Despite the stream of visitors travelling from Singapore to Johor Bahru (JB) over the three-day National Day weekend, several JB businesses reported underwhelming sales.

There were long queues and congested traffic at the Singapore-Johor Causeway from Aug. 7 to 8, resulting in heavy traffic on the roads of JB as well, Shin Min Daily News reported.

However, this surge in visitors did not translate to a significant increase in revenue for some stalls.

Less lively business

At a convenience store along the historic Jalan Tan Hiok Nee street, customer traffic only went up by about 10 per cent compared to the week before.

While there were regular streams of customers at the store, there were no long queues or crowds.

A similar situation was experienced even at Hiap Joo Bakery, a Singapore tourist-favourite stop famous for its banana cakes.

An employee at the bakery told Sinchew that during long weekends in the past, the store would be crowded with tourists, with long queues at the counter.

But this National Day weekend was less lively than anticipated, and the number of customers was similar to a normal weekend, which surprised the employee.

Some business owners told Sinchew they believe tourists in JB now have more options for shopping and dining during the long weekend.

They might visit various shopping malls across the city, travel out of central JB to popular towns such as Skudai, or even further to other cities and states.

More heritage and temple visitors

Outside of retail, some heritage sites in JB saw a greater increase in visitors over the holiday weekend.

An employee at the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum said they saw a good number of visitors on Aug. 7 and 8, most of them individual tourists.

They anticipated it to grow over the weekend to at least 20 per cent more visitors than the week before.

The various Buddhist and Taoist temples in Batu Pahat also drew more tourists than usual, many of them arriving from Singapore.

A staff member at one of the temples told China Press that most of the visitors came in groups to offer incense and prayers.

The mother of the 14-year-old behind the deadly mass school shooting in Thailand has apologised.

"I apologise to all the victims, I apologise to society," she told Reuters in a video.

"We are truly devastated, because no one thought this would happen, no one knew at all."

The shooting on Aug. 7 left nine dead, including the shooter and his grandparents, whom he had shot at home before going to school.

The mother said her son was a "bright, cheerful person" who "behaved normally", and that there were "no signs" at all.

She had always told him to speak to her if he had any issues, but he always said there was "nothing wrong", she said.

He was "well-spoken and sweet", but had an "introverted side" too, she added.

Had interest in guns

Investigations into the motive behind the attack are ongoing.

The teenager had taught himself how to use a gun via social media, local police told the media, according to BBC.

Authorities said his consumption of violent social media content, anxiety over his studies and family issues, and conflict with friends might have contributed to his actions.

The boy's teacher had previously confiscated a BB gun that he had ordered online and brought to school, BBC reported, citing senior police official Atthapol Anusit.

The boy had reportedly been taken care of by his grandparents since he was young.

If you are a youth in Singapore who is anxious yet hopeful about what the future holds, here's the good news.

There is a new five-year roadmap known as the "SG Youth Plan" and it is specifically developed for youths, with youths, and supported by the whole of Singapore, to help every youth become the best version of themselves.

This is according to the National Youth Council (NYC), the national coordinating agency for youth development and engagement.

The plan was put together after a year of engagements during SG60 in 2025, involving more than 60,000 youths.

Over 415,000 responses were collected in total.

The result? The collective commitment has yielded over 20 initiatives that will be launched over the next half a decade addressing topics, such as careers, mentoring, mental well-being, social connections, and active citizenry.

So far, over 200 partners across the public, people and private sectors have all pledged their support to these initiatives.

The goal? Shape young Singaporeans who are confident about their future, connected to communities and contributing citizens to help build Singapore’s future.

Not convinced?

You do not have to take it from anyone because here are five questions, including difficult ones, crowdsourced from youths in Singapore, and sent to NYC to be addressed.

NYC responds to questions from youths

1. Why is a youth plan being introduced?

The world has changed quite fundamentally - whether it's about technology disrupting jobs, economic uncertainty, social fragmentation, an increasingly digital world, the list goes on.

The landscape that youths are facing has changed quite significantly compared to generations before.

The challenges and concerns of Singapore’s young adults are legitimate and while we cannot change the environment, we can respond to it with a positive agenda.

