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Tag: law professor

  • NUS Law Professor Who Assaulted Taxi Driver Sacked

    NUS Law Professor Who Assaulted Taxi Driver Sacked

    The National University of Singapore (NUS) law professor who was sentenced to four months in jail for attacking a cabby has reportedly been sacked.

    A NUS spokesman was quoted as saying that 43-year-old Sundram Peter Soosay had been fired on Monday. His academic profile had also been removed from the website of the law faculty, although his picture and name was still listed on the administration page as of Thursday night.

    On June 26, the day Soosay was sentenced, an NUS spokesman had told The Straits Times: “The university expects all members of its community to conduct themselves in accordance with the law. Dr Soosay has been convicted of a serious offence. The university has suspended him without pay since May 29 this year, and will now initiate disciplinary action.”

    Soosay, who was born in Malaysia and is a Singapore permanent resident, boarded Mr Sun Chun Hua’s cab in the early hours of Christmas Day in 2013 while intoxicated, and vomited soon after. He then alighted near King Albert Park, in Clementi Road, and walked away without paying the fare.

    After the cabby chased him and threatened to call the police, Soosay handed him a $50 note. Instead of waiting for his change, he struck Mr Sun from behind, straddling him and punching his face repeatedly.

    Mr Sun needed multiple stitches on his face and left arm, where he suffered a deep wound that exposed the bone, and had to be hospitalised. His injuries left him unable to work for 17 days, and it took him more than a month to regain the use of his left arm and resume driving.

    Soosay, who initially claimed that Mr Sun was the first to attack had told the court through his lawyer that he would be appealing his conviction and sentence.

     

    Source: www.straitstimes.com

  • Law Professor Withdraws Offer To Compensate Cabby Victim

    Law Professor Withdraws Offer To Compensate Cabby Victim

    The assistant law professor had initially offered to pay compensation to a cabby for assaulting him.

    But he withdrew the offer yesterday after he was berated by a judge.

    National University of Singapore law professor Sundram Peter Soosay, 43, was eventually sentenced yesterday to four months’ jail and ordered to pay $1,500 compensation to the cabby.

    Soosay had been found guilty last month of assaulting Mr Sun Chun Hua, 70, in the wee hours of Christmas Day in 2013.

    Earlier during yesterday’s hearing, Soosay had indicated he was willing to offer Mr Sun compensation.

    But when District Judge Victor Yeo chided him and his lawyer for not settling the issue earlier so Mr Sun could consent to the compensation, Soosay withdrew his offer.

    During sentencing, Judge Yeo said that violence against transport workers cannot be tolerated because while they provide an essential service to the public, they deserve to work in a safe and secure environment.

    He highlighted that Soosay had attacked Mr Sun at about 5am, when there was little foot traffic and the taxi driver would be at his most vulnerable.

    “I did not sense any remorse (in you), and you have a lackadaisical attitude towards compensation,” the judge said.

    The court had earlier heard that an intoxicated Soosay boarded Mr Sun’s taxi after a party.

    He vomited in Mr Sun’s taxi and got off the cab near King Albert Park in Clementi Road, where he walked away without paying.

    When the cabby chased him, Soosay handed him $50.

    But after the cabby turned his back and headed towards his taxi to retrieve change, Soosay attacked Mr Sun from behind.

    VIOLENT

    He jumped on the older man’s back, knocked him to the ground and hit him several times in the face and head.

    Soosay stopped only when a passer-by went to the cabby’s assistance.

    Calling Mr Sun a victim of gratuitous violence, Judge Yeo noted that the cabby could not work for 17 days.

    Referring to the cabby’s testimony, Judge Yeo said the cabby had never seen anything like that in his 20 years as a driver, and that he has stopped picking up drunk passengers.

    Soosay offered no mitigation before sentencing. He will be appealing his sentence and has been released on $20,000 bail.

    The $1,500 compensation will still have to be paid to Mr Sun by July 15.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg

  • NUS Law Prof Lynette Chua Launch Book Called Mobilizing Gay Singapore

    Credit: http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/
    Credit: http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/

    SINGAPORE — What are the legal restrictions and political norms that affect the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community? How did they organise themselves and engage the state, eventually organising the first public gay rally, Pink Dot, in 2009?

    These are the themes examined in a new book by law professor Lynette Chua from the National University of Singapore (NUS) on the LGBT movement. Launched yesterday, the 168-page volume was based on in-depth interviews with gay activists here and government statements and media reports on the issue. Called Mobilizing Gay Singapore, it looks at the LGBT movement’s emergence, development and strategies, and how the roles of law and rights play out in the process.

    Speaking to TODAY at the book launch at the NUS Centre for Asian Legal Studies at the Faculty of Law, Associate Professor Chua said the book is aimed at trying to understand the social-legal history of the movement. The book, she said, could have a reflective impact on activists regarding their roles and could be informative for those who are not knowledgeable about the movement. The book was written in her personal capacity as a social-legal scholar and does not represent NUS’ views, she said.

    During the panel discussion at the launch with Assoc Prof Chua, NUS law professor Michael Hor and NUS Department of Sociology Assoc Prof Daniel Goh, an audience member asked how local political parties could take a stronger stand on the LGBT movement.

    In response, Assoc Prof Goh said political parties have to be pragmatic to remain in the game and cannot be the vanguard of a movement that is about minority rights.

    Added Assoc Prof Chua: “Like it or not, many of the activists believe the desire for a state of equal rights for LGBT or legal reform will not come from the opposition party … The Opposition is simply too weak just trying to get a foothold in local politics.”

    Copyright 2014 MediaCorp Pte Ltd | All Rights Reserved

     

     

    Source: TODAY, singaporelawwatch.sg