The following is a Facebook post by Cheryl Marie Tay in response to an article by the general secretary of the Singapore Kindness Movement, William Wan, in the Straits Times on 24 January, with regards to the Anton Casey saga. [You can read Mr Wan’s article here: “Where has all our empathy gone?“]
We publish Ms Tay’s note with her permission.

William Wan's article in the Straits Times
William Wan’s article in the Straits Times
 
Perhaps it’s my disdain for the standard of “journalism” ST is known for, or perhaps I’m just missing the empathy chip, but Mr. William Wan, please spare me your highfalutin calls for “empathy” for “the least deserving”, i.e. Anton Casey.
I didn’t say much on the issue because, well, he isn’t the first rich person to have such a condescending attitude towards those whose entire net worth is but a monthly salary for him. I’ve met locals and foreigners who think money alone makes them superior, so I wasn’t surprised. Also, I knew very well that an angry Internet mob would form in a matter of hours and rip him apart, and I was right.
But of course, trust ST to publish an article encouraging us to be “empathetic” towards him, and to take the opportunity to slip in pro-PAP lines such as “those who chastise the Government for groupthink also themselves fall prey to a groupthink mob mentality”.
When Amy Cheong made derogatory remarks about the Malay community, did anyone call for “empathy” for her? She was fired from her job, and fled to Australia to escape all the negative attention she was receiving. So what makes Anton Casey so special? His race? His nationality? His money? His so-called “status”? And let’s not forget Sun Xu, the infamous NUS “scholar” from China, who called Singaporeans “dogs”. Long before any disciplinary action was taken against him, Baey Yam Keng had the nerve to tell us to “reflect” upon ourselves.
To be absolutely clear, I don’t think such offences warrant a termination of employment, especially if the offender has done well at his job; I am merely highlighting the blatant double standards being practised.
I don’t condone mob mentality, and certainly find it unacceptable to drag someone’s personal life into the spotlight, or implicate his friends or family for HIS actions. However, that has nothing to do with empathy but everything to do with being a logical, sensible human being. Punish the perpetrator and his accomplices (if any), not his family or friends.
On a related note, people should be free to speak their minds, even if it means offending certain sections of society. And other people should be free to respond to them, so at least all cards are laid on the table, views are properly expressed, and we can all progress – collectively and as individuals. But in a country where issues such as class, race, nationality, immigration and the like are not talked about (enough) simply because they are “sensitive” issues, one can surely expect more incidents like this, where Singaporeans go all CSI and paparazzi on the offender and his family.
So instead of forming angry Internet mobs and burning down everything in your virtual path to revenge, or writing patronizing articles calling for “empathy” for the offender, how about trying to determine the underlying issues and root causes before passing judgment? Because if we can’t (be bothered to) understand the reasons behind a problem, how can we possibly deal with it or prevent / minimize the chances of its re-occurrence?
Also, I have nothing against rich people or their riches in general, but how can I, an average middle-class working Singaporean, possibly “empathize” with a rich expat who clearly thinks his material wealth places him above the rest of society? There is a difference between empathy and forgiveness, and I’m sure we will all put this behind us, sooner or later. But please, Mr. Wan – you should have looked up “empathy” in the dictionary before writing an article about it.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

Govt should “exercise restraint” in deploying “institutional prerogatives” when wanting to call for early general elections, says Prof Donald Low

Senior Lecturer and Professor of Practice at the Hong Kong University of…

Live updates for Tonight’s Rallies – Friday, 29th April

The rallies tonight will commence at 7pm. Our volunteers on the ground…

解封第二阶段鸡只也出来溜达 “闯”地铁站被阻

第二阶段解封开跑,除了各处购物商场出现人潮外,鸡只也不遑多让,到欧南园地铁站(Outram Park MRT)搭地铁啦! 在多个社交媒体上,有网友表示,今天(6月19日)在欧南园地铁站看到两只鸡只在地铁站出现,工作人员赶紧驱赶。 该地铁站设置在地下三层,不禁让网民好奇,这两只鸡到底是如何下到地铁站的。 在脸书群组ROADS.sg的帖文下,就有不少民众猜测鸡只到底要去哪里,有者认为是趁着解封时期去逛街或访友,有者说它们是为了被丢弃的鸡蛋报仇,而因为没有戴口罩,所以被工作人员驱赶。 然而较为了解当地情况的网友则表示,这些鸡只是来自警察广东民大厦,在艾弗顿园附近,“经常看到它们带着可爱的小鸡走来走去”。

Did PRC ‘talent’ really insult Singaporeans?

Transcribed & Translated by Dan Feng/ A police report was lodged against…