The needs, hopes and dreams of our youths are therefore the starting point and driving force for the SG Youth Plan.

2. What are youths most anxious about?

The concerns of Singapore’s youths can be broadly grouped into three areas.

They are optimistic about Singapore’s future and believe they have the potential to make the country a better place.

However, they do not have the same level of confidence in their ability to navigate the future, and achieve their aspirations in career and life.

Youths also desire for deeper connections with their family and friends, and wish for a Singapore where people from different backgrounds can befriend each other.

They are also keen on contributing and taking action in a variety of ways, to shape Singapore into a more equitable, cohesive and compassionate society.

As such, they hope to be equipped with the necessary resources, skills and knowledge to be able to make meaningful contributions.

3. I am a youth. What’s in it for me?

There's actually a lot in store!

The SG Youth Plan aims to uplift and support all youths to thrive.

Across three key areas, the plan has more than 20 initiatives shaped by feedback from our youths, so there's something for everyone.

Explore your path and navigate transitions confidently

Not sure what you want to do yet?

There's support to help you find and pursue what you're good at, whatever that looks like for you.

Heard of job tasters? These are bite-sized career exploration programmes that help youths experience different roles to understand what a job involves, so that you can make clearer choices on which pathway to pursue.

Many youths have shared that with the rapid pace of change in the job market, they would like more support to explore different job roles.

You can also visit the “Discover” website to take a quiz to find out their archetypes and receive personalised recommendations of job roles based on their strengths.

Having a trusted guide can also help you discover your strengths and interests, and encourage you to go beyond your limits.

This is why the SG Youth Plan is scaling up mentoring opportunities to help you navigate uncertainty, whether it’s choosing a career path or starting out in a first job.

Job exposure and mentorship is now available to everyone, not just those with the right connections!

The SG Youth Plan will also include initiatives to help you harness AI to future-proof their careers.

There will be programmes and workshops in areas such as vibe coding, which will help democratise AI opportunities for youths to help boost their employability.

There will also be more short-term overseas exposure opportunities and overseas internships. These chances for meaningful exposure to the region will broaden horizons, and enable young adults to build networks and gain real-world experience beyond Singapore.

New mental wellness programmes and adulting content are also being rolled out to help you navigate the big life transitions — because adulting is hard, and you don't have to do it alone.

The Somerset Belt is being transformed into a vibrant youth precinct by 2028, and at least 12 third spaces will be set up across Singapore to hang out, pursue your interests, and build your crew.

These are designed to be low-key hangout spots where you can pursue your interests, meet like-minded people, and ease into building a community naturally.

There'll also be over 20,000 interest-based opportunities every year by 2030, and “curiosity credits” for youths to engage in hobbies and learn a skill in an area that piques their interest.

Private operators will also offer affordable, flexible accommodation units across selected properties for youths, and there will be youth-centric programmes to equip up to 50,000 youths with skills to navigate family relationships annually by 2030.

This one's big — over the next five years, S$20 million will be committed to support youths turn their plans into action, up to 3,000 youth-led projects.

This will be anchored by a new micro-grant supporting small ground-up projects and a new Youth Action Marketplace: an anchor event that brings together challenge statements, sponsoring agencies, mentors, networks, and funders to help youths take their first steps towards being changemakers.

There's also no pressure to jump into the deep end straight away! There are plenty of ways to get involved at your own pace.

Through the Youth Corps Singapore, there'll be 16,000 volunteering opportunities and 2,000 youth leadership development opportunities annually by 2030, so you can find something that genuinely clicks for you.

A new SG Youth Policy Network will also bring together youth civic groups to equip them to contribute to policy discussions, and the next run of Youth Panels will take place in the second half of 2026 to bring youths together to shape policies and plans on issues they care about.

The Somerset Belt Youth Co-Lab will also empower young adults with real ownership over the programming and activities in the precinct.

If you have ideas about how Singapore could be better, these are platforms where your voice genuinely matters, however you choose to use it.

4. I want to contribute, but there are many other factors – such as time, knowledge and skills – that prevents me from being able to take action. What can I do?

The good news is that the SG Youth Plan was built with exactly this in mind.

Contributing doesn't have to mean making a huge commitment or having all the answers from the get-go.

If time is a constraint, the Youth Corps’ expanded volunteering opportunities mean there's plenty of flexibility to find something that fits around your schedule — whether that's a one-off activity or something more regular when you're ready.

And if you have ideas but aren't sure how to turn them into action, the new all-year round micro-grant and support ecosystem consisting of capability building workshops, learning journeys and mentors, are there to back you.

The key thing is — start where you are, with what you have.

There's a place for you in this.

5. Will the SG Youth Plan be just another government initiative?

The SG Youth Plan isn't just a government initiative — it's a whole-of-society commitment, co-created with youths and backed by private and public sector partners who all have a stake in seeing Singapore's youths thrive.

The plan was shaped by youth voices and perspectives, which is why it reflects what actually matters to young people — from mental wellbeing and finding your path, to having spaces to belong and opportunities to lead.

The SG Youth Plan is just a start. The spirit of co-creation with youths and stakeholders across society continues even beyond the plan's launch.

The plan is only as good as our success in reaching out to different segments of youths, and we can only achieve this if we work through partners to reach out to their networks of youths, be it through the education institutions, workplaces, and in the community.

You can start exploring opportunities via the newly launched Discover platform, designed as a one-stop digital platform to journey with you through life's transitions.

It seeks to be a trusted companion for every young Singaporean, offering tailored recommendations on relevant programmes and activities relevant, and connecting them to real-world relationships and communities.

Find out more about how you can chart your future with the SG Youth Plan here.

This branded content was brought to you by the National Youth Council.

The kidnappers of a 72-year-old Singaporean man in Malaysia allegedly demanded a ransom of S$1 million from his family.

Lianhe Zaobao reported that a Criminal Investigation Department Director said during an Aug. 10 press conference in Malaysia that the man apparently met a woman online.

She was said to have invited him to Penang, Malaysia, with a high-paying consulting job.

Ransom demand

According to an earlier report, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed via an Aug. 10 news release that the man had travelled on his own to Malaysia on Jul. 26, 2026.

His family subsequently alerted the SPF after getting worried about his safety.

He had reportedly disappeared after arriving at an airport in Penang on Jul. 26.

On Aug. 4, his family was said to have received audio and video messages showing him blindfolded, handcuffed, and repeatedly beaten, Zaobao reported.

After negotiations following the ransom demand, the family transferred about S$15,000 to the kidnappers' account in three installments,

The money was immediately withdrawn.

Operation

The release noted that the SPF had sought the assistance of the Malaysian police and shared relevant information with them.

Subsequently, at about 8:40pm on Aug. 7, Malaysian police raided a residence in Kedah, Malaysia, Zaobao reported.

Officers faced gunfire from the suspects when they entered.

They were then forced to return fire and killed two suspects.

The man and a 33-year-old female Chinese national who were later rescued from different rooms within the house were found to be blindfolded and handcuffed with injuries.

Both were taken to the hospital for treatment and discharged the same day.

Zaobao reported that the operation also saw two handguns, ammunition, and a machete being recovered at the scene.

Suspects allegedly involved in other cases

Police then arrested six suspects at another residence nearby.

The suspects included one Malaysian man, as well as five Chinese national men and women.

Zaobao reported that group had allegedly been involved in at least two other kidnapping cases.

This involved kidnapping two female Chinese nationals in Kuala Lumpur, where one of them escaped and reported the kidnapping to the police.

The other had been rescued by the police.

Based on preliminary investigations by the Malaysia police, the suspects allegedly used social media and online platforms, including Telegram, WeChat and Badoo to establish acquaintances with potential victims.

They would then invite the victims to meet in person under various pretexts, including going on holiday, employment opportunities or socialising.

The SPF advised members of the public to exercise caution when interacting with persons they have met online, particularly where they do not know the person well and are invited to meet in person or travel overseas.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed that a 72-year-old Singaporean man got kidnapped in Malaysia and has been rescued.

His rescue was the result of SPF and Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) working together, SPF said in a Aug. 10 news release.

What happened

The man had travelled on his own to Malaysia on Jul. 26, 2026.

