Commenting on how Singapore and Malaysia will handle accidents on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) link, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said that a similar arrangement between the US and Canada – where foreign officers operate under the host country laws and cannot act independently – offers a useful reference. He stressed the need for clear frameworks to enable swift incident management, including ensuring at least one side is empowered to act.
Commenting on China’s high-level national service industry conference, SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian said China must expand domestic demand to sustain around 5% annual growth. He noted that while goods trade has long run a surplus with limited room for further expansion, services trade remains in significant deficit—reaching RMB 828.72 billion (S$153.76 billion) last year. Developing high-quality domestic services could narrow this gap and serve as a new growth engine.
Commenting on how Singapore and Malaysia will handle accidents on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) link, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said that a similar arrangement between the US and Canada – where foreign officers operate under the host country laws and cannot act independently – offers a useful reference. He stressed the need for clear frameworks to enable swift incident management, including ensuring at least one side is empowered to act.
In an interview with CNA938, SMU Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education) Terence Fan said that the issue with inward-facing cameras is protection. However, he noted that protection goes both ways: some people want to keep information confidential, while others want everything recorded. Asst Prof Fan said that an inward-facing camera is something that PHV drivers specifically have to apply for, and that the footage would only be accessed by authorised personnel.
SMU Associate Professor Jared Nai says Gartner predicts job interviews will feature both AI and non-AI tests by 2027, impacting job seekers. He notes assessing AI proficiency is complex due to varied tools and data privacy, as companies often use internal systems candidates may not know. Assoc Prof Nai advises experimenting with basic and advanced AI tasks and recommends enrolling in selected AI training courses – offering free premium tool access – as announced in Budget 2026.
Commenting on whether the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could affect Singapore’s carbon tax policy, SMU Professor of Finance Liang Hao said that the recent escalation in the Middle East has pushed oil prices sharply higher and intensified concerns about supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries about one-fifth of the world’s gas and crude supply.
In a commentary, SMU Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship Chen Liang argues that the clash over Anthropic reveals a deeper reality: frontier artificial intelligence (AI) is inseparable from state power. Assoc Prof Chen noted that while Washington reacts and Beijing plans, both are tightening control, driving a split into rival AI ecosystems.
Commenting on China’s oil price intervention, SMU Associate Professor of Finance Fu Fangjian noted that China's oil prices are primarily influenced by international pricing mechanisms. Assoc Prof Fu said that rising energy prices have both positive and negative impacts on businesses. For companies with high energy consumption and heavy reliance on raw materials, it will have a negative impact. However, China's vigorous development of new energy sources over the past few years has been beneficial to industries such as photovoltaics and electric vehicles.
Commenting on why F&B operators are urging online reviewers to show empathy, SMU Assistant Professor of Marketing Shilpa Madan said reviews play a key role in reducing uncertainty for other diners, especially in categories such as food, where quality is subjective and only fully apparent after purchase. She also highlighted that, according to research, negative information often carries disproportionate weight. She added that carelessness in criticism can have effects larger than the reviewer intends.
SMU Associate Professor Seshan Ramaswami pointed out that growing competition among beauty and wellness businesses in HDB estates is due to the "majority fallacy." He recommended government intervention only for national security or public safety issues, but noted targeted support – like encouraging banks and post offices with rental subsidies – could help older residents who struggle with e-commerce.
