Monica Baey’s #MeToo story, Hong Kong protests and Christchurch shootings are top news events for Singaporeans

Baey – who sparked debate about discipline for sexual offenders and support for victims – was the top newsmaker for younger respondents to a new survey

Also on the list is the government’s decision to ban electric scooters from all footpaths, which is seen as the ‘top local event’ of the year

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The Hong Kong protests were a “real hot button” issue with Singaporeans this year, according to the pollsters. Photo: Joanne Ma

Published: 5:31pm, 20 Dec 2019Updated: 5:50pm, 20 Dec 2019

Undergraduate Monica Baey was the top newsmaker of 2019 for young Singaporeans, according to an independent pollster’s survey of 1,000 people on the key events and personalities of the year.

The survey, conducted earlier this month by Blackbox Research, found 23 per cent of Singaporeans aged between 15 and 25 said Baey was their “top newsmaker” in 2019, ahead of the country’s prime-minister-in-waiting, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat.

Baey, a National University of Singapore student, took to social media in April to publicise a peeping Tom incident at her hostel, sparking debate in the largely conservative island state about how school authorities should discipline sexual offenders and support victims.

Baey, who received a “Woman of Courage” award from local women’s group Aware, said she felt comforted by the survey findings.

“I think it speaks volumes on how urgent the issue of voyeurism is in Singapore. It was almost normalised or not discussed for too long,” said the 23-year-old final-year communications major.

David Black, the owner and managing director of the Singapore-based polling company, said: “Locally, the Monica Baey story was Singapore’s first major #MeToo moment and helped kick start greater public consciousness.”

Since Baey’s case came to light, Singapore’s online community has paid closer attention to similar cases of sexual harassment.