Connect with us

Current Affairs

Reviewing “To Singapore, With Love” – Part 1: A film about life and patriotism

Published

10 years ago

on

By Ghui
To Singapore With Love poster FFF2014The movie opened with the most mundane and domestic of scenes – a father cooking char kuey teow for his family while talking about Singapore.
In that home setting and with the uncharacteristic London sun shining through the windows, the cacophony of the clanging wok and the sizzling and sputtering sounds of hissing cooking oil, Ho Juan Thai could have been in Singapore in an alternate reality.
Instead, the exile who fled Singapore for fear of political persecution is a million miles away from home and has no hope of return in the foreseeable future.
In his interview for “To Singapore, With Love” – the film banned by the Media Development Authority for presenting a “distorted and untruthful” of the exiles – Juan Thai is at once hopeful, wistful and full of unmistakable love for his country. His emotions arouse in the viewer a strong sense of patriotism, not one driven by any political agenda but a simple sense of belonging, inexplicable and unexplainable: We are Singaporean. Beyond politics, beyond ideology, Singapore is our home.
Dr Ang Swee Chai was also featured in the film, and should rightfully be recognised as a Singaporean who has done her country proud. An eminent doctor who has spent many years volunteering for the Palestinian cause, she is much respected in the UK and in the Middle East. She has even authored a book – From Beirut to Jerusalem and been on Ted Talks. In the film, she talks of her passions, her commitment to social causes and of her late husband, Francis Khoo and how he inspired her. It was her love for him that led to her leaving Singapore to start from scratch in London.
Sacrificing for love, committing to social work, giving back to the community, a global outlook – these are qualities that all Singaporeans should have. It is a great pity that many Singaporeans will not have the opportunity to be inspired by her.
As a viewer, I felt proud that she hailed from our little red dot and saddened that this film cannot be shown in Singapore on the basis of “national security” when not much was about national security at all. Instead, it is a story about how one simple life can make a world of difference if you would only try.
The film then travels to Betong, Thailand where the funeral of Liu Bio was held. Set amidst chanting monks and the bustle of an Asian city, the viewer is immediately given a great sense of place. Indeed, much of the film is a cultural feast for the eyes. Each change in destination begins with scenes of passing traffic and street life, capturing context while enriching the senses.
At Liu Bio’s funeral, Wong Soon Fong talks about Operation Coldstore, and how he escaped with fellow elected parliamentarian, Chan Sun Wing from Singapore after they were marked for arrest, and how many of Singaporeans are left in Thailand. His message was an account of his life and that of his fellow comrades.
Seamlessly moving across countries, the audience finds itself in London yet again with Tan Wah Piow, a student activist who was unceremoniously arrested and imprisoned in the 70s. His crime? Fighting for the rights of workers who were being retrenched without pay. While the government may have viewed this as “rioting”, film director Tan Pin Pin manages masterfully to give the audience an insight into Wah Piow’s life without preaching any political message.
A factual and objective account of Wah Piow’s fight for workers’ rights, arrest and flight was given while we are given a glimpse of his day to day life. We see that Wah Piow is a lawyer. We see him interacting with his clients and we see him at his book launch in Kuala Lumpur. He has made a very successful life for himself and his family in the UK without compromising on any of his principles.
The film travels yet again. This time to Hat Yai, Thailand. Here Yap Wan Pin and Tan Hee Kim are introduced. Despite having to leave their home, Yap and Tan have managed to build a thriving noodle factory. Although physically away from Singapore, they still keep abreast of Singaporean news.
Their days as guerrillas in the jungle are long past although they still have a keen interest in political affairs. Does that make one a threat to national security? In my humble opinion, not.
He Jin and his wife give an account of the guerrilla warfare waged by the communists in the jungles of Malaysia and Thailand.  It was not a call to arms to stir communist fervour nor was it in any way an incitement against the status quo. How did a Singaporean end up waging war in the jungles? It was a piece of human story that ought to be part of the annals of the wider Singapore narrative.
It is also in Hat Yai that Chan Sun Wing reads a moving poem about Singapore retracing his journey and reaffirming his love and loyalty to a place that was once his home. It moved me to tears – not for any political fervour but I was shamed by how little I love my country in comparison to him.
Many other former political detainees shared their personal stories in the film – such as Tan Kok Fang’s and Said Zahari’s accounts about Operation Coldstore. Instead of inciting political hatred, their stories served as a timely reminder that the Internal Security Act needs to be repealed, having outlived its purpose and is in reality little more than a tool of repression that we no longer need.
Beautifully edited, “To Singapore, With Love” is visually pleasing and cleverly weaves between east and west – in many ways, mirroring Singapore’s position in history as having influences from both east and west as a former British colony, located at the tip of the Malay Archipelago with inhabitants from many parts of the world.
As the film progresses, it becomes crystal clear that this is not a film about politics. It is a film about life. It is a chronicle of how Singaporeans live their lives outside of Singapore. It follows their livelihood and home life. The audience enters their homes and meet their families.
The only difference is that these individuals cannot simply jump onto a plane and visit Singapore like other Singaporeans abroad can. Therein lie the haunting and poignant scenes of family reunions and precious memories.
Read also “Part 2: Only threat is to lost opportunities” to find out about the author’s perspective on the film.
Like this article? Support us so that we can do more. Subscribe to TOC here.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
1 Comment
Subscribe
Notify of
1 Comment
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Current Affairs

