You die, your business

[k1976]

'They depended on each other': Man allegedly spent 5 days with dead father's body in Hougang flat​

A man reportedly stayed with his elderly father's body for five days.
PHOTO: Shin Min Daily News

PUBLISHED ON DECEMBER 15, 2023

A man reportedly stayed in his flat with the body of his elderly father for about five days after the latter died.
The 81-year-old's body was finally discovered at about 11.15am on Thursday (Dec 14) inside his flat at Block 25 Hougang Ave 3, reported Shin Min Daily News.
A reporter from the Chinese daily who visited the block that day saw police officers stationed outside the unit. They also entered the flat several times while conducting investigations.
Shin Min also spoke to the elderly man's neighbours, one of whom shared that the elderly man's son is autistic. He is estimated to be in his 30s or 40s.
"They have lived here for almost 20 years, and they depended on each other. The elderly man had to take care of his son because he has autism," said the 25-year-old security guard.
She recalled that she last saw the elderly man earlier this month. His son had approached her on Dec 13, but walked away without saying a word.
"He walked up to our unit seemingly to talk to us. I thought it was quite strange as he hasn't spoken to us for more than 10 years. My mother asked if he needed help, but he walked away," the neighbour recounted.
"Now that I think of it, I feel a little sad. Maybe he wanted someone to help his father."

Elderly man was often worried about his son: Neighbour​

Another neighbour, Zheng Qingliang, 71, told Shin Min that he used to chat with the elderly man at the void deck every Sunday.
"I didn't see him last week, and the last time I saw him was two weeks ago. Before the pandemic he used to work part-time, but stopped working after. He also had some problems with his eye."
Zheng also shared that the elderly man often expressed his worries about his son after he passes on. He added that he's never met the elderly man's partner.
"I don't know if his wife is still alive, but father and son have always depended on each other."
According to Zheng, the elderly man's son attends a special needs school in Ang Mo Kio.
Zhang, who lives in the unit next to the elderly man, said both father and son have diabetes. She told Shin Min she hasn't seen the elderly man in four or five days.
Zhang added that she noticed a pungent smell coming from their flat some two days ago.
In response to AsiaOne's queries, the police confirmed that they were alerted to a case of unnatural death on Thursday.
They said that an 81-year-old man was found lying motionless in a residential unit and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play. Police investigations are ongoing.

RIP. Hope he is in a better place
Condolences to his family

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Help retrenched young seniors get back into the workforce​

FEB 21, 2024

In the 2024 Budget, there seems to be a lack of emphasis on one group of vulnerable Singaporeans who have been retrenched.
The number of retrenched workers has increased recently and is expected to rise further due to companies looking at higher profitability and conducting right-sizing exercises.
The Budget is giving top-ups of $15,000 for Institute of Technical Education graduates aged 30 and below when they complete a diploma programme. Those aged 40 and above pursuing a second diploma will get a monthly training allowance of up to $3,000 for 24 months.
Will it make sense for those in their 60s to pursue a second diploma and get hired (hopefully) after graduation?
I am sure those in their 60s will not get a similar scheme to obtain a second diploma and get hired (hopefully) after graduation.
I was laid off last year when I was 59 years old. I have applied for numerous positions without success. Employers do not want to hire older people with a short “runway” as they say it is difficult to integrate them into their generally younger teams. This is also the case when I look for work at government agencies.
I attended a three-month full-time SkillsFuture Career Transition Programme in September 2023, hoping to get a job placement after the training. Unfortunately, the class was left on its own to look for jobs after we completed the programme, which was described as a “train-and-place programme”.

Most unemployed seniors face financial difficulties, especially if we have to support the family.
Most of us would prefer to get a job rather than get handouts from the Government. I hope the Government will look into helping young seniors get back into the workforce.

