Singapore Morning News For September 4

Singapore aims to halve workplace fatality rate before 2028: PM Lee
SINGAPORE is looking to about halve its workplace fatality rate before 2028 to under one per 100,000 employed individuals.
— The Business Times

Interconnection is key to Singapore’s push towards a Smart Nation
THE 2017 Singapore National Day Rally speech, an annual policy address to Singaporeans by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, took place earlier this month. In his speech, Singapore is said to have a “natural advantage” to become a Smart Nation.
— Digital News Asia

Going cashless? Why some in Singapore prefer hard cash
Despite high smartphone and mobile broadband penetration rates and a variety of options for cashless payments, some in Singapore still prefer to use hard cash. Brandon Tanoto finds out what’s behind this unwillingness to go cashless.
— Channel NewsAsia (video)

Singapore issues travel advisory over violence in Rakhine State [Channel NewsAsia]
Singaporeans currently in Rakhine State or travelling to Myanmar should e-Register with MFA and stay in touch with family and friends.
— Singapore Government

Hong Kong, Singapore vie for a bigger share of derivatives business
Hong Kong and Singapore are seeking to snare a bigger share of the $540 trillion global derivatives business, taking advantage of tough new UK and European banking rules and uncertainty created by Britain’s plans to leave the European Union.
— Deal Street Asia

Despite slow Internet, Singapore firm bullish on PHL e-commerce
LOCAL executives of the e-commerce platform of Sea Ltd.’s Garena business remain bullish on online shopping despite the slow Internet speed in the country.
— BusinessMirror

45 organisations commit to framework for improving workplace health, safety
Forty-five organisations signed a new accord yesterday to commit to a common framework to sharpen the capabilities of occupational health and safety professionals and practitioners, so they can better guide and lead the creation and sustainability of healthier and safer workplaces.
— Today Online

$33m raised for medical research and education
More than $32.5 million was raised over a period of two years to advance medical research and education here. The monies raised will supplement government funding in innovation and research.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

Singapore website apologises for ‘anguish’ caused by article on JB hospital negligence
Local socio-political news site The Independent Singapore on Sunday (Sept 3) took down an article claiming that a Singaporean had died after a Malaysian hospital demanded payment before treating him, and apologised “for the anguish and distress this incident has caused”.
— Today Online

Singapore ‘strongly condemns’ N Korean nuclear test: MFA
Singapore has condemned the latest nuclear test conducted by North Korea, labelling it a “provocative act” that threatens the region’s peace and stability, and further raises tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
— Today Online

Private-hire cars adding to congestion, traffic jams?
Private-hire cars clock significantly higher mileage than normal passenger cars and may be contributing to congestion here.
— The New Paper

Health and safety critical for workplaces of the future: Sam Tan
In the age of fast-paced technological change, it is hard to predict how work will evolve in the future, and how they might impact risks to safety and health. But Singapore has taken some approaches that could be useful in addressing some of the challenges, said Minister of State for Manpower Sam Tan.
— Channel NewsAsia

New target to halve workplace fatality rate by 2028: PM Lee
Even as Singapore is on track to reaching its target of 1.8 workplace deaths per 100,000 workers by next year, it has set a new target to cut its workplace fatality rate further by about half to under 1.0 before 2028.
— Today Online

Malaysia to write to Singapore over allegations regarding Singaporean in JB accident: Report
Malaysia’s Health Ministry will write to Singapore to express its disappointment over allegations that there had been a delay and demand for payment before treating Justinian Tan, a Singaporean who died after an accident in Johor Baru on Aug 25, according to a report on Malaysian news portal Berita Harian.
— Channel NewsAsia

How Singapore became a hot ICO destination
As the crypto-token market heats up, Singapore has emerged as one of a few key hubs for blockchain startups wanting to launch an initial coin offering (ICO). The city-state is a long-established hub for corporate setup due to its tax friendly rules, light-touch regulation, and state funding. It is home to over 200 banks with total assets amounting to a whopping $2 trillion, and it has already played host to a long list of successful ICOs.
— Venturebeat

Retailers in city area gearing up for F1 night race
Retailers in the city are gearing up for the Formula One race in two weeks with special promotions and extended hours, and even hiring extra staff and ordering more stock to cater to crowds.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

En bloc surge has legs if pricing stays realistic
THE current activity in en bloc sale transactions has legs but a number of factors could end the party, including owners’ rising price expectations.
— The Business Times

Farewell to central structural walls in HDB flats?
Structural walls in the centre of a Housing Board (HDB) flat may soon be a thing of the past, allowing homeowners to make the most of the space.
— The New Paper

12,000 attend festival to celebrate families
It was a race filled with a number of unwilling participants. Some refused to start, others started crying midway during the race and one attempted a U-turn as he reached the finish line.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

Blue Ocean Robotics arrives to Asia via Singapore JV
Blue Ocean Robotics (Denmark) on 14 August announced the opening of Blue Ocean Robotics SEA (Southeast Asia) with base in Singapore, where the needs of a rapidly ageing society and a focused political initiative on market development, are driving demand for robotics.
— ScandAsia

2 men arrested over multimillion-dollar ploy to buy vessel using counterfeit notes
Two men involved in a multimillion dollar ploy to buy a vessel using counterfeit notes have been arrested – less than three hours after they collected S$1.5 million in sales commission.
— Today Online

How to spend 72 hours in Singapore
Three days is plenty of time to dig below Singapore’s shiny exterior and get well acquainted with its stellar food scene.
— Stuff

Feature photo Choo Yut Shing
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 September 4 added by Leakhena Khat on September 4, 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.