The cancelled Yale-NUS College programme on various modes of dissent and organising resistance was not designed to train students to stage protests in public, said local playwright Alfian Sa'at.
"Any comparisons with what is happening in Hong Kong right now is off the mark," he said in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Mr Alfian was to have led the one-week course, which was due to take place later this month before the college withdrew it last week.
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Alfian Sa'at September 15 at 3:01 PM
Some points of clarification.
1) The programme ‘Dissent and Resistance’ is not designed to train students ‘to stage protests in public’. Any comparisons with what is happening in Hong Kong right now is off the mark.
2) It is however designed to guide students to think about dissent in Singapore. What is a dissident? Why does the media persist in labelling certain individuals or groups as ‘troublemakers’? Who are they making trouble for?
3) One of the best ways to get these insights is to meet some so-called dissidents face to face. To give the students unfiltered access. So that they can ask questions. Why is your art or cause so important to you? What do you consider acceptable risks? What are the creative tactics you have used to express dissent WITHIN the bounds of the law?
I now share the proposed programme so you may judge for yourself.
And also added a replacement programme, thanks Lynn Lee for the inspiration.
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Yale-NUS cancels programme to introduce students to 'modes of dissent and resistance in Singapore'
A Yale-NUS College programme that was meant to introduce students to various modes of dissent and organising resistance here has been cancelled two weeks before it was due to start.
The course - originally called Dissent And Resistance In Singapore - was to have been led by Singaporean playwright Alfian Sa'at in collaboration with programme manager Tan Yock Theng of the university.
Mr Alfian, resident playwright at local theatre company Wild Rice, is a poet, playwright and short story writer known for his work which has delved into topics of race, sexuality and politics.
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Statement regarding the cancellation of an offering at Yale-NUS (National University of Singapore) College
On Friday, September 13, Yale-NUS College announced the cancellation of “Dialogue and Dissent in Singapore,” which was to be a one-week outside-the-classroom offering starting in late September in which a small group of students would examine the political, social, and ethical issues that surround democratic dissent, chiefly by hearing from those who have practiced it. The project was to be led by Singaporean playwright Alfian Bin Sa’at, and to be an installment in the university’s “Learning Across Boundaries” program.
“When I learned of this impending decision, I expressed my concern to the president of the National University of Singapore and the president of Yale-NUS,” said Yale President Peter Salovey. “In founding and working with our Singaporean colleagues on Yale-NUS, Yale has insisted on the values of academic freedom and open inquiry, which have been central to the college and have inspired outstanding work by faculty, students, and staff: Yale-NUS has become a model of innovation in liberal arts education in Asia. Any action that might threaten these values is of serious concern, and we at Yale need to gain a better understanding of this decision.”
President Salovey has asked Pericles Lewis, Yale University’s Vice President and Vice Provost for Global Strategy, and the inaugural president of Yale-NUS (2012-2017), to conduct fact-finding. “I am grateful to Professor Lewis for the work he will do to gather all the facts central to this matter. Once we have a full understanding of what happened, I will determine the appropriate response.”
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Yale-NUS College’s cancellation of programme on dissent “of serious concern”: Yale President
The decision of Yale-NUS College to cancel an upcoming programme on dissent and resistance in Singapore is concerning, said Yale University President Peter Salovey.
In a statement on Sat (14 Sep), Salovey said: “When I learned of this impending decision, I expressed my concern to the president of the National University of Singapore and the president of Yale-NUS.”
“In founding and working with our Singaporean colleagues on Yale-NUS, Yale has insisted on the values of academic freedom and open inquiry, which have been central to the college and have inspired outstanding work by faculty, students, and staff: Yale-NUS has become a model of innovation in liberal arts education in Asia.
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Decision to cancel Yale-NUS module on dissent made without government interference: Yale president
The decision to cancel a module on dissent at Yale-NUS College earlier this month was made internally and without government interference in the college's academic independence, Yale University president Peter Salovey has said.
While a number of mostly administrative errors were made in the process of considering the module, the Yale Faculty Advisory Committee found that the evidence does not suggest any violations of academic freedom or open inquiry.
The module, titled Dialogue and Dissent, was to have been led by Mr Alfian Sa'at, a local poet, playwright and short story writer known for his work, which has explored topics of race, sexuality and politics.
