(street) name? - Association of Dutch Businessmen
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June 2006<br />
MITA 373/03/2001<br />
Book review:<br />
Who’s hot<br />
in China<br />
Singapore:<br />
What’s in a<br />
(<strong>street</strong>) <strong>name</strong>?
Freddy Meindertsma<br />
PROLOGUE<br />
The barbeque on the 18th <strong>of</strong> May was a great success with close to hundred people<br />
enjoying the food, drinks and atmosphere allowing all <strong>of</strong> us to network and socialize in a<br />
great setting. Many thanks to VOPAK for generously sponsoring this yearly barbeque event,<br />
this time the barbeque was set up at the pool side <strong>of</strong> the Hollandse Club.<br />
There have been several changes in the ADB Board in the course <strong>of</strong> this year and we have<br />
one more change to announce.<br />
Charlotte Ruegg will leave the ADB Board after 2,5 years <strong>of</strong> hard work for the ADB in her<br />
role as Honorary Secretary as <strong>of</strong> 1 July 2006. We thank Charlotte for all her contributions,<br />
on behalf <strong>of</strong> the Board and our members, and wish her and her family all the best in her<br />
future endeavours in Dubai. At the same time we welcome as our new board member<br />
Annabelle Deken who will take over the position <strong>of</strong> Charlotte. Annabelle has been residing<br />
in Singapore for nearly 5 years and is pr<strong>of</strong>essionally engaged as logistics manager for<br />
Maersk. The ADB Board looks forward working together with Annabelle and surely she<br />
will be happy to introduce herself to you all in the near future.<br />
With the summer holiday season approaching, we hope many <strong>of</strong> you will be pleased us<br />
announcing another event.<br />
Our last event before the summer holidays will be on the 5th <strong>of</strong> June and it will be interesting<br />
for those <strong>of</strong> you who want to know more about a crucial activity that links our world<br />
economy together. We arranged a lecture by Bert Besseling, Director Operations Asia KLM<br />
Cargo, on “the secrets <strong>of</strong> cargo and logistics”. This will be a good opportunity to learn<br />
more about this ever changing industry and we cordially invite you to attend this lecture.<br />
Jot down in your agenda that the first ADB event we organize for you after the summer<br />
vacation will be the Dinner and Dance lustrum. We scheduled this event for the latter half<br />
<strong>of</strong> August, depending on location availability. This lustrum event promises to be spectacular<br />
and a “must come” for you all as we’d like to jointly celebrate this occasion with many <strong>of</strong><br />
our members.<br />
Ivo Rutten Frans van de Bospoort Charlotte Ruegg Wim Samlal Edward Tonino<br />
Remco Muzerie Bas Fransen<br />
1<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
By Freddy Meindertsma
ADB BOARD<br />
Ivo Rutten President<br />
Frans van de Bospoort Vice-President<br />
Charlotte Ruegg Honorary Secretary<br />
Wim Samlal Honorary Treasurer<br />
Edward Tonino Member<br />
Remco Muzerie Member<br />
Freddy Meindertsma Member<br />
Bas Fransen Member<br />
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE<br />
Wieteke Dijkxhoorn<br />
Jeroen de Koning<br />
Debby Reemers<br />
Lineke van Nederpelt<br />
Barry Doesburg<br />
Wil Kolen<br />
Way Ying Lee<br />
SECRETARIAT<br />
Lineke van Nederpelt<br />
Mailing Address:<br />
c/o 22 Camden Park, Singapore 299814<br />
Telephone: 9101 6201<br />
email: adb@pacific.net.sg<br />
Website : www.adb.org.sg<br />
Email : webmaster@adb.org.sg<br />
Editorial contributions for the next issue may<br />
be sent or handed over to the ADB Secretariat,<br />
before or on the day <strong>of</strong> the monthly ADB<br />
meeting. The contents <strong>of</strong> this magazine are partly<br />
based on information received from third parties.<br />
The Committee does not take responsibility<br />
for the correctness <strong>of</strong> the articles.<br />
Designed by Jennifer Phua<br />
Printed by Khoo Sun Printing Pte Ltd<br />
MITA 373/03/2001<br />
Membership fee is S$ 100 per calendar year.<br />
For registration, please see the website<br />
www.adb.org.sg/en_member_signup.htm.<br />
Membership is renewed automatically effective the<br />
first month <strong>of</strong> the new calendar year.<br />
Make your cheque payable to “Assocation <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dutch</strong><br />
<strong>Businessmen</strong>” and send to ADB, c/o 22 Camden Park,<br />
Singapore 299814.<br />
Termination <strong>of</strong> membership must be received by<br />
ADB Secretariat in writing before 1 January, otherwise<br />
you will be charged for the full amount for the following<br />
calendar year.<br />
Please notify the ADB secretariat <strong>of</strong> any changes in<br />
employer, (email) addresses or any other personal<br />
particulars that might be <strong>of</strong> interest to the ADB<br />
administration.<br />
A monthly publication <strong>of</strong> the<br />
<strong>Association</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Dutch</strong> <strong>Businessmen</strong><br />
Contents The<br />
PROLOGUE 1<br />
REVIEW<br />
ADB Networking BBQ 3<br />
BUSINESS PROFILE<br />
ModuSpec -<br />
20 years <strong>of</strong> service to industry (1986-2006) 4<br />
EVENT AGENDA 5<br />
SINGAPORE<br />
What’s in a (<strong>street</strong>) <strong>name</strong> - Part II 6<br />
BUSINESS NEWS 8<br />
2006 FIFA World Cup Germany -<br />
Match Schedule 10<br />
MONEY<br />
A modern day gold rush? 12<br />
BOOK REVIEW<br />
Who’s hot in China 15<br />
BIZZ AGENDA 16<br />
EMBASSY INFO 18<br />
ASSOCIATION INFO 20<br />
2<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
Envelope_photo Hans Gerritsen
Ivo Rutten giving his welcome<br />
speech<br />
Herman H<strong>of</strong>huis, Brenda and<br />
Gerbrand Schalkwijk<br />
Walter Leijen, Freddy Meindertsma,<br />
Marcel van der Kolk<br />
Jean van Eeghem, Suzanne Janssen, Mariken<br />
Berns, Michael van Ommeren<br />
Ambassador Chris Sanders, Margreet van<br />
Vliet - van Leufkens, Harriët Anema,<br />
Marianne Sanders, Jikke Heijmen<br />
REVIEW<br />
Frans van de Bospoort, Gilbert Ruegg, Eduard Holtz,<br />
Patricia ‘t Hart- van Rooyen, Sascha Roosen,<br />
Marcel van der Kolk<br />
ADB Networking<br />
BBQ By Lineke van Nederpelt<br />
Close to hundred (!) people turned up at the<br />
traditional ADB Networking BBQ .. and networking<br />
it was!! Also a lot <strong>of</strong> new members took the<br />
opportunity to meet fellow country(wo)men in the<br />
beautiful set up at the swimming pool area <strong>of</strong><br />
the Hollandse Club. A big thanks to our sponsor<br />
VOPAK to make this year’s BBQ a great success!<br />
KINDLY SPONSORED BY:<br />
Michiel Boeren, Mr Boon (HC),<br />
Arnout Mostert<br />
Angelique van Velsen, Hendrik ten Hoeve,<br />
Richard van der Werf, Patricia Butin Bik<br />
3<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
Edwin Jager, Oene Marseille, Charlotte Ruegg,<br />
Ingrid Jager, Remco Muzerie<br />
Bert Besseling, Charlotte Ruegg,<br />
Guido Nieuwenhuyzen,<br />
Bas Fransen<br />
Paul Govaart (VOPAK), Gilbert Ruegg, Herman<br />
H<strong>of</strong>huis, Vera Govaart<br />
Natasja Bijvoet, Nico Bac, Ernst and Linda<br />
Altena, Erwin Bijvoet
BUSINESS PROFILE<br />
20 years <strong>of</strong> service to industry (1986-2006)<br />
Arie J Koortens – Vice<br />
President/General Manager<br />
ModuSpec Engineering Asia<br />
Pacific, The Middle East &<br />
Australasia.<br />
ModuSpec Engineering (International) Ltd. was<br />
established in The Netherlands in 1986. During<br />
this time, oil companies frequently utilised oilrigs<br />
without any or very limited knowledge <strong>of</strong> the<br />
condition and state <strong>of</strong> maintenance <strong>of</strong> the rigs. Leo<br />
Nagtegaal, current director and owner <strong>of</strong> ModuSpec,<br />
recognised the need for independent rig inspections.<br />
ModuSpec, an acronym for Mobile Offshore<br />
Drilling Unit Inspections established a regional<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice in Singapore in 1992. I was appointed as the<br />
Manager <strong>of</strong> the ModuSpec <strong>of</strong>fice in Singapore to<br />
oversee the operations and its growth in the<br />
Australia and the Asia Pacific region.<br />
Over the years with our good track record <strong>of</strong><br />
work done for the major oil companies in this region,<br />
demand for our services grew by leaps and bounds.<br />
Fourteen years down the track, ModuSpec<br />
Engineering Asia Pacific is the leader in Risk<br />
Management Services in the Asia Pacific and The<br />
Middle East.<br />
“The first ModuSpec <strong>of</strong>fice in Singapore was<br />
based in my home which was located at Green<br />
Ridge Crescent. Since 1992, we have moved<br />
<strong>of</strong>fice 5 times, each time to bigger premises to<br />
accommodate our growing support staff.<br />
Health, Safety and Environmental issues are<br />
<strong>of</strong> primary importance to the Oil and Gas Industry.<br />
ModuSpec acquired a Risk Engineering Company<br />
in 2000, and in 2003 acquired an Australian Risk<br />
Engineering Company. With the newly acquired<br />
companies we have developed a risk-based<br />
approach towards our rig inspection business,<br />
concentrating on areas which have the highest risk<br />
with respect to accidents, environmental issues<br />
and downtime.<br />
Our ability to reduce or even prevent downtime<br />
through our inspection process is nowadays an<br />
important (not the most important one as that still<br />
is HSE) reason for our clients to use our services as<br />
the day-rates for rigs at the moment are extremely<br />
high, 170 -200,000 US$/day for a Jack Up and a<br />
5th generation Semi Submersible commands more<br />
than twice that amount and on top <strong>of</strong> this in general<br />
the total operating cost for 1 day drilling operation<br />
is twice the amount <strong>of</strong> the day-rate <strong>of</strong> the rig.<br />
The key services provided by ModuSpec are as<br />
listed below:<br />
• Risk Management Services<br />
• The inspections <strong>of</strong> land and <strong>of</strong>fshore drilling units<br />
• The development <strong>of</strong> manual and computerized<br />
maintenance systems,<br />
• Conduct training courses for drilling and oil<br />
companies.<br />
• Commissioning <strong>of</strong> new build rigs.<br />
4<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
The ModuSpec service presently in very high<br />
demand during this current industry “boom” were<br />
Jack Up Drilling Units are ordered as if they are<br />
hot cakes, Ship-Yards and equipment suppliers<br />
are stretched to the very limit <strong>of</strong> their<br />
capabilities, is the ModuSpec Commissioning<br />
and QA QC services during the new building <strong>of</strong><br />
drilling units.<br />
The result <strong>of</strong> the successful ModuSpec QA-QC<br />
and Commissioning services is a new rig delivered<br />
in a safe and reliable operational condition before<br />
or close to the scheduled delivery date.<br />
Before we end this article I would like to share<br />
some special insights encountered during the<br />
course <strong>of</strong> our business. One project in Irian Jaya<br />
brought back vivid memories. It took three days<br />
to reach the location <strong>of</strong> the drilling unit, traveling<br />
by a Merpati Fokker 27 (probably with serial<br />
number 1) via the various Islands and finally<br />
arriving in Sorong Irian Jaya to overnight and on<br />
the next morning departed on a small bush plane,<br />
followed with a boat ride, a land rover and truck<br />
to arrive at the rig site. A week later we had to<br />
return via the same route. From the recollection<br />
<strong>of</strong> this trip, a vivid picture emerged in mind, <strong>of</strong> a<br />
pre Second World War deserted Shell drilling<br />
location with an oil storage tank complete with<br />
the Shell logo and a large tree growing through<br />
the top <strong>of</strong> the tank.<br />
In another project<br />
located in Central<br />
Sumatra, our surveyor<br />
had his daily mud bath<br />
in a ‘jungle Spa’ as<br />
pictured on the right.<br />
This year, ModuSpec<br />
is celebrating its 20th<br />
anniversary as the<br />
leading independent<br />
provider <strong>of</strong> rig inspection and risk management<br />
services for both the up and downstream oil and<br />
gas industry. Twenty years ago, what began as a<br />
small one-man operation working from home, has<br />
now grown into a multinational company employing<br />
close to 250 employees, with <strong>of</strong>fices in Calgary<br />
(Canada), Houston (USA), Macae near Rio de<br />
Janeiro (Brazil), Perth and Melbourne (Australia),<br />
Singapore, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Aberdeen<br />
(Scotland). The head-<strong>of</strong>fice is located in<br />
Serooskerke in The Netherlands.<br />
Not unimportant, the key to our success?<br />
Good people and the fact that we write Client<br />
with a capital “C”.
