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.

A 77-year-old woman died after she was conveyed to the hospital following a fire in Bukit Panjang.

The incident occurred in the afternoon of Sep. 28 at Block 126 Pending Road.

In a Facebook post on Sep. 29, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at about 3pm on the day of the incident.

In response to media queries, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) also confirmed the incident.

Upon SCDF’s arrival, black smoke was emitting from a unit on the sixth floor.

The fire, which involved items in the living room, was extinguished using a water jet.

Firefighters also found an unconscious person in the living room and brought the person out of the unit.

An SCDF paramedic and emergency medical technicians conducted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and conveyed the person to the hospital.

A 62-year-old man from a neighbouring unit was assessed for smoke inhalation and was also conveyed to the hospital.

As a precaution, police and SCDF evacuated about 70 people from the affected block.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.

Responding to queries from Mothership, the police said they received a call for assistance at about 3pm.

"A 62-year-old man was conveyed conscious, and a 77-year-old woman was conveyed unconscious to the hospital where she subsequently passed away."

A teacher in Malaysia, who is in her 30s, was caught for allegedly being involved in a physical relationship with a student, 17, after videos of their intimate acts were found.

The woman has been arrested, according to Harian Metro.

The relationship was discovered on Sep. 21 after the teenager’s family and school found a video showing the youth and woman engaging in sexual acts.

The student and the school reportedly lodged police reports.

The relationship had been going on for about a year.

How it started

The two would apparently meet in hotels and the woman's home.

It was reported that the teacher invited the boy out for a walk and a meal at first.

She then allegedly took him to a hotel in Seri Kembangan, Selangor.

She recorded them engaging in sexual acts on her mobile phone.

The teacher was subsequently arrested at around 10:30pm on the day the police reports were lodged.

Malaysian police are investigating the incident as involving sexual offences against children.

A woman in Malaysia was allegedly forced to take a puff on an e-cigarette by a man.

She subsequently started feeling disoriented.

When she awoke, her bottoms were removed and she suspected that she might have been drugged and raped.

The incident allegedly occurred in her room, which was rented.

China Press reported that the Brickfields district police in Kuala Lumpur issued a statement on Sep. 29 confirming the report of an incident.

The local police said the woman was allegedly forced to vape at 5am on Sep. 26 at Sri Petaling, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur.

The victim was reportedly unconscious for two hours until 7am.

She allegedly felt pain in her genitals and did not have her pants on when she came to.

Malaysian police said they are investigating the incident as one of rape.

A massage parlour at Jalan Besar has been accused of offering sexual services to its customers.

Touched inappropriately

One customer, 45, who identified himself as an Australian tourist on holiday in Singapore, alleged that he was touched inappropriately by a masseuse about 30 minutes into the massage.

It was also then that the sexual services were allegedly offered.

"When I entered the premises, everything appeared to be legitimate and professional," he told Mothership.

"Following my refusal, her attitude changed dramatically. She started shouting at me and repeatedly complained that she was only there to earn tips by providing sexual services."

He left the premises quickly, but did not file a police report.

Stating that he was distressed by the experience, he said it also gave him a "very negative" impression of his visit to Singapore.

Suggestive texts

Another newsmaker claimed that she had come across texts between her husband and a masseuse purportedly from the same massage establishment on Telegram.

Snippets of the conversations seen by Mothership showed what appeared to be sexually-charged conversations arranging a meet-up between both parties, as well as discussions over the price and type of service provided.

When confronted, the woman's husband apparently admitted to visiting the parlour and engaging in such services, she said.

She called for an investigation into the establishment but did not raise the issue at the massage parlour out of fear for her personal safety.

Staff denied allegations

Phone calls made by Mothership to the establishment went largely unanswered.

One answered call was met with silence, deep breathing, and then more silence.

When we visited the parlour, we noticed the store's front glass was tinted except for a small rectangular clear patch, which offered visibility into the interior.

Passersby were spotted looking inside the establishment through the untinted portion.

Lingerie was also seen hanging on clothes racks behind the shop.

Inside, three female staff, presumably masseuses, were sitting on the couch beside the entrance. There was also what appeared to be a massage area at the back.

When asked about the complaints, specifically about the Australian man purportedly being yelled at, staff denied that the encounter took place.

They also said they offered no "special service", only "normal" massage.

A member of the staff kindly provided the phone number of the establishment's owner. He was contactable over a call and subsequent texts.

While the man declined to put anything on record, Mothership understands that the business claims to not provide any illicit service.

According to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), the massage establishment is registered as a "Beauty Salon and Spa".

There was, however, a recent change in hands, with its current owner taking over the business in July 2026.

As of Sep. 24, it was also noticed that the store appeared to be shut during regular working hours.

Mothership understands that no police report has been made on the massage parlour's alleged activities so far.

Telegram groups advertising "massage" services

The second newsmaker had also told Mothership she discovered that the woman her husband was in contact with offered her services on two Singapore-based community chats on Telegram.

Checks by Mothership on one of the chats found that the masseuse in question was last featured on August 2026.

Between Dec. 27, 2025, and Sep. 23, 2026, at least six masseuses from this establishment were featured multiple times.

The open-access groups also contained listings of female masseuses from other establishments alongside their services, as well as customers' reviews of their experiences with them.

Acronyms usually associated with the sex industry were used extensively in such reviews.

A taxi driver in Singapore set up a fundraiser in September 2026 to appeal for donations following an accident with a police car.

While there have been donations, some were sceptical and unsympathetic.

The negativity stemmed from the fact that it was the 45-year-old driver's third fundraiser.

In Travis Gideon Wong's own words, many were questioning why he was asking for "handouts" instead of working his way out of his situation.

Wong told Mothership that his fundraising campaign only covered a part of the story — a story that began with his battle with anxiety disorder.

Quit his job

In 2023, Wong left his job as a product manager after struggling with anxiety.

"I started to have these insane thoughts about really doing the unthinkable," Wong said.

This was exacerbated by the situation and workload at work, which added to the stress and anxiety he was facing.

When he proposed to his company to take a break, he was instead given the option to either resign or be demoted.

Wong ultimately chose to resign, thinking that it was important for him to get better first.

There were also no promises that he would get back his original role if he were to get demoted.

He then checked himself into the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), where he was formally diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and prescribed medication for the condition.

Describing his state of mind then, Wong said his thoughts started to really overwhelm him.

"When you have an anxiety disorder, your mind just doesn't stop. Your thoughts just build on and on," he said.

He candidly admitted that he might have done the "unthinkable" if not for his family.

The father of two had to figure out a way to continue providing for them even at his lowest point.

Sold the house

Following his resignation, Wong decided to take up freelance project management jobs as a personal business.

This, however, did not earn him as much as his previous six-figure job.

From 2024 to 2025, Wong said he was "bleeding money" and needed to think of something to ease his family's financial situation.

At the same time, he was still struggling with his mental health.

In a "conscious effort" to take care of himself, Wong said he decided to sell his house to use the proceeds as a "cushion".

This would allow him to slow down and recover better, while giving him time to think about how to improve his business, he said.

Unfortunately, it was during this period that he was allegedly scammed out of his entire life savings.

Lost S$95,000 in investment

Wong met a woman during a webinar she had advertised on LinkedIn.

He knew her as the chief executive officer (CEO) of a business leadership training consultancy who would often give advice on how to run his business.

While they never met in real life, they often had one-on-one calls to talk about their businesses.

After Wong sold his house, the woman apparently reached out to him in August 2025 asking if he would consider investing in her company.

The arrangement was for Wong to get a monthly payout with interest of about 10 to 15 per cent over two years after the initial lump sum investment of S$95,000.

"We did our due diligence. We actually reached out to a couple of people just to see whether this person is legit. Despite the fact that I knew her personally for a couple of years," Wong said.

After about a month, Wong and his wife decided that they felt comfortable to invest.

They transferred S$75,000 at the end of September in 2025, and subsequently, another S$20,000.

However, the woman allegedly did not keep her promise.

