A traffic police officer on a motorcycle was caught on camera rear-ending a car on the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) towards Tuas.

A video showed the officer on the right-most lane apparently with his head turned towards the car to his left.

The officer then rode into the back of a white car as traffic on the lane had come to a standstill.

The ensuing crash caused debris to be scattered on the road.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police said they were alerted to the incident on Nov. 4 at about 7:10am.

The accident involved two cars and two motorcycles, one of which is a traffic police (TP) motorcycle, the police added.

A 26-year-old male traffic police outrider, a 28-year-old female motorcyclist and a 20-year-old male car passenger were conveyed conscious to the hospital.

Police investigations are ongoing.

In a rare show of cordiality, U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated his rival Democratic Party on their 2026 midterms election victory, saying that he "look forward to working with you for the good of our country".

The Democrats have managed to wrestle control of both houses of the U.S. legislature, the House of Representatives and the Senate, winning their largest majority in over two decades.

In response, Trump told Fox News that the Democrats "did a good job" and "fought hard".

He added:

"They've been fighting me for a long time... I've been doing it for 12 years with them and I've come up on top all the time.

You know, I don't like to consider it a defeat for me. I wasn't on the ballot. If you're on the ballot, it's different than if you're not on the ballot."

Trump: The Democrats did a good job. They fought hard. You know, I don't like to consider it a defeat for me. I wasn't on the ballot. https://t.co/D3pgNFakdz

— Acyn (@Acyn) November 4, 2026

When asked if he would accept the results of the race, he said: "Yeah, sure, I'll accept them, why wouldn't I?"

CBS News reported on Nov. 3 that in light of Democratic control of the U.S. legislature, Trump was quoted as saying he is ready to make full use of his veto powers as president.

"Historically, you veto for a couple of months and then they come and say, 'We've got to make a deal,'" he said.

Though losing power on the legislative end, Trump still retains control of executive powers, especially regarding foreign policy.

Iran a factor

Trump also acknowledged to Fox News that the war in Iran played a part in the result.

Despite having the "best economy", he said, voters did not feel that way because of gas prices "caused by Iran".

Nevertheless, he defended his actions in Iran, adding, "Historically, [what I've done with Iran] is going to be much more important than this evening."

Who's to blame?

Trump also wrote on his Truth Social platform that if he was on the ballot, the Republican Party would have won in a "landslide".

He pointed fingers at some Republican candidates, in particular accusing Texan governor George Abbott of being a RINO (Republican In Name Only).

"He went back to his original formula, and it wasn’t pretty!" he wrote.

However, he told NYT that he had no regrets about fielding certain Republican candidates, such as Ken Paxton who lost the race in Texas.

In addition, he criticised Fox News for "spending too much time" giving the Democratic Party coverage, and accused them of donating to his political opponents.

Historic

The election results were a historic win for the Democrats, who saw several firsts in Republican-controlled states in a huge rebuke of the Trump administration.

In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim senator in history, while Texan James Talarico became the first Democrat to flip the red state since 1994.

The Democrats flipped at least seven Senate seats in ruby-red states and battlegrounds alike.

In the House, Democrats flipped more than two dozen districts, some that voted for Trump by double digits in 2024.

"A S$50,000 fine is little more than a tap on the wrist", said Workers' Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Sengkang, He Ting Ru, in parliament on Nov. 4 in regard to the proposed fine for individuals who fail to comply with requests for information on entities that cause or contribute to the haze.

He questioned whether the figure was "sufficiently punitive to send a clear signal of accountability to senior decision makers", proposing that the fine for individuals who intentionally suppress information should be increased to S$200,000 instead.

On Nov. 3, He had raised the motion "Strengthening Singapore’s Role in Regional Clean Air Amid Transboundary Haze".

He's comments came after the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, Grace Fu, announced the Transboundary Haze Pollution (Amendment) Bill on Nov. 4.

'Tap on the wrist'

He probed the fine for an individual's failure to comply with requests for information.

He highlighted the different maximum penalties for individuals and entities, and pointed at the "jarring" gap between the fine figures.

"Under the newly proposed Section 5, entities face fines of up to S$1 million for every day of haze pollution, S$500,000 for every day they fail to comply with (the) preventive measures notice.

Yet a non-compliant individual faces a one-off fine of S$50,000."

He also questioned whether the S$50,000 penalty is scaled to the senior executives who make the decisions.

Citing the annual reports of several of the 10 companies linked to the haze-causing fires, He said these reports showed that the annual pay of the executives was "well in excess of a million dollars".

On traceability, He noted hearing "a lot about the difficulty of obtaining good data" and subsequently information on who is responsible.

He stated: "Amending our laws without strengthening our information gathering capabilities would make it significantly more difficult for our authorities to enforce them."

Singapore should make use of its Asean chairmanship in 2027 to strengthen information sharing efforts at the Asean level, she said.

She added that while the Asean Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control (ACCTHPC) was recently established in Indonesia, the centre not does not appear to have the legal muscle to carry out its duty.

There must be a more concerted effort to addressing such limitations, said He.

Part of a bigger problem

He also called for a “two-way street” in combatting transboundary haze, which she said takes place against the backdrop of the climate crisis.

The haze and its ill effects are just one instance of a wider pattern in modern supply chains, with harm “created up and downstream of the chain, and sometimes far away from where goods are ultimate consumed”, she said.

“The same fires that choke our skies also release greenhouse gases and destroy forests and peatlands. Haze, climate, and biodiversity are bound together.”

She urged for the new legislation to see the haze issue as a planetary health issue.

Tackling this problem effectively would require addressing harms across borders and industries to encourage compliance and mitigate harms, she added.

He cited Europe’s Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution as an example of successful cooperation and shared surveillance between neighbouring countries.

Particulate and sulphur emissions in Europe fell by 30 to 80 per cent in that case, she noted, but added that traceability and affecting change on the ground works best “when it supports the farmers who depend on it”.

Enforcement must be linked with financing support, shared data, and a mechanism for review, she emphasised.

Penalising financial institutions

He also called for financial institutions that finance haze-linked companies to be held accountable as indirect enablers.

Singapore's position as a major financial hub gives it leverage over companies responsible for the haze, she said.

For instance, Singapore's three major banks, OCBC, DBS and UOB, have sustainability-linked loan frameworks and made commitments to stop financing thermal coal projects.

These systems can be extended to verify whether an entity's fire risk is controlled, she said.

Acknowledging the Monetary Authority of Singapore's (MAS) recent call for banks to review their financing ties with haze-linked companies, she questioned whether it would already be too late "given that fires have been started and damage already done".

"Banks should report in aggregate how many haze-linked clients they reviewed and what is the follow-up action taken," said He.

She also posited that entire corporate groups, including contractors and subcontractors, should be scrutinised instead of individual projects or entities.

Grace Fu responds

Fu responded to He's comments in her closing speech on the Bill, stating that the penalties were pegged carefully to ensure proportionality and that policy objectives are met.

The S$50,000 fine penalty for individuals is intended to increase the deterrent effect of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, she reiterated.

It is also already several times higher than similar offences in other regulatory contexts.

"We should not focus on this particular offence alone," Fu said.

As the Act's section that this penalty falls under relates to an individual's general power to obtain information, including from third parties, it means that anyone could be liable to this offence, including those not related to the entities that conduct the burning.

"The culpability can be quite low," she explained.

Furthermore, offences that attract higher culpability have correspondingly higher penalties, such as that for directors and officers of companies that do not comply with assessors' directions.

These offenders could face penalties of up to S$20 million.

"The penalties framework in this Bill needs to be seen as a whole," she reiterated.

Around 4,000 children below the age of 21 in Singapore had at least one incarcerated parent as of Dec. 31, 2025.

Of these, 70 per cent were from families receiving support from Social Service Offices (SSOs) or Family Service Centres (FSCs), or both, while their parent was incarcerated.

Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli disclosed the figures in a written parliamentary reply on Nov. 3.

He was responding to a question from MP Victor Lye about how children with incarcerated parents are identified, assessed and referred for social, educational or family support.

Masagos added that support was extended to the children based on their assessed needs.

New process introduced to identify affected families

To provide more proactive support, the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) introduced an interagency process in February 2026.

Under the arrangement, SPS notifies SSO Family Coaches and FSC caseworkers when a member of a client's family is incarcerated.

This allows social service professionals to proactively reach out to affected families, assess their needs and provide timely assistance.

From March to August 2026, the process identified nearly 300 families with about 400 children.

Following a referral from SPS, SSOs and FSCs will reassess the needs of those affected and arrange for support where necessary.

Support continues after parent's release

According to Masagos, 16 per cent of these children had at least one parent released from prison between January and August 2026.

Nearly all of these children continued receiving support after their parents were released from prison.

MSF and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will continue working with other agencies through the National Committee on Preventing Offending and Reoffending (NCPR) to strengthen support for families and children affected by incarceration.

The ministries also aim to ensure that affected families do not feel singled out or labelled because of their family circumstances.

A 36-year-old Singaporean woman recently went on a local podcast to talk about her life as a mother to seven children, which she had with four different partners.

Her first child was born out of wedlock when she was 17.

Describing her life as "nine out of 10 screwed", she shared that she and her current husband are struggling to make ends meet, with her partner declared bankrupt.

Although she demonstrated optimism despite the circumstances, commenters expressed scepticism at the woman's life choices.

Bubbly personality

The podcast is by local YouTube channels Popping SG and Chicken Genius Singapore.

When the episode opened, one of the hosts asked about Pearlyn's "bubbly" personality despite being hit by a "hard nine" in life.

"Because this is life. No point dwelling on the sad things right?" was Pearlyn's response.

Pearlyn then candidly discussed her life choices that resulted in her being a mother of seven at the age of 36.

First child out of wedlock

She bore her first child out of wedlock at the age of 17.

"Was it an accident or on purpose?" the hosts asked.

"It was on purpose," Pearlyn replied with a laugh.

This was four to five months after she and her then-18-year-old partner met via Friendster, a social networking platform.

She explained that she had a strong motherly instinct since young and loved children.

Pearlyn told the hosts that she was a dropout then, and did not live with her parents.

"Nobody teach me. My childhood has no proper guidance. So I don't know what is right and what is wrong," she shared.

Second to fifth child

Three years later at 20 years old and while she was studying in a private school, Pearlyn met another partner. They had two children together and also got married.

However, she eventually left him due to his infidelity.

Pearlyn went on to work in nightlife as a performer, which was when she met her next husband and father to her fourth and fifth children.

At this point in the conversation, one of the hosts pointed out that Pearlyn seemed to be on a "repeated pattern".

"You also really felt like having kids with him?" one host asked.

"Maybe it is the product of love," the 36-year-old explained.

However, they eventually divorced due to tensions between Pearlyn and the in-laws and the fact that the husband had been abusive towards their son, who had ADHD.

Was pregnant with eighth child

Following the divorce, Pearlyn went back to work in the nightlife industry and met her current husband.

Similarly, they have two children together, who are now five and six years old.

Pearlyn revealed to the hosts that she was actually pregnant with her eighth child.

However, her doctor has recommended against carrying it to term as she has anaemia.

Bankruptcy and financial woes

Pearlyn was full of smiles and laughter while discussing the twists and turns of her life.

When asked why she felt her life was "screwed", Pearlyn revealed the financial woes that she and her current husband are going through.

Pearlyn's husband had left his job as an army regular as she felt that it was taking up too much time away from the family.

Apart from the loss of income, the husband, who is also a divorcee, has to contend with monthly maintenance to his ex-wife and a S$70k debt owed to banks.

These exacerbated the family's spiraling financial situation.

Eventually, her husband was declared a bankrupt.

Pearlyn is currently supporting four of her seven kids, which requires around S$4,000 a month.

Her husband is working part-time, taking home about S$300 to S$700 a month.

To make ends meet, Pearlyn is now working 12-hour days as a private-hire driver, bringing in about S$3,000 a month.

She rents a seven-seater car for about S$3,600 a month.

Her reasoning was that it doubles as a family car for her many children.

The host then rationalised with Pearlyn that she should be switching to a smaller car with a cheaper rent to save on cost.

Reactions to interview

The 47-minute roller coaster podcast interview was posted on Oct. 30, and has since garnered over 368,000 views.

Throughout the interview, Pearlyn spoke about her care and love for her children, but commenters were sceptical.

"Where are the actions to back up her words?" one wrote.

One commenter, however, expressed admiration for Pearlyn's positive attitude.

A fair number of commenters also wished the couple well.

One commenter appeared to recognise Pearlyn's current husband, who joined the podcast midway though.

The commenter praised for him being "one of the best" instructors in the army they had met.

"Hope that you pull through during this tough times," the commenter wrote.

]]> 1183099 https://mothership.sg/2026/11/woman-assault-teen-cemetery/ 2026-11-04T18:16:24 https://mothership.sg/2026/11/woman-assault-teen-cemetery/

A 25-year-old woman in Singapore is on trial for allegedly allowing a 17-year-old boy to drive a car she rented, which he later crashed into a motorcycle.

She then allegedly joined five others in assaulting him at a cemetery, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The woman, Crystel Chong, faces a total of seven charges, including rioting and permitting an unlicensed minor to drive.

She is contesting the charges.

The prosecution is proceeding with the rioting charge for trial, while the rest have been set aside for the time being.

The teenager cannot be named due to a gag order protecting his identity.

The allegations

According to charge sheets seen by Mothership, Chong allegedly let the 17-year-old drive on a service road at a carpark at Block 64 Toa Payoh Lorong 5.

This took place at around 12:50am on Nov. 13, 2024.

She is also accused of joining five others at Choa Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery between 11:28pm on Nov. 25, 2024 and 1:29am the next day to kick and punch the teenager.

She was allegedly armed with a taser.

On a separate occasion on Nov. 16, 2024, Chong allegedly allowed another 16-year-old minor to drive a car along North Buona Vista Drive towards Biopolis Drive.

Teenager's mother testified in court

The trial began on Nov. 3, with the prosecution calling the teenager's mother to testify, Shin Min reported.

The woman said that on the day of the incident, she received a call from her daughter telling her that something had happened to her son and that three people had come to their doorstep.

Upon rushing home, the teenager's mother and father met Chong and two others outside the lift.

The mother said the group had told them they needed to find her son urgently, claiming he had knocked over a motorcycle while driving and injured a rider.

Chong said the car was rented in her name and that about S$8,400 in compensation was needed, and hoped the parents could first come up with S$2,400.

The mother said her husband subsequently gave them S$1,000.

The mother said that on Nov. 27, 2024, she received a call from her son asking to borrow S$1,000. She said she faintly heard someone beside him say “S$2,000”, and could tell he was extremely frightened. She refused, and he hung up.

The next day, he came home with injuries on his face, and she took him to file a police report.

During cross-examination, the mother agreed that Chong was not rough nor aggressive with her.

She said Chong told her she did not want the mother to pay for her son's mistake, and that she only wanted her to understand the situation she was in.

She said Chong contacted her again the next day, saying she was under pressure from the rider and the car rental company.

The mother said she told Chong she would pawn jewellery to raise cash, but did not go ahead with it after relatives and friends urged her against it.

Chong allegedly kneed the teenager in the face

According to Shin Min, a female who was among the five others at the cemetery with Chong testified as a prosecution witness that she saw Chong strike the teenager’s face with her knee.

She was 17 at the time, and her boyfriend was friends with Chong's boyfriend.

She said that on the evening of Nov. 25, 2024, the couple received a call from Chong's boyfriend asking them to meet in Yishun.

They later met Chong, her boyfriend and two other males at a basketball court.

The group then found the teenager, brought him to the stairwell of a nearby HDB block, and later to the cemetery.

The witness said the four males took turns punching and kicking him, and two used tasers on him.

After Chong's boyfriend asked the teenager for money, Chong stepped forward and struck his face with her knee, she said.

The teenager was told to call his mother and then friends to borrow money, but could not get any.

The witness claimed she stayed at the side to use her phone and chatted with Chong during the incident.

Chong's boyfriend later took the teenager home, as he did not want others to see the injuries on his face.

The witness also alleged that earlier at the stairwell, two of the male accomplices had punched the teenager and one of them had also used a taser on him.

The group moved from the stairwell after noticing someone in the opposite block apparently watching them, she said.

She initially testified that Chong was the one who noticed this and suggested moving to the cemetery.

Under cross-examination, however, she changed her statement and said she could not remember who had noticed, as the incident happened two years ago.

Perhaps it is time to trade our office chair for a spot at Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine.

The Chinese restaurant chain is advertising monthly salaries of up to S$4,000 for restaurant hosts, while waiters and management trainees can earn up to S$3,600.

And the good news for those without F&B experience is that some of the positions do not require any.

According to three job advertisements posted by Xiang Signature Pte Ltd on recruitment platform FastJobs, the restaurant chain is hiring for positions at multiple locations across Singapore.

Xiang Xiang, which was established in 2009, currently has 22 outlets islandwide.

Here's what each job entails.

Up to S$4,000 a month to welcome customers

If you're the sort who enjoys meeting new people, Xiang Xiang is hiring restaurant hosts, also known as "Welcomists".

The position offers an advertised monthly salary ranging from S$3,600 to S$4,000.

According to the FastJobs listing, responsibilities include greeting customers, confirming reservations, arranging seating and responding to enquiries.

Applicants are expected to have good communication and teamwork skills, be punctual and be comfortable working in a fast-paced restaurant environment.

A "neat, well-groomed, and professional appearance" is part of your job scope.

Previous hospitality experience is an advantage.

For those interested in part-time work, the advertised rate is up to S$20/hour.

No experience needed to earn up to S$3,600 as a waiter

But if you're not the welcoming sort, there's also the position of a waiter or waitress. 

One, of course, will need a "customer-oriented" and "positive" attitude.

Xiang Xiang is offering an advertised monthly salary of S$3,300 to S$3,600 for this role.

According to the job listing, no prior experience is required, and paid training will be provided.

Responsibilities include taking orders, serving food and drinks, clearing tables, preparing beverages and maintaining the cleanliness of the dining area.

Applicants must be prepared to work split shifts, weekends and public holidays.

Part-time positions are also available, with an advertised hourly rate of up to S$15.

Fresh graduates can apply for management trainee positions

For fresh graduates looking to enter the F&B industry, Xiang Xiang is also recruiting management trainees.

The position offers an advertised monthly salary ranging from S$3,300 to S$3,600.

According to the advertisement, applicants must possess at least a bachelor's degree.

Fresh graduates are welcome to apply, and no prior experience is required.

Paid training will also be provided.

Management trainees will assist with daily restaurant operations, welcome customers, take orders using the point-of-sale system, handle customer enquiries and complaints, and maintain the dining area.

Applicants must also be prepared to work split shifts, weekends and public holidays.

Working hours: 10 hours a day, 5.5 days a week

Before you start picturing yourself in a new role, here's what the working arrangements look like.

All three job advertisements specify 10-hour workdays and a 5.5-day workweek.

That amounts to 55 scheduled hours a week, although the listings do not state whether meal breaks are included in the daily working hours.

It is also unclear whether the advertised monthly salaries refer to basic pay or include overtime pay, allowances or other incentives.

Interested applicants can refer to the respective FastJobs listings for more information.

Mothership has reached out to Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine for more information on its salary packages and working arrangements.

Chris Pappas has become the first openly gay man to become a U.S. Senator, after winning his New Hampshire seat for the Democratic Party comfortably on Nov. 3's U.S. midterm election.

Broken status quo

New Hampshire (NH) was one of 35 Senate seats up for grabs, and while Pappas is replacing a popular Democratic incumbent, his opponent John Sununu was also popular in his own right. Sununu previously served as NH Senator from 2003 to 2009.

Pappas opened his victory speech by thanking his husband and Sununu, who had called him to concede the race.

Pappas said that his victory was a victory for everyone in New Hampshire over the “broken status quo” that hurt everyone.

He called the results a “wake-up call” for special interest groups and billionaires, accusing them of “rigging the economy”.

He accused the outgoing Congress of cowardice for enabling tariffs, cuts to healthcare, and the Iran war.

Pappas also called U.S. President Donald Trump incompetent for ignoring the suffering of Americans, pledging to fight to deliver change.

Campaign trail

Pappas becomes the first openly gay male senator, the New York Times reports, a fact that he did not dwell on while on the campaign trail.

The NYT reports that while Pappas’ husband Van often accompanied him at events, Pappas emphasised common Democratic issues: dealing with high prices, health care costs, and opposition to corruption.

It also said that while Pappas would be the first openly gay male senator, it notes that Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin, a woman, was the first openly gay senator.

Pappas was previously a congressman for New Hampshire, ironically taking his seat during Trump’s last midterm election in 2018.

He replaces Jeanne Shaheen, a three-term senator, and is in turn to be replaced in Congress by Shaheen’s daughter, Stefany.

Pappas comes from a well-known New Hampshire family, the owners of the Puritan Backroom in the city of Manchester, who are widely credited with the invention of the chicken tender.

Blue Tsunami

His victory comes amidst a “blue tsunami”, as anger towards the rising cost of living, the war in Iran, and other issues has allowed the Democratic Party to win both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

NBC News projects the Democrats to win 255 seats, compared to the Republicans' 180, where 218 is needed for a majority.

The Democrats have also secured a surprise victory in the Senate and are projected to win at least 53 seats, with many results yet to be determined.

A 34-year-old woman lit a fire outside her ex-colleague’s HDB flat in Bukit Batok.

She was frustrated as she assumed her ex-colleague was home and ignoring her.

Tong Huanling, a Chinese national, has since been fined S$3,000.

Started a fire

According to court documents seen by Mothership, Tong Huanling went to visit her former colleague on Jan. 29, 2026, sometime between 9pm and 10pm at her home at Bukit Batok Street 21.

She intended to serve her court papers.

However, Tong was unaware that her former colleague was overseas, leaving her husband and daughter at home.

Tong knocked on the door but received no response, so she waited outside for about an hour, reported Shin Min Daily News.

During that time, she saw the lights in the flat turn on.

She knocked again and rang the doorbell, but there was still no response.

She came to believe that her ex-colleague was deliberately avoiding her.

Frustrated, Tong took a cardboard box with joss paper from the void deck and used a lighter she borrowed from a stranger to set it on fire near her ex-colleague’s gate at about 11pm.

She then took a picture of the fire and sent it to her former colleague.

Tong knocked on the door again before kicking a chair in anger, which fell onto the box and caused the fire to spread.

Her former colleague’s husband saw the blaze and smoke through the door’s peephole, and he called the police.

Police

The police arrived at about 11:10pm. Two neighbours had helped to extinguish the fire before that.

Tong was sitting on a stool near the flat and admitted to the police that she had started the fire to get her ex-colleague’s attention.

The wooden chair that was damaged in the incident was worth S$25.

During sentencing, Tong’s lawyer reportedly pleaded for leniency on the grounds that Tong had sought psychiatric help.

She was diagnosed with adjustment disorder and is receiving treatment.

Furthermore, the court heard that she had tried to offer compensation and apologised multiple times, but was rejected.

The prosecution argued that despite only causing S$25 in damages, the fire posed a significant safety risk as it had spread in a residential area.

The prosecution sought a fine between S$3,000 and S$4,000, reasoning that Tong admitted to her charges, had no criminal record, and tried to compensate the victims.

Tong was fined S$3,000 by the judge, taking into account her days in remand and early guilty plea.

A beauty parlour in Selangor, Malaysia has discontinued its Brazilian waxing services.

The company, Waxing By Girl, made the announcement on Nov. 4, citing "religious responsibilities and values" as their reason for doing so.

A Brazilian wax removes hair from one's pubic area, and involves exposing said area to the therapist.

It is considered a cosmetic procedure, rather than a medical one.

However, Waxing By Girl has replaced that service with a "Brazilian Waxing Academy", which is "specially designed" for married couples.

During the course, husbands and wives can learn to perform the procedure on each other, so that they may eventually do it in the privacy of their own homes.

The parlour then apologised to their regulars and thanked them for their loyalty and support.

Online users made their puzzlement known

If we were to go by the number of likes, this appears to be the leading sentiment:

This, on the other hand, may or may not be satire:

Regardless, enough people had questions:

Pertinent:

And opinions:

Others supportive

But some were in favour of the decision:

Does not think it will affect customer base

When Mothership reached out to the business, a spokesperson promptly replied to our queries.

When asked about the move, the parlour said it has offered Brazilian waxing since it started the business, which was about five years ago.

However, they've now decided to remove it "due to religious considerations", which aligns with their online post.

"Our owner has discovered recently that Brazilian waxing is not permissible in Islam, and have thus decided to remove it from our services," the spokesperson explained.

They added that all the customers they've reached out to so far have respected and understood the decision.

"We do not think this will affect our customer base or our relationship with existing customers as we offer other services as well, including waxing, hair, nails and facial."

Such exposure considered haram: religious authority

According to the Mufti of Federal Territory's Department—the religious authority in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan—if a Brazilian wax is done at the exposure of awrah (parts of the body that are forbidden or sinful to be exposed), then it is considered haram, or forbidden as well.

This is especially as it involves the removal of pubic hair, the source added.