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Deaths of daughter, 50, and dad, 82, due to natural causes
Teh Joo Lin Mon, Mar 24, 2008 The Straits Times
THE police have closed the files on 82-year-old Wong Tong Seng and his daughter Wong Ju Ling, 50, whose badly decomposed bodies were found in a Lorong Ah Soo flat in January. Both died of natural causes, police spokesman Toh Boon Ngee said. Because of this, no coroner's inquiry will be held. Mr Wong's wife, Madam Ngai Hong Chee, 80, who was found dazed but very much alive in the flat with the bodies, is now living with her son.

When the residents' committee chairman had turned up at the door earlier that day, Madam Ngai insisted that her husband and daughter were asleep.

Madam Ngai is understood to have moved into her son's Ang Mo Kio flat.

Aljunied GRC MP Cynthia Phua, who has been following up with the Wong family since the case happened, had earlier worked with a home for the elderly to reserve a place for Madam Ngai.

Before that, Madam Ngai had spent one month at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Her son, Mr Johan Wong, 54, the older of her two children, could not be contacted for comment.

It is believed that the Lorong Ah Soo flat has been sold, although a recent visit by The Straits Times suggested that no one had moved in yet.

The neighbours said that they had not seen anyone there since the bodies were discovered, although the lock that the police broke in order to enter the flat had been replaced.

Madam Phua said that her constituents had become more aware of what their neighbours were doing since the incident.

Said Ms Babita Kotwani, 26, a Lorong Ah Soo resident: 'I have noticed that, now, my neighbour next door does ask much more often about my ageing grandmother.'

Residents have sounded the alarm to grassroots leaders on at least two cases, including one of a man who took to the bottle after his wife and children walked out on him.

Alone, he returned home drunk every night, his flat a mess of vomit and rubbish.

Madam Phua said: 'He's okay now. We got all the agencies to come in and help him...to clean up his place and get him to clean up.'

There were 45 unclaimed bodies last year, 15 of which were found in homes.

joolin@sph.com.sg

TIMELY INTERVENTION

'He's okay now. We got all the agencies to come in and help him...to clean up his place and get him to clean up.'
ALJUNIED GRC MP CYNTHIA PHUA, on how grassroots leaders swung into action after being alerted by residents about a man who took to the bottle after his wife and children walked out on him. Madam Phua said her constituents are now more aware of what their neighbours are doing