The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) will be strengthening mosque safety by introducing a common framework of safeguarding practices across mosques.

For example, staff will enhance monitoring of informal gatherings involving minors, and intervene where there are concerns of unauthorised teaching or inappropriate boundary crossings.

These and more new initiatives come in light of the case where a 37-year-old "religious influencer" sexually abused two young boys at mosque premises between 2022 and 2023.

Though the man had conducted religious classes at a mosque, Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad previously said he was not an accredited religious teacher under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS), nor was he conducting a formal religious class organised or approved by the mosque.

Mosques 'must remain open and welcoming'

Zaqy further addressed the case in his speech at an aLIVE (Learning Islamic Values Everyday) Service Learning event on Aug. 29. aLIVE is a programme that provides students with opportunities to practise Islamic values by serving the community while developing qualities such as empathy and leadership.

Zaqy noted that the case has understandably caused concern, especially among parents.

When the sexual abuse case made headlines, MUIS announced measures to strengthen security, including patrols and CCTV monitoring.

At the time, Zaqy said he called for MUIS to go further, especially when it comes to informal activities and gatherings involving children and youths.

Speaking on Aug. 29, he reiterated this need to build on existing safety measures, but added that measures and processes alone are not enough.

Zaqy committed that MUIS will work closely with families, asatizah, and young people to help the youths understand appropriate boundaries, recognise when something may not be right, and know where to seek help.

"Our mosques must remain open and welcoming places, and all of us have a part to play in keeping them safe."

Common safeguarding framework across mosques

MUIS will be rolling out the common safeguarding framework across mosques progressively.

It aims to set out safeguarding principles, the responsibilities of mosque personnel, and clear reporting and escalation protocols when concerns arise.

The initiatives include safeguarding awareness training for mosque staff and volunteers so that they can better recognise signs of abuse or neglect, respond appropriately to disclosures, maintain professional boundaries, and understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

There will also be clearer reporting and escalation protocols to standardise the documentation, reporting, and timely escalation of safeguarding concerns.

As for the tighter monitoring of informal gatherings involving minors, staff will be tasked to identify recurring mentoring or teaching activities.

Where necessary, they need to conduct appropriate checks and intervene to protect the youths.

Additionally, periodic audits and spot checks will be conducted with district offices to review physical safety measures such as visibility, lighting, CCTV coverage, and signage.

Safeguarding education

Another new initiatives is to strengthen education for children and youth to protect themselves against unsafe or inappropriate behaviours.

MUIS has already introduced Protective Behaviour learning inserts for aLIVE students to help them recognise such behaviours, and know how to respond and report concerns to a trusted adult.

Age-appropriate infographics will also be shared with the students to reinforce these messages.

MUIS will engage parents and mosque teachers as well to support youths.

They will provide parents with resources to recognise warning signs, speak openly with their children about personal safety, navigate online risks, and know where to report concerns or seek support.

Teachers will be similarly trained to recognise safeguarding concerns, respond appropriately to disclosures or incidents, and follow the relevant reporting and escalation procedures.

Outside of mosque environments, other Islamic Education Centres and Providers will also be encouraged to adopt these resources and practices within their programmes.

A 59-year-old Singaporean man and a 52-year-old woman, a Chinese national, were arrested following early morning raids by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Aug. 27.

The duo are suspected of making false declarations in applications for immigration facilities and committing marriage of convenience offences.

ICA officers went to a rental apartment in Chinatown to look for the woman, and to a public flat in Fernvale in Sengkang to look for the man.

The enforcement operations were conducted simultaneously.

What ICA was looking for

ICA said it began investigating the case following internal screenings.

Preliminary investigations found that the pair had solemnised their marriage in January 2025 but were not living together.

The man had allegedly sponsored the woman's applications for a long-term visit pass, in which she declared she was staying at his residence.

Both work as janitors, but for separate companies.

Before the raid, ICA officers conducted a pre-operation briefing at about 4:10am covering the case background, the identities of the two and the two locations involved.

