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- B E R I T A _ H A R I _ I N I _ 2 0 0 8 -
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MAS: Notes with "KF" marking have no value
The Money Authority of Singapore (MAS) says the $50 notes with the letters "KF" marked on them are considered to be deliberately mutilated and they command no value.
This reply came in response to a feedback from STOMPer Lee, who said he withdrew several $50 notes from OCBC Compass Point, of which three had the letters "KF" printed on them.
When he consulted the bank about the notes, he was told that there was no problem with the notes.
However, MAS says the letters "KF", which appear to be marking stamped onto the note, are not part of the design of the $50 note.
It advises the public who receive the notes with the "KF" marking to bring them back to the banks for one-for-one exchange.
This is the reply from the MAS in full:
"The letters "KF", which appear to be marking stamped onto the note, are not part of the design of the $50 note.
"Notes with such marking are considered to be deliberate mutilation and they command no value.
"We advise members of public who receive notes with the "KF" marking to bring them to the banks for one-for-one exchange."
STOMP is contacting OCBC for comment.
Earlier article:
STOMPer Lee saw the letters "KF" printed on three fifty-dollar notes she withdrew from a bank and wonders what they stand for.
According to him, he withdrew several fifty-dollar notes from OCBC Compass Point, of which three had the letters "KF' printed on them.
He said the letters looked "legally imprinted" onto the notes and they did not look like they were self-imprinted.
When he checked with a bank staff, who in turn consulted her superior, he was told that there was no problem with the notes.
"I am just wondering what "KF" means? And are they safe for use? Does anyone else have such notes too?" he asks.
Do you know what the letters stand for?
STOMP is contacting the Monetary Authority of Singapore for more information on the letters imprinted onto the notes. |
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NEA confirms that it was raining hailstones in central S'pore during afternoon downpour
By Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 27 March 2008 1927 hrs
It rained hailstones in central Singapore during Thursday afternoon'sheavy downpour. The weatherman confirmed that pellets of ice the sizeof a five-cent coin fell between 3.15pm and 3.45pm.
SINGAPORE: The sudden downpour on Thursday afternoon brought more than just heavy rain.
Hailstones were raining down in some parts of Singapore, according to callers to Channel NewsAsia抯 hotline.
The National Environment Agency later confirmed that hailstones were reported in central Singapore between 3.15pm and 3.45pm.
Callers said the hailstones were the size of 5 cent coins.
They were seen mainly in Bishan, Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio.
Rosie Hoe, a witness to the hailstones in Bishan, said: "We tried to take photographs but it doesn't show on our cameras. So, they were calling their friends and all to come and see. So, there were actually quite a lot of people here."
It's believed the hailstones fell for about 20 minutes before subsiding.
The last hailstone incident was reported in July 2007.
Hailstones form in intense thunderstorm clouds. Such clouds develop when there is strong convection, which occur all year round in the tropics.
Generally, the hailstones would have been melted before they reach the ground.
However, in the presence of a strong downdraft in an intense thunderstorm, the hailstones can be brought to the ground rapidly without melting. - CNA/vm
[ Last edited by fatz2 at 27-3-2008 11:33 PM ] |
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Originally posted by fatz2 at 27-3-2008 09:20 PM
They were seen mainly in Bishan, Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio..
cu... nek was on the way ke HDB hub
wah.. ujan was like turunnya hanjin dan kucen dari langit
ujan batu rupanya.... |
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Originally posted by virgomal at 28-3-2008 10:36 AM
cu... nek was on the way ke HDB hub
wah.. ujan was like turunnya hanjin dan kucen dari langit
ujan batu rupanya....
oooh u dapat tengok abang hail ni lah eh
didnt kno kat spore pon boleh berlaku mcm ni... too bad tak hapen kat tanjong nie |
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March 28, 2008
Uncle to take care of Baby Jolene - for now
By Teh Joo Lin in Tangkak, Johor
Mr Bong Kwang Hong's mother arrives with unidentified man. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND LIM
WHEN the Bong family crossed the Causeway on Thursday evening, the person who greeted them at the Malaysian side of the checkpoint was an undertaker.
The family did not have a car, so the undertaker from Tangkak picked them up and ferried them to the town near Muar.
Throughout the 31/2 hour journey in the undertaker's black Mercedes-Benz, the matriarch, who wanted to be known only as Madam Bong, wept.
Her eldest son, hotel sales manager Kevin Bong Kwang Hong, 37, was the driver of the Mitsubishi Grandis which careened off the North-South Highway earlier that day.
The accident killed him, his wife, Eleane Jane Kor Yee Lin, 36, mother-in-law Magdalene Pang Chee Seng, 69, and the couple's two-year-old son, Justin.
On the grim trip up north to claim their bodies, Mrs Bong was accompanied by her two other sons, accountant Mr Bong Kwang Hwa, 34, and Mr Bong Kwang Sheng, the youngest sibling.
At the toll booth along the North-South Highway leading to Tangkak, they stopped to await the arrival of another grieving family - their in-laws.
Mr Jonas Kor and his wife were driving up in their silver Toyota Camry.
Mr Kor said he had gotten a call from Malaysian police at about 4 pm informing him that his mother and sister were victims of the fatal crash.
The families' only source of consolation: two-month-old Jolene, who miraculously survived with nary a scratch despite having been flung 10m out of the multi-purpose vehicle.
The next 24 hours passed in a blur for the two families, as they rushed from hospital to morgue to police station, attending to the wretched tasks at hand while trying to make sense of how their loved ones were wiped out in one of the most horrific accidents the Muar cops have seen.
Their first stop: Tangkak hospital, where Jolene had been in the care of nurses for the past 12 hours.
A sobbing Madam Bong and other family members rushed into the ward to see the baby, who was swaddled in white cloth.
Granny held the baby for a few moments, and both wailed loudly until Madam Bong was led gently to the next stop: The morgue, a few minutes away.
Inside, the morgue attendant opened the drawers where the bodies were stored, one by one.
While Madam Bong called out the names of each family member upon seeing their broken bodies, Mr Kor - the most composed in the group - knelt by them.
The rest of the family held their composure for as long as they could, but it finally cracked when the fourth drawer was opened to reveal Justin's body.
Madam Bong was so convulsed with grief that she had to be supported by her two sons.
By the time they left the morgue, it was 11 pm.
They headed for a nearby traffic police station next, where officers recorded their statements till about 3 am.
Mr Kor said: 'We had no appetite for anything else. There were a lot of things to work out...a lot of arrangements.'
This included making calls to the United States to reach his brother, whose children were intending to visit their grandmother in two months' time.
Madam Pang had been looking forward to their visit, Mr Kor said.
Now, her grandchildren will return from the United States to see the former teacher and nurse for the last time.
At 9 am, it was time to move again, back to the police station, where they were confronted with another horriific sight: The mangled heap that used to be Mr Bong's car.
Strewn amidst the wreck were reminders of their loss.
An olive Crocs sandal here.
A baby's pillow adorned with a teddy bear, stars and hearts there.
Bags belonging to the family were then handed over to relatives, and then, it was back to the mortuary, where the bodies were being readied for their journey home.
Encased in brown coffins, husband and wife were loaded onto a white van while Madam Pang and Justin were put into a blue one. It was all too much for Madam Bong, who sobbed for more than an hour.
When she had calmed down, the Bong brothers split up, one to each van.
The destination: The Church of St Mary's of the Angels in Bukit Batok, for a wake that will last until Wednesday. The bodies arrived last night.
As for Jolene, it appears she will be in the care of Mr Kor, who has two sons, aged 14 and 17.
'We cannot replace her parents' love, but it's our priority to take care of her and give her the best home possible,' said Mr Kor.
'To lose one is painful. To lose four is...heartwrenching.' |
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March 29, 2008
PM reshuffles Cabinet with a few major changes
Most eye-catching is the appointment of backbencher Shanmugam to full minister.
By Jeremy Au Yong
The most eye-catching in the slew of changes announced by PM Lee was the appointment of Mr K. Shanmugam (above) as Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs from May 1. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
PRIME Minister Lee Hsien Loong reshuffled his Cabinet on Saturday, as part of a process to groom the next generation of leaders for Singapore.
The most eye-catching in the slew of changes announced by PM Lee was the appointment of Mr K. Shanmugam as Law Minister and Second Minister for Home Affairs from May 1.
The last person to move directly from the backbench to full-fledged minister was Mr Richard Hu, who became Minister for Trade and Industry in 1985 after a few months as MP.
Mr Shanmugam, 49, an MP since 1988 and currently a senior partner in Allen and Gledhill, will take over the Law Ministry from Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar. The DPM will continue as the Coordinating Minister for National Security.
Mr Wong Kan Seng remains Home Affairs Minister.
In PM Lee's new-look Cabinet, three ministries were given new bosses, five Ministers of State were promoted to Senior Ministers of State, and one Parliamentary Secretary was moved up one level.
Although two women Ministers of State, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua and Ms Grace Fu, were promoted to Senior Ministers of State, Singapore will still have to wait for its first woman minister.
The Cabinet retains a familiar look with few major changes.
Apart from the Law Ministry which will now be helmed by Mr Shanmugam, the other two ministries with new chiefs are Education and Manpower.
Mr Gan Kim Yong, formerly Minister of State (Education and Manpower), was promoted to Acting Minister for Manpower.
Mr Gan replaces Dr Ng Eng Hen, who takes over the Education portfolio.
The Education Ministry (MOE) position was vacated by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam who took over from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as Finance Minister in December.
The rest of the Ministers retained their posts, although Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Vivian Balakrishnan relinquishes his position as Second Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts (Mica).
Among the Ministers of State, Mr Gan Kim Yong, Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Mr S. Iswaran, Ms Grace Fu and Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew were all promoted up one level.
Ms Fu and RAdm Lui received additional portfolios. Ms Fu adds the Education Ministry to her current role in the National Development Ministry, while RAdm Lui adds Mica to his appointment in MOE.
Minister of State Heng Chee How relinquishes his role in the health ministry and moves to the Prime Minister's Office, where he will assist Mr Lim Boon Heng, the minister in charge of ageing issues and the re-employment of older workers.
Only one Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Teo Ser Luck, was promoted to Senior Parliamentary Secretary. He takes on a role in the Transport Ministry alongside his current position in MCYS.
All the changes take effect from April 1, apart from those affecting Mr Shanmugam and Prof S Jayakumar.
Commenting on the Cabinet changes, RAdm Lui said: 'On the whole, I thought the reshuffle was well done. There is change amid continuity.'
'Personally I'm glad that I'm going to continue working in the MOE because there is some unfinished business, namely the fourth university and the arts college.'
'At the same time, I have the opportunity to do something new, something exciting. Mica is an area that's completely new to me. I look forward to going there, listening, learning, and then contributing.' |
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March 30, 2008
Bikers unite to raise funds for the Malay Heritage Centre
By Esther Tan
About 3,000 biking enthusiasts in Singapore and from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei gathered to raise funds for the Malay Heritage Centre. -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
THE largest gathering of motorbikes for charity, Motor Jamboree 2008, took place at the Malay Heritage Centre on Sunday.
About 3,000 biking enthusiasts in Singapore and from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei gathered to raise funds for the Malay Heritage Centre.
'I made the trip down from Malacca to lend my support. It's a meaningful event and we want to make it a success,' said 27-year-old Malaysian businessman and bike enthusiast Mahadir Abdul Kadir. He made the trip here with fellow bike enthusiasts from Malacca.
Added 38-year-old textile manufacturer and bike enthusiast Erwin Yulezar: 'I flew to Singapore from Indonesia specially for the event. My biking enthusiast group is looking at organising a similar event in Indonesia so we want to pick up tips.'
