A woman who left negative Google reviews after undergoing acupuncture treatment at a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinic in Singapore has been ordered to pay S$12, 500 in damages after a court found that the posts were defamatory.

According to a judgement paper cited by Shin Min Daily News, the plaintiff was Chau Mei Sze, a registered TCM practitioner who was practicing at Kin Teck Tong TCM Clinic at Plaza Singapura at the time of the incident.

The defendant, identified as Lin Ching Ling, was a patient who had received acupuncture treatment from Chau.

Chau filed a defamation suit on Dec. 20, 2024, alleging that the patient had posted defamatory comments on the clinic's Google review page.

She also sought an injunction restraining the patient from publishing similar defamatory statements in the future.

The case

According to Shin Min, the patient visited the clinic on Nov. 17, 2024, seeking treatment for neck and shoulder pain.

Chau performed acupuncture on the patient, while another therapist administered cupping and tuina massage.

After the treatment, the patient said she experienced severe neck and shoulder pain that night.

She further claimed that her right arm became so weak the following day that she was unable to lift it to brush her teeth, prompting her to call the clinic.

However, both parties gave differing accounts of the phone conversation.

Chau said she had asked the patient to return to the clinic for a review, but the patient claimed Chau had told her the symptoms were normal and would improve after a few days, so she did not return that day,

On Nov. 19, 2024, the patient returned to the clinic after being contacted by the clinic manager, and was examined by two other TCM practitioners.

The following day, she sought treatment at the National University Hospital's Emergency Department, where she was diagnosed with neurapraxia of upper extremity and cervical radiculopathy.

On Nov. 21, 2024, the patient posted a Google review recounting her experience, writing, among other points:

"Be careful if you're going in for neck/shoulderache for acupuncture. Or maybe just the specific physician or therapist are not qualified"

On Dec. 2, 2024, the clinic responded to the review, saying the patient's account might not accurately reflect the treatment she had received.

The next day, the patient was informed that the clinic would not be issuing her a refund.

According to Chau, the patient also threatened to file a police report and post more negative reviews if she was not given a refund.

Eight days later, the patient posted another review questioning the clinic's denial that there had been any error in the acupuncture treatment.

In her review, she described the clinic as a "money making" business that did not care about their customers' health.

The second review was later removed by Google before Dec. 17, 2024.

Court's findings

The judge found that both Google reviews clearly referred to Chau and could lower her reputation in the eyes of reasonable members of the public, Shin Min reported.

Though the reviews did not allege that Chau lacked professional qualifications, training, or certification, nor did they suggest that she was not entitled to charge for her treatment or bear the patient's future orthopaedic costs, they were sufficient to damage her reputation.

The judge found that the first review questioned whether Chau was qualified to perform acupuncture, while the second suggested that she lacked the competence to perform acupuncture or had administered it negligently or incorrectly, causing injury to the patient.

The court later ordered the patient to pay Chau S$10,000 in general damages and S$2,500 in aggravated damages.

Chau also argued that the patient's refusal to apologise or retract the reviews suggested that they were made in an attempt to pressure or retaliate against the clinic, rather than reflect her genuine belief.

The judge found there was no evidence that the patient knew, at the time she posted the reviews, that her pre-existing medical condition could have caused the symptoms she experienced.

However, the judge held that when the patient claimed in her second review that Chau had performed the acupuncture incorrectly and caused her arm weakness, there was no factual basis for making that allegation.

At most, she knew it was only one possible explanation and was therefore at least reckless as to the truth of the allegation.

The judge also found that the second review was more likely posted in retaliation for the clinic's refusal to issue a refund, or in an attempt to obtain one, and hence awarded aggravated damages.

Injunction refused

According to Shin Min, the judge noted that an injunction would only be granted if there was a likelihood that the patient would publish further defamatory statements.

However, Chau failed to produce evidence showing that the patient was likely to repeat the defamatory allegations.

The judge also noted that Chau did not pursue the injunction in her closing submissions, and dismissed that part of her claim.

A Thai civil servant has gone viral online for a peculiar reason – her heavily made-up appearance during a local municipal meeting.

The meeting was held on Aug. 3 in Yaha district, Yala, Thailand, according to a Facebook post by the subdistrict.

The post generated over 23,000 comments and more than 7,400 shares, with most comments highlighting the officer's appearance.

"What should I focus on?" one netizen wrote.