ICA officers then moved off to both locations at about 4:35am.

Chinatown

Officers began observing the woman's rental apartment at 4:45am.

They entered the residence at about 6:54am and questioned the woman on her marriage and living arrangements.

The ICA officers asked how long she had been staying at the residence, who else lived there, and when she got married.

Officers also questioned the other tenants living in the apartment.

Eight other occupants of the apartment had their details taken down, as they may be called on to assist with investigations later.

Officers also searched her personal belongings, and she was seen producing documents from her luggage and her closet.

Inside the unit, a makeshift bamboo pole had been strung across the middle of the living area to hang clothes.

The room where she was staying contained several beds, with towels hung between them for some semblance of privacy.

A smell of urine emanated from one of the rooms.

The woman was arrested at about 7:35am for suspected false declarations made in applications for immigration facilities.

Fernvale

Officers began observing the man's flat at 4:50am.

They entered the residence at about 5:20am and interviewed the man about his marriage and living arrangements.

He was asked about the whereabouts of his spouse, how the two had met, and whether she lived with him.

His nephew, mother and domestic helper, who were also present, were interviewed as well.

He was arrested at about 7am.

Both were taken back to the ICA for further investigation.

Post raid

After their arrests, both individuals were questioned.

11 arrested in 2 weeks

Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Tan Hwee Wang Mitchell, officer-in-charge of ICA's Intelligence Division, said 11 people had been arrested over the past two weeks for suspected false declarations in applications for immigration facilities, and would be investigated for possible MOC offences.

He said: "ICA will continue to conduct rigorous and regular inland enforcement operations to keep Singapore safe and secure. We also urge the public to report suspected cases of MOC and other immigration-related offences to ICA."

What happens next

Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Justino Guo, deputy officer-in-charge of ICA's Enforcement Division, said investigators work to establish the facts once a case is referred.

He said: "This can include interviewing suspects and witnesses, as well as gathering and examining evidence including physical documents and digital records, such as phone calls, emails, or CCTV footage."

He said cases are then submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) for prosecutorial assessment.

The courts then decide on sentencing if someone is prosecuted and convicted.

He added: "For foreigners convicted of immigration-related offences, ICA may take further action such as deportation and being barred from re-entering Singapore, where appropriate."

The penalties

The marriage of convenience (MOC) offence carries a fine of up to S$10,000, up to 10 years' jail, or both.

Making false statements to obtain immigration facilities carries a fine of up to S$8,000, up to 12 months' jail, or both.

MOC arrests fell sharply last year

According to ICA's annual statistics, 15 people were arrested for MOC-related offences in 2025, down 63.4 per cent from 41 in 2024.

If you live in Punggol, you may have seen Firdaus Daud around.

In fact, he is often spotted alongside Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

Moving forward, Kembangan residents may meet him more often instead.

Help serve Kembangan ward with the rest of Marine Parade-Braddell Heights MPs

Firdaus has since been deployed to help serve the residents in Kembangan, the former ward of former Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Faishal Ibrahim in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

He will serve as the second grassroots adviser in the ward from Sep. 1, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng said in a Facebook post on Aug. 29.

He will be second grassroots adviser in both Punggol and Kembangan at the start but will relinquish his duties in Punggol to focus on Kembangan.

Seah, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, told The Straits Times that Firdaus will also play a key role in matters concerning the Malay/Muslim community in Kembangan.

Seah believes that this addition will "certainly strengthen the team" in serving residents in Kembangan together.

He also assured that he and the other MPs -- Tin Pei Ling, Goh Pei Ming and Diana Pang -- will continue to serve the Kembangan ward.

This announcement comes about a month after Faishal resigned from politics.

Who is Firdaus Daud?

Here are some key details about Firdaus:

• 42-year-old father of two
• Has been a member of the PAP since 2016
• Served in PAP's Chong Pang branch before becoming the vice-chair at PAP's Punggol branch
• Was a GE2025 reserve candidate for PAP
• Became the second adviser in Punggol GRC after GE2025
• A technology lawyer, with over 15 years of legal experience across Asia
• Serves as a fractional general counsel to small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and growth-stage companies under ARLC Legal
• Sits on the board of Pro Bono SG, the charity arm of the Law Society of Singapore, since January 2026
• Serves on the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA), and has worked with many youth at risk previously as a volunteer
• One of the four PAP activists who gave speeches at the 2025 PAP party convention on how the party can respond to global uncertainties and ensure Singaporeans do not get left behind

Related stories

Five employees of Korea Artiz Studio's Singapore outlet have filed salary claims between Aug. 10 and Aug. 18, and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is now investigating the wedding photography studio for possible offences under the Employment Act.

This is according to a joint statement by MOM, the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board and the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM), shared with Mothership in response to queries regarding the employees of the temporarily shuttered outlet.

Company failed to make CPF contributions by deadline

According to the statement, TADM received the five salary claims from Korea Artiz Studio employees over the nine-day period, and is arranging mediation between the parties.

Separately, the CPF Board said it had detected non-payment of CPF contributions when the company failed to make payment by the deadline in July 2026. It has since initiated prosecution action against the company, with the case currently before the courts.

MOM, CPF Board and TADM said they will continue to assist the affected workers with their salary and CPF arrears, and reminded employers of their obligations to pay salaries and CPF contributions on time.

Abrupt closure

On Aug. 19, the Singapore outlet of Korea Artiz Studio, a wedding photography studio founded in Busan in 2008, appeared to have abruptly ceased operations.

A notice pasted outside its studio along Bras Basah Road had cited internal operational issues, stating that employees had not received their outstanding salaries and that management had not given a clear response.

The closure came after the studio's Taiwan outlet shut down abruptly on Aug. 10. In Singapore, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said it received over 66 complaints from affected couples between Aug. 14 and Aug. 18, involving more than S$271,000 in prepayment losses.

According to its Google listing, the studio is listed as temporarily closed.

Recent Google reviews also showed a notice, which appeared to have been written by an employee, that had been pasted at the door of the studio at Carlton Hotel apologising to customers for the "unexpected situation".

"Due to recent internal operational issues within the company, all employees have currently not received their outstanding salaries. At the same time, we have been unable to obtain any clear or formal response, update, or further arrangements from the company's management," the notice read.

The notice further stated that the studio was unable to confirm or guarantee whether any scheduled services could proceed as planned at this time, adding that customers should avoid making a trip down to the studio until further notice.

Getting help

Employees in Singapore who are not paid their salaries on time can file a claim with TADM, which will help workers recover their salaries either through mediation or by referring the case to the Employment Claims Tribunals for determination.

Those who require assistance can contact TADM through its website.

Top image via Google, MOM/Facebook

The owner of a long-running BBQ stall in Bukit Panjang has died in his sleep, just over three months after closing the business he had run for more than 30 years.

Chua Leong Quay died on Aug. 23 at the age of 71, according to Shin Min Daily News.

His stall, 163 Ikan Bakar BBQ, had operated for 22 years at Blk 163 Gangsa Road before closing on May 10 this year.

Shin Min cited rising costs as the reason for closure.

On medication for a heart condition but overall in good health

His wife of 40 years shared that while Chua was diagnosed with a heart issue more than a decade ago, he had been on medication and was in good health.

After closing their stall at Blk 163, Chua also helped sell chicken cutlets at a night market in Sembawang, his wife shared. However, he wanted to stop working there at the end of August.

Chua was supposed to head to Sembawang for work on the day he passed.

At 10am, his wife noticed he was in bed later than usual, but she didn’t think much of it.

She only sensed something was amiss when she asked him what he wanted for lunch.

"When I touched him, he was already cold,” she shared.

A good husband

Chua's wife told Shin Min that Chua was a good husband. While he's not perfect, he had not ever raised his voice at her and they had learnt to live with each other's shortcomings.

The couple knew each other since young and grew up together in Bukit Panjang. They had a son and a daughter.

The family made a trip to Taiwan in June but Chua did not follow along.

Chua's daughter told Shin Min that she had planned to bring the family to Taiwan again in October, this time with Chua.

More than just a stall

Chua's wife shared that the BBQ stall is more than just a shop to them -- it's their second home where bonds were forged.

Many people reached out after they closed the stall at Blk 163 and the couple had hope to reopen elsewhere.

Just a week before Chua's passing, he asked about the stall at Blk 163 and said he missed it very much.

Chua learnt how to make and sell BBQ dishes from a relative in the 1980s.

The couple began selling grilled dishes in 1989 at Block 378 Clementi Avenue 5, before moving to the Gangsa Road stall in 2004.

The couple had been scouting coffee shops around Clementi, hoping to return to where they first started, but no units were available.

The family thanked everyone for the support during this difficult time.

"We take deep comfort in knowing how much he loved his craft and how many lives he touched," they shared on 163 Ikan Bakar BBQ Facebook page.

A 32-year-old Indonesian man will be charged in court for carrying an offensive weapon at Changi Airport, after a knife was found concealed in his shoe on Thursday.

Told to remove his shoes before going through X-ray screening

According to a Singapore Police Force (SPF) news release, police were alerted on Aug. 27 at about 1:10pm to a male passenger concealing a knife in his high cut shoe at the Terminal 4 Departure Centralised Screening area.

The knife, measuring 19.5cm with a 12cm blade, was found inside the man's sock, wrapped in layers of plastic bags and sealed with tape, the release stated.

It was detected when a Certis Cisco aviation security officer operating the X-ray machine spotted a suspicious sharp object in the man's right shoe, after he was told to remove his shoes before going through the X-ray screening lane.

The man was then escorted to a search room, where the knife and its sheath were found concealed in the shoe.

To be charged with carrying an offensive weapon

The man will be charged with carrying an offensive weapon in a public place, in court on Aug. 29.

If found guilty, he could be sentenced to up to three years in prison and not less than six strokes of the cane.

Police said they take a serious view of any attempt to bring offensive weapons into public spaces, and reminded travellers that those found in possession of offensive weapons without lawful purpose will be dealt with firmly in accordance with the law.

Top image via Singapore Police Force

A woman in China developed blood in her urine after being forced to do 200 squats as punishment for not hitting her key performance indicators (KPIs).

According to South China Morning Post, the punishment rendered the woman unable to stand properly or walk, and she was later diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis.

The condition occurs when damaged muscle tissue breaks down rapidly and releases harmful proteins into the bloodstream, which may lead to kidney failure.

The woman, surnamed Yang, had recently relocated to Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province.

She started working as a financial consultant at a loan assistance company in June 2026.

After the ordeal, Yang demanded 15,000 yuan (S$2,836) from her manager, who rejected her demands and suggested she take legal action.

Work quota of 200 calls a day

SCMP reported that the role was similar to that of a telesales representative.

Her team manager, surnamed Zhang, mandated that each team member make 200 calls, invite one client and secure one client expressing intention to collaborate every day.

On Jul. 28, after failing to complete her work quota, Yang was given the option to either complete 100 squats or pay 50 yuan (S$9.45) for each unfinished task.

Yang chose to do 200 squats to keep her job, saying, "I have no money".

She recorded herself doing the squats at various spots in the office building as proof.

Urine turned dark

After completing the squats, Yang reported feeling severe pain in her legs.

However, she did not seek medical attention until five days later when her urine turned dark, citing her financial situation.

Her creatine kinase level exceeded 16,000 U/L, whereas a level of 1,000 U/L is typically sufficient for a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis.

Yang avoided kidney failure and said she spent 1,400 yuan (S$265) on treatment.

As she was recovering and could not work or complete her punishment, she resigned on Jul. 30, reported SCMP.

Yang believed the company was purposefully forcing her to quit by imposing unrealistic goals.

Demanded reimbursement

Yang contacted Zhang and demanded reimbursement for her medical fees, transport costs, as well as 15,000 yuan (S$2,836) in compensation for personal injury.

This was to cover her living expenses for 75 days as she could not work.

Yang sought help from a local conflict-resolution television show, and Zhang admitted to violating labour laws to a reporter who interviewed him.

However, Zhang insisted that the incident had nothing to do with the company and said he could not accept Yang's compensation requests.

Yang registered her case with the company's labour inspection unit, and staff assured her they would investigate the matter.

According to SCMP, Chinese labour laws stipulate that employers who insult or use physical punishment on their employees may face up to 15 days of detention.

Flash floods and mudslides swept through Nepal's border region with Tibet on Aug. 26, leaving hundreds dead and scores missing.

The death toll in Nepal has risen to at least 469 people, with around 900 people unaccounted for, BBC reported on Aug. 28.

Among those missing are several Singaporeans, including a married couple who were travelling with a tour group when the disaster struck.

Singaporean couple among those missing

Nine Singaporeans were reported missing as of Aug. 27, according to an official situation update published on the Nepal Tourism Board's website.

Two of them, 53-year-old Sumit Rawla and his 49-year-old wife Shubakshi Rawla, were travelling with a tour group operated by Himalayan Glacier when the floods struck.

The group comprised 15 Australians, 10 Canadians, nine Nepalese, eight Americans, two Britons, two Singaporeans, and one Russian-American dual citizen.

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, Shubakshi's sister, 45-year-old Dipti Bhatnagar, said the couple had been married for 25 years and have two daughters, aged 20 and 16.

The family of four lives in Canada.

Last spoke to her sister on video call

Dipti told the Chinese-language newspaper that the last time she spoke to her sister was at around 7am on Aug. 26, when the two had a video call.

Shubakshi was staying at a hotel in Timure, a border town in northern Nepal near the border with Tibet, China, she said.

"She even introduced me to the hotel's facilities," she said.

"Little did I know that just an hour after we ended the video call, I would no longer be able to get in touch with her."

Shubakshi had also told her that the couple were preparing to cross the border into Tibet, Dipti added.

Following the disaster, Dipti brought her nieces to India to await news of their parents.

The two daughters later posted a video on Instagram appealing for information about their parents.

They said they had been unable to contact them for nearly 48 hours and were extremely worried.

"We’re obviously just like sad and we’re confused because we want to know stuff and nobody’s telling us anything," one of the daughters said.

The sisters said the Singapore Embassy and Singapore High Commission have been actively assisting the family, but also appealed to local authorities to work with telecommunications companies to provide location information from their parents' smart watches, saying this could potentially help rescue teams locate missing people more quickly.

"This is a sincere request. We really miss them and we really want to see our parents soon."

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by SRK Universe NEPAL (@srkuniversenp)

"I don't know what to tell our 7-year-old daughter"

Another Singaporean, who wanted to be known only as Selvaganesh, 43, told Shin Min that his wife, 40-year-old Shalinny Deavy, was on a pilgrimage in Nepal when the floods struck.

It was Shalinny's first pilgrimage trip to Nepal, he said, adding that the last message he received from his wife was at around 9:15am on Aug. 26.

She told him she was about to clear immigration at the Nepal-China border and would contact him again when she was able to.

The couple have been married for 10 years and have a seven-year-old daughter together.

That night, he told their daughter that her mother was missing.

"She said she misses Amma, and before she went to school, she said to tell Amma to call in the evening as she wants to talk to her," Selvaganesh was quoted as saying. "I don’t know what else to tell her."

66-year-old Singaporean also missing

Singaporean S. Maniam, 66, who was travelling with the same pilgrimage group as Shalinny, is also missing.

His younger brother told Shin Min that Maniam was the eldest of five siblings and had joined pilgrimage groups before.

Before leaving, Maniam exercised every morning at around 4am or 5am to prepare himself physically for the 15-day trip, his brother said.

The family last heard from him at around 8am on Aug. 26.

"He said he was about to enter an area without communication signals and expected to reach the Chinese border at around 1pm. After that, we lost contact with him," his brother said.

Maniam is married and has three grown-up children, he added.

The family subsequently contacted Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and is waiting for further instructions.

"The family is prepared to fly over at any time, but MFA told us that the area is still unsafe and asked us to wait for further updates," his brother said.

He described the past few days as extremely agonising for the family, which is deeply worried about Maniam's safety.

"Our biggest concern right now is to get more information as soon as possible, and we hope he can return home safely," he said.

Three Singaporeans climbing the Himalayas when flood struck

Shin Min also spoke to another 29-year-old Singaporean who was climbing in the Himalayas.

The man was travelling with his wife, brother-in-law, a Nepalese mountain guide and a porter, and the group was heading towards Annapurna Base Camp.

He said they did not feel any tremors or hear any loud noises when the disaster occurred, and only learnt about the flash floods afterwards.

The group is now considering taking a helicopter down once weather conditions improve, as the descent route and transportation could be affected.

Meanwhile, four Singaporean climbers travelling with Malaysian mountaineer Datuk Mohanadas have safely arrived in Tibet and will continue their pilgrimage to Mount Kailash.

Mohanadas said his 56-member group comprises 39 Malaysians, four Singaporeans and three Canadians, according to Shin Min.

In a Facebook update, he said the group and its route were unaffected by the disaster.

He also expressed condolences to those who died and their families, as well as others affected by the disaster.

MFA in touch with affected families

In a statement on Aug. 27, MFA said it is in touch with the families of Singaporeans affected by the flash floods in Nepal.

The Singapore High Commission in New Delhi and the Singapore Embassy in Beijing are working closely with the Nepali and Chinese authorities, it added.

The High Commission in New Delhi has also deployed a crisis response team to Nepal to provide consular assistance to affected Singaporeans.

Singaporeans travelling to or residing in Nepal are encouraged to eRegister with MFA.

Those requiring consular assistance can contact the Singapore High Commission in New Delhi, the Singapore Embassy in Beijing, or MFA’s 24-hour duty office.

The Singapore Red Cross has also pledged S$50,000 in humanitarian aid to support immediate response and relief efforts, according to a media release on Aug. 27.

It will also launch a public fundraising appeal to help those affected by the disaster.

Singapore residents who have lost contact with immediate family members in affected areas can contact the Singapore Red Cross at rfl@redcross.sg.

Police in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, say a note believed to have been left by a 48-year-old man claimed his family had suffered RM260,000 (S$82,049) in losses and debts due to his wife's alleged contact with a love scammer.

His wife, 47, and their two children, a nine-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy, were found dead at their home in Desa ParkCity.

The man later fell to his death from the building, it was believed.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Commissioner Fadil Marsus said in a statement that the man, a company director, had expressed regret in the note over what he believed was his wife's involvement with a love scammer, Malay Mail reported.

What the note said

Fadil said: "In the note, the suspect reportedly said he was distressed that his 47-year-old wife continued trying to contact the scammer despite the financial losses."

He added: "The suspect later described the situation as having gone too far and saying he felt ashamed in front of their children."

How they were found

Police were alerted at about 3:32pm on Aug. 27 to a report of a man believed to have fallen from a residential building at Persiaran Residen, New Straits Times (NST) reported.

Officers subsequently went to the family's home and, with help from the Fire and Rescue Department, gained access to the residence.

Three people were found dead in separate rooms.

They had suffered serious neck injuries, according to preliminary checks.

“A five-centimetre stab wound was found on the deceased’s neck,” Fadil told Malay Mail after a post-mortem examination on the nine-year-old girl was concluded.

He also added that a knife and a pair of gloves, thought to have been used in the killings, were retrieved from a drawer in the main bedroom.

