Singapore plans cautious budget ahead of election
Singapore Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will aim to strike a delicate balance in Monday’s budget: preaching fiscal prudence while doling out more social spending ahead of elections that could come as early as this year.
— The Edge Market
Cyber security added to Singapore’s total defence framework
Singapore’s minister for defence Dr Ng Eng Hen announced in his total defence day message that in light of increased digital threats, cyber security will be added to the city state’s total defence framework.
— Channel Asia
Singapore ranks second globally in Autonomous Vehicle Readiness report
Singapore is second in the world and top in Asia in terms of its readiness to adopt autonomous vehicles (AVs) on the strength of its government, infrastructure and consumer acceptance, according to a report by KPMG.
— Open Gov Asia
Nearly 500 companies adopt tripartite standards on contracting freelancers: Josephine Teo
Late payments and contractual disputes are a major concern for self-employed persons such as freelance photographers or producers.
— The Straits Times (annoying popups)
Parliamentary questions for 18 February 2019
The Singapore Parliament will sit at 1:30pm on Monday, 18 February 2019, for the 92nd session of the 13th Parliament. *18 oral questions and 6 written question have been scheduled to be asked.
— The Online Citizen
EU approves landmark FTA with Singapore
THE European Parliament has given the green light to a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) with Singapore that is set to remove nearly all customs duties between the two jurisdictions.
— The Phnom Penh Post
Singapore Life buys payments app amid fintech consolidation
THERE are some bubbling signs of consolidation in the fintech space, as Singapore Life – an insurer largely distributing products online – snaps up payments service firm Yolopay’s assets to broaden its suite of services in the finance space.
— The Business Times (paywall)
Diving into the deep with Singapore’s ‘hidden defenders’
Submarines are key in keeping Singapore’s waters safe, yet with its shallow depth and the hive of activities in the busy Singapore Strait, the demands on the Republic’s naval forces are high.
— Today Online
Parliament to discuss CPF payouts, financial obligations of bike-sharing firms
The Central Provident Fund (CPF) retirement payout scheme will be on the agenda when Parliament sits on Monday (Feb 18), after nine Members of Parliament tabled questions on the matter.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Report on toxic brine from desalination should spur industry to act on standards
Desalination — the process of turning vast amounts of water from oceans and rivers into fresh water — has been held up as the hope of water-starved nations such as Singapore.
— The Edge Singapore
Singapore plans cautious Budget with an eye on election
Singapore Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will aim to strike a delicate balance in Monday’s budget: preaching fiscal prudence while doling out more social spending ahead of elections that could come as early as this year.
— Yahoo Finance Sg
SMEs must plug into digital economy to spur Singapore’s economy: S. Iswaran
It is “critical” for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to plug into the digital economy, as it would make a noticeable impact on Singapore’s growth, Minister for Communications and Information S. Iswaran said on Sunday (Feb 17).
— The Strait Times (annoying popup)
Singapore business school launches Southeast Asia’s first sustainability major
A Singapore business school has launched Southeast Asia’s first major on sustainability.
— Eco Business
Confined conditions, stressful scenarios, tough training: The life of a Singapore submariner
A plethora of gauges, indicators and buttons loomed menacingly on the panels in front of me.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popup)
Singapore — history haunts the ultra-modern state
From Cape Town to San Francisco, cities have been toppling monuments to historical figures with troubling legacies.
— Nikkei Asian Review
MOE guide to help parents work better with schools
Mutual respect and trust are the foundation of a new set of Ministry of Education (MOE) guidelines on how parents and schools can work together for a child’s benefit.
— The Strait Times (annoying popup)
Hyflux unveils survival plan as Singapore bondholders watch
Cash-strapped Singapore water-treatment company Hyflux Ltd unveiled a restructuring plan that’s been highly anticipated by retail investors in the city-state, who own millions worth of the firm’s debt.
— Mena Fn
3 reasons to sign a prenup in Singapore even if you’re not rich
No matter what they say about the sanctity of marriage, if one of you is sitting on a goldmine of family wealth, there’s a good chance the in-laws are going to insist you sign a prenuptial agreement before you tie the knot.
— Asia One
80% of SMEs expect more incentives at Budget 2019 to help cope with business challenges: DBS poll
Some eight in 10 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore are expecting the government to announce more incentives at Budget 2019 to help support business growth amid a challenging economic environment.
— The Edge Singapore
HDB’s first new-generation neighbourhood centre opens in Punggol
Singapore’s first new-generation neighbourhood centre officially opened in Punggol on Sunday (Feb 17), offering residents access to a variety of amenities ranging from a supermarket, a food court, a 24-hour fitness centre as well as various shops and food and beverage outlets.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popup)
Does Singapore’s Ministry of Health deserve immunity for data breach?
It is believed the hackers were after the medical data of Singapore’s prime minister and cabinet colleagues. There was an inquiry and the local privacy watchdog, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) fined the hospital and its technology vendor a total of S$1 million.
— The Independent
Budget 2019: Experts predict fiscal fillip
Tomorrow, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will arrive at Parliament House to deliver his fourth Budget speech, setting the tone for Singapore’s spending in the coming year.