"Almost slipped past, caught my eye, stop by to read the comments for a bit," another said.

Others complimented the official's makeup, with one saying it was "very Japanese".

The official responded in the comment section, stating that the image had been edited to hide her wrinkles.

"To everyone who noticed how well this photo was edited: I brightened the image to hide the signs of fatigue from my very busy schedule lately," she wrote.

"I wondered if you would be able to tell that it had been brightened—so, kudos to everyone who spotted it!"

Member of Parliament (MP) for Aljunied GRC Kenneth Tiong said that the "biggest competitor" to Singaporean startups and SMEs are the Singaporean government-linked companies (GLCs) in his opening speech tabling the Workers' Party's (WP) first motion since 2023.

The motion titled "An economy of the future that works for all" was filed by Tiong and seconded by MP for Sengkang GRC Jamus Lim, focusing on the party's vision for the Singapore economy.

Tiong proposed creating an "updated growth model" that cares not solely about GDP growth, but about "structure of growth", and a special Research and Development (R&D) zone at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), among other suggestions.

"Before we can remake society to be young, we must remake society for the young," he said.

Lim meanwhile focused on how Singapore could wean away "from a top-down, foreign investment-reliant multinational economic model, and instead build a bottom-up domestic capital-led... SME focused one".

'A lasting share of our country's success?'

According to a WP press briefing on Aug. 1, Tiong said the motion can be summed up in a question: "How does an ordinary Singaporean get a lasting share of our country’s success?"

During the briefing, Lim said the motion should not necessarily be seen as a substitute but rather as a complement to current policies.

Lim told the media that the WP wants to ensure the message they send is both a reaction and distinct from the Economic Strategy Review (ESR), which was launched in 2025.

Motion consists of 2 parts

Speaking in Parliament, Tiong introduced the motion, which consists of two parts.

The first pushes for a "more equal and inclusive economy, with opportunities for entrepreneurs to experiment, households and businesses to succeed, workers to thrive, and ideas and innovation to flourish".

The motion will also ask the House if it believes in "an economic engine driven by dynamic local companies, healthy domestic demand, and Singaporeans and Singaporean capital venturing abroad".

Tiong cited the trend of multinational corporations (MNCs) and Singaporean companies moving overseas.

"High business costs and slow manpower approvals accelerate offshoring to regional centres based in countries like Malaysia and Vietnam," Tiong said.

He mentioned layoffs by H&M, which has shifted its regional headquarters to Kuala Lumpur, and Tiger Beer, which shifted its production to Malaysia and Vietnam, affecting about 130 jobs.

Yeo's and Gardenia also shifted their production facilities to Malaysia.

'Few dream of being entrepreneurs'

To elaborate on why this motion was put forth, Tiong outlined how "Singaporeans face a uniquely challenging set of circumstances".

"The major model of Singaporeans getting on the economic ladder has been jobs. Without a job, you're not able to afford renting a place or buying HDB flat. Without your own place, it is difficult to think about having children."

He said few of these children dream of being entrepreneurs, with nine out of 10 being employees.

"For almost all of us, the jobs ladder is the main route up, with not many Singaporeans becoming entrepreneurs."

He added that reasons include the small market and "daunting" cost of business, which lacks social safety nets for risk-taking, and that "not enough true growth capital exists for all the private wealth attracted here".

Job structure based on hosting large companies

Tiong said Singapore's "job structure rests on being the best place in the region for foreign companies to base themselves. We host many large companies, but build few of them."

He cited how of the three companies Singapore has in the Fortune Global 500, all are commodity traders, two of which were founded overseas before moving to Singapore.

Compared to South Korea's 13 and Taiwan's six companies on the same list, which were "built by their own people", Tiong said Singapore's companies "came here and can as easily go".

Tiong added: "The standard answer for advanced economies has been R&D, build what others cannot easily copy, so that firms come here in spite of our costs. But after decades and tens of billions, not one local R&D champion has emerged worth more than a billion dollars."

He noted that Singapore "should continue to invest, but the upshot is that our R&D complex is sadly not ready to be our growth engine".

'Engine of investment to jobs is faltering'

Tiong first suggested an updated growth model that "cares not only about the headline GDP growth figure but the structure of growth".

"It is acceptable as an exigency to grow first, and then redistribute by vouchers and rebates, but over the medium and long term, we should be building an economy where a fair distribution is produced by the growth itself, rather than repaired afterwards out of the proceeds, pre-distribution or redistribution."

