News

On 29 July 2026, Second Minister for Finance Jeffrey Siow announced a second support package of around $900 million to help households and businesses ride out cost pressures from the continuing Middle East situation. For households: an extra $300 in CDC vouchers per household in January 2027, and U-Save rebates in October 2026 and January 2027 raised to double the regular amount, so eligible HDB households get between $110 and $190 every quarter this financial year. Lower-income households get bigger ComCare Interim Assistance of at least $250 a month. Hawkers and market stallholders in government-managed centres get $1,200 (cooked food) or $600 (market) in rental support from September. Here are the exact amounts, dates and who gets what.

On 28 July 2026, National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat announced the immediate removal of the 15-month wait-out period. Private residential property owners and former owners can now buy a non-subsidised HDB resale flat straight after selling — with no 15-month wait — as long as they are not taking an HDB housing loan. It applies to all flat sizes, and buyers must still dispose of their private property within six months of completing the resale purchase. The 2022 cooling measure was lifted after HDB resale prices dipped in the first two quarters of 2026. Here is exactly what changed, who benefits, and who still has to wait.

Mom's Touch — the Korean chicken-and-burger chain that abruptly shut all three of its Singapore outlets in February 2022 — is coming back, and this time with a much heavier local partner. Mom's Touch & Company announced on 29 July 2026 that it has signed a master franchise agreement with FairPrice Group, Singapore's largest grocery and food-services group. The first outlet opens on 14 August 2026 on South Bridge Road in the CBD, with three outlets targeted by the end of 2026 and more than 25 planned over the next 10 years. Menu and prices for Singapore have not been announced yet, and while Mom's Touch holds Korean (KMF) halal certification, MUIS recognition here is still being worked through — so don't assume it is halal-certified in Singapore on day one.

A fresh $500 per child is on the way. As a Budget 2026 measure, every Singapore Citizen child aged 12 and below (born 2014–2026) gets $500 in Child LifeSG Credits, landing in July 2026 — no application needed. But read the name carefully: these are Child LifeSG Credits, disbursed to the parent through the LifeSG app and spent at everyday merchants — they are NOT a cash top-up into your child's CDA. A separate reminder: the earlier 2025 batch of credits already expired on 6 July 2026 with no extension, so any leftover from last year is gone. Here's exactly who qualifies, how much, when it drops, how to spend it — and how it differs from the GST Voucher and other payouts.

It's official: on 9 July 2026, the Ministry of Finance confirmed that about 1.5 million adult Singaporeans will receive up to $850 in GST Voucher – Cash this August, while about 710,000 seniors get up to $450 in MediSave top-ups — roughly $1.4 billion in all. Most people don't need to lift a finger, but two dates matter: first-time recipients must sign up by 14 July, and linking your NRIC to PayNow by 28 July gets your cash earliest, from 7 August. Here's who qualifies, how much you'll get, and exactly when it lands.

Sony has confirmed it: PlayStation will stop producing physical discs for all new games from January 2028, after which new titles will be sold digitally only, on the PlayStation Store and as digital copies at retailers. The good news for your shelf — games already released (or releasing) on disc before January 2028 are not affected, and the discs and disc-drive consoles you already own keep working. Sony says the move follows how people already buy games: digital now makes up around 85% of its full-game sales. Announced 1 July 2026, it lands just after Grand Theft Auto 6's 'physical' edition turned out to be a download code. Here's what actually changes, what doesn't, and what it means if you like buying, lending or reselling physical games in Singapore.

Heading to Japan in the second half of 2026? Three rule changes will affect your trip and your wallet. From 1 July, the departure tax triples from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000 (~S$26) per person, baked into your ticket. From 1 October, the nationwide JR Pass bought via overseas agents like Klook and KKday goes up about 5–6%. And from 1 November, tax-free shopping switches to a 'pay first, refund later' system — you pay the full tax-inclusive price in-store and claim the refund at the airport, with the annoying sealed bags and the ¥500,000 cap gone. Here's what each change means and how to plan around it.

Bad news if a new Mac or iPad is on your wishlist: Apple has quietly raised Singapore prices across its Mac and iPad lines, with some models jumping by as much as S$600. The MacBook Pro 14-inch is up S$500 and the Mac Studio up S$600, while iPads rose by S$150–S$300. The cause is the global memory-chip crunch driven by the AI boom. The good news: iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods prices are unchanged — for now. Here's exactly what went up, and by how much.

It's official: from 1 July to 30 September 2026, Singapore's household electricity tariff rises 17% — up 4.64 cents to 31.91 cents/kWh before GST (about 34.78 cents/kWh with GST), the Energy Market Authority confirmed on 30 June. A four-room HDB household will pay roughly $17 more a month (before GST). The cause is higher natural-gas prices after the Middle East conflict disrupted LNG supply. Here's what it means — and 8 practical ways to soften the hit.

