Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad took questions in parliament on the recent sexual offences committed at a mosque, and delved into what more is being done.

Zaqy condemned the assault in no uncertain terms, saying his heart goes out to the victims and their families.

"The pain and trauma they endured should never have happened. The judge described these offences as utterly abhorrent and heinous. I agree and I share the community’s deep anger and deep sorrow."

He would then go on to talk about the steps to be taken to enhance security.

But before that, he addressed the victims and their family.

"You were let down by someone who used your trust against you. I am deeply sorry for what has happened. I want to assure you that we will learn from this and work hard to better protect our children."

Zaqy outlined the chronology of the case, saying that after the report in April 2024, Victim Care Officers (VCO) were immediately assigned to support the victims and their family.

The family was already receiving professional support from a Family Service Centre, and a medical social worker followed up after the forensic examination.

MUIS was made aware of the details in August 2026, and also stepped in directly. They were earlier informed in July 2025 that the offender would be charged for sexual offences against minors, including offences at mosque premises.

Zaqy noted that the man had already been in remand since April 2024 and posed no further threat to the public.

MUIS acted on this and issued an advisory in August 2025 to all mosques to strengthen safeguards for minors – ensuring adequate CCTV coverage and training staff to identify suspicious behaviour.

Zaqy said they will do their best to continue providing support where needed.

He also noted there has been online speculation about the victims' identities.

"This must stop. Our children deserve protection, and I urge everyone to be responsible."

Zaqy said that while the perpetrator had no formal religious authority, his online following positioned him as a trusted guide to young people seeking religious knowledge.

He noted that the trust was then used to harm the victims.

"We cannot be complacent about this. In fact, we owe it to the victims and their families to learn from this incident and do something about it."

Committee convened

Zaqy noted that mosques already have measures in place for external religious classes, and that where concerns or allegations arise, MUIS will take action.

He acknowledged that rules alone are not enough, and that there was a need to build a shared sense of responsibility and partnership with mosques, parents, children, and volunteers.

He said he had asked MUIS to work with mosques, parents, and the community to strengthen safeguards.

"Our mosques must remain open and welcoming, while ensuring that every child, every parent, and every congregant can worship and learn safely with confidence."

According to Zaqy, this also means establishing a common safeguarding approach across mosques — clearer reporting and escalation protocols, closer monitoring of informal gatherings involving minors, safeguarding awareness training for staff and volunteers, and periodic safeguarding checks.

Noting that some of these efforts are already underway by the relevant personnel.

"This incident does not diminish their good work over the years. But precisely because our mosques are sacred places of trust, learning, and belonging, we must hold ourselves to a higher standard. We can do more together, as a community."

Zaqy also said that he will convene a committee, reporting directly to him, to examine our safeguards across religious institutions and propose measures to strengthen them.

The committee will focus on two areas.

Whether existing safeguards to protect minors — not just at mosques but also in religious schools — can be further strengthened. And how the community, particularly children and youths can access religious guidance safely — covering oversight of both formal and informal religious instruction, and emerging risks including online influence.

"We will look hard at where we fell short, strengthen our safeguards, and act on the lessons from this case. Every child deserves to feel safe. Their well-being must always come first, and that is a responsibility that we will not take lightly."

An American content creator said Singapore is more restrictive than North Korea after his modified muscle car was denied entry into the country.

Keith Sinclair, 29, took to Instagram on Sep. 1 explaining how he was disallowed from entering Singapore by the authorities.

In the video, he was seen with his car outside the High Commission of Singapore in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

He did not say which department rejected his permit application.

In the video, he said, "North Korea is not the most restrictive country on Earth. That title goes to Singapore, at least as it relates to foreign cars."

Why was he rejected?

According to Sinclair, the modifications that he made to his United States-registered car render it ineligible to enter Singapore.

Namely, he had added a cooking stove to the roof of the car, a hammock installation attached to the bumper and boot, and a water faucet at the back.

He applied for entry twice and was rejected both times.

Following the video, Sinclair has removed the modifications according to local guidelines and is attempting a third try.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Keith Sinclair (@sinclairs_search)

Who is he?

