Singapore Morning News For January 11

Singapore passport world’s second-most powerful: Index
According to the ranking compiled by global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners, Singapore passport holders can travel to 176 countries visa-free.
— The New Paper

Singapore’s investor residency scheme creates 6,000 jobs in 2011-2016
Singapore’s Global Investor Program (GIP), which helps foreign investors to get Singapore’s permanent residency, brought investments that generated business expenditure totaling 1.8 billion Singapore dollars (about 1.35 billion U.S. dollars) from 2011 to 2016.
— Xinhua Net

Singapore to launch S-E Asia’s first legaltech accelerator
SINGAPORE is taking the lead to digitally transform its legal sector. Come April, the country will be home to South-east Asia’s first legaltech accelerator. Named Accelerate!, it aims to groom legaltech startups as well as incubate new business models or services conceived by law firms.
— The Business Times

As Asean chair, Singapore may find its warming ties with China turning frosty once more
This year, Singapore will have two leadership roles in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It will continue to serve as coordinator of the Asean-China dialogue, and, more importantly, it is this year’s Asean chair. The South China Sea imbroglio between Asean claimants – backed by the US – and China will be a principal issue to be managed during its term.
— South China Morning Post

Is corruption part of Singapore’s foreign policy?
Singapore tolerates no corruption internally, especially within the ranks of its public service. Officials who are accused face thorough investigations by the Corruption Practices Investigation Bureau.
— The Independent Singapore

Cathay Pacific, Singapore Air need to look beyond their planes
For decades, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways set the global gold standard in service quality and customer satisfaction. In the process, shareholders of Asia’s leading premium carriers were handsomely rewarded. Singapore Airlines was the second-highest valued airline globally as recently as 2011.
— Nikkei Asian Review

Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, OCBC see Singapore private home prices rebounding this year
Credit Suisse Group and Morgan Stanley are calling the end of Singapore’s property downturn, after a second consecutive quarterly increase in private residential prices.
— The Straits Times

Singapore’s CopyCash ordered to cease token offering in Malaysia
The Securities Commission Malaysia has directed Singapore-registered blockchain startup to cease and desist all its proposed activities including a planned initial coin offering (ICO), prompting an apology from the company.
— Channel NewsAsia

SUTD to get up to $75 million from MOE to bolster growth plans
Singapore’s fourth autonomous university is getting a funding boost of up to $75 million from the Ministry of Education (MOE) to bolster its efforts in areas key to its growth.
— The New Paper

MHA examines need for dedicated laws against child pornography: Shanmugam
The Ministry of Home Affairs is looking at drafting dedicated laws against child pornography, and is in the midst of determining if such laws should carry higher penalties to send a stronger deterrent message on the crime.
— Today Online

Educate foreigners on Singapore’s no-smoking rules
I commend the Government for its efforts against smoking over the last four decades or so. Anti-smoking policies have been fairly successfully implemented through strict no-smoking laws and our education system.
— The Straits Times (paywall)

Motion for Select Committee passed in Parliament following debate
All 80 Members of Parliament (MPs) voted to pass a motion yesterday to appoint a Select Committee that will study the issue of deliberate online falsehoods, or fake news, and give recommendations to tackle the issue.
— The New Paper

Scattering ashes on land could soon be allowed in Singapore
Scattering the ashes of your loved one on land could soon be a possibility, with authorities in Singapore planning to offer the option at designated areas.
— Channel NewsAsia

GIC-backed GLP privatisation comes into effect, to delist from SGX on Jan 22
Singapore wealth fund GIC-backed warehouse operator Global Logistic Properties (GLP) will delist from the Singapore stock exchange on January 22 following the privatisation deal by Nesta Investment Holdings, the vehicle owned by Hopu, Hillhouse Capital, SMG, Bank of China Group Investment and Vanke.
— DealStreetAsia

Debunking falsehoods safeguards freedom of speech, say MPs
Rather than restricting freedom of speech, combating falsehoods allows for more constructive social and political discourse, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Wednesday (Jan 10).
— Today Online

Select Committee set up to study deliberate online falsehoods; Singapore ‘highly susceptible’ to problem
Parliament agreed on Wednesday (Jan 10) to establish a Select Committee to look into the problem of deliberate online falsehoods and recommend strategies to deal with them.
— Channel NewsAsia (video)

Man fined $5,000 for slapping boy, 6, in the face
A man who slapped a six-year-old boy in the face because he believed the boy’s mother had not disciplined him firmly enough was fined $5,000 yesterday.
— The New Paper

Feature photo Dickson Phua

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 January 11 added by Leakhena Khat on January 11, 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.