Workers' Party (WP) Member of Parliament Jamus Lim replied to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's comments that the WP's policy position "shifts with the political winds", in an Instagram post on Oct. 25.

PM Wong made the remarks earlier that day at the People's Action Party (PAP) Awards and Conference, in his opening address as Secretary-General of the PAP. 

In his speech, he took aim at what he termed "populism", claiming that opposition parties did not have to take into account trade-offs and deal with the consequences when making policy proposals.

In response, Lim said that PM Wong is entitled to his views but called his claims "an incredible double standard", and proceeded to explain the WP's position and suggest that political parties should be open to changing their stances "when justified".

In turn, PAP's party publication Petir published a Facebook post criticising Lim for missing the "nuance" of PM Wong's speech.

PAP's "U-turns"

In his post, Lim claimed that the PAP was similarly guilty of its own reversals in policy, with "some barely lasting one season".

" ...a few to jog the memory: stop at two, redundancy insurance, minimum wages for locals, and 377A.

I’m sure you can even think of cases even within this term of Parliament where there have been notable reversals by the PAP, even after they shot down alternatives till the last second (such as smaller class sizes or COE categorization by engine size)."

Lack of nuance in PM Wong's points: Jamus Lim

PM Wong's speech also singled out the WP's position on HDB flat construction and foreign worker policies, claiming that they were inclined to tighten or loosen said quotas depending on which was more politically favourable.

But Lim said that this "betray[ed] a lack of nuance".

Regarding HDB supply, he explained, the WP's position was formed in the context of lease decay, "a looming policy problem that will unfold over the next two decades—not the short-term construction blips due to the pandemic."

As for foreign worker quotas, the WP's proposals have been about "moderating the speed of inflows" and managing the stress that it places on our infrastructure.

The WP's stance is ultimately "that the presence of a foreign workforce is not a fundamental issue, for a nation of immigrants," he clarified.

This is how democracy is supposed to work: Lim

He went further to suggest that political parties should be open to, or even "welcome" shifts in policy positions "when justified".

"Having gone down an erroneous road, adjusting one’s position is a mark of wisdom and maturity, not opportunism.

"This is precisely how democracy, at its best, is supposed to work: to be open to feedback, so that collective knowledge is harnessed."

In fact, the back-and-forth debate this generates helps to refine policy, he suggested.

Noting that PM Wong was speaking in a partisan setting in his capacity as Secretary-General of the PAP, Lim remarked that it was "par for the course" for him to make attacks at the opposition.

This was nevertheless "disappointing", he said, claiming that it failed to understand how Singaporeans "would like to see their political leaders tackle constructive challenges to the policy choices of the ruling party."

"Changing policies is not the issue"

Petir replied a few hours later.

It suggested that the PAP was in agreement that parties should change their positions when circumstances change.

This was something that PM Wong explicitly said in his speech, it said.

However, the issue is whether or not a party's positions "add up to a coherent approach", and if the party is "prepared to confront the trade-offs and consequences."

Returning to the example of HDB supply, Petir noted that the WP wants to lower the BTO eligibility age for singles from 35 to 28, but is simultaneously opposed to the proposed housing developments at Maju Forest and Gillman Barracks. 

This would increase the demand for housing and decrease its supply respectively, Petir suggested.

"How does the WP propose to reconcile these objectives? Where should the additional homes be built? What compromises would it accept?

"It is easy to champion popular causes. Governing means making tough choices and taking responsibility for the consequences."

Similarly, it claimed that the WP would have tightened foreign worker inflows to the point of zero growth in the foreign workforce in 2013, and then allow many more foreign workers a few years after.

Petir questioned if this was a "carefully considered approach to managing our foreign workforce".

"To be clear, changes in policy can reflect new evidence, changing circumstances or lessons learnt. But such changes must be grounded in a clear rationale, with the trade-offs and wider consequences properly considered and explained. That is what responsible policymaking requires.

That was PM Wong’s central point.

Judging from Mr Lim’s reply, it seems the WP has yet to fully appreciate this distinction."

Editor's note: The article has been updated for accuracy.

A woman, who watched as four-year-old Megan Khung was fatally abused by her mother and her mother's boyfriend, has admitted to helping dispose of the child's body.

Nouvelle Chua Roushi, 35, appeared in court on Oct. 26 to plead guilty to three charges, including for conspiracy to commit child abuse of Megan, disposing of her body, and taking drugs.

Megan's mother, Foo Li Ping, 29, and Wong Shi Xiang, 38, the boyfriend of the girl's mother, were previously sentenced to 19 years' and 30 years' jail, respectively, on Apr. 3, 2025.

The couple had subjected young Megan to severe physical and psychological abuse over a period of 13 months.

Chua, who interacted with the couple frequently, did not do anything to stop the abuse, and at times even recorded it on her mobile phone.

The couple would cane and hit the child repeatedly, starve her, and humiliate her by shaving her head and drawing on her face.

Videos of the abuse were shown in court on Oct. 26. Chua was stoic and did not react as the graphic videos played.

Abuse of Megan Khung

The offences were committed from February 2019 onwards in a unit at the Suites@ Guillemard condominium in Paya Lebar rented by the couple.

