Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has been granted judicial mercy by the courts, and fined the maximum stipulated sum of $30,000 for abetting the obstruction of justice.The 79-year-old, who has incurable cancer, listened intently as District Judge Lee Lit Cheng passed the sentence on Friday (Aug 15) afternoon.The offence of abetting the obstruction of justice carries a jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both.Ong pleaded guilty on Aug 4 to one charge of abetting former Transport Minister S. Iswaran in obstructing the course of justice.A second charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts will be taken into consideration for sentencing. Iswaran was handed a 12-month jail term on Oct 3, 2024. This term included four months' jail for obstructing the course of justice by making payment to Singapore GP to cover the cost of the flight from Singapore to Doha.Judge Lee noted Ong's «lower culpability», as it was Iswaran who had asked Ong to bill him for the Doha trip.Judicial mercy is when the courts give leniency to offenders with exceptional personal circumstances, on humanitarian grounds.  

Dr Lee Wei Ling, the daughter of founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, has a wish fulfilled nearly a year after her death.In a Facebook post on Thursday (Aug 14), Lee Hsien Yang said that he took his sister «on one last boat ride» from Edinburgh, Scotland to scatter her ashes out at sea.«Farewell Ling. My principled, steadfast and indomitable sister,» he added.Dr Lee, a neurologist, died at the age of 69 on Oct 9, 2024, four years after she was diagnosed with a rare, degenerative brain disease.Lee described the country where he strewn Dr Lee's ashes upon the waves as one that held deep significance for both of them.He recalled: «Ling and I went to Scotland on our own when we were still in school. We toured the countryside, and stayed in Edinburgh, climbed Arthur’s Seat, and visited Edinburgh castle.»She returned by herself from time to time over the years for her medical exams, and to hike the rugged hills she loved so much."

Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has arrived at the State Courts on Friday (Aug 15) to await the sentencing of his case linked to former transport minister S. Iswaran.The 79-year-old Malaysian pleaded guilty on Aug 4 to one charge of abetting Iswaran in obstructing the course of justice. A second charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts will be taken into consideration for sentencing.Before his hearing scheduled for 2.30pm, Ong arrived wearing a white shirt and a mask.He remained silent as he walked into court alongside his lawyers and staff.[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@asiaone/video/7538692473908989202[/embed]Ong suffers from multiple myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer, and other health issues.If convicted of abetting the obstruction of justice, he may face a jail term of up to seven years, or a fine, or both.[[nid:720857]]At the Aug 4 hearing, the defence asked the court to exercise judicial mercy, on grounds that sending Ong to prison would significantly endanger his life.

There is no train service on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) due to a power fault, said rail operator SBS Transit on Friday morning (Aug 15). In a Facebook post just before 9am, SBS Transit added that free regular bus services are available at designated bus stops near affected stations and Sengkang bus interchange.It added that free bridging bus services are also available. The Friday morning disruption comes three days after a power switchboard failed and caused a major disruption affecting 11 MRT stations on the Northeast Line and the entire SPLRT. [[nid:721257]]editor@asiaone.com

A python spotted at a coffee shop along Teck Whye Lane was seen lunging at some members of the public when they tried to capture it using brooms.In a video posted to the Sgfollowsall Instagram page on Wednesday (Aug 13), a large python can be seen slithering along the roof of a coffee shop located at Block 145 Teck Whye Lane as a crowd watches.One man is then seen standing on a chair while trying to take a video of the snake.Shortly after this, the python falls off the roof and starts slithering away. A few men give chase, hitting it with brooms.The snake then lunges at them, seemingly in retaliation, and this causes some people in the crowd to scream.Throughout the nearly three-minute-long video, various onlookers prod, hit or pin down the snake as it tries to go further into the coffee shop and even into a stall.One man can also be seen gripping onto the snake's tail in an attempt to hold it back as it thrashes and resists.One grabs the snake's headThe ordeal ended when a middle-aged man grabbed the python's head and shoved it into a plastic bag before instructing another man holding its tail to do the same.

