A 48-year-old Singaporean Chinese man has been arrested in connection with an alleged attack on three Madrasah students, the Police announced on 2 April 2016.
The attack on the students received widespread attention from members of the public when Ms Nisha Mohd Hussein, a discipline mistress at Madrasah Al-Ma’arif Al-Islamiah in Geylang posted in her Facebook about the attack which happened in Paya Lebar MRT station, at about 7.20am on Friday (1 Apr).
In her post (which’s privacy setting has since been changed to private) Ms Nisha alleged that her students were kicked and hit by “a foreign Chinese middle-aged man wearing a red t-shirt, light brown bermuda with black boots carrying a green backpack while holding a white plastic bag filled with a heavy item.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigations & Intelligence) and Director of the Criminal Investigation Department, Tan Chye Hee confirmed that they were informed of the incident on Friday at about 7.35am. “The police take a stern view of acts that could threaten the racial and religious harmony in Singapore. Any person who caused hurt to others on the basis of their race or religion will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law,” he said.
After police announced the a man has been arrested in connection with the case, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean commented on his Facebook saying, “as a society we should stand together against all forms of violence against innocent persons, especially if there may be racial or religious undertones.”
Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli also chimed in on the arrest and said, “let’s not let anyone take advantage over incidents like this to incite hatred and division while it’s being settled by the authorities.”
He said he was glad Singaporeans drew together and remained calm in the wake of the incident.