Singapore morning news for June 18

Electronics exports hit 10-year low, heralding further pain ahead
SINGAPORE’S electronics exports in May posted their sharpest contraction since 2009, dragged down by the US-China trade conflict, the fading of the semiconductor cycle and weakening external demand.
— The Business Times

Biggest plunge in S’pore’s non-oil exports in 3 years
Exports put in their worst performance in more than three years last month amid increasing trade tensions and a plunge in global demand for electronics.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Netizens displeased with DPM Heng’s statement that GST would be up to 15% if not for Singapore’s healthy reserves
While speaking at the Building our Future of Singapore Together dialogue at the Singapore Management University School of Law on Saturday (15 June), Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said that the Goods and Service Tax (GST) would have been increased to at least 15 per cent if it weren’t for Singapore’s healthy reserves built up over the years.
— The Online Citizen

What Singapore businesses need to get ahead in the AI race
IT’S no secret that artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform the way we live, work and play. In fact, it’s already happening all around us in Singapore, from chatbots being trialled in managing hospital appointments to robotic lawn mowers cutting grass in the Botanic Gardens.
— The Business Times

Buyers mop up more new homes in May amid surge in launches
THE 29.5 per cent month-on-month rise in developers’ private home sales in May amid a flurry of nine new project launches – suggests that fears of a trade war do not seem to have dampened property market sentiment too much.
— The Business Times

SMRT, SBS Transit join hands on rail competence
In a move which will see Singapore’s two rail operators working formally together for the first time, SMRT and SBS Transit signed a collaboration memorandum of understanding (MOU) with defence and engineering group ST Engineering yesterday.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singapore ‘must stay relevant to China and the world’
The strong relationship that Singapore has with China could not have come about if Chinese patriarch Deng Xiaoping had not told the Chinese to learn from Singapore and if he did not have a good relationship with Lee Kuan Yew, said Professor Zheng Yongnian.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Big three S’pore banks can fend off fintech threat: Moody’s
The three largest banks by assets in Singapore will be able to defend their market share against fintech competitors that are increasingly threatening their bank business, Moody’s Investors Service said in a report yesterday.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Man cons 77 people of more than S$1 million
A 53-year-old man will be charged in court on Tuesday (Jun 18) for cheating 77 people of over S$1,000,000, the Singapore Police Force said on Monday, one of four people charged for separate cases of commercial crimes.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

11 people help manage PM Lee’s Facebook page but he is still not the PAP politician with the most social media managers
A fairly new tool called ‘Page Transparency’ that Facebook has rolled out has helped shed more light on the inner workings of the social media machinery behind politicians in Singapore.
— The Independent

MARUAH calls on Government to do more for the elderly in Singapore
Local human rights NGO, MARUAH, has urged Singapore to do more for older people in Singapore above the age of 55.
— The Independent

DBS, OCBC or UOB: Which Singapore Bank is Least Exposed to China?
The US-China trade war has hit sentiment for companies exposed to China. So which of Singapore’s big three banks is least exposed to China?
— The Motley Fool

A day of discount shopping without GST? A rebranded GSS returns to Orchard Road
GSS: Experience Singapore will also feature discounts of up to 80 per cent, one-for-one flash deals every Friday, and a traffic-crossing fashion show.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

The Big Read: As headwinds grow, fresh grads adjust job expectations, embrace short-term contracts
While companies that are growing are still keen to hire and groom young talent, the increasingly cautious outlook could dampen the rise of starting salaries rather than the number of jobs available, say experts.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Fewer cases of common cyber threats detected in Singapore in 2018
COMMON cyber threats detected in Singapore saw a decrease last year, although cyber crime cases remain on the rise. These findings were released by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) on Tuesday morning as part of their Singapore Cyber Landscape 2018 publication.
— The Business Times

SMRT, SBS Transit sign MOU with ST Engineering
IN A move which will see Singapore’s two rail operators working formally together for the first time, SMRT and SBS Transit (SBST) signed a collaboration memorandum of understanding with defence and engineering group ST Engineering on Monday.
— The Business Times

Banks see gold in silver economy; more launching dedicated schemes
BANKS are finding gold in Singapore’s silver economy as they help the ageing population plan for their lifestyle, wealth and health needs.
— The Business Times

