Man allegedly slashed in Marsiling attack recovering after surgery

SINGAPORE — The 62-year-old man who was involved in a bloody slashing incident in Marsiling was recovering in hospital yesterday after surgery.

Mr A’Majid Maaraf, who received multiple wounds in the attack by a 58-year-old neighbour on Monday, had an operation to remove damaged tissues and repair his forearm arteries.

“He was admitted to a general ward after surgery,” said a Khoo Teck Puat Hospital spokesperson.

Mr A’Majid, who lives on the third floor of Block 4, Marsiling Road, was allegedly slashed multiple times by the neighbour, whom residents knew as “Peter Tan”, before Mr A’Majid managed to flee to safety.

A 60-year-old woman who had tried to mediate in the dispute also received slash wounds.

Shortly after the attack, a fire broke out in the alleged attacker’s unit on the eighth floor of the same block. The man, who was believed to be living alone in the unit, was later pronounced dead by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) paramedics.

In a telephone interview with TODAY, the injured woman, who wanted to be known only as Madam Ang, said she was chatting with a neighbour on Monday afternoon when she heard loud shouts coming from the third floor of the block, which comprises two-room flats.

The neighbour then suggested to Mdm Ang, known to residents there as “Mei Jie”, that they check out what was happening. They also had their mobile phones on hand in case they needed to call the police.

According to Mdm Ang, she was walking towards the unit where the commotion could be heard when the alleged assailant suddenly rushed towards her with a knife and slashed her head.

She then tried to grab his arm with both hands to prevent him from slashing her throat, but she still suffered cuts to her jaw.

As they struggled, Mdm Ang said she tried to reason with “Tan”, who accused her of trying to meddle in his affairs. “Tan” released Mdm Ang after she told him that she did not know anything about his quarrel with Mr A’Majid and apologised to “Tan”.

Mdm Ang, who lives on the 12th floor of the same block and volunteers weekly to give out food items to residents in the block, said in the past that “Tan” had told her they were good friends, and hoped that she would forgive him if he ever wronged her.

When TODAY visited “Tan’s” flat, the unit was heavily charred from the fire and was filled with his belongings.

Neighbours have described “Tan” as a friendly and good-natured person who was not known to have any disputes before the incident.

Mrs Mandy Kang, 45, a Block 3 resident, said she often saw Tan selling his second-hand goods at the common space between the two blocks. “He offers me food to eat every time I see him,” she said.

Mr A’Majid’s daughter, Dinie, told TODAY that she was confused as to why her father was attacked. She said he and Tan were friendly neighbours and, as far as she knew, they did not have any disputes.

Mr Hawazi Daipi, Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC, told reporters yesterday that he had met “Tan” before, and the man did not display any “aggressive tendencies”.

Mr Hawazi said grassroots leaders were in touch with Mr A’Majid’s wife to see if her family needs any assistance.