SINGAPORE: A motorist driving his car at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Sept 26, 2025, failed to comply with two auxiliary policemen’s instructions, and the vehicle struck one of them.
The officer fell onto the road, and suffered a fracture to the base of his spine.
Instead of stopping to help him, Suriya Ganisan, 28, who is a Malaysian, continued driving towards Malaysia but was told to turn around when he reached the custom gantries there.
He complied, and Singapore authorities arrested him soon after.
On Tuesday (Aug 25), Suriya, who is in remand, was sentenced to two years’ jail and banned from driving any motor vehicle in Singapore for eight years from his release date.
Court documents stated the injured officer was rushed to Woodlands Hospital and placed on hospitalisation leave for 46 days.
Suriya had pleaded guilty in July to one count each of causing grievous hurt to the auxiliary policeman by driving in a dangerous manner, failing to render assistance to him, and failing to comply with directions from the officer’s colleague.
Shortly before the accident, Suriya arrived at the Woodlands Checkpoint at around 3pm on Sept 26, 2025.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Darren Ang told the court each of the four lanes had an overhead road sign, telling motorists which one to head to based on the vehicles they were driving or riding.
The first lane was for buses, vans and other heavy vehicles.
The second and third lanes were for cars and other “light” vehicles. The fourth lane was for motorcyclists.
There were long lines of vehicles at the second and third lanes when Suriya arrived at the checkpoint.
However, the first lane was largely clear.
After waiting briefly at the second lane, he drove his car into the first lane at a sharp angle.
He drove his car along the first lane before Auxiliary Police Officer (APO) Kenny Goh approached the vehicle and stood in front of it.
The officer told Suriya to make a U-turn and rejoin the queue at either the second or third lanes.
Instead of complying, Suriya drove towards the officer’s left, and APO Muhamad Irzan Masrabi gestured at him to stop.
Suriya then swerved into the second lane and continued accelerating.
His car struck APO Irzan’s abdomen, causing the officer to fall and fracture a bone at the base of the spine.
Suriya did not stop to help him, and continued driving towards Malaysia.
But before entering the custom gantries there, a Malaysian police officer told him to drive back to Singapore.
Suriya did as he was told and Singapore’s Traffic Police officers arrested him. - The Straits Times/ANN
