Man who breached Stay-Home Notice to visit ICA, Tan Tock Seng Hospital charged
SINGAPORE — A Singaporean man was charged on Thursday (30 April) for breaching his Stay-Home Notice twice to travel to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) building.
Ong Chong Kiat, 50, had returned from Indonesia on 24 March and was served an SHN that lasted until 7 April, according to an ICA press release.
However, he allegedly left his Hougang residence twice, on 27 March and 30 March, on both occasions visiting ICA’s building in Lavender to appeal to be allowed to depart Singapore before his SHN was completed.
According to his charge sheets, Ong left his residence at Block 645 Hougang Avenue 8 from 10am to 2pm on 27 March for the ICA building. He allegedly took a private hire vehicle there with the intention to appeal to be allowed to depart Singapore before completing his 14-day SHN. ICA officers advised him to return home immediately, said ICA in its press release.
On 30 March, he then allegedly took a private hire vehicle to Tan Tock Seng Hospital to obtain medical test reports before heading to ICA to make another appeal to be allowed to leave Singapore ahead of his SHN completion. His charge sheet stated that he was away from home from about 10am to 12pm.
Ong’s case has been fixed for a pre-trial conference on 15 May.
From 11.59pm on 20 March, all residents, Long-Term Pass holders and short-term visitors entering Singapore have been issued an SHN, which requires them to remain their residences at all times for 14 days.
If found guilty of an offence under the Infectious Diseases Act (COVID-19 – Stay Orders) Regulations 2020, Ong may be jailed up to six months, or fined up to $10,000, or both.
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