Sinclair is a content creator with over 364,000 followers on Instagram.

He set himself a mission in 2024 to circumnavigate the globe in a muscle car and document the process throughout.

Sinclair's car of choice is a Dodge Challenger, one of the most iconic muscle cars in the world.

According to an interview with Top Gear, he began his journey in Le Havre, France, from which he drove through Europe and through Anatolia towards Asia.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Keith Sinclair (@sinclairs_search)

Drove to Russia and Afghanistan

Despite the fact that Sinclair is an American citizen, he managed to pass through some of the most politically restrictive borders in the world.

These countries include Russia when he drove up through the Caucasus, as well as the Taliban-governed Afghanistan.

He was even allowed into Ashgabat, the capital city of Turkmenistan, despite regulations that only permit white-coloured cars on the roads.

Sinclair nearly ended the journey in Kazakhstan, but was later motivated to keep on going towards South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Singapore has been the only country thus far to deny entry to him, according to his video.

If he makes it through, it would be the 30th country on his travels.

In accepting a committee's recommendations to adjust political salaries, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Sep. 8 that they will not move immediately to the new salary benchmarks.

Instead, they will make a one-off adjustment now of up to 9 per cent for political officeholders.

PM Wong explained that the same increase will not automatically apply to everyone, as it will depend on individual circumstances, including performance and when their salary was last adjusted.

Ministerial grade

PM Wong also explained how salaries are calculated for ministers.

Currently, there are four ministerial grades – MR4, 3, 2 and 1.

For each grade, there is a range of salary points, which determine the minister’s fixed pay, he said.

PM Wong will decide the grade of each minister, including where each minister is positioned within the salary range for that grade and the individual performance bonus each year.

At present, 10 out of 16 ministers are at MR4 while the other six are at higher grades, reflecting their seniority and heavier responsibilities, including those serving as Coordinating Ministers.

Ministers can move to different salary points over time within each grade, based on performance.

Variable components such as the National Bonus and individual performance also make up more than one-third of a minister’s annual remuneration.

As such, the actual remuneration received by an individual minister in any year can therefore be higher or lower than the reference salary, depending on his or her salary point and the variable payouts, PM Wong said.

New recommendations

The independent committee has since recommended some fine-tuning to the current structure, PM Wong said.

There will now be three ministerial grades instead of four, with MR2 and MR3 combined.

The salary range for each grade will also be widened to plus or minus 25 per cent, he said.

PM Wong said they agreed with these changes, but the basic approach to assessing and differentiating individual salaries will remain the same.

After the one-off special adjustment, he will continue to assess ministers and adjust their salaries in the usual way, based on performance, he said.

"On that basis, by the end of this term of government, I expect most Ministers who remain at MR4 to be at the lower end of the new salary range – and that's about S$1.35 million," he said.

Those who excel and take on larger responsibilities may move higher within the range, or be promoted to a higher ministerial grade.

The same approach will apply to the other officeholders – Ministers of State, Parliamentary Secretaries and Mayors.

Bringing in capable people

The revised structure gives the PM more room to differentiate pay according to performance, PM Wong said.

Importantly, the structure is also to bring in people with substantial experience from outside government, especially those already earning significantly more in the private sector, he said.

"We will still expect them to make a meaningful sacrifice to enter political service. But we should not make that gap larger than it needs to be," he said.

"Good government did not come naturally to Singapore. It was built deliberately over many years. And there is nothing automatic about sustaining it," PM Wong said, noting that Singaporeans have benefited from a government that is able to plan ahead, take difficult decisions and deliver for more than 60 years.

The government has accepted the recommendations of an independent review committee to raise ministerial salaries in line with benchmarks, and will update the MR4 reference annual salary to $1.8 million.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned earlier in parliament that the proposed adjustments will not be implemented immediately in one step.

This increase represents a 3.6 per cent annual growth rate since 2011, when ministerial salaries were last adjusted.

Existing political appointment holders (PAHs) will receive a one-off adjustment of up to 9 per cent from Oct. 15, 2026, subject to performance.

