Government official impersonation scams, where scammers pretend to be officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and China, are on the rise.Police said on Friday (Aug 14) night that they have received at least 72 reports of such cases since January this year, with losses amounting to at least $6.1 million.In these cases, the victims would receive unsolicited calls from scammers claiming to be from ICA. They are then told that their details have been misused, or that their phone numbers are linked to criminal activities, such as spreading false rumours or transmitting scam messages.Those who deny any involvement are then transferred to another scammer claiming to be a China official, who would then demand money for «investigation or bail purposes».The victims are then instructed to transfer money to bank accounts, or asked to withdraw and hand over the money to the purported China official to facilitate «investigations».They would only realise that they have been scammed when the scammers became uncontactable, or when victims seek verification from the relevant government agencies.

A 51-year-old man, who worked as an interior designer, will be charged in court on Saturday (Aug 15) for allegedly cheating clients of over $100,000 to fuel his gambling habits.Police said on Friday night that a report was filed against him on June 29.According to the victim, the man had allegedly devised a scheme offering discounts on renovation services if payment were transferred directly to him.The victim then did so, instead of making the payment to the company's account. But after collecting the money, the interior designer did not complete the renovation.After a call to the company, the victim was advised to lodge a police report, and he did so.The interior designer's identity was established by officers from Bedok Police Division through follow-up investigations.Preliminary investigations have indicated that he is believed to be involved in other similar cheating cases, with losses exceeding $100,000.He had allegedly used the monies for gambling, the police said.If found guilty of cheating, he could be jailed for up to 10 years, and fined and/or caned.

A 67-year-old male driver was taken to hospital after a multi-vehicle accident involving five cars and a motorcycle at the junction of Geylang East Central and Geylang East Avenue 2 on Friday (Aug 14). A photo shared on Threads by user diyananasir02 on the same day shows the vehicles spread across all three lanes, before a four-way junction. The motorcycle is seen lying on its side in the first lane, while three cars with damaged doors are stopped slightly ahead, surrounded by debris. Two more cars are parked further ahead, with one appearing to have rear-ended the other. An ambulance is also parked at the front of the scene, just before the traffic light.A video of the incident shared on the Telegram channel SGRoad Blocks/Traffic News by a passing motorcyclist shows a slanted lamp post, suggesting that it had been knocked loose.In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the accident at about 5.55pm at the junction of Geylang East Central and Geylang East Avenue 2 towards Sims Drive.

Government official impersonation scams, where scammers pretend to be officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and China, are on the rise.Police said on Friday (Aug 14) night that they have received at least 72 reports of such cases since January this year, with losses amounting to at least $6.1 million.In these cases, the victims would receive unsolicited calls from scammers claiming to be from ICA. They are then told that their details have been misused, or that their phone numbers are linked to criminal activities, such as spreading false rumours or transmitting scam messages.Those who deny any involvement are then transferred to another scammer claiming to be a China official, who would then demand money for «investigation or bail purposes».The victims are then instructed to transfer money to bank accounts, or asked to withdraw and hand over the money to the purported China official to facilitate «investigations».They would only realise that they have been scammed when the scammers became uncontactable, or when victims seek verification from the relevant government agencies.

When Charlene Tan was in secondary school during the Covid-19 pandemic, she felt isolated from her peers and uncertain about what she wanted to do with her life.As she spent hours scrolling through social media at home, the constant stream of devastating global news left her feeling helpless in the face of injustices she could do little about.The newly-minted President's Scholar told AsiaOne that while studying at Nanyang Girls' High School, it was easy to feel like «just a student stuck in Singapore» who could not make much of a difference to the sociopolitical and geopolitical tragedies unfolding around the world.That changed when she began speaking to Singapore Police Force (SPF) officers at recruitment events as a junior college student. Through those conversations, Tan realised that a career in policing could offer the opportunity to make a tangible difference.The first officer she met, named Stefan, spoke about how the SPF balances fighting crime with empathy and compassion. His perspective reinforced the SPF scholar's desire to be part of an organisation whose values aligned with her own. 

