Ex‑Tuition Tutor Fined $2,000 for Faking Police
Wong Mee Keow, the former owner of Pivot Tuition, found herself in hot water when the police asked if she knew Poh Yuan Nie (aka “Pony Poh”), one of her former workers. Instead of giving a straight answer (“yeah, I know her”), she shot back “I don’t.”
The Back‑Story
In the 2006 investigations, Wong was questioned twice – once in August and again in November – and each time denied any connection to the suspect. The lack of cooperation left the case limping forward because Poh couldn’t be tracked down.
Fast forward to 2015‑2016, when the police swept up a massive cheating scam. Wong ended up on the wrong side of the evidence chain when she deleted photographs of Poh from her phone in October 2016, a move that prosecutors called an intentional obstruction of justice.
Charges and Penalties
- Two counts of giving false information to a policeman (August & November 2006)
- One count of obstructing the course of justice (photo deletion in 2016)
Each faux‑report to the police could have landed her up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Instead, the judge decided on a $2,000 fine.
Why It Happened
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Vadivalagan Shanmuga, two Chinese students got into a local secondary school without taking the required entrance exam. Their teachers were told that Poh promised the agents (two Chinese nationals) that the students would be placed in the school “without an exam.” The whole scheme unraveled when the students fared poorly in later tests, leading the police to dig deeper.
Client’s Perspective
Defence counsel Peter Ong Lip Cheng described Wong and Poh not just as co‑workers but in a relationship, which helped shape the plea. He pleaded for a lighter penalty, citing Wong’s remorse and that she was battling depression and receiving therapy.
What’s Next?
While Wong’s case concluded with a fine, Poh’s case is still pending. The whole saga serves as a reminder that honesty with the police is not just a courtesy—it’s a legal requirement.
