Smugglers use all kinds of tricks to attempt smuggling of duty-unpaid cigarettes into Singapore. This time using a truck that was declared to be transporting bread.

The incident happened on 2-June-2017 at 9pm+. A red truck was redirected by an officer on duty to be check at Woodlands checkpoint. The ICA officer managed to find 9,0000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in the vehicle.

‘Don’t try Singapore’ #TestSystemFail

Image credits:ICA Website

My name is Lili Surani, and I’m appealing to the general public to help my daughter, Viona Qiu, who is 2 years and 7 months.

Viona is diagnosed with hepatoblastma, her liver is enlarged measuring at least 15.4cm, with gall bladder collapsed.We are from Batam, and initially, we thought we can seek help from Malaysia when we think the medical fees are cheaper, however, doctors there told us to come to Singapore instead as they have no means and medical facility to treat her.

She has to go through 4 cycles of chemotherapy prior to her next surgery scheduled at 2 July 2017 and follow by 2 more cycle of chemotherapy after surgery.

The surgery is to remove the tumour in her, and hopefully she can survived the ordeal.

She’s a very strong girl, and even though she’s in pain, she will not show, and continue to encourage us to stay strong for her.

We came from an average family in Batam Indonesia, and our financial status is not that great. Even when we’re in Singapore, we’re sleeping in KK Hospital next to my daughter, and sometime in the Indonesia Embassy.

Her surgery and chemotherapy would cost in total around $200,000 SGD, and we’ve paid up close to $15,000 SGD, beg and borrow from family members and we hope we can raise around $185,000 SGD through your kind donations.

Every cent and dollar counts, and no amount is too small to help us to save our daughter.

Thank you for reading and for your kind donation to us.

Sincerely,

Lili – Mother of Viona

You can help her here: https://give.asia/movement/help_my_daughter_viona

Why pay conservancy fee when nobody bothers to clean up the HDB areas? Our reader complained about the increasing fees at Woodlands, Marsiling Yew Tee Town Council, even though the rubbish bins are always seen with piles of rubbish and no cleaner.

“This is to share whether it is justify to increase the conservancy fee at marsling yeww tee town council! blk 893 woodland. On 4/6 bin center was scattered with bag of rubbish n there is no cleaner being seen. Sunday Off? U need to call n complain n they will appear. Time are bad, payroll are cut and people are jobless. why still want to increase!!!!”

Image for illustraion purposes only (girl? with makeup)

I can’t believe how sexist are guys within my family and workplace.

My own cousin told me using a make-up is “woman’s instinct” because “woman feels the need to be beautiful”. That triggered me– but I kept my calm. Woman’ instinct? Hah. Fine, it’s not only woman– men also have the instinct to “feel handsome” right? Don’t make me laugh.

I already feel beautiful even without my make up. It’s my choice to put on make up or not. And mind you, I already feel good with no make-up on my face! You don’t like it? Take it or leave it.

Do not make the same mistake as me, travelling with someone who you call ‘friend’

I travelled with a friend, I came back alone.

I was really a fool, such a person is not meant to be friends with in the first place. I have known, but I did not give it a second thought despite he being an outcast and blacklisted during my army days. Such a personality, sad to say would be a life long thing.

I have decided to share this, showing unglam pictures of myself with injuries, something I would not like doing. To make this known so that people would not follow in my footsteps, going on a trip with a ‘friend’.

The last day of my 4 days 3 nights trip in Bangkok. We woke up about 10am, realizing the alarm we had set rang an hour ago. The blame was on me, as usual. I was already so sick of his bullshits, whines and complains. I ignored. On the very first day of the trip itself, I felt like leaving, go my own way, enjoy chilling in some cafes, exploring more food options. I am a very high tolerance person myself. This time, I wish he would just go away, far away.

Every moment hearing his criticisms and looking down upon non local university (Kaplan, Uni Sim) graduates since he is from a local university (scholarship), going for a Phd scholarship. Seriously? I myself am a poly graduate only. I felt sad for him. So what if you are a Phd? Can money and phd certs buy true friendships? My time have been wasted. Money definitely can’t buy time. We have to make our way back to Platinum Fashion Mall just because he claimed that the singlet he bought was not symmetrical. Wasted an hour just to find the outlet since the mall is HUGE (a shopping heaven). I even have to tolerate sleeping with the air-con at 25 degrees celsius because he claimed that he had asthma (cannot too cold) and his bullshit reasoning of every shopping centre air con temperature is at 25 degrees celsius too. 3 nights and I tolerated too.

Sorry about the side-track. I guessed he must have felt the same about me? He was agitated when I walked into the toilet with my slippers on? This was when his first punch flew towards me on my face. I was a little startled since he was this one who initiated it. His punches continue while I defended a little. I thought to myself, this isn’t working and decided to switch to offence mode too.

The look on his face which I took glances of, he was clearly not in the right state of mind. He merely wanted revenge, wanted to hit me just to gain satisfaction and pleasure. He mentioned before, those who offended him, he will never forget. I have no clue on how to handle such situation. I hope someone had taught me how.

I had no time to think, but to continue with the wrestle since he kept advancing towards me. I am not sure how long the fight lasts. He almost tore my hair, bite me a couple of times. Symptoms of a mad man. At one point, we had grabbed and immobilize each other. At the count of 3 we stopped.

I suddenly had cramps. I guess it must be gastric since I had not eaten yet. I tried to clam him down, calm his berserk mood, aggression, madness but to no avail. We rested for about 2 minutes to catch our breath. I wanted medicine for gastric badly.

I sat on the floor, he suddenly took off his sports shoes and swung it mercilessly across my face several times. A hard weapon. By then the cut across my nose started bleeding. My spectacle was smashed and distorted. He continued his attacks and I was almost knocked out by then.

He finally stopped to enter the toilet. I used my remaining energy to grab the hotel phone and pressed the 0 button. ”Please come up” was what I heard myself saying and the rest of the sentence, I knew was inaudible. He saw me called.

Within 2 minutes the door bell rang, I limped my way towards the door with blood over my face from the cut on my nose and lips. The hotel staff was shocked when he saw me. He rushed out while I fell back onto the floor. He arrived back with more staffs. I kept mumbling the word ‘doctor’ to the staffs while I heard my ‘friend’ say ”just give him medicine, don’t need go to the doctor!”. They ignored him, lifted me and rushed me down the lobby and straight into a cab.

I was dazed and could hardly move my body. I was sent into a private hospital and some procedures started. I felt needles entering my left wrist as well as my right wrist. Another needle entered my right arm. My left ear was in pain as some clamp was around my neck. My nose hurt badly as well with the oxygen mask over my face. I clenched my teeth a couple of time and could feel some crunch which left me in dilemma at first. Only to realize that my bottom teeth had chipped off slightly. After some needles, I had x-ray to scan for broken bones. I was terrified that my nose was broken, having scars and marks.

The picture was taken by the staff. Thank You.

I still couldn’t move my body but I was conscious. My ‘friend’ walked in. He was the last person I wanted to see. Not even in hell. The first thing he said to the hotel staffs was ”why you all bring him to the hospital, just give him medicine can already”. He started accusing them for being ‘extra’.
The next thing he did? He started telling the staffs that we were ‘normal fighting’ and nothing serious. Seriously??? I was assaulted by you and you have the cheek to say that we were just fighting?? I was too weak to even argue back at that moment.

I was asked if a police report should be made, which meant that our parents had to fly over to settle this issue. It was just too inconvenient for my poor mum as she must have been really anxious, being updated by the staffs of my condition.

I laid on the bed, motionless but conscious. I refused to even talk to him. Next, he started telling the nurses to inform the doctor to edit the report, saying that I fell down, so that I could claim insurance. I already knew he did not want to pay any part of my medical fees right from the start as he had already stated.

The time ticked by, my flight was TR 2109, and would be departing around 8.00pm that very day. I did not have enough cash on hand as well as cards to pay my bill in order to check out and catch my flight. Same for my ‘friend’. The staff told him to stay but he walked off, after stating to meet at Vic3 hotel to collect our luggage at 5.00pm in order to catch the flight. I was left lying there.

The nurses attended to me, the hospital’s officer in charge of foreigners aided me, the hotel’s staffs were there, as well as the hotel’s assistant director of sales to make sure I was aright. Strangers who I do not know were present, showing compassion and concern. While my ‘friend’ went off to have his meal since he announced that he was hungry and did not want to waste any of his precious time waiting for me. I was regretful to know such a person.

The payment part took much time to settle. The bill was close to 26,000 Thai Baht and I was left with only 6,000. No cards to pay either. I called my mum but credit cards could not be used. Bank transfer needed about 3 days to process and I could not leave without paying. I started calling my friends in Singapore. I was so thankful that they were so willing to transfer the money for me after hearing my situation. They were indeed real friends, instead of the one who walked away.

In the end, my payment was settled by Bae, an officer from the hospital. He trusted me and I will definitely not break anyone’s trust. The procedures were quick and I managed to leave the hospital around 5.05pm with some medications as well.

Bae brought me back to the hotel. I reached the hotel seeing my ‘friend’ waiting there. His only concern was to catch the flight. I was already over immune to his behaviour by then. He left to take the train while the hotel staffs helped me to hail a cab. I was left with 1500 Thai Baht in my wallet. After double checking that 1000 was more than enough to pay for the cab, I gave 500 to the hotel staffs as tips.

We were almost late. After the passport custom, he ran off ahead. The distance was extremely far to reach E10, our flight departure point. I have never seen an asthma person with such stamina before, even during our wrestle.

It was about 2 hours of plane ride. I have no intention to speak to him. He was a stranger. I had plasters over my arms. I wore a hat that I bought to hide my injuries all over my face. I teared. I had to use my fingers to remove droplets by droplets as I held on. My nose was too swollen and numb to be felt. All I felt was pain.

About 11.00pm, I touched down. Changi Airport terminal 2, head spinning from fatigue, and partly from the assault. Thankfully the trip was over, I have tolerated and suffered enough. I met up with my mum. We had supper. For me, it was breakfast, lunch and dinner at Toast Box.

I called back to thank Bae.

As for the medical documents, I will upload in future.

Please be aware of who you are travelling with. He know he won’t get arrested overseas. I hope no one else would follow my footsteps unless you are ready to make a police report overseas or to file a lawsuit.

This is the person who did this to me.

Bao tou by: Alvin