Story perspectives

Singapore Fines Student S$600 for Licking iJooz Straw

8/1/2026

Summary

Maximilien Licks Straw

Singapore court fined Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien S$600 after he pleaded guilty to licking a straw from an iJooz vending machine on 12 March 2026.
Judge Kelly Ho imposed only the fine, rejecting a S$2,000 maximum because Maximilien must return to France for studies from September to December 2026.
iJooz replaced all 500 straws, sanitized the dispenser, and will upgrade machines with individually wrapped straws in locked compartments at a cost of S$5.

Summary

Maximilien Arrested

Maximilien was arrested and fined after his Instagram video caption “city is not safe” sparked backlash.
Maximilien’s parents attended the hearing but left afterward, refusing to speak to reporters.
Defence lawyer Kalidass Murugaiyan said a guardian could not be arranged because Maximilien must return to France in September.
Singapore authorities cited the 2025 deportation of an Australian man who rushed Ariana Grande to stress its zero-tolerance stance on public stunts.

History

Historical Context

In March 2003 Singapore faced a SARS outbreak that infected 238 people and killed 33, prompting the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization to impose strict infection-control rules and quarantine orders. The crisis led to new public-health rules, so when French student Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien was fined in 2024 for licking a vending-machine straw, authorities cited the same zero-tolerance policy.

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Maximilien Licks Straw

Singapore court fined Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien S$600 after he pleaded guilty to licking a straw from an iJooz vending machine on 12 March 2026.
Judge Kelly Ho imposed only the fine, rejecting a S$2,000 maximum because Maximilien must return to France for studies from September to December 2026.
iJooz replaced all 500 straws, sanitized the dispenser, and will upgrade machines with individually wrapped straws in locked compartments at a cost of S$5.

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