|
NEWS SNIPPETS
2007
-
Seventh
Annual Singapore Biathlon
|
Singapore Labour Market 2006 |
| "Total
employment creation for the whole of 2006 rose to an
all-time high of 176,000, surpassing the previous
year’s gains of 113,300. This brought the total number
employed to 2,495,900 persons as at December 06... |
| "On
average, 67,500 residents were unemployed in 2006,
down from 74,900 in 2005 and the high of 91,200 in
2003..." |
|
More..... |
|
One Singaporean, one electronic medical record (EMR) |
|
 |
|
Mr Khaw Boon Wan, Minister for Health |
|
"Right now, it is one Singaporean,
multiple medical records, stored away in different clinics and
hospitals in different formats, and not connected or consolidated.
As a result, when patients visit different doctors, they have to
have tests repeated and scans redone. This adds to unnecessary
cost. |
|
"We are moving towards this target of
'One Singaporean, One EMR'. Because of legacy systems, we cannot
achieve it in one step. But we have made progress... |
|
"However, this is a complex national
project - very few if any countries have successfully implemented
a system that links up public, private and the charity sector..." |
|
More..... |
|
Beware of snatch thieves in streets and common areas |
|
"Since the beginning of the year, there have
been 124 cases of snatch theft reported. Of these cases, 67 cases
involved the stealing of handphones... |
|
"More recently on 6 Mar at about
6.45am, a teenaged male victim lost his handphone to a snatch
thief when he was hit on the back of the head whilst walking near
Tampines St 41. The culprit picked up the $100 mobile phone that
the victim dropped and fled with it..." |
|
More..... |
|
Singapore Crime Situation 2006 |
|
"Theft and related offences 2,
which accounted for more than half (61%) of overall crime
reported, fell by 2,192 cases from 22,711 to 20,519 cases in 2006. |
|
"The overall decrease was largely due
to fewer cases of shop theft, theft from person and
other theft3 . In addition,
handphone crimes4 also dropped from 4,825 to 4,594
cases... |
|
"Youths made up 19% of total persons
arrested in 2006, compared to 23% last year..." |
|
More..... |
|
Expanding
our MRT Network |
|
 |
|
MR RAYMOND LIM,
MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND SECOND MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS |
|
"Beyond this, the LTA is completing its
feasibility studies for a new 33-station Downtown Line that will
link the eastern and north western corridors to the Marina Bay. |
|
"When the Downtown Line is up,
residents in Bukit Panjang, Bukit Timah, Bedok Reservoir and
Macpherson can take the train to see the bright lights of the
Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort... |
|
"As part of our long-term planning for
a future Singapore of 6.5 million population, we expect that we
will need to at least double our current rail network of 138 km
for a 50% increase in population. That means putting in the
equivalent of at least 7 North-east Lines..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Gearing up Singapore for its 2020 healthcare needs |
|
"MediShield coverage among active
workers is not bad, at 90%. But 390,000 Singaporeans below 20
years of age are not insured. The premium at their age is
inexpensive, only $30 per year. |
| "And
young parents can use their Baby Bonus to pay the
premium. So cost is not the issue... |
|
"We will introduce an
opt-out scheme for infants to be automatically covered
under MediShield from the time their births are
registered. |
|
"Premiums can be deducted
from their fathers' Medisave or alternatively their
mothers'. Parents who do not want such coverage can
opt out any time by informing the CPF Board. We will
get this done later this year..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
HDB further relaxes policy on subletting of whole
flats |
|
"With immediate effect, HDB will be
relaxing its policy on the subletting of whole flats through a
further reduction of the MOP and delinking it from the lessees’
HDB loan status. The revised MOP is: |
"5 years for owners of
subsidised flats, i.e. flats
purchased directly from HDB or from the open market with a CPF
Housing Grant; and
3 years for owners of non-subsidised flats, i.e.
flats purchased from the open market without a CPF Housing
Grant..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
$31.9 million grant in FY07 to national sports associations
-
Posting results for the 2007 Joint Admissions Exercise (JAE)
-
Media statement on Genting and the Sentosa Integrated Resort
|
Singapore may enter upper half of First World nations
within 20 years |
|
 |
|
"The Singapore of the 1980s is the
past. |
|
"By 2010 we will have two integrated
resorts. With conventions and world class entertainment, our
tourists may increase from 9.7 million in 2006 to 17 million by
2015. |
|
"Singapore’s landscape will change. We will have an
iconic city centre, a Marina with a promenade that
will allow pedestrians and electric golf buggies
unimpeded access round the whole Marina, with al
fresco dining, restaurants, shops and
electrically-driven pleasure boats for tourists to
cruise along the Singapore and Kallang Rivers..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Liberalisation of Medisave |
|
As part of the review of Medisave, the
Ministry of Health will be increasing the withdrawal limits in the
following four areas: |
- The inpatient per diem limit
will be increased from $400 to $450;
- The day surgery limit will be
increased from $200 to $300;
- The annual limit for psychiatric
bills will be increased from $3,500 to $5,000;
- Medisave will be allowed for
diagnostic scans such as MRI and CT scans, if they form parts of
outpatient cancer treatment.
|
|
More..... |
|
-
AVA recalls baby food product as a precautionary measure
|
Islamic finance in Singapore |
|
Mr Ng
Nam Sin, Executive Director, Monetary Authority of
Singapore |
|
"We have reviewed our policies to
ensure that Islamic finance is not disadvantaged vis-à-vis
conventional finance... |
|
"Regulatory wise, we have worked
proactively with Financial Institutions in allowing Islamic
Finance transaction under existing regulation... |
|
"All these put together, along with
Singapore's open markets, efficient infrastructure and transparent
regulations allow Singapore to further develop itself as an
international financial centre offering Islamic Finance
possibilities..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
A Statistical Profile of Older Workers |
|
"Older persons aged 50 &
over made up close to one-quarter (24%) of the
resident workforce in 2006. |
|
"Reflecting their
relatively less educated profile, the majority (68%)
of older workers were employed in lower-skilled jobs
such as cleaners, labourers & related workers (18%),
plant & machine operators & assemblers (16%) and
service & sales workers (15%). |
|
"These occupations also
registered an above-average incidence of older workers
especially for cleaners, labourers & related workers
where more than half (53%) were aged 50 & over...." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Check your eligibility for Singapore PR or citizenship
online |
|
"The Naturalisation Eligibility Tool
is a free online self-assessment system, to assist foreigners
working and staying in Singapore to assess if they are eligible
for either Singapore Permanent Residence (SPR) or Singapore
Citizenship (SC)... |
|
"Overseas foreigners are also able to
use the system although theirs will only be a hypothetical
assessment. These overseas foreigners are given the option to
provide their contact particulars to enable ICA to contact them if
necessary..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
1,100 theft cases involving metals in 2006
-
Prime Minister's Chinese New Year Message 2007
Budget Statement 2007 |
|
"I will give lower-income Singaporeans
larger GST Credits. |
|
"Those who live in one- to three-room
flats[4] and have annual assessable incomes of $24,000
or less will qualify for the largest quantum of $1,000, to be paid
out in instalments of $250 per year over four years... |
|
"Next, if you live in a larger home
with an AV of more than $10,000, but you earn less than $100,000 a
year, you will get $400 in GST Credits. |
|
"The top income group comprising those
earning over $100,000 a year will get $100. It is a small gesture,
but recognises that the GST increase affects everyone. |
|
"NSmen and NSFs, including those aged
below 21, will also get an additional $100 of GST Credits, to
recognise their contributions to national security... |
|
"The first instalment will be paid out
on 1 July this year, at the same time as the GST increase..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
Singapore
River HongBao 2007
-
Health Products
Bill passed
Key
Household Income Trends 2006 |
|
"Among employed households (i.e.
households with at least one working person), average monthly
household income from work1 grew by 4.3 per cent in
2006 to reach $6,260. |
|
"After adjusting for inflation,
employed households enjoyed real income growth of 3.2 per cent in
2006..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
Police raid second company using pirated software
Commissioner of Charities to launch online charity
portal |
|
"In tandem with the tightening of
charity registration, the COC's office will also launch the
Charity Portal (http://www.charities.gov.sg)
to provide a convenient one-stop ''paper-less'' process for
application for charity status and institution of a public
character (IPC) status. |
|
"The Charity Portal provides a one-stop
resource centre for the public who want to know more about
charities in Singapore, including those interested in setting up
charities and IPCs..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' Level Exam 2006 Results
-
Singapore's first underground rock cavern for hydrocarbon storage
|
Number of traffic summonses for speeding going down" |
|
In 2005, as part of Police’s overall
enforcement strategy, more resources were diverted to ensure greater
police presence on our roads to deter motorists from flouting traffic
rules. |
|
"The public had by then become more aware of the PSLC
deployment through Traffic Police’s website and radio. |
|
"This contributed to the number of
summonses issued for speeding falling 37% to 51,800 in 2005 as
compared to 2004. In 2006, the number of summonses issued for
speeding decreased 13% to 45,130 compared to the 51,800 summonses
issued in 2005..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Turning Singapore into a city of gardens and waters |
|
 |
|
"Imagine looking out of your HDB
apartment window and instead of seeing a huge concrete canal, you
set your eyes on a sparkling river with landscaped banks, with
kayakers paddling in the stream, with lively play areas for
children, and with boardwalks and bridges for families to enjoy
outings together. |
|
"This is not a far-fetched scenario.
