In land-scarce Singapore, new spaces for homes on the sea and in the air, possibly

A floating island and apartments perched over roads and old buildings are just some of the ideas for how Singapore could overcome its land shortage, as the show Land Unlimited discovers.
Derrick A Paulo Channel NewsAsia 10 Mar 19;

SINGAPORE: Mr Shinichi Takiguchi has visited Singapore several times, and from the windows of his hotel room, all he can see is the sea. He believes that will change in future.

The managing executive officer at construction giant Shimizu Corporation is part of a team working on building a floating city for upwards of 50,000 people. And they have been poring over maps of Singapore, discussing potential locations.

They are sure that what they call the Green Float will be part of the sea view here one day – with homes at the top, offices in the middle, vegetable farms at the bottom and beaches around it.

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Commentary: Is Singapore’s decades-long shift away from agriculture about to take a U-turn?

The food industry can thrive in land-scarce Singapore, looking at other small but successful food exporting countries, says RSIS’ Paul Teng.
Paul Teng Channel NewsAsia 10 Mar 19;

SINGAPORE: Singapore has gone through such spectacular changes in its bicentennial history that today’s visitors to the country may be forgiven if they think it has always been a glitzy concrete shopping paradise and financial hub.

It was only at the turn of the 19th century that Singapore grew, exported and traded in gambier, nutmeg, cinnamon, among other produce. And until the 1970s, orchards, chicken and pig farms thrived on the main island.

As Singapore accelerated its transformation from Third World to First post-independence, so too did its policy makers confront difficult choices on the use of limited land.

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Malaysia: Nearly dried-up Sungai Golok attracting residents baking in heatwave

Sharifah Mahsinah Abdullah New Straits Times 9 Mar 19;

RANTAU PANJANG: Sungai Golok here is drying up due to the unrelenting heatwave – ironically, though, this is allowing scorched residents to safely enter the now-shallow river and indulge in water activities to cool down.

Checks by NST along the river last night showed dozens of people taking the opportunity to swim or play with sand along the riverbank. Some are even able to easily cross the river to enter Thailand .

Amidst the carnival-like atmosphere, sand is clearly visible on the river bed.

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