SINGAPORE - Police are investigating a case of voluntarily causing hurt, after a Grab driver was allegedly punched in the face by a passenger on Friday night (June 15).

The 37-year-old driver, Mr Alex Lim, told The Straits Times that he had been punched in the face after he accepted a booking from a passenger in Ang Mo Kio, without knowing that he was accompanied by a child.

Under the law, children shorter than 1.35m must be in booster seats or child restraints when travelling in private hire cars. Taxis are exempted from this rule.

When Mr Lim told the passenger that he could not carry on with the booking, the man told Mr Lim to cancel it.

However, Mr Lim requested that the man cancel it instead, as he should have used GrabTaxi instead of JustGrab, which includes both private hire cars and taxis.

In response, the man asked Mr Lim to alight from the vehicle. Just as Mr Lim opened his door to get off, the man ran towards him and punched him, he told ST.

Mr Lim then called the police.

"He just walked off like nothing happened," said Mr Lim, who became a Grab driver in January after four years with ComfortDelGro as a taxi driver. "He didn't even apologise."

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In response to queries from ST, police said they were alerted to a case of voluntarily causing hurt on Friday at 10.20pm, at the carpark of Block 641 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4.

Police investigations are ongoing, added the spokesman.

Mr Lim told ST that if a Grab driver cancels a booking, it will affect his cancellation percentage, and in turn, his incentives from the ride hailing company.

"The cancellation percentage makes a lot of difference. Drivers are so worried about it because it affects our incentive, and this is our income," he said.

Grab said in a statement it is cooperating with police investigations and will "support our affected driver-partner during this difficult time". The firm said that it takes safety of its drivers and passengers seriously and does not tolerate such behaviour in the community.

"A child under 1.35m traveling in cars without a child restraint device is illegal under Singapore law, and we remind all passengers to book the relevant GrabFamily service when traveling with a child. Alternately, passengers can book GrabTaxi," it added.