As an ex-student of the Singapore Management University (SMU), I am shocked and saddened to see such an open activity in one of the premier institutions of higher learning in Singapore.

The role of an educational institution in Singapore is not only to impart knowledge, but also to equip students with the skills and the right values to face challenges of society.

Students at this age are particularly impressionable and it is during this stage that what they learn and absorb stay with them and create an impact that lasts into their working life. Therefore, I feel that tertiary institutions should take care and carefully guard their educational systems from such negative values and influences.

Although homosexuals should not be discriminated against, by allowing such a book launch to take place, the school is sending a signal that such an alternative lifestyle is condoned. The irony in this issue is that the publishing of the book and the launching of it is being organised as part of the Leadership and Teambuilding module, the very module that aims to train leaders and teaches the students to be socially responsible citizens. The question then is, are we truly teaching the students to be socially responsible if they publish such a book, in which the ideas are against the values of the majority conservative Singaporean society?

While SMU boasts of an educational system that is similar to colleges in the United States, the liberality given to the students in the United States is unlike that of Singapore students. This is because Singapore is, after all, still a mainly conservative society. Therefore, I feel that what the US universities allow as part of their school culture should not be adopted wholesale into Singapore. Instead we should pick out the best areas and remove the unwholesome influences in the system.

The founders of SMU started off the university with wholesome ideals. Whether or not these ideals are going to continue to remain and create a positive impact on the students' lives, and perhaps the future of Singapore, will depend on how much we are willing to protect the university system from the detrimental influences of the world.

Low Xiang Jun (Miss)