A customer who dined at a restaurant in Penang, Malaysia on Oct. 4 was caught on camera apparently pulling out his chest hair and putting it in his food.

Sin Chew Daily reported that the man, said to be with his partner, visited the restaurant around 5pm that day.

His action was reportedly uncovered after the manager reviewed CCTV footage.

Complained about hair

The restaurant manager, Zheng (transliterated), said in an interview that the couple initially wanted to order fried chicken, but ordered kuey teow, eggs, and a drink after being told that it was sold out.

According to 8world, the man soon complained of hair in his kuey teow, which was given to Zheng for inspection.

"After my investigation, I found something was wrong," said Zheng.

"If there were really hairs in the fried kuey teow, the hairs should be oily but the hairs I found at the time were dry."

There were about six to seven hairs in the food, he noted, adding that the hairs were very short and did not resemble eyelashes, Sin Chew Daily reported.

Refused to pay

The couple proceeded to try to leave the restaurant.

When Zheng pointed out that they had not paid for their food that cost about RM30 (S$9.38), the man questioned how he could pay for food of such quality before refusing to pay.

After the couple left, Zheng became more suspicious the more he thought about the incident, 8world reported.

He then reviewed the CCTV footage, where he found that the man allegedly put his hand into his clothes repeatedly, appearing to pluck out chest hairs and place them into his food.

According to Sin Chew Daily, Zheng also reportedly sent CCTV footage of the incident to other operators to keep an eye on the couple.

Singapore cannot allow its local food and beverage (F&B) scene to become a "guinea pig for the market-share aspirations of foreign chain restaurants", said Workers' Party MP Jamus Lim.

Instead, special care must be taken to protect this culinary heritage — for instance, by ensuring that mall, coffeeshop and hawker centre operators include a minimum share of halal options and local cuisine in their tenant mix.

Lim was speaking during an adjournment motion in parliament on Oct. 6.

F&B sector facing challenges

In his speech, the Sengkang MP addressed the various challenges that local F&B operators face.

Among these were rising rent, manpower constraints, and competition with foreign chains.

To the first two, he suggested measures such as the relaxation of hiring quotas to allow Malaysians — who share Singapore's hawker culture — as stall assistants, and rental caps to restrict the maximum quantum of rental increases per year.

"The specific percentage increase can be calibrated for our own local markets, based on average historical rate increases, and possibly further adjusted by property size, location, and lease duration," Lim added.

"Doing so would avoid situations, such as those widely reported in the press, where landlords hike rents by as much as 30 to 50 per cent in a single year."

Foreign competition

On the topic of tenant competition, Lim referenced the recent entry of chain concepts from countries such as China.

Such chains have deep pockets, and some have subsidies from their home states, which allow them to "bid very aggressively" on rent, he said.

Lim added that in extreme cases, they may be willing to treat a Singapore-based operation as a loss leader, to establish their brand in the Southeast Asian market.

But this may come at the expense of local restaurants, which might have been otherwise sustainable.

Culinary heritage

To that end, Lim called for malls, coffeeshops, and hawker centre operators to be held to a tenant mix with a minimum share of halal and local options.

This would serve as a "brake" on the speed of absorption of foreign tenants in F&B, without imposing a hard quota, he said.

The MP also acknowledged existing measures, such as FoodX and the F&B Process Optimisation Plan, which already provide support to the sector.

But more can still be done to "seriously" tackle business costs of hawkers and small business owners, and protect Singapore's culinary heritage, he said.

"When we walk into the food section of a mall in the future, what do we want to see?... Row upon row of only McDonald's, Subways, Jollibees, Haidilaos, and Genki Sushis?

Or do we want to also see local brands and local foods, our Ya Kuns and Old Chang Kees and Paradise, proudly alongside?"

The family of Damian Ong, the Muay Thai fighter who died following a bout at a charity event, has released a statement on Oct. 6.

In the statement, posted by his sister on Instagram, the family raised questions about what happened on Sept. 12, the day of the bout.

They also questioned whether "everything possible" was done to save Ong’s life.

