The United Kingdom has a new prime minister, its sixth in the last 10 years, after Andy Burnham met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on Jul. 20.

He succeeds Keir Starmer, who leaves his post after two years in the role.

Addressing the media as prime minister for the first time, the 56-year-old Burnham characterised his appointment as a "circuit breaker" moment for Britain, reported The Guardian.

According to the BBC, Burnham also used his speech — delivered somewhat unorthodoxly without notes or a teleprompter — to stress the importance of regaining stability in the country.

He mentioned addressing the rising cost-of-living as among his government's top priorities, adding that he would announce measures on Jul. 21 to give those feeling the pressure "some breathing space now".

His first instruction, however, would be to end rough sleeping in the UK.

Congratulations from PM Wong

In a congratulatory letter, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong wished Burnham "every success" in leading the UK through "this period of profound geopolitical and economic change".

"I am confident that we will continue to strengthen cooperation across a wide range of areas, including in innovation, science and technology, and defence."

On Facebook, PM Wong noted the "close and enduring partnership" between Singapore and the UK, "built on decades of trust and cooperation".

"Man of the People"

Burnham's seemingly rapid rise to 10 Downing Street was preceded by his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester, which lasted from 2017 to 2026.

Before that, he had served in various Labour government cabinet positions between 2007 and 2010, and twice unsuccessfully challenged for the role of party leader.

He has now built a reputation as a folksy, relaxed, "man of the people" and will hope to stem the rising popularity of Nigel Farage's right-wing Reform Party.

Just slightly over a year after taking over the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs portfolio, Faishal Ibrahim has resigned from political office, as well as from Parliament and the People's Action Party (PAP), over his "interactions" with a female member of the public.

According to a Jul. 20 statement by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Faishal and the woman had interacted through online messages and met on the sidelines of public events.

In his resignation letter, Faishal wrote that there was neither a physical relationship between them nor the intention to develop one on his part, but acknowledged that he failed to "establish clearer boundaries at an earlier stage".

The Attorney-General's Chambers assessed that no criminal offence was committed, but the Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs accepted that his conduct "fell short" of what is expected of a political office holder and Member of Parliament (MP).

The resignation of Faishal, who did well to connect and engage with the Malay-Muslim community, is a loss to the community.

This was also acknowledged by former President Halimah Yacob.

She said that Faishal "was, frankly, everywhere in his effort to personally reach out and assuage the (Malay-Muslim) community that he heard them and was trying to address their concerns".

The gap Faishal leaves behind

Faishal's sudden resignation leaves in its wake significant gaps, analysts told Mothership.

The Muslim Affairs ministerial appointment is a crucial cabinet portfolio, with the office holder playing a central role in shaping laws and policies that affect the welfare of the Malay-Muslim community.

Walid Jumblatt Bin Abdullah, Associate Professor at the Nanyang Technological University School of Social Sciences, explained that the office comes with "serious powers".

For instance, he recommends council members to Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS), the Muslim religious authority of Singapore.

The significance of Faishal's resignation lies in losing him as Muslim affairs minister, owing to the good work he has done during his tenure to "repair" the goodwill with the Malay-Muslim community, Walid commented.

"I think he did a really good job in the past year, also trying to engage different people within the Muslim community and really trying to have a big-tent approach towards embracing the Muslims," Walid commented.

"He was someone who was really able to bridge the relationship between the government and the people," the professor also said.

Eugene Tan, political analyst and Professor of Law at Singapore Management University (SMU), echoed this sentiment, saying, "Faishal was popular on the ground with his unassuming ways and ease of connecting with people."

His resignation is a "significant setback" for the PAP's 4G leadership.

Tan also pointed out that Faishal was appointed to the Muslim Affairs office "to shore up support of the Malay-Muslim ground" after the 2025 General Election.

With Faishal's departure, the PAP government will have to "beef up the representation and leadership" within the Malay-Muslim community.

Apart from Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli, there is no other Malay MP who is a full minister, Tan observed.

Zaqy is a Senior Minister of State (SMS).

Rahayu Mazham and Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim are Ministers of State (MOS), while Syed Harun is a Senior Parliamentary Secretary.

"This is a gap that will take some time to plug," Tan remarked.

He also said that the PAP will have to pay "even more attention" to the Malay-Muslim ground, in a variety of other ways.

Big shoes to fill for Zaqy

This also means the new Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs will have big shoes to fill.

Zaqy's appointment is "at least the first step" being taken by the PAP to ensure someone is taking over, Teo Kay Key, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, said.

The PAP's quick response also indicates that there are people who will be taking up the work in Faishal's absence.

"But it still means that the community will need to get used to a new minister," Teo added.

She opined that Zaqy has cycled through multiple political office holder appointments and has been SMS since 2020, putting him on comparable footing with Faishal in terms of experience.

Tan pointed out that, for Zaqy, there will be a "steep learning curve" and "building trust and confidence will be even more demanding".

However, Tan also said that the acting minister will "step up even as this role is thrust upon him".

Walid made the observation that when Faishal was made Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, he was promoted from Minister of State to SMS. At that point, Zaqy had already been SMS.

Zaqy is not starting from zero, however.

Under Faishal, there was a "division of labour", in which Faishal oversaw MUIS while Zaqy oversaw Mendaki, Walid said.

At a media doorstop, Zaqy expressed sadness at Faishal's departure and noted that he had worked closely with him for close to 20 years, most recently on the Mendaki 2030 and the Tunas programme.

"I'm sorry that this has happened, but I can assure the community that I will continue to engage and better understand the needs of the Muslim community," Zaqy said.

He noted in a separate Facebook post that many in the community are "disappointed and saddened".

"I will do my best to serve the community as the Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs, working closely with all our stakeholders and community leaders in the days ahead," he also said.

Independent political analyst Felix Tan, on the other hand, thinks that the changes will not have a "major impact" on the Malay-Muslim community, noting that the circumstances of this change in office holder are "quite different" from the previous one.

When Faishal was picked to take over the Muslim Affairs portfolio from Masagos, the debate was largely "about representation and public confidence in the role", he elaborated.

In Faishal's case, it was a matter of personal conduct. "There was no comparable public backlash over his ability to discharge his official responsibilities," Tan said.

"Whoever takes over the portfolio will inevitably have their own style and priorities, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into a major shift in policy or engagement," he remarked.

He also commented that the broader relationship between the PAP and the Malay-Muslim community is "unlikely to hinge on the appointment of any single minister".

Did it warrant a resignation?

Faishal's resignation over his interactions with a female member of the public is the latest in several similar departures from the PAP camp in the past.

Based on what is publicly known about the circumstances surrounding his resignation, Walid asked if it was warranted.

"The standards are getting higher and higher in terms of what disqualifies an MP," he commented.

While he does not object to such heightened standards when it comes to competence or fiduciary duties, Walid noted that Faishal's case was a "personal" matter.

"I don't think he should have resigned," he opined, reiterating that he found Faishal to be a good minister.

This is also echoed by former NMP Calvin Cheng, saying that "one has to balance losing a good minister/MP , with small failings that all human beings have".

"And when they fall short, they will need to face consequences," Teo said.

Tan commented that both the PAP and the Workers' Party have set "varying benchmarks of sorts, and they cannot and do not want to be seen to be soft on them".

"Ultimately, the PAP is not prepared to have an individual MP or political office holder get in the way of its political messaging and becoming a political distraction or even a political liability. It’s an albatross around its neck that it would rather not have," he continued.

However, with the number of similar cases from its camp, Tan said that it will be a political setback as the PAP prides itself on "integrity in governance and virtue in its leadership".

Independent political analyst Felix Tan differed on this, finding that the political backlash on the PAP is "likely to be fairly limited".

He also said, "At this stage, it remains unclear whether the matter involved personal misconduct or simply a lapse in judgment, and it would be premature to draw firm conclusions."

Cabinet reshuffle?

It is now more than one year since GE2025, and a cabinet reshuffle may already be on the horizon.

Faishal's resignation comes about two months after then-Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon stepped down from political office.

These movements may hasten the process for a reshuffle, Teo said.

Meanwhile, Tan doesn't see the business of government being "materially affected", but it's "a loss all the same".

"It may also point to unevenness in its bench strength and political renewal and succession for the Indian and Malay representation," he said, agreeing that the Prime Minister might bring forward cabinet reshuffle plans.

Notably, Faishal's role in the Ministry of Home Affairs and work on the fight against drugs and radicalisation "will have to be addressed".

Faishal's role in lowering recidivism was acknowledged by Minister Masagos Zulkifli. 

"Particularly when there are still many unanswered questions and the broader picture has yet to emerge," he added.

