NTUC is offering a cash relief of up to $300 to freelance drivers and riders from 29 August, as part of efforts to help with the rising fuel costs.

The NTUC’s Freelancers and Self-Employed Unit (U FSE) Relief Scheme 2022 is part of the $1.5 billion support package announced earlier this year in June.

The cash relief is available to all drivers or riders who are members of the National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA), or the National Delivery Champions Association (NDCA).

Yeo Wan Ling, Director of NTUC and Advisor to the NPHVA and NDCA, said that she hopes the scheme will help ease the situation for drivers and riders who depend on their vehicles for work.

NTUC made the announcement earlier today (25 August), offering a one-time cash relief of up to $300 to freelance combi bus, limousine, delivery drivers and delivery riders.

Drivers and riders need to meet the following criteria to be eligible for the scheme:

• Paid members of NPHVA or NDCA
• Have vocational licenses
• Be delivery drivers, or use motor vehicles to make deliveries
• Be working in the industry for more than a month at the time of application
• Didn’t receive the one-time $150 relief from the government

Applicants are required to provide proof of trade income, the type of their vehicles, the activity of their work and their status of self-employment.

Limousine drivers or combi bus drivers who have been members of the NPHVA for more than 3months at the date of application can receive up to $300.

If they are members for less than 3 months, they can receive cash of up to $250.

Motorcyclists can receive up to $150 (more than 3 months) and $100 (less than 3 months) respectively.

Applications for the cash relief start on 29 August and will run until 28 October, interested parties can apply for the scheme by clicking here.

The Singapore Police Force said in a statement on 24 August that a 38-year-old man was arrested for allegedly molesting a woman in Serangoon North Avenue 1.

They were alerted to the incident on 23 August at about 5.30 pm, where the man had allegedly molested the woman inside a lift.

The identity of the suspect was established by police officers through follow-up investigations, and he was swiftly apprehended within 2 hours of the police report being made.

He is set to be charged in court today (25 August).

Zed Teo, the Commander of Ang Mo Kio Police Division and the Assistant Commissioner of the Police, said that the police have zero tolerance for offenders who threaten the safety of the community.

He added that the police will spare no effort in making sure that offenders are swiftly apprehended and dealt with in accordance with the law.

Upon conviction, the man faces a jail term of up to 2 years, a fine, or caning, or any combination of the punishments.

The Police are looking for the man shown in the image below to assist with investigations into a case of shop theft reported at Ang Mo Kio Hub on 6 August 2022.

Here is the photo of the man:

Anyone with information is requested to call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

Theft

The offence of theft under Section 379 of the Penal Code, Chapter 224 carries a jail term of up to 3 years, or a fine, or both.

Image Source: Singapore Police Force

A pub in Boat Quay reportedly used a blue light to alert their staff and performers of police presence nearby, with a person stationed outside switching on a flickering blue light when police officers are in the vicinity.

The hostesses in the pub were allegedly providing explicit services to customers to get them to spend more money on drinks.

The pub owner has since been sentenced to jail for the “hack”.

50-year-old Malaysian, Lee Seet Khiang, pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice and was sentenced to 6 weeks imprisonment on 22 August.

One other charge was taken into consideration for his sentencing.

Two employees helped to switch on the blue light to alert the staff members between 2019 and 2020, after receiving instructions from Lee.

One staff member even used the light 4 to 5 times a week.

One of the staff members received a stern warning, while the other got a 12-month conditional warning.

Background

Lee instructed his staff members to switch on the blue light to alert their performers, who were allegedly providing explicit services, to the presence of police nearby.

The blue light, when switched on, would be a signal for the women to stop all their activities and move away from their customers.

The plan worked to a tee since Lee took charge of Club Para Para in 2019.

In 2020, a former performer at the T.G.I.F pub nearby complained to the Ministry of Manpower about Club Para Para allegedly conducting illicit activities.

They claimed that the women there were allegedly offering explicit services to customers to get them to spend more money on drinks.

MOM then investigated the establishment and found links between Club Para Para, T.G.I.F and another establishment called Beer Inn, where lee had been an employee since 2012.

MOM found out that the performers would offer their services across the three pubs to earn commissions from the drinks.

Lee was also allegedly aware of the breach of the pub’s entertainment license conditions.

State Coroner Adam Nakhoda delivered his findings on 24 August, into the deaths of 5 men following a horrific car crash in Tanjong Pagar on 13 February last year, where the car burst into flames and killed the trapped men.

The driver, Jonathan Long Junwei; and his four passengers, Eugene Yap Zheng Min, Elvin Tan Yong Hao, Teo Qi Xiang and Gary Wong Hong Chieh, all died from severe burns in the accident.

He described the event as sad and tragic, and added that it serves as a reminder to other motorists not to drink and drive.

Nakhoda described the speed that Long was driving as staggering and that there was a shocking lack of consideration and a disregard for the safety of his passengers and other road users, as well as his own.

Recap

The 5 men were at a house gathering in Ang Mo Kio for Chinese New Year celebrations.

They had drank alcohol before deciding to have supper as Tanjong Pagar because they commonly hang out there.

All the eateries in the area were closed, so they then decided to go to Hong Jjajang restaurant, with was owned by Park Se Jin, who had the key to the restaurant.

Park opened the restaurant and the group then went in and continued to drink alcohol. Present at the restaurant were three other women, including Raybe Oh and Phoo Yi Lin.

Phoo was the one who took a video of the accident that was later admitted into evidence, while Oh was seen in viral videos running into the fire to help the people in the burning car.

The group then decided to leave at about 4am as Long wanted to show his new car to his friends, and the group was “excited” about it.

Insisted on seeing who could drive faster

They then followed Long and got into his car, and the car was then driven on three rounds, with the group taking turns to drive it each time.

