammal to be cloned, it heralded a new era in genetics. Science was pushing new frontiers, but it also resulted in new moral and ethical dilemmas.
Our Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC) was formed 20 years ago, at a time when we were giving our nascent biomedical sciences sector a big push. The BAC was instrumental in setting out the ethical boundaries for human biomedical research over the years. As it marks its 20th anniversary, I thank past and present members for bringing BAC so far in this journey.
We can expect the field of biomedical sciences to be even more exciting in the future, as our knowledge of life advances and as we focus our research efforts to improve health and human potential. BAC will have to confront a wider range of issues, as we realise the full benefit of science for the benefit of humankind.
Congratulations BAC, on your anniversary!
from HSK facebook:
The Multi-Ministry Taskforce announced today that dining-in for up to 2 will be allowed from next Monday. We are taking a calibrated approach to reopening due to the persistence of undetected community cases. Barring another big cluster, we will work towards increasing group sizes of up to 5 by mid-July.
This is a careful balance. If we ease our restrictions too early, vulnerable groups such as our seniors, especially those who have yet to be vaccinated, will be exposed to greater risk. If we maintain our restrictions for too long, businesses and workers will be severely hit.
At the same time, we will continue to vaccinate our residents and ramp up testing and ringfencing of cases.
I hope each of you can do your part — do go for vaccination when it is offered to you, remain vigilant, and adhere to safe management measures.
By working together, we can all emerge stronger from this crisis!
Heng Swee Keat
12 hrs·The Multi-Ministry Taskforce announced today that dining-in for up to 2 will be allowed from next Monday. We are taking a calibrated approach to reopening due to the persistence of undetected community cases. Barring another big cluster, we will work towards increasing group sizes of up to 5 by mid-July.
This is a careful balance. If we ease our restrictions too early, vulnerable groups such as our seniors, especially those who have yet to be vaccinated, will be exposed to greater risk. If we maintain our restrictions for too long, businesses and workers will be severely hit.
At the same time, we will continue to vaccinate our residents and ramp up testing and ringfencing of cases.
I hope each of you can do your part — do go for vaccination when it is offered to you, remain vigilant, and adhere to safe management measures.
By working together, we can all emerge stronger from this crisis!
from straitstimes.com:
SINGAPORE - As Singapore pushes the frontiers of science and technology, it has to ensure that biomedical advances benefit its people and are in line with the country's ethical stance, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Thursday (June 17).
Mr Heng was speaking at a virtual public conference to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bioethics Advisory Committee here.
The committee, which was set up in December 2000, addresses the ethical, legal and social issues arising from biomedical science research in Singapore, and makes recommendations to the Government.
In his speech, Mr Heng noted how the country's research investments were visible when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, with Singapore mobilising its capabilities in the fight, including the development of diagnostic tests such as the Fortitude 2.0 polymerase chain reaction test kit. The kit is now used by more than 45 countries.
There are also the Breathonix and TracieX breath analysers, which are designed to detect the presence of Covid-19 within minutes.
He added that the biomedical sector continues to attract new investments during the pandemic, such as a manufacturing facility by BioNTech, one of the two companies behind the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Sanofi Pasteur has also set up a vaccine production centre to simultaneously manufacture multiple types of vaccines in Singapore.
Mr Heng also noted that rapid developments in human health and potential will open up new ethical frontiers.
"One scenario is that the use of artificial intelligence in biotechnology may one day enable scientists to influence human thought, emotion and behaviour. We must therefore proactively address such concerns at the outset," he said.
Singapore is already taking care to ensure that data confidentiality, privacy and security are maintained as it pushes the boundaries of innovation.
For example, the 15-member Bioethics Advisory Committee, which includes experts from the fields of law, medicine, religion and the media, is studying the need for additional safeguards when it comes to using digital solutions in biomedical sciences.
But there is also the need to consider how to better protect patient privacy, obtain informed consent and address third-party access and system governance, Mr Heng added.
He said Singapore recognises the importance of taking a more human-centric approach to research and innovation.
This is evidenced by its Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 plan, which sees the biomedical sciences domain here focusing on human health and potential, he added.
"This reflects our emphasis on using science in a way that will improve lives, and bring out the best in each and everyone of us," said Mr Heng.
One key priority under this domain is to understand how humans learn, function and perform at different stages of life, so that everyone can grow to their full potential.
A second priority, said Mr Heng, is to better harness data safely and securely to support healthcare and digital health innovation.
For instance, by expanding the National Precision Medicine research programme and developing its data infrastructure and capabilities, Singapore aims to use data to predict the risk of diseases upstream, better diagnose medical conditions, and develop targeted treatments with reduced clinical complications and costs.
Mr Heng said Singapore has made much progress in its biomedical sector in the past 20 years. But he added that as this sector of science advances, bioethics has become even more important - and the committee will have to confront a wider range of issues in the future.
He added: "With your continued commitment to maintain high ethical standards, I am confident that Singapore will not only be a thriving global node for biomedical sciences, we will be one that realises the full benefit of science and technology for the benefit of humankind."
S'pore has to ensure biomedical advances benefit its people, are in line with its ethical stance: DPM Heng
SINGAPORE - As Singapore pushes the frontiers of science and technology, it has to ensure that biomedical advances benefit its people and are in line with the country's ethical stance, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said on Thursday (June 17).
Mr Heng was speaking at a virtual public conference to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bioethics Advisory Committee here.
The committee, which was set up in December 2000, addresses the ethical, legal and social issues arising from biomedical science research in Singapore, and makes recommendations to the Government.
In his speech, Mr Heng noted how the country's research investments were visible when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, with Singapore mobilising its capabilities in the fight, including the development of diagnostic tests such as the Fortitude 2.0 polymerase chain reaction test kit. The kit is now used by more than 45 countries.
There are also the Breathonix and TracieX breath analysers, which are designed to detect the presence of Covid-19 within minutes.
He added that the biomedical sector continues to attract new investments during the pandemic, such as a manufacturing facility by BioNTech, one of the two companies behind the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
Sanofi Pasteur has also set up a vaccine production centre to simultaneously manufacture multiple types of vaccines in Singapore.
Mr Heng also noted that rapid developments in human health and potential will open up new ethical frontiers.
"One scenario is that the use of artificial intelligence in biotechnology may one day enable scientists to influence human thought, emotion and behaviour. We must therefore proactively address such concerns at the outset," he said.
Singapore is already taking care to ensure that data confidentiality, privacy and security are maintained as it pushes the boundaries of innovation.
For example, the 15-member Bioethics Advisory Committee, which includes experts from the fields of law, medicine, religion and the media, is studying the need for additional safeguards when it comes to using digital solutions in biomedical sciences.
But there is also the need to consider how to better protect patient privacy, obtain informed consent and address third-party access and system governance, Mr Heng added.
He said Singapore recognises the importance of taking a more human-centric approach to research and innovation.
This is evidenced by its Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 plan, which sees the biomedical sciences domain here focusing on human health and potential, he added.
"This reflects our emphasis on using science in a way that will improve lives, and bring out the best in each and everyone of us," said Mr Heng.
One key priority under this domain is to understand how humans learn, function and perform at different stages of life, so that everyone can grow to their full potential.
A second priority, said Mr Heng, is to better harness data safely and securely to support healthcare and digital health innovation.
For instance, by expanding the National Precision Medicine research programme and developing its data infrastructure and capabilities, Singapore aims to use data to predict the risk of diseases upstream, better diagnose medical conditions, and develop targeted treatments with reduced clinical complications and costs.
Mr Heng said Singapore has made much progress in its biomedical sector in the past 20 years. But he added that as this sector of science advances, bioethics has become even more important - and the committee will have to confront a wider range of issues in the future.
He added: "With your continued commitment to maintain high ethical standards, I am confident that Singapore will not only be a thriving global node for biomedical sciences, we will be one that realises the full benefit of science and technology for the benefit of humankind."
Happy Father's day to HSK.
Happy Father’s Day to all dads and dads-to-be!
This is the second Father’s Day that we are celebrating in the midst of the pandemic. COVID-19 might have disrupted our lives, but it has also brought families closer together. I have been able to spend more time at home — working, exercising and enjoying quality time with my grown-up children, especially during meal times.
Similar to last year, I spent Father’s Day at home with my wife and children — we got together for a nice dinner.
I hope everyone gets to spend meaningful time with your families this weekend, be it outdoors or even when staying at home!
Heng Swee Keat
Yesterday at 04:00·Happy Father’s Day to all dads and dads-to-be!
This is the second Father’s Day that we are celebrating in the midst of the pandemic. COVID-19 might have disrupted our lives, but it has also brought families closer together. I have been able to spend more time at home — working, exercising and enjoying quality time with my grown-up children, especially during meal times.
Similar to last year, I spent Father’s Day at home with my wife and children — we got together for a nice dinner.
I hope everyone gets to spend meaningful time with your families this weekend, be it outdoors or even when staying at home!
