Wakey wakey Mr. Lee

First he caused the catastrophic shortage of Singapore’s population by making us stop producing after two kids, then he opened his mouth to proclaim the “Golden Period” only to have global economy plunge into depths of depression, and now he says the bilingual policy that has left an indelible scar on hundreds of thousands of Singaporeans,  is a mistake.

Good grief.

For someone who has been showered with awards and accolades for his leadership, Lee Kuan Yew sure screwed up a lot of lives through his erroneous decisions and wild proclamations.

We don’t have to pay over $3,000,000 for someone to make social policies (unilaterally, probably) that destroy lives only for him to do an about face decades later and admit to his mistake.

An awakening, perhaps, when you become an octogenarian.

Here is a list of wrong decisions Mr. Lee might want to awaken to some really really time soon. Of course this list is not exhaustive:

1. Making the death penalty mandatory for drug mules
2. Wasting our money in paying his ministers millions of dollars each year
3. Withholding our CPF savings even after we have retired
4. Still insisting that the ISA was used to protect Singapore from the left-winged groups and worse, that the detainees were never tortured
5. Criminalising homosexuality
6. Ensuring that public institutions such as law enforcement agencies, the legal entity, media etc work for the interest of the public, not the ruling party
7. Suppressing our wages through employing cheap foreign labour

Minister Lee should wake up soon to realise the senseless waste of lives and human potential that his government is perpetuating.

Cheap petrol and no rights

It was a nightmare on the roads last Saturday. I was caught in at least three traffic jams on my way to Eunos.

All of them were caused by the petrol discount that Shell was offering that day. I was appalled by the congestion that the cars queuing up for cheap petrol was causing. The slip road from the PIE to Paya Lebar Road was choc-a-bloc. There was obvious frustration for road users near any Shell station that day.

However, all the news that was reported by Mediacorp that night was how long some drivers had waited to get tanks filled and how much savings they made. Nothing was said about the havoc that these cars-in-waiting had caused.

Compare this major disruption to traffic flow in many areas to the fear of public disorder that the police were concerned about, leading them to charge me and four others for distributing flyers at Raffles City in 2006.

So it’s okay for public disorder to occur when it’s for commercial purposes but if it is to advocate for rights of citizens, it is an offence.

I guess you can buy cheap petrol but you can’t buy dignity and rights.

Hitting the streets with The New Democrat

I’m two shades darker and my face more freckled than a couple of weeks ago. No, it’s not because I’ve been frolicking at the beach. It’s because I’ve been moving from place to place in the blazing noon sun to sell The New Democrat (TND).

It’s been exhausting as my colleagues and I have been standing at street corners and hawker centres to sell my party newspaper. But this is necessary. With all the demonization, persecution and then black out by the local media about the SDP, this is the only way we can get accurate information out to the public.

Almost invariably, strangers come up to tell us that they support us or push a $10 note into our hands and tell us to keep the change.

Even though it sometimes gets gruelling, my colleagues and I will continue to ensure that the TND gets into the hands of as many people as possible.

Here is a promotional video for The New Democrat:

The Visit

I really enjoyed our visit to the home for the elderly last weekend. I spoke to several residents at some length. One was a 93 year old lady. She spoke fantastic English and that made it much easier for me to converse with her. She is still healthy and mobile.

Then there was this other resident who spoke some kind of dialect that none of us understood. She held my hand and smiled and cried at the same time. All I could do was to say in a mixture of Hokkien and Chinese that we will be back to see her. It was hard to leave her.

The noisy atmosphere was brought on by the eight kids we had in tow. At first they were wary and shy. They didn’t even dare to offer the pastries and drinks to the folks. But in about 10 minutes, I saw the kids whizzing by asking for more drinks and cakes for them to serve. They went from room to room to make sure that everyone was visited and had their makanan. At the end of the visit, one of my nieces asked if we could go visit another home that afternoon.

It was so good to see the faces brighten up and thanking us for visiting them. The residents told me that they hardly get out. There just isn’t enough staff to take them out. Well, I hope to take several of them to the park not too long from now. This will be such a treat for them… and us.

