This is why government likes FTs.
They study and they also solve their own problems. FTs are
self-reliant...
Campus jealousy: Two fined $1,000 for beating up fellow
student
The two bosom buddies thought victim was eyeing girlfriend of
one
By Chong Chee Kin
A CASE of campus jealousy that spilled over into violence saw two
young National University of Singapore (NUS) graduates fined the
maximum $1,000 yesterday for beating up a fellow student in April
last year.
Singapore permanent residents Jiao Guanxiong, 24, and Tao Lei, 23,
were both studying at NUS on Ministry of Education (MOE)
scholarships. Both are Chinese nationals.
Jiao, an engineer, was an active student leader in NUS, while Tao,
who studied computing, is now a budding entrepreneur who recently
snagged a $1.6 million investment deal for his Internet technology
company. Both graduated this year.
Yesterday, the two bosom buddies were each fined $1,000 for beating
up 23-year-old campus mate Zhang Liang, who they believed was
trying to move in on Jiao's then-girlfriend, also an NUS
undergraduate.
The court heard that Jiao and Tao had turned up at West Coast Park
at around 11pm on April 22 last year to meet Mr Zhang.
Both Jiao and Tao had been unhappy with Mr Zhang for some
time.
Jiao felt he had been pestering his 22-year-old girlfriend, while
Tao believed that Mr Zhang had been bad-mouthing him.
When the three met at the park, a dispute soon broke out and the
two fell upon Mr Zhang, raining punches on him and kicking
him.
The youth was taken to the National University Hospital, where he
was given outpatient treatment for cuts and bruises. Tao had a cut
on his head.
Yesterday, their lawyers, Mr Subhas Anandan and Mr Sunil Sudheesan,
blamed Mr Zhang for provoking the fight.
They claimed Mr Zhang hurled insults at them, laughed off their
accusations and tried to intimidate them by making a telephone call
summoning more people to come to the park to help him.
After the call, they claimed Mr Zhang pushed Tao, sparking a
scuffle. Jiao said he leapt in only when Tao was hit in the
head.
Mr Anandan said that after the fight, his clients helped their
victim and even offered to take him to hospital.
However, Mr Zhang 'continued to posture aggressively and even
challenged our clients to stay where they were if they were brave
enough', the lawyer said.
Both young men, who received their permanent resident status only
this year, were active in NUS activities and held leadership
positions in university clubs, the lawyer said.
They declined to comment after their sentencing.
Each could have been jailed for up to a year.
