Singapore and China chart next lap for 30-year-old Suzhou Industrial Park

SM Lee Hsien Loong at the Suzhou Industrial Park 30th Anniversary Commemorative Event on 25 November 2024

It would be myopic to “write off China”, says SM Lee.

By Joyce ZK Lim, China Correspondent, The Straits Times, 26 Nov 2024

Singapore and China inked a 10-year blueprint for their flagship Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) project, as Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong underscored the city-state’s continued confidence in China’s future despite the challenges it faces.

Over the next decade, both countries will grow emerging sectors such as green development, the digital economy and biomedical sciences, with upcoming projects that will help the 30-year-old SIP stay relevant and attract investments from China and beyond, he said in Suzhou on Nov 25.

Speaking at a forum attended by more than 200 government and business leaders, including Chinese Vice-Premier He Lifeng, SM Lee said that even as China faced both domestic and external challenges resulting in slower growth, it would be “short-sighted and unwise” to dismiss the world’s second-largest economy.

China has shown that it can take a strategic perspective, maintaining consistent policies over the long term to ride through transient ups and downs, and Singapore is committed to deepening cooperation with it, including through the SIP, he added.

SM Lee was in the eastern coastal province of Jiangsu – on the first leg of a six-day official visit to China – to take part in a day-long series of activities to commemorate the 30-year milestone of the first intergovernmental project between both countries. It is his first time in China since stepping down as prime minister in May 2024 and being appointed as senior minister.

Launched in 1994 when China was reforming and industrialising its economy, the SIP – a brainchild of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Mr Deng Xiaoping – was intended as a platform for China to adapt Singapore’s development experiences to its own context, and for Singapore to develop an external wing to its economy.

The SIP has since transformed from low-lying farmland into a modern integrated township housing high-tech industries. The development, spanning 278 sq km and home to 1.17 million people, has been China’s top-ranked economic and technological development zone for the last eight years.

It grew at 5.9 per cent in 2023, outperforming the national average of 5.2 per cent. Other parks modelled after it have also sprung up across the country.

At a bilateral meeting and lunch between SM Lee and Mr He on the same day, the leaders celebrated the SIP’s successes to date, and expressed confidence that the project would continue to serve as a “pathfinder and model for future bilateral cooperation”, said Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.

The leaders articulated how the SIP had benefited each country in different ways.

Mr He, who is responsible for China’s economic and financial affairs, said to SM Lee that through the SIP, China had gained know-how on cooperating with foreign governments to stimulate business activity, and on promoting the development of industrial parks.

He also told the forum that the SIP was an “important window for China’s opening up”, raking in over 5,000 foreign-invested projects and more than US$40 billion (S$53.8 billion) in foreign investments utilised over 30 years.

SM Lee, who had been involved in the early years of the project, highlighted that Singapore had learnt from China the challenges of operating at scale, and the complexity of developing a project in a transitioning economy.

Singapore’s stake in the SIP – and role in working closely with China to see it to fruition – earned the Republic international credibility, he said. “It also helped build up our reputation all over China, opening many doors for us.”

In addition, the project served as a catalyst for the broader Singapore-China partnership, giving both countries the confidence to launch more intergovernmental projects in Tianjin and Chongqing, he added.

Today, almost a half-century after China embarked on its reform and opening up that ushered in a period of rapid progress, China faces a very different set of challenges, said SM Lee.

In addition to domestic factors that will slow down growth, China also faces a more complicated external environment with geopolitical tensions making conditions everywhere less conducive to growth, he noted.

At home, China has had to contend with a maturing economy, a shrinking workforce, and structural problems such as a property overhang, indebted local governments and weak domestic consumption.

And abroad, heightened United States-China competition, which could sharpen with a second Donald Trump presidency, has clouded the outlook for China’s foreign trade and investments, a key driver of its economy.

“Facing these external pressures and uncertainties, China has placed more emphasis on political, social and national security considerations,” said SM Lee.

“Economic development is still of high importance, but it is no longer the pre-eminent national priority. Policy trade-offs are unavoidable, and will imply less exuberant growth for China,” he added.

Even so, he stressed that it would be myopic to “write off China”, whose population’s determination to succeed should not be underestimated.

The world’s second-largest economy retains considerable capacity to grow, with untapped potential in its workforce as people stay healthy for longer, and as an urbanising population leads to productivity gains, he said.

It also has a highly competitive tech industry with market leaders in sectors from electric vehicles to solar panels.

