First 2 People in Illegal Gathering on Yacht Fined $3,000 Each; 1 is a S’pore PR

By
Megan
-

In certain parts of the world, you may feel that the pandemic is just a myth.

No masks worn, lack of social distancing, and too many people in a small area.

You may think, good for them, if they are in Singapore they will kena fine or jail.

And you are right, for this is exactly what happened to a group of partygoers on a yacht near Lazarus Island.

You may remember that there was a group of individuals who chose to fling caution to the wind and hold a yacht party in the midst of the pandemic on 26 Dec last year.

This might not have been so damning if not for the fact that the group consisted of ten people at a time when social gatherings were restricted to only five. 

What’s worse, they were seen dancing on the yacht close to one another without their masks on. 

It’s a recipe for disaster.

COVID-19 pays no heed to geographical boundaries—you can’t escape from the pandemic even if you’re literally in the middle of the sea, but perhaps these partygoers didn’t get the memo. 

Today (1 Mar), two of them were fined for breaching COVID-19 regulations. 

First 2 People in Illegal Gathering on Yacht Fined $3,000 Each; 1 is a S’pore PR

According to this article by ST, Singapore permanent resident (PR) Mark Lau San Mao, 30, and Briton Amy Grace Ropner, 28, have pleaded guilty to an offence under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act. 

They have been fined $3,000 each for being a part of the unlawful event which went against COVID-19 regulations. 

Meanwhile, the cases involving the eight other partygoers are still currently pending. 

At the time of the incident, Singapore was still in Phase 2, meaning that social gatherings were restricted to a maximum capacity of five persons. 

Pictures and videos of the gathering on the yacht (named Advant) were posted on social media, showing the partygoers dancing about, carefree and mask-free. 

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) then came forward with a statement on 23 Jan, saying that the Advant’s license would be suspended for 30 days. 

You can read more about the incident here. 

In case you require a friendly reminder to not go around throwing parties on your yacht, first-time offenders who breach COVID-19 regulations can face imprisonment for up to six months, as well as a fine of up to $10,000.

Repeat offenders can face jail time for up to a year and a fine of up to $20,000. 

Another Illegal Gathering Just One Day Before

On Christmas Day of 2020, just one day before the unlawful yacht gathering, there had also been another incident of an illegal gathering that breached COVID-19 regulations.

Karaoke outlet MZS Family Karaoke was hoarding a staggering number of 51 patrons within its premises on 25 Dec 2020. 

They also permitted patrons to consume alcohol after 10:30pm. 

The outlet was then ordered to close from 25 Dec 2020 to 13 Jan 2021 for going against COVID-19 regulations. 

You can read more about this incident here.

Featured Image: Facebook (Bu Hui Yan)

Watch this for a complete summary of what REALLY happened to Qoo10, and why it's like a K-drama:

Read Also:

Advertisements
 
Megan
Email: [email protected]