tioh gong tau leow lah!
Teen medium made suicide pact with friends
He believed the world was ending and persuaded his friends to "sacrifice" themselves in order to "rid the world of demons". -AsiaOne
Tue, Sep 08, 2009
AsiaOne
[Photo: Ku Witaya (right), 16, told the group of friends, which includes Sia Chan Hong (right), that they had to die to become 'slayers' to kill demons threatening the world; The boys wrote words like 'goodbye' and 'last day on earth' in their diaries.]
A 16-YEAR-OLD self-professed Taoist medium, Thai-Chinese Ku Witaya, convinced his friends as well as his younger brother to enter into a suicide pact, based on his theory that the world was ending.
Of all his six friends whom Witaya had spoken to, only one - Sia Chan Hong - carried out the suicide act with him by jumping off the ninth floor of Block 667, Jalan Damai in the Bedok Reservoir area.
The other five friends backed out when they saw Chan Hong, 16, moaning at the foot of the block. He died three hours later in the hospital.
This incident occurred last year Aug 23 at around 5.20am in the morning.
In Lianhe Wanbao's report, it was revealed on Monday morning at a joint coroner's inquiry into the deaths of the two Tampines Secondary School students, that Witaya carried out Taoist rituals at home every Friday while his friends, including Chan Hong, would visit him at his house.
Witaya also believed that he could speak to deities.
Helplines
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
Comcare Helpline: 1800-222-0000
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
One week before the joint suicide, Witaya spoke to his friends about a "Third World War" and preached about sacrificing themselves in order to "rid the world of demons".
According to the Chinese evening dailies report, the eight boys met at around 2am that fateful night and agreed on the suicide pact. One of them backed out.
After which, seven of them headed to Witaya's home and agreed to jump from the 13th floor but seeing that the entrance to the rooftop was locked, they decided to jump from his bedroom window.
The Straits Times reported that Chan Hong was "a little afraid" and Witaya had to calm him down before the two went back to the ledge. Moments later, they jumped from the window holding hands.
State Counsel Ang Feng Qian asked what the group thought of the joint suicide idea. A witness, aged 16, testified that they were "passionate" about it. He also revealed that Chang Hong had been the most passionate and Witaya was unwavering.
The witness mentioned that they had diaries belonging to the teens hidden in a riser outside Witaya's flat and that another witness, a 17-year-old boy, and Witaya's brother had penned farewell letters, wrote The Straits Times.
Shin Min Daily reported that Witaya was introduced to Taoism by his grandmother, Madam Goh Lim Choo, 62, who was formerly a medium.
He had wanted to quit school but was advised by his father to complete his O levels first.
A representative from the Taoist Federation told the media that Taoism valued life and that Taoists would not engage in such activities that would harm themselves or others.
The spokesperson also revealed that Witaya nor his "group" was registered with the federation and that they did not know about his activities.
Teen medium made suicide pact with friends
He believed the world was ending and persuaded his friends to "sacrifice" themselves in order to "rid the world of demons". -AsiaOne
Tue, Sep 08, 2009
AsiaOne
[Photo: Ku Witaya (right), 16, told the group of friends, which includes Sia Chan Hong (right), that they had to die to become 'slayers' to kill demons threatening the world; The boys wrote words like 'goodbye' and 'last day on earth' in their diaries.]
A 16-YEAR-OLD self-professed Taoist medium, Thai-Chinese Ku Witaya, convinced his friends as well as his younger brother to enter into a suicide pact, based on his theory that the world was ending.
Of all his six friends whom Witaya had spoken to, only one - Sia Chan Hong - carried out the suicide act with him by jumping off the ninth floor of Block 667, Jalan Damai in the Bedok Reservoir area.
The other five friends backed out when they saw Chan Hong, 16, moaning at the foot of the block. He died three hours later in the hospital.
This incident occurred last year Aug 23 at around 5.20am in the morning.
In Lianhe Wanbao's report, it was revealed on Monday morning at a joint coroner's inquiry into the deaths of the two Tampines Secondary School students, that Witaya carried out Taoist rituals at home every Friday while his friends, including Chan Hong, would visit him at his house.
Witaya also believed that he could speak to deities.
Helplines
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
Comcare Helpline: 1800-222-0000
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
One week before the joint suicide, Witaya spoke to his friends about a "Third World War" and preached about sacrificing themselves in order to "rid the world of demons".
According to the Chinese evening dailies report, the eight boys met at around 2am that fateful night and agreed on the suicide pact. One of them backed out.
After which, seven of them headed to Witaya's home and agreed to jump from the 13th floor but seeing that the entrance to the rooftop was locked, they decided to jump from his bedroom window.
The Straits Times reported that Chan Hong was "a little afraid" and Witaya had to calm him down before the two went back to the ledge. Moments later, they jumped from the window holding hands.
State Counsel Ang Feng Qian asked what the group thought of the joint suicide idea. A witness, aged 16, testified that they were "passionate" about it. He also revealed that Chang Hong had been the most passionate and Witaya was unwavering.
The witness mentioned that they had diaries belonging to the teens hidden in a riser outside Witaya's flat and that another witness, a 17-year-old boy, and Witaya's brother had penned farewell letters, wrote The Straits Times.
Shin Min Daily reported that Witaya was introduced to Taoism by his grandmother, Madam Goh Lim Choo, 62, who was formerly a medium.
He had wanted to quit school but was advised by his father to complete his O levels first.
A representative from the Taoist Federation told the media that Taoism valued life and that Taoists would not engage in such activities that would harm themselves or others.
The spokesperson also revealed that Witaya nor his "group" was registered with the federation and that they did not know about his activities.
