The SBS Transit employee who assisted an elderly distressed woman who lay across two lanes on a road has been commended for his actions with an award.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) recently presented Assistant Interchange Supervisor Wong Chee Chuon with the Community First Responder Award "for his outstanding act of compassion and public-spiritedness", SBS Transit wrote on Facebook on Jul. 3.

What happened

Wong, 44, previously recounted the incident to Zaobao, describing the scene as chaotic.

Around 3pm on Mar. 25, an elderly woman lay across two lanes of the road outside Boon Lay Bus Interchange, causing a traffic congestion.

After Wong learnt the situation from a bus conductor, he went to the middle of the road to assist the woman.

"When I saw her lying in the middle of the road, I didn’t think further— my priority was her safety," he recalled, as quoted in an SBS Transit Facebook post on Mar. 27.

Along with an SMRT staff member, he guided the woman to a grass patch by the roadside, and supported her back in case she fell.

The woman repeatedly yelled at the men to ignore her, but Wong patiently told her they were there to help.

He continued to stay by her side even after the paramedics arrived, according to SBS Transit.

The SCDF later conveyed her to the hospital.

Wong told Zaobao that in his 12 years of service, he has often encountered people in need of help, and that SBS Transit provides yearly training courses to deal with emergencies.

Making a difference

"Helping someone in need felt like the natural thing to do. I’m just glad I could help at that moment," Wong said.

SBS Transit congratulated him on the award.

"Through his actions, Chee Chuon demonstrated how one person’s willingness to step forward can make a meaningful difference," the company said.

Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puffs, a stall at Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market and Food Centre, is looking for a female customer who mistakenly paid S$200 instead of S$2 for one curry puff on Jun. 29.

The stall has made a post on Facebook to tap on the power of social media in their search.

The transaction took place at about 1:03 pm.

Jolene, the third-generation owner of the pastry stall, shared with Mothership that the female customer looked to be in her 30s or 40s and was wearing a white dress.

She shared that there was a lunchtime crowd at the time and she was away at the restroom.

Her husband was manning the stall on his own, serving a queue of customers.

Things happened quickly amidst the rush, and neither he nor the customer realised the error.

The stall owners only noticed the overpayment after the busy queue was served.

"[My husband] went around looking for the lady in the market, but she was nowhere to be found," Jolene said.

So far, no one has reached out to them.

The customer may reach out to Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puffs via their business number at 92358093, or send them a direct message on Instagram or Facebook.

"Or even come down and look for us," Jolene said.

The stall owner is also hoping that the customer might return in the coming weeks, so that they can refund the excess amount to her.

A nurse in Thailand has earned praise for stepping in to help monks injured in a car accident despite a Buddhist taboo that women cannot touch monks.

Wiwat Laonoi came across the accident while driving to run errands, reported Thairath Online.

As no other responders had arrived yet, she called for an ambulance, then identified herself as a nurse and moved to help.

"People told me, 'Wait, that’s a monk!', but I said it doesn’t matter, right now, this is a patient," she recounted to AFP, as quoted by The Straits Times.

The accident happened on Jul. 2, when a pickup truck crashed into 35 monks during a religious procession in Thailand's Mukdahan province.

As of Jul. 3, 10 monks have died from the accident, and about 10 were still hospitalised, two of them in critical condition.

'Never seen anything like it'

Laonoi, who has been a nurse for nearly four decades, described the accident as "massive".

She had "never seen anything like it", she told AFP.

She went forward to assess the monks' injuries and performed CPR on those without a pulse.

"Everyone struggled to decide whom to help first because all were severely injured," she said, as quoted by Thairath Online.

"I chose to help quickly, turning one monk on his side after reviving him, then moved on to another."

Hospital and rescue teams began arriving at the scene within five minutes after.

The nurse expressed pride in her ability and knowledge to assist others at the time.

"I'm glad I was able to help because this was the biggest accident I have ever encountered in my career."

In a Facebook post on Jul. 3, the Nurses' Association of Thailand commended Laonoi's selflessness, composure, and spirit of a professional nurse.

A lorry driver has been sentenced to a year and nine months in prison after he ran a red light and collided into a motorcyclist.

The 45-year-old motorcyclist was sent flying about 10 metres onto the grass, and later died of his injuries in the hospital, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The lorry driver, Vellaisamy Manikandan, was 25 at the time of the incident.

