The founder of Ministry of Food (MOF), Lena Sim, who once owned more than 80 restaurants around Singapore, has declared bankrupt after accruing more than $5.4 million in debt.

The bankruptcy order against her came in the wake of her being ordered by the court to shut down Ministry of FOod over debts that were owed in 2021, according to Straits Times.

At the height of its success, MOF has more than 80 restaurants in Singapore, after its first outlet opened in 2006 at Marina Square.

Sim was sued in 2017 by a Korean restaurant chain for outstanding payments of $4.8 million that was not paid.

She had reportedly agreed to buy the restaurant chain for $5.5 million, but only paid them $700,000,

Ever since, MOF’s creditors, Star Sino Developments, issued 4 statutory demands to Sim from 2017 to 2021, during which Sim acknowledged the debt and entered into repayment agreements with the creditors.

But Sim then allegedly defaulted on her payment in 2021, after which Star Sino then began bankruptcy proceedings against her last year.

In an attempt to stave off the bankruptcy, Sim applied in court to set aside the fourth and latest statutory demand, stating in her application that she was not indebted to Star Sino.

She also said in her application that they had tried to avoid the provisions of the Moneylenders Act by disbursing the money into her bank account.

Her application was ultimately dismissed by the High Court, along with her subsequent appeal – she is also facing charges from IRAS for not providing information on 2 companies.

Images source: Screen grab from WomenTalk TV on YouTube and Google Maps

Train services were not available this morning between Yio Chu Kang to Canberra MRT stations due to a faulty engineering vehicle being stuck on the northbound platform on the North South Line, near Yishun station.

SMRT issued a statement on Facebook explaining the incident, as well as apologising for “affect(ing) your early morning commute”.

SMRT’s statement on Facebook

[UPDATE: North-South Line, 19 October 2022, at 10.17am]:

On 19 Oct, at about 4.30am during engineering hours, a faulty engineering maintenance vehicle could not move from the northbound platform near Yishun station on the North-South Line. Our engineers were deployed on site to recover service.

Commuters were advised to add 15 minutes to their train travel time. They were advised to take alternative transport via the Thomson-East Coast and Circle lines, or the free regular bus and bridging bus services that were activated between Woodlands and Ang Mo Kio stations in both directions. Southbound train service was available from Jurong East to Marina South Pier stations.

At about 6.40am, northbound train service was stopped from Yio Chu Kang to Canberra stations for the engineers to access the faulty engineering maintenance vehicle. We assessed that it would be withdrawn to the depot after revenue service.

Regular train services resumed progressively from 7.45am.

We are sorry to have affected your early morning commute.

[UPDATE: North-South Line, 19 October 2022, at 8.48am]:

Train services have resumed. Free regular bus and free bridging bus services have ceased.

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[UPDATE: North-South Line, 19 October 2022, at 7.45am]:

Train service from Yio Chu Kang to Canberra is progressively returning to normal. Free regular bus and free bridging bus services are still available between Ang Mo Kio and Woodlands.

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On 19 Oct, at about 4:30am during engineering hours, a faulty engineering vehicle could not move from the northbound platform near Yishun station on the North-South Line. There is no train service from Yio Chu Kang to Canberra stations. Train service is available from Jurong East to Marina South Pier stations.

Our engineers have been deployed on site to recover service.

Free regular bus and bridging bus services have been activated between Woodlands and Ang Mo Kio stations in both directions. Commuters are advised to take alternative transport via the Thomson-East Coast Line or the free and bridging bus services that have been activated.

We are sorry to affect your early morning commute.

Image source: W De’ Arte on Facebook

30-year-old Surenthiran Sugumaran pleaded guilty on 18 October to one count of mischief by fire, with another charge of wrongful confinement being taken into consideration during his sentencing.

He had set fire to his ex-girlfriend’s fiance’s home in Jurong because he was allegedly jealous of their impending nuptials.

What happened?

Sugumaran discovered through an Instagram post in March earlier this year that his ex-girlfriend was getting married.

He then planned to lock her fiance’s home and set it on fire because he felt resentful and jealous, according to Channel NewsAsia.

Sugumaran allegedly drew up a plan and in the early hours of 12 March, he rode his motorbike to his home in Jurong West, armed with a bottle that was filled with petrol.

