International Bully

I is the farking pissed.



From The New Paper:

THE furore over a trishaw rider being bullied by three British tourists has now spread to their home country after a national newspaper picked up The New Paper report.

The Daily Mail reported how the men had mocked 67-year-old trishaw rider Lee Shee Lam and then escaped in a taxi without paying him.

The popular tabloid mentioned how a video of the incident posted on YouTube had sparked outrage among Singaporeans. Its online version has a link to the YouTube video.

It also quoted from this reporter's e-mail interview with the tourist who posted the original video in which he apologised for their actions but denied they were bullies.

Bloggers in the UK have also responded by criticising the tourists for their thoughtless actions.

Responding to The Daily Mail report, one reader, Brian of Bournemouth, wrote: 'Makes you ashamed to be British - this is the product of our educational system.'

BE KIND

A blogger in the UK, gtkh, wrote: 'We aren't perfect ourselves as a people (or even as a race). Let's all work towards re-educating ourselves.

'Maybe one day, we will succeed to be a better world. Let's start with showing some compassion.'

The outrage has also spread to other parts of the globe as Netizens responded directly on YouTube or wrote to The New Paper.

Wrote one YouTube user, Cas C of New Zealand: 'Your actions are bullying, whatever you may think. Preying on the weak and elderly is cowardly.

'Not paying for a service rendered is robbery. Don't agree? Check your dictionary.

'You have robbed the hard-earned money deserved by the one who provided you with the service you requested for.'

Ms Vikki Yip of Australia was one of several overseas readers who sent e-mails to The New Paper to register their disgust over the incident.

She wrote in her open letter: 'Making fun of and sneering at the elderly man who was ferrying you on his rickshaw throughout the 10-minute ride - that's bullying.

'You made fun of him, laughed at him, taunted him as he struggled, and refused to pay him in the end. And you think that was all just being 'insensitive'? Who were you trying to kid?'

INSULTED HIM

She continued her tirade: 'The poor old man was just trying to earn a living and had to chase three young foreigners for his money, because they refused to pay.

'And in the end, you and your filthy friends insulted him with a mere $5? He's not a beggar and it angers all of us to watch him plead to get his money back.'

There is also a forum thread on the Singapore Expats Forum discussing the video.

One British user, who goes by the online handle of seasider, recalled having taken a ride on Mr Lee's trishaw previously.

He wrote: 'I recognise that uncle - he gave me my one and only trishaw ride a couple of years ago. We beat him down on price and then, gave him an absolute fortune anyway because it was obviously a great effort. He was a jolly old soul and totally fearless, and we were just grateful to be alive.

'As a Brit (and a Northerner), the video was highly uncomfortable to watch. I think these guys were drunk and stupid rather than evil, but that doesn't help Uncle at all.'