Singapore morning news for July 25

Fewer Singapore tourists heading to Hong Kong after protests spark safety concerns
SINGAPORE: After returning from a holiday in Europe in June, polytechnic lecturer Patricia Tay wanted a destination closer to home for her next family getaway at the end of the year.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Singapore slips to eighth position in global innovation index
SINGAPORE remains top of the list for innovation among Asian economies in the 2019 Global Innovation Index (GII). Globally, however, it slipped three notches from last year to place eighth due to a fall in rankings in indicators under innovation input.
— The Business Times

Skills Framework for Design to help firms, workers across sectors
REQUIRED skills and salary information for design-related job roles are laid out in a new government publication, meant for workers and employers both within and outside the design industry.
— The Business Times

Singapore has what it takes to be a fintech hub
SINGAPORE has long been modelled after Switzerland – a business-friendly, efficient and stable finance hub of Asia. Supported by smart and robust infrastructure, progressive and transparent regulations as well as a productive, English- speaking workforce, the republic has more than pulled its weight in the global finance arena.
— The Business Times

When to disclose your NRIC details after new rules kick in on Sept 1
From Sept 1, organisations will not be allowed to collect, use or disclose a person’s NRIC number, or any other national identification numbers such as birth certificate numbers, foreign identification numbers and work permit numbers.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Officer lauded for detecting potential bomb
As the nondescript parcel made its way through the X-ray scanner at a logistics centre near Changi Airport, security officer Rajaletchumi Letchumanan identified on her screen a few familiar components resembling parts of an improvised explosive device (IED).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Rise in measles cases in Singapore: What you need to know about the infectious disease
Can you get measles even if you have been vaccinated? And what should you do if you come into contact with someone who has the viral disease?
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Singapore’s religious harmony law to be updated: Shanmugam
Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam says any change to the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act needs agreement by various stakeholders like various religious groups.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Bearing brunt of trade war, Singapore chipmakers cut jobs
Caught between a Sino-U.S. trade war, political concerns over Chinese telecoms firm Huawei and slowing consumer demand, chipmakers in Singapore have started slowing production and laying off hundreds of jobs, firms told Reuters.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

1 Singapore Blue-Chip Share That Has Built Up Solid Financials Over the Past 5 Years
Investors may not believe Venture Corporation Limited (SGX: V03) could be a growth play, but its five-year track record will convince them otherwise.
— The Motley Fool

HPH Trust’s Q2 performance hit by global trade tensions
HUTCHISON Port Holdings Trust (HPH Trust), a container port trust affiliated with Hutchison Ports, on Wednesday reported a weaker showing for its fiscal second quarter, no thanks to the ongoing challenges in the global trade environment.
— The Business Times

Mixed impact seen for £ rout on Singapore firms
THE British pound, which has fallen since the Brexit vote, took another beating with the changeover at No 10 Downing Street – but its impact on Singapore firms with UK exposure is likely to be mixed.
— The Business Times

E-scooter rider injured tourist in Chinatown
A Taiwanese tourist had just walked out of Chinatown MRT station when an e-scooter knocked into her right heel, causing her to fall and hit her head against the ground.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

LTA halts free e-trishaw rides for the elderly as device weight, size in breach of law
The e-trishaws were pulled as they exceed the weight and width criteria for devices that can be used on public paths.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Postgrad course for returning Islamic studies graduates
A new postgraduate Islamic studies programme will soon be offered here for overseas Islamic studies graduates returning to Singapore.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

P1 registration: 19 schools to hold ballot for places
Children hoping to clinch a place in 19 primary schools next year will face a ballot, following the end of the fourth phase of Primary 1 registration on Tuesday evening.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Poignant ending to Hari Raya short film on brothers
National water agency PUB has reunited the two orphaned brothers Din and Zul in a poignant ending to its Hari Raya Aidilfitri short film that first captivated viewers in May.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singapore, Indonesian navies hold anti-terror drill in bilateral exercise
The navies of Singapore and Indonesia worked together to tackle a simulated terrorist threat to commercial ships in the Singapore Strait on Tuesday.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Design skills framework launched to drive innovation in Singapore
A national framework for the design industry was launched yesterday by Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing, as part of Singapore’s push to become an innovation-driven economy.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Unis, polys to ramp up training for Industry 4.0
Institutes of higher learning in Singapore will ramp up efforts to train people in emerging skills such as machine learning, entrepreneurship and data analytics.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Most e-scooters registered here don’t have safety cert
Most of the 85,000 e-scooters registered with the authorities here do not have a safety certification that will be compulsory from 2021, say major retailers.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Security sector sets rules for data collection
Private security officers, when detaining individuals for criminal offences, should not collect, use or disclose a suspect’s full NRIC number, as this may be in breach of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Fitch: S’pore’s pharma industry growing in importance
Fitch Solutions Macro Research yesterday said Singapore’s pharmaceutical industry is becoming an increasingly important component of the country’s manufacturing sector.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

4G leaders must forge ‘renewed bond of trust’ with voters: DPM Heng
As society becomes more diverse in their needs, the fourth-generation (4G) leaders of the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) must forge a renewed bond of trust with voters, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Wednesday (Jul 24).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

