‘Like being served a sentence’: Youth discontent flares as China puts renewed work into raising retirement age

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Through the years, the government’s pension ages have stayed the same. As the labor shrinks and pension benefits are distributed to more retirees, the tension has grown on the program.

In light of this, China watchers have cited Beijing’s decision to raise the retirement age in the recently concluded next chamber as a sign that the trend is being reversed.

We will work toward a gradual, wise and orderly increase of the statutory retirement age, according to the resolution document, without giving any specifics about how it will be implemented.

By the time the People’s Republic of China’s 80th commemoration in 2029 is observed, China has set a deadline for completion of all 300-odd transformation tasks in the file.

Although the report did not specify what would be changed regarding the retirement years, ideas have already been made. All had gradually retire at age 65, according to a report released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in December.

According to Mr. Huang Tianlei, Peterson Institute for International Economics ‘ research fellow and representative of the China program, the state is “making a bargain.”

It essentially lets people decide whether or not to retire after. If they do decide to retire afterwards, they will likely get a higher income, and if they decide to get ( the pension ) on time or even first, they may get less”, he said.

It aims to give people a sort of opportunity to leave a little later.

RILING UP THE Boys

The region has been impacted by the strategies, particularly among young people, with many people posting suffering electronically.

” Those who want to retire are those who work in impoverished conditions, and those who do n’t are employed are those who have high-paying jobs but do much less.” How does younger people life”? one Weibo users in China lamented.

Another had problems about job security. We are all willing to work for a few more times and make our own money without giving our children too much stress as long as the government provides a great working environment for the common people.

But the question is, is a man in his 50s or 60s find things to do in this period of imine”?

Ms Chen, the financial analyst, is similarly concerned, citing” challenging” prospects due to factors like the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence ( AI ) and the possible displacement of jobs.

Instead of relying solely on one task, she is considering several copy programs.

” We have to adjust to change. I’m considering putting my skills into practice first, investing, and therefore upgrading. Or I may provide training to others to help them complete the CNA tests, she said.

Referring to the likelihood of early retirement, 24-year-old shipping officer Woody Zhu told CNA it feels like he is being served a” phrase”.

” I’d say even if it’s deliberate, even at most 10 per share would actually do that on their personal will”, he said.

Mr. Zhu outlined how many of his companions have found humor to vent their frustrations, and one way is through WeChat meme communicating.

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Some flights to Europe, New York may take ‘slightly longer’ as SIA, Scoot avoid Iranian airspace again

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SINGAPORE: Several Asian carriers, including Singapore Airlines (SIA), have stopped flying over Iranian airspace as fears grow over an escalation in tensions in the Middle East. 

In response to CNA’s queries, SIA said its flights, as well as those by Scoot, its low-cost unit, have stopped flying over Iranian airspace and started using alternative routes.

This came into effect on Friday (Aug 2) at 1.30am. 

“All SIA flights operating between Singapore and Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Istanbul, London, New York (JFK), New York (Newark), Manchester, Milan, Munich, Paris, Rome, and Zurich, as well as all Scoot flights operating between Singapore and Athens, are affected,” said SIA. 

No flights have been cancelled, it added. 

The rerouting may result in “slightly longer than usual” travel times for some flights, said the carrier.

“SIA will be assisting affected customers to re-accommodate them on alternative flights, should there be a misconnection due to an extended flight time.”

“We will continue to closely monitor the situation in the Middle East, and adjust our flight paths as needed.” 

SIA only resumed flying over Iranian airspace on Jun 27, having previously stopped doing so for more than two months as a “precautionary measure”. 

SIA’s earlier decision to bypass Iran came after Iran vowed retaliation over a presumed Israeli air strike on Apr 1. 

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Has Global Times former editor Hu Xijin been gagged on social media after article on China’s economic strategy?

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SINGAPORE: Prolific Chinese nationalistic commentator Hu Xijin has gone silent on social media after publishing an article analysing China’s economic strategy, in an indication of the heightened sensitivity around discussions on the country’s economy.

