2016 in a word: Challenging

The Straits Times

01 January 2017

The word “challenging” would sum up what 2016 meant for Singapore.

Over the year, businesses, jobs and workers alike faced the strains arising from technological disruptions and a slowing economy.

Security was heightened, given new terror threats in neighbouring countries, and the outbreak of Zika raised healthcare concerns.

The Sunday Times asked observers and industry experts across 13 sectors for a word which represented their 2016. Three returned with “challenging”.

Mr Loh Lik Peng, founder of restaurant and hotel group Unlisted Collection, said businesses had a “tough year”, hit by the slowdown in consumer spending and firm costs pressures from rentals and labour.

…A “troubling” 2016 came to mind for Mr Yang Razali Kassim, senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University.

He highlighted the foiling of more terror plots by the Indonesian authorities and arrests of female suicide bombers there.

“Singapore’s vulnerability will rise in 2017, spilling over from 2016. One can only recall the plot to fire a rocket into Singapore from Batam, which is also unprecedented,” added Mr Yang Razali on the terror threat Singapore faces.

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Last updated on 03/01/2017