Members of the public will no longer need to pay 10 cents to use the hawker centre toilets at Bendemeer and Whampoa.

In a Facebook post on Aug. 16, Jalan Besar GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Shawn Loh announced that after a two-month trial, the toilets at the two food centres were free to use.

“It may be a small change, but it makes our hawker centres a little more convenient and welcoming for everyone,” the caption read.

He added that “it means a lot” to senior citizens and hopes “it encourages more to come out to our community spaces”.

Loh also sought “everyone’s kindness and cooperation” to keep the toilets clean and “pleasant for all to use”.

“A clean and conducive environment is a shared responsibility, and every little effort counts,” the caption added.

The town council will also “step up cleaning” at the premises.

The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) has issued a warning letter to HelloBikeSG, the company behind bike-sharing service HelloRide, for attempting to propose price discussions with its competitor, Anywheel.

According to a CCS media release on Aug. 17, HelloRide attempted to do so on two occasions in 2025.

Currently, the two companies are the only licensed operators of shared bicycle services in Singapore and provide short-term bicycle rentals via their mobile apps.

Chief Executive of CCS, Alvin Koh, said, "This case is a reminder to all businesses that they must act independently when determining their conduct on the market."

"CCS will not hesitate to take enforcement action against businesses that are found to have engaged in anti-competitive conduct.”

Anywheel lodged complaints

CCS commenced an investigation into possible breaches of the Competition Act following complaints from Anywheel.

Investigations revealed that a key representative of HelloRide had, on two separate occasions in July and October 2025, contacted an Anywheel representative to propose pricing discussions between the two companies.

Anywheel did not engage further and reported the communications on both occasions to CCS.

CCS said that HelloRide’s communications did not involve the disclosure of commercially sensitive information and that no actual price discussions with Anywheel took place.

Therefore, HelloRide's conduct did not infringe section 34 of the Competition Act.

The finding reflects the specific facts of this case, including Anywheel’s refusal to engage with HelloRide and its reporting of the matter to CCS.

Price discussions would likely have had significant impact

CCS stated that it does not condone HelloRide's conduct, as any price discussions or coordination

between the two businesses would likely have had a direct and significant impact on competition and consumers in this market.

Koh commended Anywheel and said that the company's "conduct is what we expect of responsible market participants.

"We want to assure businesses in similar positions that coming forward will always be the right course of action."

HelloRide says outreach 'interpreted differently by the receiving party'

On Aug. 17, HelloRide issued a media response welcoming CCS’s conclusion that the firm did not infringe on the Competition Act.

HelloRide said: “Our original outreach was intended to discuss the broader public transportation landscape and pricing environment in Singapore, including the role of shared bicycles within it — not shared bicycle pricing between the two operators.”

“While the outreach was subsequently interpreted differently by the receiving party, that was neither our intention nor what ultimately occurred.”

HelloRide added: “We have always operated in full compliance with Singapore’s competition rules and maintained fair and independent competition.”

The company noted that it appreciates and respects “CCS's broader objective of using this matter to remind businesses to exercise caution in communications with competitors".

“We are pleased that the matter is now concluded and remain focused on competing fairly, as we always have, while continuing to invest in and improve shared bicycle services in Singapore.”

What to do if business competitor wants to discuss anti-competitive information

CCS said businesses approached to participate in anti-competitive information exchanges or receive commercially sensitive information from their competitors should:

1. Immediately decline participation,

2. Publicly distance themselves from such discussions,

3. Report the matter to CCS.

CCS offers a leniency programme if one's business is currently involved in such conduct.

Businesses can come forward with information about anti-competitive agreements and receive a full waiver or substantial reduction in financial penalties.

Individuals with useful information on cartel activity can report it through CCS's reward/whistleblowing scheme with monetary rewards of up to S$120,000 or through CCS's general online complaint form linked here.

Under the CCS Reward scheme, the informant’s identity and any information that may lead to their identification will be kept strictly confidential.

The elderly man, who was shoved to the ground at a coffee shop along East Coast Road after patting a young girl on the head, has gone to the hospital for a check-up, his family said.

"Relieved that he's finally receiving the medical attention he needs"

An Instagram Story posted on Aug. 17 by Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle showed 73-year-old Yeo Song Khoon seated in a wheelchair and wearing a hospital gown.

The caption said Yeo had finally agreed to seek medical attention.

