Singapore — The wedding reception of Ah Boys To Men star Maxi Lim on Sunday (Dec 20) is being investigated by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) for allegedly flouting Singapore Covid wedding rules.
Photos of the event circulating online suggest Covid-19 safety measures had not been followed by the guests.
Lim and his wife, influencer Lizy Teo, registered their marriage towards the end of March and found it the “most socially responsible thing to do” to postpone the wedding reception as the pandemic worsened.
The couple eventually held their reception at One Degree 15 Marina in Sentosa Cove on Sunday. However, it appears that some of the people there did not comply with the Covid-19 safety rules.
Photos and videos circulating on social media platforms such as Instagram show those at the wedding reception intermingling and not wearing face masks.
In addition, Ah Boys To Men cast members Joshua Tan, Noah Yap, Charlie Goh, influencer Nicole Choo, comedians Fakkah Fuzz and Jai Kishan, and emcee Justin Misson, among others, were spotted playing games and performing on stage without masks or face shields.
A member of the public complained to the STB after seeing the posts, reported tnp.sg (The New Paper) on Tuesday (Dec 22). The reader, who tipped off the publication, spoke about the importance of following the Singapore Covid wedding rules.
“I held my wedding recently, and I am aware how the guidelines may put a damper on the joyous occasion,” said the reader. “However, just like other couples who got married during this period, we know the importance of these guidelines and many of us, with constant reminders from the venue provider, followed (them) despite all the inconveniences.”
“To see a public figure ignoring such guidelines blatantly is disheartening. It is also ironic to see public figures breaking the rules when they had been advocating the public to observe safe management measures.”
The STB’s director of hotel and sector manpower, Ms Tan Yen Nee, told TNP that it was investigating the matter.
“STB… takes a serious view of any breach in safe management measures within hotel premises… Strict enforcement action will be taken against errant businesses or individuals, which may include fines, temporary closure and prosecution to the full extent of the law,” said Ms Tan.
The rules currently in place note wedding receptions cannot exceed 100 attendees split across multiple zones of up to 50 people each. Furthermore, receptions with more than 20 attendees are required to be split into a designated core wedding party of up to 20 people, including the bride and groom, and groups of up to five people for the remaining guests.
Attendees should also maintain a safe distance of at least 1 m between the core wedding party and other groups at all times. This includes photo-taking.
Meanwhile, event emcees and people delivering speeches on stage are required to wear masks or face shields. Live performances are prohibited under the Singapore Covid wedding rules.
According to One Degree 15 Marina’s acting general manager, Mr Jonathan Sit, its operations team is required to brief the couple and wedding coordinators on the necessary safety measures. It also goes through the programme to ensure there are no games, singing or shouting.
“Should there be breaches during the wedding, our staff and managers will immediately tell the guests and even the wedding couple to stay in their seats,” said Mr Sit. He did not, however, provide a statement on the allegations made, TNP noted.
First-time offenders of the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act will face a fine of up to S$10,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both. Repeat offenders could be fined up to S$20,000, imprisoned for up to 12 months, or both. /TISG
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