A woman who kicked an elderly commuter during a dispute over seat space on an MRT train has been fined S$4,000.
Endon Abu Bakar, 47, pleaded guilty to voluntarily causing hurt to a 66-year-old woman on board the East-West Line on 5 December 2024.
The disagreement began when Endon took a seat beside the woman, who had placed her bag there.
The incident began shortly after 10.30am, when the victim boarded the train at Clementi station.
She sat down and placed her plastic bag on the adjacent empty seat.
Source: Wikimedia Commons, for illustration purposes only
Around half an hour later, Endon boarded the same train at Paya Lebar. Seeing the seat as unoccupied, she sat next to the victim, inadvertently coming into contact with the bag.
The older woman felt Endon should have asked her to move the bag first, and an argument broke out between the two.
At one point, Endon raised her phone at the woman, who responded by smiling, making a peace sign, and lifting her own phone.
This further angered Endon, who snatched the woman’s phone. When the victim stood up to retrieve it, Endon kicked her in the abdomen.
The commotion drew the attention of fellow passengers. One pressed the emergency button, causing the train to stop at Tanah Merah station.
Source: SGTrains, for illustration purposes only
MRT staff arrived to assess the situation, and both women were interviewed.
The victim later experienced abdominal pain and a headache. A doctor found that she had sustained a bruise and minor soft tissue injury consistent with being kicked.
She did not require hospitalisation or medical leave.
In court, Endon shared that she works as a librarian earning a basic salary of about S$2,500 a month.
She also submitted a written mitigation plea, though it was not read aloud.
District Judge Koo Zhi Xuan said the case was “borderline” in terms of whether jail time should be imposed, but opted for a heavy fine instead.
“This happened in an MRT train, caused disturbance . . . to others . . . and the accused clearly appears to be the more aggressive party in this matter,” he said.
He also noted Endon’s financial obligations, including S$1,200 in monthly payments for her HDB flat.
“You have all these difficulties in your life, I understand. Then you shouldn’t have committed this offence,” the judge told her.
Endon was allowed to pay S$500 upfront, with the balance to be paid in seven monthly instalments of S$500.
For voluntarily causing hurt, the maximum penalty is up to three years’ jail, a fine of up to S$5,000, or both.
Also read: Woman stumped after man with ‘criminal’ body odour sits beside her on MRT, shares dilemma online
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Featured image adapted from Wikimedia Commons, for illustration purposes only.