Singapore morning news for January 7

Singapore supplies additional treated water to Malaysia at Johor’s request
Singapore’s water agency PUB said on Sunday (Jan 6) that it supplied additional treated water to Malaysia this week after pollution disrupted production at Johor’s water plants.
— Channel NewsAsia

Banks partnering fintechs in quest for digital dominance
There is a power play ahead for Singapore banks as they cosy up to fintechs that offer quicker ways to scale and deepen their customer reach.
— Straits Times

Singapore Airlines experiences security breach, personal information of more than 280 KrisFlyer members disclosed
Singapore – Due to a software bug experienced by Singapore Airlines, the private information of more than 280 KrisFlyer members were disclosed to other members. Some even had their passport numbers shared to strangers. KrisFlyer member Tricia Leo noticed something was off when she logged into her account on January 5, Saturday. She saw a […]
— The Independent sg

Will Lee Hsien Loong call for an early election? Watch the Singapore Budget to find out
SINGAPORE’S LEADER Lee Hsien Loong knows there’s little he or his tiny island state can do to determine the outcome of the ongoing US-China trade tussle.
— South China Morning Post

Commentary: In 2019, online marketplaces will change the way you and the government shop
Chief Executive Officer of Arcadier Dinuke Ranasinghe has five predictions for the direction of e-commerce in 2019.
— Channel NewsAsia

MyCareersFuture says 12k more jobs available for Singaporeans; looks like it’s going to be a hectic year
The Government-led jobs portal MyCareersFuture will add 12,000 more postings for local job seekers following a Memorandum of Understanding with global job site Indeed, said Workforce Singapore (WSG). It can prioritize search results according to the relevance of a job seeker’s SS and filter results to show those under government schemes that support training.
— The Independent sg

Home court: in Singapore, state lawyers threaten uneasy truce between PM Lee Hsien Loong and siblings
The uneasy truce between Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his estranged younger siblings could soon be over, with public prosecutors now seeking to re-examine the circumstances surrounding their late father and former premier Lee Kuan Yew’s final will – the very issue that saw the trio bicker in public in 2016.
— South China Morning Post

New local joint venture buys Uber-owned Lion City Rentals
Two local motor companies have bought Uber-owned Lion City Rentals, marking the United States ride-hailing firm’s complete exit from Singapore.
— Straits Times

South-east Asia best market for growth, investment: Poll
Top executives in Singapore say South-east Asia heads the list of markets for growth and investment opportunities, with China coming in a distant second.
— Straits Times

Tree-mendous response to Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s appeal
The lucky animals at Singapore Zoo cannot see the wood for the trees these days, thanks to the hundreds of post-Christmas pines and firs that were donated on Saturday.
— Straits Times

Animal abuse petition hits 50,000 signatures as Platinum Dogs Club raided and investigated
A petition to stiffen animal abuse penalties has received overwhelming support online amid an investigation into abuse allegations at Platinum Dogs Club
— Coconuts (paywall)

Powerbank sharing and ‘smart’ helmets: Singapore start-ups aim for CES 2019 splash
The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas has been a mainstay event of the consumer tech industry for years now, and the upcoming one in January is no different – with self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence-infused everything and 5G set to be the main buzzwords.
— Channel NewsAsia

The Week in Numbers: Currency Flash Crash
Currency flash crash, Apple cuts quarterly forecast, Singapore property prices fall and more.
— Motley Fool sg

Renting in Singapore: The most common reasons a landlord might reject you
Landlords can be choosy when it comes to accepting tenants, too.
— cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com

S’porean who rescues treasure from shipwrecks is probably the closest we’ll get to a real-life pirate
Tay Seng Heng welcomes us into the secret, fascinating world of ‘antique salvaging’.
— Mothership

Is Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SGX:Z74) A Smart Choice For Dividend Investors?
Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SGX:Z74) has pleased shareholders over the past 10 years, by paying out dividends. The company currently pays out a dividend yield of 6.0% to shareholders, making it a relatively attractive dividend stock. Does Singapore Telecommunications tick all the boxes of a great dividend stock? Below, I’ll take you through my analysis.
— Simply Wall St

