Singapore in 2 Minutes for the Week of May 1

Singapore must equip workers for AI-driven future

Manpower Minister Tan See Leng said no worker should be left behind as artificial intelligence reshapes jobs and industries. In his May Day message on April 30, Dr Tan said the country’s investment in lifelong learning for over a decade has laid a strong foundation.

“Today, as AI reshapes the nature of work, that long-term investment is bearing fruit. It will be a deep source of resilience and strength for our workers and businesses. It will be a strong foundation they can stand on to grow, adapt faster and take the next leap with confidence,” he said.

Over 7,000 cicadas caught in Tampines Changkat by task force

To drive away the relentless thwacking sounds of cicadas from homes, the recently formed cicada task force – led by Tampines Changkat MP Desmond Choo – has set up light traps on an almost nightly basis since April 10. As of April 23, the task force has caught more than 7,000 orange-winged cicadas, which are native to Southeast Asia but possibly foreign to Singapore.

Home Team to develop new drones, satellite and humanoid robots

Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam said on April 28 that the Home Team will be developing its first satellite, code-named Xplorer, which will be launched into space in 2029. This satellite will target hazardous gas plumes to enable the Singapore Civil Defence Force to respond more quickly to such situations.

They will also launch the Home Team Humanoid Robotics Centre to train humanoid robots. Additionally, new drone box systems will be deployed across the island to chase criminals, document fires and conduct routine patrols.

Cop unlawfully obtained info for friend who threatened complainant

Traffic Police investigation officer, Shivasuria Maniam Kesava, accessed the Ministry of Home Affairs’ computer systems without authority and shared his findings with a friend, Brayden Ong Ying Shan, who had a police report against him. Ong then made a death threat against the woman responsible for the report.

District Judge Lim Tse Haw had, after a trial, convicted Shivasuria of four counts of misusing a computer system and one count of an offence under the Official Secrets Act. The judge also found Ong guilty of criminal intimidation and an offence under the OSA.

No further action by police after probe into SPH Media’s circulation figures

The police will not be taking any further action in relation to SPH Media’s alleged inflated circulation figures, after investigations found that there was no basis for any criminal charges. The offences that were looked into included the falsification of accounts, as well as cheating.

SPH Media said in a statement: “Within SPH Media, the case has been closed since end-2023 after all internal findings and gaps surfaced were addressed. “We are glad to put this incident behind us and look forward to serving our audiences better.”

Paynow to end nickname option for users from June 6

PayNow users will no longer be able to customise their display names from June 6. Instead, transactions will reflect the name registered with their bank, with only selected letters shown to protect their privacy. In a recent press statement, the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) announced that this would be done to strengthen protections against impersonation scams. 

ABS director Ong-Ang Ai Boon said that discontinuing the nickname feature removes an avenue that scammers can exploit.

Cold Storage partners with Chinese retail tech firm DMall Inc. for better integration in 87 of its stores

Cold Storage has completed the implementation of new retail technology in 87 stores over the past 7 months, to allow for improved product availability, stock replenishment, and overall shopping experience. This was done through a partnership with Chinese, large-scale, retail tech developer DMall Inc and unifies ERP, point of sale, store operations and supply chain into a single operating layer.

The changes have been made across Cold Storage’s multibrand network including, Cold Storage, CS Fresh, Giant, and Jasons Deli.

Quicker hiring process for migrant construction workers from 2027 amid strong building demand

National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said that the hiring process for construction firms bringing in foreign workers will be shortened from four months to one month from 2027. This new process removes the requirement of tests for a competency certification in their home countries before entering Singapore. 

These will first be implemented for new workers from China and Thailand from January 2027, and later extended to other countries like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar from January 2028. 

New workgroup to drive marriage and parenthood reset amid record low fertility

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah will chair a new workgroup, The Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup, aiming to mobilise society to encourage more people to marry and have children. The group was formed in response to the fertility rate declining to 0.87 and will examine issues including financial costs, work-life support, housing, healthcare, pre-school, and education.

Signs of progress of the group would involve more babies being born this year, more opportunities for young people to form families, reduced stigma around fertility treatments and more progressive workplace practices for better work-life balance.

Coffee, milk powder among 5% of common household items hit by ‘shrinkflation’

An analysis by SingStat on barcode data from major supermarkets found that, overall, less than 5 per cent of items commonly purchased by resident households were hit by shrinkflation in 2025. The five fast-moving consumer goods most affected are instant coffee or tea, laundry detergent, ice cream, milk powder and diapers, said Singstat in its newsletter. 

Shrinkflation occurs when a product’s size or quantity is reduced, but the price stays the same or increases, so consumers effectively pay more per unit. This practice results in hidden price changes.