70-year-old van driver Bhagwan Tulsidas Binwani, was sentenced on 26 October to 12 weeks imprisonment and fined $3,800, as well as being banned from holding all classes of driving licenses for 12 months, and another 8 years upon his release from prison.

He had driven without a valid driving license and killed a cyclist at a zebra crossing, according to TODAY.

What happened?

On 27 December 2021, Bhagwan Tulsidas Binwani, was operating his vehicle along Jurong Port Road in the direction of Corporation Road, he made a turn into the slip road leading to Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim.

It was at this juncture that Bhagwan failed to slow down as he approached a zebra crossing, and he collided with Khan Suruj, a construction worker, who was commuting on his bicycle.

The impact of the collision was severe, causing Khan, aged 54, to be catapulted off his bicycle, landing a short distance away from the collision point.

The gravity of the situation was immediately evident to Mr. Eugene Loo, a passing driver who happened to witness the incident.

He promptly stopped his vehicle and rushed to Khan’s aid. Khan was lying face down, motionless on the road, and bleeding from his ears and nose.

As Mr. Loo called for an ambulance, another compassionate passerby stopped to assist Khan. Mr. Loo also flagged down a passing police car, whose officers arrived at the scene and reported the accident.

Bhagwan’s Account and the Unfortunate Truth

During the subsequent investigations, Bhagwan Tulsidas Binwani asserted that he did not see the cyclist, Khan, before the collision.

Video footage from Mr. Loo’s dashcam provided crucial evidence. It revealed that Khan’s bicycle had already advanced onto the zebra crossing before Bhagwan’s van reached the stop line at the zebra crossing.

It led to Khan being flung off his bicycle and striking the van’s windscreen. Tragically, as the van continued forward, Khan’s legs were run over, ultimately causing him to lie face down on the road.

The victim was subsequently pronounced dead on 28 December 2021 after succumbing to his traumatic injuries, and it was determined in an autopsy that he died from an injury to his head.

A recent image emerged online, depicting two women perched on a second-floor ledge of a multi-story property to install holiday decorations.

It has since stirred anxiety among internet users and ignited discussions about safety precautions among domestic helpers.

Standing on roof of landed home

On Tuesday, October 24, two photographs were shared online, showcasing the women in question situated atop the roof of what appears to be a landed home.

In one of the images, one of the women can be observed holding a string of lights.

The netizen who posted the pictures raised the issue by asking in his post, “Are maids allowed to do this? Saw this today, is this even allowed? 2 maids hanging up deco on a 2nd floor ledge with no railings or fall harness. Looks pretty dangerous to me”

The post pointed out the absence of any protective railings on the ledge and also highlighted that the women, described as domestic helpers in the post, were not equipped with safety harnesses during their precarious task.

The exact location of the incident was not disclosed in the post, but it is believed to be a house located somewhere in Seletar.

The incident has triggered a significant response on social media, with many individuals expressing alarm over the apparent safety risks associated with such activities.

Netizens’ comments

1. No. Report that shit before someone gets seriously hurt.
2. Wah that’s one hella big house.
3. More like, are the employers supposed to be endangering their maid’s life like this? Answer is a flat NO.
   Under work safety rules (MOM), any work at that height would require a barricade, safety harness and safety officer on site to supervise the work.
   Please report this to MOM. Sickening.
4. Actually no one is allowed to do that. You need to be trained to work from height.
5. I see alot of polarizing comments here. But what is clear is the crime of hanging christmas lights in October.
6. That is definitely in breach of some WSH act. Working at height requires the worker to wear a harness that’s secured to a point at the very least
7. When they pay, they say. Don’t think for a second that home owner won’t spin it to say that they instructed their maid to do something, but never specifically tell them “how” to do it.
   Then they will berate the maid on why they didn’t use common sense on performing the task in a safe manner etc.

In a noteworthy development on Tuesday, October 24, the Singapore dollar exchange rate with the Malaysian ringgit achieved a significant milestone by surging past the MYR3.50 mark, according to The Straits Times.

However, at the time of writing, it has since dropped to SGD$1 = RM3.49.

According to data sourced from Bloomberg, the trading day commenced with the Singapore dollar opening at 3.5073 against the Malaysian ringgit, marking a notable increase from the previous day’s closing rate of 3.4910.

At its intraday peak, the exchange rate reached an even higher value of 3.5083.

As the trading day unfolded, by 5:30 PM, the Singapore dollar settled at 3.5028 against the Malaysian ringgit. At an earlier point in the day, the ringgit briefly dipped below 3.50.

According to Bloomberg, a spokesperson for the Bank Negara Malaysia said that the recent trajectory of the Malaysian Ringgit is likely influenced by events happening around the world, and international factors; and not influenced by the economy of Malaysia.

Local money changers have also reported seeing an increase in customers wanting to exchange their currencies, with one local money changer attributing the recent uptick to the strong Sing dollar and the upcoming Deepavali weekend and end-of-year school holidays.

Previous high was RM3.44

It was previously reported that he Singapore dollar saw an increase in value compared to the Malaysian ringgit, reaching a new record high of S$1 to RM3.44 on Thursday, June 8, 2023.

Earlier predictions regarding the weakening of the ringgit are proving to be accurate. Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), the central bank of Malaysia, had previously suggested that the weakening of the ringgit could be attributed to various factors such as the debt ceiling deadlock in the United States, as well as banking uncertainties in both the U.S. and Europe. Furthermore, the aggressive interest rate hikes implemented by the U.S. Federal Reserve have also contributed to the ringgit’s decline.