E-scooters: Are they really a big risk for residential fires?
There have been about a dozen residential fires due to PMDs already thus far in 2019. But do they really pose such a big risk to our safety, especially compared to other causes of fire accidents?
— The Online Citizen

Injuries, evacuations, homes destroyed: PMD fires in recent months
A spate of fires linked to electric scooters, electric bicycles and other personal mobility devices (PMDs) in recent months has led the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to consider reviewing a deadline for the devices to meet fire safety standards.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Five nurses get President’s Award for their contributions
Fresh out of secondary school and looking to support her family after her father’s death, Ms Samantha Ong seized one of the first job opportunities she came across and became a nurse.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

SCDF conducts exercise at Padang ahead of NDP
More than 400 participants were involved in a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) operational exercise at the Padang in the early hours of yesterday morning.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

PAP’s 4G team has to grow the reservoir of trust: DPM Heng
The fourth-generation political leadership has to grow the reservoir of trust their predecessors have built, at a time when politics has become increasingly contested, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

She overcomes two brain haemorrhages to graduate from NTU
She was two months from graduating when two brain haemorrhages put her hopes of getting a degree in jeopardy.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Court clears doc fined $100k for not telling patient of side effects
A doctor who was fined for not telling a patient about the side effects of an injection has had the judgment set aside by the Court of Appeal.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Istana’s Best Kept Secrets in 3 new books
A collection of books on little-known facts about the Istana will be launched on Sunday.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

3 forces could challenge social cohesion in Singapore: Bilahari
Three external forces could pose a challenge to social cohesion here as people around the world increasingly emphasise their cultural and religious identity, veteran diplomat Bilahari Kausikan said.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Future business shapers
They have been described as dynamic individuals, who are reshaping the way things are done across business sectors including lifestyle, technology and finance.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Man who displayed toy grenade near Istana Park fined
A cleaner found a toy grenade while working at Istana Park and decided to display the object in an upright manner to see how people would react when they found it.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Affinity for old shophouses pays off
From a small real estate firm operating out of a 200 square foot attic space in Amoy Street, Mr Ashish Manchharam has grown the company that he started into a notable player in the conservation shophouse sector, with 50 shophouses in its portfolio.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Public warned of scammers
Energy provider SP Group warned the public yesterday of suspected scammers posing as its employees to sell fire extinguishers, in the wake of a recent spate of fires in Housing Board flats.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Battles, trade in waters off 17th century Singapore
The harbour master of 17th century Singapore could have been using a China-made cast iron wok for his mee goreng.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Future business shapers: Desire to create led to online success
Sceptics said there was no money to be made when Ms Gillian Tan founded and launched web video venture Clicknetwork in 2007.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Judicial management sought against Epicentre
Former Apple reseller Epicentre Holdings on Tuesday said a creditor has filed an application in the Singapore High Court to place the company under judicial management.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Man under investigation for lodging false police report after falling for sex scam
A 25-year-old man is being investigated for allegedly lodging a false police report after falling for a credit-for-sex scam, said police on Wednesday (Jul 24).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Study: Singaporeans have longer lifespans but struggle with healthcare expenses and multiple chronic issues
While Singaporeans are experiencing increased longevity, many will spend their later years in ill health, concluded a study commissioned by major insurance company Prudential.
— The Online Citizen

Project Wolbachia still in study phase, will not be deployed in dengue clusters: NEA
Project Wolbachia is still in the research study phase and therefore has not been deployed in dengue clusters, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Wednesday (Jul 24).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

17 new measles cases in recent weeks but no evidence of community spread, says MOH
The Ministry of Health said in a statement on Tuesday (23 July) that a total of 17 people have been infected with measles recently. Those infected included 14 employees and residents at Mindsville@Napiri in Hougang and three foreign workers at the S11 Dormitory in Seletar North Link.
— The Online Citizen

SCDF conducts ‘chemical attack’ operational exercise at Padang ahead of NDP
While the rest of the city slumbered, the wee hours of Wednesday (Jul 24) saw officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) storm the grandstands at the Padang in the aftermath of a “chemical attack” to evacuate “parade-goers”.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

‘A form of charity for me’ – SPH Red Apple Day attracts 160 blood donors
Retired secretary Chan Moh Chuen overcame a fear of needles to become a regular blood donor, as she knows just how important it can be.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Former head of Dulwich College Shanghai charged with taking illegal drugs in Singapore
A former head of Dulwich College Shanghai was charged in court on Tuesday (Jul 23) with taking illegal drugs in Singapore.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Huawei celebrates 54th National Day with S$54 smartphone deal this weekend
To commemorate the nation’s 54th birthday, Huawei Consumer Business Group, Singapore, will be offering its popular casual smartphone series, the Huawei Y6 Pro 2019, at a discounted price of S$54 (original RRP of $198).
— The Online Citizen

Teens who cut power supply to Woodlands HDB block for an hour get probation
Four teenagers entered a switch room and turned off the power supply to an entire Housing Development Board (HDB) block in Woodlands, cutting off electricity to its residents for an hour.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Feature photo City Pass Guide

This week’s Singapore morning news feature photo focuses on air quality throughout Asean

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 July 25 added by John Le Fevre on July 25, 2019
View all posts by John Le Fevre →

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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.