The now-infamous food court that was a  “haven of female companionship” has now emptied out. 

It was previously reported that a woman had visited the establishment at People's Park Complex for a meal, only to see several older men getting intimate with women.

She was approached and harassed afterwards.

Reporters from Shin Min Daily News (Shin Min) also later found older men drinking and accompanied by younger women on the site.

After the food court gained media attention, however, the men and their companions have since left the establishment.

This came after a police inspection of the premises, according to Shin Min.

Clamped down

A source told Shin Min that on Oct. 20, around 7pm, several plainclothes police officers showed up at the food court to conduct a surprise inspection.

"I saw a commotion and thought something had happened. Later, I saw a group of seven or eight plainclothes officers questioning everyone in the premises," they said.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police confirmed that an enforcement operation was conducted at a food court along 1 Park Road.

They stated that four women, aged between 33 and 48, were arrested for working without a valid work pass under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

When Shin Min reporters returned to the site on Oct. 27, they found that the food court was quite a bit emptier.

The women who were alleged to be pouring drinks for customers were also nowhere to be seen.

A shopkeeper near the area claimed that they saw an older man inviting a younger woman to the food court, but she purportedly refused out of fear of law enforcement.

One shopkeeper said the women now turn down invitations from older men to dine at the food court, out of worry that they would be targeted by law enforcement.

Two Singaporean men are facing charges in Thailand for allegedly recruiting Thai women for prostitution in Singapore.

The Nation reported that the two men are part of a group of five individuals who are suspected of being involved in an online prostitution network.

The five are facing criminal proceedings in Thailand.

Online network, arrest operation

The suspects consist of two Singaporean men aged 42 and 46, two Thai women aged 33 and 37, and a 35-year-old Thai man.

Operations were conducted in Thailand's Rayong and Phitsanulok.

Their activities were supposedly linked to a network called the "Lover's Fortress", the police said.

The Nation reported that officers traced the subjects and obtained arrest warrants after examining bank transactions which were allegedly connected to prostitution earnings.

Items seized by the police were worth over 350,000 baht (S$13,277) in total, consisting of 15 mobile phones, three computers and laptops, 16 bank passbooks, 10 ATM cards, 100,000 baht (S$3,793) in cash, and jewellery.

Offences

According to The Nation, the Thai police is charging the group with several prostitution offences, from recruiting women to promoting prostitution services.

Additionally, they also face charges of money laundering and participating in a transnational criminal organisation.

Questioning

The Nation reported that during initial questioning, the 46-year-old Singaporean man admitted that he had been recruiting Thai women for prostitution in Singapore since 2019.

He identified the 42-year-old Singaporean man as his business partner, noting that they communicated with customers via Telegram, LINE and WhatsApp.

Based on the police account, the 37-year-old Thai woman was allegedly responsible for seeking out customers and creating online storefronts. She also liaised with accommodation providers.

Though the 33-year-old Thai woman acknowledged lending her bank account, she argued that she was unaware of what it would be used for.

The police added that the 35-year-old Thai man admitted to working as an administrator, where he answered customer enquiries and edited pictures of the network's women.

He was reportedly taking instructions from the 37-year-old woman.

The suspects have been referred by police to investigators for further legal proceedings, The Nation reported.

The American man appearing on 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way with his Singaporean fiancée has taken to social media after criticism from viewers about his "red flag" behaviour.

Jonathan Pearce, 49, along with Singaporean Noor Alimna, 28, previously raised eyebrows when their love story was first unveiled.

A large age gap, a secret pregnancy and Pearce's unemployment in Singapore made good fodder for viewers.

On Oct. 28, Pearce posted a video on TikTok in response to criticism about his temper and behaviour.

In the video, he described himself as being perceived as "toxic, masculine, narcissistic, gaslighting, love-bombing, emotionally unavailable, red-flag-waving natural disaster" in the four episodes aired so far.

It was now time for viewers to get to know him better, he said.

Ask him anything

Pearce invited viewers to ask him anything, be it funny or serious.

He even welcomed insults.

Through the questions, Pearce hopes the viewers will be able to get to know him better.

