Well the truth is I don't know. I have not spoken to him in a few weeks and he has yet to respond to my messages on Facebook. But I guess the writing is on the wall - he has probably fled Malaysia once he has his passport returned to him (via Singapore - it is not clear when or how he left Singapore). Whether or not he is going to get a fair trial in Malaysia is another issue for another day, the fact remains that he is likely to face a substantial jail term when he does get sentenced. So when this opportunity came up, well, knowing him, I wasn't surprised that he took flight.
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| Where do you think Alvin is headed? |
Why didn't he do this any earlier then? Simple. Alvin could have easily slipped over into Thailand anytime - the Thai-Malaysian border is long and fairly porous. Besides, the human trafficking tends to go from Thailand to Malaysia and not the other way around. But once he reaches Thailand, he cannot board a plane without a passport - such is the nature of modern air travel. Trying to travel with a fake passport through an international airport is a big risk - he could get hold of a fake passport on the Thai black market, but if he gets caught, he would be repatriated to Malaysia and bail would almost certainly be refused.
But once he was given his passport, Alvin was able to travel from Singapore to any country in the world where he may be able to apply for asylum on the basis that he is unlikely to receive a fair trial in Malaysia. Does he have a decent chance of being granted asylum based on his circumstances? I would say it is 50-50 so he would need to be careful which country to apply to - but he would definitely have a better chance than say someone like Roy Ngerng at this stage. He is probably right now in a country where he is lying low whilst his lawyer is speaking to a number of embassies to evaluate his chances of being granted asylum. This is a process which could take a few weeks yet - so don't expect Alvin to pop up anywhere soon, he is probably going to have to keep a very low profile until his asylum request is approved. So guys, don't hold your breath, Alvin Tan may disappear much like flight MH370.
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| I was in KL when Alvin was first arrested. |
Is this the right thing to do? It's a tough decision, it means he will never be able to return to Malaysia ever again, but given everything that has happened, I doubt he will miss Malaysia. He is a very intelligent guy who will no doubt be able to adapt to life in another country - it is a shame that he has to move under such circumstances but I also know that he is taking sound legal advice about what his options are and he would not have attempted this without knowing that he definitely will be granted some kind of asylum status in another country. I know that he would not have attempted something like that without a proper plan.
As to what may happen next, I don't know. I do hope he is alright and I do hope he will make contact with me soon. What is clear however, is that Alvin has chosen to burn all bridges with Malaysia. Running away now is a double whammy: firstly, that will affect the outcome of his ongoing trial adversely. The judge will say, "well if you have done nothing wrong, why did you run away? Only the guilty will run away." Secondly, in not returning his passport in time, he has broken yet another law - do you want to start counting how many years he will spend in jail should he ever set foot in Malaysia? Goodness me, he can't even set foot in a country with an extradition treaty with Malaysia now.
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| Alvivi are already very notorious in Malaysia. |
I know there will be some of you who will say, "well he got himself into trouble in the first place by making those terribly stupid comments about Bak Kut Teh" - but ask yourself this, would any of you like to serve a long jail sentence in a Malaysian prison? I thought not. I wish him all the best and hope he is safe and sound, wherever he is.
That's it from me on this issue. Please feel free to leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Where do you think he will go now, do you know where he will settle down? Thank you very much for reading, terima kasih.
Perhaps you might like to suggest that he takes personal responsibility for his actions?
ReplyDeleteHe is indeed paying the price for his mistakes. What more do you want?
DeleteNo. He's paying a price. Somehow I think it is a lesser price than Vivian will. But paying a price is not the same as taking responsibility.
DeleteRunning away, sure you pay a price. You cut yourself off from your friends and family and your personal history. But you have the luxury of deluding yourself that you are still in the right.
Well let's see. You're right in saying that it is a lesser price than Vivian will pay - she is going to jail when she could have joined him in his escape, but she didn't. Some would claim that he wouldn't get a fair trial in Malaysia and that would probably be the basis of his asylum wherever he goes.
DeleteYes, indeed, some would claim that. They may even be right. But frankly, letting your partner take the fall for something you jointly did does not seem to support the view that you are a trustworthy actor. A rational actor, maybe. A trustworthy one... well.
DeleteHad there been no one else involved I might have felt differently.
I believe in free speech but then don't "waste" free speech to promote of stupid things.
ReplyDeleteI hope they catch him and he rots in jail!
Intelligent?
ReplyDeleteMy ass.
If he is intelligent, then he would not need to run with his tail between his ass!
Intelligent?
DeleteThis guy was awarded a scholarship to study law at NUS - if he was downright stupid, then he would not have been given that scholarship. And if NUS genuinely gives out law scholarships to people who are really that stupid, then there is seriously a problem with NUS and the way they select scholars.
Furthermore, Alvin Tan also started a successful business in Malaysia (the Malaysian version of Groupon) and if he was that stupid, then he wouldn't have been able to become a business owner at such a young age.
Did he make an incredibly foolish mistake? Of course he did, that's why he is in so much trouble now. Was what he did wrong? Of course it was, he should have known better, he should have known how much trouble it could get him into. I am not excusing what he did at all.
However.
Even intelligent people make stupid decisions sometimes. Even intelligent people make stupid mistakes sometimes too. You are just focusing on his mistakes, rather than the evidence that demonstrates that Alvin Tan is indeed intelligent.
I don't think you know the differences between book smart n street smart . Getting a scholarship the most only show he is book smart . Being '' book smart'' isn't that difficult after all .
DeleteSeeking political asylum will be an uphill battle for him . The circumstances that brings about the charges against him isn't political motivated . He doesn't fit the bill or meet the criteria for political asylum . Do you consider posting nude pics or making fun of others ppl religion related to politic in any ways ? IF not , his reasons for applying political asylum doesn't stand .
British English: political asylum Political asylum is the right to live in a foreign country and is given by the government of that country to people who have to leave their own country for political reasons.
DeleteAlvin reason for fleeing is obviously criminal , rather then political .
A few points for you Koh.
Delete1. Being 'book smart' is something you either have or you don't - no amount of studying can turn you into a straight A scholar at a good university: you need to be intelligent enough to make the process possible. So if Alvin was already intelligent enough, then no it wouldn't be difficult for him to become a scholar - but the point is not everyone can be a scholar as not everyone has that kind of intelligence.
I am of the opinion that if Alvin wanted to move to America, he should have done so quietly without getting into so much trouble in the first place - that would have caused so much less fuss, pain, inconvenience etc for him. The whole Bak Kut Teh episode was a serious lapse of judgement and a mistake - but haven't we all made mistakes before? Even intelligent people make mistakes sometimes. Don't forget, Alvin is young and is learning a lot from his mistakes.
2. You can criticize Alvin's actions all you want (it is your right to do so) but ultimately it is the American government who will decide if he should be granted asylum there or not. It's not my decision and it certainly isn't yours either. So you can wax lyrical all you want about whether or not he deserves to be granted political asylum in America - it still does NOT affect the outcome of his case. His case is currently pending and in the meantime, he is having a pretty good life in America.
3. Ultimately, you can bitch bitch bitch whine whine whine all you want on social media about Alvin Tan being 'obviously criminal' you still have ZERO influence over the outcome of his case. It's going to take a while - so chill, relax, let's see what the American authorities make of his case and we'll find out the outcome in a few months.
How intelligent can a person be when he makes silly mistakes twice in a row ? Remember ?Its not ONCE , but TWICE .
DeleteHe should has learn from his mistakes after the nude pics saga . Instead of putting it to an end , he creates a bigger joke of the century with those words “[Happy breaking fast with bak kut teh...fragrant, delicious, appetising '' .
Using academic achievement as a yardstick to measure someone intellectual height isn't that convincing , at least for his case . An intelligent person wouldn't commit such silly acts twice . This only expose the level of stupidity in him .
FYI ,I don't agree with your above mention remarks .
Delete''Being 'book smart' is something you either have or you don't - no amount of studying can turn you into a straight A scholar at a good university:
Really ? There are cases whereby students failed their exams multiple times before getting their straight A . This only happen after several retakes . If what you claim is indeed true , either u have it or you don't , then why is there a need for retake ? A one n only try will be suffice to determine their chances of scoring straight A with that mentality of yours '' you either have or you don't - no amount of studying can turn you into a straight A scholar ''
Koh, allow me to respond:
Delete1. Listen, I failed my driving test a few times before I managed to pass it and obtain my driving license and when I did finally pass, I received quite a good score. So yes there are exams and tests that you can finally do well in after a few attempts - but let's say you're trying to get into Oxford university, if by your logic that anyone can get the required grades after a few attempts, then why don't you try to get a place in Oxford then if it is so easy? All you need to do is to retake the exams until you can get into Oxford?
The fact is, there are some exams which are easier than others (such as the driving test which I eventually passed) and then there are others (like the infamous Oxford entrance exam) which are so difficult that people like you can try for the rest of your life but you will never ever score well enough to convince the examiners that you are smart enough for Oxford.
Don't believe me? Why don't you try applying to Oxford university then? Why are you still stuck in some kampong in Malaysia?
As for Alvin making mistakes - sure in hindsight, it was a dumb move for him to have made the mistake regarding the Bak Kut Teh scandal, but he did manage to get himself out of the situation and he is living a new life in Los Angeles today instead of rotting for years in a Malaysian jail. He had the resources, skills and mental ability to make the best of a very bad situation - how many people can do that?
I am talking about academic results , not driving license .Your analogy above is irrelevant . Indeed , there r ppl who get straight A after several attempts during university .
DeleteThousands of ppl graduated from oxford yearly . Getting a scholarship isn't that hard if you really put in effort into your studies . So maybe its difficult only for you .
Anyway , Alvin did not even graduate from NUS ,let alone your so called '' oxford '' . Btw , what makes you so sure that I am from Msia ? Fyi , I am not from msia so pls stop assuming .
Alvin got himself out of the situation ? What a joke . If he is able to get himself out of it , he wont have to fled . USA did not grant him any political asylum status yet , so your so called '' Getting himself out of the situation '' still remain to be seen . He most probably will get a heavier sentences if he get deported back to msia . Living a new life in LA ? Lets hope he will get use to leading a new life in jail in times to come
But that's my point: universities are not going to give slow learners a chance. Most universities would either fail you or suspend you (ie. they will politely ask you to leave rather than force you to leave) if you are so slow that you require several attempts to get the required results. Here's how it works: you are given a syllabus that you're supposed to learn in one academic year, at the end of that academic year, you have to take an exam which will evaluate how much you have learnt and along with any course work, the university will decide if you have passed that year or not - nobody is interested in giving slow learners as many chances as they need to eventually get to where they need to be after a few years. Get real, wake up and smell the coffee - the world has no patience for slow learners: they are condemned to be stupid and eliminated from the process.
DeleteBesides, if you are needing many attempts to get good results at university, then that begs a more important question: why are you struggling to do something you're clearly not comfortable doing? Why not go do another degree in another field, or enter the working world, why are you struggling so hard to get that particular degree when you clearly suck at the subject? Life is short and unless you have very rich parents, there is a very high cost to pursuing any kind of studies at university. If you need 6 years to complete a 3 year programme, then that's a very costly and very stupid decision and any employer would say, "you're mad, you've only proven that you're a useless, slow learner - I am not going to give you a job, if it means having to take twice as long to train you to do anything, NEXT!"
Hahahaha, Koh, short of bragging, Limpeh is a famous triple scholar. I have had three scholarships in my time as a student, how many scholarships did you receive? You can't even string a sentence together in English, I am guessing that you went to some chapalang buehtakchek bullshit neighbourhood secondary school in Singapore where they failed to teach you how to speak English properly. So no Koh, it wasn't difficult for me, it was so easy that I got not one, not two, but three scholarships. Buahahahaha - Limpeh is a multiple scholar, take that and you can suck my scholar's dick. So check your facts before you spout bullshit, you uneducated bueh tak chek fool. Get out of my elite uncaring face.
So you're from Singapore, big deal - you're a bueh tak chek idiot in any case. You probably wouldn't even get into NUS with your kind of broken English, never mind dream about getting scholarships to places like Oxford.
As for Alvin, I hate to be the one to tell you this: just because you hate him doesn't mean that anything bad is going to happen to him. He's having a great time in LA, I am reading about all these chicks he is banging in America and he's having a great time. There's no talk of him being deported so you can wax lyrical all you want and spout your bullshit all you want on my blog, you have no influence over the outcome of his case. Bwahahahaha.
Now my dear Koh, kindly fuck off, go get an education.
You are a triple scholar ? Anyone can easily claim that . Its up to you to brag .
Delete''But that's my point: universities are not going to give slow learners a chance. Most universities would either fail you or suspend you (ie. they will politely ask you to leave rather than force you to leave) if you are so slow that you require several attempts to get the required results.''
You still cant get my point , do you ? What I am trying to emphasis is that having straight A doesn't equal intelligent . Its about the amount of efforts putted in . Even someone with lower intellectual level can attain that . I am just using those cases of several attempts in an exam to bring that point out .
Don't try to brag how great you are in front of me . If you are really that great you wouldn't have to leave your homeland just to get a job oversee . So you are saying that you are unable to get the same kind of benefits which you get oversee if you choose to stay ? This brings about another question . Why is that so ? Is it because in the eyes of local employer you are damn to be under qualified ?
''Life is short and unless you have very rich parents, there is a very high cost to pursuing any kind of studies at university. If you need 6 years to complete a 3 year programme, then that's a very costly and very stupid decision and any employer would say, "you're mad, you've only proven that you're a useless, slow learner - I am not going to give you a job, if it means having to take twice as long to train you to do anything, NEXT!"
DeleteThis is precisely what happen to your '' intelligent '' Alvin . He took more than the required time to complete his studies . This explains why after so many years he still fail to complete his course in Nus . To make matter worse , he get expelled even before he graduate .
Hahahaha Koh, congratulations, gong xi ni! You have won a prize! Limpeh give you the award for the most stupid Singaporean to have left a comment on Limpeh's blog this year! Gong xi ni - it wasn't easy to win this prize as there were so many lame ass stupid bodoh idiotic Singaporeans who have come to my blog over the last few months but you have definitely won the prize, no doubt about that. Your prize is that I shall dedicate a whole blog post just to make fun of how stupid you are - please give me a few days to compose that blog post as I want to make sure I do a really good job. You won't be disappointed.
DeleteBut for now:
1. You don't seem to realize Koh, that I am not one of those anonymous people on HWZ - I have a very high profile in the media: I show my handsome face, I use my real name and my full name. I appear on not just websites, but on TV and even have my own Youtube channel. People know about me - I guess you could refer to me as a minor celebrity. Hence I cannot afford to make up bullshit and brag about things that I have not done - since you are a complete nobody, you can have that luxury: I still don't know if you are a 13 year old kid in some chapalang secondary school or a 45 year old taxi driver - not that I care, not that anyone cares: the fact is, you'e a nobody. But it's tough being Limpeh, when you have such a high profile - like my whole bloody life is on the internet for anyone to see, I even have people looking up my sister on Linkedin because they are so desperate to find out more about me.
Hahahaha. As for leaving Singapore, listen Koh, I left because I hated the PAP. I didn't want to live in PAP-Land, I hated Singaporeans like you and it's kinda strange that your ambition was only to find work locally: why limit yourself to Singapore when the world is your oyster? Oh I forgot, people like you would NEVER ever get a work permit to go work in the West because they don't want chapalang secondary school drop outs like you or taxi drivers. No thank you, we have enough taxi drivers in the West - they want extremely highly educated, highly skilled professionals like me who command a very high salary. In any case, didn't you read Limpeh's blog: I waltzed back to Singapore in 2011 to work as a foreign talent in the banking sector, hence the name of my blog which I started writing when I was working in S'pore. I can waltz back to Singapore any time I want and get a well paid job - but the fact is I prefer life in Angmoh land.
And besides, if someone could get a job in Singapore, what makes you think a country like Australia, America, UK or Canada would want to take a loser like that who can't get a job in Singapore? You clearly have no idea what it takes to try to get a job abroad. Besides, it is far easier for someone to work in his home country than to try to work in a foreign language, in an environment where they may not even use English as the main language of business. It would have been a lot easier for me to have stayed and worked in Singapore, but the fact is I hated the PAP so much that I decided to leave and spend my adult life in Europe and I must say, life has been good to me. It was funny in 2011 - when I was working in Singapore, oh they could have hired a local and paid a local a lot less to have done my job, but because I am so good at what I do, they decided to hire me instead. Listen, people like me command high salaries and I can pick and choose what job I want and how I want to develop my career. Uneducated bueh tak chek folks like you have to struggle to make ends meet because you're not fabulous like me. Bwahahaha, damn, life isn't fair, is it Koh?
DeleteAlvin didn't take more years than necessary to complete his degree - you're wrong. Get your facts right. He completed his first two years of law school then dropped out. He chose to return to KL to start his own business as he was not enjoying law school - he had no intention of completing his law degree and was focused on running his own business in KL. Now the question is why waste two years doing a degree you had no interest in? That was a foolish decision, but he certainly never failed an exam whilst at NUS. Oh no, he passed them all with flying colours - then promptly dropped out of law school upon completing the second year. Foolish move? I would say so. But did he fail any exams? No he didn't. He just wasted his own time - two years of it in fact. But that's not the same as failing an exam because you're stupid. Get your facts right.
