National University of Singapore has discontinued all projects with Talk show host and former Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP), Viswa Sadasivan and he has also stepped down as a member of the university’s Alumni Advisory Board. This following  allegations of sexual harassment made against him by two women.

This was said by the NUS in an email to its alumnus on Saturday (20 Feb) evening that it has reached a mutual agreement with Mr Sadasivan and his company, Strategic Moves Pte Ltd to discontinue all projects with NUS.

Mr Sadasivan has also stepped down as a member of NUS Alumni Advisory Board.

NUS said that it does not condone any behaviour or action that is disrespectful and disparaging of individuals, regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion or age.

It clarified that the incident between Mr Sadasivan and Ms Channa took place during the online interview series, Inconvenient Questions. This series is a collaboration between Strategic Moves Pte Ltd and the National University of Singapore Society (NUSS), a graduate club and registered society which is a separate and independent entity from the University.

For those unaware, the controversy erupted when Ms Channa made a Facebook post on 4 Feb about how Mr Sadasivan, who is the host of the National University of Singapore Society’s (NUSS) Inconvenient Questions (IQ) web series made sexual innuendos directed at her during an interview.

As recounted by Ms Channa, Mr Sadasivan had asked her why she was wearing a rose on her left collar, to which she replied, “I just put it on to distract from the pattern on my top and to which he responded “It would be more distracting if you were wearing only that rose.”

Since Ms Channa’s revelations on Facebook, Ms Kiran Kandade has also stepped up to reveal her own experiences with Mr Sadasivan, showing screenshots of when, among other things, he had asked for a kiss from her when she was trying to seek training/consultancy work from him.

While Mr Sadasivan has issued an apology, his apology has been criticised as being conditional and “not unequivocal” by AWARE in its follow up statement. AWARE did, however, acknowledge that Mr Sadasivan did call on the online abuse of the women to stop.

In addition, AWARE has made clear that they were not working with Mr Sadasivan on this issue. While they were privately approached by Mr Sadasivan with an offer to host a series of Inconvenient Questions forums on sexual harassment, AWARE later found that he has mentioned this proposal to others as well.

AWARE further stressed that it did not think that these incidents should be turned into content for Mr Sadasivan’s programme and called on him to make an unreserved apology to the women.

“Until Viswa takes full responsibility for his actions and makes an unreserved apology to the two women, it will be difficult to view any offer of collaboration in good faith.”

AWARE also called on Mr Sadasivan to set a good example as a prominent figure by “taking full responsibility for his harassment.”

 

Subscribe
Notify of
31 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

“不可能拿纳税人钱补投资者损失” 环境部挺公用局决定

因不满凯发债务重组计划,以及公用事业局将以零元收购大泉海水淡化厂,凯发永久证券和优先股投资者,有意在本周六在芳林公园进行抗议。 一些投资者认为,公用局打算接管淡水厂的决定是“无情的”,令投资者们感到难以接受,因为他们的投资都被用在这个水电厂的建设。他们希望公用局能“出于善意和道德责任”,补偿这些永久证券和优先股投资者。 对于投资者的诉求,本地网媒“Mothership”致函质询新加坡环境与水源部,惟后者指出任何投资都有风险,公用局不可能动用纳税人的钱,来补偿投资者对损失。 “任何生意都不能免除违约责任” 该部在答复中指出,任何生意都可能面对财务压力,也无法幸免于违约责任。“公用局无法用纳税人的钱,来抵消掉投资者面对的损失。” 该部解释,当初凯发的确符合公用局的需求,在竞标者中最具竞争力,才获得建造海水淡化厂的招标工程。凯发还要求把淡水厂和发电厂整合起来。 在官民合作的工程,公用局虽不会干涉有关公司企业决策,但也会监督企业是否有能力继续按照合约履行职责。 早前,公用局声明凯发“白武士”SM投资(SMI),不应以公用局的违约通知为由,退出重组凯发的协议。环境与水源部也支持公用局的声明,若公用局终止和凯发的购水合约,反而对凯发有利。 环境部:公用局首要任务是保障国家水资源 凯发此前认为公用局的举动,能减轻凯发集团面对的压力,对该公司市值能起正面影响,也增加凯发成功重组的几率。 环境与水源部也重申,公用局的首要目的,是保障新加坡的水资源。而公用局的举措也符合这个目的。 公用局早前指出,大泉水电厂无法履行购水协议下的多项合约义务,尤其未能按照需求让水电厂继续可靠运作。…

视线被挡轿车绿灯右转 撞上摩托车骑士腾空翻转倒地

视线被双层巴士挡住,银色轿车在无法判断对面路况的情况下绿灯右转,导致摩托车司机被车子冲撞,人被抛向空中数度翻转,最后倒在车子的顶部。 该事故发生在武吉班让大厦交界处,当时夜晚时分,十字路口的交界处车子较多,而当时该银色轿车是右转向对面马路,但其视线却被两辆双层巴士遮挡,无法看清楚对面马路的路况。 尽管如此,银色轿车司机仍然执意转向对面马路,原本以为相安无事时,一辆摩托车从对面马路飞驰,来不及反应轿车正在转向,导致他撞上银色轿车,猛烈的撞击让摩托车司机腾空翻转了数圈,最后倒在了车子顶部,翻滚到地上。 而这段意外被正在等待红绿灯的车内录像拍摄下来,吓得车内的司机连声尖叫,并上传到网络上新加坡公路意外网页。从视频来看,当时被撞的摩托车司机毫无动静,其上传时间为3月8日,但并未说明视频的确切时间和日期。 绿灯右转造成多起事故  议员促取消 针对绿灯右转的现象,有议员曾向当局反映绿灯右转已造成多起致命事故,显然是有“问题”, 回溯去年7月的国会,官委议员林珊珊就曾表示自己是绿灯右转的受害者,因此敦促当局应该取消绿灯右转,让行人能够更安全使用道路。 6月13日晚,林珊珊在樟宜路东上段和苏马巴路(Somapah Road)交界处被一辆双层巴士撞伤。她表示绿灯亮起时,自己专心过马路、也没看手机,但仍被双层巴士撞上。 去年四月时,连续发生因绿灯右转的致命意外,当时陆路交通局也表示,将取消大多数的交通路口的绿灯右转。 当时内政部高级政务次长孙雪玲,表示该部将会协同有关部门考虑相关建议,供日后审查。

Little India riot – time for complete and honest evaluation

By Howard Lee The government’s immediate response to the riot in Little…

民主联盟主席林睦荃 今早进行心脏绕道手术

新加坡民主联盟主席林睦荃,今早(14日)在新加坡中央医院进行心脏绕道手术。 他今早录视频坦言,尽管他也感到害怕,但相信康复后仍能重返白沙榜鹅集选区,继续走基层服务。 在本届选举,林睦荃率领新加坡民主联盟团队,出战白沙—榜鹅集选区,对垒由国务资政兼国家安全统筹部长张志贤率领的行动党六人团队。该选区也是此次选举唯一出现三角战局面的选区。不过,民主联盟以23.67%得票率败北,行动党得票率达64.15%,人民之声得票率为12.18%。