Labour chief Ng Chee Meng will be appointed Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, reprising his last-held Cabinet position in 2020.

His appointment, part of the latest Cabinet reshuffle announced on Jul. 22, marks his return to Cabinet and government office.

Ng will be serving alongside Indranee Rajah, who herself took on the post of Minister in the Prime Minister's Office in 2018.

He will also continue to serve as the Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC).

Ng's appointment also means that he will be able to sit in on Cabinet meetings.

The new appointments are due to take effect on Jul. 27, 2026.

Jobs and workforce transformation key government priorities: PM Wong

Commenting on Ng's appointment, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that jobs and workforce transformation are "among the government's highest priorities".

"There is important work ahead for both the government and NTUC, as we help our workers navigate these changes," PM Wong remarked.

"I have therefore asked [Ng] to return to Cabinet. He will strengthen the government team as we tackle the challenges ahead."

When asked by the media what has changed since Ng's request not to join Cabinet last year, PM Wong said that he has since "settled in" to Jalan Kayu, having spent the past year working the ground.

He reiterated that jobs and workplace transformation have also "become a much higher priority" for the government, in the face of which Ng's return would be "timely".

"I felt given the concerns of our economic and workforce challenges we face, it was timely for him to return to the government, to return to cabinet, and contribute not just as Secretary-General of NTUC, but as a minister in my team... So I approached him, and he agreed to do so," Wong said.

'Humbled by this appointment'

In a statement, Ng thanked PM Wong for inviting him to serve in Cabinet and said he was "humbled by this appointment and accept it with a strong sense of responsibility".

He added that over the past year, they have built a "capable team" in Jalan Kayu, and thanked his residents for their trust and encouragement.

"As NTUC Secretary-General and a Cabinet Minister, I will continue to champion better wages, welfare and work prospects for workers. Being in Cabinet means I can work even more closely with the government to support workers and Singapore's progress, alongside unions and employers," he added.

In a separate statement, NTUC said that the central committee members had "understood and accepted" his previous decision to focus on Jalan Kayu, but that they are "heartened" to know that he has since accepted the invitation to join the Cabinet.

"We firmly believe that [Ng's] return to Cabinet will strengthen the voice of workers in national policymaking at a time when Singapore is navigating significant economic transformation, technological disruption and workforce change."

Had asked not to be given government position after GE2025

Following his election during GE2025, Ng had asked Prime Minister Lawrence Wong not to appoint him to a position in government, to allow him to focus on his work as Member of Parliament (MP) in Jalan Kayu SMC.

PM Wong said that he would respect Ng's wishes, but that his exclusion from cabinet as the labour chief would be a "temporary arrangement".

He explained that the "NTUC Secretary-General has traditionally held a position in Cabinet" and that he values the link between the government and the trade union.

"I look forward to having the labour chief being part of the Cabinet before too long," PM Wong also said.

A 49-year-old former Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) principal tax investigator was charged with allegedly accessing taxpayer information illegally in response to queries from friends and acquaintances.

Mansur, whose alias is Thio Shuang Liuong, faced 20 charges under the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act and a charge under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) on Jul. 22, CNA reported.

Loh Chee Wee, a 50-year-old director of Transstar Asia, also faced a charge under OSA for allegedly receiving protected information from Mansur.

Between May 2014 and January 2016, Mansur allegedly used his IRAS account to gain unauthorised access to the IRAS computer systems.

He apparently obtained tax information relating to individuals and companies on multiple occasions.

On Jul. 29, 2014, Loh purportedly queried Mansur on whether a company sharing office space with Transstar Asia was being investigated by IRAS.

Mansur allegedly obtained information from the IRAS systems and disclosed it to Loh.

Loh was apparently not authorised to receive such information.

According to CNA, Mansur was unrepresented and told the court he intends to engage a lawyer.

Both men reportedly did not indicate a plea.

Both of their cases were adjourned to Aug. 19.

Under the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act, offenders convicted of unauthorised access to computer material are liable to a jail term up to two years, a fine up to S$5,000, or both.

Under OSA, offenders convicted of an offence are liable to a jail term of up to two years and a fine up to S$2,000.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) has taken action against eight nightclubs since 2021 and imposed over S$6.8 million in taxes and penalties for improper tax declarations of flower garland sales, according to The Straits Times.

IRAS had in a Jul. 3 article reminded businesses of their tax obligations and said some nightclubs have tried “creative” ways to account for the income from garland sales.

What are flower garlands?

Customers buy garlands as a form of appreciation for club performers, who get a portion of the amount paid.

IRAS said GST applies to the full value of the flower garland sales, not just the portion the nightclub keeps.

Businesses should not under-report their tax obligations and must keep proper records, or else they can be penalised.

15 per cent withholding tax

IRAS also said performers, who are non-residents, are subjected to a 15 per cent withholding tax on the salaries and the money they receive from flower garland sales.

Nightclubs are required to file and pay the withholding tax on this income to IRAS by the 15th of the second month from the date of payment to these non-resident performers.

IRAS added that it conducts regular risk-based tax audits to ensure accurate tax filings in all industries.

Businesses have to verify the completeness and accuracy of their tax reporting and submit their supporting documents when requested by IRAS.

2022 case

In 2022, Soon Kok Khoon was jailed and had to pay S$630,861 for evading taxes and omitting goods and services tax (GST).

He operated Club Posh Entertainment and West Palace Entertainment, where flower garlands cost between S$50 and S$100,000.

He made his staff channel the sales revenue of the GST-registered clubs to two shell entities that were not GST-registered.

Accountants were told to leave out the clubs’ revenue from the sale of flower garlands and the output tax.

Coordinating Minister for National Security of Singapore K. Shanmugam has provided more details on the circumstances surrounding Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim's resignation.

Faishal, who served as Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, and was Member of Parliament for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, announced on Jul. 20 that he was resigning from political office and relinquishing his role as an MP, and a member of the People's Action Party.

In a statement issued the same day, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had received an email from a female member of the public concerning her interactions with Faishal.

The matter was investigated immediately.

The PMO said that after considering the facts and consulting the Attorney-General's Chambers, it was assessed that neither party had committed a criminal offence and hence no criminal action would be taken against either of them.

However, PM Wong said a separate question remained over whether Faishal's conduct met the standards expected of a political office-holder and MP.

Faishal acknowledged that his conduct fell short of those standards.

Woman sent messages and pictures to PM Wong

In a Facebook post on Jul. 22, Shanmugam said Faishal had engaged in a series of online interactions with the woman.

According to him, Faishal explained that he was concerned the woman might react negatively if he abruptly ended communication with her.

"Nevertheless, his responses were, objectively, inappropriate and questionable. They come across as engaging with her. Indeed, that was how the lady interpreted his responses, and said she was encouraged to continue," Shanmugam wrote.

He added that the woman later became upset when Faishal tried to put a stop to the online exchanges.

She subsequently emailed PM Wong, attaching some of the messages and photographs, and alleged that Faishal had harassed her.

Shanmugam said both Faishal and the woman made allegations of harassment against each other, and the matter was referred to the police for investigation.

At that point, the incident "ceased being a purely private, consensual matter between two individuals", he wrote.

As the woman had lodged a complaint against a public office-holder, the PMO had to assess whether Faishal's conduct was appropriate, Shanmugam said, adding that Faishal was given a fair hearing.

"Regardless of his intentions, one has to look at the evidence and facts. Faishal himself reflected on the matter and acknowledged that he should not have allowed his exchanges with the lady to carry on, and he should have established clear boundaries from the start. He also came to the conclusion that his position as MP and Minister was untenable. That is why he decided to resign and PM accepted his resignation."

Shanmugam added that the standards governing such situations had previously been set out by first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and former prime minister Lee Hsien Loong:

"The principle is straightforward. Where a matter remains entirely private and inappropriate conduct stops after counselling, it can remain a private matter. But when the matter enters the public domain through a complaint or otherwise, it must be examined and if there has been impropriety appropriate action must follow."

