Geylang Adventures

22/01/2024

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At the party in a packed function room, a senior staff lauded his contributions to the company over the years.

"I believe Sona Mia has contributed 100 per cent of his efforts to helping SYC grow and for being a mentor to the brothers here," he said.

When it was time for Sona Mia's farewell speech, however, his voice cracked mid-way through.

He started sobbing uncontrollably.

https://mothership.sg/2024/01/foreign-worker-gold-chain-farewell-gift/?fbclid=IwAR0Un2seYAeG09LG0UReOTfcPcSfAcmOFTB0iRXPogpo5L8Wf08XnGUBvVo

Long service award.

13/12/2023

One of the best hidden gems in Geylang has an open house this weekend!

27/11/2023

In Darjeeling, Ms Mamta used to stay with her friends or church members. She has no siblings, and both her parents are dead.

“She came to Singapore with nothing, so we wanted to help secure her future,” said Ms Joseph, 45, who works in the operations team at Changi General Hospital. The flat cost the couple about $45,000.

The whole family even flew to Darjeeling in 2022 for a house-warming celebration for Ms Mamta when her flat was completed.

Ms Mamta said she is grateful to be treated like part of the family.

https://tnp.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/couple-bought-studio-flat-helpers-home-town-india-show-gratitude?fbclid=IwAR0ndWQX43HKBK5qso0hB7jcfG7qV5uGNCYDBm49abJom4gMj9Ro9qfKIHU

To show their appreciation and gratitude to their helper Rana Mamta, Mr Joseph Harison and his wife Leens Joseph bought her a studio flat in her home town of Darjeeling, India, in 2021. The couple, who have two children aged 14 and eight, had hired Ms Mamta in 2015...

10/11/2023

When a chicken and her chicks wanted to cross the road in Tanjong Pagar, they failed to get to the other side — for their own safety.

This was after a man in a hard hat and high visibility vest stepped in to prevent the chicken and her four chicks from trying to gun it and make it to the other side.

https://mothership.sg/2023/11/cantonment-chicken-chicks/?fbclid=IwAR0EDggz_neBkLSfCet34vbZmSxEnwW13ashZ5bSIUDgImkX6ypYh53wjA4

For their own safety.

24/10/2023

A Bangladeshi construction worker who was installing solar panels fell from the roof of a workshop in Tuas on Sunday and later died from his injuries.

In response to queries, a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesman said that the 36-year-old man fell from a height of 10m through a skylight, which is a type of window built into a roof to allow light in.

Responding to queries, a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) spokesman said there was a call for help from the Tuas location at 2.35pm. The police were not involved in the incident.

Https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/36-year-old-construction-worker-installing-solar-panels-in-tuas-dies-after-falling-from-roof?utm_campaign=stfb&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR35PEBk880endpABzrFCKpoTCX8SwyihQGVctY-39QGMwTIm5b7808chu8

The 36-year-old man was installing solar panels on the rooftop of a workshop. Read more at straitstimes.com.

10/10/2023

A Bangladeshi construction worker died on Monday in an accident at the Sun Sails Build-To-Order project site in Sembawang.

The 29-year-old man was hit by a material waste bucket that was being lifted by a crane and fell 10 storeys to the ground.

In response to queries, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the worker was on the 10th storey of a building that was under construction at Block 371B Sembawang Avenue, and he was guiding a crane operator to lift the material waste bucket.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/worker-dies-after-falling-10-storeys-in-accident-at-sembawang-bto-site?fbclid=IwAR3zpMRDGYgDafq8gESWKoMURiU8uPNJabYU9KFAHopcIPFCdDoINGvaPaw

Monday’s accident means there have been at least 20 reported workplace deaths since start of 2023. Read more at straitstimes.com.

10/10/2023

...or unpack the social issues of Singapore’s red-light district with with urban explorer Cai Yinzhou as your guide—the man behind social enterprise Citizen Adventures.

Soak up the magic of Singapore.

23/08/2023

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/migrant-worker-sleeping-overnight-outdoors-2237101

SINGAPORE — A recent Reddit post has left online users expressing concerns over migrant workers’ sleeping conditions when several workers were spotted sleeping overnight on yoga mats near their work sites.

18/08/2023

Wong also asked Singaporeans to do their part to welcome migrant workers.

07/08/2023

Works are expected to start from the end of this year. The facilities will progressively be ready from the second quarter of 2024, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and MOH Holdings in a joint media release on Monday (Aug 7).

MOH Holdings is the holding company for Singapore's public healthcare institutions.

New foreign healthcare workers employed by public healthcare institutions, comprising mainly nurses and allied health professionals, will be eligible for the new accommodation arrangement when they first arrive in Singapore.

Each bedroom is expected to be shared by two people. The facilities will include amenities such as a dining area, pantry, laundry room and common social spaces.

"Such healthcare hostels are one way to better onboard the healthcare workers after they first arrive here," the media release stated.

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/new-foreign-healthcare-workers-nurses-hostel-accommodation-facilities-3682961?cid=FBcna&fbclid=IwAR1jUwdC5k8Kohlrv4u8NuIJtMT2nbpjxKLq2YGlWgPXfmVbkLLWc_N78mM

Vacant buildings at five sites will be retrofitted to house a total of 1,800 foreign healthcare workers.

29/07/2023

He first came to Singapore in 1995 at the age of 20 and worked as a construction worker, drawing just $16 a day.

Mr Nadanasigamani Senthil, now 48, recalled how he had come here from India intending to just make some money to send back home.

“I came to Singapore with small dreams. But I saw so much opportunity, and I fell in love with it. The safety, security, law and order – I saw that it was a very good place to call home.”

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/ex-construction-worker-now-a-citizen-and-grateful-s-pore-is-safe-secure-home-for-my-family?utm_source=emarsys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ST_Newsletter_AM&utm_term=Ex-construction+worker%2C+now+a+citizen+and+grateful+S&fbclid=IwAR0YhqI9ZThA0q3uk5Mq8bIVfDxsVVO48wLtrPe5DfH8uHokKBOCMP-_2qk

Now a company director, Mr Nadanasigamani Senthil joined SGSecure movement as a way to give back. Read more at straitstimes.com.

24/07/2023

A senior forensic pathologist on Monday (July 24) testified to the severely malnourished state of a Myanmar maid when she was abused to death in 2016, describing her muscles as having wasted away.

There was no fat at all surrounding the organs in Ms Piang Ngaih Don's stomach cavity and her bones were jutting out in a state of severe emaciation, said Dr George Paul, who has 42 years of experience in his field.

"The deceased was very emaciated, with hardly any flesh on her cheek, on her face, and a scrawny neck, with her collarbones all sticking out," said Dr Paul.

If she had been starved further, she could have suffered changes in consciousness, multi-organ failure and eventually death. he said.

"In a very crude sense, the body would start digesting itself to sustain (itself)," said Dr Paul.

The prosecution showed Dr Paul that the victim ate about 60 meals in the last 35 days of her life. Of these, 19 consisted of bread soaked in water.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sean Teh asked if this was sufficient nutrition for a person.

SINGAPORE — A senior forensic pathologist on Monday (July 24) testified to the severely malnourished state of a Myanmar maid when she was abused to death in 2016, describing her muscles as having wasted away.

15/07/2023

The worker, an Indian national, was operating a type of heavy equipment called a skid-steer loader – used to move or load materials – when he was fatally hit by a broken component while still inside the cabin.

The spokesman said: “MOM is investigating the incident and has instructed the occupier to stop all machinery operations at the worksite.”

He added that, as a general safety measure, all machinery and equipment must be used and maintained in line with the manufacturer’s recommendation.

The MOM spokesman said the developer of the project is the Changi Airport Group (CAG), and the worksite occupier is a joint venture between Hock Lian Seng Infrastructure and the former Sembcorp Design and Construction, which was acquired by the Chip Eng Seng Corporation in 2019.

The joint venture is also the man’s employer

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/worker-killed-at-changi-east-construction-site-second-workplace-death-this-week?fbclid=IwAR3Fn7urtP42uohXI95NnV2ekKpcoAP9HLiTSETPvTzy7uHBgHz9fnJD_Zw

The 30-year-old worker was operating a skid-steer loader when he was hit by a broken component within the cabin. Read more at straitstimes.com.

11/07/2023

A 35-year-old migrant worker, who was taking his lunch break nearby with his colleagues, heard the loud crash and went to see what had happened.

“I saw a car parked on the side of the road and looked farther ahead to find another car in a canal. After the woman and boy got out of the car, the woman anxiously asked the boy if he was injured, but the boy was terrified and speechless. He just stood there blankly,” he told Shin Min.

The worker immediately jumped into the canal and carried the boy, passing him to his colleagues outside the canal.

They also lowered a ladder for the woman to climb out of the canal.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/migrant-worker-rescues-mother-and-child-stranded-in-canal-after-car-accident-in-bukit-timah?utm_campaign=stfb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR0sf4yH_PsqzJ7bohIVwS3tsnaJUkQRgbfejqkgFze5Il6R5_MNoi2ny3o

The car spun several times before crashing through the railings into the canal. Read more at straitstimes.com.

16/06/2023

Then at about 10pm on Thursday, he was told that they had found the 20-year-old, who did not survive the collapse.

“I can only keep crying. It is very sad,” Mr Raja Manickam, 44, told The Straits Times after he was asked to identify his relative.

“He is my family, my baby. He grew up in my home and I took care of him. How long can I continue to cry?”

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/i-can-only-keep-crying-grand-uncle-of-worker-who-died-in-tanjong-pagar-worksite-collapse?utm_campaign=stfb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2OGU4jrIXveNNwk1T9D19_0e6mpgEsq-BLU-etipuLsKeqk5gg15gRhSg

Mr Raja said his grand-nephew was hoping to help his parents and younger brother escape their life of poverty in Tamil Nadu. Read more at straitstimes.com.

15/06/2023

A building structure collapsed at a work site in Tanjong Pagar on Thursday afternoon, with one worker reported missing.

SCDF said that officers from Marina Bay Fire Station, as well as rescuers from the elite Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart), and two search dogs, are currently searching for the missing worker.

When contacted by ST, a representative from Aik Sun Demolition and Engineering said no one was injured, adding that it needed time to ascertain the cause of the structural collapse.

According to the firm’s page, the structural demolition of Fuji Xerox Towers began in February 2022. It was described as the “most well-executed project the team has put together”.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/structure-collapses-in-tanjong-pagar-scdf-at-scene

The collapsed structure is part of the Fuji Xerox Towers, which is being demolished. Read more at straitstimes.com.

01/06/2023

In the video, Arumugam can be seen falling to his knees and bowing with his head to the ground as the prize money is announced.

He later clasps his hands together in front of his mouth, as if overwhelmed with emotion, when the prize is presented to him.

Plans to invest in his family's future
Arumugam, who hails from Tamil Nadu, India, plans to use the prize money to help his family.

He plans to purchase land back home and build a house for his loved ones.

Pollisum Engineering stated that it was "his lifelong dream" to provide a safe and secure home for them.

Originally from an "impoverished village", Arumugam came to Singapore in hopes of supporting his wife and three young children back home.

However, Arumugan now has a total of 17 family members who are financially dependent on him, after both of his older brothers passed away, leaving behind their wives and children.

A spokesperson from Pollisum Engineering praised Arumugam's dedication and unwavering spirit, and highlighted that he had left a positive impact in his workplace and community.

https://mothership.sg/2023/05/migrant-worker-squid-game-prize/

It is equivalent to 1.5 years' worth of salary for him.

13/05/2023

But it’s not easy for her to be away from home. “I’ve been working overseas for eight years. Even though we talk every day, I still don’t always know what Aries is doing and how he is, but I wish I could,” she said.

Who’s helping him with his homework? Does he get into trouble? Is he doing well in his studies? Does he have friends? Are his friends good? Pahilga replays these questions in her head every day, waiting sometimes impatiently for her one-hour video call with him where she can ask him directly.

“I miss him so much every day, and it’s difficult being away from him for so long, but I’m still communicating with my son – I’m happy I can talk to him.”

Iris Tuares Pahilga left her then two-year-old son in the Philippines to carve out a better life for her family. She tells CNA Women of the heartbreak of missing his milestones and seeing him only once a year, in this Mother’s Day series on unconventional motherhood.

12/05/2023

When a group of women came to Singapore from the Philippines on the promise of earning S$800 (US$600) a month, they were shocked to realise that the job at a club involved providing sexual services to customers - often openly by the stage.

They lived in cramped conditions in a flat in Geylang and were not allowed to leave except to run errands in the span of 30 minutes at most. In order to pay their mounting debts to the club, they were forced to provide more and more sexual services.

The entertainers had come to Singapore seeking work and were shocked when they realised they had to provide sexual services to earn any real money.

11/05/2023

Two workers had a narrow escape on Thursday (May 11) morning, after the support system holding up the gondola they were standing in suddenly gave way.

With the gondola tilting sharply to the side on the 15th floor of Block 199 Boon Lay Drive, one of the workers was rescued by a member of the public through the window, while another worker could be seen stranded on a ledge until rescuers arrived.

SINGAPORE — Two workers had a narrow escape on Thursday (May 11) morning, after the support system holding up the gondola they were standing in suddenly gave way.

08/05/2023

The video begins with a group of construction workers standing outdoors on a suburban street. They appear to be digging a hole in the street with a excavator. Several construction workers stand in a group, while one sits in the cab of the excavator.

To the side of the construction scene, a toddler stands with a guardian, eagerly watching the construction workers at work. At first, it appears to be just a normal workday, but then something unexpected happens!

The toddler and his guardian have placed a tiny toy dump truck in the street, near the construction site. The excavator arm begins to move, picking up a load of dirt and pivoting towards the toy dump truck. As the excited toddler and his guardian watch, the excavator deposits the dirt in the back of the toy dump truck!

As the dirt begins to pour out of the excavator claw, the toddler screams and jumps up and down with excitement. “Literally tell me you’ve seen something cuter,” the TikToker writes. “I can’t stop sending this to people.”

Sometimes the smallest gesture can become a core memory.

30/04/2023

“For every false address that’s being used, there’s a group of workers who are being housed somewhere illegally or (in) conditions that may not be sanitary … (or) safe,” said Jaya Anil Kumar, a senior research and advocacy manager in the migrant rights group Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics.

Explaining the persistence of the problem, she said more migrant workers have been arriving in Singapore for construction and other jobs since the COVID-19 pandemic “tapered off”.

Employers are obliged to provide acceptable accommodation for their employees but “may not be able to find the space to house them in legal spaces” such as licensed dormitories, Jaya said.

She thinks this is why the employers use false information when registering the addresses. The actual number of cases could be higher than the 1,000 or so being discovered annually, because “not everyone is aware of this trend”, she added.

Your name and address may well be found in publicly available directories that got the information from leaked or hacked databases. Experts tell Talking Point how individuals can reduce the risk of such personal data being compromised.

29/04/2023

For the first time in the 16 years that he has been working in Singapore, the 41-year-old Indian national sleeps in air-conditioned comfort each night.

While his room at the new dorm has 12 beds compared with six at his previous place, he said he has more personal space. Another perk is an en-suite toilet in his room.

The dormitory was built by his employer, home-grown engineering and construction company Samwoh, and is among a handful that meet improved standards mandated by the Foreign Employee Dormitories Act (Feda). It is among the first designed specifically to meet these new standards.

A new dorm built by Samwoh has air-conditioned rooms with en-suite toilets; there are also four dedicated isolation rooms. Read more at straitstimes.com.

26/04/2023

"If it's not going to be me, I hope there are others who will pick it up now. They don't necessarily have to make a bag-related thing, but at least more people are aware that there are things we can address for the migrant workers. These guys also deserve good design."

"Some of them were standing up, some of them were squatting down. And I think it rained the day before, so the floor was wet," Goh recalled.

"I was thinking that, 'Hey, this is not an ideal situation for them'", Goh said.

When he was leaving his workplace, Goh encountered a similar scene.

This moved him.

"As fellow humans, right, we wouldn't want to be in that position. It's very miserable. And so I decided 'okay, I will take this and perhaps do something for them'," Goh reflected.

He wanted to improve the break conditions of migrant workers.

20/04/2023

24/03/2023

11/03/2023

Mr Janaed, who goes by one name and is now 47, suffered spinal injuries after he fell while inspecting an overhead chiller in a mechanical and electrical room at the office tower in Jurong East on Nov 8, 2018.

His formal employer, Newtec Engineering, is facing charges in court for not having the required insurance for him and for failing to pay his medical bills.

Part of the agreed compensation will go towards paying $149,281.20 to the National University Hospital (NUH) and $58,081.09 to Alexandra Hospital, as stated in a court judgment dated Feb 10.

Mr Janaed, who is now in Bangladesh, spent 91 days at NUH and 152 days at Alexandra Hospital after the accident.

Mr Janaed, who is now in Bangladesh, spent 91 days at NUH and 152 days at Alexandra Hospital. Read more at straitstimes.com.