Persons with intellectual disabilities or autism can expect more tailored healthcare services come 2027, under plans set out by the Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities.

Three polyclinics to provide enhanced support for persons with intellectual disabilities, autism

At least three polyclinics in Singapore, with at least one in each healthcare cluster, will be designated by 2028 to provide enhanced support for patients with intellectual disabilities and autism who have more complex needs.

The taskforce noted this group of patients needs more time and support during consultations because of more complex communication, behavioural or healthcare needs.

The accommodations at these polyclinics will include pre-visit preparation with patients and caregivers, longer consultation times where needed, closer caregiver engagement, and help navigating appointments and follow-up care.

Teams will also be able to link patients and caregivers to relevant disability services.

All polyclinics to get basic training

This enhancement is part of a broader move to equip staff in all polyclinics with basic capabilities to support persons with disabilities or autism.

By 2028, all frontline staff will receive training in effective communication with patients with intellectual disabilities and autism and their caregivers.

They will also be trained to provide practical accommodations such as priority queuing, to cut waiting times for patients with behavioural or anxiety-related needs.

Stakeholders had told the taskforce that persons with intellectual disabilities and autism can face communication barriers when dealing with healthcare staff, and that primary care providers do not always understand what they need.

Not as straightforward as it sounds

Speaking at a press conference on Oct. 2, Minister of State for Digital Development and Information and Health Rahayu Mahzam said the changes amount to bigger steps than they might appear.

She said:

"It may sound so straightforward, but actually, if you think about it, what are some of the things that need to be done? If you're talking about someone who perhaps have sensory issues, have difficulties being in crowd, you need to make sure there's proper spaces, there's enough in the polyclinic, to accommodate that."

Longer consultation times raise other issues too, she said: "If we're talking about a polyclinic where people are queuing up and there'll be other patients, how do you meaningfully do that and allow for the services to continue to run, but yet make some certain accommodations?"

Staff training is another consideration.

She said: "You need to have people who are trained to handle some of the difficult situations because they can get quite violent. They can be very challenging. So we also need to provide the proper training and make that capabilities available before we stand this up."

Rahayu said the considerations in picking the polyclinics include accessibility, operational and infrastructural readiness, and anticipated demand.

MOH is studying the SPARk Clinic at Ang Mo Kio as a possible model, she said.

SPARk stands for Supporting PWDs with Accessible Resources and (k)are. These clinics provide chronic care management for adults with disabilities who have higher support needs, and their caregivers.

A passport for communication needs

Separately, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and SG Enable will roll out a Health Communication Passport from 2027, starting at selected polyclinics.

The passport is a personalised document capturing how a person with an intellectual disability or autism communicates, such as whether they prefer verbal or written communication or rely on visual aids, along with the practical accommodations they need.

Participating social service agencies will help clients complete the passport and share it with the polyclinic ahead of appointments, so staff can arrange accommodations in advance.

It will be integrated across key polyclinic touchpoints, including registration and consultation.

The aim is to spare patients and caregivers from having to repeatedly explain the same information at different points in the system.

MOH and SG Enable plan to expand the passport to other healthcare settings over time, with the possibility of covering other disability types.

"In the past when you speak about accessibility, we're thinking of physical accessibility"

Asked about the significance of the healthcare measures, Rahayu said they marked a shift in how accessibility itself is understood.

She said:

"If you think about it, in the past when you speak about accessibility, we're thinking of physical accessibility. Now we're actually understanding that there are many different types of needs and concerns and difficulties, and when we deal with those with intellectual disability and autism, it's less visible and less defined, and we've not had those kind of infrastructure in place in the past."

She said the measures are also about involving patients in their own care: "If we are able to pace our processes around their needs, we can then perhaps understand them a bit better and address their needs a bit better. So this will give them dignity and support in getting healthcare needs."

Caregivers were the other consideration. Rahayu described how difficult it can be to bring a family member to a crowded polyclinic, with some patients affected by noise or long queues, to the point that appointments get skipped altogether.

