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TIANJIN, China: Singapore and China on Thursday (Dec 7) announced that they will establish a 30-day mutual visa exemption agreement between both countries, amid a post-pandemic improvement in flight connectivity. The proposal was announced during the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) meeting – the highest-level annual bilateral forum between both countries – held at the Hilton Tianjin Eco-City hotel with a range of agreements set to be signed. This is the first JCBC meeting to be co-chaired by Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang. At the start of the meeting, Mr Ding noted how the number of Chinese students studying in Singapore has exceeded 40,000, basically recovering to pre-pandemic levels. He added that the visa-free arrangement would “provide greater convenience for people-to-people exchanges”. Mr Wong said Singapore hopes to even go beyond pre-pandemic levels in terms of direct flight connectivity. “This will be supported also by a mutual 30-day visa-free arrangement between our two countries, which will enable more people-to-people exchanges, thereby fortifying the bedrock of our bilateral relations," he added. Both sides are working out the operational details, with the aim of implementing the scheme in early 2024, the Singapore Prime Minister's Office said in a media release. Chinese citizens currently require a visa to enter Singapore. Singaporeans holding ordinary passports can enter China without a visa for 15 days if they are travelling for business, sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends, and in transit. China resumed this arrangement in July, more than three years after it was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This came on the heels of an upgrade in Singapore-China relations to an “All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership”, after Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in March during an official visit. The JCBC reviews the substantive collaboration between Singapore and China and charts the direction of cooperation. Mr Wong, who is on a four-day official visit to Beijing and Tianjin, said during a bilateral meeting on Wednesday that he was looking forward to signing more than 20 memoranda of understanding and agreements at the JCBC meeting. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/singapore-china-30-day-mutual-visa-free-arrangement-3971566

VW Singapore plots Skoda comeback Volkswagen-owned Czech brand Skoda is making a comeback, yet again. But this time, it is parent group Volkswagen which will do its own importing and retailing here. Volkswagen Group Singapore - the manufacturer-owned importer and retailer of Volkswagen vehicles here - has registered a new company for this purpose. According to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, Skoda Centre Singapore was registered last month and will be operating out of 247 Alexandra Road, which is the same address as the VW showroom. The Straits Times understands renovations are being carried out at the facility and that Skoda Centre Singapore will start operations in the first quarter of next year. Volkswagen Group Singapore was not available for comment, but it is understood that a meaningful price differential will be in place to re-launch the Czech brand here. Previously, Skoda cars - which are based on Volkswagens - were the same price or even costlier than equivalent VW models. In other markets, Skodas are cheaper. The brand was last represented by Harvest Automobiles, part of businessman Peter Kwee's now dormant motor group of companies. Harvest Automobiles went bust in 2013 - the third Skoda agency to have failed in Singapore. The Straits Times understands Vertex Automobiles, the dealer for Chinese automobile brand Chery that is owned by egg trader Lian Fong, had made a pitch for the Skoda franchise. But it has since landed Seat, a Spanish brand also owned by Volkswagen Group. Skoda had also been courting Trans Eurokars, a multi-franchise group owned by businessman Karsono Kwee. Among its brands are Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Mini and Mazda. The best year for the Skoda brand here was 2010, when it sold 105 cars. That is less than 4 per cent of Volkswagen sales last year. Will the brand have better success under Volkswagen? Nanyang Business School's Adjunct Associate Professor Zafar Momin, previously an automotive expert with the Boston Consulting Group, said: "Skoda may be able to make a comeback in Singapore if priced and promoted properly. It needs to be very competitive with its Korean competitors in terms of pricing, as it could provide solid, competitive products targeted at value segments of the markets. "With VW Singapore now doing it themselves, it has a better chance than before. Having said that, I wonder what "comeback" really means in a small crowded Singapore car market which has small volumes for many non-mainstream brands. Would it really be worth the effort and to what extent would it cannibalise VW products?" When contacted back in 2014 - when Harvest Automobiles relinquished the business - Volkswagen Group Singapore said it had no plans to take over the Skoda retail business here. It has, however, taken over the maintenance and warranty of Skodas here. There are about 400 Skoda cars in Singapore today. As a onwer of both Skoda and VW model, I can attest that Skoda is indeed better, in almost every aspect, than VW. I can wait to welcome it back to Singapore!! Here are some interesting models in current Skoda lineup, that I hope can be made available to local motorist when sales start next year. Superb Superb Combi Kodiaq

