SINGAPORE - A karaoke outlet has been ordered to suspend operations for 20 days for failing to comply with Covid-19 safe management measures on Christmas Day.
MZS Family Karaoke in the Orchard Road area was found to have allowed large groups of more than five customers on its premises, and to have let them consume alcohol at 12.05am, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said on Wednesday (Dec 30).
The karaoke joint, which was open as a food and beverage outlet (F&B), has stopped operations from Dec 25.
Nightlife outlets like nightclubs, pubs and karaoke joints are still not allowed to operate as they are for now, unless they are under a two to three month government pilot programme.
The ministry added that the police are investigating 51 individuals for not complying with safe distancing measures.
Separately, seven more food and beverage (F&B) outlets were fined $1,000 each for breaching safe management measures between Dec 18 and last Saturday.
These breaches include admitting and seating groups of more than five customers, allowing groups to mingle, seating groups less than 1m apart, and providing games to patrons despite not being an amusement centre.
In phase three of Singapore's reopening, which kicked in on Monday, F&B outlets are allowed to accept bookings for groups of up to eight people. But mingling between groups, as well as the serving and consumption of alcohol after 10.30pm are still not allowed.
The MSE said agencies will step up enforcement checks on F&B outlets over the coming New Year weekend.
The ministry said there will be no fireworks at Marina Bay on New Year's Eve, to reduce the risk of crowds gathering. Fireworks will instead be set off from different heartland locations across Singapore.
"Safe management and crowd control measures will be in place at the fireworks sites to ensure public safety... Safe distancing ambassadors will be deployed to remind members of the public not to gather (in groups bigger than eight)," said the MSE.
Under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020, first-time offenders can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.
Repeat offenders may face a fine of up to $20,000, imprisonment of up to 12 months, or both.
