College expels student in topless car wash

College expels student in topless car wash

By TAY SHI'AN

FOR an event organised to 'create controversy', Singapore's first topless car wash has created a fallout bigger than its organiser may have bargained for.

One of the models, 19, was expelled from school, after someone recognised her from the pictures posted on a website and informed the school authorities.

Another model panicked over the photos and told the organiser afterwards that she was actually 16. She had originally told them she was 19. Her picture was then removed.

The topless car wash was organised as a publicity stunt by Motoring Exchange, a new motoring classifieds website.

The four models who appeared in the car wash are now claiming that things had not happened at the event as the organiser had described.

Three of them claimed they were misled about the nature of the event, and they were shocked when they found out afterwards how and what the pictures were used for.

But Mr Gerald Chen, founder and co-owner of Motoring Exchange, insisted the models' agent was told clearly what the event was about, and they knew what they were getting into.

We are not naming the models to protect their identities.

The expelled model, 'Angela', 19, a Chinese national who has been studying at a private school in Singapore for more than a year, said she never expected the photo shoot to blow up like this.

When contacted, a spokesman for the school confirmed that she had been expelled for violating the rules and regulations of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), and she 'further aggravated her case by violating the Institute's rules and regulations'.

The spokesman declined to go into details, stating confidentiality.

A check on ICA's website showed that only student-pass holders from selected institutions are allowed to work part-time in Singapore.

Not on list

Angela's school is not on the list.

The New Paper on Sunday met Angela earlier this week at a small modelling agency near town.

With her distinctive full lips,make-up and fair skin, she was recognisable as the girl in the photographs.

Recalling how everything had spiralled out of control, she said that after the event late last month, she went for a holiday overseas and wasn't here when the pictures were posted online and appeared in the media.

Though her face was partially pixelated to cover her eyes, people recognised her as she had taken part in several modelling contests and events.

She said in Mandarin: 'I was not contactable. The saddest part was when I came back, my pictures were in three newspapers, there were messages on my Facebook, my phone, on Internet forums, saying, 'Why did she do this? Why so daring, do this kind of thing?'

'I was so sad. I didn't want to meet with friends. When people asked me about it, I didn't want to reply. There was a lot of gossip. It's very bad for my reputation.'

Then she received a letter about two weeks ago, saying that the school wanted to see her.

When she went to the office the next day, the school officials confronted her with the pictures.

She said: 'It was quite obvious from the photo that it's me. The school said I couldn't really deny that it's me and they just wanted my explanation.'

She admitted she was the one in the picture, but claimed the event was 'totally different' from what the organiser had described.

But she received a letter from the school a few days later, saying she had been expelled.

Angela said she has no idea who told the school about her.

She is now on a social visit pass, which expires at the end of next month.

She hasn't told her parents about her expulsion.

She said she will do so only when she is certain of the outcome. She is trying to appeal to the school to take her back.

She said she is just one to two months from completing an advanced diploma. She had already finished her diploma with the same school.

She said: 'I wanted to do my degree here too. But even if the school doesn't want me for the degree, at least let me finish my advanced diploma. I just need a bit more time. 'I never thought things would become like this.'

Source: http://news.asiaone.com/News/The%2BN...26-176054.html