SINGAPORE, Aug 7 — Singapore has granted conditional approvals to two companies to import a total of 900 megawatts (MW) of electricity from Peninsular Malaysia, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) said today. 

In a statement, EMA said the projects will supply power generated from solar and battery energy storage systems located in Johor.

EMA said the two companies are Sembcorp Utilities Pte Ltd, which has proposed a capacity of 300 MW, and Southern Solar Alliance Pte Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Malaysian developer Ditrolic Energy Holdings Sdn Bhd, which has proposed a capacity of 600 MW.

“Sembcorp Utilities and Southern Solar Alliance are working towards commencing commercial operations around 2029.

“They will need to obtain all requisite approvals from relevant jurisdictions, conclude power purchase agreements with buyers, secure sufficient financing, and conclude various project development milestones in order to reach financial close,” it said.

According to EMA, the conditional approvals build on the strong momentum in bilateral energy cooperation between Singapore and Malaysia.

They follow an earlier conditional approval for the import of up to 1.0 gigawatt (GW) of low-carbon electricity from Sarawak to Singapore.

The approvals also complement the Joint Development Agreement signed by Singapore Energy Interconnections (SGEI), SP Group and Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) to undertake detailed feasibility studies for a second electricity interconnection of up to 2 GW between Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia, it added.

“To date, EMA has granted conditional approvals and conditional licences to 13 electricity import projects from Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. 

“EMA will continue to engage companies with credible and commercially viable import proposals that can contribute to the decarbonisation of the power sector,” it said. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, Aug 7 — Singapore Opposition politician and lawyer Lim Tean has been arrested in Johor Bahru after failing to surrender to serve a jail sentence, with Singapore police now working to bring him back.

Malaysian police arrested Lim yesterday after a Singapore court issued a warrant for his arrest when he failed to report on August 3 to begin serving his sentence, The Straits Times reported.

“As Lim Tean has an outstanding court warrant for arrest in Singapore for failing to surrender to court, the SPF is working closely with the Royal Malaysia Police to secure his return to Singapore,” a Singapore police official was quoted as saying.

Lim, secretary-general of the People’s Alliance for Reform and founder of Peoples Voice, was convicted in July 2024 of practising law without a valid practising certificate.

He was originally sentenced to six weeks’ jail and fined S$1,000 (RM3,500) in February 2025.

However, the High Court increased his sentence to three months and one week in February this year after allowing prosecutors’ appeal for a stiffer punishment.

The case stemmed from Lim appearing in court and filing documents on 32 occasions between April and June 2021 despite not holding a valid practising certificate.

In a separate disciplinary case, Lim was fined S$30,000 (RM105,000) in April over his handling of a cheque meant for a client.

The Law Society of Singapore had sought to have him struck off the legal roll, but the court instead imposed the heavier financial penalty, citing his handling of clients’ money and his experience as a senior lawyer with more than 25 years in practice.

SINGAPORE, Aug 7 — A 27-year-old man linked to a viral video showing someone stepping on the Quran on a public bus has been charged in Singapore over a separate case involving alleged anti-Muslim remarks online.

The man was arrested here yesterday after being deported from Malaysia and is accused of posting videos containing insulting and profane comments against the Muslim community in Singapore, news outlet CNA reported.

He will be charged with insulting the religion of another person, an offence that carries up to five years’ jail, a fine, or both.

The man is also assisting police investigations into the Quran-stepping video, which triggered public anger after it circulated online.

The Singapore Police Force said it had received a report over the alleged online remarks on March 1, but the man had already left the country.

“With the assistance of the Royal Malaysia Police, the man was deported from Malaysia on August 6, 2026, and was arrested by the police upon his arrival in Singapore on the same day,” police said.

In March, authorities ordered Meta to disable access in Singapore to the video showing a person stepping on the Quran under the Online Criminal Harms Act.

Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam had said the man linked to the video was likely the same person who had previously uploaded similar content; he had been convicted in July last year and released from jail in December.

“The police take a serious view of acts that threaten racial and religious harmony in Singapore.

“Any person who makes remarks or acts in a manner which can cause enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between the different racial or religious groups in Singapore will be dealt with swiftly and firmly in accordance with the law,” the police said.

SINGAPORE, Aug 7 — A 22-year-old man has been jailed 17 months for attacking a victim with a chair during a fatal brawl near Kitchener Road here in 2024, becoming the first accused to be dealt with in the case, The Straits Times reported.

Pradave Shashi Kumar pled guilty on August 4 to voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon over the attack on Dhinessh Vasie, 25, who later died from stab wounds sustained during the fight.

The brawl happened at about 4am on September 22, 2024, after Pradave and three others left a club at Golden Mile Tower and went to continue drinking at a pub in Sam Leong Road.

They encountered a group of eight men arguing with three women in a back alley, which led to an altercation.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jonathan Tan told the court that another man, Muhammad Sajid Saleem, 24, allegedly stabbed Dhinessh in the upper back with a knife after the group chased him and his friends.

Pradave then picked up a chair and struck Dhinessh’s head and chest twice while the victim was slumped over and unable to fight back.

Dhinessh was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.

Pradave was arrested at about 5.15am on the same day.

Sajid has been charged with murder, while Satish Jason Prabhas, 23, and Kirrthik Roshan Prem Ananth, 23, face rioting charges.

The case drew public attention after the fatal brawl broke out near Kitchener Road, with police investigations leading to multiple arrests.

In Singapore, those convicted of voluntarily causing hurt using a dangerous weapon can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, caned, or receive any combination of such punishments.

SINGAPORE, Aug 7 — Singapore authorities have found no evidence so far that any offence was committed in the country or by Singapore-based adoption agents linked to an Indonesian baby trafficking ring, but investigations and reviews are ongoing.

The case involves at least 12 Indonesian babies allegedly sent to Singapore for adoption by the syndicate, with each child reportedly sold for between 200 million rupiah (about RM51,000) and 250 million rupiah (about RM64,000), The Straits Times reported yesterday.

Indonesia’s West Java authorities had previously said three Singapore adoption agents were involved in the racket.

Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development said they were working with Indonesian authorities to obtain information on each child and their biological parents.

“Based on information available to us thus far, we are presently unable to conclude that any offence has been committed in Singapore, or by Singaporeans or Singapore-based entities.

“We will not hesitate to take firm enforcement action against those who have broken our laws,” the ministries were quoted as saying in a joint reply on August 4.

The information gathered will help Singapore courts decide what is in the best interests of each child, including pending adoption processes.

The Indonesian trafficking ring, reported to have been led by 70-year-old Lie Siu Luan, was found guilty of recruiting babies, preparing forged adoption documents and arranging for the children to be sent overseas.

A court in Bandung sentenced 19 members of the syndicate to jail terms ranging from three years and four months to seven years on July 21.

The biological parents of the babies were reportedly recruited through social media and given up to 20 million rupiah (about RM5,100) to surrender their children.

Singapore authorities previously said adoption agencies must conduct due diligence and those who knowingly bring in children of suspicious origin could face enforcement action.

The case has also affected some Singapore adoptive parents, with delays reported in the processing of citizenship applications for the children, according to the newspaper.

Workers’ Party MP Sylvia Lim, who raised the issue in Parliament, said the uncertainty was “a torture” for affected parents who had cared for their children for more than a year.

Singapore authorities stressed that adoption and citizenship are separate processes, and an adoption order does not automatically grant citizenship.

SINGAPORE, Aug 7 — Singapore is ready to roll out haze response measures should air quality deteriorate as the southern Asean region enters the dry season amid an increased risk of transboundary haze.

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said government agencies under the Haze Task Force, chaired by the National Environment Agency, stand ready to implement their respective action plans should air quality be affected by transboundary haze.

The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) activated Alert Level 2 for the southern Asean region on Monday, indicating an increased risk of transboundary haze.

“Our priority is to protect the health of the public, particularly vulnerable groups, and to ensure that daily life and essential services can continue as normally as possible.

“We have ensured that national mask stockpiles are sufficient, and that schools, preschools, and residential and care facilities are equipped with air purifiers,” she said in a written reply to a parliamentary question on Wednesday.

Fu said prevailing winds were currently not carrying the haze towards Singapore, despite smoke haze drifting from Kalimantan into Sarawak in recent days.

She said the ministry had stepped up public communications efforts in view of the heightened risk of transboundary haze affecting Singapore.

“NEA will continue to work with the media to support timely reporting on air quality and health advisories, so that schools, employers, and the wider public can stay well-informed and respond accordingly should air quality be affected,” she added. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, Aug 6 — A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to 12 years and nine months in jail, along with 12 strokes of the cane, after pleading guilty to raping a deaf and mute 13-year-old girl who was a family friend.

He also admitted to going absent without leave from his national service duties with Singapore’s Civil Defence Force for more than a year.

Two molestation charges were taken into consideration during sentencing. A gag order bars the identification of both the man and his victim, The Straits Times reported.

The offence took place in November 2024 at the man’s rental flat, where the girl — known to the family through his wife — had been asked to stay overnight while her mother attended an event.

The next morning, while his pregnant wife was out running errands, the man assaulted the girl despite her repeated refusals. She attempted to message his wife for help during the incident.

The assault came to light after relatives noticed a mark on the girl’s body later that night; she used her phone to identify the man responsible, and police were called in.

Prosecutors described the case as a serious breach of trust involving a vulnerable victim. The man faced a maximum of 20 years’ jail for rape under Singapore law.

SINGAPORE, Aug 5 — A rare sighting of the venomous and poisonous blue-necked keelback snake at MacRitchie Reservoir has drawn attention among nature lovers, with the public advised to keep a safe distance, The Straits Times reported.

The report said the reptile, scientifically known as Rhabdophis rhodomelas, was spotted on Aug 1 at MacRitchie Nature Trail and photographed with what appeared to be two legs of an animal protruding from its mouth.

The sighting was shared on the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group, attracting comments from more than 120 users, with some speculating that the snake had eaten a frog.

The National Parks Board (NParks) confirmed the sighting and said the blue-necked keelback snake is both poisonous and venomous.

