NEA Says Footage of NEA Officers Smoking in Prohibited Area is ‘Untrue’

It’s hard to follow the rules someone else sets. But as a wise old man might tell you:

“It’s even harder to follow your own rules you expect others to comply with.”

For unlike followers, the setter has a natural obligation to keep his toe in the line, day in day out without compromise. And should, hamster forbids, the setter test the system for even one occasion…

You can be sure that some hawk-eyed followers will spot it.

Indeed, that’s what this particular NEA officer realised first-hand when he was allegedly spotted smoking on prohibited grounds…

And suffice it to say that the Internet didn’t take too kindly to it.

Supposedly caught in the act

Last Thursday (22 November 2018), Facebook user Mohd Rafeeq Rafeeq uploaded a video and two photos to Facebook, alleging that a man, who is apparently a National Environment Agency (NEA) enforcement officer, was spotted smoking where he wasn’t supposed to, and littering by throwing the cigarette butt into a nearby drain.

Lest you can’t read, the caption states as follows:

“NEA officers smoke at my premises and littering in my drainage and go into the building and summon units owners workers for smoking inside premises NEA want year end bonus do like this I also want to summon him can also right I’m waiting for that chance”

And the “incriminating evidence” in question are presented below:

Outrage

In such circumstances, one wouldn’t really assume Netizens to take the news with a grain of salt, alongside a cup of tea and Marie biscuits in hand. And suffice it to say that…

We weren’t disappointed.

Armed with words sharper than swords and expressions viler than Medusa, Netizens laid waste to this apparent NEA officer.

Incidentally, some have apparently even been fined by the guy.

But is that really the end of the story?

For as some Netizens pointed out, there’s more than meets the eye. After all, how can anyone just tell that they’re NEA officers?

Though even if the littering part’s questionable, it still doesn’t eliminate the whole ‘illegal smoking’ part.

Incidentally, here’s NEA’s list of prohibited areas.

NEA speaks out

In response to queries by Mothership, a spokesperson for the National Environment Agency has released the following statement:

“NEA is aware of the Facebook posts about an NEA enforcement officer allegedly smoking in a prohibited area and littering the cigarette butt. We have investigated these allegations and found that they are untrue.

“NEA takes a serious view of all allegations made against our officers. We expect our enforcement officers to act professionally, and to abide by the same law that they are enforcing.”

There, however, isn’t any indication on whether these are NEA officers, or simply NEA officers lookalike.

But given that its reputation is at stake, it should suffice to say that since they’ve refuted, it should be true.

What do you think?