As of September 2026, Wong has not received a single payout.

A police report has since been lodged.

Became a cabbie

Faced with the sudden loss of his savings and mounting bills, including house rent, Wong decided to start a fundraiser upon a friend's recommendation.

He managed to raise about S$12,000, enabling him to tide the family through the year.

Wong also quickly started looking for other ways to earn an income.

Of all the options he explored, becoming a cabbie was the only one that materialised.

By March 2026, he started his journey as a taxi driver.

Calculating his family expenses, house rent, and various other bills, he concluded that he needed to drive 15 hours daily to make ends meet and have some savings.

That's every day of the week, with no breaks on the weekend.

All those hours on the road eventually harmed his body.

"My body started to react very badly to it. And then when my physical health suffers, my mental health also suffers, because there's the stress of trying to make ends meet," he said.

Following a break of two weeks for his health, Wong then launched another fundraiser campaign in June 2026 seeking help in paying his rent.

"A lot of people were a lot more hesitant at that point; I kind of understood. Like there's only so much help you can get," he admitted.

Even so, he managed to raise enough to cover his rent that month.

And the grind continued.

That is, until he encountered another spanner in the works.

Car accident

In early August 2026, Wong was involved in an accident with a traffic police patrol car.

Photos of the crash circulated online, and Wong said he was "made a joke" by online commenters.

Wong explained how the incident apparently occurred.

He was in the first lane of the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) when he noticed the police car behind with the siren on.

Thinking they were in a hurry, Wong filtered left to lane two, making way for the police car.

Afterwards, he decided to switch back to lane one, while checking the blind spot.

In that moment, Wong said he did not notice that the police car had made an emergency stop.

"And the moment that happened, I had no time to react, and the next thing I knew, I just crashed into it," he said.

The impact of the accident aggravated two pre-existing conditions he had been managing for years.

This included two herniated discs in his neck and two herniated discs in his lower back.

To Wong, this meant weeks of pain, visits to the doctor, as well as a loss of income as he was not able to immediately return to work driving a taxi.

At the encouragement of some friends, he decided to set up his latest fundraiser in September 2026.

"I was really hesitant to be honest," he said.

But since the accident, bills have been piling up, such as his house rental, vehicle costs, and ongoing treatment.

He decided to appeal for support to help "bridge the gap" while his body catches up.

A total of S$1,615 has been raised as of writing.

Driving out of his situation

For Wong, apart from the accident, driving was a kind of sanctuary.

"I didn't realise I loved driving until I started driving in this manner," he shared.

Being alone in his car was vastly different from the busy corporate lifestyle he was used to for 20 years.

"When you drive, you are there all the time, and I know a lot of people don't like being in those situations. But for me,  I realised that I could be in that situation and not lose momentum," he said.

Wong shared that during his usual 15-hour drives, he preferred not taking a long break, partly because he doesn't feel tired, and partly because he does not want to break his focus.

"I don't feel tired. I'm always focused. I'm very comfortable in my car, I can listen to music the whole day," he said.

It also unexpectedly helps with his anxiety disorder.

The moment he enters the car, his overwhelming thoughts disappear, and he just focuses on the road.

But Wong admitted that after he's done with driving for the day, reality washes over.

"Now you are suddenly made aware of your own situation again," he said.

The worst struggle of his anxiety is when he wakes up in the morning with thoughts of doubt.

He would keep telling himself: "What's the point? Your back and your neck are hurting so much. You know you won't be able to earn enough. What's the point of like being in this world and doing all this?"

Regardless, Wong wakes up every day and pushes himself to get back on his feet.

Once he gets in his car and gets ready to drive, all his negative thoughts disappear as concentration takes over.

Wong said he focuses on what's ahead on the road, making sure that passengers are safe, and making sure that they are having a good experience.

He is also taking daily medication for his anxiety, which he said helps a lot as well.

Now, Wong is gradually getting back on the road and returning to work as a taxi driver.

"My ambition is to drive out of the situation so that I can consider building my business little bit by little bit again. And then from there, get out of my situation a lot better," he said.