The Law Society’s leadership dispute was never just about titles. It was about mandate: whether ministerial nominees—who did not stand for election by the Bar—should hold executive power. A “compromise” that shifts a ministerial appointee from President-elect to Vice-President risks bypassing that principle and deferring it to 2026, while process and accountability questions continue to hang over the Council.

On 16 December, the High Court dismissed a constitutional challenge against the mandatory death penalty in Singapore, ruling that the applicants lacked standing. The judge also found the sentencing regime consistent with constitutional rights and separation of powers.

Dinesh Singh Dhillon’s decision to step aside as Law Society president-elect ahead of the 22 Dec EGM has defused tensions — but not resolved the deeper concerns. The controversy over appointing a statutory council member to the presidency has revived long-standing questions about transparency, member control, and the legacy of the 1986 amendments that introduced ministerial appointments to the Council.

MSF’s latest ComLink+ report paints a more complex picture than headlines suggest. While almost 40% of families remain without stable employment, shifts in reporting make year-on-year comparison unclear. Rising family stress indicators and persistent gaps in preschool attendance point to deeper challenges that inputs alone cannot resolve.

Comments by Ho Ching portraying the Law Society as merely a regulatory body have prompted public rebuttals from lawyers, who say the Legal Profession Act mandates the Society to represent, protect and assist its members. The exchange unfolds ahead of an Extraordinary General Meeting on leadership selection, governance and independence.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung says ISP reforms aim to sustain private healthcare by reducing premiums. But behavioural science and new data suggest the opposite may happen: fewer people will seek care, while falling confidence in insurance could trigger a self-reinforcing cycle of higher costs.

Once promised as a safeguard for justice, Singapore’s contempt law has become a tool of restriction. Assurances that only egregious cases would be caught have given way to a legal regime where intent is irrelevant, risk is broadly defined, and even political speech made in good faith can trigger liability. The shift from protection to deterrence raises troubling questions about the space for public discourse and democratic accountability.

38 Oxley Road has been gazetted as a national monument, effective 13 December, following the government's assessment of its historic significance. The move comes despite formal objections from the estate of Lee Kuan Yew, who had expressed a wish for the house to be demolished.

As SingPost hikes postage fees again, deeper questions emerge about Singapore’s corporatised public service model. With public funding but private governance, who is accountable when performance falters? The postal case is not isolated—it reflects a broader reckoning over how essential services are managed, and whether the public still has a say in outcomes that affect everyone.

Lawyer Luo Ling Ling defended her decision to publicise the Law Society’s upcoming EGM on LinkedIn, citing weeks of inaction by the Council after members submitted a valid requisition. In a post on 11 December, Luo said she had no access to official channels and used social media to ensure lawyers were informed ahead of the 22 December meeting, which will debate concerns about Bar independence and the Council’s refusal to convene the EGM.

The Straits Times replaced its original report on the Law Society EGM with a reframed narrative suggesting resolution, without disclosing the change. This raises questions about media independence, especially as SPH Media Trust stands to receive up to S$900 million in public funding.

SDP Chairman Paul Tambyah, in a Facebook video on 9 December, warned that new ISP rider rules could delay treatment and overwhelm public hospitals. He called for a universal healthcare financing model and criticised piecemeal reforms lacking transparency.

A group of lawyers has formally convened an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on 22 December 2025, citing concerns over the unelected appointment of Dinesh Singh Dhillon as President of the Law Society of Singapore for 2026.

Singapore’s civic space remains rated as ‘repressed’, according to CIVICUS Monitor’s 2025 report, which highlights continued use of restrictive laws, digital censorship and actions against activists, journalists and peaceful protesters across Asia-Pacific.

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong says the Albatross File declassification offers a full public account of Singapore’s separation from Malaysia. But historian PJ Thum questions the timing, noting the information has largely been known for decades.

Temasek and GIC’s decade-long returns lag global peers, drawing scrutiny over exposure to China, high-risk bets, and due diligence lapses. As critics raise concerns, both funds face mounting pressure to restructure for resilience and restore public confidence.

The High Court’s decision to uphold Pritam Singh’s conviction over his COP evidence underscores that what MPs say in Parliament can now carry criminal, not just political, consequences. This commentary asks whether, even accepting the legal framework, the judgment concentrates blame for a messy, shared failure onto one opposition leader.

The proposed Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme aims to tackle the long-term viability of ageing public flats. But if re-polling and aggressive vote steering are normalised under HIP, it raises hard questions about how democratic — or voluntary — any future VERS vote will really be.

Imagine being asked to stand in a huge circle on a field. It feels free, harmless. Then, without moving, the circle is redrawn smaller and smaller, each time with the question: “Still comfortable?” Step by step, you end up trapped in a tiny hoop you’d never have entered at the start. That’s how citizens quietly lose rights in a so-called democracy.

X’s new “About this account” label is meant to flag foreign bots and bad actors. But in covering it, The Straits Times lumped TOC, Gutzy Asia and Heidoh into a tiny list of “Singapore commentators” based overseas, blurring the line between foreign operations and Singaporean-run, Asia-focused outlets.

After two blocks in Tiong Bahru narrowly failed to meet the voting threshold for the Home Improvement Programme, questions have surfaced over the legitimacy of re-polling, with concerns that discretionary decisions could undermine procedural fairness.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung now tells foreign media that “nine in 10 Singaporeans pay nothing” at public hospitals. But a 2025 survey shows 83% delayed seeking care, over 60% worry about costs, and many face bill shock. On paper, most “pay nothing”. In real life, fear and confusion are stopping people from seeing a doctor in time.

A three-venue exhibition across Singapore’s Bras Basah-Bugis district will commemorate a decade of The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, showcasing original art, creative reinterpretations, and historical context from 6 to 28 December 2025.

Jay Ish’haq Rajoo has spoken publicly about ongoing investigations following a POFMA correction direction issued in September 2025. He says he is being scrutinised for questioning remarks by Chee Hong Tat on nurturing Chinese community leaders, including “new immigrants.” Jay argues his post raised legitimate concerns about clarity and social cohesion.

Ministry of Home Affairs’ handling of Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff’s posts underscores how one ministry has come to dominate the Government’s enforcement of discourse. More than a legal choice, it reflects a tightening grip on speech framed as a threat to harmony.