A man allegedly followed two girls around in Sengkang, got spotted, and ended up running away because the girls he was observing behind pillars decided they were having none of it and followed him back.

The chaotic scenes were captured for posterity and posted on TikTok on Aug. 29 by one of the girls, who goes by the muahchee moniker online.

At one point, muahchee's friend could be heard saying: "Ya, we can go, but I really wanna f***ing fight him."

A voice off-camera also said: "He hide in the pillar. He's squatting, he's squatting."

muahchee's friend then said: "I know you're scared but he messed with the wrong person. Take his face, take his face."

The girl who eventually did the chasing then said: "Bro, I would run after you, bro."

The TikTok's caption read: "if you cant tell laughing is our coping mechanism."

The in-video caption also read: "pov: if they r following u u follow them back!!"

@j.aeyyyyy if u cant tell laughing is our coping mechanism 😭😭😭 why r thr more creeps in sg now stay safe guys #sgisnotsafeafterall ♬ original sound - Shan Da baddest

What happened that night

In response to Mothership's queries, muahchee said the incident occurred after she and her friend were getting ice cream at a supermarket in Sengkang and were looking for a place to sit and chit chat.

They then decided to sit at a bench nearby at the housing estate.

Based on what the video showed, the girls had eventually made their way to Block 216A Compassvale Drive, which is opposite the Compass One mall.

He asked to pay them for their help

muahchee explained what happened prior to them chasing the man, who appeared to be balding and dressed in a grey t-shirt.

"While we were talking, we noticed this uncle, aka the stalker, walking around us multiple times," muahchee added.

He then solicited their help with the offer of giving them money.

muahchee said: "Eventually, he came up to us and asked, 'Can I pay you to do something for me?'"

"My friend yelled at him to get out because the whole situation was weird. But even after countless 'Get out's', bro was reluctant to leave and kept begging us to 'help' him," she continued.

The man walked away, muahchee said, and the girls decided to leave too in case "he came back".

On the way out of the estate, muahchee noticed someone staring at her from the car park "and he was sneaking around".

"When he realised we spotted him, he decided to go to another HDB block and started hiding behind the HDB pillars instead," muahchee said.

She then used her camera to zoom in on him and found out he was indeed loitering around.

Friend wanted to confront man

But muahchee was scared and wanted to leave but her friend insisted she wanted to take a picture of the man and decided to confront and chase after him.

muahchee said: "Unfortunately, bro's stamina was better than both of us HAHAHAHA so we lost track of him."

"By the way, in the midst of running, he was yelling, "I'm sorry'," muahchee added.

This sequence of events was caught on camera.

The man could be seen waving his hands at first before taking off on foot.

She also said: "So yeah, we went from getting ice cream to chasing a stalker."

No police report made

muahchee also said she suspected that the man was trying to film her and her friend at some point before the chase as she saw his phone pointing at them.

When asked if they made a police report, she said: "No, my friend just wanted to terrorise him HAHAHAHAH."

The aunt of a Thai university student who died in a car accident is seeking justice after her 19-year-old niece died in an August 2026 car accident.

According to Khaosod Online, she accused a doctor from a renowned hospital in Chiang Rai, Thailand, of beating a red light and causing the accident which killed two university students, and left one seriously injured.

Accident

Thairath.co reported that the accident occurred at about 8:24pm on Aug. 25, 2026.

The police received a report of a car colliding with a motorcycle carrying three university students at a traffic light intersection.

Police officers and rescue units were then dispatched to the scene, where they found that a red sedan had collided with a black motorcycle.

On Aug. 30, an update stated that the car had rear-ended the motorcycle, Thairath.co reported, adding that the police were gathering evidence in preparation for legal action.

Victims

Following the accident, the first fatality was identified as 19-year-old Nichapa Phromtong, a first-year law school student.

She sustained serious injuries and subsequently died.

Another first-year law student who was driving the motorcycle, 18-year-old Alfarin Kaso, was also taken to the hospital and died on Aug. 29, reported Thairath.co.

The other pillion, 18-year-old Patchareeporn Nakornchan, is receiving treatment, and her condition is being closely monitored.

Police statement

A breathalyser test conducted on the driver on Aug. 25 found that no alcohol was detected, according to a police superintendent.

He noted that the driver had valid motor vehicle insurance, adding that CCTV footage from the scene revealed that there was dimly lit orange lighting.

The vehicle did not show signs of slowing down, Thairath.co reported.

While evidence is still being gathered, the case was still pending the forensic examination report of the collision marks as of Aug. 30, as well as autopsy reports from two more doctors.

Police would expedite the investigation, the superintendent said.

He added that they would coordinate efforts ensuring that the injured and families of the deceased receive assistance and justice according to the law.

Accused of beating red light

The student's aunt, however, appealed to Khaosod Newspaper, saying she feared a delay in the investigation of the case.

She said she had raised her Nichapha since childhood and loved her dearly, and urged police to expedite the case.

Khaosod Online reported the woman as saying that though her niece wore a helmet, she reportedly suffered severe lacerations on her head.

She alleged that the doctor came to the funeral claiming that he did not have time to brake as the traffic light was about to change from yellow to red.

He also reportedly did not see the motorcycle about to stop at the intersection, which caused the rear-end collision.

She added that she does not want images or videos of the victim to be posted online because it is "very painful".

Khaosod Online reported that the university was also getting a lawyer to assist in the case.

Former Hong Kong-based Malaysian actress Datin Kong Yuk Chu has passed away at the age of 78.

Kong is the mother of Malaysian model Lisa Ch’ng and Jacquelin Ch’ng.

The announcement came via Instagram posts from both sisters and Hong Kong actor Mat Yeung, who wed Lisa on Aug. 2 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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A post shared by Lisa 莊思明 리 사 (@lisa_chng)

“It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we inform you that our beloved and revered mother has passed away, surrounded by family and loved ones, as she completed her journey through life.” Lisa’s caption read.

Lisa also thanked her mother for attending her wedding, saying it was an "irreplaceable gift".

In a subsequent post, Lisa also expressed her grief and gratitude towards Kong, accompanied by photos of her mother.

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A post shared by Lisa 莊思明 리 사 (@lisa_chng)

“I'm so grateful to be your daughter. Thank you for everything you've given me.” Her caption read.

“Mommy, even though I still have so much I want to say to you, I won't write too much here. I'll save the rest to tell you in my dream. Every one of us loves you and misses you so much. We will always remember you!” She added.

Jacqueline’s post included pictures and videos of her and Kong with other family and friends.

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A post shared by Jacquelin Chng (@jacquelinchng)

“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you that our dear and beloved mother has passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and loved ones, as she completed her journey through life. We will always love you and miss you.” Her caption read.

Kong’s wake will be held from Aug. 30 to Sep. 1.

The government is looking at getting social media platforms to turn off autoplay by default, with parents having the option of adjusting that setting, said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo.

She was speaking at an interview with the media on Aug. 28, following Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally (NDR) speech on Aug. 23, in which he highlighted the need to make social media safer for young children.

Autoplay is a function on social media platforms where media automatically loads without the user requesting playback.

Citing a Jul. 30 report by the expert panel convened by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on the mental health impact of social media use, Teo said the panel flagged certain features as potentially exposing users to safety risks.

This includes direct messaging functions, infinite scroll and autoplay functions, or algorithmically curated feeds.

Meta's changes in the U.S.

During the interview, Teo acknowledged Meta's recent US$18 billion (S$22.9 billion) settlement with U.S. states and territories.

The lawsuit was brought forth on the back of allegations that its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, harmed children.

As part of the settlement, the social media giant agreed to implement a range of measures aimed at better protecting children online.

These include a default daily time limit of two hours across both platforms, and overnight access restrictions.

Asked whether the U.S. changes could set a precedent for Singapore, Teo said some measures Meta has agreed to overlap with Singapore’s discussions with the company.

