Dear readers,
The coming year seems set to be a defining year for Singapore, with expectations that the next general election will be held.
The Elections Department is already preparing to initiate a few changes - self-inking pens are to be introduced, new polling booths will be set up and candidates will be able to complete the required paperwork online.
The date, however, is still to be announced. Some indication of the timing came when the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee was convened in August.
In the past three general elections under Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the period between the announcement of the committee's formation and Polling Day has ranged from two and six months.
Meanwhile, there will be much focus on the state of the economy given the global uncertainty that still prevails as we enter into 2020.
The good news is that the business sentiment among local firms has risen slightly for the first quarter of 2020, with the services sector being the most upbeat, according to Singapore Commercial Credit Bureau's latest Business Optimism Index.
Alongside, the push for several mega projects, that are in the pipeline should do its part to contribute to sentiments.
Over the next few years, the Mandai eco-tourism and Jurong Lake District initiatives will take shape. In some time, the Greater Southern Waterfront development, Changi's Terminal 5 and a rail link to Johor Baru, will be projects to watch out for.
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Thanks for reading.
Shefali Rekhi
Asia News Network Editor, The Straits Times &
Editor, The Straits Times Asia Report
shefali@sph.com.sg
and
Tan Ooi Boon
Supervising Editor (ST Press and Skills) and
Associate Foreign Editor,
The Straits Times.
ooiboon@sph.com.sg