Criticism

The 49-year-old also clarified that he doesn't cry "all the time" — only when he is exhausted from international travel and having "serious nicotine withdrawals".

Pearce drew criticism after he got upset that Alimna, known on the show as Ally, questioned him about getting a job in Singapore.

Ally was worried about their finances and their baby, as Pearce had apparently not saved enough money.

Pearce was seen storming off and crying at one point.

In one episode, tension flared again when Ally’s friend Megan also pressed him about his finances.

Pearce later confronted Ally for "betraying" him by telling her friends about his personal life.

His reaction drew backlash as viewers questioned whether he was ready to support their family.

Ally also faces criticism

However, Ally has also drawn her share of criticism.

Despite the mixed reactions so far, Ally told Mothership in an Oct. 19 interview that she "[doesn't] let it get to [her]".

"I feel like I get sooo much hate from Singaporeans because obviously I'm doing something that's taboo," she acknowledged.

She shared that she first met Pearce at a Malaysian bar in December 2023, while he was in the country on a business trip.

The couple subsequently got together and maintained a long-distance relationship, travelling between Singapore and the U.S. to see each other.

Despite the backlash, Ally hopes viewers will continue following their journey with an open mind.

While some issues — like her pregnancy — may seem taboo to Singaporeans, she maintains that they "made a baby out of love" and that he's already an "amazing father" with his existing kids.

"I hope people can actually see our situation as something that is more on love, instead of letting external factors determine whether we are a great couple together."

Tampines is Singapore's most populated planning area in 2026 with 296,060 residents.

This is followed by Bedok (272,120), Sengkang (265,930), Woodlands (255,280), and Jurong West (250,890), as reported in the second issue of the Statistics Singapore Newsletter by the Department of Statistics Singapore (SingStat) on Oct. 28.

Tampines overtook Bedok and Jurong West in the population rankings over the past decade.

Meanwhile, Punggol and Sengkang in the northeast recorded average annual population growth rates of 4.6 per cent and 1.9 per cent, respectively, between 2016 and 2026.

Singapore's resident population increased by 298,000 over the past decade, from 3.9 million in 2016 to 4.2 million in 2026, SingStat noted.

The report examined changes in population size, age composition, education qualifications and household income across Singapore's planning areas.

Tampines overtakes Bedok as most populous planning area

Tampines climbed from third place in 2016 to become Singapore's most populous planning area in 2026, with its resident population increasing from 259,110 to 296,060.

Bedok, which previously held the top spot, fell to second place with 272,120 residents, down from 287,170 in 2016.

Sengkang moved up from sixth to third place, with its population rising from 219,380 to 265,830 over the same period.

Woodlands ranked fourth with 255,280 residents, followed by Jurong West with 250,890.

Together, Singapore's 10 most populated planning areas were home to more than 2.3 million residents, accounting for 55.6 per cent of the country's resident population.

Punggol among fastest-growing residential areas

Punggol climbed into the top 10 most populous planning areas, ranking eighth in 2026 with 204,490 residents.

It recorded an average annual population growth rate of 4.6 per cent between 2016 and 2026.

According to SingStat, Downtown Core recorded the highest annual population growth rate of 5.3 per cent between 2016 and 2026, followed by Punggol at 4.6 per cent and Sembawang at 4.1 per cent.

However, the department noted that Downtown Core's growth was partly attributable to changes in its planning area boundaries.

Sengkang also ranked among the 10 fastest-growing planning areas, recording an average annual growth of 1.9 per cent.

Tengah, a relatively new housing estate, was excluded from the rankings as its small resident population of just 10 in 2016 resulted in an exceptionally high growth rate over the decade.

Tengah and Punggol have highest proportion of children

The report also examined the age profiles of residents across Singapore.

In 2026, Tengah had the highest proportion of children aged below 15, at 20.3 per cent, followed by Punggol at 19.6 per cent.

This is followed by Tanglin at 17.3 per cent, Newton at 17.2 per cent and Bukit Timah at 17.1 per cent.

Sengkang, Sembawang and Tampines were also among the 10 planning areas with the highest proportions of children.

However, the overall proportion of children aged below 15 among Singapore residents declined from 15.2 per cent in 2016 to 13.3 per cent in 2026.

Meanwhile, the proportion of residents aged 65 and above rose from 12.4 per cent to 19.5 per cent.

Outram, Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East, Bukit Merah and Rochor recorded the highest proportions of elderly residents.

Outram had the highest elderly population at 28.9 per cent, followed by Ang Mo Kio at 26.9 per cent, Jurong East at 26.2 per cent, Bukit Merah at 25.8 per cent, and Rochor at 25.2 per cent.

In terms of median age, Outram is the oldest area with a resident population median age of 50, followed by Ang Mo Kio and Jurong East at 49.

Residents in Rochor and Bukit Merah each had a median age of 48 years.

The other planning areas had a median age of 47 years or below.

Central areas record higher education levels and household incomes

SingStat also found that planning areas in Singapore's central region generally had higher proportions of university graduates and higher household incomes.

In 2025, Tanglin had the highest proportion of residents with university qualifications, at 83.6 per cent.

It was followed by River Valley, Newton, Downtown Core and Bukit Timah, where more than 70 per cent of residents held university qualifications.

Downtown Core recorded the highest median monthly household market income per household member, at S$13,396 in 2025.

Newton came next at S$12,222, followed by River Valley at S$9,923.

The report noted that higher-income areas remained concentrated in Singapore's central region, although household market incomes had also increased in other parts of the country.

The report concluded that the development of new housing estates, the ageing of older areas and changing socio-economic profiles reflected Singapore's evolving geographical landscape.

Bambang Sofyan, an Indonesian Gojek driver, received a ticket to Kanye West's (now just Ye) concert in Jakarta after completing the lyrics of his song "Praise God".

The incident took place on Saturday, Oct. 24, when Australian content creator @off_wyatt (Wyatt) was looking for a Ye fan who did not have a ticket to the concert.

To win it, participants had to correctly continue the lyrics of a Ye song.

Wyatt then filmed himself approaching several ride-hailing drivers, but it was Bambang, who had sent the influencer to his destination, who completed the challenge (with some help).

In the Instagram reel, Bambang appeared overjoyed, smiling widely, raising his arms and jumping excitedly after receiving the ticket.

People around cheered him on, while Instagram users also expressed their happiness for him in the comments.

One comment read,

"[A] concert ticket is such a luxury for common Indonesian even for the middle class, thank you for the kind gesture 🙌"

Realised he hadn't gotten paid

According to Kompas, Bambang was resting when three foreigners approached him.

He offered to take them to the concert venue on his motorcycle.

The men agreed and asked how much the ride would cost.

As the destination was nearby, Bambang told them they could pay whatever amount they wanted.

"I was confused about how much to charge. The main thing was just getting a ride," Bambang told Kompas in a phone interview on Oct. 28.

Bambang said he did not realise Wyatt was filming him during the journey.

Upon arriving at the venue, Bambang noticed that two other Gojek drivers who had transported Wyatt's friends were each paid 50,000 rupiah (approximately S$3.52), while he had not received his fare.

He was confused as to why he had not been paid.

Wyatt then asked Bambang to follow him, saying he would pay him afterwards.

"Wyatt told me, 'You just need to continue the lyrics of a Kanye West song that I'm going to recite.'

"I asked him, 'What song?' and he replied, 'It cannot always be night.'"

"So I thought, 'Oh, okay, if that's all I have to do,'" Bambang told Kompas.

When Wyatt recited the lyrics from "Praise God", Bambang correctly continued them on his first attempt.

Bambang said Wyatt immediately handed him the ticket after he answered.

Surprised at ticket cost

A staff member later told Bambang the ticket was worth about 10 million rupiah, as seen in his Instagram reel.

“Wow, 10 million rupiah, bro?” he exclaimed.

According to Ye’s official Jakarta concert website, VIP East and VIP West tickets cost 9.85 million rupiah (approximately S$694.51).

Bambang was able to enter the VIP lounge, where food and drinks were provided for concertgoers.

Wyatt carried Bambang on his shoulders as the driver enjoyed the concert alongside the rest of the crowd.

Bambang later thanked Wyatt and his friends in a post on social media.

"Thanks to all the good people, Mr @off_wyatt and friends. I will always remember this moment. I am very, very, very happy. Amazing,"

Singapore and Malaysia simulated a fire on board a stranded Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link train on Oct. 27, to test how agencies from both countries would respond to a cross-border emergency.

The scenario put jointly developed emergency response protocols to the test, according to Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann, who spoke at the exercise’s closing ceremony at Wadi Hana Depot in Johor Bahru on Oct. 28.

Testing communication and deployment across the border

In her closing address, Sim said Malaysia’s Operations Centre at Bukit Chagar and Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Integrated Operations Centre maintained real-time contact throughout the exercise.

This allowed both sides to develop a common understanding of the situation and share their response plans.

Officers and station operators on both sides also coordinated the deployment of fire and rescue, law enforcement and border control personnel.

Sim said the agencies demonstrated effective command and control, with officers showing a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

She noted that each RTS Link train will carry more than 600 passengers, with journeys taking about five minutes. An emergency could therefore affect many passengers at short notice while involving two countries with different laws, agencies and command structures.

“An emergency on board a crowded and fast-moving train leaves little room for error,” she said.

She urged participating agencies to study the exercise’s observations and discuss them with their counterparts to improve their joint response plans before an actual incident occurs.

Followed a tabletop exercise in September

Sim said agencies from both countries have been developing frameworks, laws and operational protocols for cross-border incidents since 2023.

Officers also took part in a tabletop exercise in September 2026 to work through procedures for natural hazards, medical emergencies, fires, and public order and security incidents.

The Oct. 27 field exercise then tested those plans under realistic conditions.

Passenger services expected to begin in February 2027

The exercise comes ahead of the rail link’s expected opening in February 2027.

In an Oct. 2 press release, train service operator RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO) said it expected to complete all system tests and trial runs by Dec. 31 this year.

RTSO said the expected February 2027 start of passenger services took into account the remaining works, independent safety certification and approvals from both countries’ authorities.

In a separate joint news release on Oct. 2, Singapore’s Land Transport Authority and Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport said the revised opening timeline remained subject to independent safety certification and final regulatory approvals.

The RTS Link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore, with a peak capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

Passengers will undergo immigration clearance at their departure station, where both countries’ customs, immigration and quarantine facilities will be co-located.

A 28-year-old Malaysian man was sentenced to eight months' jail on Oct. 27 after he illegally accessed 17 bank accounts in Singapore.

The accused, Tan Kian Hoa, pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal conspiracy to commit unauthorised computer access under the Computer Misuse Act.

Job he applied for involved scam syndicate

He applied for a job he saw on Facebook in September 2025, CNA reported.

An unidentified person informed Tan on Telegram that he would be paid RM3,500 (S$1,102) a month.

Tan had to work at Taman Eko Botani in Iskandar Puteri, which is in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

The job was to work for an online gambling syndicate that was also involved in moving scam proceeds.

Syndicate moved gamblers' money

The syndicate moved money from gamblers to online casinos and paid customers their winnings.

Close to S$4 million were moved in and out of the accounts that Tan had accessed.

Some of it, over S$21,000, was traced to scam cases reported in Singapore.

Track movement of funds from customers

The syndicate tracked the movement of funds from gambling customers to syndicate bank accounts by using an in-house computer system.

Tan received alerts via the system when deposits were made to the syndicate-controlled bank accounts in Singapore.

He had to ensure the funds tallied and he did not know the people whose bank accounts he accessed.

When the bank transactions and the amounts in the in-house computer system did not match, Tan had to contact the online casino customer service.

He was assigned phones each day, which contained internet banking mobile applications and SIM cards.

Each phone had a sticker with the account name, account number, and log-in credentials of the respective bank accounts.

Tan logged into the accounts to confirm the deposits.

He would report the payment to the syndicate via screenshots sent to Telegram group chats.

A total of S$3,996,971, including money from scams, flowed through 17 accounts when Tan was working.

He was aware throughout his time there that the syndicate's activities were illegal in Malaysia and Singapore.

