Customers at all FairPrice outlets who spend S$61 in a single receipt will receive a S$6 return voucher from Aug. 6 to 16, 2026.

The promotion is available across all FairPrice supermarkets, FairPrice Finest, FairPrice Xtra, and Unity pharmacy stores islandwide.

The return vouchers can also be stacked and used in conjunction with CDC Vouchers, Chas card discounts, and senior citizen discounts, including Pioneer and Merdeka Generation discounts.

Vouchers can be redeemed on subsequent purchases until Aug. 31.

In a press release on Aug. 6, FairPrice Group announced that this initiative is designed to help Singaporeans stretch their dollar during the festive period.

Recent reports have highlighted public concerns over inflation and the rising costs of groceries, food, and utilities.

As a gesture of appreciation, the vouchers aim to provide shoppers with extra savings on daily necessities families rely on daily, FairPrice Group said.

Vipul Chawla, Group CEO of FairPrice Group, said: "By introducing these National Day Return Vouchers, we want to provide meaningful, everyday savings and assure Singaporeans that FairPrice Group remains steadfast in our dedication to keeping daily essentials within reach."

For more information on the National Day Return Vouchers and other FairPrice Group initiatives, shoppers can visit www.fairpricegroup.com.sg.

Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) foiled an attempt to smuggle vaporisers into Singapore at Tuas Checkpoint on Jul. 20, 2026.

ICA officers profiled a Singapore-registered car for enhanced checks and found 60 vaporisers hidden in the floorboard compartment of the car.

The 51-year-old male Singaporean driver was arrested in connection to the case.

The case has been referred to the Health Sciences Authority for further investigation.

The driver was issued a composition fine.

Under the Tobacco and Vaporisers Control Act, which came into force on May 1, 2026, persons found in possession or use of vaporisers can be fined up to S$10,000.

The venue was an ordinary HDB void deck, but the hip-hop beats and DJ booth in the corner signalled that this was not your typical wake.

Old-school tunes flowed from the large speakers, true to the style that Andrew Chow had delighted audiences with for decades.

Chow, a renowned Singaporean DJ and turntablist, passed away on Aug. 3 at the age of 63, after battling stomach cancer.

In a Facebook post on Aug. 3, Chow's daughter, Abby, had invited family, friends and fans attending the wake to dress in "colourful and stylish" attire, "just like how Andrew would dress".

"Let’s celebrate the wonderful life of Andrew," she added.

'Everybody knows who he is'

At his wake on the night of Aug. 4, family, friends, fellow DJs, and more filled the space of the Ang Mo Kio void deck.

People grew quiet as they approached the casket to pay their respects, some bending their heads and wiping away tears.

But they later rejoined the rest of the attendees, smiling and even laughing as they exchanged stories about Chow.

Gesturing at the crowd, veteran Singapore DJ Aldrin told Mothership: "Everybody [from the local hip-hop community] knows who he is. Everybody respects him... He's much loved."

Aldrin had been a resident DJ at Zouk around the same period as Chow, in the 1990s.

Despite Chow's status as the three-time champion of DMC Singapore, a prestigious DJ competition, he remained "very down-to-earth, very approachable, very friendly, and very generous", Aldrin recalled.

"He always looked after the up-and-coming, gave them opportunities and shared his wisdom... He'd get them to come up and DJ alongside him."

Father of Singapore hip-hop

DJ Raw, who was spinning and scratching at the DJ booth, described Chow as a mentor.

As a pioneer of the local hip-hop scene, Chow "groomed" him at Zouk's Phuture nightclub and taught him the craft of mixing and performing, he said.

Felix Huang, a member of a local hip-hop crew that Chow founded, told Mothership he saw the late DJ as a respectable leader in the community, and wished he had worked with him more.

"He's like a dad to the hip-hop scene," he said. "Me and my other crew mates, we used to call him Pops."

"He was always there if you need him, always there to encourage. He was a very humble guy, never hogging the limelight... just doing his thing because he loves it."

Chow's first turntable

Occasionally over the night, a small group of people would gather around a table near the casket, where an old turntable sat, its paint peeling at the edges.

DJ Raw was often at the centre of this group, sharing the story of this treasured item that was Chow's first ever turntable, likely from the late 1980s.

He choked up as he told the story to Mothership.

Chow practised his craft more than six hours a day, DJ Raw said, and his first turntable, with all its peeled paint and rust, was a reflection of his hard work.

When Chow asked him to help him customise a new turntable, DJ Raw asked if he could have this one in exchange, as a keepsake.

Another attendee, childhood friend and fellow spinner Eddie Chan (aka DJ Small), recalled how Chow had picked up DJing by himself, in his youth.

Chan and a few other boys would hang out and "play around" at Chow's house, and Chow eventually taught them how to DJ.

Later, they'd go on to spin at clubs too.

"He was very gifted," Chan said. "All the DJing, he actually picked it up by himself. No one taught him. We couldn't figure out how."

The draw of his music

Perhaps due to the funky music and the lively energy of the attendees, the wake drew the attention of onlookers.

Some stopped to look curiously and snap a photo, one more colourful memory through which Chow's legacy lives on.

The wake, held at 406 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, began on Aug. 3 and will go on until the morning of Aug. 8, before the cremation later that day.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will enhance the Primary Care Plan (PCP) for migrant workers from Apr. 1, 2027.

The enhanced plan will bring healthcare services closer to where migrant workers live and standardise co-payments, while lowering or maintaining costs for almost all employers.

This comes as the contracts for PCP's three current anchor operators are due to expire on Mar. 31, 2027.

What is the PCP?

Introduced in 2022, the PCP provides migrant workers with access to affordable primary healthcare.

Under the plan, employers pay an annual capitation rate to an Anchor Operator, which entitles their workers to a range of primary care services at designated clinics.

The current PCP operates across six zones. Under the enhanced plan, these will be consolidated into four larger zones, with 22 clinics in total.

What is changing

Under the enhanced PCP, most migrant workers will have access to a clinic within 2km of where they live, down from 3km currently.

Co-payments for both physical clinic consultations and telemedicine services will be standardised at S$5 per consultation.

This is a shift from the current co-pay rates, which are fixed at S$2 for telemedicine consultations and S$5 for physical consultations.

Annual capitation rates will either decrease or remain the same for almost all employers, from the current range of S$108 to S$138 per worker per year, to between S$97 and S$113 per worker per year.

94 per cent of employers will end up paying less than they currently do, MOM said.

MOM will introduce a centralised portal from Apr. 1, 2027, for employers to enrol workers and manage their PCP status.

Separately, operators will enhance their appointment systems so workers can book, change or cancel appointments.

Tung Yui Fai, chief of MOM's Assurance, Care and Engagement (ACE) Group, said the enhancements build on the PCP's strong foundations and are based on the "very positive" feedback from workers.

He said:

"Since the primary care plan was introduced in 2022, it has provided migrant workers with accessible and affordable primary healthcare. Feedback from workers has been very positive, with strong satisfaction scores.

Learning from this and building on the feedback from our stakeholders, we are making changes to enhance the primary care plan."

Four operators, four zones

Four Anchor Operators have been appointed to deliver the enhanced PCP for five years from Apr. 1, 2027.

SATA CommHealth will cover the North zone, serving around 120,000 migrant workers. St Andrew's Mission Hospital will continue in the South under its existing philanthropy-led partnership with MOM, covering around 80,000 workers.

Healthway Medical Group, the only new operator, takes on the East zone with around 90,000 workers. Fullerton Health continues in the West, covering around 100,000 workers.

Healthway Medical Group CEO Abram Suhardiman said the company was driven by a sense of purpose in taking on the role.

He said: "We're heartened to see the strong emphasis that MOM has placed on the health and well-being of the migrant workers. We at Healthway are very honoured to be entrusted with this responsibility."

He added that the company's involvement with migrant worker healthcare is not new, them having played a role during the Covid-19 pandemic through medical centres, vaccination, and onboarding centres.

What the operators are putting in place

Fullerton Health's Derrick Chan said a medical centre for migrant workers in Tuas would be built under the enhanced plan.

The new medical centre will be targeted at migrant workers in the area, and offer telemedicine and multi-language support.

This is so migrant workers can call in their preferred language, particularly those who may not be fluent in English.

St Andrew's Mission Hospital's Pang Ningyi, Head of St Andrew’s Migrant Worker Medical Centre (SAMWMC), said the hospital's focus goes beyond treating common ailments.

Pang said: "We are committed to taking care of every single worker under our charge. This goes beyond just treating the normal cough and cold, but rather we are also focused on preventive healthcare, timely screening, and active prevention of major complications."

What workers and employers need to do

Migrant workers do not need to take any action.

Access to PCP services will continue uninterrupted, and workers will be notified of their new zone, Anchor Operator, and clinic locations via the FWMOMCare app.

Employers will be notified progressively from October 2026 on how their workers will be onboarded with the new Anchor Operators.

Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash said the enhancements reflect MOM's ongoing commitment to migrant worker welfare.

He said:

"The enhancements to the PCP reflect MOM's commitment to ensuring that migrant workers have access to affordable, accessible and assured primary healthcare, while keeping costs manageable and sustainable for employers.

Together with healthcare providers and industry partners, MOM will continue to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve health outcomes for the migrant worker community."

A 57-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to three years and seven months' jail after he lied to his 54-year-old lover that his wife had died and stole over S$930,000 in money and jewellery.

Charge sheets seen by Mothership stated that Kong Jun Yi Jonathan faced a total of 11 charges, including deception, forgery, and theft.

He pleaded guilty to four charges on Aug. 5, with the remaining seven charges taken into consideration during sentencing.

Dating platform, lied that wife died

Lianhe Zaobao reported that Kong met his lover, the victim, through a dating platform in October 2020, and they began dating in the same month.

At the time, Kong lied to his lover that his wife had died and that he was a marine engineer at a company.

He was actually a fruit vendor and had a child with his wife, who is still alive.

Stole money

Charge sheets stated that in January 2021, he deceived her into believing that he needed money to pay for his mother's bank debt as a guarantor, after which she transferred S$250,000 to him.

In October 2021, he deceived her into believing that he needed money for an art business with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports.

She transferred S$250,000 to him.

In November 2021, Kong deceived his lover into believing that he needed money to pay for a painting project with the Housing Development Board (HDB).

She then transferred S$100,000 to him.

Zaobao reported that Kong used the money to buy fruit from a supplier instead.

Between December 2021 and October 2022, Kong deceived her into believing that he needed money for the ship repair business with the government.

His lover transferred S$164,193.58 to him.

Between February 2021 and October 2022, he deceived her into believing he needed money for daily expenses as his money had been held back by his company.

She then transferred S$105,940 to him.

Stole, pawned jewellery

Charge sheets stated that Kong also stole jewellery.

In April 2021, he stole six pieces of jewellery amounting to S$2,500 that belonged to his lover.

That same month, Kong stole 39 pieces of jewellery amounting to S$50,000 from his lover.

Zaobao reported that the jewellery belonged to his lover's 59-year-old sister and included gold bracelets, necklaces, and pendants.

After stealing the jewellery, Kong reportedly pawned it off at several pawnshops before spending its proceeds on household expenses.

Later in May 2021, he also took his lover's Rolex watch, worth S$15,000.

Forgery

In addition, Kong forged documents as well.

He forged a bank cheque for S$600,000.

According to Zaobao, Kong then apparently used a photo editing app on his phone to change the payee's name to his own.

He did so to convince his lover and her sister that his art business could earn him S$600,000.

Around Aug. 11, 2022, Kong forged a medical memo from Mount Elizabeth Hospital with the intent to commit fraud.

In the same month, he forged a Singapore identity card bearing his name and photograph.

Arrested

Following his offences, Kong was arrested on Jan. 22, 2026.

According to Zaobao, it was not stated how his crimes were uncovered.

Prior to this, he had a criminal record for fraud and theft, for which he had been jailed.

His lawyer said in a plea for leniency that Kong subsequently sold the house to repay the victim S$158,000 and cooperated with the police investigation.

Zaobao reported that the victim had also forgiven Kong's actions and pleaded with the judge for a lenient sentence.

A Singaporean man, 45, has pleaded guilty to causing a chain collision involving multiple vehicles in 2024 that resulted in the death of two people.

The two people killed were a 17-year-old Temasek Junior College student and a 57-year-old woman.

A gag order has been imposed preventing the identification of any individual under the age of 18.

Muhammad Syafie Bin Ismail showed up to court on Aug. 6 wearing a dark blue shirt with a black mask.

He admitted to driving dangerously in Tampines on Apr. 22, 2024, causing death and hurt to eight others.

First collision

The court heard that Syafie, then 42, had dropped off a Grab Hitch passenger in Bedok prior to the accident that morning.

He had worked the night shift as an operations manager at a global manufacturing company the night before, court documents noted.

After the passenger alighted, Syafie was travelling along Bedok North Avenue 3 at about 7:02am when another car, whose driver later became a witness of the chain collision, overtook him from behind.

This angered Syafie.

After both cars made a right turn into Bedok Reservoir Road towards Tampines Avenue 4, he accelerated to between 99km/h and 104km/h and abruptly overtook the car without signalling.

In the process, the rear left side of Syafie's car collided with the front right side of the other driver's car.

Syafie's car also nearly hit a motorcycle on the right most lane during this manoeuvre.

Second collision

The accused did not stop despite the collision and continued on towards the junction between Tampines Avenue 1 and Tampines Avenue 4 at speeds of between 129km/h and 134km/h.

The speed limit on this road was 50km/h.

Syafie also failed to stop at a traffic light that had been red for at least 26 seconds.

This resulted in a multi-vehicle chain collision involving five other vehicles: Three cars, a van and a minibus.

After the first car was hit by Syafie's car, it spun and hit two other vehicles, then flipped and overturned.

The second car Syafie hit also spun, while the third car mounted a kerb and crashed into a lamppost.

A clip of this series of collisions was play in court.

The court noted that the traffic flow was heavy, the road surface was dry and visibility was clear at this time.

All the traffic lights at this junction were also functioning well.

TJC student died from injuries

In the first car Syafie hit was a 17-year-old student from Temasek Junior College, who was being driven to a school event in Tampines by her father.

The girl's mother and sister had earlier been dropped off at work and school respectively.

After the collision, the girl became trapped under the car while her father drifted in and out of consciousness.

They were later conveyed to Changi General Hospital, where the 17-year-old succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at about 8:07am.

When the man woke up in hospital, he immediately asked for his daughter and broke down upon hearing of her death, the court heard.

An autopsy of the victim showed that she sustained multiple injuries across her body, including fractures to her skull, neck and ribs.

A victim impact statement indicated that both her parents "suffered greatly following [her] passing".

The girl's mother, in particular, developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MOD).

She thought of dying in the form of a hypothetical illness, and was unable to care for her other daughter or complete house work.

She also described how close she was to her daughter, and how proud she was of her daughter who had aspired to be a doctor, the medical report by a psychiatrist said.

57-year-old woman died

57-year-old Norzihan Juwahib, an employee of a pest control company, also died in the chain collision.

She was riding in a van with her colleagues towards their office in Tampines, when their vehicle was hit by the first car that Syafie collided into.

At the time, Norzihan was seated on a sofa that was bolted to the back of the van, according to court documents.

The sofa did not have any seatbelts.

After the collision, Norzihan was found by her colleagues lying motionless in a prone position, with her head over one end of the sofa.

Both men carried her out of the vehicle and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on her until paramedics arrived.

All three were conveyed to Changi General Hospital, where Norzihan succumbed to her injuries and died at about 7:57am that morning.

An autopsy found that she sustained multiple injuries, including fractures to her neck and ribs.

The other two passengers sustained minor injuries and were discharged from hospital soon after.

Children among those injured

Eight others were also injured, including three 11-year-olds and a seven-year-old.

The seven-year-old and one of the 11-year-olds, a pair of sisters, were travelling to school with their father in the third car that Syafie hit.

After their car crashed into a lamppost, the man checked on his daughters immediately and instructed them to make their way to school on foot as it was nearby.

He was then conveyed to hospital with a neck sprain.

Another 11-year-old, a boy, was riding in the last row of a minibus on his way to school that morning with the bus' driver and a bus attendant.

