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New Paper
21 hours ago
- General
- New Paper
Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole: Seven foreign workers who rescued woman given appreciation coin
Seven foreign workers who rescued a woman from a sinkhole in Tanjong Katong Road South on July 26 were given tokens of appreciation on the night of July 27. Mr Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, Mr Sathapillai Rajendran, Mr Velmuragan Muthusamy, Mr Poomalai Saravanan, Mr Ganesan Veerasekar, Mr Bose Ajithkumar and Mr Narayanasamy Mayakrishnan each received a coin from the Ministry of Manpower's Assurance, Care and Engagement (ACE) Group. Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash gave the Friends of ACE coins to the workers personally when he visited them at their dormitory on July 27, he said in a Facebook video on July 28. The coins, which are presented in red boxes, are similar to certificates of commendation. In April, four construction workers involved in saving children from a River Valley shophouse fire also received these coins for their efforts. A section of Tanjong Katong Road South collapsed at around 5.50pm on July 26. It caused two lanes of the road to cave in, just adjacent to a PUB worksite. A woman and the black car she was driving fell into the sinkhole when the ground suddenly gave way under the vehicle. The workers, who were at the worksite, pulled the driver to safety using a nylon rope. Mr Dinesh said in the Facebook video: "All of them have, in their own ways, leaned forward to support the lady who was in need, and that made a big difference to a situation that would have otherwise been very different." He added that the coins were a small token of appreciation for the workers, who have travelled very far from home to "not only build Singapore, but also to make sure that, when they are required, they step forward and they can help others as well". Mr Dinesh commended the seven workers for reacting quickly, moving forward to help the driver and stopping traffic to prevent further incidents from taking place. "Not only do (these migrant workers) work in the worksites and build Singapore - especially in the construction sector - but they also step forward and make themselves count when it's important for them to do so," he added. Mr Subbiah, a 46-year-old construction site supervisor at Ohin Construction, had told the media that he and his colleagues saw the driver fall into the sinkhole and wanted to help her as quickly as possible. He noted that one of his colleagues wanted to go down to help her, but Mr Subbiah advised him against doing so as he was worried they would not be able to climb out. He then instructed a group of workers to toss the woman a nylon rope so that they could pull her out. The entire rescue effort lasted three to five minutes. The woman was taken conscious to hospital. On the evening of July 26, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on Facebook that the driver was rescued by workers before SCDF arrived at the scene. "We will be reaching out to the workers to commend them for their bravery and prompt action in saving a life," it added. SCDF said it will be giving awards - either the Community Lifesaver Award or Community First Responder Award - to these workers at a later date.
Independent Singapore
a day ago
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Drink stall chain allegedly makes staff pay for incorrect orders, says part-time worker
Photo: Freepik/zinkevych (for illustration purposes only) SINGAPORE: A part-time worker has publicly criticised a 'drink stall chain' in Singapore for making her and other employees pay for any incorrectly made beverages. In a post on the r/SGexams subreddit, the worker wrote that she found the policy both 'unnecessary' and 'unreasonable,' especially since they are only paid S$9 per hour. 'It is already barely enough to make ends meet,' she said. 'It's hard to justify this kind of policy. I mean, yeah, a drink is just four dollars and everybody just needs to fork out a dollar to pay for it, which isn't that much, but I don't understand why employees should be held financially responsible when the drink can simply be remade or the order voided, with the reason written on the receipt.' She went on to ask fellow Redditors whether it was truly fair for management to impose such penalties on workers already earning minimum wage, just because of what she called 'a puny mistake.' While she didn't reveal the company's name, she hinted that 'it's not a small business' and that it has 'multiple branches' across the city-state. 