July 19, 2009 9:29am by David Farrar

Ex-MP’s son an Internet liar

The “teenager” who claimed to be selling naked photos of his mother on Trade Me has been exposed as a liar who ran the auction for a design school project.

As a result Michael Chal – the 22-year-old son of former United Future MP Kelly Chal – is set to fail the project and may be banned from the online site.

Calling Chal the son of a former MP is pushing it. Chal was never sworn in as an MP or declared elected as an MP, She was a presumptive United Future List MP for a week or so after the 2002 election – until the Chief Electoral Officer realised she was not a NZ citizen and ineligible to be an MP.

Anyway his crime is:

Chal claimed to be an 18-year-old student who decided to sell raunchy photos of his mother Jennifer after she forced him to clean out the garage of their Auckland home. …

Chal’s antics were reported by dozens of media outlets around the world – including the Herald on Sunday – and extended to him roping in an accomplice to act as his mother.

But it has emerged the stunt was part of his studies at Auckland’s Media Design School. Course leader Kate Humphries said students were set a project to use social media to “get people chattering”. …

Humphries said he was advised to tell official organisations the sale was part of his studies before doing any interviews and was “mortified” he had lied to media and Trade Me. …

She said Chal had told her he had been upfront – but at no time during multiple phone and email communications with the Herald on Sunday did he tell the truth about the project.

Chal also failed to be straight with TVNZ’s Close Up, on which he appeared on Wednesday night. “He’s lied through and through,” said Close Up producer Mike Valintine. “If he’d said that it was a project he wouldn’t have been on TV. It’s pretty despicable behaviour. The guy’s a fool, to be honest.”

Valintine said Chal wanted to appear on Close Up wearing a mask. “We wouldn’t even contemplate that. I have never seen the likes of this in 30 years of television.”

One should never lie to the media to keep a prank going.

Humphries said it was “99.9 per cent certain” his project would not count towards his final grade. The project is worth 20 per cent of his year’s work. She expected Chal in her office tomorrow to discuss the matter.

Well it did get people chattering, but yes I don’t think you can get grades for fibs.

Chal said yesterday he had no regrets about the project, which he worked on with another student, who he would not name.

And he had no concerns about his stunt affecting a future in the advertising industry. “Dishonesty in advertising? I think that might help.”

He doesn’t sound the most repentant person.