Three public transport operators are offering up to $20,000 in sign-on bonus in a bid to woo more local bus captains.AsiaOne has found on Monday (Feb 2) that the three are SBS Transit, SMRT and Go-Ahead Singapore. Tower Transit, meanwhile, offers a $7,200 bonus to applicants who are new to the industry, or have been away for at least a year.SBS Transit, which employs the largest pool of bus captains with about 5,400 full-timers, offers a sign-on bonus of $20,000 from October 2024— up from $10,000 — with another $5,000 in training incentive, along with a starting pay of $4,500 a month.There is also $1,000 for successful job referrals.Applicants must be Singaporeans or permanent residents and hold a Class 3 driving licence with at least a year of driving experience. Go-Ahead Singapore is also dangling a $20,000 carrot on top of up to $4,200 monthly salary.Go-Ahead, which will take over from SBS Transit and run 27 bus routes in Tampines from July 5, has expanded its workforce to around 2,000 employees, and is recruiting about 300 bus captains.

A GrabFood rider has likened his delivery experience to a «ghost story» after arriving at a customer’s address which turned out to be an vacated industrial building.In a TikTok video shared on Jan 24, Alfian, 34, panned across an empty corridor of the building at Depot Lane in Bukit Merah. The unit which he was supposed to deliver to — #04-04 — appeared to be padlocked.«This block, whole stretch, is already abandoned,» said Alfian. «It is a scary thing.»The site had been vacated since last year to make way for new housing development, the Straits Times reported in June. @nuralfianahmad ♬ original sound - Nuralfian

If you've been wondering about the smell of smoke in the air over the past two evenings, here's why.In a Facebook post at about 7pm on Monday (Feb 2), Singapore's National Environment Agency said that it has continued to detect «persistent hotspots» near the city state, during its satellite pass at 2.20pm the same day.The agency added that dry conditions are expected until Wednesday (Feb 4), when showers are forecast. In an earlier release on Monday, the Meteorological Service Singapore said that thundery showers are forecast over parts of the island in the afternoon, on most days of the second half of this week.

All private organisations will have to stop using NRIC numbers for authentication by the end of the year, said the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). In a press release on Monday (Feb 2), the authority said that organisations have up to Dec 31 to review their current authentication practices. From Jan 1, 2027, the use of NRIC numbers for authentication to access personal data may be considered a breach of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). The Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) will step up enforcement action against such misuse, said IMDA. Possible penalties include imposing directions or financial penalties for such breaches where appropriate. Government agencies have ceased NRIC authenticationIn June last year, the PDPC and Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) issued a joint advisory against the use of NRIC numbers for authentication purposes. 

A 61-year-old man was found dead at the foot of a HDB block in Serangoon on Tuesday (Feb 2). The incident happened at about 7.55am at Block 231 Serangoon Avenue 3. When AsiaOne reached the scene at about 8.30am, a police cordon extended from an area beside one of the lift landings to the back of the HDB block. A lone slipper could be seen in a corner next to a blue police tent covering the body. Blood stains were also seen in the drain. 

If you are heading out for reunion gatherings, or visiting friends and family to unwind, there's now more reason to «gallop» into the Year of the Horse.Public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT will extend the operating hours of train services on the eve of Chinese New Year (Feb 16). In addition, the operating hours of 55 bus services will also be extended to complement the extension of train operating hours. Commuters are advised to plan their journeys early and to note the changes. NSL, EWL, CCL and TELThe last train will depart North-South Line's City Hall MRT station for Marina South Pier and Jurong East at 1.54am and 2.09am respectively.Meanwhile, the last train to depart from the East-West Line's City Hall MRT station for Tuas Link and Pasir Ris will be at 1.59am and 2.14am respectively.On the Circle Line, the last train leaving from Dhoby Ghaut and HarbourFront MRT stations will be at 1.15am and 1.28am respectively.The last train departing from Bayshore and Woodlands North MRT stations are at 1.30am and 1.42am respectively.

