IN LESS than six months, the new research institute at the Singapore Management University (SMU) has already hit its fund-raising target of $17 million.

The $17.2 million raised will go into an endowment fund for the Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics set up in July at the SMU.

WHEN a looming typhoon forced the postponement of the December 2006 Asean summit in Cebu, the Philippine government moved quickly and rescheduled it a month later in the resort city.

This sent a clear signal that members were serious about the grouping, former Asean secretary-general Ong Keng Yong recalled on Tuesday.

CENTRAL Provident Fund (CPF) members will continue to get an interest rate of 4 per cent on a portion of their savings for the three months from Jan 1 to March 31 next year.

This is the minimum rate that the Government has guaranteed for the Special, Medisave and Retirement Accounts (SMRA). Savings in the Ordinary Account will earn an interest of 2.5 per cent.