Going Bonkers

You have to be nuts to take him on

If there are questions about mental health and fitness to practise, they should be directed at the Law Society (LS) and its members. In 2012, one Wong Siew Hong, representative from Law Society of Singapore and Director of local law firm Infinitus Law Corporation, interrupted a court proceeding while the Attorney General was in the midst of presenting his submission to the judge. Justice Philip Pillai was not amused at the juvenile antics. He characterised the action of the party crasher as “unprecedented” and admonished him accordingly, "How is it you have the audacity to come and turn up in court when you don't even have an application?" The LS lawyer had wanted to present a letter alleging that M Ravi was unfit to practise law.

The LS is now threatening M Ravi's livelihood again for embarking on a more serious endeavor. In what the mainstream media described as eye-brow raising worthy, Ravi had declared he would contest the next General Election in the Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency (GRC). So it comes down to this: anyone taking on the incumbent stands the hazard of being declared bonkers. Last time round, Lee Hsien Loong merely demeaned his opponents as members of a "suicide squad". The ante has been raised.

For the record, individuals with bipolar disorder can live full and satisfying lives. It is often suggested that genius (or, at least, creative talent) and mental disorder (specifically, the mania and hypomania of bipolar disorder) are linked, as in the example of Vincent van Gogh. The real problem here concerns social stigma, stereotypes, and prejudice against individuals with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

Since Ravi subjects himself to monthly checks, LS should be curious about his mental health only if he is burning up his Medishield subsidies. In the worst case scenario, Ravi can always be a full time politician. Last we heard, standing politicians need not be certified mentally fit to practise.