Part of three key shifts

The healthcare measures are part of three key shifts identified by the taskforce: future planning, meaningful and sustained employment, and meaningful engagement in the community.

"With these shifts, we want to ensure that there are pathways available, so that persons with disabilities and their families no longer experience a “post-18 cliff” after graduation and can lead a meaningful life and pursue their aspirations with greater confidence."

Fees for adult disability services are set to become more affordable soon, under recommendations released by the Taskforce on Assurance for Families with Persons with Disabilities.

For families caring for persons with disabilities, this will provide "greater assurance as they plan for long-term care and support", said the taskforce.

More affordable adult disability services

Firstly, the Ministry of Social and Family Development will implement a cap on fees for disability services, limiting what families pay out of pocket after government subsidies.

Next, there will be more subsidies for disability services.

Means-tested subsidies for adult disability services will rise by at least 10 percentage points for most families, across a wide range of services including day activity centres, Enabling Skills Centres, adult disability hostels, adult disability homes, children disability homes, the Enabling Transport Subsidy and the Taxi Subsidy Scheme.

The subsidy eligibility ceiling will also be raised to a per capita household income of around S$6,000, up from S$4,800 today.

This widens coverage to about eight in 10 households using disability services, from seven in 10 currently.

Lower-income families will pay no more than S$10 for community-based services such as day activity centres.

Lastly, more support will be provided for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism.

Eligibility for four financial support schemes will be expanded by the first quarter of 2027 to explicitly cover persons with intellectual disabilities or autism who have significant care needs.

The schemes are the Home Caregiving Grant, Caregivers Training Grant, Pioneer Generation Disability Assistance Scheme and Migrant Domestic Worker Levy Concession for Persons with Disabilities.

This will go towards defraying their caregiving costs.

Up to 80 per cent reduction in disability-care expenses

These enhancements will go towards reducing the a household's monthly disability-care expenses.

Families of persons with higher support needs can expect their monthly fees for selected services to fall by about 25 per cent to 80 per cent compared to today.

To illustrate, the taskforce cited the example of a four-person family living in an HDB flat with a household income of S$6,000, or S$1,500 per capita, caring for someone with higher support needs.

An adult disability home placement that costs them S$3,500 a month today would drop to S$700.

A day activity centre placement which costs S$210 today will drop to S$40.

For a similar household earning S$13,000, or S$3,250 per capita, an adult disability home fee which costs S$7,000 today will fall to S$1,600.

A S$710 day activity centre fee today will become S$400.

By 2030, the affordability changes are expected to benefit around 5,000 persons with disabilities accessing residential and community disability services.

Why the cost burden adds up

Speaking at the press conference on Oct. 2, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming said the issue of affordability came up repeatedly in the taskforce's engagements:

"Another concern we heard repeatedly from families was affordability... I hope that with the conversations on future care planning, as well as enhancing affordability, we are able to give our families a lot more assurance that their future needs are looked into, and that they are able to make informed decisions when they need to."

The taskforce said disability-related care needs last a lifetime, with recurring costs adding up significantly for families, particularly when caregivers are unable to work full-time.

The report noted that serving persons with the most severe needs under the Enabling Skills for Life Programme can cost more than twice that of persons with the lowest needs.

It said persons with severe disabilities pay higher fees because of the higher cost of providing more support.

One caregiver told the taskforce: "There's no option to plan so we [are] sort of stuck. So, we just live [on] a day-to-day basis."

Several caregivers also said their worries about affordability did not fade over time, but grew as care needs increased.

"They are not quite sure what they don't know"

Goh also said one concern surfaced repeatedly from families is the "post-18 cliff".

He said:

"They ask the question: when they leave SPED school at age 18, what is the next step? They often face uncertainty about finding employment or securing a place in an adult disability service. And in fact, if you think about it, throughout the first 18 years, that is perhaps the first and most major milestone of significant uncertainty."

But the worries did not stop there, he said, extending to what happens if someone wants to change jobs, retire, or if caregiving arrangements change.

