*Editors Note: We have edited the article for clarity*

A 22-year-old British man was sentenced to five-days short detention order (SDO) and 100 hours community service for assaulting a 66-year-old private-hire vehicle driver in Singapore.

A SDO requires the offender to be detained in prison for a period not exceeding 14 days. It acts as a deterrent by allowing the offender to experience prison life.

It is a type of community based sentence, which means that if he successfully complete the sentence, the offence of which he was convicted will be removed from his criminal record.

The driver sustained fractures to his skull and died about a year after the incident from natural causes on Jun. 14, 2025.

Oruche Morgan Fidelis, a Singapore permanent resident, showed up in court on Sep. 7 clad in a black suit and mask for his sentencing.

On Jul. 17, he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of using criminal force after pleading not guilty to the original charge of voluntarily causing hurt which causes grievous hurt on Jul. 15.

Incident

According to the prosecution's closing statement, on Jun. 12, 2024, at about 5pm, Morgan consumed three pints of beer while accompanying his boss and two clients to a bar.

He later met his girlfriend and other friends and had two more pints of beer.

At about 10:30pm, he booked a private-hire vehicle at Asia Square to return home and boarded the vehicle.

The prosecution's position was that when the vehicle arrived at Morgan's residence located at Sunset Heights at about 10:58pm, the driver found him asleep in the backseat.

The driver then attempted to wake him up.

However, the prosecution's position was that Morgan was reportedly unhappy at being awakened and proceeded to lunge at and push the driver, causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground, resulting in a skull fracture.

He was conveyed to National University Hospital for emergency treatment.

Driver's skull fracture

The driver later passed away from natural causes in June 2025.

As a result, the only objective evidence in this case was surveillance footage from a private residence across Morgan's place of residence.

The footage revealed that after the accused woke up, he appeared to calmly remove his headphones and move towards the driver in one swift movement.

The judge noted that medical evidence only confirmed that the driver sustained a skull fracture, but could not ascertain if the fracture was caused by the fall from being pushed, punched, or him tripping.

As the circumstances surrounding how the injury was caused were highly speculative, and the prosecution was unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt how the accused voluntarily caused hurt, the court could not convict the accused on the original charge of voluntarily causing hurt which causes grievous hurt.

This resulted in the amendment of the original charge that the accused lunged at and pushed the driver, causing him to sustain a skull fracture, to the amended charge of using criminal force, where the accused committed an aggressive act by raising his left hand arm towards the driver.

Sentencing

In court on Sep. 7, the judge handed Morgan 100 hours of community service within 12 months, based on evidence taken from the footage.

He was also given a short detention order of five days and released on bail.

The judge cited an "unfortunate coincidence of a few things", among which were Morgan's inebriated state which prevented him from providing a clear account of what happened resulting in the injury of the driver.

He also took into account Morgan's clean record, young age and the fact that he had pleaded guilty when the charge was amended.

However, if Morgan fails to comply or complete the sentence, he will be brought back to court to be sentenced in accordance with the law.

Following a short recess, Morgan's bail was also extended.

Police turned up just one hour and 20 minutes after a getai at Yishun started, reportedly over a noise complaint from a resident.

The chairman of the organising committee said it was the first time this had happened in the event's 23-year history, according to Shin Min Daily News.

80 tables, then the police

The getai was held on the evening of Sep. 4 at MPC@Khatib by the Nee Soon South Neighbourhood 8 Zhong Yuan Association.

It was hosted by veteran performers Xian Hong and Hao Hao, the latter of who is known as the "Prince of Transformations”. Other performers included Chen Kai Xuan, Zi Yao, Wei Bin, and many others.

80 tables were laid out for the dinner, and the performance started at 7pm.

Police then arrived at about 8:20pm.

"The first time in 23 years"

The chairman of the association, Koh Fook Keong, said a resident had likely complained to the police that the getai was too loud.

He said the committee holds the getai just once a year and has been doing so for 23 years. This was allegedly the first time a resident had complained.

Koh added that he hoped everyone could be understanding of one another.

The show went on

Officers spoke to the organisers after arriving, and the getai carried on as usual.

Yishun GRC MP Lee Hui Ying was also there that evening to show support for the event, and spoke to members of the public.

The prosecution is seeking up to 13.5 years' jail for a Singaporean man, Muhammad Syafie Bin Ismail, 45, the driver who caused a chain collision in Tampines on Apr. 24, 2024.

Syafie appeared in court on Sep. 7, 2026.

Prosecution and defence sentencing arguments

The prosecution and defence called for a lifetime driving ban for Syafie.

The Deputy Public Prosecutor sought a jail term of 12 years and nine months to 13-and-a-half years.

He cited the damage to five vehicles, which has not been quantified, as well as the S$1,317 in repair costs sustained by the lamp post and green railing.

The victims are separately pursuing insurance claims against Syafie.

The DPP sought to accord only a 10 to 15 per cent — instead of 30 per cent — plead-guilty discount and for the three sentences to run consecutively.

In his mitigation plea, defence lawyer Kalaithasan Karuppaya sought between seven-and-a-half and eight years' jail, with a lifetime driving ban.

He added that Syafie admits that he should not have committed the acts in question and that his actions were due to a "lapse in judgement".

In court documents seen by Mothership, the lawyer shared that Syafie has previously devoted to serving the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) as a dedicated Quranic teacher since being qualified in 2019.

However, he was "unfortunately suspended" by MUIS from teaching in late 2024 due to the current proceedings.

Syafie had personally drafted a handwritten letter of apology to the victims and their families to express his "profound regret and remorse" for his actions and the pain and suffering he had caused, the lawyer added.

Principal District Judge Toh Han Li adjourned sentencing to October as he said he needed time.

What happened

Syafie ran a red light while speeding, which resulted in the deaths of two people.

A 17-year-old student, who was being driven to school by her father, and a 57-year-old woman, who was in the back of a van, died.

Syafie pleaded guilty on Aug. 6 to three charges for dangerous driving causing death, causing grievous hurt and causing hurt.

Other charges will be considered during sentencing.

Syafie's car overtook and side-swiped a car driven by another man, who had earlier overtaken him in Bedok.

Syafie had accelerated to 122kmh.

He swerved in and out of lanes along Bedok Reservoir Road and narrowly missed a motorcyclist.

He then accelerated to the cross junction of Bedok Reservoir Road, Tampines Avenue 1 and Tampines Avenue 4 at a speed of 129kmh to 134kmh.

The light had been red for at least 26 seconds.

Vehicles were travelling across the road in both directions.

Syafie hit three vehicles, which in turn hit a van and a school bus.

Three victims were grievously injured.

Some of them required multiple surgeries.

Another five victims, including two 11-year-old children, were injured and hospitalised.

Some of the victims developed post-traumatic stress disorder.

The mother of the 17-year-old girl developed major depressive disorder, finding life meaningless.

Syafie committed a careless driving violation in April 2022, among other traffic violations.

Penalties

For dangerous driving causing death, the penalty is between two and eight years' jail and a driving ban of up to 10 years.

For dangerous driving causing grievous hurt, the penalty is between one year and five years' jail and a driving ban of up to eight years.

For dangerous driving causing hurt, the penalty is up to two years' jail, and a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.

Former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) Calvin Cheng has weighed on the conversation on race and immigration in Singapore, addressing observations that Indian nationals tend to form exclusive social networks.

Drawing on history and anecdotal experience, Cheng pointed out that it is natural for people to stick together.

However, he also called on immigrants to try to assimilate and integrate more and move out of their comfort zones.

Cheng's remarks, made in a Sep. 6 Facebook post, came on the heels of the recent incident in which racist comments were made online about the nationality of the nine Singaporeans missing in the Nepal floods and about Singapore Airline's Air India investment.

Over the weekend, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on Singaporeans to reject such views, while Senior Minister K Shanmugam said that the police will be looking into the comments.

'People are tribal': Cheng

In his Facebook post, Cheng noted that there have been observations about how Indian nationals "form enclaves and exclusive social networks" which are then used to help their own members, such as helping recruit each other into companies.

"This causes a lot of unhappiness amongst locals. In fact, this is a complaint not only in Singapore but also in Canada, Australia, and the UK," Cheng said.

The former NMP remarked that such behaviours are not limited to Indian immigrants, but can also be found amongst the Chinese as well.

Taking a historical perspective, Cheng noted that Chinese immigrants formed "informal networks that then morphed into clan associations".

"When new Chinese arrived, they relied on these networks to get housing and jobs. They too formed enclaves — that's why there are Chinatowns all over the world," he said.

"People are tribal," Cheng remarked.

He went on to say that the Chinese immigrants in Singapore today still do this, but such "enclaves" are less visible "because they look like the majority race here and they blend in".

"We have to thus put these social phenomena in perspective," Cheng commented.

Integrate and assimilate more

Cheng also suggested that it is natural for people of the same nationality to stick to each other and help each other out, noting that Singaporeans do the same.

However, the former NMP called on immigrants and expats to try to assimilate and integrate more.

"Mix with people of other nationalities. Move out of your comfort zone. And don't form social enclaves that exclude locals. That will only cause unhappiness in your host countries," he concluded.

What happens after a person survives cancer?

Life goes on, and so does work. But recovery isn't always straightforward — there may still be follow-ups, check-ups, scans. Medical commitments with no clear end date.

As a two-time cancer survivor, Atiqah (not her real name) shares about the strain of balancing her appointments with her 14-day medical leave entitlement, and how she believes a little empathy will go a long way.

By Atiqah

I'm Atiqah. I am a Singaporean in my 40s.

I work in customer service, and have been in this industry about seven years already.

I was first diagnosed with cancer in 2021.

It was during my annual medical checkup. They found something, so they referred me to the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS).

I did a lumpectomy and also was on medication for a while, tamoxifen (hormone pill used to treat breast cancer).

Physically I was fine. But I was coping with my cancer, as well as a relationship issue. I suffered from depression.

And in 2023, I was diagnosed with breast cancer again. This time it was the other breast.

First time with cancer

The first time I had cancer, I was working at this place. Let's call it Company A.

When I was diagnosed, my bosses were very supportive of me. They would check on me to make sure that I'm all right.

My higher boss even came to ask me if he could do anything for my insurance coverage.

They let me recover as much as I can, told me to stay at home and rest. I felt they really cared about my health.

But I didn't stay on at the company, because they were closing down in Singapore.

After that job, I moved onto another company, which is where I'm working now. We'll call it Company B.

Life post-cancer

After I joined Company B, I was diagnosed with cancer for the second time.

So, same thing as before. I went for a lumpectomy, and continued with tamoxifen.

After I ended my hospitalisation leave (HL), I came back to work.

I am not in remission yet. I am still on hormonal pills. I also have quite a few medical appointments.

I have gynaecologist check-ups, mammograms and ultrasounds, and post-cancer physiotherapy.

For example, recently, I went for an ultrasound. With breast cancer, we have to go for annual checkups. If they find anything suspicious, they will send it for biopsy.

They found I had a suspicious lymph node, so I was sent back to do a biopsy.

After that, there is a doctor's appointment. So that's two more visits. And then, sometimes there is a gynae visit.

Working with cancer

However, my boss has been very rigid with how I take my time off and my medical certificates (MCs).

Because of my working hours, I get some time-off in one-hour increments.

With my previous boss, they would allow me to use the time-off along with my lunch hour, so I could go and see the doctor.

But my current boss doesn't allow it. Once, they commented that I have "so many medical appointments".

So I have to take either accumulated time-off, or MC.

I have 14 days of MC. When I take it in half days, it is just nice enough, as long as I don't fall sick.

As long as there's no additional issues in my life. I cannot have additional problems. I cannot fall ill.

Dealing with it

Every day, I take it one step at a time. From the beginning of the year, I will start planning my MCs.

Nobody counts MCs. But I do. Nearer the end of year, I will check to see if I have enough MCs. How many more checkups do I have to go? Would it be sufficient for me?

I'm really very mentally tired. Of overthinking, of cancer issues. Every time my checkups are getting near, my anxiety is even higher.

I'm actually seeing a counsellor now, for my anxiety.

But for the past two or three years, I have been managing it. So that's a good thing.

On the surface

I think people know that medical appointments are important, but maybe they don't know exactly how bad cancer can be.

Because I can be very smiley. I can have long hair. I can have good food. And I don't look like a cancer patient, or a cancer survivor.

Sometimes I'm really very tired, I cannot think anymore, I just need a rest. But they think I look OK, so they don't really understand how I feel.

I'm in a chat group with some other breast cancer survivors. For some of them, it's not as bad as what I'm facing. Some are even worse.

I have heard of cases where they're sent for disciplinary actions, they have their pay cuts, they're demoted, they have promotions frozen.

A little empathy

My manager feels I need to follow the same entitlement as the rest of the staff. No extras even though I am a cancer survivor still on pills.

I'm not being a Karen. But a little help could really ease my worries and stress.

To the employers out there, I'm sure you have someone in your family that needs care and concern.

Regardless of whether they have cancer or whether they are ill, they're fragile, they're old. They will have to go through this stage.

Many people don't know what we're facing. Maybe it is difficult to understand.

But just a little bit of thought, a little bit of empathy, will help us, and help everybody in the world.

A 38-year-old runner in Ecuador was training for her first marathon when she was struck by a truck in a hit-and-run accident early in the morning of Sep. 4.

She was reportedly the mother of two children.

Early morning training

Where is the Buzz reports that 38-year-old Monica Andrea Martinich Cohn, also identified as Monica Martinich, was running along the four-lane E40 highway outside of the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

A video of the incident shows the three runners were occupying the rightmost lane on the highway.

Ecuador drives on the right side of the road, meaning the runners were running in what might be expected to be the slowest-moving lane.

The incident occurred around 4:30 am on Sep. 4, and the sky was still very dark.

However, the street was well lit with bright LED lights, and the rightmost runner was wearing a bright neon yellow shirt with a blinking red light attached to his shorts.

The runners also had a pickup truck escorting them, moving slowly alongside while displaying its hazard lights.

The truck was in the second lane from the right, presumably to prevent cars from accidentally turning into the runners.

But unfortunately, the escort seems not to have been enough.

Hit and run

All of a sudden, a second truck moving at high speed appears from off-screen.

The truck appears to be trying to undertake the escort, with two vehicles in the third lane preventing it from going that way.

The second truck hits the leftmost runner, Martinich, while the other two runners jumped off the road onto the pavement.

The second truck did not stop and sped off, leaving Martinich’s body by the side of the road.

The Excelsior newspaper reported that the Ecuadorian Transport Commission declared Martinich dead on the scene.

The other two runners were not injured.

As the driver did not stop and attempt to render aid, the commission has classified the incident as a hit-and-run.

Training for her first marathon

Martinich was an avid amateur runner and belonged to a local running club.

She had participated in several half-marathons in Ecuador and the United States, and was training for her first marathon at the time.

A social media post for a local radio station paid tribute to her, saying that she had turned running into part of her life, and that her early morning run was a regular occurrence.

It said that Martinich’s death had hit the running community in the city of Guayaquil hard, especially those who also trained by running on roads in the early morning hours.

The incident sparked heated online discussion over the safety of runners training on roads before dawn.

Investigations are ongoing.

Thinking her post might resonate with homeowners facing space constraints, a woman in Singapore took to Instagram to share how she carved out a private space for her helper in a 4-room BTO flat.

However, the post received much criticism from netizens so much so that she had since deleted the original post.

She has since posted a clarification to explain her intent and apologised for coming across as "insensitive" in her original post.

Limited space

In the original post, the woman wrote that she and her husband thought about where their helper would sleep in their 4-room flat and whether she would have any privacy.

This was the first slide of the now-deleted Instagram post:

She then added that they "successfully squeezed in a single bed" in a room with a work desk setup.

A divider was added to provide the helper with some privacy.

The couple considered installing a curtain but ended up went with a divider, which was an easier option for them.

The woman shared this consideration in an Instagram story, with a link to where she bought the divider from.

She also shared that she got her helper a mini night light as she did not want something that would take up space on the floor.

She ended the post with this slide:

Criticism

The post clearly wasn't well received, drawing many negative reactions on Reddit and X.

The woman definitely did not expect her post to backfire which led to her deleting the original post.

Clarification

She also uploaded a clarification post with a black square image.

In the caption, she said that she "realised [her] previous post didn't give enough context" and "understand why some people felt uncomfortable with what they saw".

She went on to apologise if the post "came across as insensitive or as though [their] helper is confined to the small space behind the divider."

She explained it was not the intention and she should have explained it better.

The woman clarified that the work desk was for the day, and once the day ended, the room would be for the helper, as they did not need the room after that.

If they need to work after hours, they will use the desk outside.

She added that at night, the room is entirely the helper's, and they do not enter without knocking.

Regarding the divider, she said that because they share the room, they felt the helper should "at least have a visual barrier so her belongings and personal space aren't constantly exposed to us".

They felt this arrangement was better than the helper sharing a room with the baby who still wakes up occasionally at night and may disturb her sleep and rest.

Lastly, the woman said that space is genuinely a difficult constraint for them and it's not her intent to portray this as "luxurious setup".

Due to "housing regulations and [their] circumstances", moving to a bigger place is currently not an option for them.

"We know that sharing a room isn’t ideal, and we’re not trying to portray it as some luxurious setup. We just wanted to make the best arrangement we could within the space and circumstances we have."

The woman concluded that the "biggest" thing she failed to communicate in her original post was that the helper was not "confined to the space behind the divider" and she gets the whole room to use during her personal time.

"I shared the original post because I know many Singapore families face the same challenge of trying to accommodate a helper in a smaller home and I apologise if it offended anyone."

She has since limited the comments on her Instagram post.

Ng Lye Poh, the mother of Sheng Siong founders, has died.

According to the obituary, Ng passed away on Sep. 5 at 7:20am at the age of 91.

Ng, also known as the "Sheng Siong Ah Ma", was the victim of a high-profile kidnapping case in 2014.

She was remembered as an easy going and affable person.

Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao at the wake, her second son Lim Hock Chee said that the bereavement money will be donated to charity.

The kidnap case

Lim also recalled the kidnapping case, describing it as nerve-racking when he received the call from the kidnapper.

On Jan. 8, 2014, Ng was kidnapped by Lee Sze Yong and demanded S$20 million in ransom.

Lee told the court he had planned this for over two years after falling into S$200,000 in debt, CNA reported.

He decided that kidnapping Ng would help him, his mother, and his partner, Heng Chen Boon, be financially better off.

After going through Forbes magazine's "Singapore's richest" list for potential targets, he settled on Lim Hock Chee, who was worth S$500 million at the time.

Lee spent months gathering information.

On the morning of the incident, Lee approached Ng on an overhead bridge along Hougang Avenue 2 and lied to her that her son had fallen in the office.

Lee tricked Ng into getting into her car, then blindfolded her and drove her around, CNA wrote.

Lee then asked Heng to meet him at Punggol End, where Heng asked who Ng was, but was told not to ask questions.

Lee later confessed that he had kidnapped Ng.

When Lim made the ransom drop at Sembawang Park, the police caught Lee and Heng before they got the money.

Lee, who initially asked to be hanged, was sentenced to jail for life and three strokes of the cane.

Heng was sentenced to three years' jail.

Singapore handed over more than S$560,000 worth of humanitarian assistance to Nepal on Sep. 4, to support ongoing search, recovery and disaster victim identification efforts.

The package includes medical supplies, DNA testing kits, personal protective equipment, and specialised equipment for search and recovery operations.

"The humanitarian assistance package that we are handing over today has been put together through close collaboration between several Singapore agencies and the Nepali authorities, to support Nepal's ongoing search and recovery efforts," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Gan Siow Huang said.

She added that the Singapore Police Force (SPF), supported by the Home Team Science and Technology Agency and the Health Sciences Authority, is also deploying officers specialising in Disaster Victim Identification and aerial surveillance to assist the Nepalese authorities, in response to Nepal’s request.

According to an update on SPF's Facebook on Sep. 6, the 35-member contingent has arrived in Nepal and begun working on the ground in support of the ongoing disaster relief efforts.

"We are heartened by the generosity and compassion of Singaporeans in supporting the Nepali people during this difficult time," Gan said.

"The humanitarian assistance package that we are handing over today is a testament to the close relationship between our two countries. We hope that our modest contribution will support the brave men and women on the ground and bring comfort and relief to the people who are affected by this tragedy."

"We stand ready to provide further support in accordance with Nepal's needs," she added.

Search for missing Singaporeans ongoing

Gan also said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MFA) Crisis Response Team has been on the ground in Nepal since Aug. 27 and is working closely with local authorities to locate the missing Singaporeans.

The ministry remains in close contact with their families, providing regular updates, assistance on the ground in Nepal and other forms of support, she said.

"We will continue to render the necessary assistance as we work with all the relevant parties and families during this very difficult period."

The nine Singaporeans missing were earlier identified as Rengarajan Prabu, Shalinny Deavy Elan Sozan, Subramaniam Diraviam, Rajesvaran Ayyavoo, Estee Loeh, Ghosh Aditi, Ng Kit Kuen, Shubakshi Rawla, and Sumit Rawla.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong have both called on Singaporeans to reject attempts to divide them and to hold fast to the ideals of the National Pledge, to stand by one another “regardless of race, language, or religion.”

Their comments, made on social media, come as Senior Minister K Shanmugam spoke to the media on Sep. 5 that he had asked police to look into racist comments made regarding Singaporeans missing in recent Nepali floods, and in response to Singapore Airlines’ Air India investment.

The kind of Singapore we want to be

PM Wong said that at the recent National Day rally on Aug. 23, he had spoken about what it means to be Singaporean and “the kind of Singapore we want to be.”

He said that Singapore's identity must remain open and inclusive, and that whatever a Singaporean's background, if they embrace Singapore's values and way of life, they are part of this nation.

“This is what our national pledge stands for, and I believe the vast majority of Singaporeans share this view.“

Never allow prejudice to become accepted or normal

PM Wong expressed concerns over racist comments and anti-Indian abuse that had emerged over Nepal floods and questions about Singapore Airlines' investment in Air India.

PM Wong said that while Singaporeans can and should have robust debates, seemingly legitimate arguments should never be used as a cover to fuel prejudice against any community or hostility towards foreigners.

He said that such views did not represent Singapore, but they could not be dismissed as harmless online chatter.

If such behaviour were to continue unchecked, it ran the risk of becoming normalised, as well as possibly deepening mistrust between communities, pulling Singaporeans apart.

Because of this concern, he had discussed these developments with his cabinet colleagues, and this was why Shanmugam had decided to speak out firmly on this topic.

PM Wong warned that there would always be people who sought to exploit Singaporeans' differences, and while it was impossible to stop every hateful comment, the response to those comments was up to Singaporeans.

"We can reject such views and refuse to give them more space or legitimacy."

Singapore had held together because it had consistently rejected attempts to use race and religion to divide them, instead choosing to recognise each other as fellow Singaporeans.

PM Wong said that Singaporeans must keep making that choice and hold fast to the ideals in the national pledge of "regardless of race, language, or religion."

“We must never allow prejudice against any community to become accepted or normal in Singapore.”

Deeply troubling to see racist comments in the wake of the tragedy

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong similarly appealed to Singaporeans to live up to the ideals of the pledge.

He gave his deepest condolences to those who had lost loved ones or were affected by the Nepali floods, and said that the appropriate response should be compassion and solidarity.

“It is deeply troubling to see racist comments and hateful remarks directed at our Indian community in the wake of the tragedy.”

He said that it was equally disturbing when legitimate issues, such as SIA's investment in Air India, were distorted or exploited to “stir vicious racial and anti-Indian resentment.”

He said that Shanmugam had laid out the issues clearly in his statement.

While the temptation to stir racial prejudices and animosities would always exist, Singapore strived for interracial tolerance and respect.

Not race-blind

But he warned that human beings are not race-blind and that Singapore will always be “vulnerable to these visceral and divisive pulls.”

“Race and religion will always be a fault line in our society. Hence, we must continue to work hard to strengthen our cohesion and protect our racial harmony.”

SM Lee said that when such incidents happen, leaders need to speak up with force and conviction: “to call out what is happening, condemn the manipulation of base emotions, and call on all Singaporeans to stand together.”

He recalled similar incidents in the past, such as when anti-Indian sentiments were stirred up during the pandemic or during GE2025 when PM Wong had to call out attempts to politicise religion.

SM Lee called on Singaporeans to reject hatred and support those who are mourning.

Evoking the ideals of the national pledge, he said that Singaporeans should stand by one another regardless of race, language, or religion, and that it was important for us to make every effort to live up to these ideals.