In Singapore, smokers aren’t humans, they’re superhumans.
Because rain or shine, they cannot smoke under shelter.
Yet there are some who decided to try the system. And when caught, they’ll try it even further.
Man Caught Smoking Under Shelter
Smokers in Singapore are not allowed to smoke under sheltered walkways, at HDB void decks and along Orchard Road unless at designated smoking points.
Unfortunately, this 61-year-old man, Wong Sin Wah, seemed to have missed the memo.
On 20 Jun 2019, he was caught smoking under a sheltered walkway in Yishun by two enforcement officers.
Attempted To Bribe The Officer
According to Channel News Asia, Mr Gobinath Munusamy, a National Environment Agency (NEA) officer had asked for his NRIC.
Wong gave it to him.
Subsequently, when Mr Munusamy was typing Wong’s details into his device to generate a Notice To Attend Court (NTAC) notice, Wong pleaded with him to “give him a chance”.
He also tried to stuff four pieces of SGD50 to the officer in exchange for leniency. Or, what we old-timers like to call, giving ‘coffee money’.
The officer immediately rejected his bribe and reported the matter to the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).
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Jailed
CPIB commended Mr Munusamy for his integrity and said that Singapore has “zero-tolerance” against corruption.
They added that “trying to bribe, or bribing, public officers in Singapore” is a serious offence.
Wong has been sentenced to four weeks in jail for his actions.
Anyone convicted of a corruption offence can be fined up to S$100,000, jailed up to 5 years, or both.
In other words, Wong just earned himself a tougher punishment than if he would if he’d just accepted his wrongdoing.
It’s Not Just Smoking, Even Holding a Lighted Cigarette Isn’t Allowed
There are probably many people who, when caught under a shelter, claimed that he wasn’t smoking.
“I was just holding on to it.”
Now, do you think the NEA officers will give you a chance if you say that?
NEA has made it very clear on their website.
Which makes sense because the entire point of not smoking under shelter is to reduce the damage of second-hand smoke.
So even if you’re not smoking, second-hand smoke is still created.
Here’s a quick refresher in case you’ve “forgotten” where you cannot smoke at:
- If you are within a building or public service vehicle, it is largely not permitted to smoke except at indoor smoking rooms and uncovered areas on the rooftops of multi-storey carparks.
- If you are outside a building or public service vehicle, the following are also smoking prohibited:
- Everywhere around the hospital compounds
- Educational institutions and their compounds including any area within five metres of the school compound
- Covered linkways
- Bus stops, bus shelters, and bus poles, including any area within a five-metre radius
- Parks in public housing estates managed by the respective Town Councils
- Parks under the purview of Jurong Town Corporation (JTC)
- Playgrounds and exercise areas, including adjacent amenities for users
- Reservoirs
- Swimming pools, including changing and shower rooms or areas frequented by any user of the swimming pool.
- Pavilions within any residential premises or building meant to hold functions
- Pedestrian overhead bridges, covered or underground walkways
- Washrooms, including mobile toilets
And remember, don’t try to bribe anybody in Singapore because we take corruption charges very seriously.
If not, why do we pay our ministers so well?