He added: "Some of them have also said that they are so overwhelmed with just the day-to-day arrangements, they don't have the capacity to think long term."

Some families relied on chat groups and speaking with other similar families, he said:

"They are not quite sure what they don't know. They're worried that they may have missed a spot, and when they really need something, they may have missed the window to do so."

Part of three key shifts

The affordability measures are part of three key shifts identified by the taskforce: future planning, meaningful and sustained employment, and meaningful engagement in the community.

"With these shifts, we want to ensure that there are pathways available, so that persons with disabilities and their families no longer experience a “post-18 cliff” after graduation and can lead a meaningful life and pursue their aspirations with greater confidence."

Three boys, all aged 16, have been arrested over the alleged murder of a girl, 16, who was their secondary school schoolmate in Yong Peng, Johor, Malaysia.

Irene Sofiya Mohd Khairool Faisal, 16, was found unconscious and covered in blood in the school hall on Oct. 3, Bernama reported.

Johor police chief Ab Rahaman Arsad said she sustained several injuries to her head and body and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Grandmother went to school to look for her

Irene’s grandmother became concerned when she had not returned home by 5:30pm, according to New Straits Times .

Her aunt, Siti Nur Faeza Khyar, told NST that she and Irene’s grandmother went to search for the teenager after an extra class that ended at 5pm.

Her grandmother subsequently found her in the school hall.

Irene had been living with her grandmother following her mother’s death from cancer.

Her father works in Kuala Lumpur.

One suspect remanded until Oct. 9

Police arrested the three boys within hours of the discovery, The Star reported.

One suspect was brought before a magistrate on Oct. 4 and will be remanded for six days, until Oct. 9.

The local police said the boy had no previous criminal record.

The status of the other two suspects was unclear.

The case is being investigated for murder.

An autopsy was conducted at Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital in Batu Pahat on Oct. 4.

Police said the motive and circumstances surrounding the incident have yet to be established.

Wanted to become a doctor

Faeza described Irene as hardworking, quiet and kind, saying she regularly ranked first or second in her form during examinations.

The teenager hoped to become a doctor, following in her late mother’s footsteps.

Faeza recalled Irene asking what type of doctor she could become, and suggested that she consider specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology.

Her aunt said both the family and school had high hopes for her.

PM Anwar calls for swift investigation

Malaysia prime minister Anwar Ibrahim said in an Oct. 4 Facebook post that he has instructed authorities to conduct an immediate, thorough and transparent investigation.

He said firm action must be taken according to the law if criminal elements were found, adding that the government would not compromise on children’s safety and well-being.

Anwar also offered his condolences to Irene’s family.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) rescued a man, 42, standing on the eighth-floor air-con ledge of a public housing block in Bukit Panjang.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the man was seen on the air-conditioner compressor ledge outside the kitchen window and had partially gone over the railing at one point.

In response to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they received a call for assistance at Block 635B Senja Road at around 9am on Oct. 4.

A safety life air pack was deployed as a precautionary measure.

Rescuers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) rappelled from the unit above and brought the person to safety.

SCDF subsequently conveyed the person to Woodlands Hospital.

The police said the Crisis Negotiation Unit responded to the incident.

He was subsequently apprehended under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act 2008.

What happened

A Shin Min reporter arrived at the scene at around 10:10am and saw the rescued man being brought to an ambulance in a dazed state.

A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, told Shin Min that a commotion was heard from the unit that morning.

Occasional sounds of arguing was apparently heard coming from inside the unit, the neighbour said.

A woman, who answered the door when a Shin Min reporter subsequently visited the home, declined to be interviewed.

Swaying precariously

According to a video provided by a witness, the man, dressed in a blue shirt and black shorts, was seen standing on the ledge and had one of his feet over the railing, Shin Min reported.

The witness told Shin Min that SCDF personnel were seen operating between the seventh and ninth floors.

The video also reportedly showed a large number of SCDF personnel gathered downstairs, with some deploying the air pack.

Another group of officers was seen rushing upstairs, apparently preparing to deploy rescue nets.

In another video, the man was later seen standing on top of an air-conditioning compressor and swaying precariously, Shin Min reported.

Rescue

According to Shin Min, SCDF officers mounted their rescue just as the man appeared distracted.

One team deployed nets from the upper floors, while an SCDF officer rushed out through an eighth-floor window to restrain the man.

At the same time, three other rescuers reportedly rappelled down from above to provide support.

During the rescue, the man could be heard shouting and struggling as the officers worked to restrain him, Shin Min reported.

Many residents and members of the public who had gathered at the foot of the block cheered upon the successful rescue.

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 42-year-old woman in the United States allegedly shot and killed her two sons before attempting to take her own life, according to police.

Colleen Lemmon faces two counts of capital murder in Texas over the deaths of Christopher Pitre, 21, and Brian Pitre, 15, the New York Post reported.

Older son found dead, younger son died in hospital

Ellis County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a mobile home on Big Sky Drive in Waxahachie at around 4am on Oct. 1.

Christopher was found dead inside the home.

His younger brother, Brian, was taken to hospital in critical condition, but later died from his injuries, according to NBC 5.

Their father, Scott Pitre, told NBC 5 that Brian had just celebrated his 15th birthday.

He said he wanted justice.

The motive for the shootings was not reported.

Allegedly admitted shooting both sons

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by FOX 4, deputies found Lemmon with self-inflicted injuries and a handgun nearby.

She allegedly told responding officers: “I shot both my kids.”

Lemmon was booked into the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie.

The motive for the alleged killings remained unclear.

A neighbour, Ida Brown, told FOX 4 that the deaths had affected her even though she did not know the family.

“It’s heartbreaking, and I’m praying for them,” she said.

Walking through Aljunied constituency with former MP Faisal Manap feels a bit like hanging out with a celebrity.

Even before we sit down for our interview at New Century Food House — a coffeeshop in his former ward, Kaki Bukit — he's accosted by former residents reaching out for a smile, a handshake, a friendly how-are-you.

Here, Faisal is on home ground. That person is a cleaner, he tells me, always gets the best cleaner award. That man hasn't been doing well lately, we still keep in touch.

Take the man out of the estate if you will, but 14 years as an MP doesn't go away that easily.

A move to real estate

On Sep. 21, local real estate agency ERA Real Estate Singapore announced that Faisal had joined the team as a property agent.

It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, Faisal tells me. In fact, he'd first signed up for a real estate course last June, just a month after GE2025.

During the election, the Workers' Party (WP) vice-chair had moved from his Aljunied stronghold to anchor the Tampines team. Despite a strong showing, they lost narrowly to the PAP with 47.37 per cent.

The loss left Faisal — essentially — unemployed.  "I served as a full-time MP, I had no other income," he tells me.

"I need to earn, right, I need to feed my family.

[But] I wanted a profession where you can actually provide, you can give clarity."

Serving the people

A month after the election, Faisal signed up for a course in real estate.

"I'm a service-oriented person," he explains.

"Both [being an MP and being a real estate agent] are providing services...

I thought that since I do have some knowledge about housing policies [from being an MP], I can provide a good service, for those people who need to know more about housing."

Pre-politics, he'd worked as a technical officer for the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Still, it took him two tries to pass the exam.

He recalls how his daughter joked that she would "kick [him] out of the house" if he didn't get serious about studying.

"It's not easy," he admits, "but I think a lucky star was shining on me." That, combined with his family's encouragement, worked.

On his second attempt in July this year, he passed the notoriously challenging exam. "[My wife] was happy that after 16 months of unemployment, I managed to get a job," he laughs.

Honest work

But the news was met with mixed reactions.

Many lauded it as honest work, an honest living. Yet others pointed out the incongruity of a former MP taking on a relatively everyman role.

In Singapore, most MPs have day jobs. But these tend to be in specialised sectors like law, banking, or academia, and often in advisory or directorship positions.

For Faisal, however, this wasn’t a path he felt was viable. “My first passion was counselling,” he explains. Back in university, he studied psychology; he'd been a counsellor until he decided to join politics full-time in 2011.

But the requirements have since changed, and he would need a post-graduate degree if he wanted to return to the social services sector.

Another issue, which Faisal doesn't go into detail about but is surely cognisant of, is the perception that opposition politicians don't always have it easy in the marketplace.

Things have improved, he says, citing his WP colleagues — Jamus Lim and Louis Chua — as examples.

The former is an associate professor at Essec Business School, the latter an equity research analyst.

But Faisal himself is the OG cautionary tale. The WP veteran publicly shared that he was asked to leave his social services job in 2011 due to his WP involvement.

"If I don't retain the MP position, will it be easy for me to get employed?" he said in a 2015 interview with Yahoo Singapore. It would take another 10 years for him to face that question head-on.

Taking it seriously

Faisal says he's thankful for the opportunity to serve the community again, even if it is in a different role.

He is taking it seriously. He has a mentor, a more experienced realtor he's working with in ERA, and he has gotten "a few leads" so far, including a former Aljunied resident.

"Nothing confirmed yet. But I'm happy that after the news broke, a few people contacted me, even though I have not marketed myself," he says.

The job also has flexible hours — an important factor, considering that he remains the WP's vice-chair and has party responsibilities to think of.

He also plans to use what extra time he has for his family, and his pro-bono counselling work, which he continues to do on the side.

Don't count him out

Even in this next phase of life, Faisal hasn't ruled out returning to MP work, wherever or whenever it may be.

His heart for serving the community remains. And however successful he may be in his new endeavour, it's "not just about making money".

So if the call arises, he will return.

"I go where the heart directs," he tells me. "If the party sees that I still can contribute, I won't turn the party down."

"Yes, I'm doing property now. But I always believe in following the heart... [So] I will not discount contesting, if I can contribute."

A man convicted of killing another man during a road rage confrontation in the United States will be resentenced.

This was after an appeals court ruled that an AI-generated video of the victim appearing sympathetic towards the accused should not have been shown at his sentencing.

Gabriel Paul Horcasitas, 55, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting and killing Christopher Pelkey, 37, during a confrontation at a red light in Arizona in 2021, BBC reported.

His legal team appealed the sentence, arguing that the judge should not have allowed the video, created by the victim's family, to be played in court.

Family used recordings and photos to recreate victim

Pelkey’s sister, Stacey Wales, told BBC in 2025 that the family used voice recordings, videos and photographs to create the AI version of her brother.

The video was shown ahead of Horcasitas’ sentencing in 2025.

In it, the AI-generated Pelkey addressed the man who killed him, expressing regret over their encounter and suggesting that they could have been friends under different circumstances.

The digital recreation also spoke about forgiveness and belief in a forgiving God.

The sentencing judge, Todd Lang, responded positively to the clip.

He thanked the family for the video and said he felt the forgiveness expressed in it was genuine.

Horcasitas’ lawyers subsequently challenged its use at sentencing.

Appeals court ruled video crossed a line

The Arizona Court of Appeals agreed that the clip had “crossed that line”, according to BBC.

The court said the video did not document an actual event or preserve something Pelkey had said.

Instead, it depicted the victim and attributed thoughts to him based on his sister’s imaginings.

Horcasitas will now be resentenced.

The ruling does not overturn the jury’s finding that he was guilty of killing Pelkey.

A family of six managed to escape a Punggol flat after a fire broke out in the bathroom in the early hours of Oct. 4.

The unit was occupied by Singapore host and content creator Juffri Alui and his family.

Fire in common toilet

Speaking to Mothership, Juffri said his wife was showering in the common toilet when she heard a crackling sound and detected a smoke smell.

He later saw flames at the LED light compartment that also housed wiring above the toilet bowl inside the bathroom.

Flames were seen trickling down as it appeared that the area on fire had melted.

Firefighters doused flames

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were alerted, and firefighters extinguished the fire using a fire hose located outside the home, Juffri said.

He later posted videos of the incident online in hopes of raising awareness about electrical safety issues.

Crackling sound and smoke smell

Juffri said his family of six had just returned from their trip to Johor Bahru, Malaysia and had put their four children, including their seven-month-old baby, to bed.

His wife was showering in the common toilet when she detected hints that a fire had started.

She alerted Juffri, and the couple decided to switch off the water heater while she quickly finished showering.

After she left the bathroom, Juffri said the smell of smoke grew stronger.

He went to investigate and saw a small fire at the LED light box.

He immediately told his wife to wake the children and evacuate the flat.

Juffri called 995 at 4:36am and remained inside briefly to monitor the fire while waiting for help.

SCDF arrived and put the fire out within 10 minutes.

Soot and ash were seen on the toilet bowl and floor of the bathroom in the aftermath of the fire.

SCDF checked that all six family members were accounted for and asked if any of them required medical assistance, Juffri said.

“Thank God we got out quick and all six of us are safe,” he added.

He said a similar incident previously occurred in the master bedroom, where the family noticed smoke and a crackling sound, although no fire occurred.

Juffri said his wife originally moved into the Built-to-Order (BTO) flat about two years ago.

It’s time to step into the world of Formula 1 (F1), and Suntec City is making sure your race experience meets all that and more.

From now till Oct. 18, 2026, the Atrium (Tower 3 and 4) will transform into a LEGO F1-inspired “Pit Stop Hub”, where fans, enthusiasts and families can get a taste of the racing action without breaking a sweat.

Plus, there are plenty of rewards for you to enjoy, but more on that later.

The LEGO F1 Experience The Thrill is free to enter and runs from 11am to 9:30pm daily.

Get up close with a life-sized VCARB F1 LEGO Big Build

If you’re an F1 fan, you will surely remember the F1 drivers driving life-sized LEGO minicars at the Silverstone circuit earlier this year.

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Instead of watching it through a screen, you’ll be able to see the life-sized Visa Cash App RB (VCARB) F1 LEGO Big Build that was previously driven by the VCARB team during the Miami Grand Prix Drivers’ Parade in 2025.

Made from more than 400,000 LEGO elements, it’s definitely a sight to behold.

Prove your F1 fan status

After checking out the centrepiece, you can also create a LEGO F1 Race Pass.

The LEGO F1 Race Pass will take you through four activity zones, with an e-stamp awarded upon the completion of each zone, putting your racing instincts, reaction speed and concentration to the test.

Here’s what the four zones are:

1. Gear-up Zone

You’ll get to study an F1 car steering wheel before racing against a 30-second countdown to put all its components in the right positions.

Get it right in time, and you’ll earn your first e-stamp.

2. Sprint Zone

Next, it’s a test to see if you possess the reflexes of an F1 driver.

Once the light starts changing, you’ll have exactly 10 seconds to hit the button at the precise moment when they all turn red. The top three participants can win LEGO F1 sets.

3. Speed Zone

Hop over and take on the virtual circuits, putting your speed, precision, and concentration to the test. It’s your chance to see whether all those hours of virtual racing have paid off.

4. Victory Zone

Every racer deserves a victory photo, so snap one alongside a LEGO F1 Racer Minifigure and share it on social media to collect your final e-stamp.

After completing the challenges and successfully collecting three out of four e-stamps, you can redeem a prize, while stock lasts.

Participants aged four to 12 will receive the LEGO Steering Wheel, while those aged 13 and above can take home a LEGO voucher.

More goodies for F1-goers

The F1 frenzy isn’t confined to the main activation area, with plenty more for you to explore and enjoy across Suntec City.

Bring home some keepsakes

If you’d like to bring home some F1 memorabilia, head over to the LEGO Certified Store (Bricks World) retail pop-up at the Atrium (Tower 3 & 4).

Open from 10.30am to 9.30pm daily, the pop-up offers an extensive selection of F1-related LEGO merchandise, think brick-built race cars and F1 creations.

