Singapore: The government plans to release a site in the eastern part of Singapore for a new not-for-profit private acute hospital, which will fall under a fixed-price land tender approach, providing another lower-cost option for private healthcare.

It will be the first land release for private hospitals in almost two decades if the government proceeds with its plan, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Thursday (Apr 9).

The hospital can accommodate 300 to 400 beds, he added, during a speech marking the 65th anniversary of Mount Alvernia Hospital - Singapore's sole not-for-profit private acute hospital.

"Under such a model, bidders would then compete not based on how much they are prepared to pay for the land, but other qualitative factors, such as their care model, cost efficiency, approach to recruiting and developing manpower, and their commitment and policies towards affordable healthcare," Mr Ong said, of the fixed-price model.

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Beyond that, the government will also implement restrictions on bill sizes, so that hospital bills are a "certain percentile of the market and cannot lead the market".

Back in 2024, Singapore announced plans to introduce a new not-for-profit private acute hospital model to better complement public healthcare and increase residents' options for lower-cost private healthcare.

MOH had invited private healthcare operators to participate in an industry consultation for the model.

Mr Ong said on Thursday that rising private hospital costs were driven in part by overly generous insurance riders over the years, which encouraged both patients and providers to overconsume healthcare. 

The strong insurance coverage also supported a private hospital operating model geared toward high-end care.

"The last time government tendered out land for private hospitals was some 20 years ago. The land was won with a high bid price and today we have a high-end private hospital occupying the land," he said. 

"In the process, public healthcare also lost many good healthcare professionals to the private hospital, which was painful. That experience has made the Ministry of Health very cautious about having more private hospitals."

ENCOURAGING RESPONSE

MOH has been consulting many stakeholders on the not-for-profit private hospital, Mr Ong said. 

"We have encouraging responses from potential operators and enthusiastic donors and philanthropists. I believe we can make this a good project that will strengthen the healthcare ecosystem, and involve many stakeholders outside of public healthcare."

"There are still a few important issues to address, and I hope we are able to arrive at a decision in the second half of this year, to launch the tender," he added.

The government has introduced measures in a bid to curb rising insurance premiums and private healthcare costs. 

This month, private health insurers rolled out a new suite of Integrated Shield Plan riders, with premium reductions ranging between 16 and 55 per cent, in line with MOH's new requirements for riders to be more affordable.

Last May, MOH and HDB launched a new tender approach for general practitioner clinics at Bartley Beacon. Under the new approach, quality of care will account for 70 per cent of the tender evaluation, and rental will make up 30 per cent.

It came after a healthcare company made a successful monthly rental bid of S$52,188 (US$40,500) in Tampines.

The Singapore Art Book Fair (SGABF) has closed the open call for its proposed “Walking Exhibitor” option for emerging art bookmakers after the initiative drew criticism online.

In a statement posted on Instagram on Thursday (Apr 9), organisers said they would halt the open call and “take some time to workshop through the mechanics of the fair” following feedback from the public.

“We hear your concerns,” the organisers wrote, adding that the portable display case used in the proposal had been selected because the team “appreciated its technology”, but that they now understand it “was inappropriate”.

They added that the concept was not intended to “come at the expense of new and emerging artists”.

The Walking Exhibitor format was first announced on Apr 6 as part of preparations for the 2026 edition of the fair, which will take place from Aug 28 to 30 at T:>Works.

Under the proposal, selected participants would display and sell their publications using a portable display case rather than a conventional booth table. The option cost S$150 (US$117).

Organisers had described the initiative as an attempt to “soften spatial hierarchies and extend book-based interactions beyond the tabletop”, adding that it aimed to make the fair “less of a marketplace and more a field of encounter”.

However, the announcement quickly sparked debate online, with many questioning the cost and structure of the scheme. 

“Expecting newbies to do that for two days for seven hours minimum, not including the time to prep, print and find manpower [or] transport, and then saying it's to make things more equal doesn't feel right,” one commenter wrote, calling the option “the most physically taxing” one and instead suggesting smaller or shared tables for first-timers.

Others raised accessibility concerns. One commenter noted that there are “artists who have issues walking [or] standing for prolonged periods of time due to injuries or other medical conditions”.

Supporters of the fair, however, urged others to consider the realities of organising independent events.

One commenter wrote: “The fair has been running for 11 editions over a span of 13 years by a small team that pour their heart and their personal finances into keeping it running for you and all of us.” The commenter added: “Respect their ideas. Trust that they have the best interests in mind.”

In their Apr 9 statement, organisers also said that SGABF 2026 will be significantly smaller than previous years. Held at a more compact venue, the upcoming fair will be “one-third the size” of last year’s edition in terms of both exhibitors and visitors, as the team experiments with new formats "at a more manageable scale".

Founded in 2013, SGABF is an annual event celebrating contemporary art books and zines.

SINGAPORE: Taxi drivers and platform workers have welcomed the announcement of a cash payout to cushion the impact of sharp fuel price increases, though some say the support offers only short-term relief.

Ms Christina Lin, a full-time private-hire driver, said the S$200 (US$157) payout is "much appreciated" and will provide some relief.

“It’s a global issue. We can’t avoid it or place blame on anyone, so this is definitely helpful,” she said.

Ms Lin currently pays about S$12 more each day for fuel, following a rise in global oil prices triggered by the war in Iran. 

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While the payout would not fully cover her additional monthly costs, she considers it a “bonus” – though she has grown more selective about jobs, particularly those involving longer distances.

“It really depends on the pick-up and drop-off locations, and whether the fare is reasonable,” she said.

When asked what more could be done, Ms Lin said the current 40-cent surcharge on passenger fares is insufficient, and hopes it could be raised by another 20 to 30 cents until fuel prices stabilise.

Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow announced in parliament on Tuesday (Apr 7) that the government will disburse S$200 in cash to active platform workers, private-hire drivers and taxi drivers from the end of this month.

Eligible platform workers are those with net earnings from platform work exceeding S$500 a month for each month from December 2025 to February 2026. The relief also applies to all taxi drivers who held a hire agreement with a taxi operator during the same period.

Grab announced on Mar 31 that it would temporarily raise its fuel surcharge to 90 cents from Apr 7 to May 31, and has also added a 40-cent surcharge on passenger fares during this period. Tada and Gojek followed suit, both announcing a 40-cent adjustment to their driver fee from Apr 10 to May 31.

CNA spoke to eight private-hire and taxi drivers, most of whom acknowledged the payout as a helpful gesture but called for more support if fuel prices remain elevated.

"Some drivers appreciate it as a token of support, while others may see it as insufficient given the sustained increase in operating costs," said a full-time private-hire driver who wanted to be known as Louis.

He said many drivers, including himself, now spend an additional S$7 to S$10 per day on fuel. 

“For someone driving daily, that can easily add up to S$150 to S$250 per month, which means the S$200 payout only offsets a short period of increased expenses.” 

The 59-year-old drives a Honda Freed hybrid, which helps soften his fuel costs somewhat. Even so, he said his approach to work has shifted. While his hours have not changed drastically, he has become more deliberate about which trips he takes.

"I'm definitely more selective with trips. I try to focus more on peak periods and areas with stronger demand to reduce idle time and unnecessary fuel burn," he said.

He acknowledged that some platform-level support has been introduced. Grab, for instance, implemented a S$1.1 million support package for its drivers covering fuel vouchers, monthly cash bonuses and cashback rebates. But he said such measures tend to be "short-term and conditional" and may not fully offset rising costs.

On long-term solutions, Louis pointed to structural challenges – including demand imbalances that can lead to empty runs and wasted fuel, particularly on long trips with little chance of securing a return fare.

“Ultimately, fuel is just one part of the equation. The bigger issue is overall cost efficiency and earnings sustainability for drivers,” he said. 

Part-time private-hire driver Yusuf Azan, 41, said he views the payout as an "income buffer" that could offset about 10 per cent of his monthly operating expenses, adding that he is currently paying at least 35 per cent more for fuel. 

Taxi drivers CNA spoke to shared similar concerns, with rising fuel costs compounding the pressure of fixed daily rentals.

Mr S Lim, a full-time ComfortDelGro taxi driver, said the payout is "not enough, but better than nothing". 

ComfortDelGro drivers can pump fuel at designated in-house kiosks at discounted rates – he currently pays about S$2.44 per litre for petrol, an increase of about 60 cents from before the war. His daily rental of slightly over S$100 remains a significant fixed cost.

Despite the higher fuel bills, Mr Lim said his working hours have not changed. He drives from 5.30am to 7pm daily and is less worried about costs than about whether passengers will keep booking.

Fellow ComfortDelGro driver CM Liang said that despite the kiosk discounts, his daily petrol bill has risen from S$30 to about S$50. He now drives about 14 hours every alternate day, up from 10 to 12 hours previously, to make up for higher costs and fewer customers.

While grateful for the support so far, Mr Liang said operators could do more through additional incentives. Asked how he would cope if fuel costs keep rising, he said: "No choice, just need to keep driving more."

SINGAPORE: Energy transition is often framed as a sustainability issue. Security considerations have always been present – certainly for policymakers – but the public narrative tends to be about climate change and decarbonisation.

What has become explicit with increasing global conflict is the vulnerability that comes with reliance on fuel imports. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to the Iran war, the impetus for Singapore to wean off its dependence on imported energy resources has never been stronger.

The war in Iran sent prices of oil and gas skyrocketing. Even with a ceasefire or if the war ends, global supply has taken a hit and could take months or years to recover to pre-war levels. Middle Eastern oil producers cut production as exports via the Strait of Hormuz are blocked and they run out of storage capacity. “Extensive damage” by Iranian missiles to the Ras Laffan site reduced Qatar’s LNG capacity by 17 per cent. 

In Singapore, the government announced on Tuesday (Apr 7) that it would provide nearly S$1 billion (US$777 million) in additional support measures, as businesses and households face rising costs of commodities and services from petrol and electricity to food.

About 95 per cent of Singapore’s electricity is produced from imported natural gas. The heavy dependence on a single source type for electricity is never a good strategy to ensure energy security – and it’s not just a matter of cost.

“FOUR SWITCHES” THROUGH AN ENERGY SECURITY LENS

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) had laid out “four switches” in Singapore’s energy transition story: natural gas; regional power grids; solar energy deployment; and low-carbon alternatives. 

Singapore has put in measures around its natural gas dependence, but risks are still present, only buffered. It had relied solely on PNG from Indonesia and Malaysia until 2013, when Singapore’s first LNG terminal was completed. This allowed the country to diversify suppliers and increase stockpiles as gas that has been liquefied is significantly reduced in volume. 

Around 9 per cent of Singapore’s natural gas would have been from Qatar this year, said Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam in parliament on Tuesday.

Singapore has also started to import low-carbon electricity from other countries, including Lao PDR and Malaysia, by connecting to regional power grids. It intends to tap the ASEAN power grid, an ongoing regional initiative, for about one-third of its energy needs in the future. 

But importing electricity through a regional grid is structurally identical to importing LNG through a terminal: the commodity changes, the pipeline changes, the dependence does not. 

A heavy reliance on imported electricity would still run counter to a vision of enhancing energy security. To minimise disruption, a diversified energy mix should also include indigenous sources. 

HARNESSING SOLAR AS INDIGENOUS ENERGY SOURCE

Solar power has lent itself well to the climate change narrative. It does not emit greenhouse gases, it is renewable and will never run out. However, the more seminal rationale for Singapore to consider solar is because it is an indigenous source of energy. It all depends on whether the country can harness it. 

For example, Germany has almost entirely eliminated Russian imports from its energy mix, down from over a third of its crude oil and more than half of its natural gas before the start of the Ukraine war. It reported a record high in solar energy production in 2025, accounting for about 16 per cent of total domestic electricity production.

However, solar or other types of renewables cannot be a direct replacement for natural gas.

Though Singapore is located near the equator, solar power is still intermittent and cannot serve as a constant energy supply to meet baseload demands. This is crucial for critical infrastructures such as hospitals and data centres, which require power 24/7.

In addition, Singapore's small land-area effectively limits the deployment of solar energy. A study by the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore (SERIS) estimated that there is technical potential to produce 8.6 gigawatt-peak of solar power by 2050. That will account for up to 10 per cent of the projected electricity demand then. At this capacity, solar cannot anchor energy security.

NUCLEAR POWER STARTS TO LOOK MORE INTERESTING

In Singapore, the potential use of nuclear energy is being assessed in the exploratory light of low-carbon alternatives. In that sense, it is still mainly seen as a decarbonisation tool, not for the imperative of shoring up its energy security. 

The fact is that nuclear energy addresses the biggest shortcoming of solar energy: Nuclear plants can be a direct replacement for coal or gas-fired plants because they provide a stable source for baseload power demand. 

Nuclear power can also contribute to energy security because of the inelasticity of uranium fuel price. Uranium is aplenty in the world and one unit of uranium can produce more than a million times of energy compared to an equivalent unit of coal. That makes nuclear the densest form of energy available today

Finally, a built nuclear power plant comes with a guaranteed fuel supply from the vendor, who will source for uranium to be mined, converted and enriched in order to fabricate and assemble the fuel specific to the reactor. Unlike LNG, its price is thus shielded from geopolitical volatility. Hence, if Singapore operates a nuclear power plant, it can be considered an indigenous source of energy.

Furthermore, a nuclear power plant needs to be refuelled, on average, once every two years. This means Singapore could rely on a dependable source even through a prolonged regional energy crisis.

FRESH URGENCY FOR ENERGY RESILIENCE

The war in Iran has underscored how much of an existential issue energy is. And Singapore’s vulnerability is not due to natural gas in itself, but from its dependence on imported energy – be it oil, natural gas or even electricity.

This is not unique to Singapore. China, India, Japan and South Korea import more oil and gas from the Middle East than most other countries within Asia. However, these countries operate nuclear power plants which offer them a level of resilience in their energy portfolios.

Singapore has not yet needed to implement drastic measures, like export restrictions or fuel rationing. This is in part due to its energy strategy, but also because in absolute terms, Singapore’s energy demand is relatively small compared to larger economies.

But its thirst for electricity will only grow exponentially with digitalisation and artificial intelligence adoption – especially since these are areas central to Singapore’s growth strategy. Any sustained energy shock in the future would be a profound threat to an economy built on digital infrastructure.

An indigenous source of energy supply will be the best way to avoid getting trapped in a vicious cycle of energy insecurity. The deepening global energy crisis gives Singapore fresh urgency to refine its energy transition priorities. 

Alvin Chew is Senior Fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU).