15-1-2025 (SINGAPORE) A Chinese national has received the maximum possible fine for urinating on an escalator handrail at a busy underground station in Singapore.
Li Guorui, 41, who was in Singapore on a business trip, was ordered to pay S$2,000 after pleading guilty to causing public nuisance at Outram Park MRT station. The incident, which occurred on 10 January, was captured on video and widely circulated on social media.
The court learnt that Li had consumed substantial amounts of alcohol during a business dinner at a German restaurant in Westgate mall earlier that evening. Around 10 pm, whilst departing Outram Park station in an inebriated state, he urinated on the handrail of a descending escalator at Exit 3.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jeremy Bin told the court that the incident garnered significant attention on social media, with one video alone receiving more than 2,000 reactions. The matter was reported to authorities through the SGSecure app the following day, leading to Li’s arrest on 12 January.
In delivering the sentence, District Judge Paul Chan highlighted the multi-faceted impact of Li’s actions, citing health and sanitation concerns, potential damage to escalator machinery requiring additional servicing, and the broader reputational damage to Singapore’s public transport system.
The prosecution, which pushed for the maximum penalty, noted that this incident was part of a concerning trend, with two similar cases reported at Tanah Merah and Potong Pasir stations in the same week. The location of Li’s offence was particularly problematic, as the handrail was a point of unavoidable contact for escalator users.
The Land Transport Authority indicated that the incident may have affected the escalator’s internal components, potentially necessitating additional maintenance work. While cleaning staff responded promptly to mop the floor, they were initially unaware that the handrail had been contaminated.
Li, who required a Mandarin interpreter during proceedings, submitted a written plea in mitigation that was not disclosed in court. Judge Chan acknowledged Li’s cooperation with authorities and the impulsive nature of his actions, but maintained that the severity of the offence warranted the maximum fine.
