NUS investigating case of student making racial comments in leaked video
A student from the National University of Singapore (NUS) is under fire for making inappropriate racial remarks in a video message circulated online.
The video message, believed to be retrieved from the messaging app Telegram, was reportedly sent by a student identified as an O’Week recruitment head and a resident of Valor House.
O’Week is an orientation programme under the NUS Business School, and is described as “the largest Freshman Orientation Programme across NUS” on its website.
An NUS spokesperson told MS News that the student has stepped down from the student committee and is no longer residing on campus.
Leaked video message contain remarks about race
In the leaked message, the student allegedly made remarks referencing race and hygiene.
She included statements about attracting attention from “Indians” and comments comparing smells to “curry” and “onions”.
“Fun fact about me is that I have come to the conclusion that I was an Indian sl*t in my past life,” said the student in the TeleBubble.
“Because in the past month, I have consecutively rizzed up Indians.”
“Don’t know why, but I have, and so that’s my only possible conclusion.”
Source: TikTok
She also described herself as having “turned over a new leaf” and being a “wholesome Chinese person”, while claiming she was “not racist”.
It is unclear how the video message was leaked.
Student issues apology days later
A few days after the message surfaced, the same student posted a follow-up video message on Telegram to apologise.
“I would like to apologise for sending out the bubble,” she said.
“I understand that it may have offended a few people, but it was not my intention on doing so.”
Source: Telegram
She added that she had been “going through something” at the time and acknowledged that the message “may have come across inappropriately”.
Petition calls for disciplinary action
Following the incident, a petition on Change.org for NUS to take “swift and decisive” disciplinary action against the student was launched on Sunday (19 April).
The petition alleges that the student’s remarks were “racist and xenophobic”.
It also argued that such behaviour undermines the institution’s values and community standards.
As of Friday (24 April), there were 697 signatures on the petition.
Source: Change.org website
NUS says investigation underway
In response to media queries, an NUS spokesperson told MS News that the university is looking into the matter.
“NUS is committed to the principles of respect and dignity,” they said.
“Clause 7 of the NUS Code of Student Conduct states that conduct which ‘insults, abuses, denigrates, victimises, demeans, embarrasses or disparages others’ is not acceptable to the University.”
The spokesperson added, “NUS is investigating the current case and will take all necessary disciplinary action.”
According to NUS, the student has since stepped down from her role in the student committee and is no longer residing on campus.
MS News has reached out to Valor House for comment.
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Featured image adapted from Telegram and NUS website.
