The Singapore police have arrested 13 men, aged between 21 and 39, for being suspected members of unlawful societies during an island-wide secret societies suppression operation conducted on May 22 and 23.

The operation was led by the Secret Societies Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department and supported by Ang Mo Kio, Tanglin, Jurong and Woodlands Police Divisions, the police said in a Jun. 4 release.

About 35 public entertainment outlets, nightlife establishments and food and beverage outlets, as well as close to 100 persons were checked during the island-wide operation.

Police investigations against all 13 men are ongoing.

Penalties

Anyone found guilty of being a member of an unlawful society under the Societies Act 1966 shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000, a jail term not exceeding three years, or both.

The police said they have zero tolerance towards any secret society and unlawful activities that threaten the public safety, peace, and good order of the community.

"We will continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders to conduct regular enforcement operations at the various public entertainment and nightlife establishments and popular congregation hotspots," the police added.

The police also said firm action will be taken against anyone who is associated with the secret societies and choose to flout the law.

The police also advised the public to steer clear of secret society activities and to report those engaging in such unlawful activities to the police immediately.

Six people died following a collision between a car and a lorry in Malaysia on Jun. 7.

More details about the victims have been revealed.

The driver, 29, his wife, 29, his mother-in-law, 55, his son, seven, and a six-month-old baby died at the scene.

The driver's brother, 21, also died.

The only survivor was the driver's three-year-old daughter.

The driver's age was variously reported as 27 by Malay Mail, The Star, and Free Malaysia Today.

It was also reported that the driver, who was a police officer, was driving his brother's new Proton car that they received just that morning.

They were on their way to the gravesite of their deceased father when the accident happened, Sin Chew Daily reported.

They were travelling to Merbok from Kepala Batas, Penang.

The lorry driver was uninjured.

New car

According to Sin Chew Daily, the Proton X50 involved in the accident belonged to the younger brother, who had just received the new car that morning.

However, it was being driven by his brother at the time of the accident.

Photos of the family posing with the new car circulated on social media after the accident.

Stop speculation: Malaysia police says

Local police reminded the public not to speculate about the incident, noting that many rumours were being circulated.

Kedah police chief Adzli Abu Shah requested that the public give space to the police to conduct a full investigation to determine the actual cause of the incident, the New Straits Times reported.

He also commented on speculation about the races of the driver, saying that both the lorry driver and the family in the car were Malays.

While the lorry driver's urine screening turned out negative, he has a record of seven prior summons and will be remanded for further investigations, Adzli said.

An ephemeral artwork created on a pavement outside Mountbatten MRT station was removed following a complaint from a member of the public.

The incident subsequently drew wider public attention.

The art piece was created by Marcus Pang, 24, a local power-washing artist, who uses pressurised water to produce images on concrete surfaces.

Mountbatten Member of Parliament Gho Sze Kee has since taken to Facebook to address the incident.

What happened

Pang said in an Instagram post on Jun. 5 that he had been working on a heart-shaped artwork on the walkway outside Mountbatten MRT station on the afternoon of May 31, when he was approached by station staff.

According to Pang, the staff member said a member of the public had raised concerns about "chemicals" being used near a grass patch.

He clarified that the artwork was created using only rainwater on concrete, and that any smell was likely gasoline from his power washer.

He was asked to produce a permit, and when he said one was not required, the staff member replied: "This is Singapore, bro."

Police were subsequently called, but found that no offence had been committed.

When Pang returned the next day to complete the piece, he found it had been cleaned off entirely.

"This incident stirs up larger questions for our society": Gho

In a Facebook post on Jun. 7, Gho said she had been aware of Pang's work in the neighbourhood for some time and had personally found it a welcome addition, though she had chosen not to publicise it.

"I never posted about this because I did not feel it right to opportunistically latch onto his social media eyeballs. And I believe in quiet deeds, and not performative action."

She also clarified that the area around the station falls under SMRT's jurisdiction, not the town council's, and that it was SMRT staff who had removed the artwork.

She added that she had already asked her grassroots leader, the chairman of the constituency's arts interest group, to reach out to Pang.

"This incident stirs up larger questions for our society. There will always be tension between artistic creativity, free expression and the rules that hold our shared spaces together," Gho wrote.

She also posed a broader question to residents: "How much room do we make for spontaneous beauty? How should we weigh between those who are delighted against those who are not?"

She added:

"I think the best way for now, is to work with us. Collaborate with us, let us manage the space for you."

Gho invited artists to work with the constituency directly, saying: "If you too have an idea for art in our neighbourhood, please do feel free to reach out to me."

Other MPs show support

Pang's post attracted responses from other MPs as well.

Sengkang MP Jamus Lim of the Workers' Party commented: "I love it! Come do it in Sengkang!"

