A man who deliberately threw himself on a moving car at Pasir Ris Farmway 2 has been arrested, according to Channel NewsAsia.
The driver, Terry Loo, shared two videos of footage from his dashboard camera capturing the entire incident which happened last Sunday.
From Mr Loo's videos, the man is seen standing in the middle of the road and running towards Mr Loo's car before jumping onto the bonnet. Luckily, the driver had long stopped his vehicle when he spotted the man from afar.
According to Yahoo, the police were alerted to the incident at about 3.32pm, and the 35-year-old man, who was drunk at that time, was arrested for committing a rash act.
It was also reported that the man complained about his injury and demanded compensation from Mr Loo.
The incident appears to be a "please-hit-me" insurance scam,where a person throws himself onto a vehicle to demand compensation for their self-inflicted "injuries".
This is not the first time it happened in Singapore, though.
Back in 2015 and 2016, two elderly men were caught executing the same exploit.
There are certainly some "life hacks" we call smart, but a hack like this to get money out of insurance isn't exactly so - not when our dashcams are capable of capturing the big picture.
Mr Loo's post has since been shared more than 7,000 times and some local netizens thought the perpetrator's act was laughable.
Despite being the chosen victim of the scam, Mr Loo nonetheless empathised with the man.
The National Police's Special Crimes Directorate has foiled an attempt to illegally export lobster eggs worth billions of rupiah to Singapore via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Banten.
"We confiscated 208,756 lobster eggs inside eight suitcases," said directorate chief Brig. Gen. Purwadi Arianto as quoted by tribunnews.com on Sunday.
Had the smuggling attempt been successful, state losses could have reached Rp 31.3 billion (US$ 2.4 million), Purwadi said, adding that the police had questioned two persons, identified as AM and WHY, in relation to the case.
AM was attempting to board a Garuda Indonesia flight to Singapore carrying 169,136 lobster eggs in six suitcases, while WHY took Lion Air flight departing from Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, carrying 39,620 lobster eggs to Soekarno-Hatta, from where he intended to continue travelling to Singapore.
From the police's preliminary investigations, they suspect that AM ordered WHY to carry the lobster eggs. Police have named AM a suspect in the case, while WHY's status so far remains that of a witness.
Besides lobster eggs, the police also confiscated one passport, two mobile phones, Rp 7.1 million and S$525 in cash, boarding passes and luggage claim tags.
AM is being charged with violating Law No. 31/2004 on fisheries, Law No. 16/1992 on quarantine, animals and plants and the Criminal Code.
The police in co-operation with other agencies, including customs, aviation security, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry's National Fish Quarantine, Quality Control and Fishery Product Safety Agency (BKIPM), have released the lobster eggs on Carita Beach in Banten, keeping only 256 as evidence.
Touted as the next big thing at party playground Clarke Quay, new nightspot Get Juiced will offer a smart geeky experience when it comes to ordering drinks.
You don't have to pull your hair out while trying to get the bartender's attention on a packed night here.
Here are 5 reasons that might lure booze-hounds and party-goers to the place like bees to honey.
1. You can still get a drink if you forgot your wallet
Download the Get Juiced app and pre-buy the drinks you need in the stored value function. When you're finally at the scene of the party, use the app to place an order and make your payment using the available payment modes. Use the free Wifi available to save data.
So it's totally okay if you have no cash with you, but just remember to bring along your mobile and NRIC. According to Get Juiced Facebook page, the app will be launched on July 8, but the venue will be open to the public on Hari Raya day (June 23), which is also the eve of a public holiday.
2. You don't have to queue for your drinks
Don't we all hate long queues at the bar while thirsting desperately to get a drink? After making an order with the app, just continue your party fun. They will send you a message to tell you your drink is ready and to collect it at the bar.
3. It's only $5 nett for a drink
Yes, it's only five bucks for all house pours and half pints of Cresten draft beer. The catch is: you have to use the app to order the cheaper drinks in advance. Expect more pre-purchase deals to help you save more on a night out.
4. All-in-one dance club
Photo: Get Juiced
It's not just designed for the alcohol guzzler - Get Juiced offers three rooms - for live music, a dance floor, and chilling-out - sprawled over an area of about 8,000 square feet or eight five-room flats put together.
Hungry? In the pipeline is a food truck serving up bar grub favourites.
5. Make a song request via the app
The app allows you to make song requests. Expect more interactive functions for Get Juiced to engage with guests and cater to their preferences.
Get Juiced is located at Clarke Quay, 3E River Valley Road, #02-01 (www.getjuiced.sg)
If you're an online seller, you should be careful about a fake Paypal scam that has duped more than 40 individuals who had posted items for sale or units for rent online.
According to the Singapore Police Force, more than 40 reports have been made over Paypal scams since the beginning of the year.
In a statement on Tuesday (June 13), police said the scammers would contact victims and pose as interested buyers.
They would send fictitious emails in the name of PayPal or reputable banks to trick victims into believing they had made payments.
Victims were then told to show proof of shipment of the items before they would receive payment.
In some cases, victims were duped further into making payment for the 'activation of Paypal accounts' in order to receive payment.
But the payments never came through for the vicims.
Police say members of the public should adopt the following preventive measures when making transactions online:
a. Always log on to your Paypal account to verify that payment has indeed been made before sending the item. Do not trust the email, even if the address from which it originated appears to be legitimate.
b. Never download attachments or software programs attached in such emails. Clicking on these could harm your computer and leave it susceptible to being hacked.
c. Do not give out your personal information, credit/debit card details, bank account details, or email account details.
d. Bear in mind that if Paypal really needs your information, it would send you a request to login safely to your account before you provide that information.
To provide any information to the police, call the police hotline at 1800-255- 0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. For urgent Police assistance, dial '999'.
To seek scam-related advice, the public can call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722- 6688 or go to www.scamalert.sg.
Looking towards a new era of inter-galactic exploration, American space agency NASA recently announced their picks for the newest batch of astronaut candidates - seven men and five women, aged 29 to 42.
Carefully selected from a record pool of 18,300 applicants, NASA's class of 2017 will include individuals who have worked as doctors, scientists, engineers, pilots and military officials.
Of the 12 recruits unveiled are two Asian-Americans, resident emergency specialist Dr Jonny Kim, 33, and US Air Force Lieutenant colonel Raja Chari, 39.
They follow the footsteps of names like Ellison Onizuka, the first Asian American astronaut of Japanese origin and Kalpana Chalwla, NASA's first female astronaut of Indian descent.
Hearing what Kim and Chari have accomplished in their lifetime so far, we fully agree with acting administrator of NASA, Robert Lightfoot, who said, "It makes me personally feel very inadequate when you read what these folks have done."
Dr Jonny Kim
If you've served as a Navy SEAL, graduated from Harvard Medical School and worked as a doctor in two reputable hospitals, what do you have left to accomplish?
In the course of two deployments to the Middle East, Kim served as a combat medic, sniper, navigator and point man and told of how his field-experience led to his eventual calling.
"The moment I knew I wanted to go into medicine was during my first deployment to Ramadi (in Iraq), which was when one of my best friends was shot," he said in the video.
"Watching the spectacular team of emergency medicine physicians, orthopedic surgeons and nurses save my friend's life is when I realised that there was a greater calling for me and that calling was medicine."
At the time of his selection by NASA in June, Kim was serving as a resident physician in emergency medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Although he said it "may be a little unclear" what the future holds, Associated Press reported him saying that "we're just happy to be here."
Raja Chari
Only the second Indian American chosen by NASA for the astronaut training programme, Raja Chari is a fighter pilot born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and raised in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Photo: NASA
A graduate of the US Air Force Academy in 1999 with a Bachelors in Astronautical Engineering and Engineering Science, Chari went on to earn a Master's degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the distinguished Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The lieutenant colonel later served with the US Air Force, accumulating over 2,000 hours of flight time under his belt on deployments to Iraq and the Korean peninsula.
The married father-of-three has been conferred numerous accolades, including the Defence Meritorious Service Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal.
NASA class of 2017 astronaut candidates stop to take a group photo while getting fitted for flight suits at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.Photo: AFP
NASA's 12 new recruits will join 44 other active-duty astronauts already part of the NASA corps.
Upon completion of their two-year training at the Johnson Space Centre commencing in August, they will be assigned to the astronaut office to await a flight assignment.
And in T minus who knows when, these men could possibly take mankind to infinity and beyond.
Last Thursday (8 Jun), True Fitness gym members in Bangkok, Thailand were horrified to find that their gym had abruptly ceased its operations at its Exchange Tower outlet.
At its peak, there were 3 True Fitness outlets in Thailand; however, 1 of them closed down last November and the other, on 3 Jun this year.
The Exchange Tower outlet was the last one standing.
In a statement issued on its website the next day (9 Jun), the company revealed that the business was "no longer financially viable due to evolving market conditions" in Thailand.
However, the company has neglected to contact its members to offer refunds of compensation, and this spells bad news especially for its corporate clients, who were reported to have paid 200,000 baht (~S$8,126) and up for memberships for 3 to 5 years.
According to Khaosod English, trainers at the gym had also not been paid properly for months, with one revealing that he only received about 30 per cent of his salary and was denied 8 months of commission.
Members also noted that nearing the closure, maintenance for the facilities stopped, and classes were cancelled as well.
With Thailand's Office of Consumer Protection Board (ONCB) now offering help to those who are seeking to be compensated, the chain's Thai office looks to be due to face legal woes ahead.
Members in Thailand waiting outside a closed down outlet Photo: Twitter/Meawzilaz
Said ONCB's deputy secretary general Pikanest Tapuang to affected customers, "You can come in as a group or an individual. We will pore over your contract with the fitness chain and, if laws allow, sue the firm for you."
But misery loves its company, and the very next day, its operations in Malaysia followed suit, with the similar announcement being put up on its Malaysia website on Saturday (10 Jun).
The reason for closure was also due to "evolving market conditions".
According to Malaysian website Says, the closure came as a rude shock, given how True Fitness was still recruiting new members "up to 2 days before they shut down".
While the company tried soothing sentiments by assuring that affected customers can continue with another centre, Chi Fitness, they are "unable to refund in cash the unused portions" of membership months and training sessions.
However, Chi Fitness has just come out denying that there was any agreement with True Fitness Malaysia to honour membership transfers.
Photo: Facebook/Chi Fitness
Chi Fitness operations director Ashley Paulus clarified, though, that True Fitness Malaysia "was in the process of purchasing one-month membership vouchers from them".
"They have asked to purchase 20,000 one-month membership passes from us. There is 20,000 worth of passes available and we have agreed to honour them over the period of two years," she said.
Another California Fitness?
With such bad news happening to our neighbours overseas, it's no surprise that members in Singapore (some 47,000 of them), albeit being reassured by the management, feel jittery as well.
In fact, many have drawn comparisons to the California Fitness fiasco that happened around the same time last year.
First opened in Singapore in 1998, the announcement that all California Fitness gyms would be closed with immediate notice came in the wee hours of Wednesday, 20 Jul, and the reason given was that the company didn't not have adequate liquid resources to continue its operations.
And just like the situation this year, the news came right after the closing all its 12 outlets in Hong Kong.
Not The Same Legal Entity
Founded in Singapore in late 2004 by founder and group CEO Patrick Wee, the True Group manages not just the entities in Singapore, but those in China and Taiwan as well.
Stating on their website that they have "invested in excess of US$100 million regionally and now has more than 200,000 members across the region", the Group has, in the midst of this chaos, come forward to assure that "the Singapore, Taiwan and China partnership is a totally different legal entity from Thailand".
The Group also reiterated that they are just "a minority partner" in the Thailand operations.
It's interesting to note, though, that a cached version of the 'About Us' page on its Thai website states that that the Group had "established its presence in five countries" - including the now defunct outlets in Malaysia and Thailand.
Screenshot of the cached Thailand website
Photo: True Group
The same page on its Singapore website only states 3 countries - Singapore, Taiwan and China.
Regardless, members in Singapore might be able to rest easy, given that just a week ago, the (rather conflicting, nonetheless) news came that the Group is collaborating with a Chinese investor to establish 20 new entities in China over the next 3 years.
According to Deal Street Asia's report at the end of May, the Chinese investor is Hong Kong-listed Tongfang Kontafarma, and the deal will include the acquisition of a 51.1 per cent stake in the Group for "an aggregate cash consideration of $36.7 million (S$51.2 million)".
The move is said to be integral in helping finance the expansion of the Group in China.
A spokesperson has also revealed to Channel NewsAsia that the Group is aiming to open "one to four clubs per year in each market" in Singapore and Taiwan.
From comments on social media though, not many seem to be buying into the statement.
While it's "business as usual" in Singapore's 8 True Fitness gyms, the reality that haunts mega gyms is real.
One lesson that can be learnt is from the downfall of competitors that sell their services in the form of long term packages.
While having customers sign up for package deals means that the company stand to gain an influx of funds in the beginning, Dr Leng Ho Keat, Assistant Professor of Physical Education and Sports Science at the National Institute of Education (NIE) states that it makes companies think that they're earning profits, when they might be setting themselves up for cashflow problems in the future.
"If you're selling a lifetime membership to a 20-year-old, he can exercise there for free for the next 60 years of his life. So you need to be very prudent and calculate how much it costs to offer such packages."
Photo: True Fitness
Another, is the need to create a sense of a 'community' among members - something that gym-goers appreciate.