Pop Village<br />
An Event <strong>of</strong> Singapore Arts Festival 2006<br />
EVENT AGENDA<br />
Location : Fort canning park Date : 10 and 11 June<br />
POP Village features a line-up <strong>of</strong> local and regional artistes in non-stop, electrifying performances! Japan’s<br />
Aikawa Nanase, Korea’s Ryu, China’s China Magpie, Hong Kong’s Chet Lam and AT17, Taiwan’s Ji Xiao Jun<br />
and Singapore’s very own Tanya Chua, Chua Lee Lian, and 3Dash1 will take to the stage to wow music<br />
lovers. Discover new sounds with twenty emerging, promising and established acts from Singapore and the<br />
region. Industry pr<strong>of</strong>essionals will share their expertise with aspiring musicians and music lovers in<br />
comprehensive workshops. With 40 booths serving great food and drinks, and music-related merchandise,<br />
everyone can join in the fun! Get updates on the latest acts at www.popagenda.sg.<br />
10 June: 11 June:<br />
Aikawa Nanase (Japan) Tanya Chua (Singapore)<br />
Ryu (Korea) Tank (Taiwan)<br />
Ji Xiao Jun (Taiwan) Chet Lam (Hong Kong)<br />
China Magpie (China) At17 (Hong Kong)<br />
Chou Pi Jiang (Singapore) Gong Shi Jia (Singapore)<br />
Concave Scream (Singapore) Chua Lee Lian (Singapore)<br />
Ruth Ling (Singapore) Jai (Singapore)<br />
3Dash1 (Singapore) B-Quartet (Singapore)<br />
Shut-Up Comedy<br />
By Gamarjobat, Japan<br />
An event <strong>of</strong> Singapore Arts Festival 2006<br />
Location: Esplanade Recital studio<br />
Date: 16-18 June<br />
“The gems <strong>of</strong> the comedy festival...” Melbourne<br />
International Comedy Festival, Herald Sun, Australia<br />
No speech is needed ... Just your roaring laughter to amplify<br />
Shut-Up Comedy, a free-flowing mime performed by two funky<br />
guys with Mohawks. Hailing from Japan with the Dubble Act<br />
Award at 2004 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this silent slapstick<br />
has transcended cultural, language and age boundaries to leave<br />
laughter in its trail. See them mime various comedy scenarios,<br />
plus a Rocky-inspired story <strong>of</strong> a boxer in which you will<br />
almost feel the imaginary blows.<br />
Be prepared for some fast and furious fun - this<br />
crazy pair’s madcap romps will have you in stitches!<br />
(60mins with no intermission)<br />
Late Nite@Esplanade: Fuze Collective<br />
Location: Esplanade Recital studio Date: 30 June<br />
Join Fuze, comprising vocalist Fendi and guitarist Munir (<strong>of</strong> Parking<br />
Lot Pimp), as they perform an intimate night <strong>of</strong> music from jazz<br />
to soulful Classics, as well as their original compositions.<br />
The duo has played at numerous events like Cirque Du Soleil,<br />
MTV awards, Zoukout, Heineken Green Room Sessions and<br />
Esplanade’s Mosaic Music Festival 2005.<br />
Together with resident DJ Kaye <strong>of</strong> Liquid Room, catch them<br />
perform improvised Hits from Bobby McFerrin, Radiohead, Musiq<br />
Soulchild, Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and many more.<br />
Check out more details at www.fuzeshack.com<br />
5<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
Jamie Cullum in Concert<br />
Location: Suntec Singapore Convention Hall 601/602<br />
Date: 15 June<br />
About The Show:<br />
Dubbed by some as the “Beckham <strong>of</strong> Jazz”,<br />
a junior Harry Connick Jr., hailed as the jazz<br />
messiah, Jamie jazz gourmet, woos fans <strong>of</strong><br />
rock & pop.<br />
Twentysomething, his major label debut,<br />
made Jamie a star - setting records as the<br />
fastest-selling jazz debut in UK history, where<br />
it was certified Platinum in just six weeks.<br />
Revitalizing contemporary jazz seems to be his knack!<br />
As captivating as he is on record, Jamie is a dynamo when he hits<br />
the concert stage. He attacks his instrument – not just its ivory<br />
keys, but the body and strings as well – with ferocity. This is one<br />
player who never forgets that the piano is a percussion instrument.<br />
He walks on stage without a set list, and keeps the proceedings<br />
as spontaneous as possible. His prodigious skills in concert have<br />
drawn raves in just a handful <strong>of</strong> stateside performances. “To watch<br />
a performer go so fearlessly on his nerve is exciting” said Stephen<br />
Holden in The New York Times, noting “all this energy wouldn’t<br />
count for that much were it not backed up by raw talent.” Following<br />
his first ever concert in Los Angeles the Hollywood Reporter dubbed<br />
him “A one man British invasion,” and Variety said “He plays ‘em<br />
the way he sees ‘em, not according to some book... ”<br />
Word <strong>of</strong> his phenomenal live shows sparked a furor <strong>of</strong> attention<br />
that brought Jamie to Universal/Verve and Twentysomething to a<br />
worldwide audience. The dynamic British singer, songwriter, and<br />
pianist Jamie Cullum’s Verve debut, Twentysomething, was a<br />
worldwide smash, selling over three million copies (including nearly<br />
500,000 in the States) and garnering a Grammy nomination.<br />
With Catching Tales, his new hit album, Jamie continues to<br />
redefine where the parameters <strong>of</strong> pop, and jazz – indeed, all<br />
musical genres – are drawn. “At first I didn’t think certain songs<br />
had a place in what I was doing with jazz, but I’ve realized that<br />
everything does, and that reaffirms my belief that jazz is the<br />
greatest platform to do whatever you want.”
