Singapore Morning News For May 17

Singapore Government requested data on 310 Facebook accounts in the second half of 2017
The Singapore Government made 244 requests to Facebook for information covering 310 accounts from July to December last year, according to transparency report released by the social media giant on Wednesday (May 16).
— The Straits Times

Enterprise Singapore’s Group-based Upgrading initiative helps SMEs adopt technology
Enterprise Singapore announced that with SME Centres’ efforts to aggregate common capability needs of SMEs and help to facilitate group-based solutions for mass deployment its Group-based Upgrading (GBU) initiative has resulted in a total of 22 projects.
— Open Gov Asia

Fighting food waste in Singapore: ‘No brainer’ tracking tech and first standard unveiled
Singapore has launched its first standard for manufacturers and processors to manage food waste, along with new software to track and trace production inefficiencies, as part of its fight to reduce the 800,000 tonnes of food that is discarded each year.
— FoodNavigator-Asia

Singapore PM coming to Malaysia to meet Dr M on Saturday (May 19)
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is planning a trip to Malaysia this Saturday (May 19) to meet his counterpart Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
— The Star Online

North Korea threatens to cancel Trump-Kim summit in Singapore
North Korea threatened Wednesday (May 16) to cancel the forthcoming summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump if Washington seeks to push Pyongyang into giving up its nuclear arsenal.
— Channel NewsAsia

New Singapore anti-terror law can order media blackout
A new law that gives the police special powers during terrorist attacks, including widely banning journalists and members of the public from reporting on the scene, took effect in Singapore on Wednesday.
— The Washington Post

Singapore authorities ready to assist further in 1MDB probe
Singapore authorities say they are fully prepared to extend further assistance to Malaysia’s new government with their investigations into funds stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
— The Edge Markets

Singapore: Drop Charges for Criticizing Judiciary
Singapore authorities should end contempt proceedings against two critics of the government for comments on social media critical of the country’s judiciary, Human Rights Watch said today.
— Human Right Watch

Singapore’s Sea Ltd more than doubles losses on e-commerce spending
Sea, the operator of Southeast Asia’s biggest gaming platform, said losses more than doubled in the first quarter on rising costs at mobile-shopping unit Shopee as it strives to lure more users with shipping and other promotions.
— Today Online

4 in 5 young adults in Singapore experience quarter-life crisis, says study
Ms Huien Lim, 24, has held four jobs in the last two years. The liberal arts graduate spent seven months in a production house, the next four months in an accounting firm and another four months in a creative start-up.
— The Straits Times

‘More than one qualified candidate’ for next prime minister, PM Lee says
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Wednesday (May 16) said he was aware of more than one qualified candidate to succeed him – and that he “certainly” expects a clear front-runner to emerge before Singapore’s next general election.
— Channel NewsAsia

Encouraging responses in Jurong’s Open Electricity Market: Industry players
Jurong residents are fast switching away from SP Group to other electricity retailers since the market opened up to allow competition since April 1. Industry players say responses from residents have been encouraging.
— Channel NewsAsia (video)

Singapore AI health startup UCARE.AI raises S$8.2m in funding
UCARE.AI – a Singapore-based healthcare startup that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise healthcare resources and reduce healthcare costs across the industry – has raised S$8.2 million in funding.
— The Business Times

GIC, Frasers Property, JustCo invest S$237m to develop co-working platform in Asia
Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and mainboard-listed Frasers Property are joining hands with JustCo to invest US$177 million (S$237 million) into developing a co-working space platform across Asia, the companies said in a joint press release on Wednesday (May 16).
— Channel NewsAsia

Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung assures that government will continue to tackle inequality
In a speech in Parliament on Tuesday, May 15, Ong Ye Kung, Singapore’s Minister for Education, said that the government would continue to tackle inequality by helping the underprivileged in society. He also said that the larger emphasis must be in helping people to become self-reliant, which is better than “easy and unconditional” doleouts.
— The Independent Singapore

More than 100 SMEs gain from group-based upgrading solutions
OVER 100 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have benefited from 22 group-based upgrading projects implemented by SME Centres in the past year, said Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat on Tuesday.
— The Business Times

Singapore to help develop new airport and urban infrastructure in India’s Maharashtra
Singapore has agreed to plan and develop urban infrastructure in the Indian city of Pune in Maharashtra state and help develop the city’s new airport.
— The Straits Times

Exclusive: Inside Singapore’s lifelong learning revolution
“If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.”
— GovInsider

Singapore society must maintain ‘informal and egalitarian tone’: PM Lee on tackling inequality
How does one know if Singapore’s system of meritocracy is working?
— Channel NewsAsia

Feature photo Salmiac

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 17 added by Leakhena Khat on May 17, 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.