— The Strait Times (annoying popup)
SINGAPORE’S GIANT RESERVES: A TAXING QUESTION FOR ITS NEXT PRIME MINISTER, HENG SWEE KEAT
it’s a uniquely Singaporean economic abbreviation that stands for net investment returns contribution.
— SCMP
The New Digital Pillar in Singapore’s Military Thinking
The introduction of a new digital pillar in the country’s defense approach is just the latest sign of its attention to cyber challenges.
— The Diplomat (Paywall)
Singapore’s trade crosses S$1 trillion for first time in 4 years
But growth in trade and export eases in 2018 and is expected to slow further in 2019, And both the trade and the non-oil domestic export (NODX) growth are tipped to ease further to zero to 2 per cent in 2019, according to Enterprise Singapore.
— The Business Times (Paywall)
Divorce in Singapore: Does an ex-wife really get half the man’s money?
Of the people who’ve advised me to just marry a rich man instead of slave away to earn money, there have been close friends, superiors at work and even complete strangers here in sunny Singapore.
— Asia One
7,700 Singaporeans received inaccurate CHAS subsidies due to software error: MOH
An error in the computer system administered by NCS caused about 7,700 individuals to receive inaccurate healthcare and intermediate- and long-term care subsidies, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Saturday (Feb 16).The affected individuals are among those whose applications or …
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Singapore hits top spot in Asia-Pacific as preferred millennials’ destination
ValueChampion, a research company, has recognised Singapore as Asia-Pacific’s most millennial-friendly city. Tokyo placed second while Hong Kong ranked the third-best destination for millennials to move in.
— The Independent
Warm conditions to continue for the rest of February 2019
The dry and warm weather experienced over Singapore and the surrounding region in the first fortnight of the month are forecast to persist in the second half of February 2019 due to stable atmospheric conditions arising from the presence of a dry air mass over the Southeast Asia region.
— The Online Citizen
Singapore’s lowest GDP growth in 2 years comes with manufacturing warning
Singapore’s economy grew at its slowest pace in more than two years in the fourth quarter, data showed on Friday, and the city-state’s trade ministry warned that manufacturing is likely to face significant moderation this year.
— The Edge Singapore
Warm weather expected to continue for the rest of February
Dry and warm weather is expected to continue in the second half of February, said the Meteorological Service Singapore on Friday (Feb 15).It added that Singapore and the region are in the dry phase of the northeast monsoon season.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Singapore Jan private home sales fall 17.8% on year
Sales of private homes by developers in Singapore fell 17.8% in January from a year earlier, government data showed on Friday.
— The Edge Singapore
“There should be no fatalities at all,” PM Lee Hsien Loong on NS deaths
The wave of National Service (NS) deaths that occurred recently have led Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to go all out to emphasize safety and to have a zero fatality mindset during training exercises.
— The Independent
MP Lee Bee Wah whacked by cat feeders over her stand to disallow them to leave food unattended for two hours
Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC Lee Bee Wah was criticised on her Facebook page by cat feeders after she said in Parliament that she wanted the Agri-Food and Veterinary (AVA) to disallow cat feeders to leave food unattended for two hours in areas that have rat problem.
— The Online Citizen
Transport Masterplan 2040: 9 recommendations for faster, safer, more inclusive transport system
An advisory panel tasked to look into Singapore’s transport master plan for 2040 submitted nine recommendations for an inclusive, well-connected and fast transport system to the Government on Friday (Feb 15).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
MRT running smoothly comes at a price, mainly for train operators
For the past three years, Singapore’s MRT network has tripled in its reliability and capacity. In doing so, Transport minister Khaw Boon Wan, cited in Parliament that it has become a burden for train operators.
— The Independent
3 former national athletes to lead Team Singapore at 2019 SEA Games
Team Singapore will be led by former athletes Juliana Seow, Valerie Teo and Chung Pei Ming at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines, said the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) on Friday (Feb 15).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Singapore “cannot outsource our security and defence to anyone else”; SAF must “carry on training and fulfilling its operational duties”: PM Lee
The Singapore Armed Forces has a duty to continue training and fulfilling its operational duties, as the Republic cannot outsource its security and defence to anyone else, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
— The Online Citizen
My foreign policy ideas started during school, says Education Minister Ong Ye Kung
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung gave a speech on February 11, at the annual conference of the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute (MEI) where he drew a parallel between his role as education minister and foreign affairs.
— The Independent
Don’t forward fake news, use strong passwords: S Iswaran on putting Digital Defence into action
Communications and Information Minister S Iswaran on Friday (Feb 15) urged Singaporeans to be responsible, alert and secure online, as he outlined measures on implementing Digital Defence – Singapore’s sixth and newest pillar of Total Defence.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Singapore Air kept at ‘buy’ by analysts on expected earnings improvement
Despite a 27% drop in its 3Q19 earnings to $284.1 million, Singapore Airlines (SIA) is a still a “buy” in analysts’ books.
— The Edge Singapore
Did you notice the sky ‘split’ into 2 shades of blue over some areas in Singapore? Here’s what it is
If you were out and about on Wednesday evening (Feb 13), you may have noticed a strange phenomenon in the sky.
— Asia One
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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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