More support is on the way: eligible Singaporeans will receive an enhanced Cost-of-Living Special Payment of $400 to $600 in cash in September 2026 — no application needed. The exact amount is tiered by your assessable income and the Annual Value of your home, and it's separate from (and on top of) the $500 CDC Vouchers. Here's who qualifies, how much you can expect, and how it's paid.

Every Singaporean household can now claim $500 in CDC Vouchers 2026 (June) — brought forward from January to help with daily expenses. The $500 splits into $250 for participating heartland merchants and hawkers and $250 for participating supermarkets (FairPrice, Sheng Siong, Prime and more). One representative per household claims digitally with Singpass at go.gov.sg/cdcv, and the vouchers are valid until 31 December 2027. Here's exactly how to claim and use them.

More than 450,000 Pioneer Generation seniors will get MediSave top-ups of S$300 to S$1,200 in mid-July 2026, credited automatically into their CPF MediSave accounts. Here's how much you get by birth year, who qualifies, when it arrives, and what it can be used for — verified against the Ministry of Finance.

Malaysia's Transport Ministry announced (7 May 2026, effective 1 Jun 2026) that ALL Malaysian citizens holding valid foreign driving licences — including those with Singapore licences — can now apply to convert them into Malaysian licences at any JPJ office nationwide. Previously the conversion route was restricted to: Malaysians who got their foreign licence BEFORE their Malaysian one, MM2H programme participants, and the diplomatic corps. The new policy is aimed at Malaysians working, residing, or managing affairs abroad — a population that includes ~300,000+ Malaysians working in Singapore. IMPORTANT NUANCE: the policy expands CONVERSION ELIGIBILITY; it does not explicitly confirm dual-licence holding (i.e., keeping both your Singapore AND Malaysian licence active simultaneously). Application fees, document requirements, and full procedural details to be published on the JPJ website (jpj.gov.my) from 1 June onwards.

NDP 2026 ticket applications are now LIVE at ndp.gov.sg — open Fri 23 May 12pm through Fri 6 Jun 12pm. Ballot system (NOT first-come-first-served), Singpass login required, citizens + PRs only. Choose to apply for 2, 4, or 6 tickets to NDP Preview 1 (Sat 25 Jul), NDP Preview 2 (Sat 1 Aug), or the actual NDP 2026 show on Sun 9 Aug. Results notified via SMS + email between 15-17 Jun. Historical odds: ~1-in-3 to 1-in-5 chance of getting tickets depending on session.

May 2026 1st COE bidding closed with Category B at S$126,236 (up S$5,235), and every other category also up. Cat A S$124,790, Cat C $87,479, Cat E $127,700. The next bidding exercise opens 18 May at noon, results 20 May 4pm. Here's what's behind the rise and what to watch.

Scoot's adding two thinly-served Indonesian destinations: Belitung from 3 May 2026 (twice weekly, fares from S$99) and Pontianak from 29 June 2026 (3x weekly, fares from S$129). New Embraer E190-E2 aircraft with NO middle seats. Opens up two underrated weekend escapes from Changi.

ICA has confirmed Tuas Checkpoint will roll out the Automated Passenger Clearance System (APCS) for all vehicles from early 2027 — drivers and passengers can scan QR codes / passports + facial-biometric verify without leaving the car. Motorcyclists get the same treatment from Q3 2026. Live trials at Tuas in the months ahead.

BlueSG is back as Flexar — a point-to-point car-sharing service that officially launched on 4 May 2026 with 200+ vehicles across 100 stations covering central, north, northeast and east Singapore. No deposit, no membership fee, S$10 welcome voucher for new users (2-week launch promo). Here's what you actually pay per minute and how it compares to GetGo and Tribecar.

Westlife Foodworld, the McDonald's franchisee for West and South India, rolled out a McCafé monthly coffee subscription on 10 February 2026 — Rs. 549 for 10 cups, valid 30 days. We break down what's actually been launched, debunk the viral '$54 unlimited' rumour going around, and check whether Singapore is next.

Friendster — the social network that defined the early-2000s schooldays of every 80s and 90s kid in Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines — has officially relaunched in April 2026. New owner, new philosophy: no ads, no algorithm, and you can only add a friend by physically tapping phones together. Here's what's actually back, and what's gone forever.

Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow has confirmed that Changi Airport Terminal 3 is set for a major refresh, with the tender to be called in the second half of 2026. More robotics, more self-service, and the last big terminal upgrade before T5 opens in the mid-2030s.