A federal judge has ordered U.S. president Donald Trump to lift his White House ban against CNN, MS NOW, and Politico journalists.

District Judge Tim Kelly made the order on Sep. 24, Reuters reported.

Order

The judge issued the order following a lawsuit the three media outlets filed against Trump, challenging the ban issued on Sep. 18.

The outlets alleged that the ban violated their rights to free speech and free press under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.

Kelly ordered the Trump administration to return the outlets’ press passes immediately.

He also ordered officials not to enforce the ban for 14 days.

Kelly rejected the government’s claim that the ban was made because of national security concerns.

"The record lacks factual support for defendants’ contention that the revocation of plaintiffs’ hard ⁠passes will in fact protect national security or that national security will be endangered if the court orders their passes reinstated while this litigation proceeds," he ​said.

Kelly added that Trump said the ban stemmed from an "alleged lack of truthfulness and negativity" in the three outlets' reporting.

Ban

On Sep. 18, Trump announced on Truth Social that he was banning “Fake News”, which consisted of the three outlets.

“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow,” he wrote.

Following the White House access ban, the three outlets filed a lawsuit against Trump.

"Without notice or process, the White House revoked our journalists’ credentials because it objected to our reporting. Left unchallenged, this threatens press freedom and the public’s right to independent journalism free from government interference," the three outlets wrote in a joint statement on Sep. 21.

Previous ban

On Feb. 11, 2025, the White House office indefinitely banned the Associated Press.

This followed the outlet’s refusal to refer to the “Gulf of Mexico” as the “Gulf of America” after Trump announced the name change in January 2025.

According to the Associated Press, the outlet will use its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump chose.

“As a global news agency that disseminates news around the world, the AP must ensure that place names and geography are easily recognisable to all audiences,” the outlet said.

Singaporean activist Gilbert Goh, 65, will not proceed with any partnership with a Palestinian hospital to avoid any ambiguity regarding the "independence, neutrality, and humanitarian purpose" of his charity.

His Love Aid Singapore (LAS) charity has been distributing food and providing other aid in West Bank, Palestine.

Goh's statement to Mothership on Sep. 24 via his charity came after three ministries in Singapore said on Sep. 22 that LAS does not require the Singapore government's approval for its humanitarian operations in Palestine.

LAS was told it has to register with the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Ministry of Interior (MOI) if it carries out humanitarian operations in the West Bank and Gaza.

Signing a memorandum of understanding

Before the Singapore ministries' joint statement was issued, Goh had met the Office of the Commissioner of Charities (COC) on Sep. 21.

The COC and Goh discussed LAS's intention to sign a memorandum of understanding with Al-Awda Hospital as a partner.

The COC had told Goh that whether LAS proceeded with the agreement was its decision, but stressed the importance of conducting proper due diligence on potential partners.

It added that, according to the Palestinian Authority (PA), Al-Awda was not affiliated with the authority, and that the PA had no role in managing the hospital.

Status of Al-Awda Hospital

Al-Awda Hospital was previously known as the Union of Health Work Committees.

The hospital is operated by the Al-Awda Health and Community Association (AWDA), which is allegedly affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP),

Many countries, including the U.S., Japan, and Canada, have designated PFLP as a terrorist organisation.

Singapore Love Polyclinic in Gaza

According to Goh, the Singapore Love Polyclinic was established in Gaza nearly a year ago.

Its facilities have been run by a team selected directly by LAS and operate independently.

LAS said the Palestinian Ministry of Health authorities in Gaza requested that the clinic operate through a partnership arrangement, but LAS did not proceed with it.

LAS was then advised that the clinic should work through a locally registered Palestinian health organisation, and Al-Awda was proposed as one of the established healthcare organisations.

To reopen the clinic, LAS sought to identify an "appropriate and compliant solution".

LAS explained in its statement that it understands that Al-Awda participates in the Gaza Health Cluster in humanitarian coordination meetings with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, as well as other partners.

"However, LAS is not in a position to independently verify or comment conclusively on allegations concerning political affiliations," the organisation said.

The LAS statement added:

Given the concerns that have now been raised, our Gaza team will not proceed with the proposed partnership with Al-Awda. We want to avoid any ambiguity regarding the independence, neutrality, and humanitarian purpose of LAS operations. We will therefore explore an alternative arrangement that allows the Singapore Love Polyclinic to reopen under an appropriate, transparent, and compliant structure.

LAS added that it prefers to retain direct leadership and oversight of the clinic as it is "an important medical facility with substantial capacity to serve the local population, and it carries Singapore’s name".

If you’ve ever looked at the different kinds of credit cards available and found yourself stumped over which one to get, you’re not alone.

Between spending tiers, category exclusions, monthly caps and minimum spends, it always seemed like I had to reach for a calculator to maximise my credit card rewards.

And when it comes to choosing between accumulating miles and earning cashback, cashback on everyday spending made the most sense for me.

I’d rather know exactly what I’m getting back than add another layer of calculations to my life just to work out how many miles I’ve earned.

If you’re a cashback lover like me, the newly launched GXS Credit Card might just be the solution for you.

Let me walk you through the card’s perks on a typical day.

Earn rewards as you commute, eat and shop

If you’re a corporate girly like me, your day probably starts with the morning commute.

I usually take public transport, but I’ll indulge in a Grab ride or two sometimes — especially when I’m running late.

With the GXS Credit Card, eligible Grab spending earns instant cashback in GrabCoins with no minimum Grab spend and no monthly earning cap.

This means you don’t have to wait until the end of the quarter or billing cycle to get your cashback. It’s immediate.

The base rate is three per cent in GrabCoins. If you spend at least S$500 on eligible non-Grab transactions in the same billing cycle, the Grab rate rises to 5 per cent when your Grab spend is between S$500 and S$999.99, or 10 per cent when your Grab spend reaches S$1,000 or more. (Terms and conditions apply.)

In other words, your morning ride isn’t just getting you to work — it’s earning rewards along the way.

Likewise, if I’m rushing a deadline and need to fill my empty stomach, I tend to order food via GrabFood.

Now with the GXS Credit Card, I’ll probably end up using GrabFood more.

The same rates of cashback in GrabCoins mentioned above also apply to eligible GrabFood transactions, including Dine Out Deals, so you can earn cashback in GrabCoins instantly as you pay.

The GrabCoins can then be used to offset eligible Grab transactions, such as rides and food orders.

These rates of cashback rewards also apply to GrabMart and GrabExpress, so if you need groceries or a courier delivery service, you know where to go.

Cashback even on non-Grab spending

If you’re thinking the GXS Credit Card is only for spending on Grab, let me stop you right there.

You also get a flat 1.75 per cent cashback on eligible non-Grab spending once you meet the S$500 minimum spend in your billing cycle.

The best part? There's no earning cap for cashback per billing cycle.

It’s relatively straightforward: hit the monthly spending milestone, and your eligible everyday spending earns 1.75 per cent cashback.

At 1.75 per cent with no earning cap, it's currently the highest unlimited cashback rate in Singapore for everyday local spending — and you don't need to pick a category for it to work.

Eligible categories include groceries, dining, transport, shopping, online purchases and digital subscriptions.

And because there’s no monthly cashback cap, you don’t have to stop and wonder whether you’ve already maxed out your rewards for the month.

This means everyday spending doesn’t have to be micromanaged. Yay.

Travel perks

One of my favourite things about the GXS Credit Card is that it can also be used as my go-to card for travelling.

It comes with zero foreign exchange fees on overseas spending in Southeast Asia.

That means I don’t have to rack my brain thinking about additional fees while on a shopping spree.

On top of that, eligible Grab spending overseas earns 10 per cent instant cashback in GrabCoins with no minimum spend requirement.

This includes all Grab rides, GrabFood orders or any Grab spend overseas.

Transactions are unlimited, so whether you’re booking a Grab ride to the airport or ordering food into your AirBnb, you can travel and spend with the reassurance that you’ll earn cashback.

Extra perks if you’re a Singtel user

If you’re a Singtel user, there’s an extra perk for you with the GXS Credit Card.

It gives you 1.75 per cent cashback on eligible Singtel bills, and there’s no minimum spend requirement and no monthly cap.

Paying the bills is always a stressful time of the month, but knowing I’ll get some cashback is a small saving grace.

GXS Credit Card

The appeal of cashback has always been simple for me: spend money I was going to spend anyway, and get some of it back.

But the complicated rules around earning rewards have always made me hesitant to pick up a new credit card.

