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Open sources, classified and cross-checked. 25+ stories.

POLITICS10h agoDo tough laws deter drug crimes? Lessons from Singapore and MalaysiaAs Malaysia rethinks the death penalty for drug offences, Singapore insists tough laws deter substance abuse.Al Jazeera [en]
POLITICS1d agoSingapore adds muscle to expert panel as probe into haze-linked firms gains speedSeven members have been selected for a specialist panel that will assess companies identified by the Singapore government over potential links to transboundary haze, the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Friday. Three are investigation firms: Control Risks Group, FTI Consulting (Singapore) and Kroll Singapore. The remaining four are law firms or legal advisers: Dentons Rodyk & Davidson, Toby Landau, King’s Counsel of Duxton Hill Chambers, TSMP Law Corporation...South China Morning Post
POLITICS2d agoSingapore wields ‘quiet diplomacy’ in minister’s surprise visit to Indonesia amid haze tensionsSingapore’s decision to send its top diplomat to Indonesia on a surprise visit, following days of terse exchanges over a regional haze, underscores a bid to defuse growing tensions and seek a direct channel to President Prabowo Subianto. Analysts say Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s trip reflected his country’s preference for measured diplomacy amid rising nationalistic rhetoric in Indonesia, with the city state also mindful of containing any “negative fallout” as Jakarta grapples with...South China Morning Post
POLITICS4d agoWhy Singapore’s PAP internal vote is the wrong place to look for signs of leadership renewalSingapore’s ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) has retained its core executive team in what is seen as a cautious approach despite pledges of renewal, with observers pointing to ministerial promotions as a better indication of leadership plans. The PAP emerged from an internal election on Sunday with an unchanged slate for the Central Executive Committee (CEC), its highest decision-making body, as rising ministers Jeffrey Siow and Jasmin Lau failed to secure seats, though four remaining co-opted...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 24China Chairs APEC 2026 as Singapore Takes ASEAN 2027China will chair APEC in 2026, and Singapore will take over ASEAN in 2027. This signifies the rotation of leadership roles for major regional economic and political organizations.chiangraitimes.com · Thailand
POLITICSOct 23Princess Aiko to make official visit to Singapore in November for 60th anniversary of diplomatic relationsAsahi Shimbun
POLITICSOct 15Canada, Singapore reaffirm China trade ties amid global push for self-sufficiencyCanada and Singapore are among the countries that remain committed to strengthening trade ties with China, despite growing global fragmentation and a push by governments towards greater self-sufficiency, officials from both countries said on Wednesday at an economic forum in New Delhi. Canada’s minister of international trade Maninder Sidhu said China was the country’s second-largest trading partner and highlighted opportunities for cooperation in areas where the two economies had complementary...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 9Singapore film festival rejects South Korean party’s calls to drop The Assassin(s)The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) is standing by its decision to screen South Korean political thriller The Assassin(s) as its opening film, despite calls from South Korea’s conservative opposition People Power Party (PPP) to withdraw it over allegations of historical distortion. The film, directed by Hur Jin-ho and starring Yoo Hae-jin, Park Hae-il and Lee Min-ho, has drawn criticism in South Korea over its fictionalised portrayal of a real-life 1974 assassination attempt on...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 7Singapore must be able to say ‘no’ to US, China to preserve trust: Foreign MinisterSingapore occupies a “peculiarly sensitive existential point” as it seeks to retain strategic options amid a great power rivalry, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has said, doubling down on the city state’s stance of refusing to take sides. He also warned that the global landscape would remain unsettled if China and the United States failed to address their respective domestic issues. Speaking at the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2026 in Singapore on Wednesday, Balakrishnan identified...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 6Singapore refers eight civil servants to police over property purchasesMinister announces referrals after think tank paper finds link between purchases and unannounced MRT stations.Al Jazeera [en]
POLITICSOct 68 public officers in Singapore referred to police after property reviewEight public service officers have been referred to Singapore police after a review of 191 officers’ property transactions, Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing has told parliament. The review followed a working paper by the US-based National Bureau of Economic Research, which identified 2007 to 2011 as the period of concern. The Public Service Division (PSD) extended the scope to 2014 as a matter of prudence, Chan said on Tuesday, because many new MRT station locations...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 5Singapore turns matchmaker amid rock-bottom birthrateCity-state launches dating platform for government workers, drawing curiosity, amusement and scorn.Al Jazeera [en]
POLITICSOct 4Singapore debuts a state-backed dating app for young government workers as it works to slow a demographic crisisSingapore's government is playing matchmaker for young public officials against a backdrop of ultra-low fertility.CNBC