The decision to accept the committee's recommendations was announced in Parliament by PM Wong on Sep. 8, with Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing furnishing the specific details.

In January, Chan confirmed that a committee to review ministerial salaries had been convened.

The committee had submitted its report in April, but the government decided then to defer consideration of its recommendations owing to the uncertainty arising from the Middle East conflict.

Ministerial salaries were last adjusted 15 years ago, when new benchmarks were introduced and cuts were made.

Salary norm increases

Under the current ministerial salary framework, the salary of PAHs — including that of the President, Speaker of Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister (DPM), Senior Ministers of State (SMS), Ministers of State (MOS) and Mayors — are pegged by ratio to the salary of an entry-level minister (grade MR4).

The salaries of Members of Parliament (MPs) and Non-Constituency Members of Parliament (NCMPs) are also linked to the MR4 salary.

The MR4 salary benchmark is set at the median income of the top 1,000 Singaporean citizen earners, with a 40 per cent discount applied to reflect the spirit of public service.

With the MR4 benchmark salary going up from S$1.1 million to S$1.8 million, the salaries of the rest of the PAHs will shift accordingly based on the determined ratios.

There are currently four ministerial grades, MR1 to 4, with MR1 being the most senior.

10 out of 16 ministers are currently at MR4.

Following the review exercise, the MR2 and MR3 grades will be merged into a single grade, pegged at 1.3 times the MR4 salary.

The pay for mayors, senior parliamentary secretaries (SPS) and parliamentary secretaries (PS) will also be merged and set at 0.45 times the MR4 salary.

Here are the ministerial and PAH grades and their corresponding salaries.

The PM's salary is set at twice the benchmark.

PM Wong said in parliament that he will donate the full increase of his salary to "suitable good causes" for the next five years.

He will review this position afresh after five years, taking into account the circumstances at the time.

One-off adjustment of up to 9 per cent

Speaking on the salary adjustments, PM Wong said that the government does not intend to "move immediately" to the proposed salary levels "in one step".

Instead, a one-off adjustment of up to 9 per cent will be made for PAHs.

This means that a MR4 minister earning S$1.1 million (as per the previous benchmark) will get an increment of around S$100,000.

The full 9 per cent will not be automatically applied to all PAHs, and the level of adjustment will depend on individual circumstances, such as individual performance and when their salary was last adjusted.

This one-off adjustment will take effect from Oct. 15, 2026.

Beyond this one-off adjustment, subsequent adjustments will be based on individual performance and responsibilities.

National Bonus

Under the ministerial salary framework, only 65 per cent of a minister's salary is fixed.

The rest of the 35 per cent are variable components determined by an annual variable component, individual performance and the National Bonus framework.

The National Bonus was introduced during the 2011 review exercise to replace the GDP bonus.

It comprises four indicators:

1. Real median income growth rate of Singapore Citizens (SCs)
2. Real growth rate of lowest 20th percentile income of SCs
3. Unemployment rate of SCs
4. Real GDP growth rate

If the goals of the indicators are met, then eligible ministers and PAHs may receive a bonus of between zero to six months.

The goals of the indicators will be revised and tightened, based on the committee's recommendations.

The government has also accepted the committee’s recommendation to study, develop and incorporate indicators measuring quality of life and social progress felt by Singaporeans in the National Bonus.

Salary ranges

Additionally, the pay of each ministerial grade may fall within a range, which gives the PM the flexibility to adjust the salary of a PAH according to their background and career stage.

This pay range will be widened to 75 per cent to 125 per cent, from the current 90 per cent to 110 per cent, for ministers, DPM, SMS and MOS.

The wider salary range allows the PM to appoint new PAHs at a lower salary within the grade, while more experienced individuals can be paid more within the same grade.

With this range, it means that an MR4 minister may earn anywhere between S$1.35 million to S$2.25 million, with the PM having the discretion to decide the amount.

PM Wong said that by the end of this term of government, most MR4 ministers will be earning about $1.35 million.

The salary range for Mayors, SPS and PS will be widened to 70 per cent to 130 per cent, from 90 per cent to 110 per cent.

MPs, NCMPs

The government has also accepted the committee's recommendation to update the monthly allowances for MPs from S$13,750 to S$18,500.

The government will also be undertaking a study to delink the salary of MPs and Mayors from the MR4 benchmark, based on the committee's recommendation, Chan said in his speech.

The committee noted that the considerations for these community-related roles may differ from those of full-time PAHs.

NCMPs will also see an increase in their allowances from 15 per cent of an MP's annual allowance to 30 per cent.

This translates to S$5,500 per month.

The increased MP and NCMP allowances will take effect from Oct. 15, 2026.

President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker

The salary of the President, being pegged to that of the Prime Minister's, will similarly increase.

The salary of the Speaker of Parliament will continue to be pegged at 50 per cent of the MR4 salary.

This translates to about S$900,000 annually.

The salary of Deputy Speakers will continue to be pegged at 15 per cent of the Speaker's salary.

The salary adjustments will be fully applied to the President, Speaker and Deputy Speakers.

Not just a matter of pay: PM Wong

In his speech, PM Wong acknowledged that political salaries are a "difficult and emotive issue", but one which cannot be avoided simply because it is "politically difficult".

"This is not just a matter of pay. It is about whether Singapore will continue to have the quality of political leadership we need to take our country forward and to serve Singaporeans well in the years ahead," PM Wong added.

According to Chan, the salary adjustments will cost about S$5 million more annually, if the maximum one-off adjustment of 9 per cent is applied to all PAHs.

For the MPs' allowances, it will cost S$6.6 million annually.

Parliament will debate the government's response to report on ministerial salaries during this week's sitting.

Background

The current ministerial salary review committee is chaired by Gan Seow Kee, who is Chairman of Singapore LNG Corporation.

Gan is also an alternate member on the Council of Presidential Advisers.

Alongside him are seven other members from the private sector, labour movement and social sector.

Their recommendations are laid out in an April 2026 report titled, "2026 Review of Political Salaries For Political Appointment Holders and Members of Parliament".

Ministerial salaries were last adjusted in 2011.

The 2017 review recommended adjusting salaries to match the updated benchmarks, but the government of the day decided then to maintain salary levels.

A review was deferred in 2023 due to geopolitical uncertainties and downside economic risks.

The government has accepted the recommendations by an independent committee to adjust political salaries.

The proposed adjustments will not be immediately implemented in one step.

More details will be touched on by Minister for Defence and Coordinating Minister for Public Services Chan Chun Sing later on in parliament today on Sep. 8.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will be donating the full increase in his salary for the next five years following the adjustment of political salaries.

During his ministerial statement on the government’s response to the 2026 review of salaries for Political Appointment Holders (POH) and Members of Parliament (MPs), PM Wong shared that he will be donating his increase to “suitable good causes.”

This is on the assumption that he remains prime minister during this period.

PM Wong emphasised that this is his “own decision” and that he does not expect other officeholders to do the same.

“As a general rule, I do not believe in making a public show of charitable giving,” he said, adding that while the salary framework is a cabinet decision, he carries “ultimate responsibility” for it as the PM.

PM Wong said he will review the position afresh at the end of the five years, taking into account the circumstances at that time.

“I fully expect to continue supporting good causes, as I have always done. But I do not want to make an open-ended public commitment, or to create an expectation that future Prime Ministers may feel obliged to follow,” he said.

Setting the context

PM Wong also acknowledged that political salaries are a “difficult and emotive issue”, adding that the sums involved are “more than what most citizens earn”.

“So I understand why Singaporeans scrutinise them closely, and why many feel strongly about the issue. It is certainly not an issue ministers themselves find easy to discuss,” he said.

He said the government has “repeatedly exercised restraint” in making any salary adjustments under the framework established after an independent committee review in 2012.

A subsequent committee was convened in 2017 to review the 2012 framework, which recommended an upward adjustment.

The government nevertheless decided not to adjust political salaries at that time.

In 2023, the Government also decided to defer the scheduled review of the framework, citing the uncertain external environment and downside risks to the global economy at the time.

As a result, the salary norms for political officeholders have remained unchanged for 15 years, PM Wong noted.

Ministerial salaries fallen behind

Over the same period, however, salaries in other sectors have increased, PM Wong said, including in the private sector, civil service and judiciary.

Ministerial salaries have therefore fallen further behind, he said, adding that the gap is most obvious when compared with the private sector.

He highlighted that even in the public service, some senior permanent secretaries earn more than ministers.

“It’s not because the framework changed. But because successive Governments have decided, at different points, to hold back,” he said, though he set out that there were good reasons for doing so.

While it would have been “easier politically” for him to leave things as they are, PM Wong said it would not be right to affirm a framework in principle but disregard it indefinitely in practice.

“Otherwise, over time, the framework loses its meaning. Restraint cannot become neglect. That’s why I have decided we must act now,” he said.

Why political leadership matters

In explaining the need for the adjustment, PM Wong first explained that good government depends on good leadership.

“Institutions are only as effective as the people who lead them. Systems and processes matter. But they do not run themselves. Especially at the top, the quality of leadership makes a decisive difference,” he said.

Character was foremost in importance, "a veto factor", but that alone was not enough.

While they look at a person’s character when looking for a minister, they also look for competence, PM Wong said.

This involves the judgment, ability and leadership to do the job well, he said.

This is where remuneration becomes relevant, PM Wong said, explaining that while it does not determine who is capable, it does affect whether “enough capable people are prepared to step forward and take on the responsibility”.

Some may think that being a minister is “straightforward”, as they can just go along with the “popular view”, he noted.

However, Singapore has less room than most countries to govern in this way, PM Wong emphasised, pointing to our size and few natural advantages.

For example, the reset of family policies he announced at the National Day Rally was done with the work of civil servants but also Indranee Rajah (who chairs the inter-agency Marriage and Parenthood Reset Workgroup) and other political officeholders, he said.

This includes deciding where support would make the greatest difference, how the costs should be shared between parents, employers and government, and how the different measures should fit together.

The job of a minister is not simply to do what is popular today but to make judgments about what will leave Singapore in a stronger position tomorrow, he said.

“That requires mastery of the issues, a clear sense of priorities, and the willingness to take difficult decisions,” he said.

Difficulty in making leadership renewal

PM Wong shared that following his succession as PM in 2024, leadership renewal became one of his highest priorities.

“Leadership succession cannot be planned like clockwork. People and circumstances change. Unexpected events happen. So we need strength across the team, and we need to begin renewal early,” he said.

Ahead of the last General Election in 2025, PM Wong said he approached several senior permanent secretaries whom he thought had the temperament and potential for political leadership.

However, none was prepared to make the move, he said.

Recruiting from the public service is becoming harder, PM Wong said, explaining that senior civil servants today have meaningful careers, substantial responsibilities and competitive remuneration.

"If the gap between public service and political salaries continues to widen, that hurdle will become higher," he said.

The answer was the same when he approached those in the private sector, including several CEOs and other senior business leaders.

While they were earning several times a minister’s salary, none said to him directly that pay was the reason they would not join, PM Wong shared.

“Nor would I want someone whose decision turned mainly on money,” he said.

However, this does not mean remuneration is irrelevant, he said, explaining that they have spent years building a successful career, and they would have to take a substantial reduction in income if they were to join.

He also noted that the sacrifice is not only financial, as the political life places real demands on the families of the politicians, including time and scrutiny of private lives

“The purpose of remuneration is much more modest: to ensure that, on top of all these other sacrifices, we do not make the financial hurdle unnecessarily high,” he said.

A woman was recently seen causing a disturbance at Liang Seah Street in Bugis and allegedly harassed nearly 20 restaurants along the single-lane stretch on more than one occasion.

She was also apparently seen talking to herself and cursing at random people in public at some points.

She also allegedly said she is "God".

The police were called to the scene at least once, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Restaurant staff know of her

Restaurant staff said the woman was seen in the area in mid-August

One restaurant staff said she heard the woman exclaim at one point: "The sun is out, I am God."

