From Sep. 16, Singapore Citizens, aged 18 and above, will receive a six-month complimentary subscription to a premium AI tool after attending an eligible AI course.

They can find a list of over 200 curated courses and sign up for them on the MySkillsFuture website. The course must start from Sep. 1 or later to be eligible for the free premium AI subscription.

Each person can redeem only one free subscription, regardless of how many eligible courses they have attended.

They can choose from five different AI tools: ChatGPT Plus, Google AI Pro, Manus AI, Microsoft 365 Personal, and Singtel AI Pass.

First announced by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during Budget 2026, the SkillsFuture AI Subscription initiative aims to help Singaporeans practise their acquired skills, strengthen AI proficiency, and build confidence in using AI.

Eligible AI courses

To find courses eligible for this initiative, look for those on MySkillsFuture that carry the "Free AI sub" label, or visit this filtered list.

There are currently over 160 courses on the list.

How to redeem the subscription

After attending an eligible AI course, you will get an email with details on redeeming your free premium AI subscription.

The email includes a request form where you can indicate your preferred AI tool to subscribe to.

You need to fill up and submit the form within 60 days from the date of the notification email.

Changing the AI tool is not allowed once the request form is submitted.

If successful, you will receive the details to activate your free subscription via email.

Assess your AI readiness

The Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA) and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) have also jointly developed an AI Ready Quiz to help individuals assess their current level of AI readiness.

They may be evaluated as AI Aware, AI Literate, or AI Fluent.

With this information, they can better identify AI courses suitable for their upskilling development.

The online quiz consists of 12 questions and takes about 15 minutes to complete.

After completing it, each person will receive a personalised AI readiness profile via email.

This profile will summarise their current readiness level, and recommend learning resources and curated AI courses based on their needs.

Growing up, I had naturally curly, voluminous hair.

However, back then in school, my hair would catch eraser chunks thrown by my classmates. During one Chinese New Year, a relative grabbed decorative toy firecrackers from around the house and joked that an explosion must have given me my hair.

I ended up rebonding my hair out of self-consciousness. Coupled with periods of incredible stress and weight fluctuations over seven to eight years in my adult life, this resulted in intensified hair fall, and my hair loss started becoming very noticeable now that I am in my early 30s.

What’s worse, my scalp was obvious under office lights and when I was photographed from behind. But that wasn't what pushed me to seek help. When people noticed my balding scalp, they started giving me unsolicited comments. I became very self-conscious.

I decided to seek expert help, although I was still hesitant as to how effective it could really be.

Nonetheless, with an open mind, I sought expert help at TK TrichoKare to find out what was going on with my scalp and what I could do about it.

What’s causing the hair loss?

The moment of truth came during the Tricho-Scan analysis, when I had an in-depth consultation to find out what problems were causing my hair fall.

According to the scans, not only was my hair clearly thinning, but my scalp had some bright red blood vessels snaking beneath the surface, signalling inflammation.

Apparently, my "night owl" lifestyle (guilty as charged), low water intake, and general stress had contributed to scalp inflammation, which affected the skin around my hair follicles, where hair growth is regulated.

The consultant explained that this inflammation was essentially sabotaging my hair follicles; if left untreated, it could even damage them permanently.

In the 200x magnified scalp scan, I could see empty follicles where hair strands should be, sealed shut by dirt and oil, and the ones that still had hair strands were thin and weak.

This also finally explained those annoying, random pimples I’d been feeling on my head. Nothing was breaking through that oil and dirt build-up despite daily shampooing.

Exosome Scalp Renewal Therapy

After the breakdown of my scalp’s “drama,” I was whisked away for my first session of TrichoKare’s Exosome Scalp Renewal Therapy, which was tailored precisely to my needs.

First up: a nourishing European Herbal Scalp Masque. It’s infused with natural ingredients like Tea Tree to tame the itch and oil, and Magnolia to soothe irritation and boost my hair’s natural shine.

Honestly, the cooling sensation felt like a breath of fresh air. While the masque worked its magic to unclog the pores that had been hosting a 'pimple coup' on my head, I just got to relax.

When it was time to wash off the masque, I received an invigorating, thorough hair wash using TrichoKare’s Nourishing Hair Bath shampoo and CompleteKare Mask conditioner.

The staff was really good with her hands, making sure not only to clean off the masque but also to give my scalp a much-needed thorough cleanse.

Afterwards, my hair was dried, and I was given a heated shoulder pad for extra comfort before the Exosome Serum was sprayed and massaged thoroughly onto my scalp.

If you’re wondering what exosomes are, they are tiny natural particles that help repair the scalp and encourage weakened hair follicles to produce healthier, stronger hair.

Besides improving scalp condition and enhancing hair vitality, their main job is to reactivate inactive hair follicles.

To wrap up, I went through PhotoDynamic therapy – this technology helps to regulate the scalp’s pH, detoxify, and heal scalp inflammation. While I noticed other customers using a smaller device called Hair Bang, the consultant opted for the larger machine for me, which is specifically catered to my scalp condition.

She explained that, given my level of thinning, a smaller, closer device might be too intense for my sensitive scalp, which reassured me that the treatment could be adjusted to my scalp's needs.

Post-treatment

I headed back into the consultation room for the moment of truth, undergoing another Tricho-Scan session.

Seeing my scalp again after the session and the immediate difference was genuinely satisfying. The angry redness I saw earlier had visibly calmed down, my pores were noticeably clearer, and I was encouraged to know that my scalp was not beyond repair.

Realistically, one treatment session won't give me a full head of thick hair, but it is a solid, necessary start.

It’s a huge relief to stop playing the guessing game with search engines or AI chatbots, and finally have a clear, data-backed roadmap for my scalp health.

Through the process, it is more reassuring to know that I am in the safe hands of hair and scalp care specialists.

If you’re tired of worrying and want to actually know what’s going on up there, why not let a hair and scalp care expert analyse your scalp?

For just S$48 nett, you too can experience visible improvements from the Exosome Scalp Renewal Therapy.

On top of that, you’ll take home freebies including a Nourishing Hair Bath shampoo and a CompleteKare Mask conditioner (worth S$45 in total) — all formulated with natural herbal extracts— plus a S$10 Grab eGift card.

This promotion is valid until Oct. 31, 2026.

To book an appointment, you can do so via WhatsApp here or their website here.

This branded article by TK TrichoKare made this writer feel a little bit more confident about herself and her hair.

Top image by Breelyn Kuek/Mothership

Ed Sheeran's Loop tour has faced significant backlash after opening act Macklemore was dropped following speeches he made on stage supporting Palestine.

Macklemore, 43, an American rapper, announced that Sheeran, 35, had removed him from the tour in an Instagram post on Sep. 14.

The fallout resulted in all four remaining supporting acts and Sheeran's live band withdrawing from the tour.

In separate statements, the opening acts who announced their decisions to quit are American singer Finneas, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish folk group Beoga.

Sheeran published a statement on Instagram on Sep. 15 stating that it was important he lay out the facts.

Pressured by venue owners

Sheeran said he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine" and that, with all his supporting acts, he gave them free rein over their setlist.

However, after Macklemore's performances, venues told Sheeran "they would pull the shows if he was still supporting".

"I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said."

Sheeran added that he spoke with the venues all week "to try and build a bridge" but noted that the "venue's and promoter's decision was final".

He singled out the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Kraft Group, Robert Kraft.

According to Rolling Stone, Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium, also confirmed his decision, noting that it was based on Macklemore's "broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community".

Macklemore's dismissal not Sheeran's decision

Sheeran clarified that Macklemore being kicked out was the tour promoter's decision, not his.

"I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living", said Sheeran.

He added that he has always used his platform and music to unite people of various backgrounds and "this won't ever change".

Sheeran said: "I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict."

'Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum'

Sheeran explained his reasoning for not using his platform for politics: his young audience, often children, "do not expect a political forum" at his shows.

"I respect Macklemore's strength of purpose to stand up and shout what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace."

Sheeran asserted that he chooses to use his fame and platform as a place of "safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open".

He added that by only focusing on shouting the loudest, nothing will change and that there are different ways to advocate for change.

Sheeran concluded by saying he had spent the week attempting to find a solution but was unable to do so.

"I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too."

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos)

The Henri Charpentier store at Orchard Central was met with an unwelcome visitor in the wee hours of Sep. 13 when a man allegedly trashed it while intoxicated.