I'm beginning this thread so I can continue to discuss matters on a topic that interests me. I know there is a thread with similar content, but it's become a bit toxic, so if the mods don't mind, I'll start one here? Otherwise go ahead and merge. Basically we have an economic crisis on us, and internationally things are not doing well either. But in spite of this, property prices seem to be headed northwards and the agents will want to tell you, they won't drop. But job losses are on the way, and the capital appreciation on property isn't what it used to be and despite what agents try to tout, one must consider all factors rationally, and see if your money is better served elsewhere. Eg a good benchmark will be the 2.5% that CPF offers. But property remains enticing because it takes a lot more effort and investigation to find alternatives and not all Singaporeans are that hardworking or familiar with the investment instruments available. I wonder what the rest think? Cheers

Has anybody feel that yesterday(Mon 8-Dec-2008) was indeed very cold? From my flat i have to wear sweater in the morning, i am jsut wondering whether it was below the official announced 24 deg C, anyone felt the same?

Hey guys, any1 knows which marathon is in Feb - April 2011 which has the 10km distance? Cos i planning to train for marathon but i dun wan to go straight for the 42km, i prefer to gradually increase the distance..so im hoping to run 10km beginning of next yr..den 21km at adidas sundown in May..den eventually the StanChart 42km in Dec next yr. Any advice? Thanx in advance.

Starting a thread to consolidate the sharing of SIM-only plan experiences and lobangs. Still 1 month+ left on my current M1 SIM-only contract and looking at what other players (telco and MVNO) are offering. Came across Zero1's 6u plan which seems pretty competitive, so putting this plan on my radar screen.

Personally, the mindset of the national is if it is FREE we will keep it hence, i dont envisage a possible reduction in our NS duration what i am very worried about is the world is moving so very fast we already had been disadvantaged by NS, resulting in being 2 or 2 1/2 years behind our girls and our foreign classmates in the future it will be worse for our children even 6 months can mean a break or score the economic cycle also is shorter hence, i am just worried about our children am i worrying too much for our kids or should i just relax TAIPEI

https://prismplus.sg/collections/tvs?gclid=Cj0KCQiA1KiBBhCcARIsAPWqoSrLDzXGBwCUUSfUqevZFS7lZEs2brmbE8ktc4wDd_pHPovIFeCtgj0aAlqvEALw_wcB TV spoil during New year Need to get new tv Keep seeing this smart TV advertisement Value for money for 55" anyone using got reviews?

Hi all Just wondering if anyone had driven from SG to Bangkok before? According to Google Maps, it can be done and the distance is approx. 1850km. I know logistically and financially it is really dumb and waste of time to do so as a flight to Bangkok is only 2 hrs from SG. and budget airlines $$ are cheap. But I just thought the trill of actually driving to Bangkok from SG, and that you are the only SG plate car driving around the big traffic jam city of the world, the feeling would be great haha. I just wonder if there's any potential issues when crossing from Malaysia to Thailand borders. Is our insurance covered in Thailand? And I assume there's no problem using their fuel... Most of their cars uses E20 gas, meaning there's 20% Ethanol mixed into the gasoline. Their max grade gasoline is at 95 octane only. Their regular at 91. I have a close friend in Bangkok but she has no idea if the idea is workable or not... TIA

