Business reporter Grace Leong said the Monetary Authority of Singapore's move to ban four disgraced bankers for their role in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal is a wake-up call. Those working in the financial service sector are on notice they must stay vigilant against dubious clients or suspicious transactions. http://str.sg/47Te

The move by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to include more home-grown works in the A-level literature in English syllabus will help younger generations to value local literature. Reporter Olivia Ho said that the move transcends academic practicalities as Singapore writing will help students understand the Singaporean identity. http://str.sg/47JE

The Bill on changes to the Public Order Act aims to boost security at events that draw thousands of people. Reporter Danson Cheong said while the new measures could drive up costs for event organisers and inconvenience people attending such events, the fact is that security threats are real. These measures are a necessary cost Singaporeans will have to bear. http://str.sg/4hvb

Sport reporter May Chen said the Government's move to inject $50 million over five years to support high-performance sport is a shot in the arm for the nation's top athletes. The funds may not yield instant returns, but it will put athletes on a stronger footing in their pursuit of glory. http://str.sg/4hj2

The proposal to raise the minimum legal age for smoking from 18 to 21 aims to reduce the chances of people picking up the habit at a young age. Assistant news editor Poon Chian Hui said the rule targets the fact that most smokers in Singapore make smoking a habit before they hit 21 and studies show it is harder for smokers who start young to break the habit. http://str.sg/4hzt

Every day on Page 2 of The Straits Times, reporters write about why certain news reports matter to readers. This is a weekly round-up of the columns.