Speaking to Mothership, Ami, the director of Suzette International Pte. Ltd., which operates Henri Charpentier Singapore, said the incident took place at about 4am that day.

Throwing furniture, cursing

The scene was captured via the store's CCTV footage, which also included audio.

It happened at around 4am, according to timestamps on the footage. The store was closed at the time.

Another man and woman were with him, though the trio's relationship is unknown.

The source of his distress was also unclear.

Videos seen by Mothership showed the man inside the store for some time, shouting and cursing, and throwing and hitting furniture and fixtures.

At one point, he grabbed a table, threw it to the ground, dragged it out of the store, and threw it to the ground again.

At another point, he punched the cushion seats and shouted before removing one of its backrests and attempting to throw it on the ground.

He also appeared intoxicated, shouting and cursing unintelligibly and occasionally slumping over.

Damaged discovered

After he got up, the woman who was with him put one of the chairs back in its place.

He finally left the scene at around 4:24am.

The damage was eventually discovered by opening staff at 9am that day, after which the outlet remained open for business.

Checks by Mothership on Sep. 15 showed that Google Maps listed the store as open.

The incident was then reported to both Orchard Central's management, as well as the police on the same day.

The police confirmed that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

Not trying to shame man

Ami said that while the incident involved damage to the store's furniture or property, nothing was stolen as far as the store is aware.

She added that it is not the first time "unauthorised individuals" have entered the store after hours, but it is the first time one has damaged the store's furniture.

As such, she hopes he or someone who knows him will contact the store and take responsibility for the damage.

"He appears to be quite young, and we do not know what happened to him that night or what circumstances may have led to his behaviour. On a personal level, I do feel some sympathy for him.

At the same time, as a business, we cannot simply ignore the damage caused to our store and bear the cost ourselves."

Should the man come forward and make arrangements to reimburse the cost of the damaged property, the store said it is open to resolving the matter reasonably, without unnecessary publicity.

Asked about the the losses involved, she said the store is currently assessing the cost of repairs, but it is likely to be around S$1,000.

The police have arrested a male teenager, 16, and his mother, 39, both Uzbekistan nationals, for their involvement in separate shop theft cases committed within the transit area of Changi Airport.

They will be charged in court on Sep. 16, 2026.

The police were alerted to a case of shop theft at a retail outlet in the transit area of Changi Airport Terminal 2 on Aug. 28, 2026, at about 6:46pm.

Preliminary investigations revealed that a retail assistant had discovered that three pairs of sunglasses were missing from a display shelf.

A review of CCTV footage showed that at about 6:28pm, a male teenager had taken three pairs of sunglasses valued at S$1,462.38 and left the store without making payment.

Officers from the Airport Police Division located the male teenager together with his mother with the aid of CCTV footage before their departure.

The three pairs of sunglasses, together with other items suspected to be stolen, were recovered from them.

Further investigations revealed that the teenager had stolen an assortment of items worth S$4,887.03 from six retail stores within the transit area.

The woman had allegedly, in a separate incident, stolen a box of perfume worth S$149.90 from a retail store.

She had also received a pair of the stolen sunglasses from her son.

The teenager will be charged with six counts of theft in dwelling under.

The woman will be charged with one count of theft in dwelling and one count of receiving stolen property.

The offence of theft in dwelling is punishable with a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.

The offence of receiving stolen property is punishable with a jail term of up to five years, a fine, or both.

The mother of the 16-year-old girl, who was stabbed to death by a boy a year younger than her at a Malaysia school in 2025, penned a note of anguish on social media on Sep. 14, 2026.

This was after the boy, 15, accused of the killing on Oct. 14, 2025, was acquitted with conditions by the High Court judge.

The boy was ordered to be detained and treated at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta in Perak at the pleasure of the Sultan of Selangor.

Single mother

The mother, who goes by Aapple Wong on Facebook, described her late daughter, Yap Shing Xuen, as a sensible and disciplined child, who was blossoming into a young woman with a bright future.

However, all that was taken away in an instant as a result of a senseless act of violence.

Wong's post revealed that she raised two daughters by herself as a single parent.

The deceased girl was the younger child.

Wong wrote: "Shortly after my daughter was born, my marriage came to an end. When my daughter was two years old, I ended my marriage."

As a working mother, the two girls were taken care of by their grandparents.

