Singaporean former silat world champion fined for drink driving

SINGAPORE – Sheik Ferdous Sheik Alau’ddin, who won gold for Singapore at the 2018 World Pencak Silat Championship, was fined $8,000 and disqualified from driving for 48 months for drink driving.

The 27-year-old was found to have around 2.65 times the prescribed limit of alcohol in his breath.

He is a son of Dr Sheik Alau’ddin Yacoob Marican, chief executive of the Singapore Silat Federation.

On Monday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yang said that at around 2.50am on Nov 27, 2022, two police officers found Sheik Ferdous’ car parked in the leftmost lane of Cantonment Road towards Keppel Road. The car engine was running and the hazard lights and headlights were switched on.

Sheik Ferdous was found sitting in the driver’s seat, slouched forward and facing downwards, said the prosecutor.

The police officers spoke to Sheik Ferdous, who reeked of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes, an unsteady gait and slurred speech.

An instant breathalyser test was conducted on him, and he failed the test. He was then arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and taken to the Traffic Police Headquarters for a breath evidential analyser test.

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The second test revealed that the proportion of alcohol in his breath was 93 micrograms (mcg) of alcohol in every 100ml of breath, about 2.65 times the prescribed limit of 35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath.

Investigations found that Sheik Ferdous had consumed around three cans of beer at a park in Bukit Pasoh at 11.45pm the night before. He had his last drink at around 1.30am and then attempted to drive to his home in Paris Ris.

First-time offenders convicted of drink driving can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $10,000.

Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to two years and fined up to $20,000.

The Straits Times has contacted Sport Singapore for comment.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.