The woman even patronised the restaurant thrice.

The first two occasions went smoothly, but the third time she ordered two dishes, ate very little, and left.

When she returned, she asked the restaurant to remake the two dishes and refused to pay, saying that she had not eaten lunch.

The staff added: “She seemed a bit mentally unstable, so we called the police. When the police arrived, they warned her not to come back. She paid the bill and then ran away.”

Others encountered her before

Her antics were also noted by others.

An employee at another restaurant said the woman once had a little beer left, and suddenly she collapsed and smashed the glass, which startled the other customers.

A crayfish restaurant staff said the woman had apparently also thrown a chair in the restaurant and scratched a parked car.

The staff added: "She would pay when she came to eat, but she would just talk to herself and yell at people, so we could only avoid serving her."

Disruptive to business

The restaurant staffers found the woman's antics disruptive.

Another staff said: "She wasn't aggressive, she just cursed at people randomly, but we were also afraid that it would affect our business."

The woman was also once spotted holding four balloons in her left hand and four in her right hand, wandering around the street.

She apparently also touched the hand of a tourist once, but it happened so fast, nothing else came out of it.

The man who was touched apparently looked puzzled.

Stopped a vehicle

Things did come to a head once.

A video circulating online showed that the woman walked in front of a car on Aug. 25 at about 8pm.

She even leaned on the bonnet of the car.

The car driver told Shin Min he could not understand what the woman was saying and was afraid to reverse in case he harmed her.

The woman stopped the car from moving for about 10 seconds and later walked off.

The last time the woman was seen was on Aug. 26, Shin Min reported.

A 29-year-old Singaporean man has been convicted of manslaughter after running over a 48-year-old cyclist with a car while on holiday in Perth, Australia.

Ng Jing Kai was previously charged with murder on May 24, 2024.

He pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of manslaughter in August 2026 and will be sentenced on Nov. 3, The Straits Times reported.

Holiday

According to 9News, on May 24, 2024, Ng was driving a car in Carlisle, Perth, while on holiday with his family and friends.

At about 1:45pm, he ran over the cyclist, causing him to be dragged by the vehicle for more than 30m.

The cyclist sustained serious injuries and was conveyed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and died.

Ng was questioned and charged with one count of murder on the same day.

He has been held in custody, and no bail application was made.

Vigilante

Ng’s actions were alleged to be an act of vigilantism.

Local police also investigated the case as a possible property dispute.

Ng reportedly accused the cyclist of taking items from the car and refusing to return them.

According to local police, several members of Ng’s family and friends were in the vehicle when the incident occurred.

In Perth, the maximum penalty for manslaughter is life imprisonment.

A man, 71, was found dead at the foot of Block 126B Edgedale Plains on Monday afternoon, Sep. 7.

The incident occurred at around 4:05pm.

The police said the man was found lying motionless at the foot of the block and confirmed that he had fallen from height.

Based on preliminary investigations, no foul play is suspected.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene by a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic.

Police investigations are ongoing.

A video submitted by a Mothership reader showed a blue tent at the foot of the block partially on the road.

Police officers were at the scene.

Blood stains were seen on the pavement after midnight.

Helplines

If you or someone you know are in mental distress, here are some hotlines you can call to seek help, advice, or just a listening ear:

National mindline.sg Hotline: 1771 (24 hours)

National mindline.sg WhatsApp: 66691771 (24 hours)

SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

A 78-year-old retired taxi driver in Singapore has been voluntarily sweeping up dead leaves at an open-air car park in Ang Mo Kio for free over the past eight years.

Lianhe Zaobao reported that Chen Jinhe (transliteration) does this daily.

Two hours each day sweeping

He told Zaobao that he spends more than two hours each day sweeping the car park near Block 533 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, collecting the leaves in cardboard boxes placed under the trees.

He initially started by cleaning the senior citizens' corner at the void deck, but later expanded his duties to the nearby car park after he noticed that it was covered in fallen leaves.

The dead leaves on the dirty ground irked him.

