Bus Enthusiast Mistaken For Terrorist, Member Of Public Calls Police

[The_King]

A local bus enthusiast was flagged as a suspicious person when someone reported him to the police for taking photos of buses outside Tampines interchange. 

Mr Loh (not his real name),who runs the TIB1234T Instagram page, shared his unpleasant experience in a post which caught the attention of fellow bus enthusiasts.

Source: Instagram, gallery_of_tib1234t

Mr Loh shared more about his experience of having a police report made against him for alleged suspicious behaviour with our Plan B reporter in an exclusive interview.

WHAT ARE BUS ENTHUSIASTS?

A bus enthusiast is someone who enjoys taking pictures of buses and documenting our journeys for keepsake. We create content about buses and post them to our social media pages like Instagram and YouTube.

 

CAN YOU SHARE MORE ABOUT THE UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE YOU HAD? 

I was at Tampines interchange to film the buses there. It’s part of my series on YouTube. Since I’ve been warned by transport security guards before to not film from within the premises, I was recording from a traffic junction opposite Tampines Library. From the corner of my eyes, I saw a police car stopped near the junction and the police officers approached me.

Generally, fellow bus enthusiasts have been screened by Transcom and community police. It is normal as these people are just doing their jobs. But when I was approached by the police officers, I wondered what I did that made me a person of interest.

SO YOU KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WHEN YOU SAW THE CAR?

Yes. Two police officers, one Malay and the other Chinese,  asked me what I was doing there with my camera and gear. I explained to them about my hobby and what I do. I also explained to them my purpose for being there. I asked them if I had done anything wrong but all they did was to screen my IC. 

While he was screening my IC, I heard him relay to the HQ over the walkie talkie these words,

“Subject over a potential threat reported.”

I was shocked and I wondered who the f*** reported me as a threat? I understand that not many are aware about bus enthusiasts in Singapore but I was alone and I was not behaving suspiciously.

People view us with suspicious eyes because we carry around cameras and take photos of buses and interchanges. While I know that as citizens, we need to be vigilant, why would anyone accuse me as a potential threat when I was minding my own business?

WHAT HAPPENED THEN? 

Source: Instagram, gallery_of_tib1234t

I explained to the Malay officer about my hobby and he understood my activities as a bus enthusiast. He thought that my pictures were for a school project but I corrected him, saying that it’s for my hobby. The other officer wanted to call my lecturer but the Malay officer said that it’s personal so there is no point involving the school.

I was triggered when the Chinese officer mentioned this,

“If you are, let’s say, a popular actor or well known personality with the camera and all, the public will not get alarmed.”

It made no sense to me. Why must I be popular or recognized for people to not consider me a threat with my camera and gear? I was minding my own business.

He then asked me why I was filming at Tampines when my address on my IC states Bukit Batok. I explained to him that as a bus enthusiast, we tend to travel to different places in Singapore because some buses are only found in certain areas.  For example, the three door single deck electric bus can only be found in Bedok and Bukit Panjang. Travelling to places and finding rare buses is part of being in the bus enthusiast community.

The police wanted my contact number in the event that another similar complaint was made, they can easily verify if it’s me doing my usual bus activity. I found that strange as I am not a threat.

DO YOU THINK THAT THE REPORT MADE AGAINST YOU WAS RACIALY MOTIVATED?

I have no idea but to the one who called the police, saying that I am a potential threat, I would like to educate them. While the potential of threats exist, not all that you see is a national security threat. 

We are just bus enthusiasts trying to enjoy our hobby in peace. Approach us when you have questions, not jump to conclusions and call the police on us. 

I don’t blame the police for screening me, it is their job. But instead of wasting 20 minutes of mine and the police time, the person could have just asked me what I was doing.

I even asked the officers if I was allowed to film the buses from where I was and they said I am free to do it as long as I obey public and safety laws.

They also mentioned that such complainers tend to waste police time and resources.

IS THIS COMMON FOR THE BUS ENTHUSIASTS COMMUNITY?

We often get treated badly by the security staff, sometimes by members of the public over an innocent hobby that we love.

Unfortunately as a bus enthusiast in Singapore, we get used to it. Getting threatened, being labelled as “terrorists” by these “Karens” because of  our high-end cameras. We are just normal people with a hobby. 

I had been to KL with my Malaysian friends for a holiday meet up, to “bus spot” with them and I had NEVER encountered such incidents like this before. Even the staff, bus captains approached me but asked me if I could become their photographer for modelling assignments . That was hilarious but it’s a good vibe to be honest. I appreciated all the buses, bus captains, and behind-the-scenes operations, but it’s not the right place for us to enjoy our hobbies here.

We are normal people with a unique hobby. It’s time to stop the overthinking mindset and unfair accusations on innocent individuals.

 

 

https://planb.sg/bus-enthusiast-mistaken-for-terrorist-member-of-public-calls-police/

[The_King]

quote: the person could have just asked me what I was doing.

i will not, i dont want suddenly get beaten up