SINGAPORE: When a man received S$125,000 (US$97,800) in his bank account that had been wrongly transferred to him, he did not contact the bank or attempt to transfer it back to the sender.

Instead, he pocketed the entire amount, making multiple transfers to his various bank accounts and spending it on himself.

Loo Liew Ting, a 63-year-old Singaporean, pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Mar 25) to one count each of dishonest misappropriation and concealing the benefits of criminal conduct by making multiple fund transfers.

A third charge for taking 20,000 ringgit (S$6,470) in cash from Singapore to Malaysia will be considered in sentencing.

THE CASE

The court heard that the victim, a 55-year-old Singaporean man, intended to make a bank transfer of S$125,000 to another account but accidentally selected the wrong payee.

As a result, Loo received S$125,000 in his POSB bank account on Jul 11, 2024.

The victim lodged a police report about the erroneous transfer and reported the incident to the relevant banks.

The banks tried to reach out to Loo, but he did not respond.

At all times, he knew that the money did not belong to him and that the victim had not intended to make the transfer, the court heard.

Loo transferred portions of the sum to other bank accounts that he had, withdrawing some of it in cash and spending the rest for his own use.

Between Jul 12, 2024 and Sep 21, 2024, he took steps to conceal the sum that he had received.

These include a withdrawal of S$40,000 from his POSB bank account, a transfer of S$103,000 to his Citibank account, a withdrawal of S$25,000 from the Citibank account and an S$8,400 deposit into his OCBC account.

During investigations around May 2025, Loo admitted that he would be able to make restitution as he had certain investments. However, he ultimately failed to make any restitution to the victim.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jordy Kay said Loo had no prior convictions. He sought 15 to 17 months' jail and originally asked for a compensation order for him to pay the victim S$125,000.

Defence lawyer Teo Choo Kee asked for 12 months' jail instead, saying 15 to 17 months would be "rather crushing" given his client's records and prospects.

He said the offences were "closely linked".

"Having come into receipt of such a large amount, he then set about the so-called 'self-laundering'," said Mr Teo. "So it cannot be said that he tried to dissipate the amount."

However, he did not deny that his client concealed the funds.

THE ISSUE WITH COMPENSATION

He disagreed with the prosecution on the compensation order, saying his client was not in a position to pay the amount.

He said his client originally intended to make restitution, but the plans "fell apart" and he has not been able to raise the sum since.

District Judge Kelly Ho questioned the defence about this and asked why Loo was not able to make restitution when he had the funds.

Mr Teo said Loo was hoping to make gains from his investment, "but being a volatile investment, I think he lost quite a bit of money in the cryptocurrency trade".

Judge Ho said this was "not something in his favour".

"If he had the money, the first and utmost priority was to make restitution," she said.

"Yes, it was one poor judgment after another, and for that he is now in the dock," answered Mr Teo.

The prosecutor, Mr Kay, disagreed with the defence that the sentence he sought was "crushing", given the amount misappropriated.

He said it was unclear if the contention that Loo had lost his money was supported by evidence, and added that his mitigation plea states that he is working.

Loo is a part-time traditional Chinese medicine practitioner.

The judge then granted the prosecutor some time to get instructions on whether he would be pursuing the compensation order, given that the defence claimed Loo did not have the means to pay.

The point of a compensation order is not to penalise an offender even more, said the judge, and if he cannot pay, then such an order should not be imposed.

After a short break, Mr Kay said the prosecution was prepared to amend its position and not seek a compensation order, since the defence said Loo had no means to pay it.

Judge Ho then asked Mr Teo if he was acting pro bono for Loo, to which he said he was not.

"So he can afford a lawyer," said the judge.

She said that although the prosecution was not seeking a compensation order, the court on its own accord would be making an order to find out Loo's financial circumstances.

She pointed to the large amount involved and evidence to show that Loo was not without any means to pay.

She ordered Loo to file several documents including a Central Provident Fund statement showing information from his Ordinary and Retirement accounts, statements of all his bank accounts including his joint accounts for the last three months, and his payslips for the last three months.

As she has to deal with this issue before passing sentence, she adjourned the case to April.

The penalties for dishonest misappropriation are a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both.

For concealing the benefits of criminal conduct, an offender can be jailed for up to 10 years, fined up to S$500,000, or both. As Loo's charge involves multiple instances, he faces up to double these penalties.

