Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam will lead a new team in Nee Soon GRC for the upcoming 2025 General Election.  Shanmugam, who was first elected in 1988, said this in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao published on Saturday (April 19).  The Straits Times also reported on Saturday that Shanmugam confirmed on the sidelines of a community event that the People's Action Party (PAP) will field four new faces in Nee Soon GRC. (Left to right) PAP's Nee Soon GRC line-up for GE2020: Minister of State Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Carrie Tan, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam, Derrick Goh, and Louis Ng.  IMAGE: Screengrab/YouTube/PAP Nee Soon  On April 11, Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim confirmed that he will be contesting in Marine Parade GRC. 

SINGAPORE — The Singapore People's Party (SPP) has launched its manifesto ahead of the 2025 General Election on May 3.The 16-page manifesto entitled It is Time was launched on April 19, as the party gears up to field five candidates to contest in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Potong Pasir SMC.The manifesto's nine themes are wide-ranging and include proposals to promote economic stability and fairness, as well as plans for sustainable public transport. To tackle inflation and rising cost of living, the party proposes distributing government budget surpluses annually as CDC vouchers, with more aid for lower-income Singaporeans. It also suggests progressive taxation — for income tax to be raised on the top two per cent of earners, and the reintroduction of estate duty for ultra-high-net-worth individuals. To counter job insecurity and unemployment, it proposes a review of India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (Ceca), which it says will «address labour inflow concerns». It also advocates for the gradual reduction of Special and Employment Pass quotas and dependency ratios in «automatable sectors».

SINGAPORE — The opposition PSP on April 19 unveiled its line-up of candidates for Chua Chu Kang GRC, which includes the former secretary-general for the Singapore Manufacturing Federation Lawrence Pek. The four-member PSP team also includes three candidates with political experience. Technology lawyer Wendy Low, 48, and PSP second vice-chairperson and business consultant A'bas Kasmani, 71, had contested Tanjong Pagar GRC in the 2020 general election. Investment specialist S. Nallakaruppan, 60, who was a PSP candidate in Nee Soon GRC in the 2020 general election, rounds up the party's slate for Chua Chu Kang GRC. Pek, 55, is a political new face who, as the former leader of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, stands out among the PSP's newcomers as having one of the most notable backgrounds. According to his LinkedIn profile, Pek was the secretary-general of the federation between July 2020 and April 2023. The federation aims to champion the growth and global competitiveness of Singapore's manufacturing sector.

The People's Action Party (PAP) announced on Saturday (April 19) that labour chief Ng Chee Meng will contest the new Jalan Kayu SMC in the upcoming General Election. Ng, a former Cabinet minister, has been serving as secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) since 2018. Before entering politics, the 56-year-old was previously the Chief of Defence Force in the Singapore Armed Forces. The announcement was made during PAP's unveiling of its candidates for Jalan Kayu single-seat ward, as well as the adjacent Ang Mo Kio GRC, Kebun Baru SMC and Yio Chu Kang SMC. «I humbly ask for your trust to walk this journey with you... Let's build a Jalan Kayu SMC that is kinder, stronger and more inclusive,» Ng said at the press conference.  After the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) released its report on March 11, Ng has made several appearances at community events and walkabouts in Jalan Kayu, leading up to Saturday’s announcement. Ng said that conversations have given him a much better sense of what matters to residents of Jalan Kayu. 

The Workers' Party (WP) introduced four new candidates to the party's line-up for the upcoming general election at a press conference on Good Friday (April 18). The new slate of candidates include clinical psychologist Ong Lue Ping, 48; engineering firm owner Jimmy Tan, 53; business development senior director Alexis Dang, 39; and product manager Andre Low, 34. Secretary-general Pritam Singh did not answer questions regarding the deployment of the four new candidates, saying that it «will become clearer in the days to come». Dr Ong is currently a senior principal clinical psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), with multiple senior leadership roles under his belt. According to chairwoman Sylvia Lim, Dr Ong has been a volunteer with WP since November 2023, working as a case writer in Hougang SMC, while also being active on the ground in East Coast and Punggol GRCs.

SINGAPORE– Incoming Football Association of Singapore (FAS) president Forrest Li told The Straits Times on April 18 that he wants to bring pride and joy back to Singapore football. In a media statement shared with ST shortly after FAS confirmed that Li’s team are the only candidates nominated on a slate basis for the 2025-2029 term, the tech billionaire and Lion City Sailors chairman said he was “grateful for this opportunity to lead the FAS Council”. The 47-year-old founder of homegrown tech firm Sea Limited added: “Football is more than just a sport. It is a powerful force for uplifting and uniting communities. A hard-fought win, an incredible goal: these are common memories that communities can cherish, feel pride in, and talk about for years, even decades.” “As Council President, my mission will be to bring that joy and pride back to Singapore football.”

The People's Alliance for Reform (PAR) will be fielding 14 candidates in seven constituencies in the upcoming General Election. The constituencies include Tanjong Pagar and Jalan Besar GRCs, and Mountbatten, Potong Pasir, Queenstown, Radin Mas and Yio Chu Kang SMCs. At a walkabout at Pek Kio Market and Food Centre on Saturday (April 18), PAR's secretary-general Lim Tean said that they would not contest for the Marymount, Jalan Kayu and Kebun Baru SMCs.  Red Dot United (RDU) had previously announced plans to contest Jalan Kayu, while the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has said that it will contest Kebun Baru and Marymount SMCs. PAR also revealed their potential candidate for Queenstown SMC, Mahaboob Baatsha, who will be making his electoral debut. 

Minister of Transport Chee Hong Tat will be leading the People's Action Party's (PAP) team to contest Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC in the 2025 General Election. Joining Chee on the team is Saktiandi Supaat, with both PAP candidates having contested the constituency in the past two elections. Newcomers Elysa Chen and Cai Yinzhou, who were introduced at a PAP press briefing on April 18 at its Toa Payoh West-Thomson Branch, will also be part of this team.  This team will be without Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, who is retiring from politics after over two decades in Cabinet. Over the years, he has held various political positions, including Minister for Education and Minister for Manpower, before being appointed Minister for Defence in 2011. «It's my liberation day,» said the 66-year-old. 

Minister of State for Education and Manpower Gan Siow Huang will contest again for Marymount SMC in the upcoming general election on May 3.  The former air force general won the seat over Progress Singapore Party's Ang Yong Guan in 2020, earning 55.04 per cent of the votes to his 44.96 per cent. Gan made the announcement at the People's Action Party (PAP) Toa Payoh West-Thomson branch today (April 18), recounting how she has worked alongside Marymount residents to improve the neighbourhood. She said: «For the past five years, I've done my best to walk the ground, helping the vulnerable residents, build the team and also creating a new Marymount identity. »We've put in a lot of hard work to turn ideas into action. In the last five years, we've introduced new community programmes, and upgraded common infrastructure to make Marymount more inclusive and accessible." Gan added that the journey has been meaningful to her and she hopes to continue with them.

A woman's finger was nearly severed during a fight next to an Indian eatery at Tanjong Pagar on Wednesday (April 16). According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident took place at around 7pm in front of a shophouse on the corner of Neil Road and Spottiswoode Park Road.  When a reporter got to the scene, he noticed a large area of blood in front of the eatery, extending to nearly 30m. There was also a blood-soaked white garment. An employee at the eatery told Shin Min that he had seen blood on the ground, but did not know what happened and only learnt later that there was a fight. Others working there also said that they had noticed the police presence, but the eatery was too busy for them to pay much attention. A woman working nearby told the reporter that she saw a long-haired woman in her 30s, standing on the side of the road, with the left side of her body, including her head and arms, covered in blood. A man, whose relationship to the woman the witness was unclear about, was heard telling her to sit down.

Two men were arrested following a fight at Hougang Green Shopping Mall on April 9. A video of the incident shows one man appearing to be the aggressor while the other tries to make his escape. Posted on the Facebook page Singapore News on Wednesday (April 16), the clip shows the two men tussling on the ground of an open air food court. One of the men, in a white polo shirt, repeatedly proclaims: «I say sorry already, bro.» The man, who appears to have cuts on his face and blood in his mouth, falls over but manages to back away, using a plastic chair as a barrier. He also tells the other man, dressed in an orange t-shirt, to «go away» repeatedly, but the latter tackles him and they both fall over again. The former gets up again and walks towards the food stalls while the other man continues to follow him. The man in the orange t-shirt can then be seen pushing the other man up against a half-wall, and another man approaches the pair to physically break up the brawl. Netizens were alarmed, with one commenting: «Where are the police or security officers to stop this big bully?»

Minister of Transport Chee Hong Tat will be leading the People's Action Party's (PAP) team to contest Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC in the 2025 General Election. Joining Minister Chee on the team is Saktiandi Supaat, with both PAP candidates having contested the constituency in the past two elections. Newcomers Elysa Chen and Cai Yinzhou, who were introduced at a PAP press briefing on April 18 at its Toa Payoh West-Thomson Branch, will also be part of this team.  This team will be without Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen, who is retiring from politics after over two decades in Cabinet. Over the years, he has held various political positions, including Minister for Education and Minister for Manpower, before being appointed Minister for Defence in 2011. «It's my liberation day,» said the 66-year-old. 

Workers' Party secretary-general Pritam Singh was coy on whether he, along with the other incumbent Aljunied GRC MPs, will contest in the same constituency in the coming elections on May 3. Singh was answering a reporter's question at a press conference on Thursday (April 17) where his party unveiled its manifesto and four new candidates. The other MPs in Aljunied GRC are party chair Sylvia Lim, Gerald Giam and Faisal Manap. «I don't rule anything out, as we enter the final phase before Nomination Day,» said Singh. «Is this where the biggest surprise will be?» quizzed the reporter. Singh then asked if the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) has «officially» introduced its candidates for its East Coast and Marine Parade GRCs. «They have been very coy about the fine line up, right? There are no coincidences to that coyness, so let's see what happens in the next few days.» In the 2020 General Election, the WP team, led by Singh, contested against a PAP slate, winning with a 59.95 per cent vote share. Since then, the team are a member short after former MP Leon Perera resigned from the party in July 2023.

SINGAPORE — A British national featured in a Netflix documentary on scammers has been offered bail of $50,000, with a police prosecutor on April 17 saying that she is allegedly linked to offences involving around $500,000 in total. Dionne Marie Hanna appeared in the State Courts via video link from Central Police Division, and the court heard that she is likely to face more charges. When asked by District Judge Brenda Tan if she had a bailor, Hanna replied in a soft voice: «I don't have anybody to bail me out.» Hanna was not represented by a lawyer. Her pre-trial conference will take place on May 16. The 84-year-old was arrested on March 28 and subsequently charged in the State Courts on April 5 with five counts of fraud by false representation. The alleged offences involve three victims. Hanna had previously appeared before the courts on April 11, a day after she was discharged from hospital. The case against Hanna came about when the police received several reports from alleged victims who accused her of offering them fake investment opportunities.

The Progress Singapore Party (PSP) has unveiled its candidates who will contest the single seat wards of Marymount and Kebun Baru in General Election 2025. The party will field its former West Coast candidate Jeffrey Khoo in Marymount SMC, announced chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock at Bishan North Shopping Mall on Thursday (April 17) morning. PSP's Tony Tan, husband to party vice-chair Hazel Poa, will stand in Kebun Baru SMC. Speaking to the media, Khoo - who is CEO of consulting firm Kairos Risk Solutions - outlined his three areas of concerns: cost-of-living, employment and education. The 56-year-old noted that party members and volunteers have done market visits in Marymount constituency and PSP «understands» the area. «I hope [Marymount residents will] give us your time... I hope that you ask me as many questions as you want... Give me the opportunity to serve you as your Member of Parliament,» he said. Tan, 55, is a SAF Merit Scholarship recipient and has a first-class honours degree in engineering from the University of Cambridge.