From supporting children with chronic illnesses to engaging migrant workers through community football, the two President's Scholarship recipients for 2026 share a common mission: to make a tangible difference.Charlene Tan, 20, and Samuel Poh, 19, both turned their passion for community service and football respectively into a greater calling to serve the community.Tan is Singapore's first female Singapore Police Force scholar to receive the President's Scholarship, while Poh is also a double scholarship recipient of both the President's Scholarship and the Singapore Armed Forces Scholarship.Both of them received their scholarship awards from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at a ceremony held at The Istana on Friday (Aug 14).About 70 guests were in attendance, including Coordinating Minister for Public Services and Minister for Defence, Chan Chun Sing and Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Goh Pei Ming.

The funeral wake of Physics teacher Lau Chu Beng was attended by «a few hundred» people, including former students from nearly 30 years ago and old classmates who had lost contact with him.Many young students and ex-students who came to pay their respects also wrote farewell notes and placed it on the casket, a gesture which deeply touched Lau's family.The 55-year-old lead teacher at Yusof Ishak Secondary School (YISS) died on Aug 6, and the wake was held till Aug 10.Online tributes described Lau as a caring, friendly and inspirational teacher and mentor.When Lau's younger brother, who declined to be named, reached out to AsiaOne in the days after, he said the family wished to thank the numerous visitors to the wake.«I really lost count (of the number of mourners),» he told AsiaOne on Friday (Aug 14), recounting how current students, ex-students, parents, ex-colleagues and friends had steadily streamed in over the five-day wake.

A Singapore employer was left disappointed after her domestic helper allegedly became uncontactable after reaching the airport for her flight home to Myanmar to visit her sick mother.In a social media post on Friday (Aug 7), the woman, who goes by the name Angeline Lim on her account, said the helper had worked for her family for five months before asking to return home.«It wasn't a life threatening emergency, but I understood that she wanted to be with her family — so I said yes,» said the mother of three. Lim added that before buying the flight ticket, she had also checked with the helper on whether she intended to return to Singapore, and was told that she would come back.Trusting her, Lim, 37, bought a two-way flight ticket costing $437 to Yangon.However, things took a different turn on the day of the flight, when Lim claimed that the helper stopped responding after informing her that she had reached the airport. Despite sending multiple messages, Lim wrote that she was disappointed that the helper had not been honest about her intentions. 

The Government will adjust its housing plans for Gillman Barracks and Sunset Way to keep a larger percentage of greenery, Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan said on Friday (Aug 14).«We will work out exactly how much more, but we will have to accept that this means we can build fewer homes on both sites for fellow Singaporeans,» he said.The new plans are developed in consultation with local nature groups who had submitted feedback on the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) conducted for the two sites.There have been calls for the forested land near Gillman Barracks as well as Maju Forest in the Sunset Way area to be preserved after HDB announced redevelopment plans there.Even though the formal consultation period for the EIA ended on Aug 6, Tan said on Friday that they have continued engaging Singaporeans on the matter.

Goh Hock Siang, the chairman of Goh Joo Hin, died on Thursday (Aug 13) at the age of 87.He was the second-generation chairman of the company, a local brand known for its distribution of New Moon, including abalone, its flagship product.According to obituaries published on Friday, he passed away peacefully, leaving behind four sons and a daughter.Other prominent brands under Goh Joo Hin's portfolio include Mili, Skippy, Sony and GP Batteries, with a market presence in at least 17 other countries.The company was bought over by his father, Goh Yeow Gek, in the 1940s.Currently, the company is being led by one of his sons, Goh Kai Kui, the third-generation CEO.Goh Hock Siang was known to be a philanthropist, reported Chinese publication Lianhe Zaobao, adding that he used to be a sponsor of the Joo Chiat Community Club management committee.In 2024, he was awarded the National Day Public Service Medal.Besides community service, he was also actively involved in Teochew organisations such as the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, where he served as president.

SINGAPORE – Singapore and dozens of other countries are at risk of being used by Chinese exporters to avoid US tariffs, President Donald Trump’s administration said on Aug 13.A report issued by the White House, titled “The Great Transshipment Scam”, frames the routing of Chinese goods through an intermediate lower-tariffed country by concealing the true origin.It also said the administration will use an artificial intelligence-powered “Detective Border”, among other initiatives, to help crack down on illegal transshipments.“The message to the world is simple. The age of untraceable illegal transshipment is over,” the report said.The report does not say what immediate action will follow. In August 2025, the US announced an additional 40 per cent tariff specifically on goods determined to have been illegally transshipped to evade duties.Using estimates from government and private-sector studies, the report estimates that tariff-evading transshipments may have robbed the US of customs revenue in the range of US$40 billion (S$51.2 billion) to US$303 billion.

