Man leaves paper bag with S$20,000 cash on S'pore bus, Yishun interchange staff return full amount

A man alighted from a Singapore bus to discover he had accidentally left behind a paper bag containing S$20,000 in cash.

Thanks to the swift response of an SBS Transit bus captain and interchange staff, they successfully recovered the bag, winning praise online for their honest deed.

S$20,000 cash in a paper bag

In a Facebook post by the transport operator, the passenger, surnamed Ma, was distressed to realise he had left his paper bag on a bus and called Yishun Interchange for help.

Assistant Interchange Supervisor Lalastella Tse, who received the frantic call, admitted she was "shocked at the large amount" of money involved.

Tse quickly worked with the operations control centre to trace the bus Ma had taken, identifying it as service 851.

Found by fellow passenger

At the same time, bus captain Giam Ming Huat had already been alerted to the lost bag by another passenger.

Giam retrieved the bag and kept it safe until he returned to the interchange.

Ma later arrived at the interchange to verify his belongings and found the full amount intact.

He explained that the S$20,000 was meant for his workers' salaries.

Expressing his gratitude, Ma said: "I was really surprised by how quickly the staff handled my case and found my bag. I’m truly grateful for their help!"

Netizens have since applauded the SBS Transit staff for their honesty, professionalism, and quick teamwork.