HE was an excellent student and was awarded a scholarship by A*Star to study physics at Cornell University for 21/2 years.

There, he fell in love with a girl from China, who is at another university.

But his friend, who was in the same university as the girl, also pursued her.

When the three of them returned to Singapore after graduating, the girl chose his friend instead of him.

And he could not accept this, the man's father said.

On Wednesday, Lin Zi Qiang, the A*Star scholar, fell to his death from the ninth storey of a block of Housing Board flats in Sembawang.

It happened around 1pm, at Block 407, Sembawang Drive.

He had apparently gone to the girl's flat in a last-ditch attempt to make her change her mind, Lianhe Wanbao reported.

Apparently, there was a quarrel between Mr Lin and the girl.

A neighbour, Mrs Lin, said she heard loud quarrelling on the ninth storey, as well as shouting from below the block.

The girl's boyfriend had apparently heard about what was happening and had rushed to her block.

But he was unable to prevent the tragedy.

Mr Lin's 50-year-old father, a taxi driver, rushed to the scene after hearing the news.

He said his son was supposed to serve a six-year bond with A*Star.

According to him, his son had told the girl about his feelings for her two days after Christmas.

When she rejected him, he fainted and had to be hospitalised.

Said the elder Mr Lin: "We had no idea that he was interested in her, until we received the news that he had fainted."

He added that his son had been going for counselling sessions after his discharge from hospital.

During a recent visit, he had told the psychiatrist that he was depressed.

"The doctor told him that he must continue taking his medication to control his moods, and not to get overly upset or agitated," he said.

He had often advised his son to study hard, and not to be bothered by matters of the heart.

Fatherly advice

He had told him that he would have no problems finding a girlfriend after he completed his studies.

Mr Lin added that before this, he had never heard any mention of his son having a relationship with any other girl.

"After he fainted because of the China girl, I advised him to give up many times. But he could not let go of his feelings for her," he said.

According to the elder Mr Lin, his son and his rival in love had been good friends for years.

They had known each other since secondary school, and had gone to a top junior college.

"Both of them went for their US studies together, and although they were in different universities, they kept in touch and looked after each other... how they fell for the same girl is so unexpected," he said.

Mr Lin's mother, a housewife, broke down at the scene.

He leaves his parents, two older sisters and a younger brother.

An A*Star spokesman said they had been informed about the tragedy, and they had expressed their condolences to the family and were helping them in this difficult time, reported Lianhe Wanbao.

"The doctor told him that he must continue taking his medication to control his moods, and not to get overly upset or agitated."

Couple knelt in front of father

Lianhe Wanbao reported on Friday (Jan 16) that the Chinese girl and Zi Qiang's good friend knelt down in front of Mr Lin to say sorry.

According to Mr Lin, the couple looked extremely apologetic and their eyes were red.

But they could not give him and his wife a clear explanation as to why their son had jumped, adding to their confusion and bewilderment.

So would he forgive them?

"I believe that nobody wanted this to happen, I kept telling my son to let go and not pursue this, but he did not listen. It has now ended in tragedy," Mr Lin told Lianhe Wanbao.

This story was first published in The New Paper on Jan 16, 2009.