A total of 17 Maribank or GXS bank accounts under the syndicate's control were reported as scams to the Singapore police.

The losses in the accounts ranged from S$150 to S$2,968.

Tan was arrested by the Royal Malaysian Police on Jul. 20.

He was handed over to SPF on Jul. 21.

Caught during multi-nation enforcement op

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) revealed in July 2026 that Operation Frontier+ III disrupted the syndicate in March, following a joint two-month operation between 10 law enforcement agencies from different countries.

MariBank had provided information.

A 34-year-old Singaporean man, who sexually abused six boys as a youth between 2010 and 2014, was sentenced on Oct. 28 to a jail term of 19 years, one month, two weeks and 14 days.

His offences had gone undetected and only came to light in 2019 when he emailed police stating that he had committed crimes in the past, which he believed remained unsolved.

Charges

Court documents seen by Mothership stated that Chen Caijin will also receive the maximum 24 strokes of the cane.

He pleaded guilty to six charges, which include molestation, sexual penetration of a minor, voluntarily causing hurt, taking nude photos of a child, as well as relinquishing a bank account.

Another 16 charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

A gag order was imposed to protect the victims' identities.

Offences

In 2010, Chen, who was 17 to 18 years old then, abused his first victim, who was 14 to 15 years old at the time.

He would pay for the victim when they gamed at LAN shops.

Court documents stated that the victim would push Chen away when he hugged the victim and tried to kiss him.

Chen also molested the victim.

On one occasion, Chen pulled down the victim's pants and sexually assaulted him when the victim fell asleep at the void deck.

Other friends who were present laughed, and the victim did not dare to confront Chen despite being confused as Chen had been paying for his games.

Chen also molested the victim while they rode an e-scooter together, and later sexually assaulted the victim, who was asleep.

After performing sex acts on another victim, Chen shared nude pictures he took of the victim with three mutual friends without the victim's consent.

In addition, at least one victim allowed Chen to continue with his sexual abuse as he was worried that Chen would no longer pay for his meals and gaming.

Emailed police

According to court documents, Chen's offences came to light in 2019 when he sent an email to the police on Nov. 1, 2019.

He stated that he had committed serious crimes in the past but had not been caught, and wanted to "ask some question[s]" before deciding whether to admit to those crimes.

Chen added that he wanted to "negotiate a certain type of punishment (not liniency [sic])" if he confessed, but did not provide other details of what these crimes were.

A few days later on Nov. 4, 2019, Chen sent another email to the police from a different email address.

In reiterating that he had committed some crimes in the past which he believed remained unsolved, Chen stated that he "deserve[d] to be punished".

He also posed various questions to the police, which included how he could be sentenced to the maximum number of strokes of the cane.

Told police

The police then invited him to provide a statement in person.

On Nov. 8, 2019, Chen provided a statement to the police, where he admitted to having previously molested several individuals and having sex with underage victims.

However, as he did not want to be arrested or detained, he refused to reveal the victims' identities or the details of the offences he had committed.

The police were only able to begin identifying suspected victims of Chen's sexual crimes after seizing his phone, obtaining a forensic extraction of its contents and reviewing Chen's messages with his contacts.

Through extensive investigations, the police discovered that Chen had engaged in at least 22 sexual offences between 2010 and 2014.

According to court documents, Chen was largely cooperative throughout investigations and willingly disclosed information related to his sexual crimes to the police.

He was arrested on Apr. 15, 2024, and has been in remand to date.

Examined by psychiatrist

Upon examining Chen, an Institute of Mental Health (IMH) psychiatrist said he had personality disorder with prominent masochistic and antisocial traits.

Chen was also found to have paraphilic disorder, with an extensive history of childhood sexual trauma.

Though the psychiatrist said Chen's main sexual interest was in teenage boys aged 11 to 16, he also had strong paedophilic tendencies as he displayed sexual interest in males under 13 years of age.

The psychiatrist was also of the opinion that Chen would have been aware of the nature and wrongness of his actions at the time of the offences, and that there was no direct contributory link from any of his psychiatric conditions.

This is because neither his judgment nor self-control would have been impaired.

Prosecution submissions

The prosecution sought a sentence of 18 to 20 years and four months' jail, plus 14 days' jail for breach of remission order and the maximum 24 strokes of the cane.

According to court documents, the prosecution accepted that some mitigating weight should be given to Chen's youth and admissions to the police, as well as his subsequent cooperation during investigations.

They said it was Chen's initial act of coming forward that resulted in criminal investigations, without which the offences may never have come to light.

The prosecution noted, however, that Chen's cooperativeness was conditional and limited.

This is because he initially wanted to "ask some question[s]" before deciding whether to admit to his crimes and claimed that he wanted to "negotiate a certain type of punishment" if he confessed.

Chen also refused to reveal the identities of his victims or details of his crimes as he did not want to be arrested or detained.

As such, Chen's acceptance of responsibility for his actions went only so far as his ability to dictate the terms of his punishment, the prosecution said.

They added that while some credit should be given for coming forward to the police, he should not be placed on the same footing as an offender who offered a full confession or voluntarily surrendered to custody.

"His conduct was both harmful and deplorable and the sentence imposed should send a clear signal that preying on the young will not be tolerated."

Defence

CNA reported that the defence argued that Chen did not present as a "typical sexual offender".

Noting that Chen committed the offences when he was 17 to 20 years old, they said that he was sincerely remorseful.

He had demonstrated this through a voluntary confession, and proactively sought treatment at IMH.

The defence said Chen was prescribed injections to lower his testosterone levels and manage his sexual urges, which doctors described as "a form of chemical castration".

Chen also asked for the dosage to be increased to manage his urges, according to CNA.

The defence added that Chen wished to see his 71-year-old mother, who has stomach cancer, again before she dies.

'Disturbing' pattern of conduct: Judge

Calling it a "disturbing" pattern of conduct, CNA reported Justice Mavis Chionh as saying that Chen made friends with a victim and initiated physical contact afterwards, which escalated into sexual acts.

As such, she said it would not be accurate for his offences to be attributed solely to a lack of self-restraint, or his youth or youthful folly.

However, she accepted that Chen had displayed genuine remorse as he voluntarily underwent chemical castration.

For sexual penetration of a minor, Chen could have been given up to 20 years' jail and fined or caned.

A delivery rider, 51, who is permanently blind in his right eye and suffers from a serious heart condition has failed in his bid to obtain S$500 in monthly maintenance from his ex-wife.

The Family Justice Courts dismissed his application after finding that he had not proven that his medical conditions prevented him from earning a livelihood entirely, or that he was unable to maintain himself.

According to a judgement dated Oct. 23, District Judge Kow Keng Siong acknowledged the man's serious medical conditions but found that he did not qualify as an incapacitated former husband under the Women's Charter.

The man, identified as YKM in court documents, had been married to his former wife, YKN, for 28 years before their divorce was finalised on Jan. 1, 2026.

Permanently blind in right eye, suffers from heart condition

Following the divorce, the man sought S$500 in monthly maintenance from his former wife, citing his serious medical conditions.

He was certified permanently blind in his right eye in February 2025.

According to court documents, the man said his impaired vision made it difficult for him to see kerbs and obstacles in poor lighting, preventing him from working evening and night shifts.

He also suffered a heart attack in June 2025 and was hospitalised for six days.

In February 2026, medical examinations found that his heart function was severely impaired. The following month, doctors advised him to avoid strenuous activities and driving taxis.

The man expressed concerns that continuing to work as a delivery rider could put his health at risk due to his impaired vision and heart condition.

However, his former wife opposed the application, arguing that he had not shown that his medical conditions prevented him from earning a livelihood or supporting himself.

Earns around S$2,725 monthly as delivery rider

The court noted that despite his medical conditions, the man continued to work as a delivery rider, earning a net monthly income of approximately S$2,725.

This exceeded the S$2,190 he said he needed for basic living expenses, including food, transport, utilities, telephone and internet bills, and rent.

Kow acknowledged that the man's health conditions restricted the types of work he could safely undertake.

However, he said the medical evidence did not establish that the man was incapable of earning a livelihood.

