A recent case of verbal abuse, involving an argument between a private bus driver and an officer of the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has grabbed headlines and the Singapore Police Force is investigating it. The incident took place at Marina View Link.
An LTA spokesperson told media that the officer in the video is a parking warden, seen to be asking the driver to park the vehicle in order. Instead, the driver ends up using racist slurs. A case was registered with the police and authorities have confirmed that they are investigating the case.
The video that is going viral on social media shows the bus driver hurling abuses in Malay at the officer in charge and even threatening to punch him. The video seems to have been shot by the warden.
The LTA officer tells the driver that his bus cannot be parked at the location to which the driver drives away slowly only to come back and confront the officer. The video shows that the bus was parked along the double yellow line which is a 'no stopping' signal and the driver with long grey hair keeps on hurling abuses at the warden.
It also includes a racial abuse. One can even hear him saying, "If you don't go, I will punch your face." The video has been circulating online since Wednesday.
Singapore has been striving to keep racial prejudices under control and July 21 is observed as Racial Harmony Day since 1997. Several schools undertake programs to educate, build and boost trust among people of different races and religions on this day in Singapore.
