3rd blogger sentenced

the 3rd blogger in recent months to be charged under the sedition act has been sentenced to 2 years probation and 180 hours of community work today.

unlike the previous 2 bloggers who were jailed, gan huai shi, 17, was given the unusual sentencing to reform his ‘misguided dislike for the malay community’ even though he was tried as an adult.

the judge even went on to suggest that a malay probation officer be assigned to him and that his community work should be at malay welfare organisations. a racial condition that has been unheard of.

‘This will allow him opportunities to have positive interaction with the Malay community... All these activities will act as an eye-opener for him when he participates in such activities of the Malay community,’ the judge explained.

the state has gone for a more “humane” touch in this case, possibly taking his age into consideration, and striving for a more effective measure against his offence. something a jail sentence might not have achieved.

the judge had also ordered that huai shi be counseled and evaluated by a psychiatrist to come to terms with the death of his baby brother which his animosity towards the malay community is believed to have stemmed from.

i guess his parents couldn’t have wished for anything better this.