Singapore news digest: 28 April 2026

Police push bystanders to report sex crimes

Campaign starts in May across public spaces, transport nodes and entertainment venues
New S.P.O.T. guide: spot, protect, observe, tell police
Around 2,500 sexual offence cases a year; molest cases up over 7% in 2025

Sources (4) STBHTMZB

ST ST Front Page — “Year-long drive to urge victims, witnesses of sex crimes to report offences”
BH Front Page — “SPF lancar kempen tingkat waspada jenayah seksual mulai Mei (SPF launches campaign to raise sexual crime awareness from May)”
TM Front Page — “பாலியல் குற்றங்கள் குறித்து புகாரளிக்க முன்வர வேண்டும் (People should come forward to report sexual crimes)”
ZB News Focus — “警方与社区合作打击性侵犯推出“四步骤”指南鼓励举报 (Police and community fight sexual assault with four-step guide to encourage reporting)”

EVs cross 57% of new Singapore car registrations

7,679 EVs registered in Q1, 57.6% of all new cars
BYD leads with 3,239 registrations, nearly a quarter of the market
Chinese EV brands rise as several legacy brands fall over 35%

Sources (4) STBTBHTM

ST Big Story — “EVs form about 60% of new car registrations in Singapore”
BT Front Page — “‘Fundamental reshaping’ of Singapore car market on high China, EV brand demand”
BH Berita — “EV bentuk sekitar 60% pendaftaran kereta baru di S’pura (EVs form around 60% of new car registrations in Singapore)”
TM Front Page — “சிங்கப்பூரில் விற்கப்பட்ட புதிய கார்களில் 60% மின்சாரக் கார்கள் (Electric cars make up 60% of new cars sold in Singapore)”

Factory output jumps, chemicals show war drag

March manufacturing output up 10.1% year on year, above 6% forecast
Electronics up 30% on AI-related demand
Chemicals output down 16% as Hormuz disruption hits feedstock and shipping

Sources (3) BTSTZB

BT Front Page — “March manufacturing output beats forecasts but chemicals decline signals emerging Iran war risk”
ST Business — “Singapore factory output rebounds in March”
ZB News Front Page — “3月制造业增长10.1%超预期　但中东冲突显著拖累石油石化工业 (March manufacturing grows 10.1%, beating forecasts, but Middle East conflict weighs on petroleum and petrochemicals)”

China blocks Meta deal for Singapore AI startup

Beijing orders cancellation of Meta's US$2b Manus acquisition
Manus was founded in China and later based in Singapore
Analysts see warning on advanced AI technology moving to US control

Sources (3) STBTZB

ST Big Story — “China blocks $2.6b sale of Singapore-based Manus to Meta”
BT COMPANIES & MARKETS — “China blocks Meta’s US$2b acquisition of Singapore-based AI startup Manus”
ZB News Focus — “中国喊停20亿美元Manus收购案　分析：北京杀一儆百但交易恐难撤销 (China halts US$2b Manus acquisition, analysts say Beijing is making an example but deal may be hard to undo)”

CNB, UK bust drug network after 509kg find

509kg cannabis found in 20-foot container at Pasir Panjang on Jan 3
Drugs were transiting through Singapore toward Britain
Cross-border operation involved CNB and British enforcement agencies

Sources (3) STBHTM

ST Singapore — “CNB busts transnational drug network in cross-border operation with British authorities”
BH Berita — “CNB tumpas rangkaian dadah rentas sempadan dalam operasi bersama Britain (CNB busts cross-border drug network in operation with Britain)”
TM Local News — “போதைப்பொருள் குற்றக் கட்டமைப்பு முறியடிப்பு (Drug crime network disrupted)”

Bay South and Bay East bridge starts next week

S$75.7m bridge construction starts May 4
550m walking and cycling link expected in 2028
Cuts garden-to-garden walk by about 15 minutes

Sources (1) ZB

ZB News Front Page — “衔接滨海东南两花园新桥下周动工 (New bridge linking Bay South and Bay East gardens starts construction next week)”

IMDA targets dead zones in basement carparks

Proposed COPIF changes open for public feedback
Developers may need to plan mobile equipment space earlier
Telcos could use lamp posts and nearby spaces for future network coverage

