News

Lady Was Insulted By Neighbour For Nine Years in Tampines But There’s Allegedly Nothing The Police Can Do

2019-06-23 , 4:00 am

Imagine this: you have a neighbour who is always angry at the world. She shouts, she screams, and if you ever dare to hang your laundry out to dry, she’ll dirty it.

What would you do?

Call the cops on her?

But what if, what if, the police told you they can’t help you?

This is Allegedly Happening in Singapore

According to Yahoo New Singapore, such a lady, Lee, exists in Tampines. Just across Tampines Mall, in fact.

Living on the eighth floor, Kee allegedly shouts insult and spews vulgarities out of the window multiple times.

She had also allegedly thrown rubbish out of the window and splashed water on neighbours’ laundry a couple of times.

Neighbours Resigned

Neighbours of the lady expressed resignation at her behaviour.

Some said they’ve stopped hanging laundry out to dry. Some have gotten used to the ‘noise pollution’ while others said they heard another resident shouting back at them.

But out of all the residents, one particular woman got it the worst.

Madam Marliah Jonet

She’s a 64-year-old widow who lives directly above Lee.

And Lee’s insults often includes mention of her dead husband and daughter. She accused Mdm Jonet of causing her husband and daughter’s deaths, of being a ‘loose’ woman.

In fact, she often threw racial and religious slurs against Mdm Jonet.

The last straw was when Lee threw pork onto the corridor outside Mdm Jonet’s flat.

Hauled To Court

The authorities were immediately notified and Lee was hauled to court. After pleading guilty to the charges, she went for a psychiatric assessment, then subsequently slapped with a two-year Mandatory Treatment Order (MTO).

Things were fine for three to four months after that before Lee began her ruckus again.

Searching For A Resolution

Mdm Jonet was at her wits’ end after nine whole years of enduring Lee’s antics.

She had contacted the following authorities:

HDB
Tampines Town Council
Grassroots Leaders
Former Member of Parliament

But it didn’t help.

She had even asked for voluntary mediation at the former Subordinate Courts but Lee didn’t turn up.

Police Called Multiple Times

Mdm Jonet keeps a meticulous record of Lee’s antics, including every word and every sentence.

And she had been contacting the police frequently on her problem.

However, in Mar 2019, the police told her that they, “after consulting with the Attorney-General’s Chambers and considering the facts of the case”, will not be taking any further action (against Lee).

There’s Actually A Case

Criminal lawyers said that for every insult Lee had uttered against Mdm Jonet, a police report can be made.

However, while Mdm Jonet understands that there are legal options she can take to stop the issue, she is not able to hire a lawyer.

For cases involving neighbours, there is no legal aid.

Meanwhile, all she can do now is tahan.

“I will accept any help I can get,” she said. “I have good relations with my other neighbours. I still believe in the police and government system.”