No by-election

In a Jul. 20 media doorstop with Minister for Education and Chairman of the PAP Desmond Lee, it was announced that Faishal's resignation will not lead to a by-election for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, which went uncontested in GE2025.

However, Faishal was the minority representative for the GRC.

Tan explained that the law does not require it, referencing the Court of Appeal's 2019 decision which concerned the minority seat vacated by Halimah Yacob to contest in the 2017 Presidential Election.

When President Tharman Shanmugaratnam vacated his Jurong GRC seat to run for the 2023 Presidential Election, no by-election was called either.

"It’s more a political choice, bearing in mind the political imperatives and context," he continued.

In this case, Parliament is "not even one year into its five-year term".

Teo also commented that there had been past cases in which a by-election was not called, despite a vacant minority representative GRC seat.

Other examples include when Raeesah Khan resigned from her seat in Sengkang GRC in 2020 and when Minister S Iswaran vacated his in West Coast GRC in 2024, both of which did not result in by-elections.

Closing the gaps

Fellow GRC MP and Minister of State Goh Pei Ming assured residents in a Facebook post that Faishal's MP duties will be picked up and covered by the rest of the team, which also includes Tin Pei Ling, Diana Pang, and Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng.

"Our immediate priority now is to continue our care and support for Kembangan residents, as we continue to care for and support our respective divisions in the GRC," Tin also said.

At a media doorstop held in Faishal's Kembangan ward at Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, Lee said, "Maintaining high standards of integrity and conduct is fundamental to the PAP, and we will continue to hold ourselves to those standards."

He was later seen speaking to residents at a meet-the-people session, alongside the four other GRC MPs.

Lee also told the media that the team will serve all residents, and further arrangements to strengthen the team will be made in due course.

Zaqy had also hit the ground running, attending a MUIS scholarship event in his new capacity the same evening his appointment was announced.

Faishal's resignation is a loss owing to his performance, and the gap he leaves behind needs to be filled.

The PAP MPs and the new office holder appear to be making sure that this is as seamless as can be.

A mother of a student at Punggol Cove Primary School has taken to social media to share her concerns after alleging that her daughter was bullied and inappropriately touched at school.

In her post, the mother claimed that her daughter had been bullied on multiple occasions, but that the incidents were not handled properly.

She also alleged that, on one occasion, a teacher responded inappropriately instead of protecting her daughter.

She was apparently told that saying “stupid” and “f**k you” is “normal”.

The mother further wrote that her daughter had told her she was "sexually molested twice" by a classmate in the school hall.

However, when she raised these concerns with the school, she did not feel that the gravity of the situation was acknowledged.

Instead, she said she was simply told that the school would change her daughter's seat.

The mother has called for appropriate action to be taken and said she would consider legal action if the issues remain unaddressed.

School's response

In response to queries from Mothership, Teo Whye Choo, principal of Punggol Cove Primary School, said the school is aware of the concerns raised by the parent.

"We take the well-being and safety of all our students very seriously," she said.

Addressing the alleged bullying, Teo said the incident took place in October 2025, when another student used inappropriate language towards the girl.

The school looked into the matter "promptly upon receiving feedback from the family", Teo said.

The student involved was reprimanded and apologised to the girl.

According to Teo, both families were informed of the incident and the actions taken.

In a separate incident on Jul. 2, the girl informed her form teacher about alleged inappropriate physical contact by another student.

Teo said the school interviewed both students separately on the same day and contacted their parents.

A further incident occurred on Jul. 8, after which the school conducted the necessary investigations and remained in contact with the family to provide support, she added.

Teo said the school is continuing to work closely with the students involved and their parents as investigations and follow-up processes are carried out:

"We are committed to maintaining a safe and supportive environment for all students. Our teachers have followed up on each reported incident promptly and professionally, and have kept parents informed of the actions taken."

There will not be a by-election following Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim's resignation, said People's Action Party (PAP) chairman Desmond Lee on Jul. 20.

Faishal, who served as Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs, and Member of Parliament for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, had earlier announced his resignation from his political offices, role as an MP, and a member of the People's Action Party.

No by-election

Speaking to the media at the PAP Kembangan branch in Eunos, Lee, who is also the education minister, said the key was whether the residents' needs are adequately provided for.

"In this case, the four other MPs for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC will step up, step forward, put in extra effort to ensure that the residents of Kembangan are taken care of," he said.

He added that further arrangements would be made in due course to strengthen the GRC team.