The family further asked what lessons could be learned to strengthen safety standards and medical support at combat sports events in Singapore.

"We carry these questions with heavy hearts, seeking only truth and clarity about what happened to our boy. No parent should ever have to outlive their child, and no parent ever truly recovers from such a loss. As the formal processes take their course, we hold on to the hope that Damian's memory will help protect every young athlete in Singapore."

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) previously confirmed that investigations are ongoing.

Gratitude

"Damian was just 24 - a quiet, gentle and easy-going young man who took part in the AMC 13 - Fight for Hope charity event at the National Stadium on 12 September 2026 with the same trust and passion he had always brought to the sport he loved," the family wrote.

They expressed gratitude to the medical team at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, who "fought tirelessly" for Ong in the intensive care unit (ICU) for two long weeks.

"They cared for him with immense humanity and stood by us - even cried with us - in our darkest moments. We will never forget their compassion."

The family also thanked their friends and others in the community close to Ong.

"The outpouring of support from our community, local representatives, his coach, his gym-mates at Inspire Fitness Asia and the wider Muay Thai community has meant the world to us during this painful time," they wrote.

"To Damian's friends, who have helped us in so many ways and shed tears alongside us - thank you for standing by us like family. We know that many others are grieving this loss, their hearts just as broken as ours."

Donated organs

Mothership understands Ong suffered a traumatic brain injury following the match and spent about two weeks in the ICU in critical condition.

He eventually passed away on Sep. 27.

His organs were donated for transplants, saving four lives.

Mothership understands that his donation helped a 58-year-old man who had been waiting for a transplant for four years and four months, and a woman, 68, who had been on the waitlist for over two years.

His donation also helped a 40-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman who have been on dialysis for eight and nine years respectively.

Update on Oct. 7, 4pm: The article has been updated with Causeway Link's statement.

A bus accident occurred on the evening of Oct. 6 at Queen Street Bus Terminal, resulting in the death of a 30-year-old woman and the arrest of the driver.

In response to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said that they were alerted to a road traffic accident at the junction of Queen Street and Arab Street around 7pm that day.

SCDF stated that a person was found trapped under a bus.

The person was released with hydraulic rescue equipment, but was later pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic.

The police added that the 32-year-old male bus driver was arrested for driving without due care and attention causing death.

Investigations are ongoing.

Queen Street Bus Terminal is known for running bus services to Malaysia, with services provided by companies such as SBS Transit, Causeway Link, and the Singapore-Johore Express.

In photos shared online, a police tent can be seen next to what appears to be a service CW2 bus, run by Causeway Link.

Other photos show SCDF personnel kneeling and attempting to look under the bus, while police officers held up what seems to be a translucent blue sheet.

SBS Transit made a Facebook post at 9:19pm on Oct. 6, writing that its bus service 170 had been delayed and would not operate from Queen Street Bus Terminal due to an accident. 

Passengers were told instead to use a temporary shelter near the junction of Arab Street and Queen Street.

Service 170 returned to normal operations at 11:50pm.

Causeway Link told Mothership that they are aware of the "serious incident".

They declined to provide further comment but stated that they are providing support to the driver and passengers involved.

Causeway Link also expressed its deepest sympathies for the pedestrian's family and loved ones, and said that they will cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation.

It will share further updates when appropriate.

32-year-old Gabriel Foong Shi Cheng was charged in court today for murder after a 73-year-old man died after being stabbed on Oct. 5 evening near Block 61 Telok Blangah Heights.

A 53-year-old man was also allegedly injured by Foong.

Court hearing

Foong, a Singaporean, appeared in court via video link and was dressed in a white collared t-shirt.

The court hearing was conducted via a Mandarin translator.

Foong was handed one charge of murder over the death of a 73-year-old on Oct. 5 near Block 61 Telok Blangah Heights.

According to charge sheets seen by Mothership, Foong is accused of causing the death of 73-year-old Tham Nam Poh.

The incident took place at the void deck of Block 57 Telok Blangah Heights at about 6pm on Oct. 5.

When asked if he understood the charge read to him, Foong responded that he did.

He is represented by a team of lawyers from Invictus Law Corporation, including its managing director Josephus Tan, who were present in court.

The prosecution applied for the accused to be remanded for three weeks, and is seeking an IMH assessment for Foong.

The judge granted the application.

Foong's next court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 28.

Background

Police said they received multiple calls for assistance on Oct. 5 at about 6pm at Block 61 Telok Blangah Heights.

On arrival, they found the 73-year-old motionless.

He later died at the hospital.

A doctor from the nearby clinic who attended to the 73-year-old shared that the man had suffered injuries to his neck and chest areas.

A 53-year-old was also injured by Foong and had a wound on his left shoulder.

He was conveyed conscious to the hospital.

According to the police, Foong later turned himself in.

Eyewitnesses shared that the two injured men ran from the direction of Block 56 to the Block 61 coffee shop.

Help was then sought from the doctor at a nearby general practitioner clinic.

The 73-year-old deceased was a regular at the Block 61 coffee shop, one of the vendors told Lianhe Zaobao.

Eyewitnesses also reportedly saw Foong looking dazed, with some speculating that he might have been under the influence of drugs.

The deceased and Foong did not know each other, Shin Min Daily News reported.

A Singaporean man, 35, was referred to the police after he made remarks about a bomb in his vehicle at Woodlands Checkpoint.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement on social media on Oct. 6 that the incident occurred on Oct. 4 at around 6:20pm.

Taunted ICA officers

The man was travelling with five companions in his vehicle when they were directed to undergo enhanced checks at the Arrival Cargo Zone, ICA said.

After checks on the vehicle ended, the man taunted ICA officers about finding a bomb in his vehicle.

Officers immediately cordoned off the area and additional resources were activated to conduct further checks on the vehicle and the group of travellers, ICA added.

The checks established that there was no bomb in the vehicle.

The man was referred to the police for the offence of making indecent communications likely to cause alarm under the Protection from Harassment Act.

Police investigations are ongoing.

ICA said it takes the security of Singapore’s checkpoints very seriously.

The authority added:

"All reports of security threats will be thoroughly investigated. We will not hesitate to act against those who make false or misleading claims that may cause unnecessary alarm. Travellers are also reminded to conduct themselves in an orderly manner and comply with officers’ instructions at the checkpoints."

The Singapore police are investigating a 17-year-old boy for his involvement in a case of rash act at Cove LRT Station in Punggol.

On Sep. 29, 2026, the police received a report about an incident that occurred two days ago.

A teenager allegedly threw a bag off the LRT platform at about 11pm on Sep. 27.

Preliminary investigations revealed the bag contained two blocks of ice cream.

The identity of the teenager was established through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from surveillance cameras.

He is currently assisting with police investigations.

The offence of rash act carries a jail term of up to six months and a fine.

The police said they take a serious view of acts that endanger life or personal safety.

The CEO of RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO), the operator of the long-awaited Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link, shared about the engineering challenges that the project faces.

Marzuki Ariffin wrote in a post that while the RTS Link seems "relatively straightforward" as it has only two stations, the challenges that it faces require "careful engineering".

Marzuki stated that the viaduct had a 3 per cent gradient.

Trains have to descend along this slope from the bridge's higher point down to ground level.

However, he pointed out that this adds further design considerations to ensure that the train is able to maintain a safe speed and stop smoothly and accurately.

This requires careful coordination of the track design and braking and signalling systems, he claimed.

Another challenge comes in the form of wet weather, as rain reduces friction and affects how trains accelerate and brake.

"This is just one example of the engineering solutioning that must be accomplished for every safe and comfortable journey. It involves many hours of design thinking, testing and teamwork."

He then thanked the partners and stakeholders involved in the project, including Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Malaysia's Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).

RTS opening delayed till Feb. 2027

RTSO is a joint venture between Malaysia's Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and Singapore's SMRT Corporation. They own 52 and 48 per cent of the venture respectively.

Marzuki's comments come in the wake of a further delay announced for the RTS Link project on Friday (Oct 2).

Initially slated to open by the end of December 2026, the opening date was delayed to February 2027.

More time is needed to obtain independent safety certification and secure regulatory approvals, the Singapore and Malaysia authorities said.

History

The RTS project has been delayed and restarted several times over more than a decade.

Plans were discussed and initiated since 2010 and finally signed in 2018, but suspended from 2019 to 2020 after Malaysian political party Pakatan Harapan (PH) formed a new government and curbed spending.

It was then restarted with a final targeted opening of end-2026, before the most recent wave of delay.

Those caught rummaging through public refuse bins, removing items from them, or leaving or spilling waste on the ground could face legal action, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.

Fu was responding to a parliamentary question from PAP MP Hazlina Abdul Halim, who asked whether measures were in place to prevent unhygienic practices under the Beverage Container Return Scheme (BCRS), and whether separate collection bins and facilities for liquid disposal would be provided at high-use locations.

BCRS was launched on Apr. 1, 2026.

Under the scheme, consumers are refunded 10 cents when they return their used eligible cans or bottles at Return Right Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) in Singapore.

NEA to take action

In a written reply, Fu said members of the public should do their part to keep shared spaces clean.

"Rummaging through public refuse bins, removing items from them, and leaving or spilling waste on the ground are against the law," she said.

She added that the National Environment Agency (NEA) will take action against those who commit such offences.

Fu also reminded the public that the RVMs are designed for the return of empty beverage containers.

As such, users should ensure that containers are emptied before they are returned.

As most users return their beverage containers responsibly and empty them beforehand, there are currently no plans to provide dedicated facilities for liquid disposal at RVMs, she said.

Earlier on Oct. 3, 2026, a photo of a man and child looking into a rubbish bin at night, which was posted on the Facebook page Complaint Singapore, sparked debate online.

According to the caption accompanying the photo, the pair were allegedly a father and son who were rummaging through the bin for BCRS containers.

For the past two years, a resident at Havelock Road says he has been frustrated by a neighbour's dog regularly pooping along the common corridor.

It would happen two to three times a week, sometimes outside his house — even though they are not right next to each other — and sometimes outside other neighbours' houses, the man told Shin Min Daily News.

According to Shin Min, video footage from Sep. 28 shows a Pomeranian running to the man's doorstep at 4am and defecating before leaving.

Issue still unresolved

The man claimed that he had submitted a complaint to various authorities over the years, but to no avail. They apparently advised him to install a CCTV camera outside his house to get evidence.

Initially, when the issue first began, he would talk to the dog's owner and ask him to clean up the poop.

But later, the man started to have difficulties walking, and was unable to approach the dog's owner directly each time it happened.

He had to resort to informing the authorities to come and clean it up instead.

That does not solve the root problem, the man said.

"We don't think that it's a problem to keep pets," he added, "but people need to take responsibility and ensure that the common areas are clean."

However, other neighbours Shin Min spoke to said the dog had not pooped outside their houses before.

Poop was tossed aside

In another video footage provided by the complainant, the Pomeranian again went to his doorstep to relieve itself on the evening of Aug. 11, Shin Min reported.

A man believed to be the dog's owner's son appeared on camera, and looked to be picking up the poop, then tossing it down the corridor.

That night, dog poop was allegedly found at another spot along the corridor, and the complainant had to ask the dog's owner's son to clean it up.

"The problem keeps happening," the man said. "I feel helpless and very troubled."

The dog's owner's response

The dog's owner, surnamed Lin (transliteration), explained to Shin Min that the problem arose because he has been unable to shut his front door completely.

He demonstrated this to the reporters. No matter how hard he tried to pull it shut, the door would still open, according to Shin Min.

"The door is faulty," he said. "I did not let the dog out on purpose, so it's not my fault."

He was also often exhausted after work to notice the dog slipping out, and his children did not pay much attention either.

However, his children would walk the three-year-old Pomeranian every day, he added.

"There's no way I would have specially trained the dog to go poop outside [the complainant's] house," Lin said. "As long as they inform us, we will go to clean it up."