"I'm incredibly relieved that he's finally receiving the medical attention he needs," it said, adding that his health remained the family’s priority.

"Finally... my stubborn ol'man has agreed to go to the hospital and get himself properly checked.

I just hope he didn't finally agree because the pain has become unbearable.

Still, I'm incredibly relieved that he's finally receiving the medical attention he needs.

Thank you to everyone who has been checking in and showing so much care and concern for my father.

For now, his health remains our priority."

Yeo has been selling wanton noodles at Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle, located at the Roxy Square coffee shop, for over 40 years.

A second Instagram Story said the stall would be closed until Aug. 20.

The incident

The incident was first shared on Aug. 15 on the Facebook and Instagram pages of Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle.

Yeo had patted a young girl on the head as he found her "very adorable", but her father later confronted him and shoved him to the ground.

The girl's father subsequently apologised and offered to buy him a drink, but he declined.

Despite the incident, Yeo said he did not really mind what happened and did not want to cause further trouble.

"I don't really mind, just let him off. It's okay to just leave it, it's all right. I don't want to cause any trouble," he said.

Yeo's family has since made a police report.

Experienced back pain

Yeo, who has an injured leg and difficulty walking, also said he began experiencing back pain about two to three hours after the fall.

However, painkillers eased the discomfort enough for him to return to work.

Yeo had also previously said he did not like going to the hospital.

When asked on Aug. 16 whether he would see a doctor, Yeo said he would assess how he felt and might visit a traditional Chinese medicine clinic.

A Malaysian woman died after her headscarf became entangled in the roller of a floodgate she was closing in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, Malaysia.

Selaton Nuri, 55, was a floodgate operator with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID).

She was at the floodgate near a hotel to close it following a high tide when the accident happened, according to New Straits Times (NST).

What happened

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Ashrul Riezal Asbar said the department received a distress call at 3:35pm, and a team of five firefighters from the Sabak Bernam station was sent to the scene.

He said in a statement:

"Upon arrival at the Grand Sabak Hotel floodgate, the operation commander reported that the woman, a Drainage and Irrigation Department worker was found lying on the floodgate. Initial investigations found that the victim's headscarf had become entangled in the gate roller."

She was pronounced dead by Health Ministry personnel.

Sabak Bernam district police chief superintendent Md Yusof Ahmad said police received a report at about 4pm.

He said: "The victim was at the location to close the floodgate following a high tide. However, an accident occurred, resulting in the woman's death."

The case has been classified as sudden death.

Her body was taken to Hospital Tengku Ampuan Jemaah Sabak Bernam for a post-mortem.

Husband was asleep after night shift

Her husband, Basar Maslan, 63, a security guard at the Sabak Bernam District Education Office, had been working night shifts for the two days before she died and had not managed to see her, according to NST.

He was sleeping at home when his son-in-law called.

He said:

"My son-in-law asked me to check on my wife. Still half-asleep and with numb legs, I forced myself to drive to the scene. Upon arriving, I went up to the gate and saw that my wife was already gone. There was nothing I could do except wait for the police and ambulance to arrive."

The couple has six children aged between 23 and 36. Basar said their second child had been with Selaton at the floodgate.

He said he had spoken to her that morning when he got home from work.

He said:

"Yesterday morning, when I returned from work, I called and asked where she was. She said she was having a drink with our child, and mentioned plans to go to the market, visit someone, and finally head to the floodgate. After that, I tried calling her several times but failed."

21 years as a gatekeeper

Basar said his wife had worked as a gatekeeper for 21 years, and had wanted to perform the haj.

She had been waiting for her turn to make the pilgrimage.

He said: "She was a good, generous person who loved to help others. She could not stand seeing people in difficulty."

The elderly man who was shoved to the ground by a man at an East Coast coffee shop after he patted a young girl on the head has spoken about the incident, saying he does not want to pursue the matter further.

What happened

In an interview with 8world on Aug. 16, 73-year-old Yeo Song Khoon recounted what had happened.

Yeo has been selling wanton noodles at Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle, a stall at the Roxy Square coffee shop, for more than 40 years.

He said he had gone to get a cup of coffee after closing his stall.

Yeo, who has an injured leg, added that he has difficulty walking and needs to hold on to tables for support.

As he walked past the girl's table, he said he found her "very adorable" and patted her on the head.

"Old people like to pat young children’s heads," he added.

