If scholarships can be given to anyone regardless of his results, then it should be given to everyone. What then is the value of such a scholarship? If getting a scholarship is a prestige, which I think it is, then the student should study hard to earn it. No two ways.

3.5 score over 5 is a score which many average students can achieve. Here, we are talking about an ASEAN scholar. Hope the MOE reviews its criteria for granting scholarships - not to just base on academic achievements alone, but on the student's character too.

Video game addiction? definitely a life changing experience. It would have been good if a tripartite (student, institution, parents ) approach had been taken to arrest it early coz for some, indulgence in online games is a form of escapism of sorts, be it stress, loneliness etc.

I think it's unfair for people to judge the person who is dead and unable to defend themselves. Yes, I agree that the student is in the wrong for stabbing the professor, but does it means the professor or the school is blameless? For goodness sake, the school claims to have measures in place like counseling for students, but does the system work or doing what it supposes to do?

David lost his ASEAN scholarship, become withdrawn and his study results have slipped and nobody in the school in the school noticed that this is a sign of depression and that he needs counseling? I believe anybody in his David’s position will feel depressed for having his scholarship revoked. Not only he felt embarrassed with his friends and family, he also has to think on how to pay for the tuition fee.

Some suggested he can always work part time to pay for the tuition fee, but do you know how hard is it to find job in the time of economic crisis, especially if you’re just a student? How many people are willing to employ student at good rate, enough to pay for his tuition fee?

I’m not trying to say that his action is right, but do try to think from his point of view instead of just listening from one side of story. This tragedy could have been avoided if only the school or the professor is attentive enough. I can’t believe it when they said they are aware of the signs and yet nothing is being done to counsel him. It’s only when something like this happening, and then they will start to be alert.

Some even suggested that it’s because he like to play game that he forsaken his education for it. Do you know for sure that he has forsaken his study because of game? Do not anyhow make assumption!! I think it’s not wrong for people to have hobby. If he likes to surf net until the wee of night, are you going to say that he has forsaken his study because of that too?

We do not know what actually happened that make David hated the professor enough to stab him. What we have is only assumption made by individual.

The victim’s family has suffered enough, losing their son, brother, without having to face accusations and negative remarks from other people. Let him rest in peace.

"We do not know what actually happened that make David HATED the professor enough to stab him." - isn't this a speculation too? Don't speculate, and you did.

Addiction to video games, especially violent ones is a serious problem and we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg.

Its good that guns are banned in Singapore otherwise I'm sure we would have had our own version of Columbine.

I am one of David Hartanto's close friend and I am here to give you
some facts, assumptions, possibilities about this case

Facts:

1. Lok Tat Seng: Dean of Student of NTU gathered all Indonesian students in
International Student Center on evening after incident and
he just said there was witness on the spot who saw David's body lying on the ground,
dead. Dean did not said that witness saw David jumped from balcony.
And that is, according to him, all he has saw.

2. The only official statement from police is: David was found dead at
the crime scene, they did not mention whether he commited suicide.

The link: http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIM...20at%20NTU.pdf

They also just mention 'The professor was believed to be stabbed'. The police
did not say that 'the professor was stabbed'. Where this assumption come from? Why
they did not say about it?

3. I and some Indonesian students gather tonight, 3 March 2009, at 8 pm,
at International Student Center and talked to David's parent.
They have seen his body. There was NO WOUND whatsoever on his wrists
and police also has confirmed it.
I assumed that his parent would not lie it means that all media news about
'David slashed his wrist' was FAKE.

4. The wounds found on David's body, according to his parents,
were on his head (It is assumed due to fall injury),
and slash wound on his neck. The wound on his neck is very suspicious, in
my opinion. How he received that wound?? Again, according to his parent,
police guessed that it may be happened when the bottom part of his head smashed
the ground. In that case, his chin will have broken and it did not.
My question is: WHERE DOES THAT SLASH WOUND ON HIS NECK CAME FROM?

Assumptions:
1. David stabbed professor. How did you know? The crime scene is closed room,
only David and that professor. No one see what has happened.
Eye-witness only saw David run out from that room.

2. David commited suicide. How could someone who commited suicide drop himself
into glassed roof, instead of directly drop himself to ground.

3. David slashed his wrist. I do not know where this news came from...

4. David's motivation.

4.1. He pissed off since his prof did not give satisfactory grade

The grade has not been released and he even has not submitted the report.
It is also NTu policy not to inform the student about the grade which they got
before release of the result.

4.2. He has mental problem

No record in Student Counselling Centre about his attendance. For bright student
as him, I did not believe that he did not attend counseling if he has some
problems. Also, he still brought bag with usual daily stuff, on incident day,
such as drink bottle, towel, etc. If David planned to kill someone why would
he prepare to bring such things. It is easier for him to just bring one knife
and stab his prof on spot.

4.3. He pissed off because his scholarship has been revoked

I knew David since I was his roommate for 2 consecutive
years during Mathematical Olympiad training camp. He almost did not
qualify for IMO, only managed to get at 14th rank from 15 people selected.
He still joked and laughed to me at that time. He also did not get anything
from IMO and still fine, not seemed depressed whatsoever, and according to his
parents, he said 'At least, I managed to represent Indonesia at IMO'
He also still play Hammerfall game in Facebook at 2 am on the incident day. My friend
saw his Facebook account online. How come
a murderer played game in the night before incident? If I was him,
I will seriously think how would I prepare myself tomorrow

Possibilities:
1. Professor attacked David. I deduced this thing for several key points.
According to many reports, David's cloth was soaked on blood. If the blood is
the result from slashing his wrist, it should not soak his cloth since wrist is
far from body. If the wound is from neck, it is easier.

2. David tried to run from Professor. After he realized that he was attacked,
he resisted and run from that room, with wound on his neck.

3. David falled because of unconsciousness. He became panic and probably lose
his common sense because of terrible bleeding, drop himself down into glassed roof
to escape from his Professor.

I am responsible for what I have written here, and contact me at kaminari.no.me@gmail.com
if you need any clarification.

SPECULATIONS by edwin2026:

why would the professor want to kill David ?

My condolences to the deceased's family and friends.

Let's not speculate or draw conclusions until the investigations are done.

Only the deceased and the professor know what really took place.

I don't know David Hartanto Widjaja and I also never think of possibilities mention by his friend in previous comment. I just feel very unfair for him on all rumours that circulated regarding this issue. From the FYP till scholarship speculation, I think we need an explantion from school(NTU) regarding this issue. If it is believed the reason is because his scholarship is revoked(as mentioned firstly by one of the person from Indonesian Embassy - according to what I read from medias) and as we know, this is already middle of his last semester and school fee has been paid from January, what is the effect of this cancellation? does he need to repay all his school fee for the past 4 years? or only this semester?
After gathering some information on this scholarship, I guess at most he only needs to repay for this semester.
If only this semester, I doubt that this is the cause of his impulse act as we know that he will graduated soon and will find a good job soon based on his academical performance, he can easily repay his one semester school fee in few months. If we know the details, we can conclude if his scholarship is a strong reason or not. If it is not, it might be his FYP which cause this incident, then I think his family at least can demand an explanation from the school especially from the professor about what actually happens? Although what we will hear now is only one sided story, but I believe, if the party decided to make a false statement to the public, he will be punished by his own conscience.

ahha the professor is dead meh? i thought that he was recovering in the hospital and is doing fine? sighs doesn't matter wad happened in there. One person comes out with stab wounds one person jumps or falls wat ever you wanna call it to his death. Either way someone needs to be charged.