PUBLISHED ONJuly 10, 2026 1:00 PMBYEsther LamWhile many retirees enjoy a slower pace of life, one 68-year-old Tampines resident has taken it upon himself to use his photography skills to catch litterbugs and parking violations in his neighbourhood.
The self-declared mission has earned Tan Qiangsheng (transliteration) both praise and criticism from residents.
Tan, who moved in a decade ago, told Shin Min Daily News that he started noticing residents committing acts such as littering cigarette butts, spitting on the floor and parking outside designated spaces.
Unable to tolerate such behaviour, Tan reportedly began photographing the incidents as evidence.
It is not known exactly which unit Tan lives in.
According to Tan, he spends "every morning, afternoon and evening" observing from his window and taking photographs of any alleged offences before submitting them to the authorities.
Besides taking photos and videos, Tan also writes down his observations. Once a month, he reportedly heads down to the National Environment Agency, spending over an hour travelling there, to submit the compiled records and evidence.
Tan revealed that when he first started doing this, he could catch 40 to 50 people, but the number has since gone down to about 20 to 30. While there are still people littering, he added that "it's not as serious as before".
Lin, a 60-year-old private hire driver, told Shin Min that many residents resented Tan and viewed his actions as meddlesome.
He revealed he has received four tickets, including a $300 fine for littering a cigarette butt after smoking, totaling about $1,000 in fines. He added that he later found out that Tan had taken the photos and reported Lin to the authorities.
Lin also received a $70 ticket for parking outside a designated space and sought help from a MP, successfully appealing his case.
Lin revealed that he had even gotten into a heated argument with Tan three weeks ago, when they unexpectedly met in an elevator, and the two hurled insults at each other.
He claimed he only pretended to kick Tan to scare him but did not make contact. Tan alleged that he did not kick Lin, but that Lin kicked him, and a police report was subsequently filed, reported Shin Min.
Another man Zheng, 50, who also received a ticket, said that he had washed his car in the carpark when he visited his parents in September 2025. He later received a ticket and learnt that someone had filmed him pouring water into a ditch.
Another resident named Li, 44, said that he had noticed someone taking pictures. He added that one of his friends had been photographed and fined after throwing a cigarette butt outside the car.
When asked by Shin Min if anyone has ever thanked him for his efforts, Tan paused for a moment before saying no.
"Even so, I will continue to do it. If I see it, I will catch it. Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility. If you want to be a litterbug, I'll catch you," said Tan.
Despite his modest means, Tan reportedly spent $1,000 on a Nikon long-zoom camera a few years ago so he could take clearer photos for evidence.
He told the Chinese daily that he previously used a small digital camera but the pictures were not clear.
Tan lives with his wife, 68-year-old Wang Huaxing (transliteration), who supports his actions.
She told Shin Min that Tan was a cleaner before retiring.
On whether she worries about her husband being harassed, she replied no as she believes they are doing the right thing.
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