Covid-19: Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant at Turf City, construction firm to be charged over company dinner for 65 people

SINGAPORE — Seafood restaurant operator Ah Yat Abalone Forum Restaurant Holdings will be charged on Wednesday (Sept 1) with allowing a group of 65 people to gather at its Turf City eatery for a company dinner.

Asia Piling, the construction firm that organised the dinner, will also be charged over organising the gathering at Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant at The Grandstand.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said that it had filed charges against the restaurant operator over allowing a company dinner at the restaurant on Feb 6 this year.

SLA also filed charges against Asia Piling for organising the gathering for “a purpose that is substantially recreational or personal in character”.

Both will be charged on Wednesday with the alleged breaches of regulations designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

In its statement, SLA said that the Government takes a serious view of such violations.

Under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, first-time offenders will face a fine of up to S$10,000 or a jail term of up to six months, or both.

Subsequent offenders may face a fine of up to S$20,000 or a jail term of up to one year, or both.

In February, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment said that Ah Yat Seafood Restaurant was required to close for 10 days as a result of allowing the dinner. The 65 people had been seated across nine tables, it added.