Singapore households can expect a 17 per cent increase in electricity tariff from July to September 2026, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) said in a Jun. 30 statement.

The higher prices are due to increased prices of natural gas amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Town gas tariff will also go up by 7.1 per cent.

This was after natural gas prices have gone up sharply since end-February 2026.

It remained elevated throughout April to June, leading to higher costs of producing electricity and town gas, EMA said.

SP Group statement

Grid operator SP Group also said in a statement on Tuesday that electricity prices for homes will go up to 31.91 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) before goods and services tax (GST) — up by 4.64 cents per kWh — from the previous quarter.

A four-room flat household is likely to pay S$17.14 more for its average monthly electricity bill, before GST.

The overall electricity tariff will rise by 17.5 per cent or 4.66 cents per kWh on average, compared with the previous quarter.

This applies to non-households as well.

City Energy statement

City Energy, a piped town gas provider, said separately the gas tariff for households will increase by 1.56 cents per kWh from the previous quarter, to 23.48 cents per KWh, before GST.

Guidelines

EMA, which is the regulator, provides guidelines.

SP Group and City Energy review the electricity and gas tariffs every quarter based on the guidelines.

Electricity and gas tariffs can fluctuate from quarter to quarter, as they are determined based on gas prices in the first 2.5 months of the preceding quarter.

Changes in fuel prices will only show up in the electricity tariffs in the next quarter.

EMA added that consumers on electricity retail contracts may see higher prices at the point of contract renewal during this elevated fuel prices period.

Fuel prices may fall if the situation improves in the Middle East, EMA noted, which results in lower electricity and town gas tariffs in the fourth quarter of the year.

A landlord made a gruesome discovery while investigating a foul smell on Jun. 28, finding the body of a woman hidden inside a suitcase that was concealed inside a cardboard box beneath a pile of clothes.

The odour was reportedly so overwhelming that some neighbours had to cover the ventilation openings of their windows to block out the smell.

Authorities are currently investigating the case as a murder.

Discovered inside a bloated suitcase

Speaking to China Press, the landlord shared that he visited the third-floor unit after multiple failed attempts to contact his tenants.

He described the house as "very dirty, the floor covered in sewage stains" and having a "foul odour".

"In the corner of the living room, there was a large cardboard box covered with clothes and fabrics. The foul liquid was leaking out from that box."

When he approached the box to inspect it, he discovered a suitcase inside.

Pulling it up, he realised the suitcase was incredibly heavy and bloated, which made it difficult to unzip.

He decided to call the police.

Kajang District Police Chief Naazron Bin Abdul Yusof confirmed that the police received a report at around 8:37pm.

Police personnel, including a forensics team, were dispatched to the scene.

According to the New Straits Times, the corridor leading to the apartment was quiet and dimly lit, with no movement of residents in or out of the area.

Though a CCTV was located at the scene, it is unclear if it was operational.

The tenants

The landlord told China Press that though the body was completely unrecognisable, he believed the female victim's body was a Nepalese 30-year-old woman who had rented the apartment three months ago.

She had apparently lived in the apartment with a man.

When the couple rented the house, they claimed they were married, but due to the language barrier, the landlord was unable to learn more about them.

The landlord described the man as having blonde hair and tattoos.

He added that the couple's rent payments had been highly irregular, with the man frequently requesting extensions before ultimately failing to pay.

The landlord has tried to contact the man since he discovered the body, but the calls have gone unanswered.

Neighbours said they were shocked as there were no fights, thefts, or serious crimes reported in the area before.

One resident told Buletin TV3: "We don't know them. They came and went without mingling with anyone."

Investigated as murder

The case is being investigated under Section 302 of Malaysia's Penal Code for murder.

If convicted, the offence carries the death penalty or imprisonment of not less than 30 years and up to 40 years, along with at least 12 strokes of the cane.

A 55-year-old licensed Singaporean real estate agent, who promoted an Australian property investment scheme and caused 347 investors to lose a total of S$16.21 million, was sentenced to three months' jail on Jun. 24.

She pleaded guilty to one charge under the Securities and Futures Act for consenting to her company dealing in securities without a Capital Markets Services licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

Three days after the sentencing, Wendy Kwek Siang Ling took to Facebook to address the case and ask for forgiveness.

However, the post has since sparked outrage among many of her victims, a significant number of whom are elderly investors.

Apology

In her post, Kwek described the past 11 years as the "most difficult period" of her life, saying the experience had given her time to reflect on her actions.

She apologised and asked for forgiveness, saying she recognised the consequences of her actions.

"Though I have always acted in good faith, hoping I could help my network become more successful financially, some deals just did not turn out well. This experience has reinforced for me the importance of exercising better judgment, understanding legal and regulatory framework before taking action."

Kwek added that she hoped to emerge from the experience as a "wiser and more thoughtful person" and thanked those who had continued to show her kindness and support.

One victim invested about S$180,000 in total

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, one victim, 75-year-old Yang Fushan (transliteration), said he attended one of Kwek's investment courses about a decade ago after seeing an advertisement.

He said he had planned to invest in real estate as part of his retirement strategy, and subsequently invested about S$180,000 in projects in the Philippines, the UK and Australia.

Yang said investors were promised guaranteed rental returns and lease buyback arrangements.

However, construction was later delayed by the developer.

Despite making repeated inquiries, he received no response, leading him to suspect something was wrong.

Project remains unresolved

Another affected victim, surnamed Wu, who invested in a real estate project in the Philippines through Kwek's introduction more than 10 years ago, said that the project's statu remains unresolved.

Wu said he paid S$2,999 to attend one of Kwek's courses before investing another S$13,000 in a student apartment unit in the Philippines.

However, the apartment was never built.

He later learnt that around 91 people, most of them elderly, had invested in the same project.

According to Wu, each investor paid a deposit of at least S$10,000 for one unit, bringing the group's total investment to at least S$910,000.

After learning that Kwek had been jailed, Wu said he and around 10 other victims went to a police station on Jun. 27 in the hope of recovering their money.

Some of the victims flew to the Philippines

According to Wu, after receiving no updates from the Philippine developer for two to three years, about 15 investors travelled to the Philippines to locate him, Shin Min reported.

However, they found the developer's business premises deserted.

Although the developer later promised to refund the money after they managed to contact him, no repayments were made.

Wu added that they were also unable to contact Kwek.

He pointed out that it has been more than 10 years since he invested, but explained that he did not lodge a police report earlier as he had been waiting for the developer to respond.

He said he had almost given up hope before Kwek's sentencing prompted him to believe the case might finally see some progress.

Other victims

Another victim, surnamed Lin, told Shin Min that she was working in the research sector more than 10 years ago when she and several friends enrolled in Kwek's course due to concerns about their retirement income.

She paid a S$17,000 deposit for one apartment unit.

A separate victim said she spent two weekends attending Kwek's classes before purchasing two units, paying deposits totalling more than S$20,000.

However, more than a decade later, the apartments have yet to be built, and the money they invested has not been recovered.

To celebrate her 47th birthday, Singaporean actress Jeanette Aw gave back by holding a fundraiser for the Singapore Children's Society, raising over S$20,000 so far.

The fundraiser included a charity sale of memorabilia from episodes of Aw's YouTube channel, "JA Unscripted".

Along with the charity sale, Aw is also holding an online fundraiser, which runs till the end of July.

Giving back

Announcing the fundraiser, Aw said in a YouTube video that she wanted to use her 47th birthday as an occasion to give back, with the Singapore Children's Society as the beneficiary.

Proceeds from the charity sale and online fundraiser will go towards "supporting Singapore Children's Society and the important work that they do".

Some of the memorabilia showcased include original artworks and a tingkat with a hand-painted floral design.

"If you've been following our episodes on JA Unscripted, you should be able to recognise many of these items and know the moments behind them," Aw said.

Charity sale

Aw shared that since she announced the fundraiser, donations have been pouring in steadily.

Commenting on the setting and scale of the fundraiser, Aw told Shin Min Daily News, "We don't need a lot of people, but people who are willing to participate and donate in the sale."

The charity sale was held in a cosy setting at 50 Niven Road on Jun. 28, between 10am and 2pm.

