We may have the reputation of being a clean and green city, but that doesn’t mean litterbugs and serial spitters don’t exist amongst us. Some are just lucky enough to not get caught.
Just so we’re all aware, should a person be caught spitting in public, he can be fined up to S$1000 on their first offence.
The penalty increases if the individual is caught a second time, and a third time and so on.
A netizen on Xiaohongshu recently wrote a post to warn others against spitting in public because they “really can get fined”.
Did she actually think the Singapore government was joking?
She revealed that her dad was fined S$300 for spitting into a drain in public.
She wrote: “It’s not only spitting, but if you litter and smoke in indoor spaces, and get caught by patrolling officers, they will really hand you a fine. Even if it’s your first offence, and you make an appeal with NEA, they will reject you. The law is good, and [it stops you] from doing it again in the future! Everyone please take note! Maintain a clean and hygienic environment! Look after your wallets!”
After her dad was caught spitting, she advises others to “spit into a tissue” instead.
The netizen also informed her followers that they would have to appear in court and face a higher penalty should they choose to ignore the fine. “There are many ways you can pay your fine, the fastest being PayNow,” she added.
Her followers were mostly supportive of the fine, with many saying they don’t understand why someone would have the need to spit on the floor in the first place.
It’s assumed that the netizen moved to Singapore from China, given how she helpfully converted the S$300 fine into RMB1600.
No wonder Chinese netizens replied to her story, with some saying China should implement the same laws so they won’t have to be “afraid of stepping on someone’s spit wherever they go”.
One netizen also wrote this very wise comment: “When in Singapore, you really have to follow the rules.”
You got that right.
Photos: 嗨嗨嗨🍑/ Xiao Hong Shu