Chua, who was friends with the couple and regularly visited them, would notice bruises on Megan since November 2019.

The court heard that Chua would stay in the unit on some weekends with her daughter.

She was also entrusted with the care of Megan, whom she brought out with her own daughter.

On some occasions, Chua noticed Megan was bleeding from the caning.

On one occasion, she also covered Megan in a long-sleeve t-shirt to hide the bruises so Foo and Wong’s abuse would not be exposed, prosecutors said in court.

Recorded videos

Chua would sometimes record videos of the abuse.

These videos were played in court on Oct. 26.

In one video, Foo was seen forcing Megan to eat her own mucus. Chua did not stop the acts and instead video-recorded it.

Megan's head was shaved, and she also had drawings on her eyebrows.

Chua could be heard saying in Mandarin as Foo demanded Megan to eat her mucus: "Let her eat; she says she’s hungry, right?"

In another video recorded by Chua, Megan can be seen unclothed as she asked for a shirt to wear.

At this point, Megan had many bruises on her body, with her ribcage visible.

Another child, who was not identified in court, was also seen in the video standing beside Megan and was seen touching and playing with Megan at some point.

The child appeared to be about the same age as Megan and was neatly dressed in contrast.

The couple also forced Megan to sleep in a planter box exposed to the afternoon sun until the child got heatstroke.

In another video filmed by Chua, Megan was seen crying inside the planter box.

The same child from the earlier video could be seen asking Megan to lie down before going over to kick her.

She could be heard saying, "I kick Megan," as Chua laughed in the background.

Fatal punch that led to Megan's death

On Feb. 21, 2020, the day prior to her death, Megan was not given any meals for the entire day.

That night, Wong wanted to discipline Megan so he made her stand against the wall in their bedroom.

After scolding Megan, Wong punched her in her stomach.

The impact caused Megan’s back to hit the wall 10cm away with a loud thud.

Foo was scared that Megan would faint, so she told Wong in Mandarin that the girl looked like she “cannot make it". Wong stopped.

After midnight, Chua arrived at the unit to see Megan lying on the bedroom floor, clutching her stomach and saying she was in pain.

When Chua told Foo and Wong about this, the couple dismissed it, saying the child was just trying to get attention.

The three then gathered in the living room to take drugs together.

Hours later, Chua saw Megan in the same position and alerted Foo, who found some vomit with "clear membrane and black contents" beside Megan.

The three tried to wake Megan, but she was unresponsive.

They then tried performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Megan.

Wong took a 30-cm tube and the three took turns to blow air into Megan's mouth.

Foo did not call for an ambulance, afraid the abuse and drugs would be discovered.

Instead, Wong and Chua left to get a defibrillator.

Wong found one but did not take it as he was afraid an alarm would be triggered.

Foo, who was still performing CPR on Megan in the unit, realised she had passed away and told the other two over WhatsApp, “Megan is gone”.

Undeterred, Wong improvised a defibrillator using two wires with metal chopsticks taped to them.

He inserted it into a socket and tried to resuscitate the girl, but failed.

Wong also instructed Foo and Chua to smoke drugs and blow the smoke through a tube into Megan's mouth, but this had no effect.

A forensic pathologist with the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) found in an October 2021 report that Megan had likely died from a serious blood infection due to factors such as ruptured internal organs or abdominal haemorrhaging.

Helped dispose Megan's body

Chua also later helped to dispose of Megan's body after the couple ordered a custom-made barrel to burn Megan's body.

To prevent Megan's corpse from being discovered, Wong wrapped the corpse using a blanket, then layers of cling wrap, and brown tape, before putting it in a Toyogo storage box.

He also kept the unit's air-conditioning switched on to slow the decomposition of Megan’s corpse.

Chua knew these plans and had driven Wong to the residence.

Some time between April and May 2020, Wong asked a signboard manufacturer to construct an “incense burning container”, discussing its design with him.

Foo accompanied Wong to the workshop, where an oil drum barrel had been modified in line with Wong's specifications.

After testing it, Wong asked for further modifications, such as adding openings for ventilation, so oxygen could enter to raise the temperature.

On May 8, 2020, the three collected the barrel and two boxes of charcoal that were procured by Wong's instructions.

At 5:25am that day, they returned to the unit to collect the box containing Megan's corpse.

Wong then drove to his godfather's workshop in Ubi.

At 6:10am, he set up the metal barrel at an open area nearby and burnt Megan's corpse in it.

Foo and Chua brought incense paper over and they also burned that in the barrel for several hours.

After the fire had stopped, Wong swept the ashes inside the metal barrel into a trash bag and put it in his car.

He then drove to East Coast Park alone and scattered Megan's ashes into the sea.

Foo and Wong also made arrangements for the metal barrel to be disposed in Tampines.

Drug charges

The court heard that Chua consumed ICE two days before her arrest.

She had started consuming ICE in January 2020.

After her arrest, Chua admitted to all her offences, the prosecution said.

Sentencing arguments

The prosecution sought 13.5 years' jail for Chua while the defence sought six years and four months' jail.

The prosecutor said during the hearing that the trio robbed Megan of "basic dignity" and noted the prolonged nature of the abuse.