A 22-year-old man was arrested on Thursday (April 17) after he allegedly slashed another man at Hougang Avenue 8. As he was being arrested, he allegedly injured three police officers with a wooden plank with nails.  They sustained minor injuries but did not require medical attention. Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the police said they received several calls for assistance at about 1.10pm on Thursday. When the police arrived at the scene, they saw the man running around naked. Earlier, he allegedly attacked a 30-year-old man. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they received a call for assistance at Block 681 Hougang Avenue 8 and the injured man was taken conscious to Sengkang General Hospital. The man was subsequently arrested for voluntarily causing hurt by grievous means, and for voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty. Police investigations are ongoing.

Red Dot United (RDU) unveiled its five-man team for the newly-formed Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC on Wednesday evening (April 16).  They were introduced by RDU secretary-general Ravi Philemon at a press conference held at 255 Jurong East Street 24, near Jurong-Clementi Town Council. The team includes waste management company director Osman Sulaiman, who participated in the 2011 and 2015 General Elections with Reform Party. The 50-year-old contested in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC with Singapore People's Party during the 2020 General Election.  Osman Sulaiman and Liyana Dhamirah. PHOTO: Red Dot United He is joined by Liyana Dhamirah, who contested in Jurong GRC during the 2020 General Election. She was part of the team led by Ravi Philemon and they secured 25.39 per cent of votes that year.

A 59-year-old taxi driver and a 31-year-old woman were taken to hospital after a chain collision along the TPE on Wednesday (April 16) morning. The seven-vehicle pile-up — involving a taxi, two cars and four trucks — happened at around 11.05am, after the Punggol Road exit towards the SLE, the police said.  Both the taxi driver and a woman were conscious when taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.  The Singapore Civil Deference Force (SCDF) told AsiaOne that another person, who was assessed for minor injuries, declined to be taken to hospital. Photos shared on Facebook group SG Road Vigilante on Thursday showed a red Trans-Cab taxi and a white car sandwiched between two trucks.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong has unveiled a new Government task force aimed at addressing concerns and mitigating the impact of the recent US tariffs. Chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, the new Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce also comprises seven other members: Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration Desmond Lee Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat Chairman of the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) Lim Ming Yan National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Ng Chee Meng President of the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) Tan Hee Teck This task force will serve as a bridge between the Government, businesses, and workers, addressing immediate challenges and developing strategies to adapt to the new economic landscape.

SINGAPORE — Over three years, a business analyst at a bank reeled in a total of 31 girls and young women with the lure of money and manipulated the victims into sexually exposing themselves to him. Hee Lic Yuan, 32, committed the offences from 2019 to 2021, when the victims were between 13 and 22 years old. On April 16, he was sentenced to six years and nine months' jail and six strokes of the cane. Hee had pleaded guilty to 15 charges for offences including sexually penetrating an underage girl and producing sexually explicit material involving a minor. The charges involved a total of 11 girls and women. Hee had asked most of them to be his «sugar baby» before he committed the offences. The term is used to describe a younger person who is willing to spend time with a richer and often older man — a sugar daddy — in exchange for cash and gifts. Forty-four other charges, including those involving the other victims, were considered during his sentencing.