Good news for fried chicken lovers. Texas Chicken Singapore has partnered with local chef, TV personality and entrepreneur Shahrizal Salleh, better known as Chef Bob, to introduce a new, limited-time menu item.

Chef Bob’s Ayam Percik flavour will be available from Apr 2 to May 13 at all Texas Chicken Singapore outlets. 

Ayam percik is typically marinated with spices such as turmeric, lemongrass and ginger, before being grilled and basted with a coconut milk-based sauce that is smoky, slightly sweet and mildly spicy. 

Chef Bob’s Ayam Percik flavour features a rich savoury glaze layered with aromatics such as lemongrass, tamarind, galangal, turmeric, and chillies. “The spice is meant to ‘break the sweat without being sweaty’,” said Chef Bob. “It shouldn’t overpower your palate.”

The new flavour will be available across items such as fried chicken, chicken tenders, burgers and snacks.

The launch also coincides with Texas Day on Apr 17, which marks the brand’s 16th anniversary in Singapore. As part of the campaign, Texas Chicken will roll out promotions including giveaways, merchandise and limited items such as a vest that can be converted into a tote bag, available with purchases while stocks last. 

Singapore furniture brand Castlery will open its first brick-and-mortar store in New York this May, becoming one of the few homegrown companies to establish a permanent retail presence in one of the world’s most competitive markets.

The 3,000 sq ft flagship in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood will be Castlery’s first US store, opening seven years after the company entered the market online in 2019. Today, the US contributes about 70 per cent of its global revenue. 

“We have seen strong and consistent growth in the US, so the question was less about if and more about when,” said Declan Ee, co-founder and president of Castlery.

A MEASURED APPROACH TO GLOBAL EXPANSION

Castlery’s New York debut is a rare move for a Singapore-founded, digital-first start-up entering an increasingly crowded global retail landscape – particularly in furniture, where scale, logistics and capital are significant barriers.

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Its decision to enter New York was not made lightly. Instead of rushing into a physical store, the company spent years refining its e-commerce operations and preparing for a retail presence that reflects the brand. 

“We spent close to two years looking for the right space because we didn't want just a store,” Ee said, adding that the company reviewed more than 200 listings across Manhattan. “We wanted to create an experience that adds something meaningful to what people already know from Castlery online.”

That deliberate approach has shaped Castlery’s growth from the beginning. Founded in Singapore in 2013 by Ee and Fred Ji, the company set out to fill a gap between high-end designer furniture and mass-market offerings. Today, Castlery employs more than 500 people globally and has sold more than one million pieces of furniture.

From the outset, Castlery adopted a digital-first model, selling directly to consumers while retaining control over design, sourcing and logistics – an approach that has helped it scale across multiple markets without losing sight of product quality and customer experience.

Even so, Ee is clear-eyed about the need for a physical space. “We have always seen retail as an important part of the overall customer experience, complementing digital, especially in furniture, where people still want to sit on a sofa, feel the fabric, understand the proportions and imagine how a piece will live in their home,” he said.

LESSONS FROM EARLY EXPANSION

Its expansion, however, has not always been straightforward. Forbes reported that its early international growth efforts came with setbacks, particularly in Australia, where the company’s initial showroom strategy proved misaligned with local consumer behaviour. At the same time, Castlery was also expanding in Singapore, stretching its resources across multiple fronts. The business remained unprofitable for three consecutive years during this period as it recalibrated its approach.

“Coming from Singapore, where everything is relatively compact, you get used to thinking people will travel across the city if they are interested in your brand,” he said. “In larger markets, that is just not how people behave, and we ended up shutting our original Sydney showroom before recalibrating and re-entering brick-and-mortar retail in Australia. We now have two showrooms in Brisbane and Sydney.” 

“One of our biggest lessons was that you cannot simply replicate what worked in one market in another,” Ee said. “We learned that early on, particularly when we first opened a physical showroom in Australia.”

Instead, Castlery adopted a more measured strategy in the US, starting with a focused product offering and expanding gradually based on customer feedback. Within the US, New York emerged as a natural location for its first flagship showroom. The city’s density and housing constraints mirror those of Singapore, creating similar design challenges around space, functionality and comfort.

DESIGN SHAPED BY SINGAPORE LIVING

“Singapore has shaped us a lot more than people may realise,” Ee said. “It is a city where space is precious, homes have to work very hard, and people tend to be very thoughtful about what they bring into them.”

That perspective informs Castlery’s design philosophy, which emphasises versatility, proportion and practicality in urban environments. These principles carry through to the Chelsea showroom, which is designed to reflect how people actually live in cities rather than present idealised interiors.

The space features 17 curated room settings that recreate compact living environments and show how furniture can work in smaller homes without sacrificing comfort or style. It also offers styling consultations on space planning, layout and furniture selection.

The US has also given the company valuable insights into how customers interact with furniture and retail more broadly. Unlike in Singapore, where purchasing decisions tend to be more considered, American consumers often expect faster turnaround times and quicker fulfilment.

“In the US, many are renters. They sign a lease and need a sofa the next month,” Ee said. “That shifts delivery from being a support function to being part of the product.”

At the same time, the scale and diversity of the US market have required Castlery to adapt its approach to different cities and lifestyles rather than treat the country as a single, uniform market. 

“A customer in New York lives very differently from someone in Los Angeles, Austin or Seattle,” Ee said. “Space is limited in New York, while other cities may have more room for larger homes and outdoor living.”

There is also a cultural difference. American customers tend to be more vocal in their feedback, a dynamic Ee said keeps the company on its toes. He added: “If something doesn’t work, it shows up quickly and publicly. We learned early on that you can’t just sell a beautiful product. In Singapore, trust builds more quietly. In the US, it’s built or broken in the open.”

These differences are beginning to shape the company’s product development as it deepens its presence in the US market. 

“Our product line is always evolving,” Ee said. “As we grow in the US, we’re learning more about differences in scale, materials and how homes are used across cities and climates. The deeper we go, the more our products reflect those insights.”

When asked about potential collaborations with American designers, Castlery said it remains selective about such partnerships. 

“We’re open to collaborations, but we’re quite disciplined about it,” Ee said. “We do have a few things in motion right now, and we’ll share more when the timing is right.”

A SINGAPORE BRAND ON THE GLOBAL STAGE

For Castlery, the New York opening marks its transition from a digitally native brand to a global retail player with a physical footprint in key markets.

“New York is not just another store for us,” Ee said. “It’s the trigger for what comes next.”

Success in the city, he suggested, will be measured not simply by sales, but by the brand’s ability to build trust and long-term customer relationships. The showroom will open to the public on May 15, with a weekend of events introducing the brand to New York. 

“If we can turn customers into believers, and believers into advocates who bring others in, then we’ve done our job.”

I don’t know about you but when I occasionally “accidentally” stuff my face with too much salted egg yolk potato chips, or inhale a rib-sticking pot of kimchi jiggae, I would try to redeem myself by drinking more water. You know, to “flush out” the sodium. 

Every time I hit rock bottom – of an ice cream tub – I pray that eating some fibre would help to police the sugar high. Ate too much at dinner? Fruit should smooth things out in the digestive tract, right?

Some of us practise some form of atonement to feel a little better after unbridled moments of sheer indulgence. Like drinking tea, a diuretic, after eating instant noodles in the hope of passing out the water retained by sodium. Just how misguided are our actions or do they actually work?

CAN WE EAT CERTAIN FOOD TO COUNTER OUR EXCESSES?

No, said the experts. “Countering or neutralising the effects of certain foods with that of another are generally not based on any scientific evidence and do not work,” said Dr Melvin Look, the director and a consultant surgeon in gastrointestinal, laparoscopic and obesity surgery at PanAsia Surgery.

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In other words, you can’t count on the fibre of fruit to stabilise the sugar spike after, for example, bingeing an entire kunafa chocolate bar in one sitting.

“Adding an apple to a sweet treat simply adds more sugar to an existing glucose load,” said Dr Joel Foo, the managing director and a family physician from ATA Medical. “It does not stabilise the insulin spike that has already been triggered.” But you might be able to help yourself better by eating the apple first, he said, to “slow gastric emptying”. 

WHAT ABOUT DRINKING MORE WATER? 

According to Dr Foo, drinking water can be effective to some extent. “Water assists the kidneys in flushing excess sodium,” he said, and recommended sipping 500ml to 700ml of water over the following hour. 

“Drinking water immediately after also helps with stopping you from eating more food,” highlighted dietitian Jaclyn Reutens from Aptima Sports and Nutrition Consultant. 

Still, water isn't the panacea to your sodium excesses because it is your kidneys – and not the amount of water you drink, that manage sodium levels. Too much sodium can actually cause your body to retain water to balance the sodium, which can lead to bloating, swelling, and increased blood pressure, according to Healthhub. 

But when it comes to sugar, water doesn’t quite work the same way. “Once the sugar is in the blood, it must be used for energy or stored as glycogen or fat,” said Dr Foo.

“The best remedy for a sugar spike is light physical activity such as walking or cycling immediately after eating,” he continued. “This encourages the muscles to take up the sugar without being entirely reliant on the hormone insulin.”

DOES DRINKING TEA HELP?

Drinking some tea after a particularly sodium-laden meal might seem like a good idea to offset salt's ability to retain water and cause bloating. 

But you could end up retaining even more water, said Reutens. Tea and coffee contain caffeine, which can dehydrate you – and “being dehydrated triggers the production of an anti-diuretic hormone that makes you retain even more water”, she explained.

If you’re cooking instant noodles, you’re better off using half the soup powder sachet, suggested Reutens. “Eat more fruits and vegetables, which are high in potassium to help to balance sodium levels.”

Magnesium-rich foods such as seeds and nuts may also help counteract the sodium overload, said Dr Look.

As for tea's effect on oily food, a 2024 study from the University of Birmingham found that flavanol compounds in green tea "could counteract some of the impact of fatty food and protect the vascular system from stress", reported Science Daily. 

"We have previously shown that fatty food can impair the body's vascular recovery from stress," said lead researcher Dr Catarina Rendeiro, an assistant professor in Nutritional Sciences. "This research shows that drinking or eating a food high in flavanols can be used as a strategy to mitigate some of the impact of poorer food choices on the vascular system."

Good flavanol sources include green tea, black tea, berries and cocoa. Guidelines recommend 400mg to 600mg of flavanols daily, which you can get from two cups of black or green tea, or a combination of berries and high-quality cocoa.

CONVERSELY, ARE THERE COMBINATIONS TO AVOID?

Yes, there are because some of the nutrients in food can interact with each other and affect nutrient bioavailability, said Dr Look. “For the majority of healthy people consuming a varied diet, these interactions tend to balance out and are not clinically significant,” he said. 

But if you have a nutrient deficiency (such as from heavy menstruation or in some iron-deficient pregnant women), or you only consume a limited range of food groups (such as vegetarians), nutrient interactions are more important to note, he added. 

Here’s a look at five such examples:

1. IRON

Interacts with: 

• Calcium (dairy products)
• Tannins (tea, coffee and wine)
• Oxalates (spinach, sweet potato and almonds)
• Phytates (whole grains such as rice, oat and millet)

How: This is clinically significant, according to Dr Foo, especially when it comes to plant-based, non-heme iron from sources including soya beans, chickpeas, lentils, chia seeds and spinach. This form of iron can bind to calcium, tannins, phytates and oxalates to form insoluble complexes that the body cannot absorb, he explained. 

The fix: If you’re prescribed a calcium supplement, take it two hours before or after an iron-rich, plant-based meal, suggested Reutens.

You can also enhance your body’s absorption of iron by rounding your meal with Vitamin C-rich citrus fruits, she recommended. Or wait one to two hours before having your cup of tea or coffee – preferably with dairy milk. “Milk binds to tannins and prevents tannins from binding to iron,” said Reutens. 

2. ZINC

Interacts with: Copper. 

How: Some people take a zinc supplement in the hope of shortening their cold or flu recovery period. However, both zinc and copper compete for absorption in the duodenum and jejunum of the small intestine. So, taking too much zinc could cause your copper levels to drop and ironically, increase your risk of infection, including a cold or flu.

The fix: You rarely need a zinc supplement, even when you have a cold; there is no guarantee that zinc will help you feel better faster, according to Mayo Clinic. 

3. VITAMINS A, D, E and K

Interacts with: Low-fat diet.

How: “During digestion, fat forms structures called micelles that allow these fat-soluble vitamins to be absorbed through the intestinal wall," said Reutens. “This means that a low-fat diet decreases absorption of these vitamins and can increase the risk of their deficiencies.”

The fix: Include healthy fats in your diet from avocadoes, nuts, seeds, olive oil, canola oil, flax seed oil and fatty fish, including salmon and sardines.