The girl's father then confronted him. Yeo told him that he had patted the girl's head because he thought she was cute.

However, he said the father became upset and shoved him to the ground.

Yeo's son-in-law subsequently helped him up.

Yeo said he told the girl's father that he had been working at the coffee shop for four decades and was known by many of the customers there.

"(I told him) I've had surgery all over my body and I don't have the strength to walk and you pushed me like that onto the floor. Is that a good thing to do?" he recalled telling the man.

Yeo said the girl's father later apologised and offered to buy him a drink, but he declined.

Back began to hurt

He said his back began hurting about two to three hours after the fall. However, painkillers eased the discomfort enough for him to return to work.

"I’m very hardworking," he said, adding that he works throughout the year and does not usually take breaks.

When asked if he would see a doctor, Yeo said he would see how he felt and might visit a traditional Chinese medicine clinic.

Despite the incident, Yeo said he doesn't really mind what happened and didn't want to cause further trouble.

"I don't really mind, just let him off. It's okay to just leave it, it's all right. I don't want to cause any trouble," he said.

Police report made

Yeo's family has since made a police report.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police confirmed that a report has been lodged and that investigations are ongoing.

A Singapore Police Force (SPF) spokesperson said that a 40-year-old man has been identified in relation to the incident.

"Members of the public are advised not to speculate on the incident or its circumstances, and to allow the Police to conduct investigations and establish the facts of the case," the spokesperson said.

Reactions online

The incident was first shared on Aug. 15 on the Facebook and Instagram pages of Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle.

In a comment on their Instagram post, a family member said their elderly father "probably disturbed their peace".

"Some parents don't like strangers touching their kids and I completely understand that [to be honest] I wouldn't like it either," the family member wrote.

However, the family member noted that there were ways to tell someone to back off without getting physical.

Some commenters said they understood the father's concern about a stranger touching his child, but criticised the decision to get physical.

The incident also drew comments from local celebrities and online personalities.

Local actor Romeo Tan reposted the video of the incident on his Instagram stories, with the caption: "There was absolutely no need to get physical."

"Ah Boys to Men" actor Noah Yap, who previously said he has known Yeo for more than 20 years, also visited him at the Roxy Square coffee shop on Aug. 16.

Yap said Yeo was in good spirits and "still his usual chirpy self".

The actor also said he was heartened to see people checking in on the elderly man.

"I just want to put it out there that violence is never the answer to anything. I hope we can spread a little more kindness to each other," Yap said.

His post also drew further reactions from other public figures.

Presenter and actress Jade Seah thanked Yap for visiting Yeo, and tagged the Singapore Police Force in her comment.

DJ Glenn Ong also commented on his post, describing what happened as "ridiculous".

Online personality Amy Ang also offered to pay for Yeo's medical bills, to which Yap replied that Yeo had also refused to accept his money.

While arguing about money issues at a pavilion shelter, a 60-year-old man got a knife with a 21cm-long blade and used it to threaten a 70-year-old man to return money that was allegedly owed.

He also pushed the victim and pinned him down on the ground to further threaten him.

On Aug. 12, Mah Wye Horng pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal intimidation.

Two other charges, involving the possession of a weapon and the use of criminal force, were taken into consideration for sentencing.

He was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail.

What happened

According to court documents, Mah and the victim were acquainted with each other.

They were at a pavilion shelter in Marsiling at around 9am on Mar. 31, 2026, when an argument broke out between them.

Mah claimed that the victim owed him money.

A few minutes later, Mah left and went home to retrieve a knife from his kitchen. It had a 21cm-long blade and a 12cm-long handle.

The victim had also left the pavilion, then returned there to rest at around 9:10am.

Mah went back to the pavilion to look for him, initially keeping the knife at the back of his pants as he confronted the victim again.

He demanded that the victim return him the money the victim allegedly owed him, but the victim refused.

This prompted Mah to take out his knife and wave it in front of the victim.

He also pushed the victim by the neck, causing him to fall backwards from his seat.

Mah pinned him down on the ground for a few seconds before getting up.

After the victim stood up as well, Mah again waved the knife in front of his face while standing in close proximity to him.

Mah threatened the victim with injury, intending to cause him alarm, the prosecutor argued.

Arrest

A bystander who witnessed the physical confrontation stepped in to persuade Mah to calm down.

Mah eventually sat down, but later tried to leave the scene.

