Friday, July 27, 2012

Lawyers Do It Too

National University of Singapore (NUS) associate law professor Tey Tsun Hang was arrested by the Corrupt Practices Investigations Bureau (CPIB) in April this year for allegedly giving out a good grade in exchange for sex. To date he has not been suspended by the university, he still gets to keep his Herman Miller seat (or equivalent) - poor Nparks staff had their Brompton bikes taken away.

Maybe it has to do with the precedent set by Ministry of Education (MOE) when they allowed their scholar Jonathan Wong to teach in a Secondary School in July 2010 despite being arrested for possession and making of child pornography in the United Kingdom earlier in March. MOE's lame excuse was: “His offence only came to light after he was charged in court in November.” NUS has to come up with something more credible.

Tey joined the Faculty of Law in 1997. He started off as a Justice's Law Clerk before being appointed to the Subordinate Courts as a District Judge, and moved on to be a State Counsel at the Legislation Division of the Attorney-General's Chambers. He had been a member of the Editorial Committee of the Singapore Journal of Legal Studies and the Singapore Journal of International and Comparative Law, and the Executive Committee of the Centre for Commercial Law Studies. Until 2008, he was the Deputy Chief Editor of Singapore Year Book of International Law. Is he another of those too big to fall?

An NUS spokesman said that the university has a code of conduct that its staff must adhere to. But the one on its website makes no clear reference to staff, only how students should behave.
Specifically, a student must not be caught "giving or receiving any unauthorised aid" that compromises the integrity of the academic standards of the university. The student also has to accept any disciplinary action that may include "the deprivation of any degree, diploma, certificate or other academic distinction conferred." That sucks, especially when NUS has told the media about the fate facing their testosterone driven don: "Possible consequences of violating the Code of Conduct range from a warning to dismissal." A slap on the wrist cannot be discounted.

According to The New Paper, the teacher-student arrangement was not a one-off liaison dangereuse, Tey had sex with the 23 year old female on multiple occasions. Elsewhere it is reported that the student approached Tey first for a better grade in the elective he taught. As we saw in the case of another high profile sex-for-gratification case, "obtain" and "accept" could be crucial words to determine the legal outcome. In other words, there's still wriggle room. Heck, defence might demand the equivalent of a Monica Lewinsky stained dress as irrevocable proof of wrong doing.

What boggles the mind about this blowout is that it involves a law professor, a student studying law, and shenanigans in the law faculty - do they actually teach law, or sex-ed? Instead of producing legal eagles, they seem to be churning out legal beavers. We should ask the Law Society for a comment, but those guys have their hands full with members acting on their own volition.

52 comments:

  1. When is the next episode of Wong sa ye Fones?

    This could well be a distraction to the court cases Mr Ravi is handling.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Poor Singaporean7/27/2012 9:33 AM

    Elite humpty dumpties falling off their high seats.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lawyers at the "receiving end" of a legal letter.

    ReplyDelete
  4. The National University of Singapore law professor has sent out a statement saying he will appear at Court 26 of the Subordinate Courts at 9am today, on six charges of corruption, two of which involve sexual gratification.
    "I stand by my academic principles. I have always pursued my academic writing in good faith, with no ill intent."

    If he had stuck to his academic writing, his principles would have been intact.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lawyer Jokes from the internet:

    Q: Why does the law society prohibit sex between lawyers and their clients?

    A: To prevent clients from being billed twice for essentially the same service.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The only way to stay sane nowadays is to laugh at the clowns:

      A Medical Council physician, an SMRT engineer, and a Law Society attorney were discussing who among them belonged to the oldest of the three professions represented.

      The physician said, "Remember, on the sixth day God took a rib from Adam and fashioned Eve, making him the first surgeon. Therefore, medicine is the oldest profession."

      The engineer replied, "But, before that, God created the heavens and earth from chaos and confusion, and thus he was the first engineer. Therefore, engineering is an older profession than medicine."

      Then, the lawyer spoke up. "Yes," he said, "But who do you think created all of the chaos and confusion?"

      Delete
    2. Question: How many lawyer jokes are there?

      Answer: Only three. The rest are documented case histories.

      Delete
  6. Whether he is a lawyer or ordinary people, when in position of strength, the temptation to succumb to any 'goodies' is there. Some can resist this temptation, while others can't.

    Food and sex are part of human nature.

    ReplyDelete
  7. So does he get to keep his Mont Blanc pen worth $740, 2 tailor-made shirts valued at $236.20 and iPod Touch worth $160? Plus a payment of a "bill" of $1278.60 by this DK woman?