“In fact, in some industries, Chinese companies have been so successful that it is causing concern to China’s trading partners,” he noted.

Said SM Lee: “Singapore continues to have confidence in China’s future. We believe that a growing and prospering China can and should play a major constructive role internationally – contributing to the prosperity and well-being of other countries, and a stable international order where all countries big and small coexist peacefully together.

“We therefore wish China well in its efforts to transform its economy, integrate into the global economy, and enhance win-win relations with regional partners and other major powers.”

For its part, the SIP would demonstrate China’s continued openness to the world, and its desire to welcome investors, he noted. “In an era of uncertainty and anxiety, it will be a beacon of cooperation and hope.”

In his speech at the forum, Vice-Premier He described the anniversary as marking a “new starting point” as both sides work to attract more investments and develop innovative industries.

Both leaders witnessed the signing of the 10-year blueprint and a separate agreement facilitating digital trade cooperation at the SIP. They also planted a persimmon tree by the park’s iconic Jinji Lake – mirroring a tree-planting that had been carried out at the Singapore Botanic Gardens two weeks prior by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang.

During his visit, SM Lee toured the exhibition centres of two major projects in the biomedical and green development sectors, which Singapore companies are jointly developing at the park.

The first is the China-Singapore Life Sciences Park, or Biosparc, which Singapore’s investment company Temasek is working on with the SIP.

It aims to build on the SIP’s strengths in the biomedical sector, providing research and development centres and manufacturing facilities to advance cutting-edge innovations from drug development and medical devices to artificial intelligence-driven medical technologies.

The park is currently under construction and expected to launch in 2026. It will occupy a total land area of about 21 football fields (116,000 sq m), with an estimated total investment value of about 800 million yuan (S$148 million).

The second is the China-Singapore Green Digital Hub, which Keppel and Surbana Jurong are developing with Sungent Holding Group, a Chinese state-owned enterprise based at the SIP.

The project is positioned as a trailblazer for future net-zero industrial districts in Singapore and China, and a pilot zone for decarbonisation solutions.

It aims to attract industries in the green and digital spheres, in facilities with ambitious sustainability goals that cover the life cycle of the entire industrial district. The project will span 170,000 sq m, and is expected to be completed in 2027.

These new joint projects in the SIP will continue to “strengthen its global relevance and role as a platform for Singapore and China to showcase international standards and contribute to global development”, said Minister-in-charge of the SIP Chan Chun Sing in a statement from the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

After wrapping up his programme in Suzhou, SM Lee left for Beijing, where he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and attend a dinner hosted by the Chinese leader.

Stakes high in GE2025; no guarantee PAP will win and form a stable government, says PM Lawrence Wong

People’s Action Party Awards and Conference 2024

By Kenneth Cheng, Assistant News Editor, The Straits Times, 25 Nov 2024

The upcoming general election in 2025 will be a high-stakes one, and Singapore risks ending up with a much weaker government if there is just a modest swing in popular votes against the ruling party, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Speaking at the People’s Action Party conference at the Singapore Expo on Nov 24, he told party members: “Please don’t think it is guaranteed that the PAP will win and form a stable government.”

In a speech lasting about 40 minutes, the Prime Minister also highlighted the need for Singaporeans to stay united in the midst of trying circumstances beyond the country’s borders, and spoke of the urgency for the PAP to have a fresh crop of younger candidates who can take the nation forward.

He noted that in the 2020 General Election, the opposition had warned Singaporeans against an “opposition wipe-out”.

“Actually, there is no chance of that happening at all,” he said, adding that the opposition in Singapore is here to stay.

There have been opposition MPs in Parliament since 1981, and the Non-Constituency MP scheme guarantees at least 12 opposition MPs in the House, noted PM Wong, who is set to take over as PAP secretary-general. He is now the party’s deputy secretary-general.

“In fact, given the desire for more opposition voices, the bigger risk we face is the loss of a stable and strong and good government,” he said.

The opposition admits it is far from ready to form the Government, he told an audience of about 3,000 PAP cadres, activists and guests.

“They say that partly because they know that Singaporeans will not support them if they openly declare their intention to govern,” he added.

But if more and more voters are persuaded by the opposition’s argument to vote them in so they can oppose the government of the day, “you can be sure that what is now the opposition will soon be the Government”, said PM Wong.

He cautioned that such a scenario would not require a large swing in votes at the next general election, which must be held by November 2025.

