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Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
NDP 2025 Exco warns public against scammers posing as NDP representatives
'Do not disclose any personal, business, or sponsorship information if you are unsure of the caller's identity or credibility,' the advisory said. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI SINGAPORE - The National Day Parade (NDP) 2025 executive committee (Exco) will never ask the public or organisations for cash sponsorship, donations or personal details over the phone, organisers of Singapore's birthday bash said on June 28. In an advisory on its official Facebook page NDPeeps, the NDP Exco said it is aware of scammers pretending to be representatives from NDP 2025 and calling potential victims to solicit cash sponsorships and personal information. 'Do not disclose any personal, business, or sponsorship information if you are unsure of the caller's identity or credibility,' the advisory said. If members of the public or organisations are unsure if something is a scam, they can write to ndp@ to check. Those affected should report the scam calls to the police immediately, added the NDP 2025 Exco. The NDP on Aug 9 will be held at the Padang and Marina Bay. The Straits Times has contacted the NDP 2025 Exco and the police for more information. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
21-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
More than 70% of Singaporeans have yet to use SkillsFuture credit top-up expiring end-2025
Only 28 per cent of eligible Singaporeans have tapped the one-off $500 SkillsFuture Credit top-up. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI More than 70% of Singaporeans have yet to use SkillsFuture credit top-up expiring end-2025 SINGAPORE – Most Singaporeans – about 70 per cent of those eligible – have yet to tap the one-off $500 SkillsFuture Credit top-up that will expire on Dec 31, 2025, with just over six months to go. Since the top-up was introduced in October 2020, about 721,000 Singaporeans, or 28 per cent of those eligible, have used it, said SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) in response to queries from The Straits Times on June 17. The usage rate has gone up by 2 percentage points since December 2024, according to the last check by ST, amounting to about 30,000 additional users. The one-off SkillsFuture Credit top-up will expire at the end of the year and will not be extended, said SSG, adding that to use this top-up, courses must start and claims be submitted by Dec 31, 2025. The one-time credit was issued to all Singaporeans aged 25 and above in 2020 to support their training and development during the pandemic. It is separate from the base $500 in SkillsFuture credits that Singaporeans receive when they turn 25. Another $500 credit was given to those aged 40 to 60 as at Dec 31, 2020, as part of mid-career support. Neither of these credits will expire. Similarly, on May 1, 2024, Singaporeans aged 40 and above were given an additional $4,000 credit. This new credit can be combined with any remaining mid-career credit previously given. Of the courses chosen by Singaporeans, the most popular were in training areas of information and communications, food and beverage, and sales and marketing, said SSG. 'Within these areas of training, Singaporeans are taking up courses related to artificial intelligence, digital transformation, e-commerce and digital marketing, reflecting an interest in future-relevant and emerging skills,' the agency added. Singaporeans are encouraged to use the remaining credits to 'support their career and training objectives', said SSG. It added that those who need help identifying suitable courses or planning their next steps can attend free workshops or sign up for one-to-one advisory sessions. SSG said it sent an e-mail reminder on June 12 to remind Singaporeans of the expiring credits. It also encouraged Singaporeans to use the Careers and Skills passport – a digital tool it launched to showcase verified skills and boost job applications – for personalised training recommendations. SSG did not say how many such mailers it sent out, but noted that this was part of efforts to encourage Singaporean to tap on SSG initiatives. Mr Venkataramanan Ganesh Narayanan, who has been working as a cyber security management consultant for over 20 years, said he used his SkillsFuture credit top-up for an artificial intelligence and cybersecurity course. The 55-year-old currently advises senior technology leaders like chief information security officers and chief information officers. But attending this course was to 'future-proof' his expertise, as he saw the impact of AI in the workplace. Mr Ganesh said the course taught him the basics of AI systems, how to secure them, and how to use AI to enhance cyber security. 'I brought the cyber security experience I had and combined it with the new information I learnt about AI, and managed to provider better solutions for my clients,' Mr Ganesh said. He added that not every country gives its citizens the chance to upskill, so when there is an opportunity to do so, everyone should take the chance to. In 2024, about 555,000 people participated in programmes supported by SSG, said the agency in its yearly update earlier in April. This is up from 520,000 individuals in 2023, said SSG, driven by a push to support mid-career workers, said SSG chief executive Tan Kok Yam. Of the 555,000 participants in 2024, 260,000 Singaporeans used their SkillsFuture credits, up from 192,000 in 2023, SSG said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
20-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
S'pore publishes guide for firms planning to use carbon credits to cut emissions voluntarily
Firms are urged to prioritise all possible ways to reduce their emissions before turning to carbon credits. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI SINGAPORE - The authorities are urging companies to prioritise all possible ways to reduce their emissions before turning to carbon credits to offset their remaining carbon emissions. This is one of the key recommendations that the Government has sent to Singapore companies that are thinking of using carbon credits voluntarily to decarbonise and meet their respective net-zero targets. The eight-page draft guide – prepared by the National Climate Change Secretariat, the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Enterprise Singapore – was made available online on June 20. Public feedback on the guide is welcomed until July 20. One carbon credit represents one tonne of carbon dioxide that is either removed from the atmosphere, such as through carbon capture, or prevented from being released. There are two main types of carbon credits – nature-based ones like reforestation, and technological ones that include switching from pollutive firewood to cleaner cooking stoves. In the draft, the authorities also emphasised that the credits that companies buy will not be counted into the country's climate targets. This is because companies will be buying credits from the voluntary carbon market (VCM). Carbon credits can be bought and traded in the voluntary market or the compliance market – which is regulated by the authorities. For example, carbon tax-paying firms are subject to compliance because they are allowed to use eligible credits to offset up to 5 per cent of their taxable emissions each year. These credits will be counted under Singapore's emission reductions, and they can only be bought from carbon projects hosted by countries that Singapore has bilateral agreements with. The seven countries include Paraguay, Bhutan and Ghana. Whereas, credits from the voluntary market are not legally required or regulated to be used to offset carbon emissions, and this has led to criticisms about the effectiveness and quality of such credits. In 2023, The Guardian reported that more than 90 per cent of rainforest credits did not represent genuine carbon reductions. The Singapore Government is therefore putting out this guidance document to help raise the standards of the VCM. The authorities have received feedback from the industry on the need for the Government to provide guidance on the voluntary market and how companies can use carbon credits as part of a credible decarbonisation plan. 'The growth of carbon markets has been constrained by a few factors. One of the main challenges in the VCM is the lack of standardisation which has led to confusion around various industry-led standards. This has undermined market confidence, and companies concerned about reputational risks are holding back from the VCM,' said the three government bodies in a joint statement. To address these, the eight-pager defines what a high-quality carbon credit should be, emphasising that there should be no double counting of credits or fraud, where one credit is claimed by more than one firm. Firms should buy credits that have been registered with a reputable registry that keeps count of the trading, and claim each credit only once. The authorities also encouraged companies to transparently disclose their use of credits and make known the amount and type of credits they bought, why they chose to use credits, project location, and which registry they used. Mr Rueban Manokara, global lead of the carbon finance and markets task force at conservation group World Wide Fund for Nature, said of the draft: 'By offering clarity on what that high integrity means, including highlighting that credits are not a substitute for real emissions cuts... it may give companies more confidence to include carbon credits as part of their climate action.' He noted that the guide could go further in recognising how high-integrity credits can help firms raise their climate ambition, invest in nature-based solutions, and deliver greater impact. Associate Professor Daniel Lee, director of the Carbon Markets Academy of Singapore at Nanyang Technological University, said the document underscores the Government's support for the role of the voluntary carbon market in helping firms decarbonise. 'Such clarity is important because there are many conflicting opinions out there on the role of carbon credits, including views that suggest carbon credits are simply greenwashing,' he added. The draft guidance can be found on NCCS' website. Feedback can be submitted via Find out more about climate change and how it could affect you on the ST microsite here.
