CNA938 Rewind - Can self-employed persons in the arts thrive in Singapore? Artists say Yes, with the right support
In 'Culture Club', Melanie Oliveiro finds out more about the 'Arts Acceleration Programme for Arts Self-Employed Persons', which started in April, and jointly organised by UOB FinLab and the National Arts Council. A couple of experienced self-employed persons: music director Evan Low, and visual artist and illustrator Toby Tan will share their expertise in diversifying opportunities, harnessing digital tools for entrepreneurship, and leveraging personal branding, among other things.
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CNA
42 minutes ago
- CNA
Critical information infrastructure owners must report all APT incidents under new rules: Josephine Teo
SINGAPORE: Owners of Singapore's critical information infrastructure (CII) will soon be required to report any incidents suspected to be caused by advanced persistent threats (APTs). The reports must be made to the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo at the Operational Technology Cybersecurity Expert Panel (OTCEP) Forum on Tuesday (Jul 29). The new regulations, to take effect later this year, come as Singapore raises its cyber threat alert level in the face of an ongoing attack, according to Mrs Teo. Earlier this month, Coordinating Minister for National Security K Shanmugam said Singapore is actively dealing with a "highly sophisticated threat actor" attacking its critical infrastructure. Known as UNC3886, the entity has been described by Google-owned cybersecurity firm Mandiant as a "China-nexus espionage group" that has targeted prominent strategic organisations on a global scale. 'On several occasions in the past, CSA has raised the National Cyber Threat Alert Level (NCTAL). This is to urge everyone to be more alert to cyber threats across Singapore, and especially across all CIIs,' said Mrs Teo. 'Given the UNC3886 attack and heightened APT activity, it should not come as a surprise to anyone that we are currently in a heightened state of alert.' She shared that the CSA has also convened the CEOs of all CII owners for 'a classified briefing on the threat landscape, focusing particularly on the threat from APTs'. This is all part of efforts to share guidance on the threats and help the CIIs sharpen their readiness response, said Mrs Teo. She urged the sector not to view the new measures, which flow from last year's Cybersecurity Act amendments to strengthen incident reporting requirements, as a burden. Under the new regulations, CII owners must report the APT incidents verbally within two hours upon suspicion or awareness, followed by a written report within 72 hours, according to CSA. 'If organisations suspect that they have been targeted, they cannot – and should not – confront the attackers on their own,' said Mrs Teo. 'Reporting such detections early allows CSA to help you. It will also help us coordinate an appropriate national response.' REAL-WORLD CONSEQUENCES In her speech, Mrs Teo said it is easy to underestimate the importance of basic cyber hygiene, something that has caused many preventable attacks. She said that cybersecurity is often likened to a team sport. However, while sports have rules, referees, and the principle of fair play, the cyber realm is more adversarial. 'Those of us in this room today are indeed, on the same team. We are playing defence. But our opponents do not play by the same rules,' she told attendees at Tuesday's forum. 'And a loss for us could have severe consequences for the people we have been entrusted to take care of.' Mrs Teo cited cases in Ukraine, Russia and Norway, where critical functions like heating and sewage management were disrupted. In fact, there are more of such attacks taking place worldwide, with the actors driven by various reasons, she said. One is financial gain, while another is for long-term persistence, like in the case of APTs, said Mrs Teo. APTs deploy advanced tools, evade detection and maintain persistent access in high-value networks, she said. 'APTs are often state-linked, well-resourced and determined. They may conduct espionage for their state sponsor. Their other task may be to develop the capacity to disrupt the services and assets in other states,' said Mrs Teo. She noted that the ongoing UNC3886 attack on Singapore's critical infrastructure is part of a broader trend, with APT activity detected in Singapore rising over four-fold from 2021 to 2024. 'Until recently, we had not said much about APT activity. Nor had we named any of the groups involved,' said Mrs Teo. However, the Singapore authorities are now doing so for the first time to let the public know that such threats are not imagined, but real, she said. 'We also need everyone to understand that the potential consequences to our economy and society are very serious,' said Mrs Teo. APTs target critical infrastructure, which provides essential services for the country, and any attack will have serious real-world consequences. 'These 'live' attacks remind us that cybersecurity is not a nice-to-have. It is a must, not just for the IT personnel, but for the CEO and the board,' said Mrs Teo. 'In particular, the owners of CIIs must raise your vigilance, because you provide essential services that Singapore and Singaporeans depend on.' The CSA will sign a memorandum of collaboration in OT cybersecurity with ST Engineering, to secure access to the latest tools and expertise, and let engineering teams on both sides jointly study and develop solutions in the sector, said Mrs Teo. In his opening remarks at Tuesday's event, CSA chief executive David Koh said the agency will continue to work closely with local organisations and international partners to share information and take action against any threats.
CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Singapore needs to 'think harder' on ways to integrate AI into work: PM Wong
SINGAPORE: Singapore will have to put more thought into helping businesses, especially smaller ones, harness the use of artificial intelligence in their work processes, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (Jul 29). To this, Mr Wong said Singapore is well positioned to do so "company-by-company" given its compact size, adding that the country should also "not just rush headlong" into AI and think hard on how to redesign jobs and retrain workers at the same time. He was speaking during a dialogue at an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and Singapore Business Federation (SBF) conference titled "Global-City Singapore: SG60 and Beyond". The dialogue was moderated by IPS director Janadas Devan and covered a wide range of topics including US trade tariffs, Singapore's social compact and inequality in Southeast Asia. In response to a question from Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh about how prepared Singapore is to harness the benefits of the technology, Mr Wong said there is a lot of potential to be unlocked when it comes to AI. "We will have to think harder about how we can help every company, big and small, especially our smaller enterprises, make full use of AI." That will involve integrating it into processes, transforming businesses and industries, and elevating productivity in a more significant way. While AI is relatively accessible, most people still do not make use of its full potential, Mr Wong said. 'Most of us use AI the way we use Google. That's not exactly the best way to use AI.' Mr Wong said he recently spoke with a chief executive officer who set aside some time with his management team to think about how AI can transform their company. The team realised there were 'tremendous advantages' that they had not thought about before. 'That kind of a transformation – if we can make it happen, company by company – can yield significant advantages for us. 'If there is any country that can do that, it is us, because we are small, we are compact, and we can do this, company by company.' A pre-conference survey by IPS found that c ompanies in Singapore are less ambitious than firms in other Southeast Asian countries when it comes to future automation plans. Most of the Singapore companies polled in the survey also expect automation to have a limited impact on employment compared with firms in some Southeast Asian countries. Mr Wong said that there are rewards for countries that are technology pioneers and are on the cutting edge. 'But in fact, the big advantage of technology is when there is broad-based adoption, when countries really, truly harness technology across the entire economy,' he said. 'That's when you reap the real benefits.' AI'S IMPACT ON JOBS While adopting AI, however, Singapore will also need to think 'equally hard' about doing so in a way that creates jobs for locals. History suggests that jobs will disappear and evolve because of technology, but the newly created jobs are usually better and higher paying. But there are concerns that AI will be different because it can do so many things that humans can. 'People are worried, people are wondering, and there are good reasons to be concerned,' said Mr Wong. Singapore has no choice when it comes to adopting technology, but should try to do so in a 'meaningful and deliberate manner' that creates jobs. 'It's up to us,' he said. 'And again, we can do it in Singapore because we have the ability as a compact system.' The government has a good relationship with employers and unions, and can discuss how to redesign jobs and retrain workers. 'That's what we must do in Singapore, not just rush headlong into AI,' he said. 'Embrace it, adopt it, but always make sure that the technological changes that we harness, the power of technology, benefits workers not replaces them, and always ensures that workers will thrive in this new environment.' GLOBAL CITY AMID GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS Mr Wong also responded to a question from Mr Janadas about how Singapore is preparing to face global challenges such as trade tariffs and an uncertain economic outlook. Beyond the immediate issues, however, Singapore's government and society need to think about how to prepare for a very different environment. 'We will need to update and refresh our economic strategies for a changed world,' he said. The Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce is thinking about how best to do this, and will be making some announcements in due course,' Mr Wong said. The taskforce was formed in April to help businesses and workers deal with the effects of the US tariffs. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who heads the task force, will be speaking at the same conference later on Tuesday. Even in a fragmented world, there will be a 'global network of cosmopolitan cities' that stand out. 'We want to be one of them – a shining node where the human spirit thrives, where people want to be here to do business and to make things happen,' he said, when asked what Singapore's place is in a changing world. Singapore does not have to copy others, but should have confidence to chart a path. 'We will never be like New York or Paris, and we don't have to be. Here, we are cosmopolitan, but we are Asian, we are multicultural,' he said. He acknowledged that some will say Singapore is boring, and there is some truth to that even as the country tries to be more exciting and have more lifestyle offerings. 'But at the same time, we are stable, we are predictable, we are reliable, and we are trusted,' he said. 'And these are intangible assets that others would die to have.' Singapore should embrace its strengths and competitive advantage, build on them and add value to the world. 'We can make it happen. We already are, in many ways, successful, because of our track record, because of our reputation, and we can build on these strong foundations to do even better.'
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Ong Beng Seng's HPL looks to cut stakes in Forum shopping mall, voco Orchard hotel: Sources
Hotel Properties Ltd. (HPL) is in talks to sell majority stakes in the Forum shopping mall. SINGAPORE – The property firm of embattled billionaire Ong Beng Seng is looking to reduce its stakes in two marquee assets along Singapore's Orchard Road shopping strip, according to people familiar with the matter. Hotel Properties Ltd. (HPL) is in talks to sell majority stakes in the Forum shopping mall, as well as the voco Orchard hotel, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. HPL is seeking a deal that would value the two adjacent assets for at least $2 billion, they said. A spokesperson for Singapore-listed HPL declined to comment. The firm has interests in more than 40 hotels across the globe including the Four Seasons in Singapore, as well as resorts in the Maldives. Ong, 79, has been in the spotlight in the last couple of years after being implicated in a scandal that led to the imprisonment of a senior politician in Singapore. Ong has indicated he plans to plead guilty on Aug 4 after being charged in 2024 for abetting former Transport Minister S. Iswaran over two flights and a night's stay at the Four Seasons in Doha. It's unclear whether the case has any relation to the firm's planned asset sales. HPL won provisional permission from authorities in August 2023 to redevelop the two sites, along with its company headquarters, HPL House. That was part of a government plan to rejuvenate the Orchard Road shopping district by allowing developers to seek more space or change of use for older buildings. The company intends to keep its ownership of HPL House under the potential sale, the people said. It said earlier this year in its annual report that redevelopment plans are 'being refined for submission to the relevant authorities.' In April, Ong relinquished his decades-long tenure as managing director of HPL. Two long-time executives replaced him, after he cited a desire to devote more time to his medical issues. But he continues to provide 'strategic oversight and direction' to the firm. Together with his wife Christina, the Malaysian tycoon controls HPL with a roughly 60 per cent stake. The next largest shareholder is Hong Kong billionaire Peter Woo. The Forum mall is valued at about $990 million, group executive director Christopher Lim said at the company's annual meeting in April. That estimate doesn't account for the redevelopment. He declined to comment on the value of the voco, formerly the Hilton Singapore, saying the company didn't have a valuation for it. HPL is set to gain full ownership in August of the Concorde, an $821 million shopping mall and hotel complex on Orchard Road, after buying out minority stakes it didn't own. The company's stock has soared 46 per cent this year, almost four times the gain in Singapore's Straits Times Index. It was trading up 1.5 per cent, or eight cents, at $5.29 as at 10.15am on July 29. BLOOMBERG
