A student at Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School was bullied following widespread rumors that he wore a luxury Rolex watch to school.
The rumors have sparked widespread online mockery and stereotyping, tagging Sabahans and independent school students as wealthy.
The origin of the Rolex Hulk rumors
This controversy began when the school’s Facebook page Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School posted a collection of photos introducing the new Form 1 students.
In a specific photo, the presence of a watch resembling a Rolex Hulk on one student’s wrist sparked online ridicule and stereotyping.
Netizens wrongly accused the student of flaunting wealth, associating him and by extension, all students of independent schools in Sabah, with affluence.
The price of a Rolex Hulk can go up to a staggering RM132,480, hence sparking widespread discussion on this misinformation.
The School Principal’s statement
Principal Chung Chin Hing stepped in to clarify the situation by sharing a photo of the watch the student actually wore, revealing it was not the Rolex Hulk but a model from the local brand Tomaz, specifically the Trident GR03A-D2.
In an open letter on the school’s Facebook page, Principal Chung condemned the baseless and harmful speculation.
He posed several reflective questions to the public about the accuracy of their assumptions and their motives for spreading the rumors.
“Have we fallen into the trap of subconscious comparison?” Principal Chung wrote.
Principal Chung also highlighted the division among online commenters: those who mistakenly believed the watch was an expensive brand and those aware of the mistake but who continued to spread the rumor.
“Stereotype and rumors can be harmful”
He stressed the importance of being responsible for what we share online, emphasizing that adults should set positive examples for children in the digital age.
The principal also addressed the harmful stereotypes that have been associated with independent schools and their students, clarifying that independent schools like Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School are not government-funded and rely on tuition fees, donations, and occasional government grants to operate.
He pointed out that the school offers financial aid to underprivileged students, supporting approximately 200 families each year.
Read the statement from school official here:
