ITE Work-Learn Technical Diploma programme to start in April 2018

July 27, 2017, 12:03 am

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Work-study scheme will offer up to 120 places across four courses
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 26 Jul 2017

Graduates from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) can, for the first time, take up a new diploma awarded by the institution, starting from April next year.

The Work-Learn Technical Diploma programme, first announced in Parliament in March, will allow them to work and study at the same time. Up to 120 places across four courses - marine and offshore engineering, mechanical and electrical services supervision, rehabilitation care, and security systems engineering - will be offered for the first intake.

Education Minister (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung announced details of the new technical diploma yesterday at the ITE graduation ceremony, likening it to an apprenticeship stint.

"Trainees will develop skills mastery through hands-on training and practice, grounded in deep knowledge of their employer's operations," he said. "With this knowledge, they will be better placed to become masters in their trade, and rise through the ranks."

The programmes will last 21/2 to three years, with 70 per cent of the curriculum time set aside for on-the-job training.

In his speech, Mr Ong also said more ITE graduates have been able to find jobs, and their salaries have gone up over the years.

Citing the latest ITE graduate employment survey last year, he told the 711 graduates at the ceremony that almost 87 per cent of their seniors had secured jobs within six months of graduating last year, up by 3.5 percentage points from 2015.

From 2012 to last year, the median salaries of ITE graduates also increased by 20 per cent from about $1,500 to $1,800, and for the first time, the median starting salaries of graduates who finished national service reached $2,000.

"The overall signal is that your skills continue to be valued by employers, and the upward trend will likely continue, so long as we keep the training focused and relevant, and our students continue to be eager to learn," said Mr Ong.

With this new technical course, he said ITE graduates can apply for a diploma based on ITE's criteria, which will focus on employers' recommendations instead of purely academic grades. Similar to the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn programmes, employers will play a key role in developing and delivering the curriculum. Trainees will also receive an income while learning.

ITE already offers specialised diplomas in areas like culinary arts, but these are conferred by its foreign partner institutions.

ITE chief executive Low Khah Gek said it will be an additional avenue for ITE graduates to upgrade their skills and advance in their careers. "With most of the skills learnt through actual learning and practice in industry, we will develop a new generation of skilled workforce which truly understands the job requirements of industry."

For a start, employers such as ST Electronics, Certis Cisco, Keppel Offshore & Marine, Sembcorp Marine, St Luke's ElderCare and Awwa have come on board.

Ms Nuryasmin Hannah, Awwa's human resource director, said the technical diploma in rehabilitation care will provide regular on-the-job training for students, allowing them to "apply what they have learnt in class in their work".

Registration for the courses will be from Nov 27 to Feb 2 next year.

From school dropout to one of ITE's top adult learners
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 26 Jul 2017

Mr Mohamed Rizal Abdul Rahim dropped out of school at age 11.

Studying was the least of his priorities - until he got married in 2013 and started a family.

Now 36, he is graduating from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) with a Higher Nitec in Services - Logistics for International Trade. He is also one of ITE's top adult learners with a grade point average of 3.8 out of 4.

"I didn't have any formal qualifications... it wasn't easy to progress at work," said Mr Rizal, who works in logistics. "What pushed me was preparing for marriage and the arrival of my first son, which all needed money."

Mr Rizal joined a part-time course at ITE College East in 2014. For two years, he spent two to four evenings a week back in the classroom.

The father of two boys, who are turning one and three this year, had to juggle his family, work and studies. "It was quite tough. I finished work in Joo Koon at 5.45pm, and I would take a train to the east for a class that started at 6.45pm," he said. "I used the time on the train to read my notes and revise, and prepare for assignments."

His good results came as a surprise. "I just wanted to pass, so I studied very hard and I remembered what the lecturers said were important."

Now a warehouse specialist at a company that designs and manufactures sensor solutions, Mr Rizal is earning 70 to 80 per cent more than what he used to before gaining his ITE qualification. "The company also values my input and knowledge more," he said.

He is now considering taking up a diploma in the same field at Ngee Ann Polytechnic or a private institution next year.

"It's now a habit for me to study, and what I'm learning is interesting," he said. "We cannot stay stagnant and be left behind. We must upgrade ourselves and be relevant so that companies will value us."

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Workers' Party MPs sued by own Town Council AHTC over $33 million in improper payments

July 27, 2017, 2:16 am

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Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) taking WP leaders to court to account for $33 million it paid
The MPs deny town council's allegations and say they acted in best interests of residents
By Danson Cheong and Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 27 Jul 2017

Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) is taking some of its most senior councillors - including Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang and party chairman Sylvia Lim - to court to account for more than $33 million in payments made to its former managing agent and service provider.

AHTC alleges that the payments it made to managing agent FM Solutions and Services (FMSS) and service provider FM Solutions and Integrated Services, from July 15, 2011, to July 14, 2015, are null and void as the town councillors had acted in breach of their fiduciary duties - a charge they strongly deny.

AHTC initiated the legal action under the direction of an independent panel it appointed in February to help recover improper payments, as first reported by The Straits Times yesterday.

It is demanding that Mr Low, Ms Lim, FMSS owner How Weng Fan and FMSS give an account of the $33,717,535 in payments.

AHTC wants "equitable compensation" for any sum that has been wrongfully paid out.

At the very least, it wants Mr Low and Ms Lim to be liable for a sum of $1,261,773 - which it claims was the difference in fees between the "inflated rates" charged by FMSS and the rates it would have paid under CPG Facilities Management, the previous managing agent.



AHTC claimed that Mr Low and Ms Lim had acted in bad faith and misled other town councillors in order to justify installing FMSS as the managing agent without a tender. They then "set up and/or allowed a system" that made it possible for FMSS and its officers to "benefit themselves".

"No town councillor could have reasonably approved the system, without being in breach of his or her duties," said AHTC.

The town council, represented by lawyer David Chan from Shook Lin & Bok, set out its demands in a statement of claim filed in the High Court.

The independent panel that directed the action is chaired by Senior Counsel Philip Jeyaretnam and includes Senior Counsel N. Sreenivasan and KPMG managing partner Ong Pang Thye.

The WP MPs have denied the allegations.

Speaking to the media last night, Mr Low thrice said that his conscience is clear.

"We acted in good faith and in the best interests of residents - the residents can see for themselves," said Mr Low, who was flanked by Ms Lim and town council chairman Pritam Singh, also a defendant in the suit.

Ms Lim and Mr Singh said they welcomed the opportunity to tell their side of the story in court.

Mr Singh said: "It is my firm conviction that we acted in good faith. We are not in politics for the purposes of enriching ourselves and things of that nature."



In a statement released earlier yesterday, the WP MPs said they "will contest the lawsuit and lay out our case vigorously in court".

They have engaged Senior Counsel Chelva Retnam Rajah from Tan Rajah & Cheah to represent them. A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for Aug 31.

Besides the three MPs, other parties named in the suit include two town councillors, Mr Chua Zhi Hon and Mr Kenneth Foo.

The two, along with Ms Lim, were part of the town council's tenders and contracts committee, which was chaired by Mr Singh.

AHTC claims the four breached their duties by causing the town council to enter into contracts in contravention of the Town Councils Financial Rules.

In a separate statement, the Housing Board said it is studying the details of the claim, and has asked the Attorney-General's Chambers for advice on the lawsuit.

AHTC lawsuit: How town council came to take legal action against own councillors
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 27 Jul 2017

At first glance, it might seem odd that the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council is bringing a lawsuit against its own town councillors.

But the turn of events is possible because the legal action was directed by an independent panel appointed by AHTC in February.

It was created to look into and help recover improper payments made by AHTC worth $6.9 million, which was uncovered by an extensive KPMG audit last year.

The panel is chaired by Senior Counsel Philip Jeyaretnam - whose father J.B. Jeyaretnam was the Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general from 1971 to 2001 and became the first opposition MP voted in after independence.

The other panel members are Senior Counsel N. Sreenivasan and KPMG managing partner Ong Pang Thye. It can act as agents of the town council under Section 32(2) of the Town Councils Act.



The law allows a town council to delegate its powers, functions and duties to an agent such as an independent panel. Under the panel's terms of reference, it can take actions it thinks are in the best interests of AHTC. This includes prosecuting, filing appeals and acting in legal disputes and suits.

The terms of reference thus allow the panel to take legal action in AHTC's name against town council chairman Pritam Singh, vice-chairman Sylvia Lim and WP party chief Low Thia Khiang.

The other defendants are appointed town council members Chua Zhi Hon and Kenneth Foo, Ms How Weng Fan, as owner of AHTC's former managing agent firm FM Solutions and Services (FMSS) and as the representative of the estate of her late husband Danny Loh, and FMSS itself.

According to initial case details, AHTC was claiming $622,593.78 in liquidated claims from multiple parties, as well as $4,167,501.71 in unliquidated claims. However, the full statement of claim shows that the monies in question in fact come up to more than $33 million.

Financial woes began with FMSS' installation, says town council
It says WP duo breached fiduciary duties by misleading AHTC to secure managing agent's appointment
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 27 Jul 2017

Shortly after the Workers' Party (WP) won Aljunied GRC in the 2011 General Election, Mr Low Thia Khiang and Ms Sylvia Lim allegedly decided that Ms How Weng Fan and her husband Danny Loh would be instructed to set up and incorporate the estate management company, FM Solutions and Services (FMSS).

The couple, longstanding WP supporters, had helped manage the estate of Mr Low's previous Hougang ward.

FMSS was incorporated on May 15, 2011, with Mr Loh as its sole shareholder and director. The company would go on to be appointed the managing agent of Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC).

This incident was the start of AHTC's "financial woes", contends a statement of claim filed by AHTC in the High Court.

The statement set out how the two MPs had breached their fiduciary duties by misleading the town council to secure FMSS' appointment, and said this was done in "bad faith and/or for improper purposes".

The town council wants both Ms Lim and Mr Low to declare that they have "breached their fiduciary duty and duty of care", and for them to give an account of $33,717,535 of payments made to FMSS and service provider FM Solutions and Integrated Services (FMSI) from July 15, 2011, to July 14, 2015.

AHTC wants "equitable compensation" for any sum that has been wrongfully paid out.

Alternatively, AHTC wants the two WP MPs to be liable for a sum of $1,261,773 - which it claims was the difference in fees between the "inflated rates" charged by FMSS and the rates it would have paid under CPG Facilities Management, the previous managing agent under the People's Action Party.

It also wants them to give an account of any profits they made in breach of their duties.

The statement alleges that Mr Low and Ms Lim had, on or before May 15, 2011, decided on behalf of AHTC to instruct that FMSS be set up, and that the company would be appointed as managing agent of AHTC without a tender being called.

This would initially be for a "transition period" of one year. Mr Loh - who died after a fall in Japan in June 2015 - would concurrently be appointed general manager or secretary of AHTC, while Ms How would be appointed deputy secretary.



AHTC also points to an e-mail sent by Mr Low to Ms How on May 19, 2011, as proof that the WP chief was aware that his instructions, once carried out, would "create a position of conflict".

In the e-mail, Mr Low mentioned a discussion with Ms Lim over the appointment of Mr Loh to his roles in the town council.

He wrote: "As for the conflict of interest, we find that it is not a big issue as all transaction has to follow the Financial Rules and (managing agent's) company is subject to the Companies Act."

The statement also alleged that in a town council meeting on Aug 4, 2011, Ms Lim and/or Mr Low had made "key misleading and/or false representations" to other town councillors - including that CPG had "indicated their desire" to be released from their agreement with the town council.

The two WP MPs also allegedly said there was no time to call for a tender for a new managing agent, and it would be in the public interest to waive calling for such a tender.

There was also no record that town councillors were told that Ms How and Mr Loh were owners of FMSS at the meeting, or that any discussion on conflicts of interest arising from their appointment took place.

Meanwhile, town councillors were also supposedly told that the terms offered by FMSS "did not put the town council worse off" than under CPG.

AHTC's statement pointed out that a report by audit firm KPMG had stated that these reasons for waiving a tender for a managing agent were false or did not justify a waiver.

After the initial first-year contract, a tender for a three-year managing agent contract was called - and it was awarded to the only tenderer, FMSS.

Outlining the payment system, AHTC said invoices from FMSS to the town council would be raised by Ms How, while Mr Loh would raise invoices from FMSI to the town council. Ms How was director of FMSS, while Mr Loh was sole proprietor of FMSI.

Ms How or the town council's deputy general manager Yeo Soon Fei - who was also a minority shareholder of FMSS - would then certify the work done.

This was done "without any second review by another town council officer/member, despite How and Yeo being interested parties to the transaction".

Approval of payment vouchers or cheques would be done in the same fashion by Ms How. Most of the cheques to FMSS and FMSI would then be signed by Mr Loh on behalf of the town council.

Such a system was incapable of providing any independent checks against the payments and safeguards to public monies held by AHTC, said the statement.

"Accordingly, no town councillor could have reasonably approved the system, without being in breach of his or her duties," said the statement.

AHTC also said it had paid "inflated rates" - about 10 per cent, or $515,733, higher for FMSS' initial first-year contract - than if CPG had been retained as managing agent.

Similarly, if AHTC had used CPG's rates between July 2012 and July 2015, it would have saved some $746,000.

WP MPs reject allegations they acted in breach of fiduciary duties
They say they acted in the best interests of residents and that their conscience is clear
By Charissa Yong, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 27 Jul 2017

The three Workers' Party MPs at the centre of the lawsuit brought by Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) yesterday rejected the allegations that they acted in breach of their fiduciary duties.

"My conscience is clear. We acted in good faith and in the best interests of our residents, and there were no dishonest intentions," party chief Low Thia Khiang told reporters before his Meet-the-People Session.



He added: "The residents can see for themselves. I have been in politics for more than 20 years, and I think people know me."

Mr Low, AHTC vice-chairman Sylvia Lim and chairman Pritam Singh said they would contest the lawsuit, which was brought against them by an independent panel on behalf of the town council.

It had been served on them the night before, following the work of the panel which had been tasked with looking into improper payments made by AHTC.

The lawsuit alleged, among other things, that Mr Low and Ms Lim acted in breach of their fiduciary duties and duties of care and skill owed to AHTC.

It also accused them of setting up a faulty system which allowed the appointment of FM Solutions and Services (FMSS), the town council's former managing agent firm, despite conflicts of interest.

Ms Lim said they welcomed the opportunity to explain to the court and the public the reasons behind their decisions.

She said the town councillors "still stand firm today that what we did was in the best interests of the council, based on the information we had at the time".

Asked about the $33 million in payments which the independent panel wants them to account for, Ms Lim said this was the total value of payments made.

"We reject the allegations that these payments were unlawful and wrong, and it will be up to the court to determine what they think is a fair and correct decision," she said.

If the court finds the MPs liable to pay any amount, they will have to see if they are able to do so, said Ms Lim, who is AHTC's vice-chairman.

"If we don't, we may have to consider other options, perhaps raising funds. If we are not able to... the law will take its course," she added.

The lawsuit also alleged that the town councillors awarded contracts to an architectural firm that put in a higher bid without proper justification, in breach of duties owed to AHTC.

In a statement sent earlier yesterday, the three MPs rejected all the allegations, saying: "We have not benefited a single cent.

"In the course of these proceedings, we will be furnishing more information so that all concerned will be clearer on the issues and why we made the decisions and acted as we did," they said in the statement.

Law firm Tan Rajah & Cheah has been engaged to defend the claim for the three MPs, as well as two other defendants, Mr Chua Zhi Hon and Mr Kenneth Foo, who are appointed members of the town council.

Ms Lim said they will file further court documents for the case in the next few weeks, including a substantive defence three weeks from now.

The last two defendants are Ms How Weng Fan, who is the owner of FMSS, and FMSS itself.

The MPs did not want to get into further details like their last contact with Ms How, or the merits of their case, saying it is before the court.

The independent panel has asked Mr Low and Ms Lim, Ms How and FMSS to account for more than $33 million, for payments made to FMSS from July 2011 to July 2015.

It contends that the payments are void and is claiming equitable compensation for any losses suffered.

Last night, Mr Low rejected suggestions that the suit could damage the party's reputation or his internal standing within the party.

"I don't think Singaporeans have lost faith in us, we acted in good faith, I believe Singaporeans will trust us," he said.

Adding that he does not really care about his own popularity, he said it is important to keep one's conscience clear in politics.

Mr Low said: "If we lose our seats, the younger generation of the WP will be prepared to come forward to serve Singaporeans, so I am not worried."

AHTC lawsuit: We acted in good faith, says Low Thia Khiang
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 27 Jul 2017

Workers' Party MPs Low Thia Khiang, Sylvia Lim and Pritam Singh responded to questions on the lawsuit against them. Here is an edited extract of their press conference, held before a Meet-the-People Session at Mr Low's Bedok Reservoir ward in Aljunied GRC


WILL THE SUIT ERODE TRUST IN THE TOWN COUNCIL AND WP?

Mr Low We leave it to the residents and voters of Singapore to make their judgment. I say once again here, my conscience is clear. We acted in good faith.


ON NEEDING TO ACCOUNT FOR AN AMOUNT OF $33 MILLION.

Ms Lim I think that is calculated to be the total value of the payments made. But as we said earlier, we reject the allegations that these payments were unlawful and wrong.


WHAT IF THEY ARE FOUND LIABLE FOR ANY AMOUNTS?

Ms Lim We have to look into the amount and see if we have the means to pay. If we don't, we may have to consider other options, perhaps raising funds. If we are not able to, I suppose the law will take its course.


ANY CONCERNS THAT A SUCCESSFUL LAWSUIT COULD SEE THEM LOSE THEIR SEATS IN PARLIAMENT?

Ms Lim We are aware of what the law provides for. But we welcome this opportunity to actually go into detail to explain to the court and to the public why we made certain decisions at that point in time... Of what the considerations were, and why we still stand firm today that what we did was in the best interests of the council based on the information we had at the time.


MR PRITAM SINGH'S PERSPECTIVE?

Mr Singh It is my firm conviction that we acted in good faith... We are not in politics for the purposes of enriching ourselves and things of that nature.


ON WHAT CAN BE DONE TO RESTORE THE FAITH AND CONFIDENCE OF CONSTITUENTS.

Mr Low I don't think Singaporeans have lost faith in us. We acted in good faith. I believe Singaporeans will trust us. (The) 2015 election was a testimony to us. It was worse than this. MND (Ministry of National Development) or HDB was coming up with adverse statements during the election. And the PAP (People's Action Party) brought the issue to the ground. They distributed pamphlets door to door. But we are prepared to be judged by the people... I have been in politics for more than 20 years. I think people know me.

4 committee members accused of breaching financial rules
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 27 Jul 2017

The members of Aljunied-Hougang Town Council's (AHTC) tenders and contracts committee - Mr Pritam Singh, Ms Sylvia Lim, Mr Chua Zhi Hon and Mr Kenneth Foo - had breached Town Councils Financial Rules for 10 construction projects costing between $71,500 and $1,668,711, a lawsuit against the members claims.

They had failed to call a tender for each project, and did not accept the lowest bid for seven projects, according to a statement of claim filed by AHTC at the High Court.

The Town Councils Financial Rules stipulate that tenders must be called for projects above $70,000 in value, and the reasons for not accepting the lowest bid must be spelt out carefully.

The tenders and contracts committee was chaired by Mr Singh, who is also the chairman of AHTC. Mr Chua was a former member of the Workers' Party (WP) Youth Wing executive committee, while Mr Foo was WP deputy organising secretary and a candidate in Nee Soon GRC in the 2015 General Election.

Outlining why it wants to take the four defendants to task, AHTC said that instead of issuing separate tenders for each project, the council had invited a tender for consultants on a "fixed fee basis".

These pre-approved consultants would be on a panel, and the town council would then choose from this panel consultants to manage projects.

The town council selected two architects - LST Architects and Design Metabolists - to provide services in such a manner.

The statement said that despite having decided to select consultants in this manner, the council was still required to pick the "lowest-priced consultant".

It pointed out that in all 10 projects, LST Architects was engaged despite it charging higher fees in seven of them.

In one instance, where a $1,668,711 contract was awarded to LST Architects, Design Metabolists had submitted a bid of $210,000.

AHTC said in its statement that the higher-priced contracts were awarded "without adequate justification and/or recording the circumstances and reasons for doing so".

The additional cost of hiring LST Architects over Design Metabolists amounted to $2,794,560.

AHTC alleges that the committee members had breached their duty to the town council as they had an obligation to comply with the Town Councils Financial Rules. It is demanding damages or "equitable compensation" from them for their failure to call separate tenders for the 10 projects.

Alternatively, the town council is demanding damages of $2,794,560 - which is the additional amount that AHTC spent when it hired LST Architects instead of Design Metabolists.

HDB seeks advice from A-G's Chambers
By Royston Sim, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 27 Jul 2017

The Housing Board has asked the Attorney-General's Chambers for advice on the lawsuit that the Aljunied- Hougang Town Council (AHTC) has filed against its town councillors.

In a statement yesterday, HDB said it has received notice about the claim brought by an independent panel appointed by AHTC to help recover improper past payments.

HDB said it is studying the claim, and noted that the claim document sets out allegations of breaches of fiduciary duties and improper payments of town council funds, among other things.

AHTC has alleged that all payments it made to its then managing agent, FM Solutions and Services (FMSS), and service provider, FM Solutions and Integrated Services (FMSI), are null and void as its town councillors had acted in breach of their fiduciary duties.

It is demanding that Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Khiang; town council vice-chairman Sylvia Lim; Ms How Weng Fan, owner of FMSS; and FMSS give an account of $33,717,535 in payments made to FMSS and FMSI from July 15, 2011, to July 14, 2015. If any sum has been wrongfully paid out, AHTC wants "equitable compensation" for it.



In its statement, HDB said the claim document contains "serious allegations of misconduct by various defendants".

Mr Low, Ms Lim and town council chairman Pritam Singh yesterday rejected the allegations that they acted in breach of their fiduciary duties. In a statement, the WP MPs said they acted in good faith and in the best interests of residents, and would contest the lawsuit.

Citing the document, HDB said: "Ms Sylvia Lim and Mr Low Thia Khiang misled the town council and gave false or inadequate reasons to justify a waiver of tender and secure FMSS' appointment as managing agent."

It also highlighted how the claim said the appointments of FMSS and FMSI were made "in bad faith" for improper purposes, and were "so unreasonable" that no reasonable town councillor would have made the same decision.

HDB noted that the independent panel is asking the court to rescind the contracts with FMSS and FMSI, and is seeking compensation for monies wrongfully paid out.

This is to be taken as the entire sum of $33,717,535, subject to Ms Lim, Mr Low, FMSS, FMSI or Ms How showing which payments were lawful, it said.

Independent panel wants to put AHTC's arbitration case on hold
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 27 Jul 2017

The independent panel bringing a lawsuit against members of the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) also wants to suspend an arbitration case between AHTC and its former managing agent firm.

The arbitration is over payments that the firm, FM Solutions and Services (FMSS), is claiming from AHTC for services it provided under two contracts.

The first contract was from July 2011 to July 2012, and the second from July 2012 to July 2015.

Soon after the second contract ended, FMSS sent the town council a letter of demand asking for the money it said it was owed.

The parties entered mediation talks in October 2015, and arbitration proceedings after that when mediation did not succeed.

Last Friday, the independent panel, which was appointed by AHTC in February and is acting in its name, filed a writ of summons seeking a court order for arbitration to be put on hold.

In a separate lawsuit, the panel alleged that all payments made to FMSS are void, as town councillors Low Thia Khiang and Sylvia Lim had acted in breach of their fiduciary duties in signing the contracts.

The panel also alleged that the FMSS contracts themselves are void and should be rescinded.

The Straits Times understands that this is the reason why the panel is seeking a stay on the arbitration.

According to case details seen by ST, the pre-trial conference for this matter will be on Aug 10.

AHTC lawsuit raises questions over liability, implications for Workers' Party
By Rachel Au-Yong and Priscilla Goy, The Straits Times, 27 Jul 2017

The legal action taken against three Workers' Party (WP) MPs and several others in relation to more than $33 million paid to Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC)'s former managing agent FMSS and service provider FMSI will take time to play out, observers said yesterday.

But questions have been raised as to what happens if the defendants are found to be liable for improper payments, how much they might have to pay and the implications if they are unable to do so - including on the WP's future.

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan said: "The lawsuit could force those being sued to enter into serious negotiations for an equitable restitution that is acceptable to AHTC."

Observers say the necessary recovery of payments will likely be determined in court, and it is too early to say what can be recovered.

If they are indeed found liable, the defendants would have to compensate AHTC. If they cannot pay up, they risk being declared bankrupt and having their assets seized, lawyers interviewed said.

Mr Rajan Chettiar of Rajan Chettiar LLP said this means for those living in private property, their homes may be subject to seizure. "They can't borrow from banks and can't travel freely," he added.

TSMP Law joint managing director and senior counsel Thio Shen Yi said bankruptcy "would be an added problem for MPs, who would lose their seats".

But he said: "The onus is on the town council (to make the case) that the various members acted dishonourably. It is possible to act in good faith and still screw up."

Observers said the legal action was to be expected, given that questions had been raised over improper payments by the town councillors since the Auditor-General issued a special report in February 2015 on lapses and conflicts of interest in AHTC's accounts.

The town council has been unable to submit a clean set of accounts since it was formed after WP won Aljunied GRC in the 2011 General Election.

As a result, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in February 2014 directed the Auditor-General to do a special audit of its FY2012/2013 accounts. Last October, audit firm KPMG also noted that over $33 million in payments to FM Solutions and Services (FMSS) and FM Solutions and Integrated Services (FMSI) were co-signed by persons with conflict of interest or FMSS employees.

Associate Professor Lawrence Loh of the National University of Singapore's Business School said: "The lawsuit is a natural sequence of procedures that follow from the unique circumstances in the awarding of contracts by AHTC to its managing agent and service provider."

As for the political impact on the WP, Associate Professor Tan said the lawsuit is "another milestone in the long-running saga". He added: "It is not a new set of allegations, so the political impact of the suit is likely to be minimal."

However, Institute of Policy Studies deputy director Gillian Koh said the judgment will be "far more consequential" with regard to how people see the WP and its leaders than any previous actions.

There will be some who will insist the lawsuit is politically motivated, she noted. "But to do that, you would also have to argue that the WP's auditors, KPMG and the WP-appointed independent panel led by Mr Philip Jeyaretnam have also been acting with political motivation - a notion that is quite audacious and fanciful."

AHTC takes legal action against Workers' Party town councillors over past payments
Independent panel seeking to recover AHTC overpayments is behind lawsuit
By Charissa Yong and Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 26 Jul 2017

Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), which had appointed an independent panel to help recover improper payments, is taking several of its town councillors to court.

They include Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang, as well as the town council's chairman Pritam Singh and vice-chairman Sylvia Lim.

The Straits Times understands the legal action was initiated as part of the work of the panel tasked with looking into improper payments made by AHTC.

The three WP MPs were served yesterday evening with a statement of claim against them by AHTC, Ms Lim confirmed last night.

"We will respond further shortly, after we have studied the claim," she told The Straits Times.

The independent panel has the power to commence legal action on behalf of the town council for overpayments and payments without proper certification of work being done, among other things. This can include mediation, arbitration and other court proceedings.

The panel's other powers include making demands and coming to settlements on behalf of AHTC.

The Housing Board had asked AHTC to appoint a third party to recover the improper payments made from town council funds.



The independent panel appointed in February is chaired by Senior Counsel Philip Jeyaretnam. Its other members are Senior Counsel N. Sreenivasan and KPMG managing partner Ong Pang Thye.

When contacted, Mr Jeyaretnam and Mr Sreenivasan declined to comment on the lawsuit. Mr Ong could not be reached for comment. Mr Daryl Fong of Shook Lin & Bok, who was named as AHTC's lawyer in case details seen by The Straits Times, also declined to comment.

The writ of summons was filed last Friday by the town council in the High Court, over a breach of fiduciary duties. According to case details, AHTC is claiming $622,593.78 in liquidated claims from multiple parties, as well as $4,167,501.71 in unliquidated claims. Additional sums may be involved.

Besides the three Aljunied GRC MPs, other defendants named are: Mr Chua Zhi Hon, a former member of the WP Youth Wing executive committee; Mr Kenneth Foo, deputy organising secretary of the WP and WP candidate in Nee Soon GRC in the 2015 General Election; Ms How Weng Fan, owner of the town council's former managing agent firm FM Solutions and Services (FMSS); and FMSS.

A pre-trial conference date of Aug 31 has been listed.

Besides this case, AHTC also filed another writ of summons in the High Court against FMSS last Friday. This was in relation to an arbitration case over a financial dispute emerging from the lapses at the town council.

In a report last year, audit firm KPMG found that governance lapses at AHTC between 2011 and 2015 had put public funds running into the millions of dollars at risk of improper use.

It traced some of the improper payments to AHTC's then managing agent FMSS.

Ms How and her late husband, Mr Danny Loh, were owners of FMSS and held key management and financial control positions in the town council at the same time.

This meant that they effectively approved and made payments to themselves when they paid FMSS, the KPMG report found. It also raised the possibility of civil and criminal liabilities.

The report was part of the ongoing audit of AHTC following lapses flagged by its own auditors as well as by the Auditor-General's Office in a special report in February 2015.

Car park label scheme for disabled revised, taxi subsidy scheme enhanced

July 29, 2017, 3:00 am

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MSF tweaks taxi subsidies, carpark labels for disabled
Income cap raised for those eligible for taxi scheme, which will include private-hire cars
By Sue-Ann Tan, The Straits Times, 28 Jul 2017

More people with disabilities will benefit from taxi subsidies, while those travelling by car will be helped by updates on the use of accessible spaces.

These changes are a result of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) beefing up the taxi subsidy scheme and carpark label scheme, which cater to people with disabilities. These upgrades were announced yesterday.

Starting next Tuesday, households with a monthly per capita income of up to $2,600 can tap taxi subsidies of up to 80 per cent, depending on their income tier.

This is up from the current parameter of $1,800. With the higher income cap, the number of beneficiaries is expected to rise from 80 to more than 200 by 2021.

The subsidies are available to Singaporeans and permanent residents who are medically certified as unable to take public transport or completely dependent on cabs for travelling to school or work.

The taxi subsidy scheme was introduced in 2014 to provide subsidies of up to 50 per cent to people with disabilities.

Ms Ivy Seah, 53, an assistant transport executive at Handicaps Welfare Association, said: "It (the subsidies) helps to offset the cost, especially since many of our clients have incomes on the lower end of the scale."

With the change, Mr Lim Eng Whatt, 67, a leading customer service agent in the food and beverage sector, will save about $500 on taxi fares per quarter based on his income tier. Previously, he paid about $1,440 for cab fares per quarter after the subsidies. The new scheme will reduce this amount to $900.

"I'm very happy with this change. Almost half of my take-home salary went to taxi fares before subsidies, and even with the subsidies I have now, I still have little money after paying for basic necessities. This increased subsidy will help with my transport," Mr Lim said.

The taxi scheme will be extended to those attending employment-related training supported by disability services and support organisation SG Enable. It will also cover Land Transport Authority-registered private-hire cars under third-party private-hire car service providers such as Grab and Uber.

MSF is updating the carpark label scheme as well, which now lets disabled drivers park in accessible spaces by displaying a blue label. Caregivers of the disabled get an orange label for them to park for an hour.

With the changes, which will roll out from November, only people with wheelchairs, walking frames and lower-limb prosthesis will be eligible to apply for the blue label. Currently, people with crutches and quad-sticks are also eligible.

The labels will be larger with clearer and bigger fonts, and have a tamper-proof hologram. The orange label for caregivers will have a time disc to clearly display the length of time the car has been in the space.

These will help combat the problem of people misusing labels, an issue highlighted by Dr Marissa Lee Medjeral-Mills, executive director at the Disabled People's Association.

"Sometimes caregivers use the accessible space even when they're not carrying a disabled passenger. Other times, drivers without the labels use the space for their own convenience," she said.

Over the past five years, the number of carpark label holders has increased by about 30 per cent.

Ms Ainon Abdul Rahman, 58, a receptionist with polio, feels more has to be done to enforce the rules.

"Sometimes I find someone parking in the space without the label and I need to drive around until the person drives away or I find another space," she said. "There is not enough room in a normal space for me to open up my wheelchair."

Related
MSF: Commuting Made Easier And More Affordable For Persons With Disabilities
Car Park Label Scheme for Persons with Physical Disabilities
Taxi Subsidy Scheme

Biotech sector poised to deliver more health and wealth

July 31, 2017, 12:11 am

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Questions about whether Singapore is getting bang for its buck in biotech arise from time to time. The chairman of the agency in charge issues a report card.
By Lim Chuan Poh, Published The Straits Times, 29 Jul 2017

On May 24, a local biotechnology company successfully raised US$33 million (S$44.8 million) through an initial public offering on the Taipei Exchange (TPEx), valuing the company at US$300 million.

This went largely unnoticed by most of Singapore, but caused ripples of excitement throughout the local biotech and research circles.

The company that listed on the TPEx was none other than a Singapore drug-development biotech, Aslan Pharmaceuticals, which develops therapies for cancer tumour types prevalent in Asia.

Drug development is a high-risk endeavour. The fact that a local biotech has achieved this level of market validation is certainly something for us to be proud of.

Perhaps this is what the Nobel laureate and A*Star (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) senior fellow, Dr Sydney Brenner, envisioned when he first visited Singapore in 1983, to advise the Government on what it would take for this young country to create a biotechnology industry.

Back then, Singapore's biomedical research was practically non-existent. The late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew asked Dr Brenner why Singapore should invest in biomedical sciences (BMS) and biotechnology infrastructure, noting that Singapore was a nation of technicians. Dr Brenner replied candidly: "Prime Minister, if you don't do something like this, you will remain a nation of technicians."

Following this conversation, the Government set up the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Singapore's first biomedical research institute, in 1985.

In three decades, Singapore has progressed from a humble "nation of technicians" to a leading biomedical hub, with BMS becoming the fourth pillar of the manufacturing sector.

Today, Singapore is home to more than 50 BMS manufacturing plants employing over 19,000 people, with a value add of $15 billion, just a shade behind the top sector, electronics.

In 2015, business expenditure on research and development (Berd) in BMS-related fields had grown by a compound annual growth rate of over 10 per cent in the last decade to reach a high of nearly $1 billion, and employs more than 2,100 researchers.

Adding to this rapid growth, albeit from a low base, is a crop of local biotech companies that has sprung up in recent years.

From 2010 to last year, at least 48 local drug-development and related biotechs have been incorporated, doubling that of the preceding decade (2000-2009). Singapore's biotech ecosystem is certainly headed in the right direction and appears to have reached an inflexion point.

COMMUNITY@BIOPOLIS

Many of the earliest drug-development biotechs in Singapore were seeded by the public sector, such as S*BIO (2000), formed through a partnership between the Singapore Economic Development Board Investments and Chiron Corporation; and MerLion Pharmaceuticals (2002), an IMCB spin-off.

While both companies have ceased operations in Singapore, they were nevertheless pioneers that blazed a trail and left a lasting impact. All four of S*BIO's drug assets have entered into clinical trials after being out-licensed to pharmaceutical companies, and MerLion's antibiotic, Finafloxacin, received the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2015, a first for a Singaporean company . More importantly, these early biotechs helped to create a local pool of drug-development expertise.

The completion of Phase 1 of Biopolis in 2003 was a critical turning point in Singapore's biotech journey. Singapore's biomedical research hub has provided a fertile ground for a biotech ecosystem to take root.

Budding drug-development biotechs capitalise on the co-location with A*Star and other research entities to jump-start operations and initiate partnerships within and beyond the Biopolis community.

The presence of international pharmaceutical companies in Biopolis, such as Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline, has also enabled Singapore to build up a critical mass of excellent scientists who received training in drug discovery, either from working in the R&D divisions of these multinational corporations, or through collaborative research with them.

Even though several of these corporate laboratories eventually left our shores, their research talent remains a vital part of our drug- development ecosystem.

The establishment of A*Star's Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC) in 2006, and the Drug Discovery and Development Unit (D3) in 2011 demonstrated the Government's commitment to strengthen Singapore's core drug-development systems and capabilities. Together with partners like the Singapore Clinical Research Institute, the academic medical centres, investigational medicine units and research institutes, ETC and D3 have successfully translated basic scientific discoveries into promising drug assets. Two publicly funded cancer drugs, ETC-159 and ETC-206, are already in clinical trials.

Local biotechs are the natural recipients of public-sector drug discovery and development efforts. With the setting up of the Experimental Biotherapeutics Centre (EBC) at A*Star later this year, local biotechs will be able to harvest from another national drug-development platform.

While ETC, together with D3, moves small-molecule drug candidates from target validation to eventual commercialisation, EBC will develop a pipeline of biologics drug candidates, or large-molecule drugs, largely originating from Singapore's public-sector research.

GOING INTERNATIONAL

Compared with their predecessors, today's biotechs are mostly private-sector driven, and often founded and populated by entrepreneurial talent who have honed their drug-development expertise in public and private research entities, both here and overseas. Several are also standing tall on the international stage.

One local biotech that has gained international recognition is Tessa Therapeutics, an immunotherapy biotech developing T-cell therapies for cancer. Tessa was founded in 2012 by chief executive Andrew Khoo, Mr Francis Chua and Dr Malcolm Brenner, the founding director of the Centre for Cell and Gene Therapy at Baylor College of Medicine.

Tessa is currently conducting the world's first FDA Phase III cancer T-cell therapy trial, and recently made global headlines when it announced a partnership with the renowned Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Tessa is also engaged in building up the Singapore biotech ecosystem and has forged collaborations back home with the National Cancer Centre and A*Star's IMCB.

Early this year, A*Star and Tessa established the Tessa-IMCB Joint Lab for Immuno-oncology, headed by Dr John Connolly, Tessa's chief scientific officer and concurrently a senior principal investigator and director for translational immunology at IMCB.

Tessa also recently acquired Euchloe Bio, a spin-off from A*Star's Singapore Immunology Network by its senior principal investigator technologist, Dr Wang Cheng-I. This immuno-oncology start-up is focused on the development of novel therapeutic antibodies for cancer treatment and combination therapy, and aims to take them to clinical trials in a few years' time.

Biotechs founded abroad by local talent have also been brought back to Singapore to add to the vibrancy of the ecosystem.

Inspired by the biotech culture in Silicon Valley, A*Star scholar Tan Yann Chong founded Atreca in 2012 with his professor during his postgraduate studies at Stanford University. The technology that he invented can take a snapshot of a patient's immune system and the individual antibodies that are causing a disease, at high accuracy and a hundred times faster than traditional methods. The aim is to develop novel therapeutics drawn from human immune responses that are more targeted and effective.

Today, Atreca is a 50-man strong company, with heavyweight partners like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi and Novartis. Dr Tan is now the director of the joint laboratory between Atreca and A*Star's Genome Institute of Singapore.

SUSTAINING GROWTH

So, have we nurtured a vibrant drug-development biotech ecosystem in Singapore? We are certainly much closer than we were five years ago and there are clear indications of this. Between 2011 and 2015, drug-development biotechs increased their contribution to Singapore's Berd by sevenfold, from $21 million to $143 million.

Overall, biotechs' contributions to Singapore's Pharmbio Berd have soared from 3 per cent to 18 per cent in just two years (2013-2015).

In tandem with this growth, other adjacent technology companies, such as those in diagnostics and drug delivery, have also grown in number. Likewise, venture-capital firms are increasingly attracted by the opportunities presented by this rapidly growing biotech ecosystem.

Last year, Lightstone Singapore, a unit of US-based life sciences fund Lightstone Ventures (LSV), was set up to expand LSV's global footprint by investing in Singapore-based life sciences technologies and firms.

There are many reasons to be optimistic that Singapore's biotech ecosystem is poised to deliver even more, as our biotechs break new ground in drug discovery and development.

The public sector will continue to play a pivotal role in seeding and supporting Singapore biotechs, catalysing even more successful endeavours, and fostering an innovative and collaborative community.

The key, however, lies in the growing base of talent that we have already gathered here, spanning the spectrum of research, innovation and enterprise, and committed to enriching the drug- development biotech ecosystem.

The extent of their success will define the next phase of Singapore's drug-innovation ecosystem, for greater health and wealth for all.

The writer is chairman, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star).

As NS turns 50, what is its future?

August 1, 2017, 1:10 am

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By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 31 Jul 2017

National service has come a long way, from 1967 when Singapore's first national servicemen wore Temasek green combat uniforms, to the present when soldiers don high-tech, pixelised combat uniforms.

More than one million male Singaporeans and second-generation permanent residents have served NS since the maiden batch of 9,000 soldiers were conscripted in 1967.

It has become a rite of passage for young Singaporean men, who form the backbone of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Currently, Singapore males are conscripted into either the SAF, police or Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), with the majority of the enlistees assigned to the SAF.

Conscription has helped Singapore meet its security needs through the years, but the security landscape is changing rapidly. The Straits Times examines how NS will continue to evolve to meet new challenges.

Q HOW DID NS BEGIN?

A NS became compulsory for all 18-year-old male Singapore citizens and permanent residents on March 14, 1967, when the National Service (Amendment) Act came into effect.

At that time, 10 per cent of the 9,000 called up were selected for full-time service, while the rest served part-time in the People's Defence Force, Special Constabulary and the Vigilante Corps.

Then Defence Minister Goh Keng Swee justified the conscription on the grounds of establishing a credible defence force for the fledgling nation.

In those tumultuous early years, Singapore needed to quickly build up the capability to fend for itself before the British withdrew in 1971.

But it was not easy getting Singaporeans then to come around to the idea. There was resistance, in particular among the Chinese who looked down on soldiering as a profession: There is a Chinese saying that good sons do not become soldiers, just as good iron is not made into nails.

The Chinese community had pushed back when the British colonial government tried to introduce the National Service Ordinance in 1954, which required males between 18 and 20 to register for part-time NS, and be conscripted into the Singapore Military Force or the Civil Defence Corps for training.

The move triggered violent riots.

But Singaporeans came to accept NS just over a decade later, because they had experienced the bloodshed of bombings during Konfrontasi, and the violent racial riots of 1964.

They recognised that security was a burden newly independent Singapore and its citizens had to bear.

NS was gradually expanded to include the police and SCDF.

In 1975, the first intake of full-time police NS officers was enlisted. Six years later, full-time NS was extended to the SCDF.

Q IS NS NECESSARY?

A National servicemen, who form the bulk of the SAF, have allowed the country to respond to challenges such as international piracy, terrorism, and even natural disasters abroad, while at the same time deterring potential aggressors.

Indeed, a strong and credible military force is one of the key cornerstones of the country's foreign policy. Said founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in his book Hard Truths: "Without a strong economy, there can be no strong defence. Without a strong defence, there will be no Singapore. It will become a satellite, cowed and intimidated by its neighbours."

In other words, the SAF is essential to preserving Singapore's sovereignty and the way of life that its citizens enjoy.

But NS has also gone beyond just meeting the defence imperative, becoming a cultural institution and part of the Singapore identity over the years. A 2013 study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) showed that more Singaporeans viewed NS as fulfilling a social mission - instilling discipline and values in the young - than as serving a defence mandate.

Dr Goh recognised this function early on in 1967 when he asked Parliament to pass the National Service Bill. He said then: "Nothing creates loyalty and national consciousness more speedily and more thoroughly than participation in defence and membership of the armed forces."

Acceptance of the scheme was also boosted by the fact that no one was exempt from NS. Regardless of wealth or status, every Singaporean male must serve two years of full-time NS, followed by 10 Operationally Ready National Service cycles.

The same 2013 IPS study showed overwhelming support for NS - with 98 per cent of 1,251 respondents saying they supported it.



Q WHAT OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE CONSCRIPTION?

A Elsewhere, there are a number of places that still draft their citizens into the military.

In Asia, South Korea and Taiwan require young male citizens to serve in the military, for two years and a year respectively.

Both need the military draft to maintain sizeable armed forces for their security needs.

Further afield, countries such as Israel and Norway draft citizens of both sexes into their armed forces.

Sweden, amid brewing tensions in the Baltic region, is reintroducing conscription for both sexes from next year. The country had abolished conscription in 2010, but decided to bring it back after acknowledging that the previous decision was endangering its national security.

In other countries like Finland, young men can choose to serve in the civilian services, in lieu of being conscripted into the military for reasons such as "conscientious objection, inadequate health or political reasons".

Civilian service is usually performed in government bodies or other institutions such as healthcare facilities, retirement homes or pre-schools.

Q HOW WILL NS EVOLVE IN FUTURE?

A NS has changed significantly since its early days, when most enlistees were trained as riflemen in infantry battalions.

The roles of national servicemen have broadened over the years, in tandem with technological advances.

It will likely change even further as the SAF deals with its greatest challenge - falling birth rates.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) has said that demographic changes will result in the number of full-time national servicemen (NSFs) shrinking by about 30 per cent by 2030.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen called this the SAF's "greatest challenge" in a 2015 speech.

He said: "If you told any CEO that his manpower force will shrink by a third in 50 years' time, he knows that it is a structural change and one that will further increase our dependence on technology."

Experts say the manpower crunch would lead to greater use of robotics and unmanned systems, to make up the shortfall and boost productivity.

Dr Graham Ong-Webb, a research fellow with the military studies programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said: "What it means on the receiving end is our boys will go into NS expected to man more sophisticated systems. We have to compensate the lack of manpower with technology-based firepower."

Soldiers are already handling advanced systems now, a trend that is expected to accelerate in future.

The navy is working on a fleet of unmanned vehicles as a countermeasure to naval mines which can be used to detect and dispose of underwater explosives.

The army is also thinking about using "robotic mules" to help soldiers carry heavy loads.

Changes in the security landscape - such as the growing threat of terrorism and cyber attacks - have also led to the creation of new roles for NSFs.

For instance, MINDEF is setting up its cyber command - the Defence Cyber Organisation - and recruiting NSFs to groom them into cyber defenders.

It is likely that NS policy will also focus on keeping every serviceman motivated in order to encourage them to contribute meaningfully.

The Government is moving in this direction by allowing NSFs who enlist from November this year to indicate their preferences in vocations.

Meanwhile, falling birth rates have also led to a debate in recent years on whether women should be made to serve alongside their male counterparts. Some feel women could be sent for basic military training where they could be taught medical or infocomm skills.

This could be a "game changer" in helping the SAF plug manpower gaps, said Dr Ong-Webb.

But RSIS defence analyst Ho Shu Huang pointed out that any decision to involve women could have knock-on effects, as such a move would take away a "significant part of the workforce".

A more likely scenario is for volunteers to play a bigger role in helping the SAF in certain niche areas, Mr Ho said.

In 2014, the SAF Volunteer Corps was set up to give women, first-generation PRs and new citizens an opportunity to contribute to national defence. Volunteers can serve in one of 17 vocations, including niche roles such as medical technologists and defence psychologists.

As the security challenges shift, NS and the roles that national servicemen play will move in tandem to meet these challenges.

Said Dr Ong-Webb: "Future warfare is going to be fought in the cyber domain and in the media space.

"We are going to see a significant number of national servicemen being optimised in this way."


This is the final of 12 primers on current affairs issues that are part of the outreach programme for The Straits Times-Ministry of Education National Current Affairs Quiz

Contract workers get better terms under new Tripartite Standard

August 2, 2017, 12:10 am

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296 firms commit to tripartite pact covering key areas of leave, notice period and training
By Grace Leong, The Straits Times, 1 Aug 2017

A new standard specifying better working conditions for term contract workers has been launched after agreement between employers, unions and the Government.

Already, 296 firms have signed on, committing to progressive employment practices that go beyond what is required under the Employment Act in key areas of leave benefits, notice period and training.

Among the early adopters are OCBC Bank, DBS Bank, Coca-Cola Singapore, Singapore Press Holdings, Resorts World Sentosa and law firm Rajah & Tann.

"These (296) employers account for about 26,000, or around 15 per cent, of all term contract employees in Singapore. This is a good start, but not good enough if we want to make an impact,"Second Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo noted at the launch yesterday.

"Many term contract employees do not enjoy leave benefits like their colleagues in regular or permanent work. Sometimes, it is because they are ignorant about their legal entitlements and were blatantly shortchanged. In other instances, employers do not recognise their past service because of breaks in their contracts."

To address this, the standard was jointly developed by the Manpower Ministry, National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers Federation.

It is the first of five tripartite standards to be rolled out. About 10 per cent of resident employees, or about 170,000 workers, are on term contract arrangements. They may have their leave entitlements reset to the statutory minimum by the employer each time their contracts are renewed.

Coca-Cola Singapore's human resources (HR) project manager Grace Lai, who is among its 150 term contract employees, said the new standard provides "greater certainty and protection for contract workers".

"Also, the standard helps contract workers... to identify good employers that will offer them such improved employment conditions."

Together with the tripartite partners, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices is working with employers to adopt the new standard. Under the standard, employers are encouraged to treat contracts of 14 days or more, and renewed within one month of the previous contract, as continuous, and grant or accrue leave benefits based on the cumulative term of the contracts.

Employers can pro-rate annual leave, sick leave and childcare leave benefits based on the length of the term contract. For instance, an employee working for the same firm on three consecutive month-long contracts is entitled in his fourth month to benefits like two days of paid annual leave, based on seven days of paid annual leave a year.

Progressive employers will also give appropriate notice in cases of early termination or non-renewal of contract. This means "recognising (employees') cumulative length of service in deciding when to serve notice... (so that they) have the assurance that they get reasonable notice to find a new job, or notice pay", Mrs Teo said.



Coca-Cola HR director Gaurav Sharma said his firm's HR policies and practices on term contracts are already aligned with the standard.

"We recognise that in the 'new world of work', the shift towards workforce independence is inevitable as more and more employees prefer to be free agents in their own careers - choosing contract work, temporary assignments and freelance projects that interest them - fuelled by demographic changes, technological advances and evolving expectations of working life," he said.

Related
New Tripartite Standard Specifies Better Employment Conditions for Term Contract Employees

Singapore to Johor Baru MRT service to start by end-2024

August 2, 2017, 1:30 am

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Rapid transit link will join Thomson-East Coast Line and is set to reduce congestion
By Royston Sim, Assistant Political Editor In Iskandar Puteri, Johor, The Straits Times, 1 Aug 2017

Passengers will be able to hop on an MRT train in Woodlands to cross the border to Johor Baru by Dec 31, 2024.

The Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link can carry up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction between Johor's Bukit Chagar terminus station and the Singapore terminus in Woodlands North, where it will join the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).

It is slated to improve connectivity and reduce congestion at border crossings between Singapore and Malaysia when completed.

The new starting date for the line was announced in a joint statement yesterday after the 13th meeting of the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Ministerial Committee for Iskandar Malaysia, co-chaired by Malaysia's Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan and Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure Khaw Boon Wan, who is also Transport Minister.

Also present were Johor Menteri Besar Khaled Nordin, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong and senior officials from both countries.

Officials have agreed to jointly appoint an operating company to run and maintain the RTS Link's operating systems, which include its trains, tracks and signalling system.



Singapore has invited SMRT Corp to be part of the joint venture, while Malaysia has asked Prasarana Malaysia, whose subsidiary runs an MRT line through the Klang Valley in Kuala Lumpur. Both operators are negotiating terms for the joint venture, which will have a first concession period of 30 years.

Each government will also appoint an infrastructure company to fund, build, own, maintain and upgrade the civil infrastructure and stations in their own countries.

When asked, Mr Khaw reiterated that fares will not be regulated but driven by market forces.

Similar to the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail line, the RTS Link will have a joint Customs, immigration and quarantine facility at both terminus stations. This means international-bound travellers will need to clear Customs and immigration only once, when departing from the respective countries.

The daily shuttle train service from Woodlands to Johor Baru will stop operating within six months after the RTS Link opens. It has been running 26 daily trips since June 1 to cope with higher demand, and Mr Khaw said the frequency will go up to 36 trips in the next few years.



He noted that the Woodlands Checkpoint can be redeveloped after the shuttle service ends and land is freed up. "Then, hopefully, this problem of the Causeway jam can be significantly mitigated or even eliminated," he added.

During the meeting, officials also discussed the high-speed rail line, immigration, industrial cooperation and the environment.

An agreement on the cross- border MRT line is expected to be signed by the end of this year.

The RTS Link was announced in May 2010, with the target completion date set for 2018.

In 2015, Malaysia chose Bukit Chagar as the main terminal station for the 4km line, which will use the same rail systems and rolling stock as the 31-station TEL. The TEL will open in phases from 2019 to 2024.

Trains will ply between both terminus stations via a 25m-high bridge across the Strait of Johor.

Commuters like Mr Lee Chee Hua are looking forward to RTS Link.

The 66-year-old retiree visits Johor Baru at least once a month to eat and shop. "It will be more convenient and seamless than going via the Woodlands train checkpoint."

Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link's first step: Terms for joint venture firm
This will allow bilateral deal for link to be signed by the year end, says Khaw
By Royston Sim, Assistant Political Editor In Iskandar Puteri (Johor) and Adrian Lim, Transport Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Aug 2017

The terms for a joint venture company to operate the cross-border MRT system between Woodlands and Johor must be agreed on "within the next few months", Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan said yesterday.

This is so that a bilateral agreement to finalise details for the Rapid Transit System (RTS) link can be signed by the end of this year, when the two countries' leaders meet for their annual retreat.

The agreement will include the amount of concession fees the operating company has to pay the authorities, which can be finalised only after rail operators SMRT and Prasarana Malaysia agree on terms to form the joint venture.

Speaking to reporters after a joint ministerial meeting on Iskandar Malaysia, Mr Khaw said both Singapore and Malaysia had agreed to negotiate with an experienced operator to run the line.

Singapore's preference has always been to call an international tender and award the contract to the best bid, he noted.

"But after discussing with our Malaysian counterparts, they felt the project is a little bit too small and may not have competitive bids," he said. Both sides thus agreed to jointly appoint an operating company for the first 30 years.

Both governments welcome the negotiations between SMRT and Prasarana, said Mr Khaw.

"Hopefully, they can reach an agreement on how to structure the joint venture, and we can then begin negotiating the first concession terms with them," he said.

Asked why SMRT was invited to form the joint venture, he noted that Singapore has only two rail operators - SMRT and SBS Transit.

" So we leave it to them to discuss with the Malaysian partner who is most keen on this project," he said, adding that based on preliminary discussions, SMRT and Prasarana seem to "have a good fit".

SMRT spokesman Patrick Nathan said: "If successfully appointed, SMRT looks forward to serving the growing transportation needs between Johor Baru and Singapore."

Yesterday, officials also discussed the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) line which will be ready in 2026, and noted an industry briefing earlier this year on an upcoming tender for an assets company received strong interest. The tender will be called by the end of this year.



National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said agencies have been doing detailed masterplans for Jurong and Woodlands - the respective sites for the HSR and RTS stations here. "Both these centres will become commercial centres for businesses because they have good connectivity. They will be ideal for businesses with Asia, Asean and Malaysian linkages."

Singapore Institute of Technology Assistant Professor (engineering cluster) Andrew Ng said the target completion date of 2024 for the RTS link may be achievable, barring any coordination and cooperation issues between both countries.

Dr Mustafa Izzuddin of the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute said it is imperative for the RTS link to take off as it "illustrates that the close bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and Singapore has not been taken hostage by domestic political exigencies".

Officials noted the progress on the rollout of automated immigration clearance systems at the land checkpoints. They also welcomed the upcoming signing of a memorandum of understanding to establish Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Pulau Kukup Ramsar as "sister wetlands".

A joint programme will be launched this year to attract more visitors to both nature sites.

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Malaysia and Singapore Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation and Reaffirm Commitment towards Iskandar Malaysia’s Development

Embrace lifelong learning and doing, Heng Swee Keat urges Singaporeans

August 3, 2017, 7:36 pm

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Heng Swee Keat calls on firms, individuals to adapt fast and build up strong capabilities
By Chia Yan Min, Economics Correspondent, The Straits Times, 3 Aug 2017

Learning before starting work is the norm, but Singaporeans should embrace a new approach of "learning while doing" that allows them to keep up with technology and fast-changing workplaces, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said last night.

He noted that the world is being roiled by major structural changes, but Singapore will be well placed to meet the challenges if firms and individuals can adapt quickly enough and build up strong capabilities.

Mr Heng, speaking at the Economic Society of Singapore annual dinner 2017 at Mandarin Orchard hotel, said the global economy is increasingly uncertain and the pace of technological change is picking up.

He highlighted several key trends, including the impact of technology on productivity and jobs, the rise of emerging economies and the growing importance of data.

When the Committee on the Future Economy - a panel co-chaired by Mr Heng and tasked with charting a blueprint for Singapore's future growth - considered these trends last year, "there were some who sought to bet on new growth industries, new technologies and new markets to go into. But in a fast-changing, unpredictable world, there are no shortcuts", he said.

These shifts mean companies, individuals and institutes of higher learning need to change their habits and practices significantly. For workers, this means shifting from "learning, then doing" to "lifelong learning and doing", Mr Heng said.

"Throughout our careers, we learn the skills that we need for our jobs, hone them by using them at work and then, as the economy evolves, learn a new set of skills and in turn put those to use. It is a virtuous cycle of learning and doing."

In addition to skills relevant to their industries, individuals must also pick up general skills like the ability to work with digital tools and data. Learning does not need to happen only in classrooms - it can take place online or through on-the-job training and overseas attachments.

Also, learning need not take place only in a person's early life. "Instead, we should learn throughout life, through on-the-job experience interspersed with bouts of more intense, modular full-time training," said Mr Heng.

Companies also have a role to play in positioning Singapore for a volatile, uncertain future - through innovation and overseas expansion, as well as building up deep industry- specific capabilities. These involve firms collaborating to develop new technologies and share resources.

Mr Heng said government agencies are also looking into providing more integrated support to companies in areas such as helping firms build capabilities and venture overseas. He added: "There is no playbook to follow. What we need is the right mindset - to be proactive, dare to take risks and learn from our failures, and recognise that this is a continuous journey of upgrading."

Mr Heng took questions from the audience after his speech, including one about whether he is happy with Singapore's economic growth. Singapore's economy grew 2.5 per cent in the second quarter compared with a year earlier.

To laughter from the floor, Mr Heng said he "could be happier", pointing out that Singapore - as well as many other countries around the world - continues to struggle with raising labour productivity. He noted that productivity will become increasingly important for sustainable long-term economic growth, especially since the labour force will no longer expand as quickly as it used to.

The Industry Transformation Maps - industry-specific road maps that aim to transform key sectors of Singapore's economy - are among ways that the Government is trying to address the country's productivity shortfall, said the minister.

'Attitudes of people' in a firm key to its success
By Chia Yan Min, Economics Correspondent, The Straits Times, 3 Aug 2017

There is no sunset industry, only sunset thinking.

The comment from a chief executive of a food company was cited by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat last night as an example of how success depends in large part on the attitudes of the people in the organisation.

"Whether a firm or an industry will succeed is not pre-ordained - it depends on our mindset and how we build competitive advantage," said Mr Heng, who was speaking at the Economic Society of Singapore's annual dinner held at Mandarin Orchard.

Mr Heng, who co-chaired the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE), said that when the CFE considered the trends affecting Singapore, such as the rise of emerging economies, some people wanted to bet on new growth industries or new technologies.

But there are no shortcuts in a fast-changing world, he said, stressing that it was a readiness for change and a willingness to learn and try that was necessary.

Innovation has become vital to the success of companies, said the minister.

Beyond in-house development of new products and services, companies are also setting up corporate venture funds and incubators to work with and invest in promising start-ups.

ST Engineering, for instance, recently launched a corporate venture capital unit and started an open innovation lab called Innosparks.

Mr Heng also urged companies to work together with others in their sector to build up industry- wide capabilities.

He cited a company he visited in Switzerland that was training about 100 students to operate complex machinery even though it needed only 60 new recruits. The remaining 40 would go to its competitors.

"Why would a company train for its competitors? The CEO explained that there would be an industry-wide shortage of talent otherwise - a shortage that would affect them all.

"It was a lesson in competing and cooperating at the same time."

Industry leaders in Singapore have taken encouraging steps, he noted.

The TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA), which trains professionals in the infocomm and technology sector, is an example of such an industry-wide effort.

More than 10,000 professionals have benefited from TeSA's programmes.

The result is that companies can hire from a deeper pool of talent with relevant skills.

Heng Swee Keat named Honorary Fellow of the Economic Society of Singapore
By Chia Yan Min, Economics Correspondent, The Straits Times, 3 Aug 2017

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat was made an Honorary Fellow of the Economic Society of Singapore during its annual dinner last night.

The lifetime award was conferred in recognition of his contributions to economic policymaking.

Only five other people have received the honour since the society was founded in 1956: Dr Goh Keng Swee and Professor You Poh Seng in 1973, Professor Lim Chong Yah in 1979, Mr Goh Chok Tong in 2006, and Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam in 2010.

Professor Euston Quah, the society's president, said the award was conferred on Mr Heng for "his leadership to help secure our social and economic future as a nation", as well as his efforts "to raise awareness and understanding of economic issues in professional and public life in Singapore and abroad".

Mr Heng has had a distinguished public service career.

He was principal private secretary to Mr Lee Kuan Yew before being appointed permanent secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2001.

He was made managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 2005, before becoming Minister for Education in 2011.

He was appointed Finance Minister in 2015.

"It is humbling to be considered alongside the other five Honorary Fellows who are all distinguished individuals," Mr Heng, 56, said in his speech at the event.

"I would like to attribute this honour to the strong spirit of teamwork and public service I have been fortunate to encounter in many others throughout my career."

Deep capabilities will differentiate winners from losers in future economy
The impact of big long-term trends - such as the rise of China and India, a global slowdown in productivity growth and demographic shifts - on Singapore's small, open economy will be profound, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat said in his address to the Economic Society of Singapore on Wednesday. He set out why firms and workers will need deep capabilities to thrive. Below is an edited excerpt of his speech.
The Straits Times, 4 Aug 2017

We won't feel the full effects of these trends tomorrow, and no one can predict the future. But we can prepare. When the Committee on the Future Economy considered these trends and discussed possible responses, there were some who sought to bet on new growth industries, new technologies and new markets to go into. But in a fast-changing, unpredictable world, there are no shortcuts. What we need is a certain shift in orientation - a readiness for change, and a willingness to try, learn, and try again.

Last year, I met the CEO of a food company that was doing well, along with several of his competitors in the industry. He told me, "Years back, an official told us that we were in a sunset industry. We wanted to prove him wrong. We worked hard, we worked together. There's no sunset industry, only sunset thinking!" I applaud his fighting spirit. Whether a firm or an industry will succeed is not preordained - it depends on our mindset and how we build competitive advantage.

Our economy's competitiveness and ability to create good opportunities for our people rests on a set of inter-related factors. First, we need to maintain macroeconomic stability, and have a well-functioning financial system that channels savings to productive uses. We have done this well in recent years, keeping inflation at bay through effective monetary policy, while maintaining fiscal prudence. Our financial system has also continued to innovate to meet the evolving demands of the modern economy.

Second, we need strong microeconomic foundations, that allow resources to be allocated efficiently across firms and individuals, in an equitable and sustainable way. We have, and must, continue to make our regulations more pro-business, tweaking them to encourage innovation and risk-taking, while protecting the interests of our people.

And third, we must encourage our individuals, firms and industries to build deep capabilities, so that they can achieve sustainable competitive advantage to adapt and thrive in their fields. This third factor, capabilities, is what I will focus on today.

At their core, the recommendations of the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) are about keeping our economy globally connected, and building deep capabilities - both horizontal capabilities across the economy, and vertical ones within each industry. By bringing all key stakeholders together to create Industry Transformation Maps and to build capabilities, we can better address the challenges and opportunities in each industry, and the entire economy. While we cannot predict the future, strong corporate and human capabilities give us the best chance of riding the waves of changes ahead.

FIRMS CREATING VALUE

Firms need two main types of capabilities to be competitive, particularly in a time of change. One: distinctive, firm-specific capabilities, to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Two: industry-wide capabilities that benefit all firms within a sector.

First, firm-specific capabilities. A competitive firm creates unique value for its customers, in cost- effective ways. There is no formula for this. Every company must develop its own. But there are some broad areas that we heard about during the CFE's industry consultations: Human capital; Innovation, including the use of technology; and Internationalisation.

Let me first discuss innovation. The ability to innovate new products, services, processes or business models that create new value gives companies a competitive edge. In recent times, the rapid growth of some start-ups has captured the public imagination. Innovation is often associated with start-ups. But large companies need as much, if not more, innovative capacity. Beyond in-house development of new products and services, companies are also setting up corporate venture funds and incubators, so as to discover, work with, and invest in promising start-ups. We see this in the pharmaceutical industry, where large companies are licensing drugs developed by smaller start-ups. Also in Silicon Valley, where promising tech start-ups get acquired by larger players. The value chain for innovation is changing - some start-ups may choose to develop themselves fully, while others may partner established companies to commercialise their innovations. ST Engineering has launched a corporate venture capital unit, and started an open innovation lab called Innosparks in Launchpad @ one-north. In time, companies can make use of the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) to extend their innovation networks overseas - in fact, as part of our GIA efforts, BLOCK71 Jakarta was officially opened just last week.

Another way to innovate is to use technology. Firms can adopt existing technology to improve productivity, or adapt technology to change their business models and disrupt industries. Others may invent technology and create intellectual property (IP). We should encourage a variety of approaches to innovation, including the use of technology, and create some flexibility in our regulatory frameworks, like regulatory sandboxes, to allow new things to be tried.

Another important corporate capability is the ability to internationalise. Technological advancements and trade liberalisation have reduced distances and extended companies' reach to resources and customers. Companies need local market insights and outreach capabilities to tap the larger potential markets that emerge as a result. Technology allows big and small firms alike to expand into the region and the world. From start-ups like Carousell to large enterprises like CapitaLand, Singapore firms are already doing so. There is government support for firms to internationalise.

Beyond firm-specific capabilities, industry-wide capabilities also matter. Companies can cooperate to help build these. A few years back, I visited a company in Switzerland that was training about 100 students to operate complex machinery. But the company needed only 60 new recruits. The remaining 40 would go to their competitors. Now, why would a company train for its competitors? The CEO explained that there would be an industry-wide shortage of talent otherwise - a shortage would affect them all. It was a lesson in competing and cooperating at the same time.

In Singapore, too, industry leaders have taken encouraging steps. You may be familiar with the TechSkills Accelerator (TeSA), which trains ICT professionals. About two years back, members of the Singapore Infocomm Technology Federation and the Singapore Computer Society told me they were facing a shortage of strong ICT talent. I asked them, "Would you be willing to work together? Government can help provide resources, but, as industry, you know best what skills are relevant." They said yes, and competitors worked actively together with our agencies to form and run TeSA. I was impressed by this. Over 10,000 professionals have benefited from TeSA's programmes. And companies can hire from a deeper pool of talent with relevant skills. I look forward to seeing TeSA achieve even more.

Our Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) are also important in building industry- wide capabilities. So I am glad that they, too, are actively collaborating. For example, more than 20 TACs will share facilities and resources at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Trade Association Hub, which will officially open soon.

Some industry leaders have asked me if our economics agencies can also improve our coordination, to provide more integrated support, in areas such as helping companies to build capabilities and to internationalise. We are studying these.

Indeed, collaboration is the spirit of the Industry Transformation Maps (ITMs). Each ITM gathers the stakeholders - companies, TACs, unions, research institutes, training providers and government agencies - to formulate and implement strategies to develop the industry and its capabilities.

The different capabilities cannot be considered in isolation. Each industry will need a different configuration of capabilities. By bringing all stakeholders together, we can implement changes more effectively. Beyond each single industry, we should also explore developing capabilities across different industries. This is why we formed six clusters of related ITMs.

Ultimately, firms and industries must take the lead to create value for their customers, by building strong capabilities.

PEOPLE: STAYING RELEVANT THROUGH LIFELONG LEARNING

Factors like the reconfiguration of global supply chains, shifts in consumption patterns and technological advances are changing the nature of jobs and the skills we need for work, along with how businesses operate. So corporate and human capabilities must go hand-in-hand, growing in tandem to drive our industry transformation. This is why Jobs and Skills form an important pillar of every ITM.

These changes will affect what we learn, how we learn and when we learn. First, what we learn should help us realise our potential, and build foundations for further learning. Part of this involves learning skills that are relevant to society and the economy. Along with domain-specific skills, some general ones, like the ability to work with digital tools and data, will increase in economic significance. Others, like social skills and emotional intelligence, will remain important in making us effective members of society. We should harness technology to create more value. If we can use artificial intelligence (AI) to automate more routine cognitive tasks, for instance, we can then focus on developing the uniquely human skills, like creativity or open-ended problem-solving, that will enable us to do higher-value work.

Next, to keep up with fast-changing skills requirements, how we learn should expand to include learning from all sources and in different settings. Learning does not have to happen in a classroom - it can also happen via new technologies, like online platforms, or new modalities, like on-the-job training or overseas attachments, which can help to integrate theoretical understanding with practical application.

Third, when we learn need not be confined to the first two decades of our lives. As we all live and work longer, we cannot expect to cram all that we need to know for our entire lives within the first 20-odd years of our lives. Instead, we should learn throughout life, through on-the-job experience interspersed with bouts of more intense, modular full-time training.

If we are to change what, how and when we learn, individuals, institutes of learning and industry must change our habits and practices significantly. Individuals will have to shift from "learning, then doing" to "lifelong learning and doing". Instead of just learning before starting work, we should embrace a lifelong cycle of learning and doing. Throughout our careers, we learn the skills that we need for our jobs, hone them by using them at work, and then, as the economy evolves, learn a new set of skills and in turn put those to use. This is what the SkillsFuture movement is about. We should also take up opportunities to broaden our experience beyond our shores. Initiatives like the Global Innovation Alliance, for instance, can help us to understand overseas contexts better.

Institutes of learning also have a role. For instance, the Ministry of Education (MOE) has the 21st Century Competencies Framework, to help students in our schools develop competencies like responsible decision-making and critical and inventive thinking, encouraging them to become self-directed learners who can keep up learning throughout their lives. Our educational institutions are placing a greater emphasis on skills application and hands-on learning at all levels. Examples include the Applied Learning Programmes in our secondary schools, the SkillsFuture Earn and Learn Programmes in our polytechnics and ITE, and the various work-learn programmes in our autonomous universities. The Singapore Institute of Technology's Integrated Work-Study Programme gives students real-world experience through eight to 12 months of relevant on-the-job training with partner companies. The results are promising: 84 per cent of the first batch of accountancy students received priority job offers from the partner companies, and two were even able to start in a position above entry level! Employers also benefit. They get eight to 12 months to assess potential employees, and a head start in training them. We should continue to encourage such close collaboration between our educational institutions and industry partners, to tighten the link between learning and working.

Increasingly, our educational institutions also encourage students to gain overseas exposure, through programmes like the NUS Overseas Colleges, the polytechnics' Overseas Student Internship Programme, and ITE's Global Education Programme. Our universities, polytechnics and ITE have all embarked on making courses available online. NTU has announced that it would convert some 1,500 courses in five years, about 50 per cent of its PET courses. NUS has partnered Coursera to launch several Massive Open Online Courses. The rest are making progress to make available modules online, to support new modes of learning for full-time and part-time students. MOE's Student Learning Space will also use the latest digital tools and modalities of learning to improve educational outcomes.

What about industry players? It is encouraging to see that many companies are building up their human capital, as part of their overall business strategy, and reaping significant benefits from this investment. Firms are integrating the development of their people with the redesign of their company processes. For example, in upgrading its Singapore plant into a smart factory, Panasonic upgraded employees' skills to remain relevant in a smart factory. As a result, the median salary of its local staff has increased by 35 per cent.

Many companies operate as "in-house approved training organisations" which provide industry-validated training to their own staff. Examples include Wing Tai, SATS and McDonald's. Firms that are far-sighted in building corporate capabilities are those that anticipate future skills needs, and invest in developing their people. I am a firm supporter of such efforts. These firms can collaborate with our educational institutions through various work-study programmes, or work with government agencies. Industry-wide, there is collaboration on human capital development. Today, there are companies which deliver training programmes, not just for their own needs, but for the broader industry. Examples include Ascott and the PBA Group. The Supply Chain and Logistics Academy is an example of an industry-driven effort that trains supply chain professionals across different companies, through experiential workplace learning. I encourage further collaboration.

Allow me to conclude. The world is facing major structural changes. Singapore is well placed to manage these changes, and make the most of the opportunities they bring - we have strong tripartite relations, sound macroeconomic and microeconomic foundations, and strong physical and virtual connections to the world. If our companies and our people continue to build strong capabilities, we can make the most of these advantages, to create unique value for the world and our people.

There is no playbook to follow. What we need is the right mindset - to be proactive, dare to take risks, and learn from our failures, and recognise that this is a continuous journey of upgrading.

---

E-bikes must be registered by 31 January 2018

August 3, 2017, 8:06 pm

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Registration of Power-Assisted Bicycles to start on 14 August 2017
Owners of power-assisted bicycles without valid registration plate after deadline can be fined or jailed
By Sue-Ann Tan, The Straits Times, 3 Aug 2017

Owners of power-assisted bicycles, or bicycles equipped with electric motors known as e-bikes, will have to ensure that their bicycles have been approved by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and get them registered by Jan 31.

After this date, owners of e-bikes without a valid registration plate may be fined, jailed or both.

Registration channels open from Aug 14, and those applying must be at least 16 years old.

E-bicycles which do not have the LTA seal must undergo an inspection before registration, and owners will need to pay a $50 registration fee plus an inspection fee.

In January this year, the Government announced that all e-bikes would need to be registered to an owner and have registration plates in an effort to clamp down on those who illegally modify their bicycles.

The move also aims to make it easier for the authorities to nab reckless riders and make pathways and roads safer for other users, in particular, pedestrians.

Accidents resulting in injuries involving e-bikes went up from 39 in 2015 to 54 last year, though the number of fatal accidents involving the two-wheelers dropped from five in 2015 to three last year.

Since 2004, there have been 30,000 electric bicycles that carry the LTA seal and are approved for use on public roads. LTA estimates that about half are still in use now.

Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, said: "I am extremely pleased to know that LTA has decided to mandate the registration of power- assisted bicycles. I had asked for more regulation for personal mobility devices during the Active Mobility Bill debate. This is a step in the right direction."

He added that in addition to registration, he also hopes that LTA will consider requiring third-party insurance for e-bike users.

"While we cannot eradicate accidents completely, we should try to ensure that unwitting victims of accidents involving personal mobility devices have recourse to an adequate compensation scheme for personal injury suffered," said Mr Sitoh.



E-bike retailers said LTA's new regulations have made such bicycles less appealing to consumers.

"Because of the rules, it is harder for me to sell the bikes," said Mr Ong Beng Teng, 64, the owner of e-bike shop Esibike. "However, registration can prevent people from stealing bikes or from modifying the motors. I have seen modified bikes that can go up to 70kmh like a motorcycle."

Mr Jeffrey Tay, 57, who owns bike shop Footloops, said: "When the Government implements such restrictions, consumers look for alternatives."

He noted that e-scooters are rising in popularity because they do not face such strict regulations.

Mr Tay added that there needs to be more education and awareness raised on how to properly use e-bikes.

"There should be road signs about to remind people, rather than just fines and penalties," he said.

Ms Chong Say Mooi, a 63-year-old cleaner who rides her e-bike to work, said: "Registration is good as it deters bad behaviour, but ultimately, safety is a personal thing."

To register, e-bike owners may visit www.onemotoring.com.sg or go to any post office.

The registration fee will be waived for LTA-approved bikes which are registered by Nov 30.

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LTA clamps down on motorised bikes

LKY School professor Huang Jing banned, has PR cancelled, for being agent of influence for foreign country

August 5, 2017, 2:54 am

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Govt says he has been working with a foreign govt to influence Republic's foreign policy
By Royston Sim, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 5 Aug 2017

• Huang Jing engaged prominent Singaporeans and gave them what he said was “privileged information” to influence their opinions in favour of that country

• He gave privileged information to LKYSPP senior member, who conveyed this to very senior public officials in position to direct Singapore’s foreign policy

A well-known academic from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) had his permanent residency cancelled yesterday and will be expelled for working with a foreign government to influence Singapore's foreign policy and public opinion.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Dr Huang Jing, 60, and his wife, Ms Shirley Yang Xiuping, will be permanently banned from Singapore, in what is the first publicly known case of its kind in nearly 20 years.

It said in a statement that Dr Huang has been identified as "an agent of influence of a foreign country" who worked with intelligence organisations and agents from that country, which it did not name.

Dr Huang was director of the Centre on Asia and Globalisation and Lee Foundation Professor on US-China relations at the LKY School, and his views on China and foreign policy issues were regularly sought by organisations and the media. Besides writing for Singapore newspapers, he also contributed articles to China's Global Times, a newspaper closely linked to the country's government.

He and his wife were born in China and are now US citizens.

"Huang used his senior position in the LKY School to deliberately and covertly advance the agenda of a foreign country at Singapore's expense. He did this in collaboration with foreign intelligence agents," said the ministry. "This amounts to subversion and foreign interference in Singapore's domestic politics. Huang's continued presence in Singapore, and that of his wife, are therefore undesirable."

The Controller of Immigration has cancelled their entry and re-entry permits, MHA said.

It noted Ms Yang was aware of her husband using his position to advance a foreign country's agenda.



Dr Huang had engaged prominent and influential Singaporeans, providing them with what he claimed was "privileged information" about the foreign country to influence their opinions in favour of that country, the ministry said.

He also recruited others to aid his operations, it added.

It also said Dr Huang gave supposedly "privileged information" to a senior member of the LKY School so that it could be passed on to the Government. "The information was duly conveyed by that senior member of the LKYSPP to very senior public officials who were in a position to direct Singapore's foreign policy.

"The clear intention was to use the information to cause the Singapore Government to change its foreign policy."

The Government, however, declined to act on the information.

When asked, the ministry declined to name the country or senior LKY School official.

It said Dr Huang and his wife can appeal to the Home Affairs Minister under Section 14(6) of the Immigration Act. They will have to leave Singapore within a grace period if their appeals are unsuccessful.

The LKY School is part of the National University of Singapore, whose spokesman yesterday said the matter is of serious concern, and Dr Huang has been suspended without pay with immediate effect. She said he can no longer work here as his permits have been cancelled.

Dr Huang told the South China Morning Post he had been notified by the Government, but said: "It is nonsense to identify me as 'an agent of influence' for a foreign country. And why didn't they identify which foreign country they are referring to? Is it the US or China?"

He said he would seek help from his lawyer and the US Embassy here, adding that he had not been given a deadline to leave.

Elaborating later, Dr Huang said he was asked to go to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority at 11am yesterday, where he was told he had seven days to appeal to MHA.

He added that he was having dinner at Grand Shanghai Restaurant in Havelock Road with his wife and a friend when someone called her to say that information about their expulsion had gone public.

NUS suspends LKY School professor Huang Jing whose PR was cancelled
University cooperating fully with MHA and does not tolerate acts of foreign interference
By Royston Sim, Assistant Political Editor and Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 5 Aug 2017

The National University of Singapore (NUS) has suspended academic Huang Jing without pay with immediate effect, while the university works with the Home Affairs Ministry on the matter.

A spokesman said that his employment at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy was conditional on him having the necessary work permits.

Dr Huang, who had his permanent residency cancelled, can thus no longer work here.

"As these permits have been cancelled, we would not be able to continue with his employment," the spokesman said.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that it had permanently banned him and his wife Shirley Yang Xiuping from Singapore, and cancelled their PR status. It said that Dr Huang had worked with intelligence organisations and agents from a foreign country to influence Singapore's foreign policy and public opinion.

The 60-year-old was also the director of the Centre on Asia and Globalisation and Lee Foundation Professor on US-China relations at the LKY School.

The NUS spokesman said the matter is of serious concern, and it is cooperating fully with MHA.

"NUS does not tolerate such acts of foreign interference, even as we continue to value and uphold the diverse and international character of our university," she said.



Associate Professor Bilveer Singh, from the NUS Department of Political Science, said Singapore's policy of staying open to the world means "all kinds of elements" can enter the country, including its academic institutions.

He warned that the current incident is "the tip of the iceberg", and said the country has to exercise vigilance.

"Singapore is an influential soft power country - that is why people would want to influence us," he added. "If we are not careful, we will unwittingly become victims of agents of influence who want to do us in."

MP Vikram Nair, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs, said the case is a reminder that "espionage is a reality of life".

On the attempts to influence Singapore's foreign policy, he said: "It is a back-handed compliment that Singapore's opinions actually matter, that we are well respected on the world stage."

Associate Professor Antonio Rappa, who heads the management and security studies programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, drew parallels between this incident and the Hendrickson affair in 1988.

In that case, Mr E. Mason Hendrickson, first secretary of the United States Embassy, was expelled from Singapore for interfering in local politics.

On why foreign powers want to try and influence Singapore's foreign policy, Prof Rappa noted that Singapore has been punching above its weight.

"For small countries to survive, we need to be seen and heard. Singapore, despite being tiny, is always on the radar, so people would want to influence us," he said.

Cases of foreign countries employing agents of influence are not uncommon, said Associate Professor Bernard Loo of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. "These things happen not just between enemies, but also between friends."





 





 





EIGHT THINGS ABOUT LKY SCHOOL PROFESSOR BANNED FROM SINGAPORE

EXPERT ON CHINA POLITICS

Dr Huang Jing, who was banned permanently from Singapore yesterday, is an academic known for his expert views on China's politics and foreign policy, as well as US-China relations.


US CITIZEN WHO WORKED AT NUS

Until the ban, Dr Huang, a United States citizen who was born in 1956, was the Lee Foundation Professor on US-China relations at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKY School), where he also headed the Centre on Asia and Globalisation.


LONG LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS

His curriculum vitae, available on the LKY School's website, chronicles a long list of achievements in academia and the study of international relations.

He has authored three books and many journal articles, book chapters and policy papers on China's politics, development strategy and foreign policy, as well as US-China relations, China's military and security issues in the Asia-Pacific.


HEAD OF PROJECTS

Dr Huang, who received his PhD in government from Harvard University in 1995, spearheaded a number of projects while at the LKY School.

These include a consortium studying the development of Russia's far east, an effort that involves leading think-tanks from such countries as Russia, China, Japan and Singapore.

He also chaired projects studying China-India relations, and the energy policies of China, Japan and the US.


NEWSPAPER COMMENTATOR

Dr Huang is also a frequent commentator in the Singapore media, including The Straits Times and Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao.

His latest commentary for The Straits Times, published in June, was on the interdependence of the US and China.


SITS ON BOARDS

Besides his academic work, Dr Huang is on the board of several organisations, including Keppel Land.

He is on the steering committee of the NUS Research Institute in Suzhou as well.


STINTS IN HARVARD, STANFORD

Before joining the LKY School, Dr Huang lectured at Harvard University from 2013 to 2014.

He also lectured at Stanford University.

He had been a senior fellow at think-tank Brookings Institution and an academic at Utah State University.

He has a master's degree in history from Shanghai's Fudan University, and a degree in English literature from Sichuan University in China.





INVOLVED IN ROW WITH CABBY

A dispute between Dr Huang and a cabby in June last year resulted in the police being called.

Lianhe Wanbao reported that Dr Huang demanded that the taxi driver step out of the vehicle at the end of a trip to the LKY School and "show respect" to him, after he gave the cabby a $1 tip.



A video recording of the incident also circulated online.

When agents of influence seek to shape public opinion
By Zakir Hussain, Political Editor, The Straits Times, 5 Aug 2017

Foreign countries and their intelligence agencies have long sought to shape actions and policies in other countries.

Such espionage and subversion were at their peak during the Cold War, but have resurfaced recently as the global balance of power shifts and geopolitical tensions rise. In the past few years, Australian officials have been busy trying to assess the extent to which Chinese agencies were gaining influence over Canberra.

An investigation by Australian media companies concluded that the Chinese Communist Party was secretly infiltrating Australian political parties and society to influence policy and opinion.

Lately, American and European officials have similarly been investigating Russian attempts at interfering in elections in their countries. And reports of America's extensive spy network in China being crippled in the early part of this decade have emerged.

Seen in the context of these cases, it may come as a shock - but certainly no surprise - that the Singapore authorities have uncovered "an agent of influence" of a foreign country operating here.

An agent typically refers to a person who is employed by an intelligence service to gather information on a country.

But an agent of influence is a person of standing - whether in academia, business, the media or other fields - who uses his position to influence a target country's policies and public opinion.



Agents of influence can be more insidious than ordinary agents, especially if they have espoused balanced, moderate views, been given permanent residency (PR) status or citizenship, and made an impression that they are neutral, disinterested parties who act in the best interests of the host country.

Often, but not every time, disinformation or fake news is planted to direct a course of action.

And their targets invariably do not suspect they are being used.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Home Affairs cited how Dr Huang Jing engaged prominent and influential Singaporeans, and gave them what he claimed was "privileged information" on the foreign country, "so as to influence their opinions in favour of that country".

The aim was for the information to cause the Government to change its foreign policy.

Earlier this week, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing told Parliament that Singapore had to "be careful of potential foreign interference in our processes". This could include "an attempt to influence our public opinion, our own local organisations", he said in reply to Workers' Party MP Png Eng Huat.

The authorities have detected several such attempts. In 1982, the Internal Security Department exposed and expelled two Soviet military intelligence officers. One of them tried to cultivate an army second lieutenant for information on the Singapore Armed Forces, while the other had been sent here to take over a spy network.

In 1997, a woman civil servant was detained for giving classified information to a Singapore PR who was working under deep cover for a foreign intelligence service. In 1998, four Singaporean men, one of whom was a recruiter, were detained for collecting classified information for a foreign intelligence service.

But the case involving Dr Huang appears to be on a different level.

In the past few years, there have been concerns that businessmen and community leaders here are exerting pressure on Singapore diplomats and officials to "tone down" the country's principled positions on certain foreign policy issues that seem to have offended other countries.

More instances of similar pressure can be expected. And more agents would be detected.

The best defence against these attempts by outsiders to influence Singapore's policies and politics must come from within. This entails being aware of the various ways by which agents of influence operate - and remaining alert against being manipulated.

Related
MHA: Cancellation of Singapore Permanent Residence (SPR) Status - Huang Jing and Yang Xiuping

Is Singapore a small country?

August 6, 2017, 1:12 am

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The answer depends on the yardstick used. In some respects, the Republic outperforms bigger countries.
By Tommy Koh, Published The Straits Times, 5 Aug 2017

As Singapore's 52nd national day draws near, my thoughts have turned increasingly towards our beloved country, Singapore. I have also been reflecting on the recent debate between two good friends, Kishore Mahbubani and Bilahari Kausikan, on the diplomacy of small states.

The question which I would like to answer in this essay is whether Singapore is a small country. The answer may seem obvious but it is not. It depends on the yardstick we use to measure Singapore's size. If we use the yardstick of size of territory or the size of population, then Singapore is certainly a small country.

Let us use a different yardstick, the gross domestic product per capita based on purchasing power parity. Qatar, Luxembourg, Macau, Singapore and Brunei are the top five, ranked in that order. The United States is ranked No. 13 and China No. 81. By this yardstick, Singapore is the fourth richest country in the world.

Many people have criticised the use of GDP per capita to assess a country's prosperity. The argument is that it is unidimensional and does not necessarily reflect the state of well-being of the people. In response to such criticisms, the United Nations has created the Human Development Index.

In last year's Human Development Index, Singapore is ranked No. 6, after Norway, Australia, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark. Singapore is the only Asian country in the top 10.

POWER OF TRADE AND MONEY

With a population of only five million, Singapore has a small domestic market. It has no choice but to be outward oriented and to uphold and practise free trade.

With such a small domestic market, we would not expect Singapore to rank very high in the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) lists of the world's leading exporters and importers. Our readers would be surprised to learn that Singapore is the world's 13th largest exporter and the world's 15th largest importer. In other words, Singapore is one of the world's largest trading entities. This gives us relevance and influence at the WTO. This factor, combined with the brilliance of our diplomats, accounts for the fact that Singapore is regularly invited by the leaders of WTO to participate in the so-called Green Room negotiations. These are meetings held in the WTO director-general's conference room.

It is a fact that in this money-loving world, money is power. Let us look at the yardstick of the size of a country's foreign exchange reserves. Singapore has the world's 11th largest foreign exchange reserves. China and Japan are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in that order.

Let us now turn to another yardstick, the size of a country's foreign direct investment. It is not surprising that the US, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Switzerland are the top five investors. I was not surprised that Singapore occupies the 10th position. I am not surprised because, despite our small size, Singapore is the largest foreign investor in China, India and Indonesia.

Another yardstick is the status of Singapore as a financial centre. According to the Global Financial Centres Index this year, Singapore is ranked No. 3, after London and New York and ahead of Hong Kong and Tokyo. According to the International Financial Centres Development Index, Singapore is ranked No. 4, after New York, London and Tokyo and ahead of Hong Kong and Shanghai.

POWER OF COMMUNICATIONS

The world is driven by international trade and international business. Shipping and aviation play an essential role in facilitating trade. Ships and aircraft need seaports and airports. There is a global network of the leading seaports and airports.

How does Singapore rank among the world's busiest seaports? Singapore is ranked No. 2 in the list of the world's busiest seaports by cargo tonnage. Shanghai is ranked first. Singapore is also ranked No. 2 in the list of the world busiest container ports. Shanghai is again ranked first.

What about Singapore's Changi Airport? By the yardstick of the number of passengers using the airports, Changi Airport is ranked No. 17 in the world. The top three airports are Atlanta, Beijing and Dubai. However, Skytrax has frequently ranked Changi as the best airport in the world. Changi is therefore not the busiest but the best.

POWER OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

A country's good governance is also a source of power and influence in the world. Singapore's relative absence of corruption, its strong rule of law and the good balance between development and environment are much admired by the world. The fact that the World Bank has ranked Singapore second in the list of countries for ease of doing business is an asset. The fact that Singapore is a very liveable city and is clean and green is also an asset. Foreigners also praise Singapore's safety and envy the fact that in Singapore, women can go out on their own at any time of the day and night.

Singapore's diplomats and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) have generated diplomatic influence for Singapore. For example, MFA administers a multimillion-dollar programme to assist other developing countries called the Singapore Cooperation Programme. Singapore does not give money to other countries because of the risk that it will be diverted. However, Singapore has been extremely generous in sharing our experience, knowledge or expertise. To date, Singapore has trained more than 100,000 officials from over 75 countries.

At the United Nations, Singapore took the initiative to establish the Forum of Small States, consisting of 107 small countries. Singapore also took the initiative to establish the Global Governance Group, consisting of 30 small and medium economies. Our leadership of the two groups has contributed to our diplomatic power.

POWER OF IDEAS

The world is going through a technological revolution, which some have called the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In the new economy, the most important resource of a country is not its natural resources but its people or brain power.

Singapore is doing a commendable job in educating and training its people. Singapore's primary and secondary school students have been ranked No. 1 in the world for mathematics and science. The National University of Singapore has been ranked as the best university in Asia.

A British company, Portland, has published the world's first index ranking countries for their soft power. In the 2017 index, Singapore is ranked No. 20. Of the Asian countries, only four make it to the list of the top 30. Japan is ranked No. 6, South Korea is ranked No. 21 and China is ranked No. 25.

Another reflection of the soft power of countries is to be found in the Economist Intelligence Unit's where-to-be-born index. Switzerland is much admired by the world and occupies the top spot. I was pleasantly surprised to see Singapore in the sixth spot.

My answer to the question whether Singapore is a small country is that it depends on the chosen yardstick.

In some respects, Singapore is a small country. In other respects, Singapore has outperformed other bigger countries.

Singaporeans should be quietly proud of their achievements but remain humble and modest.

We must never become proud and arrogant. In our relations with other countries, including the major powers, we should be respectful but not submissive. We should never hesitate to defend our national interests.

The writer is an ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

ASEAN 50th Anniversary on 8 August 1967

August 7, 2017, 1:30 am

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ASEAN's way or the highway
The grouping's advance has been steady if not spectacular and it's not done growing.
By Ravi Velloor, Associate Editor, The Sunday Times, 6 Aug 2017

Try asking college students in the ASEAN states where the Appalachian Range and the Visayas mountains are situated. Chances are that, unless you were putting the question to a Filipino, many would probably know of the Appalachians being in the United States but few would be aware of the Visayas in the Philippines. It's a great pity, but that's the reality.

Fifty years after the Association of South-east Asian Nations was founded, no school syllabus in the 10-nation grouping teaches ASEAN as a subject. The region's aviation sector is booming - Singapore, even as it opens Changi Airport's Terminal 4, is well into the planning of a giant Terminal 5 - but no South-east Asian carrier flies the ASEAN logo on its tail. The only currency notes in the region exchangeable at par are those of Brunei and Singapore. There is no ASEAN dispute settlement mechanism, much less a body to enforce the rules.

The ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta is a poorly funded body, its total budget only about as much as the combined annual earnings of the chief executive officers of Singapore's three local banks. For years, it has operated from modest, low-rise offices tucked away in the southern corner of the city.

In contrast, the headquarters of the European Union (EU), the body against which ASEAN is most compared, is a magnificent one.

Yet in April, when the Trump administration sought to reaffirm the US' strategic commitment to Asia, it sent Vice-President Mike Pence to the ASEAN Secretariat. There, he announced that President Donald Trump would attend three Asia summits in the second half of the year - the ASEAN-US summit, the East Asia summit in the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam. An outside power like the US now has a full-time ambassador to ASEAN. So do Australia, South Korea and several other countries.

Who'd have thought that a body set up at the height of the Cold War to protect Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore from becoming dominoes that could be knocked down by communism, would advance in such a spectacular way? From five members at its founding in 1967 to six in 1984 when Brunei signed on, and eventually 10 as Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and finally Myanmar, came on board, the group has only expanded. And it's not done growing: Timor Leste could be on board next. While once-role model the EU is straining at the seams, ASEAN's hemlines are getting broader.

HAILED OUTSIDE THE REGION

Indeed, people from outside the region sometimes tend to see its significance more clearly than those within.

In January, in a major foreign policy speech in Los Angeles, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop declared ASEAN not only "the geographic centre of the Indo-Pacific (but) also its diplomatic centre". ASEAN, she went on to say, "has an influence throughout Asia that is not always well-understood".

As the distinguished Singapore diplomat Barry Desker noted this week, ASEAN's foundational instrument, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, now boasts 35 state parties, including all ASEAN states and major powers.

In some ways, therefore, ASEAN is like a beehive that sways in the wind, yet is strongly rooted in its own unique fashion. Perhaps it is something to do with the loose confederation that it is, compared with, say, the centralising instinct of the EU.

There also is little question that ASEAN is far too tolerant of autocratic regimes and prone to look the other way while others are holding their noses, such as when the government of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra in Thailand was unseated by the military.

Yet, ASEAN's surface tolerance often masks the peer pressure that goes on backstage. Witness, for instance, how the Myanmar junta was coaxed into permitting a more democratic dispensation that freed Ms Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and to eventual rise as the leader of her nation.

"ASEAN is like the air you breathe. You will notice only when it is gone," Ms Hoang Thi Ha, a political security expert who spent a decade at the ASEAN Secretariat, said at a recent forum organised by The Straits Times and the National Library Board.

In fact, there is much more to cheer.

ASEAN brands , such as Singapore Airlines, Malaysia's CIMB Bank and bananas from the Philippines with Del Monte stickers on them have become visible not only around the region but wider afield.

Powered by the lure of a 630 million-strong market, ASEAN has become a major manufacturing and investment destination. Indeed, foreign direct investment flows to ASEAN have outpaced flows to China since 2013. Tourism is booming - one in nine South Koreans, for instance, travels to an ASEAN destination every year. According to the consultancy firm McKinsey, almost 60 per cent of total ASEAN growth since 1990 has come from productivity gains.

Still, there's no shared visa policy and economic integration remains a work in progress. Much of what's been gained has been in the low-hanging fruit area. The financial industry's access to each other's markets is limited and so is labour mobility.

That said, as ASEAN gradually harmonises standards and works towards an evenness of regulatory standards, its allure will eventually accelerate. Sandwiched between China and India - Asia's tectonic plates - and with better demographics than China and higher social indicators than India, the region stands on the cusp of turning its golden anniversary into a golden opportunity.

A NEED TO MOVE FASTER

But there's also no question that it needs to move faster for to stand still would be suicidal. Bigger markets are looming in the neighbourhood. Witness, for instance, how India has begun to soak up foreign direct investment.

Much of that will need to be in economic and security cooperation since political integration is pretty much out of the question. The one thing ASEAN members abhor most is outside intervention in their internal affairs. Besides, the region is simply too diverse. The addition of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar not only widened economic disparities, but also opened the way for political differences since the original ASEAN members were broadly pro-West in character.

Now, new fault lines are emerging, including between overtly pro-China ASEAN states and more neutral ones. After the widening discomfort over the treatment of majority Buddhist Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, there's even talk of a Muslim ASEAN and a non-Muslim ASEAN.

Adjusting to China's growing power has also brought severe challenges. Unlike the US, whose presence was largely benign, China has shown it can bestow and withdraw privileges - and exact punishment on recalcitrants.

But that dominance could prove temporary once the US gets over its internal distractions and as other powers, such as Japan and India, rise in the region and start to be assertive in their own way or jointly.

That will give ASEAN states the room they've always sought to manoeuvre between the major powers, or as Ms Hoang puts it, to be "virtuously promiscuous". It is no accident that the EU and Canada are knocking on the doors of the East Asia Summit process and that Nato officials have been showing up regularly for the annual Shangri-La security dialogues in Singapore.

Ultimately, much of ASEAN's future will depend on the trajectory chosen by Indonesia, its largest member nation. In the initial decades, under president Suharto, Jakarta's reticence about leading from the front helped the smaller states assert themselves in the ASEAN experiment.

Under Mr Joko Widodo, though, it has got markedly worse. Perhaps it is because there isn't enough bandwidth within Indonesia's foreign policy establishment for this role. Or it could be that Indonesia's inclusion in the Group of 20 forum has given it visions of a game beyond ASEAN.

Still, visibly if nothing else, Indonesia's ASEAN profile is set to rise.

A glittering new ASEAN headquarters building is taking shape in Jakarta and should be ready by 2019 for possible occupation the following year. The way real estate prices have been shooting up in Jakarta's "ASEAN district" suggests that investors see value in being part of the neighbourhood.

In time, the 16-storey ASEAN HQ with a helipad on the 17th level will probably host the annual summits and could be as important a physical landmark as the United Nations building in New York, and a place where the good and the great of the world travel to and state their positions. Just as US Vice-President Pence did earlier this year.

ASEAN at 50: A road map of key challenges ahead
These include economic integration, capitalising on demographics and making the most of ASEAN's tech-savvy youth. Countering terrorism is another issue rearing its head.
By Ong Keng Yong, Published The Sunday Times, 6 Aug 2017

ASEAN has enjoyed a relatively successful and prosperous first 50 years. A key milestone is the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) which laid the foundation for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), one of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community.

With this year marking the 50th anniversary of ASEAN, it is apt to chart out a road map of key issues of regional importance for the next five decades. To ensure continued success, ASEAN needs to further consolidate economic integration, capitalise on favourable demographic factors and channel the skills of today's tech-savvy youth to harness the digital revolution.

Against the backdrop of growing anti-globalisation and protectionist sentiments across the world and an unpredictable United States Trump administration, it has become an imperative to maintain economic growth for continued stability and prosperity in the region.

As such, intra-ASEAN initiatives like the AEC as well as regional initiatives such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will be the cornerstone in making ASEAN the bulwark of an outward-looking South-east Asia, championing trade liberalisation and engaging the rest of the world.

The successful completion of the RCEP will link ASEAN, a market of 628 million people, to its six partner countries (China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand) creating a bigger market of 3.5 billion people.

In recent years, ASEAN has been growing by around 5 per cent a year, ushering the rise of a huge middle class.

The Asian Development Bank estimated that by 2030, nearly half a billion of ASEAN's population will be classified as middle-income class.

ASEAN can perform better, with a potential growth rate of 7 per cent, if member states align their interests with the ASEAN community agenda. At the start of last year, ASEAN was the seventh largest economy in the world; by the start of this year, that rank had improved to sixth, and by 2020, it is predicted to be fifth.

DEMOGRAPHIC SWEET SPOT

Coupled with stable economic growth, ASEAN currently enjoys a demographic sweet spot. Governments of ASEAN member states must take the right measures today, such as restructuring the educational curriculum to ensure youth are better prepared to take on jobs of the future, before the population starts to age by 2025.

ASEAN's citizens are still very young (although Singapore and Thailand are already ageing). As the working-age population grows in number, it will not only boost the region's spending, but also increase its savings - and its capacity to invest. Investment should be made in human capital. To maintain dynamic growth, we cannot rely on natural resources and unskilled labour, but have to aim for sustainable development and equitable growth, through increased productivity and innovation, to move up the value chain.

ASEAN's rapidly growing economy and population need to be accompanied by a strong strategy for sustainable development. The region is already facing a myriad of transboundary environmental issues such as haze, water and land pollution, along with dwindling forest cover.

However, ASEAN's balancing act between environmental sustainability and economic development will be made more challenging because of existing region-wide social inequities. ASEAN member states are in varying stages of national development and the growing middle class only adds to the increasing consumption of resources and degeneration of the environment and biodiversity.

As ASEAN enters its sixth decade, the world stands on the cusp of a digital revolution, driven by technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomous vehicles, ubiquitous mobile Internet and accelerating progress in genetics, materials science and ultra-cheap automation.

ASEAN has the potential to enter the top five digital economies in the world by 2025. Moreover, implementation of a radical digital agenda could add US$1 trillion (S$1.36 trillion) to the region's gross domestic product over the next 10 years.

With a large and youthful population increasingly equipped with smartphones, ASEAN has an opportunity to pioneer the development of new digital services, especially advanced mobile financial services and e-commerce. A recent report from Google and Temasek calculates that the region's online population is expanding by 124,000 new users every day - and will continue at this pace for the next five years.

TOUGH QUESTIONS ARISE

With the digital economy come tough questions about how to navigate the accelerating pace of technological change and digital disruption. In terms of job creation, we have to ensure that the ASEAN population is equipped with the right skills in the digital age.

There is an urgent need to update the educational curriculum, retrain teachers, and bring computers and the Internet not only to rural areas but also to the urban lower middle class and below for more digital inclusion.

With digital inclusion and the right skill sets, the Internet and social media will strengthen the basis of governance.

An important dimension is the issue of transparency. As it becomes increasingly easy to expose corruption in the digital age, there is also a simultaneous need for more engagement with citizens and more measures to deal with those who are corrupt.

As we see education, skill sets and technological transparency increase, we also have a situation where people in northern Laos and the far-flung eastern provinces of Indonesia are becoming more aware of job opportunities in other parts of ASEAN, leading to intensified migration of people across the region.

The dynamic movement of people in ASEAN will also attract increased drug and human trafficking, and other kinds of transnational crime will rise. ASEAN security and the police authorities will require a stronger framework of cooperation in managing the consequences of this movement of people.

ENHANCING CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION

What are the applicable legal regimes? We do not have them yet. ASEAN member states are still caught up with arguing about sovereignty issues.

The problem is getting acute. Extremism and terrorist activities must be checked and threats eradicated. This requires enhanced cross-border cooperation and effective legal measures. Considering the geography of the region and the fact that we are now equipped with increasingly sophisticated technology, only a concerted ASEAN agenda will prevent ASEAN from imploding in the next 50 years.

Apart from these internal challenges, there are the geopolitics and prevailing strategic and security circumstances as well. The diversity of ASEAN culture, history and society is legendary. Going forward, how the 10 member states manage external relations for ASEAN will decide its enduring qualities and effectiveness.

Will it be a regionalism revolving around a risen China or harking back to the principles underlying ASEAN's Zopfan (Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality) initiative of the 1970s? Or could it be an orientation to preserve the international order as we know it today, with ASEAN able to play a balancing role?

ASEAN is not perfect. Community-building is an ongoing learning process. There is no alternative to this inter-governmental regional grouping to enable the South-east Asian nations to engage external powers and states beyond the immediate neighbourhood.

We need to accelerate ASEAN's visionary plans to realise an open, inclusive and peaceful region to secure its future. Leaders matter in this endeavour.

Much will depend on the leaders of member states going beyond parochial and national considerations to exert the regional ego to develop a resilience for ASEAN to stay in business and for the ASEAN Community to flourish. 

The writer is executive deputy chairman of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. He served as ASEAN Secretary-General from January 2003 to January 2008. The Ambassador-at-Large with the Singapore Foreign Ministry was High Commissioner of Singapore to Malaysia from 2011 to 2014 and to India from 1996 to 1998. This is a special series of articles to mark the 50th anniversary of the regional grouping by The Straits Times and the ASEAN members of its media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 23 regional media entities. This article was contributed by The Straits Times. 

Five decades on, a transformed and dynamic region
ASEAN has evolved to be one of the world's most successful inter-governmental groupings. New challenges lie ahead, but there is much cause for optimism.
By Le Luong Minh, Published The Sunday Times, 6 Aug 2017

This year marks the golden jubilee of ASEAN's establishment as a regional organisation founded on the ideals of peace, prosperity and harmony. Five decades of evolution and development have brought ASEAN an unprecedented level of economic growth and peace dividends that have galvanised its position as one of the world's most successful inter-governmental groupings, and transformed South-east Asia into a vibrant and dynamic region.

The ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and its three corresponding Community Blueprints, adopted at the 27th ASEAN Summit in November 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, provide the overall guidance of ASEAN's work between last year and 2025.

They reaffirm ASEAN's commitment to forge ahead together and, in doing so, reinforce the importance of ensuring that benefits of integration are felt by the ordinary citizens of the region, achieving a people-oriented, people-centred ASEAN Community.

To achieve that, it is fundamental that ASEAN must first and foremost preserve the current peaceful and stable regional environment so that the 628 million ASEAN people can continue to enjoy the opportunities brought about by its Community-building process.

Over the past five decades, many mechanisms have been established - spearheaded by ASEAN - for political and security-cum-economic cooperation within the region, and between ASEAN and external partners. Such mechanisms have resulted in tangible outcomes for ASEAN, laying the foundation for economic and socio-cultural development.

COHESION VITAL AMID CHALLENGES

ASEAN must continue to uphold its centrality and maintain its cohesiveness in the face of an increasingly unpredictable geostrategic and geopolitical global environment. ASEAN will need to always be "Friends to All, Threat to None".

To date, 87 countries/organisations have established diplomatic relations and appointed their ambassadors to ASEAN. The number of non-ASEAN contracting parties to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in South-east Asia - originating from the first ASEAN Summit held in 1976 - has also grown to 25, and ASEAN continues to receive requests from various countries to establish formal partnerships. One way of enhancing interfaces with the world is to remain proactive in deepening cooperation and collaboration with external partners and parties.

Economically, ASEAN's resilience will be enhanced to buffer repercussions of unfolding global uncertainties. ASEAN's viability, inclusive growth and integration will be given high priorities to ensure that the region continues to prosper amid the rising trend of populism and protectionism.

The journey of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is a testimony to ASEAN's commitment to its regional economic integration agenda.

Through collective efforts, national and regional economic resilience has been upheld in the face of structural changes, economic crises and policy uncertainties in the region and beyond. ASEAN's commitment to open regionalism will lead it to a more prominent role in the regional and global economic architecture.

THE NEED TO STAY RELEVANT

The AEC will need to continue to be relevant to its stakeholders and deliver benefits to all. To this end, more effective stakeholder consultation and participation is required, including with the private sector.

Swift and successful conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations and continued efforts to further narrow the development gaps so as to promote more equitable growth within the region are among the top priorities.

Similar efforts will continue to be exerted in advancing the ASEAN socio-cultural agenda. Constant adaptation and evolution in the approaches and mechanisms to make them more effective, inclusive and responsive to the challenges in building a people-oriented, people-centred Community will be critical. The challenges will become increasingly cross-cutting, and the impact amplified, given the increasing interdependency across countries, all of which make it compelling for ASEAN member states to deepen and broaden cooperation.

ASEAN, with all its diversities, bound by ties of friendship and legitimate shared interests, through regional cooperation and integration, has so far delivered to its people the dream of a prosperous and peaceful community with enhanced political cohesion, economic integration and social responsibility, narrowed development gaps within and among its member states and achieved greater physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity.

Such regional cooperation integration has not only benefited South-east Asia and its people, but also contributed significantly to the efforts to secure a better future for the international community at large.

Community-building is a continuous and forward-looking process. While no one can claim to know exactly how the world will evolve in the next decades, the future of ASEAN will be always in the hands of its people who have all reasons to be optimistic. 

The writer, from Vietnam, is the ASEAN Secretary-General. He took charge in 2013 and his tenure ends this year. Prior to that, he was Vietnam's deputy foreign minister and also served as his country's permanent representative to the United Nations. This is a special series of articles to mark the 50th anniversary of the regional grouping, by The Straits Times and the ASEAN members of its media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 23 regional media entities. This article was contributed by Viet Nam News. 

At 50, ASEAN is a neighbourhood, not yet community
By Endy M. Bayuni Editor-in-Chief The Jakarta Post, Indonesia, Published The Straits Times, 29 Jul 2017

South-east Asian countries today are far more integrated than they have ever been in the modern history of the region, but Asean has some way to go before it can call itself a real community.

The 10 member countries grouped in Asean are glued together more because of their geographical proximity, and out of that perhaps comes a sense of shared destiny.

But a community, where members have shared values and principles, Asean is not.

For now, it is looking more like a neighbourhood.

It's a neighbourhood of nations, big and small, rich and poor, at different stages of economic and political development, and they are already trading with one another more and more.

But they ruled under vastly different political systems and ideologies, and often they have little in common other than the knowledge that their prosperity is closely tied because they are neighbours.

Asean marks its 50th anniversary on Aug 8, and although the group has officially become the Asean Community since the end of 2015, one could hardly find the spirit or the sense of being part of an emerging community when travelling and meeting with ordinary people across the region.

Their governments rarely talk about Asean being a community. In speeches, they still refer to it as just Asean. Some call it an Asean economic community because of the closer economic integration.

Their peoples, according to most surveys, are mostly ignorant about the community idea. Many do not even know what the Asean acronym stands for let alone the benefits the association brings. Yet, Asean officials tirelessly churn out new acronyms with every new meeting.

The Asean motto "One Vision, One Identity, One Community" has hardly taken root among the 625 million citizens. Few people will be singing the Asean anthem, aptly titled "The Asean Way". Few people actually are aware that there is such an anthem. But at least there is the aspiration, or the stated intention, to turn the region into a community. As the anthem goes: "we dare to dream, we care to share, for it's the way of Asean."

What is grossly missing is the political will of its leaders to take up the community idea more seriously and see Asean as more than just a geopolitical and economic concept.

This, however, does not take away the value of Asean in the first 50 years of its existence, to the member countries, to their peoples, and to the rest of the region of Asia and beyond.

People's ignorance about Asean extends to the most important contribution that the association has given: Five decades of uninterrupted peace which has afforded member countries time to focus attention and devote resources to nation building and economic development. People in the richer Asean countries may not appreciate that their prosperity is because of the relative stability their leaders have painfully built through the association.

Asean meetings have expanded with offshoots such as the Asean Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit that bring all the major powers in the world and the Asian region to discuss political and economic security of the region and the world.

Asean has been dubbed the most successful regional organisation in the world. So successful, in fact, that Asean has often been in the driving seat for some initiatives seen in the Asia-Pacific region. Asean enjoys the centrality of its role in the larger region.

Fifty years ago, this region of Asia was a zone filled with tensions and conflicts. Every country had some bones to pick with all its neighbours over historical overlapping territorial claims or ideological differences. In the Cold War context, South-east Asia gave the perfect theatre for the big powers to conduct their proxy wars.

The original five founding Asean members - Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand - worked out the perfect way to overcome their differences and their territorial disputes: Put them aside, sweep them under the carpet. It's a formula that has survived the test of time as the group expanded over the years, with the addition of Brunei in 1984, and later Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam in the late 1990s, to make it a complete 10.

Throw in the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of other members, and of the decision-making process by consensus. Together, these make up the elements that created the "Asean Way", a slow but almost sure, and most importantly, peaceful mechanism. It takes one member to kill any initiative or to slow down the process.

Asean has moved nevertheless. That is the way Asean has grown - with some ascribing its success to these principles. It is still going to be the way it moves forward for the foreseeable future.

With the group now turning 50, the Asean Way may become the one factor that slows and limits the process of closer integration. The Asean Way defines not only how fast but also how far it can move with the community idea.

The integration of their economies has moved so far afield with countries trading with one another more, and investing in one another more than before.

Political integration is a different story. It is moving at a slower pace, if at all.

Asean never has the pretension to replicate the European Union (EU), and the Brexit episode makes it even more unlikely for Asean countries to want to move faster towards political integration.

The EU places more emphasis on members having shared values and principles. Former East European communist states had to work hard at political reforms to strengthen their democracy, freedom and human rights guarantees before they were admitted to the club.

No such requirements in Asean. It's purely geography. If the map shows you're part of South-east Asia, welcome to the neighbourhood. No questions asked.

Unlike the EU, Asean is a collection of diverse political regimes: an absolute monarchy (Brunei), communist states (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia), military junta (Thailand), semi-democracies (Singapore and Malaysia) and struggling democracies (Philippines, Indonesia and now Myanmar).

There was an attempt to write in the principles of democracy, freedom and human rights when Asean was drafting its charter as part of the move to become a community.

The original White Paper, prepared by eminent Asean individuals, was a very progressive document, but by the time their officials got their hands on it, they shot down the requirement that member governments must subscribe to basic democratic principles.

The Asean Charter, enacted in 2008, was a milestone nevertheless for the regional grouping.

The official launching of the Asean Community on Dec 31, 2015 marked the intention of their leaders to bring their countries closer together, if not politically, then certainly economically.

Now they look to 2025 as the new target for some of the community ideals to be fulfilled.

But the march towards a community, in the real sense of the word, will likely have to wait until these countries decide to come and live together under some shared principles and values.

For now, let's be content with Asean being a neighbourhood. It's not a bad one. 

ASEAN@50: The next chapter
By Retno L. P. Marsudi Minister for Foreign Affairs, Indonesia, Published The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2017

As Asean celebrates its 50th anniversary this month, there is much to cherish. Despite its imperfections, as The Economist magazine puts it, the association is "the only game in Asia" whose networks also "provide a rare opportunity for global leaders to build trust".

Although Asean has much to rejoice over, there is even more to reflect upon. What does the future hold for Asean? What would its next chapter look like?

As a proud daughter of Asean, I passionately share its story in various international fora, from the recent Oslo Forum to the Group of 20 summit. I learnt that the international community holds Asean in high regard, and they have plenty of good reasons to do so.

The saying that "we do not know what we have until it's gone" also goes for Asean.

It is tempting to criticise Asean for its shortcomings, but let us imagine our region and our world without Asean. A region where disputes easily transform into full-fledged wars, where each country only competes and forsakes collaboration, and a world where South-east Asia is just an arena for major powers to flex their muscles.

Instead of that, thanks to Asean, we have a region that has been relatively free from any major intra-state armed conflicts since the Vietnam War; a region where the 1992 free trade agreement has enabled intra-regional trade to soar from US$80 billion in 1993 to almost US$550 billion (S$748 billion) in 2015, propelling Asean to be the world's sixth-largest economy; and a world where South-east Asia is one of the engines of peace and prosperity.

In short, Asean has succeeded in building an ecosystem of peace and prosperity in the region.

Furthermore, Asean has evolved from a somewhat-loose association to a more robust Asean community that seeks to serve its people better.

Not to mention that, today, when regionalism seems to have taken a hit elsewhere, from Brexit in Europe to the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf, Asean continues to display unity and stability.

These accomplishments by no means imply that we should be complacent. Putting in extra effort is the trait here, as reflected in the successful conclusion of the framework of a code of conduct by Asean and China.

Nonetheless, we are constantly reminded that "we are made wise not only by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future".

As benefactors who have inherited a more peaceful and prosperous South-east Asia, our generation is responsible for shaping a better future for Asean.

FUTURE DIRECTION: THE PEOPLE

Having said all this, I remain very excited about the future to which Asean is heading. I am convinced that the best is yet to come.

The best that I mention refers to the people.

The future of Asean is one that is not only peaceful and prosperous, but also a future where the people are at the heart of it all.

Asean's next chapter should be more people-oriented and people-driven, where its endeavours are dedicated to catering to people's needs in all areas.

To that end, in concrete terms, there are three issues that Asean should concentrate on, if the association wants to secure its premier place in the future.

First, Asean needs to focus on fostering an inclusive and competitive economy that works for all of its people. As gross domestic product per capita of an Asean member is 40 times smaller than of another member, inequality between and within states remains a formidable challenge.

Asean must embrace the rapid digital transformation in the globalised world while ensuring that nobody gets left behind.

Platforms to reduce inequality, such as the initiative for Asean integration, must be strengthened.

Asean should boost its connectivity in accordance with its connectivity masterplan in order to galvanise trade and investment in all corners of the region.

Moreover, Asean should work on trade agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that delivers benefits for all of its people.

Second, Asean should also tap the tremendous potential of low-skilled migrant workers.

Asean has made great headway in the movement of high-skilled professionals through the Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA).

However, the overwhelming majority of migrant workers in the region are not skilled professionals. For instance, the MRA covers only less than 1 per cent of the total workforce in Thailand and Indonesia.

More should be done to ensure the protection of low- and medium-skilled migrant workers in a way that safeguards the interests of both the countries of origin and destination.

Third, Asean has no other alternative but to continue to stay united while redoubling efforts to strengthen its institutional capacity. This has been especially pertinent in the face of proliferated challenges the association must tackle, ranging widely from traditional and non-traditional security issues to an urgency for a strengthened Asean Secretariat.

The future of Asean will be marked, by, among other things, the exigency to address its external relations especially with major powers, in the context of geopolitical rivalries, the threat of terrorism and how Asean can stay relevant amid the rapidly changing regional and global strategic landscapes.

Coping with all these would require a greater sense of unity as well as a fresher and more inclusive outlook that would keep Asean relevant.

With its revived focus on the people and their needs, in the next 50 years, Asean will grow to be not only an even greater powerhouse in the world but, more importantly, it will instil a more profound sense of belonging and ownership among all its people, not just the diplomats or corporate moguls.

Today, many of our people might be puzzled when asked what Asean is or what it means to them, but it is not far-fetched to conceive of a future whenpeople say, in addition to being Indonesian or Vietnamese or Filipino, "I am also Asean."

The writer was Indonesia's former ambassador to Norway and Iceland. This is a special series of articles to mark the 50th anniversary of the regional grouping, by The Straits Times and the Asean members of its media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 23 regional media entities. This article was contributed by The Jakarta Post for this series.

Finding the right equilibrium
By Syed Hamid Albar Former Foreign Minister, Malaysia, Published The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2017

Asean embraces its golden jubilee this year as it enters its 50th year of existence in 2017. Examined through the lens of foreign policy officials, diplomats, scholars and politicians, undoubtedly such a milestone calls for introspection. Indeed, the time is right to understand what worked and what we could have done better, and how we can move ahead as one cohesive alliance against the backdrop of ever-shifting global dynamics.

An inescapable question at the outset: Following the failures of ASA (Association of South-east Asia) and Maphilindo (Malaya-Philippines-Indonesia), have the aims and visions of the founding fathers of the five original Asean member states who signed the Bangkok Declaration on Aug 8, 1967, to chart a new future for the region been fulfilled?

The crisp answer would be yes. Becoming 10 from just five at inception, the coalition weathered the ups and downs of member state relationships anchored upon a set of core values. We call this the Asean Way, where the approach has been to strike a balance between consensual decision-making and non-interference in each other's domestic affairs in a show of mutual respect.

We can take pride that the Asean region is principally stable and peaceful. The measured pace has helped it to attain this position and it would not be wrong to say that Asean has done well, taking into account the fact that the region is a microcosm of religion, language, ethnicity and culture.

However, the inter-subjective structure of Asean has proven to be a stumbling block in resolving potential flashpoints or conflicts that could destabilise the region and Asean unity due to exposure to a hotbed of geopolitical happenings, such as overlapping land and maritime claims, China's advancing presence and the alleged 'cold war' between the United States and China.

Additionally, member countries do not appear to share a common view on what is democracy or human rights. Let's be honest. Asean is still cumbersome and sensitive on the question of non-interference and its treatment of human rights issues. Reticence to take a firm collective stand, for example, on the Rohingya issue in Myanmar has been a thorn in our sides, questioning the very values that Asean stands for.

There is undoubtedly a need for deeper examination into challenges confronting Asean as it embraces democracy and economic liberalism. Continued denial on this subject will not bode well in sustaining Asean's credibility and integrity.

The Asean Economic Community has been firmly established and an integrated people-centred Asean has been declared based on the three pillars of Asean under the Bali Concord I and II. But what do these mean? Has Asean been able to build a cohesive and united body, consistent with its charter? Has it succeeded in building trust and understanding in order to create an Asean identity?

For too long, we have made this an exclusive 'talk shop' platform for government-to-government dealings but the time has come for us to recognise that as a political platform, Asean must take sustainable and constructive steps to make a firmer collective stand on issues affecting the region. Its institutional and government- centred character of the past must be shed to make way for inclusive- ness and relevance to civil society.

These are important to resolve as we have seen how different member states have varying interpretations of the relationship between the individual, state and civil society, and, sometimes, the core values of freedom.

Due to rigidly sticking to the issue of sovereignty and non-interference as a regional organisation, Asean has been in critical instances slow to give its collective or common response to natural disasters, such as the Boxing Day tsunami, Cyclone Nargis and the transboundary haze. If these were a test of our effectiveness, we failed, and it is sometimes quite a wonder how member countries are able to rise above conflicting areas to register healthy political and economic growth.

In the Malaysian case, it has used the slogan of unity and diversity as a source of its strength. Otherwise, the differences and diversities of Asean can be a threat to peace, stability and security.

There are also frustrations over the rigid application and inflexible processes of Asean's decision-making and yet, we have witnessed how hope and optimism steered the evolution of this organisation.

Beginning its initial journey based on a loose framework of rules, over the years, Asean has graduated into a full-fledged legal and rule-based regional organisation guided by its charter. The challenge moving forward will be to introduce mechanisms and enforcement tools compelling member states to play by the rules.

It is encouraging that Asean leaders, previously criticised for leaning towards "golf diplomacy", are more willing to come to the table to confront intractable issues. However, discussions alone will not be enough. In grappling with complexities the future will bring, we must form meaningful responses to the needs of a changing world. Our actions must not just resonate with governments but also with civil society from all walks of life. As leaders, we must have the courage to act with gravitas and gumption in the interest of greater good for the continued growth of our region.

The value proposition for standing together as one coalition is strong. With a total population of 628 million and a combined GDP of US$3 trillion (S$4.2 trillion), the Asean region today is a formidable global power bloc from economic, political and security perspectives. We stand on the cusp of an era that will see Asean leadership make its way into the global order.

Thus, in mulling over the existential narrative for Asean over the next 10 years, we must build greater resilience in our region and tackle existing challenges with all the seriousness we can muster. Asean cannot afford to be lulled into a false sense of security (because of ) past glories. Instead, we must take a brave, no-nonsense approach to finding that point of equilibrium that will further elevate our standing amid new realities in the international system.

The writer, an Umno politician, was also Malaysia's former Home Minister. This is a special series of articles to mark the 50th anniversary of the regional grouping by The Straits Times and the Asean members of its media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 23 regional media entities. This article was contributed by The Star.

Financial planning: New graduate? Never too early to think of retirement

August 7, 2017, 2:06 am

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Experts say millennials have time on their side, and an early start in financial planning will benefit them
By Lorna Tan, Invest Editor/Senior Correspondent, The Sunday Times, 6 Aug 2017

Last month, more than 15,000 university students graduated here. Now that they are entering the workforce, these millennials should set up a financial plan, whip their money management habits into shape and adopt financial discipline.

Experts say it is never too early to start. In fact, surveys have shown that the main reason most people cannot retire comfortably is that they started saving only around their 40s.

Ms Shirley Tan, head of marketing and customer experience at Etiqa Insurance, said the big advantage millennials have is time.

"Millennials are in the best possible position to get started, with about 40 years to save for retirement, and whatever they contribute will grow and accrue interest greatly over time," she noted.

Manulife Singapore said that its latest Manulife Investor Sentiment Index - carried out in March this year - shows a gap between millennials' expectations of their retired life and the steps they are taking to achieve those financial goals. For instance, eight out of 10 millennial investors expect their lifestyles to remain the same, but only five out of 10 say they are on track to achieve that.

Retirement might seem far away, when in reality you are in the best position to plan for your future during the prime of your life, said Manulife.

Recognising that graduates should embark on their investment journey as early as possible, DBS Bank recently launched NAV Hub in Tanjong Pagar, which is targeted at young adults. They can enjoy free personalised financial planning sessions conducted independent of sales, and with no products sold.

The Sunday Times highlights what millennials should be thinking about when it comes to savings, insurance and investments.


SAVINGS

1. SAVE AT LEAST 10 PER CENT OF INCOME

Mr Brandon Lam, Singapore head of financial planning group, DBS Bank, advises millennials to set aside savings of at least 10 per cent of their income on a recurring basis.

They should also set aside at least three to six months of their monthly expenses as liquid cash savings for contingencies.

2. CULTIVATE THE SAVING HABIT

Ms Shirley Tan, head of marketing and customer experience at Etiqa Insurance, said it is important to start cultivating the habit of saving as soon as you get your first pay cheque, whether it is saving for retirement or for big milestones to come.

"The value of compounding means you will have to set aside less later, whereas the amount you have to contribute per month goes up as you put it off for later. The key is to start small, but save regularly," she said.

3. PAY OFF STUDY LOANS

Graduates who have taken study loans should have a plan to pay off the outstanding amount by allocating a part of their income towards this, said Mr Lam.

Interest that is charged on the borrowed amount will be compounded over time, so it is financially prudent to redeem the loan as early as possible.


INSURANCE

1. ADDRESS YOUR NEEDS

Ms Pauline Lim, executive director of the Life Insurance Association, Singapore, said millennials should understand how insurance plans can address short- and long-term goals.

They must also consider the sustainability of meeting premium payments throughout the plan's tenure and the penalties should they opt for early redemption.

2. COMPARE FIRST

Compare and find insurance products most suited to your financial objectives.

One website that aggregates life insurance plans is compareFirst, an industry-led initiative.

A purely informational online portal, it does not promote or distribute life insurance products. You will have to buy the product directly from the life insurer or a financial adviser.

Another aggregator to check out is DIYInsurance.

3. TERM INSURANCE

If you have dependants, getting a term insurance plan which provides a payout upon death is something to consider.

4. HEALTH INSURANCE

Equally important is hospitalisation insurance cover such as an Integrated Shield Plan and a critical illness plan to manage any sudden influx of unforeseen expenses, said Ms Lim.

Mr Daniel Lum, director of products and marketing at Aviva Singapore, noted that 37 people in Singapore are diagnosed with cancer every day.

He said: "Critical illness could happen to anyone, and easily racks up hefty medical expenses for those affected. It is best to make sure you have a strong financial safety net to serve both your and your family's regular needs should the worst really occur."

Mr Ryan Sim, deputy vice-president of savings, investment and fund solutions at Prudential Singapore, said that critical illness plans are structured to pay out a lump sum should one be diagnosed with a serious illness such as cancer, and help provide much-needed financial security in times of a health crisis.


INVESTMENTS

1. COMPOUNDING EFFECT

Once savings and insurance needs are met, any excess funds that may not be required in the short term should ideally be invested for a higher rate of return, said Mr Lam.

This is because starting investing early would enable compounding to work to your advantage.

"If returns and dividends from investments are re-invested regularly, over time, the total investment portfolio value will grow substantially," he said.

Investing would also help to mitigate the effects of inflation. As purchasing power is eroded over time due to inflation, one should always aim to invest at a rate of return above the inflation rate.

2. INVESTMENT OPTIONS

Options include equities, exchange traded funds (ETFs) and unit trusts. Investors who prefer to delegate the task to experts can consider investing in unit trusts or ETFs, and track market indexes.

Single equities may be more suitable for investors who are interested in assuming more control over their investment choices, added Mr Lam.

3. FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN INVESTING

Ms Ho Lee Yen, chief marketing officer at AIA Singapore, said that while investing helps you to set aside money for tomorrow, it is important to ensure that current needs are not compromised.

"It is essential to plan how much you can afford to comfortably allocate for investing," she said.

For example, it would not be financially prudent to invest all of your savings over the next 10 years if you plan to buy a home in the near future, she said.

Mr Lam said that your risk profile is another factor to consider before you start investing - how much volatility you can withstand and how much you can afford to risk or lose.

Another common but equally important question is whether you prefer investing a lump sum or investing smaller sums periodically.

Finally, ask yourself: What is your investment horizon and how long do you plan to stay invested?

Common insurance policies
The Sunday Times, 6 Aug 2017

Here's a summary of the common categories of life insurance:

• Term insurance covers you for a specified sum assured for a fixed term, for death, total and permanent disability, critical illness or other types of coverage. There is usually no cash value at expiry date.

• Whole life insurance covers a specified sum assured until you die or when another specified coverage condition is met (such as critical illness) or when it matures. The main plan usually has cash value.

• Endowment insurance - more for savings - covers a specified sum assured for a fixed term, with a lump sum payout upon maturity.

• Investment-linked insurance invests in sub-funds with insurance protection options. Cash values are based on investment values less charges.

• Critical illness insurance covers you for a specified sum assured for a specified term, against a list of critical illnesses. A variant of this is early critical illness insurance.

• Long-term care insurance covers you for a specified payout for a specified term, against being able to perform a specific number of activities of daily living such as dressing yourself.

• Medical expense insurance covers the likes of certain types of inpatient services, such as surgery, and out-patient treatments like chemotherapy. An age limit may apply or may offer lifetime cover.

• Disability income insurance covers you up to a specified sum assured to an age limit, when you are not able to work or are disabled.

• Annuity insurance provides a lump sum and/or regular payouts for a fixed term or for your lifetime. It helps supplement your income sources and cushions against outliving your resources.

SOURCE: AXA INSURANCE

A letter to my daughter who just graduated
What kind of financial destiny awaits fresh graduates? As a mum of two young adults, I hope they will be financially savvy and lead meaningful lives. Here's a letter that I wrote to my daughter who has just graduated.
By Lorna Tan, Invest Editor/Senior Correspondent, The Sunday Times, 6 Aug 2017

Dear Jacelyn, As I watched you receive your Fashion Contour degree from London College of Fashion at the Royal Festival Hall, London, last month, I rejoiced at your latest milestone.

You have successfully taken on the challenges of a creative education, and sharpened your skills through school projects, design competitions and interning in London as well as New York.

As you embark on your career, I want to talk to you about the financial steps you can take. These money management tips can be put to good use as you take charge of your own financial destiny.

1. STARTING OUT DEBT-FREE

Thanks to a mom-and-pop scholarship, needless to say (but I still want to), you are starting out with zero financial debt.

To illustrate how much debt you have avoided, I decided to work out the cost of your overseas education during your awards ceremony. A back-of-the-envelope calculation showed that the family coffers were lighter by about $240,000. The bulk of the cost was your tuition fees with the balance being accommodation and your monthly allowance.

Tuition fees for the four years amounted to about $92,000.

This is a far cry from the $2,000 that my three years at the National University of Singapore cost. Back in the mid-1980s, the tuition fee was a mere $1,000 per academic year. As a needy undergraduate student, my first year was funded by the Wee Kheng Chiang Memorial Bursary.

Being debt-free allows you to take better control of your financial destiny from day one. The clean financial slate - compared with others who have taken loans to fund their tertiary studies - means that you are not encumbered when you set up a budget and work out a financial plan.

2. PAY YOURSELF FIRST

I would not have been able to support your overseas education if I had not subscribed to the principle of paying myself first. Remember the trips we took together to the bank to set up a Giro account whenever I changed jobs?

This is an important habit related to budgeting, which is to adopt a disciplined approach to saving by paying into your own personal bank account first. Better still if this process is automated. For instance, I have a Giro arrangement where a portion of my income is channelled to another savings account which I do not touch. In addition, I increase this portion when my income goes up, such as when I have pay increments and I save almost all of my annual bonuses. I aim to save half or more of my pay. Create a spreadsheet and set up five- and 10-year savings plans.

With ample savings set aside for a rainy day and your future, this is a source of funds when suitable investment opportunities come by.



3. SETTING A REALISTIC BUDGET

It is prudent when you are in a new working environment to track your expenses. Once you have a handle on things, you may not need to track every cent but should continue to have a general idea of your monthly expenses by keeping receipts and checking them against your debit/credit card bills and banking statements.

This habit keeps my budget regularly updated, and I know where the money goes and how much is left over. It also helps to guard against fraudulent online transactions. Rather than viewing your income as one lump sum, proactively allocate it for the different uses in your life.

Generally, I review my budget every six months. It is also prudent to do so when your circumstances change, such as when you receive a pay rise or a windfall.

4. WATCH YOUR SPENDING

I applaud your efforts to curb impulse buying, whether online or at physical stores, and picking up cooking so that you can eat at home, which is easier on the purse. Do keep it up!

To accumulate your wealth, you can do a few things and they include controlling your spending, getting higher income and reaping investment gains.

Learn to enjoy simple pleasures and avoid splurging on wants. The best things in life are free such as a beautiful sunset, a moving piece of art, well-written books that you can borrow from the library and time spent with family and friends.

When you have to spend in a big way, ensure that it would be for investments that contribute to your financial goals, or for family meals and holidays to grow the precious memory bank.

5. A HUSBAND IS NOT A FINANCIAL PLAN

Years ago, your grandma advised me not to be financially reliant on any man. Today, I offer you the same advice.

Be responsible for your own money management and equip yourself with financial knowledge. It is better to bite the bullet now, get over any fear of financial jargon and pick up know-how like budgeting, credit management, getting a basic financial plan, sorting out your insurance needs and planning for your golden years.

Remember that women generally live longer and usually the family savings are already spent on the children's education and husband's medical bills, with nothing much left after his death.

6. INVESTMENT ADVICE

When it comes to investment advice, trust no one. And avoid investing blindly.

Financial products can be very complex. It is worth your while to spend time understanding the product/scheme before any investment. Do not invest in anything that you do not understand.

7. ADOPT A LONG-TERM VIEW

While we have short-term obligations to fulfil, approach financial planning with a long-term perspective. It is never too early to plan for your long-term goals.

You are 24 now but the years will go by in a twinkle of an eye. Keep your retirement goals in sight at all times and look out for tools to achieve passive income flows during your golden years. These include blue-chip stocks, retail bonds, preference shares, investment properties, Singapore Savings Bonds, the Supplementary Retirement Scheme - this tool makes sense only if you are working here - and annuities.

Understand the Central Provident Fund (CPF) schemes. The CPF is an essential component of financial planning so it pays to get on top of the details in order to reap maximum benefits. When comparing long-term products, do include the CPF schemes as well.

As you are working overseas, your CPF balances will be close to nothing. Consider depositing spare cash into your Special Account - which has a 4 per cent interest rate - to build up your nest egg faster. Assuming you have nothing in your Ordinary Account, the first $60,000 in your Special Account earns an extra 1 per cent interest, so you earn 5 per cent to be compounded annually. This assumes that the rates remain unchanged.

Money is a means to an end. It may not bring happiness but it does provide more options. Embrace the adventures ahead and I wish you a purposeful and healthy life.

Your loving mum, Lorna

Halimah Yacob to run for President

August 7, 2017, 10:05 pm

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Halimah Yacob steps down as Speaker of Parliament and MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, resigns from PAP to run for President
PM Lee Hsien Loong thanks her for contributions, says she will bring warmth, dignity if elected as president
By Tham Yuen-C, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2017

A day after announcing her presidential bid, Madam Halimah Yacob resigned from her political and party posts yesterday, paving the way for her nomination in next month's election.

Her resignation as MP of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and member of the People's Action Party (PAP) was accepted by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who said she would bring warmth and dignity to the highest office in the land if elected.

Her move also prompted by-election calls from the Singapore Democratic Party and Reform Party.

While the GRC may not get a new MP - there is no legal requirement for a by-election when an MP leaves a GRC, even a minority MP - it will get a new grassroots adviser.

PM Lee, who is PAP's chief, said he will appoint an adviser to the ward and appoint replacements soon to the posts vacated by Madam Halimah.

The 62-year-old had also stepped down as Speaker of Parliament. The Prime Minister's Office said Deputy Speaker Charles Chong will be Acting Speaker until PM Lee nominates a person for the post when Parliament next meets.



Her resignation is necessary for contesting in next month's presidential election, which is reserved for Malay candidates to ensure the presidency reflects Singapore's multiracial society.

In a letter to PM Lee, Madam Halimah said she decided to run after careful consideration, adding she was grateful for the encouragement of friends, colleagues, family members and ordinary citizens.

Having been in the labour movement for about 40 years and in politics for 16 years, she said she would miss her residents, her constituency work in Marsiling and her role as Speaker.

But, she added: "In running for the office of the elected president, my passion and desire to serve the people continues. It is a heavy responsibility, but I hope that with the support of Singaporeans, we can do more good together."

Responding, PM Lee wrote to her saying he had no doubt she would play the role of president well. "I am confident that if elected, you... will bring dignity and personal warmth, experience of government and concern for the people to the highest office in the land."

He thanked her for her contributions as labour leader, MP, minister of state and Speaker, and praised her for being sincere, hard-working and even-handed. He held her up as an MP who spoke from her conscience, and an office-holder with an independent view. She was not afraid to argue her case, often causing the Government to rethink its position, he said.



When Madam Halimah told him of her intention to run, he had asked her to consider it seriously. "Having worked with you for many years, I knew your passion to serve and your commitment to Singapore. Now that you have decided, I wish you all the best," he said.

Yesterday, the two men who plan to contest the election said they welcomed her candidacy and looked forward to a good contest. They are Bourbon Offshore Asia Pacific chairman Farid Khan, 62, and Second Chance Properties chief executive Mohamed Salleh Marican, 67.

PM Lee is expected to issue the Writ of Election late this month.

PM Lee thanks Halimah Yacob for her many contributions
He says former Speaker will make a good president if elected, noting how she has fought for those in need
By Tham Yuen-C, Assistant Political Editor and Royston Sim, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2017

As a unionist and politician, Madam Halimah Yacob had been a champion of workers, ordinary Singaporeans and the underprivileged, always pushing for a more equitable society, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday.

He had no doubt she would make a good president if elected, he wrote in reply to her resignation letters for her various posts.

Mr Lee, secretary-general of the People's Action Party (PAP), recounted Madam Halimah's contributions as unionist, MP, minister of state and Speaker of Parliament in his three-page letter.

He recalled meeting her for the first time 20 years ago, when she was head of the National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC) legal department, and said she was always humble, sincere and fair in her roles.

"The president's role requires her to be non-partisan and above politics, working with the Government but making independent judgments when she exercises her custodial powers, such as when deciding on reserves and key appointments. I have no doubt that you will be able to play this different constitutional role well," he wrote.



Yesterday morning, Madam Halimah tendered her resignation as an MP of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC and a member of the PAP, in which she was a member of the central executive committee and chair of the PAP Seniors' Group. She also resigned as Speaker of Parliament in a letter to Clerk of Parliament Ng Sheau Jiuan.

In her resignation letters, she spoke of her long public service career and causes close to her heart.

Her time in NTUC, which she joined in 1978, shaped her desire to fight for workers and the disadvantaged, and to contribute to society.

Recounting the insights gained, she said the job became "a calling", teaching her the importance of building trust, which is also important in politics. "We need to secure the confidence of the people we serve. If they trust us, they will understand that we are not there for personal reasons," she added.

Madam Halimah also said the opportunities she had were made possible because Singapore is a multiracial, meritocratic nation where everyone regardless of race, language or religion can chase their dreams.

"It is with all these in mind that I have made the decision to offer myself as a candidate for the elected presidency," she told Mr Lee.

Mr Lee, in his letter, recounted the many firsts she achieved: The first Singaporean elected to the United Nations' International Labour Organisation in 1999, the first woman Malay MP since independence after being elected in 2001 in Jurong GRC and the first woman to be made Speaker of Parliament in 2013.

As an MP, she "won over residents of all races and ages with your sincerity, warmth and effectiveness", he said. And in Parliament, she was "an active backbencher" who championed cost of living issues, affordable healthcare and fair employment.

As minister of state in the then Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports in 2011, she maintained an independent view and argued her case in Cabinet, "often causing us to rethink our positions", Mr Lee said.

In the PAP, she was on a committee that interviews potential PAP candidates as she "had a good sense of people" and was "shrewd in judging characters and motives".

Though she was a "leader and role model" in the Malay-Muslim community, her support for social causes cut across racial lines.

He added: "I am writing to put on record my thanks for your many contributions."

Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob to step down from post to contest presidential election
By Tham Yuen-C, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2017

Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob will step down from her post to contest next month's presidential election, becoming the first woman to run for the highest office.

Announcing her decision to Marsiling residents and grassroots leaders at a National Day dinner last night, she noted that she had been in public service for 40 years.

"Taking part in the presidential election would allow me to continue with my service to the people of Singapore," she added to cheers and applause from residents.

The upcoming election is reserved for Malay candidates, following changes to the law last year to ensure the presidency reflects Singapore's multiracial society.



Madam Halimah, 62, will step down as Speaker, a post she has held since 2013, and as an MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC today. She will also resign from the People's Action Party, where she is a member of the central executive committee.

This leaves the four-seat GRC short of an MP and without a minority MP. There is no requirement under the law to call a by-election if an MP resigns. Madam Halimah said she will ask Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to "ensure that there are proper replacements" for her various posts when she hands him her resignation letter today. She said she will ask him to assign another grassroots adviser to her constituency.

"My main concern has always been service to the residents of Marsiling, and I want to make really sure that that is not disrupted in any way," she said. "That is the reason why I have taken a bit of time to make a decision on this matter."



The GRC's three other MPs - National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, Mr Alex Yam and Mr Ong Teng Koon - who were also at the dinner, pledged to "build on the good work" that she has done.

"It was a tough decision to make," Madam Halimah, with her husband Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee alongside her, told reporters.

"Though I will miss my residents, my constituency work and my role as Speaker... my passion to serve all Singaporeans remains unabated. It is a heavy responsibility, but I hope that with the support of Singaporeans, we can do more good together," she said.

Halimah Yacob hopes to continue living in Yishun HDB flat if elected
By Tham Yuen-C, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2017

Madam Halimah Yacob, 62, hopes to continue living in her five-room Housing Board flat even if she is elected president.

The Speaker of Parliament, who last night announced that she will run in the upcoming presidential election, said she is very comfortable in her flat in Yishun, where she has lived for more than 30 years.



She said: "I don't see why I can't continue, unless of course there are other considerations like security, for instance. Because I know it can be quite a nightmare to ensure security in public housing."

Madam Halimah's husband, businessman Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee, 62, accompanied her to the National Day dinner in her constituency yesterday.

He told reporters: "She is very capable, she works very hard and she is very experienced representing Singapore in various unions, so I think she is the right person."

As for the advice he gave her, he replied: "The advice is, of course, carry on, go ahead."

He added that they would have to discuss issues like family and housing matters.



Madam Halimah's decision to contest the elected presidency follows a busy few weeks where she has met unionists, community leaders and residents, typically attending at least one event a day.

When asked what groups she will turn to for support, the Marsiling- Yew Tee GRC MP said she has had the chance to talk to many groups.

She identified the unions as the most important group, saying: "Because I spent 33 years of my life in the labour movement. They are my backbone, and I have gone to almost all the unions to ask for support personally, and they have said that they will support me."

She said she has also spoken to other groups, including Malay/Muslim organisations, women's groups and several clan associations.

But the most important thing, she added, is that she hopes to represent all Singaporeans and not just any segments or any groups.

"It is important that I represent all Singaporeans, and so I do hope that all Singaporeans will support me," she said.

Halimah Yacob: From pushcart helper to possible president
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2017

Madam Halimah Yacob is Singapore's first woman Speaker of Parliament, and may well be its first woman president.

The potential rise to the highest office in the land would be a far cry from the humble beginnings of the 62-year-old.

Her father, a watchman, had died of a heart attack when she was eight, leaving her mother to raise her and her four older siblings.

Her mother initially sold nasi padang from a pushcart until she got a hawker stall licence.

Madam Halimah would then wake before sunrise to help her before going to school.

She attended Singapore Chinese Girls' School and Tanjong Katong Girls' School, and was the only one in her family to go on to university.

She graduated from the University of Singapore with a law degree in 1978, and started work as a legal officer at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), where she would stay for 33 years.

Two years after graduation, Madam Halimah married her university sweetheart, Mr Mohammed Abdullah Alhabshee, 62, a businessman. They have five children.



At NTUC, Madam Halimah rose to head its legal services unit and its women's development secretariat.

She also became the first Singaporean on the governing body of the International Labour Organisation, where she sat from 1999 to 2011.

In 2001, she earned her Master's in Law from the National University of Singapore. She entered politics in the same year and was elected an MP in Jurong GRC, where she was re-elected two more times - in 2006 and 2011.

Madam Halimah focused on her union work, and was NTUC's assistant secretary-general from 1999 to 2007, before becoming deputy secretary-general from 2007 until 2011.

In 2011, she stepped down from the post when she became an office-holder. She was appointed Minister of State in the then Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports from 2011 to 2012, after which she moved to the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

She stayed there till 2013, when she was appointed Speaker of Parliament at the age of 58, becoming the first woman to hold the post.

In interviews, Madam Halimah constantly credited her successes to the support she received from her husband, mother and family.

She called her mother her heroine, and the day her mother died was the saddest moment of her life. It happened on the morning of Polling Day during the 2015 General Election, when she was contesting Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

Despite her illustrious career, she is known for being down to earth and close to the ground.

She has also built a reputation for being an unstinting champion of workers, women and the poor.

In an interview with The Straits Times shortly after she was made Speaker, she said she had no plans to move out of her five-room Housing Board flat in Yishun, which held many precious memories. This was despite expectations that she would upgrade to private property.

She also said that living in the heartland gave her a keen sense of what bothered people and the daily frustrations they faced if their estate was not well taken care of.

'Either deputy could take over as Speaker'
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2017

One of the two Deputy Speakers of Parliament could take over the post of Speaker vacated yesterday by Madam Halimah Yacob, political observers and MPs said.

Several said a likely option is Deputy Speaker Charles Chong, who was named Acting Speaker by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a statement yesterday.

Mr Chong, who entered politics in 1988 and is the Punggol East MP, has been Deputy Speaker since 2011. The other deputy is Mountbatten MP Lim Biow Chuan, who has held the post since January last year. Before Mr Lim, Mr Seah Kian Peng of Marine Parade GRC was the deputy from October 2011 to January last year.

When contacted by The Straits Times, Mr Chong, Mr Lim and Mr Seah declined to say who they thought might be the next Speaker.

PM Lee will nominate a new Speaker when Parliament next meets, a Prime Minister's Office statement said.

Observers noted that Mr Chong and Mr Seah have around five years in the role under their belt, are familiar with parliamentary rules and can hit the ground running.

Speakers preside over sittings and enforce rules for the orderly conduct of parliamentary business.

"Parliament may opt for someone with a pair of steady and experienced hands to steward the legislature," said former nominated MP Eugene Tan. The reason, added the Singapore Management University law don, is that Parliament has a busy legislative agenda before it. "The rest of this Parliament's term and the initial part of the next Parliament will bring us into the most critical phase of the leadership transition."

PM Lee has said he wants to step down some time after the next general election, to be held by April 2021.

Retired People's Action Party MP Inderjit Singh also cited continuity and experience as reasons why one of the deputies may be picked.

Another possibility is to appoint a veteran minister, who would retire from the Cabinet to be the Speaker.

Mr Singh cited Mr Abdullah Tarmugi stepping down as community development, youth and sports minister to be Speaker in 2002.

A senior former minister would also have the gravitas and seniority that a Speaker should have. Should both the president and chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers be away, the Speaker assumes the duties of the president. Such ministers could include Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say and Trade and Industry (Trade) Minister Lim Hng Kiang, both 63, said Mr Singh.

Junior ministers are also possible candidates. Madam Halimah was minister of state when she was nominated as Speaker in 2013.

Mr Chong said the current situation of a deputy stepping in was not without precedent. When former Speaker Michael Palmer resigned in 2012, Mr Chong was a deputy and became Acting Speaker until Madam Halimah's election. "I expect the same would happen at the next sitting in September," he said.

Marsiling to get new grassroots adviser
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2017

A grassroots adviser will be appointed to Marsiling soon to take care of its residents, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

He made the announcement yesterday in a letter to Madam Halimah Yacob, who resigned as MP and Speaker of Parliament to stand in the presidential election.

Observers said the incoming adviser is likely to be Malay, noting the three remaining MPs for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC are Chinese.

To stand for election in a GRC, teams must field at least one candidate from a minority community.

ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute research fellow Norshahril Saat said: "It is for the party to decide. But symbolically, it is likely to be a Malay adviser.''

One possible candidate is Mr Shamsul Kamar, 45, the People's Action Party's branch chairman in the Kaki Bukit ward of Aljunied GRC, which the Workers' Party holds.

But Mr Shamsul told The Straits Times: "I am not aware of any news of me going to Marsiling."

He added: "My focus is on my constituency. Since the last election, we have a lot of things on our minds, including elderly issues, jobs and infrastructure development."

Another possibility is Mr Hawazi Daipi, who stepped down as MP for the Marsiling ward in 2015.

Mr Hawazi, a retired senior parliamentary secretary, was appointed Singapore's non-resident representative to the Palestinian Territories last November.

There is no legal requirement to call a by-election to fill the spot Madam Halimah vacated.

When Mr Lee Kuan Yew died in March 2015 and Senior Minister of State Balaji Sadasivan died in September 2010, no by-election was held in their GRCs.

When Dr Ong Chit Chung died in 2008, Madam Halimah and her fellow MPs looked after his Bukit Batok ward in Jurong GRC until the 2011 General Election. No by-election was held.

None of the three deaths left the GRC without a minority MP.

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) said it will "actively explore legal remedies" to compel the Government to call a by-election in the GRC. The Reform Party agrees with it.

The SDP had contested in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC in the 2015 General Election.Its argument essentially is that Madam Halimah's resignation lessened the degree of representation of Marsiling-Yew Tee's Malay community in Parliament.

This argument was addressed in Parliament by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing in February.

He said the purpose of the GRC scheme was to ensure enough minority MPs, and to discourage candidates from campaigning on issues of race or religion.

These key goals would not be affected if one member of the GRC left. Hence, no by-election needs to be called if a minority candidate leaves the GRC, said Mr Chan.

Halimah Yacob a front runner in presidential race: Observers
Speaker has long history of public service and is a well-known figure in the community
By Charissa Yong and Tham Yuen-C, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2017

Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob, who last night declared she would run in the presidential election, is a front runner who stands out from the other hopefuls who have thrown their hats into the ring, said political observers.

"Madam Halimah is undeniably the pacesetter among the three potential candidates, given her long track record of public service, and her being a recognisable figure not just among the Malays but also among the other ethnic groups," said ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute research fellow Mustafa Izzuddin.

With her long history of public service, she is likely to be backed by a range of groups including unions, social service organisations and women's groups.

Observers also noted that she automatically qualifies on two counts.

First, she was certified a member of the Malay community when running in the 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2015 general elections. Second, she has been Speaker since 2013, longer than the required three years spelled out in the Constitution.

Neither of the other two potential candidates - property firm chief Mohamed Salleh Marican, 67, nor marine sector company chairman Farid Khan, 62, meet the minimum of $500 million in shareholder equity set for private-sector candidates.

But the Presidential Elections Committee has the discretion to allow a candidate who does not automatically meet the criteria to stand.

Said Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) deputy director Gillian Koh: "She will be an outstanding candidate given her many years of public service, her visibility as a political leader and her standing with the union movement as well as support on the ground."

Watchers are largely doubtful that Madam Halimah's close association with the People's Action Party (PAP) would hurt her chances of victory.

Dr Koh noted that President Tony Tan Keng Yam and the late president Ong Teng Cheong both resigned from the PAP to run, and won.

An IPS Presidential Election Survey of 2,025 Singaporeans in 2011 found voters ranked honesty, fairness and the ability to represent as the most important qualities they wanted in a presidential candidate.

Independence from political parties and resonance with candidates' views on national issues were least important to respondents.



Madam Halimah is also well liked in the Malay-Muslim community, observers noted. Said Dr Mustafa: "Her announcement will be warmly welcomed by the Malay community because of her close attachment and invaluable contribution to the community as a public figure."

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong praised Madam Halimah for the care she has taken with her residents, and her dedication in improving Marsiling.

"In her two years in Marsiling, she has truly made a significant impact on the ground, and made a difference in the lives of many residents," he told reporters last night.

Grassroots leaders and residents in Marsiling expressed support for Madam Halimah's candidacy but said they would be sad to see her go.

Marsiling resident Prethu Ann Joshua, 39, a pre-school teacher, said the MP has always treated residents sincerely, and often asked after the welfare of those who were ill or in need of financial help.

Grassroots leader Clarence Goh, 64, said residents of all ages and races took to her quickly in her two years there as she was always humble and had no airs. "She made us understand what grassroots work is all about," he said.

On whether her resignation would trigger a by-election in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, Mr Wong said the issue was discussed in Parliament in February. Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing had said a by-election will not be called if a minority candidate leaves his GRC.

Said Mr Wong: "Parliament has already given a response. I think our focus and our priority is to make sure the residents are well served. That is what we will do."

Polling Day could fall on Sept 23
By Toh Yong Chuan, Manpower Correspondent, The Straits Times, 8 Aug 2017

Sept 23, a Saturday, is emerging as a possible day for Singaporeans to go to the polls to elect a new president, observers say.

There are three key days in the presidential electoral race: The issue of the Writ of Election, Nomination Day and Polling Day.

In February, when Parliament passed changes to the Presidential Election Act, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing said the election would be pushed back to September so the campaigning period would not coincide with National Day celebrations in August.

There is a minimum 10-day period between Nomination Day and Polling Day, if there is a contest.

This means that Polling Day can be held on Sept 9, 16, 23 or 30 if campaigning is to be held next month.

Polling Day is typically held on a Saturday to minimise disruptions to schools that are used as polling stations and counting centres.

The Singapore Grand Prix will be held between Sept 15 and 17. Police resources have already been committed to the international event, making Polling Day on Sept 16 unlikely.

"Sept 30 will take us too close to the year end and major national exams," said Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan.

The written papers of the Primary School Leaving Examination start on Thursday, Sept 28, this year.

The reserved election and higher eligibility criteria for private- sector candidates mean a "greater amount of documentation and certification", said Institute of Policy Studies deputy director Gillian Koh.

But speculation on the dates "may be moot" as the Presidential Election Committee may qualify only one candidate, said SMU's Professor Tan. "I think things are looking that way as Madam Halimah (Yacob) is the only one so far who qualifies outright."

















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Our Tampines Hub: PM Lee opens Singapore's first integrated community and lifestyle hub

August 8, 2017, 12:09 am

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One-stop lifestyle centre launched in Tampines
Residents get 5,000-seat stadium, theatre, relocated library, sports facilities and more
By Charissa Yong, The Straits Times, 7 Aug 2017

Life just got a whole lot easier for Tampines residents with the completion and grand opening of Our Tampines Hub yesterday.

Previously, community activities were held at temporary spaces such as the plot of land next to Tampines MRT station, or the open space behind the train station.



Now, residents have a 5,000-seat stadium with a high-quality synthetic football pitch at the hub, called the Town Square.

"You can go shopping - there are all kinds of services and retail outlets. And you can just drop by Our Tampines Hub on your way home and get everything you need here," said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who was the guest of honour at the launch.

The hub is Singapore's first integrated lifestyle hub and was born out of the ideas of thousands of residents, noted Mr Lee.

"From the idea to the realisation, residents have been involved in the process and consulted because we wanted to build a hub by the residents for the residents," he said.

This was a case of the Government trying out new things and improving as it went along, Mr Lee said, adding: "We will continue to learn, and to improve."



The first of the integrated community hub's facilities opened last November, and more were gradually opened over the past eight months.

Its latest facilities to open include the Town Square and the Festive Arts Theatre, which can seat 400 people for movie screenings and live performances.

The five-storey Tampines Regional Library reopened its doors last week after moving to the hub.

Residents can use the hub's six rooftop swimming pools, the largest children's playground in Tampines, and a sports and recreation park with four tennis courts, two futsal courts and one hockey court.

They can also use the services of 12 government agencies at the 24-hour Public Service Centre.

The number of cases the centre typically handles has almost doubled, from 5,744 transactions a month when it opened last November to 9,691 in June.

About 100,000 people visited the hub yesterday, where there were several grand opening day activities like community performances.

Mr Lee said it was good to see so many Tampines residents of different races and backgrounds celebrating together.

On Singapore's multiracial, harmonious society, Mr Lee said: "It is very precious and we must protect it, uphold it, strengthen it.

"So that we understand one another, give and take and compromise with one another, and remember always that we are one people, one nation, one Singapore," he said.

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat, a Tampines GRC MP, told reporters that 15,000 residents had given their suggestions for the hub, which has 2,000 volunteers running various programmes.

"We will continue to engage residents closely so we can continue to plan meaningful activities for everyone," said Mr Heng, adding: "We hope this is a place where our residents can build lasting memories."

Tampines resident Louis Lim, 27, had just tried the rooftop pool for the first time, when The Straits Times visited last Thursday.

"The other swimming complex in Tampines is smaller and more crowded. This one even has a jacuzzi pool," said Mr Lim, who is a process manager at a bank.

" I want to try the rock wall next. Everything can be found here."














































 

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Singapore celebrates 52nd National Day

August 10, 2017, 2:17 am

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National Day Parade 2017: One heart, one nation, one Singapore
Drone display dazzles crowd at Marina Bay as Singapore turns 52
By Audrey Tan, The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2017

With the Marina Bay skyline serving as a backdrop, Singaporeans celebrated the nation's 52nd birthday and cheered the return of crowd favourites such as the Red Lions skydivers.

The Marina Bay floating platform proved to be a hit for the tens of thousands of people clad in red and white, returning as a National Day Parade (NDP) venue for the first time since 2014.

Last year, the NDP was held at the new National Stadium, while the SG50 bash was held at the Padang.

Always intended to be an interim venue while the new National Stadium was being built, the floating platform has become a popular choice for NDP due to its location.

Attendees said the whole area is an embodiment of what Singapore was, is, and will be.

Teacher Kathiravan Bhupathy, 32, said: "This is the venue for NDP. At one look here, you can see how far Singapore has come."



The theme of this year's parade - #OneNationTogether - is a "call-to-action for all Singaporeans to take pride in our achievements, and to be confident in our collective future as we overcome all odds together".

There were hints of the future and the Smart Nation ambition, with Edgar the robot co-hosting, and a light show put on by 300 drones taking to the skies at the same time. Pre-programmed using sophisticated algorithms, the drones winked and danced against the Marina Bay skyline.

After a two-year hiatus - due to the weather one year and logistics the next - the nine-member Singapore Armed Forces Parachute Team, or Red Lions, returned to rapturous applause from the 25,000- strong crowd as they glided effortlessly onto the floating platform.

The audience was in awe of the dynamic defence display, showcasing Singapore's military assets on land, air and sea, back also after a two-year break.

There was also a reminder of challenges and the ability to overcome them. For the first time, yesterday's defence display included a demonstration of the Republic's capabilities in the event of a terrorist attack. Performers fired blanks while in the seating gallery to add to the realism.



The show ended revealing Singaporeans who had scaled their own peaks.

Swimmer Joseph Schooling, who clinched Singapore's first Olympic gold, and Paralympic champion Yip Pin Xiu stood on the summit of a replica of a mountain.

They were accompanied by others such as top female police officer Zuraidah Abdullah, 55, and skills upgrader Rama Kerisna, 70.

Yesterday's celebrations also took on a sentimental note as President Tony Tan Keng Yam witnessed his last parade as head of state.



Speaking to the media after the parade, he said: "I'm touched by the affection which was displayed to me tonight... I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve as President and also to reach out to Singaporeans. My wife and I believe Singapore will continue to progress and I think that we'll have a marvellous future together. But we have to strive to work on, there is no end to our journey."

A nation united in the Singapore spirit
Singaporeans can work to overcome challenges as one, Dr Tony Tan says at his last NDP as President
By Seow Bei Yi, The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2017

The National Day Parade (NDP) is more than "just a marvellous show", said President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the end of the nation's 52nd birthday bash.

"It is an expression of the Singapore spirit, and the way we must continue to strive for progress, because the work never ends," said Dr Tan, adding that the nation faces many challenges, such as terrorism and economic issues.

"But if we work together... we can overcome all of these challenges," he stressed, addressing the media after the parade. "Each milestone is just a step on our forward progress."

This year marks the last that Dr Tan, 77, attended the parade as its reviewing officer, with the job going to the new president after the next presidential election to be held next month.

It will be the nation's first reserved election - for Malay candidates - following changes to the elected presidency scheme.



As Singapore's seventh president, Dr Tan presided over his first parade in 2012, having assumed office in September 2011.

After the parade at The Float @ Marina Bay yesterday which was attended by about 25,000 people, Dr Tan said he spent "a little more time than usual thanking all the participants". He told reporters later that he was "extremely touched" by the people's good wishes and their affection.

He said that every parade he has attended as president has been special and he is grateful for the chance to serve the nation. He added that the NDP "is an occasion for Singaporeans to come together to celebrate our achievements, our independence, our progress".

"Working as one nation together, we have shown how we can build a harmonious, cohesive society, everybody pitching in and looking out for each other... This reflects the spirit which is shown in the parade," he added.



The parade this year was also important as it commemorates 50 years of national service, said Dr Tan.

"NSmen have contributed tremendously to Singapore. Without their commitment, their sacrifices, and the support of their families, we will not be able to defend ourselves and Singapore will not be where we are today," he said.

"I think it's appropriate that we take this occasion to thank all our NSmen... and their commitment to Singapore."

Dr Tan also commended the NDP performers - of whom the oldest is 81 and the youngest is four. "It shows the Singapore spirit, that we can come together... (and) express togetherness as Singaporeans - that we share each others' destinies."



Spectators at the parade told The Straits Times they were thankful for Dr Tan's service as head of state.

Retiree Soh Cheow Hwee, 62, said Dr Tan has done "a great job for the nation".

Temasek Laboratories deputy director Yeo Siew Yam, 53, said: "I'm thankful for his time as President, and I also want to say thanks to Mrs Mary Tan for all the support she's given to her husband.

"It is sad that this is his last time as President at the parade, but I hope to see him contributing to Singapore in other ways in the future.

"I wish Dr Tony Tan all the best after his presidency."

Ms Lynn Yeow-De Vito, 37, director of a public relations agency, also said: "He has done his best for our nation, like the other presidents before him, and I think it's always good to have fresh leadership after he has completed his term."

NS50@NDP 2017: Singapore pays tribute to nation's defenders
The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2017

National servicemen past and present were in the limelight at the National Day Parade yesterday, as the nation paid tribute to the men defending Singapore.

Men of all generations were invited to stand up in recognition of their contributions after the screening of a video to mark the 50th year of national service in Singapore.

The video, with the theme From My Generation To Yours, featured various milestones of national service, from recruits receiving haircuts to soldiers undergoing training.



This critical pillar in nation-building was celebrated in other elements of yesterday's parade at the Marina Bay floating platform.

For example, the first round of the Presidential Gun Salute from each of the four guns on board an M3G raft was fired by operationally ready national servicemen. The rest were fired by full-time national servicemen.

Pilot Julian Quek, 38, who was there with his wife and two children, said: "It's a good form of recognition for what we have done all these years.

"It's also good for the young ones to see what their fathers and forefathers have done for the country, and it's a good example for them to carry on with this tradition to defend the country."

Dynamic Defence Display: Bigger, better display
SAF's popular defence display makes a much-awaited comeback
The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2017

After a two-year absence, the crowd-favourite Dynamic Defence Display (D3) returned to the National Day Parade yesterday with a bang.

The audience was in awe during the two-part display, which featured an array of over 50 high-tech assets from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), the Republic of Singapore Air Force, the Republic of Singapore Navy and the Home Team.

Two 20-tonne Belrex Protected Combat Support Vehicles, two 17.5-tonne Peacekeeper Protected Response Vehicles and a Heron 1 unmanned aerial vehicle were among those making a first appearance at the parade.



The audience was also treated to several simulated sequences, including a high-speed chase sequence by the navy's rigid-hulled inflatable boats and an aerial display by three F-15SG fighter jets.

The Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle returned to the NDP stage with three of the vehicles providing fire for troopers in a simulated combat sequence.

Lance Corporal Tan Jun Lin said he would never have imagined he would be driving the Terrex in front of more than 20,000 people. He started serving his national service only last year.

While operating the Terrex is a "big jump" from the smaller Belrex and five-tonner trucks he had previously learnt to drive, Lance Cpl Tan said he had "a lot of preparation and training time" to learn to navigate the 24-tonne vehicle, which requires the use of numerous cameras that are mounted on it.

Lieutenant-Colonel Law Wei Shing, 36, chairman of the management for the D3 committee, said he was excited when he found out that he would be choreographing the D3 segment - one of his favourite parts of the parade - this year.

The display aimed to inspire "the confidence of the people" in Singapore's military forces as the "cornerstone of the sovereignty of the country", said LTC Law, who is the commanding officer of the 30th Battalion, Singapore Combat Engineers.

'Attacks' leave many on the edge of their seats
By Ng Huiwen, The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2017

The sound of gunshots pierce the air and the crowd scatters as gunmen storm in. Moments later, the gunmen are swiftly subdued by the Army Deployment Force and elite commandos.

But multiple "terror threats" continue to appear islandwide, including a truck weaving through traffic in the Central Business District.

These were scenes that unfolded as part of a counter-terrorism exercise staged for the first time at the NDP yesterday, leaving many parade-goers on the edge of their seats and also having a deeper impression of the impact of terrorism.



The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and Home Team had joined forces to showcase Singapore's coordinated response to new security threats, even as they underscored the need to build trust and vigilance in the community. The 10-minute showcase was part of the parade's Dynamic Defence Display (D3) segment, which traditionally focused only on military might.

Said Lieutenant-Colonel Law Wei Shing, 36, who led the D3 segment: "If terror attacks were to hit our shores, we want to show that our security agencies are ready to counter them and bring normalcy back."

Members of the police's Emergency Response Teams and Rapid Deployment Troops brought the action to the audience in the stands. LTC Law said the use of gunshots, pyrotechnics and troopers in the seating gallery was to"give the audience a more immersive experience overall".

Said accountant James Chin, 62: "It was impressive. The speed at which they reacted and moved really showed that we are well-prepared ."

As paramedics tended to "casualties" and recovery efforts kicked in, the segment wrapped up with a united show of support in the aftermath of the attacks. A video recording also showed citizens turning up at blood donation drives, while others stepped up as volunteers.

Said Mr Michael James Parks, 22, who played the role of a gunman in the segment: "Working together is the best thing we can do as a nation. We cannot let any acts of terror break us apart."

Never too old to rock
Four seniors bring the house down in energetic arts showcase
The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2017

When radio deejay Brian Richmond first told his family and friends that he had to rap - and in Malay, no less - at the National Day Parade this year, they were shocked.

The 70-year-old, who is a grandfather of one, also found it a challenge as his forte is in hosting.

But he agreed when he was approached by the show organisers.

"I agreed to give it a try because that is my philosophy in life... Hopefully the young ones will look upon us kindly to see how sporting our seniors can be," he added.

He was among four senior performers in an energetic showcase of dance and music at the NDP last night, who were at least 60 and positive examples of active ageing.



The others included Mrs Santha Bhaskar, 77, the artistic director of Bhaskar's Arts Academy who performed a traditional Indian dance piece; and veteran singer Rahimah Rahim, 61, who sang an excerpt from the 2008 National Day song Shine For Singapore in Mandarin.

Rounding off the quartet was the NDP's oldest performer, 81-year-old Mary Ho - popularly known as Grandma Mary - who drew cheers for her electric guitar solo in the same segment.

This year's show is not the first time that Mrs Bhaskar has performed at the parade.

But what made this year's show especially memorable was the chance to meet other entertainers whom she had not interacted with before, particularly Madam Rahimah, whose music she has been a fan of since her teens. "It's quite special that I could perform alongside her," said Mrs Bhaskar.

Madam Rahimah said performing in Mandarin was not a challenge at all, given her ample experience singing in Mandarin.

"As Singaporeans, we have to learn from each other, including new languages," she added.

Mrs Bhaskar hopes more people will participate in the arts, regardless of age. "Practising the arts - music, dance, or visual art - is good for the spirit and it keeps us healthy."

Madam Ho, who picked up the electric guitar in her 60s as she was drawn to rock and blues music, said: "If you love something, you just keep going on. You need to keep learning new things."

Pioneers soak in parade spirit live, some for first time
By Tiffany Fumiko Tay, The Straits Times, 10 Aug 2017

Members of the pioneer generation turned up for yesterday's National Day Parade (NDP), some for the first time.

Retiree Edwin Koh, 69, who carried the Singapore flag as a schoolboy in the first NDP in 1966, was thrilled to be able to attend the parade for the first time since then.

After his children had balloted for tickets for several years without luck, the Bukit Panjang resident decided to approach his MP. "I'd like to thank Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. I told him I haven't been (to the parade) all these years. This is like winning the lottery."

He and his wife Theresa Ng, 70, queued from 2pm yesterday, more than three hours before the parade began, to get good seats.

He said: "I'm very happy. This will be my first and last chance to see it in person. Being here is nothing like watching it on TV."

Another retiree, Madam Tay Ah Hiang, was at the NDP for the first time in decades - and is now hoping to see another parade live.

"I wish for peace for the country in the coming years, that all of us will live in harmony and that my grandchildren will grow up strong and healthy," said the 80-year-old.

Uber driver Md Rosli, 60, said he was "very excited" to be attending his first NDP with his family. "We got lucky this year," said Mr Rosli.

"I used to live in a small kampung in the 1970s - Singapore has come a long way since then... I hope for my kids that it stays peaceful, prosperous and united."

PM Lee Hsien Loong's 2017 National Day Message

3 issues Singapore needs to tackle to thrive in the future
By Royston Sim, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 9 Aug 2017

• Improving pre-school, nurturing kids for a new world

• Fighting diabetes, keeping Singaporeans healthy

• Embracing technology, building a Smart Nation

Recalling the forward planning of Singapore's pioneer leaders, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday set out his vision of what will help prepare Singapore to thrive in the future.

He boiled it down to three things: improving pre-school education, preventing diabetes and embracing technology in the country's drive to be a Smart Nation.



To underscore the point of building ahead for the next generation, Mr Lee delivered his annual National Day message from the eastern section of Gardens by the Bay - the site of the proposed Founders' Memorial to honour the first-generation leaders of modern Singapore.

Framed by such landmarks as the Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay, he noted that Singapore is now enjoying the rewards of their foresight and vision.

But even as the leaders developed Marina Bay, the country had to deal with many pressing issues: from building an army to housing its population, and educating its young to creating jobs for its adults.

Today, Singapore is also grappling with urgent concerns, from upgrading the economy to tackling terrorism and trade protectionism.

The Government is working with Singaporeans on the issues, and progress is being made, he said.

For instance, it is partnering businesses and workers to transform industries. The economy is expected to grow by about 2.5 per cent this year, higher than last year's 2 per cent, he added.

But at the heart of his speech are the three longer-term issues, about which he will say more in his National Day Rally speech on Aug 20.

First, the Government will create more pre-school places, raise the quality of education and improve the skills of pre-school teachers.

"We want every child to have a good start in life, and a bright future," Mr Lee said.

Better pre-schools will also give parents peace of mind when they are working, he said, adding: "We want to... encourage them to start a family."

Second, he singled out diabetes as one big reason for poor health among the elderly.

Almost one-third of those older than 60 have diabetes, which can result in ailments ranging from heart disease to kidney failure, he said.

"This is why we must go all out to fight diabetes," he said, urging each Singaporean to take responsibility for his own health by eating right and exercising regularly.

Third, he said Singapore needs to harness technology to create opportunities and jobs for the people.

Singapore has a natural advantage as it aims to be a Smart Nation, he added, noting that it is a highly connected and digitally literate society.

Pointing out that other countries are going cashless and analysing big data to improve public services, he said Singapore has to learn, catch up and overtake them.

This, he added, is the spirit of Singapore: to look, plan and stay ahead so that when the future arrives, "we are prepared for it, to ride it and to grow with it".

"That is how we got here," he said.

The same message was delivered in Mandarin, Malay and Tamil by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim and Trade and Industry Minister (Industry) S. Iswaran.

Founders' Memorial: Govt gives nod for Bay East Garden site
By Royston Sim, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 9 Aug 2017

A memorial to commemorate Singapore's pioneer leaders will be located at the eastern section of Gardens by the Bay.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday that the Government has accepted the recommendation of the Founders' Memorial Committee for the memorial to be located in the garden.

In his annual National Day Message, Mr Lee noted that a clear majority of people who responded to the committee's calls for views had supported having the site at Bay East Garden. The other option was Fort Canning Park.

"This is a wise choice," said Mr Lee, who delivered his message at Bay East Garden. "Here, looking across the bay and beyond, we can remember the values of our founding leaders, see what they have built and commit ourselves to continue building Singapore."

The 15-member committee in charge of conceptualising the memorial submitted its report to the Government last week. More than 32,000 people had given their views on the memorial over a period of two years.

The report, which was made public on Monday, recommended that the memorial sit by the waterfront, in a family-friendly park with a view of the city skyline showcasing Singapore's progress.

The memorial could be completed by 2025, in time to "capture public enthusiasm and hopes for the memorial" when Singapore's 60th year of independence comes around.

The committee suggested that the memorial have an indoor gallery with space for permanent and temporary sections. It could also house artefacts, said the panel, which proposed that the memorial's programming calendar dovetail with important events like National Day and climax in a Founders' Day or Week.

With the Government having given the green light, the project will now go into the implementation phase.

Professor Lily Kong, a committee member and cultural geographer, told The Straits Times that the committee is "very gratified that the Government has accepted the proposal, which reflects the desires of a lot of Singaporeans".

She said another committee will be formed to oversee the project. This new team, which would include some existing members of the current committee for continuity, will have to hold further consultations when conceptualising the memorial, she added.

Some things it will consider are the memorial's design features, its cost and funding, how to make the site accessible to visitors, and what other facilities could be built in the surrounding area, Prof Kong said.

In its report, the committee had noted that some visitors to an earlier showcase at Bay East Garden had highlighted the site's inaccessibility by public transport.

National Day Awards 2017: PSC chairman Eddie Teo tops list of 4,323 being honoured
He pays tribute to his 'greatest mentor', the late former president S R Nathan, with whom he worked in the 1970s
By Calvin Yang, The Straits Times, 9 Aug 2017

The man who tops the list of recipients of this year's National Day Awards says he owes a lot to his main mentor - a former president.

The mentor is the late former president S R Nathan. And the man getting the top award is Public Service Commission (PSC) chairman Eddie Teo.

Mr Teo, 70, was given the Order of Nila Utama (First Class) - one of Singapore's top national honours. He is the only recipient of the award this year.

A total of 4,323 individuals, including public servants, community and grassroots leaders and educators, will receive National Day honours this year. Each year, the awards recognise individuals for their contributions to Singapore.

Two people were awarded the Distinguished Service Order: former ambassador to Japan Chin Siat Yoon and the Singapore Management University board of trustees' chairman Ho Kwon Ping.

Seven others received the Meritorious Service Medal.

Mr Teo said in a statement yesterday that he is "deeply honoured and truly grateful" for the award.

He is a President's Scholar who started his public service career with the Security and Intelligence Division (SID) in 1970.

His public service career spanned some 35 years before his retirement in 2005. It included permanent secretary appointments at the Ministry of Defence and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

However, it was his early years in the SID working with his "greatest mentor", Mr Nathan, that left a deep imprint on him. Mr Nathan was director of the SID from 1971 to 1979.

"He taught me the values, discipline and instincts required for public service," said Mr Teo, who later became director of the SID in 1979 and held that post until 1994.

He was appointed permanent secretary for defence from 1994 to 2000 and also held the same position in the PMO from 1998 to 2005.

After retiring, he was appointed Singapore's high commissioner to Australia, before returning to become PSC chairman in 2008.

As chairman of the PSC, Mr Teo has championed recruiting students from diverse backgrounds as scholarship holders.

"I would like to thank my fellow PSC members, who are all busy people with important jobs or big organisations to run, who nevertheless are willing to volunteer their time and energy to contribute to the public good," he said.

"I thank them for being willing to challenge my views and for disagreeing with me, in order that I can make better decisions."

Mr Teo also helmed the Presidential Elections Committee that vetted potential candidates in 2011, and was a member of the Constitutional Commission on the elected presidency last year.

Yesterday, he thanked his wife Antonia for her support. They have two sons, Paul and John.

Mr Teo joins a small group of individuals who have been conferred the Order of Nila Utama. The others include former deputy prime minister Toh Chin Chye, Ambassador-at- Large Tommy Koh and Mr J.Y. Pillay, chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers.

Mr Teo was also awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 2006.

He acknowledged the dedicated public servants he has worked with, saying: "Without them, things would not work, and the Singapore Public Service would not be so highly regarded by so many countries in the world."

All new homes to have smoke alarms from June 2018

August 12, 2017, 5:53 am

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Updated Fire Code to be released mid-next year; costs likely to be borne by home buyers
By Ng Jun Sen and Toh Wen Li, The Straits Times, 11 Aug 2017

All newly built homes - Housing Board flats as well as private residences - will have to be installed with smoke detectors from next June, when an updated Fire Code is released, The Straits Times understands.

Called a home smoke alarm, the device costs between $60 and $80 for a basic version. Installation could cost another $50 or so.

The costs will likely be borne by home buyers, though the authorities, led by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), are working with grassroots leaders to identify elderly and needy households that need financial help in doing so.

The battery-operated devices are designed to alert occupants when they sense smoke, and function independently. They are not connected to emergency services or a central fire alarm system.

Currently, fire alarms are mandatory for commercial, industrial or mixed-use buildings above a certain size. The interiors of homes are currently exempt from this.

ST understands that the change has been in the works for over a year and is not linked to a specific incident. But two-thirds of fires last year - or about 2,800 - took place in homes, with rubbish chute or bin fires being the most common. There were 4,114 fire calls last year, the least recorded since 1978.

When contacted, the SCDF declined comment.

Mr Benedict Koh Yong Pheng, president of the Fire Safety Managers' Association, which represents fire safety managers here, said the authorities have been encouraging the voluntary use of fire alarms and fire extinguishers in homes for several years, but the take-up rate has been low.

Making smoke detectors mandatory in new homes will help raise fire safety standards here, said Mr Koh, who is also in the technical committee for the code of practice for electrical fire alarm systems published by SPRING Singapore.

He said: "In many cases of home fires, there have been cases of injuries or death due to smoke inhalation, which could have happened while the occupants were asleep. A localised smoke alarm will alert residents so they can react to the fire at an early stage."

Countries such as Australia have made it mandatory for new and renovated buildings to have smoke alarms. The evidence so far is that it can help: In the United States, the 2015 death rate for fires in homes with working alarms was less than half that of homes without them.

Ideally, a smoke alarm should be installed in each room except the kitchen - to avoid false alarms triggered by smoke from cooking, said Mr Koh. But under the new rules, only one device will likely be mandated per home due to cost concerns, ST understands.

Ms Lili Pan, whose firm Fire Safety SG sells fire safety equipment, said that the cost of installing alarms in multiple rooms could be hundreds of dollars. "It can be quite expensive, which is why people don't buy if they think it is optional," she said.

But fire security services provider Chubb Singapore's general manager James Ong said fire alarm systems can be economical if properly managed by the developer through thorough building assessment, appropriate product installations and regular maintenance.

"(There are) other costs for consideration, including the costs to reputation and compensation if an incident occurs. The cost of lives lost is immeasurable," he added.

Devices limited in their effectiveness, say experts
By Ng Jun Sen and Toh Wen Li, The Straits Times, 11 Aug 2017

While the installation of smoke alarms in homes will increase fire safety standards, they are limited in their effectiveness, said experts.

This is especially as the ones proposed for newly built homes starting next June are independent devices that are typically not linked to a central system or to emergency services - which would be a lot more expensive, noted Mr Dan Chong, director of engineering solutions provider C2D Solutions.

This means that even if the alarm sounds in one unit, residents in adjacent units may not be alerted because the devices are not connected to one another, said Fire Safety SG director Lili Pan.

Another concern is that the devices, being very basic, may result in false alarms, said Mr Chong. They may be triggered by activities such as cooking, smoking, fogging or even the burning of joss sticks.

And because each device needs to be tested and have the batteries replaced regularly, it could also be difficult for elderly residents to maintain and service their smoke alarms.

Ms Pan said: "There are many challenges involved for elderly or handicapped occupants to maintain their smoke alarm devices installed on the ceiling - which typically involves manual battery changes and pressing a test button on the device.

"Perhaps there should be someone to help install or maintain them for this group of users."

Mr Chong, an accredited fire safety engineer, added that able-bodied residents may overlook servicing the detectors too.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for property developer Frasers Centrepoint argued that a well laid-out escape route would be more useful as compared with smoke detectors and fire extinguishers because no maintenance is required.

Mr Chong added that the authorities should properly consider the potential pitfalls of such systems before rolling out the new devices.

"From a safety point of view, these smoke alarms are a good idea. But they have to be sustainable - the implementation is crucial."

Some older buildings could need safety upgrades
By Toh Wen Li, The Straits Times, 11 Aug 2017

The question of whether Singapore's older buildings are safe from fires is under the spotlight, following a deadly tower block fire in west London in June.

And the answer depends on who one asks. The managements of some buildings constructed prior to 1974 - exempting them from current fire safety rules - say they are safe as they have been renovated over time. These older properties need to get fire safety upgrades only if they have had major renovations. If not, they do not have to adhere to the Fire Code, created in 1974 after the Robinsons Department Store fire that year, which killed nine.

The Straits Times checked seven pre-1974 buildings but could access only three: People's Park Complex, People's Park Centre and Afro Asia Building. These have features required by the code, such as fire lifts, hose reels and emergency lighting.

But experts pointed out that their implementation may not be up to date due to factors such as cost and technical constraints.

There could also be other old buildings that have not undergone major renovations and are in need of fire- safety retrofitting. These could have design issues such as inadequate fire compartmentation - which prevents fire from spreading - and outdated automatic fire sprinkler systems, said SD Architects & Associates founder Chan Kok Way.

Mr Chong Kee Sen, former president of The Institution of Engineers, Singapore, noted that older Housing Board blocks have had upgrades such as installing dry risers on each floor. These allow firemen to connect their hoses to draw water. But some pre-1974 buildings may not have had similar upgrades.

In the near future, they may all have to. Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said in Parliament last month that the authorities are mulling over legal amendments to require pre-1974 buildings to perform fire-safety upgrades whether or not upgrading works were done. He did not give a timeline.

The authorities were unable to say how many pre-1974 buildings there are. Some have taken action already.

At People's Park Centre in Chinatown, completed around 1973, a building management spokesman said it has been retrofitting the building with fire protection systems from "day one". It has a full stock of features such as wet risers, a firemen lift, an automatic fire sprinkler and a fire alarm system. It employs a building fire safety contractor to ensure all the features are in satisfactory condition, and an engineer does inspections and testing every year.

The spokesman said: "As a mixed development project which comprises residential apartments, retail spaces and offices, all these fire suppression and warning systems are important and necessary."

But he admitted that too few of its elderly residents take part in annual fire drills, which aim to familiarise them with the evacuation process. Under a quarter of its 400-plus residents turn up each year for the drills, raising concern that some may be helpless in a real emergency.

In neighbouring People's Park Complex, completed in 1973, longtime resident A.P. Soo, 70, did not even realise a fire in her building's carpark in 2010 had triggered a mass evacuation. She remained in her 18th-floor corner flat, learning of the incident only later from the news. The flames did not affect her level.

Said Madam Soo, who lives alone: "If there really is a fire, I don't know if I am able to descend all the floors to ground level."

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Public transport system to go fully cashless by 2020

August 13, 2017, 3:11 am

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Drive to go cashless on public transport
All bus, train fares to be paid using travel cards by 2020; no cash top-ups at stations
By Adrian Lim, Transport Correspondent, The Straits Times, 12 Aug 2017

Singapore's public transport system is set to go fully cashless by 2020, with all bus and train rides to be paid for using only travel cards and top-ups with cash no longer available at stations.

The first cashless rail line will be the Thomson-East Coast Line, which will open from 2019.

The goal of going fully cashless, in line with the Smart Nation push, was announced by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and subsidiary TransitLink yesterday.

To nudge commuters on board, rail operators SMRT and SBS Transit will not offer cash top-ups at passenger service centres at 11 train stations from Sept 1. They are: Admiralty, Bedok, Bukit Panjang, Buona Vista, Farrer Park, HarbourFront, Hougang, Lakeside, Pasir Ris, Serangoon and Yew Tee.

Cash top-ups will cease to be available at passenger service centres of other stations sometime next year.

Currently, about 27 per cent of commuters rely on staff at the passenger service centres to help reload their cards with cash. Service agents will be deployed at the 11 stations to help these commuters switch to using the general ticketing machines, which accept cash.

These machines will not accept cash by 2020, when self-service ticketing machines at stations and bus interchanges will accept only cashless top-ups such as with Nets.



LTA's group director for technology and industry development, Mr Lam Wee Shann, said: "When we relieve PSC (passenger service centre) staff from handling cash and doing top-ups, their attention could be more focused on train station operations, which is their core job."

He added: "There are also costs that are not small in maintaining cash transactions. By going cashless, cost avoidance can be re-invested into the public transport system, to improve and maintain it."

LTA and TransitLink said they have been adding payment options at ticketing machines since January to accept credit or debit cards and mobile payment platforms such as Apple Pay and Android Pay.

They assured commuters cash top-ups will continue to be available come 2020, but in limited forms, such as at convenience stores.

While cash is currently accepted at 39 TransitLink ticket offices located at stations and bus interchanges, the agencies said they are working towards removing this, but will study this plan "very carefully".

As for bus fares, only travel cards will be accepted by 2020. While less than 2 per cent of all bus journeys are paid for in cash, the LTA said it is "still studying" what to do if a commuter comes on board without a travel card.

The LTA said it is also working to extend an ongoing pilot that allows Mastercard holders to use debit and credit cards directly to pay for rides.

How the new system is expected to work
The Straits Times, 12 Aug 2017

BUS RIDES

• Cash will no longer be accepted.

TOPPING-UP YOUR TRAVEL CARD

• By 2020, all ticketing machines at MRT stations will accept only cashless top-ups, such as by Nets, debit and credit cards.

• TransitLink ticketing offices at bus interchanges and train stations could also do away with cash top-ups, although this is being studied.

USING CASH

• The Land Transport Authority and TransitLink said they will ensure there are avenues to use cash to top up travel cards, such as at convenience stores.

Fully cashless public transport system: Some need help to adapt, say observers
By Adrian Lim, Transport Correspondent, The Straits Times, 12 Aug 2017

While the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) target to have a fully cashless public transport system by 2020 is a right step, observers warned that particular groups of commuters must be taken care of.

These include foreign workers and senior citizens, who may be dependent on or accustomed to using cash to top up their travel cards.

Chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport Sitoh Yih Pin said the authorities should "be mindful to make the (cashless) transition as smooth and painless as possible for all Singaporeans".

According to LTA data, around 27 per cent of commuters still pay cash to top up their travel cards at MRT passenger service centres. A quarter of them are senior citizens. Next year, LTA and TransitLink will remove this payment option entirely.

Singapore University of Social Sciences senior lecturer Walter Theseira said: "I believe the vast majority of Singaporeans would adapt quickly, but I do have some concerns for a small number of people, like the elderly who live alone."

Dr Theseira said they may be uncomfortable using electronic methods to top up their travel cards, although they are familiar with using ATMs to withdraw cash. He said grassroots helpers and volunteers could be roped in to teach them.



Retiree Veeraputhiran Rajoo, 70, for example, said that he was initially "hesitant" in using his ATM card at ticketing machines, but later found the steps easy. He suggested that staff be on hand to guide elderly commuters.

The LTA and TransitLink said it will ensure cash alternatives are available come 2020. Currently, travel cards can be topped up at convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, but with a 50-cent fee.

Transport GPC deputy chairman Ang Hin Kee said he hopes that such fees will not be levied.

Migrant Workers' Centre executive director Bernard Menon said the majority of foreign workers here have bank accounts, and a "small group will be marginalised". He said the centre will work with the authorities to educate this group.

Asked how tourists will cope, LTA said it is looking into setting up manned ticket counters in areas that tourists frequent and at gateways such as airports.

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Joint News Release by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) & TransitLink - Towards a Cashless Public Transport System by 2020

Is Singapore becoming an old young country?

The Singapore Labour Force - Getting ahead of the curve

August 13, 2017, 4:44 am

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By Devadas Krishnadas and Elena Lopez, Published TODAY, 12 Aug 2017

The “Labour Force in Singapore 2016” report released by the Manpower Research and Statistics Department reinforces the perception that the Singapore labour force is facing long-term pressure to transform its skill base.

JOB MARKET GETTING MORE CHALLENGING

The employment rate for residents has decreased amid anaemic economic growth and a modest increase in supply of foreign workforce. The nominal median monthly income (including employer contributions to the Central Provident Fund) of full-time employed residents is rising at a slower pace while the education profile of the labour force has been improving over the years.

The number of Singapore residents with a degree, diploma or other types of higher education qualification has increased to over half the resident population, higher than the average for Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development member states and also higher than that in South Korea (45 per cent), and the United States (44 per cent).

The occupational distribution amongst employed residents reflects the continued shift to a services concentrated economy – more than half are Professionals, Managers, Executives and Technicians, with most concentrated in information and communications, professional services and financial and insurance services.

At the same time, training participation rate has edged up, resuming the uptrend after a moderate drop in the previous year. This rate was higher in the services industry than the national average. The resident unemployment rate continued to rise for the fourth consecutive year, reaching 3 per cent in 2016. Unemployment was highest in the information and communications, and accommodation and food services sectors. Worryingly, job seekers are taking longer to find jobs. The proportion of unemployed residents still looking for work after six months rose to 20 per cent in 2016.

CYCLICAL AND STRUCTURAL STRAINS

An uncertain outlook for global economic growth, characterised by geopolitical uncertainties, sluggish performance in advanced economies toggled with unresolved debt-crisis in the Eurozone, continue to dampen sentiments. This has impacted external demand for the Singapore economy. The Singapore economy is impacted by both cyclical and structural factors.

Cyclical factors are clearly visible. Companies are slowing down hiring because they are affected significantly by the weak external and internal demand. Clear examples can be found in the oil and gas, marine and banking and finance sectors that have the highest number of layoffs in 2016. The structural factors are long-term factors underlining seasonal and cyclical effects. Technology change is the most significant structural factor at play. It is disrupting industries from financial services, ride hire, to hospitality and professional services.

The labour force needs to adapt to the rapidly changing economic climate. The changing climate is rendering skills obsolete while creating demand for new skills and capabilities at a higher frequency.

New knowledge and skill sets lead to the creation of new types of jobs. Knowledge of cloud and distributed computing, statistical analysis and data mining, web architecture and development, network and information security are now in-demand skills. This has led to the creation of Data Science as a fast growing field.

However, these new occupations have high knowledge and skill barriers to entry. This makes it difficult for older workers to retool to fit in. Thus, in aggregate terms, technology change may mean jobless economic growth.

This would have profound economic, social and political consequences. Early action to address this potential phenomena and sustained industry and government intervention to support and re-skill workers are necessary to avoid ripple effects which threaten social stability and capital-labour relations.

Relevance to the economy will demand ever higher levels of both hard and soft skills. The labour force needs to learn relevant skills to add value to the economy and to contribute to industry transformation; thereby joining the changing trend instead of resisting it. Industries must transform to adapt themselves to new market needs, seize new technological advances and offer attractive opportunities to workers who accept the challenge of change.

GETTING AHEAD OF THE CURVE

Ensuring economic competitiveness has always been a priority for the Singapore Government. It has consistently allocated policy and fiscal support to strengthen the profile of the local workforce and sector competitiveness with investments in technology and infrastructure.

National policies and initiatives have included tax releases, financial schemes, educational training and business consultancies in order to encourage and facilitate Singaporeans to acquire deep skills and expertise. Specifically, recent examples include sectoral manpower plans, SkillsFuture Credit scheme, Professional Conversion Programme and Career Support Programme.

The complexity of the job market requires long-term tailored plans to help workers and enterprises adjust to change and focus on the relevance and quality of training. This is a two-step process of first identifying the direction and skills for the future and second, designing targeted interventions to support industry and labour force transformation.

The long-awaited report by the Committee for the Future Economy (CFE), released in February 2017, was poorly received by industry. It was characterised by high level statements but an absence of practical details and a seeming lack of appreciation of the inherent difficulty in overcoming skill barriers and managing the transformation of an ageing labour force.

However, the CFE indicated that it has initiated 23 sectoral transformation initiatives. These are expected to provide more granular clarity on the sector strategy and associated programme level support. It will be imperative that these sectoral plans are focused, practical and achievable and come with the assurance that government support will be both targeted and adequate.

Alongside these sectoral plans is the urgent need to develop a comprehensive perspective on the digital future. We are already in an age which is not only driven by accelerating digitisation but is being defined by it. Rather than take a piecemeal, app by app, approach to making sense of this phenomenon, it is crucial to work from first principles.

Significant and sustained policy support and investments in technology infrastructure and capacity for educational and political reform will be required to “re-wire”, not just retool, the economy from Lee Kuan Yew’s “digit” economy, where disciplined but docile workers were the key, to a digital economy where creativity, flexibility, innovation and resilience will be determinative.

Getting ahead of the curve must therefore mean more than strategies but mind-set and emotional re-setting on the part of the labour force. The re-set will be difficult but unavoidable. The pain factor from economic disruption must be allowed to stimulate workers to take the initiative. The Government must manage the difficult balancing act between providing support without masking this natural stimulus. Succeeding will call for more than economic judgement but will require reserves of political courage and capital.

The irony in the Singapore case would be if the Government proves capable of conceiving a compelling strategy and providing suitable support but the labour force proves unable to bring itself to make the transformation due to complacency.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Devadas Krishnadas is chief executive of Future-Moves Group (FMG), an international strategic consultancy and executive education provider based in Singapore, and Elena Lopez is an economist at FMG.

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What's being done to prepare Singaporeans for jobs of the future

Should I help my patients die?

August 13, 2017, 11:45 pm

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An American doctor grapples with the ethics and practicalities of being asked to help a patient die
By Jessica Nutik Zitter, Published The Sunday Times, 13 Aug 2017

I was leafing through a patient's chart last year when a colleague tapped me on the shoulder. "I have a patient who is asking about the End of Life Option Act," he said in a low voice. "Can we even do that here?"

I practise both critical and palliative care medicine at a public hospital in Oakland, California. In June last year, our state became the fourth in the nation to allow medical aid in dying for patients suffering from terminal illness. Oregon was the pioneer 20 years ago. Washington and Vermont followed suit more recently. (Colorado voters passed a similar law in November.)

Now, five months after the law took effect here in California, I was facing my first request for assistance to shorten the life of a patient.

That week, I was the attending physician on the palliative care service. Since palliative care medicine focuses on the treatment of all forms of suffering in serious illness, my colleague assumed that I would know what to do with this request. I didn't.

I could see my own discomfort mirrored in his face. "Can you help us with it?" he asked me. "Of course," I said. Then I felt my stomach lurch.

California's law permits physicians to prescribe a lethal cocktail to patients who request it and meet certain criteria: They must be adults expected to die within six months who are able to self-administer the drug and retain the mental capacity to make a decision like this.

But that is where the law leaves off. The details of patient selection and protocol, even the composition of the lethal compound, are left to the individual doctor or hospital policy. Our hospital, like many others at that time, was still in the early stages of creating a policy and procedure. To me and many of my colleagues in California, it felt as if the law was passed so quickly that we weren't fully prepared to deal with it.

This first patient of mine was not a simple case. When I walked into his room, he glared at me. "Are you here to help me with this aid-in-dying thing?" he asked. He was in his early 60s, thin and tired but in no obvious distress. From my read of his chart, he met all criteria to qualify. Terminal illness, decision-making capacity, ability to self-administer the medications. And he had made the requisite first request for the drugs two weeks earlier, as procedure dictates.

When I asked why he wanted to end his life early, he shrugged. "I'm just sick of living." I asked about any symptoms that might lie behind his request: unrelenting pain, nausea, shortness of breath. He denied them all. In palliative care, we are taught that suffering can take many forms besides the physical. I probed further and the floodgates opened.

He felt abandoned by his sister. She cared only about his Social Security payments, he said, and had gone AWOL now that the cheques were being mailed to her house. Their love-hate relationship spanned decades, and they were now on the outs. His despair had given way to rage.

"Let's just end this," he said. "I'm fed up with my lousy life." He really didn't care, he added, that his sister opposed his decision.

His request appeared to stem from a deep family wound, not his terminal illness. I felt he wanted to punish his sister, and he had found a way to do it.

At our second meeting, with more trust established, he issued a sob, almost a keening. He felt terrified and powerless, he said. He didn't want to live this way any more.

I understood. I could imagine my own distress in his condition - being shuttled like a bag of bones between the nursing home and the hospital. It was his legal right to request this intervention from me. But given how uncomfortable I was feeling, was it my right to say no?

In the end, he gave me an out. He agreed to a trial of antidepressants. "I'll give you four weeks," he said. He would follow up with his primary care doctor. I couldn't help feeling relieved.

The patient died in a nursing home, of natural causes, three months later. And I haven't had another request since. But the case left me worried. What if he had insisted on going through with it?

I'll admit it: I want this option available to me and my family. I have seen much suffering around death. In my experience, most of the pain can be managed by expert care teams focusing on symptom management and family support. But not all. My mother is profoundly claustrophobic. I can imagine her terror if she were to develop Lou Gehrig's disease, which progressively immobilises patients while their cognitive faculties remain largely intact. For my mother, this would be a fate worse than death.

But still. I didn't feel comfortable with the idea of helping to shorten the life of a patient because of depression and resentment. In truth, I'm not sure I am comfortable with helping to intentionally hasten anyone's death for any reason. Does that make me a hypocrite?

I realised it was past time to sort out my thinking and turned to the de facto specialist in our area for counsel. Dr Lonny Shavelson, an emergency medicine and primary care physician in northern California, has been grappling with the subject for many years.

Given his interest in the topic, Dr Shavelson felt a personal obligation to ensure that this new practice would be carried out responsibly after the law was passed. He founded Bay Area End of Life Options, a consulting group that educates physicians, advocates on patients' behalf and prescribes the lethal concoction for some patients who meet the criteria for participation.

He has devised a process for his patients that not only adheres to the letter of the law but also goes far beyond it. His patient-intake procedures are time-consuming and include a thorough history and physical, extensive home visits, a review of medical records and discussions with the patient's doctors. He assesses the illness, the patient's mental and emotional state and family dynamics.

He does not offer the medications to most of the patients who request them, sometimes because he deems them more than six months from death or because he is worried that they have been coerced or because he believes that severe depression is interfering with their judgment. Since starting his practice, he has been approached by 398 patients. He has accepted 79 of those into his programme and overseen ingestion and death for 48.

Dr Shavelson's careful observations have made him something of a bedside pharmacologist. In his experience, both the medications used and their dosages should be tailored to individual patients. While all patients enter a coma within minutes of ingesting the lethal cocktail, some deaths take longer, which can be distressing for the family and everyone else involved.

One of his patients, a serious athlete, experienced a protracted death that Dr Shavelson attributes to the patient's high cardiac function. After that experience, Dr Shavelson began to obtain an athletic history on every patient and to add stronger medications if indicated.

In another patient, a mesh stent had been deployed to keep his intestines from collapsing. This stent prevented absorption in key areas, slowing the effect of the drugs and prolonging his death. Dr Shavelson now routinely asks about such stents, something that a doctor less experienced in this process might miss.

Dr Shavelson strives to mitigate all symptoms and suffering before agreeing to assist any patient in dying. He recounted many cases in which patients no longer requested the medications once their quality of life had improved. He counts these cases among his greatest successes. This demonstrates that his commitment is to the patient, not the principle.

When I asked him how he might have proceeded with my patient, he said he would have tried everything to relieve his distress without using the lethal medication. But if in the end the patient still wanted to proceed, he would have obliged, presuming his depression was not so severe as to impair his judgment. "I don't have to agree with a patient's reasoning or conclusions," he said. "Those are hers to make, just as much as turning down chemotherapy or opting not to be intubated would be."

I recently called colleagues at other hospitals to learn how they were handling this law. Like me, most of them hadn't yet had much experience with it, but their involvement has mostly been positive. They described the few cases they had handled as "straightforward" - patients had carefully thought through the decision and had full family support. Most patients were enrolled in hospice care and supported throughout the ingestion process by trained personnel, almost always in their homes. My colleagues reported that they were free to opt out of the programme if they were uncomfortable prescribing the medications. (Catholic health systems do not participate.)

Dr Meredith Heller, director of inpatient palliative services at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, said that while she understood my ambivalence, she herself felt significantly better about it than she had expected to. "Surprisingly, the vast majority of cases here have gone smoothly," she told me.

A little more than a year after the law went into effect, I am heartened by the positive responses I am hearing from my colleagues around the state. I am relieved that most cases seem straightforward. I am grateful that there are dedicated physicians like Dr Shavelson willing to do this work. And I am reassured by the knowledge that patients in California have the legal right to exercise this power when they feel there is no other path.

But I am also concerned. As our population continues to grow older and sicker and more people learn that this law exists, we will need a highly trained workforce to steward patients through this process.

My patient deserved an evaluation by a physician like Dr Shavelson, not someone like me, with no training in this area and ambivalence to boot. We need formal protocols, official procedures, outcome measurements, even a certificate of expertise issued by an oversight board. None of these is in place in any participating state, according to Dr Shavelson. Yet all medical procedures require training. Why should one this weighty be an exception?

What about payment? Providers can bill for an office visit and the cost of the medication. But because there are no specific codes established for this procedure, reimbursement doesn't come close to covering any effort to do this well. On top of that, many insurers won't cover it, including federal programmes like Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration.

And will this new "right" be available to everyone? Most communities won't have someone like Dr Shavelson, who offers steep discounts to low-income patients. I worry that public hospital patients like mine will not be able to afford this degree of care. These are inequities we must address.

There is another matter I feel compelled to raise.

Is medical aid in dying a reductive response to a highly complex problem? The over-mechanisation of dying in America has created a public health crisis. People feel out of control around death. A life-ending concoction at the bedside can lend a sense of autonomy at a tremendously vulnerable time.

Yet medical aid in dying will help only a tiny fraction of the population. Last year, just under four-tenths of 1 per cent of every one who died in Oregon used this option. Other approaches such as hospice and palliative care, proven to help a broad population of patients with life-limiting illness, are still underused, even stigmatised.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology recommends that patients with advanced cancer receive concurrent palliative care beginning early in the course of disease. In my experience, far too few of these patients actually get it.

Unlike medical aid in dying, which will be used by a small proportion of the population, palliative interventions can improve the lives of many. My patient hadn't been seen by a palliative care physician before he made his request. Although recommended, it isn't required by law. And yet this input gave him another option.

Medical aid in dying is now the law in my home state, and I am glad for that. But our work is just beginning. We must continue to shape our policies and protocols to account for the nuanced social, legal and ethical questions that will continue to arise. We must identify the clinicians who are best qualified and most willing to do this work and then train them appropriately, not ad hoc. And we must remember that this is just one tool in the toolbox of caring for the dying - a tool of last resort.

NYTIMES

The writer, a critical care and palliative medicine doctor at Highland Hospital, is the author of Extreme Measures: Finding A Better Path To The End Of Life.