His family subsequently alerted the SPF after being concerned for his safety.

They had received information on Aug. 4 indicating that he may have been kidnapped in Malaysia and that a ransom had been demanded for his release.

The SPF immediately sought the assistance of the Malaysian police and shared relevant information with them.

The Malaysian police subsequently mounted operations that led to the rescue of the man.

The SPF supported the investigative effort from Singapore and worked closely with the man’s next-of-kin, providing them with support and assistance.

The man was successfully rescued by the Malaysian police on Aug. 7, 2026, in Kedah, Malaysia.

"He is safe and has received the necessary medical attention," the police added.

Potential victims invited to go overseas

Based on preliminary investigations by the Malaysia police, the suspects allegedly used social media and online platforms, including Telegram, WeChat and Badoo to establish acquaintances with potential victims.

They would then invite the victims to meet in person under various pretexts, including going on holiday, employment opportunities or socialising.

The SPF advised members of the public to exercise caution when interacting with persons they have met online, particularly where they do not know the person well and are invited to meet in person or travel overseas.

A 32-year-old accountant from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, reportedly took his own life and died on the spot after he fell from his apartment on the 24th floor to the ninth-floor platform.

China Press reported that the incident occurred on the evening of Aug. 7.

The man, Lin Zucheng (transliterated), reportedly took a half-day off on Aug. 7 to return to the apartment where he lived with his girlfriend.

Prior to this, he was suspected of falling for an online scam, and allegedly owed loan sharks over RM200,000 (about S$62,700).

Alleged online gambling

Lin was allegedly addicted to different online trading platforms, China Press reported.

He was said to have downloaded and used over 30 different trading platform applications on his mobile phone.

China Press understands that many of the applications on his phone were supposedly related to online gambling and financial transactions.

It added that he could have fallen into an online fraud trap and had been forced to borrow money from loan sharks to repay his debts.

His girlfriend, Liang, pointed out that she had been dating Lin for 11 years, adding that he worked at an accounting firm and did part-time IT services.

She admitted that he had borrowed money from her over the past few years, amounting to RM40,000 (S$12,551), and had also borrowed RM10,000 (about S$3,137) from her mother.

He previously claimed to have needed cash flow as he was doing online sales.

Recognised boyfriend's clothes

Liang said she saw her boyfriend's car parked at the apartment when she returned home on the evening of Aug. 7.

She was surprised as he usually returned home late, China Press reported.

Liang thought he had been at work, but said he would not answer personal or work calls.

At the time, news suddenly spread in a residents' group that a fatal fall had occurred in the apartment.

She rushed downstairs after recognising her boyfriend's clothes and notified his family of the news.

Harassed family, police report

China Press reported that his body was sent to the morgue at Kuala Lumpur General Hospital.

Later at the hospital, Liang reportedly received a call from a loan shark demanding a RM30,000 (S$9,413) debt that Lin owed.

He allegedly demanded that she pay RM10,000 (S$ 3,137) of the debt that day, and another of the same amount the next day, until the debt was fully repaid with interest.

She then continued getting debt collection messages from loan sharks over the next few days, after which she decided to file a police report on Aug. 10.

The officer taking her statement told her to contact the loan sharks immediately.

"The other party knew I had called the police, and spoke very politely, saying that they just wanted to get the money back," she said.

China Press reported Liang also sought help from the assistant of a Malaysian Member of Parliament and head of a complaints bureau in the hopes that loan sharks would stop harassing her.

The deceased's mother, Cai Lirong (transliterated), said that she could not repay her son's debts and begged the loan sharks to stop harassing her family.

Lin's funeral procession will take place on Sunday morning (Aug. 16) for cremation.

Helplines

If you or someone you know are in mental distress, here are some hotlines you can call to seek help, advice, or just a listening ear:

National mindline.sg Hotline: 1771 (24 hours)

National mindline.sg WhatsApp: 66691771 (24 hours)

SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

A flight to Canada was cancelled after a toddler refused to put on a seatbelt.

According to Fox News, the plane had left the terminal and was headed for the runway when a crew member noticed a child standing in their seat.

Attempts by the accompanying adult and crew to get the child buckled failed.

The airline said they could not take off in this condition.

By the time the family was removed, the flight had exceeded the runway closure timing, and the passengers had to be rebooked to a flight the next day.

The flight

The flight was Porter Airlines flight 444, scheduled to depart Victoria International Airport in British Columbia for Toronto at 10:30pm.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Porter Airlines said: "A young child was standing in their seat and would not secure their seatbelt."

The airline said neither the adult travelling with the child nor the crew managed to get the child buckled, and that the aircraft could not take off in an unsafe condition.

The crew decided to return to the terminal and have them disembark.

Why the flight was scrapped entirely

Victoria International Airport has a takeoff curfew of 12:30am.

By the time the passengers in question and their luggage had been taken off the plane and the necessary paperwork completed, there was no longer time to depart.

The flight was cancelled, and the remaining passengers had to stay the night.

They were rebooked onto a flight the following day.

Porter said: "We apologise for the effect this had on other passengers."

Under-twos need a restraint

Porter requires a child safety seat or restraint device for children under two.

It is unclear how old the child in this case was, according to Fox News Digital.

]]> 1164498 https://mothership.sg/2026/08/tan-kiat-how-3rd-kid/ 2026-08-10T18:20:59 https://mothership.sg/2026/08/tan-kiat-how-3rd-kid/

Member of Parliament (MP) and Senior Minister of State of Health and Digital Development and Information Tan Kiat How, 49, had a very eventful National Day Parade (NDP).

Recounting the very eventful NDP on his social media, Tan called it their best National Day gift.

'Baby was patient enough': Tan

"Towards the end of the show, my wife's water started leaking. Thankfully, baby was patient enough for Isaac and Ayla to enjoy the parade till the very end — fireworks, pledge and all!"

The two then dropped their children off at home after the show, before packing their bags and heading to the hospital.

"This morning, Micah was born."

He also thanked the "wonderful doctors and nurses" who took good care of his wife and Micah through the night and this morning.

Tan has two other children, Isaac and Ayla. Ayla was born in 2023.

Netizens congratulate him

Following Tan's announcement, netizens congratulated him on the new addition to his family.

One called it a "blessing" and another said that would now be an "auspicious day".

A 47-year-old man has been jailed eight months and three weeks after he fetched two swords from his flat and challenged two colleagues to a duel.

The man, Hong Weiping (transliterated), pleaded guilty to five charges including possession of a deadly weapon, attempting to cause hurt with a dangerous weapon, and committing a rash act causing hurt, according to Shin Min Daily News.

Another 10 charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

It started with a joke about freeloading

On the evening of May 22, 2025, Hong was drinking with two colleagues at a coffee shop at Block 530 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 from around 7pm.

After he had downed 10 beers, his two colleagues joked that he was only there for the free food and drinks. Hong took offence, got up, and went home.

The colleagues later called and asked him to return to the coffee shop. He told them he was already home, and suggested they meet downstairs at his block instead. They agreed.

Two swords, thrown on the ground

According to Shin Min, Hong took two swords from his flat and headed back downstairs.

At around 9:45pm, he spotted his two colleagues driving their vans into the carpark and approached them.

He threw both swords onto the ground and told them to each pick one up, saying he would fight them with his bare hands.

Neither got out of their vehicle.

Hong then picked the swords back up, walked over to the two vans, and struck each of them with the sword handles while shouting.

The two colleagues drove off, and he chased after them for a few metres with the swords before stopping and going home.

Four members of the public saw him wielding the two swords and immediately called the police.

Five swords and a katana at home

Investigations revealed that Hong was in illegal possession of five swords and a katana, all kept at his flat in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1, per Shin Min.

Two days later, he threw chairs at a coffee shop

Shin Min reported that at around 7:30am on May 24, 2025, Hong caused another disturbance, this time at a coffee shop at Block 407 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.

A man was walking past with his parents when Hong suddenly became agitated and threw a plastic chair, hitting the man in the mouth.

A coffee shop assistant who stepped in to help was hit in the head by another chair.

When the man's father and the assistant tried to stop him, Hong punched both of them.

