SINGAPORE: The integration of Tigerair and Scoot will strengthen parent company Singapore Airlines’ (SIA) position in the low-cost segment and provide new opportunities in a challenging global environment, SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong said on Friday (Nov 4).

In the second half of next year, Tigerair will come under the Scoot brand name and both airlines will operate under a single licence, according to a statement from Budget Aviation on Friday, which owns and manages the low-cost airlines under the SIA Group.

Commenting on the decision, Mr Goh said the group realised that the creation of Budget Aviation in May was insufficient to capture the full benefits of an integration, and hence “the best way is to go with one brand”.

“There are other synergies that we cannot fully exploit because they remain different brands,” he said. “One single brand will bring about the ultimate benefits of full integration in all aspects in the budget side of the business.”

Mr Lee Lik Hsin, CEO of Budget Aviation, added that both Scoot and Tigerair have contributed to the group’s profitability, with both airlines’ earnings improving over the past six months. The integration will help to improve revenue further, he said.

“Economies of scale will definitely have benefits but there will be a limit on what that can bring. On the revenue side, we are a lot more optimistic on what we can gain from a single brand.”

In response to queries from Channel NewsAsia on manpower plans, Mr Lee said the group will need more staff despite the integration.

“We have talked about growth over the next one year and beyond that. We recently had some communication about pilots and cabin crew growth that we need. In general, it will be that kind of situation and we need more people.”

The announcement of a timeline for the integration of Scoot and Tigerair comes one day after a disappointing earnings report card from SIA.

For the three months to September, the national carrier posted a near 70 per cent plunge in net profit to S$64.9 million, compared to S$213.6 million a year ago. Group revenue fell to S$3.65 billion from S$3.84 billion.

With the exception of Scoot and Tigerair, all other companies in the group – including parent airline SIA, as well as SilkAir, SIA Cargo and SIA Engineering – saw their earnings take a hit in the second quarter.

KEY STRATEGIES PLAYING OUT WELL: SIA CEO

In a briefing with media and analysts on Friday, Mr Goh outlined the group’s continued emphasis on four key areas: Strengthening its premium positioning, having a varied portfolio of airlines, maintaining a multi-hub approach and seeking new business opportunities.

While he does not expect the gloom in the global economy to “last forever”, structural challenges such as an increasingly competitive landscape will likely remain, he said.

“We continue to enforce these strategies that we have implemented over the past years,” Mr Goh said. “They are taking shape and augurs well for the group.”

As part of its positioning as a premium airline, SIA will continue to roll out its new SilverKris Lounges, with the latest opening slated to be in Bangkok during the first quarter of 2017.

Other initiatives include extending its premium economy class to more aircraft, as well as the recent introduction of Teochew dishes to its in-flight menu.

The national carrier also plans to add 12 new destinations this financial year, Mr Goh revealed, noting that this is “not a small feat” given the challenging business environment.

“We will not be able to do so without the push with the portfolio model and taking decisive steps to acquire new aircraft,” he said. “Our portfolio allows us to be nimble … With new aircraft types, we are able to grow in a manner that is feasible for the airline.”

LATE in October, Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reiterated rules that “Foreigners will need a permit if they organise or participate in an event at the Speakers’ Corner.” This includes sponsorship and promotion of events, as well as the amendment to include speaking through remote means.

These amendments to the Public Order (Unrestricted Area) Order 2016, which will come into effect on Tuesday, are designed to “reinforce the key principle that the Speakers’ Corner was set up primarily for Singaporeans.”

Launched in 2000, Speakers’ Corner is an area located within Hong Lim Park in downtown Singapore where citizens and permanent residents may demonstrate and speak freely on topics mostly free from government restriction. As this behaviour is highly regulated in other parts of the country, Speakers’ Corner is seen by many as playing an integral part in the widening of political and social discourse.

After receiving criticism for their restrictions on foreign entities in June, the Government stressed that it was not an attempt to hinder the country’s ability to learn from others or to close Singapore off from foreign views, but to prevent organisations from actively supporting divisive social issues in the public sphere.

In a letter to the Straits Times, Director of Information Planning and Strategy, Ms Lee May Lin, stressed that learning from others could not be regulated in our modern and interconnected world and that the legislation was put in place purely to reinforce the Government’s belief that “the right to decide on sensitive social and political matters in Singapore should be reserved for Singaporeans”.

While foreign entities are still able to apply for a permit, comments from Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam this month point towards the Government being more restrictive on those supporting controversial causes.

SEE ALSO: Singapore tells ‘foreign’ corporate sponsors to stop supporting LGBT event

“The foreigners can take part in the events with a permit, but we will have to look at the kind of events”, Mr Shanmugan said. He goes on to explain that the authorities will “try to be accommodating” when approving permits “unless it is really something that has the potential to really rile up opinion on both sides” or supports “causes where Singaporeans are sharply divided in their opinions”.

As the review of the rules was prompted by the Pink Dot 2016 event, an annual event in support of the LGBT community, these comments give a clear indication that, due to Government restrictions, this event and other contentious events will no longer be receiving the financial backing once afforded to them from international organisations.

With this legislation to prevent passive foreign sponsorship, Singapore runs the risk of not just stymieing the voice of foreigners but those of their own people too. By pulling funding for the more marginal and progressive events, Singapore risks losing them all together and with them the opportunity for crucial and necessary social debate.

Participants of the Pink Dot rally gather and form the word ‘Love’ at the speakers corner. Pic: AP

It is not foreign companies or even foreign people speaking at these events, it is Singaporeans with an important message. In the case of the Pink Dot, their sponsors are some of the world’s biggest super powers in industry; they count amongst them Google, J. P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, BP, Bloomberg, Twitter, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft. Now, no one can claim these to be vulnerable entities in need of a platform, but the important point is that they support and give voice to those people that do. Without the funding from these sources, events may be unable to go ahead thereby preventing those voices from ever being heard.

The Government stresses that it does not wish to censor the messages of these events, merely regulate foreign support. In keeping with this, Singaporean entities, such as local companies and non-governmental organisations, are able to sponsor events without need for a permit. Whether this will be able to generate as much support for the more unconventional events is yet to be seen. But it is possible that they may be more reluctant than their international counterparts to make their voice heard on controversial issues.

But if the Government is genuine in its desire to avoid censorship, does it matter where the funding comes from? If Singaporean voices are being heard on issues that impact Singaporean citizens, surely it has the full support of the Government; so why risk curtailing it with pointless regulation?

To limit permits to only those topics the Government deems appropriate sets a dangerous precedent. The issues that “rile up opinion” are exactly the topics that we should be discussing. The causes that people are most passionate about are usually the ones of greatest importance. They need to be aired openly and discussed without reproach in the hope of triggering public debate. Without this open interaction our views will never be challenged, we will never have the chance to learn from others and we will never grow as a society.

These views may not always be popular, and they may cause some uncomfortable feelings for many, but they need to be heard nonetheless and they should be afforded any means possible to allow them to do so.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not reflect the views of Asian Correspondent

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SINGAPORE: The Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) unveiled Gary Tan as head coach of the National Training Centre (NTC) on Friday (Nov 4), effectively putting the 34-year-old in charge of the elite squad.

Two-time Olympian Tan succeeds Sergio Lopez, who left in August following the gold medal-winning campaign at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Tan had been Lopez’ assistant throughout the Spaniard’s 18-month stint with the SSA from January 2015, and was part of the team that masterminded Singapore’s record 23 gold medals at the South-east Asian Games here later the same year.

He had been endorsed as a successor by Lopez, after the Spaniard announced his departure plans.

Back in May, Lopez wrote on his Facebook page that Tan should be the next national coach.

“I have had the privilege of working alongside Gary Tan from day one I arrived to Singapore and he is what Singapore swimming needs to keep the local coaches aligned to work for the ultimate gain of Singapore,” he said.

Lopez played a crucial role in grooming swim star Joseph Schooling, who went on to make history as Singapore’s first-ever Olympic gold medallist with his victory in the 100m butterfly in Rio.

As NTC head coach, Tan’s immediate task is to oversee the preparations of swimmers training for next year’s SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.

His appointment will ensure continuity and stability for the NTC, according to SSA president Lee Kok Choy.

Said Lee: “Gary has had a tremendous learning experience assisting Sergio Lopez to start up and build SSA’s National Training Centre, which has been instrumental to Singapore’s swimming successes in 2015 and 2016. He is now ready to helm the NTC and bring the elite swimmers training here to greater heights.”

As for Tan, the promotion is a continuation of his athletic journey.

“(In my new capacity), I truly believe we will see the next Olympic medallists emerge. I am honoured with the vote of confidence from the executive committee of SSA and thankful for the support of the many talented coaches and high performance professionals I’ve had the privilege to work with in my career.”

Tan will be supported by SSA technical director Sonya Porter, to continue developing the Long Term Athlete Development Pathway, as well as other related parties on enhancing the swimming eco-system.

“It has been a steep learning curve over the past two years and I look forward to continued learning and growth as we build the coaching capabilities in SSA,” Tan said. 

“There are still many areas to strengthen in the coaching structure, and I am still learning to be a better coach for our swimmers.

“I believe Singapore will see greater things to come from our national swimmers, and I’m excited to be part of this journey.”

SINGAPORE: By next year, there will be a standardised system for reporting greenhouse gas emissions across all industries, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said on Friday (Nov 4).

This comes after the National Environment Agency called a tender in April to develop measurement and reporting systems. Channel NewsAsia understands that the authorities are currently in consultation with companies. 

Speaking at the award ceremony for the 2016 National Climate Change Competition, Mr Teo said the move will give big energy users information about their greenhouse gas emissions, thus helping them better monitor their energy efficiency performance. This will allow them to reduce the use of electricity and fuels and save costs, he noted. 

“With more accurate data, companies can also incorporate energy and fuel efficiency considerations early in their decision-making processes and take action,” Mr Teo added. 

Currently, energy-intensive companies in the industrial sector are required to monitor and report their energy use and carbon dioxide emissions but do not know how much these contribute to national emissions. 

The announcement is part of Singapore’s commitment under the Paris climate change agreement to reduce emissions intensity by 36 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 and stabilise emissions with the aim of peaking around the same time. The historic accord, signed by 195 nations, also took effect on Friday.