The former editor-in-chief of the state-run Global Times was banned from posting on social media after he wrote controversial comments about the world’s second-largest economy, Bloomberg reported on Thursday (Aug 1), citing a “person familiar with the matter”. Neither the entity behind the purported ban nor its length was specified.

At the heart of the matter is a now-deleted article Mr Hu posted on his WeChat account on Jul 22, weighing in on the outcomes of the third plenum, a reform-focused meeting by the upper echelons of China’s Communist Party (CCP).

The top-level gathering took place last month, yielding a resolution document that was long on commitments but short on specifics, although analysts singled out hints that President Xi Jinping is seeking a fourth term as China’s helmsman.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), Mr Hu wrote that the resolution left out a phrase that had long enshrined the role of the state sector in the country’s economy.

He argued that the omission of the phrase “public ownership playing a dominant role” was a “historic change” that showed China hoped to “achieve true equality between the private and the state-owned economy”.

“Chinese society’s understanding, attitude and narrative of various ownership relations will have a big step forward,” Mr Hu wrote.

ANALYSIS TRIGGERS BACKLASH

SCMP reported that Mr Hu’s interpretation triggered fierce criticism from local conservative bloggers, who accused the former Global Times editor of “blatantly violating the political discipline of the party” because the “dominant role” of public ownership was enshrined in the constitutions of both the ruling party and the country.

People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the CCP, also published a front-page commentary on Tuesday, stating that China’s basic stand on the state and private sectors “hasn’t changed and won’t change in the future”.

While the commentary did not make any reference to Mr Hu’s piece, the article stated that the plenum’s resolution emphasised “upholding and improving the basic socialist economic system”, SCMP reported. 

This encompassed the party’s stance that public ownership was the mainstay of China’s economic system, which allowed diverse forms of ownership to develop together, the article wrote. 

A check by CNA on Friday (Aug 2) showed that Mr Hu’s social media accounts – Weibo, WeChat and X, formerly known as Twitter – have been silent since last Saturday. Mr Hu has more than 24 million followers on Weibo and over half a million on X, while WeChat does not show his follower count.

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‘I couldn’t feel my finger’: Sentosa Cove resident needed 3-hour surgery after otter attack

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SINGAPORE: When Mr David Andrada finished his usual jogging session at Tanjong Beach and was heading home three weeks ago, he spotted several otters in an “unusual” area – next to the pedestrian walkway.

“I stopped about 4m away and I was waiting for them to basically run, go wherever else. I wasn’t going to go near because I know the dangers of wildlife,” recounted the restaurateur and Sentosa Cove resident.

What happened next stunned him.

“One of them just turned at me and literally just made a beeline straight towards me, and then the two others followed,” the Australian told CNA.

As Mr Andrada stepped backwards to run away, he fell into some bushes. That was when the otters started biting him.

“One of them, the one leading the charge, actually came up close to my face … and as self-defence, I tried to push it away but it bit my finger along the way. But I managed to push them out,” he said.

The otters then went back to the nearby waters. Mr Andrada sought help from a nearby gardener before eventually getting treatment at Singapore General Hospital.

“I was bloodied everywhere. I couldn’t feel my finger anymore at that time so I was a bit worried,” he said.

The incident left him with gaping wounds on his thigh, calf and finger. He needed a three-hour surgery mainly due to his finger, receiving 10 stitches and a tetanus shot.

He ended up being warded for five days and was left with a hefty hospital bill amounting to tens of thousands of dollars, despite having medical insurance.

Doctors said his finger could take up to six months to recover.

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6 ways women can move up in their career: The executive vice president of DHL shares her tips

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Supriya Rao Patwardhan is executive vice president at DHL, one of the world’s most recognisable logistics companies offering express delivery, freight transport, e-commerce solutions and other supply chain solutions.

Leading a team of 5,800 information technology (IT) professionals from 87 different countries, her team provides the technology behind the company’s speed and reliability. 

