A lorry driver was sentenced to jail after a collision with a taxi that left the cabbie permanently disabled.

The taxi driver, Lim Boon Hu, 56, passed away two years later, though there was no indication that his death was caused by injuries related to the accident.

Irwan Bin Mohamed Ibrahim, 51, pleaded guilty on Sep. 8, 2026, to one charge of dangerous driving causing grievous hurt and one charge of violating the Motor Vehicles (Third-Party Risks and Compensation) Act 1960.

Another charge for driving the lorry without the consent of the lorry’s owner was taken into consideration during sentencing.

He was sentenced to 23 months' jail and is also disqualified from holding or obtaining all classes of driving licences for eight years starting from the date of his release.

Ran red light

According to court documents seen by Mothership, Irwan was driving the lorry on Nicoll Avenue toward Esplanade Drive on May 2, 2023.

Even though the traffic light ahead had been red for about 50 seconds before he reached it, Irwan failed to conform to it and proceeded straight through the junction.

This resulted in a collision with the victim’s taxi.

Permanent disability to victim

The victim was conveyed from the accident site to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) for treatment.

Based on the victim’s medical report dated Apr. 23, 2024, the victim was permanently disabled and incapacitated due to the multiple injuries sustained from the accident.

The injuries included bleeding in the brain and multiple fractures.

Court documents listed 11 different types of injuries in total.

The victim was given hospitalisation leave for 137 days from May 2 to Sep. 15, 2023.

He was later discharged to a long-term care facility.

A medical report dated Sep. 15, 2023, stated that the victim "never fully regained sufficient consciousness to meaningfully interact with his surrounding environment or people".

He was "fully bedbound and totally dependent on others" for completing his daily activities, court documents stated.

The taxi driver later died on Jun. 14, 2025, but there was no indication that his death was caused by accident-related injuries.

Ken Lim Chih Chiang, the former "Singapore Idol" judge who was found guilty of molesting a woman in 2021, appealed against his conviction and 13-month jail term in the High Court on Sep. 11, CNA reported.

The 62-year-old was sentenced to jail for molesting a 25-year-old woman at his Hype Records office.

The State Court district judge convicted Lim on one count of molest on Sep. 26, 2025.

He was sentenced on Nov. 18, 2025.

The judge found Lim "untruthful".

Lim was represented by a senior counsel.

The appeal argued that the victim made up accounts and that the court should scrutinise her statements.

Justice Hoo Sheau Peng reserved her judgment on the appeal.

She will give her decision at a later date.

Lim was previously acquitted on Dec. 11, 2024 of making sexual comments to a woman in 2012.

A district judge had found the woman not to be a credible witness as she did not have a clear recollection of the meeting's material aspects.

Focus of appeal

During trial, the court heard that the victim met Lim for three interviews in 2021.

It was at the third meeting at Lim's Hype Records office that she was molested.

Lim's lawyer said the victim had given inconsistent accounts of the second meeting on Nov. 18, 2021, where allegedly obscene topics were discussed.

The victim was not consistent with what she understood "F for change" meant, Lim's lawyers argued.

The victim had apparently interpreted the phrase to mean the complexity of the characters she had to play, and then taking it as a literal proposition for sex from Lim.

Lim's lawyer argued that the trial judge had not addressed these discrepancies sufficiently and the meanings were hard to reconcile.

The victim subsequently told others close to her that Lim was "relaxed" and "chilled out", as well as describe him as a "father figure", Lim's lawyer said.

The lawyer added that it was impossible for her to have this impression after they had a discussion on obscene topics.

How Lim allegedly molested the woman

The molestation apparently took place on Nov. 23, 2021 at the third meeting.

The woman said Lim asked her to kiss him as a test and she did, but reacted with a disgusted face.

She said Lim asked her to kiss him again, passionately, and that she should not make that face.

She said Lim groped her breast inside her clothing for a few seconds when they kissed, before removing his hand, the court heard.

Lim's lawyer said these actions were difficult to carry out in a few seconds.

"We have tried this many times in our office and we found it was impossible for the act to be done," the lawyer said, according to CNA.

The victim had admitted the act was awkward, but added that a person intending to molest would find a way.

Nothing amiss post-molest

Lim's lawyer also highlighted that the woman chatted with Lim for 10 minutes after the alleged molestation and walked together, which was captured in CCTV footage.

She also offered him a hug before she left.

According to the victim, she was not thinking clearly and only gave hugs to people she was close to, but later said she gave hugs to friends.

Lim's lawyer questioned the consistency of the victim's statements and said the accused cannot defend himself if all her discrepancies are dismissed.

Prosecution: Witness "highly consistent"

The prosecution argued that the victim had been "highly consistent" and that Lim's lawyer was trying to raise as many inconsistencies as possible.

The prosecution added that the victim went ahead with the third meeting as there was nothing so alarming about the second meeting.

Moreover, she was looking to break into the industry and was seeking a mentor.

The prosecution also argued that there was no evidence to show that the act of molestation was impossible, even though it could have been awkward, in response to the defence's argument that the act was not possible to carry out in a few seconds.

The prosecution added that the victim was in shock and on autopilot, and her hug was more like placing an arm on Lim's back, which was what she did to act normal.

The prosecution said the woman subsequently met her boyfriend but did not join him at the venue.

She remained quiet and appeared bothered, he had testified in court.

She only let him know what had happened the next day in an emotional manner, the court heard.

The prosecution added that the district court judge got it right and the woman had nothing to gain from lying about Lim.

Malaysia police have arrested eight people suspected to have been involved in 17 car break-ins and thefts across the state of Johor.

Four of the cases involve Singapore vehicles at popular coastal resort destination Desaru, The Star reported.

Four Malaysian men, two Indonesian men, and two Indonesian women, aged 26 to 60 were arrested in two raids on Sep. 7 and 8.

The suspects targeted vehicles parked in open areas and along quiet roads.

They allegedly smashed car windows and stole valuables that they either kept or sold for money.

The Singapore cars that were broken into were parked at various resorts in the Desaru area on Sep. 6, the Johor police chief said.

Vehicle owners are advised not to leave valuables inside vehicles and to park in well-lit areas.

First raid

Three Malaysian men were arrested in the first raid in the Masai and Majidee areas of Johor Bahru.

A vehicle, three phones, and three iPads were seized.

A spanner, vehicle keys, and a remote control were also found.

Urine tests found that all three tested positive for methamphetamine, the police said, adding that the suspects had previous criminal and drug-related records.

Police were also on the lookout for at least four others still at large from the first gang, which is responsible for at least seven car break-ins involving vehicles parked in three different resorts in Desaru on Sep. 6 alone.

Second raid

The second raid saw the 60-year-old Malaysian man, two Indonesian men, and two Indonesian women arrested in the Kulai district and Muar.

Items seized included two vehicles, three ATM cards, eight mobile phones, RM10,105 (S$3,117) in cash, an Indonesian passport, a watch and a ring.

Those arrested in the second raid did not have criminal records.

The Indonesian nationals were found to have valid passports used to enter Malaysia.

Amid reports about Singaporeans getting lured into a suspected pyramid scheme in China, content creator and personal trainer Tyen Rasif took to social media to share her personal experience where she "almost got scammed" into joining it.

In a video posted on Sep. 10, Rasif said that she was invited on a trip to Nanning, the capital of China's Guangxi region, by a friend in 2018.

When she got there, she was brought to homes and cafes where "people in the community" explained to her the "business opportunity" of investing in Nanning's development.

These people were all Singaporeans, she told Mothership.

Rasif, who is 31 now, was only 23 at the time.

On Sep. 4, the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) announced that 52 Singaporeans were arrested and detained in Guangxi for suspected pyramid scheme activities and related offences.

Similar to Rasif, several other Singaporeans invited to Nanning previously told the media they were introduced to an investment opportunity linked to the city's development.

They later suspected it was a pyramid scheme, but not before some had already invested thousands.

Out of curiosity

The friend who invited Rasif to Nanning knew she had "zero interest" in investing in China, she said in her video.

Rasif told Mothership that this friend was not part of the programme, and she had also heard about it from a few other people at the time.

She decided to go on the trip because she was curious.

She was sceptical about the programme, but she wanted to document the "initiation process" and meet other Singaporeans who decided to move to China.

Plus, the trip was free — all expenses apart from her flight were covered by the programme organisers.

How the scheme works

Rasif said her experience on the trip "blew her mind".

The people behind the programme described Nanning as "the new Shenzhen" and "the city worth investing in", and showed her "propaganda videos" highlighting its supposed success.

To join the programme, she would have to buy shares at about S$18,000.

She would then have to recruit two new people into the programme, and they would then each bring in more recruits.

"And then you would earn commission off the people underneath you," she said.

Rasif then raised the possibility of starting a business in China without joining this community.

The organisers' response was that it would be difficult to do so without the right connections.

"They can be very convincing, but my intuition told me otherwise," she said.

She told Mothership she was suspicious from the beginning and did not invest any money.

She found it questionable that she needed to put down a deposit to secure a membership spot.

In her video, Rasif described visiting a big luxury shopping mall that was empty, like a "ghost town", which also appeared to have raised her suspicions.

Not only the gullible and vulnerable

The programme organisers eventually realised Rasif was not intending to invest, and gave up on trying to persuade her.

But she knew that many people lost money from the scheme.

"They are very convincing," she told Mothership. "I can see why people would be swayed to joining because it’s not just an investment opportunity, it’s an exciting chance to join a network outside Singapore."

It did not attract her, however.

"Because what was I buying? A membership? A network? Didn’t make sense to me then."

Through this experience, she observed that such schemes do not necessarily only target the gullible and vulnerable.

"A lot of these people are educated professionals who genuinely believe that they were building a better future in a different city," she said in her video.

She told Mothership she decided to share her story now to warn others against buying into similar "scam schemes".

She was surprised when the alleged Nanning pyramid scheme made the news.

"I'm surprised they are still running it and it’s bigger than ever," she said. "I thought [it] would have ended during the Covid-19 pandemic."

Related stories

The brother of Gunaseelan, the late 42-year-old who suffered from cerebral palsy, has received a letter from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam conveying his condolences.

Gunaseelan passed on Aug. 29.

The bond between Gunaseelan and his brother, Suresh Vanaz, had been the subject of media features.

Most notably, Malaysia media outlet New Straits Times told the story of how Suresh and Gunaseelan would make an annual trip to Batu Caves in Malaysia, with Suresh carrying his brother.

You gave him warmth and dignity: President Tharman

Suresh shared the letter from the President on his social media pages on Sep. 11.

In his letter dated Sep. 10, President Tharman shared that he read a recent CNA story about Suresh’s “care and inspiring devotion” to his brother throughout the years of his living with disability.

He recognised that Suresh and Gunaseelan had a "beautiful bond" with each other, through their "joys and struggles".

“You stood by him, and gave him not just security but warmth and dignity,” President Tharman wrote.

Before signing off, he also wrote, “I hope and trust you find peace and strength in the memories of the love you shared with Seelan.”

Special and heartfelt

On Instagram, Suresh wrote, “Thank you so much, Mr President, for taking the time to read about Seelan’s life and the love and care that surrounded him.”

He described the letter as "very special and heartfelt condolence message".

“Your words truly touched my heart and mean so much to me and my beloved brother, and all our loved ones during this painful time,” he continued.

Suresh also wrote, "To receive such kind words from our President is something I will always treasure. Thank you, Mr President, for remembering my brother and for acknowledging his beautiful journey."

He ended his post with a tribute to his brother, writing, “Your beautiful smile will live in our hearts forever.”

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Suresh Vanaz (@vanazsuresh)

Suresh once shared in a media interview that he had chosen to stay single out of devotion and care for his brother.

Suresh was Gunaseelan’s sole caregiver prior to the latter’s passing.

Former coordinating minister Khaw Boon Wan will step down as chairman of Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Media Trust (SMT).

Chan Yeng Kit, chief executive officer (CEO) of SPH Media, will take over the role, The Straits Times reported.

The changes are expected to take effect from Oct. 1, 2026.

They were agreed upon after consultation with SMT’s institutional members and board directors and are subject to regulatory approval.

Chan will continue as CEO while taking on additional responsibilities as chairman of SMT.

“As the SPH operations have stabilised, I think it is a good time for me, a retiree, to wind down my involvement in this project,” Khaw said.

First chair of SMT

In 2021, Khaw was appointed SMT chairman after SPH restructured and hived off media operations into a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee (CLG).

Khaw had just retired from politics in 2020, after serving as the coordinating minister for infrastructure and minister for transport.

SPH’s traditional advertising-funded business model was apparently under strain from digital disruption.

According to Khaw, the business model shift moved the CLG’s accountability to SMT’s institutional members.

When it carved out its media business, 16 institutional members, including key local institutions, such as banks and universities, reportedly replaced commercial shareholders as custodians.

This purportedly relieved the short-term profit and dividend pressures the company previously faced when it was listed.

New Chair "has an edge over me": Khaw

Khaw reportedly said it would not be wise for him to remain at the helm of an important institution, noting he would be over 78 at the next general election.

“With Mr Chan Yeng Kit and his team firmly established, this is the right time to move aside,” Khaw said.

“They will then have enough time to further consolidate the trust and credibility with the audience, the newsrooms and our stakeholders. Then we can be confident of a strong team to take SPH through the next GE cycle and other national events.”

Some board directors also reportedly asked to step aside so that fresh expertise and experience could be tapped.

Chan will be the first chairman of SPH Media in 20 years who was not a prior Cabinet minister.

Before joining SPH Media, Chan served as permanent secretary of the former Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts and as founding chairman of the Infocomm Media Development Authority.

“His background in new media and technology, in fact, puts him ahead of me. He has an edge over me. I am confident he and his team will do well,” Khaw said.

Chan has held the role of permanent secretary in other portfolios, including health, defence, and defence development.

He was permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health during the Covid-19 pandemic years from 2019 to 2024.

Past SPH chairmen

Former president S. R. Nathan, served as SPH's executive chairman from 1982 to 1988 and former minister Lim Kim San, served from 1988 to 2002.

Lim Chin Beng served from 2002 to 2005 as non-executive chairman.

Former president and deputy prime minister Tony Tan served as chairman from 2005 to 2011, and former minister Lee Boon Yang served as chairman from 2011 to 2021.

UPDATE on Sep. 11, 6:15pm: This article was updated with the latest figures from CASE.

After True Fitness and True Yoga ceased operations across their outlets on Sep. 10, customers have reported losses of more than S$609,000 in unutilised memberships, packages, and services to the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE).

This is the figure as of Sep. 11, CASE President Melvin Yong shared in a Facebook post.

CASE has received 241 complaints from consumers affected by the closure to date.

The True Singapore Group operates 10 fitness and yoga outlets in Singapore under three brands: True Fitness, TFX and Yoga Edition.

Images of a notice of closure put up at their outlets have circulated online.

It stated that the company has been placed under provisional liquidation effective Sep. 10, and all clubs have ceased operations with immediate effect.

A Mothership reader, who has been a member for over 20 years, said she received a notification regarding the liquidation on her app on the night of Sep. 10.

She has over S$1,000 in a two-year package with the gym, where she originally pre-paid over S$2,000 and has since used half of it.

Yong said that CASE has reached out to the provisional liquidator and will continue to seek clarification on the arrangements for affected consumers.

This includes obtaining information required for consumers to lodge their claims.

Consumers who have unutilised memberships or prepaid packages with True Fitness or True Yoga can approach CASE for assistance at 6277 5100 or at their website.

CASE encourages consumers to exercise caution when making large upfront payments for services. Where possible, consumers should consider shorter-term payment arrangements before signing up for a package.

Nine-year-old Gregory Imran Zahin has picked up a new hobby: collecting empty cans and plastic bottles and recycling them at designated Return Right machines under Singapore's latest Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS).

Learnt about recycling in school

Speaking to Mothership, Gregory's father, 29-year-old Muhammad Zahin Bin Zainal, said his son first learnt about recycling and the BCRS at school.

He said Gregory became particularly interested after spotting the BCRS logo on a bottle for the first time, and then began encouraging his family to collect their used bottles and cans so they could be recycled properly.

Earned S$20

The family recently accompanied Gregory to a Return Right machine to recycle the containers, an experience Zahin documented in a TikTok video posted on Sep. 8.

According to Zahin, Gregory started collecting the containers about two months ago and had accumulated around 60 plastic bottles and 140 cans.

Most of them come from the family’s home or from meals they had outside, said Zahin.

"If we come across bottles or cans left on the ground, we’ll pick them up and recycle them properly. However, we don’t actively go out of our way to look for them," he added.

In the video, Gregory can be seen carrying four large bags filled with empty plastic bottles, while one of his younger siblings carries a cardboard box containing cans.

Unfortunately, the family’s first attempt was unsuccessful as the BCRS machine was full and could not accept the bottles and cans.

Zahin said they subsequently returned to the machine a few days later and were eventually able to recycle their collection.

In total, Gregory earned about S$20 from the bottles and cans he returned.

Zahin said Gregory was "very happy and excited" throughout the experience, particularly because he was able to contribute to recycling efforts in Singapore while adding the money to his savings.

When asked how him and his wife felt about it, Zahin said:

"As parents, we are very proud of him. Recycling wasn’t something we actively practiced before, but he has influenced the whole family, including his siblings and cousins about recycling."

For now, Gregory's goal is to continue recycling regularly and make it a habit.

He also has plans to combine his interest in recycling with another hobby.

During the family’s next shore fishing trip, Gregory hopes to bring rubbish bags with him so he can help clean up the beach while enjoying fishing.

His goal, Zahin said, is to "help clean up the beach and keep the environment clean for others".

@thezackjourney Road to +$1000 for my son, Road to -$10000 for me… Importantly, He Save the Earth #fyp #recycle #10cent #singapore #money ♬ Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono - moshimo sound design

A Thai abbot from Ayutthaya in central Thailand was arrested on Sep. 10, 2026, alongside a female aide who was caught on CCTV footage having sex with the monk in his quarters.

According to Bangkok Post, the abbot and his female aide were accused of embezzling 100 million baht (S$3.8 million) from Wat Phutthaisawan, an ancient royal monastery in Ayutthaya's Muang district.

Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau commissioner Natthasak Chaowanasai said that police raided the residence of 66-year-old Phra Vajirayan, also known as Luang Por Chot, after complaints were filed.

At the time of the arrest, police examined surveillance footage from inside the abbot's quarters and found a video of him engaging in intercourse on a table.

Misappropriated temple funds

The Bangkok Post reported that the complaints alleged that the abbot had misappropriated temple funds and passed the money to his female aide to disguise the ill-gotten gains under other people's names.

The female aide, Punyavee Rungrueang, 47, was also arrested on charges of abetting a state official in illegal activities.

A covert investigation was conducted, and authorities found evidence supporting the claims, Nathasak stated.

The monk purportedly issued over 20 unauthorised donation receipts in the temple's name over a period of more than two years.