He noted the "absolute depravity" of the case, where a four-year-old was abused to the point of being “a mere shadow” of herself, as said by the judge presiding over the previous hearing of Foo and Wong.

He also noted Chua's lack of remorse, as displayed by the two-month period during which she destroyed evidence following Megan's death.

The prosecutor also noted that Chua joined in on the abuse on one occasion, telling Foo to let Megan eat mucus since she was hungry.

On another occasion, when Megan used Foo's make-up without permission, Wong drew all over her face and paraded her in public until she cried.

The taunting came from Chua, who said, “Let’s go gai gai (shopping)," the prosecutor noted.

There was some kind of “sadistic amusement” in partaking in such abuse, they added, saying recording such acts exacerbates the victim’s humiliation and is another way to prolong the harm done to her.

"There is minimal difference in the abuse done by the abusers and the one who records it, especially when the recording is repeatedly done," the prosecution said.

The prosecutor also noted that Chua had aligned herself with the exact same kind of callousness as Foo and Wong when she involved herself by recording the videos.

She also knew that Wong had hit Megan "very badly" on the day of her death and saw Megan holding her stomach in pain.

While Megan’s suffering must have been obvious to Chua at the time, the prosecution noted that she made the "conscious and deliberate decision" to ignore Megan.

The prosecution also noted that while Chua did not orchestrate the plan to dispose of Megan's body, she did participate in "achieving the final objective".

She had purchased vinegar, incense and various other items that were eventually used to destroy evidence, such as cleaning the flat.

Chua also went with Wong to collect the custom-made barrel, which was eventually used to burn Megan's body.

Defence's arguments

Chua was represented by lawyers from Trident Law.

The court hearing became tensed at one point as the defence lawyer claimed the prosecution was trying to ask the court to treat Chua the same way as Foo and Wong, who were already sentenced.

A back-and-forth between the prosecution and defence ensued.

At one point, the defence lawyer said the prosecution was treating them like they were "stupid".

The judge also interjected at one point, pointing out that there were other charges to be taken into consideration that the defence had not accounted for in their submissions.

This included the mucus incident.

The defence was allowed to continue and tried to draw the distinction between Wong, Foo, and Chua to say Chua's culpability is much less than the other two.

In regard to Megan being forced to sleep in a planter box, Chua apparently told Foo it was "too scary" to lock Megan in.

The lawyer noted that Chua only visited the flat on the weekend and let Megan out of the box on occasion.

They also noted that Chua saw Megan complaining of pain on the day she died, and she told this to Wong and Foo twice, but was dismissed.

Chua participated in the disposal of her corpse only on the instructions of Wong and Foo, the defence added.

The defence was asked to file further submissions on the issue of the charges taken into consideration and the impact on their final sentences sought by Nov. 2.

The judge reserved judgment to Nov. 13, 10am.

Related stories

"How much responsibility do Singaporeans have to support their own film industry?"

Veteran Singapore film producer Daniel Yun raised this question in an Instagram post on Oct. 18, and argued against overemphasising the need to support local films.

He was responding to a recent incident where some cast members from the independent Singapore mockumentary "The Sandbox" went to surprise moviegoers at a screening, and found only seven people in the cinema hall.

Posting a video of the incident, one of the film's actors Nathan Hartono encouraged people to see the movie to show the industry that they "want to see more local films like The Sandbox in theatres".

'Sending the wrong message'

Yun believes that asking Singaporeans to support a film because it is a Singapore film can "invariably take away the focus from its worthy merits".

As an example, he said that asking Singaporeans to watch ‘The Violinist’ because it is a Singapore animated film would do the film "a disfavour".

Such an approach to encourage audience support can do the films a disfavour, and is "sending the wrong message", he said.

He shared that when people say "please support local films" to help promote a film he was involved in, he would "recoil with both awkwardness and some exasperation".

Yun, who founded film production company MediaCorp Raintree Pictures in 1998, was behind various  Singapore films including "I Not Stupid", "The Maid", and "881".

He further argued that the "support local" approach can create a sense of obligation:

"Singaporeans should never feel obliged to watch a made in Singapore film.

We should not saddle a film experience with forced nationalism, guilt, or worse pity. When the want to watch a film is blurred with the need to watch, it removes the joy and diminishes its value."

Can turn people off

Yun also pointed out that in Singapore, the attempt to "sell nationality" can backfire and turn people off the film.

Rather than highlight the fact that the film is made in Singapore, he finds it more important to make sure the film has good quality and strong marketing.

That would help to get people interested about these Singapore films.

On the point about marketing, Yun said that many Singaporeans are often not aware when a Singapore film is showing at the cinema.

"This lack of awareness is lack of promotion, which should not be an accepted norm for Singapore film practitioners," he added.

Expressing optimism about the state of Singapore films this year, Yun urged that films be marketed on their appeal and quality rather than "reduce them to a Singaporean plea, however well intended and sincere".

A 23-year-old full-time police national serviceman (NSF) was arrested after he allegedly trespassed into a female toilet at the Police Training Command, where he worked at.

In response to Mothership's queries, the police said they received a call for assistance at the police training institute located at 501 Old Choa Chua Kang Road, at about 5:40am on Oct. 19.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the NSF had trespassed into a female toilet there.

