A 69-year-old woman landed inside a 3m-deep drain in Hougang after allegedly quarrelling with her daughter.

The incident occurred on Jul. 14 at about 11:45am at a drain located near Block 698B Hougang Street 61, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Daughter

The woman’s daughter, 43, told Shin Min that she had gone out with her mother for breakfast that morning.

When they were near the drain, the daughter reportedly saw the traffic light turn green and wanted to run across the road.

However, her mother apparently scolded her for not waiting for her.

The older woman then purportedly sat on the railing before falling into the drain.

The daughter called her younger brother to inform him of the situation.

Shade

A shop worker nearby told Shin Min that after the woman fell, about 40 to 50 passersby gathered at the scene.

A man then went into the drain with an umbrella to provide the woman shade from the sun.

According to the worker, the man appeared to be a food delivery rider.

Another passerby, also a food delivery rider, told Shin Min that the woman appeared to be able to speak at the time and had no visible injuries.

He said paramedics put a neck brace on her, and the rescue process took about 30 minutes.

Woman's husband

The woman's husband, 71, told Shin Min that his daughter has low IQ and did not know how to react when her mother fell into the drain.

He said his wife brought their daughter out for a meal as he had to bring his son to the hospital for a follow-up appointment.

He shared that his wife suffered only minor injuries sustained from the fall.

Rescue

According to Shin Min, the drain the woman fell into had railings.

The height from the top of the railing to the bottom of the drain was more than 3m.

At least nine emergency responders from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) went into the drain to bring the woman out.

They were seen securing the woman onto a stretcher, before moving her to a ladder.

In response to Mothership's queries, the SCDF and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said they received a call for assistance near Block 698B Hougang Street 61 that day.

Upon arrival, a person was found lying in a drain.

SCDF used a ladder to access the drain and brought the woman to safety.

The woman was conveyed conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

She was subsequently apprehended under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act 2008.

Around 1,800 full-time and part-time resident pest management workers, including licensed vector control technicians, will benefit from sustainable wage increases and clearer career pathways, after the sector became the tenth to join the Progressive Wage Model (PWM).

The move was announced in a joint press release on Jul. 15 by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), together with pest management industry stakeholders.

Speaking to reporters, Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash said that about about 150,000 lower-wage workers have benefited from the wage and career progression pathways under the PWM to date, since the scheme began in 2014.

Why pest management

Dinesh said the sector was chosen partly because of the public health role it plays, given that many diseases are spread through rodents and other pests.

He noted that the industry has grown more professionalised in recent years, with companies increasingly using drones, sensors and thermal imaging technology to narrow down search areas — tools that both improve detection and free up workers for more productive, hands-on work.

He said: "The other way to look at it is they will be able to expand their business by virtue of the fact that they have got productivity tools that allows them to capture better market share. So we want to create tiers and pathways for our workers to be able to move up the chain."

This shift, he added, means workers will need better training and skills to take on higher-value roles, which the PWM is intended to support.

Wong, a 44-year-old operations manager in the pest management industry, said his team already uses thermal imaging technology to detect termites on-site, helping them work more efficiently instead of visiting sites unnecessarily.

Though he does not yet hold a drone licence, this is something he hopes to be trained for under the new model.

New tripartite cluster for pest management

To develop and oversee the PWM's rollout, a new Tripartite Cluster for Pest Management (TCPM) is being formed.

It will be guided by four objectives: developing the PWM's wages, supporting career progression tied to higher responsibilities, enhancing workforce professionalism and monitoring compliance with the PWM and its impact on the sector.

The TCPM will be chaired by Wan Rizal, Director of Stakeholder Management, Career Services and Partnership Group at NTUC's e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), and co-chaired by Kung Teong Wah, an SNEF representative and Cluster General Manager of Parkroyal Collection.

Its members will include representatives from industry associations — covering both service providers and service buyers — as well as unions and government agencies.

Dinesh said the process would take time, noting that it typically takes about two years for MOM, NTUC and SNEF to work through details such as training requirements, salary ladders and implementation timelines with a new sector.

Asked which sector might be next in line for the PWM, Dinesh told Mothership:

"We don't have a particular sector in mind, but we will look at working with employers as well as the unions to do our best for the remaining part of our lower-wage workforce."

