A husband-and-wife team in Yishun has been selling nasi lemak at S$2 even as their stall rent approaches close to S$10,000 a month.

Reban Kasran, 57, and Sakdiah Abdul Latiff, 53, own Indonesian Selera Corner at Block 101 Yishun Avenue 5, a 24-hour stall that has been in operation since 2005.

Their $2 nasi lemak comes in two variants: fish or chicken, each served with rice, sambal, egg, anchovies, peanuts and cucumber.

Why they keep the price low

Speaking to Berita Harian, Sakdiah said the idea to sell nasi lemak at S$2 came after hearing directly from customers, particularly elderly regulars who wanted something simple and filling.

Sakdiah added that some of their customers have as many as seven children, and that pricing nasi lemak any higher would put a real strain on such families.

“We believe affordable food should not be a burden to people,” she continued.

In a video on her Instagram, Sakdiah also addressed the community directly, saying:

"In the Yishun area, there are still many people who are struggling, elderly folks who can eat this nasi lemak. The price is only $2. We've been selling it for a long time but not many people know. So for breadwinners, you can order our S$2 nasi lemak."

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Indonesian Selera Corner (@indonesianseleracorner)

How they make it work

The stall has eight staff and also offers nasi padang dishes, which helps cover operating costs.

To keep ingredient costs down, the couple regularly compare prices across multiple suppliers and source from whoever offers the most competitive rate.

Reban told Berita Harian that profit was never the main concern.

He said:

"We don't really think too much about making big profits. Even though the profit margin is very small, we keep prices low to make sure anyone can still afford our nasi lemak.”

He added: “We just want to make sure the elderly and large families still have an affordable food option."

He also said quality was non-negotiable despite the low price point.

Customers who have grown up at the stall

Among their most cherished memories are the long-term relationships built with regulars across generations, Sakdiah told Berita Harian.

She said:

"I still remember a child who first ate at our stall when he was 10 years old, and now he is 30 and has his own children."

She also recalled a customer who had been coming since he was eight years old in primary school, and still returns even after starting university.

Beyond the elderly, their customer base spans students and workers who stop by for breakfast before school and work.

Passing it on

Reban and Sakdiah, who have three children, are already training one of their daughters, currently studying at ITE, to eventually take over the stall.

Reban told Berita Harian:

"As long as we are able, we will continue to keep this nasi lemak at a price that ordinary people can still afford, because we want to always be there for the community."

A 30-year-old vertical shorts actor from China is now selling vegetables in his hometown after gigs ran dry as the industry started relying on AI.

From 16-hour days to no gigs

According to Singtao Headline, when the Chinese vertical shorts industry boomed in 2025, actor Xu Peng (transliteration) managed to score leading roles in a number of them.

He gained fame by playing the domineering boss archetype in Chinese vertical shorts.

At the peak, he was shooting between 15 and 16 hours a day.

However, as AI use proliferated in the industry, AI actors gradually took over.

Gigs for actors like Xu eventually ran dry.

Positive outlook

In March 2026, Xu filmed his last gig, packed up and returned to his hometown in Shandong, China.

To make a living, Xu sells produce grown by his grandfather.

Xu has also been approached by fans for photos.

Despite what happened, Xu remained positive in outlook.

Commenting on the career switch, Xu said, "Acting is just a career. If there are no opportunities, we'll just have to try something else. I'm making an honest living. There's nothing that's insurmountable."

He also said, "To me, there's no such thing as retiring when it comes to life, only a change in stage. Even if I've switched careers, I am still me, there's no difference."

Buntono, 49, the owner of Eminent Frog Porridge, also known as Ming Hui Food Porridge, and Eminentseafood, was charged in court on Jul. 3 with income tax and goods and services tax (GST) evasion and money laundering offences.

This was after a joint investigation by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) and the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) of the Singapore Police Force.

Buntono, who goes by one name, faces a total of 30 charges, a joint statement by IRAS and the Singapore Police Force said on Friday.

The tax offences were:

• Wilfully understating his trade income for years of assessment 2016 to 2024, resulting in close to S$2 million of income tax being undercharged.

• Wilfully perpetuating a fraud by deliberately concealing the liability of his businesses to be registered for GST and falsely understating his business income in his income tax returns for those years, resulting in close to S$1.8 million of GST being undercharged.

• Failing to keep sufficient business records for years of assessment 2016 to 2024.

