Singapore ― A Housing and Development Board (HDB) resident expressed concerns about his neighbour’s CCTV camera installed opposite his door.
One Mr Lee said he had lived at Block 27A Jalan Membina for over a decade while a new family moved into the unit opposite theirs in March this year.
He then noticed that their neighbour’s doorbell had a camera on it.
Worried about the privacy intrusion and the legality of installing a camera, Mr Lee raised the issue to relevant authorities, including his Member of Parliament, to no avail.
Mr Lee also went to the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) to begin negotiations; however, his neighbour refused.
Despite having removed the camera from their doorbell in April, the neighbour installed another camera on the wall next to the door, reported Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News on Saturday (Oct 9).
He noted that the CCTV system had a 160-degree wide-angle camera that could reach his unit’s entrance.
Mr Lee expressed concerns that the camera would take photos of his home and family’s movements.
He added that the doorbell had a voice function that could record their conversations.
The neighbour should not be allowed to install a camera on the shared corridor, said Mr Lee.
Meanwhile, the neighbour explained to Shin Min Daily News that the doorbell and camera were installed to interact with delivery personnel remotely.
He added that they often receive packages but his wife, who was usually at home, has trouble communicating in English.
The neighbour also said that the camera only records movement from within one metre of it and would not accidentally film Mr Lee’s family.
Relevant authorities and the police have visited his home on multiple occasions, noting no violations were found.
He hoped that Mr Lee would understand the situation, expressing no intent in putting the camera down.
CCTV cameras are a common issue of dispute among Singapore residents, although they have proven beneficial in catching suspicious behaviour.
In September this year, a neighbour was caught on camera harassing his neighbour by banging on their door.
Despite putting a white blanket over his head, the cameras still captured the man’s actions clearly. /TISG
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