He emphasised that this is why Singapore requires an economic engine "driven by dynamic local companies, healthy domestic demand, and Singaporeans and Singaporean capital venturing abroad".

Secondly, Tiong said Singapore needs an "honest measurement and prioritisation of what matters from growth".

He made three points on the "indigenous share of national income", "real income growth that keeps pace with productivity, not lag it" and "whether Singaporeans can still afford the city they built".

"These three North Stars point us towards a more equal and inclusive economy, with opportunities for entrepreneurs to experiment, households and businesses to succeed, workers to thrive, and ideas and innovation to flourish," he said.

Special zone around NTU

Tiong talked about universal land pricing and noted that Singapore has been good at "bringing other people's companies here".

However, he questioned: "We have been slow to put the same land that we own behind our people building their own. Why do we take a high land price as a law like gravity?"

He said the ideology of universal land pricing is coherent and convenient, but "the people of Singapore need to decide if this ideology still serves them".

Instead, he proposed that Singapore should stop treating market land value as a "natural price for every socially productive use of land".

He proposed a test — a university-centred special zone where state land is priced at development cost rather than market scarcity value.

This special zone, he suggested, could be surrounding NTU.

He elaborated:

"The bargain has four parts:

1. A place to live near where the work and the research happen at a price a starting salary can carry,
2. In service of something the country needs, [which is] more local enterprise and R&D,
3. With an upside staying with the risk takers,
4. And a say in the rules."

Tiong said the test “will be zoned for organic messiness, a district that is pro-worker and pro-business, built around the needs of young people and young companies”.

He proposed that the zone has its own board and stated that most of what he was asking did not require new legislation.

He cited the JTC Corporation, which writes its own contracts and the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s planning circular.

Tiong added:

"So the ask is threefold: a zone around NTU, a new use category for restricted, non-tradable, mixed housing and enterprise land, valued as the restricted interest it is, and a zone authority that runs its own operations and takes stakes in the enterprises it grows."

Tiong urged that "today's Singaporeans should have as much say over scarce land as the master planners of decades ago".

Rent-seeking mindset

Subsequently, Lim began his speech by sketching out Singapore's traditional growth model, which was to accumulate factors of production.

These factors of production are "to ride on increases in the labour force due to demographic change, while simultaneously building up complementary capital, both manufactured — in the form of machines, equipment, and factories—as well as human, through education".

He noted that while the traditional model was successful, it made Singapore somewhat obsessed with "courting foreign capital and fearful of right-minded pro-worker policies that would reduce our attractiveness as regional headquarters".

"Our educational system churned out a formidable number of excellent operators, but far fewer risk-taking entrepreneurs."

Lim added: "In the drive to economise on scarce land, our government's leasehold model has fostered a rent-seeking mindset in real estate, rather than treating land as just another normal input to production".

New model should evolve away from traditional reliance on MNCs

Lim said the new model should "evolve away from our traditional reliance on foreign MSCs as a driver of our growth and pivot toward SMEs as our homegrown economic engine".

"While the ESR speaks about both, it betrays somewhat an implicit bias toward the former."

Lim stated that a shift from fixation with tax competition, an undervalued exchange rate and wooing of footloose multinationals is needed.

He proposed: "We must instead promote bottom-up formation and growth of our indigenous companies and unleash the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of our local workforce."

This, Lim said, requires companies to be weaned off cost-cutting "as the only means to be competitive".

"What we want is for 'Made in Singapore' to be synonymous with better, not just faster or cheaper, which is best left to economies lower down the income ladder."

He noted that to enable the transformation, Singapore needs a "domestic body of medium-sized enterprises capable of growing to become the next wave of national corporate champions and driving a 21st-century innovation-led economy.

"We need Singaporeans to start Singaporean companies, and for these companies to grow and succeed domestically and on the world stage."

Advancing to the next stage of growth

Although there are many government-run schemes to boost productivity for SMEs, more can be done to allow them to advance to the next stage of growth, Lim said.

He said: “There remains additional room for the state to act well through its indirect influence on GLCs. Despite being half of our economy's value added, R&D spending by domestic enterprises accounts for only S$1 out of every S$5.”

Lim called for the GLCs to look towards “elevating their spending to more closely match those of other MNCs”.

