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  On 15 January 2026, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that Mr Pritam Singh’s designation as the Leader of the Opposition (LO) has ceased with immediate effect. This significant political development follows a parliamentary vote held on 14 January 2026, where the House expressed regret over Mr Singh’s conduct and concluded that his criminal convictions and behavior rendered him unsuitable to continue in the role. The decision stems from Mr Singh’s conviction by the District Court on two counts of lying to the Committee of Privileges (COP). These convictions confirmed the initial findings of the COP regarding his testimony during the investigation into former Member of Parliament Raeesah Khan. Although Mr Singh appealed the decision, his appeal to the High Court was dismissed, making the legal outcome final and conclusive. During the parliamentary debate on 14 January, Mr Singh reiterated that while he accepted the Court’s judgment, he disagreed with the findings and maintaine...

  On January 14, 2026, a 63-year-old Malaysian man who is a Singapore permanent resident was fined RM9,000 (approximately S$2,850) by a magistrate’s court in Kulai, Johor. The sentencing follows a viral incident in which the man, Long Sa Kow, was filmed using black tape to partially cover the registration plate of his Singapore-registered vehicle to illegally purchase subsidised RON95 petrol. Long was charged under Section 108(3)(e) of the Road Transport Act for displaying a vehicle registration plate that did not belong to his vehicle. The charge falls under the broader category of furnishing false statements or registration. During the court proceedings before Magistrate R. Salini, Long pleaded guilty but initially raised objections regarding the specific wording of the charge. He argued that he had not "altered" or "changed" his physical plate. This led to a brief recess in the court session. When the proceedings resumed, the prosecution clarified that police inv...

  The Land Transport Authority announced on January 13, 2026, that 10 drivers were recently caught for providing illegal cross-border ride-hailing services. The arrests took place at land checkpoints and areas such as Bedok Reservoir, following enforcement efforts and tips from the National Private Hire Vehicles Association and the National Taxi Association. All 10 vehicles involved were impounded as a result. Since July 2025, the Land Transport Authority has checked more than 3,000 vehicles to ensure passenger safety and protect the livelihoods of licensed taxi and private hire drivers. Drivers who operate illegal ride-hailing services can be fined up to $3,000 and sentenced to up to six months in jail. Additionally, their vehicles may be subject to forfeiture. The authority reiterated that unlicensed services lack proper regulatory oversight and insurance, urging the public to report any illegal ride-hailing activities through the official government portal to help keep Singapore...

  On January 13, 2026, the Singapore courts sentenced 27-year-old Cheong Wee Kiat to four months and eight weeks of imprisonment for his involvement in a distressing case of criminal intimidation and computer misuse. The case, which involves the exploitation of bank accounts and a subsequent act of "punishment" that the prosecution described as unnatural and deeply humiliating, began with a desire for easy cash and ended in a violent, degrading confrontation. The legal troubles for Cheong started in March 2022 when his friend, identified in court documents as A1, expressed a desire to earn extra money. Cheong was aware that another individual, known as Tan, was actively seeking bank accounts in exchange for cash payments. Cheong acted as a middleman, introducing A1 to Tan with the understanding that A1 would open a bank account and relinquish control of it to Tan. Cheong was further motivated by the promise of a commission from Tan if the account remained operational for a si...

  On January 12, 2026, a 34-year-old man named Mohd Taufik Hashim was sentenced to a lengthy prison term following a violent encounter with law enforcement officers that took place in late 2024. Taufik pleaded guilty to a range of charges, including drug possession, refusing to provide a urine sample, and voluntarily causing hurt to public servants. The court handed down a primary sentence of seven years and five months of imprisonment, accompanied by six strokes of the cane. Furthermore, because he committed these crimes while under a remission order from a previous conviction, he received an additional enhanced sentence of 199 days in jail. The legal history of the accused played a significant role in the severity of the sentencing. In June 2020, Taufik had been sentenced to jail and caning for drug consumption. He was eventually released from prison in July 2023 and placed under a remission order. This order stipulated a basic condition that he must remain out of trouble for the...

  A massive 10-car chain collision occurred on the Tampines Expressway on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at approximately 4:55pm. the accident happened near the Punggol Road exit in the direction of the Seletar Expressway. Video footage of the scene showed a cluster of seven cars in a bumper-to-bumper pile-up, with three additional vehicles situated slightly ahead. In a highly unusual coincidence, eight of the 10 cars involved were identified as Mitsubishi Lancer models, with only two vehicles being of other makes. The Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that there were no injuries resulting from the multi-car crash. By the time Singapore Police Force officers arrived at the location, the involved vehicles had already departed the scene. Post-collision footage captured the drivers and passengers standing on the expressway as they managed the aftermath of the event. No further police action was required at the site once the expressway was cleared.

  On January 3, 2026, authorities at the Pasir Panjang Scanning Station seized 509kg of cannabis from a 20-foot inbound container. The operation was a success due to shared intelligence between Singapore Customs, the Central Narcotics Bureau, and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority. The container was initially flagged by the ICA Integrated Targeting Centre for enhanced checks. During the scanning process, ICA Image Analysts noticed anomalies, leading to a physical search where officers found a brownish substance in a box. Further inspection by the CNB revealed a total of 902 packets of cannabis. Investigations indicate that the drugs were intended to transit through Singapore to another country.  Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, smuggling more than 500g of cannabis carries the death penalty. This massive bust highlights the effectiveness of Singapore's multi-agency approach and the use of advanced technology in securing the borders against international drug traffic...

  On the evening of January 9, 2026, a significant residential fire broke out in a Housing Board flat in Tampines, leading to a large-scale emergency response and the hospitalisation of a firefighter. The Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted to the incident at Block 29 Tampines Street 86 at approximately 9:05pm. The fire originated within a unit located on the 15th floor of the block, creating a hazardous situation for residents and responders alike. Upon the arrival of the emergency teams, the fire was found to be concentrated in one of the bedrooms of the high-rise unit. At the time the blaze broke out, no one was inside the apartment, which meant that there were no civilian injuries reported within the affected home. However, because the unit was locked and heavily smoke-filled, the responding firefighters had to perform a forcible entry to gain access to the seat of the fire. Clad in full protective gear and breathing apparatus, the team entered the hazardous environment t...

  The Singapore legal system has signaled a significantly tougher stance on vaping-related offenses with the sentencing of Orison Toh Chun Kee on January 7 2026. The 29-year-old associate engineer was handed an eight-week jail term for the possession and offering for sale of 1,639 vape devices and pods. This sentence represents a massive departure from the one-week jail term and fine originally sought by the Health Sciences Authority. The prosecution revised its submission following a court directive in August 2025 to re-evaluate sentencing for all vape offenses, citing increased public interest and a shift in government policy. In the National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stated that vaping would be treated as a drug issue, a stance reflected in this case. Toh was apprehended on September 3 2024 after HSA officers observed him collecting a large consignment of vapes. District Judge Terence Tay emphasized that delivery drivers act as critical interfaces in illicit operat...

  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 ...