Had a great holiday and is back in Singapore feeling charged-up, hopefully :)My first post for 2009 is the attack on MP Seng Han Thong.
Mr. Seng was poured some flammable liquid and seconds late set on fire. The result; 10-15% of his body burnt. This incident took place on Sunday during one of the community event in Yio Chu Kang.
The culprit is a 70 year old man who had lost both his head and temper because he was not being selected to receive the ang pao.
Regardless of how angry or how right he thought he was, the assailant should never had resort to violence. There are alternatives to express one's anger like voting your MP out? Unfortunately in our democratic country, most of us don't get to vote. Write in to the media? This old man could be illiterate and on top of that, the letter may not be publish. Protest at 'Speakers' Corner', I doubt that helps. Hmmm...looks like the old and illiterate Singaporeans do not have a channel to air their grievances if their MPs are not helping.
According to subsequent reports, the assailant is mentally unsound. If it is so, why attack only Seng Han Thong? Why take the trouble to pour kerosene and then light it up? He can just grab a knife from some hawker and go berserk.
On the other hand, this 70 year old man could have tried other means to express his sufferings but his pleas were not answered hence assaulting the MP was his last resort out of desperation.
This incident could be a wake-up call to our leaders that there are people out there that are driven to desperation and can resort to anything.
Oh before I forget, its the 2nd time MP Seng Han Thong was attacked. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
2 comments:
Lilian, very well thought out and very well said. There's the violent action and the legal implication to be addressed of course. However that's not all there is to this matter. If the government and the society don't reflect upon and address why this has happened, nothing is learned and none the wiser from this painful episode.
Even if it's an act of insanity, we should also ponder over what circumstances, hopelessness or exasperation have driven the man to insanity.
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