SINGAPORE — Instructed by his former stepfather to steal a luxury watch worth more than $47,000 from a Carousell user, a teenager «chickened out» three times before finally doing so with the help of a friend.Nigel Tan, 19, was also promised by the older man a larger share of the proceeds from the sale of the watch.Nigel was sentenced to reformative training on Aug 14 after pleading guilty to one count of cheating.His former stepfather, Kyoshirocaeden Tan Lee Yu, 37, is still at large.Nigel's accomplice, Lucian Tan Keat Hong, 20, was also arrested, but court documents do not state if he has been charged.Kyoshirocaeden Tan married Nigel's mother when the boy was about three years old. After the couple divorced in 2019, Nigel began living with Tan from 2022. The older man was unemployed, while Nigel worked as a bartender.On April 22, 2024, Tan told Nigel he needed money badly and asked for the youth's help to cheat someone into handing over an expensive watch, so they could sell it.

Singapore and India reaffirmed close ties and discussed areas to strengthen bilateral collaboration during the third India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) on Wednesday (Aug 13) in New Delhi.In a doorstop interview after the conclusion of the ISMR, DPM Gan said that Singapore's six-member delegation held productive talks with their Indian counterparts and detailed potential collaborations regarding sustainability, digitalisation, skills development, healthcare and medicine, advanced manufacturing, and connectivity. In particular, DPM Gan highlighted interest from Singaporean companies to set up a semiconductor ecosystem between the two nations in hopes of strengthening their supply chains.Citing the «very long and complex» supply chains where different semiconductor parts are often manufactured at separate locations, DPM Gan said that it is important for businesses to diversify their pipelines so that they are less susceptible to disruption, alluding to the external disruptions caused by US tariffs.

A former secondary school teacher has been sentenced to jail for targeting three teenage girls and trying to engage in sexual activities with them on separate occasions in 2021.The 33-year-old man, who was referred to as a «sexual predator» by prosecution, pleaded guilty to four charges under the Children and Young Persons Act on Aug 11 and was sentenced to nine months' jail.The man cannot be named due to a gag order protecting the victims’ identities.Responding to AsiaOne's queries the Ministry of Education stated that the man is no longer working as a teacher, and stopped working for the ministry in March 2022.Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Bryan Wong told the court that the man was posted to the school in 2017 and had given advice to its student councillors.He also regularly received and accepted «follow» requests from students on his personal Instagram account.The man got to know one of the victims when he taught her in Secondary 1. The pair followed each other on Instagram, and she left the school some time before 2021.

The size of the compensation package and rehousing options will weigh heavily in their decision to sell their HDB flats back to the Government under the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (Vers), elderly residents living in older estates have said.They were reacting to National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat’s remarks in an interview that his ministry aims to use the current term of Parliament to develop the policy framework for the scheme.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.Once the policy parameters are in place, Vers will be progressively offered to a “few selected” sites likely from the first half of the next decade when the flats there are about 70 years old, Chee said.Vers was first announced by then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2018 to allow the Government to buy back flats nearing their 99-year lease by compensating residents and redeveloping the land.  

A man and a woman in their 30s died following a blaze that took place at Block 106 Jalan Bukit Merah on Wednesday (Aug 13) afternoon.The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded to the fire at around 4pm, according to a Facebook post that day.Upon arrival, they saw that the living room and bedroom of a unit on the fourth floor were on fire, and worked to extinguish the flames with a water jet.Amid the operation, firefighters found two unresponsive individuals in the kitchen and immediately carried them out of the unit before conveying them to Singapore General Hospital.According to police, a 34-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were conveyed unconscious to the hospital, where they subsequently died.The police do not suspect foul play and investigations are ongoing.

A 31-year-old woman was taken to the hospital following an accident involving two cars along Joo Chiat Road on Monday (Aug 11) afternoon.A video posted to Xiaohongshu the same day showed several people tending to a person lying on the pavement before Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers took over. An ambulance can be seen parked on the side road.The crash left the right rear bumper of a white car severely damaged, while the white Mitsubishi behind sustained a dent on its front, leaving its hood slightly crumpled. Debris was also seen scattered across the road between the two cars.When a Shin Min Daily News reporter visited the scene, a female shop assistant nearby said that she saw a passenger in a private-hire car injured after the accident, and a man falling to the ground after getting out of the vehicle. She added that the two cars had been travelling along the main road and had likely collided in a rear-end crash. Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police and SCDF confirmed that they were alerted to the road traffic accident along Joo Chiat Road at around 3.10 pm.

Four alleged members of a Chinese criminal syndicate, who were charged with possessing housebreaking instruments, were taken back to Bukit Timah on Thursday (Aug 14) as part of police investigations. He Jiao, 38, Zhou Qifa, 36, Yang Chao, 41, and Zhou Yinggui, 36 were allegedly found carrying three screwdrivers and two wrenches near the Greenleaf private estate on the night of Aug 8, according to court documents. The quartet were charged in court on Aug 10.On Thursday morning, two of the men were brought to the Rail Corridor in two police cars. He Jiao, the first suspect to arrive, wore a stoic face when he alighted from the vehicle just before 10.30am.Flanked by three officers, he was led to a stretch of path near the Bukit Timah Truss Bridge and questioned. He jutted his head towards the bridge and pointed in that direction in response to questions posed by the officer. The man left in the police car slightly over five minutes later. The second suspect, Zhou Qifa, arrived at 10.37am and stepped out of the vehicle with his head kept bowed.

SINGAPORE — In a ploy to withdraw money from her Central Provident Fund (CPF) account before the permitted age of 55, a woman forged two medical documents claiming she had a respiratory illness.Although the CPF Board (CPFB) saw through the ruse and did not disburse any funds to her, the prosecution said Nasuha Zakaria's crime constituted serious mischief.On Aug 12, the 34-year-old was sentenced to five months and 10 weeks' jail after she pleaded guilty to one forgery charge and two unrelated charges of theft.Four other charges of theft, forgery and fraudulently possessing property were taken into consideration during sentencing.Deputy Public Prosecutor Nivethaa Ravintharan said the scheme Nasuha tried to exploit was intended for individuals with a reduced life expectancy, those who are permanently unfit for work or those lacking mental capacity.The prosecutor added: «CPF is a government body and this is a situation where the public confidence is at stake.»The court heard that in 2021, the CPFB received two medical certification forms from Nasuha.

Workers' Party (WP) candidates said that their decision to contest in Singapore's next general election will not depend on personal choice, but on whether the party attracts more qualified candidates.WP candidates Siti Alia Abdul Rahim Mattar and Sufyan Mikhail Putra sat down with fellow party members and hosts of This Side of the House, Eileen Chong and Andre Low.In a 42-minute-long debut episode uploaded to the party's social media channels on Monday (Aug 11), the first-time candidates reflected on GE2025 and their personal experiences stepping into Singapore's political arena as newbies.When asked about their plans to run again at the next election in five years, Siti Alia said that it would depend on what is best for the party.«It's always a question of if there are better candidates, more experienced candidates, more trained candidates — people that the party feels would be a better fit,» she said.Siti Alia said it may not be necessary to field the same candidates, but that it might be more important for the party to continue contesting in the same constituencies.

As Singapore ramps up enforcement efforts against drivers providing illegal ride-hailing services within the country and across the border, local licensed drivers are reportedly seeing their business pick up.Many of the drivers offering illegal cross-border point-to-point rides or chartered transport hail from Malaysia and charge less, reported Shin Min Daily News.A limousine driver surnamed Chen told the Chinese evening daily that such unlawful services is a major point of discontent among Singapore drivers.But since the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) clampdown, he said that illegal ride-hailing drivers from Malaysia do not dare to offer their services, leading to a «boom» in business for local drivers.«My business these few days has increased by 30 per cent,» Chen added.At least another five local drivers also told the Chinese daily that they have been picking up more passengers.Liang, 72, said that he still sees some illegal ride-hailing foreign drivers on the weekend, but there are fewer drivers as compared to before the crackdown.

