Singapore — Workers’ Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Jamus Lim has taken to Facebook to speak up about the River Valley High School murder that shook the nation and express his condolences.
At the start of his post, Assoc Prof Lim shares a quote from The Two Towers, the second instalment in the famed movie trilogy “Lord of the Rings”.
“No parent should have to bury their child,” a character named King Théoden had said. Even when Assoc Prof Lim had been younger, the quote had always held a lot of meaning for him. When a child is taken away unexpectedly, it is upsetting and shocking for the parents who expect that their children will be the ones to live longer.
The passing away of the student in the River Valley High murder comes as a great shock to everyone in the country. All parents would be able to empathize with the sorrow and anguish that the parents of the victim are experiencing at the moment.
Their son has been snatched away from them far too abruptly, and far too brutally, only to be thrust into the embrace of death. Even those who are childless can recognize that this is a devastating incident that will leave its marks on the families involved.
However, Assoc Prof Lim urges members of the public not to be too quick to judge the accused. He has been charged in court with murder and punishment will be meted out for him.
It has also become known that the teenager had a troubled history, and was assessed at the Institute of Mental health (IMH) back in 2019 after a suicide attempt. His history of mental illness cannot completely justify his actions, Assoc Prof Lim says. However, it does shed more light on the thoughts that the accused harboured.
At the end of the post, Assoc Prof Lim mentions that he is keeping the families of both teenagers in his thoughts and prayers.
Many netizens expressed their condolences and sympathies to both families.
Many also remarked that action must be taken in Singapore in order to prevent such a tragedy from repeating itself. They highlighted the importance of addressing issues and problems relating to mental health, calling for a change in Singapore’s education system and curriculum.
You Zi Xuan is an intern at The Independent SG.
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