Muted final journey

In life, Taiwanese model Chen Ren-Yi posted thousands of photographs on Instagram and Facebook.

But in death, there was no obituary photo of her accompanying her casket at Sin Ming Drive last night.

She had 2,307 followers on her Facebook profile and 4,784 likes on her Facebook page.

Yet, Miss Chen's final journey in Singapore was a muted affair. About 10 colleagues and friends came to pay their last respects before proceeding to the Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium.

Mr Fadah Hsieh from the Taipei Representative Office in Singapore was also at Mandai to offer his condolences to Miss Chen's father.

Miss Chen, 24, had died in an accident on the morning of May 1. She was the front-seat passenger in a car that crashed into a tree along the East Coast Parkway at the Marine Vista exit.

The driver, Mr Jamie Ho, 33, a local magazine publishing group director, was also killed in the accident.

Four rear-seat passengers were injured.

Miss Chen had just returned to Singapore on April 20 after going home for about three weeks. The New Paper on Sunday understands that she was working at a club here at the time of her death.

Her father, who declined to be interviewed, later told TNPS through a representative that he is certain Mr Ho and his daughter were not dating. He insisted that his daughter had a boyfriend back in Taiwan.

On the accident, Mr Chen said "whatever has happened, has happened", adding that he has "no negative feeling" towards Mr Ho.

Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that Miss Chen has an older brother, but it is believed that he did not come to Singapore. TNPS also understands that Miss Chen's parents are divorced.

Miss Chen, who went by the English name Murphy, was relatively known in the modelling industry in Taiwan.

Her profiles posted on several modelling websites indicated her popularity, with most picking up on her brief introduction: "I feel that taking pretty photos are a waste of time as there are many people in this world who take pretty photos.

"No one will remember and people don't remember you after one look. Why not take more special - even if they are sexy or sultry - photos? After all, such photos are more interesting."