7 other escape attempts in the past

Since 1989, there have been seven reported attempts by detainees to break out of the Subordinate Courts. All escapees were later apprehended.

# Sept 20, 2007

Names: Mohammad Noorhairy Khairuddin (right), 26, and Rizuwan Roslan, 23

What happened: They slipped away from their guard at the Court 26 dock when he was busy. They later squeezed into a narrow ventilation fan room, but injured themselves when they jumped out of the room and were caught.

# June 8, 2005

Name: Thangevelu Velu, 36

What happened: Bolted from an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority van near the entrance of the underground carpark. He was caught a day later at a Bedok South flat.

# Feb 6, 2003

Name: Muhammad Yusri Hanapi, 20

What happened: He distracted a police officer by asking what time it was while another officer was looking for a switch in a holding room for detainees. He managed to free himself from his handcuffs and ran out. He was caught at his parents' home in Pasir Ris hours later.

# Oct 23, 2000

Name: Oh Chee Kiong, 27

What happened: He was in the holding room when he asked to go to the toilet. He later realised the holding room was empty and walked out and ran up the stairs through a passage. He was nabbed three days later at a house in Upper Serangoon Road.

# April 20, 2000

Name: Chang Kwee, 42

What happened: He escaped from the bail centre when he learnt his supposed bailor could not raise the $6,000 amount. He was re-arrested a few days later.

# Feb 6, 1998

Names: Ong Guek Hong, 35, Lim Hang Liang, 38, and Wong Kwong Weng, 21

What happened: They tried to escape a fifth-floor courtroom after their cases had been dealt with. They were re-arrested outside the courtroom.

# July 24, 1993

Name: Kannan Karunanantham, 22

What happened: He escaped from the lock-up while being taken to the dock in Court 26. He was re-arrested at the old Satay Club near the Padang about a month later.

Shock over court escape bids

June 13, 2008

Escapees were caught but details point to complacency and breach of procedure
By Serene Luo
MEMBERS of Parliament, security experts and ordinary Singaporeans said they were shocked at Wednesday's double escape attempt at the Subordinate Courts, coming just four months after the break-out of Jemaah Islamiah detainee Mas Selamat Kastari.

Details of the escape bid which emerged yesterday pointed to a false sense of security on the part of some police officers. This led MPs to ask if the lessons learnt in the wake of the Mas Selamat episode had filtered down to all levels.

The two men had been in court to face charges relating to robbery with hurt. They had asked for water, then knocked down and beat up a police officer when he opened the cell, in what was a breach of procedure.

The mistake was compounded by that of a second officer, who unlocked the main gate to the lock-up area without verifying the men's identities on closed-circuit television.

When contacted by The Straits Times, the chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Home Affairs and Law Teo Ho Pin said: 'When Mas Selamat escaped, that was a wake-up call. But I'm not very sure how many people have woken up.

'There must be checks and balances that the message is conveyed down effectively to the last man in the force. Things mentioned at the management level or in the media may not go down to the last man.'

He added: 'Every moment, it must be in each person's mind that (a detainee) can cause hurt or escape. This is basic due diligence.' He said he would 'definitely query the Home Affairs Ministry' at next month's parliamentary sitting.

MP Michael Palmer, who is also a lawyer, called the escape attempt something out of Hollywood. 'You can't imagine that climbing out of a toilet or asking for water and then pouncing on the guards actually happens here,' he said. 'I think we were just lucky this time that neither accused managed to escape.'

Ms Indranee Rajah, another MP and a lawyer, said the sombre environment of the courts may have contributed to a false sense of security: 'That is a concern because any security agency must have the operating mindset that if something can go wrong, it will.'

Agreeing, Security Association (Singapore) president T. Mogan, 49, said: 'Incidents can happen to anybody and good systems should train us to be on our toes all the time.'

Although he said the police were doing a good job in general and 'should not be judged on one or two incidents', he added that more on-the-job and mock-up situational training is needed.

Other experts said more stringent and frequent security audits are needed. Internal third parties should make spot checks 'as often as you can', said the managing director of security consulting at Certis Cisco, Mr Charles Loh, 45, whose officers are responsible for screening members of the public entering the courts.

External parties should review safety procedures at least once a year, he added.

In online forums and interviews, Singaporeans were amazed another escape, though botched, had occurred. Concierge Ali Alsagoff, 36, was concerned that Singapore's reputation had taken another hit: 'It's pretty embarrassing... If I were (the authorities), what kind of explanation can I give now?'

Life of a Bus Driver

Odd hours, long shifts, but he still has the drive



MAKE ROOM, BUS IS PACKED: On one of his trips, Mr Teo has to get off the driver's seat to ask passengers to move to the rear to make room for others.

Why are so few Singaporeans signing up to be bus drivers? The answer may lie in the long, irregular hours and low pay. SBS Transit senior bus captain Teo Cher Soon, 43, earns $1,700 a month after eight years. Reporter Yeo Ghim Lay tails him through a typical nine-hour day

5am: He has breakfast at a coffee shop near his Serangoon North home. He checks his schedule and learns that he will drive services 94 and 94A today. He has to be at the Eunos interchange to start the first of the day's nine trips by 6.32am.

He and a few other drivers are picked up by a bus for SBS employees and driven to the Braddell Road depot.

5.45am: Mr Teo reports to the office, scans his employee pass and picks up a timesheet, which contains the start and end times for the day's trips. He also picks up a checklist he will use as he inspects the bus he is to drive.

After checking for dents and the fuel and water levels, he is satisfied it is road-worthy. He boards the bus and 'logs on' with his pass. He prints out a sample ticket. The ticket machine is working fine.

6.07am: He drives the service 94 bus to Eunos interchange, the starting point. This service runs to the Republic of Singapore Air Force airbase in Paya Lebar and loops back to the interchange.

6.35am: At the Eunos interchange, more than 10 commuters are waiting. The bus fills up en route. (On his second run an hour later, more than 20 commuters are waiting.)

By the third stop, the bus is packed. Mr Teo has to get off his seat a few times to ask commuters to move to the rear to make room for others. He gives the next few stops a miss.

8.17am: He drops off his last load of passengers at the airbase and drives back to the interchange. After he checks to see that commuters did not leave anything behind, he goes to the interchange office, where he clocks in. Then, a five-minute toilet break.

8.22am: He is back on the bus to drive service 94A (the route is half that of service 94's). It plies between Eunos interchange and the airbase, and makes no stops on the return leg.

