SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) is reaching out to a Bangladeshi national who has been issued a notice of offence for plucking leaves off a tree at the Singapore Botanic Gardens earlier this month.
NParks told Channel NewsAsia on Sunday (Jan 28) that it “may consider an appeal” for the case.
Photos have been circulating on social media showing a notice of offence issued by NParks to a Bangladeshi man for plucking the leaves off a tree. An accompanying photo appears to show an AXS station fines payment screen asking for a fine of S$2,000 to be paid for the offence.
In a statement, NParks confirmed that a visitor to the Singapore Botanic Gardens was issued with a notice of offence for plucking the leaves of a Syzygium myrtifolium tree (also known as a Kelat Oil or Red Lip tree).
“NParks may consider an appeal for this case following the issuance of the notice of offence,” said the statement. “We will take mitigating circumstances into consideration when deciding on the composition amount, and will contact the visitor to look further into the case.”
Under the Parks and Trees Act it is an offence to cut, collect or displace any plant within a public park, the NParks statement said, adding that the offence carries a maximum fine of S$5,000.
Channel NewsAsia understands that such notices of offence will state that no action needs to be taken until a composition notice is issued, stating the amount that needs to be paid.
If someone were to try to pay a fine at an AXS machine based on a notice of offence, the machine is programmed to automatically generate an amount based on the type of offence that is keyed in.
In a case like that of the Bangladeshi national’s, the machine is programmed to automatically generate a fine of S$2,000.
The Syzygium myrtifolium tree is listed as native to Singapore and presumed nationally extinct on NParks’ Flora and Fauna Web.
Photos circulating online appear to show a notice of offence and an AXS payment screen.
