SINGAPORE, July 10 — In two separate incidents within 10 minutes, Chong Aik Hua suddenly pushed and hit two students as they walked in public, causing one to nearly fall onto a road at a traffic junction and striking the other with a tree branch.
No reason was given in court documents for the unprovoked attacks on strangers by Chong, 45, who has a history of causing hurt, and was most recently sentenced to jail time in January this year over a similar offence.
Chong was sentenced to 10 weeks’ jail on Tuesday (July 9) after pleading guilty to three charges: One charge of voluntarily causing hurt, one charge of committing a rash act and one charge under the Protection from Harassment Act.
Another charge under the Protection from Harassment Act was taken into consideration for sentencing.
What happened
On May 15, this year, the first victim, an 18-year-old female polytechnic student, was walking towards Fernvale LRT station at around 8.20pm.
She arrived at a junction outside Sengkang Green Primary School and entered the pedestrian crossing when the traffic light was green, before stopping to allow oncoming pedestrians to pass her.
Chong, who was behind her, pushed the student once in the back, causing her to hit a nearby railing with her stomach.
The court heard that the student felt pain and almost fell onto the road after being pushed. When she turned around, she saw Chong standing behind her.
The man started pointing at her and hurling vulgarities, before walking off in the direction of Sengkang Green Primary School.
About 10 minutes later, at around 8.30pm, a 22-year-old male student was walking down a staircase at Block 455 Sengkang West Avenue with his girlfriend.
When the couple reached the pavement and Chong passed them, he suddenly used his hand to hit the male student once on the right side of his abdomen.
The student turned around to confront him, but Chong began hurling vulgarities and challenging him to fight.
Chong then picked up a tree branch from the ground and swung it at the male student, hitting him twice on the chest, causing pain on the right side of his body.
He then tossed aside the tree branch and continued uttering vulgarities at the student, before walking off.
The student’s girlfriend called the police as Chong started hurling vulgarities however the man had already left the scene when officers arrived.
‘Long history of hurt offences’
Court documents did not say why Chong decided to push or hurt either student.
Chong was arrested the day after his offences and produced in court one day later, on May 17, after which he was remanded.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mark Chia sought a jail term of 10 to 12 weeks’ jail, citing that Chong was previously sentenced to six weeks’ jail in January 2024 for an “identical charge” of voluntarily causing hurt.
In the previous case, Chong had hit a victim’s right wrist once with his hand, but the present case was “more severe”, as Chong hit the male student more than once, said DPP Chia.
He added that Chong had a “long history of hurt offences” and was also previously sentenced for a charge under the Protection for Harassment Act for uttering a Hokkien vulgarity at a victim.
Those who voluntarily cause hurt can be jailed for up to three years, be fined up to S$5,000 or both.
Anyone who uses abusive or insulting words to cause harassment can be jailed for up to six months or be fined up to S$5,000 or face both.
For doing a rash act, Chong could have been jailed for up to six months, be fined up to S$2,500 or face both punishments. — TODAY
