As you may know, joss paper is often used in traditional Chinese deities or ancestor worship ceremonies or during special holidays.
The sheets of paper, also known as ghost or spirit money, are burnt in the veneration of deceased family members and relatives on certain occasions.
Here in Singapore, some residents burn joss paper during the Hungry Ghost Festival. But one group did something a little different and threw them into the canal.
NEA to Take Action Against the 3 People Who Threw Joss Paper in the Canal
The National Environmental Agency (NEA) said it will take action against the three people spotted throwing joss paper into the canal last month.
In a statement yesterday, the agency said it was first alerted to the incident on 22 Aug, the 15th day of the Hungry Ghost Festival.
“Based on our investigations, the three individuals were making offerings during the Hungry Ghost month, and to a deceased person,” NEA said.
What the three men likely didn’t know is that throwing joss paper into the canal is illegal. Offenders can be convicted under the Environmental Public Health Act and could face a fine of up to S$2,000 for a first offence.
Burning joss paper for religious purposes is still permitted, but residents should do so in the burners and containers provided by town councils and not leave any food offerings or litter behind, NEA said.
What Happened
Like many incidents, the actions of the three individuals were filmed and shared on Facebook.
Shared on ROADS.sg on 22 Aug, it was viewed over 100,000 times and garnered over a thousand reactions.
At the start of the video, three men can be seen throwing what looks like sheets of paper into a canal.
It seemed like they either had a surplus of paper, or had an unexplained hatred of trees.
But upon closer inspection, it became clear that the sheets of paper were joss paper, and they had brought boxes and boxes of it to throw into the canal.
According to ROADS.sg, the canal was located along the East Coast service road. The three men had parked their cars along the side of the road just to dump their boxes of joss paper into the canal waters.
As NEA said, while we can all observe our religious practices, it’s important to be considerate as it’s our shared responsibility to keep public spaces and our waterways clean.
Understand more about the Hungry Ghost Festival here:
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Featured Image: Facebook (ROADS.sg)
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