Man accused of causing 8 Singapore flags to be burnt in Woodlands
SINGAPORE — A 25-year-old man was charged on Friday (8 August) with burning a Singapore flag along the 13th floor common corridor of an HDB block in Woodlands with a lighter.
As a result of Elson Ong Yong Liang’s alleged action on Sunday morning (4 August), seven other Singapore flags tied vertically across seven floors at Block 774 Woodlands Crescent also caught fire.
Ong, a Singaporean, faces one charge of mischief by fire. The offence carries a jail term of up to seven years, along with a fine.
He is being remanded at Woodlands Police Division and will appear in court again on 15 August.
In a statement on Wednesday (8 August), the police said they were alerted to the burnt Singapore flags at Block 774 and established the identity of a suspect via ground enquiries and CCTV footage. Ong was arrested on Wednesday.
The police also said that they believe the perpetrator to be involved in other similar cases in Woodlands.
Ong is not facing a charge under the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act. Under the Act, it is an offence to treat the Singapore flag with disrespect, and offenders face a fine of up to $1,000.
The Act also stipulates the Singapore flag can be displayed outside a building or in an open space without the need for a flagpole and without proper illumination at night only from 1 July to 30 September.
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