The money laundering offences were:

• Possessing properties that, in part, represented his benefits from wilful income tax evasion, namely over S$2.4 million in cash, a Lamborghini Aventador and a landed property.

IRAS warns against tax evasion

IRAS said in the joint statement that it takes a serious view of tax evasion.

IRAS said: "There will be severe penalties for those who wilfully evade tax. The authority will not hesitate to bring offenders to court. Offenders may face a penalty of up to four times the amount of tax evaded. Jail terms may also be imposed."

All businesses, including individuals deriving income from their trade, profession or vocation, should assess if they need to register for GST.

IRAS said the thresholds are:

• If a business’s taxable turnover for the past 12 months exceeds S$1 million at the end of the calendar year, it must apply for GST registration by Jan. 30.

• If a business reasonably expects its turnover to exceed S$1 million in the next 12 months, it must register within 30 days from the date of their forecast.

• Sole proprietors are required to register once the combined turnover from all their sole-proprietorship businesses and income from any trade, profession or vocation exceeds or is expected to exceed $1 million in the next 12 months.

Any business that fails to register for GST is still required to pay GST on all their past transactions from the date the business became liable for GST registration, IRAS added.

GST is payable even if the amount was not collected from customers.

Failure to register for GST is an offence and businesses may face penalties of 10 per cent of GST and fines of up to S$10,000.

Under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, it is an offence for any person to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer, remove from jurisdiction, acquire, possess, or use benefits derived from criminal conduct. Upon conviction, offenders are liable to be punished with a fine of up to S$500,000, or a jail term of up to 10 years, or both.

Cash rewards for informants

A reward based on 15 per cent of the tax recovered, capped at S$100,000, will be given to informants if the information and/or documents provided lead to a recovery of tax that would have otherwise been lost.

All payments are at the discretion of the Comptroller.

IRAS will ensure that the identities of informants are kept strictly confidential.

TikTok Singapore laid off staff on Jul. 1 following a reorganisation.

A TikTok spokesperson told Mothership that the company is continuing a reorganisation to "strengthen their global operating model for Trust and Safety", the arm that oversees content moderation.

An affected employee who spoke to Mothership said they knew of around 20 people from their team who were affected.

They purportedly received an email that morning.

The situation in the office was "hectic", they said.

TikTok did not specify how many employees were affected in total.

Providing support

The TikTok spokesperson said they are looking at centralising portions of its workforce within key operating hubs and evolving the way it works to ensure teams remain scalable and agile, while advancing platform safety through the latest technological innovations.

According to TikTok, its priority is to treat employees with respect, care and transparency throughout the process.

Mothership understands that the company is providing support "consistent with local laws and regulations".

The tech firm said it is committed to ensuring that affected employees receive the information, resources and benefits available to them during this transition.

Job cuts around the world

The layoffs in Singapore coincided with those at other regional TikTok offices, with the company confirming that it also laid off employees in Indonesia on Jul. 1.

According to Tech in Asia, TikTok Indonesia said it is realigning its R&D organisation towards areas that can drive sustainable long-term growth.

Bloomberg also reported on the same day that the tech firm is considering cutting about 300 jobs at its European hub in Dublin.

Meanwhile, several former employees in Malaysia took to social media to speak about being retrenched on Jul. 1.

A Malaysian couple’s plans for a November 2026 wedding were tragically cut short when the bride-to-be unexpectedly passed away on Jun. 23.

The deceased, an influencer and livestreamer known as "SaKira Saw" on Facebook, had her wake held at a funeral parlour in Penang the following day.

To honour their commitment, her fiancé, John, organised a "ghost wedding" ceremony on Jun. 28, the final day of her funeral, to commemorate the union they never got to share.

John had shared a wedding invitation via SaKira’s Facebook account, inviting guests to attend the ceremony instead of their originally planned wedding.

A ghost marriage is a traditional custom where one or both parties are deceased, typically involving ritual offerings to ensure the couple can be wed in the spiritual realm.

The ceremony

John shared a video of the ceremony on Jun. 28, which showed an aisle decorated with flowers, balloons, and photos of SaKira leading up to her coffin.

Offerings and joss sticks were placed on a table at the front.

A video montage of SaKira with her family and friends played in the background as they walked down the aisle in formal attire.

John, who wore a blazer and a t-shirt, carried a bouquet and a life-sized standee of SaKira in a wedding dress.

John was then seen slipping a ring onto his own finger before leaning over the coffin and breaking down in tears.

The event also included a traditional tea ceremony, a cake-cutting session, performances, and the burning of paper offerings.

'Our love has never changed'

Following the ceremony, John penned a tribute post to his late fiancée, addressing her in Hokkien as his "Sui Boh", a Hokkien term meaning "beautiful wife".

He expressed regret that they could not hold their wedding at the hotel as promised and had to fulfil their vows under these circumstances instead.

Nonetheless, he believed that she could feel "the full weight of (his) love and sincerity".

He wrote:

"But in the next lifetime, I will definitely find you again, and be with you forever."

John added that she will always be the "greatest Superwoman" in his heart, promising to look after their children and family while waiting for the day they meet again.

"Our love has never changed, not even by half a fraction, because of this parting."

The next chapter of the Greater Sentosa Master Plan (GSMP) was unveiled by the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) today (Jul. 3), setting out a major transformation over the next two decades.

The plan, which comprises Sentosa and the 120-hectare Brani, builds on SDC’s longstanding role in developing and promoting the island as a leisure destination for Singaporeans and visitors.

When completed, SDC said Greater Sentosa is projected to attract twice as many visitors as it does today.

Between April 2024 and March 2025, Sentosa welcomed more than 16 million visitors.

The transformation will be rolled out progressively, with new developments expected to come on board from the early 2030s.

Brani West

Brani West will be a key part of this transformation as it is intended to be one of the largest sites for attractions and development under the GSMP.

Imbiah Canopy

The GSMP will also introduce new iconic landmarks, including the Imbiah Canopy.

It will sit atop Mount Imbiah and feature attractions, F&B and retail offerings, as well as sheltered event spaces.

It will also feature a treetop skywalk linking visitors to Siloso Beach.

Imbiah Lookout Walk

Visitors can also look forward to the planned Imbiah Lookout Walk, a sheltered elevated forest canopy walk that will connect the existing Sensoryscape to Imbiah Lookout.

The 350m-long Sensoryscape currently serves as a green link between Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) and Sentosa's southern beaches.

Under the GSMP, the Imbiah Lookout Walk will also provide visitors with access to surrounding Sentosa walking trails.

Sensorium

A new attraction called Sensorium is planned along the beachfront.

It is envisioned as a new icon that will host a range of lifestyle and indoor attractions, including a multi-purpose venue for events and festival activations.

Upcoming experiences at RWS

Visitors can also look forward to several new additions at RWS, including the landmark Waterfront Lifestyle Development, which is slated for completion in 2030.

RWS previously announced that the waterfront project will feature a promenade, a "mountain trail", and an 88m-tall light sculpture.

The development is expected to become a defining feature of the new RWS.

Another highly anticipated addition is the immersive Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Singapore.

Beaches to be rejuvenated

Beyond new attractions, Sentosa's three beaches, Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong, will also undergo a refresh.

Rejuvenation works will be carried out alongside the introduction of coastal protection measures.

New experiences are being explored too, including beach clubs, coastal activities, and a floating boardwalk connecting islets.

Islet-hopping

The beaches will also be reimagined to offer a unique islet-hopping experience along Sentosa's 3km coastline.

Island Heart Transport Hub

Connectivity is another key focus of the GSMP.

Enhanced land, sea, air and waterfront links, including the planned Island Heart Transport Hub and a new People Mover System, are expected to improve access to and within Greater Sentosa.

The hub will serve as a gateway connecting Sentosa and Pulau Brani.

To support future visitor growth, the People Mover System is planned to replace the existing Sentosa Express.

The system aims to provide more seamless connections between the mainland, Island Heart, and destinations across Greater Sentosa.

Other transport options being explored include water taxi connections and additional waterfront links, alongside the Singapore Cable Car.

Public exhibition

To give Singaporeans a glimpse of the vision, SDC has launched a roving exhibition showcasing the GSMP, where visitors can learn more about the plans and share their aspirations.

Speaking at the launch of the exhibition on Jul. 3, Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu said the plan "is our boldest vision yet" and is envisioned to be "a world-class destination that Singaporeans can truly call our own".

After its flagship run at VivoCity from Jul. 3 to 5, the exhibition will travel to Our Tampines Hub from Jul. 22 to 27, Jurong Point from Aug. 19 to 23, and Waterway Point in Punggol from Sep. 23 to 27, before returning to Sentosa in October.

Admission is free at all locations.

"We will stay true to the soul and identity of this island, while shaping the next generation of world-class experiences. Before any of it is built, we wanted to share this vision openly, invite Singaporeans to step inside it and shape it together," SDC chief executive officer Thien Kwee Eng said.

Many Singaporeans, especially the seniors, are flocking to the theatres to catch Chinese movie "Dear You" because of its extensive Teochew dialogue.

But Singaporeans have another connection to the hit movie — one that is central to its plot: The lost system of letter-writing and qiaopi (侨批).

Qiaopi were letters that Chinese migrants sent back home. Most of the time, these letters were accompanied by remittance money.

Since most migrants who came to Singapore were men who were also heads of their households, these qiaopi were not only an important source of financial support, but also directions for the household back in China.

For instance, a Chinese migrant in Singapore might convey important instructions on his children's marriage or education via these letters.

In Singapore, qiaopi was around as early as the 1800s and lasted all the way to the 1980s. That's more than a century long.

How did it work?

When the practice of sending qiaopi started, migrants would entrust the responsibility of carrying their letters and money to Chinese individuals who travelled frequently between Singapore and China.

Known as shuike (水客), these individuals were either traders who came and went on sailing ships or agents who assisted these migrants with the logistics of travelling here and finding employment.

They would carry back the remittance in two ways.

The first was to deliver the original remittance directly to the recipient in China.

The second way was to use the remittance money to purchase goods that he would then bring back to China and sell.

The trader would then use the proceeds to deliver the remittance amount to the recipient, and typically have leftover profits for himself.

Over time, private remittance firms (also known as qiaopiju or 侨批局) started popping up.

These firms established their own networks with branches in Singapore, Hong Kong, and their own hometowns.

Their networks even covered the region, using Singapore as the transit hub through which money and letters flowed between China and Southeast Asia.

Many of these firms were set up by enterprising businessmen — people who operated anything from bakeries to tea houses — who saw the value that a qiaopi network could bring to their businesses.

Remittance firms flourished in Singapore because they provided more security and reliability.

For one, because of their physical presence here, they were less likely to abscond with remittance money, which was an issue with itinerant traders.

Different dialect groups had their own remittance firms and members of one dialect group tended to trust their own clansmen to handle their letters and money.

These firms often went beyond mere remittance service.

They would help their own clansmen, especially the illiterate ones, pen letters; others provided advance remittance for the sender and let them pay back later.

According to Culturepaedia:

42 qiaopiju of different scales were operated by various factions of the Hokkien community in Singapore by 1937. More than 50 had been established by the Teochew community in the 1920s and 30s, and more than 40 were run by Hainanese immigrants during World War I.

1876 post office riot 

The private remittance firms had a stranglehold on the remittance industry, which eventually led to the Chinese Post Office Riots.

The year was 1876.

Responding to the recurrent problem of Chinese migrants being left high and dry when unscrupulous traders disappeared with their remittance money, the colonial government decided to set up a dedicated post office for all China-bound letters and remittances.

Obviously this did not sit well with the towkays of the remittance firms who saw this as an incursion into their turf.

On Dec. 15, 1876, the day of the opening of the Chinese Sub-Post Office, fighting broke out between the police and rioters.

Subsequent clashes between the public and the police resulted in three deaths and several wounded.

The towkays refused to back down and instigated a passive protest by ordering the shops in town not to open for business.

In response, the authorities detained 12 Chinese bosses, marched them through town, and exiled them onto a vessel three miles off the island's coast.

By Dec. 18, the situation had de-escalated sufficiently for businesses to resume normal operations and for the Chinese Sub-Post Office to re-open.

The exiled Chinese bosses were allowed to return to Singapore on Dec. 21, except for one — the headman of a secret society who had the greatest hand in the violence.

He was deported to Hong Kong.

Over time, remittance firms faded into obscurity, thanks to the emergence of institutions like banks and the postal service.

Furthermore, with each new generation that settled and grew up here, the emotional connection with places back in China weakened, and reduced the need for letters and money to be sent back home.

From a peak of 200 in the 1940s, the number of qiaopiju dropped to about 60 in 1970.

Today, you would be hard-pressed to find one in modern Singapore; its memories only exist in murals and conserved shophouses.

