英文

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.

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.

The wok - for pasta? Asia's ubiquitous cooking utensil is increasingly being used worldwide. Noted authority on Italian traditional cuisine Francesca D'Orazio Buonerba uses the wok to create both the great classic pasta dishes for entertaining as well as the family favourites. Pasta in a Wok contains more than 50 recipes, extensive notes and a glossary of ingredients and Italian cooking terms, numerous tips to avoid common errors in technique or presentation, and wine recommendations to accompany every recipe if desired. Francesca shows how genuine Italian flavours and aromas can be achieved by using widely available authentic ingredients, fuss-free methods and time-saving tips. Anyone can easily learn how to toss together these delicious dishes in 15 to 20 minutes. The book is generously illustrated with photographs of ingredients, equipment and every dish as well as of the step-by-step directions for cooking pasta and gnocchi. H.E. Dr Guido Scalici, Ambassador of Italy to Singapore has written the Foreword to the book.

About the Author

Francesca D'Orazio Buonerba is a cookbook author, cooking teacher, table stylist with an expertise in the art of the Italian style of entertaining. Both in Italy and aboard, she organizes cooking classes and culinary events and collaborate with various companies, magazines and websites.

Fresh, easy to cook and home-style delicious - Pauline Dawn Loh brings us great food that celebrates the act of cooking for our loved ones. From contemporary Asian favourites to French classics, Love, Food presents irresistible recipes for any moment of the day, whether it's a quick breakfast, hearty brunch or mouthwatering dinner treat.

Simplicity and innovation are the keynotes of these recipes, from mirin-marinated beef tenderloin smothered in wasabi mayonnaise - perfect for couch potatoes during the football session - to sambal prawns, nasi lemak and an elegant spinach quiche or pear chocolate tart.

Love, Food includes essential techniques, easy-to-follow instructions and time-saving kitchen tips, dispensed with Pauline's characteristic warmth and impeccable culinary sense. The perfect volume for cooking well and eating well. Love, Food will delight Pauline's many fans and make you fall in love with food all over again.

About the Author

Award-winning author with 30 years of writing experience who has published 14 adult non-fiction books, 5 youth books, 3 junior chapter books and 9 children’s storybooks. Creative writing teacher with 40 weekly students. Storyteller and workshop speaker.