SINGAPORE<br />
What’s in a (<strong>street</strong>) <strong>name</strong> – Part II<br />
By Barry Doesburg<br />
In ADB Magazine <strong>of</strong> March 2005 we learned about<br />
the lives <strong>of</strong> Jose d’Almeida (1784-1850), George<br />
Drumgold Coleman (1795-1844), Tan Tock Seng<br />
(1798-1850), Lord Louis Mountbatten (1900-1979),<br />
‘Whampoa’ Hoo Ah Kay (1816-1880) and Ahmad<br />
Ibrahim (1927-1962). They all have in common that<br />
they are significant to Singapore history and that<br />
<strong>street</strong> <strong>name</strong>s have been <strong>name</strong>d after them. In this<br />
issue we will touch on a few other <strong>name</strong>s <strong>of</strong> famous<br />
Singaporeans.<br />
Cecil Street / Clementi<br />
Avenue<br />
Cecil Street and Clementi Avenue are<br />
<strong>name</strong>d after Sir Cecil Clementi Smith<br />
(1840-1916). He was Lieutenant Governor<br />
<strong>of</strong> Ceylon before being appointed Governor<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Straits Settlements from 1887 to<br />
1893. He was educated at St Paul’s School<br />
and Corpus Christi Cambridge, and in 1862<br />
he was elected one <strong>of</strong> the first student<br />
interpreters at Hong Kong, where he<br />
became colonial Treasurer. In 1878 he was<br />
transferred to the Straits settlements as<br />
Colonial Secretary and became Governor<br />
in 1887. He also succeeded in putting<br />
down several Chinese secret societies in<br />
the Straits Settlements, such as those in<br />
Singapore, for which he received the<br />
gratitude <strong>of</strong> the merchants that traded in<br />
the region. Later he became president <strong>of</strong><br />
the commission <strong>of</strong> Inquiry on the Trinidad<br />
riots in 1903 and was chief British delegate at<br />
International Opium Commission Shanghai in 1909.<br />
Cecil Street was built on reclaimed land carried<br />
out under Telok Ayer Reclamation project between<br />
1879 and 1888. Clementi Avenue (formerly<br />
Reformatory Road, because <strong>of</strong> a boys’ home) was<br />
located in the New Town that was developed on<br />
land once occupied by squatters and the British<br />
armed forces barracks.<br />
Napier Road / Tanglin Road<br />
Napier Road is <strong>name</strong>d after William ‘Royal Billy’<br />
Napier (b. 1804), the first lawyer in Singapore in<br />
1833. He arrived in Singapore in 1831 and married<br />
George Coleman’s widow, Maria Frances. Napier<br />
Road originally led to his house (‘Tang Leng’), which<br />
he built in 1854 on 27 ha <strong>of</strong> hilly land. He was one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the founders <strong>of</strong> the Singapore Free Press and a<br />
shareholder <strong>of</strong> the Raffles Library. Later he became<br />
the Lieutenant Governor <strong>of</strong> Labuan (Borneo’s<br />
northern coast) because <strong>of</strong> his friendship with Sir<br />
James Brooke.<br />
6<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
Tanglin/Napier Road in the 1880s<br />
Tanglin Road got its <strong>name</strong> from Napier’s house.<br />
The house was probably <strong>name</strong>d after the Chinese<br />
twa tang leng, which means ‘great east hill peaks’.<br />
After Raffles’ allotment in 1822, the Chinese,<br />
mainly Teochews, ventured out <strong>of</strong> Chinatown and<br />
colonized the tiger infested Tanglin area, growing<br />
pepper, nutmeg and gambier. After the Chinese<br />
came the Europeans, mainly Scotsmen, who started<br />
their spice plantations and built bungalows and<br />
villas on the various hills. Still many Scottish<br />
personal and place <strong>name</strong>s are featured in the area:<br />
Balmoral (Queen Victoria’s favorite residence in<br />
Scotland), Edinburgh, Claymore (house owned by<br />
Captain Scott), Cluny and Scott. Another one is<br />
Tyersall, William Napier’s estate and house in the<br />
Tanglin area which covered sixty-seven acres <strong>of</strong><br />
land was built in 1854 and later replaced by New<br />
Tyersall (or Istana Tyersall), the palatial Singapore<br />
residence <strong>of</strong> Sultan Abu Bakar <strong>of</strong> Johor.<br />
Tyersall Istana (http://www.baum.com.au)<br />
Oxley Road / Killiney Road<br />
Oxley Road is <strong>name</strong>d after the Irish surgeon Dr.<br />
Thomas Oxley (1805-1886), who lived on his nutmeg<br />
plantation in the area bounded by River Valley,<br />
Tank, Orchard and Grange Roads. Oxley came to<br />
Singapore in 1830 from Penang and was the Senior<br />
Surgeon for the Straits Settlements in 1844. He
was also a Resident Councilor. Oxley was<br />
a keen botanist and one <strong>of</strong> the founders<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Agricultural and Horticultural<br />
Society. In 1837, he acquired 70 ha <strong>of</strong><br />
land west <strong>of</strong> Tank Road (now Clemenceau<br />
Avenue) from the East India Company and<br />
began his Killiney estate.<br />
Killiney House was built in 1842 but later<br />
replaced by a bigger one called the Pavilion. In<br />
1850 he sold <strong>of</strong>f part his estate and soon some<br />
20 houses were built in this area. Around 1890,<br />
the Killiney house was bought over by sir Ruben<br />
Manasseh Meyer. Meyer’s residence in this area<br />
led to his founding <strong>of</strong> the Chesed-El Synagogue in<br />
Oxley Rise.<br />
Aljunied Avenue / Syed Alwi Road<br />
Aljunied Road was <strong>of</strong>ficially <strong>name</strong>d in 1926 after<br />
Syed Omar bin Ali Al Junied (d. 1852) and his family.<br />
Syed Omar was a wealthy and highly respected Arab<br />
merchant from Palembang and a nephew <strong>of</strong> Syed<br />
Mohammed bin Harun Al Junied, who came from<br />
Palembang in the very early days after the founding<br />
<strong>of</strong> Singapore in 1819. He was also a philanthropist<br />
and his charitable acts included donating a large<br />
plot <strong>of</strong> land in Victoria <strong>street</strong> for the purpose <strong>of</strong><br />
a Muslim burial ground and the construction <strong>of</strong> a<br />
mosque in Bencoolen Street. Malays looked upon<br />
him as a prince and considered<br />
to be a descendant <strong>of</strong> Prophet<br />
Mohammed.<br />
Syed Alwi Road, formerly<br />
known as Syed Allie Road was<br />
<strong>name</strong>d after Syed Allie bin<br />
Mohammed Al Junied (1814-<br />
1858) the son <strong>of</strong> Syed Mohammed bin Harun Al<br />
Junied. Syed Allie carried on his father’s business<br />
and also contributed generously to the community.<br />
Among the three wealthiest Arab families in<br />
Singapore — the other two being the Alkaffs and<br />
the Alsag<strong>of</strong>fs — the Aljunieds were philanthropists,<br />
generously supporting schools, hospitals and<br />
mosques, as well as sponsoring religious events.<br />
Syed Allie bought a garden and 70 acres <strong>of</strong> adjoining<br />
swamp in Kampong Kapor. This area became<br />
known as Syed Ali’s Land. His son, Syed Allowie,<br />
filled up the swamp area and built Weld Road and<br />
Jalan Besar.<br />
Scotts Road / Claymore Drive<br />
Scotts Road was <strong>name</strong>d after the harbour and post<br />
master, Captain William Scott (1786-1861), who<br />
lived on his plantation in the current area <strong>of</strong> Scotts<br />
Road. The son <strong>of</strong> James Scott, a pioneer settler <strong>of</strong><br />
the Prince <strong>of</strong> Wales Island (Penang) and a cousin to<br />
Sir Walter Scott, the illustrious poet and novelist.<br />
From 1836 till his death in 1861, Scott had an an<br />
atap house in his plantation filled with native fruit<br />
trees like durians, dukus, rambutans, mangosteen,<br />
SINGAPORE<br />
cocoa, betel nut and arrow root. He<br />
was well-known for his charity and<br />
gentleness <strong>of</strong> character.<br />
Claymore Road and Drive were<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficially <strong>name</strong>d in 1926 after the<br />
house and plantation<br />
owned by Captain Scott.<br />
The plantation was one <strong>of</strong><br />
the tree biggest those days and<br />
ran from Orchard Road to the<br />
Tanglin Club area. The district <strong>of</strong><br />
Claymore was used in land titles<br />
and included land from Orchard<br />
Road, Carrington Square and<br />
Selegie Road.<br />
Sources:<br />
Toponymics – A study <strong>of</strong> Singapore Street Names<br />
(2 nd edition), Victor R. Savage and Brenda S.A. Yeoh.<br />
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/<br />
http://www.geocities.com<br />
http://www.ura.gov.sg<br />
7<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006
Football madness hits<br />
the flora<br />
Even flora is not spared<br />
from football madness.<br />
With the slogan, “smell<br />
the real grass”, Paul van<br />
Bentem Flower Bulbs<br />
Ltd has come up with mini-football fields,<br />
<strong>of</strong> real grass, for in the living room.<br />
Spray the grass with water before the<br />
game, trim the grass a little and success is<br />
guaranteed. The baskets with grass come<br />
with a goal and football.<br />
Group C<br />
If ever there was a nightmare group, then<br />
this is it. Argentina, Netherlands, Serbia and<br />
Montenegro, and Côte d’Ivoire are all in the<br />
top 50 <strong>of</strong> the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.<br />
The Oranje and the Albiceleste are third<br />
and fourth respectively.<br />
The Albiceleste must be starting to<br />
think they are cursed. In 2002, they drew<br />
England, Sweden and Nigeria in the first<br />
round. Despite being favourites, they then<br />
failed to emerge from the group. The<br />
<strong>Dutch</strong>, imperious in qualification, will have<br />
their hearts set on making a successful<br />
return after an eight-year absence. The<br />
Serbo-Montenegrins, meanwhile, will come<br />
to the tour<strong>name</strong>nt full <strong>of</strong> confidence fresh<br />
from a preliminary competition where<br />
their defensive solidity impressed the<br />
entire world. As for Côte d’Ivoire, their<br />
qualification ahead <strong>of</strong> Cameroon was<br />
nothing short <strong>of</strong> miraculous.<br />
FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking<br />
Argentina 4th Côte d’Ivoire 32nd Serbia and Montenegro 46th Netherlands 3rd Date for your diary: Frankfurt, 21 June,<br />
Netherlands v Argentina, Potentially the<br />
most exciting clash <strong>of</strong> the first round.<br />
Supermarkets colour oranje<br />
<strong>Dutch</strong> supermarkets are getting ready for<br />
the World Cup with a lot <strong>of</strong> products and<br />
promotions. Manufacturers jump in on<br />
the hype with expressions as: ‘we make<br />
chocolate <strong>of</strong> them’ and ‘bite Holland bite’.<br />
Joop Holla <strong>of</strong> research company GfK<br />
values the extra turnover on 50 million<br />
euro. “It depends on how well the <strong>Dutch</strong><br />
team does. For twenty days there are three<br />
games a day on television to see. That’s<br />
why I think that TV-dinners will do very<br />
well”, says Holla. In the year 2000 the extra<br />
turnover in supermarkets was approximately<br />
50 million euro. “This is possible now as<br />
well.”<br />
BUSINESS NEWS<br />
Source: Het Financieele Dagblad<br />
The perfect ball can always be a bit more round<br />
The synthetic fiber industry is very proud<br />
<strong>of</strong> the ball that’s being used at the<br />
World Cup Germany. It exists <strong>of</strong> fourteen<br />
seamlessly glued parts.<br />
Airing football wisdoms is not reserved<br />
to Johan Cruijff. Sepp Herberger has made<br />
himself immortal with statements like: ‘the<br />
next opponent is always the most difficult’<br />
and ‘the ball is round’. Coach Herberger led<br />
the German team to win the final in 1954,<br />
the first postwar world championship.<br />
It is unlikely that the ball with which<br />
the Germans shot themselves to victory<br />