Singapore returned to World Cup and Asian Cup qualifying action after more than 18 months on Thursday (Jun 3) with a 4-0 loss to Palestine. The second round of joint qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup in China has resumed after a lengthy delay caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Palestine raced to a three-nil lead in the first half at the King Fahd International Stadium, prompting Singapore head coach Tatsuma Yoshida to make a double substitution at the break. But he admitted his match decisions had not gone the way he wanted. “The boys tried, but in the first half, they were a bit nervous,” he said after the match. “I am really disappointed (as) they can do more (and) that we could not show our full potential. I think if we played to our potential, maybe the result would be changed … I am very sorry for the Singapore fans. “I feel big disappointment, big pain … But it’s not on (the players). It’s because of my management and it’s on me.” The three goals Palestine were scored in a span of about 10 minutes and included two penalties by Tamer Seyam either side of an Oday Dabbagh strike. Yaser Hamed completed the scoresheet in the closing minutes of the game. The result means Palestine overtake Singapore in the Group D standings on goal difference, having played a game more. The match saw the international debuts of Ilhan Fandi and Saifullah Akbar, while Lions stalwart Baihakki Khaizan notched his 138th Singapore appearance, taking him to joint second on the country’s list of most-capped players. The Lions sit fourth out of five teams in Group D after six games. Their remaining ties in the group are against Uzbekistan on Jun 7 (kick-off at 2am on Jun 8, Singapore time) and Saudi Arabia on Jun 11 (kick-off at 2am on Jun 12, Singapore time). Saudi Arabia lead Group D on 11 points with Uzbekistan in second on nine. The sides have played five games apiece. All remaining Group D matches are being played in the Saudi capital. The top team of each of the eight second-round groups and the four best runners-up will progress to the third round of 2022 World Cup qualifying. They will also qualify for the 2023 Asian Cup. The remaining teams will continue to compete for places at the 2023 Asian Cup in subsequent rounds of qualifiers. Singapore kicked off their campaign for Qatar 2022 and China 2023 in September 2019, picking up seven points from five games before qualifying was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Elsewhere in Asian qualifying on Thursday, the United Arab Emirates beat Malaysia 4-0, Australia won 3-0 against Kuwait and Iran picked up a 3-1 victory over Hong Kong. Bahrain drubbed Cambodia 8-0 and Nepal beat Taiwan 2-0 while Qatar, who have already qualified for the 2022 World Cup as hosts, edged out India 1-0. Thailand and Indonesia played out a 2-2 draw, with Bangladesh and Afghanistan also sharing the points in a tie that finished 1-1.

In this digital era, our government need to take network reliability and cyber security seriously. Unlike the in the case of service disruption brought upon by DBS and M1 in the past few months, if hospital network is down and the doctor are not able to retrieve patient's record timely, it could be a life and death situation! Websites of Singapore public hospitals, polyclinics down due to 'internet access disruption' Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/singapore-hospitals-errors-websites-not-loading-healthcare-polyclinics-3888231 SINGAPORE: The websites of all public hospitals and polyclinics in Singapore were down on Wednesday (Nov 1), with users reporting errors when trying to access them in the morning. Attempts to access the websites produced error messages saying their URLs could not be retrieved. The issue is due to an "internet access disruption" affecting all public healthcare clusters, said Synapxe, the national health tech agency. "Services requiring internet applications like websites, emails and the NUHS (National University Health System) contact centre are inaccessible," said the agency at about 1.45pm. It added that clinical services within the public healthcare network, such as access to patient records, remain accessible and unaffected. "We are currently working to resolve the issue and apologise for any inconvenience caused," said Synapxe, whose website was also inaccessible. The agency supports the operations of 46 public healthcare institutions, including acute hospitals and polyclinics, as well as around 1,400 community partners such as nursing homes and general practitioners. Singapore's public healthcare system is grouped into three clusters - SingHealth which runs hospitals and polyclinics in the east, the National Healthcare Group in the central region and NUHS in the west. The websites of Singapore General Hospital, National University Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital were among those affected. The website of the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) was also inaccessible. Websites of private hospitals, such as Mount Elizabeth Novena and Raffles Medical Group, appear to be unaffected. The Ministry of Health and HealthHub websites were working. CNA has contacted the hospitals, healthcare clusters, AIC and the Infocomm Media Development Authority for more information. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Start with this Singapore will face South Korea in Seoul in their first match of the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers. LIVE on Thursday 16 November 2023 from 6.50pm to 9pm

In any other country, this may not be a shocking sight. But this is Singapore, so it IS a shocking sight. Watch the video to see why! What happened? A camcar travelling along Kallang Road to Sim avenue was very impressed to see a family of 4 travelling on an e-bike at 60km/h. The mother was calmly leaning back as she took a call, the two children sitting there and the father expertly keeping the bike balanced. Never rode an e-bike before so riders, comment down below how difficult this would be! Behind the camera, someone can be heard saying “Steady Lah... Vietnam style!” For context, entire families taking a singular bike for transport is common in our neighbouring countries, such as Vietnam. Here’s one from India. And here’s another from Indonesia. Usually, this happens when the families are unable to afford a car, and so can only depend on bikes as public transport may not be considered safe or reliable enough. With how COE prices are going, we can all be grateful that our public transport is among the best in the world. Online chatter Quite a few thought the video was in Vietnam until the Singlish commentary started. Others were angry as there seemed to be no action taken by the authorities to prevent such dangerous behaviour on our roads, especially since they are going well over the 25km/h speed limit set for e-bikes. ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

I decided to create a separate thread for AI. Things are really rapidly changing. AI to replace sales staff that are in a revolving door situation. Seems like this company has hit upon a niche that larger companies are very interested in. Not all of these ideas will work out. But you can bet a significant portion of desk/admin jobs will slowly be redundant over the next 10-15 years. Maybe by then, some of us would be working alongside AIs to do some of the routine tasks. https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/09/saleswhale-seed-funding/

The construction of this canal will have a big impact on Singapore maritime traffic. http://mothership.sg/2015/05/the-canal-that-will-sink-spores-maritime-trade-dominance-is-one-step-closer-to-fruition/

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Transportation/Singapore-Airlines-returns-to-profit-as-Asia-travel-surges?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20220729123000&seq_num=17&si=44594 Singapore Airlines returns to profit as Asia travel surges Carrier warns of inflation, as it and city-state prepare for more visitors Singapore Airlines will restore its India operations to pre-pandemic levels, while adding more flights to Japanese cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. © Reuters TSUBASA SURUGA, Nikkei staff writerJuly 28, 2022 20:41 JST SINGAPORE -- Singapore Airlines returned to profit for the three months ended June, helped by a sharp revival in travel demand after regional economies reopen their borders as COVID comes under control. The city-state's flagship carrier on Thursday reported a net profit of 370 million Singaporean dollars ($268 million) for the April-June period, recovering from a S$409 million loss it posted the same period a year ago. Sales tripled to S$3.91 billion in the quarter from a year ago. The airline has had a choppy year. It made its first quarterly profit in the three months to end-December since the onset of the pandemic, which reflected the city-state's move to expand quarantine-free travel in October. But it fell back into a loss over the next three months, hit by higher fuel prices. "Travel demand is expected to remain robust in the near term as we head into the year-end holiday travel period, with forward sales staying buoyant for the next three months up to October 2022," the airlines said in a statement. Although the travel industry in Southeast Asia is recovering, inflationary pressure, particularly high fuel prices, could still dampen earnings as airlines ramp up capacity. As a key travel hub, Singapore was hit hard by global COVID restrictions. For the fiscal year ended March, Singapore Airlines posted a net loss of S$962 million, its third consecutive annual loss. Since April this year, however, Singapore has relaxed most of its restrictions and allowed quarantine-free entry for vaccinated travelers. In the first half of this year, Singapore saw 1.5 million visitors, nearly 12 times more than the same period last year. The arrivals mostly came from Indonesia, India and Malaysia. As global travel picks up, the Singapore Tourism Board expects 4 million to 6 million visitors this year. This is still far from the 19.12 million arrivals in 2019, but much higher than the 2.74 million in 2020. During the first quarter, Singapore Airlines carried over 5 million passengers, 14 times higher than the year before. Elsewhere in the region, Thailand has also opened up to vaccinated travelers and it expects 9.3 million visitors this year. Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia also hope to take in more arrivals this year, now that they, too, have lifted restrictions. To meet increasing demand, Singapore's Changi Airport said it will reopen in September its fourth terminal, which mostly handles low-cost flights. Still, the tourism board noted that the travel industry "will face some headwinds for the rest of the year because of the volatile global political and economic environment, as well as the evolving health situation." For Singapore Airlines, "inflationary pressures including elevated fuel prices remain a concern." Its net fuel cost more than tripled to S$1.27 billion in the three months to end-June. The airline said that it will continue to "keep a tight rein on costs," while increasing services to destinations globally. Singapore Airlines will restore its India operations to pre-pandemic levels, while adding more flights to Japanese cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. With strong demand, more services will be added to Los Angeles and Paris, the airline said. Shares in Singapore Airlines rose 0.2% to S$5.36 on Thursday ahead of the earnings announcement.

