Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on May 3, 2025
S'poreans head to the polls in PM Wong's first election as leader
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNA
37 minutes ago
- CNA
Snap Insight: NDR 2025 – ‘ulu' no more, northern Singapore is set to be central in its own way
SINGAPORE: It is the morning peak hour, but people crossing green spaces and an open plaza to get to tall office blocks do not look particularly harried. Some stroll over from the Housing and Development Board (HDB) estate, others stream out from the MRT station – one could think this is a scene out of the city centre or a satellite business district such as Tampines or Jurong East. But in time to come, this could just as easily be in Woodlands. In his National Day Rally speech on Sunday (Aug 17), Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced plans to transform the northern region of Singapore, from what some call an 'ulu' - Malay word for remote - area into vibrant and connected neighbourhoods. In a global city, there should be no real ulu districts, only differently central districts. SINGAPORE'S 'NORTHERN GATEWAY' FROM MALAYSIA In particular, Mr Wong highlighted the significant role that Woodlands will play as Singapore's 'northern gateway' from Malaysia. To support the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, flexible industrial spaces will be developed around the RTS Link station in Woodlands to provide more space for homes and businesses. The formal signing of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) deal between Mr Wong and Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has further reinforced the important role that Woodlands will play as a key node in economic activity between Singapore and Malaysia. More than simply an industrial or business hub, the Woodlands Regional Centre is expected to become a vibrant district that incorporates homes, amenities and lush green spaces into its urban fabric. These plans to develop Woodlands as Singapore's northern economic hub have been some time in the making. They have been announced in the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) past master plans, including the last one gazetted in 2019 and the Draft Master Plan 2025 unveiled in June. FROM 'ULU' TO CENTRAL HUBS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT These plans build on efforts to create more decentralised satellite business districts that bring jobs closer to homes. Districts like Changi Business Hub, Jurong Lake District, Punggol Digital District and Tampines Regional Centre were once seen as 'ulu' too. Importantly, each of these hubs has its own specific economic focus. And they have over time established themselves as key nodes of economic activity in their own right. For instance, the Punggol Digital District is an increasingly attractive base for technology and digital economy players while Changi Business Hub serves the aviation and banking sectors. Woodlands will have its own signature focus. Aside from the JS-SEZ, Woodlands will also serve as a strategic centre for the Northern Agri-Tech and Food Corridor. While we typically associate business activity in most cities with one central business district, Singapore's highly diversified and globalised economy will require a different notion of centrality, with overlapping districts that are central to different sectors and businesses. From this perspective, it is more than 'decentralisation'. Woodlands will not just be a satellite business district but a central economic hub in its own right that complements the many others across Singapore.
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - NDR2025: What could impact you
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to deliver the National Day Rally speech on Sunday (Aug 17). NDR is seen as the most important political speech of the year, when the prime minister addresses the nation and makes key policy announcements. This is Mr Wong's second NDR, and his first since leading the People's Action Party (PAP) to victory in this year's General Election. Andrea Heng and Susan Ng take a closer look at the details of his speech with Felix Tan, Independent political observer
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
WP urges Government to engage widely, explore all solutions following National Day Rally
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – The Workers' Party (WP) has urged the Government to engage widely and explore all policy suggestions in good faith, including previously untapped ones. In its response to the 2025 National Day Rally, the opposition party said Singapore should 'leave no stone unturned' in collective efforts to build a truly resilient nation for the future. The WP issued its statement following Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's Rally speech at ITE College Central on Aug 17 , where he called for Singaporeans to unite to write the next chapter of the country's history and outlined new schemes to support workers and independent living for seniors, amongst others. PM Wong also spoke extensively about the challenges Singapore faces, including an unstable global economy and the rise of artificial intelligence impacting jobs and businesses. The WP addressed some of the new initiatives, and added its suggestions and concerns. On government efforts to address economic concerns, WP said it agrees that Singapore's economy needs to 'keep up with the times.' Responding to a new scheme announced by PM Wong during the Rally where Community Development Councils will match workers with jobs near their homes, it said: 'We agree with the approach of improving jobs matching efforts for Singaporeans, and ask that the relevant organisations accelerate the setting up of this programme with the economic uncertainty ahead.' It added that in the party's experience, many residents referred to NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) receive career counselling, but 'not the direct job-matching support they truly need.' 'The new approach reflects what many job seekers are looking for: not just advice, but real opportunities and connections to employers who are hiring,' it added. It urged the Government to also tackle 'present concerns surrounding businesses and employees,' including rising rental costs, skills-related underemployment and 'slow rate of real income growth of 0.7 per cent per annum over the past five years.' The WP reiterated some proposals from its GE2025 manifesto. This included having JTC Corporation, which oversees industrial infrastructure, expand its market share to offer low-rent options for small and medium-sized enterprises, and for a statutory minimum wage to be established. The party also responded to PM Wong's announcement of a new government-funded traineeship scheme for graduates from the Institute of Technical Education, polytechnics and universities. PM Wong said the scheme will begin as a 'focused' one which can be scaled up if the economy worsens. The WP said it recognises the importance of helping young graduates and mid-career workers find their footing, but urged the Government to ensure the programme is designed with safeguards so that it is effective and fair . It said: 'State-sponsored internships and apprenticeships must not be used by companies only as a source of cheaper, subsidised labour. 'There should be clear performance metrics and a transparent commitment from participating companies to consider trainees for full-time employment once the training period ends.' It is also essential that all trainees receive basic workplace protections including paid sick leave and safe working conditions, it added. The party will advocate for fair, transparent and sustainable employment pathways, especially for younger Singaporeans and those navigating mid-career transitions, it added. On the impact of artificial intelligence on schools and the economy, the WP said it agrees with the importance of preparing students for life, not just exams – which PM Wong said the Government is doing more of . It called for an increase in the number of allied educators, which can lead to a 'meaningful reduction in class sizes' so students receive the attention they need to develop essential soft skills such as empathy and adaptability. The opposition party also called on the Government to improve social safety nets in light of the ongoing disruptions caused by AI adoption, and reiterated its call for Singapore to introduce redundancy insurance. The WP said it looks forward to championing these ideas and others in the 15th Parliament. The party will have 12 MPs in the House when Parliament reopens on Sept 5, its largest-ever contingent. Progress Singapore Party (PSP) chief Leong Mun Wai also released a statement following the Rally, where he welcomed immediate support for new graduates but raised concerns that these proposals 'risk being mere band-aid solutions that do not address our country's deeper structural issues.' PSP also said the new government-funded traineeships raises the question of whether tertiary education is adequately preparing young people for the workforce 'if graduates are increasingly expected to settle for traineeships instead of full-time jobs'. Singapore must confront some fundamental questions in the years ahead, and the PSP believes these are not questions the Government can answer alone, added Mr Leong. 'Ultimately, the National Day Rally provided some ideas, but many critical questions on key issues such as housing affordability and cost of living were left unanswered,' he said. 'The PSP will continue to push for more fundamental reform in these areas and provide alternative policy proposals.'