(3-2) in the thrilling final against favorites<br />
Hungary was still round after ‘the wonder<br />
<strong>of</strong> Bern’. The ball existed <strong>of</strong> eighteen pieces<br />
<strong>of</strong> leather sewed together. Even before the<br />
first kick it was already unfeasible to make<br />
a really round ball this way, let alone<br />
after 22 men lived up there ambitions to<br />
become world champion on it for ninety<br />
minutes.<br />
The game ball has come a long way<br />
when Germany and Costa Rica kick <strong>of</strong>f for<br />
the opening duel <strong>of</strong> the world championship<br />
2006 on Friday 9 June in Munich. The ball<br />
doesn’t resemble the brown leather from<br />
According to the Centraal Bureau<br />
Levensmiddelenhandel (CBL) it will be a<br />
party on the shop floor in the time to come.<br />
“The atmosphere is always festive during<br />
major football events”, says spokesperson<br />
Sija de Jong. “Consumers are also more<br />
willing to buy as well. When the weather<br />
is good we sell a lot <strong>of</strong> barbecue packets.<br />
Then the TV is put outside too. However, it<br />
is especially beer, snacks and s<strong>of</strong>t drinks<br />
that do well.” Manufacturers are counting<br />
on products as orange custard, biscuits with<br />
orange topping, orange candies, orange s<strong>of</strong>t<br />
drink, orange pasta, orange mayonnaise and<br />
lots and lots <strong>of</strong> other products. Beer-brewer<br />
8<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
1954 much. Even the resemblance in shape<br />
is deceptive, says manufacturer Adidas.<br />
Teamgeist, as the ball is called, approaches<br />
perfect roundness much closer than its<br />
distant predecessor.<br />
Azteca was the first plastic ball with<br />
which in 1986, in Mexico, a World Cup was<br />
played. The material was new, but the<br />
design, 32 six - and pentagonal pieces,<br />
followed Telstar, the leather ball from 1970.<br />
That had been <strong>name</strong>d after the satellite<br />
which made live-broadcasting <strong>of</strong> the<br />
championship possible.<br />
With Teamgeist, the 32 pieces have<br />
been replaced by fourteen panels. The<br />
benefit <strong>of</strong> this is that contact points<br />
between three panels have been brought<br />
back from 60 to 24. The total length <strong>of</strong> the<br />
joints between the panels has been reduced<br />
from 400.5 to 339.3 centimeter. Because<br />
the panels have been glued together by<br />
means <strong>of</strong> warmth instead <strong>of</strong> being sewed,<br />
the surface is practically seamless.<br />
Adidas promises that its new ball, that<br />
in its original design costs approximately<br />
euro 100, will barely lose roundness when<br />
used.<br />
Heineken launches <strong>Dutch</strong> secret weapon<br />
It was bound to happen: Heineken, sponsor <strong>of</strong> the KNVB,<br />
introduces a smart successor for the famous Heineken<br />
Loudspeakerhat at the coming World Cup in Germany. Holland’s<br />
secret weapon looks like an amiable German hunter’s hat that<br />
in literally one twist <strong>of</strong> the hand turns into a loud speaker hat.<br />
During Euro Cup 2004 in Portugal, Heineken introduced<br />
the since then well-known Loudspeakerhat. This ultimate Orange-item became a straight<br />
hit with <strong>Dutch</strong> football fans and set the scene in houses, <strong>street</strong>s, cafés and many other<br />
places for weeks on end. Every self-respecting Orange-supporter had it in his hands or<br />
wore it. All the more reason for Heineken to introduce a worthy successor for the World<br />
Cup 2006: in the shape <strong>of</strong> a secret weapon.<br />
The <strong>Dutch</strong> secret weapon is available with purchase <strong>of</strong> a set <strong>of</strong> eleven Heineken<br />
cans or bottles.<br />
Heineken has painted its draft system,<br />
Beertender, in the national colors for the<br />
occasion. In the run-up to the games<br />
consumers cannot escape.<br />
The campaign is surrounded with much<br />
secrecy. The only thing market leader<br />
Albert Heijn wants to share is that “it will<br />
be a lot <strong>of</strong> fun”. Manufacturers have come<br />
up with a lot <strong>of</strong> special promotions for the<br />
World Cup. Grolsch has a special beer mug.<br />
Coca-Cola comes with special packaging,<br />
same as producers <strong>of</strong> snacks and candy. De<br />
Jong from the CBL thinks that we will be<br />
harassed the whole summer with orange<br />
products if Holland becomes the new<br />
champion. “A victory leads in abundance<br />
to inspiration and innovation.”
Van Basten drops<br />
Huntelaar from squad<br />
Marco van Basten dropped prolific Ajax<br />
Amsterdam striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar<br />
from his final squad for the FIFA World Cup<br />
finals, sticking with Ruud van Nistelrooy,<br />
Dirk Kuyt and Jan Vennegoor <strong>of</strong> Hesselink.<br />
The Netherlands coach had invited<br />
Huntelaar, scorer <strong>of</strong> 33 first division goals<br />
this season, for a four-day training session<br />
last week, but finally opted to take only<br />
three strikers. “Klaas-Jan had a good season<br />
at Ajax and Heerenveen with many goals<br />
but is unlucky that we won’t take four<br />
central strikers to the World Cup,” Van<br />
Basten told a news conference, adding<br />
Huntelaar would return to the U-21 squad.<br />
“He made a good impression last week and<br />
is a balanced boy who will make the squad<br />
in coming years.”<br />
Manchester United’s Van Nistelrooy will<br />
be first choice up front and Kuyt can fill<br />
in on the right wing. The 23-man squad<br />
contains only two players, midfielder Phillip<br />
Cocu and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar,<br />
with FIFA World Cup experience.<br />
Van Basten decided against taking<br />
experienced 33-year-old midfielder Edgar<br />
Davids, saying the Tottenham player could<br />
be very useful but had started to show<br />
his age.<br />
AZ Alkmaar defender Barry Opdam,<br />
who has played eight <strong>of</strong> the last nine<br />
international matches, lost his spot in<br />
favour <strong>of</strong> John Heitinga. “Opdam is a good<br />
defender who performed well but the last<br />
months weren’t his best, while Heitinga<br />
fought back impressively” Van Basten said.<br />
De Jong was dropped because <strong>of</strong> his<br />
knee injury. Van Basten: “Van der Vaart is<br />
not yet completely fit and the flesh wound<br />
Jaliens has is also not healed. We don’t<br />
want to take to much risk and don’t know<br />
when De Jong will be fit.”<br />
“Boateng has had a good season and<br />
brings power to the mid-field. However,<br />
Sneijder is also fit and in good form. That<br />
was decisive. We had to choose between<br />
Castelen and Babel. We chose Ryan because<br />
he has some specific qualities, in our eyes.<br />
Except Kuijt, also Babel, Robben and Van<br />
Persie can play on the right flank”, Van<br />
Basten motivated his decisions.<br />
BUSINESS NEWS<br />
Source: Het Financieele Dagblad<br />
Old boys out as Van Basten goes young<br />
<strong>Dutch</strong> coach Marco van Basten opted for<br />
a youthful look when he announced his<br />
final squad for the FIFA World Cup finals<br />
in Germany. As expected, veterans Edgar<br />
Davids, Clarence Seedorf and Roy Makaay,<br />
who had already been left out <strong>of</strong> a<br />
provisional squad <strong>of</strong> 28 a week ago, failed<br />
to make it into the final 23-man party.<br />
But there was also disappointment for<br />
Middlesbrough midfielder George Boateng,<br />
Feyenoord striker Romeo Castelan,<br />
Hamburg midfielder Nigel de Jong, Ajax<br />
forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and AZ<br />
Alkmaar defender Barry Opdam who were<br />
all cut from the 28.<br />
Despite the exodus <strong>of</strong> top <strong>Dutch</strong> stars<br />
to the big European leagues <strong>of</strong> England,<br />
Spain and Italy, Van Basten selected 14<br />
<strong>Dutch</strong>-based players with Ajax and Alkmaar<br />
supplying five each, although only three<br />
9<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
came from champions PSV Eindhoven, and<br />
one from Feyenoord.<br />
Five more ply their trade in the English<br />
Premiership, including out-<strong>of</strong>-favour<br />
Manchester United hit-man Ruud van<br />
Nistelrooy, with two playing at Barcelona in<br />
Spain and two in Germany, both at Hamburg.<br />
Goalkeepers: Edwin van der Sar<br />
(Manchester United/ENG), Maarten<br />
Stekelenburg (Ajax) and Henk Timmer (AZ<br />
Alkmaar)<br />
Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (SV<br />
Hamburg/GER), Giovanni van Bronckhorst<br />
(Barcelona/ESP), Tim de Cler (AZ Alkmaar),<br />
Kew Jaliens (AZ Alkmaar), Jan Kromkamp<br />
(Liverpool/ENG), Joris Mathijsen (AZ<br />
Alkmaar), André Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven),<br />
Johnny Heitinga (Ajax)<br />
Midfielders: Mark van Bommel<br />
(Barcelona/ESP), Phillip Cocu (PSV<br />
Eindhoven), Denny Landzaat (AZ Alkmaar),<br />
Hedwiges Maduro (Ajax), Wesley Sneijder<br />
(Ajax) and Rafael van der Vaart (SV<br />
Hamburg/GER)<br />
Forwards: Ryan Babel (Ajax), Dirk<br />
Kuijt (Feyenoord), Ruud van Nistelrooy<br />
(Manchester United/ENG), Robin van Persie<br />
(Arsenal/ENG), Arjen Robben (Chelsea/<br />
ENG) and Jan Vennegoor <strong>of</strong> Hesselink (PSV<br />
Eindhoven)<br />
Accompaniment staff just as large as selection<br />
The accompaniment staff <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Dutch</strong> team at the World Cup is with 23 people as large<br />
as the selection <strong>of</strong> Coach Marco van Basten.<br />
Staff: Marco van Basten (coach), John van t Schip<br />
(coach), Rob Witschge (assistant-coach), Stanley<br />
Menzo (assistant-coach/keeper trainer), Luc van Agt<br />
(physiologist), Roberto Tolentino (video-analyst),<br />
Gertjan Goudswaard (sports physician), Rob Ouderland,<br />
Leo Echteld, Jörgen van Hattem, Carlo Tosi<br />
(physiotherapists), Gerard Verwaaijen, Jos Smit<br />
(masseurs), Rob Kocken, Arend de Kruyff, Carlo de<br />
Leeuw (materials), Johan Klein Gebbink, Siepko<br />
Lutjeboer (chefs), Theo Damen (security), Kees Jansma<br />
(press chef), Monique Kessels, Anja van Ginhoven<br />
(KNVB-bureau), Hans Jorritsma (team manager).<br />
Indonesia grants visa-on-arrival facility to the Netherlands<br />
On May 23 rd , 2006, the Indonesian<br />
authorities confirmed that <strong>Dutch</strong> passport<br />
holders will be granted a so-called visa-onarrival<br />
(VOA) upon their arrival in Indonesia.<br />
The passport should be valid for a minimum<br />
period <strong>of</strong> six months after the date <strong>of</strong> entry<br />
into Indonesia.<br />
The VOA is valid for a minimum period<br />
<strong>of</strong> seven days and a maximum period <strong>of</strong><br />
thirty days. The costs involved are USD 10<br />
for a seven-day and USD 25 for a thirty-day<br />
visa. The visa can not be exchanged for<br />
another legal residency and can not be<br />
extended. For a stay <strong>of</strong> more than thirty<br />
days you should request your visa at the<br />
Indonesian embassy in The Hague or in<br />
your country <strong>of</strong> residence as before.<br />
We would like to draw your attention<br />
to the fact that despite the VOA-facility<br />
for <strong>Dutch</strong> passport holders, it can never be<br />
ruled out that upon arrival the Indonesian<br />
immigration service decides not to grant a<br />
VOA after all. There is no right <strong>of</strong> entry. This<br />
is the same situation as in the Netherlands.<br />
Journalist, researchers and tourists<br />
travelling to Irian Jaya, the Moluccas and/<br />
or Aceh are advised to apply for a visa at<br />
the Indonesian embassy in The Hague<br />
before their departure even after the VOA<br />
facility has been granted.