Sources (2) ZBTM

ZB News Focus — “建筑内资信设施准则拟修订　确保地下一层停车场不断网 (Info-communication facilities code may be revised to ensure basement carparks stay connected)”
TM Local News — “தொலைத்தொடர்புச் சாதனங்களைக் கட்டடங்களில் பொருத்த சட்டத் திருத்தம் (Legal changes proposed for installing telecommunication equipment in buildings)”

Data-centre boom tests Singapore's hub role

Singapore took US$7b of South-east Asia's US$14b private-equity deals in 2025
Data-centre investments increasingly moving to cheaper regional sites
DBS arranged over S$20b in Apac data-centre financing

Sources (2) STBT

ST Business — “S’pore still a private equity hub, but data centre growth shifting”
BT TECHNOLOGY — “DBS drives S$20b in Apac data centre deals as AI boom tests bank funding limits”

Najib drops house-arrest appeal

Former Malaysian PM withdraws appeal, according to court documents cited by media
Remains in Kajang Prison under 6-year SRC International sentence
Separate legal disputes over claimed royal addendum continue

Sources (2) STBH

ST Front Page World News — “Najib reportedly withdraws appeal on house arrest”
BH Malaysia — “Najib tarik balik rayuan tahanan rumah, kekal di Penjara Kajang (Najib withdraws house-arrest appeal, remains in Kajang Prison)”

Military spending nears US$2.9t worldwide

2025 global defence spending near US$2.9t
11th straight year of growth
US, China and Russia together account for just over half

Sources (1) ST

ST World — “Global military spending surges on insecurity, says report”

Follow-ups

Iran/Hormuz war and ceasefire

Iran offers staged Hormuz deal; Brent tops US$108

Iran wants war and Hormuz issues settled before nuclear talks
US says nuclear limits must be part of any deal from the start
Brent crude above US$108 as face-to-face Pakistan talks fail

Sources (5) STBTBHTMZB

ST Business — “Oil prices rise past US$108 as US-Iran peace talks stall”
BT International — “Pakistan still seeks to bridge US, Iran gaps despite failure of face-to-face talks”
BH Berita — “Laporan: Iran usul buka Selat Hormuz, tangguh rundingan nuklear (Report: Iran proposes opening Strait of Hormuz and postponing nuclear talks)”
TM World News — “ஹோர்முஸ் நீரிணையை மீண்டும் திறக்க ஈரான் புதிய பரிந்துரை (Iran makes new proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz)”
ZB News Focus — “伊朗外长赴俄会普京前夕　向美表明核计划及海峡问题是“红线” (Before meeting Putin, Iran's foreign minister tells US that nuclear plan and strait issues are red lines)”

Negeri Sembilan throne crisis

Negeri Sembilan MB loses majority after UMNO pullout

14 UMNO assemblymen withdraw support for Aminuddin Harun
PH chief minister now backed by 17 of 36 assembly seats
Aminuddin says ruler advised him to continue pending clarity

Sources (4) STBHZBTM

ST Front Page World News — “Negeri Sembilan’s Chief Minister loses majority but says he’ll stay on”
BH Malaysia — “Umno tarik balik sokongan terhadap Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan (UMNO withdraws support for Negeri Sembilan Chief Minister)”
ZB News Focus — “巫统撤回对希盟州务大臣支持　拟联手国盟执政森州 (UMNO withdraws support for PH chief minister, plans to govern Negeri Sembilan with PN)”
TM World News — “நெகிரி செம்பிலான் முதல்வர் அமினுதீன் பெரும்பான்மையை இழந்தார் (Negeri Sembilan Chief Minister Aminuddin loses majority)”

White House Correspondents dinner shooting

Dinner shooting follow-up turns to manifesto and security

Suspect allegedly sent family a manifesto before attack
Reports say he bought shotgun in 2025 and pistol in 2023
Washington Hilton access and perimeter checks now under scrutiny

Sources (5) STBHZB

ST ST Front Page — “Suspect in press dinner shooting issued manifesto before attack”
ST Big Story — “Shooting suspect spent several years acquiring guns”
BH Dunia — “Trump sifatkan suspek tembakan Rumah Putih ‘lelaki yang sakit’ (Trump describes White House shooting suspect as sick man)”
ZB News Focus — “枪手袭记者晚宴前宣称目标是政府官员 (Before attacking press dinner, gunman said government officials were targets)”
ZB News Focus — “案发现场安保受质疑　连嫌犯也认为太松懈 (Security at attack scene questioned, even suspect thought it was too loose)”