A 63-year-old man was handed life imprisonment for the murder of his co-tenant in 2023.

Ng Boon Hong, then 59, was accused of stabbing the victim to death in their shared one-room flat at Block 90, Redhill Close, sometime between 11pm on Mar. 15, 2023 and Mar. 16, 2023.

He was convicted on charges of murder on Jul. 1, when he appeared in court from remand.

Incident

According to court documents seen by Mothership, Ng and the deceased, 61-year-old Ang Cheng Kek, had shared a one-room rental flat since Dec. 28, 2022.

The unit was equipped with a wireless alert alarm system, a distress button which seniors living in public rental flats could use to call for help in emergencies.

Both men were unemployed at the time of the incident.

As a result of the small shared space, the pair had a history of disputes.

On one occasion, Ang lodged a police report claiming that Ng had threatened to kill him after he refused to lend money to the accused.

Ang also caused Ng inconveniences whenever he brought his girlfriend to the unit, which would require Ng to leave.

Murder

At about 11pm on Mar. 15, 2023, Ng became upset after Ang's act of slamming the front door woke him from his sleep, prompting an argument.

After Ng was unable to fall back asleep past midnight, he became frustrated and decided to kill Ang.

He planned to do so at around 2am, believing his neighbours would be asleep and unlikely to hear any noise.

However, he wanted to inflict pain on Ang to prevent him from dying "easily" and decided to inflict pain by pouring boiling oil on him before stabbing him to death.

As he heated a pot of cooking oil over the stove, he also added bits of blackened chilli into it as he believed doing so would inflict greater pain.

Ng took care to shut the windows in the unit so that neighbours would not be alerted to any noise.

He also checked that the lights in the neighbouring units upstairs and downstairs were switched off to confirm that they were asleep.

After the oil was boiled at about 2:10am, he then picked up an 18cm knife that had been recently sharpened and approached Ang, who was sleeping with his blanket over his head.

When Ng poured the oil on Ang's face, the latter woke up immediately and stood on the bed.

Ng then stabbed him in the stomach twice, partially disembowelling him.

Ang attempted to grab Ng's hand and asked in Hokkien, "Why do this?"

Bleeding profusely, he then approached the main door before squatting down.

Ng was concerned that Ang would press the distress button and stood in front of it to block him.

After Ang repeatedly asked Ng to call an ambulance, Ng became offended as he perceived it as an insinuation that Ang thought he was foolish enough to call for help, which would likely lead to his arrest.

He then slashed the knife across Ang's neck, face, back and stomach repeatedly, even after Ang collapsed to a kneeling position.

At one point, he also stabbed Ang in the mouth after the latter slipped on his own blood.

After Ang fell to the ground and became motionless, Ng called out to him and knew he was dead after he did not receive a response.

Confessed his crime

Following the attack, Ng took Ang's bedsheet and spread it across the floor as a makeshift passage over the bloodstains.

He then found S$3,001.50 in cash belonging to Ang and pocketed it.

After placing the knife in the sink and washing his hands, he also took a shower and changed his clothes.

Before leaving the house at 2:31am, he threw Ang's phone into a water-filled fish tank to disable it and prevent Ang's acquaintances from reaching him.

Ng took a taxi to a 24-hour coffeeshop in Ang Mo Kio, where he stayed until dawn.

He then took a bus to a temple in Bencoolen Street and confessed to the Goddess of Mercy that he had killed Ang, then vowed to surrender to the police after spending all his money.

Next, he took a bus to Geylang, where he spent his money on beer, expensive food, and tips for Vietnamese women for entertainment.

He then checked into a nearby hotel with a Vietnamese woman, where he drank heavily before falling asleep.

At about 8am on Mar. 17, 2023, Ng checked out of the hotel and took a bus to Chinatown for breakfast before surrendering to the police at Bukit Merah East Neighbourhood Police Centre.

He was arrested, charged in court on Mar. 18, 2023, and has remained in remand since.

