[SINGAPORE] The government has defended its reappointment of Lucien Wong as attorney-general (AG) for a fourth three-year term, after a Workers’ Party (WP) MP questioned the transparency of the selection process.

Minister for Law Edwin Tong said in Parliament on Monday (Mar 2) that the appointment process is neither thin nor perfunctory, pushing back against WP MP Sylvia Lim, who had called for greater public disclosure on how the AG is selected.

Wong, 72, was reappointed in October last year for a fourth term, and will serve until January 2029. He was first appointed the ninth attorney-general in January 2017.

The reappointment was raised during the Ministry of Law’s Committee of Supply debate by WP MP Sylvia Lim, who argued that the constitutional process governing the appointment was “thin” and called on the government to be more forthcoming about how candidates are selected for the role.

Tong rejected that characterisation, saying the appointment of the AG – whether initial or any subsequent renewal – is made in accordance with the constitution with “a clear, deliberate and structured process, with the appropriate checks and balances”.

The process involves consultation with the chief justice and the chairman of the Public Service Commission, before the prime minister gives advice to the president, who in turn consults the Council of Presidential Advisers.

“This is not a perfunctory process; nor is it ‘thin’ by any measure,” he said. “This process reflects a careful and considered balance between executive responsibility and institutional safeguards.”

Tong also argued against Lim’s suggestion that there should be more public disclosures on the process.

Making such deliberations public would be counterproductive, he said, as suitable candidates could be deterred from being considered if discussions about their suitability were disclosed.

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“The consultation process also requires candour and frank assessment,” he said. “Turning it into a public debate risks politicising an office that must remain scrupulously non-partisan.”

While in some jurisdictions, the AGs are elected officeholders, Singapore has a different model, noted Tong.

“The safeguards lie in the constitutional qualifications required, the consultative process, and ultimately in the performance and conduct of the office,” he added.

Noting that Wong will be 75 by the end of his new term, Lim also questioned if other qualified candidates were shortlisted before recommending his renewal.

To this, Tong said the availability of other qualified candidates may seem so if one considers only the basic eligibility criteria.

Tong did not directly address whether a shortlist had been drawn up, but said the availability of other candidates may appear plentiful if one considers only the basic eligibility criteria.

“The selection of an AG is not simply a matter of meeting minimum qualifications. It requires a careful assessment of who is best suited to discharge the full responsibilities of the office,” he said.

Beyond formal qualifications, the role demands high professional standing, wide-ranging legal experience, sound judgement and a strong sense of public duty, Tong said.

The AG must also have “unimpeachable integrity and strong moral fibre”, prepared to uphold the law impartially and apply it equally to everyone – “whether one is a minister or leader of the opposition”.

Individuals meeting all these criteria are not easily found, he said, adding that the government continuously looks out for suitable candidates while also weighing the incumbent’s performance, his ability and willingness to serve, and whether significant ongoing matters require continuity.

The government continues to rely on Wong’s counsel on significant matters that remain in progress – in maritime boundary negotiations, tax and financial sector legal reforms, and complex cross-border criminal matters.

These responsibilities “benefit from deep expertise, sound judgement and a steady hand”, said Tong.

[SINGAPORE] A new Bill will be tabled later in 2026 to simplify civil enforcement processes, giving courts greater powers to identify the assets of judgment debtors and introducing new enforcement modes to deter and punish non-compliance with court orders.

If passed, the new law will also create a new class of Civil Judgment Enforcement Officers, who will be regulated by a department under the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and tasked with helping parties enforce civil judgments.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Law Eric Chua, who made the announcement during the ministry’s Committee of Supply debate on Monday (Mar 2), said that the aim of the new legislation is to make civil enforcement more effective, efficient and affordable.

“We received feedback that the time, effort and costs of enforcing judgments can be disproportionate to the judgment sum, leaving some judgments unenforced,” said Chua.

He added that the government has been consulting relevant stakeholders, including lawyers and the judiciary.

[SINGAPORE] The conflict between the US, Israel and Iran will likely result in higher costs for businesses on volatile energy prices, disrupting supply chains, said observers.

“The escalation of conflict in the Middle East is a concern for Singapore businesses, less because of direct exposure to the region, but because of its impact on global energy markets, shipping routes and business confidence,” said Kok Ping Soon, CEO of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF).

As a highly open and trade dependent economy, Singapore is vulnerable to external shocks, with effects quickly transmitted through higher logistics costs, energy price volatility and supply chain disruptions, he added.

On Saturday (Feb 28) the US and Israel began military strikes on Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khameinei, as Iran launched retaliatory attacks on Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Economists and business association leaders said that volatile and likely higher oil prices are the most immediate risk, particularly if shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is curtailed.

One-fifth of the world’s crude oil flows through this sea lane, which connects major oil producing countries of the region to the Arabian Sea.

Barrelling on

“Oil prices have already reacted, same with precious metals. When markets open, there may be a knee-jerk reaction again. It really depends on how prolonged the conflict is, so it is hard to quantify how long oil prices will stay elevated,” said OCBC’s chief economist Selena Ling.

