NEL MRT line service fully resumes after 3-hour power disruption; HDB BTO income ceiling for couples, age floor for singles being reviewed: Singapore live news

Yahoo

4 days ago

Train services on the North East MRT line resumed on the afternoon of 12 Aug after a three-hour disruption caused by a major power fault. The disruption began in the late morning and affected a significant portion of the line, inconveniencing many commuters during midday travel.
In a Facebook update posted at 2.15pm, train operator SBS Transit confirmed that services had restarted but cautioned that trains were still "progressively returning to schedule". To assist affected passengers, free regular and bridging bus services remained available at designated bus stops.
The Government is reviewing the income ceiling for couples, and the minimum age requirement of 35 for singles, applying for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, but any changes will depend on the upcoming supply and demand of public housing, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat.
"I want to assure Singaporeans that we are reviewing both income criteria and also the age requirement for singles, and at an appropriate time, we do intend to make some moves," he said. "But I want to make sure that when we make those moves, we will not end up with a situation where there is insufficient supply."
Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates.
NEL MRT line service fully resumes after 3-hour power disruption
Train services on the North East MRT line resumed on the afternoon of 12 Aug after a three-hour disruption caused by a major power fault. The disruption began in the late morning and affected a significant portion of the line, inconveniencing many commuters during midday travel.
In a Facebook update posted at 2.15pm, train operator SBS Transit confirmed that services had restarted but cautioned that trains were still "progressively returning to schedule". To assist affected passengers, free regular and bridging bus services remained available at designated bus stops.
The power fault also impacted LRT services on the Sengkang-Punggol line. SBS Transit announced on its X (formerly Twitter) account at 2.19pm that LRT services were still unavailable and did not indicate when they would resume.
The North East Line disruption was first announced on X by SBS Transit at 11.17am, with the fault affecting an 11-station stretch between Farrer Park and Punggol Coast. The cause of the power fault has not yet been publicly disclosed.
For more on the NEL line disruption, read here.
Taylor Swift announces TS12 – The Life of a Showgirl
Global popstar Taylor Swift may have been on a hiatus after her record-breaking concert tour, The Eras Tour, but, it seemed like she was still busy recording new material.
Swift dropped a new album announcement on 12 Aug, 12.12pm (local time) on her website. The 12th album is titled The Life of a Showgirl and the corresponding colour scheme for the album is orange – something which was teased by Taylor Nation, the official account for all thing Swift.
On the night of 11 Aug (local time), the account shared a post of 12 slides featuring Swift in exclusively all-orange outfits from the Eras Tour. The post was captioned, "Thinking about when she said 'See you next era…'"
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Taylor Nation (@taylornation)
Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce, also added fuel to the excitement by announcing a special guest on his podcast New Heights, which he hosts with his brother Jason. The photo accompanying the announcement shows a Swift-like silhouette with a sparkly orange background. Jason also appears to be wearing Swift merch that is obscured by text.
Leading up to the announcement, Swift's official website had a countdown timer with the same sparkly orange background that can be seen in Kelce's photo.
The brothers have since revealed it is Swift and she'll be showing off the album artwork for The Life of a Showgirl.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by New Heights (@newheightshow)
Goh Cheng Liang, Singapore's second-richest man, dies at 98
Goh Cheng Liang, the self-made billionaire who rose from poverty to build a paint empire and become Singapore's second-richest man, has died at the age of 98. His death was announced in a statement by his company, Wuthelam Group, on Tuesday (12 Aug).
"The visionary founder of Wuthelam Group and a respected philanthropist passed away peacefully this morning with family members by his side," the statement read. Goh was widely admired for his business acumen and charitable contributions throughout his life.
He founded Nippon Paint South East Asia, also known as Nipsea, which grew to become the largest paint manufacturer in the Asia Pacific region. Goh held his stake in the business through his Singapore-based investment firm, Wuthelam Holdings.
Goh is survived by his three children – Hup Jin, Chuen Jin, and Chiat Jin – as well as eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild, according to the company's statement.
Chinese ships collide while chasing Philippine boats in South China Sea
A Chinese warship collided with one of its own coast guard vessels earlier this week while pursuing Philippine boats in the disputed South China Sea, highlighting escalating tensions in the strategically critical region.
Dramatic video footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard captured the moment of the collision, showing one of the Chinese vessels with a missing section of its bow.
Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard said the incident occurred on Monday (11 Aug) near Scarborough Shoal, about 140 miles (225km) west of Luzon, while Philippine personnel were distributing aid to local fishermen.
