bdmetronews Desk ॥ A 40-year-old man was charged on Monday (17 May) with lying to a Nanyang Technological University (NTU) researcher that he was unable to attend a session as he had been quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19.
Paul Chan Kin Nang, a Singaporean, was handed a charge under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act for communicating a false message, as he had not tested positive for the virus, according to his charge sheet. The document did not state Chan’s position in the university.
Chan allegedly sent the false message on 6 September last year at about 12.47pm to researcher Lau Zen Juen, by sending an email to the latter. He is said to have stated in the email, “Hi, I am unable to attend the session tomorrow as I am tested positive for Covid19 and is now quarantine in hospital.”
According to the her laboratory’s website, Lau is “currently working on projects investigating the cognitive neuroscience of deception and is also an avid contributor of several open-source softwares”.
The section of communicating a false message under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act is a new one, added under amendments to the act in January last year. The offence carries a maximum jail term of three years, and/or a fine of up to $10,000.
Chan will return to court on 14 June for a further mention of his case.
Yahoo News Singapore has contacted NTU for comments.
Wan Ting Koh
SINGAPORE