Verdict

An autopsy found 35 wounds on Ang's body, including 24 caused by a sharp object and 11 burns, bruises and abrasions.

The cause of death was identified as multiple stab injuries to the abdomen.

While the hot oil caused sharp pain, it was found to have not played a role in Ang's death.

Ng was assessed by psychiatrists and was cleared of any mental or intellectual disabilities, despite functioning in the borderline range of intellectual activity.

He also did not suffer from any mental disorder and was not of unsound mind at the time of the offence, which implied he was aware of the nature and wrongfulness of his actions.

On Jul. 1, Ng appeared in court in a purple jumpsuit and was communicated with via a Hokkien translator, where he did not contest any of the charges.

Ng's lawyer sought life imprisonment, to which the prosecution did not object.

The judge said that he took into account factors pertaining to the case, including Ng's age and intelligence level, and the fact that the killing took place in the context of ongoing disputes between Ng and Ang.

Citing remorse shown by Ng through his own surrendering to the police and confession to the Goddess of Mercy, he handed Ng life imprisonment, backdated to the date of his arrest on Mar. 17, 2023.

Wing Seong Fatty’s Restaurant in Burlington Square at Bencoolen Street closed its doors after 100 years of operation on Jun. 28, 2026.

Amongst those who went to bid the restaurant farewell were a group of Qantas Airways pilots, who have patronised it for over 20 years.

Known for serving Australian staff from Qantas

The establishment was founded in 1926 at Albert Street by the grandfather of the current owners.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the restaurant was known for serving staff from the Australian carrier, Qantas, and was a familiar name with those in the aviation sector.

This is because second-generation owner, "Fatty" Au Chun Seng, is remembered for risking his life to help Australian prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation.

Some of these prisoners of war would go on to become pilots of Qantas and would make it a point to visit Wing Seong Restaurant whenever they passed through Singapore.

The tradition has since been passed down through generations of Qantas captains over the past 80 years.

Saying goodbyes

The restaurant's last day saw many regular customers dining one last time and leaving farewell gifts.

Amongst the patrons were a group of Qantas captains, who invited current co-owner Au Kwok Wing, to take a group photo with them, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The pilots told Shin Min that they had been visiting Wing Seong Restaurant every few weeks and heard last year that its owner was planning to retire.

On Sunday night, they returned to bid the restaurant a final farewell.

One of the pilots, Jerry Maguire, 51, told Shin Min that he first dined at the restaurant 25 years ago when he began his flying career.

Meanwhile, Michael Crew, 58, who has been a regular for 32 years, said he knows the restaurant's dishes like the back of his hand, with the clay pot chicken being his favourite.

Another pilot, James Graves, 62, who has been flying since 1989, said he has fond memories of the father-and-son duo.

He said Wing Seong Restaurant is like a second home to Qantas employees.

Singtel CEO Yuen Kuan Moon received a 16.9 per cent pay cut, following an outage at its Australian unit Optus that resulted in three deaths, and a series of network outages in Singapore.

He took home S$6.8 million for FY2026. His pay for FY2025 had stood at S$8.2 million, according to The Business Times.

What the board said

Singtel said that its board had taken into account both the Optus incident and the Singapore outages, in determining the "appropriate remuneration outcome" for Yuen.

Other key executives at the group also saw their pay drop 11.9 per cent, to S$25.9 million, according to its annual report released on Jun. 30.

The Optus incident saw an outage following a network upgrade in September last year, which knocked out access to Triple Zero, Australia's emergency hotline.

A review found that this led to at least three deaths.

The second incident was closer to home: a string of outages hit Singtel's network in Singapore in March, with the worst one on Mar. 16 leaving users without service for over six hours.

Singtel acknowledged both incidents directly, saying the group remains focused on rebuilding customer trust and improving network reliability.

Strong financial performance

None of this dented Singtel's actual financial performance.