Whampoa-Boon Keng MP Shawn Loh similarly offered to his support, writing: "Please come and give us a recce!"

Pang previously told Mothership he plans to gain endorsements from interested MPs before proceeding with future projects.

"I'll try to warm the cockles of the heart of the residents at Sengkang first," he said.

SMRT also commented on Pang's post, expressing openness to collaboration and noting it was a supporter of the arts.

The transport operator said it would welcome a conversation about working together on something more permanent.

"We're flattered you chose the pavement outside our station as your latest canvas — clearly the power washer was feeling particularly inspired that day.

As enthusiastic supporters of the arts, we'd love to chat about collaborating on something with a longer run. We champion non-disappearing art. 🎨😉"

Pang also said he has put any plans for Mountbatten on hold for now.

Daiso will close its Tampines 1 outlet on Jun. 22 after 14 years of operations, marking the chain's third closure in six months.

The Japanese living ware chain announced the closure in a Jun. 6 Facebook post.

The outlet's last business day is Jun. 21, and the company said, "We look forward to serving you at our other outlets".

According to Tampines 1's WordPress, the outlet opened in 2012.

Daiso added that their next-closest stores are at Pasir Ris Mall and Eastpoint Mall.

3rd store to close in 6 months

The Tampines 1 Daiso store is the third to close in six months, after the 100AM outlet at Tanjong Pagar shuttered in January and the store at Sembawang Shopping Centre closed in April.

Known as a 100 yen (S$0.80) chain in Japan, Daiso opened its first Singapore store and flagship at IMM in 2002.

According to its website, Daiso operates more than 30 stores in Singapore, with most of its products priced at S$2.18.

Their offerings expanded with the introduction of the Threeppy concept at Funan Mall in 2019 and their Standard Products line at Jurong Point in 2022.

Its newest store opened at 71 Kallang Bahru on Jan. 19, 2026.

https://www.facebook.com/DAISOSingaporeOfficial/posts/1405032354983683?ref=embed_post

A horrific accident in Malaysia saw six people dead, in a car of seven.

They were driving a Proton X50.

The driver, 27, his brother, 21, his wife, 27, his mother-in-law, 55, his son, 7, and a six-month-old baby died on the scene.

The only survivor was the driver's three-year-old daughter.

The girl was taken to the hospital.

According to Malaysian media reports, the car appears to have veered into the other lane, right in front of the incoming lorry.

Enam individu, termasuk seorang bayi berusia enam bulan, maut manakala seorang lagi cedera parah selepas kenderaan utiliti sukan (SUV) yang dinaiki mereka terbabit dalam kemalangan dengan sebuah lori tanah di Kampung Baru Pinang Tunggal, Kedah.#BuletinTV3 #KemalanganMaut #6Maut… pic.twitter.com/g3BOiWjojx

— Buletin TV3 (@BuletinTV3) June 7, 2026

HDB will launch around 6,900 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in its June 2026 sales exercise, with 2,520 of those units coming with wait times of around three years or less.

The shorter wait time flats, spread across three projects in Sembawang and Ang Mo Kio, make up more than a third of the total offering, per the announcement.

Sembawang Portico & Sembawang Brook

Two of the three projects are Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) launches in the Sembawang North estate.

Sembawang Portico, bounded by Admiralty Lane and Sembawang Drive, will offer 875 units of 2-room Flexi, 3-room, 4-room and 5-room flats, with a wait time of two years and seven months.

Sembawang Brook, bounded by Admiralty Street and Sungei Sembawang, will offer 1,160 units, including 3Gen flats for multi-generational families, with a slightly longer wait time of two years and nine months.

According to HDB, both projects are adjacent to each other. Residents can expect amenities such as cooked food stalls, childcare centres, minimarts and bus services to be up and running about six months after the first batch of residents collect their keys.

Sun Plaza and Bukit Canberra, which houses a hawker centre, polyclinic, and sports facilities, are also nearby.

Kebun Baru Ridge

Kebun Baru Ridge is situated along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 2 and will offer 485 units of 3-room and 4-room flats across three residential blocks, with a wait time of 3 years and 1 month.

Residents will have access to a minimart and an eating house within the development, with Mayflower Shopping & Food Centre, Kebun Baru Market & Food Centre and Ang Mo Kio Town Centre nearby. Mayflower MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line is also a short bus ride away, per HDB.

Four more projects coming

Beyond the three shorter wait time projects, four additional BTO projects in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Bukit Merah and Woodlands will also be offered in the June exercise. HDB said more details, including their classification categories, will be released when the sales exercise launches.

Singaporeans do not stay silent at work because they are disengaged or have nothing to say.

According to leadership expert Crystal Lim-Lange, it may be because they are “damn smart”.

Why Singaporeans don’t speak up

In an Instagram reel posted on Jun. 6, Lim-Lange said Singaporeans often do not speak up because they are aware that their workplaces may not be safe enough for them to do so.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Crystal Lim-Lange (@crystallimlange)

Speaking at Vogue Singapore's inaugural Wellness Day on Jun. 6, 2026, the founder and CEO of consultancy Forest Wolf said employees are constantly weighing one question: "Will I be rewarded, or will I be punished?"

For many employees, she said, the answer is clear.

She added that this is why she is sceptical when companies ask her to conduct “speak up” workshops.

According to Lim-Lange, the problem is not that employees do not know how to speak up, but that the workplace environment itself may not support it.

She said:

“And the reason is because you need to fix your psychological safety, your inclusion, your learner safety, your contributor safety, and your challenger safety."

In the caption of her Instagram reel, Lim-Lange wrote that people are “always scanning the environment” to see what happens to those who take risks.

Not just about teaching employees to speak up

In response to queries from Mothership, Lim-Lange said she believed the reel resonated because it “named something many Singaporeans grapple with every day".

“We are tired of being told to be innovative, to have courage and to speak up, because many who have tried have faced backlash, and are now understandably cynical."

She explained that the issue cuts both ways: employees need to stop self-censoring and learn to challenge others skilfully, while leaders must respect and reward those who do. Without that, the unspoken pressure to "not rock the boat" persists.

Employees have told her they fear being seen as difficult or marked as troublemakers — and that even when feedback is given, nothing changes.

Leaders need to reward thoughtful dissent

Lim-Lange told Mothership that leaders should reward thoughtful dissent because it shows that employees care enough to speak up and improve the final outcome.

“It shows they have skin in the game. I get more worried when there is silence in the room.”

She added that leaders should make space for quieter voices and openly share their own failures and challenges, so that others feel safe enough to be vulnerable.

Psychological safety, she stressed, is not about lowering standards, but rather it is about building an environment where people feel safe enough to speak honestly before small issues become bigger ones.

“Artificial harmony” can make problems worse

Lim-Lange also pointed to the concept of “artificial harmony”, where everything appears polite and peaceful on the surface, but real issues remain unspoken.

She said high-performing cultures tend to have high intellectual friction and low social friction.

In contrast, low-performing cultures may avoid open disagreement, uncomfortable issues and difficult conversations.

Speaking to Mothership, she said while this may appear harmonious in the short term, unresolved issues can later surface as bigger conflicts, passive-aggressive behaviour, poor decision-making, duplicated work or inefficiency.

"Avoiding conflict in the short term can actually create more conflict in the long term."

She added that this extends beyond workplaces into Singapore society, pointing to discussions around casual racism as an example where "OB markers" discourage fully open discussion.

“Many times the message that Singaporeans may receive, consciously or subconsciously, is that we are not a society that is ready for open and constructive challenge."

Reel resonated with many online

The reel appeared to strike a chord with users, many of whom shared their own views on why employees may hesitate to raise concerns at work.

One commenter said that employees often get punished for speaking up, adding that bosses “like obedient people”.

Another user said companies often claim to value employees who speak up and want psychological safety, but may react badly when staff actually raise issues.

Lim-Lange said this reflects a deeper cultural conditioning in Asian societies where people are often cultivated from young to value harmony and respect authority, whether in relation to the government, parents or bosses.

While she acknowledged that it has its strengths, like social cohesion and stability, she argued that Singapore will need to be bolder as AI reshapes the economy.

She drew a comparison with Singapore’s pioneer generation, saying they had to be courageous and bold when survival was at stake after separation from Malaysia.

“The question isn’t whether we can afford to hear dissenting voices. It’s whether we can afford not to.”

A 61-year-old woman allegedly drove her Porsche into the ground-floor café of a hotel along Persiaran Gurney in Penang, Malaysia, at 11:47am on Jun. 7, after reportedly mistaking the accelerator for the brake.

The woman, from Bukit Mertajam, had driven to the combined hotel and condominium building in Persiaran Gurney to pick up her grandson and was waiting at the ground-floor lobby when the incident occurred.

What happened

According to Sin Chew Daily, the woman appeared unfamiliar with the vehicle's controls and allegedly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake, sending the Porsche crashing through the entrance of the hotel café. A counter inside the café stopped the car from going further.

A female staff member was badly frightened by the impact, though no one was injured. The café had no customers at the time. The woman got out of the car in a panic and was also uninjured.

The Porsche sustained damage on all sides, including its mirrors, and all four airbags deployed on impact.

Northeast police chief Assistant Commissioner Abdul Rozak Muhammad said in a statement that preliminary investigations suggest the woman mistakenly hit the accelerator instead of the brake as she was about to leave.

He said:

"No fatalities or injuries were reported. The extent of losses is still under investigation."

Café to remain closed

A hotel representative told Sin Chew Daily that staff had immediately cleared the scene and locked the café, barring entry to others.

The representative said:

"The hotel will seek compensation from the driver, but the loss amount cannot be estimated at this time, and the café is expected to remain closed for an extended period."

Investigations ongoing

The case is being investigated for careless and inconsiderate driving, an offence punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a maximum fine of RM10,000 (S$3,200).

A 20-year-old American university student who went missing while on holiday in Japan has been found dead in a mountainous area outside Kyoto.

James “Weston” Higginbotham, an Auburn University student from Alabama, was found by a volunteer search-and-rescue group on Jun. 7, after he was last seen on May 29 near Kyoto’s Yamashina area.

Family is heartbroken

Kyoto police said Weston’s body was found at around 2:35pm on Jun. 7 by volunteers searching the mountains in the city’s Yamashina area, according to CNN.

Police added that no foul play is suspected, and said they would not disclose the cause of death.

“The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” Nancy Higginbotham, Weston’s mother, said in a Facebook post.

"We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston, but cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like."

Last seen on May 29

Weston had been in Japan with his parents and brother when he went missing on May 29, reported CNN.

His mother had earlier shared in a Facebook post on Jun. 6 that he was last seen entering the Higashiyama mountain range from the Yamashina Station area in Kyoto.

Weston had left his family to explore Kyoto on his own, after a disagreement with his mother over her use of ChatGPT to help navigate their trip.

His family later saw, through the Life360 location-sharing app, that he had taken a train and visited several stores.

They texted him to ask where he was going, but his location was turned off shortly after, which his mother said was out of character for him.

His parents believed he may have been heading towards a nearby hiking trail, according to CBS News. His mother had earlier said she feared he could have been injured or lost.

Search efforts involved police, dogs and helicopters

Search efforts were later focused on the wooded areas around Yamashina, where Weston had last been seen on CCTV walking alone towards a path leading to a hiking trail.

Police began searching the forest on Jun. 2, as reported by CNN, but the operation was affected by a storm that brought strong winds and heavy rain to the region that night.

A 72-hour police search, which involved more than 100 officers, K-9 units and helicopters, ended on Jun. 6.

His family then launched their own search effort on Jun. 7, with help from local residents and a hired search-and-rescue team, focusing on parts of the Yamashina forest that had not been covered by police.

In her Facebook post on Jun. 6, Nancy appealed to experienced hikers, trail runners, outdoor groups and locals familiar with the area to help search trails, wooded areas and remote sections of the Higashiyama mountain range.

Family asks for privacy

After Weston was found, his family thanked those who had helped share his story and supported the search.

“We are deeply grateful to the countless people across the United States, Japan, and around the world who shared Weston’s story, prayed for our family, offered encouragement, and helped in the search efforts,” Nancy wrote.

She added that the family had shared their story publicly in the hope of finding him, and asked for privacy as they deal with the loss.

His mother described him to CNN as someone who loved nature, hiking and learning about the world.

He had also become vegan about a year ago, as part of his focus on protecting the environment.

She said:

“He just loves to go outside and go for a walk at a trail or go for a small hike, no matter what time of day.”

She added that his dream was to travel and visit mountains and other places where he could experience different cultures.

The government is closely monitoring the rising costs of food prices, especially for hawkers, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.

Speaking to the media during a community visit to the Canberra ward of Sembawang GRC on Jun. 6, Fu shared that the authorities have been in close contact with hawkers and food distributors.

She added that the worry about the cost of living is "real and pressing" and is a priority for the government.

"So far, we know that from a wholesaling point of view, wholesale prices have remained stable. But obviously, all the sectors are impacted by logistics costs, so if you are further down the distribution chain into retail, you will find that the cost of moving goods has impacted the cost of food prices," said Fu.

"So we are watching that very carefully, particularly with our hawkers. We understand that the cost of food is a big part of their expenses, and we stand ready to assist them if needed."

Fu further emphasised that sustaining hawkers and their livelihoods is a priority for the government.

Community help

Beyond government assistance like CDC vouchers and one-time cost-of-living payments, Fu shared that the community can also help manage the rising cost of living.

"We have various schemes that the Canberra Division is putting out, whether it is cheaper drinks or cheaper groceries at discounted prices. I think all these little bits help to keep (the) cost of living in control, so we hope that more communities and businesses can step forward also to address these issues."

Fu added that households can help as well by being more adaptable and flexible with their food choices, such as purchasing essential groceries whose prices are frozen by supermarkets to manage their expenses.

"Together with the government, with the businesses, with the community, and households, we can weather this together," said Fu.