1 January – The re-registration of NRICs starts for those aged 30 and above. Those turning 30 on or after 1 January 2002 are required to re-register for a new NRIC if they had not replaced their NRIC within the past 10 years.
A Passenger Security Service Charge will be introduced for passengers who use Changi Airport from 1 March. This is so as to cover security costs incurred in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.[3] In addition, Changi Airport will upgrade Terminal 2 for S$200 million.[4]
11 January – The new building housing the Family and Juvenile Court is officially opened, having been brought together in September 2001.[5]
12 January – MediaCorp channel CityTV ceases transmission after two years due to lack of viewership and poor economic climate.[6]
13 January – Singapore and Japan signed the Japan–Singapore Economic Agreement for a New Age Partnership, making it Singapore's first free-trade agreement FTA with a major trading partner.[7]
14 January – Reclamation works around Chek Jawa area will be deferred as long as development works are not required, with plans made to conserve the island instead.[8]
Jack Neo'sI Not Stupid is released. The film triggered a discussion on education streaming, which led to the merging of EM1 and EM2 streams in 2004, with abolishment of EM3 streams by 2008.
The Opera Estate Drainage Scheme is completed, having a storage tank during rains.[15]
11 February – The Singapore flags flew at half mast as a mark of respect to mourn the passing of the nation's first elected President Ong Teng Cheong, who died from lymphoma cancer three days earlier at 8:14pm. It was considered very inauspicious by Chinese people since it coincided with Chinese New Year's Eve.[16]
12 February –
371 staff members of Singapore Press Holdings moved from their old office at Times House to SPH News Centre at Toa Payoh.[17]
Golden Village closes its Eastpoint cinema due to poor performance and was subsequently replaced by a bunch of tuition and enrichment centres.[26]
March
1 March –
The prefix '6' is added to all landline phones.[27]
The Changi Business Aviation Centre is opened for business travellers who fly via executive jets. Plans are announced to strengthen the aviation industry, including a future dedicated Business Aviation Centre in Changi Airport subject to demand and research and development projects via AIRport Systems Technology, Research, and Innovation Platform (AIRSTRIP).[28]
5 March – Construction of the five-stage Circle MRT line starts, spanning 34 km (21 miles) orbitally. The first two stages are scheduled for completion by 2006 with the rest by 2010.[30][31]
27 March – Singapore Management University's new campus starts construction. Targets for primary cohort in universities will be raised from 21 percent now to 25 percent in 2010.[36]
13 April – A contact-based card system used for travel, EZ-Link, is launched for sale.[40]
15 April – The Health Sciences Authority orders a stop on Slim 10 sales in a suit caused by one death and a high-profile liver failure case.[41]
25 April – The Merlion is relocated to Merlion Park, 30 years since it first launched.
May
5 May – Khoo Swee Chiow reaches the North Pole, becoming the first Singaporean to do so. As a result, he conquered both the North Pole and the South Pole.[42]
Compass Point in Sengkang opens its doors to the public.
8 August – Soon Lee Bus Depot is officially opened as a new multi-storey depot, replacing the former Jurong Bus Depot. A second depot in Bedok is expected by 2004.[48]
15 September – The Merlion is reopened in the new Merlion Park.[54]
23 September – The Heritage Trees Scheme is officially launched to conserve trees of historical value, with some of them ranging 80 to 100 years old. An initial list of 36 trees has been drawn up.[55][56]
30 September –
NRICs will not display blood types from today due to quick blood tests that can be obtained easily.
21 November – Comfort Group and DelGro Corporation announced a merger between the biggest taxi operator and the largest public bus operator in Singapore respectively, creating a S$1 billion company.[66] The merger results in the formation of ComfortDelGro Corporation on 29 March 2003.[67]
December
1 December – Magnetic-stripe cards for use on Singapore's public transport system are completely phased out, completing the switchover to EZ-Link cards.[68][69]
5 December – A gender-quota for admission of medical school students will be abolished from the 2003 batch, allowing men and women to pursue medicine as they wish.[70]
27 December – Two police officers, on normal supervisory rounds from the Changi Neighbourhood Police Centre of Bedok division were killed when their patrol car was overrun from the rear by a large garbage truck along Tanah Merah Ferry Road.
^"State Flags to Fly at Half-mast on Monday 11 February 2002: Prime Minister's Office Press Statement, 10 February 2002". www.nas.gov.sg. Retrieved 30 May 2024. The Government has announced earlier that state flags on all public buildings will be flown at half-mast on the day of Mr Ong Teng Cheong's funeral as a mark of respect. This day, 12 February 2002, coincides with the first day of the Chinese New Year. Feedback shows that many people are uncomfortable to have the nation's flag at half-mast on an auspicious day like the first day of the Chinese New Year. The Government has now decided to fly all state flags at half-mast a day earlier, on Monday 11 February 2002 instead of on 12 February 2002.
^"Times House". www.nlb.gov.sg. Retrieved 30 May 2024. On 12 February 2002, 371 staff from the Singapore Press Holdings moved from Times House to their new and spacious office at the News Centre at Toa Payoh North.
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