Real wages up 4.2% in 2018, but face squeeze this year
More employees in Singapore received wage increases last year, as the economy and labour market remained healthy.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
US puts Singapore on currency watch list
Singapore has been put on a currency watch list by the United States, along with eight other countries including China.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Singapore, China agree to revise defence pact
China and Singapore have agreed to revise a defence pact, which could include larger-scale military exercises and frequent high-level dialogues, as part of efforts to deepen defence ties and cooperation.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Financial crimes hit 82% of S’pore firms in past year: Report
When it comes to falling victim to financial crime, 82 per cent of Singapore companies surveyed did so over the past 12 months, according to a Refinitiv report.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
MAS reiterates policy after US places Singapore on currency watch list
Singapore’s central bank asserted that the country does not manipulate its currency for export advantage, after the United States added Singapore to its currency watch list, which has eight other countries including China.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Today’s top tech news, May 29: Malaysian HRtech company Jibble raises US$2.5M
Also, Bukalapak joins forces with MoEngage for cross-channel customer engagement Malaysian HRtech company Jibble raises US$2.5M, now valued at US$33M [Press Release] Jibble, Malaysia-based HR software provider, announced that it has raised US$2.5 million funding, putting its valuation at US$33 million.
— e27
Singapore: Mao Shan Wang durian prices plunge by $10 per kg
It is durian season in Singapore and prices have been plunging. This is caused by an increase in the supply of the fruit from Malaysia.
— Fresh Plaza
SingPost finds lost package after viral complaint but says declared value of package was $300, not $1500
Singapore Post (SingPost) has told The Independent that it has found the lost package belonging to Facebook user Fatah Kent, after Kent’s complaint that SingPost lost his parcel from Australia went viral on social media.
— The Independent
Singapore overtakes US, Hong Kong to be world’s most competitive economy
Singapore is the world’s most competitive economy in a yearly ranking of 63 economies released on Wednesday (May 29) by Switzerland-based research group IMD World Competitiveness Centre.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Singapore to host Asian edition of gaming festival gamescom
In an epic win for the video gaming and e-sports scene here, Singapore will play host to the first Asian edition of the world’s largest gaming festival, gamescom.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Low-wage workers had average of 7.8% pay hike
Low-wage workers were not left out of the pay hikes offered last year.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Police retain laptop, phone of Allied Tech executive director
Police have retained the laptop and mobile phone of Allied Technologies executive director Kenneth Low Si Ren in relation to their investigations over the $33.2 million reported missing from an escrow account lodged with law firm JLC Advisors LLP.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Dengue spike flags likely epidemic
Singapore is headed for a dengue epidemic this year, in spite of heightened efforts by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to curb the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
HSBC to boost retail wealth staff in S’pore
HONG KONG • HSBC Holdings plans to boost its Asia retail wealth management staff by about 300 by the year end, with Europe’s biggest lender by assets sharpening its focus on Singapore to add to its presence in the core markets of Hong Kong and China.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Marine fuel supplier Southernpec’s licence revoked by Singapore port authority
Marine fuel supplier Southernpec’s bunkering licence has been revoked with effect from Wednesday (May 29) by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Singapore has highest rate of discrepancies in job applications in Asia-Pacific: study
DISCREPANCIES are rife in employment applications in Singapore, at the highest rate in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a study by global background-screening firm First Advantage.
— The Business Times
Can businesses do good and prosper?
THERE is a strong interdependency between commitment to sustainable development and commercial success. We believe that, in the future, companies that will outperform the market are those that operate with a strong sense of purpose and make a genuine commitment to sustainable development.
— The Business Times
Hyflux in talks with seven parties; aims to pick suitor by mid-June
HYFLUX is in talks with seven different parties for a potential cash infusion, and plans to enter into a binding term sheet with one of them by mid-June.
