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TOC Editorial: Your Vote, Your Values

Published

13 years ago

on

TOC Editorial /

The People’s Action Party (PAP) has been the subject of much criticism over the past week.  But the discontentment towards the party that has led our nation since independence could well be misdirected.

A whole gamut of policy failures has been attributed to them. The high cost of living, influx of foreigners, unaffordable housing, overburdened transport systems, increasing healthcare costs – the list is long.

The familiar refrain goes like this: the government no longer listens, does not empathize with the concerns of ordinary citizens and is therefore not able to solve our problems.

But perhaps the real issue here is not that the PAP does not try hard enough.

Perhaps the more important lesson for this ruling party that has led our nation-state for more than 50 years is its failure to realize that the party, by itself, can no longer deliver us from all the problems that we will face in this complex world.

After many days of being harangued by opposition parties for its many mistakes the past five years, the Prime Minister publicly apologized and promised to “put things right”. He freely admitted that it is not always possible for things to turn out perfect.

Indeed, lest we forget, people who hold political office are imperfect people trying to do a difficult job. To borrow a wonderful phrase from American historian Joseph Ellis, political leaders are often “improvising on the edge of catastrophe”.  The outcome of public policy is as much the result of chance, contingency and unintended consequences as it is due to careful planning.

The PAP brandishes its track record and its “successful formula” for creating prosperity for the people. The opposition promises change and offers to be an alternative voice in parliament. Pitting performance against promise, we are presented with a false choice.

Even the best laid out plans are only today’s best guess. In this increasingly complex world, constant adaptation is the key to survival. Just as there is no guarantee that the PAP will continue to get things right, do not expect that the opposition has all the answers either.

To believe either one to be true is to allow ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security.

*****

So what then is this election really about?

At the heart of this is an opportunity for us to define what kind of society we wish to create for ourselves.

For the longest time, there has been one dominant version of the Singapore Story: We are an accidental nation, constantly called to recognize our vulnerability in this volatile world. With little room for error, our collective anxieties may be assuaged if we would only trust in the wisdom of our leaders to protect our interests.

This national narrative was reinforced very recently by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew who reminded us that Singapore would not be what it is today if Singaporeans had chosen the wrong candidates in past elections.

But the danger of relying on one single story to frame the national psyche is not that it is wrong, but rather that it is incomplete.

The groundswell of discontent that has emerged during this general election may be interpreted as a symptom of a clash in values and differences in priorities between those in positions of authority and the people they are supposed to represent.

With increasing boldness, many are shaking off their reticence. Among the stories that have surfaced online and offline, the major themes that have resonated with the public include the desire for greater accountability, transparency, justice and compassion in governance.

In all of this, one important question begs to be answered: What are the fundamental values that drive our decision-making in public policy?

If we envision our society to be one where the pursuit of wealth creation is balanced by the fair distribution of these benefits among the people, then we have the responsibility to ensure that the representatives that we elect to parliament should also share these same values.

But we need to go beyond that. A basic feature of democracy is the capacity of individuals to participate freely and fully in the life of their society. We must take ownership of the process and not abdicate responsibility to our leaders, calling them to account only once every five years.

Ho Kwon Ping, in an insightful article in the Straits Times observed that as a maturing electorate, our demands are increasingly shaping the responses of both the incumbent and opposition parties.

Singapore may be moving deliberately yet irrevocably towards a First World electorate – in an evolutionary process that may take another two or three elections over the next two decades – but one that embraces common values so that the electorate, not the political parties, demand civility, intellectual rigour and competence of all their politicians, whatever their affiliation.

The incumbent and opposition parties have billed this election as a pivotal one for leadership renewal. So choose wisely. Take some time before polling day to talk to people who may not share your same views. Engage and listen. Suspend your judgment. Defend and persuade. Then make a considered and responsible choice.

The story of this election may well be that we are slowly but surely finding our way as citizens in a democratic society, navigating a new relationship with those in positions of authority, exercising shared responsibility and leadership in creating a nation we can all be proud of.

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TJC issued 3rd POFMA order under Minister K Shanmugam for alleged falsehoods

The Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) was issued its third POFMA correction order on 5 October 2024 under the direction of Minister K Shanmugam for alleged falsehoods about death penalty processes. TJC has rejected the government’s claims, describing POFMA as a tool to suppress dissent.

Published

6 days ago

on

6 October 2024

By

The Transformative Justice Collective (TJC), an advocacy group opposed to the death penalty, was issued its third Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) correction direction on 5 October 2024.

The correction was ordered by Minister for Home Affairs and Law, K Shanmugam, following TJC’s publication of what the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) alleges to be false information regarding Singapore’s death row procedures and the prosecution of drug trafficking cases.

These statements were made on TJC’s website and across its social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter).

In addition to TJC, civil activist Kokila Annamalai was also issued a correction direction by the minister over posts she made on Facebook and X between 4 and 5 October 2024.

According to MHA, these posts echoed similar views on the death penalty and the legal procedures for drug-related offences, and contained statements that the ministry claims are false concerning the treatment of death row prisoners and the state’s legal responsibilities in drug trafficking cases.

MHA stated that the posts suggested the government schedules and stays executions arbitrarily, without due regard to legal processes, and that the state does not bear the burden of proving drug trafficking charges.

However, these alleged falsehoods are contested by MHA, which maintains that the government strictly follows legal procedures, scheduling executions only after all legal avenues have been exhausted, and that the state always carries the burden of proof in such cases.