While police officers were engaging him, he suddenly ran away from them to the third storey of a nearby block and jumped off the ledge.

As he sustained non-life-threatening injuries, he was brought conscious to the hospital to receive treatment.

He was subsequently arrested for criminal trespass and voyeurism.

Police investigations are ongoing.

"Singapore will not be able to insulate ourselves from global or regional shocks", said Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry), Tan See Leng, in his Singapore Energy Lecture at the start of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) on Oct. 26.

Tan elaborated that in times of a "supply crunch, countries may also prioritise their own domestic needs", adding that the trend of resource nationalism "particularly concerning" especially when it undermines contracts and agreements.

At SIEW, Tan revealed multiple energy-related partnerships and plans to enhance Singapore's energy security, keeping in mind the four "Cs", which are confidence, competitiveness, carbon, and connectivity, as well as cost.

His lecture at Marina Bay Sands comes a day after a doorstop where he answered questions on Singapore's electricity prices after Indonesia cut its gas exports.

He told Singapore to "keep calm and carry on" as "we cannot predict every disruption, but we will always ensure that Singapore is prepared for them."

Newly announced partnerships and plans

Singapore and Saudi Arabia have announced their joint intent to store Saudi crude oil at the Jurong Rock Caverns from the second half of 2027, said Tan.

Saudi Aramco will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and JTC Corporation with the aim of concluding negotiations in the coming months.

Tan added that five new power plants will come online between 2026 and 2031, which will grow Singapore's overall generation capacity by 26 per cent from around 12 gigawatts (GW) today.

More underground power cables are also being placed.

He noted that the power grid is also being actively expanded to support industrial demand in areas like Changi, Pasir Ris and Paya Lebar, with seven new substations to be built by 2031.

EMA will also release its Five-Year Energy Infrastructure Plan on Oct. 26.

Tan said, "This will be the most significant build-up of our energy infrastructure in decades."

Low-carbon energy pathways

Tan stated that Singapore must "pursue every possible low-carbon energy pathway" to lay a foundation for a "future 2050 low-carbon energy mix".

He said that solar energy remains "Singapore's most viable indigenous renewable energy source" and the target of "three gigawatt-peak of solar deployment by 2030" is on track.

Decarbonisation and its technologies are prioritised with an S$800 million Decarbonisation Grand Challenge, added Tan.

In his speech, Tan also announced the launch of the Power Decarbonisation Funding Initiative, with "S$75 million to develop low-carbon technologies for cleaner and more secure power generation."

He also cited other low-carbon energy options such as hydrogen, the possibility of piloting ammonia direct combustion in Jurong Island and the upcoming Combined Cycle Gas Turbines that can take in a blend of natural gas and hydrogen.

Nuclear energy & related development programmes

On the topic of nuclear energy, Tan stated that Singapore will undertake the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) Mission to assess Singapore's nuclear capabilities.

He announced a new Nuclear Manpower Development Programme for the public sector to facilitate on-the-job exposure for Singaporean public officers at leading global nuclear organisations.

A new Nuclear Manpower Development Programme (Industry) will also support Singapore's broader nuclear ecosystem.

To grow Singapore's nuclear talent pipeline, Tan said the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) are working towards launching a joint Master’s programme in nuclear engineering in 2027.

Geothermal energy

Tan shared that Singapore launched a non-invasive geophysical survey in 2025, and the consortium of consultants estimated that "the technical potential of geothermal energy for power generation is more than 60 times our annual electricity consumption of around 60 terawatt-hours (TWh)".

He noted that following these findings, the EMA will appoint an expert team to study the feasibility of deploying geothermal power plants in Singapore.

However, Tan cautioned that the process "will not be straightforward".

"As our geothermal resources are located several kilometres underground, the amount of electricity we can eventually generate will depend on the cost and technical feasibility of extracting these resources, as well as the pace of advances in deep drilling technology."

Connected regional grid

Tan also emphasised the need to deepen connectivity with Singapore's partners, citing a connected regional grid.

"EMA will award the conditional approval to Sembcorp Utilities to import up to 1.3GW of renewable electricity from and through Peninsular Malaysia to Singapore."

He elaborated that Sembcorp also intends to source low-carbon electricity via offshore wind from Vietnam and solar power from Malaysia.

Managing the balance between decarbonisation and costs

Concluding his lecture, Tan said Singapore "must therefore strike the right balance".

"Decarbonisation will come with costs, but we will not pursue decarbonisation at all costs. It must never come at the expense of our livelihoods and system security."

He stated that the government will ensure its market frameworks do not place an "undue burden" on households and businesses.

"We will continue to provide targeted support, including U-Save rebates to help households manage utility bills, as well as grants to help businesses improve energy efficiency and reduce costs, such as the Energy Efficiency Grant and Resource Efficiency Grant for Emissions."

Heavy rain in Penang Island on the night of Oct. 24 buried 73-year-old Wong Kar Lin in a landslide the next morning.

The Penang Fire and Rescue Department responded to a distress call at 8:36am and a rescue team arrived at the scene just two minutes later, reported The Star.

Wong was pronounced dead at the scene at 9:10am.

According to The New Straits Times (NST), Wong's body was extricated around 11.21am.

