Man apologises for pushing elderly woman off bus
(UPDATE: 7th June, 1030pm: Police confirm they are investigating the case as one of voluntarily causing hurt)
A man who pushed an old woman down a bus along Upper Thomson Road on Tuesday has apologized for his actions, saying he suffers from depression.
Alex Ong, a 25-year-old temporary administative assistant, was travelling onboard bus service 167 when he suddenly flew into a rage at an elderly woman for pressing the bell at the last-minute along Upper Thomson Road.
During an ugly spat and shouting match that ensued, he physically threatened to slap the woman, who is 76, before going on to push her down the bus.
The whole scene, which was captured on video and uploaded on YouTube, lasted about two minutes. As of Thursday afternoon, the video has been seen 1,600 times.
Ong has since given his statement to the police regarding the incident and apologized to the woman who dropped the matter.
“Do any of you really, truly know what it is like to be in my shoes? Really?” Ong said on his Facebook wall at around 2pm on Thursday, before adding “People are already threatening to physically assault me over Facebook”
In an earlier post on Tuesday, Ong posted his side of the story on Facebook.
He explained that he has been diagnosed with medical conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder, clinical depression and autism – spectrum disorder.
“I do not represent a society of decaying morals. I’m a product of a society that has abused me, neglected me, and ultimately, misunderstood me,” the former Canberra secondary school student said.
Ong also explained on his blog that he had “never intended to injure the lady, that everything happened as a culmination of a lot of anger that has been simmering inside me.” He set up the blog a day after the incident with the intention of clearing his name.
He also explained that his anger stemmed from not being able to find a good job and constant abuse and bullying since young.
His remorseful Facebook posts have garnered a mixed reaction from other Facebook users.
“Under no circumstances should a gentleman lay hands on a woman, not to mention that she is an elderly one whom he should be even more considerate towards,” said Desmond Wong, 22 , a business student from Singapore Management University.
On the other hand, several people have empathised with him.
“I understand, dude. I don’t think what you did was right, but I understand why you did it” said Malcolm Ang in response to Ong’s Facebook post.
Watch the video here:
