Friday #sgroundup: Singapore’s megachurches move to export lucrative religion
Here are today’s top trending stories in case you missed them.
Singapore's megachurches move to export lucrative religion
With a "prosperity gospel" that blends the spiritual and the material, City Harvest and other Pentecostal megachurches in the wealthy Asian city-state have perfected a popular and lucrative model.
Now they are working to export it to the world and turn Singapore into a hub for evangelical Christianity.
"We want to preach the gospel to the ends of the earth," said Pastor Bobby Chaw, City Harvest's missions director.
Ukraine crisis a reminder small countries must defend themselves: PM Lee
The ongoing crisis in Ukraine is a reminder that small countries must defend themselves and cannot rely solely on international treaties or the promises of others, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his first comments on the escalating crisis.
That’s why Singapore must always maintain a strong Singapore Armed Forces and Home Team, as well as a capable Foreign Affairs Ministry to strengthen the country's ties with friends and allies, he added in his Facebook post on Thursday.
“Only then can Singapore be safe and secure,” the Prime Minister said.
Malaysia has lost right to review water price, says Singapore Minister
When Malaysia decided not to review the water price under the Water Agreement in 1987, it lost its right to review the price, says Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs K. Shanmugam.
"Singapore’s position is that Malaysia has lost its right to review the water price. The Water Agreement provided for the review after 25 years. Specifically, there was a right to review the price of water jointly in 1987.
"However, Malaysia consciously chose not to review the price. It had good reasons for this," he said this in reply to a Parliamentary question today.
Ellen Lee of Sembawang GRC, had asked the minister whether Malaysia had the right to review the price of raw water sold to Singapore under the bilateral water agreement at any time before its expiry in 2061.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/malaysia-lost-review-water-price-says-singapore-minister-161152546.html
Anwar found guilty of sodomy
Malaysian opposition leader Datuk Anwar Ibrahim's plan to win the Kajang by-election and become the Selangor ‘Menteri Besar’ was scuttled by the Court of Appeal that overturned his acquittal for sodomy.
He is now looking at a long jail sentence after the Court of Appeal found him guilty of sodomising his former aide six years ago.
There was an uproar in the courtroom when the verdict was read out, overturning the High Court's earlier decision to acquit him for sodomy.
It was a unanimous decision.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/anwar-found-guilty-sodomy-082935721.html
Fire guts Marine Terrace food court, ESM Goh pays a visit
A fire gutted a food court at Blk 59 Marine Terrace on Friday morning. No one was injured in the blaze which reportedly started from a fish noodle stall. SDCF officers put out the blaze within half an hour but it did spark a safety evacuation from residents living in the block.
The SCDF said they were alerted to the fire at 9:02am. The fire affected six food stalls, they said, and they extinguished it after 30 minutes.
It added that about 10 residents were evacuated from the area up to two floors above the coffee shop by SCDF and police officers. While there were no reported injuries, investigation into the fire is in progress.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/fire-guts-marine-terrace-food-court--esm-goh-pays-a-visit-033456191.html