"The law cannot turn an apprehension into an incapacity," the judge said.

Medical concerns

The court noted the question was not whether the man indeed has a disability or illness, but whether that prevented him from earning a livelihood. "Clear and objective medical evidence is needed", it stated.

The court also noted that the man's medical reports advised him to avoid strenuous activities and driving taxis, but did not establish that he was permanently unfit for work.

The court further noted that while the man's concerns about future hardship are understandable, they cannot be a basis for ordering the woman to pay maintenance today.

"The definition of “incapacitated former husband” in s 2 requires the Husband to show, among others, that (a) he is presently incapacitated from earning a livelihood and (b) he is presently unable to maintain himself.

These requirements are not met merely because he may, at some future date, become incapacitated and unable to support himself."

Claimed S$500 monthly for necessities and cigarettes

The man claimed monthly expenses of around S$3,819 against a total monthly income of approximately S$3,245, including S$520 in rental income, leaving a shortfall of S$574.

However, the court found that the man had failed to adequately explain or justify some of his claimed expenses.

These included S$500 a month for amenities, necessities and cigarettes, although he had already listed separate expenses for food, transport, utilities, telephone and internet bills, debt repayments and rent.

Kow also found it unreasonable to require his former wife to pay for cigarettes, which he described as a matter of personal choice.

The court also questioned a claimed S$100 monthly maintenance expense, as the man had not explained whom the payment was intended for.

Kow noted that the couple's four children were working adults and found that his former wife should not be required to fund payments to them if the money was intended for their benefit.

Ex-wife's maintenance application also dismissed

The former wife had separately sought nominal maintenance of S$1 per month, citing a pre-existing lumbar slipped-disc condition.

However, the court also dismissed her application.

She earned approximately S$7,903.55 a month, around 2.6 times her former husband's gross monthly earnings of S$2,986.33.

Kow found that the medical evidence did not sufficiently establish the severity of her slipped-disc condition or how it might affect her ability to work in the future.

The court also considered their respective financial circumstances, noting that the man earned significantly less than his former wife and suffered from serious health conditions.

Ex-wife awarded 75 per cent of matrimonial assets

The court ordered that the couple's matrimonial assets, valued at S$568,985.22, be divided 25:75 in favour of the former wife.

The woman was allocated approximately S$426,738, while the man was allocated approximately S$142,246.

In reaching the decision, Kow found that the former wife had contributed more to household expenses and taken on greater childcare responsibilities throughout their 28-year marriage, including returning to work as a flight stewardess after the man's business folded, he became a bankrupt and worked as a driver.

The judge also acknowledged the man's contributions, including being the family's sole breadwinner during the early years of their marriage and helping to care for their children.

A construction company in Singapore and its general manager have been charged for allegedly operating an unlicensed foreign worker dormitory.

According to a media release by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), LBD Engineering Pte Ltd and general manager Alvin Lim Yee Hong, 35, were charged in court under the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act 2015 (FEDA).

MOM inspected LBD's factory premises at 58A Sungei Kadut Loop, and found about 300 bed spaces there.

An investigation revealed that LBD had converted parts of the premises into a dormitory, housing 173 migrant workers from four different companies.

Lim was allegedly aware that the company did not hold a valid FEDA licence, but allowed the operation of the dormitory regardless.

Penalties

Under the FEDA, the offence of operating a foreign employee dormitory without a valid licence carries a fine of up to $500,000, imprisonment of up to two years or both.

MOM stated that it takes "a serious view of the operation of unlicensed foreign employee dormitories."

The ministry also reiterated that licensing requirements are necessary to ensure that dormitories provide safe and proper living conditions for migrant workers. Operating a dormitory without a valid license circumvents these safeguards and may put the well-being of workers at risk.

It will not hesitate to take firm enforcement action against those who operate foreign employee accommodation without a valid FEDA licence.

Employers are also responsible for ensuring that their migrant workers' accommodation complies with regulations, it said.

Members of the public who are aware of suspected unlicensed foreign employee dormitories or other infringements involving migrant worker accommodation should report the matter to MOM through its “Report an Infringement” eService.

All information provided will be kept strictly confidential.