The GXS Credit Card offers a simpler, fuss-free way to earn cashback — especially since there’s no cashback cap at any tier, so your cashback keeps growing with your spending.

Plus, the cashback is instant, so you won’t even feel the pain of waiting monthly to get it all back.

After all, your morning Grab ride, lunch order, grocery run and monthly phone bill are already part of your routine.

Why shouldn’t they count for something?

From Sep. 25 till Oct. 31, 2026, enjoy S$108 off Grab rides, GrabFood, and GrabMart with GXS Credit Card. Sign up today on the GXS Bank app.

If you still have more burning questions, you can refer to the GXS Credit Card website for more information.

This branded article by GXS Bank got this writer spending stress-free.

GXS Bank terms and conditions apply.

Over 60 cats were found severely neglected in an unsanitary residential unit during a joint inspection in 2024 by the police and the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS).

A total of 62 live cats were recovered, all later assessed to be in pain and distress, while nine cats ultimately died, according to the National Parks Board (NParks).

Muhammad Khairul Naim bin Zainol, now 37, who owned the unit with his ex-wife, admitted to ownership of all the cats and surrendered them to AVS.

On Sep. 23, he pleaded guilty to 24 charges for permitting the causing of unnecessary pain and suffering to 24 cats.

Another 47 similar charges involving the remaining cats were taken into consideration for sentencing.

He was sentenced to four months in jail and was disqualified from owning animals for 12 months, according to NParks.

Abandoned the cats

Muhammad Khairul did not own any cats at the time when he and his then-wife bought the unit in Bukit Panjang in March 2018.

From early 2019, the couple began acquiring several cats.

As they were not sterilised, they "bred uncontrollably", according to court documents.

The couple tried to rehome some cats, but the number of cats in their house still kept growing.

Then, sometime around April 2022, they moved out to live with Muhammad Khairul's parents temporarily, but the arrangement later became long-term.

The cats were left in the unit.

A few months after the couple moved out, they realised that the power and water supply to the unit were cut off due to the outstanding bills owed to the utility companies.

Muhammad Khairul later claimed that he initially returned to the house every day to leave dry kibbles and water for the cats, but it became increasingly difficult to enter the place.

He then resorted to placing food and water at the doorstep instead.

The last time he said he went into the unit was sometime in December 2023.

Discovery of the cats

AVS and the police, who were separately alerted to the unit, arrived to inspect the place in the afternoon of Feb. 20, 2024.

That morning, AVS had received feedback about a cat seen on the air-conditioning ledge of the unit, appearing skinny and in distress. It was rescued by neighbours residing one floor below the unit before being taken to a vet clinic for assessment.

The police had received a call about a smell emanating from the unit.

Muhammad Khairul claimed that he visited the unit that morning to place dry food at the doorstep, which AVS officers saw when they arrived.

However, there was no fresh water supply inside the unit even though Muhammad Khairul said he provided a small container of water daily.

A few cats were seen roaming freely in the unit, with several of them hiding under the mattress or curtains.

The authorities also found decomposing carcasses and skeletal remains, which were identified as belonging to at least six cats.

State of the unit

In a photograph taken during the seizure and attached to court documents, a cat was observed drinking from the toilet bowl.

The floor around the toilet bowl was pooling with dirty brown water, likely contaminated with faecal matter, according to court documents.

The entire unit was found to be in a severely poor and unsanitary condition.

Court documents described the floor and furniture being caked in excreta and dirt, with more faecal matter found throughout the unit.

There were cobwebs hanging from the window grills, walls, and ceiling, and pests, including cockroaches and flies.

Although several windows were open, ventilation was poor, and there was a strong ammonia odour.

Some windows also posed a fall hazard as they were left open without any mesh.

There was also no power supply to the whole unit as it had been cut off since early 2023.

Veterinary assessment

According to an NParks vet's report dated May 10, 2024, all 61 live cats discovered by the authorities in the unit had experienced pain and suffering.

Almost all of them were found to be dehydrated, and 44 were evaluated to be thin to very thin. Nine were emaciated.

The food provided was "wholly inadequate for the number of cats present", the vet said.

Dry kibbles were only provided once a day and placed near the door gate, requiring the cats to compete for food at a single feeding point. This would be highly stressful, and increased the risk of fights breaking out.

Most of the cats also had generalised hair loss over their bodies, which the vet believes was caused by parasitic infestation.

A few of them were also assessed to have mental and/or neurological abnormalities, likely due to low blood glucose levels.

Additionally, blood test results from selected cats showed they had inflammation, chronic disease, infectious and/or non-infectious disease processes, and anaemia.

One cat which was lethargic and feverish on physical examination subsequently died.

A pregnant cat was found in poor condition. She would have had inadequate energy for her to maintain normal physiological functions and for the foetuses to develop properly, the vet said.

Poor care and supervision

The prosecutor from NParks argued that Muhammad Khairul was aware of the unsanitary and uninhabitable condition of the unit, but still left the cats unattended there for about 22 months from April 2022 to February 2024.

Despite his claims of returning daily to provide food and water daily, they were "clearly insufficient" for the number of cats in the unit, the prosecutor said.

He "did permit the causing of unnecessary pain and suffering to the said cats when he failed to exercise reasonable care and supervision" over them.

His ex-wife, who was also given 71 charges previously, will have her case heard on Oct. 6, CNA reported.

A car was recently seen refusing to give way to an ambulance even as its lights were flashing.

The incident was captured on an adjacent car's dashcam and shared on Facebook group SGRV Admin.

The car, identified as a Mitsubishi Attrage, was seen travelling along the Central Expressway (CTE) on Sep. 18, 2026, driving on the rightmost lane.

An ambulance was following the car closely behind with its lights flashing and its sirens switched off.

However, the car only switched to the other lane and gave way after more than a minute.

What's wrong?

Under the Highway Code, the rightmost lane (often referred to as Lane 1) is designed for motorists to overtake other vehicles. Drivers are meant to change back to an adjacent lane after the overtaking.

Emergency vehicles, such as ambulances or police vehicles, also use Lane 1 to bypass traffic, and therefore have the right of way.

Though some netizens remarked that the car was not in the wrong as the ambulance's sirens were not switched on, the Highway Code states that a vehicle is obligated to give way to an emergency vehicle if the lights are flashing.

Failing to give way to emergency vehicles is an offence under the Road Traffic Act.

Drivers caught doing so could be fined up to S$150 for light vehicles and S$200 for heavy vehicles, and receive four demerit points.

Singapore's Rainforest Wild Adventure is now home to the first okapi born in Southeast Asia.

The male calf was born on Jul. 27, 2026, to seven-year-old Kisala and four-year-old Xandor, both of whom were brought to Singapore as part of a coordinated breeding programme for threatened species.

Now two months old, the calf weighs a healthy 48kg and is gaining nearly 1kg a day on average, according to Mandai Wildlife Group.

Okapis are listed as Endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and are native to the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The elusive mammals are the closest living relatives of giraffes and share several characteristics, including long, flexible tongues, and ossicones, which are the bony, horn-like structures on the heads of males.

Ultrasound in July confirmed the pregnancy

Kisala and Xandor came to Singapore under the EAZA Ex Situ Programme (EEP).

After the pair were introduced, keepers noticed changes in Kisala's appetite and body condition, said Cecilia Tang, curator of animal care operations at Mandai Wildlife Group.

The team then began preparing for the possibility that she was pregnant.

An ultrasound in July 2026 confirmed that Kisala was expecting.

According to Mandai Wildlife Group, okapis have a gestation period of around 14 to 15 months, one of the longest among hoofed mammals.

Calf still taking time to get used to the environment

"Kisala has been an excellent mother, and her calf is thriving, gaining nearly a kilogramme a day on average," said Tang.

The calf and Kisala were recently given access to their outdoor habitat, but he is still getting used to his new surroundings.

"We're allowing him to explore and build confidence at his own pace, so it may take some time before visitors see more of him," Tang explained.

Okapis are naturally elusive, and this behaviour begins from an early age.

Unlike many newborn animals that stay close to their mothers, young okapis spend much of their early days hidden and still, an adaptation that helps them avoid predators.

Their mothers return only a few times a day to nurse them.

As an added layer of protection while they stay hidden, newborn calves are also believed to produce very little scent during this period.

Drawing on husbandry practices from zoological institutions that have successfully bred okapis, the team at Mandai Wildlife Group built a quiet and secluded calving box where the calf can rest and nurse during his first few months.

Public gets to vote on the calf's name

As part of the celebration, members of the public are invited to help name the okapi calf.

