Singapore President Tharman meets migrant workers who saved driver of car that fell into sinkhole
SINGAPORE: The workers who saved a woman from a sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road South said they were glad to have helped a family get their loved one home safely.
Speaking to the media at the Istana on Aug 3, construction site foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah said that the successful rescue of a life was the most rewarding thing from incident.
'Because of us, a family is safe and happy (which) makes us very glad,' Subbiah, 46, said in Tamil. 'The recognition we have gotten is more than enough.
Subbiah and six other men had pulled the woman, a driver of a black car that had fallen into the sinkhole, out using a nylon rope.
The car the woman was driving had tumbled in at about 5pm on July 26, when a sinkhole formed at the junction of Tanjong Katong Road and Mountbatten Road, near the One Amber condominium.
The seven workers were invited by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to the Istana's National Day open house on Aug 3.
Chatting with the workers outside his office, Tharman was overheard saying: 'You saved her life, thank you.'
Tharman and Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam also met 11 men involved in a rescue during a fire at a River Valley shophouse in April. Using scaffolding from a nearby construction site, the workers had rescued children who were stranded on a third-story ledge due to the blaze.
Subbiah was among thousands of people who explored the Istana grounds during the open house to celebrate the nation's 60th birthday. The slight rain in the middle of the day did not stop visitors from strolling the wooded landscape and enjoying its expansive lawns.
Among the activities that were on offer were face painting, inclusive sports like seated volleyball, as well as other arts and crafts. There were about 12,000 visitors as of 12pm.
Subbiah, who has worked in Singapore for 22 years, said he was happy to explore the Istana as he had, till now, only seen it from the outside.
He previously saw Tharman in 2005 at a community event in Teban Gardens, but was happy to meet the President as his invited guest.
Another of the seven, excavator operator Sathapillai Rajendran, told reporters he hopes more people will step forward to help others in times of need.
'I'm just very happy she is okay,' said the 56-year-old.
Tharman wished the workers well, and thanked them for their heroic acts. After the interaction, each of the workers received a memento of their visit to the Istana.
The memento – a pen bearing the Presidential Crest – is typically given to guests of the President as a keepsake for them to remember their visit, said the President's Office.
Following the sinkhole incident, migrant worker support organisation ItsRainingRaincoats launched a fundraiser for the workers involved in the rescue. It received more than S$72,000 (US$55,804) in public donations, which it will divide among the workers.
The organisation said it will hold a small gathering at its Henderson Road premises on Aug 10 to honour the workers, and to announce the disbursement of the funds raised to their bank accounts.
ItsRainingRaincoats had previously raised funds for the men who saved the children from the River Valley fire. Each of the 15 workers received around S$3,770 of the S$57,660 collected.- The Straits Times/ANN
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rakyat Post
11 hours ago
- Rakyat Post
SJKC Chung Hua Port Dickson Apologises For Upside-Down Malaysian Flag Incident
Subscribe to our FREE SJKC Chung Hua Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan has issued a public apology after the Malaysian flag was accidentally hung upside down during preparations for National Day celebrations. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon (1 August) when a school worker was putting up flags before finishing work for the day. Due to carelessness, one of the Malaysian flags was hung upside down. A member of the public recorded the incident and posted it on social media, where it quickly spread online. The school received notification around 5 PM and immediately corrected the flag's position. In a joint statement released on Saturday (2 August), the School Board of Management, Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), and school administration apologised. We sincerely apologize to the public for this incident. This was completely unintentional and happened due to a worker's oversight during preparation work. School's Patriotic Activities The school emphasised that they have always respected national symbols and are actively conducting patriotic programs, including: National Day Launch Ceremony Classroom Decoration Competition Photography Contest National Day Quiz Coloring Competition Poster Design Contest Patriotic Parade To prevent similar incidents, the school promises to: Strengthen monitoring procedures Increase vigilance and attention to detail Ensure national symbols are always properly respected We are deeply sorry for the confusion and concern this has caused. We remain committed to carrying out our educational responsibilities with full integrity for the honor of our nation. In recent times, Malaysia has been grappling with a troubling pattern of incidents involving its cherished national flag, the Jalur Gemilang. Across the nation, multiple cases have emerged of the flag being displayed upside down or bearing completely incorrect images, creating a national embarrassment crisis. Di bulan Kemerdekaan ini mari kita kenali Bendera Malaysia 🇲🇾 (Jalur Gemilang) serta maksudnya. Takut ada orang yang lupa, tiba-tiba ada pasang bendera takde bulan, bendera terbalik dan sebagainya. — sahabat crew (@sahabatcrew1) READ MORE : READ MORE : READ MORE : Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Singapore National Day fireworks: How to manage pets' anxiety over sudden, loud noises
Dogs may be spooked by loud noises caused by fireworks. - Photo: ST SINGAPORE: Fireworks displays are crowd favourites during National Day celebrations, but the loud bangs can be terrifying to pets. The National Day Parade, which includes massive fireworks, will be held at the Padang on Aug 9, but the festivities will continue the next day in the heartland, including a mobile column, fighter jet flypasts, drone shows and, yes, more fireworks. Pet owners need to take precautions as many dogs are sensitive to sudden, loud noises. There had been incidents of dogs getting spooked and bolting from their leash due to panic, says Chong Qi Ai, an animal behaviourist at Pet Coach Singapore. Chong, who holds a master's in animal behaviour and welfare from the University of Edinburgh, adds that while other animals like cats and guinea pigs can also be affected, cases of lost dogs or dogs getting injured due to fireworks displays are more common as they can occur during walks. She shares some ways dog owners can manage their fur kids' fireworks anxiety. 1. Know where the fireworks will be Fireworks will light up the sky at five sites – Bishan, Punggol, Yishun, Geylang and Bukit Gombak. If the locations are near your home, consider taking your dog to the home of a relative or friend in calmer areas. Stay inside and avoid taking your dog outdoors. This approach is called management in dog training – by controlling your dog's environment, you help reduce its stress and lower the risk of panic and escape. 2. Try desensitisation and counter-conditioning While it is difficult to simulate the fireworks display at home, you can prepare your dog in advance. Test its reaction to the sound of fireworks by playing it on a speaker at home. Start at a low volume and play the sound for a few seconds. Pair the sound with a treat, repeat and gradually increase the volume. 3. Consider short-term anti-anxiety medication For dogs with severe noise sensitivity, consult your vet about short-term anti-anxiety medication. This is given some time before the stressful event and its effects typically last a few hours, providing relief during the fireworks display. This form of management uses medication to keep your dog calm before a known trigger, similar to how vets often recommend it before vet visits or travel. Calming supplements may help for milder cases. 4. Create a calm, secure environment at home Keep exit points such as doors and windows closed, draw the curtains and play music or white noise. This can help to muffle the offensive noise and also prevent your dog from escaping if he panics. Make sure hazardous items such as fragile objects are out of reach, so your dog stays safe if it becomes frightened. Always allow your pet to retreat into an enclosed space it may feel safe in and stay with it to offer comfort. You can offer your dog a treat or chew if it is calm enough to eat, to help it feel better as well. 5. Avoid stressful procedures around this time Avoid scheduling stressful procedures like neutering, surgery or dental cleanings. Changes in hormones during neutering can increase fear sensitivity, and the added stress from any procedure may affect your dog's recovery and behaviour. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Singapore President Tharman meets migrant workers who saved driver of car that fell into sinkhole
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and wife Jane Ittogi (centre) taking a group photo with the construction workers involved in the Tanjong Katong sinkhole rescue at the National Day Istana open house on Aug 3. - ST/ANN SINGAPORE: The workers who saved a woman from a sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road South said they were glad to have helped a family get their loved one home safely. Speaking to the media at the Istana on Aug 3, construction site foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah said that the successful rescue of a life was the most rewarding thing from incident. 'Because of us, a family is safe and happy (which) makes us very glad,' Subbiah, 46, said in Tamil. 'The recognition we have gotten is more than enough. Subbiah and six other men had pulled the woman, a driver of a black car that had fallen into the sinkhole, out using a nylon rope. The car the woman was driving had tumbled in at about 5pm on July 26, when a sinkhole formed at the junction of Tanjong Katong Road and Mountbatten Road, near the One Amber condominium. The seven workers were invited by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to the Istana's National Day open house on Aug 3. Chatting with the workers outside his office, Tharman was overheard saying: 'You saved her life, thank you.' Tharman and Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam also met 11 men involved in a rescue during a fire at a River Valley shophouse in April. Using scaffolding from a nearby construction site, the workers had rescued children who were stranded on a third-story ledge due to the blaze. Subbiah was among thousands of people who explored the Istana grounds during the open house to celebrate the nation's 60th birthday. The slight rain in the middle of the day did not stop visitors from strolling the wooded landscape and enjoying its expansive lawns. Among the activities that were on offer were face painting, inclusive sports like seated volleyball, as well as other arts and crafts. There were about 12,000 visitors as of 12pm. Subbiah, who has worked in Singapore for 22 years, said he was happy to explore the Istana as he had, till now, only seen it from the outside. He previously saw Tharman in 2005 at a community event in Teban Gardens, but was happy to meet the President as his invited guest. Another of the seven, excavator operator Sathapillai Rajendran, told reporters he hopes more people will step forward to help others in times of need. 'I'm just very happy she is okay,' said the 56-year-old. Tharman wished the workers well, and thanked them for their heroic acts. After the interaction, each of the workers received a memento of their visit to the Istana. The memento – a pen bearing the Presidential Crest – is typically given to guests of the President as a keepsake for them to remember their visit, said the President's Office. Following the sinkhole incident, migrant worker support organisation ItsRainingRaincoats launched a fundraiser for the workers involved in the rescue. It received more than S$72,000 (US$55,804) in public donations, which it will divide among the workers. The organisation said it will hold a small gathering at its Henderson Road premises on Aug 10 to honour the workers, and to announce the disbursement of the funds raised to their bank accounts. ItsRainingRaincoats had previously raised funds for the men who saved the children from the River Valley fire. Each of the 15 workers received around S$3,770 of the S$57,660 collected.- The Straits Times/ANN
