Singapore is a "Fine" Country

Ignorance of foreign laws excuses no one so it pays to be cautious. International laws are most of the times universal, that is, as long as you respect people and respect their cultures, you will be fine. But sometimes, there are certain laws that are peculiar to a particular country. There are things which you can do in one country that you cannot do in another because it is considered illegal. You do that, even unknowingly, and you will be fined. And in a “fine” country like Singapore, here are some laws to remember so as not to find ourselves in trouble.

1. Bubblegum Law. Singapore is probably the only country that bans selling of gums. It was prohibited because of the unsightly and unsanitary proliferations of chewed gums that used to litter subways of the country. Although chewing of gum is allowed, most Singaporeans do away with gums and just contend themselves with chocolates or candies to avoid huge fines.

2. It is OK to be gay, just don’t overdo it. Singapore’s Penal Code provides that “Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 2 years”. The same code also provides that "Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animals, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine." Although gross indecency is such a broad term, Singapore Laws tend to apply this in its more strict sense.

3. Pornography is a no-no. Of course, pornography is illegal in almost all countries but in Singapore, mere possession of obscene publication constitutes pornography. Selling, making, reproducing, buying, distributing materials which the local authorities deem obscene carry with it imprisonment which may go for 2 years.

4. Walking around at home nude is considered pornographic. Singapore Law provides “Any person who appears nude in a public place or in a private place and is exposed to public view, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.

5. Keep Singapore Clean. Singapore is one of the cleanest country in the world thanks partly to its anti-littering law. Littering can cost you a fine of you’ll also be forced to do community forced labor. If you are convicted of littering three times, you will have to clean the streets on Sundays with a bib on saying, “I am a litterer.”

6. Toilet Rules. These may sound weird and a reasonable man would say “who would do that?” but a law in Singapore deemed it illegal to pee in an elevator. So drunkards who relieve themselves in a lift mistaking it for a comfort room might find themselves waking-up in prison cells. I have also gathered that failure to flush a public toilet after use may result in very hefty fines but I just don’t know if this is real and how can they monitor this.

7. Smoke at your own risk. Singapore laws prohibits smoking in air-conditioned buildings including restaurants and work places. "The purpose of the smoking ban is to protect non-smokers from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke," said the National Environment Agency. However, the law designates smoking areas for those who can’t resist to puff. Hefty fines are at stake so be sure to smoke only on designated places.

I have been to Singapore only twice and luckily, I have never yet gotten into trouble on both trips. (And hopefully never ever). Violation of laws definitely will alter any violator’s itinerary because settling it is time consuming and expensive too. So again, better be safe and cautious than sorry. And as any responsible traveler would do, always research on the laws and customs of your destination.

Hopefully, this post provided some guidance about peculiar laws on Singapore and feel free to either add anything on the list or correct my entries based on your own experience with the country. Have a safe journey everyone.