Singapore Morning News For October 30

Singapore steps up water production to meet demand following pollution in Johor River
Water production at Singapore’s desalination plants and local waterworks has been stepped up to meet demand here, after pollution in the Johor River led to the temporary closure of four water treatment plants along the river, including one in Kota Tinggi that is managed by Singapore.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

77% of Singapore firms have suffered from cyberattacks
About 77% of Singapore firms have indicated that they have detected one or more cyberattack incidents in the last twelve months, PwC’s Global State of Information Security Survey (GSISS) revealed.
— Singapore Business Review

Which way forward for Singapore’s print monopoly?
Singapore Press Holdings is a rich media company. Its market capitalisation of S$4 billion ($2.9 billion) and yearly revenue of S$725 million for the media business must be the envy of many publishers globally. Its flagship newspaper, The Straits Times, has the breadth of world news coverage that many can only dream of, with 21 correspondents in 12 cities and a network of international contributors.
— Mumbrella Asia

SkillsFuture Singapore launches training programmes in eight priority and emerging skills areas
The series comprises more than 400 courses, anchored primarily by the Institutes of Higher Learning and aims to train 50,000 Singaporeans annually by 2020.
— Open Gov Asia

Singapore is second largest Asian investor in the US and its largest trade partner in Asean
It might come as a surprise to many but Singapore is a major investor in the US with investments from banking to agriculture and telecoms. Singapore has made US$73 billion (S$99.6 billion) in investments cumulatively across more than two dozen US states, making it the second largest Asian investor in the US after Japan.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

More stroke patients arriving within crucial time period for treatment: Study
More patients are arriving at the hospital “early enough” for time-sensitive stroke treatments, the Ministry of Health’s Stroke Services Improvement team revealed on Sunday (Oct 29).
— Channel NewsAsia

Singapore and Hong Kong Link Their Trade Finance Blockchain Platforms
Fraud and errors present in the funding of international trade can be disastrous given the trillions of dollars in play. Consequently, the Singapore and Hong Kong central banks recently unveiled plans to link their respective trade finance platforms developed via blockchain technology.
— The Merkle

Indonesia in Singapore’s International Tourism Trade Show
Indonesia is currently taking part in the International Tourism Bourse, or ITB, Asia 2017 trade show at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, from Tuesday (24/10) until Friday.
— Jakarta Globe

Singapore’s labour market remains quite stable
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower has reported that the country’s labour market in the third quarter of this year saw no major changes compared with the second quarter.
— Vietnam Plus

Smaller contractors face obstacles adopting technology in construction
From the looks of its temporary office – a container sandwiched between buildings at Kampong Ubi Industrial Estate – mid-sized contractor B19 Technologies doesn’t seem like much.
— Channel NewAsia

Fundamentals of Singapore in place to drive startup ecosystem growth: SGInnovate
Steve Leonard, the chief executive of government-backed investment organisation SGInnovate, maintains that despite growing global competition amongst startup ecosystems, Singapore’s strong fundamentals of capital, connectivity and its existing entrepreneurial community translates to a strong foundation for further growth of the city-state’s startup ecosystem.
— DealStreetAsia

SG Dealbook: Social Weaver raises pre-seed funding; QUOINE partners Blockwave
Social Weaver has closed a pre-seed investment and QUOINE has partnered with Blockwave.
— DealStreetAsia

Economic restructuring showing promising results: Heng Swee Keat
Singapore’s economy is looking better this year, with restructuring efforts producing promising results, but the work is not done yet, said Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

Southeast Asia M&A surges to $53.5b in Jan-Sept 2017, led by transport sector
Southeast Asia saw mergers and acquisitions worth $53.5 billion across 290 deals in the first three quarters of this year, a strong performance outdone only by the Q1 to Q3 performance in 2013.
— DealStreetAsia

Myanmar charges Singaporean journalist for flying drone in Naypyitaw
yanmar authorities have charged a Singaporean journalist and his Malaysian colleague for allegedly flying drones illegally over and around the government’s parliament buildings in Naypyitaw, police said Sunday (Oct 29).
— Channel NewsAsia

Singapore schools starting to carry out anti-terror ‘lockdown’ drills
For the first time, schools here are conducting “lockdown” drills, with teachers and students locking themselves in classrooms and hiding from sight, in case an intruder with heinous intention enters the premises.
— Channel NewsAsia

WORLD VIEWS | SINGAPORE MUST JUNK HONG KONG’S RAIL MODEL
Singapore works. Or that was the city-state’s reputation until one December day six years ago, when a solitary defective fastener brought the subway system screeching to a halt.
— MacauDaily Times

Collaboration is key to growing SMEs: KPMG
PROFESSIONAL services firm KPMG is looking to play a bigger role in the nurturing of local enterprises, starting from the earliest stage in their life cycle as a small startup, instead of the traditional focus on firms that have already grown large enough to be listed on the stock exchange.
— The Business Times

WongP first Singapore law firm to embrace AI
IN THIS age of digital disruption and data explosion, woe betide the organisation that fails to harness available technologies to its advantage.
— The Business Times

DSO laboratory keeps Singapore safe
An unattended package in Shenton Way is discovered and found to be radioactive. Police have set up a safety cordon, disrupting activity in the Central Business District.
— The New Paper

17 women arrested for offering sexual services through online ads
Seventeen women who gave sexual services in homes in Hougang and Sembawang and advertised those services online have been arrested in a raid, the police said in a statement on Friday (Oct 27).
— The New Paper

Feature photo Aapo Haapanen
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 October 30 added by Leakhena Khat on October 30, 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.