People's Action Party (PAP) member Alex Yeo will contest Potong Pasir SMC in General Election 2025, taking over the reins from incumbent MP Sitoh Yih Pin who has helmed the ward for three terms. At a press conference on Wednesday (April 16), the 46-year-old lawyer said he is no stranger to Potong Pasir — he had been a volunteer and branch secretary for the constituency between 2013 and about 2016. Yeo was appointed PAP branch chairman of the Paya Lebar division of Aljunied GRC in 2017 and was part of the PAP team that was fielded in Aljunied GRC in GE2020. He stepped down as branch chairman in August 2024. Despite the move, Yeo told the media he «never left» Potong Pasir, and has continued to help residents such as through the legal clinic he set up in 2016. «Returning to Potong Pasir... feels like I've come home,» he said on Wednesday. The lawyer said that his five-year plan for the ward, if elected, includes improving the infrastructure of estates, including Bidadari, as well as introducing mobile clinics for seniors.

Asean should aim for full tariff elimination across the region, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said in a speech at the S Rajaratnam Lecture on Wednesday (April 16). PM Wong, who is also the Minister of Finance, was addressing concerns regarding the ongoing US-China trade war and how this may affect Singapore. He had previously tackled this issue in Parliament last Tuesday (April 8), where he highlighted the need for Singaporeans to be mentally prepared amid changes to the world they knew. «The new era will be more volatile, with more frequent and unpredictable shocks,» he had warned. On Wednesday, he explained the three key points Singapore has to take to weather the storm, one of them being the need to champion deeper regional cohesion and integration. He emphasised the need for Asean's 10 members to «stay cohesive and proactive», adding that the Asean Free Trade Area has benefitted citizens and businesses by being «virtually tariff-free». «But we cannot and we should not stop here,» PM Wong said. «We have to accelerate our integration efforts.»

The recent US-imposed tariffs have caused an unstable external environment, which has led to unprecedented uncertainty for Singapore, according to Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. On Monday (April 14), SM Lee addressed the tariffs' impact on Singapore and stated that uncertainty is high, and over the next five to 10 years Singapore faces «a less friendly world». He was speaking at a closed-door dialogue at the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Centre, which was attended by NTUC president K Thanaletchimi, secretary-general Ng Chee Meng as well as other union leaders. SM Lee acknowledged that such dialogues with union leaders were held regularly, particularly after Budget announcements. As he continued speaking about the tariffs, he said: «I hope that Singaporeans understand what is happening, what is at stake, and what we must do together to secure our future.» "Some people say, 'don't get excited, don't over blow the issue, we've weathered bigger storms before, we haven't failed'.

The writ of election for 2025 General Election has been issued today (April 15), with Polling Day to fall on May 3.  President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, on the advice of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, issued the writ today, soon after Parliament was dissolved. Polling Day will be a public holiday. Here is what comes next. Nomination Day On Nomination Day, the final line-up of candidates for each electoral division is revealed when they submit their nomination papers, election deposits, and certificates at an assigned centre. The documents are submitted to the Returning Officer (RO), who is tasked with overseeing the impartial and smooth conduct of elections. 

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has dissolved Parliament at 3pm today (April 15) on the advice of Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, officially kickstarting the election proceedings. The Prime Minister's Office announced that Nomination Day will be on April 23. Polling Day will be announced by the Returning Officer.  Nomination Day must be at least five days (excluding Sundays and public holidays) and not more than one month after the date of the Writ of Election. The campaign period commences after Nomination Day and ends with the start of the eve of Polling Day. 97 seats in Parliament are up for contest across 18 GRCs and 15 SMCs. This will be Wong's first general election as Prime Minister. 

Incumbent Pioneer SMC MP Patrick Tay will defend the single seat ward in the coming election, the People's Action Party (PAP) announced on Tuesday (April 15). During a press conference at the party's branch office in Clementi, the 53-year-old thanked the residents in his constituency for the «love, support and encouragement». Tay highlighted a series of programmes he and his volunteers have rolled out over the past five years, including support for residents in healthcare, employment, and addressing the cost of living. «I ask for your support so that we can see through some of these plans that we've done and build on those things that we have done,» he added. Tay previously won a three-way contest against the Progress Singapore Party's (PSP) Lim Cher Hong and independent candidate Cheang Peng Wah with 61.98 per cent of the vote share in the 2020 General Elections.

Singaporean households will receive $500 in Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers on May 13.  $250 can be used at participating heartland merchants and hawkers, while the other $250 will be eligible for use at participating supermarkets. The vouchers will be valid till Dec 31 this year, the CDCs, Ministry of Finance and People's Association said in a joint press release on Tuesday (April 15). A list of participating businesses can be found at go.gov.sg/cdcvouchers. These CDC vouchers are part of the enhancements to the Assurance Package, which was announced in February by Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong at Budget 2025. This is in addition to the $300 CDC vouchers that Singaporean households received from Jan 3 onwards. Households will receive another $300 CDC vouchers next January, which will be valid till the end of 2026. In the press release, the authorities also reminded the public to exercise caution when claiming CDC vouchers.

The People’s Action Party (PAP) on Tuesday (April 15) introduced their candidates for the revised West Coast-Jurong West GRC, including political newcomers Cassandra Lee and Dr Hamid Razak. The team will be led by National Development Minister Desmond Lee and joined by incumbent Ang Wei Neng. Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang, who is currently an MP for Jurong GRC, completed the line up. Lee, 33, is a a long-time grassroots volunteer in Jurong and a lawyer, while Dr Hamid, 39, is an orthopaedic surgeon. The announcement was made at the PAP branch office at Block 729 Clementi West Street 2. The PAP team has since the last election in 2020, lost their anchor S. Iswaran, who resigned in January 2024 following a corruption probe. The former transport minister was later jailed and then placed on home detention.

A Causeway Link bus caught fire on the Ayer Rajah Expressway in Jurong East on Saturday (April 12), forcing passengers to evacuate.  A video of the incident was shared on Xiaohongshu, showing passengers standing at a distance while thick smoke billowed from the rear of the bus. In the video, a male passenger is heard saying that the bus «almost exploded», recalling that it was a close call since they had just boarded. He captioned the video, describing the experience as «terrifying». One user wondered how the passengers and bus driver became aware of the fire, to which the person who posted the video first said they were alerted by cars honking behind them, warning them of the danger. Another video of the incident was also posted on Facebook, showing passengers moving away from the bus as sirens from two Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) fire engines are heard in the background.

A fire broke out at a barbeque restaurant in Geylang on Saturday (April 12) evening, forcing 30 diners and employees to evacuate as the flames spread rapidly. A video of the incident was posted on TikTok the following day, showing the restaurant's exhaust duct on fire and emitting thick smoke. Several people were seen in the video attempting to extinguish the fire by climbing up to the affected area. Shouting could also be heard from a distance.  When a reporter from Shin Min Daily News visited the scene, two fire trucks and two police cars were at the scene with the road cordoned off. One employee, surnamed Huang (transliteration), who was working close to where the fire began, told Shin Min that he realised the shop was on fire only when he saw smoke drifting into his shop. The 30-year-old said he immediately ran outside to check and discovered that the smoke exhaust pipe of a nearby shop was ablaze. He added that several employees tried to put out the fire using a hose. 

Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Transport, and Sustainability and the Environment will not be contesting in the coming election — bringing her 24-year political career to an end. In a Facebook post on Monday (April 14), the 67-year-old MP for Hong Kang North SMC thanked the residents and grassroot volunteers in her constituency, and said she is «ready and happy» to make way for party renewal. Dr Khor said: «This has been both a very humbling and extremely meaningful journey. »As I close this very precious and memorable chapter of my life I look forward to the next chapter where I will continue to look for opportunities to serve and contribute to the community to the best of my ability." Dr Khor was first elected to Parliament in 2001 as part of a five-member People's Action Party slate in Hong Kah GRC, which was later dissolved during the General Election 10 years later.  Dr Khor, who is trained in real estate valuation, was then the MP for the newly-created Hong Kah North SMC in 2011, winning the seat in three straight General Elections.