Man punches taxi driver for telling him to get off as he was on the wrong cab

After getting on a taxi he did not book, an allegedly intoxicated man at Beach Road punched the driver for advising him to get off so that the driver could pick up the correct passengers.

Malcolm Keating, an assistant professor of philosophy at Yale-NUS College, changed his otherwise private account on Twitter to share an incident on Sunday (Apr 24) at the junction of Arab Street and Beach Road.

Mr Keating said he saw a man punch a taxi uncle on Saturday night.

“He got into our taxi, which was on call, and when the driver asked him to leave, and I opened the back door, he reached up and hit the driver,” said Mr Keating.

The man then left the taxi as Mr Keating began filming him.

“He shoved me into Beach Road (thankfully, I dodged the incoming car!) then walked away while we shouted at him to stop.”

Mr Keating followed the man towards Haji Lane while someone in the background, presumably the driver, said, “Call police! He hit me!”

“Can someone call the cops on that guy? He just assaulted someone!” said Mr Keating as the man made his way through tables of people drinking.

The man suddenly turned around and gave Mr Keating the middle finger before continuing on his way as no bystanders helped to intervene.

The video ended with Mr Keating shouting, “This man just assaulted someone! He just assaulted…”

“If anyone recognizes him, please contact the Singapore Police,” said Mr Keating in his Tweet.

The case number is A/20220423/0139.

He also touched base with the taxi driver, who went to the doctor after the incident. “I think he’s okay but shaken up. This was inexcusable behaviour, and I’d like to see this man be held accountable,” wrote Mr Keating.

On Sunday evening, Mr Keating tweeted that the “Internet is amazing” as he was already informed of the man’s name and company based in Singapore.

“I have passed it on to the police and the taxi uncle so he can also send it to the police. I hope they follow up and make an arrest,” he added.

The Independent Singapore has reached out to SPF for a statement. /TISG

I'm briefly leaving private mode to share an image of man who I saw punch a Singapore taxi uncle last night on Beach Road. He got into our taxi which was on call and when the driver asked him to leave and I opened the back door, he reached up and hit the driver. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/sfcgpvo7AS

— Malcolm Keating (@cmalcolmkeating) April 24, 2022

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