A modest swing in popular votes against the PAP, he noted, can lead to very different electoral outcomes, and very possibly the loss of another three or four group representation constituencies or GRCs.

This means the party will lose four or five ministers – or a quarter of the Cabinet.

“We will end up with a much weaker government, with far less ability to solve the problems facing our people and our country at a time when the world is becoming more uncertain and troubled,” he said.

“So, comrades, the stakes in the next election are high.”

PM Wong urged the party to work hard for every vote, to earn the confidence and trust of Singaporeans, win the mandate to govern, and ultimately, serve fellow Singaporeans.

“We know from the last election, and more so in the next election, there are no longer any safe seats,” he said.

“So every resident, every vote counts, and all our efforts matter.”

He noted that the PAP faces a rather unique political challenge, having governed Singapore for 65 years.

It is the party’s desire to keep serving Singaporeans for as long as possible, but he warned that members must never assume they will not see a change in government in their lifetime.

Hawker culture debate: The missing ingredient is our willingness to pay

Nostalgia over hawker culture may have trapped us into an outdated view that hawker fare must always be very cheap.

By Chua Mui Hoong, Senior Columnist, The Straits Times, 23 Nov 2024

Perhaps it is no coincidence that while we wring our hands about how to make hawker culture sustainable in Singapore, hawker fare is thriving in Perth.

This crossed my mind while I was having kopi-o gau and kaya toast one morning in Perth, where I now live, and the thought developed over the next day, when I had nasi lemak and kopi peng.

For those who don’t know, Perth is home to a multitude of Singaporean and Malaysian restaurants and cafes whose selling point is hawker food.

My nasi lemak here cost A$14.50 (S$12.70) and came with a small mix of fried peanuts and anchovies, one hard-boiled egg and a whole deep-fried chicken thigh. Kopi peng was A$5. My kaya toast and kopi-o set was A$12.50.

I have gone beyond feeling shock at the higher prices for hawker food in Perth. This is Australia, after all, where the minimum wage is A$24.10 an hour. Restaurants close in the afternoon before reopening for dinner, as it isn’t worth paying wages to remain open for the odd customer who comes in mid-afternoon. Eating out is expensive, so most people cook and eat at home.

In Singapore, cooked food prices remain very affordable, especially in hawker centres and coffee shops. A similar kaya toast set with a beverage, plus two soft-boiled eggs, would cost me around $3 in a hawker centre or coffee shop in Singapore. NTUC Foodfare even sells this signature breakfast set for $2.20, with union members getting a special price of $1.80 for a beverage, one slice of kaya toast and two soft-boiled eggs.

How little is too little for a kaya toast set?

Local food chain Toast Box charged $7.40 for its kaya toast set, drawing flak online. A reader posted a photo that showed the same set had cost $5.70 in 2020. A subsequent online poll found that 88 per cent of 7,425 respondents thought a kaya toast set should not cost above $5.

It got me wondering why hawker culture is facing an existential threat in Singapore, but Malaysian and Singaporean eateries, offering similar fare, do a roaring trade in Perth. Could the prices of hawker fare hold the key?

The issue cropped up in Parliament last week, when the Progress Singapore Party’s leaders moved a motion calling for a review of hawker policies. The motion was reworded by People’s Action Party MPs to call for a regular review of hawker policies that can “sustain and grow Singapore’s hawker culture so that Singaporeans can continue to enjoy good and affordable hawker food while enabling hawkers to earn a fair livelihood” (italics mine). The amended motion was passed by all MPs, showing cross-party support for hawker culture.

Hawker culture unifies Singaporeans. Hawker centres bring together diners of different races, ages, and social strata to enjoy food derived from our multiracial heritage. A millionaire towkay may sweat through his bowl of mee rebus, seated at the same table as the single mum sharing wonton mee with her child.

Hawker culture also comes with a certain heritage. The early hawker centres built in the 1970s housed former street hawkers and rented out food stalls at low rates to a generation of less-educated, low-income Singaporeans who sold cooked food or drinks to make a living. A hawker stall provided a humble, yet secure, means of livelihood. My parents, who emigrated from China to Singapore in the 1950s, belonged to that group. Their stall in an ulu (remote) part of Singapore in Pasir Panjang, near an oil refinery, enabled them to sell char kway teow and other dishes, and to put three children to school.

Many Singaporeans, like me, are deeply proud of the working-class roots of hawker culture. We want hawker centres to continue being mass dining halls for all. We don’t want them gentrified or made hipster.

