Two Filipino men cycled past a red light and collided with a 65-year-old man crossing the road.

The elderly man suffered a fracture.

Boromeo Judelle David, 32, and Buendia Billy Ray Mercado, 42, pleaded guilty on Jun. 24 to a charge of rash behaviour endangering the safety of others and a charge of rash behaviour causing grievous hurt, respectively.

Friends

In court documents seen by Mothership, both men were good friends.

On Mar. 15, 2025, they decided to cycle from Pasir Ris to Ubi.

At about 5pm, they were cycling along Pasir Ris Drive 3 towards Elias Road.

At that time, the weather was clear, and traffic was light.

David was in front of Mercado.

When they reached the traffic light in front of Pasir Ris Swimming Complex, the light had already turned red.

The pair ignored the signal and continued cycling into the pedestrian crossing area.

According to Shin Min Daily News, dashcam footage shown in court revealed that the pair paused their pedalling for a brief moment and continued to let their bicycles move despite the red light.

Collision

At that moment, the 65-year-old man jogging ran towards them along the pedestrian walkway on their left.

When he reached the traffic light, which had turned green for pedestrians, he turned right to cross the road.

However, David, who weighed about 115kg at the time of the incident, collided with the man.

The man was thrown into the air due to the impact of the collision.

As the man fell onto the ground, Mercado was unable to avoid him and ran over him with his bicycle, specifically over his left leg and right knee.

Mercado and his bicycle toppled over the man, which caused the man to suffer abrasions on his right knee.

Attended

Immediately after the collision, the pair stopped cycling and attended to the man.

David called for medical assistance, and the pair stayed with the victim until paramedics arrived.

The man was conveyed to the Chang General Hospital.

The pair also gave their contact details to the man’s son, who arrived shortly after the incident.

Injuries

According to medical reports, the man was diagnosed with a fracture in both forearm bones just above the left wrist.

He required surgery and a post-operative splint for his left upper limb.

Immobilisation was also required.

The man was eventually discharged from the hospital.

He was given a 50-day hospitalisation leave from Mar. 15, 2025 to May 3, 2025.

The man only resumed work sometime in June 2025.

On Mar. 23, the pair agreed to pay the man S$6,000 in compensation for the incident.

Responsibility

The prosecution urged a two to three-week jail term for Mercado and a four to six-week jail term for David, arguing they bore a responsibility as road users to observe road traffic rules, which were put in place to ensure the safety of others.

While they took some precautionary measures by slowing down slightly as they approached the pedestrian crossing, the prosecution said they still ran the red light.

The momentum of their bicycles carried them forward at a speed that left them unable to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid colliding with the man.

The pair’s lawyer argued that the pair not only kept in touch with the man’s son, but also visited him with a fruit basket.

The pair also voluntarily provided the man monetary compensation and were remorseful.

Their lawyer further argued that the pair did not notice the man as their line of sight was blocked by the traffic light, citing the dashcam video.

Both men pleaded for leniency.

The case was adjourned to Aug. 4 for sentencing.

Looking for a place to have fun with your family and friends? Or are you a big fan of Minecraft?

Here’s something you might want to check out – the Minecraft Experience at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve, marking its first-ever stop in Asia.

Running from now to Sep. 13, 2026, visitors will get to fully immerse themselves in an interactive Minecraft adventure, complete with a quest storyline and mob battles in various Minecraft biomes.

Plus, you don’t actually need to be a Minecraft player to enjoy yourself at the exhibition, which was what I discovered to my pleasant surprise when I paid a visit.

Knowing nothing about Minecraft and still having a ball of a time

When I joined the exhibition, I was given the following interactive cube, also known as an “Orb of Interaction", right at the start.

As I soon discovered, this cube is your entire key to enjoying the experience – it allows you to interact with the various displays and figures you will encounter through the adventure, including doing battle with familiar Minecraft mobs such as Creepers and Spiders.

There are also various life-sized statues of such mobs and farm animals located throughout the exhibition (Hint: place your “orb” on the statues to hear what they sound like).

Naturally, I could not resist taking lots of photos of the mobs.

The first area of the exhibition, called “The Forest” provided me with a chance to familiarise myself with the “orb’s” various uses.

