A woman, surnamed Liu (transliteration), told Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min) about how her parents spent over S$7,000 on what they thought was jade and black jade, only to realise they were worth much less.

Liu’s parents had joined a six-day-five-night tour to Guizhou on Sep. 8. The group consisted of about 20 people, a majority of which were elderly.

On the last day of the tour, the guide took the group to a place that sells gemstones.

Her parents did not know where they were exactly, but they were brought to a room to shop.

Although Liu’s mother only intended to buy a jade accessory for herself, her parents ended up buying about 16 pieces of jewelry as the shop assistant kept showing them products.

The jewelry they bought included zodiac ornaments, beaded bracelets, Pixiu, dragon and phoenix pendants, and a "black jade" Buddha pendant. Their total expenditure came to RMB37,240 (S$7,093). Some of the jewelry such as the jade Buddha pendant and the dragon and phoenix pendants came with certificates of authenticity.

Jewelry not made of expensive jade

When Liu’s parents returned from China, they showed her the jewelry they had purchased, and she noticed that "black jade" Buddha pendant seemed unusual.

The 37-year-old said that she had a strong interest in jade since young and had basic knowledge to identify them. To confirm her suspicion, Liu contacted Nanyang Gemological Institute to have two of the jewelry pieces appraised.

The "black jade" Buddha pendant was found to be made of inexpensive serpentine stone, and not of black jadeite as claimed. This means the Buddha pendant was worth less than S$100.

Awaiting a refund

Liu turned to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) for help and was advised to inquire with her bank if she could request a refund for the relevant credit card transaction.

She contacted her bank on Sep. 25, and was told that the process could take 12 to 16 weeks.

Shin Min also reached out to the tour agency and spoke to the trip's guide.

The guide confirmed that the company has received this complaint and is verifying with its partner in Guizhou.

If the complaint is found to be valid, the tour agency will assist with a refund.

He emphasised that the company will provide Liu and her parents with an explanation.

Liu updated Shin Min that the guide contacted her on Sep. 28 and offered to bring the disputed jade products back to Guizhou for a refund.

She preferred to hold on to the jade products until the completion of the bank refund.

Liu hopes that her parents’ experience will remind other tourists to be cautious when shopping overseas.

It's difficult to determine the authenticity of gemstones and jewelry with naked eyes and she encourages the public to do some prior research before purchasing them.

Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad previously announced in Parliament that a new committee will be formed to review safeguards in religious settings and propose ways to strengthen them.

The move came following the case of a religious influencer who sexually abused two young boys at mosque premises. He was sentenced to 27 years and 10 months' jail, and 24 strokes of the cane.

On Sep. 30, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) shared the composition and scope of the Committee to Strengthen Safeguards in Religious Settings.

The committee will focus on safeguarding children and young persons under 18 in key religious settings, such as mosques, madrasahs, and Islamic Education Centres and Providers (IECPs).

Safeguarding framework in religious settings

Among the areas the committee will review are the screening and oversight of individuals who work or volunteer with children and young persons.

It will also examine the professional boundaries governing their interactions and activities with minors, as well as organisational practices aimed at creating safe and child-centred environments.

The committee will look at protocols for reporting and escalating incidents, information-sharing within and across institutions, and how an institution responds to an incident on the ground.

The committee will also examine whether there are accessible ways for children, young persons, and adults to raise concerns, including whistleblowing arrangements and protections for those who make reports.

Training for leaders, staff, and volunteers to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns will also come under the review.

Online religious influence also under review

The committee's scope extends beyond religious institutions too.

It will review safeguards surrounding religious instruction in formal and informal settings, as well as the frameworks governing religious teachers.

The committee will also look at the education and empowerment of children, young persons, and parents on appropriate boundaries, how to raise concerns, and where to seek help.

Emerging risks involving online religious influence, digital communications, and interactions involving children and young persons will also be reviewed.

Preventive approach

MCCY and MUIS said that the review will take a preventive and community-focused approach, looking at the systems, culture and practices that prevent harm, surface concerns early, and

promote the safety and wellbeing of children and young persons.

In reviewing the different areas, the committee will seek the perspectives of children and young persons, parents, asatizah, and religious institutions.

It will also draw on practices from Singapore's broader child safeguarding and protection system.