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Playwright Alfian Sa’at wants to empower young S’poreans to speak out because ‘your voice matters’
He also talks about his upcoming play 'Merdeka' and his take on that Yale-NUS incident
You may recognise the name Alfian Sa’at from the following headlines. But as some of you may know, he is more than “just another keyboard warrior”.
Alfian is also known for his work as a poet and playwright in Singapore. Over the past 20 years, he has worked on more than 30 English and Malay plays including his latest work, “Merdeka”.
We expected him to be a boisterous and outgoing person based on his heated Facebook posts and his “enfant terrible” status on his Wikipedia page (which was not written by him — we checked). But boy, were we wrong.
related:
Playwright Alfian Sa’at claims he was made a scapegoat over Yale-NUS dissent module cancellation
Yale-NUS cancels programme on dissent in S’pore, S’poreans including Tan Chuan-Jin chime in
Playwright Alfian Sa’at explains quite perfectly the complexity of the tudung/hijab issue in S’pore
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Playwright Alfian Sa’at “a loving critic” of S’pore, freedom of speech includes right to disagree with govt: Veteran diplomat Tommy Koh
Local playwright Alfian Sa’at is “a loving critic of Singapore” and “one of our most talented playwrights”, said veteran diplomat Tommy Koh.
In a Facebook post on Tue (8 Oct), Prof Koh stressed that Alfian “is not anti-Singapore”, adding that freedom of speech should not only be limited to views that concur with the establishment, but also those that are contrary to the government.
“I admire very much his plays, Cooling Off Day and Hotel. It is of course true that some his writings are critical of Singapore. But, freedom of speech means the right to agree with the government as well as the right to disagree.
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Freedom of speech is the “right to agree with government and the right to disagree” – Tommy Koh
"We should not demonise Alfian Sa’at. He is one of our most talented playwrights. I regard him as a loving critic of Singapore. He is not anti-Singapore," said Tommy Koh in defence of the playwright
The comments of Singapore’s Education Minister Ong Ye Kung while responding to questions from Members of Parliament over the Yale-NUS out-of-classroom programme, created another controversy as he allegedly singled out playwright Alfian Sa’at for his role behind the scrapped dissent and protest programme.
Several prominent figures in the arts community — as well as Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh — spoke up for playwright Alfian Sa’at and said, “We should not demonise Alfian Sa’at. He is one of our most talented playwrights. I regard him as a loving critic of Singapore. He is not anti-Singapore.”
“It is of course true that some (of) his writings are critical of Singapore,” Prof Koh said, adding: “But freedom of speech means the right to agree with the Government as well as the right to disagree. I feel that I should defend him at this moment when he must feel discouraged and worried and friendless,” he said.
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Tommy Koh, arts figures back playwright Alfian Sa’at after Ong Ye Kung criticism
Several prominent figures in the arts community — as well as Ambassador-at-Large Tommy Koh — have taken to social media to speak up for playwright Alfian Sa’at, who was singled out by Education Minister Ong Ye Kung in Parliament earlier this week for his role behind a scrapped Yale-NUS module on dissent and protest.
In response to queries from TODAY on the reaction to Mr Ong's remarks in Parliament, a Ministry of Education (MOE) spokesperson on Tuesday (Oct 8) set out the context for Mr Ong’s speech on Monday, which was intended to draw attention to the “difference between studying and researching resistance, and teaching students the techniques of resistance”. The spokesperson also reiterated that universities have to "exercise judgement on the course content, as well as the person advocating and delivering it".
As Mr Alfian’s writings are public, “people can and should form their own conclusions about his beliefs and how he feels about Singapore”, the spokesperson said.
related: Alfian has urged supporters not to personally criticise Mr Ong Ye Kung
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Why Yale-NUS course on dissent was scrapped: Ong Ye Kung
Education Minister Ong Ye Kung spoke about the withdrawal of a proposed Yale-NUS College module and guiding principles for educational institutions in Singapore in Parliament on Monday (Oct 7). This is an edited transcript of his speech.
Members have raised three areas of concern with regard to Yale-NUS College's (YNC) withdrawal of the project originally titled "Dissent and Resistance in Singapore". First, what reasons underpinned the cancellation of the project. Second, the implications for academic freedom arising from the withdrawal of the project. Third, what are the rules on what topics and activities are or are not permitted in our Autonomous Universities (AUs).
I will lay out the facts of the case, state MOE's views on the issue, and finally, set out the principles guiding what activities are permitted or not in our educational institutions.
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Alfian Sa’at on canceled course “Maybe I should have called it legal dissent and lawful resistance”
Mr Alfian, who has broken his silence concerning the matter on October 2 with a Facebook post explaining his side, told mothership that his original intent had never been malicious, but had been meant to explore forms of dissent within the legal framework of the country.
He even said that perhaps he should have called the module “legal dissent and lawful resistance” instead of “Dialogue and Dissent in Singapore”, and said that he personally does not know how to set up a protest himself.
“There’s been a lot of misunderstandings in terms of what it means to dissent and resistance. Maybe I should have called it legal dissent and lawful resistance. I myself don’t even know how to (protest), so how can I teach that?”
related: Diplomat Tommy Koh defends Alfian Sa’at amid Yale-NUS dissent course furore
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COMMENT: I blame Yale-NUS
I wish the Members of Parliament never raised the issue of that cancelled Yale-NUS course. I wish that the Education Minister had just said that this was a matter for the universities to settle, without any need for parameters from the Government. That someone would point out that Yale-NUS College had cancelled the programme of its own accord.
But no, some people HAD to ask the G for pointers. So the pointers came, although frankly, I would think that any academic here would probably know the OB markers that surround what they say or do in the institutions of higher learning. Anyway, they got spelt out in some detail, too.
I had wanted to join in the discussion on the Yale-NUS’ cancellation of its programme earlier, but refrained because I had nothing good to say about how the liberal arts college handled the matter. Every day brought more and more revelations. What I had thought was just a badly conceived enrichment course with a title that should be a red flag to a bull turned out to be a compulsory, credit-worthy course that had to go through a curriculum committee.
related: Yale-NUS College withdraws programme on ‘dissent and resistance’ over concerns of ‘partisan political interests’, ‘legal liabilities’
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Singapore poets have a few choice words as minister Ong Ye Kung criticises Alfian Sa’at
Singapore’s education minister Ong Ye Kung is facing criticism from the city state’s arts and literary community – and even a leading establishment figure – after quoting a poem by Alfian Sa’at to suggest the playwright was disloyal to the country.
Ong, during a speech in parliament on Monday, quoted parts of Alfian’s 1998 poem Singapore You Are Not My Country – filled with wry and withering observations about life in Singapore – and suggested the playwright continued “this attitude consistently in his activism”.
In response, local poets, playwrights and other supporters of Alfian took to social media on Tuesday to post the poem and his other works. Alfian urged supporters not to attack Ong personally.
related: Singapore Yale-NUS College’s class on dissent ‘not training for HK-style protests’
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Poet Koh Jee Leong writes to Yale President in support of playwright Alfian Sa’at over the Yale-NUS controversy
On Monday (7 October), local poet as well as founder and organiser of Singapore Unbound Koh Jee Leong, took to his Facebook to inform that he has written to the President of Yale University Peter Salovey, urging Yale-NUS College to issue an apology to playwright Alfian Sa’at for the allegations they slammed at him.
For those who are not aware of the Yale-NUS saga, it all started on 29 September when Yale University’s Vice-President Professor Pericles Lewis released a report over the findings on Yale-NUS College’s cancellation of the “Dissent and Resistance in Singapore” programme.
The programme, which has been since renamed “Dialogue and Dissent in Singapore”, was scheduled to be run by Mr Alfian and programme manager Tan Yock Theng of NUS. It was originally set to take place from 29 September to 5 October.
related: Playwright Alfian Sa’at rebuts allegations of rejecting feedback and revisions to programme
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Prof Teo You Yenn: There should be no such thing as speaking out of turn in a democratic society
Assoc. Prof Teo said it is disturbing that ‘speaking out of turn’ is something that can be observed in contemporary Singapore where contentious issued devolve into mud-slinging rather quickly as people with more power tell others that they lack the ‘substantive right to voice’.
The sociologist who wrote the book This is What Inequality Looks Like, which delves into the realities of inequality in Singapore, first explained what ‘speaking out of turn’ means.
In an article titled Speaking out of Turn on her website, Assoc. Prof Teo said, “It is to speak when one is not supposed to, or towards a person or persons one is not supposed to speak to, or about something one is not supposed to speak on.“
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Arts community supports Alfian Sa'at after poem quoted in Parliament
Members of Singapore's arts community are rallying around the writings of poet and playwright Alfian Sa'at online after Education Minister Ong Ye Kung quoted some lines from his 1998 poem Singapore You Are Not My Country in Parliament on Monday.
Many felt these lines had been taken out of context and have begun sharing the poem in its entirety online, as well as other early poems by Mr Alfian.
Mr Ong was speaking about the withdrawal of a cancelled Yale-NUS College module on dialogue and dissent last month, which would have been led by Mr Alfian. He told MPs he wanted to give them a flavour of Mr Alfian's thinking, saying concerns that the project might be used for partisan political activities are not unfounded.
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Aware did not receive invite to cancelled Yale-NUS module, says MOE
The Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) did not receive an invitation to be part of the cancelled module on dissent at Yale-NUS College, the Ministry of Education said on Tuesday (Oct 8).
Its statement corrects comments Education Minister Ong Ye Kung had made in Parliament on Monday.
In a reply to several MPs, Mr Ong had said that Aware was listed in the module's proposed schedule but had not agreed to participate, though it had received an invitation.
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Artists rally around Alfian Sa'at after Ong Ye Kung cites his poem during Yale-NUS debate
Members of Singapore's arts community are rallying around the writings of poet and playwright Alfian Sa'at online after Education Minister Ong Ye Kung quoted some lines from Alfian's 1998 poem Singapore You Are Not My Country in Parliament on Monday (Oct 7).
Many felt these lines had been taken out of context and have begun sharing the poem in its entirety on social media, as well as other early poems by Alfian.
read more
Full Coverage:
Playwright Alfian Sa'at wants to empower young S'poreans
Alfian Sa'at disputes report on cancelled dissent module at
Yale-NUS dissent module: Playwright Alfian Sa'at disputes
Alfian Sa'at responds to report on cancelled dissent module at
Playwright Alfian Sa'at claims he was made a scapegoat over
Yale-NUS saga: Playwright Alfian Sa'at breaks silence
Cancelled course was a 'legal risk', says Yale-NUS report
Alfian Sa'at responds after Yale-NUS cancels course on
Yale-NUS College's cancellation of programme on dissent “of
Decision to cancel Yale-NUS module on dissent made without
Yale University finds no government interference but 'admin
Yale-NUS dissent module: Tommy Koh, arts figures back
Artists rally around Alfian Sa'at after Ong Ye Kung cites his
Diplomat Tommy Koh defends Alfian Sa'at amid Yale-NUS
Scrapped Yale-NUS course on dissent had partisan 'motives
Instructor of Canceled Yale-NUS Course Speaks Out
Singapore poets have a few choice words as minister Ong
Arts community supports Alfian Sa'at after poem quoted in
No personal attacks against Education Minister Ong Ye Kung
Playwright Alfian Sa'at asks supporters not to make
Playwright Alfian Sa'at “a loving critic” of S'pore, freedom of
No personal attacks against Education Minister Ong Ye Kung
Arts community supports Alfian Sa'at after poem quoted in Parliament
After Ong Ye Kung's Parliament speech, netizens post Alfian's poems
“Thinking critically different from unthinkingly critical” Ong Ye Kung
NMP Walter Theseira,“liberal education provides strength for the future”
Alfian ask supporters not make 'derogatory comments' of Ong Ye Kung
Yale-NUS dissent module: Tommy Koh, arts figures back
Artists rally around Alfian Sa'at after Ong Ye Kung cites his
No personal attacks against Education Minister Ong Ye Kung
After Ong Ye Kung's speech in Parliament, netizens are
Singapore poets have a few choice words as minister Ong Ye Kung
Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh defends Alfian Sa'at amid
Arts community supports Alfian Sa'at after poem quoted in
Tommy Koh, arts figures back Alfian Sa'at after Ong Ye Kung criticism
Aware did not receive invite to cancelled Yale-NUS module, says MOE
Playwright Alfian Sa'at "a loving critic" of S'pore, freedom of speech
COMMENT: I blame Yale-NUS
Diplomat Tommy Koh defends Alfian Sa'at amid Yale-NUS dissent course
Liberal education should be made available to more students: NMP
Why Yale-NUS course on dissent was scrapped: Ong Ye Kung
Artists rally around Alfian Sa'at after Ong Ye Kung cites his poem debate
Liberal education make Sporeans better,more active citizens,Walter Theseira
Alfian Sa'at “Maybe I should have called it legal dissent & lawful resistance”
Singapore poets have a few choice words as minister criticises playwright
Ong Ye Kung on cancelled Yale-NUS College course
Ong Ye Kung on cancellation of Yale-NUS College course
Yale-NUS criticised for allegedly scapegoating playwright Alfian Sa'at
Poet Koh Jee Leong write to Yale President in support of playwright Alfian Sa'at
Academic freedom not 'carte blanche' misuse institutions for political advocacy
Academic freedom can't be carte blanche for misusing academic
Parliament: Educational institutions no place for partisan politics, Ong Ye Kung
Scrapped Yale-NUS course on dissent had partisan 'motives and objectives'
Alfian Sa'at rebuts allegations of rejecting feedback & revisions to programme
Yale-NUS: Schools should not be misused for partisan politics, Ong Ye Kung
Guiding Principles for Educational Institutions
Playwright Alfian Sa'at wants to empower young S'poreans
Alfian Sa'at disputes report on cancelled dissent module at
Yale-NUS dissent module: Playwright Alfian Sa'at disputes
Alfian Sa'at responds to report on cancelled dissent module at
Playwright Alfian Sa'at claims he was made a scapegoat over
Yale-NUS saga: Playwright Alfian Sa'at breaks silence
Cancelled course was a 'legal risk', says Yale-NUS report
Alfian Sa'at responds after Yale-NUS cancels course on
Yale-NUS College's cancellation of programme on dissent “of
Decision to cancel Yale-NUS module on dissent made without
Yale University finds no government interference but 'admin
Yale-NUS dissent module: Tommy Koh, arts figures back
Artists rally around Alfian Sa'at after Ong Ye Kung cites his
Diplomat Tommy Koh defends Alfian Sa'at amid Yale-NUS
Scrapped Yale-NUS course on dissent had partisan 'motives
Instructor of Canceled Yale-NUS Course Speaks Out
Singapore poets have a few choice words as minister Ong
Arts community supports Alfian Sa'at after poem quoted in
No personal attacks against Education Minister Ong Ye Kung
Playwright Alfian Sa'at asks supporters not to make
Playwright Alfian Sa'at “a loving critic” of S'pore, freedom of
No personal attacks against Education Minister Ong Ye Kung
Arts community supports Alfian Sa'at after poem quoted in Parliament
After Ong Ye Kung's Parliament speech, netizens post Alfian's poems
“Thinking critically different from unthinkingly critical” Ong Ye Kung
NMP Walter Theseira,“liberal education provides strength for the future”
Alfian ask supporters not make 'derogatory comments' of Ong Ye Kung
Yale-NUS dissent module: Tommy Koh, arts figures back
Artists rally around Alfian Sa'at after Ong Ye Kung cites his
No personal attacks against Education Minister Ong Ye Kung
After Ong Ye Kung's speech in Parliament, netizens are
Singapore poets have a few choice words as minister Ong Ye Kung
Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh defends Alfian Sa'at amid
Arts community supports Alfian Sa'at after poem quoted in
Tommy Koh, arts figures back Alfian Sa'at after Ong Ye Kung criticism
Aware did not receive invite to cancelled Yale-NUS module, says MOE
Playwright Alfian Sa'at "a loving critic" of S'pore, freedom of speech
COMMENT: I blame Yale-NUS
Diplomat Tommy Koh defends Alfian Sa'at amid Yale-NUS dissent course
Liberal education should be made available to more students: NMP
Why Yale-NUS course on dissent was scrapped: Ong Ye Kung
Artists rally around Alfian Sa'at after Ong Ye Kung cites his poem debate
Liberal education make Sporeans better,more active citizens,Walter Theseira
Alfian Sa'at “Maybe I should have called it legal dissent & lawful resistance”
Singapore poets have a few choice words as minister criticises playwright
Ong Ye Kung on cancelled Yale-NUS College course
Ong Ye Kung on cancellation of Yale-NUS College course
Yale-NUS criticised for allegedly scapegoating playwright Alfian Sa'at
Poet Koh Jee Leong write to Yale President in support of playwright Alfian Sa'at
Academic freedom not 'carte blanche' misuse institutions for political advocacy
Academic freedom can't be carte blanche for misusing academic
Parliament: Educational institutions no place for partisan politics, Ong Ye Kung
Scrapped Yale-NUS course on dissent had partisan 'motives and objectives'
Alfian Sa'at rebuts allegations of rejecting feedback & revisions to programme
Yale-NUS: Schools should not be misused for partisan politics, Ong Ye Kung
Guiding Principles for Educational Institutions
