TNP reader calls hotline to share story

TNP reader calls hotline to share story

SINGAPORE - She was waiting at the bus stop for her daily commute to work on Aug 14. Little did Mrs Suzie Saravanan, 40, know that she would end up calling The New Paper hotline with a story that would be published the next day.

As she waited for the bus, she heard a bang from a construction site about 100 metres away.

A large concrete column had plunged nine metres onto a metal hoarding at the junction of Sims Drive and Aljunied Road.

When she turned to look, a crowd of construction workers had gathered around a man who was lying there motionless.

"I was shocked, it was very loud," said the administrative officer, who called the police.

She then dialled the next "emergency" number - The New Paper hotline.

But she had to go online to find the number (1800-7334455) because she could not remember it.

"I now have the number saved in my mobile phone. If I see something in future, I will surely call," she said.

For her call, Mrs Saravanan will be receiving $100 worth of vouchers and two Denizen Tshirts worth $60.

Win

She said she did not expect to win anything. She had called because she wanted others to learn about safety, too.

"What if someone had been standing there when the structure fell?" Mrs Saravanan asked.

The worker in the accident was pronounced dead by Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedics.

He had been standing on top of the structure on the second storey when it toppled over, a Ministry of Manpower spokesman had said.

For another reader, calling the hotline was a way for her to get her voice heard.

The reader, who wanted to be known only as Madam Siti, called TNP on July 30 to tell us about her son getting abused at the Singapore Boys' Home.

The story was published on Aug 1.

Madam Siti has been reading TNP for a few years.

She said: "Had I not voiced it out, what would happen to others in the same situation?"

Madam Siti said she wanted the story to come to light, so that others in the same situation would know they are not alone.

The 41-year-old said: "TNP acted very fast.

"One of the reporters offered to meet me the very next day to hear what I had to say."

She added that calling TNP's hotline made her feel better.

Another reader called our hotline on Aug 7 about a body that had come from a ship at Brani terminal.

At first, he thought that the body was found in Singapore waters, and had probably come from a sand barge that had capsized.

"The Maritime and Port Authority had been coordinating rescue efforts for the seven missing people," he said.

"I thought he was one of the missing crew."

TNP reported the next day that the person had died on the ship, after being rescued from a yacht in Chinese waters.

So, thank you for calling our hotline with these stories, and keep the calls coming.

Besides the hotline, you can also send in your alerts via SMS or MMS to 9477-8899, or e-mail tnp@sph.com.sg.


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