According to the report, NParks wildlife management group director How Choon Beng said the species can be found in mature secondary, primary and swamp forests of the Central Nature Reserves and surrounding nature parks.

Dr Alex Figueroa from the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature Secretariat at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, NUS, said the species is usually found near forest streams and mainly feeds on frogs.

He advised the public not to handle the snake and to leave it alone, especially while it is feeding. 

SINGAPORE, Aug 5 — Four people have been arrested for alleged abduction and possession of a scheduled weapon after a man was threatened with a parang during a dispute over a car rental agreement, The Straits Times reported.

The report said police were alerted to the incident at a carpark along Canberra Street at about 1.55am yesterday after the victim was allegedly confronted by a group of four people.

Preliminary investigations showed that a 38-year-old man from the group had held a parang and threatened the victim, who was then made to sit in the front passenger seat of a vehicle.

The victim was allegedly driven to another location by the 38-year-old man, while another man, aged 36, sat in the rear of the vehicle.

According to The Straits Times, officers from the Woodlands Police Division later located the victim’s vehicle. The 38-year-old man allegedly fled in the vehicle with the two passengers, leading to a police chase.

The vehicle subsequently collided with a lamp post at the junction of Woodlands Avenue 7 and Woodlands Avenue 10. The 38-year-old man was arrested at the scene, while the 36-year-old man fled before being arrested later.

Two women, aged 30 and 38, were also arrested separately during follow-up investigations.

The 38-year-old man will be charged today with abduction and possession of a scheduled weapon

SINGAPORE, Aug 4 — Police may soon be able to order banks, telcos and major online platforms to disclose information and swiftly disable accounts suspected of facilitating scams, under a wide‑ranging Bill tabled in Parliament today.

CNA reported that the Scams (Countermeasures) and Other Matters Bill seeks to plug gaps in Singapore’s anti‑scam regime by giving authorities stronger, faster tools to detect and disrupt criminal networks, while imposing far heavier penalties on service providers that fail to comply with anti‑scam directives.

New powers to demand information and shut down accounts

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said scammers often operate across multiple platforms — from bank accounts and digital wallets to SIM cards and social media — leaving behind digital traces that could help investigators. But without consistent information‑sharing, suspicious activity detected by one provider may not reach others.

To address this, the Bill proposes two new police orders:

• Disclosure Order — requiring banks, telcos or online service providers to hand over information on specified accounts and scam‑related activities.
• Account Disabling Order — compelling providers to disable accounts flagged by police as meeting scam‑related indicators. Accounts may be disabled for up to 30 days, extendable once.

Individuals whose accounts are disabled may appeal, but the order remains in effect during the review.

These measures will support the upcoming National Scams List, a centralised platform being developed by HTX and the police to help partners identify scam enablers more quickly.

Stricter controls on money mules and SIM card abuse

More than 7,000 suspected money mules were investigated in 2025, and thousands have already been placed under the facility restriction framework, which limits their access to banking, telco and Singpass services.

The Bill strengthens this framework by allowing police to issue service limitation orders, requiring providers to restrict services to individuals assessed to be at risk of facilitating scams. Restrictions may last up to three years, with an appeal process available.

New offences for misuse of online accounts

To curb the growing trade in fraudulent online accounts, the Bill introduces offences covering:

• Providing personal information to register accounts for criminal use
• Possessing accounts registered with another person’s details
• Supplying or receiving accounts for criminal activity

These offences apply to designated platforms including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, TikTok, Carousell, Google and Apple.

Up to S$10 million fines for non‑compliance

Under amendments to the Online Criminal Harms Act (OCHA), designated online service providers may face fines of up to S$10 million (RM31.9 million) — a tenfold increase — for failing to comply with codes of practice or directives.

Daily fines for continuing offences may reach S$300,000, up from S$100,000.

Authorities will issue written notices before imposing penalties, and providers may appeal to the Home Affairs Minister.

Automated anti‑scam directives

To keep pace with rapidly multiplying scam websites and accounts, the Bill allows OCHA directions to be issued via computer programmes, enabling faster takedowns of harmful content. Safeguards will ensure accuracy and fairness.

Additional amendments

The Bill also proposes:

• Allowing police to obtain information needed to notify joint account holders when restriction orders are issued
• Empowering civilian specialist officers with investigation powers, including search, arrest and seizure, to support cybercrime enforcement

MHA said the strengthened laws aim to preserve trust in Singapore’s digital environment as scams evolve in scale and sophistication. The Bill underscores a coordinated national effort to protect the public and disrupt criminal networks more decisively.

SINGAPORE, Aug 4 — A 68‑year‑old retiree who repeatedly set fire to cardboard cat houses placed at Bukit Batok void decks was sentenced to three months’ jail today, after admitting to mischief by fire.

According to CNA, Koh Teng Boo targeted the makeshift shelters — stocked with food and water for community cats — because he believed they were unhygienic and attracted birds and pests. He told investigators he had raised the issue with his Member of Parliament but felt “no visible action” was taken, leading him to take matters into his own hands.

The court heard that Koh first burned three cat houses in October 2025 by throwing them into an incense burner bin and setting them alight. Two days later, when more shelters appeared, he again approached his MP to complain.

On Nov 19, 2025, after drinking, Koh spotted another cat house at the void deck of Block 263 and used a lighter to ignite it before walking away. In the early hours of Nov 20, he returned to the pavilion beside Block 261 intending to burn more shelters. Passers-by extinguished the fire.

Town council repairs for the damaged flooring and walls cost S$913 (RM2,913), which Koh later fully repaid.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Stephen Yeo sought four to 4½ months’ jail, noting that while the damage was modest, Koh had set fires in the early hours and left them unattended, creating potential danger.

Koh, who was unrepresented, said he had tried but failed to qualify for legal aid. He told the court he acted out of hygiene concerns and frustration, adding: “I know that my actions are wrong, dangerous and I’m remorseful.”

Deputy Principal District Judge Kessler Soh said Koh’s age, medical condition and restitution were taken into account, but stressed that residents must never resort to vigilante action.

Koh could have faced up to seven years’ jail and a fine for mischief by fire, with penalties doubled because the charge involved multiple incidents.

SINGAPORE, Aug 4 — The Singapore government is studying ways to expand rental housing options as more young Singaporeans seek flexible living arrangements, according to National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat.

According to The Straits Times, Chee said demand has risen among younger adults who prefer renting before committing to home ownership. 

He was speaking at the opening of Mber Co-Living and Serviced Apartments in Serangoon.

Options under consideration include co-living spaces, long-stay serviced apartments, and Build-To-Rent models, all aimed at supporting different life stages and living preferences.

He noted that while home ownership remains a cornerstone of Singapore’s social compact, a growing segment of youth values independence and flexibility. Some may rent “not forever, but for that period before you buy a home,” he said, adding that diversifying rental choices would enrich the housing landscape.

The government has been working with private operators to pilot new models. Long-stay serviced apartments were introduced in 2023 to meet rising rental demand from locals, students and workers. More recently, under the SG Youth Plan, two co-living operators will offer over 100 subsidised rental units to Singaporeans aged 21 to 35.

Chee also emphasised that rejuvenating older estates should not come at the expense of heritage. Mber, built on the former Lim Tua Tow Market site, incorporates tiered architecture inspired by the old shophouses and market structures. The development features communal dining areas, quiet rooms, game rooms, sky rooms for yoga, rooftop gardens, herb gardens, a dog run and an indoor-outdoor gym — all designed to foster community interaction.

“How we design and build physical spaces affects how people use them and how they interact,” Chee said, stressing that urban development must strengthen community bonds. As Singapore continues to evolve, he added, its resilience lies in adapting and embracing new housing concepts while preserving the nation’s heritage.

SINGAPORE, Aug 3 — Travellers to Singapore can expect very heavy traffic at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints during the country’s National Day long weekend from August 7 to 10, 2026, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said.

In an advisory posted on its portal, the ICA urged travellers to plan their journeys in advance, travel during non-peak hours where possible, and check traffic conditions at the land checkpoints before embarking on their journey.

“During the recent Hari Raya Haji, Vesak Day weekend and June school holidays (May 26 to June 28), more than 18 million travellers crossed Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.

“Traveller volume peaked on June 19, with more than 598,000 travellers clearing immigration through the land checkpoints in a single day, setting a new record and surpassing the previous peak of close to 589,000 crossings on December 19, 2025,” it said on Monday.

Meanwhile, ahead of Singapore’s National Day celebrations, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will deliver his National Day Message on Saturday, Aug 8, 2026, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said today.

Singapore will celebrate its 61st National Day on Sunday, August 9, 2026.

In a statement, the PMO said Wong’s speech will be broadcast in English at 6.45pm on the CNA television channel and CNA938 radio.

Additionally, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong will deliver the National Day Message in Mandarin at 7pm via Channel 8 and Capital 958 radio, followed by Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad, who will deliver the Malay-language message at 8.30 pm on the Suria television channel.

Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash will deliver the Tamil-language message at 9 pm via Vasantham channel and Oli 968 radio on Saturday. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, Aug 3 — The High Court is grappling with how to deal with a rare case involving a 90‑year‑old man who killed his wife in what prosecutors described as an “overwhelmingly lethal” attack, while suffering from dementia and delirium and deemed incapable of making his defence.

CNA reported that Ridawi Morsudin, who was 88 at the time of the June 2024 incident, inflicted extensive sharp‑force injuries on his 74‑year‑old wife, including a gaping wound from her jaw to her chest, multiple stab and incised wounds, and fractures to her skull, neck, spine and ribs. His grandson found her lying in a pool of blood, while Ridawi stood nearby mumbling incoherently.

Medical assessments later confirmed Ridawi was of unsound mind due to major neurocognitive disorder and delirium. He remains unfit to plead and is bed‑bound, with deteriorating health. The case is the first to be heard under Singapore’s updated “unsoundness of mind” regime, introduced in February 2025.

Under the law, the court must determine a notional imprisonment period — the jail term Ridawi would have received had he been convicted — before reporting the case to the minister, who will then decide whether he should be confined or conditionally released.