lai liao 😁 @ https://www.techinasia.com/source-tesla-nears-final-approval-sell-cars-singapore

Boom and doom? Singapore to launch vaccinated travel lanes with India, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia SINGAPORE: Singapore will extend its vaccinated travel lane (VTL) scheme to more countries starting from Nov 29, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Monday (Nov 15). The country intends to launch VTLs with India and Indonesia from Nov 29, and with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Dec 6.

Source: https://mustsharenews.com/singapore-nuclear-energy-2050/ Singapore Could Potentially Use Nuclear Energy By 2050 When the topic of nuclear energy gets brought up, some might instinctively think of the dangers associated with the alternate energy source. However, nuclear energy can also be an efficient power source. On Tuesday (22 Mar), the Energy 2050 Committee published a report showing that Singapore could tap into nuclear energy in the coming decades. With recent advancements, nuclear technology has apparently become safer and more reliable. However, more research and development are needed to determine if it’s indeed viable for Singapore. Nuclear energy could supply 10% of Singapore’s needs by 2050 According to The Straits Times (ST), a report commissioned by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) concluded that about 10% of Singapore’s energy demand could be supplied by nuclear energy by 2050. While Singaporeans might understandably be worried about nuclear energy, the Energy 2050 Committee said advancements in the field have made the alternative power source safer than before. The report projected 3 uncertain geopolitical scenarios in 2050: Clean Energy Renaissance Climate Action Bloc Emergent Technology Trailblazer S’pore can determine if nuclear energy is viable by 2040s In the 3rd scenario, the world is fragmented and technology advancements will delay but eventually arrive. Singapore will be able to deploy low-carbon alternatives, such as nuclear energy, into its energy mix. The report stated that a fragmented geopolitical situation means that countries would find it harder to collaborate and achieve their climate targets. This would limit electricity imports in Singapore’s energy mix. This is as opposed to the other 2 scenarios, where electricity imports would contribute a significant portion of Singapore’s energy needs. Scenario 1: Clean Energy Renaissance Scenario 2: Climate Action Bloc Nevertheless, in all 3 scenarios, electricity imports, hydrogen, solar, and energy storage systems will be important. The Straits Times (ST) reported that in 2014, Singapore allocated $63 million to fund research and education in nuclear safety, engineering, and science. By the 2040s, Singapore would likely be able to determine if nuclear energy is viable. If so, we can start developing domestic generation capacities. Could contribute greatly to our climate efforts Once associated with danger and volatility, we are glad that modern developments have made nuclear energy much safer and hopefully more viable. While it might sound ambitious for Singapore to incorporate nuclear energy, it could contribute greatly to our nation’s climate efforts.

