SINGAPORE - A 55-year-old man is being investigated for allegedly slapping a female service attendant at a petrol station after refusing to heed her advice to wear a mask before entering the store.

In a statement on Monday (April 13), police said it has classified the incident, which took place at a petrol station in Jervois Road on Sunday at about 5.50pm, as a case of voluntarily causing hurt.

Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said last week that all customers visiting supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies and shopping malls have to wear masks from Sunday (April 12), or they will be denied entry.

The measure is to safeguard customers' health and well-being as well as that of other customers and staff members working at these premises amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

Police investigations are ongoing. For voluntarily causing hurt, one can be jailed for up to three years, or fined up to $5,000, or both.