It was this bystander who again persuaded him to stay behind and police arrested him that day.

The prosecutor sought a jail sentence of 10 to 12 weeks, highlighting that Mah used a knife with a "rather long blade" and was waving it very close to the victim's face.

He also pointed out that there was some level of premeditation behind the offences because Mah had left the pavilion to retrieve the knife with the intent to confront and threaten the victim.

The court ultimately sentenced Mah to 10 weeks in jail, backdated to the date of his arrest on Mar. 31.

A pen once owned by Singapore's first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew was sold for S$461,500 at an auction in Singapore.

It was sold for more than nine times its expected sale price, beating expectations by a wide margin.

The silver Montblanc Meisterstuck fountain pen was sold inclusive of buyer’s premium after 111 bids at Hotlotz's "Interiors & Collectibles - August, Fine Art Focus" auction.

The pen, which was engraved with “SM Lee Kuan Yew” from his tenure as Senior Minister, was previously sold for S$52,000 at “The Lee Kuan Yew Family Collection” charity auction in July 2003.

The sterling silver Meisterstuck No. 146, with gold-tone highlights and an 18K gold nib, carried a pre-sale estimate of S$30,000 to S$50,000.

The South China Morning Post reported that Lee’s late daughter, Lee Wei Ling, spearheaded the Sotheby’s auction in 2003 to raise funds for The Tent, a charity for troubled teenage girls.

A total of 88 items accumulated by Lee and his family were put up for sale.

Those items included a black Waterman’s fountain pen used by Lee to sign the 1957 constitutional agreement with Britain, which was valued at around S$10,000.

It eventually sold for S$350,000 to an anonymous businessman.

The 2003 charity auction raised S$2.04 million.

Painting

Other works at the Hotlotz auction also beat expectations.

Separately, a Chua Mia Tee painting, titled “Singapore Chinatown, Temple Street” (1976), sold for S$107,900 inclusive of buyer's premium from the same sale.

This set a new auction record for the Singaporean artist.

The work drew 58 bids.

The painting carried a pre-sale estimate of S$20,000 to S$30,000, with bidding opening at S$18,000.

It surpassed Chua Mia Tee's previous auction record of S$97,600 inclusive of buyer's premium, set on Jan. 14, 2023, for his 2003 work titled “Prosperity”.

Vase

A stoneware pottery vase by Iskandar Jalil, the Singaporean ceramicist and Culture Medallion recipient sold for S$12,350 inclusive of buyer’s premium.

The vase drew 25 bids at the same sale.

The price was more than double the high end of its S$2,500 to S$4,000 estimate.

Iskandar was conferred the Distinguished Service Order on Aug. 9.

It was Nov. 16, 2025, a fairly ordinary Sunday in Singapore.

For 17-year-old Bradley Chang, however, it was the day he decided he needed a new travel challenge.

Having already backpacked to 97 countries, the question was no longer where to go next, but what kind of adventure could still surprise him.

About two weeks later, an opportunity presented itself.

A new kind of adventure

While browsing Black Friday flight deals, Chang spotted return tickets to Tokyo on Air Japan for around S$350.

Minutes later, he had locked in a solo trip for his March 2026 school holidays. But Chang wanted to take his adventure a step further.

Instead of simply travelling around Japan, he set himself an ambitious goal: to visit all 47 prefectures in just seven days.

But to ensure he wasn't simply stepping in and out of each prefecture, he set a personal rule: each stop had to involve an experience, however small — whether that meant buying something, trying the local cuisine, visiting an attraction, or taking part in an activity.

The planning

Planning the trip, however, proved far more complicated than booking the flight.

Chang said he spent hours building route simulations on Excel, trying to piece together an itinerary that would allow him to visit all 47 prefectures within a week.

Even then, he couldn't plan everything down to a T.

The first day of his March holidays coincided with Japan Railways' annual timetable revision, meaning the train schedules he had relied on were no longer accurate.

The day before he officially started the challenge, Chang said he headed to Shinjuku Station to reserve the train tickets that required advance booking, and this allowed him to plan the rest of his journey around them.

Even with all that preparation, he said he still went in "half-blind".

Early mornings, late nights, and constant running

For the next seven days, Chang's life revolved around train schedules.

His route would take him from Tokyo in the north, all the way to Okinawa in the south, covering between five and nine prefectures each day.

Every morning began the same way.

His alarm would ring at around 4am or 5am, and within 30 minutes, backpack on his shoulders, he would already be making his way to the first stop of the day.

Most nights, he did not return to his hotel until around 10pm.

"I was running everywhere all the time," Chang said with a laugh. "I really trusted my legs."

And he had to.

For him, every minute counted, and missing a train could derail his carefully planned itinerary.

Met with setbacks along the way

No week-long sprint across an entire country was ever going to go exactly according to plan.

On the third day of the trip, Chang felt that he was starting to develop a sore throat.

His voice had also turned raspy, prompting him to stop by a local pharmacy for medication.

Ironically, it wasn't his health that worried him the most.

He said he had initially planned to reach Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera by 5am the following morning, hoping to enjoy the famous temple before the crowds arrived.

However, drowsy from the medication, he slept through his alarm and woke up two-and-a-half hours late.

Suddenly, the buffer he had built into his schedule disappeared.

For Chang, the stakes were even higher as missing one train wouldn't just delay him. It could mean failing his challenge altogether.

Fortunately, he managed to make up enough time to catch the last train to Shikoku, his final stop of the day, though there was a small price to pay.

He had originally planned to spend about two hours exploring Wakayama Prefecture, but instead, he had just 30 minutes.

Determined not to leave without experiencing something unique to the prefecture, he searched for a nearby restaurant serving Wakayama ramen, one of the its regional specialities.

The rich pork-bone broth was probably the last thing someone with a sore throat should have eaten.

"But I had to do something there," he said.

As it turned out, the sore throat wasn't the only setback Chang faced.

Two days later, he had just boarded a bus from the Iya Valley to Oboke Station when it suddenly broke down.

He was told the next bus would only arrive two hours later, but that was time he simply did not have.

It was the only day he had booked every train ticket in advance.

This meant that missing one train would trigger a domino effect, causing him to miss every subsequent connection — including the last train back to his hotel that night.

"That was probably the most scared I felt during the trip," Chang said.

Fortunately, another backpacker heading in the same direction agreed to share a taxi with him, allowing him to make it back to Oboke Station just in time.

Every prefecture had a distinct personality

Before the trip, Chang admitted he had assumed many of the prefectures would blur into one another.

Instead, he discovered that each had its own personality.

"The food culture, architecture, and traditions were all very different," he said.

What surprised him most was how distinct each of them were despite how quickly one could travel between them.

When I asked which prefecture left the greatest impression on him, Chang couldn't give me an answer.

Fair enough, he had just visited all 47 prefectures in a single week.

But after a bit of probing, he was able to identify a few favourites.

Akita

One of Chang's favourites was Akita prefecture, home to Lake Tazawa.

"The lake is almost a perfect circle, and I think the sheer quietness sold Akita for me, paired with the snowy atmosphere," he said.

He recalled having the entire lakeside to himself, an experience he described as both peaceful and surreal.

Tokushima

Another memorable stop was Tokushima prefecture in Shikoku, where he visited the vine bridges in Iya Valley.

The region's slow pace of life, he said, stood out in stark contrast to the rest of Japan.

"It was probably the most rural place I've experienced on the trip," he said, adding that the valleys felt like a completely different side of the country from its bustling cities.

Shimane

Shimane also left a lasting impression on Chang, particularly its capital, Matsue.

"Matsue's vibe, with its small streets, really catered to my tastes," he said. "I enjoyed every second of my time there."

Although rain meant he missed the sunset over Lake Shinji, he said the city's quiet charm and Matsue Castle more than made up for it.

Kagoshima

Further south, Kagoshima stood out to Chang for one reason in particular: the Sakurajima volcano.

"You can see it almost everywhere you go," he said, describing the active volcano as one of the coolest natural sights he had seen.

He also singled out Kagawa and Kochi as underrated prefectures that deserve more attention from travellers.

When asked if he regretted rushing through all 47 prefectures, Chang didn't hesitate to say no.

In fact, although impractical, he said he would have chosen to visit all 47 prefectures in a single day rather than stretch the trip out over a longer period.

"It's like 10 times more fun. Not only does the stress and adrenaline add to the atmosphere, but I also get to see so many things and maximise every single minute of my time," he said.

Parents weren't equally convinced

But how did Chang's parents react to his trip and self-made challenge? After all, he was only 17.

While his father, who was his backpacking companion on his previous trips, had complete faith that his son would be fine, Chang said his mother needed a little more convincing.

