The 40-year-old driver of an electric vehicle died in Taiwan's northwestern Hsinchu County after his vehicle caught fire on Sep. 4, 2026.

Sin Chew Daily reported that the driver, Huang, was found dead and badly burnt when firefighters arrived at the scene.

Car caught fire

According to China Press, the fire department received a report about the fire at 2:05pm that day.

Mirror Media reported that a total of seven vehicles, 14 personnel and six volunteers were dispatched to the scene.

The vehicle was already engulfed in flames when they arrived, after which they completely extinguished the fire at 2:37pm.

However, there was reportedly a risk of reignition since electric vehicles use lithium batteries, where thermal runaway could occur — the battery could still continue to generate intense heat, China Press reported.

As such, the firefighters set up water barriers and poured water on the vehicle to cool it.

Mirror Media reported that preliminary police investigations have ruled out homicide.

The fire department and police are still investigating the cause of the sudden fire, and why Huang had not been able to escape the vehicle.

Singapore influencers Wendy Cheng and Jaylene Hong got into an argument during a livestream.

The exchange has since been reproduced with receipts in a Sep. 4 Instagram post by Cheng, who is better known as Xiaxue.

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A post shared by Wendy Cheng 👑 Xiaxue (@xiaxue)

In it, Xiaxue, 42, wrote about Hong: "The most infuriating and excruciating conversation with a victim of short term memory loss."

Argued over remarks made about Simonboy

The verbal sparring revolved around Hong's apparent remarks that she made about Xiaxue during her public spat with Simonboy, whose real name is Khung Wei Nan.

Xiaxue had slammed Khung for starting a Forever Megan charity for his late four-year-old daughter, Megan Khung, who died in February 2020 after her mother and her mother’s boyfriend abused her to death and burned her body.

Xiaxue mentioned in an Instagram Story on Nov. 12, 2025 that Simonboy had “enough kids", and later received a cease-and-desist letter over her remarks.

In response, Hong commented, as per a screenshot that read: “I have this theory. If you already had multiple plastic surgeries, heavy makeup, hair done, and yet you still need to put on severely strong beauty filters, it is because 你的心太丑了.”

The Chinese words translate to, "Your heart is too ugly."

Hong is signed to a media production and creator agency founded by Khung.

Why were they on livestream?

Xiaxue explained that she had joined a Sep. 3 livestream at the invitation of Simbian Chua, owner of Century Bakkwa.

Xiaxue said she had asked Chua in comments about a dispute between two live streamers and was brought onto Chua's livestream.

As Xiaxue and Chua chatted on the livestream, Hong's name was brought up by a commenter.

Xiaxue then remembered that she was sent Hong’s Instagram Stories when she had her spat with Simonboy.

Hong subsequently joined the livestream with Xiaxue and Chua.

Xiaxue did not exit the livestream, explaining in her post's caption:

"Simbian, despite me telling her not to invite Jaylene on the stream, did so. It was awkward to say the least but at this point if I leave it would be like I dare to say people then she come I flee right so ok lor we started a semi heated debate on the stream. Some of you mentioned it’s not nice of Simbian to invite Jaylene on despite me asking her not to, but as I said Simbian is not really a friend, and of course she wanted more viewers n drama so she ignored me."

Argument proper

In the screen recording of the livestream, Hong could be heard saying she did not "say sh*t about Xiaxue”.

Hong added that she doesn’t “agree with the way she does things” and felt Xiaxue did not have to comment on others.

Xiaxue replied in Mandarin: “You speak poorly about others, but others can’t.”

“I never belittle anyone,” Hong repeated. "In what way did I belittle you?"

In response, Xiaxue provided her lived experience, saying she felt belittled by Hong.

Xiaxue said: "I feel belittled lor, that's how I feel lor."

She also asked if her experience did not matter.

Xiaxue continued on Simonboy: "So why can’t people comment that he is also responsible and that he shouldn’t be using her death to milk his own reputation?"

Hong reiterated in Mandarin that it was not necessary for others to comment on the incident.

Xiaxue responded in Mandarin: "Then why should you comment on me? It’s also unnecessary."

She added, pointing out Simonboy's charity: "Precisely, I also feel that his actions are not necessary."

Xiaxue pressed on: “No, you cannot be hypocritical. If you can do it, why can’t somebody else do it?”

