Six PSP members told they would be fined for flouting distancing rules
Six members of the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) were yesterday told that they will be fined for breaching safe distancing rules.
The opposition politicians were on a walkabout yesterday at Block 358 Bukit Batok Street 31 when two officers approached them and took down their names and other details.
One man was a safe distancing ambassador and the other identified himself as an officer from the National Environment Agency (NEA). The two men also asked for the names of four members of the press who were covering the party, but only a Straits Times reporter agreed to provide them with her details.
The seven of them - including Ms Gigene Wong, who was introduced by PSP last week - were informed that they should expect to be given a fine for flouting the rules.
When questioned by the PSP members, the NEA officer said he had received a complaint from a member of the public, who said the group had exceeded the five-person limit when they were at a nearby coffee shop earlier.
DISPUTED
The PSP members disputed this and said they never had more than five people sitting together.
The officer said they could appeal against the fine.
The NEA, in a statement late yesterday, issued a clarification saying the man who had taken down the particulars of the group is not from NEA.
"He is a community volunteer with NEA, who has been trained as an SG Clean Ambassador," the statement said.
NEA added that it is "looking into the circumstances of the case, including if there was a violation of safe distancing measures as reported".
Those who breach safe distancing rules may be fined $300 on their first offence. Repeat offenders face higher fines or prosecution in court. - THE STRAITS TIMES
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