WP's Daniel Goh files police report over poison pen letter; former student says relationship was professional

Dr Daniel Goh strongly refuted the allegations of an affair and has lodged a police report. PHOTO: BUSINESS TIMES

SINGAPORE - The former student named in a poison pen letter about Workers' Party candidate Daniel Goh said that her relationship with him was a professional one.

In a response to The Straits Times on Friday morning, she said: "Dr. Daniel Goh was a supervisor for my thesis at NUS. He also gave me advice on postgraduate studies. The relationship was a professional one."

Her remarks came hours after Dr Goh said he filed a police report over the letter alleging that he had an affair with a former student.

Dr Goh strongly refuted the allegations in a post on his Facebook page on Thursday night, and on Friday morning, he wrote that he had lodged a report in person at Serangoon Neighbourhood Police Centre, which is a short walk from his home.

"It felt so unreal walking down the familiar sidewalk, perhaps it was the slight haze from the burning of paper money," he said.

Dr Goh added: "I said during my speech at the Punggol East By-election rally that life is too short and special to be kiasu, kiasi and kiagui. People have asked me what gui (ghosts) might mean? Perhaps the government? No, not at all, there is no reason to fear the government which serves and protects us. I just thought gui was appropriate because we do not know what ghosts there are, kindly or evil, and we shouldn't be afraid nevertheless."

He ended his post by thanking people for their support and saying "Let's move on to the issues at hand."

The letter, sent to several media organisations and the WP on Thursday, alleged that Dr Goh had an affair in 2008 with an NUS postgraduate.

Late Thursday night, Dr Goh said in a Facebook post that he categorically refutes the "baseless accusations" and questioned the timing of the letter.

"I have been in the public eye, involved with WP, for over two years, and if the intention is to alert the party to alleged moral failings, it would have been done earlier and directly to the party leaders. I have always maintained a professional relationship with my students. This is very hurtful and unfair to my family."

Dr Goh, 42, is married to a housewife, 39. They have a three-year-old son. He was introduced on Wednesday as a WP candidate for the coming polls and may be fielded by the party in East Coast GRC.

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