Mr Philip Yeo posted this clarification of the episode between him and Mr Chng Hee Kok over the issue of scholars who broke bonds. The absolute chronology of the exchange was not too important to me. Rather, the key issue is whether it is alright for a scholar to break the bond on his or her scholarship.

Barring extenuating circumstances, I don’t think it is right for a scholar to break a bond. From the legal standpoint, perhaps there is nothing wrong with breaking bonds because it’s just a legal contract. As long as the scholar pays up the damages as specified in the bond, everything is settled. However, I think that bonds are more than just a contract; it’s a promise, or if you like, a covenant.

In fact, I don’t understand why some people view bonds as a legal contract. At it’s core, it’s plain and simple: a promise to serve in return for the provision of an opportunity to seek higher education. I’m not sure about other people, but if I’m going to make a promise, I’ll jolly well keep to it to the best of my ability. I think it’s very rude to just throw a pile of money on the table and then walk out of a promise without even making an effort to keep the promise.

Furthermore, most cases of bond-breakers (as far as I know) do not break their bonds due to extenuating circumstances. It’s usually because they found better opportunities than what was offered in their scholarship contract while studying (usually overseas). While it is true that time and tide wait for no man, should that be an excuse not to behave honorably?

Just because another hot and nubile 18 year-old babe comes along with the promise of great bedroom action doesn’t mean that I should break off my engagement. I think that keeping a promise is a fundamental human value and one should strive to keep promises that were made, of course, barring exceptional circumstances. Besides, it doesn’t look good to break promises without a good reason. If I call off my engagement for a hot and nubile 18-year old and she walks out on me after a while, which other woman will ever dare trust their future with me? After all, if I have done it once, what’s stopping me from doing it again?