As they passed through the junction, the minibus was hit by the first car that Syafie collided into.

After coming to a stop, the bus attendant noticed a cut on the right sight of the boy's forehead and attended to him.

The bus driver reportedly remained in shock even after returning home.

She also felt bodily pain in her chest and was later diagnosed with anxiety.

The boy underwent an operation to remove pieces of glass from his forehead and right middle finger.

The third 11-year-old, a boy, was on the way to school with his mother when they were hit by Syafie's car.

He immediately unbuckled his seatbelt to leave the vehicle and ran away to a nearby block of flats, but was later brought back by his mother.

Mother and son were transported to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and KK Women's and Children's Hospital respectively to receive medical attention.

The woman sustained bruises over her chest and abdomen, as well as neck strain.

It was later found that she had a 50 per cent tear in a ligament on her left little finger, among other injuries, which required surgeries.

Her son, meanwhile, sustained minor abrasions that were treated in hospital.

However, about two weeks after the accident, he was brought to see a psychologist after his parents grew concerned about his disturbed sleep and daily nightmares.

The boy would unexpectedly remember the accident while at school, causing him to feel shocked or frightened.

He also grew increasingly paranoid, scared and irritable, and developed an aversion to roads.

The psychologist diagnosed him with PTSD, which was followed by 17 sessions of psychotherapy over months.

Accused arrested and charged

After the crash, Syafie was noted to have remained in his car until a member of the public assisted him out.

He then sat by the road side until authorities arrived, and was conveyed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

He sustained fractures to his ribs and arm, requiring an arm sling, but had no permanent disability.

Upon his discharge, he was arrested.

His driving licence was suspended with immediate effect.

Syafie's sentencing was adjourned to September.

For dangerous driving causing death, he could be jailed for up to eight years and banned from driving for up to 10 years.

For dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, he may be jailed up to five years and banned from driving for up to eight years.

For dangerous driving causing hurt, he could be jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$10,000, or both.

A lightning strike killed a 24-year-old Thai footballer during a match in the Sungai Golok town in Thailand’s southern Narathiwat province on Aug. 4 evening.

Sungai Golok is near the border of Thailand and Malaysia’s Kelantan state.

The incident occurred at about 5:30pm local time while it was raining heavily during a semi-final match of the Golok FA Cup football tournament at Santiphap Stadium, New Straits Times reported.

The match was between Abu x Nong Sirin and SAMCOLT, which comprised Thai and Malaysian players.

The man, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was identified as Sofwan Awae, a winger of the third-tier club Yala FC.

He was previously signed to Pattani FC just a few days earlier.

Sofwan was identified as playing for the Abu x Nong Sirin team in the tournament, but some reports have said otherwise.

Others injured

A total of 12 others were injured.

A Malaysian player with SAMCOLT was also injured.

Malaysian teams, such as Kelantan FC, are also in the Golok FA Cup.

A 68-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 11 years and six months’ jail after sexually abusing his step-granddaughter when she was around 11 to 12 years old.

The man faced nine charges, including molesting and sexually abusing a minor.

He pleaded guilty to three charges and was sentenced on Jul. 31, CNA reported.

One of the charges was withdrawn, and the rest were taken into consideration during sentencing.

The man and location of the offences cannot be identified as a gag order was imposed to protect the victim.

He cannot be caned as he is above the age of 50.

Mei Mei

In court documents seen by Mothership, the man was around 63 to 64 years old at the time of the offences.

He was the victim’s paternal step-grandfather, and he addressed her as “Mei Mei”.

The man resided with the victim, her parents, her three siblings and a domestic helper.

The accused and the victim had frequent contact.

Bedroom

In 2021, the girl and the man shared a bedroom alongside her two brothers.

The man ordinarily shared the bedroom only with the victim’s brothers.

However, she ended up sleeping in the bedroom with them for about a week as the family’s domestic helper, whom she originally shared a room with, had contracted Covid-19.

The man occupied the lower bunk of the double-decker bed in the bedroom while the victim occupied the upper bunk of the same bed.

In the middle of the night, the man noticed that the victim was still awake and fidgeting.

He then asked her why she was not asleep, to which she responded that she was unable to sleep as something was troubling her.

