The People's Action Party (PAP) will field a five-member team led by marketing director Chan Hui Yuh, featuring newcomers Dr Faisal Abdul Aziz, Daniel Liu, Jagathishwaran Rajo, and Dr Adrian Ang, to contest opposition-held Aljunied GRC, said the party on Sunday (April 13). Chan is the sole returning member from the PAP's 2020 team that lost to a Workers' Party (WP) team. Introducing the PAP team during a press conference at Block 226 Serangoon Avenue 4, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing prefaced the introduction by stating that this will be a «tough General Election», and that every election is about «electing people with integrity and commitment». «[This is] so that they can take care of the residents at the local level, form a good government at the national level... and represent Singapore at the international level,» he said. «We aim to build a team that can command the respect and confidence of international partners to take us seriously, especially in times of turbulence.» Speaking on behalf of her team, Aljunied GRC candidate Chan, 48, shared that she and her team have been active volunteers on the ground for a long time.

People's Action Party (PAP) veteran Victor Lye and former senior civil servant Jasmin Lau were seen during a walkabout at Hougang Village on Sunday (April 13) morning. They were both with Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong and incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) for Ang Mo Kio GRC Darryl David and Nadia Samdin.  SM Lee said regarding both candidates: «They have been spending time with us in Ang Mo Kio, getting to know the people, getting to know our activists, going around and getting known.»  He did not confirm if they would be fielded in the constituency. «Where exactly they're going to be deployed? Well, in due course we will announce the Ang Mo Kio GRC line-up and you will know very soon. »But we are happy to have them here and if they stay on with us, I'll be delighted to have them on my team." 

Even though the odds appear to be stacked against him, 38-year-old criminal lawyer Marshall Lim said he hopes to be given a chance to fight for the residents of Hougang. Lim, a partner in law firm Martin & Partners, was introduced on Sunday morning (April 13) by the People's Action Party (PAP) as its candidate for the Hougang Single Member Constituency (SMC). Describing himself as «a fighter» in his profession as a criminal lawyer, Lim said that he has been privileged to fight for vulnerable Singaporeans in the course of his work. He was a deputy public prosecutor in the Attorney-General’s Chambers and had previously served as an assistant chief public defender at the Public Defender’s Office. Lim added that he now hopes for an opportunity to become the voice for Hougang residents as their leader.  'Mindful but not shackled' by history  Speaking at a PAP media conference to introduce his candidacy on Sunday morning (April 13), Lim said that while he is mindful of the history, he is not shackled by it.  “My focus has always been about serving the residents in a sincere way.

SINGAPORE - When Hayley Tai, 30, gets the keys to her new Build-To-Order (BTO) flat at Tampines GreenOpal in May, the bridge crossing Bedok Canal to connect to the MRT station will still not be ready, making it less convenient for the marketing manager to get to work. «I guess it would take me an additional 15 minutes to get to work, so that's a bit of an inconvenience,» she said. To better time the completion of key infrastructure and essential services, a multi-agency committee has been set up to minimise inconveniences to owners when they move into their new BTO flats. Announcing the nationwide initiative on April 12 at the Housing Board's roadshow for home owners moving into Tampines GreenOpal, Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How said: «With an extensive building programme, it is even more important for us to strengthen our planning and coordination efforts, to shape a better moving-in experience for new residents.» Between 2025 and 2030, around 130,000 BTO flats will be completed.

A 69-year-old man was arrested for drink driving after his van crashed into seven vehicles at a carpark in Ang Mo Kio. A video posted to the Singapore Roads Accident Facebook page on Saturday (April 12) morning showed the aftermath of the incident, which occurred in the wee hours. The short clip, believed to be taken by a resident in the area, captured damaged vehicles in the open-air carpark. One vehicle had its rear smashed while several other cars suffered damage to their front bumpers and headlights. Another video taken from the dashboard camera of a parked vehicle showed a white van zooming past and hitting a blue car. Police told AsiaOne that they were alerted to the incident involving a van and seven parked vehicles on Saturday at about 12.45am. The incident occurred at Block 218 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1. Police said the van driver was arrested for drink driving and that investigations are ongoing. According to Shin Min Daily News, the van remained at the scene when reporters visited the carpark the next morning. The front of the van and its left door were visibly damaged.

