A video of people forming a human pyramid on the Singapore Flyer has made its rounds on social media.

The video which was posted on Instagram Stories, showed a group of 10 men in what appeared to be a capsule of the flyer.

It appeared to be taken by another individual within the same capsule.

Human pyramid

They were seen forming a human pyramid, where they stacked themselves on top one another.

One individual barely made it to the top of the pyramid, where he managed to stay for a few seconds before he fell off with the rest of the group.

A Mothership reader who wished to remain anonymous said he came across the video on social media and found their actions "disruptive and dangerous".

According to Singapore Flyer's website, one private capsule can fit up to 28 people.

Believed to be overseas visitors

Responding to Mothership's queries, Singapore Flyer said it is aware of the incident, which based on its records, took place shortly after 9pm on Jul. 26.

Based on the information available from the social media post, Singapore Flyer believes the individuals involved were overseas visitors.

It is concerned about the safety risks posed to the guests involved, as well as other guests within the capsule.

"We take this matter seriously as the safety and security of our guests and staff is our highest priority," said Singapore Flyer.

Does not condone behaviour compromising safety

It added that it does not condone behaviour that could compromise the safety of guests, staff, or others within the attraction.

"While no injuries were reported and the incident did not affect the safe operation of the Singapore Flyer, we encourage guests to capture memorable moments during their visit safely and responsibly," it said.

"We remain committed to providing a safe and enjoyable environment for all guests at Singapore Flyer and will review existing safety measures to assess whether additional reminders within the capsules would help reinforce responsible behaviour."

Large unattended, empty fuel tanks were found at a multi-storey car park in Eunos.

The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded to a report of a suspicious item left on the sixth floor deck of the multi-storey car park at Block 39 Eunos Crescent on the morning of Jun. 27, Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights Diana Pang wrote in a Facebook post.

While the tanks contained no fuel, residual fuel vapours remained inside, posing a potential fire and explosion risk if exposed to an ignition source, Pang added.

Preliminary investigations suggest the tanks may be linked to illegal storage or distribution of diesel or petrol.

Photos shared showed the fuel tanks were white containers with metal frames.

They appear to be more than 1m in height and were situated at a corner of the sixth storey of the car park.

Pang expressed gratitude towards the emergency responders for their “swift response and ongoing investigations”.

She also encouraged members of the public to remain vigilant.

“If you notice lorries transporting fuel containers, the transfer of fuel in the car park, or any other suspicious or unusual activities, please report them to the police immediately. Your timely reporting can help prevent potential safety hazards and keep our neighbourhood safe,” she wrote.

They had entered politics for just over a year, and now they have been selected to join the government.

As part of the latest Cabinet reshuffle, first-term Members of Parliament (MPs) Foo Cexiang and Shawn Loh will be taking on additional duties as Ministers of State (MOS) from Sep. 1, 2026, and Jan. 1, 2027, respectively.

Foo and Loh have several things in common: both have large young families, now work in the private sector, and spent a large part of their careers as senior civil servants.

Foo was a director at the Ministry of Transport, where he oversaw private and future mobility. Loh was a director of security and resilience programmes at the Ministry of Finance and served as Budget director in 2024 and 2025.

Given their young age — Foo is 41, and Loh is 39 — the move paints a rather bright future for them in Singapore's next generation of leaders.

If you ask them, though, the road ahead at this point is a little more complicated.

Foo, who will become MOS for Manpower and Trade and Industry, said he's excited to work on creating good jobs for Singaporeans and preparing them for the AI age.

But he also feels "a little apprehension", not knowing what his specific portfolio will entail.

He summarised his emotions about his new post: "Excited, apprehensive, grateful."

Similarly, Loh shared his mix of anticipation and nerves about stepping into the roles of MOS for Education and Health.

"Many in my generation have this feeling when we take on new responsibilities and new accountabilities — we don't know whether we can perform," he said.

"It's a bit of an imposter syndrome," he acknowledged. "But most certainly I'll try my best."

A good start

Holding political office is not a task just anyone can take on.

