A video of a girl in school uniform smoking while sitting at a bench at a void deck has been going viral online, with nearly 50,000 views since it was uploaded to Facebook this morning.
In the video captured by an unknown individual sitting close by her, the teenager can be seen sitting on the bench with another young girl and smoking a cigarette. The girl taps the cigarette ash onto the ground as she smokes. After the girl finishes with her cigarette, she flicks the bud onto the ground.
The girl then looks towards the man filming. Calling him “Uncle”, the girl requests another cigarette for herself, prompting the man filming to express surprise in Tamil since she just finished one.
One netizen captured the exchange in a comment on the video:
Smoking under the age of 18 is an offence in Singapore. Convicted persons are liable to a fine of up to $300. Schools may also take disciplinary action against students who are caught contravening underage smoking regulations internally.
Smoking is also prohibited in the majority of indoor locations and selected outdoor locations in Singapore, including void decks. An individual who is caught smoking in a prohibited place is liable on conviction to a fine of $200. If convicted in Court, the offender may be liable to a fine of up to $1,000.
Littering is an offence in Singapore, as well. First time offenders who throw small items like cigarette butts or candy wrappers are typically fined $300. In 2014, the Environmental Public Health Act was revised and the maximum fine for littering offenders was doubled to $2,000 for a first conviction. Repeat offenders can be fined $4,000 for their second conviction, and $10,000 for their third and subsequent convictions.
While some netizens noted that the girl in the video committed all three offences – underage smoking, smoking in a prohibited area, and littering – the majority of netizens slammed the person who took the video for exposing the identity of the girl, whose face can clearly be seen in the clip:
https://theindependent.sg.sg/viral-video-of-woman-smoking-at-changi-airport-that-riled-singaporeans-is-from-months-ago/