Interest rates for the Special and MediSave accounts (SMAs) of Central Provident Fund (CPF) members will go up by 0.03 percentage point to hit 4.04 per cent per annum for the 2023 Q4, the CPF Board and the Housing Board said in a joint statement on Thursday.
Interest rates for CPF Special, MediSave up
The rate hike is due to an increase in the 12-month average yield of 10-year Singapore Government Securities, which the SMAs’ interest rates are pegged to.
Interest rates for the Ordinary and Retirement accounts will remain at 2.5 per cent and 4 per cent, respectively for 2023 Q4.
NUS staff reminded to ‘differentiate truth from falsehoods’
Staff from the National University of Singapore (NUS) were reminded on Wednesday to avoid violating Singapore’s laws after a website was issued a correction order for carrying a faculty member’s article that contained false statements.
NUS president Tan Eng Chye wrote in an email to staff that the university has a collective duty to safeguard a high level of trust from the public, which stems from its position as a leading global university.
The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act office had directed academic website East Asia Forum to put up a correction notice for the article A Spate Of Scandals Strikes Singapore by NUS Assistant Professor Chan Ying-Kit.
NTUC reiterates call for flexible work arrangements, paid caregiving leave
The labour movement has reiterated its call for paid caregiving leave to be made mandatory and for employers to provide more flexibility in work arrangements, to support workers shouldering caregiving responsibilities.
The National Trades Union Congress said on Wednesday that this will help caregivers continue to work and take care of their loved ones.
These were some of the recommendations it made following its year-long public engagement exercise called #EveryWorkerMatters Conversations.
Car COE premiums hit new highs, Open category rises to $144,640
The certificate of entitlement (COE) prices for cars and the Open category hit record highs on Wednesday, spurred by motor dealers rushing to meet year-end targets and take advantage of current tax rebates for electric cars.
The COE premium for cars with engines up to 1,600cc and 130bhp, as well as electric vehicles (EVs) up to 110 kilowatts, was 3.96 per cent higher at $105,000, up from $101,000 at the last tender exercise.
The premium for the Open category COE – which can be used for any vehicle type except motorcycles, but ends up being used mostly for bigger cars – also set an all-time high, at $144,640.
NUH turns to AI to shorten waiting times for emergency patients
Knowing when there will be a surge of patients at the emergency department and whether there are beds available will allow the National University Hospital to allocate manpower easily.
So the hospital’s Emergency Department has turned to Pathfinder, an artificial intelligence project that provides real-time insights into waiting time and bed occupancy rates, which can guide staff in decision-making within a chaotic emergency environment.
EV early adoption scheme extended till 2025
An initiative encouraging the early adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) through rebates has been extended till Dec 31, 2025, but with a lower maximum rebate in 2024.
Under the EV Early Adoption Incentive scheme, owners who register new fully electric cars and taxis will continue receiving rebates of up to 45 per cent off additional registration fees.
