A 46-year-old man was sentenced to 10 months’ jail after he stole several red packets containing NTUC vouchers and cash valued at about S$1,906.

Ramasamy Murugesan, an Indian national, was working as a building technician at the OCBC Centre at Chulia Street.

The thefts occurred there.

He faced four charges, including theft and housebreaking.

He pleaded guilty to two charges and was sentenced on Sep. 21.

The remaining charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Tampered

In court documents seen by Mothership, on Mar. 7, 2026, at about 11:27pm, Ramasamy tampered with the electronic door access of the office's side door.

He held onto the sides of the door access cover, pushed it up, and removed it.

Ramasamy then rewired the door and unlocked it.

He entered the office and proceeded to check the workstations for red packets.

Ramasamy eventually found red packets containing S$1,322 in cash and took them.

As he left the office, he reconnected the wire to the door, put the door access cover back, and closed the door.

Surveillance cameras at the office captured Ramasamy's actions.

A few days later, the office manager discovered the red packets were missing after her staff reported the incident.

Second tampering

On Mar. 15, sometime before 8:15pm, Ramasamy was at the OCBC Centre as he intended to sleep over at the workers’ recreational centre.

Troubled by his financial difficulties, Ramasamy recalled seeing red packets lying on the staff tables at the office during work.

He knew the red packets would contain cash, as it was the Chinese New Year celebration period, and he intended to steal them.

At about 8:15pm, Ramasamy used his staff pass to access the cargo lift and entered the seventh level of the OCBC Centre East building.

He then tampered with the electronic door access on the side door of the office, held onto the sides of the door access cover, pushed it up, removed the door access cover and rewired the door, unlocking it.

He entered the office and checked the workstations for red packets.

Ramasamy eventually found red packets containing S$474 in cash and NTUC vouchers valued at S$70.

As he left the office, he reconnected the wire to the door, put the door access cover back, and closed the door.

Separately, at 9:10pm, Ramasamy committed housebreaking at the sixth level of the same office and stole red packets containing S$40 in cash, as well as other red packets containing an unknown amount of cash.

Discovery

An assistant vice president of a department at OCBC Centre East was eventually informed that the red packets were stolen after his staff reported it to him.

He viewed the surveillance footage and discovered Ramasamy’s actions.

On Mar. 18, at about 4:47pm, the assistant vice president lodged a police report.

Ramasamy was arrested on the same day at about 6:05pm and was charged on Mar. 20.

He has since made full restitution.

According to Shin Min Daily News, Ramasamy was apparently the family's sole breadwinner.

After the incident, his family purportedly fell into financial difficulty.

He pleaded for leniency.

In July, Meta took action against over 3.6 million "shell pages" flagged by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) to have been created to scam users on Facebook and Instagram.

In a Sep. 22 press release, Meta described such pages as a newer scam vector.

As they did not display ads or violate the content, they look harmless. But scammers can activate these pages for scam campaigns at a moment's notice.

Using information provided by the Singapore police, Meta managed to identify and take down more than 3.6 million shell pages before they could be used.

Meta added that it has been pursuing further disruptions against this type of scam.

Information sharing

Meta and the SPF have built an information partnership over the past two years focused on proactively identifying and removing scam content online.

Tip-offs from the SPF have helped Meta's investigators identify and dismantle not just individual scams, but entire scam networks.

"By partnering closely with industry partners, we can share scam signals that allow our partners to take action to disrupt the criminal infrastructure behind these scams," said Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Justin Wong, the commander of the SPF’s Cyber Command.

The partnership goes both ways.

In October 2025, information from Meta helped the SPF arrest seven men suspected of being involved in a transnational unlawful remote betting operation.

Investment and e-commerce scams

Between January and June 2026, Singapore police tip-offs also led Meta to take action against thousands of entities and pages connected to fraud and scams on Facebook and Instagram.

Over 113,000 were mainly to do with investment scams, sharing content to lure victims in with promises of guaranteed or high investment returns.

Additionally, more than 33,600 entities involving e-commerce scams were found following a joint operation by Meta and SPF that focused on such scams.

Such entities promoted misleading pricing, used fake promotional tactics for well-known brands, and exaggerated product claims, with a sense of urgency and scarcity.

Further joint efforts to combat scams

Meta has also been working with the SPF and Singapore's National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) on public education campaigns designed to protect Singaporeans from scams.

They included the "One Step Ahead" campaign in 2026 that has reached 1.6 million people in Singapore so far, according to Meta.

It encourages the public to turn on in-app security features such as 2-FA (Two-Factor Authentication) and passkeys for Facebook and Instagram to enhance account protection.

WhatsApp users are also advised to use the app's security features such as Linked Device Notifications.

A 41-year-old man is slated to be charged on Sep. 23 for suspected involvement in cheating and forgery.

