A humorous yet eerie spectacle has recently become viral on social media, stirring more chuckles than chills among netizens. A peculiar warning sign, stationed at a cemetery in Singapore, has set social media abuzz with its unconventional advisory against spectral encounters.
The image in question portrays a cautionary sign, typical of those denoting potential hazards, embellished with an unexpected addition: a trio of ghostly apparitions. The sign was nestled among customary icons symbolizing threats like falling trees and slithering serpents.
NEA: No Supernatural Link Detected
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has confirmed ownership of the sign, swiftly debunking any notions of supernatural involvement.
NEA stated that the ghostly additions were the result of vandalism, with mischievous individuals aiming to add a touch of humor to the usual warning signs.
Originally, the sign displayed an icon depicting a person slipping, rather than the ghostly figures subsequently added by vandals.
The saga began when a snapshot of the vandalized sign surfaced on Facebook on Feb 18, purportedly originating from Bukit Brown Cemetery, a resting place shuttered to burials since 1973.
Prompted by this digital revelation, NEA embarked on an investigation, scouring the closed cemetery for any signs of paranormal prankery. Their findings revealed a series of similarly defaced warning signs, although NEA refrained from confirming their specific location within Bukit Brown Cemetery.
While the ghostly embellishments may have elicited amusement from online spectators, NEA remains steadfast in its commitment to maintaining the integrity of public signage.
"All the stickers have since been removed," NEA announced.
Amid the laughter and digital camaraderie, some online commentators couldn't resist injecting their own brand of humor into the situation, while others mentioned seeing the sign in person and noted it was obviously a prank.
"I saw those signs with the ghost graphics before. They look like stickers pasted by some joker with a lot of time on their hands," commented one social media user.
"Seen dogs - yes. Seen ghost - no. Want to see them? No thank you," said another one.
Similar Vandal Prank in 2020
This isn't the first instance of such vandalism prank, as NEA recounts a similar incident from December 2020, involving a purported sighting of a pontianak, a female vampiric ghost from Malay folklore, on a cemetery warning sign.
Once again, NEA quashed any notions of the supernatural, clarifying that the sign had been tampered with.
During that time, NEA posted a fake news alert on Facebook in response to the circulating photo.
"#FakeNewsAlert We are aware that a photo of a signage presumably taken at a closed cemetery, with a 'beware of ghost' icon, is circulating on social media. The photo is doctored," the post.
Furthermore, NEA advised visitors to cemeteries to remain vigilant for actual hazards such as tree branches, uneven terrain, insects, and snakes. They also recommended wearing covered shoes while traversing the cemetery grounds.
