Alex Tan is behind TheReal Singaporean, this is not the first time he issued apologies
Yesterday (29 Aug), TRE reported that Alex Tan, one of the founding editors of The Real Singapore (TRS), is being investigated by the police for “intentional harassment” following a complaint by SBS Transit (SBS).
He was summoned by Tanglin Police Division after a Magistrate Complaint was lodged against him by SBS, for using multiple instances of F* word in an open letter addressed to the bus company, commenting on the overcrowding and infrequent bus services.
In the letter sent on 26 Jul with the title, ‘An angry Singaporean commuter’s complaint against SBS’ (see Link), which was also copied to Minister Lui Tuck Yew and LTA, Alex Tan narrated his early morning experience on a bus where he was deducted a full fare for alighting from the front door of an overcrowded bus. The letter was, unfortunately, peppered with the F* word all over on it.
Alex Tan wrote, “Your f**king EZ-link tapping machine shows only ‘Entry’ and this morning when I was about to tap exit at the front door, I was deducted a full ride. WHAT THE F**K IS THIS SHIT?”
He added, “F**K YOU FOR OVERCROWDING, GIVE ME MORE BUS 58 BETWEEN 8AM AND 9AM FROM SERANGOON INTERCHANGE YOU CCB. IT IS SO CROWDED EVERYONE IS LITERALLY SMELLING EACH OTHERS ARMPITS.”
He also used the F* word on Mr Lui, the Transport Minister, “When SBS do not have enough buses, we taxpayers have to pay for this. F**king shit losses we pay, profits you keep. This useless Transport Minister-in-reading Lui F**k Yew better wake up your idea and see who the f**k your votes are depended on.”
Pauline Tan, Head of Customer Relations of SBS, then replied on 27 Jul, “Please refer to your feedback. We are currently investigating this. We will reply to you as soon as possible.”
No news was heard from SBS again for a month until yesterday when the Police informed Alex Tan that SBS has lodged a magistrate report for “intentional harassment” against him. Alex Tan then wrote to SBS offering to work out a settlement with them.
Tammy Tan, Senior Vice President of SBS Corporate Communications, replied to Alex Tan today (30 Aug, 2:38 pm):
WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Dear Mr Tan,
Thank you for your emails dated 29 August 2012.
We are prepared to accept your written apology provided you agree to retract the comments made on the various electronic forums and issue a public apology on those forums within three working days of this email.
Additionally, and as part of the terms of settlement, you shall :-
(a) refrain from any further defamation, libel, disparagement or slander of SBS Transit Ltd or its respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, affiliates, divisions, related corporations and assigns; and
(b) not make, publish or state, or cause to be made, published or stated, any further defamatory, libellous, false, slanderous or disparaging statement, writing or communication pertaining to the character, reputation, business practices, competence or conduct of SBS Transit Ltd and its respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, affiliates, divisions, related corporations and assigns.
If you agree to these terms, please let us have your written acknowledgement via email within 24 hours from the date of this email.
We shall thereafter, once the retraction of the statements is undertaken and public apology is issued, keep the Magistrate’s Court informed of the terms of this settlement. We wish to point out however that the Magistrate can, nevertheless, as part of an exercise of its judicial discretion over which SBS Transit Ltd does not exercise control, direct that a criminal summons to be issued if the elements of a charge are made out.
In the meantime, all our rights are fully reserved.
.
Regards
Tammy Tan
Senior Vice President
Corporate Communications
SBS Transit Ltd
.
Alex Tan then sent his official apology letter to SBS about an hour later at 3:32 pm today:
From: Temasek Revealed <
[email protected]>
To: Tammy Tan I-Lin <
[email protected]>
Cc:
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected], Pauline Tan Swee Ping <
[email protected]>, Grace Wu Kwi Chin <
[email protected]>,
[email protected], Richard <
[email protected]>,
[email protected],
[email protected]
Date: 30/08/2012 03:32 PM
Subject: Re:Fw: An angry Singaporean commuter’s complaint against SBS
Dear Ms Tammy
I have complied with your request and already made a public apology yesterday. Nonetheless this email will be the official apology as requested:
I, Alex Tan Zhixiang S8720830C, would like to apologize to the SBS Transit Corporation for the offensive feedback I’ve made on 26th July 2012. I thank the SBS Transit Ltd for agreeing to reach a settlement and drop its Magistrate’s Complaint lodged over the vulgar language used.
I would also comply the following requirements by SBS Transit Ltd as part of the settlement, namely as quoted:
“(a) refrain from any further defamation, libel, disparagement or slander of SBS Transit Ltd or its respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, affiliates, divisions, related corporations and assigns; and
(b) not make, publish or state, or cause to be made, published or stated, any further defamatory, libellous, false, slanderous or disparaging statement, writing or communication pertaining to the character, reputation, business practices, competence or conduct of SBS Transit Ltd and its respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, affiliates, divisions, related corporations and assigns.”
There will be no publication that will defame, libel, slander or insult to SBS Ltd under my name in the future.
This will be published on the Temasek Review Emeritus and The Real Singapore forums/websites.
Thank you again, sincere apologies for the inconveniences caused.
.
Alex Tan Zhixiang
.
However, in a follow-up email from Tammy Tan of SBS at 4:03pm, she pointed out to Alex Tan that SBS is “not able to exercise control over the decision of the Magistrate’s Court”:
WITHOUT PREJUDICE
Dear Mr TanRegards
Tammy
Thank you. Do let us know once you have retracted the statements made earlier on the various forums and issued the public apology. As mentioned earlier, we will then inform the Magistrate’s Court of our settlement. We are however not able to exercise control over the decision of the Magistrate’s Court.