Former Nominated Member of Parliament Calvin Cheng has settled his claim for defamation against former Singapore Democratic Party chairman Jufrie Mahmood.Cheng sued Mahmood over a Facebook post made in March this year about Cheng's comments on activists who disrupted a Meet-the-People Session in Chong Pang.Mahmood had said that Cheng, who proposed sending the activists to Gaza as long as they did not return, was an Islamophobe and a threat to racial and religious harmony to Singapore.Cheng has since apologised for his comments and said he should have been more sensitive.On Mahmood's accusations, Cheng said in April that they were «factual inaccuracies» and «outright lies», and took legal action against him.In a Facebook post on Tuesday (Aug 12), Mahmood said that he has met with Cheng to «speak to each other frankly and civilly». He added that he has retracted all of his statements against Cheng after accepting he is «neither a racist nor an Islamophobe».

An off-duty Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer died following an accident in Punggol on Tuesday (Aug 12). In a video posted to Facebook on the day of the accident, several people can be seen holding up a white sheet beside a white van to shield the victim from being viewed by other motorists. Towards the end of the video, a blue tent is visible next to a motorcycle, with police officers present at the scene.Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the police confirmed they were alerted to an accident at about 6.45 am on Tuesday, involving a motorcycle and two vans at the junction of Sumang Link and Punggol Way.A 50-year-old male motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. His 15-year-old male pillion rider was taken conscious to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.Two male van drivers, aged 40 and 54, are assisting with investigations.

SINGAPORE — A total of 466 luxury items and 58 pieces of gold bars from the $3 billion money laundering case have been handed over by the police to professional services firm Deloitte to manage and liquidate.They include Patek Philippe and Richard Mille watches, multiple diamond-encrusted jewellery, Hermes and Louis Vuitton handbags. The gold bars each weighed between 999g and 1kg.The assets were among items seized in an anti-money laundering operation that saw 10 foreigners arrested in multiple raids on Aug 15, 2023, and 17 other suspects who fled Singapore amid the probe.The police said it would progressively hand over all the remaining non-cash assets to Deloitte to manage and liquidate.In total, police seized or took control of around $1.25 billion in non-cash assets during investigations, including cars, properties, art, watches, jewellery, gold bars, handbags and bottles of alcohol.

A team of off-duty nurses from Parkway East Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital managed to save an elderly man's life after resuscitating him at a carpark in Johor Bahru.The incident happened on Saturday (Aug 9) around 4.30pm, when Veenoshini Sandrasagan, Subhashini Subramaniam and Shareen Kaur Rangit Singh were going back home to Johor Bahru after completing a morning shift at the hospital.Two nurses from Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Nanthiine GudialKumara and Hemaadewi Balakrishnan, were also part of the group.The group of nurses were waiting for a ride at Johor Bahru Customs when they heard a woman shouting for help and saw that an elderly man had collapsed.The Australian, who appeared to be in his 70s, was unconscious but breathing.The team then sprung into action, with Veenoshini checking the man's pulse while Subhashini called for an ambulance.Initially, the team thought that he was having a seizure and placed a metal key in his hand to alleviate his symptoms, but they later discovered that he had low pulse and had stopped breathing.

A Singaporean woman was deported from Malaysia in the first week of August, the New Straits Times reported.The woman left Malaysia via the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Johor Bahru, according to a statement from Malaysian Immigration Department.The statement did not state the Singaporean's age, and the reasons for her deportation.She was among the 53 people reportedly deported from Malaysia since the start of August, which also included 36 Bangladeshis, 11 Thais, two Vietnamese, two Indonesians, and one Chinese national.The Malaysian Immigration Department said that they all paid for their own repatriation costs.«All deportees were blacklisted and are barred from re-entering Malaysia for a stipulated period,» it added.AsiaOne has contacted the Malaysian Immigration Department for more information.On January 19, two Singaporeans were reportedly deported from Malaysia.

