The Electric New Paper :
SORRY UNCLE, IT WAS AN ACCIDENT
IT WAS a misunderstanding. And the violence that ensued was accidental, claimed the 17-year-old JC 1 student from Hwa Chong Institution, in a written response to The New Paper on Sunday through his school.
By Hedy Khoo
14 May 2007
IT WAS a misunderstanding. And the violence that ensued was accidental, claimed the 17-year-old JC 1 student from Hwa Chong Institution, in a written response to The New Paper on Sunday through his school.
He said his female friend had lost her card and reported it as lost previously but later found it.
Both the new and void ez-link cards were in her wallet last Wednesday when they boarded the bus.
He claimed that he did not know the lost card had been branded as void and stolen until the end of the entire commotion.
When his friend tapped the card against the card reader, the card reader beeped continuously. He claimed the bus driver had not given any explanation.
He wrote: 'The bus driver detained us and didn't allow us to proceed. He asked her to produce the card and took it without explanation.
'We were stunned. I asked for it back, while my friend produced her current card, with her particulars, to prove that the void card was hers. He ignored her.
'As the driver was about to keep it, I snatched the card back as I recalled a newspaper article warning us against giving our identification without reasons.'
The student said that as they were about to alight through the front door along Dunearn Road, the driver 'sprang from his seat and grabbed my friend's right arm'.
'My friend cringed as he did that, and I instinctively pushed him away. He then grabbed my right arm, and I struggled to break free. As we struggled, I tore his breast pocket. In an attempt to break loose I flailed my arms around and accidentally hit him on his face,' he claimed.
The student wrote that it was only afterwards that the bus driver explained the system had showed the card as stolen. He said if he had known this earlier, they could have avoided the misunderstanding.
He said he realised that he had acted rashly.
'I would like to say sorry to the bus driver. I would also like to apologise to my teachers and school, for letting them down.'
MISUNDERSTANDING
When contacted, Hwa Chong Institution said the school 'deeply regretted this unfortunate incident which resulted from a misunderstanding'.
They said they do not condone unbecoming behaviour.
The school said the student is a good student and well-behaved and is distressed by what happened.
They are currently 'working closely with his parents to help him manage his current emotions to overcome this difficult period'.
The school further stated that they are providing him with guidance.
http://www.google.com.sg/search?hl=en&q=beaten+up+bus+driver&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountrySG
2 comments:
Teenage violence is a disgrace to the school, soceity, their parents and themselves. Regarding the article, i think the Hwa Chong JC student had been too rash and did not think of the consequences before acting. Even after beating the bus driver, he should have been responsible for his own actions and not let his father kneel down and beg the bus driver for forgiveness. Also, the school should not condone the actions of the student and instead take disciplinary action against him. The Hwa Chong JC student should learn from his serious mistake and be more mindful of his actions especially in public, so as to not let his father down once again.
We feel that teenage violence is utterly unacceptable, especially from a student from a top JC. The act is animalistic, uncivilised, barbaric. He is simply disgracing himself and the reputation of the school in public. He acts like a hooligan.I feel that he should think before he act. Even though the bus driver did not tell him the reason for taking the card, he should clarify the reason with the driver politely first, not assaulting, therefore i feel that he did not think when he acted and that should not come from someone from the top JCs.Furthermore, the bus driver had a right to retain the card since it had been reported lost thus the boy should have understood the standard procedure of retaining the card and not assualt to bus driver for not returning the card.Also as a boy from one of the top few Jcs,he should have been more street-savvy and understand what will happen if u use a card that is reported lost.Thus i feel that the boy is 100Percent at fault and fully responsible.
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