A 30-year-old man who was allegedly trafficking etomidate-laced e-vaporiser pods was charged in court on Wednesday (Feb 4).The accused, Yeo Zhi Xiang, was arrested on Monday (Jan 2) when police officers attended to a case of dispute among three men involving the use of a knife at a carpark in Whampoa West.According to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Yeo had allegedly pointed a knife at one of the two men, while one of them was allegedly buying etomidate e-vaporiser pods from him.After the police detained the trio, checks were conducted on Yeo's van where officers found 80 e-vaporiser pods — 29 under the driver's seat, 50 at the back of the van, and another pod with an e-vaporiser at the door on the driver's side.HSA's tests confirmed that the 80 pods contained etomidate.Investigations against the other two men are also ongoing.Yeo's case will be heard in court again on March 5.If found guilty of selling or distributing etomidate e-vaporisers, he may be jailed for up to 10 years and receive up to five strokes of the cane.

Delivery riders who do not have mobility issues should not misuse personal mobility aids (PMAs) for work as it is not the right mode of transport for them, Minister of State for Transport Baey Yam Keng told Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 4).Clarifying the concerns raised by several MPs over the past two days, Baey said that the Land Transport and Related Matters Bill is not meant to ban the use of mobility scooters or target a specific group.«Only (delivery) workers with mobility needs should use PMAs for their work. They have to abide by the reduced speed limit and dimension limits for everyone's safety. This protects not just other path users, but PMA riders themselves.»In the Bill that has since been passed, mobility scooter users will be required to hold a Certificate of Medical Need to certify their mobility issue. Seniors aged 70 and above are exempted.Other rules that take effect on June 1 include a speed reduction of PMAs on public paths from 10kmh to 6kmh.The minister of state said that only doctors and occupational therapists can assess whether a person requires a mobility scooter to get around.

Four days after a crocodile was first sighted in the waters off Sentosa, there has been another sighting — this time off Changi Naval Base. AsiaOne understands it was seen on Tuesday evening (Feb 3).In a video posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday, the Republic of Singapore Navy said that sea soldiers from its ninth flotilla spotted the reptile, adding that it «stayed briefly» before returning to the Singapore Strait.The ninth flotilla is responsible for training and deploying security troopers, sea soldiers and system operators who are responsible for the defence of its naval bases and coastal installations.It is unclear if the crocodile spotted off Changi Naval Base is the same one spotted in the waters off Sentosa Cove.Meanwhile, the navy said it has stepped up monitoring and is working closely with the relevant agencies. It also advised members of the public to stay alert when around coastal areas. 

The Workers' Party (WP) disciplinary panel tasked with looking into whether secretary-general Pritam Singh breached its constitution in light of his court conviction for lying to Parliament's Committee of Privileges has invited party members to provide their views on the matter. In a text message seen by AsiaOne on Tuesday (Feb 3), the panel invited WP members who wish to meet them to drop an email to arrange a meeting. The sessions are reportedly expected to take place over the coming weeks. The disciplinary process for the former Leader of the Opposition contrasts with the party's 2021 handling of the disciplinary matter for former MP Raeesah Khan — who lied in Parliament — when only cadres were asked for inputs. The WP's current disciplinary panel comprise of two-term Sengkang GRC MPs He Ting Ru and Jamus Lim, as well as former MP Png Eng Huat. Only Png is not currently a member of the WP's central executive committee (CEC).

The authorities are currently reviewing massage establishment regulations and are expected to tighten enforcement against such shops involved in vice activities soon.In response to queries from AsiaOne, the Housing Development Board (HDB) and the Singapore Police Force on Wednesday (Feb 4) said that changes to the Massage Establishments Act will be announced in the coming months. Under the Act, operators of massage establishments must obtain a licence from the police. Open-concept massage shops and beauty salons that do not provide massage services are exempt.In their joint reply, the agencies said that they are aware of disamenities caused by errant operators of such establishments and have taken firm action against them.HDB has in particular tightened the quota of massage shops in neighbourhood centres as of Sep 2024, having established trade mix controls and quotas on trades which may cause disamenities. Tenants are required to seek HDB's approval if they wish to change trade, and each request is assessed individually to ensure that the quota is preserved. 

The Ministry of Education should consider setting aside a fixed quota for students entering secondary schools without affiliation or under the Direct School Admission (DSA) exercise, Gho Sze Kee suggested in Parliament on Wednesday (Feb 4).This will ensure a «meaningful and predictable» number of available places for students applying through the Secondary 1 posting exercise with their PSLE results, the MP for Mountbatten SMC said.Gho also asked if there is a «compression» of available places for non-affiliated students, given that some students who enter through the DSA route «eat» into the slots reserved for non-affiliated students if they also fall into this category.In response, Minister for Education Desmond Ng said that school’s balloting rate ultimately depends on school choices, students’ decisions and DSA numbers.«The ministry will certainly study all of these suggestions,» he added.According to the ministry's guidelines, secondary schools are allowed to admit up to 20 per cent of their students through DSA, which allows Primary 6 students to gain early admission based on talent in areas such as sports and the arts.

Fourteen men were arrested for offences involving contraband cigarettes after authorities raided an industrial building and a foreign worker dormitory in Jurong East on Jan 28.Singapore Customs said in a Facebook post on Wednesday (Feb 4) that the targeted enforcement operation conducted along Toh Guan Road East was to combat the sale and demand of duty-unpaid cigarettes.Customs officers seized over 170 packets of cigarettes with duties unpaid.Following investigations, 12 people were issued compounded fines, with the amount ranging from $500 to $800.The two other men were charged in the State Courts for their offences on Jan 30.It is illegal to buy, sell, store, or smoke duty-unpaid cigarettes under the Customs and GST Acts. For every packet of duty-unpaid cigarettes, an offender can be fined $500.The public can report illegal activities to Singapore Customs online.[[nid:726397]]lim.kewei@asiaone.com

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) on Wednesday (Feb 4) launched 9,012 flats for sale, with about half of them being Build-To-Order (BTO) flats. A total of 4,692 BTO flats across six projects in Bukit Merah, Sembawang, Tampines and Toa Payoh are available in the February BTO sales exercise, said HDB in a media release.Another 4,320 balance flats have also been put up in the concurrent Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise, with close to one in five SBF units completed.This is up from the 3,000 units that HDB previously committed, said Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat in a Facebook post on Wednesday. Among the BTO flats launched in this exercise are 1,052 Prime units under the popular Redhill Peaks project in the Bukit Merah area. The first half of the project was offered in the October 2025 sale exercise with another Prime project, Berlayar Residences, and together received 8,376 applications. 

SINGAPORE — ST Engineering is showing off two distinct platforms at the Singapore Airshow that mark a significant expansion into next-generation aviation technologies for the world's largest airframe maintenance and repair services provider.At Asia's largest aerospace and defence event, the Singapore-based company launched the DrN-600, a large all-electric vertical take-off-and-landing cargo drone, and announced partnerships with ferry operators for its crewed hovercraft-like AirFish Voyager.Drones represent «a new market — in a way, it's a disruptor, because that product never existed before that is viable,» Jeffrey Lam, chief operating officer of ST Engineering and president of its commercial aerospace business, told Reuters in an interview on the show's sidelines.The DrN-600, with a range of over 70km and a 100-kg payload capacity, is the company's highest-capacity drone to date and aimed at medium-lift cargo operations, with certification expected by 2028, according to ST Engineering.

The specific impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on entry-level professional, managerial, executive, and technical (PMET) jobs remain uncertain, with employment rates of fresh graduates from Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) remaining broadly stable over the decade.This update was given on Tuesday (Feb 3) by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Shawn Huang in response to a parliamentary question by NMP Assoc Prof Terence Ho.Assoc Prof Ho had asked whether the Government has recorded a slowdown in the hiring of fresh graduates by employers in certain sectors due to the adoption of AI. He also asked if the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has plans to help boost the employability and opportunities available to fresh graduates facing such challenges.In his response, the senior parliamentary secretary said that the specific impact of AI adoption on entry-level PMET jobs remains uncertain.

Police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of an 82-year-old Nee Soon resident, Low Kow, who went missing on Sunday (Feb 1). According to a press release on Tuesday, Low was last seen in the vicinity of Block 101 Yishun Avenue 5 on Feb 1 at around 7.30pm.In a Facebook post on Tuesday evening, Nee Soon GRC MP K Shanmugam shared the police statement and publicly appealed for «everyone to keep a lookout for him».Facebook user Hong Yao Lew, who claimed to be Low's grandnephew, made a separate post on the Missing Persons Singapore Facebook group.In the post on Tuesday, he shared that his granduncle had been missing since Monday afternoon, adding that Low is deaf and mute.«If you have seen him or have any information, please contact us,» he said.Across both posts, many users indicated that they will be helping to keep a lookout for Low. «Wishing for his safe return and reunion with family,» a user said.Several commenters also expressed concern for the wider population of elderly in Singapore.

A total of 77 traffic accidents over the past three years have been linked to suspected drug use, said Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam. In a written parliamentary reply on Tuesday (Feb 3), the minister said that out of the 77 accidents, 25 involved drug use while the rest involved etomidate use. Of all the cases, two were suspected to involve both drug and etomidate use. Shanmugam was responding to Pasir Ris-Changi GRC MP Valerie Lee, who asked for statistics regarding traffic accidents linked to vaping or drug use. Asking if stricter penalties can be considered for such crimes, Shanmugam, who is also MP for Nee Soon GRC, said that there are already enhanced penalties if a motorist causes an accident while driving under influence. Shanmugam said the traffic police will conduct a blood test if motorists are suspected of drug or etomidate use. A first-time offender found guilty of dangerous driving causing death while driving under influence faces up to 10 years' jail and a minimum 12-year driving disqualification.  

A 33-year-old Malaysian man's apparent hopes of hiding his crime under the guise of a 'perfect family' were dashed by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at Woodlands Checkpoint on Jan 28. In a video posted to its Facebook page on Tuesday (Feb 3) night, ICA said that at the time of the offence, the man’s 33-year-old wife and three children, aged between 3 and 8, were with him in the Malaysia-registered car. ICA added that its search and examination officers found boxes containing e-vaporisers in the car’s boot and proceeded to direct the vehicle for enhanced checks where they found 1,200 e-vaporisers and related components. The 33-year-old Malaysian man has been arrested and the case referred to the Health Sciences Authority for further investigation. Under the enhanced penalties introduced on Sept 1 last year, those convicted of importing vapes into Singapore will face a jail term of up to six months, a maximum fine of $10,000, or both, for their first offence. 

A total of $3.995 billion worth of Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers, including SG60 vouchers, were spent over the last four years.The update was given on Tuesday (Feb 3) by Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo in a written response to a parliamentary question by MP Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC).Saktiandi had asked how many households have claimed the 2026 CDC vouchers, and how much of the spending were at heartland businesses.He also asked about the impact of CDC vouchers on household consumption and small business resilience.In his response, Neo — who said that he was answering in his capacity as the minister charged with the responsibility for the People's Association — explained that it is «still early» to share the claim and spend rate of the latest tranche of $300 CDC vouchers.Eligible Singaporean households were able to claim and use $300 in CDC vouchers only just slightly a month ago, from Jan 2.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has no plans to introduce the central kitchen model to all school canteens, Minister of State for Education Jasmin Lau said on Tuesday (Feb 3).Responding to questions from several MPs, she said there is also no target in mind to replace traditional canteens where students buy food from individual stallholders.From last month, 13 schools had switched to the model where a single operator manages their canteens.Lau said that the central kitchen model was not introduced to replace traditional canteens, but rather as an alternative to help schools that were struggling to attract stallholders and had severe shortages of functioning stalls.«We want to avoid putting students in these schools at risk of not having good access to affordable, nutritious and balanced meals,» she said.Yusof Ishak Secondary School was the first to pilot the central kitchen model in 2022.Lau said that after seeing «positive results», MOE decided to roll out the model to 13 additional schools that face challenges in securing sufficient stallholders.Some of these schools are using hybrid models, she said.

Persistent hotspots in eastern Johor have resulted in smoke plumes which are moving towards Singapore due to the prevailing north-easterly and north-westerly winds, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).In a Facebook update after 7.30pm on Tuesday (Feb 3), the agency said that the detection was made during a satellite pass just after 2pm, adding that showers over Singapore and the surrounding areas expected from Wednesday (Feb 4) should help to improve air quality. On Tuesday afternoon, AsiaOne was on the ground in Tampines, Paya Lebar and Whampoa, where passers-by said they noticed a burning smell in the air.