Wong would only spend weekends with her children.

And these ordinary moments are what she knows she will not experience again, which fuels her anguish.

Wong wrote:

Every weekend, we also arrange a family dinner.

To me, those seemingly ordinary days are the happiest moments of my life.

Back then, I never thought that these ordinary days would one day become the days I miss the most, but can never return to.

Left with no direction in life

The demise of her daughter has left her directionless, Wong admitted.

She wrote: "After my daughter left, I felt like my life suddenly lost its direction. I'm still living. Still eating, sleeping, working. But the most important place in my heart is always empty."

"Every time I think of her, I can't help but cry. Sometimes I don't even know who to tell this pain to," she continued.

Learn to live with the pain

Wong said others have tried comforting her by saying that time will pass and she will feel better gradually.

However, Wong replied: "Some pain don't disappear just because time passes. It's just that we slowly learn to live with this pain."

Her post also highlighted the crushing blow of hearing the news of her daughter's sudden passing:

Oct. 14, 2025, will be the darkest and most unacceptable day of my life.

That day, I suddenly received the news of your death.

At that moment, I completely collapsed.

I couldn't believe it.

I couldn't accept it either.

I worked hard all my life, worked hard to earn money, worked hard to support this family, and desperately wanted to give you a better life.

I always thought that as long as I worked a little harder, and worked a little harder, my child would grow up safely.

I thought there was still a lot of time in the future.

I thought you would grow up.

Finish your studies.

Find a job you like.

Achieve your dreams.

And then one day, you will really come back to be a stay-at-home mom.

But...

All of this suddenly disappeared.

After working so hard for so many years, I finally realised that what I wanted was never a life of great wealth.

I only wanted my child to grow up safely.

Provided whatever she could for daughters

Wong's post also revealed the athletic and academic proclivities of Yap.

The mother wrote: "She has also tried snorkeling, rock climbing, and even skydiving. She is actually a very brave child."

"Whenever I get a bonus, as long as my financial situation allows, I take them on a trip abroad," the mother added.

Her daughter enjoyed badminton and volleyball, which she trained hard at despite getting bruised.

Wong would take her daughter for training previously, but did not think much about it at the time.

On hindsight, she realised her daughter was resilient.

The girl also never let sports affect her studies.

Over time, Yap developed a very self-disciplined and sensible personality, Wong wrote.

The girl helped with household chores since she was five years old, the post said.

As a child, she never demanded anything and even took care of her own tuition by finding her own tutors later on, the mother revealed.

Wong wrote: "I know I'm not a very wealthy mother, but I always tell myself: 'As long as I have the ability, I will do my best to make the children happy and give them a childhood free of lack of love.'"

Wong also said her daughter had wanted to go into accountancy and financial management.

But all she has now are the "precious memories" of her late daughter, which she cherishes the most, the mother said.

The police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 14-year-old Tan Hui Ling Andrea.

She was last seen wearing a grey top and blue shorts in the vicinity of 58 Edgedale Plains in Punggol on Sep. 12 at about 11:45am.

Anyone with information is requested to 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.

A woman who hired a moving company to relocate from Serangoon to Kovan was expecting to pay S$228, but ended up with a S$1,796 bill after being charged S$1,280 in “long pushing distance” fees.

The moving company reportedly said the woman had more than five times the number of items declared, including several large pieces of furniture.

The company explained that such fees apply because lorries can only be parked outside the apartment.

Lei (transliteration), 39, told Shin Min Daily News that she found the company online on Aug. 25 and booked a move for 9am on Sep. 1.

Her new apartment was about 4km away.

Expected to pay S$228

Lei said her larger items included a sofa, massage chair, TV, TV cabinet and a bed frame.

She had initially thought a 10-foot lorry would be sufficient.

The quoted transportation fee was S$198, while furniture disassembly cost S$30, bringing the total to S$228.

However, on moving day, she was told the lorry could only be parked outside the condominium, so an additional “long pushing distance” fee would apply.

According to Lei, the company told her the fee was S$80 for every 60m.

The distance was calculated at 180m for her old apartment and 300m for her new one.

Both locations required two round-trips, resulting in S$1,280 in additional fees.

This brought the final bill to S$1,796.

Lei said she had to make payment when the movers arrived, before her belongings were unloaded.