Experts who were consulted by CNA at that time explained that the stronger economic fundamentals of Singapore have resulted in the depreciation of the ringgit against the Singapore dollar. Notably, a report by credit rating agency Fitch, prior to the analysis on May 29, stated that Singapore holds a AAA rating while Malaysia has a BBB+ rating.

One significant factor negatively affecting the ringgit is the inconsistent economic recovery of China. Given that China is one of Malaysia’s key trading partners, the weaker-than-anticipated recovery in China’s economy has had adverse effects on Malaysia.

Reports indicate that Malaysia experienced a 1.8 percent decline in exports year on year during the first quarter of 2023, largely attributed to the decrease in exports to China. Furthermore, the ringgit’s value has been hindered by Malaysia’s relatively limited investment opportunities and forthcoming domestic structural reforms.

27-year-old Lin Guo JIe, a regular with the Republic of Singapore Air Force, was arrested back in March for evading the police in a high speed chase at a multi-storey carpark in Sembawang before being arrested.

He was sentenced to 3 weeks imprisonment and had his driving license suspended for a year.

A Moonlighting RSAF Officer’s Secret Life

Shin Min Daily News reported that the incident unfolded on the evening of March 28th, at 7:58 pm, in a multi-storey carpark at Block 592 Montreal Link in Sembawang.

Lin was a regular with the RSAF at the time and also secretly moonlighting as a delivery driver.

He was picking up some good at the multi-storey carpark when he suddenly heard someone shouting “police!” he then loaded the goods in his vehicle and drove away.

A Sting Operation and a Great Escape

Unbeknownst to Lin, the police were conducting a sting operation at the time and an officer spotted Lin’s car and requested his cooperation in the ongoing investigation. Initially, Lin complied, but his compliance was short-lived.

Two riders on e-bikes diverted the officer’s attention, providing Lin with an opportunity. In a daring move, he leaped back into his vehicle and attempted to flee.

His plan was to ascend from the fifth storey to the sixth, but fate had other plans.

Lin encountered a police car blocking his path and was forced to make a U-turn back to the original position where the officer stood. The officer once again instructed Lin to exit his vehicle.

A Desperate Attempt to Flee

In a desperate bid to escape, Lin stepped on the accelerator and sped down to the first storey. There, police officers stationed on the first floor managed to intercept and arrest him.

What the police officers discovered during the apprehension added a layer of intrigue to the case. Lin was found in possession of a whopping 200 e-vaporisers, along with 20 other parcels.

However, he claimed that he didn’t know about the vapes in his possession.

The Verdict: Three Weeks in Jail and Suspended License

The legal proceedings that followed were equally surprising. Lin Guo Jie, when presented with the evidence, pleaded guilty to a charge of rash act endangering the life or the personal safety of others.

The court, in light of the peculiar circumstances, sentenced him to three weeks in jail and suspended his driving license for a year.

During his hearing, Lin revealed his motivation for resisting arrest in such an audacious manner.

He confessed that he had taken on the side job as a delivery personnel due to financial difficulties. Fearing that this moonlighting job might tarnish his reputation as an RSAF regular, he desperately tried to keep it a secret.

35-year-old David Brian Chow Kwok-Hun, the managing director of the KnowledgeTree Training Centre, was sentenced on 26 October to seven years in prison for culpable homicide after he killed his wife, Isabel Elizabeth Francis, who was 15 weeks pregnant at the time, according to The Straits Times.

The incident occurred in the early hours of January 11, 2022, at the couple’s flat in Ang Mo Kio.

Thought his business was failing

Chow’s distress and anxiety had been mounting for several days due to concerns over the financial state of his company.

His troubles began in December 2021 when he received unusually low financial figures from an employee.

Despite the fact that his business had been profitable, earning approximately $1 million in profits between July 2020 and June 2021 and maintaining financial stability even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he was convinced that his company was on the brink of failure.

Slept 1-2 hours a day

Between January 7 and January 9, 2022, Chow struggled to get one to two hours of sleep each night on average, and his behavior began to raise concerns among his family, colleagues, and his wife.

He even resorted to sleeping aids, but his insomnia persisted. His mother, brother, and the manager of his company reassured him that the business was financially sound and profitable.

However, as his mental state continued to deteriorate, Chow’s thoughts turned to taking his own life. He feared the stigma and shame that would befall his wife and unborn child if he were to do it, and he worried that others might come after them due to his business failure.

Stabbed wife in the head

In the early hours of January 11, 2022, in a state of distress, he took a knife from the kitchen and attacked his sleeping wife, telling her he had no way out.

Tragically, he continued to stab her in the head, neck, and body, leading to her untimely death. Chow then turned the knife on himself, stabbing his neck and stomach, and pleading for the devil to take him while hoping for his wife and unborn daughter to find peace in heaven.

After the attack, Chow’s realization that he was not dying quickly enough prompted him to consume a random assortment of tablets in an attempt to end his own life. However, his efforts proved unsuccessful.

At approximately 7.35am, he called the police to report the crime, refusing assistance from his father and unlocking the door to await the authorities.

It was later revealed that Chow had been suffering from an adjustment disorder that fueled his catastrophic thinking about the financial future of his company and led to his dark thoughts.

As a result, his initial murder charge was reduced due to his diminished responsibility for his actions.