# data[].attributes.headline
What do you envision the future of cars?

# data[].attributes.subject
What do you envision the future of cars?

# data[].attributes.body
I think that future cars would have
levitation powers and be 100% eco-friendly and also to prevent climate change and global warming. It will also have self driving so that people who do not know how to drive can use the cars to drive and they will not need to pay $3000 for a try at getting a driver's license.

# data[].attributes.headline
Reflection on Staggering School-Start Time

# data[].attributes.subject
Reflection on Staggering School-Start Time

# data[].attributes.body
Mr Jamus Lim has started staggering start time for schools so that students can get ample amount of sleep before school starts and sleep later. It is also to reduce congestion in the morning peak hour. This way, students can wake up fresh and not so sleepy at 6am. Also to go to school in a proper and organised manner, not congested and messy. Hence, school starts later to ease the issues.

# data[].attributes.body
https://mothership.sg/2022/07/twitch-couple-woman-kick-food/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A woman in Singapore was apprehended after she was seen confronting a couple who were hanging out and livestreaming in public.

The couple, Clarence Kang, 39, and his wife Angelica Mendoza, 37, were sitting on the side of a covered pedestrian walkway outside Buona Vista MRT station when they were approached by a woman in pink wearing a skin care face mask.

The incident, caught on the final two hours of a long livestream, was uploaded to the couple's account on June 28.

The entire stream lasted some 14 hours.

What happened

At the 12 hours 28 minutes and 30 seconds mark, the woman in pink could be seen approaching the couple and telling them to stop what they were doing.

The woman said: "You are not supposed to do this here."

She continued: "Switch off that thing before I call the police."

Kang replied: "I'm just chatting with my friend."

Triggered by comments made by the husband

When the woman repeated that she will call the police, Kang said: "It's okay, you just call the police, go ahead ma'am. Thank you ah, have a nice day."

This remark apparently caused the woman to turn back.

She said: "Don't call me ma'am. I will not teach you anything."

The woman then continued: "I will kick you. Do you want me to kick your ass?"

The woman then walked beside Kang and his wife, which led Kang to ask: "What are you trying to do?"

The woman then told Kang: "You are not supposed to eat here."

Kang responded that he was not even eating.

Kicked food on ground

She then walked over to the packed food on the ground and kicked them away.

At this point, the couple finally retaliated.

Kang threw a packet with drinks at the woman.

Mendoza then smacked the woman on the back, before asking the woman: "Why you kick like that? Why you hurting people for what?"

Woman followed livestreamer around

Kang then said to the camera that he will call the police.

Kang and Mendoza asked the woman to compensate them for the food.

All the while the woman continued to stand beside the couple.

The woman then proceeded to walk towards Kang and followed him around as he walked away.

This went on for several minutes.

Took off her shoes

Eight minutes after showing up, at the 12 hours 36 minutes and 30 seconds mark, the woman took off her shoes and continued to follow Kang around.

All the while he tried to shake her off.

Bystander stepped in

At the 12 hours 37 minutes and 39 seconds mark, almost 10 minutes after the woman showed up, a bystander who was passing by stepped in to stop the woman with the skin care face mask.

A minute later, the woman in the skin care face mask started screaming as she was pinned to the ground by the bystander.

Kang said: "This is really suay (unlucky), you know. Come here, eat, then kenna (encounter) this kind of thing."

All the while, the member of public who stepped in to help continued to hold the woman down.

Woman started to sing

At the 12 hours 43 minutes and 33 seconds mark, the woman wearing the skin care face mask started singing.

The viewers who were tuned in at that time reacted in the comments section that they could not believe what they were seeing.

At the 12 hours 44 minutes and 45 seconds mark, the police arrived.

Kang stopped recording when he spoke to the police officer.

Police responded to call for assistance

According to The New Paper, the police said they received a call for assistance at 100 North Buona Vista Road on June 28 at 10.58pm, and apprehended a 41-year-old woman under Section 7(1) of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act 2008.

Mendoza told TNP she is grateful to the passerby who helped them: "The Malay lady very kind, and helped us out of nowhere."

The couple let on that the food the woman had kicked over was partially paid for by their Twitch community, while the milk tea was a special order that one of their viewers from Malaysia had ordered for them via a food delivery service.

