High-rise cleaning act in Shenton Way sends woman viral
It appeared on the Singapore Incidents Facebook page on June 30 and has been viewed 2.2 million times since, with more than 3,000 shares, 12,000 reactions and more than 1,500 comments. The 22-second video was also shared on their YouTube channel .
While it is unclear if the woman was a domestic worker, netizens were quick to criticise the unit's owner for allowing the perilous task on the 237m-high tower to be carried out.
"When a person is rich… the more they become demanding, stingy and selfish," said Facebook user Zhi Yao, referring to the owner of the penthouse, which could have a value of approximately $16 million.
"If she falls, they will say, 'I told her not to do it but she insisted," said Sarah Emmanuel.
"Can afford a penthouse, but cannot afford safety measures. Rich in wallet, poor in heart," said another commenter Jason Ghim Hwee Ng.
Other noted that Ministry of Manpower rules do not permit such dangerous work to be done by maids while some offered advice on how to carry out the task safely, with remote cleaning devices such as drones, or to report the employer to the authorities.
There were also those who said they would prefer to be sacked than to put themselves at such risk, even if it were for a lot of money, and a number who advised the woman in the video to consider her own safety.
"People severely underestimate how powerful a random wind draft is at that height. If you're caught off guard, it can blow you off balance," said Redditor Raitoumightou.
"No one can force you to do a task which endangers your life. Learn to say no. Laws mandate a safe environment for workers' life and health!" said Connie Arcega Kovacevic.
Several domestic workers who saw the video shared their own experiences with their employers.
"My madam said, 'Don't use a ladder to clean windows outside, just clean where I can reach, can already," commented Ecinaj Arellano Echevere.
This is the second such high-rise incident in two days.
Yesterday, a STOMPER shared a photo of a domestic worker squatting on a ledge while cleaning a window of a condominium unit in Alexandra Road.
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CNA
39 minutes ago
- CNA
Despair, frustration and helplessness among platform workers over foreigners working illegally in their midst
SINGAPORE: For some time now, part-time delivery rider Alvin Lim has noticed fellow riders who he suspected were foreigners working illegally in food delivery. Last September, the 33-year-old tried to take matters into his own hands. 'At that time, there were so many of them — around five to six riders — just at Serangoon Nex on a daily basis. They were all riding e-bikes." 'One other rider from Serangoon called the police on one of them, and a report was taken. We also submitted all the information to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM),' he said, claiming that they were here on student passes. 'Even after the police report, they continued operating, but became more cautious. They started hiding their faces and avoided going to Nex,' said Mr Lim, then adding that they have reappeared in recent weeks around the area. He is not alone in feeling frustrated over the issue. Speaking to CNA, several platform workers expressed their outrage over the lack of action taken against these foreigners illegally performing delivery jobs. There is a sense of resignation and helplessness – reports to the authorities did not stem the tide of these workers, and led them to believe that it was impossible to stop them from competing with them for the same pool of delivery jobs. 'What's there to be angry about? Can't control this. Many drivers have complained before and they are finally doing something,' said one delivery rider who wanted to be known only by his surname Chow. CNA has reported the illegal use of delivery accounts from as early as 2023, when it found multiple listings on online marketplace Carousell advertising Deliveroo and foodpanda rider accounts for sale. On Friday (Jul 4), the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) said that a trilateral workgroup is being formed to address the issue. The workgroup will involve Grab Singapore, MOM and the Ministry of Transport (MOT), who will work with NTUC and its affiliated associations. The group will collectively address platform workers' challenges and safeguard their well-being in view of the rapidly evolving economy, MOM and MOT said in a joint statement on Friday. It will be overseen by Senior Minister of State for Health and Manpower Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Transport Sun Xueling, NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng, and Grab Group Managing Director of Operations Yee Wee Tang. Only Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs) are allowed to work as delivery riders for companies like Grab, Deliveroo and foodpanda. NTUC noted in its press release that foreigners who perform delivery jobs without work permits create illegal or unfair competition for delivery workers, directly impacting their earnings. Apart from this tripartite effort, a group of delivery food riders will be meeting privately with Workers' Party secretary-general Pritam Singh in the following days too, according to some gig workers who reached out to CNA. STRONG COMPETITION FOR LIMITED JOBS With less people ordering food delivery now compared to the past when the economy was doing better, Mr A Kenji, a delivery rider for six years, felt that illegal riders have also increased competition in the space. 'It feels like there are only 50 pieces of cake but 200 people fighting for them.' 'This undercuts fair competition and drivers' earnings down for everyone else,' he said. 'We are trying hard to feed (our) own family so when this kind of people start to break (the) law it is difficult for us.' Other delivery riders echoed his sentiments, saying that it is unfair to have to compete with foreigners working illegally. 'I do the work and work from morning to evening and I have to split with illegal workers, do you think that is fair?' Ms Tracy Chan, a full-time food delivery rider of five years, asked. Asked how they knew that these riders were working illegally, delivery riders said they suspect that some had "borrowed" existing accounts from legitimate account holders, and in exchange, given them a cut of their earnings. Ms Chan, 55, told CNA in Mandarin that accounts that go dormant for a long time and suddenly become active could indicate fraudulent usage. Fellow rider Muhammad Irfan Abdul Rahim, 24, who has been on the job just as long, said that these suspicious delivery riders have been flagged before in a chat group comprising riders around his Serangoon area. He said the suspicious riders keep to themselves as their mannerisms and accents give them away as foreigners. Other delivery riders who have encountered foreigners working illegally told CNA that they are also identifiable by their facial features and motorbikes bearing Malaysian licence plates. 'From time to time, I notice riders on Malaysian-registered motorcycles carrying large delivery bags. Often, these riders seem unfamiliar with our roads and behave as though they are in a rush to avoid being stopped,' said Mr Kenji. 'Ever since more and more illegal riders started doing food delivery, I have personally felt anxious when I see other riders beating red lights or cutting across lanes abruptly, because everyone wants to complete their drop-offs quickly and fight for the next job,' he told CNA. UNAUTHORISED RIDE-HAILING AND ILLEGAL HITCH DRIVERS NTUC had also flagged the issue of illegal hitch services, such as unauthorised ride-hailing services operating through messaging apps like Telegram which directly impact workers' earnings. "These illegal services undercut legitimate platform workers' job opportunities, creating unfair competition that affects workers' ability to earn sustainable earnings," NTUC said. 'Illegal drivers will mean there are less passengers for legit drivers, aside from being outright dangerous as they may not have undertaken proper training,' Mr Nash Tan, a full-time Grab driver said. 'A good part of our passengers are tourists. Providing safe means of transport equals upholding the nation's reputation of being safe, and protects livelihood for legitimate drivers,' he added. Another full-time driver, Mr Andy Lim, voiced his frustration over the growing competition in an already saturated market. 'I don't have a whole piece of cake and the market is not big ... if you add the illegal ones they will eat into the pie.' 'If the demand is 100 calls per day it will remain at 100 calls unless it's the weekend. The market is already like that. If other drivers come in it will eat into the 100 calls,' he added. The 50-year-old sees roughly 15 calls on a seven-hour shift, averaging about two jobs an hour. WHY THIS MATTERS TO PLATFORM WORKERS If illegal platform workers continue to increase the total number of workers in the sector, both earnings and the availability of work for Singaporeans will decline, said associate professor Walter Theseira, a transport economist from the Singapore University of Social Sciences. 'However, this effect comes about largely from the expansion of supply, and is no different from what would happen if more Singaporeans decided to enter the sector,' he said. In terms of safety, Assoc Prof Theseira said that there could be 'potential risks' if an account holder allows foreigners to illegally use their accounts as personal data can be easily accessed. There will also be risks to delivery recipients, he added. 'Part of what ensures safety in the system is being able to trace the identity of the delivery agent, which won't be possible when a different person is using the account.' Welcoming the formation of the workgroup as an overdue move, delivery riders suggested several measures to curb the illicit use of platform accounts. Ms Chan and Mr Irfan suggested random physical checks on delivery riders while they are out and about on the job. Ms Chan referred to how a particular platform used to have staff members who checked on delivery riders years ago, adding that the platform could bring back such enforcers. Mr Irfan said that the MOM could deploy enforcement officers for the task, pointing to how the ministry had the authority to conduct enforcement activity in other sectors. Mr Alvin Lim said that the authorities needed to investigate how foreigners who misuse delivery accounts obtain their accounts, and how they were bypassing the platforms' checks. 'What I hope the authorities can do is enforce the laws they have set. If the law only allows Singaporeans and PRs to work as food delivery riders, then there needs to be active enforcement. Otherwise, the rules are meaningless,' he said. There have already been improvements to combat this problem, said delivery rider Kelvin Lee, who has noticed platforms have introduced face verification. 'So it's going to be very, very troublesome for foreigners to do delivery using other people's accounts. (They would) have to meet up everyday to log in.'
Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Baller League CEO sees his format as return to 'old football'
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox LONDON - The CEO of the fast-growing Baller League says its style of fast-paced, small-sided, digital-oriented football is a return to the sport's grassroots not a betrayal of them. "We are the old era of football," Baller League boss Felix Starck told Reuters, saying his organisation's format harks back to the exuberance of kids playing with cones on streets. Critics say the Baller League, along with the similar Kings League, are a gimmicky distortion of the traditional 90-minute game, adding new rules and mixing online personalities with ex-professional players in teams. But Starck, in an interview with Reuters this week, said that football had been transformed into a 'product' and was therefore in need of a return to the "most-played sport in the world, which is small-sided football". The entrepreneur, whose Baller League began in Germany in 2024, hopes a new governing body will emerge for the format to ensure quality as well as entertainment. The Baller League expanded to the UK this year and wrapped up its first season last month, with online influencer Sharky coaching his SDC team to victory in a competition streamed by more than 1 million viewers on YouTube. The Baller League will also set up goalposts in the U.S. this year where, Starck said, "Football never kicked off' compared to traditional American sports. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore PAP has begun search for new candidates; PM Wong hopes to deploy them earlier ahead of next GE Singapore 20 retired MPs spoke up on many issues in Parliament, helped successors prepare for new role: PM Wong Singapore $3b money laundering case: 9 financial institutions handed $27.45m in MAS penalties over breaches Singapore Banks tighten vigilance and processes following $3b money laundering case Asia JB petrol station shooting: Dead man with bullet wounds dumped at hospital Singapore Trilateral work group formed to address allegations of foreigners illegally taking on platform work Singapore Power distribution system in renewal project may be linked to Bukit Panjang LRT disruption: SMRT Singapore Rise in number of scam e-mails claiming to be from Cardinal William Goh: Catholic Church Starck said Spain was another logical future market, even though it is also the home of the Kings League, founded by Spanish international Gerard Pique. 'NOT AN EXPANSION RACE' But, the Baller League boss cautioned, 'This is not an expansion race ... We go to a country if we think it's going to be profitable and not just to go for expanding reasons. "Hype is the easiest thing to create but you have no sustainability ... longevity." Starck said the Baller League was more authentically sport-focused whereas other formats had "goofy Mario Kart rules". Though the Baller League has marketed itself as a "new era of football", the CEO said actually it also embodied the "old era". "We're trying to build a governing body around the most played sport in the world and give it some respect that it deserves and not have a president that never kicked the ball in his life take a penalty for no reason," he said, referring to a Kings League rule that allows club presidents to take penalties. "I don't believe we're building the same thing ... We should entertain on the pitch with the sport. And respect where the sport came from and how it evolved." REUTERS
Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Straits Times
Rise in number of scam e-mails impersonating Cardinal William Goh: Catholic Church
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The archbishop noted that all e-mail correspondence from him or his office uses only the domain name. SINGAPORE - There has been a rise in the number of fraudulent e-mails impersonating the head of the Catholic Church in Singapore, Cardinal William Goh, the church said in a notice on July 4. The archbishop noted that all e-mail correspondence from him or his office uses only the domain name, according to the notice, issued by Reverend Terence Pereira. Any e-mail originating from a different domain should be considered inauthentic, said Rev Pereira, who is the Chancellor of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore. 'The faithful in Singapore are advised to immediately report any requests for money or fund transfers received via e-mail that appear suspicious or fraudulent to or he added. In an advisory on June 30, the Archbishop's Communications Office said the deceptive communications often mimic genuine conversations, building false trust over several messages before initiating a scam. Noting the 51,501 scam cases in 2024 with losses exceeding $1.1 billion Singapore, the office said the threat of online fraud is growing. It added: 'For 2025, we anticipate and are already seeing AI-powered phishing attacks becoming highly personalised and alarmingly accurate. 'Beyond e-mail, vigilance is crucial on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Telegram, where scam activities are also on the rise. We must collectively safeguard our community from those who seek to exploit it.' The Archbishop's Communications Office also encouraged the Catholic community to inspect e-mail addresses carefully, by always scrutinising the sender's e-mail address even if the display name seems familiar, and to ensure the authenticity of websites. 'Be cautious when visiting websites that ask for personal details for event registrations or online donations ... Verify through official Archdiocesan or parish channels if in doubt,' the office added. It urged devotees to utilise trusted resources such as / , / and / In April 2024 ahead of Pope Francis' visit to Singapore in September 2024, the Archdiocese warned of phishing scams related to the visit. It said that it received reports of misrepresentation, with people claiming to be associated with the ticketing process for the Papal Mass. These people had attempted to acquire the personal information of others.
