Indonesian man who entered S'pore illegally by boat at Tanah Merah gets 1 year's jail, 5 strokes of cane

Wong Shiying
The Straits Times
Dec 4, 2023

An Indonesian man who entered Singapore illegally via speedboat in November was on Dec 4 sentenced to a year in jail and five strokes of the cane.

This was not his first attempt to enter the country illegally. Nordin, who goes by one name, was previously found guilty of offences under the Immigration Act between 2015 and 2019.

He was convicted of two charges under the Act on Dec 4.

The court heard that 36-year-old Nordin, who was hoping to find employment in Singapore, drove a speedboat from Batam, Indonesia, and landed on a shoreline close to Tanah Merah Coast Road in the early hours of Nov 20, 2023.

He then fled on foot into a forested area nearby.

A Police Coast Guard officer spotted the boat when it entered Singapore waters around 11.50pm on Nov 19 and conducted a search of the area around Tanah Merah Coast Road.

Nordin was arrested at 7.30am on Nov 20. He was not found in possession of identification documents or a valid pass to enter Singapore.

As the accused had previously been sent out of Singapore and is not allowed to enter the country without permission from the immigration authorities, he faces a jail term of at least a year.

In sentencing Nordin, District Judge Janet Wang said he is a repeat offender and his punishment must reflect an escalation in his criminal conduct.

She acknowledged that he pleaded guilty and was arrested shortly after his illegal entry on Nov 20.