THE crime? Eating a sweet on board an MRT train.
The punishment? A $30 fine.
The offender 48-year-old housewife, Mdm Bibi Zaina Binti Mohamed attempts to justify her actions.
She said, 'I know it is not OK but I take it sometimes because I am giddy.'
Enforcement officer Roger Foo did not buy her explanation. 'If everyone were to say they have to take sweets because they are thirsty or giddy, where are we going to draw a line?' he rebukes.
SMRT on Thursday started cracking down on commuters eating or drinking on trains.
500 enforcement officers have started patrolling trains for errant commuters and if you are caught consuming, first time offenders could be fined $30.
Such action comes a year after trying a different approach.
Before this crackdown, SMRT used to counsel chomping commuters instead.
However, when the number offences rose from 276 cases in 2006 to 595 in 2008, SMRT moved to change tactics.
Whether the enforcement works remains to be seen, but you can find out what happens to people caught for eating or drinking on board a MRT train or at a MRT station on RazorTV.
__________________________________________________________The next time you want to pop a sweet in an MRT train, be warned. It could cost you $30. Really SMRT, what are you going to do next? Fine us $50 for drinking water in the trains?
Do you really need to pay 500 people to patrol trains catching people eating and drinking? I think it costs less to pay 10 cleaners to clean the trains everyday no? Seriously, if you have so much money, why don't you lower train fares.