The Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) sai that they have introduced continuous double white lines along the viaduct leading towards the Woodlands Checkpoint.

They worked with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to address the problem of drivers using the motorcycle lane to cut queues of other cars, and have also installed enforcement cameras to make sure drivers follow the rules.

Drivers who cross the lines and use the motorcycle lane to cut queues will be fined $150 and received 4 demerit points.

ICA’s statement

CONTINUOUS DOUBLE WHITE LINES ALONG VIADUCT LEADING TO WOODLANDS CHECKPOINT

ICA has observed drivers using the motorcycle lane to cut the queue of cars waiting along the viaduct to enter Woodlands Checkpoint for immigration clearance. Such inconsiderate acts add on to the congestion at the checkpoint and consequently increase travel time for travellers.

To address this issue, ICA collaborated with the Land Transport Authority to demarcate the two lanes at the viaduct with continuous Double White Lines (DWL). With the DWL, it would be a traffic violation for cars to cross these lines (i.e. use the motorcycle lane and then queue cut to the car lane). Enforcement cameras have been installed along the viaduct to identify cars that have violated traffic rules. Violators will be liable to a composition fine of $150/- and four demerit points.

With heavy traffic expected in the lead-up to and during the upcoming Qing Ming festival and the Good Friday long weekend, motorists are reminded to follow traffic rules, maintain lane discipline and comply with checkpoint officers’ instructions.

Previous statement on road works

Lane closure along viaduct leading to Woodlands Checkpoint

One out of the two lanes along the viaduct leading into the departure zones of Woodlands Checkpoint will be closed for road marking works.

The lane will be closed from 3 Apr to 5 Apr, between 9:30am and 4:30pm. During the closure, cars can still access the viaduct via the motorcycle lane or through Woodlands Crossing, using exit 10B of the BKE.

Motorists are advised to exercise caution when driving through the viaduct. Please follow ICA’s Facebook page for updates.

A 60-year-old woman was previously reported to have been killed by smoke inhalation following a fire that broke out at a flat in Bukit Batok back in 2019.

Yesterday (4 April) was the first day of the inquiry into the deceased, Madam Goh Seow Whay’s death.

Likely to have been caused by a cigarette fire

The Straits Times reported that Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Zameer Khan, a police investigation officer, testified in court that the fire was likely to have been caused by cigarette embers that could have ignited items (cardboard pieces and plastic bags) that the deceased hoarded outside her flat on the 13th floor of Block 210A Bukit Batok Street 21.

He added that the fire then spread into her flat, which was cluttered, and burned the items inside in the early hours of 1 November 2019.

The deceased’s son, 30-year-old Maverick Chia, told the investigators that he was a smoker, but he always put out his cigarettes with an ashtray.

Escaped through the kitchen window

At the time of the fire, Chia was with her late mother and her boyfriend; 81-year-old Ho Swee Lum, inside the flat when the fire broke out.

The two men escaped by climbing out of the kitchen window and standing on a ledge before being rescued, but the deceased remained inside the flat because she had collapsed inside the toilet.

Their neighbours were awakened by a burning smell at about 4.30 am and the authorities were then alerted, with firefighters putting out the fire at about 5.15 am.

The three of them were sent to Singapore General Hospital conscious, but Madam Goh subsequently died on 9 December.

Fire hose reel cabinet was locked and couldn’t be accessed

Investigators interviewed the deceased’s neighbours and were told that nobody was smoking in the corridors before the fire, and no cigarette butts were found after the fire; although the court did hear that the fire could have destroyed the cigarette butt(s), if any.

ASP Khan also added that no foul play was suspected, and the deceased’s family had not been targeted by anyone linked to loan sharks.

When the fire broke out, the neighbours had tried to access a fire hose reel near the burning unit but found the cabinet (where the hose was) was padlocked, other similar cabinets in the block were also locked.

SCDF officers later arrived at the scene and managed to access the hose by cutting the padlock, but no water came out of the hose when one of the firefighters turned on a valve that was linked to the hose.

They then used their hoses and water from another dry riser nearby to extinguish the fire.

Town council staff messed up

ASP Khan also testified that two staff members from the Jurong-Clementi Town Council (JCTC) had agreed to lock the cabinets to prevent vandalism.

SCDF Lieutenant-Colonel Vincent Ho testified that fire hose reels should be accessible at all times and should not be obstructed and that notices were sent to JCTC to not lock the cabinets.

The two staff members who locked the cabinets were then issued stern warnings.

