• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

From the kampong to the Courts: M Ravi’s Kampong Boy

by Terry Xu
07/05/2013
in Lifestyle
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0

By Ng Yi Shu

M Ravi at the launch of his book

 

From the barely known unknowing drug mules to the politician to the aging author, M Ravi has defended them all.

The renowned human rights lawyer recently released a memoir, Kampong Boy, which revealed much about his life stories, from his youth in Kampong Jalan Kayu to the cases he fought in court, notably campaigns to save the lives of Yong Vui Kong, Vignes Mourti, Shanmugam Murugesu and Amara Tochi, the defamation case between Chee Soon Juan and Lee Kuan Yew, as well as Alan Shadrake, the elderly author charged with contempt of court.

The book reveals much about the human rights’ lawyer’s rise towards prominence in civil society today. His journey towards the Bar and into the judicial system of Singapore was fraught with difficulty – as he recounts in his book, M Ravi grew up in a state of extreme poverty, where his older siblings had to drop out of school in order to work. M Ravi also recounted domestic abuse from his alcoholic father, who often demanded Ravi’s school fees so he could buy a drink.

In a way, the book has been an inspiring look into the legal fights for justice. The activism M Ravi and his friends have led have given much hope in the homosexual community, death-row inmates and activists for freedom of speech, for several of his cases have led to landmark decisions and sea changes in the judicial arm of the government, such as the real risk test for defamation in Shadrake Alan v. Attorney-General and the landmark decision that there ‘was indisputably reason to question the constitutionality of 377A’ and that citizens need not have been charged with an unjust law before they can question its constitutionality.

The book has also been insightful in its description of how M Ravi has handled his bipolar disorder and the challenges in reaching a psychological balance. As he wrote: “My conclusions about the bipolar experience: It’s important that you don’t allow people to label you – don’t allow yourself to be trapped under the labels. That’s why I myself reject this terminology, this label that I am a ‘bipolar person’, with all the negative baggage attached to the label.”

If you’d like to know more about M Ravi or read about his life story, you can purchase his book at any Kinokuniya outlet in Singapore, or online at Ethos Books here.

For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.
Tags: M ravi

Related Posts

“党籍不会过期失效”  前进党称已就党籍终止知会卡拉
Court Cases

AGC asked to explain purposes of 68 private letters of inmates illegitimately forwarded to prosecutors

21/01/2023
Mdm Halimah Yacob calls for rapists over 50s to be caned to protect the young
Civil Society

Mdm Halimah Yacob calls for rapists over 50s to be caned to protect the young

22/12/2022
M Ravi to Chief Justice, 
’I don’t feel that I belong to an honourable profession anymore’
People

M Ravi to Chief Justice, 
’I don’t feel that I belong to an honourable profession anymore’

18/11/2022
AGC argues in hearing to commit contempt of court proceedings against lawyer Mr M Ravi
Court Cases

AGC argues in hearing to commit contempt of court proceedings against lawyer Mr M Ravi

12/10/2022
M Ravi: Lawyers in S’pore must collectively “recover” rights to carry out duties without intimidation
Court Cases

M Ravi: Lawyers in S’pore must collectively “recover” rights to carry out duties without intimidation

01/09/2021
Crowdfunding campaign launched for legal fees in labour dispute against SBS Transit; goal set for S$90,000
Court Cases

Crowdfunding campaign launched for legal fees in labour dispute against SBS Transit; goal set for S$90,000

17/06/2021

Latest posts

Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

Sixteen killed in China highway pile-up

05/02/2023

Are IT jobs in Singapore flooded by foreigners?

05/02/2023
Nine missing after fishing boat capsizes in South Korea

Nine missing after fishing boat capsizes in South Korea

05/02/2023
Piercings and prayer: Malaysian Hindus celebrate Thaipusam

Piercings and prayer: Malaysian Hindus celebrate Thaipusam

05/02/2023
Grab SG appoints PAP MP Tin Peiling as director of public affairs and policy

Netizens question Tin Pei Ling’s conflict of interest as Grab’s director of Public Affairs and Member of Parliament

05/02/2023
Why is Gautam Adani’s Indian empire in turmoil?

Indian regulator reassures investors after Adani rout

05/02/2023
Cognizant India transfers staff to work in Singapore as recently as this year

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA

05/02/2023
Family of student killed in accident involving retired police officer, calls for transparency from Indonesian police

Family of student killed in accident involving retired police officer, calls for transparency from Indonesian police

04/02/2023

Trending posts

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

Former Singaporean shares change of life in Australia with annual pay of S$80,000 as a plumber

by Yee Loon
30/01/2023
25

...

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

They have done a fine job of confusing us about the jobs situation

by Augustine Low
01/02/2023
47

...

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

Adani’s brother runs SG company and registers as director with local ID

by Correspondent
03/02/2023
26

...

Cognizant India transfers staff to work in Singapore as recently as this year

Local IT grads can’t find jobs while engineers constantly transferred from India to work in SG under CECA

by Correspondent
05/02/2023
42

...

Excessively charging for an essential need, and calling it affordable because people still can pay for it?

by Terry Xu
31/01/2023
40

...

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

Singapore Law Watch removes commentary on CPIB’s decision to not prosecute former Keppel executives

by The Online Citizen
02/02/2023
19

...

May 2013
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Apr   Jun »

The Online Citizen is a regional online publication based in Taiwan and formerly Singapore’s longest-running independent online media platform.

Navigation

  • Editorial
  • Commentaries
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Community

Support

  • Contact Us
  • Letter submission
  • Membership subscription

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Fact Checking Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2022 - 2023 The Online Citizen Asia