'This practice is likely illegal & unethical.' Under her post, several Redditors urged the worker to report the company's policy to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). One wrote, 'Illegal deductions are only permissible after the employer conducts a proper investigation to determine who is at fault. Keep track and ask the owner to pay back when quitting, or report to MOM.' Another said, 'Document it in writing and file report to MOM. Plus the cost of the drink definitely isn't worth 4 dollars.' A third wrote, 'This practice is likely illegal & unethical. Report to MOM.' A fourth shared, 'Nope. Usually, they will give it to the staff as a free drink/toss it away/if the next order is coincidentally the same drink. I have never heard of this. Not common when I work in F&B or juice bars.' Employers must hold an inquiry before deducting wages According to the Ministry of Manpower, employers are permitted to deduct an employee's salary 'for damage or loss of money or goods,' but only under specific conditions. They must first carry out a proper inquiry to determine whether the employee is directly responsible. The employee must also be given an opportunity to explain the circumstances before any deductions are made. If the employer decides to proceed, the deduction must not exceed 25% of the employee's monthly salary and must be made as a one-time lump sum. Read also: Woman says her brother keeps falling into debt chasing 'fast money,' and their mum always bails him out () => { const trigger = if ('IntersectionObserver' in window && trigger) { const observer = new IntersectionObserver((entries, observer) => { => { if ( { lazyLoader(); // You should define lazyLoader() elsewhere or inline here // Run once } }); }, { rootMargin: '800px', threshold: 0.1 }); } else { // Fallback setTimeout(lazyLoader, 3000); } });
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Foreign workers who rescued woman from sinkhole given tokens of appreciation
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash gave the tokens of appreciation to the workers when he visited them at their dormitory on July 27. SINGAPORE – Seven foreign workers who rescued a woman from a sinkhole along Tanjong Katong Road South on July 26 were given tokens of appreciation on the night of July 27. Mr Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, Mr Velmurugan, Mr Saravanan, Mr Veerasekar, Mr Ajithkumar, Mr Chandirasekaran and Mr Rajendran each received a coin from the Ministry of Manpower's Assurance, Care and Engagement (ACE) Group. Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash gave the Friends of ACE coins to the workers personally when he visited them at their dormitory on July 27, he said in a Facebook video on July 28. The coins, which are presented in red boxes, are similar to certificates of commendation. In April, four construction workers involved in saving children from a River Valley shophouse fire also received these coins for their efforts. A section of Tanjong Katong Road South collapsed at around 5.50pm on July 26 . It caused two lanes of the road to cave in, just adjacent to a PUB worksite. A woman and the black car she was driving fell into the sinkhole when the ground suddenly gave way under the vehicle. The workers, who were at the worksite, pulled the female driver to safety using a nylon rope . Mr Dinesh said in the Facebook video: 'All of them have, in their own ways, leaned forward to support the lady who was in need, and that made a big difference to a situation that would have otherwise been very different.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire' to de-escalate border row Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after PUB tests Singapore Ong Beng Seng set to plead guilty on Aug 4 in case linked to ex-transport minister Iswaran Asia Gunman kills 5 security guards near Bangkok's Chatuchak market before taking own life Singapore COE quota up 2.6% to 18,701 for August to October Business Resilient economy versus uncertain outlook splits views on Singapore's monetary policy Singapore HPB looking for vaping, smoking counselling services for up to 175 secondary school students Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose He added that the coins were a small token of appreciation for the workers, who have travelled very far from home to 'not only build Singapore, but also to make sure that when they are required, they step forward and they can help others as well'. Mr Dinesh commended the seven workers for reacting quickly, moving forward to help the driver and stopping traffic to prevent further incidents from taking place. 'Not only do (these migrant workers) work in the worksites and build Singapore – especially in the construction sector, but they also step forward and make themselves counted when it's important for them to do so,' he added. Mr Subbiah, a 46-year-old construction site foreman at Ohin Construction, had told the media that he and his colleagues saw the female driver fall into the sinkhole and wanted to help her as quickly as possible. He noted that one of his colleagues wanted to go down to help her, but Mr Subbiah advised him against doing so as he was worried they would not be able to climb out. He then instructed a group of workers to toss the woman a nylon rope so that they could pull her out. The entire rescue effort lasted three to five minutes. The woman was taken conscious to hospital. On the evening of July 26, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on Facebook that the driver was rescued by workers before SCDF arrived at the scene. 'We will be reaching out to the workers to commend them for their bravery and prompt action in saving a life,' it added. The Straits Times has contacted SCDF for more information.
