The world has indeed changed. After stabbing people, NTU still have to “appreciate the grief and anger the family feels” and “sought to act with sympathy and respectfulness of their understandable pain.”

How many tragedy must occur to teach these parents learn to communicate properly to their children? Still wanted to “save face” ?

Ahgong, you sound like you know what is the TRUTH?
What is your basis for your allegations?
I am sure you do not know the TRUTH, the real TRUTH as only the deceased and the prof will know. All else is based on investigation and lawyers debates and judge’s opinion and forensice scientist reports.

….as well as witnesses and family member reports. You guess is as good as mine only.

maybe the family has vested interest in life insurance claims. if not why can’t they just accept the evidence? because the suicide note in his laptop couldn’t have been planted.

4) cynicholas on June 26th, 2009 12.58 pm

Only the person involved knows if that is a suicide note. Agree?
But he is deceased. He has no opportunity to respond to allegations.
We can have many maybe’s.
By ‘Maybe’ can we also say its a ‘Maybe Not’?

For those still living in denial, what is the so-called motive for the prof to make an attack?

Who brought the knife?
Who turned up without an appointment?
Who left the room without calling for help?

How much more time are they going to waste on this? When a new evidence is presented, the family just denies everything. When the media writes up something, they say they are making false accusations. So now what? Aren’t they accusing the school? Intimidate?? Pressurized to cremate??? Since when did the school point a gun at them, asking them to cremate David?

Isn’t the family making the Indonesian’s press to twist words and manipulate people’s thoughts too?

Close knit family?? Ask the family to explain what happened on 25th Jan that resulted in David in writing his “last words”. See if they can even recall. I bet they will deny everything.

Do you even think the family can be trusted now, when they don’t even seem to be making sense anymore..

#1, SO I assumed YOU know the TRUTH? Then why are you still arguing here? Please stand in the witness stand and let the world know about the conspiracy of NTU and the AP. I am sure many people would very eager to hear your X-file story.

So many witnesses had already testified that the deceased commited suicide. I am sure any one with common sense can easily reasoned that out. Not just speculation or guessing.

On the other hand, i seriously doubted that the scholarship money have that much pressure on him. As the family keep mentioning that they can afford it and make it clear to the deceased. Probably is the expectation of the family that kills.

7) Ahgong on June 26th, 2009 1.42 pm

The fact remains that only the dead knows what happened.
Now, its based on a system called evidence to prove this or that and then the final verdict lies in the hands of a judge. dio boh?

If only the dead can talk. sigh.

Ahgong, whether you are convinced or whatever you believe is up to you. You are not there when it happened. By the way, you are alleging #2 has said something against ‘them’, which is not true. You have lied. #2 has only offered his point of view which is also logical.

8) neuralitic psychosis on June 26th, 2009 2.30 pm

Like what you have said, the system is based on evidence and the final verdict lies in the hands of a judge.

#2 is based on his/her own assumption. But my judgement is based on the many testimonal given by the witnesses. AND i don’t think the deceased is so “popular” that everyone in singapore conspiring against him.

Also, since the final verdict is not out. By saying that i am lying, meaning that you are also speculating the truth.

Frankly speaking, this is nothing unlike the X-file. Just another plain old boring story, that repeated for so many times throughout the asian families.

History repeated itself. People never learned.

neuralitic psychosis :

If only the dead can speak….

Why not think for a minute why he didn’t want to live? He was going to be charged for assault if he was still alive. You can’t assume the dead is the victim when he chose to end his life and it’s already validated he was still in a conscious state of mind before his plunge.

Nobody forced him to choose this path. And now that he did, it isn’t right to blame on others around him for what he did.

Understandably the family is unwilling to accept that their son has committed suicide, but I think privately they know that it is the truth. Let’s see how long they can keep it up for. This is just prolonging their pain, a very unfortunate second act.

7) Ahgong on June 26th, 2009 1.42 pm SAID SO :

“”"#1, SO I assumed YOU know the TRUTH? Then why are you still arguing here? Please stand in the witness stand and let the world know about the conspiracy of NTU and the AP. I am sure many people would very eager to hear your X-file story.”"”

Also SAID SO:

“”"”9) Ahgong on June 26th, 2009 2.59 pm
8) neuralitic psychosis on June 26th, 2009 2.30 pm
…. ….
#2 is based on his/her own assumption. But my judgement is based on the many testimonal given by the witnesses. AND i don’t think the deceased is so “popular” that everyone in singapore conspiring against him.