Eric Yip Kok Leong

 

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Forum: Digitalisation should not come at the expense of the consumer​

JAN 20, 2024

Singapore’s moves to step up competitiveness through digitalisation are commendable. Yet, our zealousness to transform the economy leaves a lot to be desired.
At hospitals, customers who want to pay immediately are being turned away, only to be prompted to pay online via SMSes later, as if using credit cards for payment is any less cashless than direct bank deductions.
Barrier-free carparks, such as the one in Punggol Northshore, deduct parking fees without displaying the parking charge.
The initiative provides administrative convenience to the carpark operator, whose bank account is directly credited as soon as the vehicle leaves the carpark.
But the driver is clueless as to the cost of parking.
To monitor the expenditures, one has to spend extra effort digging through an app or bank statement.
With the SimplyGo initiative, commuters leave a bus or train without seeing immediately how much balance is left on their cards, and they also do not know whether there is enough value to carry on with their journey.

We must not have the impression that we have to forgo certain merits of travelling to achieve further benefits of technology.
We could have forgotten that the eventual goal of using technology is to improve public lives, and not solely to save costs for operators.
The manner by which some things have been digitised in Singapore has instead deprived the public of much of their required services.
Singapore’s institutions must move ahead with digitalisation without cutting costs at the expense of consumers by passing the workload to them or artificially trying to impress the authorities that they are functioning “digitally”, but are instead creating problems and not adding value.

Jimmy Ho Kwok Hoong

 

[k1976]

Digitalisation make some people brain go nuts?

 

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Forum: Retirees still need more help to be re-employed​

JAN 06, 2024

I refer to the reply by the Ministry of Manpower (Steps taken to support senior workers on re-employment, Jan 3).
Kudos to the Manpower Ministry for the schemes it has put in place to extend the employment of seniors, and its encouragement of employers to do so.
However, the ministry did not address the point made by Mr Tristan Gwee (Tap older workers’ wealth of experience, Dec 11) and Mr Ong Kim Bock (Do more to get retirees back in workforce, Dec 14), that is, to tap seniors who have left the workforce, and would like to, and can potentially, be re-employed.
In my interactions with other retired seniors, I have found that many of us would like to be re-employed.
I have applied to the ministry, other government bodies and tripartite organisations, but with no success.
Other seniors have had similar experiences, and we have come to the same conclusion that ageism played a role in why we were not employed.
The Government has called for employers to engage seniors as part of the workforce. But can we expect the private sector to overlook ageism and employ seniors, when government bodies do not seem to walk the talk?

There is a group of retired but capable seniors who have been sidelined. With their efforts to rejoin the workforce not bearing fruit, they are resigned to spending their time at coffee shops or binge-watching TV shows instead of contributing to the nation.

Lai Tuck Kee

 

[k1976]

Forum: Retirees still need more help to be re-employed​

JAN 06, 2024

I refer to the reply by the Ministry of Manpower (Steps taken to support senior workers on re-employment, Jan 3).
Kudos to the Manpower Ministry for the schemes it has put in place to extend the employment of seniors, and its encouragement of employers to do so.
However, the ministry did not address the point made by Mr Tristan Gwee (Tap older workers’ wealth of experience, Dec 11) and Mr Ong Kim Bock (Do more to get retirees back in workforce, Dec 14), that is, to tap seniors who have left the workforce, and would like to, and can potentially, be re-employed.
In my interactions with other retired seniors, I have found that many of us would like to be re-employed.
I have applied to the ministry, other government bodies and tripartite organisations, but with no success.
Other seniors have had similar experiences, and we have come to the same conclusion that ageism played a role in why we were not employed.
The Government has called for employers to engage seniors as part of the workforce. But can we expect the private sector to overlook ageism and employ seniors, when government bodies do not seem to walk the talk?

There is a group of retired but capable seniors who have been sidelined. With their efforts to rejoin the workforce not bearing fruit, they are resigned to spending their time at coffee shops or binge-watching TV shows instead of contributing to the nation.

Lai Tuck Kee

Bo worry....2030 more help is coming over the horizon....$10 cheekon rice for u boss?

