SINGAPORE – Pencak silat exponent Sheik Ferdous Sheik Alau’ddin, who recently won a silver medal at the 32nd SEA Games, was fined $8,000 and disqualified from driving for 48 months for drink driving.
The 27-year-old, who also won gold for Singapore at the 2018 World Pencak Silat Championship, was found to have around 2.65 times the prescribed limit of alcohol in his breath.
He is a son of Dr Sheik Alau’ddin Yacoob Marican, chief executive of the Singapore Silat Federation.
On Monday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yang said that at around 2.50am on Nov 27, 2022, two police officers found Sheik Ferdous’ car parked in the leftmost lane of Cantonment Road towards Keppel Road. The car engine was running and the hazard lights and headlights were switched on.
Sheik Ferdous was found sitting in the driver’s seat, slouched forward and facing downwards, said the prosecutor.
The police officers spoke to Sheik Ferdous, who reeked of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes, an unsteady gait and slurred speech.
An instant breathalyser test was conducted, and he failed the test. He was then arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and taken to the Traffic Police Headquarters for a breath evidential analyser test.
The second test revealed that the proportion of alcohol in his breath was 93 micrograms (mcg) of alcohol in every 100ml of breath, about 2.65 times the prescribed limit of 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
Investigations found that he had consumed about three cans of beer at a park in Bukit Pasoh at 11.45pm. He had his last drink at around 1.30am and then attempted to drive to his home in Pasir Ris.
First-time offenders convicted of drink driving can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $10,000.
Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $20,000.
In response to queries, Sport Singapore said it takes a very serious view of its athletes’ misconduct.
“With the court proceedings completed, we will commence our internal review to determine the appropriate actions to be taken in relation to Sheik Ferdous’ obligations as a TeamSG athlete and spexScholar,” said the SportSG spokesman.
A spokesman for the Singapore Silat Federation told The Straits Times that what happened to Sheik Ferdous in this instance had to do with “his personal life”.
“As for the federation, we will continue to support his career and journey. He is considered an asset for the nation,” said the spokesman.
“We will continue to be behind him during training, and we believe he will continue to bring glory to the nation, like how he achieved a silver medal at the 32nd SEA Games.”
