Security guard bitten on arm in scuffle at clan meeting, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper
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Security guard bitten on arm in scuffle at clan meeting

This article is more than 12 months old

It began with a walkout and ended with a scuffle where a female security guard was bitten on the arm.

The quarrel was over voting rights at the Hainan Tan Clan Association's annual general meeting yesterday.

The police were called and the 45-year-old victim was taken to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

Witnesses said the woman who allegedly bit the security guard had used her body to block the entrance to the Clan's hall in an attempt to stop members from casting their votes for the clan's executive committee.

When security officers asked her to leave, she allegedly turned aggressive and put up a fight.

The middle-aged woman then bit the security officer who tried to escort her out of the hall, witnesses said.

The incident happened at the clan's headquarters in Seah Street.

The clan is part of the Singapore Hainan Hwee Kuan, which was in the news earlier this year after a dispute between two prominent Hainan Hwee Kuan members turned physical and the case was taken to court.

Lianhe Wanbao reported that the clan's formerand current chairmen had a disagreement over membership, voting rights and appointment of election committee members.

During the clan's morning assembly, the former chairman, a 74-year-old retired businessman and about 30 members staged a walkout.

He was reportedly unhappy that the clan's current chairman had inducted more than 150 members into the clan on his own and appointed himself chairman of the election committee.

The current chairman told Shin Min Daily News that he had made himself chairman of the election committee because he assumed that his role as clan chairman was dissolved because of the election.

The ruckus picked up again during the voting session at about 1pm as clan members queued to enter the hall. It culminated in the biting incident.

The security officertold Shin Min: "She bit my left arm and refused to let go. All I could do was bear the pain and try to make her leave.

"She released my arm only when we left the hall. The wound was swollen and red."

HURT

A police spokesman said that they were alerted to the matter at 1.03pm and established that a case of voluntarily causing hurt had occurred.

A 45-year-old woman was taken conscious to SGH.

Police investigations are ongoing.

The former chairman, who is part of the old guard, told Shin Min: "The vote was unfair and our supporters didn't cast their votes. I do not want to know the results."

The votes were tallied and the results were announced at 7pm.

The incumbent, who was re-elected as the clan's chairman after yesterday's results, told Shin Min that the woman who bit the security officer was asked to leave because she had interrupted the vote.

He said: "Every member was informed about the vote, but not everyone was allowed to vote.

"Some people have not paid their membership fees and therefore weren't allowed to vote.

"We will investigate this matter to see why they were unable to vote."

Every member was informed about the vote, but not everyone was allowed to vote. Some people have not paid their membership fees and therefore weren't allowed to vote.

- Hainan Tan Clan Association chairman

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