Landslide

Heavy rain had caused flash floods in many parts of Penang on Oct. 24.

The next morning, a landslide occurred in Taman Seri Rambai, Penang.

According to China Press, Wong, a retired doctor, had reportedly been preparing breakfast when it happened.

He was buried in the landslide.

Two other people in the house with him, his wife, Chang Mei Nuo, 68, and his mother, Wong Poh Lim, 86, managed to escape unharmed.

Poh Lim told NST that she had been showering on the second floor and was alerted by Chang about the landslide.

They rushed downstairs to escape, and realised Wong had been crushed by concrete in the kitchen.

"We were shocked and immediately ran out to save ourselves. Everything happened so quickly," she was quoted as saying.

They then reported the incident to the authorities.

Investigation

Penang Island Mayor Duke Rajandran reportedly visited the construction site on the hillside and other nearby residences, offering condolences, according to China Press.

A stop-work order had been issued to the developer of the project on top of the mountain, a road construction project that has been ongoing for over a year.

Rajandran also said that the land office would arrange accommodations for the affected residents, and the city council will launch an investigation into the landslide.

Residents of five nearby houses were advised to evacuate temporarily.

A man, who appeared to be in his 60s or 70s, has been seen picking up leftover food from the Our Tampines Hub Hawker Centre on a daily basis.

A resident tipped Shin Min Daily News off after seeing the man pack food left on the hawker centre tables by diners.

He said the man was not dressed shabbily.

Asked why he did it

When asked why he was picking up leftover food, the man said he did not want the food to go to waste and was packing it for dinner.

This suggested that the man was likely dumpster diving.

The person who provided the tip-off said: "For some older people, it might just be that they don't want to waste food, so they take other people's leftovers home to eat, but I'm still worried about hygiene."

Some hawker centre staff have also seen the elderly person pick up the food but have not intervened out of avoiding any conflict.

Not the only person doing it

A cleaner at the hawker centre said she has seen another elderly man in his 70s do the same daily for the past four to five years.

She said she has also seen him buy drinks at the hawker centre and speculated that he might not be facing financial difficulties.

Practice appears not isolated

Another cleaner at People's Park Food Centre in Chinatown said she has seen other elderly people do the same.

About two to three elderly men would repeatedly pick food up from the tray return stations.

Health considerations

A doctor told Shin Min that eating leftovers scavenged from the hawker centre tables left behind by diners might increase the risk of food poisoning and spreading infectious diseases.

Cooked food left out for more than two hours would go stale, and those with weakened immune systems would face more health risks if they developed health problems, the doctor said.

About 12 years after the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) was enacted and 11 years since the last serious haze episode in 2015, Indonesia's neighbouring countries, including Singapore, are once again stricken by smog from forest fires that are raging across Kalimantan and Sumatra.

Under the THPA, Singapore's government has so far sent 10 companies legal notices, including two entities of Asia Pulp and Paper (APP): Asia Pulp and Paper Company Limited and Asia Pulp and Paper Company (China) Limited.

APP informed Mothership that they "are cooperating with the authorities" and "are reviewing the notices" and will respond to National Environment Agency (NEA) as required.

Prior to that, preventive measure notices were also issued by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to 10 other companies, asking them to stop burning and take action to extinguish fires.

If APP sounds familiar to you, they were explicitly named by Senior Minister K Shanmugam in having a buyer relationship at a Oct. 19 doorstop.

"We will also look beyond individual concession holders: to large corporate groups, and persons who may ultimately control them. If there are linkages, we will try and go after these groups as well.

Several of these companies do appear to be linked, and we are looking at those links. For example, investigations show that Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) buys from three of the companies that NEA has sent [preventive] notices to. We will drill into this further."

Besides the mention by SM Shanmugam, APP had been linked to causing fire during the haze crisis back in 2015.

Involvement in haze

In 2015, under the THPA, the government asked APP to provide more information about its network of suppliers after four linked to it were issued notices by NEA.

A 2017 report by The Straits Times said that APP had given limited information to NEA.

“The information provided by APP to date has been limited and more information is still being sought from them for NEA’s investigations into these four companies,” NEA said in 2017.

Regarding the Singapore government's request for information in 2015, APP said its role was to help NEA coordinate their request for information with the company's suppliers.

"To the best of our knowledge, all the named suppliers fully cooperated with the investigation and provided the information requested by the Singapore government," APP said in response to Mothership's queries.

Three of the 10 Indonesian companies that received preventive measure notices in 2026 were similarly issued notices in 2015: PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau and PT SBA Wood Industries.

According to APP's sustainability dashboard, these three companies are APP's exclusive pulpwood suppliers and they operate in South Sumatra.

A fourth company named by NEA and who was issued a notice to — PT Buana Megatama Jaya — is also listed on APP's website as a supplier, operating in West Kalimantan.

In response to Business Times on Oct. 19, APP said that, based on satellite analysis, the fires originated outside of its three suppliers' concessions but had spread into those areas.

BT noted that APP did not identify these suppliers or provide the satellite data that the company referred to.

APP also highlighted their zero-burning policy which bans the use of fires to clear lands.

