Two HDB flats in the quiet neighbourhoods of Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang hid a shocking secret. They were allegedly being used by tenants to offer sexual services, which were promoted and arranged via online messaging apps. In an operation that took place on Dec 5, officers from the Jurong Police Division raided the two units simultaneously. AsiaOne was among the media invited to visit the two scenes, where officers arrested four suspects and found various items such as baby oil, wet wipes as well as a stash of condoms. The police were alerted to suspicious activity in these units via multiple calls and reports. The shoebox containing the hidden camera at the unit along Choa Chu Kang Street 52. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Danial Zahrin At the first flat, located along Choa Chu Kang Street 52, a surveillance camera was concealed in a shoebox placed on a rack outside the flat.

A bus in Rovaniemi, Finland carrying 29 tourists from Singapore tour group Chan Brothers was involved in an accident on Thursday (Dec 19). The incident occurred at around 1pm local time (7pm Singapore time) when the tour bus collided head-on with a minibus, reported Lianhe Zaobao on Dec 19. A total of 37 people, mainly from Singapore and China, were taken to the hospital, said the Finnish police.  Out of the 37, 31 needed further medical assessment.  Two people — the minibus driver and a passenger — died at the scene.  Several of the tourists from Singapore, who had begun their tour on December 11, sustained minor injuries. After being examined at the hospital, they were discharged and continued with the final two days of their tour, reported Zaobao. The Chan Brothers tour group were on a 13-day, 10-night Lapland Northern Lights and Lofoten Islands tour. The tour group members had been wearing seat belts at the time of the accident. According to footage released by Finnish media, the front of the tour bus was severely damaged and the windshield was broken. On the other hand, the minibus was mangled. 

Passengers of a Vietjet flight bound for Hanoi, Vietnam faced a gruelling ordeal at Changi Airport's Terminal 4 on Dec 19, as the flight was reportedly ultimately cancelled after nearly five hours of delays. One of the passengers, Stomp contributor Benjamin, shared with Stomp that flight VJ916 was originally scheduled to depart at 2.55pm. According to the Stomp contributor, passengers were informed of delays hourly, with each update offering no clear information on when the flight would depart. In response to the extended wait, passengers were offered a light bite from Texas Chicken. By 7pm, frustrated passengers demanded answers from airline staff, only to be told at 7.45pm that the flight would not be operating at all. Benjamin said the reason cited for the disruption was a «technical issue». Ground staff and mechanics were observed working on the aircraft during the delay, but no further details about the issue were provided. According to FlightAware, VietJet Air flight VJ916 operates daily from Singapore to Hanoi, but no flight was recorded on Dec 19.

SINGAPORE - Individuals whose full NRIC numbers were exposed on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority's (Acra) database earlier in December face potential cyber-security risks, as organisations frequently rely on NRIC numbers to retrieve personal information. Checks by The Straits Times also found that NRIC numbers can serve as a key to collecting information about individuals, which can be used for targeted scams or mischief. Cyber-security experts cautioned that NRIC numbers can be used by bad actors to trick victims into believing they are authority figures or to commit crime. The exposed NRIC numbers can also be used to collect further information for scams. The experts said the risks highlight how an NRIC number in the wrong hands can pose risks to individuals, who need to be vigilant against scams, even as changes in how NRIC numbers are used in the private sector are afoot.

Upon their release on Dec 16, miniature Grab uniforms for Labubu dolls were snatched up within minutes and were being resold at up to 10 times the price. The uniform set, originally priced at $29.90, includes a shirt, pants, and Grab delivery backpack. It was being sold as part of an initiative inspired by delivery riders who frequently bring plush toys on their bikes, reported MS News earlier in December. Just 50 sets were put up for sale that day on GrabFood Gear, a platform for Grab delivery partners, and they were sold out within eight minutes, a Grab spokesperson told the media outlet. On Thursday (19 Dec), the miniature Grab uniform was reportedly being listed at significantly marked up prices on Carousell with one such listing asking for $288. The other listings were asking for $168 and $99 respectively. On Friday, these listings were either removed or had their prices reduced. The set previously being sold for $288 had its price reportedly slashed by more than half to $138.

BUKIT JALIL - They were the lower-ranked underdogs playing in their archrivals' den, but the defiant Lions secured an outstanding 0-0 draw in Malaysia on Dec 20 to qualify for the ASEAN Championship semi-finals. In the last four, Group A runners-up Singapore will meet the Group B winners who will be decided among Vietnam, Indonesia and Myanmar on Dec 21. The Lions will host the first leg at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Dec 26 before playing the second leg away on Dec 29. Meanwhile, Group A winners Thailand, who beat Cambodia 3-2 in Bangkok, will play the Group B runners-up away on Dec 27 and at home on Dec 30. In front of 31,127 fans at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, the Tigers threw the proverbial kitchen sink at world No. 160 Singapore, but Lions goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud would not be beaten, as his teammates also defended resolutely. The 34-year-old said: «It was a mature performance and everybody worked hard. This is a tough place to come to, in front of more than 30,000 fans. We stood our ground and I'm so proud of the boys.»

Commuters living in the north-east region who travel before 7.15am or between 8.45am and 9.45am will enjoy discounts of up to 80 per cent off their fares from Jan 2 next year. This is part of the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) expanded Travel Smart Journeys programme, which is aimed to encourage passengers to travel outside of the morning peak period on weekdays. In a news release on Friday (Dec 20), LTA said commuters must tap in at Punggol Coast, Punggol, Sengkang, Hougang or Buangkok MRT stations along the North East Line (NEL), or any station along the Punggol and Sengkang LRT lines to be eligible for the discounts. Those who do so will be awarded points on the SimplyGo app that can be converted into e-vouchers. This incentive is on top of the existing morning pre-peak fare scheme, where rail passengers can save up to 50 cents off their fares if they tap in before 7.45am on weekdays.

A charity group in Singapore has raised over $2.6 million to help children and families affected by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.  The fundraiser, which ran from Sept 18 to Dec 13, was organised by the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) together with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), and local organisation Humanity Matters (HM). A total of $2,608,717 was raised over the three-month period, said RLAF in a press release on Friday (Dec 20). RLAF is a charity set up by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.  Some of the fundraiser activities included an event on Nov 17, which involved some 300 volunteers collecting donations from the public. They also distributed One Nation, One Humanity stickers across the island. On Dec 1, over 300 volunteers packed more than 20 tonnes of essential supplies which included food, healthcare and hygiene products, for shipment to Jordan.  The supplies are expected to be delivered in January 2025.

One driver travelling along Commonwealth Avenue allegedly had to jam on the brakes when he saw three bicycles parked in the middle of the road. All three lanes of the road were blocked by the stationary bicycles, said a woman who deemed the act a «dangerous prank». The incident reportedly occurred at the junction between Commonwealth Ave and Stirling Road on Friday (Dec 20). Geraldine Lim, who uploaded the photo to Facebook group Complaint Singapore, told AsiaOne that it was shared with her through a WhatsApp chat for private-hire drivers. The bicycles in the photo appear to be parked in a row across the lanes, obstructing traffic.

Twelve drivers were caught by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in an operation on Wednesday (Dec 18) at Changi Airport for providing illegal ride-hailing services. In a Facebook post by the LTA on Thursday, it stated that the drivers were providing rides illegally between Singapore and Malaysia, as well as within Singapore. Their foreign-registered vehicles were also impounded, added LTA. A 21-second video accompanying the post showed enforcement officers cracking down on the drivers, most of whom appeared to be waiting for passengers outside the airport's arrival hall and car park.

