'Awesome' racist jokes lands SIM student in trouble

[Alto Saotome]

'Awesome' racist jokes lands SIM student in trouble
Edvantage | Tue Aug 14 2012

SINGAPORE - The National University of Singapore (NUS), the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) and the police are investigating a YouTube video of a drunk student making racist jokes.

The first-year SIM student, Justin Wee, 24, was captured on video spewing vulgarities and passing derogatory comments on Malays and Indians, The Straits Times reported.

There were also other voices in the video egging the student to tell "more Malay jokes or Indian jokes", to which the student responded: "My racist jokes damn awesome right?"

In the video, Mr Wee was unable to sit up properly and was propped up by a friend.

The SIM student told The Straits Times that he had joined a dance team at the NUS annual Rag Day and that the jokes were told when he was drunk.

The New Paper reported that an SIM spokesman had said that the school was "appalled by what we see on the video." The university is also deliberating on an appropriate disciplinary action.

NUS also confirmed with The Straits Times that the video was shot by an NUS student, and that the students involved in the video have been reprimanded for their behaviour.

Mr Wee meanwhile sent out an email statement of apology on Monday expressing regret for his comments in the video.

In his email, he said that he realised the video was on YouTube the day after the incident and his requests to make the video private were ignored.

He admitted that he was a "fool not to insist on it", the paper said.

[email protected]

<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rCY9TGzt-q4?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="460"></iframe>

 

[Narong Wongwan]

If he had told Italian, Irishmen etc jokes....will still kena or not?

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

If he had told Italian, Irishmen etc jokes....will still kena or not?

of course not. Chinese jokes also ok.

 

[IamHandsome]

What about blond jokes , will the Ang mo gets angry n activate their aircraft carrier or not?

 

[Alto Saotome]

Police report lodged against student for "racist remarks" in viral video
By Sara Grosse | Posted: 14 August 2012 2340 hrs

SINGAPORE: A police report has been lodged against a first-year student of the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), who allegedly made racist remarks.

Police said on Tuesday, in response to queries from Channel NewsAsia, that they are investigating the case.

The student, Justin Wee, was seen in a YouTube video allegedly cracking jokes about other races.

Police said the right to free speech does not extend to making remarks that incite racial and religious friction and conflict.

They said the Internet may be a convenient medium to express one's views but the public should bear in mind that they are no less accountable for their actions online.

Police said they take a very stern view of acts that could threaten the social harmony in Singapore.

Anyone who re-posts or contributes offensive comments to the postings is also liable.

- CNA/cc

 

[Alto Saotome]

Liability questions arise over student's "racist" viral video
By Claire Huang | Posted: 15 August 2012 2142 hrs

Twenty-four-year-old Justin Wee (C) was captured in a five-minute video making jokes about Malays and Indians.

SINGAPORE: Does being drunk make one less culpable when making racist comments? And is re-posting or sharing videos of such acts a criminal offence?

These questions arose after the video of a Singapore Institute of Management student making racist jokes garnered thousands of views online recently.

Twenty-four-year-old Justin Wee was captured in a five-minute video making jokes about Malays and Indians.

The SIM student was drunk and had to be propped up by his friend.

The footage was filmed by a National University of Singapore student.

Both have since been reprimanded by their schools.

SIM added in an email reply that it is "appalled" by Mr Wee's behaviour and it will hold "a disciplinary hearing very soon" to decide on the appropriate action.

On Monday, Mr Wee sent out an email expressing regret over his comments.

He said the video was first posted on Facebook but made its way onto YouTube the next day.

So far, it has garnered more than 11,000 views on YouTube.

But does his claim of being drunk make him less culpable?

Josephus Tan, lawyer, Patrick Tan Advocates & Solicitors, said: "(It is) very unlikely that it will be given much mitigating weight because as we understand in criminal law, the defence of intoxication, even if it's valid defence, is a very difficult defence to be invoked successfully."

And are those sharing the video breaching the law?

Mr Tan said: "From a legal standpoint, if one is to apply a strict interpretation of, for example, the offence of abetting, then yes, clearly an offence is made out for abetting."

"Even though the video was not manufactured or created by those people who circulate it, but the very act of them circulating (the video) online can qualify under the word 'abetting'."

Police are currently investigating the case.

They said anyone who re-posts or contributes offensive comments to postings and breaches the law will be taken to task.

There've also been lots of comments about the video on the Channel NewsAsia Singapore Facebook page.

One said Mr Wee should learn from his mistake and asked about the intention of the friend who took the video.

Some said claiming to be drunk is a "stupid excuse".

- CNA/cc

 

[Cruxx]

Let him enjoy the full brunt of the law, I say. It'll be poetic justice, considering how callous and unforgiving Sinkies can be towards those who break the law. Judging by the number of families that have been destroyed by alcohol, I think Singapore should start hanging people for selling, consuming or possessing alcohol. Fucking Sinkie fascists deserve their comeuppance

 

[Cestbon]

Age 24 talk and act like 16 year old teenager.
His IQ and mental have problem.

 

[Cruxx]

Age 24 talk and act like 16 year old teenager.
His IQ and mental have problem.

He's a Singaporean after all.

 

[steffychun]

If he had told Italian, Irishmen etc jokes....will still kena or not?

Italian he would be congratulated. FTs laugh.

 

[steffychun]

Watched the video several times. Sound quality is terrible plus there's hardly any joke at all. Only one joke and lot's of F words.

Can we cane a boy for this? What if it was Rush Limbaugh making jokes about Singapore?

 

[chonburifc]

Let him enjoy the full brunt of the law, I say. It'll be poetic justice, considering how callous and unforgiving Sinkies can be towards those who break the law. Judging by the number of families that have been destroyed by alcohol, I think Singapore should start hanging people for selling, consuming or possessing alcohol. Fucking Sinkie fascists deserve their comeuppance

Cruxx, your life must be sibeh miserable leh. ADVICE you to take up some vices. If you don't listen to my ADVISE, you will Leegret.

 

[Cruxx]

Cruxx, your life must be sibeh miserable leh. ADVICE you to take up some vices. If you don't listen to my ADVISE, you will Leegret.

It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied. Why would I wanna hang alcohol users when I collect Vodka and Whiskey? If you can't even detect the sarcasm in my posts, I feel sorry for you. :(

 

[chupacabra]

The best place to be racist is here at sammyboy. I am a racist, please report me to the police.

 

[chonburifc]

It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied. Why would I wanna hang alcohol users when I collect Vodka and Whiskey? If you can't even detect the sarcasm in my posts, I feel sorry for you. :(

Chill lah. Msg was not intended for you. ADVICE you to read my ADVISE again. :p

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

The best place to be racist is here at sammyboy. I am a racist, please report me to the police.

Correction: you will only get action taken upon you if you are racist to certain races but somehow that's not the case if you are racist towards other races. So which race are you racist towards?