Have to maintain high standards of integrity

Lee said maintaining high standards of integrity and conduct remained fundamental to the PAP, and that they will continue to hold themselves to those standards.

He also paid tribute to Faishal's contributions:

"Professor Faishal has made significant contributions to Singapore over his two decades of public service... And as an MP, he also served his residents diligently and with commitment."

Lee thanked Faishal for his "many years of dedication, service, and sacrifice to Singapore".

Commitment to Malay-Muslim community remains unchanged

In response to Mothership's question on how Faishal's resignation could affect the Malay-Muslim community and the PAP's relationship with it, Lee said the government's commitment remained unchanged.

The resignation marks the second change to the Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs portfolio in less than a year.

Faishal had taken over as Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs from Masagos Zulkifli after the 2025 General Election (GE).

It was earlier announced that Senior Minister of State for Defence and Sustainability and the Environment Zaqy Mohamad would assume the role of Acting Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs.

Lee acknowledged that the Malay-Muslim community would have concerns.

"Certainly, the Malay and Muslim community will be concerned because the Minister for Muslim Affairs looks after their specific issues, concerns, and aspirations, but our commitment, the PAP government's commitment to the Malay-Muslim community, as well as all communities in Singapore, remains firm and clear."

He added that the government would support Zaqy in representing the community's concerns and aspirations, as well as addressing the concerns they have.

Historical precedent

There is historical precedent for not holding a by-election if an MP steps down with the Parliamentary term still to run, as there is no requirement under the law.

This holds true even if that MP is the designated minority member in that GRC, to fulfill the need for racial representation under Singapore's GRC rules.

Previously, Halimah Yacob resigned as both MP and Speaker of Parliament in order to stand in the 2017 Presidential Election.

Then National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said he and the other MPs in the GRC, Alex Yam and Ong Teng Koon, would fill in to serve residents in her ward.

In 2021, Workers' Party MP for Sengkang Raeesah Khan resigned as an MP following an untruth she told in Parliament and the subsequent fallout.

The other MPs proceeded to split the GRC between them, with Faisal Manap assisting in an advisory capacity.

In 2024, then-Transport Minister S Iswaran resigned his roles, including that of an MP for West Coast GRC after the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had given him formal notice of charges. Iswaran would later serve a jail term.

Coincidentally, Desmond Lee was also a fellow MP in West Coast GRC then. He said the other MPs would continue to serve the residents and have stepped up to cover Iswaran's duties as MP on the ground.

However, this has not stopped others from calling for a by-election to be held, with Ravi Philemon of RDU advocating for one.

Code of conduct for officeholders and MPs

When asked about the boundaries MPs should observe, given that they frequently communicate with residents through WhatsApp and social media, Lee said the PAP's code of conduct applies across all forms of engagement.

"The code of conduct for all officeholders and MPs applies to our everyday actions, whether it's physical interactions, whether it's online communications, whether it is in the things that we say and do."

"When it comes to online communication, this applies with equal force," he said.

When asked whether the incident had damaged public trust in the PAP, Lee said such situations were "always painful" and "always difficult".

"People, of course, will be concerned... We will double down on looking out for their interests and needs in order to maintain public trust."

"We will work doubly hard": Seah Kian Peng

Separately, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, who led the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC team at the 2025 GE, said his team will continue look after residents of the constituency.

Seah spoke alongside Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC MPs Goh Pei Ming and Diana Pang at the Kembangan branch, adding that Tin Pei Ling was overseas.

"I have known Professor Faishal Ibrahim for over 20 years, and I'm proud to call him my friend," he said. "His departure from the team will be felt very much by, not just us, but this team of volunteers and grassroots leaders, and certainly by his residents."

Seah also revealed that he had spoken to Faishal over the weekend.

"Before I could utter my very first words, he said to me, 'Kian Peng, I am sorry, sorry to the residents, sorry to my team of volunteers, and sorry to the four of us'," he recounted.

"We had a good conversation, and I told him we will miss him and please take care of yourself and your family."

Seah also assured residents that the team's commitments would remain unchanged.

"I want to assure not just residents in Kembangan, but residents in our GRC, as a team, that the commitments we've made to all of you... will not change. We will maintain it, and we will make sure we deliver."

"We will step forward, and we will work doubly hard," he affirmed.

Asked how responsibilities would be redistributed, Seah said community initiatives would continue as planned.

"We have quite a few that we will be announcing in the months ahead. So that will not change."

He added that the team would take a few days to work out the division of responsibilities, but will share the arrangements once they are finalised.

Related stories

If you’re a working adult in Singapore, you’d probably look forward to meeting your secondary school friends to take a break from the corporate rat race and reminisce about the good old days.

You know, the times where you’d mug together for the O- or N-level exams, or the naughtier times like when you’d skip school together to spend an entire day at the LAN shop.

That's the reunion a lot of people take for granted, and unfortunately for Daniel, one he doesn’t get to have.

Now in his late-20s, Daniel has no idea what his secondary school friends are up to, or whether they're even ok — a result of his own decisions more than a decade ago.

Some friendships don’t last and that’s perfectly fine, but the circumstances of Daniel’s friendship break up is a little different.

A small smile etched across his face as he recalled the times spent with his secondary school friends, describing his clique as a bunch of "typical troublemakers".

"We were intelligent and could probably do decently in school but had very misplaced priorities, short attention spans, and an appetite for mischief which was simply more instantly gratifying than paying attention in school," he said.

“If it's legal elsewhere, how bad can it be?”

The mischief started off harmless and small in Secondary 3, like sneaking off to the toilet without a permission pass. And slowly got bolder, like sneaking a smoke break in that very same toilet.

But it didn’t stay small nor innocent for long.

One day, while they were hanging out together on a weekend, Daniel’s friends casually started smoking marijuana.

Daniel explained that he was known to be the “goody two-shoes” among the group, so the fact that they had access to illegal substances alarmed him.

Daniel’s friends told him to relax, however.

Since marijuana was legal in other parts of the world and generally accepted elsewhere, such as Amsterdam, they reasoned, getting into it wasn’t as bad as it was made out to be.

"I was pretty shocked at first because up until that point it was never something I'd seen being done outside of movies or television shows so I was taken aback," Daniel recalled.

While Daniel wasn’t comfortable with their bad habits, he never dared to question his friends either, as he feared that he would be seen as a killjoy and end up being left out of his social circle.

After all, they had been friends since Secondary 1, and being left out meant he’d no longer have a clique to hang out with during recess or after school, or play basketball with on the weekends.

“I thought it was alright as long as I wasn’t actually partaking in the act itself”

"I think my desire to be accepted within the group also made me accept it very quickly rather than questioning it and realising that this was a bad thing my friend was doing."

Daniel added: "They were doing their own thing and they are their own people — I think the fact that I wasn't partaking was good enough for me. It was a lot of twisted logic to convince myself it wasn't a big deal."

So while his friends were in the school toilet smoking marijuana, he hung around outside to keep them company, which also meant buying them time if a teacher or schoolmates came close.

“While I wasn’t actually smoking (marijuana) with them, helping them to keep watch still felt uncomfortable because it made me feel complicit,” Daniel said.

"We eventually stopped messaging each other”

Eventually, his friends moved on from marijuana to harder drugs.

This time, he still didn’t confront his friends. Instead, he slowly saw himself hanging out with them less.

Daniel’s friends didn’t ask him to come by, and he didn’t ask to be invited.

He simply stopped being part of their hangouts, and they did not message him either.

“I guess they didn’t miss me enough to ask why,” he said.

"It was just distancing over time because I started to feel really uneasy about being their friends when it felt like everything started to revolve more and more around substance abuse for them."

There was no single blow-up or dramatic goodbye. Although it was Daniel’s choice to leave the friend group, it wasn’t an easy decision to walk away.

"I felt pretty bummed out. On one hand I did feel relief because I felt like I had escaped the grasp of something damaging. On another hand, it did come with a lot of heaviness because these were still my friends who I had a lot of history and good times with in Secondary 1 and 2."

These were his first real friends from secondary school, the ones he’d copy homework from, shared inside jokes during lessons, and spent countless hours creating memories that went far beyond textbooks and exam halls.

After graduating from secondary school, Daniel made the conscious decision not to keep up with his friend group.

He heard from acquaintances that some of them furthered their studies in tertiary education, but that’s as much as he knows about them.

The what-ifs that never quite go away

Now a working adult, Daniel can’t help but to look back and wonder what his secondary school friends are up to now.

Did the dream of going on that graduation trip to Bali ever made it out of the group chat? Are they too, like Daniel, part of the corporate rat race? Most importantly, how are they doing?

He never will, because cutting them off meant losing that thread for good.

"What if I had given in to drugs when they offered? I think that's the scarier what-if that makes me feel very relieved," he said.

"Would I still be where I am now? Would I be in jail? Would I have a job? Would I like my life? It is a spiral, yes — but it also makes me grateful I didn't try it myself."

But there's another what-if that sits heavier: What if he had just spoken up and told them not to go down that path?

"Maybe I'd still be friends with them and know where they are," he pondered.

He added, “Maybe if I’d spoken up, they would’ve heard me. Probably not immediately but it could have stuck with them later.”

“I don’t know what I would have said then… maybe I’d have expressed how I’m concerned about the side effects on them. But basically, I could have been more explicit about how uncomfortable it made me feel.”

Speaking up, he says now, is the braver and kinder choice.

Looking back, Daniel doesn't think his silence made him complicit in his friends' choices.

"I don't think it can be attributed to me. I know that they knew I didn't approve too. I don't think my silence was necessarily a significant part of their downward spiral," he said.

But he does believe speaking up could have made a difference — not for his own sake, but for theirs.

It's his biggest regret, and the advice he'd give to anyone who finds themselves in his position.

"I do wish I spoke up. If anything, maybe they'd just make fun of me a bit. But why not say something anyway? If they won't listen then at least I did my part of being a good friend," he says.

"I think anyone facing a similar situation should seriously consider speaking up. It's not just about protecting yourself, but also — being a good friend means to speak up for them. This can sometimes mean protecting them from their own actions too."

Back then, Daniel believed that staying silent was part of keeping friendships. Now, however, he understands it differently.

Sometimes, friendship isn’t just about going along, it’s also about being honest enough to speak up even when it is easier not to.

This article brought to you by Central Narcotics Bureau has reminded the writer to check in on her friends.

Want to find out how you can help your friends? Check out this quiz to learn which statements work best for you.

A 41-year-old Indian national was sentenced on Jul. 17, 2026, to two years, two months and two weeks' jail after he worked with another Indian national to steal a diamond worth nearly S$200,000 from a Chinatown jewellery store.

The Straits Times (ST) reported that Mangroliya Manojkumar Kurjibhai and 30-year-old Serasiya Milan Ramnikbhai were tourists who arrived in Singapore on Jun. 19.

Mangroliya had earlier pleaded guilty to a theft charge and Serasiya's case is pending.

Visited store

Prior to Jun. 19, both men had planned to steal the diamond from Dianoche jewellery store at Kreta Ayer Road in Chinatown.

ST reported that court documents did not state how the pair knew about the diamond.

The pair had commissioned a counterfeit diamond in India that matched its specifications and serial number.

After arriving in Singapore on Jun. 19, they visited the store at around 3pm.

Hid diamond in mouth

Serasiya hid the fake diamond in his mouth while Mangroliya asked to view a 4.95-carat diamond worth over S$199,000.

A sales manager at the store had to leave his seat multiple times after Mangroliya said he wanted to view several other items.

ST reported State Prosecuting Officer (SPO) Yip Cheng Yee as saying that Mangroliya then told Serasiya to swop the fake diamond in his mouth with the real one.

Serasiya spat out the fake diamond and then hid the real one in his mouth.

The pair left the store after Mangroliya told the manager they would consider the purchase.

After their actions were caught on the store's CCTV camera, the manager examined the diamond with an optical gemstone identification machine and confirmed it was a counterfeit.

An earlier report noted that through follow-up investigations, ground enquiries, and with the aid of images from CCTV and police cameras, officers from the Central Police Division and Police Operations Command Centre established the identities of the two men.

Arrested at airport

They were later caught at Changi Airport Terminal 3 at around 9pm on the same night, having booked a flight back to India.

Local authorities arrested them when they were attempting to clear immigration.

Officers then recovered the genuine diamond from Serasiya's haversack, ST reported.

If convicted of theft, an offender can be jailed for up to seven years and fined.

Muhammad Rauf, who was born with a single ventricle heart defect, has passed away, his school confirmed.

The 16-year-old's parents previously launched an online fundraiser seeking donations from the public for a surgery they believed could save his life.

The campaign ultimately raised S$391,188 from nearly 7,000 donors, exceeding the goal of S$390,000.

In a Facebook post on Jul. 18, Rauf's school Madrasah Wak Tanjong Al-Islamiah (MWTI) wrote that the teen passed that morning.

"His passing is a loss that is deeply felt by all the members of MWTI," the school said. The staff sent their condolences to Rauf's family.

Rauf's condition

The only child to his elderly parents, Rauf underwent several major surgeries for his rare heart defect as a toddler, but was able to lead a fairly stable life for 12 years.

After his condition worsened in early 2026, he was hospitalised in April due to fluid retention.

His father Muhammad, speaking to Mothership in early June, described Rauf's state as "suspension just waiting to go down", which was why he urgently needed surgery.

On Jun. 12, the family updated the fundraiser page to inform the public that Rauf's surgery was tentatively set for the following week.

In another update about a week afterwards, the family wrote that Rauf was "currently in the ICU [intensive care unit] for his recovery".

They also thanked the public for their support.

"Your generosity and kindness have been such a significant part of his journey," they said. "​Thank you for everything you have done for Rauf."

A 64-year-old man has been charged in court on Jul. 20 for his suspected involvement in an attempted snatch theft in Balestier.

What happened

According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident occurred on the evening of Jul. 16 at a bus stop outside a hotel at 226 Balestier Road.

Police said they were alerted to the incident at about 8:40pm that day.

A 72-year-old woman was at a bus stop when the man, identified in the charge sheet as Wang Dejin (transliteration), allegedly attempted to snatch her handbag, but was unsuccessful.

He later fled the scene empty-handed.

Following investigations, police officers established his identity and arrested him two days later.

Citing the charge sheet, Shin Min reported that Wang was alleged to have forcefully pulled at the elderly woman's Coach handbag, which was valued at S$500 and slung over her right shoulder.

The handbag reportedly contained S$586 in cash, a power bank, bank cards, a Chinese identity card and a long-term visit pass.

Wang is currently being remanded at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for psychiatric evaluation and the case was adjourned to Aug. 3.

He was charged in court for the offence of snatch theft.

If convicted, he could face a jail term of not less than one year and not more than seven years, and will also be liable to caning.

Caught on CCTV

Speaking to Shin Min, several shop owners in the area said police officers were at the scene on the night of the incident and requested CCTV footage from nearby businesses.

One shop employee said officers approached him as he was about to leave work to review his store's surveillance footage.

"I spent more than an hour reviewing the footage that day but didn't find anything, so I ended up leaving work late," he said. "The next day, the police officers came back and found a video of what appeared to be the suspect fleeing, and recorded it as evidence."

The employee said the man seen in the footage was wearing a white shirt, black shorts and a black baseball cap.

He added that the man appeared flustered after the incident and was seen fleeing the scene along Balestier Road.

In a statement issued on Jul. 19, the police said they would not tolerate such "brazen acts of crime" and would spare no effort in apprehending offenders and dealing with them in accordance with the law.

They advised members of the public who encounter such cases to remain calm, take note of the perpetrator's physical appearance and distinctive features, and contact the police as soon as possible.

A 52-year-old man riding a personal mobility aid (PMA) collided into a bus along Corporation Drive on Jul. 19.

He was subsequently conveyed unconscious to the hospital.

The police were alerted to the accident at about 9:45am that day, they said in response to Mothership's queries.

A 68-year-old male bus driver is assisting with investigations, which are ongoing.

What happened

According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident occurred near a bus-stop involving a service 49 Tower Transit bus.

In response to Mothership's queries, a Tower Transit spokesperson said the man on the PMA went off the pavement and onto the road when he collided with the side of the bus as it was pulling into a bus stop along Corporation Drive.

The man fell and was taken to hospital for treatment, the spokesperson added: "We’re in touch with his next of kin and wish him a speedy recovery. Our bus captain and passengers on board were unharmed."

Aftermath

As a result of the collision, the PMA was partly stuck under the bus, and its handle was also broken, Shin Min reported.

The bus did not have much visible damage apart from some scratches on the back door.

A witness told Shin Min that the PMA rider had fallen on the ground and was bleeding on the head, but made no sounds of distress or pain.

When an employee from a nearby store got to the scene, he saw that the rider was still conscious, according to Shin Min.

The employee said he wanted to get water for the man, but the bus driver advised him against it, explaining that they should let the paramedics handle the situation when they arrived.

The police stayed at the scene for about three hours.

Tower Transit staff also reportedly arrived at the scene to assist in investigations, and the bus was towed away at around 1:15pm.

It has been said that young people today don’t care about society and changing it.

