The sister of a woman captured on video scolding vulgarities at fellow MRT commuters has leapt to her defence, saying that she suffers from schizophrenia.
Only wanting to be known as Grace, she said she recognized the woman on the video posted on YouTube as her elder sister of one year.
Grace declined to name her sister but she told Yahoo! Singapore that she hopes the hurtful comments directed at her will stop and pleaded for netizens to leave her alone.
The minute-long video, which was uploaded on YouTube last Friday, has been viewed over 180,000 times although it has since been taken down at Grace’s request.
The video, at the time of writing, can still be found on Facebook and local online portal STOMP.
Grace, who is working in accounts and is in her 30s, revealed that her family has been badly affected by the unkind response to the video by netizens and says her sister has been unfairly judged.
“They do not understand what she’s going through, it’s not fair for them to comment like that,” said Grace.
She went on to explain that her sister has been suffering from schizophrenia, or split multiple personality disorder, for almost ten years.
“It (the schizophrenia) happened when she was a regular with the Singapore Armed Forces, due to injustices she faced and the stress of the economy,” said Grace.
Grace also added her sister’s condition is under control and she’s been on regular medication and in and out of the Institute of Mental Health.
On why her sister was travelling alone on the MRT, Grace said, “Her condition is triggered on and off, so it’s not fair for us to be keeping her locked out at home and have someone with her all the time. Her hands and legs are working perfectly fine so there’s no reason to stop her from living her life.”
The minute-long video shows a heavily made-up woman hurling verbal abuse at other MRT commuters in a mixture of English and Hokkien.
She is first seen fiercely scolding a boy for playing with his portable gaming device as other commuters sit in stony silence.
In the next moment, however, she is seen whispering to an Indian commuter beside her before suddenly launching into another verbal tirade at a male passenger sitting in one of the seats reserved for the elderly and pregnant.
“You pregnant? Pregnant you sit here? You siao (crazy)! You pregnant? Stand up!” she shrieked before moving into the seat as the man leaves. The video ends with her trying to stifle a giggle.
Grace also called for more understanding and compassion for schizophrenics, who are rarely seen in public.
She said schizophrenics are generally hidden from society due to the stigma that they face from those who are ignorant or fearful, as they do not understand the condition.
http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/09/27/woman-dishes-out-profanities-to-commuters-on-mrt-train/
Only wanting to be known as Grace, she said she recognized the woman on the video posted on YouTube as her elder sister of one year.
Grace declined to name her sister but she told Yahoo! Singapore that she hopes the hurtful comments directed at her will stop and pleaded for netizens to leave her alone.
The minute-long video, which was uploaded on YouTube last Friday, has been viewed over 180,000 times although it has since been taken down at Grace’s request.
The video, at the time of writing, can still be found on Facebook and local online portal STOMP.
Grace, who is working in accounts and is in her 30s, revealed that her family has been badly affected by the unkind response to the video by netizens and says her sister has been unfairly judged.
“They do not understand what she’s going through, it’s not fair for them to comment like that,” said Grace.
She went on to explain that her sister has been suffering from schizophrenia, or split multiple personality disorder, for almost ten years.
“It (the schizophrenia) happened when she was a regular with the Singapore Armed Forces, due to injustices she faced and the stress of the economy,” said Grace.
Grace also added her sister’s condition is under control and she’s been on regular medication and in and out of the Institute of Mental Health.
On why her sister was travelling alone on the MRT, Grace said, “Her condition is triggered on and off, so it’s not fair for us to be keeping her locked out at home and have someone with her all the time. Her hands and legs are working perfectly fine so there’s no reason to stop her from living her life.”
The minute-long video shows a heavily made-up woman hurling verbal abuse at other MRT commuters in a mixture of English and Hokkien.
She is first seen fiercely scolding a boy for playing with his portable gaming device as other commuters sit in stony silence.
In the next moment, however, she is seen whispering to an Indian commuter beside her before suddenly launching into another verbal tirade at a male passenger sitting in one of the seats reserved for the elderly and pregnant.
“You pregnant? Pregnant you sit here? You siao (crazy)! You pregnant? Stand up!” she shrieked before moving into the seat as the man leaves. The video ends with her trying to stifle a giggle.
Grace also called for more understanding and compassion for schizophrenics, who are rarely seen in public.
She said schizophrenics are generally hidden from society due to the stigma that they face from those who are ignorant or fearful, as they do not understand the condition.
http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/09/27/woman-dishes-out-profanities-to-commuters-on-mrt-train/
