SINGAPORE — For more than 1.5 years, Eden Tan has had to reach for a pail each time it rains because water would start dripping from the ceiling of her Serangoon Housing Board flat. Shortly after Tan moved into the four-room flat on the top floor in 2022, she noticed that the ceiling would leak when it pours. Roof repair works by the town council have not fixed the issue, which has become worse amid the recent rainy weather. It has caused mould to grow inside one of the bedrooms, and parts of the plaster on the ceiling to crumble off. «I always have a pail in the affected room to catch the murky water, but it gets full in a few hours. This entire ordeal has been very distressing for my family and we are desperate for it to be fixed,» said the 36-year-old housewife. Tan, who lives in the flat with her husband, five-year-old son and eight-year-old daughter, is one of at least four households in the same block that have had to live with leaky ceilings. She told The Straits Times she is worried that the leaks could potentially be dangerous if water drips onto electronics at home.

When two Health Sciences Authority (HSA) officers showed up at one man's door and asked to enter his home for an inspection, he refused to let them in.  The man then posted a series of six videos of the encounter named «uninvited guests» on his TikTok account Rapperboya. His first video, which was posted on Nov 15 and garnered over 2.1 million views, shows two plainclothes HSA officers at his door showing their IDs and asking to search his home for e-cigarettes and vaporisers. However, the man insists he will not open the door unless he is shown a warrant. In a second video, two police officers are seen accompanying the HSA officers as they return to the man's home. After explaining the nature of their visit, which was shown in subsequent videos, the man agreed to co-operate with the investigation and let the officers into his flat. Before entering his home, one of the officers asked the man: «Would you like to declare any vapes?» To which he replied: «No.»

The police are looking into a series of fires — suspected to be the result of arson — at a Yishun executive condo construction site. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told AsiaOne that eight fires broke out in Yishun Close from Nov 20 to Nov 27. The fires mainly involved construction materials and furniture at various locations within the site and were swiftly extinguished either by firefighters or construction workers. SCDF's preliminary investigation findings indicate that the fires were intentionally started. Two people were conveyed to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation in one of the fire incidents. There were no other reported injuries. A video shared by TikTok user Jayfit on Nov 22 shows one of the fires, saying that it took place at the construction site of North Gaia, an executive condominium. https://www.tiktok.com/@jay_absbus/video/7439618596235676935 In a comment, Jayfit claimed he also witnessed a fire at the worksite the day before. Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the police confirmed that reports were lodged regarding the matter and investigations are ongoing.

SINGAPORE — Car owners who left their doors unlocked at the Suntec City carpark saw various items including luxury watches and more than $25,000 in cash stolen. The thief, Mohamed Rasid Mohd Ali, 56, was sentenced to 26 months' jail on Wednesday (Nov 27), after he pleaded guilty to three theft charges. State Prosecuting Officer Ting Nge Kong said one of the victims — a 40-year-old Singaporean — had parked his Porsche in the basement one carpark at about 3.30pm on May 13, 2024. Rasid, who had gone there intending to steal from unlocked vehicles, noticed that the Porsche was not locked.

SINGAPORE - A Chinese national has been arrested in Pahang for kidnapping and other offences, after a man reported that his 15-year-old daughter had failed to turn up at her school in Singapore. In a media release, Johor police chief Commissioner M. Kumar said the girl, also a Chinese national, was found following a raid in Kuantan, Pahang, on Nov 26. He added that the student had passed through Singapore’s Woodlands Checkpoint into Malaysia on Nov 24. The girl’s father, a 48-year-old Chinese national, made police reports after his daughter failed to turn up for school in Singapore on Nov 25. The Singapore Police Force said it received a missing persons report involving the 15-year-old girl at about 2.15pm on Nov 25. Preliminary investigations indicated that the girl voluntarily left Singapore unaccompanied before the report was made. According to media reports, the girl’s father alerted police in Johor on Nov 26, leading to them tracking her down and raiding the location in Kuantan on the same day.