Also, since the final verdict is not out. By saying that i am lying, meaning that you are also speculating the truth.
“”"”

You have lied because you accused him of saying there was a ” conspiracy of NTU and the AP.” which is a lie
AND
you claimed that he has an ” X-file story” which is a lie.

Tragedies happening in schools are always difficult to handle, especially by both the school and the family.

Better ways to identify such problems must be available and made known to everyone.

Victor Yeo….is a solid chap. One can never doubt him. Fair & Just.

However, this is a painful case to follow and I think NTU should be better prepared for such incidents. Things like this just don’t happen overnight.

In response, NTU released a statement on Wednesday saying that their officers who handled this tragedy “appreciate the grief and anger the family feels” and “sought to act with sympathy and respectfulness of their understandable pain.”

‘understandable pain’ my foot.

Regardless of the outcome, NTU officers should admit that they had handled the matter unprofessionally at the beginning. If they had done it properly, maybe the family would accept the situation and not go to this stage.

Unless of course, NTU has something to hide.

Anyone read what the speculation why the chap got so many cut on his body? The coroner (?) can’t explain. The prof oso don’t explain. So, how?

The family owes NTU and the professor an apology. Although in pain, denial and anger, their behaviour is less than gracious. The family, instead of looking at the evidence, chose to believe hearsay. The truth has been staring them in the face all this while but they refused to accept it. Truth hurts, as always.

Time for them to find closure and move on. Any more speculation from busy-body bystanders will only prolong their pain.

How is NTU unprofessional? Did they not make arrangements?

This is what they get for being nice. I would like to see the family make a public apology at the end of it.

What is the prof like as aperson.

Need to have comments from his supervisor from his old uni in England.

His friends, neighbours, his present students.

Is he such a nice chap?

How does he treat his students doing final year projects?

To #18

Maybe we can dig more into how the family influence on the suicide of the poor boy.

Interview their relatives, their maids, their business partner, probably the diary of the dear boy?

Are they really that nice to their son? Are their expectation too much for him?

Did they really talk on the phone regularly or msn as claimed? Over concern for his academic achievement?

The potential defendant is the glass cover of the bridge. It has chosen to remain silent. Give opportunity to foreigners to study here, yet have to bear with this kind of trouble. They should screen these people and their family background properly before offering them scholarships, so hard up, go about with tongue hanging out the moment they think they spotted “talent”.

The family’s comments about NTU are reasonably consistent with other comments on NTU’s (and other government and (formerly) government-linked organizations) administrative arms.

NTU has been remarkably close mouthed, to the extent that faculty only learn about events from the local news. NTU also does approach most situations in a bureaucratic and organizationally mindless way. These are things that aren’t legally wrong, but are guaranteed to piss off “customers.”

For example, NTU probably did try to help the family with funeral arrangements, etc. But the family clearly feels the way NTU did it was to rush the family and cover up evidence. My suspicion is NTU just arrowed people to deal with the family issue, and the person or persons didn’t try to empathize. The person or persons also probably told the family “no” when something contravened bureaucratic norms instead of saying “let me see what I can do to help you.”

What occurred, in my mind, is a classic example of bad Customer Relationship Management. In the end, the effort you have to go through is much higher than if you had dealt with the customer correctly in the first place.

I see a trend.

1. last articles, TOC readers posed comments that in general are skeptical of the prof.

2. now, this article has reader(s) (some same person) who post to side with the prof / ntu defending or supporting them.

tell me if i am wrong.

MSM

Cecil Chua – can’t quarrel with your points. SG government institutions have always prided themselves for cold efficiency, keeping an arm’s length to avoid any form of perceived favouratism to anyone. Agree that they lack the humane touch, but then again whoever “arrowed” to do the job could possibly have been treated thus all his/her life. The family’s insistence of going on and on, and on with their conspiracy theories even when confronted the “truth” makes people withdraw sympathies for them.

Just curious and kaypoh, is this widjaja related to the recent filthy rich indo widjaja family?

haha. I saw that article too.

@senior citizen:

Don’t disagree with you. However, my feeling is this whole brouhaha wouldn’t have happened in the first place if NTU had shown the Widjajas some sympathy. Things like maybe inviting the Widjajas in to internal investigation committees.