Unofficial campus tours of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are being advertised online, against university regulations.AsiaOne found listings for such tours, conducted by Chinese firms Trip2EU and Dalian Leixiang Technology, ranging from $63 to $165 per person on GetYourGuide, a third-party booking platform.The listings include a bilingual «2-hour expert-guided tour», which are purported to be «led by experienced professionals providing meticulous and attentive service».Posts on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu were also found advertising NUS and NTU campus tours, though pricing was not revealed.An NTU spokesperson said that such listings are «not part of NTU's official campus tour programme and are not authorised to conduct tours on behalf of the university», in response to queries from CNA.«NTU does not position or market its campus as a tourist destination, nor does it work with any operator to conduct such tours,» the spokesperson told CNA, adding that the school is reviewing its options to address such unauthorised listings.

Andre Low from Workers' Party has decried scalping of the upcoming Singapore-Thailand football match this weekend.«More than 4,000 home-supporter tickets for the Lions' sold out in a short time,» Low wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday (Aug 13).Citing The Straits Times, he highlighted that a pair of tickets for the match had reportedly been listed for $1,500.«Is it finally time to reconsider regulating ticket resale, scalpers, and bots?» the non-constituency MP asked.Tickets for the first leg of the Lions' Asean Championship semi-final against Thailand at the Jalan Besar Stadium sold out just 30 minutes after sales opened.«Scalping is parasitic. It creates nothing. It contributes nothing,» Low said. «It exploits genuine supporters and drives prices beyond their reach.»While it is unclear if bots were involved in the shortage of tickets for fans, Low felt that it «would not be unusual» if they were.

A total of eight men and three women, aged between 18 and 77, were arrested on Wednesday (Aug 12) for their alleged involvement in supporting an unlicensed moneylending syndicate.Police said in a news release on Thursday (Aug 13) that the syndicate is believed to be responsible for at least 25,500 ScamShield reports and at least 1,509 police reports, of which 883 were related to unlicensed moneylending.During an islandwide enforcement operation on Wednesday, more than 100 officers conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations.The raids, involving officers from the Criminal Investigation Department, Police Intelligence Department and Special Operations Command, targeted people suspected of being involved in the syndicate.The operation also targeted mobile phone retailers suspected of fraudulently registering postpaid SIM cards that were later used by the syndicate for unlicensed moneylending activities.During the operation, over $410,000 in cash, two laptops, 22 mobile phones, 14 SIM cards and 24 bank cards were seized as case exhibits.

A 28-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday (Aug 12) for his alleged involvement in a case of loanshark harassment in Jurong West.Police said in a news release on Thursday that they were alerted to the case at a residential unit along Jurong West Street 41 on Tuesday morning, where the main gate was splashed with red paint.The suspect was detained by the house occupants until officers from Jurong Police Division arrived and arrested him at the scene.He is believed to be involved in other similar cases of loanshark harassment islandwide, preliminary investigations revealed.The man will be charged with the offence of loanshark harassment on Friday.If found guilty, he could be fined between $5,000 and $50,000, jailed for up to five years, and receive up to six strokes of the cane.The police said they have zero tolerance for loanshark harassment activities.«Those who deliberately vandalise properties, cause annoyance and disrupt public safety, peace and security, will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law,» the police added.[[nid:742618]]editor@asiaone.com 

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of a 14-year-old girl, Sarah Fitriyana Abdullah, who was last seen in Serangoon.Police said on Thursday (Aug 13) night that she was last seen at about 1.25pm on July 24 at NEX shopping mall, wearing a purple top and light blue shorts.She has been missing for about three weeks now.Anyone with information is urged to contact the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.All information will be kept strictly confidential.[[nid:735166]]editor@asiaone.com 

Two people, who were spotted riding a personal mobility device (PMD) and speeding down the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) tunnel at high speed on July 12, have been tracked down by Land Transport Authority (LTA) officers.Dashcam footage of the incident shared with Facebook page SG Road Vigilante showed the duo weaving between cars and travelling at speeds higher than vehicles around them. Their actions even triggered a speed camera in the tunnel.

A 34-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly molesting two minors — a 12-year-old schoolgirl and his 17-year-old stepdaughter — within a day.Police said on Thursday (Aug 13) that they received two separate molest reports on Wednesday.The first case, involving the 12-year-old schoolgirl, happened at about 8.55am at a staircase in the vicinity of Sembawang Crescent.According to the police, the man had offered to send the girl to school, but instead, allegedly molested her at the staircase.At about 12.50pm the same day, he allegedly touched his 17-year-old stepdaughter at her Yishun Street 22 home.Officers from the Police Operations Command Centre, Woodlands and Tanglin Police Divisions established the identity of the man using images from police cameras.He was arrested on the same day of the reports being lodged, and will be charged in court on Friday with two counts of outrage of modesty As the first case involves a person below 14 years of age, he could be jailed for up to five years, fined, caned, or a combination of of such punishments, if found guilty

Received a message asking you to click on a link to check your eligibility and submit your application for a «$600 Public Transport Voucher 2026»? Do not click, or you could end up losing control of your Telegram account.Police said in an advisory on Thursday (Aug 13) that they have observed a resurgence of Telegram accounts being compromised after victims clicked on links that claim to be related to the «public transport voucher scheme».Victims who had clicked on the link attached to an infographic were directed to a page requesting personal details such as their name, mobile number, NRIC number, and a Telegram verification code.Those who provided their codes to scammers then found themselves losing control of their Telegram accounts.Their compromised accounts were, in turn, used to send similar phishing links to their Telegram contacts or to add them to chat groups promoting fraudulent investment schemes.They would only discover that their Telegram accounts were compromised when their friends reported receiving unexpected messages from their account, or when they noticed unauthorised activity on Telegram.

A Singaporean couple has been arrested for drug-related offences, including allegedly exposing their two sons to drugs, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said on Thursday (Aug 13). Acting on a tip-off, CNB officers launched an anti-drug operation on Tuesday (Aug 11) and raided a residential unit in the vicinity of Marsiling Lane, the CNB said. A 25-year-old man and 24-year-old woman were arrested for drug-related offences, including exposing their children to drugs. A small amount of drugs, including cannabis, Ice and Ecstasy and drug paraphernalia were seized from various parts of the unit. The couple's two young sons, aged seven months and three years old, were in the master bedroom at the time.Appropriate arrangements were made to ensure their welfare was taken care of and they have since been placed in the care of their next-of-kin. Superintendent Xanthus Tong, Deputy Commanding Officer of Enforcement J, said: «Drug abuse is not victimless. Its harms are far-reaching, affecting not just drug abusers themselves, but also their families and loved ones, including young children.»

A Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) Formidable-class frigate RSS Steadfast will make a port of call at the Tokyo International Cruise Terminal from Aug 21 to 22.While berthed there, Singaporeans based in Japan and locals can get a «free gangway». Free gangway is a naval and maritime term, typically meant for sailors and crew members who are not on duty to transit the gangway freely for their leave and other activities.In a series of social media posts between Aug 2 and Aug 13 (Thursday), RSN said that those who register for the visits will get to explore the warship and experience Singaporean food.

The police are appealing for the next-of-kin of Ong Ah Ying, 79, to come forward.In a news release on Thursday (Aug 13), the police said that Ong, who was living at Block 5 Beach Road, died in his home on Tuesday.The address is in the vicinity of the popular Beach Road Army Market and Golden Mile Food Centre.Ong's family, or anyone with information on his next-of-kin, can call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.All information will be kept strictly confidential, the police said.[[nid:735166]]editor@asiaone.com 

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Thursday (Aug 13) sent a condolence letter to Chinese Premier Li Qiang following the passing of China's former premier Zhu Rongji.The 97-year-old died of illness on Wednesday morning, according to Chinese state media Xinhua News. His obituary, published on China's state media, described him as an «outstanding member of the Communist Party of China and loyal communist fighter...and an outstanding leader of the Party and state.»In the letter, sent on behalf of the Singapore Government, PM Wong described the late Zhu Rongji as «an old friend of Singapore».He recalled that the former premier had met with Singapore's former Prime Ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong on many occasions, noting that Zhu was also the first Chinese leader to deliver the Singapore Lecture — a public lecture series organised by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute where prominent world leaders, policymakers and scholars share their views on regional and global developments.

