SMU Pulls Plug On Human Rights Centre

[Conqueror]

SMU Pulls Plug On Human Rights Centre

Updated 12:45 AM Nov 03, 2012


SINGAPORE - The Singapore Management University (SMU) has pulled the plug on a research centre focused on global governance and human rights only days before its launch.

The Handa Centre for Global Governance and Human Rights had been slated to be launched on Oct 25. A member of the SMU law faculty had already been identified to helm the centre and staff was being recruited. The launch was abruptly cancelled and no reason was given.

Responding to TODAY's queries, an SMU spokesperson said: "After careful re-assessment, the university has decided not to proceed with the organisation of a centre. Going forward, SMU remains committed and will continue with the study and research at the current level and scope."

The centre was named after Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa who is known for his active involvement in social causes around the world. He is believed to be the main person who funded the setting up of the centre, donating a few million dollars.

Dr Handa, who is the founder and chairman of Tokyo-based non-profit organisation Worldwide Support for Development (WSD), has also provided funding for Curtin University's Centre for Human Rights Education.

Dr Handa could not be reached for comment yesterday. But he was quoted by website Singapolitics as saying that, after consulting SMU, the WSD leadership "has decided not to proceed with the organisation of a new centre". He added that WSD "remains supportive of SMU and will continue to consider future projects in Singapore".

Sources told TODAY that the setting up of the centre would have raised many red flags, not least its name and the fact that it was largely funded by a foreigner.

"Human rights remain a topic that has to be carefully managed in Singapore. The Centre would lack credibility if it critiques the human rights situation in other countries but not Singapore's." a source said.

"We are not quite ready yet for foreign funding, to be matched by a matching grant from the Government, on human rights research. It is a prudent move by SMU but one wonders how things went as far as they did before the plug was pulled. There were just too many red flags. The embarrassment could have been avoided."

TODAY sent queries to the Ministry of Education (MOE) asking when it came to know of the centre and whether the Government had stepped in on the matter.

In response, an MOE spokesperson would only say: "We were informed by the SMU that it had decided not to go ahead with the launch of the centre."

 

[Cruxx]

Human rights is a foreign concept to many suaku singaporeans.

 

[mollusk]

Singaporean not human..where got rights....

 

[johnny333]

You cannot have a world class educational system if schools have to worry about interference from the state

 

[MBSSLOTS]

typical wayang....pap put a stop to it

 

[roadrunner]

I understand SMU has a growing PRC student population & it also runs collaborative Master degree courses with Chinese universities in China, the typical PRC students on these courses in SMU tend to range from civil servants to those training for middle to higher level Chinese Govt. positions. Maybe the "conflict of interests" for the Handa Centre for Global Governance and Human Rights in SMU is not just limited to Singapore but also to it's PRC affiliations. In other words, pls don't rock the boat!

 

[Dinosaur]

Human rights is a foreign concept to many suaku singaporeans.

Additionally the concept of human rights is ANATHEMA to Pinky and his regime.

 

[Confuseous]

SMU pulls plug on human rights centre, just days before its launch

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Management University (SMU) has pulled the plug on a research centre focused on global governance and human rights only days before its launch.

The Handa Centre for Global Governance and Human Rights had been slated to be launched on Oct 25. A member of the SMU law faculty had already been identified to helm the centre and staff was being recruited. The launch was abruptly cancelled and no reason was given.

Responding to TODAY's queries, an SMU spokesperson said: "After careful re-assessment, the university has decided not to proceed with the organisation of a centre. Going forward, SMU remains committed and will continue with the study and research at the current level and scope."

The centre was named after Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa who is known for his active involvement in social causes around the world. He is believed to be the main person who funded the setting up of the centre, donating a few million dollars.

Dr Handa, who is the founder and chairman of Tokyo-based non-profit organisation Worldwide Support for Development (WSD), has also provided funding for Curtin University's Centre for Human Rights Education.

Dr Handa could not be reached for comment yesterday. But he was quoted by website Singapolitics as saying that, after consulting SMU, the WSD leadership "has decided not to proceed with the organisation of a new centre". He added that WSD "remains supportive of SMU and will continue to consider future projects in Singapore".

Sources told TODAY that the setting up of the centre would have raised many red flags, not least its name and the fact that it was largely funded by a foreigner.

"Human rights remain a topic that has to be carefully managed in Singapore. The Centre would lack credibility if it critiques the human rights situation in other countries but not Singapore's." a source said.

"We are not quite ready yet for foreign funding, to be matched by a matching grant from the Government, on human rights research. It is a prudent move by SMU but one wonders how things went as far as they did before the plug was pulled. There were just too many red flags. The embarrassment could have been avoided."

TODAY sent queries to the Ministry of Education (MOE) asking when it came to know of the centre and whether the Government had stepped in on the matter.

In response, an MOE spokesperson would only say: "We were informed by the SMU that it had decided not to go ahead with the launch of the centre."

 

[GoldenDragon]

Re: SMU pulls plug on human rights centre, just days before its launch

100% SMU was acting under instructions. Just surprised it took so long for this to be discovered. Someone sleeping ?

 

[johnny333]

Re: SMU pulls plug on human rights centre, just days before its launch

100% SMU was acting under instructions. Just surprised it took so long for this to be discovered. Someone sleeping ?

Someone must have just woken up from his nap.

I wonder If anyone in the gov't dares to make any decision without consulting the last leaf

 

[GoldenDragon]

Re: SMU pulls plug on human rights centre, just days before its launch

I wonder If anyone in the gov't dares to make any decision without consulting the last leaf

From my experience, this matter need not consult the last leaf. Only need to notify him through proper channel and report. Not considered sensitive enough.