"A very sad situation"

All in all, this is a very sad situation, Shanmugam wrote.

He described Faishal as a "good, honest, humble, hardworking man, who really cares for the people", adding that he had known him for over two decades:

"He is my friend and comrade."

Having worked closely with Faishal in Nee Soon GRC for 15 years and more recently at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shanmugam said he had come to know him as someone focused on making a difference to the lives of others.

"He is a true gem. His heart is in the right place – to serve the people," he said. "I haven’t come across many people, in or out of government, better than Faishal."

Faishal's contributions were "extensive"

Shanmugam also highlighted three examples of Faishal's contributions to the community:

1. About a decade ago, Faishal started the 100=50 initiative in Nee Soon Central to help lower-income residents purchase groceries at more affordable prices, an initiative Shanmugam said has helped many families over the years.
2. Faishal also took up Chinese calligraphy as a way of bringing people together across communities, personally writing calligraphy pieces of residents during Chinese New Year celebrations.
3. During the Covid-19 pandemic, when multiple cases were detected at a block in Nee Soon Central, Faishal personally visited affected residents to reassure them and address their concerns.

Shanmugam added that Faishal has never hesitated to help residents personally, driving residents with mobility issues to and from their homes on some occasions.

While these were only three examples, he said the examples were not isolated ones and that Faishal's contributions were extensive:

"They are consistent with the way Faishal has approached public service throughout his career. That is the man I have known for more than 15 years."

"I hope that he will recover from this tragic turn in his life and will find ways to contribute in different ways to the community and Singapore," he said.

Related stories

Queenstown grassroots team is working with the relevant agencies and community partners to support the family of the Lengkok Bahru murder victim with funeral arrangements and counselling.

This was shared by Member of Parliament for Queenstown SMC Eric Chua in a Facebook post on Jul. 22.

In his post, he added that they will also be holding an interfaith community prayer and remembrance gathering tonight (Jul. 22) at the multipurpose hall at 55A Lengkok Bahru.

"We will be holding an Interfaith Community Prayer and Remembrance Gathering and everyone is welcome to join us as we remember the deceased, pray for the family, and stand together as one community," he said in his post.

He added that they will also be organising a community fundraiser to support the victim's family during this difficult period.

Murder

On Jul. 20, a 59-year-old man died after allegedly fighting with his neighbour at Block 55 Lengkok Bahru.

The police had arrived to find the victim lying motionless at the 16th floor lift lobby.

He was allegedly stabbed in the abdomen, and died after he was taken to the hospital.

Ng Swee Seng, 59, the neighbour charged with allegedly murdering the victim, reportedly had a long-standing dispute with him.

Related stories

An 11-year-old boy in China's Hebei Province drowned at a sports centre after being partially sucked into the circulating drain outlet in the pool's shallow water area.

The incident occurred at about 4:50pm on Jul. 6, 2026, and the boy was accompanied by his mother.

Struggled underwater

According to 163.com, the boy was sucked into the side wall water pump's circulating drain outlet in the shallow water area of ​​the swimming pool.

He was reportedly unable to break free, causing his left arm and shoulder joint to be completely sucked in, and his head pulled underwater.

This made it impossible for him to breathe, thepaper.cn reported, adding that he then struggled underwater for about three to five minutes.

The drain outlet that sucked him in was 15cm wide and was located about 80cm below the water's surface, according to 163.com.

There were reportedly no lifeguards on site, with only one female staff member who was allegedly looking at her phone and not paying attention to the pool's surface.

Unable to rescue boy

About three minutes after the boy began drowning, another child in the same pool noticed and ran to inform those in the waiting area, thepaper.cn reported.

At 4:56pm, the boy's mother and a swimming coach rushed to the pool, where the coach jumped in to attempt a rescue.

However, due to the suction force of the pool's drainage outlet, three adults were unable to remove the boy's arm from the outlet.

The coach then rushed to the electrical room and pulled the emergency switch to cut off the power.

They managed to remove the boy's arm from the circulating drain pipe and lift him out of the pool.

However, his face was bluish-purple with no breathing or vital signs, thepaper.cn reported.

Sent to hospital, died

The boy was given first aid and sent to the hospital, where he arrived about 20 minutes after drowning.

Despite about an hour of intensive resuscitation efforts, the boy was declared dead.

Following the boy's death, his father reported the incident to the police.

Investigation as a major accident due to negligence

According to thepaper.cn, personnel from the Emergency Management Bureau and the Education and Sports Bureau conducted an investigation at the location on the afternoon of Jul. 8.

This reportedly took place after multiple complaints from the family.

On Jul. 10, the family was told to return to the accident site at 8:30am, where the Gaobeidian Municipal Emergency Management Bureau, along with safety experts, conducted an on-site investigation.

Though the family requested a report as soon as possible, they were allegedly told it would be issued within 60 days.

On Jul. 14, the police opened a case for investigation as a major accident due to negligence, 163.com reported.

The pool has since been closed, with the police and emergency management departments investigating.

In the financial year 2025/2026, registered charity Pro Bono SG helped and engaged over 16,000 individuals and social impact organisations.

This was made possible by the S$6 million raised through grants and donations to support all its legal aid programmes and four centres across Singapore.

Of the S$6 million raised, close to S$3 million was donated by individuals and organisations.

The achievement was highlighted at the Pro Bono SG Awards 2026 on Jul. 21 attended by Minister for Law Edwin Tong.

In his speech, he said: "A first-class legal system is only truly first-class when it is accessible to everyone in society, not just those who can afford it."

"That is the gap that everyone in this room is working hard at closing, one case at a time," he said.

Tong was referring to the legal work carried out by over 800 active volunteer lawyers and 470 student volunteers.

New initiatives announced

Pro Bono SG also announced new initiatives, including expanded Help Centre services at the State Courts, where the charity assisted in over 1,000 applications and conducted 295 lawyer consultations on-site.

The charity is also working with partners to operationalise the Inclusive Justice Law Centre in the second half of 2026.

This will improve access to legal assistance for persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

A Malaysian couple who had spent decades together passed away just one day apart.

According to Oriental Daily, Shen Guilan, 82, and Zhang Guangxiang, 89, from Sungai Petani in Kedah, passed away on Jul. 19 and Jul. 20, respectively.

Their joint funeral has been arranged for Jul. 22, after which their ashes will be placed together at Ming Xiu Shan She Le Tian Shrine.

The couple's family have also arranged for them to be buried side by side.

A love that began in Taiping

Their eldest son, Zhang Liangrui, 59, a car dealer, told Oriental Daily that his parents were inseparable throughout their lives.

Nobody had expected them to pass one day after the other, almost as if they had planned it that way.

He told Oriental Daily: “My father was outgoing and talkative, while my mother was quiet and reserved. They supported each other through decades together."

His parents met when they were both working in Taiping, Perak.

His mother worked at a tailor shop, and his father was introduced to her through a mutual friend.

After getting married, his father was posted to Sungai Petani for grain contracting work, then later ran a transport business.

His mother managed the household and raised their three children.

A decade of caregiving

Shen was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease more than ten years ago. From then on, Zhang took it upon himself to care for her, tending to her meals and daily needs.

Their eldest son told Oriental Daily that although the children had suggested hiring a domestic helper, their father refused, insisting on caring for his wife himself.

The couple's eldest grandson, Zhang Wenkai, told Oriental Daily that his grandparents had long been seen as a model couple by the whole family.

He added that his grandfather's devotion in caring for his grandmother, including personally bathing her, left a deep impression on him.

Separated in their final days

Shen passed away peacefully on Jul. 19. Fearing the news would be too much for the husband to bear, the family chose not to tell him, and arranged for him to rest upstairs instead.

The following day, while family members were downstairs conducting the funeral prayers for their mother, the domestic helper suddenly came down to inform the son that his father had passed away.

The helper recalled that after hearing the prayers coming from below, the father had grown restless, turning his head from side to side repeatedly, before passing away peacefully shortly after.

The family believes their father may have sensed his wife's passing and chose to follow her.

A final journey together

Since the two passed away one after the other, the family was initially unsure how to arrange the funerals. Even funeral directors said they had rarely encountered such a situation.

They eventually decided to postpone the mother's funeral from Jul. 21 to Jul. 22, together with the father. They would then be cremated and their ashes would be placed together.

The couple's daughter, Zhang Xiufen, who had rushed back from Sarawak on Jul. 18, told Oriental Daily she was grateful she had arrived in time to speak with both parents, which gave her some comfort amid the grief.

Liangrui told Oriental Daily that he believed his parents would remain together in the next life.

A number of National Day banners put up around Block 409 Bedok North Avenue 2 have raised eyebrows after inconsistencies typical of AI-generated images were spotted on them.

One of these included a red and white flag that was missing its stars and crescent.

Missing elements on Singapore flag

Photos of the banners first appeared in the Facebook group SG Creative & Cultural Community on Jul. 20.

A user, Zu, an art practitioner, shared the photo with the caption, "A good example of AI generative artworks".

In the comments, one user circled other inconsistencies with the artwork.

Other commenters chimed in, with some asking why checks were not done before the banner was printed and put up.

Another asked if there are guidelines on how national symbols are used, given that artwork these days could be AI-generated slop.

A handful quipped that the flag, without its crescent and stars, resembled the Indonesia flag.

Banner replaced the same evening feedback shared

Zu, who is also a resident of the estate, told Mothership that she first noticed the inconsistencies on Jul. 19 morning.

She then shared her feedback in a residents’ group chat.

The banner was replaced later that same evening, with rectifications made to the flag.

Other banners also had issues

However, other banners, which also appeared to feature AI-generated images, remained up at the time, Zu said.

Some inconsistencies in these other banners included a “Singapore National Indoor Stadium” phrase on an AI-hallucinated landmark.

Zu also highlighted the portrayal of the individuals in one of the banners, commenting that ethnic group representation is "super important", particularly during an occasion like National Day.

Created by seniors, CC says

In a Jul. 21 Facebook post, the Kampong Chai Chee Community Club (CC) said it has received feedback regarding an AI-generated banner that was displayed as part of the estate's National Day celebrations.

It said the banner was created and paid for by residents "who came together to celebrate Singapore's National Day and bring some festive cheer to our community".

"Many of the volunteers are seniors who generously gave their time and effort to make our estate a more vibrant place for everyone. They were not aware that the AI-generated banner contained inaccuracies," the CC also said.

The CC shared that once the issue was brought to its attention, the residents promptly replaced the banner on the same day.

The CC also recognised that while AI is a useful tool, "its output should always be carefully checked before it is used".

Zu told Mothership that as of Jul. 22 morning, all the banners had been taken down.

A man was charged with allegedly murdering his neighbour at Block 55 Lengkok Bahru on Jul. 20.

Ng Swee Seng, 59, appeared in court via video link on Jul. 22, The Straits Times reported.

He told the court: "If I hear sounds, I will scold people... I reacted because I heard [a] voice."

Dispute

The police told Mothership that they were alerted to the incident at about 4:45pm that day, and arrived to find the victim lying motionless at the 16th floor lift lobby.

He was allegedly stabbed in the abdomen, and died after he was taken to the hospital.

Preliminary investigations by the police revealed both men knew each other.

They were reportedly neighbours and had a long-standing dispute.

It was previously reported that he and the victim, also 59, had allegedly been in a long-standing dispute.

The victim, also 59, allegedly would get drunk and used the corridor as a toilet, and was told by residents not to do so, a neighbour told Lianhe Zaobao.

Ng's case has been adjourned to Aug. 12.

He faces the death penalty if convicted of murder.