Bala Trichy Iyer, 56, gives back to his community by offering basic coding classes at Changi Simei Community Club (CC). The entrepreneur, who founded technology start-up The Walnut, has held three Python lessons so far. To his surprise, residents in their 70s with no tech background showed up and kept coming back. «Most of them say: 'I have no idea. Looks like I have missed the boat.' But we say: 'No... we'll teach you today. And not only will you do it effortlessly, you'll be enjoying it also,'» he said. Such community spirit is important as Singapore embarks on a new phase of nation-building in a troubled time, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Dec 14. «You can see it around the world when you read the news. The world is becoming more troubled. There are wars in Europe, in the Middle East,» he said at a community event in Bedok. «Society is becoming more divided, trust being eroded.» But Singapore can be a «beacon of light» and come together to face challenges, he said. «We can be stable, secure, reliable and trusted.»

MRT services along the Circle Line were disrupted for about an hour after a train stalled at Tai Seng station on Saturday (Dec 14), causing delays in commuters' journeys. The disruption began at around 6.20pm, with some commuters reporting a «blackout» on the train, which came to a standstill at Tai Seng station. Commuters can be seen standing by the open train doors, waiting for services to resume. On social media, public transport operator SMRT alerted commuters that they would face an additional 30 minutes of travel time between Promenade and Serangoon stations due to a train fault. Free regular bus service between the two stations - 10 stops apart - was also provided.

It was an unexpected 'windfall' which one rojak hawker quickly realised wasn't rightfully his. Instead of $10, he discovered that a customer had erroneously transferred $100 to him instead. According to Facebook user Victor Goh, he immediately took steps to rectify the situation. The owner of Crispy Rojak at Chinatown Complex shared a post on the Hawkers United - Dabao 2020 Facebook page on Thursday (Dec 12), describing the incident which had occurred the day before. He also let the customer know that a refund was on its way. «To the unknown customer who paid me $100 via NETS QR for his $10 Crispy Rojak, Chinatown Complex #02-195 on 10 Dec 24, please know that your refund $90 is on the way, no need to come down personally,» wrote Goh. He also urged his customers to «exercise more care» when using QR payments, adding, tongue-in-cheek: «Don't give me Christmas ang bao ah. Thank you!»

SINGAPORE - The Lions had their reserves to thank on Dec 14, when they maintained their perfect start to their 2024 ASEAN Championship campaign as they overcame minnows Timor-Leste 3-0 at the Hang Day Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam. Japan-born playmaker Kyoga Nakamura scored his first goal in his fourth appearance for his adopted country when he kept his nerve to slot in a 76th-minute penalty to his left and send Junildo Pereira the wrong way. The spot kick was confirmed following a video assistant referee check, after Olagar Xavier was adjudged to have pushed substitute Shawal Anuar in the box. Shawal then kept up his rich vein of form with a late brace to take his tally to 16 goals in 39 international appearances. Again it was the bench players who made the difference, as he tucked away Safuwan Baharudin's cross in the 83rd minute, before he tapped in seven minutes later after fellow substitutes Jordan Emaviwe and Farhan Zulkifli combined to create the opening.

Allianz SE has scrapped a proposed $1.5 billion euro (S$2.2 billion) acquisition of a 51 per cent stake in Singaporean firm Income Insurance Ltd because of public opposition to the deal, a source familiar with the matter said. The move would have lifted Allianz to fourth largest composite insurer in Asia, from ninth, but sparked critique in Singapore because of concerns that it would detract from a mission to provide affordable insurance for lower-income workers. The decision will likely be announced publicly in the coming week, the source said, declining to be named. Allianz declined to comment. Bloomberg reported earlier on Friday (Dec 13) that the German insurer was close to scrapping the deal. Income Insurance Ltd, which has around 1.7 million customers and offers life, health, and property insurance, was founded in the 1970s to offer insurance to poorer parts of the population.

New advisory guidelines on the use of National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers will be issued by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC), following the government's change in stance that such numbers should no longer be viewed as private and confidential. The PDPC also confirmed that companies are still barred from collecting, using or disclosing NRIC numbers and making copies of the identity card, unless they are required by law to do so. However, any changes to the guidelines will be introduced only after industry and public consultation, the PDPC said on Saturday night (Dec 14). The commission did not say when the consultation is expected to be completed. Like any personal identifier, PDPC said that the NRIC number is still subject to the data protection obligations in the PDPA. Therefore, organisations collecting NRIC data must still obtain valid consent and comply with reasonable use and ensure protection. PDPC noted that it has previously taken action against organisations which have used NRIC numbers for authentication and breached their data protection obligations.

SINGAPORE — The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) has temporarily disabled the function allowing people to access the IC numbers of individuals on its new portal. This is after members of the public surfaced concerns that they were able to access NRIC numbers through a search, without paying, via the Bizfile portal launched on Dec 9. The authorities clarified, however, that the NRIC number is a unique identifier assigned by the Singapore Government as a means to identify individuals, and should be used as such. Said a Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) spokesperson in a statement early on Dec 14: «As a unique identifier, the NRIC number is assumed to be known, just as our real names are known. »There should therefore not be any sensitivity in having one's full NRIC number made public, in the same way that we routinely share and reveal our full names to others." In a separate statement, Acra said that its new Bizfile portal provides the full NRIC, in line with a broader government effort to move away from using masked NRIC numbers.

SINGAPORE — Dao Thi Hong, the woman killed in a knife attack in Hougang, will be going home, with her sister making arrangements to have her body repatriated to Vietnam on Dec 14. Friends of the victim said last rites will be held where the family lives in Thanh Hoa, a city in central Vietnam about 150km south of Hanoi. Nguyen Trong Vinh, who shared a Housing Board flat with Hong and two other roommates, said more than 100 friends and relatives are waiting in Hong's home town for her return. The 34-year-old mother of three was stabbed repeatedly on Dec 10 where she worked at the Quan Long Nippon Paint hardware shop in Block 210 Hougang Street 21. The flat she lived in is in the same block. A 26-year-old man — another worker at the store — tried to stop the attack and was wounded. The attacker, who was injured in the incident, has since been charged with murder. The victim's older sister arrived in Singapore from Vietnam on Dec 11 to settle her sister's affairs. She paid her respects at a makeshift altar set up for Hong at the back of the hardware store.

A motorcyclist reportedly trapped under a lorry for 30 minutes was among the three people taken to hospital following a multi-vehicle collision on the PIE on Thursday (Dec 12). The accident involving three cars, a mini-bus, a motorcycle and a lorry, occurred on the PIE towards Tuas near the Jalan Bahar exit at about 2.05pm, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told AsiaOne. A man surnamed Zhang told Shin Min Daily News that the motorcyclist was unable to move from under the lorry. A picture provided by him shows the mangled motorcycle in front of a white lorry with a dislodged bumper and cracked windscreen. A pool of what appeared to be blood is seen on the road. Another photo of the accident shows a blue car sandwiched between vehicles.

SINGAPORE — Gigantic durians, towering cendol cups, colossal noodles and enormous grilled satay skewers will be on display around Singapore's neighbourhoods from December. The first-of-its-kind, community-driven arts initiative will see seven neighbourhoods showcasing upsized food-themed installations in December, with each work of art reflecting the distinct character and heritage of the area. Another seven neighbourhoods will join in a month later. In all, the 14 Giant Delight installations will involve 19 artists and an estimated 1,400 residents. The residents are led by their respective Community Arts & Culture Clubs (CACCs), which comprise volunteers who champion and implement arts and culture programmes in their community. Besides those who regularly participate in CACC activities, the other participating residents were recruited through social media and word of mouth. Some of these installations will be featured at the PAssionArts Street in Chingay 2025 on Feb 7 and 8.

Text messages directing recipients to a fake PayNow website is the latest phishing scam variant to emerge, said the police on Friday (Dec 13). Victims would receive a text message stating their PayNow «certificate» is expiring soon, and that it must be renewed via the linked website to maintain usage of the services. The fake website would require the victim to key in their credit card details and other personal details such as billing address, name and date of birth. In their statement, the police said that PayNow does not have a website which allows one to key in personal and credit card details. Users should only provide details to PayNow through the banks' official sites or applications. «PayNow does not issue any digital certificates to members of public,» added the police. «If in doubt, PayNow users can contact your respective banks through their official hotlines for assistance.» Members of the public can report such scams to the police at 1800-255-0000 or submit an online report at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

The Lor Mee 178 stall at Tiong Bahru Market is known for its crispy shark meat nuggets – which even birds cannot seem to resist. Stomp contributor Mantou spotted a mynah helping itself to the fried fish at the Seng Poh Road stall on the morning of Dec 7. He shared a video showing the bird standing on and pecking at the nuggets, which were placed in trays and left uncovered at the stall. Mantou said: «We found the bird munching on the fried shark nuggets. When informed, the lady boss just shrugged it off.» However, the stall refuted this. They told Stomp that they had promptly chased the birds away and disposed of the affected trays of food. In response to a Stomp query, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it is investigating. «Food safety is a joint responsibility,» the agency added. «While SFA puts in place and enforces the regulatory measures, food operators must play their part by adhering to good food hygiene and preparation practices. Food operators should also ensure their premises are clean and well-maintained.»

SINGAPORE — On the day that contractors started hacking at the roof of Tan's Housing Board block in Jalan Tenaga in October, a roughly 2m-long crack appeared on the ceiling of his top-floor unit. The crack opened right above the spot in his bedroom where the retired policeman would lay his head when he went to sleep each night. Tan, who declined to give his full name, told The Straits Times in Mandarin: «I worry that if the crack gets worse, the ceiling could suddenly drop on me when I'm in bed.» The hacking is part of reroofing works that are being done at the 17 blocks in the Jalan Tenaga estate in Bedok. Tan is one of at least four households living on the top floor of this estate near Bedok Reservoir that have noticed cracks in their flats after the works started two to three months ago. The 75-year-old, who lives in the flat with his wife, reported the crack in his bedroom to the town council in October, prompting it to send a representative to his four-room executive apartment to take photos of the damaged area.

Online netizens raised privacy concerns over the search function on online portal Bizfile, which allows users to search for the National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers of some citizens — who are likely to be shareholders or directors of private Singapore-registered companies. The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) manages the portal, which is used for business registrations and filings. The concerns were raised after veteran journalist Bertha Henson highlighted the issue on Facebook on Thursday (Dec 12) evening. She noted in a post that she could search for the NRIC numbers of current politicians, as well as those of deceased persons. The ability to search for these details raises privacy concerns. The Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) was enacted in 2012 to restrict the collection and disclosure of such personal information. The Business Times has reached out to Acra for comment on the issue. Acra's data policy indicates that the types of personal data publicly available include names, identification numbers, as well as residential addresses — if no contact address is given.

The body of a 73-year-old woman was discovered in her Bedok home on Wednesday (Dec 11), after a neighbour noticed numerous cockroaches and a foul stench emanating from the unit. Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel had to assist the police in gaining entry to the blocked door of the cluttered flat at Blk 23 Chai Chee Road, reported Shin Min Daily News. A Shin Min reporter who visited the scene at about 2pm on Wednesday observed that the wooden door of the flat had been entirely removed and placed aside, and the metal gate appeared to have been pried open. Residents told the Chinese evening daily that the woman lived alone and often brought sundries home. After a resident informed the town council about the pungent smell and cockroaches, some workers reportedly visited the woman's home, but she did not answer the door. One female neighbour, who declined to be named, said the deceased had minimal interactions with them and hardly goes out. «Occasionally, her relatives, friends and volunteers will visit her, but I haven't seen her for at least two weeks,» she said.

Hours before her flight back home, a disgruntled woman returned to her ex-workplace and allegedly smashed the glass shopfront. The incident occurred at a massage parlour along Race Course Road in Little India at about 10am on Monday (Dec 9). A Shin Min Daily News reporter who visited the scene following a reader tip-off noted glass shards scattered all over the parlour's premises as well as the pavement. A door frame was reportedly twisted, and the ceiling light fixtures were broken too. The massage parlour owner, surnamed Lin, told the Chinese evening daily that they had opened for business just several months ago. He reportedly invested $90,000 in this business.  He explained that his former employee had a conflict with her colleagues which affected business operations. That woman, and several others, were terminated from their positions. Her last day of work was on Dec 4.  «I didn't expect this to happen... I don't know why somebody would destroy the store,» said Lin, who added that the massage parlour was not open at the time of the incident.

This year, three Singaporeans have been named in Forbes Magazine's 100 most powerful women list which was released on Wednesday (Dec 11). Among them is OCBC chief Helen Wong, who came in at number 59. Wong, who became Group CEO in 2021 and a director of the bank's board in 2023, is drawing upon four decades of banking experience to lead OCBC, which recorded $13.5 billion in total income for the fiscal year of 2023, Forbes said. She is also a council member of the Association of Banks and the Institute of Banking and Finance in Singapore. Also on the list is Ho Ching, chairman of Temasek Trust, which is responsible for Temasek Holdings’ philanthropic endowments. This year, she ranked number 32, one spot up from her previous ranking in 2023.

