Singapore morning news for August 29

Singapore morning news for August 29
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Singapore morning news

Bad debt in Singapore predicted to increase due to Sino-US trade war, part of overall dismal economic trends
On the heels of a dismal economic growth prediction this year and even the prospect of a looming recession, Singapore firms also may accumulate more bad debt as the Republic’s trade-dependent economy experiences ripples from ongoing Sino-US trade tensions, Bloomberg reported yesterday (27 Aug).
— The Online Citizen

Singapore unveils intellectual property initiatives to support Asean Industry 4.0
THE Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has announced a series of initiatives to support Asean’s Industry 4.0 development.
— The Business Times

Singtel warns about scam calls involving fake technicians, customer service officers
Singtel on Wednesday (Aug 28) warned of a scam targetting the personal details of its customers.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Singapore to remove age limit for IVF treatments, introduce new subsidies
Singapore will remove its age limit for women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments, as part of a range of measures it announced on Wednesday (Aug 28) to support marriage and parenthood.
— Channel News Asia (very annoying popups)

S’porean newborns get first passport free, starting Jan. 1, 2020
Four in five Singaporean children apply for a passport before they turn one year old.
— Mothership

SCDF ragging trial: Accused says Staff Sergeant lied about being asked to push NSF into well
A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Staff Sergeant was lying when he claimed he had pushed a full-time national serviceman (NSF) into a well because his colleague had asked him to, said the Warrant Officer accused of instigating the fatal act.
— Channel News Asia (very annoying popups)

Singaporeans get three years in prison for smuggling lobster larvae
The Jambi District Court sentenced two Singaporeans to three years in prison on Monday and ordered them to pay a fine of Rp 1 billion (US$70,110) for smuggling lobster larvae from Jambi to Singapore and Vietnam.
— The Jakarta Post

Alibaba lands Singapore AI patent in record time
One of China’s biggest e-commerce companies, Alibaba Group Holdings, has obtained an artificial intelligence (AI) patent in Singapore in just three months, a world record.
— The Straits Times

Qatari DPM meets Singapore leaders, reaffirms warm and friendly relations
Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister on Wednesday (Aug 28) met Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat, and the leaders discussed ways to deepen relations across various areas, including financial cooperation and trade linkages.
— The Straits Times

Additional subsidies for pre-schools to increase from January 2020
Parents can look forward to paying less for pre-school from January 2020, as subsidy amounts will be increased across all eligible income tiers, announced Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo on Wednesday (Aug 28).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

All childhood vaccinations to be subsidised at polyclinics and CHAS GPs by end of 2020
All polyclinics vaccinations under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule (NCIS) will be subsidised for Singaporeans by the end of 2020, and the subsidies will be extended to general practitioner clinics under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS).
— Channel News Asia (very annoying popups)

Outsourcing work responsibly: The AGO report and issues faced
The annual report of government accounts by the Auditor-General’s Office often finds lapses in areas such as procurement and contract variations.
— The Straits Times

Over 60% of NUS’ $9.5b reserves in endowment funds
The National University of Singapore (NUS) has shed some light on its $9.5 billion reserves, saying that about $230 million in investment returns from its endowment funds and from non-endowed donations is spent on operating expenditure for education, bursaries and research in the financial year that ended in March last year.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Law firm to do ‘whatever necessary’ to bring closure to family of toddler who died after Jewel Changi Airport incident
The law firm representing the family of the toddler who died after a mirror fell on her in a fashion store at Jewel Changi Airport, has been instructed to do whatever is necessary to bring proper closure on her death.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Pokka suing ex-CEO Alain Ong for S$6.51 million in losses
According to Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao, the lawsuit involves supposed illegal dealings between Ong and Kimly Limited, as well as Asian Story Corporation.
— Mothership

MOM slaps $230,000 fine on hazardous waste treatment firm for putting workers in danger
Eco Special Waste Management was fined $230,000 on Aug 20 for failing to ensure the safety and health of its employees at its hazardous waste treatment facility at 23 Tuas View Circuit, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a statement on Wednesday (Aug 28).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

CPF investments grow 1.9% in second quarter of 2019
Funds included in the Central Provident Fund Investment Scheme (CPFIS) posted positive returns of 1.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2019 as global markets continued to rally, data from financial research firm Refinitiv’s Lipper showed on Wednesday (Aug 28).
— Channel News Asia (very annoying popups)

All childhood vaccinations to be subsidised at polyclinics and CHAS GPs by end of 2020
All polyclinics vaccinations under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule (NCIS) will be subsidised for Singaporeans by the end of 2020, and the subsidies will be extended to general practitioner clinics under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS).
— Channel News Asia (very annoying popups)

