An 82-year-old man, Loh Chun Meng, was sentenced to two weeks’ jail, a S$2,000 fine, and a two-year driving ban after crashing his girlfriend’s car while driving without a valid licence or insurance.
Loh’s driving licence had expired in 1995, but on Oct 30, 2023, he decided to drive his girlfriend’s car from her home in Ang Mo Kio to a clinic at Towner Road due to knee pain. His girlfriend, 57, was asleep and unaware he had taken the car.
After receiving his injection, Loh attempted to buy breakfast at Bishan Street 11, but accidentally stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake, causing the car to mount a kerb, crash into a metal gas cabinet, and then hit a lamp post while reversing. The car suffered significant damage, though Loh was uninjured.
Prosecutors argued that Loh had no reasonable excuse for driving without a licence and could have asked his girlfriend for help. Defence lawyer Kalaithasan Karuppaya (Regent Law) said Loh was remorseful, describing him as a retired Singapore Armed Forces lieutenant who had served with distinction but was now struggling with health issues, grief, and loneliness after losing his wife to COVID-19.
Loh appeared in court using a walking frame, with the judge noting his age and mitigating circumstances but still imposing a short custodial sentence.
Under Singapore law, driving without a licence can lead to up to three years’ jail or a S$10,000 fine, while driving uninsured or without due care carries additional penalties.
Source: CNA report by Lydia Lam, Oct 22, 2025.
Netizens React with Amusement and Admiration to 82-Year-Old Man’s Driving Case — “Absolute Champ!”
The story of 82-year-old Loh Chun Meng, who was jailed for driving his girlfriend’s car without a valid licence, has not only made headlines — it’s also sent social media into a frenzy of laughter, admiration, and cheeky remarks.
On Facebook, hundreds of users flooded the comment section, but instead of focusing on the traffic offences, many were fixated on one surprising detail — that Loh still has a girlfriend at 82.
“82 years old still have gf. Very powerful!” one user quipped, while another joked that the article’s real headline should’ve been “82-year-old has girlfriend — other story not important.”
Some even turned the incident into a playful math quiz. “What is the age difference between Loh and his girlfriend? Convert Loh’s jail term from years to hours,” joked one commenter, in a post that drew dozens of laughing reactions.
Others, however, pointed out the age bias behind the humor. One user fired back, saying, “It’s more shocking that we still have bloody ageism!”
Still, most comments were lighthearted and oddly admiring. “Not sure what’s more shocking — that his licence expired 30 years ago, or that he has a girlfriend at 82. An absolute champ,” wrote another.
Another commenter summed up the mood best: “He’s so blessed — 82 years old, still can stay at girlfriend’s place and use her car.”
Whether viewed as reckless or romantic, Loh has become an unlikely viral figure — proof, as one user said, that “age is just a number — even when it comes to love and traffic offences.”