Why he does it

Chen claimed that he enjoys the freedom of his daily routine, having no boss to answer to.

He can choose to sweep whenever he wants, which he told Zaobao was convenient for him as he is only responsible for picking up his grandson.

Taxi driver for 35 years

A former taxi driver, Chen drove a yellow-top cab for 35 years and retired in 2015.

Unlike traditional taxi operators which lease taxis to cabbies, yellow-top cabs were privately owned by drivers.

Chen found the retirement life to be comparatively idle after 35 years on the road.

Street sweeping became an indispensable part of his day.

Trims his own broom

Chen even has preferences for the brooms that he uses, claiming that he has to trim the bristles to the right length and ensuring that they are sufficiently firm.

He purportedly sees it as a good form of activity and exercise, joking that it helped him lose weight and trim his belly.

His family was worried about his exposure to the elements, especially after his skin became increasingly tanned due to time spent under the sun.

Though they warned him that sun exposure could cause skin cancer, he resolutely stuck to his routine, saying that it was healthy for him to do so.

Good deeds, good rewards

Chen's volunteerism did not go unnoticed.

His deeds caught the attention of Ang Mo Kio MP Nadia Ahmad Samdin, who occasionally spots him at the car park and thanks him for his tireless work.

In 2021, he received a community award at the Long Service and Community Awards ceremony in recognition of his contributions.

He told Zaobao, "As long as my health allows it, I will keep on sweeping."

A woman in her sixties who passed away in 2023 was reportedly subjected to alleged pyramid scheme activities and invested S$50,000 after a trip to Nanning, Guangxi, China.

Her son, Zhang (not his real name), 30, is apparently attempting to recover the money invested, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Trip

Zhang told Shin Min that his mother attended gatherings at a recreational club in Singapore.

She apparently met a man who claimed there was an investment opportunity in Nanning and invited her on a five-day trip there.

The man reportedly said that the Chinese government planned to turn Nanning into a developed city with skyscrapers and called it “China’s Southeast Asia”.

The man apparently told her that other trip expenses would be covered and that she would only need to pay for airfare.

Zhang said his mother was interested and decided to go on the trip in 2019.

He also accompanied her.

“We were taken to visit various projects and look at different real estate properties. Every day was packed with activities, and there was a constant barrage of information, leaving you no room to think." Zhang said.

The pair reportedly stayed in a luxury apartment rented by Singaporeans.

During the trip, at least seven Singaporeans apparently gave lectures and shared their experiences regarding the pyramid scheme.

They also purportedly said that if the scheme failed, they would refund them.

Invest

On the last day of the trip, the woman decided to invest S$50,000 into the scheme.

There was apparently a “next of kin” system where, if the investor passed away, their next of kin could inherit the money and continue participating in the scheme.

“My mother believed them without question.” Zhang said.

Zhang claimed that she was usually cautious with money, and he apparently attempted to dissuade her.

However, she was reportedly insistent and became angry with him.

“In the end I gave in and accompanied her to a local bank to make the transfer," Zhang said.

Zhang added that an operator from Shanghai, China, also asked her to recruit others to join the scheme for profit.

However, she could not convince anyone and made no profit.

Passing

After the woman passed, Zhang apparently attempted to recover the money invested.

He purportedly contacted the operator, who sent him a receipt reportedly saying it was enough to prove the woman was a participant in the scheme and that the money was not missing.

However, the operator refused to refund the money.

Zhang said he plans to contact the bank to trace the woman’s transaction history.

Club

The head of the recreation club told Shin Min she received no reports of members being involved in the pyramid scheme.

Lin also said the club only serves as a platform for senior citizens to get together and prohibits any marketing-related activities.

Pyramid scheme

This follows reports of pyramid scheme activities occurring in China.

On Sep. 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that 52 Singaporeans were arrested and detained in Guangxi, following a law enforcement operation against suspected pyramid scheme activities and related offences.

https://mothership.sg/2026/09/singaporeans-arrested-china-pyramid-scheme

Zhang also claimed the trip was “just like in the news”.

He hopes to share his experiences to warn other senior citizens to be vigilant.