SCDF ragging incident: Witness says he told NSF that it’s enter pump well or risk being pushed
On the night he drowned, Corporal Kok Yuen Chin was told he had two choices: he could either enter the fire station pump well himself, or be pushed in.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

More time to upgrade pollutive diesel vehicles
An initiative to get commercial vehicle owners to replace their older, more pollutive vehicles with cleaner ones has been extended again, the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced yesterday in a statement.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Maids risk jail by taking on part-time jobs as cleaners, KTV hostesses
Every Sunday, domestic helper Jody (not her real name) whips up a few of her well-loved Filipino recipes, but she is not preparing a meal for her employer’s household.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Rapid e-commerce growth to drive logistics sector here: Report
The rapid growth in e-commerce is creating an opportunity for the logistics sector in Singapore, according to a new report.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

ST Engineering in tie-ups with Air NZ, Honeywell
ST Engineering’s aerospace arm has entered into partnerships with Air New Zealand and Honeywell.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Phishing, ransomware cases drop in 2018, but SingHealth hack ‘stark reminder’ of cyberthreats: CSA
More frequent data breaches and greater risks for “smart” buildings among six cybersecurity future trends highlighted by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Man to be charged with murdering his 2-year-old child in Sengkang: Police
A 34-year-old man will be charged with murder on Tuesday (Jun 18) after his two-year-old child was found lying motionless in a Sengkang flat, the police said on Monday.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

PM Lee congratulates Prayut on election as Thai prime minister
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has congratulated former Thailand army chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha on his election as Thai prime minister, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday (Jun 17).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Get a Nintendo Switch & more at 50% off on June 18, 2019
Experience the Great Singapore Sale without the crowd at the ShopBack online mega sale.
— Mothership

S’porean ‘Chow Yuen Fatt’ uses terrible bait on female tenant, gets police report lodged against him
Tsk.
— Mothership

Mediacorp continues to be best radio network in Singapore: Nielsen Survey
Mediacorp continues to be Singapore’s number one radio network, taking eight out of the top 10 spots in the latest Nielsen Radio Diary survey released on Monday (Jun 17.)
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

New private home sales drop 15.2% year-on-year in May
Sales of private homes by developers in Singapore fell 15.2 per cent in May from a year earlier, according to data released by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Monday (Jun 17).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Mixed signals from PAP: Tharman says fight diabetes while Yong gives free chocolates
At an international Ministerial Conference on Diabetes in Nov last year, the Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that war on diabetes has to be waged on multiple fronts (‘Diabetes must be fought on multiple fronts: Tharman’, 27 Nov 2018).
— The Online Citizen

Sarawak to open Trade & Tourism Office at Robinson Road this week
The Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office on Robinson Road, Singapore will hold a soft opening this week, says Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
— The Online Citizen

Digital retail banking levels the playing field, says Citi
THE increasing shift towards digital retail banking has evened out the competition for customer reach in Singapore, with branch-light banks such as Citi being able to play like never before, a senior executive at Citi has said.
— The Business Times

3 Companies Young Working Adults Should Consider As Investments
These three companies should appeal to an adult who has just entered the workforce due to their reputations, stable operating characteristics, and dividend track records.
— The Motley Fool

Ultra-low Gojek fares? They could be linked to scams, say experts
Just $8 for a Gojek ride from Woodlands to Bugis, $9 for a ride from Marsiling to Changi, and $10 for a direct ride from Dhoby Ghaut to Tampines on a Friday evening.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Physical stores tap tech for better shopping experience
Shoppers who dread waiting in line for a changing room or having to trawl through racks of clothes in a crowded store in Singapore to find what they want can take heart.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

150 evacuated as bin fire sets off Sim Lim Square sprinklers
More than a hundred people were evacuated from Sim Lim Square yesterday after the contents of a rubbish bin on the fifth floor caught fire and set off the building’s sprinkler system.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Merdeka Generation to get FairPrice discounts from July
June 18, 2019 5:00 AMSenior citizens from the Merdeka Generation, like those from the Pioneer Generation, can start enjoying discounts on their purchases at FairPrice outlets next month.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Maids’ Sunday side business on weekends against the law
They perform domestic chores for their employers on weekdays. But on weekends, they are their own bosses – selling counterfeit luxury handbags, unsafe slimming pills and prescription-only contraceptives.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Policeman dies from gunshot wound in head
A 28-year-old regular police officer died from his injuries after he was found with a gunshot wound in his head at the Yishun North neighbourhood police centre (NPC) on Sunday night.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

SPH in pilot to use blockchain to ease life insurance claims
Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), NTUC Income and global life insurance company MetLife’s innovation centre are piloting from this month an industry-first initiative to use blockchain to automate life insurance claims for bereaved families.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Job redesign guide aims to help firms be more inclusive
Autism is not proving any barrier when cafe worker Carmen Tan serves customers with a smile and friendly cheer.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

ESR-Reit buying Jurong warehouse for $225m
ESR-Reit is acquiring a warehouse in Jurong for $225 million and is revamping two existing assets, it announced yesterday.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Sales of new private homes up 30% last month
Property developers, under pressure from a substantial pipeline, pushed out nine new projects last month following a lull in April, but the bulk of last month’s sales came from earlier launches, analysts say.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singapore’s weak non-oil exports likely to persist, say analysts
Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports (Nodx) are likely to remain weak in the months ahead given slow global growth and rising trade tensions, say observers.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

DPM Heng says 4G leaders will build a government that will work with people, as well as for them
The country’s Deputy Prime Minister, Heng Swee Keat, recently emphasised the commitment of 4G leaders to work with Singaporeans concerning policies around vital issues such as housing, social mobility, and environmental sustainability.
— The Independent

Why I Think Singtel’s Dividend Yield of 5% is Not Sustainable
Singapore Telecommunications Limited’s (SGX: Z74) dividend and, its yield, look precarious. Here’s why.
— The Motley Fool

Rangers are ‘vigilant’ at walking net attraction, says Jewel Changi Airport
Jewel Changi Airport has said that rangers are vigilant at its attractions and it has been refining its ground operations since the opening of the Canopy Park, after reports that a woman fell on Friday (Jun 14) and cut herself at the newly opened Sky Nets attraction.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Mathematics tuition teacher pleads guilty to molesting 15-year-old student
A tuition teacher on Monday (Jun 17) admitted to molesting a 15-year-old girl who attended his mathematics classes.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Two brothers jailed for throwing Molotov cocktails
Two brothers flung Molotov cocktails at a bar in St James Power Station after bouncers told the older sibling and his friends to get out of another nightspot in the vicinity following a dispute.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Man gets jail, cane for racist graffiti in public places
Just five months after his early release from prison, a man who was earlier jailed for housebreaking committed a string of vandalism acts and wrote obscenity-laced messages that insulted Malays.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Swine fever set to push up pork prices
That plate of char siew or roast pork rice may soon cost more.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Two good class bungalows up for sale
Two good class bungalows (GCBs) – one at 5 Bin Tong Park in District 10, and the other at 22A King Albert Park in District 21 – have been put up for sale via expression of interest, said sole marketing agent Edmund Tie & Company.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Prohibition orders against ex-UBS banker for forgery
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has issued prohibition orders against a former UBS banker over forged documents and fake e-mails.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

S’pore aquarium allegedly sabotaged by customer who poisoned 40 ‘high-value’ fish
The tank contained 40 to 50 fishes worth up to S$500.
— Mothership

Loving father shares a video of his son’s aggressive meltdown to raise autism awareness
A loving father has shared a video capturing his son’s meltdown on the eve of Hari Raya, in a bid to spread awareness about autism.
— The Independent

Fake news that Singaporean slept with 57 women in 24 hours re-circulates online
Fake news that a Singaporean man slept with 57 women within 24 hours is recirculating online, two years after it was first debunked.
— The Independent

Nas Daily commends Singapore for its lack of segregation by virtue of its HDB housing
In a video posted on Friday (15 Jun), Nas Daily commended Singapore for its lack of segregation by virtue of its HDB housing.
— The Online Citizen

Feature photo FiTTA

This week’s Singapore morning news feature photo acknowledges International Day of Yoga, June 21.

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 June 18 added by John Le Fevre on June 18, 2019
View all posts by John Le Fevre →

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John Le Fevre

Thailand editor at AEC News Today

John is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer, and copy editor.

He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.

He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.

In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.

Prior to AEC News Today he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.

In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.