http://www.plushasia.com/media_photo/23275 Singapore's million-dollar club grows Singapore - More people made it to the millionaires club last year, with 4,220 taxpayers having assessable income of more than $1 million each. Their combined income came to $8.06 billion, according to the annual report of the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) released on Thursday. They forked out $1.49 billion in income tax. In 2011, in comparison, there were 3,870 people in this group and they earned $7.45 billion. These could be Singaporeans, permanent residents or foreigners. A further 12,921 people earned between $500,000 and $1 million each last year, up from 11,092 people in 2011. Iras collected 7.6 per cent more cash in its latest financial year, as the economy grew moderately and the buoyant property market yielded more in stamp duty collection. Total taxes collected came to $41.4 billion for the 12 months to March 31, up from $38.4 billion in the year before, said The money made up 74.1 per cent of all operating revenue for the Government. The remainder was collected by other agencies for other types of payments - such as certificates of entitlement and Electronic Road Pricing. Iras' collections include corporate taxes, individual income taxes, goods and services tax (GST), stamp duties, property tax and betting taxes. For the financial year, corporate income tax grew 5.8 per cent to $12.8 billion, owing to improved company profits. Individual income tax collection grew by 12.2 per cent to $7.7 billion, due to higher salaries and the cessation of one-off personal income tax rebates given earlier for income earned in 2011. GST collection rose by 4 per cent to $9 billion, in line with the moderate growth in private consumption expenditure. Stamp duty collections jumped 35.7 per cent to $4.3 billion. The rise was due to the introduction of the additional buyer's stamp duty in December 2011 - intended to cool the property market - and more property transactions. Property tax collection fell by 3.1 per cent to $3.8 billion, due to an earlier change in some policies that affected the timing of collection of the taxes. The changes had led to more collections in the previous financial year - April 2011 to March last year. Taxes from betting activities dipped by 2.9 per cent to $2.3 billion. This included duties on Singapore Pools bets like 4D, Toto, Big Sweep and sports betting, and levies on the casino operations of the two integrated resorts. Iras also highlighted its high level of tax compliance - essentially, that almost all parties pay their taxes on time. Tax arrears declined to a record low of 0.79 per cent, among the lowest in the world. "Our ongoing efforts to promote a high level of voluntary compliance have resulted in more individuals and businesses filing their tax returns and paying taxes on time," said Dr Tan Kim Siew, Commissioner of Inland Revenue. "On-time filing rates have improved across all tax types." One of the taxpayers who name himself Throttle says "yes this year is a good year, many tables to be cleaned, my income shoot high high." Throttle who reported his annual income for more than has one million singapore dollar has decided to give himself a holiday break to London, UK.

Singapore's population hits 5.18 million as at end-June Published on Sep 28, 2011 Purchase this article for republication Buy SPH photos Singapore's total population stood at 5.18 million as at end-June 2011. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANGBy Janice Heng Singapore's population has reached 5.18 million, up 2.1 per cent from 5.08 million last year. The growth was due to increases in the number of citizens and non-residents. There are now 3.26 million citizens, up 0.8 per cent from 3.23 in 2010. The number of non-residents - foreigners who are working, studying or living here but not granted permanent resident status - rose 6.9 per cent to 1.39 million this year, from 1.31 million in 2010. In contrast, the number of permanent residents fell by 1.7 per cent, to 532,000 from 541,000 in 2010. The updated population figures, released on Wednesday by the Department of Statistics, are of Singapore's population as at the end of June in 2011. ----------------------- At this rate of 100K per year, 6.5 million will be hit in 14 years. Congrats to the government for bringing in more working ants! HUAT AH PAP!

