Sun Xu (孙旭) lost only the scholarship for the last semester, and may be allowed to graduate. Meaning, there's a real possibility he will be a bona fide alumnus of the National University of Singapore. NUS Provost Tan Eng Chye stated their position thus:
After careful consideration, the Board of Discipline decided on the following penalties:
i. A community service obligation of 3 months, the details of which shall be made known to him in due course. Upon satisfactorily completing the community service obligation, he may be allowed to graduate, but no earlier than the end of Semester 1, AY2012/2013;
ii. A fine of $3,000;
iii. An official reprimand.
The Board of Discipline’s decision sends a clear and strong signal that the University does not condone such actions. At the same time, as the administrator of his scholarship, the University has separately conveyed to him that his undergraduate scholarship benefits have been terminated for the final semester as his behaviour was unbecoming of a scholarship holder.
While the self inflicted damage of the two MOE scholars are noticeably different - one hurt himself, the other hurt Singaporeans in general - the pace, and type of justice dispensed leave a bad after taste. This PRC scholar who broadcasted there are more dogs than humans in Singapore may get to serve his 6 year bond here (according to last night's television report), while enjoying the imprimatur of being on the Dean's List. When Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said Singapore citizens will be given "absolute priority" over permanent residents (PRs), it looks like he was referring only to the primary school level. It will probably take awhile for him address the tertiary situation. The Ministers seem to work at their laggardly speed when it comes to national issues, but they sure are pretty quick about helping themselves to the new National Bonus.
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Didn't follow the UK scholar case. But was his scholarship suspended first by MOE or did U of York actually expelled him first?
ReplyDeleteIn Sunxu case, MOE refused to get involved, and ask the Ed Institution to hand down the punishment. Obviously the case of pornography is a more serious charge, but the standard operating procedures in both cases will say a lot about the way they treat Singaporean vs Foreign scholars.
great article.
ReplyDeleteAnd to receive National Bonus of 1.6 months for doing nothing, except to keep quiet.
ReplyDeleteThis type of Minister, everyone can be one.
Why don't we make him serve NS in a guards unit but let him keep his ill gotten benefits from taxpayers? That will be truly a community service. And should help him understand why S'poreans are so pissed off with shit like him.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone read the ST today? More PRC are getting into trouble. This time round, they fly on board SIA plane and steal money from other passengers. ST Page 6B
ReplyDeleteAll this may be called the pre-Hougang by elections goodies.
ReplyDeleteAlong with the free Teochew porridge.
Giving porridge to attract votes in really no class. Are Hougang people so hardup of a bowl of porridge? Or are they hungry for political correctness?
ReplyDeleteThis kind of "slap on the wrist" reprimand is akin to asking Mr.Sun to stand facing the corner of the classroom for ten minutes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a let down.
Expelling him and revoking his MOE scholarship will send a clear message to all his countrymen now in NUS that they are guests in this country and accordingly should behave like guests not egoistic masters looking down on Singaporeans as dogs.
Whatever we spent on him can be written off. After all, we have written off much much bigger investments that have gone down the tube.
I know several so call scholars from China actually did not end out staying in Singapore. They are likely to use us as a spring board, jumping from here to other advance contries like USA.
DeleteHas MOE ever tell us the tax payers how many scholars remain to contribute? Is there logic to throw away money and neglect our own citizen?
Sun Xu has the last laugh because it is never too late to call singaporeans dogs again.
ReplyDeleteAfter he successfully graduated, aren't we the local will be treated as greater Dogs since he still get away with it ? you see, it is a matter of attitude not superficial apology and appearance.
Someone sane enough should ask if he will apologise if he immediately send back to china ? I doubt so. To us, he appear to be only apologise because he want to graduate with free goodies from our taxpayer money.
You wonder when Singaporeans ever going to wake up that they will be forever be 2nd class citizens under PAP's Leedership ?
Its good to see more and more Singaporeans are waking up and reclaiming whats supposed to be theirs. They are removing the blindfold and are seeing more clearly.
ReplyDeleteWell, damage has been done but I think it is still not too late to reverse. Someone better come out and explain to them why so much had happened i.e. some accountability.
Vote for PAP and get more PRCs. The Primary One registration is farce, there is bound to be a loop hole.
ReplyDeleteHis offense was not heavy enough to be expelled. But feeling bad inside, because taxpayers paid for his costs of living and studying here, yet, we can't get a decent respect from him.
ReplyDeleteCan't help feel sore about the whole matter!
Unbelievable. We still want him to work for 6 years in Singapore after graduation ! Do you think he will be happy working alongside dogs ? All he wants is his degree, and I will not be surprised if he absconds back to China after graduation, and continue to criticize us on the net, and taunt us for being fools with our hard earned money. Then we'll regret no end showing so much leniency to this ingrate !
ReplyDeleteAnd our PM gets DOUBLE the rate because he is not entitled to a performance bonus ? And our PM agreed to his own terms ? Or who decided on that ? His father ?
ReplyDeleteAt the end of the day it is still MONEY that matters to our PAP Ministers, isn't it ? Public service, my foot!
i read in the article by Seah in The Star that both NUS and NTU's rankings have slipped horribly, presumbably due to the massive influx of foreigners. Foreign lecturers can't teach when they can't even communicate properly in English, and foreign students create a bad impression at work when they can't string a sentence in English even after graduating from the uni.
ReplyDeletein our drive to stay ahead in this global game, why is Singapore still importing third world immigrants??? if we have to lay out red carpet e.g. easy PRs, free scholarships and subsidized public housing, shouldn't we at least target the first-world people?
singaporeans are pathetic!
Do we have a choice?
DeleteNo wonder all the children of our elites are studying in USA universities.
DeleteYes, we have a choice. Simple. We can develop our own people and take pride in them.
ReplyDeleteFat use in throwing free money to ingrates, third world people of dubious character and professional competence as well as fair weather ferns.
NUS is so wrong. I thot PAP is giving out free scholarships to foreigners (like diarrhea) to entice these smarty pants to settle down in Singapore.
ReplyDeleteGiven that Sun Xu is obviously not happy here being with his middle-aged donors, and for us, seeing how ungrateful he has been, NUS should call it quits immediately. Ask for full refund of the monies disbursed to date, failing which he will not be conferred a degree.
If Singaporeans have to pay top dollar for morality, as in pay for incorruptibility of ministers and foreign talent, then we should at least be hard nosed about it.
Either you perform to expectations or you are out!
My view is different. One committed an action which is a crime and charged, there is a criminal record. The other uttered an offensive about locals. Unless you can charge him for sedition, he has not committed a crime. So cannot compare.
ReplyDeleteI think we are too emotional somtimes. Yes, what he has done is not correct but as a young man, mistakes do happen especially when writing on blog.
ReplyDeleteThe real issue should be the departments which implemented such scholarships. Is there any benefit to Singapore? What about those Singapreans being displaced because of these scholars? How many contributed to our economy at the end of their study?
It seems that we just give and give (good it is for our sons and daughters) but are not told of any real returns.
Looks like this is the season for 15 mins of fame -- the infamous kinds.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Wong's offense is a crime whilst Sun Xu's was not. That is the main principle of the penalty.
ReplyDeleteHarbouring child porn exhibits severely ill morals and ethics for an aspiring teacher. Had it gone undetected, it would have led to the destruction of more lives and more damage than just hurt feelings which Sun Xu has inflicted.