TLDR; We have been seeing too many abuse cases committed towards our security uncles / ah gongs / abangs / pakciks – why do people think assaulting them is ok? IT’S NOT OK.
On Monday night, a security officer (SO) outside Giant hypermarket in Tampines was assaulted (several punches to the face, I might add).
Mr Sures Perimal, 46, and a member of the Union of Security Employees (USE) had advised a man who did not have a mask on to wear one before entering the building or to buy the mask from a pharmacy near the entrance of the building. The assailant was unhappy and proceed to assault Mr Sures.
You can watch the video below:
The Union of Security Employees (USE) put up a Facebook post condemning the actions of the assailant. In their Facebook post, the USE shared that according to an industry survey conducted with SUSS in Dec 2021, 2 in 5 security officers reported that they have been abused in their course of work. USE also visited Mr Sures and gifted him $200 worth of FairPrice vouchers, and Brands Essence of Chicken.
Photo: Union of Security Employees Facebook
Newly appointed NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Desmond Tan has also taken to Facebook to voice his concerns about the incident and wished Mr Sures a speedy recovery.
Why do people think it’s okay to assault our security officers?
Just earlier this year, a Bentley driver threatened to run down a security officer at Red Swastika School. Similarly back then, USE stepped into condemn the actions against security officers and the case was referred to the public prosecutor.
To date, USE has already handled 18 cases of abuse this year reported through their customer service center and mobile app. Turns out that officers are also mostly abused by members of the public, like Mr Sures.
Apart from championing for the welfare of our lower-wage workers, educating the public on how to treat them like human beings seems to be the biggest challenge. Security Officers execute their duties as provided for under the Private Security Industry Act (PSIA). The PSIA was recently enhanced (starting from May 2022), to offer officers more protection through increased fines and jail terms – so if you’re thinking about punching your security uncle in the face, think twice.
USE also urged the public to report such incidents by emailing use@ntuc.org.sg.