A 59-year-old woman hit by a cement mixer while crossing a traffic junction on her bicycle in Yishun died on Monday.

The accident occurred at about 11.21am at the traffic junction of Yishun Avenue 9 and Yishun Central, near Nee Soon East Community Centre, Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported yesterday.

Lin Shuiyu was cycling to her home at Yishun Street 41 when she was run over.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that she died on the spot.

Ms Lin’s friend, Madam Chen, a housewife in her 50s, told Shin Min that they were on their way to Ms Lin’s home after a visit to a hot spring in Sembawang.

“The lights were green then. She was the second to cross, I was behind her.

“A turning cement truck suddenly knocked her over and continued driving; the back wheel crushed her,” said Madam Chen.

She and another friend informed Ms Lin’s family, and they rushed to the scene.

Ms Lin’s son, Lin Guirui, told Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao in a report yesterday that she had relocated from China more than 20 years ago.

She had just moved into an apartment with her husband after Chinese New Year where they were to enjoy their retirement years.

A police spokesman told My Paper yesterday that a 50-year-old male truck driver was arrested for causing death by a rash act. Investigations are under way.

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Eighty-two people were evacuated after a fire broke out at a coffeeshop in Block 246, Hougang Street 22 in the wee hours of yesterday morning (May 17).

A reader Syed alerted citizen journalism website Stomp to the incident which occurred after 2am.

Another reader Ted Tiong sent a video showing the raging fire to Stomp.

In response to Stomp’s queries, a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) spokesman said yesterday: “SCDF was alerted to the incident at about 2.45am this morning and dispatched two fire engines, two red rhinos, three ambulances and three support vehicles, who arrived at the incident site within 4 minutes.

“Upon arrival, SCDF used a power saw to gain entry into the coffeeshop. The fire involved contents of the coffeeshop, and was extinguised by SCDF using two water jets.”

A total of 82 people self-evacuated or evacuated by SCDF and police, said the spokesman

The fire caused four people to suffer from smoke inhalation. Three were sent to the hospital. One person did not think it was necessary.

Fire breaks out at Hougang St 22 coffeeshop

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Stomp

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INDONESIA will stop sending new live-in maids abroad from as early as next year.

The authorities there want domestic workers to live separately from their employers in dormitories, work regular hours and get public holidays and days off.

The Indonesian Ministry of Manpower’s director for the protection and placement of Indonesian migrant workers abroad, Soes Hindharno, said that in turn, employers will get “better quality” workers.

They will be certified in Indonesia and trained there to excel in skills, such as cooking, childcare and elderly care.

“They are also free to do other chores but don’t penalise them if they don’t do too well in areas outside their skill set,” he said.

“We want better protection for our workers. If they are always indoors, we don’t know if they have worked overtime. They should also be compensated for that.”

The move will be made in phases, and will first require meetings with the authorities in receiving countries, including Singapore.

He said the initiative will affect only new workers. Maids already working in households abroad who are happy with their employers can extend their visas. The move is part of President Joko Widodo’s plan to professionalise the informal employment sector.

A roadmap to stop sending Indonesian maids abroad by 2017 was announced by the authorities in 2012, amid worries about domestic workers being mistreated.

New campaign for maids to get weekly day off generates debate online

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Indonesia is the biggest source country for maids in Singapore, with around 125,000 working here.

Their situation has not improved fast enough to allay Indonesian authorities’ fears, according to Association of Employment Agencies (Singapore) president K. Jayaprema.

The association has been working closely with Indonesian authorities since December on a solution to address these concerns. She added: “We also want to ensure quality domestic workers can continue to come to Singapore.”

Agents said they would support formalised training but logistical issues, such as lodging and travel expenses and the lack of sufficient dormitory accommodation, would need to be settled for a live-out arrangement to be implemented.

Read also: Huge impact if Indonesia bans maids

Nation Employment managing director Gary Chin said some employers might be concerned about unpredictable delays during their maids’ commutes.

One employer, a banker who gave her name as Madam Molly, 53, said she would prefer to have a helper at night, as she sometimes works late.

A spokesman for the Manpower Ministry said the live-in requirement is not peculiar to Singapore – Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia also have a similar practice.

“Singapore does not condone mistreatment of foreign domestic workers and has taken errant parties to task,” added the spokesman.

Indonesian domestic worker Aisyah, 27, who has lived in Singapore for six years, was happy to hear about the possibility of a live-out arrangement. “Living outside will give us more free time and more friends but some people might prefer to stay at home if employers treat them like family.”

Read also: Higher pay for Indonesian maids

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