S'pore bus operator in HK principal spat says bus size forced roadside stops, claims security raised voice

The company behind the tour bus involved in the heated confrontation between a Hong Kong principal and security staff at SAFRA Jurong said constraints at the location had left them with no choice but to stop along the roadside.

What happened

The incident occurred when a tour bus ferrying the group stopped along a stretch of road marked with double yellow lines near Jurong SAFRA.

In a video of the incident, security staff could be seen asking the driver to move to a designated parking area, but the man, who was later identified as the principal, told them to "shut up" before launching into a string of expletives in Cantonese.

He was also filmed making faces at the guards and taunting them to board the bus.

Bus operator says its buses are not allowed to enter the carpark

Speaking to Chinese-language daily Shin Min Daily News, Huang Yueping (transliteration), managing director of the tour company, said the company's buses are too large to enter the carpark at SAFRA Jurong, and pointed to the prohibition of parking.

He claimed that dropping passengers off along the roadside had become standard practice as a result.

"There is no place for passengers to get off inside the club," he said. "If our bus is involved in an accident inside, we will have to pay compensation. So we have no choice but to risk getting a ticket and park on the side of the road, since it is not far from the club and it is convenient."

Huang added that the company had been collaborating with a restaurant inside the club for many years, and that the roadside drop-off arrangement had been in place since then without any major incidents.

He also noted that a language barrier may have contributed to the tension, as the bus driver does not speak English, while the security guard communicated in English throughout.

He claimed that the security guard had also been raising her voice at passengers.

Huang also expressed concern that the incident could have broader repercussions for Singapore's tourism image, cautioning that tourists might form a negative impression of local service standards.

In another video of the incident, a tour guide could be heard announcing over the microphone that it was time to eat before getting off first, after which a female security guard attempted to stop students from alighting.

The guard and tour guide were at an impasse for roughly a minute, during which the driver kept urging students off the bus.

SAFRA Jurong responds

In response to Mothership's queries, SAFRA Jurong said buses are permitted to enter its driveway to drop off passengers, though parking is not allowed to prevent congestion.

The club said its security officers are deployed to intervene when buses stop along the main road and obstruct the entry of other vehicles, in violation of traffic rules.

Another video

In another video of the incident, a female bystander was said to have intervened, Shin Min reported.

Following this, the principal told her in English:

"You are very polite, I'll listen to you, I like you."

He then directed students to return to their seats before the bus drove off.

However, footage from inside the bus showed him continuing to mutter and swear after the confrontation ended.

Principal suspended

The principal has since been identified as Edmund Wong Chun-sek, a former lawmaker and manager of San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School in Tuen Mun.

He was suspended on May 26 after the school board concluded his conduct "fell short of public expectations", according to the South China Morning Post.

According to Shin Min, students at the school told Hong Kong media outlet HK01 they were taken aback by the incident, describing the principal as typically approachable and someone who regularly reminded students not to use foul language.

"The principal is usually very approachable, the kind of person you could be friends with. So it was quite surprising to see him swear," one student said.