Most Singaporeans will have their favourite hawker stall or coffee shop where they enjoy their morning teh or kopi, where they go for their fix of mee siam, chicken rice or nonya kueh. As an emigrant who now lives overseas, I plan my visits back to Singapore around the hawker food I miss – my favourite bak chor mee in the Veerasamy area, the prawn noodle and chicken rice at Shunfu Mart near my old home, and a recent discovery – the Teochew soon kueh at the social enterprise Yoon’s Social Kitchen in Aljunied. When I meet a new Singaporean kaki in Perth, it is nearly always to catch up over hawker fare in a Singaporean or Malaysian eatery.

Singapore hawker culture has become a strong unifier for its people. We should do our best to promote it, and sustain it.

PM Lawrence Wong's Press Conference with Singapore Media on 8 Nov 2024

Singapore must work harder to find like-minded partners in less hospitable world: PM Wong

By Danson Cheong, Assistant News Editor, The Straits Times, 8 Nov 2024

Foreign policy issues might not be “top of mind” for many Singaporeans but how the Government advances Singapore’s interests abroad is critical to the country’s ability to survive and thrive.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said this on Nov 8, pointing out that as the global environment grows more fraught, Singapore needs to work even harder to strengthen its network of friends and partners. It will also need to work with like-minded countries to shape international norms and rules, and find common ground on issues of shared concern.

Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, PM Wong laid out an overview of the geopolitical challenges that Singapore is facing, including wars in Ukraine and Gaza, tensions between the US and China, and the weakening of established norms and multilateral institutions.

“That is why we see growing zones of impunity, where state and non-state actors are able to push for what they want with little or no consequences,” he said.

How the Government navigates this is critical to making life better for Singaporeans, PM Wong told reporters at the National Press Centre in Hill Street.

“Foreign policy is critical to our ability to survive and to thrive. It is about how we can stay relevant and expand our networks and ensure that our little red dot can keep shining, even in a more dangerous and turbulent world,” he said.

“In the end, everything we do, whether it is domestic or foreign, comes back to how we can make life better for Singaporeans, and that remains the focus for me and my team,” he added.

His comments come just days after US President-elect Donald Trump made a stunning political comeback, defeating Vice-President Kamala Harris to win a second term as the US’ top leader.

But Trump’s impending return to power has triggered anxiety among the US’ partners and allies over the potential security, trade and geopolitical implications of a second Trump term.

During his campaign, Trump said he would end the war in Ukraine, and he has accused President Joe Biden of giving Israel insufficient support.

He also vowed to slap tariffs of 60 per cent or more on Chinese imports and at least 10 per cent on goods from all other countries.

Asked about the implications of these potential barriers to trade, PM Wong said this is a concern, pointing also to the European Union’s recent decision to increase tariffs on Chinese-built electric vehicles.

“Trade is three times our GDP (gross domestic product). We are an open economy, we are a trading economy, we would be concerned in a world where there are more and more frictions to trade overall,” said PM Wong.

He pointed out that while there may be situations where countries would apply tariffs, this should be done within a proper framework, with trade disputes raised with an institution like the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

But he added that it has been difficult to get countries to support efforts to revamp and strengthen the WTO, even under the current Biden administration.

He also said this is why Singapore is also trying to “do more around Asean and other regional forums” to keep trade barriers low.

Since he became prime minister in May, PM Wong has been on a slew of overseas trips.

He has attended the Asean summits in Laos and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, and has visited South-east Asian countries including Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia. He added that he hopes to visit Thailand later in 2024.

He is also expected to visit Peru and Brazil later in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Group of 20 summits, respectively, and said he could visit the remaining Asean countries and India in 2025.

When asked about the implications of the recent US presidential election, PM Wong said on Nov 8 that he believes the Government would be able to continue to work well with the new Trump administration, pointing out that both countries extended a memorandum of understanding on defence during the last Trump term.

“We continue to grow our trade and investment links between Singapore and the US in a very productive manner. So I think, bilaterally, we look forward to working closely with the new team,” he said.

PM Wong also reiterated concerns about the trajectory of the US-China relationship, pointing out that while America remains a pre-eminent power in many areas, China is rising.

“America has to decide what to do with this, to treat this as an existential threat, and therefore to contain China, or to embrace China and accept China as a major power in its own right,” he said.

On the other hand, China needs to consider the responsibilities it needs to undertake to uphold the international order now that it is the second-largest economy, he added.

The decisions these two major powers make will shape the future global order, he said, adding that, where possible, Singapore will do its part to facilitate a relationship where both sides can engage and find a way to coexist with each other.

He also said that while the American security umbrella continues to be relevant and provide stability for the region, more Americans are raising questions about why the US has to bear the cost of its international responsibilities.

“We understand that, and that’s why we do not take this for granted,” he said, adding that this is why Singapore supports not just America’s security presence in this region, but also greater American economic engagement.

The recent US presidential election also laid bare the political divisions within the country, and PM Wong was asked about whether he was concerned these tensions would spill over to Singapore.

PM Wong said in many countries, elections are leading to outcomes where society is more divided and polarised – and in a situation like this, there is no winner.

“In the end, everyone is worse off because it makes it harder to govern, and it makes it harder for countries to move forward,” he said.

Singapore has put in place guard rails for this, recently updating its laws on deepfakes and digitally manipulated content of election candidates, said PM Wong.

But he added that it is also vital for the Government, political parties and Singaporeans to work together to ensure that society is not divided and polarised.

“We try our best not to go down the path of political populism, opportunism, but find ways to keep our society strong, united and maintain that high level of trust, because that’s essential for Singapore to stay relevant and to survive in this new world,” he said.

PSA Singapore breaks ground on new $647.5 million Supply Chain Hub at Tuas Port, scheduled to be ready by 2027

PSA's new supply chain hub aims to establish Singapore as preferred port of call

By Kok Yufeng, Transport Correspondent, The Straits Times, 18 Oct 2024

Port operator PSA broke ground on a new $647.5 million Tuas warehousing facility equipped with advanced robotics and automation systems on Oct 18, as part of its efforts to sharpen Tuas Port’s competitive edge.

Construction of the new facility comes as Singapore looks set to handle a record-breaking container volume of 40 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2024.

Spanning more than 185,000 sq m and located within the limits of Singapore’s new mega port, the new PSA supply chain hub is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2027.

Speaking at an event to officially mark the start of construction work, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the hub will improve the Republic’s ability to handle cargo shipments.

PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said the new hub will have facilities to handle dangerous goods, as well as goods that require cold storage. This will allow it to process higher-value cargo, such as pharmaceuticals and chemicals that require special handling.

“Currently, businesses that want such services have to truck their cargo out of the port, incurring duties, and then truck it back to the port for shipping again. This takes time, and it adds up to additional costs,” he said.

With the new supply chain hub, companies will be able to tap these specialised cargo handling services under one roof within the same free trade zone as Tuas Port, he noted. Custom duties are not charged on goods that are stored in such free trade zones.

“We want businesses to use Tuas Port as a convenient and efficient one-stop shop, not only for their physical goods but also as a control tower to manage their inventory and global supply chain flows,” PM Wong added.

Construction of the facility comes as competition gets increasingly sharp in the shipping industry.

PM Wong said other major ports like Shanghai and Rotterdam were upgrading their infrastructure to serve larger vessels and attract “mega” shipping alliances.

He added that many ports around the world are also offering services beyond just moving containers. These include cold storage facilities and regional distribution centres.

Furthermore, unlike ports in countries with large production and consumption bases, Singapore has no hinterland of its own, he added.

In this environment, Singapore cannot afford to be complacent and has to sharpen its competitive edge to remain the “preferred port of call”, PM Wong said.

“We must continually invest not just in the Port of Singapore but also in value-added capabilities so that we can keep on adapting and staying abreast of changing trends.”

These trends include the growing scale of shipping, with ships today built to carry up to 25,000 containers, compared with 500 to 800 containers in the 1950s, he said.

Shipping alliances, which allow major container shipping lines to share vessels, port calls and trade routes, are also growing bigger, he said.

What this means is that ports will need to have the infrastructure to handle large ships and large numbers of containers efficiently. Ports will also need to add value to shipping alliances to attract the large fleets they operate.

“The major alliances today hold over 80 per cent of the world’s container shipping capacity. Changes in their service networks could significantly affect traffic to hubs like Singapore,” PM Wong added.

Singapore’s port terminals handled a record 39 million TEUs in 2023 and hope to cross 40 million TEUs in 2024, he said. Vessel arrivals and bunker volumes have also risen in the first nine months of the year.

The completion of PSA’s new supply chain hub in Tuas in 2027 will coincide with the closure of Keppel Distripark, which specialises in the consolidation and distribution of cargo.