Group Matches<br />
2006 FIFA World Cup Germa<br />
Date Match Group Time Teams<br />
Sat 10.06.06 1 A 00: 00 hrs Germany - Costa Rica<br />
Sat 10.06.06 2 A 03: 00 hrs Poland – Ecuador<br />
Sat 10.06.06 3 B 21: 00 hrs England - Paraguay<br />
Sun 11.06.06 4 B 00: 00 hrs Trinidad and Tobago – Sweden<br />
Sun 11.06.06 5 C 03: 00 hrs Argentina - Côte d’Ivoire<br />
Sun 11.06.06 6 C 21: 00 hrs Serbia & Montenegro - Netherlands<br />
Mon 12.06.06 7 D 00: 00 hrs Mexico - Iran<br />
Mon 12.06.06 8 D 03: 00 hrs Angola – Portugal<br />
Mon 12.06.06 12 F 21: 00 hrs Australia - Japan<br />
Tue 13.06.06 10 E 00: 00 hrs USA - Czech Republic<br />
Tue 13.06.06 9 E 03: 00 hrs Italy – Ghana<br />
Tue 13.06.06 14 G 21: 00 hrs Korea Republic - Togo<br />
Wed 14.06.06 13 G 00: 00 hrs France - Switzerland<br />
Wed 14.06.06 11 F 03: 00 hrs Brazil – Croatia<br />
Wed 14.06.06 15 H 21: 00 hrs Spain - Ukraine<br />
Thu 15.06.06 16 H 00: 00 hrs Tunisia - Saudi Arabia<br />
Thu 15.06.06 17 A 03: 00 hrs Germany – Poland<br />
Thu 15.06.06 18 A 21: 00 hrs Ecuador - Costa Rica<br />
Fri 16.06.06 19 B 00: 00 hrs England - Trinidad and Tobago<br />
Fri16.06.06 20 B 03: 00 hrs Sweden – Paraguay<br />
Fri 16.06.06 21 C 21: 00 hrs Argentina - Serbia & Montenegro<br />
Sat 17.06.06 22 C 00: 00 hrs Netherlands - Côte d’Ivoire<br />
Sat 17.06.06 23 D 03: 00 hrs Mexico – Angola<br />
Sat 17.06.06 24 D 21: 00 hrs Portugal - Iran<br />
Sun 18.06.06 26 E 00: 00 hrs Czech Republic - Ghana<br />
Sun 18.06.06 25 E 03: 00 hrs Italy – USA<br />
Sun 18.06.06 28 F 21: 00 hrs Japan - Croatia<br />
Mon 19.06.06 27 F 00: 00 hrs Brazil - Australia<br />
Mon 19.06.06 29 G 03: 00 hrs France - Korea Republic<br />
Mon 19.06.06 30 G 21: 00 hrs Togo - Switzerland<br />
Tue 20.06.06 32 H 00: 00 hrs Saudi Arabia - Ukraine<br />
Tue 20.06.06 31 H 03: 00 hrs Spain – Tunisia<br />
Tue 20.06.06 33 A 22: 00 hrs Ecuador - Germany<br />
Tue 20.06.06 34 A 22: 00 hrs Costa Rica – Poland<br />
Wed 21.06.06 35 B 03: 00 hrs Sweden – England<br />
Wed 21.06.06 36 B 03: 00 hrs Paraguay - Trinidad and Tobago<br />
Wed 21.06.06 39 D 22: 00 hrs Portugal - Mexico<br />
Wed 21.06.06 40 D 22: 00 hrs Iran - Angola<br />
Thu 22.06.06 37 C 03: 00 hrs Netherlands - Argentina<br />
Thu 22.06.06 38 C 03: 00 hrs Côte d’Ivoire - Serbia & Montenegro<br />
Thu 22.06.06 41 E 22: 00 hrs Czech Republic - Italy<br />
Thu 22.06.06 42 E 22: 00 hrs Ghana - USA<br />
Fri23.06.06 43 F 03: 00 hrs Japan - Brazil<br />
Fri 23.06.06 44 F 03: 00 hrs Croatia - Australia<br />
Fri 23.06.06 47 H 22: 00 hrs Saudi Arabia - Spain<br />
Fri 23.06.06 48 H 22: 00 hrs Ukraine - Tunisia<br />
Sat 24.06.06 45 G 03: 00 hrs Togo - France<br />
Sat 24.06.06 46 G 03: 00 hrs Switzerland - Korea Republic<br />
10<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006
y - Match Schedule<br />
Round <strong>of</strong> 16<br />
Date Match Venue Time Teams<br />
Sat 24.06.06 49 Munich 23: 00 hrs 1A - 2B<br />
Sun 25.06.06 50 Leipzig 03: 00 hrs 1C - 2D<br />
Sun 25.06.06 51 Stuttgart 23: 00 hrs 1B - 2A<br />
Mon 26.06.06 52 Nuremberg 03: 00 hrs 1D - 2C<br />
Mon 26.06.06 53 Kaiserslautern 23: 00 hrs 1E - 2F<br />
Tue 27.06.06 54 Cologne 03: 00 hrs 1G - 2H<br />
Tue 27.06.06 55 Dortmund 23: 00 hrs 1F - 2E<br />
Wed 28.06.06 56 Hanover 03: 00 hrs 1H - 2G<br />
Quarter- finals<br />
Fri30.06.06 57 Berlin 23: 00 hrs W49 - W50<br />
Sat 01.07.06 58 Hamburg 03: 00 hrs W53 - W54<br />
Sat 01.07.06 59 Gelsenkirchen 23: 00 hrs W51 - W52<br />
Sun 02.07.06 60 Frankfurt 03: 00 hrs W55 - W56<br />
Semi- finals<br />
Tue 05.07.06 61 Dortmund 03: 00 hrs W57 - W58<br />
Wed 06.07.06 62 Munich 03: 00 hrs W59 - W60<br />
3rd Place<br />
Sat 09.07.06 63 Stuttgart 03: 00 hrs L61 - L62<br />
Final<br />
Sun 10.07.06 64 Berlin 02: 00 hrs W61 - W62<br />
Group A Group B Group C Group D<br />
Germany England Argentina Mexico<br />
Costa Rica Paraguay Côte d’Ivoire Iran<br />
Poland Trinidad and Tobago Serbia & Montenegro Angola<br />
Ecuador Sweden Netherlands Portugal<br />
Group E Group F Group G Group H<br />
Italy Brazil France Spain<br />
Ghana Croatia Switzerland Ukraine<br />
USA Australia Korea Republic Tunisia<br />
Czech Republic Japan Togo Saudi Arabia<br />
11<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006
Jeroen is CEO <strong>of</strong> Blue<br />
Anchor Consulting, a<br />
Financial Consulting,<br />
Advice and Intermediation<br />
firm and can be reached at<br />
jeroen.thijs@gmail.com<br />
MONEY<br />
A modern day gold rush?<br />
In the May issue <strong>of</strong> your ADB magazine, I wrote about the investment opportunity in commodities in<br />
general. Since then prices have continued their relentless rise. For instance, I mentioned that silver<br />
had doubled since the commodities bull market began in 2001. Well, just slightly over a month later<br />
silver has actually now more than tripled since 2001, having risen 40% just over the past 2 months. The<br />
same story goes for gold, which has risen almost USD200 since the beginning <strong>of</strong> this year. Although we<br />
are now (mid May) in some sort <strong>of</strong> intermediate correction, which could take some time to play out, no<br />
one can predict what the price <strong>of</strong> silver or gold will be at the time <strong>of</strong> distribution <strong>of</strong> the June issue and<br />
I certainly don’t want to give it a go.<br />
I would not want to write every week about commodities, but I think it is a good idea at this stage,<br />
given current market developments, to look at one specific ‘commodity’, i.e. gold, study fundamental<br />
reasons behind the current rise and whether or not it is still a good time to invest in gold.<br />
The reason that I put the word commodity in inverted commas is that gold stands out from all other<br />
commodities, as its supply and demand characteristics are not driven by industrial use <strong>of</strong> the metal.<br />
Apart from jewellery, gold’s demand is, and has been for over 2500 years, driven by the fact that it is<br />
considered as a medium <strong>of</strong> exchange and the ultimate store <strong>of</strong> value. The history <strong>of</strong> gold as money spans<br />
from 700BC till about 1930AD. From 1930 till 1970 we had a paper-based system linked to gold and a<br />
mere 35 years ago, we abolished gold as any form <strong>of</strong> money.<br />
It is no surprise then, that the bulk <strong>of</strong> the current generation <strong>of</strong> investors or people working in the<br />
financial services industry in the west have a bad or no perception about the value <strong>of</strong> gold since the gold<br />
standard was abolished by president <strong>of</strong> the United States, Richard Nixon on August 15, 1971. After rising<br />
to about USD850 in 1980, gold entered into a 20-year bear market and bottomed at about USD250 in<br />
2001. The perception was not aided by the fact that most central banks in the world engaged in an<br />
active and aggressive program <strong>of</strong> selling their gold reserves. For instance, Gordon Brown, Chancellor <strong>of</strong><br />
the Exchequer, sold 60% <strong>of</strong> the UK’s gold reserves in 2001, the absolute bottom <strong>of</strong> the cycle! Although I<br />
leave it up to you to decide on his timing, it did not exactly create many gold-bulls in the investing<br />
community.<br />
How times have changed. Gold has since risen about 190% and it is only very recently that a small<br />
part <strong>of</strong> the investment community is starting to take notice. The bullish trend is now well established<br />
and the main explanations put forward are linked to the fundamental demand/supply situation, increasing<br />
inflation concerns, rising geopolitical risks and fears over the US dollar. Let’s look at them one by one.<br />
Demand and supply<br />
The World Gold Council estimates that mine production has been essentially flat since the end <strong>of</strong> the<br />
1990’s and fell by 5% in 2004. Given the 20-year bear market in gold there has been massive underinvestment<br />
in new gold exploration efforts. Gold reserves are coming under pressure as existing gold<br />
mines mature and mining companies find it increasingly difficult to replace current production with new<br />
discoveries. For many countries it is not (yet) economically feasible to extract gold at greater depths<br />
and lower grades, and, once deep shafts close, they seldom reopen. With demand rising at an ever<br />
faster pace and central bank selling abating or even reversing (Russia and China are strong buyers for<br />
instance), the gold market is now in a deficit and this has lead and will continue to lead to a strong<br />
upward push on the price. On top <strong>of</strong> this many gold producers continue to de-hedge their books; an<br />
additional strong demand driver.<br />
12<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006
MONEY<br />
Gold has since risen about 190% and it is only very recently that<br />
a small part <strong>of</strong> the investment community is starting to take notice.<br />
The bullish trend is now well established and the main explanations<br />
put forward are linked to the fundamental demand/supply situation,<br />
increasing inflation concerns, rising geopolitical risks and fears over<br />
the US dollar.<br />
Rising inflation concerns<br />
Although the <strong>of</strong>ficial statistics in the major world economies show that inflation is well under control,<br />
the actual numbers paint a completely different picture. Some leading economists argue that real<br />
numbers could be three times the <strong>of</strong>ficial ones. One <strong>of</strong> the arguments is that the numbers are highly<br />
distorted by the concept <strong>of</strong> substitution. Introduced by Alan Greenspan, the concept argues that if one<br />
item were too expensive, consumers would substitute it with a cheaper one. This has obviously nothing<br />
