Some people are acting as if being at home is like being in prison.
Oh sure, being at home is like prison, except we have access to the internet and can use our phones and computers, our actions indoors are not monitored, we have comfy beds to sleep on, we have privacy, and we can still go out every day for exercise and to buy food.
But, even though we’re given a little bit of freedom unlike many countries on lockdown, some people are determined to be uncooperative.
NEA Shows Example of How Uncooperative People Are
Two people were fined $300 on Saturday (11 Apr) for not complying with safe distancing rules, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).
They didn’t just flout the rules, they were fined because they refused to comply with the orders of NEA and police officers even after they were caught.
The Loiterer
The first offender was caught loitering at a pavilion near the market and hawker centre at Block 341 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1.
He refused to leave despite being told to do so, so police officers were called to the scene.
But that’s not all. This stubborn individual actually returned to the scene after the police left.
He would be issued with a S$300 fine, NEA said.
Why did he like that particular spot so much? No one knows. He was outside the hawker centre, so it’s not because of food. Maybe the air there is particularly crisp and clean?
The Chair Thrower
The second offender was caught sitting on an unsecured chair within a hawker centre at Block 538 Bedok North Street 3.
He was advised to leave by NEA officers after they discovered that he was not waiting for any food orders, but, as you can probably guess, he refused to do so.
A simple refusal wasn’t enough for this man, though, so he hurled vulgarities at the officers before flinging the chair against a wall outside the hawker centre.
I’ve never seen a person so angry to be told to go home.
Police assistance was called in and the man was fined S$300.
No More Chances
If disobeying the authorities happens to be a hobby of yours, it’s about to become a pricey one.
People who were caught flouting the rules during the first few days of the circuit breaker were given a written advisory, but because there were so many idiots breaking the rules, the government had to resort to stiffer penalties.
From today onwards, first-time offenders of safe distancing rules will be fined $300. No pang chance le.
“The enforcement actions will be tightened from 12 April 2020 onwards, where a fine of S$300 will be applicable in the first instance, and for repeat offenders, higher fines will be imposed or there will be prosecution in court for egregious cases,” NEA said.
Follow The Rules
The government didn’t introduce the circuit breaker because they’re sick of seeing our faces on the streets; it’s because the situation is getting worse.
We’ve been seeing infection numbers that we never thought we’d see, and that’s simply because people refused to follow the social distancing measures in place before the circuit breaker.
At the time of writing, the coronavirus outbreak in Singapore has killed eight people and infected nearly 2,300.
So unless we want our exercise and grocery-buying privileges taken away, we should all stay at home as much as possible and follow safe distancing rules when we’re outside.
This isn’t the time to be a rebel.
And oh, remember to collect your free reusable mask, because without one, you practically can’t go anywhere.
