SGNews
01

PacificLight starts S$1.2b gas and battery plant

  • 670MW generating unit due in 2029
  • 80MW battery can respond within two seconds
  • Designed for fuel containing up to 30% hydrogen
Sources (5) STBTBHTMZB
  • ST ST Front Page — “Work begins on first gas power plant with battery storage”
  • BT COMPANIES & MARKETS — “PacificLight to pair new gas power plant with giant batteries in Singapore first”
  • BH Front Page — “PacificLight bina loji jana kuasa gas pertama S’pura dengan sistem penyimpanan bateri (PacificLight builds Singapore's first gas power plant with battery storage)”
  • TM Front Page — “ஜூரோங்கில் மின்கலன் சேகரிப்பு கட்டமைப்புடன் எரிசக்தி ஆலை (Power plant with battery storage system in Jurong)”
  • ZB News Front Page — “裕廊岛12亿元氢气兼容储能发电厂动工 (S$1.2 billion hydrogen-compatible power plant with storage begins construction on Jurong Island)”
02

VSMC opens Tampines fab, plans 1,600 jobs

  • Vanguard International Semiconductor and NXP joint venture
  • Zaobao reports investment revised to US$6.7b
  • 44,000 12-inch wafers a month at full capacity in 2029
Sources (4) STBTTMZB
  • ST Business — “Joint venture VSMC opens US$7.8b chip plant; 1,600 jobs to come”
  • BT Front Page — “VSMC opens US$7.8b chip fab in Singapore, bets on ‘physical AI’ demand”
  • TM Local News — “$10.5 பில்லியன் புதிய சில்லு ஆலை திறப்பு: 1,600 வேலைவாய்ப்புகள் உருவாக்கம் (S$10.5 billion chip plant opens and will create 1,600 jobs)”
  • ZB News Focus — “VSMC斥资86亿元晶圆厂开幕　料创造1600新岗位 (VSMC opens S$8.6 billion wafer plant, expected to create 1,600 jobs)”
03

Malaysia honours Siti Hasmah after death at 100

  • Among Malaya's first Malay women medical officers
  • Married Mahathir Mohamad in 1956
  • State funeral and burial in Putrajaya on September 28
Sources (4) STBTBHZB
  • ST Big Story — “Siti Hasmah, wife of Malaysian ex-PM Mahathir, dies at 100”
  • BT International — “Siti Hasmah, wife of Malaysia’s ex-PM Mahathir, dies aged 100”
  • BH Front Page — “Isteri Mahathir, Siti Hasmah, meninggal dunia pada usia 100 tahun (Siti Hasmah, Mahathir's wife, dies at 100)”
  • ZB News Focus — “马哈迪夫人西蒂哈斯玛逝世　马国举行国家显要葬礼 (Mahathir's wife Siti Hasmah dies; Malaysia holds state funeral)”
04

Factory output grows 15.4% on AI demand in August

  • Precision engineering up 33.9%; electronics up 28.5%
  • Chemicals down 12.7%
  • Growth below 18.3% economist forecast
Sources (4) STBTTMZB
  • ST Front Page Business — “Singapore factory output jumps in August, driven by sustained AI demand”
  • BT Top Stories — “Factory output growth accelerates to 15.4% in August, but undershoots estimates”
  • TM Local News — “‘ஏஐ’ தேவை: தொழிற்சாலை உற்பத்தி அதிகரிப்பு (AI demand lifts factory output)”
  • ZB News Focus — “我国8月制造业产值同比增15.4% (Singapore's manufacturing output grows 15.4% year on year in August)”
05

ERP 2 road markings start appearing in October

  • Blue ovals and charge-zone signs at 33 active sites
  • Satellite-based system starts January 1, 2027
  • All 95 gantries removed or modified by June 2027
Sources (4) STBHTMZB
  • ST Singapore — “New ERP 2 road markings, signs to be rolled out across S’pore from October”
  • BH Berita — “Papan tanda, simbol baharu ERP 2 diperkenal di seluruh S’pura mulai Okt (New ERP 2 signs and symbols to appear across Singapore from October)”
  • TM Local News — “அக்டோபர் மாதத்திலிருந்து இஆர்பி 2 சாலைக் குறியீடுகள் அறிமுகமாகும் (ERP 2 road markings to be introduced from October)”
  • ZB News Front Page — “闸门下月起陆续拆除　路面蓝色椭圆新标识迎ERP 2时代 (ERP gantries to come down from next month as blue road symbols mark the ERP 2 era)”
06

