56 y.o Kwang Geok Ming, who is also the director of Newcastle Education Centre along Yishun Ring Road was fined $2,700 for not wearing a mask properly in the premises of the tuition centre on several occasions.
Photographs of him not being masked properly were also capture by safe-distancing ambassadors (SDA).
Kwang tried to justify his actions initially by stating that he had argued with an SDA, but later admitted to his actions as the SDA had took a picture of him picking up a phone call with his mask pulled down to right below his chin.
Timeline of offences
Kwang’s offences started from 11 Oct 2020 all the way to 30 March 2021.
On 21 Oct 2020, Kwang was caught by enforcement officers and SDAs for failing to wear his mask over the nose and mouth even when he was repeatedly reminded to do so.
He was observed sitting, standing and walking around the front counter, openly viewable to those outside for a good 10 minutes by the officers.
He was seen again on 1 December 2020 interacting with a female customer behind the counter, without donning his mask properly.
On 25 March 2021, he was caught again for not wearing his mask properly. This time, he was seated behind the counter speaking on the phone.
There were other people in the premises at the time of his offences.
The sentence
Kwang had been offered chances to resolve the matter instead of coming to court, all in which he chose not to do so.
He was initially offered a $300 fine in November 2020 for his first offence but he did not want to accept it even though the fine stated that he would be brought up to court if he did not pay for it.
He pleaded for leniency saying that he is not rich, and $800 would be a three month total expense for breakfast for his family.
He asked if the fine could be reduced to $2,500 but the judge said that he would not change his verdict.
Those who are convicted for flouting the rules of not wearing a mask properly over the mouth and nose can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to six months or both.
Image source: Google maps & Kwang Geok Ming Facebook