Thanks to some viral attention and the efforts of his employer, the Bangladeshi worker who was given a S$2,000 fine for plucking some leaves off a tree at the Botanic Gardens has escaped with a slap on the wrist.
The National Parks Board (NParks) instead issued a warning in lieu of a fine to the 28-year-old man who was caught picking the leaves of a Syzygium myrtifolium (aka Red Lip) tree on Jan 14. The worker’s employer successfully appealed on his behalf, according to an NParks statement.
“We have considered the mitigating circumstances related to the case and assessed that the damage caused by plucking the leaves off the tree was minimal,” said an NParks spokesman.
“Therefore, while an offence had been committed, we have decided not to take further action.”
It’s all fine and dandy now, thanks to the power of widespread internet outrage. But imagine if the dude’s case didn’t blow up online and he was left attempting to scrounge up the cash to pay the fine on a meager salary. No one’s doubting that it’s illegal to damage or remove parts of plants — especially so in a UNESCO World Heritage Site — but the S$2,000 composition fine is a tad too much for someone who may not have been aware that it was an offence in the first place.
