Singapore Morning News For July 31

Singapore flagged as a city to avoid for software engineers
Singapore has been flagged as a city to avoid for software developers by US-based software developer mentorship company, Codementor.
— The Independent Singapore

Singapore electricity sector to see shake-up with full liberalisation
THE future of Singapore’s electricity sector is starting to take shape as the country approaches the last leg of a long journey in the liberalisation of the market.
— The Business Times

Amazon Raids Singapore Market Ahead Of Australian Push
In what could be a preview of battles to come in Australia when Amazon makes its long-expected entry to the Down Under market, Amazon and Chinese player Alibaba are going head-to-head in an attempt to break into the Singapore e-commerce market.
— ChannelNews Australia

The promise of artificial intelligence is not assured
THE allure of artificial intelligence (AI) is well known: technological solutions to laborious burdens, boosting output efficiency across the economy. Equally certain, however, are the anxieties arising from fears of AI’s far-reaching societal consequences.
— The Business Times

Doha Bank to open branch in Singapore
Doha Bank, one of the leading lenders in Qatar, has announced its decision to launch a full-fledged banking operation in Singapore.
— The Peninsula Qatar

Skills dev’t to drive employment confidence in Singapore
Almost one in two (49%) Singaporeans foresee a better economic situation in the rest of 2017, according to a a Q2 2017 survey conducted by Michael Page.
— Enterprise Innovation

Developed markets into sustained expansion: BlackRock
DEVELOPED economies are cruising at slightly above trend rates since the Great Financial Crisis of 2009, helped by subdued financial market volatility, fading fears of deflation and fewer near-term political risks.
— The Business Times

Capital markets increasingly sought after in aircraft financing
CAPITAL markets are continuing to entice investors and they are matching up quickly to commercial banks, traditionally the main source of funding in the aircraft financing industry.
— The Business Times

Singapore’s Sembcorp looks to refinance India power unit’s $470m debt
Singapore-based power producer Sembcorp Industries Ltd is looking to refinance long-term debt worth Rs3,000 crore (about $470 million) of its Indian thermal power unit Sembcorp Gayatri Power, two people aware of the development said.
— DealStreetAsia /LiveMint

SINGAPORE SMES ARE TAKING LONGER TO PAY A DEBT
The percentage of SME debt paid on time fell to just 37 per cent in the second quarter of 2017 – the lowest level in two years, according to new research released by DP Information Group (DP Info), part of the Experian group of companies.
— CFO Innovation

Re-employment scheme making good progress: Sam Tan
A government scheme that allows workers to continue working for a longer age has seen “very good progress” in the past five years, said Minister of State for Manpower Sam Tan in an exclusive interview with Channel NewsAsia.
— Channel NewsAsia

Property sector leads list of buyouts from Singapore Exchange
THE year 2017 is shaping to be the year of the property buyout.
As firms continue to plot their exits from the Singapore Exchange (SGX), analysts say this indicates that valuations are still low – though the situation is not as bad as a year ago.
— The Business Times

Radicalisation leads to erosion of Malay culture, warns Masagos
The Malay/Muslim community today faces three main challenges: That of religious extremism, the threat of cultural erosion, as well as a disruptive economy.
— Today Online

72% of Singapore firms affected by workers’ mental stress
Only 1 in 2 firms have emotional and psychological programmes in place.
For Singapore firms, mental health issue and stress increasingly impact the productivity of their employees.
— Singapore Business Review

Fears of mutant flu strain in HK spark concern here
On Monday (July 24), Madam Gan Shu Wen was shocked to find her four-year-old’s kindergarten class of 20 reduced to just five. The next day came and, still, only five attended class. On Wednesday, barely half of the class were there.
— Today Online

Children’s Society walkathon raises S$350k
The Singapore Children’s Society’s annual fundraiser, Walk For Our Children, has raised about S$350,000 in support of programmes for the society’s beneficiaries, who include vulnerable children, low-income families and the loved ones of prisoners, among others.
— Today Online

Buoyant demand for new property launches this year: Analysts
Demand for new private residential homes has improved in the first half of 2017 as compared to the same period last year, largely driven by the perception that the market is bottoming out, according to analysts.
— Channel NewsAsia

All 800 places for Haj pilgrims taken up, with 90% being first-timers: MUIS
All 800 places allocated to Muslim pilgrims from Singapore for the upcoming Haj season have been taken up, with almost 90 per cent of the successful applicants being first-timers, according to a statement by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) released on Saturday (Jul 29).
— Channel NewsAsia

Cigarette sellers ready for display ban but fear drop in sales
These were installed in preparation for new rules on displaying cigarettes for sale, which kick in tomorrow.
— The New Paper

More arrested for misuse of boarding passes at Changi airport
They buy plane tickets and use the boarding passes to enter the transit areas of Changi Airport, but not to catch a flight.
— The New Paper

Feature photo Craige Moore
Find our previous morning news feature photos in the AEC News Today Morning News Feature Photos gallery where you will find a pictorial display of daily life throughout the Asean Economic Community (AEC).

Singapore morning news by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Singapore news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities. It is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Singapore Morning News For July 31 added by Leakhena Khat on July 31, 2017
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Leakhena Khat

Leakhena is a junior journalist at AEC News Today who is also currently studying International Relations, which she finds adds perspective to her work reporting on the Asean Community.

“I love what I am doing so much as it gives me a lot of great experience and provides challenges to my mind.