PM Wong said the new hub will expand the capacity currently available at Keppel Distripark, allowing Singapore to attract more trade.

He added that there will also be “many more developments” in the coming years to ensure Tuas Port can continue to serve the largest container vessels.

Terror attack foiled: 17-year-old self-radicalised Singaporean arrested weeks before planned attack in Tampines

Youth shared radical materials with his social media followers

By Samuel Devaraj, The Straits Times, 18 Oct 2024

A 17-year-old Singaporean supporter of terror group ISIS was arrested just weeks before he could carry out his plan to kill non-Muslims in Tampines.

And this was a very close shave, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam on Oct 18.

The youth, who was from a mainstream school, had planned to carry out his attack during the September school holidays and practised stabbing motions with a pair of scissors.

He was arrested in August under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

He had traced his steps from his home to an open area in Tampines Street 81, near supermarkets, provision shops and coffee shops, a children’s art school and a tuition centre, where he had planned to stab non-Muslim men.

The teenager chose this HDB heartland area near Tampines West Community Club as it was crowded and near his home.In a press statement on Oct 18, the Internal Security Department (ISD) said he was issued a two-year order of detention in September.

The teen had also planned to travel to Syria to fight, said ISD. He had got in touch with an online foreign contact for travel advice and researched flight routes.

The youth saw his plan to fight in Syria as meaningful, as he would be able to fight and die with fellow ISIS fighters to establish an Islamic state in Syria, ISD added.

He knew it would be difficult to travel to Syria without arousing the suspicions of his family, ISD said. So, he decided to strike here, a plan that he felt would be easier to carry out and fulfil his aspirations to be a martyr.

Speaking to the media at the site of the planned attack, Mr Shanmugam said thousands of people walk through the area daily, and it would have been more crowded during the school holidays.

The minister said: “He knew that he would be intercepted by the agencies, the police. He had made up his mind to die in the course of the attack. He wanted to become a martyr.

“I would say this was a very close shave. It is very fortunate that ISD arrested him in time.”

Mr Shanmugam said that compared with past cases, this was one of the plans that came closest to being carried out.

He said the youth was detained because of the extent of radicalisation and how close he was to carrying out his plans.

He said: “It is very easy to attack people here. People are defenceless. They are not coming here expecting to be attacked.

“People go around in Singapore feeling safe, so you could easily have gone on a rampage and killed a lot of people around here.

“Look at the kind of people who are around. Kids are playing, senior citizens are resting. They are easy targets for such an attacker.”

ISD said the youth came across the teachings of foreign radical preachers in August 2023 while searching for religious knowledge online.

He embraced segregationist religious beliefs, including the view that Muslims should not extend festive greetings to non-Muslims.

ISD said that following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023, online extremist materials by ISIS increased, and he became self-radicalised.

ISD added that he joined online groups that provided updates on ISIS activities, and believed in the use of armed violence to establish an Islamic caliphate.

By January, he aspired to die as a martyr while fighting for the group.

In May, he took a bai’ah or pledge of allegiance to ISIS in his room.

The teen was inspired by ISIS propaganda, which glorified suicide knife attacks, ISD said.

Besides the pair of scissors, he considered using a kitchen knife in his home to stab people in the neck to kill or wound them.

Said ISD: “He felt a sense of pride knowing that his planned attack, if successfully executed, would be the first terrorist attack in Singapore in recent decades.”

The teen had crafted a declaration of armed jihad against non-Muslims, which he planned to release before his attack, to inspire other Muslims to engage in armed violence.

Restoration of East-West MRT Line services a combined effort by foreign workers, contractors and volunteers

East-West Line disruption from 25 to 30 Sep 2024

By Esther Loi, The Straits Times, 6 Oct 2024

It was a race against time for Indian national Dhandapani Vignesh and his rail welding crew to finish joining new rail segments in about three days to fix a section of damaged tracks between Jurong and Clementi stations.

Originally contracted to work on depot renewal projects under the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the 36-year-old construction manager, together with 20 other foreign workers from his team, were alerted at 7pm on Sept 26 that they were being roped in to repair the damaged tracks.

The day before, a train had caused extensive track and trackside damage along a stretch of the East-West Line (EWL), halting rail services between Jurong East and Buona Vista.

The team immediately got down to work, putting in nine- to 10-hour shifts from Sept 27 to 30 to finish welding – or connecting – the new rail segments to existing ones along the westbound track so that trains could run smoothly again. The new rails replaced the ones damaged by the faulty train.

