SINGAPORE - Seven years ago, a foreigner molested a woman at Serangoon MRT station and left Singapore without being apprehended. But Zhang Yang, 34, was arrested upon re-entering the Republic in March. The Chinese national was sentenced to three weeks' jail on May 7 after he admitted to one count of outrage of modesty. A second similar charge was taken into consideration for sentencing. The offence happened on Aug 22, 2018. Zhang, a construction worker at the time, did not know the 21-year-old victim. She was at Serangoon MRT station, intending to travel to Little India. As she walked towards one end of the platform while waiting for the train, Zhang walked towards her and brushed his arm against her shorts. After they crossed paths, he turned and walked back towards her. She immediately moved to an area where more people were standing as she was afraid he would touch her again. But Zhang followed closely behind her and molested her a second time. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jordy Kay said: «This occurred less than a minute after the first incident. The victim was shocked and felt scared.»

SINGAPORE - Seven years ago, a foreigner molested a woman at Serangoon MRT station and left Singapore without being apprehended. But Zhang Yang, 34, was arrested upon re-entering the Republic in March. The Chinese national was sentenced to three weeks' jail on May 7 after he admitted to one count of outrage of modesty. A second similar charge was taken into consideration for sentencing. The offence happened on Aug 22, 2018. Zhang, a construction worker at the time, did not know the 21-year-old victim. She was at Serangoon MRT station, intending to travel to Little India. As she walked towards one end of the platform while waiting for the train, Zhang walked towards her and brushed his arm against her shorts. After they crossed paths, he turned and walked back towards her. She immediately moved to an area where more people were standing as she was afraid he would touch her again. But Zhang followed closely behind her and molested her a second time. Deputy Public Prosecutor Jordy Kay said: «This occurred less than a minute after the first incident. The victim was shocked and felt scared.»

An 18-year-old Chinese national studying in Singapore was allegedly kidnapped in Kuala Lumpur, with a ransom of $628,381 demanded from his parents. The teenager's parents had received videos on Friday (May 2) at around 11.44am showing their son being held hostage, reported China Press.  At the time, his mother, surnamed Cheng, 40, and father, surnamed Ye, 43, were in Dubai for work.  Cheng explained that in the videos sent to her, her son's mouth was sealed with black tape, his hands tied to a chair, while being physically abused. At one point, when the tape was removed, the boy would plead for help over the phone, urging his family to pay the ransom quickly.  The perpetrators also reportedly threatened to bury him alive. The family noted that the videos featured at least two distinct voices, indicating that more than one person was involved in the staged abduction. One video even included fake blood to make the scenario appear more convincing. The couple immediately flew to Malaysia after receiving the news.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong expressed his gratitude to Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat for their contributions to Singapore as they retire from politics after the recent general election. In a Facebook post on Tuesday (May 6), PM Wong expressed his gratitude to the «two giants of public service», thanking them for their «immense contributions to Singapore and Singaporeans». He also shared valedictory letters he had written to SM Teo and DPM Heng in his post. «Their decades of service have helped build the strong foundations that my team and I now stand on, as we chart the way forward for Singapore,» said PM Wong. 

SINGAPORE - The two independent candidates who contested the May 3 election intend to use their new-found platforms to engage with Singaporeans on local and national issues, even though neither was elected. Mountbatten candidate Jeremy Tan, 34, told The Straits Times on May 5 that he has not ruled out contesting the next general election. Mr Darryl Lo, 28, who contested in Radin Mas, was coy about his plans, saying he was unsure if he would continue being involved in politics. Political observers said the pair - part of an «evolving profile» of political independents - had polled better than expected, and were able to put their views across coherently during their campaigns. They also noted that Mr Tan and Mr Lo performed better at the ballot box than some candidates from small opposition parties fielded in single seats. Mr Tan, a retired business owner, ran against maritime lawyer Gho Sze Kee from the ruling PAP in Mountbatten. Both are political newcomers.

