Actor Terence Cao Charged for Flouting COVID-19 Regulations at Jeffrey Xu’s Birthday Party

You may have read this article reporting that actor Terence Cao Guohui will be charged in March this year for breaching COVID-19 regulations. 

In October 2020, Cao allowed 12 people to come into his house for fellow actor Jeffrey Xu’s birthday party during Singapore’s Phase Two, during which a household was permitted to have a maximum of five visitors. 

Well, March has come, and the actor has been held accountable for his actions. 

Here are the details you need to know. 

Actor Terence Cao Charged for Flouting COVID-19 Regulations at Jeffrey Xu’s Birthday Party

According to The Sraits Times, Cao, along with a man who has been identified as Lance Lim Chee Keong, have been charged in court for flouting safe distancing regulations that were put in place during Phase Two of Singapore’s reopening. 

During this period, social gatherings were limited to a maximum of five people, while households could receive up to five visitors at any one time. 

Both Cao and Lim have been charged under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act. Their cases have been adjourned to 27 April. 

On 2 October, a birthday party was held for Mediacorp artiste Jeffrey Xu at a condominium apartment located in Daisy Road off Braddell Road. Cao has been reported to be the owner of the apartment. 

A total of 13 people attended the party, including actor Shane Pow. 

Despite being aware that he would be breaching COVID-19 regulations by exceeding the capacity limit of five visitors, Lim invited three people to the party. 

Eleven of the people who had been a part of the gathering have been fined $300 instead of being prosecuted because of their lower “level of culpability”. 

The gathering had been heavily criticized on social media after pictures of the large, unmasked group had circulated online. The celebrities involved have issued apologies through Mediacorp, expressing “[deep] regret” for their breaching of regulations. 

987FM presenter Sonia Chew, who was also at the party, had been dropped from hosting Mediacorp’s annual countdown show. She was replaced by deejay Jean Danker. 

Two People Fined for Illegal Gathering on Yacht on 1 March

Just yesterday (1 Mar), two people were fined $3,000 each under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act for partying in the middle of the sea on a yacht with eight other merrymakers without their masks on. 

This also occurred when Singapore was in the midst of Phase Two, hence exceeding the 5-person limit on social gatherings. 

First-time offenders who flout regulations may be imprisoned for up to six months and fined up to $10,000 under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, while repeat offenders may face jail time for up to a year and a fine of up to $20,000.

So remember to keep your birthday and yacht parties to a bare minimum during this time, lest you unwittingly extend an invitation to the virus.

Feature Image: Instagram (Jeffrey Xu)