The police will be charging a 26-year-old man in court on Aug. 13, 2026 for his suspected involvement in operating massage establishments without valid licences, causing or contributing to the risk of a dangerous fire, and other alleged offences.

Allegedly operated 5 massage shops without valid licences

According to an Aug. 12 police news release, the police conducted several enforcement operations on massage outlets islandwide between June 2025 and December 2025.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had allegedly operated five massage outlets without valid licences at Little India, Beach Road, Macpherson Road, Serangoon Garden and Balestier Road.

Fire, other offences

Further investigations revealed that he was previously involved in two other separate cases.

In October 2021, he allegedly dropped a lit cigarette over the ledge from the fourth floor of a building along Admiralty Street, which subsequently caused a fire.

In September 2024, he allegedly relinquished his bank account and i-banking credentials to a criminal syndicate for S$500.

The release noted that his bank account was subsequently used to facilitate scam operations.

Offences

He will be charged for carrying on businesses of providing massage services in establishments for massage without licences under Section 5(1) of the Massage Establishments Act 2017.

The offence carries a fine of up to S$10,000, a jail term of up to two years, or both.

Repeat offenders are liable to a fine of up to S$20,000, a jail term of up to five years, or both.

The man will also be charged for causing or contributing to risk of dangerous fire under Section 285(1)(c) of the Penal Code 1871.

This offence carries a jail term which may extend to 18 months, a fine, or both.

In addition, the man will be charged for abetting to secure unauthorised access to computer material under Section 3(1) read with Section 12 of the Computer Misuse Act 1993.

This offence carries a fine not exceeding S$5,000, a jail term not exceeding two years, or both, for first-time offenders.

Repeat offenders are liable to a fine of up to S$10,000, a jail term of up to three years, or both.

He will also be charged for facilitating the retention or control of another person's benefits from criminal conduct under Section 55A(1)(a)(i) read with Section 55A(1)(b)(ii) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992.

The offence carries a fine not exceeding S$50,000, a jail term not exceeding three years, or both.

Regular enforcement checks

The release noted that the police will continue to conduct regular enforcement checks on massage establishments and take firm action against those found to be operating without valid licences.

Members of the public are advised to reject seemingly attractive money-making opportunities promising fast and easy pay-outs.

This includes for the use of their Singpass accounts, bank accounts, or allowing their personal bank accounts to be to be used to receive and transfer funds for others.

Individuals found to be linked to such crimes will be held accountable, the release stated.

Those who make offerings during the Hungry Ghost Festival should keep shared spaces clean while paying their respects, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in an Aug. 12 advisory on Facebook.

The 2026 seventh lunar month runs from Aug. 13 to Sep. 10.

The offering of food and burning of joss paper to honour ancestors is observed by Taoists and Buddhists.

Joss paper should not be burned along common corridors, on staircases or at lift lobbies, but at designated areas, NEA said.

“Do not toss or scatter joss paper, and clear your offerings after prayers. Leaving items behind may constitute littering,” NEA added.

The agency also said: “Burn offerings based on sincerity, and burn smaller amounts of joss paper to reduce smoke and ashes.”

We all grew up hearing warnings about the Hungry Ghost Festival (or Zhongyuan Festival): don't swim during the seventh month, don't stay out too late, and don't step on offerings left by the roadside.

Beyond these familiar beliefs, the Zhongyuan Festival is a time when many Chinese Singaporeans honour their ancestors, offer prayers, and make ritual offerings to wandering spirits. These practices are believed to help ensure their ancestors' peaceful passage in the afterlife while appeasing hungry ghosts.

Throughout the month, believers burn incense and joss paper, prepare food offerings, while communities organise getai performances to entertain the spirits.

Now, these age-old traditions are being showcased in ways both old and new. The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC) is launching its inaugural Zhongyuan Festival event from Aug. 13 to Sep. 10, where you can find a diverse lineup of programmes to learn about the festival's rich cultural heritage through interactive and contemporary experiences.

Little Ghost Explorer

Visitors can discover the history, traditions and customs of Zhongyuan Festival through the Little Ghost Explorer augmented reality (AR) game, guided by the character Xiaogui. There will also be game-based challenges that encourage participants to explore different stations around SCCC, uncovering the festival's customs and beliefs through interactive activities on their mobile devices.

Mr Zhou’s Ghost Stories

If you enjoy a good spooky story, you are in for a treat. LOVE 972 DJ Dennis Chew will bring his well-known “Mr Zhou's Ghost Stories” to audiences through an exclusive podcast and vidcast. Beyond the thrills, the programme also offers a deeper look into the festival's traditions while exploring themes of remembrance and filial piety.

A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: Egg Fried Rice

This 20-minute animated short is the opening course of “A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts”, an upcoming anthology of animated horror tales featuring iconic Chinese dishes inspired by betrayal, vengeance, and forgotten sins, from the award-winning team behind “The Violinist”.

Set in 1920s Shanxi, “Egg Fried Rice” transforms one of the world’s simplest and most beloved dishes into a macabre tale of love, loss, greed and supernatural retribution.

Date and Time

Aug. 29 (ticket sales starts on Jul. 29)

Price

S$3

Language

Mandarin with English subtitles

Happy Sing-Along (Zhongyuan Special)

Think getai, but with a modern twist. SCCC’s popular “Happy Sing-Along” presents a special Zhongyuan Festival edition, transforming the event into a lively getai-inspired banquet. Set across 80 tables in traditional jiak tok (banquet-style), visitors can tuck into a feast while enjoying nostalgic Mandarin and dialect hits.

More details here.

Zhongyuan Festival 2026 at SCCC

While you may still associate the seventh month with spirits and superstitions, experiencing these activities at SCCC might just let you learn something new about the Zhongyuan Festival.

Beneath the spooky stories and age-old taboos lies a rich history and fascinating cultural traditions that continue to bring communities together today.

Address: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, 1 Straits Blvd, Singapore 018906

Date and time: Aug. 13 to Sep. 10, 2026

More details here.

This branded article made the writer feel less scared about the Zhongyuan Festival.

A 37-year-old employer in Singapore who booked her domestic helper's flight to Myanmar says that her helper became uncontactable afterwards.

Angeline Lim, posted her experience on Instagram, where she said that the hardest part was not her helper leaving.

Speaking to Mothership on Aug. 11, Lim said she has since cancelled her helper's work permit.

She is also working on hiring a replacement.

Lim added that she asked if her helper had reached the airport, to which she said yes.

That was apparently the last Lim heard of her.

2 helpers

Lim, who is a mother of three, said in her post that one of her two helpers, who had been with the family for five months, wanted to return home as her mother was unwell.

Her post mentioned that with three young children, both helpers had separate roles.

One focused on caring for her youngest toddler boy, while the helper who wished to return to Myanmar managed the cooking and cleaning.

Her post stated that her husband's work requires his full focus, "and the only thing I can do for him is try to protect that focus".

As such, "the invisible load of running our household and managing three children's schedules" largely falls on her.

"I outsource the cooking, cleaning and laundry so I can work, manage the groceries, handle all their class pick-ups — and still be present for my three young children," she said.

Wanted to visit sick mother

At the time, the text from her helper who wished to return read: "I don't want to stay. I want to go home and take care my mom. I can't stand to see my mother cry. If something happens to my mother, I might die.

I want to go back home and live next to my mother. If you don't buy me a plane ticket? I buy my own ticket."

Lim told Stomp that her husband, who is a doctor, determined from the medical reports that it "wasn't a life-threatening emergency".

She said in her post that she still allowed her helper to return to Myanmar as she understood that she wanted to be with her family.

"I knew we could manage temporarily," said Lim, adding that her remaining helper would cover the cleaning.

They would also split the cooking and toddler care between them.

Helper said would return

Lim, noted, however, that she needed to know if her helper would be returning back to Singapore.

Before buying her helper's return ticket, Lim asked her directly: "Do you want to go home for good, or are you coming back."

She wrote that either answer "would have been okay" as she just needed the truth to plan accordingly.

Lim then purchased a two-way ticket at S$437.40 as her helper reportedly said she would return.

Allegedly uncontactable, never boarded return flight

Following this, her helper replied "Thanks Mdm" when Lim asked her to check in.

However, a screenshot of Lim's correspondence with her helper showed that she did not reply Lim's subsequent messages.

Lim also told Stomp that her helper reportedly did not board the return flight.

Noting that she "half expected this to happen" and was searching for a replacement, she found it "wasteful" to have paid for a return ticket she did not end up using.

She also told Stomp that with regard to her helper's mental state before leaving, she supposedly "seemed ok".

Her Instagram post read: "I'm not angry that she chose to leave.

"I'm disappointed that she chose to lie and take kindness for granted."

She added: "If she had told me the truth, I would have avoided paying for a return flight she never took."

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Angeline Lim (@angel_limst)

A Malaysian man, 23, was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint on Aug. 11 allegedly in possession of official-looking stamps and fake employee passes bearing his photograph.

The items are believed to be for the purposes of carrying out scams.

The inking instruments bore the emblems of the Supreme Court and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The man was directed for enhanced checks at the arrival bus hall by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers.

Investigations revealed that he had no employment history with any of the organisations whose passes were found on him, the police said in a statement on Aug. 12.

The police said: “Such counterfeit passes and official-looking instruments are tactics commonly employed by scammers to lend credibility to their operations, deceiving victims into believing they are dealing with representatives of a legitimate organisation.”

The man is set to be charged in court on Aug. 13 with the offence of making or possessing a counterfeit instrument with intent to commit forgery.

The offence carries a jail term of up to seven years and a fine.