Most did not know what was going on at the petrol station

JOHOR BARU: It’s a dilemma, a moralistic question that’s difficult to answer. Should those who were at the scene when a man was murdered in a brutal manner – stabbed in the chest and then run over by a car – have intervened instead of just watching?

Many did not even know what was going on. Shop assistant Yee, 45, was just closing up her vegetable mart in Taman Pelangi when she heard a loud commotion nearby.

She said she turned around to look and was shocked to find a group of people involved in a struggle at a petrol station right across the shop.

“I saw the struggle and heard the shouts. But I was also fearful for my own safety as I was alone. So I decided to leave before even more bad things happened,” she said.

It was only after reading reports online that she learnt of the murder.

“This brutal incident reminds me to be careful even when doing the most routine things,” she said.

Petrol station worker Ronny, 28, said this was the first time such an incident had taken place since he started working there three years ago.

“I was eating at a nearby restaurant when I heard loud sounds coming from that direction.

“I thought nothing serious was going on and continued with my meal,” he said.

When he arrived back at the petrol station, police officers had already surrounded the area.

The attack was all the more brazen as the petrol station is a busy one, frequented by Singaporeans as it is located close to the entry and exit of the Causeway CIQ.

The petrol station was cordoned off after the incident and was reopened at around noon yesterday.

Singaporean Sherry Gan, 48, said she often pumped petrol at the station whenever she visited Johor Baru, which was twice a month.

“I usually come here after buying groceries from a mall nearby. I think I will avoid coming here in future,” she said.

The mother of two wants to keep her children safe as she usually travels with them.

Sales executive Azman Harun, 26, on the other hand, felt it was a one-off incident.

“Based on the viral video clip, we can assume the attackers were targeting just the man,” he said.