Makan Minum Workers, a local F&B collective, has launched a crowdfunding initiative to support the workers from Twelve Cupcakes who had their employment abruptly terminated when the business shut down.The company announced its sudden closure on Oct 29.The group, which calls itself «a grassroots collective by F&B workers and for F&B workers», launched the fundraiser on Sunday (Nov 9).It aims to collect $80,000 in total — $1,000 for each of the 80 affected workers.According to Makan Minum Workers, employees received notice of their immediate termination only at 8pm via WhatsApp on Oct 29.The employees, consisting of Singaporean and migrant workers, have not been paid for the last month of work.They were also reportedly told that they would not receive any payment until the completion of liquidation, which would take about six months.«Currently, they are lacking the financial means to cover rental payments, food expenses, and basic survival needs while actively pursuing new employment opportunities as the breadwinner of their families,» said the collective.

SINGAPORE — A former cook at a pre-school in Singapore was on Nov 10 sentenced to nine years, four months and seven weeks in jail, in a case that the prosecution said involved one of the most horrendous acts of sexual abuse committed in such a local facility.Malaysian Teo Guan Huat, 61, had pleaded guilty to three molestation charges on Oct 27.Five other molestation charges were considered during his sentencing.On Nov 10, District Judge Vince Gui said Teo's acts were abhorrent, and that the offences represented an abuse of trust, stressing that the victims were young and defenceless.Teo, a Singapore permanent resident, had molested three girls, aged one to two, while the victims were in a nap room at the pre-school.He abused the children by inserting his hands into their nappies, an act he carried out multiple times a week, from May 2023 to November that year, when the teachers were not looking.Teo, who was with the pre-school for about a year, eventually resigned in November 2023 when his offences were exposed.

Singapore has been allocated 900 places for the annual Haj pilgrimage in 2026, and has requested for additional quota from the Saudi Arabian authorities, said Acting Minister-in-charge for Muslim Affairs Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim.Assoc Prof Faishal, who is on a working visit to Saudi Arabia and Jordan from Nov 6 to 11, made the announcement in a Facebook post on Monday (Nov 10) after meeting with Saudi Arabia's Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Tawfiq Al-Rabiah.«The signing marks an important milestone as it formally confirms Singapore's Haj quota for the upcoming (2026) season.»Each year, this agreement represents more than numbers. It reflects the trust and friendship between our two countries, and our shared commitment to ensure a safe, smooth and spiritually fulfilling haj journey for our pilgrims," said the Acting Minister.

SINGAPORE — A refreshed *Scape as a hub for young people, with plenty of space for study and creation, and food for the body as well as soul, was officially relaunched on Nov 9 after several years of redevelopment.Parts of it have been open since April, attracting more than 10,000 young people in 190 programmes in dance, music and the arts. Half of the programmes are run by the youth themselves.The revamped space features studios that are open to the public, meeting rooms, and a revamped Ground Theatre for performances and content creation.The theatre, an event space inside *Scape that opened in 2013, will be able to host 700 guests in a standing capacity, up from 450.Around 80 per cent of tenants in the space are operational, like dessert shops, cafes and a wellness hub. The remaining tenants will be ready by early 2026.Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo said young people in Singapore are driven by a strong sense of purpose, and eager to chart their own paths and redefine what it means to succeed.

A 22-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in a case of robbery with hurt along Dunlop Street. In a statement on Sunday (Nov 9), the police said that they were alerted to the incident on Nov 8 at about 3.55am.Preliminary investigations revealed that the perpetrator had allegedly lured a 28-year-old male victim to a back alley in Little India, before assaulting him and demanding that money be handed over.The victim, who sustained injuries, eventually handed over cash amounting to about $190 to the man and was later taken to the hospital.The 22-year-old man's identity was established through follow-up investigations and with the aid of images from CCTVs and police cameras and he was arrested within 20 hours, said the police. The clothes worn by the perpetrator during the incident were also seized as case exhibits.

Outside a wake along Gloucester Road, opposite Pek Kio Community Centre, as many as 70 electronic funeral wreaths were seen displayed across the side of the road — exceeding the 10 allowed under National Environment Agency (NEA) guidelines.In a Facebook post uploaded by Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development Alvin Tan on Sunday (Nov 9), he said that several Pek Kio and Farrer Park residents had shared concerns about the number of wreaths.He noted that the placement of the wreaths also obstructed the lines of sight for motorists and pedestrians.«Parents and students of neighbouring primary and pre-schools had near misses because of the obstruction,» said Tan, who is an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC.He added that several wreaths had also fallen onto the road, right in front of a zebra crossing, obstructing traffic and creating a road hazard.

Two Malaysian men, aged 22 and 38, will be charged in court on Monday (Nov 10) for their suspected involvement in a government official impersonation scam (GOIS).In a statement on Nov 9, the police said they received a report on Nov 7 involving the impersonation of government officials purportedly from the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).The victim who filed the report was allegedly told over the phone by an unknown person, claiming to be from a bank, that a credit card had been applied under her name. When she denied doing so, the call was transferred to representatives claiming to be from MinLaw and MAS, who informed her that she was implicated in a case of money laundering. She was then presented with fake staff passes along with other supporting documents via WhatsApp. Convinced that she was under investigation, the woman transferred $1 million from one of her bank accounts to her own credit card. She then purchased gold worth over $412,000 using the card at Mustafa Centre before handing them to an unknown person on the same day.

The People's Action Party (PAP) will continue to focus on forging new opportunities for Singapore, while renewing itself to represent all Singaporeans, said Prime Minister and PAP secretary-general Lawrence Wong.Addressing more than 1,800 party activists at the biennial party convention on Sunday (Nov 9) at Singapore Expo, Wong outlined the party's priorities and tasks ahead following the recent election.He noted that the global environment is becoming increasingly uncertain, shifting from globalisation to protectionism and economic nationalism.«First, we will secure Singapore's place in this changed world... The world has always been dangerous place, but it's getting worse,» said Wong«They are deep structural shifts and they will affect the survival and success of small open economies like Singapore,» said Wong.

Two 83-year-old women were injured after a car crashed into them in Choa Chu Kang on Sunday (Nov 8) afternoon. One of the women later died of her injuries in hospital.The accident happened along Teck Whye Lane at about 2.50pm.In response to AsiaOne's queries, police said the accident involved a car and two pedestrians. Teck Whye Lane was closed off to traffic after the accident as Traffic Police investigators carried out their investigations. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Charlotte Ong «An 83-year-old female pedestrian was conveyed conscious to the hospital, while another 83-year-old female pedestrian was conveyed unconscious to the hospital, where she subsequently passed away,» police said.

SINGAPORE – Thinking she had found her “lifelong partner”, a single mother sold her flat and transferred the earnings together with her life savings worth over $120,000 into a scammer’s cryptocurrency wallet.Even though they had never met and had not had any video calls together, she still packed up her belongings, withdrew her two children from school and was about to begin a new life abroad with her “lover”.A day before her flight, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Lee Hua Sheng from the Anti-Scam Command’s (ASC) Crypto Tracing Team (CTT) asked her to go to the ASC office, as he suspected she was a scam victim.Her bank had alerted ASC about the suspicious transactions, which prompted ASP Lee to contact her. She told him that her “lover” had been ignoring her messages.The CTT is only eight months old, having been operationalised in March to address the threat of scam proceeds dissipating through virtual assets like cryptocurrency.Almost a quarter of the $1.1 billion lost to scams in 2024 involved cryptocurrency, with one victim losing $125 million in cryptocurrency funds in a malware-enabled scam.

SINGAPORE – Ms Ng C.C., 52, and her family, who live in a Housing Board flat in Jurong West, have four cars registered to their name.The regional finance director lives with her boyfriend, a dental surgeon, and they each have a car, because of their different work schedules.Living with them are her younger brother, who has two cars, and his secondary school-going son.They are among the 2,000 HDB households that owned at least three cars as at Sept 30. In comparison, 9,000 non-HDB households owned at least three cars.As at Sept 30, 274,000 HDB households and 207,000 non-HDB households own at least one car, while 20,000 HDB households and 46,000 non-HDB households own at least two cars, data provided by Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow showed.The figures were released by Mr Siow on Nov 4 in response to a question from Pioneer MP Patrick Tay, who had requested a breakdown of car ownership by household type.Mr Tay had asked for the number of HDB and non-HDB households – such as those in landed properties and condominiums – that own at least one, two or three cars.

Two men have been charged for the murder of a 56-year-old man at Chin Swee Road which occurred during the wee hours of Saturday (Nov 8).Tan Boon Hui, 58, and Poh Choon Kiat, 59, were arrested following a fight which broke out on the 17th floor of Block 51 Chin Swee Road.In a statement to AsiaOne, police said they had received a call for assistance to Block 51 Chin Swee Road on Nov 8 at 3.10am, where they found a man lying injured outside his unit.The man was conveyed unconscious to the hospital, where he later died, said police in a statement to AsiaOne.Preliminary investigations later revealed that four men were involved in a fight that arose from a dispute.During the fight, one of the men allegedly stabbed the victim, police stated.Two knives were recovered and seized, with investigations are still ongoing.According to The Straits Times, the two men were charged via video link on Sunday, with Tan appearing on camera from Changi General Hospital where he was warded. Poh, who was dressed in a red polo T-shirt, was held in a different location.

A Malaysian national was charged in court on Friday (Nov 7) for allegedly offering a bribe to a Traffic Police officer in relation to an illegal ride-hailing service. Lee Keh Meng, 44, allegedly offered a bribe of $50 to Sergeant Ahmad Hafiz Bin Abdul Sukur on Oct 23, as an inducement not to report a case of an unauthorised cross-border ride-hailing service. Sergeant Hafiz rejected the bribe, and the case was subsequently referred to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau by the police. Lee faces one charge punishable under Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. If convicted, he can be fined up to $100,000, or sentenced to imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both. [[nid:721951]]esther.lam@asiaone.com 

A preschool centre for children from lower-income families, operated by Beyond Social Services (BSS), will close by the end of 2025.The Healthy Start Child Development Centre (HSCDC) in Bukit Merah was the preschool that four-year-old Megan Khung attended before her death in 2020.In a statement on Oct 14, BSS said that HSCDC will wind down due to declining enrolment, which had fallen from more than 50 children in 2018 to just 14 in 2024.Referrals have decreased as families relocated due to housing redevelopment, the organisation added.More affordable and accessible preschools have become available in Bukit Merah and other areas, reducing the need for a specialised centre like HSCDC, said BSS.HSCDC opened in 2002, after a community survey in the Henderson and Bukit Merah estates found that many children were at risk due to inadequate childcare, parental incarceration or leaving school early.The organisation added that it plans to redirect its resources towards community-rooted initiatives.

The rule of law is a cornerstone of Singapore’s system, not “rule of the mob”, and suggesting that public opinion can trump a court decision is a "very dangerous idea”, said Law Minister Edwin Tong on Saturday (Nov 8).Tong, who is also Second Minister for Home Affairs, was speaking on the sidelines of a community event in Buona Vista. He was responding to a comment made by Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh on an episode of CNA's series The Assembly 2 which aired on Nov 5. During the interview, Singh was asked by a participant how he felt about being called “a liar” due to former WP Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan’s case.In his reply, Singh said that being in the “business of politics” means that political opponents will “do whatever it takes” to lower his and the Workers’ Party esteem in the public eyes.

A multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) registered in Singapore was caught at the Johor Bahru checkpoint on Wednesday (Nov 5) for allegedly providing illegal private-hire services.In a Facebook post the next day, the Johor Road Transport Department (JPJ) stated that it had been conducting Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) enforcement operations at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) CIQ Complex that day.JPJ officers detained the MPV, which was inbound, at the entrance of the checkpoint after finding that its driver conducted private-hire services without a valid operator's license.Pictures posted to Facebook showed two passengers in the vehicle during this time.The vehicle was seized, and its owner will be charged under the Road Transport and Land Public Transport Acts, said the post.The department stated that it will «continue to be committed to carrying out monitoring and enforcement to ensure all vehicles comply with the laws for the sake of safety and well-being of road users, especially on the Malaysia-Singapore international route».[[nid:724098]]bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com

Two suspects linked to the $3 billion money laundering case spent more than S$69.8 million on properties in London while on the run from the authorities in Singapore.The Straits Times, working with investigative reporting group, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), learnt that the pair had purchased the properties through their UK-listed firms between July and September 2023.One of the suspects, Su Binghai, bought nine apartments in London worth $27 million just one week after he escaped police raids in Singapore.China-born Su Binghai, who holds Cambodian citizenship, and has passports from Vanuatu, a South Pacific Ocean nation, and St Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, was among 17 suspects who evaded arrest during the police operation on Aug 15, 2023.In all, 10 foreigners were arrested that day. They were eventually convicted, sentenced and barred from returning to Singapore.