Kang and Mendoza frequently livestream their lives with their four-year-old son on Twitch.
All media via 3wh33ler Twitch

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Police apprehend woman, 41, in skin care face mask after she kicks livestreaming couple's food in Buona Vista

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A woman in Singapore was apprehended after she was seen confronting a couple who were hanging out and livestreaming in public. The couple, Clarence Kang, 39, and his wife Angelica Mendoza, 37, were sitting on the side of a covered pedestrian walkway outside Buona Vista MRT station when they were approached by a woman in pink wearing a skin care face mask.

# data[].attributes.headline
SP Group raises household electric tariff by 8% from July to September

# data[].attributes.subject
SP Group raises household electric tariff by 8% from July to September

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/electricity-tariff-july-sept-sp-group-1934356

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
SINGAPORE - The electricity tariff for households will increase by an average of 8 per cent from July to September this year, compared with the previous quarter.

This is mainly due to higher energy cost driven by rising global gas and oil prices exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, utilities company SP Group said on Thursday (June 30).

Excluding Goods and Services Tax (GST), the tariff will increase from 27.94 to 30.17 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) from July 1 to Sept 30 this year.

Including GST, this rate is 32.28 cents per kWh.

This means that the average monthly electricity bill for families living in four-room Housing and Development Board flats will increase by S$8.25 before GST. Including GST, this figure is S$8.82.

This is the sixth consecutive quarter of increase.

SP Group said that it reviews the electricity tariffs every quarter of the year based on guidelines set by the electricity industry regulator, the Energy Market Authority (EMA). The revised tariffs have been approved by EMA, the company added.

Separately, gas supplier City Energy - rebranded from City Gas last year - also announced on Thursday that the gas tariff for households will increase by 1.43 cents per kWh, from 21.66 cents per kWh to 23.09 cents per kWh, before GST, for the July to September period.

The increase is due to higher fuel costs compared with the previous quarter, it added.

City Energy also said that it reviews the gas tariff based on guidelines set by EMA. The revised tariffs have been approved by the authority, it added.

Last week, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong announced that eligible adult Singaporeans will receive a one-off cash payment of up to S$300, on top of the regular Goods and Services Tax (GST) vouchers to be disbursed this year, as part of an extra S$1.5 billion package to help more vulnerable groups cope with rising living costs.

In addition, all Singaporean households will receive a S$100 credit to offset their utilities bills. This will be disbursed by September.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SP Group to raise household electricity tariff by about 8% from July to September amid 'higher energy cost'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
SINGAPORE - The electricity tariff for households will increase by an average of 8 per cent from July to September this year, compared with the previous quarter. This is mainly due to higher energy cost driven by rising global gas and oil prices exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, utilities company SP Group said on Thursday (June 30).

# data[].attributes.headline
Climate Change and Global Warming in the Oceans

# data[].attributes.subject
Climate Change and Global Warming in the Oceans

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.todayonline.com/world/oceans-are-hotter-higher-and-more-acidic-climate-report-warns-1900876

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
GENEVA - The world's oceans grew to their warmest and most acidic levels on record last year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday (May 18), as United Nations officials warned that war in Ukraine threatened global climate commitments.

Oceans saw the most striking extremes as the WMO detailed a range of turmoil wrought by climate change in its annual "State of the Global Climate" report. It said melting ice sheets had helped push sea levels to new heights in 2021.

"Our climate is changing before our eyes. The heat trapped by human-induced greenhouse gases will warm the planet for many generations to come," said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas in a statement.

The report follows the latest UN climate assessment, which warned that humanity must drastically cut its greenhouse gas emissions or face increasingly catastrophic changes to the world's climate.

Dr Taalas told reporters there was scant airtime for climate challenges as other crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine, grabbed headlines.

Mr Selwin Hart, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres's special adviser on climate action, criticised countries reneging on climate commitments due to the conflict, which has pushed up energy prices and prompted European nations to seek to replace Russia as an energy supplier.

DANGEROUS INCREASE

"We are... seeing many choices being made by many major economies which, quite frankly, have the potential to lock in a high-carbon, high-polluting future and will place our climate goals at risk," Mr Hart told reporters.

On Tuesday, global equity index giant MSCI warned that the world faces a dangerous increase in greenhouse gases if Russian gas is replaced with coal.

The WMO report said levels of climate-warming carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere in 2021 surpassed previous records.

