A 34-year-old Malaysian man has been sentenced to six weeks in jail after he threw bags of red paint from an upper floor of Ngee Ann City during a lion dance competition held at the popular Orchard Road mall.
According to The Straits Times, The incident occurred on September 6, 2024, when the man, identified as Yap Seng Hin, carried out the act after being promised S$1,500 for completing the task. The court heard that he later pleaded guilty to performing a rash act that endangered public safety.
Apart from the jail term, the court also ordered him to pay S$1,046.40 to cover the cost of cleaning the paint that splattered across the event area. If he fails to pay the amount, he will face an additional five days behind bars.
Suspicious Job Offer Led to the Incident
According to court documents, Yap first received a phone call from an unknown individual sometime in August 2024. The caller allegedly offered him S$1,500 to carry out a mysterious “job” at Ngee Ann City.
At first, Yap rejected the proposal. However, the caller later contacted him again shortly before the incident, repeating the same offer.
Facing financial difficulties at the time, Yap eventually agreed to accept the task.
He was instructed to meet at Newton Food Centre, where he was told a van would be waiting. Inside the vehicle were cash and two bags filled with red paint.
Yap reportedly recognised the driver but the driver himself was unaware of what Yap intended to do with the items.
Paint Thrown from Sixth Floor During Event
The van later arrived at the carpark of Ngee Ann City and stopped on the sixth floor at around 8:55pm. Yap then exited the vehicle and walked to a window overlooking the Civic Plaza below.
At the time, a lion dance competition was taking place at the plaza on the ground floor, attracting a crowd of spectators and judges.
Yap proceeded to throw the two bags of red paint down from the sixth-floor vantage point. The bags landed near a judge’s table where one of the judges was seated.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
However, the red paint splattered across the event area, prompting organisers to contact the police immediately.
Arrest and Investigation
Authorities later arrested Yap on October 15, 2024. He was released on bail the following day while investigations continued.
During sentencing, the prosecution sought at least eight weeks’ imprisonment, pointing out that the act was particularly dangerous given the height from which the paint bags were thrown and the large crowd gathered below.
Video footage of the incident circulated online, showing red paint splashed across the ground between the stage and the judges’ table. Some spectators could be seen looking upwards in confusion after the bags landed.
Although the court eventually imposed a slightly shorter sentence of six weeks, the case highlights the serious consequences of reckless actions that could endanger public safety in crowded public venues.
Authorities have not disclosed the identity of the individual who allegedly offered Yap the money for the task, and investigations into the wider circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.