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

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

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

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

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

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

What is the Maju Rally about?

SG Climate Rally set out three demands at the event.

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

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

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

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

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

The beating heart of our democracy

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

Dennis Tan said:

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

Jamus Lim said:

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

Fadli Fawzi said:

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

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

Caring enough to speak up is a form of nationalism

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

However, she shares a different view.

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

"I still haven't explored the Maju Forest"

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

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

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

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

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

Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah provided an update on the Marriage & Parenthood Reset Workgroup's findings on Aug. 15.

Indranee, the workgroup's chairperson, said that among the biggest challenges couples in Singapore face are the cost of raising children, the need for time with family, caregiving arrangements, and housing.

New recommendations to be announced at NDR

A set of interim policy recommendations to tackle these issues will be announced during the National Day Rally by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Aug. 23, she said at the Pasir Ris-Changi National Day Dinner at Downtown East.

These will include taking a fresh look at costs of raising children, access to affordable infant care and childcare, and other support for families.

"Our greatest strength has been our people. In order for our nation to succeed and do well, we need Singaporeans," she stressed.

Lowest TFR to date

However, Singapore's Total Fertility Rte (TFR) dropped to an all time low of 0.87 in 2025.

According to Indranee, there were fewer than 30,000 live births, an 11.4 per cent drop from 2024.

Marriages have also been declining, she said, which is likely to translate to fewer births.

There were about 24,700 registered marriages in 2025, a 6.2 per cent drop from 2024.

"But we are not content to sit back and do nothing."

Indranee pledged that her team would work to make marriage and parenthood more achievable, supported and valued in Singapore.

To date, the group has spoken to many Singaporeans about the issue, as well as their aspirations and concerns, she added.

She said "what is clear is that many do aspire to get married and have children", but they face a host of challenges.

A full report by the workgroup will be released in early 2027.

A police report has been lodged in the Roxy Square coffee shop altercation on Aug. 15 which saw an elderly man thrown to the ground after he patted a girl on her head, seemingly without asking for permission first.

The elderly man is 73 years old this year.

He was thrown to the ground by the girl's father after the interaction.

The girl's father later apologised.

Attempted to clear the air

Recounting the incident, the 73-year-old, surnamed Yeo, told Shin Min Daily News that he was getting a cup of coffee after closing his stall.

He has been selling wanton noodles at the Roxy Square coffee shop for over 40 years.

When he passed by one of the tables, he saw a young girl who was about two to three years old.

As he found her "adorable", he reached out to gently pat her on her head.

"The girl's father had left the table, but returned after noticing the interaction. He was agitated and asked me why I did that," the elder Yeo said.

Despite attempts to clear the air, the girl's father did not buy the explanation and eventually tugged the elder Yeo by his arm and threw him onto the ground.

On the way down, the 73-year-old struck a table, causing some swelling on his head.

Girl's father apologised

The elder Yeo's 29-year-old son was inside the wanton noodle stall at the time and did not witness the altercation.

He only rushed out after hearing the commotion.

"I angrily questioned the man and asked how he could do this to an elderly man. I asked if it was his father, how would he feel?" The younger Yeo said.

The younger Yeo also shared that the 73-year-old insisted that he was alright at the time.

The elder Yeo also said that he did not notice any injuries at the time.

As such, they allowed the girl and her parents to leave.

According to the elder Yeo, the girl's father was from Australia and had apologised.

"After he learned about my physical condition, he felt ashamed and offered to buy me a drink, but I declined," the elder Yeo told Shin Min.

Family realised severity of what happened after watching CCTV footage

When Mothership visited the Roxy Square coffee shop on Aug. 16 afternoon, the elder Yeo was seen moving around with a walking frame.

He did not need one before the incident despite having a limp, Mothership understands.

The elder Yeo's family told Mothership that the 73-year-old has decided to forgive the girl's father as he has apologised.

However, the family realised the severity of what happened after reviewing the closed-circuit television footage.

They felt that it was not something that they could let go of with just a drink or an apology.

They have thus decided to share about the incident online in hopes of finding the girl's father so that the matter could be addressed appropriately.

The elder Yeo's older son-in-law told Shin Min, "What he did was too violent, the way he pulled my father-in-law and threw him onto the ground."

"If he felt that what my father-in-law did was not right, he could have reasoned with him, or called the police. He shouldn't have gotten physical and threw him onto the ground," the older son-in-law continued.

Police report lodged

The 73-year-old has self-treated the injuries from the fall with ointment and painkillers.

"I don't like going to the hospital, so I'll monitor for now," the elder Yeo told Shin Min.

The elder Yeo's family shared with Mothership that one of the coffee shop patrons present during the altercation returned to share his contact details and offered to be an eyewitness.

The family has since made a police report.

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

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

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

Elder Yeo a known personality at coffee shop

The elder Yeo has been selling wanton noodles at the Roxy Square coffee shop for over 40 years, and is known for loudly calling out order numbers.

His younger son told Shin Min that the elder Yeo is known to regulars and has a reputation for being friendly and easy-going.

"He is too nice, that's why he keeps saying he doesn't want to pursue this further," the younger Yeo said.

The elder Yeo developed a limp after getting into an accident over 20 years ago, and uses the coffee shop tables as support to get around. He also has braces inside his hips.

The 73-year-old's elder son-in-law said that he rushed home after learning about what happened.

He also urged the elder Yeo to visit a doctor as he was worried that the braces might have shifted out of place after the fall.

The incident has since garnered plenty of reactions online, including from personalities and celebrities, such as actor Romeo Tan.

"Ah Boys to Men" actor Noah Yap has also personally visited the elder Yeo, having known the stall owner for some years.

"Violence is never the answer," Yap wrote in an Instagram post.

Local actress Lina Ng also paid the elder Yeo a visit following the incident.

Three days into the start of the seventh lunar month, an offering table was found set up at an unusual spot: in front of a Jalan Besar GRC National Day billboard.

Photos of the set up circulating on the internet showed a set of makeshift tables, complete with red cloths, joss papers, joss sticks and food offerings like fruits and even a roast pig.

Behind the table stood a billboard depicting Jalan Besar GRC members of parliament Josephine Teo, Shawn Loh, Denise Phua and Wan Rizal.

The offering table was set up at 5 Banda Street, near Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown, on Aug. 15.

Awkward placement

The sight drew comments on social media, with many saying the location of set up was inappropriate.

A manager at a nearby coffee shop told Shin Min Daily News that the set up was not done by the coffee shop.

The organisers probably chose the area as it was an open space.

No one really found anything amiss until pictures were later circulated, she said.

It is unclear if a permit was applied for the set up, but the town council had reached out to the coffee shop.

People were seen kneeling down before the offering table, facing the billboard, Shin Min reported.

A ritual was also conducted at around 5pm on Aug. 15.

The set up was removed later the same day.

In response to the controversy, Loh told Mothership: "We have to take things in the *right spirit* and be able to laugh at ourselves. I was personally amused and I am sure no one meant any offence."

Mothership has contacted the Jalan Besar Town Council for comment.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) will cease using AI detector tools from 2027, CNA reported, citing an email sent to the university's faculty on Aug. 13.

AI detectors lack 'empirical validity'

According to CNA, Tan Seng Chee, the school's associate vice-provost for education transformation, wrote in the email that it recognises that current AI detection tools are "fundamentally unreliable".

These tools cannot distinguish between unauthorised misconduct and the responsible partnership with AI needed and "lack empirical validity".

As such, NTU will deactivate its institutional AI detector at the end of the semester, or Dec. 31, 2026.

In 2025, three NTU students were failed for the use of generative AI in an assignment, which the students disputed.

Instead, the students said the school had "falsely accused" them of faking their work.

NTU's policies and guidelines currently advises faculty to use AI detector tools with caution, according to its website.

Among the reasons cited for this include unreliable detection as well as bias against "non-native writing patterns".

Process-oriented documentation in assessment designs

In lieu of using "automated surveillance", NTU will transition towards assessment designs that "evaluate student learning through transparent process-oriented documentation", Tan told faculty in his email, according to CNA.

Relying on "adversarial detection scores" creates an environment of surveillance of distrust and "undermines the psychological safety" needed for creative exploration and productive struggle among students, Tan added, CNA wrote.

Using AI detector scores also force faculty into policing roles, straining relationships between faculty and students.

Deactivating these tools will free the faculty to focus on "meaningful pedagogical engagement".

According to CNA, along with the email, a guide was sent to faculty on how to handle AI detector tools during the ongoing semester.

This includes establishing standardised disclosures and adapting a sample AI disclosure form for their classes.

The elderly man who was thrown to the ground for patting a young girl on the head is doing well and in good spirits, according to "Ah Boys to Men" actor Noah Yap.

Yap, who previously said he has known the man for over 20 years, paid the elderly man a visit at the Roxy Square coffee shop on Aug. 16, a day after the incident.

Elderly man in good spirits

Providing an update on the well-being of the elderly man, Yap said that he had a nice chat with the elderly man and his family.

"Uncle is doing well but he still very stubbornly refuses to see a doctor," Yap wrote.

Yap also noted that the elderly man is in good spirits and "still his usual chirpy self".