A man responsible for looking after a nearby shrine came over to check, and Hong hurled abuse at him before throwing a chair that hit his arm.

Hong was arrested at the scene and taken to Woodlands Police Station, where he continued shouting and swearing at officers.

A 42-year-old Chinese national was sentenced to 13 months and two weeks' jail after he booked rooms at a Serangoon hotel for women to provide sexual services.

Liu Daodong, who was also fined S$3,000, also aided a 19-year-old in getting 70 customers in nine days.

Shin Min Daily News reported he pleaded guilty on Aug. 7 to three charges, which included living off the proceeds of others' prostitution as well as violating the Women's Charter.

He reportedly took a S$40 commission for each client he recruited.

Various offences

Charge sheets seen by Mothership stated that from May 30, 2024, to Jun. 11, 2024, Liu lived in part on the earnings of prostitution of a 29-year-old Chinese national.

Sometime in May 2024, he procured the 19-year-old Chinese national for the purpose of prostitution within Singapore.

Subsequently, on or about Jun. 2, 2024, he received a 19-year-old female Chinese national at Changi Airport, knowing she had entered Singapore for the purpose of prostitution and with intent to aid her in prostitution.

In June 2024, Liu also operated a remote communication service with a Singapore registered mobile number in the course of business that facilitated the provision of sexual services of a 19-year-old female Chinese national.

He also lived in part on the earnings of a 19-year-old Chinese national.

In June 2024, Liu received S$35 from a 22-year-old Chinese national working in Singapore as a prostitute, as a reward for assisting her in extending her hotel room in Serangoon where he had a corporate rate of S$165.

Separately in June 2024, Liu received S$140 from a 40-year-old female Chinese national as a reward for assisting her in extending her hotel room.

In the same month, he also received 2,500 yuan (about S$474) for posting an online advertisement about sexual services.

Police operation

Shin Min reported that at about 6:30pm on Jun. 11, 2024, police conducted an anti-prostitution operation at a hotel in Serangoon.

Liu, as well as four women were arrested on the spot, with condoms and lubricants seized.

Four women admitted that they provided sexual services at the hotel.

According to Shin Min, the investigation found Liu to be responsible for booking hotel rooms for them and arranging client appointments.

He also collected money on their behalf and published prostitution advertisements.

One 19-year-old woman testified that she originally worked for a prostitution ring in Macau.

Arrangement with woman

The woman, who was not satisfied with the original commission deduction of S$100 per client, she met Liu through a friend.

Upon learning that his commission deduction was lower, only S$40 per client, she decided to switch to that arrangement.

Both parties then reached an agreement via video conference in May 2024.

The woman would pay for her own airfare and accommodation in Singapore, and Liu would arrange for her to have cheaper accommodation, Shin Min reported.

When she arrived in Singapore on Jun. 2, 2024, Liu picked her up at the airport, took her to buy a SIM card, and accompanied her to check in at the hotel.

He then took over her phone number used to contact clients and arrange appointments, after which he notified her of clients' arrival times using WeChat.

She would then notify Liu after the transaction had been completed so they could count the number of clients for the day.

Solicit business

In an attempt to help a woman solicit business, Liu contacted a website and posted advertisements for her.

He even applied for a "number-search service", Shin Min reported.

This meant the woman's number was added to a chat group where fellow members would check if potential clients were familiar customers.

It supposedly reduced the risk of getting caught by law enforcement officers who could be posing as clients.

Liu subsequently provided the website administrator with photos of the woman, her age, price, as well as information about her sexual services.

He then collected 2,500 yuan (about S$474) in advertising fees from the woman.

70 customers in 9 days

Shin Min reported that the woman had 70 customers in nine days, where Liu took a S$3,000 commission.

The woman provided such services from Jun. 3, 2024, to Jun. 11, 2024.

On top of helping to solicit customers for the woman, Liu also bought food and medicine for her and acted as her guarantor for insurance.

After getting arrested, Liu had been granted bail on Jul. 17, 2024, Shin Min reported.

However, given that he violated his bail conditions by contacting the 19-year-old woman, the court revoked it on Aug. 3, 2024.

He was then detained while awaiting trial.