The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said on Monday (June 23) that it has rejected former NTUC Income chief executive Tan Suee Chieh's request to meet chairman Gan Kim Yong or a senior MAS representative over the proposed transaction by German insurer Allianz to buy a controlling stake in NTUC Income.This was in response to Tan's letter to MAS on Jun 9, seeking a response to his April 28 open letter, as well as to request for such a meeting.Responding to Tan's three open letters between August 2024 and April 2025 on the Allianz-Income matter, MAS highlighted that the proposed transaction and amendments to the Insurance Act had been extensively debated in Parliament.«Nevertheless, if Mr Tan has further feedback or information to share with us, we will duly consider them,» said the authority in a statement released a day ahead of Income's annual general meeting.
SINGAPORE — The National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA) has asked ride-hailing platform Grab to delay the roll-out of changes to its incentive schemes slated for July 1 «for further deliberation».In an in-app message to drivers at 2pm on June 20, Grab announced that from July 1, Streak Zones would be available to all its partner drivers, along with revisions to the existing monthly bonus scheme.Streak Zones was previously trialled from May 2024. It allows drivers to pre-book two-hour time slots where they drive in high-demand areas, during which all their bookings are automatically accepted. These slots are mostly during peak periods.Drivers earn a cashback of five per cent on every completed trip. «Payouts are made the next day, improving cash flow for driver-partners,» Grab told The Straits Times.However, NPHVA is concerned that the changes would result in reduced earnings of most full-time drivers, said Yeo Wan Ling, adviser to the association, in a Facebook post on June 23.
A woman in the UK recently shared a negative travel experience on her travel to Singapore and said that she would not want to revisit, sparking discussions among netizens.The woman was part of a street interview and featured in a TikTok posted by user emma_a_cosmos2, a TikToker based in London, on June 19.@emma_a_cosmos2 Her experience for the first time visiting #singapore ♬ original sound - emma_a_cosmos
Singapore's partnership with China has expanded into «new frontiers» over the years, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on his first visit to China as Singapore's prime minister. PM Wong met Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Monday (June 23) marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China.«Over the years, our partnership has gone from strength to strength,» PM Wong said in a Facebook post on Monday, reflecting his visit. «Our three government-to-government projects continue to make good progress.»We're also expanding into new frontiers — from digital and green economy co-operation, to growing people-to-people exchanges.«Singapore and China have an All-Round High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership which the two countries had elevated and intend to deepen, PM Wong wrote.He also stated: »I am confident that with continued trust and co-operation, the best days of the Singapore-China partnership are still ahead of us."
All Singapore Airlines (SIA) flights to and from Dubai have been cancelled till Wednesday (June 25).In an update posted to their website today, the national carrier cited the uncertain «geopolitical situation in the Middle East» as a reason for the cancellations.The SQ494 flight from Singapore to Dubai, and the SQ495 flight from Dubai to Singapore, have been cancelled till June 25.SIA also said that the situation remains «fluid», and that its other flights between Singapore and Dubai may be subsequently affected.The airline advised customers to stay updated on the latest information on their flights through the SIA flight status page.Cancellations by other airlinesOther airlines are also reportedly weighing their options amid the US-Iran crisis.French airline Air France cancelled flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh on Sunday and Monday, while Finnair cancelled flights from Doha until Tuesday, reported Reuters.Air France has also suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv indefinitely, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.
Police in Johor are investigating an incident involving a Singapore-registered vehicle travelling against traffic at the 55km mark on the Senai-Desaru Expressway.In a statement on Sunday (June 22), Kota Tinggi police chief Superintendent Yusof Othman said the incident is believed to have occurred at around 11.31am on Saturday.A 12-second video of the incident, which was uploaded to the a Facebook page by the name of Community Roda Johor, shows the white car driving on the wrong lane.Although it slowed down slightly when approached by the vehicle recording the dashcam footage, the Singapore-registered car seemingly did not come to a stop to let the vehicle pass.Stating that the driver of the car was «endangering other road users», Yusof said the case was being investigated under Malaysia's Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless and dangerous driving.He urged members of the public with information about the incident to contact Traffic Enforcement Officer Inspector Amirul Mustakim Mustaza at 017-479 3329 to assist in investigations.
Leopard tanks rolling down St Andrew's Road, F-16 fighter jets soaring over the Padang, and patrol crafts gliding through Marina Bay - these are just some of the sights to expect as the iconic mobile column makes its return to the National Day Parade (NDP).Marking its first appearance at the Padang since NDP 2019, this year's NDP show will feature over 170 assets and 800 participants from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Home Team and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.It is also the first time that the mobile column — traditionally a drive-past of military assets and vehicles — will include an aerial flypast across Padang and a maritime display concurrently at the nearby Marina Bay.
SINGAPORE — The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has confirmed that three students got zero marks for an assignment after they were found to have used generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) tools in their work.They were penalised for academic misconduct as the assignments contained non-existent academic references and statistics or broken web links, the university said.All three students, who were enrolled in a module on health, disease outbreaks and politics, were investigated in April. They were given the opportunity to present their cases during a formal review, NTU said on June 22 in response to queries from The Straits Times.Two admitted to using Gen AI tools while the third claimed to be unaware that the platform they used — which markets itself as an AI-powered essay-writing service — fell under that category, NTU said.But the three students told ST that they were accused of academic fraud over citation-related issues despite submitting evidence of their writing process or intent. They also raised issues with the disciplinary processes.
All safety protocols, and control measures were adhered to during a live-firing exercise on Sunday (June 15), when a man sustained a gunshot wound in the Nee Soon area, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef).In a statement released on June 23 (Monday), Mindef said in its update that the weapons, ammunition, shooting positions, and target placements used during the live firing were in compliance with the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) stipulated guidelines.It added that the Nee Soon 500m Range was designed and built in accordance with international range safety standards and certified for the firing of weapons such as general-purpose machine guns and sniper rifles.«The Nee Soon 500m Range has been maintained and recertified regularly to be safe for operations. Beyond the stop butt of the range, the restricted area provides a needed safety buffer catering to scenarios such as ammunition ricochet,» said Mindef.
A man was found lying motionless at the foot of a Woodlands HDB block, after he allegedly slashed another last Saturday (June 21).Based on preliminary investigations, no foul play is suspected, the police said.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police said they received a call for assistance at Block 684A Woodlands Drive 73 at around 7.40pm, where a 33-year-old man allegedly injured the 31-year-old man with a knife and fled from the scene.When reporters from Shin Min Daily News arrived, the police had cordoned off a large area and a blue tent had been set up beside the mailboxes at the foot of the block — believed to be covering the body, the Chinese publication reported.A knife was also found lying in a grass patch not far from where the body lay, with no visible traces of blood.A resident reportedly told Shin Min that she heard a loud «thud», and minutes later, the police and an ambulance arrived. «I heard from neighbours that a man had apparently fallen from the building, and soon after, the police cordoned off the area,» she said.
A Chinese national has been accused of using a wine bottle to hit a boy outside a cafe along Arab Street.The incident occurred at about 1.30pm on Friday (June 20), according to an eyewitness account submitted to the Sgfollowsall page.The post claimed that the man had «randomly» hit the five-year-old child on the head, causing the victim to vomit and suffer swelling. The boy's family are tourists from Indonesia.A clip shared by the page shows the accused sitting on the pathway outside the cafe, with wailing heard in the background.The man rummages through his bag and appears to try pulling out a silver object, just as the person filming realises that the item is a knife.Several onlookers rush in to restrain the suspected attacker and the camera man successfully seizes the bag, taking out the weapon to show others at the scene.He then asks someone to call the police and takes the bag with the knife inside the cafe.A subsequent clip shows a police officer at the scene.
SINGAPORE — A specialist police unit has acquired a fleet of off-road vehicles to help officers navigate rough, unpaved terrain — and flood waters — to respond more quickly to public security incidents.The cars will be used by the Protective Security Command’s (ProCom) newly established strategic location response (SLR) teams, which were officially implemented on Sunday (June 22).The commander of ProCom, Assistant Commissioner of Police Victor Ho, said the aim is to strengthen the Singapore Police Force’s (SPF) ability to respond more quickly and effectively to a wider range of public security incidents, such as terror attacks.«Our officers will be patrolling key locations, including shopping centres and tourist spots, to deter and respond to any security threats,» he said.While such patrols are a mainstay of ProCom operations, SLR officers are the first to be equipped with drones and counter-drone technology such as handheld drone jammers.
In an odd scene, a man was seen running along the road shoulder, purportedly away from the scene of an accident which occurred on the Seletar Expressway (SLE) on Saturday (June 21).Four vehicles — a car, a van, a taxi and a lorry — were involved in the collision on the SLE, causing a jam on the expressway.A clip of the scene uploaded to Roads.SG on Facebook showed a man wearing a white shirt and white cap running along the road shoulder, against the flow of traffic. A man was seen running in the opposite direction of the accident. PHOTO: Facebook/SGRV Another video which appeared to be taken by a bus passenger on the road appeared to show the same man running into a vegetated area near the accident site.The captions for both clips claimed that the man was the driver of a car involved in the accident and was fleeing the scene.
A rash of accidents — one of them fatal — occurred on Friday (June 20), according to videos posted online.A 30-year-old motorcyclist died and another was injured following an accident along Admiralty Road towards Woodlands Centre Road at 3.15pm.The accident involved two motorcycles, a truck and a lorry, the police said in a statement to AsiaOne.In videos and photos of the accident posted to the Singapore Roads Accident.com and SGRV Frontman Facebook pages, paramedics could be seen putting a white cloth over the body of the motorcyclist.The victim was believed to have been run over by the garbage truck after falling onto the road, reported Shin Min Daily News. A colleague of the deceased told the Chinese evening daily that a group of them were heading back to Johor Bahru when the accident occurred.
BEIJING — Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will make a five-day official visit from June 22 to China, where he will seek to chart the strategic direction of bilateral ties with Chinese leaders.
A fire broke out on Friday afternoon (June 20) in a bunk of an unoccupied accommodation block at the Basic Military Training Centre (BMTC) on Pulau Tekong.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said the fire alarm was triggered at 1.51pm and the fire was promptly extinguished by BMTC staff who had heard the alarm and spotted the smoke.The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was also alerted and responded to the scene.No injuries were reported among staff or trainees.Footage of the aftermath, which has since circulated on TikTok, shows the interior of the bunk damaged, with overturned mattresses, scorched walls and ceilings, and exposed wiring.[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@kengmando/video/7518041206278966544[/embed]The caption on the video indicated that the affected bunk belonged to the Viper Company, though Mindef did not confirm this.In their statement, Mindef also noted that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are working with the SCDF to determine the cause of the fire.
SINGAPORE — The wait-out period for private property downgraders looking to buy a resale flat may be relaxed before 2027, with an expected rise in supply of new and resale flats.Speaking at a community event in Toa Payoh on June 21, National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat said the supply of resale flats is expected to rise from 2026, as batches of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats affected by the Covid-19 pandemic hit their five-year minimum occupation period (MOP).The Housing Board will also be launching more than 50,000 units from 2025 to 2027.
Motorists travelling to Malaysia should expect delays, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) today (June 21). The advisory comes amid the June school holidays and the weekend travel surge.In a Facebook post today at 8.16am, ICA wrote: «Very heavy departure traffic at Woodlands Checkpoint due to tailback from Malaysia. The tailback has extended beyond BKE (Woodlands) Exit 10A. Motorists can expect queuing time of three hours or longer.» A check by AsiaOne on the Check the Jam app at 10.55am showed the queuing time to Johor via Woodlands Causeway is approximately three hours and five minutes.The queue time to Johor through the Second Link is more than two hours.
A participant from the National Day Parade (NDP) has died after collapsing during a rehearsal at the Padang on Saturday (June 21).The 47-year-old man, who was from the OneChangi contingent for the parade and ceremony segment, collapsed at 11.23am, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and Changi Airport Group (CAG) in a joint media release.He was immediately evacuated to the on-site medical post and arrived at 11.26am, where he was attended by the duty medical officer. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was administered immediately.The participant, however, remained unresponsive and was transferred onto a SAF ambulance at 11.42am for conveyance to the hospital. Resuscitation efforts continued enroute to the hospital. The man arrived at Singapore General Hospital at 11.57am and was pronounced dead at 12.19pm.«Changi Airport Group and the NDP 2025 Executive Committee are in contact with the family and providing full support during this difficult time. We extend our deepest condolences to the family,» said the joint statement. [[nid:719328]]desmondng@asiaone.com
SINGAPORE - A New-York based paediatrician is suing Singapore Airlines for allegedly serving her a meal containing shrimp even though she claimed she had notified the cabin crew that she was allergic to shellfish, causing her to suffer a severe allergic reaction.According to a June 17 lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Dr Doreen Benary, 41, had informed a cabin crew member about her allergy after boarding SIA flight SQ026 on Oct 8, 2024. The flight was bound for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York from Frankfurt, Germany.However, Dr Benary, who was in the Business Class, was allegedly served a meal containing shrimp, which she was unaware of.Upon eating a portion of the food, Dr Benary detected the presence of shrimp and began to feel ill. She then questioned the cabin crew member, who admitted that she had made an error and apologised, according to the court document.
