Starting January 2027, the starting monthly salary of new local bus captains will increase by S$450, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Jun. 3, 2026.

This will be accompanied by a S$2,000 increase in the first-year sign-on bonuses.

Bus operators have also collectively agreed to make a one-time adjustment to the salaries of all in-service bus captains, LTA also said.

The announcement was made in a joint news release with the major bus operators and the National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU).

Average monthly salary increases to more than S$4,000

The increments, funded by the government, are meant to attract more local bus captains and are implemented in consultation with the National Transport Workers' Union, LTA said.

With the increments to the starting salary and first year of sign-on bonus for new local bus captains, LTA estimated that most local bus captains can earn S$600 more per month in their first year of service.

Taking into account increases to the basic pay, overtime, allowances and bonuses, the average monthly salaries of new local bus captains will effectively increase to more than S$4,000, according to LTA.

One-time salary adjustment for in-service bus captains

The bus operators — SBS Transit, Go-Ahead Singapore, Tower Transit and SMRT — have also collectively agreed with the NTWU to make a one-time adjustment to the salaries of all in-service bus captains.

This is to manage "wage relativity, improve retention and recognise the contributions of in-service bus captains", LTA said.

The bus operators will also continue to improve the attractiveness and safety of the bus captain role, such as by reducing split-shift assignments and shortening continuous driving time on long bus routes, LTA added.

Strong pipeline of captains needed to deliver enhancements: LTA

LTA explained that a "strong pipeline of bus captains" is needed to deliver bus connectivity enhancements and sustain essential public bus services.

Since the launch of the Bus Connectivity Enhancement Programme in July 2024, there have been 33 new or extended bus routes and improvements to over 60 existing services, LTA noted.

However, the bus captain workforce is ageing.

For every local bus captain recruited, two are leaving the industry due to resignation or retirement, according to LTA.

The proportion of local bus captains has also declined from 54 per cent in 2021 to 41 per cent in 2025.

Commitment to take care of public transport workers: Jeffrey Siow

On the announced starting pay and sign-on bonus adjustments, Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow said that they reflect "our commitment to take care of our public transport workers".

"A larger pool of bus captains will also allow us to improve working conditions, including shift arrangements, and make bus driving a more sustainable career," Siow commented.

Siow had previously shared in a parliamentary written reply in February 2026 that the government was reviewing the starting salary of bus captains.

In March, Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Member of Parliament Yeo Wan Ling, who is also NTWU's Executive Secretary, shared during her remarks in Parliament that the starting basic salary of new bus captains was around S$2,250.

A significant amount of income depends on overtime, Yeo said at the time.

The major bus operators had also previously announced a S$20,000 sign-on bonus for Singaporeans and permanent residents.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth came to Singapore to speak on May 30 with a clear message: U.S. allies needed to spend more on their national defence.

3.5 per cent was the number cited to be considered a “model ally” and be given priority for weapons systems, defence infrastructure collaboration, to name a few things.

Those who fell under that number were accused of freeloading on the back of U.S. taxpayers.

Sic vis pacem

Hegseth referenced that old Roman aphorism “Sic vis pacem, para bellum”, or as he said in English: “those who long for peace must prepare for war.”

Peace is achieved through deterrence, and words do not deter, he might say.

So in front of a conference audience, he advocated: Less conferences, more combat power.

"Sorry to say this here, but more ships, less Shangri-La."

Left unsaid (because it didn't need to be said out loud) was the implication that those countries should buy American.

But East Asia spends more and more every year on its security, IISS estimates that from 2025 to 2026, Asia’s spending grew by 3.5 per cent.

It's not weaponry that East Asian countries yearn for.

It's dialogue and transparency.

With all due respect to the SecDef, Asia needs more Shangri-La Dialogue and fewer ships.

Interlocutor

From the very first moments of 2026 SLD, at Vietnam President To Lam's keynote speech, he lamented a lack of strategic trust, causing states to “interpret one another's actions through a lens of mistrust and anxiety.”

“Where trust declines, defensive measures may even be perceived as provocation.”

To Lam called for transparency, dialogue and substantive information sharing to reduce misunderstandings, a call that was echoed by Australian defence minister Richard Marles in reference to the safety of Australia’s undersea cables.

Since 2024, there have been numerous occasions where undersea cables in the Baltic Sea and the Taiwan Strait were cut under suspicious circumstances.

As this Centre for Strategic and International Studies document details: China is often accused of being responsible for such cuts, the Baltic incidents occurred with China-flagged ships, but as the report itself admits: accidents are common.

In his address on May 30, Marles called on China to be transparent about its maritime operations, saying that it would be a meaningful contribution to regional stability.

Japan and China

China for its part was notable by its so-called “absence”.

For the second year in a row, Minister of National Defense Dong Jun did not make an appearance, but its delegation was impossible to miss.

A fairly large group, they took part in breakout sessions at a fairly high level, including a Major General and a former Ambassador to the United States.

They also made their presence felt by asking questions during plenary sessions, including one incident of chiding Japan’s defence minister for supposedly not apologising for Japan’s Second World War atrocities in Asia, as it did in Australia.

The Guns of August

China and Japan's mutual antagonism is pertinent because it appears as if they are being drawn into what is known as a security dilemma.

A security dilemma describes a situation where two or more countries are suspicious of each other’s military intent and lack the means through which to defuse those tensions.

Instead of engaging in diplomacy to resolve said tensions, they take the logical precautionary step to increase their own security, usually by arming themselves with ever more and ever more advanced weaponry.

Every single weapons purchase, training scheme, or military exercise is interpreted by the rival as a move with offensive potential that must be responded to, drawing both sides into a never-ending spiral of militarisation and conflict, resulting in a situation where war feels all but inevitable.

It can be a scary thought because (and yes, this is what the dilemma is), the very thing a country feels is necessary to ensure its safety is the same thing that endangers it.

The entire pre-First World War period is rife with moments which are explained by the security dilemma, such as the naval arms race sparked by the completion of the battleship HMS Dreadnought.

The excellent book, The Guns of August, documents the final month before the war, where multiple empires took actions that they knew would antagonise other nations, but felt compelled because they could not otherwise assure their security.

And for that, they were drawn into a war they did not want, which ultimately destroyed almost all of them.

So there is literally a historical precedent for fewer ships and more dialogue.

The finger of blame

And so, the week just before SLD saw the Financial Times publish a startling report which detailed China President Xi Jinping “railing against Japan’s remilitarisation” to U.S. President Donald Trump.

And within my group chats, an idea circulated: maybe Xi doesn’t know about the security dilemma.

Of course he is probably fully aware of it, but on Sunday morning, Japan Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi gave a speech that seemed to confirm the dilemma’s spiral was in full effect.

Koizumi turned the finger of blame around and pointed it at China saying “There is a country that has a huge arsenal of nuclear weapons and strategic bombers. Japan has neither of such weapons.”

“And yet Japan is labeled ‘new militarism’. Isn’t it strange?”

Guns and ships

The Philippines National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr similarly took to the SLD stage to condemn China’s behaviour in the South China Sea, with China biting back later that same day.

And to harken back to the fewer ships theme: one of the friction points between Japan and China is the JS Izumo, a ship that Japan claims was a helicopter carrier when launched in 2015, but China said was an aircraft carrier.

Well, that ship can now launch the F35B short take off stealth fighter, so China had a point.

But China launched its own aircraft carrier… in 2012, the PLANS Liaoning, so another instance where more ships are the literal problem.

As a citizen of Southeast Asia, the best-case scenario here is that it is a security dilemma and that none of these countries actually wants conflict with each other.

But the security dilemma shows that not wanting conflict is not enough. The opposing sides need to find ways of communicating where they do not assume the worst of each other.

To jaw-jaw

And this is where we get back to Hegseth’s words.

East Asia doesn’t really need motivation to spend more on weaponry and national defence, the motivation can be generated at a moment’s notice.

What the region needs are more opportunities to convince each other that they do not intend the worst, that security measures are, in fact, precautionary, not aggressive.

As the former First World War veteran and UK PM Winston Churchill once quipped, “To jaw-jaw is better than to war-war”, and Churchill was not exactly known as a peacemonger.