The man then told the victim to sleep with him on his bed, and she complied.

As she lay beside him, the man lent her his mobile phone, and she played games on it.

The man proceeded to molest her and escalated his advances by sliding his hand under the victim’s pants to touch her over her underwear.

He then removed the victim’s pants, engaged in a sex act with her and digitally penetrated her.

The man only stopped when she physically resisted his advances.

After this incident, the man sexually assaulted the victim on another occasion after the family’s domestic helper had recovered from Covid-19 sometime in 2021.

The man told the victim to go into the bedroom, and she complied.

He then proceeded to molest her and used criminal force to touch her.

Birthday

Sometime on or after the victim’s 12th birthday on Oct. 2, 2021, the man called her to go into the bedroom while she was watching television in the living room.

She complied, and the man closed the door after the victim entered the bedroom.

Both individuals were alone.

He then told her to lie down on his bed located on the lower bunk.

As the man had previously sexually assaulted her, she reluctantly complied.

He then proceeded to molest her and expose himself to the victim.

The man then asked the victim to touch him, but she refused.

He then forcefully grabbed her wrist and pulled it towards his genitals as she balled her fist up and tried to pull her arm away.

However, as the man was stronger than her, her fist ended up touching him momentarily.

He eventually let go of the victim’s hand and told her not to tell anyone about what had happened.

Classmate

The victim did not inform anybody about the incidents until she entered secondary school in 2022.

She initially kept the incidents to herself as she felt ashamed.

When she was in secondary one, she told her close friend via text messages that the man had sexually assaulted her.

Her friend advised her to lodge a police report, but the victim failed to do so as she did not want her parents to worry.

A few days after the conversation, the victim’s classmate, who was also her brother’s girlfriend, looked through the victim’s phone and saw the messages.

She then proceeded to tell the victim’s brother, who then informed his parents about the sexual assaults.

The victim’s stepfather confronted the accused, and he initially denied the allegations, stating that he had only hugged her.

The victim’s stepfather then threatened to contact the police.

Upon hearing this, the accused confessed that he had “done wrong”.

The victim's stepfather told the accused to leave the residence, and he moved out two days later.

At that time, the victim decided not to lodge a police report as she did not want to make her step-father feel sad for doing so.

Child Protection Services

On Jun. 7, 2024, a Child Protection Services officer visited the residence to conduct a children and adolescent trauma assessment stemming from the suspected physical abuse of the victim’s younger brother.

During the assessment, the victim disclosed that she was sexually assaulted by the accused.

The victim was informed that this was a reportable offence and that she should lodge a police report.

After being persuaded by the officer, on Jun. 27, 2024, she lodged a police report, alleging that the accused had sexually assaulted her.

Impact

As a result of the accused’s actions, the victim was sad, fearful, disgusted and angry.

She experienced recurrent thoughts about the incident and consequently suffered from insomnia, a loss of appetite, and harboured suicidal thoughts.

The victim also became afraid of males and had difficulty trusting others and focusing in school.

Fortuitous

She also exhibited self-harming behaviour on at least two occasions in May and June 2025.

The prosecution sought 11 years’ to 12 years and six months’ jail, with an additional 12 months’ jail in lieu of caning for the man.

They noted that the victim did not initially report the case and it was “fortuitous that the victim eventually came forward to report” the man’s actions.

The prosecution argued that the man “gravely breached the trust reposed in him” and that the victim was “vulnerable due to her age”.

They also cited the impacts on the victim as a result of the man’s actions.

"Our courts have always recognised the special need to protect the most vulnerable in society. Young children are particularly dependent on this protection, especially when they fall victim to crimes at the hands of adults whom their care is entrusted with," they said.

On Aug. 5, 2026, the Workers' Party (WP) tabled its first motion since 2023 titled: “An economy of the future that works for all”.

The motion was filed by WP MP Kenneth Tiong and seconded by Jamus Lim, with amendments made by Edward Chia.

In response, four PAP political office holders rose to speak in favour of an amended version of the motion:

• Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Trade and Industry, Low Yen Ling,
• Minister of State for Cultural Community and Youth and Manpower, Dinesh Vasu Dash,
• Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, Jeffrey Siow, and
• Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry), Tan See Leng.

They emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring that Singaporean workers are able to succeed, while highlighting the difficulties that entrepreneurs face and the moves the government has made to help them.

They also stated that Multinational Companies (MNCs), far from hindering the success and growth of local SMEs and start-ups, instead, provided good partners and test beds for such small companies to succeed.

Not choosing between growth and inclusion

Dinesh began by acknowledging the important aspiration that he said was at the heart of the motion: “That Singapore remains an economy where our people have opportunities to succeed, and our workers can look to the future with confidence.”

Noting the difficult external environment, he said that the "evidence does not support the conclusion that Singapore's economic model is failing", but it is in fact navigating a “difficult and uneven” structural transition, and is doing so from a position of strength.

Dinesh highlighted the ways that the government's policies had kept Singaporeans at the centre of its manpower policies.

He also highlighted the need for enterprise transformation and workforce transformation must work together, as well as the importance of Singapore's tripartite partnership: government, businesses and workers, working together.

Thriving in a changing world

Low spoke about how to ensure Singaporean enterprises can continue to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Pointing out external challenges, including technological disruption, intensifying competition, and global disruptions, Low said that the Singapore government's response was not just to help enterprises weather each new storm, but also to allow them to become stronger, more competitive, and more resilient over the long term.

It does this by helping enterprises build stronger capabilities, scale globally, as well as invest in strengthening the enterprise ecosystem.

Low affirmed that the government will stand alongside businesses during challenging times by providing timely and targeted measures.

She said that while the government sought to catalyse the ideal environment, it is the enterprises that continuously “innovate, adapt, and strengthen capabilities that will thrive and conquer new markets.”

Different understandings of Singapore’s economic model

Siow said there was considerable common ground within the House, saying that “we do want an economy with dynamic local enterprises and good jobs for Singaporeans”.

But Siow also pointed out a "significant difference" between the WP and the government's understanding of Singapore's economic model:

"From the speakers I've heard, the Workers' Party appears to believe that Singapore's economic model is imbalanced and needs to be fundamentally reoriented.

They have portrayed Singapore as a place where MNCs create wealth, and there's some Faustian bargain where SMEs are held down, and Singaporeans receive the benefits through redistribution."

Siow said he disagreed with this characterisation, calling it "not an academic disagreement, but one that is crucial to the policies that we will pursue".

He emphasised that the PAP government's economic strategy "has always been built around Singaporeans, whether as workers, professionals, investors, entrepreneurs, or business owners".

"Economic growth has never been an end in itself. It is a means to an end — to create better jobs, higher incomes, and better lives for Singaporeans."

Siow said SMEs played a critical role in Singapore's economy, as they employed the majority of the workforce, and that "many enterprising Singaporeans start their own businesses to forge their own paths, and strive for their hopes and dreams".

However, he noted that "very few countries support local companies like we do here", citing the nearly S$2 billion in direct grants the government provides for SMEs.

He acknowledged that "it has indeed become more difficult for SMEs to venture oversees", but that should not be a reason to "turn inward".

Instead the reverse should be done — "We must strengthen our companies to compete more effectively in more overseas markets, with greater resilience," Siow said.

Working with MNCs, not against them

Siow reiterated that while the government increases its efforts to support local companies, it is important to remember that MNCs remain important to Singapore's economy as they bring in "resources, capabilities, and technology we do not yet have."

"Many of our local companies grow and succeed because of their relationships with MNCs, not in spite of them," he stated.

Global companies, he said, create good, high-skilled, high-paying jobs, noting that two-thirds of senior management positions in MNCs in Singapore were held by Singaporeans.

Siow concluded that both SMEs and MNCs were key to the country's success:

"Our task is not to discard what has made Singapore successful, but to renew and strengthen our formula for a different world.

We are not choosing between SMEs and MNCs. We need both.

We are not choosing between domestic demand and external markets. We need both."

Mind the gaps

Tan delivered the closing speech on the motion and emphasised that, despite different views, diagnoses, and prescriptions, there was "substantial common ground", such as the desire for fulfilling careers and good incomes for Singaporeans, and confident and innovative entrepreneurs.

Quoting Tiong, Tan asked: "How does an ordinary Singaporean get a lasting share of our country's success?"

A Singaporean, he said, does so by “meaningfully participating in our economy through a good job”, acquiring and building skills that remain relevant, as well as recovering from setbacks by taking up the opportunity to learn.

He shared his own experience as an entrepreneur in starting the Healthway Medical Group, and recalled the help he received from MNCs.

"In my own experience, established global companies helped a home-grown Singapore enterprise to start, establish credibility, to grow. They did not crowd us out. They gave us an opportunity to grow and compete."

This experience, he said, also taught him what the government could and could not do — government support could be a "springboard" but it "cannot become the business model".

He highlighted a "non-exhaustive" list of five "gaps," or "difficult crossings" that entrepreneurs must overcome, as well as the steps or initiatives that the government had championed to help Singaporean companies overcome them.

These challenges range from making the step from aspiration to venture, to turning research into innovation and ultimately enterprise.

It also includes bringing products to an enterprise’s first customer, moving from early traction to sustained scale, and using domestic demand as a “first market to test products and build brands”.

"Government policy can undoubtedly help at each stage — but it cannot make the journey risk-free," he noted.

Singapore’s success

While reiterating his support of the amended motion, Tan highlighted the equation for Singapore's success — an equal and inclusive economy with opportunities for entrepreneurs, households, businesses and workers, and an economy powered by local companies and global enterprises.

"We cannot guarantee that every venture will succeed, every job will remain the same, or every transition will be painless. [...]

But we can ensure that Singapore remains a place where every person has a fair chance to try, a pathway to progress, and the support to recover from setbacks."

This "next chapter" of Singapore's growth will be "powered by all fellow Singaporeans who can build, lead, own, innovate, adapt and grow".

"That is how we will secure the best future for Singapore. And that is how we will ensure that Singapore’s future economy truly works for all Singaporeans."

A 34-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 19 weeks’ jail after stealing S$6,200 from his 31-year-old girlfriend at the time and making a false police report that he had been robbed.

Reynold Lam Jia Yi faced three charges, including theft, providing false information to a public servant and a charge under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act.

Lam pleaded guilty to two charges and was sentenced on Aug. 4.

The other charge was taken into consideration during sentencing.

Gambled

In court documents seen by Mothership, Lam and his then girlfriend lived together at the time of the offence.

On Feb. 1, 2025, Lam lost about S$9,000 through gambling on football games.

He became financially desperate as the sum was meant to be salary for part-time movers he engaged for his work.

Lam was aware that his girlfriend usually kept her money in her handbags placed in the unlocked wardrobe of their bedroom.

Sometime between 9am and 12pm, while he was alone at home, Lam proceeded to take cash amounting to at least S$6,200 from two of his girlfriend’s handbags without her consent.

He then left his home with the cash and later used it for his own personal expenses.

Lie

To conceal the theft, Lam intended to lie to his girlfriend, telling her that he had taken the cash to deposit it in a bank account on her behalf, but was unfortunately robbed.

He also intended to falsely report to the police that he was robbed to make his lie more credible.

At about 9:14pm in the vicinity of Bishan Street 11, Lam called the police and told them he had been robbed by two individuals.

“Earlier, I was being robbed at Block 152 along the main road by two Malay subjects ran towards Block 170 at about 8 plus. They snatched my money while counting about SGD $11,000,” Lam alleged.

Due to the serious nature of Lam’s report, 20 police officers were dispatched to attend to his claim.

Upon their arrival, Lam gave the police officers a detailed account, which included the number of subjects involved in the robbery, their respective roles, their physical description and attire and the presence of a female witness.

As a result, officers spent about two hours and 54 minutes performing “on scene investigations” and combing the vicinity for evidence and culprits.

During investigations, Lam continued to maintain his lie.

Revelation

On Apr. 21, 2025, Lam admitted that he was not robbed after he was interviewed about the result of a polygraph test he underwent.

He also admitted that the lie was to conceal the theft, and he was aware that he made a false report to the police.

On Aug. 27, 2025, Lam was arrested and was later released on bail on the same day.

He had also made partial restitution of at least S$3,000.