SINGAPORE: Malaysia professor Tey Tsun Hang of Singapore's National University of Singapore (NUS) has said through his lawyer that he has withdrawn his request to leave the island country as he is being investigated in a “sex for grades” scandal. He had planned to be in Hong Kong at the end of August to conduct a course at the law faculty at the University of Hong Kong, but is unlikely to leave Singapore due to the charges against him. Speaking through his lawyer, Peter Low, Tey told the court on Friday that NUS had not approved his sabbatical leave request. The university said it was “unable to support his application to leave Singapore to teach,” because he had been “suspended from active duty.” This past week, he saw bail set at $100,000 by a court because he is Malaysian citizen and the court feared he could flee the country. His lawyer, Low, argued that the bail set was “excessive," adding that Tey was not a flight risk. He argued that bail should be set at $20,000, but the court refused, even though Tey's child was in the country with him. The prosecution argued that the professor was Malaysian, and with no roots in Singapore, was seen as a flight risk. Tey faces 6 counts of corruption after being charged with obtaining gratification in 2010 from student Darinne Ko Wen Hu. He allegedly received sex on two occasions and gifts including a Montblanc pen worth $740, two tailor-made shirts worth $236 and an iPod worth $160, the court said. The university has suspended the professor pending an investigation. Tey has said he will fight the charges against him. His case comes after the filing of corruption charges last month against the former director of the country's drug agency and Singapore's former Civil Defence Force chief, for allegedly accepting sexual favors from female executives seeking agency contracts. Tey did not enter a plea in court on Friday, but told reporters after the hearing that he would defend himself against the charges “fearlessly and vigorously." “I am known to speak up, amongst other things on the Singapore legal system," he said. His writings are in good faith with no ill intent and his defense will be in a similar vein, Tey said. The ongoing sex scandals to have hit Singapore are worrying many in the country that women are being objectified and women's rights activists have told Bikyamasr.com in recent weeks that they would like to see the government crackdown hard on those involved in sex scandals. “It is the only way to ensure that we do not continue to allow this sort of thing to continue in our country," said one activist. If convicted, court officials told Bikyamasr.com that Tey faces up to five years in jail and a S$100,000 fine. He would likely lose his job.