The disruption, which lasted six days till Sept 30 and affected about 2.6 million passengers, was one of the most severe rail disruptions in the 37-year history of Singapore’s MRT system. Train services resumed on Oct 1.

Despite the pressure of the task at hand, Mr Vignesh mused that he literally “did not feel the heat much” as rail welding, which involves heating rail segments placed between ceramic moulds to join them, was done in the shade in tents.

The main challenge, he added, was having only a limited working timeframe – from around 2.30pm to midnight daily. Welding was not possible at other times of the day since the rails would expand in the daytime heat and eat into the 30mm gaps required to insert welding materials.

Mr Vignesh and his team were also heartened by the steady stream of cold drinking water almost every hour and fast-food meals provided by LTA, rail operator SMRT and even members of the public.

They were among the more than 800 workers responsible for getting the EWL train services up and running again.

Former transport minister S. Iswaran’s 12-month prison term underlines intrinsic value of public trust

The integrity of our public institutions is paramount and serves as the lynchpin for our faith in governance.

By Eugene K B Tan, Published The Straits Times, 5 Oct 2024

Integrity underpins good governance. It’s a non-negotiable. When public trust erodes, the country risks descending into dysfunction, as accountability falters, and public institutions lose legitimacy.

For many in Singapore – and around the world – the high-profile case of former minister S Iswaran was seen as an anomaly here, and yet at the same time a litmus test of the integrity of our system and governance.

Last week, Iswaran pleaded guilty to four Penal Code Section 165 charges, which make it an offence for a public servant to ask for or accept gifts as a public servant from someone with whom he has an official business relationship, and one charge for the obstruction of justice. Thirty other charges under Section 165 were taken into consideration in sentencing.

On Oct 3, Justice Vincent Hoong sentenced Iswaran to 12 months’ jail – twice the six to seven months the public prosecutor had argued for and about six times what the defence had put forward.

In his view, anything else would be a “manifestly inadequate sentence”.

The message was clear.

The paramount importance of trust and confidence in public institutions was writ large and robustly reiterated in the High Court’s 94-page ruling.

Perceptions and public institutions

At one level, the sentence underscores the court’s strong stance against any offence that undermines trust and confidence in public institutions.

Even perceptions of influence peddling by gift givers or abuse of office are highly detrimental as they have an insidious effect on public trust and confidence.

Perceptions often operate as reality. In other words, the harm caused can be significant even from perceptions. This is a reasonably compelling position to take.

The public interest in the integrity and trustworthiness of public institutions, which is necessarily hard-earned, is undermined and easily dissipated by perceptions that individuals could enjoy the patronage of public servants, or that public servants are susceptible to influence by pecuniary benefits. As such, perceptions of unethical conduct or unlawful actions must be vigorously avoided.

Is this too high an expectation and standard of public servants and public institutions?

Not at all. The public sector is such a vital part of our lives and its impact significant in all that we do. Should it fall into disrepute, governance can only become awry.

Notably, the judge recognised that distrust in the public sector can arise not just from outright corruption but also where public institutions become the target of influence peddling, the lack of impartiality in decision-making, and being prone to dispensing patronage.

Justice Hoong put it well: “The swift denunciation of such offences is necessary to deter the acquisition or cultivation of the patronage, loyalty or goodwill of public servants by valuables for the perceived benefits of persons with dealings connected to the official capacities of public servants”.

Zero tolerance

But this was also a case that demonstrated the various public institutions and the rule of law at its best even though the matter was hugely embarrassing for the Government and ruling party.

The judge found that Iswaran had abused his high office.

The mitigating factors he put forth, including his public service and contributions to Singapore, the voluntary disgorgement of benefits received, and a guilty plea at the start of the trial, did not sway the sentencing in his favour.

The judge made it clear that persons in high office with the “associated power and status” should generally be regarded as having acted with more culpability in abusing their position to obtain valuable gifts.

The investigation, prosecution and outcome of this case align with the longstanding position of zero tolerance of corruption.

Any doubt that there has been a wavering of the commitment on incorruptibility across the whole of government or that preferential treatment was accorded to Iswaran should now be banished.

No one to share the load when mum and dad get sick

Unlike in larger families where caregiving load can be spread out, an only child faces immense stress and is more likely to suffer burnout

By Elizabeth Law, Correspondent, The Straits Times, 28 Sep 2024

On a Tuesday afternoon at a coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio, Mr Glenn Poh returns to his waiting mother with two drinks: one hot and one iced. She picks the iced lemon tea.