Six months after her spine was fractured in the SQ321 turbulence incident, one Malaysian passenger is getting back on her feet. 23-year-old Hong Manying told Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday (Nov 27) that she was flying home from London to celebrate her mother's birthday in May. The Singapore-bound plane, however, encountered severe turbulence while flying over Myanmar. Hong was flung out from her seat. Recalling the incident, Hong said she hit her head on the overhead compartment before she fell to the ground.  «I was terrified, but I tried to remain calm. My entire body was in pain but I told myself not to move to avoid further injury,» she added.  This caused her to suffer a spinal fracture which nearly left her paralysed.

An elderly woman who was adopted and taken to China is searching for her biological family in Singapore. Kang Yu'e had been adopted by her father's sworn brother when she was a year old, reported Shin Min Daily News. Her 26-year-old grandson told the Chinese evening daily that she only realised she was adopted when she got married. Kang was very angry at her adoptive father, Zheng Shui Gen, for keeping the origin of her birth a secret for such a long time, said her grandson. She then cut off all contact with Zheng and started using the name her biological parents gave her. Before Kang stopped speaking to her adoptive father, he had given her the address of her biological family in Singapore so she could get in contact with them. Kang and her biological family would communicate via letters until they lost contact in 1985. The last known address of her family in Singapore is Block 32, Jalan Rumah Tinggi in Bukit Merah. According to her grandson, Kang was born in Singapore in 1953 and has seven siblings in total: An older brother, four older sisters, a younger sister and a younger brother.

One man now has a happy wife and a happy life after winning US$1 million (S$1.3 million) in a lucky draw.  Balasubramanian Chithambaram won the grand prize last Sunday (Nov 24) in a lucky draw held by Mustafa Jewellery. He visited the store in Little India and spent $6,000 on gold chains for his wife about three months ago.  The annual draw event was held at the Civil Service Club @ Tessensohn. Customers who spent at least $250 were eligible for the grand lucky draw, according to the store's website.  Chithambaram, a project engineer who has been working in Singapore for 21 years, was in a state of disbelief when the lucky draw's host called him to deliver the good news. In the video call, the teary man said: «Today is also my father's fourth death anniversary. It's a blessing.»  He added that he would tell his mother about the windfall and also spend some of the money giving back to the community as a token of appreciation for the years he worked in Singapore. At the event, several other customers who won the store's monthly draws also walked away with prizes of US$5,000.

A personal mobility device (PMD) user suffered minor injuries after he was hit by a truck in Ubi on Tuesday (Nov 26) afternoon. Footage of the accident, shared on the SG Road Vigilante Facebook page, shows the elderly man riding his PMD across the road just as a truck drives down the exit slope of an industrial compound at Ubi Road 1. As he reaches the middle of the road, the truck bumps into the PMD, causing him to topple. He props himself against the road with his right arm and struggles to free himself. The truck then reverses, causing the PMD rider to fall onto his back. He subsequently sits up as the truck driver and another person go to his aid.

How do you measure a man? By the car he drives? Or the different classes of vehicles he is licenced to operate? In an argument between two car drivers in a carpark, one pointed out he was driving a BMW while the other, who was driving a Mazda, boasted about holding four classes of driving licences. Videos of the confrontation between the two men in the open carpark at Hougang Avenue 5 on Nov 17 were posted online. The dispute started after the black Mazda 3 came to a stop and appeared to block the path of the oncoming white BMW 318. PHOTO: Screengrab/Facebook/Roads.sg The BMW honked at the Mazda to give way, but the Mazda driver probably thought there was enough room for the BMW to squeeze past and so he merely honked. This led to the two cars honking at each other until both drivers eventually got out of their vehicles and confronted each other.

The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) has highlighted a recent case of animal abuse. In a video posted to Acres' social media accounts, co-CEO of its advocacy branch Anbarasi Boopal said the organisation had received a report of «horrific cruelty» towards a reticulated python. According to Acres, the incident took place at an unknown location on Nov 20. «I'm here today because I'm overwhelmed with disgust, shock and frustration,» Boopal said. In the clip provided to Acres, two men can be seen setting a live reticulated python on fire using spray cans and a lighter. One of the men can also be seen stepping on the snake's head. At the end of the video, the snake is transferred into a clear container and appears to be alive and moving. Addressing the clip, Boopal said the two men were trying to capture the python, which appeared to be stuck in machinery and did not struggle or pose any danger to anyone. The pair then used a flammable spray and a lighter to burn the snake three times, she added.

