SINGAPORE, June 10 — The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has warned members of the public about scammers posing as ICA officers or even as family members and friends to trick victims into transferring money, according to The Straits Times.

In an advisory on June 10, ICA said it has received multiple reports since January involving two main scam variants.

In the first, scammers pose as ICA officers through phone or video calls, often using the ICA crest as their profile picture or wearing uniforms during video calls to appear legitimate, the authority said.

“ICA would like to emphasise that these calls are not from ICA,” it reportedly said. 

In the second variant, scammers impersonate family members, friends or acquaintances, falsely claiming that the victim or their loved ones have been detained by ICA.

The authority said these scammers may also produce forged documents featuring the ICA crest or fake officer signatures to support their claims.

ICA stressed that its officers will never request bank login details, ask for transfers via bank accounts, or demand payments to release individuals allegedly detained.

Scams in Singapore have cost victims more than S$4 billion since 2019, with 37,308 cases reported in 2025 alone, resulting in losses of S$913.1 million.

The Straits Times reported that government impersonation scams more than doubled from 1,504 cases in 2024 to 3,363 in 2025, making it the fifth most common scam type last year.

Those seeking clarification can contact ICA via its official feedback form or call 6391-6100.

Members of the public who suspect they have been scammed are urged to lodge a police report immediately. For more information, they may also contact the ScamShield Helpline at 1799 or visit scamshield.gov.sg.

 

 

GEORGE TOWN, June 13 — School administrators, district education offices (PPD), and state education departments (JPN) have been urged to take firm and immediate action as soon as they receive complaints of misconduct, particularly those involving sexual harassment of students.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said such cases must not be taken lightly or allowed to persist until they go viral before action is taken.

“When a child reports being sexually harassed, parents and teachers must take action. The matter must be reported to the authorities and investigated thoroughly.

“Follow-up measures must also be carried out, including ensuring the child receives protection from the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and undergoes a health examination,” she told reporters here today.

She said this when asked to comment on allegations that action in a case involving a teacher and a student in Lawas, Sarawak, was only taken after the matter went viral on social media.

Fadhlina said all PPDs must remain vigilant regarding such cases and act in accordance with established procedures, including lodging reports with the police.

She also urged members of the public who have information about the sexual harassment of children to report it directly to the authorities rather than merely sharing it on social media.

Fadhlina said the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) Safe School Management Guidelines and Student Protection Policy should serve as key references for all educational institutions under the ministry.

In a separate development, she said the MOE is still investigating a case involving a Year Six pupil in Perlis who allegedly suffered serious injuries as a result of bullying. The matter has also been referred to the authorities.

“We will not compromise on issues of bullying, and firm action will be taken against any party found to be involved.

“The allegations must be supported by a transparent and credible investigation. The authorities are currently conducting their investigation, while the ministry is also carrying out an internal probe,” she said.

Regarding an incident in which a discipline teacher was allegedly assaulted by a group of students while carrying out his duties, Fadhlina said teachers also have the right to protection under the law when exercising their authority and responsibilities. — Bernama

 

 

 

 

SINGAPORE, June 11 — A three-year-old boy died after accidentally falling into a condominium swimming pool while riding a kick scooter under his nanny’s supervision, with a coroner ruling there was no foul play in the case, The Straits Times reported.

Coroner Brenda Chua, releasing findings on June 11, concluded that the child’s death was due to accidental drowning following the incident on March 5, 2025.

According to the report, court proceedings found that the boy had been riding his kick scooter at a condominium playground when he lost control and fell into a 1.2m-deep pool. He did not know how to swim.

At around 6pm, the nanny had brought him to the playground and later admitted she did not have her mobile phone with her as she wanted to fully focus on supervising the child.

However, security footage showed a 46-second gap during which the boy moved towards the pool area unsupervised before falling in while making a turn, the report said. 

The nanny was seen sitting briefly during that period before standing up to search for him and later jumping into the pool to rescue him, despite being unable to swim.

Paramedics attempted resuscitation at the scene before the boy was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later, The Straits Times reported. 

Coroner Chua said the nanny was “not forthcoming” during the inquiry and described her conduct as “one of deflection”, while stressing the importance of close supervision of young children near swimming pools.

The boy’s identity was protected under a gag order, and the condominium and nanny were not named in court.

 

 

JOHOR BARU, June 1 — All eyes are on Johor today amid speculation that the state assembly could be dissolved.

According to the New Straits Times, Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi is scheduled to hold a special press conference at his official residence at 5pm.

The announcement, eagerly awaited across the political divide, is expected to pave the way for state polls.

MORE TO COME

KUANTAN, June 12 — Thick black smoke was seen billowing into the sky after a fire broke out at a waste management facility in the Gebeng industrial area here early today.

The Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call at about 6am before firefighters from the Gebeng and Kuantan stations were dispatched to the scene, the New Straits Times reported.

Pahang Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Mohd Salahuddin Isa confirmed the incident and said efforts were underway to bring the blaze under control.

He said no casualties have been reported so far.

Videos of the fire, captured by motorists travelling to work in the industrial area, have since circulated widely on social media.