According to Tarriela, a China Coast Guard vessel had been chasing the BRP Suluan at "high speed" when the crash happened.
The Chinese ship then executed a "risky manoeuvre" that led to 'substantial damage' to the coast guard ship's forecastle, rendering the vessel "unseaworthy".
For more on the Chinese ship collision in the South China Sea, read here.
1 dies after PIE accident on 11 Aug
A person was pronounced dead by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics following a traffic accident on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) on the evening of 11 Aug. SCDF said it was alerted to the incident at around 5.45pm, which occurred on the PIE towards Tuas, just before the exit to Tuas Checkpoint.
A TikTok video posted on the same day showed both lanes of the slip road at exit 41 blocked off, with several police and SCDF vehicles onsite. A blue tent was visible in front of a trailer truck.
The Straits Times reported that police data showed 2024 recorded the highest number of traffic-related fatalities and injuries in the past five years, with 139 fatal accidents reported.
For more on the tragic PIE accident, read here.
Ong Ye Kung rubbishes KF Seetoh's claims about Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has clarified that stallholders at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre are not being charged for storing supplies in baskets, nor are they penalised for not providing free meals. His remarks, shared in a Facebook post on 11 Aug, came in response to concerns raised by veteran food critic K.F. Seetoh regarding the treatment of hawkers at the hawker centre.
In an earlier post on 4 Aug, Seetoh claimed that hawkers were being charged $70 per month to use blue supply baskets located behind each stall. In another post on 8 Aug, he also claimed that stallholders were contractually required to provide 60 free meals at their own cost, and had to offer budget meals priced at $3.50 for all customers, not just those with financial needs.
Ong, who oversees the ward and also leads the Sembawang GRC MPs, said he looked into the matter after seeing Seetoh's posts. He said the claim about hawkers needing to provide 60 free meals "does not present the full picture".
"When Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre first opened, the stallholders initially agreed to provide 30 meals a month for low-income residents. This was subsequently adjusted to 100 meals over the three-year duration of their lease. There are no penalties if they do not or are unable to provide the meals," wrote Ong, who added that the initiative had yet to commence.
Said Ong, "I appreciate KF Seetoh's concern for our hawkers and share his passion for keeping our hawker culture alive and thriving. However, let's do so without putting down anyone, whether they are patrons, hawkers, the hawker centre operator, or government agencies."
Seetoh has since responded in a Facebook post on 11 Aug and claimed he has seen the charge for the use of the supply basket in a receipt from the hawker. He wrote, "As for the blue basket cost, it was shown and told to me by a hawker there. The person has no reason to make this up. I have seen the invoice n receipt of payment for it. It's called a Backyard Cluster. I'll show it to you if need be."
He also suggested grabbing coffee with Ong to "get a fuller picture".
For more on the Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre dispute, read here.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Georgina Rodriguez engaged after 8 years
Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez announced their engagement on Tuesday (12 Aug) with a flashy and eye-grabbing announcement. Rodriguez posted a photo of an engagement ring with a giant oval diamond with what appears to be Ronaldo's hand in the background.
The post was accompanied by a simple caption which read, according to the translation, "Yes I do. In this and in all my lives."
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Georgina Rodríguez (@georginagio)
The couple publicly confirmed their relationship in 2017 after appearing together at the Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich, Switzerland, and later shared photos of each other on social media that same year.
In June 2017, they welcomed twins Eva Maria and Mateo, now 8, via surrogate. In November, their daughter Alana, now 7, was born.
In April 2022, the couple announced the heartbreaking loss of their twin son, Angel, while welcoming their daughter Bella, now 3, who was born healthy.
Telco price war unlikely after Keppel sells M1 to Simba, say analysts
Simba Telecom's acquisition of M1 is unlikely to result in a price war, say analysts. Carmen Lee, head of OCBC Investment Research, told The Straits Times (ST) that current mobile plans are already priced competitively.
For instance, Simba's SuperRoam10 plan offers 400GB of data for Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong at $10 per month. Meanwhile, M1's Maxx plan comes with 290GB of data for use in Singapore and Malaysia for $7.90 a month.
"In a typical merger, the initial period will entail a relook into understanding the combined entity and the potential synergies. We believe pricing strategy will not be an immediate consideration," said Lee.
Rival telcos are also unlikely to undercut their prices to attract M1 customers, despite the ease with which consumers can switch providers. Instead, they may use alternative strategies such as bundling mobile and broadband services at promotional rates or leveraging loyalty programmes to win over subscribers, Professor Lawrence Loh from NUS Business School told ST.