Straits Times
12-06-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
More home owners tapping HDB's lease buyback scheme to boost retirement income
As at Dec 31, 2024, 13,734 households have taken up the Lease Buyback Scheme. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI SINGAPORE – Owners in Singapore are tapping their homes and other schemes to add to their retirement kitty. There is a steady increase in the number of home owners, for instance, who are selling part of the lease of their flats back to the Housing Board, with most of them getting between $100,000 and $300,000 in proceeds. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
NDP 2025 packs to come in 7 designs, feature works by artists with disabilities
These themes were created by 21 artists aged 20 to 73 at ART:DIS, a non-profit organisation aimed at creating opportunities for persons with disabilities in the arts. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI NDP 2025 packs to come in 7 designs, feature works by artists with disabilities SINGAPORE – The 2025 National Day Parade (NDP) packs will come in seven designs, featuring works of art by 41 artists with disabilities. Through these artworks, the artists aged 10 to 73 aim to express their hopes for Singapore, and what the Republic's journey and future mean to them. Multiculturalism, Resilience, Openness and Boldness are the themes of four of the NDP pack designs. These themes were created by 21 artists aged 20 to 73 at ART:DIS, a non-profit organisation aimed at creating opportunities for persons with disabilities in the arts. The other 20 artists are special education school students between 10 and 18 years old, who portrayed the themes of Care, Contribute and Future in their art, the parade organisers announced on June 9 as they gave the media a first look at the design of the packs. As for the contents of the NDP pack , Major Desmond Lim, chairman of the NDP 2025 pack committee, said it will contain several staple food items to keep the audience refreshed and energised throughout the show. The public can also expect several interactive items, such as clappers, in their packs. Maj Lim said show attendees will find out what is inside the packs when they receive them . 'We will keep the suspense there.' The works of art will be printed on the packs , which are recycled polyester tote bags. They will also be incorporated in a National Day 2025 stamp set produced by national postal service Singapore Post. The NDP pack will be distributed to those attending National Education shows, NDP preview shows and the National Day Parade on Aug 9. (From left) Nur Fazira Binte Mohd Nuruddin, artist representing the 'Contribute' Artwork; Rihansh Manoj Chugani, artist representing the 'Contribute' Artwork; Mohammad Zulkhari Lutfi Bin Mohd Azam, artist representing the 'Boldness' Artwork; Tay Hong Yao Brennan, artist representing the 'Resilience' Artwork; Tay Bee Lian, artist representing the 'Openness' Artwork; and Sage Tan Song Yen, artist representing the 'Multiculturalism' Artwork. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI For the first time, the live show on Aug 9 will be extended from the Padang to Marina Bay, as part of an 'expanded canvas' to mark Singapore's 60th year of independence. Those who have registered to visit five heartland celebration sites and various Bay Celebration sites, or participate in pledge events , will also be eligible to collect the NDP packs on-site. A pledge event is a new initiative to support Singaporeans in organising their own community celebrations from July, with the Government's help. Of the seven themed artworks , Multiculturalism, for instance , celebrates local cultures, highlighting the nation's diversity through iconic symbols such as the traditional Malay food staple ketupat, and capteh, a traditional game where players keep a feathered shuttlecock in the air by kicking it with their feet. Another theme, Future, gives Singaporeans a glimpse of a nation shaped by innovation and care. The artwork features elements of artificial intelligence and technology to celebrate the Republic's spirit of progress and the embrace of new inventions. Meanwhile, Resilience honours the strength and unity of Singaporeans, such as front-line workers during challenging times, and the artwork for Care is set among Housing Board blocks and green spaces to show people from all walks of life coming together. HDB blocks were also featured in another design , under the theme of Contribute . Rihansh Manoj Chugani, who has cerebral palsy, proudly held up the pack as he pointed to the HDB block he drew. Rihansh Manoj Chugani, the artist representing the 'Contribute' Artwork. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Speaking to the media, the 12-year-old said: 'I drew HDB blocks because they are Singapore's pride. I also coloured them green to represent nature. Next time, I hope to see (more) solar panels on HDB blocks , so that we can save electricity together.' Meanwhile, Madam Tay Bee Lian, 73, illustrated the Mandarin phrase for 'How are you?' as part of the Openness artwork . Madam Tay, whose polio diagnosis causes muscle weakness in her limbs, said: 'I wrote 您好吗? (How are you?) using calligraphy because it is what we say every time we greet each other.' Madam Tay Bee Lian, the rtist representing the 'Openness' Artwork. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI After two hours of practice writing the phrase and more than 10 attempts , Madam Tay said she was excited to see it come to life on the NDP pack. 'Every year, I see how nice the NDP packs are, so I am very honoured that I am a part of creating it this year,' she added. MAJ Lim said the hope is that the collaboration with the artists will honour their abilities, recognise their talents and bring their vision for the country to fellow Singaporeans. 'Drawing on the artists' unique strengths and shared experiences, they have co-created seven pieces of unique artworks for this year's NDP pack, inspired by their reflections on Singapore's heritage, shared experiences, and their imagination of Singapore's shared future,' he added. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
