A group of Malaysian tourists is facing widespread criticism after videos of them mocking locals in China for their alleged body odour went viral on social media.

The clips, originally posted by TikTok user @ekyn.wong before being taken down, were reshared on Threads and quickly spread to Chinese social media platforms.

@ekyn.wong has since disabled comments on her TikTok account.

View on Threads

 

What the videos showed

In one clip, the group was seen queuing with other visitors while waiting to board a bus.

One woman was filmed covering her nose, while another could be heard shouting at those around them.

"It smells so bad! Did none of you shower?" one of them said in Malay.

In the same clip, one of the women was also heard questioning how locals clean up after using the toilet.

In a separate video, the tourists were also heard making comments about an e-hailing driver, with one of them saying he had not showered.

"I think he really smells bad. We already showered, you know. Chinese people smell bad. Lazy to shower."

Backlash from fellow Malaysians

The videos drew swift criticism online, with many Malaysians calling the group's behaviour embarrassing and disrespectful, and apologising on behalf of the tourists.

One user described their behaviour as "disgusting", while another warned of the wider impact on Malaysians living abroad:

"If you are proud bringing this kind of attitude to a foreign country, please remember the Malaysian students and expats living there, they will be affected by your attitude!"

Durians are growing in abundance on durian trees in Lorong Lew Lian in Serangoon this season.

So far, 30 durians have fallen to the ground over the past two weeks, residents told Lianhe Zaobao.

The ripened spiky tropical fruit has brought many people from the estate and beyond to the foot of Block 5 Lorong Lew Lian to catch a glimpse of what nature has to offer, given that such durian trees are rare and visually "striking".

Some of the 13 mature durian trees in the estate are four to five storeys high.

The durian trees were planted in 1995.

About 10 passers-by stopped to observe the durians, and some senior citizens at the void deck next to a tree appeared to be waiting for durians to fall, based on what Zaobao observed.

Tastes like potato: Resident

A woman, who has lived in the area for 12 years, said she previously picked up and tasted a fallen durian in June 2017.

She had been curious about the taste of wild durian and immediately took it home to try.

She said: "Yes, I picked up one time, but the durian is like really not nice. Eh, potato taste. It's not sweet at all, just like very dry."

Another woman living nearby said: "I'd only ever noticed the durian trees in bloom before, but this year the fruit seems particularly plentiful."

She added that this was "quite novel".

Senior citizens

Even though they are not supposed to pick the durians, it appeared people are still doing it.

A resident in her 50s told Zaobao that the people waiting for durians to fall were mostly senior citizens.

She said they would usually go to the ground floor of the block in the early morning or after dinner and chat as they waited.

"Picking durians also depends on luck," she said, adding that those who go out early and come back late are more likely to get durians that have fallen in the middle of the night.

"Some will cut off the fruits hanging on the lower branches in order to eat the durians," she said.

She added: "These durians haven't fallen naturally yet, which means they are not ripe, and the taste and texture will be less than ideal."

Zaobao reported that a resident who has lived in the area for 25 years was excited and took pictures of the durian trees from various angles.

She said: "Every time I see the branches laden with fruit, I feel very happy, as if I have returned to the time when I played under the durian trees in the kampung village when I was a child."

Senior citizens travel to Lorong Lew Lian

A 58-year-old man living in Sengkang, who visited the site after reading Zaobao's earlier report, grew up in a kampung and had not seen durian trees bearing fruit for a long time.

He said: "Many young people have never seen durian trees, let alone branches laden with fruit. The government should consider preserving these trees; I believe they can play an educational role."

A 71-year-old retiree from Bukit Batok also went to see the durian trees after learning about them from Zaobao's report.

He said he would not try to pick the durians as that is illegal and could result in a fine.

"Lorong Lew Lian" name derived from Hokkien word for durian

Responding to Zaobao's queries, the town council said the name "Lorong Lew Lian" comes from the Hokkien word for "durian".