Net profit for the year rose 39.5 per cent to S$5.6 billion, helped along by S$2.84 billion in gains from selling part of its stake in telco Airtel.

Underlying net profit similarly climbed by 12 per cent to S$2.8 billion.

Yuen said that the telco intends to "[evolve] from a largely traditional telco group, into a global player in digital infrastructure and services".

To this end, it will double down on its digital infrastructure and continue adopting and integrating AI across its operations, he said.

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has ordered Jurong Marine Cold Storage to temporarily suspend operations of its ice-making facility and cold store following an ammonia leak at its premises on Jun. 29.

As a precautionary measure, the SFA will be testing food products from the premises to determine if the leakage could have affected ice or food, the agency said in a statement.

Also known as JM Ice, the company provides cold storage space for frozen food, and manufactures food-grade ice for factories, supermarkets, restaurants, and more.

Ammonia leak

The leak on Jun. 29 sent two workers to the hospital after they were exposed to ammonia vapour, a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesperson said in response to Mothership's queries.

Both have since been discharged.

There were no other reported injuries, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), who were alerted to the incident at 11:45am that day.

When they arrived at the scene, they evacuated Jurong Marine Cold Storage's compound at 11 Fishery Port Road and its vicinity.

The SCDF hazardous materials (HazMat) specialists traced the leak to a pipe in a room within the premises.

In an update at 4:48pm, the SCDF said there were no further leaks within the premises.

MOM is investigating the incident to determine its cause.

The spokesperson shared that the leak happened when technicians were carrying out routine maintenance work on the ice-making machines.

The ministry has also instructed the company to review its maintenance procedures, gas detection and monitoring systems, and emergency response procedures.

Safety

SFA explained that ammonia is commonly used as a refrigerant in industrial cold storage facilities.

The agency will monitor the situation closely and continue working with the company to take the necessary measures.

The MOM spokesperson also reminded employers to ensure that refrigeration systems and equipment are properly maintained, and that appropriate risk control measures are in place to protect workers from hazardous substance releases.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will cease the 1777 non-emergency ambulance hotline from Jan. 1, 2027, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Jul 1.

First introduced in 1998, the 1777 hotline was a centralised number for the public to arrange non-emergency ambulance transport.

The hotline connects callers to participating Private Ambulance Operators (PAOs) for medical transport services and other non-emergency conveyance needs.

However, the release noted that members of the public now have more options for non-emergency medical conditions, including nearby general practitioner clinics and teleconsultation services.

For non-emergency trips to the hospital, taxis and ride-hailing services are also readily available and commonly used.

According to data from 24 PAOs onboarded to the hotline, only about six per cent of PAO bookings are made through 1777.

As such, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Health (MOH), and SCDF have assessed that the 1777 centralised referral platform for non-emergency medical transport services can be phased out.

Members of the public who require non-emergency ambulance conveyance can refer to go.gov.sg/pao for PAO contact information and fees.

Those who require medical advice for non-emergency conditions may contact the NurseFirst helpline at 6262 6262, where trained nurses will advise callers on appropriate care options.

SCDF’s 995 emergency services will not be affected by the cessation of the 1777 hotline.

Members of the public are advised to continue to call 995 only for life-threatening emergencies.

Non-emergency 995 calls will be referred to NurseFirst for medical advice.

The Singapore police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of two boys, Muhammad Aydrian Ruhazeeq Bin Muhammad Basil Hafidin, 12, and Muhammad Ayden Ruhazeeq Bin Muhammad Basil Hafidin, 13.

The younger boy was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, and the older boy was last seen wearing a yellow t-shirt.

They were last seen in the vicinity of Block 492E Tampines Street on Jun. 29 at about 7pm.

Anyone with information is requested to call the police hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.

About one in seven households in Singapore reported monthly incomes of at least S$30,000 in 2025, according to the General Household Survey (GHS) report.

This marks a near-doubling of the share recorded five years earlier.

