Category: Singapuraku

Man Tried To Break Into Woodlands Flat At Midnight With Occupants Inside

A male stranger allegedly tried to break into Stomper Ong‘s flat at Block 774 Woodlands Crescent at around midnight today (July 7), when only his wife and three-year-old daughter were at home.

The Stomper said he and his mother had been out at a funeral when the incident occurred at about 12.24am.

According to Amos, whose wife managed to take a picture of the man, he has never seen the guy around before.

The family subsequently lodged a police report but are still worried that the man might return.

Amos recounted what happened:

“My wife and daughter were resting in our room. While my wife was in a phone call with her friend, both of them heard loud banging of the main door. She went out to open the door, thinking that it was my mum who was having difficulty opening it.

“To her shock, it was an unfamiliar man in a red shirt, trying to push his way through and enter our house. He stood in the front area of our house, asked my wife to keep quiet and intended to proceed further in.

“At that moment, my wife was only thinking about the safety of our three-year-old daughter. She shouted and asked my daughter to go into the room, then managed to push this red shirt man out the door and locked the metal gate.

“This man then stood outside and asked my wife for evidence that he did the damage to our door. After some confrontation, he walked away to the stairway and disappeared from sight.

“A neighbour came out after this (he hard heard loud banging noise, big thanks to him) and my wife managed to ask him to come over to help.

“While she was explaining the situation, this red shirt man returned and told my neighbor that my wife was ‘gila orang’ and ran off.

“That’s when she manage to took a short clip of his appearance. He was sweaty, bare-footed and kept scratching his leg using the other leg.”

Amos also shared a photo of the damaged inflicted on his door and said it was caused by the man “using a lot of force”.

He added:

“The police are currently investigating this, but what we don’t understand is his intention of doing this. Why did he come back? Why our house when there were people still in there?

“We understand that there is some neglect on my wife’s part (for opening the door without checking, and she can’t remember if she did lock the metal gate) but I believe he will eventually force his way in; it is just a matter of time.

“I can’t imagine what would have happened to the two girls if my wife had not overpowered him at that moment.”

In response to queries by Stomp, a Police spokesman said they were alerted to a case of House Trespass at Block 774 Woodlands Crescent at 12.28am.

Investigations are ongoing.

Source: STOMP

July 7, 2017
Commentary: Comfort Taxi Driver Went Above And Beyond, A Crybaby Moment For Me

Today I was shown kindness by a Comfort taxi driver – Mr Yeo Choon Hwa.

I had to report for my flight at 730am.
I booked a taxi and when I got into the cab, I told the Uncle (yes we call any elderly male stranger Uncle in Singapore) to ‘please rush for me?’

Which is highly unfair because now I am partly making it his responsibility to get me to work in time… but I was that desperate.

Halfway through the journey – I started reaching out for my wallet so that I can quickly pay him and get out.

As the search got more frantic, I realised the worst. I forgot my wallet. I couldn’t believe it. I was now 12 minutes away from the airport. There was NO WAY out. Turning back will mean a day of havoc for me.

Resigning to my fate, I came clean with Uncle.
I told him I forgot my wallet and I wouldn’t be able to pay him at the end of this journey.
He looked up at me through the rear view and gave the most stunning reaction.

He smiled. Kindly. And then asked me what I would like to do. What I would like to do!? This was his taxi, his rice bowl and he had every right to tell me to get out from his taxi or turn back – but yes – he asked me what I would like to do.

So I told him, that if he is ok – I’ll take down his details and do a bank transfer when I touch down.
And without skipping a beat, he agreed.

I got to the airport just in time. Uncle even came out and helped me with my bags and just before I dashed off – he asked me if I had enough money for my travels and if I needed some.

Yeah. Crybaby moment for me. Still is.
Even after transferring the amount + bonus, I don’t think any amount can ever repay what he did.

Apart from his compassion and kindness, he completely left it to his faith in humanity that I will not go back on my word.
And I can’t help but think, what a lot of faith that must be.

Here’s to all our Taxi Uncles. ❤️❤️❤️

#TaxiUncleFTW #SHD4927J

Source: Noor Mastura

July 7, 2017
CEO Of A&W Says Outlets In Singapore Will Be Halal-Certified To Cater To Muslims

After confirming the return of the A&W fast food chain to Singapore in 2018, Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore followed up with President and CEO Kevin Bazner to share more details about the comeback, including the source of supplies, possible Halal certifications and why it took 15 years to return.

“Our beef patties will be 100% sourced from Australia. Our fresh chicken supply will predominantly be sourced in the region and prepared locally. Other ingredients, where possible, will be sourced locally,” said Bazner in an email on Friday (7 July).

When asked if outlets in Singapore will be Halal-certified to cater to Muslims in the country, he said, “Yes, absolutely.”

Bazner was in charge of A&W’s international division back in 1988, during which he lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with his family for seven years. The American company was acquired by Yum! Brands in 2003, the same year all Singapore outlets were shut.

More than 10 years later, A&W is set to return to the foodie nation. But what took it so long?

“We have been discussing A&W Restaurants’ return to Singapore since 2011, when A&W Restaurants Inc took over ownership from Yum! Brands. Given the popularity of A&W Restaurants brand and its signature products, coupled with rising demand from local consumers, we knew we had to give the Singapore market another shot,” said Bazner, who went on to talk about how Singaporeans themselves had played a big part in the brand’s return.

President and CEO of A&W Restaurants, Inc. (Photo: A&W)

“A&W Restaurants receives daily requests via social media and other channels to bring the brand back to Singapore. To put this into perspective, hundreds of requests from potential franchisees are recorded each year,” he said.

As Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore reported on Tuesday (4 July), A&W has already set up its international corporate office in Singapore in 2016, and is currently looking for a space for its flagship outlet, which will serve as an international training ground for staff in the region.

“While we cannot confirm a specific area right now, we will make another announcement as soon as we can,” said Bazner, who also hinted that “key neighbourhood towns and regions as well as commercial malls and the Central Business District” are among some of the locations they are looking into. A&W’s first outlet in Singapore will be its flagship outlet owned by the company itself and not a franchise.

Craving for root beer floats and coney dogs? A&W confirms a return to Singapore in 2018 (Photo: A&W)

What else can Singaporeans expect from A&W’s return?

Bazner assured that Singaporeans can definitely look forward to the usual fan favourites, such as fried chicken, burgers, Coney Dogs, waffle ice cream, curly fries, and “freshly-made” root beer served in frosty mugs.

“But this is not just it… there will also be new innovation on the menu, which we will be ready to share closer to the first store opening,” he said.

While A&W has already made plans to launch in Singapore during the second half of 2018, “this will largely depend on the suitability of store sites and resources”, according to Bazner.

Source: Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore

July 7, 2017
Commentary: 38 Oxley Is Not The Address Of Singapore

38 Oxley is Not the Address of Singapore

After a noisy 2 days in Parliament the matter of Singapore’s Founding Prime Minister’s Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s home at 38 Oxley Road will now be settled through private channels among his three children. This is arguably how it should have been done all along. As the dust settles it is pertinent to make some observations on what this all means.

First, Singapore works. Our economy continued to hum, people got up and went to work and spent time with their families, the water still ran and the lights still came on. Our institutions and systems have held firm.

This is the most reassuring and reaffirming observation to make. In fact, it is the only one that really matters. If this had not held true nothing else would be material.

Second, ending the fiction of a ‘natural aristocracy’. Many of our leaders overinvest in the concept of meritocracy to conclude that we have a ‘natural aristocracy’ that deserves its rights and privileges because they are very intelligent.

Singapore has special people – they are Singaporeans, and not just Singaporean ‘leaders’. It is Singaporeans who define, embody and refresh the spirit that is Singapore.

Let us cease the practice of making demi-gods of political leaders. They are only human and in recognising them to be so we are paying them the respect they deserve for coping with life just as we all have to and yet rising (or trying to) above its travails to focus on the bigger picture and the longer term.

For their part political leaders should not forget that they serve at the pleasure of the people. Leaving aside the matter of the quality of the debate, there was no better affirmation of this than the debate in Parliament. It was a political display to retain the confidence of the people and a necessary one to underscore that we have a democratic system that must not just work but be seen to work.

Third, 38 Oxley Road is an address in Singapore. It is not the address of Singapore. It is time for Singaporeans and for politicians, current and aspiring, to grasp that Singapore is neither about land or Lee.

That is a very good thing. It shows that Singaporeans have matured, can keep perspective and know how to separate past from present and also know the difference between myth, however attractive, and practical matters.

While the personalities involved in this family fracas come out of this politically scarred, Singapore emerges from this stronger and better.

The Merlion may have been spitting in disgust recently but it is not drowning in despair. Its eyes look out at the horizon not at its navel or its tail. Our future lies out there and with it, dangers to deal with and opportunities to seize. Nothing has changed that and nothing will.

Source: Devadas Krishnadas

July 7, 2017
Suspicious Man Loitering Around Void Deck In Sengkang, Parents With Kids To Be Wary

Salam everyone.. Just wanted to share something that happened to me this morning (5 July) at Fernvale, Sengkang West Way.

After sending my 2nd daughter off through her school van, me and my youngest daughter proceeded to take the lift back home.

Out of nowhere, a guy who looks like a chinese national, hop on the same lift as me looking rather suspicious.

This was the same guy who was lurking around the void deck when I was waiting to fetch my daughter from her school van yesterday. Moreover, he was wearing the exact same shirt as the day before.

He pressed the 13th floor but throughout the journey up, he kept glancing towards my youngest daughter.

I felt uneasy and alighted from the lift. Surprisingly, the lift stopped just a storey above me. I quickly went back home to inform my husband who was fortunately on off today about the incident in the lift.

While discussing, I just had the intuition to peep through the peephole and to my horror, that same guy was lurking just outside my house!

I hid away but Hubby decided to confront the guy to ask for his intention for standing in front of our house. He claimed to be ‘working’ and is here everyday but Hubby called his bluff asking where is his town council shirt then and if he’s not with the town council, do provide his supervisor’s contact details. When he could not answer all those queries, Hubby threatened to call the police. The guy immediately said sorry and ran down the stairs.

That whole incident send goosebumps all over my body.

Hubby did call the police to inform them about the matter. The guy was about 170cm-ish aged probably in the late 30s/ early 40s wearing a grey nike shirt and cream coloured shorts. The only mistake was hubby forgot to snap a photo of the guy as he was charging his phone.

The police mentioned that they will step up the patrolling and would only go through footages from cctv cameras at the staircase landing should the guy appear again.

Sharing this here so that we can all be extra vigilant when we’re bringing our kids outside.

Source: Nur Haryani Husni

July 7, 2017