The area had once been a durian plantation and had a history dating back to the kampung period over 70 years ago, the town council said.

It added that the existing durian trees were previously planted during a tree-planting event in November 1995, as well as during the 2015 celebration of Singapore's 50th year of independence.

According to Zaobao, the town council had previously stated that the trees would be closely monitored during fruit-ripening season for safety reasons and the durians would be removed in advance if necessary to reduce the risk of them falling.

Responding to another of Zaobao's queries in June, the town council said then that it had decided not to remove the durians since many enjoyed the unique sight.

It said it was still evaluating various options and would decide on the most appropriate course of action.

Those who pick or collect fruit in public parks without permission may be fined up to S$5,000.

Those who do so in nature reserves or national parks may be fined up to S$50,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.

Chinese indie film "Dear You", which was mainly filmed in the Teochew dialect, will be dubbed in Mandarin for its general release in Singapore.

Responding to Mothership's queries, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) spokesperson said, "IMDA has classified the film 'Dear You' for theatrical release in Singapore."

"The general public will be able to watch the Mandarin-dubbed version of the film which will be screened commercially."

"The Teochew version will be screened at the premiere. It will also be available for subsequent festival/niche screenings," the spokesperson added.

The dubbing is in line with IMDA's current approach, where full-dialect films can be screened at festivals or niche events to provide access to those who wish to view the film in its original language.

"This continues to support the bilingual policy which aims to promote Mandarin as the main language amongst Chinese Singaporeans.”

Dialect content is only allowed on a case-by-case basis

According to The Straits Times (ST), films that feature dialect content are allowed only on a case-by-case basis.

Golden Village and Singapore distributor Clover Films had previously announced on Facebook that there were limited screenings of the film in the original Teochew version at VivoCity from Jun. 18 to 21.

The tickets for the eight Teochew screenings are now fully sold out.

ST said that all 4,800 tickets were sold out within two hours of the launch on Jun. 16.

The film is set to release in cinemas on Jun. 18, and IMDA's response comes before its release, quelling netizens' speculation about the film's release language.

Film dominated China's box office

The movie has grossed 1.6 billion yuan (S$303.5 million) in China, according to ST.

This was despite the film's modest budget of 14 million yuan (S$2.66 million) and largely unknown cast, according to the Global Times.

According to IMDb, the film follows Xiaowei, who travels to Thailand to find his "billionaire grandfather," who has been out of contact due to debt problems, but unexpectedly discovers that the one who has been corresponding with his grandmother for years is not her husband.

The movie, which shot most of its dialogue in Teochew, is director Lan Hong Chun's third such feature film.

Lan and his team interviewed more than 120 seniors in the Chaoshan region who migrated to Southeast Asia to ensure the movie was historically accurate, ST reported.

Dialect restrictions date back to 1979

The Speak Mandarin Campaign, which was introduced in 1979, coincided with restrictions on the use of dialects.

Mandarin was designated as the common language among Chinese Singaporeans, and the campaign restricted the use of Chinese dialects in film, television, and radio.

According to ST, the usage of Chinese dialects subsequently dropped from 76 per cent in 1980 to 8.7 per cent in 2020.

UPDATE on Jun. 17 at 8:35pm: The Singapore Civil Defence Force updated that two people were sent to the hospital instead of one. The article has been updated to reflect this.

A taxi and a car collided outside Bendemeer MRT station on the morning of Jun. 17.

When Mothership arrived at the scene at about 9:55 am, the police had cordoned off the road for investigations.

An Expressway Monitoring Advisory System (EMAS) tow truck was present.

In response to queries from Mothership, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they were alerted to the accident along Kallang Bahru at 8am.

The SCDF conveyed two persons to Raffles Hospital.

Both vehicles had their airbags deployed

Both vehicles' airbags were deployed.

The red car sported a GetGo decal, and appeared to be more severely damaged than the taxi.

What appeared to be motor oil was leaking from the red car, and debris was strewn across the street.

The guardrails at the road divider were also heavily damaged.

Onlookers were also seen taking photos and videos of the site.

When Mothership spoke to police officers at the scene, they said police investigations were ongoing and declined to comment further.

Mothership has reached out the police for more information.

The Land Transport Authority updated on X that the road was closed after the accident.

Accident on Kallang Bahru (towards Kallang Avenue) after Boon Keng Road. Kallang Bahru closed after Boon Keng Road

— LTATrafficNews (@LTAtrafficnews) June 17, 2026

Cabby receiving medical attention

Responding to Mothership's queries, a GetGo spokesperson said that investigations were ongoing and that they were unable to comment.

However, they added that "the safety of our users and the wider community is of utmost importance".

"Our priority continues to be offering the necessary support to the parties involved."

A ComfortDelGro spokesperson also told Mothership: "We are aware of the incident that occurred along Kallang Bahru Road today, where another vehicle collided with one of our taxis."

The spokesperson revealed that the driver and the passenger were promptly conveyed to the hospital.

The passenger has since been discharged, and ComfortDelGro is in contact with the cabby, who is receiving medical attention.

The ComfortDelGro spokesperson added: "Safety remains our top priority, and we will continue to provide our cabby and passenger support."

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a new housing model for the British capital inspired by Singapore's.

Under the "Singapore style" initiative, City Hall, headquarters of the Greater London Authority (GLA), became a direct partner in developing new homes for the first time, BBC reported.

The model is "inspired by the way new homes are built in Singapore, where the state plays a central role in housing delivery", according to a press release from the London government.

Learning from Singapore

Khan was in town to attend the 2026 World Cities Summit from Jun. 14 to 16, where London was officially conferred the 2026 Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Laureate.

During his visit, he took a tour of SkyResidence @ Dawson, as captured in a Facebook video.

"What can London learn from Singapore when it comes to building genuinely affordable homes?" Khan asked in the opening of the video.

He highlighted the sense of community he saw, the local residents he spoke to, and the proximity of playgrounds and general practitioner (GP) clinics to the estates.

They reminded him of his council estate in South London, he said.

"I've been incredibly impressed by the role the state has in housing development," he said about Singapore, as quoted by BBC.

"The number of homes that are built here on an annual basis by the government getting involved in development. I think we can learn in London."

A more active role

Khan believes that more active involvement from London's City Hall will help unlock stalled developments and boost the supply of affordable housing.

The GLA will invest £100 million (S$172 million) to support plans for building 7,000 new homes in east London.

About 30 per cent of these homes will be "genuinely affordable", Khan added.

This active approach marks a new era for housebuilding in London that takes inspiration from "Singapore’s world-class housing model", the caption reads.

Caution

However, some experts have cautioned that Singapore's success is built on conditions that do not exist in London, according to BBC.

A property economist cited by BBC said that Singapore can effectively control and manage the housing market because of its consistency of governance and policy, and because the government owns around 90 per cent of the land.

Sadiq acknowledged the differences between the two cities.

He argued that the initiative meant for London to take inspiration from Singapore rather than attempting to replicate its model entirely.

"What we've done is we've learnt from the best and tweaked it to give it a London twist," he said.

Two Malaysian soldiers were killed in an explosion during a grenade-throwing exercise in Gurun, Malaysia.

The incident occurred on Jun. 16 at about 10:57am at a firing range in Hobart Camp during a combat enhancement training exercise, New Straits Times and Free Malaysia Today reported.

Corporal Norazmi Abu Bakar, 40, of the 6th Battalion Royal Malay Regiment and Private Siti Khadijah Sungip, 24, of the 1st Squadron Royal Engineers Regiment, died on their way to a local hospital.

Their bodies were sent to another hospital for a post-mortem.

Local police also confirmed the incident, saying they were alerted at about 12:30pm.

Grenade-throwing suspended

According to New Straits Times, the Malaysia army has suspended all grenade-throwing training with immediate effect following the incident.

