22-3-75 The Straits Times

2 More Firms Lay Off 190 Workers

Another two firms in Singapore, Associated Motor Industires and Texas Instruments have retrenched a total of about 190 workers. For Texas Instruments, this is their third retrenchment since List year and like AMI have attributed the move 'to the current economic conditions'.

24-3-75 The Straits Times

'Discrimination Against Female Grads'

Kuala Lumpur — the Selangor Graduates Association published a report in 1974 on the pattern of employment and unemployment of Malaya graduates between 1970 and 1972. The report adds that in all the three years the average salary of female graduates was lower than that of the male graduates by as much as $175.

At the time of the survey, the unemployment graduates were mainly from the faculties of arts, economics and science, with the majority coming from the arts and economics faculties. A higher level of unemployment among honours degree graduates in all the three years was also reported.

26-3-75 The Straits Times

NZ Ship Coming Again

HMNZS Waikato, the latest Royal New Zealand Navy frigate to be assigned to the New Zealand Force South-East Asia in Singapore, will arrive here on Thursday, (27-3-75). The helicopter equipped antisubmarine frigate is on her second assignment here in less than a year.

30-3-75 The Straits Times

Laid Off Electronic Workers May Get Back Jobs

Singapore electronics workers entrenched last year may be back at their jobs within the next three to four months because the industry's business is beginning to 'pick up' again.

Most of the 16,900 workers affected by the recession were electronics workers, especially women. But with fresh orders, 'the situation has improved. One big electronics firm has already recalled more than 100 workers.

30-3-75 The Straits Times

Shippers' Council Team To Visit Peking

An eight-man delegation from the Singapore National Shippers' Council will leave for Peking on April 8 on a week-long visit. While in Peking, the delegation, led by the Council president, Mr, Tan Eng Joo, will discuss with officials of Zhonzhu (China National Chartering Corporation) and Cosco (China Ocean Shipping Company) on how to further improve the services of Chinese vessels for Singapore/Malaysia shippers.

30-3-75 The Straits Times

Tun's Call For Cheap Farm Tools

Tun Abdul Razak stresses today that there is a need for cheaper agricultural machinery so that more farmers would be able to benefit by their use. Because of the high cost of agricultural machinery, and their spare parts, he said, only the successful and well-off farmers were able to afford them. Backward and poor farmers were left behind. Tun Razak said that the use of agricultural machinery was one of the ways in which poverty among farmers could be eradicated.

30-3-75 The Straits Times

2 Months Deadline For Squatters To Quit

Kajang — the Selangor State Government has given about 7,000 squatters in Ulu Langat district two months to move out of state land. If they do not leave by June 1, action will be taken against them, State Secretary Datuk Alwi said today. The illegal houses have mushroomed since the 1974 general election. According to Datuk Alwi, the squatters have received support 'from certain groups'. He said the squatters were found in Kampung Padan, Ampang, Cheras, Kajang, Sungei Chua, Balakong and Semenyih.

2-4-75 The Straits Times

Police Seize Red Rockets

Kuala Lumpur — Police seized about a dozen home-made rocket launchers and rockets after last night's bomb explosion at the RMAF base here. According to police, the launching pads were locally made with iron pipes and equipped with adjusting screws and could be used to fire 3.5 mm rockets.

2-4-75 The Straits Times

S'pore Per Capita Income Doubles To $5,703

Singapore's per capita income last year was $5,703 — twice as high as that of five years ago — putting the Republic 'well high' among the developing countries.

Describing the per capita income growth as 'very impressive; an economist said the real increase 'was actually no more than 50% because' of inflation and other distribution factors. He was pessimistic that the Republic would be able to sustain the same growth rate in the next five years.

A senior economics lecturer from the University of Singapore said, "The per capita income distribution is not ideal as the trend is not always towards equity. There is still a wide gap between the rich and the poor here'.

4-4-75 The Straits Times

Soviets Offer Technical Aid For Third M-Plan

Kuala Lumpur — the Soviet Union is willing to provide expertise for projects in the third Malaysian Plan. Its Ambassador here, Mr. V.N. Bendrishev said the assistance could be in the form of experts to set up bauxite and other factories. 'We are not interested in profits, but we can give you technical assistance for which you don't have to pay in cash', he said. 'For example, we can offer you technical assistance to set up bauxite factories or other factories, and you can pay us in capital goods produced from these factories', he added.

4-4-75 The New Straits Times

Don't Delay, Union Warns Board 5,000 NEB Men Boycott Overtime

Kuala Lumpur — all 5,000 Division Four and IMG workers of the National Electricity Board (NEB) started boycotting overtime from today to back their claims for higher salaries and allowances. The general secretary of the NEB Employees Union said the boycott would continue until the union's claims have been met. He added that the union would not hesitate to take industrial action if their claim were not resolved quickly.

6-4-75 The Straits Times

UMNO To Go Into Shopping Centre Business

Kuala Lumpur — Tun Abdul Razak announced that UMNO is to build a $100 million complex in Jalan Tun Ismail, which is to be situated on a 3.6 hectacre (nine-acre) site, and will comprise an international trade centre, trade offices, a hotel, a conference hall and the UMNO new headquarters. Tun Razak said that Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Hussein Onn has been appointed chairman of the building committee.