Singaporeans told to mind their manners while in Malaysia

MCA deputy president says Singaporeans should practise the same discipline in Malaysia as they do at home.

JOHOR BARU: MCA Deputy President Wee Ka Siong has cautioned Singaporeans against becoming unruly road users while in Malaysia.

Referring to a road bully incident in Tampoi on Saturday when a Singaporean hit a Malaysian bus driver on his head with a bat, Wee said, “Previously if you punch a person in Singapore in a road bully case, you can be imprisoned.”

He said Singaporeans should continue to practise strict discipline in Malaysia just as they did back home in their own country, The Star Online said.

Wee also said Singaporeans should abide by local traffic rules because such violent behaviour was not acceptable even if it was an isolated case.

He said this after attending the Johor Baru MCA Chinese New Year gathering here.

In Saturday’s incident, a bus driver giving his name only as Teh, 61, honked at a man for driving too slowly. This happened after he exited the Malaysian checkpoint near the Johor Baru Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex.

Teh said after he overtook the car, he saw that the Singaporean, looking furious, signalled at him to stop his bus, which he did.

The bus driver then claimed that the Singaporean alighted from his car and took out a bat.

“The driver then starting shouted vulgarities before striking me with the bat, causing me to fall. Blood started oozing from the left side of my head,” Teh was quoted by The Star Online as saying.

Confirming that the Singaporean bat-wielding driver has been detained, Johor Baru (North) OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Khamsani Abdul Rahman explained, “The Singaporean, who is in his 60s, claimed that the bus driver hit him first.”

Mohd Khamsani advised motorists to keep their cool even when driving became stressful in Malaysia’s hot weather.