In his interview with The Straits Times, Wee revealed that the increasing adoption of healthier lifestyles and fitness among the growing affluent population is something he feels the Group will benefit from - despite the rise of cheaper alternatives.
"If you become inspired to exercise through such exposure, it will help us attract customers to regular, dedicated classes at our own clubs."
Regardless, even with the war chest of funds from its investor and Wee's confidence in the survival of the Group, True Fitness cannot afford to rest on its laurels when it comes to the retention of its customers.
As with everything, time will tell - but it might be a good idea that you sign up for monthly gym packages from now on for good measure.
SINGAPORE - A fire at a crude distillation unit (CDU) at the Singapore Refinery Company's facility on Jurong Island has been put out, two sources with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.
The fire broke out on Tuesday morning at the company's No. 1 CDU, which has a capacity of 80,000 barrels per day, the sources said.
No-one was hurt and the rest of the 290,000-bpd refinery continued operating, they said.
The company did not comment when reached by Reuters.
Have you ever wondered what happens to 'K9' dogs in the Singapore Police Force (SPF) dog unit once they retire?
For many K9 handlers who have forged a bond with their furry partners, the right thing to do would be to bring these dogs home and provide for them. After all, being pampered for the rest of their lives is what they deserve after helping to serve the nation.
Unfortunately for these officers, till now, some of the dogs' sizes and breeds do not meet the existing HDB regulations for pet dogs and only handlers who live in private estates are allowed to adopt these dogs.
The situation was so inflexible such that several officers had resorted to moving to private estates just to be able to adopt their partners, according to the Police.
But with the new one-year pilot expansion of Project ADORE - an adoption and rehoming scheme for dogs in HDB flats announced earlier in May, handlers from K9 units can now bring them into their HDB homes.
This covers breeds such as Labradors, English Springer Spaniels, and Cocker Spaniels, while larger dogs such as German Shepherds will still not be allowed into HDB flats.
It should also be noted that this scheme is not restricted to Police K9 dogs but also to Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) units as well.
The one year pilot program will follow the same regulations and steps put in place by the original ADORE scheme, which includes screening of potential adopters of medium-sized dogs, inserting of microchips to prevent the abandonment of dogs, as well as interviewing the direct neighbours of the potential owner for their opinion.
The scheme was put into action slightly over a week ago, and former Police K9 NSF Thaksin Toh, 21, is the first fortunate dog handler to have had his dog come home with him.
His companion is a sprightly Cocker Spaniel named Moss, who used to serve as a narcotics sniffer dog in Changi Prisons.
"We trained for 6 weeks at the K9 HQ," Thaksin told AsiaOne in an interview. "That was the first time I met him. That was also when I fell in love with him."
"After that I was posted to other places (with him) and that strengthened my bond with him."
Thaksin had completed his national service in March which coincidentally happened to be around the time Moss was due to retire, and made enquiries regarding the possibility of his adopting Moss home.
He is normally very playful and to have him as a civilian domesticated it is extra hard. But it is okay, he is like family to me.
Thaksin Toh, Moss' owner
Of course, this being prior to the scheme being announced, Thaksin's request was initially turned down, and he resorted to looking through their old photos together and calling his juniors back at the headquarters to check up on Moss.
It was only two months later in May when Thaksin's K9 unit para-veterinarian gave him a call with the food news, and the rest is history.
"When I realised i could bring Moss home I was really happy," Thaksin recounted with a smile. "I called my family and friends. I even called people in Thailand to tell them the news, they were all very supportive about it."
When asked about Moss' transition into his new civilian life, Thaksin admitted to its difficulty, but also displayed no sign of regret. "He is normally very playful and to have him as a civilian domesticated it is extra hard."
"But it is okay," Thaksin continued after some thought. "He is like family to me."
A 35-year-old man made headlines when a video caught him sprinting towards a car before throwing himself onto it.
Facebook user Terry Loo Peng had stopped his car metres away when he saw the man approaching but was shocked when he continued to run before jumping on his car.
He then lay on the bonnet as if he was badly injured.
To add insult to injury, the man demanded compensation from Terry but thankfully, Terry had a dashboard camera and the man stopped asking for money when Terry pointed to it.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has issued a reply on Wednesday, against the allegations made by his siblings in an earlier statement, which stated that they have 'lost confidence' in him and are "worried about Singapore's future".
The allegations centred around the dispute over the demolition of their father's house at 38 Oxley Road.
In response, PM Lee has issued a statement on Wed, stating that he was "very disappointed" that his siblings have chosen to publicise "private family matters".
"While siblings may have differences, I believe that any such differences should stay in the family," said PM Lee.
As he is currently on leave with his family overseas, "as my siblings know", PM Lee added that he will "consider this matter further" once he returns.
Here is his statement in full:
"I am very disappointed that my siblings have chosen to issue a statement publicising private family matters. I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate allegations that they have made. Ho Ching and I deny these allegations, especially the absurd claim that I have political ambitions for my son.
"While siblings may have differences, I believe that any such differences should stay in the family. Since my father's passing in March 2015, as the eldest son I have tried my best to resolve the issues among us within the family, out of respect for our parents.
"My siblings' statement has hurt our father's legacy.
"I will do my utmost to continue to do right by my parents. At the same time, I will continue serving Singaporeans honestly and to the best of my ability. In particular that means upholding meritocracy, which is a fundamental value of our society.
"As my siblings know, I am presently overseas on leave with my family. I will consider this matter further after I return this weekend."
Dr Lee Wei Ling and Mr Lee Hsien Yang's statement can be found on their Facebook pages:
Mr Lee Hsien Yang's son, Li Shengwu, says he stands by his father and aunt Dr Lee Wei Ling's statement against Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He stated in a Facebook post today that "my immediate family has become increasingly worried about the lack of checks on abuse of power".
He added that "the situation is now such that my parents have made plans to relocate to another country, a painful decision that they have not made lightly".
Stating that he usually avoids commenting on Singapore politics, "but this is an exception", Li also shared the statement that his father posted on Facebook on Wednesday.
PM Lee's siblings, Dr Lee and Mr Lee Hsien Yang had released a statement today, stating that they are are "disturbed by the character, conduct, motives and leadership of our brother", and have "lost confidence in him". PM Lee has also responded with a statement on the matter.
In a reply to a comment on Mr Li's post regarding why the story was "not in the news", the 32-year-old stated: "Because the Singapore news is heavily controlled by the government. I'm in a position to know."
That is exactly what happened to the folks from The Golden Rule Barber Co. They received an invitation from the Argentinian football team to give them haircuts at the Fullerton Hotel, where the team was staying while in Singapore.
They were first contacted by footballer Paulo Dybala through Instagram.
A screengrab of the invitation from Paulo.Photo: Facebook/The Golden Rule Barber Co.
“One of the players, (Paulo) Dybala, messaged us on our Instagram page, and the management didn’t see the message. We never replied the message,” Muhammad Fauzee, a barber with The Golden Rule Barber Co, told Channel NewsAsia.
They only found out when they received a phone call from the Argentine team asking about their whereabouts.
While they initially thought that it was a misunderstanding, they finally understood the request for haircuts after some clarification.
The barbers went to the Fullerton Hotel at 10.30pm and gave haircuts to Guido Rodriguez, Manuel Lanzini, Joaquin Correa and Leondro Parades, according to The Straits Times.
The owner of The Golden Rule Barber Co., Santo Yani told The Straits Times that they were star-struck. Being football fans, they recognised them almost immediately.
"We didn't manage to interact much with them, all they said was, 'Good job and thank you', and they smiled a lot," Yani added.
Photo: Facebook/ The Golden Rule Barber Co.
The barbers gave the haircuts free-of-charge. However, in exchange, they were offered six to seven Argentinian kits, in which one was signed by Di Maria.
While the management forbade the barbers from taking pictures, the team graciously offered to take pictures with them instead before leaving.
With what little they had, the barbers came up with a short video showing their experience.
After all, it's not everyday when you give haircuts to such famous celebrities.
The Argentinian team was in town for a friendly match against Singapore.
akosasi@sph.com.sg
Singapore faces one of the world's greatest lineup at the National Stadium
Many people went wow when they read the jaw-dropping news, but it's probably an internet hoax penned by an overly imaginative person who had nothing else better to do.
The questionable article about the amazing feat of a 34-year-old Singapore man smashing the world record for sleeping with 57 women within a span of 24 hours has been making its rounds online since last week.
Many people and the tabloid media fell for it even though the report by a little-known website called Herald Europe was riddled with gaping holes.
Screenshot of the Herald Europe article.
Claiming its June 6 article was based on reports by Czech media without naming them, it said the record was broken at a brothel in Prague. The establishment was not named too even when it reportedly held such challenges as an annual event.
The man, who was also unnamed, was "rushed to hospital" after he "finished his 57th partner".
Good riddance - maybe it's the writer who should be sent for examination after embellishing the article with sordid details instead of getting official confirmation on news on a record-breaking accomplishment from a trusted authority.
The proliferation of dubious news sites and fake news has become a scourge for internet users looking for authentic information today. Even the mainstream media and people who are regarded smart because of their standing have fallen prey to them.