«If global temperatures continue to rise at the current rate, Asia's economic future will be in severe jeopardy if we do not do anything,» remarked Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean. He was speaking at Temasek's Ecosperity event held on Tuesday (May 6). He cited the Asian Development Bank's estimates on GDP losses given a high-end greenhouse gas emissions scenario and warned against regular flooding with disruptions to the food supply chain with heat and weather extremities. «Our region is not just vulnerable to the crisis. We are integral to solving it,» said SM Teo. He also noted the path forward for Asia should see growth, maturity and adoption of green technologies, as well as closer collaborations between governments, business and investors to complement efforts on climate action for a low-carbon future.

Seven students dressed in boldly coloured outfits belted out the lyrics to the song Drip by BabyMonster while executing slick dance moves, drawing curious and appreciative looks at Nanyang Polytechnic's (NYP) Student Life Carnival, a co-curricular activities (CCAs) showcase, in April. They are members of the K-Wave Club, a cultural club inspired by all things Korean. Preparation for performances like this often takes more than a month, with rehearsals running into the night as performers sing and synchronise their dance moves over and over in front of a large mirror.  Members of the K-Wave Club performing at the Student Life Carnival in April. PHOTO: Sylvia Tan All this is done without hired instructors, and with performers learning dance and vocal techniques from other members and alumni instead.

SINGAPORE — A Singaporean man was part of a group arrested in Bangkok for selling drug-laced electronic cigarettes, amassing nearly 16 million baht (S$627,000) in suspected ill-gotten gains, said the police in Thailand. The 37-year-old Singaporean man, identified by the police as Neo Ming Loon, was among six suspects arrested on April 30. Evidence, including vaping equipment and cash, was also seized in two raids — one at a house in the Bangkok subdistrict of Din Daeng, the other at an apartment in the Pathum Thani province north of the Thai capital. The Royal Thai Police's Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) said in a statement on May 2 that they had received a report about smuggled e-cigarettes or vapes that were mixed with narcotics like ketamine and hawked as «Kpods» to tourists. Suspicions were partially confirmed when an undercover officer managed to purchase a vape from one of the suspects described as a low-level dealer at around 2,500 baht, said the police. Investigations found that etomidate, a substance commonly used as a medical anaesthetic, and not ketamine, had been mixed into the vape pods.

A British man has been arrested for allegedly stealing items amounting to over $2,900 from shops at Changi Airport. These items included perfumes, cosmetics, wine, confectionery and a wallet. The police said in a statement on Monday (May 5) that they were alerted to a case of shop theft at Shilla Perfume and Cosmetic in the transit area of a Changi Airport terminal at about 9.45 pm on April 15. According to preliminary investigations and CCTV footage, the man had entered the shop and allegedly left with a bottle of perfume without paying. The retail supervisor later noticed the missing bottle from the shop’s shelf while taking stock of the inventory. In a follow-up investigation, officers from Airport Police Division were able to identify and arrest the 32-year-old. The man is expected to be charged on Wednesday with eight counts of theft in dwelling. If found guilty, he may be jailed up to seven years, fined or both for each count.

A woman carrying a baby escaped unscathed after an escalator they were on malfunctioned and several steps became dislodged. The incident occurred at HarbourFront Centre on Sunday (May 4) at about 2pm, according to the mall's management Mapletree. Photos posted on social media showed the mangled steps at the top of the upward-moving escalator, with metal fragments strewn around the escalator landing. The escalator, located between the second and third floors, was still being repaired when Shin Min visited the site on Monday at around 10.15am. A notice was also put up by the mall's management informing patrons to use lifts or alternate escalators. When interviewed, a shop assistant on the second floor told the Chinese evening daily that she heard a loud noise when the incident happened. «I heard a loud 'boom' and when I looked up, I saw that the top escalator steps were bent out of shape and the escalator had also stopped running,» said the woman. She recalled that there was a woman riding the escalator at the time.

SINGAPORE — The strong mandate Singaporeans gave Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on May 3 settles a leadership succession that began more than a decade ago, said political analysts. The PAP's 65.57 per cent national vote share is also an endorsement of PM Wong's call for voters to return his experienced ministers while he injects new blood into the Government, and all eyes are now on who will be in the Cabinet, they added. «The process of political succession from the third prime minister to the fourth prime minister of Singapore — that spanned from 2011 from (Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong's) first mention of the intent to 2025 — is indeed now complete,» said Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) senior research fellow Gillian Koh. Observers such as political scientist Walid Jumblatt Abdullah said how Singaporeans voted means PM Wong has wide latitude to shape his Cabinet: Not only was the PAP's result improved from the last election, he also improved his vote share on his home turf of Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, while Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong prevailed in a hot contest in Punggol GRC.

With more than two-thirds (68 per cent) of Singaporeans expressing concern towards the recent US tariffs, these unexpected developments would undoubtedly weigh on their minds after the May 3 general election. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has addressed the growing threat of weakened global organisations and trade system in a recorded video released on April 4 after US President Donald Trump's announcement to impose a 10 per cent tariff baseline on all countries on April 2. «Singapore must brace itself for more shocks to come,» said PM Wong, warning that the global calm and stability that once existed «will not return anytime soon».

Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat and Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung did not know Su Haijin personally or had any dealings with him, according to their press secretaries. This comes after pictures of the two at dinners with Fujian gang member Su were posted to Instagram on May 5 by former Reform Party chairman Charles Yeo. Su, 41, was one of 10 foreigners linked to Singapore's largest money laundering case. He was convicted in April last year and his assets confiscated.  In a joint statement on Tuesday, Ong and Chee's press secretaries said that as ministers, the two meet a diverse range of people at various events and gatherings. They had attended the dinners at the invitation of a friend, and Su happened to be there, the statement said, adding that Ong recalls Su being at another dinner months later as well. «The ministers do not know Su personally, and have had no contact or dealings with him, before or since these occasions.» 

SINGAPORE – Rail operator SMRT Trains was fined $240,000 on May 5 over an accident at Bishan Depot in March 2020 that killed one of its technical officers. The company was convicted of an offence under the Workplace Safety and Health Act, as it had failed to take reasonable measures to ensure its employees’ safety at the depot in Bishan Road. On March 23, 2020, Mr Muhammad Afiq Senawi, 30, and a colleague were using a hydraulic press machine (HPM) to replace some train-related components. Mr Afiq had placed a component into the machine, and activated the piston to carry out the task. However, he had failed to remove a similar older component. Due to a pressure build-up, a spacer rod that weighed nearly 3kg flew out of the machine, broke through the fencing gate near the machine, and struck his face. Mr Afiq was rushed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he died of face and chest injuries at 10.15am that day. Coroner Christopher Goh later ruled his death to be an unfortunate misadventure.

SINGAPORE — A pre-school teacher abused two toddlers under her care, including by slapping them, and a CCTV camera captured her grinning as she dropped foam blocks into an unlit storeroom where she had dragged one of the victims. The 30-year-old Singaporean woman cannot be named owing to a gag order to protect the identities of the victims — a one-year-old girl, identified in court documents as V1, and a two-year-old boy, identified as V2. Deputy Public Prosecutor Ariel Tan told the court that the woman's acts of abuse had left both victims psychologically affected. The DPP added: «Since June 27, 2022... V1 would start crying and whining in her sleep, stating 'don't want' or 'no' as she cried. These experiences varied in frequency, from every night of the week to two or three days a week. »V1's relationship with her father was also impacted in a negative way for a few months... because the accused had told V1 that V1's father had allowed the accused to beat V1... V2 developed a tendency to hide under a table or enter a dark room to sit in a corner whenever he was disciplined at home."

Casting your vote during the General Election is meant to be a private affair, but one woman decided to document her experience.  The woman uploaded a video of it onto her TikTok account on Polling Day (May 3).  In the 40-second clip, she shared in Mandarin that although voters are not allowed to take photos while voting, she would «secretly» record the process.  Snippets of her video showed the outside of her polling station at a HDB void deck in Sengkang, as well as her ballot paper showing clearly the two parties and their candidates.  After voting, she said the whole process was «quite fast».  In the comments of her video, some netizens questioned her actions while others pointed out that what she did was wrong.  PHOTO: Screengrab/TikTok Some also said that a police report should be made.