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My Take | In China, fake news about Singapore reflects hopes for better civic behaviour
- Chinese social media is rife with claims that visitors to Singapore could face penalties for stealing Wi-fi, not flushing the toilet or feeding pigeons
- The videos appear to harbour a desire by Chinese nationals to have similar laws to improve public behaviour on their own shores
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The peddling of fake information about Singapore on Chinese social media is not a new phenomenon, but the latest video making the rounds appears to reflect a desire by Chinese nationals for better civic behaviour in their own public spheres.
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Several days ago, a mainland Chinese friend sent me a video on Chinese messaging app WeChat, warning about the apparent penalties one could face for committing “misdemeanours” in Singapore.
The video was one of many circulating on Chinese social media, particularly after the January announcement by China and Singapore to allow their citizens to visit the other’s country visa-free for 30 days.
Since then, the hashtag “visa-free travel to Singapore could result in visitors becoming poor if not careful” has become the most searched-for topic on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo.
Apart from stating that shopping, transport and food costs are high in Singapore, the video claimed that anyone who did not flush the toilet would be fined 798 yuan (US$110).
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