Such as hacking down this tree, which I found to be oddly gratifying.

For the next room, I found that I had to run around a bit to place my “orb” on Minecraft’s iconic Crafting Tables to craft various equipment such as swords and axes[c], in a manner similar to the game.

The number of equipment that needs to be crafted might sound like a lot, but together with other participants in the group running around to “collect” materials such as iron and wood for the items, we were done in no time.

Build a village and receive a mission to rescue them

Once this area was complete, our next task was to help build up a village by interacting with the following table.

We then received a mission to rescue them because, unfortunately, all of them were turned into zombies.

This kickstarted my favourite portion of the exhibition: going through three Minecraft biomes – swamps, taiga and ocean – to hunt for the ingredients to rescue the villagers in buried treasure chests.

Why do I say favourite? Because here is where you feel like you are truly in the wilds, with even the floor coming alive as part of the immersive landscape.

(Hint: You can interact with the floor as well!)

Things then began to heat up when we arrived at the next area – a Minecraft mineshaft to battle even more zombies, creepers and spiders so that you can collect another ingredient exclusive only to the mineshaft – gunpowder.

Cue even more furious waving with my cube to take down what felt like a never-ending horde of spiders.

Next, we had to build a Nether Portal with lava and water, using our “orb” to mix them to create obsidian, the building block of the portal.

I decided to relax, after all that hard battling in the mineshaft, and let the others do the job.

This portal brought us to the Nether, where we had to first pass a game of Floor is Lava to reach the Nether Fortress, while looking out for the floating rocks and striders on the ground.

At the fortress, we had to battle against blazes, the mobs of the final level, before facing off against their leader, essentially the “final boss” of the Minecraft Experience, to pick up their loot – blaze rods.

This time, instead of using our “orb”, we had to rely on how quickly and accurately we could throw snowballs at the mobs.

As expected, no one could match the zeal and enthusiasm of the children in the group in pelting the blazes and their leader, and so us adults decided to let these elite warriors do the job.

I admit, I was a little confused as to how battling lava monsters would contribute to saving the villagers but if you are a Minecraft player, you would have probably picked up that the Blaze Rods are meant for “crafting” with the Brewing Stand – the device that will, in turn, allow you to craft the potion to help cure the zombified villagers.

At the end of it all, it was time to use the materials we had collected to rescue the zombified villagers using a Brewing Stand.

This included tapping and shaking our “orb”, and yes, I couldn’t help but shake it like a post-workout protein shake at the gym.

We then got to see how many villagers we managed to save with our other tour members, along with a list of our achievements.

I daresay, we did a pretty great job, myself included.

Treats for completing the quest

Keen to bring back a piece of the experience with you?

You can buy The Obsidian Package online, which is inclusive of a free limited-edition tote bag, a Collector’s Gold Pin, and a VIP Potion Medal & themed lanyard along with other goodies at S$44.90.

All guests will also be able to receive an in-game reward for Minecraft: a rare, limited-edition Minecraft Experience cape!

Discounts galore

Keen on saving the village? Here’s some good news: if you bring your friends and family along, you get to enjoy group discounts of up to 20 per cent off on your tickets!

What’s more, the experience is also available for purchase as a bundle with other attractions at Mandai Wildlife Reserve, including Exploria, Singapore Zoo and Night Safari with a discount of up to 20 per cent, thereby allowing you to make full use of your day at the Mandai Wildlife Reserve.

You can find out more information about the experience here.

Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue location and details:

Duration: Apr. 24 to Sep. 13, 2026

Address: Green Canvas, Exhibition Hall 1 & 2, Mandai Wildlife Reserve

Opening hours: Monday – Friday: 11am – 7pm | Saturday & Sunday: 10am – 8pm

Monday – Sunday (Public Holidays & School Holidays): 10am – 8pm

Duration: Entry can be booked in 15-minute slots. Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue takes approximately 55 minutes to complete.

Price: From S$46 for adults and S$40 for children

Age Requirement: Open to all ages. Children aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Children aged 0-2 may enter for free (no ticket purchase necessary).

Accessibility: The exhibition is wheelchair accessible.

