2024年8月——新書上架

 　　楊榮文曾任新聞及藝術、貿工部及外交部長，《凝思集》是他以自己和對新加坡的期許為起點，再跨越時空山海，廣泛討論各種主題的恢弘巨作。全書分三輯，第二輯厚達632頁，內容包括梵蒂岡和伊斯蘭教，歐美西方浪潮的興盛，以及中國崛起對基督教、伊斯蘭教、歐洲、非洲、拉丁美洲、亞洲和美國的影響；最後，聚焦新加坡與東協各國的關係。

　　在為期半年、每周兩三個小時的對話中,新加坡前外交部長楊榮文與資深媒體人云大篪和研究助理葉思誠廣泛思考了不同課題。楊榮文回答時參考筆記，以自己和對新加坡的期許為起點,再跨越時空山海,廣泛討論各種主題——從人類多 元化的重要性以及新加坡的內省和對世界的反思。到歷史、政治、經濟、哲學、太極功和宗教。

　　他闡述了對印度、中國、東協、歐洲、美國和世界其他地區的看法，以及新加坡的歷史和命運與這些國家的關聯。全書採用對話體，穿插了不少逸聞趣事。

　　楊榮文說:《凝思集》如其名，就是凝想與思辨。《凝思集》共三輯，本書為第一輯。有些主題貫穿全書，反映了楊榮文的人生觀，但並不是什麼高深理論。他並不期待人人對他的所有反思都感興趣，但希望大家都能從中發現一些趣味。

　　一個客家女子的新加坡故事：作為女兒、醫生、愛國的新加坡人的心路歷程 新加坡建國總理李光耀之女、新加坡現任總理李顯龍之妹李瑋玲肺腑之作 揭開顯赫的新加坡「*家族」神秘面紗 50餘張珍貴照片首次面世，記錄李光耀家族的日常生活點滴。

　　此書內容凸顯了她的個性、專業、情感和執著，也反映了她 對人生、新加坡和世界、以及至親和摯友的種種觀察。書中根據不同的 主題組成章節，而後記則以六篇文章概括了兩件對作者個人，甚至也對 新加坡人影響至深的事件：作者父母的逝世。

作者簡介

　　李瑋玲醫生，客家裔新加坡華人，神經科醫生，前國立神經科學研究所顧問。她是新加坡第一任總理李光耀之女。曾在新加坡《海峽時報》發表題為《我為什麼保持單身》的文章。

　　《飛虎情緣：何永道回憶錄》是一本史詩級的二戰故事,也是一本記錄親情、友情、愛情、同儕生死情誼的巨著。一名來自南洋的男孩,在二戰東方主戰場——中國——參與抗日的任務。爾後，他先後在上海、馬來亞、新加坡從事民航飛行的工作，至1980年，以新航B-737客機的隊長的身份告別翱翔萬裡的飛行生涯。這位百歲飛虎老將的真實經歷,宛如電影般的情節跌宕起伏，扣人心弦。儘管二戰硝煙已遠，今日讀來仍能叫人反思和平的代價。

The IRAS Story chronicles how Singapore's tax authority evolved from the Singapore Income Tax Department set up in 1948 to administer income tax only, to the Inland Revenue Department that took charge of several taxes from 1960, and finally to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore in 1992, a key national institution that the World Bank has cited as a model for tax administrations.

IRAS' people tell us their story.  And it is a fascinating one, of coping with documents galore, irate taxpayers, fraud and tax evasion.  But then, like a symphony that soars above the cacophony, the IRAS players put up a class act.  It began using technology creatively to achieve one of the lowest costs of tax collection and highest rates of voluntary compliance in the world, and kept up the tempo by responding robustly to a global environment that is becoming more complex and less predictable.

As a small country in Southeast Asia seeking to survive and prosper, Singapore cannot be ordinary. It must be extraordinary. Herein lies the central challenge for Singapore in every area, including foreign policy. This book is a compilation of essays and public speeches by Bilahari Kausikan over the last 25 years. A frank and passionate assessment of the geopolitical realities to date, and the uncertainties that have emerged. It is for anyone interested to know about protecting Singapore’s interests, nicely or otherwise, in a rapidly changing and complex world. 