He noted that SME productivity could also be supported by “tackling sky-high business costs”, and proposed capping rents to a “historical increase of about 3 per cent annually”.

He also urged “to revisit the dependency ratio ceiling (DRC) for certain sectors like F&B, where Singaporeans continue to shun open positions that are advertised even at attractive wages”.

The DRC refers to the maximum ratio of foreign workers to the total workforce that a company employs.

Lim noted:

“To be clear, what I'm calling for is not a wholesale overhaul of our GLC-heavy MNC-led and foreign capital reliant model, which has, to date, served as well.”

Last WP motion in 2023

The last time the WP filed a motion in Parliament was in 2023.

The 2023 motion was tabled by party chief Pritam Singh and MP for Sengkang GRC Louis Chua over helping Singaporeans with the cost of living.

It was passed after a seven-hour debate with amendments from the PAP.

However, in 2023, the WP and PSP did not vote in favour of the amended motion.

Fika Swedish Cafe And Bistro in Arab Street will close on Aug. 14.

The restaurant announced its impending closure on social media on Aug. 4.

It is turning 17 this week, the post noted.

“If you’ve ever wanted one last plate of our Swedish meatballs or one last fika with us, we’d love to see you before we close,” the post added.

The Swedish term "Fika" means having a break or some time out, including having a coffee with colleagues, friends or family.

No reason was disclosed for the closure.

Fika, founded by Singaporean Tasneem Noor and her Swedish husband, Joakim Smidhagen, is known for its meatballs and lamb stew.

The eatery uses halal ingredients for its Swedish food.

Focus will be directed to bakery Konditori at Bussorah Street following Fika's closure.

Journal entries written by a 35-year-old mother appeared to reveal cries for help before she murdered her three young children.

The incident

On Jan. 24, 2023, Lindsay Clancy, a former labour and delivery nurse, fatally strangled her three children in the basement of their Massachusetts home, CNN reported.

She then attempted to take her own life by cutting her wrists and neck before jumping from a second-storey window into the backyard.

She survived, but was left partially paralysed from the attempt.

Her then-husband, Patrick Clancy, returned home that evening after picking up medicine for their oldest child and a takeout order for his then-wife, reported CNN.

He later found their three children lying motionless in the basement, each with an exercise resistance band around their necks.

Charged

Lindsay is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and could face lifetime imprisonment without parole if convicted, reported the BBC.

The former nurse pleaded not guilty to murder charges in the deaths of her three children aged five, three and eight months old.

However, she did not deny killing her children.

Lindsay’s defence argued instead that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis (PPP) and was not criminally responsible, CNN reported.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, PPP is a rare but severe mental health condition that can affect people after childbirth.

Those with the condition face a “much higher risk of harming themselves, dying by suicide or harming their children”, and it is therefore considered a mental health emergency.

Lindsay's journal entries were recently presented at trial, apparently in an attempt to support her case.

Journal entries

On Aug. 3, 2026, excerpts from Lindsay’s journal were presented at her murder trial, offering jurors a glimpse into her state of mind at the time, reported the New York Post.

Several journals were reportedly collected from her home by Massachusetts State Trooper Cory Melo.

On Nov. 18, 2022, around two months before the murders, Lindsay reportedly wrote in her diary:

"It’s like I’m so desperate to get a mental break from taking care of everyone that my mind is trying to make something physically wrong with me."

Lindsay also wrote about her “horrible insomnia and anxiety”, and how she was “completely overwhelmed trying to take care of the three kids every day”.

“I want help. I want to be well,” she wrote.

Ex-husband’s testimony

During the first week of the murder trial, Patrick took the stand and spoke about their three young children and his ex-wife, CNN reported.

Patrick also testified that his ex-wife was a “very dedicated” mother, citing the various things she did for their children.

He also said she struggled with mental health issues following the birth of their third child, which were exacerbated as she prepared to return to work after he was born in May 2022.

According to Patrick, she was prescribed several medications by different doctors between September 2022 and January 2023, CNN reported.

He testified that a "big spiral" began after Lindsay started taking a new antipsychotic medication in early December 2022.

Around the same time, Patrick said she told him she was experiencing intrusive thoughts about harming their children and that she was suicidal.

He added that her mental health appeared to deteriorate after the dosage of the antipsychotic medication was increased, leading her to seek treatment at two medical centres in the following weeks.

However, after spending several days in a locked ward at a psychiatric facility in early January 2023, she allegedly told Patrick that she was no longer suicidal.

"She seemed much better," Patrick testified.

Prosecution

The prosecution acknowledged Lindsay’s mental health struggles but argued that she had “deliberately and meticulously” killed her children, CNN reported.

A Plymouth County Assistant District Attorney told jurors during her opening statement: “This is a woman who acted intentionally, rationally, and swiftly to accomplish a very specific goal – to kill.”

Helplines

If you or someone you know are in mental distress, here are some hotlines you can call to seek help, advice, or just a listening ear:

National mindline.sg Hotline: 1771 (24 hours)

National mindline.sg WhatsApp: 66691771 (24 hours)

SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Centre for Domestic Employees: 1800 225 5233 (24 hours)

Foreign Domestic Worker Association for Social Support and Training: 1800 339 4357 (24 hours)

HOME (migrant worker): +65 6341 5535  (WhatsApp / Viber / SMS) 

HOME (domestic worker): +65 9787 3122 (WhatsApp / SMS / Call)

SHECARES@SCWO: Call: 8001 01 4616 | WhatsApp: 8985 5528 (For targets of online harms)

National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH): 1800-777-0000

A pre-wedding photoshoot by Bali-based photographer Lemuriarts trended online — because the opening image gave viewers a fright.

The shoot was for a couple, identified as Teddy and Steffani, taken along Gajah Mada Street in Bali, Indonesia.

The rest of the carousel featured warm and retro shots, showing the couple walking through a heritage building corridor, posing in a vintage truck, and sharing a heart-shaped pizza stamped with "Mr. & Mrs." words.

However, the first photo was something else entirely.

The image showed a pair of feet dangling in the foreground, with the couple walking in the background.

It was put up without context.

Viewers who first noticed the couple before realising the blurred feet in the foreground thought they had stumbled upon a horror movie type of tell-tale discovery.

It appeared as though someone was hanging off the beams.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bali Photographer | Bali Wedding (@lemuriarts)

Commenters did not hold back

One Instagram user said: "Bro the 1st frame scared me.” @ruizzn_ commented: “Wedding❌ Conjuring✅😭😭"

Another user added: “WHOEVER PUT THAT IDEA OF THE FIRST SLIDE, BIG NOOOOO"

BTS revealed everything

Lemuriarts later posted a behind-the-scenes reel showing how the shot was actually taken.

The footage showed that a worker happened to be up on a ladder nearby, and the photographer simply used the dangling feet as a natural foreground to frame the couple walking below.

The reaction in the comments shifted once it was clear, with one viewer writing: “So this is what that first photo supposed to be.”

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A post shared by Bali Photographer | Bali Wedding (@lemuriarts)

The police arrested a man and a woman, both foreigners, for their suspected involvement in several cases of loanshark harassment.

Muhammad Ziqri Hakimi Bin Nazimudin, 19, a Malaysian, and Nurlatifah Azzahra, 25, an Indonesian, were charged in court on Aug. 4 under the Moneylenders Act 2008.

They were brought back to two separate crime scenes on Aug. 5.

They were first taken to Block 635 Bedok Reservoir Road at about 10:05am, and then to Block 606C Tampines Street 61 at 10:50am.

Both appeared to have been crying

Ziqri Hakimi was seen crying when he first arrived in an unmarked police car.

Both suspects had their hands and feet restrained.

Nurlatifah was accompanied by an interpreter.

Investigators were seen asking Ziqri Hakimi questions when he was taken to a flat that had white paint splashed on its gate.

Nurlatifah was also seen being questioned by investigators and she appeared to nod in response to queries.

She also appeared to have been crying.

Island-wide harassment

On Aug. 2, 2026, between 2am and 10am, the police were alerted to a series of loanshark harassment cases island-wide.

The main gates and doors of several residential units were splashed with white, black, yellow and red paints and debtors’ notes were pasted on the door.

10 other similar cases

The identities of the duo were established with the aid of police cameras images and they were arrested within nine hours of the first report.

Two mobile phones were seized as case exhibits.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the duo are believed to be involved in at least 10 other similar cases of loanshark harassment.

According to Ziqri Hakimi's and Nurlatifah's charge sheets, the duo were instructed by an unlicensed moneylender identified as "Raymond" to cause damage to property at a unit at Block 24 Chai Chee Road.

The charge sheets stated that the duo likely carried out their act and caused annoyance to the tenant of the property, even though the loan was purportedly taken by the tenant's neighbour.

