Corporal punishment, including caning, will be used to punish offenders with six to 24 strokes. Fraud accounts for 60 per cent of all reported crimes in the city-state. Penalties have also been increased for those who distribute obscene material, particularly if minors are involved.

The Catholic Church is at the forefront of relief efforts for the population affected by Tino, which has caused over 90 deaths and 400,000 displaced persons. Nearly 400 people have been welcomed into the classrooms of the Maria Ausiliatrice school. The archbishop has ordered churches to be opened to provide shelter. Over 20,000 schools have suspended classes.

The compound has been at the centre of an ongoing battle between his children over its fate. The father had called for its demolition or closure to the public. The government stresses its "historic merit”, which make it “worthy”" of preservation. Still, its future remains uncertain. The meetings that led to the founding of the People's Action Party in 1959 were held in the basement.

The Anti-Pogo Act of 2025 is now in force, repealing the provisions of the previous law on gambling taxation. The government wants to prioritise ‘the protection of life and general welfare’, as well as supporting ‘human dignity’. Prison sentences and progressive fines are envisaged. The Church has also long called for an all-out fight against the scourge of gambling.

After the large-scale operation at KK Park, in the Myawaddy area on the border with Thailand, around a thousand people forced to work in illegal activities fled across the border. Some local sources expressed scepticism, noting that the operation was linked to the threat of sanctions expressed at the ASEAN summit. The criminal networks remain entrenched and enjoy political cover.

Speaking at the regional summit, Chinese Premier Li Qiang called on Asian countries to “close ranks” in the face of global challenges, primarily that of trade with the United States. Southeast Asia must maintain open markets while avoiding becoming embroiled in a trade duel between superpowers. The summit saw the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement upgraded. The Philippines will take over the association’s rotating presidency next year.