Sharp, essential news and analysis from Malaysia.
Andrew Chow, known as DJ Wiz, a trailblazer in Singapore's hip-hop and turntablism culture, has died at 63 from stomach cancer. The legendary resident DJ of Zouk Singapore won multiple DMC championships and profoundly influenced generations of musicians and clubgoers.
British band Massive Attack says Singapore police detained its members and separately questioned them following a Palestinian flag display during a concert, with some passports temporarily seized.
Singapore, Pakistan and Interpol have jointly dismantled part of the Tycoon2FA cybercrime network, arresting two Pakistani nationals. The operation highlights escalating regional cooperation against organized digital crime.
Singapore authorities have charged nine individuals—eight men and one woman aged 20 to 41—over the sexual exploitation of two minors. The woman faces trafficking charges; the men face procurement offences.
A fire in a Clementi HDB flat on Friday night claimed one life and left two firefighters injured. About 40 residents were evacuated as a precaution, with most returning home by early morning.
A 20-year-old Singaporean woman who disappeared to Cambodia has been found safe in Phnom Penh, authorities confirmed. Her family's fears of trafficking or kidnapping were ruled out after she explained she had voluntarily left to escape family stress and meet an online gaming acquaintance.
Singapore has banned British trip-hop band Massive Attack from performing in the city-state after two members displayed a Palestinian flag during a concert, breaching the nation's strict laws on foreign flag displays.
A Singapore woman has been jailed for two weeks and fined S$2,400 after she abandoned her car following an accident on Middle Road to have supper with friends, leaving the vehicle obstructing traffic.
Across Southeast Asia, governments grapple with environmental and economic challenges. Indonesia sets waste targets as El Niño threatens drought. The Philippines liberalizes IT expansion while Singapore leads green building initiatives.
A 40-year-old Singaporean has been fined S$5,000 and banned from driving for six months after allowing his two young sons to sit on the rear boot of his moving Porsche on a public road.
Singapore and Southeast Asian students continue pursuing US education despite stricter visa policies and security concerns, though families now scrutinise immigration timelines more carefully.
An electric vehicle ignited near a Woodlands HDB carpark on July 21 morning, with firefighters containing the blaze within minutes. No injuries were reported, though the incident highlights emerging safety concerns around EV battery systems in the region.
An Indonesian court has convicted all 19 members of a baby-smuggling syndicate, sentencing its 70-year-old mastermind to seven years in prison. At least 12 infants were trafficked to Singapore between 2023 and 2025.
Indonesian police arrested a 34-year-old Singaporean man in Jakarta on July 17 after raiding a house in the upscale Pantai Indah Kapuk area allegedly used to manufacture etomidate vapes, known as Kpods.
Four primary school boys aged 11 to 14 have established a neighbourhood patrol in Singapore's Lengkok Bahru estate, addressing issues from littering to fire hazards while supporting vulnerable residents.
A 26-year-old Singaporean has been arrested by Bali police following the death of his Indonesian girlfriend at a boarding house in Denpasar. He is suspected of strangling her after relationship problems.
A Singapore coroner has determined that two teenagers who died in January manufactured their own methamphetamine pills and inhaled the drug, with both found to have fatal levels in their systems.
A hornet nest attack near Redhill Market in Singapore sent four people to hospital on July 10. Authorities quickly cordoned off the area and removed the nest, with officials warning residents to avoid disturbing such nests.
Indonesia's state logistics agency Bulog is actively negotiating rice export agreements with Malaysia and Singapore. Discussions centre on a proposed 200,000-tonne shipment to Malaysia and 10,000 tonnes to Singapore, with pricing remaining a key sticking point.
Singapore authorities have charged four people over a sophisticated VAT fraud scheme in which gold was concealed inside signal converters imported from China, then extracted and sold locally after dismantling.
A Singapore man has pleaded guilty to raping a 71-year-old widow with severe dementia over a seven-month period. He was caught after one of her sons discovered footage of an assault on home security cameras.
Singapore authorities arrested 17 people across multiple locations in coordinated raids targeting illegal remote gambling operations, seizing more than S$720,000 in cash and electronic devices.
A paddleboarder has died after being struck by lightning in waters off Singapore's Pasir Ris Beach, with six others injured in the incident. The tragedy underscores lightning risks during water sports in tropical regions.
A 66-year-old Chinese woman has been jailed for three months and six weeks after using a fake passport and assumed identity to enter Singapore and secure long-term residency through a fraudulent marriage. Her husband also faced jail time.
Singapore Police Force and seven cryptocurrency exchanges prevented losses exceeding S$2.9 million for over 130 scam victims in a month-long June operation, marking the third collaborative effort to combat increasingly sophisticated digital fraud.
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will travel to Jakarta on July 6 for the second Singapore-Indonesia Leaders' Retreat with President Prabowo Subianto, focusing on deepening cooperation across emerging sectors including green economy and digital connectivity.
Singapore is expanding its assistance to Timor-Leste beyond membership entry to help the nation actively contribute to Asean affairs. PM Lawrence Wong announced upgraded support including chairmanship workshops ahead of Timor-Leste's planned 2029 leadership role.
A significant cybersecurity breach affecting approximately 70,000 Singapore residents has exposed personal information stored in an IBM-managed cloud environment, prompting wider concerns about data protection standards across Southeast Asia.
Singapore's Land Authority disclosed that approximately 70,000 individuals had their personal information exposed through unauthorized access to an IBM-managed cloud system used for property registration testing.
The owner of a popular Singapore porridge restaurant has been charged with evading nearly S$3.8 million in taxes and money laundering. Authorities allege he concealed income and falsified GST registration, laundering proceeds through property and luxury vehicles.
Police arrested two men following a violent altercation outside a nightclub in Singapore's Orchard Road district. Four others were hospitalised with injuries including lacerations, with authorities recovering a knife from the scene.
A Singapore doctor has been found guilty of consuming MDMA following a police raid at a Sentosa hotel party in August 2023 that netted 49 arrests. The court rejected claims that his drinks were spiked.
Indonesian prosecutors have sought sentences of up to 10 years for 19 members of a baby trafficking network accused of selling at least 34 infants, with dozens trafficked to Singapore between 2023 and 2025.
A Singapore vape pod seller has been jailed for 16 months and banned from driving for 18 months after attempting to escape a Health Sciences Authority raid in Bishan, nearly hitting enforcement officers in the process.