An 80-year-old elderly security guard was attacked and punched in the face after telling a man not to sleep on a public bench in Bedok Central.
The Assault
On the night of 9 September, Mr. Kwek Moh Chai, an 80-year-old security officer, was patrolling the area along Bedok Central.
At around 2 a.m., Mr. Kwek encountered a man who had chosen to make a public bench his makeshift bed. Mr. Kwek approached the individual and informed him that sleeping on the bench was not allowed.
Initially, the man complied and left the bench. However, as Mr. Kwek continued his rounds, he discovered the same individual back on the bench, blatantly disregarding his earlier warning.
When Mr. Kwek approached the man for the second time, he was met with aggression and a barrage of vulgar language.
The Violent Confrontation
In a shocking turn of events, the situation escalated rapidly. The man then physically assaulted Mr. Kwek, punching him in the face with such force that it left him with cuts and swelling.
The impact of the blow was so severe that Mr. Kwek fell to the ground, his spectacles shattered in the process.
Fortunately, two quick-thinking restaurant workers came to Mr. Kwek’s rescue. They intervened, detaining the assailant and called the police for help.
The Aftermath
The security guard sustained facial injuries that included lacerations above his left eye and noticeable bruising. He then received medical treatment at a hospital, as well as medical leave for his injuries.
The police said that they received an alert regarding the assault on New Upper Changi Road at approximately 2:20 a.m. on Sunday, September 10th. A 37-year-old man is currently under police investigations for the incident.
Following the incident, the Union of Security Employees (USE) visited Mr Kwek’s home and gave him some essence of chicken and relief vouchers.
Snippet of the Union of Security Employees’ statement
Brother Kwek is 80 years old and a member of USE. He was deployed at a public area at Bedok Central on the night of 9th September 2023. At around 2.00am, he set out on his patrolling rounds and noticed a man sleeping on a public bench, which is not allowed. Brother Kwek duly informed the man who obliged and left.
Brother Kwek continued his rounds and found the same man repeating the same act. When Brother Kwek reached out to him this time round, the man got agitated and started hurling vulgarities at him. The man punched Brother Kwek on the face, causing him to fall and break his spectacles.
Two restaurant workers came out to help Brother Kwek. They held on to the man and also called the Police. As can be seen from the photos, Brother Kwek suffered lacerations and swelling on his face. He was conveyed to hospital for treatment and placed on medical leave.
USE would like to state that our officers are deployed to protect lives and properties. They are executing their duties as provided for under the Private Security Industry Act. The PSIA was enhanced in May 2022 to offer officers more protection. We hope the assailant will be dealt with firmly under the law.