From Coexistence to Connection: Rethinking Integration with Migrant Workers
How can we help migrant workers to integrate better? How can we move fro m co-existence to connection? Yesterday, as I went about my usual day, I noticed a few things. While walking through Tampines, I passed by some foreign workers fixing the pedestrian lights. They were focused on their task. Later, at the bus […]
MAS Clarifies Scope of Digital Token Service Providers Regime Ahead of June Implementation
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has issued a clarification regarding the scope and application of its upcoming regulatory regime for Digital Token Service Providers (DTSPs), which will take effect on 30 June 2025. This follows MAS’ 30 May 2025 publication of its response to feedback on its earlier consultation paper outlining the proposed regulatory […]
Outgoing chairman Lim Boon Heng reflects on his years at Temasek
Temasek Holdings announced that Mr Lim Boon Heng will step down from its Board with effect from 9 October 2025, marking the end of a distinguished 13-year tenure as a Director, including 12 years as Chairman. In a tribute to Mr Lim, Temasek Holdings said: A strong advocate of stakeholder capitalism with extensive experience in […]
Singapore’s foreign policy: neutrality is not indifference
Singapore does not own the world’s conflicts. We did not start these battles, and we cannot shape their outcomes in any meaningful way. What Singapore does is manage our response in a way that protects our sovereignty and secures our future. Neutrality is not indifference—it is about survival. Our geography, size, and economic structure place […]
Mr Teo Chee Hean to succeed Mr Lim Boon Heng as Temasek Chairman
Temasek Holdings announced that Mr Teo Chee Hean will join its Board of Directors as Deputy Chairman on 1 July 2025, and succeed Mr Lim Boon Heng, to become its fifth Chairman, on 9 October 2025, after the conclusion of its third-quarter Board meeting this year. As part of Temasek’s Board renewal process, Mr Cheng […]
Thailand’s Land Bridge Project: What It Means for Singapore
Thailand is pushing forward with its $36 billion Land Bridge project which aims to connect the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand via a new overland logistics corridor. The new trade route will bypass the congested Straits of Malacca, where Singapore currently serves as the key maritime chokepoint. In March this year (2025), Thai […]
Rowing Together in Choppy Waters: Why Singapore’s Sampan Must Stay Afloat
The Workers’ Party has spoken about ships and boats—arguing that, unlike ships, boats cannot withstand the storms. To that, I say: do not look down on the humble sampan. Because it’s not the size of the vessel that determines success. It’s the skill of the captain at the helm. Even the mighty Titanic can sink […]
Giving a Suggestion is Not Proposing a Policy. Governance is not a game of who-said-what-first.
There’s a growing tendency by some to conflate making suggestions with actual policy-making — and I find this both misleading and unfair. Take the Workers’ Party, for instance. A common refrain from them is that the Government often “adopts their proposals in some form.” But when one takes a closer look, many of these so-called […]
The Minimum Wage Policy: A Well-Meaning but Ultimately Counterproductive Approach
At first glance, the Workers’ Party’s proposal for a universal minimum wage may appear to offer a straightforward path to better livelihoods for low-income workers. It promises a guaranteed income floor and seeks to reduce inequality. However, despite its good intentions, such a policy carries significant economic risks and unintended consequences that could ultimately harm […]
We’re not against wealth tax but good intention is not enough. Implementation matters.
The Workers’ Party’s (WP) proposal to introduce a wealth tax. Here’s what I think. On the surface, the idea seems simple and appealing: tax the ultra-rich to support broader social equity. But dig a little deeper, and the reality is far more complex — especially for a small, open economy like Singapore’s. To be clear: […]