A foreign student in Singapore was nearly fined S$500 (approx. RM1,652) for taking a sip of water while waiting at an MRT platform — a rule he was unaware of until a transport officer approached him.
In a now-viral Facebook post on the page Singapore趣事馆, the student explained he had been rushing to class and hadn’t had time to hydrate.
“Took the MRT to class today and almost got fined S$500.
“I always knew you’re not allowed to drink water on the MRT in Singapore, but today I learned — you’re not allowed to drink even on the platform.
“This morning, I was rushing to class and didn’t get to drink much water. While waiting for the train, I got really thirsty. I thought, “If I don’t drink now, I’ll have to wait another 40 minutes.”
“So I took out my bottle and opened it, thinking, “Surely it’s fine to drink on the platform, right? Shouldn’t be a big deal.”
“Just one sip — and while I was enjoying it, someone tapped me on the shoulder,” he wrote.
“I turned around — it was a staff officer. Totally stunned. He told me, “You’re not allowed to drink water here.”
“I thought I was going to get fined. But he just said that and walked off to continue his duty.
“So yeah — now I know, you can’t drink water even on the platform.
“To all fellow students studying in Singapore — take note!” he advised.
His experience sparked debate online, with some netizens defending the strict enforcement of public transport rules in Singapore, saying it maintains cleanliness and order. Others, however, felt the rule was excessive, especially considering it was just plain water.
“Plain water is okay. But of course things like burgers, soda, and bubble tea are definitely not allowed. Think about it — if everyone eats or drinks and doesn’t clean up, it would make public transport dirty and unhygienic. Other passengers definitely wouldn’t be happy,” one user called Cynthia Tay commented.
“Inside the MRT there is CCTV ,why those eating burgers and other food that can dirty the train weren’t caught. Those who just had a sweet or sip of water were so unlucky to get caught ,” Heok Leng Yeo wrote.
Ric Chua asked: “What if you suddenly start coughing on the MRT and you’re not allowed to drink your own bottled water? What if your throat is itchy but you can’t drink anything?
“Are we supposed to cough until we bleed before we’re allowed to take a sip? Or just keep coughing non-stop?
“If it’s a sugary drink, I get it. But it’s just plain bottled water or water from home — isn’t that a bit too much?
“What if someone ends up coughing blood or something serious happens just because they couldn’t drink water —would the MRT be held responsible then?” the same user questioned.