All for that race-week photo dump

There will also be a huge mosaic wall, measuring 3m by 2m, built in partnership with Adult LEGO Fans as well as members of the public through a community building activity from Oct. 9.

Try spotting the LEGO McLaren F1 Team MCL38 Race Car, LEGO BWT Alpine F1 Team A524 Race Car and LEGO Audi Revolut F1 Team R26 Race Car on the finished mosaic wall.

But that’s not all the photo opportunities you’re getting.

There will also be 10 life-sized LEGO F1 Racer Minifigures peppered across Suntec City, which will form part of an interactive trail, LEGO 3D Racer Minifigure Hunt, where you can win prizes if you can hunt down all of them.

The F1 pit stop for everyone

Suntec City is making sure that all your needs are covered beyond the thrill of the race.

They will be rolling out a series of shopping and dining rewards during the activation period, Oct. 1 to 18, for Suntec+ Members.

Besides earning rewards based on their qualifying same-day spend (in a single transaction), members can also enjoy these perks:

• Free parking after 5pm on weekdays with a minimum spend of S$20
• Four hours free parking on weekends and public holidays with a minimum spend of S$80
• Enjoy a S$5 Suntec City e-Voucher with a minimum spend of S$120
• Enjoy a S$15 Suntec City e-Voucher with a minimum spend of S$180

There will also be up to S$45 F&B e-Vouchers (with varying minimum spend) available through the Suntec+ App Rewards Catalogue, valid from Oct. 1 to 31, while stocks last.

All you have to do is download the Suntec+ App to redeem them.

Participating outlets include Genki Sushi, HariAnns, LONGJING, Sushiro, TONSHOU, and more.

Depending on the outlets, you can redeem e-Vouchers ranging from S$10 to S$45 with a minimum spend.

And if you’ve got tickets to the actual F1 race, be sure to bring them along as you can enjoy additional exclusive deals throughout October when you flash your race tickets at participating stores.

Here are some promotions* to get you started:

• 20 per cent off at Fish & Co.
• 15 per cent off regular-priced genuine leather handbags at Rabeanco
• Free french fries with any main purchase at Fried Chicken Master
• 20 per cent off total food bill and complimentary premium soup base at COCA

*Check out the full T&Cs in store.

So while the actual F1 cars are wheezing around the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Suntec City is bringing its own version of race week to the heart of the city.

This Suntec City-branded article made this writer excited to experience the thrill of the Formula 1 frenzy.

A Malaysian man went to Sepang International Circuit to watch the Formula One race, but ended up doing an endurance event of his own.

Gajen Nad, a comedian, decided to walk away from the venue after seeing the long shuttle bus queue on Oct. 2.

He made the decision despite it being nearly 10km to walk to Mitsui Outlet Park, Malay Mail reported.

The actual distance, based on what is shown on Google Maps, is closer to 9km.

He documented the 1.5-hour journey on Instagram, setting off at 6:25pm and reaching the outlet mall at 8:05pm.

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Thought walking would be faster

Gajen had attended the second practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Faced with crowds waiting for shuttle buses, he figured walking would be the quicker option.

He compared the scene at 6:10pm to a “zombie herd” from "Train to Busan", adding that his video showed only about 30 per cent of the crowd.

He also joked that some foreign fans appeared unsure whether the pick-up point was in Bahrain or Malaysia.

Passed a river and solar farm

Along the way, Gajen crossed a bridge overlooking what he dubbed a “teh tarik river” and passed a solar farm.

The heat did not help.

He described it as “hotter than George Russell and Carlos Sainz together”.

As night fell, he joked that both the sky and his skin had darkened, with his sunscreen having given up at 2pm.

His final hurdle was crossing a highway in the dark — an experience he said left his “insurance policy shaking”.

F1 returns to Sepang

Sepang is hosting its first F1 race since 2017.

The Bahrain Grand Prix was relocated to Malaysia following disruption caused by the conflict in the Middle East.

The race weekend runs from Oct. 2 to 4, with the main race on Oct. 4.