But this is far from the truth in Singapore.

Through a series of engagements, surveys and polls in 2025 and 2026 with the National Youth Council (NYC), Singapore youths have spoken up about some of their biggest concerns — their careers, work-life balance, and mental well-being.

Those between the ages of 15 and 35 are very interested in building a more fair, inclusive, and compassionate society.

About 63 per cent were concerned about equal and fair opportunities, and 58 per cent wished for Singapore to cultivate a culture of compassion and empathy.

Some face challenges in career exploration and hope for more career guidance and exposure.

Not many youths are familiar with the support available to them

Only one in three said they are familiar with support available to help them with stress in their studies or work. Fewer than one in five felt they have enough support in their school or workplace.

Sports and exercise is one way they take care of their well-being, with four in five youths taking part in some physical activity once a week.

Still, some have pointed to a lack of time and motivation as a barrier that has prevented them from exercising more.

Anxious about their careers

In terms of jobs, the youths generally have a strong sense of purpose and desire to build meaningful careers, but are facing challenges in figuring out their path.

Three in five schooling youths said they are unsure how to get started in exploring different career paths.

As for working youths, half feel unable to keep up with skills required to stay relevant.

More than half also want work exposure and mentorship to help them in their career exploration, and believe regional experience can aid in their career advancement.

Optimistic about Singapore’s future

At the same time, the majority of them have expressed optimism about Singapore’s future.

About 76 per cent said they are confident about the country’s future, while 66 per cent feel confident about their own future in the country.

As for improvements, 64 per cent of youths believe they have the ability to make the country a better place.

However, only half said they have adequate support to contribute to Singapore’s future, with 43 per cent saying they feel supported in pursuing their personal aspirations.

Empowering the youths

To better support youths in these areas of concern, NYC and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) have worked with partners from the whole of society to put together a five-year action plan.

Known as the SG Youth Plan, it offers programmes, platforms, and resources to help youths feel confident in charting their own paths, connecting to their communities, and developing a sense of purpose to contribute meaningfully to the society.

To find out more about these initiatives, head over to the SG Youth Forum on Jul. 25, where the SG Youth Plan will be launched.

Get career guidance

At the SG Youth Forum, organisations from various sectors will be setting up booths highlighting opportunities for youths.

If you are embarking on your career or figuring out your next step, check out the booth by NYC’s digital portal Discover.

Take the Discover quiz to find out your personalised archetype, which will match you to possible career pathways, job tasters, and mentors that suit you.

There are also job tasters who offer a taste of what work looks like in different careers, so you can find out if they are the path for you. Through hands-on activities and insights from those in the industry, you can learn about the day-to-day work of professions such as clinical research and community building.

If you would like personal guidance from industry professionals, explore the mentorship opportunities from Mentoring SG at the same booth.

Through the platform, you can connect with a network of mentors, organisations, and resources to grow and navigate challenges in your journey.

Also, don’t miss a flash mentoring session featuring He Rui Ming from The Woke Salaryman, and Koh Man Jing from Just Keep Thinking.

Find out how to make an impact

For those passionate about change, head over to the Young ChangeMakers’ space.

Keep an eye out for the Ideas Gachapon, which has prompts to get you thinking of solutions to real-world challenges. If you have an idea, write it down and stick it on the wall.

At the Participatory Budgeting Zone, you get chips to vote on which youth projects deserve funding, offering a hands-on taste of how communities can shape resource allocation.

Find inspiration as you flip through the Project Storybooks, watch videos from youth changemakers, and get your questions about youth action answered at the Ask Me Anything! booth.

Youth Corps Singapore will also have a booth to share about their causes and how young people can get involved, including volunteering abroad through a Youth Corps Expedition Project.

Got a lot of ideas about tackling social issues in Singapore? Join the tabletop experiential activity at the booth’s workshop space, where you will work together with other youths to discuss issues such as poverty, senior loneliness, and the waste crisis, and explore how you can play your part.

Besides the booths, the SG Youth Forum has a range of fringe activities including live podcasts, interactive workshops, and a flea market to connect with peers and organisations who share your interests.

You can register for the forum here.

2026 SG Youth Forum

Location: Suntec Convention Centre, Engage Theatre 2 (Halls 401 — 402)

Date: Jul. 25, 2026

Time: 10:30am to 5pm

This branded article by the National Youth Council made this writer feel hopeful about the young generation in Singapore.