39-year-old man arrested for causing a public nuisance and flouting safe distancing regulations

The Singapore Police has arrested a man on Sunday (9 May) for allegedly causing a public nuisance and flouting safe distancing regulations on an MRT train along the East-West Line.

A video circulating on social media shows the man without a mask on a MRT train.

In the 1:52 min video, the man refused to wear a mask even after commuters urged him to do so and offering him a mask.

It has been reported that SMRT made the police report.

“When our staff are alerted to such incidents, we would request commuters to wear a mask properly. If they do not comply, our staff would activate Transcom (Public Transport Security Command),” SMRT chief communications officer Margaret Teo told Channel News Asia.

“We do not condone socially irresponsible behaviour that affects the safety of others, and strongly encourage our commuters to keep their mask on at all times and avoid talking on trains.”

The police said that it had arrested a 39-year-old man for allegedly causing public nuisance and flouting safe distancing measures and warn that people should take the safe distancing measures seriously.

“The police will not tolerate such blatant disregard of the law and wilful breaches of safe distancing measures,” they said.

“I will never wear a mask”

At the start of the video, the man said to another commuter while standing: “Just wear your mask, it’s fine. I will never wear a mask.”

As he proceed to sit between two commuters, one of the two commuters quickly vacated her seat to stand aside.

The man went on to say: “I’m very religious and I love human beings,” the man said. “And I hate seeing uncles, granddads with the mask on.” and started to ramble about various researches he have done.

The other commuter on his side subsequently also stood and walked away, not before he told the commuter talking to the man, not to give him any attention.

Another commuter came forth to offer the man a mask.

However, the man expressed his disgust at the offer and said, “I’m not going to put that on my face,”

The mask was then left on the seat by the commuter.

Those convicted of not wearing a mask in public can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$10,000 or both.