A seemingly unlikely partnership between the Malay Heritage Centre and an association of biking enthusiasts, Bikers' Aid started last September during the Ramadan month. Bikers helped by delivering ketupats or compressed rice cakes to needy families across the island.
'We want to show that bikers are people with a big heart for charity,' said managing director of Bikers' Aid Jay Ridhuan, 45.
Motor Jamboree 2008 is their first large-scale collaboration to reach out to more bikers and get them to join to serve the community, said general manager of the Malay Heritage Foundation Eddy Noor Hassan, 42.
'It's like a domino effect. Once we can get bikers to join, we can reach out to their family members and get them to join too,' he added.
Besides live band performances and airbrush design competitions, the event also featured anti-drug abuse and road safety messages.
Another aim of the event was to promote the history of the Kampong Glam area and an understanding of the Malay culture and heritage among bikers of different races and nationalities.
About 50 bikers, including those from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei, went on a heritage trail in the late afternoon to visit places of worship in the vicinity, such as the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple and Sri Krishnan Temple, both at Waterloo Street.
The event hopes to raise about $10,000 through admission fees and the sale of t-shirts and souvenirs. |
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Rise in phone scams in the first three months of 2008
By Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 31 March 2008 1705 hrs
SINGAPORE: Police said that there has been an increase in the number of phone scams reported in the past three months of this year despite police warnings and reminders to the public.
The latest cases revealed that some fraudsters had posed as Supreme Court staff and police officers.
They would inform their victims that they were involved in criminal cases or court hearings and direct them to transfer money into a bank account to clear their name.
Telephone numbers of a police department or courts would show up in the caller ID of the victim's phones, although no such calls were made in the first place.
The numbers include, 63381034 (Subordinate Courts Enquiry hotline), 64350000 (Criminal Investigation Department's hotline) and 999 (Police hotline).
Another common trick that the fraudsters employ is to pretend to be police officers, claiming that the victim抯 family members had been kidnapped.
Both scams involve tricking their victims into transferring money into their accounts.
The public is advised to be on the alert when receiving such phone calls and to verify the identity of the caller with the agency or organisation concerned. - CNA/vm |
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March 31, 2008
Senior checkpoint officer jailed 2 years for abusing his authority
He helped a China woman, whom he was having a fling, to enter Singapore unlawfully.
By Elena Chong
CPIB arrests senior Immigration Officer Thong Sing Hock, 50 for abetting two PRC women to make false statements to obtain Social Visit. -- SPH PHOTO: DOMINIC WONG
SENIOR civil servant was jailed for two years on Monday for abusing his authority to help a China woman enter Singapore unlawfully and other offences.
Thong Sing Hock, 50, a Senior Assistant Commander (Ground Ops) at Tuas Checkpoint, admitted to abetting the woman to enter Singapore with a misleading passport, harbouring her, and accessing the office computer for personal purposes.
Thong, who has been suspended on half-pay since May 2006, admitted to nine charges with 18 others considered during his sentencing.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Cyrstal Ong said that Thong was investigated by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau in 2006 for abusing his position to help Song Qinghua also known as Song Qi, 38, to enter Singapore.
Song came to Singapore in 1997 to work and was subsequently jailed three weeks in August 2001 for overstaying.
After she was repatriated, she changed her name to Song Qi and obtained a new PRC identity card and passport in 2002.
Sometime between late 2002 and early 2003 in Beijing, she came to know Thong who was there for a visit. They exchanged phone numbers and kept in contact after he returned to Singapore.
Subsequently, he visited China several times and had an intimate relationship with Song. She also visited him between 2003 and 2006.
DPP Ong said in Feburary 2004, Thong, the No 3 man at Tuas checkpoint, became suspicious of Song as he had heard her being called Song Qinhua instead of Song Qi. He questioned her and she told him she had been previously charged and convicted of overstaying in Singapore.
The court heard that he had helped her enter Singapore illegally by acting as her sponsor in her visa application and bought her air tickets.
In December 2004 the two also spent time together in Bangkok. He harboured her by renting a place for her to stay on each of the two occasions - January and December 2005.
