> Doctor charged with molest

A DOCTOR was charged in a district court on Wednesday with molesting a woman twice within two weeks.

Boon Seng Poh, 40, is alleged to have touched the breast of the 28-year-old woman at his clinic in the Eunos area on Oct 18, 2006.

He is also accused of molesting the same woman on Nov 1.

Boon, who is married, graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1994.

He is offered bail of $10,000.

His case has been fixed for a pre-trial conference on Jan 5.

If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to two years or fine or caning or any two such punishments on each charge.

He is represented by Senior Counsel Sant Singh and Mr Lim Kia Tong.

> Man killed for hogging karaoke

KUALA LUMPUR – POLICE say a Malaysian man has been stabbed to death by customers at a karaoke bar for singing too much and refusing to share the microphone.

A district police official says witnesses saw a group of men punch and stab 23-year-old Abdul Sani Doli with a knife at the bar late Wednesday in eastern Sandakan town on Borneo island.

The official says a brawl broke out because the men were furious that Abdul Sani was hogging the stage. He says police detained two suspects after Abdul Sani was found dead outside the bar.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity on Friday because he was not authorized to make public statements. — AP

> Youth gets jail for molest

He attacked girls, aged 8 and 9, in separate incidents inside HDB lifts in Choa Chu Kang

GRABBING and gagging one girl with his bare hands, forcing another to undress, the teenager preyed on young girls in lifts in Choa Chu Kang twice in October.

Yesterday, 19-year-old chef Tan Boon Ann pleaded guilty to outraging the modesty of two girls in a district court.

The girls cannot be named in order to protect their identities.

He was sentenced to four years in jail and six strokes of the cane.

The court heard that on Oct 6, an eight-year-old girl entered a lift at a Housing Board (HDB) block together with Tan, and pressed the button for the seventh floor. Tan pressed the button for the 11th floor.

While the lift was ascending, Tan grabbed the girl on her shoulder and told her not to shout.

When the lift reached the seventh floor, he pulled the girl close to him and covered her mouth with his hands, to prevent her from calling for help or screaming. He also slapped her on her cheek, the court heard.

The lift door closed and continued on to the 11th floor where the girl managed to break free and escape.

She told her mother about the incident and a police report was lodged.

Later that month, Tan preyed on another victim – a nine-year-old girl.

On Oct 28, the girl entered a lift at an HDB block with Tan and pressed the button for the third floor.

When the lift reached her floor, Tan pulled out a knife and pointed it at her, ordering her to be quiet. He also slapped the girl.

The lift continued on to the 13th floor, where Tan ordered the girl to take off the T-shirt she was wearing. She complied, fearing for her life.

Referring to Tan’s string of similar offences committed from the age of 15, District Judge May Mesenas noted that he had graduated to preying on young girls and was at high risk of re-offending.

A psychiatric report submitted to the court from the Institute of Mental Health said that Tan did not suffer from any mental illness.

However, his mother, who was present, told the court that her son does not consider the consequences of his actions.

‘He always goes ahead with what’s on his mind. I believe he’s still a problem,’ she said.

sujint@sph.com.sg