“All my life she never used to drink cold drinks but now, she always wants something iced. It’s like she’s a small kid again,” he says of his 74-year-old mother, Madam Tan Sow Meng, who has Alzheimer’s disease.

As the only son, Mr Poh took it upon himself to look after her, personally navigating the twists and turns of caring for an ailing parent.

“Whatever needs to be done needs to be done. It’s because I was raised like this,” he says. Having seen how his mother cared for his late father after a stroke, he knew he wanted to do the same for her.

In Singapore, with its rapidly ageing population and cultural norms of filial piety, many adult children find themselves thrust into the role of caregivers.

Life can be put on hold when mum or dad falls ill, and those without siblings or other home help can find themselves shouldering the whole load.

Data shows there were at least 128,800 only children with mothers above the age of 50 in 2023, more than triple the 39,800 in 2003.

In a population of 5.92 million, 1.36 million people have mothers above the age of 50. While the number of only children is just a fraction of that total, researchers and social workers warn that unlike in larger families where the caregiving load can be spread out, only children face immense stress. Among other health challenges, they are more likely to experience burnout.

A stout man with a buzz cut dressed casually in a polo shirt, shorts and sliders, Mr Poh, 44, is unfailingly polite. He says “thank you” or “pai seh” (Hokkien for “sorry to bother”) to anyone he interacts with, and thanks The Straits Times team profusely at each of our three interviews.

He talks about his days in a methodical way, ticking off each activity as if going down a list. He says drawing up lists and “standard operating procedures” helps him find structure amid the uncertainty and constantly evolving nature of his mother’s condition.

But ask him about challenging moments, and his upper lip quivers.

The week before, rather than take her shower at the usual time, his mother fussed around with throwing away rubbish and lighting the oil lamp at the family altar.

“I shouted at her, and I asked her to go and take a bath, which she did. By the time she came out of the bathroom, I apologised but she didn’t remember. I regret it when I lose my temper with her because she cannot remember,” he says, tearing up.

“So it’s not a good feeling. Because you did something wrong, but you’re not able to make up for it.”

He admits this often happened in the initial stages, especially when he had unrealistic expectations about his mother’s condition, and became frustrated that he could not do more to help her.

Political leaders, public service must work hand in glove to deliver a good government: SM Lee Hsien Loong at the Annual Public Service Leadership Ceremony 2024

To be effective, public servants must understand political context, changing environment in which Govt functions: SM Lee

Public service must stay impartial as it renew ties with new leaders

By Goh Yan Han, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 18 Sep 2024

Public servants must understand the political context in which the Government functions to be effective, but cannot get embroiled in political debates, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sept 17.

As the public service renews its relationship with a new generation of political leaders, and Singapore does its best to renew its systems amid a changing world, good policies and good politics will continue to be key, he said.

But the public service has to stay impartial and out of politics, he said, addressing more than 850 public servants at the Annual Public Service Leadership Ceremony held at The Star Theatre in Buona Vista.

He noted that the public service does not make policies in a “technocratic vacuum”, and must be aware of the external, strategic environment in which Singapore exists, the national challenges the country faces, the hopes and concerns of the people, as well as the overarching national objectives the Government is striving to achieve.

But he cautioned: “The public service has to stay out of politics. Public officers cannot get embroiled in political debates, or party politics. You need to stay impartial.”

In his speech, SM Lee sketched out the roles of Singapore’s public service and its political leaders, and the relationship between them.

The country must have a public service driven by the right values and ethos, with the capability and operational know-how to design and implement the right policies, and continuously improve and innovate.

And public servants must also work hand in glove with a political leadership that has the political courage, conviction and touch to convince and inspire people and win their mandate.

“To deliver what is very rare in the world, but what Singaporeans have shown we can do – good government and steady progress,” said SM Lee.

These factors have contributed to Singapore’s success since its early years of nationhood, he noted.

The public service is principally concerned with making and implementing policies – a very demanding task, noted SM Lee.

“Unless this hard work is done, and done well, all our goals and ambitions will remain empty slogans, and the Government will fail to deliver results to Singaporeans,” he said. “That’s why it is vital to have a competent, professional and high-quality public service.”

Ministers must master policies

Singapore’s political leadership is principally concerned with the political aspects – ministers set the overall direction for the nation, with the best interests of the country and its citizens at heart, he said.

They also make political choices on how the country should move forward, and hold their own in the political contest.