What's happening around you
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24 Festive Drums draws 14,399 students from 352 schools
At the Educity Sports Complex in Iskandar Puteri, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said 14,399 students from 352 schools have taken part in 24 Festive Drums as of 2025, with 68,781 participants since the art form began in Johor Bahru in 1988. The national-level Elite Competition 2026 featured 46 teams and 1,220 drummers, and an application for UNESCO recognition was submitted in March.
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Toa Payoh coffee shop chef accused of stealing S$4,300, flees after confessing
A coffee shop stall owner in Toa Payoh went to look for his missing chef on Aug 27 and found bags used to store stall revenue at the man's home. The chef, surnamed Chen, admitted taking about S$4,300 and begged for forgiveness, but fled the next day; the owner has made a police report and believes Chen may have gone to Vietnam.
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Hougang United hold champions Lion City Sailors to 2-2 draw in SPL opener
Hougang United drew 2-2 with defending champions Lion City Sailors in their Singapore Premier League opener at Bishan Stadium on 12 September. Hougang led 2-0 through Ayman Kassimi and Oakley Cannonier before Sailors fought back with goals from Antonio Mance and Bobby Adekenye.
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Zaqy: Islamic groups should pool strengths for wider community benefit
At D'Marquee, Downtown East on 12 September, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Zaqy Mohamad said Islamic organisations such as MUIS, Mendaki, SKML and Sinda must work across communities for the common good. He spoke after the SKML 85th anniversary celebration, attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The event also launched the $250,000 SKML Ascend Education Fund.
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Singapore's top medical award goes to 17 doctors including Prof Anantharaman
Seventeen pioneer doctors and dentists, including emergency medicine pioneer Prof Venkataraman Anantharaman and paediatrician Dr Bua Kong Poh, received the Eminent Academician title from the Singapore Medical Academy. The ceremony was held at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine's medical sciences building on September 12, with Health Minister Ong Ye Kung speaking.
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Police arrest man suspected of robbing, injuring two Rohingya in Taman Perling
A local man was arrested for allegedly robbing and injuring two Rohingya men in Taman Perling, Johor Bahru. The suspect pretended to check documents before seizing UNHCR cards and a grass-cutting machine. Police seized evidence and remanded the suspect until next Friday.
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Ex-Tanjong Pagar United player among 219 cadet officers commissioned at Safti
A total of 219 cadet officers were commissioned at the 142/25 Officer Cadet Course parade at Safti Military Institute on 12 September. Among them was Second Lieutenant Saiful Azhar Saifuddin, 22, a former Tanjong Pagar United midfielder who said football and the Jungle Confidence Course shaped him as a leader and team player.
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171 Sungai Kim Kim victims win suit; factory and two Singaporean directors liable
The Civil High Court in Johor Bahru found a used tyre processing factory, its two Singaporean directors and a lorry driver liable for the 2019 Sungai Kim Kim toxic waste dumping in Pasir Gudang. The 171 plaintiffs won RM100,000 in costs but failed against eight other defendants including the Johor state government; damages will be assessed later.
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Burst underground pipe in Bukit Batok disrupts water supply to 3 blocks
A burst underground pipe in Bukit Batok early on Sept 12 temporarily cut water supply to three blocks, including a home and 11 shophouse units. The town council isolated the pipe, restored supply to the home, and installed a temporary surface pipe for commercial units. Repairs are expected to take two to three days.
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17 doctors and dentists receive Eminent Academician title in Singapore
Seventeen pioneering doctors and dentists received the Eminent Academician title from the Academy of Medicine, Singapore, on Sept 12. The honour went to figures including emergency medicine professor Venkataraman Anantharaman and paediatrician Phua Kong Boo, who led rotavirus vaccine trials. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the title recognises a lifetime of contributions to Singapore's healthcare system.
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SAF pioneer who cleared WWII sea mines to speak on 1978 Bangladesh bomb mission
Winston Wong, 79, was a pioneer of the Singapore Armed Forces' bomb disposal and naval diving units, clearing World War II sea mines and explosives from Singapore waters and leading a 1978 mission to defuse a 272kg bomb in Joydebpur, Bangladesh. He will speak about that mission at the Military Hobby Fest at SAFRA Toa Payoh on Sept 13.
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Johor Immigration detains 47 undocumented migrants in Senai raid
Johor Immigration officers raided residential areas around Senai in Kulai at 12.30am and detained 47 undocumented migrants aged 20 to 48. The group comprised Myanmar, Bangladeshi and Indonesian nationals without valid travel documents or who had overstayed. They are being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and held at the Setia Tropika Immigration Depot.
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Kampong Gelam Festival held for the first time on 12-13 September
The Kampong Gelam Festival (KGF) was held for the first time on 12 and 13 September in Singapore's Kampong Gelam district, organised by the Malay Heritage Centre with local stakeholders. Themed 'Through the Eras', the two-day festival featured traditional Malay percussion performances, Nusantara heritage booths, workshops and traditional games for children.
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LTA: North-South Corridor works hit hard rock and water seepage at Novena, Thomson
Singapore's Land Transport Authority said tunnelling for the North-South Corridor has run into unexpected ground conditions at Novena and Thomson, including hard rock and underground water seepage. At Novena crews are digging the northbound tunnel section by section just 1m below the operating North-South MRT line, while in Thomson harder rock was found about 10m closer to the surface than expected. LTA said it is monitoring progress and will update the completion timeline later; the corridor was previously slated to open in phases from 2027.
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All PCF Sparkletots preschools to offer three mother tongues from 2027
Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong announced that all PCF Sparkletots preschools will offer Chinese, Malay and Tamil from 2027, expanding mother-tongue learning across 350 centres nationwide. He said nearly 40,000 children will benefit, speaking at an event at One Punggol.
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AME Elite buys 176 acres in Pontian for i-Park project
AME Elite Consortium Bhd is acquiring 176.45 acres of freehold agricultural land in Jeram Batu, Pontian, Johor, for RM199.8 million from Hak Soon Seng Plantation (M). RHB Research maintained its BUY call and raised its target price to RM2.33, saying the site could become another i-Park industrial development benefiting from the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. The acquisition, funded internally, is expected to complete in the first half of 2027.
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Two men held after 50km chase; syabu found in car near Kota Tinggi
Two men aged 33 and 44 were arrested after their Proton Wira was intercepted at Kilometre 31.5 of the Johor Bahru-Mersing road in Kota Tinggi early this morning. They had fled a police stop at Jalan Tun Sri Lanang, leading to a 50km chase that ended near the Taman Sri Saujana traffic lights. A search found syabu and both tested positive for methamphetamine; both have prior narcotics records and are remanded until 15 September.
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Young Lions blend youth with experience as Izwan Mahbud returns
Young Lions open their Singapore Premier League season against FC Jurong at Jalan Besar Stadium on 13 September. Coach Firdaus Kassim said the side is mixing young players with experienced additions, including goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud, who returns to the national development squad.
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4,646 domestic violence cases recorded January-July, Johor logs 823
A total of 4,646 domestic violence cases were recorded nationwide from January to July this year, with Johor logging 823 cases against 518 in the same period of 2025. Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Lim Hui Ying said prevention and access to help must be strengthened, citing the PRISMAnita referral service and the 24-hour Talian Kasih hotline 15999. She spoke at the launch of the Aku Wanita @ Domestic Violence well-being advocacy programme and the 2026 Johor PRISMAnita Open Day in Seri Alam.
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Deputy minister urges men to help curb domestic violence
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Lim Hui Ying said men must be part of efforts to tackle violence against women, especially domestic violence. She spoke at the Aku Wanita@KRT advocacy programme and PRISMANITA Johor 2026 open day in Johor Bahru. She stressed that efforts to end violence cannot be seasonal.
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Singapore names 20 athletes for Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya
Singapore will send 20 athletes across nine sports to the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from Oct 18 to 24. The Singapore National Paralympic Council announced the contingent on Saturday, with para athlete James Ethan Ang named flag bearer at a ceremony at Gardens by the Bay. Eight athletes will make their Games debut, including former Paralympic sailor Jovin Tan in boccia and former swimmer Theresa Goh in shooting.
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RTS Link expected to lift Johor Bahru food trade but may raise prices for locals
Retail food markets in Johor Bahru are preparing for more business when the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link starts in January 2027, with Singaporean grocery shoppers expected to increase footfall. A consumer association leader warns the demand could push up prices for local shoppers, while an academic says the impact should be manageable.
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Resorts World Sentosa's Festival Of Thrills returns until Nov 1
Resorts World Sentosa has brought back its Festival Of Thrills, running until Nov 1 across the resort. Highlights include the 14th edition of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Singapore on selected nights from 25 Sep to 1 Nov, a Minions live show, the Into The Glowcean experience at Singapore Oceanarium, and motorsport-themed activities at Weave.
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Moutai House to open at Fullerton Waterboat House in October
Southeast Asia's first Moutai House will open at the Fullerton Waterboat House in Singapore at the end of October. The three-storey venue will hold the region's largest Moutai collection, a birth-year vintage selection, a Michelin-starred Imperial Treasure restaurant and a Nutmeg & Clove rooftop bar.