About the Author

Bilahari P S Kausikan is a veteran Singapore diplomat who retired in 2013, after serving in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) for 32 years. He was Second Permanent Secretary and subsequently Permanent Secretary of MFA from 2001 to 2013. He is now Ambassador-at-Large. Bilahari is known nationally and internationally for his strategic analyses, and has a following in international foreign policy circles. He has also established a reputation in social media circles, especially among young Singaporeans. 

Former Member of Singapore’s Parliament and top civil servant Lim Hwee Hua has used her active role in this perennial issue to show just how complex the arguments can be.

She answers a list of recurring questions, dealing with the why, when, what and wherefore which public officials, managers of state-owned enterprises and businessmen will find useful when formulating policies, or in their dealings with one another.

The numerous examples she cites from all over the world, of governments’ dreams and nightmares, illustrate factors peculiar to particular situations, but all raise degees of risk best resolved with honesty, particularly with regard to who benefits the most from a decision to get in or out. As Lim explains, the answer can sometimes come as a shock.

This book tells the story of Singapore’s first experience of defending its legal rights
before an international tribunal, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
(ITLOS). 

The authors, who were part of the multidisciplinary and multi-agency team tasked
with presenting Singapore’s case at ITLOS, recount the facts of the reclamation
dispute and the ITLOS proceedings culminating in a pragmatic outcome, one that
paves the way for future cases of this nature to be resolved in a similar way. This
book would be of interest to students and readers of international relations,
international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

Big Hearts, Big Dreams gathers the stories of the 21 winners and nominees from the first two years of the Singapore of the Year award. Each profile captures the determination and drive of those who have made an impact on the community.

Since 2015, The Straits Times has recognised unsung heroes and inspiring dreamers with the Singaporean of the Year award. Supported by UBS Singapore, the annual award celebrates individuals who made headlines not because of their status or fame, but for their selfless acts of goodwill. It recognises the triumph of the human spirit, and the myriad ways in which common men and women can shape the lives of those around them for the better.

A lecturer turned banker, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam never expected to become a politician, much less a president. Challenged to join Singapore’s nation building efforts in 1979, he set aside personal ambitions for a quiet life to serve the nation, beginning a political career that would eventually span nearly four decades and take him to the nation’s highest post at the Istana.

Written from Dr Tan’s point of view, this book offers a personal perspective of policy- and decision-making on a national level, giving a behind-the-scenes look at key decisions and policy changes in the fields of education, finance, security and defence through his years in government and public service.

Among other things, he reveals the deliberations behind the 1979 overhaul of the education system, the scrapping of the graduate mothers’ priority scheme, the 1986 Central Provident Fund rate cut, the management of investment losses at GIC, and his entry into the 2011 presidential race, while sharing his personal insights on the lessons learnt in the journey of building and growing a nation.

From exuberant rallies on Bangkok’s shopping streets to tear-gasfilled alleyways echoing with gunshots, from democracy-debating farmers to kitten-fostering Buddhist nuns, Unquiet Kingdom is a gripping portrait of Thailand’s many faces, revealing the complexities of a country that is far more than its tranquil tourist-brochure stereotype.Veteran journalist Nirmal Ghosh takes readers past the serene facade of Thailand’s steadily-cruising economy and undaunted tourism industry. He exposes the uncertainty of a country in the throes of transition, a deeply-divided land that has just lost a father. ‘Unquiet Kingdom’ gives you an engaging account of what he experienced from that ringside seat. 

About the Author

Nirmal Ghosh, a Foreign Correspondent for The Straits Times since 1994, has lived in Singapore, Manila, New Delhi, and Bangkok where he spent 13 years, first as Thailand Correspondent and then as Indochina Bureau Chief covering the region. He is currently United States Bureau Chief, based in Washington, DC. This is his fourth book.

The Malaysia That Could Be tells of one man’s belief in his country – and how it can be so much more than what it is today. In this compilation of columns from the New Sunday Times in Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Kalimullah reminisces the Malaysia of yesteryear when ordinary Malaysians lived modestly and harmoniously together. He bemoans the decline in ethnic and religious tolerance in recent times, amidst a rise of rhetoric of racism and bigotry. 