Prosecutors proposed a five‑year notional sentence, citing the brutality of the attack but acknowledging Ridawi’s altered sense of reality, low risk of reoffending and total dependence on caregivers. His lawyer argued for two to three years, saying a longer period could amount to life imprisonment given his condition.

Justice Hoo Sheau Peng has adjourned the matter to Aug 13 to deliver her decision. Had Ridawi been mentally fit and convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, he could have faced life imprisonment or up to 20 years’ jail.

SINGAPORE, Aug 3 — Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will deliver his National Day Message on August 8, with the first English broadcast scheduled for 6.45pm on CNA and CNA938, his office said today.

Messages in Mandarin, Malay and Tamil will follow across Mediacorp’s TV and radio channels:

Mandarin at 7pm on Channel 8 and Capital 958

Malay at 8.30pm on Suria

Tamil at 9pm on Vasantham and Oli 968 

Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong will deliver the Mandarin message, Acting Minister‑in‑charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad will deliver the Malay version, and Minister of State Dinesh Vasu Dash will deliver the Tamil message. All four versions will be available on the PMO website and YouTube after the initial broadcasts.

Last year, Wong urged Singaporeans to remain “exceptional” amid global uncertainty and rapid technological change, highlighting the need to embrace innovations such as artificial intelligence and robotics.

SINGAPORE, Aug 3 — A 20‑year‑old Singaporean woman who was reported missing after abruptly leaving home has told Cambodian authorities she travelled to Cambodia of her own accord and was not coerced into scam operations, according to a video released by police in Phnom Penh.

In the one‑minute recording, filmed at the Phnom Penh Municipal Police Headquarters, Aishah Siregar said she went to Cambodia to work as an English teacher and had chosen to leave Singapore because she felt stressed and wanted to “find my own path”. She emphasised that she had not been forced, scammed or involved in any criminal activity.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior told investigators she had travelled to the country due to personal family issues and had intentionally cut off contact after departing Singapore on July 28. Her family, unable to reach her and discovering deleted messaging accounts and a missing passport, lodged a police report and appealed publicly for help.

Her brother later confirmed she had returned safely to Singapore, apologising for the family’s earlier fears and explaining that unexplained financial transactions and her sudden disappearance led them to suspect she had been lured into a scam. He said the family would address her concerns privately and asked for understanding amid public speculation.

SINGAPORE, Aug 3 — A faulty dry rising main hindered firefighting efforts during a deadly blaze at Block 309 Clementi Avenue 4 on July 31, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on August 2.

The Straits Times reported the malfunction caused a significant drop in water pressure, preventing water from being properly channelled to the eighth floor, where firefighters were battling a fire that left the unit’s occupant unconscious; the victim later died in hospital. Two firefighters also suffered burn injuries.

SCDF said its crew switched to a contingency method — running hoses directly from the fire engine up the staircase — a procedure they regularly train for. About 40 residents were evacuated as a precaution.

A preliminary assessment by Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council found that a coupling securing part of the dry rising main had become dislodged during the operation, causing the pressure loss. The council said it has repaired the coupling, with SCDF conducting tests on Aug 2 and further checks planned across other blocks under its care.

The dry rising main at the block had last been serviced and pressure‑tested on March 14 and was found to be in order. The town council said it is cooperating fully with SCDF’s investigation and will review maintenance and testing regimes for all firefighting water systems. It also conveyed condolences to the victim’s family and wished the injured firefighters a swift recovery.

SINGAPORE, Aug 2 — After retiring, Joseph’s 85-year-old father settled into a routine of morning swims and hours spent watching television.

“He just kept saying there was nothing to do,” the Singaporean identified only the one-word pseudonym, told news outlet CNA in a feature published today.

Joseph’s father later died by suicide, becoming part of a group that experts say needs greater attention: older men.

Singapore’s latest suicide statistics showed that men accounted for three in four suicides among people aged 60 and above in 2024, CNA reported.

Of the 120 people in that age group who died by suicide, 90 were men and 30 were women.

Across all age groups, men accounted for nearly two-thirds of the 441 suicide deaths recorded that year.

Experts said older men may become vulnerable through a combination of retirement, declining health, shrinking social circles and a reluctance to seek help.

For many men, work is closely tied to identity, routine and their role as family providers.

Retirement can therefore mean more than losing a job, as some men may also lose their sense of purpose and value within the family.

Professor Paulin Straughan, director of the Centre for Research on Successful Ageing at the Singapore Management University, said many men spend so much of their lives focused on work that they do not build strong social networks outside it.

“If you don’t spend time that is for nurturing your own hobbies, nurturing relationships, you’re going to face an empty four walls when you retire because you didn’t invest right in that preparation for retirement,” she said.

Declining health can add to the strain as chronic illness, pain, disability and reduced mobility may lead to a loss of independence and a diminished sense of purpose.

Dr Surej John, senior consultant and head of psychiatry at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, said physical illness could increase suicide risk when combined with depression, loneliness, bereavement or financial stress.

“Chronic pain, disability, frailty, sensory impairment and progressive illnesses can lead to loss of independence, social isolation and a diminished sense of purpose,” he said.

Experts also warned that living with family does not necessarily protect an older person from loneliness.

Joseph’s father lived with him after retirement but rarely socialised outside his daily routine.

He declined invitations to join activities at a community centre despite Joseph’s efforts to help him meet new people.

Experts said older men may also be less likely to speak openly about emotional distress because many grew up with expectations that discouraged vulnerability.

Depression may instead appear through poor sleep, loss of appetite, low energy, forgetfulness, physical complaints or a sudden change in behaviour.

Families should take seriously comments such as “I’m a burden” or “There is no point anymore”, as well as signs including social withdrawal, neglect of personal care and losing interest in familiar activities.

Experts said programmes built around practical activities, hobbies and shared skills may help older men connect more naturally than traditional support groups.

Activities such as carpentry, bicycle repair, volunteering and mentoring can provide opportunities for older men to build friendships while retaining a sense of purpose.

Singapore’s experience may also carry broader relevance as neighbouring Malaysia faces its own rapidly ageing population.

The Department of Statistics Malaysia said the proportion of Malaysians aged 65 and above rose to 8.4 per cent this year from 8.0 per cent last year.

Twelve Malaysian states have reached ageing status after the proportion of residents aged 65 and above exceeded seven per cent of their populations.

Perak recorded the country’s highest proportion of older persons at 10.8 per cent, followed by Sarawak and Kedah at 9.7 per cent each, while Penang and Perlis both stood at 8.8 per cent.

The government has designated ageing as a key pillar under the 13th Malaysia Plan and is identifying a pilot project to address the fiscal, care and wider challenges arising from an older population.

“That is why we must address the challenges of an ageing population through a more holistic approach so that it does not become a burden,” Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said yesterday.

SINGAPORE, Aug 2 — A 20-year-old woman allegedly recruited and exploited two children below age 18 for commercial sex, while eight men are accused of obtaining sexual services from one of the victims.

The nine suspects, aged between 20 and 41, are due to be charged in court tomorrow, The Straits Times reported.

Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department’s Specialised Crime Branch arrested the suspects following investigations into the case.

According to the news report, initial investigations found that the woman allegedly facilitated commercial sexual services involving both victims and profited from the arrangements.

She is also believed to have recruited one of the minors for exploitation.

Follow-up investigations led police to identify eight men who allegedly obtained commercial sexual services from one of the minors.

The woman will be charged with trafficking for the purpose of exploitation and knowingly receiving payments linked to the exploitation of a trafficked victim.

She will also face additional charges related to facilitating commercial sexual services and cheating.

If convicted of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harbouring or receiving a person for exploitation, she faces a fine of up to S$100,000 (RM330,000) and up to 10 years’ jail.

The same maximum penalties apply if she is convicted of receiving payment linked to the exploitation of a trafficked victim.

If convicted of living on the earnings of another person’s prostitution, she could face a fine of up to S$100,000 (RM330,000) and up to seven years’ jail.

Each of the eight men will be charged with obtaining commercial sexual services from a person below 18.

Three of the men will also face additional charges for possessing obscene films.

If convicted of obtaining sexual services from a person below 18, the men could each face up to seven years’ jail, a fine, or both.

Those convicted of possessing obscene films face a fine of up to S$20,000 (RM66,000), up to six months’ jail, or both.

Singapore police said they would pursue those who recruit, exploit or profit from the exploitation of minors, as well as individuals who obtain commercial sexual services from them.

SINGAPORE, Aug 2 — A 56-year-old man will be charged after a marble he allegedly fired from a catapult at a flock of birds struck and damaged a bedroom window at a Woodlands flat last Friday.

Police were alerted to the damaged window at a residential unit in Block 646 Woodlands Ring Road on July 28, The Straits Times reported today.

“The damage was believed to be caused by an impact from a projectile,” the police said in a statement.

Officers from the Woodlands Police Division identified the suspect through ground enquiries and arrested him yesterday.

Investigations found that the man had allegedly used a catapult to shoot marbles at birds in the area when one of the projectiles hit the window.

Police seized a catapult and an assortment of marbles and pebbles during the investigation.

The man is scheduled to be charged in court tomorrow with committing a rash act.

SINGAPORE, Aug 1 — Singapore will expand its Mother Tongue Language Elective Programme from 2027, allowing more students to deepen their study of Chinese, Malay and Tamil.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the changes at the Mother Tongue Languages Symposium 2026, held at the Singapore EXPO on August 1, according to the Straits Times.

Education Minister Desmond Lee said, “Raising a bilingual child in an English‑dominated environment is not easy at all. Some parents worry that their own mother tongue is not strong enough for them to model the language to their children. But we do not need to be perfect speakers… what matters is effort and consistency.”

The Chinese Language Elective Programme at junior college level will be expanded to Anderson Serangoon JC, while the Tamil Language Elective Programme will be offered at the Umar Pulavar Tamil Language Centre.

Students from schools that do not provide Tamil electives will be able to take the subject at the centre, which also organises cultural programmes and showcases Indian performing arts.

The Malay (Special Programme) will be expanded to a fifth centre at National Junior College, giving students who wish to learn Malay as a third language more opportunities to study the subject.

