Toon Chin Joon
May 20, 2007
Singapore

The Electric New Paper
(Singapore)
May 21, 2007

TAXI DRIVER DIES AFTER SCUFFLE WITH PASSENGER

By Ho Lian-Yi
May 21, 2007

AFTER his shift every day, Mr Toon Chin Joon would pack food 
for his 76-year-old mother.

The two lived in the same flat, and he has been caring for her 
ever since his younger brother died of stomach cancer three 
years ago.

His late brother's Malaysian wife and leukaemia-stricken son also 
depended on him for support. Taking care of the son meant the 
mother could not work.

But early yesterday morning, the 'quiet and hardworking' taxi 
driver, 49, died after a scuffle with someone who is believed to 
be a passenger.

Said his mother, Madam Lee (above): 'Now, I have to live alone. 
My children have left.'

The police said they received a call at 1.30am yesterday. When 
they arrived at the carpark of Blk 521, Jurong West St 52, they 
found the man lying on the ground.

He was pronounced dead at 1.40am.

The police said a Chinese man in his late 40s was arrested at the 
scene in connection with the case.

When The New Paper visited MrToon's Toa Payoh home, the 
elderly Madam Lee, a stout-looking white-haired woman with 
tired eyes, was sitting on a chair with a resigned look.

She has diabetes, high blood pressure and cataracts in both 
eyes.

She has had six children, and she has seen four die, leaving only 
two daughters.

Both of them, and a granddaughter, were in the spartan, white-
walled three-room, flat with her. The living room was bright and 
well lit, a stark contrast to the mood there.

Mr Toon was a fillial son, she said. He never came home late, 
and he rarely went out after.

COOL TEMPERED

Since he was a boy, she said, he didn't get into fights, nor did he 
argue.

'He never got mad at other people. He never made noise,' said 
his mother.

Now, the family is still in the dark as to what exactly killed him.

Mr Toon had been a taxi driver for just over two years. Before 
that, he drove buses and lorries.

One of Mr Toon's older step-sisters from a different father, 
Madam Lau, 55, said he rarely courted trouble.

When he had a passenger who refused to pay, he wouldn't pick a 
fight but simply drive to a police station to make a report.

He led a simple life. Watching TV and sleeping were his hobbies.

But he always opened up when his 11-year-old nephew visited.

'He was very caring,' said Madam Lau.

Every year, the boy would come from Penang,where he lived, 
and stay with him for a month.

He was always buying toys and food for his beloved nephew, she 
said. When his brother died of stomach cancer he treated the 
boy as his own.

When he was diagnosed with leukaemia last December, he 
started paying for his treatment.

Every month, if he had cash, he would send them some money.

His dream was to adopt the boy and had even met his MP 
regarding this.

Said Mrs Lau's daughter, 31: 'He wanted to see his nephew 
recover from leukaemia. He wanted to bring him to Singapore to 
study. But now, it can't be done.'

She said the nephew will not be able to come to the funeral, as 
he has to undergo chemotherapy.

Mrs Rose Lee, 52, his other remaining step-sister, said he rarely 
shared his problems with his passengers but was always very 
happy when he met someone who tipped him.

He was also happy to be the family's chauffeur.

If anyone needed a ride, he was there to provide one.

Looking in Madam Lau's direction, MrsLee said: 'He was always 
on call for her.'

Then in a rare light-hearted moment, Mrs Lee described how he 
often joked when driving the family around.

'He'll ask, what, no service charge, ah?' she said, with a wane 
smile.

On weekends, the sisters would go to their flat to help Mr Toon 
and their mother clean up the house and wash their clothes.

But if Mr Toon was on morning shift, Madam Lee would not let 
anyone from entering his room so as not to disturb him.

The wake will be held at Blk 82, ToaPayoh Lorong 4, from today 
until Tuesday. The funeral will be on Wednesday at Mandai.

But now that he is gone, who will take care of his dependents?

'The family will have to pick up the slack,' said Madam Lau.

OTHER TAXI DRIVER DEATHS

In May 2005, MrTan Peng Teck was killed after his vehicle went 
out of control and smashed into a tree near Siglap Centre.

In 2004, Madam Lim Choon Fang, was found dead in a deserted 
road in Tuas, with a bleeding forehead and injuries to her face 
and knee.

In 2002, Mr Lee Yang Joo was stabbed in the chest and 
abdomen and his body was found lying at an isolated stretch of 
Jurong Road.

In 2000, a 42-year-old taxi driver was stabbed to death by three 
men near Chestnut Avenue.

In the same year, a 65-year-old cabby was murdered at Pasir Ris 
Drive 1 by a Thai carpenter.

Friends track taxi with GPS

EVERY morning, Mr Toon Chin Joon would call his former taxi 
partner, who only wants to be known as Mr Goh.

He was calling to wake Mr Goh up for work at 4am.

They may even have coffee together afterwards.

But not yesterday.

Instead, when his phone rang at 4.45am, it was Mr Toon's 
current partner on the line.

Mr Toon hadn't showed up for the shift change at 4am.

'I knew something was wrong,' said Mr Goh, 49.

Mr Toon was never late.

And if he were late, he would always call, he said.

Forty-five minutes without a ring was unthinkable.

So they called the taxi company's call centre, who used GPS to 
track down Mr Toon's taxi's location at Jurong West.

Nowhere near the shift changing point, which was in central 
Singapore.

Fearing the worst, they rushed to the scene, and their worst fears 
came true.

And they were not permitted near the body by the police, who 
had sealed off the scene.

'We were only told there was no blood,' he said.

Mr Goh said Mr Toon's new partner (of only several months) was 
very upset as Mr Toon had treated him very well.

The relief driver was too distraught to speak to the press.

Mr Toon treated his friends very well, said Mr Goh.

'I'm not even his relief any more, and he still calls me every 
morning to wake me up,' he said.

Another of his good friends, Mr Heng, said he was a hardworking 
man.

'We were friends from NS. And he is gone like that. It's very 
heart-breaking,' he said.

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