The three options are:

• Imara: meaning strong, reflecting courage, resilience and growth in Swahili;
• Mayaka: meaning pearl in Lingala, symbolising a precious and treasured gift; and
• Kiah: meaning dawn, new beginnings, or start of a season in Swahili.

All three names are inspired by African languages.

Members of the public can cast their votes on Mandai Wildlife Reserve's Facebook and Instagram pages.

For a chance to see Kisala and her calf, visitors to Rainforest Wild Adventure East can head to Hidden Forest.

Xandor is housed in a separate habitat.

However, one thing to note is that as the calf continues to settle into his surroundings, he may not always be visible to visitors.

Two Okapi Ranger Talk sessions will also be held daily at 10:30am and 3pm, where keepers will share more about the species and its behaviour.

Visitors can also enjoy an okapi-inspired cake, which will be available from October 2026 at selected dining outlets.

The outlets include Rangers Pitstop and Rangers Retreat at Rainforest Wild Adventure, and Owa Bistro at Mandai Wildlife East.

Those looking to take a memento home can also pick up okapi-themed souvenirs at the retail shop at Rainforest Wild Adventure East, including soft toys, tumblers and lanyards.

Other new species arriving at Rainforest Wild

Rainforest Wild Adventure will also welcome another antelope species, the sitatunga, to Red Ravine.

The swamp-dwelling antelope can be identified by its chestnut coat, faint vertical white stripes, and a horizontal white stripe along its lower side.

Two more lemur species, the crowned lemur and red-bellied lemur, are also expected to debut at Lemur Land by November 2026.

Their arrival will bring the total number of lemur species in Rainforest Wild Adventure East to four.

WildPass members can enjoy local admission rates to Rainforest Wild Adventure, starting from S$25 for senior citizens, S$32 for children aged three to 12 and local students aged 25 and below, and S$45 for adults.

After being led to download a mobile application he thought was for an exercise class, an elderly man received a message from "DBS" notifying him about a suspicious S$50,000 transaction.

As he and his family were calling DBS to verify the message, the phone was accessed and locked remotely.

A message was then left on a black screen, which read, “I won't let you contact DBS and fraud team."

Facebook ad for aerobics class

Speaking to Mothership, the man’s daughter, Nicole, shared that the purported hacking took place on Sep. 22 at around 7pm.

In the lead-up to that, her mum, 60, had come across a video advert on Facebook for an elderly aerobics class.

In her posts on Threads, Nicole wrote that her mum “still cannot distinguish between real and AI”.

After seeing the post, her mum sent in her dad’s phone number via the advert.

Her dad is 66 years old, Nicole shared.

Asked to download an app

Afterwards, a staff from the purported aerobics class phoned Nicole’s dad and said they could help sign him up.

“She did sound foreign so my dad did ask if she was. She denied and said she was Singaporean,” Nicole wrote on Threads.

However, he proceeded as he was told about the class by Nicole's mum.

The woman on the call then guided her dad to download an app named “Water Fitness”.

According to her dad, the app was downloaded from the Android app store, Nicole shared.

Her dad was using a Samsung S26.

However, apart from downloading the app, the woman on the call also got him to change some of the settings on his phone.

“This is how I think she got into his phone,” Nicole guessed.

Nicole shared that after the setting changes were made, the phone started going “bonkers” and overheating.

According to images shared by Nicole, the application had access to the phone's camera and microphone, among others.

Message from "DBS" about suspicious transaction

Afterwards, her dad went about his day and later visited Nicole’s place, where he informed her about a message, purportedly from DBS.

The message was from an alleged fraud department notifying them about a suspicious transaction involving S$50,000.

This was when they realised something was amiss.

Using her own phone, Nicole called DBS to verify the message and alleged transaction.

Phone remotely taken over

It was during this call when her dad’s phone appeared to be remotely taken over.

“The green light came on and the message was shown on the screen,” Nicole recalled.

According to Samsung's website, a green dot in the notification bar indicates that an application is accessing the phone’s camera and microphone.

The phone’s screen was locked, with a message appearing:

"I wont let you contact DBS and fraud team.”

“That’s when I quickly shut the phone off and placed it face down elsewhere,” Nicole shared.

Dad shaken by episode

The family proceeded to call the banks to see if there were any unauthorised transactions made.

They also visited DBS to secure her dad’s account.