She reluctantly agreed to the charges because her furniture had already been dismantled and she wanted to avoid an argument.

When she later asked why the additional fees had not been disclosed beforehand, she said the company staff allegedly ignored her.

Company says terms and conditions stated extra fees

The operations manager, Long (transliteration), told Shin Min that its terms and conditions state that quoted moving prices do not include additional “long pushing distance” fees, complicated disassembly and other charges.

He explained that such fees apply because lorries can only be parked outside the apartment.

Long said Lei had initially declared five or six boxes and a few large pieces of furniture.

However, when the movers arrived, they found more than 20 boxes in addition to the large furniture, requiring an extra trip.

He also said the “long pushing distance” fee is not necessarily S$80 per 60m, as the difficulty of each move varies depending on the apartment and circumstances.

The move was initially expected to take two hours but eventually took about five.

Long said the company had another job scheduled for 11am that day but had to outsource it to another moving company.

He also had to send two additional employees to help with the move.

A 28-year-old woman in Singapore and her 34-year-old husband have been sentenced to jail for illegally importing puppies from Malaysia and keeping them at home to be sold on Instagram.

They are among the first individuals in the country to be jailed for keeping animals in captivity to be sold as pets.

Separately, another 33-year-old man received the highest sentence to date for a similar offence of keeping 13 smuggled animals at his residence.

Husband-and-wife couple illegally imported puppies

The 28-year-old woman, Ng Siew Teng, and her husband Callurn Lim, 34, were arrested in December 2023 for their involvement in the illegal import of puppies from Malaysia.

They were discovered when Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers found five smuggled Pomeranian puppies when inspecting the vehicle of one Bryan Peh, 23, at Woodlands Checkpoint.

Peh was a friend of Ng and Lim.

The puppies were placed in a plastic storage container, with two of them inside a pet carrier in the container.

Investigations by the National Parks Board (NParks) revealed that the couple kept illegally imported puppies at their home for sale.

They profited around S$21,000 through selling 21 puppies on Instagram, holding viewings of the puppies at their void deck with potential buyers.

Ng and Lim pleaded guilty to five charges under the Animals and Birds Act.

They were each sentenced to 19 weeks and three days' imprisonment and a fine of S$5,000.

Of their sentence, three days' jail and the fine of S$5,000 came from the Section 48(1) charge. The amount fined was the maximum possible fine for the charge.

As Ng was first sentenced on Aug. 5, 2026 before her husband, she became the first ever person in Singapore to receive jail time for a Section 48(1) charge.

Peh was also discovered to have aided the two in smuggling puppies, and was sentenced to 16 weeks' imprisonment.

Transnational syndicate smuggling animals

In a separate case, the 33-year-old man, Sundra Pandian, was found to have kept 13 illegally imported animals at his home.

It was discovered that the animals were smuggled from Thailand through Malaysia by a transnational syndicate, with Pandian serving as a runner by storing the smuggled animals at his home until buyers were found.

He was discovered after a tip-off from the public led the authorities to his accomplice, Chow Chee Hoe, 25.

Chow would collect the animals from Pandian and carry out the sale to prospective buyers.

In total, 14 animals were seized from Pandian, including his pet Rottweiler.

The smuggled animals comprised dogs of various breeds and two British Shorthair cats.

Pandian pleaded guilty to nine charges under the Animals and Birds Act, and was sentenced to 24 weeks imprisonment on 17 Aug. 2026.

Of the 24 weeks, two weeks stemmed from the Section 48(1) charge, which is the heaviest such sentence handed out to date.

Chow also pleaded guilty to one charge and was fined S$4000.

Mistreatment and poor conditions

In both cases, the animals were kept and treated poorly.

Ng, Lim and Peh transported the puppies in cramped and poorly ventilated conditions, causing them suffering.

All five puppies tested positive for Canine Parvovirus, a highly contagious disease that can cause severe illness and death in dogs.

Notably, the virus is preventable through vaccination.

In Pandian's residence, the animals were housed in cages and pet carriers stacked up to three levels high in the service yard.

They were kept in their cages for two to three weeks at a time, only being let out for short periods of time for exercise or cleaning the cage.

The animals were cramped in the cages and their movement was restricted.

One dog was found to have tested positive for Canine Parvovirus, while some of the other animals required veterinary treatment after showing signs of ill health.

NParks: Smuggled animals often kept in poor conditions

The jail terms meted to Ng and Lim reflected their active role in selling and earning from the smuggled animals, NParks noted.

Pandian, correspondingly, was punished accordingly for the planning and coordination that he contributed in facilitating the smuggling operation.

Smuggled animals are often kept in poor conditions, and sometimes even heavily sedated to minimise noise and movement to avoid their detection by the authorities.

Furthermore, they may carry infectious and contagious diseases, threatening Singapore's native wildlife, pets, and humans.

Buyers who abet the illicit import of their pets into Singapore may be prosecuted, the authority added.

Members of the public with information on suspected poaching, smuggling or illegal trade of pet animals and wildlife can contact NParks at www.avs.gov.sg/feedback or call their Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.

A 33-year-old Singaporean woman was fined S$24,000 after allowing private investigators from her firm to surveil a police officer.

Tan Hui Ting faced two charges of obstructing justice and a charge under the Private Security Industry Act.

She pleaded guilty to one charge and was sentenced on Sep. 15.

The other charge was taken into consideration during sentencing.

Tan paid the fine in full.

Client

In court documents seen by Mothership, Tan was a partner of CDiC Consultants LLP, a private investigation firm.

In November 2021, an individual identified as “Pai Hong Yao” reached out to the firm through an alleged intermediary to hire a private investigator to look into a police officer.

At that time, the police officer was an investigation officer assigned to investigate a matter involving Pai’s father.

Pai wanted to look into the officer as he was dissatisfied with how the investigations were conducted against his father.

On the morning of Nov. 29, 2021, Pai, Tan, and another firm partner met to discuss the engagement.

At that meeting, Tan and the partner learned that Pai’s investigation subject was a police officer and that Pai wanted to know whether he was a “good or bad policeman”.

Tan and the partner agreed to engage the firm to provide a licensed private investigator to investigate the police officer.

Later that day, Tan sent Pai a formal letter of engagement issued by CDiC, which he signed and returned the same day.

On the evening of Nov. 29, 2021, Pai provided further details of the police officer, including his photograph, his mobile number, and that he worked at Police Cantonment Complex.

Investigate

On or about Nov. 30, 2021, the firm began surveillance of the police officer.

On Dec. 30, 2021, Pai sent several messages to Tan and the partner identifying persons of interest the officer may have interacted with, or would be interacting with, in relation to the investigations against his father.

This included the name and photo of the lead deputy public prosecutor handling the prosecution of Pai’s father.

From about Dec. 16, 2021, to Jan. 9, 2022, the firm deployed its private investigators to surveil the police officer at his residence and his workplace.

This included tracing his whereabouts during the day, including when he left and returned to his residence, when he arrived at and left his workplace, where and when he went, who he met with, and what he did.

Photographs were taken of the officer moving about, including at the entrance of his workplace, and two photographs were taken when he was standing topless in his home by the kitchen window of his flat.

Surveillance of the officer lasted for long hours over multiple days.

Private investigators also called his workplace to divert calls to the officer to ascertain whether he was at work.

During the engagement, Tan provided Pai with regular updates on the surveillance conducted, including photographs of the officer, his vehicles, and his residence.

Tan also updated Pai on the various instances when surveillance was conducted at his workplace.

In total, CDiC received S$25,100 from Pai for the engagement.

The officer noticed he was being followed on Jan. 9, 2022 and the surveillance stopped.

He filed a police report the next day.

Protected area

The prosecution sought a S$25,000 fine for Tan.

They argued that the Police Cantonment Complex is “not merely a building”, but a protected area that is the “operational heart of the Singapore Police Force and other law enforcement departments”.

“It is a protected area for good reason: to shield the men and women who serve within it, and the sensitive work they carry out, from precisely the kind of intrusion that occurred in this case,” they said.

They also argued that Tan’s actions “threatened” the protection of public interest and national security.

The prosecution acknowledged the police officer's duties.

“They are entitled to carry out their duties without being subjected to unauthorised surveillance. The targeting of a police officer, especially one that is an investigation officer, elevates the seriousness of the offence above a case where the target might be an ordinary civilian working at government premises," they added.

"This is especially because of the officer’s sensitive work which has real and tangible implications for public safety and security," they said.