For more on the effects on the industry from Simba's M1 acquisition, read here.
HDB BTO income ceiling for couples, age floor for singles being reviewed
The Government is reviewing the income ceiling for couples, and the minimum age requirement of 35 for singles, applying for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, but any changes will depend on the upcoming supply and demand of public housing, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat.
Speaking to local media on August 5, Chee outlined some of his ministry's key priorities, emphasising the need to maintain a strong supply of flats before adjusting existing eligibility criteria.
"I want to assure Singaporeans that we are reviewing both income criteria and also the age requirement for singles, and at an appropriate time, we do intend to make some moves," he said. "But I want to make sure that when we make those moves, we will not end up with a situation where there is insufficient supply."
To that end, 55,000 BTO flats will be launched between 2025 and 2027, which is 10 per cent more than the previously committed 50,000 flats.
From 2021 to 2024, 82,710 flats were launched, averaging over 20,600 units annually. In 2025, approximately 19,600 are slated to be launched, with 10,579 flats already launched so far.
The current eligibility conditions exclude couples who earn above $14,000 per month and singles under the age of 35 from applying for BTO flats. Chee said any decisions on adjustments are closely tied to the Government's ability to ensure sufficient flat supply in the coming years.
Noting that "demand will go up" once the eligibility criteria has been changed, Chee said, "I think it is important for us to create the right conditions to be able to make these policy moves at an appropriate time."
For more on Chee Hong Tat's remarks, read here.
Train services on the North East MRT line resumed on the afternoon of 12 Aug after a three-hour disruption caused by a major power fault. The disruption began in the late morning and affected a significant portion of the line, inconveniencing many commuters during midday travel.
In a Facebook update posted at 2.15pm, train operator SBS Transit confirmed that services had restarted but cautioned that trains were still "progressively returning to schedule". To assist affected passengers, free regular and bridging bus services remained available at designated bus stops.
The power fault also impacted LRT services on the Sengkang-Punggol line. SBS Transit announced on its X (formerly Twitter) account at 2.19pm that LRT services were still unavailable and did not indicate when they would resume.
The North East Line disruption was first announced on X by SBS Transit at 11.17am, with the fault affecting an 11-station stretch between Farrer Park and Punggol Coast. The cause of the power fault has not yet been publicly disclosed.
For more on the NEL line disruption, read here.
Global popstar Taylor Swift may have been on a hiatus after her record-breaking concert tour, The Eras Tour, but, it seemed like she was still busy recording new material.
Swift dropped a new album announcement on 12 Aug, 12.12pm (local time) on her website. The 12th album is titled The Life of a Showgirl and the corresponding colour scheme for the album is orange – something which was teased by Taylor Nation, the official account for all thing Swift.
On the night of 11 Aug (local time), the account shared a post of 12 slides featuring Swift in exclusively all-orange outfits from the Eras Tour. The post was captioned, "Thinking about when she said 'See you next era…'"
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Taylor Nation (@taylornation)
Swift's boyfriend, Travis Kelce, also added fuel to the excitement by announcing a special guest on his podcast New Heights, which he hosts with his brother Jason. The photo accompanying the announcement shows a Swift-like silhouette with a sparkly orange background. Jason also appears to be wearing Swift merch that is obscured by text.
Leading up to the announcement, Swift's official website had a countdown timer with the same sparkly orange background that can be seen in Kelce's photo.
The brothers have since revealed it is Swift and she'll be showing off the album artwork for The Life of a Showgirl.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by New Heights (@newheightshow)
Goh Cheng Liang, Singapore's second-richest man, dies at 98
Goh Cheng Liang, the self-made billionaire who rose from poverty to build a paint empire and become Singapore's second-richest man, has died at the age of 98. His death was announced in a statement by his company, Wuthelam Group, on Tuesday (12 Aug).
"The visionary founder of Wuthelam Group and a respected philanthropist passed away peacefully this morning with family members by his side," the statement read. Goh was widely admired for his business acumen and charitable contributions throughout his life.
He founded Nippon Paint South East Asia, also known as Nipsea, which grew to become the largest paint manufacturer in the Asia Pacific region. Goh held his stake in the business through his Singapore-based investment firm, Wuthelam Holdings.
Goh is survived by his three children – Hup Jin, Chuen Jin, and Chiat Jin – as well as eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild, according to the company's statement.
