SINGAPORE — Unhappy that a driver had flashed his headlights in high-beam in his direction, cabby Ong Being Guan pulled up in front of the vehicle and got out brandishing a knife.

In the ensuing altercation, the 59-year-old slashed the passenger of the car across the chest, causing the victim to be on medical leave for nearly two months.

Yesterday, Ong was jailed for eight months for causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, with the judge expressing his shock at the cabby’s actions.

District Judge Terence Tay said that it was disturbing that Ong had brandished a knife during the incident. “I can imagine the anarchy on the road if drivers come out with a knife. It’ll be pure anarchy,” he added.

The incident happened at around 8.20pm on Sept 1 last year along Rivervale Drive.

Ong refused to give way to Mr Makhda Mohamed Salleh, a 43-year-old chef, and ended up being at the receiving end of the latter’s high beam headlights.

Mr Makhda continued on his way by taking the left lane to Sengkang East Way, but an unhappy Ong pursued him and drove next to his car.

Winding down his front passenger window, Ong asked Mr Makhda why he should have given way to him.

He also asked Mr Makhda whether he wanted to fight.

Next, Ong pulled over in front of Mr Makhda, forcing the latter to stop his car to avoid a crash.

Both men got out of their vehicles but Ong armed himself with a folding knife with a 6cm-long blade.

Mr Makhda’s nephew Mohammad Adil Yusof, a student and professional football player, was in the car at the time.

When he saw the knife in Ong’s hand, he “sensed danger” and immediately got out of the vehicle too, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Joshua Jeyaraj.

“He was also concerned that (his uncle) was not aware of the said knife,” the prosecutor added.

Mr Adil, 21, kicked Ong in the stomach to “create some distance between (Ong) and (his uncle) as well as to give (his uncle) sufficient time to react”, said the DPP.

Ong reacted by slashing Mr Adil on the left side of his chest. Mr Makhda and a passerby pinned Ong to the ground, and another passerby called the police.

Mr Adil was sent to Changi General Hospital, where he had to undergo surgery for an 8cm-long wound to his chest that injured the muscles.

He was hospitalised for two days and given 56 days of medical leave, during which he was unable to play football professionally.

For voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, Ong could have been jailed for up to seven years and/or fined. VALERIE KOH