Former national sailor Ben Tan to be Singapore’s chef de mission at Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Former national sailor Ben Tan will lead the Team Singapore contingent as chef de mission at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) announced on Wednesday (Aug 28) in a press release.
— Channel News Asia (very annoying popups)

Conversations about re-employment should start when workers are in their 40s: Josephine Teo
Employers need to have early conversations with workers – as early as when they are in their 40s – about retirement and re-employment to ensure a smooth transition, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo on Wednesday (Aug 28).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

ST Integrated Engineering to raise $4m via private listing on 1exchange
ST Integrated Engineering (STIE) is looking to raise about $4 million by listing on 1exchange, Singapore’s only regulated private securities exchange, to support its expansion.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

NUS says majority of reserves are endowed funds cannot be touch; $2.8b are operating surpluses
After National University of Singapore gave an unsatisfactory reply with regard to its huge reserves currently stood at $9.5 billion (‘NUS asked to explain fee increases despite having huge reserves; it replies it didn’t increase this year’), another member of the public, Tan Boon Huat, wrote to ST Forum to ask for further clarification (‘NUS should explain why it needs billion-dollar reserves’, 22 Aug).
— The Online Citizen

Singapore wins record 22 awards at 2019 WorldSkills Competition in Kazan
Singapore’s 32-strong contingent bagged the highest number of awards since it started taking part in 1995.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singapore clinched $145.78m of healthtech deals in 2018
Singapore raked in $145.78m (US$105m) of healthtech deals in 2018, making it the city with the fourth largest deal volume in Asia, according to a report from Galen Growth Asia.
— Singapore Business Review

Singapore mortgages may resist global rates downtrend – for now
INTEREST rates are falling across the world – with some markets already mired in negative rates – but the flow through to Singapore mortgage rates may be mitigated by local factors.
— The Business Times

Baey Lian Peck, who chaired various stat boards, dies at 88
Public service stalwart Baey Lian Peck was so meticulous about not spending a single cent of the public’s money on himself that he would have his personal assistant track the number of photocopies he made in the office of any personal documents, and pay the organisations accordingly.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singapore a bigger draw for investment amid global uncertainties: Analysts
Among the reasons cited are the Republic’s stable political landscape and pro-business environment, as well as its infrastructure such as an extensive network of free trade agreements.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

One-stop IP shop set up to help firms drive growth
Singapore’s moves to establish itself as a trusted hub of intellectual property (IP) took a step forward yesterday with the launch of an initiative to help firms commercialise patents, trademarks and brands.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

HK investments in S’pore properties hit $1.9b in first half
Hong Kong investors pumped US$1.4 billion (S$1.94 billion) into Singapore commercial real estate in the first half of the year.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Honestbee gets 30-day extension to its reprieve from creditors
MLocal grocery start-up Honestbee was granted a 30-day extension to its reprieve from creditors by the High Court yesterday as the company looks to restructure its debt.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Education centre MD admits to cheating offences involving more than $340k
The managing director of an education centre used various pseudonyms and email addresses to dupe seven companies into delivering goods worth more than $340,000 altogether.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Repeat offender who stole shoppers’ phones, wallets from supermarket trolleys gets corrective training
A jobless man released from prison in 2014 after a five-year corrective training sentence for a string of offences returned to his old ways, this time targeting grocery shoppers who left their valuables unattended in their trolleys.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Man fined for not declaring currencies worth S$101,000 at Tuas Checkpoint
A 60-year-old man was fined on Wednesday (Aug 28) for failing to declare that he was carrying currencies worth more than S$101,000 through Tuas Checkpoint.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Nassim Road condo up for sale en bloc at $223m reserve price
A prime District 10 freehold condominium, Beaufort On Nassim, has been launched for collective sale by tender at a minimum expected price of $222.68 million, real estate services firm Savills Singapore announced on Wednesday (Aug 28).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

“There is a difference between being part of the elite and subscribing to and propagating elitism” – SDP’s Chee Soon Juan
“If Singapore is going to remain relevant and competitive, we don’t have much of a choice, we must open up our political system and let power devolve to the people instead of it being amassed in the hands of a few in the PAP,” said Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) Secretary-General Chee Soon Juan.
— The Online Citizen

Happy ending for $401.9m sale en bloc of City Towers in Bukit Timah
The sale of City Towers in Bukit Timah has finally been completed at its fourth collective attempt and after a pair of sibling owners initially attempted to block the deal.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singapore’s Investo Ltd. investment director to takeover as CEO of Malaysia’s state-owned Permodalan Nasional Bhd
Investment director at Singapore’s Invesco Ltd, Jalil Rasheed, is poised to take over as Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia’s biggest state-owned fund, Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), according to reports.
— The Online Citizen