On two consecutive days last week, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers foiled separate attempts by two motorcyclists to smuggle duty-unpaid cigarettes and vapes into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint.Photographs posted on its Facebook on Thursday (Aug 13) show the contraband items hidden in plastic bags within the storage compartments.The first case, involving a Malaysia-registered motorcycle, took place on Aug 3. According to ICA, its search and examination officers had directed the 46-year-old male Malaysian motorcyclist to undergo an enhanced check. There, officers found more than 30 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes, and over 60 vaporisers and related components, hidden in the motorcycle's storage box.The following day, on Aug 4, a 51-year-old male Singaporean motorcyclist was also directed to undergo enhanced checks, where ICA search and examination officers found more than 25 cartons and 30 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes, and over 60 vaporisers.These contraband items were hidden beneath the seat and the Singapore-registered motorcycle's storage box.

A woman was arrested for allegedly hurting her 13-year-old daughter at a mall in Havelock on Wednesday (Aug 12).In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police said that they were alerted to the incident at 2 Havelock Road — where Havelock 2 shopping mall is located — at 2.30pm. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told AsiaOne that they received a call for assistance at around 3:15pm. The police arrested the 47-year-old woman for voluntarily causing hurt against a person under the age of 14.A Facebook user who runs a shop in the mall and witnessed the incident, posted about it on Facebook group Complaint Singapore, reported The Straits Times.The user wrote that «a mother hit her child in a public area» with a staff member from a nearby tuition centre standing beside them.«It escalated to the point where an ambulance arrived, and the child was taken away on a stretcher,» added the user in the now-deleted post.Both the police and SCDF confirmed that a 13-year-old girl was taken conscious to National University Hospital.Police also said that investigations are ongoing.

A Singapore-registered container ship, Nawata Bhum, struck a river embankment along the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India, while en route to Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, on Wednesday (Aug 12).Videos of the incident posted on social media show the container-laden ship heading directly towards the riverbank. The ship does not appear to slow down or alter course before the collision.The ship's horn can be heard sounding repeatedly as it approaches the riverbank. Moments later, the ship's bow becomes lodged in the embankment. Based on the footage reviewed by AsiaOne, there were no other vessels in the ship's immediate path at the time of the incident.The road running alongside the embankment also appeared deserted, with no visible damage from the collision apart from affected vegetation.Checks by AsiaOne on vessel-tracking platform MarineTraffic showed the vessel making a right turn north of Latpatia at around 10.26am (India time).Its declared next port of call was Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, formerly known as Kolkata Port.

Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh has been struck off the roll of advocates and solicitors.He had arrived at the Supreme Court on Thursday (Aug 13) morning at 9.37am for a disciplinary hearing initiated by the Law Society of Singapore.This is over his conviction for giving false evidence under oath. Singh's appeal against the conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee in 2021 was dismissed by the High Court last December.He had earlier told the media scrum: «No questions.»His case was heard before the Court of Three Judges, comprising Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Justice Kannan Ramesh and Justice See Kee Oon.Chief Justice Menon said in court on Thursday that it is not disputed that the offence Singh was convicted of involved dishonesty, reported CNA.Singh was represented by Peter Low Chambers lawyers, Peter Low, Elaine Low and Senior Counsel Chelva Retnam Rajah. LawSoc is represented by a team from Drew & Napier, led by Senior Counsel Cavinder Bull.

Eligible Singaporeans will be receiving between $400 and $600 in cash as part of the Enhanced Budget 2026 cost-of-living special payment in September.In a press release on Thursday (Aug 13), the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said that over 2.4 million Singaporeans will be eligible for the payment, which will be automatically credited from Sept 9.The cost-of-living payment, announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong earlier in March, previously ranged from $200 to $400 in cash but was increased in light of the impact of the Middle East conflict on Singapore's economy, Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow said in Parliament on April 7.The payment is meant to help Singapore citizens with their living expenses, with more assistance provided for lower-income individuals, said MOF.Singapore citizens aged 21 and older in 2026, who own no more than one property will be eligible for the payment. Also, they must not have an assessable income in the year of assessment 2025 that exceeds $100,000 and reside in Singapore.

Students and staff in Xinmin Secondary School were evacuated after the school was alerted to a bomb threat on Thursday morning (Aug 13).The Hougang school shared in a message to parents and guardians that they had been notified of the threat and subsequently evacuated the premises at around 8.30am, The Straits Times reported.«The police conducted a thorough search of our premises and no suspicious items were found,» said the school.All staff and students were accounted for, the message also stated.The students have reportedly resumed classes after returning to their classrooms.AsiaOne has contacted Xinmin Secondary School and the police for more information.[[nid:739933]]khooyihang@asiaone.com

Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh has arrived at the Supreme Court on Thursday (Aug 13) morning at 9.37am for a disciplinary hearing concerning the Law Society of Singapore's bid to strike him off the rolls.This is over his conviction for giving false evidence under oath. Singh's appeal against the conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee in 2021 was dismissed by the High Court last December.Singh tells the media scrum: «No questions.»The Court of Three Judges, which has the power to disbar or suspend a lawyer, will hear the disciplinary proceedings.Singh, who is an MP for Aljunied GRC, is a non-practising lawyer.According to the Singapore Courts' hearing list, the proceedings — scheduled to take place at 10am on Thursday — will be heard by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, Justice Kannan Ramesh and Justice See Kee Oon.The nature of the hearing is described as «disciplinary proceedings for advocates and solicitors of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Singapore».

A 23-year-old Malaysian man was arrested on Tuesday (Aug 11) for his alleged involvement in scams after he was found with fake inking instruments and employee passes at Woodlands Checkpoint.Police said on Wednesday night that he was directed by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers (ICA) to undergo enhanced checks at Woodlands Checkpoint's bus arrival hall.There, ICA  officers found fake stamps bearing the emblems of the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Home Affairs.Several fake employee passes bearing his photograph were also found on him.Investigations have since established that he had not worked for any of the organisations whose passes were found on him.According to the police, such counterfeit passes and official-looking instruments are tactics commonly employed by scammers to lend credibility to their operations, deceiving victims into believing they are dealing with representatives of a legitimate organisation.He will be charged in court on Thursday with the offence of making or possessing a counterfeit instrument with intent to commit forgery.

Malaysian authorities rescued two Singaporeans in Johor Bahru (JB) on Tuesday (Aug 11) after they were allegedly kidnapped and held for ransom.One of them, a 33-year-old Singaporean fugitive wanted for breaching parole for a drug offence, had been hiding in Malaysia for three months before being kidnapped, reported The Star. The police discovered this after rescuing him and his 28-year-old Singaporean girlfriend, said Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director M. Kumar on Wednesday.Six Malaysians, including the mastermind, aged between 32 and 46, have been arrested, according to local media reports. Five of the suspects reportedly have criminal records, while four of them tested positive for drugs. The two victims also tested positive for meth and are currently in police custody, reported New Straits Times (NST). The police also seized an array of items, including ransom money and items totalling RM264,440 (S$82,800), said Kumar 

Singapore's founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was willing to listen to the views of younger ministers, and would ask for alternatives to be put up should there be a disagreement on views, said former deputy prime minister S. Jayakumar on Wednesday (Aug 15) at the launch of his book.Titled Creating Three Unique Singapore Laws: An Inside Story, Prof Jayakumar's book provides an insider's account of how the elected presidency (EP), Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMP) and Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) were conceived, debated and established through constitutional amendment.Addressing common misconceptions about decision-making in Lee Kuan Yew's Cabinet, Prof Jayakumar wrote in his book: «But, contrary to prevailing myths, especially in the mid-1980s, he was not a dictatorial prime minister who railroaded his proposals through a meek, compliant Cabinet. »Instead, he took a collegial approach, consistent with the principle of collective responsibility in a Cabinet government.”

Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday (Aug 12) warned members of the public of the presence of fake websites impersonating seven Home Team agencies and itself. The seven Home Team agencies are: the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore Prison Service (SPS), Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX), and Home Team Academy (HTA).In a statement posted on its Facebook page, MHA said that HTX has detected over 500 such fake websites, adding that steps were taken to take them down, with all identified websites removed by Tuesday.The ministry said the fake websites replicated the official branding and publicly available content from its website and that of the seven agencies.«(This) could have potentially misled members of the public into believing that they were accessing official MHA or Home Team agency websites,» it said.

The three institutions — elected presidency (EP), Group Representation Constituency (GRC), and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMP) — are unique to Singapore and have stood the test of time to serve the country well, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Speaking at the launch of a new book, titled «Creating Three Unique Singapore Laws: An Inside Story», by former Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Tanglin on Wednesday (Aug 12), SM Lee noted that the true test of these institutions was how well they would work out in practice through the years, and across successive governments.He said that in evaluating them, the overriding concern must always be about what is in Singapore's long-term interests, and what will maintain a stable and well-functioning political system in Singapore. «And from that point of view, I am happy that all three have worked out well in practice. The institutions that Mr Lee and his team created have stood the test of time,» SM Lee added.