[h=2]NUS reiterates: Not our practice to make disciplinary decisions public[/h]
November 10th, 2012 |
Author: Editorial
NUS continues to stand by its decision not to make public the disciplinary action it has taken against Malaysian ASEAN scholar cum sex blogger, Alvin Tan, who stirred controversy for posting sexually explicit photos and videos of himself and his girlfriend on his private blog last month.
In a second statement to the media yesterday (9 Nov), NUS said, “While the National University of Singapore (NUS) does not condone the offensive online postings by Alvin Tan Jye Yee in the recent incident in question, it is not the university’s (selective?) practice to make public the disciplinary decisions of the Board of Discipline.”
“This approach applies to any case brought to the board for review.”
However, the NUS statute concerning disciplinary proceedings stated that the student will be informed of the decision of the disciplinary board. The school may send a notice of the decision to students or other parties as well.
NUS’ decision to keep the matter confidential seems to run contrary to an earlier decision made by it in Sun Xu’s case in Mar. In Sun Xu’s case, NUS did announce to the public details of disciplinary actions against the PRC scholar Sun Xu. Sun Xu had posted an online comment insulting Singaporeans saying that “there are more dogs than humans in Singapore”. His comment caused a massive outcry among Singaporeans.
NUS Board of Discipline later gave Sun Xu an official reprimand, fined him $3,000 and further required him to perform three months of community service before he was allowed to graduate. In addition, Sun Xu’s scholarship benefits were terminated for his final semester as his behaviour was deemed unbecoming of a scholarship holder. NUS said that the Board of Discipline wants to send a clear and strong signal that the University does not condone such actions (‘PRC Sun Xu’s scholarship revoked and terminated‘).
The NUS said that no official announcement was also made in Sun Xu’s case. But NUS provost Tan Eng Chye did send out an internal memo to all students shortly after, to remind them to avoid making offensive or disrespectful remarks on social media, forums and websites. The memo did not name Sun Xu specifically but contained details of the punishment.
Strangely, in the Malaysian scholar Alvin Tan’s case, NUS didn’t send any internal memo to students this time. It didn’t seem to want to send any “clear and strong signal” to its student population or the public. Perhaps NUS thought that sex blogging by its students is somewhat permissible now? Or perhaps NUS is trying to encourage “sex entrepreneurship” among its students?
Many netizens have expressed their indignation with NUS for not making their disciplinary action public:
It is unlikely that Alvin Tan’s scholarship has been revoked, opined some netizens, because Alvin Tan is mainly a much ’sought-after foreign talent’ and NUS would not be able to recover any cent from Alvin Tan as he is a Malaysian and has vowed to not return a single cent to NUS if his scholarship is revoked.
Meanwhile, when former top civil servant Mr Ngiam Tong Dow, who is the Pro-Chancellor* of NUS, was asked for his comments on Alvin Tan, he replied without hesitation (‘Ngiam on Alvin Tan: Sack the bloody joker‘), “This ASEAN scholar, bloody joker, we should sack him.”
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* NUS has 3 Pro-Chancellors: Mr Ngiam Tong Dow, Dr Cheong Siew Keong and Mr Po’ad Shaik Abu Bakar Mattar. The Chancellor of NUS is the President of Singapore, Tony Tan. The Pro-Chancellors act on behalf of the Chancellor during the Chancellor’s absence from the University, and preside at the annual commencement ceremonies. The university’s Chancellery essentially serves a nominal function in the university. Executive power lies with the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan.
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In a second statement to the media yesterday (9 Nov), NUS said, “While the National University of Singapore (NUS) does not condone the offensive online postings by Alvin Tan Jye Yee in the recent incident in question, it is not the university’s (selective?) practice to make public the disciplinary decisions of the Board of Discipline.”
“This approach applies to any case brought to the board for review.”
However, the NUS statute concerning disciplinary proceedings stated that the student will be informed of the decision of the disciplinary board. The school may send a notice of the decision to students or other parties as well.
NUS’ decision to keep the matter confidential seems to run contrary to an earlier decision made by it in Sun Xu’s case in Mar. In Sun Xu’s case, NUS did announce to the public details of disciplinary actions against the PRC scholar Sun Xu. Sun Xu had posted an online comment insulting Singaporeans saying that “there are more dogs than humans in Singapore”. His comment caused a massive outcry among Singaporeans.
NUS Board of Discipline later gave Sun Xu an official reprimand, fined him $3,000 and further required him to perform three months of community service before he was allowed to graduate. In addition, Sun Xu’s scholarship benefits were terminated for his final semester as his behaviour was deemed unbecoming of a scholarship holder. NUS said that the Board of Discipline wants to send a clear and strong signal that the University does not condone such actions (‘PRC Sun Xu’s scholarship revoked and terminated‘).
The NUS said that no official announcement was also made in Sun Xu’s case. But NUS provost Tan Eng Chye did send out an internal memo to all students shortly after, to remind them to avoid making offensive or disrespectful remarks on social media, forums and websites. The memo did not name Sun Xu specifically but contained details of the punishment.
Strangely, in the Malaysian scholar Alvin Tan’s case, NUS didn’t send any internal memo to students this time. It didn’t seem to want to send any “clear and strong signal” to its student population or the public. Perhaps NUS thought that sex blogging by its students is somewhat permissible now? Or perhaps NUS is trying to encourage “sex entrepreneurship” among its students?
Many netizens have expressed their indignation with NUS for not making their disciplinary action public:
Waiting for 2016: Maybe the punishment was not harsh ..that’s why?
Lim: NUS’s reputation would be greatly enhanced if it chooses to be more transparent in dealing with public issues – why the veil of secrecy about an undergrad who obviously need urgent psychiatric help – who can’t wait to take off his pants publicly to show off his sexual prowess?
Xi Luo: So what exactly changed between the time and circumstances that of Sun Xu and Alvin Tan? Is NUS conviently citing confidentially fearing that the displinary action they take will be closely scrtinised by netizens? Or did NUS break the confidentaility policy in order to announce Sun Xu’s punishment?
Neutral: if this budding actor studied in NUS on his own and paid the full tuition fees, NUS is entitled to ‘keep mum’ but as an Asean scholar using Tax-payers/public monies all these years, NUS is accountable to the public on the disciplinary action meted out, be it light or heavy.
Duh: Confidential my foot! NUS takes PUBLIC funds from Singapore taxpayers and it thinks that it does not have to be accountable to Singaporeans? What utter rubbish.
Realist: It’s all a wayang from NUS. No official punishment really. Just a small slap on his wrist, telling him : “You be a good boy now, ok?”
Fluffy: if Alvin is a self sponsored student then NUS has the right to decide what to do to him without public consent. This wierdo is under ASEAN scholarship, sponsored based on Singaporean tax money. Don’t we have the right to know?? I have never agree to sponsor any foreign student with my hard earned money. I want my tax money refund to me!!
eka: In future, do not donate a sinle cent during NUS flag or whatever donation events. They have tons of monies to sponsor the FT scholars and yet keeping begging money in the public.
Other netizens are also speculating that a certain “non-disclosure arrangement” has been made with Alvin Tan whereby NUS agress to a “slap on the wrist” and NOT … while Alvin Tan agrees to keep his mouth shut and not reveal the details of his disciplinary hearing; the only reasonable explanation available as Alvin Tan being the boastful and arrogant person that he is, is strangly keeping mum on the hearing and not talking to reporters.Lim: NUS’s reputation would be greatly enhanced if it chooses to be more transparent in dealing with public issues – why the veil of secrecy about an undergrad who obviously need urgent psychiatric help – who can’t wait to take off his pants publicly to show off his sexual prowess?
Xi Luo: So what exactly changed between the time and circumstances that of Sun Xu and Alvin Tan? Is NUS conviently citing confidentially fearing that the displinary action they take will be closely scrtinised by netizens? Or did NUS break the confidentaility policy in order to announce Sun Xu’s punishment?
Neutral: if this budding actor studied in NUS on his own and paid the full tuition fees, NUS is entitled to ‘keep mum’ but as an Asean scholar using Tax-payers/public monies all these years, NUS is accountable to the public on the disciplinary action meted out, be it light or heavy.
Duh: Confidential my foot! NUS takes PUBLIC funds from Singapore taxpayers and it thinks that it does not have to be accountable to Singaporeans? What utter rubbish.
Realist: It’s all a wayang from NUS. No official punishment really. Just a small slap on his wrist, telling him : “You be a good boy now, ok?”
Fluffy: if Alvin is a self sponsored student then NUS has the right to decide what to do to him without public consent. This wierdo is under ASEAN scholarship, sponsored based on Singaporean tax money. Don’t we have the right to know?? I have never agree to sponsor any foreign student with my hard earned money. I want my tax money refund to me!!
eka: In future, do not donate a sinle cent during NUS flag or whatever donation events. They have tons of monies to sponsor the FT scholars and yet keeping begging money in the public.
It is unlikely that Alvin Tan’s scholarship has been revoked, opined some netizens, because Alvin Tan is mainly a much ’sought-after foreign talent’ and NUS would not be able to recover any cent from Alvin Tan as he is a Malaysian and has vowed to not return a single cent to NUS if his scholarship is revoked.
Meanwhile, when former top civil servant Mr Ngiam Tong Dow, who is the Pro-Chancellor* of NUS, was asked for his comments on Alvin Tan, he replied without hesitation (‘Ngiam on Alvin Tan: Sack the bloody joker‘), “This ASEAN scholar, bloody joker, we should sack him.”
.
* NUS has 3 Pro-Chancellors: Mr Ngiam Tong Dow, Dr Cheong Siew Keong and Mr Po’ad Shaik Abu Bakar Mattar. The Chancellor of NUS is the President of Singapore, Tony Tan. The Pro-Chancellors act on behalf of the Chancellor during the Chancellor’s absence from the University, and preside at the annual commencement ceremonies. The university’s Chancellery essentially serves a nominal function in the university. Executive power lies with the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Tan Chorh Chuan.
.
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