    Wow, at least he get paid for "agreeing" to get laid. Truly the mark of a lawyer lah.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now that Darinne Ko Wen Hui is publicly named, we get to see if the university is serious about it's "NUS Honour Code".
      Latter has this bit about its students:
      "I consent to the exercise of disciplinary powers by the University against me even when I cease to be a student of the University in relation to offences committed by me while being a student of the University."

      If NUS fails to act against her, it could mean another corruption case in the making - more Mont Blanc pens, tailored shirts, iPod Touch, etc. Maybe she'll throw in a Brompton bike for good measure.

      Delete
  8. Honestly, this is not an underaged sex case, and clearly consensus. Why did this stupid woman choose to confess and risk putting herself and the law lecturer by turning into a prosecutorial witness after getting what she needed is beyond me. Not so smart after all..no wonder she needs to use sex-for-grades.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well.
      Certainly a lot of double confirming.
      To seal the deal.

      Delete
  9. Lecturer said 'At stake is my liberty, integrity and livelihood. My reputation has been tarnished, and my family suffers as a result,' he said

    Seems to imply he is innocent. Said these "allegations are serious". Good luck to the professor.

    Anyway, such practices are very common in US universities..surprised this is the first one caught by CPIB.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. //I am known to speak up, amongst other things, on the Singapore legal system. I write in good faith, and with no ill intent. In similar vein, I shall fearlessly defend myself against the charges, and vigorously.//

      Has he been critical and vocal about Singapore's legal system?

      Delete
    2. Actually he has. He wrote this paper, "Legal Consensus: Supreme Executive, Supine Jurisprudence, Suppliant Profession of Singapore" for the Centre For Comparative And Public Law at the faculty of law, University of Hong Kong.

      The synopsis has this:
      "With impressive zeal, Tey works through a massive amount of jurisprudence to expose its Legalistic thinking. But it also paints a disturbing picture, of a worldview that challenges the assumptions about the primacy of individual rights and the essential principles of constitutional reasoning that lie at the heart of democratic systems. The broader thesis seems to be that the Singapore Consensus could not have been constructed without its Legal Consensus, itself a result of the consistent complicity of the Singapore judiciary. This book hints at the power relations and dynamics between the political establishment and the Singapore judiciary."

      Delete
    3. http://www.law.hku.hk/ccpl/pub/TeyTsunHang.html

      Here's the link. Maybe he has offended some people with regarding its Singapore's schizophrenic jurisprudence.

      ----
      Tey puts forward a brilliant examination of a jurisprudence that has been assembled over decades. It builds on meticulously mined case-law, to illuminate issues ranging from the use of civil defamation proceedings to tackle political dissent, the use of death penalty and criminal due process, to arrive at some insights into the core political values enforced by the Singapore judiciary. It is a careful study of what goes into its decision-making and reasoning process. It throws a great deal of light on how the Singapore judiciary has bought into – wholesale - the political emphasis on the supreme importance of government in human affairs, and on the overriding priority of stability and status quo - a worldview that emphasises respect for hierarchical relationships, that privileges the collective over the individual, and regards voices different from the dominant political discourse as dangerous to Singapore’s social and political order.
      --

      Politically motivated?

      Delete
    4. He also wrote one on "Excluding Religion from Politics and Enforcing Religious Harmony"

      The Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act is a unique feature in the legal landscape of Singapore. The statute-an important part of the Singapore government's large and extensive arsenal of legal instruments to regulate inter-ethnic-religious relations in the country- gives the executive untrammelled discretion to curb political expression and political activity in the interests of maintaining religious harmony. Placed against the backdrop of its political developments, this article explores the political motives for the introduction of the statute, examines the exact nature of its structure and scope, and compares it against other legal instruments that perform similar political control. A particular focus is upon how the statute underscores the thinking behind Singapore-style state paternalism, and reflects its political leadership's deep distrust of the electorate, and instinct to restructure voting behaviour and party politics. This article also reflects on the adverse effect of such enforced stricture on otherwise legitimate political activities by religion-linked organisations in Singapore.

      Delete
  10. Sex for Contracts.
    Sex for Grades. What's next?
    Sex for Primary School seat?

    I think our most hardworking agency are addicted to sex expose at all levels. From academy, law, medical, civil service to pte sectors. Please keep going up to the highest food chains. Still waiting to read the real superwhales of you-know-where. Getting warmer.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This case is allegedly about sex-for-grades.

    Turning back to our Millionaires-In-Parliament.
    How about some performance-for-salary?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whatever wrong they may have done.

      They were not responsible for bringing in PRC folks who abused our elderly parents on our public buses.

      Delete
    2. Agree, all side distractions.
      But how come we still cannot pinpoint who is the person "accountable" for the massive importation of these migrants? Who has to take the fall for that?

      Delete
    3. ANSWER:
      Blame the Prime Millionaire
      or the
      60% dafties who voted for him and his millionaires?

