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One woman claimed to be above the law as “sovereign” and allegedly beat a person, another is accused of assaulting a police officer, and a man faces attempted murder in a stabbing incident.
They are among several recent violent cases related to the current need to wear a face mask in public.
Why do some people object to the simple task of putting on a mask to protect themselves and others, and then turn violent when asked to do so?
The experts The New Paper spoke to were concerned and also somewhat puzzled.
For infectious disease expert Leong Hoe Nam, there will always be some black sheep that refuse to follow the rules despite warnings to do so and penalties for not doing so.
While he wasn’t sure why some might turn violent, he noted that those people are putting the general public at unnecessary risk.
“There will always be people who disagree, and this can cause problems for the rest of society, but I don’t think we can do much more about it,” said Dr. Leong.
“It’s like illegal drugs. You can have severe penalties, more warnings about its harmful effects, but there will always be some who will still abuse it.”
Overall, he said, the majority response in Singapore has been reasonable.
“I wish more people would stay home, but I think the response so far is not so bad.”
The multi-ministry working group announced on April 14 that wearing a mask would be mandatory in public, with a few exceptions.
Caught violators will receive a $ 300 fine for the first offense, and the fine will increase to $ 1,000 for second-time violators. More egregious cases will be prosecuted in court.
Last Sunday, a woman was caught on video refusing to wear a mask at Shunfu Mart, claiming that she was “sovereign” and that the rules did not apply to her. A physical therapist, Paramjeet Kaur, 40, was later arrested for being a public nuisance, not wearing a mask, and assaulting a woman.
She faces three charges of violating Covid-19 rules and one of being a public nuisance.
Last Thursday, another woman was filmed refusing to wear a mask at Sun Plaza and arguing with police.
Kasturi Govindasamy Retnamswamy, 40, was arrested for allegedly injuring a police officer. He faces five charges, including the use of abusive words and criminal force against a public servant.
Like Kaur, she had previously been fined for not wearing a mask. They have been referred to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH).
In the most extreme case here so far, Ahirrudin Al-Had Haji Arrifin, 61, was charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing a National Park Board official who had hired him for not wearing a mask and cutting plants illegally in the connector of the Sungei Serangoon park. Last Monday.
Ahirrudin, who has a medical history at the IMH, was sent to the Changi Prison Complex Medical Center.
Similar incidents have been reported elsewhere, including the shooting death of a security guard at a store in Michigan, USA. USA, after he told a woman that wearing a mask was mandatory.
Psychologist Frances Yeo said there are several possible reasons in addition to mental problems that could make some refuse to wear a mask.
“It could be an optimism bias, stubbornness or even a deliberate element,” he said, noting that older people tend to be more irritable and may even have an attack.
“It is not surprising that even when the elderly know they are at greater risk, they will insist on going out and they cannot be stopped.”
But clinical psychologist Carol Balhetchet said this challenging attitude is not unique to the elderly.
“For the elderly, it is like being the smart guy, but for the young, it is bravado,” he said.
“The younger generation has not been exposed to disaster, has never experienced famine or war, and even Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and H1N1 were not as dramatic.”
She said that youthful defiance is not always through ill will.
“I recently saw a 12-year-old boy without a mask, who went to touch some older people and said ‘look, now I have infected you.’
“Such actions are joking and do not come from a malicious place,” he said.
Given that some breaker measures are expected to relax starting tomorrow, experts were concerned that more people could become lax as well.
Criminal lawyer James Ow Yong said, “We may be able to see more teasing of the rules … (but) we certainly shouldn’t let our guard down.”
He said that while it is difficult to understand why one would intentionally ignore the rules, the law is clear on what cannot be tolerated and what the consequences are.
“Enforcement agencies have been sending a strong deterrent signal in the current climate,” he said.
“Civic duty requires that you care not only for your own well-being but also that of others.
“If you choose your convenience at the expense of the safety of others, you can expect little mercy when the law finally catches up with you.”
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