Netizens support airport official who was subject of viral Facebook rant
Netizens are rallying behind an airport official who was chided by a Facebook user PJ Wong in a post that has since gone viral.
In the post titled Know Your Rights, Mr Wong talks about his experience with an officer, Eugene Ng, who went up to Mr Wong and asked to check his luggage at Changi Airport.
He wasn't happy that Mr Ng had picked him out of so many people and questioned him.
Mr Wong then related his experience on Facebook saying that the officer had abused his power and infringed upon his rights.
But many have come out in support of the officer.
There is now a Facebook page Well Done Officer Eugene Ng, Keep it Up to support him.
It has now garnered about 430 likes. The number of likes increased by more than 200 in a span of three hours.
One Facebook user Chan Wei Min wrote: "It is important for people to know their rights. But equally, it is important to know the laws too. By his logic, if anyone tried bring in prohibited item, then he can complain like this joker, and wouldn't be checked at all. I hope authority take action on it."
Another netizen, Betram Leong, wrote: "They pick who they deemed suspicious, and this is very subjective, though the basic guidelines are there e.g shifty eyes, restlessness etc but it's really more about instinct.
"And yes, it is really much easier just to let the security agencies do their job, if you try to question and obstruct their duties. You are creating more suspicion."
But some have also criticised the officer - and the page.
In the Facebook post, Mr Wong wrote: "He (Mr Ng) ignored me and I guess that was his right to do so but I wondered if he actually heard me, so I asked again. I raise my voice this time to make sure I would be heard."
According to Mr Wong, the officer asked for his passport to record his details. And when asked why, the officer had responded it was because Mr Wong had raised his voice.
When he tried to record a video of the officer, Mr Ng tried to take the phone away - and took him to a room.
When Mr Wong didn't co-operate, Mr Ng's supervisor stepped in to handle the situation.
Within 10 minutes, he was allowed to leave the room.
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