Goh Cheng Liang, the self-made billionaire who rose from poverty to build a paint empire and become Singapore's second-richest man, has died at the age of 98. His death was announced in a statement by his company, Wuthelam Group, on Tuesday (12 Aug).
"The visionary founder of Wuthelam Group and a respected philanthropist passed away peacefully this morning with family members by his side," the statement read. Goh was widely admired for his business acumen and charitable contributions throughout his life.
He founded Nippon Paint South East Asia, also known as Nipsea, which grew to become the largest paint manufacturer in the Asia Pacific region. Goh held his stake in the business through his Singapore-based investment firm, Wuthelam Holdings.
Goh is survived by his three children – Hup Jin, Chuen Jin, and Chiat Jin – as well as eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild, according to the company's statement.
Chinese ships collide while chasing Philippine boats in South China Sea
A Chinese warship collided with one of its own coast guard vessels earlier this week while pursuing Philippine boats in the disputed South China Sea, highlighting escalating tensions in the strategically critical region.
Dramatic video footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard captured the moment of the collision, showing one of the Chinese vessels with a missing section of its bow.
Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard said the incident occurred on Monday (11 Aug) near Scarborough Shoal, about 140 miles (225km) west of Luzon, while Philippine personnel were distributing aid to local fishermen.
According to Tarriela, a China Coast Guard vessel had been chasing the BRP Suluan at "high speed" when the crash happened.
The Chinese ship then executed a "risky manoeuvre" that led to 'substantial damage' to the coast guard ship's forecastle, rendering the vessel "unseaworthy".
For more on the Chinese ship collision in the South China Sea, read here.
A Chinese warship collided with one of its own coast guard vessels earlier this week while pursuing Philippine boats in the disputed South China Sea, highlighting escalating tensions in the strategically critical region.
Dramatic video footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard captured the moment of the collision, showing one of the Chinese vessels with a missing section of its bow.
Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard said the incident occurred on Monday (11 Aug) near Scarborough Shoal, about 140 miles (225km) west of Luzon, while Philippine personnel were distributing aid to local fishermen.
According to Tarriela, a China Coast Guard vessel had been chasing the BRP Suluan at "high speed" when the crash happened.
The Chinese ship then executed a "risky manoeuvre" that led to 'substantial damage' to the coast guard ship's forecastle, rendering the vessel "unseaworthy".
For more on the Chinese ship collision in the South China Sea, read here.
1 dies after PIE accident on 11 Aug
A person was pronounced dead by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics following a traffic accident on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) on the evening of 11 Aug. SCDF said it was alerted to the incident at around 5.45pm, which occurred on the PIE towards Tuas, just before the exit to Tuas Checkpoint.
A TikTok video posted on the same day showed both lanes of the slip road at exit 41 blocked off, with several police and SCDF vehicles onsite. A blue tent was visible in front of a trailer truck.
The Straits Times reported that police data showed 2024 recorded the highest number of traffic-related fatalities and injuries in the past five years, with 139 fatal accidents reported.
For more on the tragic PIE accident, read here.
A person was pronounced dead by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics following a traffic accident on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) on the evening of 11 Aug. SCDF said it was alerted to the incident at around 5.45pm, which occurred on the PIE towards Tuas, just before the exit to Tuas Checkpoint.
A TikTok video posted on the same day showed both lanes of the slip road at exit 41 blocked off, with several police and SCDF vehicles onsite. A blue tent was visible in front of a trailer truck.
The Straits Times reported that police data showed 2024 recorded the highest number of traffic-related fatalities and injuries in the past five years, with 139 fatal accidents reported.
For more on the tragic PIE accident, read here.
Ong Ye Kung rubbishes KF Seetoh's claims about Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has clarified that stallholders at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre are not being charged for storing supplies in baskets, nor are they penalised for not providing free meals. His remarks, shared in a Facebook post on 11 Aug, came in response to concerns raised by veteran food critic K.F. Seetoh regarding the treatment of hawkers at the hawker centre.
In an earlier post on 4 Aug, Seetoh claimed that hawkers were being charged $70 per month to use blue supply baskets located behind each stall. In another post on 8 Aug, he also claimed that stallholders were contractually required to provide 60 free meals at their own cost, and had to offer budget meals priced at $3.50 for all customers, not just those with financial needs.
Ong, who oversees the ward and also leads the Sembawang GRC MPs, said he looked into the matter after seeing Seetoh's posts. He said the claim about hawkers needing to provide 60 free meals "does not present the full picture".