— The Business Times
Aussie listed child porn images as ‘jailbait’
For more than 15 years, convicted Australian paedophile Boris Kunsevitsky documented his sexual abuse of 47 children, including five in Singapore, on videos and in photographs that he stored in an online file titled jailbait.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
New children’s book aims to help prevent child sex abuse
The Singapore Children’s Society has published a book to help adults broach the subject of child sexual abuse with the young.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Police issue alert over WhatsApp takeover scam
The police have issued a warning against scammers who attempt to take over WhatsApp accounts by first pretending to warn account owners about such scams.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
4 burned in Jurong Island fire in stable condition
All four workers who suffered burns during a fire at a chemical manufacturing plant on Jurong Island are now in stable condition, said Minister of State for Manpower and National Development Zaqy Mohamad.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Reassuring to have China’s General Wei present at Shangri-La Dialogue, says Ng Eng Hen
The presence of China’s Defence Minister Wei Fenghe in Singapore for an upcoming high-level security forum is reassuring amid the trade tensions between the United States and China, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Chew’s Agriculture signs $27m sustainability-linked loan with DBS
Egg producer Chew’s Agriculture has signed a 10-year, $27 million sustainability-linked loan with DBS Bank, to construct a new farm with larger cage-free facilities.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
World’s largest gaming festival coming to Singapore in 2020
Singapore’s gaming industry is about to get even bigger, when the country hosts an Asian edition of gamescom next year.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Firm fined for illegally importing more than 2 tonnes of fresh vegetables from Malaysia
A company was fined S$6,000 on Wednesday (May 29) for illegally importing more than 2 tonnes of fresh vegetables from Malaysia, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a media release.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Airport technician jailed for misusing staff pass to buy duty-free items
SINGAPORE: A technician working at Changi Airport misused his staff pass in order to buy duty-free items at a discounted rate, for the purpose of reselling them online.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
LTA impounds 10 PMDs after riders caught flouting rules
Ten personal mobility devices (PMDs) were impounded after several riders were caught flouting rules during enforcement operations last week.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)
Singapore refutes US accusation of currency manipulation
SINGAPORE does not and cannot use the exchange rate to gain an export advantage or achieve a current account surplus, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said in response to the US Treasury’s move to put Singapore on an updated watch list over its uncommon exchange rate and its …
— The Business Times
CAD seizes Allied Tech documents, interviews exec director Kenneth Low
ALLIED Technologies executive director Kenneth Low Si Ren has been called in by the commercial crime police to help with investigations into the affairs of the company and its subsidiaries.
— The Business Times
Braddell View another victim of moribund en bloc market
THE collective-sale cycle appears to be running out of steam, with no residential projects having achieved a successful outcome so far this year; the mega Braddell View estate has become the latest to reach its tender close with zero bids.
— The Business Times
Firm linked to 2015 haze gets green certification
One of the biggest corporate culprits behind the 2015 haze has been endorsed by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC), almost four years after its products were blacklisted here.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Woman kept $50k banked into her account from love scam
A part-time English teacher met a man online, who convinced her to allow $50,030 to be deposited into her bank account.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Elderly receive diapers in interfaith project
Singaporeans of all backgrounds should stand together to show compassion for the less fortunate, said Dr Maliki Osman, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Foreign Affairs.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Mobike refunds not linked to planned exit
A recent in-app announcement that bike-sharing firm Mobike will refund some user deposits and wallet balances is entirely separate from the company’s plans to exit Singapore.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Man jailed for stabbing son over $8,000
A father has been jailed for four weeks after he stabbed his son with a knife in a dispute over money used to pay unlicensed moneylenders.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Go online for foreign vehicle permits, updates
Owners of foreign vehicles will be able to update their vehicle records and apply for goods vehicle permits on the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) One.Motoring website from Monday.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Grim reminders from exhibits highlight diabetes risks
Rows of giant eyeballs sit atop ice cream cones, a barbecue pit stacked with salted human hearts, kidneys being roasted on a spit, and a coffin which opens up to reveal the contents of a refrigerator.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
1 in 3 job applications in Singapore contains discrepancies: Study
Discrepancies are rife in employment applications in Singapore, which has the highest rate in the Asia-Pacific, according to a study by global background screening firm First Advantage.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Singapore must get fundamentals right to stay competitive, says Chan
Singapore’s ranking as the world’s most competitive economy is encouraging, but it has to continue to create opportunities for its people and businesses, said Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
SDP’s Dr Chee: “A party that has been in power for too long will bully the people”
The Singapore Democratic Party’s (SDP) Dr Chee Soon Juan released a video of some of the common concerns faced by Singaporeans.
— The Independent
Talk by fugitive match-fixer axed on police advice
A talk touted as an evening with a convicted football match-fixer was cancelled after police advised the organiser not to proceed with it.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Gearing up for graciousness at Punggol MRT station
Horizon Primary School pupils interacting with a commuter at the Punggol MRT station yesterday, as part of an event to promote kindness and graciousness.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
Judge calls siblings’ dispute over dogs ‘strange’
A long-running dispute between siblings over a house willed to them by their late mother gave a judge pause when the disagreement turned towards whether one of them had the right to move in with two of her dogs.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
$50k NUS prize for inspiring story on Singapore history
The life of a coolie, the history of food production or even the story of the first telegraph that was transmitted from Singapore’s Fort Canning Hill to London in 1871.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)
18,000 S’pore CHIJ students & alumni attend 165th anniversary at National Stadium
Everyone held hands or put their arms around each other’s shoulders. Aww.
— Mothership
Feature photo MDIS
This week’s Singapore morning news feature photo acknowledges World No Tobacco Day, May 31.
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 May 30 added by John Le Fevre on
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John Le Fevre
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.
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- COVID-19 in Asean: update for July 24 — Asean tops 230,000 cases, nudges 90,000 active – July 24, 2020
- Thailand morning news for July 24 – July 24, 2020