The Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (Vers) — a proposed Government buyback programme for Housing Board flats nearing the end of their 99-year lease — will “likely happen” in the first half of 2030s, said Minister for National Development (MND) Chee Hong Tat.In a wide-ranging interview with the local media on Aug 5, Chee said that his ministry will use the current term of Parliament of up to five years to “develop the policy framework and parameters” for Vers. This includes identifying possible sites where the scheme will be first offered, ensuring that there are sufficient homes for those involved to relocate to, and working out a “fair” compensation package for residents whose flats are taken back early. “We do not need to scale up Vers until sometime in the late 2030s when the older flats reach their 70-year mark,” said Chee, who was appointed MND minister on May 23.”When we are ready, MND and HDB will engage Singaporeans on the framework and policy parameters to take in further and feedback. Our plan is to progressively offer Vers to selected estates in different parts of Singapore."

The Government is looking at the possibility of raising the eligibility income ceiling for couples and families, as well as lowering the age at which singles can apply for a new Housing Board (HDB) flat,  Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat has said.In his first sit-down interview with the local media on Aug 5 since his appointment as minister, Chee said that any such changes will depend on whether there is an adequate supply of Build-To-Order (BTO) flats to meet the anticipated increase in demand.The current BTO income ceiling for families and married couples is $14,000 a month, while singles must be at least 35 years old to be eligible to purchase public housing.Chee said that lowering the age limit for singles, as well as raising the income ceiling will lead to more Singaporeans qualifying to buy a BTO flat, causing the demand to go up.“Without a strong supply of BTO flats, we will not be able to meet this new demand… it’s important for us to create the right conditions to be able to make these policy moves,” he said.

There were over 118,000 cases of speed violations in the first half of 2025 —  a 45.5 per cent increase compared to the year before, the Traffic Police (TP) said in a statement on Thursday (Aug 7). Previously, speeding violations reached a 10-year-high of around 201,400 in the whole of 2024, a 72.9 per cent increase from 2023.Since 2024, TP have stepped up enforcement measures and increased the activation function of red-light cameras which have detected over 42,400 speeding violations since April 2024. «However, despite these stepped-up enforcement measures, the persistent rise in violations clearly indicates that enforcement alone is insufficient,»  the statement said, urging road users to «play their part» and curb speeding violations.Determined to end surge in speedingSpeaking with media on Thursday, Superintendent Lian Weixiong, head of the research, planning and organisational development branch of TP, highlighted the surge in speeding violations in the first half of the year.

Police arrested a 49-year-old man in Toa Payoh on Saturday (Aug 9) for causing hurt by dangerous weapon.A video posted to social media the same day showed several police officers below a block of HDB flats, along with police vehicles and an ambulance. A group of people dressed in red T-shirts were also seen gathered in the area, and a police cordon was observed along a pathway leading to a coffee shop at the void deck.In a statement from the Singapore Police Force to AsiaOne, police said they had received a call for assistance at Block 168, Toa Payoh Lorong 1 on Saturday at 8.30pm.A 49-year-old man was arrested for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon and a penknife was seized as a case exhibit.Both the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force stated that a 59-year-old man was conveyed while conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.Police added that investigations are ongoing.[[nid:716001]]candicecai@asiaone.com

A resident of One Fort condominium says the sound of daily pickleball games behind her home has become unbearable.Stomp contributor Kel told Stomp the noise from the pickleball courts near Block 14 Kampong Arang Road, beside Katong Community Centre, has worsened significantly in recent years.Pickleball is a paddle sport that blends elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, typically played on a badminton-sized court with two players (singles) or four (doubles).Players use solid-faced paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over a net, with the game known for its fast pace and distinctive 'pock' sound when the ball is struck.«What started as a small weekend activity during Covid-19 has now become a daily nuisance,» she said.According to her, players now gather almost every day between 8am and 11am, and again from around 3pm until 10pm. On weekends, the games stretch from early morning to late at night.«It's affecting our mental wellness,» Kel added."I live on the 10th floor and have irregular working hours due to the nature of my work. I have resigned to wearing earplugs which still do not block off the noises.

