Viral post: The day “enforcement officers” harassed clinic staff and patients

Singapore – A group of “enforcement officers”, later determined to be from the Ministry of Health, descended on a clinic last week and harassed the staff and patients there.

The incident was related in a Facebook post on Thursday (June 11) by someone who was in the clinic the previous morning. Ms Channey Lim, who thought the men were from the National Environment Agency, said they began checking the patients on the reason for their visit to the clinic and whether they were there for essential purposes. When the clinic staff said such information was private and confidential, one of the officers said he had the right to access the confidential information.

Ms Lim then details the conversations between the officers, the clinic staff and even at least one patient. She then asks if what happened was normal and whether enforcement officers are allowed to handle a situation in an abusive manner. “I personally feel, authority is not to be abused,” she said.

Ms Lim later confirmed that the men were from the Ministry of Health in an update to her post. The NEA also clarified in a Facebook post that its officers only have jurisdiction over areas under the department’s care, such as hawker centres and markets.

Ms Lim’s post was widely read and many felt that it was a case of abuse of power.

One person suggested that the incident be reported to the police. Others hoped the clinic had reliable CCTV cameras with footage that would be useful in investigations.

The NEA, which responded to Ms Lim’s post because she had thought the men were from that agency, had requested more details, such as the clinic name and address, so that it could investigate the matter further. It was later determined that the men were from the Ministry of Health.