In reference to the article located at :
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,130301-1179179940,00.html

Shock Outrage Shame
Student from top school allegedly punches bus driver
May 14, 2007

          I was appalled upon reading the subtitle – a top school student, physically assaulting a bus driver? I would find that hard to believe, even when seen in a newspaper. As I continue to read the article, I find this raise an alarm as to the attitude of this student, and whether or not this may be a rising trend.
          Looking deeper into the issue, one may find two underlying problems. Firstly, the student admitted using violence by punching the bus driver, which in any case was wrong unless for self defence. Secondly, even when admitting his mistakes, he chose to push some blame back to the bus driver, insisting that the bus driver did not explain clearly to him the reason for taking his friend’s ezlink card. Even so, his version of the story also placed much more emphasis on how the driver assaulted his friend without providing a valid reason. Regardless of whose version was true, it was undeniable that there were many witnesses around, who saw clearly that the boy repeatedly punched the driver, even when the driver fell into the driver’s seat, meaning when he was defenceless. Others also witnessed a gentleman restraining the boy, who continued to struggle in an attempt to deal more blows to the driver. After simple reasoning, one can imagine that if the student’s version of the story was true, it would be contradictory as someone attacking out of self defence would unlikely attack the person even when the person is helpless and did not retaliate, and would definitely not struggle when helped by someone else who could potentially speak up for him if the driver were to be in the wrong.
          I think the main problem here is how he focused on violence when he could have talked it over with the driver amicably. The issue was actually arisen from a very small problem – he tapped his friend’s ezlink card that she reported lost and found again, when he should have used the newer ezlink card. If he was to have handed the card over to the bus captain, this matter could have been avoided completely and his friend would only need to explain to TransitLink and destroy the card in question. I would even conclude that it is unwise, if not foolish, to use violence unnecessary and possibly recounting a story that would put him in better light and better justify his use of violence, which amounts to lying.