Singapore’s Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced yesterday that construction of Changi Airport Terminal 5 will be suspended for at least two years. The moves comes as a blow to the construction industry in Sinagpore, as major construction contracts for the project were due to be awarded soon.

Changi Airport Group has already temporarily closed terminal 2 and 4, leaving only terminals 1 and 3 currently still in operation. This comes after air travel in Singapore in April fell by 99.5% compared to the previous year.

Mr Khaw stated that Singapore is conducting a major study to see how the transport industry will be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and that the design of the new terminal (and travel operations in general) will have to adapt in order to maintain the safety of passengers.

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New graduates are understandably worried about their job prospects during recession. COVID-19 has disrupted their plan and dampened their mood. I arranged a Zoom session with some of them this afternoon, to reassure them of the many job opportunities which are available. As they are engineering graduates, I focused on engineering jobs and there are many new jobs in the rail sector alone. I invited #SMRT and #SBST, our two rail operators, to Zoom in. I also highlighted the Government’s two initiatives which are of direct relevance to these graduates: #SGUnited Jobs Initiative and #SGUnited Traineeships Programme. Post-COVID, there will be extensive reconstruction, both in #Singapore and in our region. The prospects for engineers is very positive. In the rail sector, there is also abundant scope for innovation, and technological applications, including AI, data science, predictive maintenance and automation. For those who are eyeing opportunities beyond Singapore at some stage of their career, I told them that many cities are expanding their MRT networks and will be looking for engineers. This includes #HSR development. The bilateral project is currently suspended. In the last two weeks, Malaysia asked to extend the suspension period, to allow both sides to discuss the changes they have in mind. We are giving their request serious consideration. . That is why #MOT and #LTA are pressing on with new scholarships for students interested in a career in transport. In short, our students and graduates should not worry too much about their job prospects. COVID will not dampen their prospects. . I asked the students to pass on the message to their classmates and their friends. Our conversation will continue virtually and in due course, physically when circuit breaker eases. . #OneTransport #SingaporeTogether with @motsingapore, @ltasg, @smrtsingapore, @sbstransit_sg, @ntu_sg, @nus_singapore

A post shared by Khaw Boon Wan (许文远) (@khawboonwan) on May 29, 2020 at 2:53am PDT

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