2006

Events

• January 7 - Exercise Northstar V is carried out at Mass Rapid Transit stations and at Toa Payoh Bus Interchange.
• February 3 - In response to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) issued a statement that said "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, have a "responsible media," and to cultivate good inter-religious relations and confidence beyond just legislation.
• February 10 - 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 2001 general election.
• February 15 - 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 - The Elections Department release the report of the updated electoral boundaries for the general election.
• March 16 - Queen Elizabeth II visits Singapore.
• May 6 - The 2006 Singapore general election was held with the ruling People's Action Party winning 82 out of 84 seats with a percentage of 66.6% of the total vote.
• May 7 - 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.
• May 15 - Kallang body parts murderer Leong Siew Chor gets a death sentence for killing 22-year-old Chinese national Liu Hong Mei.
• May 21 - The second season of Singapore Idol premiers on MediaCorp's Channel 5 with over a million viewers.
• May 22 - 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.
• May 25 - Singapore's newest and most advanced fighter jet, the 145 Squadron starts operations which is the Republic of Singapore Air Force's third generation of fighter planes.
• May 26 - The government has picked Las Vegas Sands to operate the new Integrated Resort at Marina Bay among four casino operators.
• May 29 - The Filipino maid, Guen Aguilar, who killed her best friend, has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment for manslaughter.
• May 30 - The new Cabinet of Singapore has been inaugurated at the Istana with 1,400 guests attending the ceremony.
• June 8 - Emperor of Japan Akihito visits Singapore for three days with Empress Michiko.
• July 6 - 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 - Singapore celebrates her 41st (XLI) National Day, with the parade held for the last time at the National Stadium before it is closed for redevelopment.
• August 23 - It is announced that Singapore wil be sending a team to compete in the upcoming A1 Grand Prix season.
• Sept 11-20 - 61st Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group are held successfully at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
• September 25 - The second season of Singapore Idol ends with Hady Mirza winning the honour of being the second Singapore Idol.

Public Transport

Date	Service Affected	Event
1 January	85	Introduced from Punggol Temp Int to Yishun Int.
15 January	Template:NE15	Begins operations.
23 January	131B	Introduced from Serangoon Rd to Norfolk Rd.
18 February	11 26 16A 608	Amended to ply Stadium Cres with the full closure of Stadium Blvd.
20 February	963E	Introduced from Woodlands Reg Int to HarbourFront Int.
19 March	10 16 16A 30 30e 31 32 33 401	Amended to ply Cassia Lk, Cassia Cres, Guillemard Rd and Guillemard Camp Rd with the partial closure of Old Airport Rd and Dunman Rd.
1 April	402	Introduced between Marina Sth Pier Ter and Anson Rd (Loop).
17 April	17A	Introduced from Bedok Int to Bedok Nth Ave 4.
	902	Introduced from Woodlands Reg Int to Woodlands Ave 9.
23 April	922	Introduced between Bt Panjang Int and Segar Rd (Loop).
30 April	985 985A	Amended to ply Bt Batok West Ave 5 and Bt Batok West Ave 7.
28 May	109	Introduced between Serangoon Int and Changi Village Ter.
1 June	131B	Withdrawn.
11 June	246	Amended to ply Tah Ching Rd, skipping Kang Ching Rd.
18 June	79	Amended to loop at Boon Lay Temp Int.
	700 700A	Amended to ply Pending Rd, Petir Rd and Dairy Farm Rd.
	921	Integrated with Service 700/700A and withdrawn.
26 June	900A	Introduced between Woodlands Reg Int and Woodlands Dr 17 (Loop).
	Teachers' Estate Service	Introduced between Yio Chu Kang Ter and Teachers' Est (Loop).
16 July	173	Amended to ply Bt Batok Ave 1 and Bt Batok East Ave 6 and amended to ply Hume Ave, skipping Hillview Rd.
27 August	945	Amended to ply Bt Batok West Ave 4, Bt Batok St 33 and Bt Batok St 32.
28 August	23A	Introduced from Tampines Int to Tampines Ave 1.
11 September	97B	Introduced from Jurong East Int to Telok Blangah Rd.
25 September	63A	Introduced from Eunos Int to Aljunied Rd.
15 October	985W	Introduced between Choa Chu Kang Int and Lor 1 Geylang Ter.
29 October	173	Amended to loop at Clementi Temp Int.
5 November	54	Amended to ply Bishan St 13 and Bishan St 11.
12 November	506	Extended to Upp East Coast Ter.
20 November	158A 158B	Suspended.
	174e	Extended to New Bridge Rd Ter.
3 December	859	Amended to ply Sembawang Way and Sembawang Dr.
	980	Amended to ply Sembawang Dr, Admiralty Dr and Canberra Rd.
17 December	95	Amended to start from Kent Ridge Ter and loop at Holland Dr.
	95A 95C	Shortened to start from Nth Buona Vista Rd.
	95D	Introduced from Kent Ridge Ter to Holland Rd.
	200	Amended to start from Buona Vista Ter and loop at Kent Ridge Ter.
18 December	74e	Introduced between Hougang Ctrl Int and Buona Vista Ter.
	151e	Introduced between Hougang Ctrl Int and Kent Ridge Ter.
22 December	16M	Discontinued with the introduction of Nite Owl Service 4N.
	65M	Discontinued with the introduction of Nite Owl Service 2N.
	89M	Discontinued with the introduction of Nite Owl Services 6N and 7N.
	162M	Discontinued with the introduction of Nite Owl Service 1N.
	174M	Discontinued with the introduction of Nite Owl Services 5N and 8N.
	181M	Discontinued with the introduction of Nite Owl Service 3N.
	1N	Introduced between Marina Ctr Ter and Yishun Ring Rd.
	2N	Introduced between Marina Ctr Ter and Tampines Ave 3.
	3N	Introduced between Marina Ctr Ter and Choa Chu Kang Nth 5.
	4N	Introduced between Marina Ctr Ter and Bedok Nth Rd.
	5N	Introduced between Marina Ctr Ter and Jurong West St 42.
	6N	Introduced between Marina Ctr Ter and Punggol Field.
	7N	Introduced between Marina Ctr Ter and Pasir Ris Dr 1.
	8N	Introduced between Marina Ctr Ter and Jurong West St 92.
26 December	45	Introduced between Upp East Coast Ter and Ang Mo Kio Depot.
	185	Introduced between Soon Lee Bus Pk and Buona Vista Ter.
31 December	C1 C2 C3	Withdrawn.

Law

• 1 June – The Casino Control Act 2006 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. 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 – 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.
• 9 November to 9 December – The Ministry of Home Affairs holds a public consultation on proposed changes to the Penal Code. Among the suggested changes are proposals to modify the marital immunity currently enjoyed by a husband against raping his wife, and to decriminalize 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 beating England for the title.

Deaths

• 22 February - Sinnathamby Rajaratnam, former Deputy Prime Minister and Senior Minister