The commuter who was seen trying to force open a door of a moving MRT train on Nov. 29 said the intention behind it was to see how secure the door was.
The commuter, who has been identified as Vanessa Wang Ziqi (transliteration from Mandarin), also claimed to be a holder of a diploma in a mechanical field but did not specify what it was, reported Shin Min Daily News.
"My umbrella and hand were caught between the door previously. When I tried to open the door at the time, I realised it was quite easy to do so. So I wanted to test out whether the door can be easily opened while it's moving," said Wang.
Undergoing treatment at IMH
Throughout the interview with Shin Min, Wang kept emphasising, "I am a woman".
The commuter also expressed concerns over how life might be affected after the incident came under the spotlight.
Wang, who claimed to suffer from dissociative identity disorder, mania, and autism, was apparently also undergoing treatment at the Institute of Mental Health.
However, when Shin Min requested to see the diagnosis from Wang's doctor, Wang said that only relevant individuals could access it.
Background
At around 1pm on Nov. 29, SMRT's station staff were alerted to "a male commuter who was in a dress deliberately trying to force open the train door while a train was about to move off".
In the same statement, SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai also said the commuter was "uncooperative and turned aggressive" when its station staff entered the train to investigate the incident.
The commuter then "resisted" attempts by station staff who advised the former to leave the train so that other passengers could continue their journey.
The Public Transport Security Command (TransCom) was subsequently activated, and the commuter was filmed lying on the station ground, while station staff spoke to TransCom officers.
Video of similar incident emerged on Dec. 3
On Dec. 3, a video showing an individual trying to stop an MRT train door from closing while it was at a station began circulating on TikTok.
The passenger was dressed in a black sports bra and a neon pink dress — the same colour combination as the individual involved in the Nov. 29 incident.
This time round, the passenger could be seen swinging to the left and preventing the left door from closing by force.
The commuter's grip relaxed when the door was stopped from closing.
Police investigations are underway, according to SMRT.
Helplines
If you or someone you know are in mental distress, here are some hotlines you can call to seek help, advice, or just a listening ear:
SOS 24-hour Hotline: 1-767
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
Institute of Mental Health: 6389-2222 (24 hours)
Tinkle Friend: 1800-274-4788 (for primary school-aged children)
SHECARES@SCWO: Call: 8001 01 4616 | Whatsapp: 6571 4400
Top images via Raven Qiu/Facebook