You might disagree with her, but you’ll be hard pressed to find much evidence against her case. What happened? Content creator and entrepreneur Wendi Chan, better known as @pinkkittywendi has been stirring the pot by making the bold but likely true statement that Singaporeans are the worst drivers and/or the most inconsiderate drivers in the world. If you are angered at the above statement, I present to you all our existing articles. And SGRV. She uses the example of how when trying to enter another lane in the event that someone has stopped in front of you, Singaporean drivers are more likely to speed up and close the gap instead of graciously letting you in. To support this, she mentions how in other countries there is no such behaviour, that it is "common courtesy" to let the person signalling come into the lane. Wendi also gave her own experience of another driver giving a “very rude sign” when she attempted to turn into the lane. No further elaboration on the sign but I’m sure we can all guess what it was. She ends off the video with her confusion on this behaviour, “I just don’t get it, what is that five seconds you can lose coming in and probably going out again because there was a vehicle stuck there? It’s just frustrating.” Online chatter Almost unanimous agreement. But as always, there are outliers. What do you think about Singaporean drivers? ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Energy/Surging-fuel-prices-shake-Singapore-s-electricity-market?utm_campaign=GL_asia_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_source=NA_newsletter&utm_content=article_link&del_type=1&pub_date=20211021190000&seq_num=11&si=44594 Surging fuel prices shake Singapore's electricity market Gas-reliant country urges power companies to 'at least meet' retail demand Singapore's heavy reliance on imported gas has left the city-state vulnerable to surging energy prices. © AP KENTARO IWAMOTO and DYLAN LOH, Nikkei staff writersOctober 21, 2021 14:34 JST SINGAPORE -- Singapore is taking "extraordinary" steps to secure energy supplies as rising fuel prices hit the import-reliant country's electricity market, with three retail suppliers in just over a week announcing they will halt services. While the government insists energy supplies remain sufficient, its moves come amid global concerns over tight electricity supplies that threaten both businesses and consumers. On Tuesday, Singapore's Energy Market Authority said it will make government fuel reserves available to power companies in the event gas supplies are affected or there is a need to ensure reliable electricity supply. It also asked the companies to secure enough fuel to "at least meet the demands of customers of their retail arms." "These pre-emptive measures are extraordinary but necessary to secure our fuel and electricity supply," the authority explained in a statement. While surging fuel prices have been seen worldwide, Singapore is in a unique position as about 95% of its electricity is generated from imported natural gas. This gas is delivered via pipeline from neighboring Indonesia and Malaysia or shipped in liquefied form from other gas exporters. Over the past months, spot liquified natural gas prices rose sharply due to increased demand from China and elsewhere while gas and coal production dropped. Meanwhile, gas supplies via pipeline to Singapore have been affected by upstream production issues in an Indonesian gas field, the EMA said, with reduced output expected to last until the end of the year. Singapore generates nearly 95% of its electricity using imported gas. © Reuters "The Singapore power crunch is certainly alarming," said Ken Lee, a senior analyst at energy research company Wood Mackenzie, pointing out that wholesale power prices averaged $115 Singapore dollars ($85) per megawatt-hour from January to September, but shot up to SG$635 this month as of Oct. 19. Lee said that higher power demand has also contributed to the price spike, noting that Singapore consumed about 5% more electricity this year compared with the same period last year due to a rebound from slow economic activity last year. Disruption in the local market is forcing some electricity retailers that had offered cheaper plans for households to pull out. Earlier this week, Best Electricity Supply, which entered the market in 2015, announced it would exit the business on Thursday, citing "unexpected volatile conditions in the energy market." The company became the third retailer to pull out of the local electricity market in just over a week. "Retailers, especially independent retailers who do not own physical power plants, have suffered the most," Wood Mackenzie's Lee explained. "Such retailers were unable to manage power supply price risk as many of them have entered into fixed-price retail contracts with end-users." One longer-term question is how the power crunch might affect local businesses. Singapore's core manufacturing sectors include chemicals and electronics, both of which consume large amounts of electricity. "We have not heard anything with regards to industries and manufacturing being impacted. However, the industries that have not signed fixed-price retail contracts will very likely be impacted as they won't be shielded from the current price spikes," Lee said. Some businesses are already bracing for possible impacts. Since July, Singapore medical equipment maker Racer Technology has seen its power consumption expenses creep up. CEO Willy Koh told Nikkei Asia that electricity costs have increased by about 30% across the company's factories in the city-state amid the current energy crunch. "Right now we have a labor shortage, then we have power [costs] going up, so we are very worried in the manufacturing line," he said, referring to a shortage of workers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The cost of production is "getting higher and higher." Koh said he is looking to lock in energy contracts to secure power supplies at a fixed rate but only once electricity costs come down from their current highs. French energy technology provider Schneider Electric is advising its corporate clients in Singapore to use their power more efficiently. "Our customers are not spared the impact of the current energy crunch and their pain points are the potentially unstable supply, unpredictable [and] increasing energy costs, and how to increase their resiliency in case of a power outage or reduction," Yoon Young Kim, Schneider's regional president for Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, told Nikkei. As far as households are concerned, electricity tariffs of state-owned Singapore Power are set at 24.11 Singapore cents per kilowatt-hour for the October-December quarter, up 12.5% from a year earlier. The government has urged residents to conserve electricity over the coming months, but electricity consumption is crucial for air conditioning in the tropical nation, especially with more people working from home. Higher utility bills could potentially cool consumption sentiment, which in turn would weigh on the economy as it begins to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

hopefully in 2022 can create a NEW thread liao .... UM$NO govt is the BEST .... still can whack JE property?

who wants to place bet of how long this will last? [rolleyes]