to do with measuring the cost <strong>of</strong> living, as you cannot continue to substitute down. You would still want<br />
the best education for your children and live in the neighbourhood <strong>of</strong> your choice. It goes beyond the<br />
purpose <strong>of</strong> this article to examine real inflation figures, but I am sure that you are noticing in your daily<br />
life that your cost <strong>of</strong> living has increased by more than 2% per annum over the past couple <strong>of</strong> years. The<br />
<strong>of</strong>ficial rate is <strong>of</strong>ten referred to as the core rate <strong>of</strong> inflation, which exclude the volatile energy and food<br />
components. This seems odd to me, as energy and food are basic daily needs. The latest monthly<br />
inflation number in the US showed a core CPI <strong>of</strong> 0.3% but gross inflation <strong>of</strong> 0.9%. The 0.9% is actually<br />
what you pay, thus an inflation <strong>of</strong> over 10% per annum.<br />
Gold is a perfect hedge against inflation. Although this might be difficult to measure over short<br />
periods <strong>of</strong> time (i.e. years), it is certainly the case over the past 90 years. Since the creation <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Federal Reserve in 1913, the purchasing power <strong>of</strong> the US dollar has fallen to just 5% (one twentieth),<br />
while over the same period gold has risen 35 fold from USD 20 to USD 700.<br />
Rising geopolitical risk<br />
I think that it is quite clear that since September 11, 2001 (coinciding with the bottom in gold), we are<br />
living in an increasingly unpredictable world. Iraq, Iran, Venezuela, etc. are not contributing to a more<br />
stable geopolitical environment. One <strong>of</strong> the drivers <strong>of</strong> gold during the months <strong>of</strong> April and May have<br />
been Iran’s intention to build nuclear facilities. Iran’s president is actively seeking alliances with large<br />
Muslim countries such as Indonesia, who seem to support Iran’s strategy. Moreover, in a recent letter to<br />
President Bush, which is interesting but concerning reading, president Ahmadinejad actually invited<br />
Bush twice to convert to Islam (if you want a copy <strong>of</strong> the translated letter, please send me an e-mail).<br />
Whatever the real intentions <strong>of</strong> Iran, it is clear that the recent run up in gold prices can be correlated<br />
for a large part to increasing global unrest.<br />
Fears over the value <strong>of</strong> the US dollar<br />
As mentioned before, history tells us that gold, not paper is real money. Most people don’t understand<br />
this. Let’s use as example the German hyperinflation in 1923. When Germany abolished the gold<br />
standard during the First World War, the cost <strong>of</strong> the war led to enormous debts. The German central<br />
bank had no choice but to print increasing amounts <strong>of</strong> money, creating at first wealth illusion through<br />
significant asset inflation, but subsequently to a weakening in confidence <strong>of</strong> the German mark and<br />
eventually to a collapse <strong>of</strong> the economy and rapid deflation. One ounce <strong>of</strong> gold was at that time worth<br />
USD 20 and twenty trillion Deutschmarks! Only people who converted their assets into gold protected<br />
their wealth.<br />
Could this happen to the USD? I could spend an entire article on this, but to summarize, the current<br />
deficit, rapidly increasing money supply, decline <strong>of</strong> the purchasing power <strong>of</strong> the dollar and the threat <strong>of</strong><br />
Bernanke that he would print massive amounts <strong>of</strong> dollars in case <strong>of</strong> a looming recession (causing him the<br />
nick<strong>name</strong> ‘Helicopter Ben’), does not bode well for the future value <strong>of</strong> the US dollar. Moreover, Middle<br />
13<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006
There are many ways to invest<br />
in gold. Physical gold, in the forms<br />
<strong>of</strong> coins for instance, i.e. the Eagle,<br />
Maple or Kruger Rand, or through<br />
the gold ETF in the US (symbol GLD).<br />
If you want more leverage to gold<br />
then you can buy gold explorers /<br />
producers in the form <strong>of</strong> (in the<br />
money) options on the Philadelphia<br />
Gold & Silver Index (ticker: XAU) or<br />
the Amex Gold Bug Index (ticker:<br />
HUI). You could <strong>of</strong> course also<br />
invest in gold stocks or gold mutual<br />
funds.<br />
MONEY<br />
Eastern countries (who have seen their wealth massively increase due to high oil prices) have openly<br />
declared to diversify out <strong>of</strong> US dollar assets. China is using part <strong>of</strong> its large US dollar reserve to buy<br />
gold. At the time <strong>of</strong> writing this article the dollar index has started its seemingly unstoppable decline.<br />
The above factors have certainly driven the recent demand for gold and I do not see any reason<br />
to believe that these issues will abate or be resolved any time soon.<br />
Should you invest in gold?<br />
Many sceptics have been silenced by the recent strong run up in gold. The top has been called at<br />
450, 500, 600 and now 700. How far can it run? No one can tell. I can only show you the facts, two <strong>of</strong><br />
which I would like to specifically highlight:<br />
Dow / Gold ratio<br />
Over the past century, in periods <strong>of</strong> inflation, the Dow/gold ratio has averaged about 3-5. Currently<br />
the ratio is about 16, from a high <strong>of</strong> 40 at the peak <strong>of</strong> the technology boom in 2000. If history is a<br />
guide and if we were to revert to a ratio <strong>of</strong> 5 then there are various<br />
possibilities. Gold could move to, say, USD 1,000 with the Dow collapsing<br />
over 50% to 5,000. The Dow could consolidate around the current level<br />
with gold eventually at 2,000 or, as some stock market bulls believe,<br />
the Dow could rally to 25,000, which means that gold would be at 5,000.<br />
The main reasoning behind the last prediction is that high inflation,<br />
due to the continuous printing <strong>of</strong> money, will lead to strong asset inflation<br />
and create an illusion <strong>of</strong> wealth, as happened in Germany in 1923. If<br />
this last scenario happens, you can safely assume that the purchasing<br />
power <strong>of</strong> your wealth at Dow 30,000 will be less than today, with the<br />
Dow at 11,000, except if you had converted part <strong>of</strong> your wealth to gold.<br />
CPI adjusted Gold price<br />
Adjusted for inflation, the price <strong>of</strong> an ounce <strong>of</strong> gold was around USD<br />
1,000 in the period 1720 to 1750. It then slowly declined (with significant<br />
volatility <strong>of</strong> course) to around USD 200 in 1920. Gold then rose to about<br />
USD 500 during the 1st world war, declined back to USD 200 in 1978 and<br />
rose to inflation adjusted USD 2,000 in 1981. The current issues, such<br />
as the geopolitical situation, debt problems, relentless money growth<br />
are a lot worse than in the 1980’s so it is not unreasonable to assume<br />
that gold could hit or exceed its CPI adjusted price <strong>of</strong> USD 2,000 over<br />
the next 5 years.<br />
To conclude, the case for gold is quite bullish, but you can rest<br />
assured that if the gold bull scenario plays out, it would be a gutwrenching<br />
ride. Certainly not for the faint hearted. Movements <strong>of</strong><br />
USD 100 up and down within a very short period <strong>of</strong> time will be the norm. I believe that investing in<br />
gold is much more a wealth preservation strategy than an investment strategy (think hyperinflation),<br />
so a small part <strong>of</strong> your portfolio (say 10%) in physical gold or gold related investments could protect<br />
you in case inflation gets out <strong>of</strong> hand or if the geopolitical situation worsens.<br />
There are many ways to invest in gold. Physical gold, in the forms <strong>of</strong> coins for instance, i.e. the<br />
Eagle, Maple or Kruger Rand, or through the gold ETF in the US (symbol GLD). If you want more<br />
leverage to gold then you can buy gold explorers / producers in the form <strong>of</strong> (in the money) options on<br />
the Philadelphia Gold & Silver Index (ticker: XAU) or the Amex Gold Bug Index (ticker: HUI). You could<br />
<strong>of</strong> course also invest in gold stocks or gold mutual funds. Whatever your strategy, please ensure that<br />
you consult your financial adviser.<br />
Disclaimer: All statements and expressions are the opinion <strong>of</strong> the writer and are not meant to be<br />
investment advice or solicitation or recommendation to establish market positions. It is strongly<br />
advised that readers conduct their own thorough research relevant to decisions and verify facts<br />
from various independent sources.<br />
14<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006
Mao-suits have been replaced by business suits.<br />
The economy has been five-folded. Internet has<br />
taken the place <strong>of</strong> the red book. A few decades<br />
ago a closed dictatorship and today the highest<br />
number <strong>of</strong> mobile phones. China is catching up and<br />
is doing so in such a fast way that it already belongs<br />
to the worldwide frontrunners in some areas.<br />
Behind these unique and stunning changes are<br />
people. On eight <strong>of</strong> these people, the trendsetters<br />
<strong>of</strong> the new China, a book has been written. The<br />
book is in <strong>Dutch</strong> and titled “De Inhaalchinees,<br />
Portretten van trendsetters in China”. This new<br />
book portrays people in the prime <strong>of</strong> their lifes<br />
who shape the new China in the areas <strong>of</strong> literature,<br />
business, architecture, food, sex, music, technology<br />
or politics. China is ‘hot’ and this book is about<br />
the people who are ‘hot’ in China.<br />
The book is written by Serv Wiemers, a<br />
diplomat who served at the Royal Netherlands<br />
Embassy in Beijing, from 2000 till 2005. In this<br />
period he was invited to Singapore by the ADB to<br />
give a presentation on doing business in China. Now<br />
he is back at the Ministry <strong>of</strong><br />
Economic Affairs in The Hague,<br />
serving in the management team<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Netherlands Foreign<br />
Investment Agency.<br />
On May 16, the book was<br />
presented to two people for<br />
whom China is a key country:<br />
Netherlands Foreign Trade<br />
Minister, ms. Karien van Gennip,<br />
BOOK REVIEW<br />
Who’s Hot in China<br />
and Bettine Vriesekoop, former table<br />
tennis champion, sinologist and new<br />
Beijing correspondent for NRC<br />
Handelsblad. The book got many<br />
positive reviews, some <strong>of</strong> which are<br />
published on the special website<br />
www.inhaalchinees.nl.<br />
During his years in China Serv<br />
Wiemers got fascinated by the<br />
dynamics <strong>of</strong> this country. “I met a<br />
lot <strong>of</strong> extremely interesting people.<br />
The book I have written is about<br />
these people. I have selected eight<br />
who personally contribute to the<br />
enormous changes China goes through at the<br />
moment. There are already a lot <strong>of</strong> books about<br />
China’s past and particularily the Cultural<br />
Revolution. Also there are many books describing<br />
“The Rise” or the “Coming Collapse” <strong>of</strong> China.<br />
There are few books however dealing with the new<br />
China. By showing the people behind the enormous<br />
changes, the reader will get a picture <strong>of</strong> what is<br />
going on in the reforming People’s Republic.”<br />
The people in the book are not just interesting<br />
people. They stand out. Take the richest woman<br />
in China, Zhang Xin, who received an award at<br />
the Biennale in Venice for combining art and<br />
architecture. As a teenager Zhang worked in Hong<br />
Kong’s sweat shops. Take former Tienanmen activist<br />
Edward Zeng, who set up China’s first internet cafe<br />
and saw Bill Clinton as one <strong>of</strong> his guests. Now Zeng<br />
is developing new standards in e-commerce. Take<br />
Cui Jian, the father <strong>of</strong> the Chinese rock music who<br />
recently performed with the Rolling Stones. “In<br />
this book, I do not only describe their lives and<br />
drives, but also the developments in the areas<br />
they are active in.”<br />
There is one non-Chinese pictured in the book.<br />
His <strong>name</strong> is Henk Bekedam, chief representative<br />
<strong>of</strong> the World Health Organisation in Beijing.<br />
Although <strong>Dutch</strong>, he is known by almost all Chinese.<br />
During the SARS crisis Bekedam daily appeared<br />
on Chinese television. By his personal drive he<br />
contributed to an open and more accountable<br />
Chinese government. He was consulted by premier<br />
Wen Jiabao and vice-premier Wu Yi. And he put a<br />
balanced development on the Chinese political<br />
agenda. “That is why Bekedam is a true trendsetter<br />
in China and fits very well in De Inhaalchinees,”<br />
says Serv Wiemers.<br />
De Inhaalchinees, Portretten van trendsetters in China<br />
(with pictures)<br />
ISBN 9086050034; €14,95; for sale in <strong>Dutch</strong> book stores<br />
or via www.inhaalchinees.nl<br />
15<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
I met a lot<br />
<strong>of</strong> extremely<br />
interesting<br />
people. The<br />
book I have<br />
written is<br />
about these<br />
people. I have<br />
selected eight<br />
who personally<br />
contribute to<br />
the enormous<br />
changes China<br />
goes through at<br />
the moment.<br />
– Serv Wiemers
Great Singapore Sale<br />
26 May - 23 July<br />
www.greatsingaporesale.com.sg<br />
�<br />
World Book Fair 2006<br />
Consumer book fair<br />
26 May – 4 June<br />
Suntec Singapore, Level 4<br />
www.bookfair.com.sg<br />
�<br />
Singapore Arts Festival<br />
An International arts festival with a distinctive Asian<br />
flavour, presenting performing arts from all over the world<br />
1-25 June<br />
www.singaporeartsfest.com<br />
�<br />
Event & Sponsorship Marketing<br />
8-9 June<br />
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel<br />
www.abf-asia.com/project/1804SC_SIAA.pdf<br />
�<br />
The 21st Congress <strong>of</strong> the Asia Pacific<br />
Academy <strong>of</strong> Ophthalmology 2006<br />
10-14 June<br />
Suntec Singapore<br />
www.apao2006.com<br />
�<br />
EUSEA2006<br />
Euro-Southeast Asia 2006 Co-operation Forum on<br />
Information & Communication Technologies Conference<br />
and Exhibition. This first ever European & Southeast Asian<br />
ICT forum <strong>of</strong>fers Singapore ICT Players from research,<br />
academia, business and public administration a unique<br />
opportunity to meet with European and Southeast Asian<br />
counterparts and establish collaboration<br />
19-23 June<br />
Forum at Shangri-La Hotel; Exhibition at<br />
Singapore Expo - Hall 3B3-01<br />
www.eusea2006.org<br />
BIZZ AGENDA<br />
CommunicAsia2006<br />
The 17 th International Communications and Information<br />
Technology Exhibition & Conference<br />
20-23 June<br />
Singapore Expo<br />
www.communicasia.com<br />
�<br />
EnterpriseIT 2006<br />
The 3 rd International Information Technology Exhibition<br />
and Conference for the Enterprise<br />
20-23 June<br />
Singapore Expo<br />
www.goto-enterpriseit.com<br />
�<br />
BroadcastAsia 2006<br />
The 11 th International Digital Multimedia & Entertainment<br />
Technology Exhibition & Conference<br />
20-23 June<br />
Singapore Expo<br />
www.broadcast-asia.com<br />
�<br />
APCOT2006<br />
Asia Pacific Conference <strong>of</strong> Transducers and Micro-Nano<br />
Technology<br />
25-28 June<br />
Marina Mandarin<br />
www.apcot2006.com<br />
�<br />
Singapore Food Festival<br />
Showcase <strong>of</strong> Singapore’s cuisine, home grown F&B<br />
establishments, local food personalities and unique dining<br />
experiences<br />
1-31 July<br />
www.singaporefoodfestival.com<br />
�<br />
PSA2006<br />
16<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
The 8 th International Exhibition on Fluid, Air & Gas<br />
Handling Systems Incorporating Fluid Power and Control<br />
Systems & Instrumentation<br />
4-7 July<br />
Singapore Expo<br />
www.psa2006.com
HVAC Asia 2006<br />
The 6 th International Exhibition on Heating, Ventilation,<br />
Airconditioning, Refrigeration and Air Filtration &<br />
Purification<br />
4-7 July<br />
Singapore Expo<br />
www.hvacasia2006.com<br />
�<br />
INCMTA2006<br />
The 10 th International Conference <strong>of</strong> Nuclear Microphobe<br />
Technology and Applications<br />
9-14 July<br />
Shangri-la Rasa Sentosa<br />
www.icnmta2006.org<br />
BIZZ AGENDA<br />
AOGS2006<br />
Asia Oceania Geosciences Society 3 rd Annual Meeting<br />
10-14 July, Suntec Singapore<br />
www.asiaoceania-conference.org<br />
�<br />
14th Annual ICSC Asia Pacific<br />
Convention & Trade Exhibition<br />
12-13 July, Suntec Singapore<br />
www.icsc.org<br />
�<br />
CSR Asia<br />
CSR in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries is<br />
the first global conference to focus on the Corporate Social<br />
Responsibility (CSR) efforts <strong>of</strong> companies in this sector<br />
25-26 July, Intercontinental Hotel<br />
www.csr-asia.com
EMBASSY INFO<br />
The Philharmonic Winds (Singapore) with guest soloist<br />
Jörgen van Rijen, trombone (The Netherlands)<br />
The Philharmonic Winds, Singapore’s premier wind orchestra, make their festival debut<br />
with an exciting programme that includes Prelude, Fugue and Riffs by Leonard Bernstein<br />
and Artie Shaw’s Clarinet Concerto featuring clarinettist Tang Xiao Ping.<br />
Principal trombonist <strong>of</strong> the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Jörgen van Rijen, will<br />
dazzle you with the Singapore premiere <strong>of</strong> Downtown Diversions by award-winning<br />
composer Adam Gorb. Artistic Director and Resident Conductor Robert Casteels also<br />
presents the world premiere <strong>of</strong> his Second Symphony with a choir <strong>of</strong> voices and tubas.<br />
“In sound, dynamic, colour, musical understanding and expressiveness (Jörgen van<br />
Rijen is unequalled...a great musician.” – Luister, The Netherlands<br />
DATE & TIME : 3 June, 7.30pm<br />
VENUE : Esplanade Concert Hall<br />
TICKET PRICES : $50, $40, $30, $20, $15<br />
DURATION : 100 mins (with intermission)<br />
www.philharmonicwinds.org , www.sistic.com.sg or www.singaporeartsfest.com<br />
“The Great War”<br />
Hotel Modern<br />
(The Netherlands), Asian Premiere<br />
Highly commended for their originality, Hotel<br />
Modern presents strong visual theatre with the use<br />
<strong>of</strong> models to create live animation projected onto<br />
a movie screen. In The Great War, battlefield experiences <strong>of</strong> a young combatant in the<br />
trenches <strong>of</strong> World War I come alive. See how beans, mud, smoke bombs and parsley<br />
manipulated by nimble fingers are transmogrified from miniature battlefields into<br />
hyper-realistic war scenes!<br />
“…a theatrical experience that is poignant, powerful and yet so simple that, at times,<br />
it brings tears to the eyes” – Daily Post, UK<br />
DATE & TIME : 16 & 17 June, 8pm and 17 June, 3pm<br />
VENUE : Esplanade Theatre Studio<br />