4. VITAMIN B12

Interacts with: Alcohol.

How: “Alcohol interferes with Vitamin B12 absorption by damaging the stomach lining that produces the intrinsic factor needed for its absorption,” said Reutens. 

The fix: Eating more Vitamin B12-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy may improve your stomach lining situation. “While Vitamin B12 is relatively stable, gentler cooking methods such as steaming and sauteing are preferred to retain it,” said Reutens. 

It also helps, she added, to limit your intake to one to two standard alcoholic drinks, keeping at least two alcohol-free days a week.

5. FIBRE

Interacts with: Iron, zinc and calcium.

How: Fibre is great for you but too much fibre can physically trap minerals like calcium and zinc before they can be absorbed, said Dr Foo. Moreover, too much fibre can also cause bloatedness, added Reutens. 

The fix: If you’re not consuming sufficient fibre, increase your intake gradually and maintain high water intake, recommended Dr Foo. Even then, don’t overdo it. “Keep to the recommendations of two servings of fruits and vegetables, and two to three servings of wholegrains a day,” said Reutens.

SINGAPORE: It is quiet along the corridor outside Mr Lau Peng Koon’s flat as he tends to his plants, meticulously inspecting the leaves and watering the soil.

But eight floors down, where the shops are located, the atmosphere shifts dramatically. Bright LED signs flash outside a photo shop while shopkeepers chat with their customers. Delivery carts stocked with groceries rattle as they are wheeled across drain gratings.

A long-time resident of Crawford, Mr Lau has seen the estate transform from a quiet “ghost-town” into a bustling and vibrant neighbourhood over the past five decades.

“We have a lot of tourists coming here because there is a coffee shop that is very old school and is famous,” said the 57-year-old.

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“This used to be a very old estate, with a lot of old folks. But it’s changing now and the place is getting younger with a lot of new flats popping up. So it’s becoming quite happening here.”

Amid the new flats and trendy eateries, another type of business has multiplied in recent years. Beneath his flat, there are at least three massage parlours.

“About 10 years ago, there used to be just one or two (in the whole estate),” he said. “Then, all of a sudden - and I don't understand why - more and more started coming up.”

Gesturing across the cluster of Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks, he said there were at least three other massage parlours operating nearby.

“The thing is – (massage parlours) keep popping up. One shuts down, and then another one takes over.”

While some appear to operate legitimately, others have created unease among residents. “A lot of the old folks might feel uncomfortable, because there are so many … ladies sitting there,” said Mr Lau.

“They just ask ‘do you want a massage?’ and if you don't respond or say no, they won't pester you or block your way and try to grab you. So, it’s okay, we can't judge them for what they do because are they really legitimate? We don’t know.”

Still, the concentration of such shops feels unusual, he said.

“As long as they don't pester the pedestrians and the people around here - we can't really say no to them having a shop here but I'm just wondering, when they want to open their shops … does the government have any control over it?”

“And where do they get the business from? There are so many of them. They can’t really sustain the business here, but they keep wanting to try.”

However, regulating such businesses - particularly in older HDB estates - is not so easy, as many of the shops are privately-owned, according to Members of Parliament (MPs) CNA spoke to.

WHEN THE HDB SHOPS ARE PRIVATE 

As of August last year, about 8,500 HDB shops were privately owned, accounting for more than half of the roughly 15,500 HDB shops in Singapore, according to the Ministry of National Development (MND).

But with more than half of HDB shops in private hands, the question remains: What can be done when certain businesses begin affecting residents? 

While HDB rents shops directly to businesses, many - especially in older estates - remain privately owned. The government sold these units in the 1980s and 1990s to promote entrepreneurship and commercial property ownership.

MND said previously that because these shops were sold on purely commercial terms without subsidies, they are treated like private commercial properties.

Owners do not need to inform HDB when renting them out. A 2022 study showed about 75 per cent of private shops were rented out.

Although sales were discontinued in 1998, about 7,700 privately owned HDB shops were sold on 99-year leases and still have more than 30 years remaining.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Sun Xueling said previously that government agencies work together to plan, regulate and license commercial activities.

She added that in commercially-run shopping malls or privately-owned HDB shops, market forces determine the mix of shops while adhering to regulations.

However, challenges remain, said the MPs CNA spoke to.

Citing massage establishments in her ward, MP Denise Phua (Jalan Besar) said privately owned units make it harder for authorities to intervene, even when there are repeated complaints. It also complicates monitoring for vice activities.

“HDB and the police can intervene and conduct raids, but it’s not easy. (It’s like a) cat-and-mouse chase sometimes,” she said.

Similarly, at Tanjong Pagar Plaza, a significant number of shops at the mixed-use development were sold by HDB in the 1990s on 80-year leases, according to MP Foo Cexiang (Tanjong Pagar).

He said the issue is largely economic. 

“Why is there a proliferation of a certain type of shop? 

“It’s because these are the types of shops that are prepared to pay higher rentals, and because a large majority of the shops are on long-term leases – some have 50 years left on the lease – the owners are looking to maximise their rental yield, and so they find the users that can pay them the highest yield,” he added.

HDB is not able to dictate who comes into the unit, he said, adding that this is up to the private owners. “So actually, by way of current regulation, it is quite limited.”

The police are also reviewing the massage establishment regulations.

Under the Act, massage establishments must be licensed by the police. However, open-concept outlets - as well as beauty salons that do not provide massage services - are exempt.

Meanwhile, in cases where a business is engaging in unfair trading practices, the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore (CCS) said that it can seek an injunction from the courts to compel them to stop.

If they fail to comply with the court order, this could lead to a fine or imprisonment. 

In 2024, the director of nail salon chain Nail Palace was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for failing to comply with court orders obtained by CCS in relation to unfair trade practices. 

DISRUPTIVE BUSINESSES

The issue of managing commercial activities in residential estates recently surfaced in parliament. 

Ms Phua raised the need to protect residents' well-being amid disturbances from some neighbourhood businesses, including massage parlours and karaoke outlets.

She told CNA that she has seen an increase in complaints from residents regarding commercial activities in their estate in recent years.

The concerns also appear to be widespread, with complaints from residents in Crawford, Syed Alwi, Jalan Besar, and Serangoon Road.

Similar problems have been reported in a residential estate in Tanjong Pagar, which recently saw the closure of 10 massage and spa establishments offering illicit services following a crackdown and police enforcement.

Speaking to CNA, Mr Foo said residents of Tanjong Pagar Plaza, a mixed-use development, were uncomfortable with the number of beauty salons and massage shops at the shopping centre.

While the majority of these businesses operate legitimately, a few have cast a bad light on the shopping centre, turning away residents, customers and potential businesses, he said.

“The residents are concerned that several of them may be conducting illicit activity and because of that, they don't patronise the plaza, and generally they are concerned that it will be a negative influence,” he said.

With several pre-schools in the plaza, Mr Foo noted that some parents were also uneasy whenever their children went past these shops.

Staff members could often be seen sitting outside these shops looking for clients, he said.  

“The residents themselves don't patronise the plaza so much even though it's right beneath their unit because they're not looking for these services,” he said.

In Toa Payoh Central, a row of beauty salons near HDB Hub has also drawn attention over aggressive sales tactics.

When CNA visited the area earlier this month, there were six beauty salons along the same stretch. 

At all of them, employees were standing outside the shops, calling out to passers-by as they walked past. While a few people stopped, most hurried past.

One woman, who declined to be named, was spotted by CNA being approached by a staff member at one of the shops, and had cream applied to her face. 

She later told CNA that she felt pressured despite repeatedly declining the product. 

The woman, who is in her late 60s, said a person kept asking her to go into the shop and when she wanted to leave, another person apparently turned aggressive and accused her of being rude. 

“I felt a bit intimidated … I just quickly walked away because I didn’t want to hang around there and have more problems,” she said. 

Another resident, Ms Chua, said she now avoids walking past the salons altogether, opting to walk in the open-space courtyard across the shops instead.

“Whenever I come here, they keep calling me and asking me to go in … They are very pushy, so I would rather avoid them,” said Ms Chua, who is also in her 60s.

Last year, one of the beauty salons along the same stretch - Beautique - came under fire, after its parent company, DNA Brands Co, was placed on the Consumers Association of Singapore’s consumer alert list following dozens of complaints from consumers who had been misled or pressured by sales assistants into purchasing excessive packages or products.

At least 40 per cent of the complainants were 60 years old and above.

The matter was referred to the CCS, which told CNA that it is currently investigating the allegations against the company.

