Uncle tries to conduct civilian’s arrest on FoodPanda rider for smoking, gets slammed by Singaporeans

Singapore – On January 4, 2019, a video was uploaded in the Facebook page of All Singapore Stuff which shows an argument between a man and a FoodPanda rider who was smoking.

The location seems to be in an HDB void deck and the man, whom netizens have started calling “Uncle”, is demanding the rider to either step out of the premises or extinguish his cigarette immediately because the latter is violating a no-smoking rule. When the rider refuses to obey, the “Uncle” starts demanding for the IC of the rider, even though he isn’t a law enforcer.

The video has gone viral and now has over 93K views, 1,900 shares, and 1.1K comments.

https://www.facebook.com/SGchineseclub/videos/324884128363289/?q=Man%20who%E2%80%99s%20neither%20police%20nor%20NEA%20officer%20demands%20IC%20from%20FoodPanda%20rider%20for%20smoking%2C%20S%E2%80%99poreans%20react%20strongly&epa=SEARCH_BOX

In case you missed it, here is the dialogue between the “Uncle” and Rider:

Uncle: I explain it to you again, by law you cannot smoke at the void deck. You want, you smoke outside, or, extinguish it now.

Rider: No, I’m gonna finish it now.

Uncle: Extinguish it, not finish it, extinguish it now.

Rider: I don’t care, no, I don’t care.

Uncle: What?

Rider: I don’t care.

Uncle: What? You don’t care right, you said you don’t care. I already told you right, by law, you cannot smoke in the void deck, ok, mister.

Rider: Yeah, but you not NEA also what.

Uncle: Yeah, but I can send this to NEA, you give me your IC la, I send to NEA la, see what they say.

Rider: But you not officer also.

Uncle: Can, I can get your IC and send to them, it’s no problem one.

Rider: No, you not offer you can’t get my IC.

Uncle: You stay here, I call them now la.

Rider: Call la.

Uncle: Ok can.

About civilian’s arrest

Under section 66 or the Penal Code, a private or ordinary person, not acting in the capacity of a sworn law enforcement officer, can arrest another without a warrant under the circumstance that an offence was committed. Based on IRB Law LLP in Singapore, a civilian’s arrest allows a private citizen to arrest any person who, in his view or presence, commits an arrestable, non-bailable offence.

Furthermore, any person making a civilian’s arrest must be transferred to the police at the soonest possible time and all video or sound recording be tendered as evidence to the police.

Because of the arrogance of the man confronting the FoodPanda rider, the netizens are taking the side of the rider. They acknowledge the violation committed by the rider but are not in agreement with how “Uncle” took matters into his own hands.

First, Tufkuki Chan criticizes the man’s actions for demanding the IC even though he isn’t a law enforcer. Rendall Koh makes a follow-up and says that even law enforcers are not permitted to demand IC as well. Raymond CH Chan is in agreement with this comment.

Sylvia Chang makes a unique observation and says that things could have gone in a different direction if the rider was not wearing a uniform.

Other netizens don’t see the need for public shaming and the rider should just have been left alone.

Firaz Mikail makes a comment that got a lot of likes: