The Homefront Crisis Ministerial Committee (HCMC) is necessary for dealing with the ongoing energy crisis in Singapore, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam told media in Chong Pang on Saturday (April 4) afternoon.Shanmugam, who is also an MP for Nee Soon GRC, spoke to media as the head of the HCMC, explaining the need for its formation.«A significant part of the world's oil supply has been affected. Gas supply has been affected,» Shanmugam said. «It's not clear when that situation will change.»Even if the war stops very soon, it doesn't mean supply disruptions will go away.«These disruptions have led to price increases seen in fuel, fertiliser, food and transport, he added.Shanmugam revealed that the HCMC has already been active for a few weeks, with meetings being held »for some time now«.In fact, the HCMC was set up »many years ago", long before Shanmugam entered the Ministry of Home Affairs, but was only activated due to the crisis, he said.

A 26-year-old man was arrested on Friday (April 3) for his alleged involvement in a case of government official impersonation cam.He is also the eleventh Malaysian to be arrested for similar cases since March. In a news release on Friday, the police said they received a report from a 66-year-old male victim who got a call from an unknown person claiming to be from UnionPay.After the male victim denied having any insurance premium plan that the unknown person was calling about, he was told the call would be diverted to another person to assist in cancellation.However, he was contacted by another unknown person claiming to be an «officer» from the Monetary Authority of SingaporeThe «officer» told the victim that his identity was compromised and that he was under investigation for money laundering.He was instructed to cooperate with the investigation which included not disclosing the matter to his family members.

A disciplinary panel looking into whether Workers' Party (WP) secretary-general Pritam Singh had contravened the party's constitution following his conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee has completed its probe.In a statement on Saturday (April 4), the Workers' Party said the panel will present its finalised report and recommendations to the central executive committee in April.It added that notice for a special cadre members' conference will be issued within two works of the submission.The panel was formed in January after Singh's failed appeal against his conviction.  It comprises WP MPs He Ting Ru, Assoc Prof Jamus Lim and former Hougang MP Png Eng Huat. 

A man living in a rental flat in Jurong West returned home from a trip to an alarming sight — an unknown naked woman in his bed.The tenant, who wished to remain anonymous, told Shin Min Daily News that the incident took place on March 2 at The Lakeshore condominium at Jurong West Street 41, where he had rented a bedroom for $1,050 a month since August 2025 on a one-year lease.He had gone to his hometown for Chinese New Year with his wife and, upon his return, opened the door to his room and found a topless woman, wearing only her underpants, sleeping in his bed.He told the Chinese daily: «She was startled awake when I opened the door and immediately told me to close the door quickly so she could get dressed, then hurriedly left. »I clearly remember locking the door before leaving, and suddenly seeing someone lying in my room terrified me!"He was glad his wife had not returned to the flat with him as he would be in deep trouble.

A batch of orange marmalade sold in Singapore is being recalled as a precautionary measure after the European Commission Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) issued a notification on its recall over the potential presence of glass shards.In a media release on Friday (April 3), the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it has directed the importer of Alain Milliat Orange Marmalade (300g) to recall the implicated product.The affected batch, which originates from France, has the lot number C250422AT, and an expiry date in April 2028.Under the Sale of Food Act, foods known to be unsafe for consumption should not be sold.Those who have purchased the implicated product should not consume it.People who have consumed the product and have concerns about their health should seek medical attention.[[nid:732954]]editor@asiaone.com No part of this story can be reproduced without the permission of AsiaOne.

SINGAPORE – Madam Siti always kept her two-room rental flat in Bukit Merah tidy and made sure her three sons had enough to be happy about.Hari Raya Aidilfitri – a celebration marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan - was especially important for the 41-year-old Indonesian and her family, with homes to visit and relatives to see.But not this year.Madam Siti spent March 21 at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery with two of her sons, aged 14 and 11.They were there to remember and grieve: Her son, Muhammed Qayyim Daniel Putra Rosli, or Qayyim as he was affectionately known, is buried there.The 13-year-old drowned in the Kallang River on Feb 25 while fishing with friends.Madam Siti's husband, Qayyim's Singaporean father, is not around, and she has had to bear the burden of raising the family and the grief over her son's death on her own.«Qayyim's mother is still sad and grieving. She's not ready to face the media,» said the boy's uncle, who gave his name only as Mr Sham.«But I am grateful that we all managed to visit Qayyim at the cemetery on the first day of Hari Raya.»

Upset over the noise that pickleball gameplay creates, a Clementi resident has allegedly stood in a nearby court to prevent players from continuing their match, Shin Min Daily News reported on Thursday (April 2).Residents of Block 410 and 411 at Commonwealth Avenue West have reported incessant noise from a pickleball court in their vicinity, according to Stomp.Citing a resident that spoke with the publication, groups of up to 12 would purportedly begin playing around 8am, continuing for multiple hours.Speaking with Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday, a Clementi resident surnamed Lim told the Chinese-language publication that an elderly man had allegedly approached the group of pickleballers last month, fed up with the noise.He demanded the pickleballers to stop playing, but was directed to a sign that they were playing within the designated time period.«When the players ignored him, the man stood in the centre of the court and used his body to prevent them from continuing to play,» Lim told Shin Min.

SINGAPORE - The impact of the Iran war has so far been relatively contained in Singapore, with no emergency measures or work-from-home orders, unlike in many countries around the world.The Government has yet to dip into its energy stockpiles of liquified natural gas and diesel, which are enough to last for months, although it has warned of a “bumpier ride ahead”.But the conflict, which has driven up energy costs, has seeped into daily life here, prompting the authorities to take action to ease the burden.

With just about four years to go before the first phase of Singapore’s eighth MRT line — the Cross Island Line (CRL) — commences service in 2030, Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow has given the public a preview of the CR151 trains to be used on the line. He posted the photos of the trains on his Facebook yesterday (April 2).Siow, who is also Senior Minister of State for Finance, was in China for the annual Singapore-Shandong Business Council meeting, which he co-chaired with Shandong Governor Zhou Naixiang.A total of 10 agreements covering areas of mutual interest such as trade and connectivity, green economy, and modern services, were inked between Singapore and Shandong companies during the meeting.The acting minister also met up with Singaporean businesses based in Jinan to understand their current business priorities. Visit to Qingdao rail depotHe also took time to visit Qingdao rail depot on Thursday (April 2), to understand their latest rail technologies. 

Long queues were reported at Woodlands Checkpoint on Good Friday (April 3) morning as thousands of Malaysians who work here made their way home ahead of the long weekend, which coincides with Qing Ming Festival.The traditional Chinese festival, also known as tomb sweeping day, falls on Sunday (April 5) this year, and is dedicated to honouring and remembering ancestors and loved ones who have died.From around midnight, social media was abuzz with commuters sharing scenes of huge crowds waiting for buses to cross the Causeway after they have cleared Singapore's immigration.Some Malaysians reported taking four hours to complete their journeys from Queen Street bus terminal to across the Causeway. Others showed screenshots of their WhatsApp chats with family members spanning more than an hour as they waited in the bus queues.'Endless night'Several posts also show hundreds of people standing nearly shoulder-to-shoulder as they wait for buses. Tee Han Long, who shared a short video of the situation at the bus waiting area wrote: «This too shall pass.»