SINGAPORE - A construction worker was jailed eight months on Tuesday for attacking his colleague with a knife in a dormitory, which left the victim with a 3cm laceration on his hand and in need of surgery.

Zhang Fu, 38, had quarelled with Mr Su Ergen after dinner on Sept 8. Brandishing a knife, he charged at the 38-year-old in his dormitory several hours later.

Mr Su grabbed at the weapon in a bid to fend off the attack, which resulted in a wound between his thumb and index finger.

On Tuesday, Zhang was sentenced after pleading guilty to voluntarily hurting his victim with the knife, which had a 14cm blade.

The court heard his dispute with Mr Su arose following dinner with others at a restaurant, after they had a round of drinks. They returned to their quarters around midnight, though the two men lived in different blocks.

Zhang was in Mr Su's second-floor room when Mr Su returned around 1.15am on Sept 9 and saw another colleague, Mr Ma Lihu, who had also been at the dinner, lying on his bed and bleeding from the chest.

When Mr Su shouted at him to ask what had happened, Zhang attacked with the knife.

Zhang also admitted to a second charge, for hurting Mr Ma, 42.

Calling for a jail term of at least six months, Deputy Public Prosecutor Crystal Tan said Zhang had planned the attacks, seeking out his victims in their room.

The injuries suffered by Mr Su were not minor, and could have been more serious had he not grabbed the blade, Ms Tan said.

Zhang told the court he had lost his self-control. Expressing remorse, he said he was married with two school-going children to support, along with an aged mother.

He could have been jailed for up to seven years, fined and caned.