Tripartite partners welcome the move

Dinesh said that the PWM's expansion to pest management "recognises the expertise and importance of these workers," adding that MOM remains committed to "collaborating with our tripartite partners to support our workers, while balancing the needs of businesses."

The push has also come from the labour movement's side.

Melvin Yong, NTUC's Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the NTUC Care Division, said he had "advocated for the expansion of PWM to more sectors" and welcomed the move as "a significant step towards helping more workers."

Speaking to reporters separately, Yong stressed that productivity gains must go hand-in-hand with wage increases for the model to be sustainable for buyers, providers and workers alike, and encouraged wider adoption of technology across the industry.

As the person set to lead the TCPM's day-to-day work, Wan Rizal placed the emphasis on the specialised nature of the job itself, saying pest management work "requires specialised skills, from detecting pest activities and applying pest control measures, to handling chemicals safely to reduce public health risks."

He added:

“I look forward to contribut[ing] in this committee and work[ing] together with our partners to make sure that this sector gets its due recognition, and the workers get the progression [and] wage[s] increased in this area.”

Next steps

The TCPM will consult and engage industry stakeholders over the coming months to ensure the PWM is sustainable and tailored to the sector's specific conditions, while supporting business competitiveness, according to the press release.

For workers like Wong, the changes are personal. He said the PWM would give offer him the chance to upgrade his skills and earn a better salary.

These are reasons enough, according to him, to stay in the industry longer despite its physical demands.

A total of six individuals, including three policemen, were arrested for allegedly robbing foreign nationals in Malaysia.

New Straits Times reported that this occurred in two separate incidents on Jun. 27 and Jul. 1.

1st incident

At 12:20am on Jun. 27, five individuals wearing police vests entered a house in Kodiang, a town in Kedah, Malaysia.

They then reportedly ordered the victim and five housemates, all foreigners, to hand over their mobile phones, NST quoted a police chief as saying.

The suspects also took RM1,750 (about S$556) before leaving, he added.

Members of the Voluntary Patrol Scheme (SRS) in the area detained all the suspects after noticing their suspicious behaviour before contacting the district police headquarters, The Star reported.

Investigations revealed that two suspects were reportedly policemen, said the chief, adding that the other three were civilians.

One suspect had two criminal and drug-related records, NST reported.

The chief added: "Investigations also revealed that the suspects were involved in two other robbery cases reported in Kodiang. The case is being investigated under Section 395 of the Penal Code."

2nd incident

At about 1:40pm on Jul. 1, a 26-year-old policeman attached to the Kedah police headquarters was said to have entered the home of a Rohingya family in another part of Kedah and introduced himself as a policeman.

He then demanded the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cards belonging to the victim, his wife, and their three children.

"The suspect seized the victim's mobile phone before removing a pair of gold earrings from the victim's wife's ears," NST reported the chief as saying.

"He then returned the UNHCR cards and mobile phone before leaving on a motorcycle," he added.

The Star reported that the suspect was arrested the following day based on intelligence gathered, with police recovering items believed to have been stolen and used during the incident.

According to the chief, the suspect was also linked to an incident reported on Jun. 30 in a police housing area, investigated under Section 392 of the Penal Code.

Guardian is bringing back its Wellness Fiesta for a second year, with over 100 leading beauty, health, and personal care brands.

Held at Suntec City Convention Centre halls 401 and 402, the event will run from Jul. 16 to 19.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Guardian Singapore (@guardiansg)

This year's edition is set to be bigger than last year’s, with more interactive booths and activations so visitors can have a more all-rounded experience.

Deals and lucky draw

Enjoy limited-quantity offers each day of the event, including gifts with purchase worth up to S$200, while stocks last.

Stand a chance to win prizes worth a total of S$25,000 in the 4-day lucky draw.

To join, customers just have to spend a minimum of S$30 at the event.

Prizes include an OTO massage chair, Ninja CREAMi machine, Dyson Supersonic Travel Hairdryer, yuu Points, and Guardian gift vouchers.

Also, here’s a tip: paying with a DBS/POSB card will double your chances of winning.

