Singapore morning news for March 4, 2020

COVID-19: Singapore widens travel restrictions as minister warns of need to prepare for spikes in cases
Singapore will block entry and transit for new visitors who travelled to Iran, northern Italy or South Korea within the last 14 days, said Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (Mar 3), as he warned of the need to be prepared for “new spikes” in COVID-19 cases in Singapore.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

2 new COVID-19 cases reported in Singapore, no patients discharged on Tuesday
Two new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Singapore, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Tuesday (Mar 3), bringing the total number of cases in the country to 110.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

EP minimum salary goes up to S$3,900 from May 1 this year
FROM May 1, the monthly minimum salary for the Employment Pass (EP) will rise from S$3,600 to S$3,900 to keep up with the improving pay of fresh graduates from local autonomous universities.
— The Business Times

Singapore factory activity hit by sharpest fall in more than 5 years amid COVID-19 outbreak
Singapore’s factory activity contracted sharply in February, amid an ongoing COVID-19 outbreak that has disrupted global supply chains and affected production in the region.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Coronavirus: 4,500 stay-home notices issued, including to those returning from South Korea’s Daegu and Cheongdo
Immigration officers have issued over 4,500 stay-home notices as of Tuesday morning (March 3), including to those returning from South Korea’s Daegu city and Cheongdo county.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Coronavirus: SilkAir to suspend flights indefinitely to Hiroshima due to weak demand
Singapore Airlines’ regional wing SilkAir will suspend flights to Japan’s Hiroshima on the back of weak demand which has been made worse by the coronavirus outbreak.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Price comparison app for consumers to be rolled out across Singapore
A crowdsourcing mobile application that allows consumers to compare retail prices of groceries, household items and hawker food will be rolled out across Singapore “in the coming months”, announced Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Industry Tan Wu Meng on Tuesday (Mar 3).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Coronavirus: Work-pass holders with symptoms entering Singapore may have to take swab test at checkpoints
All work pass holders and dependants entering Singapore who have fever or other symptoms of respiratory illness may be required to undergo an immediate swab test for Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, at checkpoints.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Wizlearn the 2nd biggest Covid-19 cluster in S’pore. Here are the 14 cases & how they are linked
The Wizlearn Technologies Covid-19 cluster has grown to become Singapore’s second largest cluster, just four days after the first case was first announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
— Mothership

Government to roll out new measures to help companies adopt flexible work arrangements
More measures to encourage companies to adopt flexible work arrangements (FWAs) are in the pipeline, said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Low Yen Ling on Tuesday (Mar 3).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Taiwan TV show praises S’pore’s Covid-19 response, says govt ‘daring’ in its approach
An expert on the panel said the pay cut taken by top government officials was a ‘touching’ gesture.
— Mothership

Singapore Mint suspends launch of commemorative medallions and busts of Lee Kuan Yew
The Singapore Mint has suspended the launch of commemorative medallions dedicated to former Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew hours after it initially publicised the offerings.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

S’pore coders create comprehensive, easy-to-read site for all local Covid-19 case info
While there has been no lack of updates from the Ministry of Health regarding Covid-19 cases in Singapore, those who are not closely following the developments might find the information too much to handle.
— Mothership

Tripartite effort needed to support mid-career workers in their 40s and 50s: Chan Chun Sing
A “tripartite level effort is needed to support mid-career workers in their 40s and 50s, amid concerns over job security among these employees, said Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (Mar 3).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Government to publish advisory to help improve mental wellbeing in the workplace
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will soon be issuing an advisory to help employers take steps to improve mental wellbeing in the workplace.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

New wage offset scheme, enhanced training grant to help firms hire people with disabilities
A new wage offset scheme, alongside enhancements to an existing training grant, will be introduced to enhance the employment of persons with disabilities (PWDs), said Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad on Tuesday (Mar 3).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

New programmes to nurture leaders and ‘exceptional’ talent in cybersecurity sector
New programmes aimed at providing a training ground to nurture young Singaporeans with exceptional cybersecurity talent and future leaders in the sector will be launched soon.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

About 1,000 firms suspected of discriminatory hiring practices, placed on Government watchlist
About 1,000 companies have been placed on the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) Watchlist after being suspected of discriminatory hiring practices, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said in Parliament.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Landlords should do their part for retail tenants amid COVID-19 outbreak: Chan Chun Sing
Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing on Tuesday (Mar 3) urged major landlords in Singapore to do their part and help retail tenants tide through the challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Nationwide network of 1,000 parcel locker stations to roll out from late 2020
A nationwide network of 1,000 parcel locker stations will be progressively rolled out by the Infocomm and Media Development Authority (IMDA) from late 2020, said Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information Sim Ann on Tuesday (Mar 3).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Law Society clears ‘misperception’ over access to Lee Suet Fern proceedings
The Law Society made clear yesterday that a record of the disciplinary tribunal (DT) proceedings involving lawyer Lee Suet Fern is officially available from the Disciplinary Tribunal Secretariat and not the society itself.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

NUS suspends Italy exchanges, recalls students
The National University of Singapore (NUS) has suspended with immediate effect all exchange programmes sending students to Italy.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Covid-19: Singapore will match business support funds raised by private-sector groups
THE Singapore government will match funds that are raised by the private sector to support businesses in the year ahead, amid an outbreak of the new Covid-19 disease.
— The Business Times

Coronavirus: ComCare received 344 calls in first 12 days of stay-home scheme; 10 referred to social service offices
Social assistance scheme ComCare has attended to 344 calls from people on mandatory stay-home notice as of Sunday (March 1).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Lawrence Wong: Singaporeans have to be ‘mentally prepared’ for Covid-19 cases to go up
Wong said that shutting ourselves off from the world isn’t a tenable situation.
— Mothership

Coronavirus: MPA debunks singer Ronan Keating’s claim that ships were turned away due to outbreak
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has debunked claims by Irish singer Ronan Keating, clarifying that no cargo ships have been turned away from the Republic’s port due to the coronavirus outbreak.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

NParks investigating incident in which blow darts were used on pigeons
The National Parks Board’s Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) is looking into an incident in which blow darts were allegedly used on two pigeons, and urged the public to help with investigations by sharing any relevant photo or video evidence with it.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

OCBC offers instant car loan approvals
OCBC customers can now apply and get approval for car loans within 60 seconds, thanks to a new digital process that leverages the national data repository, MyInfo, and the bank’s real-time KYC (know your customer) and credit assessment system.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Agri-food sandbox, product design space among government’s new innovation ideas
NEW regulatory moves will help to support Singapore’s emerging agri-food tech industry, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Koh Poh Koon said in Parliament on Tuesday, while announcing plans to help such companies expand.
— The Business Times

Global property deals stall in Singapore, elsewhere as coronavirus keeps China money home
Eric Marrus, a real estate broker at Compass in New York, walked through a US$7.5 million (S$10.4 million) townhouse in Manhattan’s Lenox Hill neighborhood last week, pointing his phone into every corner of the property.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

30% discount at Paradise Group restaurants from Mar. 3 – Apr. 30 for members, Citibank & Maybank cardholders
Paradise Group is having an all day 30 per cent discount for Paradise Group members, as well as Citibank and Maybank credit/ debit cardholders.
— Mothership

Driver arrested after S$27,000 worth of cannabis found in car at Tuas Checkpoint
A 24-year-old Malaysian was arrested after about S$27,000 worth of cannabis were found in a car at Tuas Checkpoint on Monday (Mar 2).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

5 more SBS Transit bus drivers file lawsuits over overtime pay, even as mediation involving first 5 drivers fails
Five bus drivers have filed new lawsuits against their employer, bus and train operator SBS Transit (SBST), in a dispute over uncompensated hours and duties.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Jail, caning for tour coordinator who performed non-consensual sexual act on sleeping man
Aroused by the sight of his sleeping roommate, a male tour coordinator crept towards the man and performed a non-consensual sexual act on him.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Former court interpreter jailed for stabbing his wife, leaving 24 lacerations
A former court interpreter was jailed six months on Monday (Mar 2) for stabbing his wife.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

MSF buying protective gear after staff injured in riot at Singapore Boys’ Home
The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is buying protective gear, such as shields, goggles and vests, for personnel at the Singapore Boys’ Home and Singapore Girls’ Home after a riot broke out at the Boys’ Home in 2018 that left its staff injured.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

This disabled teenager never imagined that he could learn boxing. Until now.
Taking up boxing was once an impossible dream for 16-year-old Keith. Then, he found someone who believed in him.
— The Pride

Man jailed for committing sexual offences on family friend’s 3 young daughters
A man, who was sentenced to jail and caning in 1999 for molesting a seven-year-old girl, went back to his old ways and outraged the modesty of a family friend’s young daughter about five years later.
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

New co-working space in Jurong, more funds for deep-tech start-ups to spur innovation
A new co-working space to help local companies innovate and develop products will be launched in the Jurong Innovation District (JID), announced Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Koh Poh Koon on Tuesday (Mar 3).
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Motorcyclist dies after accident involving minibus in West Coast Road
A 24-year-old motorcyclist died after an accident with a minibus in West Coast on Tuesday morning (March 3).
— Straits Times (annoying popups)

Singaporean student in London says he was assaulted after reacting to COVID-19 comments
A Singaporean student in London said he was assaulted after he reacted to passers-by who were making comments about his race and COVID-19.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

When someone dies alone in Singapore, this is what happens
With more and more Singaporeans living by themselves, could they be at risk of dying without anyone knowing? Can anything be done about it? Talking Point investigates.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

‘I felt betrayed and disappointed’: University graduate shares her experience with Singapore chapter of South Korea’s Shincheonji Church
It started as it often does – someone approaching you as you make your way to the MRT station.
— Channel NewsAsia (very annoying popups)

Feature photo Wildlife Press

This week’s Singapore morning news feature photo focuses on World Wildlife Day, March 3, here the Malayan porcupine.

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).

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About Singapore morning news.

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Singapore morning news for March 4 added by Justhine De Guzman Uy on March 4, 2020
View all posts by Justhine De Guzman Uy →

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Justhine De Guzman Uy

Writer at AEC News Today

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.