So why did Prime Minister Lawrence Wong believe these two relatively fresh faces are up for it?

At a Jul. 23 press conference announcing the new Cabinet line-up, PM Wong explained that he was bringing the two men into government because "they have made a good start as MPs".

Which leaves much room for interpretation.

Loh gave his take with humility, saying first that PM Wong was "very generous with his words".

Rather than refer to himself, he went on to commend the work of his group representation constituency (GRC) team.

"We've tried our best, and we've done our best to serve the community here in Jalan Besar GRC," he said.

Echoing his words, Foo believes his own team at Tanjong Pagar GRC has also "done [their] best to try to address" their residents' problems.

Not forgetting to bring joy to their days too. Despite being a self-professed introvert, his face lit up as he shared about joining residents at events to sing, dance, exercise, and just have fun together.

"I really enjoy [these times] from the bottom of my heart," he said, and it shows in the videos, brimming with his playful energy.

Millennial energy

Being young can often be conflated as lacking competence for a job, but Foo and Loh both have over a decade of experience in civil service each prior to their entrance into politics.

Plus, rather than seeing his youth as a downside, Loh sees it as a unique perspective and energy that he hopes to bring to the table in the Cabinet.

Perhaps it is this confidence in his diverse strengths that led him to boldly tell PM Wong he was open to joining any ministry.

When PM Wong spoke to him about moving to the front bench, he "very kindly" asked whether there was a ministry Loh wanted to go to, and any he did not.

Loh turned the question back to him, telling PM Wong to post him wherever he thought he could best contribute to solve the major issues of the country.

"He was taken aback," Loh recalled with a laugh.

"He was like, 'I asked you, and you ask me back?'... But that's pretty much the way in which I'm approaching the new season."

Speaking his mind

Apart from the additional work, becoming a Cabinet member also means some other changes.

For one, questioning the government is a role traditionally designated for backbenchers and opposition MPs.

Political office holders are instead tasked to answer those questions. This means both men will no longer be able to ask questions in Parliament — something that Foo in particular has actively done as an up-and-coming MP.

When we asked him about how he thinks his role in Parliament will change, he said that he "fully intends to continue speaking [his] mind".

In his new capacity, this means doing so in representing the ministry's policies, or even engaging in debate with other Members of Parliament.

"I think [that] doesn't change," he said of his trademark outspokenness.

He added that he also plans to continue engaging his fellow government compatriots in other settings, to represent the concerns of his residents.

Family considerations

Finally, there's the need to figure out a new balance between work and home, as both men are also young fathers with large families.

The job of an MOS will demand more of their time and energy, and they have already started making space for it by making plans to step down from their current roles in private companies.

But they will not be stepping away from their families.

Foo, who has three daughters aged four to nine, has frequently shared on his social media fun moments with his children, including at events with the residents.

In fact, he was on holiday with his family in Ipoh when PM Wong's secretary told him the prime minister wanted to meet him. He did not know then that it was about joining the Cabinet, but he saw no reason to cut short his holiday.

When the meeting happened the following week and he learnt the news, his mind was still on his family.

"One of my considerations was actually to maybe not have too much travelling in the immediate term because my children are still very small," he told Mothership.

As for Loh, this new balancing act does not seem to him like it will be very different from the current one between his roles as an MP, a corporate leader, and a young father.

Still, with four children ranging from five to 13 years old, he admitted that it will be a big challenge.

"I can't promise anyone, including my family, that would be an easy journey, but most certainly, I'll try my best to balance everything."

And trying his best, he feels, is good enough. "You don't have to be perfect in everything," he added.

"For my family, I make sure I'm faithful in the small things — the small promises I make, to wake my kids up in the morning, to try to put them to bed in the evening, have meals, have conversations with them on a very regular basis.

And that's something that I hope to advocate for, not just for myself, but for all families in Singapore."

The government is considering lowering the eligibility age at which singles can buy Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats, said Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat.

Chee was speaking at the opening of the 11th Singapore Economic Review Conference on Jul. 28.

Policy under "careful review"

According to CNA, the minister said the policy is under "careful review".

