So disrespectful, netizens slam man filmed wakeboarding at War Memorial Park pool
PHOTO: Facebook/Malvin Fang
PUBLISHED ONJuly 19, 2021 8:45 AMByAlexander Kyle Thirumaran
Visitors to the War Memorial Park were shocked to see a man wakeboarding in the monument's water feature last Saturday night (July 17).
Malvin Fang filmed and posted a video of the incident on Facebook, saying that he saw someone "doing some surfboarding thing at the War Memorial Park multiple times as if it was his own private pool".
In the 31-second clip, the man can be seen securing a wakeboard to his feet before he was pulled across the pool.
At one point he performed a trick, hitting the base of the monument with his board.
Speaking with AsiaOne, Fang, 28, said it was the first time saw such behaviour at the monument. He decided to stay on for 20 minutes to film a video that he could submit as evidence for a police report.
"In that duration, the man attempted to do it four times and he fell into the pool on one of the attempts," Fang added.
Fang mentioned that the wakeboarder was accompanied by a woman who sat near the water feature. "He was shouting to her 'the handle broke' after the attempt where he fell," he said.
There were other people sitting around the area, but no one approached the wakeboarder to stop him. A passer-by appeared to be shocked by the act, Fang shared.
The police told AsiaOne they received a report on the incident and are looking into the matter.
Under the Preservation of Monuments Act, those found guilty of willfully defacing, damaging or otherwise interfering with any national monument will be liable to a fine not exceeding $30,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.
Unveiled in 1967, the monument at the War Memorial Park near Stamford Road was built in remembrance of the civilians who lost their lives during World War II. Memorial services take place there on Feb 15 every year.
After viewing the clip, netizens said that the surfer's actions were disrespectful to those who died in the war.