Currently, the Malay programme is offered at 12 secondary schools and four centres — MOE Language Centre (Bishan), Bukit Batok Secondary, Tampines Secondary and Zhonghua Secondary.

Students whose schools do not offer the Malay (Special Programme) will attend lessons at the centre closest to their school.

Lee noted that home exposure to mother tongue has become more challenging as fewer families use it predominantly, but said it was encouraging that many Singaporean households continue to use both English and their mother tongue.

He encouraged parents to start small, such as reading picture books at bedtime, talking about their day in mother tongue, or listening to songs with their children.

The Mother Tongue Language Elective Programme, first introduced in 1990, aims to nurture students with high proficiency in their mother tongue and appreciation of literature and culture.

Students on the two‑year programme study literature in their languages and take part in local camps, overseas immersion trips and literary lectures.

MOE said the programme is designed to build a steady pipeline of bilingual and bicultural students who can strengthen regional ties and contribute to Singapore’s cultural identity.

The Chinese Language Elective Programme was launched in 1990, followed by Malay in 2001 and Tamil in 2020, with expansion to upper secondary levels in 2020.

MOE has also introduced measures to strengthen bilingual education, including allowing pupils who excel in mother tongue at PSLE to take higher mother tongue in secondary school.

In September, MOE will roll out the Artificial Intelligence Essay Marking System (AIMS) in secondary schools to help Chinese language teachers handle routine marking of grammar, spelling and sentence structure.

MOE said AIMS will allow teachers to focus on creativity, depth of expression and the quality of ideas in student work. Teachers will retain full authority to review and curate the feedback, ensuring it is contextually appropriate and tailored to learning needs.

Lee said, “AIMS will free up teachers from repetitive marking tasks, so they can spend more time guiding students in developing richer ideas and stronger expression.”

Teachers can customise AIMS’ parameters to suit different proficiency levels, enabling more targeted feedback for students of varying needs.

Lee added that new initiatives are being piloted, including programmes to expose infants to Chinese through sight, sound and touch, with similar efforts planned for Malay and Tamil.

Six MOE Kindergartens are also testing longer daily exposure to mother tongue, increasing from one hour to 1½ hours, with the ministry studying whether the pilot should be scaled up.

SINGAPORE, Aug 1 — Singapore labour market continued to expand in second quarter (2Q) of 2026 with employment growing to 10,700, up from 9,400 in the previous quarter, marking the 19th consecutive quarter of growth, according to advance data by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

The ministry noted that resident employment continued to grow albeit at a slower pace compared to the previous quarter, mainly in essential and public services.

“Following the slower non-resident employment growth in 1Q 2026, employment growth in 2Q 2026 was driven primarily by non-residents, mainly in sectors such as construction and manufacturing,” it said in a statement yesterday.

According to MOM, unemployment rates remained low and stable in June 2026 at 2.0 per cent overall, while retrenchments increased from 3,830 in 1Q 2026 to 4,500 in 2Q 2026, raising the retrenchment incidence rate from 1.6 to 1.9 per 1,000 employees.

It noted that the increase was concentrated in several outward-oriented sectors, driven primarily by business restructuring.

“Nonetheless, retrenchments remained well below levels typically seen during periods of economic downturn,” it added.

On the outlook, MOM said the improvement in hiring, wage and retrenchment expectations suggested that labour demand remained resilient, even as firms continued to exercise caution amid economic uncertainties and ongoing business restructuring in some sectors. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, Aug 1 — Tourism Malaysia officially unveiled the Durian Packages-Klang Valley Edition for the Singaporean market during the 9th edition of Malaysia Fest 2026, held at Singapore Expo.

Visitors to Malaysia Fest 2026, held from July 30 to August 2, can discover thoughtfully curated itineraries that blend modern city experiences with visits to durian orchards located just outside Kuala Lumpur.

Tourism Malaysia director-general Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim said the Klang Valley Edition aims to show travellers, particularly Singaporeans, that they do not have to choose between a cosmopolitan city getaway and an authentic farm-to-table durian experience.

“You can easily shop at world-class malls in the morning and be cracking open a fresh, naturally fallen Musang King in an orchard by the afternoon.

“We anticipate this will provide a significant boost to our tourism arrivals from Singapore, especially for the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The initiative was launched by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Chan Foong Hin on Thursday.

Themed “Unveil the Wonders of Malaysia”, the four-day Malaysia Fest 2026 features 280 enterprises promoting more than 1,500 agro-food, tourism, fashion and beauty products, with a direct sales value target of RM15 million. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, Aug 1 — British trip-hop band Massive Attack has been barred from performing in Singapore after an investigation found two members unfurled a Palestinian flag during a concert, police said.

Two band members who held the flag on stage during a concert on Wednesday were also banned from re-entering Singapore and issued with warnings, police said in a statement late yesterday, without naming the pair.

Singapore, known for its tough laws on public speech and assembly, bans the open display of all foreign flags, national emblems or banners without a permit.

A video circulating online showed two Massive Attack members on stage unfurling a Palestinian flag to loud, prolonged cheers from the audience, prompting the police probe.

After concluding their investigation and in consultation with state prosecutors, police said they “administered stern warnings to both men” and barred them from coming back to the city-state.

The media regulator is also probing possible breaches of licensing conditions.

“Notwithstanding the event organiser’s prior acknowledgement of the licence conditions, during the performance, two band members held a foreign flag on stage, and one of them also shouted ‘Free Palestine’,” police said.

The media regulator “will also not grant any future application for performances by the band in Singapore in view of the entry ban”, police said.

The concert promoter has not responded to an AFP request for comment.

The band is known for its criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza and has used its popularity to support the Palestinian cause.

In April, frontman Robert Del Naja was among more than 200 people arrested at a protest in London’s Trafalgar Square in support of Palestine Action, an activist group banned by British authorities.

Affluent Singapore has established itself as a top concert hub for South-east Asia, boasting of multi-night performances by Taylor Swift, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Bruno Mars.

The police urged the public, including foreigners, “to refrain from importing foreign politics as this can undermine our social cohesion and the rule of law”. — AFP

SINGAPORE, July 31 — Singapore’s founding father’s home is now in possession of the government, officials said today, ending a close to decade-long family dispute over the property.

The acquisition marks a significant conclusion to the bitter rivalry that has gripped the city-state since Lee Kuan Yew’s death in 2015.

Two years after Lee’s death, his children publicly clashed over whether the eight bedroom, two-storey bungalow in the heart of Singapore’s shopping district should be preserved or torn down.

In a joint statement the Singapore Land Authority and the National Heritage Board said today that the government “took possession of the site... to preserve it in keeping with its historic significance and national importance”.

The heritage board “will undertake a detailed study of the site and the options for how it can be developed into a public space in a manner that respects Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s wishes for privacy,” they added.

Lee, who was credited with transforming the Southeast Asian island into a wealthy city-state in just a little over 30 years, started living at the property in the mid-1940s until his death.

Family feud

It has been the site of significant events in the 1950s marking Singapore’s transition from a British colony to an independent nation and the venue for meetings of key leaders ahead of Singapore’s independence in 1965.

Lee’s oldest son, and former prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong favoured preserving the property, which estate agents in 2024 said had a prospective value of around S$30 million (RM95.5 million) in land scarce Singapore.

But his two siblings — corporate executive Lee Hsien Yang and the late neurologist Lee Wei Ling — have pointed to language in their father’s will calling for its demolition.

The younger siblings accused their brother in 2017 of trying to exploit their father’s legacy for political gain.

Lee Wei Ling died in 2024. Lee Hsien Yang, has been living in self-imposed exile abroad since 2022, citing political persecution which the government has denied. — AFP

SINGAPORE, July 31 — Singapore should focus on making social media platforms safer rather than imposing a blanket age ban on young users, a government-appointed panel has recommended.

The panel, convened by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to study the impact of social media on youth mental health, said the risks were serious enough to require action even though research has not established a direct cause-and-effect link, Singapore-based news outlet CNA reported today.

“Definitive causal links between problematic social media use and adverse mental health outcomes have not yet been established, and conclusive causal evidence may take years to emerge,” MOH said.

“However, the evidence of association is clear and sufficient to act on,” it added.

The panel said blanket age restrictions could be ineffective as young users may find ways around them, while also failing to distinguish between harmful and beneficial uses of social media.

Instead, it recommended targeting platform features that may encourage unhealthy use, such as endless scrolling, autoplay, algorithm-driven feeds, visible “like” counts and anonymous accounts.

The panel warned that such features could expose young users to cyberbullying, harmful content, social comparison and compulsive online behaviour.

It noted that one in three Singapore youths aged 15 to 17 spend more than three hours a day on social media, while one in six people aged 10 to 24 show signs of problematic social media use.

However, the panel said excessive use alone was not the main concern, with problematic use – where behaviour becomes persistent, compulsive or addiction-like – more strongly linked to poorer mental health outcomes.

“Problematic social media use and poor mental health may be mutually reinforcing, with each worsening over time,” the panel said.

The panel also recommended stronger age verification measures, greater support for parents and young users, and a wider effort involving schools, healthcare providers, social media companies and the government.

Its recommendations come as countries including Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Indonesia move towards restricting social media access for younger users.

Singapore has so far avoided a blanket ban, with Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo saying earlier this month that restricting access was “not the starting point” and “not the preferred outcome”.

Instead, the government has introduced measures requiring major social media platforms to reduce children’s exposure to harmful online content and improve safety features.

SINGAPORE, July 31 — Singapore has recorded 40 measles cases so far this year, the highest annual total since 2020, prompting health authorities to step up monitoring as infections rise globally.

But experts say there is no need for alarm, with Singapore’s high vaccination coverage keeping the risk of a large outbreak low, news outlet CNA reported today.

Here is what you need to know:

How many measles cases has Singapore recorded?

Singapore has reported 40 measles cases in the first seven months of 2026, already exceeding the 27 cases recorded throughout 2025.

The latest figure is the highest since 2020, but remains below the 152 cases reported in 2019 during a period of widespread global outbreaks.

Why are cases increasing?

Health experts said the rise is mainly linked to a global resurgence of measles, with more infections being brought into Singapore through international travel.

Among 12 cases recorded between April 4 and July 4, nine were linked to recent overseas travel while two were locally acquired, according to the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA).

Singapore’s status as a major travel hub means sporadic imported cases are expected, CDA said.

Who is getting infected?

Adults aged 25 to 44 made up the largest group of cases this year.

Most infections involved people who were either unvaccinated or had no documented vaccination history.

Three cases involved people who had received two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Can vaccinated people still get measles?

Yes, but such cases are uncommon.

The MMR vaccine is about 97 per cent effective after two doses, and vaccinated people who become infected generally experience milder symptoms and fewer complications.

Professor Paul Tambyah, past president of the Asia Pacific Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infection, said rare breakthrough infections could be linked to factors such as underlying medical conditions or vaccine handling.

Should Singaporeans be worried?

Experts say the risk of a major outbreak remains low because of Singapore’s high immunity levels.

“While sporadic local transmission will happen, the risk of large sustained outbreaks of measles here in Singapore is very negligible,” said Professor Hsu Li Yang, director of the Asia Centre for Health Security at the National University of Singapore’s Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

The Ministry of Health said 97 per cent of children are vaccinated by age seven, while 99 per cent of adults have immunity against measles.

Both figures are above the 95 per cent threshold generally needed to prevent widespread transmission.

What is Singapore doing?

CDA introduced tighter measures in February, including mandatory isolation for measles cases, contact tracing for all cases and quarantine for some close contacts.

The measures were further strengthened after more infections were detected, including preventing suspected measles cases in high-risk settings from returning to school or work until they test negative.

What should you do?

CDA advised older children and adults, especially those travelling to countries experiencing measles outbreaks, to ensure they have received two doses of the MMR vaccine.

Those unsure of their vaccination status should consult a doctor.

People without vaccination records may also consider a blood test to check their immunity or receive a booster, experts said.

“We should not be alarmed by the numbers but should think of it as a reminder to get our children vaccinated if not already done and if measles vaccination is not contraindicated,” Hsu said.

SINGAPORE, July 31 — Fashion retailer Love, Bonito said some customers’ personal data may have been exposed after a security vulnerability on its website allowed unauthorised access to account information.

The regional womenswear brand said it identified and fixed the vulnerability on July 26, and has since launched investigations into the incident, Singapore-based news outlet CNA reported today.

“We are continuing to audit and review our security measures, and will make further improvements as needed to prevent an incident of this nature from happening again,” chief executive officer Dione Song was quoted as saying in an email to customers.

The Singapore-founded company said the potentially affected information includes customers’ names, dates of birth, email addresses, shipping addresses, phone numbers and order history details.

Partial payment information, including card type, the last four digits of card numbers and expiry dates, may also have been exposed for customers who used cards on its website.

However, Love, Bonito said full credit card details were not affected.

“This information is processed and held directly by our payment processor — we do not have access to or store this information ourselves,” Song was quoted as saying.

The company said it had secured the affected systems, notified the relevant data protection authority and reported the matter to law enforcement.

Love, Bonito also advised customers to stay alert for possible phishing scams, warning that exposed personal details could be used to make fraudulent messages appear more convincing.

Customers were urged not to share one-time passwords or verification codes, and to monitor their payment card activity for suspicious transactions.

Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Commission is investigating the incident, while Love, Bonito said it is continuing to review its security measures.

Love, Bonito, which operates online and physical stores, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Cambodia, was fined S$24,000 (RM75,120) in 2022 after more than 5,000 customers’ personal data was accessed and stolen through malicious code on its e-commerce website.

SINGAPORE, July 31 — Singapore will issue eight new licences to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a marine fuel from Sept 1 to strengthen its position as a multi-fuel bunkering hub, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said on Thursday, reported Xinhua.

The five-year licences, valid until Aug 31, 2031, will be awarded to Aramco Trading Singapore, Equatorial Marine Fuel Management Services, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific, PetroChina International (Singapore), Shell Eastern Trading, Sinopec Fuel Oil (Singapore), TotalEnergies Gas & Power Asia (TEGPA)-Sembcorp Fuels (Singapore) Joint Venture, and Vitol Bunkers (S).

The MPA said the expanded licensing framework will boost Singapore’s LNG bunkering capacity and strengthen the supporting ecosystem to meet growing demand for LNG bunkering services.

Licensees are required to provide end-to-end LNG bunkering services, including fuel supply, storage, cargo transfer and vessel delivery. — Bernama-Xinhua

SINGAPORE, July 31 — Singapore school caterer Gourmetz is facing six food safety charges linked to an incident where 60 pupils from River Valley Primary School (RVPS) suffered from gastroenteritis after consuming its meals.

The charges, filed under Singapore’s Sale of Food Act, involved alleged offences committed on July 29, The Straits Times reported today.

The Singapore newspaper cited from court documents that showed Gourmetz was accused of storing sauce in a dirty blue thermal tub, keeping raw marinated chicken on stained trolleys and failing to properly maintain its premises.

The company was also accused of producing steam chicken rice and garlic fried rice sets on Jan 16 that contained Bacillus cereus, a food-borne bacterium, above permissible limits.

Gourmetz allegedly placed false labels on bento sets on January 28, stating they were ready at 8.30am when they had actually been packed earlier at 6.48am.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it could not comment as the matter is before the courts.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) said it was aware of the court proceedings and had tightened oversight of Gourmetz while ensuring school meal arrangements continued.

“MOE has strengthened our oversight on Gourmetz and reinforced food safety requirements while ensuring that meal arrangements in schools served by Gourmetz remain uninterrupted.

“The safety and well-being of students remain our utmost priority,” the ministry was quoted as saying.

The MOE added that it will monitor Gourmetz’s food safety performance and work with the operator to ensure strict compliance with the SFA’s safety requirements.

In January, 60 RVPS pupils reported gastroenteritis symptoms after eating lunches supplied by the school’s central kitchen meal operator.

Most of the affected pupils returned to school by January 16, while four needed more time to recover at home, according to MOE, SFA and the Communicable Diseases Agency.

None of the pupils were hospitalised.

Gourmetz was among operators appointed to provide meals under Singapore’s central kitchen meal model, which was introduced in 13 schools at the start of the year.

Besides RVPS, the company also supplied meals to CHIJ (Kellock), Radin Mas Primary, Blangah Rise Primary and Outram Secondary’s York Hill campus.

Under Singapore’s food safety rules, companies found guilty of offences involving unsafe food that causes illness, harm or injury can be fined up to S$50,000 (RM157,500) for a first offence.

Gourmetz’s next court date is set for August 19.

SINGAPORE, July 31 — US-based financial news outlet Bloomberg and its journalist have been ordered to pay S$290,000 (RM913,500) in legal costs after losing a defamation suit filed by two Singapore ministers over an article on luxury property deals.

The costs order came about two weeks after the High Court awarded Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam and Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry) Tan See Leng S$230,000 (RM724,500) each in damages.

Justice Audrey Lim ordered Bloomberg and journalist Low De Wei to pay S$145,000 (RM456,750) to each minister after a closed-door hearing on July 30, The Straits Times reported today.

The sum included S$65,000 (RM204,750) for 6½ days of trial proceedings, S$50,000 (RM157,500) in pre-trial costs and S$30,000 (RM94,500) in post-trial costs.

The lawsuit centred on a Bloomberg article published on December 12, 2024, titled “Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy”, which referred to property transactions involving Shanmugam and Tan.

The article mentioned Shanmugam’s former Queen Astrid Park home, sold to UBS Trustees for S$88 million (RM277.2 million), and Tan’s purchase of a Brizay Park bungalow for nearly S$27.3 million (RM86 million).

The Singapore newspaper reported that in Lim’s July 14 judgment that journalist Low either knew certain information in the article was false or published it without caring whether it was true.

Lim also found Bloomberg’s decision to remove the article’s paywall showed malice, as it made the article accessible to a wider audience.

“I find there was malice on the defendants’ part,” she was quoted as saying.

Lim described malice in defamation as meaning “any ill-will, spite or some wrong or improper motive”.

The judge said readers could have understood the article to suggest that the ministers had exploited a lack of checks and disclosure requirements to conduct their property transactions secretly.

She added that readers could also have understood it as suggesting the ministers had hidden their deals to avoid scrutiny, including possible money laundering concerns.

SINGAPORE, July 31 — British trip-hop band Massive Attack’s Singapore concert has come under official scrutiny after members displayed a Palestinian flag on stage during their performance on July 29.

Concert promoter Lushington confirmed to The Straits Times that it is aware of reports regarding the show held at The Star Theatre.

“We will fully cooperate with the relevant authorities as required,” Lushington was quoted as saying.

Singapore police said reports had been lodged over the incident and investigations were ongoing.

The Infocomm Media Development Authority also said it was looking into a possible breach of licence conditions.

A video circulating on social media platforms showed two band members holding up a Palestinian flag during the concert, while members of the audience cheered.

Two members of British band Massive Attack hold up a Palestinian flag on stage during a July 29, 2026 concert in Singapore’s The Star Theatre, contrary to local laws banning the display of foreign national emblems without a permit. — Screengrab from Instagram/sgpowerlah

Lushington said the July 29 performance was the only Singapore show scheduled for Massive Attack’s current tour.

Singapore does not allow the public display of foreign national emblems without a permit or exemption.

Those found guilty of breaching the rule may face a fine of up to S$500 (RM1,570), up to six months’ jail, or both.

PARIS, July 30 — A Singapore-based organisation announced Thursday it will develop an Ebola vaccine dubbed the “most promising” to fight back against a deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Nearly 1,500 people have died in the conflict-wracked African country from the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are no vaccines or treatments.

But there are several different efforts racing to develop a vaccine for the previously rare strain in the hope of stemming the escalating outbreak.

World Health Organisation experts have said a single-dose shot based on the rVSV platform is the “most promising” candidate.

This is because it uses the same platform as the only officially licenced Ebola vaccine Ervebo, which targets a different strain called Zaire.

The Singapore-based Hilleman Laboratories announced on Thursday it would advance the rVSV Bundibugyo jab so it can be tested on humans during clinical trials.

The organisation is a joint venture between the US pharma giant MSD — known as Merck in North America — and the British charity Wellcome Trust.

“We’re racing to develop a Bundibugyo vaccine and make doses for clinical trials,” Hilleman Laboratories CEO Raman Rao said in a statement.

MSD developed and manufactured Ervebo and “will serve as a technical adviser” providing “expertise on the rVSV platform”, the statement added.

It was a joint statement with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which has pledged funds to the rVSV shot and other Ebola vaccine efforts.

If early trials are successful and the vaccine is authorised, CEPI and Hilleman said they hoped to “ensure rapid, affordable supply of doses in outbreak-affected countries and low- and middle-income settings”.

The Ervebo vaccine needs to be stored at ultra-low temperatures, however the new Bundibugyo jab is hoped to last for months in normal refrigerators, making it cheaper and easier to deploy to remote areas.

In May, WHO experts cautioned it would likely take seven to nine months before the rVSV vaccine is ready to be assessed in a clinical trial.

The vaccine uses a modified version of the vesicular stomatitis virus, an animal virus, as a vector to deliver a protein from the Bundibugyo ebolavirus to the human immune system, triggering an immune response.

The announcement comes a week after the first dose of a different Bundibugyo vaccine being developed by Oxford University was injected into a volunteer during a rapidly launched clinical trial.

The epidemic in DR Congo is now the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record.

There have been 3,360 confirmed cases, including 1,487 deaths since May, with the outbreak heavily centred on the northeastern Ituri province.

Uganda, which borders Ituri, has seen 20 confirmed cases, including two confirmed deaths.

A viral haemorrhagic fever, Ebola spreads through close contact and infected bodily fluids. — AFP

SINGAPORE, July 30 — Singapore’s private car population has fallen to its lowest level since 2019, while the rental fleet has reached a record as high ownership costs push some motorists towards leasing, car-sharing and ride-hailing.

There were 516,237 private cars on the road at the end of June, compared with 97,567 rental cars, according to Land Transport Authority data cited by The Straits Times.

Private cars still account for 79 per cent of Singapore’s 653,442 cars, down from 82.5 per cent in 2021.

Rental cars now make up 14.9 per cent of the total, up from 10.5 per cent in 2021, when there were 67,990.

The figures have raised questions about whether motorists are moving away from ownership, although the LTA said more indicators must be tracked before conclusions can be drawn about changing travel preferences.

These include public transport ridership, point-to-point journeys and the use of shared cars and bicycles.

Walter Theseira, a transport economist at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said renting made financial sense for people who drive only occasionally, given the cost of buying a car.

Certificate of entitlement premiums, required to register vehicles in Singapore, have ranged from S$102,009 (RM323,500) to S$130,889 in 2026, compared with S$65,010 to S$116,002 in 2024.

Adrian Lee, president of the Vehicle Rental Association, said rental demand was growing, but operators remained cautious about expanding because of uncertainty over future COE prices.

Companies risk being left with expensive vehicles if premiums fall sharply after they add cars at higher prices.

Lee, who is also co-founder of car-sharing platform Tribecar, said short-term rentals had become an accepted transport option among younger people.

The number of self-drive rental cars rose from 33,765 at the end of 2025 to 36,317 in June.

Rental cars used for ride-hailing or chauffeured services slipped from 62,092 to 61,250 over the same period.

Lee said the decline may partly reflect a three-year lock-in period introduced in February 2025 for business-owned ride-hailing vehicles, which cannot be sold to individuals or converted into private cars during that time.

The LTA said the rule was intended to ensure a stable supply of vehicles for ride-hailing services.

Sime Darby Auto Selection, the Singapore leasing arm of Malaysian-owned Sime Darby, increased its fleet by 10 per cent over the past year to about 600 cars.

Managing director Christopher Chin said some customers were leasing while waiting for COE premiums to fall before buying a car.

Some former owners are also saving substantially by going without one.

Product engineer Gordon Tiang, 51, did not replace his car after its COE expired in 2025. He now uses ride-hailing services occasionally and saves about S$1,500 a month, partly for family holidays.

Tiang said he missed the convenience of driving to social gatherings and across the border to Johor Bahru.

Civil servant Joyce Lee, 45, and her husband gave up their family car in mid-2025 after deciding their sons, aged eight and nine, were old enough to rely on public transport.

After initially using car-sharing services for school trips, the family switched entirely to buses and trains, saving between S$1,500 and S$1,800 a month.

“It does mean having to wake up earlier to set off in the morning, but public transport has really worked out for us so far,” she said.

SINGAPORE, July 30 — Singapore will test its progress against some of South-east Asia’s toughest opposition after being drawn with hosts Indonesia, Malaysia and India in Group A of the inaugural Fifa Asean Cup 2026, which will be held in Jakarta.

Head coach Gavin Lee said the tournament comes at a crucial stage in the Lions’ development, with matches against quality regional opponents providing a valuable opportunity to assess the team’s capabilities and continue raising their standards.

“Every international window is another chance to raise our standards, keep improving and become more consistent.

“That is the challenge we have set ourselves, and our focus is on making the most of every opportunity to grow as a team,” he said in a statement today.

The tournament, to be held from September 24 to October 3, 2026, will feature 14 teams competing across two divisions — the Premier Division (Division 1) and the Challenge Division (Division 2).

The Premier Division, hosted by Indonesia, comprises two groups of four teams, with Singapore placed in Group A. The Challenge Division, meanwhile, consists of two groups of three teams and will be played in Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Football Association Singapore (FAS) general secretary Badri Ghent said the opportunity to participate in the tournaments would contribute to the broader development of Singapore football.

“It helps inspire the next generation, deepens Singaporeans’ connection with the national team and strengthens the football culture we’re building for the future,” he added. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, July 30 — Singtel has confirmed it is in talks with several parties over a possible sale of a stake in Optus, while its Australian telecoms business faces Federal Court proceedings over an emergency-call outage amid wider scrutiny of service failures linked to two deaths.

The Singapore-based group said today that discussions were under way but cautioned that there was no certainty they would result in a transaction, CNA reported.

It did not identify the parties involved or disclose the size of any stake under consideration.

Optus, Australia’s second-largest telecommunications provider, has been owned by Singtel since 2001 and remains one of the group’s largest overseas investments.

In the financial year ended March 2026, Optus generated about A$8.35 billion (RM23.8 billion) in operating revenue, accounting for roughly half of Singtel’s total revenue. That was up from A$8.2 billion a year earlier.

Singtel said in May that it was open to bringing in an Australian minority investor in the business.

Reuters reported in 2024 that Singtel had been in advanced talks to sell a significant stake in Optus to Brookfield Asset Management, although the company denied at the time that a deal was imminent.

The latest discussions come as Optus faces heightened scrutiny over two outages involving Australia’s emergency-call service. The incidents affected thousands of users and were linked to two deaths.

The fallout led to the departure of two senior executives, including the company’s finance chief.

Australia’s communications regulator said today that it had launched Federal Court proceedings against Optus Mobile over the September 2025 outage.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority alleged that Optus breached two legal obligations on 1,005 occasions by failing to provide access to the emergency-call service and ensure calls were carried to the relevant termination point.

The regulator is seeking penalties of up to A$250,000 for each contravention.

Optus acknowledged the proceedings in an emailed response to Reuters, saying it continued to invest in network resilience and strengthen its systems and processes.

Singtel did not respond to a request for further comment on the stake-sale discussions.

SINGAPORE, July 30 — A Singapore beauty and wellness chain has agreed to provide up to S$1 million (RM3.17 million) in refunds after staff allegedly trapped customers in treatment rooms, checked elderly clients’ retirement savings and pressured them into buying packages they had not intended to purchase.

DNA Brands, which operates brands including The Mineral Boutique, Beautique, SAE-REN, Jingran, Harmonix, Allura and Comfeet, was investigated over unfair sales practices, CNA reported, citing the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS).

The regulator said an area manager and some employees used a “coordinated set” of pressure tactics, including leaving facial masks on customers after treatments had ended so sales pitches could continue inside treatment rooms.

The Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE) received 53 complaints against DNA Brands between August 2024 and October 2025, involving more than S$980,000 in disputed transactions.

About half involved customers who had spent more than S$10,000 on packages and products, while at least 40 per cent of complainants were aged 60 or older.

CCS described the tactics as “deliberate and calculated”.

Investigators found that some employees asked customers how many credit cards they held, presenting the questions as checks for promotions.

“In reality, they were assessing how much each consumer could spend,” CCS said.

The tactics escalated for elderly customers, with some staff checking their Central Provident Fund balances.

“In at least one case, a consumer was pressured into using their CPF savings to pay for beauty packages and products,” CCS said.

“Some staff even helped consumers change their CPF withdrawal limits and directed them to nearby bank branches or ATMs to withdraw cash.”

Complaints involving Beautique were linked to outlets in Ang Mo Kio, Orchard Plaza, The Centrepoint and Toa Payoh, while those involving The Mineral Boutique concerned outlets at NEX, Jewel and Wheelock Place.

The watchdog said it found no evidence that DNA Brands’ directors had personally directed or participated in the practices.

DNA Brands dismissed or suspended implicated employees after the investigation began and barred them from earning sales commissions, CCS said.

The company said their conduct did not reflect the standards expected across its operations.

“In response, the company acted decisively, strengthened management oversight and implemented additional safeguards to help ensure these standards are consistently upheld,” DNA Brands said.

“The company has since enhanced its compliance framework, strengthened staff training, increased management oversight and introduced additional consumer protection measures across its operations.”

The company has committed to ending unfair trade practices, introducing stronger disciplinary measures and displaying a 14-day refund policy prominently at its outlets.

It will deposit up to S$1 million with an independent escrow agent to fund refunds for eligible customers.

Those who bought products or services from designated DNA Brands outlets from 1 January 2023 and experienced “undue pressure or aggravating circumstances” may qualify. Refund amounts will depend on the circumstances of each case.

CASE will administer the scheme and has urged potentially eligible customers to contact the association to check their eligibility and submit a claim.

CCS said it would continue monitoring the company and could take further enforcement action if new complaints or unfair practices emerged.

“Consumers should never be made to feel trapped or pressured into spending money they did not intend to part with, and no one should ever feel that their retirement savings are at risk during a visit to a beauty salon,” CCS chief executive Alvin Koh said.

“Businesses must know that exploiting consumers through pressure tactics carries real consequences.”

SINGAPORE, July 30 — Two Malaysian men were arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint after allegedly collecting more than S$39,000 (RM123,500) in cash, gold bars and valuables from two women deceived by scammers posing as officials from Singapore’s financial regulator.

The men, aged 30 and 40, were detained yesterday over their suspected involvement in at least two government official impersonation scams, according to police, Singapore-based media organisation AsiaOne reported.

The cases, reported on July 24 and July 28, involved a similar method.

In each incident, a woman was contacted by someone claiming to be an official from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and told that her bank accounts had been linked to money laundering.

The first victim followed the caller’s instructions and handed S$9,000 in cash to an unknown man, believing the money was required for “investigations”.

The second woman surrendered gold bars worth more than S$20,000, along with valuables estimated at about S$10,000.

Both victims believed the men collecting the items were officers acting on behalf of the authority.

Officers from the police Cyber Command identified the two suspects through ground inquiries and follow-up investigations, with assistance from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

Preliminary investigations found that the men had allegedly collected the cash and valuables before passing them to unidentified individuals and leaving Singapore.

Police said they believed the pair could be linked to several other similar cases.

The men were expected to be charged in court today with assisting another person to retain benefits from criminal conduct.

If convicted, they could be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to S$500,000, or both.

SINGAPORE, July 30 — A French teenager who filmed himself licking a straw before returning it to an orange juice vending machine dispenser has been fined S$600 (RM1,900), after the stunt forced the operator to replace all 500 straws in the dispenser.

Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of being a public nuisance and was sentenced today.

The incident took place at Goldhill Centre on Thomson Road on March 12, according to The Straits Times.

The court heard that Maximilien removed a straw from an iJooz vending machine, licked it and placed it back in the dispenser while filming himself.

He later uploaded the footage to social media, where it sparked an uproar.

iJooz, which operates vending machines selling freshly squeezed orange juice, subsequently replaced all 500 straws in the dispenser.

Deputy public prosecutor Maximilian Chew sought a fine, saying the act had been deliberate and planned.

However, Chew noted that Maximilien later retrieved the same straw for his own use after filming the video, meaning no member of the public used the contaminated straw.

Maximilien had initially been due to plead guilty on July 13, but the hearing was adjourned while prosecutors awaited information from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority on whether his student pass would be cancelled following a conviction.

He had previously been charged with mischief as well as being a public nuisance.

A person convicted of being a public nuisance in Singapore can be jailed for up to three months, fined up to S$2,000, or both.

SINGAPORE, July 30 — Grab will pilot an on-demand autonomous vehicle service in Punggol, a waterfront residential district in north-eastern Singapore, within the next few months, allowing passengers to book direct journeys between selected stops rather than follow fixed shuttle routes.

The service will first open to trial users before being gradually made available to the public in the fourth quarter of 2026, when commercial fares will apply, Grab said, according to Singapore-based media organisation CNA.

Passengers will be able to choose from existing pick-up and drop-off points, with the vehicles taking the most direct route between them, the Land Transport Authority said yesterday.

Grab said the service would improve links between residential areas and amenities including clinics, markets, schools and Punggol Coast MRT station.

The pilot follows feedback from users of the existing autonomous shuttles. Almost 60 per cent of about 270 Punggol residents surveyed said they wanted more choice over where they boarded and alighted, while about 40 per cent preferred more direct routes.

“The pilot is a step towards on-demand, direct-routing services across more pick-up and drop-off points in Punggol,” LTA said.

More than 11,500 people had used the autonomous shuttle services as of July 12. Of about 900 survey respondents, 99 per cent said they felt safe and would recommend the service.

Grab said more than 500 people had joined a waitlist to try new autonomous vehicle services.

Its existing fixed-route shuttles will continue to operate alongside the on-demand service and remain free.

More pick-up and drop-off points will be added progressively based on residents’ feedback, LTA said.

Grab said it had also established an autonomous vehicle depot in Punggol and planned to expand its fleet this year.

“We are deeply grateful to the Punggol community for their support for our AV shuttle trials,” said Grab president and chief operating officer Alex Hungate.

“In response to their feedback, this next phase brings increased flexibility with on-demand, direct routing.”

Autonomous shuttle trials began in Punggol in September 2025 and opened to the public on April 1.

Grab operates two of the area’s three routes, while ComfortDelGro runs the third.

SINGAPORE, July 30 — Marmite lovers in Singapore are facing a sticky situation after the famously divisive spread disappeared from supermarket shelves — with remaining jars now being offered online for as much as S$50 (RM160).

The century-old yeast extract has been discontinued in the country after persistent supply problems, leaving devoted fans searching e-commerce platforms and resale sites for one last black-and-yellow jar.

Unilever International confirmed the decision after consumers began noticing that Marmite had quietly vanished from local stores.

“We understand several consumers are disappointed with the current unavailability of Marmite across local supermarkets,” the company told Singapore-based media organisation CNA on Tuesday.

“Following ongoing supply challenges, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the Marmite brand in Singapore.”

For those firmly on the “love it” side of Marmite’s love-it-or-hate-it reputation, the announcement has turned an everyday breakfast staple into something closer to a collector’s item.

Checks by CNA yesterday found a dwindling number of listings on Lazada, Shopee and Carousell, some carrying eye-watering mark-ups.

A pack of two 250g bottles was listed on Lazada for almost S$48, compared with S$10.90 for a single 250g jar on RedMart before it sold out.

FairPrice’s website showed sold-out 100g and 200g bottles at S$4.84 and S$7.08 respectively.

Over on Carousell, one seller was asking S$20 for a 250g bottle, while another listed a jar of unspecified size for S$50.

The sudden scarcity appears to have caught supermarkets off guard.

Cold Storage said it had stopped carrying Marmite about four months ago and was working with suppliers to bring in alternative stocks, although it did not say what those alternatives might be.

The supermarket added that a timeline was still being finalised.

FairPrice, meanwhile, said it was diversifying its supply sources in an effort to bring in “alternative overseas stocks of Marmite” for customers.

Sheng Siong said both Marmite and Bovril, the beef-based extract, were currently unavailable in its stores.

The disappearance is likely to leave a noticeable gap in Singapore kitchens, where Marmite is eaten on toast, stirred into porridge and used as a salty, savoury boost in home cooking.

Its intensely yeasty flavour has long divided diners, but the sight of jars changing hands at premium prices suggests absence may be making at least some appetites grow fonder.

The development comes after Reuters reported in November 2025 that Unilever was considering selling historic British brands including Marmite and Bovril as part of a wider effort to focus on its beauty and wellbeing businesses.

For now, Singapore’s Marmite faithful face three choices: hunt down an imported jar, switch allegiance to another spread — or savour whatever remains at the back of the cupboard.

SINGAPORE, July 29 — The Singapore government today unveiled a second support package worth S$900 million (RM2.8 billion) to help its citizens navigate the impact of the ongoing West Asia conflicts and global uncertainties.

The latest round of support to Singaporean households includes S$300 Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers, which will be disbursed in January 2027.

The government is also introducing enhanced U-Save rebates of up to S$190 and monthly payouts for ComCare Interim Assistance of at least S$250 per month for up to three months.

For small and medium businesses (SMEs), the government is offering a one-off SME Cash Grant 2026 and rental support for small businesses in government-managed hawker centres. 

The government is also set to enhance the Enterprise Financing Scheme (EFS) from September 2026 to March 2027 to provide local enterprises with better access to financing.

Second Finance Minister Jeffrey Siow said the additional support package has raised the government’s total support to S$2 billion to date, including the S$1 billion assistance package announced in April and measures introduced under Budget 2026.

“We believe this is the right response given the economic conditions today. At the same time, we recognise that the global situation remains highly fluid.

“The government is also in close contact and close touch with trade associations, businesses, unions, workers, grassroots leaders, and residents, and is receiving regular feedback on the ground,” he said in a press conference today. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, July 29 — A former Singapore Armed Forces captain was reportedly jailed for 21 months and two weeks today after cheating five colleagues of nearly S$87,000 (RM275,419) and committing several vaping-related offences.

Singapore’s The Straits Times reported that Benjamin Song Yong Pang, 38, was also fined S$6,000 after pleading guilty to five cheating charges and four charges involving e-vaporisers.

Song, who has since made full restitution, reportedly deceived the colleagues on more than 39 occasions between May 2021 and March 2024 by claiming he would invest their money or needed funds for his mother’s medical bills.

The five, many of whom were his subordinates, handed him a total of S$86,750, with individual losses ranging from S$10,000 to S$27,050.

Court documents reportedly showed that Song had accumulated significant credit-card debt between 2011 and 2018 through visits to Thai clubs and karaoke lounges while serving as a deputy cluster commander at a supply base.

Investigations also found that he openly vaped at his office in Nee Soon Camp, recruited subordinates to obtain vaping products for him and created a workplace culture in which vaping became normalised.

The Health Sciences Authority said one subordinate helped Song because he was afraid to refuse a superior officer, while Song also reportedly introduced a female colleague to vaping by giving her a device and vape pods.

SINGAPORE, July 29 — A Singaporean man was reportedly fined S$5,000 (RM15,828) and banned from driving for six months today after driving a Porsche with his two young sons sitting on its boot.

Singapore’s CNA reported that Prem Anan Sugunakumar, 40, pleaded guilty to committing a rash act that endangered personal safety.

The court reportedly heard that Prem placed his sons, then aged eight and seven, on the boot facing backwards before driving at a moderate speed along Dairy Farm Lane in Bukit Panjang on October 20 last year.

His wife reportedly filmed the incident, which Prem later posted on TikTok, while another motorist who witnessed it lodged a police report the same day.

Prem was quoted as saying that he had wanted to spend time with his sons and thought the ride would be an “enjoyable experience”, despite knowing it could endanger them.

Prosecutors reportedly sought the maximum fine and a six-month driving ban, saying it was fortunate that the children were not injured and that Prem had deliberately placed them in danger.

The court also reportedly heard that he had committed more than 15 traffic violations between 2004 and 2020, including speeding, inconsiderate driving and unauthorised parking.

His lawyer reportedly sought a lower fine, citing Prem’s early guilty plea, remorse, close involvement in his sons’ lives and charitable activities.

Deputy Principal District Judge Kessler Soh reportedly described the offence as extremely serious and expressed concern over Prem’s driving record, but accepted that a jail term was not warranted.

SINGAPORE, July 29 — An Indonesian domestic worker was reportedly sentenced to life imprisonment today for murdering a 73-year-old man she had been hired to care for, a week after his family discovered that she had stolen jewellery from them.

Singapore’s CNA reported that Sumiyati, 53, who goes by one name, was convicted of killing Low Hoon Cheong at his Bishan flat on April 28, 2022.

Sumiyati had worked for the family since 2019, performing household chores and caring for Low, who had mobility issues.

The court heard that she initially had a good relationship with the family, who renewed her contract and raised her monthly salary from about S$570 (RM1,804) to S$700 (RM2,216) in 2021.

However, she began stealing jewellery from Low’s wife in April 2022 and pawning the items for cash.

After Low’s wife discovered a missing bracelet on April 21 that year, Sumiyati admitted taking the jewellery and handed over the pawn tickets.

The family decided against lodging a police report after she apologised and asked for another chance, while they also continued to need her help caring for Low.

A week later, Sumiyati stole money from Low’s wallet while he was having lunch and later took more cash while he was asleep.

After waking, Low questioned her about a necklace belonging to his wife that had gone missing.

Sumiyati denied taking the necklace and became angry at what she considered a false accusation. At the same time, she feared that Low might discover the cash she had stolen earlier that day.

She later suffocated him while he was asleep, before taking S$70, two mobile phones and a pair of earrings and leaving the flat.

Sumiyati was arrested early the following morning, while an autopsy found that Low’s death was consistent with suffocation.

Her lawyer said she had lost money to three alleged online scammers and had resorted to borrowing and stealing to raise funds, although prosecutors said the purported scams had not been established as fact.

The court was also told that Sumiyati had no mental disorder at the time of the offence, although she was assessed as having borderline intelligence.

Justice Mavis Chionh said the killing involved some planning but was conceived spontaneously that day, and did not display the viciousness or blatant disregard for human life that would warrant the death penalty.

Both the prosecution and defence sought life imprisonment, with Sumiyati apologising to Low’s family through her lawyer and asking for their forgiveness.

SINGAPORE, July 29 — A 23-year-old Singapore permanent resident was reportedly charged today with allegedly transferring money to support terrorist acts in Gaza.

Singapore’s The Straits Times reported that Myanmar national Saw Ryan Htoo faces two charges of providing funds for terrorist purposes.

He allegedly transferred US$72.28 (RM227.93) to a PayPal account belonging to Bradley Sainsbury on August 9, 2024, to facilitate a terrorist act in Gaza City, and attempted to send another US$1 (RM3.17) to an account owned by Meredith Pollick 10 days later.

Prosecutors said he had been told that the money would be used to buy military equipment.

Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs reportedly said Saw became radicalised after consuming Islamophobic, far-right extremist and anti-Semitic content online, and later posted messages supporting violence against several groups.

The court reportedly denied him bail after prosecutors argued that the extent of his radicalisation made him a public safety risk, while Saw said he would contest the charges.

He was remanded pending his next court appearance on August 21, and faces up to 10 years’ jail, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both if convicted.

SINGAPORE, July 29 — Forty-seven luxury vehicles linked to foreigners investigated in Singapore’s largest money laundering case are being auctioned, including Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, McLarens and Bentleys.

The Straits Times reported that Deloitte, which was appointed in August 2025 to manage the liquidation of seized assets, had engaged used-car auction platform Sgcarmart Quotz to conduct the closed bidding.

The vehicles include at least 11 Rolls-Royces, two Bentley Flying Spurs and 24 high-end seven-seaters such as the Toyota Alphard and Vellfire.

Some had barely been used, including a 2023 Rolls-Royce Phantom with 284km on its odometer and a Ferrari SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid that had travelled 500km.

However, photographs and inspection reports showed that several cars had gathered dust or developed apparent mould while in storage, with many requiring new batteries and tyres as well as repairs to their air-conditioning or suspension systems.

The auction follows the August 2023 crackdown that led to the arrest and eventual deportation of 10 foreigners, while several vehicles were reportedly linked to suspects who fled Singapore and later surrendered assets.

ST previously reported that authorities had confiscated 207 properties, 77 vehicles, more than S$1.45 billion (RM4.59 billion) in bank accounts and over S$76 million in cash linked to the network, with proceeds from seized assets to be paid into Singapore’s Consolidated Fund.

SINGAPORE, July 29 — Singapore recorded 441 suicides in 2024, with deaths among adults aged 30 to 39 rising by 50 per cent even as numbers fell across all other age groups, local news organisation CNA reported yesterday.

Citing data from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) reportedly said there were 99 suicides among those aged 30 to 39, up from 66 in 2023.

Suicide was also the second leading cause of death for the age group, which SOS said often faced overlapping pressures involving family, employment and social isolation.

Men accounted for 290, or 65.8 per cent, of the 441 deaths, while women made up the remaining 151.

The gender gap was particularly pronounced among those aged 60 and above, with men dying by suicide at about three times the rate of women.

SOS reportedly said older adults commonly struggled with health problems, reduced mobility, social isolation and the loss of personal connections.

Although women accounted for about one-third of suicide deaths in 2024, they made up 62.5 per cent of suicide-related calls and messages received by SOS, indicating a greater willingness to seek help.

Suicide also remained the leading cause of death among people aged 10 to 29, with family, education and relationship pressures among the concerns highlighted.

Singapore’s suicide death rate rose slightly to 8.23 per 100,000 residents in 2024.

SOS added that provisional data showed 256 suicides in 2025, but cautioned that the figure could change substantially after coroners’ inquiries are completed.

The 2024 total, for example, was revised from an initial provisional figure of 314 to 441 after pending cases were finalised.

* If you are feeling lonely, distressed, or having negative thoughts, Befrienders provides free and confidential support 24 hours a day. A full list of Befrienders contact numbers and state operating hours is available at www.befrienders.org.my/centre-in-malaysia. Other free support hotlines for young people include Talian Kasih at 15999 (24/7), Talian HEAL at 15555, Talian BuddyBear at 1800-18-2327 (BEAR) daily from 12pm to 12am, the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service at 03-2935 9935 or 014-322 3392, and Jakim’s Family, Social and Community Care Centre via WhatsApp at 0111-959 8214. 

SINGAPORE, July 28 — The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) recorded a net profit of S$20.0 billion (RM63.2 billion) for the financial year ended March 31, 2026 (FY2025/26), driven by strong investment gains.

In its annual report released on Tuesday, MAS noted that it recorded investment gains of S$39.8 billion from the management of its foreign investments.

This was partially offset by negative currency translation effects of S$16.4 billion from a stronger Singapore Dollar; net cost from its money market operations to manage banking system liquidity and other expenses of S$2.4 billion; and a contribution to the Government’s Consolidated Fund of S$1.0 billion.

MAS managing director Chia Der Jiun said investment gains were strong as the global economy remained resilient to repeated shocks and financial markets performed well. 

“All asset classes across bonds and equities, developed and emerging markets, posted good returns. 

“While investment gains vary from year to year, this year’s outturn was similar to last year’s and above our 10-year historical average of S$18.3 billion,” he said in a press conference on Tuesday. 

According to Chia, the outlook ahead remains uncertain with continued energy market disruption, rising inflation and high equity market valuations posing risks to future investment returns.

He said the negative currency translation effects of S$16.4 billion were due mainly to the strengthening of the Singapore dollar against the US dollar and the Japanese yen. 

“The stronger Singapore dollar has helped to dampen the effects of imported inflation, while resulting in negative currency translation effects. 

“Such effects arise when MAS’s official foreign reserves, which are held in foreign currencies, are reported in Singapore dollars,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Chia also highlighted that MAS will contribute S$1.0 billion to the Consolidated Fund, and return a further S$2.5 billion of its net profit to the government. 

He affirmed that MAS maintains a globally diversified, liquid official foreign reserves portfolio to support its functions as a central bank. 

“MAS’ financial results reflect the performance of global asset markets after accounting for the cost of money market operations and negative currency translation effects from a stronger Singapore dollar,” he said. — Bernama

SINGAPORE, July 28 — Singapore recorded a 11.4 per cent decline in live births in 2025, with the number of babies born falling to 29,864, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

According to the ICA’s Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2025, released on Monday, citizen and resident live births declined to 26,071 and 27,393, respectively, from 29,237 and 30,808 recorded in 2024.

“Chinese newborns accounted for the largest share of births at 56.6 per cent (16,902), followed by Malays at 22.5 per cent (6,725), Indians at 11.5 per cent (3,427) and other ethnic groups at 9.4 per cent (2,810).

“In 2025, Malays had the highest birth rate, at 11.8 per 1,000 residents, followed by Indians at 7.3 per 1,000 residents. Chinese had the lowest rate, at 5.3 per 1,000 residents,” the report said.

Singapore registered 26,499 deaths in 2025, an increase of 57 from the 26,442 recorded a year earlier.

“About 4.5 per cent of deaths registered in 2025 were non-residents. They were mostly Malaysians, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans,” ICA added.

The report stated that malignant neoplasms and heart and hypertensive diseases were the two leading causes of death in 2025, collectively accounting for more than half (52.1 per cent) of all registered deaths.

Diseases of the lung and respiratory system and cerebrovascular diseases were also among the leading causes of death, accounting for 24.7 per cent and 5.6 per cent of registered deaths, respectively. — Bernama