[Update June 20, 8pm]Responding to queries from AsiaOne, HDB said it was alerted to an accident involving spalling concrete at the unit on Thursday.«Upon being notified, our officers conducted an immediate investigation on the same afternoon and found loose spalling concrete on the floor of the master bedroom bathroom,» HDB stated. «We have since helped to remove it.»Slight bulging of concrete in the ceiling of the kitchen bathroom was also spotted.Although there were no signs of imminent spalling of concrete, HDB has arranged for contractors to remove the bulging concrete on Monday (June 23).«We understand this has been a distressing experience for the resident and his family, and are assisting the flat owners with the repairs to the spalling concrete under the Goodwill Repair Assistance scheme,» HDB said, adding that it is also coordinating with local grassroots to financially assist with repairs.HDB also clarified that the unit was completed 41 years ago and the HIP that the flat underwent saw upgrades to the toilet for new tiles and fittings, as well as a repainted ceiling.
Theatre company Wild Rice said that they «categorically reject the characterisation» that one of their plays «glamorises drug abuse», after it was banned by local authorities for undermining anti-drug policy. The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in a joint statement on Friday (June 20), said that the dramatised reading of Homepar has been disallowed in its current form.This comes just a day before its staging. The revised script submitted on June 5 had substantially changed from the version submitted on April 21, they noted, pointing out that the new material glamorises drug abuse and portrays an undercover Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officer shielding abusers from detection.«It undermines Singapore's anti-drug policy, our drug rehabilitation regime, and public confidence in the CNB,» said the joint statement. «Performances that undermine Singapore's national interest are not permitted under the AECC (Arts Entertainment Classification Code).»
Several Punggol residents have raised concerns regarding the safety and aesthetics of laundry being hung on the facade of some HDB blocks at Waterway Terraces. In a forum letter published on The Straits Times on Thursday (June 19), one resident expressed frustration over the practice, saying it affects both the «appearance and liveability» of the estate.The resident, Margaret Siew, also pointed out that the visual clutter has become a source of distress, while posing safety risks. When AsiaOne visited the estate on Thursday (June 19), several units at 308A and 308B Punggol Walk had laundry hanging on the buildings' external facade — with some not properly unsecured. There were also what looked like makeshift poles with laundry hung outside some units.Other units, however, had grills installed to secure the laundry and prevent them from dropping.Speaking to AsiaOne, one resident, Salihin, 40, said that the practice poses potential safety risks, especially when residents fail to install proper grills or secure their poles.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong intends to nominate Seah Kian Peng as Speaker of the Parliament, with Indranee Rajah designated as Leader of the House when Parliament convenes in September.This was announced through a statement by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Friday (June 20).The 15th Parliament is set to meet for the first time on Sept 5, following the last session in April 15 when the 14th Parliament was dissolved ahead of the General Election.Seah has served as the Speaker since 2023, and has «presided over our debates with fairness and ensured that proceedings are conducted with dignity and decorum,» said PM Wong in a Facebook post on Friday (June 20).«I am confident he will continue to discharge his responsibilities with distinction.» In a Facebook post on Friday, Seah thanked PM Wong for his «confidence, support and nomination» and expressed his gratitude to the Members of the House, past and present, for their support.«I also have my two Deputy Speakers and colleagues at Parliament Secretariat to thank for their solid support to me since I assumed this appointment in August 2023,» he wrote.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong intends to nominate Seah Kian Peng as Speaker of the Parliament and Indranee Rajah as Leader of the House when Parliament convenes in September.This was announced through a statement by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Friday (June 20).The 15th Parliament is set to meet for the first time on Sept 5, following the last session in April 15 when the 14th Parliament was dissolved ahead of the General Election.Seah has served as the Speaker since 2023, and has «presided over our debates with fairness and ensured that proceedings are conducted with dignity and decorum,» said PM Wong in a Facebook post on Friday (June 20).«I am confident he will continue to discharge his responsibilities with distinction.» Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for National Development, has served as Leader since 2020 and will remain so.Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment, Zaqy Mohamad, will also be nominated to continue his role as the Deputy Leader.