Fellow actress and fans shows support

Fellow actress Seow Sin Nee, who shared the screen with Aw in local drama "Highway to Somewhere", was spotted at the charity sale, Shin Min reported.

She took home a purse for S$300.

Seow also gave Aw a bottle of Japanese sake as a birthday gift.

Seow told Shin Min that she decided to come show her support after learning that Aw was holding a charity sale.

"I scrolled through Instagram and saw the mustard-yellow purse. I'm glad to be able to contribute to the cause while also taking home something I liked," Seow commented.

The highest-priced item during the sale was a S$3,000 luxury bag, which was bought by a fan as a gift for his wife.

Apart from that, the fan, Ma Jia Wei (transliteration), also took home Aw's Japan-exclusive picture book, "Sol's World: Somebody to Love".

Ma told Shin Min, "I had bought Aw's first book. I came early today as I was worried that I'll miss out on her second book."

Ma shared that he has been a fan of Aw's for years, and that his favourite work of hers was "Little Nyonya".

"I really like her personality, and how kind she is. Through her, I learned about perseverance," Ma commented.

Online fundraiser goes on until end of July

As of Jun. 30, Aw's online fundraiser on Giving.sg has raised over S$8,000, surpassing the stated goal of S$6,288.

The proceeds from the charity sale and the online fundraiser have totalled about S$20,000 so far.

On the funds raised, Aw expressed her elation, saying, "Pleased! This has already far surpassed our original goal of S$6,288."

"Many of those who came to support not only gave based on the price of the items, they also donated extra. One of them donated S$628, which is the date of my birthday. That warmed my heart," Aw commented, according to Shin Min.

She also said, "I'm very grateful to everyone for supporting me in such a manner. More importantly, their donations will go to helping Singapore Children's Society. I think this is very meaningful."

Aw's online fundraiser will run from until the end of July.

A 51-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 24 days’ jail for toppling and damaging a National Parks Board (NParks) crow trap, resulting in four birds escaping.

He apparently felt lonely and empathised with the trapped animals.

Mohd Yusrin Bin Mohd Yusof pleaded guilty to one charge of mischief, disrupting the performance of the duty and function of a public agency on Jun. 29, Lianhe Zaobao reported.

Four other charges were taken into consideration during sentencing.

Damage

Court proceedings revealed that NParks had engaged a wildlife pest control contractor to place a bird trap on a grass patch near Block 51 Havelock Road between Mar. 1 and 7 to trap crows.

This was part of NParks' efforts to manage the population of bird species such as crows.

In charge sheets seen by Mothership, on Mar. 2 at about 12:38am, Yusrin used a rock to break the number lock securing the bird trap, resulting in the escape of three birds.

He was on bail at the time of the offence.

On the same morning, the pest control contractor sent personnel to inspect the trap and replace the broken lock.

However, at about 10:59pm, Yusrin returned to the bird trap and toppled it with his hands, causing a bird to escape.

He also caused approximately S$4,000 in damages, which included the cost of the cage’s repair and S$100 reward bounty for each bird.

Empathised

The prosecution argued that Yusrin’s actions obstructed the duties of government agencies and could potentially have serious consequences, requesting a custodial sentence.

Yusrin also admitted he damaged the bird cage as he wanted to release the trapped birds, claiming they were pitiful.

In mitigation, he claimed he could empathise with the trapped birds, citing that he had no friends and apparently felt lonely.

In sentencing, the judge noted the offence’s severity.

He also acknowledged Yusrin’s rationale for damaging the bird traps.

"As a community, we need to exercise control over certain things. You cannot let compassion override reason and disregard what you can or cannot do," the judge reportedly said.

Angered by his younger brother's cleaning habits at home, a man strangled him to death on Mar. 11, 2025, then called an ambulance hours later.

Abdul Rani Bin Md Ariffin, 58, admitted to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel that he had choked and suffocated his 56-year-old brother.

On Jun. 30, he pleaded guilty in court to one charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Calling the incident a "sad and tragic case", the judge sentenced him to eight years in prison, taking into consideration his diagnosis of schizophrenia and adjustment disorder.

Caregiver

At the time of the offence, Abdul Rani was living with the victim, Abdul Rahman, and their two sisters at Block 187 Boon Lay Avenue.

After their mother passed away in 2010, Abdul Rani was the one taking care of all three siblings staying in the unit.

He would bring them to medical appointments and buy household items and groceries for them.

Cleaning dispute

The prosecution told the court that on Jan. 27, 2025, Abdul Rahman was hospitalised for a week due to swelling and bruising.

He was later diagnosed with acquired Hemophilia A — an inherited bleeding disorder.

After his discharge, Abdul Rahman started cleaning the unit frequently.

He would take out household items, sort through them, discard unwanted things, and rearrange or store the remainder in drawers.

He usually did not complete cleaning one area before moving on to another, leaving multiple piles of unsorted items throughout the apartment.

This cleaning practice also occurred at night.

This behaviour caused Abdul Rani to feel "fed up" with his brother, the prosecution said.

He would ask his brother why he was incessantly cleaning and tidying up, and Abdul Rahman would tell him not to be a busybody.

The incident

Around 3am on Mar. 11, 2025, Abdul Rani heard one of his sisters tell Abdul Rahman he still had not finished tidying up.

The younger brother scolded her, but Abdul Rani could not recall what he said.

He went to his younger brother's bedroom to reprimand him and asked, "Why does the cleaning never end?"

His younger brother replied, "I clean as I wish to la."

Abdul Rani was angered by this response and how his brother scolded his sister, and he suddenly felt like strangling his brother.

According to the prosecution, he also pitied his brother because of his many illnesses and his poor memory. He wanted to make his brother's worries disappear.

He went behind his brother and put his arm around him from the back, then squeezed his neck until he stopped moving.

Abdul Rahman, who did not struggle, started to foam at the mouth. Despite seeing the foam, the older brother climbed over his hip and strangled him again with his hands.

He also pressed a cushion down over his nose hard until he was sure his younger brother was dead.

He intended to cause his brother's death, though he understood that what he did was wrong, the prosecution said.

Around 11:19am the next morning, Abdul Rani called for an ambulance, saying that he had choked his brother and that the body was already cold and stiff.

The younger brother was pronounced dead at the scene, and Abdul Rani was arrested shortly after.

Psychiatric evaluation

The prosecution previously sought an evaluation at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), and in court referred to a psychiatric report on Abdul Rani.

Noting that Abdul Rani has an established diagnosis of schizophrenia, the report stated he was not in an active relapse at the time of his assessment, and was not in an active relapse nor of unsound mind at the time of the offence.

However, he demonstrated difficulties in emotional regulation and expression, and his clinical presentation at the time of the offence is believed to be indicative of an adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct.

The report added that he was also facing caregiver stress related to caring for his younger brother at the time.

In addition to adjustment disorder, he had a mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct that included a depressed mood state and irritability.

These symptoms would have a real and material effect or influence on his ability to appreciate the moral wrongfulness of his actions during the offence, the report said.

Sentencing

The prosecution sought a sentence of eight to ten years in prison, saying that it would reflect the gravity of the offence.

They noted the psychiatrist's assessment that Abdul Rani is not of any imminent or significant risk to himself or others, both in the prison and community settings, and would benefit from psychiatric follow-up and treatment.

However, they also highlighted that the murder was a "sustained attack" that continued even after the younger brother had stopped moving and was foaming.

This demonstrated a "disturbing level of violence", the prosecution argued.

They added that there was an abuse of familial trust and of the victim's vulnerability, as he had been discharged from the hospital not long before.

Abdul Rani's lawyer emphasised the psychiatric assessment about the lack of imminent risk, and that the case was a situation of caretaker fatigue, and of friction between the two brothers.

Abdul Rani would have to live the rest of his life with the conscience he had taken away his brother’s life, the lawyer added.

Taking all this into consideration, the judge said that an offence of causing death with the intention of doing so is undoubtedly a grave offence.

He sentenced Abdul Rani to eight years in prison, backdated to the date of his arrest on Mar. 11, 2025.

A man in his 30s was detained and tested positive for drugs after officers from the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) in Malaysia raided the house he was staying in.

The incident was brought to light in a Jun. 28 AADK Facebook post, which stated that officers had raided the house following public tip-offs about suspected drug abuse.

Upon reaching the house, officers found the man asleep in a bedroom.

According to the post, preliminary investigations found that the man was living in the house with his brother after divorcing his wife about a year ago.

Baby refused to be separated from father

The man's one-year-old daughter was also found in the bedroom, after which she was taken to the AADK office while officers tried to contact family members.

Though staff members tried to coax the infant, she was said to have cried and refused to be separated from her father.

Other family members later showed up, took her home, and then handed her over to her mother for full-time care.

Man detained, tested positive for drugs

In addition, both brothers displayed suspicious behaviour and were taken for urine screenings, after which they tested positive for drugs.

The post also stated that the infant's father was detained so that the agency could continue its investigations and take action under the relevant laws.

The Singapore police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 14-year-old girl Lee Jia Xuan.

She was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans in the vicinity of Block 8 Lorong Lew Lian on Jun. 17 at about 12pm.

Anyone with information is requested to call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/i-witness.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Diners at Boon Lay Place Food Village were surprised with a live music performance on Jun. 27 and 28.

The pop-up concert, held by ground-up youth organisation 13th Mile Collective, was headlined by getai singer Raybe Oh, who performed there both nights.

The show also featured performances by Jeff Ng, Arya Yunata, Muhammad Firdaus, Jason Yu, and Yiting Ong.

On a makeshift stage with a sound system set up, the singers treated residents to various classic tunes sometimes accompanied by the guitar or keyboard.

According to the organisation's Facebook post, the series, dubbed Table 808, is about "turning everyday heartland spaces into places where people come together".

Previously, they held a similar concert at Jurong West Hawker Centre in March.

Supporting hawkers

Oh made her getai comeback in late February after she suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body while attempting to rescue her fiancé and friends from a car crash in 2021.

The Retro Runway Concert was her first performance at a hawker centre.

In April, a volunteer at 13th Mile Collective reached out and asked if she was available to be a part of the concert, which sought to promote Singapore’s hawker culture and spirit, Oh told Mothership.

"It’s my pleasure to contribute in my own way by bringing music, joy, and a lively atmosphere to the hawkers and everyone there," she said.

Very different from getai

Oh described the evening as a completely new experience that she "absolutely loved".

"Since I was so close to the audience, I could interact with them throughout the performance, which made it feel very engaging and personal," she said.

The intimate setting made it feel very different from getai shows, which Oh said are more focused on putting on a polished show on a beautiful stage.

To Oh, performing at a hawker centre was "much more relaxed, interactive, and all about having fun with the diners and audience".

"I really enjoyed that close connection with everyone," she added.

"[The hawkers] work long hours in the same environment every day, so seeing them smile, sing along, and even dance while I was performing really made my day.

Moments like that remind me how music can bring people together."

Related stories

A Thai woman has been jailed seven and a half years for trafficking her daughter and forcing her into sex work in Japan.

The court in Bangkok reportedly said the term was halved because the 30-year-old woman pleaded guilty, according to NHK.

The woman, only identified as Laksana, brought her then 12-year-old daughter to Tokyo to work at a massage parlour in June 2025, reported Kyodo News.

Wanted to take care of youngest son

Laksana reportedly told Kyodo News following the verdict that she took her daughter to Japan because she only wanted her to help take care of her youngest baby boy while she was working at the massage parlour.

Police believe the girl provided sexual services to about 60 customers over a month between June and July in 2025.

The girl has been receiving care at a government-run facility since going back to Thailand in December.

What happened

It was previously reported that before the incident, the woman worked abroad providing sexual services while the girl lived with her grandparents.

On Jun. 27, 2025, both mother and daughter travelled to Japan from Thailand on a 15-day tourist visa.

It was the girl's first time in Japan.

The woman then allegedly handed her daughter over to the owner of a massage parlour in Tokyo.

She told the girl to stay there and work and instructed her to perform sexual massages.

The incident came to light in September 2025, when the girl went alone to the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward to seek help.

She was then taken into protective custody as a trafficking victim.

The woman was arrested in Taoyuan during a prostitution raid and was believed to be linked to an international prostitution ring.