An Apec car, a classy BMW, was spotted parked in a handicap lot at Bedok Reservoir last week, far from the hustle and bustle of the Apec meeting centres in town.

No wonder, because the Apec driver was a dropping off a friend.

Stomp, the citizen-journalism website, reported the incident last week. A reader had snapped the above photograph and sent it to Stomp, claiming that the driver was abusing the car for personal use.

The reader, who went by the name Vincent, said: "The driver of the Apec vehicle had parked there to drop off a friend dressed in a T-shirt and bermudas."

Vincent told Stomp: "A witness made a call to the authorities and was told that an enforcement team was on its way."

Unfortunately when the enforcement team arrived half an hour later, the vehicle was long gone.

He said: "It seems like the driver thought he had special privileges and could break the law for driving an Apec vehicle."

"Does driving a vehicle marked for one of the most important diplomatic events of the year make the driver immune to laws and regulations?" the reader added.

Subsequently the Apec organising committee replied to the reader's letter.

It said: "All drivers of the Apec vehicles have been briefed previously on the proper code of conduct when driving Apec vehicles."

"The driver has since been given a warning."

It is against the law for vehicles without handicap licences to park in an handicap lot.

a1motor@sph.com.sg