This branded article made the writer consider becoming a Minecraft player

A 40-year-old Taiwanese man who slept only four to five hours a day and was faced with high work pressure suddenly suffered a stroke, but was able to avoid permanent disability as he received medical treatment in time.

The tech engineer, Zhang, did not know he had high blood pressure, Guang Ming Daily reported, adding that he would often stay up late to watch dramas, read novels and play mobile games.

Received treatment in time

However, after suddenly experiencing symptoms including weakness in his right limbs, slurred speech, and drooling, he was rushed to the emergency room Sin Chew Daily reported.

Despite being diagnosed with an acute ischemic stroke, he avoided permanent disability and his brain function was successfully restored as he received medical treatment in time.

Risk factors

A neurologist at Fengyuan Hospital said that Zhang did not seek medical attention as he had not been experiencing any obvious discomfort.

Noting that the risk of stroke is further increased by long-term sleep deprivation and work stress, he added that recent clinical data show the number of stroke patients under the age of 45 to be gradually increasing.

Guang Ming Daily reported that, on top of genetic factors, other risk factors include poor control of chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, as well as long-term sleep deprivation, high work pressure, lack of exercise and smoking.

FAST

The neurologist also said signs of stroke can be quickly identified using the "FAST" mnemonic, including Face (facial drooping), Arm (arm weakness), Speech (difficulty speaking), and Time (get to the hospital immediately).

Those who experience any of these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately, he added.

Patients who arrive at the hospital and complete the assessment as early as four and a half hours after the onset of symptoms can receive intravenous thrombolysis treatment if they meet the criteria, he said.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, this refers to treatment that stops blood clots and can lessen the damage from a heart attack, pulmonary embolism or stroke.

A Japanese influencer who spent four years saving up to attend the 2026 World Cup in North America has hit back at online accusations claiming she could not have funded the trip herself.

Inori, a TikTok livestreamer with over 350,000 followers across social media platforms, posted a selfie at the stadium during Japan's match against the Netherlands on Jun. 15. The photo went viral on X, but also drew a wave of unsolicited scepticism.

Comments included accusations that she had no real interest in football, was only there to be seen, and that a "sugar daddy" had paid for her trip. Some questioned whether she even understood the rules of the game, according to Shueisha Online.

日本🇯🇵vsオランダ🇳🇱

勝ってぇ🥺#W杯 #worldcup pic.twitter.com/UDiR49hS81

— いのり (@_inooori_) June 14, 2026

Four years of saving

Inori told Shueisha Online she had decided to attend this World Cup four years ago, after seeing posts from fans who had made the trip to the previous tournament.

She said:

"Back then I was a university student and didn't have the money to go overseas. But I thought that with four years, depending on what I do, I might be able to make it happen."

The total cost of the trip, which includes flights, accommodation, and tickets, amounted to around ¥3 million (S$24,054). It was also her first time travelling overseas. She booked through a travel agency as she was unfamiliar with arranging international trips on her own.

She added:

"I was always conscious of saving money because I knew it would be expensive. But I didn't think of it as a hardship or effort, I chose ways to keep going that I genuinely enjoyed."

A lifelong football fan

Inori's love of football goes back to her school days, when a friend's father gave her tickets to a Cerezo Osaka match, her first time at a stadium. She later started following the Japanese league, studied sports management at university with a focus on growing female fandom in football, and continues to attend matches regularly.

On watching Japan play live for the first time overseas, she told Shueisha:

"I've watched Japan play in Japan before, but the energy from fans who had travelled all the way overseas was just different. The atmosphere, the heat, the passion of the supporters really came through."

She had also been looking forward to seeing Netherlands footballer Virgil van Dijk in person, having followed him since high school. But when it came to the match itself, she was of course rooting for Japan.

She said:

"Even if I have a favourite player, I want Japan to win."

On the online backlash

Inori said the criticism was hurtful but not entirely surprising, adding that she felt compelled to speak up not just for herself but for female football fans more broadly.

She told Shueisha that some of the accusations, including that she wasn't actually watching the match or that she was paid to be there, were absolutely untrue.

She added that during this World Cup, female fans in particular seemed to be bearing the brunt of online hostility, which concerned her.

"You don't need to draw a line over who is a 'real' fan. I just want excessive online abuse to stop. I want to see more female supporters."

After his ex-girlfriend blocked him on a messaging platform, a Singaporean man shared her nudes on a religious-themed porn group out of spite.

The group chat contained obscene images and videos of tudung-clad women, according to charge sheets seen by Mothership.

The man was caught after the victim went undercover on the platform to investigate.

For his crimes, the accused, 27, was handed two years and eight months' jail and two strokes of the cane, CNA reported.

He was also made to pay S$4,000 in compensation to the victim, who nearly committed suicide and was estranged from her mother due to the incident.

Incident

According to court documents, the victim and the accused were in a relationship in 2016 after meeting in a religious school.

The pair, then 15 and 17, respectively, exchanged intimate photos and videos at the accused's persuasion.

They broke up sometime in 2017 or 2018 after the victim found the accused to be possessive and toxic.

She requested that he delete any photos and videos of her he had, which he agreed to, but was unaware he had kept them for his "viewing pleasure".

On Apr. 12, 2021, during the month of Ramadan, the accused texted the victim to seek forgiveness for his behaviour during the relationship.

He also asked to get back together with her, even though he was in a relationship with someone else.

However, the victim did not respond to his messages and instead blocked him, which enraged the accused.

He decided to humiliate her.

Uploading nudes

Prior to this, the accused had created an account on a pornography social media platform, "MeWe", where he joined several groups, including two involving non-consensual pornography.

One was an open-access group that allowed anyone on the platform to access its content, while the tudung group was a closed group requiring administrator access.

The platform had millions of users at this point.

The accused renamed his account into the victim's name, then proceeded to upload on the open-access group snippets of the victim engaging in a sex act.

Between Apr. 12, 2021 and May 24, 2021, he posted snippets of the same video about 10 times on that group.

Around the same time, he began posting the snippets on the tudung group.

He also posted a series of the victim's photos alongside the snippets in the tudung group.

Some were recent photos retrieved from the victim's Facebook page, while another was a selfie he had of the victim performing a sex act while clad in full religious garb, in which her face could be seen.

Knowing that the victim was attending religious education at this time, and that many of the members of the tudung group were Singaporean or Malaysian Malays, he captioned these photos "SG Madrasah Babe".

Two users were attracted by the accused's post and began following him on the platform, which in turn allowed him to view their pornographic content.

The trio would often discuss rape fantasies amongst themselves.

The accused would also personally send the snippets to other users on the tudung group, some of whom would re-post them.

Discovery

On May 22, 2021, the victim received an Instagram message from an unknown male sexually soliciting her as he was under the impression that she had posted her own nudes on "MeWe".

The victim then realised that someone was impersonating her and asked the man where he had obtained her nudes.

He, in turn, sent her a link to the tudung group.

Suspecting it was the accused who had shared her nudes, the victim was deeply distressed for a few days, but gathered up her courage and decided to undertake her own investigation.

She created an undercover account on the platform and joined the tudung group, where she was horrified to discover her images among many obscene posts of various tudung-clad women.

Realising that one of the user's accounts had various non-obscene photos of female religious leaders, the victim informed one of the religious leaders about it, and then lodged a police report.

Her efforts allowed authorities to investigate the tudung group and to request that MeWe shut it down.

On May 27, 2021, the police found that the group had 79,348 members.

When the news broke that same day, the accused panicked and deleted his MeWe account. He also deleted the intimate videos and photos he had retained of the victim on his cloud account.

He was arrested the next day.

His phone was seized, and the police were able to retrieve snapshots of the videos and photos retained by him.

On Sep. 20, 2023, the accused contacted the victim through an anonymous account on Telegram, trying to apologise to her, but she blocked him.

Victim suffered distress

The victim continued to suffer from distress from the offence.

As of June 2025, she continued to be contacted by her acquaintances about her intimate videos and images circulating on social media.

She did not seek therapy or psychological support as she felt it would be expensive.

The court noted that she tried to end her life but was stopped in time by her sister.

She continued to feel the emotional and mental strain of the impact and lived in constant fear that people would recognise her and that her nudes were still being distributed.