Now 27, he was convicted of driving without due care and attention causing death. Besides jail, he was also disqualified from holding a driving licence for 10 years on Jul. 2, 2026.

The collision

The incident happened at the traffic junction of Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim and Tuas West Road, at about 7:30am on Mar. 25, 2024.

According to a video shown in court, the light for Manikandan's lane was still red when he drove ahead.

The lorry then continued through the junction, and drove into a motorcycle that was travelling through it at the time.

The motorcyclist was flung into the air due to the impact.

The police said he was conveyed unconscious to the hospital. He passed away the same day due to multiple injuries.

Claimed he could not see the traffic light

During investigations, Manikandan told the police that he could not see the traffic light clearly due to the sun's glare at the time, Shin Min reported.

He drove ahead at the junction because he thought the light had turned green, he claimed.

Pleading for leniency, Manikandan's lawyer told the court that there were two traffic light signals during the incident — one was shorter, and the other was taller.

As he drove a relatively short lorry, and was also affected by the sun's glare, Manikandan was not able to see the taller traffic light clearly, according to the lawyer.

He claimed to have only seen the shorter traffic light, which did turn green, and thought he could start driving.

However, the prosecutor pointed out that not only was the light red at the time, the other cars beside Manikandan had also stopped before the junction because of the red light, yet he appeared not to have noticed it.

Residents and family remember Uncle Thien, the 83-year-old who went viral for his spontaneous twig art in Pek Kio estate, as a man who quietly devoted time to his passion.

One resident said that his absence will be felt in the estate.

Uncle Thien passed on Jul. 2.

Someone we are proud of: Resident

One resident, Mike, recounted to Mothership the times he had encountered Uncle Thien.

He showed a few photos of Thien's work, which he had taken over the years.

One of Uncle Thien’s usual spots was the corner of cement pavement, perched atop a grass verge behind the food court at 44 Owen Road.

The trees nearby supplied Thien with his medium of choice.

“When I come by to buy dinner for my family, about [7pm], I always see him in this spot, doing his art,” Mike, who has lived in the estate for about 10 to 12 years, said.

“He's a person that doesn't talk much, very quiet person, and he will just do his art, and then residents will just stand around and appreciate what he's doing,” Mike continued.

Thien’s artistic inclination is well known by residents in the area, Mike said. When residents from beyond visit the estate, Thien’s artworks have similarly impressed them.

Mike described the 83-year-old as someone “we are proud of”.

When asked if he had any parting words for Uncle Thien, he said, “I’d like to thank him for his artwork that he has shared with all the residents here.”

Quiet, good man

Uncle Thien was unmarried. He lived alone with a roommate, 69-year-old Uncle Choo.

While Choo has shared the house with Thien for about five years, he said they have both lived in the Owen Road estate for decades and have known each other for just as long.

Speaking to the media in an interview in their home, Choo described Thien as a “good man”.

He recalled with a laugh the times when he would cheekily tease Thien while he worked on his twig art.

But he said Thien would never anger, and would simply get back to it.

Thien also worked with more conventional mediums and tools, such as pencil on paper.

Choo showed off a collection of such work by Thien, flipping through a booklet of A3-sized pages that featured various portraits of opera characters.

Uncle Thien struggled with asthma

According to Choo, the 83-year-old struggled with asthma.

Thien had experienced trouble breathing, and on Jun. 20 at about 2am, Choo pushed an emergency help button at home that called for an ambulance.

He also shared that before Thien’s passing on Jul. 1, Thien was hospitalised for 11 days.

When asked how he felt about Thien’s passing, Choo took it in his stride.

“This is life,” he commented.

What’s more important is to pass without pain or suffering, the 69-year-old opined.

When asked about his parting words, Choo continued to appear unfazed and said he would tell Thien himself if he were there.

He quipped that he had gone up to Thien’s casket, teased him one last time by knocking on the glass, and said, “Hey, go well.”

Lifelong passion for Chinese opera

When Mothership visited Uncle Thien’s wake on Jul. 3, some residents were seen visiting and paying their final respects.

Thien’s wake was organised by his nieces and nephews, who were present at the wake.

One of them, Thien's niece, told Mothership that Thien remained passionate about Chinese opera over the years.

This passion is reflected in his artworks, which often feature opera characters.

On how this passion came to be, she said, “I don’t know because I was very young… I know he just loves it.”

“I don’t know who the characters he drew were, I just know they’re from opera,” she added.

She also shared that Uncle Thien didn’t start out making artworks, but rather with singing Chinese opera songs.

As he got older, drawing and making art became more accessible to him.

She similarly remembered her uncle as a man who enjoyed his peace.

"Thank you, it's nothing"

In fact, Uncle Thien himself had expressed his shyness about being in the spotlight.

"I've never thought that I'll become so popular here. A lot of people are looking for me. It's embarrassing," Thien told Mothership in a 2020 interview.

Thien was full of laughter then as he spoke about his passion and his experiences with his newfound fame.

Regarding the compliments paid to him about his art, Thien said they were great encouragement to him.

"Thank you, it's nothing," Thien shrugged.

At the end of the interview, Thien reflected on the fleeting nature of his artwork, sharing about how the wind would take it away sometimes, prompting him to restart the creative process.

He shared his nugget of wisdom on life, saying in a mix dialect and Mandarin:

"When you're happy, you don't get old. Happy ah. Life is just a few decades. It passes you in the blink of an eye. Don't worry too much. If it's meant to happen, it will. If it's not meant to happen, it won't. Life is short, we should be contented with what we have."

Final goodbye

Thien’s niece revealed that the night before his passing at the hospital, Thien was still jovial, with the family sharing laughs alongside the 83-year-old.

Uncle Thien was the youngest of five siblings, Thien’s niece said.

Her late dad, who was the eldest among them, doted on Uncle Thien the most.

The niece assured, “My dad will be there for him. No need to worry.”

Uncle Thien’s cortege departs on Jul. 4.

A man has been fined RM20,000 (S$6,342) by a Malaysian court for illegally pumping his Singapore-registered car with subsidised RON95 petrol.

The man, in his 50s, was the driver and owner of the car.

He was sentenced on Jul. 2 after pleading guilty to the charge, The New Straits Times reported.

He paid his fine that same day. If he were unable to, he would have had to serve three months in jail.

He was the first person arrested for this offence after the ban on purchasing RON95 petrol for foreign-registered vehicles came into effect on Apr. 1, 2026.

He was caught and detained during an enforcement operation at a petrol station at about 10pm on Apr. 9.

The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry's Johor chapter director said the successful prosecution proved the ministry's continuous commitment to combating the misappropriation of controlled goods to protect consumer interests and ensure national supply stability.

Related stories

Love works in mysterious ways, and for one Malaysian couple, it looks like successfully navigating a 37-year age gap to build a lasting marriage.

Norlida Mohamed Salleh, 64, and Muhd Sabree Razaman, 27, tied the knot in September 2020.

At the time of their wedding, Norlida was 58 while Sabree was 21.

Six years on, the couple who live in Negeri Sembilan say that over the years, their relationship has become increasingly harmonious, built on a foundation of solid communication and mutual understanding.

This is Norlida's third marriage, and she has six children aged between 26 and 40.

'She is my first love'

The couple first crossed paths at the minimart where Norlida had worked, reported Berita Harian (BH).

Sabree was a frequent customer of the minimart, which happened to be owned by her second ex-husband.

Norlida shared, "We've known each other for a long time because we live in the same neighbourhood, but we started getting to know each other two years before getting married".

Their friendship blossomed from these regular shop visits, and Sabree eventually developed romantic feelings for her.

Norlida admitted she had initially ruled out remarrying after separating from her former husband in 2016.

"I only cared for him and initially regarded him like a son, but eventually we became partners."

She ultimately accepted what she saw as God's will and was won over by his sincerity and mature personality despite Sabree being 19 years old when they first met.

Speaking to the New Straits Times (NST), Sabree revealed, "I had never been in love with any woman before I met my wife, so she is my first love."

Family acceptance

When the couple first discussed marriage, they faced mixed reactions from their respective families.

Norlida's children were initially sceptical about the union.

"I understand that I am getting older, so they may have thought there were bad intentions since my husband is much younger."

However, her children eventually accepted her choice.

Sabree, who works as a school security guard, clarified to NST that he has never taken financial advantage of his wife: "I work day and night because I am aware that it is a husband's responsibility to earn a living and provide for his wife."

While Norlida's family, including four stepchildren older than Sabree, had accepted him "from day one", his family initially struggled to approve of their relationship.

"But I stood by my decision because I saw it as fate that had already been written. I was ready to become a husband, even though I was only 21 at the time."

