SINGAPORE - A 48-year-old man with a history of drug abuse was arrested for allegedly attacking four people with a knife on Sunday (June 6).

The police said in a statement that they responded to the attack at 6.06am at a Housing Board flat at 2 Jalan Bukit Merah Road.

The injured victims - two men, aged 18 and 24, and two women, aged 39 and 59 - were taken to hospital.

The man, who was believed to be under the influence of drugs and acted alone, was arrested for voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon, said the police.

They added that a knife, chopper, two pen knives and substances suspected to be drugs were seized at the scene.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force told The Straits Times the victims were taken to the National University Hospital. The hospital declined to comment on the victims' condition, citing patient confidentiality.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, the police said officers were patrolling the vicinity when they were approached by the 59-year-old woman, who had knife wounds, on the ground level of the block. They then went to the flat on the second floor.

The perpetrator had allegedly entered the unit while the victims were asleep and attacked the two female tenants with a knife. Two male tenants went to their aid and attempted to subdue the man.

Another male tenant, 31, who was sleeping in another room, was awoken by the commotion and escaped to also seek assistance from police officers patrolling nearby. He was not injured, the police added.

Three of the four victims suffered stab wounds and are undergoing medical treatment, while the 18-year-old man had fallen down a flight of stairs while fleeing from the scene. Three are Malaysians and the 39-year-old woman is Vietnamese.

The police said the suspect had committed several drug offences since 1991, and was released from prison on Oct 6 last year for his last drug-related conviction, for which he was sentenced to seven years' jail and six strokes of the cane.

The police said investigations are ongoing and enhanced patrols have been stepped up in the vicinity. Preliminary investigations did not suggest the incident to be an act of terror, they added.

In a Facebook post addressing Queenstown residents on Sunday morning, Mr Eric Chua, an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC, said he had been alerted to the incident.

Reassuring residents, he said that the situation is under control and the police will take some time to gather evidence as investigations are under way.

He told ST he understands the victims to be mostly employees of a coffee shop at Block 2.

Mr Chua added that the residents he spoke to were relieved that a suspect has been apprehended. It is understood the area was cordoned off by the police for investigations