She also became estranged from her religious mother as a result of the incident.

Her friendships were affected, and she had not been able to enter a romantic relationship for five years due to trust issues.

In the immediate aftermath, the victim’s grades were affected due to stress and anxiety stemming from the offence.

She had initially considered being a female religious teacher herself, but decided not to work in the industry anymore, as she was afraid of the shame that would result if her nudes were discovered by others in the industry.

Charges

The accused pleaded guilty to one charge of intentionally distributing intimate content of the victim without her consent to humiliate her.

Calling it an egregious case of “revenge porn”, the prosecutor sought 30 to 36 months' jail, three strokes of the cane and S$5,000 in compensation to the victim, saying she was a minor and was identifiable in the snippets.

However, the defence sought 12 months' jail with no caning and S$500 in compensation.

He said as the accused had been driven by anger at the victim’s rejection, he committed the offence on impulse and opportunistically following the rejection of his request for forgiveness.

The judge considered the planning, preparation and premeditation by the accused and the impact his actions had on the victim.

He also noted that the accused had spoken of the victim in demeaning words on the platform.

Given the circumstances, the accused’s culpability was found to be at the "lower end of high".

A number of teens are retreating into extreme isolation, cutting themselves off from society completely.

The Japanese term, hikikomori, meaning "being pulled inward", refers to reclusive individuals who withdraw from social life into extreme isolation, a phenomenon that first gained prominence in 1990s Japan.

The reality of these "modern hermits" in Singapore is explored in the CNA documentary "Shutdown", which premiered on Jun. 22.

The documentary follows the lives of these hidden youths, including extreme cases like John (not his real name), who has not left his bedroom in nearly two years except to use the bathroom.

Locked in

Since November 2023, John's father, Chuah Soon Ann, said his son has locked himself in his room for nearly two years.

Despite his parents' daily attempts to reconnect, John has not responded to their efforts.

To minimise his trips to the bathroom, Chuah said that John even limits his daily water intake.

He only leaves his room in the dead of night when the rest of the family is asleep.

One psychiatrist even told Chuah that "there is nothing more we can do for your son", a statement that he said broke his heart.

Attempts by John's mother to enter the room have been met with anger, resulting in John banging on the doors or walls.

"You are at a loss, you are shocked, you are anxious... You don't know how to manage this child, you also don't know how to manage yourself because you yourself also don't know how to help the child."

Recalling the last time she saw John, she said that while she was changing his bedsheets, she accidentally bumped into him in the kitchen and he became very angry.

After that encounter, John locked himself in his room completely and refused to let his mother in.

Stepping out

On Jul. 31, 2025, John stepped out of his room for the first time in nearly two years.

Chuah recounted seeing his son for the first time, whose long hair had grown to cover his face like a veil.

"I was overjoyed, but at the same time, I was overwhelmed by the scene I saw."

Chuah noted that for almost two years, they had not seen him and immediately noticed his physical changes.

"He (had) grown taller. He didn't eat well [...] He's like totally destroyed – physically, mentally, emotionally."

When his mother saw him, she asked if he was okay and if he needed help.

For the first time, she received a response: John shook his head.

Following this breakthrough, his parents' sole focus became keeping him engaged so he would continue leaving his room.

Through the documentary, there are glimpses of progress and relapse.

After his first step out of the room, John began eating meals with his parents – a milestone his parents carefully tracked for four months.

However, he suddenly relapsed, retreating back into isolation, and communicating only through violent banging on the walls at night.

His parents suspect the relapse was triggered when his mobile phone stopped working.

The ordeal has taken a heavy toll on the family, so much so that they have stopped taking vacations with their two other children to focus on caring for John.

Despite the immense challenge, John's parents remain undeterred.

Chuah has since stepped forward to become an advocate for hikikomori youth, aiming to raise public awareness about the condition in Singapore.

Singapore's situation

Social service agency Fei Yue Community Services has logged over 100 cases of hikikomori youth since 2020, according to the documentary.

Benjamin Yeo, a lead social worker at Fei Yue Community Services, explained that while hikikomori youth do experience mental health issues, the cause of their isolation is not primarily triggered by mental illness.

"We see that very often, mental health is an effect of isolation, rather than the cause."

