2 More Men Charged for Not Staying Home While on MC & Even Going to Work

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we Singaporeans have probably got better at the skill of staying home for days on end than some introverts already were before it.

The simple logic behind staying home is so that there will be a lesser chance of the virus spreading with lesser social interaction between members of the public, right?

It would seem that nothing can contain some people at home, however, not even the threat of legal action nor possibly harming their loved ones and the entire country along with it.

And that number only seems to be getting larger, with two more cases coming to light.

Two Men Charged For Not Staying Home On MC

On 5 July, Monday, not just one man, but two, were charged with exposing others to the COVID-19 virus for not remaining at home while on MC in separate cases.

The first man, 34-year-old Zac Leow Zhi Xiang, faced one charge of exposing others to the risk of infection when he left his home multiple times during his five-day MC period from 27 March to 31 March last year.

Leow was ordered to stay home for five days after he was diagnosed with acute respiratory symptoms and had reason to believe he may be a carrier of the COVID-19 virus.

Yet, he failed to return to his home once he left the Circuit Road clinic and allegedly headed to meet a friend in Bedok instead.

After that, he travelled down to the ABC Market in Jalan Bukit Merah, then went to the Jem shopping mall in Jurong East and ended up at his mother’s house in Jurong West.

So, he basically toured Singapore from one end of the East-West Line to the other.

The next day, Leow left the house to Boon Lay Place Food Village before going to his mother’s house once again.

He repeated this routine on the following day, the 29th, as well, visiting Yuhua Market and Hawker Centre before making his rounds.

Most people would jump at the chance to stay home without needing to show up at work under coverage from an MC, but I guess Leow’s one of the rare ones.

On the 30th, he also apparently went to his workplace at JT International Singapore in Alexandra Technopark while still on MC, and continued going to work for the subsequent days.

Well, that makes five out of five days that he didn’t stay home.

Second Man Also Went To Work

Alright, so maybe we have another outlier who still insists on going to work despite having an MC and a very valid reason not to go.

Putra Aly Qanafiyah Ibni Rossly, 24, faces four charges under the Infectious Diseases Act and Infectious Diseases (COVID-19 – Stay Orders) Regulations 2020 for doing the same close to a year later.

Court documents stated that Putra was diagnosed with acute respiratory infection by his doctor on 2 Feb 2021.

He had to undergo a COVID-19 swab test and received a four-day MC with an order to stay at home until 5 Feb 2021.

From the clinic in Toa Payoh, he walked to Block 181, Lorong 4 Toa Payoh and visited a Giant supermarket there, although he had reason to suspect he had COVID-19.

Like Leow, Putra also spent the next three days at work even while still on his MC.

Both men are scheduled to plead guilty in August, where they could be slapped with a fine of up to $10,000, up to six months of jail time, or both.

Five more offenders were charged earlier in the year for not staying home during their stipulated MC period and exposing others to the risk of infection as well.

Now you know leaving your home while on an MC isn’t something to be proud of.

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