Hong claimed she cannot remember mocking Xiaxue

Hong subsequently claimed that she did not mock Xiaxue and cannot remember posting about her.

Xiaxue shot back and asked if she denied ever posting about her, and replied with screenshots: "You did. You absolutely did."

Xiaxue also told Hong to tell everyone what she posted and if people agree.

Hong's comeback: "You’re asking me to tell everybody something that I don’t f*cking remember, that’s damn funny."

Xiaxue retorted: "Precisely, if you don’t remember what you posted, how do you know you did not belittle me?"

Hong responded that she said there was no point in belittling someone who's child had died.

She continued to deny she said things that belittled Xiaxue as she knew better than to comment on others.

While most of the exchange occurred, Chua could be seen maintaining her silence and eating on the livestream.

Chua's business at Little India had caught fire during Chinese New Year and she received positive press coverage for pushing through with her orders at the time.

Xiaxue added in the comments section that it was "painful" talking to Hong, who was “completely illogical” and with “absolutely no shame”.

A 68-year-old man was injured after the bus he was on came to a sudden brake and he was thrown from his seat.

According to a report by Shin Min Daily News, the incident took place on Sep. 1 along Woodlands Avenue 7 towards Woodlands Interchange, near the Seagate Singapore International Headquarters.

Lost consciousness for a moment

Speaking to the Chinese language newspaper, the man's son, surnamed Goh, said his father was travelling home on Bus service 858 when the incident happened.

"My father was sitting near the front of the bus when it suddenly braked, and he was thrown from his seat and lost consciousness for a while," he said.

According to Goh, his father was later woken by two passengers and the bus driver, who checked on him and helped clean his wounds.

He said his father suffered a head injury and significant swelling around his eye.

He was unable to walk after the incident and was carried to an ambulance on a stretcher before being taken to the hospital for treatment.

Photos provided by Goh showed his father was lying in a hospital bed wearing a neck brace, with visible bruising and swelling around his right eye.

In response to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said it received a call for assistance along Woodlands Avenue 7 and subsequently conveyed one person to Woodlands Hospital.

Goh said the family only became aware of the incident about an hour later, when his father called his sister from the hospital.

Hospitalised a second time

His father spent more than 20 hours in the emergency department before being discharged, Goh told Shin Min.

However, the older Goh was hospitalised again on Sep. 3 after experiencing blurred vision in his left eye.

Doctors later found that his father's cataract had become displaced following the impact, affecting his vision.

The elderly passenger also suffered chest pain caused by a fractured rib.

Expressed disappointment over the handling of the incident

Goh told Shin Min he was disappointed with Tower Transit’s handling of the incident.

He said he had tried to contact the bus operator’s customer service but did not receive a response, adding that the family did not receive any calls from the company to check on his father’s condition.

Goh eventually reached out to members of Tower Transit’s management through his personal contacts, after which a customer service manager called him at about 10:30pm on the night of the incident.

The manager told him that the driver involved was under investigation, but the family did not receive any further updates until the following morning, Goh said.

He added that the family was later told that Tower Transit would cover his father’s medical expenses through insurance.

The company also offered a gift basket and an EZ-Link card with a stored value of S$250, he said.

However, Goh said his father’s glasses, which were worth more than S$1,000, had been damaged in the incident.

A gold ornament he was wearing on his wrist, worth about S$600, was also dented.

Goh said the family was unsure how to seek compensation for the damaged items and had engaged a lawyer to explore their options.

Tower Transit: Bus captain made emergency stop

In response to queries from Mothership, Tower Transit confirmed the company was aware of the incident.

Preliminary investigations found that the bus captain had applied the emergency brakes after a motorcyclist in front of the bus stopped suddenly, it said.

The force of the braking had caused Goh's father to fall forward onto the rear-facing seats and sustain injuries.

According Tower Transit, the bus captain and other passengers attended to him while Tower Transit’s Bus Operations Control Centre activated an ambulance.

The company also addressed the family's concerns about the delay in receiving an update.

It said its customer experience team had called the passenger at about 2pm that day but was unable to get through.

Goh's son subsequently called the company to seek an update, but a response was only provided at about 10:30pm.

Tower Transit said it had apologised to the family for the delay and was working to ensure customer callbacks were handled more promptly in future.

The company also said it remained in contact with the family to check on the condition of Goh's father and would continue to provide full support, including assistance with necessary insurance claims.

An elderly man allegedly took money from a donation bowl placed in front of a deity statue at a temple in Changi.

Shin Min noted that he then bowed to the statue, apparently asking for forgiveness, before walking off.

The incident took place at about 1pm on Aug. 28 at Hoon Sian Keng Temple at 82 Changi Road, according to Shin Min Daily News.

Nobody noticed at the time

The temple's chairman, Chen Jingliang (transliterated), 34, said three staff were present at the time of the incident.

Two caretakers were tidying up around the main altar, while the secretary was handling administrative work in the office.

None of them noticed what the man was doing.

CCTV footage showed the elderly man approaching the statue, reaching into the bowl and taking the money.

He then bowed before the statue, apparently asking for forgiveness, before leaving.

The whole thing took less than five minutes.

He may have recced the place beforehand

Chen said the temple had not seen the man before.

But after watching the footage, he suspects the man had been there to recce the place, given how fast he moved and how well he seemed to know his way around.

It was not one of the donation boxes

Chen explained that the temple has four donation boxes, but the man took from the bowl in front of the statue instead.

He said: "Devotees usually put in coins or notes after making a wish. We usually clear the money out of the bowl at the end of the day and transfer it into the donation boxes."

About S$200 taken

The temple estimates it lost about S$200.

Chen said: “The amount isn't large, but we hope to raise awareness by making this public.”

Chen added that whatever difficulties someone might be facing, taking money from a temple like this is wrong.

Police investigating

In response to Mothership's queries, the police said they received a call for assistance at 82 Changi Road at about 2:20pm on Aug. 28.

A 77-year-old man is assisting with investigations, which are ongoing.

A man who was caught with a disposable vaporiser in his car at the Woodlands Checkpoint was later discovered to be peddling Kpods and other drugs, including diazepam and cough syrup.

Basil Wang Zhuang Zhen, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking Kpods and was sentenced to two years’ jail and two strokes of the cane on Sep. 4.

According to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Wang is the first person to be convicted and sentenced for Kpod trafficking under the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA).

He received the mandatory minimum sentence for the offence.

Rental vehicle searched at Woodlands Checkpoint

Court documents seen by Mothership stated that Wang was driving into Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint on Dec. 2, 2025, when his vehicle was stopped by Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers for a search.

During the search, the ICA officers discovered a disposable vaporiser, and Wang was referred to HSA.

HSA officers later found evidence of peddling activities on Wang's phone, and he was escorted back to his house.

There, he admitted to the HSA officers that he was in possession of illegal products and that they were stored in a cabinet located just outside the flat, which was locked.

Officers eventually found a variety of cough syrup bottles, illicit medicines, and pods containing etomidate in the cabinet.

These included 2,800 tablets of codeine phosphate, 750 tablets of diazepam, 28 Kpods, and 104 bottles of cough syrup.

A search was conducted inside the flat, where the HSA officers found more vaporisers.

Wang admitted that all products seized from him were in his possession for the purpose of sale.

Telegram supplier

Sometime in November 2025, Wang purchased Kpods from an unknown supplier via Telegram for S$30 to S$40 each.

He had previously purchased Kpods on about five occasions and resold them.

After placing an order, Wang would collect the Kpods from couriers and pay for them in cash.

He similarly sold the Kpods to customers on a cash-on-delivery basis. After each transaction, Wang would delete all related communications on Telegram.

On Dec. 2, 2025, Wang communicated with a Telegram user to arrange a delivery of the Kpods at around 8pm that night as he was in Malaysia at the time.

However, he was apprehended before any sales could be completed.

Wang was arrested on Dec. 3, 2025, and charged in court the following day.

A 19-year-old British taekwondo athlete died after reportedly suffering a cardiac arrest.

According to a GoFundMe post, Isabelle Sava had “passed away completely unexpectedly in her sleep”.

Emergency responders apparently “fought desperately to resuscitate her”.

Taekwondo

Sava reportedly dedicated “more than 10 years of her life” to Taekwondo.

In an Instagram post by her club, she attained her 1st Degree Black Belt in 2019 and her 2nd Degree Black Belt in 2021.

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A post shared by UK ITF (@ukitf)

In 2022, Sava competed at the International Taekwondo Federation (ITF) World Championships in the Netherlands and won a silver medal in sparring in her category.

She also reportedly umpired taekwondo competitions.