He added that supporting these youth requires "more than mental health treatment and intervention".

Although there are no studies or publications addressing this condition in Singapore yet, schools have reported an increase of students struggling with social anxiety and isolation.

Social workers expect these numbers to increase if left unaddressed.

Yeo estimates that the average age a youth goes into isolation is around 13, likely due to their transition into secondary school and mid-adolescence.

On average, such youth only encounter social workers at around 15.

By that point, the youth would have already been isolated for about a year and seven months before receiving help.

Without timely intervention, professionals warn that these youth risk remaining isolated well into adulthood.

You can watch the full three parts here:

]]> 1154813 https://mothership.sg/2026/06/china-girl-dies-unlicensed-pharmacist/ 2026-06-26T11:46:59 https://mothership.sg/2026/06/china-girl-dies-unlicensed-pharmacist/

A 12-year-old girl in China's Jilin Province died after taking seven different medications prescribed to her for a cough and cold by a pharmacy that was reportedly operating without a licensed pharmacist on duty.

Citing local Chinese media, Sin Chew Daily reported that the store's manager is also suspected of carrying out unauthorised medical activities.

The pharmacy now faces fines totalling RMB280,000 (about S$53,400).

What happened

According to Sin Chew Daily, the incident took place on May 1.

The girl, identified as Lu Jiaqi (transliteration), collapsed after taking the third dose of the medication that morning.

She reportedly stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest, and later passed away despite resuscitation attempts.

According to her older sister, after Lu developed cough and cold symptoms, their mother visited a nearby pharmacy to buy medication.

As the pharmacy's manager was away at the time, Lu's mother described her daughter's symptoms to him over the phone.

She was then given seven different medications that had reportedly been prepared by him, including licorice slices, prednisone and anti-inflammatory tablets.

The medications had been repackaged into individual packets and were sold without labels indicating their names, dosages, contraindications or expiry dates.

When Lu's mother left the pharmacy, she bumped into the manager, surnamed Xu, who was returning to the store.

Xu reportedly assured her that there was nothing wrong with the medications.

Initial medical reports

A presumptive death certificate issued by the hospital listed the cause of death as a heart attack, Sin Chew Daily reported.

A forensic report later found that Lu had died from acute heart failure caused by myocardial noncompaction cardiomyopathy, a rare congenital heart condition resulting from abnormal heart muscle development.

Although the forensic pathologist said the condition would have been difficult to detect clinically without an autopsy, the report stated that respiratory infection and the medications taken were contributing factors in her death.

It added that the cough suppressant she had taken was among the medications identified as contributing to the fatal outcome.

Case sparked public concern

The case sparked public concern over the pharmacy's decision to recommend seven different medications for a 12-year-old based solely on a telephone description of her symptoms, as well as whether dispensing the drugs in adult dosages met professional standards.

As reported in Sin Chew Daily, local market regulators said the pharmacy's pharmacist registration had expired in January 2026 and that the business was operating without a licensed pharmacist at the time of the incident.

The local health bureau also found that the pharmacy's manager had previously carried out unauthorised medical activities.

The pharmacy now faces a fine of RMB230,000 (about S$43,945) for operating without a licensed pharmacist, as well as a fine of RMB50,000 (about S$9,553) for conducting unauthorised medical activities.

Police said investigations are ongoing and that the health authorities have yet to determine the final cause of the incident.

Lu's family has also said it has not ruled out pursuing legal action.

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) conducted enforcement operations at the Bugis, Somerset and Yishun areas over three days from Jun. 18 to 20, 2026, as part of ongoing enforcement patrols to detect vape-related offences.

A man, 44, was caught vaping, and had his vaporiser seized.

He was also fined on the spot.

Another individual, a boy, 17, was caught for underage smoking.

He has been referred to the Health Promotion Board (HPB) for cessation counselling, HSA said in a media statement on Jun. 25.

From May 1 to 31, 2026, the authorities caught and penalised 840 persons for the possession and use of vaporisers.

Of these, 678 were regular vaporiser offenders and the remaining 162 were etomidate vaporiser offenders.

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

Those found vaping etomidate can be fined up to S$20,000, or face up to 10 years’ jail, or both.

