i recently read on the news an MP (I think so) got a resident's complaint about this neighbour's kid who creating so much din that they can no longer stand it. Instead of approaching his neighbour to resolve the matter, the frustrated resident made a big hoo ha complaint to the MP, it would have escalated to a police report or some law suit if not the MP promise to explore it first.
One day when this MP was making his round in his ward, he remembered this complaint and made the additional effort to investigate the neighbour, hoping to instil some civic sense so the family with the problem kid could also take care of its neighour's feeling.
When the MP knocked on the door, the mother who opened the door is already weeping infront of the MP, apologising profusedly for his kid's bad behaviour which is beyond her control. Her kid suffers ADHD (Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) or something related to autism.
The MP instead of reproaching this family, realised the root cause and instead offered assistance to this family who they can seek him addressing his kid's condition. The MP later went and explained to the complaining neighbour and told them the truth. The good side of it is everyone involved starting to see things in a different light now knowing the kid's condition and suddenly changed from being hostile to sympathising. A would be confrontation which might very well turned into a court case became a resolution among the neighbours.
next time when you see an uncontrollable kid misbehave in public areas, perhaps you might want to think if there's a genuine reason why the parents are treating the kids in a way that contrary to a discipline etc, because nobody knows their kids better then them. Yes, their kid might be normal, spoiled with a unreasonable parents, or the kid might be uncontrollable for a reason? Would it hurt too much if we know the truth first?
just my 2 cents.
Maybe you haven't read this news yet. This MP of ours reacted quite differently.
http://singaporemind.blogspot.com/
Diary of A Singaporean Mind
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Boy arrested for slamming chair at MP Office!
A 17 year-old-boy was arrested by the police for slamming a chair against a glass door at a meet-the-people session at Serangoon North. This happened after the boy and his mom walked out of MP Cynthia Phua's office. It is not clear what transpired in the office to trigger such rage but in an interview with the New Paper, the mother said that Cynthia Phua had asked her son a series of questions : "Who are you? What are you doing? Why are you not working?". The mother explained that she wanted to answer the questions but was not given a chance.
The mother and son said that they felt like they were "being scolded". The mother was working as a cleaner at $400 a month salary (Singapore has no minimum wage laws) and lost her income when she broke her wrist fixing a ceiling fan. As there is no comprehensive safety net in Singapore she had to go to the MP office wait in line for help. She goes to the MP office every month for financial aid. In this MPS, she had defaulted on her HDB loan and HDB threatens to repossess the flat and give her a rental unit but she cannot afford the $138 rental deposit & stamp duty. She was at the MP office to get MP Phua's signature for an appeal letter. Although the request was granted, the mother and son said they walked out of the office feeling like they have been put down.
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"I had to ask some pointed questions about his employment status to understand the root cause of the problem, so that I can be more effective in helping them" - Cynthia Phua
According to the New Paper, the 17 year old boy has low IQ and suffers from thalassermia which renders him weak and sickly. He may be charged in court for "committing a rash act" which carries a fine of up to $2500 and a jail term of up to 6 months.
FYI - People with thalassermia usually have short life span. If poor lagi shorter
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http://sgblogs.com/entry/with-genetic-defect-arrested-slamming-chair-cynthia-phua-office/339716
http://zh.sgforums.com/forums/10/topics/358852?page=1
http://singaporeenquirer.sg/?p=3636
http://wayangparty.com/?p=9016
http://groups.google.com.sg/group/soc.culture.singapore/browse_thread/thread/62288cd59b2c139e#
http://talkback.stomp.com.sg/forums/showthread.php?t=71252