Penal Code 1871 - Singapore Statutes Online

Obstructing public servant in discharge of his public functions

186.—(1) A person who voluntarily obstructs any public servant in the discharge of the public servant’s public functions, shall —

(a)	in the case of an individual, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 6 months, or with fine which may extend to $2,500, or with both; or [Act 23 of 2021 wef 01/03/2022]
(b)	in any other case, be punished with fine which may extend to $10,000. [15/2019] [Act 23 of 2021 wef 01/03/2022]

(2) For the purposes of this section, an obstruction may be caused other than by the use of physical means or threatening language by a person against a public servant.

Illustration

A group of paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force intends to take the lift to the 30th storey of a block of flats to reach a person suffering from a heart attack. A decides to play a prank on the paramedics by telling them that the lift has broken down, knowing this to be false. The paramedics took the stairs because of what A told them and reached the person 15 minutes later than if they had taken the lift. A has voluntarily obstructed the paramedics in the discharge of their public function.

[Act 23 of 2021 wef 01/03/2022]

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