I Wasn T Aware Of Mask Rule Woman Tells Singapore Court

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Screen grabs from a video showing Phoon Chiu Yoke arguing with a safe distancing ambassador at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.PETALING JAYA: The Singaporean woman seen in a viral video clip refusing to don a mask while at Marina Bay Sands claimed she was not familiar with the law that required her to wear a mask in public.
According to a report by The Independent Singapore, Phoon Chiu Yoke, 53, walked into the court without a mask on during her appearance on Monday.
After seeing photographers, she hooked a mask over one ear. A security guard then told her to put the mask on properly and she complied.
Phoon later attempted to remove her mask before addressing the court, but district judge A Sangeetha ordered her to keep her mask on throughout the proceedings.
However, when leaving the court, she took off her mask and smiled at photographers.
At a separate appearance after her arrest yesterday, Phoon told district judge Adam Nakhoda she was not familiar with the new laws that required her to wear a mask in public.
She said she had just come back from a six-to-seven-week holiday in Scotland and had not heard of the regulation.
She said she was only made aware of the Covid-19 regulations after the incident at Marina Bay Sands on May 15.
She had made the headlines after a video showed her arguing with a safe distancing ambassador at the resort and shopping centre.
Nakhoda ordered Phoon to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for two weeks for psychiatric assessment, but she asked for an “exemption”.
She will return to court on June 8 to face the charge of not wearing a mask in a public place. - FMT

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