Penalties

For first time offenders, the offence of loanshark harassment carries a fine between S$5,000 and S$50,000, with a jail term of up to five years, and caning of up to six strokes.

The police said they have zero tolerance for loanshark harassment activities.

Those who deliberately vandalise properties, cause annoyance or disrupt public safety, peace and security, will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.

Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream and Coffee's fans in the northeast will have to visit other outlets for a sweet treat as its Punggol store is closing.

The store announced via an Aug. 4 Facebook post that the outlet will operate for the last time on Aug. 31.

"With a grateful heart, we'll be saying goodbye to our Punggol café," the post read.

Opening hours

Its opening hours until then will be 3pm to 10pm from Monday to Friday and 12pm to 10pm on Saturday and Sunday.

On Aug. 10 (Monday), the store will operate from 12pm to 10pm.

Thanking its customers for their kindness and support over the years, the store said it loved this space and "would have loved to stay a little longer".

"If you’re nearby, we’d love to welcome you back before we say goodbye," the post read.

Visit Toa Payoh, Tiong Bahru outlets

It added that customers may continue visiting its Toa Payoh and Tiong Bahru outlets.

According to its website, it specialises in creating premium ice creams and sorbets using its own recipes and unique production process.

Its ice creams are crafted in small batches daily, with over 100 flavours concocted to date.

Local climate advocacy group SG Climate Rally will be organising a gathering at Hong Lim Park on Aug. 16 in response to the government's recent redevelopment plans.

In an Aug. 3 Instagram post on the event, the group said that Singaporeans have spoken out over the past month about the plans for "deforestation across various forests, such as Maju forest, Gillman Barracks, Sembawang N5 and Tengah, Tagore forest, as well as the land reclamation plans at East Coast Park".

They invited the public to gather and discuss issues such as access to nature, the loss of forests and natural spaces in Singapore, and "[demanding] that decisions on land use are made with full transparency and genuine public involvement".

Redevelopment

On Jul. 10, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) announced plans to develop new homes at Gillman Barracks and Maju Forest along Sunset Way.

The announcement sparked much debate about development coming at the expense of natural spaces and wildlife habitats.

Petitions from the public to save both sites have amassed thousands of signatures.

HDB previously told Mothership that as of Jul. 28, they had received 2,712 responses for Sunset Way, and 860 responses for the Gillman Barracks reports.

HDB's public feedback channels are open now until Aug. 6, 2026, when the formal consultation period closes.

On Aug. 4, Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan said in Parliament that the government will proceed with the redevelopment of the two sites.

But even after Aug. 6, the government will continue to engage stakeholders and take in views and feedback before deciding how to carry out the plans.

In their Instagram post, SG Climate Rally questioned if the government's actions on redevelopment reflect "a system that the people want".

They said that the people who "stood up for our forests and coasts under threat... still have not received clear answers".

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A post shared by SG Climate Rally (@sgclimaterally)

Jetstar, Australia's budget airline, will start charging passengers to use overhead luggage bins from February 2027.

According to a statement by the airline on Aug. 5, under the new policy, all bookings will include one small personal item that fits under the seat, such as a backpack, handbag or laptop bag, The Straits Times reported.

Charges for overhead cabin baggage

From February 2027, passengers who wish to bring an additional cabin bag that requires overhead locker space will need to purchase Jetstar's Priority Carry-on option.

The add-on includes a second, larger cabin bag that can be stored in the overhead compartment, as well as priority boarding.

Fees for Priority Carry-on will start from A$25 (S$23) for a one-way flight.

Prices vary by route, with charges of A$33 (S$29) for flights between Sydney and Melbourne, A$39 (S$35) for Perth to Bali, and A$52 (S$47) for Cairns to Tokyo's Narita Airport.

7kg limit across two items currently

Jetstar currently allows passengers to bring up to 7kg of carry-on baggage across two items.

Passengers whose cabin baggage exceeds the weight limit may be required to pay additional fees to check their bags into the hold.

According to ST, Jetstar chief executive Stephanie Tully said the new policy is intended to make better use of overhead locker space, streamline boarding and improve on-time departures.

"We know that weighing carry-on bags at the gate can be frustrating for our customers and for our crew," she said.

Tully added that under the new model, passengers "only pay for what [they] need":

"Travelling with less means paying less, and you can always add more if you need."