On Jul. 3, 2025, the police were alerted to a man who had used his position as a deputy manager at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to make several unauthorised bookings.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the man made more than 180 unauthorised bookings of SUTD's football facilities over approximately three years.

The fraudulent bookings apparently resulted in a total revenue loss to SUTD of more than S$130,000.

The man allegedly deleted booking records from the system to conceal his actions.

He is facing cheating and forgery charges.

Cheating carries a jail term of up to three years, a fine, or both.

Forgery carries a jail term of up to four years, a fine, or both.

Two members of North Korea's delegation to the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya are reportedly looking to seek asylum in Japan.

They were apparently part of the 180-member North Korean delegation, which included athletes and officials, sent to the 2026 Asian Games, Reuters and Chosun reported.

Their identities and positions held among the delegation remain unclear.

Citing an official from Japan's Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, the two individuals apparently indicated they did not intend to return to North Korea.

They reportedly wanted to defect to Japan and not South Korea, and are currently exploring that possibility.

The information reportedly came from a source connected to Japan's intelligence apparatus.

It is reportedly linked to the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, known as Chongryon.

This year’s iteration of the Asian Games marks North Korea’s first large-scale visit to Japan in 41 years since the 1985 Kobe Summer Universiade.

Due to sanctions against North Korea, North Korean nationals' entry into Japan is typically restricted.

However, the Japanese government granted an exemption to allow entry to participate in the Asian Games.

Four of the 23 rabbits that were found abandoned along the side of a road in the Seletar Farmway area have died as at Sep. 22, the National Parks Board (NParks) said in response to Mothership's queries.

The agency is also investigating the alleged animal abandonment case.

The rabbits were found abandoned on Sep. 18 evening and were eventually taken in by animal welfare organisation Voices For Animals.

They were first discovered by an eyewitness in the Seletar area, who said that they saw the rabbits hopping around the area.

The eyewitness also said he saw a vehicle leave, with the person in the vehicle telling him that he could have the rabbits if he wanted.

Overgrown nails, wounds

A total of 23 rabbits, comprising 16 adults and seven kits, were found, VFA founder Derrick Tan previously told Mothership.

The rabbits were assessed medically by the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS), VFA and veterinarians from The Animal Doctors on Sep. 21.

They were found with health issues, including overgrown nails and skin conditions, Jessica Kwok, NParks' group director for enforcement and investigation, said.

Some also had wounds.

Tan previously shared that several of the female rabbits may be pregnant.

The rabbits will be put up for adoption once they are medically stable and ready.

Tan also said that VFA plans to obtain dashcam footage from heavy vehicles parked in the area before submitting a report to AVS.

Appropriate enforcement action will be taken: NParks

Kwok said that NParks takes all cases of alleged animal abandonment seriously.

Appropriate enforcement action will be taken against pet owners who abandon their pets, fail to provide adequate care for them, or have committed an act of animal cruelty, Kwok added.

Members of the public who have additional information relating to this incident, including photographs, videos, or eyewitness accounts, can submit them to NParks or call its Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600.

Under the Animals and Birds Act, first-time offenders found guilty of failing to care for their pets, including abandoning them, could be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for 12 months, or both.

Former CEO of IGB REIT Management, Elizabeth Tan Hui Ning, passed away on Sep. 21 at the age of 42.

On Sep. 22, IGB REIT Management announced her passing in a notice to tenants, business partners, and colleagues, expressing sadness over the loss of someone who left a lasting impact on both REITs, as reported by Free Malaysia Today.

IGB REIT Management CEO Chai Lai Sim also expressed condolences to her family and loved ones.

Tan was the daughter of property tycoon Robert Tan, whose family controls IGB.

Tan graduated from Cardiff University in Wales with First Class Honours in June 2004 and joined Mid Valley City Gardens in August of the same year.

According to The New Straits Times, she climbed the ranks in roles such as head of operations and leasing, before eventually taking up the mantle of executive director in January 2011.

Tan was appointed as the interim CEO of Ipoh Garden REIT Management Company on Jan. 1, 2024. She was also the alternate director of Ipoh Garden Group.

Citing health issues, she stepped down from both positions by January 2026.

The Singapore government has clarified that Love Aid Singapore (LAS), a charity founded by activist Gilbert Goh, will have to register with the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) Ministry of Interior (MOI) if it carries out humanitarian operations in the West Bank and Gaza.

However, Love Aid would not need backing from the Singapore government as part of the registration process.

This was revealed in a joint statement by Ministry of Culture, Community & Youth (MCCY), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Sep. 22, following a meeting between Goh and the Office of the Commissioner of Charities (COC) a day earlier.

Met COC on Sep. 21

Prior to the meeting, Goh said in an Instagram post that he would be meeting the COC and "hopefully MFA" at 5:30pm on Sep. 21.