Brent crude prices rose to a high of more than US$70 per barrel in recent weeks in anticipation of the strike on Iran, with some international observers predicting prices as high as US$100 per barrel to come.

Ling said that if physical supply through the Strait does stop, elevated oil prices could last months rather than weeks. It would also depend on the amount of spare capacity other producers have and any possible US Strategic Petroleum Reserve deployment, of which there is no indication so far.

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If supply is indeed curtailed, Ling said, it could accelerate global inflation with Asia disproportionately impacted as most countries in the region are energy importers, with growth driven by energy-intensive data centres.

Singapore would face a dual impact on consumer prices and trade, with airlines, heavy industry and shipping most vulnerable, while energy producers and commodity exporters would benefit.

Multiple observers also said that higher oil prices would also affect electricity tariffs, fuel costs for transport, and the wider economy through related fossil fuel supplies.

For instance, the Strait of Hormuz is also a vital route for liquified natural gas, with Qatar being the second largest exporter of the gas, which is used in powerplants, manufacturing and cargo ships.

Sea more uncertainty

Supply chains are also at risk as maritime and aviation routes face major disruptions, given that the Middle East is a gateway between Asia and Europe.

“Like with (the Suez Canal in 2023) trade is being redirected, this will add to shipping costs because of longer transit time and fuel costs between Europe and Asia and that adds to overall uncertainty as well,” said Song Weng Wun, economic adviser at SDAX, a Singapore-based fintech company.

Shipping companies have begun to redirect vessels around the Cape of Good Hope while avoiding the Middle East, mirroring a similar move in 2023 when ships avoided the Suez Canal as a result of Houthi militant attacks.

The longer route adds as much as 14 days to general shipping times, as costs rose by as much as 15 per cent in 2023.

Song said that this could affect Singapore especially as wholesale trade has become the largest contributor to the services sector, itself the biggest segment of the economy.

Eric Leong, chairman and chief executive of Mlion, a supplier of steel and steel products, said he was concerned about the impact of freight from Europe to Asia.

“The price for freight will shoot up and insurance will be affected too,” he said, adding that the company – which has an office in Saudi Arabia and operations in the Middle East – had held off on some shipments as it expected port delays.

However, some observers expect more potential disruption in aviation. Iran’s retaliatory strikes have closed major regional air hubs Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, cancelling more than 1,000 flights and stranding hundreds of thousands of travellers.

Lennon Tan, president of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF), said: “When Gulf hubs face airspace restrictions and flight cancellations, the impact is not only on passenger travel – it hits airfreight capacity, transit times, and the reliability of ‘urgent’ supply chains for electronics, precision parts and high-value shipments.”

Early aviation data and reporting show a sharp jump in cancellations and widespread rerouting around Middle East airspace, with major gateways such as Dubai and Doha central to east–west flows, he said.

More volatility, rising costs

Given the scale and severity of the situation, observers emphasised that ongoing uncertainty could affect various sectors and business confidence, and that companies would need to prepare for this volatility.

“For Singapore, the first-order effect is not just higher oil prices – it’s higher volatility. Volatility raises hedging costs, disrupts shipping insurance, and forces businesses to hold more inventory and working capital,” said SMF’s Tan.

“Volatility in oil prices will also feed into transport, utilities and input costs, affecting margins across multiple sectors, particularly for SMEs,” said SBF’s Kok.

Mark Lee, SBF vice-chairman and honorary treasurer, said that headline business-cost relief in 2025 for Singapore was helped by falling energy and freight prices, while underlying pressures of rising labour costs remained.

If energy and freight costs shoot up, this would increase cost pressures on some sectors, particularly food and beverage and retail.

“I do believe there is scope to work more closely with the government to identify sector-specific pressure points – including wages, manpower constraints, compliance costs and operating models – and to develop targeted interventions that preserve competitiveness without undermining local workforce outcomes,” he said.

“Depending on how long oil prices remain high, business and consumer confidence could be affected and we would see a pullback on the AI (artifical intelligence)-led frenzy that has led to infrastructure investments like data centres,” said SDAX’s Song.

Finger in the wind

Industry figures said that companies with operations in the Middle East will have to weather the uncertainty for now, while those planning expansion there should hold off.

“Businesses that have exposure to the Middle East may have to deal with the spillover effects such as trade diversion and/or higher risk premiums until things settle or there is light at the end of the tunnel,” said OCBC’s Ling.

Ang Yuit, president for the Association of Small & Medium Enterprises (Asme), said the conflict might set back business activities in the Middle East, and another market it is a stepping stone to – Africa.

But the instability could also draw additional investment interest to Singapore as a place of stability.

“Among the regions competing with us for investment and hub position, Dubai and the Middle East were strong contenders as a safe haven, with its financial inflows and in recent times, in AI and high tech industries. I think companies would review their diversification strategies now, or at least, not put all their eggs in one basket,” he added.

For Singaporean companies, continuing to build resilient supply chains, diversify and internationalise is important.

“If you have the ability to, say, operate in Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, you are better able to ‘average out’ price shocks like electricity costs. Immediately, we can’t do much about energy costs for example, but we must look at medium term moves,” he said

SBF’s Kok said companies should “take a proactive approach by reviewing their supply chain resilience, managing costs and currency risks and maintaining close communication with customers and partners”.

But it is also clear that this is the early stage of a wide-ranging event that will have major consequences.

“It is going to be a wild ride. This will likely affect Singapore even more than the Ukraine conflict, especially if it spreads to the other Middle Eastern countries,” said Ang.

In the meantime, Mlion’s Leong said its staff are working from home temporarily, and they have reported that things are still calm in Saudi Arabia. “So far, there are no major effects yet. But for now, it’s very early and too hard to say what we will do next.”

[SINGAPORE] Singapore is a long way from home for Patrick Dumont, but the American will likely be spending far more time in the city-state in the years ahead, after his elevation to the top job at Las Vegas Sands (LVS) over the weekend.

Dumont assumed the twin roles of chairman and chief executive officer on Sunday (Mar 1), and he now leads the New York Stock Exchange-listed developer and operator of integrated resorts (IRs).

After its complete exit from the US market five years ago, LVS currently has six mega resorts in its portfolio, all of which are in Asia: Marina Bay Sands (MBS) in Singapore, and five properties in Macau.

Dumont – the son-in-law of the late LVS founder Sheldon Adelson – met with The Business Times not long after MBS made headlines for delivering, in the words of Dumont’s predecessor Robert Goldstein, “simply the greatest quarter of casino hotels”.

For the three months ended Dec 31, 2025, MBS’ adjusted property earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) soared 50.1 per cent to a new high of US$806 million – from US$537 million in the year-ago period.

For the full year 2025, MBS recorded US$2.9 billion in adjusted property Ebitda, which was up 42.4 per cent from 2024. This comes on the back of revenue of US$5.6 billion, which was a 32.2 per cent increase from a year ago.

“We just came off the best year ever in the history of Marina Bay Sands and that was led by investment in our physical assets, but more importantly, investment in our people,” said Dumont. MBS is one of the largest employers in Singapore with a staff strength of more than 12,000 and counting.

“These investments produced tremendous results because Singapore is such a desirable tourism destination. These successes were the result of years of planning, so it’s very nice to see us get to this point and that the market continues to grow,” he added.

Expansion project on track for 2030 completion

Speaking of investments, the construction of LVS’ new US$8 billion resort and entertainment destination in Singapore – built next to the existing MBS property – is progressing smoothly, said Dumont.

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It has been a little over seven months since the groundbreaking ceremony, which was graced by VIPs such as LVS co-founder Miriam Adelson and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, was held last July. Since then, the massive site is a hive of activity on most days, even during the weekends.

The yet-to-be-named ultra-luxury development will include a 55-storey tower with 570 hotel suites, 200,000 square feet of meeting space, high-end restaurants, a casino, a 15,000-seater arena and more.

Work is expected to be completed by the middle of 2030. The official opening can take place in January 2031 if all the necessary approvals from the Singapore government are obtained by then.

“It’s still very early days, but we are on track and making great progress. Our goal is to follow this schedule (and) we are moving quickly to try and build it, because every day that goes by when it’s not open, it’s a lost opportunity for us,” said Dumont.

“We are working very closely with the government to ensure that they are comfortable with the timelines of development.”

The existing MBS property is in the final stages of its US$1.75 billion multi-year reinvestment programme, in which the rooms and suites in its three hotel towers underwent a major refurbishment. 

Several new fine-dining establishments have also opened, including the 166-seater Cantonese restaurant Jin Ting Wan on the 55th floor of Tower 1, which was where this interview with conducted.

In the coming months, renovations will be carried out at the hotel lobby and the SkyPark, which Dumont said is part of the goal to make the guest experience better for the thousands of visitors who throng the property every day.

Asked if there are plans for further investments, Dumont said that the company remains keen to put more money into MBS but did not reveal specifics.

“We are very interested in investing in Singapore and to continue working with the government. If the opportunities arise, we would be keen to talk about them,” he said.

“(Our expansion project) is a strong statement about our convictions. This is a big statement that we believe in the future of Singapore in the strongest possible way.”

Taking the helm

Dumont is a former Bear Stearns investment banker who joined LVS in 2010. He rose through the ranks over the last decade-and-a-half to become president and chief operating officer before his latest appointments.

In addition to the top job, he is also the new chairman of the company’s Hong Kong-listed Macau subsidiary, Sands China. The five properties it runs in Macau are the Sands Macao, The Venetian, The Plaza, The Parisian and The Londoner.

As he oversees LVS and its more than 41,000 employees, Dumont paid tribute to his late father-in-law, along with former CEO Goldstein, as “two of the industry’s greats” and pledged to continue building on the work they have done. Goldstein is staying on as a senior adviser to the company until March 2028.

“We are here because of (Sheldon Adelson’s) vision for building the assets that we operate today, and taking the risks to build these huge complexes in markets that did not exist for our industry previously,” said Dumont.

“As stewards of these assets, we need to continue to follow the principles that have made our company successful and to have this entrepreneurial spirit where we take risks and innovate.”