Globally, the average temperature last year was 1.11°C above the preindustrial average - as the world edges closer to the 1.5°C threshold beyond which the effects of warming are expected to become drastic.

"It is just a matter of time before we see another warmest year on record," Dr Taalas said.

Oceans bear much of the brunt of the warming and emissions. The bodies of water absorb around 90 per cent of the Earth's accumulated heat and 23 per cent of the carbon dioxide emissions from human activity.

The ocean has warmed markedly faster in the last 20 years, hitting a new high in 2021, and is expected to become even warmer, the report said. That change would likely take centuries or millennia to reverse, it noted.

The ocean is also now its most acidic in at least 26,000 years as it absorbs and reacts with more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Sea level has risen 4.5cm in the last decade, with the annual increase from 2013 to 2021 more than double what it was from 1993 to 2002.

The WMO also listed individual extreme heatwaves, wildfires, floods and other climate-linked disasters around the world, noting reports of more than US$100 billion in damages. REUTERS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Oceans are hotter, higher and more acidic, climate report warns

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
GENEVA - The world's oceans grew to their warmest and most acidic levels on record last year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday (May 18), as United Nations officials warned that war in Ukraine threatened global climate commitments.

# data[].attributes.headline
Comfort Delgro Taxi Operator to move to electric-free cars.

# data[].attributes.subject
Comfort Delgro Taxi Operator to move to electric-free cars.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/comfortdelgro-driving-centre-add-electric-vehicles-training-fleet-1906261

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
SINGAPORE - Drivers at the ComfortDelGro Driving Centre will soon be able to opt for electric vehicles (EVs) for their Class 3A Licence Course.

Starting June 1, the centre will add five electric cars to its training fleet, ComfortDelGro said on Tuesday (May 24).

It aims to have 100 electric cars by 2030, accounting for more than half of its training fleet

Drivers will be using the Hyundai Kona Electric (standard range), which has a small turning radius and is suitable for the centre's driving circuit, said ComfortDelGro.

Five alternative current charging stations have been installed at the premises to charge the EVs, which take about six hours to fully charge.

"The EVs will be available to corporate learners for their defensive and familiarisation driving courses, and to the Elite Team learners to book via the MyCDC App," ComfortDelGro said.

"Learners undergoing EV training can expect slight differences relating to the sensitivity of the accelerator, engine sound, engine brake, turning radius, and maintenance.

"The EV training will also allow learners to better understand the electronic control buttons that come with the vehicle."

ComfortDelGro said the centre will also add two electric Alrendo TS Bravo motorcycles (Class 2A) for its non-licensing corporate training course by the end of the year.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ComfortDelGro Driving Centre to add electric vehicles to training fleet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
SINGAPORE - Drivers at the ComfortDelGro Driving Centre will soon be able to opt for electric vehicles (EVs) for their Class 3A Licence Course. Starting June 1, the centre will add five electric cars to its training fleet, ComfortDelGro said on Tuesday (May 24).

# data[].attributes.headline
Reflection on local park cleanup in East Coast Park 

# data[].attributes.subject
Reflection on local park cleanup in East Coast Park 

# data[].attributes.body
On 19 March 2022, a local park cleanup at East Coast Park was held by CNA Green Plan as part of their series to show the country's sustainability efforts. I personally feel that this cleanup is very useful in contributing to sustainability because it helps in everyone's efforts in preventing pollution.

# data[].attributes.headline
Reflection on Article of MRT accident between Lavender and Kallang MRT station

# data[].attributes.subject
Reflection on Article of MRT accident between Lavender and Kallang MRT station

# data[].attributes.body
on 25 February 2022, a 31-year old Bangladeshi Man named Faisal managed to access the MRT tracks and was announced dead because some operators saw a so-called "backpack" or "Black Trash Bag" and a human hand. The issue was that the "Backpack" was actually Faisal's dead body. He was on drugs before his death. Sources show he believed that he was depressed. I feel that this issue is very devastating because it portrays what drugs can actually do to one's body and lifestyle.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/12/science/black-hole-photo.html

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Milky Way’s Black Hole Comes to Light (Published 2022)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Event Horizon Telescope has once again caught sight of the “unseeable.”

# data[].attributes.headline
Keppel Installing new BTOs' cost over $700 000

# data[].attributes.subject
Keppel Installing new BTOs' cost over $700 000

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/keppel-club-bto-hdb-plh-model-how-much-property-analysts-2623251

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While the supply of 6,000 new HDB flats offered at the Keppel Club site is considered "fairly sizable", they are still likely to sell out given the "overwhelming demand" among Singaporeans for flats in a prime location, said PropNex's head of research and content Wong Siew Ying.

The Greater Southern Waterfront is a high-profile waterfront development that is close to the city, and flats in the Keppel Club site are likely to have a "high potential for capital appreciation", said Ms Wong.

This means the flats could also see strong resale demand, after they exit the minimum occupation period, she added.

"Given the attractive site attributes, we would consider the future flats on the Keppel Club site to be in the 'limited edition' category. As such, we think that the HDB flats offered should come under the PLH model because of their extremely prime location."

For example, as seen with the Pinnacle @ Duxton, prime location flats are "very desirable", with many resale flats there going for more than S$1 million, said Ms Wong.

"To mitigate the lottery effect, we think the PLH model should be applied on all future BTO projects in Greater Southern Waterfront," she added.

Under the PLH model, buyers of BTO flats in prime locations will face a longer minimum occupation period of 10 years, double that of typical BTO projects.

These flats will also come with extra subsidies, but those who eventually sell their units will have to pay a percentage of the flat's resale price back to HDB.

If the flats are sold under the PLH model, four-room flats could cost S$600,000 to S$700,000, while three-room flats could cost S$400,000 to S$450,000, said Ms Wong.

The recent BTO launch at the nearby Telok Blangah Beacon in May 2021 saw three-room and four-room flats starting at S$420,000 and S$600,000 respectively, she noted.

"Given the extremely prime location, we expect the Keppel Club flats could be pricey and the Government may have to apply more subsidies to keep them affordable," she added.

While those applying for a unit there will face "stiff competition", this may not deter many families from trying to get a place in the Greater Southern Waterfront area, said Ms Wong.

"Having said that, some would-be buyers may decide to go for other BTO projects instead, being mindful of the keen competition and prefer to opt for a less popular location so as to stand a better chance of getting a new flat."

Ms Christine Sun, senior vice president of research and analytics at OrangeTee & Tie, also estimated that under the PLH model, the price of a four-room flat at the Keppel Club site would come down slightly, close to or slightly higher than the launch prices of the River Peaks at Rochor and King George's Heights in Kallang, at about S$500,000 to S$700,000.

"The Government may set aside some flats as rental units for lower-income families, community care apartments for seniors and some two-room flexi flats, so as to offer more housing options for Singaporeans," she added.

"This move may be done to ensure that flats in the Greater Southern Waterfront remain affordable, accessible and inclusive for different Singaporean groups, and help breach the income gap by offering a chance for lower-income groups, and seniors an opportunity to enjoy a home with sea view."

She estimated that without the PLH model, a four-room BTO flat at the Keppel Club site could see launch prices of about S$600,000 to S$720,000.

In comparison, a three-room PLH flat at the site could see launch prices of about S$380,000 to S$480,000, while a three-room BTO flat could see launch prices of about S$400,000 to S$520,000.

The BTO flats set to launch at the Keppel Club site are expected to be "heavily over-subscribed", with an estimated more than 10 applicants vying for a unit, said real estate firm Huttons Asia's senior director of research Lee Sze Teck.

He echoed that these flats are likely to fall under the PLH model considering their prime location. "There are not many public flats that offer unique waterfront living and close to nature."

Under the PLH model, Mr Lee estimated that a four-room BTO flat may cost S$650,000 to S$760,000, while a three-room flat may be priced at S$360,000 to S$405,000.

He also noted that this is similar to the prices of the River Peaks launch, accounting for "time differences".

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
4-room BTO flats at Keppel Club site could cost more than S$700,000, high demand expected: Analysts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
SINGAPORE: Buyers who are interested in the new Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats built on the Keppel Club golf course site could pay more than S$700,000 for a four-room Build-to-Order flat, property analysts said. The development will likely see high demand, and some flats may come

# data[].attributes.headline
Singapore SG Bus Bicker Between Bus Captain and passenger

# data[].attributes.subject
Singapore SG Bus Bicker Between Bus Captain and passenger

# data[].attributes.body
https://mothership.sg/2022/03/woman-shouts-bus-captain/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A short 7-second clip of a woman shouting at a bus captain in front of her children and helper at a bus stop in Punggol has been widely shared online.

Shouted at the bus captain

The video was taken by a passenger on board the public bus.

According to the post, the woman was boarding the bus with her helper who was pushing a stroller.

As there was also an elderly on a wheelchair alighting via the rear door, the bus captain told the woman's helper that they needed to wait.

The helper didn't understand the bus captain's signal to wait, and the woman raised her voice at the female bus captain.

The woman shouted in Mandarin while pointing her finger at the bus captain: "You are a bus captain, I don't owe you anything!"

In the video, the woman appeared to have been accompanied by her two children, one of whom is sitting in the stroller.

Commenting turned off

The post has received two thousand shares and a majority of the 370 comments expressed outraged at the woman's behaviour.

The Facebook user who posted the video has since turned off commenting for the post.

The user also claimed to have received threatening messages in a post update.

Go-Ahead Singapore statement

In response to Mothership's queries, a spokesperson from bus operator Go-Ahead Singapore said they are aware of the incident.

Passengers, including passengers-in-wheelchairs, must alight first before others are allowed to board from the rear door, said the spokesperson.

While open strollers are allowed on public buses, they should not obstruct the entry or exit of other passengers and passengers-in-wheelchairs are given priority to use the designated wheelchair spaces, they added.

"Bus captains are fully aware of the available space and capacity of their buses best, we seek commuters' understanding to cooperate with them in ensuring an inclusive journey for all," the spokesperson said.

Follow and listen to our podcast here
Top images by Chen Yunting/Facebook.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'You are a bus captain, I don't owe you anything': Punggol woman shouts at bus captain who asked helper to wait

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A short 7-second clip of a woman shouting at a bus captain in front of her children and helper at a bus stop in Punggol has been widely shared online. The video was taken by a passenger on board the public bus.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/east-coast-residents-join-coastal-clean-tanah-merah-video-2574956

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat joined several East Coast residents in cleaning up rubbish along the Tanah Merah beach on Saturday (Mar 19). The cleanup is part of the CNA Green Plan series, which showcases the country's sustainability efforts. Clara Lee reports.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
East Coast residents join coastal clean-up at Tanah Merah | Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat joined several East Coast residents in cleaning up rubbish along the Tanah Merah beach on Saturday (Mar 19). The cleanup is part of the CNA Green Plan series, which showcases the country's sustainability efforts. Clara Lee reports.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/about-1000-tampines-households-receive-smart-meters-help-conserve-water-video-2574961

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At least 1,000 households have received smart water meters to track their daily usage. The meters could be useful in conserving water, as consumption in Singapore has been on the rise for two years in a row. The roll-out is part of water agency PUB's plan to digitalise the water system. Rebecca Metteo with more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
About 1,000 Tampines households receive smart meters to help conserve water | Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At least 1,000 households have received smart water meters to track their daily usage. The meters could be useful in conserving water, as consumption in Singapore has been on the rise for two years in a row. The roll-out is part of water agency PUB's plan to digitalise the water system.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/turkey-says-russia-and-ukraine-nearing-agreement-critical-issues-2575721

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
But Cavusoglu, who also travelled to Russia and Ukraine last week for talks with Lavrov and Kuleba, told Turkish daily Hurriyet that there had been "rapprochement in the positions of both sides on important subjects, critical subjects".

"We can say we are hopeful for a ceasefire if the sides do not take a step back from the current positions," he said, without elaborating on the issues.

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, speaking to al Jazeera television, said the two sides were getting closer on four key issues.

He cited Russia's demand for Ukraine to renounce ambitions to join NATO, demilitarisation, what Russia has referred to as "de-nazification", and the protection of the Russian language in Ukraine.

Ukraine and the West have dismissed Russian references to "neo-Nazis" in Ukraine's democratically elected leadership as baseless propaganda, and Kalin said such references were offensive to Kyiv.

Kyiv and Moscow reported some progress in talks last week toward a political formula that would guarantee Ukraine's security, while keeping it outside NATO, though each sides accused the other of dragging matters out.

Kalin said a permanent ceasefire could come only through a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

But he said Putin felt that positions on the "strategic issues" of Crimea and Donbas were not close enough for a meeting.

Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 while part of the eastern industrial Donbas region was seized by Russian-backed separatist forces that year.

NATO member Turkey shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has good relations with both and has offered to mediate between them.

It has voiced support for Ukraine but has also opposed far-reaching Western sanctions imposed on Moscow over the invasion.

While forging close ties with Russia on energy, defence and trade and relying heavily on Russian tourists, Turkey has sold drones to Ukraine, angering Moscow.

Turkey also opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya, as well as Moscow's annexation of Crimea.

President Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said Turkey will not abandon its relations with Russia or Ukraine, saying Ankara's ability to speak to both sides was an asset.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Turkey says Russia and Ukraine nearing agreement on 'critical' issues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ISTANBUL: Turkey's foreign minister said in an interview published on Sunday (Mar 20) that Russia and Ukraine were nearing agreement on "critical" issues and he was hopeful for a ceasefire if the two sides did not backtrack from progress achieved so far.

# data[].attributes.body
https://mothership.sg/2022/01/bangladeshi-suicide-kallang-mrt/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Nearly a year after a man was run over by a train along the tracks between Kallang and Lavender MRT station, an inquiry into the incident has ruled the case a suicide.

The man was 31-year-old Bangladeshi Ahmed Faisal.

Investigations into the incident found that on the day of his death, he had failed to turn up for a court hearing which would have revealed the verdict for previous charges of drug consumption.

He had also consumed drugs before his death, and state coroner Adam Nakhoda said in a report seen by Mothership that it was possible he had been under the influence when he climbed onto the MRT tracks.

What happened

On Feb. 25, 2021, Mothership noticed a Pasir Ris-bound train had halted in the middle of the tracks between Kallang MRT and Lavender MRT.

Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel were observed walking onto the tracks towards the train, and numerous SCDF personnel and police officers were spotted on the platform at Kallang MRT station as well.

Train services between Bugis and Aljunied were disrupted.

Police and SMRT later confirmed that night that a person had been pronounced dead on the track.

Train operator saw what looked like human hand on MRT tracks

At around 9:04pm, a train operator was travelling from Lavender MRT station to Kallang MRT station when he heard a very loud thumping sound coming from the train's undercarriage.

The operator applied the emergency breaks, but was unsure what he had collided into.

After reporting what happened to the SMRT chief controller overseeing that line, the operator was instructed to travel in manual mode to Kallang MRT station, to look out for anything unusual on the track, and to inspect the train later.

The operator found nothing unusual.

However, subsequent train operators, as well as the Lavender MRT station master on the train, noticed what appeared to be a "backpack" or "black trash bag" in the middle of the track.

One operator also spotted what looked like a human hand.

The "backpack" was later confirmed to be a human body.

Officers found Faisal's body lying about 150m away from Kallang MRT station, and the coroner ruled his cause of death as a result of multiple catastrophic injuries from the train collision.

Additionally, a toxicological report revealed that the victim's body had methamphetamine, amphetamine and eutylone at the time of his death.

How he accessed the MRT track

Police deduced that Faisal had climbed onto the track at a point where the track crosses the Kallang River via a bridge, right after it emerges from underground.

Although there is fencing present to prevent unauthorised access onto the track, police observed that the barbed wire topping the fence had been pushed downwards until the individual wire strands were compressed together.

This would have required a reasonable amount of force, the police said.

It was thus likely that Faisal had climbed up the fencing, pushed down the barbed wire and accessed the eastbound MRT track at this point.

After the incident, the fencing was further fortified with more barbed wire.

Arrested twice for taking drugs

Prior to his death, Faisal was unemployed. He previously worked at HCH General Services.

In November 2018, he was arrested at a roadblock and charged with consuming methamphetamine and norketamine.

He continued working until his permit expired in November 2019, and was then granted a Special Pass to remain in Singapore pending the conclusion of his criminal case.

Faisal claimed trial and was scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 25, 2021.

Days earlier on Feb. 19, Faisal's younger brother, Hasan Md Mehedi, visited him at his house and found him smoking drugs from a pipe.

When questioned, Faisal started to shout at Hasan, who called the police. Faisal was arrested once again, where he was found to have consumed amphetamine.

He was then released on station bail pending the completion of investigations.

Friend noticed him behaving oddly

A day before he was to appear in court on Feb. 25, Faisal met up with a friend, Darren Lee Hong, and visited his house.

The pair shared an interest in personal mobility devices, and Faisal would occasionally stay over at Lee's house.

Lee noted that Faisal was behaving oddly - he was "acting strangely", staring into space, and was "not actively responsive" when Lee spoke to him.

Lee left him to rest in the guest room. The next morning, Lee found Faisal sitting on the floor of the room, and the latter shared that he had not slept at all.

Faisal was looking at a painting of a woman hung in the guest room and kept mumbling to himself, and did not respond when Lee asked if he was okay.

Over the past few days, Hasan had also reminded Faisal several times about his court hearing.

Despite the reminders, Faisal did not turn up at court on Feb. 25.

It is uncertain where he went after that, and he was last captured by CCTVs leaving his house, dressed in the same attire he was found in after he died.

Told friend he was depressed

Hasan shared that his brother had never expressed any suicidal ideations, and did not mention any unhappiness or problems with his work before his death.

However, Faisal had told Lee when he visited his home that he was depressed as he missed his family in Bangladesh, and had wanted to "find a girlfriend", but was unable to do so.

The state coroner also pointed out several observations that led to his conclusion that Faisal had committed suicide.

He said it was unusual for Faisal to miss his court appearance on Feb. 25 as he had dutifully appeared for all previous hearings.

Additionally, it was unusual for Faisal to leave his home without his wallet and handphone, which he typically brought along. This could indicate that he had had the intention to end his life.

These observations are coupled with Lee's recount of Faisal's odd behaviour at his house.

Could have been afraid of court verdict

Faisal did not leave behind a suicide note, but the state coroner opined that the pressure and stress of the impending verdict for his first drug consumption case was weighing on him, as he could have faced imprisonment and deportation from Singapore.

Additionally, his second arrest meant that he could have been imprisoned for even longer.

The state coroner said:

"It was possible that the prospect of a sentence of imprisonment, coupled with his loneliness, and that he was homesick were too overwhelming for Mr Faisal that he decided to take his own life."

Helplines

SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767

Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019

Institute of Mental Health: 6389-2222 (24 hours)

Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788 (for primary school-aged children)

Helplines for migrant workers

Migrant Workers' 24-hour helpline: 6536 2692

MOM feedback form: www.mom.gov.sg/efeedback

HOME Helpline for Migrant Workers: 6341 5535

TWC2 Helpline for Migrant Workers: 6297 7564

Healthserve: 3129 5000

National Care Hotline: 1800 202 6868 / 6202 6868

Hear4U: 6978 2725 (English) / 6978 2722 (Tamil) / 6978 2723 (Bengali) / 6978 2724 (Mandarin)

Viriya Migrant Helpline: 88683511 (Tamil/English)

Here With You Migrant Helpline: 8831 2560 / 9089 5538 / 9883 0947 / 8647 7244 (Whatsapp/Call from 11am to 2pm, 3pm to 7pm)
Top photo by Julia Yeo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bangladeshi man, 31, run over by train near Kallang MRT had committed suicide, took drugs before death

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Nearly a year after a man was run over by a train along the tracks between Kallang and Lavender MRT station, an inquiry into the incident has ruled the case a suicide. The man was 31-year-old Bangladeshi Ahmed Faisal.

# data[].attributes.body
https://mothership.sg/2022/03/jamus-lim-schools-start-later/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Workers' Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Jamus Lim suggested later school start times for pre-teens and teenagers, saying that this will improve their behaviour, health, and academic performance.

Lim raised this idea as part of his cuts for the Ministry of Education (MOE)'s Committee of Supply debates, on Mar. 7.

Replying to Lim, Education Minister Chan Chun Sing outlined MOE's policy that MOE does not dictate school start times, apart from setting a "simple baseline" that schools start at 7:30am or later.

He said that the government must "have a care to not try to homogenise all the conditions" across schools, and that greater diversity was important.

Adolescents have different circadian rhythms: Lim

Lim pointed to research showing that adolescents' circadian rhythms predispose them to sleeping and waking later, "by about two hours".

Lim said a possible counter-argument was that delaying start times would just mean that students sleep later.

But Lim said students who have later start times sleep longer, as their bedtimes would either remain unchanged, or get delayed by a smaller amount than the time afforded.

He said studies showed that even "a rather relatively modest delay of just a half an hour or so" produced positive results. He added:

"More importantly, the reality is that students are already experiencing sleep deprivation from the status quo."

He cited "all the marginal steps" parents take to support their children's education, such as tuition, moving closer to preferred schools, and "endless bottles of essence of chicken", and said that these were examples of "failing to pick the lowest hanging fruit" of letting children sleep more.

Primary and Secondary schools should start at 8am and 8:30am respectively

He thus suggested that upper primary cohorts and secondary schools should start at 8am and 8:30am respectively, instead of the current norm of starting at 7:30am.

"The additional half hour for upper primary students is consistent with how sleep phase delay may occur as early as the onset of puberty," he said.

He said he was not suggesting "strict guidelines" for post-secondary levels, but said that an even later start time of 9am for polytechnics, Institute of Technical Education (ITEs) and junior colleges would be "reasonable".

Staggered start times will also ease congestion

Anticipating a counter-argument that delayed start times "could give rise to disruptive rush hour crunches", Lim said that the opposite might in fact be true.

"Delays for upper primary and secondary school students will undeniably alter traffic patterns," Lim conceded, but predicted that this would have a "somewhat limited" impact on rush hour jams.

"With more parents working from home or exercising flexible work schedules in a post-pandemic world, it could easily be the case that any anticipated increase in rush hour traffic be offset by the reduction in working commuters," he reasoned.

Staggered start times would also help alleviate the issue of jams around schools during arrival and dismissal times, Lim added.

CCS: Schools can decide start and end times

Chan explained that MOE's policy on start times comes down to "a simple baseline": that schools can decide when to start and end, as long as they do not start before 7:30am.

They should set start times in line with factors "like their unique needs, student profiles, and the local transport situation".

He cited the example of Junyuan Secondary School in Tampines, which starts at 8:30am twice a week, and at 8am on the other three days.

"Junyuan Secondary is not the only school that has different start times," he added.

Lim asks for information on schools starting later

Lim then rose to ask a clarification question, requesting for the number, or proportion of schools that have later start times, for at least the majority of the school days.

Chan responded by saying that many schools in Singapore have "different start times", with some having different start times on "certain days of the week".

"But it all depends on when they start, when they end. Some of our schools have kept certain of the afternoons totally free for their students and their teachers to recharge and do other things," he continued.

Chan emphasised that "we should strive towards a system that provides more diverse options for our schools, our teachers and our students", in view of the fact that students' learning needs and backgrounds are diverse.

He added:

"I think we must have a care to not try to homogenise all the conditions, when we in fact have agreed that we need greater diversity."

Thus, for school start times, MOE just "has one simple rule", Chan said, and restated it, while stifling laughter:

"Thou shalt not start school before 7:30am."

Chan shared that he had nonetheless received "feedback from different schools" about the matter of changing their start and end times.

"In fact, this is a very good exercise for our students and teachers to come together and decide collectively, what are their priorities, and how do they prioritise the time," he said.

He said he would be "very careful" in his role as Minister for Education to "try to dictate for every school - given there are different conditions - to have the same start or end time."

Instead, he said he wanted teachers and students "to have that agency to take charge of this and come to a reasonable understanding", given each school's different conditions.

MOE has commissioned research studies on sleep for students

Lim had previously asked whether there were plans to re-evaluate school start times in August 2021.

MOE's response to Lim, and to a related question from Tampines MP Cheng Li Hui, was that MOE had "recently commissioned two research studies" on the impact of factors affecting sleep duration and sleep quality of students in Singapore.

"This will help us better understand how later school start time could contribute to students' longer sleep duration," said the Ministry, adding that schools have the autonomy to adopt later start times.

MOE's response also pointed out that aside from the question of delaying school start times, it would need to "work with parents to improve sleep hygiene, manage the overall load on students as well as their use of digital devices".

Top image via Chan Chun Sing on Facebook and screenshot from MCI Parliament live stream

Follow and listen to our podcast here

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Stagger start times so upper primary, secondary school students can sleep more: Jamus Lim

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Workers' Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Jamus Lim suggested later school start times for pre-teens and teenagers, saying that this will improve their behaviour, health, and academic performance. Lim raised this idea as part of his cuts for the Ministry of Education (MOE)'s Committee of Supply debates, on Mar.

# data[].attributes.headline
Singapore SG Bus crashed into a bus stop

# data[].attributes.subject
Singapore SG Bus crashed into a bus stop

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7czpKXDJ8Q

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Singapore SBS Transit Bus crashes into bollard, aftermath & towing away