Singapore's new PM, the Eras Tour & Pope Francis' visit: Stories that caught your attention in 2024

2024 was an exceptionally busy year for Singapore.

Aside from the swearing-in of our fourth Prime Minster Lawrence Wong, Singapore also saw several international acts performing on our shores — including Taylor Swift, Coldplay and most recently, 2NE1. 

And who can forget the major train breakdown, which affected some 2.1 million commuters, including students who were taking their PSLE examinations? 

To wrap up the year, here’s a look at some highlights from 2024. 

PM Wong takes over the reins

2024 was marked by a momentous change in Singapore's leadership when Deputy PM Lawrence Wong was sworn in as the fourth Prime Minister of Singapore. 

Wong, 52, started his political career as an MP as part of the West Coast GRC during the 2011 General Election, and rose among the ranks to take on the portfolios of Minister for Community, Culture and Youth, Minister for Finance and leader of the PAP’s 4G team.

PM Wong was sworn in on May 15 at the Istana where he took the oath of allegiance and oath of due execution.

He wasn't the only star, however, as his wife Loo Tze Hui grabbed netizens' attention with her good looks and grace.

Taylor's takeover

Taylor Swift dominated the airwaves here in the months leading up to her highly-anticipated Eras Tour earlier in March.

The global pop sensation made her long-awaited return to Singapore, 10 years after a one-night show at the Indoor Stadium for The Red Tour in 2014. 

She upped the ante this time with six sold-out shows at the National Stadium — the highest number of shows she has ever held in a city around the world.

Even 300,000 tickets wasn't enough, given the overwhelming demand since Singapore was her only stop in Southeast Asia.

Many even turned to resellers who charged exorbitant prices, desperate to get a glimpse of their favourite popstar. One particular Swiftie from the Philippines shared her experience of spending $1,800 on flights, accommodation and tickets, only to find out that she fell victim to a scam.

Heroes emerge during MRT breakdown 

Although the six-day-long disruption of train services on the East-West Line in September was an inconvenience to many Singaporeans, several heroes emerged during this period to lend a helping hand to those affected. 

To help students taking the Primary School Leaving Examination get to their exam venues on time, Strides Premier taxis were stationed at designated MRT stations also provided free rides to students.  

Many other ordinary Singaporeans also came together to support the repair efforts, like 62-year-old Lim Eng Gek, a volunteer who was stationed at the Jurong East bridging bus stop to guide commuters. 

Pope Francis' first visit to Singapore

In September, Singapore also welcomed Pope Francis for his papal visit. 

The 87-year-old pontiff visited Singapore for the first time at the end of his 45th Apostolic Journey abroad. During his trip, he held Holy Mass at the National Stadium with almost 50,000 people in attendance.

Punggol residents were also graced by his presence when he chose to reside at the St. Francis Xavier Retreat Centre during his three days here.

We also got an exclusive look inside his living quarters and learned about a special request he made — to stock his fridge with gelato.

Busted for unauthorised HDB fixtures

Over in the heartlands, some homeowners got into some trouble for getting too creative with the design of their living spaces. 

A homeowner of a HDB unit in Serangoon Central had a fixture resembling a Japanese sauna installed outside their home, which drew criticism from netizens for cluttering the shared corridor and prompted the town council to engage with the homeowner to remove it.

Another homeowner in Ang Mo Kio was ordered to demolish an illegally built mezzanine floor after listing it for sale as a 'loft' unit.

Illegal fixtures were not the only issue, with some units housing an unauthorised number of people. In one particular instance, a property agent found 12 people living in a single HDB flat.

dana.leong@asiaone.com