SINGAPORE: A sneeze! That’s all it took to turn a routine elevator ride into a scene worthy of WWE (wrestling) drama.
In what’s possibly one of Singapore’s most dramatic lift altercations, a 70-year-old man was punched in the face and his head—literally—after sneezing without covering his mouth in a lift at Plaza Singapura.
And this wasn’t some COVID-era PSA—it was a real-life case that ended with a seven-month jail sentence.
WWE drama in real life at Plaza Singapura
It all went down around 3:30 p.m. on April 3, 2024. The elderly victim and his wife had just finished lunch at the food court on the sixth floor of Plaza Singapura. They stepped into the lift, heading down.
On the third floor, 56-year-old Wang Yao Cai and his wife joined the elderly couple in the lift.
The lift doors closed. And then came the sneeze—uncovered, loud, and unforgivable in Wang’s eyes.
Upset by what he saw as unhygienic and inconsiderate behaviour, Wang pointed at the victim and began yelling. The victim shouted back, adding finger-pointing into the mix. Tensions escalated. And just like that, diplomacy failed.
Lift punches, floor body slams, and mobile phone flying
According to Shin Min Daily News, Wang slapped the elderly man’s fingers away, then delivered a series of punches—first to the cheek, then to the back of the head. He allegedly held the victim’s head down while continuing the attack.
But it didn’t end there. After exiting the lift, the stunned (but still feisty) victim hurled his mobile phone at Wang, which hit him squarely on the head. Wang lost it. The 70-year-old fell to the ground, and Wang pounced, kneeling on the man’s back and pressing his head into the floor.
It took the victim’s wife to push Wang off and stop the scuffle. But by then, the damage was already done.
The victim suffered a zygomatic arch fracture on his right cheek and was given one week of medical leave by Singapore General Hospital.
He came back to Singapore to cause problems again
Wang was arrested on the same day and released on bail. But just a week later, on April 10, he jumped bail and vanished—allegedly in search of a new life overseas.
It wasn’t until 15 months later, on July 16, 2025, that Wang returned to Singapore. Perhaps he thought ICA was sleeping. Spoiler alert: They weren’t. He was arrested upon arrival and charged two days later.
No details for now about which country he had escaped to, or why he returned.
In court, Wang also revealed he had a previous assault conviction dating back 32 years. The judge handed him a seven-month jail sentence for voluntarily causing grievous hurt and absconding while on bail.
“Isn’t this self-defence against a biochemical attack?”
Netizens were as colourful as ever:
- “Isn’t this self-defence against a biochemical attack?”
- “Physical attack > biochemical attack.”
- “It’s only assault if he intentionally sneezes onto others.”
- “That’s such a wild story. Violence over something like sneezing is extreme… Jumping bail made it worse. Seven months feels fair considering the injury and his past history. People need better conflict control.”
But others questioned Wang’s return: “He jumped bail but came back to SG? He thinks our ICA is sleeping, ah?”
“When an angry Singaporean meets the rude one… 
”
This entire incident could’ve been avoided with a simple tissue offering, a bit of self-awareness/patience, and a moment of composure.
If you’re the one sneezing, cover your mouth and nose—always. It’s basic hygiene and basic respect. And if you’re on the receiving end of inconsiderate behaviour, you can also cover your own mouth and nose too—just to be safe.
No offence is worth a meltdown. A quiet pause, or even turning slightly away, can do far more than fists ever will. You don’t lose anything by choosing calm. In fact, you preserve your dignity, your freedom, and possibly someone else’s cheekbone.
As one netizen quipped, “When an angry Singaporean meets the rude one… ”—but perhaps when the calm one meets the rude one, everyone just gets on with their day.
Instead, all this became another cautionary tale about hygiene, anger management, and not assuming you can outsmart Singapore’s border control.
