Croc caper

Singapore penalizes bad public behavior. Transport authorities in the island state announced last month that public bus passengers who put their feet on the seats would be fined 500 Singapore dollars (SGD).

The Land Transport Authority also warned that vomiting, urinating, spitting or spilling bodily fluids on bus seats, floors or handrails, as well as smearing them with food, mud or grease, are punishable with a 5,000 SGD fine, Agence France-Presse reported.

The rules are similar to those already imposed on commuter trains.

Singaporean authorities also don’t tolerate misuse of artificial intelligence (AI).

Myanmar national Ye Lin made an AI-generated image of a crocodile at Pandan Reservoir, which provides non-potable water to the surrounding industrial areas in western Singapore.

Ye Lin sent the message to a colleague on 20 August but deleted it the following day, Channel News Asia reported.

On 20 August, Singapore’s water agency, PUB, received reports of a crocodile in the reservoir and conducted search and capture operations in the area with help from the National Parks Board, according to CNA.

The Singapore Rowing Association and Singapore Canoe Federation also suspended all water activities in the reservoir as a safety precaution.

On 21 August, PUB learned that the photo of the crocodile was fake, and it filed a police report on the prank. Soon, the photo was traced to Ye Lin, and he was charged on 29 September with communicating a false message and obstruction of justice for deleting the AI app he used to make the croc image from his mobile phone.

The suspected prankster faces a fine of up to 10,000 SGD or three years’ imprisonment for the charges.