“She had become a trusted and valued member of the taekwondo community, giving her time and experience back to a sport that had been such an important part of her life,” the GoFundMe page said.

Law

Sava also intended to pursue law and was preparing for her second year studying it at Queen Mary University of London.

She was apparently “working towards her dream of becoming a commercial lawyer”.

“She was intelligent, ambitious, focused and incredibly determined. She knew where she wanted to go in life, and she was prepared to work hard to get there,” her GoFundMe page added.

As of writing, her GoFundMe post has drawn over £14,512 (S$24,882) in donations.

“The funds raised will contribute towards Isabelle's funeral and memorial expenses, as well as other unexpected costs the family is facing following her sudden passing,” the page said.

Most Singaporean men hit their fitness peak during national service.

Digging trenches outfield, passing IPPT, and completing the standard obstacle course (SOC) without breaking anything made men out of boys.

And with the encik repeatedly saying his grandmother can do it faster than you?

Great motivation as always.

But you know what’s even better?

You might now be able to meet your encik’s Ah Ma.

For real.

FitX Challenge

For all the lifelong fitbros, sedentary types, and weekend warriors, a new NS-inspired sporting event is coming.

To be held at the Singapore Expo on Sep. 26 and 27, 2026, SAFRA Fitness Festival 2026 will be hosting FitX Challenge, its headline eight-station obstacle-course event.

Race categories

There are three race categories for FitX Challenge: Individual, Doubles, and Trio.

Those competing alone can claim full credit, while those in doubles and trio can split the load in mixed gender teams.

The obstacle course tests strength, endurance, agility and mental resilience.

Best of all? The event is open to all.

SAFRA FitX Challenge is open to both SAFRA members and non-members, and open to all fitness levels to bring together SAFRA members, NSmen, and the wider community.

The fitness stations – sans mud and grime, which are the hallmarks of NS – are not just to test an individual’s physical proficiency.

They are hallmarks of Singapore's national defence: Resilience, teamwork and readiness.

And participants do not have to compete alone.

They can do so in mixed gender pairs or in groups.

Anyone who meets the minimum age requirement can participate.

For the main FitX Challenge Individual, Double, and Trio events, participants must be aged 18 years old and above.

Categories with children, such as FitX Junior and Families For Life Parent and Child, are open for those aged between seven and 12 years old, and would feature a simplified obstacle course.

However, registration is full for these two categories.

No qualification is required.

In other words, own time, own target.

Limited slots are available.

Grab yours before Sep. 9, 2026 at SAFRA Fitness Festival.

Supporters for the participants, spectators, and non-participants can enter the event for free.

Not taking part in the competition?

The festival offers plenty to experience as well, from wellness shopping, fitness trial classes, and fun engagement activities to exclusive giveaways and live music.

Soak up the energy, discover new fitness trends, and enjoy a fun-filled day with family and friends.

5 NS-inspired activities to look out for

10m Laser Shooting station

This is no-brainer: The crowd-favourite activity is the Laser Shooting station where participants must score 15 hits at a 10m range before continuing the course.

If you think accuracy is all you need, think again.

As any thinking soldier can tell you, you cannot think when you are tired.

Overcoming muscle fatigue from the physical activities and still maintaining your breathing under time pressure will make a bobo shooter out of you and me.

20m Leopard Crawl

What gives you more abrasions on your legs, arms and body than route marches?

Leopard crawls.

They are de rigueur in basic military training (BMT).

Nothing keeps you more grounded and down-to-earth than literally being prone on the ground.

Soldiers have to learn this movement to stay low and mobile – and out of the enemy’s line of fire.

At FitX Challenge, the trick is to go faster than other competitors during a 20m leopard crawl.

Coordination and mobility can only get you there halfway.

You also need determination to rawdog it with your shoulders, hips, core and legs all going at it at once.

2m Apex Climb and 1.5m Low Wall

Two separate stations at the FitX Challenge will test those vertically challenged.

Sheer brute force alone will not be enough to scale these heights.

Think simply being taller can get the job done?

Well, participants need to use technique and momentum.

For those competing in non-individual events, participants need to help each other and trust your buddy.

In the military, there is a saying: Two is one and one is none.

And you are not supposed to leave your buddy behind.

2.4km run

Nothing screams “NS” like the 2.4km run.

At FitX Challenge, the run is the last part of the challenge.