SINGAPORE – The Ministry of Education (MOE) is considering making changes to the way PSLE results are used in secondary school admissions, as well as to the difficulty of examinations, among other things.Education Minister Desmond Lee said the ministry is looking at curbing the education “arms race”, along with examining issues such as direct school admissions (DSA) and co-curricular activities (CCAs), which have become increasingly competitive.The MOE will soon start a series of conversations with Singaporeans to hear their views before making any changes, said Mr Lee on Jan 26 in an interview with the media.Asked whether MOE would study alternative assessment models or if the PSLE would remain, he said: “We do not want to pre-judge, we do not want to circumscribe... it may or may not be a tweak. It could also be quite major.”His remarks come amid growing recognition that the “arms race” in education has not abated, despite significant changes made by the Government to dial back excessive academic pressure by ending streaming and revamping PSLE scoring.

A 46-year-old male cyclist died after an accident with a private bus in Tuas on Friday (Jan 30) morning.The accident happened at about 7.55am at the junction of Tuas South Avenue 4 and Tech Park Crescent. In response to media queries, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force said that the cyclist was taken unconscious to Ng Teng Fong Hospital where he later died. Chinese-language daily Shin Min Daily News reported that the cyclist is believed to be a Bangladeshi worker.A 68-year-old male bus driver is assisting with investigations, the police added.Police investigations are ongoing.[[nid:729111]]editor@asiaone.com 

If you are still wondering why the public warning system (PWS) sounded earlier today (Feb 1) at 3pm, that's because Singapore has kicked off its annual Total Defence exercise, codenamed Exercise SG Ready (ESR).This year's ESR, now in its third run, will involve over 1,000 organisations participating in a series of simulated activities over a two-week period from Feb 1 to 15, to test their readiness for disruptions. It will focus on digital disruptions and the ensuing impact on businesses, communities and homes.Speaking at the launch of the Total Defence Commemoration Event at Our Tampines Hub on Sunday (Feb 1), Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo pointed to the one-off sounding of the PWS on Sunday, instead of the usual Feb 15, to illustrate the need for Singaporeans to be prepared.«This year, we sounded it (PWS) early to mark the start of the exercise. Why? Because crises often emerge when we don't expect it,» the minister explained.

A video of a passenger vaping next to a bus captain has gained attention on social media.Posted by the Instagram account Sgfollowsall on Friday (Jan 30), a young man films himself vaping in bus 974. He discreetly approaches the bus captain, who was unaware of the man blowing out smoke in his direction.The 10-second clip has reached 198,000 views and over 2,000 likes at the time of writing.Netizens in the comments section criticised the passenger, with some tagging the Singapore Police Force and Health Sciences Authority.Since Sept 1, 2025, vape users have faced increased fines of $500 for those under the age of 18, and $700 for adults, up from $300 and $500 previously.Repeat offenders will face a maximum fine of $2,000.Over the last four months of 2025, 51 individuals were caught at land, sea and air checkpoints for smuggling regular e-vaporisers. More than 41,000 e-vaporisers and related components were seized overall.[[nid:729155]]syarifahsn@asiaone.com

If you're into aircraft and aviation, this may just be the event for you - especially if you've yet to attend your first airshow.The Singapore Airshow 2026, taking place between Feb 3 and 8 at the Changi Exhibition Centre, has returned for its 10th edition and will feature crowd-favourite aerial and static displays, Experia Events managing director Leck Chet Lam shared with media on Sunday (Feb 1).This year's airshow will involve over 1,000 participating companies with over 100,000 attendees representing 136 countries and regions, according to Leck, with 16 country pavilions.In 2024, the airshow had brought $391 million economic spending contributed to Singapore's economy, with this year's edition poised to deliver similar scale, and perhaps more.The aerial display will see military aircraft of six air forces taking to the skies during the airshow, including our own Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF).

A total of 24 persons will be charged in court in the coming week for allegedly acting as money mules in various scams.The 16 men and eight women, aged between 16 and 51, are suspected of perpetuating scams such as government officials impersonation scams, job scams, e-commerce scams, investment scams, internet love scams and sexual services scams.Police said in a media release on Sunday (Feb 1) that more than $3.1 million were lost in these scams.They are accused of facilitating scam activities by relinquishing or selling their bank accounts, assisting to receive or transfer funds or collecting cash from scam victims and enabled criminal syndicates to commit money laundering.Some allegedly tricked banks into opening personal accounts before handing over their internet banking credentials to unknown people.Examples of their alleged offences include: disclosing Singpass credentials unlawfully thereby enabling criminal syndicates to misuse his identity in the opening of bank account; and assisting criminal syndicates to register SIM cards in return for promised monetary rewards.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of a missing 31-year-old man, Cavan Yeo Ying Yong.In a news release on Sunday (Feb 1), the police said Yeo was last seen on Saturday, at around 6.40pm along Koon Seng Road. He was wearing a green top and dark blue shorts at that time.Checks by AsiaOne indicate that the area comprises landed residential units with peranakan shophouses nearby.Those with information are urged to contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness. All information will be kept strictly confidential, said the police. editor@asiaone.com 

A video of a passenger vaping next to a bus conductor has gained attention on social media.Posted by the Instagram account Sgfollowsall on Friday (Jan 30), a young man films himself vaping in bus 974. He discreetly approaches the bus conductor, who was unaware of the man blowing out smoke in his direction.The 10-second clip has reached 198,000 views and over 2,000 likes at the time of writing.Netizens in the comments section criticised the passenger, with some tagging the Singapore Police Force and Health Sciences Authority.Since Sept 1, 2025, vape users have faced increased fines of $500 for those under the age of 18, and $700 for adults, up from $300 and $500 previously.Repeat offenders will face a maximum fine of $2,000.Over the last four months of 2025, 51 individuals were caught at land, sea and air checkpoints for smuggling regular e-vaporisers. More than 41,000 e-vaporisers and related components were seized overall.[[nid:729155]]syarifahsn@asiaone.com

SINGAPORE – Two of the PAP's reserve candidates from the May 2025 general election have hit the ground in Tampines and Punggol, less than a year on from the polls.In-house lawyer Ahmad Firdaus Daud, who previously volunteered in Nee Soon GRC, is now vice-chair of the Punggol North PAP branch, while entrepreneur Mustaffa Kamal has been seen with the party's Tampines Central branch. He had previously volunteered in Joo Chiat.The two have regularly attended the party's Meet-the-People sessions and have been pictured with the GRCs' MPs at community events since at least late 2025.

SINGAPORE – Water activities such as swimming and kayaking have been suspended at Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong Beach in Sentosa until further notice after a crocodile was spotted in the waters off Sentosa Cove.The Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) said it and the National Parks Board (NParks) were alerted to the presence of the reptile on the evening of Jan 31.«As the sighting was assessed to be valid, a joint team was immediately activated to search for it. The search by NParks and SDC is currently ongoing,» SDC said in a Jan 31 Facebook post.While the beaches remain open, SDC said water activities are not allowed on the three beaches.It also said it has stepped up patrols and monitoring across the island's beachfront areas.«Members of the public are advised to adhere strictly to safety signages and instructions on the ground,» it added.The public are advised to remain calm and back away slowly if they encounter a crocodile.Any sightings and encounter should be reported to NParks Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.

A car was sent spinning across four lanes of the Seletar Expressway (SLE) towards Central Expressway (CTE) on Friday (Jan 30) after it was allegedly sideswiped by a tipper truck.The accident, which involved four cars and a tipper truck, happened at about 5.10pm, near the Lentor Avenue exit.In a video posted on its Facebook page by SG Road Vigilante, a Malaysia-registered tipper truck was seen driving on lane four of the expressway, while a black Honda hatchback was seen overtaking it from the leftmost lane.Moments later, the car came into contact with the tipper truck and started to careen across five lanes of the expressway. It first crashed into a white Honda before crashing into the central divider where it was hit by an oncoming silver Mercedes car. The Mercedes' abrupt stop then caused another black multi-purpose vehicle to rear-end it.

There's always an element of risk that comes with taking to the skies, whether it's to perform or to defend the nation.For Captain Yew Chee Hao of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), it is his family that keeps him motivated, he shared in an interview with the media at the Singapore Airshow 2026 on Saturday (Jan 31).CPT Yew is a first-time participant in the aerial display segment of Singapore Airshow 2026, which will be held at the Changi Exhibition Centre.The Singapore Airshow 2026, spanning Feb 3 to 8, is Asia's largest airshow, and is expected to attract over 1,000 companies including aircraft manufacturers, airlines and military delegations from around the world, Reuters reported.It will also have a segment for the RSAF - which Yew is a part of - to perform in the skies, dazzling the audience with displays of skill seen in complex stunts from the AH-64D Apache helicopter and F-16 fighter jet. Yew, 30, is the aerial display team's lead and also the pilot of the Apache helicopter that will be present in 11 of the 17 stunts performed in the show sequence.

A total of 1,316 Build-to-Order (BTO) flats to be launched by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in the February 2026 sales exercise will be Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) flats. In a media release on Saturday (Jan 30), HDB said the SWT flats will be offered across three projects in Tampines and Sembawang, with the shortest wait time being just one year and 11 months. The other two SWT projects will have wait times of two years and eight months, and two years and nine months respectively. A total of 4,692 BTO flats will be offered during the exercise, with two projects each in Tampines and Sembawang, one in Bukit Merah and another in Toa Payoh. Tampines Bliss, Tampines Nova and Sembawang Deck are the three SWT projects that will be launched in this month's sales exercise. Tampines Bliss, bordered by Tampines Avenue 2 and Tampines Street 22, will take just one year and 11 months to complete. 

Supermarket chains Hao Mart and Ang Mo Supermarket are no longer required to charge patrons for plastic bags after being deregistered from the disposable carrier bag charge scheme.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that the two supermarket operators successfully applied to withdraw from the scheme at the end of 2025.Both operators were able to withdraw from the scheme because their annual turnover for each of the last three years did not exceed the threshold of $100 million under the Resource Sustainability Act.They were initially enrolled in the scheme — first introduced in July 2023 — which required supermarket operators to charge a minimum of five cents for each disposable carrier bag provided.Being deregistered from the scheme also means that Hao Mart and Ang Mo Supermarket will no longer need to report to NEA on the number of carrier bags issued or the proceeds collected from their issuance.While they are no longer obliged to charge for issuing plastic bags, the choice to charge customers will be at their discretion, said NEA.

The Government has engaged the family operating Warong Nasi Pariaman to discuss ways to offer more support following news of their upcoming closure.The popular nasi padang eatery had announced their closure in an Instagram post on Jan 20, saying that they will cease business on Jan 31. The eatery, located in a shophouse at 738 North Bridge Road in Kampong Glam, has been operating since 1948 and is set to close after 78 years.The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), in a statement on Jan 31, said the relevant agencies have engaged members of the eatery's family to explore various support options to render greater assistance.These include an inter-agency task force which studies ways to support heritage businesses such as in the areas of skills transfer and business transformation. 

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Friday (Jan 30) ordered the recall of two additional infant formula products by Dumex over the presence of cereulide toxin. Cereulide is a toxin produced by some strains of the Bacillus cereus bacterium, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea. The affected products are Dumex's Dulac Stage 1 and Dulac Stage 2. Both SFA and the Communicable Diseases Agency said in a joint statement that the detection follows testing of all baby formula products sold at major retail outlets, and that these are the last two batches of formula products to be recalled. «SFA has detected cereulide toxin in two additional formula products. These products may have used the same raw ingredient supplied by the same source used in the earlier batches of implicated infant formula products,» the agencies said. 

The police are looking for a pair of cyclists after an alleged hit-and-run accident along Townshend Road in Lavender at about 3.50pm on Thursday (Jan 29).In a video posted on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook page, two people riding separate bicycles were seen going against the flow of traffic along the two-lane road.  Map showing the location where the alleged hit-and-run accident involving two cyclists and a car took place on Jan 29. IMAGE: Google Maps A male cyclist dressed in a black top was seen riding close to a female cyclist. He was also seen on the dashcam footage grabbing her left arm. As they approached an oncoming car, the woman was seen losing control as she leaned into the man. They then crashed into the car.

