Sengkang residents debate smoking in HDB flats using printed signs, 1 suggests buying air purifier
In true Singaporean fashion, a neighbourhood spat over smoking in an HDB flat has sparked a war of words — in the form of printed and handwritten signs pasted in a Sengkang lift lobby.
The exchange, which played out via messages stuck to a wall, has amused Reddit users and reignited debate over the right to smoke at home versus protecting others from second-hand smoke.
Lift lobby turns into message board for anti-smoking feud
Reddit user ‘Pseudonymous100419’ shared a photo on 12 April of a lift lobby in Sengkang, where a notice from the Town Council dated 12 June 2023 was partially visible.
It’s unclear when the photo was taken or if the notice is still relevant.
Source: u/Pseudonymous100419 on Reddit
But what truly caught attention were two pieces of paper stuck below the notice, turning the lift lobby into a makeshift battleground for fed-up residents.
The bottom note, which appeared to be older and handwritten in Chinese and English, was clearly an appeal to a smoker in the block: “If you smoke every day at 12 midnight to 1am, please close your windows.”
“This is painful to others’ health! Be considerate! Be kind!” It continued in English.
A separate resident — presumably the smoker or someone sympathetic — was not having it. They responded with a printed, neatly formatted note in both English and Chinese: “People smoking in their own house is their freedom! If you cannot get used to it, please close your own house window properly.”
Source: Andres Siimon on Unsplash, for illustration purposes only
“If you still cannot get [used to it], buy an air purifier at home! It doesn’t cost much!”
Their tone clearly struck a nerve.
Someone drew a bold diagonal marker line across the printed message and wrote at the top in all-caps: “Stop victim blaming!”
MS News has reached out to the original poster for more information.
Netizens criticise smoking resident
The passive-aggressive showdown went viral on Reddit, with most netizens siding against the smoker.
One noted that the smoker expected everyone else to close their windows while only they got to ventilate their unit.
Source: Reddit
Another user opined that smokers should not be able to interfere with other people’s health through second-hand smoke. Hence, they should go downstairs to smoke instead.
Source: Reddit
One commenter was amused by the real-life messaging board the residents had created. They jokingly suggested that it would become a chain of printed signs pasted on top of each other.
Source: Reddit
The issue of smoking in HDB units has remained a divisive topic in Singapore.
A woman in Bukit Panjang had neighbours who smoked over 150 times in two weeks.
In October 2024, she obtained a court order to stop them and had even put up signs appealing for details on the smoker.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Also read: Bukit Panjang woman obtains court order to stop neighbours from smoking over 150 times in 2 weeks
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Featured image adapted from u/Pseudonymous100419 on Reddit and Andres Siimon on Unsplash, for illustration purposes only.
