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NParks volunteer fined for organising illegal night photography session in Windsor Nature Park

SINGAPORE — A nature guide abused his position as a volunteer with the National Parks Board (NParks) to lead a photography group into Windsor Nature Park after hours, despite knowing full well that he did not have the authority to do so.

For illegal entry into the Windsor Nature Park (pictured) after its official hours, instigating others to follow, and for blocking the entrance to its carpark, Lee Chin Tiong, 57, was fined a total of S$4,700.

For illegal entry into the Windsor Nature Park (pictured) after its official hours, instigating others to follow, and for blocking the entrance to its carpark, Lee Chin Tiong, 57, was fined a total of S$4,700.

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SINGAPORE — A nature guide abused his position as a volunteer with the National Parks Board (NParks) to lead a photography group into Windsor Nature Park after hours, despite knowing full well that he did not have the authority to do so.

For illegal entry into the Central Catchment Nature Reserve’s buffer park, instigating others to follow, and for blocking the entrance to its car park, Lee Chin Tiong, 57, was fined a total of S$4,700.

The court heard on Tuesday (April 16) that Lee, also known as Ben Lee, had organised a night macro photography session on Feb 20, 2018, for a group of four photography enthusiasts and two of his assistants.

Lee, who is also the founder of the “self-styled” nature conservation group Nature Trekker, had planned to enter the park at around 8.30pm.

The park, located at Venus Drive, is closed to the public from 7pm to 7am, and this information is stated on signs posted at the park’s entrance and on NParks’ website.

The statutory board’s prosecutor Ron Goh said this enforced closure allows the “nocturnal rhythms of the animals within the reserve to be undisturbed by human activity”.

KEPT LOCATION TO HIMSELF

Investigations revealed that Lee had asked the photographers, who were members of his group, to meet him at a petrol station along Thomson Road, before telling them to follow his car to Windsor Nature Park.

The four men had each taken part in previous trips organised by Lee, including local and paid overseas ones. Court documents did not indicate if this particular incident was a paid event. Lee told TODAY that he organised this trip for free.

The men revealed in an interview with the authorities that prior to meeting Lee that day, they did not know where they were going until they were told at the petrol station.

Mr Goh said that Lee did not publicise the event on his group’s website, but through a private WhatsApp chat group that he was managing.

Before the group started their photography session, they asked Lee if he had the approval to bring them into the park that night. Lee reassured them that they did.

As the park’s automated car park gantry disallowed vehicular access after 7pm, the group parked three of their cars in front of the barrier instead, blocking the entry.

All this while, NParks Conservation Officer Muhammad Affandi was observing the group, who entered the park at around 8.35pm. As Mr Affandi was alone, he waited until backup arrived at around 9.20pm.

Mr Affandi and two of his colleagues then conducted a search and found the group some 230m within a dark area of the park. They had set up spotlights, and were also using flashlights and torchlights to carry out their session.

The officers approached the group and put a stop to the photography session at about 9.25pm.

Investigations revealed that Lee had apologised in the WhatsApp chat group for the incident a day later. He said that he alone was allowed to enter the park at night to “catch poachers”, and that NParks was unaware that he would be bringing six people with him to “enjoy photographic interest”.

Mr Goh said that Lee was at that time a volunteer with the NParks’ Conservation Division, which manages the nature parks and nature reserves.

NParks told TODAY on April 17 that it is reviewing Lee’s status as a volunteer.

Lee had not sought for approval for his after hour activities in the park, added Mr Goh. Even then, Mr Goh noted that such approval “would not have been given”.

Furthermore, Mr Goh said that due to Lee’s misrepresentation to the group that he had approval to bring them into the park that night, he had also abetted their illegal entry.

CREATING A CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT

NParks’ group conservation director Adrian Loo said buffer parks, such as Windsor Nature Park, surround the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves to “provide a contiguous habitat for the native fauna”.

“Most of our native fauna are nocturnal and sensitive to human activity. Hence, all our nature reserves and the buffer parks that immediately abut them are closed at night to allow our native fauna a more conducive environment to forage and mate,” said Dr Loo.

Fauna within these zones include the pangolin, mousedeer, slow loris and the cinnamon bushfrog whose populations NParks are monitoring, he added.

For entering the park illegally after it was closed, and for abetting others to do so, Lee could have been fined up to S$2,000 for each charge.

For obstructing the entrance to the car park, Lee could also have been fined up to S$2,000.

Related topics

crime Windsor Nature Park photography illegal entry NParks

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