Responding to Mothership's queries, APP said that it has proactively reached out to and encouraged the three named suppliers to respond directly to NEA and extend their fullest cooperation.

"APP recognises that effective compliance must be supported by verifiable actions and will continue to follow developments closely," the company said.

APP also said it has invested more than US$250 million (S$319 million) in fire management capabilities, including firefighting personnel, specialised equipment, monitoring technology and community-based prevention programmes over the past decade.

In 2026, these efforts have been supported by more than 6,000 firefighters, 1,700 pumps, 15 helicopters and 108 drones across six operating regions, it added.

So, who's behind APP?

APP is owned by the Indonesian conglomerate Sinar Mas.

Sinar Mas was founded by the late Eka Tjipta Widjaja, who, according to Forbes, was a Chinese immigrant to Indonesia.

Eka got his start selling biscuits as a teen.

In 1968, he started a refinery and sold cooking oil in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. This marked the start of Sinar Mas.

Today, Sinar Mas has eight business units spanning industries from pulp and paper to finance.

Eka died in January 2019 at the age of 98, and his business empire is now overseen by his four eldest sons, according to an APP press release.

The late Eka lived primarily in Singapore, the Wall Street Journal reported in 2003, though it is uncertain if he remained here until his death 16 years later.

Eka's eldest son, Teguh Ganda Wijaya, also known as Oei Tjie Goan, was the ultimate beneficial owner of five entities linked to APP until 2025, according to the company's website.

APP Group was started in 1972, and is described as one of the largest pulp and paper companies in Indonesia.

Its LinkedIn page states that it is "the holding company for multiple Indonesia pulp and paper manufacturing as well as forestry entities, catering to the increasing global need for high-quality tissue, packaging, and paper".

In Jan. 13, 2025, according to the same company profiles, ultimate beneficial ownership passed from Teguh to his son, Jackson Wijaya Limantara, and the latter acquired sole control of APP.

This was part of Teguh's succession planning, APP noted in a statement.

Forbes describes Jackson as the Widjaja family's "third-gen scion" who founded his own business, Paper Excellence, which eventually rebranded as Domtar.

Domtar is now one of the largest paper companies in North America, Forbes wrote.

Golden Agri-Resources

Meanwhile, according to Forbes, Eka's son, Franky Widjaja, 68, runs palm oil giant Golden Agri-Resources — incidentally, one of the companies that was sent a legal notice by NEA.

Shanmugam also said SGX is questioning about its links to the haze in Singapore.

"Companies cannot play hide and seek with different corporate structures. Nor should they hope that because the evidence and actions are in Indonesia, they can escape responsibility in Singapore. Our agencies are considering legal, regulatory, and economic measures that can be taken against these companies. Let me give you a few examples. SGX has asked questions of seven agri-companies which are listed in Singapore. The questions for these agri-companies relate to their operations and possible linkages to the haze.

The companies are: Golden-Agri Resources, Bumitama Agri, First Resources, Wilmar, Kencana Agri, Indofood Agri, and TSH Resources." -- SM Shanmugam

Golden Agri-Resources is the agribusiness and food arm of Sinar Mas, and Franky is its chairman and CEO, according to its 2025 annual report.

The company has been listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) since 1999.

In response to the recent forest fires, Golden Agri-Resources has also responded to SGX's queries on Oct. 16, saying that its operations on its oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua have not experienced a material negative impact due to the recent forest and land fires.

It also said that it has maintained a zero-burning policy since 1997 and a no-peat policy since 2010.

As of 2025, the net worth of the Widjaja family is US$28.3 billion (S$36.16 billion), according to Forbes.

One of Eka's many children is also Singaporean businessman and billionaire Oei Hong Leong.

APP and Singapore

A few of APP's entities are Singapore-incorporated, including the two that were named by NEA on Oct.23 -- Asia Pulp and Paper Company Limited and Asia Pulp and Paper Company (China) Limited.

APP Limited is the main APP holding company while APP (China) Limited is holding company associated with its operations in China.

According to records from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), APP Limited was incorporated in Singapore in 1994.

While being Singapore-incorporated means APP Limited needs to comply with Singapore company-law requirements such as corporate record-keeping, it does not mean Singapore law is applicable to all activities conducted by APP business group and its subsidiaries.

The Wall Street Journal reported that after it was incorporated in Singapore, APP consolidated its existing pulp and paper operations.

Here's how a 2002 Singapore court judgment described Asia Pulp and Paper Company Limited:

"APP is essentially an investment holding company which in itself does not own any significant tangible assets or have any operations in Singapore. Its principal business is in the pulp and paper industry located elsewhere. APP serves as the holding company for the pulp, paper and packaging business of the Widjaja family of Indonesia, who are its majority shareholders through another company known as APP Global Limited."

The same 2002 court judgment noted that APP Ltd was granted operational headquarters status by Singapore's Economic Development Board in 1995 for a period of five years.

At the end of the five years, it was extended by one year until the end of 2000.

The company did not apply for further extensions thereafter.

Today, APP's website states that its head office is in Jakarta, Indonesia.

APP's products include tissue brand Paseo, which was removed from Singapore's shelves after the 2015 haze crisis. Paseo tissue products were subsequently made available in Singapore in 2019 again after obtaining a green label from Singapore Environment Council (SEC).

