Person Given Warning for Filming at Woodlands Checkpoint But Still Proceeded to Post Images Online

Thinking of driving up to JB soon? Well, here’s a tip — don’t take photos or videos within the checkpoints’ premises.

A man took several photos and videos at Woodlands Checkpoint and was given a warning by the Immigrations & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). Regardless, he proceeded to post the photos and videos on social media — we wonder what’s the worst that could happen to him now.

Man Given Stern Warning for Filming at Woodlands Checkpoint

On Monday (12 August), netizens scrolling through the “Complaint Singapore” Facebook group were surprised when they saw a post from the user “Sky Sg”. As it turns out, the post had photos and videos taken at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

For context, you’re not allowed to take photos and videos at the checkpoints — not just Woodlands Checkpoint, but Tuas Checkpoint as well.

The Facebook user shared that they were “thinking about someone special” at the Woodlands Checkpoint — the “someone special” being a checkpoint officer who the user had a bone to pick with.

According to the Facebook user, the checkpoint officer had been rude to a driver who was clearing immigration at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Monday. The post alleged that the checkpoint officer had asked the driver to wind down the window when the window was already wound down. The post also set out the checkpoint counter number, the checkpoint officer’s name, and an account of the incident.

Presumably, the Facebook user was the driver himself lah.

To conclude the post, the Facebook user also asked fellow netizens: “Driver seh or officer seh?”

Looking for trouble leh, this one.

The Facebook post has since drawn the attention of not just many Singaporeans but even the ICA itself.

On Thursday (15 August), the ICA addressed the post from the Facebook user “Sky Sg”, sharing that the ICA was “aware of social media posts alleging that an ICA officer was rude to a driver who was clearing immigration at Woodlands Checkpoint”.

And it appears that the account of the incident as set out in the Facebook post by the user “Sky Sg” was not necessarily the full story. According to the ICA’s investigations, the driver had made “uncalled for remarks” when the checkpoint officer instructed him to “remove the right passenger window sunshade during departure immigration clearance”.

That’s rather different from being asked to wind down your windows — it doesn’t take a driver to know this. How is a checkpoint officer supposed to see through your window if you have a window sunshade on?

The ICA also shared that the driver took photographs and videos of the checkpoint officer while the checkpoint officer was contacting his supervisors to report the incident.

But here’s where the story gets spicy.

The driver was referred to the checkpoint’s duty office, where he admitted to taking photos and videos of the Woodlands Checkpoint premises and agreed to delete them. As a result, the driver was let off with a stern warning.

Yet, as it’s now clear from the Facebook post by the user “Sky Sg”, it doesn’t appear that the driver had indeed deleted the photos and videos. In other words, he pulled a fast one over the checkpoint officers lah. 

And of course, ICA wasn’t going to take this lightly, especially after seeing the Facebook post with their own two eyes. So, ICA decided to start assembling the Avengers (of Singapore, at least) — it roped in the SPF to investigate the case.

All we can say for sure is this — it doesn’t seem possible for this driver to get a happy ending lah. 

The only good news that comes out of this fiasco is the assurance that many Singaporeans do know that you’re not allowed to take photos and videos at the checkpoints. One quick glimpse at the comments section on the original Facebook post from the user “Sky Sg” shows many netizens warning the user not to take photos and videos at the checkpoint.

I guess, in a sense, all these netizens were pseudo-ICA officers.

Many more netizens even wished the Facebook user “good luck”, knowing that this could not possibly end well for him.

I suppose “Sky Sg” can start checking his mailbox daily for a “love letter” from SPF or ICA lah.

Offence to Take Photographs or Videos of Protected Areas and Protected Places

In case you didn’t already know, the reason why you’re not allowed to take photos and videos at the checkpoints is this — the checkpoints are considered “protected areas”.

If you’ve driven into Tuas Checkpoint or Woodlands Checkpoint before, you’ve likely driven across one of these signs:

You might also have seen similar signs outside of areas like SAF camps, water treatment plans or security HQs — those are known as “protected places”, which are slightly different from “protected areas” like the checkpoints. While “protected areas” like the checkpoints are generally accessible to the public, “protected places” like SAF camps have restricted access for the public.

The point, however, is that regardless of whether you’re at a “protected area” or “protected place”, you are not allowed to take photos and videos at the relevant premises — it is an offence to do so.

You’ve probably also seen this sign scattered around the checkpoints while clearing immigration at one of the two checkpoints lah:

So, we’re not sure why the Facebook user “Sky Sg” decided to take photos and videos and proceed to post them online — there were literal red flags everywherearound the checkpoint telling him not to.

As ICA itself reiterated in its Facebook post, it is “an offence to take photographs or videos within the checkpoint premises, which is a Protected Area, without consent from the authorities. ICA will not hesitate to take stern action against those who commit such offences.”

So, the next time you’re at the checkpoints and want to take a quick Instagram story to show your friends you’re heading to JB, try to resist the urge lah, hor?