Singapore Morning News For February 19

Budget 2018: Economists expect bumper surplus for 2017
With Singapore’s strengthening economy having boosted government coffers, economists predict a larger than expected Budget surplus for the financial year ending March 31.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

PSA ‘to launch tender for driverless vehicles this year’
PORT operator PSA Singapore is expected to launch a tender this year for the supply of the first fleet of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) or driverless vehicles to operate at Singapore’s next generation Tuas mega port.
— The Business Times

Consortium on membrane science and technology set up in Singapore
SG-MEM brings together Singapore’s public-sector universities and innovation centres, key government agencies, startups, SMEs, LLEs and MNCs on to one platform and aims to promote and access membrane technology for focus areas beyond water, such as energy, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, and biomedical applications.
— Open Gov Asia

Singapore to continue help companies in economic transformation: deputy PM
Singaporean Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said here Sunday that the government would continue to help companies and trade unions in their economic transformation through the employment of technologies and the training of the workforce.
— Xinhua Net

Health spending to reach $16.6b as Singapore ages
Middle aged Singaporeans are about to reach 2.3 million in 2022.
The rise in the number of consumers in the older age brackets, or those middle age 40-64 and pensionable population 65+, signals that their spending requirements will also be a key growth driver for retailers in Singapore.
— Singapore Business Review

Who should the core provisions of the Employment Act protect?
FIFTY years ago, a newly independent Singapore enacted the Employment Act in 1968 partly as a bulwark against concerns of mass unemployment following the planned British withdrawal from Singapore in 1971.
— The Business Times

Where is the unaccounted $22.5 million town council funds? Hougang MP challenges Charles Chong
Hougang SMC MP Png Eng Huat has challenged Punggol East SMC Charles Chong over an accusation the latter had made during the 2015 General Election, on Facebook this Thursday.
— The Independent Singapore

Globalisation will develop into version 2.0, says Ng Eng Hen
Despite the backlash against it, globalisation is unlikely to be dismantled, but it will develop with a slightly different set of rules, adjustments and balance in positional powers, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

Students counselled, disciplined after video of fight at Westwood Secondary goes viral
A shocking video clip has been circulating online of a group of students from Westwood Secondary School bullying one of their classmates.
— Asia One

Singapore talks continue as Supercars eyes 2019 Asia race
Supercars is continuing to pursue a 2019 expansion into Asia with talks to feature at the Singapore Grand Prix ongoing as the championship prepares to come under new leadership.
— Speedcafe

Port of Singapore Authority wants free pricing regime; worried over RoI from India ops
Pitching for more parity in policy formulation vis-a-vis private ports, global terminal operator Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) today said New Delhi should liberalise the pricing power for infrastructure operators.
— The Arunachal Times

Singapore’s GIC may buy 40% in Prestige rental unit for Rs 1,400cr
Bengaluru: Sovereign investor GIC of Singapore has emerged as the frontrunner to buy a $200-million, or Rs 1,400-crore, stake in the tenanted office space unit of leading southern developer Prestige Estates Projects.
— The Times of India

Ministry of Finance has used various iterations of same logo for Budget over 3-year periods
As an embodiment of concepts and values of the organisation or event it represents, a logo is pretty important and tough work.
— Mothership

Investors placed $14.56b in Singapore property
It took the 10th spot as the most active real estate city in the world.
Singapore jumped five places to the 10th in JLL’s rankings of the most active countries in terms of real estate investment.
— Singapore Business Review

“You have been robbed, dear Singaporeans” – Budget 2018 forum on VIDEO
Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat will deliver Budget 2018 tomorrow. Even as political analysts predict that taxes will almost certainly go up this year, four civil society players gathered last week to discuss their beliefs on what the nation’s economic direction should be for the next year, at the Budget 2018 forum organised by The Independent and Maruah.
— The Independent Singapore

Changi Airport’s T1 set to open new arrival pick-up zone
A new arrival pick-up zone at Changi Airport’s Terminal 1 (T1) will open on Wednesday – the first of several changes under a $323 million expansion project to boost the terminal’s capacity.
— The New Paper

Six injured in multiple-car collision on PIE
Six people were injured in a crash involving multiple vehicles on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) on Saturday afternoon (Feb 17).
— Channel NewsAsia

Feature photo Akuppa John Wigham

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 February 19 added by Leakhena Khat on February 19, 2018
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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.