Its just one of those communication type things. Its not just what you communicate, but HOW you communicate it. NTU got a lot of initial negative press over this matter. In fact, NTU gets a LOT of negative press over a whole load of issues, because they don’t handle the communication with the public thing well. I’m not going to name incidents, but a quick check on Straits Times articles on NTU will give anyone an idea of what I’m talking about.

Its just like the medical practice. The doctors who get sued aren’t the ones who are the least competent. Its the ones with the worst bedside manners. If NTU had handled the Widjajas correctly (i.e., not pissed them off), many of the wilder things that happened in this whole incident would not have happened.

26) Cecil Chua – the family is going through the different phases of grief due to their sudden loss. No matter, they will still behave the way they did, maybe less intense, as they seemed were very influenced by the rumours and hearsay. Can’t blame NTU totally. Anyway, enough is enough.

To Cecil Chua: Totally agree with you. Eventhough NTU sent out statement as if they were sympathetic, actually the attitude showed otherwise. That’s what sparks all this attention to David’s case in the first place. When nothing seemed to be done, I gave quite a number of comments myself. Now things started to open-up, and worth listening to, I just follow closely. No doubt, this incident should have been handled better. And yes, that includes attitude.

These are real people here, in a very trying time of their life.
Both sides considered.
This is no anothert CSI TV episode.
Some of the posts here are outrageously insensitive, to put it mildly.

7 Stages of Grief…

1. SHOCK & DENIAL-
You will probably react to learning of the loss with numbed disbelief. You may deny the reality of the loss at some level, in order to avoid the pain. Shock provides emotional protection from being overwhelmed all at once. This may last for weeks.

2. PAIN & GUILT-
As the shock wears off, it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain. Although excruciating and almost unbearable, it is important that you experience the pain fully, and not hide it, avoid it or escape from it with alcohol or drugs.

You may have guilty feelings or remorse over things you did or didn’t do with your loved one. Life feels chaotic and scary during this phase.

3. ANGER & BARGAINING-
Frustration gives way to anger, and you may lash out and lay unwarranted blame for the death on someone else. Please try to control this, as permanent damage to your relationships may result. This is a time for the release of bottled up emotion.

You may rail against fate, questioning “Why me?” You may also try to bargain in vain with the powers that be for a way out of your despair (“I will never drink again if you just bring him back”)

4. “DEPRESSION”, REFLECTION, LONELINESS-
Just when your friends may think you should be getting on with your life, a long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you. This is a normal stage of grief, so do not be “talked out of it” by well-meaning outsiders. Encouragement from others is not helpful to you during this stage of grieving.

During this time, you finally realize the true magnitude of your loss, and it depresses you. You may isolate yourself on purpose, reflect on things you did with your lost one, and focus on memories of the past. You may sense feelings of emptiness or despair.

5. THE UPWARD TURN-
As you start to adjust to life without your dear one, your life becomes a little calmer and more organized. Your physical symptoms lessen, and your “depression” begins to lift slightly.

6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH-
As you become more functional, your mind starts working again, and you will find yourself seeking realistic solutions to problems posed by life without your loved one. You will start to work on practical and financial problems and reconstructing yourself and your life without him or her.

7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-
During this, the last of the seven stages in this grief model, you learn to accept and deal with the reality of your situation. Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. Given the pain and turmoil you have experienced, you can never return to the carefree, untroubled YOU that existed before this tragedy. But you will find a way forward.
You will start to look forward and actually plan things for the future. Eventually, you will be able to think about your lost loved one without pain; sadness, yes, but the wrenching pain will be gone. You will once again anticipate some good times to come, and yes, even find joy again in the experience of living.

Actually Widjahjah is NOT dead! He is being kept prisoner under Gombak Camp working on a top secret SAF project that will be used to conquere the world!!! It is true because one of Widjahjah friend said his project has commercial as well as military use! Holy cow!!!!!

I pity the poor dead guy. First he seems to be dead, now he seems to be working in a top secret government project. Then he seems to hate his family. Now he seems to love his family.

But I would take the former. Whats not to love when you have family members who will blame everyone, get into a mudslinging blame fest claiming that everything is wrong, and its Country X vs Country Y just to show your love to your boy.

Good eh!

Actually it is not so simple. David is dead, but he has resurrected as a character in a computer game. As mentioned in ST, he has an on-line marriage with a girl. That girls has keep David in the virtual world, not allowing him back to the real world.!!!!!!!

david w. died, no question about that. whether he instigated the stabbing is something which is not clear as dead men tell no tales. was it established that the knife was his? i dun remember reading if this was established it belonged to him. the other item which need clarity was – is it true that the family was not allowed to see his body until the very last moment? this was not addressed as well!
if anyone knows the answers to the above, then we can arrive at the logical conclusion. for was long as there is any doubt then the verdict has to be misadventure! we know that computers and hard disks etc., can all be manipulated…………..
just my thoughts. condolences to the family of the departed.

