Batman Suparman, 29, was slashed across his face by his colleague, a Foodpanda deliveryman.

The perpetrator, Eng Guan Hong, 40, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail and six strokes of the cane.

Who?

Batman Suparman got turned into a meme ever since his identity card that featured his full name made the rounds online in 2008.

In 2013, it was reported in the news that Batman was jailed for two years and nine months for stealing his elder brother’s bank card, breaking into an office to steal money and consuming heroin. 

What happened?

Now, the perpetrator has become the victim.

Eng knew Batman.

They performed food deliveries in the same area.

They were also members of a WhatsApp chat group with a number of other Foodpanda deliverymen.

On Jan. 28, 2019, Batman got into an argument with Eng in the morning.

Eng left a voice message in the group chat saying that riders who did not sign up for the new Foodpanda scheme would be “bodoh”.

The word means “stupid” in Malay.

Batman took offence with the word's usage.

He told Eng not to say that.

The two started arguing.

Eng challenged Batman to meet in person to sort out their differences.

The fight

On 2.40pm that same day, Eng brought along a motorcycle helmet and a penknife that was concealed in the back pocket of his pants.

The penknife was taken from his manager’s table at the Foodpanda office.

Eng had lied to the manager that he needed a 10.5cm-long blade to adjust his e-scooter.

Eng and Batman were to meet outside the Foodpanda office at United House in Somerset.

Eng started swinging his helmet at Batman repeatedly without saying a word the moment they saw each other.

Batman was struck even as he tried to use his left arm to block the blows.

The penknife fell out of Eng’s pocket during the assault.

Eng picked up the penknife and charged towards Batman.

Batman tripped and fell as he backed off. 

Batman’s face was slashed repeatedly.

Batman used his arms to ward off the blows, but was still cut near his nose and above his ear.

Post-fight

Other Foodpanda riders tried to restrain Eng, but were unable to help.

Eng even threw some punches at Batman's face after slashing him.

Eng only stopped after other colleagues from the Foodpanda office arrived to pull him away. 

Batman and some Foodpanda deliverymen then walked to a nearby police station to make a report.

Batman was treated at the hospital for a 1cm wound across his nose bridge and a 3cm cut on the side of his face, among other injuries.

Sentencing

On Aug. 14, the day of Eng's sentencing, his lawyer T M Sinnadurai said his client had carried out the attack because Batman was being “annoying”. 

Deputy Public Prosecutor Dillion Kok argued that Eng had not been provoked.

District Judge Edgar Foo noted that Batman might be “permanently scarred” from the attack.

The judge then sentenced Eng on one proceeded charge of voluntarily causing hurt.

He gave Eng a harsher sentence.

This was owing to the fact that Eng faced a similar charge of voluntarily causing hurt by a dangerous weapon in 2014, and was jailed two years and given six strokes of the cane. 

Eng began his sentence the same day. 

Eng could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined or caned, or both, for this latest charge of voluntarily causing hurt using a weapon.

When you become a meme: