Woman filmed spitting water at passengers on North-South Line MRT train - Mothership

It is illegal to spit in public in Singapore.

A woman was filmed spitting water at passengers and onto the floor onboard a MRT train on the North-South Line.

In a Jan. 23 video posted on Instagram, the woman could be seen gulping water from a bottle, then spitting it out.

It was unclear what prompted her actions.

As she did so, the passengers that she spat at flinched or moved away from her.

A commuter in a purple dress finally confronted her, attempting to snatch the bottle away and shouting: "What's wrong with you?"

The woman resisted physically but did not reply.

"Nobody is offending you right? This is not the first time you do this," the commuter added.

She then took off her glasses, which appeared to have been splattered with the spit-out water, and pointed out that "you're not supposed to drink in the train".

After the confrontation, the woman stood silently and stopped spitting out water.

Glimpses of the train's digital display showed that it was in the vicinity of Bukit Gombak station.

Some users in the comments section suggested that the woman might be suffering from mental illness.

Online sleuths identified her as a client of a local charity which helps people with mental health conditions reintegrate into the community.

She had been featured last October on CNA for World Mental Health Day.

She was described as a person with autism who was diagnosed with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder at age 17.

Spitting in public is illegal in Singapore.

According to the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations, it is illegal to spit, or expel mucus from the nose, onto the street, the floor, or any area in which the public has access.

Offenders may be liable to a fine of up to S$1,000 for a first-time conviction, and up to S$2,000 for subsequent convictions.

Mothership has reached out to SMRT and the Singapore Police Force for comment.