Beaten by neighbours over 'barking dog' line
By David Sun
The New Paper
Saturday, Aug 11, 2012
Cornered, then beaten, a lorry driver was in agony - and onlookers did nothing.
Mr Chua Kim King, 60, suffered a gash on his lips that required six stitches, and a cracked bone near his eye.
His face was swollen and he complained of pain in his stomach and chest areas.
His daughter, retail assistant Chua Choo Chin, 23, claimed her father was beaten by four men and two women.
The incident happened on Monday at Block 105, Teck Whye Lane.
"They surrounded him and beat him," Miss Chua said.
The reason: A remark by Mr Chua's wife, Madam Tey Nai Hiang, 58, that "the dogs are barking very loudly".
The housewife had made the remark in Mandarin over the phone in her Teck Whye Lane flat on Monday.
Her next-door neighbour, who had been speaking loudly with her maid, assumed that Madam Tey was referring to her.
She confronted Madam Tey that evening with a group of about six people.
"They came and banged on the windows and door," said Miss Chua, who was home at the time.
"They started shouting at my mother to come out, and even called her a 'blind chicken'."
Madam Tey has poor eyesight and is unable to see clearly.
Miss Chua said: "My mother and I did not want to go out because we were scared. We had previously heard a man shouting 'just beat them, I don't care if I go to jail' from next door."
That was at about 9pm.
Madam Tey called the police. She also called her husband, urging him to return home.
But that resulted in him being beaten.
"When my father arrived downstairs at about 10pm, we heard them shout at him," said Miss Chua.
"Then they went downstairs and surrounded him and my aunt, who had returned with him, at the playground."
Punched, kicked
Mr Chua, who could not speak clearly because of his injuries, said over the phone from his home that he had been surrounded by a group of four men and two women. They had punched and kicked him while spewing vulgarities.
"My aunt was also beaten by the two women when she tried to intervene," claimed Miss Chua.
"Many people in the area came out to look at the commotion, but no one went to help, even when we shouted."
By the time police had arrived, Mr Chua was covered in blood.
A police spokesman said they received a call at 11.08pm, requesting for assistance at Block 105, Teck Whye Lane.
He said there was a dispute between two parties.
"A man was subsequently conveyed to the National University Hospital," said the spokesman, "and two male subjects were arrested for committing an affray. Police investigations are ongoing."
Mr Chua, who has been discharged, has lodged a police report.
According to Miss Chua, the other four, who were not arrested, returned to their flat.
A neighbour on the same floor, who wanted to be known only as Mr Teo, 36, said the two neighbours had had a dispute two weeks ago. He did not know what it was about.
Others in the block either claimed they did not know of the incident or would not comment.
The Chua family's next-door neighbour, a woman in her 50s, also declined to speak.
"I am scared," said Miss Chua. "I am angry."
"But what can I do? No one offered us help then, and no one will help us now."
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By David Sun
The New Paper
Saturday, Aug 11, 2012
Cornered, then beaten, a lorry driver was in agony - and onlookers did nothing.
Mr Chua Kim King, 60, suffered a gash on his lips that required six stitches, and a cracked bone near his eye.
His face was swollen and he complained of pain in his stomach and chest areas.
His daughter, retail assistant Chua Choo Chin, 23, claimed her father was beaten by four men and two women.
The incident happened on Monday at Block 105, Teck Whye Lane.
"They surrounded him and beat him," Miss Chua said.
The reason: A remark by Mr Chua's wife, Madam Tey Nai Hiang, 58, that "the dogs are barking very loudly".
The housewife had made the remark in Mandarin over the phone in her Teck Whye Lane flat on Monday.
Her next-door neighbour, who had been speaking loudly with her maid, assumed that Madam Tey was referring to her.
She confronted Madam Tey that evening with a group of about six people.
"They came and banged on the windows and door," said Miss Chua, who was home at the time.
"They started shouting at my mother to come out, and even called her a 'blind chicken'."
Madam Tey has poor eyesight and is unable to see clearly.
Miss Chua said: "My mother and I did not want to go out because we were scared. We had previously heard a man shouting 'just beat them, I don't care if I go to jail' from next door."
That was at about 9pm.
Madam Tey called the police. She also called her husband, urging him to return home.
But that resulted in him being beaten.
"When my father arrived downstairs at about 10pm, we heard them shout at him," said Miss Chua.
"Then they went downstairs and surrounded him and my aunt, who had returned with him, at the playground."
Punched, kicked
Mr Chua, who could not speak clearly because of his injuries, said over the phone from his home that he had been surrounded by a group of four men and two women. They had punched and kicked him while spewing vulgarities.
"My aunt was also beaten by the two women when she tried to intervene," claimed Miss Chua.
"Many people in the area came out to look at the commotion, but no one went to help, even when we shouted."
By the time police had arrived, Mr Chua was covered in blood.
A police spokesman said they received a call at 11.08pm, requesting for assistance at Block 105, Teck Whye Lane.
He said there was a dispute between two parties.
"A man was subsequently conveyed to the National University Hospital," said the spokesman, "and two male subjects were arrested for committing an affray. Police investigations are ongoing."
Mr Chua, who has been discharged, has lodged a police report.
According to Miss Chua, the other four, who were not arrested, returned to their flat.
A neighbour on the same floor, who wanted to be known only as Mr Teo, 36, said the two neighbours had had a dispute two weeks ago. He did not know what it was about.
Others in the block either claimed they did not know of the incident or would not comment.
The Chua family's next-door neighbour, a woman in her 50s, also declined to speak.
"I am scared," said Miss Chua. "I am angry."
"But what can I do? No one offered us help then, and no one will help us now."
[email protected]
Get The New Paper for more stories.