Customers can also enjoy free gifts with qualifying purchases, including:

• Mannings Guardian Joguman 3pc Travel Organiser Set (worth S$15.90) with minimum spend of S$100.
• Mannings Guardian Joguman 3pc Set (worth S$30.80) consisting of a tote bag, a foldable bag and a foldable umbrella with a minimum spend of S$150.
• Guardian Foldable Trolley with Goodie Bag Set (worth S$200) with minimum spend of S$250.

Free wellness events and activities

Visitors can also access free wellness activities at Guardian’s Wellness Fiesta, which provides a personalised starting point — useful for finding out what you need to get at the fiesta.

This includes a skin and scalp assessment:

The main event will also feature wellness-related activities, including yoga sessions and a fitness-themed silent disco.

Can't make it down to Guardian’s Wellness Fiesta?

Guardian stores islandwide will also be running in-store and online promotions with up to 30 per cent off storewide from now till Jul. 29.

A few products to keep an eye out for:

Biodance Caviar PDRN Eye Patches (U.P. S$33.50)

Formulated to fit seamlessly into a morning prep or evening wind-down routine, these eye patches feature caviar extract, salmon PDRN, probiotic exosomes, and caffeine. They are designed to target dark spots and support a more even skin tone.

La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum (U.P. S$91.70)

For those looking to address the visible effects of sun exposure or past breakouts, this serum is formulated to target various forms of hyperpigmentation, including age spots, sun spots, and post-acne marks.

Kino Prowhite (U.P. S$75.60)

Positioned as a simple addition to a daily wellness habit, this supplement is crafted to support beauty from within. It aims to address dullness, fade the appearance of dark spots, and encourage a natural complexion.

Lador Perfume Hair Oil (U.P. S$41.60)

Blending daily hair care with a touch of personal fragrance, this perfume-grade oil is created for those who want to carry a lasting, pleasant scent with them as they move throughout their day.

Revive Collagen Enhanced Plus (U.P. S$156.20)

Created for a holistic, inside-out approach to grooming, this daily supplement aims to support long-term beauty goals by targeting the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while working to strengthen hair and nails and brighten the skin.

VitaHealth NMN+ (U.P. S$79.90)

Geared toward those maintaining an active, longevity-focused lifestyle, this formula is intended to support the body's energy levels, provide antioxidant defence, and delay ageing.

If you’re still thinking whether to go for Guardian’s Wellness Fiesta, take this as the sign to shop till you drop.

You can find more details below:

Event details

Dates: Jul. 16-19, 2026

Opening hours:

• Jul. 16: 3pm to 10pm
• Jul. 17-19: 10am to 10pm

Address: Suntec Convention Hall 401-402, 1 Raffles Blvd, Singapore 039593

Nearest MRT stations: Esplanade Station (Circle Line), Promenade Station (Circle Line and Downtown Line), and City Hall Station (North-South Line and East-West Line)

You can find out more information about the fiesta here and the promotions here.

This sponsored article by Guardian made the writer want to clear an afternoon for it.

A male university student in Malaysia suspected of stalking and harassing a fellow student has been arrested after CCTV footage allegedly captured him sniffing her shoe outside her house.

Local police said the suspect, who is in his 20s, was arrested on Jul. 13 after the victim lodged a police report, according to the New Straits Times (NST).

The victim, a 22-year-old university student, lodged the report on Jul. 12 at 3:55pm, NST reported.

The suspect was arrested a few hours later at 8:30pm.

Police also said the victim had reported being repeatedly harassed and followed by the suspect since April 2026.

The alleged incidents took place in both her residential area and her place of study.

CCTV footage

CCTV footage showed the alleged stalker loitering outside what is believed to be the victim's flat in Shah Alam, while appearing to look around the area.

After looking around, the suspect reached through a metal grille, seemingly took the victim's footwear, and sniffed it.

Arrested

"Initial checks found that [the suspect] has no prior criminal record and tested negative for drugs," Shah Alam district police chief Assistant Commissioner Sarudin Samah said in a statement, reported the South China Morning Post.

The suspect was remanded for one day to assist with investigations.

According to Malaysia's Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), stalking is illegal under Section 507A of the country's Penal Code and is punishable by up to three years' imprisonment.

The Auditor-General's Office (AGO) released on Jul. 15 its annual report for the 2025 to 2026 financial year.