A kitten was rescued by a group of residents in Yishun after being trapped in a drain pipe at a HDB void deck on Wednesday (Jan 28). In a TikTok video posted on Thursday (Jan 29), several people are seen hovering over the drain and trying to free the trapped cat. The user told Stomp that he was walking home when he came across the group at Block 851 Yishun Street 81 at around 10pm, adding that the kitten was rescued about an hour later. According to the caption on the post, the cat had been stuck since morning and a plumber was later contacted to remove the drain casing. A man dressed in a pink T-shirt, presumably the plumber, is seen on the TikTok video using a screwdriver and hammer to remove the white drain cover. He also enlarges the drain opening by chipping away the surrounding concrete. The man is also seen attempting to guide the kitten out by using what appears to be a long bamboo pole from a nearby pipe opening, to no avail.  The cat eventually peeks its head out of the drain and a woman dressed in a white hoodie is seen lifting the kitten by its neck and bringing it into a cuddle. 

Ten more vehicles have been impounded by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) for illegal cross-border services, bringing the total to 172 since enhanced enforcement began in July 2025.In a Facebook post on Friday (Jan 30), the authority said it conducted checks on over 3,100 vehicles at land checkpoints and along the PIE since July, and seized the errant vehicles through regular monitoring and tip-offs from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association and the National Taxi Association. Senior Minister of State for Transport Sun Xueling also made a separate Facebook on Friday, reminding commuters to only engage legal cross-border transport services in the upcoming festive season.

The law caught up with 13 former Certis officers on Friday (Jan 30) after charges including misappropriating items entrusted to them, possession of e-vaporisers and receiving stolen properties were handed to them in court.In a joint press release by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and Singapore Customs on Friday, the agencies set out the alleged offences the former enforcement officers, all Singaporeans, are suspected to be involved in.Several of the offences listed were carried out between 2019 and 2022.The twelve men and one woman are:

There is a new scam doing the rounds — email from your «boss».Since the beginning of the year, at least 25 such cases of scammers impersonating as victims' manager(s) have been reported, with losses amounting to at least $30,000, the police said on Wednesday (Jan 28).In this scam variant, victims would receive emails purportedly sent by their CEO or supervisor, asking them to use their own funds to urgently purchase gift cards, such as those from Apple, Xbox, or Razer Gold, to be used for work.These emails would also bear display names belonging to their CEO or supervisor, while assuring the victims that they would be reimbursed by the company.Victims were also told to provide the redemption codes on the gift cards, which the scammers would use, to make redemptions.They would only realise that they have been scammed after checking with their colleagues.

Foreign ministers from Southeast Asia met on Thursday (Jan 29) to discuss key issues in the region, including tensions in the South China Sea, an escalating civil war in Myanmar and a border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. The discussions were part of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) retreat for foreign ministers, aimed at setting the bloc's agenda for the year under the chairmanship of the Philippines. In a statement to the media on Thursday, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that the foreign ministers reaffirmed the importance of upholding Asean centrality and strengthening Asean integration amidst a volatile geopolitical environment. 

What started as a modest «investment» ended in a financial nightmare for a woman in her 50s after she lost more than $400,000 to a scam within two months. Speaking to the media at the Police Cantonment Complex on Thursday (Aug 29), the victim, who wished to be known only as Lim, recounted how she was drawn into the scheme and gradually persuaded to «invest» increasingly large sums of money. Lim, who works in the healthcare sector, said that at the time, she was an active user of Moomoo, a global investment and trading platform. «I approached the online customer service by Moomoo and shortly after that I received a WhatsApp group message. I originally thought the people where from Moomoo,» said Lim, noting that the group had at least 80 members.«It (started) as a WhatsApp group before they approached me individually. In the group, they sent investment-related (information) regarding the stocks and sounded very professional,» Lim said, explaining that members often posted screenshots showing their profits and how the investments were made. 

The peatland fire in Taman Bayu Damai township, which started on Jan 23, has been brought under control, said the Johor authorities on Thursday (Jan 29). AsiaOne reported on Wednesday that firebreak techniques, such as flooding to contain the fire, and the involvement of helicopters have led to fires across 54.63ha, or 54.8 per cent of the affected area, being extinguished.[[nid:728981]]Johor fire and rescue department deputy director Muhammad Al Mustakim Abdul Hady said on Thursday that the fire has been successfully brought under control. «Firefighters are working to ensure that any remaining small fires are fully extinguished to prevent them from spreading,» he said. Separately, Kota Tinggi district management committee chairman Miswan Yunus said the authorities have allowed all evacuees, who were housed at two temporary relief centres, to return to their homes. «The peat fire along Jalan Sungai Kapal near Taman Bayu Damai has been fully controlled and extinguished, while Air Pollutant Index readings in affected residential areas have dropped to normal levels,» he reportedly said in a statement. 