Uncle Thien, the elderly man known for making intricate portraits out of twigs in Pek Kio, has passed away.

He was 83 years old.

For years, Uncle Thien was seen making art on the concrete pavement in Pek Kio every day.

Pek Kio's Uncle Thien had been unwell

In a Jul. 2 tribute post, Tanjong Pagar GRC Member of Parliament Alvin Tan wrote on Instagram about the passing of Uncle Thien.

"Many of us will be familiar with Uncle Thien, Pek Kio's famous 'stick artist' who used to create wonderful works of art on concrete," Tan wrote.

"Uncle Thien was happiest doing that," he continued.

Tan shared that the 83-year-old had been unwell recently and passed away on Jul. 1.

"We will miss him," Tan wrote at the end of his tribute.

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A post shared by Alvin Tan (@alvinshtan)

Tan first posted about Uncle Thien in 2020.

News of Uncle Thien's passing was also posted to the Facebook group "Heritage SG Memories", where photos of the elderly's twig art were often shared.

Details of Uncle Thien's wake were shared by his nephew on Facebook, with many commenters expressing their condolences on the post.

His cortege will depart for Mandai Crematorium on Jul. 4.

Here's a video of Uncle Thien:

Workers' Party (WP) Aljunied GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Kenneth Tiong has called out a Facebook post which claimed that he and his fellow Aljunied GRC MPs, Pritam Singh and Gerald Giam, only hold Meet-the-People sessions (MPS) twice a month.

He clarified that the three MPs have four MPS a month on either Mondays or Wednesdays.

Falsehood: Kenneth Tiong

In a Jul. 2 Facebook post, Tiong noted that a Facebook page called "Singapore Matters" had claimed that Pritam Singh, Gerald Giam and himself only hold MPS twice a month.

"This is false," Tiong wrote.

He went on to clarify that all three WP Aljunied MPs hold MPS four times a month across two locations to "better serve the estates under our care".

Tiong also listed the timings and the alternate addresses for the MPS under each WP parliamentarian.

According to his post, the WP MPs conduct their MPS on the first four Mondays or Wednesdays of the month, from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.

Tiong explained that there are no sessions on public holidays or on the fifth Monday or Wednesday of the month.

"Residents deserve accurate information. We serve our residents faithfully, week after week," Tiong concluded.

WP MPS details are also listed on their website.

Original "Singapore Matters" post deleted

The original post on the "Singapore Matters" page has since been deleted.

The page posted an update about an hour after Tiong's post, noting that they have removed the original post after being alerted about the WP MPs' MPS schedules.

"We will do a fresh post tomorrow to correct the error," the post read.

According to a screenshot of the original "Singapore Matters" post shared by Tiong, the post made a comparison to the frequencies of MPS between PAP and WP MPs, claiming that the three named WP MPs only hold their MPS twice a month.

The pilot who flew his plane into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Jun. 26 was a 66-year-old male local resident who had expressed suicidal thoughts, China authorities said on Jul. 2, CNN reported.

This was the first time local authorities had shared details of the incident, where a small plane crashed into the side of the 109-storey CITIC Tower in Beijing.

Deviated from flight path

According to CNN, the pilot, identified only by his surname Liu, took off from a general aviation airport in northeastern Beijing on Friday afternoon.

He first obtained his pilot license in 2021.

He initially flew with a companion in a domestically-manufactured two-seater aircraft, then flew solo and deviated from the designated flight path.

He lost contact with the airport before striking the 528m- tall CITIC Tower in Beijing's Central Business District.

Self-employed divorcê who lived alone

Officials cited multiple references in Liu's diary about "ending [his] life", CNN wrote, saying that he was a self-employed divorcé.

Liu lived alone and suffered from chronic insomnia and anxiety.

Investigators concluded that the incident was a case of endangering public safety caused by personal reasons, CNN reported.

13 people were injured, but none suffered life-threatening conditions.

One has already been discharged, the authorities said.

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

Centre for Domestic Employees: 1800 225 5233 (24 hours)

Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training: 1800 339 4357 (24 hours)

HOME (migrant worker): +65 6341 5535 (WhatsApp / Viber / SMS)

HOME (domestic worker): +65 9787 3122 (WhatsApp / SMS / Call)

SHECARES@SCWO: Call: 8001 01 4616 | WhatsApp: 8985 5528 (For targets of online harms)

National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH): 1800-777-0000