Principal of HK school involved in swearing incident at SAFRA Jurong resigns
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Mr Lee Cheuk Hing tendered his resignation on May 28.
PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM LCH_PRINCIPAL.SWCS/THREADS
SINGAPORE – A school principal from Hong Kong has resigned days after he was seen swearing at security guards while on a school trip in Singapore.
Mr Lee Cheuk Hing tendered his resignation as principal of San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School on May 28, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) cited school manager Edmund Wong Chun Sek as saying.
The Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper reported that the school’s board of directors would have to meet to decide whether to accept the resignation, given the many factors involved.
In an interview with another Hong Kong media outlet, Dotdotnews, Mr Lee said: “I should have set a good example. No matter what the situation is, I should have remained calm and restrained.”
He added he had failed to do so, and would reflect on his actions. He also urged students not to emulate him, according to Dotdotnews.
Mr Lee also made a public apology to the public in Hong Kong and Singapore.
A video of Mr Lee’s apology, uploaded to Dotdotnews’ YouTube channel, drew mixed reactions from netizens.
“I don’t want him to be the principal of my child’s school,” wrote one netizen in Chinese.
“Everyone makes mistakes. Admitting your wrongs means you can change,” another netizen wrote in Chinese.
In the video posted on the Threads social media platform on May 23, a man standing at the doorway of a bus is seen arguing with two women on the street who are wearing SAFRA security uniforms.
The women can be heard saying that the bus has to move “behind”. The man then tells them to “shut up” and hurls several comments in Cantonese at them, including swear words, before making faces and taunting them to get on the bus.
A woman standing behind the man tries to pull him back to de-escalate the situation, but he shouts at her to “get out of (his) way”.
Netizens identified the man as Mr Lee.
About 35 students and some teachers from his school were here for an economics and technology study tour from May 20 to 24 when the incident occurred, Hong Kong media outlet HK01 reported.
SCMP reported on May 26 that Mr Lee was suspended from his position after the school’s management committee heard evidence from Mr Lee and staff who had been on the trip.
The school board believed Mr Lee’s performance “fell short of public expectations”, said Mr Wong, the school manager.
On May 26, SAFRA confirmed that an incident involving a bus and its appointed security personnel took place at its Jurong recreational club on May 22.
It added that its appointed security company had lodged a police report.
When contacted earlier, the police said a report had been lodged.