Related: Democrats visit nursing home as part of community service

Indignation

Indignation is Singapore’s Gay Pride season where events to create awareness of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) take place for a month. The first season started in 2005.

This year, several of us from the SDP and our friends attended the opening that was launched on 1 August at Theatreworks. The organisers of the event were the folks from People Like Us (PLU). Mr. Siew Kum Hong was conferred the Dignity Award from PLU for speaking up for the dignity and equality of gays. The former NMP was given a rousing applause and standing ovation when he gave his brief acceptance speech.

Mr. Alex Au and Dr. Russell Heng who spearheaded the event spoke about how gays or any other minority group in Singapore should be not be discriminated against.

The evening ended with poetry reading by Mr. Koh Jee Leong a poet who is based in the US. The audience was told that the Media Development Authority (MDA) had at the last minute required the three poems entitled Brother, Blowjob and Hungry Ghosts to be submitted for review. The MDA came back with a M18 rating. Amidst sniggers, the compere was obligated to ask those who were under 18 years of age to leave the room before the poems could be read.

I believe that every citizen regardless or creed, religion, race or sexual orientation should be treated with respect, equality and dignity. We hope our LGBT friends will not be subjected to harassment by the government for the activities that they have organised during their Pride month.

Click on this banner to visit Indignation’s website:

Judge dismisses complaint against police

Source: Singapore Democrats

District Judge Christopher Goh dismissed a Magistrate’s Complaint filed by Ms Chee Siok Chin and Mr John Tan last week.

Ms Chee and Mr Tan had filed the complaint in February this year for unlawful detention and selective use of the law by the Singapore Police Force when the two were walking along Orange Grove Road in 2007 (watch video Part I and Part II).
In her complaint, Ms Chee stated that during the ASEAN Summit that year, police officers along Orange Grove Road harassed and stopped her and Mr Tan from walking to Shangri-la Hotel. The police had told them that the area was under gazette at that time.

Ms Chee argued that if that was the case, why were other pedestrians and vehicles allowed in the vicinity while she was being prevented from proceeding.

Mr Tan also said that he had been assaulted by the police officers in the the van.

The SDP leaders stated that after they were forced into the van, the police officers told them that they were not being arrested but refused to answer repeated questions about where they were being taken.

On Tuesday last week, the judge told both complainants that in response to the complaint, the Internal Investigation Department of the Singapore Police Force had come to the conclusion that Ms Chee and Mr Tan were removed from the vicinity under the Protected Area and Places Act. The report was sent to the Attorney-General’s Chambers who decided that there was no case for the police to answer. The judge thus dismissed the matter.

Ms Chee pointed out that the investigation was carried out by the same body against whom the report was made.

Mr Tan argued that the two main issues highlighted in the complaints were not being addressed by the investigation. He asked the judge to demand answers to the questions raised, but was rejected. The selective application of the law and the wrongful detention of the aggrieved persons were dismissed by the district judge.

Judge Goh responded by saying that he had no powers to initiate prosecution. In other words, he could only act on the direction of the AGC.

Despite much explicit reasoning, the judge could not see the absurdity of an investigation carried out by the perpetrators and the decision not to carry out further action by their accomplices.

The PAP has for decades used public institutions against its political opponents and dissenters. This is a serious misuse of power. Unfortunately, Singaporeans have been subjected to such abuse for so long that many have come to accept it as normal.

Is this the Singapore-styled democracy to which Mr Lee Kuan Yew is referring when he rejects “liberal democracy?” Is this the kind of democracy that Singaporeans have pledged to uphold? The answer is clear. The function of all government agencies or public institutions is to serve the people, not the party in power.

This is why the Singapore Democrats and Friends continue with the struggle for democracy and pursuit of justice and equality for all.

Don’t Stop Believing

By Chee Siok Chin

But on those days when nobody wants to know you
And all your smiles keep falling on stoney ground
Don’t stop believin’, don’t stop believin’
Don’t stop believin’, you’ll get by
Bad days, bad days will hurry by
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4ihzBP3SEw

This is the chorus to the song “Don’t Stop Believing” by Olivia Newton-John. I was a huge fan of hers back from primary school right up to my early adulthood. When this Grammy- winner diva came to Singapore to perform for the first time in 2007, I was among the first few to get tickets. Even though I was sitting way behind in the Indoor Stadium, watching her perform live (sometimes through my binocs and sometimes on the huge overhead screen) was a blast. Watch this: ONJ and Barry Gibb performing live together this year. It’s great!

But I digress. There is a more sombre point to this posting.

There are those days when you think to yourself “When will the bad days hurry by? When is this all going to be behind me?”. I often think this in terms of the societal and political situation here. When will Lee Kuan Yew be made accountable for his monstrosity in subjecting Singaporeans to his belief in eugenics? When will he be made answerable for his irreversible blunder in his population control policies in the 70s and 80s? When will he be brought to justice for for destroying scores of lives for his political gain?

I recently spoke to someone who had written a book about Lee. The subject of mortality, judgement and accountability came up. We concluded that Singaporeans are too comfortable or even afraid to think analytically and critically about the society that Lee Kuan Yew has literally engineered and the warpedness of it all. So having him account to Singaporeans for his transgressions will not happen in his lifetime.

However, I believe that the time will come when Lee will be brought before the judgement seat, as I will too. Then he will be made to accountable for all that he has done, good and bad. Until that time comes, let’s not stop believing that one day we will live and thrive in a society where compassion, justice, equality and freedom are the pillars and foundations of Singapore.

Foreigners on foreign issues in Singapore

By Chee Siok Chin

“The Lady” made her presence felt at Hong Lim Park on when Singaporeans and Burmese nationals held a vigil calling for the release of Asia’s most renowned democracy and human rights leader.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s picture was held up by participants who showed up in the hundreds dressed in yellow in the event organised by Maruah.

Although the event took place a few weeks ago, there are important lessons that we can learn from the proceedings.

The event was part of a regional effort involving NGOs in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and the Philippines calling for the release of Ms Suu Kyi. There was only one problem. It was made clear to one and all that the Burmese were not welcome to participate in the proceedings as they were reminded to remain at the fringe of the park.

Non-Singaporeans are prohibited from taking part in political events in public, even at Speakers’ Corner. The rationale for such a restriction is because Singapore’s politics is for Singaporeans only.

But how is calling on the Burmese regime to release Ms Suu Kyi be considered engaging in Singapore’s politics? Why couldn’t Burmese residing in Singapore join in the call for Daw Suu’s release? The organisers were not even calling for the Singapore government to change its Burma policy.

It’s not even a Burmese issue as Singaporeans were the organisers. I’m sure there were many other people of other nationalities who wanted to express their concern for her release.

Many Singaporeans have, I am sure participated in political events in countries whose governments are not as paranoid as the one we have. It would be unacceptable for democratic countries to ban Burmese and other nationals from protesting against the Burmese junta and call for Ms Suu Kyi’s release.

The recent international protests against the election results in Iran is another case in point. Iranians living and studying in countries across the world were out demonstrating against the Ahmadinejad regime. There were even protests in the Gulf States and Malaysia. These governments recognised their rights to free expression as long as the protesters remained peaceful.

In stark contrast, there is only silence in Singapore. Either we are a superior society or we are really out of sync with the rest of the world.

What happened at the Aung San Suu Kyi event at Speakers’ Corner is yet another example of how authoritarian regimes make its people comply with policies that not only make no sense, but also make us look silly.

Just because they are not Singaporeans, people cannot express their support for what is right? Is that what we are teaching our children? In an internationalised world where movement of people are much more pronounced is it reasonable to expect other nationals to remain silent about what goes on in their home countries?

Our Burmese friends felt so deeply about the injustice taking place in their homeland, as we all do, that they could not keep quiet nor remain at the fringe of the Maruah event. And so despite the warnings they went ahead to participate in the proceedings, lighting candles and releasing balloons.

And guess what? The 60-minute vigil was held peacefully, respectfully and responsibly.

Are we proud of our silliness?

And get this. While foreigners are not allowed to take part in our internal affairs, they are called upon to run our reserves in Temasek as well as to set wage levels in the National Wages Council.

Our thoughts are with Anthony Yeo

By Chee Siok Chin

Mr Anthony Yeo was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma/Acute Leukemia several weeks ago. His progress is announced regularly at the Care and Counselling Centre website where he is a consultant therapist.

I got to know Anthony in 2003 at a course in which he lectured. His easy-going style and humour did not complement his goatee which made him look like a no-nonsense headmaster. I learned through our conversations that he had studied theology and was pleasantly surprised by his open-mindedness.

I had a discussion with him about my political involvement and my Christian beliefs some years back, and I remember coming away from our meeting feeling understood and supported.

We have since kept in touch and he has attended several events organised by the Singapore Democrats as well as by other activists.

I know that Anthony is a highly respected member of the community, and well-loved by those who know him. He did not shy away from lending his voice against the death penalty and to Aware’s sex education package for schools.

He is also a regular contributor to the Straits times’ Forum, often speaking up for the underdog.

He spoke up in defence of M Ravi who was the lawyer for the late Shanmugam Murugesu, who was hanged in 2007. He also spoke up for the SDP secretary-general when Mr Lee Kuan Yew called him a “near- psychopath”.

We understand that Anthony’s condition is not quite stable yet and that the medical staff still needs to monitor his condition very closely. He is in the Intensive-Care Unit and seems to be drifting in and out of consciousness.

The Singapore Democrats and Friends are very concerned about him. He is constantly in our thoughts. We hope that his family is keeping well despite this trying time and that they are encouraged by the well-wishes pouring in.

Hang in there, Anthony.

Opposition and civil society must come together for sake of democracy

By Chee Siok Chin

Civil society seems to be anxious to avoid sharing the same platform with opposition parties. The reason often cited is that they want to remain non-partisan, that is, not taking sides with any political party or support any political manifesto.

Polite and friendly greetings are exchanged but little substantive conversations transpire when the groups happen to meet.

Why are there such misgivings about politicians or members representing political parties? Could it be that the ruling party has done such an excellent job in their divide-and-conquer tactic? Could it be that many of the NGOs depend on state funds? Could it be that the state media has succeeded in demonising the opposition, especially the more vocal parties like the Singapore Democrats? Or could it be that civil society actors are afraid that their personal economic security would be jeopardised if they are seen working with the opposition?

The answer is probably most, if not all, of the above.

This is unfortunate. In mature democracies, the roles of civil society and political parties are separate and distinct. This is because they operate in open and free political environments. And yet NGOs engage political parties on a wide spectrum of issues, educating and raising awareness among legislators and politicians.

But in non-democratic states, the cooperation between civil society and pro-democracy opposition parties take on a different tone. This is because there is, first and foremost, the need to achieve democracy.

A good example are our cousins across the Causeway. They understand the need for civil society and political parties to come together and the power they synergise when they do.

The Malaysian Government recently announced that it would review the Internal Security Act. This is clearly a response to the Abolish ISA Movement which has the support of opposition parties in Malaysia.

Leading politicians such as Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Guan Eng, Tian Chua, Elizabeth Wong and scores of other political figures have called for and even lent their support in events that advocate the abolishment of the ISA in Malaysia.

Similarly in the Bersih and Hindraf movements, opposition party members, civil society actors and human rights activists supported one another to stand up to undemocratic practices of their government.

Can such cooperation and broad support materialise in Singapore? Only if there is a committed leadership with foresight.

Rights activists, social justice advocates, youth leaders, etc must not shy away from cooperating, even at the most fundamental level, with the opposition to work on basic issues such as increasing the level of democracy in Singapore.

The SDP has and will continue to reach out to civil society and individuals to engage them on broader issues of human rights and freedoms of speech and assembly.

If we stand segregated, it makes it much easier for the Government to make victims out of us. However if groups come together, even if loosely, the authorities will be forced to respond in more measured tones.

For cooperation to take place, we need to first build trust and confidence among the groups. But before this can even happen, we must take the first step of initiating dialogue.

Towards this end, the Singapore Democrats welcome conversation with any group. It is our hope that civil society at large will cast away their fear and engage in discussions with the SDP over matters of national interest.