A 77-year-old woman who was found along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) on Oct. 16 and pronounced dead at the scene had earlier been involved in a hit-and-run accident in Jurong West, preliminary police investigations found.

This marks a distance of around 2.2km where she was allegedly hit and where her body was found.

In an updated statement, the police said the woman had been involved in a prior hit-and-run with a minibus at the junction of Jurong West Street 61 and Jurong West Avenue 4.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the woman had rolled under the minibus and was dragged along the road for over 1.5km.

Body found along PIE

Police were alerted to a body found along the PIE towards Changi at about 7:10am on Oct. 16.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene by a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedic.

Mothership previously reported that a 66-year-old minibus driver had been arrested in connection with the case.

The driver had left the scene before police arrived.

He was subsequently arrested for driving without due care and attention causing death.

Police investigations are ongoing.

HDB has responded to criticism over kitchen sizes at a Tengah BTO flat, explaining that the layouts are meant to provide homeowners with flexibility to configure the space to their preferences.

They were replying to an Oct. 8 video by YouTube channel Reno Scout, run by renovation specialist Rhys Ng.

In an Oct. 14 Facebook post, HDB said defended the "small" kitchen size, explaining that the kitchens at the Garden Waterfront units are meant to be “open-concept”.

Such open-concept kitchen designs have been the standard design for BTO flats since 2018, and are popular with many homeowners, it added.

The criticism

In his video, Ng criticised the kitchen size in a new four-room BTO at Block 213B Tengah Garden Avenue.

The video was titled "MOST Pathetic BTO 4 room Kitchen EVER SEEN".

The renovation specialist called the kitchen layout "tiny" and "problematic", and said that new buyers would be "shocked".

The video has garnered over 110,000 views so far, with over 880 likes and over 380 comments, sparking a heated discussion about the flat's layout.

Small kitchen problems

Ng said the flat was similar to blocks in the same area and the same developer, and he listed a number of complaints such as:

• The lack of a service yard
• The lack of room to place a refrigerator in the kitchen, especially when it might affect the overhead clothes drying rack
• The close spacing between the likely location of a sink and a stove
• A general lack of space to place appliances like rice cookers, water filter, or dishwashers

He described the kitchen as a “one-person kitchen”, suggesting that there was no space for a second person to help a cook with preparation or by washing up at the same time.

He also suggested that three-room flats in the area would likely face a similar problem, although five-room flats were unlikely to have the same issues.

Conversion costs

Ng acknowledged that space immediately adjacent to the kitchen could be converted into kitchen space, but said that such an extension’s cost would have to be borne by the resident.

Furthermore, the lack of built-in kitchen space made such a conversion more difficult, such as the lack of beam structures to support the building of necessary features, like a sliding door.

However, he did praise the “beamless” design, noting that there were few internal beams in the unit, and the structural beams were located along the perimeter of the unit, making it easier to install cabinetry while wasting less space.

Ng said that he hoped HDB would explain the thinking behind the layout.

Open-concept reply

On Oct. 14, HDB responded to the video with a social media post, in which it explained that the flat's layout was a more flexible "open-concept" one.

The "small" kitchen referred to in the video was the "wet" kitchen", which was designed to be compact and function together with the adjoining "dry" kitchen.

"Together, these areas occupy approximately 10 sqm, roughly the size of a standard kitchen in newer HDB flats that come with a service yard. 10 sqm is also the rough size of a common bedroom in an HDB flat," HDB said.

The statutory board added that the layout was meant to provides homeowners with flexibility to configure the space to suit their preferences.

HDB also pointed out that the open-concept kitchen has been the standard design for new BTO flats since 2018, whenever layout permits.

Such a design is popular with many HDB flat buyers, as it offers more flexibility in how they use their living spaces, it said.

For instance, those who cook frequently may choose to allocate more space for a larger kitchen, while others might otherwise use the space for a larger living or dining area.