Breaking the spiral

When regional leaders call for more transparency, dialogue and information sharing, it is a call to break the spiral of aggression the dilemma encourages.

All parties involved clearly need more opportunities to show each other that, regardless of the current level of competition, regardless of historical harms, in the present moment, they mean no outright hostility.

Spending more money on weaponry doesn’t achieve this, and instead deepens the spiral and the dilemma.

Asia’s military spend, to underline the point, is not the issue, the continent is spending ever more money, year after year, decade after decade, and there are no indications that it will go down.

There are already quite enough ships, so let's try more Shangri-La Dialogues.

An Indonesian woman staying in Singapore went viral for posting her pre-wedding photo shoot on Instagram, complete with a head of broccoli as her bouquet.

On May 28, Nadia Loewito, who is in her 30s, shared pictures of the unique take on classic florals.

She captioned her post, "I'm thinking cauliflowers for the wedding".

"For the girlies who don't want to break the bank for a traditional bouquet, let me put you on broccoli bouquets! (They're so easy to [do-it-yourself] DIY and cost less than S$10."

Loewito told Mothership that the choice of bouquet was due to a mix of aesthetics and practicality.

"I’ve always thought a head of broccoli naturally looks like a perfect little green bouquet."

Ribbons, pearls, and broccoli

Loewito said she did not expect her post to gain traction, "watching it spark so much curiosity and viral debate has been a really surprising experience".

In her post, Loewito said the simple project only requires "satin ribbon, some adhesive pearls, and a head of broccoli".

She added in her photo captions that she had a head of broccoli in both her pre-wedding and engagement shoot.

"I genuinely think they're so adorable and chic (optional: have them for dinner afterwards)."

Loewito told Mothership that she did a quick search on Pinterest to see if anyone had tested the idea.

"Once I saw a few fun examples, I decided to just go for it."

She said that the whole process of decorating the broccoli took less than 10 minutes.

She added, "It was incredibly quick and easy. Honestly, nature did most of the heavy lifting with the shape."

Zero-waste option

Loewito told Mothership that she "loved the idea of a zero-waste option" that you can actually cook and eat afterwards.

When asked whether the couple consumed the broccoli after the shoot, Loewito said she and her soon-to-be husband, Sheratan, brought it home and air-fried it.

According to Loewito, who is a former wedding photographer, she had seen almost every traditional floral arrangement and wanted something abstract and avant-garde for herself.

However, when she looked into her wishlist, she could not justify the cost of the bouquets, which were expensive and would not last past the shoot.

Instead, she chose to pivot to the broccoli bouquet, calling it "the perfect way to express my love for unique aesthetics without the traditional price tag".

Recession indicator?

The top liked comments on the post said: "This is a recession indicator" and "Is this rage bait?"

When asked about her thoughts on the comments, she said: "The 'recession indicator' comment was hilarious, but it definitely wasn't that deep! I just see it as a fun, sustainable alternative to traditional flowers."

Some commenters also wondered if the bouquet was a joke.

Loewito took it in good stead, she said: "People were wondering if it was a joke, or assuming my partner just wouldn't buy me real flowers."

"I’d love to set the record straight: it definitely wasn’t a joke or rage bait. It was 100% my choice, and I genuinely preferred a broccoli bouquet over traditional florals!"

Broccoli to take backseat in wedding

The broccoli will not be making a comeback for the wedding, according to Loewito.

According to a separate Instagram post, she is currently in the midst of planning her 2026/2027 wedding.

However, she said its cousin, the cauliflower, may make an appearance.

She said: "I’m seriously considering cauliflower for that classic white, bridal vibe."

"My comment section has also been flooded with brilliant ideas like squash blossoms and mini purple cabbages, so I’m keeping my options open."

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nadia Loewito (@nadialoewito)

A 22-year-old woman is set to face charges after allegedly throwing her newborn daughter from the 10th floor of a flat in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, killing the baby.

The suspect, who is the baby's biological mother, was arrested at Hospital Sultanah Aminah at around noon on Jun. 2, according to Johor acting police chief Deputy Commissioner Hoo Chuan Huat, per The Star.

He said in a statement: "Investigations showed that the newborn baby was still alive when she was allegedly thrown from the 10th floor, resulting in her death."

Body found in parking area

According to The Star, police first received a report on May 2 at about 2:40pm after the baby girl's body was discovered in the parking area of the flat.

Hoo noted that the woman had no prior criminal record, with statements already taken from several witnesses.

To be charged on Jun. 3

Following a referral to the Johor prosecution office, the woman is set to be charged at the Johor Baru Sessions' Court on Jun. 3 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, per The Star.

The offence carries a jail term of up to 30 years and a possible fine.

Warning: This article contains details that some audiences may find distressing. Audience discretion is advised.

A British surgeon who amputated his own legs and was sentenced to prison, has been struck off the medical register.

This was after the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel decided on May 29 that his ability to continue as a practising surgeon was impaired by his convictions.

The panel also deemed him "an extremely high level of risk to public protection with no demonstrable lack of insight or remedial behaviour", BBC reported.

What happened

Neil Hopper, 50, had a "sexual interest" in amputation.

He had suffered from body dysphoria since he was a child and felt that his feet were an "unwelcome extra" and a "persisting never-ending discomfort" to him, the court heard previously.

He carried out hundreds of amputation operations on others before having his own legs removed in 2019.

He had used dry ice to freeze them.

Hopper claimed to insurers that the injuries to his legs were not self-inflicted, but the result of sepsis.

Surgeons subsequently removed his legs and were unaware of the real cause of his injuries.

In 2025, he was sentenced to two years and eight months' jail, and given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order after admitting to insurance fraud and possessing extreme pornography.

Hopper also bought pornography videos depicting body mutilation, including men willingly having their genitals removed.

'Incompatible' with medical profession

Robert Dudley, a representative from the General Medical Council of the UK, said that "it is apparent to the tribunal [that] Hopper was sexually motivated by the videos and by his own amputation", according to BBC.

Hopper's consumption of the videos and his association with their maker, a convicted Norwegian man who ran a business in extreme body modification, showed that he had a "a blatant disregard for the wellbeing of the public".

As such, the council found that Hopper's conduct was "incompatible" with the medical profession.

During the tribunal, Hopper, who had no representative, said that it had taken him years to "come to terms with what [he's] done".

"I'm not only ashamed of my actions, I'm appalled I was part of the machinery.

I cannot convey how sorry I am. It's behaviour I find impossible to understand. I'm so, so sorry."

A family travelling from Singapore to Kuching said they were asked to disembark an AirAsia flight after boarding because of a special aircraft seat used by their daughter, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

According to the family, they had completed check-in, cleared immigration and boarded the aircraft before being informed that the pilot had decided not to allow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved seat on board.

The FAA is the United States' civil aviation authority, and its approval indicates that the device meets certain aviation safety standards.

The family said they were subsequently asked to leave the aircraft.

The incident has since drawn attention online, with AirAsia subsequently saying it is reviewing its policies and procedures relating to specialised child restraint devices.

Family says they were asked to leave flight after boarding

In a Facebook post published on May 28, Syarifah Ella Wan Wahab said she, her husband, their three young children and a domestic helper had boarded AirAsia flight AK1776 from Singapore to Kuching on May 26.

According to Syarifah, her daughter Zara had already been seated in the special aircraft seat when ground staff and cabin crew informed the family that the pilot had decided not to permit its use on board.

Syarifah said the seat had been declared during check-in at Changi Airport.

She added that ground staff had asked questions about her daughter’s age, weight, medical condition and the weight of the seat before allowing the family to proceed with boarding.

Her daughter had previously travelled on numerous domestic and international flights, including with AirAsia, using the same seat without issue.

Handling of incident

While acknowledging that the pilot had final authority over safety decisions, Syarifah said she was disappointed by how the situation was handled.

According to her post, the family was repeatedly told that the decision was based on airline policy, but was not given a detailed explanation of the specific safety concern involved.

Syarifah also sought clarification on AirAsia's policies regarding FAA-approved child restraint systems and how they apply to passengers with disabilities or special needs.

In her post, she questioned whether the policy cited by staff was intended for typically developing infants and toddlers, or whether there were separate considerations for children who require specialised seating because of a disability or medical condition.

She also called for disability-awareness training for staff and a review of how similar situations are handled in future.

AirAsia says decision based on safety requirements

In response to Mothership’s queries, AirAsia said it was aware of concerns raised over the incident.

In the statement, the airline said the decision made at the time was based on safety requirements relating to the suitability of the child restraint device presented for use on board.

AirAsia also said the family may have had different expectations due to previous travel experiences with the airline.

"The safety and wellbeing of our guests will always remain our highest priority," said AirAsia X chief safety and quality officer Captain Saravanan Subramaniam.

"While we empathise with the disappointment experienced by the family, the decision was made in accordance with applicable safety requirements and operating procedures at the time of travel," he added.

Airline reviewing policies

AirAsia added that it is conducting a review of its guidelines and procedures concerning specialised child restraint devices.

He added that the airline had contacted the passenger directly to provide clarification and assistance.

"For future travel, we encourage guests to present the relevant documentation and certification confirming the suitability of the child restraint device for travel, including for guests with disabilities, so our ground and inflight teams can better assess and facilitate the necessary approvals prior to departure"

A 30-year-old man will be charged in court on Jun. 4, 2026, for voluntarily causing hurt against a 55-year-old man on a public bus.

The younger man allegedly snatched a cap bearing an Israeli national emblem that the older man was wearing and assaulted him.

Allegedly snatched cap bearing Israeli national emblem

According to a Singapore Police Force (SPF) news release, the incident occurred on Oct. 27, 2025, at about 10:40pm, along Rivervale Drive.

Police received a call for assistance regarding a case of assault.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the 30-year-old man had allegedly snatched a cap bearing the Israeli emblem, which the 55-year-old man was wearing.

The younger man also allegedly assaulted the older man. Both parties were not known to each other.

Police established the identity of the 30-year-old man through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from police cameras.

The offence of voluntarily causing hurt carries an jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.

55-year-old warned for display of foreign national emblem

The 55-year-old was also given a stern warning, in lieu of prosecution, for displaying a foreign national emblem.

"The police takes a serious view of any act of violence," SPF said.

SPF also advised members of the public against the public display and wearing of articles associated with foreign conflicts.

SPF also reminded members of the public "not to import overseas conflicts into Singapore" and to "express their views in a lawful and responsible manner".

"The police will deal with offenders sternly in accordance with the law," SPF said.

A foodpanda delivery rider scribbled the unit number of a customer's home on the wall outside the unit and got called out by the resident.

The actions of the rider were caught on surveillance camera.

According to the customer, who shared about what happened on social media, the incident took place at about 7:15pm on Jun. 1.

Cleaned up writing

The rider has since returned to clean up the writing.

A foodpanda spokesperson told Mothership that the rider was “attempting to ensure the delivery could be properly verified as part of the proof-of-delivery process”.

The food delivery platform added that his actions were "inappropriate" and did not meet the standards it expects of its delivery partners.

The delivery rider subsequently returned to the customer’s unit to clean the wall.

The foodpanda spokesperson added: "We have since spoken with the delivery partner and reinforced our expectations on proper delivery conduct."

foodpanda has also offered compensation to the customer.

Why scribble?

One commenter on social media explained that it was part of the delivery rider's protocol to take photos of completed deliveries.

This is to ensure that they do not get accused and penalised for not completing orders.

The commenter also pointed out that unit numbers of some homes might be concealed, obscured, missing, or difficult to photograph, which could have prompted the delivery rider to scrawl the unit number on the wall.

However, a photo the resident posted online showed that her unit number could be seen on her gate.

Two sisters have died after a fire tore through their home in Taman Ehsan Jaya, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, on Tuesday night, with window grilles allegedly preventing them from escaping.

The victims, identified by Sin Chew Daily as 15-year-old Huang Yujie and 13-year-old Huang Yuning, were found unconscious in a bedroom on the upper floor of the two-storey terrace house.

Both were conveyed to the hospital, where they passed away.

It is believed the sisters were unable to escape through the windows due to metal window grilles and inhaled too much smoke before losing consciousness.

Firefighters arrived within minutes

Johor Jaya Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Senior Fire Officer I Rafie Ahmad Sareng said his team received the emergency call at 9:06pm and arrived on scene within six minutes.

He told Sinar Harian:

“When we arrived at the scene at 9:12pm, the two-storey terrace house was already on fire. About 60 per cent of the house had been destroyed.”

Firefighters located the two sisters unconscious in an upstairs bedroom during search and rescue operations. Emergency Medical Rescue Services personnel administered CPR on the spot before both were rushed to the hospital.

A total of 14 firefighters were deployed, with additional support from surrounding fire stations.

Before leaving for Johor, 10-year-old Nur Airish Syifa Sidek shook her mother’s hand, kissed her cheeks several times, and smiled.

What she said to her mother, Nurul Ain Mohd Rashid, 38, before stepping away was:

“Goodbye Umi (a colloquial term for "mother" in Malay)."

Those would be the final words her mother heard from her.

Nurul Ain would later find out that her daughter was among five people killed in a five-vehicle crash along Jalan Renggam–Simpang Renggam in Kluang, Johor, on Jun. 1.

Took five pieces of her mother’s clothing

Speaking to Malaysian media at the Bandar Al Muktaffi Billah Shah Islamic Cemetery, Nurul Ain said her daughter had asked to follow her uncle back to Kota Tinggi, Johor, on Thursday (Jun. 11) afternoon, according to Harian Metro.

Nurul Ain’s elder son, Amirul Syafiq, 15, had also wanted to go along, but she stopped him as she wanted him to remain at home with her.

Nur Airish had also taken five pieces of her mother’s clothing with her, as they wore the same size.

Nurul Ain added, as reported by the New Straits Times, the fact that her daughter was wearing one of her shirts during the accident made the tragedy even more heartbreaking.

Last WhatsApp message

Nurul Ain also recalled the last WhatsApp message she received from her daughter.

Nur Airish’s message to her mother contained only one word, similar to the final words she had spoken out loud: “Umi.”

Nurul Ain said she replied, “Yes”, but did not receive an answer, according to Harian Metro.

When she later asked where her daughter was, Nur Airish replied that she was at her grandaunt’s shop in Umbai, Melaka.

Nurul Ain said:

“When I asked if she was eating, she did not reply [to my WhatsApp message]. Then, around 1:30pm, I was informed of the accident."

Nurul Ain and her husband, Sidek Abd Hamid, 42, then rushed to Hospital Enche’ Besar Hajjah Khalsom in Kluang, arriving at around 11pm.

She added:

"I was devastated to learn that all the victims had died in the accident.

"Besides my daughter, my brother and sister-in-law were very kind people, including Semek, whom I regarded as my own mother.”

Daughter was excited to become an elder sister

Nurul Ain, who is five months pregnant and due to give birth in November, said Nur Airish had been excited when she found out about the pregnancy, reported the New Straits Times.

“When she found out I was pregnant, she told me not to buy any baby clothes yet because she wanted to choose them herself,” Nurul Ain said. "So when I went to the shopping centre with my husband a few days ago, I did not buy any baby clothes because I remembered her request.”

Father calls for stern action

Separately, Nur Airish’s father, Sidek, called for stern action after watching a viral dashcam video of the crash, according to the New Straits Times.

He said:

“I felt extremely sad and angry.

Losing family members, including my own daughter, is heartbreaking. Stern action must be taken so that such acts do not happen again and serve as a lesson to everyone.”

Sidek said he was certain that his brother-in-law, Aiman, had not been at fault, describing him as a careful driver who did not drive recklessly.

Five-vehicle crash

According to earlier reports of the crash, initial investigations found that a BMW driven by a 22-year-old man had allegedly been racing with a Mercedes-Benz driven by his 19-year-old younger brother.

Police said the BMW later lost control, entered the opposite lane, and collided with several vehicles, including the Toyota Vios that the family of four was travelling in.

The family and the BMW driver were both killed.

The 19-year-old Mercedes-Benz driver, who is reportedly a student at a university in Singapore, was later remanded for two days to assist with investigations.