“Singapore upholds free speech” – MM Lee’s press secretary
July 1, 2008
Update (July 1): The Singapore Democratic Party has responded to Mdm Yeong’s letter. Click here.
Andrew Loh
“Singapore upholds free speech and the right to disagree, subject to the law”, Minister Mentor’s press secretary, Mdm Yeong Yoon Ying, said in a letter to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
She was responding to the WSJ’s article titled, “Democracy in Singapore”, published in the paper on June 26.
Referring to the recent court case brought against the Singapore Democratic Party, she said that “the case had nothing to do with political freedom”. Instead, “it was for defamation arising from the Chees’ false claims that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Lee Kuan Yew are criminals and corrupt.”
Saying that “Singapore upholds free speech and the right to disagree”, she explained that “many opposition politicians routinely criticize government leaders, but are not sued because they have not uttered slanderous falsehoods.” Read more
Crossing the line into vulgarity
June 29, 2008
Andrew Loh
I would sincerely like to believe that this is the absolute lowest that the PAP government will go to attempt to destroy its political opposition – crossing the line into vulgarity.
The first time I heard of Dr Chee Soon Juan was way back in 1992, when he first stepped into the political arena. Given the way the People’s Action Party ruled Singapore then – and even now – it was quite inspiring to see one such as Dr Chee stepping right into the cauldron of Singapore’s political minefield.
16 years have passed since then and many things have transpired – both with Dr Chee and Singapore as a whole.
As far as the Government is concerned, sadly, the changes have not been in tandem with the promises made. Singaporeans will still remember how the Government promised a “tolerant society”, a “gracious society”, a “compassionate society”, and even one which would allow space for “political dissidents”,as declared by Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. (See here: Protecting the sacred cows behind electric fences) Read more
Whose future is “shining”, really?
June 27, 2008
Andrew Loh
Ministers scheduled to be given a third pay hike this year
If you ask me, the future is really shining for us… We will survive; this is a red dot, which we can make redder and brighter. (MM Lee, 2006)
We are into a period of good economic growth and social development… If there are no wars or oil crises, this golden period can stretch out over many years… (Singapore in a golden period, says MM Lee, 2007),
Mdm Soh (not her real name) is more than 70 years old and has been working as an office cleaner for more than a year. Her daily routine starts at 7am and ends at 5pm, which means she puts in 10 hours of work, including a one hour lunch break. She works five and a half days per week – 55 hours in all.
She is paid $650 per month.
$2.95 per hour. Read more
Responsibility, responsibility, responsibility!
June 24, 2008
Andrew Loh
Yes, we are all appalled. In fact, we are more appalled than the Home Affairs Minister.
Appalled at the “lapses” (if ever there was a euphemism for a screwup, this is it), appalled at the “complacency”, appalled at how our security personnel are so lackadaisical about their jobs.
But most of all, we are appalled that the Home Affairs Minister still has a job.
Responsibility, responsibility, responsibility!
Where is it? Where did it go to? How is it that it can be avoided, side-stepped, blamed on someone else – not once, not twice, but three times! Read more
Give S’poreans more information - Seelan Palay
June 18, 2008
‘The only boundaries that we have for self-expression are only the ones we set for ourselves,’ says artist and activist Seelan Palay.
Andrew Loh
‘The police asked me for a permit, warned me and told me to disperse. But I am only fasting, why should I need a permit? They said it was under some public entertainment licensing law, and I said I was not here to entertain anyone.’ (TODAY)
While Singaporeans were celebrating the arrival of New Year’s Day 2008, one other Singaporean was just beginning a five day fast in support for five Malaysians who had earlier been arrested and detained in Malaysia.
Artist and activist Seelan Palay camped himself outside the Malaysian High Commission building in Singapore from 31 December 2007 to 5 January 2008. He was calling for a fair trial for the so-called Hindraf 5. Read more
Gopalan Nair denies charges
June 12, 2008
Andrew Loh
In a statement released to the press, lawyer Gopalan Nair rejected accusations that he had sent emails to Justice Belinda Ang and others. Nair was arrested and charged on June 4 for insulting a public servant.
Nair is also facing a second charge, this time for insulting a judge in the High Court, Justice Lai Siu Chiu.
He has since been released on bail of $5,000.
In his press statement, Nair said, “I did not at anytime send any emails to Judge Belinda Ang or anyone else as far as this incident is concerned.” He added that the authorities have seized his computer notebook as well. Read more
90 days since escape… no more information?
May 26, 2008
Andrew Loh
Mas Selamat Kastari escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre on February 27, 2008.
It has been 90 days since.
There has been total silence on what the government is doing to capture him since the debate moved into the sphere of responsibility for the escape and the expressed desire of the government to repair its reputation.
The last thing that Singaporeans learned of the plans to capture the escapee was that the government was now adopting a “targeted approach based on intelligence”. This was on April 11. Read more
Political suicide or political maturity?
May 22, 2008
Andrew Loh
TOC interviews Workers’ Party members.
When Yaw Shin Leong of the Workers’ Party (WP) revealed on his blog that he had voted for the People’s Action Party (PAP) candidate, Dr Teo Ho Pin, in the 2006 General Elections, it sparked an outcry among Singaporeans.
Many have criticized him for betrayal and hypocrisy, among other things. Others were more understanding and supportive.
Yaw is no ordinary WP member. He joined the WP in 2001 and is currently its Organising Secretary, a Central Executive Council member, and he headed the WP’s Ang Mo Kio GRC team in the 2006 elections.
Film on Lee Kuan Yew seized by MDA
May 17, 2008
Andrew Loh
It was a private screening but that didn’t stop officers from the Media Development Authority (MDA) from seizing a copy of the film, “One Nation Under Lee”, at the Tulip Room in the Peninsular Excelsior Hotel.
The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) screened the film to an audience of about 70 people, who paid $20 each to attend the lunch-cum-film event on Saturday, May 17.
The film, produced by activist and artist Seelan Pillay, was a narrative of how Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew subjugated various institutions in Singapore, such as the press, under the government’s control during his time as Prime Minister. It also depicted how the social divide in Singapore is a result of the People’s Action Party’s policies. The film included interviews with former Solicitor General Francis Seow, political detainee Said Zahari, opposition politician JB Jeyaretnam and scenes of various public protests which had taken place in Singapore.
A confused Aljunied GRC MP?
May 10, 2008
Andrew Loh
Earlier, Leong Sze Hian and I wrote an article questioning Aljunied Town Council’s (ATC) intention to raise its Service and Conservancy charges (S&CC) to address “hardcore litterbugs” in the “dirtiest precincts”.
On Sunday, Aljunied Town Council Chairman Cynthia Phua clarified that the town council will not be raising its S&CC.
However, Phua’s clarification is a confusing one.
