Police investigating repeat offender who refused to wear a mask, allegedly assaulted another woman at Shunfu Mart

SINGAPORE — The police are investigating a 40-year-old Singaporean woman for not wearing a mask and for allegedly assaulting a 47-year-old woman at Shunfu Mart.

In response to TODAY’s queries, the police said that they had received a call for assistance at 320 Shunfu Road — the address of Shunfu Mart — at 12.16pm on Sunday (May 3).

“Preliminary investigations indicated that a 40-year-old Singaporean woman, who had previously breached safe distancing measures, was not wearing a mask and allegedly assaulted a 47-year-old woman who advised her to put on a mask,” the police said.

“The police are investigating the woman for voluntarily causing hurt, causing public nuisance and breaching safe distancing measures under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.”

They added that the authorities take a serious view of “such abusive and irresponsible behaviour”, especially in the current Covid-19 situation.

“We urge the public to take the circuit breaker measures seriously and comply with the safe distancing measures,” said the police.

Earlier, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Chong Kee Hiong in a Facebook post said that he is aware that members of the public are concerned about an incident involving a “repeat offender” who had “defiantly refused to don a mask at Shunfu Market” on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Chong stated that in a previous incident, “this person has been caught and fined”.

“We cannot have such acts of irresponsibility while the whole of Singapore makes sacrifices and is fighting Covid-19 as one,” he said.

While Mr Chong did not disclose the gender of the offender, it is understood that he was referring to a woman featured in several videos taken at Shunfu Mart and nearby, which have been widely shared on social media.

The woman can be seen arguing with members of the public who had advised her to put on a mask.

In one video inside the market, the woman can be heard saying “the law is… you can’t tell me what to do”.

In a second video taken at a walkway, the woman said that the police had previously stopped her at the market and had let her off without a warning or a fine.

She added: “I’m a sovereign… This is something people are not going to know what it is.”

In a third video, a member of the public was seen approaching the woman with a face mask. Instead, the man was brushed off as the woman told him to “mind his own business”.

Mr Chong, whose GRC takes in Shunfu Mart, said that he would like to thank Singapore Police Force officers for “swiftly apprehending the offender on the spot today”.

He added: “Rest assured that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated and offenders will be dealt with according to the law.”

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