SINGAPORE — A 39-year-old man will be charged on Friday (July 2) after he allegedly failed to wear a mask on an MRT train, made a nuisance of himself in public and used threatening language against police officers.

In a news release on Thursday, the police said that the man was seen travelling on an MRT train on May 7 this year without wearing a mask.

He had declared on the train that “he would never wear a mask”, the police said.

When police officers went to his home two days later, the man allegedly threatened to knock them down.  

The police did not identify the man, though TODAY understands that he is the same person who appeared in a viral video without wearing a mask while on the East-West Line earlier in May.

In the almost two-minute video, the man can be heard telling another train commuter about why he did not want to wear a mask.

The Daily Mail in Britain identified the man as Benjamin Glynn, a father of two children aged five and two.

The Briton told the English news site: "This whole situation is ridiculous. I want to leave the country anyway — just let me go! I think it's insane that I am facing a trial at all, just for not wearing a mask... especially when I don't even believe masks stop the spread of the virus in the first place... From a scientific basis, I think it's nonsense."

If found guilty of the offence of being a public nuisance, the man may be jailed for up to three months or fined up to S$2,000, or both.

For contravening the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 by not wearing a mask, the man may be jailed for up to six months or fined up to S$10,000, or both.

And for using threatening words towards a public servant in relation to the execution of their duty, he is liable to a fine of up to S$5,000 or jail time of up to 12 months, or both.

The police stressed that the public should take the prevailing safe distancing regulations seriously.

“The police take a stern view of irresponsible behaviours relating to the flouting of safe distancing measures and offenders will be dealt with in accordance to the law. Let us do our part to curb the spread of Covid-19."