‘Show-Me-Badge’ Woman Reportedly Contesting Charge for Not Wearing Masks; Trial Scheduled for 24 May

No doubt you’ve heard by now of the lady who shot to fame (or rather, infamy) overnight for adamantly refusing to wear a mask if the safe distancing ambassador (SDA) did not produce a badge for verification. 

Since then, countless hilarious videos criticising the woman have popped up in cyberspace, and this particularly accurate parody by YouTuber Royce Lee has drawn much laughter from netizens. 

However, did you know that this isn’t the first time the “Badge Woman” has outrightly refused to wear a mask in public? 

And at a time when community cases are rising, this adamant refusal to wear a mask and be socially responsible is indeed exceptionally concerning. 

According to ST, Phoon Chiu Yoke, 53, had failed to wear a mask at Newton Hawker Centre on 8 May 2020. 

This was during Singapore’s circuit breaker period last year, which took place between 7 April and 1 June 2020. 

She was charged with an offence under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act. 

Phoon is contesting the charge. The trial will take place on 24 May. 

Phoon is also allegedly involved in other similar cases in which she did not wear a mask in various public locations. 

Circulating on the internet are at least two other videos of her in public areas without wearing a mask.

One of them was allegedly taken at VivoCity in February this year. The other video was taken at Clarke Quay Central in December 2020. 

Phoon’s elderly father told Chinese paper Shin Min Daily that his daughter used to be a Navy officer who subsequently joined a private company.

She was then assigned to China for work. When she returned to Singapore more than a decade ago, her father noticed that there had been a huge change in his daughter’s disposition, and she returned home a completely different person.

He said that he believes that Phoon could have suffered some sort of emotional trauma while she was in China, saying that she used to be “kind and charitable”. 

He said that while he is worried about his daughter, she is in her fifties and “she should know what to do”. 

First-time offenders who flout regulations under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act could face imprisonment for up to six months and fined up to $10,000, while repeat offenders could face imprisonment for up to a year and fined up to $20,000.

Featured Image: Facebook (AlEx ThAm)