The Johor government and ride hailing company Grab are in discussions to update the Cross-Border Travel Agreement between Singapore and the Malaysian state.This aims to make travel between Singapore and Johor smoother, said Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi in a statement posted to Facebook on Thursday (June 19). Stating that these discussions were raised during a recent meeting with Grab's senior management, amongst other key matters, Onn Hafiz explained that the talks form part of broader efforts to enhance Johor's tourism and transportation sectors ahead of Visit Johor Year 2026 (TMJ 2026).TMJ 2026 is a statewide campaign which aims to attract 12 million tourists to Johor and generate RM42 billion in revenue, reported Bernama.«The discussions also explored potential cross-border collaborations involving the Malaysian and Singaporean transport ministries, alongside the role of Grab and other public transport providers in facilitating smoother travel between the two countries,» Onn Hafiz said.AsiaOne has reached out to Grab for more information.
The Asian Art Association Singapore (AAA) has shut down claims that it misused artist profiles and falsely associated its events with the Singapore Botanic Gardens.In a statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday (June 18), the association said it was recently made aware of remarks circulating on social media which it described as «false and misleading».One of these remarks was about the artist profile of a Japanese illustrator who had been formally invited to join the association in 2022.A screenshot of the profile, which was shared with AsiaOne, showed the illustrator's name, place of origin, works and awards. It also had a short description of how aspects of his life influenced his art style.The person who made the accusatory post has since deleted it. Responding to AsiaOne's enquiries, AAA chairman Jay Chau said the illustrator had voluntarily submitted his materials for publication and was sent a draft webpage of his artist profile on Aug 23, 2022. The profile was only published after receiving the illustrator's written confirmation, according to the chairman.
SINGAPORE — New details have emerged to show that the cyclist who suffered a gunshot wound, and his friends, may have taken steps to conceal from the authorities the route they took on Sunday (June 15).The Straits Times learnt that the 42-year-old did not initially disclose to the police and the National University Hospital (NUH) that he had been riding near the Nee Soon live-firing range when he was hit by a projectile.The area between Upper Seletar and Upper Peirce reservoirs in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) is gazetted for live-firing, with clear signs warning hikers and riders against trespassing.The cyclist, identified as L, often tracks his rides on hiking and cycling tracking app Strava. Checks by ST showed him entering the cycling trail from Chestnut Nature Park at about 9.50am on June 15, a Sunday.He was with a group of about 10 cyclists at the time. At least one other cyclist, identified as W, was his regular riding partner.W deleted details on Strava of his ride on June 15. But the route he took was mapped out on W's Garmin account, which is accessible to the public.
Two firefighters were among four people sent to hospital following a fire at Block 5 Holland Close on Thursday (June 19) evening.Firefighters from Alexandra Fire Station had responded to the call at the HDB block at around 7.25pm.According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), one of the bedrooms in a 23rd-floor unit was on fire and firefighters entered the smoke-filled flat, extinguishing the fire with two water jets. However, the fire and smoke had already damaged the unit.About 100 people were evacuated by the police and SCDF from the affected block to a nearby futsal court.Two people who had fled the unit prior to SCDF's arrival were assessed for smoke inhalation before being taken to Singapore General Hospital.During the operation, two firefighters suffered heat exhaustion and one was taken to Singapore General Hospital, while the other was taken to National University Hospital.One of the two firefighters was discharged from hospital on Friday morning and given five days of medical leave.
One lucky punter hit the jackpot in the June 19 Toto draw with a windfall of $12,323,051. [[nid:719144]]This is also the third highest winning share since October 2014. The sole winner’s winning ticket is a System 7 ticket, which costs $7, purchased at a FairPrice outlet in Yew Tee Point. This outlet is not among the top 10 winning outlets.The winning numbers are 1, 10, 37, 40, 45, 47, with 19 as the additional number.According to Singapore Pools, the top winning share of $13,123,509 won on May 9, 2024, was a System 7 ticket purchased online, followed by a winning share of $13,077,918 won on Oct 2, 2023. The punter had bought a System 8 ticket for $28 from a Race Course Road outlet. The Group 2 prize of $108,637 for the June 19 draw was split between 13 people. The next draw will be held on June 23 (Monday), with the prize money reset to $1 million. [[nid:718705]]editor@asiaone.com
