• 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

New amendments meaningless if fundamentals are not steered in the “right direction”

by onlinecitizen
01/08/2016
in Opinion
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0

By WL Sum

I refer to the ongoing discourses about the “New Bill to provide clarity on what constitutes contempt of court” that was tabled in Parliament by Senior Minister of State for Law, Indranee Rajah earlier this month.

I find subsequent and any new amendments or introductions that so-call ‘protects’ the “public interest” both absurd and meaningless if the fundamentals of the country are not steered in the “right direction” which has seen many ridiculous happenings at the law enforcement agencies. Such as the cowardice of police during the little India riots, wastage of manpower needed to nab the notorious Jover Chew and not forgetting, the recent murders of Mohamad Daniel and Shawn Rodrigues as well as robbery at Standard Chartered and the successful escape! Things are only set to get worse with the absence of Lee Kuan Yew.

If the Law Ministry is really serious about “protecting” the fast eroding “high levels of trust” in Singapore’s Legal System and the “right to a fair trial”, it should first and foremost, immediately suspend Clause 9 in the Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2016, which would see a change to Section 29(4) of the Government Proceedings Act (GPA) that questionably seems to absolve the PAP government from any wrongdoing using taxpayer dollars to deter proceedings by having the plaintiff to pay for more, should more than two lawyers are being engaged by the government.

If K. Shanmugam is really serious as claimed on the “right to a fair trial” then he should perhaps start looking at abolishing Clause 9 which unfairly pits citizens against a People’s Action Party (PAP) government which utilizes State Funds!

Secondly, the Law Ministry should give due consideration to a proposal made on 16 Jul 2007 by MP Sylvia Lim from Workers’ Party, on the urgent need for “Security of Tenure” of the Judicial Commissioners and State Court Judges as they are not seen to be impartial when it comes to cases involving the PAP government, opposition members as well as social activists.

One fine example is the abrupt removal of Presiding Judge Michael Khoo who acquitted The Late J. B. Jeyaretnam in January 1981 that was never clearly explained and went down in our history as “A Black Day for Singapore Justice”.

The same goes for Judicial Commissioner Kannan Ramesh who struck out a lawsuit against MINDEF by an extremely aggrieved mother seeking justice for her late son on the glaring lapses.

Are these the ideals of “meritocracy” and “fairness” that have often been touted but not demonstrated that we should continue supporting it?

Otherwise, it is about time we initiate a ground-up campaign for the office of an elected ombudsman be created in order to truly protect public interest and uphold incorruptibility in both our political and legal systems.

The Parliament which is the highest body in the country made up of our representatives, has been unable to effectively check on both the Judiciary and Executive should they falter and their feedback goes into the black hole described by REACH Chairman Amy Khor, never to be seen or heard again. The present system is crumbling after the demise of Lee Kuan Yew and a new one is required to take Singapore forward!

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

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status
AFP

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status

27/01/2023
AFP

Two years after Myanmar coup, UN says situation ‘catastrophic’

27/01/2023
Grab driver supposedly earned $5,227.82 in a week prior CNY, netizens voice worries over his health
Community

Grab driver supposedly earned $5,227.82 in a week prior CNY, netizens voice worries over his health

27/01/2023
Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe
AFP

ICC grants new inquiry into Manila’s deadly ‘war on drugs’

27/01/2023
Minister refutes claims of Malaysia consulting Singapore on housing policy due to its inefficient civil service
Housing

Minister refutes claims of Malaysia consulting Singapore on housing policy due to its inefficient civil service

27/01/2023
457 civil society organizations call on ASEAN to move beyond the Five-Point Consensus
AFP

Myanmar junta sets out tough new rules for political parties

27/01/2023
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
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status

WHO panel in talks on COVID emergency status

27/01/2023

Two years after Myanmar coup, UN says situation ‘catastrophic’

27/01/2023
Grab driver supposedly earned $5,227.82 in a week prior CNY, netizens voice worries over his health

Grab driver supposedly earned $5,227.82 in a week prior CNY, netizens voice worries over his health

27/01/2023
Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe

ICC grants new inquiry into Manila’s deadly ‘war on drugs’

27/01/2023
Minister refutes claims of Malaysia consulting Singapore on housing policy due to its inefficient civil service

Minister refutes claims of Malaysia consulting Singapore on housing policy due to its inefficient civil service

27/01/2023
457 civil society organizations call on ASEAN to move beyond the Five-Point Consensus

Myanmar junta sets out tough new rules for political parties

27/01/2023
Thai ruling party names deputy PM as main election candidate

Thai ruling party names deputy PM as main election candidate

27/01/2023
Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG

Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG

27/01/2023

Trending posts

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
35

...

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
53

...

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
22

...

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
46

...

New amendments meaningless if fundamentals are not steered in the “right direction”

by onlinecitizen
01/08/2016
0

...

August 2016
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Jul   Sep »
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
  • Contact Us

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

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

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

wpDiscuz