When you’re looking for a cab urgently, sometimes it can be frustrating when all the cabs around you are ‘on call’.
However, no matter how annoyed you are, there’s simply no excuse to take it out on the taxi driver.
Unfortunately, that’s what a man was said to have done when he allegedly punched a cabby at Beach Road.
A witness, who was the passenger, has appealed to netizens for more information on the man’s identity.
The incident was shared on Twitter on Sunday (24 Apr) by a Mr Malcolm Keating.
Source: Twitter
He said on Saturday (23 Apr) night, the man in question entered his taxi.
The cabby asked him to leave, as he already had a passenger, and this wasn’t a rideshare.
Mr Keating said he also kindly opened the door for him.
However, instead of leaving, the man allegedly reached up and hit the cabby.
After the man got out of the cab, Mr Keating started filming him. In response, the man allegedly shoved Mr Keating towards the traffic on Beach Road.
Luckily, he managed to avoid being hit by an oncoming car.
Source: Twitter
Just before being shoved, Mr Keating recorded a video of the man’s face.
Source: Twitter
Mr Keating said he subsequently gave chase as the man walked away from the scene.
Source: Twitter
Recording another video, he followed the man as he walked down the narrow and crowded Haji Lane, not wanting to let him get away.
He even shouted out loud and pointed at him, causing the man to turn around briefly.
Source: Twitter
Apparently unrepentant, the man then flashed his middle finger at Mr Keating.
Source: Twitter
He then left, with Mr Keating yelling after him, “This man just assaulted someone!”
However, nobody else in the area appeared to do anything.
Since the man got away, Mr Keating decided to share the image of the man on the Internet to appeal to the public for information on his identity.
Anyone who recognises him should call the police and state case number A/20220423/0139.
Source: Twitter
Ultimately, he’s doing this because he wants the man to be held accountable for his behaviour.
In reply to his tweets, Mr Keating confirmed that the Singapore Police Force (SPF) is investigating the incident.
Source: Twitter
As for the taxi uncle, Mr Keating said he talked to him on Sunday morning.
The cabby went to the doctor and seemed “okay but shaken up”, he added.
After this original tweet was shared more than 2,000 times, Mr Keating thanked those who shared the image.
Source: Twitter
He urged the public to contact the police if they wanted to help.
Just a short while later, Mr Keating updated that he’d already been given the man’s name and the local company he works for.
He’s since passed on the particulars to the police, in the hope they’ll make an arrest.
Source: Twitter
However, he won’t be sharing them with the Internet.
That’s because he doesn’t want people harassing the man.
Source: Twitter
He believes that the man should be nabbed and punished according to the law, and hopes the police will act since they have his name and workplace.
We don’t know what the man had experienced before the alleged punching and why he did it. Perhaps he was in a hurry to do something important, or he was just drunk.
But no matter what one’s grievances are, violence is never the answer.
Kudos to Mr Keating for standing up for the cabby, and MS News wishes the uncle a quick recovery.
Hopefully, the police can investigate the incident with the info they have.
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Featured images adapted from Malcolm Keating on Twitter.
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