The four Chinese nationals who were arrested after a police search operation near the Rail Corridor on Friday (Aug 8) are suspected to be members of a criminal housebreaking syndicate.The quartet, aged between 36 and 41, were found to possess housebreaking implements such as screwdrivers and spanners.At a media conference on Sunday (Aug 10), the police said they had been conducting housebreaking operations in the vicinity of the Rail Corridor and Bukit Timah Road on Friday evening.Patrolling officers had spotted the men running into a forested area, and a joint operation involving the Gurkha and Special Operations Command was activated to comb the area.According to The Straits Times, officers were spotted searching near Greenleaf Place and a drone was seen flying over the nearby forested area.During the search operation, two men were arrested at the forested areas near the Rail Corridor, said police.The third man was arrested at a mall near Clementi that night, while the fourth man was arrested on Saturday (Aug 9) morning at a hotel in Geylang.

Amid the pomp and pageantry, there is a spirit of reflection and hope as Singapore celebrated its 60th birthday on Saturday (Aug 9).Perhaps a dose of unpredictability too — when the 27,000 spectators at the Padang took to their seats from 4pm under the blazing heat, before opening their umbrellas as a brief drizzle fell over Padang.Thousands more soaked in the festivities in Marina Bay as a part of an «expanded canvas» to celebrate Singapore's diamond jubilee.By 5.30pm, the rain had stopped with the four emcees —Joakim Gomez, Ebi Shankara and Siti Khalijah arriving at the Padang in an iconic Singapore Big Bus.They were then «teleported» to the screens and into a music video Makin' Our Way, written and composed by singer Benjamin Artist.Prime Minister Lawrence Wong even made a surprise appearance by playing the electric guitar.Fifty-nine students from the Institute of Technical Education and 100 volunteers from Touch Community Services then took to the stage in vibrant costumes in a dance performance.In total, more than 3,000 performers and artistes were involved in this year's NDP.

Even as people were taking their seats in Padang, the Marina Bay area was with buzzing with various local acts performing at the Waterfront Promenade entertaining the crowd with a mix of pop tracks and National Day Parade theme songs.More than 200,000 are expected to be in the area to be part of Singapore's 60th birthday bash.Among the crowd was a Singapore couple, who arrived as early at 2.30pm to secure good spots to watch the festivities and even set up a tripod to capture photos.Soaking in the National Day Parade atmosphere for the first time were 20-year-olds Ashraff and Haini, who are especially looking forward to the fireworks — particularly the special SG60 finale feature at the end.Ashraff also surprised Haini with her favourite perfume, given in celebration of her birthday three days earlier, as they enjoyed a picnic with a spread of food.Another Singaporean who was in the thick of action with her immediate and extended family was 30-year-old Jean Toh.

The weather forecast in the morning of National Day Parade (NDP) warned of thundery showers in several areas across Singapore later in the day.  Instead, the 27,000 spectators, most wearing red and white, thronged the stands at the Padang on Saturday (Aug 9) under the blazing afternoon sun for the National Day Parade.The gates opened around 4pm, and as spectators made their way to their seats, many shielded themselves from the heat with umbrellas.Farina Jumat, 28 and her sister Farisah, 19, went even further. The pair told AsiaOne that they “came prepared”— with portable fans. Sisters Farisah (left) and Farina with their umbrellas and portable fans at the Padang. Photo: AsiaOne/Ching Shi Jie Farina, a pre-school teacher, said it was raining when they left home at Bukit Batok two hours ago. 

SINGAPORE - Nation building has never been the work of one party or one generation, and is both an individual and collective effort, said Leader of the Opposition and Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh in his National Day message.«Each and every Singaporean has the power to shape Singapore's future,» he said in the message put up on his party's Facebook page on Aug 8.«This civic duty is our responsibility alone.»In 60 years, Singapore has become a nation «united by Singaporeans with big hearts, a sense of righteousness, and a deep appreciation for mutual respect among all, regardless of race, language, or religion», said Mr Singh.He added that while Singapore, at 60, is not very old, it is certainly also not very young.And the Singapore story is still being written by everyone, from the seniors who live out their years with grace and purpose, to gig workers, public sector employees and young students, among others, he said.

Singapore received an early birthday present from its neighbours up north on Thursday (Aug 7).The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) welcomed the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) to Woodlands Checkpoint, where our Malaysian counterparts presented a cake for Singapore's 60th birthday.ICA took to Facebook on Aug 8 to commemorate the visit. The caption read: «ICA looks forward to strengthening our partnership, continuing our collaboration, and ensuring smooth trade and safe travels at our land borders.»Multiple photos of the visit accompanied the post, including a few displaying the SG60 cake.