SINGAPORE — After drinking 10 cans of beer, a private-hire driver decided to drive a car into Bedok Camp in Upper East Coast Road to «see the reaction of the security». Muhammad Sathiq Mohamed Sadakatulla arrived outside the camp at around 6am on Dec 20, 2023, but security did not raise the entry barrier for him. Sathiq then drove through the barrier and entered the camp, before turning and crashing through an exit barrier. After he was arrested at home, he was found to have 36 micrograms of alcohol in 100ml of breath. This is slightly above the prescribed limit of 35mcg of alcohol in the same amount of breath. In September 2024, while out on bail, Sathiq assaulted two policemen after consuming beer in an unrelated incident. On Dec 18, the 38-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to 20 weeks' jail after he pleaded guilty to one count of entering a protected place without a permit and two counts of assaulting a police officer. The prosecution said that on Dec 19, 2023, after dropping off a passenger at around 8.30pm, Sathiq drank two cans of beer, followed by another four, before heading home.

After being diagnosed with cancer in February, hawker Yan Mengjing (transliteration) had to temporarily close her seven cooked food and market stalls to focus on recovery. The 48-year-old single mum subsequently received rental waivers totalling over $10,000 from the National Environment Agency (NEA), reported Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday (Dec 18). Yan, who hails from Myanmar, obtained Singapore citizenship in 2003. To raise her daughter after her divorce more than 10 years ago, she set up a yong tau foo stall before starting to sell seafood in 2019. «At first, I had two stalls. Then, I noticed many vacant stalls and decided to rent them too. In addition to the six market stalls, I also run a cooked food stall selling Burmese curry,» she told Shin Min. Yan was busy running the stalls — until she was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in February. Amid multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments that lasted over six months, Yan would periodically return to work. «Due to my weakened immune system, the doctor advised me to avoid crowds, so I wasn't able to work as usual,» she said.

SINGAPORE - Local banks and insurers are reviewing their use of NRIC numbers, and existing practices could change, they said in separate statements on Dec 19. Their statements came in the wake of security concerns over the disclosure of NRIC numbers in an updated version of Singapore's business registry portal, run by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra). Addressing concerns of impersonators using NRICs to cheat banks, the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) said NRIC numbers alone cannot be used to make payment and fund transfers. Customers who want to do so will have to pass multi-factor authentication challenges, in the form of one-time passwords or biometric authentication, to log in to their accounts. Higher-risk activities like high-value fund transfers or adding new payees will have to be further authorised, said ABS. In calls that The Straits Times made to local banks in the past week, banks typically required callers to identify themselves by entering their NRIC numbers during the call. The caller is required to enter a one-time password before services or privileged information are provided.

The government has apologised for causing anxiety and confusion among the public over the unmasking of NRIC numbers on the Bizfile platform.  «We are very sorry to have caused them much anxiety,” said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo, who emphasised that the public's concerns are taken seriously.  Speaking at a joint press conference on Thursday (Dec 19), she clarified that the move to eventually unmask NRIC numbers was to give the public »better protection«, as the current situation leaves people vulnerable.  The government’s plans to discontinue the use of masked NRIC numbers was meant to be implemented first on new services, and subsequently older services as they get updated. Implementing it in the private sector would only happen after a public consultation was done, said Teo.  The authorities had wanted to make the change after explaining its rationale, but a »miscommunication" regarding its implementation led to the launch of the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority's (Acra) new Bizfile platform on Dec 9, which had a search function that produced people's full NRIC numbers with their names.

Within six hours of a case of housebreaking and theft at a landed house in Bukit Timah getting reported on Wednesday (Dec 18), the police arrested two Chinese nationals who are in Singapore on social visit passes.  The two men, aged 38 and 52, are suspected of breaking into the house along Greenleaf View to commit theft on Monday night when the unit was empty. Police canvassed security cameras within and around the unit, including police cameras, to identify the suspects.  They were arrested at about 6pm on Wednesday at a hotel along Joo Chiat Road.  The two suspects wore trekking gear to commit the housebreakings.  PHOTO: AsiaOne/Sean Ler Two watches valued at about $8,800, a branded pouch valued at about $5,000, an assortment of jewellery, and about $3,750 in cash were recovered from them. 

To support those in need, FairPrice will be extending its daily discount schemes for Pioneer Generation, Merdeka Generation and Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) Orange and Blue cardholders into 2025.  These cardholders can enjoy a three per cent discount on purchases on selected days of the week. The discount scheme will be available across all FairPrice stores and Unity outlets till Dec 31, 2025, FairPrice Group said on Thursday (Dec 19). Discount schemes at FairPrice will be extended till Dec 31, 2025.  PHOTO: FairPrice Group The CHAS Orange discount scheme, introduced in October, aims to help more Singaporeans afford daily essentials. It is available to individuals whose total gross household monthly income per family member living together ranges from $1,501 to $2,300. 

SINGAPORE — Travellers can expect very heavy traffic at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints during the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays, and are advised to factor in additional waiting time. In a statement on Thursday (Dec 19), the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said over 3.4 million travellers crossed the land checkpoints during the first week of year-end school holidays, between Dec 15 and 21. On Dec 13, a record of over 553,000 travellers crossed in a single day, with the figure surpassing the previous peak of more than 543,000 travellers on Sept 6. Car travellers leaving Singapore during peak periods had to wait up to three hours to clear immigration, due to traffic tailback from Malaysia, said ICA. «Travellers are advised to factor in additional waiting time, especially over the weekends,» said the agency. «Alternatively, travellers can consider taking the cross-border bus services.» Travellers are also advised to co-operate with ICA officers, observe traffic rules, and maintain lane discipline.

Singapore motorists without Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) tags will continue receiving warnings at Malaysia's land checkpoints.  Replying to CNA's question on whether action will be taken against Singapore drivers who have outstanding traffic fines come Jan 1, 2025, Malaysia's transport minister Anthony Loke said on Wednesday (Dec 18) that the VEP system is still not fully enforced. «We have not announced the [full] implementation [of VEP enforcement] yet… Any further enforcement will be communicated and will be announced. So nothing to worry for the drivers,» Loke said. «We are giving notices to drivers who have yet to apply for the VEP, but that is for the time-being.» He also urged motorists not to delay registrations for the permit. Loke, however, did not confirm whether action will be taken against Singapore motorists with unpaid traffic fines from January 2025, which was previously announced by Malaysia.

An elderly woman went to a hair salon to dye her hair but ended up purchasing a treatment package for $880. Her son-in-law, surnamed Wong, told Shin Min Daily News that the 75-year-old, who is hearing-impaired, visited the salon located at Block 414, Yishun Ring Road on Nov 14. She had planned to dye her hair, which would have only cost her $38. Before the dyeing process was completed, however, the salon employee sold her a scalp care service, telling her that the treatment would only take a few minutes. «At that time, my mother-in-law was told that it would cost around $80, so she took out her bank card to pay,» said Wong. 'We have to shout every time we talk to her' Wong suspects that the salon employee took advantage of his mother-in-law's hearing impairment to sell her the treatment package. «We have to shout every time we talk to her so that she can hear us,» said Wong, highlighting the severity of her condition. He claimed that his mother-in-law was under the impression that «she had paid $80 plus» that day, unaware that she had purchased a 12-treatment package for ten times the price.

They aren't Singaporeans, but they take better care of our country than some of us do. A Japanese family was seen picking up litter in Tiong Bahru on Dec 14, spurring a local to reflect on himself and other Singaporeans. In a post to Facebook group Tiong Bahru Social Page, Alex Chan wrote: «Saw a Japanese family picking up litter along the route to Tiong Bahru Plaza bus stop». «Let's not litter and make Tiong Bahru clean for all,» he said, also thanking the Japanese family. Speaking with 8world, Chan shared that he's a Tiong Bahru resident and encountered the family while he was buying breakfast that morning. He believes the family is Japanese as he overheard them conversing in the language while picking up rubbish. «I thought they were just passing by, but I realised they were cleaning the sheltered walkway,» he said. «This is a good opportunity to teach children not to litter, as there is often rubbish and cigarette butts on this stretch of road,» Chan added. According to him, the Japanese children appeared to be about seven to 10 years old.

34 motorists, aged between 24 and 63, will be charged in court on Thursday (Dec 19) for drink driving offences.  In a news release on Wednesday, the police said the arrests were made between August and December after the motorists failed their breathalyser tests during police enforcement checks.  Two motorists aged 36 and 44 are repeat offenders of drink driving. They were found to be driving under the influence of alcohol on Sept 30 and Nov 5 respectively.  If convicted, they will serve time in jail. Another two motorists, a 52-year-old man and a 33-year-old man, face an additional charge of leaving their vehicles in a stationary position along Airport Road and Brickland Road respectively. Their actions obstructed traffic and potentially caused danger to other road users, the police said. Both motorists had driven their cars after allegedly consuming alcohol, and subsequently fell asleep behind the wheel. They will be charged with drink driving and for leaving their vehicles in a manner that caused undue inconvenience to others. 

SINGAPORE - The Lions will be licking their wounds while on their travels across the Causeway after they squandered a 2-0 lead to suffer a 4-2 defeat by Thailand in an ASEAN Championship match at the National Stadium on Dec 17. The Lions' last-four hopes will now go down to the final group match against Malaysia at Bukit Jalil National Stadium, where Singapore will need to avoid defeat to reach the last four of the biennial competition for only the second time since winning the title in 2012.  The Lions have six points from three matches and sit second in Group A. They began the campaign with a 2-1 victory over Cambodia at the National Stadium on Dec 11 before a 3-0 win over Timor-Leste in Vietnam three days later. Lions coach Tsutomu Ogura spoke about a tale of two halves, saying: «The first half I think was the best 45 minutes (I have overseen). Players were not scared, not afraid, built up from the back. The opponents were also a little bit confused.»

Archbishop Emeritus Nicholas Chia has died at the age of 86.  Cardinal William Goh announced on Facebook late on Dec 17 that Archbishop Chia had «passed away peacefully this evening at St Theresa's Home». «Let us pray for the repose of his soul. May perpetual light shine upon him and may he rest in peace,» said Cardinal Goh, adding that arrangements for the public to pay respects and for the funeral proceedings will be announced later. Earlier today, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore posted on their social media pages that Singapore's third archbishop Nicholas Chia is critically ill. «We invite all to pray for him and for those who care for him during this time,» the post also stated. Archbishop Chia resigned from his position in May 2013. He was the first Singapore-born clergy to have been appointed to the position of Archbishop. In February 2014, Archbishop Chia was comatose after a fall which caused him to sustain a brain haemorrhage.

A Singapore-bound flight from Penang returned back to Malaysia after a brief amount of time in the air, Shin Min Daily News reported on Sunday (Dec 15). AirAsia flight AK1729 was supposed to take off from Penang International Airport at 6.55pm last Friday (Dec 13), landing in Singapore at 8.20pm. However, things went awry even before the plane took off as passengers had to wait out a delay of two hours. When the plane finally departed the runway at 9.30pm, however, it soon turned back some 15 minutes into the flight, making an emergency landing in Penang. AK1729 was then further delayed, finally leaving Penang at around 6am the next morning, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. The flight's passengers only arrived in Singapore at 7am that morning, almost 11 hours later than was originally planned. A cracked windscreen? Speaking with Shin Min, a male passenger claimed that the flight may have returned to Penang due to damage to the plane's windscreen. In photographs seen by the Chinese publication, a portion of the windscreen appeared damaged, with mesh-like cracks on its surface.

Singapore's third archbishop Nicholas Chia is critically ill, according to a post by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore on their social media pages on Tuesday (Dec 17). «We invite all to pray for him and for those who care for him during this time,» the post also stated. Chia, 86, is an Archbishop Emeritus, having resigned from his position in May 2013. He is the first Singapore-born clergy to have been appointed to the position of Archbishop. In February 2014, Chia was comatose after a fall which caused him to sustain a brain haemorrhage. Nearly a month later in March, Chia woke up from his coma after the large clot in his head had resolved and swelling subsided, reported Today Online. Born on April 8, 1938, Chia grew up in an attap house in Hougang with a staunch Catholic family, according to a page on the Archdiocese of Singapore's website. He'd also described his growing up years as «simple but happy».  He was ordained as a priest on Jan 26, 1964 and began his ministry as assistant parish priest at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Catholic News reported.

SINGAPORE — A former security officer was fined $1,800 on Dec 17 after he abandoned his guardhouse duties and forgot to get rid of a fake bomb that was supposed to be used in an exercise at his then workplace. Durendran Vicknesh Venkatraman's forgetfulness had sparked a bomb scare that resulted in multiple Home Team officers being deployed to Sing Industrial Complex in Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2 on Jan 5. While the officers were conducting their investigation into the case involving an object resembling an improvised explosive device (IED) that turned out to be a dud, more than a hundred people were either evacuated or prevented from entering the premises for around 90 minutes. Before handing down the sentence on Dec 17, District Judge Ow Yong Tuck Leong said that the 46-year-old Singaporean had left the complex for around 5.5 hours when he should be working, and had visited his friends at Oxley Tower in Robinson Road, more than 7km away. However, the judge also noted that court documents did not state that Durendran had displayed prior unprofessional behaviour.

A Singaporean driver lost her Touch 'n Go card containing RM150 (S$45) after lending it to a woman who failed to return it. Stomp contributor Eileen said the incident occurred at the Johor Bahru checkpoint on Dec 11. She recounted: «I was waiting at the second last counter when I saw a car stopping at the last counter for awhile, then reversing and waiting. »When I reached my counter, a woman from the car came over and asked to borrow my Touch 'n Go card. She was holding RM20 but did not give it to me.« Eileen shared dashcam footage that shows her handing her card over to the woman, who was wearing a white tank top. The latter can be seen holding money in her hands. »I waited in front but she did not come and return my card to me,« the Stomp contributor added. »Instead, she took the card and walked away immediately while I was still at the counter waiting for my passport to be stamped. Eileen also believes she had been targeted by the woman.

A durian shop owner wants to warn others after falling victim to a purported scam whereby a customer ordered $400 worth of durians but did not pay. Speaking to AsiaOne on Monday (Dec 16), 29-year-old owner of Durian Kaki, Adam Ho, said that the incident had occurred last Thursday. According to Ho, the individual who claimed to be a regular customer had reached out him via WhatsApp at around 11.30am, wanting to place an order for his company event with door-to-door delivery. He was «really friendly» while communicating with Ho, and there was «no reason doubt to his intentions whatsoever». The customer claimed to have an event with 10 to 15 people attending and after rounds of negotiation, Ho agreed to sell him 10 boxes of Mao Shan Wang durians at a discounted price of $40 per box. Durians taken during deliveryman's break The order was scheduled to be delivered before 6pm, and Ho's deliveryman arrived at the HDB unit at 5.45pm. The deliveryman noted that the unit appeared «abandoned» due to a stash of flyers under the door. He also reported that no one came to receive the durians.

A male resident in an HDB block in Choa Chu Kang has raised safety concerns among neighbours after placing a baby stroller on an air-con compressor outside his window.  The incident occurred on Saturday (Dec 14) at Block 553, Choa Chu Kang North Avenue 6, where residents were startled to see a baby stroller resting atop the window ledge and an air-con compressor on the 10th floor, fearing it posed a serious safety hazard.  One resident, surnamed Cai, expressed her shock over the incident.  The 50-year-old housewife told Shin Min Daily News that while it is common to see smaller items such as pillows being sunned outside windows, this was the first time that she had seen such a large item placed on an air-con compressor.