Singapore has an extensive water network that spans 14 reservoirs,
32 major rivers and more than 7,000 km of other waterways
including canals and drains. Few cities in the world have such a
pervasive and well-integrated network of waterways..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Singapore's postal sector to be fully liberalised from
1 April 2007 |
|
"To ensure that our security concerns of
mail integrity and accountability are met, SingPost will continue to
hold the full set of letterbox masterdoor keys... |
|
"As national stamps carry the
country's name and to prevent consumer confusion over which PPL
the national stamp belongs to, SingPost will continue to be the
only one to issue these stamps... |
|
"For greater operational efficiency,
Singapore will keep a centralised postal code management system.
SingPost will continue to manage this centralised system, while
providing access to the postal codes database to all interested
PSOs..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Income Tax (Amendment) Bill passed |
|
"Currently, the penalty for not filing an income tax
return is significantly less severe than the penalty
for under-declaring income. This creates an
incentive for taxpayers to avoid taxation by not
submitting their income tax returns. |
| "To
discourage this practice, a penalty of double the
amount of tax undercharged will be introduced for
the failure to file a tax return in respect of any
year of assessment within 3 years from the filing
deadline..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Report on labour force in Singapore in 2006 |
|
"76% of the
resident population aged 25 to 64 were employed, the highest since the
data was first compiled in 1991, up from 73% in 1996... |
|
"12% or
172,000 of resident employees were engaged on term contracts in
June 2006 while the remaining 88% were permanent employees3. On
average, employees on term contract drew lower pay than those on
permanent appointments... |
|
"The share
of degree holders almost doubled to 23% from 12% a decade ago..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
10,221 reported cases of loan shark harassment
activities in 2006 |
|
"In 2006, 294 persons were arrested for UML
offences and related harassment activities. This is an increase of 11%
as compared to 2005. |
|
"In 2006, Police also dealt with 39
UML syndicate members under the CL(TP) Act, which is an increase
of 63% compared to 24 in 20053. In addition, Police
smashed 8 syndicates last year4 ..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Proposed changes to rules for unsecured credit |
|
"A measured step of lowering the minimum
annual income threshold for unsecured credit facilities from $30,000 to
$20,000. A more conservative maximum credit limit of twice the
borrower's monthly income will be set for individuals in this $20,000 to
$30,000 income group, with no access to credit cards... |
|
"Create appropriate modifications to
the moneylenders regime. For instance, for unsecured loans of
$3,000 and below, no minimum income requirement would be imposed
but such loans would be subject to an interest rate cap..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Employment situation in 4th quarter 2006 |
|
"Preliminary estimates show that total
employment grew by 48,800 in the fourth quarter of 2006, considerably
higher than the gains of 35,300 in the same period a year ago, and up
from 43,000 in the third quarter of 2006... |
|
"Total retrenchment for the whole of
2006 was 12,200. Although this is higher than 10,294 in 2005, it
is only about half the number retrenched in 2001 (25,838).
Manufacturing formed the bulk of retrenchments (8,800), followed
by services (3,000) and construction (400) in 2006..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Road Traffic Situation 2006 |
|
"The number of persons killed increased from
173 to 190 in 2006. The number of persons injured increased from 8,226
to 9,706 in 2006, of which 104 suffered serious injuries... |
|
"There was an overall increase in the
number of speed-related accidents, from 1,445 to 1,657 cases in
2006, with the number of speed-related fatal accidents increasing
by 15 cases, from 51 to 66. More than 1 in 3 of all fatal
accidents were speed related..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
About 200,000 new Singapore PRs in the next 5 years |
| "From
2001-2004, an average of 35,250 new permanent
residents (PR) and 7,130 new Singapore citizens (SC)
were granted per annum. In 2005, about 52,300 new
PRs and 12,900 new SCs were granted. |
| "The
average numbers of new PRs and SCs are 38,700 and
8,300 respectively, for the period 2001-2005. |
| "We
could expect to add about 200,000 new PRs and 40,000
new SCs in the next 5 years if we get the same
numbers of new PRs and SCs as in the last 5
years..." |
|
More..... |
|
Secondhand Goods Dealers Bill 2007 passed |
| "The
current Act does not cover dealers operating without
a shop. We recognise that many secondhand goods
dealers today actually carry on their business via
other means, such as on the Internet, or in an
open-air setting like Sungei Road. This is
unacceptable, as thieves and robbers will simply get
rid of their loot through these other dealers who do
not have a shop-front... |
| "MHA is
hence widening the coverage of the law to include
those dealers who do not operate within a shop.