A Singaporean who planned a 24-hour trip to Barcelona ended up getting robbed, according to a TikTok post he made on the platform on Wednesday (Dec 11). The TikTok user Daniel Lim, known online as Limey_dan, said he had gotten his rental vehicle from the airport in Barcelona, driving out of the garage. Lim, a 32-year-old lawyer, was then pulled over by another driver, who informed him that there were issues with his vehicle's tyre. While he was speaking with the driver, a second vehicle pulled up beside him, telling him that he couldn't park his vehicle there. «In that split second, my bag in the front seat was taken - with my passport, wallet and keys,» Lim recalled. Speaking with AsiaOne, Lim said that many emotions were running through him during the encounter. «Shock as I've not been robbed or pick-pocketed before, anger at the Albanian gang who would prey on others, and also worried as I had a return flight to catch the next morning.» He attempted to give chase but was unable to catch up with the fleeing vehicles, leaving him shocked.

About 20 people were evacuated after an envelope of white powdery substances was found in the mailbox of an Orchard Road house on Dec 12. The police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the incident at 42 Saunders Road at about 5.30pm. SCDF officers donning personal protective gear arrived and retrieved the envelope. SCDF's hazardous material (hazmat) specialists conducted several tests on the white substances but did not detect anything dangerous. The police said that based on their preliminary findings, the contents of the envelope are believed to be drug-related substances. About 20 residents were evacuated from the neighbouring units as a precautionary measure. There were no reported injuries, SCDF said. According to Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao, a section of the road was cordoned off till about 7pm. Several emergency vehicles, including an SCDF hazmat control vehicle, were also seen at the location. The case has been referred to the Central Narcotics Bureau.

The design of a community garden in Choa Chu Kang has given some residents goosebumps.  Located next to Block 672A Choa Chu Kang Crescent, the gardening plots resemble graves, said some residents.  There are a total of 21 gardening plots enclosed by cement walls, Shin Min Daily News reported.  A woman surnamed Wu, who has lived in the estate for 25 years, told the Chinese evening daily that the new community garden allows residents who love gardening to grow plants.  However, the 74-year-old found the garden's design unsettling.  «When you look down at the community garden from the upper floors, it looks even more like a cemetery,» she said, adding that her friend has similar sentiments. A resident surnamed Wang said: «When I walk past the community garden at night, I get spooked by the inauspicious sight. So, I'll make a detour.» The orderly arrangement of the gardening plots contributed to its cemetery-like appearance, a resident surnamed Huang noted. «If a fence was built around the area, maybe it would look less [like a cemetery], or the plants could simply be grown on land,» said the 79-year-old. 

SINGAPORE — A flight from Singapore to Wuhan on Dec 10 returned to Changi Airport more than four hours into the journey, due to a technical issue. According to information on flight tracking website Flightradar24, Scoot flight TR120 departed from Singapore around 7pm. The plane was flying over the South China Sea when it made a U-turn, and touched down back in Singapore around 11.30pm. In response to queries, a Scoot spokesman said a technical issue was detected around 2½ hours into the flight, without elaborating. «As a precaution, a decision was made to return to Singapore,» said the spokesman. «TR120 subsequently landed uneventfully in Singapore at 11.21pm on Dec 10.» The passengers were transferred to a replacement aircraft, which departed Singapore at 2.18am on Dec 11, said the spokesman, adding that affected customers were offered refreshments and meals. A netizen on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu said he was a passenger on the flight and claimed that the plane had to turn back due to broken glass in the plane. Scoot did not respond to The Straits Times' queries about this.

The 21-year-old woman who died in a motorcycle crash in Johor on Tuesday (Dec 10) had just surprised her mother in Genting. Alssa Lyn Tay was traveling back to Singapore that morning with her 23-year-old boyfriend when he lost control of the motorcycle and crashed into a steel road divider along the North-South Expressway. Tay's stepfather, Xu, spoke to Shin Min Daily News at her funeral on Wednesday and said that he was on a trip in Genting with his wife when Tay called him on Monday night. She had just received her new passport and wanted to surprise her mother in Genting. «I tried to persuade her not to travel [to Genting] by motorcycle, but she insisted on seeing her mother.»