Why It Matters

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.

The next census, to be conducted in 2020, will help to uncover the number of people with disabilities in Singapore. Reporter Theresa Tan said this will help the authorities plan sufficient services for this community, and the data is especially crucial for Singapore's ageing community. http://str.sg/42wh


Uber and Grab have been positioning themselves as tech companies rather than taxi or private-hire car operators. But with Grab in talks to take over SMRT's taxi business and Tuber's Lion City Rentals, senior transport correspondent Christopher Tan said they are just taxi companies with new technology and new ideas. http://str.sg/42KP


Recent reports on social media have highlighted abuse of the dock less shared-bicycle schemes. Transport reporter Adrian Lin noted that these incidents are in the minority, and hopefully penalties and social media reports can help curb misuse. http://str.sg/4BX


Two MET stations were shut down because of security scares recently. Reporter Snow Ba Y said that the reactions of the authorities and the public reflected heightened awareness of security risks. But there is also a need to refine responses so that false alarms can be prevented. http://str.sg/4BK


Junior colleges were included for the first time in the latest round of school mergers, as student intakes are affected by the falling birth rate. Senior education correspondent Sandra Davie said that, eventually, this issue of a shrinking cohort will also affect universities as well as other sectors beyond education, and policymakers will have to plan ahead for the implications. http://str.sg/4Bug


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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 29, 2017, with the headline Why It Matters. Subscribe