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Authorities Investigating After Badge Lady Spotted Without Mask Again

2022-03-09 , 10:31 am

You would think that 16 weeks of jail would make someone turn over a new leaf, right?

Unfortunately, that is not the case for Phoon Chiu Yoke, better known as the “Badge Lady”.

Yes, she has once again returned to the spotlight and surprise surprise she does it maskless.

Spotted by Influencer Xiaxue

Phoon, 54, was allegedly spotted walking around Orchard Road on Sunday (6 March) without a mask on. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is now investigating the incident.

On Sunday, influencer Xiaxue, 37, posted a video on Instagram featuring a woman believed to be Ms Phoon walking around Orchard Road.

The woman did not have a mask on and wore sunglasses similar to those Ms Phoon was spotted wearing outside the State Courts on numerous occasions last year.

Approached the Badge Lady

Xiaxue said she had been filming some interviews with passers-by outside Mandarin Gallery when she spotted the woman.

“I ran up to her and asked if she was willing to be interviewed by me and she just ignored me,” she said.

The influencer then prodded Phoon further and asked if she was the “Badge Lady”, whereupon the latter gave her a “side glance” and walked off.

Xiaxue added that the woman had walked past her again about half an hour later, still maskless, at Orchard Road.

Initially Didn’t Want to Post

“Initially I didn’t want to post anything, because I didn’t want to get her into trouble, but then I felt that she was being quite deliberate, walking just behind the person I was interviewing,” Xiaxue said.

She added, “I think she’s quite defiant, and seemed to be smirking.”

Xiaxue later posted the following image on her Instagram Stories.

The Instagram Story has since been shared more than 4,500 times.

Badge Lady’s Previous Offences

Phoon, a former naval officer, became infamous in May 2021 after refusing to wear a mask at Marina Bay Sands (MBS).

In a video, she was seen grilling a Safe Distancing Ambassador, “Do you have a badge? Can you put on a badge? If you have no badge why are you asking me to do something? Who are you representing?”

The iconic phrase led her to be dubbed the “Badge Lady”.

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The public later learnt that Phoon had already been summoned to court for not wearing a mask at Newton hawker centre during the circuit breaker period on May 8, 2020.

Last September, Phoon was jailed for 16 weeks after pleading guilty to a total of nine charges, with another 13 taken into consideration during sentencing.

She admitted to not wearing her mask on numerous occasions at several places, including MBS, Newton hawker centre and St Andrew’s Cathedral.

She had also breached her stay-home notice in 2020 after returning from Britain.

STB Investigation

Ms Serene Tan, director of safe management measures operations at STB, said it was aware of the alleged incident and that investigations are ongoing.

“STB takes a serious view of any breach in safe management measures,” she said.

“We will not hesitate to take enforcement action for non-compliance, which may include composition fines or prosecution under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.”

Those who are found guilty of breaching a COVID-19 control order may be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000.

Repeat offenders may be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $20,000.