Singapore morning news for December 18

Singapore morning news for December 18
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Singapore morning news

Singapore wants maritime dispute with Malaysia to be managed in peaceful, professional manner: Khaw
Two Malaysian ships remain in Singapore’s territorial waters, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Monday (Dec 17), reiterating that this is not conducive to next month’s discussions between the two countries.
— Channel News Asia

Malaysian government to prohibit export of 4 species of fish, shrimp from Jan 1 to Feb 28
The Malaysian government will prohibit the export of four species of wild-caught fish and shrimp to meet the shortage in the market during the monsoon and festive seasons, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Salahuddin Ayub said on Monday (Dec 17).
— The Straits Times

Singapore’s private home sales soar 52% in November
Sales of private homes by developers in Singapore surged 52 per cent in November from a year earlier after a sharp increase in the number of new projects launched, official data showed on Monday (Dec 17).
— Channel News Asia

Amid border row, Malaysians working in Singapore hope rice bowl unaffected
Malaysian A. Nanang (not his real name) has been working at an adhesive company in Singapore for the past six years where he rose up the ranks from a mere apprentice to senior staff.
— Yahoo News

Jail for 4 Vietnamese nationals who came to Singapore to steal from Uniqlo
Four Vietnamese nationals who stole more than 1,400 pieces of clothing from Uniqlo stores in Singapore were sentenced to jail on Monday (Dec 17).
— Channel News Asia

Key buildings get better protection under new law to take effect on Tuesday
Buildings that have iconic or symbolic significance, provide essential services or have high footfall will be better protected under a new law that comes into force on Tuesday (Dec 18).
— The Straits Times

On-demand bus trial gets mostly positive response
The Land Transport Authority kicked off its six-month trial of on-demand public buses yesterday, receiving a mainly positive initial response.
— Straits Times

Health: Year of data concerns
Healthcare suffered a blow this year with the cyber attack on SingHealth in June, in which the data of 1.5 million patients was stolen. While the attack did not disrupt any functions, it raised serious questions about the cyber-security readiness of healthcare IT systems.
— Straits Times

Gay father permitted to adopt biological son born via surrogacy, in first for Singapore
Despite public policy in favour of parenthood within marriage – and against the formation of same-sex units – the court decided it would be imperative to place the welfare of the child as first and paramount.
— Channel News Asia

Veteran architect Tay Kheng Soon’s criticism letter on Tengah development to Straits Times ignored
Earlier today, Adjunct Professor at the Department of Architect at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Tay Kheng Soon shared on his Facebook Page, a letter that he wrote to Straits Times (ST) which was not published by the publication.
— The Online Citizen

New law kicks in to better protect key buildings from attacks
Buildings that have iconic or symbolic significance, provide essential services or have high footfall will be better protected under a new law that comes into force today.
— Straits Times

Workers’ Party: MND’s press release on AHTC from its external auditor is, “unfortunately, selective and incomplete”
According to a statement released by the Workers’ Party over the weekend, they claim that the Ministry of National Development (MND)’s press release on the qualification received by AHTC from its external auditor is, unfortunately, selective and incomplete.
— The Independent sg

2018 a much better year for public transport: Khaw Boon Wan
Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said on Monday (Dec 17) that 2018 has been a better year for public transport – particularly in train reliability – due in part to new SMRT CEO Neo Kian Hong, whom Khaw described as a good leader.
— Channel News Asia

Singapore November exports’ slide sounds caution on trade
Non-oil domestic exports (NODX) in November slipped 2.6 per cent from a high base a year ago – a surprise drop which underscores the market’s cautious outlook for trade in the months ahead.
— The Business Times

Financial cycle dip could tip economies into recession: BIS
A downturn in bonds and equities could tip economies into recession, the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) says.
— The Business Times

The drop is due to the absence of one-off special dividends paid by DBS and Keppel Corporation.
Singapore again among top 20 most expensive locations in the world: ECA International
— The Edge

STI gains despite dip in non-oil exports
Local investors looking for the much-delayed Santa rally had a bit to cheer about yesterday, although other regional markets were muted as risk appetites took a hit from lacklustre economic data out of China last Friday.
— Straits Times

Automakers go electric to avoid phase-out in Singapore’s car-lite future
Nissan will soon be launching its battery electric vehicle Nissan LEAF to Singapore.
— Singapore Business Review

Microsoft expands Azure footprint across Southeast Asia
Tech giant offers service-level agreement of 99.99 per cent for uptime of virtual machines
— Channel News Asia

Singapore stock dividends estimated to fall 2.8% to $19.87b in 2019: report
The drop is due to the absence of one-off special dividends paid by DBS and Keppel Corporation.
— Singapore Business Review

SGX, CapBridge eye growth-stage companies
ENCOURAGED by the flush of capital in the private market, SGX-backed CapBridge has developed a licensed private stock exchange that aims to facilitate deals more efficiently, giving companies and investors greater access to each other on a single platform.
— The Business Times

Singapore developers sell 1,198 private homes excluding ECs in November; up from October’s 487 units
Developers in Singapore sold 1,198 private homes last month, nearly 2.5 times the 487 units they moved in October 2018 and about 1.5 times the 788 units they moved in November 2017.
— The Straits Times

88 per cent of Singaporeans “dissatisfied” over current property market; 69 per cent of millennials do not have “a structured savings plan” to purchase their own homes: PropertyGuru survey
A significant majority of Singaporeans are worried about astronomical property prices in the Republic, with such prices being expected to increase over the next five years, according to findings listed in PropertyGuru’s Property Market Outlook report for 2019.
— The Online Citizen

Singapore to import PHL agriculture produce after Malaysia export slash
The Philippines is keen on exporting poultry and livestock products, as well as vegetables and grains, to Singapore by the first quarter of next year to provide an additional market to local farmers.
— Business Mirror

N-Level results: Higher pass rates, more students make it to Sec 5
More students passed the N-Level examinations this year and more made it to Secondary 5, the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) announced on Monday (Dec 17).
— Channel News Asia

North East Line to undergo major renewal project next year
Singapore’s third oldest MRT line, the North East Line, will undergo a major renewal project next year to upgrade its trains, track components, and power and signalling systems.
— Straits Times

Sembmarine ends year with 10 completed cruise ship projects, announces 13 new jobs for 2019
Sembcorp Marine (Sembmarine) today announced the completion of repair work on Costa Fortuna, a 1,358-cabin vessel operated by Costa Crociere which sailed away from Sembmarine’s Admiralty Yard yesterday.
— The Edge

Google Flights lands in Singapore
Google has rolled out a new feature in its search engine in Singapore that is meant to make it easier for travellers to compare flight options and explore new travel destinations.
— Channel News Asia

DBS, Halcyon Agri launch digital trading marketplace for sustainable rubber
DBS Bank and Halcyon Agri Corporation on Monday announced a partnership to launch a digital marketplace for the trading of sustainably processed natural rubber.
— The Edge

Retirement options get boost from Singapore Savings Bonds
Doubling the individual cap for Singapore Savings Bonds (SSB) and allowing investors to buy the instruments using their Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) will help people with their retirement funds given the desperate demand for safe investments.
— The Business Times

What matters most for global business in 2019?
Interational businesses in 2019 will mourn the demise of the post-war liberal consensus because it was demonstrably good – for them.
— The Business Times

Audit firm Deloitte Singapore names new country managing partner
Audit firm Deloitte has appointed a new country managing partner for the Singapore practice, it said on Monday (Dec 17). Mr Cheung Pui Yuen, who is the Singapore deputy managing partner for operations, will assume his new role as country managing partner for the Singapore practice on Jan 1.
— The Straits Times

Healthcare: 3 things to watch out for
The temptation to learn how to smoke will shrink further next year when new rules go into force to dissuade young people from picking up the habit.
— Straits Times

The pitfalls of political blogging vs the pleasantry of travel, food and fashion blogging
About five years ago, in China, prominent online personalities were invited to a conference in Beijing. They were each given a notebook with a logo of the powerful intelligence and security agency.
— The Online Citizen

These 3 Stocks Have Great Financials (Low Debt, High Revenue Growth, Healthy ROE, And A Low Valuation)
I did a simple stock screen for companies with high returns on equity, revenue growth, and little debt. Here are the three companies that passed my screen.
— Motley Fool sg

How Do Banks Make Money And How Are They Valued?
Unveiling the curtain on the banking industry’s inner workings.
— Motley Fool sg

“Kampung Spirit” of umbrella-sharing in Pasir Ris draws dissenting opinions from netizens
Now is the year 2018 and not 1960s or 1970s, yet the “Kampung Spirit” of Singaporeans is still alive amidst modernisation and urbanisation.
— The Independent sg

Foreign Talent: Australia offers more security to expats compared to Singapore
Indian national Vicky Gautam who currently lives in Sydney posted an article on Quora recently, comparing working and living in Singapore and Australia. He has lived and worked in Singapore before. In terms of salary, he said Singapore can offer better. Any time Singapore is better as jobs offers better remuneration or lets say in …
— The Online Citizen

Wildlife group rescues abandoned marmoset seen ‘appearing lost’ at Punggol HDB
A black-tufted marmoset, a species of monkey that is one of the most illegally smuggled wildlife, has been rescued after it was spotted in Punggol over the weekend.
— Channel News Asia

Singapore’s JJ Lin wins Best Asian Artiste at Korea’s Mnet Asian Music Awards
Lin won the award in the Mandarin category, while BTS presented Janet Jackson with the Inspiration Award at K-pop’s biggest event, held in Hong Kong on Dec 14.
— cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com

 

Feature photo ASEAN Secretariat

This week’s Singapore morning news feature photo acknowledges International Human Solidarity Day, December 20.

 

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.

 

 

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With a decade of experience as an editor and journalist, Roy has edited mastheads across Australia and Southeast Asia, from the remote island communities of the Torres Strait to Cambodia’s only award-winning newspaper, The Phnom Penh Post.

A a professional photographer since the days of film, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Photomedia and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism.

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