Latest news with #XinghuiKok
Indian Express
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Chief of Defence Staff admits to loss of aircraft, says ‘rectified' tactics to hit deep inside Pak
Also by Xinghui Kok India Pakistan air conflict 2025: India switched tactics after suffering losses in the air on the first day of conflict with Pakistan earlier this month and established a decisive advantage before the neighbours announced a ceasefire three days later, India's highest ranking General said Saturday. General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, said in an interview that India suffered initial losses in the air, but declined to give details. 'What was important is, why did these losses occur, and what we'll do after that,' he told Reuters on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore, referring to the Pakistani claim of downing jets. 'So we rectified tactics and then went back on the 7th, 8th and 10th in large numbers to hit air bases deep inside Pakistan, penetrated all their air defences with impunity, carried out precision strikes.' The Indian Air Force 'flew all types of aircraft with all types of ordinances on the 10th', he said. India's Director General of Air Operations, Air Marshal A K Bharti, had told a press conference earlier in the month that 'losses are a part of combat' and that India had downed some Pakistani jets. Islamabad has denied it suffered any losses of planes but has acknowledged its air bases suffered some hits although losses were minimal. Some of the attacks were on bases near Pakistan's nuclear facilities, but they themselves were not targeted, media reports have said. 'Most of the strikes were delivered with pinpoint accuracy, some even to a metre, to whatever was our selected mean point of impact,' Chauhan said. Chauhan, and Pakistan's Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, have both said there was no danger at any time during the conflict that nuclear weapons were considered. 'I think there's a lot of space before that nuclear threshold is crossed, a lot of signalling before that, I think nothing like that happened,' Chauhan said. 'There's a lot of space for conventional operations which has been created, and this will be the new norm.' 'It's my personal view that the most rational people are people in uniform when conflict takes place,' he added. 'During this operation, I found both sides displaying a lot of rationality in their thoughts as well as actions. So why should we assume that in the nuclear domain there will be irrationality on someone else's part?' Chauhan also said that although Pakistan is closely allied with China, there was no sign of any actual help from Beijing during the conflict. 'While this was unfolding from (April) 22nd onwards, we didn't find any unusual activity in the operational or tactical depth of our northern borders, and things were generally all right.' Asked whether China may have provided any satellite imagery or other real-time intelligence to Pakistan during the conflict, Chauhan said such imagery was commercially available and could have been procured from China as well as other sources. He added that while hostilities had ceased, the Indian government had made it clear it would 'respond precisely and decisively should there be any further terror attacks emanating from Pakistan'. 'So that has its own dynamics as far as the armed forces are concerned. It will require us to be prepared 24×7.' – With inputs from Reuters
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Singapore votes in test of ruling party's monopoly
By Xinghui Kok and Jun Yuan Yong SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Singapore is holding an election on Saturday almost certain to perpetuate the unbroken rule of the People's Action Party, in a test of public approval for its new prime minister as the city-state braces for economic turbulence from a global trade war. The election is a bellwether for the popularity of the PAP, which has ruled since before Singapore's 1965 independence, with attention on whether the opposition can challenge the ruling party's tight grip on power and make further inroads after small but unprecedented gains in the last contest. Though the PAP has consistently won in landslides with about 90% of seats, its share of the popular vote is closely watched as a measure of the strength of its mandate, with premier Lawrence Wong keen to improve on the PAP's 60.1% in the 2020 election - one of its worst performances on record. Wong, 52, became the Asian financial hub's fourth prime minister last year, promising continuity, new blood and to lead Singapore his own way. He took over at the end of the two-decade premiership of Lee Hsien Loong, the son of former leader Lee Kuan Yew, the founder of modern Singapore. Polls opened at 8 a.m. (0000) and will close at 8 p.m. (1200), with a result expected in the early hours of Sunday. Living costs and housing availability in one of the world's most expensive cities are key issues for the 2.76 million voters and a continued challenge for Wong, whose government has warned of recession if the trade-dependent economy becomes collateral damage in the war over steep U.S. tariffs. LOPSIDED CONTEST The PAP has long had the upper hand in politics, with a big membership to draw from, influence in state institutions and far greater resources than its untested opponents, which are each running in only a small number of constituencies. The election will be a lopsided affair, with 46% of all candidates representing the PAP, which is contesting all 97 seats compared to 26 for its biggest rival, the Workers' Party, which won 10 last time, the most by an opposition party. But though a PAP defeat is extremely unlikely, some analysts say the election could alter the dynamic of Singapore politics in the years ahead if the opposition can make more headway, with younger voters keen to see alternative voices, greater scrutiny and more robust debate. "It is to be expected that (its) overall electoral support will gradually, gradually dip from general election to general election," said National University of Singapore political scientist Lam Peng Er. "Would Singaporeans be that surprised if the PAP's electoral support were to dip to 57% or 58%? It will surprise nobody. I don't think it will even surprise the PAP at all." The PAP for its part is keen to avoid upsets and warned voters of the consequences of seat losses for key cabinet members, whom Wong said were critical to balancing ties between the United States and China and navigating Singapore's highly exposed economy through potentially choppy waters. "I have backups ... sure. But everyone knows that the team cannot function at the same level," Wong told the 1.4 million strong labour union on Thursday.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
As Singapore heads into election, politicians showcase musical chops
By Xinghui Kok SINGAPORE (Reuters) -A curious election campaign trend has emerged in Singapore as the country gears up for its May 3 poll: candidates showcasing their musical chops, or lack of talent, on social media clips. The displays of musical talent range from clips of opposition star candidate Harpreet Singh playing the saxophone for local broadsheet The Straits Times, to others beatboxing and belting out songs in dialect or giving an awkward rendition of the earworm APT Korean song. One candidate, Samuel Lee of the small People's Power Party, has become a meme thanks to his self-written tune, badly sung, about looking left and right to find a career path. Some clips are freshly shot this election season as candidates are introduced to media or speak at rallies, others are older clips resurfacing of Singapore's guitar-playing Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on stage with a local band, or the leader of the opposition Pritam Singh singing at his party's Lunar New Year celebration. "They want to be relatable, but it won't work," said political scientist Walid Jumblatt Abdullah from Nanyang Technological University. "These silly Tiktok videos, these music videos, aren't exactly the best way to appear relatable," said Walid. "Just speaking like a normal human being, that would make them appear for more relatable." Voters, he said, are more discerning and would pay more attention to parties' and candidates' credibility and what they say about causes that matter to voters. The election comes amid a deteriorating economic outlook, due to U.S. tariffs, with the government warning of a possible recession. Bread and butter issues still matter most to the 2.76 million voters. It is the first electoral test for Wong, who took over from long-time premier Lee Hsien Loong last year as leader of the People's Action Party, which has ruled the city-state of 6 million people since independence in 1965. According to an April poll by Blackbox Research of 1,506 people, Singaporeans gave the government the lowest scorecard ratings for its handling of the cost of living (52%), sales tax (55%), inequality (57%), car prices (58%) and housing affordability (59%). However, the PAP is almost certain to win most seats in the election, with candidates fielded in all 33 constituencies for 97 seats in parliament. Crucially, the PAP will be looking at its popular vote. The PAP's share of the popular vote fell to 61% in 2020 from 70% in 2015. If it sees another decline and its main opposition the Workers' Party build on its record 10 seats in 2020, it could be interpreted as a sign the PAP's grip on power is weakening.