In its official release, MHA emphasised, “The prosecution always bears the legal burden of proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt, and this applies to all criminal offences, including drug trafficking.”

It also pointed to an article on the government fact-checking site Factually to provide further clarification on the issues raised.

As a result of these allegations, both TJC and Annamalai are now required to post correction notices. TJC must display these corrections on its website and social media platforms, while Annamalai is required to carry similar notices on her Facebook and X posts.

TikTok has also been issued a targeted correction direction, requiring the platform to communicate the correction to all Singapore-based users who viewed the related TJC post.

In a statement following the issuance of the correction direction, TJC strongly rejected the government’s claims. The group criticised the POFMA law, calling it a “political weapon used to crush dissent,” and argued that the order was more about the exercise of state power than the pursuit of truth. “We have put up the Correction Directions not because we accept any of what the government asserts, but because of the grossly unjust terms of the POFMA law,” TJC stated.

TJC further argued that the government’s control over Singapore’s media landscape enables it to push pro-death penalty views without opposition. The group also stated that it would not engage in prolonged legal battles over the POFMA correction orders, opting to focus on its abolitionist work instead.

This marks the third time TJC has been subject to a POFMA correction direction in recent months.

The group was previously issued two orders in August 2024 for making similar statements concerning death row prisoners.

In its latest statement, MHA noted that despite being corrected previously, TJC had repeated what the ministry views as falsehoods.

MHA also criticised TJC for presenting the perspective of a convicted drug trafficker without acknowledging the harm caused to victims of drug abuse.

Annamalai, a prominent civil rights activist, is also known for her involvement in various social justice campaigns. She was charged in June 2024 for her participation in a pro-Palestinian procession near the Istana. Her posts, now subject to correction, contained information similar to those presented by TJC regarding death penalty procedures and drug-related cases.

POFMA, which was introduced in 2019, allows the government to issue correction directions when it deems falsehoods are being spread online.

Critics of the law argue that it can be used to suppress dissent, while the government asserts that it is a necessary tool for combating misinformation. The law has been frequently invoked against opposition politicians and activists.

As of October 2024, Minister K Shanmugam has issued 17 POFMA directions, more than any other minister. Shanmugam, who was instrumental in introducing POFMA, is followed by National Development Minister Desmond Lee, who has issued 10 POFMA directions.

Major media outlets, including The Straits Times, Channel News Asia, and Mothership, have covered the POFMA directions. However, as of the time of writing, none have included TJC’s response rejecting the government’s allegations.

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Hotel Properties Limited suspends trading ahead of Ong Beng Seng’s court hearing

Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has halted trading ahead of his court appearance today (4 October). The announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at about 7.45am, citing a pending release of an announcement. Mr Ong faces one charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts and another charge of obstruction of justice. He is due in court at 2.30pm.

Published

1 week ago

on

4 October 2024

By

SINGAPORE: Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), the property and hotel developer co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has requested a trading halt ahead of the Singapore tycoon’s scheduled court appearance today (4 October) afternoon.

This announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at approximately 7.45am, stating that the halt was due to a pending release of an announcement.

Mr Ong, who serves as HPL’s managing director and controlling shareholder, faces one charge under Section 165, accused of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts, as well as one charge of obstruction of justice.

He is set to appear in court at 2.30pm on 4 October.

Ong’s charges stem from his involvement in a high-profile corruption case linked to former Singaporean transport minister S Iswaran.

The 80-year-old businessman was named in Iswaran’s initial graft charges earlier this year.

These charges alleged that Iswaran had corruptly received valuable gifts from Ong, including tickets to the 2022 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, flights, and a hotel stay in Doha.

These gifts were allegedly provided to advance Ong’s business interests, particularly in securing contracts with the Singapore Tourism Board for the Singapore GP and the ABBA Voyage virtual concert.

Although Iswaran no longer faces the original corruption charges, the prosecution amended them to lesser charges under Section 165.

Iswaran pleaded guilty on 24 September, 2024, to four counts under this section, which covered over S$400,000 worth of gifts, including flight tickets, sports event access, and luxury items like whisky and wines.

Additionally, he faced one count of obstructing justice for repaying Ong for a Doha-Singapore flight shortly before the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) became involved.

On 3 October, Iswaran was sentenced to one year in jail by presiding judge Justice Vincent Hoong.

The prosecution had sought a sentence of six to seven months for all charges, while the defence had asked for a significantly reduced sentence of no more than eight weeks.

Ong, a Malaysian national based in Singapore, was arrested by CPIB in July 2023 and released on bail shortly thereafter. Although no charges were initially filed against him, Ong’s involvement in the case intensified following Iswaran’s guilty plea.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had earlier indicated that it would soon make a decision regarding Ong’s legal standing, which has now led to the current charges.

According to the statement of facts read during Iswaran’s conviction, Ong’s case came to light as part of a broader investigation into his associates, which revealed Iswaran’s use of Ong’s private jet for a flight from Singapore to Doha in December 2022.

CPIB investigators uncovered the flight manifest and seized the document.

Upon learning that the flight records had been obtained, Ong contacted Iswaran, advising him to arrange for Singapore GP to bill him for the flight.

Iswaran subsequently paid Singapore GP S$5,700 for the Doha-Singapore business class flight in May 2023, forming the basis of his obstruction of justice charge.

Mr Ong is recognised as the figure who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008, marking the first night race in the sport’s history.

He holds the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix. Iswaran was the chairman of the F1 steering committee and acted as the chief negotiator with Singapore GP on business matters concerning the race.

 

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