The decomposing body of an elderly man was found in his Punggol flat after a neighbour discovered maggots in her home. In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police said they were alerted to a case of unnatural death at Block 405A Northshore Drive at about 10am last Friday (Aug 23). A 71-year-old man was found lying motionless in a residential unit and pronounced dead at scene. A neighbour surnamed Deng, who lives in the flat across from the deceased's home, told Shin Min Daily News on Sunday that his older sister had been trying to contact him. One week before the grim discovery, the sister had personally asked Deng to call her if she sees her brother.  «I knocked on the elderly man's door a few days later but there was no response,» said the 57-year-old cleaner. «I thought he was asleep and saw that his window was open the next day, so I didn't think much of it.» But while Deng was resting at home on Friday morning, she noticed a large number of maggots in her home. «The bugs were squirming and looked like the type of bugs found on corpses,» she said.

The new temporary financial support for involuntarily unemployed workers will incentivise them to return to the workforce with a better-fitting job, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Tuesday (Aug 27). To qualify for the monthly payouts, they have to actively search for a new job such as applying for jobs, attending career coaching or participating in eligible training courses, the ministry added. This follows Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's announcement of the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme in his National Day Rally speech on Aug 18. PM Wong previously said that lower- to middle-income workers who are involuntarily unemployed will receive a total of up to $6,000 over a period of up to six months while they undergo training or look for another job. Sharing details of the new scheme on Tuesday, MOM said that the financial support for jobseekers will be rolled out in April 2025.

SINGAPORE — A maid who allegedly beat her employer's dog which later died was arrested on Aug 26 and charged in a district court on Aug 27. Junny Lal Awn Pui, 26, a Myanmar national, faces four charges under the Animals and Birds Act. The charges accuse her of abusing a 13-year-old male brown poodle named «Boyboy» on Jan 22 between 9.50am and 11.45am. Her alleged acts of abuse include grabbing the dog by its neck, pinning it to the ground and forcefully hitting its head with her hand and a stick made up of rolled paper. The maid is also said to have pressed her leg on the dog while trying to bandage it, and hung the animal by its harness on a balcony railing to «sun» it. The court heard on Aug 27 that the prosecution intends to proceed on three charges if Junny Lal Awn Pui opts to plead guilty. The maid said she wants to contest the charge alleging she hung the dog on the balcony, as her employer had asked her to do it. She intends to plead guilty to the remaining three charges.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had to push his own limits during basic military training (BMT) when he enlisted for National Service (NS) over 30 years ago. «When I came into BMT, I was an unfit person,» Wong shared as he addressed 420 recruits at the Basic Military Training Camp in Pulau Tekong on Tuesday (Aug 27) morning. «I didn't focus on exercising in school, but BMT made me push my own limits - going to OCS (Officer Cadet School) pushed my limits further,» he said. Before going to OCS, PM Wong cleared his 2.4km runs in 13 to 14 minutes, which he believes is «very slow». By the time he completed OCS, he was able to finish a 2.4km run in under 10 minutes, he said. «I never knew I could do something like that, but with some training you can push yourself. Expressing his hope that the training would stay with recruits, he said: »It's not just the physical fitness, it's also the frame of mind, the discipline, the grit and the resilience and the determination to keep on pushing your limits."

A parent has raised concerns about supposedly high food prices at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Stomp contributor Fen, who identified herself as a «concerned parent», shared her worries after paying $6.30 for a meal at NTU's Hall 2 food court. She said she was charged $6.30 for economy rice with pork, egg and brinjal on Aug 21. Fen recounted: «This plate of cai fan cost a whopping $6.30!!! I was charged $1.50 each for vegetables, $2.50 for pork and $0.80 for rice. »This is what NTU students have to pay for lunch daily, which is more expensive than outside. Cai fan with one meat and two vegetables cost $2.90 at a coffee shop in Bedok.« PHOTO: Stomp Fei also complained about the sausage baked rice from another stall. The Stomp contributor added: »Sausage baked rice at $4.75 looks so unappetising!