"When Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre first opened, the stallholders initially agreed to provide 30 meals a month for low-income residents. This was subsequently adjusted to 100 meals over the three-year duration of their lease. There are no penalties if they do not or are unable to provide the meals," wrote Ong, who added that the initiative had yet to commence.
Said Ong, "I appreciate KF Seetoh's concern for our hawkers and share his passion for keeping our hawker culture alive and thriving. However, let's do so without putting down anyone, whether they are patrons, hawkers, the hawker centre operator, or government agencies."
Seetoh has since responded in a Facebook post on 11 Aug and claimed he has seen the charge for the use of the supply basket in a receipt from the hawker. He wrote, "As for the blue basket cost, it was shown and told to me by a hawker there. The person has no reason to make this up. I have seen the invoice n receipt of payment for it. It's called a Backyard Cluster. I'll show it to you if need be."
He also suggested grabbing coffee with Ong to "get a fuller picture".
For more on the Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre dispute, read here.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has clarified that stallholders at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre are not being charged for storing supplies in baskets, nor are they penalised for not providing free meals. His remarks, shared in a Facebook post on 11 Aug, came in response to concerns raised by veteran food critic K.F. Seetoh regarding the treatment of hawkers at the hawker centre.
In an earlier post on 4 Aug, Seetoh claimed that hawkers were being charged $70 per month to use blue supply baskets located behind each stall. In another post on 8 Aug, he also claimed that stallholders were contractually required to provide 60 free meals at their own cost, and had to offer budget meals priced at $3.50 for all customers, not just those with financial needs.
Ong, who oversees the ward and also leads the Sembawang GRC MPs, said he looked into the matter after seeing Seetoh's posts. He said the claim about hawkers needing to provide 60 free meals "does not present the full picture".
"When Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre first opened, the stallholders initially agreed to provide 30 meals a month for low-income residents. This was subsequently adjusted to 100 meals over the three-year duration of their lease. There are no penalties if they do not or are unable to provide the meals," wrote Ong, who added that the initiative had yet to commence.
Said Ong, "I appreciate KF Seetoh's concern for our hawkers and share his passion for keeping our hawker culture alive and thriving. However, let's do so without putting down anyone, whether they are patrons, hawkers, the hawker centre operator, or government agencies."
Seetoh has since responded in a Facebook post on 11 Aug and claimed he has seen the charge for the use of the supply basket in a receipt from the hawker. He wrote, "As for the blue basket cost, it was shown and told to me by a hawker there. The person has no reason to make this up. I have seen the invoice n receipt of payment for it. It's called a Backyard Cluster. I'll show it to you if need be."
He also suggested grabbing coffee with Ong to "get a fuller picture".
For more on the Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre dispute, read here.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Georgina Rodriguez engaged after 8 years
Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez announced their engagement on Tuesday (12 Aug) with a flashy and eye-grabbing announcement. Rodriguez posted a photo of an engagement ring with a giant oval diamond with what appears to be Ronaldo's hand in the background.
The post was accompanied by a simple caption which read, according to the translation, "Yes I do. In this and in all my lives."
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Georgina Rodríguez (@georginagio)
The couple publicly confirmed their relationship in 2017 after appearing together at the Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich, Switzerland, and later shared photos of each other on social media that same year.
In June 2017, they welcomed twins Eva Maria and Mateo, now 8, via surrogate. In November, their daughter Alana, now 7, was born.
In April 2022, the couple announced the heartbreaking loss of their twin son, Angel, while welcoming their daughter Bella, now 3, who was born healthy.
Football legend Cristiano Ronaldo and partner Georgina Rodriguez announced their engagement on Tuesday (12 Aug) with a flashy and eye-grabbing announcement. Rodriguez posted a photo of an engagement ring with a giant oval diamond with what appears to be Ronaldo's hand in the background.
The post was accompanied by a simple caption which read, according to the translation, "Yes I do. In this and in all my lives."
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Georgina Rodríguez (@georginagio)
The couple publicly confirmed their relationship in 2017 after appearing together at the Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich, Switzerland, and later shared photos of each other on social media that same year.
In June 2017, they welcomed twins Eva Maria and Mateo, now 8, via surrogate. In November, their daughter Alana, now 7, was born.
In April 2022, the couple announced the heartbreaking loss of their twin son, Angel, while welcoming their daughter Bella, now 3, who was born healthy.
Telco price war unlikely after Keppel sells M1 to Simba, say analysts
Simba Telecom's acquisition of M1 is unlikely to result in a price war, say analysts. Carmen Lee, head of OCBC Investment Research, told The Straits Times (ST) that current mobile plans are already priced competitively.