It wasn’t an easy road to get there. Born in India, Patwardhan experienced the motherhood penalty, struggled with childcare support, overcame racism and discrimination when first starting her career in Singapore, and weathered a major company setback and massive layoffs at DHL in the noughties.

A grandmother today, the first-generation Singaporean, who became a citizen 24 years ago, tells CNA Women about the numerous glass ceilings she has had to break, and shares her best career and leadership insights for career women and mothers.

1. TO NURTURE MORE WOMEN LEADERS, WE FIRST NEED TO SUPPORT MOTHERS

Women make up less than one-third of senior leaders, according to a 2024 World Economic Forum report. Patwardhan believes that one big reason for this is because many drop out of the workforce after becoming mothers, especially if they do not have adequate support.

As a young mother based in New Delhi, India, in 1989, Patwardhan remembers hitting her first career roadblock because she could not find childcare. Then an IT consultant, she settled for part-time work.

“It was the hardest thing because the career I had built up pretty much went down the drain. And I could see all my peers moving ahead,” she recalled.

Three decades later, Patwardhan’s daughter, her only child, faced a similar struggle after giving birth to her firstborn in 2020. This was during the pandemic and London, where her daughter is based, was in lockdown.

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3 out of 5 Singaporean firms paid ransoms during cyberattacks in 2023: Survey

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OF “MAJOR CONCERN” 

For its survey, Cohesity polled 302 IT and security executives in Singapore between late June and early July, with most hailing from sectors like IT, telecommunications, manufacturing, healthcare and financial services. 

Of the 64 per cent who paid ransoms, almost half – 47 per cent – coughed up between US$100,000 and US$499,999.

Nearly all respondents believed the threat of cyberattacks on their industry would increase or had already increased this year.

A significant majority – 80 per cent – said their company would pay a ransom to recover data and restore business processes.

Almost 60 per cent said their company would be willing to pay over US$1 million in ransom, with 16 per cent saying they would shell out over US$5 million.

In April, Singaporean law firm Shook Lin & Bok was hit by a ransomware attack and paid US$1.4 million in Bitcoin to the Akira ransomware group. The attackers’ initial demand of US$2 million was negotiated down after a week.

In the Cohesity survey, 71 per cent of respondents said their companies actually had “do not pay” policies. For 64 per cent to pay up despite such guidelines is a “major concern”, said Cohesity’s global cyber resilience strategist James Blake.

LONGSTANDING ISSUE

Asked to respond to the survey, CSA said cybersecurity firms like Cohesity regularly produce such reports “based on their own intel and research for their various stakeholders”.

“We note that they are, in their own ways, providing insights into the multitude of cyber threats out there in cyberspace,” said the agency. “However, as this is an independent investigation report by a commercial entity, we have no comment on its contents.”

CSA however told CNA it “strongly discourages ransom payments”.

“With ransomware attacks rising globally, it is vital for organisations to take steps to better protect their systems and data from attacks,” it added, noting that measures in this space have been introduced over the years.

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FAQ: Looking forward to passport-free immigration clearance in Singapore? Here’s what you need to know

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SINGAPORE: Imagine clearing immigration on your next trip overseas without fumbling around your bag looking for your passport. 

Some travellers are a step closer to this reality, with passport-less immigration clearance kicking off at Changi Airport Terminal 3 on Aug 5.

Singapore residents will be able to get through selected automated lanes at Terminal 3 using only their facial and iris biometrics – a move meant to cut the time taken to clear immigration by 40 per cent.

It’s all part of a wider plan by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to digitalise border clearance. In the coming months and years, the planned initiatives will be rolled out at the other checkpoints across the island.

But do you still need to bring along your passports, and can your children make use of these new lanes?

Here’s what you need to know:

Does this apply to all travellers?

According to ICA, Singapore residents will be able to clear immigration at the country’s air and sea checkpoints without their passports at both arrival and departure, while the same applies to foreign travellers, but only when they depart Singapore.

The new method of going through immigration will be “progressively implemented” at the other terminals at Changi Airport by the end of September this year, said ICA.

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Sarawak and Malaysia’s national oil corporation Petronas square off, presenting PM Anwar with a conundrum

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Petronas is treading carefully. 

In its official responses to the media, including CNA, the national oil corporation said that it is in close talks with both the Sarawak government and Mr Anwar’s administration to achieve a “mutual resolution” to the state gas distribution situation.

It stressed that “all parties need to understand and acknowledge each other’s constraints”.

POLITICAL CHUTZPAH, BUT “BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERREACH”

The political chutzpah displayed by Mr Abang Johari, Sarawak’s chief minister or premier as he is referred to in the state, spotlights how the balance of power in Malaysia has been upended following the May 2018 general election that has since led to four changes in government. 

The fractured political landscape in Peninsular Malaysia has turned Sarawak and neighbouring Sabah, which are collectively referred to as the Borneo bloc, into serious crutches for Mr Anwar’s unity government. 

That, in turn, has emboldened the ruling political entities in the two states to impose demands on Kuala Lumpur to meet provisions established in a charter when both states joined then-Malaya to create the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, which at the time included Singapore. The island state became independent in 1965.

Of the two Borneo bloc states, Sarawak has been more aggressive in its dealings with Kuala Lumpur because of the political cohesiveness of the state government led by Mr Abang Johari.

The demands by Petros join a list of other demands by Sarawak. 

Last month, Sarawak signed a memorandum of understanding with the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT), which manages the pension fund for certain members of the armed forces, to explore potential cooperation and sharing of information. Mr Abang Johari said it is securing necessary approvals to take a bigger stake in domestic financial institution Affin Bank, of which LTAT is the largest shareholder.

Two weeks ago, Sarawak also retook control of Bintulu Port, a previously federal government-controlled port in the state.

But it is the control over the oil and gas resources that is drawing close scrutiny.

According to the federal government, Sarawak’s probable and proven reserves of petroleum represent 60.87 per cent of Malaysia’s total, while Sabah’s make up around 18.8 per cent. 

Sarawak is insisting that oil and gas resources in its territory must be regulated under a colonial-era Oil Mining Ordinance 1958, which stipulates that oil and gas resources found within 200 nautical miles of its waters belong to the state. 

The state government wants the six new oil and gas fields discovered in the Balingian province of the continental shelf and the West Luconia area to be developed jointly with Petronas to ensure that the state receives more than the annual 5 per cent royalties that it currently enjoys.

Senior government officials and political operatives in Mr Anwar’s inner circle acknowledge that the demands by Sarawak and Petros could trigger a snowball effect and prompt other states to make greater demands on the federal government, which is already struggling with serious budgetary constraints because of a national debt burden of about RM1.22 trillion.

Several political and economic watchers in Malaysia say the stakes are also high for Mr Abang Johari, a seasoned politician who is regarded as a strong and able administrator.

“Abang Johari is in a strong position but he needs to be careful not to overreach (when dealing with the federal government),” said Mr Manu Bhaskaran, chief strategist at Centennial Asia Advisors. 

“The gas distribution issue needs to be settled where it is a win for both sides, and I hope that the demand for full control by Sarawak is just an opening gambit in the ongoing negotiation.”

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Old-school spectacle shop Lim Kay Khee Optical House at Balestier Road relocating after 64 years

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The family business also has branches in Hougang and Peninsula Plaza, which are run by Mr Lim’s older brothers. But the Balestier branch was the only one whose original, traditional set-up remained intact since 1960 when it relocated to the shophouse. It was previously based at 339 Balestier Road. 

Since its heyday, the shop has lost nearly 80 per cent in revenue, Mr Lim told CNA Lifestyle last year in an interview.

Not only did it have to contend with the evolving Balestier neighbourhood, the shop also saw competition from the rise of LASIK surgery. And compared with sleek spectacle stores in shopping malls today, Mr Lim’s shop was something of an anomaly in this day. It had no self-service racks, designer brands or air-conditioning, and its patterned floor tiles and machinery were preserved from the 1960s. 

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