SINGAPORE: A year-long feud over roadside parking spirals into vandalism, court fines, and a forced move. A landed estate dispute in Serangoon has ended with jail time, a S$7,500 fine, and the court’s firm stance that shared spaces don’t belong to any one neighbour.
On Feb 24, a district court sentenced 43-year-old Singaporean Seah Chin Leong to one week in jail and fined him S$7,500, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports. He had earlier admitted to four charges, including mischief, affray, and using abusive words. Fourteen other charges were also taken into account.
The case stemmed from a year-long quarrel over a parking spot outside Seah’s house. The space was on a public road. It was not reserved. District Judge Adam Nakhoda noted that the lot was open to anyone, including neighbours. If Seah had accepted that, the judge said in substance, he would not be facing sentencing.
The dispute began in 2024. On Aug 1 that year, at about 3 am, Seah confronted his next-door neighbour for parking outside his home. The argument turned physical. In November, he threw two glass bottles from his house toward his neighbour’s car. One struck the rear of the vehicle. Repairs cost about S$894.
Police were called again on Christmas Day 2024 after Seah allegedly threw rocks at the same family’s car past 2 am. The tension did not cool off there, still.
In February 2025, around 3.30 am, Seah was burning joss paper in an incense bin on the public road, near his neighbour’s car. A family member used a garden sprayer to put out the fire, worried the flames might damage the vehicle. Another argument then followed. Seah hit the neighbour’s gate with a metal stick. Replacing the gate was estimated to cost between S$1,000 and S$2,000.
The neighbour later started a civil action. The dispute ended in a settlement, with Seah paying about S$3,400 in damages. He eventually sold his house and moved out to avoid further conflict. His lawyer argued that he had been provoked, especially over the incense burning incident, which was described as sensitive.
Judge Nakhoda was not persuaded by the argument, and he questioned why Seah chose to burn joss paper so close to the neighbour’s car in the first place. The judge suggested the act itself could be seen as a deliberate slight. He also noted that Seah continued offending during the period between selling the house and actually moving out. That pattern counted against him.
The court imposed a week behind bars and a S$7,500 fine. Seah was allowed to defer the start of his sentence to March. The penalties could have been heavier on Seah. Such acts of mischief carry a jail term of up to 2 years. Affray can carry a jail term of up to 1 year and a fine of up to S$5,000. Using abusive words can draw up to six months in jail and another S$5,000 fine.
Judge Nakhoda acknowledged that friction is sometimes inevitable, but he stressed that criminal acts are not a solution. This case stands out for its persistence. It was not a single outburst. It was a string of late-night incidents that escalated over the course of months.
What began as a quarrel over parking ended with police reports, damaged property, civil claims, and now a criminal record. For residents in landed estates and HDB blocks alike, the lesson is that public space is shared space. Guarding it like private property can come at a steep price.
Read related: Man harassed neighbours for more than 1 year, throwing bottles & rocks at their cars