The suspension was apparently necessary to investigate what happened.

Full assistance is also being provided to the victims’ families, including any compensation they are entitled to.

Sultan extends condolences

In a Facebook post, Sultan Ibrahim, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces, extended his condolences to the deceased.

“Al-Fatihah for the two personnel who were killed in this tragedy. May they be placed among the faithful and martyrs,” he said.

He added that he has ordered the Malaysian Armed Forces to identify the cause of the incident.

The Housing and Development Board (HDB) launched 6,952 flats for sale on Jun. 17 under the June 2026 Build-To-Order (BTO) exercise.

They make up seven BTO projects in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Bukit Merah, Sembawang, and Woodlands, HDB said in a press release.

The Bishan project is the first of two planned in Lakeview, marking the first time new public housing is introduced in the Upper Thomson area.

A total of 1,221 units will be on offer.

Among all the flats launched, 2,300 are two-room flexi flats.

This is to meet the housing needs of single first-time buyers and seniors, HDB explained.

Waiting times

HDB advised buyers who wish to move into their homes sooner to consider the 2,035 Shorter Waiting Time (SWT) flats at the Sembawang Portico and Sembawang Brook estates.

They have wait times of less than three years.

Such flats are also available at the Kebun Baru Ridge project in Ang Mo Kio, with a wait time of three years and one month.

Project types

There are a mix of Standard, Plus, and Prime projects among the seven newly launched projects.

The Plus and Prime flats have a 10-year minimum occupation period (MOP).

If the owners sell their flat after the MOP, they will be required to pay HDB a subsidy recovery.

The subsidy recovery rates are 8 per cent for Kebun Baru Ridge and Kebun Baru Breeze, 10 per cent for Lakeview Cascadia, and 14 per cent for Berlayar Rise.

Ang Mo Kio

The two new projects in Ang Mo Kio are Kebun Baru Ridge and Kebun Baru Breeze.

Both are Plus projects with two-room flexi, three-room, and four-room flats on offer.

Excluding grants, a two-room flexi flat starts from S$191,000, while a three-room flat starts from S$380,000, and a four-room flat from S$543,000 in these projects.

Bishan

In Upper Thomson, the new Lakeview Cascadia estate is a Prime project with two-room flexi and four-room flats.

Excluding grants, the flat types start from S$216,000 and S$534,000 respectively.

Bukit Merah

Also a Prime project, Berlayar Rise in Bukit Merah will consist of two-room flexi, three-room, and four-room flats.

Excluding grants, a two-room flexi flat here starts from S$247,000, while a three-room flat starts from S$435,000, and a four-room flat from S$592,000.

Sembawang

Sembawang Portico and Sembawang Brook are both Standard projects, and their flat types range from two-room flexi to 3Gen.

Excluding grants, a two-room flexi flat starts from S$139,000, while a three-room flat starts from S$250,000, a four-room flat from S$302,000, a five-room flat from S$420,000, and a 3Gen from S$468,000.

Woodlands

Another Standard project, Woodlands Acres also has a wide range of flat types available.

Excluding grants, a two-room flexi flat starts from S$137,000, while a three-room flat starts from S$260,000, a four-room flat from S$353,000, a five-room flat from S$472,000.

More support for families

From this June 2026 exercise, HDB will increase the Third Child Priority Scheme (TCPS) allocation quota from up to 5 per cent, to up to 10 per cent.

The scheme aims to provide greater support to families with three or more children.

Those who wish to apply can check their eligibility here.

Applications

Flat applications can be made online via the HDB Flat Portal any time from Jun. 17 to Jun. 24.

HDB will shortlist applicants using a computer ballot, not on a first-come, first-served basis.

More information on the application and all the flats on offer can be found here.

Next BTO exercise

The next BTO sales exercise will be in October 2026, with about 7,960 flats planned in Bedok, Geylang, Sembawang, Tengah, Toa Payoh, and Yishun.

Community Care Apartment (CCAs) will also be offered in Toa Payoh.

HDB encourages those who wish to participate in the October exercise to apply for an HDB Flat Eligibility (HFE) letter early and submit all required documents by Sep. 15.

HDB added that they will continue to monitor the housing demand closely, and are prepared to offer more than 55,000 flats from 2025 to 2027, if necessary.

A male youth cycling across the road in Sengkang, when he did not have the right of way, was seen getting hit by a car.

The incident was caught on the dashcam of a vehicle travelling along Punggol Road in the direction of Hougang on Jun. 15 at around 11:50pm.

Boy said he was okay but was bleeding

A video of the incident submitted by a Mothership reader showed that the traffic lights had turned green in favour of vehicles travelling along Punggol Road.

As the vehicles started moving off after the lights turned green, a cyclist could be seen riding along the pedestrian crossing as vehicles approached him.

One car slowed down, while the other did not.

The cyclist then got hit.

He landed on the grass patch post-collision and his bicycle appeared to have been flung to the lane closer to the road divider.

He was seen getting up almost immediately.

Apologised to car driver

According to the driver whose dashcam captured the scene, the cyclist was heard apologising profusely to the driver and apparently also admitted it was his mistake.

The eyewitness said the car driver scolded the cyclist and then drove off.

However, the car's licence plate apparently fell off onto the road following the collision.

"I am sharing this information in case the boy’s family is trying to identify the driver involved in the accident," the eyewitness said.

The eyewitness added, "After the driver left, I noticed a few minutes later that the boy had blood on his face, neck, and legs. I got out of my car and checked on him, asking if he was alright. He told me that he was okay. I then gave him some tissues to help clean the blood from his face and legs."

The eyewitness also said the boy, who appeared to be about 17, kept saying he was okay, as he could have been afraid he was liable for the damages to the car.

He then picked up his damaged bicycle and walked off, the eyewitness recounted.

A Malaysian woman had to place one of her children in the orphanage due to her financial situation.

According to Sinchew, the woman, Kong, has been married twice, has three children, and is currently going through divorce procedures.

The child, Pei, had been taken care of by Kong's sister due to her financial difficulties.

However, the sister was eventually unable to care for him either.

According to Sinchew, Kong also made the difficult decision to go to Singapore to take up a job.

Kong said she hopes Pei grows up healthy and well.

Pei also handed his mother a cup of water before parting ways.

Kong cried as he left, urging him to study hard and be good.

The orphanage, Jaz Home, said they had already made plans for Pei's schooling, saying that they couldn't change his past, but would ensure a brighter future for him.

The home also posted an update on the child playing basketball and having fun.

Two Malaysian men were presented with the SaferSG Public Spiritedness Award by the Police Coast Guard (PCG) on Jun. 16, after their timely tip-off led to the recovery of a stolen Singapore-registered pleasure craft.

According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF) news release, the vessel was found drifting in Malaysian Territorial Waters (MTW).

Suspicious sighting

On Jun. 2, Muhammad Azrie Bin Manab, a Malaysian fisherman, noticed a Singapore-registered pleasure craft berthed at a mooring buoy in MTW.

As it was unusual for a Singapore-registered vessel to be at the location, Azrie grew suspicious.

He then sent a photograph he took of the craft to his cousin, Khairil Faizal Bin Othman, to verify his doubts.

Acting on his cousin's lead, Khairil approached a PCG patrol boat later that day to alert the officers of the sighting.

This crucial information helped PCG locate and recover the missing craft, which was reported stolen earlier that day.

In collaboration with the Royal Malaysia Police's Marine Police Force, PCG secured the craft and returned it to its rightful owner.

Police investigations into the theft are currently ongoing.

Commander of the PCG and Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Ang Eng Seng expressed his appreciation to the award recipients.

"This case is an exemplary example showcasing the success of cross-jurisdiction partnership between Singapore and Malaysia."