District Judge Jasvender Kaur said Thong must have known better than most persons that entering the country with false pasports and particulars put the whole passport system into jeopardy.
She said it was inevitable that the matter had to be marked by a significant sentence. She said the only real mitigating factor was his plea of guilt.
Thong's lawyer, Mr Choo Si Sen, had pointed out that there was no material loss and the married father of two did not make any money.
But Judge Kaur said it was not how much or how little Thong had gained but how he had abetted Song to undermine the immigration system. |
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Robbery foiled by members of the public
By Hasnita A Majid, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 April 2008 1746 hrs
SINGAPORE: Police have commended two men for helping to nab three robbers.
A young woman was robbed along Puay Hee Avenue while on her way to a 24-hour convenience store at about 1am on Tuesday.
The men approached her and pretended to ask for directions. But when her phone rang, they tried to snatch her mobile phone and handbag.
A struggle ensued and the woman was assaulted. She later chased after one of them who had taken her mobile phone.
She was joined by her friend, 40-year-old Roszali Ahmad, and a passer-by, 30-year-old Samuel Ng Chee Yong, who had heard the commotion.
When the robber saw them, he threw away the mobile phone and ran off.
The victim picked up her phone and was on her way home when the trio spotted one of the robbers again. Together, they detained the man.
Police later spotted the other two suspects along Upper Serangoon Road. They fled into a cemetery upon seeing the officers. A pursuit led to the arrest of the second man at about 1.30am.
The third suspect was finally arrested at about 4am by the police who conducted a search in the vicinity of Wan Tho Avenue.
The three suspects |
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Man arrested with drugs hidden in his anus
By Gamar Abdul Aziz, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 April 2008 0147 hrs
SINGAPORE : Officers from the Central Narcotics Bureau have arrested a drug trafficker who hid 210 Subutex tablets in his anus.
The male suspect was arrested on Sunday at the Singapore Cruise Centre when he arrived from Batam, Indonesia.
After a thorough search and interview, the suspect confessed that he had hidden eight bundles of Subutex tablets in his anus.
He was referred to Changi General Hospital for a medical examination where the hidden drugs were retrieved.
The 46-year-old trafficker will be investigated for the offence of importation of a controlled drug.
If convicted, he faces a minimum five years' jail and five strokes of the cane.
Investigations revealed that he had arranged to hand over the drugs to his associate later that day.
In a follow-up operation, CNB officers arrested the associate and a woman when they arrived on a motorcycle near Clementi MRT station.
The 31-year-old associate put up a violent struggle and had to be restrained.
Four Subutex tablets and two unused syringes were seized from him.
Officers also recovered a knife with a 19cm blade when his motorcycle was searched.
Altogether, the 214 Subutex tablets seized have a street value of about $21,400. - CNA/de |
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Australian pilot fined for intrusion into Singapore airspace
By Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 April 2008 1852 hrs
SINGAPORE: An Australian pilot has been fined S$5,000 for flying into Singapore "without a valid certificate of airworthiness".
59-year-old Rhys Henry Thomas, who had pleaded guilty to the offence which took place on 22 January this year, could have been jailed for a year.
On that day, his Cessna plane entered Singapore's airspace and caused two Air Force fighter jets to intercept his aircraft, which was eventually escorted to Changi Airport.
The incident caused security fears and delayed flights for 50 minutes.
In passing the sentence, District Judge Danielle Yeow said the experienced pilot should have known better than to fly to Singapore without the right paperwork.
She added that it is important to strike a balance between the interest of the public and the principle that offenders should not be punished beyond what they deserve.
The court also noted that the pilot did not have any malicious intent and that he had fully cooperated with investigations.
Mr Thomas said he has spent some S$60,000 on expenses so far, while being grounded in Singapore, so the sentence came as a huge relief.
He said: "I'm looking forward to flying off to Sydney tonight to see my mother. She's had a heart attack. I attempted bail a couple of times to go down and see her... but it's going to be good to get down there. I'll be down there tomorrow morning."
