Feb 05 2009
How much do we know of the person next door?
Anyone at Block 462 who knew about Mr Ng Kim Ngweng – the man charged with threatening MP Denise Phua - had a different opinion of him.
One neighbour said he is “an odd ball” who couldn’t fit into the crowd, while another said he is just simply “harmless”. There were tales of him sitting all day along the corridor reading newspapers and littering peanut shells onto the floor, but others said Mr Ng helped grew potted plants which he later gave away.
Putting aside the contradictory accounts from neighbours, Mr Ng seemed liked a man crying out for help.
Outside his flat, at least 20 bottles of water could be found. He had reportedly cycled to community centres to ‘fetch’ water and bring them home. From the corridor, one could also see that Mr Ng had covered up all the windows, not with curtains, but with newspapers and used calender sheets. Could Mr Ng, an ex-patient at IMH, have relapsed again? Neighbours TODAY spoke to struggled to remember when was the last they saw him around the block.
Mr Ng’s MP, Ms Phua said she has met Mr Ng numerous times and have extended a helping hand, whenever he needed one. While MPs, such as Ms Phua, could extend help, they will probably meet the man once, or at most twice a week.
Neighbours, I feel, could be the ones to spot these trouble signs. Given that harsh economic times are here – and more fault lines opening up - maybe it is time to tap on the neighbourhood spirit to play a role in Singapore society’s many helping hands approach.