POLITICSOct 3Hong Kong vs Singapore in tackling bad behaviourSingapore is doing something about uncivilised behaviour on public buses. The city state has started enforcing new regulations that carry an immediate fine of up to S$500 (US$390) if you put your feet up on seats, play loud audio on your phone or make a nuisance of yourself in other ways such as eating, drinking and littering. This aligns with existing rules governing passenger conduct on Singapore’s MRT railway system. Did you know we have long had similar regulations for Hong Kong’s MTR...South China Morning Post
POLITICSOct 1Singapore launches government dating app as birth rate plungesThe city-state’s hands-on government helps with housing, health care, marriage, having kids and retirement. Add dating to the list.Washington Post World
POLITICSOct 1Ho Chi Minh City seeks closer Singapore ties on administrative reformHo Chi Minh City is seeking to establish closer ties with Singapore to collaborate on administrative reform. This effort suggests a focus on improving governance through international partnership.news.tuoitre.vn
POLITICSSep 28Singaporean TV actors charged over death penalty protestsSix Singaporeans, including journalist Kirsten Han and Phua Chu Kang actors Lim Kay Siu and Neo Swee Lin, were charged on Monday with taking part in public assemblies. The assemblies were held in prohibited areas, with one held outside the State Courts in support of abolishing the death penalty, as well as candlelight vigils held outside Changi Prison for death row inmates. The six charged are Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 38, Ten Leu Jiun Jeanne-Marie, 56, Howe Wen Khong Rocky, 31, Kirsten Han,...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 25Singapore food watchdog investigates alleged illegal sales of dog meatThe Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is looking into a social media allegation that dog meat was being sold illegally in Singapore. The screengrabs shared on the Facebook group Dogs Singapore appeared to show an advertisement in Vietnamese offering various cuts of dog meat. A check on Friday morning found that the post containing the screengrab had been deleted. SFA has not approved any source of dog meat, the agency said early on Friday morning. “All food imports must meet SFA’s requirements....South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 22No need for Hong Kong to match Singapore’s HK$400,000 birth perk, top official saysHong Kong does not need to emulate Singapore’s generous childbirth incentives, a senior official has said, defending the city’s latest 11-measure policy drive as a “comprehensive” approach tailored to local needs across short-term cash flow, housing and childcare. Addressing concerns that Hong Kong’s drive was too incremental compared with Singapore’s multi-tier sustained funding, Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing said on Tuesday that each jurisdiction has its own unique set of...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 18Singapore minister Chan Chun Sing’s Mandarin diplomacy strikes China chordSingapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing’s use of Mandarin and Chinese philosophy in his speech at a major security forum in Beijing has won him praise on Chinese social media, while shedding light on how cultural familiarity and language can be diplomatic tools for the city state. Videos of Chan at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum quoting ancient philosopher Mencius, or Mengzi in Mandarin, have gone viral on platforms such as Weixin and Baidu, with users hailing his command of the language and...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 16Singapore ministers earn millions. What do other Asian leaders make?Singapore’s ministers are among the world’s highest paid, a system its leaders have defended as necessary to attract capable people into public service and reduce the temptation of corruption. Its latest salary review has once again put the spotlight on that approach, while highlighting a wider regional divide over how Asian governments value political leadership and public service. Under the city state’s formula, the prime minister’s salary is pegged at twice the benchmark for an entry-level...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 15Thais stage rare Israel protest; Singapore ministers get pay rise: 7 Asia highlightsWe have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Not for sale’: Thais take to streets in rare protest against Israel Hundreds of Thais, led by a veteran political activist, rallied outside the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok in a rare public protest against a group of foreign nationals. 2. Singapore ministers set for pay...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 14Singapore’s Chan Chun Sing to visit China, speak at defence forumSingapore’s Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing is set to visit China from Tuesday to Thursday at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun and will speak at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum for the second consecutive year. His visit comes as defence analysts tell This Week in Asia that ties with Beijing are important for the city state’s balancing strategy with Washington. Singapore and the United States are close strategic partners with deep defence cooperation. Singapore’s defence ministry...South China Morning Post
POLITICSSep 13Benchmarking and bonuses: why Singapore pays its politicians like bankersThe city-state has some of the best-paid ministers in the worldFinancial Times