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Set a limit to employer’s liability for maid’s medical bills​

JAN 16, 2024, 05:00 AM

Recently, my sister’s helper was hospitalised at a restructured hospital after having a heart attack.
The doctor ordered tests and scans, and the bill came up to almost $40,000 for a three-night stay.
The helper asked to be discharged to go back to her home country.
After signing an indemnity form, she was discharged and my sister arranged her flight home.
Most of the insurance policies covering a helper’s hospitalisation and surgical expenses cover only up to $60,000 a year.
The one that my sister bought was for 100 per cent coverage for amounts of up to $15,000, with her co-paying 25 per cent for amounts above $15,000 up to $80,000. In addition, she would have to pay 100 per cent of any amount above $80,000.
As the bill was $40,000, my sister had to pay $6,250, which is not a small amount. It would have been higher if the helper’s condition had worsened, or if she had needed surgery.

Why is there no limit to the liability that the employer of a domestic helper has to bear? I believe companies and statutory boards impose a cap on the medical expenses that an employee can claim.
I sought clarification from the Ministry of Manpower, and was told to approach a medical social worker if the employer had difficulties in settling the bill.
I hope the authorities can look into this matter. I understand that the helper needs to be protected, but so does the employer.

Ryna Tan Chwee Eng

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: Strengthen employment laws to protect retrenched staff​

JAN 25, 2024

After nearly three years in a senior leadership role at a global company in the creative industry, I was recently retrenched. The reason was “financial challenges” and not “an indication of my contributions or performance”.
I was informed that I would not be getting any severance benefits because there are no labour laws in effect that protect employees. I was specifically told that the Ministry of Manpower gives only broad recommendations – with any severance done purely out of goodwill, not because of legislation. Sadly, my contract did not include any provision for retrenchment benefits either.
A friend urged me to speak with the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management, which referred me to the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices.
Both officers who spoke with me were sympathetic, but ultimately said they could only point my company to the best practice and could not enforce anything.
My story isn’t the only one.
The recent high-profile retrenchment exercise at Lazada has exposed a weakness in Singapore’s labour and workplace laws – these laws are geared towards supporting companies, not employees.
I have worked in Britain and Australia – both these countries have workplace laws that protect employees who are retrenched. These are common practices in many developed countries.

As a country that has ambition to be a hub for companies in the region, Singapore should update its Employment Act to give more legal protection to employees.
If we are unable to give adequate protection to employees and strike a fair balance in the employment relationship, I worry about how competitive we will be on the global stage.

Shawn Low

 

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Forum: Stuck with a hefty bill now because maid has a communicable disease​

UPDATED

JAN 18, 2024, 05:00 AM

FacebookTelegram

I refer to Forum writer Ryna Tan Chwee Eng’s letter “Set a limit to employer’s liability for maid’s medical bills” (Jan 16). I am also facing a domestic helper’s medical bill crisis.
My elderly mother’s helper was admitted to the National University Hospital on Dec 19 for tuberculosis (TB). Her liver is affected by the bacteria and the medicine. She was discharged on Jan 17 and her medical bill came up to $32,468.26.
As the insurance company puts a cap of $3,000 on communicable diseases, I need to pay the rest of the bill out of my pocket.
I would like to suggest the following be put in place.
First, have means testing to set a limit on employers’ liability for their helpers’ medical bills.
With Singapore set to become a super-aged society in 2026, it is going to be common for helpers to be employed to look after the frail elderly. This is almost a necessity rather than a want on the part of the sandwiched middle-aged who continue to work to care for both dependent parents and their children.
The nightmare begins when a helper is hospitalised with an astronomical bill. Hence, having some kind of ceiling as suggested by Ms Tan would be helpful. This can be calibrated with some form of means testing.

Second, remove the clause that caps payouts for communicable diseases in insurance policies.
The recent changes made to insurance covering maids’ medical fees are commendable. However, the clause that communicable diseases are covered up to $3,000 seems to benefit only the insurance companies.
It does not seem fair that while all employers pay the same premium, only some illnesses are worth covering and not others. With the recent spotlight on TB cases, it would be most distressing for another employer to be caught in the same situation.
This situation is also stressful for my mother’s helper, as she feels guilty about being a financial burden to us.
Stacey Low Loon

 

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Forum: Put more thought into job placement after training for mid-career workers​

