'Caring boss' dies in horror accident

He was very big-hearted, very generous and very helpful.

He did not behave like the boss of the company and he treated everyone as if they were his friends.

Mr Jamie Ho was, in short, a peer whom you would respect, Mr Yen Wong told The New Paper last night.

Mr Wong, 33, is a director in Mr Ho's publishing company - Magazines Integrated - and they had worked together since 2009.

The company publishes gourmet lifestyle magazine epicure and Hooked, a fishing quarterly, among others.

Mr Ho, 33, was one of two who died in an accident yesterday morning.

The white Volkswagen GTI that he was driving had hit a barrier before crashing into a large tree along the East Coast Parkway at the Marine Vista exit.

A female passenger, 24, who was seated in front, also died on the spot.

Four other passengers - three women aged 24, 26 and 29, and a 25-year-old man - were taken to hospital.

Among them, two have more serious injuries, reported Lianhe Wanbao.

Mr Wong said that he and his colleagues are still reeling from the shocking news.

Mr Ho's father, Mr Ho Sum Kwong, who is the company's managing director, had sent a short text message in the morning to all employees to inform them that his only child had died in an accident.

"It is really shocking for all of us. (The senior) Mr Ho is devastated because they were very close," said Mr Wong.

"They didn't behave like father and son, you'd easily mistake them to be friends."

Mr Wong said that based on reports in the Chinese newspapers, he was certain that the four passengers and the dead woman were not his colleagues.

But he could not confirm if the dead woman was Mr Ho's girlfriend.

On the company website, a short profile on Mr Ho reads: "Mr Jamie Ho's domain knowledge is in IT and the Cyber-Gaming industry.

"Jamie focuses on interactive media, mobile broadcasts, and events marketing particularly on cyber-gaming and e-sports competitions."

LOVED FISHING

Mr Wong said that Mr Ho loved fishing. A check on Mr Ho's Facebook account confirmed it, with many photos of him posing with his catches as well as at fishing events.

When The New Paper visited the family's home in Opera Estate last evening, a family spokesman said that they were grieving and declined to speak to us.

But the senior Mr Ho had earlier told Shin Min Daily News that his son was very filial.

He also said he had seen his son with a Taiwanese girl over the past few months and she had been to their home, but he was uncertain if they were dating.

Mr Ho last spoke to his son at around 10pm on Wednesday.

"I asked him to help me with some computer-related issues and he said okay.

"We didn't contact each other after that and I don't know if he had returned home at all," he said.

It was only when the police went to their home yesterday morning that he knew of his son's death.

"I couldn't believe it and I even checked to see if his car was around."

About 10 family members and friends of the passengers were seen at the Changi General Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department, reported Shin Min Daily News.

Some were very distraught and declined to comment, while others said that they did not know the driver.

Police said they received a call at 7.32am informing them of an accident at the East Coast Expressway exit along Marine Vista, towards Changi Airport.

"Four persons were taken conscious to the Changi General Hospital, two were pronounced dead at the scene. Police investigations are ongoing," said the spokesman.

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It is really shocking for all of us. (The senior) Mr Ho is devastated because they were very close.

- Mr Yen Wong, 33, a director in Mr Jamie Ho's publishing company