A 68-year-old retiree has lodged multiple police reports over his own wife smoking in their home. According to the Chinese daily, 68-year-old Mr Lian Yong Seng has called the police on his own 65-year-old wife who has a habit of smoking up to 10 cigarettes each day.
The elderly couple share a one-room flat and Mr Lian has been complaining of the side effects his wife’s smoking is having on his health over the past two years.
When his wife lights up, Mr Lian apparently experiences tightness in his chest as he inevitably inhales second hand smoke due to the close physical proximity between the couple in the cramped flat.
Unable to stop his wife from smoking, Mr Lian sought the help of the police on 2 occasions over the past two years. The retiree was met with disappointment on both occasions since his wife simply claims that she is free to smoke as she pleases in her own home.
Mr Lian lamented to reporters: “When police officers came to the house, my wife said she was the owner of the house and had the right to smoke here. She said that the law could not stop her or fine her for smoking at home.”
Under the SMOKING (PROHIBITION IN CERTAIN PLACES) ACT enforced by the National Environment Agency (NEA), it is presently lawful to smoke within one’s own home.
Just a few weeks ago, several ruling party politicians drew flak for suggesting that the Government should do more to prohibit smoking within homes. Hundreds of Singaporeans criticised such a suggestion and asserted that they should be free to do as they please in the comfort of their own home.
Mr Lian, however, is not one of the hundreds. Opining that he will support any government action to ban smoking at home, he told the daily: “I believe a no-smoking-at-home law will help my wife quit smoking because she is scared of the government.”