The report was released by the Department of Statistics on Jun. 30, and is the fourth in a series of mid-decade national surveys conducted since 1995.

The report provides a broad overview of trends in topics such as marriage, education, religion and income.

Higher income households

According to the report, 13.4 per cent of resident households have a monthly market income of S$30,000 or more, up from 7.4 per cent in 2020.

The proportion of resident households earning at least S$12,000 a month similarly increased, from 38.2 per cent in 2020 to 51.6 per cent in 2025.

Overall, the median household market income for resident households was S$12,446, marking the first time it has crossed the S$12,000 mark.

This also translates to a median income of S$4,160 per household member after accounting for household size, up from S$2,952 per capita in 2020.

Market income refers to income comprising employment and non-employment sources such as rental income, investments, and regular insurance payouts received by households before government transfers and taxes.

What is the median?

All 3 major ethnic groups had increase in household income

The report also noted that all three major ethnic groups saw their household market income rise from 2020 to 2025 after adjusting for inflation.

The annual real increases in household market income were 3.5 per cent for Indian families, 3.1 per cent for Chinese families, and 2.3 per cent for Malay families.

In 2025, the median monthly household market income was S$13,382 for Indians, S$12,969 for Chinese, and S$8,581 for Malays.

In 2020, the median monthly household market income was S$9,597 for Indians, S$9,469 for Chinese, and S$6,514 for Malays.

The report said employment remained the primary income source for Singapore families, making up around 80 per cent of their total income.

Singles, dual-income couples becoming increasingly common

Among family structures, singles and dual-career couples have become increasingly common, the report said.

Singlehood rose among younger participants below 40 years old, with the largest increase in the 25-34 year age bracket.

It was also more common among Chinese residents than among Indians and Malays.

Meanwhile, married couple-based households with children remained the most common living arrangement, although it saw a slight drop from 50.4 per cent to 47.6 per cent of resident households.

Among married couples, there was a trend towards both parties in employment, comprising about 56.6 per cent of couples.

The share of married couples where only the husband was employed fell from 24.9 per cent in 2020, to 21 per cent in 2025.

Whereas the share of married couples where only the wife was working remained stable at 7.5 per cent in 2025 and 7.4 per cent in 2020.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a concept of the future. It is actively changing the way we work and shaping our careers.

As we enter the age of AI, traditional career paths are shifting, and the skills required to thrive in the workforce are evolving. The next generation of professionals must navigate this disruption and identify ways to stand out.

However, unique human value remains entirely irreplaceable and even more important for both employers and employees, according to Lee Hwee Boon, OCBC Group's Head of Human Resources, in her speech to a 2026 graduating cohort at Republic Polytechnic.

By Lee Hwee Boon

Good afternoon.

Principal, Deputy Principal, Director, respected faculty, proud parents and families, and especially the graduates of the Class of 2026.

Thank you for inviting me to share this moment with you. It really is a privilege to be standing here today.

Graduation ceremonies are always a little emotional. They mark the end of late nights, deadlines, exams, and submissions — but more importantly, they signal the beginning of a new chapter. One where the choices are yours, the paths are less defined, and the learning becomes very real.

And the timing could not be more interesting.

You are stepping into the world of work in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

AI: Fearful or full of possibility?

Let me start with the question I’m sure many of you, and probably some parents too, are thinking about: “Will AI take my job?”

It’s a fair question. I ask it myself from time to time.

A thoughtful perspective comes from Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu. He reminds us that while AI has made remarkable progress, it still has clear limitations. It struggles with context. It lacks true judgment. It cannot yet reason across complex, layered problems the way humans do.

Yes, the technology is improving rapidly. But turning technological capability into real world impact is much harder than it looks.

So no, we are not on the brink of entire professions disappearing overnight.

What is changing, however, is how work gets done.

AI is already excellent at helping with specific tasks — analysing data, summarising documents, synthesising research, even writing code. It takes care of parts of the work so that humans can focus on what really matters.

From searching, to prompting, to doing

To understand this shift, think about how technology has shaped the way we work over time.

When search engines first became mainstream, the important question was: “What do I search?”

Then came tools like ChatGPT, and suddenly the question became: “How do I phrase the right prompt?”

But today, as AI becomes part of everyday work, the question has changed again.

It’s no longer just about searching or prompting.

The real question is now: “What do I do?”

I’ve been a judge for our Frankpreneur Programme, an OCBC’s undergraduate internship, for several years.

In 2024, teams started mentioning AI in their proposals, but mostly at the edges. It sounded interesting, but it wasn’t central.

In 2025, something clicked. AI wasn’t just mentioned — it was woven right into the solutions.

The thinking was sharper. The ideas were better connected to real user needs. The wireframes looked professional and thoughtful.

What changed wasn’t access to technology.

What changed was how students thought about the problem.

We had added a design thinking coach to each team, alongside their business mentor, and that made all the difference.

Design thinking encourages you to start with people, not technology.

It forces you to ask: Who are we solving for? What do they really need? What are the consequences of our decisions?

It reminds us that doing is not about pushing buttons.

Doing requires judgment.

It requires empathy.

It requires understanding nuance, context, and people.

Those are things AI cannot replace.

The shift from jobs to skills

When I first started working, careers were described in terms of jobs.

Later, we talked about roles.

Today, what truly matters are skills — particularly how well you combine technical skills with human ones.

Work has become more complex and more interdependent.

AI can generate possibilities.

But humans ask the better questions.

AI can recommend options.

But teams decide what will actually work.

That’s why collaboration, trust, and leadership without authority matter more than ever.

The leaders you will admire, and hopefully become, won’t lead by control.

They will coach.

They will empower.

They will listen.

And they will succeed not because they know everything, but because they bring people together.

What this means for you

So what does this mean for you, as graduates standing at the beginning of your careers?

Let me offer two pieces of advice — lessons I’ve learnt the long way.

First: Strengthen what makes you human.

Don’t just execute tasks. Do the thinking behind them.

Develop your ability to frame problems, question assumptions, and design solutions that last. In a world where AI can do more of the “how,” your value lies increasingly in the “why” and the “what next.”

I must admit here that there was a time in 2018 that I felt afraid that my job as an Relationship Manager (RM) was going to be taken over by a machine, that was only in the era when machine learning was all the rage. I was worried that chatbots and virtual assistants was going to do a much better job of providing advice.

Thankfully, I’ve come to realise that while these computer programmes may be capable of providing advice, their effectiveness is limited because of the lack of trust, empathy and seasoned judgment of the interplay of complex issues that comes with human interactions.

But the nature of our customer engagements will change. As RMs, it means we must demonstrate mastery of relationship building skills that engenders trust building and we must be recognised as thought leaders who can craft tailored, innovative solutions that reflect the client’s aspirations and circumstances.

And more vital than ever, as RMs we must be able to leverage data analytics to draw customer insights, select the right ideas and mobilise people and resources across the Bank into each client relationship.

Which brings me to my second message.

Second: Stay curious and collect experiences.

Multidisciplinary thinking is not a nice to have — it’s essential.

Technical skills, including AI proficiency, are important. But no skill, learnt in isolation, guarantees resilience.

What truly sets people apart is the ability to connect ideas across fields and experiences.

Explore beyond your comfort zone.

Take opportunities that don’t fit the obvious path.

Try roles that stretch you.

Those experiences will help you bring fresh perspectives and allow you to improve systems, not simply maintain them.

No, AI won't take your job.

Let me come back to the question that opened this talk: Will AI take my job?

My answer is still no.

In fact, AI can help you enter the workforce by levelling the playing field.

When I was a young relationship manager fresh out of school, I spent countless hours reading research and industry reports just to speak confidently with clients.

More experienced colleagues didn’t need to, as their experience filled the gaps.

Today, much of that information can be accessed in seconds through AI.

That gap has narrowed in ways I never imagined.

But here’s the more important question for you:

What will you do with it?

Will you use AI simply to keep up?

Or will you use it to grow faster, think deeper, and contribute more meaningfully?

The future of work isn’t really about technology.

It’s about how humans choose to use it — to amplify judgment, empathy, creativity, and purpose.

This future isn’t something to be afraid of.

It’s something you get to shape.

And I’ll leave you with words from Ralph Waldo Emerson that feel especially fitting for this moment: “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

Congratulations, Class of 2026.

Step forward with confidence and leave your trail.

I’m an old-school traveller.

I get to the airport early, print out my ticket, and keep some spare cash tucked away.

But have you ever tried getting smaller denominations from money changers? You’ll know it’s easier said than done.

There’s an easier way, whether you're a cautious traveller or a free-spirited “cash is for millennials" type traveller: ShopeePay.

Cross-border payments with ShopeePay available in over 28 territories

You can now scan and pay using ShopeePay in over 28 countries, without needing to carry physical cash or exchange currencies.

This includes some of your favourite travel spots such as Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and the UK.

Payment is easy too: all you have to do is scan local QR codes, such as DuitNow in Malaysia, ZeroPay in South Korea, and Alipay in China, using your Shopee app to pay instantly and securely.

And if you've ever tried breaking a large note at a small roadside stall while travelling, you'll know why that's useful.

Imagine you've just found a street food stall selling something that smells incredible, but the only cash you have is a large note. The vendor looks less than thrilled.

With ShopeePay, all you need to do is scan the merchant's payment code — a common sight nowadays whether you're in a shopping mall or at a roadside stall.

No fumbling for exact change, no carrying worrying amounts of cash, especially as ShopeePay uses biometric authentication for swift and secure transactions.

Users can also stay in control of their spending with competitive exchange rates and no hidden fees, with payments made in Singapore dollars.

Just ensure that your ShopeePay account is activated and verified in Singapore before you set off, and enable overseas payments!

ShopeePay is also offering a limited time offer where users can enjoy S$8 off their first overseas transaction with ShopeePay with a minimum S$20 spend.

So if you’re heading on an overseas shopping holiday, make it a ShopeePay holiday, and get your S$8 off.

Find out more here!

Not heading overseas? There’s a promo for you too!

If you’re shopping in Singapore, you can use ShopeePay to make offline purchases at over 50,000 merchants across the island!

Doing so will earn you Shopee Coins which you can use to offset spending for both online Shopee purchases and offline ShopeePay payments.

If you have a registered ShopeePay Plus account, look out for the NETS QR or ShopeePay logo on the merchant’s SGQR code, then scan and pay using ShopeePay to be automatically awarded coins cashback!

Find out more about the All-Day Cashback promotion via the following link!

Top image via Mothership & Canva

This sponsored article by ShopeePay got this writer checking whether his passport is up to date.

Singapore's first dedicated accommodation for bus drivers has opened beside the Sengkang West Bus Depot on Jun. 29, 2026.

SQ@Sengkang West houses bus drivers from China.

Opened by transport operator SBS Transit, it is eight storeys with one floor dedicated to female bus drivers.

So far, some 200 opted to live there.

Accommodation is provided for free as part of the drivers' employment, but they pay for utilities.

6 residents in 3 bedrooms

A total of 39 apartments contain 234 beds.

Each apartment houses up to six residents across three bedrooms that are equipped with dining, kitchen and laundry facilities.

Two people share one bedroom that comes with air-conditioning, ceiling fans and built-in storage.

Other facilities provided

Gas stoves, refrigerators, cookware, crockery, cutlery, washing machines, dryers and clothing racks are provided.

A grocery delivery service is also available.

There is also a common games room.

But no alcohol is allowed.

Co-living operator Coliwoo will run the facility.

Before this set up, SBS Transit typically provides accommodation for its drivers by housing them in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats.