Your calls, your stories

Going to work is a frustrating experience for Mr Kenneth Xie, 30, a design engineer.

That's because, on a daily basis, he has to navigate past countless errant cyclists at Woodlands Crescent.

Fed up with seeing them disregarding traffic rules with impunity, he called The New Paper (TNP).

Mr Xie had posted a video online, taken by his in-car camera unit while on his way to work, showing the chaotic cycling situation at Woodlands Crescent on Oct 23.

Mr Xie said: "I thought, why not send TNP an e-mail of this so more awareness can be raised of this issue?

"I'm worried about my two young daughters even walking on the walkways as the cyclists might hurt them."

Last Monday, from 6pm to 7pm, TNP was at the same stretch of road and saw at least 20 cyclists riding against the flow of traffic.

Mr Xie's story was published the next day.

Another hotline caller, who wanted to be known only as Alex, 32, called TNP last month about a scam.

Alex said: "My father started investing with USFIA (United States Fine Investment) Singapore earlier this year, but still did not get his returns yet until now.

"When I searched about the company online, the potential returns they promised seemed too good to be true. That was when I knew my father was being scammed."

USFIA Singapore seeks investments in amber mines and gemcoins, a virtual currency.

Last Tuesday, TNP reported on the USFIA Singapore director being taken to court in the US by the country's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over problems with his firm there.

Another hotline caller, who wanted to be known only as Mr Yoong, 34, an associate scientist, was walking past Capitol Singapore last Tuesday at around 4pm with friends when they saw a crowd in front of Capitol Building.

Mr Yoong said: "We decided to check out what the fuss was about and were shocked to see that one of the front wheels of a car was stuck in a 'sinkhole'.

"This was surprising because the building had been renovated a year ago."

He snapped a photo of the scene and called TNP for the first time. The story was published the next day.

Yet another reader, Madam Rahimah, 30, a housewife, called TNP last Wednesdayafter she and her husband saw a man standing on a ledge.

Thick, black smoke was billowing out of a fifth-storey unit of Block 986D, Buangkok Crescent.

Madam Rahimah's husband, Mr Gary Jay, 35, a taxi driver and a TNP reader for about 10 years, filmed and took photos of the incident and told his wife to call The New Paper.

Mr Quek Chin Poh, 61, a retiree, provided TNP with the photo of the man standing on the ledge and it was published on the cover page last Thursday.

Mr Quek said: "I'm really happy about receiving the KFC voucher and will call TNP if there are any other stories."

The man was rescued by Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel and taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

For sharing their stories, each hotline caller will receive a $100 KFC voucher.

We value your calls and e-mails, so keep them coming.

You can call us at 1800-733-4455, SMS or MMS 9477-8899 or e-mail us at tnp@sph.com.sg.

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