Former Ngee Ann Poly lecturer charged with making racist remarks towards interracial couple

[Huat Zai]

Tan Boon Lee was also charged with making insensitive comments about religion and possessing obscene films.

 

 

SINGAPORE: A former Ngee Ann Polytechnic lecturer was on Tuesday (May 17) charged with making racist remarks about an interracial couple, as well as insensitive remarks about religion during a lecture and on an online forum.

Tan Boon Lee, 61, was given a charge of using words with the deliberate intention of wounding another's racial feelings and two charges of committing an act prejudicial to the maintenance of religious harmony.

He was also charged with possessing 64 obscene films on Jun 12, 2021.

On Jun 5, 2021, at about 8.25pm at Angullia Park, Tan is accused of making racist remarks at Mr Dave Parkash, saying that he was "preying on a Chinese girl" and that he should "marry somebody Indian".

Tan also said the woman who was with Mr Parkash was "disgracing me", amid other racist remarks, court documents show.

This incident was captured in a video that went viral last year, leading to Tan's suspension and eventual dismissal by Ngee Ann Polytechnic. 

Mr Parkash could be heard in the video saying he is "half Indian, half Filipino", while his girlfriend is "half Singaporean Chinese, half Thai".

INSENSITIVE COMMENTS ABOUT RELIGION

Tan has also been charged over insensitive comments about religion allegedly made during a lecture at Ngee Ann Polytechnic on Jul 28, 2017.

He allegedly told his students: "What type of father tells you to worship him five times a day and threatens to send you to hell if you don't?"

Court documents show he also made other insensitive remarks during the lecture.

Between Aug 10, 2020, and Sep 13, 2020, Tan also allegedly gave religiously insensitive answers on the online forum Quora.com.

In response to a question about "people being overcome by the Holy Spirit", Tan allegedly said that "people under the influence of drugs or epilepsy have the exact same experience".

In response to another question on whether a food item was halal, he allegedly made insensitive remarks about Islam.

The prosecution on Tuesday sought an adjournment of three weeks and said that a plea offer was pending, adding that no more charges were expected.

Tan is represented by defence lawyer Johannes Hadi. He was offered bail of S$5,000, and will return to court for a pre-trial conference next month.

 

If convicted of using words with the deliberate intention of wounding the racial feelings of a person, he could be sentenced to up to three years' jail, fined or both. 

Anyone found guilty of an act that is prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different religious groups can be jailed for up to three years, fined or both.

The punishment for possessing obscene films is a jail term of up to 12 months, a fine of up to S$40,000 or both.

 

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/tan-boon-lee-ngee-ann-poly-lecturer-charged-racist-comments-video-dave-parkash-2689196

[Huat Zai]

Just now, Huat Zai said:

Between Aug 10, 2020, and Sep 13, 2020, Tan also allegedly gave religiously insensitive answers on the online forum Quora.com.

 

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