9.02am: He gets back to the interchange, slowed down by congestion en route. He takes a two-minute break.

Lunch hour: This comes after his fifth trip of the day. He has 25 minutes to eat - and not much choice by way of food at the interchange canteen. He gulps down mixed vegetables with rice and has a cup of coffee. Another toilet break and it's back on the bus.

2.40pm: He calls it a day at Eunos interchange after four more trips. It has been more than eight hours since he started work. He clocks out at the interchange office, and walks to the bus stop at Eunos MRT station to wait for the bus that will take him home.

En route, he looks at his timetable for the next day's shift, which is longer. He will drive service 63, a three-hour route.

Home!: He lies down for a one-hour nap - 'but only for an hour. If not, I won't be able to fall asleep tonight'.

His single day off a week is usually spent with his wife and daughter, who is in Secondary1.

Over the years, he has met his share of unreasonable commuters - those who take it out on him because they think they have waited too long, even when his bus is on time.

Once, he had a commuter who was so drunk that he vomited and passed out on board. Mr Teo had to call the police, who arrived with an ambulance to check on the man. Mr Teo got home later than usual that night.

Among the 10 drivers who started work the same year he did, about half have left, with most having quit or retired.

Some days, he works 13hours, depending on the shift he is assigned. Overtime pay kicks in after eight hours.

Despite the hours, Mr Teo says he does not mind the job, as he does not bring his work home. Also, the job has given him a stable income and Central Provident Fund savings, which pay for his flat.

'I plan to continue driving as long as I am able to,' he says.

Public spirited group foils thief's getaway

7 May 2008

THREE public spirited students and a man nabbed a thief who had stolen nearly $200 from a hawker stall at Block 115 Bukit Merah View on Tuesday.

The suspect had grabbed some cash from a plastic pail at a stall selling mixed vegetable rice at about 1 pm. The 46-year-old stall operator who was serving customers at the tables immediately gave chase and shouted for help.

His cries for help alerted Mr Ng Ek Whye, 41, who was having lunch then. Three secondary school students playing soccer nearby, Muhammad Yusoff Bin Abdul Karim, 14, Muhammad Razin Basit, 15, and Prakash C. Vellu, 16, joined in the chase.

Together with stallholder, the group managed to catch the suspect at an open space in front of Block 112 Bukit Merah View, and handed over to police.

Cash amounting to $192 and a mobile phone valued at about $160 were recovered from the suspect. The phone is believed to have been stolen from a drinks stall operator at Block 85 Redhill Market earlier on Tuesday morning.

The suspect will be charged in court on Thursday for theft, which carries a jail term of three years, a or fine, or both.

Serial armed robber arrested

7 May 2008

POLICE have arrested a man believed to be involved in at least five armed robberies targeting women at the vicinity of Rochor Road, Jalan Sultan and Tyrwhitt Road.

He first struck at the car park of Rochor Centre on April 16 April when he entered the car of a 41-year-old Chinese woman and robbed her of S$100 cash, a mobile phone valued at $400 and a cash card with $35 stored value at knifepoint.

He also took an ATM card from the victim and later withdrew $900 from her bank account after demanding she reveal her PIN.

Over the next ten days, he robbed another four women aged between 21 and 55. Each time, he confronted them with a knife or a screwdriver in public areas in the early morning between 1.30am and 6.15am.

The five victims lost their handbags, cash and other property with a total value of about $3,750.

A Special Task Force comprising officers from the Investigation and Intelligence Branches of Central Police Division was formed to track down the culprit.

The Special Task Force had a breakthrough when finger prints were found on the documents kept in the first victim's hand bag which the suspect had rummaged through.

On Tuesday, at about 4.30pm, the Special Task Force caught the man at the back lane of Lorong 19 Geylang.

Three cash cards, an orange paper cutter, two screw drivers, three black jackets and a cap were seized from his car which was parked nearby.

The suspect, a 42-year-old Chinese man, will be charged in court on Thursday for armed robbery.

If convicted, he can be jailed for between three and 14 years, and caned at least 12 strokes.

Quick-thinking cashier locks robber inside 7-Eleven store

7 May 2008

Police use stun gun on knife-wielding man who shows suicidal tendencies
By Carolyn Quek

A MID-AFTERNOON armed robbery attempt at a 7-Eleven outlet was foiled yesterday by a quick- thinking cashier who locked the robber in, then raced to a phone to call the police.

What followed was a standoff between the police and the robber, who had a knife with him.

Ms Fong Mei Mei, a witness to the incident at the 7-Eleven outlet just outside the Braddell MRT station concourse, said the robber did not seem to be aware that he had been locked in.

'He just continued ransacking the store,' said the 17-year-old sales assistant of a nearby clothing store.

By this time, the plucky cashier, who is in his early 30s, had nipped over to a public phone to call the police.

When the robber was ready to make his getaway and realised he had been locked in, he removed the closed-circuit TV camera from its mount near the store's ceiling and hurled it against the glass door.

The door did not give way.

He was still trying to get out of the store when three or four policemen showed up; more officers were at the scene later.

A police spokesman said the officers opened the door and tried to negotiate with the robber.

Ms Fong said the robber then turned his knife towards his stomach, in an apparent gesture that he would kill himself.

She said: 'His face was very pale. The policemen told him to calm down.'

He appeared to soften somewhat.

Then one of the police officers directed a taser electric stun gun at his leg, and he crumpled into a heap.

The police spokesman said that the police team leader had made the call for the taser gun to be used because it appeared that the man had suicidal tendencies.

The robber was then arrested and subsequently taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital by the police.

Ms Fong also told The Straits Times that a friend who was visiting her at her workplace had earlier seen the man - clad in a white shirt and jeans - headed for the 7-Eleven with a handkerchief over his face.

She added: 'My friend did not think he was a robber then. He thought the man had a cold.'

Contacted by The Straits Times, a 7-Eleven spokesman declined comment on a matter now under police investigation.

She said the cashier was unhurt, and that business at the outlet resumed in the evening.

8-year-old boy robbed of handphone!

This piece of news was reported on 7 May 2008.

An eight-year-old boy was robbed of his $200 handphone last Sunday at 10pm.

He was returning from a trip to the provision store at Block 230 Tampines St 23, when a man accosted him and demanded to see his handphone.

The man then grabbed his handphone and ran off.

The suspect is described to be of fair complexion, 1.7m in height, and having a mole under the right side of his lip. He was wearing a cream shirt and long black pants.

Anyone with information can contact the Police at 1800-255-0000.

Temperature's Rising

By Diana Othman

IF THE weather has been sweltering lately, it is because May is on record as the second hottest month of the year here.

The fortnightly weather forecast by the National Environmental Agency (NEA) indicates that up till the middle of this month, higher-than-average day-time temperatures can be expected.

There will be little relief from rain, and winds will be too light to cool things down.

To top it off, a slight haze is also expected on some days between now and May 15.

In the first five days of this month, the mercury hit 34.1 deg C at its highest.

The average daily temperature for those five days was 29 deg C, slightly higher than the average daily temperature of 28.3 deg C in May in past years.

Expect temperatures to climb still higher - perhaps to 38 deg C - heading into June, traditionally the hottest month here.

(April and August are the third and fourth hottest months.)

She raised 16 kids on 20 cents a day

She raised 16 kids on 20 cents a day
By April Chong

WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE: Madam Lim travelled from China to marry Mr Joseph Loh in 1936. They were both 17 years old at the time. -- PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE FAMILY OF MADAM LENA LIM

MARRIAGE had never figured in the mind of the young Lena Lim.

Born a Catholic and raised next to a convent in Swatow in China, she dreamt of becoming a nun. But she found herself matchmade at age 12, married at 17 and then a mother to 16 children.

All before she turned 42.

Last Wednesday, her 12 surviving children were summoned to see her in her Ang Mo Kio flat. She held out till past 7pm for the last child to arrive before closing her eyes for good. She died that day at age 90.

Her wake was attended by more than 300 people each day, so much so her children were kept on their feet taking people for a last look at their mother, and serving visitors with snacks and drinks.

About 150 mourners formed a snaking line behind her cortege yesterday. She was buried at Choa Chu Kang Christian Cemetery, where her husband had been laid to rest 26 years earlier.

'Although she had a hard life, she never complained and she taught us that no matter how poor we were, there were others worse off than us,' said Madam Lim's youngest child, 48-year-old author Joanna Loh.

At the age of 17, Madam Lim was put on a boat to Singapore to marry a man she had never met.

She narrowly missed the revolutionary war that broke out in her hometown and left her well-to-do family impoverished.

With her petite 50kg frame, family and friends always marvelled at how she could carry 16 children to term, having one almost every year.

Because of her strict Catholic views, contraception was not practised. Her large brood later gave her 22 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

The transition from a luxurious life, where embroidering silk handkerchiefs was about the only chore for rich young girls, to being a mother in a new land was tough.

On just 20 cents a day from her husband, who was a clerk in the British Naval Base then, she brought up her brood and ran her household like clockwork.

To feed her family, she planted vegetables and reared chickens when they lived in her husband's family home in Hougang.

'She ran the family like a CEO,' said Madam Loh, recounting how the children were rostered to do household chores once they turned eight.

Although the family was poor, she refused an offer from a relative to buy one of her sons.

'Over my dead body,' she said in Teochew.

But she lost three of her own during World War II in the 1940s. They died of malnutrition and illness before they were even a year old.

The family moved from place to place in their early years as they could not afford their own home until her husband retired in 1971.

That was when they bought a semi-detached house in Changi with his pension pay-out. What she regretted was not being able to take her 500 pots of orchids collected during her kampung days in Hougang because the new place was too small.

Although poor, Madam Lim was still the epitome of the sio jia, or lady of leisure as the Teochews would say.

She never had a hair out of place, even though she could not afford expensive clothes or cosmetics.

She was haggard when she was young, but as her children grew up, she increasingly had more time and money to dress up.

'She was younger when she was older,' quipped Madam Loh.

Granddaughter Susanna Loh, 40, remembered how she used to play at her Ah Ma's dressing table, fascinated by her lipstick, powder and 'sexy' sarong kebayas.

She would do her hair in the salon and her sarong kebayas were always figure-hugging, she said.

She recalled with a smile: 'She was a very hip grandmother!'

After her husband died of a heart attack in 1982, she became active in church work. Having travelled only once - to the Philippines - up to then, she was urged by her children to 'see the world'.

And see the world she did - from the United States to the Middle East.

It was on one of these trips that she was reunited with her sisters in China - fully 50 years after she left her hometown. She was then 68.

Dementia started to set in when she was 78. She forgot who her children were and had regressed to a child-like state.

To celebrate the matriarch's ninth decade last year, family members threw a party with 120 guests. Her grandchildren even put up a band performance for her.

Although she could not recognise her family members and had become oblivious to her surroundings, family members recalled how she could still clap her hands during the party.

'We're glad we decided to do that. It was the last time we took a family photo together,' said Madam Loh.

NUS team makes history by finding frog with no lungs

April 10, 2008

NUS team makes history by finding frog with no lungs
Kalimantan find is only the 4th creature with backbones known to breathe without lungs

By Shobana Kesava




ONE OF A KIND: DrDavid Bickford holds preserved specimens of the endangered species of lungless frog that his team found in Indonesia. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

SINGAPORE scientists have discovered a lungless frog that breathes through its skin - a find that makes evolutionary history.

The aquatic frog is affectionately called Barbie - short for its scientific name Barbourula kalimantanensis. It was found in two mountain rivers in the heart of Kalimantan last August.

A group of nine researchers, led by evolutionary biologist David Bickford from the National University of Singapore (NUS), found the flat, dark brown frogs with golden specks under smooth rocks in clean, cool and fast-flowing water.

Their findings are set to be published next month.

Since animals first waddled onto land eons ago, only three other creatures with backbones - two groups of salamanders and a single species of the earthworm-like caecilians - have been known to forsake their lungs.

Dr Bickford, 39, said Barbie absorbs oxygen dissolved in the water through its skin.

Barbourula kalimantanensis
Length: 38mm

Weight: 6.5g

Reproduction method: Unknown

Home: Found on the bed of cold, clean rivers

Body temperature: 14 to 17 deg C

Respiration: To stay safely on the river bed, away from swirling currents, it has done away with air-filled lungs which would increase its buoyancy. Oxygen passes into its bloodstream through the skin.

Vision: Forward-facing eyes make the frog more streamlined and help it pinpoint prey.

Food: Scientists believe it is a fierce predator feeding on beetle larvae three times its length.

'The discovery is not so much a surprise to the scientific community as much as a surprise that it has taken so long to find it,' DrBickford said.

One reason could be that the frog resides deep in mountain rivers and is fully aquatic.

A fisherman first took a Barbie to Indonesian scientist Djoko Iskandar in Kalimantan in 1978. He had been searching for the animal ever since.