Investigations ongoing

Police are investigating the deaths of the wife and the two children as murder.

At the age of 18, Singaporean powerlifter Muhammad Hazrul has broken a world record.

Hazrul, a student at Temasek Polytechnic, was competing at the 2026 IPF World Championships in Sun City, South Africa, on Aug. 21.

He deadlifted 273kg, breaking the previous world record of 271kg in the Sub-Junior Men's 66kg category.

The student also placed second overall in his category.

Speaking to Mothership, Hazrul shared that getting to the world stage took more than just hours in the gym.

Failed to make it to football team

As a kid, Hazrul was always keen on sports.

But when he failed to make it to the football team in secondary school, he joined a gym "to pass the time".

One of his seniors noticed him and thought he had potential. He introduced him to powerlifting, and Hazrul took to it like a duck to water.

For the past three and a half years, the teen has been training in the sport. Last year, he entered the 2025 Singapore Nationals and finished second.

It was an achievement, but he had an even bigger dream: The World Championships. "I told myself that I would work as hard as possible to achieve that goal," he said.

Almost burnt out

To fund his way to the World Championships, he took up a part-time job at an Anytime Fitness gym.

The teen refused to ask his mum for money, even after she offered. He knew supporting his dream financially would be difficult for her.

So he pushed himself to fund his dream himself.

Hazrul had to balance his work alongside studying and training. "I would go to school, train, return home, and study. Or I would go to school, work, return home, and study," he told Mothership.

"It was extremely difficult to sustain because it felt as though I was working every day without a break...

I often asked myself, 'How many more shifts can I take before I burn out?'"

In addition to work, he had to give up social activities and closely manage his diet as he prepared for the competition. Some days, he felt "completely empty", he said.

“It was an extremely lonely journey, but what kept me going was knowing that every sacrifice brought me closer to the dream I wanted most."

Breaking a world record

After months of hard work, Hazrul made it to South Africa.

But upon stepping onto the platform, he felt "extremely nervous". "The crowd, and the thought of thousands of people watching me through the livestream got the better of me," he confessed.

On his second attempt, he tried the record-breaking weight.

But he failed because of cramps and competition jitters.

With one attempt left, Hazrul knew it was his last chance to succeed.

He returned to the platform, felt the weight of the bar, and pushed himself until the bar moved upward.

Then came the three white lights, confirming that the lift attempt was successful.

He had deadlifted 273kg, breaking the previous 271kg world record.

Overwhelmed, he fell to the ground before a coach helped him back to his feet.

It was the culmination of months of hard work — "not only in the gym but also working to earn enough money to chase this dream", he said.

"I felt an overwhelming sense of joy... The experience made every sacrifice I had made feel truly worthwhile."

Tears of joy

Hazrul finished second overall in his category with a 613kg total.

He recorded a 220kg squat, 120kg bench press and 273kg deadlift, finishing just 7kg behind the world champion.

Standing on the podium with a silver medal around his neck, Hazrul said he felt a "sense of pride" representing Singapore on the world stage.

But it was only later that night, while sitting on a shuttle back to his hotel, that Hazrul fully realised what he had achieved.

As he thought about his months of sacrifices that resulted in his record-breaking attempt, he cried tears of joy.

His family's support

Behind the achievement was, of course, the support of his family.

The teen calls his mother his biggest supporter. Throughout his powerlifting journey, she listened to his problems, attended his competitions, and was present through the highs and lows.

"Whenever she is there, I always notice her and hear her voice first," he said.

He also credits his older brother as being the "father figure" who pushed him to become the independent young man he is today.

"He played an important role in shaping me into someone with strong mental fortitude," he explained.

As this is his final year in the Sub-Junior category, Hazrul now has his sights set on becoming a Junior Under-23 World Champion.

"Breaking a world record at 18 taught me that dreams are not meant to remain in your head. If there is something you truly want, you will not stop working towards it," he said.

"I will continue working hard and, most importantly, enjoying the process of becoming the athlete and person I aspire to be."