Singapore morning news for November 8

Leaders gear up for 33rd Asean Summit
Leaders from 10 Southeast Asian countries, along with counterparts from China, the United States, Japan and Russia, are set to convene for the 33rd Asean Summit and Related Summits, which will be held at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre (Suntec) from November 13-15.
— The Nation

Mission accomplished: Singapore DHL DRT volunteers end Sulawesi deployment (video)
While much of the media attention in the wake of the devastating Sulawesi tsunami was centred on the destruction and human tragedy, behind the scenes frantic efforts were being made to get vital aid and equipment to the areas worst effected.
— AEC News Today

Compulsory e-filing starts this year for companies with revenue over S$10m: IRAS reminder
COMPULSORY e-filing of corporate income tax returns starts this year for companies with revenue of more than S$10 million in year of assessment (YA) 2017, the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) reminded in a media statement on Wednesday.
— The Business Times

SilkAir completes checks on all its Boeing 737 planes
Singapore Airlines’ regional arm, SilkAir, has checked all its Boeing 737 planes, after a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed on Oct 29.
— Straits Times

Fintech gives fillip to jobs and funding in Singapore financial sector
SINGAPORE’S move to develop the fintech sector came at a critical juncture, a time of weakness in traditional job creation in the financial industry, and just as the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) was intent on spurring enterprise financing for growth companies, MAS’ managing director Ravi Menon has said.
— The Business Times

Super apps to change cities, economies in Asia
The ability to communicate, shop online, order rides, read books, play games, get food delivery and pay for anything within a single, unified smartphone app is Asia’s defining innovation, technology leaders said at Bloomberg’s New Economy Forum in Singapore.
— Bangkok Post

Coinhako Adds Litecoin and Multiple Token to Fiat Pairings
Coinhako announced the official release of its Litecoin (LTC) wallet and trading as the latest of 8 cryptocurrency and fiat currency trade pairs on its platform. All over a span of 2 months, dating back to 30th August 2018.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

US-China trade war set to make big winners out of Asean countries
Asean’s trade outlook is the most bullish in the world because its member states will be the big winners in the US-China trade war, according to top HSBC bankers at an economic forum in Singapore.
— South China Morning Post

Singapore to seek ways to assist refugee repatriation
Singapore, the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is seeking ways for the country as well as ASEAN to assist Myanmar in its repatriation process of displaced people from Bangladesh, Xinhua reported.
— Mizzima

MassMutual Ventures Launches USD 50 Million Fund for Investments in Southeast Asia
Widening its investment reach, MassMutual Ventures (MMV) announced today the establishment of a USD 50 million fund – MassMutual Ventures Southeast Asia (MMV SEA) – which will make investments in 10 to 15 startup companies throughout the region over the next three years.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

Company lauded for moving workers up skills ladder
Providing opportunities for employees to sharpen their abilities landed Shalom Movers its first award from consultancy group Great Place To Work Institute Singapore.
— Straits Times

Singapore’s ONE Championship, partners to invest $50m in eSports venture
Singapore’s mixed martial arts media firm ONE Championship plans to invest up to $50 million together with its partners to create a global eSports series, the company said in an announcement.
— Deal Street Asia

Getting staff to speak up boosts productivity: Study
The more comfortable employees feel about speaking up at their workplaces, the more productive they are likely to be.
— Straits Times

School tries to keep buildings from ‘killing’ birds, NParks to release design guidelines next year
On the very day of the incident on Oct 16, the 33-year-old biology teacher from Commonwealth Secondary School spoke to one of the vice-principals and the school’s operations manager about reducing the risk of bird collisions in future.
— Today Online

How countries manage their debt load matters
MARKETS face severe disruption. Countries swapping their foreign currency debt back into their own currency or their domestic debt are as much at risk from credit derivatives as investment banks were 10 years ago.
— The Business Times

ST still best read newspaper: Nielsen
The Straits Times continues to be Singapore’s best read newspaper, bucking an industry-wide trend by growing its overall readership through its digital platform.
— Straits Times

FCO Minister to visit Singapore, Hong Kong and Vietnam
FCO Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific, the Rt Hon Mark Field MP, arrives in Singapore on the first stop of a visit that includes Hong Kong and Vietnam.
— AEC News Today/ PR Newswire (media release)

Fewer workplace deaths, but more injuries last quarter
There were fewer workplace deaths from July to September this year compared with the previous quarter, although more workers sustained injuries.
— Straits Times

ONE Championship to invest up to US$50m in e-sports with partners
SINGAPORE-BASED martial arts organisation, ONE Championship, on Wednesday said it intends to lead a plan to invest up to US$50 million alongside key partners, including Singapore companies Razer and Singtel, to create Asia’s largest global e-sports championship series – ONE eSports.
— The Business Times

Introducing a slice of Finnish fun to Singapore
Toddlers learning how to walk were accompanied by their parents as they climbed towers and crawled through tunnels at one section of the park, while their older siblings tried out the trampolines. In another section, some teenagers were skating and scooting on the ramps.
— Today Online

SingPost adds Park N Parcel network to its last-mile platform
SingPost has formed a strategic partnership that involves Park N Parcel’s collection points being included in the mail delivery firm’s last-mile platform LaMP unveiled on Monday.
— Straits Times