No money was taken from the accounts, Nicole shared.

His SIM card has since been replaced, and the phone has been wiped.

As they were resetting the phone, Nicole said they found additional mobile applications that were not installed by her dad.

Nicole acknowledged that the phone might still contain malware, and they are considering replacing the phone entirely.

The episode has left Nicole’s dad “very sad and frustrated”.

“He doesn’t dare to use his phone much and wants to do everything traditionally,” Nicole said.

Nicole said she has counselled her parents, telling them that they need to learn from what happened.

“I’ve taught them to use Trustpilot to check the validity of a site,” she pointed out.

Trustpilot is a platform on which reviews for businesses and organisations can be written.

She also said she has warned her mother about AI content sites.

Cautionary tale

Nicole’s post on Threads has gotten over 2,100 likes and 1,000 shares.

“I initially shared because I wanted to get help. I was very flustered and scared and didn’t want to do anything wrongly,” she told Mothership.

“I’m so used to seeing scam awareness posts. I didn’t think this was possible,” she commented.

She added that the close call occurred even though she and her sister had been careful in helping their parents.

“So I wanted to also share what happened to raise awareness to other people… This is real and happened so fast - within a day,” Nicole said.

Nicole also highlighted the dangers of being unable to differentiate between AI and authentic posts, particularly among the elderly.

Responding to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Police Force confirmed that a report was lodged and that they are looking into the matter.

News of Najib Razak’s conditional pardon, which would move him from prison to house arrest, has caused waves in Malaysian politics, but perhaps none quite as consequential as the resignation of Minister for Transport Anthony Loke.

After it was announced that former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak would be given a conditional pardon on Sep. 18, the DAP’s leader and Minister for Transport Anthony Loke reportedly resigned in protest.

But the situation surrounding Najib’s pardon is not as clear-cut as it might at first seem, nor is Loke’s resignation (which it turns out was an offer to resign).

So how did we get here, what was Najib actually granted, and what did Loke actually offer to do?

The Najib pardon

On Sep. 18, it was announced that former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak had been granted a conditional pardon, which would allow him to serve the remainder of his jail sentence on house arrest.

This is subject to him paying a RM50 million (S$15.6 million) fine.

Najib had been sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment in the SRC International case, but in 2024, his sentence was cut in half by the Malaysian Federal Territories Pardons Board.

Part of the sentence for the SRC International case was a RM210 million (at the time, S$59.3 million) fine, which was reduced to RM50 million (then S$14 million, now S$15.6 million).

This fine is important because it is the same fine that is conditioning his move to house arrest.

Controversial news

Understandably, the news has become very controversial in Malaysia, with supporters of Najib welcoming the news, particularly his family and his party, UMNO.

Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) also thanked the Malaysian king for granting the conditional pardon.

PAS’s secretary-general issued a statement praising Najib’s contributions and dedicated service to the nation, as well as hoping he would “contribute ideas, perspectives and experience for the good of the country, as reported by The Star.

This represents a turnaround from just over a decade ago, when the party criticised Najib for not sensing the problems being caused by 1MDB.

It is safe to say that Najib has become symbolic of either corruption or wrongful imprisonment, depending on which side one comes down on in the debate.

So releasing Najib, even to the confinement of house arrest, has come to symbolise the triumph of corruption or justice, two very stark and irreconcilably different positions.

Accountability and resignation

The conditional pardon of Najib has been seen as intolerable for many critical of the former PM and for those seeking accountability for the 1MDB fiasco.

One such group is the reform-minded supporters of the Pakatan Harapan coalition, currently in government.

PH, and its previous Pakatan Rakyat iteration, campaigned vigorously on a pro-reform, anti-corruption platform.

But since taking power in 2022, the coalition has been criticised for not moving fast enough on those reforms, with some suggesting that it has instead spent too much political capital in keeping its odd bedfellow government partner UMNO, Najib’s party, onside.

It has suffered in recent state elections, with PH taking severe beatings in those elections, and no component party has had to bear the brunt of its own supporters’ criticism more than the Democratic Action Party.

So harsh was the rebuke after their poor showings that the party felt compelled to take a vote on whether to remain within the government at all.

While the vote was overwhelmingly in favour of remaining in government, the Sep. 18 conditional pardon has forced the DAP to question whether its political goals were being met in government.