The actor also said he was heartened to see that many had gone to check on the elderly man.

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

Yap shared a photo of him and the elderly man, who could be seen holding onto a walking cane.

The actor also shared a dated photo of them, which he said was taken 10 years ago.

Yap previously shared about the incident on his Instagram story, adding that he will be visiting the elderly man, whom he has gotten to know by visiting the stall for over 20 years.

Yap told Mothership that the elderly man owns the wanton noodle stall.

Based on what he knows, Yap said that the elderly man has been working there for over 40 years.

"When I went to see him he seemed very jovial, like normal. He doesn't want to pursue anything further," Yap shared.

The actor said he urged the uncle to visit the doctor and hopes he will do so.

He also hopes that the man who threw the elderly man to the ground "will be brought to justice".

Celebrities and online personalities react

Yap's update on the elderly man drew responses from celebrities and online personalities.

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

DJ Glenn Ong also commented on Yap's post, describing what happened as "ridiculous".

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

The incident was first shared by the man's family member on the social media pages of Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle.

"We are not looking for anyone to harass or confront him. We simply want the truth to be known and for this matter to be addressed appropriately," the family member said.

Actor Romeo Tan reposted the video on his Instagram stories with the caption, "There was absolutely no need to get physical."

An Australian man, 37, and an American man, 50, will be charged in court on Aug. 17 for two separate cases of shop theft at Changi Airport.

Both thefts, involving perfume bottles, were committed at the transit areas of Terminal 1 and 2, the police said in a news release.

First case

The Australian man had allegedly committed the theft at the transit area of Terminal 2 on Nov. 19, 2025.

The police said they were alerted to the case at about 6:45pm after a retail assistant noticed two boxes of perfumes missing from the display shelf.

A review of the CCTV footage showed the man allegedly taking the two boxes of perfumes, valued at about S$430, at 4:50pm before leaving without making payment.

When the Airport police identified him, they found that he had already departed Singapore.

He returned to Changi Airport on Aug. 4 while in transit and was arrested.

Second case

The alleged theft by the American man was committed at the transit area of Terminal 1 on Aug. 5.

Police said they were alerted to the case at about 1:25am after a retail assistant noticed that a box of perfume was missing from the display shelf of their store.

CCTV footage showed that the man allegedly took one box of perfume, valued at S$310, at about 12:40am and left without making payment.

He was located and arrested by airport police officers before he could board his flight.

Further review of the CCTV footage also found that he had stolen another box of perfumes, valued at about S$170, and one bottle of perfume tester, valued at more than S$230, from two other retail stores in the transit area.

In total, the stolen items were worth about S$717.

Both men will be charged in court on Aug. 17 for theft.

If found guilty, they could face up to seven years' jail, a fine, or both.

Former Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development Lee Yi Shyan has chimed in on the debate surrounding The Workers' Party (WP) future economy motion, tabled in parliament on Aug. 5.

The motion, WP's first since 2023, was titled "An economy of the future that works for all" and put forth by WP Members of Parliament (MPs) Kenneth Tiong and Jamus Lim.

It outlined arguments advocating a rethink of Singapore's economic model into one designed for the success of local entrepreneurs and SMEs.

'I was taken aback'

Lee, who had been involved in economic policies as a civil servant (Economic Development Board [EDB] and then International Enterprise Singapore [IE Singapore]), and later as a political office holder in MTI, shared his thoughts in a Facebook post on Aug. 16.

Lee wrote that he was "taken aback" by Tiong's call for an "economic engine driven by dynamic local companies" and "healthy domestic demand".

Lee, who was also a former CEO of IE Singapore, also expressed his surprise at Lim's urge for a "pivot toward SMEs as our homegrown economic engine".

"I have worked with entrepreneurs and SMEs as they grew and ventured abroad.

I’ve also seen firsthand how MNCs in Singapore create opportunities for local companies, and help them build capabilities and reach new markets."

"So yes, we want dynamic local companies, and healthy domestic demand. But neither can substitute for foreign investment and global markets," he argued.

Lee, currently the Chair of Business China, continued that with a domestic market of only six million people, the domestic market alone cannot sustain the jobs and living standard Singaporeans aspire for.

'Political opportunism'

Lee then turned towards a "familiar pattern" he saw in the WP's policies.

"Too often, the WP formula seems to be this: when a Government policy is popular, demand more of it; when it is unpopular, oppose it while playing down the consequences of the alternatives it offers."

He highlighted a number of examples to support this argument, including the WP's changes in stance when the PAP tightened its foreign worker policies in 2011, and later when the debate became about population policies.

The same "backtracking" happened during incidents involving the government's BTO building programme and with regards to the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) scheme, he claimed.

