Howard Shaw, a very celebrated figure here in Singapore, especially in the environment, community and volunteerism scene, well-connected with the super-rich and powerful in Singapore and the son of a reputable and very wealthy family of Singapore, is charged today in court with having sex with a minor. He is among the almost-fifty men to be charged in court for having sex with a minor, with 44 charged in court on Monday, just two days ago.
With Howard Shaw’s name being released today, Howard has now “surpassed” Mr Lee Lip Hong, ex-Principal of Pei Chun Primary School as the most senior public official or face to be charged to date for having sex with a minor. Mr Howard has just obtained a Public Service Medal (PBM) last year and is reported to have worked closely in the South West Community Development Council (CDC). Mr Howard Shaw has also helmed the Singapore Environment Council for many years, only leaving the council recently to take up a pole position in another company. He also sits on the board of some green companies, naturally because he is a reputable and vocal green champion.
Mr Howard Shaw appears quite frequently on those rich-lifestyle magazine as he is known to be quite handsome with a look that is described by some as “elvey-presley-looking”.
Enough said about the credentials of Mr Howard Shaw, so it is Howard Shaw that a local newspaper reported or rather hinted when reporting about some high-profile figures in February when the news of 50 over men being arrested over sex with a minor first surfaced. Mypaper in Feburary has then reported that a well-known activist from a reputable family is one of those arrested and that when his name is released, it will cause a lot of surprise or shock to the nation. And this day is Today. Certainly it really gives me a shock that Howard Shaw is among those who are arrested for sex with a minor.
I think sex lives are very personal affairs. Howard Shaw’s sex with a minor may not undermine much of what he has contributed to the environment and public scene though I think that if Howard is jailed for the offence, he will lose his PBM.
I am not sure how many rich, well-known and successful men there are in Singapore who may be having sex with prostitutes which the public do not know or leading promiscuous lives. One thing sure in life, as what we have learnt in army from sergeants is that if we want to do something that is not totally correct, do not be caught.
Caught are the 47 men who have been charged in court to-date of having sex with a minor. I think it is not surprising that this “batch” of men charged included such well-known figures and rich and powerful men. Just think of it: it is precisely that some of these men are so well-known in Singapore that they want to carry out sex transactions covertly rather than following the open route to walk openly into the brothels at Singapore’s few red light districts or seedier places. They thought that through online transactions, a sense of anonymity is being conferred upon them but never in their wildest dream do they thought that the internet can turn its back on them through a cyber-trace!
Though it is sad to see so many men who are good men in their professions being charged, I hope there will be equal treatment when it comes to charging the men regardless of how many millions they have in their account as basically despites the vast diversity among the men in terms of looks, monies, backgrounds, they did the same thing!
