The public may make bookings to collect fit-for-gifting bank notes for Chinese New Year (CNY) from Jan 27, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said on Monday (Jan 19).CNY falls on Feb 17 and 18.Singaporeans are also encouraged to be environmentally-conscious by choosing «fit» notes or electronic hongbao (e-hongbao), the authority said.These «fit» notes are similar to those from ATMs and may have fold lines or minor stains.A MAS survey of 1,853 Chinese Singaporeans and permanent residents conducted in July 2025 found that two in three people were open to receiving «fit» notes in their red packets. «The respondents also indicated that the condition of the notes did not matter and 'fit' notes were as meaningful as new notes,» MAS said.The finding is consistent with DBS' observations, with a 7 per cent year-on-year decline in cash withdrawals recorded in 2025.Last year, over 16 million pieces of «fit» notes were exchanged at the banks, enabling emission savings equivalent to the annual carbon footprint from powering 280 four-room HDB flats.

SINGAPORE — The vice-principal and executive director of a pre-school who covered up the molestation of a two-year-old girl by the school's cook were jailed for three months and two weeks, and four months, respectively.During sentencing on Jan 19, District Judge Sharmila Sripathy-Shanaz said the two women were supposed to act as protectors of the children and to shield them from harm.Instead, their involvement in deleting CCTV footage of the sexual assault showed profound betrayal in the trust that society had in them to protect these vulnerable children, added the judge.«The egregious nature of their acts cannot be understated,» said the judge, adding that the footage was important as the children could neither articulate their experiences nor give testimony to what was done to them.The principal, 62, who was convicted of intentionally omitting information on the sexual assault, is expected to be sentenced in March.The three women had pleaded guilty on Dec 19, 2025, to covering up the crimes of Teo Guan Huat, 61.

A 61-year-old man who allegedly drove his car under the influence of alcohol was arrested by the police after an accident at a HDB estate in Choa Chu Kang on Saturday (Jan 17) night. The incident happened at around 10.10pm at Block 253A Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1, outside the Lam Hai Kwan Hock Tua temple. AsiaOne received photographs of the incident from members of a Telegram chat group. One photograph showed the Indian man slumped in his seat, sleeping with his arms folded. «He knocked into a stationary bike,» an eyewitness said in the chat. Other photographs showed the car stopped outside the temple, with the left side of its front bumper significantly damaged.A Traffic Police expressway patrol car was parked behind the damaged car, while two police officers stood over the man who was seated at the roadside curb.

A motorcycle was sent crashing to the ground after a Transcab taxi rear-ended into it while changing lanes along the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) on Friday (Jan 16) night.The accident happened at about 11pm along the PIE towards Changi, near the Bukit Timah Expressway exit. In a video posted to the SG Road Vigilante Facebook page, a Transcab taxi and a bus can be seen entering the PIE, towards Changi, from the Jalan Anak Bukit slip road. Both the bus and the taxi signalled to enter the leftmost lane of the expressway as the slip road runs out. At this time, a motorcycle was travelling straight along the said lane. The motorcyclist appeared to have slowed down for the bus to pass ahead. However, the taxi began switching lanes at the same time and rear-ended the motorcycle.The impact sent the motorcycle crashing to the ground and sparks were seen flying as it skidded for a distance.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force said that two people, including the 43-year-old male motorcyclist, were assessed for minor injuries. Both declined to be sent to the hospital. 

SINGAPORE — Dr Liu Thai Ker, the would-be artist who turned his mind to architecture and shaped the face of modern Singapore, was a highly driven person with a deep interest in building liveable cities, said those who knew him.They said his legacy will be remembered through the neighbourhoods and public housing that many Singaporeans call home.In the wake of his death at age 87 on Jan 18, tributes poured in from public figures and those in the architecture community.Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a social media post on Jan 18 that Dr Liu — who spent 24 years in the public service — went beyond delivering new flats. He helped design and build complete new towns, with neighbourhood centres, green spaces and community facilities thoughtfully integrated from the outset.«He often said that to build a city, one must have the heart of a humanist, the mind of a scientist, and the eye of an artist. These ideals ran through his life's work. The buildings, homes and public spaces that Singaporeans use every day stand as a quiet testament to his dedication and vision.»Singapore is better because of Thai Ker's service," PM Wong added.

Singapore's former chief planner Dr Liu Thai Ker died on Sunday (Jan 18) morning at the age of 87. AsiaOne understands that Dr Liu was hospitalised following a fall about a week ago. He passed away peacefully at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, surrounded by family members.Dr Liu was widely known as the architect of modern Singapore. He was involved in the planning for 20 out of the 24 Housing and Development Board (HDB) towns during his time as the agency's chief architect and later chief executive officer from 1969 to 1989.He later became the Urban Redevelopment Authority's chief executive officer and chief planner from 1989 to 1992.In an interview with AsiaOne in 2024, Dr Liu shared his belief that the purpose of urban planning is for people and the land.Dr Liu explained: «People to create the environment that is liveable for them, and also to create the environment that gives people a sense of belonging and community.»When asked about what makes a good planner, Dr Liu said that a planner's job is to understand the fundamental, unchanging needs of human beings.

To fund her gambling addiction, a domestic helper in Singapore allegedly stole $86,000 from her employer within a period of eight months and pawned seven pieces of gold jewellery worth $20,368.She was sentenced to 20 months' jail for her crimes, after being charged with one count of criminal breach of trust and one count of theft, Shin Min Daily News reported on Saturday (Jan 17).According to Shin Min, the court heard that in May 2024, the 42-year-old defendant, a Myanmar national, was entrusted with an ATM card and pin number by her 75-year-old employer.The helper was told that she could use the ATM card to withdraw $2,000 every month for groceries and basic needs. She would also help to withdraw funds whenever the employer wanted to travel to Johor Bahru.Later that year, the employer allowed her an advance of $10,000 on her salary. She was earning around $700 to $800 a month at the time, Shin Min reported.However, between December 2024 and July 2025, the defendant illicitly withdrew $2,000 on 43 occasions, amounting to $86,000 in total.

The traffic police have started to crack down on the owners of lorries which did not install speed limiters by the statutory Jan 1 deadline.The enforcement operation, conducted from Jan 16 to 17, targeted the owners of non-compliant lorries that failed to meet the deadline, despite multiple reminders from the authorities.141 of these 2,434 lorries, registered before Jan 1, 2018, and with a maximum laden weight (MLW) between 5,001kg and 12,000kg, had not installed speed limiters.A speed limiter is designed to limit the maximum speed that a vehicle can travel. 

During a road test in Punggol on Saturday (Jan 17), an autonomous vehicle operated by ComfortDelGro (CDG) collided with a road divider. The incident happened at around 3.10pm, CDG told AsiaOne.One of its autonomous vehicles had been undergoing routine mapping and familiarisation around Edgedale Plains when it detected a small object on the road and responded accordingly.While the safety operator on board had taken over the steering of the vehicle manually, the vehicle collided with the road divider.There were no passengers on board, and no one was hurt.«Our vehicles will take a safety timeout while we review the matter as part of our standard protocols and in coordination with the relevant authorities,» CDG said.