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 Gerald Giam is a Singaporean socio-political blogger and activist. He has served as a foreign service officer with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He is a member of the Workers' Party of Singapore, and was recently elected into the Workers' Party's Central Executive Committee. Singapore version 2.0 is a comprehensive take on the important public issues of the day. Written with heartfelt honesty and candour, Gerald Giam examines and offers refreshing perspectives on the issues that affect Singaporeans. He also relates his personal journey from being a civil servant to a blogger and political party activist.  The past relationship between the US and Asia has been one of domination and almost blind emulation. In this book, Simon Tay highlights the trends that point to Asia increasingly forging its own path, without America. There is a need to re-imagine this vital relationship and to work together towards achieving a shared future between the US, chastened but revitalised after the crisis, and a rising Asia. US must engage with Asia in context and as co-equals. Asians must show greater unity and cooperation, moreover they must show themselves to be relevant and helpful in addressing global issues such as the crisis and climate change.  This substantial and clearly organised account of Singapore's public administration discuss its history and present structure and the general context of its work in government departments and statutory boards. The nature and rationale for government policy on salaries, corruption, recruitment and some of the resolved and unresolved problems of the last 50 years are discussed. Both basic principles likely to be generally applicable and problems and solutions likely to be peculiar to Singapore and the PAP style are highlighted. With tabulated data, glossary, bibliography and indexes.  The Public Service has of course had a pivotal role in Singapore's history and development since 1959. This study, rich with photographs and inset summaries, overviews many of the changes and developments in Singapore's public policy. The focus is on the viewpoints and experiences of the individuals who at high and low levels implemented those policies. The range of experiences is immense. Ruminative short essays, remembered incidents, discussion of failed and abandoned policies and of the process of policy formation are all presented in a very readable format. The aims and goals of dog handler, grass cutter, Army medical officer and Permanent Secretary are all seen as part of the major canvas which underlies 50 years of change.  This account of informal July 2009 conversations between Mr Lee Kuan Yew and US political analyst and writer Tom Plate was intended to - and indeed does - shed light on the person behind the persona of Mr Lee. Many insights are offered into Mr Lee's rationales for past decisions and policies regarding national and international situations. Negative criticisms are also raised and discussed. And some of the conversations are laced with humour and wit.  A former Thai diplomat is the author of this freshly researched study of contemporary Thai foreign policy. The post-Cold War rethinking and initiatives in foreign relations under former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (2001-2006) are described, including contradictions and sidesteps related to personal interests or domestic and international pressures. The final chapter looks at some of the urgent issues which challenge those who direct Thailand's foreign relations today. Bibliography and index.  This major collection of essays on 2010 Singapore would enable a comparison of present with past if compared with the similar 1989 ISEAS volume. The 32 specialist essays address in some depth, and often in trenchant or critical terms, pretty well every area of Singapore life and public policy. Index.  Since its foundation in 1960, the People's Association has been integral in Singapore's life and development. This extensively illustrated volume celebrates the first 50 years of the People's Association's activities and discusses the policies which have underpinned the diverse activities. Many insights are offered into the roles it plays and has played in promoting community bonding at grassroots level, and into the personalities and policy changes which make the PA responsive to the needs of Singapore today as well as 50 years ago.  This is the first study by a Western scholar of a significant facet of the history of World War II - Japanese-trained independence and volunteer armies as agents of revolution and moderation.
At the time, the Japanese did not see that their military imprinting would affect a whole generation of political/military leadership of nations post-World War II Southeast Asia. Leaders like Suharto, Ne Win and Park are all products of Japanese military training.  Singapore and its history has been widely depicted in a Discovery Channel TV series. This lavishly illustrated softback complements and anchors the programme. Unfamiliar archival material and occasionally unexpected observations add interest to the narrative, which goes up to the 2009 opening of the innovative Integrated Resorts. Index.  These nine papers are those given in English at the 2007 international conference on Chinese Migration at Singapore's Chinese Heritage Centre. They explore Chinese migration patterns and expectations in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia with separate papers on the Philippines and Malaysia. A paper on Singapore Tea Merchants highlights comparisons of orientations and loyalties in the pre- and post-WWII periods. Three case studies of Singapore Chinese migrants serve to illustrate aspects of transnationalism. With index and separate bibliographies.  Pilgrimage and Faith: Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam explores pilgrimage as experienced in Buddhist, Christian, and Muslim faith communities. It addresses shared goals of personal development and communal solidarity as deep human needs. Unique in scope, this richly illustrated catalogue addresses religious diversity in a global perspective. Dating from the 12th century to the present day, ninety-five historical objects and mementos of present-day pilgrimages are beautifully presented in their context with a collection of essays by leading international scholars. Fine examples include sculptures in wood and limestone from France and copper and bronze from Tibet, a pilgrimage itinerary book from Japan, stained glass from the Middle Ages, a Renaissance enameled chalice from Italy, a lavish embellished Quran from Iran, and Islamic prayer scrolls in silver amulet casings. By studying objects of supreme artistic skill along with mass-produced objects and personal acquisitions such as stones or soil from the holy place, the scholars shed new light on the continuity of pilgrimage and faith - the past and the present and the motivations and experiences of persons of all social strata.  The 20th century was a fascinating period of profound political, social and economic changes in Indonesia. These changes contributed to the diversification of the religious landscape and as a result, religious authority was redistributed over an increasing number of actors. Although many Muslims in Indonesia continued to regard the ulama, the traditional religious scholars, as the principle source of religious guidance, religious authority has become more diffused and differentiated over time. The present book consists of contributions which all deal with the multi-facetted and multidimensional topic of religious authority and aim to complement each other. Most papers deal with Indonesia, but two dealing with other countries have been included in order to add a comparative dimension. Amongst the topics dealt with are the different and changing roles of the ulama, the rise and role of Muslim organisations, developments within Islamic education, like the madrasa, and the spread of Salafi ideas in contemporary Indonesia.  In 1999, a hidden library was found in the Nesar Temple at a remote village of Bicher, in Dolpo, Nepal. It contains more than six hundred volumes of Tibetan manuscripts, ranging in date from the late 11th to the early 16th century. This library in many ways constitutes a cultural history of Dolpo in this period thanks to some sixty volumes with historical prefaces explaining the commission of the manuscripts for the Nesar Temple, while more than one hundred other volumes have illuminations of the scenes of the life of the Buddha and episodes from the Prajnaparamita (Perfection of Wisdom) texts. These illuminations inform us about the donors, their costumes, their Buddhist rituals while the dedications tell us about the systems of patronage and donation. Some illuminations reflect the ancient manuscripts of Tabo and Tholing, others reflect the sophisticated Newar aesthetic of Kathmandu and all these diverse tendencies reached Dolpo where they were appreciated. By studying these texts within and examining the styles of the manuscript illuminations, Amy Heller was able to shed light on the history of this remote Tibetan enclave, the spread of Buddhism in the Himalayas and its artistic legacy. The manuscripts, sculptures and mural paintings discovered in Dolpo are the concrete expression of the complex economic, political, artistic and religious interactions between the people of Dolpo and their neighbours in India, Nepal, and Tibet.  Over 200 illustrations in full colour complement this fine and comprehensive multi-disciplinary study of the distinctive beadwork done - and still being done - by nonya women of the Straits Settlements. The development and pattern of Peranakan society, the social roles and education of girls and women and the significance of nonya needlework and beadwork are the themes of Part One. Part Two looks at the history, traditions, designs and tensions of the beadwork craft and its practice. Part Three explores the place of nonya beadwork in contemporary culture, including in the ongoing revival of interest in all things Peranakan. With glossary, chronology, bibliography and index.  Beads have always had a part in human society and here, over 2000 specimens of ancient, ethnic and contemporary beads are shown in colour. In this revision of the 1987 worldwide history of beads, the scholarly text is enhanced by 475 illustrations and maps, sets out the history of beads' evolution, their economic and decorative significance, and the ancient modern materials used, and methods of manufacture. With historical bead timeline in colour, shape table, bibliography and index.  Writing with keen insight into the psyche of the displaced, Channa Wickremesekera, author of Distant Warriors and Walls, brings his characters into the close confines of a boat escaping into a conflict zone. Will a series of unfortunate events precipitate disaster on them before nature unleashes a savage storm? Only time will tell as they race inexorably toward their destiny.  This novel is set in Singapore 1927-56. It starts with the Communist-related Kreta Ayer riots of 1927 and ends with the disastrous Merdeka Rally of 1956, which presaged the end of David Marshall's Chief Ministership. The leading characters of the novel are the daughter of a notable Chinese lineage, a Singapore Eurasian man and a business-oriented immigrant from India. These three along with a host of others live through troubled times. Through the tale of their vicissitudes, sorrows and excitements, much light is shed onto the situations and confusions of actual Singaporeans at this crucial period of the country's history.  First published in 1956, Han Suyin's magnificent novel about the Emergency Period in Malaya and Singapore evokes all the colour and conflict of a land where, in the late 1940s and early 50s, a bitter guerrilla war was fought between communist terrorists lurking in the Malayan jungles and British, Australian and New Zealand armed forces. With infinite sharpness and feeling, she writes about the intertwining lives of many people caught up in the clash of powerful forces - dogged, downtrodden Chinese rubber tappers, a pretty girl called Small Cloud for whom betrayal has become a way of life, and the stiff, aloof world of the British administrators and their "mems".  Gathering together information and years of hands-on experience into a single book, Growing Carnivorous Plants in the Tropics provides friendly and detailed help on all aspects of growing carnivorous plants in tropical conditions similar to Singapore. The book covers case studies for growing carnivorous plants under different environments, including outdoors, indoors, and balconies; cultivation of challenging temperate carnivorous plants, such as highland species, in extreme lowland conditions with little temperature fluctuation; and information on different genera of carnivorous plants and essential knowledge on growing and propagating them. With index.  The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is perhaps not widely known but since 1989 it has been a safe haven for several species of migratory birds as well as a habitat for mangroves and many species of swamp dwellers. Outstanding photographs are on every page. An account is given of the difficult beginnings of the Reserve, the policies which underlie it, and the need for meticulous management to promote eco-balance. The photographs indicate what wonders the patient visitor may see from the boardwalks and viewing posts. Some of the urgent challenges which face the Reserve are outlined and its educational and international roles are noted. Bibliography and index.  This pocketbook is an identification guide and rich source of information about the birds of Malaysia and Singapore. Colour photographs of each of the 280 species are complemented by habitat, coloration and distribution details. Summary information about the area's climate, vegetation, biography and avian nesting patterns are included along with advice for naturalists. The Malaysia and Singapore bird checklist gives English and scientific names and location information. Indexed.  When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in the sixteenth century, they discovered an archipelago blessed in rich natural resources, and a diverse fauna and flora. The galleons that plied the Acapulco-Manila route brought precious cargo to the Philippine archipelago, including among other things, many plant species and flora that have since taken root in local soil, culture and life. The Filipinos learned to use the plants in many different ways in the form of food, clothing, medicine, and decorative and functional objects. The plants became integrated into the culture of the local population as material and motif. This publication presents a fascinating botanical selection drawn from an exhibition entitled "Flora Filipina - from Acapulco to Manila" organised by the National Museum of the Philippines. With beautiful colour illustrations.  Ladakh 1974-2008: A Photographic Homage is a rare tribute to Ladakh, the 'Land of Passes' - one of the most beloved landscapes of the Himalayas. Poncar is one of the first Westerners to travel to Ladakh when it was open for visitors in 1974. His countless trips and his love for Ladakh resulted in this retrospective collection of photographs that span more than three decades. This singular volume honours the timeless Ladakh for its proud locals and unforgettable beauty. Beautifully illustrated, with texts by John Keay and Jaroslav Poncar's personal reflections on Ladakh and his photographs.  In 1880, Isabella Bird visited the Malay Peninsula - romantically dubbed "The Golden Chersonese" - and was still able to refer to it as an almost unknown land. The world's most famous female travel writer of the 19th century set sail from Japan and called at Hong Kong, Canton and Saigon before reaching Singapore. Bearing letters of introduction to the elite of Malacca and Penang, Bird was able to observe life on the west coast of the peninsula before steaming upriver through mangrove swamps to explore the interior of the land. From courtroom to elephant back, from the grandeur of Malacca's Stadthuys to the jungle calm of a picturesque Malay village on stilts, this indefatigable Victorian explorer offers invaluable descriptions and delightful hand-drawn sketches of life in late 19th-century Singapore and the Malay Peninsula.  Mythil thinks he's in for a boring time at Archchi's big old house but then things begin to happen. Who lives in the deep jungle and are they friends or foes? How can he make his parents believe the mysterious things that keep happening to him? And how can a young boy like him outwit a clever and sinister enemy on his own? Mythil's Secret is a story about a young boy's discovery of just how strong the bonds of family and friendship can be. Join him on this spine-tingling adventure as he learns to look within himself for courage he never knew he had.Mythil's Secret won Sri Lanka's most prestigious writing award - the Gratiaen Prize 2009.  In Chinese Mythology, Stories of Creation and Invention, you will find supernatural explanations for many things, including how the ox came to work in the fields and how silk came into the world. You will meet gods, mythic emperors, and giants. Rich and intriguing, Chinese Mythology provides a lively introduction to the foundational stories of Chinese civilization. In China, many myths are told about the creation of the world, which seek to explain not only how the world came into being, but why things are as they are not some other way. Chen Jiang Hong's beautiful illustrations appear throughout the book. Claude Helft in her role as author and editor aims to enchant readers of all ages. She brings her rich experience of the world into everything she writes.  In Mao and Me, Chen Jiang Hong recounts his childhood, telling us much about China's Cultural Revolution in the process. Combining his elegant style of traditional Chinese painting with elements of Japanese anime, Chen has created a visually stunning tableau. The story opens in 1966 when Chen is three. At breakfast one morning, the family hears over the radio that Mao will use his Red Guard to launch a Cultural Revolution. And he does, drastically affecting the daily life of every person in China. Richly description and elegiac, Mao and Me is a remembrance of childhood.  This is the second book in the 'Asian Values' series, which aspires to introduce children to Asian values in an accessible and enjoyable way through simple, engaging and thought-provoking stories.
In this book, Baby Panda learns about the importance of Respect. Baby Panda was not very good at showing respect - to his mother, his elders or even to his environment. One day, he becomes lost. With the help of Tiger, Baby Panda is finally reunited with his mother, but not before he has learnt about the importance of respect.
The first book in the series is Water Buffalo's Reward.
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