Halimah Yacob says she has to ‘constantly restrain’ herself from patting children’s heads after Roxy Square incident
Former Singapore president Halimah Yacob said she now has to “constantly restrain” herself from patting children’s heads after a viral incident at Roxy Square, which resulted in an elderly hawker being pushed to the ground.
Speaking at the launch event in Tampines on Aug 19, Halimah also stressed that seniors should not be “compartmentalised” and “segregated” in public spaces, according to a social media post by CNA.
“I don’t think that’s good for their emotional, mental, or physical well-being,” she says, calling for meaningful activities that promote intergenerational bonding.
Many seniors she observed enjoyed talking to young children, she adds.
“Nowadays, it’s a problem — you can’t pat their heads also. But it’s okay, I used to do that all the time. Now I have to constantly restrain myself and I’m very scared,” she says, as the audience chuckles in response.
“We all got traumatised, isn’t it?” she asks. Although she feels it was a sign of endearment, she reiterates that society has become “fragmented”.
‘Affectionate’ or 'not right’?
Many netizens echoed the sentiment, with one even describing it as a “sad sign of societal decay”.
“When an affectionate pat on the head becomes a source of anxiety and fear of accusation, we have lost our sense of community trust,” the netizen said.
However, some commenters pointed out that non-consensual touch was a red flag.
“It’s not right for strangers (irrespective of age or intent) to touch other people’s children without the parents’ consent. Being an elderly doesn’t accord one rights over other peoples’ children,” another netizen chimed in.
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