Amidst these turbulent times, basketball courts have come to serve as one of the rare few consolations that remain.
Much to the boon of all the aspiring James Hardens and Michael Jordans out there.
Yet alas, it seems that even these places of solace have been removed from the equation.
No thanks to the same aspiring James Hardens and Michael Jordans, who chose to ‘fraternise’ more often than necessary.
MP Explains Why Tampines Basketball Courts Are Closed for 2 Months Due to People Breaking COVID-19 Rules
After weeks and months of deliberation, a decision has been made.
The hard courts in Tampines North have been crippled to deter residents from entering.
According to a Facebook post by selfie king MP Baey Yam Keng, residents have been spotted playing basketball or sepak takraw at the hard courts in Tampines North, more often than not in groups of more than five.
They were also said to have participated without the use of masks, and loitered around even though there was no activity in progress. Apparently, littering and supposed “noise pollution” also occurred.
Initially, Tampines Town Council had shut off the courts for a month, and only recently endeavoured to reopen some. However, crowds ultimately returned, and though some courts had barriers or tapes in place, they still entered nonetheless.
As such, after an alleged discussion that happened between the town council and grassroots leaders, the courts will be closed for a longer period of two months. And to deter the crowd from infiltrating the premises, the basketball rings will be taken off the hoops.
If possible, the sepak takraw poles that are in place will also be removed.
At this point, the MP admitted that it was not the ideal solution, as committing to such a measure hinders lone players and small groups that obey the number regulation.
But it seems that there was genuinely no other choice for the leaders.
“However, in the larger public interest, even when we are seeing very few recent community COVID-19 cases,” he said. “We cannot be complacent. I seek the public and players’ understanding to help us tide through this crisis.”
You can view the full Facebook post down below:
Residents have been sending me photos of people playing basketball or sepak takraw at the hard courts in #TampinesNorth….
Posted by Baey Yam Keng 马炎庆 on Thursday, 15 October 2020
Netizens Approve
Despite the saddening nature of the measure, netizens seemed to approve of the decision.
Some even commended the MP for taking the necessary action.
However, it seems that some courts (in other areas) have yet to be “corrected”.
A few Netizens also called for harsher penalties to be implemented.
Though one did expose a possible consequence of the measure:
Well, with this DIY gym guide…
You can still keep fit, basketball hoop or not.
Maximum Number Per Group
At the moment, the maximum group size is still limited to 5 people, though it might be changed to 8 people during the upcoming Phase 3.
The rule, however, has not been observed as stringently as the President of Singapore would’ve preferred.
Over the last couple of months, numerous incidents of numbers exceeding the allowed regulation have occurred.
According to The Straits Times, 28 people were charged in July this year, when they flouted safe distancing regulations.
Apparently, the first group, which comprised 18 members, held a party at home during the Circuit Breaker period, while the second group drank alcohol at a fitness corner during phase 2.
Now, it’s hard to expect a 100% success rate in the order of things, but we still encourage everyone to obey the necessary safety regulations. After all…
They are in place for a reason.
Watch this for a complete summary of what REALLY happened to Qoo10, and why it's like a K-drama:
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