AsiaOne
2 days ago
- General
- AsiaOne
Tanjong Katong sinkhole: Migrant workers who rescued woman receive commendation from MOM, Singapore News
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has commended the migrant workers who helped rescue the woman whose car fell into the sinkhole that formed at Tanjong Katong Road South on Saturday (July 26). In a video posted to Facebook on Monday (July 28), Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash said that he met the seven workers and presented them with an MOM Appreciation Coin on July 27 evening. Detailing the series of events which led to the workers rescuing the woman from the sinkhole, Dinesh said: "I think this is a very good example of how our migrant workers help society in general." "Not only do they work at the worksites and build Singapore, especially in the construction sector, but they also step forward and make themselves counted when it's important for them to do so." The video shows Dinesh, who is also an MP for East Coast GRC and Mayor of Southeast District, visiting the seven workers at their dorm and speaking with them before presenting them with an MOM Assurance Care and Engagement (ACE) coin. He referred to the coin as a "small token of appreciation" for "our migrant brothers who [came] here from [afar]". Dinesh then named the seven workers, who were also shown in the clip. They are: site foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, Velmurugan, Saravanan, Veerasekar, Ajithkumar, Chandirasekaran and Rajendran. "All of them, in their own ways, came forward to support the lady who was in need and that made a big difference," he said. Dinesh also wrote in his post: "To our migrant worker brothers - we are grateful for your contributions, not only to Singapore's progress, but also for your many selfless acts and for helping to make Singapore a more gracious society!" Road to remain closed for further checks The portion of Tanjong Katong Road South between Mountbatten Road and East Coast Parkway will remain closed to facilitate ongoing repair works, said PUB, Singapore's national water agency, on Monday. It advises motorists and commuters to plan their routes in advance and expect possible delays during the weekday peak periods. "We seek the public's understanding and apologise for the inconvenience caused. Further updates will be provided on the progress of works and when the affected road can be reopened," said PUB. [[nid:720685]]
AsiaOne
5 days ago
- Business
- AsiaOne
Company director fined for collecting $112k in kickbacks from migrant workers, Singapore News
A company director has been convicted for his involvement in a scheme that collected a total of $112,400 in kickbacks from migrant workers in December 2020. Loo Kim Huat, a 68-year-old Singaporean, was fined $90,000 and a penalty order of $42,000 on Thursday (July 24) after pleading guilty to six charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA). Twelve other charges were taken into consideration for his sentencing, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in a press release. The ministry said Loo was the director and group head for conservancy at WIS Holdings, which manages Weishen Industrial Services — a company that provides estate cleaning and maintenance services for town councils. He had conspired with four individuals, which included Lim Choong Seng, a former site manager at Weishen, two conservancy workers, Kabir Mohammad Humayun and Robel, and Kamaruzzaman, an employment agent based in Bangladesh. In 2020, Loo and the four individuals collected amounts ranging from $900 to $7,000 from 18 workers of Weishen as a condition for renewing their work passes. Loo and Lim would provide positive feedback to Weishen's human resources department for only the foreign employees who had paid the kickbacks and help get their work passes renewed, reported The Straits Times. MOM said that Loo has paid a total of $83,050 as restitution to the affected migrant workers. Of the 18 workers who were affected, nine have returned home, while the remaining nine are working in Singapore, with three employed at Weishen. Lim was convicted in August 2024 and was sentenced to a fine of $84,000 while Kabir's case is still pending before the court, said MOM. "Collecting employment kickbacks from migrant workers is a serious offence, and the Ministry of Manpower will not hesitate to take enforcement action against such unlawful acts," the ministry said. Those convicted will face a fine of up to $30,000, a jail term of up to two years, or both. Migrant workers who suspect that they are being asked to give kickbacks can seek help by calling MOM at 6438 5122 or the Migrant Workers' Centre at 6536 2692. The ministry also urged members of the public who are aware of suspicious employment activities, or who know of persons who contravene the EFMA, to report the matter via MOM's website. All information will be kept strictly confidential, it said. [[nid:720463]]