Technician forgot to set pump switch to auto, resulting in no water in hose

The court also heard that water didn’t flow into the fire hose reel because the pump selector in the pump room on the rooftop of the HDB block was set to manual instead of auto.

In manual mode, somebody must be present in the pump room to press a button to allow the water to flow through the fire hose; but in auto mode, water would be automatically dispensed when the valve is open.

A technician, who performed a maintenance check in October 2019, had apparently failed to make sure that the selector switch was set to auto.

The technician, then-51-year-old Malaiyappan Mayalagu, was fined $2,700 in September 2022 after pleading guilty to offences, including a negligent act that endangered human life.

He was a technician with J. Keart Alliances, which was hired by JCTC to perform fire protection system work.

JCTC has since installed a buzzer at the fire control panel, which will send alerts to the workers if they forget to turn the switch back to auto.

State coroner AdamNakhoda is expected to deliver his findings at a later date.

124 PERSONS INVESTIGATED IN LATEST BLITZ AGAINST UNLICENSED MONEYLENDING ACTIVITIES

The Police are investigating 124 persons, aged between 17 and 78, for their suspected involvement in unlicensed moneylending activities.

During a one-week anti-unlicensed moneylending operation conducted between 27 and 31 March 2023, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and the seven Police land divisions conducted simultaneous raids island-wide.

Preliminary investigations revealed that 10 persons had allegedly conducted harassment at debtors’ residences, 49 persons were believed to be runners who had assisted in unlicensed moneylending businesses by carrying out Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transfers, and one person had allegedly provided false contact information to the unlicensed moneylender.

The remaining 64 persons are believed to have opened bank accounts and provided their ATM cards, Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and/or Internet Banking tokens to unlicensed moneylenders to facilitate their unlicensed moneylending businesses.

Investigations against all the persons are ongoing.

Under the Moneylenders Act 2008:

1. The offence of carrying on or assisting in a business of unlicensed moneylending carries an imprisonment term of up to four years, a fine between $30,000 and $300,000, and caning of up to six strokes.
2. The offence of acting on behalf of an unlicensed moneylender, committing or attempting to commit any acts of harassment carries an imprisonment term of up to five years, a fine between $5,000 and $50,000, and caning between three and six strokes.
3. The offence of providing false contact information to obtain loans from unlicensed moneylenders carries an imprisonment for a term of up to 12 months.

The Police will continue to take tough enforcement action against those involved in the unlicensed moneylending business, regardless of their roles, and ensure that they face the full brunt of the law. This includes taking action against those who open or give away their bank accounts to aid unlicensed moneylenders.

Unlicensed moneylenders are increasingly using text messaging or online platforms to send unsolicited loan advertisements. Members of the public are reminded not to reply or respond to such advertisements and to report these messages as spam.

Members of the public are also advised to stay away from unlicensed moneylenders and not to work with or assist them in any way. Members of the public can call the Police at ‘999’ or the X-Ah Long hotline at 1800-924-5664 if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in unlicensed moneylending activities.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
03 April 2023 @ 4:13 PM

20-year-old Fahd Siddiqui, a full-time national serviceman (NSF) with the Singapore Police Force, had tried to obtain free explicit services from a social escort by flashing his warrant ward, according to The Straits Times.

He pleaded guilty on 4 April to attempting to obtain gratification in the form of obscene services from the social escort.

At the time of his offence, he was deployed as a ground response force officer at Orchard Neighbourhood Police Centre and was off-duty at the time of his offence.

What happened?

On 1 November 2022, Fahd responded to a number that was posted on the classifieds website Locanto, enquiring about a social escort’s services.

She told him that she charges $400 for her services and that she was staying at Robertson Quay Hotel in Merbau Road, Fahd then went to her hotel room later that night at about 9 pm.

Upon seeing the woman, Fahd told her that she was not the same person as the photo in her advertisement, and said that he wasn’t interested before leaving the room.

However, he later returned and showed the woman his police warrant card, identifying himself as a police officer and telling her that he would report her to the police unless they could come to some form of arrangement.

The woman understood what he said to mean that if she provided him with free explicit services, he wouldn’t report her to the police.

She then started crying and said that she just arrived in Singapore, and Fahd then left her hotel room shortly after.

The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) later received information about Fahd’s offences on 6 November 2022, and he was subsequently charged on 24 November later that month.

However, it was not revealed how his offences came to light.

The Singapore Police Force also said that Fahd was subsequently removed from his duties on the front lines after his offences.

Fahd is expected to be sentenced on 16 May, after the court called for reports to assess his suitability for probation and reformative training.