Singapore
The Seletar Hash House Harriers apologised on behalf of three of its members for the alarm and inconvenience caused by Tuesday’s incident at Woodleigh MRT station.
SINGAPORE: Local running group Seletar Hash House Harriers apologised on Wednesday (Apr 19) for causing alarm and inconvenience in Tuesday’s (Apr 18) security scare at Woodleigh MRT station.
The group said in a press release that three of its members were marking a trail for a run scheduled for Tuesday evening.
The trio were planning a running route run that planned to take runners from Bidadari towards Woodleigh Close and they chose to use the MRT underpass as it provided the safest way to cross Upper Serangoon road, the statement said.
Police arrested one of the trio, a 69-year-old man for causing alarm, while the remaining two men, aged 53 and 70, assisted police with investigations. Their actions had triggered a temporary closure of the MRT station for about three hours.
According to the Seletar Hash House Harriers, the trio had left baking flour at three to four points within the station’s premises. This was part of marking a hash running trail – a practice which typically involves using flour, chalk or tissue to mark out a trail for runners.
“Upon learning of the subsequent investigations at Woodleigh station, our three members stepped forward immediately to identify themselves and have cooperated fully with the authorities. They are sorry that their actions caused public alarm and inconvenience,” the group said.
“In retrospect, they should not have placed any markings in the station, and should have used directional signs instead outside of the station,” it added.
The group said that it organises weekly runs for its members and is just one of eight or nine Hash chapters in Singapore.
