Singapore

Government to implement programmes that boost investment, create more ‘good jobs’ for Singaporeans: Chan Chun Sing
31Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Market, Singapore, World

Government to implement programmes that boost investment, create more ‘good jobs’ for Singaporeans: Chan Chun Sing

SINGAPORE: Despite a changing world economy disrupted by COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions, the Government will implement new programmes to bring in business investments, support local entrepreneurship and create “good jobs" for Singaporeans, said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing on Wednesday (Aug 26). Mr Chan was outlining how his ministry will support key priorities laid out by President Halimah Yacob at the opening of Singapore’s 14th Parliament on Monday. Mdm Halimah had said the Government will provide greater social support and strengthen safety nets for Singaporeans in the long term amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Chan said on Wednesday that Singapore is confronting the crisis “from a position of strength”, given the country’s reputation for “transparency, rule ...
Read More
New COVID-19 TraceTogether tokens to be manufactured and designed by two bidders: GovTech
30Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Singapore, World

New COVID-19 TraceTogether tokens to be manufactured and designed by two bidders: GovTech

SINGAPORE: The tender to design and manufacture subsequent batches of TraceTogether tokens has been awarded to two bidders, the Government Technology Agency (GovTech) said on Friday (Aug 21). The first bidder is a consortium comprising electronics distributor Siix Singapore and wireless connectivity solutions firm iWOW, and the second bidder is PCI, an electronics manufacturer which won the tender for the first batch of TraceTogether tokens. Each token is expected to cost about S$10, down from the S$20 in the first batch, with GovTech managing and pacing production of further batches based on demand. "Drawing from the experience gained in producing the initial batch, GovTech will work with both tenderers to review their designs to further reduce cost, while ensuring effectiveness of...
Read More
In China, fears of financial Iron Curtain as US tensions rise
29Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
China, Market, Singapore, World

In China, fears of financial Iron Curtain as US tensions rise

SHANGHAI: A sharp escalation in tensions with the United States has stoked fears in China of a deepening financial war that could result in it being shut out of the global dollar system: A devastating prospect once considered far-fetched but now not impossible. Chinese officials and economists have in recent months been unusually public in discussing worst-case scenarios under which China is blocked from dollar settlements, or Washington freezes or confiscates a portion of China's huge US debt holdings. Those concerns have galvanised some in Beijing to revive calls to bolster the yuan's global clout as it looks to decrease reliance on the greenback. Some economists even float the idea of settling exports of China-made COVID-19 vaccines in yuan, and are looking to bypass dollar settl...
Read More
Changes to Bukit Panjang bus services postponed to Aug 30, mitigation measures to be introduced: Chee Hong Tat
27Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Singapore, World

Changes to Bukit Panjang bus services postponed to Aug 30, mitigation measures to be introduced: Chee Hong Tat

SINGAPORE: A series of unpopular changes to bus services in the Bukit Panjang area, which were to come into effect on Sunday (Aug 16), will now be delayed by two weeks while mitigation measures are being introduced. The changes will now be introduced on Aug 30 to allow bus operators more time to implement the new measures, which include the provision of a direct bus service to the city, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat on Thursday (Aug 13). This comes after it was announced earlier this month that services 700 and 700A would cease operations, while service 171 would loop at Bukit Panjang MRT station instead of travelling to the Marina Centre bus terminal. From Aug 30, bus service 171 will loop at Bukit Panjang MRT station instead of travelling to the Marina ...
Read More
Hillion Mall, Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub among new locations visited by COVID-19 cases during their infectious period
25Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Singapore, World

Hillion Mall, Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub among new locations visited by COVID-19 cases during their infectious period

SINGAPORE: Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub and the Hillion Mall connected to it were among the new locations added on Thursday (Jul 30) to a list of places visited by COVID-19 cases during their infectious period. Four outlets within the shopping mall – My Briyani House, McDonald’s, Watsons and FairPrice – were added to the list, according to the Ministry of Health's daily update. Also on the list is the Mr Teh Tarik deli at Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub, which is linked to Hillion Mall. The transport hub has been designated as a COVID-19 cluster, with eight cases linked to it so far. They include four new community cases reported on Thursday - a Singaporean and three work permit holders from Malaysia. The other locations added to the list include Causeway Poin...
Read More
Japan and Myanmar agree to reopen borders for long-term residents
25Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Singapore, World

Japan and Myanmar agree to reopen borders for long-term residents

The foreign ministers of Japan and Myanmar agreed Monday to reopen borders for expatriates and other long-term residents as soon as early September, relaxing travel restrictions that were imposed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi also confirmed at their meeting in Naypyidaw that they would speed up talks to facilitate short-term business travel, while taking measures to combat the virus, according to the Foreign Ministry. Motegi, in his final stop on a four-nation tour since Thursday, told reporters online that his country's pledges of economic and medical support to leaders in the respective countries demonstrated that "Japan leads international cooperation efforts" in fighting the pandemic. The ...
Read More
Japan and Cambodia to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions in September
24Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Singapore, World

Japan and Cambodia to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions in September

Japan and Cambodia agreed Saturday to reopen borders to their expatriates as early as next month on condition they self-quarantine for 14 days and take other precautions against the novel coronavirus. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi agreed on the policy with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen during a meeting in Phnom Penh, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry. It is the third such agreement Japan has struck this month as Tokyo looks for ways to gradually relax immigration restrictions imposed on nearly 150 countries to slow the pandemic. The other two deals were reached with Singapore and Malaysia. Motegi aims to clinch similar travel resumption agreements with Laos and Myanmar, which he will visit on the final two stops of his four-nation tour through Tuesday. Before Cambodia, ...
Read More
Singapore’s exports down 15.2% in Q2 2020, forecasts adjusted upwards
24Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Singapore, World

Singapore’s exports down 15.2% in Q2 2020, forecasts adjusted upwards

SINGAPORE: Total merchandise trade in Singapore declined by 15.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2020, following a slight growth of 0.5 per cent in the previous quarter. Official data by Enterprise Singapore also showed on Tuesday (Aug 11) that non-oil trade declined by 3.3 per cent, after the previous quarter’s 4.4 per cent increase. Oil trade fell sharply in the second quarter, by 61.9 percent, compared to the 15.9% drop in the first quarter. (Graphic: Enterprise Singapore) On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally adjusted basis, total merchandise trade decreased by 14.3 per cent in Q2 2020, after the previous quarter’s 0.1 per cent growth. Non-oil trade declined by 7.7 per cent, while oil trade contracted by 50.6 per cent. On a year-on-year basis, non-oil exports (NOX), which inc...
Read More
Singapore to allow New Zealand, Brunei visitors in first border easing
23Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Singapore, World

Singapore to allow New Zealand, Brunei visitors in first border easing

Singapore on Friday said it would reopen its borders to visitors from New Zealand and Brunei from next month, in the city-state's first steps towards resuming leisure travel since it sealed its borders to control Covid-19 outbreaks. The city-state, which currently only allows official and business travel to selected countries, also said it would allow students to travel for study overseas if distance-learning was not available. The measures would take effect on Sept. 1, with various restrictions, the health ministry said. Singapore sealed its borders in March and subsequently went into a two-month lockdown as mass outbreaks in cramped migrant worker dormitories emerged. Those lockdown measures were lifted in June and the travel and tourism hub — facing its worst recession in history — ...
Read More
Four new SkillsFuture Work-Study programmes launched, with more than 140 places over the next 2 years
21Aug By Desk TeamNo Comments
Singapore, World

Four new SkillsFuture Work-Study programmes launched, with more than 140 places over the next 2 years

SINGAPORE: Fresh graduates will have more job and training opportunities with the introduction of four new SkillsFuture work-study programmes unveiled at the virtual SkillsFuture work-study fair on Wednesday (Aug 12). The programmes, introduced by the Institutes of Higher Learning, will offer Singaporeans more than 140 places over the next two years. Among these is the first SkillsFuture work-study degree programme by the National University of Singapore (NUS), in partnership with SkillsFuture Singapore and Sea Limited - a Singapore-based global consumer internet company. Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang said on Wednesday the Government has set a target of making work-study opportunities available to 12 per cent of each cohort by 2025. Speaking at the vir...
Read More