Guy Saves Suicidal Lady At Merlion
I’ve just read in the Straits Times that an Australian guy (looks chinese though) jumped into the river to save a European lady from committing suicide at the Merlion Park today.
According to the report, he was with his friends and colleagues in front of the Esplanade on Sunday night when ‘a European woman attempting suicide leapt off the railing in front of the Merlion’. He then emptied his pockets and jumped down after her. It was said she attempted suicide because of relationship problems. Full story can be read here
Plain stupidity or a display of heroism? Whatever it is, its definitely something we don’t see here in Singapore every day. In fact I think no one has ever jumped down infront of the Merlion before in the entire Singapore history.
The beauty of the whole incident, is that the “hero” had to pay for his own medical bills after saving the European lady. During the process he suffered some cuts while trying to drag the lady back up to land. The total cost… $90
I wonder, shouldn’t there be a scheme for this? I mean, after saving someone’s life, shouldn’t watever bills incurred be paid? Be it medical or others. Its like the Mandarin saying: hao xin mei hao bao. But thinking back assuming his medical bills were being paid for, who should bear it? The hospital, the government, or the lady that he saved?
If its the lady, she can argue that she didn’t want to be saved in the first place. The guy’s the busybody one who interfered with her “appointment with death”. Then if its the hospital or the government to bear the expenses, they probably need to set up a small division for these kinds of scenarios. Is it worthwhile? Ethically though, I’m also not sure who’s responsibility it is.
So plain stupidy for jumping down, saving a life, getting injured and spending unnecessary money? Well I’d like to salute him. What he did, I’m sure only a handful of Singaporean men (or less) would follow suit. Well done!
