Ex-security officer fined S$3,000 for cursing at bus driver who told him to put on mask properly

• Jay Prakash Jageshwar Rai cursed at a bus driver when told to put on his mask properly
• The judge said he should have known better since he had been working as a security officer
• Prakash said his mask was not in a good condition, but admitted to his mistake

SINGAPORE — A 56-year-old former security officer was fined S$3,000 for cursing at a bus driver who told him twice to put on his mask properly during a bus journey in October last year.

Jay Prakash Jageshwar Rai, a Singaporean, pleaded guilty to one charge of using abusive words towards Mr Yip Chee Leong, a bus driver working for public transport operator SBS Transit.

Another charge pertaining to his failure to wear a mask when out in public was taken into consideration during sentencing.

The court heard that Prakash had boarded bus service number 54 along Kampong Bahru Road at 9.55pm on Oct 27 last year.

When the bus was driving along Newton Road, Mr Yip noticed in his rear-view mirror that Prakash was wearing his face mask below his chin, so he told him to wear it properly.

Prakash complied.

Later, when the bus travelled along Scotts Road, Mr Yip confronted him again after noticing that Prakash was not wearing his mask properly again.

When the bus was stationary, at the bus stop opposite the Environment Building, Mr Yip went up to him to advise him to put on the mask properly.

Prakash got agitated this time and uttered a mix of English and Hokkien vulgarities towards the driver.

Mr Yip immediately told SBS’ operations control centre what had happened, which led to the police being called.

State Prosecuting Officer Mohd Nasri Haron said that Prakash had committed a string of offences since 1984, including disorderly behaviour and voluntarily causing hurt.

He said that the prosecution was seeking a S$3,000 fine for the latest offence.

Prakash, who did not have a lawyer, told the court that he had felt “very stressed” at that time because he had just learnt that he could not work as a security officer due to a heart problem.

He added that he had a mask then, which was “not in a good condition”.

Prakash also said that he reacted that way because the bus driver “kept on telling” him to put on his mask properly.

He told the court that his mentality at the time was: “Why (shame me) in front of other passengers? My mask not in good condition.”

He had told Mr Yip that he would get down at the Newton Road stop, but the driver had gone on to call the police. “I made my mistake. Please forgive me,” he added.

Prakash asked the judge to give him a chance, saying that he does not have a job and is looking for one now. 

In sentencing Prakash, District Judge Janet Wang told him that the proper wearing of a mask is a “matter of public and social responsibility that you should be alive to, particularly as a security officer then”.

Noting his previous offences, she added: “(It is) timely that you learn your lesson at your age if you wish to be gainfully employed.”

Prakash will have to spend 15 days in jail if he does not pay the S$3,000 fine.

For using abusive words towards a public service worker, Prakash could have been jailed for up to 12 months or fined up to S$5,000, or both.