Guilty as charged i was one of those who looked up your sister's profile (not sure which one) in LinkedIn. Her resume is damn impressive, i rest my case.
DeleteHey Koh, wanna see what my readers think about you? http://limpehft.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/why-do-well-educated-highly-skilled.html As promised!!
DeleteI know one of my ex colleague's brother who escaped to thailand during the 60s to escape NS draft. Her brother has already settled down there and even has a family.
ReplyDeleteAs for the passport issue, he bought his identity card from one of those ulu thai tribal people who have no need for an IC. Challenge is finding a tribal person that look like him.
If alvin has escaped to thailand, this could be one of the method he can use to stay there.
Let's just put it this way: I know Alvin would never settle for a life in rural Thailand - it would bore the hell out of him and he would hate it. When we talked about moving to the West, we talked about places like America, Canada, UK, Australia, other European countries etc. Technically speaking, if he wanted to take that option to disappear into rural Thailand to avoid jail in Malaysia, he could have done that months ago. He didn't have to wait till he got his passport back - this is why I can make a calculated guess that Alvin is already in the West now (or at least on his way there whilst waiting in a safe transit point, a country with no extradition treaty with Malaysia).
DeleteBut you don't make a brazen escape like that and then taunt the authorities, "hahaha! I have escaped and here I am!" No, you escape and then lie low because you don't want to be caught. That's why I said he's going to disappear, like MH370 for a while. The only challenge is that he is usually so outspoken and attention craving (you should see what he is like on Facebook) - can someone like that lie low and keep quiet for long? We shall see.
I actually follow him on Facebook and I am aware of his antics online. If he does move to the West, I don't know what reason he can give to whatever western country he escaped to that is willing to grant him asylum.
DeleteCan he fight on the grounds as a political asylum and that the msia govt is persecuting him and preventing his freedom of speech when his offences are posting sex pictures and making racially insensitive remarks online. I think granting someone asylum on such offences are pretty low
The alternative choice is to overstay as an illegal migrant. Even then, he risk getting caught and getting extradited back to msia. If he does stay, I don't know how is going to find a place to stay in, work and survive there.
Then again, he is quite street smart. He likely have thought this through and probably had a plan and I won't be surprised he somehow magically end up becoming a citizen of a western country 10 years down the road. By then, I won't be surprised his work will be somehow related to the adult entertainment industry.
I share your view on the fact that he probably doesn't have a very strong case but then again, he can argue that he is singled out and being made an example of for political purposes hence he will not get a fair trial in Malaysia - this might (note that I am using 'might' and not 'will) get him consideration for asylum in the west.
DeleteWhat I do know for a fact is this: he has one of the best lawyers in Malaysia who has also spoken to a number of lawyers in the west to help him evaluate his chances and plan this. He's not just running away without a plan, without having first taken legal advice. As to what his plans are, it definitely involves goes stealth for now.
I think you are letting your emotions cloud your judgement. Being his friend you are naturally supporting or finding excuses to justify his absconding.
ReplyDeleteAlvin has not been charged with a crime that would entail years of imprisonment. I think he's looking only a fine or a short custody of 6 weeks to a few months. And that if he's convicted, he's still innocent you know. And even if convicted he has 2 layers of appeal. The Malaysian justice system is notoriously slow.
And absconding has little effect on the case itself. The onus id still on the prosecution to prove the charge. Absconding itself is a different offence - punishable by a forfeiture of the bail and another fine for failing to attend court, it has no effect on the original charge.
Like 1 reader commented he's not taking responsibility for his actions and just being selfish.
Hey LIFT,
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if you have any update? He is wanted by Interpol now.
Hi Ian, no I have not heard from him despite my attempts to contact him. Which worries me as I do wonder what he is up to. So I can only guess right now.
DeleteThere is a possibility that he is living in another country under an assumed identity - it is what fugitives do. You buy another person's ID on the black market and you assume their identity. So Alvin could have bought a passport belonging to a Chinese looking young man and boom, Alvin Tan no longer exists - he starts a brand new life. Which is kinda sucky for him (as he has a big ego) but that's the price he has to pay if he chooses to take this route.
That's why I am constantly told to be very, very careful with my passport when traveling - as I am Chinese-looking + traveling on a UK passport = on the black market, my passport would easily go for an obscene amount of money as it would easily let an Asian person who is male, 30s, East Asian easy passage into most countries and it would allow him to start a new identity in another country easily. I am off to Tunisia next week and I certainly don't wanna be stuck there without my passport...