CCS said it conducted an unannounced visit at an outlet associated with DNA Brands Co last week to obtain information and carry out interviews with “persons of interest”, adding that it may expand the investigation to include other related businesses.  

DNA Brands Co operates beauty salons under the Beautique brand and retail stores under The Mineral Boutique brand, among others.

The Beautique outlet in Toa Payoh has since closed, with the unit taken over by another beauty shop. It is unclear if the new shop is owned by DNA Brands Co.

CNA has contacted the company for more information. 

While MP Cai Yinzhou (Bishan-Toa Payoh) said he has not directly received any complaints from residents, he noted that the area has high footfall and may be frequented by residents from other neighbourhoods.

“Predatory, deceptive practices of business are definitely wrong, and if any residents should be experiencing it, do seek their MP or do make a police report,” he said.

“If we have this information, then we are able to help follow up and advocate for the resident, and we can basically go after these businesses with the evidence and proof that has been shared with us,” he added.

TACKLING THE ISSUE

Among the solutions proposed is Ms Phua’s suggestion to have clearer use classes to better distinguish between low-impact and higher-impact neighbourhood businesses, such as late-night food and beverage outlets, massage establishments, bars and karaoke outlets.

This would allow planning decisions to better reflect the lived reality at the block or precinct level, instead of broad zoning assumptions, she said.

She also proposed that business operators with higher-impact use could also go through a consultation at the preapproval stage.

The process, she said, would clarify regulatory expectations and minimise disputes - making it “pro-business and pro-resident”.

Operators could also enter into a “good neighbour agreement”, setting expectations on noise, waste management and crowd control.

Ms Phua further called for closing regulatory gaps and improving inter-agency coordination.

In September last year, MND said that HDB will “selectively acquire” privately owned HDB shops if needed and increase the supply of units it leases out, in response to concerns over soaring rents. 

Doing so could also help to rebalance the trade mix, said Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) Associate Professor of Practice Calvin Chua.

“(HDB) would probably be able to better control the trade mix and curate the tenants, because if it's left to the free market then it's very hard to control and especially for places like Tanjong Pagar, it’s got to do with rent and proximity to the urban core,” said the urban strategist, who is also the founder of design firm Spatial Anatomy.

“If you compare to newer HDB malls that are kind of managed by HDB, they are able to drive a certain trade mix and also certain kind of services that are more catered to the community,” said Mr Chua.

“If we allow the free market to exist for these older HDB malls, I think we kind of miss the chance to really build or design an environment that really would benefit the community and liveability of that place.”

Ultimately, Mr Chua said much comes down to changing perceptions.

“It’s one thing to get rid of the undesirable shops, but I think if we focus on the possibilities, we can gradually shift the needle and change the perception of that HDB neighbourhood, but it takes a much longer period of time for that transformation to happen,” he said.

He suggested more “placemaking” initiatives, which refer to proactively managing spaces to improve them.

“If (HDB) is unable to take over the units, they can have events or placemaking activities for example … having some karaoke events for elderly folks by tapping on the courtyard space.

“Through some of these events, it can perhaps gradually nudge the market in a certain direction, maybe that person who owns the shop will rent it to a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to serve the elderly or similar types of businesses.”

Echoing this, Mr Foo said he is working with the Traders’ Association and Residents’ Network to organise more events in the concourse to increase footfall from residents and those working or living nearby.

A recent survey of more than 100 households by the Tanjong Pagar Plaza Residents’ Network found residents hoped for more family restaurants, F&B outlets, and enrichment centres, he said, adding that the Traders’ Association is sharing these findings to attract suitable tenants.

While new businesses – including a music school and physiotherapy clinic – have moved in, Mr Foo told CNA that it is still “very early in the process”.

“On one hand, you need to make sure that there is ample enforcement so that these illegal uses are sort of weeded out, and with them getting weeded out, the overall demand for the shops will become more reflective of the actual demand in terms of what the usual service providers or vendors will be able to pay for rental.

“If we are able to do that, then we may be able to attract a greater variety of shops, whether F&B, hobbies and craft, enrichment centres - things that the residents look forward to and … the residents will then start coming back to Tanjong Pagar Plaza.

“Then you’ll have a virtuous cycle because the residents patronise the services, there's demand for the services, it makes the businesses tenable by moving into Tanjong Pagar Plaza with a variety of services that meet the needs of residents. So that really is the end goal,” he said. 

CNA has contacted HDB for comment.