So many people took the stand and said they saw David jump yet the family still denies it. My nick is joker, but they more joker than me now.

To Joker:
I thought only 1 man took a stand and claimed to see him jump and then showed a blurry figure for 8 seconds. Can u post the article that said many people saw him jump to clear up the matter? Appreciate if u could.

My deeper underlying question would be to why the hell do we actually need to protect the NTU Prof?

Unfortunately, I don’t remember him having any major connections, nor remember Singapore having the need to offend Indonesia in conducting a Kangaroo trial. Unless someone can advise us otherwise, so far, I’m just seeing a conventional criminal trial, which our legal systems do just fine.

This entire case reminds me of the SAF Medical Officer who killed himself. The family keeps denying the fact that their son is a useless di*k and have to push everything to SAF.

Perhaps its time for people to take charge of their own lives.

#36

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/431135/1/.html

No one is protecting the ntu prof or ntu. There is a chinese say : bystander view thing in a more rational way.

So why everyone seems to be ganging up against the widjaja?

Just imagine this. one day you are being robbed or hurted by someone else, and all the evidences are pretty obvious and presented. Yet the other party is claiming themselves as innocent, in fact the victim and even got the money to hire big gun lawyer. what do u feel ?

#35

u can view over here this page

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/431135/1/.html

No one is against widjaja or protecting the prof. There is a chinese saying : bystander has the rational view.

#35
There are 5 students witnesses, 1 of them even spoke to him for 10 mins to persuade him to come down.

You can google ” Student witnesses say David Widjaja did not slip and fall off ” and u find the article.

Oh, oh Inix,

it is not too nice and hurtful to say a scholarship doctor was a ‘useless di*k’.

No one, no matter his/her station in life, is useless, the Chinese Saying ‘ tian sheng wo chai pi you yong’, my loose translation, ‘every being serves a purpose’ holds true. Example; a cleaner serves a purpose getting rid of rubbish and keep place and thing clean. This may not be a good sample, however, I hope You find it acceptable. Btw, ah soh herself is a menial worker.

This Widjaja Case is here in TOC simply because the people connected to the Case and those who knew the case more intimately such as investigators, NTU, the Professor had not disclosed much. As a precious life was lost and a serious case, many lament the loss and it resulted in the many speculations and guessings.

It is indeed lamentable and unfortunate that the Case has to linger in this manner.

Old Grandmother Story

Yan: You need google. It’s all over the news that several students saw David jump and they took the stand.

interested

The knife was a knife taken from the hostel’s pantry.

A cleaner from the hall has testified that it’s indeed from the hostel’s pantry.

But the W. family is still not believing and their gang of supporters thinking that many secret agents were assigned roles in this biggest conspiracy theory happening right now. Including one to be a cleaner.

5 witnesses saw him sitting on the bridge. At least 2 or 3 saw him take the plunge. They include an Iranian student (who talked to him), 2-3 Singaporeans, I think there was also a PRC student.

Greatest coverup of the nation to include so many nationalities!

Now we are just waiting for more dirt of the family to be dug up and see if they’ll learn to accept the real truth.

Their latest is a claim that the suicide letter was not his because it’s not typed in Bahasa Indonesia. But the letter was never meant for the family in the first place, the one citing how he hates his family and how he had a sad childhood and wouldn’t cry if his family died.

When you point one finger at others, you have 3 fingers and a thumb pointing back at you! It’s time they wake up.

To Ahgong: Thanks for the article.

I think that NTU acted in the right way when it issued a statement, not trying to defend itself but expressing sympathy and support in this trying time of grief for the family.

@ah soh #40

The doctor is still a useless di*k IMO. You can choose not to think that way. I have more respect for the auntie who works in a coffeeshop as toilet cleaner then the Doctor Allan Ooi who took his own life and blamed the entire world for that.

There is no doubt that it takes a certain amount of courage to commit suicide, but it takes even more courage to live and persevere on regardless of the situation that one faces in.

The Widjaja family is really insane! So much evidence and yet don’t want to accept it. i bet they want insurance…no insurance for suicide…economic crisis, all sources of money must be open!