SINGAPORE - A 39-year-old man was on Thursday (Oct 29) jailed for seven weeks, fined $3,800, and disqualified from driving for 12 months for a string of offences.
Phang Heng King pleaded guilty to five charges, including threatening to cause death to a colleague with a 16.5 inch-long sword.
He also admitted to punching another colleague, driving a company lorry without permission, driving without a valid licence, and driving without an insurance policy.
Another three charges were taken into consideration.
According to court documents, on the morning of April 25 this year, Phang, a Malaysian, got into an argument with his colleague Lim Peng Chuan, 58, a Singapore permanent resident from Malaysia.
The incident took place at their workplace in Mandai Estate. They worked for HMS Services, a general ship supplier.
During the argument, Phang took a 16.5 inch-long sword and held it to the back of Mr Lim's neck.
Phang also pointed the sword at another colleague, Mr Selladurai Suresh, 33, an Indian national, and said: "Die you."
Shortly after, Phang wanted to use one of the company lorries and asked Mr Selladurai for the key.
But Mr Selladurai refused and offered to drive him instead, as Phang did not have a valid driving licence.
Another dispute ensued, and Phang punched Mr Selladurai on his left jaw.
Phang then took the lorry and drove it to buy fruits for the company.
Later, along Canberra Road towards Admiralty Road West, he failed to keep a proper lookout and crashed into the rear of a car.
For arming himself with an offensive instrument without authority, Phang could have been jailed for two years. For committing criminal intimidation by threatening to cause death or grievous hurt, he could have been jailed for seven years or more. For voluntarily causing hurt, he could have been jailed for two years and fined $5,000.
For each of his traffic offences - of driving without a licence, driving a motor vehicle without the owner's consent, and using a motor vehicle without an insurance policy - Phang could have been jailed for three months or fined $1,000.
He has been sacked by his employer, and will be repatriated after his release from prison.