FEB 29, 2024

It is heartening to observe the parliamentary debate on the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme. Among the programme’s key objectives is supporting mid-career Singaporeans so as to boost their prospects in the current job or pivot into a new career.
My female colleagues and I faced career disruption during the pandemic. We then proactively enrolled and completed digital skills courses to reset our career path. But we were greeted with brutal ageism practices from various multinational corporations as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.
I believe the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme announced in the latest Budget will be effective only if workers who have completed the training programmes can land themselves a suitable career for the next phase of their working life.
A basic short-term training programme may be insufficient for older mid-career individuals to secure a job as they are competing with a younger generation with better academic qualifications. Mid-career workers risk remaining unemployed despite using up the $4,000 in subsidies.
More thought needs to go into how the training can lead to good jobs for these mid-career workers as there are only a limited number of job offerings. We need to address the deficiencies of the career matching programme in its current form to improve outcomes for the individuals using it.
All stakeholders, including employers, must support the well-intended measures in the Budget to rehire mid-career workers and those who have gone the extra mile to elevate their skills to stay relevant and contribute to the country’s economy.

Ho See Ling

 

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Elderly Woman Found Dead In Bedok Flat After Neighbours Detect Foul Smell & Alert Police​

LATEST NEWS SINGAPORE This article is more than 4 months old
She was withdrawn and rarely interacted with neighbours, a resident said.
By Jeremy Lee - 11 Dec 2023

70-Year-Old Elderly Woman Who Lived Alone Found Dead In Bedok Flat​

With an ageing population, more elderly folk in Singapore are living alone, sometimes without anyone to check on them.
That sadly could have been the case for a 70-year-old woman who was recently found dead in her flat in Bedok.

Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
The police received an alert after someone detected a foul smell.

Elderly woman found dead in Bedok on 10 Dec​

The tragic discovery of the woman’s passing occurred on Sunday (10 Dec), reported Shin Min Daily News.

The 70-year-old had lived in a 10th-floor unit at Block 113 Bedok North Street 2.

Source: Google Maps

Deceased was quiet & rarely interacted with neighbours​

According to nearby resident Mr Man (name transliterated from Mandarin), the deceased was slim and quiet. Due to her quiet nature, he thus claimed that she rarely interacted with neighbours.
In addition, Mr Man shared that she used to live in the house with her mother. After the latter’s passing, the deceased continued living there alone.
Sadly, throughout her time there, nobody had seen friends or relatives visiting her.

Elderly woman may have been dead for days in Bedok flat​

Since the elderly woman’s body was only found after neighbours detected a foul smell and called the police, Mr Man believed that she may have passed away many days prior.

Source: Google Maps

Police don’t suspect foul play​

The police confirmed to Shin Min that they received an alert regarding the death.


Based on preliminary investigations, they do not suspect foul play. Investigations are currently ongoing.
Just over a week ago, a 70-year-old man was found dead in his Bukit Merah flat.

MS News extends our sincere condolences to the deceased’s loved ones. May she rest in peace.

 

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58-Year-Old Woman Found Dead In Potong Pasir Flat After Neighbours Detect Foul Smell​

LATEST NEWS SINGAPORE This article is more than 2 months old
A neighbour detected a foul smell 2 days before but thought it was rotting food.
By Jeremy Lee - 27 Jan 2024

Woman Found Dead In Potong Pasir Flat Lived Alone​

A 58-year-old woman was reportedly found dead in her Potong Pasir flat.
Neighbours had detected a foul smell coming from her unit and called the police.

Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
According to residents, the woman lived alone.

Woman found dead in Potong Pasir on 26 Jan night​

The discovery was made on Friday (26 Jan) night at about 10pm, reported Shin Min Daily News.
The deceased lived in a second-floor unit at Block 118 Potong Pasir Avenue 1.

Source: Google Maps
When reporters arrived at the scene that night, they found that the police had cordoned off the corridor outside the flat to collect evidence.
There was a putrid smell in the air.