Two Singaporean men were charged by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Jun. 25, 2026, for harbouring and employing immigration offenders.

According to a Jun. 25 ICA media release, the men charged are 62-year-old Kamarulzaman Bin Yahaya and 27-year-old Mohamad Elfie Hakim Bin Lokman.

62-year-old

Kamarulzaman was charged for harbouring a 54-year-old Filipina, Leonardo Federigan Leonora, who remained unlawfully in Singapore after her visit pass expired on Apr. 28, 2003.

Investigations by ICA found that despite knowing Leonora had overstayed in Singapore, Kamarulzaman allowed her to stay in his Bedok unit from March 2004 to March 2026.

She was subsequently convicted and sentenced to six months' jail and fined S$2,000, the release noted, adding that she was deported after completing her sentence and is barred from re-entering Singapore.

27-year-old

The release added that Elfie was charged for employing a 26-year-old Indian man, Kakadiya Avanit Rajubhai, who remained unlawfully in Singapore after his visit pass expired on Jun. 17, 2025.

ICA investigations found that Elfie had employed Kakadiya as a parcel delivery worker without conducting due diligence checks ensuring that he had a valid pass to remain in Singapore.

Kakadiya, who was later fined S$4,000, has since been deported and is barred from re-entering Singapore.

Penalties

ICA takes a firm stance against any person harbouring immigration offenders, it said in its release.

It added that those who wish to rent out their premises must exercise due diligence in checking the immigration status of their prospective foreign tenants to ensure that their stay in Singapore is legal.

They are required to:

(a) Check the tenant's original immigration/work pass;

(b) Cross check the particulars on their pass against the particulars on their original passport; and

(c) Verify the validity of their pass by checking with the issuing authority (i.e. the Ministry of Manpower for work passes and ICA for immigration passes – Student's Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass).

The release noted that a person found guilty of recklessly or knowingly harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to jail for a term of not less than six months and up to two years and a fine of up to S$6,000.

A person found guilty of negligently harbouring overstayers and/or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to a fine of up to S$6,000 or to jail for a term of up to 12 months, or to both.

Any person found guilty of employing overstayers and/or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to jail for a term of not less than six months and up to two years and a fine of up to S$6,000.

A 40-year-old Malaysian man, who used to be the chief executive officer (CEO) of a food delivery platform company, is now working as a food delivery rider.

Indera Aria Wee Jeeny, who had a company that began operations in 2019, recorded profits of up to RM6 million (S$1,88 million) and had 3,000 active food riders across Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, Malaysia, New Straits Times reported.

Aria apparently did not come from a well-off family.

Downfall

According to Aria, his company was a strategic partner under the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation.

The company suffered losses when an individual allegedly sold an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a competitor for personal gain.

The situation worsened from January 2021 onwards.

Profits reportedly fell between RM40,000 (S$12,551) and RM80,000 (S$25,102) before the business was on the verge of collapsing.

Aria apparently sold assets to pay his employees.

Coins

Aria, who is a father of two, said his life changed completely when the company collapsed.

He apparently could not afford to eat and “even had to dig for coins to buy food”.

“I also had to walk long distances because I had no transport,” he said.

Aria also mentioned that he “began to notice changes in people” around him,

He theorised that they feared he “would ask to borrow money”.

"It was painful because when I was doing well, I had helped them," he told Harian Metro.

Motivation

Aria reportedly regained motivation after recalling the words of a former employee, who was a food rider who remained grateful.

The former employee apparently earned about RM20 (S$6.27) but "was very happy because he could buy food for his child.”

This made Aria motivated and made him “hope to rise again”.

Food rider

Aria currently works as a food rider and takes up jobs purchasing items for a fee of between RM5 (S$1.57) and RM10 (S$3.14).

He also helps people, especially those requiring assistance with vehicle batteries and tyres, whom he meets along the roadside.

“I meet people in need almost every night, and once came across a family who had not eaten for two weeks. I am not well off either, but I try to help as much as I can,” he recalled.

Aria apparently considers what happened in his life a test and a learning experience.

"I am also determined to rise again as a successful entrepreneur and create job opportunities, so I can help more people out there," he said.