The couple maintained that their marriage remained strong due to consistent communication and the belief that their match was determined by God.

6 years of marital bliss

Norlida described her husband as a loving and understanding husband, according to Harian Metro.

Over their six years of marriage, Norlida claimed that they had never fought.

She added that Sabree would always give her a massage before he goes to work and get her a drink before meals at home.

Norlida said that she has asked Sabree to take on another wife so he could have his own children but he refused.

She said: "He promised that he'll never leave me, but I'll accept it if he has a change of heart one day."

"I promise to take care of my wife until the end of her life and I will never leave her. Whatever happens, I want her to remain before my eyes," he told NST.

Norlida, who currently earns a living by taking orders for kuih, echoed the sentiment: "He still has a long journey ahead of him and before I close my eyes, I want to make him happy. I always pray that Allah gives my husband strength."

An 18-month-old boy was found dead in a sports utility vehicle (SUV) outside a preschool in Plantation, Florida, United States.

In a post on X, the Plantation Police Department and the Plantation Fire Department responded to the report of a deceased person in a vehicle on Jun. 29 at about 5:39pm at the World of Discovery Academy, a day care and preschool.

NEWS BRIEF: Death Investigation

On Monday, 06/29/2026 at 5:39 pm, the Plantation Police Department and Plantation Fire Department responded to the report of a deceased child in a vehicle at 7025 NW 4th Street (A World of Discovery Academy).

Upon arrival, Plantation Fire… pic.twitter.com/LfstX4a9cu

— Plantation Police (@PlantationPD) June 30, 2026

Emergency responders pronounced the boy dead on-site.

Investigations into his death are ongoing.

What happened

Carolina Quecano, an assistant director at the preschool, told New York Times that the boy and his father arrived at the preschool on the afternoon of Jun. 29.

He reportedly pulled up to the pick-up and drop-off area where preschool employees would meet parents who drove their vehicles.

Quencano claimed that “the ladies outside” told the boy’s father that “he is not here”.

The boy’s father then purportedly exited the SUV and looked into the backseat, realising that his child was deceased.

Leslie Novoa, the owner of the preschool, told ABC News that she alerted emergency responders after the father discovered the deceased child.

Novoa also claimed the father arrived to pick up his child, and when he reached the parking lot, he realised he “forgot the child”.

"He never dropped off the child at the school," she added.

Family

According to Novoa, the family had been enrolled at the preschool for years.

The boy was apparently the family’s third child to attend the school.

"They're a very loving family, and unfortunately, this happened," she added.

Heat

According to New York Times, 122 children have died in hot cars since 1990 in Florida.

In South Florida, as temperatures have reached to about 32°C and higher.

In an Instagram post by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office following this incident, at least nine children have reportedly died after being left in hot cars in the U.S. in 2026, including three in Florida.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office ⭐️ (@pbcountysheriff)

Local police departments urged parents to check the back seat of their vehicles before leaving.

“Always make it a habit to LOOK before you lock, keep a reminder in the back seat, and always check before walking away. One moment of distraction can change a family forever,” the caption read.

Workers' Party (WP) leader Kenneth Foo, 49, was named NSman of the Year on Jul. 1.

According to a Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) press release, 20 NSmen received awards during the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Day celebrations in recognition of their "sterling contributions".

In addition, 12 active units and 18 NS units were honoured for their "outstanding achievements".

Foo, who contested in the 2025 General Election, received the award from Minister for Defence Chan Chun Sing.

Thanked his wife

In a LinkedIn post, the lieutenant colonel thanked his wife for her unwavering support over the years.

"Sometimes, I even dragged you along to army events and ended that you are left alone as I go around engaging fellow friends," Foo wrote.

Photos shared by well-wishers showed Foo's wife standing beside him as he accepted the award from Chan.

WP chief Pritam Singh also congratulated Foo in a Facebook post, saying he had been recognised for his "excellent national service performance and contributions".

"Thank you for serving as a role model for so many of us, and anyone in uniform. Well done and congratulations! Majulah Singapura!"

Previously contested in GE2025

Foo currently serves as the WP's deputy organising secretary. He contested Tampines Changkat SMC in the 2025 General Election, where he lost to the People's Action Party's Desmond Choo after securing 43.83 per cent of the valid votes.

He joined the WP in 2006 and was previously part of the party's East Coast GRC team in the 2020 General Election.

In a candidate introduction video released on May 1, 2025, the party said Foo serves under the Reservist on Voluntary Extended Reserve Service (ROVERS) scheme, through which Singaporeans voluntarily extend their National Service beyond mandatory obligations.

He is also a recipient of the Singapore Armed Forces Long Service and Good Conduct (20 Years) Medal.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Foo is the head of governance and risk at the Singapore Cancer Society, where he has worked for the past 11 years.

A total of seven stalls at a Eunos canteen at Block 29 Eunos Avenue 6 have reportedly been told to vacate the premises after the owner supposedly decided not to renew their lease.

Shin Min Daily News reported that they received news that they had to move in June. 2026 and were all shocked.

More than 10 employees of a stall, DUDU Cantonese Cuisine, were faced with unemployment after the vendor had invested over S$100,000 to move in six months ago.

Told to vacate after half a year

Speaking to Shin Min, 30-year-old Peng Junkang (transliterated), who runs the stall, said he received a notice from the owner on Jun. 21, 2026.

It apparently stated that seven vendors, including himself, had to move out by end of July 2026 as the premises would only be open until then.

He said: "When [the owner] told me this to my face, I was completely stunned and couldn't react at all."

Peng added that he had just invested over S$100,000 to move into the canteen in November 2025.

He had agreed then to pay a monthly rent of S$10,000 for three stalls until 2028.

Now he has been notified to vacate after only after half a year.

"The owner mentioned that the premises would be taken back in two years, but he could rent it until the contract expired," said Peng.

He added: "I liked that the space was large, so I agreed to rent it and even spent nearly S$10,000 to install a giant fan."

Employees worried about losing jobs

Upon hearing the news of having to vacate, his employees were all worried about losing their jobs, he told Shin Min.

"Many of them came to work in Singapore from their hometowns," he said, adding that "we are like a big family, so it hurts me to see them so worried".

Noting he would do his best to find a new location for the stall, Peng said that since opening the stall, business was gradually getting better and he had plans to expand the kitchen team and release a new menu next month.

Though the stall had only been open for a few months, they overcame a number of challenges and it was only recently that they began to build a customer base, he said.

He added that he never expected to have to move out so soon.

Given that the stall requires a larger space, Shin Min reported that Peng would have to secure at least three stall spaces adjacent to one another again, which would not be easy.

He has yet to find a suitable space despite viewing five to six places, but would persevere in finding one, he said, as quoted by Shin Min.

'A difficult update': Stall

The stall said via a Jun. 23 Instagram post that it "became more than a restaurant", "a place filled with memories, laughter, and familiar faces who slowly became our friends and family".

According to its Instagram account, its last operating day will be Jul. 26.

The post read: "Thank you for every meal shared with us, every recommendation, all the kind words, and every time you chose us.

"You were the reason that this place came to life, and we’ll never forget that."

Food is good: Customers

When Shin Min visited the canteen on Jul. 1, six stalls were found to be open during the day.

Shin Min also observed that only "DUDU Cantonese Cuisine" and another stall were open in the evening, with quite a few diners at the canteen during the dinner peak hour.

Diners who heard about the stall having to vacate expressed their sadness, including a 40-year-old customer who drove from the west with his wife to dine there.

He said: "The food here is really good. I hope they can find a new place to relocate smoothly, otherwise it would be a real shame."

Feel helpless

A 61-year-old vendor who has operated his stall for six years said he was mentally prepared for the relocation to take place and considers himself fortunate to have already found a new space in Ang Mo Kio.

Another vendor, 53, said she has operated her stall for 10 years and had spent S$18,000 half a year ago to secure the neighbouring stall.

Shin Min reported that she is now unsure of what to do and may retire should she fail to find a new space.

Rent increase, sharp drop in foot traffic: Owner

Speaking to Shin Min, the 67-year-old canteen owner, Chen Qiwen (transliterated), said he decided to close it due to increased rent and a sharp drop in customer traffic, which caused business to plummet by more than half in the past two years.

He added that the landlord had informed him that rent would be increased, after which he decided to close the business as he believed that the risk of renewing the contract was too great.

"I've been running this canteen for 40 years, and some vendors have been renting from me for a long time," he said.

He added: "I'm definitely reluctant to give it up, but I'm also getting old. I'm worried that if I continue, I might even lose my life savings."