"While the government will continue to encourage marriage and parenthood, and support families to achieve home ownership, we have progressively opened up public housing options to singles," he said.

The government has progressively expanded public housing options for singles over the years.

In the 2010s, singles could buy two-room Built-To-Order (BTO) flats directly from the government, but only in non-mature estates.

These estates included Choa Chu Kang, Jurong East and Woodlands.

In 2024, with the introduction of the new flat classification framework, the government expanded the scheme islandwide, allowing singles to apply for two-room Flexi flats across Singapore.

In 2025, the government also extended priority access under the Family Care Scheme to singles who apply for a new flat to live with or near their parents for mutual care and support.

Previously, such priority was available only to married children under the Married Child Priority Scheme.

The Senior Priority Scheme also sets aside flats for seniors who wish to live with or near their married child or parents.

Chee said the government is now looking at further supporting younger singles by reviewing the current eligibility age of 35.

"These examples reflect the government's pragmatic approach to policy making," he said. "Moving in tandem with changing times and keeping our policies relevant are essential in ensuring that the policies can deliver good outcomes for our people."

A 23-year-old Singapore permanent resident and Myanmar national will be charged in court on Jul. 29 after he allegedly transferred money to facilitate terrorist acts in Gaza.

The Internal Security Department (ISD) initiated investigations against the accused after his extremist postings came to the authorities' attention, according to a Jul. 28 Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) press release.

Radicalised

Based on ISD's investigations, the accused was radicalised after consuming extremist content online.

He developed a strong hatred towards Muslims in 2024 after being exposed to Islamophobic content online in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attacks against Israel.

The man began to subscribe to an extremist interpretation of Zionism, and believed that the killing of Palestinian Muslims was justified.

By early 2025, the accused had also developed a strong hatred towards Jews after he consumed far-right extremist and anti-Semitic narratives on social media.

He began posting online, expressing support for the use of violence against Jews and Muslims, as well as other groups typically targeted by far-right extremists.

These included immigrants to Europe and the LGBT community.

Transferred money

ISD's investigations revealed that in August 2024, the accused transferred funds to an overseas-based user with whom he was in contact on the platform "X".

The user claimed to be soliciting donations online to purchase military equipment, apparently to facilitate a terrorist act in Gaza City.

The act was aimed at eradicating all Palestinians, including civilians.

In the light of potential terrorism financing offences, ISD referred the accused to the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) for investigations.

A parallel investigation by the CAD found that the accused transferred US$72.28 (S$93.45), and attempted to transfer an additional US$1 (S$1.29), to PayPal accounts designated by the "X" user, to facilitate terrorist acts in Gaza City.

Serious offence

MHA said that providing money in support of terrorist purposes — "regardless of the amount" — is a serious offence under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act 2002.

It is punishable with a fine not exceeding S$500,000, a jail term not exceeding 10 years, or both.

Terrorism and terrorist financing are grave threats to domestic and international security, and global action is required to deprive terrorist groups of funding and materials, MHA said.

It added that Singapore is part of this global effort and is strongly committed to combatting terrorist financing, regardless of whether the monies are used to facilitate terrorist acts locally or abroad.

MHA said: "We do not condone and will take firm action against individuals using Singapore as a base to conduct or support terrorist activities, whether locally or overseas.

"Likewise, we will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone who supports, promotes, undertakes, or makes preparations for armed violence, regardless of how they rationalise such ideologies or where the violence takes place."

Members of the public are reminded not to remit money of any amount, or provide any support through the provision of services, supplies or any material to a terrorist organisation, or for facilitating or carrying out any terrorist act.

Anyone with information on such activities should inform the authorities promptly.

In Singapore, the government makes and changes laws, while the role of the Courts is to apply the law to the cases before them, said Senior Minister K Shanmugam.

This is unlike many countries, he went on, where "because of political deadlock, or political controversies, or simply a lack of political will, Parliaments abdicate this power".

In such cases, the Courts would reform laws in ways that are "seriously limited", because the Courts are not equipped to deal with law reform, he said.

The former law minister from 2008 to 2025, SM Shanmugam was speaking at the launch of the book series "25 Years of Legal Reform in Singapore: Innovations in Policy and Law (2000–2025)" by the Ministry of Law on Jul. 28.

The four-volume series documents 25 years of legal changes in Singapore.

It illustrates "how the Singapore government has deliberately and practically made laws that shaped the legal environment to deal with real world problems, make difficult choices, and advance the public interest", SM Shanmugam said.

Reshaping society

SM Shanmugam believes it is "fundamental" for the government to have the power to make laws in order to change and reform the laws.

"Law reform changes rights, obligations. It creates institutions. It determines when the State should intervene, and where boundaries should be drawn."

He shared that Singapore's Parliament has passed close to 1,000 bills in the past 25 years.

Close to 30 per cent of them were handled by the Ministry of Law either alone or with other agencies and ministries.

Over this time, the laws passed have reshaped the legal landscape across many areas of Singapore society, and in turn, reshaped the framework of the society itself, he said.

He recalled the work he and fellow political officeholders had done when he first became law minister in 2008.

"We discussed, conceptualised new laws that can be passed, how existing laws can be made better, as society’s needs changed, and evolved.

And each time, the benefit was to a very substantial section of the public."

Key legal changes in Singapore

SM Shanmugam offered several examples of legal reforms in Singapore and how they impacted the people.

In the area of family justice, the Family Justice Act was passed in 2014, establishing the Family Justice Courts.

Family law processes were simplified and streamlined to make them inexpensive and efficient, and reduce the trauma.

Later in 2023, the Maintenance Enforcement Process (MEP) was introduced, creating a specialised division of officers who can get information on assets and means, and conduct conciliation to help parties reach a settlement.

"We saw too many cases where parties – usually the women – struggle to enforce the maintenance orders that had been made in their favour," SM Shanmugam said.

Under the MEP, nearly 1,400 cases had been referred to its officers in the initial phases, of which over 70 per cent went through conciliation and reached a settlement.

As for criminal justice, the major reforms to the system over the past 25 years are "too many to detail".

They include stronger protection for vulnerable victims, repealing marital immunity for rape, and introducing community-based sentences to enhance rehabilitation.

The Public Defender’s Office (PDO) has also helped more than 400 to 500 cases every year, and the number has been increasing, SM Shanmugam added.

Additionally, he highlighted the efficiency of how Singapore conceptualised and drafted its first Covid legislation in about nine days.

He pointed out that it was a "novel legislation, with no precedent anywhere in the world, with impact on thousands of people".

"Covid-19 showed the power of law reform in a crisis: moving quickly but calibrating carefully as conditions changed."

Continue to evolve

Also speaking at the book launch, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong similarly said that Singapore's legal reforms have "strengthened institutions, supported businesses, and improved lives".

The legal system has also evolved in response to technological disruption, changing societal expectations, economic uncertainty, and the pandemic.

"[Good law reform] is really about understanding deeply how our society is changing...tapping into its pulse, anticipating further challenges ahead, making difficult judgments, and deciding on trade-offs, and also balancing competing interests with care."

A 33-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to jail on Jul. 27 after he helped an illegal moneylending syndicate collect and deliver vapes.

He was trying to pay off his S$50,000 debt to the moneylender.

After his passport was impounded, he lied about having lost it as he wanted to travel to Malaysia to take wedding photos.

Melvin Wong Mun Hao pleaded guilty to one charge of attempting to possess vapes and another charge of making a false statement in a passport application.

According to charge sheets seen by Mothership, Wong's offences were brought to light on Feb. 28, 2025.

Vapes

Investigations revealed that Wong would collect the vapes from one location, load them into a van, and deliver them to another location, The Straits Times reported.

On Feb. 28, 2025, Wong went to two locations on the moneylender's instructions: first at 23 Tagore Lane, and then at a multi-storey carpark in Boon Lay.

After the goods had been loaded onto his van, Wong was told to drive and make a delivery to Sungei Kadut.

He gave the delivery code to one of the workers in the building, but was detained.

Smoked out

Earlier, Customs officers had discovered about 5,000 vaporisers inside a trailer in the building.

Upon being questioned, the office manager of the company occupying the premises said she was unaware of the vapes.

The cartons were said to contain skincare medication, according to the shipment manifest.

The office manager contacted a person called "Bernard Lim" listed on the shipment manifest and informed him to collect the goods at the office, ST reported.

To that, Lim said he would send a delivery person to collect it.

Health Sciences Authority (HSA) officers conducted a controlled delivery operation at the premises, and Wong was promptly arrested.

Lied about passport

After being detained, his passport was impounded by HSA, and he was told that he could not leave the country.

He was then released while investigations for his vape offences were underway.

But on Mar. 7, 2025, Wong submitted an online application for a new passport, lying that he had lost his old one.

He wrote in his ICA application that he had "dropped [his] passport" and tried to find it, but failed.

He had apparently wanted to travel to Malaysia for a wedding photo shoot.

Court documents did not say how he was caught.

Penalties

Wong was sentenced to 24 weeks' jail for his offences.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said it takes a very serious view of people who provide false or misleading information or conceal material facts in their passport or travel document applications, ST reported.

"We will deal with them firmly. If convicted, he or she faces a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years, or both," ICA said.

An offender convicted of the possession of vapes for sale may fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.

He is expected to surrender himself at 12pm on Aug. 3 to begin serving his sentence.

A man in Singapore was fined S$2,000 on Jul. 10, 2026 for making false declarations as the local sponsor in his spouse's application for a long-term visit pass.

Tan Kim Lam was convicted under the Immigration Act 1959, which came into effect on Dec. 31, 2024.

He is the first person to be prosecuted under this provision, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement.

His wife was identified as Lin Qiaoming.

According to the Immigration Act 1959, an applicant or local sponsor may be held liable if false or misleading information is provided in an application for any immigration facility.

This is so even when the applicant or sponsor claims ignorance that the information was false or misleading.

Responsibility of applicants and sponsors

ICA said it takes a very serious view of individuals who make false or misleading statements in applications to obtain immigration facilities for themselves or others.

Applicants and local sponsors are reminded that they are responsible for ensuring that the information provided in their applications are true and accurate.

Those convicted under the Immigration Act 1959, may be fined up to S$4,000.

ICA also said it has strengthened its capabilities to detect travellers using multiple identities by leveraging biometrics and data analytics.

This includes the implementation of multi-modal biometrics screening in 2020, which captures travellers’ biometrics and helps detect individuals attempting to enter Singapore using a different or false identity.

HSBC is set to hire more than 100 AI specialists and 100 wealth managers in Singapore, as the bank launches a new Global AI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the country in the second half of 2026.

What the centre will focus on

According to HSBC's press release, the CoE will initially focus on three areas: personalising customer wealth management conversations, introducing agentic treasury solutions, and expanding AI-enabled digital payments.

HSBC said it will recruit talent across natural language processing, data science, AI governance and human-centred design, and plans to work with educational institutions and government bodies in Singapore.

The new hires will work alongside David Rice, HSBC's Chief AI Officer.

Also hiring 100 wealth managers

Beyond AI, HSBC is also looking to grow its local wealth management operation by adding 100 relationship managers, according to Reuters.

HSBC's Group CEO said in May that AI would both eliminate and create certain jobs in the financial industry, and that the bank was retraining its workforce to adapt, Reuters reported.

While Singapore must not change its Constitution on a whim, neither should it treat it as an immutable document forever cast in stone, said Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

"Just like other laws, the Constitution needs to be updated from time to time as society develops and the world changes," he added.

He highlighted several major Constitutional changes Singapore has enacted to "remedy significant vulnerabilities in our legal framework".

They include creating group representation constituencies (GRCs) to ensure multiracial representation in Parliament, and schemes to guarantee opposition voices and non-political civil society representation in Parliament.

SM Lee was speaking at the launch of the book series "25 Years of Legal Reform in Singapore: Innovations in Policy and Law (2000–2025)" by the Ministry of Law on Jul. 28.

The four-volume series chronicles Singapore's legal reform journey over the last 25 years.

Through perspectives from government policymakers, judges, legal practitioners, and more, the series sheds light on the policy thinking and societal considerations behind key legislative and legal reforms during this period.

A continuous undertaking

SM Lee pointed out that the challenges Singapore faces today are very different from those the pioneers faced when the country's modern legal system was introduced 200 years ago.

These changes include technological advances, evolving social norms, and different expectations over governance and rights.

Singapore's approach to governance is to ensure its legal system responds to changes.

"We have never treated law reform as an occasional, one-off exercise. It is a continuous undertaking," SM Lee said.

"Each generation must review the system it has inherited, decide what remains fit for purpose, update or repeal those parts which are outdated, and design and pass new laws to deal with new circumstances."

He went on to discuss how laws should serve society's needs: they must address national imperatives, respond to new challenges, respond quickly in times of crisis, and respond to social change.

Addressing national imperatives

Singapore has used the law to address enduring national imperatives, particularly social cohesion.

SM Lee detailed how the country implemented policies to foster social mixing, build common spaces, and forge a national identity in response to the communal riots of the 1950s and 1960s.

In 2025, Parliament passed the Maintenance of Racial Harmony Act to counter new and emerging threats to social cohesion on the internet.

SM Lee highlighted that since the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act came into force in 1992, no restraining order has had to be issued.

"This is not because the law was not needed, but because its presence encouraged restraint, dialogue, and responsible conduct among religious groups," he said.

He noted that laws cannot compel people to trust one another or make friends across different groups — such work must be done by Singaporeans themselves, supported by initiatives.

"But laws can set boundaries, deter harmful conduct, and create the conditions for harmony," he said.

Responding to new challenges

Singapore has also had to develop new legal tools to respond to new challenges in the digital age.

SM Lee brought up the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA), Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act (FICA), and the Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Act as recent measures enacted to tackle misinformation, foreign interference, scams, online harassment, and other forms of digital harm.

As today’s threats have changed greatly, "our laws must be updated, in order to remain fit for purpose", he said.

Responding quickly in times of crisis

While legislation usually requires extensive and deliberate study, consultation and debate, "crises do not wait for this normal stately pace of legislation", SM Lee stressed.

"In such moments, governments must respond swiftly while remaining anchored in the rule of law," he said.

For example, during the Covid pandemic, the Singapore government worked quickly to put together and pass the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 to address urgent issues of the pandemic, and amended the Act eight times as new challenges emerged.

"What is noteworthy is not merely the speed of the response, but that all this was done through established constitutional and parliamentary processes," SM Lee highlighted.

Responding to social change

Apart from technological change and crises, SM Lee believes Singapore's laws must also react to changing societal values, identity, and norms.

Such reforms are often among the most challenging to implement, he noted, as they may involve deep personal convictions that may differ between groups.

"In these circumstances, the task of government is not simply to decide whether to change any laws," he said. "It must also manage changes in a way that respects different viewpoints, maintains social cohesion, and preserves trust."

He used the 2022 repeal of Section 377A of the Penal Code as an example of how the Singapore government responded to the growing acceptance among Singaporeans that "private consensual conduct between adults should not be criminalised".

It engaged different groups of society to understand concerns, identify common ground, and seek a path forward that Singaporeans could broadly accept.

Then, in addition to repealing Section 377A, the Constitution was also amended "to affirm Parliament’s authority to define, regulate, and support the institution of marriage".

SM Lee said that the response in this case exemplifies how the Singapore government did not treat dissent as something to be quelled, but "managed it constructively" and accommodated opposing concerns.

Adapting the law to new realities

SM Lee expressed confidence in Singapore's ability to meet new challenges of the future.

This confidence comes not because the government possesses all the solutions, but because Singapore has shown its ability to "adapt thoughtfully and pragmatically to changing circumstances", he said.

He believes the next chapter of Singapore’s legal story is not about preserving what the country has inherited, but about building upon the foundations to keep its laws relevant.

"Each generation must strengthen the legal system it inherits, and adapt it to new realities, and pass it on, updated and improved, to the next generation."