TICKET PRICES : $35<br />
DURATION : 80 mins (no intermission)<br />
www.hotelmodern.nl , www.sistic.com.sg or www.singaporeartsfest.com<br />
“Bella Figura”<br />
Nederlands Dans Theater I (The Netherlands)<br />
Hailed as the state-<strong>of</strong>-the-art dance company, Nederlands Dans Theater I (NDT I)<br />
symbolizes the pinnacle and dominant force <strong>of</strong> neo-classical and contemporary dance.<br />
Under the continuous stewardship <strong>of</strong> renowned choreographer Ji_í Kylián for more<br />
than 30 years, NDT I has developed a formidable reputation for outstanding technique<br />
and grace. In this special triple-bill treat presenting the works <strong>of</strong> acclaimed<br />
choreographers Ji_í Kylián, Lightfoot León and Johan Inger, NDT I recreates the magic<br />
<strong>of</strong> dance for you!<br />
“A superb performance ... all the dancers are top-class” - Ine Rietstap (‘NRC<br />
Handelsblad’), The Netherlands<br />
DATE & TIME : 20 & 21 June, 8pm<br />
VENUE : Esplanade Theatre<br />
TICKET PRICES : $140, $120, $100, $80, $60, $40, $20<br />
DURATION : 122 mins (with intermission)<br />
www.ndt.nl , www.sistic.com.sg or www.singaporeartsfest.com<br />
18<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006
Public Holidays in June<br />
COMEDY by<br />
Introdans Ensemble<br />
for Youth<br />
The Envelope_photo Hans Gerritsen<br />
EMBASSY INFO<br />
The Embassy will be closed on the following <strong>Dutch</strong> and Singapore public holiday<br />
in June:<br />
Whit Monday on Monday 5 June<br />
NUS Centre For the Arts, in collaboration with The Royal Netherlands Embassy present<br />
COMEDY by Introdans Ensemble for Youth<br />
Performances<br />
Monday & Tuesday, 24 & 25 July 2006<br />
7.30pm (90min, with 15min intermission)<br />
UCC Theatre<br />
Tickets: $20, $25<br />
Workshops<br />
Monday & Tuesday, 24 & 25 July 2006<br />
2.30pm to 4.30pm<br />
University Cultural Centre (UCC) Dance Studio<br />
$10 (registration fee)<br />
For tickets and workshop registration, please call Ethan at 6516 4229 or email<br />
cfakchg@nus.edu.sg. For more details, visit www.nus.edu.sg/cfa<br />
COMEDY shows the diversity and uniqueness <strong>of</strong> this company that introduces dance to<br />
anyone, and is also suitable for children above 6. Interweaving energetic moves, fun<br />
costumes and creative set designs, both adults and children will intensely enjoy the<br />
art <strong>of</strong> dance combined with a lot <strong>of</strong> wit and humour.<br />
This performance is especially composed for the Singapore audience. It is a remarkable<br />
collection <strong>of</strong> hilarious ballets by renowned choreographers and is performed by the<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional dancers <strong>of</strong> Introdans Ensemble for Youth. Join this enthusiastic ensemble<br />
in their interpretation <strong>of</strong> dance, ingeniously intertwined with humour and vitality!<br />
The line-up <strong>of</strong> choreographers makes COMEDY a treat for everyone. The stylish and<br />
comical work <strong>of</strong> Hans van Manen, Mats Ek’s lyrical interpretation <strong>of</strong> dance, the hilarious<br />
costumes and props by Patrick Delcroix and David Parson, as well as the rhythmical<br />
and boosting finale by Robert Battle ensure a wonderful and inspiring evening <strong>of</strong> dance.<br />
For more details on Introdans, please visit www.introdans.nl.<br />
Programme<br />
Sans Réponse<br />
Pas de danse<br />
Psycho Killer<br />
Black Cake<br />
The Envelope<br />
For more information: www.mfa.nl/sin<br />
19<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
~~~ 15 min Interval ~~~<br />
Het Debat<br />
Jeu<br />
Palimpsest I<br />
Final Sounds
New Members<br />
Tjalling van Asbeck,<br />
Adimec Electronic Imaging<br />
Rob Heijliger, ING Bank<br />
Werner van Eck, Philips<br />
Hendrik ten Hoeve, Compass Energy<br />
Anouk Diks<br />
Robert-Jan Bertina, Citco Singapore<br />
Nico Bac, Procter & Gamble<br />
Peter Verschuren, Shell<br />
Jan-Willem Adrian, DHL Global Mail<br />
Bert Besseling, KLM Cargo<br />
Rutgert van den Noort,<br />
PM Control Systems<br />
Leaving Members<br />
Jan-Oege Goslings, Shell<br />
Jan van de Venne, Philips<br />
Robert Andriessen, Fortis<br />
JUNE EVENT<br />
Internship & Job Seekers<br />
Name : Luuk Vaessen<br />
Age : 24<br />
Tel.no.<strong>of</strong>fice : +31 204266271<br />
Tel.no. mobile : +31 627305142<br />
Email-address : luuk.vaessen@blueskygroup.nl<br />
Study: Business economics<br />
Specialization: Finance<br />
Internship: I have completed my internship at Blue Sky Group (BSG),<br />
a <strong>Dutch</strong> pension fund in the Netherlands (KLM is one <strong>of</strong> its clients).<br />
For this internship, I have compared various mathematical models<br />
that can be used for evaluating active equity managers in order to<br />
determine the risk pr<strong>of</strong>ile <strong>of</strong> BSG.<br />
Working experience: Upon completion <strong>of</strong> my master thesis, which<br />
was based on the research during my internship, I started to work for<br />
BSG. I am responsible for implementing the mathematical models<br />
and evaluating the performance (investment style vs. required return)<br />
<strong>of</strong> the active investment managers.<br />
Looking for: A chance to work in a specialized and pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
team at a bank or asset manager that is responsible for analyzing<br />
and dealing in financial markets whenever they see a pr<strong>of</strong>itable<br />
opportunity.<br />
Name : Joey de Boer<br />
Age : 19<br />
Tel. no. home : +31 773518738<br />
Tel.no. mobile : +31 617672301<br />
E-mail : joeyboer_de@hotmail.com<br />
Study: Laws (Higher pr<strong>of</strong>essional education)<br />
Specialization: I have to choose my specialization in the third year,<br />
I am in the second year.<br />
ASSOCIATION INFO<br />
The secrets <strong>of</strong> Cargo & Logistics......<br />
Bert Besseling will explain what KLM (and Air France) cargo is in relation to other<br />
carriers and who their partners are. How are they organized and what is air cargo<br />
actually? What kind <strong>of</strong> commodities do they ship and why is air cargo so important for<br />
the global economy? What is the relation to other modes <strong>of</strong> transport and logistic<br />
chains and why it is difficult to change their way <strong>of</strong> working? What is the influence <strong>of</strong><br />
new industrial products and for example sport events on our business? If time allows,<br />
Bert will also explain the issue <strong>of</strong> weight and balance and payload on an aircraft.<br />
Date : 5 June Venue : Hollandse Club<br />
Drinks : 7 pm Presentation : 7.30 pm<br />
Bert Besseling, a 40 years veteran in KLM and mainly in Air Cargo<br />
sector. The last 25 years he was located in Europe and Far East in<br />
various positions. As Air Cargo is so diverse, the challenges and<br />
opportunities change every few years which makes this part <strong>of</strong><br />
transportation so interesting. Dealing with Air Cargo and its clients<br />
is very direct, to the point and a no nonsense business. Global<br />
knowledge <strong>of</strong> all industry markets and countries both economical<br />
and infrastructural are essential to make the right decisions on<br />
where to employ the most expensive asset – aircrafts.<br />
In his present function as Director Operations for KLM Cargo Asia, the main<br />
responsibilities are:<br />
• negotiation <strong>of</strong> handling contracts, total security and safety <strong>of</strong> 14 stations in Asia,<br />
• operational planning <strong>of</strong> aircrafts, quality such as ISO 9002, groundwork and<br />
implementation <strong>of</strong> new stations,<br />
• think-tank member for head-<strong>of</strong>fice for projects. In Singapore the regional <strong>of</strong>fice<br />
for total Asia was opened in 2000.<br />
20<br />
Vol.16 • No. 5 • June 2006<br />
Internship: My internship has to be at a company that is involved in<br />
law. My internship has to be 5 months starting from approximately<br />
the first <strong>of</strong> September.<br />
Working experience: Organisation <strong>of</strong> different events in sports,<br />
teaching tennis, working at an international company which exports<br />
and imports leather, worked in a bar and did there the adminstration<br />
as well.<br />
Looking for: An internship with a challenge in which I can learn and<br />
use my own experience and capacities.<br />
Name : Tom Canters<br />
Age : 20<br />
Tel. no. <strong>of</strong>fice : +31 773518290/home<br />
Tel.no. mobile : +31 628425037<br />
E-mail : tom_canters@hotmail.com<br />
Study: Small Business & Retail Management (Higher pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
education)<br />
Specialization: An Economics student with a minor in Small Business<br />
& Retail Management and Commercial Economy who is keen to find<br />
a position where knowledge and experience can be gained. I am<br />
a business man with no 9 to 5 mentality. My strong points are:<br />
perseverance, creativity, discipline, social and sales talent.<br />
Internship: My school task is to find an operational function at a<br />
commercial company in a sales or marketing division. I have to start<br />
at the first <strong>of</strong> September and I have to work for (minimal) 19 weeks<br />
at a company.<br />
Working experience: Insurances counsellor, Interpolis nv. Tilburg,<br />
Owner and Marketing Manager, D‚n Hiep S.C. Eindhoven, Call Agent,<br />
Scheidegger Educations Venlo, Programmer and “Public Relation<br />
Man”, Texfree Festival Venlo, Social worker, Thuiszorg Noord Limburg,<br />
Waiter, Galerie de Hoeve Venlo and Waiter, Bilderberg Group Venlo.