More households choose fixed electricity rates

  • Fixed-plan share: 36.6% in February, 38.4% in September
  • Regulated tariff at 31.91 cents per kilowatt-hour
  • Next quarterly tariff due this week
Sources (2) STTM
  • ST ST Front Page — “Electricity retailers up offerings to meet higher demand amid Mid-East war”
  • TM Front Page — “வாடிக்கையாளருக்குச் சலுகை வழங்கும் எரிசக்தி நிறுவனங்கள் (Electricity companies offer customers promotions amid higher energy costs)”
07

CDL sets S$6b asset-sale target through 2029

  • S$5b of growth capital planned, 60% in Singapore
  • Dividend target: at least 35% of annual profit measure
  • Shares closed over 8% lower after strategy release
Sources (4) STBTTMZB
  • ST Front Page Business — “CDL to unlock assets worth $6b for growth, targets at least 35% dividend payout”
  • BT Front Page — “‘My grandfather’s legacy’: Sherman Kwek lays out 3-year plan to drive CDL returns”
  • TM Local News — “முடங்கியுள்ள $6 பி. விடுவித்து 35% லாப ஈவு வழங்க சிடிஎல் இலக்கு (CDL aims to unlock S$6 billion and pay dividends of at least 35%)”
  • ZB BUSINESS NEWS — “城市发展拟下来三年脱售60亿元资产 (City Developments plans S$6 billion of asset sales over the next three years)”
08

Grab data error raises tax for 16,000 drivers

  • About 28,000 drivers had understated income records
  • Omitted items included tips and incentives
  • Most extra bills under S$100; revised notices to follow
Sources (4) STBHTMZB
  • ST Front Page Singapore — “16,000 drivers to see higher tax bills after Grab submitted incomplete records in July”
  • BH Berita — “16,000 pemandu Grab hadapi bil cukai lebih tinggi (16,000 Grab drivers face higher tax bills)”
  • TM Local News — “முழுமையற்ற தகவல்கள் சமர்ப்பிக்கப்பட்டதால் 16,000 கிராப் ஓட்டுநர்களுக்கு அதிக வரி (16,000 Grab drivers face higher tax after incomplete data submission)”
  • ZB Local News — “Grab提交收入资料有误　1.6万私召车司机须补税 (Grab income-data error leaves 16,000 private-hire drivers owing more tax)”
09

Woodlands opens one-stop digestive health centre

  • Screening, diagnosis, treatment and recovery in one pathway
  • Direct referrals from primary-care doctors for eligible scopes
  • Northern region is focus of wider preventive-care effort
Sources (4) STBHTMZB
  • ST Big Story — “Woodlands Hospital opens one-stop digestive health centre for integrated care”
  • BH Berita — “Hospital Woodlands buka pusat kesihatan sistem pencernaan bagi rawatan menyeluruh (Woodlands Hospital opens digestive health centre for integrated care)”
  • TM Local News — “உட்லண்ட்சில் புதிய செரிமான சுகாதார நிலையம் (New digestive health centre opens in Woodlands)”
  • ZB News Focus — “兀兰医院设新中心　提供肠胃病预防治疗一站式服务 (Woodlands Hospital opens one-stop centre for digestive disease prevention and care)”
10

Taxi and private-hire drivers get bus-job route

  • Applications open through four public bus operators
  • Two to six months of part-time or full-time training
  • Higher starting pay and sign-on bonuses from 2027
Sources (4) STBHTMZB
  • ST Big Story — “Cabbies, PHV drivers can take up bus driver jobs by joining programme from Oct 1”
  • BH Berita — “Pemandu teksi, PHV boleh alih kerjaya jadi pemandu bas melalui program baru (Taxi and private-hire drivers can retrain as bus drivers)”
  • TM Front Page — “பேருந்து ஓட்டுநராகப் பயிற்சித் திட்டம் (Training programme for taxi and private-hire drivers to become bus drivers)”
  • ZB Local News — “德士与私召车司机下月起 可兼职受训转任巴士车长 (Taxi and private-hire drivers can train part-time for bus-driver roles from next month)”

Follow-ups

Iran/Hormuz war and ceasefire

US expects Iran talks; Tehran denies plans

  • Trump predicts negotiations within a week
  • Iran maintains blockade and sanctions conditions
  • Strait of Hormuz remains restricted
Sources (4) STBHTMZB
  • ST World — “Trump expects new Iran talks despite rejecting truce plan”
  • BH Dunia — “Meski tolak gencatan senjata, Trump jangka sambung rundingan (Trump expects talks despite rejecting ceasefire)”
  • TM World News — “அமெரிக்காவுடன் பேச்சுவார்த்தை நடத்தத் திட்டமில்லை: ஈரான் (Iran says it has no plans for talks with the United States)”
  • ZB News Focus — “特朗普称美伊一周内重启谈判　 德黑兰：目前没任何谈判计划 (Trump says US-Iran talks will resume within a week; Tehran says none are planned)”

Xi-Trump summit preparations

US-China tariff cuts cover US$60b of goods

  • US$30b of trade nominated by each side
  • US farm goods and Chinese appliances among products
  • Truce extended to January 10, 2027
Sources (2) BTZB
  • BT International — “Beijing, Washington agree to cut tariffs”
  • ZB News Focus — “贸易休战期限延长　中美达成10项成果 (Trade truce extended as China and US reach 10 outcomes)”

Thailand's 2026 election ballot challenge

Thai court upholds election despite ballot codes

  • Barcodes and QR codes found not to breach voter secrecy
  • February vote drew nearly 38 million people
  • Judges advised against using codes in future
Sources (3) STBTTM
  • ST World — “Thai court dismisses petition challenging legality of 2026 election”
  • BT International — “Thai PM Anutin survives court ruling on traceable election ballots”
  • TM World News — “தாய்லாந்துத் தேர்தல் செல்லுபடியாகும் (Thailand's election is valid)”

Bangkok floods

Bangkok floods send 5,901 people to shelters

  • 234 evacuation centres in the capital
  • Over 80,000 residents unable to leave flooded homes
  • Nationwide damage estimated at 11b baht or more
Sources (3) STBHTM
  • ST Front Page World News — “Bangkok shelters fill up as economic fallout from Thai floods rises”
  • BH Dunia — “Banjir Thai ragut lapan nyawa sejak pertengahan Sep (Thai floods claim eight lives since mid-September)”
  • TM Front Page — “தாய்லாந்து வெள்ளத்தில் எண்மர் உயிரிழப்பு (Eight die in Thailand floods)”

Transboundary haze 2026

Haze turns three Singapore regions unhealthy

  • Central PSI 117, south 111, west 107 at 11pm
  • Smoke traced to Sumatra and Kalimantan fires
  • Haze possible again on September 29
Sources (2) TMZB
  • TM World News — “சுமத்ராவிலிருந்து வரும் புகை; ஜோகூரில் புகைமூட்டம் (Smoke from Sumatra brings haze to Johor)”
  • ZB Local News — “阵雨难消烟霾　中南西三区24小时PSI达不健康水平 (Brief rain fails to clear haze as central, southern and western Singapore reach unhealthy PSI)”

WorldSkills Shanghai 2026

Singapore wins record 27 WorldSkills awards

  • Four silvers, four bronzes, 19 excellence medallions
  • 34 competitors across 31 skills
  • Best Singapore result since debut in 1995
Sources (2) STZB
  • ST Singapore — “Singapore wins four silvers, four bronzes at WorldSkills Shanghai”
  • ZB Local News — “世界技能大赛我国摘27奖牌历来最多 (Singapore wins a record 27 medals at WorldSkills)”

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