Blogger Roy Ngerng’s defamation case is finally in the books with a settlement of $150,000 to be paid to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in installments. As The Straits Times reports, however, it will take Ngerng 17 years to do this. If that seems like an awfully long time, that’s because it is. In fact, here’s what will happen before he gets there.
1. Another solar eclipse. Singapore will witness an annular eclipse on Dec 26, 2019.
2. Our next-generation ERP will be operational. Satellite-based electronic road pricing. Hurray?
3. Raffles200 and LKY100. Which will get the bigger celebration, the bicentenary of Raffles’ arrival in 2019 or the centenary of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s birth in 2023?
4. SG60. Forget the golden jubilee; it’s all about diamonds in 2025.
5. Changi Airport will have five terminals. T4 will open in 2017 with T5 scheduled to follow in 2025.
6. A quarter of Singaporeans will be over 65. By 2030.
7. Three more MRT lines will open. Finding it confusing with just NS, EW, NE, CC and DT? You’ll have to contend with TE (Thomson-East Coast), JR (Jurong Region) and CR (Cross Island) by 2030.
8. At least three Parliamentary Elections will be held in Singapore. The next one must take place by Jan 2021 with each term lasting no more than five years.
9. Singapore will reduce emissions intensity by 36 percent. As compared to 2005.
10. Four FIFA World Cups. Maybe we’ll have a team that can actually qualify by then. #Believe #Goal2030
11. Five Summer Olympic Games. They haven’t awarded hosts beyond Tokyo in 2020. KL/Singapore 2032, anyone?