The lowdown on lighting up
Smoking is largely not permitted if you are within a public service vehicle, such as a taxi or bus, or in a building, except at indoor smoking rooms and uncovered areas on the rooftops of multi-storey carparks.
— Straits Times

With Orchard Road becoming a no-smoking zone, coffee shops could be next
Orchard Road is a no-smoking zone, as part of the Government’s crackdown on the unhealthy habit. The Sunday Times looks at the measures so far and what lies ahead.
— Straits Times

Construction tech startup Novade on paperless crusade with one-stop solutions platform
WHEN he led Autodesk’s Asia sales team, Denis Branthonne wanted to sell the engineering and architecture software that his company was famous for.
— The Business Times

Myanmar maids mark Independence Day with song and dance
Myanmar domestic workers dressed in their ethnic costumes performing a dance as the Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training (Fast) celebrated Myanmar’s 71st Independence Day, which fell on Friday.
— Straits Times

Largest library to open in VivoCity mall on 12 January
Singapore’s latest mall library will open in VivoCity on 12 January 2019, which offer conducive reading spaces for patrons of all ages set against a splendid view of Sentosa.
— The Online Citizen

Former Singapore presidential candidate now spends his time fixing wooden bridges using his election posters
What a fall from grace he’s had, huh.
— Coconuts (paywall)

Man pays for half of $84,000 car with cryptocurrency ethereum
In a first-of-its kind transaction in Singapore yesterday, business development manager David Lau used cryptocurrency to pay for half of the cost of a new car.
— www.tnp.sg

Over half of perfect scorers from Singapore
Students who sat the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma exams in Singapore have performed better than their global counterparts.
— Straits Times

Four new statues unveiled alongside Sir Stamford Raffles
Sir Stamford Raffles will not be standing alone along the north bank of the Singapore River, not for the next few days at least.
— Today Singapore

Bicentennial Superheroes fly SEA flag. About time.
Singapore Bicentennial is a commendable idea. I see it as a very inclusive project which should, once and for all, stop a process of sinicisation which earlier on threatened to turn Singapore into something which it should never be allowed to be -a dangerous anomaly in this region.
— The Independent sg

Space-starved Asian cities exhume graves to make space, including Singapore’s own ‘living museum’ Bukit Brown cemetery
In Singapore, the rest of the dead is interrupted to make space for the living. Bukit Brown Cemetery has been the location of approximately 100,000 graves, but more than 4,000 of those resting places have been exhumed since to make way for an eight-lane highway.
— The Independent sg

After spate of flight delays over a month, what’s gone wrong with Scoot?
With five major flight disruptions in just over a month due to aircraft glitches, travellers are upset with how the budget airline handled the situations and customer care.
— Straits Times

Meow! Smuggling suspect stuffed 4 kittens in trousers
When it comes to smuggling, some criminals try hiding things in creative places such as cereal cartons, door panels and even spectacle cases.
— Straits Times

Sweeter than soda? The hidden sugars in bubble tea
Bubble tea is a beverage that remains hugely popular in Singapore, with some people willing to queue for 30 minutes or more to get their favourite cup, but its potential impact on people’s health has largely slipped under the radar.
— Channel NewsAsia

Stocking up on CNY goodies
Shoppers choosing tidbits at Henderson Community Club yesterday, as they got to stock up early on groceries and goodies for the Chinese New Year. Volunteers turned an empty hall into a marketplace for 170 low-to middle-income families who may not qualify for government or community assistance schemes, with booths selling items such as canned food, biscuits and toothpaste.
— Straits Times

50,000 attend SkillsFuture Advice talks
The one-year-old SkillsFuture Advice programme has surpassed its target, with 50,000 Singaporeans having attended workshops to help them find courses that will boost their skills and career plans.
— Straits Times

Feature photo Ray in Manila

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 7 added by John Le Fevre on January 7, 2019
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John Le Fevre

Thailand editor at AEC News Today

John is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer, and copy editor.

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.