13 year old Singapore girl arrested for burning Singapore flag
Posted by temasektimes on July 18, 2012
A 13 year old Singapore girl has been arrested by the police for burning a Singapore flag at a pavilion at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1.
The incident happened last night at around 10pm. The girl was reportedly having a walk with another three girls and one guy at Bishan Park when she picked up a lighter on the ground.
They then adjourned to the pavilion where a Singapore flag was hanging. For unknown reasons, she lighted the lighter and burn the flag.
The most ‘efficient’ Singapore police arrived moments later and questioned the five teenagers after which the girl was handcuffed and brought back to the police station for questioning.
It is crime to burn the Singapore flag.
THE TEMASEK TIMES 
Shiroi Ryuu said
Wow!! So fast!!
Did the police ‘plant’ the flag as a bait??
iloveft said
Try burning pap flag and see if police got same efficiency Lol
SgGuy said
As a test, try burn a PAP and WP flag at nearby locations and see which scene the police arrive faster. No brainer but would be fun š
Singaporean said
why not you try and record it as video to show us š
spotlessleopard said
Burn a SDP flag…..? What do you think?
singaporean said
Get medal at national day rally
Free Trolley said
MP you mean?
Free Trolley said
WP you mean?
Golden said
Whatever reasons. That’s arson. Serious enough?
Amaze said
There is no need to handcuff and picture d young kid.
Public Eyes said
I disagree. She needs to be taught a lesson. And I say this as a parent! Disgraceful.
Bai Hu said
@Public Eyes
Yes, i totally agree with u. It does not matter whether she is a Singaporean or a FT, flag burning is a sign of disrespect to a nation. She needs to be properly councilled.
Toyotawish said
Totally Agree…
éå ē said
Why not handcuff the parent instead!
Descended said
there’s no need to subject a minor below 18 to trauma and public humiliation. What she needs is education, not punishment.
Me said
When they need to show sympathy, they act so righteous. If this is a foreigner, he will probably be forgiven and they will ask singaporeans to show more understanding for them …. What a messy singapore we living in ? Right r wrong … they decide.. Bull shit
hisham76 said
The trauma and humiliation is good lesson itself for the young girl. It will prepare her for her future adult life.
Compatriot said
For the “Haves NOT” she is a Heroic Heroine.
Hey there,what about the prc punk who physically bashed that police constable comitted a crime with life threatening and “WHY” were there no handcuff picture of him shown
Compatriot said
If its not Police Brutality then what is?
mahbok tan said
Agree , for a minor its not suppose to handcuff unless its unruly and go against the Police officer.
further more the kid is very small built lei…or they are showing some AUTHORITY towards minor…???? Wherelse for FT no need to handcuff but talk nice nice and sweet sweet…can liao….LOL….!!!
B_Tiger said
As a parent I think it is OK to handcuff the kid. This kid has done something bold in playing mischief with fire in a dangerously fashion a public park – as well as desecrating our flag. She is not an ordinary timid kid who will be traumatized easily. That said, however the handcuffed kid picture need not be shown in the national 154th press. It is one thing to be handled by the police who are discharging their duty and another to carelessly sensationalize the news.
Steve Lee said
@Descended. Education failed. Now it’s time for punishment.
Elton John said
I like the word ‘efficient’ with the two ” ‘ ‘ “.
Sun Wu Gui said
Why burn Singapore flag? Please ah girl you should be burning PAP’s flag. It’s not the country’s fault, blame it all on PAP!!!
Edmund said
It is close to national day and many Singapore flags are planted everywhere . It is difficult to find PAP flag, so Singapore flag also can lah .WHAT TO READERS THINK, BURNING PAP FLAG OR SINGAPORE FLAG CARRIES HEAVIER STENTENCE
Naivety said
Wah, nowadays in Sinkapore even small 13 year old kid could feel the resentment, frustration & discontentment with the government of the day by burning the Singapore National Flag ka?!!!
SgGuy said
My thoughts exactly! The papers does not publish anything but you can see n feel the resentment n frustration on the ground every day. So sad….
Amaze said
Agree wif u.
unknown said
Such a stupid thing to do …
Amaze said
Don’t just scold d kid.
Edwin said
Frustrated Singaporean, they find that Singapore is no hope for them.
Sinkaporean said
The most āefficientā Singapore police arrived moments later and questioned the five teenagers after which the girl was “HANDCUFFED” and brought back to the police station for questioning. They are 13 years old girls!! OMG! ROFLMAO! SG police really no horse run! HAHAHA
Ken Lee said
what happen if is a ft?
Daft Peasant said
erm…..given a stern warning only……??
mahbok tan said
If its the FTrashes they will serve them coffee and talk nice nice and sweet sweet lor….if not their KPI minister oso kena mah…..no respect arh…towards my FT’s….LOL…..!!!
Public Eyes said
This is a sign of how defiant, how apathetic our youths have become. They are aimless, lazy yet materialistic and want an easy way out. Their idols are not industrious and successful people who had worked hard but those who got rich the easy way! Young girls idolising socialites and say they want to be like them etc. Seriously. Where is the pride and decency.
I drove past Orchard Cineleisure today … a teenager, must be about 18 years old, flicked her cigarette butt into the bushes. The dustbin with ash tray wasn’t more than 10 steps away.
We gotta ask ourselves who’s teaching our youths?
Anonymous said
Agree with you on that. Some parents are too ignorant of their childs lives. They should spend more time disciplining them.
Brock said
I like how you judge others.
I see you did not mention specifically who “our youths” refer to. However, in relation to this thread that you have posted on, I am going to assume that it means the youths of Singapore.
Allow me to quote you, “This is a sign of how defiant, how apathetic our youths have become.”
Firstly, defiant in what manner? Apathetic about what? If you mean it in a manner regarding to what the girl did by burning the Singapore flag. I guess I can agree to some degree. After all, she is young and she hasn’t been educated properly on national pride and stuff like that. Or maybe she has, but she shares my view and just finds it impossible to respect the government. If the latter was true, she has displayed her frustration in a wrong manner. Her destroying of the property not belonging to her indeed proves her to be apathetic to the feelings of others, and that act in itself (regardless of it being the Singapore flag) is defiant as she is breaking the law by her act of vandalism which I believe at her age is taught to her in school to be against the law.
However, I could be wrong and I state that the above was just a wild assumption based on no grounds. I judge no one and I judge her not with my words. She may have other motives contrary to my assumption. I do not know the girl or any of the persons involved in this incident.
Nonetheless, neither she nor her actions represent the entire youth body in Singapore.
Now, your latter statement in paragraph one. “”They are aimless, lazy yet materialistic and want an easy way out. Their idols are… those who got rich the easy way”.
Next, there is absolutely nothing wrong, disgraceful or indecent in wanting to obtain the same objective via easier means, provided that the easier means does not include immorality or criminal means. In terms of immorality, I’d say we all have different views on that, so let one’s conscience decide on it and not poke our noses into the beliefs of others unless we run their lives for them.
Don’t get me wrong. Although I may disagree part of your statement, I do agree that being successful with the mindset of working hard rather than finding an easy way is indeed virtuous in nature as well.
Being aimless is no sin nor a crime. They are youths and they have the time to explore all the different possibilities. Our education system here in Singapore is partially to blame. The system here downright refuses everyone the right to develop further in their field of interest at a young age. Our youths (at least those in government schools) are taught a little too much of the general stuff which at most times, prove to be useless when they start furthering their studies at a specific field when they enter Polytechnic or University or some form of tertiary education.
Being materialistic can mean being pragmatic to many individuals because gathering material wealth is indeed pragmatic. Again, our education system indirectly educates us to be pragmatic (despite how un-pragmatic it is) in its style of providing education. Think of how the students were divided into EM1, 2 or 3. Then think of the attention given to each stream. Or think of similar examples like R.I., Dunman High and compare them to the common neighborhood secondary schools. Compare the resources and attention given to them. Think of the fame given to these top school students and how often do parents fail our part as parents and compare our children with one another? Oftentimes, I’ve heard conversations that go like “wah! your son is in R.I ahh!!! Good ahh.” and then “huh? your son is in this xxx neighborhood school. how can??”.
Our education system is too pragmatic that it is bad for our kids. Our children are sent to school on a daily basis to face this pragmatism in school. Soon, they are indoctrinated to be pragmatic in all areas of their lives. To this, I’d say that our civics and moral education (CME) system has failed terribly because they did not teach them how to be pragmatic, resulting in the misconception that being materialistic will definitely mean that one is being pragmatic.
So now you tell me. Whose fault is it that the youths (in general) are materialistic?
I agree with you that laziness is bad. Too bad, our education system thinks it is not pragmatic enough to spend time teaching them to be hardworking.
I don’t think it is wrong, disgraceful or indecent to aspire to become a socialite (or social elite) in anyways. It is what they do after they become a social elite that defines if they are a disgrace to themselves. Of course, refer to paragraph 6 in regards to the means of them achieving their goal.
Lastly, for your poor illustration of the “…teenager, must be about 18 years old, flicked her cigarette butt into the bushes.” I think you must realize that you merely “drove past Orchard Cineleisure” and saw that happening. Did you stop to find out if she was Singaporean or “about 18 years old”? If you did not, what you have said is rendered invalid in this discussion on the ground that she might not have been a Singaporean and that she might have been a female in her late 30s that has undergone much of the beauty parlor treatments.
We gotta think more before we actually voice out our thoughts.
Amaze said
Well said. I like it!
pandora said
Nice one brock.
A Singaporean said
Hey, Brock.
Just reading a few sentences into your reply and I can tell you’re probably a “youth”, hence the great offence that you took from the original post.
I hope you come back to read this reply of yours 10 years later. It will be a good way to gauge how much you’ve matured and learned the ways of the world. Just because you think you can write (thanks to our school system), doesn’t mean your opinions are right.
You ain’t done nothing for nobody yet, kid. Respect must be earned.
Whatever. said
13 year old girl arrested split seconds.
PAP bandits and foreign crime close both eyes. Fucking efficient indeed, burn your mother’s cb!
i say what i think only... said
i used to call SPF for public nuisance, group of boys (sometimes, chinese, sometimes malay. nothing racial here) hang out at playground downstairs and made lots of noise on a weekday midnight and beyond (not saying weekend is fine). called the police and start timing (30mins past by) till they made enough nuisance and left for next spot (haven’t seen them). really WTF
next incident, they came after 20-30mins then they asked for their IC, talk talk abit then SPF left. what they do? continue to make noise. wah super efficient in drinking their tea and PSP at some dark spot is it?
Vic said
Aiya, 13 years old, still a kid la… .. …. Probably, just ignorant and looking for a little excitement in a momentary boredom. What the heck handcuff her for? It probably scared all the wits out of her.
kaypoh said
If she looking for a little excitement I can suggest better thing to do š
lsvop said
Burning a national flag very exciting? Being lead away in a handcuff even more exciting! I feel that it is wrong to be protective of the youths today, they made a choice, they accept the consequences. If they never have to face consequences when they are youths, what happens when they become adults?!
Vic said
I’m not suggesting to let her off scor free. But, for God’s sake, 13 years old is primary school kid. She acted very likely out of ignorance. I feel there is just no need to be harsh with her. There are far more serious thing for our police force to handle.
kaypoh said
Ohoh….u think she might kena Michael Fay punishment? or just Waffles Woo warning?
Steve Lee said
@Kaypoh. Funny.
dog of the dogs said
What will happen if she is a foreigner ?
Ren said
Restless youth…Can guide her in the rite direction, later she grows up become a pyrotechnician.
Amaze said
Agree with u!
leedavid said
Can a minor be handcuffed? Anyway, u dont see A POLICE when u need one ……
barry said
This is no political statement. Probably another nothing better to do, bo liao kids trying to do things for attention with their ‘you don’t dare, I dare’ attitude. Time to clamp down on this anti social behaviour and make an example.. Don’t use age as a defence. Kids nowadays are growing up much faster than we use to. Unless you say she don’t know burning other people/public property is not right, let alone our national flag. It is intolerable
stevenado said
Should impound her passport in case she ran away..
kaypoh said
LOLOL underage pros making tons of $$$ “protected” becoz of her age, now 13 y/o kena arrested.
Interesting that the flag & lighter just “happened” to be there, and police arrived “moments later”
I just wonder, if the guy then peed on the flag to put out the fire, will he be arrested too, or given a medal??? š š
unknown said
Ever since I know how despicable PAPpies are. I dislike hanging the Country Flag outside our flat. We are sort of forced to hang the flags and It is very fake to hang it without any sense of pride.
oldguard said
you have the right to remove it
Majulah Singapura Is Dead said
Which also you need not have to do it,If there is a force led upon you then it is ILLEGAL and UNLAWFUL and you can file and charged for ASSUALT and Battery and INTIMIDATION
Polisi Bo LampaH said
If the FT burning Singapore flag, the police will have NO BALLS to attend the case.. they will act BLUR..
our police only knows how to bully LOCALs only lahhhh.. puiiiiiihhhh~
Sad Sinkee said
assshole police good for nuthin except this kind of stupid thing. stupid countryby stupid govt and its no wonder sinkis got no more allegiance to the flag since all overun by foreigners and stupid police
Grace Kristen Angarano said
Maybe the flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, she just destroyed it by burning in a dignified manner…….
A G Young said
If this 13 year old girl is a FOREIGNER? It depends who is handling the case!
Unfit medical practitional said
The girl is underage. Is taking her picture against the law? The underage prostitute never had her pic published.
kaypoh said
Only if u film upskirt, I guess š
:) said
americans get to burn their flags whenever they want without going to jail or being taught a “lesson”. Its called freedom of speech.
FreeMakan said
aiya, she should burn Pinoy bastard flag
Respect said
Respect 4 e flag becoz of respect 4 e nation, or due to 2 laws? If dun hv such laws, will pple still hv respect 4 e nation? Does e girl feel respected in S’pore, esp by e dictatorship? Respect is a mutual thing & respect begins from big fish (state), not small fry (citizen). If law enforces e “respect”, then really something not functioning in e state-citizen relationship.
Unhappy said
Hate the stupid gahmen for our woes; not the state, which is represented by our state flag.
Singaporean said
I am proud of her. She is a hero unlike many useless complaining adults.
Alice HO said
Handcuff young girl very absurd. If they heard gangster firing bullets I think one hour still haven’t arrive at the scene.
Mr X said
singapore is a PAP POLICE STATE
trgnoobie said
āIf you want a symbolic gesture, don’t burn the flag; wash it.ā – Norman Thomas
Ron said
What is the cut-off age for using a handcuff? If a 8-year old kid also commit a crime, I do not think the handcuff will fit the tiny wrists.
My poiint is the mindless following of rules. Where can you run in Spore? Is it necessary to use such restraints for young teenagers who may need counselling and who have have troubles that are yet unknown?
Just escort her to the Police car will suffice. And is it not a violation of privacy to publish pictures of minors who are not even charged in Court?
Realist said
Someone must have noticed and reported it to the police.
Burning flag is a disgraceful act and should be punished severely.
Why don’t she go burn a thousand dollar note ?
kaypoh said
coz that will be stupid!
we need the $$$ for COE, HDB etc….maybe she’s burning the flag coz she couldnt find a pappy flag.
Singapuraboi said
1. It is distressing to see how badly our young are educated on national pride. What r the parents and schools doing?
2. It is sad that many equate party to country. We r Singaporeans first and then our party affiliations. We can’t seem to tell country from party apart and no wonder many choose to migrate.
3. It is a 13 year old kid after all and not a hardened criminal and I think the police over reacted and handcuffed her and allowed her pix to be taken. Aren’t they supposed to protect the young e.g like the teenage prostitute? That one should be shamed publicly. Does the chief of police and judge planning to keep her identity secret so when all this blows over they can become her customers? Do the right thing! And women’s charter should stay out of it. Just like the left wing lesbian leftists in the US, women lobbyists always have a tendency to take things to extreme and be over dramatic about it.
easy said
o burning Singapore flag = burning away Singapore values
well perhaps it speak more of a youth displeasure with the society, an inner desire to change. whatever it is, only the youth will known.
when the Singapore Polo Team wear a symbolic swimming trunk in the Asian Sea Games, isn’t that a worst insult to Singapore values in the eyes of Asian nations. Singapore as a whole become a “CXXK SUCKER” in the sense if u look at the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXvvJLgsohU
hence I think one need to strike the balance between the view. what does a flag stand for? if it is used in the official ceremony or foreign embassy, is a symbolic national representation. however in the event of protest, burning it is a display of displeasure about the society changes or constitutions.
after all, may i ask what happen to those flag that one hang outside the corridor during the national day? did one give it to” karanguni ” or past it to RC for proper disposal? if one chose the latter, one is respecting the flag otherwise we are equally liable for insulting the nation.
icefire said
most likely is a Sg youngster. if is a FT kids TT wont publise here … and u think SPF will handcuff a FT ???
our SPF is here to bully the poor n weaker locals … they will tells us is not within their responsibility to help the local
Why said
It is a foolish and needless act regardless of her intentions.
Amaze said
For those who criticised d kid n her parents for d sake of criticising, ask yourself whether you are fit to criticise & what u can offer to help.
Yao Teck Ng said
why must burn the singapore flag? anytime will corse a big damage because the matrial is flametable
Neutral said
It is a foolish and needless act regardless of the intention.
Ro77a said
If we can applaud a young kid burning public property, then I think we have shifted our value. The focus supposed to be her wrong doing at such young age. However, we analyze every little general information and focus on the handcuff and why she burnt the flag.
In addition, Every little report blames on PAP or has resulted in a FT vs local comparison remarks from readers.
At the end of the day, she has made a mistake. She burnt a public property and a national flag. At 13 years old, that is very sad. I do not know why a 13 years old is out and has lighter to burnt flag. The flag is a national icon and also a public property. Let hope that she will be guided back to the right path.
Talk is cheap but we believe in helping kid. Everry year, my wife, kid and I will select a charity to donate a couple of thousand dollars. It is not a lot of money but we have often selected homes that helped young children that either has broken family or needs to be guided back. I hope everyone here focus on how she can be show the right path and offers help if possible.
Truely, I want my kid to be courageous, to stand for the right thing, to be righteous and be responsible. I am a parent and if my kid does this, it will break my heart.
However, I am more sadden by readers who called her a hero. Because you just turn a mistake into right. Why? Is it because you have no gut to burn the flag on your own and am excited that some one does that. Talk on Internet is cheap. I am fine with that but please do not make the young who read your comments think that is right. Our society can be run by pap or WP, can be poor or rich but our values to our youth has to be correct. I am also glad many readers who responded are parent that think likes me. Let hope she learns and be a better person with a brighter future.
Compatriot said
Agreed she did wrong.We human beings are born with a conscience the sense of right and wrong that governs a person thoughts and actions
There are analogies to ponder
But what makes her to do wrong perhaps was it depravation or deprivation,coercion or emphatically actuated and affected by the misled of governmental polices of the PAP government
Compatriot said
Yes talk is indeed cheap,especially that came from an Ivory Tower.
That girl has a predicament and has shown the world with gusto of her plight so the world could epitomise how,what,when,where and why of her person
I couldn’t imagine that it is easy to squeeze the trigger
LOL said
It makes me sick reading some of ur comments esp those cowards who only dare to type their comments only. I may not b a police officer but i do know that they work for e govt of the day be it PAP or WP etc… They SERVE the nation, the ppl.N they r there coz ppl like u (the cowards who only know/dare to type) who call them to settle these problems.
U like to quote eg. of our police handling e girl. Now let me ask u smartass abt this situation. If e 13 yrs old girl burn ur/ur mother/father’s precious car? (definitely s’thing less impactful than a national flag) N u caught her redhanded. I believe she would be having worse experience than juz being led away with a handcuff. OR if she is not located. You wld be calling e police officers crying ur heart out like a baby hoping for their help (hypocrite). Its a typical selfish attitude that has become a norm in sg. Still it doesnt mean FTs are better thou (So FTs shut ur mouth coz im not backing yall by my statement).
If dat girl does that in other country god know what her fate will be. What she does is defintely wrong, but those who applaude her pls migrate to other neighbouring countries tt r fond of burning flags. N those Boliao ppl who call e police for noise n then clock their arrival time. A piece of advice. Go n masturbate, you’ll sleep better.
Learn to appreciate our officers instead of criticizing them. If they r inefficient, would u even have e balls to walk out alone at night without fear of crimes? Or maybe ur answers is yes coz u r juz typing not doing.
Bai Hu said
Hi, yes i totally agree with u. Thumbs up for your comments.
Thinking about It said
Maybe people who discriminate others in whatever they do should stop. Ask yourself this, even to the lil mistakes that you did, would you be able to accept any discrimination? At no matter what age you are at.
Just to share,
within the Singapore law, there’s a statement stating to who shall Authorized Officer handcuff and when. In this particular case, i don see any need.
Singapore is indirectly politically in a mess (who wouldn’t agree, except PRC’s). – I’m not racist but this are some facts that we know exist. We should get our grip together and do something. Not sit down and complain, (which many Singaporeans expertise in)
I use to be a proud Singaporean, go abroad and say “hi, I’m from Singapore” but now, its more of
Me: “Hi, I’m from Singapore
Local resident: “Oh damn, you’re a walking monopoly!!”
Me: “-_-”
My message here is the people have to change, then the country will change. (No Love but just $$)
ps: Singapore may not have natural resources but they have the people (25 years ago +-)
Think about it!!