Wearing a black hoodie, he pulled the hood over his face to hide his identity from the CCTV at the victim’s lift lobby.

He also took the lift to the 12th floor before climbing the stairs up one level to avoid being detected by police cameras.

At about 4.40am, he blocked off the victim’s main gate using a bicycle lock before pouring petrol onto his shoe rack outside and setting it on fire.

He then fled the scene and walked down the stairs before taking the lift to the ground level, and he then threw the lighter into the bushes before riding home on his motorcycle.

The victim suffered about $410 in losses, including damages to 6 pairs of shoes and a pair of slippers.

Sugumaran is set to return to court in December for his sentencing and if convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 7 years and a fine.

Photos emerged online showing an NTUC FairPrice ad on Facebook, with the caption “Save as you shop with your home-grown grover this May! Enjoy great deals across our wide selection of groceries, shop now!”

Everything appeared fine and dandy until one looks at the product being advertised, showing a “Svakom Hedy Blue” device retailing at $39.92.

The device is apparently a “male stimulation adult toy”.

A netizen who took a screenshot of the ad, shared on his Instagram and captioned it:

“Am questioning the agency or in-house digital team at FairPrice, please explain why I am pushed a paid ad with a male (adult toy) as the first carousel? Err. Clearly someone needs to be questioned or fired. Somemore it’s an expired ad because it says MAY?”

He then received another ad from Facebook with the same device being advertised, this time under a photo of a family.

The ad was captioned “Give yourself the gift of time! Kick back with your loved ones while we deliver your groceries!”

There was also the words “Enjoy more time with your loved ones” emblazoned across the photo of the young family of four.

And under the photo was the adult toy, listed under “shop family essentials”.

54-year-old American, Andrew Charles Vasko, who is a Singapore PR, is being accused of causing the death of 40-year-old Singapore policewoman Salinah Mohamed by driving his Aston Martin into her back in 2019.

He went on trial yesterday for causing the death of Salinah, who was crossing the road when the traffic lights were in her favour at a traffic junction at Shenton Way.

Vasko is facing one charge of causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide for not keeping a proper lookout when making a turn with his car.

Salinah suffered skull fractures as a result of the accident and was ultimately declared brain dead on 14 February 2019, with the cause of her death being a head injury that was sustained during the accident.

What happened?

On 10 February 2019, Vasko drank 2 glasses of white wine at about 7pm at Sentosa, with the last of his drink being consumed at 7.45pm.

He then drove his Aston Martin at 9.25pm into the far right lane of Maxwell Road that was heading towards the Straits Boulevard.

He then stopped at the stop line when the traffic light turned red at the junction of Shenton Way, and he was on the far right turning lane.

The traffic light then turned green for him and he then moved his car to the middle of the junction and waited to make a discretionary right turn.

As he was turning right, his Aston Martin then hit Salinah, who was crossing the road halfway from Vasko’s left-to-right view, and the traffic light was in her favour at the time.

She was then thrown onto the road from the impact and sustained a severe injury to her head, and was unconscious when conveyed to the hospital.

She succumbed to her injuries and died 4 days later after being declared brain dead, leaving behind her husband and 3 young children.

Vasko was reportedly driving within the speed limit and passed a breathalyser test, according to court documents.

The case has been adjourned to November, and the court has also granted Vasko’s application to leave Singapore for a few months before returning in January.

22-year-old Carissa Yap has been crowned Miss Universe Singapore 2022. The 1st Runner Up is Yvonne Sashirekha.

According to the Facebook page Miss Universe Singapore, She impressed the judges with her X-factor, confidence and intelligence during the 2 Q&A rounds. We can’t wait to watch you shine on the international stage!

MISS UNIVERSE SINGAPORE 2022 – Carissa Yap

1st Runner Up – Yvonne Sashirekha

2nd Runner Up – Denissia Delange

Miss Universe 2022 will be the 71st Miss Universe pageant, to be held at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana in the United States on January 14, 2023. Harnaaz Sandhu of India will crown her successor at the end of the event.

Good luck in the finals.

Here are what netizens think:

Image Source: Miss Universe Singapore