Relations between the U.S. and China could be seen as "mutually assured disruption", a dynamic similar to the U.S. and USSR's "mutually assured destruction" during the Cold War, said Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong.

PM Wong made these remarks during a dialogue session on Jun. 8 at the Singapore Press Club Eminent Speaker Series 2026.

He said that in the U.S.-China relationship, "any attempt by one side to impose restrictions on the other will trigger a response from the other side, and in the end, both parties will be worse off."

PM Wong added: "So, we hope that provides a stabilising factor in bilateral ties and an incentive for both sides to manage their differences well."

'Does not mean that all the problems are resolved'

PM Wong said that while it was good that U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met for the summit, "it does not mean that all the problems are resolved".

The two met during U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to Beijing, China, from May 14 to 15, 2026.

PM Wong said, "But increasingly, both sides, I feel, will have to recognise that they have to coexist with one another. The two economies are just too deeply intertwined."

PM Wong added that there will be competition, but hopefully it will not escalate into outright confrontation or conflict.

"It is in the interest of both America and China to maintain this strategic framework, and to have that stability in their relationship. It is also in the interest of countries everywhere in the world."

Southeast Asian nations want both powers engaged

PM Wong said that Southeast Asian nations prefer an arrangement that is more open and inclusive, engaging all the major players, whether "it is America, or China, or Europe".

He said that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) "has always wanted a region that is open, that is inclusive, where we engage all the major partners, whether it is the U.S., China, or, for that matter, other major powers like Europe and others, or even emerging groups like GCC."

He noted, "From Asia's point of view, we also do not want to see a world that is divided into competing spheres of influence".

He said that such an arrangement and configuration will be unstable and lead to more competition, rivalry and may lead to conflict.

PM Wong said, "We are in the midst of perhaps the most important transition in the global order since the end of the Cold War".

'Not all poles are the same'

PM Wong said that geopolitical power will continue to become more distributed as the world moves to become more multipolar in nature, but noted that "not all poles are the same".

He noted, "The U.S. remains a dominant power for the foreseeable future. China has risen to be a peer competitor to America."

PM Wong added that Europe remains a major force, India is rising rapidly, and middle powers are becoming more active both individually and in groups.

He addressed comments that America is on the decline and said the prediction has resurfaced multiple times, but that America has defied the odds.

"There are some who think that America is on the decline and it is going to withdraw, and it will just pull back into its own hemisphere. We do not think that is happening."

PM Wong said, "I was a student in America when all they said was, Japan is going to take over the world. It has not happened. And time and again, America has defied the odds, and it continues to be a dynamic and very innovative economy."

PM Wong added that China is "also a very important player and very key partner to all countries in Southeast Asia".

Singapore will be the Asean Chair next year, coinciding with the 11-member bloc's 60th anniversary.

'We want to be friends with everyone'

PM Wong was asked about Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s recent visit to North Korea and said it was due to a standing invitation as part of an anniversary milestone.

Singapore and North Korea celebrated their 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025.

PM Wong said, "Our approach is quite simple. We want to be friends with everyone. We do not need to have enemies."

"Does not mean we agree with everything they do. We do not, but that should not stop us from having open lines of engagement and continuing to have friendship and continuing to have engagement with them."

He noted that North Korea views Singapore as a trusted country and that they appreciate the relationship and engagement between both sides.

PM Wong added, "That is one major reason why they agreed to have the summit here in Singapore between America and the DPRK."

PM Wong was referring to the historic 2018 Trump-Kim summit held in Singapore.

PM Wong said: "That's our approach in foreign policy: We have a position, we articulate our national interests, but we continue to be friends with as many countries as possible. It's always better to have more friends than fewer, right?"

An elderly man and a 59-year-old woman, both from Singapore, were reportedly found dead four days apart in an apartment complex in Batam, Indonesia.

Both of their bodies were found at Pollux Habibie, which houses thousands of residents.

Unresponsive

The woman, identified by the initial “L”, was found on the night of Jun. 8 on the 38th floor of an apartment, Kepri Post reported.

After apartment security personnel conducted a check, they found her unresponsive and already deceased.

Local police then arrived at the scene.

Preliminary investigations suggested that the woman may have passed away due to an illness.

No signs of violence or external injuries were found on her body.

Local police are awaiting the post-mortem report

Not the first incident

Four days ago, on the Jun. 4 afternoon, an elderly man also from Singapore was found dead at the same apartment complex, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The man had apparently not been seen leaving his unit for an extended period.

This prompted concerned neighbours to alert the building management, who then contacted the police.

After entering the unit, officers discovered that the man had passed away.

Local police cordoned off the area for investigation and confirmed the man's nationality.

Preliminary investigations suggested that the deceased may have died due to health issues or an existing medical condition.

No signs of violence or external injuries or any indication of criminal activity were found.

Local police have reportedly coordinated with immigration authorities and representatives from Singapore.

The man's family have arrived in Batam and is making arrangements to claim the body.

A Singaporean man who lost S$500,000 on a single basketball bet has shared how gambling nearly destroyed every aspect of his life, from his relationship to his freedom, before he finally sought help.

The man, along with another former addict, shared their stories with Lianhe Zaobao as part of a feature on recovering from gambling addiction.

Started during NS, spiralled later on

The man, who declined to be named, told Zaobao he first got into football betting during his national service.

Early wins kept him hooked. His gambling then expanded to betting websites and casinos.

He told Zaobao:

"All I could think about was placing the next bet, enjoying the thrill of winning, and trying to win back what I had lost."

Owed money to many people

To fund his habit, he borrowed from everyone around him, including friends and family.

He stole money from his family, eventually getting kicked out of the house. His girlfriend eventually broke up with him.

By 2020, he had accumulated over S$1 million in debt.

At his lowest point, he turned to Blessed Grace Social Services for help, per Zaobao.

The S$500,000 basketball bet

The first eight months of counselling went well. But, he soon relapsed.

This time, he struck it big, winning nearly S$600,000 through free credits on a gambling website. Instead of stopping, he used S$100,000 to purchase insurance and bet the remaining S$500,000 on a single basketball game.

He recalled that the team he had bet on led for most of the game, only to be overtaken in the final 30 seconds, wiping out his S$500,000 in an instant.

He admitted to falling back into the cycle of losing, borrowing, and gambling again.

Second session

Despite knowing his past, his current girlfriend gave their relationship a chance.

In 2025, he crossed a line when he borrowed money from her family under the pretence of a marriage proposal.

She brought him back to Blessed Grace Social Services in July 2025 for a second round of counselling. His debts have since been cleared.

He said:

"Gambling turned my life upside down and hurt the people closest to me. I deeply regret it."

Hotpot restaurant COCA will be closing its Takashimaya outlet soon, with its last day of operations on Jun. 14.

The restaurant has been there for three decades.

Diners can quote “Taka Farewell” to enjoy the promotion.

COCA's remaining outlet is located at Suntec City.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has conducted checks in the past week after the new personal mobility aid (PMA) regulations kicked in on Jun. 1, 2026.

A Jun. 9 Facebook post by LTA said its active mobility enforcement officers have engaged 25 PMA users to remind them of the approved usage and devices.

The enforcement officers were seen speaking to PMA users in Yishun.

Errant retailer caught

An errant personal mobility device (PMD) retailer was caught after three offences were spotted and three devices were impounded.

Non-compliant devices impounded in May 2026

Earlier in May 2026, LTA spotted 236 offences and impounded 77 non-compliant active mobility devices.

LTA said members of the public are reminded that keeping non-UL2272-certified PMDs is an offence.

First-time offenders may be liable to a three-month jail term, a fine of up to S$2,000, or both.

The public can also find out more on active mobility rules at go.gov.sg/amrules.

PAS has ended its six-year partnership with Bersatu over which parties should be allowed to join Perikatan Nasional (PN) and over “broken promises”.

Special meeting

The decision was announced on the evening of Jun. 9 by PAS President Abdul Hadi Awang after a special meeting of the PAS central working committee.

He was quoted by The Star as saying that PAS had decided to “terminate all political cooperation with Bersatu, and to review the position and future direction of PAS-Bersatu relations”.

Relations between the two parties have been poor since Bersatu led a political manoeuvre to oust PAS from the Menteri Besar (Chief minister) position in the northern state of Perlis in late 2025.

Criticism of this move eventually led to Bersatu President and former Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin resigning as chairman of the PN coalition.

Muhyiddin was replaced as PN chairman by PAS Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, the PAS MB of Terengganu.

Despite this, issues between the two parties were not fully resolved, with Abdul Hadi announcing that PAS will “review its cooperation with Bersatu” in May and now deciding to dissolve the partnership.

Unilateral actions

The New Straits Times (NST) quoted PAS Secretary-General Takiyuddin Hassan as saying that the root of the problems between the two parties was due to “the unilateral actions of certain Bersatu leaders.”

Denying it was the responsibility of Abdul Hadi and PAS leaders, Takiyuddin said that PAS had chosen to “remain silent to safeguard PN’s unity” in the face of “outright insults” by some in Bersatu, including being portrayed as “incompetent”.

The main splitting point appears to be around whether Bersatu has been blocking other political parties from joining the PN coalition.

PAS Information Chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari said that his party’s priority “had always been Muslim unity”, as reported by NST, and he described the split with Bersatu as a necessary "bitter pill" for PAS' Muslim unity agenda.

Ahmad Fadhli said that Bersatu’s previous rejection of proposals to include other parties, such as Pejuang, led by the son of former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Pejuang Chairman Mukhriz Mahathir, had made further cooperation difficult.

Despite the ending of the partnership with Bersatu, PAS remains a member of the PN coalition “for now”, Ahmad Fadhli said.

When asked about the status of the coalition on Jun. 8, Ahmad Fadhli said that “as of tonight” PAS remains in PN.

Six years of partnership

PN was formed in 2020, in the aftermath of the “Sheraton move”, which saw the Pakatan Harapan government led by Mahathir ousted in favour of a new government led by the defecting Bersatu MPs.

Those Bersatu MPs then formed an alliance with PAS, and together with the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional, would govern for a year before being ousted by a governing partner in the form of UMNO, although both PAS and Bersatu would remain in government until the 2022 general election.

PN consists of four parties, PAS by far being the largest with 43 seats in Malaysia’s parliament, Bersatu with 19, having lost six to defection and six to expulsion, and GERAKAN and the MIPP holding no seats.

Tensions between the current government’s various factions have led to speculation that a fresh general election might be called sooner rather than later.

The PAS-Bersatu split adds more intrigue to an already fragmented political situation in Malaysia.

Former Miss Hong Kong, Natalie Ng, has died of breast cancer at age 51.

She revealed that she had a recurrence of breast cancer in 2024. This progressed to stage 4 cancer in 2025, as the cancer spread to her bones and liver.

Ng had also shared in her autobiography that she had divorced her husband.

Despite battling cancer, Ng was praised for always keeping a positive mindset.

Her family shared the news of her passing on social media, saying that in her final days, she was surrounded by family and friends.

Her two daughters also said their goodbyes to Ng.

They will be taken care of by her their father.

She passed away peacefully in her sleep on Jun. 9.

A 31-year-old Myanmar national was sentenced to seven years and three months’ jail after falsely claiming to be single and cheating three women out of more than S$1.67 million.

The accused, Myo Kyaw, pleaded guilty to seven out of 21 charges involving cheating and forgery, Lianhe Zaobao reported.

The remaining charges were taken into consideration during sentencing on Jun. 5.

The court imposed a gag order to protect the victim’s identities.

Married

Kyaw was married to a Singaporean woman in May 2022.

The couple had two children and lived in a condominium unit.

He previously worked in Singapore as a financial adviser under an S Pass and subsequently became a self-employed trader after the pass expired.

Between 2021 and 2024, Kyaw had romantic relationships with two Malaysian women aged 44 and 45, and a female Chinese national, 35.

First victim

In September 2021, Kyaw met the 44-year-old through a dating app.

He falsely claimed he was single before starting a relationship with her.

During their relationship, Kyaw frequently asked the woman for money.

He claimed that his father had died and that he was involved in inheritance disputes with his siblings, which required legal fees.

However, his father passed away when Kyaw was nine.

Kyaw also cited that he needed money to pay taxes, stamp duties, court fees, fines and medical expenses for his grandfather.

Some of the money was later used for investments.

The woman initially lent him her savings.

She eventually borrowed money and sought financial help from family members.

She lost about S$543,724.

When the woman questioned Kyaw, he falsely claimed that he was entitled to A$150,000 (S$136,610) from his late father’s inheritance and promised to transfer A$50,000 (S$45,382) to her.

Kyaw even forged bank transfers to back his claims.

The woman became suspicious and filed a police report in December 2022.

He later contacted her and insisted that he did not lie.

She believed Kyaw and continued being in a relationship with him until August 2023.

Second victim

In June 2023, Kyaw was involved in a relationship with the 45-year-old, whom he had also met through a dating app.

He claimed that he held an Australia passport and described himself as a co-founder of a trading platform.

Kyaw also said he drove a Bentley.

In July 2023, the woman became pregnant with his child.

Kyaw even spoke of their future marriage and life together as a family.

He then asked her for money, citing urgent debts and investment opportunities with promising returns of about 15 to 20 per cent.

Kyaw also claimed he had US$5 million (S$6.4 million) in an investment account that required additional funds to preserve.

In less than a month, he cheated her of at least S$360,591.

When she questioned him on his constant need for money, he would claim that he was struggling after his father’s death.

He even assured her that all loans would be repaid once he could access his investments.

The woman depleted most of her savings and maxed out her credit card limits.

In August 2023, the woman found it difficult to contact Kyaw and went to the address he claimed to live at, only to discover that he did not live there.

She also later learned from a car dealership that the Bentley he claimed to drive was registered to his wife.

That was when she discovered Kyaw already had a wife and children.

Third victim

After being charged in connection with the first two cases, Kyaw continued to commit cheating offences while out on bail.

Between November 2023 and September 2024, he was involved in a relationship with the 35-year-old.

Kyaw deceived her into making investments and requested her credit card details, which he used to make payments.

When she became suspicious, he forged letters from the Immigration Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to cover up his actions.

The woman lost about S$769,189.

Emotional trauma

The prosecution said Kyaw targeted female victims in their 40s and 50s, specifically those who were working professionals whose families were overseas and sought stability.

The prosecution alleged he exploited the women’s trust by engaging in relationships and fabricating a series of lies, defrauding them of over S$1.67 million in a span of over two-and-a-half years.

The 45-year-old Malaysian woman apparently felt deeply betrayed after learning she had been deceived.

She purportedly suffered immense stress and miscarried several weeks later.

She also experienced suicidal thoughts.

The 35-year-old Chinese national reportedly felt intense shame, regret and anger.

She apparently suffered from anxiety and insomnia due to concerns about her debts and future.

This impacted her interpersonal relationships and work performance.

Citing these outcomes, the prosecution sought a jail term of between seven and eight years.

To support her mother and four younger siblings while her father is imprisoned, a 15-year-old girl in Kelantan, Malaysia, washes cars for RM80 (S$25.30) a week.

According to a Facebook post by Malaysian social activist Abbe Hae on Jun. 7, the Form 3 student from Pasir Mas washes cars to buy rice and food for her family.

Abbe said the girl and her siblings have not been attending school due to financial difficulties, and that their school is located far from where they live.

The girl's mother was also forced to leave their rented home after multiple months of unpaid rent, with the landlord renting the house out to another tenant.

Father in jail

According to Abbe, the girl's father is serving a prison sentence for offences unrelated to drugs.

Despite facing financial constraints as he bears the monthly expenses of many underprivileged families, Abbe said he sympathised with the family's plight and helped them look for a new home closer to a school.

He said: "I believe that helping those who are in need will never make me poor".

That same evening, Abbe and his team found a new rental for the family and planned to move the family into the new house on Jun. 8, allowing the children to go back to school.

Police have arrested the 37-year-old mother of the two children who fell from the twelfth floor of an apartment building in Johor, The Star reported.

The woman is a foreigner.

One of the children, an eight-year-old girl died at the scene.

The other, a 10-year-old boy, was critically injured and admitted to a hospital's intensive care unit.

Investigations underway

The police received a call about the incident at around 8:27am on Jun. 7.

In a statement to the press, Johor police chief Ab Rahaman said police arrested the mother at noon on the same day.

The suspect has no criminal record, and tested negative on a drug test, according to The Star.

The police have obtained a four-day remand order until Jun. 11 for investigations under the Child Act 2001 for child abuse, neglect, abandonment or exposure.

Rahaman said that several witnesses were also called to record their statements.

"The real cause and motive of the incident are still under investigation," he said, according to Bernama.

Rahaman asked the public to not make any speculations that would disrupt the investigation.

He also urged anyone with information to contact the police.

What happened

Around 8am on Jun. 7, the two children fell from the 12th floor and landed on the seventh floor, Sinchew cited a resident saying.

The brother and sister landed near the swimming pool area, and a resident who was there at the time heard a loud impact, The New Straits Times reported.

Moments after the girl was found lying motionless, another loud sound was reportedly heard, and the boy was found injured at the scene.