SINGAPORE: After a woman posted videos of a man on a personal mobility aid (PMA) at a Sheng Shiong supermarket, a discussion followed, as some argued that people who look able-bodied may, in fact, suffer from an invisible health condition.
On a popular local complaint group on Facebook on Wednesday (Mar 18), a woman posted two video clips of a man, who appeared to be in his 20s, on a personal mobility scooter. In the first video, he was driving around the grocery to get groceries, which he placed on his lap. In the second, the PMA was shown parked while the man walked around for a few meters as he chose items nearby.
The post author appeared to be upset, writing, “Well-abled body riding a PMD right into and inside Sheng Siong!”
She added in a comment that the young man “dashed around” from one end of the store to another with “no sign of disability at all.”
While some people shared the post author’s outrage, others told her she should not be so quick to judge, especially since there was a sticker on the PMA that indicated that the user indeed has a disability.
“He may have issues walking or standing for too long…Sometimes it’s difficult to tell when the disability is something that is not visible.
I do get your point, though, that many are misusing the pmds and these are causing a nuisance in especially tight areas like aisles and alleys in supermarkets,” wrote one.
“Probably he has a real medical condition, or else he wouldn’t put the disabled sign to remind people of disability usage,” another pointed out.
Under Singapore law, PMAs such as mobility scooters and wheelchairs may be used by people with walking difficulties. From June 1, 2026, those who use such devices, except for seniors, need to have a “Certificate of Medical Need.”
The government has specifically said that PMAs are “not an alternative mode of transport for able-bodied individuals.”
However, the Land Transport Authority admitted that people who use PMAs “may not have outwardly visible medical conditions,” and therefore, people cannot always judge if a person should be using a PMA just by looking at them.
These include those that involve chronic pain, arthritis or joint disorders, neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, heart or lung conditions, post-surgery recovery, fatigue syndromes, balance disorders including vertigo, neuropathy caused by diabetes, and temporary injuries such as fractures or ligament damage.
Nevertheless, PMA misuse has been a growing problem in Singapore, resulting in many in society getting frustrated. This has resulted in the government implementing stricter laws, including those that concern lower speed limits for the devices. /TISG
