Caucasian Working in S’pore Allegedly Punched Taxi Driver’s Face After He Sat in the Taxi That Someone Else Has Booked

By
Charleen Teh
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On Saturday night (23 Apr), Malcom Keating and his two friends were patiently waiting and searching for their ComfortDelGro taxi along the busy Beach Road when they realised that a stranger had boarded their car instead.

Misconceptions like these happen on occasion, it’s no big deal.

Especially when you’re inebriated and the numbers and letters of a car plate start jumbling up and looking like a mess of Sanskrit. 

Regardless of how drunk you are though; it doesn’t give you a reason to punch the taxi driver when it’s not even their fault that you got in the wrong car.

The Aggression of a Drunkard

According to Malcom Keating, a Yale-NUS assistant professor in Philosophy, he and his fellow colleagues had been waiting for their booked car at around 10pm, at the junction of Arab Street and Beach Road.

Drinking restrictions were lifted and nightlife businesses have just resumed; it’s a no-brainer that the roads would be extremely congested with traffic, hence giving both the driver and passengers a hard time finding each other.

When Keating finally found their designated ride, they saw that there was already another man sitting inside.

Keating told the Mothership that their driver was initially unaware that he had picked up the wrong passenger until he saw the trio. Upon realising his mistake, he asked the man to leave.

Then the man punched the taxi driver in the face.

Seriously, why the need for such violence?

Keating was in the midst of opening the back car door, so he witnessed the assault.

The drunk man proceeded to get out of the taxi, only for Keating and his two friends to confront him about his actions.

By this point in time, Keating also whipped out his phone to film the man, who seemed to be intoxicated from his observation, in order to capture his face.

The assistant professor originally wanted to tell the man that he shouldn’t have hit the taxi driver and that he should stay put.

After all, randomly assaulting someone else is wrong, and he didn’t even apologise for his actions. 

However, Keating only managed to say “Excuse me, um, you wanna go that way…” before the man shoved Keating backwards, into the oncoming traffic.

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Fortunately, Keating managed to catch himself before he became a victim to the moving vehicles.

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Drunkard Strides into Haji Lane Without Remorse

Now twice-provoked, Keating wasn’t going to let this man go scot-free of course.

Keating continues to film and follow the man as his two friends stay behind to attend to the wounded taxi driver.

In the 27-second video, the drunkard tucks his hands into his pockets nonchalantly as he strides back into Haji Lane, as if he’s done nothing wrong seconds ago.

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All the while, a faint voice can be heard in the background—presumably the taxi driver’s—who says: “Call the police, he hit me!”

The drunk man doesn’t pause; he manoeuvres around the tables of people drinking in the cramped Haji Lane as Keating points a finger from behind and yells: “Can someone call the cops on that guy? He just assaulted someone!”

Despite the loud chatter, the drunk man hears Keating’s threat.

He turns around swiftly, as though he was preparing to fight, except he simply gives Keating the middle finger and walks off again.

Image: twitter.com (@cmalcomkeating)

Understanding that trying to stop the man was a lost cause, Keating backs off.

Sadly, no one around them intervenes or attempts to stop the Caucasian man.

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Keating shouts the same line again, but to not avail.

While the assailant saunters away without any consequences, Keating issues an expletive out of frustration.

Police Report Lodged

Even though the taxi driver was injured, he still commits to his job sends Keating and his colleagues back home.

The following morning (24 Apr), Keating makes his Twitter account accessible to the public and attaches the video evidence he had taken, declaring that he has lodged a police report against the drunkard, under the case number A/20220323/0139.

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It can be assumed that the taxi driver has done the same.

He also mentions that he contacted the taxi driver that morning to check up on his condition.

Keating writes, “I talked to the uncle this morning and he went to the doctor. I think he’s okay but shaken up. This was unexcusable behaviour and I’d like to see this man be held accountable.”

Following, he tags The Straits Times and Mothership, in hopes that the news outlet will spread the message around to ensure that the man is quickly identified and brought before the police for justice to be served.

Look, if you can’t hold your drink or punches, maybe learn a little self-restraint. 

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Featured Images: Twitter (@cmalcomkeating)

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Charleen Teh
Email: [email protected]