Part of the NUS team last August, DrDjoko co-authored the scientific paper with DrBickford.

'Djoko was near tears when we found them after all those years of searching,' said DrBickford.

The specimens the NUS team discovered were well over 50km from where the first frogs were spotted by local fishermen.

Their original wading grounds had become prime gold-mining and logging territory.

'They must have been forced upstream from their original habitats...so we got to the end of the logging road and started the search,' added DrBickford.

He hopes the find will help spur research into South-east Asian wildlife, much of which is threatened by development.

'Frogs are a clear indication of how degraded our environment is, so if people who know the terrain can help us discover what we have and preserve it, my work in conservation will be worth it,' he said.

Indonesian zoologist Indraneil Das, who studies amphibians and reptiles, said the discovery of a lungless frog could stir up national interest.

'This shows us yet another innovation by amphibians. If the findings are read by the government and if it does something about them by way of conservation...that will be a good thing for all concerned, except perhaps the gold-miners.'

$50k daylight robbery

April 10, 2008
$50k daylight robbery Girl, 3, and maid held captive in victim's car
Robbers told maid that she and child would be killed if police were called
By Sujin Thomas and Lim Wei Chean
ORDEAL: One of the robbers went with the victim to withdraw the cash at this POSB branch in Hougang Central while his accomplice waited in her BMW in a nearby carpark with her grandchild and maid. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM WHEN a woman in her 60s walked into a POSB branch in Hougang Central on Tuesday afternoon to withdraw $50,000, the staff there did not turn a hair. They thought she was just a regular customer making a withdrawal. What they did not know: She was taking out the cash at the behest of a man armed with a knife. A spokesman for DBS, of which POSB is a part, told The Straits Times: 'We knew what had happened only when the police came asking for closed-circuit TV tapes to assist in their investigations.' After thewoman got the money from the bank in Block 805, she handed it to the robber, who then fled. Her ordeal had begun about an hour earlier, at 12.30pm, when a man with a knife confronted her in the driveway of her home in Chiltern Drive, off Braddell Road. Shouting for help Hougang resident Diana Chia (below with her son, Justin), who saw the maid and child locked in the car: ... more The police said he then got into the rear seat of her BMW, along with her three-year-old granddaughter and Filipino maid, and ordered her to drive. After picking up his accomplice along the way, they made their way to Hougang Central, where the woman and one of the men alighted outside the bank, Lianhe Wanbao reported. The other man then drove the car to the ground level of a nearby multi-storey carpark, with the child and maid still inside. He told the maid he would kill her and the child if she called the police. An hour later, he locked them in the car and went to meet his accomplice who had received the money - but not before winding down the car's window by about 8cm to let air into the car. The maid and child could not get out because of the child-safety lock. The maid shouted for help, attracting the attention of a passing rag-and-bone man. He did not understand English, so he called out to resident Diana Chia, 35, of Block 850, who was going to her car to pick her son up from school. The maid's armed-robbery story scared Ms Chia. She turned to her neighbour Ting Ming Sheng, 45, who had just driven into the carpark. She asked him to help and left to pick up her son. Mr Ting called the police, who arrived shortly. When Ms Chia returned about 20 minutes later, she slipped packets of milk, bread and biscuits through the car window to the duo. When the victim learnt where her maid and granddaughter were after the robber fled with her money, she asked her husband to take a spare key there. At the family's bungalow last night, The Straits Times spoke to one of the four maids working there. She said the maid involved had been told by her boss not to speak to the press. She added that the maid had settled back into her chores and did not seem traumatised. The police yesterday released descriptions of the two men: One is between 30 and 40 years old, slim and tanned, and about 1.7m tall. He was wearing a black jacket, dark trousers and a navy-blue baseball cap. The other is between 40 and 50. He was last seen in a black-and-white striped shirt and dark trousers. Those with information may call the police on 1800-255-0000.

I bought blades in bulk

I bought blades in bulk


Runny (above) made sure her cuts were as close as possible "to save space". -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI
View more photos
Runny's parents first found out that she was cutting herself when they stumbled on her trying to wash the bloodstains from her clothes.

She was 15 then. Runny (not her real name) would cut herself three to five times a week while hiding in public washrooms, or in the bathroom at home.

For the past nine years, Runny, now 24 and married, has been cutting herself intermittently. She is candid about her condition.

'When I cut, I try to cut as close as possible, like kueh lapis, to save space.'

'I also buy penknife blades in bulk', she added.

Although the frequency of her cutting has decreased since her last hospitalisation in October last year, her left arm is still a battlefield, roped with scars that are a testament to her fight against depression with psychotic features, borderline personality disorder and dissociative identity disorder.

'It started off as a response to stress and after cutting myself I felt more mellow,' said Runny.

'However, it later became so ingrained that it was almost like a default response.'

One factor that may have contributed to Runny's cutting was her non-assertiveness when bullied in school.

'It was subtle. I would be purposely excluded from activities and it got worse after I started cutting myself. Some people would look and me and say 'she's freaky', or 'here she comes again'.'

Her negative experience in school was compounded by the lack of support from her family.

'Although we live together physically, we're separated emotionally. My family preferred to leave things to the health-care professionals, and they would say things like 'hang on, your next appointment at IMH is on Friday',' said Runny.

She first visited a psychiatrist at age 15, when her secondary school referred her to the Institute of Mental Health's (IMH) Child Guidance Clinic.

At 16, she began taking five types of medication for her condition: anti-psychotic drugs, anti-depressants, tranquillisers, sleeping pills and mood stabilisers.

At 17, she was warded against her will in IMH, following a regular check-up.

She has also undergone six cycles of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which she said helped her.

For ECT, a patient is anaesthetised and electrodes (electric conductors) placed at each temple. Electricity is then passed through the head to induce a seizure for therapeutic effect.

Today, she is still on medication and sees two different therapists once a week: one for psychotherapy and one for medication.

However, life has not been without its bright spots.

'Someone once researched mental health with me and used the information to show me that there is hope and that this can be treated,' said Runny. That 'someone' is now her husband, Kevin, 33. They have been married for seven months.

Dr Daniel Fung, chief of the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at IMH, said that with people who self-mutilate, the intention is more important than the action. 'They may not be trying to commit suicide, it may just be a maladaptive way of dealing with emotional pain,' he said.

He also cautioned against teenagers experimenting with such methods of release.

'Cutting may start off as an experiment, but turn into an addiction.'

Other growing pains

Coping with taunts...

When Joshua Lim, 23, was younger, his friends and relatives would make fun of him for being too skinny.

'I had nicknames like 'Scrawny Josh', and 'Teck Ko (Hokkien for bamboo pole) Lim',' said the student.

When he was in Secondary 1, Joshua was 165cm tall and weighed 45kg.

His skinny frame stuck with him all through Secondary School.

Joshua said that he was the butt of numerous jokes. 'It was mostly harmless teasing, about my frame... even the bigger girls could beat me at arm wrestling,' he said.

Although the teasing may not have been malicious, it left its mark on him.

'When you hit puberty, you get very concerned about the way you look,' he said. It took two years in National Service for Joshua to learn to be happy with the way he looked.

Aside from the fact that he put on some weight during his NS stint, he also found out that big did not mean better.

'I learnt that the biggest guys weren't always the ones who could run the furthest or the fastest or carry the most weight.'

While Joshua still wants to put on more weight, he is no longer as bothered as before about being small.

Dr Daniel Fung, chief of the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Institute of Mental Health, said that it is common for teenagers who do not fit in to feel awkward.

'Anyone who looks different will get teased. The most imporant thing is for the teenager to still feel comfortable with himself and to feel loved and cared for.'

Dr Fung also said that the impact of teasing or low self-esteem can be blunted by having a good support network.

... and crushes

Michelle (not her real name), 19, fell in love with her Literature teacher in her first year of junior college. And she still harbours romantic feelings towards him even though she has finished school.

She can pinpoint the exact incident that made her realise she was attracted to him.

'At first I just thought that he was a really cool teacher because of his unconventional views,' she said.

'I'm quite a low profile student and normally teachers don't notice me. But once he singled out my work and praised it in class and I was really touched. It was then that I realised that his opinion meant a lot to me.'

While this is the first time that Michelle has ever had a crush on a teacher, she does not think that it is too unusual or alarming.

'I don't think that this is normal, but then again there are many different types of love,' she said.

She thinks that her teacher is an ideal life partner.

'I need security and affection and someone who appreciates me for who I am. I feel that he's this person.'

While she was still in junior college, each day was an emotional roller-coaster.

'I would look out for him on a daily basis. When I caught a glimpse of him I'd smile to myself. Sometimes I felt like crying when he treated me nicely.'

She was so infatuated with her teacher that she could not leave school without making her feelings known to him.

' I approached him in person and talked to him. I bought him a gift that cost almost $50 and I wrote him a message describing my feelings for him,' she said.

'But after that I felt a bit sad, because I knew that the situation was hopeless and that it wouldn't go anywhere.'

For now, the flame that she carries in her heart for her teacher has yet to die out. Dr Clarice Hong, consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist at Raffles Hospital, said that while the feeling may be intense, 'it's probably just an infatuation'. 'I would say the 19-year-old is still maturing. She sees in her teacher admirable qualities or achievements which younger men have not accomplished yet.'

Dr Daniel Fung, chief of the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Institute of Mental Health, said that infatuations are extremely common, but that taken one step further, they could become an obsession.

Pain relief

Pain relief


-- POSED PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
The words 'angst', 'cutting' and 'emo' are part of today's mainstream teenage lexicon. And that should be a warning.

'It's not just a Singaporean thing,' says Dr Brian Yeo, consultant psychiatrist at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre.

'All over the world, this phenomenon is getting more airplay. It is highlighted in the media, in American Idol, Singapore Idol.'

Youth face a host of pressures ranging from intense academic competition to relationship commitments.

Often, they feel suffocated by demands that they are unable to fulfil, whether self-imposed or not.

The result is often a feeling of anxiety, frustration, disillusionment and insecurity - a phenomenon commonly known as angst.

Even if teenagers are able to outrun external sources of stress, angst may still catch up with them.

Growing pains can also be manifested as angst, hitting teenagers hard as they struggle to find their footing in a fast-paced world.

The unavoidable acne, first crushes, a sudden obsession with looks - all these serve only to exacerbate an already pressing problem.

Angst may also be the result of a teen subculture.

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of 'emokids' - teens who stereotypically wear black, embrace the melancholic side of life and have mantras like 'I hate the world, no one understands me'.

'They are more in touch with their feelings and they are more emotional. Some of them even engage in self-harm,' says Dr Yeo.

Attention-seeking behaviour can also be a cause of angst, as can long-term mental health issues such as paranoia or depression.

The point is that there are countless sources of angst and teenagers are relentlessly buffeted by them. It is little wonder that they are constantly seeking avenues to release their pent up feelings.

While some teenagers may choose to play sports or write music, others may turn to more detrimental means to unwind.

Cutting oneself is one of these methods.

'When someone cuts himself, the pain will trigger the release of endorphins. These hormones will numb the pain and give the person something like a 'high'. The effect of endorphins can be similar to certain hard drugs like heroin, which makes cutting so addictive,' says Dr Daniel Fung, chief of the department of child and adolescent psychiatry at the Institute of Mental Health.

In this case, razors, penknives, nail clippers or anything with a sharp or pointed edge become potential sources of relief, as teenagers find a physical outlet for emotional pain through self-mutilation.

Substance abuse is another. Cough syrup, glue sniffing and even alcohol provide a key to an escapist fantasy-land, even if only for a while.

'The incidence of glue sniffing is also on the rise', says

Dr Yeo.

'Also, there are many clubs opening in Singapore and teenagers go to many parties where drinks are easily available.'

Promiscuity is also on the list. A lack of self-love, parental love or support from friends often leads to teenagers looking for affection in all the wrong places.

'In the past, it was accepted that boys and girls were respectful of their chastity, but such people are now exceptional,' says Dr Yeo.

'While we can advise and cajole them, their thinking has already changed.'

Self-isolation, unprovoked aggression and violence are also examples of such behaviour.

Unfortunately, the use of such methods of stress relief seems to have increased in recent years.

Dr Fung also warns of the contagion effect - a teenager who is exposed to it more often is more likely to begin to explore such methods.

But there's help. Over the past few decades, the number of mental health-care avenues available to youths has burgeoned.

More hotlines are being set up, and there are counsellors stationed in many schools to provide support and professional guidance.

But many youths still don't seek help, maybe because they do not see their destructive behaviour as a problem.

They accept cutting their wrists or other parts of their body as a legitimate method of stress relief.

And many parents are oblivious to their children's circumstances.

'Many children have two working parents. They may have more disposable incomes and greater access to IT, but the time spent together is very little,' says Dr Yeo.

Teenagers are at a critical juncture in their lives and they not only need parental support, but they also need parents to catch them before they slip into the habit of self-harm.

Teenagers may also turn their feelings in upon themselves because of the unavailability of appropriate professional help.

While the school counsellor is easily accessible, there is an immense amount of stigma - such as being labelled 'crazy' by classmates - attached to seeking psychological help in school say the doctors interviewed.

But private psychiatrists are not as easily available and it can cost over $100 an hour to seek private professional help, excluding the cost of medication such as antidepressants.

While it is commonplace now for teenagers to 'horrify' adults with their hobbies, fashion, music and language, these passions usually take the form of harmless whims that they outgrow.

Unfortunately for some, like those we feature, their behaviour can be self-destructive.

lting@sph.com.sg

Razors, penknives, nail clippers become a potential source of relief, as teenagers find a physical outlet for emotional pain through self-mutilation.

But many youths still don't seek help, maybe because they do not see their destructive behaviour as a problem.

Exposure to lead? It's a hot water problem

Feb 13, 2008
fact or fiction
Exposure to lead? It's a hot water problem
THE CLAIM: Never drink hot water from the tap.

THE FACTS: The claim has the ring of a myth. But environmental scientists say it is real.

The reason is that hot water dissolves contaminants more quickly than cold water, and many pipes in homes contain lead that can dissolve and pass into water. And lead can damage the brain and nervous system, especially in young children.

Lead is rarely found in source water, but can enter it through corroded plumbing. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that older homes in the United States are more likely to have lead pipes and fixtures, but that even newer plumbing advertised as 'lead-free' can still contain as much as 8 per cent lead.

A study published in The Journal of Environmental Health in 2002 found that tap water represented 14 to 20 per cent of total lead exposure.

Scientists emphasise that the risk is small. But to minimise it, the EPA says cold tap water should always be used for preparing baby formula, cooking and drinking. It also warns that boiling water does not remove lead but can actually increase its concentration. For more information, go to www.epa.gov/lead.

THE BOTTOM LINE : Hot water from the tap should never be used for cooking or drinking.

- THE NEW YORK TIMES

When milk is not good for you.

Feb 13, 2008
When milk is not good for you
Dairy products don't go down well with many Singaporeans. GeraldineLing tells you why
What is white and creamy and can cause diarrhoea in many Singaporeans? The answer: Milk. This condition, known as lactose intolerance, occurs because the body does not have the necessary lactase enzyme needed to digest lactose, a sugar found in milk. As a result, the undigested lactose passes through the digestive system, causing nausea, abdominal cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhoea. Most people have read about lactose intolerance and may even suspect they have the condition. But many confuse it with an allergy. Lactose intolerance is not a food allergy as it does not involve the immune system. In primary lactose intolerance, lactase levels are high at birth and in early childhood. However, the irreversible, genetically-programmed loss of lactase typically starts between two and six years of age. In some cases, the loss of lactase manifests itself only after adulthood. 'I didn't have problems with milk until I hit 35,'said Madam Lee Hai Choo, 63. 'I used to drink a lot of milk when I was younger, but now I can't. 'Sometimes just drinking a cup of coffee with milk will give me diarrhoea,' said the part-time saleswoman. Sometimes, secondary lactose intolerance occurs when an injury to the small intestine causes it to produce less lactase. It typically lasts a few weeks and is reversible. In certain cases, babies are born lactose intolerant because of a congenital defect. Dr Ivy Yap, consultant physician and gastroenterologist at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, estimates that about 90 per cent of Chinese Singaporeans are affected by primary lactose intolerance. Data concerning lactase deficiency rates in Malays is unknown, but those in Indians 'would not be so high' because they have 'similar genes as Caucasians' who generally have low rates of lactose intolerance, surmised Dr Yap, who conducted a study investigating lactase deficiency in Chinese Singaporeans. Typically, symptoms of lactose intolerance disappear when foods high in dietary lactose, like milk and ice cream, are removed from the diet. These foods may be re-introduced 'gradually and as tolerated' by drinking smaller amounts of milk, buying low-lactose milk and using non-dairy creamers, like soya or rice milk, advised MrsMagdalin Cheong, chief dietitian at Changi General Hospital. 'Drinking or eating milk-containing foods at meal times with other foods will slow down the digestive process and therefore reduce the chance of experiencing lactose intolerance.' However, consuming less milk and milk products may put one at risk for calcium deficiency in the long term, if there is also a low intake of other dietary sources of calcium, warned Mrs Cheong. For those who must have their milk, there are supplements out in the market that can help to manage lactose intolerance. Lactase enzymes, available in tablet or liquid form, contain the enzyme needed to digest lactose, thereby reducing the amount that the body has to break down on its own. However, these supplements have to be taken over the long term if lactase deficiency is permanent and may not be advisable, said Dr Yap. In addition to the cost of the supplements, 'we also don't know if there are any side effects,' continued Dr Yap. Another suppplement used for lactose intolerance is probiotics, the 'friendly bacteria' that helps in strengthening the gut. Probiotics, often seen as 'healthy foods', are available in capsule form and can help to reduce the symptoms of lactose intolerance. 'If it does no harm, it is acceptable. But as to whether it will help alleviate the condition really depends on the individual,' said Mrs Cheong.

Baby orang utan dies in a freak accident at the zoo!

Feb 13, 2008
Baby orang utan dies in a freak accident at the zoo
TRAGEDY struck the zoo's orang utans a second time in a week, when a young female orang utan died of a dislocated neck in a freak accident on Wednesday. The Zoo lost another one of its Orang Utans on Wednesday when two and a half-year-old Atina caught her neck in a hanging noose (above) and dislocated it. Her mother is seen trying to cradle her but to no avail. At mid-day, Atina, aged 2 1/2, caught her neck in a hanging noose, which was part of a hammock in the apes' enclosure. Her mother Anita and other orang utans, in their haste to free her, tugged at her neck, dislocating it. She died instantly, said a zoo spokesman.

Bus slams into double-decker in Orchard; 17 passengers hurt

Feb 13, 2008

Bus slams into double-decker in Orchard; 17 passengers hurt

MR SHAFII Kasmani, 61, was on his way to Serangoon with a friend to grab some breakfast yesterday morning but they never got around to it in the end. The SBS service 65 they were on slammed into the rear of another bus at a bus stop outside Le Meridien Hotel in Orchard Road at about 8.45am. The bus in front, a double-decker SBS service 111, was stationary at that time. Seventeen passengers suffered minor injuries and were taken to the Singapore General Hospital. All of them were passengers on service 65. According to an SBS Transit spokesman, both bus drivers were not injured. She also said that except for one passenger who was warded and another still under observation, the rest received outpatient treatment. The spokesman said SBS will undertake all medical bills arising from this incident and the company is in contact with the passengers to offer help if necessary. About 80 other passengers from both buses were transferred to other buses to resume their journeys. SBS said the bus captain has been taken off duties pending the outcome of its investigations. Mr Shafii told The Straits Times that he was not too badly hurt. However, due to the impact of the collision, a piece of skin, roughly the size of a cellphone, peeled off from his left leg and his right knee felt sore. HELP FOR THE INJURED: Passenger Shafii Kasmani had a piece of skin peeled off from his left leg and he was walking with a visible limp. SBS said it will pay for all medical bills arising from the incident. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA Mr Shafii, a hotel security officer, had just finished his midnight shift before boarding the bus. 'My friend and I were talking when there was a sudden jerk and a hard knock. There was a loud bang. I was quite shocked.' The father of three children walked with a visible limp as he left the hospital after being treated. 'I can walk, but only slowly. I need to drag my feet as my legs feel painful.' His friend, a man in his 40s, had a slight bruise on his elbow and decided not to see a doctor. Mr Jack Guna, 53, who works at a tailor shop near the accident site, said: 'The double-decker bus in front seemed fine. The windscreen of the single-decker bus behind looked cracked but it was not shattered.' Mr Richard Boon, 58, who mans an electronics store there, said there was no traffic congestion.

Smashed car screens: Man nabbed

Feb 13, 2008

Smashed car screens: Man nabbed
By Diana Othman

A MAN suspected of being behind a series of thefts over the Chinese New Year period has been arrested.

The 30-year-old is thought to have smashed the windscreens of 22 vehicles on Feb 8, making off with the CashCards stored in some of them.

ITEMS SEIZED: Among the objects police found was an umbrella fitted with a spear head for getting through car windscreens so that the suspect could fish out CashCards from the in-vehicle units.

-- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

The man was arrested at a multi-storey carpark in Block 104A Henderson Crescent on Monday, after police officers who had been tasked with investigating similar thefts from other vehicles in the area spotted him loitering suspiciously and questioned him.

Police later seized various items, including an umbrella fitted with a sharp spear head, gloves, and an ATM card from his home.

The items are believed to have been used to carry out the offences.

A 42-year-old woman was also picked up in follow-up investigations, and she is now helping police in the probe.

According to police, the suspect used heavy objects such as a brick to crack a vehicle's windscreen.

He then created an opening near the in-vehicle unit with the specially-fitted umbrella so he could fish out the CashCards.

In addition to the Chinese New Year cases, the man is suspected to be involved in more than 40 incidents of theft from vehicles islandwide in the last two months.

Biker dies after being thrown off motorcycle in accident

Feb 11, 2008

Biker dies after being thrown off motorcycle in accident

A BIKER died after he lost control of his motorcycle about 10.30am on Sunday. Mr Ranjit Kumar, 28, was travelling along Woodlands Avenue 7 towards Woodlands Avenue 2 when his motorcycle hit a central divider and next, the railing. Both the biker and his 18-year-old pillion, believed to be a colleague, were thrown off the motorcycle. They were both rushed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Mr Ranjit was pronounced dead at 10.40am in the hospital. The pillion rider suffered fractures and multiple abrasions.

Fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat, woman sent to SGH

Feb 11, 2008

Fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat, woman sent to SGH

By Imelda Saad , Esther Tan , Tessa Wong

A FIRE broke out in a third floor unit of Block 111 Toa Payoh Lorong 1 on Monday, sending residents scurrying out from their flats and attracting a huge crowd of curious bystanders. The fire gutted the hall and one room in the flat. Soot from the blaze affected the second, third and fourth floors of the block. Smoke from the blaze blackened the second, third and fourth floors of the block. It was believed to have started around 4.30pm, witnesses told The Straits Times. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived within two minutes of receiving the call. They brought along a fire engine, one Red Rhino, two fire bikes, one support appliance and one ambulance. Using two water jets, the firemen put out the fire within 15 minutes. The fire gutted the hall and one room in the three-room flat. Smoke from the blaze blackened the second, third and fourth floors of the block. Fifteen people were evacuated from the third and fourth floor units. A Chinese woman in her forties was wheeled out by the SCDF, said witnesses. She seemed to be in a state of shock and was sent to the Singapore General Hospital. Mr Adi Surya, 32, a software engineer with Citibank, who lives next door to the affected flat, said he rushed back from work when he received a call from his wife about the fire. To his relief, he found that his unit was not affected. Fifteen people were evacuated from the third and fourth floor units. He said a mother and daughter, who is in her 20s, live in the burnt unit. He described the daughter as 'weird'. 'She is always slamming the door and hitting the gas meter outside their flat, and frequently gets into a fight with her mother in the wee hour of the night,' said Mr Adi. Mrs B.S. Ling, a restaurant supervisor who lives in a fourth floor unit directly above the affected flat, also said that the occupants are 'very noisy' and often throw things around in their flat. She had just stepped out of the shower when she noticed black smoke coming from the window below her. She said: 'I thought someone had set rubbish on fire. But then I saw the smoke and got a huge fright. I called out to some policemen below and they came up and escorted me downstairs.' Miss Priya Mathialagan, a 21-year-old student who lives on the eighth floor, said she was watching TV when her mother alerted her to the fire. 'When I looked down from my flat, I saw thick, black smoke rising from the third floor,' she said, adding that she saw other neighbours running out of their flats and rushing downstairs. She did the same when her neighbour advised her to get out of her flat.

Man crushed by falling concrete slab at condo site

Jan 30, 2008

Construction supervisor killed by falling concrete slab in condo

By Irene Tham

A CONSTRUCTION supervisor was crushed to death on Wednesday when a large concrete slab fell onto him in a condominium at Ardmore Point, which is being demolised. Mr Loh Boon Kee, 49, who had never met any major mishap in his 16 years on the job, died on the spot at about 6 pm. The 25-storey condo, Ardmore Park, which is next to the Shangri-La Hotel, is being demolised to make way for another luxury development. The accident happened when the workers at the site were preparing to go home. When told that an excavator was stuck at the building entrance, Mr Loh went to check. He was inside the buidling when the concrete slab, measuring about four sq metres and weighing about 30 kg, came crashing down on him from the 10th floor, killing him instantly. Mr Goh Eng Hoe, director of Neo and Goh Construction, which is carrying out the demolition work, said the slab had come loose and strong winds caused it to come falling down. Mr Loh's three children - two grown up daughters and son - rushed to the site when told of the accident. Another daughter stayed at home to comfort his wife. They could not go near his body as the area had been cordoned off. His youngest daughter, Miss Loh Hwee Si, 24, said the family was going to have their Chinese New Year reunion dinner on Friday. She added that Mr Loh was planning to take his wife, a homemaker, to Hawaii for a holiday soon. 'He was a doting father and did not believe in early retirement. He said he would go senile if he stopped work,' said a distraught Miss Loh.

Tragic start to school's first swim programme

FAMILY BIDS FAREWELL: Danial's body being carried into his grandfather's flat for prayers yesterday. On Monday, the teen was found face down in the pool by an instructor an hour into the lesson. His mother wants to know what exactly happened to the eldest of her four children. -- ST PHOTO: LIM CHIN PING


Jan 30, 2008

Student's drowning happened despite adherence to safety guidelines
By Tessa Wong & Carolyn Quek
FOR New Town Secondary, the drowning of Danial Syawal Jailani, 12, was a terrible start to its swimming programme.

It was the first year the school decided that its Secondary 1 students should have swimming lessons during physical education classes, a programme being promoted by the National Water Safety Council to stem the rise in the number of drowning incidents.

It was Danial's third lesson at the Clementi Swimming Complex.

It is unclear how he drowned. His parents said he was a strong swimmer, whom they often took to public pools and to the beach.

Classmates agree that he was no novice.

Janice Sie, 12, said: 'Danial was in the group which knew how to swim, but didn't know how to do proper strokes.'

During Monday's lesson, Danial's group was practising the butterfly and learning the backstroke.

But Danial, who developed a reputation as the class clown, would sometimes horse around, even doing somersaults in the water, she added.

School principal Neo Lay Wah would only say that the students numbered 58 in all and were accompanied by four PE teachers as well as swimming instructors registered with the Singapore Sports Council.

Students said there were three instructors, and each had about 18 to 20 students in his charge.

This ratio is in accordance with the Education Ministry's swimming safety guidelines, according to a teacher from another school who declined to be named.

Students confirmed that other protocols were followed, such as safety briefings on who should stay out of the water. Those who felt unwell were exempted from the lesson.

Danial's death certificate stated that he died of drowning and asphyxiation.

The 1.42m boy was found face down in the 0.9m pool by an instructor an hour into the lesson at about 1.40pm.

It appeared that a classmate, seeing him afloat, thought he was playing the fool. He sounded the alarm when Danial did not respond to his nudges.

The instructors carried Danial to the lifeguards' room and tried to resuscitate him before calling an ambulance which took him to the National University Hospital.

He was declared dead two hours later and buried at the Choa Chu Kang Muslim cemetery yesterday.

His mother, housewife Rozni Jumaat, 35, wants to know what exactly happened to the eldest of her four children. 'A classmate told us he fell.''

But there were no visible injuries on him, except for a small circular cut on his left foot.

Madam Neo did not answer queries on this.

When The Straits Times visited the pool yesterday, there were five lifeguards on patrol. They declined to comment.

A spokesman for the Singapore Sports Council said that lifeguards are always present during operating hours.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry said it does not keep track of the number of secondary schools with swimming programmes, as these are often school-initiated and conducted as enrichment activities.

Students who were present at the time of the incident were counselled by the school's counsellors and teachers.

Madam Rozni said the family had been planning to go to the beach during the Chinese New Year holidays.

'But now it will never happen,' she said.

12 workers and driver hurt in bus-lorry crash

Jan 24, 2008

TWELVE workers and a bus driver were injured last night after their bus slammed into a lorry in Ang Mo Kio, hurling them from their seats.

At least four of the workers - mostly women heading for the night shift in a nearby Motorola factory - were seriously injured, said police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

They were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). Their conditions are not known.

Eight other workers had minor injuries in the crash, which happened just before 6pm. They were also ferried to the hospital, but later discharged.

Said Madam Umi Kasum, who was one of the injured: 'I was chatting with my colleagues when suddenly there was a bang and everyone was flung forward.

'One woman was bleeding from the head and others had cuts near their mouths and noses. I was stunned and so worried.'

The crash is the second accident in a week involving workers who were on their way to work.

Five lorries were in two separate collisions within seconds of each other along Pioneer Road last Thursday, injuring 53 foreign workers.

Yesterday, the workers were riding in a private 45-seat bus when it collided with a lorry at the intersection of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Avenue 6.

The driver of the lorry, Mr Tan Boong Tiam, 49, said he was turning right into Avenue 6 when the crash happened.

'In front of me was another car. I saw the arrow then I turned,' he said in Mandarin.

When he saw the oncoming bus, he said he tried to accelerate to get out of the way. He did not make it, but managed to escape unhurt.

Meanwhile, the driver of the bus said he was driving along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and travelling under the speed limit.

'It happened so fast,' said the man, who wanted to be known only as Mr Lim. 'All I could do was slam on my brakes. If I had not steered slightly to the right, I would have been more seriously hurt.'

Many passengers seemed to have cut their faces on the handle bars of the seats, said Mr Lim who was treated for minor injuries.

Witness Diane Goh, 35, was about to cross the junction when she heard a bang. She looked up and saw the crash metres away from her.

The teacher, who is trained in first aid, rushed over to the bus when she saw the shocked and hurt workers trying to get off the vehicle.

'Some were crying and others wanted to vomit. I helped them over to a grass verge,' she said. 'I was upset because there were so many people hurt and they were just metres away from me.'

Mr Samy Velu, 51, rushed to TTSH when his wife's friend called him about the accident.

'At first I panicked. But now that I have seen her, I feel better that it was not a major injury,' he said.

His wife Jothi Samy, 49, had a gash on her cheek.

A Motorola spokesman confirmed that the company's workers were involved and said eight have already been discharged.

The workers were mainly women in their 30s and 40s, said a witness.

Police are investigating.



SERIOUS DAMAGE: The bus carrying Motorola workers slammed into a lorry at the junction of Ave 3 and Ave 6. Looking at the damage is lorry driver Tan Boong Tiam.



TO THE RESCUE: Many of those who were hurt, including Madam Jothi Samy (above), seemed to have smashed their faces on the handle bars of the bus seats.



TO THE RESCUE: Many of those who were hurt seemed to have smashed their faces on the handle bars of the bus seats.