Jail, fine for former safe distancing ambassador over fight in Yishun

A Covid-19 safe distancing ambassador (SDA) who noticed that a store manager was not wearing a mask got into a scuffle with the man after they hurled vulgarities at each other.

The SDA, Aloysius Hoe Wei Peng, 40, committed the offence in Yishun while he was under investigation over an earlier fight in Punggol. The Straits Times understands he is no longer working as an SDA.

The Singaporean was yesterday sentenced to three weeks in jail and fined $800. He had pleaded guilty to one count each of assault, fighting in a public place and committing mischief.

Hoe and another SDA, Ms Raudzah Salehan, 35, were performing their duties in Yishun Central 1 on Dec 16 last year. Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yang said they were not wearing lanyards with passes to show they were SDAs.

Hoe noticed pet shop manager He Jun, a 48-year-old Singaporean, was not wearing a mask inside his workplace, called Little Pet Kingdom. Hoe told Ms Raudzah to snap a picture of the store, and she complied. Mr He approached her to find out what she was doing. Hoe, who was standing nearby, asked the older man: "What is wrong?"

Both men quarrelled, and Hoe kicked Mr He, who threw a stone lion statue at him. They grabbed and punched each other. An eyewitness separated them.

Mr He, who had a swollen right hand, did not seek medical attention and was fined $2,000 in June over the fight. Hoe went to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital with wounds to his chin, right forearm and knees.

In an unrelated incident, Hoe and his former girlfriend Wan Farah Shireen Abu Hassan, 33, were walking at Waterway Point mall in Punggol on Feb 3 last year when food deliveryman Daniel Seah, 31, rode his bicycle between them. Farah then shouted at Mr Seah: "Do not know how to say 'excuse me'?"

Mr Seah got off his bicycle and asked her why she shouted at him and whether she was having premenstrual syndrome. The couple then hurled vulgarities at Mr Seah. Farah slapped his head, while Hoe kicked his stomach. Hoe also stepped on Mr Seah's spectacles when they fell to the ground.

Farah continued attacking Mr Seah. Her case is pending.

For fighting in a public place, an offender can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000.