      Delete
    4. Wong Kan Seng was in charge of the National Population and Talent Division, with Sim Ann working for him as division head.

      Delete
    5. Alamak!
      What did WKS and SA do?

      They allowed everybody who had a higher IQ than the 2 of them combined ... to become Singapore citizens.

      Delete
  12. When you have a country who keeps prostituting itself away, the people soon learn to prostitute themselves away too. So now NTPD wants to 'listen' to your feedback, while offering you 1 concrete outcome of 'ramping up prostitution...er, i mean population'. Everything is still premise on 'growth, business, supply, vibrancy'..nothing about its people, its aspirations, its dreams of the kind of society we want. The next wayang begins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/27/world/asia/in-singapore-vitriol-against-newcomers-from-mainland-china.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

      The last sentenced murmured by the new migrant who has voted 4 times now, should be a nail to the coffin for the out-of-touch policy wonkers!

      Delete
    2. The last paragraph sums up nicely the fallacy of the immigration for growth policy:

      "“I’ve voted in four elections now, and it is great to live in a country where you can trust people and trust the government,” said Mr. Yang, 66, who formed a local charity that teaches English to Chinese migrants. “I still don’t feel Singaporean,” he added. “The truth is, when I retire, I’ll probably move back to China.”

      Delete
  13. She allegedly may have said something like "I'd like to have a good grade."
    He allegedly might have asked "What do I get in return?"

    The two are still smarter than the 60% dafties.
    Who never asked our Millionaires-In-White.
    'How do I benefit if I vote for you?"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, the 60% are smarter - they don't have to ask. They have already been proffered housing upgrading, fresh coat of paint and a new lift if they vote a certain way.

      Do you still need to ask "do I get a blow job" when she has already knelt down and unzipped your pants?

      Delete
  14. Q: What's the difference between a female lawyer and a Doberman Pinscher?
    A: Lipstick.

    Q: Why did God invent lawyers?
    A: So that real estate agents would have someone to look down on.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Lately exposing new sex impropriety cases seems to be the latest news trend for our MSM.

    Are they witchhunted just to show the powers that be are whiter that white and mean business in order to distract the public from the real unresolved bread and butter issues like excessive inflation, stagnant wages, ever increasing price hikes, unbelievable housing & car prices, over liberal immigration policy, etc, all contributed by courtesy of our especially efficient money-making Govt ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It could be a sting operation. Why should the student reveal everything and expose herself to the consequences? After all, they got away scot free, didn't they?

      They have eschewed using the ISA and defamation suits. The new tools are pyschiatric disorders and sexual misdemeanours. I guess these are more subtle if applied judiciously.

      Delete
    2. The student confided, or boasted about her cleverness, to a friend, not expecting latter to leak it. The NUS code makes her liable for offences committed while in NUS, even after she has left it. She could lose her degree. Of course NUS could be lenient on her, in exchange for gratification of some sort....

      Delete
    3. More Than Meets The Eyes?7/28/2012 12:16 PM

      Where is the cleverness in that?

      IS she EVEN a credible witness given her credibility. If she'll sleep for grades, who is to know if she will slip for BIG promotion or confirmation?

      http://singaporeconsensus.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/criminalising-critique-of-the-singapore-judiciary/

      Delete
    4. The professor must have touched a raw nerve with his writings. The saying goes: there's more than one way to skin a cat.

      http://www.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?123517-Fixing-the-Opposition-Again-Please-don’t-be-fooled-by-the-Latest-Sex-Scandal!

      Delete
    5. Are there some similar sort of News-of-the-World kind of phone hacking or personal surveillance going on in this island?

      How else does one obtain such lurid details? Why are there so many sex-scandals coming out of the woodwork all of sudden? And how come the high finance where the major money and banksters /fraudsters are residing seem all very quiet? Why?

      Delete
  16. On Friday afternoon Tey asked for permission to leave the country on 30 August for one academic year starting from September to teach at Hong Kong University's faculty of law, with the excuse that Tey has already “committed to the (Hong Kong University’s law) faculty and students”.
    This guy really needs his head to be examined at IMH! Is he even aware that he has been charged with 6 counts of corruption?

    ReplyDelete
  17. It takes all kinds to make a society. Professionals in Singapore have of late been in the news for the wrong reasons.
    Sad that, instead of becoming more "civilized" we are evolving back to the cave men survival mode.
    Nothing to shout about this National Day !

    ReplyDelete
  18. MSM is losing readership to social media. SPH is desperate. So there you have it: sex and scandals.

    Would suggest to win trust and increase reazership SPh could do some real investigative news on every PAP members starting from town councils, PA, RC, YPAP for a start. How many contracts for example similar to Bromptoms style were carried by all government agencies. Further, why some contracts always end up in GLC?