9 Singapore companies make it to Forbes Asia’s Best Over A Billion list
They are the Republic’s Big Three banks – DBS Bank, OCBC Bank and United Overseas Bank – Wilmar International, CapitaLand, City Developments, Olam International, ASM Pacific Technology and Venture Corporation.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

ISOTeam swings to black with $2.9m Q4 profit
Catalist-listed ISOTeam on Wednesday (Aug 28) posted a fourth-quarter net profit of $2.9 million, recovering from a net loss of $1.9 million a year ago, on strong revenue growth generated by its repairs and redecoration (R&R) business.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

DFS closing duty-free stores in Changi Airport: 4 things to know about the airport’s oldest tenant
The DFS Group has been selling liquor and tobacco in Changi Airport for nearly 40 years, but it will be closing its duty-free stores there in June 2020.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Oxley Q4 net profit dives 81% on lower revenue
Oxley Holdings’ net profit dived 81 per cent to $25.59 million for the fourth quarter ended June 30 from $137.7 million a year ago, the property developer reported on Tuesday (Aug 27).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Audi Singapore appoints Markus Schuster as new MD
AUDI Singapore has promoted Markus Schuster to managing director as part of a strategic inter-company appointment, the company announced in a press statement on Tuesday.
— The Business Times

Two artworks unveiled to commemorate Singapore’s bicentennial
If you are visiting East Coast Park, look out for a 4m-high sculpture of a giant body with many faces.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Woman attempts to pry open MRT doors after missing train
A woman attempted to pry open the doors of an MRT train after she successfully forced her way through the closing platform doors on Monday (Aug 26), shocking onlookers.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Woman who gave birth in Gojek car describes ‘scary, terrifying’ experience
A woman who recently gave birth in a Gojek car on the way to hospital described her terrifying ordeal in an interview on Wednesday (Aug 28).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

ST Podcast: When we should be worried about colorectal cancer
In this fortnightly podcast series on Wednesdays, The Straits Times guides you to healthier living and debunks the myths with expert guests.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

2 taken to hospital after accident along Jurong West
A 31-year-old driver and a 26-year-old female passenger were taken to hospital after they were involved in an accident along Jurong West Street 51 on Wednesday (Aug 28).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

S’pore guy selling claw machine Hello Kitty plushie for S$300, insists it’s ‘not easy’ to get
For one Mike Yea, he recently took to Facebook group Claw Machine Club to try and sell a huge plushie that he had apparently won from a claw machine.
— Mothership

Man who had stand-off with police near Woodlands Checkpoint pleads guilty to armed robbery and other offences
A man shown in viral videos in a stand-off with police near Woodlands Checkpoint last year pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Aug 28) to a variety of charges including armed robbery, drug-related offences and traffic violations.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Generation Grit: Former gangster channels love for fighting into fencing
Mr Lim Wei Wen, 34, initially mistook the sport of fencing for the act of building fences.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Overhaul in food supply chain needed, says study
Reducing food waste requires an overhaul in the food supply chain, with surpluses donated or sold at a discount, or having food that may otherwise end up in bins reintroduced as useful by-products, a new study suggested.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Asia’s richest families worth over $625 billion
Mr Mukesh Ambani’s late father, who started the family’s business empire with US$100, used to tell his son that he did not know what it was like to be poor.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

 

Feature photo Lee Hsien Loong

This week’s Singapore morning news feature photo focuses on daily life in Singapore.

 

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).

 

About Singapore morning news.

Singapore morning news roundup is the most comprehensive hand-curated selection of Singapore English language news headlines published. Each weekday we scour hundreds of local and international news sites and websites to find the most recent Singapore English language news today.

We filter our the dull, the boring, the repetitive, and the click-bait and package all of the Singapore daily news that you need to know to start your day into an easy to read, time saving format of Singapore news headlines and first paragraphs before 8.15am Singapore time.

We clearly identify the source of all the Singapore news headlines, whether it is behind a paywall, a media release, or whether the news site uses annoying pop-up advertising or auto-play video, in case those things annoy you too. If a website uses particularly invasive pop-up adverts, we’ll tell you.

This enables you to make an informed choice of whether you want to learn more by clicking directly through to the original Singapore news article, or keep on reading the remaining Singapore daily news headlines.

Click here to get your Singapore English language news today by email before 9am Singapore time daily. Remember to watch out for the confirmation email from us to confirm your subscription. Check your trash folder if you do not see it.

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Justhine De Guzman Uy completed a Bachelor of Arts Major in Mass Communication at New Era University, Quezon City, the Philippines in 2016

After graduation she worked at the Philippine Broadcasting Service performing transcription and business news writing, before moving to Eagle Broadcasting Corporation where she worked as a news editor, translator and production assistant.

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