Chinese New Year, Ramadan, Lent... it's all coming together this year. I hope everyone has spent, or is spending, the time in the way you need most—whether it's to be surrounded by loved ones, or to rest.
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Did Singaporeans join the Israel Defense Forces? (It's totes illegal!) Hatzlacha, an Israeli NGO, put in a freedom of information request and obtained data on the number of service members in the IDF with more than one passport, which it shared with media outlets like Declassified UK and Al Jazeera. According to the data, two people within the IDF's ranks hold Singaporean passports, either as dual or multiple nationalities. This is odd because Singapore does not allow adult Singaporeans to hold dual citizenship. Also, Singaporeans aren't allowed to serve in foreign armed forces without authorisation, as pointed out by the former PAP MP Amrin Amin. (I tried to find a specific piece of legislation or statute that explicitly says this, but failed… anyone know?)
In response to media queries, the Ministry of Home Affairs says that it's aware of the media reports but doesn't have solid information about any Singaporean national in the IDF.
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Red Dot United launched a shadow budget on Thursday. Their budget—Fair Share, Real Security: An Ecosystem of Fair Contribution, Free Movement, and Guaranteed Floors—argues for "a rules‑based ecosystem where those who have gained most from the economy carry a larger share of common burdens, so that the least advantaged can participate as equals, not supplicants". They've reiterated their proposal for a Citizens Dividend, where unconditional cash transfers of $300 a month are made to the bottom 20% of adult income earners. Also: expansion of the Workfare and Silver Support Schemes, more support for small businesses, free public transport for all, progressive taxation, and tightening tax incentives for family offices, among others. They've also slipped in a call for a Freedom of Information Act.
Since RDU isn't actually in Parliament, they don't have an opportunity to bring their proposals up in the House themselves, and there's no guarantee that this shadow budget will be debated. The party says they've sent their budget to Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who also the finance minister. They've also written to Parliament to get this document before every parliamentarian, and say they're ready to brief any MP who's interested to hear them out.
Meanwhile, the human rights NGO Maruah hosted a session to discuss the 2026 Budget. A common question: is it really the best move to be squirrelling away such large surpluses every year? Saving for a rainy day sounds great, but the trade-off here is that money hoarded = money not spent on citizens who might need more support and investment now.
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🦦 An otter population census is set to be published later this year, after Michelle Tan, who was a life sciences student at the National University of Singapore, submitted her final-year project in April last year. The count was undertaken with the help of a team of otter watchers who spent long hours hunting out and photographing Singapore's otters.
🛴 (Okay, I get this is not the right emoji but this was as close as I could get!) The cost of mobility scooters might go up because of new regulations. From June, all mobility scooters have to be registered and tagged before they can be sold. Prospective owners will also need to show proof that the scooter is a medical necessity, or that they are somehow exempted from this requirement. Sellers say that the need to have each scooter registered before sale will push logistics costs up, which will end up being transferred to buyers. The Land Transport Authority says that most eligible seniors and disabled persons should be able to access subsidies.
⛷️ Singapore is represented at the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2018! Faiz Basha, an alpine skier, is only the second Singaporean to participate in the Winter Olympics; on Monday, he finished 35th overall in the first run of the men's slalom. Don't know what a "slalom" is? Yah, I also didn't know, but I looked it up and it's when they ski between poles or gates, and looks like it requires muscles I definitely don't have. More than half the competitors didn't finish the course, but Faiz did! You can watch him here:
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