    Still got no courage to do this type of reporting? Might as well close shop and allow others to have newspaper license (unless Singapore is not a democractic society although repeated zillions times in schools and ndp)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MSM will lose readership because MSM cannot change.
      For MSM to change, the leadership at MSM must see the need for change.

      Enough said.
      I rest my case.

      Delete
    2. It is not just the Opposition Parties' responsibility to build a strong and capable Opposition.

      It is also the responsibility of every loyal Singaporean.
      We need to vote wisely to ensure and support a strong and capable Opposition.

      We can't diam diam sit on our ass and keep saying it's not our fault for the shit that we are in.
      60% of our friends & relatives voted for this bunch of leeders that we have.

      Delete
  19. I find this whole case very suspicious and I am disappointed that alot of people have chosen to drool over the scandal rather than question the issues.

    Firstly, if this is a corruption case, the woman must also be charged for bribery. Why not so or not yet?
    Secondly, there was giving of INTIMATE GIFTS. This is highly suggestive of a relationship. So, is there a basis, beyond reasonable doubt for corruption. Harassment is out of the question.
    Thirdly, first and foremost, the woman's NUS papers must be re-assessed by an independent panel. Considering her academic achievements,
    I think it is likely that her NUS work would not reflect any biasness in her grading.

    I think that the corruption charge is a heck of a stretch and find it strange that over 90% of comments have ignored pertinent aspects of this case and voraciously passed a guilty verdict.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The angry mob is looking for anything that even remotely smells of elitism.
      Can you blame them?

      For an elite,
      pay increase of hundreds of thousands of dollars,
      no problem,
      we need to keep these morally weak people honest.

      For the peasants,
      pay increase of $200,
      cannot,
      will lead to inflation.

      $30/month increase in welfare payments to poor families,
      debate like hell in parliament,
      What you want?
      3 meals in hawker centre, food court or restaurant?

      $2,000 Brompton bicycle.
      No problem.
      $300 million budget over run in YOG
      No problem.
      $4 billion pledge to IMF.
      No problem.

      Delete
    2. According to Saturday's TODAY, Ms Ko is represented by Subhas Anandan, who tried unsuccessfully for a gag order, and said "she will tell her side of her story when the time comes" and "our client strenuously denies any corrupt wrong doing". This implies that she did not ask, and was not given, immunity from prosecution when she provided damning evidence against the errant professor. What kind of lawyer is she? It goes to show that our scholars are not the top talents that the MIW make them out to be. One would have thought she would be disciplined by NUS, who boasts so much about their Code of Conduct, and risk losing her degree conferred. Now it appears the State will nail her too (figuratively, of course).

      Delete
    3. Why is this a corruption case? Similar scandals in other universities merely result in firing unless the student involved is a minor. There is more to this case than meets the eye. (I wonder if Lawsoc or Wong is involved in this episode.)

      Delete
    4. Lawsoc's Wong Meng Meng told the 363 new lawyers admitted to the bar: "It's important that the students... seize the opportunity but seize them in a way that will not into get them in trouble."
      In order words, anything goes, just don't get caught.

      Delete
    5. Question: What do lawyers and sperm have in common?
      Answer: They're both squirmy, both live in slime, and only one in 250 million accomplishes anything worthwhile.

      Delete
  20. //...our client strenuously denies any corrupt wrong doing". //

    In other words, is she, like Professor Tey, is denying there is a corrupt exchange of sex-for-grades between them (so is an affair?) and it is the AGC bringing such charges? Then it is becoming more curious how they obtain such details between 2 consensual adults. We can only sit and watch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aiyoh!
      Standard Operating Procedure.
      Never kiss and tell.

      Other bit of Sinkie wisdom.
      Don't shit in your own backyard.

      Delete
  21. I agree with those of you who found this story a bit weird. The gifts amounted to say less than $2000, and the sex on 2 occasions did not produce an "A" grade for her. Thus, the whole thing was like two consenting adults breaking the NUS honour code. It's more a comedy that the woman planned it out, and kissed-told a 3rd party later.

    Will he go to jail for this? If yes, his career will be over. In 1978, a magistrate Khoo Hin Hiong was sentenced to 3 years jail term for abetting his client in committing CBT of some $300k. And that was more serious imho.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Maybe if people persist to dig further, there must be many more sex between teacher / school staff and student cases going on.

    I know in the polytechnics and Universities, there are tons of sex-hungry desperate men surfing porn and chatting with women on the IM chats and emails on a daily basis and thus, using government paid time in the office to do these dirty liaisons.

    If one bothers to delve deeper, one might dig up enough dirt to show more sex for grades cases.

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete