May 5, 2021
At the end of 2020, semiconductors were suddenly in short supply. Bleeding-edge chips powering the latest smartphones, gaming consoles, and 5G modems, as well as older models running cars and household appliances, could hardly be found at any price. Goldman Sachs estimates at least 169 industries faced disruptions as a result of the shortages, potentially shaving 1% off US GDP in 2021.
All this began with a relatively minor bump in consumer demand brought on by the pandemic. First, consumer spending tanked. Then, a few months later, demand for all kinds of chip-heavy gadgets rose unexpectedly as people set up home offices or sought out electronic diversions. The companies that build those devices then sent a wave of semiconductor orders rippling up the supply chain, which quickly overwhelmed the few chip foundries that manufacture virtually all of the world’s computer chips. Shortages ensued.
At Jalan 17/21L, playground facilities such as this see-saw serves no purpose as it cannot be used. Photos: ART CHEN/The Star
IT is common to see Section 17 resident SK Tang borrowing the broom from general waste contractors to sweep dried leaves scattered in the neighbourhood playground.
Tang can be seen doing this, almost daily, at the playground in Jalan 17/31, Petaling Jaya.
The housewife decided to do her part to help with the upkeep of the neighbourhood park, which has been neglected for more than a year.
However, five other parks in Section 17 are in a sorry state.
The Taman Kejiranan Section 17 in Jalan 17/58, where Ong frequents, is poorly maintained. The pavement is slippery with moss, posing a danger to senior citizens.
TA.LE Architects
Lim is the co-owner and managing director of Singapore s third-largest supermarket chain, Sheng Siong, which operates more than 60 stores in the city-state.
Lim s older brother, Lim Hock Chee, is Sheng Siong s CEO, while the eldest brother, Lim Hock Eng, is executive chairman. Together, the three brothers own a majority stake in the company, putting their combined net worth at $1.2 billion, according to Forbes.
Lim s home is a good class bungalow, Singapore s most rare and coveted type of real estate. TA.LE Architects
The design of Lim s home combines a historic Singapore bungalow with an ultra-modern home. From the front, it looks very unassuming, one local real-estate agent, who has visited the home and wished to remain anonymous, told Insider. But if you look from the back it s a monstrous house that towers over the whole neighborhood.
I believe that the preference to hire foreign professionals starts from the top (Find out why firms prefer to hire foreign professionals, Feb 27).. Read more at straitstimes.com.