However, due to their suppliers' links to the 2026 haze, temporary restrictions were imposed on APP by SEC.

Other companies named

In addition to the spotlight on APP, other Singapore-listed companies that received legal notices from NEA include First Resources and Bumitama Agri; both of which are similarly owned by Indonesian business families.

At the Oct. 19 doorstop, Shanmugam said some of the fires or smoke-source points seem to be associated with First Resources and Bumitama Agri, as well as First Borneo Plantations, and that the government will be asking these companies more questions.

First Resources’ CEO is Ciliandra Fangiono. His family is the majority shareholder of the company, according to Forbes.

The company was founded by his father, Martias Fangiono, in 1992, and listed on the Singapore Exchange in 2007. Ciliandra is Martias’ eldest son. Another son, Fang Zhixiang, also known as Sigih, is the deputy CEO.

In 2023, Singaporean members of the family bought four bungalows on Nassim Road for a total of about S$295 million, including three from Cuscaden Peak Investments for S$206.7 million,  The Business Times reported in 2023.

First Resources said on Oct. 20 that it welcomes on-the-ground inspections by the authorities, CNA reported.

In an SGX filing, the company said “it is confident that an objective review of the available evidence will prove that it does not engage in any land clearing by fire, whether directly or indirectly”.

Wilmar International is run by Singapore palm oil magnate Kuok Khoon Hong, nephew of Malaysian business magnate Robert Kuok, Malaysia’s richest man according to Forbes.

Both First Resources and Wilmar have said they intend to comply with NEA’s legal notices.

Bumitama Agri, Indofood Agri Resources, Wilmar International and Kencana Agri also issued similar responses to SGX’s queries, saying they maintain a zero-burning policy.

While many large corporates present “zero-burning” or “zero deforestation” policies, environmental activists, such as Greenpeace, have called them out for using complex supply chain ownerships to obscure its liability to forest fires.

Singapore to use “every legal lever” to exert pressure

The Oct. 19 doorstop by SM Shanmugam sent a clear signal to companies that they will have to provide evidence to show that they are not accountable for the fires that led to regional haze.

He also shared appreciation for Indonesian President Prabowo’s “unprecedented” actions to curb the forest fires.

On Oct. 21, Prabowo said companies found responsible for the fires could have their permits revoked.

Shanmugam also said that companies responsible should not underestimate the Singapore government's determination to act.

Whether they have a presence in Singapore or not, the government will use "every legal and regulatory lever at [its] disposal to exert pressure where it matters", including on their access to financing, Shanmugam warned.

"If necessary, we will amend current legislation or introduce new laws on an urgent basis to ensure further cooperation," the minister said.

The Singapore government has since lawyered up, putting together a specialist panel made up of law firms, audit firms and investigative firms to inquire into the conduct of local and foreign companies.

The aim is to establish whether they have been involved in fires that contributed to haze.

These companies will be required to provide complete access to information and other relevant facts about their operations, supply chains and corporate group structures to ensure that they are not involved in causing or condoning the fires.

Local law firm Davinder Singh Chambers has been appointed to advise the government on the work of the specialist panel.

The People's Action Party (PAP)'s newly announced central executive committee (CEC) on Oct. 25 saw the previous line-up of core leaders re-elected, with all 14 members returning from the previous CEC.

The CEC is the highest decision-making body of the party, making major decisions on election candidates.

Most of the analysts Mothership spoke to found the election results slightly surprising, given how Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about party renewal ahead of the biennial conference where the vote took place.

In a video on Oct. 24, PM Wong called the party conference an important occasion for such renewal, and looked forward to working with "a team that brings experience as well as fresh perspectives".

The July Cabinet reshuffle also pointed to an emerging fifth-generation (5G) leadership from the PAP bench, particularly with the promotions of Jeffrey Siow and David Neo as ministers, and Jasmin Lau as acting minister.

However, none of these three first-term political office-holders were elected or co-opted to the CEC on Oct. 25.

Before the vote in the morning, The Straits Times reported that Siow and Lau were included in a list of 19 candidates that the PAP gave the 3,000 cadres to consider.

Party sources told ST that there were seven that the party encouraged the cadres to vote for.

They were reportedly PM Wong, Lee Hsien Loong, K Shanmugam, Desmond Lee, Chan Chun Sing, Masagos Zulkifli, and Grace Fu.

All of them were elected among the top 12 vote-getters along with Chee Hong Tat, Edwin Tong, Indranee Rajah, Ong Ye Kung and Vivian Balakrishnan.

Tan See Leng and Zaqy Mohamad were directly co-opted after receiving the next-highest number of votes.

Continuity now, renewal later

What does the outcome suggest about the PAP cadres' view of the top leadership? Is the party on track for a 5G renewal?

Eugene Tan, political analyst and associate professor of Law at Singapore Management University (SMU), believes the outcome was a vote for continuity and consolidation of the party leadership.

Though somewhat surprised, having read PM Wong's Oct. 24 video as signalling "support for new blood", Tan nevertheless finds no "misalignment in terms of the intent and need for renewal".

"It’s more a matter of when rather than whether the 5G leaders will be on the CEC," he said.

"It can be said that the party cadres are of the view that the 5G leaders will gradually be elected in the CEC elections of 2028 and 2030, when renewal will have to be the overarching theme."

This view was echoed by independent analyst Felix Tan, who said that the "only real surprise is that there were no changes to the existing line-up".

Tan said that the PAP has opted for continuity rather than renewal at this juncture.

He believes that the younger leaders such as Siow and Lau were left out because PAP cadre members may not yet be ready to embrace significant change, and prefer continuity and the existing leadership structure for now.

"Given the wider regional and global uncertainties, there may simply be a greater premium placed on stability and experience at this juncture," he opined.

He saw the election outcome possibly as a "carefully calibrated balance" to maintain the status quo for now while still leaving room for some of the newer faces to be co-opted later.

Both Eugene Tan and Felix Tan find it likely that Siow and Lau would be co-opted into the CEC eventually.

Eugene Tan said it could happen at the first CEC meeting, where the committee typically co-opts another four members.

While believing that the subsequent co-option of newer faces would introduce some renewal, Felix Tan pointed out that it may be seen as "more symbolic than substantive, given that the core leadership remains largely unchanged".

A reflection of favour and power

Getting elected to the CEC signalled where a person stood as a party leader to the cadres.

Noting that Siow and Lau had joined the party just before the 2025 General Election, Eugene Tan felt it should not be surprising that their standing and popularity within the party have "yet to be firmly established at this time".

"There are limited directly elected seats on the CEC so to be among the 12 top vote-getters was a tall order from the get-go," he said.

"But given that they were on the list of recommended candidates, it does point to the previous CEC holding them in high regard."

To Walid Jumblatt Abdullah, Associate Professor at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) School of Social Sciences, the election results are "basically status quo".

Similar to Eugene Tan, he said that Siow and Lau not getting elected shows that PAP cadres do not see them as among the most important people in the leadership at the moment.

However, this could change fast if they do a good job in their respective ministries, he added.

He highlighted that the list of recommended candidates, particularly the marked out group of seven, is a reflection of who is in more favour or has more power.

By that understanding, he noted the absences of ministerial heavyweights like Gan Kim Yong and Ong Ye Kung in the group of seven.

Walid also noted that Zaqy, who was made Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs in July, was not included in the group of seven, where Masagos was the Malay representative.

But Walid believes Zaqy, like Siow and Lau, could move up in standing if he performs well in his new role.

On Zaqy getting directly co-opted this time, Eugene Tan said it does not take anything away from him.

"It is a recognition that he can, with party vice-chair Masagos, better represent the Malay community on the CEC."

Another notable outcome was Chee Hong Tat, who was co-opted in the 2024 CEC election, getting voted in among the top 12 for the first time.

Eugene Tan found this unsurprising. "Chee is slated for bigger roles in government and his party certainly rates him highly as well," he said.

Felix Tan expressed caution about interpreting the elections as a popularity contest, but shared the other analysts' views that those who have taken on greater roles and responsibilities over the past year may "naturally" have strengthened their standing within the party.

Changes to come?

Apart from who makes up the CEC, it will also be of significance to note the roles each member will take on in the committee.

Such appointments are usually decided and announced at the first CEC meeting, along with the further co-options.

Although Felix Tan sees some possibility that the appointments could change, he did not expect any major shifts.

"Any changes are more likely to involve a reshuffling of roles and responsibilities among existing members, rather than significant changes to who is actually in the CEC," he said.

Eugene Tan foresees Desmond Lee and PM Wong continuing as party chairman and secretary-general respectively, as well as the three 3G leaders (Lee Hsien Loong, K Shanmugam, and Vivian Balakrishnan) remaining as regular CEC members to offer experience and advice.

A possible change would be to have two or more assistant secretary-generals, with Chan Chun Sing staying on in the role and joined by Chee Hong Tat and/or Ong Ye Kung, he said.

As for the additional co-options, he named Ng Chee Meng, "by virtue of his being the labour chief" of the NTUC. Ng has also returned to the Cabinet.

It would be likely that the CEC also co-opts a non-MP to signal that people who had voted for the PAP in Workers' Party-held wards are represented as well, he added.

61-year-old DonnaJean Wilde broke the world record on Oct. 6 after planking for five hours straight.

Wilde had broken her own record of four hours, 30 minutes and 11 seconds, which she achieved in 2024.

Multitask while planking

Wilde is a retired high school vice-principal, a mother of four, and a grandmother of 12.

She started planking daily after suffering a wrist injury 15 years ago.

A fitness enthusiast, she discovered she could plank with her cast on. After she removed her cast, planking became a habit and she fell in love with it.

Wilde multitasks while planking for hours every day.

"Just read, do texts, whatever, do schoolwork. I did a master's degree while I was planking. Wrote a book," Wilde told the Canadian Broadcast Corporation (CBC).

She has since found a community in fitness, with over 12,000 athletes aged 50 and above cheering her on at this year's record-breaking attempt.

In a 2024 interview with CBS News, Wilde was reported to suffer from chronic pain and numbness due to transverse myelitis, an inflammation of both sides of a section of the spinal cord.

However, the condition did not deter her from maintaining her rigorous fitness routine.