SINGAPORE – A 61-year-old man was charged on Dec 21 with the attempted murder of a 46-year-old man at a shopping mall in Pasir Ris Street 72.
According to court documents, Loh Chye Hoe allegedly used a cleaver to slash Mr Wong Tai Huong, 46, a few times on Dec 20 at around 4.50pm at Pasir Ris West Plaza.
In a statement soon after the incident, the police said four people, including Loh, were hurt. They were taken to Sengkang General Hospital, with Loh semi-conscious at that time.
Loh was charged on Dec 21 while in hospital.
A spokesman for the hospital said two individuals connected to the case have been transferred to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for treatment.
The other two are receiving treatment at Sengkang General Hospital.
“They are recovering well and are in stable condition. Due to patient confidentiality, we are unable to disclose any other information about our patients,” said the spokesman.
Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean visited the mall at around noon on Dec 21.
Mr Teo, who is also an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, spoke to the shopkeepers near the scene to find out about their well-being.
A Pasir Ris resident who was at the mall just after the attack told The Straits Times that three of the injured people, including Mr Wong, are from Royal Regent, a provision shop selling a variety of items such as phone products, sandals and bags.
Two sisters who own the shop were also injured in the incident. One of them is married to Mr Wong.
In an earlier statement, the police said Loh is known to the three individuals, but they were not on friendly terms.
Neighbouring shops
Loh runs a mobile phone shop called Esther’s Shop at Loyang Point in Pasir Ris Street 21, according to workers at the mall.
It was closed when ST visited at 3.30pm on Dec 21.
Esther’s Shop was incorporated in 2012, according to business records, and is located next to another shop selling mobile phones – Pacific Mobile.
Pacific Mobile and Royal Regent share the same owner.
An employee at Pacific Mobile said Mr Wong is his boss, adding that the shop has been at Loyang Point for 18 years. Esther’s Shop opened at the mall about eight years ago.
The employee said the staff at the two shops had frequent disagreements because of business rivalry.
The owner of a hardware shop nearby said it came to a boil earlier in 2023.
“They had a big argument in July or August and the police turned up... It was over items put outside one shop that blocked the shopfront of the rival,” he added.
An employee at a herbal shop located a few units away, who gave her name as Ms Chew, said neighbouring shops could hear the yelling from a distance.
“When they argued, it was very loud. I could hear it even though my shop is at the other end of the mall,” she added.
Over at Pasir Ris West Plaza, a Royal Regent employee was seen leaving the shop at 11.30am on Dec 21. He declined comment.
The shop was shuttered and most of the blood stains from the incident have been removed.
Witnesses said they saw a man loitering near the shop hours before the incident. At about 4pm, the same man bought a can of beer and peanuts from a nearby provision shop.
An employee at the provision shop, who declined to be named, said: “Shortly after he made his purchase, I heard loud screams from a woman coming from the direction of Royal Regent.
“I saw one of the owners of Royal Regent with a huge gash on her face trying to fend off the assailant with a broom.”
A video allegedly of the aftermath shows a woman with bloodstains telling a worker at a neighbouring shop that a man had attacked them inside Royal Regent.
Loh’s next court date is on Jan 11, 2024.
If convicted of attempted murder and hurt is caused, an offender can be jailed for life and caned, or jailed for up to 20 years and fined or caned, or both.
Men above 50, and women, cannot be sentenced to caning.
