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NMP Clarifies PAP Ties, Malaysian Warehouse Packer Jailed & Kpod Conviction

 




Nominated Member of Parliament-designate Dr Haresh Singaraju has addressed public concerns regarding his past political affiliations. Following his appointment announcement on January 2 2026, photos surfaced on online platforms like Reddit showing Dr Haresh wearing a People’s Action Party T-shirt during an activity in Tampines in September 2023. In a social media clarification on January 6 2026, Dr Haresh, who serves as a family physician at National University Polyclinics, confirmed that he is not currently a member of any political party. He explained that the images were from past volunteer work and that he had made his Instagram account public recently, leading him to archive certain photos to protect the privacy of others featured in them. While his LinkedIn profile indicated he has served as a grassroots leader since January 2023, Dr Haresh did not provide specific details on when his PAP membership ended. This incident has reignited a broader debate about the non-partisan requirement of the NMP scheme, a topic that gained significant attention in February 2025 when two sitting NMPs resigned to join political parties. Dr Haresh is part of a group of nine individuals selected to enter Parliament to provide a wide representation of views. President Tharman Shanmugaratnam is scheduled to present the instruments of appointment at the Istana on January 8, with the official swearing-in ceremony to follow on January 12.

In a major enforcement update from the Health Sciences Authority, 21-year-old Chong Jun Keong was sentenced to 41 weeks in prison on January 6 2026. Chong, a Malaysian national, was arrested on July 11 2025 during a coordinated raid on a warehouse in an industrial building along Jalan Pemimpin in Bishan. Investigations revealed that Chong had been recruited by an individual known only as John to work as a packer for illegal e-vaporisers. For a daily wage of 100 dollars, Chong packed parcels for delivery, managed incoming stock, and transported items between warehouses. Following his arrest at the Bishan location, where officers seized nearly 18,000 vapes and 29,522 components, a second warehouse in Ubi Avenue 3 was uncovered through information on his mobile phone. An additional 5,564 vapes and 13,412 components were recovered there. In total, the operation involved the distribution of approximately 2,915kg of prohibited products. Deputy Principal District Judge Kessler Soh emphasized the need for a custodial sentence to serve as a deterrent against the illegal vape trade.

Furthermore, a landmark legal case involving etomidate-laced e-vaporisers, commonly referred to as Kpods, was heard on January 6 2026. Tang Yu Ling, age 23, was sentenced to one week in jail for the possession of a Kpod. This case marks the first time the HSA has prosecuted an offender for failing to comply with a mandatory rehabilitation programme. Tang was originally caught with the device at her residence on September 2 2025 and admitted to purchasing it via Telegram. Instead of immediate prosecution, she was offered a chance to undergo a six-month rehabilitation programme at the Institute of Mental Health, starting with an appointment on September 24 2025. However, Tang failed to show up for the session and ignored subsequent reminders. Although she claimed in court that she was unwell at the time, the judge noted the seriousness of the offence and the failure to utilize the professional support offered to overcome her addiction. The HSA reiterated that while first-time Kpod offenders are often given a chance at rehabilitation, those who fail to complete the programme will face strict legal consequences, including fines and imprisonment.

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