2006 in Singapore
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The following lists events that happened during 2006 in Singapore.
Contents
Incumbents
Events
January
- 7 January – Exercise Northstar V is carried out at Mass Rapid Transit stations and at Toa Payoh Bus Interchange.
February
- 3 February – In response to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) issues a statement that says "the inciting of hatred against a faith of a people is very unfortunate." The Foreign Minister George Yeo and the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim have similarly said that the incident shows the need to respect racial and religious sensitivities, to have a "responsible media", and to cultivate good inter-religious relations and confidence beyond just legislation.
- 10 February – The Secretary General of Singapore Democratic Party, Chee Soon Juan, was declared a bankrupt by the High Court, after he failed to pay S$500,000 in damages awarded to Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew in a defamation lawsuit concerning comments he made during the Singapore general election, 2001.
- 15 February – The Ford Motor Factory in Upper Bukit Timah Road, the site of the British surrender to the Japanese during World War II, will be gazetted as a national monument on 15 February.
March
- 3 March – The Elections Department release the report of the updated electoral boundaries for the general election.
- 16 March – British monarch Elizabeth II visits Singapore.
May
- 6 May – The tenth Singapore general election is held with the ruling People's Action Party winning 82 out of 84 seats with a percentage of 66.6% of the total vote.
- 7 May – James Gomez is detained in Singapore for further questioning, after trying to leave for Sweden to return to work. He was released a week later and given a formal warning.
- 15 May – Kallang body parts murder murderer Leong Siew Chor gets a death sentence for killing 22-year-old Chinese national Liu Hong Mei.[1]
- 21 May – The second season of Singapore Idol premieres on MediaCorp's Channel 5 with over a million viewers.
- 22 May – The new Cabinet of Singapore is announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, with Minister for Transport Yeo Cheow Tong retiring and five new members of parliament entering political office.
- 25 May – Singapore's newest and most advanced fighter jet, the 145 Squadron, which is the Republic of Singapore Air Force's third generation of fighter planes, starts operations.
- 26 May – The government has picked Las Vegas Sands to operate the new Integrated Resort at Marina Bay among four casino operators.
- 29 May – The Filipino maid, Guen Aguilar who killed her best friend, has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment for manslaughter.
- 30 May – The new Cabinet of Singapore has been inaugurated at the Istana with 1,400 guests attending the ceremony.
June
- 8 June – Emperor of Japan Akihito visits Singapore for three days with Empress Michiko.
July
- 6 July – The local free newspaper Today suspends the column of mrbrown in a noted case of censorship in Singapore following a letter from a government official to the letters section of the paper.
August
- 9 August – Singapore celebrates her 41st (XLI) National Day, with the parade held for the last time at the National Stadium before it's closed for redevelopment.
- 23 August – It is announced that Singapore will be sending a team to compete in the upcoming A1 Grand Prix season.
September
- 11–20 September – 61st Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group is held successfully at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
- 25 September – The second season of Singapore Idol ends with Hady Mirza winning the honour of being the second Singapore Idol.
Law
- 1 June – The Casino Control Act 2006[2] comes into force. Among other things, the Act establishes the Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore and the National Council on Problem Gambling; and provides for the licensing of casinos and their employees, and the supervision and control of casino operators. This follows the government's announcement on 18 April 2005 that it is relaxing its ban on casinos and is allowing the development of two 'integrated resorts' incorporating casinos, its aim being to boost the tourism industry. Both resorts are expected to open by 2009.[citation needed] Locals who wish to enter the casinos will be required to pay a daily entry fee of S$100 or purchase an annual entry pass for S$2,000. This measure is aimed at reducing the negative effects of compulsive gambling. The entry fees will be used to educate and counsel Singaporeans that have gambling habits.
- September 2006 – The Subordinate Courts start a pilot project called the Lay Assistant Scheme in which persons, usually with some legal knowledge, attend hearings with litigants who are not represented by lawyers to advise them on non-legal issues and help them with administrative tasks. The scheme, a modification of the UK's McKenzie Friend system, is intended to assist litigants who are not eligible for legal aid as they have an annual salary exceeding S$10,000 but cannot afford a lawyer. For the litigant to qualify, the other party must be legally represented. Lay assistants are not allowed to act as lawyers and may not address the court; any breach of court rules may render them liable to a maximum fine of S$1,000 or imprisonment of up to six months. Plans for introducing McKenzie Friends in court proceedings were first announced by Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong in May 2006. Students from the Pro Bono Group of the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, have been participating in the scheme.[3]
- 9 November to 9 December – The Ministry of Home Affairs holds a public consultation on proposed changes to the Penal Code.[4] Among the suggested changes are proposals to modify the marital immunity currently enjoyed by a husband against raping his wife, and to decriminalise oral and anal sex by a consenting heterosexual couple aged 16 years and above.
Sports
- 8 and 9 April – Standard Chartered Singapore Sevens 2006 begins with Fiji winning England for the title.
Deaths
- 22 February – Sinnathamby Rajaratnam, former Deputy Prime Minister and Senior Minister
- 20 July – Lim Kim San
