Singapore Morning News For March 14

Singapore morning news roundup by AEC News Today is your one stop source for Singapore news on matters of governance and policies affecting Asean business communities.

CPPIB to invest $325M in logistics ventures in Singapore
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board is committing $325 million towards warehouses and other logistics investments in Singapore and Indonesia, in partnership with the Logos Property Group and the Caisse de depot’s real estate arm.
— BNN

Singapore-Australia cooperation on science and technology takes off
Singapore-Australia cooperation on science, technology and innovation received a boost with the launch of the Australian Landing Pad at one-north yesterday. Singapore is one of five global innovation hubs identified by the Australian government for the project. The other four locations are in San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Shanghai and Berlin.
— Today Online

Singapore’s Big Businesses Overtake Small Firms as Job Creators
Singapore’s larger companies created more jobs last year than small and medium-sized businesses for the first time since 2013 as the economy struggled in the face of sluggish domestic demand and a slump in global trade.
— Bloomberg

Singapore Eyes Tougher Cyber Laws
The first-ever publicly disclosed hacking of the Singapore defense ministry’s (MINDEF) Internet-connected system last month has understandably spurred the city-state to further ramp up its war against a growing cyber threat (“Singapore Ramps Up Its Cyber War”).
— The Diplomat

Singtel links with colleges for SMEs
SINGTEL announced two schemes in partnership with Singapore polytechnics that will help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the retail and food and beverage sectors go digital.
— The Nation

Singapore Regulator Selects Japan For Next FinTech Knowledge Partner
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has announced a new partnership with Japan’s Financial Services Agency (FSA) to enhance mutual Fintech progress.
— The Cointelegraph

Singapore steps up avian influenza prevention measures
The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has moved to reasure consumers that nation’s poultry and poultry products are safe for consumption following an outberak of H5N1 avian flue in the neighbouring region of Kelantan in Malaysia.
— Global Meat News

Singapore hints at covered bond reforms
Singapore’s covered bond market may well be in line for the first local currency issues following hints from the regulator of changes to broaden the appeal of the instruments.
— The Business Times

World Gourmet Summit 2017 to present a ‘United Nations’ of food
Aside from chefs from Singapore and other Asian countries like Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, the 21st edition of the foodie festival from Mar 20 to Apr 16 will have countries participating for the first time such as Ukraine, Hungary and Mexico.
— Channel NewsAsia

Singapore to get 2 new radio stations
Singapore will get two new commercial free-to-air radio stations, after the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) awarded the vacant radio frequencies on Monday (Mar 13).
— Channel NewsAsia

Singapore, Australia reaffirm ‘excellent relations’: MFA
Singapore and Australia have reaffirmed the “excellent relations” between the two countries during Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop’s two-day visit to Singapore.
— Channel NewsAsia

If we don’t defend Singapore, who will?
One of my earliest memories, of wanting to protect my family and myself from danger, was when the Japanese invaded Singapore in 1942.
— The New Paper

Experts: LRT’s trains and signals need upgrades
With the problematic Bukit Panjang LRT system set for a major overhaul, engineering experts The Straits Times spoke to said the parts in the most critical need of an upgrade are the trains and signalling system.
— The New Paper

Programme launched for displaced workers to seek peer support
With certain industries hit harder in the current cloudy economic conditions, the labour movement is hoping to help retrenched workers pick out possible jobs in sectors that continue to show good growth prospects, such as Internet security and sustainable energy.
— Today Online

Singapore says Reuters report on water price protest misleading
Singapore’s police took issue on Sunday with a Reuters report on a public protest over water price increases, saying it presented a “false and misleading” picture of the use of Speakers’ Corner, a designated place for citizens to speak publicly on issues.
— Asia One

What the recent residential policy tweaks say about the Singapore government
The recent tweaks on seller’s stamp duties and total debt servicing ratio could be a meaningful signal that authorities are being cautious against excessive declines, according to a report from OCBC Investment Research.
— Singapore Business Review

Singapore certification for data protection officers [The Straits Times]
Singapore’s privacy watchdog is developing a local certification programme for data protection officers (DPOs), whose job is to better equip companies for a digital future in which more and more data must be protected.
— Singapore Government

Singapore introduces new shuttle service to supplement public transport
The Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) and Southeast Asia’s ride-hailing platform Grab recently introduced a beta shuttle bus service mobile application that would supplement public transport services and offer more affordable shuttle service for commuters.
— Enterprise Innovation

CPPIB, Caisse to invest in Singapore, Indonesia warehouses
Canada’s two biggest pension funds have agreed to partner with LOGOS, a real estate logistics operator, to invest in warehouses in Singapore and Indonesia, betting on demand from the rise of e-commerce and a burgeoning middle class in southeast Asia.
— The Globe And Mail

Property firms rush to close deals
Property firms scrambled to close large residential property deals on Friday, after a sudden government announcement on the stamp duty rate, effective Saturday.
— The New Paper

Feature photo: Carol Kraal

Singapore morning news is published M-F by AEC News Today: Governance, not government; policies not politics.

Singapore Morning News For March 14 added by Leakhena Khat on March 14, 2017
View all posts by Leakhena Khat →

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Leakhena Khat

Leakhena is a junior journalist at AEC News Today who is also currently studying International Relations, which she finds adds perspective to her work reporting on the Asean Community.

“I love what I am doing so much as it gives me a lot of great experience and provides challenges to my mind.