So, there was this chap, or rather, his carcass. It was discovered at the bottom of his flat on 7 March 2005. Bodies of his family, wife, a daughter and a son were discovered in his flat later on the same day.

Local police decided to classify the case as nothing more than ‘death by unnatural causes’. Okay, it really seems like murder cum suicide… but then again, local authorities always try to play safe with their judgment, preferring to let their bosses comment on the issue.

Inquisitive journalists from our only paper decided to snoop further and guess what? This guy had a gambling problem previously and it was very probable that this tragedy was gambling debt induced.

Oh, wait. Wasn’t there a debate on whether we should allow the operation of a casino? Well, of course our reporters would not let this link just fade away would they? Well, they didn’t.

In an excerpt from The Straits Times dated 9 March 2005, it was reported.
“Tampines GRC MP Ong Kian Min said the deaths came as ‘a shock’. When asked what the case meant for the casino debate, Mr Ong said: ‘Personally, I’m not convinced about the merits of a casino. If the Government should decide to go ahead, more should be done about the consequences.
‘More should be done to curb excessive gambling.’
Well, from my perspective, if a person has a gambling problem, then it really doesn’t matter where the Casino is located. Be it in Singapore, or in some neighboring countries… it doesn’t really matter. This is clearly highlighted in this recent tragedy.

I think we, as thinking Singaporeans, should start taking responsibilities for how we live our lives and stop looking to the government for direction and protection.

Once we learn how to be responsible to ourselves, then it doesn’t really matter what we have here, because each and everyone of us is in control.