Singapore ministerial salary review due in 2023 deferred, says Chan Chun Sing
A salary review for Singapore’s political office-holders due in 2023 was deferred as the government is dealing with other pressing issues, said Minister-in-charge of the Public Service Chan Chun Sing.
Replying to parliamentary questions filed by two MPs, he said the geopolitical situation had become more uncertain in 2023, with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as heightened political contestation.
There were also significant uncertainties in the global economy impacting Singapore’s economy, wages and inflation outlook, he added.
Government not ruling out separate COE category for private-hire cars: Chee Hong Tat
Singapore is not ruling out a separate Certificate of Entitlement (COE) category for cars owned by private-hire vehicle (PHV) fleet operators, said Acting Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat.
The move has to be studied carefully, however, to avoid affecting the supply of COE for vehicles in other categories. If implemented, it would likely be timed separately from other regulatory changes in the point-to-point (P2P) transport sector, Chee said in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao.
Singapore Airlines gets IATA ‘fresh’ certification
Singapore Airlines (SIA) has attained the International Air Transport Association (IATA) global re-certification for its handling of perishable products via its Singapore hub. The re-certification is valid for three years, starting from 1 February 2024.
This certification is based on IATA’s Perishable Cargo Regulations, which combine regulatory and operational inputs from government and industry experts. It validates SIA’s continuous efforts to meet the air freight industry’s highest standards for food safety, and prevent food waste along the supply chain.
Singapore Prosecutors Review Transport Minister Case
Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau completed a probe involving Transport Minister S. Iswaran, the Business Times reported, citing Minister Chan Chun Sing’s written reply to a question in parliament on Tuesday.
The case is being reviewed by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and will be put through the due legal process, the newspaper said, citing Chan.
Iswaran is the first senior minister to get embroiled in a graft probe since 1986. He and property tycoon Ong Beng Seng were arrested in July in a case that’s challenged Singapore’s reputation for clean governance. Both Iswaran and Ong were released on bail.
The corruption agency, which reports directly to Lee, hasn’t specified what wrongdoing was involved. No charges have been filed, though Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has instructed Iswaran to take a leave of absence until the investigation is completed.
Keppel inks electricity supply deal with chipmaker GlobalFoundries
Global asset manager Keppel’s infrastructure unit will supply electricity to the Singapore operations of the US-based contract chipmaker GlobalFoundries under a multi-year power purchase agreement, the companies said on Jan 9.
Under the agreement, which is set to commence in May, Keppel will supply 150 megawatts to 180 megawatts (MW) of electricity each year at GlobalFoundries’ Singapore site.
imToken wallet asks Singapore authorities for blacklist removal
Cryptocurrency wallet firm imToken has responded to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) adding it to the Investor Alert List (IAL), which is used to warn investors against suspicious platforms.
ImToken took to X (formerly Twitter) on Jan. 9 to announce that it was blacklisted in Singapore because the company is “headquartered in Singapore” but has not applied for a financial business license there.
