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November 23, 2009 Monday

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Jessica Lim
News Reporter
Sorry, no tiger show yet
November 17, 2008 Monday, 03:47 PM
Jessica Lim gives an update on why the White Tiger exhibit is still closed.

THREE days after last Thursday's shocking tiger attack on a zoo cleaner, the exhibit is still closed and people are still talking.

Comments stream in on on-line blogs and news websites. Some express their condolences, others question the zoo's response to emergencies.

Still others, out of morbid curiosity, requested for copies of the video footage.
   
Today's schedule at the Singapore Zoo? Two counselling sessions for keepers involved and further monitoring of the rare white tigers.
   
When I called for an update on the situation there earlier today, a spokesman told me that the tigers "seemed fine" but extra precautions were being taken to "make sure the signs of stress" are "totally gone" and that "the white tigers were comfortable and eating well".
  
What happened?
   
The tigers had been traumatised by the incident on Thursday as keepers and members of the public hurled items - including umbrellas and clay balls (from eight safety boxes located around the zoo) - in an attempt to distract the animals away from 32-year-old cleaner Nordin Montong, who died from the attack.
   
On top of that, the assistant director of the zoo Biswajit Guha told me that the white tigers - on loan from Indonesia - had never made physical contact with a human being since they were brought here seven years ago.
   
"They had not experienced anything like it before," he said.
   
The tiger exhibit is likely to reopen later in the week.



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Total comments: 13
Hasnizal
November 24, 2008 Monday

people commit suicide for various reasons, he might have jumped into the moat as a protest to his company to send him home, he might have jumped into the moat in view of trying to get compensation from the insurance agency to send more money home? he might have just jumped in because he is under depression? maybe he had schizophrenia? maybe he was suffering from bi-polar disorders?

Hi, please show respect to Nordin family...

from Nordin Brother in Law


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jjef
November 20, 2008 Thursday

I still can see some people blaming the tigers..I just can't fathom how some of you really can blame animals for being instictively intelligent (than some of you). Anyway, sorry, I will not judge people in here. And some can even come out with conspiracies..HAha..I had enough of this anyway.. you know where I stand..

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champagnepom
November 19, 2008 Wednesday

Thanks James for cleverly suggesting so many possible reasons why the cleaner did what he did. But, some of us (if you read the other two blogs re: this issue) are not interested in the who and why and how the cleaner died. It's clear as day he attempted suicide.

Sure, we are sorry for his family. But some of us are more concerned about the tigers.

Than for human beings who are mostly to blame for the sorry state of the world.

And btw, "pimpmaster," you quite rightly pointed out "this is not a debate between the tigers and the man. The tigers can't talk, can they? Let alone debate. And you say , "this tragedy is never about a man dying in the hands of Tigers. It is about a man's dignity ripped by society." Wrong again, no one is ripping him, and really, what dignity is there in choosing suicide? It's a cop out.


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james_w
November 18, 2008 Tuesday

everyone is just interested in why (and how, the video) the person died blah blah blah. reason why he jumped. curious if the zoo was liable for his death.

why is everyone so hyped over this incident?

people commit suicide for various reasons, he might have jumped into the moat as a protest to his company to send him home, he might have jumped into the moat in view of trying to get compensation from the insurance agency to send more money home? he might have just jumped in because he is under depression? maybe he had schizophrenia? maybe he was suffering from bi-polar disorders?

lets' face it. there are issues more urgent than to mule over this. let's give some respect to the deceased. does it feed your appetite or increase your IQ by knowing the real reason why he died?

get over this people. and the person who died aint even your closed ones. i rather you guys show more attention to your family and friends.

who knows, someone close to you might just die tmr and the reason remains unknown. blown up by the news and gets the entire singapore guessing again.

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pimpmaster
November 18, 2008 Tuesday

This is not a debate between the tigers and Mr. Nordin.

The tigers are innocent, do not deserve any harm, and I totally agree with the idea that they should be returned to Indonesia if anyone ever consider harming them.

But the news is about the death of a person, which to my disappointment is repeatedly forgotten everytime the news is reported.

That Mr. Nordin is 'suicidal' is a conclusion by the media, and not a proven fact. At the end of the day, it is about the spin. And it so easy to believe if the paper say so?

I'm sure the Singaporean society demands that mercy is given to the tigers. And it was given without hesitation.

But enough about the tigers. How about mercy to Mr. Nordin?

This tragedy is never about a man dying in the hands of Tigers. It is about a man's dignity ripped by society.

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