• 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

Beware of Parliament

by onlinecitizen
09/03/2015
in Letters
Reading Time: 3 mins read
4

Comment by Mr E W Barker in parliament

law soc press release

By Teo Soh Lung

Re-reading the press release of the Law Society of Singapore on the Newspaper and Printing Presses Amendment Bill 1986 brought back many memories.

Its president, Francis Seow was the first and last president to have the gumption to comment in public about an unreasonable law that gravely affected freedom of speech and expression. ( Read here and here) .

francis seow
Former president of Singapore Law Society, Francis Seow

 

The consequences of issuing the press release were unexpected and cruel. The society collapsed shortly after even though it made a spirited attempt towards the end of 1986 when at an extraordinary general meeting attended by 407 lawyers (one third of the Bar), 404 courageously voted against the passage of another unjust law, the Legal Profession Amendment Bill, 1986. (ST 23 Sept 1986). Till today, the Law Society remain traumatised and has never spoken up publicly against any unjust law.

I have heard one young lawyer complain that if the law society had been less vociferous and engaged the government in quiet consultation, much more could have been achieved.

I believe several lawyers shared his view. Blame was cast on a group of lawyers, including me, that if we had acted more cautiously and moved more slowly in our quest for change, the society would not have suffered so badly and it could have achieved much more.

Such comments are utter balderdash and a cover up for cowardice. I say this because I have re-read press reports and the report of the select committee on the Legal Profession Amendment Bill 1986.

What happened to the law society happened because senior members (those who have practised law for more than 12 years) elected Francis Seow into council at the end of 1985 and members of council elected him to be its president in Jan 1986.

The then prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew literally “hit the roof” because he hated Francis Seow who was a better lawyer than him and who knew him too well, including his political thoughts.

Francis Seow was his solicitor general and was his trusted prosecutor in many important cases. He therefore could not take the risk of Francis Seow leading the law society. The attorney general, Tan Boon Teik was immediately instructed to take care of the lawyers.

As a consequence, an amendment to the Legal Profession Act to remove Francis Seow as president and at the same time, punish and humiliate lawyers was introduced.

The then Minister for Law, E W Barker who I had the greatest respect, showed his true colours when he inserted the amendment at the select committee stage (whether on instructions from the prime minister or not I don’t know) to disallow the law society from commenting on bills unless such bills were referred to it.

mr barker comment
Comment by Mr E W Barker in parliament on the J.B Jeyaretnam

He pressed through this amendment without it being presented for a first and second reading. J B Jeyaretnam, (one of two opposition members) who attempted to stop him was rudely told “We chop and change [the law]” and “All I am telling you is that we amended the Bill to make it loud and clear that we only want their [lawyers] assistance on matters which we submit to them.” That was the arrogance of the minister.

Punishing Francis Seow and lawyers in 1986 was not enough for the prime minister. The following two years, several lawyers who called the extraordinary general meeting and Francis Seow, were imprisoned under the Internal Security Act.

I hope that historians will write truthfully about what happened to the Law Society in the decade of the 1980s.

Editor note: Those who supported and disagreed to the amendment bill.

division

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.

Related Posts

Million-dollar overpayments made by various ministries, public agencies highlighted in sampled audit by Auditor-General Office amongst various lapses
International

Singapore ranked least corrupt country in Asia, fifth in the world

31/01/2023
China angered by new Czech president’s Taiwan call
AFP

China angered by new Czech president’s Taiwan call

31/01/2023
过去五年  四成上班族曾遭性骚扰!仅30%受害者举报
Crime

Grassroots leader jailed for duping fellow volunteers to engage services from his own wife and firm

31/01/2023
Myanmar junta prepares for poll, raising fears of more bloodshed
AFP

Myanmar junta prepares for poll, raising fears of more bloodshed

31/01/2023
US tells vaccinated people in high COVID risk areas to mask again
AFP

White House says US COVID emergency status to end 11 May

31/01/2023
Editorial

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

31/01/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
4 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

Million-dollar overpayments made by various ministries, public agencies highlighted in sampled audit by Auditor-General Office amongst various lapses

Singapore ranked least corrupt country in Asia, fifth in the world

31/01/2023
China angered by new Czech president’s Taiwan call

China angered by new Czech president’s Taiwan call

31/01/2023
过去五年  四成上班族曾遭性骚扰!仅30%受害者举报

Grassroots leader jailed for duping fellow volunteers to engage services from his own wife and firm

31/01/2023
Myanmar junta prepares for poll, raising fears of more bloodshed

Myanmar junta prepares for poll, raising fears of more bloodshed

31/01/2023
US tells vaccinated people in high COVID risk areas to mask again

White House says US COVID emergency status to end 11 May

31/01/2023

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

31/01/2023
258 BTO flats and 168 resale flats returned to HDB due to non-fulfillment of Minimum Occupation Period

Desmond Lee files Ministerial Motion to affirm commitment on affordable public housing in Singapore

31/01/2023
Keppel O&M’s involvement in Brazil’s massive corruption scandal

Keppel Offshore & Marine paid fines and damages of US$65 million to Brazilian authorities over corruption case

30/01/2023

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
16

...

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
41

...

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

Earning only S$400 a month, delivery-rider turned hawker threw in the towel after two years of running a rojak stall

by Yee Loon
26/01/2023
24

...

Ho Ching breaks silence over Temasek’s write down of its US$275 million investment in FTX, says it “can afford to be contrarian”

US regulator questions VCs’ due diligence work prior to investing in FTX; Ho Ching says Temasek can afford to be contrarian

by The Online Citizen
24/01/2023
28

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
59

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
49

...

March 2015
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Feb   Apr »

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

wpDiscuz