Judge Yeow said the safety of air navigation in Singapore should not be taken lightly, especially with Singapore's limited air space and the dense population here.
She also said that the court, in future, will not hesitate to impose a jail term where appropriate.
- CNA/so |
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April 1, 2008
First part of growth dividends on April 30
THE cheque will be in the mailbox soon for Singaporeans, who will receive the first instalment of 'growth dividends' on April 30.
This is part of the Government's distribution of last year's Budget surplus, which amounted to $6.4 billion.
The dividends will be given in two parts, with the second payout made on Oct 1.
In all, the Government will distribute about $865 million to around 2.4 million Singaporeans, with the poor and the elderly getting more.
How much each will receives in total depends on their annual income and value of their home in 2007. The specific amount will be given in letters the Central Provident Fund Board will be mailing to Singaporeans in the middle of this month.
Looking forward to the money is retired nurse Annie Hoe, 67, who says it will help mitigate against the rising cost of living, particularly in food prices.
But like other Singaporeans, she notes that it is a one-off payout and suggests that longer-term assistance measures be put in place.
'For me, it will really be helpful if there could be more bus fare subsidies for the older folk,' said Ms Hoe, who will get a total of $225 in dividends.
Mr Edward Mok, 32, who owns a printing firm and will get $300, added that in the long term, he hopes the Government can keep a lid on rising property rents.
'I'll appreciate it if, for example, office rents can be kept low. The property rental market is going haywire.'
Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times. |
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UTUSAN MALAYSIA - 2/4/08.....
Wanita tukar jantina hamil
02/04/2008 6:44pm
CHICAGO 2 April |
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macam2 manusia... tuhan dah jadikan sebagai pompuan, gatai nk jadi lelaki.... abis dah tukar jantina jadi lelaki - siap bole mengandung lagi!! |
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April 2, 2008
Hairstylist dies after choking on biscuits
HUNGRY after a late-night chat, a hairstylist helped herself to biscuits, only to choke on them fatally.
Huang Yan Ping, 33, was in the Jurong East flat she shared with two others at around 11.30pm on Tuesday when she started choking, reported Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday.
Her flatmates tried to force the biscuits out of her mouth, but Ms Huang died after a burst of coughs.
She was taken to the National University Hospital by ambulance but was pronounced dead after arrival.
Ms Huang, who came here from Johor 10 years ago, was married with two children, her friend, Ms Zhou, told Shin Min.
**************
Man arrested for trying to cheat motorists
By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 02 April 2008 2316 hrs
SINGAPORE : Police have arrested a man for trying to cheat motorists, claiming that they had knocked him down.
The 32-year-old suspect allegedly asked at least two drivers for compensation.
The police said that on April 1, a woman was driving her car from Sims Avenue to Lorong 27, Geylang, when she heard a loud bang at the rear of her vehicle.
She stopped to check and found the suspect sitting by the road. He claimed she had knocked into him.
She suggested sending him to hospital, but he refused. Instead, he demanded S$200 in compensation. The police were called and the man was arrested on the spot.
This was the second such case in the day. Earlier, the police had received a call from another driver who encountered a similar situation at Lorong 19, Geylang.
The driver had offered to send the victim to hospital, but the man refused and insisted that he be paid instead. When the driver said he would call the police, the man left.
The man will be charged in court on April 3 for cheating. - CNA/de |
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April 2, 2008
Man collapses and dies after dancing
HE LOVED swinging to the beat of arcade dance machines, and went dancing there thrice a week.
But on Tuesday, Zhang Wei Ming, 23, danced for the last time when he collapsed and died after dancing for about half an hour.
Mr Zhang, who helped in his father's contractor business, was at an arcade at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station at around 8pm when he suddenly passed out.
Nobody knew how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR.
He was found dead after he was taken to the Singapore General Hospital.
His family told the Chinese evening dailies that he smoked heavily, kept late nights and had Thalassemia, a type of blood disorder. |
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Category: Negeri & Negara
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