Local News

Construction for the Johor Baru - Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link has been suspended yet again, htis time till September 30. This was confirmed by Henry Thia lookalike and Transport Minister, Khaw Boon Wan, who also said Singapore had agreed to Malaysia's request.

Under an agreement signed, Malaysia will reimburse Singapore for the abortive costs incurred due to the suspension. This was announced at a press conference jointly held by Khaw and his Malaysian counterpart, Mr Anthony Loke. During the suspension period, Malaysia will decide whether it intends to proceed with the RTS project as it is, or suggest changes to the project. Khaw also said that he hoped the RTS project will resume as planned after the suspension period.

The link, which would help ease congetion at the Causeway, was due to be completed in 2024. But with this latest delay by Malaysia, the projected date of completion cannot be met, as the project is already way behond schedule with no works carried out yet. 

One person was taken to hospital after yet another PMD fire, this time breaking out at  in the room of a flat at Block 4 Telok Blangah Crescent on Thursday night. SCDF confirmed that the fire involved a PMD, and contents of the room that caught fire.

Photos of the flat that caught fire has been circulating online, showing a blackened wall of the room. The damage also seemed to extend to the flat's front gate and door. The fire reportedly took place at around 9:30pm. SCDF also confirmed that they had to force their way into the unit, and that about 40 people had to be evacuated from the block. 

One person was taken to Singapore General Hospital, but it was not not the extent of his injuries. It was also not known how the PMD caught fire.

Two Malaysian nationals have been arrested by the MOM for having worked illegally as food delivery riders for foodpanda and Deliveroo in Singapore. Both men had only social visit passes, but managed to find loophopes to work here. MOM is investigating how they managed to do so.

The first Malaysian national was caught at 313 @ Somerset from a public tip off. The 24 year old man had a social visit pass, but used his Singaporean friend’s Deliveroo account to work as a food delivery driver. Allegedly, the friend got a cut from the Malaysian driver’s earnings. Another man, a 21 year old Malaysian man, also held a social visit pass but who had allegedly been hired by a Singaporean to work as an illegal delivery driver using the latter’s foodpanda and Deliveroo account.

Deliveroo subsequently said they had suspended the accounts of both workers in question, saying that they only hire Singapore citizen or a Singapore permanent resident. Foodpanda has yet to comment on the arrests made. 

A total of six men were charged in court for various offences of abusing public officers in their course of work. Amongst the public officers abused were SCDF officers and police officers. The abuses range from physical altercation and verbal abuse.

One man, S. Kulbir Singh Raghbir Singh Vigil, 28, faces the most number of charges, with five. Amongst his charges was for allegedly assaulting Sergeant Koo Wei Chieh from the Singapore Civil Defence Force in a Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) triage room on Jan 1. He had headbutted the SCDF officer, although no reason was given for the assault.

A second man, Randhir Nehru, 38, was alleged to have kicked a police officer, Sergeant Goh Wei Xiang, on his cheek and verbally abused him at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum in South Bridge Road on Jan 4. Three other men were charged for other various abuse of police officers, including using vulgar language on a police officer and spitting at a police officer.

One man was an exceltion ot the rule, when he assaulted an Nparks officer. The man, Richard Tan Han Woon, 20, allegedly used his left elbow to hit National Parks Board officer Sri Saravathi on her left arm and upper chest at the Sungei Buloh Wetlands Visitor Centre around 3pm on July 8 last year.

Are our public officers not safe from physical abuse anymore?

Yesterday, we reported on a young lady's grief with Changi General Hospital (CGH) and how she and her family found them to be insensitive, unprofessional and unsympathetic when caring for her late grandmother.

CGH has responded to the post. 

In extending CGH's apology for the anxiety caused to the family, Associate Professor Lim Si Ching, Senior Consultant in CGH's Geriatric Medicine Department, insisted that they had provided appropriate medical care to the deceased.

Lim however acknowledged that there were significant gaps in communication and that they could have done more to help the family better understand the medical interventions by their care team.

With regard to the bedsores that the patient suffered, Lim explained that CGH had taken the necessary preventive measures, such as placing her on a pressure-relief air-mattress, and turning the patient over at regular intervals.

While CGH has apologised for the anxieties that it caused the family, the unfortunate fact is that the grandmother has already passed away.

CGH needs to relook its systems and processes to ensure that its care team providing palliative care for end-of-life patients, treat these patients and their family with more sensitivity and empathy.

To deal with an impending death is not straightforward and simple for any patient and their family members. Timely and effective communication is as important as the quality of the care that is given.

Some netizens have voiced their displeasure with Singtel in relation to their monthly mobile phone bills.

They were shocked at the bill amount that they had to pay. Further scrutiny of the bill showed that there were bills for subscription services that they did not sign up for.

When they approached Singtel, it claimed to be unable to waive the charges. That responsibility is on the 3rd party company that the subscription services belong too.

Don't pay blindly. Always check your bills.