More service options for vehicle owners on revamped One.Motoring website
Vehicle owners can soon access more services through the One.Motoring website, such as the transfer of vehicle ownership, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday.
— Straits Times

NUH issues clarification on claims that pregnant woman was unattended for 15 minutes at EMD
A post went viral recently on Facebook about an incident at National University Hospital (NUH) involving a pregnant woman not receiving care and attention fast enough.
— TOC

DBS Bank wins Global, Asia ‘Bank of the Year’ titles at Global SME Finance Awards
DBS Bank has emerged from over 100 international competitors to win ‘Bank of the Year’ titles for both Global and Asia categories at the inaugural Global SME Finance Awards, where the bank was commended for the robust regional growth of its small-medium enterprise (SME) franchise.
— The Edge

Man accused of bribing former AMK Town Council’s GM had asked business partner to destroy receipts
At the ongoing corruption trial involving a former town council general manager, a witness testified that entertainment bills incurred from hosting the official were destroyed and not recorded properly.
— Today Singapore

Spotlight on pressing issues facing societies
The most pressing problems facing advanced societies are jobs, healthcare expenses and the pension systems that threaten to overburden their young people, said three global leaders at a forum on the world outlook for next year.
— Straits Times

PM Lee stresses need to tackle threats against religious harmony here
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday highlighted the need for unceasing efforts to maintain religious harmony in Singapore, as well as the importance of religious leaders who support the Government in building common ground.
— The New Paper

Another woman, this time in Ubi, fined for holding unlit smoked cigarette butt while looking for dustbin
It appears getting fined for being considerate is becoming a thing in Singapore.
— Mothership

Frailty tests for elderly at senior activity centres
There are health screenings these days for anything from diabetes to heart disease to dementia. Soon there will even be screenings to determine if one is frail or not.
— Straits Times

Great Big Story documentary on Singaporean birdcage maker sparks criticism over confining birds
Folks unfamiliar with Singapore’s bird uncles are calling the hobby cruel…
— Coconuts Indonesia (paywall)

Online article on PM Lee libellous and fake: S’pore
Singapore’s High Commission in Malaysia has described an online news article linking Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal as fake news and libellous.
— Straits Times

Hyundai reinvests another US$250 mil in Grab
Ride-hailing company, Grab, has secured US$250 million ($343.5 million) in investments from South Korean carmaker, Hyundai.
— The Edge

Office sector weathers slumping stock markets better than Hong Kong
Singapore’s office sector is expected to maintain its positive momentum even against increasingly volatile stock market conditions as it outperforms most of its regional peers like Hong Kong and Seoul, according to real estate consultant Colliers.
— Singapore Business Review

Move to replace broadband with fibre network to bode well for NetLink NBN Trust
Analysts are remaining upbeat on NetLink NBN Trust, as Maybank KimEng and OCBC Investment Research are maintaining their “buy” calls on the trust with a target price of 93 cents and 90 cents, respectively.
— The Edge

Seeing double
A crowd at the launch of the first SBS double-decker service on June 13, 1977. Service No. 86, with a fleet of seven buses, plied a route between Tampines Way and Shenton Way, costing a flat fare of 40 cents per trip.
— Straits Times

Super Apps, Asia’s new innovation, to change cities, economies
The ability to communicate, shop online, order rides, read books, play games, get food delivery and pay for anything within a single, unified smartphone app is Asia’s defining innovation, technology leaders said at Bloomberg’s New Economy Forum in Singapore.
— The Edge

Disposable chopsticks in Singapore ‘generally safe’: CASE
Disposable chopsticks in Singapore are “generally safe” to use, said the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) on Wednesday (Nov 7) after it tested samples of the utensils for sulphur dioxide residue
— Channel News Asia

Singapore General Election in 2019 ‘always possible’, Lee says
Singaporeans could go to the ballot boxes sooner than expected. A general election next year is “always possible”.
— The Edge

Laws safeguarding religious harmony have to be kept up-to-date to deal with new threats: PM Lee
The law that safeguards Singapore’s religious harmony has to be kept up to date to deal with new threats that seek to incite enmity and hatred between religious groups, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday (Nov 7).
— Today Singapore

Insane e-scooter rider with no helmet travelling at 60kmh to 80kmh on SLE towards BKE
What is the definition of a death wish?
— Mothership

EC World REIT posts 9% increase in 3Q DPU to 1.57 cents
EC World Asset Management, the manager of EC World REIT, has declared a 3Q18 DPU of to 1.57 cents, 9% higher than the 1.44 cents declared in 3Q17.
— The Edge

Fewer workplace deaths but more injuries last quarter: MOM
There were fewer workplace deaths from July to September this year compared with the previous quarter, although more workers sustained injuries.
— The New Paper

Feature photo Yudi Setiawan

This week’s Singapore morning news feature photo acknowledges World Science Day for Peace and Development, November 10.

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 November 8 added by Maria Mirasol Rasonable on November 8, 2018
View all posts by Maria Mirasol Rasonable →

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Maria Mirasol Rasonable

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Maria Mirasol Rasonable graduated with a Bachelors Degree in journalism from Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Santa Mesa, Manila, Philippines.

She previously covered police rounds for Philippine Daily Inquirer as a trainee before becoming editorial staff at Gospel Komiks under the Communication Foundation for Asia (CFA-MG), Santa Mesa, Manila where she wrote lifestyle and trending fashion and styles articles.