The North East Line (NEL) resumed full service at 2.10pm and trains are progressively returning to schedule, said SBS Transit on X at 2.19pm.There are still no Sengkang-Punggol LRT services due to the power fault and free regular bus rides as well as bridging bus services are still available at designated bus stops, the transport operator added.Services along NEL are now available between Harbourfront and Buangkok stations, said SBS Transit in an update on X at 1.05pm.There are still no train services between Punggol Coast and Buangkok stations, it added.«We are working hard to recover service which may likely take two to three hours to restore. Please consider alternative routes,» said the transport operator.Train service on the NEL between Farrer Park and Punggol Coast MRT stations was disrupted due to a power fault on Tuesday (Aug 12).This was announced by transport operator SBS Transit on its social media platforms on Tuesday morning.There are free bus and bridging services available between Punggol Coast and Dhoby Ghaut stations as well as affected Sengkang-Punggol LRT stations during this period, said SBS Transit.

The Johor state government is seeking to strengthen existing legislation and impose stricter action against foreign drivers who illegally refuel with subsidised petrol. The state's executive committee chairman for Investment, Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Human Resources, Lee Ting Han, said on Monday (Aug 11) that the idea had been proposed several months ago, reported the New Straits Times. He added that current regulations only penalise petrol station operators who sell subsidised fuel to foreign vehicle owners.«At the state level, we will continue to propose to the federal government that enforcement action [will] be taken against those who violate the country's laws, such as foreigners refuelling their vehicles with subsidised fuel,» said Lee.«Currently, action can only be taken against petrol station owners. We propose that legislation be further enhanced to empower enforcement personnel from the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry to act against offenders directly.»

A Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) aircraft departed for Jordan on Tuesday (Aug 12) morning to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza for the ninth time.The RSAF C-130 transport craft left Paya Lebar Air Base carrying medical supplies from the Ministry of Health and food from various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) at about 7.10am.The NGOs included Humanity Matters, Caritas Humanitarian Aid and Relief Initiatives Singapore, Mercy Relief, and the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation. These were coordinated through the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Coordination Centre.The C-130, at the invitation of the Jordanian government, will conduct airdrop operations alongside other foreign air forces to deliver this aid.This is the transport craft's second time conducting airdrop operations to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, Singapore and Singaporeans have conveyed nine tranches of humanitarian assistance for Gaza, amounting to over $22 million, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef).A total of 58 military personnel were deployed for this operation.

A man suffered a swollen ankle and has been unable to walk unaided after he was hit by an active mobility device allegedly travelling at «high speed» along a walkway in Ang Mo Kio.The victim, Tony Tan, told AsiaOne that the incident occurred under Block 232 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 at about 1pm on July 31.The 61-year-old private swimming coach said he had been walking under the block and towards the car park when a Personal Mobility Aid (PMA) ridden by a couple heading towards the bus stop struck his left leg, causing it to bleed and swell.After the impact, Tan claimed the couple «showed no concern for my well-being».«I confronted them, asking why they were riding so fast at the walkway and reminded them that PMAs are not allowed on pedestrian walkways,» he recounted.The female rider then apologised while the male rider inspected the device for any damage.

Over 53,000 retail workers can expect an increase in wages effective Sept 1, the Tripartite Cluster for Retail (TCR) announced on Monday (Aug 11). The new set of progressive wage model (PWM) recommendations for the retail sector includes an increase of at least $130.The PWM was first introduced in 2022.From Sept 1, retail workers will earn at least the entry-level PWM wage of $2,305, up from the existing wage of $2,175.From 2025 to 2027, the baseline monthly gross wages will increase from $2,305 to $2,565.Retail workers can expect a year-on-year increase of up to $160 in the next three years.Under the PWM, employers must pay at least the PWM wage to eligible workers for their job level and meet the PWM training requirements for eligible workers, according to the Ministry of Manpower.The PWM recommendations involve a «two plus one year» schedule of wage increases approach, which translates to fixed annual wage increments between Sept 1, 2025 and Aug 31, 2028.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will deliver his National Day Rally speech from 6.45pm onwards on Sunday (Aug 17) at the Institute of Technical Education College Central in Ang Mo Kio.Keeping with tradition, he will speak first in Malay, followed by Mandarin. His English speech will begin at 8pm, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Monday (Aug 11). The rally will be broadcast on local TV channels and radio stations, and will also be live streamed on the YouTube channels of PM Wong and PMO. 

