SINGAPORE: A woman who was jailed last year for breaking multiple COVID-19 regulations was brought back to court on Wednesday (Sep 7) for fresh charges of failing to wear a mask when required.
Phoon Chiu Yoke, 55, received three new charges on Wednesday. Two are for breaching COVID-19 regulations by failing to wear a mask when it was required and one charge is under the Infectious Diseases Act for not complying with an officer during investigations.
Phoon hit the news last year when a video of her not wearing a mask at Marina Bay Sands went viral. She was filmed removing her mask outside the State Courts and received another charge for this.
She was sentenced to 16 weeks’ jail in September last year.
On Mar 29, wearing a mask outdoors in Singapore was made optional. That was extended to indoor areas – except on public transport and in healthcare facilities – on Aug 29.
If convicted of failing to wear a mask when required, Phoon could be jailed for up to a year, fined up to S$20,000 or both as a repeat offender.
The penalties are the same for a repeat offence of not complying with an officer during investigations under the Infectious Diseases Act.