This amounted to losses of around 100 million baht (S$3.8 million).

The female aide had tens of millions of baht circulating through her bank accounts each year,  police added.

Used meal table for sexual acts

The police noted that the table used in the compromising video was also used for meals.

Bangkok Post wrote that the sex videos were provided by the abbot's former followers who said they could no longer tolerate his behaviour.

Many monks in Thailand receive monthly stipends from the government and are hence considered state officials, reported The Bangkok Post.

In 2022, Phra Vajirayan was appointed as the temple's abbot.

He gained fame from creating highly sought-after Buddhist amulets, including the "Nuea Duang" coin.

Raided female aide's home

Police searched Punyavee's home in Pathum Thani, a province between Bangkok and Ayutthaya.

They found and seized 35 gold amulets and other gold bars and jewellery that weighed a combined 1.36kg and were estimated to be worth 6.04 million baht (S$231,000).

Authorities also seized 3.6 million baht (S$137,700) in cash, and other items including three mobile phones, 10 sets of land and bank documents, 18 sets of investment documents and other sale receipts.

Investigators noted that two or three other individuals and more than one woman may have been involved in the case, according to the Bangkok Post.

Defrocking ceremony

Bangkok Post reported that Phra Vajirayan was escorted to the temple's ordination hall for a defrocking ceremony after his arrest, changing into white robes and reverting to his former name, Atichote Thammavaro.

He was then taken into police custody before being taken to Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau for further questioning.

A lay administrator for the temple was also brought in for questioning and declined to comment.

A woman has sued Sheng Siong and its employee for negligence after she was allegedly hit from behind by a trolley carrying sacks of rice.

CNA reported that one Dong Lihua is taking Sheng Siong to court after the incident happened at the supermarket's Clementi West Street 2 outlet in March 2021. 

Dong claimed that she suffered injuries to her foot and back as a result of the incident.

According to CNA, she is seeking about S$11,000 in medical and transport expenses as well as further damages for pain, suffering, loss of amenity, and future expenses.

Sheng Siong has denied any negligence on its part.

How she was hit

The incident allegedly took place around 10am on Mar. 11, 2021, according to a statement of claim CNA saw.

While Dong was walking around the supermarket, a trolley containing bags of rice hit her from behind, hitting the back of her left foot and her back. An employee was pushing the trolley at the time.

A Sheng Siong branch manager accompanied her to a clinic, and she went to Clementi Polyclinic and the National University Hospital for further treatment.

According to Dong, she suffered bruising, swelling, and an abrasion to her left foot, a bruised left heel, and a restricted range of motion for her left ankle.

She further claimed that she suffered from degenerative disc disease in her lower back, which was worsened by the incident.

She also cited that she had chronic pain syndrome and depression.

Dong asserted that the negligence in the case arose from the employee going excessively fast, failing to be keep a lookout, and failing to manoeuvre the trolley to avoid colliding with her.

Subsequently, she also argued that Sheng Siong did not provide enough space in the aisles, and train the employee to ensure that he was moving the trolley safely.

Sheng Siong's version of the story

The supermarket chain challenged Dong's telling of the incident, reported CNA.

It is represented by lawyers from LVM Law Chambers.

Sheng Siong stated that the rice was placed on a trolley which was around 155cm tall and 122cm long.

The supermarket chain claimed that Dong had "suddenly emerged" from the aisles, into the trolley's path and failed to notice the approaching trolley.

Sheng Siong said that the accident and Dong's injury was "solely caused or contributed by" her negligence, and Dong did not take steps to avoid the trolley.

As such, her injuries were not caused by negligence on the part of the employee or the supermarket chain, it asserted.

It also disputed that Dong suffered the injuries, disabilities, losses or expenses she claimed, further claiming that they were "unreasonably incurred". 

The case is still pending.

Mothership has reached out to LVM Law Chambers for more information.