A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Regular died on Saturday (Aug 9) morning after he was found unconscious at Hendon Camp swimming pool, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) in a statement on the same day.The serviceman appeared to have been training on his own and was found unconscious at 7.15am, Mindef said.CPR and AED were administered immediately.The Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were activated, and an SCDF ambulance evacuated the serviceman to Changi General Hospital and resuscitation continued on route and upon arrival at the hospital.Despite resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced dead at 7.44am, Mindef stated.Mindef noted that his death was not related to training.«The Ministry of Defence and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to the family of the late serviceman,» the ministry said.«We are also rendering assistance to the family during this time of grief.»[[nid:719673]]amierul@asiaone.com

Amid heightened economic uncertainty, Singapore must stay ahead of others and remain exceptional in its cohesion, resolve and performance, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in his National Day message on Friday (Aug 8).«We must move faster, adapt quicker and innovate smarter. That means embracing new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics — and applying them meaningfully across our economy,» he said. People, workers and businesses here must also be enabled to make full use of these tools to sharpen the country's competitive edge.«The pace of change will be rapid and not always comfortable. There will be disruption. Not everyone will find the transition easy,» he added.Outlook 'highly uncertain': PM WongAddressing the nation in a media broadcast at The Padang, he pointed out the global issues of new conflicts, deepened geopolitical tensions, heightened trade barriers and worsening protectionist sentiments.«To put it bluntly: The global order that enabled Singapore to thrive for decades is unravelling before our eyes,» said PM Wong.

SINGAPORE — In 2024, when two out of three lifts in his block at Fernwood Towers broke down, Haider Manasawala had to carry his suitcase down 21 storeys to catch a flight.«Only one lift was operating and it was taking forever to come. I didn't have a choice,» said Haider, a regional chief financial officer with a US multinational firm.On other occasions, all three ageing lifts failed, forcing Haider to climb the stairs to get home.Fernwood Towers, a 31-year-old freehold development near Siglap, has 11 lifts across four residential blocks. But despite frequent lift breakdowns, which started in 2021, the management corporation strata title (MCST) found it hard to get owners' support to raise funds and replace them.Fernwood Towers is among a growing number of condominium developments grappling with deteriorating infrastructure and insufficient sinking funds to carry out major repair and replacement works. This problem could worsen as more developments cross the 30-year mark, said industry experts.

Businesses in the Clarke Quay and Boat Quay areas are optimistic that extending their operating hours is the right way forward.On Thursday (Aug 7), the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of National Development, said that the Boat Quay precinct and neighbouring areas will be revitalised with a series of regulatory changes.Come Aug 18, businesses along Boat Quay and Clarke Quay can apply for extended liquor licenses until 4am on Thursdays and Fridays for a trial that will last a year.Proposals for new nightclubs, bars and pubs along Boat Quay Waterfront, Circular Road, Lorong Telok and Canton Street may also be submitted for temporary permission of up to three years.Circular Road will also be free of cars on Friday and Sunday evenings and on the eve of public holidays.Speaking with AsiaOne, Rafid, the manager of restaurant and bar Shahi Maharaja along Boat Quay, said that the extension is good news for him, especially on Fridays.The 38-year-old explained that he will likely be hiring more workers and extending his business hours past 1.30am if his application is approved.

Stay in the know with a recap of our top stories today.1. NDP 2025: Police Coast Guard to deploy upgraded patrol boats at Padang and Bayfront celebrationsThe Police Coast Guard will be patrolling the bay area on board upgraded boats and crafts during the upcoming National Day Parade 2025... » READ MORE2. 'Ah, National Day has arrived': Uncle Ong's 11-year flag tradition in Toa Payoh

A man was arrested on Tuesday (Aug 5) after he brandished a knife at a vehicle exiting Sim Lim Tower in Jalan Besar.Dashcam footage of the incident shared to Stomp shows the man walking on the left-most lane of Jalan Besar Road and towards the car.He stands in front of the vehicle before making a gesture and moving back to stand on the main road. A car occupant is heard saying that the man has a knife.As the vehicle slowly reverses, the man lunges forward with a knife in his right hand in an apparent attempt to jump the car bonnet.Unintelligible shouts are heard as the man stops briefly before approaching the reversing car again. Then, a man claiming to be from the police is heard asking the car occupants what happened.The driver, named Nay Zar, told Stomp he was thankful that the police were in the car behind him.«In the end, I realised that he wanted to disturb whatever car, so he left his bag in front of Sim Lim Tower and walked against traffic on the main road,» he reportedly said.«I want to say thanks to the police who came in and helped.»