Commuter claims man has been pressing himself against women on MRT trains

A woman has raised the alarm about a man she claimed would press himself against female passengers in crowded MRT trains more than once.

The woman, who did not want to be named, told Shin Min Daily News that she ran into the man on the North-South Line platform at Jurong East MRT station at about 6.35pm on May 13.

She said she had just boarded the train when she felt someone squeeze in closely behind her.

"When I turned around, I realised it was the same man I saw on the train six months ago," she said.

"Back then, he had also approached a girl inappropriately."

She described the man as about 30 years old, 1.7m tall, thin, and dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and track pants.

The woman said that after standing behind her briefly, the man moved further into the train and positioned himself behind another female passenger.

"He leaned forward and pressed his lower body against her buttocks," she alleged.

She took photos and a video of the incident, and warned the other woman to step forward. She later showed the other woman the footage after the man alighted at Bukit Batok.

"No one else on the train seemed to notice what had happened. When I showed the girl the video, she thanked me," she said.

She did not confront the man, fearing for her personal safety.

Same man 'looking for a target'

The next day, the woman spotted the same man again at Jurong East station. She said he appeared to be scanning the platform as though "looking for a target".

"If he didn't find anyone, he would get on a train, then come back to the platform shortly after. But if he found a target, he would follow her, then get off after one stop and return to Jurong East."

She said she reported the incident to MRT staff and the police, although she declined to provide further details.

"I just want to remind female commuters to be alert when taking the train," she said.

The woman also posted about the encounter on Xiaohongshu, drawing support and alarm from other users.

One user, who travels the same route, wrote: "Thanks for the warning. I also take the train from Jurong East to Bukit Batok every day."

Another said: "Thank you, kind person. I hope there are more passengers like you."

A man commented: "You should also be careful. That pervert may retaliate against you. Be safe."

Some shared their own troubling experiences.

One user recalled: "Ten years ago, I also took the train from Jurong East during the evening rush. A man kept pushing me from behind. I was wearing a skirt. I thought it was just too crowded, but he kept doing it. He also got off at Bukit Batok. My colleagues said it was probably unintentional - but what if it's the same person?"

Others praised the woman's courage, with one saying: "I admire your bravery for going back to look for him. Most people would just avoid him. But please take care of yourself too."

Another, more bluntly, suggested: "Could you just turn around and knee him?"

The woman said her first encounter with the man was also at Jurong East station, about six months ago.

"He was standing very close to a girl, and I thought they were a couple," she said.

"But the girl looked uncomfortable and kept edging forward. I didn't dare say anything because I was afraid of interfering if they were really together."

It was only when the man alighted first that she realised they were not acquainted.