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11/12/2025

Rising Domestic Violence and Hospital Design Reform in Singapore.

Domestic violence cases rose sharply during the year-end festive season, a period when family tensions, financial pressures, and caregiving stress typically intensify. The Ministry of Social and Family Development reported increases across multiple categories, including spousal, child, and elder abuse.

11/12/2025

US–Indonesia Trade Rift: Jakarta Pushback Threatens July Deal.

A major sticking point involves Indonesia’s reluctance to eliminate non-tariff barriers on American industrial and agricultural exports. US negotiators also expected stronger commitments on digital trade issues. The perceived reversal has fueled frustration in Washington, where the administration sees Indonesia’s current stance as a significant setback.

Sources believe President Prabowo Subianto and Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto initially supported the deal before involving other senior officials. Political considerations now appear to be slowing progress, with Washington convinced that Prabowo could enforce the agreement but is choosing not to act.

Indonesian officials dispute this interpretation. Economic affairs ministry spokesperson Haryo Limanseto said negotiations remain normal and ongoing, emphasizing the goal of securing a mutually beneficial outcome.

10/12/2025

Vanishing in Sipirok: Landslides Accelerate the Decline of Tapanuli Orangutans.

For years, ranger Amran Siagian regularly encountered Tapanuli orangutans along the hills of Sipirok in North Sumatra. The animals were known to feast on durian and other fruits from nearby farms. But two weeks after cyclone-induced floods and landslides struck the region, the forests fell silent. Siagian could no longer hear or see the animals he had protected for half a decade.

The disaster claimed 962 lives in Indonesia as of December 9, with 291 still missing. Another 200 deaths were reported in southern Thailand and Malaysia. While communities struggle with immense human loss, the ecological toll is becoming increasingly visible.

10/12/2025

Johor Bahru Free Self-Driving Bus to Launch in 2026.

Johor Bahru mayor Mohd Haffiz Ahmad confirmed that the 20-seater autonomous bus is currently in procurement, with operations expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026. The launch is strategically aligned with Visit Johor 2026 to enhance tourist mobility and promote city attractions.

The initiative forms part of three smart city projects funded under a RM2.78 million allocation from the Digital Ministry. Of this, the self-driving bus itself is estimated to cost RM800,000, approximately S$252,300. The investment reflects a growing commitment to leveraging advanced technology to improve public transportation.

10/12/2025

Singapore’s Hospital Future: Standardised Designs Set New Pace for Healthcare Expansion.

Singapore launched the Healthcare Facility Design Standards (HFDS) on December 9, marking its first comprehensive framework to harmonize hospital design across the public healthcare system. Health Minister Ong Ye Kung emphasized that with an ageing population and increasing healthcare needs, the country must now build hospitals “better, faster, and with greater cost-effectiveness.” Standardisation accelerates design processes and makes construction timelines more predictable, reducing risks and variability.

09/12/2025

Seremban Sentral: Mega TOD Set to Transform Negeri Sembilan’s Urban Economy.

The Seremban Sentral TOD is projected to generate up to RM300 million in annual business revenue while creating approximately 2,500 new jobs across healthcare, retail, logistics, tourism, and services. The development is positioned as a major catalyst for long-term economic uplift, aligning with Negeri Sembilan’s ambitions to strengthen its urban competitiveness.

A significant advantage comes from the upcoming Electric Train Service linking Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur, scheduled to launch on December 12. Property experts anticipate that the improved accessibility will attract investors, accelerate commercial activity, and increase residential demand. They also project rising property values in surrounding areas as connectivity strengthens.

09/12/2025

Indonesia’s Climate Crisis: Sumatra Faces Rp 51.8 Trillion in Reconstruction Needs.

Disaster struck Sumatra after a rare cyclone intensified monsoon rains, triggering massive floods and landslides across Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra. The National Disaster Management Agency reported that more than 950 people have died, nearly 400 remain missing, and close to one million residents have been displaced across the island.

Hundreds of villages were cut off after roads and bridges collapsed, leaving emergency teams struggling to deliver aid. Authorities transported 167 tons of relief supplies to Aceh and deployed temporary Starlink Wi-Fi to reconnect isolated districts.

09/12/2025

Singapore’s Biggest Inland Bust of 2025: Customs Seizes Over 17,000 Cartons of Illegal Ci******es.

On November 30, officers conducting surveillance at an industrial building in Pandan Loop spotted a Singapore-registered van reversing into a loading bay. Three men were seen loading brown boxes into the vehicle’s cargo compartment.
Officers inspected the van and discovered 2,400 cartons of duty-unpaid ci******es. After questioning, the men led officers to a nearby unit where another 3,195 cartons were found. A total of 5,595 cartons and the van were seized.

08/12/2025

Bali Raid on Content Creators: Bonnie Blue Detained in Po*******hy Probe.

On Thursday, police raided a studio in Pererenan, Mengwi, where they found 19 individuals inside. Among them was Bonnie Blue, identified by local authorities as the main performer. Items seized included camera equipment, condoms, lubricant, USB drives, and documents linked to the blue pickup truck.

08/12/2025

Singapore’s Separation: New Files Reveal Tensions Behind the 1965 Break.

Newly declassified documents from The Albatross File: Inside Separation reveal that founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew held lingering hope for a looser arrangement within Malaysia even days before the split. He asked Malaysian prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman if any alternative remained, signalling deep internal conflict.

His deputy, Dr Goh Keng Swee, believed the merger was unsalvageable. Even as Lee pushed for greater autonomy within the federation, Goh saw a clean break as the only path forward and negotiated firmly toward separation.

08/12/2025

Malaysia’s Progress: World Bank Praises Gains, Calls for Stronger Human Development.

Malaysia received strong recognition from the World Bank for achieving what many developing nations still struggle with: sharply reducing poverty, especially hardcore poverty. Dr Ririn Salwa Purnamasari, senior economist for poverty and equity, said Malaysia’s progress over the past generation is “undeniable,” noting that hardcore poverty is now nearly eliminated.

Her remarks were delivered at the 2025 National Public Service Reform Convention, held in conjunction with the large-scale Rancakkan MADANI programme.

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