GIVE her a break, say Netizens who have come to the defence of Ms Ris Low who gave up her Miss Singapore World 2009 crown on Tuesday.
First criticised for her poor grasp of English in a Razor TV video interview, Miss Low has come under even more intense criticism after news that she was convicted of credit card fraud and placed under supervised probation came to light last week.
Pagaent organisers ERM Marketing announced on Tuesday afternoon that the 19-year-old student has given up her title and will not be representing Singapore at the Miss World finals in South Africa.
Several Straits Times readers spoke up for Miss Low on the straitstimes.com discussion board, calling for a closure to the episode and urging Singaporeans to be more forgiving of her.
Said sweetbean88: 'I think it's time to get over this and give her time to get over it too. Stop the bashing and move on.'
Another user, kennyticks2010, wrote: 'Be kind to Ris Low! She has suffered much and give her a break.'
Added Mountern: 'I think we should be kinder to her. She has been forthright with her mistakes and admitted that it was an action done on the spur of the moment.
'The fact that she is bi-polar should be taken into consideration. Importantly, the police has investigated and punishment has already been meted out. She shouldn't be punished twice.'
Other users chastised Singaporeans for being unforgiving and an ungracious bunch altogether.
Said eaglefly: 'The parents of the girl should just migrate to another more compassionate country, as this country and its people have no inkling as to what compassion and forgiveness are. Shame on all singaporeans.'
Commented anlibeth2000: 'It seems that Singaporean are Never Forgiving. Does this mean that once anyone made a mistake, it is the end of her career? After all she is just a young lady who had committed some mistake for her own reason. Our court had given her a chance so why not our Singaporeans?'
Solofigure09 launched into a moral tirade, asking 'What have we become?'
Said the reader: 'If the recent Ris Low saga is anything to go by, then it reveals that Singaporeans have a long way to go in being a gracious country.
'Netizens have by and large -- almost in knee-jerk fashion -- turned into an ugly mob. Mean spiritedness, small heartedness and judementalism is the order of the day (sic).
'Bear in mind that the crime took place two years ago. And we are taking about a very young person here who suffers from bipolar disorder. I wonder if those who have judged her measure themselves by the same yardstick? It would appear not.
'If there was a beauty contest for countries, how do you think Singapre would fare on the world stage?
'We seem to have the aesthetic qualifications. But with a very ugly personality. It's ironic, because these are the very same things we're accusing Ris of. It's time we took a look at ourselves.
'What have we become?'