The car finished the first three rounds with no incidents, with Yap driving on the first round, Park on the 2nd round and Phoo on the 3rd round.

Long, who was outside watching the first three rounds, was reportedly very persuasive and “insisted” on competing to see who was faster.

Long then took the wheel on the fourth round, before the ultimately crashed and killed them all.

As reported yesterday, Long was found with 86mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, above the legal limit of 80mg, indicating that he was drink driving.

He was also going at 148km/hr at an area with a speed limit of 50km/hr.

Facebook user Nigel Turtle shared how his wheelchair bound grandmother was allegedly rejected from boarding a bus because it was “full” and told her to wait for the next bus.

He said that the bus driver told her that the bus was full, and his maid then refuted the claims saying that the bus was not full at the time.

They then missed the bus, resulting in his grandmother missing her dialysis appointment, and he later went to lodge a complaint at Yishun Bus Interchange.

However, he was told to call the bus terminal at Tampines Concourse for his feedback, and he was allegedly “entertained” by a staff member, who allegedly wanted to close the case.

Here is what he said

“Wonder is there a SOP with SBSTransit Bus Captain when wheelchairs commuters needed to board the bus?

From our past experiences when our elderly wheelchair ah mah (82yrs) flagged down the SBS bus, most of the captains were friendly and helpful by letting wheelchair commuters board before opening the front door to allow other commuters from boarding (Appreciate and Salute the Captains and the understanding commuters too).

We engaged a helper to accompany our wheelchair ah mah to NKF Simei Centre for her dialysis time slot at 7.30am.

Hence, every 2,4,6, the helper will ensure that they have to leave home @ 6.00am (15 mins to reach the bus stop) to catch and not to miss the first timing of Bus 39 arrives at 6.33am, and change to Bus 38 at Tampines to reach the NKF dialysis Centre for treatments. In order not to be late to jeopardize the next session timing slot for dialysis patients for treatments.

On the 23/08/22, when the first timing Bus 39 arrived at Punggol central Blk 649 (Bus stop nos 65261), our helper flagged the bus and move to the back door area waiting patiently for the bus captain to open the back door and platform to assist in allowing them to board the Bus. Our helper was being briefed that if there’s a wheelchair occupying the space in the bus, they are not able to board.

Unfortunately, the bus captain did not assist them to board the bus and only opened the front door to let the commuters board the bus and informed our helper the bus is full and asked to wait for the next bus 39.

Our helper told us that when the 1st timing bus 39 arrived, there was no wheelchair onboard and bus was not full with commuters….

Due to their not being able to board the 1st timing bus, they reached NKF Simei around 8.10am that we can understand why the staff at NKF was not pleased that would jeopardize the next session patients (each session takes 4 hrs to complete).

I went to the Yishun bus interchange (24/8) to feedback on the above-mentioned matter and was told I need to call Bus 39 terminal at Tampines Concourse for feedback.

Thus, I called the Tampines Concourse and a guy name Jimmy apologized and commented will inform the Bus Captain… He did not even ask me for more details like which Bus Stop nos, Blk, etc…:: it seems to me that he was trying to “entertain” me by apologizing and closing the case. Hence, I provided him with the details for him to follow up.

Any sound of mind person will wonder why an elderly ah mah needs to take the bus at such early hour.

Shopping Centre is only open after 11am. Can’t be she wanted to reach the shopping mall and be the 1st shopper to enter the mall right?

– Please advise how can I share this post to SBSTrasit for them to follow up?”

The Police have arrested a 39-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a series of housebreaking cases.

On 17 August 2022, at about 10.50pm, the Police were alerted to a case of housebreaking at a unit located along Lorong 4 Geylang. A total of five rolls of copper cables and two watches valued at $328 were purportedly stolen from two rooms.

Through ground enquiries and with the aid of CCTV, officers from Bedok Police Division established the identity of the man and arrested him on 22 August 2022. Cash amounting to about $1,040 was recovered from the man. He is believed to be involved in other similar cases.

The man will be charged in court on 24 August 2022 with housebreaking under Section 451 of the Penal Code, Chapter 1871. The offence carries an imprisonment term which may extend to 10 years and a fine.

The Police would like to advise all property owners to adopt the following crime prevention measures:

• Secure all doors, windows and other openings with good quality grilles and close shackle padlocks when leaving your premises unattended, even for a short while;
  
• Refrain from keeping large sums of cash and valuable in any premises; and
  
• Install a burglar alarm, motion sensor light and/or close circuit surveillance camera to cover the access points into your premises. Ensure that they are tested periodically and are in good working condition.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
23 August 2022 @ 9:30 PM

The Police have arrested a 32-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman for their suspected involvement in a series of loanshark harassment.

On 19 August 2022, the Police were alerted to two cases of loanshark harassment, where paint was splashed at residential units along Bukit Batok East Avenue 6 and Petir Road. Through ground enquiries and with the aid of images from Police cameras, officers from Jurong Police Division established the identities of the couple and arrested them on 22 August 2022. Preliminary investigations revealed that they are believed to be involved another case of loanshark harassment along Tampines Street 41.

The couple will be charged in court on 24 August 2022 under the Moneylenders Act 2008. For first time offenders, the offence of loanshark harassment carries a fine between $5,000, and $50,000, with mandatory imprisonment of up to five years, and mandatory caning of up to six strokes.

The Police have zero tolerance for loanshark harassment activities. Those who deliberately vandalise properties, cause annoyance and disruptions to public safety, peace and security, will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.

Members of the public are advised to stay away from loansharks and not work with or assist the loansharks in any way. 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 loansharking activities.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
23 August 2022 @ 9:30 PM