Flare‑Up of Feelings at the Front Lines of Singapore’s Circuit Breaker
From smack‑downs to smack‑ups, enforcement officers and SG Clean and Safe‑Distancing ambassadors are seeing their patience tested by a wave of physical and verbal abuse. As our resilient city tightened the lockdown from April 7, the 3,000 hands that keep the rules in check are now feeling the heat of their own duty.
What the Office Staff Are Facing
- Slaps – from people who can’t accept the “no crowd” rule.
- Punches – a quick roughest thing that shows nobody’s home is safe.
- Head‑butts – when a volunteer turns a basketball match into an illegal slam‑dash.
- Vulgarities – no need for the extra poison in the word salad.
It’s now a double‑handed risk: physical and verbal for the same officers. Officials from 50 public agencies and volunteers from hospitality, aviation and other non‑public sectors all get the same long‑arm status (and a battered shoulder as a side‑effect).
Police and MEWR Update (18 Apr 2025)
On April 16 the police logged 12 reports of abuse – a rough spike against the fleet of enforcement crew. Two blunders make the headlines:
- A 40‑year‑old head‑butt at a cordoned Khatib hall – he got a hard call to stop the basketball hoop.
- A 72‑year‑old slap at a hawker station – a single finger on the wall after a lunch‑between‑rules observation.
MEWR and the police are seriously cracking down. The move is a firm statement that “abuse = no go”, and the offenders are already behind the bench of justice.
Who Gets a Fine? Who Gets Jails? The Grand Berk’
- Abusive language – up to S$5,000 fine, 12‑month jail, or both.
- Voluntary hurt to deter duty – up to 7‑year jail, fine, or caning (always hard).
- Criminal force – up to 4‑year jail, fine, or both.
In short, the police are taking the “you them, them you” approach seriously.
What You Should Do
- Bring identification with you on the go – no excuses if the police ask.
- Don’t be the person who lingers without giving your name and address – that’s a crime, not a myth.
Officials urge everyone to surface the circuit breaker rules with a sense of place, teamwork, and a little humor: “We’re doing this for all of us,” they say, “so keep calm, keep safe, and keep compliant.”
