S'porean debt collector allegedly beat up M'sian driver, stabbing eye with broken bottle

A Singaporean has been accused of attacking a Malaysian man and seriously injuring him on the face and hands.

Photos circulating online supposedly of the Malaysian driver show him in a hospital with many stitches over his fingers and body, wounds on his head, and a gruesome, bloody eye.

According to The New Straits Times, the suspect is a Singaporean debt collector in his forties who moonlights as a social media influencer, while the 21-year-old victim was his employee.

He is believed to be on the run now after the alleged assault at Plaza Sentosa in Taman Pelangi, Johor Bahru, on Sep. 6.

Malaysia's China Press reported that the victim was a Malaysian who was hired by the Singaporean as his private driver three days before the incident, for a ride from Kuala Lumpur to Plaza Sentosa — an entertainment venue.

This information was shared by a person who claimed to be the driver's older brother.

What happened

The victim lodged a police report on Sep. 7, as confirmed by the Johor Baru South police chief, NST reported.

He claimed he was beaten after he was accused of stealing a vape.

China Press reported that according to the victim's brother, a friend of the Singaporean man falsely accused the driver of stealing a vape, then asked him to look for the vape under a table.

When the driver went to look for the vape, he was beaten up.

The Singaporean man hit the driver on the head with a glass bottle to the extent that the bottle broke and further injured his head, the brother claimed.

Despite the driver's attempts to defend himself, the Singaporean allegedly used the broken glass to stab him in the left eye, then tried to do the same to his face and neck.

During the attack, the Singaporean also yelled threats to kill him and his family, according to the brother.

"Nearly all my brother's fingers needed stitches, and the tendon in his thumb was torn," the brother said.

The Johor Baru South police chief said that the case is being investigated for causing grievous hurt and robbery with hurt, NST reported.

The police chief emphasised that they currently "only have one side of the story", and will know the full picture once the suspect is caught.

NST said they understood the suspect has gone into hiding.

The debt collection agency

The suspect is believed to be linked to a Singapore debt collection agency.

Their services also go beyond Singapore to cover other countries, including Malaysia (Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang) and Cambodia.

Both Zaobao and NST have tried calling the Singapore phone number of the agency, but so far, they have failed to get a response.

NST had their call abruptly cut off and was unable to reconnect afterwards.

Top images from China Press