The People's Action Party (PAP) has announced its candidates contesting in the highly-anticipated Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC during the upcoming General Election. At a press conference held at the constituency's Limbang branch on Saturday (April 12), incumbent MPs — Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Senior Minister of State (SMS) for Manpower Zaqy Mohammad,  Mayor of North West District Alex Yam and Hany Soh — stated that they will continue to represent PAP in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC. This is the first of the PAP’s official full slate introductions ahead of the General Election. Thanking the constituency's residents for their support, PM Wong said: «All these years, we've formed close ties and strong bonds with all of you. We've watched your children and even your grandchildren grow up and walked with you through (your) life's milestones.» «We've worked hard to improve your lives and your living environment, from neighbourhood upgrades to support schemes and community initiatives. We've listened to you, and we've incorporated your feedback and ideas into our town plans for the next five years.»

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and advisers to Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC launched the distribution of the SG60 Baby Gift at a carnival held at Hard court in Yew Tee on Saturday (April 12).  Speaking at the event, PM Wong highlighted that the SG60 Baby Gift not only celebrates the joy and significance of parenthood, but also symbolises the Government's commitment towards supporting Singaporeans in starting and raising families.  “We know that there are lots of concerns. Families want to have more children, but they often tell us that cost is a concern,” he said, pledging to do everything possible to support families.  «We hope the gift will remind all our babies and your parents of how unique Singapore is and the hopes we all have for our shared future here in Singapore,» the Prime Minister said.  The SG60 Baby Gift, distributed to parents of babies born between January and March 2025, contains 10 specially curated items designed to support early childhood development and encourage family bonding.

SINGAPORE - Over six months, alleged fraudster Ng Yu Zhi spent nearly $7 million buying eight high-end cars, most of which were given to his wife and three girlfriends. The cars included two Rolls-Royce Phantom EWB luxury saloons, top-of-the-range models which have more legroom. Ng paid $1.8 million for one in white, which he gave to his wife, and another $2.1 million for a purple one, which he gave to a girlfriend. In total, he is said to have spent more than $21 million on about 20 luxury cars. Ng also splurged on unusual car plate numbers - he paid $1.05 million for «S11T», which is believed to be the first civilian car plate registered in Singapore, and $91,000 for «ES11J». Details of the purchases emerged on April 11, when car dealer Michael Ho took the stand in Ng's ongoing criminal trial in the High Court. Ng is accused of masterminding a nickel-trading scam which attracted $1.46 billion from hundreds of investors. The investment scheme was perpetrated by his Envy group of companies between 2016 and 2021. He told investors he could buy nickel at a discount and then sell the metal for profit.

The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) will be contesting Marymount, Kebun Baru and Pioneer SMCs in the 2025 General Election, said party leaders on Saturday (April 12) morning. Speaking to the media prior to a walkabout at Bishan North Shopping Mall, secretary-general Leong Mun Wai said the party has been walking the ground in Marymount and is «confident» in winning the SMC in the upcoming election. In GE2020, PSP's Dr Ang Yong Guan went up against PAP's Gan Siow Huang in Marymount SMC. It was a close win for Gan, who received 55.04 per cent of the votes against Dr Ang's 44.96 per cent. Dr Ang, a psychiatrist, was found guilty of professional misconduct and handed a three-year suspension of his medicine licence over prescriptions made to a patient that deviated from guidelines, reported The Straits Times in February. PSP subsequently said it accepted the court's decision, and that Dr Ang had informed the party that he will not stand in the next general election. Addressing Dr's Ang absence from the contest, Leong said he is «confident that we will be able to put up an even better result».

Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Maliki Osman has announced that he will not be standing in East Coast GRC for the upcoming General Election. His spot in the People's Action Party (PAP) team will be taken by new face Hazlina Abdul Halim, the former chief executive of Make-A-Wish Singapore and a former news presenter. Dr Maliki, who spoke to reporters on the sidelines of a walkabout at Bedok 85 Market today (April 12), did not say whether he'll retire from politics or be redeployed to another ward. Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Maliki Osman with PAP member Hazlina Abdul Halim. AsiaOne/Trishelle Goh «I want to pave the way and show my support for Hazlina Abdul Halim to be the new member of the East Coast GRC team to stand for the next election,» he said. He added that he has known her to be someone of integrity, empathy, and purpose - qualities that will serve her well in public life.

The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) will be contesting Marymount SMC in the 2025 General Election, said secretary-general Leong Mun Wai on Saturday (April 12) morning. Speaking to the media prior to a walkabout at Bishan North Shopping Mall, the NCMP said the party has been walking the ground in Marymount and is «confident» in winning the SMC in GE2025. In GE2020, PSP's Dr Ang Yong Guan went up against PAP's Gan Siow Huang in Marymount SMC. It was a close win for Gan, who received 55.04 per cent of the votes against Dr Ang's 44.96 per cent. Dr Ang, a psychiatrist, was found guilty of professional misconduct and handed a three-year suspension of his medicine licence over prescriptions made to a patient that deviated from guidelines, reported The Straits Times in February. PSP subsequently said it accepted the court's decision, and that Dr Ang had informed the party that he will not stand in the next general election.  Addressing Dr's Ang absence from the contest, Leong said he is «confident that we will be able to put up an even better result».

A potential team for the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) contest in Pasir Ris-Changi GRC is taking shape, after successive appearances by a new face. Valerie Lee was again seen with MPs from Pasir Ris-Punggol — this time on a walkabout on Pulau Ubin on Friday (April 11). The island will be part of the newly-drawn Pasir Ris–Changi GRC in the coming election, according to the ​​Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report released in March. Also present were Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Desmond Tan, Senior Minister of State (Digital Development and Information and Health) Janil Puthucheary, and Sharael Taha, who spent an hour speaking with residents on the island, most of them seniors who have been living there their entire lives. Lee said there are 30 voters in the island with concerns such as “wildlife challenges” and support to redeem the $400 Climate Vouchers. “We got some of their numbers so that we can be in direct contact to give them some assistance,” she added.

This emergency vehicle found itself in a sticky situation after its wheels got stuck in mud in Tengah estate, according to a TikTok video by user Kerwin Wan on Wednesday (April 9). In the video, which has since garnered over 7,000 likes and more than 670 comments as at Friday (April 11), deep tyre marks can be seen carved into a grass patch, tracking mud onto the vinyl flooring leading to a second patch of grass. The video then cuts to the emergency vehicle — a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fire engine — with more than half of its front wheels buried in the dirt. Responding to queries from The Straits Times, the SCDF said that the vehicle had just completed routine hydrant testing in Swiss Club Road in the Bukit Timah area at around 5.45pm. The fire engine then made its way over to Plantation Grove area in Tengah on a scheduled trip for the firefighters to familiarise themselves with the area. But as the vehicle drove about 300m on a fire engine accessway near Block 120A Tengah Drive, its front wheels «sunk into the ground» before Block 121C Tengah Drive.

SINGAPORE — As light rain fell over Tampines on the morning of April 11, the family of 10-year-old Freya Ji Yinan gathered to bid her farewell. Freya, an Australian, died in hospital after a fire broke out in a shophouse in River Valley Road on April 8. It left 21 others injured. Freya's family and friends came together on April 11 at Singapore Funeral Parlour in Tampines, where a memorial service was held for her. There, Freya's portrait was adorned with white chrysanthemums, and dark and light pink roses. A pink rabbit stuffed toy sat beside a memorial plaque which displayed her name and the brevity of her lifetime: 2014-2025. At around 10.30am, an elderly woman arrived and, upon seeing Freya's portrait, collapsed on the ground and wailed. Family members surrounded her as they cried and hugged each other. A man who identified himself as Freya's uncle said he flew over from China after hearing the news, but declined to speak further. Also at the wake was a woman who identified herself as Freya's maternal grandma. She said her granddaughter grew up with her, but did not say more.

A 77-year-old man was found dead in his Punggol flat on Wednesday (April 9), after neighbours, concerned by a foul smell from his unit, alerted the police. When a reporter from Shin Min Daily News visited the flat on the same day, two police officers were seen standing outside the door of the deceased. A strong stench was reportedly noticeable in the common corridor. According to the deceased's neighbours, the elderly man had been living alone in that rental unit for over five years. He was last seen more than a week ago and appeared unwell. Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, a 46-year-old resident who lives on the same floor as the deceased said he decided to check on the elderly man after not seeing him for over a week. «I didn't see him [since then], so I became worried and decided to check on him with another neighbour,» said the food delivery driver.  He added that upon opening the door and noticing the strong odour, one of them immediately called the police. Another neighbour, a 72-year-old retiree surnamed Chen (transliteration), told the Chinese daily that the elderly man was a reserved and lonely individual.

A 38-year-old Malaysian man was sentenced to six weeks in jail for attacking and injuring a bus driver. Looi Kai Ye pleaded guilty to one charge on April 7, while other charges are still pending. They include voluntarily causing hurt, mischief and public nuisance.  The incident occurred on Jan 21 at a bus stop located near Block 141 Tampines Avenue 2, when Looi was waiting for SBS Transit bus 59. Looi got frustrated waiting for the bus, which still had not arrived after 11 minutes. When it arrived at around 8.10am, Looi lost his temper and began shouting at the bus driver, Parvathy A/P Subramaniam. The assault worsened when Looi punched Parvathy on the left side of her head at least six times. A passenger on the bus managed to confront Looi and escort him off the bus, while another evacuated the other passengers, reported Shin Min. The driver was taken to Changi General Hospital for treatment and given three days of medical leave.

Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim has confirmed he will be leaving Nee Soon GRC to contest Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC in the 2025 General Election. Speaking to the media on Friday (April 11) morning, Assoc Prof Faishal said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong had asked him to join the PAP team in the newly-formed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, and he had agreed. The 56-year-old was first elected as an MP for then-Marine Parade GRC's Kaki Bukit Division in 2006, and moved to Nee Soon GRC in 2011. «I'm very fortunate to be able to grow with the residents in Nee Soon... Going back to Marine Parade, it's homecoming,» he said during an interview held at a coffee shop in Block 747 Yishun Street 72 .  There had been speculations that Assoc Prof Faishal would not be fielded in Nee Soon GRC after he was seen with Manpower Minister and Marine Parade GRC MP Tan See Leng at a walkabout at Eunos Crescent Market and Food Centre on March 30.

Ang Mo Kio GRC is poised for a three-cornered fight in the upcoming polls after two opposition parties failed to reach a deal on which one will face off against the PAP. Singapore United Party (SUP) secretary-general Andy Zhu said his party is adamant about contesting the ward despite the presence of a “third party”. The third party is the People’s Power Party (PPP), which has indicated that it will also field a team in Ang Mo Kio GRC, to be led by party treasurer William Lim. Speaking to reporters during a walkabout in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 on April 10, Mr Zhu, 42, said the SUP tried to broker a deal with PPP secretary-general Goh Meng Seng, but the two parties could not agree on which side will pull out. “I have spoken to him, and he will take the matter back to his team to deliberate... We do hope that PPP will recede from here,” said Mr Zhu, a property agent. In response to queries, Mr Goh said he had a short discussion with Mr Zhu, but there is no resolution in sight. PPP has also shown interest in Tampines GRC, where the Workers’ Party and National Solidarity Party (NSP) are likely to contest.

The new Central Manpower Base's (CMPB) facilities are on track to gradually open come June and will reach full operational capabilities in September, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said on Thursday (April 10). Located just a stone's throw away from Cashew MRT station, the CMPB has multiple facilities for both national servicemen and members of the public. This includes a one-stop service centre for servicemen, a regional health hub, an all-weather fitness conditioning centre (FCC), a lifestyle mart for servicemen to buy equipment, an outdoor fitness zone and a food court. The new CMPB will replace the current one along Depot Road, which has been there since 1989. It will also consolidate the various facilities across Singapore for easy access — presently, the medical classification centre is in Depot Road with the Military Medicine Institute at Kent Ridge. Speaking with the media on Thursday at the base's outdoor fitness zone, head of project office for the new CMPB development Senior Lieutenant Colonel (SLTC) Lau Hui Boon said that the location will be a one-stop service for pre-enlistees and NS men.

SINGAPORE — «Al dente», «tangy», «succulent» and «flavourful». These are not necessarily words one might expect from someone campaigning for a seat in the gastronomic void that is Singapore's Parliament House.  But once in a while, a plate of char kway teow or a stack of prata wedges its way into the mosaic of resident handshakes and party group shots crowding the feeds of Singapore's politicians. Usually composed around a simple meal at a humble hawker table, these photographs depict everyday life as most Singaporeans might recognise it.  Casual update or calculated strategy? The Straits Times breaks down the ways in which politicians have approached the nation's favourite pastime: eating.  'I'm one of you'  Regardless of race, language or allegiance, everyone needs to eat.  Prime Minister Lawrence Wong grabs a breakfast of bak chor mee when «jet-lagged and craving» local food. Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo seeks solace in a bowl of mee tai mak during a hectic period. Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh discusses international affairs over a plate of mee siam.

SINGAPORE — Suspended policeman Kevin Chelvam has been convicted of four charges linked to one of Singapore's worst maid abuse cases involving the death of a domestic helper. On April 10, the 46-year-old Traffic Police officer was the last of three people to be found guilty of abusing Myanmar maid, Piang Ngaih Don, who weighed a mere 24kg when she died in 2016. She had not been given sufficient food for at least 35 days. When she started working for the family on May 28, 2015, she weighed 39kg. After a trial, District Judge Teoh Ai Lin convicted Chelvam one count of abetting his then wife Gaiyathiri Murugayan to voluntarily cause grievous hurt by starving Piang Ngaih Don. Chelvam, who was her registered employer, was also convicted of one count of voluntarily causing hurt by grabbing her hair, and lifting her body off the ground. His bail was set at $20,000 on April 10 and he is expected to be sentenced on July 17. More than 10 people, including his mother, were seated in the gallery when the judge gave her verdict. Some of them bowed their heads during the sombre proceedings that lasted around 90 minutes.