Having been friends with former Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi since 1980, and part of the team who helped with Abdullah’s speeches at the annual Umno General Assembly, Kalimullah also gives an insider’s view of Abdullah’s years in power and the events which led to his resignation. 

In 1998, wracked by financial turmoil and political upheaval, Indonesia seemed like a country on the brink of collapse. Yet it has more than turned its fortunes around.

"Resurgent Indonesia From Crisis to Confidence" is the gripping inside account of Indonesia’s steep decline after the Asian financial crisis and its improbable recovery and rise in the ensuing two decades.

It charts the country’s difficult journey from a failing state to a confident young democracy and a fast-growing economy. Today, Indonesia is a powerful global symbol of how globalisation and democracy are perfectly compatible in the world’s largest Muslim nation. Indonesia’s post-1998 leadership and the country’s 260 million people have figured out the “secret sauce” of blending democracy, stability, globalisation, and modernity -- providing powerful lessons for the world that the book describes as ‘Indonesia Rules’.

About the Author

Vasuki Shastry was a well-known business and economics journalist in India, Singapore, and Indonesia before joining the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1998.

His last assignment as a journalist was in Jakarta, where he was bureau chief of The Business Times between 1996 and 1998, covering the Asian financial crisis and the fall of President Suharto. He worked extensively on Indonesia during his stint at the IMF, starting as Asia Pacific spokesperson and in other roles.

　　曾是記者，婚後是家庭主婦兼編導的林海燕，把她和從政丈夫馬 炎慶26年婚姻中的你我他們寫個遍，登場的有已故資政李光耀伉儷，向她透露當年志願的政要們，不失浪漫的「馬車夫」，還有夫 妻倆分別經歷癌症和失語症的惡夢。

　　《一人一半》全書五章，展現了作者人生中的五個「我」：喜歡采 訪的寫作人，經常突發奇想的編劇，見識官場的官太太，愛玩的 媽媽，享受爬山潛水的旅人。想知道如何「幸福直到永遠」嗎？書中，儘是線索。

　　劇場人林海燕將過去17年的50篇文章結集為《一人一半》，涉及婚姻、個人、社會觀察、健康和旅遊等，與讀者分享婚姻之道與生活點滴，鼓勵大家積極勇敢地跨越人生的高山低谷，活出自己。

　　範文瑂是全美世界有限公司集團董事長兼總裁。她成功地將全美世界從一家新加坡本土公司，擴展為足跡遍及40個國家地區的全球集團。她在書中透露，其實她一心想當教師，卻在偶然的機會下闖商場。

The Wholefood Kitchen is basically everything you ever wanted to know about vegan or vegetarian cuisine. It is not merely a cookbook – rather, an intelligently written book about cooking, chock-full of vital information, fascinating facts and delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes. With outstanding graphics and easy-to-grasp key points, the book is uncomplicated and user-friendly. The recipes are also hyper-creative, imaginative and family-friendly, catering to a stress-free preparation experience for a person of any culinary caliber.

About the Author

Mayura Mohta is a Singapore based nutrition consultant and health writer. She is a qualified fitness and wellness coach and has an academic background in biochemistry, microbiology and nutritional science. She believes in prevention and reversal of disease through a plant based diet. In 2010, she founded Healthfriend, a social enterprise that combines her love for health and fitness with her desire to contribute to community welfare.

Trying to eat healthier for your heart? This cookbook leads the way. Written by a professional nutrition consultant and based on the groundbreaking research of Dr Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr from world renowned Cleveland Clinic, The Heart Smart Oil Free Cookbook provides tested, detailed recipes by skilled chefs and global nutrition experts. They enable you to eat right for your heart while enjoying a wide range of tasty dishes.

About the Author

Mayura Mohta is a Singapore based nutrition consultant and health writer. She is a qualified fitness and wellness coach and has an academic background in biochemistry, microbiology and nutritional science. She believes in prevention and reversal of disease through a plant based diet. In 2010, she founded Healthfriend, a social enterprise that combines her love for health and fitness with her desire to contribute to community welfare.

George Jacobs has been president of Vegetarian Society (Singapore) since 2003 and a vegetarian since 1980. He helped to write the New Asian Traditions Vegetarian Cookbook.