A Malaysian man, Zhang Guosheng, 29, died in a car accident in Woodlands in the early hours of September 20. Zhang, a factory worker from Ipoh, Malaysia, was hitching a ride with a colleague after working overtime. Their car collided with a BMW at the intersection of Woodlands Avenue 10 and Woodlands Avenue 7. Zhang was thrown from the car due to the impact and died at the scene. His colleague, a 33-year-old man, was arrested for careless driving causing death. Zhang leaves behind a wife and a daughter who is less than a year old.
## Background
Zhang Guosheng worked in a curtain installation factory in Sembawang, Singapore, alongside his wife. The couple commuted daily between Singapore and Malaysia, leaving their daughter in the care of their parents. Zhang was known for his easygoing and cheerful personality, often joking with friends and being generous. He had been married for just over a year and had recently welcomed his daughter.
## Wife sobbed bitterly at the funeral
Relatives at the mortuary described Zhang as a loving and generous person. His cousin shared that Zhang’s body would be transported back to Ipoh for funeral proceedings and then cremated. Zhang’s wife plans to take his ashes to Johor, where she is from, to keep him close. “She hopes that [Zhang] can continue to be by her side. It will be more convenient for her and their child to visit [him],” said Zhang’s cousin. Both families have pledged to help care for the child. Zhang’s wife was seen crying bitterly at the wake on September 21.
## Driver blames himself for Zhang’s death
Zhang’s colleague, who was driving the car, blames himself for the accident. He attended the funeral after being released on bail. His wife, surnamed Zheng, also attended and stayed by Zhang’s wife’s side, offering support. Zheng had accompanied Zhang’s wife to the accident site and the morgue.
## Wife was only a few km away when man died
On the day of the accident, Zhang’s wife and Zheng had dinner and shopped together while waiting for their husbands to finish work. The accident occurred while their husbands were on the way to fetch them from Woodlands MRT station, just three kilometres away. By the time Zhang’s wife arrived at the scene, Zhang was already covered with a white cloth and presumed dead.
## Related stories
This tragic incident highlights the dangers of commuting long distances for work and the devastating impact on families. Zhang’s death has left a young family grieving and underscores the importance of road safety. The community has rallied around Zhang’s wife and daughter, offering support during this difficult time.