A tree in Jurong West caught fire after exterminators reportedly removed a beehive from it on Friday (Aug 8).In a video posted to Facebook a day after the incident, the tree is seen engulfed in flames from a top view.Towards the end of the video, small sparks of fire can still be seen smoldering on the tree.According to Shin Min Daily News, the fire occurred near Block 330, Jurong West Street 93. One witness, Feng Shengkuan (transliteration) told the Chinese daily that he smelled smoke near his home that night before spotting a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) vehicle below the block.Curious, he went downstairs to find out what was happening.The 26-year-old clerk said that by the time he reached the scene, firefighters were already spraying water on the tree, and no visible flames remained. He added that the fire might have started earlier and speculated that a cigarette butt thrown from an upper floor could have ignited the branches.In response to queries from AsiaOne, the SCDF said it was alerted to the fire at about 10.20pm near 329 Tah Ching Road. 

A Malaysian man designed a special SG60 shirt to acknowledge and thank the Singaporeans who supported him during tough times.In a video posted to TikTok on Aug 9, Afiq Abdul Latif shared the newly designed shirt, saying that it represented «memories and love» and «two lands that were once one».The 31-year-old father of two is the founder of Joyy Colony, a store in Johor Bahru where he designs and prints customised shirts. Speaking in the video, Afiq said that when he faced some personal struggles in 2023, it was Singaporeans who supported him even though he was «just someone who creates content» about the country.«This is not just a shirt. This is proof of the love between two nations, two cultures, one soul,» he said.«From Malaysia to Singapore, happy 60th National Day.»Afiq lived in Singapore for a decade, starting out as a crew member for a fast food chain in 2013 and working his way up to a managerial role. He then moved back to Malaysia with his wife and eldest child after the Covid-19 pandemic, reported Berita Harian.

Two Singapore-registered cars were allegedly seized and their drivers detained after they offered illegal ride-hailing services on Saturday (Aug 9), China Press reported that day.In photographs posted on a now-deleted Facebook post of the incident, multiple officers can be seen gathered around two black multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) near Legoland in Johor Bahru.Separate photographs show one of the vehicles on the road, escorted by vehicles from Johor's Road Transport Department.Speaking with China Press, a source by the name of Chen claimed that the drivers had planned on driving their customers back to Singapore when they were stopped by officers.Another source alleged that the Road Transport Department had been acting upon tipoffs by members of the public, China Press reported.The user who uploaded the post also wrote in captions: «You catch me, I catch you, we hurt each other and compare who gets hurt the most: Singapore dollar or Malaysian ringgit car price.»The same post has also been shared on other cross-border Facebook groups with the same caption.

Despite the rainy weather this afternoon, everyone's spirits were uplifted just by basking in the atmosphere at the heartland celebration at Bishan today (Aug 10).AsiaOne was at the Bishan NDP @ Heartlands celebration at about 3.15pm, where more than 200 people were standing in the queue, waiting to enter the event at the open field opposite Bishan Circle Line.Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing was also spotted engaging residents at Bishan before the event started. He shook hands and took selfies with them. Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing was spotted at Bishan NDP @ Heartlands celebration and engaged the residents before the event. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Dennis Palit Due to heavy winds, the Singapore parachute team Red Lions, who was initially expected to arrive at 4pm, were delayed, but the audiences stayed enthusiastic.

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.