SINGAPORE - A 59-year-old man was found dead in his public rental flat on Thursday (Nov 5) evening.

Taxi driver William Koh's body was discovered on his bed at about 8pm, after police and Singapore Civil Defence Force officers broke down the locked front door of his Lorong 1 Toa Payoh home.

He was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

A fellow cabby who wanted to be known only as Mr Ho said that he had come by the ground floor unit at about 6pm looking for Mr Koh.

The two men usually took turns to drive the same taxi, but Mr Ho had realised that from the log book, Mr Koh had not worked for three days.

"I just came to ask if he was driving tonight. But there was no answer when I knocked," said Mr Ho, who lives in a nearby block.

He added that Mr Koh's front door is usually open at that time.

"When I called his mobile phone, I could hear the ringing inside, but he didn't answer. That's when I knew that something had happened."

Mr Ho, who called the police and helped to identify the body, said Mr Koh's head and toes had turned black.

The cabby described his friend as amiable and responsible. He said: "He would always pay the vehicle rent punctually. If he's not driving the next day, he would also tell me."

A neighbour who gave her name only as Madam Huang, said Mr Koh lived alone. He is believed to have family members living in Malaysia.

Madam Huang, a 60-year-old cleaner, said Mr Koh would frequently chat and eat with her and some other neighbours at the benches outside his flat.

"He was cheerful and would always tell jokes," she said. "He's my good friend. We're going to miss seeing him around here every day."

Police are investigating.