The recent reports about safe distancing enforcement officers empowered to enter residences without warrants raised the question as to how Singapore even ended up with such “draconian” laws in place without citizens “having a say”, said Makansutra founder KF Seetoh on Tuesday (3 Aug).
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has earlier clarified that safe distancing enforcement officers can enter, inspect, and search various premises, including residences, without a warrant to check that COVID-19 regulations are being complied with.
This came after Singapore actor Nick Mikhail posted a video on Instagram about the authorities conducting an impromptu inspection at his home on 31 July.
Referring to URA’s statement, Mr Seetoh took to his Facebook page on Tuesday to highlight that safety distancing enforcement officers are now allowed to enter a citizen’s house without warrants at anytime, even though they may neither be trained in issues of privacy nor security.
“How did we arrive at this summary law without anyone citizen or otherwise, having a say. This is draconian and offers no guarantee in results. Absolute raid on your privacy in the sanctity of your home.
“Imagine a clueless distant neighbour or a prankster making a complain abt 6 ppl in yr house ( when you hv 6 in the family living there)…in the middle of the night and they come a banging on yr door. They search and God knows what this stranger will take away mentally,” he wrote.
Mr Seetoh urged citizens to voice their opinion on the matter to their respective Members of Parliament (MPs) via social media posts or in person.
“How did we get here. I did not sign up for this. Did you?” he remarked.
Following his post, a couple of netizens voiced their concerns under the comments section of Channel News Asia’s (CNA) Facebook post, and tagged their MPs in their comments.
One netizen tagged the Workers’ Party (WP) MP for Aljunied GRC Gerald Giam in a comment, saying that he is concerned because the “risk of impersonators etc and abuses may be too high to justify a warrantless search”, and asked the MP to raise the issue in Parliament.
Another netizen tagged the People’s Action Party (PAP) MP for Mountbatten SMC Lim Biow Chuan, pointing out that there should be “a minimum requirement” to produce a search warrant to enter one’s residence.
“Govt agencies should think through seriously and consult with citizens. We are not a police state,” said the netizen.
This is “a very serious issue”, said a netizen, pointing out that even police officers are not allowed to enter a house without warrants. He urged MPs to bring up the issue in Parliament.
“If no ministers bring this up in Parliament it just proves that they are useless, referring to opposition too.”
One netizen opined that “the state has too much power” to allow this to happen.
“COVID-19 or not, there shouldn’t be laws to allow this. Idc [I don’t care] whichever minister try to come up with a smart explanation to defend this incident. It already looks bad. Today they can go in your house without a warrant. Tomorrow God knows what they’ll do,” said the netizen.
A handful of netizens indicated the government’s move to allow safe distancing enforcement officers to enter one’s residence without warrants “so wrong” and “absurd”, as they stressed that the authorities should at least produce a warrant before step into someone’s home.
One netizen wrote: “Without a warrant? No. Just no. Does no one in the agency see the potential for daylight burglary? As dumb as it may seem, desperation in such times leads to desperate attempts by people.
He continued: “Does no one see this as precedent for unfair laws to be passed in the future? ‘We allowed the need for warrants to be cast aside before so we can do it again’.”
Another netizen wrote: “That is absolutely horrible, and should be wrong in any developed country.”