Genuine difference in approach to reserves

The only area where the PAP and WP have genuinely diverged is in their views on the government's use of the national reserves—with the WP advocating a greater use of it—Lee added.

"This is not legitimate differences over policy calibration. It is about taking the politically easier position at every turn.

This is not serious policy debate. It is political opportunism."

He concluded that the philosophical difference between both parties "is worth debating further".

"It is easy to take positions that are politically attractive. It is much harder to make choices, confront trade-offs, and be honest about their consequences."

Parliament motion

The motion was met with responses by PAP political office holders, who spoke in favour of an amended version of the motion. They were

• Senior Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth and Trade and Industry, Low Yen Ling,
• Minister of State for Cultural Community and Youth and Manpower, Dinesh Vasu Dash,
• Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, Jeffrey Siow, and
• Minister for Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry), Tan See Leng.

They emphasised the government’s commitment to ensuring that Singaporean workers are able to succeed, while highlighting the difficulties that entrepreneurs face and the moves the government has made to help them.

Multinational companies (MNCs), far from hindering the success and growth of local SMEs and start-ups, provide good partners and test beds for such small companies to succeed, they added.

An elderly man was thrown to the ground by a man at an East Coast coffee shop after he patted a young girl on the head as he walked past her table.

The younger man is believed to be the girl's father.

According to the elderly man's family, the incident has left him with "severe back pain", adding to his physical difficulties.

Pat on the head

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

According to Google Maps, the noodle stall has two outlets, one of which is at Roxy Square.

A family member of the elderly man, supposedly in his 70s, detailed the incident in the social media posts.

They also shared closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the incident.

According to the CCTV timestamp, the incident appeared to have taken place at around 4:37pm on Aug. 15.

In the video, the elderly man could be seen walking with a limp across the coffee shop, in between tables of patrons.

As he passed by a table with a young girl, the elderly man reached out to pat the girl on her head.

This prompted a woman at the table, presumably the girl's mother, to reach out with her hand in a bid to stop the elderly man from doing so.

Girl's father reacts

A man, wearing a cyan T-shirt, then rushed back to the table to confront the elderly man.

The man, presumably the girl's father, could be seen gesticulating as the elderly man responded.

The video has no audio.

During the course of the altercation, the father grabbed the elderly man by his arm and swung him around, causing the elderly man to fall to the ground.

The elderly man was later helped up by others at the coffee shop.

Man apologised, offered drink

The elderly man's family member wrote in the social media posts that the girl's father apologised after the initial confrontation and offered a drink.

However, the elderly man was now "suffering severe back pain" following the incident.

The family member commented that while the apology is appreciated, "a drink and an apology cannot simply take away the physical pain or injuries he is experiencing."

The family member explained that they are sharing about the incident to "identify the man involved and seek justice for [their] father".

"We are not looking for anyone to harass or confront him. We simply want the truth to be known and for this matter to be addressed appropriately," they added.

In another video shared on Telegram channel sgfollowsall, the girl's father could be seen seated on a chair and speaking with the elderly man.

Online reactions

On Instagram, the post has garnered more than 9,200 reposts and over 33,700 likes at the time of writing.

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

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

"But pushing an elderly man over something like this?" the family member asked, adding, "There are ways to tell someone to back off without getting physical."

While commenters recognised that the father might understandably be trying to protect his daughter, they took issue with his seemingly disproportionate reaction.

The incident has also drawn reactions from online personalities and celebrities, with some leaving comments on the Instagram post.

Actor Romeo Tan reposted the video on his Instagram stories with the caption, "There was absolutely no need to get physical."

"Ah Boys to Men" actor Noah Yap similarly shared the post on his Instagram story, adding that he will be visiting the elderly man, whom he has gotten to know by visiting the stall for over 20 years.

Yap has since posted about his visit, sharing that the elderly man is doing well but has refused to visit a doctor.

The elderly man's family member shared in an Aug. 16 post that they have yet to identify the couple in the video and noted that they will continue to pursue this matter "until it has been properly investigated and dealt with appropriately under the law".

A 67-year-old man has died in a fire that broke out in the early morning of Aug. 16 at a block in Jurong East.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the fire at Block 339, Jurong East Avenue 1 at about 3:55am.

Upon arrival, they saw black smoke emitting from the living room of a unit on the third floor.

Firefighters entered the unit forcibly and extinguished the fire, which involved items in the living room, with one water jet.

A person was found unresponsive in the living room and pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.

About 50 residents from the block were evacuated out of precaution.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police confirmed that the deceased was a 67-year-old man.

Based on preliminary investigations, no foul play is suspected.

Police investigations are ongoing.