It audited all 16 government ministries, eight organs of state, 13 statutory boards and four government-owned companies.

It raised a total of 136 audit findings, which were conveyed to the audited entities.

Among these findings was that the Ministry of Health (MOH) had failed to declare S$147.96 million in savings from a development project for seven years.

S$4.41 million in payments made by the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) were also found to have irregularities, which AGO said cast doubt on the quotation's authenticity.

Ministry of Health

MOH was found with lapses in approval and financial governance of a development project and lapses in contract management, among others.

In one case, MOH did not undergo the proper approval process for changes to the scope of a development project.

It also did not declare to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) project savings totalling S$147.96 million.

DPC approval

According to the AGO report, agencies with development projects above S$500 million will need to seek Cabinet's in-principle approval, followed by approval from the Development Planning Committee (DPC) for the total project cost.

Agencies are not to make public commitments to spend government funds, such as calling for tenders, before DPC's approval is obtained, unless MOF concurs.

A DPC is made up of three ministers.

If there are substantial material changes to the project's scope, or if the project cost increases by more than 10 per cent of the approved cost or S$100 million, whichever is lower, DPC's re-approval must be sought.

For this particular development project, DPC's approval was obtained in July 2016 for a total cost of S$864.36 million.

However, AGO found that between May 2013 and April 2016, MOH had called and awarded 12 tenders and one quotation for the project, totalling S$30.83 million, prior to approval from DPC and without MOF's concurrence.

MOH was also found to have funded five items from the project budget totalling S$35.34 million, even though these items had been specifically rejected or reduced by the DPC.

Project savings

MOH also did not declare project savings totalling S$147.96 million, or 17 per cent of the total project budget, that arose from lower tender rates.

AGO noted that, as at March 2026, more than seven years after the award of the final construction tender, MOH had yet to declare the savings to MOF.

MOF's guidelines stipulate that any savings arising from major development project tenders exceeding S$100 million should be declared to MOF no later than one month after the award is tendered.

In this instance, MOH acknowledged the lapses and stated that it would be declaring the project savings for the audited project, and other ongoing and past development projects by September 2026.

Ministry of Defence

Out of 68 sets of the Mindef's procurement documents, the AGO found possible irregularities within 20 of them, which relate to payments totalling S$4.41 million.

The AGO noted that these possible irregularities "cast doubt on the authenticity of quotations provided" and "whether reasonable market rates had been paid" for the works performed.

Mindef has since lodged a police report and said that it would strengthen its processes, such as introducing additional price reasonableness assessment for "expected high-usage and high-value items".

Ministry of Manpower

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) was found to have charged foreign worker levy for work permit holders in the marine shipyard sector higher than that which is stipulated in subsidiary legislation for two months in 2026.

The total levy amount charged from January and February 2026 was S$4.82 million higher than that provided by the law, AGO found.

This occurred as MOM did not update the subsidiary legislation to reflect new foreign worker levy rates, which were announced in March 2024 and implemented on Jan. 1, 2026.

MOM said it has since updated the subsidiary legislation to reflect the updated levy rates, which took effect on Jun. 1, 2026.

It also said it would refund the affected firms and had undertaken "several measures to tighten its process to prevent future lapses".

Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore

AGO analysed records obtained from the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Singapore (GRA) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) on casino patron entries for the period of Apr. 1, 2023, to Mar. 31, 2025.

It found that 120 Excluded Persons (EPs) had been allowed to enter the casinos at Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, even though they were under exclusion orders which prohibited them from doing so.

Out of these 120 EPs, 107 were subsequently reported by casino operators to GRA.

For these 107 EPs, they had entered the casinos 1,100 times in total while under exclusion orders.

AGO also found that 26 individuals were allowed entry into the casinos even though they had exceeded their monthly casino visit limits.

Singapore Pools accounts

79 Singapore Pools accounts held by an EP were also not closed.

32 of these account holders placed bets amounting to S$75,800 during the period Apr. 1, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2025, even though they were on exclusion orders.

GRA and MSF explained that this error, along with individuals being allowed to enter casinos beyond their visit limits, was due to data migration issues. They had been rectified as of February 2026.

AGO also found that 194 casino special employees who were licensed by GRA had entered the casino, with signs of possible gambling or gaming.

Special employees include persons employed by or working in a casino performing gaming-related duties, such as dealers, slot attendants and management.

Under their license condition, they must not gamble or game in any casino in Singapore.

Housing Development Board

The Housing Development Board (HDB) was found with weakness in eligibility checks for flat applications under the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS), Proximity Housing Grant scheme and CPF Housing Grant scheme.

This resulted in grants being disbursed in cases where the applicants did not meet the eligibility criterion, had already received the grants previously or exceeded the income ceiling.

HDB acknowledged the importance of using accurate information to assess eligibility for proximity-based priority schemes and grants.

It said that it would introduce additional checks against ICA's records, in addition to using its internal records.

Season parking rates

HDB was also found with weaknesses in eligibility checks on its season parking and family season parking applications and renewals.

AGO found that 1,585 commercial vehicles were charged incorrect season parking rates.

Instead of commercial vehicle rates, they were charged non-commercial rates.

As a result, there was an estimated under-collection of fees of S$1 million.

HDB acknowledged the need to strengthen its verification checks on season parking and family season parking transactions.

Skillsfuture Singapore

While AGO noted that Skillsfuture Singapore had instituted some good practices, it suggested areas where the agency could improve, including detecting potential gaming of course fee funding.

AGO reported that it found 15 trainees who attended a high number of self-sponsored courses conducted by two training providers, which were their employers.

The 15 trainees attended a total of 886 courses with S$232,100 of grants disbursed to their employers during the period of Apr. 1, 2022, and Mar. 31, 2025.

AGO further noted that the two training providers were related companies.

One of the two providers conducted 17 courses where all attendees were its employees, employees of the other provider, or spouses or family members of these employees.

Such training arrangements raised concerns about the legitimacy of the training conducted, and could indicate potential gaming by the training providers to obtain course fee funding and boost the attendance rate of its courses, AGO commented.

The agency informed AGO that its funding policy allowed self-sponsored trainees to attend courses conducted by their employers or related companies.

It also informed AGO that it had implemented controls such as requiring co-payment of course fees and disallowing training providers to pay net fees for their own course to address potential gaming risk.

However, the agency said it would look further into the matter.

Government's response

The government takes the AGO's observations seriously and has taken steps to address them, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said in a press release on Jul.15.

"Where lapses are identified, agencies investigate the root causes thoroughly and take corrective actions promptly. These include recovering any over-payment, enhancing processes, better leveraging technology and taking disciplinary actions where warranted," it said.

The government takes a serious view of any irregularities identified in the records furnished for audit, MOF noted, adding that the government "will act decisively where there are indications of wrongdoing".

MOF said that cases have been referred to the police where there are grounds to do so, and any wrongdoing will be dealt with seriously and appropriate action will be taken against those involved.

You can read the full AGO report here.

Singapore's economy grew 5.7 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, easing from the 6.3 per cent expansion recorded in the first quarter, advance estimates from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) released on Jul. 14 show.

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, the economy expanded by 1.1 per cent, moderating from the 1.3 per cent growth seen in the first quarter.

Manufacturing still the star performer

The manufacturing sector remained the standout, growing 12.2 per cent year-on-year in Q2 and accelerating from 8 per cent growth in Q1.

Growth was driven largely by the electronics and precision engineering clusters, on the back of strong AI-related demand for semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment respectively, MTI said.

Not every segment fared as well, though.

The chemicals cluster contracted due to feedstock disruptions stemming from the ongoing Middle East conflict, while the biomedical manufacturing cluster also shrank.

On a quarter-on-quarter seasonally-adjusted basis, manufacturing grew 5.3 per cent, a turnaround from the 2.2 per cent contraction in the first quarter.

Standard Chartered Bank's Asean and South Asia chief economist Edward Lee, as cited by CNA, said manufacturing alone added 2.5 percentage points to overall growth, with the semiconductor segment providing the bulk of the lift.

Lee said: "This segment of the economy may continue to ... drive economic activity in the coming quarters.”

Construction, trade sectors cool off

Other sectors saw growth ease.

The construction sector expanded 6.2 per cent year-on-year, well down from 12.9 per cent growth in Q1, even as both public and private sector construction output rose.

The wholesale & retail trade and transportation & storage sectors, taken together, grew 6.3 per cent year-on-year, moderating from 9.3 per cent in Q1.

Wholesale trade was buoyed by the machinery, equipment & supplies segment amid strong electronics exports, while growth in transportation & storage was led by the water transport segment.

The cluster comprising information & communications, finance & insurance, and professional services expanded 3.9 per cent year-on-year, extending its 4.5 per cent growth in the previous quarter, supported by continued demand for IT and digital solutions as well as growth in the banking and insurance segments.

The remaining services cluster, accommodation & food services, real estate, administrative & support services, and other services industries, grew 2.7 per cent year-on-year, easing from 3.2 per cent in Q1.

Every sector within this group grew except food & beverage services, with real estate lifted by steady developer activity.

Middle East conflict clouds the outlook

Singapore's growth momentum comes against a backdrop of renewed volatility in the Middle East.

Oil prices climbed to a one-month high on Jul. 14, according to The Business Times, with Brent crude rising 1.7 per cent to settle at US$84.73 (S$109.30) a barrel.

US benchmark WTI crude gained 1.5 per cent to US$79.34 (S$102.35), after the US reimposed its naval blockade on Iran.

Earlier this month, when the ceasefire between the US and Iran appeared to be holding, both benchmarks had eased back to around the levels last seen before the US and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28.

Higher natural gas prices, which are pegged to oil, have also pushed up electricity tariffs in Singapore.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Jul. 13, according to Reuters, that the US would resume a blockade on Iranian vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and would impose a 20 per cent "reimbursement fee" on other cargo passing through the waterway, a corridor that used to carry around a fifth of the world's oil consumption.

However he later walked back the reimbursement fee proposal, saying that Gulf countries offered "billions" in trade deals and investments in the U.S. instead.

MTI has said the conflict has already affected the global economic outlook, disrupting the supply of energy and other key inputs such as fertiliser and aluminium amid the blockade of the strait, a reminder of how exposed Singapore's trade-dependent economy remains to developments in the region.

MTI will release preliminary Q2 2026 GDP estimates, along with sectoral performance, sources of growth, inflation, employment and productivity data, in the Economic Survey of Singapore in August.

A 31-year-old man is to be charged on Jul. 15, 2026 with driving under the influence of etomidate, dangerous driving and other traffic offences committed over five months between October 2024 and February 2025.

On Feb. 6, 2025 at about 8am, the police were alerted to an accident involving a car and a lorry along Punggol North Avenue.

Investigations revealed that the car driver had driven dangerously against the flow of traffic on a three-lane road and collided head-on into a lorry.

No one was injured in the accident.

A vaporiser and a pod were seized from the man.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the man was involved in multiple accidents over a short span of time.

The man was arrested at scene.

Etomidate was detected in his blood sample in a subsequent analysis by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA).

His driving licence was suspended with immediate effect.

For this incident, he will be charged with driving under the influence of drugs and dangerous driving.

Investigations revealed that between Oct. 21, 2024 and Feb. 6, 2025, the man was involved in six other road traffic incidents across Singapore.

Oct. 21, 2024: Sengkang

On Oct. 21, 2024 at about 7.55pm, the man failed to keep a proper lookout and collided into the rear of a stationary taxi along Sengkang East Way.

A 64-year-old female taxi driver sustained neck strain and was conveyed conscious to the hospital.

The man will be charged with driving without due care and attention causing hurt.

Oct. 22, 2024: MCE

On Oct. 22, 2024 at about 9:10pm, the man drove dangerously by veering erratically across five lanes of traffic along the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE).

He collided into the left wall before veering back across the lanes and eventually colliding into another car.

The 33-year-old driver of the other car was conveyed conscious to the hospital.

He had sustained a right wrist fracture, neck and back injuries.

The man will be charged with dangerous driving causing grievous hurt.

Feb. 1, 2025: Punggol and Dunearn Road

On Feb. 1, 2025, the man was involved in two separate rear-end collisions on the same day.

The first collision occurred at about 11am along Punggol Way, where he failed to keep a proper lookout and collided into the rear of a car.

The second accident occurred at about 5:05pm along Dunearn Road towards Newton Flyover, where the driver failed to keep a proper lookout and collided into the rear of another car.

No one was injured in both accidents.

At the scene of the second accident, a vaporiser was seized from the man, and the vaporiser-related offence was referred to the HSA.

Investigations later revealed that the man had provided a false statement to officers, claiming that he had not inhaled from the vaporiser.

The man will be handed two charges for driving without due care and attention for the two accidents.

He will also be charged with driving without due care and attention, as well as furnishing false information to a public servant.

Feb. 2, 2025: Yio Chu Kang Link

On Feb. 2, 2025, at about 10:20am, at the junction of Yio Chu Kang Link and Boundary Road, the man failed to keep proper control of his vehicle while making a right turn and collided into a traffic light pole, uprooting and damaging it.

The accident also caused his car to overturn after the collision.

The man will be charged with driving without due care and attention.

Feb. 4, 2025: Simei

On Feb. 4, 2025 at about 12:05pm, along Simei Avenue, the man failed to keep a proper lookout and collided into the rear of a motorcycle.

The 27-year-old male motorcyclist was conveyed conscious to the hospital.

The motorcyclist sustained a wrist fracture and chest contusion.

A vaporiser was seized from the man, and the vaporiser-related offence was referred to the HSA.

The man will be charged with driving without due care and attention causing grievous hurt.

The Crystal Jade outlet at Suntec City will close from Jul. 16, 2026.

No reason was disclosed for its closure.

A total of 16 outlets remain in Singapore after the Suntec City outlet closes.

A spokesperson told The Straits Times that Crystal Jade "regularly reviews" its operations and network of outlets to ensure they adapt to market conditions and that Singapore is still its home market.

Regarding foreseeable job cuts, the spokesperson added that affected employees will be supported during this transition by being redeployed in Singapore where possible, as has been done before.

Previous closures

Crystal Jade shuttered its Hillion Mall outlet earlier in 2026.

The iconic La Mian Xiao Long Bao outlet at Holland Village was closed in June 2025.

Its Hong Kong Kitchen outlet at One Holland Village mall remains open.

Crystal Jade was founded in Singapore in 1991.

It continues to operate several restaurant brands in Singapore.

Private equity firm L Catterton Asia, which was formerly L Capital Asia, acquired a majority stake in the Crystal Jade in 2014.

Mothership has reached out to Crystal Jade separately for comment.

After returning home late and getting drunk, a man in Singapore woke his three children up as he felt they did not respect him.

The 48-year-old man and his 47-year-old wife have a son, aged 16, and two daughters, aged 15 and nine.

The man threatened to beat them when he was dissatisfied with their answers to his questions.

His wife intervened and stopped him, but her husband grabbed her hair, dragged her to the living room, and started assaulting her.

The eldest son eventually called the police to save his mother.

The man has been sentenced to 13 weeks in jail, reported Shin Min Daily News.

There is a gag order on his identity to protect the identity of the victim.

Came home drunk

In the early hours of Apr. 19, 2026, the man returned home from work with a bottle of whisky.

While drinking, he told his wife that he felt no one in the family respected him.

He grew increasingly angry and threatened to hit her one day.

As the conversation escalated into an argument that lasted until about 3am, the man woke his three children and gathered the family around the dining table.

Demanding an explanation for what he saw as their lack of respect, he remained dissatisfied with their responses and threatened to "smash" his youngest daughter's face if she lied.

Terrified, the nine-year-old began to cry.

Wife intervened but got beaten

When the wife saw that the man had frightened their child, she immediately intervened to stop him.

However, he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the living room.

He then slammed her head against the corner of the sofa and threw her against the wall twice, causing her to fall to the ground.

The man continued the abuse further by kicking her in the back and punching her in the chest and face several times.

Upon seeing this, the eldest son immediately called the police.

The police later arrested the man when they arrived.

Although the wife was injured, she reportedly refused to be taken to the hospital.

Expressed remorse

During the hearing, the man said he was not an alcoholic and claimed he had never treated his children that way before.

He expressed remorse for his actions, apologised to his wife and children, and promised not to reoffend.

The man also said he was the family's sole breadwinner, working two jobs to support them.

He pleaded for leniency, saying a jail term would leave his family in financial hardship and asking the judge to allow him to return home as soon as possible.