Members of the public can also submit their views and suggestions through an online feedback form.

Recommendations expected by end-2026

The committee is co-chaired by Razwana Begum, Associate Professor and Head of the Global Security and Strategy Programme at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, and Fathurrahman Dawoed, Executive Director of the Education Division at Andalus Corporation.

Its members have backgrounds spanning child protection and wellbeing, law enforcement, governance and risk, Islamic education and religious guidance, as well as online and digital spaces.

The committee is expected to submit its recommendations to Zaqy around the end of 2026.

Its findings and recommendations will subsequently be shared with the community.

A 57-year-old single father from Penang Island had to live with his 16-year-old daughter in their car for four days, after losing his mobility to a stroke.

According to One Hope Charity, their home is located on the fourth floor of a flat that doesn't have a lift.

After the man, Chew Eng Kee, suffered a stroke and was discharged from the hospital, he was unable to walk and his teenage daughter wasn't able to carry him up to their house.

They went about their daily lives, which included eating, sleeping, taking medication and changing Chew's diapers, in the cramped space of a car.

Chew's daughter then reached out to the charity group on Sep. 28 for help after staying in the car for four days.

Second stroke

This was Chew's second time suffering a stroke.

While his movement became slower after the first stroke in 2023, he was able to go about his daily life independently.

Chew was once a private hire driver and singlehandedly raised his daughter after his divorce.

When Chew's daughter was young, there were times when she had to sit in the car with him while he drove passengers around, which sometimes led to complaints from passengers.

One Hope Charity shared that Chew's daughter found him collapsed on the floor on Sep. 18.

He was immediately sent to the hospital for treatment and was discharged on Sep. 24.

However, this time, his mobility was severely affected.

Daughter paused studies to work

According to One Hope Charity, Chew's daughter had to quit school to work to support herself and Chew after Chew's recent stroke.

Her teachers encouraged her to continue studying and tried to provide some financial assistance but it was not enough to cover their living expenses.

Their living expenses now include Chew's medical treatment and physiotherapy.

Chew's daughter became a trainee in a beauty salon as she hopes to pick up the skills to earn a living.

Fundraising efforts

One Hope Charity has since relocated Chew to a nursing home after being notified of their plight.

They also hope to raise RM180,000 (around S$56,000) for Chew and his daughter.

The charity group also updated that Chew's daughter now has a guardian to care for her.

"The funds will be mainly used for the father’s nursing home accommodation and long-term care, medical treatment and rehabilitation, physiotherapy and related treatment expenses, daily living needs, as well as appropriate assistance for his daughter based on her actual circumstances," One Hope Charity wrote.

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has fired a barb at transport minister Anthony Loke on Facebook.

Loke, who had previously announced his resignation from cabinet, said it would only come into effect once Najib begins his house arrest, reported The Star.

In response, Najib made a post on Facebook on Sep. 28, writing in Malay, "Apparently, the principle has now shifted to conditional resignation."

The saga so far

Najib, who was jailed for corruption and money laundering relating to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, was recently granted a conditional pardon that would allow him to serve the rest of his jail term at home, reported Reuters.

The former prime minister will need to settle his RM50 million (S$15.6 million) fine before starting house arrest.

Najib's party, UMNO, started a fundraiser to pay off the fine.

In response, Loke, who is also the secretary-general of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), tendered his resignation from cabinet on Sep. 19, 2026.

According to the South China Morning Post, Loke said that he, along with the DAP and "many others", could not abide by the decision.

The Star reported that Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim discussed the matter with Loke and asked him to continue his duties for the time being.

Loke has said there "needed to be a timeframe for his continued tenure", which will ultimately be decided by Anwar.

Crystal Jade's holding companies in Singapore and Hong Kong have been placed under receivership.

A receivership means that an appointed receiver will manage a company's assets and operations, usually to ensure stability and recover its value.

Financial and risk advisory firm Kroll announced in a news release on Sep. 30 that its representatives have been appointed as receivers over Crystal Jade Culinary Concepts Holding Pte Ltd and Crystal Jade Culinary Concepts Holding (Great China) Limited.

Restaurants operating as per normal

However, the restaurants will continue operating, with "key members" of the management team continuing to oversee restaurant operations, Kroll said.

This comes after the group closed down five outlets in Singapore this year, including the Crystal Jade Hong Kong Kitchen outlets at The Clementi Mall and Jurong Point recently.

Crystal Jade said in a media statement then that the closures were part of its ongoing review of its operations and outlet network.

There are 13 restaurants remaining in Singapore.

Review of business

Kroll said that its representatives are undertaking a review of the group's financial and operational affairs.

This includes assessing strategic options available for its portfolio of brands, restaurants and businesses with a view to stabilise the business and preserve value.

“Stakeholders will be engaged regarding potential restructuring as and when appropriate,” Kroll stated.

Kroll said its representatives believe that "maintaining operational continuity and preserving the value of the business" are in the best interests of all stakeholders.

Further updates will be provided when appropriate, the firm added.

A 56-year-old Chinese woman living in Shanghai took her 72-year-old Singaporean husband to court, seeking S$10,000 in temporary financial support per month.

She claimed that her monthly living allowance had been reduced from S$3,000 to S$600 and applied for interim maintenance to help cover expenses such as hiring a domestic helper, beauty treatments, travel, and jewellery.

The judge dismissed her application, finding she had failed to prove that her husband had neglected his duty to support her or refused to provide financial assistance.

Living expenses

According to a judgment dated Sep. 29, the couple married in China in 2012.

The woman initially lived in Singapore but moved back to China after her visit pass expired at the end of 2013, while her husband stayed on in Singapore; the couple have no children.

According to the woman, her husband transferred S$3,000 to her every month for living expenses after she returned to China.

He would also give her an additional S$7,000 for shopping and travel expenses whenever they travelled to see each other.

As a result, she said her standard of living was equivalent to more than S$10,000 per month.

However, starting in September 2023, the woman said her husband stopped travelling to China to see her but continued transferring only S$3,000 per month.

The woman said the monthly amount was further reduced to S$600 in October 2024.

Husband's account

On the other hand, the man resisted the application to pay interim maintenance on the basis that he had already been providing reasonable maintenance.

Firstly, he denied that he gave her any allowance, cars, house, or assets when they were first married.

While the husband acknowledged that he had given his wife S$3,000 per month during the pandemic, he denied providing her with additional cash or about S$10,000 per month in living expenses.

His current monthly CPF income is about S$1,629, and he said he had transferred about 3,000 yuan (approximately S$570) to his wife.

During the hearing, after repeated questioning by his wife's lawyer, the husband admitted that 3,000 yuan (S$570) a month was insufficient to meet her spending habits.

The wife argued that this amounted to an admission that her husband had failed to fulfil his duty to support her.

Application rejected

The judge pointed out that verbal admissions made in court do not, by themselves, determine the outcome of a case.

"An admission, made outside of court or under cross-examination in court, is only one factor forming part of the evidential record. Even if I had accepted the Respondent’s admissions at face value, the court would nonetheless have to undertake the judicial exercise of determining the Applicant’s reasonable expenses and what the shortfall was in order to make a maintenance order," the judge wrote.

After excluding the wife's non-essential expenses, the judge assessed her reasonable monthly maintenance at S$2,559.

The judge found that her rental and pension income, together with the approximately S$570 provided by her husband, were sufficient to cover those expenses.

As such, the judge found that the wife had failed to prove that her husband had neglected his duty to support her or refused to provide financial assistance.

A few years ago, I bought my first property. A joint purchase with my sister, as we were both unmarried.

It was my mother’s idea. She told us it was a good investment for our future, giving us more returns than leaving our money sitting in the bank.

She readily channelled some of her savings, alongside mine and my sister’s, to help with the down payment.

Initially, I was hesitant about this purchase, because ownership meant responsibility.

I had to start paying a monthly mortgage for the first time, after staying under my mother’s roof all my life.

And my mom’s contribution from her savings was a big sacrifice. What if it affects her retirement plans, or her healthcare needs in the future?

Starting to plan ahead

These concerns pushed me to become more conscious about my finances.

I started budgeting and saving more, not just for myself, but also to make sure I can reciprocate my mom’s support and take care of her future too.

My mom has always been a planner. For many years, she worked towards the goal of helping my sister and I buy a property. She grew her own savings to help us by investing, budgeting, and taking on more work.

I used to think, “That’s so ‘Type A’ of her.”

Whenever she talked to me about my retirement plans, I didn’t take it seriously. It felt unnecessary to think so many years ahead.

But I saw that planning made my mom more assured.

And as I started to plan more like her, I saw why. Feeling a sense of security about my future lets me enjoy the present better.

Maybe I could do with becoming more Type A.

What makes someone Type A?

Frequently described as driven and goal-oriented, Type A personalities may feel a push to constantly be on top of things.

Type Bs, on the other hand, are typically characterised as people who just go with the flow. This can sometimes lead to the perception that they are disorganised.

But no one fits neatly into a single box and honestly, both approaches have their strengths and can learn more from each other.

While I didn’t previously see myself as Type A, as I grew older and took on more responsibilities, I felt a greater need to take charge of my future. My mom, on the other hand, had become more comfortable in taking things as they came as she grew older and looked forward to retirement.

Does the A in Type A then stand for adulting – planning ahead and having a backup plan – while the B in Type B stands for basking – basking in the moment and enjoying life as it unfolds?

I decided to talk to a few of my colleagues who I thought might be Type A-inclined, and realised that these traits can show up differently depending on the person and their circumstances.

And perhaps there’s something we can all learn from the different ways they go about having a Plan B.

Thinking of the future

Constance, 26, is just a little over a year into her first full-time job.

She remembers clearly how going from student to working adult has heightened her sense of urgency.

Not meeting deadlines feels far more consequential now than ever before. And unlike school, which comes to an end after several years, working life stretches on much longer.

She’s already starting to plan far ahead about how she wants her career to look like, how to get there, and how much savings she should have by a certain age if she wants a family.

A lot can happen in the next 10 to 20 years, she said. Would her career plans change if she starts a family?

While she likes having her future mapped out, she knows that not everything will happen according to plan. But she’s not letting uncertainty stop her from reaching her goals.

“I’ve probably prepared for all 50 outcomes of any scenario in advance,” she said with some pride.

For example, when travelling, she tends to book plane tickets that allow for modifications or partial refunds if her plans change. Having a backup plan gives her greater confidence about dealing with any hiccups, so that she can relax and enjoy her holiday.

If she has kids in the future, she wants to have more free time for her family. She’s already thinking about how she might make that work, such as switching to a job with more flexible hours or a work-from-home arrangement.

In case that means a drop in income, she has been building her wealth. At the end of every month, she would divide her salary up into savings and expenses, making sure she has a comfortable amount saved for future needs.

Preparing for the unexpected

Fasiha, 29, knows that even the most carefully made plans can sometimes be thrown off course.

During a routine health check-up, she was surprised to discover signs of pre-diabetes and a hormonal imbalance triggered by stress.

As someone who plans everything meticulously and lives by her Google calendar, it was an unexpected wake-up call for her.

Since getting the results, Fasiha has taken steps to better look after her health, including making changes to her diet, and incorporating pilates and strength training into her workout routine.

This experience reinforced the importance of preparing ahead for the unexpected.

Now that she has recently bought a Build-to-Order (BTO) house with her husband that will be ready in 2027, this mindset has also shaped how she is preparing for her new home.

A fire extinguisher and insurance to cover her mortgage are among the things she plans to get.

Fasiha knows that these precautions might not protect against everything that might happen. But it certainly helps to put her mind at ease and feel better prepared for any unexpected situations that might spring up.

Taking care of the family

Becoming a mother has made 30-year-old Angela more intentional about planning.

These days, when her family goes on a holiday, the first thought that comes to her mind is everything her child might need, such as the weather-appropriate clothes and a bag full of medicine if her child happens to fall sick.

“When my kid was five months old, we brought her to Korea in January. It was extremely cold,” she recalled.

“So I brought three down jackets for her, one normal jacket, a windbreaker… I also had to prepare medicine in case she fell sick.”

“Every decision feels like it has a ripple effect!” she said. “And without planning forward, it stresses me up a lot.”

But, as contradictory as it might sound, it also gives her a peace of mind.

When her daughter got a fever in Korea, the fever patches Angela packed came in handy, helping to bring the fever down in two days.

She was grateful and relieved that she had planned for such an emergency.

“I will always rather be overprepared.”

Preparing for life

Life can be full of surprises. It’s not a bad idea to take a Type A attitude and plan ahead for the unexpected so that you can feel more confident about tomorrow.

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Need more coverage? You can upgrade it with no additional medical underwriting at key life milestones² such as when there’s a change in marital status or you’re welcoming a new child, to get more protection for your loved ones.

Whether you’re Type A or Type B, we all have our own ways of preparing for the things that matter, and having the right protection can be one of them. Find out more about HSBC Life Term Protect Secure here.

This branded article by HSBC Life reminded this writer that planning ahead can be a form of self-care.

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Goh Pei Ming's son has finally finished the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and is getting his laptop back.

In an Instagram post on Sep. 30, Goh congratulated his son for completing the milestone, adding that he was proud of him.

However, he set one final task for his son before his computer privileges were restored.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Goh Pei Ming (@goh.pei.ming)

Goh, 44, is a Member of Parliament (MP) in Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC and is currently Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs as well as Social and Family Development.

Noting that he was unable to celebrate in person with his son as he was away on a business trip, he left a sheet of paper on his son's laptop.

It contained the "final Mathematics test" to be solved in order to obtain the password to his laptop.

After congratulating his son for his "effort, discipline and perseverance," the note read:

"During the 25 days before PSLE, a boy set aside 4 hours each day for revision.

On days when he resisted the temptation to use his laptop during his revision time, he studied for the full 4 hours.

On the other days, he gave into temptation and studied for only 3 hours.

What is the least number of days he must have resisted using his laptop for his total revision time to be MORE THAN 90 hours?

Let your answer be N.

PIN = N x 9999"

He ended the note by telling his son to read carefully and expressed his love and pride once more.

Response

In the comments, netizens congratulated Goh and his son for the milestone.

Others were more bemused.

The answer, for those who are curious, is N = 16.

Singaporean actor Glenn Yong was allegedly inappropriately touched during a security check at Changi Airport.

"Unusually touchy"

In a series of Instagram stories on Sep. 29, the 29-year-old said he was boarding a flight from Singapore earlier that day, and that the incident had occurred during routine security checks before boarding.

He alleged that the pat-down was "unusually touchy" and had brushed against his private areas twice.

He added that his team was in the process of reporting the matter.

"I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one that experienced security officers frisking inappropriately around the private areas," he wrote, adding that "something needs to be done" to ensure passengers feel safe.

In response to queries from Mothership, Changi Airport Group said they are aware of the matter and are investigating.

On Mar. 6 at about 12pm, Muhammad Firdhaus Mokhtar went to pick up his four-year-old son from preschool.

The name of the preschool has been redacted in accordance with the gag order, to prevent identification of the victim, as reported by CNA

The victim and Firdhaus’ son had been playing catch when the victim pointed his middle finger at Firdhaus.

Firdhaus would then grab the boy's arm, and threatened to slap him.

The boy tried to hide behind a pillar, but was pulled out by his collar and slapped on his right cheek by Firdhaus.

He slapped the boy’s left cheek and ear so hard that the boy fell down, and experienced ringing in his ear, reported The Straits Times (ST).

The helper tried to intervene, but Firdhaus held on to the boy’s arm.

He threatened to break the boy’s finger, and said that he would come back for him on Monday, before swinging the boy backwards, causing him to stumble.

He then left.

The boy was later found to have bruises on both cheeks and was discharged with a five-day course of paracetamol for pain relief, CNA reported.

Impact on the boy

According to CNA, the boy has had nightmares following the incident. He would anxiously ask his mother whether the next day was Monday and would fear returning to school.

His parents eventually transferred him to a different school.

Sentencing

On Sep. 30, Firdhaus pleaded guilty to one count each of voluntarily causing hurt and using criminal force on a minor, with a third charge taken into consideration.

According to ST, he was sentenced to 14 weeks’ jail and ordered to pay S$170 in compensation to the mother of the victim, the cost of his medical bills.

According to CNA, the mother, who was present at the proceedings, said the part about Firdhaus threatening to break her son's finger, and the Monday threat was new information to her, and helped her understand why her son kept asking about Mondays.

She said that while an apology cannot undo what happened or restore her son’s sense of safety, it is important to the family.

Firdhaus then apologised to the victim’s family, and everyone in court.