But details differ. “Different societies have different expectations on online safety,” Teo explained.

For example, under Meta’s agreement with U.S. authorities, parents can turn off autoplay, but the default setting remains continuous autoplay.

In Singapore, the hope is that it is implemented the other way round — for autoplay to be turned off as a default, with parents having the option of adjusting that setting.

No magic number

In the U.S., Meta has agreed to daily time limits, which it will implement in two phases: first with a two-hour time limit, and subsequently with a one-hour limit.

But Teo said that what's worth thinking about is that there's "no magic number" as to what constitutes a good daily time limit.

"Take the case of Meta: if Facebook and Instagram set a per-platform daily limit of 60 minutes. It does not mean a service is very safe if used for 59 minutes, and very unsafe if used for 61 minutes," she said.

Teo stressed that it is more important to look at what a daily time limit would achieve, which is a reminder that "we should engage in other aspects of our lives".

"The measures have to be thought of holistically, and we should not be overly fixated on what the number is," she said.

Many parents in Singapore are "very stretched" with multiple responsibilities, and may find it difficult to devote time and attention to helping their children with social media use.

This is one reason that the government is introducing new stronger social media safeguards for children and teens in Singapore, said Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo.

Teo noted that PM Wong had said "self-declaration (declaring one's age as above 13) is just not good enough", adding that the government will consider enforcement measures for social media platforms "that is either unable or unwilling to introduce stronger safeguards".

Beyond this "baseline set of safeguards", the government will have to "continue to work on supporting parents and helping them to build a healthy relationship with their children from a young age", Teo said.

She was speaking at an interview with the media on Aug. 28, following Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s National Day Rally (NDR) speech on Aug. 23, in which he highlighted the need to make social media safer for young children.

Enforcing a minimum age

Currently, users generally have to be at least 13 years old to create an account on a social media platform.

But PM Wong noted during his NDR speech that the current means of enforcement — self-declaration — is "just not good enough".

To mitigate this, the government is looking at making age assurance features mandatory on social media platforms, Teo said.

Age assurance can be split into three methods: Age estimation, age inference, and age verification.

The first two involve platforms using information about a user to estimate or infer their age, while age verification involves confirming a user’s age against an official record.

In Singapore, age assurance is already required for designated app stores, to prevent young users under 18 from accessing and downloading age-inappropriate apps.

The government intends to take "broadly the same approach" with social media platforms, Teo said, noting that she does not think that there is any disagreement that they will do so.

"Where a platform says it will not introduce them, the platform may not be able to access users under the age of 18, not just users under the age of 13", Teo said.

The legislative change is expected to take place in early 2027.

Strengthening the approach

Teo shared that the approach the government took with the app stores was to get them to propose the methods that work for them.

The government then looks through the proposals. If they sound "reasonably robust", they get the green light; if there are "gaping holes", they get feedback instead.

For over a year, the government has engaged with six social media services — Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Hardware Zone, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube — on these age assurance measures.

Teo noted that the government's intention is not to stop at the six, "but to go beyond them".

As to how the measures will look like, Teo said government "[does] not preclude" what technologies are used for these purposes.

"Technology is improving all the time, so we will be open to what the platforms propose," she explained.

More importantly, these measures must be accurate and implemented with rigour, to minimise errors.

This means that in some cases, users may be asked more than once to verify their age, causing a "a certain sense of inconvenience" for older users.

"I think this is something that we as a society need to be mentally prepared for," Teo added.

"If we want the platforms to be able to properly identify child users, then the rest of us must support the implementation of these methods."

Following implementation of the measures, Teo said the next most important thing is to perform regular audits and ensure the measures are effective.

Stronger safeguards for teen users

In addition to age assurance, the government has been looking at implementing stronger safeguards on platforms, for teens aged above 13 years old.

Citing a Jul. 30 report by the expert panel convened by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on the mental health impact of social media use, Teo said a blanket ban on teen access to social media was not recommended.

