Member of Parliament (MP) for Mounbatten, Lim Biow Chuan, has slammed the student who had worn a hood over his head at the graduation ceremony in Nanyang Polytechnic on Sunday, the Chinese Shin Min newspaper reported.
The unidentified student was receiving his diploma from the school’s director, Daniel Tan, who appeared more amused than upset at the student’s unconventional outfit.
But Mr Lim was not amused.
The MP, who is also chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Education, told the media, “Graduation ceremonies are solemn occasions marking the end of individuals’ learning journeys, and are taken very seriously by students and parents alike.”
He said that such antics “devalue the significance of the event”, according to press reports of the incident.
“If he did not want to be recognised, he could have chosen to stay away,” said Mr Lim.
But the press reports an eyewitness as saying that such behaviour is not unusual at the school, where students are known for their creativity.
“For example, students’ photos are often doctored to include strange backgrounds and then pasted everywhere,” MY Paper reported the witness as having said.
It is believed that the school has not taken any action against the masked student.
Nanyang Polytechnic has had its fair share of controversial incidents in the past.
In 2006, news of a reported sex video of a purported 17-year old student from the school went viral online.
The girl, allegedly named Tammy, was said to have taped a sex act with her boyfriend on her mobile phone.
The girl’s mobile phone was apparently stolen by a girl who was jealous of her popularity.
The video was then uploaded online and mass e-mailed to lecturers and other students.
In 2012, another Nanyang Polytechnic student, Lai Shimun, made the news when her racist tweet on Twitter was picked up by the online community.
She later removed the tweet and made an apology for it.
