When a Phone Goes Rogue: How One Man Stopped an Entire MRT
Picture this: you’re eager to hop onto the train, you drop your phone, and it saunters straight onto the tracks. That’s exactly what Clement Joshua Tan Teck Kim, 48, found himself doing on February 29.
Step One – The Phone Fiasco
- The phone falls onto the MRT rails while the man is boarding.
- A station manager explains that retrieving the phone isn’t possible without disrupting service.
- Tan insists the train must stop, demands immediate action, and the police eventually whisk him out of the station.
Step Two – The Return Trip
By 3:50 pm the same day, Tan races back to Buona Vista MRT station. He claims the situation is urgent: his baby has a fever, and he needs to talk to his girlfriend.
- Despite staff warnings that this isn’t an emergency, he presses the emergency stop plunger.
- The assistant manager cautions him, but Tan pushes the push‑button on the floor.
- The train comes to a halt, bobbing everything around for two minutes.
Step Three – The Physical Confrontation
Panicked, he flees the station and encounters a security officer who tries to stop him. Tan retaliates—punching the officer, who ends up with a minor facial bruise.
Legal Fallout
Tan was arrested that afternoon and, on April 23, pleaded guilty to:
- Causing a public nuisance by stopping a train
- Punching a security guard
- Pushing SMRT staff members
In court, he expressed genuine remorse, saying he “really feels sorry for the hurt and inconvenience caused.”
Medical Insight
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tay Zhi Jie revealed Tan has been diagnosed with schizophrenia by the Institute of Mental Health. District Judge Kessler Soh ordered a psychiatric assessment to determine how his condition may have contributed to the incident.
What’s Next?
Tan is scheduled to return on May 21. If convicted of causing a public nuisance, he could face up to three months in jail and a fine of $2,000.
This story originally appeared in The Straits Times—use it responsibly.
