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A day of celebration of Hari Raya Puasa for an off-duty police officer and his family was marred after they had a dispute with a man who launched a racial slur at him.
Walter Goh Chong Han, 43, was jailed for seven days on Friday (November 27) for deliberately hurting the officer’s racial sentiments and using insulting words that caused him distress.
Goh had pleaded guilty to his crimes on Thursday.
On June 6 last year, the 51-year-old policeman, who is not listed in the court documents, and his family went out to make some visits, as it was the second day of Hari Raya Puasa.
He drove to a gas station in Punggol Central and joined the queue of cars at the gas pumps. Later, Goh entered the gas station and stopped his car, a green Maserati, behind the police officer’s vehicle.
Deputy Prosecutor Lim Ying Min said the officer heard a horn from behind but did not know why Goh had honked his horn and ignored it.
Since Goh was unable to pass the officer’s car on the right, he drove to the left, the DPP said. Then he stopped and opened the door, causing a dent in the side of the other car.
After getting out of his car, Goh confronted the officer and told him the racial slur.
This offended a member of the officer’s family, who became involved in a verbal dispute with Goh that included an exchange of vulgarities.
Goh yelled vulgarities in a mixture of English and Hokkien, and also spat on the ground in the direction of the officer’s car.
Police were later notified, but Goh left before officers reached the scene.
Urging the court to sentence Goh to a brief jail term, DPP Lim noted Thursday that Goh’s conduct throughout the dispute “clearly shows a lack of remorse.”
Begging for mercy, Goh said he intended to pump air into his tires, but the officer’s car had blocked his way.
Goh could have been jailed for up to three years or fined, or both, for speaking words with the intention of hurting the police officer’s racial sentiments.
For using insulting words to cause another person distress, offenders can be jailed for six months or fined up to $ 5,000, or both.
This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission is required for reproduction