Rather, the problem was either excessive use or problematic use of social media. The panel flagged certain features as potentially exposing users to safety risks, including direct messaging functions, infinite scroll and autoplay functions, or algorithmically curated feeds.

To this end, the government will work with the platforms to explore stronger safeguards, including the introduction of a daily time limit on platform use to serve as a "natural stop point" for infinite scrolling.

Raising higher minimum age of access to 18?

If platforms are unable or unwilling to introduce stronger safeguards for teen users, the government will consider raising the minimum age of access to 18, Teo said.

She cited two reasons for the threshold.

First, 18 is generally regarded as a "marker of adulthood" in Singapore, when males typically enlist for National Service and young people may already be enrolled in an institute of higher learning.

Second, 18 is also the threshold at which app stores are required to put safeguards in place to prevent adult content from being made available to users.

Teo added that from focus group discussions with teens, most are generally prepared to accept reasonable safeguards instead of a blanket ban, and are supportive of "tiered access" by age.

Many also recognise that safeguards may be useful, she said.

Not just restrictions

However, restrictions on platforms alone are not enough, Teo acknowledged.

Going back to the MOH expert panel report, Teo said the panel identified the need for stronger societal support.

"We have to accept the fact that many parents are very stretched themselves," she said.

"They have multiple responsibilities, and they may find it very difficult to devote the time and attention to helping their children with social media use, homework, or dealing with their friends.

We do not underestimate this."

It is with this in mind that the government will implement these "baseline set of safeguards".

They will also continue to support parents and help them build a healthy relationship from a young age, Teo said.

Not in a vacuum

Ultimately, these restrictions are meant to serve "as a backstop and a reminder", rather than operating in a vacuum.

Rather, they come as part of a broader effort to help Singaporeans cultivate healthier digital habits. .

"They should operate within an overall environment where our children and teenagers know that there is such a thing as healthy digital habits, that there is such a thing as excessive and problematic use, and that it is worth paying attention to when one might fall into such patterns and supporting friends and peers to avoid doing so," she said.

"Together, as a society, we want to build a more sustainable and healthier relationship with online services and, in particular, social media platforms."

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has written a reply to Sarah, a six-year-old girl who penned a letter to him after his recent National Day Rally announcements.

On Aug. 23, PM Wong announced a suite of marriage and parenthood support measures during the 2026 National Day Rally.

These included increased childcare leave provisions, additional chances at the public housing ballot for each child aged 18 and below, as well as lower fees at government-supported preschools.

For Sarah, however, the government’s push for parenthood hit a little too close to home.

"Dear Lorens Wong..."

Speaking to Mothership, Sarah’s mother, Humairah Suhaimi, said she had initially decided to play a prank on her daughter.

Sarah had been resting her head on her mother's stomach when she said she could hear sounds coming from it.

Humairah jokingly told her that the sounds were her "baby brother and sister".

She then took the joke a step further, telling Sarah that PM Wong wanted Singaporeans to have more babies — and that families might get more money if they did.

Sarah did not find this funny at all.

In a video sent to Mothership, Sarah can be seen bawling and telling her mother, "I don't want a new baby."

"We don't need a lot of money!" she cried.

She then promptly sat down and wrote a passionate letter to PM Wong, asking him not to give her another sibling.

This was the letter she wrote:

For Sarah, writing the letter was serious business.

When asked if Sarah had any help with the letter, Humairah said that her daughter had asked her for some pointers, including how to spell PM Wong's name.

However, she told her that PM Wong would know if she had helped, and might not take the letter seriously.

"So she just winged it," Humairah said.

Sarah then dug through a drawer and found an envelope to put her letter in.

It turns out, Sarah had also met PM Wong at an event in 2025, so she knew exactly who she was writing to.

Humairah gave her the address for the Prime Minister’s Office, and subsequently helped her to mail the letter there.

She also emailed the office a soft copy.

Sarah's brother did not share the same sentiment

Humairah said that while Sarah was adamant about not having another sibling, her nine-year-old brother, Adam, did not share the same sentiment.

She said Adam "wasn’t too pleased" when he later read the letter, as he had always hoped for another sibling.

And Sarah had anticipated this.

"Also don’t listen to Adam if he wants more siblings because I don’t want," she wrote in her letter, well aware that her brother would not be on her side.

Humairah said Sarah's letter took her by surprise, describing her daughter to be "quite playful".

"Getting her to sit and write is almost an impossible task," she said. "So I was really very impressed and taken aback that she could write this much."

Humairah said that as the youngest of two siblings — and the youngest cousin on both sides of her family — Sarah has always enjoyed being the "baby" of the family.

"She doesn't fancy the idea of another sibling taking over that throne from here," said Humairah.

Beyond the humour, Humairah said she thought the experience had also turned into a useful exercise for her daughter.

"She got to practice her writing," she joked.

Since writing the letter, Sarah has also started writing letters to her parents.

"Maybe she's taken a liking to this."

She even started making her own envelopes.

Sarah does not need my permission to remain the youngest: PM Wong

To the family’s surprise, PM Wong sent a reply on Aug. 30.

In his email, he thanked Sarah for taking the trouble to write to him and asked Humairah to assure her that Sarah "does not need [his] permission to remain the youngest in the family".

"We will continue doing our best to make Singapore a good place for families to raise their children — whether they decide to have two, three, or more!"

Humairah has yet to show Sarah the reply, but said she plans to do so and will record her daughter's reaction.

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Massage parlours suspected of providing illicit services have reportedly appeared in the North Bridge Road area.

According to a Shin Min Daily News reader, women dressed in revealing outfits have been standing outside the shops every evening, actively approaching passing men.

The reader expressed concern about potential illicit activities taking place and affecting legally operating shops nearby.

'Come in first and we'll talk about it'

When a Shin Min reporter visited the area, they found three adjacent massage parlours in a row of shophouses.

One or two women in revealing outfits stood outside each shop, while at least seven or eight women were observed sitting inside across the three parlours.

One woman waved at the reporter and, when approached, smiled and asked if they wanted a massage.

When asked if “special services” were available, she replied, “Come in first and we’ll talk about it,” while attempting to pull the reporter into the shop.

She gave the same response when asked about the price, appearing cautious, Shin Min reported.

One of the shops had its entrance and exterior covered by curtains, blocking the view of its interior.

The reporter also spoke to several legitimate massage parlours nearby, but the owners declined to comment on the establishments suspected of offering illegal services.

One owner simply said, “With more massage parlours, the competition is naturally greater.”

The body of a 37-year-old woman who went missing in Jeju, South Korea, in May 2026 was found at a palm tree farm near her residence on Aug. 24, 104 days after she was reported missing.

Jang Mi Ran was reported missing on May 12.

Her case was closed after a local police officer allegedly claimed that he had contacted her and that she did not want to remain in contact with her family.

However, the case was later reopened after Jang’s family repeatedly urged police to resume the search.

The search restarted on Aug. 20.

According to a report by The Korea Herald, local police are now re-examining the circumstances behind her death.

No apparent signs of foul play

According to the police, an officer involved in a joint search found the body of a woman believed to be in her 30s at about 10:46am in Hallim-eup in western Jeju City on Aug. 24, The Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

The site was about a 10-minute walk from the last known location of Jang’s movements after she left her long-term accommodation on the night of May 12.

She had left the pension where she was staying at about 10:15pm that night.

Her body was found in bushes near a road, about 500m from the pension.

Her mobile phone and e-cigarette, which she had been carrying when she disappeared, were found near her body.

She was also still wearing a bracelet and a ring.

According to The Korea Herald, an autopsy by the National Forensic Service found no apparent signs of foul play and indicated that Jang likely died by hanging, police said.

This finding, however, has drawn public scrutiny, with questions raised over whether the police had prematurely concluded that she had taken her own life.

Police conducted re-enactment

On Aug. 29, the police conducted a re-enactment at the farm where Jang’s body was found, The Korea Herald reported.

As part of the re-enactment, they examined whether a palm branch at the scene could have supported Jang’s weight.

An initial test had previously indicated that the upper part of the branch was strong enough to support a person, the police said.

Other questions have also been raised about the circumstances surrounding Jang's death.

Her body reportedly did not have a noticeable odour or other signs that might have alerted workers at nearby farms.

The structure of the palm tree also appeared to make it difficult to secure a rope or other material to the branch.

Jang’s family and boyfriend have also said that she had been afraid of the area.

"The results of the reenactment will be considered as part of the investigation, and we will keep various possibilities open throughout the investigation," a police official was quoted as saying.

Police officer admitted to falsely closing the case

The police officer involved has also partially admitted to allegations that he prematurely closed the missing-persons case without confirming Jang's safety, The Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

He is also suspected of having deleted her information from the profile list of missing people, as well as inserting false information stating that she had died in a car accident.

After around five to six games of badminton with friends, a 54-year-old Malaysian man told his peers he was done playing before suddenly collapsing while walking off the court.

He was conveyed to the hospital, but passed away that same night.

Five to six badminton games

The incident took place on the evening of Aug. 28 in Kluang, Malaysia.

According to Oriental Daily, 54-year-old Lai Tiang Liang (transliteration), would have badminton games every Tuesday and Friday.

On Aug. 28 evening, Lai played his games as usual and did not mention feeling unwell.

He went on to play about five to six games.

Collapsed out of the blue

Towards the end of the session, Lai told his friends that he was done playing.

As he walked off the court, he collapsed.

This was at around 9:45pm.

Another badminton player who was a medical personnel carried out first aid until the ambulance arrived.

Although he remained unconscious, he continued to have faint breathing.

He was taken to the hospital, but passed away at around 11pm that same night.

Underwent heart procedure recently

Oriental Daily reported that Lai had undergone a heart procedure about a year and a half ago.

After recuperating for about three months, he progressively returned to badminton.

Apart from complaints of pain in his knees, Lai did not complain of any other ailments.

According to Lai's brother, Lai was the second-youngest out of 10 siblings.

While he had lost weight recently, his recent medical check-up did not indicate any illnesses.

Lai is remembered by peers as an easy-going man who played badminton for leisure and enjoyment.

Uncle Ong, the senior cat feeder, is out of his neck brace.

He had to rely on it for several weeks after his physical condition deteriorated due to his advancing age, he previously said.

However, the 73-year-old bus driver is still going about his daily routine.

He has been making the rounds in Kallang and Hougang to feed dozens of cats nightly, something which he has been doing since 2007.

He told Mothership: "Every day I will say a prayer and thank the heavens I can do this."

He even quipped that the rain stops whenever he "bo bi bo bi", which is dialect for "interceding with the deities".

He also thanked the public for their continued support in helping him foot the cost of his cat food.

Condominium slated to be built in Kallang industrial area

When informed that Kallang Close is set to have its first private residential property built in 12 years, Ong was shocked, but unfazed.

The location slated for the new condonimiun construction is right where Ong makes the rounds nightly to feed the cats.

He joked: "I didn't read the news about it. But why would people want to move here?"

When told that the area would likely soon see many heavy vehicles occupying the two-lane roads, Ong said there are already many heavy vehicles around as they are parked there overnight.

However, he added that two cats out of the dozen or so cats in the Kallang industrial area have since died.

He said conditions are not great outdoors, but at least the remaining cats get fed.

Beware of scammers

Ong also said he wanted the public to be informed that there could be scammers out there who are pretending to raise money on his behalf.

He said the only legitimate way to help him so far is by buying cat food on his behalf via this link.

This arrangement allows him to not have to handle the funds.

The business helping him is run by S&S Pet's Shop at Tampines Street 44.

The products are labelled "Cats of Kallang".

The pet shop owner, Steven Chan, has been helping to distribute the cat food bought by the public to Ong personally.

Donors who are keen to help by contributing smaller sums can contact S&S Pet's Shop at snspetsshop@gmail.com.