Fridae

A coroner's court in Singapore has recorded a verdict of suicide on the death of a 20-year-old woman and an open verdict on the death of her older woman lover, reports the Straits Times.

The court heard that Michelle Yong Chumei, 20 was torn between her boyfriend and Wee May May, 31.

Yong's body was found on the footpath while Wee's was on the second floor parapet of a block of flats where the pair was living temporarily with Yong's mother.
Police found a note left by Yong to her mother which said: "Mother, I'm leaving! Take care." They also found Wee's undated letter to Yong expressing her deep affection for her and asking her not to take her life.

In the report, State Coroner John Ng said that while Yong had clearly shown a desire to kill herself, there was no clear evidence that Wee shared a similar intention to commit suicide.

The paper reported that Yong was hospitalised for suicidal tendencies and problems deciding her sexuality. Prior to her hospitalization, Yong attempted suicide repeatedly between February and March because she could not decide between him and her girlfriend.

The pair who was clad in similar red T-shirts and blue jeans, fell to their deaths four days after she was discharged.
Both of them also had a tattoo on their arms declaring love for the other. The duo also had red thread tied around their ring fingers when they died.

According to Chinese beliefs, it is thought that the thread would unite them in their next lives. Also, the spirit of someone who commits suicide dressed in red will return to haunt its tormentor.

Yong's mother, Madam Tan Nong See, 39 who had strongly objected to the pair's relationship wept intermittently in court during the inquiry yesterday.

In previous news reports in the Straits Times, the nation's main newspaper, the pair was described as close friends who shared a "stormy friendship full of fights and quarrels." The paper only mentioned their romantic involvement in the July 17 report.

On the other hand, Lianhe Wanbao, the Chinese evening tabloid, which is owned by the same company, Singapore Press Holdings, published on consecutive days - interviews with the Yong's mother about the couple's 6-month lesbian relationship as well as biased and ill-informed stories about lesbianism.