A Japanese woman returning to Singapore left her passport on board a Singapore Airlines plane and only found out about the missing document the next day when she was contacted by ground handling company Sats. In an Instagram video on Jan 21, lifestyle content creator @naofromjapan_, who moved to Singapore seven years ago for work, captioned: «Singapore is truly safe and efficient. I love Face ID, but sometimes it works a little too well.»In the 41-second clip, Nao recounted the incident: «I landed with Singapore Airlines, cleared immigration with face ID (and) didn't even take my passport out.» The next morning, she received an email from Sats at 9.29am informing her that her passport had been found and that it was being held at Sats' baggage arrival services office in Changi Airport Terminal 2. The email also provided a QR code and link for her to book an appointment for collection. 

Starting Feb 9, lower-wage Singaporean workers can receive allowance of up to $18,000 a year when they reskill or upskill, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Workforce Singapore on Thursday (Jan 29).The new Workfare Skills Support (Level Up) will give financial support to workers undergoing long-form training courses, which includes studies at the Nitec, diploma, and undergraduate degree levels, as well as the SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme.Self-sponsored learners aged 30 and above who earn an average gross monthly income of not more than $3,000 and meet other eligibility criteria such as property value will qualify for the upgraded scheme, which was announced at Budget 2025.Individuals who take time off work to pursue long-form training on a full-time basis will receive an allowance of 50 per cent of their average income over the latest available 12-month period, or at least $300 every month. One can receive a maximum of $18,000 per year.Meanwhile, workers attending long-form training on a part-time basis while employed will receive a monthly $300 allowance, with a yearly cap of $3,600.

PropertyLimBrothers (PLB) co-founder Melvin Lim has stepped down as operating principal of KW Singapore — a franchise of US-based real estate agency Keller Williams — the company said in a media statement on Thursday (Jan 29). Grayce Tan, formerly the director of growth, is also no longer part of the KW Singapore leadership team with immediate effect, added the company. Jonathan Lee, who previously served as regional director of KW Malaysia and is currently a growth consultant for the Keller Williams Worldwide (KWW) Asia Pacific Hub, has been appointed to lead in the interim «to ensure stability and operational continuity». KW Singapore, founded by Lim in July 2025, operates as a standalone business, separate from PLB, reported The Business Times. The company said that it is «prioritising the enhancement of compliance frameworks, governance processes, and training initiatives in direct coordination with KWW». It added that it remains focused on «providing resources and support for the long-term success of our associates and resuming business as usual through a measured, deliberate approach.»

Some 3,534 people were fined for possessing and using vapes under the enhanced enforcement framework between September and December 2025.366 of these offenders were caught with etomidate e-vaporisers, known as Kpods, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Thursday (Jan 29).Since last September, 211 Kpod users and 57 repeat vape offenders have been ordered to undergo mandatory rehabilitation, a chance provided for them to quit the habit with professional support.As of Dec 31, 2025, seven etomidate offenders and one repeat e-vaporiser offender have completed rehabilitation.Meanwhile, 15 people defaulted on their first rehab appointments. Four of them have been charged in court, while the rest are pending further investigation or prosecution, MOH and HSA jointly said.A 23-year-old woman who skipped rehab was sentenced on Jan 6 to one week's jail for possessing etomidate. The other cases are pending before the courts.

After discovering that her photos were used without consent in an advertisement for a sugar dating website, Singaporean DJ and social media personality Jade Rasif sued its Malaysian founder. In a series of Instagram Stories on Jan 21, the 32-year-old revealed that she accepted a RM100,000 (S$32,000) settlement from Darren Chan of Sugarbook in 2023. Her three-year ordeal, which began in 2020, has cast a spotlight on the recent deluge of non-consensual sexualised images circulating online.In an interview with AsiaOne on Tuesday (Jan 27), Rasif said she had rejected Sugarbook's approach to work with them. Sugarbook promises to link younger women with older men who are expected to provide financial support in exchange for companionship — with or without intimacy. Rasif later found out that the website used her photos in its promotional material after being tagged on Instagram.