For instance, Simba's SuperRoam10 plan offers 400GB of data for Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong at $10 per month. Meanwhile, M1's Maxx plan comes with 290GB of data for use in Singapore and Malaysia for $7.90 a month.
"In a typical merger, the initial period will entail a relook into understanding the combined entity and the potential synergies. We believe pricing strategy will not be an immediate consideration," said Lee.
Rival telcos are also unlikely to undercut their prices to attract M1 customers, despite the ease with which consumers can switch providers. Instead, they may use alternative strategies such as bundling mobile and broadband services at promotional rates or leveraging loyalty programmes to win over subscribers, Professor Lawrence Loh from NUS Business School told ST.
For more on the effects on the industry from Simba's M1 acquisition, read here.
Simba Telecom's acquisition of M1 is unlikely to result in a price war, say analysts. Carmen Lee, head of OCBC Investment Research, told The Straits Times (ST) that current mobile plans are already priced competitively.
For instance, Simba's SuperRoam10 plan offers 400GB of data for Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Hong Kong at $10 per month. Meanwhile, M1's Maxx plan comes with 290GB of data for use in Singapore and Malaysia for $7.90 a month.
"In a typical merger, the initial period will entail a relook into understanding the combined entity and the potential synergies. We believe pricing strategy will not be an immediate consideration," said Lee.
Rival telcos are also unlikely to undercut their prices to attract M1 customers, despite the ease with which consumers can switch providers. Instead, they may use alternative strategies such as bundling mobile and broadband services at promotional rates or leveraging loyalty programmes to win over subscribers, Professor Lawrence Loh from NUS Business School told ST.
For more on the effects on the industry from Simba's M1 acquisition, read here.
HDB BTO income ceiling for couples, age floor for singles being reviewed
The Government is reviewing the income ceiling for couples, and the minimum age requirement of 35 for singles, applying for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, but any changes will depend on the upcoming supply and demand of public housing, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat.
Speaking to local media on August 5, Chee outlined some of his ministry's key priorities, emphasising the need to maintain a strong supply of flats before adjusting existing eligibility criteria.
"I want to assure Singaporeans that we are reviewing both income criteria and also the age requirement for singles, and at an appropriate time, we do intend to make some moves," he said. "But I want to make sure that when we make those moves, we will not end up with a situation where there is insufficient supply."
To that end, 55,000 BTO flats will be launched between 2025 and 2027, which is 10 per cent more than the previously committed 50,000 flats.
From 2021 to 2024, 82,710 flats were launched, averaging over 20,600 units annually. In 2025, approximately 19,600 are slated to be launched, with 10,579 flats already launched so far.
The current eligibility conditions exclude couples who earn above $14,000 per month and singles under the age of 35 from applying for BTO flats. Chee said any decisions on adjustments are closely tied to the Government's ability to ensure sufficient flat supply in the coming years.
Noting that "demand will go up" once the eligibility criteria has been changed, Chee said, "I think it is important for us to create the right conditions to be able to make these policy moves at an appropriate time."
For more on Chee Hong Tat's remarks, read here.
The Government is reviewing the income ceiling for couples, and the minimum age requirement of 35 for singles, applying for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats, but any changes will depend on the upcoming supply and demand of public housing, said National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat.
Speaking to local media on August 5, Chee outlined some of his ministry's key priorities, emphasising the need to maintain a strong supply of flats before adjusting existing eligibility criteria.
"I want to assure Singaporeans that we are reviewing both income criteria and also the age requirement for singles, and at an appropriate time, we do intend to make some moves," he said. "But I want to make sure that when we make those moves, we will not end up with a situation where there is insufficient supply."
To that end, 55,000 BTO flats will be launched between 2025 and 2027, which is 10 per cent more than the previously committed 50,000 flats.
From 2021 to 2024, 82,710 flats were launched, averaging over 20,600 units annually. In 2025, approximately 19,600 are slated to be launched, with 10,579 flats already launched so far.
The current eligibility conditions exclude couples who earn above $14,000 per month and singles under the age of 35 from applying for BTO flats. Chee said any decisions on adjustments are closely tied to the Government's ability to ensure sufficient flat supply in the coming years.
Noting that "demand will go up" once the eligibility criteria has been changed, Chee said, "I think it is important for us to create the right conditions to be able to make these policy moves at an appropriate time."
For more on Chee Hong Tat's remarks, read here.