In order to help flat buyers make an informed choice, floor plans with layout ideas are provided before flat selection, so they can consider how the layout meets their household needs and preferences.

Service yards and second cooks

However, some comments on HDB's post expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation.

Some agreed with Ng's comments that there would be no way for a second person to help during cooking, due to the close placement of the suggested stove and sink areas.

The other main complaint featured in the comments was the combining of the service yard and kitchen space, with one commenter suggesting that it was not viable to cook while doing laundry, while another called for the retention of the service yard.

A number of Singaporean or Singapore-listed palm oil producers have issued general announcements to explain their position in relation to the ongoing forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra that are responsible for the worst transboundary haze in over a decade.

One of them, Kencana Agri, confirmed that it is facing an inquiry by Indonesian authorities and is cooperating fully.

All have stated a zero or no-burning policy.

Cited El Niño

Five such companies, Wilmar International, First Resources, Kencana Agri, Bumitama, and Golden Agri-Resources, reporting through their Indonesian subsidiary SMART Agri-Business and Food, published their announcements on Oct. 15 and 16.

Four of them, Kencana excluded, cited El Niño-related drought conditions causing an “unusually severe” dry season.

Wilmar stated that all of its land preparation, clearing, and development is done mechanically.

Bumitama went on to say that the dry conditions make vegetation and peat more combustible as water availability falls.

Bumitama, along with Kencana, First Resources, and Wilmar, said fires came from areas outside of their concessions or directly managed areas, spreading inward with significant speed.

Kencana noted that it is currently undergoing a preliminary inquiry by authorities into a fire incident at a subsidiary in North Kalimantan.

All companies noted that they had personnel equipped to fight fires, and some, such as Wilmar and Bumitama, said that they had dedicated on-site firefighting teams.

Seeking information on impact of fires

The statements came in response to reports and queries, including from the Singapore Exchange Regulation (SGX RegCo).

In an Oct. 16 statement, SGX RegCo said it takes the ongoing forest fires and the consequent haze "seriously".

It has engaged with listed issuers with agricultural operations and plantations in Indonesia to seek information about the impact of fires on their operations, whether their activities might have contributed to the haze, as well as their responses.

SGX RegCo said it had also strengthened its Environmental, Social, and Governance disclosure and reporting standards, seeking to improve issuers’ disclosure on environmental policies, risks, and practices.

"SGX RegCo will take appropriate regulatory action where companies fail to meet their disclosure obligations under the SGX Listing Rules," the subsidiary said.

All options open

On Oct. 16, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu and the National Environment Agency announced that seven companies have been issued with preventive measure notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

Three of these companies had been issued similar notices in 2015.

Fu said that the Singapore government would “keep all options open”, including “fines or charges”, when dealing with the companies, should they not comply with the measures, which include fighting the fires burning on their land and ceasing burning activities.

A company director was sentenced to 10 months and two weeks’ jail for his role in a corruption case involving a DSO National Laboratories staff member.

Jason Chua Aik Leng, 67, was sentenced on Oct. 16, The Straits Times reported.

He was the senior executive director and shareholder of Wah Loon Engineering (WLE), and had pleaded guilty to one charge of abetting the corrupt giving of gratification.

Chua was among five people charged in March 2026 in connection with alleged corruption involving DSO projects, according to Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).

DSO National Laboratories is Singapore’s largest defence research and development organisation.

It was formerly known as the Defence Science Organisation, but was renamed after being incorporated as a nonprofit under the Ministry of Defence in 1997.

Agreed to give DSO staff member ‘token of appreciation’

According to court documents cited by ST, the case involved a DSO building project in 2018.

Poh Beng San, an assistant manager with DSO’s facilities management team, allegedly told subcontractor Alex Lee Yew Huat that DSO was seeking contractors for works at one of its buildings.

Lee worked as a supervisor at fire protection company Fire-Mech at the time.

Poh allegedly asked for a token of appreciation if the contractor secured the project.

Lee later approached Chua and said he had information from a DSO contact who could help WLE secure the project.

The arrangement involved WLE sub-contracting the fire protection works to Fire-Mech, while about one per cent of the contract price would go to the DSO staff member as a "token of appreciation".

Chua agreed to the arrangement.

At least S$150,000 in gratification

In January 2018, DSO invited four contractors to submit tenders for the building works, three of which had WLE as a sub-contractor.

One of the three was awarded the contract in September 2018.

The overall project was worth more than S$46 million, while the mechanical and engineering sub-contract was valued at S$31.7 million.

CPIB said Chua and Lee allegedly conspired on at least two occasions between around October 2018 and February 2019 to give Poh at least S$150,000 in gratification to advance WLE’s business interests with DSO.

CPIB received information

CPIB began investigating after receiving information in February 2023 that Poh had allegedly accepted gratification from contractors.

Chua was subsequently questioned and admitted to his role, The Straits Times reported.

Poh and Lee’s cases are ongoing.

According to CPIB, Poh received gratifications from six individuals, including at least S$230,000 in cash, a Xiaomi 13 Pro phone, a Lenovo Xiaoxin Pad Pro tablet, and a repair of his home door valued at around S$100.

He also allegedly tried to launder the corruptly-obtained funds.

Asked to defer sentence until February 2027

Chua asked the court to defer his sentence until February 2027.

He wanted to celebrate his mother’s 100th birthday in November, take a family holiday and celebrate the Lunar New Year.

District Judge Paul Chan allowed the request in part.

He found that the planned holiday and Lunar New Year celebrations did not justify a longer deferment.

He did accept the birthday, saying that turning 100 was a significant milestone that would not come around again.

Chua remains out on S$100,000 bail and is due to start serving his sentence on Nov. 23.

When the bus Neo Ying Ying was riding suddenly came to a hard stop, she did not think much of it.

It jolted her a bit, but she went back to listening to her music on her AirPods.

Then, she noticed that the bus captain was slumped over his seat — but the bus was still moving slowly.

"My first instinct was to go and check out the situation," Neo recalled. "I just rushed forward... I think [the bus captain] needed some help."

Another passenger, Ng Lihui, also went forward to help. She found the handbrake and brought the bus to a stop.

Along with a third passenger, they stayed with the bus captain until the ambulance arrived.

A medical emergency

Speaking at an Oct. 16 appreciation ceremony, the two women recounted the events of that day.

The incident took place onboard the bus 854. As it approached a bus stop along Hougang Avenue 3 that afternoon, the bus captain fell ill.

He appeared to have fainted, Neo recalled. Both Neo and Ng were on their way home at the time.

Mothership understands that although he had managed to hit the brakes first, his foot lifted slightly off the pedal when he became unresponsive.

This made the bus start to move again.

Pulling the brakes

A man waiting at the bus stop saw that the bus captain was slumped in the cabin. He banged on the front door to alert the passengers inside.

Ng, 40, recalled feeling calm and scared at the same time.

The bus had hit a curb and was not moving fast, she explained, but still she felt anxious not knowing what would happen.

Thanks to a large sticker, she found the handbrake right beside the bus captain's seat, and climbed in to pull it.

Meanwhile, Neo, 18, had got on the bus after a driving lesson, which she believed was why her instinct to help kicked in fast.

She attended to him and called for an ambulance.

The two women were not the only ones who stepped forward. The bus captain operating a bus behind them, Toh Tiong Huat, also noticed the commuter at the bus stop who was banging on the front door.

Quickly, he went over and showed Ng the button to contact Tower Transit's control centre.

He then returned to his bus, as a long line had formed by that time.

Worried for the bus captain

After the bus came to a stop, "the only worrying factor [was] the uncle", Neo said.

She described how the elderly man had some foam around his mouth.

Another passenger, a young man whom Neo said looked to be around her age, joined them to lift the bus captain out of his seat to lie down on the floor, as advised by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on the phone.

Over the roughly 20 minutes' wait for the ambulance, the bus captain began regaining consciousness, though he would stare at Neo blankly.

The three of them stayed with the man until the ambulance arrived.

"I just hope that Uncle will recover," Neo said.

As he looked around the same age as her grandfather, his condition made her feel "very sad".

"I think [when the bus captains are] working, they get very tired," she said. "We know how they always wake up very early.... maybe three plus [in the morning]... So I think maybe it caused like a strain on his health."

"After that I went back and hugged my Ah Gong and my Ah Ma... I felt very sad, so I gave them a big hug."

Mothership understands that the bus captain is currently recovering at home.

Presented with awards

Tower Transit Singapore, which operates the bus involved in the incident on Sep. 14, previously commended the passengers for their quick action.

They recently identified Neo and Ng, as well as the captain of the SBS Transit bus who also provided assistance, to express their thanks.

On Oct. 16, Tower Transit and the Public Transport Council organised a ceremony where Minister of State for Transport Baey Yam Keng presented tokens of appreciation to all three.

Asked how she felt to receive praise from the community and at the appreciation ceremony, Ng said she was grateful.

She did not initially think about coming forward as one of the passengers involved, and did so only at the encouragement of her family and friends.

"I don't think we we needed any appreciation," she said. "It could have gone unknown."

At the ceremony, Baey urged the man at the bus stop and the third passenger who also provided assistance to come forward so that the authorities could thank them too.

"The good work of these five individuals really shows us what we can all do as a person looking out for others," he said.

An elderly cobbler in Holland Village has continued to show up for work despite the haze and slowing business.

Real estate agent Lynn Loh shared an Instagram video of the cobbler on Oct. 15 and called for people to support him if they can.

“Despite the haze today, this elderly cobbler uncle is still at his usual spot in Holland Village, patiently waiting for customers.”

Loh said she later learnt that the man had been repairing shoes for decades and continues working to earn a living.

Business has been slow

In the video, the cobbler can be seen seated on a small stool with a table in front of him, where several items and what appear to be shoe-repair tools are laid out.

Text over the video said: “Business has been very slow.”

Loh encouraged those in the area to bring shoes, sandals or slippers in need of repair to the cobbler instead of throwing them away.

“Sometimes, a little support from each of us can make a big difference to someone else’s day," she said.

“Let’s help keep uncle’s little business going.”

According to Loh, the cobbler can be found in Holland Village near Wu Chun Po Bakery, opposite Raffles Holland V and close to Lor Liput.

She listed his operating hours as 11am to 8pm daily.

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Back in the Philippines, 35-year-old Jo majored in political science, obtained a scholarship, and even worked in a law firm for eight years.

But around two years ago, she came to Singapore to work as a domestic helper.

Coming to Singapore wasn't her original plan, Jo told Mothership. She'd initially planned to work in Europe, and applied for jobs for around a year.

But to no avail.

"I went to dozens of interviews but got no confirmation... So, at that time, I kept praying and asking God, ‘Where do you want me to go?’"

After a year of countless rejections, she decided to give up on her European dream and apply to Singapore instead.

Jo said she was confirmed after just two days of waiting and arrived in Singapore in less than three weeks.

She described her role as a domestic helper as an "honourable stepping stone", and added that she is blessed to have her current employer who is "very nice" and "very supportive".

Couldn't complete her degree

Back in the Philippines, Jo majored in political science in university under a full scholarship.

The scholarship required her to work as a student assistant. But due to a medical condition that prevented her from carrying out her student assistant duties, she eventually had to give up her scholarship.

Jo was therefore unable to complete her degree as she could not financially support her education.

Having to withdraw from university did not stop her, though.

Wearing many hats

Jo shared that she took on “all kinds of jobs” before coming to Singapore, doing almost all of them “just to survive”.

These included working at a hospital intensive care unit, a call centre, and a law firm.

