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SINGAPORE: On September 15, financial advisor Clement Tan was waiting at a bus stop in front of the 201 Pasir Ris Drive 1 block, when a 21 service bus pulled up in front of him.
The 29-year-old realized that something was wrong: the bus remained stationary and passengers began to descend en masse. Mr. Tan then noticed that there was a “conflict” between the driver and a passenger.
Separately, Muhammad Mu’tasim Kassim approached the bus because he was curious about the small crowd that had gathered outside.
“I saw someone verbally abusing the bus driver,” said the 25-year-old college student. “I called the police because they started pushing the bus captain.”
He then saw that the passenger had started to rain blows on the driver and moved to subdue the man with Mr. Tan and another passerby.
The three pulled the man out of the bus and pinned him to the ground while they waited for the police to arrive.
Mr. Tan and Mr. Mu’tasim said that their respective experiences in the National Service, as a commando in the armed forces and a police officer, respectively, had helped them to contain the man.
LEE: Man accused of assaulting the bus driver, SBS Transit says that the defendant boarded the vehicle without a mask
The bus captain was allegedly assaulted on a bus in Pasir Ris. (Photo: Facebook / SBS Transit)
On September 17, Ja’afally Abdul Rahim, 52, was charged with voluntarily injuring the driver, Mr. Low Kok Weng.
He was also charged with possession of an offensive weapon, a knife with a 6 cm blade and a 6 cm handle, on the bus.
“I didn’t feel any fear, because I was pretty sure he wasn’t carrying a weapon, so I thought maybe he was intoxicated. So I concentrated on subduing the person, ”said Mr. Mu’tasim.
Low is back at work, although he has been temporarily sent to another route as a precaution, said SBS Transit Acting Chief Executive Officer Cheng Siak Kian. He described the bus driver as “very tough.”
Cheng said Low had expressed interest in taking civil action against his alleged assailant and that SBS Transit was providing the necessary legal assistance in the matter.
For their efforts to protect Mr. Low, Mr. Tan and Mr. Mu’tasim were praised by SBS Transit on Friday (September 25) in a small ceremony at the Tampines bus interchange, where the two men received a basket and a certificate of appreciation.
“My parents were really very happy that I was able to help the community. My grandmother chided me for trying to be a hero, ”said Mr. Mu’tasim, adding that he would not hesitate to help if another similar situation arose.
“At the end of the day, you know, we’re just helping other people.”
Chief Minister of State for Transport Chee Hong Tat, Clement Tan, Muhammad Mu’tasim Kassim, Acting Executive Director of SBS Transit, Cheng Siak Kian, and Executive Secretary of the National Union of Transport Workers, Melvin Yong, at a event at the Tampines Bus Interchange on September 25, 2020 Mr. Tan and Mr. Mu’tasim were recognized for their efforts to protect a bus driver who had been assaulted. (Photo: Zhaki Abdullah)
STRENGTHENING PROTECTION FOR DRIVERS
In a previous statement, SBS Transit said the alleged assailant had gotten on the bus without wearing a mask, donning one only after being in the vehicle.
He later threw vulgarities at the driver and attacked him by grabbing him by the neck and neck before police arrived, SBS Transit said.
“This year alone, we have had about 40 cases of assaults on public bus transport workers, up from 33 we had in all of 2019. Of the numbers to date, mask-related assaults accounted for about half,” he said a Spokesperson for SBS Transit.
The episode showed the need for “adequate protection” for public transport workers, State Minister of Transport Chee Hong Tat said, adding that they have a duty to protect the health of all travelers by reminding them to wear masks.
“There are laws to protect our workers. It is an incarcerated offense. And I want to be clear about it, we are going to take a zero tolerance approach to abuses against our transportation workers, ”he said.
READ: There is no excuse for physically or verbally abusing bus captains: Ong Ye Kung
In a Facebook post, the Executive Secretary of the National Transport Workers Union (NTWU), Melvin Yong, said that NTWU was committed to working with the Land Transport Authority and public transport operators to strengthen the protection of drivers from buses.
In another post on Thursday, Yong noted that transportation operator SMRT will begin testing a plastic shield for its bus driver cabins.
The polycarbonate shield is 12mm thick and has a metal reinforcement arm to protect drivers and better protect drivers from being punched, he said.
He added that the shield also had a film to minimize glare, an issue that had arisen with other variants tested in 2018.
A plastic shield is being tested on an SMRT bus. (Photo: Facebook / Melvin Yong)
SBS Transit bus drivers are trained to reduce situations that could lead to altercations, said the company’s chief executive, Mr. Cheng, who said the reduction was the “number one protection” for his employees.
A communications system on its buses allows drivers to link such incidents to a control center, which is then able to alert police, he said, adding that the control center is also capable of viewing these incidents in real time at through devices installed on their buses. .
While SBS Transit is testing the use of protective shields on board its buses, these are intended more as protection against the possibility of a COVID-19 infection, Cheng said.
The company is currently in discussions with suppliers about different materials that could be used for such shields, he said, adding that it is important that drivers are comfortable with their use and that they do not hamper their driving or safety.
Safety aboard public transportation ultimately requires both transportation providers and travelers to work together as a community, he said.
“It’s not just about shields, it’s also about society,” he said.