However, in keeping with the emphasis on a sharper
regulatory focus, only dealers who trade in
secondhand goods that are listed in the Schedule
will come under the ambit of the Act..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
MOT comments on Malaysia's plan to temporarily close causeway to heavy
vehicles
-
PTC
revises premium bus service scheme
|
Commissioner of Charities completes inquiry on Youth
Challenge |
|
"The COC found that the Executive
President's total annual remuneration for the financial year ended
31 January 2006 was $248,867. Of this amount, only $53,836 was
disclosed as the Executive President's salaries in the Income and
Expenditure Statement. |
|
"Another $164,475 was disclosed in Note
3 to the audited financial statements as salaries apportioned to
various projects/events... |
|
"The Executive President's total
remuneration of $248,867 amounted to 56% of the total donation and
other income of $442,287 raised for the same period..." |
|
More..... |
|
The Banking (Amendment) Bill passed |
|
"Entities that have not been approved to issue
credit cards in Singapore will be prohibited from
soliciting for or accepting card applications in
Singapore, and this applies equally to third parties
acting on their behalf... |
| "The
proposed regime also clarifies that single party
merchant credit is exempted from regulation.
Such an arrangement, where the card is used only for
transactions with the issuer, is essentially a
deferred payment scheme offered by merchants to
their customers. |
| "In
addition, a new exemption for cards granting credit
in small amounts not exceeding S$500 will be
introduced. This allows flexibility in
payments for small-ticket items without raising
substantial concerns about Singaporeans spending
beyond their means..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
MOE to develop 15 FutureSchools@Singapore schools by 2015
-
Study on returns to higher education in Singapore
|
2006 survey finds almost nine in ten children aged
10 - 14 years are infocomm users |
|
"Almost nine in ten children (aged 10 to 14 years)
use the computer and Internet for communications,
learning and play... |
|
"The second highest proportion of
Infocomm users are our youth and adults (aged 15 to 59 years),
with about seven in ten using the computer and Internet
extensively for communications and leisure activities. |
|
"The
elderly (aged 60 and above) are also Infocomm users. Three in ten use the
computer, while two in ten have accessed the Internet in the past
year..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
Singapore launches Infocomm Enterprise Programme
-
MDA launches new licence framework for IPTV
-
Two students to be charged in court for misuse of sparklers
|
Changes to Medisave and MediShield in 2007 |
|
"First, the Ministry of Health will increase
the Medisave inpatient daily withdrawal limit from $400 to $450... |
|
"Second, the Ministry of Health plans to
allow Medisave use for MRI and CT scans, if they form part of an
outpatient cancer treatment... |
|
"MOH intends to further reduce the
co-payment, in particular the deductibles of Medisave-approved
private insurance plans, in 2007..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
Medisave can now be used for outpatient treatment of three
additional chronic diseases
-
RSAF
to be reorganised into five commands
-
Synthetic fields for eligible schools
|
SMU starts School of Law |
|
"The Third Committee on the Supply of Lawyers estimated that an
additional 140-150 legal professionals will be required each year
from 2010 until 2015 to meet the needs of Singapore’s legal
industry. |
|
"To meet this number, the SMU School of Law will take in 90
students in AY2007, reaching a steady-state intake of 120 from
AY2008 onwards. |
|
"The NUS Faculty of Law will also increase its intake from the
current 220 to 240 beginning in AY2007..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Survey on polyclinics in Singapore |
|
"The heaviest patient attendances were
seen at Ang Mo Kio (27,041) and Jurong (24,275), more than double
the volumes seen at polyclinics such as Queenstown (9,345), Marine
Parade (10,393) and Outram Polyclinics (10,550) - the lowest in
attendances among polyclinics..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Singapore economy expected to grow by 4-6% in 2007 |
|
 |
|
"In the last five years, our real
per-capita GDP grew on average by 4.3% per annum, but real average
wages (after adjusting for inflation) grew at only half this rate
– 2.1%. |
|
"Higher-end wages have risen by more
than this. But at the lower-end wages have increased by much less,
and some have even stagnated. |
|
"This is why we are implementing
Workfare as a fourth pillar of our social safety net, together
with the CPF, the 3Ms (Medisave, MediShield and Medifund) and HDB
home ownership..." |
|
More..... |
|
|
Public transport operators to handle lost & found
properties |
|
"With
effect from 1 January 2007, the public bus and taxi
companies, namely, SBS Transit Ltd, SMRT Buses Ltd,
Comfort Transportation Pte Ltd, Yellow-Top Cab Pte
Ltd, CityCab Pte Ltd, SMRT Taxis Pte Ltd, Trans-Cab
Services Pte Ltd, Smart Automobile Pte Ltd and
Premier Taxis Pte Ltd, will handle all properties
found in their vehicles and handle all reports on
lost and found properties made by their customers
and drivers..." |
|
More..... |
|
-
Changes to CPF Minimum Sum and Investment schemes from 1 Jan 2007
News Snippets 2006 - Part 2
News Snippets
2006 - Part 1
News
Snippets 2005 - Part 2
News Snippets
2005 - Part 1
News Snippets 2004
News
Snippets 2003
|
All rights reserved