Soldiers who have done IPPT know that you cannot expend all your energy before the run.

Conserving too much energy is also a no-no too as it means you did not put up.

As much as running is a physical activity, it is also a mental test of mind over body.

Besides these stations, there are also others, such as the 50kg Tyre Flip 10m distance, Box Jump, and Rower 1km distance.

SAFRA Fitness Festival 2026 is by SAFRA, in partnership with the People's Association, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and supported by Families For Life.

Prizes and rewards

The competition is made more worthwhile as winners get to walk away with prizes.

Winners will get SAFRA Rewards Vouchers.

For the individual, double, and trio categories, the winner will get up to S$1,500 vouchers each.

For categories with children, the top prizes are worth S$300 to S$500.

Time to find out if your encik’s Ah Ma is really faster than you.

This branded content is brought to you by SAFRA.

Japanese netizens are enraged over what they perceived to be overly lenient punishment on a Taiwanese celebrity who defaced a national treasure.

Taiwanese actress Tsai Yi Chen was fined 500,000 Yen (S$4,052) for pouring a liquid on the Buddha's Footprint Stone (the Bussokuseki) in the Yakushiji Temple in Nara on Apr. 6, reported ETtoday.

According to the Japanese police, the liquid contained glycerin, and it reportedly stained the artefect which is over 1,200 years old.

The case

After Tsai's visit to the temple, staff noticed traces of liquid on the artefact. They notified the police.

Surveillance footage reportedly showed her shaking a small bottle.

She subsequently poured the liquid on the national treasure.

Police's investigations led to Tsai's identification.

They arrested her on Aug. 22 when she landed at Kansai International Airport.

ETtoday reported that Tsai admitted the offence during questioning, and gave police an unusual explanation, saying:

"Whenever I come across something that moves me, I rub oil on it and pray, so I probably did that to the Bussokuseki too."

"I've poured oil at other places before for the purpose of praying," she also reportedly said. 

Tsai was subsequently fined 500,000 Yen (S$4,052).

She paid the fine and was released on the evening of Sep. 2.

Her apology

On Sep. 3, Tsai posted an apology in Chinese and Japanese on social media, apologising to the people of Japan.

"I should have been more considerate and made a greater effort to understand the culture, history, and laws of different countries, especially those with important historical and cultural value. I have no excuse for my ignorance."

She also apologised to the Taiwanese for setting "a terrible example" and causing "an impact on Taiwanese society."

Japanese netizens are not satisfied

The apology, however, did nothing to calm Japanese netizens, and their comments were overwhelmingly critical.

One wrote: "Only 500,000? Cheap, it's missing four zeros."

Another wrote: "Too lenient. Many countries don't even have 1,300 years of history."

A third wrote: "So the value of a national treasure is only this much?"

Several called for tougher measures and urgent reforms to criminal penalties.

Others argued that an entry ban should be automatic, and that stricter laws restricting foreigners should have been introduced long ago.

"What about the other cases?"

Some netizens also recalled that Tsai had reportedly admitted that this was not her first offence, and questioned whether police had wrapped things up too quickly.

One asked: "Didn't the news say she had done the same thing elsewhere in Japan? What about the investigations into those cases?"

A 40-year-old Singaporean man was arrested in Bangkok on Sep. 4, where he was found with drug paraphernalia, poisons, explosive substances, and evidence that he had ordered such materials online.

Thairath reported that the suspect, only known as Joel, was found by the police after they received a tip-off about a Singaporean with a history of using crystal meth.

Authorities seized 3 grams of crystal meth, 200,000 baht (S$7,699) in cash, half a kilogram of potassium nitrate, two detonators, and various other chemical reagents.

The Thai police further searched his phone, which revealed that he had ordered 20 grams of a toxin from the dark web that was 10,000 times stronger than morphine, as well as a drug used for animal euthanasia.

According to The Nation, the police found that he had already made payment for the items.

How did he get caught?

According to MGR Online, Joel was identified as a wanted individual with outstanding arrest warrants in Singapore, with a history of criminal and drug-related offences.

The Thai police formed a team to track him down, a process that took more than three months to complete.

They learnt that he frequented nightlife establishments, and they talked to a hostess who was familiar with him.

She claimed that he was often violent and erratic, having once threatened her with a knife, and revealed to her a plot for poisoning a water tank.

Narcotics officers tracked him down at a luxury condo. They successfully breached the unit and arrested him.

When questioned, he claimed that the toxins he had ordered were not intended for killing others, but for himself. He insisted that he ordered a large quantity such that he would have a potent enough dose for himself, and that he did not mean to harm anyone else.

Analysis revealed that the explosive reagents in his possession were not enough to create a functional bomb.

He will be charged with the use of narcotics and visa overstay.

According to The Nation, the Thai police are determining whether additional charges, relating to explosives or hazardous substances should be brought.

One of Singapore's latest measures to support marriage and parenthood is an increase in childcare leave, but this will need to be accompanied by changes in workplace norms and culture, said Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

At present, when an employee takes time off, colleagues may have to shoulder the additional workload, while employers may have to find someone to cover the absence.

As such, even with greater access to leave, parents may still feel reluctant to take time off.

In an interview with CNA938 on Sep. 2, Indranee, who chairs the government's Interagency Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup, was asked about the suite of new marriage and parenthood measures unveiled by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the 2026 National Day Rally on Aug. 23.

Support measures for parents

Among the measures announced was increased childcare leave provisions.

Parents' childcare leave entitlements will now be tiered according to the number of children they have, rather than the age of their youngest child.

The other measures include a new SG Child Support Package, which will provide up to S$62,000 for each Singaporean child from birth to age 17, additional public housing ballot chances for each child aged 18 and below, as well as lowered fees at government-supported preschools.

Changing workplace norms and culture

Right now, workplaces are already operating under tight manpower conditions, said Indranee:

"The moment one person is out of play, somebody else has to step in, bear the load, or you have to scramble to find somebody to cover."

She noted that the government has already taken the first step by footing the cost of childcare leave, so employers do not have to bear the expense themselves.

This gives employers additional resources to compensate colleagues who cover for employees on leave, or to hire additional help where necessary.

The next step, however, is for workplaces to adapt their practices, she said.

At any given time, employees may need time off to not only care for their children, but also their ageing parents, and attend to other family-related needs.

Employers should therefore consider measures, such as job redesign, job sharing, and flexible work arrangements, and ensure these arrangements are implemented effectively.

Giving employers sufficient notice when possible would also help them plan for absences, Indranee said.

"So, if you're a parent who's going to take childcare leave, it's in instances where you can try to give as much notice as possible, because it helps the employer to plan," she said.

Have contingency arrangements

However, she acknowledged that advance notice may not always be possible.

In such cases, having contingency arrangements as part of normal human resource practices could help workplaces cope with unexpected absences.

Such arrangements would also benefit employees who are not parents but need to take time off unexpectedly for family-related reasons.

"This is the second part that we are working on," she said.

"To see how we can work with employers and tripartite partners to really change workplace norms and cultures such that it becomes more family-friendly, not just to parents of children, but anybody who needs to take time off for family-related reasons."

Indranee said the new childcare leave entitlement will not take effect immediately, explaining that the government is still working through operational issues and amendments to the legislation.

"We will announce the start date as soon as we can," she said.

More than just a financial incentive

Indranee also clarified that the government’s latest approach is not simply about providing financial incentives for people to marry or have children.

"It's about understanding that different people have taken into account different considerations," she said.

Through focus group conversations, Indranee said the workgroup found that Singaporeans weigh a wide range of factors when deciding whether to marry or have children.

These include cost, personal aspirations, and time.

"What we really want to do is to ensure that all Singaporeans who want to marry and have children feel assured and confident and able to do so, knowing that the government has their back, knowing that the government is willing to give support."

But government support is only one part of the equation, she added.

"This is an additional piece that we’re still working on — knowing that whole of society gives support as well."

Gaps that still have to be addressed

When asked what gaps remain, Indranee pointed to four areas the workgroup is still working through:

1. Relationship formation;
2. Fertility and maternal health;
3. Workplace norms and culture; and
4. Education

Ultimately, she said the workgroup hopes to see a Singapore where marriage and parenthood are viewed as "sources of joy and strength", and where those who aspire to them feel confident about taking that step.

It also wants marriage and parenthood to be valued and supported across society, with fewer practical barriers for families and better experiences for parents.

This includes creating more family-friendly public and shared spaces, strengthening community support and giving families greater assurance as their children grow.

And over time, Indranee said, the government hopes these efforts will contribute to an improvement in Singapore’s total fertility rate.