What did Loke say

It has come to the point where the DAP’s leader, secretary-general, and the federal Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke, has offered his resignation after a three-hour meeting on Sep. 20.

In a press conference, flanked by party bigwigs, Loke said that he would offer his resignation to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the “soonest time possible,” and this was the DAP's response to the pardon, as reported by The Star.

CNA quoted Loke as saying, “As a party, we have a stand; we feel this is difficult for DAP and many Malaysians, hence we have discussed for three hours and debated; we have reached a decision.”

But Loke and the DAP were careful not to insult the royal institution, saying that while Najib’s conditional release to house arrest was unprecedented, “we respect the power of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to make that decision.”

There appears to have been initial confusion about what exactly Loke was offering, although it soon became clear that Loke was going to offer to resign.

As of Sep. 23, Loke remains in office and has travelled to China to participate in the APEC Transport Ministers Meeting.

Final decision

But Loke is not the only DAP minister; four others hold ministerial positions, not counting others who hold more junior roles.

At the time, Loke specifically said that there was no intention for those ministers to resign, suggesting that doing so could cause the collapse of the federal government.

Of note is the position of Hannah Yeoh, who is Federal Territories Minister and a member of the Pardons Board.

In the run-up to Najib’s pardon, Yeoh said she had expressed her views “honestly, guided by my conscience and in the country’s interest”.

But she noted that according to the federal constitution, “the authority and final decision rests with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.”

Out of office

Anwar has said that he will meet with Loke before making a decision on his resignation.

The Malay Mail quotes Anwar as saying, “I have to listen to his views, and I understand because he is a principled person.”

“From the beginning he has been consistent in opposing measures that could give the impression that we are weak or lenient towards corrupt practices, especially when action is taken against many others, including those involved in petty corruption.”

He confirmed that Loke had told him of his intentions, but they would only meet after their respective travel itineraries allowed them to.

Loke, however, intends to remain as the DAP’s secretary-general.

He would also retain his seat in the Dewan Rakyat, even as he has lost his state-level seat in the Negeri Sembilan State Legislative Assembly.

A fine mess

As for Najib, things are not quite so clear-cut either.

The conditional pardon still raises the question of where he will find RM50 million to pay his fine.

UMNO is passing around a collection plate to raise money for him to pay his fine, with social media commentators suggesting where the money could otherwise come from.

The University of Tasmania’s James Chin, a noted Malaysia watcher, posted on social media that “Najib could still raise RM50 mil from ‘friends’ without much trouble”, suggesting that Najib’s frozen assets would pose little problem for the former PM.

Chin also noted how much direct influence Najib still had, with three of his children holding senior positions within UMNO.

Another case

But there is also the question of what becomes of his 1MDB conviction.

In December 2025, Najib was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment after being convicted in a separate case relating to the 1MDB case, which he is currently appealing.

As the New Straits Times reports, the conditional pardon relates only to the SRC International conviction, not the 1MDB conviction.

Furthermore, the 1MDB sentence is scheduled to begin only upon completion of his SRC sentence.

So there is a chance that, should the conditional pardon go through, his time at home will only be a brief interlude before beginning a more serious sentence for an arguably more serious crime.

A 51-year-old man in Singapore has been charged with leaving a standard poodle unattended at a pet grooming facility, eventually resulting in the dog's death.

Chan Yew Heng was a director at Pawsome.sg at the time of the alleged offence, The Straits Times (ST) reported.

Pawsome.sg is a pet care provider and store located along Tanjong Katong Road.

What happened

According to a charge sheet seen by Mothership, the incident took place between about 9:15am and 10:45am on Oct. 30, 2025.

The dog, a four-year-old standard poodle named Buddy, was allegedly left unattended for about 90 minutes, during which its forelegs became trapped by its playpen.

This resulted in "extensive traumatic injury" to its forelegs and eventually its death, the charge sheet stated.

Buddy’s owner had previously told ST that a transport service picked up the dog from his home at about 8am that day and dropped him off at the store at around 9:15am.

At about 11.45am, the owner said he received a call from the grooming facility informing him that Buddy had died.

Chan is expected to plead guilty on Oct. 21.

If convicted, a first-time offender can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to S$40,000, or both.

The Singapore government has accepted all five recommendations from a manpower workgroup to strengthen human capital capabilities and leadership in every workplace.