A couple recently came under fire for riding a personal mobility aid (PMA) across the road with their two young children despite the pedestrian light being red. A video posted to Facebook group Singapore Road Vigilante on Monday (Aug 26) shows the family in question at a pedestrian crossing in Bukit Merah. The father can be seen talking on the phone while they wait to cross the road alongside other pedestrians. Just a few seconds later, however, the man drives his PMA onto the road while the traffic light is still red. A car is seen zooming past just in front of the family as they ride across. They then stop in the middle of the road, where the divider is, and cross to the other side when the light turns green. Some netizens criticised the parents for putting their children in danger. One netizen commented: «I really feel sad for the children.» «A tragedy waiting to happen,» wrote another commentor. A netizen also commented: «These are the people who caused nothing but trouble!» Other netizens pointed out how cases of PMA misuse had increased and questioned what was being done to address them.

Claw machines can often be found in arcades or even pasar malams (night market) - but have you ever seen one in a primary school? Well, Northoaks Primary School boasts not just one, but two claw machines as part of a school-wide game encouraging its students to display good behaviour such as discipline and responsibility. Since the quest-based game was implemented in 2022, there have been less latecomers, reported Lianhe Zaobao. When students complete certain tasks, such as arriving punctually and listening attentively to lessons, they are given a stamp. Stamps can also be collected at zones around the school for following instructions like lining up in rows. Once students obtain a certain number of stamps, they can redeem them for a spin at the 'Wheel of Thrill' offering prizes such as stickers and tokens for a chance to win soft toy prizes from the claw machine. To better engage school staff and students, videos showcasing the game storyline were also created.

SINGAPORE — When stay-at-home mum Clara Tan walked into a quiet and spacious fourth-floor nursing room in Isetan Scotts, she thought it was the perfect place to feed her three-month-old daughter until she noticed the mould on the wall. She realised mould on the wall was not the only problem when she stopped to take a photograph of her baby and herself, and faced the mirror. In a post on social media platform TikTok on Aug 23, the 29-year-old said: «To my horror, I noticed that the walls were heavily covered in mould. And it wasn't just the walls — even the chairs and baby chairs were affected.» Concerned for other nursing mothers and babies who might use the room, Tan put up the photos on TikTok. The photos show many seating areas in the room, as well as two nursing cubicles, diaper changing tables, baby chairs and a washing area. Black spots can be seen covering large parts of the wall. The photos drew comments from numerous TikTok users. One, with the handle oofibrawl, said: «Nursing/changing areas need more attention from shopping mall managements, otherwise don't have them at all.»

SINGAPORE – A woman who fabricated a story about suffering a miscarriage at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) and the founder of alternative news site Wake Up, Singapore (WUSG) who published the false account were both fined by a district court on Aug 26. Ma Su Nandar Htwe, a 28-year-old Myanmar national and Singapore permanent resident, and WUSG’s founder Ariffin Iskandar Sha Ali Akbar, a 27-year-old Singaporean, each pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal defamation. Ma Su Nandar Htwe, who admitted to submitting the fake story because she “wanted drama”, was fined $10,000. Ariffin was fined $8,000. He published the story just 20 minutes after e-mailing KKH, before the hospital could reply. The court heard that Ma Su Nandar Htwe sent the false account to WUSG’s Instagram account on March 21, 2022. In it, she claimed she tested positive for Covid-19 in February 2022 when she was 20 weeks’ pregnant. She claimed she arrived at KKH at 2pm that day and started bleeding from her vagina at about 5pm. She said she could see a doctor only at 6pm and he told her: “No need ultrasound, the baby is probably dead, this is too much bleeding.”

When a child's foot got stuck in a bicycle's rear wheel, several passers-by stepped forward to help and comfort the girl. The incident occurred at Block 79A Toa Payoh Central last Wednesday (Aug 21) afternoon. In a Xiaohongshu post on Thursday, one of the passers-by said a maid was fetching the kindergartener home on a bicycle when the latter's left foot slipped into the gap between the wheel and bicycle frame. «It hurt to hear her heart-wrenching shouts,» wrote the user.  While waiting for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to arrive, a number of passers-by stopped along the walkway and surrounded the girl, supporting her right leg and body as well as taking off her left shoe. Someone had even brought tools in an attempt to dismantle the bicycle frame. Others, including the Xiaohongshu user, offered tissues and comforted the girl. The Xiaongshu user later urged parents and helpers travelling with children on bicycles to be mindful of safety and ensure the kid's legs are positioned correctly.

SINGAPORE — Anywhere in Singapore, any mention of para sport and swimmer Yip Pin Xiu's name will inevitably come up. The 32-year-old, whose burgeoning trophy cabinet includes five Paralympic gold medals, is easily one of the country's most recognisable para-athletes. Behind all her success, said Yip, is one moment that defines her career and set her on this path. «Rio 2016 really was the point for me, where it kind of showed me what consistency looks like. After winning in Beijing (2008), I took some time off, went to study, and didn't really know what I wanted to do. It took me a long time to realise that I still wanted to chase glory for my country,» said the veteran swimmer, who has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease which causes the progressive loss of muscle tissue and touch. «Winning a medal and breaking the world record — It's like the one big defining moment that showed that, at that point in time, I was older than I was in Beijing and I managed to swim faster than I ever did. It broke my own perception and my own boundaries of what I thought I could do.»

What happens when a diner in front of you orders 30 plates of chicken rice? Well, one National University of Singapore (NUS) student who found herself in this situation had to give up on her order, she said in response to a vox pop question posed by HeyKaki on the problems brought about by the influx of tourists, one which has disrupted life on the campus.  That student shared that she was queueing at one of the school's canteen then.  «[The hawker] said they didn't have enough rice... They had enough chicken, but not rice,» she lamented. In HeyKaki's TikTok video posted on Friday (Aug 23), some of the eight NUS students interviewed bemoaned issues such as tourists squeezing onto campus shuttle buses, and packed school canteens. https://www.tiktok.com/@heykaki.sg/video/7406138101858323728?_r=1&_t=8p9s1jT9VEC One the other hand, another respondent said the high visitor traffic does not affect her: «I'm just like, 'Oh wow'. NUS is a normal thing to me, but people take it as a tourist spot.»

The early bird gets the worm — or maybe not. Tissue paper, rocks, and plastic bags were among those 'patiently' waiting in line for rescued food at Block 112 Bishan Street 12 on Friday (Aug 23). Taking to Facebook that night, the food rescue initiative's organisers Bishan East Zone 1 Residents' Network thanked residents for their overwhelming support. «We appreciate the early bird zeal in queuing up for restocks in good orderliness & neighbourliness,» they said. However, the residents' network emphasized that «only physical human queues are accepted» as they shared a photo showing a line of items, mostly plastic bags which were held down by stones, in the queue. «Creative 'chope-ing' by objects is strictly prohibited.» All items on the floor are considered as litter and will be cleared or confiscated, they added. «We seek your understanding and co-operation in maintaining a pleasant and harmonious food rescue experience for all.»

SINGAPORE — Opposition leader and Workers' Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh made a bid on Aug 26 to have his upcoming trial transferred to the High Court, citing the case of former transport minister S. Iswaran. Singh, 48, faces two charges of lying to a parliamentary committee that was convened in November 2021 to look into the lying controversy involving his party's former MP Raeesah Khan. A 16-day trial in the State Courts has been scheduled to take place between Oct 14 and Nov 13. The trial is slated to be presided over by Deputy Principal District Judge Luke Tan. On Aug 26, Singh's lawyer, Andre Jumabhoy, made arguments to High Court Judge Hoo Sheau Peng in a bid to have the case transferred to the High Court. He argued that it was «expedient for the ends of justice» for his client's case to be heard by the High Court. Jumabhoy referred to the case of Iswaran, whose trial was transferred to be heard in the High Court on the application of the prosecution.

SINGAPORE – Just a day earlier, Vera Tan had one regret after clinching a bronze in the women’s optional taijiquan at the World Taijiquan Championships at OCBC Arena – she wished she had smiled more during her routine. On Aug 25, the 26-year-old was beaming brightly as she stood on top of the podium after winning gold in the optional taijijian. She topped the 16-strong field with her score of 9.700, just pipping compatriot Zeanne Law (9.696) and Brunei’s Basma Lachkar (9.686). She told The Straits Times: “I tried to smile more today! I was actually more nervous today. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t feel I was in my best form during my warm-up. However, I’m glad I managed to shut off the nerves and perform as I usually do in training. “I was 16 when I won the women’s optional taijiquan gold (in the first edition of the championships) but they didn’t have this many competitors then. So, I’m happy to win gold again after a long time.” Tan has enjoyed a renaissance of late as she ended her World Wushu Championships medal drought in 2023 with a taijijian bronze.

A woman was amused and impressed by her Tada driver selling his wife's handmade jewellery in his car. Stomp contributor Christina even bought a bracelet after booking the ride with him on Aug 20. She recounted: «On the way back home, I came across this driver helping his wife selling jewellery inside his car. »It is a unique experience because I always book a ride home and the PHV (private-hire vehicle) driver usually has stickers on the back like 'no smoking, eating or drinking' but this driver had something else.« A sign hung on the back of the front passenger seat read: »Hi, do support my wife's Shopee if you love handmade jewellery.« It also listed the prices of the items for sale in the car. »And this made me laugh also. It says, 'Wife: Any questions, can ask my driver cum salesman',« said the Stomp contributor. »I thought I would share this since I find the husband very supportive of his wife by helping her display all this, I know most guys have big egos and wouldn’t display all this girl stuff."

SINGAPORE — More than two in five people in Singapore believe they will never be able to achieve financial freedom based on their current trajectory, a poll has found. Of the 3,000 people polled, 29 per cent said they will be able to achieve financial freedom, 27 per cent said they have already attained it, while 44 per cent said they will never be able to do so. The top three reasons they cite for not being able to be financially free are: insufficient income, unforeseen personal or health circumstances, and job insecurity. The findings were part of composite insurer Singlife's second financial freedom index. The index findings were gathered through an online survey of 3,000 Singaporeans and permanent residents aged 18 to 65 from April to June in 2024. In 2024, respondents scored 58 out of 100 in the index. This is slightly down from the score of 60 in 2023. Those polled said they are most stressed about inflation, not having enough savings for retirement, and having to pay for medical expenses. 

SINGAPORE - The number of petrol stations in Singapore has fallen over the past two decades, mirroring a global trend as demand for petrol wanes and electric vehicle (EV) adoption grows. This comes even as remaining petrol stations evolve to offer more varied retail options, selling sushi, bubble tea, fast food and even kaya toast, to snag consumers, in addition to charging points for EVs. There are currently 184 petrol stations in Singapore, according to petrol station operators. This is down 17.1 per cent from the peak of 222 in 2003. The locations of petrol stations are planned by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), which said it considers national and local land needs and key trends such as the growing adoption of EVs when setting aside land for petrol stations. It pointed out that the number of stations in Singapore has been «largely stable» in recent years. That said, there are signs that demand for petrol has dropped, which experts attribute to more fuel-efficient automotive technology and the take-up of electric vehicles.

When American singer-songwriter Madison Beer found her nails to be «breaking and falling apart» before her Singapore concert on Aug 22, she reached out to nail salon Edens' Atelier Co located at Aljunied. But the 25-year-old paid for a lot more than just a manicure, helping the business formerly known as Toto Nail Studio with their rent and promoting them on her Instagram Story. The nail salon's owner, Hazel Wah, then shared an Instagram post yesterday (Aug 24) about how it went down. The 21-year-old prefaced the story with how she had taken a «huge leap of faith» to move into a large studio, but was left «hanging» by her former business partner. «That led to financial constraints as we'd planned to invest into the business for the first six months with our personal finances to let the business grow,» Wah added. «I lost over $20,000 trying to maintain the rent, electricity bills, salaries and much more.»

One woman recently became the centre of attention for her striking looks and has been affectionately dubbed Singapore's Xi Shi by patrons of a coffee shop. Xi Shi was one of the four renowned beauties of ancient China. In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, Tang Xinyi (transliteration) shared that she began working at a coffee shop located at Block 491 Jurong West Avenue 1 only eight months ago, and was initially perplexed by the recent influx of messages she had gotten. «I was quite surprised at first,» said Tang who has been working as a beer promoter for two years. «But then I realised it was because someone had shared my photos and posts widely on social media».  The 27-year-old Malaysian shared with the Chinese publication that she was not mentally prepared for her sudden popularity and had never thought about becoming a celebrity. Some of her friends in Malaysia and customers here, she shared, have also expressed concerns about the sudden attention.  However, she said she's very grateful for the public's support.

The driver of a tipper truck that damaged the ceiling of the Central Expressway (CTE) tunnel on Aug 25 at around 1am has been arrested.  According to the LTA Traffic News X account, the incident took place along the CTE tunnel after the Havelock Road exit, towards the Seletar Expressway (SLE). Two video clips of the accident were posted on Facebook page Singapore Roads Accident.  The footage from both clips show the damage that occurred at the site which included debris, shattered glass and parts of the ceiling strewn across the two lanes on the right side of the road. It also showed traffic cones blocking off the affected section, leaving only the left lane open to traffic. Several police cars as well as the truck that exceeded the height limit can also be seen parked in the area. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) told The Straits Times that there was no structural damage to the ceiling. Lanes 1 and 2 were reopened to traffic at about 10.20am on Aug 25, the LTA added.

SINGAPORE - A co-savings plan to help lower-income youth here accumulate adequate emergency savings. Programmes for more young people to gain regional work experience and exposure. Even a national standard for recyclability labelling to raise recycling rates while reducing bin contamination. These were among the draft policy recommendations put forward by 120 young people at the inaugural Youth Policy Forum on Aug 24 after nine months of research, consultations and discussions, including with relevant stakeholders and government agencies. On its part, the Government will seriously consider these proposals and how they can be implemented, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said during a dialogue with some 1,000 young people at the forum. He emphasised that this does not mean every recommendation will be accepted, nor should that be the basis for judging the work that has gone into them. Proposals may not be approved for a range of reasons, such as being very hard to implement or requiring a lot of resources that are not currently available, said PM Wong.

As with most horror stories, this one unfolds at night. On the eve of examinations or essay deadlines, many students often guzzle coffee or cans of energy drinks to stave off sleep and power through their studies. Some even concoct a more potent brew by mixing black coffee with energy drinks that contain caffeine for an extra jolt of alertness. Qistina, a 21-year-old motion graphic designer who prefers to be known only by her middle name, recalls needing at least two large cups of local coffee to stay awake while studying at a polytechnic. It led her friend to ask if mixing energy drinks with coffee would be the next thing she would do. «It was the first time I had heard of such a mix,» Qistina says. «I don't think I would ever do it, but the idea has stuck with me since.» The cost of this desperate bid to stay awake is steep. As the artificial surge of energy wanes, students find themselves transformed into literal zombies, shambling through the following days in a sleep-deprived haze. Yet, this is a price they are willing to pay for academic success.