It was at the law firm where she learnt to draft affidavits, go to court, and prepare documents.

This eventually sparked an interest in becoming a contract executive and quantity surveyor in the construction industry, which she calls her "dream" job.

Studies when she can

Jo shared that some people doubted her ability to pursue her studies because of her limited resources and her position as a domestic helper.

“They doubt that I can finish my engineering class. That I’m so ambitious to take [it] when I’m just a helper,” she said.

Despite others’ lack of confidence in her, Jo remains steadfast in working towards her dream.

She spends her days off and rest time to earn technical qualifications and skills, including attending courses and obtaining certificates relevant to the field.

She is currently pursuing two engineering diplomas, which she expects to complete in about two months, and is enrolled in three courses certified by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to support her career transition.

She also has completed several other courses offered by overseas universities and hopes to one day study law at the University of London.

"I dream of working in one of the most important work roles in the construction industry... as a contract executive and quantity surveyor," she said.

Jo declined to share details about the financial costs of her studies.

Daily work

Asked how she balances her work as a domestic helper with her studies, Jo shared that she multitasks, often studying as she works.

Sometimes, she even dreams about the tasks she needs to complete.

Jo added that her employers are very supportive, and her work hours are manageable enough that she can set aside time to study.

"That's why it's a blessing to have [my employer], because not all bosses are the same, and I'm very grateful to find someone who cares for me."

Still, she acknowledged that the journey to her dream is tough.

"I've traded days off, parties, meeting friends, rest hours... just to earn my technical skills," she said.

The dream

Jo said she lost her dad when she was 19, and her mum when she was 33.

Her mum's passing was especially heartbreaking, as she was busy working in healthcare in the Philippines at the time.

“When my mother died, I wasn’t there. I was serving other patients, not knowing my mother was suffering…

I lost interest in [healthcare] because I had served hundreds of patients, but I wasn’t there when my mother needed me.”

But she believes they would be "fully supportive" of her decisions, if they were alive.

She also shared that she is actually appreciative of the people who doubt her and look down on her, as they have motivated her to work harder.

"Challenges are just part of the learning curve... The biggest risk, is not taking any risk."

A 66-year-old minibus driver was arrested after a 77-year-old woman died in a hit-and-run accident along the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) on Oct. 16.

In response to Mothership’s queries, the police said they were alerted at about 7:10am to an accident involving a minibus and a pedestrian along the PIE towards Changi.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene by a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedic.

Driver left scene before police arrived

“The minibus driver had left the scene before police arrived, said the police.

He was subsequently arrested for driving without due care and attention causing death.

Police investigations are ongoing.

@user1271442181701♬ original sound - Buddy 😎

Enforcing actions against companies involved in causing transboundary haze will not be easy, but Singapore “must try” in order to protect Singaporeans, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.

Fu was speaking during the government’s Oct. 16 press conference on the ongoing transboundary haze situation.

During the conference, the minister named seven Indonesian companies that will be sent preventive measure notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA).

Of the seven, three companies — PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau and PT SBA Wood Industries — were served similar preventive measure notices in 2015.

National Environment Agency (NEA) previously said that investigations into those companies are still ongoing.

Previously, a Greenpeace report linked Singapore-listed palm oil companies Bumitama Agri and First Resources, as well as privately held First Borneo Plantations, to Indonesian plantation concessions.

What do the notices do?

These notices inform the seven companies to deploy firefighting personnel to stop and prevent the spread of any fires on land owned or occupied by them, discontinue, or not commence any burning activities on such land.

They must also submit action plans to NEA to extinguish any fires on their lands and/or prevent their recurrence.

At the press conference, Fu was asked what the effect of the preventative measure notices was, what Singapore could actually do to enforce them, and if the firms involved would comply.

Fu replied that Singapore would “keep all options open,” and options such as “fines or charges” were “all within our realm of consideration".

Enacted in 2014, the THPA allows the Singapore government to issue a fine of up to S$100,000 to an entity found guilty of causing haze for every day or part of a day that there is haze pollution in Singapore.

Fu shared that the government continued to learn from the 2015 enforcement cases and would improve on them.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and the companies' responses to these notices where warranted."

Who are the companies involved?

The seven companies are located in Sumatra, Fu said.

As to their owners, links and relationships, Fu said such information cannot be disclosed at this time as they have to be investigated.

CNA reported that of the seven companies named by NEA on Oct. 16,  three of them — PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, and PT SBA Wood Industries — were identified as suppliers to Asia Pulp & Paper, which is part of Indonesia’s Sinar Mas group.

These three had similarly served preventive measure notices in 2015.

PT Bumi Andalas Permai is also facing a lawsuit filed by Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry over allegations that it deliberately caused fires on peatlands.

Diplomatic implications

Another report by CNA highlighted the difficulties faced by Singapore when taking legal action against companies responsible for the current haze situation.

Some legal experts pointed out that there could be diplomatic implications for such actions.

The National University of Singapore’s (NUS) associate professor Jolene Lin said Singapore — being on the receiving end of the harmful effects of forest fires — may have the right to take legal action.

But previous attempts to use the THPA in 2015 led to unhappiness in Indonesia, with some saying that Singapore “was infringing upon Indonesia’s sovereignty”, she added.

Associate professor of law Michelle Lim of the Singapore Management University similarly noted the issues with taking legal action against companies operating in the territory of “a close and powerful neighbour".

Even Singapore’s ability to obtain information about the companies and their actions depends on what Indonesia would facilitate or allow, she said.

The issue of tackling haze is expected to come up in the next Parliament sitting in November, with Workers' Party (WP) MPs He Ting Ru and Kenneth Tiong having said they have raised a motion and filed questions respectively.

Most employees at a dinner and dance (D&D) event look forward to cash prizes or other lucky draw benefits.

However, a migrant worker in Singapore got something different — a reunion with his family members whom he had not seen in four years.

At the annual D&D event organised by mechanical crane company Pollisum, Russel Jagathesh, 47, was invited on stage to receive a prize.

Unbeknownst to him, his company had secretly flown out his wife and two children from India.

Ahead of the D&D event, the company selected Jagathesh through a lucky draw among employees whose families had submitted videos to express their appreciation for their loved ones working abroad.

During the event, selected employees were invited on stage to view the videos that their families had recorded for them.

However, for Jagathesh, the event emcee instructed him to close his eyes and turn around.

When he looked back, he saw that his family had entered the hall and walked on stage.

"Couldn't believe" it

Jagathesh, who works as a mechanic for Pollisum, has been with the company for 14 years.

Speaking to Mothership, he said that he "couldn't believe [his] eyes" when he saw his family walking on stage, adding that being away from them was one of the hardest parts of working abroad.

When his family was contacted, they initially thought the invitation was a scam.

At the time, his son did not even have a passport, and had to apply for one without his father's knowledge.

“Having them here, even for a few days, meant more to me than any cash prize. It was a moment I will never forget.”

The company sponsored not just their flight tickets, but their accommodation and expenses for a four-day, three-night stay.

Jagathesh was also given four days off to spend time with his family, and a S$500 allowance to spend on their trip.

He took them to visit the Merlion, the Singapore Oceanarium, and the Singapore Zoo.

Other prizes

While other employees at the event did not receive such prizes, Pollisum allocated a sum of S$150,000 for cash rewards for approximately 400 employees.

Every employee received a cash reward, with more opportunities to win larger prizes in various activities.

First-prize winner Lee Kar Yoong, 34, won S$13,810 after successfully completing a cash-counting challenge.

Lee, a Malaysian who had been working in operations for Pollisum for the past five years, recently obtained his Singapore permanent residency (PR).

He said that he has been saving up for a HDB flat for the past three years, and that the money would go towards that goal.

"I am very grateful for this opportunity," he added.