A 27-year-old man who made a 13-year-old girl take part in violent sex fetishes and encouraged her to prostitute herself was sentenced to 22 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane.   Among other things, he burned the girl’s buttocks with a cigarette during sex, telling the victim that he would treat her as his ashtray.   https://str.sg/ouTRZ   A 27‑year‑old Singaporean man was sentenced to 22 years in jail and the maximum 24 strokes of the cane after violently sexually assaulting a 13‑year‑old girl, coercing her into prostitution, and subjecting her to degrading abuse such as burning her with a cigarette and calling her his “ashtray.”     ---   Case Overview - Perpetrator: 27‑year‑old man (name withheld in English reports; Chinese media transliterated as Fang Yong).   - Victim: 13‑year‑old girl, identity protected by law.   - Period of offences: May–July 2023.   - Charges: 20 counts including statutory rape, sexual assault, and exploitation. Six charges were formally proceeded with; 14 were considered in sentencing.     ---   Key Details of the Abuse - Initial contact: The man met the girl via an online video platform in May 2023, knowing she was only 13.   - Violent acts:     - Slapped her repeatedly during sex.     - Forced her into role‑play and inserted a vibrator he controlled via phone.     - Burned her buttocks with a cigarette, saying he would treat her as his “ashtray.”   - Exploitation:     - Encouraged her to prostitute herself, claiming “other girls do it for money.”     - Created online ads offering her sexual services, profiting from the transactions.     - Threatened her with exposure of intimate videos and demanded S$5,000.     ---   Victim’s Ordeal - The girl was coerced into repeated encounters, sometimes in stairwells near his Punggol flat.   - She received calls from strangers responding to his prostitution ads.   - Eventually, overwhelmed and fearful of pregnancy, she confided in her mother, who immediately reported the crimes to police.     ---   Sentencing - High Court judgment (July 6, 2026):     - 22 years’ imprisonment.     - 24 strokes of the cane (the legal maximum).   - The court emphasized the extreme violence, exploitation, and manipulation of a vulnerable minor.     ---   Context - Singapore law: Caning is mandatory for certain sexual offences involving minors, alongside long custodial sentences.   - Judicial stance: The sentence reflects deterrence and condemnation of sexual violence against children, especially when aggravated by commercial exploitation.     ---   Related Topics You Might Explore - Singapore sexual offence laws   - Child exploitation cases   - Caning in Singapore   - Victim protection measures     This case underscores how Singapore courts impose severe penalties for sexual violence and exploitation of minors, combining imprisonment with corporal punishment to reflect the gravity of the crimes.    

📺 Ministers have no time to watch movies, quips David Neo in response to Kenneth Tiong as Parliament addresses Dear You debate   That was Acting Culture, Community and Youth Minister David Neo's quip in Parliament on July 7, after Workers' Party MP Kenneth Tiong asked whether ministers had watched either the Teochew or Mandarin-dubbed version of Chinese hit film Dear You.   READ: https://asia1.news/4p48yGc   Follow @AsiaOnecom for all the latest updates. Full Details: Parliamentary Exchange on Dear You Film (7 July 2026)   Context: Arising from the ongoing debate on arts, culture and media matters in Parliament.   🗣️ The Exchange   - MP Kenneth Tiong (Workers’ Party): Asked Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo whether ministers had viewed either the original Teochew version or the Mandarin-dubbed cut of the popular Chinese film Dear You. - Acting Minister David Neo: Responded light-heartedly: “Ministers have no time to watch movies.” — a quick, off-the-cuff quip rather than a formal policy statement.       📌 Key Context & Observations   - The film Dear You has drawn widespread public attention and discussion in Singapore recently, amid broader conversations about imported content, cultural representation, and media regulation. - This brief exchange signals a moment of levity in parliamentary proceedings, but also reflects how popular cultural issues are increasingly raised by MPs for ministerial clarification or comment. - No formal regulatory or policy announcements regarding the film were made in this specific exchange.       Would you like me to look up the broader context of the Dear You parliamentary debate, or cross-reference this with other statements made during the same sitting?

🎬 Popular Teochew film "Dear You" came up in Parliament, during which WP's Kenneth Tiong asked which version the ministers themselves had watched.   Minister for Culture, Community & Youth David Neo had a simple answer: Ministers don't have time to watch films.    ▶️ https://bit.ly/3TmOqTR   Follow us @mothershipsg   Full Details of the Parliament Exchange   Context: The popular local Teochew-language film Dear You – which resonated widely with audiences for its portrayal of family bonds, intergenerational relationships and Teochew culture – was brought up in Parliament during a sitting focused on arts, culture and media matters.   The Question: Workers’ Party MP Kenneth Tiong asked Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo: “Which version of the film have the ministers themselves watched?” – referencing discussions around the film’s availability, distribution and whether official representatives had viewed the work in its original form or any edited iteration.   The Response: Minister David Neo replied plainly: “Ministers don’t have time to watch films.”       Key Observations & Analysis   Aspect Details    Public Reaction The remark drew mixed responses: some viewed it as a frank admission of heavy workloads, while others criticised it as signalling a lack of engagement with local creative works and grassroots cultural expression.    Contextual Note Dear You gained attention not just for its storytelling, but also as an example of regional language content finding mainstream success in Singapore – a topic relevant to MCCY’s mandate to support diverse local cultures and media.    Implications Questions were raised about whether this position reflects broader gaps in how policymakers engage with the arts community, or whether it was simply a literal response to a specific question about personal viewing habits.