M'sian ride-hailing driver, 56, beaten up by 3 passengers after he told them to put on their seatbelts

A 56-year-old Malaysian ride-hailing driver was attacked and had his tooth knocked out after allegedly telling three drunk passengers to put on their seat belts.

Drunken passengers

The assault was made public by the driver’s son, Kelvin Goh, via social media.

Goh said his father had picked up three Burmese men in the Seri Yaacob Industrial Area in Skudai, Johor at about 9:30pm on Jun. 10.

The Star reported that the men became unhappy with him reminding them not to make too much noise.

Goh added that his father had told the three men to put on their seat belts, but rather than doing so, they continued to drink and began to argue with Goh’s father.

The argument got increasingly heated, and at one point Goh’s father was scolded for being rude.

A video shared by Goh showed his father bleeding from the mouth and being held down by a man in the backseat, while another man in the passenger seat appeared to hit him.

Goh said all three passengers participated in the assault.

The three men fled when they saw a motorcycle approaching, reported The Straits Times (ST).

Injuries

Goh's father made a police report at around 11am the next day, reported The Star.

Goh said that his father had suffered serious facial injuries during the fight, and Weird Kaya reported that he lost a tooth in the melee.

The older man had to be taken to the hospital, where he got three stitches above his eyebrow, wrote ST.

The car that he was driving was accidentally engaged as well, causing it to roll into a nearby drain.

Pictures taken after the incident showed drops of blood around the driver’s side doorway, and blood on his father's phone.

Goh lamented the situation, saying that if the passengers had not been satisfied they could have stopped the ride or canceled the trip.

He also urged other ride-hailing drivers to be cautious and to install dash cams in their own vehicles.

Police statements taken

Member for health and environment of the Johor State Executive Council Ling Tian Soon also visited the driver.

Pictures showed the man with bruising and swelling around his eyes.

Members of the ride-hailing drivers' association also delivered a care package to the him.

Ling said that the police had taken statements as well as requested the camera footage from the car and were looking to bring the culprits to justice.

Ling also called upon the Iskander Police District to solve the case as soon as possible.