Deceased lived alone​

A resident on the same floor, 41-year-old hawker stall assistant Ms Cao (name transliterated from Mandarin), said the deceased was a Chinese woman who lived alone.
Though she was friendly and would say hello and stop to chat, no friends or relatives were seen visiting her.
The neighbour expressed surprise at her sudden death as she seemed healthy.

Neighbours detected foul smell 2 days prior​

Another neighbour, 60-year-old Mr Chen (name transliterated from Mandarin), said he had detected a bad smell about two days ago.

The fourth-floor resident initially thought it came from rotting food.
He lamented that it was sad for old people to pass away without any relatives and that nobody even knew that one was dead.
Shin Min understands that a neighbour who smelled the odour had called the police.

Deceased Potong Pasir resident was 58 years old​

In response to Shin Min Daily News’ queries, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said they received a report of an unnatural death at the location.
They later found a 58-year-old woman whom they believed to have collapsed at home.
Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
The case is still under investigation, but foul play has been ruled out after preliminary investigations.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

28-Year-Old Man Found Dead In Pek Kio Flat After Foul Smell Detected​

LATEST NEWS MS ORIGINALS SINGAPORE This article is more than 2 months old
The young man used to live with his father in the unit.
By Jeremy Lee - 4 Feb 2024

Man Found Dead In Pek Kio Flat Believed To Have Lived With Father​

A 28-year-old man was reportedly found dead in his flat located in Pek Kio estate.
The body was uncovered after a foul smell was detected.

Source: Shin Min Daily News
Though residents believed that he lived with his father, the older man had not been seen in months.

Man found dead in Pek Kio on 3 Feb afternoon​

The discovery was made on Saturday (3 Feb) afternoon at about 5pm, reported Shin Min Daily News.
The deceased lived in a unit at Block 47 Owen Road.

Source: Google Maps
When reporters arrived at the scene that night, they found that the police had cordoned off the area outside the flat.

A rotting smell could be detected even from the corridor 50m away.
A Shin Min reader claimed that the police were called due to the foul smell.

Police spent 5 hours collecting evidence​

The police were observed to be collecting evidence from the unit for more than five hours.
One of the items that were put in plastic bags by the officers was a red pan.

Source: Shin Min Daily News
They also took photos of what appeared to be bits of plastic.

Source: Shin Min Daily News
Eventually, the deceased’s body was taken away, wrapped completely in several layers of bags.

Deceased lived in block for 2 years​

According to an 80-year-old female resident who has lived in the block for 15 years, the young man was tall and had a large build.

However, due to language incompatibility, they seldom communicated.
The deceased had resided there for about two years and was believed to have lived with his father.
The father and son pair had been seen together in the corridor, and the neighbour would chat with the older man as he could speak Malay.
However, she has not seen the father for about eight months.
The older man did reveal, though, that his son’s mother lived in Choa Chu Kang.
Thus, he was believed to have moved in with her, the neighbour added.

Police rule out homicide in case of dead man in Pek Kio​

In response to queries from Shin Min, the police said that they had received a report of an unnatural death.
A 28-year-old was found collapsed in his flat and pronounced dead at the scene.

Based on preliminary investigations, the police have ruled out homicide.
Further investigations are ongoing into the case.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

73-year-old man found dead in Hougang flat after neighbour detects stench from unit​

LATEST NEWS SINGAPORE This article is more than 1 month old
The man, who had lived in his flat for close to 10 years, was usually seen by himself, a neighbour said.
By Jeremy Lee - 25 Feb 2024

Elderly man found dead in Hougang flat shortly after visit from estranged wife​

The body of an elderly man was reportedly found in his unit, in yet another case of unnatural death of a person living alone.
As with the previous cases, the death was uncovered after a neighbour detected a foul smell coming from his unit.

Source: Shin Min Daily News

Elderly man found dead on 23 Feb​

The discovery was made on Friday (23 Feb) morning at about 11.35am, reported Shin Min Daily News.
The elderly man lived in a unit at Block 630 Hougang Avenue 8.

Source: Google Maps
When reporters arrived at the scene, they found five to six police officers conducting investigations.
A rotting smell also permeated the premises.

Deceased usually seen by himself​

A female neighbour who declined to be named said the deceased had lived in his flat for close to 10 years.

The tall and big-sized man was usually seen by himself and would ride his bike out to buy breakfast.
As he liked to hoard items, he would sometimes get into squabbles with neighbours.
Thus, she tended to avoid contact with him.


The last time she saw him was last week, she added.

Foul smell started 3 days ago​

About three days before his body was found, the neighbour started smelling something putrid coming from his unit, she said.
Initially, she thought it was a dead lizard or rat, but couldn’t find the source of the stench in her home.
The smell then got worse, causing her to have sleepless nights, she added.

Source: Google Maps
Fearing that something was amiss, she went to the man’s unit on Thursday and found that the smell came from there.
Though she was unsure whether to call the police at first, she did so after other neighbours also thought that something bad had happened.

Deceased’s wife visited flat​

Strangely enough, one day before the stench was detected, the man’s wife had visited his flat, the neighbour said.

Though the couple used to live together, the woman moved out long ago.
Thus, she probably forgot where he lived and was seen asking residents for his address downstairs, she added.
While she didn’t explain why she was looking for him, the neighbour brought her to his flat, but nobody answered their repeated knocks.
When they opened his door, they found no sign of the man, though his bedroom door was shut.
She now believes that the man had passed away in his bedroom by that time.
His wife subsequently left after being unable to find him.

Man’s son visited him on 10 Feb​

After he was found dead, the man’s son arrived at his flat to identify the body.
He told Shin Min reporters that his father suffered from diabetes, but was still able to go out daily.
The last time he visited him was the first day of Chinese New Year (10 Feb), he said.
At the time, he could converse well, so his death was a surprise.

73-year-old found in Hougang flat pronounced dead at scene​

In response to enquiries from Shin Min, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said they responded to a case of unnatural death.
A 73-year-old man was found unconscious in his flat and was pronounced dead, SPF added.
No foul play is suspected, according to preliminary investigations.
Further investigations into the case are ongoing.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

76-year-old man found dead in Bedok flat, foul-smelling liquid seen leaking out of unit​

LATEST NEWS SINGAPORE
Preliminary investigations indicate that there was no foul play involved.
By Tammi Tan - 15 Mar 2024

Elderly man who lived alone found dead, foul-smelling liquid leaks out of Bedok Reservoir unit​

A 76-year-old man was found dead in a Bedok Reservoir HDB flat on Thursday (14 March).
Besides noticing a foul smell over the past few days, neighbours also saw liquid seeping out onto the ground outside his flat.
Three Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers had to break down the locked door to get inside.

SCDF officers break into Bedok Reservoir flat, discover man’s dead body inside​

According to Shin Min Daily News, the deceased lived alone in an eighth-floor unit at Block 713 Bedok Reservoir Road.

Source: Google Maps
The police arrived at the scene at about 10.45am on Thursday.
When they could not get into the flat, SCDF officers had to saw open the iron gate.

Inside, they found the decomposing body of the man.

Source: Shin Min Daily News
When a reporter from Shin Min Daily News went down to investigate, they saw a white cloth draped over a puddle of liquid that was believed to have come from the corpse.
There was also a smell of decay in the air.
At around 1pm, four family members of the deceased entered the flat to identify his body.


One female relative reportedly burst into tears.

Neighbours detected foul smell for days​

Residents on the same floor told Shin Min Daily News that the elderly man had lived in the unit for more than 40 years.
One neighbour recalled detecting a foul smell in the air over the past few days.

Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook

When they noticed the strange liquid seeping out of the deceased’s flat, they immediately informed the man’s aunt, who worked nearby.
The aunt then contacted his other family members.
Another resident, 81-year-old Mr Chen, said that the police arrived at about 11am.
He had been walking up to his unit after watering the plants downstairs when a neighbour told him about the smell coming from the deceased’s flat.
“That’s when I felt like something was wrong,” he said.
Mr Chen believes that the deceased was not married.

No foul play suspected​

Police confirmed to Shin Min Daily News that they were alerted to a case of unnatural death that day.

A 76-year-old man was found lying on the floor of his home and was pronounced dead on the spot.
Preliminary investigations indicate that there was no foul play involved, and investigations are still ongoing.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

67-year-old man found dead in Sengkang flat after neighbours noticed he was missing for days​

LATEST NEWS SINGAPORE
His door had been open and his lights were not turned off for two or three days.
By Tammi Tan - 19 Mar 2024

67-year-old man who lived alone found dead in living room of Sengkang flat​

An elderly man was found dead in his Sengkang flat after neighbours realised they hadn’t seen him for two or three days.
When police went to investigate, they found his body on the living room floor.
Based on preliminary investigations, they do not suspect foul play.

Neighbours noticed they hadn’t seen man for 2 or 3 days​

According to Shin Min Daily News, the deceased was a 67-year-old man who lived alone in a unit at 313B Anchorvale Road.
He was found dead at around 2.45pm on Monday (18 March).

Source: Google Maps, for illustration purposes only
A resident, 77-year-old Mr Zhu, told the paper that the man’s next-door neighbour had called the police that morning after noticing a few unusual things.

For instance, the door to the deceased’s unit had been left open for the past two or three days.
The lights had not been turned off that whole time as well.
In addition, his neighbours noticed his absence and found it quite odd.

Police rule out foul play​

When police arrived at the scene, they found the dead man lying on the floor in his living room.

Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
Mr Zhu shared that the deceased was usually in good health, so he has no idea what could have happened to him.
He added that although the man was married and had two daughters, he had lived alone for many years.
His wife lived with one of their children, and his daughters would only visit him from time to time.

Police confirmed to Shin Min Daily News that they had received a report of an unnatural death.
A 67-year-old man was found lying on the floor of his house and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Based on preliminary investigations, they have ruled out the possibility of homicide and investigations are still ongoing.

Man found dead in Sengkang flat loved to rear fish​

When Shin Min Daily News reporters returned to the dead man’s unit in the evening, they noticed several relatives tidying up inside.
Two of the family members confirmed that their father had died in the flat but declined to be interviewed.
Mr Zhu further revealed that the deceased loved keeping fish as pets and would often be seen cleaning a fish tank.
The neighbour recalled seeing the deceased just a few days earlier when the latter came home with several new fish.
“We even said hello to each other,” he said.

Mr Zhu said that most of the residents had known each other for more than 20 years and would often have friendly conversations, which explains why the deceased’s absence did not go unnoticed.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

2 men found dead in Hougang & Yishun HDB flats on 2 & 3 April​

LATEST NEWS SINGAPORE
Foul play is not suspected for both cases.
By Amber Ang - 4 Apr 2024

2 men aged 67 & 52 found dead in Hougang & Yishun flats​

On 2 and 3 April, two men were found dead in HDB flats located in Hougang and Yishun.
The deceased were aged 67 and 52 respectively.
Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play in both incidents. They have classified both cases as unnatural deaths.

Decomposing body of 67-year-old man found in Hougang flat​

At around 4.30pm on Tuesday (2 April), a 67-year-old man was found unconscious in his flat at Block 174B Hougang Avenue 1, Shin Min Daily News reported.
He was later pronounced dead.

When reporters from the Chinese site visited the scene, they detected a rotten smell from the corridor outside the unit. Police officers entered the home to gather evidence.

Source: Shin Min Daily News
A neighbour shared that the deceased had a friendly disposition and would always greet others upon meeting them.
Describing him as a “good man” who looked quite healthy, neighbours expressed their shock at his passing.
Another neighbour pointed out that she had never seen visitors at the man’s unit before.

52-year-old man found dead in Yishun flat​

On Wednesday (3 April), 8world News reported the discovery of another dead man in his flat at Block 461A Yishun Avenue 6. He was 52.

Source: 8world News
In response to queries, the police stated that a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedic pronounced the man dead at the scene.
A neighbour noted that they had seen different visitors entering and leaving the deceased’s flat before. However, they did not communicate much with him.
Investigations are ongoing for both incidents.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

75-year-old woman found dead in Whampoa flat, stench persists after 5 days​

LATEST NEWS SINGAPORE
The smell was first detected on 1 April, a domestic helper said.
By Jeremy Lee - 7 Apr 2024

Elderly woman found dead in Whampoa flat lived alone after father & brother died​

An elderly woman was found dead in her flat in Whampoa earlier this week, in the latest case of a senior citizen found decomposing at home.
The 75-year-old had lived alone, according to neighbours.