Six people were taken to hospital after a chain collision occurred on the PIE towards Tuas on Tuesday (Nov 26) morning. Responding to AsiaOne's queries, the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the accident involving five cars and a van, which occurred before the Jalan Bahar exit at about 7.15am. A 53-year-old male car driver and five van passengers aged between 26 and 61 were conscious when taken to hospital, said the police. SCDF said it conveyed five people to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and one to National University Hospital. A clip uploaded to Facebook shows a line of vehicles at the left-most lane of the expressway. The front and rear bumpers of some vehicles appear dented. Police investigations are ongoing.

When AsiaOne polled readers living in Singapore on their concerns, daily expenses, healthcare, transport, housing, and raising children topped the list. They were also concerned about job security. Acknowledging these challenges, we wanted to find out how Singapore is doing in areas of interest and concern to citizens: what's working, and what's changing? To do this, we turned to the latest Singapore Public Sector Outcomes Review (SPOR) that was published on Nov 1, 2024. To our surprise, we found many initiatives that have been introduced or enhanced in recent years. Here are some important takeaways: Health and Wellness While the prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure have increased, we made progress reducing the prevalence of high cholesterol and diabetes since 2019. More Singaporeans are taking charge of their health, with over one million residents enrolled in Healthier SG with a primary healthcare provider. Additionally, healthcare remains affordable for all through subsidies, MediShield Life and MediSave.

When he didn't receive morning greetings from his father for three consecutive days, one man got worried. He was about to check on his father when he got a phone call from the police. The 62-year-old was found dead in his home at Block 499C Tampines Avenue 9 by a friend on Sunday (Nov 24) morning, Shin Min Daily News reported. The elderly man, a stroke survivor, had left his door unlocked so that others could check on him with ease. That morning, the friend arrived at the flat to find that the man had died in his sleep, immediately calling the police after discovering the body. The police then contacted the deceased's son, who rushed to the scene. According to a cabby who alerted Shin Min to the incident, several police cars and ambulances were seen around the ground floor of the HDB block.  After speaking with residents in the area, the cabby learned that someone had died. Deceased wished others a good morning every day Speaking with a Shin Min reporter at the scene, the deceased's son, who declined to be named, shared that his father lived alone in the flat after his mother's death.

SINGAPORE — People in wealthy Singapore have taken for granted comforts such as electricity and air-conditioning for decades, but a dwindling band of residents on a tiny island to its east saw the arrival of a solar grid 11 years ago as a miracle they still talk about. The outlying island of Pulau Ubin, a rare rural spot amid the futuristic architecture of the southeast Asian financial hub, is a treasure trove of biodiversity and home to wetlands once under threat of reclamation until the plans were postponed. Though electricity was expensive, said Chu Yok Choon, one of 30 people living on the island that spans just 10 sq km, he loved the fact that the solar grid let him hit a button by the village well to pump water to his home. «Life on the mainland doesn't feel natural,» said the 79-year-old, who had to draw water from the well and use generators to provide electricity until 2013. «Life here is quieter.»

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has retired its last two Challenger-class submarines, making way for the new Invincible-class submarines. RSS Conqueror and RSS Chieftain were decommissioned in a ceremony held at Changi Naval Base on Monday (Nov 25), the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said in a news release. The ceremony, officiated by Chief of Navy Rear-Admiral (RADM) Sean Wat, marked the final handover of duties from the Challenger-class Submarines to the Invincible-class Submarines, said Mindef.

Local property developer UOL Group has apologised after several attendees of a dinner and dance event were photographed in blackface make-up. A picture shared by TikTok user Summer88959 on Sunday (Nov 24) shows eight people — wearing matching tracksuits and afro hair wigs — posing in front of a backdrop bearing the company logos of UOL Group and the Pan Pacific Hotels Group. «Emmm … like that will kena (be punished) or not?» the TikTok user asked in the caption. Another photo circulating online shows the group on stage at the event, which was held in the Sands Grand Ballroom at Marina Bay Sands on Nov 14. PHOTO: X/Surejwrites The photos sparked criticism online, with one netizen commenting: «Eight people and not even one person thinks it's not ok to do this.» «It's 2024 already, why are we still doing this?» asked another.

SINGAPORE — The Singapore banking sector's overall exposure to the Adani Group, the Indian conglomerate embroiled in bribery and fraud allegations by US authorities, is small, the Monetary Authority of Singapore said on Monday (Nov 25). «Banks have in place measures to review and manage their exposures to borrowers and counterparties,» an MAS spokesperson said in a statement.  

All civil servants will receive a 1.05-month year-end bonus, said the Public Service Division (PSD) on Monday (Nov 25). Junior staff in grades equivalent to MX15 and MX16 as well as those in the Operations Support Scheme will receive an additional one-time payment of $600. Together with the mid-year payments, civil servants will receive a total of 1.5-month bonus in 2024, with those in the more junior grades receiving total additional payments of up to $850. «This year-end payment takes into consideration that Singapore's Gross Domestic Product is expected to grow by around 3.5 per cent in 2024 as well as the National Wages Council guidelines for 2024/2025,» said the PSD.

SINGAPORE — A man was taken to hospital after a container fell on the forklift he was operating at the Pasir Panjang Terminal on the morning of Monday (Nov 25). In a statement, port operator PSA Singapore confirmed the incident happened at the container yard at Pasir Panjang Terminal 3 at about 6.40am. The Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted to the incident at about 6.55am and took the conscious 37-year-old man to National University Hospital. He is in stable condition, according to PSA. In a video circulating online, a forklift is seen lifting a container, which then moves a column of five containers directly behind. The column starts to fall towards the forklift as it backs away, with the top container of the pile then falling on the operator's cabin before rolling to the ground. As the video ends, a man can be seen falling out of the damaged cabin onto the ground. In another visual, a column of four containers is seen bracing against the front of the forklift, with the cabin tilting backwards. At least six firefighters are seen at the scene, with two tending to a person lying on the ground.

A stall in a coffee shop has closed its doors after some uninvited guests found their way in. In a video circulating online last week, several rats were seen scurrying inside the porridge stall at Block 23, Hougang Ave 3. In the video, at least five rodents can be seen searching for food in the shop before stopping to nibble on what appears to be a large slab of meat. A voice can be heard saying: «It's (the rats) eating the meat!» According to Lianhe Zaobao reporters who visited the location on Nov 23, the stall was undergoing renovation. The stall's tiles were being replaced, and the signboard was taken down. A man, who declined to be named, claimed that he was the «new owner» of the stall, adding that the stall had already been fined in the past. Noting that it is not unusual for rats to be spotted at food stalls, he said: «I've seen the video, I think the reactions are quite exaggerated. »The coffee shop regularly engages pest control, so I'm not worried that this will adversely affect business."

Some homes in a Clementi HDB block have no water supply after a pipe burst in the wee hours of Monday (Nov 25) morning. According to Jurong GRC MP Tan Wu Meng, the burst pipe affected the water supply to the lower floors of Block 324 Clementi Ave 5 as well as Block 325. A video Dr Tan posted on Facebook on the same day shows the walkway leading to Block 324 flooded with muddy water. The burst water pipe was right beside the block, wrote Dr Tan in his post. He visited the site at about 7.30am on Monday and saw that some nearby homes and businesses have been affected.

[UPDATE Nov 25] A taxi driver has shed light on the accident in Yishun on Nov 21. The 38-year-old cabby told Shin Min Daily News that he was waiting at the traffic light when he heard a sudden loud bang. «I looked to my left and saw the car that flipped right next to me. It scared me to death,» he said. According to the eyewitness, the male driver opened the door on his side to let his female passenger climb out of the flipped car. The woman then took off running towards Yishun Community Hospital, followed by the driver who climbed out using the same door. «I turned left and saw the woman running towards the emergency department of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital,» he added. The taxi driver described the pair as a young couple. While he saw a clear liquid leaking from the car, the cabby said he did not see any smoke. The eyewitness told the Chinese evening daily that once he drove further down the road, he spotted a police car and immediately reported the accident.