8 January – Ascendas is formed after a merger of JTC's subsidiaries, namely Arcasia Land with JTC International's Business Parks and Facilities, first announced on 25 August 2000.[1][2][3] It merged with Singbridge as Ascendas-Singbridge in 2015[4] and is acquired by CapitaLand in 2019 as part of an S$11 billion deal.[5][6]
Pertamina and Singapore Power have signed an agreement to supply natural gas to Singapore for 20 years starting from 2003. These gas supplies will come from South Sumatra.[13]
14 February – TVMobile is launched, enabling bus passengers to watch television programmes while travelling.[14]
18 February – The Hawker Centres Upgrading Programme (HUP) is announced to improve hawker centres. The programme will be carried out in seven phases.[16]
27 February – FairPrice starts construction of its new Fresh Food Distribution Centre, making it the only supermarket at that time to own such a facility.[17]
3 March – A police land rover from the Airport Police Division lost control and flipped several times across Airport Boulevard near the SATS Inflight Catering Centre in the direction towards the Singapore Changi Airport, killing two officers, SC/CPL Dzulkha Bin Basru, 22, and NSPI Ranosasni Bin Mohamed Salleh, 23. The driver, SGT98227 Tan Chiew Leong Benny, 23, died a day later in hospital. Seven other officers survived the accident, which remains the worst traffic accident in terms of casualties to involve members of the Singapore Police Force.
The Baby Bonus Scheme is launched to encourage people to have families. It has since undergone enhancements.[24]
9 April –
JTC Consultants is formed from the merger of JTC Corporation's (JTC) Technical Services Group and the international consultancy arm of JTC International, incorporating the consultancy arm. It was renamed Jurong International and then Surbana Jurong in 2015.[25][26]
DBS Bank announced the acquisition of Dao Heng Bank (aHong Kong bank), which aims to increase DBS' standing as a regional bank. The acquisition was approved two days later and was completed in September 2001.[27][28]
Amendments are passed to prevent foreign broadcasters from interfering with Singapore's domestic politics.[32]
SAFRA Yishun Country Club is officially opened.[33]
20 April – Amendments to the Parliamentary Elections Act are passed to introduce overseas voting and e-voting, taking effect on 15 May. However, after 9/11, overseas voting is suspended during the 2001 General Election,[34] only resuming during the 2006 General Election. The law also sets a recount margin of two percent and restricts use of electoral registers for privacy.[35][36]
21 April – Rivervale Mall in Sengkang officially opens.[37]
22 April – The National Recycling Programme is launched, with Yuhua in Jurong the first estate to have this initiative. It aims to encourage Singaporeans to recycle more, with the iconic blue bins in place.[38]
CityTV is launched as a mainstream TV channel, renamed from SportCity.[42]
A murder took place in Hougang. Anthony Ler manipulated a youth into murdering his estranged wife Annie Leong. A few days later, Ler and the youth were charged. On 5 December, Ler was found guilty and sentenced to hang. The sentence was carried out on 13 December 2002. The youth was spared the death sentence because he was underage and was detained indefinitely until clemency was granted on 2 November 2018. The clemency was granted by President Halimah for the petition filed by the youth's lawyer, Peter Ong Lip Cheng.[43][44]
16 May – Capital Tower, the headquarters of CapitaLand is officially opened, initially planned as POSBank's headquarters. New plans are also announced to make the city area vibrant, including more pedestrian links and shops in underground links.[46]
26 May – A smoke grenade explosion during a live exercise on Pulau Senang injures eight police officers, one of whom lost his right arm.[47]
31 May – Murder of Sulaiman bin Hashim: A 17-year-old football player named Sulaiman bin Hashim was brutally assaulted and murdered by youth gang 369 (Salakau) outside a pub in South Bridge Road. Six of the eight members involved were eventually jailed and caned for culpable homicide, rioting and voluntarily causing grievous hurt, while the remaining two are still at large till today.[48][49]
The Ministry of Health announced a new 650-bed hospital in Jurong, to be completed by 2006.[54]
Project Eyeball, Singapore's first integrated print and digital newspaper, was suspended just 10 months after it launched due to weak demand and advertising revenue.[55]
1 July – The Sporting Singapore Report is released in conjunction with the opening of Choa Chu Kang Sports and Fitness Complex. Among them include empowering National Sports Associations, setting up a Sports School, more sports time and sharing of school facilities, more international sporting events, and the redevelopment of National Stadium, which had been suggested in a Straits Times report on 2 February.[56][57]
5 July – The Singapore Broadcasting Authority asked Sintercom's owner, Dr Tan Chong Kee, to register. The owner decides to shut the site on 20 August.
31 July – A new signage system for the MRT and LRT system is launched, first announced on 9 July. The new system uses one colour for MRT lines instead of two to differentiate travel directions, alphanumeric codes for stations, end destination numbers and new symbols.[62][63]
12 August – A 'fireball' UFO was spotted by some 15 people at the Tuas Second Link connecting Malaysia and Singapore.[65]
13 August – Another set of amendments to the Parliamentary Elections Act are passed to allow internet campaigning, as well as disallow exit polls and contesting more than one constituency by any electoral candidate.[66][67]
17 August – The Heritage Tree Scheme and Heritage Road Scheme are announced to conserve mature trees and tree-lined roads respectively. At the same time, Hindhede Nature Park is officially opened.[68][69]
9 November – SembCorp's new cogen plant is officially opened in Jurong Island, making it the largest cogen plant in Singapore and the first Independent Producer Plant.[87]
13 November – The Chinatown Food Street is opened, bringing back street hawkers after a ban since 1982 due to hygiene concerns.[90][91] The plans are first announced on 7 February.[92]
20 December – Reclamation works around the Chek Jawa area are called off after feedback by nature groups so that discussions can be held to ensure marine life in the area is protected.[98]
Steven Tan, a contestant on Who Wants to be a Millionaire won S$250,000; at that point he was the biggest game show winner in the history of Singaporean television.[99][100]