Source: Google Maps
More than five days after a foul smell was detected in her block, it has not dissipated yet.

Woman found dead in Whampoa flat on 2 April​

The discovery was made on Tuesday (2 April), Shin Min Daily News reported.
The deceased’s unit is in Block 8 St George’s Lane on the 10th floor.

Source: Google Maps

Foul smell first detected on 1 April​

A 44-year-old domestic helper named Luna, who lives on the 11th floor, told Shin Min that she first detected the foul smell in her kitchen on Monday (1 April) afternoon.
This prompted her to close the windows.

Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
Later, she determined the source of the stench and knocked on the door of the deceased’s flat but nobody answered.
She then asked a neighbour to call the police, who found the woman’s body.

Stench lingers more than five days later​

Though the foul smell was detected on 1 April and the woman was found on 2 April, neighbours told Shin Min that the stench still lingered more than five days later.

It would hit their nostrils as soon as they opened their windows, they said.

Deceased lived alone​

A resident on the 10th floor named only as Kumar, 27, said the deceased used to live with her father and brother.
However, after they both died, she lived alone.
Nobody had been seen visiting her for a long time.

75-year-old found in Whampoa flat pronounced dead at scene​

In response to Shin Min’s queries, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed that they had responded to a case of unnatural death.
A 75-year-old woman was found unconscious in her flat and was pronounced dead, SPF said.
No foul play is suspected, according to preliminary investigations.

Further investigations into the case are ongoing.

 

[Loofydralb]

Most unemployed seniors face financial difficulties, especially if we have to support the family.
Most of us would prefer to get a job rather than get handouts from the Government. I hope the Government will look into helping young seniors get back into the workforce.

Eric Yip Kok Leong

Poor Eric Yip. 59 years old and still too stupid for his own good.
I bet he will be voting for the same people who screwed him. Again.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Forum: After 20 years, two sisters’ dream furniture shop comes to an end​

APR 05, 2024, 05:00 AM

My mother and my aunt will put up the shutters of their small furniture shop, Sisters’ Dream, for the last time this week after 20 years.
Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the shop. I know the stray cats, the customers and their children, and the many other businesses that have come and gone along this shophouse stretch in Bedok.
The dream for the business started after a family holiday in Australia. My mother and my aunt began with selling homeware in our living room before committing to a commercial space and learning how to design custom-made furniture.
Everything about their business was old-fashioned – and the antithesis of today’s business retail environment. They drew furniture sketches by hand, wrote down their daily sales in a jotterbook, and used a fax machine to connect with suppliers.
The furniture they designed was from mature teak with striking wood grains – made to last generations. Nothing like the assemble-it-yourself furniture that can be bought online.
However, the sticking points of their business throughout the past 20 years were the rising rents and unreliable supply chains. That, and the fact that both women are in their 60s and just tired.
The shop provided for our families, but it also sapped the life out of my mother and my aunt.

Customer service is stressful, especially when dealing with ruthless hagglers. Making enough sales every month just to pay a much-too-high rent was unsustainable.
Competing with international furniture brands – with their efficient supply chains, production lines and subsequent economies of scale – was self-defeating.
Every time I raised the topic of seeking government support for small businesses, my mother and my aunt were quick to dismiss the idea: “They’re not looking to help businesses like ours, lah; they’re looking at the tech start-ups run by young people.”
I don’t think they even know where to look for government subsidies and grants or how to access them.
There were many steps they could have taken to ensure the business longevity of Sisters’ Dream, but I believe they were content to make “just enough”, and were apprehensive of change.
I’m going to miss visiting the little shop and exploring its corners.
In my mind, I picture my mother and my aunt resting on the showroom daybed, complaining about how expensive the Singapore dream has become.

Aza Wee Sile