She repeatedly reminded him to send regular updates.

"I stopped after a while because I got too busy," Chang admitted with a laugh.

Fortunately for her, she was able to keep tabs on him through his live location throughout the trip.

Although his father never doubted he would be safe, he was less convinced Chang could actually complete the challenge.

"He told me there was no way I'd make it to all 47 prefectures because I like to sleep in a lot," Chang recalled.

As it turned out, four hours of sleep a night was enough.

Cost of the trip

One might imagine that a week-long sprint across Japan wouldn't be cheap, but Chang's answer would surprise you.

Excluding the JR Pass his parents bought him as a Christmas present, Chang said he spent less than S$1,200 on the entire trip.

He shared that he had been saving up since Secondary 2, and though around a third of those savings went towards the Japan trip, he has no regrets.

"Best investment of my life."

More than just visiting 47 prefectures

Looking back, Chang said the trip taught him far more about himself than it did about Japan.

Travelling alone meant every decision, every missed train and every setback rested entirely on his shoulders.

"Your strengths and your flaws show up very quickly," he said. "There's no one to guide you or make decisions for you."

Every missed train, every wrong turn, and every last-minute change became his responsibility to solve.

Perhaps that was why finally reaching Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture on his itinerary and the last stop of his challenge, felt so meaningful.

But as he stepped foot into the prefecture, Chang still had one final self-imposed rule to fulfil.

Upon arriving, Chang said he first dropped his bag off at his capsule hotel, before making his way to a nearby beach.

Even after getting off the train, there was still a 20-minute walk to the shoreline. But he ran the entire way.

"I was so ecstatic," he recalled. "I kept thinking, 'It's finally over'."

Even as he recounted the moment to me, the adrenaline and excitement were still evident in his voice.

When he reached the beach, Chang said he ran straight into the sea.

For about five minutes, he simply stood in the water, splashing around.

After a week of constantly racing against the clock, it was a relief for time to finally stand still, just for a few moments, with the waves lapping at his feet.

"I don't really know how to explain it," he said. "It was just the biggest sense of accomplishment."

"It genuinely felt like I experienced the highest form of happiness."

A magnitude 5.9 aftershock hit Indonesia's Flores island on Aug. 17, two days after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake rattled six regencies.

According to an infographic posted to Facebook by Indonesia's National Agency for Disaster Countermeasures (BNPB), there have been at least 54 deaths, 199 injured, and 9,963 people displaced by the quake.

In terms of property damage, 2,403 homes were damaged, of which 1,543 were severely damaged, 328 moderately damaged and 532 slightly damaged.

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the German Research ‌Centre for Geosciences ⁠said the ‌depth of the aftershock was 10 km.

Those affected by the quake slept outdoors, wary of aftershocks, SCMP reported.

Most landslides cleared & roads reopened

SCMP reported that rescuers focused efforts on three regencies that remained unreachable: Manggarai, East Manggarai and Nagekeo.

Head of the search-and-rescue office in Maumere, the capital of Sikka regency on Flores, Fathur Rahman said: "We have cleared most landslides and reopened roads to previously isolated villages, although communication disruptions and power outages continue to hamper search efforts".

The Trans-Flores Highway, an approximately 700km road, had sections blocked by landslides.

At least 995 aftershocks have been recorded by authorities, with 46 felt by residents, said the National Disaster Management Agency’s chief for disaster prevention, Abdul Muhari.

Intense aftershocks shook homes

Residents at Labuan Bajo, the entryway to Komodo National Park, slept outdoors as aftershocks shook homes.

SCMP reported that a farmer, Anastasia Imad, said: "The shaking was terrifying, so intense that my house nearly collapsed."

“We feared the aftershocks would bring it down on us while we slept.”

Relief workers distributed food, water and medicine while emergency shelters were set up for those who were displaced.

Restoring electricity and communications, as well as delivering aid to remote villages isolated by landslides, were among the biggest challenges, said authorities.

Prior disasters

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped region where roughly 90 per cent of all earthquakes recorded occur due to seismic activity.

Flores itself has experienced some of Indonesia's deadliest natural disasters, including a 7.7-magnitude earthquake and tsunami in 1992 that killed 2,500 people, reported The Bangkok Post.

In 2018, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake triggered a tsunami on the island of Sulawesi, killing more than 4,340 people.

The Boxing Day earthquake of 2004, which struck off the coast of Sumatra, measured a magnitude of 9.1; it triggered a tsunami that killed around 230,000 people in a dozen countries.

The Maju Rally, an event organised by SG Climate Rally in response to housing plans at Gillman Barracks and Sunset Way sites, drew over 2,000 attendees at Hong Lim Park on Aug. 16, the organisers estimated.

The Sunset Way site is also where Maju Forest is located at.

The event featured songs, poetry and speeches, and set out three demands: to protect nature areas, to let the people decide, and to redefine progress for all.

1,000 programme booklets were given out by 5:15pm, about two hours after the start of the rally.

More than 250 postcards were also distributed for attendees to write a message to their MPs, which the organisers have digitally scanned and will be sending to the MPs on behalf.

Politicians from the Workers' Party, Singapore Democratic Party and Progress Singapore Party attended, as did former Nominated MP Anthea Ong.

What is the Maju Rally about?

SG Climate Rally set out three demands at the event.

Among the demands, the group called for nature parks to be permanently safeguarded rather than treated as land banks.

It also called for 10 nature areas to be upgraded to nature parks to be safeguarded from development, including Clementi-Maju and Alexandra Woodlands.

These 10 nature sites were identified to be biodiversity important by a report, Our Wild Space 2.0, issued by environmental group LepakInSG.

It also proposed to make environmental impact assessments (EIA) a legal requirement and to be carried out before plans are drawn up, saying the current process treats public feedback as "a box to check".

Its third demand was to redefine progress, arguing that a forest should be valued "much more highly".

The beating heart of our democracy

Workers' Party MPs Dennis Tan, Jamus Lim and Fadli Fawzi were among politicians who attended.

Dennis Tan said:

"I hope that this will not be the end point. I hope this will be the beginning for more Singaporeans to voice their concern on preserving the green spaces in Singapore, which is already very limited."

Jamus Lim said:

"It's obvious that everyone that is here feels very strongly about this matter, and I personally think it's heartening that we have young people expressing themselves and gathering to inform themselves on a matter of national importance. So that speaks well for the beating heart of our democracy."

Fadli Fawzi said:

"I think it's very heartening to see so many people, especially young people, coming together for a cause. I think it's also quite important for people to have their voices heard on these issues."

@mothershipsg Familiar faces from various political parties were seen attending the SG Climate Rally at Hong Lim Park on Aug. 16 in response to the Maju Forest & Gillman Barracks redevelopment. Over 2,000 people attended the rally, the organisers estimated. #mothershipnews #singapore #majuforest #gillmanbarracks #fyp ♬ original sound - Mothership

Caring enough to speak up is a form of nationalism

Holly Ngiam, 44, came with her three children, aged four, seven and 10.

She told Mothership the issue went beyond protecting two sites; it was an important conversation on how development is managed in Singapore with a growing population.

She explained that she brought along her young children to the rally because she and her husband "firmly believe" that their children need to be involved in such conversations.

She said: "You may not know by looking at me, but we're Singaporeans. They're Singaporeans, and this is something that will impact their future. So it's important for us that they see the process and see that their voice can matter."

Ngiam added that the Maju Forest is special to the family as her in-laws live in a HDB unit nearby and the latter chose to live in that unit because they can look out at the forest, which is something rare these days.

Originally from the U.S., Ngiam has lived in Singapore for the past 16 years.

Someone recently told her that it's "not very nationalistic to oppose" the housing plan at Maju Forest when they were discussing about the issue.

However, she shares a different view.

"Nationalism is caring enough about the future, that we speak up for what will matter -- not just now, not just more houses and more people now, but what will matter in 20 years when they're raising their families."

"I still haven't explored the Maju Forest"

Ethan Wee, 14, said he came because he loves nature.

He said: "It's very sad to see the Maju Forest go just like that. I hope that the government will consider to reorganise and redesign how they develop the Maju Forest."

"I still haven't explored the Maju Forest before. But seeing all the videos on it online, it looks very fun, and I would like it to stay. I'm really inspired by everyone here, so that's what made me come to this event today," he told Mothership.

A few days prior to the rally, Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan said that the government will be retaining more greenery for both sites and will continue to welcome feedback from the public.

Under the current plan, 40 per cent of the Gillman Barracks site is retained while 35 per cent of Maju Forest is retained.