President Ma Ying-jeou has vowed to take steps to prevent the reoccurrence of a high-profile murder targeting a child. Ma posted the comments on his Facebook page on Monday, which is Children’s Day in Taiwan.
The president was referring to the gruesome killing of a four-year-old girl, which shocked the nation last week. The girl was beheaded by a man with a history of mental illness and drug abuse while she was riding a bicycle in suburban Taipei.
In order to prevent the tragedy from happening again, the president said that those who fit the same profile as the attacker will receive mandatory counseling and be kept under scrutiny. He said patrols would be strengthened in places where children go.
Ma said that in the long term, more education is needed from society as a whole, from schools, and from families, in order to ensure child safety.
The president promised to do justice to the victim’s family, and give children a happy and safe environment.