Working closely on its implementation with the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF), and industry stakeholders, the Ministry of Manpower said in a joint press release with the organisations that this ensures Singapore's growth continues to be centred in and for its people.

The announcement was made at the launch of a report by the Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development (TWG-HC) on Sep. 24.

This includes a requirement that organisations with over 200 employees must have at least one HR professional certified at the IHRP Certified Professional (IHRP-CP) level or higher by Jul. 1, 2028.

Deputy Secretary (Workforce) of MOM and TWG-HC co-chair, Kenny Tan, said: "Leaders at all levels of the organisation — business leaders, human resource professionals and people managers — must drive enterprise and workforce transformation together."

"Workers must embrace new ways of doing things, new jobs and new skills."

Five recommendations

The TWG-HC was convened in February 2025 to address trends such as technology advancements and increased longevity.

The workgroup has engaged over 1,000 people from various sectors of the workforce to inform its recommendations, the media release said.

The five recommendations TWG-HC made aim to benefit more than two million workers, support at least 2,000 enterprises and build the capabilities of 20,000 HR professionals and people leaders.

The recommendations are as follows:

1. Establish the Singapore Opportunity Index (SOI) in October 2025 as a national benchmark

2. Help enterprises build workforce planning capabilities and bring strategic HR expertise within reach of more SMEs

3. Assist enterprises to use AI effectively and responsibly in HR

4. Professionalise the HR practice by establishing a baseline, including having at least one HR professional who is an IHRP-CP or higher

5. Develop people leaders for the future through leadership programmes

Singapore Opportunity Index (SOI)

According to the report, the SOI measures how career mobility is created across 1,500 organisations which employ more than 1 million residents using verified administrative data.

The data's five key dimensions are pay, progression, gender parity, retention and hiring.

The SOI makes it more visible for workers to make informed career decisions and for employers to see where they can do better.

Practical guides and pilot model

SNEF and IHRP will provide practical guides and showcases that help firms anticipate and plan workforce transformation.

IHRP and local start-up co:grow will also pilot a model to match SMEs that lack dedicated in-house HR expertise with experienced HR leaders on a part-time basis.

This gives SMEs flexible access to strategic HR advice without having to hire a full-time senior HR professional.

AI starter kits and leadership development programme

The People-centred AI Transformation for HR (PATH) initiative provides businesses and HR professionals with a pathway for AI transformation, said the report.

It includes AI starter kits that will be introduced by tripartite partners to help enterprises implement AI for high-impact HR use cases.

This is to enable HR professionals to be active partners in their organisation's AI transformation.

In the media release, TWG-HC said IHRP will work with training partners to introduce more accredited training programmes aligned to 12 new AI fluency skill badges.

NTUC will also develop a playbook to help HR professionals navigate the AI transformation journey, to be released in the first quarter of 2027.

As AI becomes more widely used in hiring and other employment decisions, tripartite partners recommend developing guidance on responsible AI use in recruitment.

This includes processes and safeguards to ensure these decisions remain fair and merit-based, said the press release.

A leadership development programme is also being designed for senior HR and people leaders to equip them with the capabilities, resources and support network to develop next-generation enterprises.

Government will provide support for certification

Around 2,000 firms currently have over 200 employees, which account for 45 per cent of Singapore's total workforce.

Over 900 of these already have at least one HR professional certified by IHRP.

To support the requirement of having at least one HR professional certified at the IHRP-CP level or higher by July 2028, the government will recognise equivalent accreditations and provide subsidies for early adoption.

The media release said firms will satisfy the requirement for certification if their HR professionals hold equivalent certifications from other international HR professional bodies that are recognised by IHRP and meet any prescribed bridging requirements.

Singapore residents are also provided significant subsidies to undertake the IHRP certification.

On top of these subsidies, an additional S$100 subsidy will be granted from Oct. 1, 2026 to Jun. 30, 2028, bringing certification fees down to S$163.50 for IHRP-CP and S$272.50 for IHRP Senior Professionals.

The certification is valid for three years.

Organisations may also use their SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit to offset remaining out-of-pocket fees for their HR professionals.

All organisations, including those with 200 or fewer employees, will be eligible.

This is also to help firms prepare for the roll-out of the Workplace Fairness Act and changes to the Employment Act.

For more information, the public can visit TWG-HC's website here.