He said the main issue he hoped to resolve was LAS's pending registration in Palestine.

Goh also said LAS had been registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) as a company with limited liability since Aug. 9, 2025.

He invited Singaporeans to submit other issues for him to raise during the meeting if time permitted.

"Thank you Singaporeans for allowing me to represent you under the pro-Palestinian cause," Goh wrote.

He added that LAS's humanitarian initiatives were continuing, although its polyclinic was temporarily closed.

The government subsequently confirmed that the COC met Goh on Sep. 21 to discuss several matters he had raised.

Registration with Palestinian Authority

One of the issues discussed was Goh's request for MFA's endorsement to assist LAS in registering as a non-governmental organisation in Gaza.

According to the joint statement, MFA sought clarification from the PA.

According to MFA, the PA said Love Aid would need to register with its Ministry of Interior to operate in the West Bank and Gaza, but would not need the Singapore government’s endorsement to do so.

Proposed collaboration with Al-Awda Hospital and the importance of due diligence

The COC and Goh also discussed LAS's intention to sign a memorandum of understanding with Al-Awda Hospital (AAH), one of the organisation's proposed partners.

The COC told Goh that whether LAS proceeded with the agreement was its decision, but stressed the importance of conducting proper due diligence on potential partners.

It added that, according to the PA, AAH was not affiliated with the Authority, and that the PA had no role in managing the hospital.

Government encourages donations through 'credible channels'

The Singapore government also reiterated its encouragement for Singaporeans who wish to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza to do so through "credible channels".

These include the Palestinian Authority, international agencies such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme, as well as local charities such as the Singapore Red Cross and Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation.

A silat instructor in Singapore asked his 14-year-old student to give him a traditional Malay greeting, bringing his hand to her face.

However, he instead pulled her in to kiss her.

The Straits Times (ST) reported that the man, now 59, was sentenced to five months and five weeks’ jail on Sep. 22 2026.

He pleaded guilty to one count each of molestation and being involved in sexual communication with a minor, with two other molestation charges considered during sentencing. 

A gag order has been placed to protect the victim's identity.

The act

According to court documents seen by Mothership, the victim started learning silat, a form of traditional Malay martial arts, in November 2024.

Shortly after she began lessons, the man, who was 57 at the time, asked her to perform the salam greeting on him.

The salam greeting involves taking an elder's hand and bringing it to one's forehead as a show of respect.

When the victim took the offender's hand, he instead pulled her towards him and kissed her on the forehead over her hijab.

This made her feel uncomfortable.

He repeated the act twice under the same premise a few months later.

On the third time, he kissed her directly on her cheek, close to her lips.

The text messages

In February 2025, the offender texted her on Telegram.

He used the "disappearing messages" function such that the messages would automatically be deleted after a certain time.

The court heard that he sent her sexually charged messages, asking her if she wanted to know what men were like and if she was curious about sex.

He added, "Don't worry, I'm open minded".

He also told her that their conversation would be "[their] secret", instructing her not to tell anyone else and to ensure that the chat was deleted.

The prosecutor told the court that he also had shown his intention to groom a minor by telling her in Malay, "if know the pleasure [of kissing a man] surely would want to try" and that she should find someone "experienced" like him.

As she felt that it was improper for a teacher to send such messages to a student, the victim took screenshots of the texts.

Her mother later came across the messages while looking through her daughter's phone.

They reported the matter to the police afterwards.

The offender was arrested on Mar. 18 2026.

He was afforded some leniency as he pleaded guilty at the earliest possible stage.

According to ST, he will begin his sentence on Oct. 12 2026.

Two workers have died following an incident at Tuas Port on the morning of Sep. 22.

In response to Mothership's queries, a PSA Singapore spokesperson confirmed that an incident occurred at Tuas Port at about 8:40am on Tuesday.

Two workers fell into the sea in the course of stevedoring work, the spokesperson said.

Stevedoring work involves loading and unloading cargo on ships.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed with Mothership that they were alerted to a work-related incident at sea off Tuas Port at about 9:15am.

A 44-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic.

The other worker, a 33-year-old man, was conveyed unconscious to the hospital where he subsequently passed away.

Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play.

Police investigations are ongoing.

"PSA is working closely with the relevant authorities, and investigations into the incident are ongoing. We are providing support to the families of the workers during this difficult time,” the spokesperson added.

MOM investigating

In response to Mothership's queries, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said they are investigating the incident.

MOM said the two workers were lifted in a work platform in the course of stevedoring work when the work platform dislodged from the crane and fell into the sea.

One of the workers was immediately rescued from the sea and conveyed to Ng Teng Fong Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The second worker was subsequently found in the sea and pronounced dead at the scene by attending paramedics, MOM added.

"As a general safety measure, lifting equipment and gears have to be properly maintained and inspected before use especially if they are used to lift people. Operators of equipment have to comply strictly to operating instructions," MOM said.

Singaporeans cannot become complacent about safety and security, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sep. 23.

He was delivering a speech at the SGSecure 10th anniversary event, which the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) commemorated for a decade of building community preparedness, unity, and resilience.

Cannot let guard down

"My concern is that, after so many years of peace and security, we may be starting to let our guard down," PM Wong said.

When an unattended bag is seen in a public space, for example, people would assume that someone else will deal with it.

Another example PM Wong highlighted is when someone notices a friend or family member becoming drawn to extremist material online, and ignores it.

"We see behaviour that does not seem quite right, but we hesitate to speak up because we do not want to be seen to overreact," added PM Wong.

Cannot take our ordinary days for granted

In that regard, he pointed out that the theme for the Sep. 23 event was "Our Ordinary Days are Worth Cherishing".

An exhibition with the same name will be held at Our Tampines Hub from today (Sep. 23) to Sep. 27.

According to MHA, the exhibition celebrates the everyday moments in Singapore. "It seeks to remind Singaporeans of the need to collectively protect our way of life and the peace we enjoy now by staying alert, united, and prepared."

"An ordinary day in Singapore is nothing dramatic," said PM Wong, explaining that an ordinary day in our country would include children going to school, people going to work, friends having a meal together, and families coming home safely at night.

"We hardly give these things a second thought, and that is how we have become accustomed to peace and security here in Singapore.

We should cherish that, but we should never take that for granted."

Terrorism remains a major concern

This is because terrorism is still a major concern today, PM Wong added.

Noting that the threats Singapore faces are much broader, PM Wong cautioned that an individual could decide to carry out an attack after becoming radicalised online.

He also warned that "there could be an act of violence in a school, workplace, religious organisation or public space".

While security agencies have intervened before anyone got hurt, there were also "very close calls in some cases".

"What if one day, despite our best efforts, something gets through? And we know no security system can give us a 100 per cent guarantee.

And that's why we cannot become complacent about safety and security in Singapore."

PM Wong noted, however, that the country has made progress through SGSecure as more Singaporeans are aware of how to react in a crisis.

Across society, emergency preparedness has also strengthened, and stronger bonds of trust have been built.

"These bonds become especially important if an attack is motivated by race or religion," PM Wong said.

He raised the 2024 example of the Internal Security Department (ISD) detaining a self-radicalised 17-year-old planning an attack at a neighbourhood centre near Tampines West Community Centre.

Following this, the Tampines GRC Community Response Roundtable swiftly gathered religious leaders to send a message that "such violent extremist ideologies represent none of our communities, and would not divide us".

New initiatives under the SGSecure movement

Singaporeans generally have high threat awareness and alertness, MHA stated in a press release.

It added, however, that the 2025 SGSecure Social Experiments results indicate that public complacency is still an ongoing concern.

As such, some areas where the public may expect new initiatives include growing the SGSecure Advocate Programme (SAP) and a trial of an AI-enabled training chatbot.

SAP is a new programme with the intention of building a network of informed and engaged community members who can recognise potential threats, as well as identify and report potentially radicalised persons.

Having been piloted in Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) in 2024, work is in progress to expand it to schools and the wider community, including workplaces and other organisations.

In addition, MHA is trialling an AI-enabled training chatbot integrated into WhatsApp to better support SGSecure advocates, as well as volunteers and frontline officers in their engagement with the public for the SGSecure movement.

More outreach

In terms of reaching more Singaporeans and organisations, a new integrated marketing and communications campaign will be launched in 2027 to refresh SGSecure's messaging.

As for piloting and scaling new forms of outreach, in October 2026, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and SSPO will launch another SGSecure-themed storybook through a crossover with the Police Pal series for preschoolers.

It will be titled "Run, Hide and Tell: An SGSecure Story".

SGSecure and SPF also partnered to develop SGSecure mini-games within MATA-verse on Roblox to reach the youths.

10th anniversary

SGSecure was launched in 2016 as a national movement to sensitise, train, and mobilise Singaporeans to play a part in preventing and dealing with a terrorist attack, according to MHA.

Over the past decade, more than 716,000 households have been engaged through SGSecure house visits by the Home Team, and over 279,000 people have signed up as community responders.

SGSecure content has also been integrated into the school curriculum, and more than 70,000 companies have appointed at least one SGSecure representative for preparedness efforts at the workplace.

In addition, over 475,000 people have been engaged to build social trust and cohesion through interfaith activities, and over 1,300 representatives from religious and community organisations have been sensitised to terror threats.

Members of the public may visit the SGSecure website for updates on its activities, which include the upcoming February 2027 SGSecure Roadshow.