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

3 hours 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.

 

Continue Reading

Current Affairs

Chee Soon Juan questions Shanmugam’s $88 million property sale amid silence from Mainstream Media

Dr Chee Soon Juan of the SDP raised concerns about the S$88 million sale of Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow at Astrid Hill, questioning transparency and the lack of mainstream media coverage. He called for clarity on the buyer, valuation, and potential conflicts of interest.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

23 September 2024

By

On Sunday (22 Sep), Dr Chee Soon Juan, Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), issued a public statement on Facebook, expressing concerns regarding the sale of Minister for Home Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow (GCB) at Astrid Hill.

Dr Chee questioned the transparency of the S$88 million transaction and the absence of mainstream media coverage despite widespread discussion online.

According to multiple reports cited by Dr Chee, Mr Shanmugam’s property was transferred in August 2023 to UBS Trustees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, which holds the property in trust under the Jasmine Villa Settlement.

Dr Chee’s statement focused on two primary concerns: the lack of response from Mr Shanmugam regarding the transaction and the silence of major media outlets, including Singapore Press Holdings and Mediacorp.

He argued that, given the ongoing public discourse and the relevance of property prices in Singapore, the sale of a high-value asset by a public official warranted further scrutiny.

In his Facebook post, Dr Chee posed several questions directed at Mr Shanmugam and the government:

  1. Who purchased the property, and is the buyer a Singaporean citizen?
  2. Who owns Jasmine Villa Settlement?
  3. Were former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong informed of the transaction, and what were their responses?
  4. How was it ensured that the funds were not linked to money laundering?
  5. How was the property’s valuation determined, and by whom?

The Astrid Hill property, originally purchased by Mr Shanmugam in 2003 for S$7.95 million, saw a significant increase in value, aligning with the high-end status of District 10, where it is located. The 3,170.7 square-meter property was sold for S$88 million in August 2023.

Dr Chee highlighted that, despite Mr Shanmugam’s detailed responses regarding the Ridout Road property, no such transparency had been offered in relation to the Astrid Hill sale.

He argued that the lack of mainstream media coverage was particularly concerning, as public interest in the sale is high. Dr Chee emphasized that property prices and housing affordability are critical issues in Singapore, and transparency from public officials is essential to maintain trust.

Dr Chee emphasized that the Ministerial Code of Conduct unambiguously states: “A Minister must scrupulously avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest between his office and his private financial interests.”

He concluded his statement by reiterating the need for Mr Shanmugam to address the questions raised, as the matter involves not only the Minister himself but also the integrity of the government and its responsibility to the public.

The supposed sale of Mr Shamugam’s Astrid Hill property took place just a month after Mr Shanmugam spoke in Parliament over his rental of a state-owned bungalow at Ridout Road via a ministerial statement addressing potential conflicts of interest.

At that time, Mr Shanmugam explained that his decision to sell his home was due to concerns about over-investment in a single asset, noting that his financial planning prompted him to sell the property and move into rental accommodation.

The Ridout Road saga last year centred on concerns about Mr Shanmugam’s rental of a sprawling black-and-white colonial bungalow, occupying a massive plot of land, managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), which he oversees in his capacity as Minister for Law. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, also rented a similarly expansive property nearby.

Mr Shanmugam is said to have recused himself from the decision-making process, and a subsequent investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) found no wrongdoing while Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean confirmed in Parliament that Mr Shanmugam had removed himself from any decisions involving the property.

As of now, Mr Shanmugam has not commented publicly on the sale of his Astrid Hill property.

Continue Reading

Trending